In Between Pain and Relief

My husband is the senior minister for a church. One of the lovely benefits of this position is the home we are blessed to live in that is right across the lawn of the church.
As I sit here tonight my heart is heavy. On the other side of me is a home that has a man that hurting deeply. His mother and sister were brutally murdered by his step father. The trial is coming up soon, and he is hurting.
I realize I live between a person who is hurting and needs compassion, and a building that represents to the world the ONE who can heal the hurt and bring hope.
Today I commit my home to being the bridge between the two.

Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson

Time Is Ticking

Last week I blogged on my husband's uncle that left us way to early. A victim of cancer.
Tonight, the world is rocking with the news of the passing of Steve Jobs, another victim of cancer.
Sunday evening an elder in a church we previously attended was brutally robbed and stabbed. Praise God he is recovering.

I am once again reminded:
I do not have a guarantee of tomorrow.
Money cannot fix the most important things.
People are what matters.
People are NOT the problem, sin and separation from God is the problem.

Love God. Love people. Like there is no tomorrow.
Because there just might not be...

Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson

3:30am Smile

I woke up at 3:30 am today. As I looked at the clock , I smiled that knowing smile as I lay in the dark that only a momma can smile.
Twenty-nine years ago at about 3:30am today, my first child was born.

He weighed 9'4oz, and I only had 1 1/2 hours of labor.
He got the big baby of the day award at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, AZ.
I was so glad he was here, I was two weeks over due, and it was still over 100 degrees outside.


My son Stephen is an over-comer.
He started having seizures at 18 months old.
Because of this, he developed some learning disabilities.
He has been assaulted.
He has been bullied.

Instead of all of those things being an excuse, the astounding young man is now:

Seizure free
Finishing a college degree
A light of hope to people most consider the "dregs" of society.
He has a heart to reach people who are hurting.
His great desire is to be on the mission field.

I am so very proud of this son of mine.
Happy Birthday Stephen.
God has BIG plans for you!

Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson

Lifting My Hands

I saw her long before she saw me. 

As she approached, her eighty-something year old eyes locked onto mine.

As she moved quickly toward me, 

moving as quickly as her braced legs would allow,

her smile grew and overtook her face.

She called my name, enveloped me in a hug, 

and my mind tumbled backward to the first day I ever met her.

"My name is Clifford and this is my wife Dot. Our last name is Hawley. 

H-A-W-L-E-Y. We live in Abingdon, if you're ever in the area and need a place to stay, look us us up in the phone book we have plenty of bedrooms and you are always welcome to stay with us."

And I fell in love. 

About a year later this beautiful woman was forever sealed in my heart.

She was in the ladies Bible study that I was teaching.

Sometime during the discussion that day, styles of worship began to be discussed.

I began to share that I was accustomed to raising my hands when I sang during praise and worship, but since coming to this congregation I felt uncomfortable doing so.

I went on to explain that since I was the Preacher's wife,

sitting on the second pew,

being observed by a very traditional congregation,

I did not want to cause anyone to be uncomfortable and distract from their personal worship.

This loving woman, who was then in her seventies, looked at me and quoted this verse,

"Do not quench the Spirit;" 1 Thessalonians 5:19

She then proceeded to say that since the Spirit leads us in our worship to God, and I was working so hard to keep from worshipping openly and honestly,

I really needed to ask myself if I was in danger of quenching the Holy Spirit.

The very next Sunday as I began singing I heard a voice whisper in my ear,

"It's ok to raise your hands."

She had placed herself in a position to encourage me to worship.

As we unfolded out of our embrace tonight, I looked into her eyes and told her how good it was to see her.

My soul was truly refreshed and revived tonight, 

simply by being in the presence of this wonderful woman of God. 

In this wonderful new congregation that my husband and I are serving in,

I am looking for my "Dot."

I am also looking to be "Dot" wherever I can.

Chasing after their hearts,

Glenda Johnson

Who Is Welcome At Your Church?

5 Teenage boys sitting behind me today in church.
They were loud and distracting.
They obviously did not know how to "behave" in a church assembly.
I had to concentrate very hard not to miss what was being said in the sermon.
Others were getting irritated and frustrated with the boys as well.
I could see it on peoples faces.
I stood guard at the end of the pew when the service was over.
I was concerned someone might say something, and the boys might think they did not belong there.
I am thankful I serve in a congregation that did not say anything.
Those young men were RIGHT where they needed to be.
A poignant reminder that the church is for the sick, not a haven for religious gluttons.
Jesus would have loved seeing these guys in an assembly He was preaching at.
Would you?
Did you?

Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson

Turbulence Of This Life

Flying is a wonderful way to travel.
Jetting through the sky, being pampered by attentive flight attendants, if you are in First or Business class that is.
Flying is really a great use of time when enjoying the destination not the trip is the goal.
There is an exception.
When the plane you are flying on is so small that you look out the window to see the guy with the remote control who you are sure is flying the plane instead of the pilot in the cockpit.
I was on such a plane today.
It rattled.
It shook.
It bounced and thumped through the sky like a child's kite on a windy day.
I was more than a little apprehensive.
Then I noticed the flight attendant in the jump seat facing the passengers.
Yes, I said flight ATTENDANT, there was only one.
I said the plane was small!
Anyway, as the plane was bouncing all over the clouds and making really strange noises, this flight attendant was calmly reading the newspaper.

He was not concerned at all with the plane.
Then it occurred to me that he knew this plane well. It was his regular route. If there was something wrong, or out of the ordinary, he would be the first one outside of the cockpit to know.
He was sitting there as if all was ok.
I made the decision to watch him. I came to the conclusion that as along as he was relaxed, I had nothing to be scared of, because he KNEW what was ok and what was not ok.
I trusted him.
Shouldn't it be that way with God? We worry about things with our jobs, families, friends, enemies, and churches. How much more peace could we have if we just kept our eye on God through His Word?

Proverbs 1
³³ but whoever listens to me will live in safety
   and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

God's Word assures us that he knows what is best for us. He knows where we are safe. He also shows us when things are not safe and gives warnings.
So today, I will choose to watch God. I will rest and find peace knowing He will show me when things are not ok. I can rejoice and enjoy life not worrying over the details that I have no control over.
I will lay each day at His feet, walk it as I look at His Word and trust He knows EVERYTHING that is going on and will sound the warning if necessary.
That way I don't have to be consumed by stress and worry as I fly through the turbulence of this life.

Chasing After Their Hearts,

Glenda Johnson

A Walk Through Time

I just journeyed thirty-four years in four hours

Walking through time was wonderful and kinda scary.

My best friend from high school, whom I haven't seen in twenty years, just came over and we ran through thirty -four years.

As we talked and reminisced, something occurred to me.

I shouldn't be alive today.

We made some crazy choices.
We made some crazy choices with friends, strangers, and even in a foreign country where even our parents did not know our location. (Two teenage girls in Mexico without permission)


I am very thankful for the Grace of God!!

Although we haven't seen each other in twenty years or even spoken, the time just melted away.
We did life together back then. Even after we were both married, for a few years we did life together.
Then, we just drifted out of each other's lives.
I am thankful for a friend who still after all of these years loves me and receives my love.
We have made a promise to not let another twenty years go by.

All of this comes after the funeral this morning of my husband's uncle who died way too soon.

People are important.

We may not have twenty years to get around to getting in touch with someone.
Today is a reminder that I need to make a better effort with my relationships.

Who do you need to contact?
You may not have tomorrow.

Pick up the phone.
Send the email.
Facebook.
Just do it!

You will be glad you did!

Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson