Pencil in His Hand: A Mother's Journal of Stories, Thoughts, and Poems.

  Why Do We "Make A Home?" Titus 2:3-5 ESV [3] Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, [4] and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, [5] to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.  https://bible.com/bible/59/tit.2.3-5.ESV Dearest Reader, Why, I wonder, do we make a home, besides the obvious reasons? Is it to have fun with hobbies and decorating? To show off its beauty and tasteful decor? Or, perhaps, more nobly, to provide a space where learning and rest and relaxation can take place?  Why do we homemakers dust and tidy, cook and bake, de-clutter and scrub? Why do we show up day after day to help, train, and feed? What importance does having an inviting home have? Well, I should think that the most important reason is given to us here in Titus. When we as women take up our noble ...

  My seed box Seeds of Patience Dearest Reader, March is now nearing an end, but it is still a great time for sowing seeds here in the Southern hemisphere. The very hot weather is behind us, and it is time to start on autumn and winter crops. I was very excited for March to arrive, and had been getting my containers ready through the summer. I love the thought of cooler days, rain showers and lush green growth, though I could do without the snails! So, with my goal in mind, I soon got busy. I sowed swiss chard, carrot, spring onion, radish, cabbage, pansy, coriander, and sweet pea seed. Then just today, I added some calendula and mixed herbs to the mix. Exciting times.😊 But then, one realises, comes the hard part. Waiting. It generally takes about two weeks to see some action from the seeds you sowed. Also, seeds need to be kept moist, so there's quite a bit of work involved. I try to keep the end goal in sight and not get too hung up on time, but it's hard. Many times I have ...

  You Have Today Dearest Reader, You have today. Yes, I realize that it doesn't sound like much. We have lost all of our yesterdays. They may live on in our hearts and in our memories, but they are gone. And it is sad. As for our tomorrows, they may still  be around the corner, but there are no guarantees that they will be ours. But. We have today. That is all. And it is good, and it is enough for now. Now that you and I have reminded ourselves of this, we must ask, what will we do with this gift that we've been given. (By the way, I could get a bit pedantic here and rather say that all we have is this moment , but I do rather like the idea of having a whole day.) This day may be a chance to pray for a loved one who is ill, or far away. You may choose to use this time to start a garden, or to knit a jersey for a little one in need. Or maybe you will visit an elderly aunt, or take a meal to a new mom. Today may also be a good day to ask for someone's forgiveness. To say that...

  Too Much Dear Reader, So often, I have felt this way: that I simply cannot make it. The burdens have grown too heavy. The pain is too great. The disappointment too crushing. It seems like every morning I take some time to feel very sorry for myself. No. I simply do not have the strength for anything. Perhaps staying in bed would be a good idea. But then, I remember. He has reminded me many times. "Give each load you carry to Me. Put it in a basket and float it on the Nile. Bring it to the strong tower. It will be safe with Me. Place it on the Rock which cannot move. Lay your burdens at the foot of the cross. Lay them in My arms." Yes, Lord. I will . "Good." And then another whisper: "Just one day, child. Just one step at a time." Yes, Lord, I can do that with You at my side, holding my hand. But Lord, what about tommorow? "Don't worry, child. We will do this again each morning. And you will make it. One day at a time." *** Matthew 11:28. ...

  Photo: William Krause. Unsplash Thoughts on Surrender Sometimes, I wonder what it means to surrender to Jesus fully. I mean, I was born again quite a few years ago. I gave Him my heart, and my life. I definitely chose to follow Him. But I can see that slowly but surely in mine, as well as in the lives of all Christians, the self starts to crawl back towards the heart's throne, until eventually, he or she is sitting pretty once more. Of course, you are still saved, but Jesus is now off to one side, whilst you are in the driving seat. Until you and I get off that throne and hand over the crown as well as the keys over to Jesus, we are doomed to a life of failure. When we surrender, we give up our "rights." Our "right" to sleep in, our "right" to another slice of cake, our "right" to read a novel instead of God's Word, our "right" to be entertained, our "right" to be comfortable, our "right" to get even, or to...

