The Miracle of the Sunrise

Today I got up early, and sat before my open bedroom window and watched the sun rise up above the hills and trees. Its light was softly glowing, long before it actually could be seen, and then suddenly, it burst forth upon the mountain tops, down into the valleys and into my window to shine across the room in such a radiant way that one could not help but feel the warmth shine right into the deepest parts of the heart.

It reminded me of another kind of sunrise: the sunrise that broke through one of the darkest and deepest of moments of my life. The sunrise that came slowly at first, so much slow that I could hardly dare to hope it would ever really come, and then, as if in time with a great unknown orchestra, it broke forth, sending it's bright and warming rays to the farthest corners of my heart. It did not take all the pain away, no, for pain is not a part of darkness, but the darkness, the deep black that blinded my eyes from seeing beyond the moment, was gone, and as I sat, quietly thinking of the road that I had travelled in the dark, I realized that it is true. Had it not been for the darkness, I could never have rejoiced as I do now in the breaking forth of the sunrise. Had there not been moments when by faith, I held on to what I knew was there but could not see, the sunrise would be but common place and ordinary. It was then that I realized that “We can only appreciate the miracle of a sunrise if we have waited in the darkness” (Unknown)

God has promised that every dark night has an end. There will be a sunrise, a glorious, beautiful sunrise someday. It might seem like the night will never end. Perhaps you'll only see the glorious dawning in the place where He makes all things beautiful, all wrongs right, but the morning will come. The darkest is before the dawn. Just hold on a little longer, because the morning is coming, and the sunrise will be worth it all.

- by Chantel Harding

Fellowship in the YLCF Team

"Tell me what company thou keepst, and I'll tell thee what thou art."
- Miguel de Cervantes

"Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant."
- Socrates
"A Friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of Nature."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"When true friends meet in adverse hour;
'Tis like a sunbeam through a shower.
A watery way an instant seen,
The darkly closing clouds between."
- Sir Walter Scott
"It is not so much our friends' help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they will help us."
- Epicurus

"I count myself in nothing else so happy
As in a soul rememb'ring my good friends."
- William Shakespeare

You Were There

I have been reviewing life, the past few years of my life, and tracing God's faithfulness to me at every step of the way. Truly, all that I am, all that I have, all that I hope to be I owe to His faithfulness to me in the past, and in the face of uncertain days, I rest my heart on the promise of His faithfulness in the future.

In my reviewing of these past years, I came across a poem I wrote during one of the most painful times of my life. It isn't good poetry, but it was written after a moment when I caught a glimpse of His goodness in a very special way, and the realization of His faithfulness, the realization that He is always with me, meant much to my heart right then.

It's taking time to go back and view our ebenezers, to count our blessings and to see His faithfulness that gives us strength and courage. I want to share some of these ebenezers, share some of God's faithfulness with you, so that you, too, might take courage.

In the darkness of the night
I saw your hand.
In the midst of the storm
I heard your voice.
When I thought I was all alone,
You were there.

You knew the answers
To the questions in my heart.
You understood it all
When I had no words to explain.

In face of my pain
I saw your hand
In the middle of my sorrow
I heard your voice

I can trust you with my heart,
You understand every part
When I thought I was alone
You were there.

- by Chantel Harding

Your mercies are new every morning

It is a new day, and a glorious one at that. The sun is shining brightly from a soft blue sky. Yesterday, with all it's joys and sorrows, has faded away. Today is as an unopened gift, an unwritten page. What will we make of it?

It is easy to look back at Yesterday, see the pain, the heartache, and fears we faced, and pull some of those into our New Day. It is easy to look forward to Tomorrow, and worry for what we don't know. It is so easy to carry from Yesterday it's pain, and borrow from Tomorrow it's unknown trouble. It is easy to destroy the joy of Today, but we don't have to do it.

Yesterday is over. It's sorrows are a thing of the past, and as far as possible, let's leave them there, for we cannot change those things now. We cannot truly know what Tomorrow may bring, whether joy or sorrow. Worry is blind. It has no discernment.

Our life, Our today, is mostly what we choose to make it, and what we choose to see. True, there will be pain and heartache in life, and some of that may be a part of today. We can't avoid these things, but we can make the best of

Today alone is ours. Yesterday is History's. Tomorrow is in Christ's hand.

Today, decide you will be happy, no matter the storm.

Today, find beauty and joy in the song of a bird, the face of a flower, the smile of a child.

Today, share the Love He gave you with someone else. It will come back to you.

Today, make the best out of the worst. You'll find it wasn't nearly as bad as you thought it was, looking back.

Today, lean on Him. He will guide you.

Today, rejoice in His blessings, no matter how very small they seem.

Today, look for beauty and joy, and you will find them both all around you.

Leave Yesterday as Yesterday. Let Tomorrow worry for it's self, but Today-- decide that it will be the most beautiful ever, and strive to make it that way.

- by Chantel Harding

Abide With Me

Life has not ceased to bring its share of busy times, of worry, uncertainty for the future, nor to be filled with the little blessings, the glimpses of His love and care.

Just the other evening, as I sat at the piano, playing and singing the different songs that came to mind, this song came to my heart, and the words struck a chord within me, and my heart echoed the prayer of this song, "O LORD, abide with me!"

I want to always keep this foremost in my mind- when the day gets busy, when I am working, when my heart is tempted to feel anxious- the prayer and the desire for Him to abide with me, for me to sense His presence in a real and living way. It is hard to worry, hard to doubt when we feel that He is truly with us.

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word,
But as Thou dwell'st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Love

Love is suffers long. Love is Kind. Love doesn't envy, Love doesn't seek to advance itself, it is not proud. It does not react in a wrong way to any situation, Love doesn't seek it's own good. Love is not provoked easily, and does not assume evil of another. Love doesn't rejoice when another falls into sin, but Love rejoices in what is true. Love bears all things- even when it's not fair. Love believes the best. Love hopes- always hopes. Love endures all things. Love, true love, does not fail, in spite of all of this.

Love is a gift of God. True love is not something we find in ourselves, and without Him, we are completely void of love that will endure the most severe trials.

It is not hard to love someone who loves us, but when we face total rejection, when we have been wounded, to love the one who broke us is a task that we cannot handle, but God give us the strength, the grace and the gift of True Love in our hearts.

True love. It's a perfect picture of who God is, and what He desires us to be. It's one of the hardest things we will ever meet- to have and to live this true love, because it's deeply painful. It asks us to die- and that is hard.. so very hard. But to have this Love, is to have something that's worth the pain... any pain, that it might cost us.

Lord... let me die, so you can live. Let me suffer any pain, only let my life be a reflection... of your love.

- by Chantel Harding

Lonely Voices

It was another lonely voice. Another heart aching for some one to listen, someone to laugh with them, someone who seemed to care.

She started by asking some questions about what to do about price adjustments, and then from there told me of her family, and her hopes for this year's refund and what she was going to give to her daughters for a gift. Then, after nearly 20 minutes, she thanked me for listening, and was gone. I wanted to cry. I wished I could have reached through the phone and given her a hug. Spent some real, quality time with her, help her to know that there are still people who care.

She was alone. Her past filled with some of the most deep and searing heartaches, her joy marred by people who seemed to delight in destroying any little bit of joy she found in life. I was only checking the availability of a product in a store close to her, and as one little thing led to another, she began to unburden her heart, and pour out a testimony of brokenness-- and of the ties of love to the One who had never failed her. When she found that I too, believed in a God who is mighty to save, she told of her past life of pain, and how God brought beauty from the ashes, joy... small as it might have seemed to some, from the pain of the past. When at last the call came to a close, she thanked me for blessing her, and wondered if I might be an Angel. No... not an angel, just another pilgrim on the journey, I assured her, and truly... I feel as if i was the one who was blessed the most by that opportunity. Who would have thought that working for Toys R Us as a Customer Service Agent would bring moments such as these, to share a little of God's love with those who's hearts are weary?

This world is so rushed, so very impersonal sometimes. We brush by people, hurry on by, so busy with living that we forget about life. We forget about others, and that there are people who spend each day waiting for someone who will never come, waiting for words that will give them courage to face another day, dying inside for want of something as small as a smile, a kind word, a squeeze of the hand, or someone to listen, so that they know they're not alone in this world and that their life is worth something...that people still do care.

Lonely voices. I hear them so often through out the day. Lonely faces. Everywhere I go, looking so empty, so alone and it breaks my heart. Lonely voices, lonely, broken people... I see them all around me, and they cry out to me. I often wish I could do something...something to cheer those lonely, longing, wistful voices and faces for just a moment. I wish I could somehow make a difference in their lives, and share the joy of living with them. Yet, my moments are so brief. My opportunities to make a difference so very short, and so many of these lonely people go on by, and I never have the chance to make that difference that I long to make, and it hurts inside, while the words to a song that often made me cry as a child echo through my mind, and I pray that He who longs to heal our sorrow will be a friend to them.

