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.

MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

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MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

NOURISH TO FLOURISH

Refreshing Spring

This time of year (spring) gets me unglued from my seat. With all the sun and fresh crop of flowers my energy level skyrockets. My enthusiasm for living rises to new heights. When I pause to reflect on how good I feel about living on God’s earth reality dawns on me. I rejoice in life in spring not solely because of longer days, more sun and the springtime rejuvenation of nature. While spring refreshes me tremendously after winter, God gives me the greatest fulfillment in the depths of my being.

LOOK FOR FRUIT

What a privilege that God made a way for us to know Him personally! With God dwelling in my heart my life produces goodness in all its many forms. It should not matter what’s going on in my life. When the plans for my day go well, others should see the fruit of some sort of goodness. When problems serious or minor in nature dismantle my plans, people should see more goodness in me not less. My relationship with God tells the story.

Starting Point

How to get there? First I had to come to grips with my need. There came a time in my life when I grasped sin separated me from God. As my understanding progressed, I realized I couldn’t fix this problem by myself. Nor could anyone else living on earth.

The Solution

Next I sensed urgency; I had to get rid of this wall of sin keeping me from getting to God! As I watched a short video, the solution became clear. Two men visiting a family shared with them how to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. After the family followed their suggestions, I knew I wanted to do the same thing that family had done.

Decision Made

Finally, after the video ended I told my mom, she told the preacher, the three of us talked and I took that step for myself. At nine years old, I thought I would have no more problems with sin for the rest of my life! I had taken a crucial step. Jesus expressed the decision I made this way. “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).

Journey to Heaven

Since this major turning point in my life, I have been involved in living on earth on my journey to heaven. On my way there, I consider what Paul the apostle said. “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).

Relationship – Living Like Jesus

I have a responsibility and God has a responsibility. I maintain my relationship with God by keeping the dirt of sin out of the rooms of my life. He gives me strength, wisdom and ability, I put to use in accomplishing various tasks. While at work, I strive to do the best job I can. At home, I labor to produce good meals to eat. In school, I seek to learn as much as possible so I can develop new skills.

Caution! Construction Zone. God At Work

I do all this with fear and trembling because I am not in charge of my life, God is. The quality and abundance of the fruit my life produces will show the depth of my relationship with God. He keeps finding things in me to replace with His superior quality product. This enables me to produce better fruit. That’s what makes my life interesting and worth living! Over my life, a sign could read “Caution! Construction Zone. God At Work.” His chisel knocks off my rough edges making my unique personality absorb His character traits, a tremendous improvement over my former self.

What access does God have in your life? How is your fruit production?

Shirley Logsdon

Gotta Nourish to Flourish!

In order for me to get the strength I need from God for daily living I talk to God often. I also read His Word for nourishment. My word for 2019 is NOURISHMENT. I find God’s Word relevant for today’s world and my place in it. The Bible records a lot of incidents and includes details. At the same time the principles laid forth in the Bible, God’s Word, span the ages and apply to every generation.

For Further Reading:

We are a fragrance of Christ

https://www.treadingwatertiljesuscomes.com/2018/08/13/we-are-a-fragrance-of-christ/