Merry Christmas 2015

The evening had come on the day her little darling was born.  She cradled Him in her arms as her husband gently and quietly asked if she was hungry. She smiled and replied, "A little, but I just want to look at him and hold him for a little while more.  Look at how beautiful he is, and how his eyes sparkle!  Look at his tiny fingers and toes!  Oh, I'm so in love with this little one already!"

Her husband smiled and brought her a warm drink and made her comfortable.  They both stared in awe at the miracle of God's work.  They named him Jesus as the angel told them.

"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

Merry Christmas and God's blessings for a joyous and prosperous New Year!
 
Deirdre


(From "From My Heart to Yours" by Deirdre Tolhurst)

Glory to God in the Highest!

"Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
       “ Glory to God in the highest,
         And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”  And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.  Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.  And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.  But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.  Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them." Luke 2:8-20

Can you imagine being one of the shepherds that holy night?  Can you imagine taking care of your flock (as this Child would one day) and being interrupted by an angel of the Lord?  And then a 'multitude' of heavenly host appear and in heavenly choir sing praises of glory to the Lord?  Can you imagine the depths of wonder your soul would experience?  In the light of the stars and moon and in the glory of the angels, you must be unbelievably scared!  But you are told to not be afraid but instead to know that a Savior is born and He will take care of you forevermore!

So after the angels disappear, imagine standing there in the field with your sheep and your friends and wondering what was going on!  Your life is changed completely!  You didn't see just one angel, as Abraham and Jacob did, you saw a multitude of heavenly host!  A multitude!  How do you catch your breath after that?  After the honor that was bestowed on you to be a witness to such a miracle!

And then you do what they told you and you journey to the cave that houses an infant who will save the world!  How do you even comprehend all that?  You see His young mother cradling the Savior of the World and His earthly father watching nearby, protecting them both.  You fall on your knees and you worship the Babe.  You tell about what the angels told you, and you see His mother listening intently.  What an amazing honor to be chosen to be one of the first to see this and to bring a message from heaven to Mary!

You know how when we see a newborn baby we always marvel at the perfection of their lips and their eyelashes and tiny fingers?  Can you imagine seeing Jesus just hours old?  Knowing, because the angels told you, that He would save the world?  That He was the King of kings?  Do you dare to touch His little hand so that His fingers rest around yours?  What would it be like to touch the Son of God? 

Dear Reader, we can touch the Son of God anytime we want to!  He is in each one of us.  He is in your wife, your child, your husband, your friend, your co-worker.  He is in the guy down the street that doesn't bring his garbage can up right away.  He is in the homeless, he is in the downtrodden, he is in the teacher, the fireman, the executive, the secretary, he is in us!  Bless someone today with a hug.  If that is too uncomfortable for you, than bless them with a smile right from your heart!  Think of that person as Jesus, your Savior!  Love your fellow man; today do something extra special for someone you don't know.  Let the angels sing, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men." 

Have a beautiful Tuesday, and God bless you today and always.  Wrap yourself in the miracle of Jesus' birth!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE7Y01JMWko&feature=related

Dear Child of Mine Has Been Released!

Dear Reader,

I am so pleased to announce that Dear Child of Mine, An Heirloom Devotional for the Unborn Child has been released at WestBow Press

(http://bookstore.westbowpress.com/Products/SKU-001038241/Dear-Child-of-Mine.aspx)! You may also find it at Amazon or B&N.

It took over three years to get to this place, and I have learned so many things along the way, the most important being that I had unknowingly made the pictures I wanted for the gestational ages an idol!  What a terrible thing.  It was so subtle, as are most of the devil's lies, that I didn't notice for 18 months while the book sat in a drawer.  One day the Lord took me aside, so to speak, and asked me why the words He inspired me with weren't good enough.  I was under the false impression that the pictures from inside the womb that I wanted were what would give God glory and make the book sell.  I put something man did before the beauty of God's very own words!  Not only was I astonished at the subtlety of it, but ashamed, convicted, and humbled. He forgave me and I moved on. 

I rededicated my life to Christ on the 28th birthday of my salvation. I asked God to give me the Holy Spirit gift of faith for a present.  Although I didn't change immediately, my faith has grown considerably, and my hope is restored.

Writing this devotional, something I don't think I would ever had tried to do, brought healing to my heart and restoration for a relationship lost.  I am now planning my marketing strategies to pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and churches across this great land of ours. Babies need to be prayed over long before they are born.  And they need to hear those prayers while they grown in the womb - first with spiritual ears and then with physical ears.  Jesus is right there in the womb with that baby! His finger is the first one that sweet innocent child puts his little hand around!  It is His voice that first says, "I love you, child", and it is He who forms and perfects every bit of that child's life. What a glorious thing - we know our Savior before we know anything else! 

But unfortunately, the moment of birth into this world brings with it a cloud of forgetfulness about the beauty and love and peace that surrounded us for nine months.  I believe though, that Jesus has placed His memory in the child's heart.  The scripture readings he will hear later on in his life will be familiar to him.  He'll have a tugging on his heart that something is missing until he turns once again to the Sustainer of Life, his Creator and Redeemer. 

As the mother writes her own notes on the provided lines, she is leaving an heirloom for the child and her descendants.  She will write things that she may never say later on. It is something her child will cherish its whole life!

My husband and I were blessed on Thanksgiving with the news that our daughter is pregnant once again!  The sweetness of God cannot be described.  My husband and I are now writing in the book that I wrote for my first grandchild, almost three years ago. We don't know how long our time on earth is, only God knows that, so we want our grandchild to know us--our likes and dislikes, our hopes for its future, our dreams and memories. And as we read it each morning we are in agreement with our daughter and son-in-law in the prayers we pray. There are 241 powerful devotions to bless the baby with.  It's more amazing than I can say!

So if you are pregnant or know someone who is; or if you'll be a grandparent, please get this book as soon into the pregnancy as possible and begin what will be the greatest gift you could give that unborn child--your heart!

Have a glorious and joyful day!

Dear Child of Mine, An Heirloom Devotional for the Unborn Child

Dear Reader,

I want you to imagine something.  Picture yourself rummaging around in your father's attic.  You have the task of cleaning up all of this 'stuff' because you are moving your dad to your own home, and are selling his.  After your mom died, he took a turn for the worse, and became almost a recluse.  You believe that being around his grandchildren and living in the country will help him with his loneliness.  So you are busy in the attic going through boxes and furniture, and all sorts of things, trying to decide what to take along and what to get rid of.  He has accumulated so much over the 51 years he and your mom were married!  You are hot, sweaty, and filthy from all the dust.  It would sure be nice to have air conditioning up here!  Maybe a fan would help.  But not wanting to spend any more time than you absolutely have to, you continue on.

Several hours have passed.  You are ready to call it a day and start again early tomorrow, when you notice a beautiful piece of furniture.  As you go to investigate, you hit your head on a joist.  "Ouch!" you all but scream into the empty space and quickly rub your head.  While walking to the beautiful buffet you saw before your mishap, your attention is drawn to a dusty old box, almost hidden beneath the rafters.  It has something written on it.  Getting closer, and squinting through the darkness in this part of the attic, you see that it is labeled 'Endearments'.  Now you're so curious you forget all about your head, gather up the box and bring it to the center of the attic, under the light, and you sit yourself down on an old stool, wondering what kind of endearments could be inside.

Wiping dirt and sweat off your forehead with one hand, you pull apart the flaps on the top, neatly tucked into each other.  You pull out an old baseball glove, stained with oil from days long gone by.  There are baseball cards too!  You rummage through old pictures, and a boy scout manual, and then see a book.  Pulling it out, you once again wipe the sweat from your brow.  You open the book, and inside you recognize your grandmother's handwriting. 

It is a devotional with lines filled with writing.  No longer caring about the heat, you settle in to read the words that were written over 75 years ago.  You read the first devotion:

Week 6, Day 1 - Trust. 

Dear Child of Mine,
I almost can't believe that I am pregnant!  I haven't been feeling quite myself, but I didn't realize why.  I am your mommy!  I have been very tired, and now I know why.  You are growing rapidly inside me and my hormones are rising, giving me an occasional headache.  I have mixed emotions.  I'm excited about being pregnant and a little scared of the next eight months too.  I will love you and I will take care of myself so you will be healthy.

Dear Father God,
I love You!  I am going to have a baby!  That makes me a little nervous.  I am excited, but I don't know what to expect.  Am I ready for this?  Will we have a healthy baby?  Will I be a good mom?  Will we be able to afford a baby?  Whom will he look like?  Will it hurt having a baby?