Though in the few moments I may have on the phone with a guest, or the few seconds of eye contact I may have with a sad faced stranger in the store, I wonder if I have made any difference at all in the long run, I cannot give up praying for those opportunities, nor doing what I can. I may never be able to make a difference in the lives of very many people, I am determined, by His grace, to make a difference in the lives of the few that God does place in my path- whether it be a lonely and hurting woman who calls Toys R Us for some random reason and ends up talking for 20 minutes, or a young child who can't figure out what is wrong with their beloved toy and believes with all their heart that the people on the phone will help them fix it, or the many people who walk by me on the few times every few months that I get in to town- people who may just need a smile. I am determined to do what I can. It may not be much, it may not go far, but what if it does?

God is looking for people who are willing to not look at what they can't do, not look at how little and insignificant their sphere of influence may be, but those who are willing to simply live for Him- to share the love He gives with all who we do meet. There is no limit to what God can do with the lives of those who do this. Let's purpose to live each day, focusing on what is important in His eyes.

- by Chantel Harding

What God Can Do With A Broken Heart

The pain of a broken heart is real pain. It is not an imaginary feeling, but something that can affect every part of our life, if we let it. Sometimes the darkness seems to press so close, and the tears seem like they will never cease. It all seems hopeless, but it doesn't have to be, for there is one that knows how to heal even a broken heart.

It is a wonder what God can do with a broken heart, if He gets all the pieces. -Samuel Chadwick

In the face of pain and heart brokenness, don't be discouraged. Don't try to act like you have it all together, when you really don't. Instead, just give God the pieces. He's the Master Designer, and He can build out of the most shattered heart, a thing of beauty, if we will only let Him do it.

Give Him the broken pieces, the faded dreams, the disappointed hopes. Give Him all. Someday, looking back, we will see that even this broken road led us to Him.

- by Chantel Harding

On Waiting - Part 3 of 3

Waiting. It has it's moments of deepest pain. It can be a lonely road, but we do not walk alone. He is there. He knows, and He has a plan more beautiful than we can understand being unfolded, even through this. He asks us to Trust Him. And to wait with an attitude of peace and joyfulness that "He doeth all things well". But there is even more to waiting than just waiting.

To those that God has called to wait, He calls for them to rest their hopes and dreams to His hands. There is peace in doing this. But, to wait, does not mean to do nothing. God means for our hands to be busy, and our hearts filled with serving Him, where we can, where we are, with what is right within our reach.

We don't have to go far to find that we can be useful. Look around you. What do you see? What do I see?

You might not feel you have much to offer. Perhaps you feel your talents are small, and of little value. Let God use you anyway, and start with what is right in front of you.

As time went on, and my journey of waiting stretched into months, my days slipped by with little to show-- or so I thought. Looking back, I see a myriad of moments gained and moments waisted, not because there was nothing to do, but because I didn't see it.

God puts into each one of our pathway- waiting or not- opportunities that we can use, or loose. They aren't always big things. Often they are small indeed, and that is why we miss them. But they are there, every day, waiting for us to make the most out of them.

Five Children were my obvious opportunity those first few years. Five pairs of eyes that watched my steps, and followed my example. Five who wanted little more than for me to be their friend, and enter into their joys and sorrows. Each day I realized more and more what weight this opportunity held.

But there were not so obvious ones too. Letters, words, smiles, and little acts that nearly no one would notice. Those were opportunities too.

Each one of us has opportunities. You may not see them at first, but look for yours, and pour your heart into those things. They may seem tiny and not important, but do them anyway. Don't worry that they are small, don't worry that you can't do as well as another would. Do your best, and God does the rest. To do nothing is to loose much.

Improve the talents God has given you. Make wise use of your time- a talent that everyone of us has, no matter who we are.

Idle hands, Idle minds leave room for the Devil to work out his destroying influences of despair and discouragement.

While you wait for God to open the door to your dreams, take up the work that lies nearest to you. Do it faithfully, and do it cheerfully. Take delight in doing what He puts in your pathway, no matter how small. It may be, while you are busy waiting, that God will lead you to places beyond your wildest dreams, and highest expectations.

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psa 37:4

That is a promise meant for each one of us. Believe it, and live it.

- by Chantel Harding
Photograph (c) Chantel Harding

On Waiting...a follow-up to Teach Me Lord to Wait

God calls some to fight their battles on the front lines, and it isn't easy there. He calls some to live their lives doing the things they always dreamed of doing and being. He calls some to do things they'd never wanted to do, and serve Him through their weakness. But some, He simple calls to Wait.

