Author Archives: Shirley Logsdon

About Shirley Logsdon

I am the only child of Christian parents who wanted me to know God personally as they did. One night during church we watched a movie depicting a family in their home accepting Jesus as their personal Savior. I was nine and realized then my desire to make Jesus my personal Savior. With the full support of my parents, I met with the pastor and prayed to receive Christ. A few years later, several of us around the same age began classes for our confirmation to become church members. The privilege of taking communion was a special time for me. . During my teenage years I was outwardly complacent, but was inwardly rebellious. I developed the nasty habit of disrupting harmony in the household by nitpicking at anything and everything. A preacher came to hold revival services at my dad’s church and nailed me silently with looks. This helped me tremendously. I turned a corner and began to respect and obey my parents in attitude and actions. I survived these years through prayer (mine, my parents and friends). The love and tenacity of my parents and God’s grace got me through these years of upheaval. I readily identify with David the Psalmist when he said in Psalm 25:7, “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou me for Thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.” Because my parents provided a stable home life for me, when I went to college my Christian values remained intact. After completing my education in 1979, I started working. For a while, I worked at temp agencies, then I did odd jobs. I settled down in a secretarial position in 1986 working for a firm specializing in retirement plan administration. In 2007, I started working for a law firm, eventually becoming a knowledge management assistant in their law library, helping to alert attorneys to new business opportunities. I am a productive citizen of my country in large part because my parents prayed for me and made clear by word and example what they expected of me. I am extremely grateful to God for them. John 15:5 is my life verse: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” I am confronted with this realization every day I live, and it helps keep me on the straight and narrow path. I met my future husband at church. After a few years of our two families getting acquainted, he and I started courting. We married at the church where we met, in the presence of many relatives and friends. We have been married for 29 years. My hobbies are reading, cooking, and canning or freezing what my beloved husband grows in the garden. Also, I thoroughly enjoy writing. While my writing has included poems, most of my writing has been letters to family and friends. I like to share my faith when I write and am fond of adding a Bible verse or two to help focus on the source of our life. Since I am now retired after working 38 years, I can concentrate on keeping up with birthdays. Something else I enjoy is studying the Bible, often with others. Blogging is a new form of writing for me. I am getting my feet wet and I’m beginning to enjoy the experience.

Miracles: Why are we surprised?

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Miracle surprises

Miracles Why are we surprised?

What is it about the miracles that throws us off balance? When God does one of His mighty acts, we call it a miracle. God seems to act like it was not a problem for Him, and why should we be so surprised?

We are looking for something different

Jesus rose from the dead three days after He died. It caught everyone off guard. He deliberately explained to His disciples ahead of time that He would suffer, die and rise from the dead three days later. His disciples could not absorb it. Their expectations and longings were for an earthly king to deliver them from oppression. They wanted a national hero (Matthew 17:22-23, Mark 9:31, Luke 9:22).

It seems impossible

Luke recorded something that happened three days after Jesus died. Two followers of Jesus were going back home to Emmaus. They may have been in Jerusalem for the Passover. Jesus joined them on their three mile walk. They didn’t know who He was. The two followers sought to bring Him up to date on the latest developments. They told Him Jesus “was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people” (Luke 24:19).

Our finite minds can understand it

They couldn’t understand why “the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him” (Luke 24:20).

Puzzling to them beyond measure was a report that very day. “Certain women also of our company make us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; and when they found not His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that He was alive” (Luke 24:23).

Miracles: We have not interpreted scriptures accurately

To which Jesus replied, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:25-26). Then Jesus “expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27).

Why did Jesus call these people fools? They apparently were believing what the religious leaders taught about Christ. They overlooked the suffering servant passages in the prophets in favor of the triumphant, conquering king picture. Suffering is never popular.

Jesus seemed to be calling on these individuals to discern the scriptures for themselves.

MIracles! Ask Seek and Knock with expectancy

We too can seek God as we read scripture. When we read God’s Word, may we expect Him to speak into our concerns His resources appropriate for our needs. As we grow, we should gain understanding into the ways of God. Then we can register delight when He responds to our cry for help with one of His mighty acts, big or small.

Jesus promised a reward for those who ask, seek and knock (Matthew 7:7-8). Paul expanded on this, explaining how we can know God’s will for our life. The formula is to present our bodies to God for His use; refuse to be conformed to this world; and renew our minds. If we do this daily, we can keep up with God’s action plan for each day (Romans 12:1-2).

Miracles happen everyday when you walk with God

May we resolve to get as much of God as we can today so we can get as much out of life as God intended. May God pour out on you His blessing as you seek Him.

https://youtu.be/fNNbulojWcw

Shirley Logsdon

Another blog about miracles  

Thanksgiving Precedes the Miracle