Father, I give these concerns over to You.  I lay them at the feet of Jesus because they are too much for me.  I know that You already know my child's name and face, and each day of his life.  I trust You to help me through the next eight months.  I love You and I am so glad I have You in my life to see me through.  In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

How beautiful the devotion is.  Then you read what your grandmother penned on the lines provided for that day.  "Lord, I feel exactly like what is written here.  I'm nervous about this whole thing.  I've heard so many stories of the pain and how much it costs to have a baby.  Johnny doesn't make that much, I mean with layoffs and all, we're lucky to make what we do!  But this life is a gift from You.  I must keep that in my mind.  You will always make a way where there is no way.  Help me to fight my fears and just leave it at the cross.  Thanks.  Just one more thing, Lord, will I have a boy or a girl? Oh well, whichever it is, I promise to love it and cherish it.  I will bring it up in the way of the Word. Wait until Johnny hears this news!"

Wow!  You flip through the pages, there are hundreds of pages with her writing on them.  You decide to stop your work for the day, and go downstairs and have a cool drink and just read.  You are amazed at all the emotions that spill out of her words.  On some pages you even read your grandfather's words!!  You cry at the words about sun showers and how the stars sang when the earth was created.  There are devotions about eyes, facial features, bones, hearing, the heart and brain, fingerprints, teeth, tongue, even friends, and wonderful things about God.  There is a synopsis at the beginning of each week telling what is happening to the baby and the mom at that time in her pregnancy!  What a find!  What a treasure!  You wish you had something like that when you had your own three children, but if you can find this book you will be sure to give it to them when they are expecting their own.  What an heirloom!  Seeing the prayers grandma prayed over daddy before he was born!  You pack up your things and head home filled with joy and a new found sense of love, a love you never knew before.  Surely, when you read this to your dad, he will begin to feel better!  You have uncovered a secret door to the past, a part of your family history that few people have the privilege of finding.

Well dear Reader, this is only a story about finding such a treasure, but the good news is, the book is real!  It is called Dear Child of Mine, An Heirloom Devotional for the Unborn Child.  The devotions are meant to be read aloud each day from Week 6, Day 1 through the time the baby is born.  It ends at Week 41, Day 2.  The baby can hear with it's spirit long before he can hear with his ears.  But Jesus is right there in the womb forming and shaping each little life He created!  It should be purchased as soon after finding out about the pregnancy as possible, because it is filled with prayers of love and awe.  The baby will hear each word, and later in life when he hears scripture, it will feel familiar. 

Dear Child of Mine will help the mom to pray each day, even if only for a few minutes.  Moms will come back to Jesus, moms will find Jesus.  Babies will live a happier life.

There is just something about a praying mom, and a child prayed for.  Grandmothers can read this as well, especially if they live far away.  Then they are in agreement over the life of the unborn baby.  It is a beautiful gift to give yourself or someone else.  A gift that will keep on giving for generations to come!

My book is currently in the editing stage at the publisher.  I will keep you informed as to its progress.  Thank you so much for sharing, and commenting!  May God bless each and every one of you!

Deirdre

Week 12, Day 4 - Your Face

Dear Child of Mine,

You look much more like you will six months from now.  You have a chin and a nose and a facial profile.  You can suck your thumb and get hiccups!  I wonder who you look like, your father or me.  I have to smile when I imagine everything God is doing with you, how He is making you whole, and more like Him and me every day.  It amazes me when I acknowledge how little you are, too small to even feel yet, and still so much like me!  I love you.  I praise God for His mighty miracle within me.  He is a loving and caring Father.


Dear Father God,

You have formed my baby's face!  I see how small she is, perhaps about the length of my ring finger, yet she is living, crying, hiccupping, moving around, and looks like she will when she is born!  When my baby is born and I look in her face, I will see the face of God looking back at me because You are her Creator.  I will try to remember always to see You in her.  I love You so much, Father, and wonder, do I have Your eyes?  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

"As for me, I will see your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness."  Psalm 17:15

(From Dear Child of Mine, A Devotional for the Unborn Child by Deirdre Tolhurst, with Foreword by Pastor Mark Price, published by Westbow Press)

Give Thanks in the Storm

Thank God today for whatever is troubling you the most.  It may seem a crazy thing to do, and the world would certainly attest to that!  Why would you thank Him for your sickness or poverty or loss of a loved one?  Not because you’re grateful for the actual circumstance that brought you to your knees.  No!  But for the strength you will gain and the wisdom you will receive when you praise Him in your storm.

He’s making you a light in the dark for another weary soul.  He’s instilling compassion in your heart, enough to overcome the pain and bitterness.  When you are able to pull someone else up from the depths of despair because you have been there, two hearts that may never have met are beating as one, glorifying the Lord.  And joy returns once again. 