I can't tell you how many times as I watched one by one most of my closest friends go away to college to study, marry and start their own families, I would look at my own quiet life of waiting and wonder what was the purpose behind waiting. It was obvious to me now that this was indeed His will for me, but it was a long and lonely path, and yet, I could look back and see that, yes, it was for my best that I didn't study Nursing at 17 like I planned. With thankful heart, I could see some reason in the past waiting, but those chapters of life have closed, and the chapters ahead loom with as much uncertainty as the ones behind.

"And now, Lord, what wait I for?" Psalms 39:7

How often does our heart echo King David's question. What is it that we are waiting for?

God does not always choose to tell us what we wait for. Often, we must wait while He seems silent. We think we are waiting for our life to begin, but if we only could understand, that it already has.

Waiting isn't easy. The road that we must take on this journey of waiting is often a lonely one. But it is a beautiful one, too.

For all its questions, for all its uncertainty, for all its pain, waiting can be one of the most beautiful times of our life, for while we learn to wait on Him, while we learn to take our trust a step deeper every day, God is doing some of His greater work in our lives, we just can't see it yet.

I often turn to some of my most favorite verses in the bible for strength to wait. They speak to my heart of courage, of strength, and hope. We are not alone in this journey of waiting. This is not an uncharted path. Others have walked this way before us, and left us some words of hope. Read Psalms 37. It is a beautiful chapter of promise for those who wait.

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as Eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

"Wait on the LORD: Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalms 27:14

Waiting, much like anything else in life, is what we make it. It can be filled with beauty and joy, or it can be the most bitter and miserable time of our lives. Its not where we are, so much as where we put our focus.

God doesn't want us to just wait, He wants us to wait joyfully for the fulfilling of His plan in us. He wants us to learn to see the beauty in this journey. He wants us to learn to sing, even when our hearts are heavy. He wants us to know, in a way we could never understand if we never had to wait, of His power to save, and even more so of the depth of His unfailing love.

There is much beauty in learning to rest in His will. He longs to see us looking for that beauty, and learning to gather joy from the little things.

A patient, happy and content woman is a beautiful woman, and if we want to be that way "someday" then we can start right now to cultivate those things. It doesn't mean it'll be easy, or that waiting will never bring questions, or carry any pain, but if we can see this as our opportunity, the blessings we gain will far outweigh the pain. And someday, looking back, we will see that our journey truly was a journey with joy.

So if you find that you too, are waiting, this challenge is for both of us. Don't just wait. Wait joyfully.

- by Chantel Harding

Do It Anyway

It's sad, but it's a fact. More often than not, the thing that governs what we do and what we don't do is one of two things- what someone else might think of us, or what someone else already did. Those two things base our reactions to life in general, and slowly, or maybe not so slowly, this society has turned into one that's all about self.

It doesn't matter anymore if it's the right thing to do. It doesn't matter if it's the best thing. All that matters is how I feel, and how I feel is tied up to what everyone else would do. We don't try, just in case someone else might destroy it, we don't reach out, because we're afraid someone will reject us. The small acts of kindness to a stranger or a friend are extinct. I can hardly remember the last time someone I didn't know offered to help me with a heavy load, or opened the door for me someplace. And, to take it closer, when was the last time I took time to go the extra mile for no reason?

It is something that has troubled me, and it's something that, by God's grace, has been changing in my life. And I'm determined it will keep changing.

The attitude that puts us in the place of deciding how we're going to act based on what someone else is doing is just as wrong as being afraid of what someone else will think. I think it's something that all of us with siblings could relate to.

"Well, he was rude first, so I didn't think I had to be polite to him."

"She didn't say she was sorry, so why should I?"

Sound childish? Unfortunately, it is not confined to childhood squabbles, but conscientiously or unconsciously, it happens every day.

It's high time we put aside what others think, and do what God wants us to do. It's time to stop worrying "How will this come across to everyone watching?" when God puts on our hearts to minister to someone else's needs. What God wants, and what He thinks is infinitely more important. If God has called you to do a work, don't stop to worry about who might try to stop you. If He has called you to be a friend to someone who others shun, don't worry about what they may think of you. When He calls you to forgive someone who seems unworthy, do it anyway. It's high time for a perspective change. It's time to see things God's way, and forget about worldly appreciation and honor for what we do.

This morning, as if to cement my already running train of thought, I read the following. It was written by Mother Theresa- and regardless of who she was, and what she promoted that one could not agree with, this is powerful.

(Mother Theresa 1910-1997)

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find sincerity and happiness they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

- by Chantel Harding

Thirsty

I was thirsty, so thirsty,
A desert all within.
Dry and barren ground-
My soul was deep in sin.

Nothing could I find,
To soothe my weary soul;
Nothing to quench my thirst
Nothing to make me whole.