  Use All You Have For God's Kingdom And Glory If you are a Christian writer, write! If you are a Christian artist, create! If you are a Christian homemaker, keep your home for Christ! Whatever you are, whatever you do, do all for the Lord, as He has taught us: not for the world, but for Him. These are unprecedented times we are living in. Our world is flooded with content from the pens, paint brushes, and hands of the ungodly. Much of this content does nothing but pollute and blacken the atmosphere.  Hatred, war, anti-semitism, violence, immorality, crime, and obsessive pleasure seeking are everywhere. As the minority, we often feel impotent and weak. What can we do to make things better, and to bring light into the darkness? Well, I would advise and encourage each Christian to simply make sure that their lamp is lit. Your lamp may be small, but it can be clean and filled with oil. So, keep shining Christian! Don't give up! Keep writing, drawing, creating, working. And most i...

  Johannes Plenio. Unsplash Remembering I remembered today to look Your way, to pray. In the middle of everything. I remembered today  in the midst of chaos, pain, despair You do care and You are in my heart. I remembered today  here where it hurts, that Lord, You promised to fetch us and to take us away... *** pencil in His Hand

  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Robert Bagramov. Unsplash Dearest Readers,  I just want to keep it really simple today. I want to encourage you in these dark days with joyful thoughts of what lies ahead for each blood bought child of God. It is a command, not a suggestion that we do this. For the Lord has promised to fetch us; to hide us whilst He pours His wrath out upon the earth. No, we are not destined for wrath.  As believers, we experience much tribulation here on earth, but The Great Tribulation is reserved for the unrighteous. I have referred before to a dream I had many years ago, in which I was walking along in much anxiety whilst carrying a heavy load of books. These all tumbled to the ground as I was lifted up to meet my Lord:  Jesus, whom I confess to be my Lord and Saviour. Today, let us all remember that time is short. Like the Israelites when they were about to leave Egypt, we need to be ready, having forsaken all earthly ties. If you are not saved, read th...

  Some of the children's art Laying Our Lives Down We've been busy this week with a holiday Bible school. For five days, the Gospel was shared, songs were sung, great fun was had, and hands were kept busy with crafts. My craft group consisted of grade two and three girls. A very sweet bunch! Our Pastor shared the Word around the theme of God's love, and the children were also fed with teatime sandwiches, cool drink, and lunch. It is lot's of fun, but also tiring and very hard work. Not to mention noisy and challenging at times. You can't have 130 children in one place without some nonsense! I have to admit, that I did grumble a little. The washing was mounting at home and my feet were getting sore. Yet, we all soldiered on with a smile. This was not our work. No, it is all done for the Lord. The children must have a chance to hear that God loves them and wants to forgive and save them. This morning, Matthew 16:24 came up on my phone. I include the verses which follo...

  Splashes of Spring Some garden joy. 😊🌼🌸🌻💕🙏   If I were to choose captions for these photos, I would probably write "joy" beneath each one. You probably recognize these rather common garden plants. None of them are perfect: no doubt, some may have holes in their leaves, and a hungry caterpillar lurking upon them. But none of that matters. The bugs have their part to play too.  What really strikes me as I walk around my Spring garden, is the exuberance; the abundance; the joy. Yes, God is most certainly in the garden. We see Him in the intricate, delicate designs of the flowers and in the industrious creatures. And yes, God is with each believer as we go about our work, or simply sit on a bench to enjoy His company and His Creation. *** Garlands of bright sunshine decorate my gate: Gentle, happy faces, His love now radiate *** Copyright: pencil in His Hand 🌼🌸🌻

  Photo: Amir Afrefi. Unsplash Hiding Place As troubles now surround us, the way before is clear: I know that You will hide us; there is no need to fear. For when the skies grow darker still: You'll draw us to Your side; Through the clouds we'll fly away: to Your sweet love we'll ride *** Copyright: pencil in His Hand 💕🙏🇮🇱 Dear Readers, I hope that you are well. Just a note to say that God willing, going forward, posting will be as led by the Spirit. We are living in exciting times. The Lord's return is surely very close. There is no time to waste when it comes to sharing the Gospel and encouraging our brothers and sisters in Christ. With this in mind, posting may seem a bit random, so please subscribe if you like. This will also be true for my Afrikaans blog. Love and prayers,  Alison 

  Monday Medley: Two Stories, A Poem, And More Two Stories, plus a  poem and some thoughts and photos in this longer post Dear Readers, I thought it might be a nice idea to go back to posting several short items in one post. Hopefully every reader will find something that speaks to them.  This week, I am posting a flash fiction piece which was written to encourage folks to think about their eternal destiny. We are living in such troubled times, and I can't shake the feeling that the Lord's return is very near. Please take a moment to ask some very big questions today. My own spiritual journey began when I woke up out of the stupor I was in and began to ask questions like "Is there a God?" And "Where will I go when I die?" There is nothing worse than to go through life in a haze, numbly entertaining and scrolling oneself towards the grave. The enemy of our souls just loves it when we live like this. I pray that we will all take life and eternity a lot more se...