 
“Two are better than one because a a good return comes when two work together.  If one of them falls, the other can help him up.  But who will help the pitiful person who falls down alone?”  Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 Voice
Taken from From My Heart to Yours

Just Ask and Believe

"All He did was touch me and I was healed!  He's so nice!  He told me not to say anything, but how could I not?  I am clean!  I'm not an outcast anymore!  Look at me!  Touch Me!  Don't be afraid, it's real!  He said my faith healed me!  It's a miracle!  He can heal anything, just ask and believe!"

Can you imagine the looks on the faces of everyone who had from afar seen this person afflicted with leprosy and now completely cured?  Do you think they were frightened, perplexed, or stood in shock?  One thing is certain, they must have believed.  More and more people came to Jesus, and never once did He deny them.  His heart is filled with indescribable love, and peace is His demeanor. 

He will do the same for you if you just ask and believe.

"If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."  John 14:14 NKJV

Dear Child of Mine, A Devotional for the Unborn Child

What a road has led me here!  I am so pleased to tell you, Dear Reader, that my second book, Dear Child of Mine, A Devotional for the Unborn Child, has been submitted to a publisher!  This time around I went with Westbow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson, the oldest Christian Publisher in the world, having published Bibles and Christian books for 213 years.

I was instructed and inspired by the Holy Spirit to write this when my own daughter became pregnant.  My precious granddaughter, Makayla Grace, is one of the biggest blessings I have ever received, and it was a pleasure to pray over her every day as I wrote this book.

I believe with all my heart that praying every single day over your baby from the moment you find out that you are pregnant makes a huge difference in how that child will grow up.  So this book is not something you would give as a baby shower gift or a baby gift.  It is meant to be read as soon as possible after that wonderful news, "Congratulations, you're going to have a baby!" 

The book begins with the miracle that is happening inside the mom from conception forward.  The actual devotions begin at Week 6, Day 1 (actually 4 weeks from conception), and continue through Week 41, Day 2, and finally, "You Are Here!"  The devotions cover a myriad of topics about the different organs that are forming, what the child is doing at this time, future friends, blessings over their development and birth, and the glory of God's goodness in the baby's life. 

Each week has a synopsis of the baby's growth and development, and the physical changes the mom is going through.  Each day of that week addresses those beautiful wonders, beginning with Dear Child of Mine, a few words to the baby.  In this part, the baby is told how much it is loved by God and the mother, and how precious its life is.  It is followed with Dear Heavenly Father, where the mom offers a prayer to God for the miracle He is performing in her body.  She prays over her child with gratitude and awe of God's great works.  This is followed by a scripture relevant to the topic, and finally a few lines for the mom to write down what her own feelings were that day in her pregnancy.  Perhaps she will bless the child with this book when they are grown up and having a child of their own!

This book will be available around 1 October.  I believe the publisher offers bulk discounts.  I would love to see this book in pregnancy centers around the world, at ministries who provide help for pregnant women, in church bookstores, places where baby items are sold, bookstores, doctor offices, and anywhere a woman can be introduced to the beautiful connection of speaking to her baby as soon as possible.

If you would like more information, or would like me to contact you, please leave a message in the comment section below.

I have included a sample here.  Please share this post so that word can get out to the right places, and that pregnant women everywhere can begin praying over their sweet babies.  It is a great gift for that new mom (she's a mom from conception) and dad.  He can read it too.  And grandparents can read it each day as well, knowing that their prayers from farther away are also heard by the baby's spirit.  Thank you, and God bless you!

Dear Child of Mine, A Devotional for the Unborn Child

by Deirdre Tolhurst

This book is meant to be read aloud to your child. Please do not feel funny doing this, both mom and dad can take turns, and it will make an enormous difference in your child’s life, especially before being born. Even before hearing your voice with physical ears, your baby’s spirit is most definitely hearing the words of life you speak. Your child is connected to God, who is within you, developing and shaping your baby whether you are a born-again Christian or not.

The words you speak over your unborn child will make a great difference in what kind of person they become. Always speak life to your children, and confess goodness and grace over them every day of their life. Ask God to bless them each day. Growing up is hard enough, so help them with the most important part, the spiritual part. They will be glad that you cared enough to do so, and so will you. Keep God in your life, and seek His face in every situation you encounter.