Water, Living Water,
Spring up into my soul-
Change me completely,
Living Water, Make me whole.

I was broken, so broken,
Bound in chains to death and sin.
Lost and blind and broken-
No hope was found with in.

Nothing could I find,
To satisfy my soul.
Nothing could quench my thirst,
Nothing could make me whole.

Water, Living water,
Oh, spring up into my soul!
Change me completely,
Living water, make me whole.

Then I found the Living Fountain,
And His peace sprung up in my soul.
He filled my life, and changed me
His blood cleansed and made me whole.

His is all I need,
To satisfy my soul-
He alone can quench my thirst,
He alone can make me whole.

Water, Living water,
To soothe my weary soul-
Changing me completely,
His living water makes me whole.

My brokenness, He bound up,
From chains He set me free.
He came and found me,
Opened my eyes so I could see.

He is all I need;
He satisfies my soul-
He alone can quench my thirst,
He alone can make me whole.

Water, Living Water,
Springing up into my soul.
Changing me completely,
His Living Water makes me whole.

A spring of life He came to offer,
Water to heal all thirsty souls.
Freely His grace to you He offers,
His blood can cleanse and make you whole.

He is all you need,
To satisfy your soul-
He will quench your thirst,
He alone can make you whole.

Water, Living Water,
Will spring up into your soul.
Changing you completely,
This living water makes you whole.

Come to Him and drink this Water.
Let Him spring up into your soul,
Cleansing you from sin and sorrow.
Rejoice! For He will make you whole.

He is all you need,
To satisfy your soul-
He will quench your thirst,
He will make you whole.

Water, Living Water,
Springing up into your soul.
Changing you completely,
His living water makes you whole.

- by Chantel Harding

New Year's Reflections

I am sitting at my desk, watching the sky glow for one last time before the day is over. It has such a feel of finality. Such a sense of closure-- one day is gone, and another will come, but today is gone forever.

It's been a long year, a busy year. A year in which I have learned perhaps in a deeper and a different way than ever before, some of the lessons God has been teaching me for some time now. It has not been an easy year, by any means, but if I could say one thing about this year, it is that God is faithful, so very faithful.

His way is perfect. I had my dreams. I had plans for how I thought life would go for me. They were good plans and good dreams and I held them close to my heart. They were even things that God loves to bless us with at times. But God in His wisdom allowed all the dreams and plans I had to fail. They all came shattering into a million pieces, or so it seemed, late one night, and I felt as if I had nothing left. Nothing to hope for, nothing to dream for, no direction as to where to from here. All I had was the promise that "His way is perfect", and I clung to that promise... and He was faithful to me.

I don't understand it all, even yet, but I do know that His way is perfect. It is the better way, and I would rather be following His way than have all my cherished dreams back. As time passed, I could look back and see just a little more clearly, His purpose in allowing my hopes and dreams to fail- He has something better for me in mind.

Then I read this quote, and with tears in my eyes, once again, I could thank Him for the shattering of my dreams: "Our devised plans often fail that God's plans for us might be a complete success. Oh, it is in the future life we shall see the tangles and mysteries of life, that have so annoyed and disappointed our fond hopes, explained. We will see that hte prayers and hopes for certain things which have been withheld have been among our greatest blessings."

Be Still My Soul. In moments of uncertainty, of which there have been many this past year, when I agonized with God as to what I should do or not do, in the times when there seemed to be no answers, only the bitterness of a broken heart and my tears to break the silence, that is when I learned to be still. To bear patiently whatever He had allowed to come my way. To know that He was in control, and that this too, was for my good. In that stillness, I began to learn in a whole new way two things- a deeper beauty in waiting, and a deeper level of trust.

Trust Him More. Did I trust Him? Yes. I did. Or at least I thought I did. But I didn't trust Him as I do now, or as I am learning to do each new day, for during a time when it seemed as if all the "earthly supports" that I once had relied on, crumbled, and I realized how little I really did trust Him with the very depths of my soul in all situations, and in those moments, I learned what I should have learned before... Trust is not trust, unless you can rest your whole life upon it.

Wait On Him. Life is full of waiting for so many different things and reasons. Often the future is hid from our eyes, and often in answer to our prayers, God simply and gently tells us to "Wait". As this new year comes around, and I look at the great extent of them as holding a whole lot of 'unknowns', I am starting to realize that though He tells us to wait, though it may seem like He will never give us any other answer, that this answer of "Wait" is full of a whole new kind of lessons- lessons that , by His grace, as I continue to learn, I will find as some of the greatest treasures of these past few years' journey.