  Poems from my Heart Putting on the Brakes I'm slowing down breathing, stopping, Long enough to say Thank You I'm putting on the brakes: walking  not jogging resting not scrolling Long enough to  say Here I am: send me *** Happy Happy day! Oh Happy day! I go along, I sing, I pray Working, working, all day long It's He who makes me joyful, strong *** Message Here's a little song Just a few lines long It's only purpose is to say: My Jesus lives, He is the Way! *** Copyright: pencil in His Hand Ps: I will post episode two of The Waiting Room tomorrow, God willing. I'm aiming to post an episode on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. See you soon! :)

  Fishing boat at the river Writing for the Lord ‭Colossians 3:23-24 ESV‬ [23] Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, [24] knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.  https://bible.com/bible/59/col.3.23-24.ESV Dearest Readers, This post will contain my thoughts on writing, but this really applies to all we do. :) When I first started writing more seriously, I believe my heart was right. I truly wanted to encourage people and to share the Gospel through my writing. With much help from God, I wrote my heart out. I wrote with passion. For Him. There was really no thought of financial success. I did imagine possibly receiving a few donations, but that was all. I made the books available for free, but wasn't able to reach many people. After a while, I stopped writing. I was busy. It wasn't too long though, before I picked up my pen once more to write poetry, and later, short stories. At that...

  Waiting: A Free Pdf Waiting. A Free PDF Our church is hosting a series of teaching on Jesus' return this month, so it seems fitting that "Waiting" should be made available for free. I wrote this short story quite some time ago, but it is still one of my favourites. In it , you will be taken to Bible times, and to a Jewish style betrothal. Beulah is the radiant bride, and she is a picture of the church. Her bridegroom reminds us of Jesus who is our Heavenly Bridegroom. I wrote this sweet romantic story to remind Christians of our Blessed Hope and to encourage them. The same is true for the story today. May you be encouraged and filled with hope as you read it. You may download "Waiting"  here . While visiting my Weebly Bookshelf blog, you may like to check out the other pdf's which I have made available there.  Link: If you enjoy "Waiting," please share the link with friends and family. With love and prayers, Alison 💖🙏🤗

  Free fiction. Coffee break read Anna's Anchor On a sun-infused week day morning, Anna poured a cup of scented tea into her favourite cup. She lived alone now. Gone were the days when the  house was filled with loud voices, arguments, door slamming. And of course, the noisy, happy sounds were fewer too. Anna smiled. There had been plenty of those amongst the less than joyful ones. The Lord was her witness that she'd done everything she could to make the family home a peaceful and happy one. She'd even shared the Gospel with her volatile husband, but he'd reacted typically. "Don't preach at me Anna!" Barry had shouted on that decisive day. "Find someone else to Bible bash or I'll leave." Anna remembered how she'd stood frozen to her spot in the kitchen, hands clenched and tears coursing down her cheeks. And she remembered her desperate pleas to God and how she'd been comforted by His embrace. And then, His gentle reminder: "There...

  Photo: Laura Chouette. Unsplash Rosie's Story. Episode Nine "I'll see you on Sunday. I'm sleeping over at Pam's place." Rosie announced brightly. "We'll probably go to the mall; watch a couple of movies." She shrugged. "The usual." At sixteen, Rosie had bloomed into a pretty young woman. Petite, with long, thick hair, the boys had begun to notice her. Her mother stopped mixing her cake batter and turned to look at her daughter. "Take care then, Rosie. Have you done all of your chores?" She accepted her daughter's quick embrace. It had taken some time, but she was now more used to going to church on her own. She often longed though, for the simpler days when her daughters were young and skipped along by her side to the services. "All done." Announced Rosie. "See you soon." *** "Stop fluttering your eyes." Laughed Pamela. She was applying mascara to Rosie's eyelashes. Rosie had been transf...