The details of my year may help to make these four paragraphs more clear, but perhaps they are non-essentials after all. But I know I was not alone in heart struggles, this year. I know many of you- all around the world- faced similar or greater heartache, pain, disappointments, and trials. I want to encourage you to hold on. Hold on to Him.. who makes all things beautiful in His time. It won't be our time, no... but His way, His time, are always perfect.

2007 is nearing the end of it's chapter. 2008 is a whole new one. I don't know what lies ahead, only that I want to be found faithfully, trustfully, waiting and leaning on Him, no matter what the days may bring. Won't you join me?

- by Chantel Harding

Christmas Memory

I may not celebrate Christmas in the same way or to the same extent as many people, but I find that as the day draws closer, I once again have slipped into a stage of reflectiveness, remembering some of the Christmases of years now passed. There is one thing in particular that I am remembering right now....

The sky was perfectly blue- one of the brightest, deepest blues I had ever seen. The sun was shining and I was short-sleeved and barefoot, and it was Christmas time. Instead of the snowy landscape and forested land, I found myself walking through the Rabbit brush and tumbleweed in a high mountain desert so very far from what I had nearly always known as 'Home'.

We were starting over, my parents, sister and I, after 15 years of living in South East Alaska- 15 years in which were contained most of my memories and all that I really ever knew. We had only been in our new desert home in Colorado for a little more than a month, and that day, as I walked toward the mailbox that had been empty for many days, and looked up at the sky, there were tears in my eyes. For the first time since our move to Alaska those long years before, I was once again a stranger, only it wasn't so easy this time. I felt so very alone, so very far from what was familiar, and the people that I loved and the kinds of Christmases we'd always had before. Yes, I was thankful to be in my new home. I was learning to love Colorado, and I knew that this is where God wanted us, but starting over this time seemed so very hard.

I desperately wished for just one thing- one little thing that would remind me that I really wasn't all alone, that being a stranger was not forever. I didn't know what, or even what to pray for, but God heard that unspoken prayer.

That afternoon, as I stood in the kitchen trying to make sense out of the cupboards and what needed to go in them, there was a gentle knock on the door. I almost thought it was just the wind rattling the door again, for who would be coming to see us? But it came again, a bit louder, and when the door was opened, a little Hispanic lady stood there, smiling brightly and holding up a tin of Christmas Cookies. "I saw that you were new here," She explained, "And I wanted to wish you a merry Christmas..."

I didn't catch her name, and I heard little of the rest of the conversation, and after the door closed again, the rest of the family dispersed back to their former occupations, and I stood alone in the kitchen, the little tin of cookies in my hand, with tears once again in my eyes, as I looked out across my new desert valley, and up to the mountains.

She was just a stranger- a lady I never saw again in for the rest of the time that I lived there, even though I looked for her often. It was simple cookies from Wal mart, but they were worth a whole lot in my eyes.It was just a little thing, but that little thing meant the whole world to me right then.

Several Christmases have since passed, and once again it is Christmas time. I live in a new place now, and life has changed so much since that Christmas, but each year I cannot help but think of that Christmas, of that little lady, and of her gift to our family and what it meant to me. And it makes me think... have I passed on this Christmas blessing of sharing?

We can be so self centered, so focused on us, on our own little cozy circles, and what we are getting or what is going on in our lives that we forget to reach out, beyond our comfort level, beyond the normal, to someone else who may be in need. They may need something big- an investment of your time and energy and emotional support, they may need things, they may need an encouraging word, someone to tell them that they care, and that it's going to be alright. They may just need a smile. Whatever it is, look for those people this Christmas season. Pray that God will send you the opportunity to pass on the blessing of Sharing, and He will take you at your word. Don't miss those opportunities, for greater than the greatest gifts you may give or receive is the blessing you will receive by sharing.

- by Chantel Harding
photo by Sarah Plett

Do What You Can

It is the age of "someone else will do it". It is the age where we don't think we can. It's not that we don't want to do anything, though, of course, that is always the case with some, it's that we feel someone else would do it better, and maybe they would. But the thing is... they don't. So nothing happens, and nothing changes, and the world is just how it was before, and it's destined to remain that way until someone does what they can.

God doesn't expect us to be experts, but he does expect us to use what He's given us to do what lies nearest us. He most often doesn't use the people who are most qualified, because they would not trust Him as they should. Instead, He uses the ones who know they aren't perfect, and know they are so far from able to do what needs to be done. He uses the ones who will do what they can.

Put your trust in Him. He is the greatest Teacher, and is well able to equip you far greater than you ever dreamed for the work that's right in front of you.

It may be a great work, and seem to big to tackle, but do what you can. It might be hard and tedious, but do what you can. You may not have what it takes to finish it now, but do what you can. You may not have the means to go far, but go with what you've got. You might not be able to do much, but do what you can. It might cost you everything, but do it anyway.

He doesn't show us our duty, and leave us to struggle unaided. Far from it, He is with us every step of the way. He guides us, directs us, and gives us wisdom greater than we can realize now, but He expects us to go forward, and do all that you can.


Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. ~Theodore Roosevelt

- by Chantel Harding

The "Normal Day"

It was a normal day, a day like 99% of all other days. There wasn't anything 'big' about that day, looking at it from a distance, but when I dug in, I found it was full of priceless treasures.

It wasn't the trip into town. It wasn't even the special surprise phone call from my Sister-in-law, though that did really brighten my day a lot. Those were great things, but they weren't the treasures.

The treasures lay in unexpected places. They were things I saw every day but never really noticed. They were little things I could have missed, if I hadn't been looking.

The way the faucet sparkles after you wipe it down is one of those things. The difference taking a dust cloth to the dash of the van was another. The feeling of accomplishment to see the house all clean, and the blessing of knowing that there will be food on the table for the next meal is a beautiful thing, a 'treasure' we often take for granted. It's not like that for every one.

The cookies I tried to bake- both batches of which half flopped, but tasted good anyway, were another little treasure. Why? Certainly I didn't want flopped cookies, but the resulting amusement on my part at my 'peanut butter flour' and the opportunity, no, the ability to be creative in trying to find something to do with that peanut butter flour was great. After all, some people never see peanut butter, let alone the cookies-turned-to flour.

We took a long walk, and I found hundreds of little red ants, scurrying around on the road. I stopped to watch a moment, and there gained another treasure observation.

The dew drops on the grass, the way the rain poured down in torrents and the lightning flashed across the sky were more treasures. I am blessed to have been able to see the detail and feel the strength in the elements.

It seemed like every where I turned were more treasures, just waiting for me to notice, and take a moment to appreciate.

Hard work, the long walk, laughter- they all may be common place. They may seem even boring and so much like 'every day life' that we fail to see that these 'normal' and common things that make up our Normal Days are worth more than all the scattered moments of excitement that we will ever have. Don't get so caught up living for the extraordinary day that you miss out on the important thing- the Normal day.

"Normal Day, let me be aware of the treasure that you really are." - Mary Jean Irion

The unusual and out of ordinary are the the spice, but after all, life it's self is rather normal, and ordinarily happens every day.

- by Chantel Harding
Photo of Alaskan wilderness (c) 2007 Chantel Harding

The 'F' in YLCF

I remember when my cousin and I first started the little club "The Purry Kittens" that so many years later is what we know as the YLCF. We asked all our friends to join, in hopes that their friends would join, too, and we'd make some new friends. As I gathered a large collection of pen pals through the years, many of them were either because of or became part of my magazine project. My views were challenged, my world enlarged, through the fellowship with these young women--on paper, through email, on the phone, and in person. I was far from being an un-socialized homeschooler--I had acquaintances throughout the latitudes and longitudes. And many of them are still dear friends today.

I'm a married, expectant mommy now, with no time for the verbose letters I use to write. (Did I really have enough extra time that I advertised for pen pals in those days?) But now I crave a different kind of fellowship. The hugs from those dear little old ladies at church mean more to me now that I'm not in the church I grew up in, with grandmas and aunts all around. It's the highlight of my day when someone really, sincerely asks me how I'm doing, after I've asked dozens of customers the same question all day, expecting nothing but that one-syllable answer. And to have a long talk with someone who not only knows me personally, but has a similar perspective and belief system? Outside of family members, it's becoming rare indeed.

That's why once in a while it's refreshing to have YLCF people literally walk into my life. I may not know them on a personal level, but they feel like they know me. And we're looking at life from the same point of view. Even though we've never met before, we can enjoy sweet though brief fellowship through our common bond in Christ.

When a young lady and her mother walked into our store yesterday and just stared at me, I knew who it was a moment before she said, "I'm Chantel." I had no idea they were coming through our area, but how fun to meet the sweet young woman behind the beautiful poetry we enjoy here on YLCF. For Chantel's mom and my mother-in-law, it was a reunion--they go way back to their first days of homeschooling the first generation of homeschoolers.

Then there was the girl who stared at Merritt and I all through dinner at a local restaurant before coming up and saying, "Hi, I'm Hannah. I read the YLCF website." It's great to run into her around town, and one of these days we're going to get together, if life ever slows down...

I guess the busier life gets, the more I cherish the little bits of fellowship that God sends my way. Whether it's reading your stories here, or having you walk up and say, "You look like I've seen your picture online" (I wish that Sonlight mom would have stayed and introduced herself...), you are a shower of blessing in my life. Thank you, YLCF.

The Value of a Soul

Every day there passes by us an ever changing sea of faces. Every day we come in contact with people who we may see but once in this life. There are no guarantees for a tomorrow for any of us. We have hope beyond the grave. We have a heaven to look for- but do they?

Often, wrapped up in many claims of our own lives, we walk by people every day, and don't take time to see the busyness that is their attempt to fill an empty void. We walk by faces that, under the pasted on smile, are burdened with worry and pain. We don't see the tears behind the eyes, we don't notice the cry of a broken heart. In living life, comfortable and secure in our little space, we don't hear their cry for Something that will satisfy their soul. We don't see in the faces around us, the value of a Soul.

"The value of a soul, who can estimate?"

Many years ago, on a cross on a hill outside of the gates of Jerusalem, our Saviour poured out His life to show us the value He puts on a soul. He gave His all to redeem us from the depths of sin. In His love, He came and sought us, before we knew to seek Him. He heard the hidden cry of our heart, and filled the empty places, and He bids us to take what He has given us, and share it with those who are empty, so they too, may be filled.

So, today, as you step outside the door of your comfortable home, ask God to take you a step further- out of your life's comfort zone. Today, as you see the faces of the world around you, ask Him to help you see more than just another face, but a Soul that He paid for at the cost of everything. Ask Him to help you go beyond the surface, and to minister to their hearts. Perhaps it will make all the difference in their lives.

- by Chantel Harding

Teach me Lord, to wait

It seems like I've been waiting… waiting since I stepped out of the door of that low building on a terribly cold and windy March day back in Alaska, diploma in hand some five years ago.

At 17, life, with all of its adventure and action lay before me. I had my plans, I had my goals, and I set out to meet them, but it wasn't my plans that succeeded, it was His. And His plan for me was to wait. Waiting for direction, for answers. Waiting for what… I don't always know. But that doesn't matter.

I have times when , more than anything, I want action. I want to be something, to do something with my life. I want my life to be useful and fulfilling. And I wonder why it is that I must wait. I get tired of waiting for what seems like an eternity. But that doesn't matter.

Sometimes I have so many questions. I wonder why my path has been this way, why others have answers and definite direction, when it sometimes seems I am wandering aimlessly on a never ending pathway that leads me through so much unknown. I wonder why, why must I wait so often, and for so long. Why my answers seem so slow in coming. But that doesn't matter.

What matters is that I am where He wants me to be right now. What matters is that I am doing His will, and that my life is what He wants it to be. What matters is that, even when I don't understand, I trust Him anyway. What matters is, for reasons that He knows, I learn to wait.

Wait. Wait on Him for answers. Wait on Him to fulfill- or to change my dearest dreams. Wait on Him to direct my path. Wait for Him to bring about in my life what He desires most of all. To wait… just wait on Him.

Looking back, I wonder at my moments of haste, my moments of restlessness, and at my still anxious heart. He has been faithful, all through the years of waiting, and I have no reason to doubt that He will not be in years to come. He has taken care of me, and of all my needs. And, yes, looking back from here, He has not left me truly aimless, for in the midst of what seemed like purposeless waiting, He has been working. No, my waiting is not in vain. There is a reason. I can trust that His path, from here on, will always be the perfect path for me.

I do not know what lies ahead on this pathway. There are no big answers to the questions of what I will do with the coming years, or what direction I head from here. This is hid from my view, and I have but one day at a time to live. One day of waiting on Him, one day of learning to trust in His wisdom. It isn't easy, but my prayer is "Teach Me, Lord to wait" without doubting your purpose, without growing weary… for there's more to it than first meets the eye.

- by Chantel Harding

The Pathway I Seek

I know not the path I must travel,
I see not a way for my feet.
Ahead I only see shadows
Obscured is the pathway I seek.

I do not know all life's answers,
And where I travel seems rocky and steep
Still I am striving to follow,
And find the pathway I seek.

I do not know why there are shadows,
Yet of one thing I can be sure,
Jesus has travel'd there before me
And He knows the path is secure.

I do not know where He will lead me,
Only that with Him I will always be safe.
He has promised never to leave me,
And His promise He'll never forsake.

Each day I learn more to trust Him,
More fully in all that befalls.
His will for me becomes my will,
And I will follow were ever He calls.

In every trial and testing,
That shows me that I am so weak,
He gives me more grace to follow
For in Him is the pathway I seek.

- Chantel Harding