…God has a plan for each of us, and the Bible tells us this, “’For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”’ (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) 

We may not know what that plan is, but we should take comfort in the words ‘to prosper and not to harm you.’ God would never hurt us. He wants us to be prosperous and give us hope and a future! God Himself! He loves us with a love we can’t begin to comprehend.

 

WEEK 6

(4 weeks from conception)

 Baby

• Is 0.15 inch (.038cm) long, weighs 0.01ounce (0.28g), and is slightly smaller than a raisin
• The spinal cord is beginning to close
• The first blood cells and blood vessels are developing
• Blood flows through blood vessels
• A pipe-shaped heart begins to beat
• The brain divides into 5 parts
• Optic pits form to start the development of the eye
• Cells that will be arms and legs are in place
• Placenta begins functioning
• Tissues that will become ears are on the sides of the head
• All major body organs and systems are formed

Mom

• You are more tired than usual
• Headaches may occur

 

Oh my goodness! So much is going on inside of you! God is working every second whether you are awake or asleep, to form and develop your baby! Can you believe it – already there is a beating heart, blood of life, and a rapidly developing brain! The optic pits are formed, soon there will be eyes and ears!

It can be a little scary finding out how we were formed, but God molds and crafts each and every one of us with His Own hands! We are so mightily blessed because He, the Author and Finisher of our faith saw us further back that we can even fathom. And here you are today on the beginning of an amazing journey! Don’t fear, He is within you and all around you. Call on Him in your weakness and strength, He is just and worthy and will answer your call. 

Your baby can feel your emotions, even though you don’t have any physical outward appearance to go on. You are chosen because God saw something very special in you, and He has a plan for both you and your baby. You are blessed! Rejoice! Your baby’s heart beats!!

Week 12, Day 4 – Your Face

Dear Child of Mine,

You look much more like you will six months from now. You have a chin and a nose and a facial profile. You can suck your thumb and get hiccups! I wonder who you look like, your father or me. I have to smile when I imagine everything God is doing with you, how He is making you whole, and more like Him and me every day. It amazes me when I acknowledge how little you are, too small to even feel yet, and still so much like me! I love you. I praise God for His mighty miracle within me. He is a loving and caring Father.

Dear Father God,

You have formed my baby’s face! I see how small she is, perhaps about the length of my ring finger, yet she is living, crying, hiccupping, moving around, and looks like she will when she is born! When my baby is born and I look in her face, I will see the face of God looking back at me because You are her Creator. I will try to remember always to see You in her. I love You so much, Father, and wonder, do I have Your eyes? In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

“As for me, I will see your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” Psalm 17:15

 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  

Week 22, Day 6 - Sleep

Dear Child of Mine,

You have fully formed eyelids now, which will protect your eyes and will blink to clean your eyes. They will also close so you can rest. When your eyelids get heavy and your little head drops to your chest I will hold you close and kiss you and sing you a sweet lullaby as I put you in your crib. May God always give you sweet or prophetic dreams and may you never have nightmares that will scare you. When you sleep, dream thoughts of goodness and grace, and I pray that God will give you refreshing rest. I love you and look forward to rocking you to sleep.

 

Dear Father God in Heaven,

Thank You for giving us sleep and rest so that we may meditate on You and Your glory. Thank You that our bodies are equipped with eyelids to deflect the bright light and keep dust and other things from hurting our eyes. Please grant my child restful nights and rejuvenating sleep so that he may play and learn and grow up healthy and happy. Thank You for my baby! In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

 "When you will lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet." Proverbs 3:24

 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Week 41, Day 1 – Safe Passage

Dear Child of Mine,

The time is so near to when my dreams come true and we meet. I am so excited I can’t help but be impatient! I envision your beautiful eyes looking up at me, and your face glowing with the love of God within you! I believe that it has been just you and Jesus these last nine months. I believe you know Him well and will always want to know Him. I love you, child, and I will always remind you that you are a son of the Most High God, a prince in His glorious Kingdom!

Dear Father God,

I pray to You today for safe passage for my child. Bring him safely from his cozy but cramped place in my womb into my arms. I imagine You kissing him as he starts on his journey of life, and then being outside my womb and holding him as his life in this world begins. Thank You for Your loving arms around him. Thank You that he is made in Your image. Thank You for the love You have for my son, and as You place him from Your hands into my arms, I thank You for trusting me with his care. I adore You, Lord, and I treasure this blessing! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 “…It is you not I, who have been carried from before you were born. Indeed, when you were still in the womb I was taking care of you. And when you are old, I will still be there carrying you, when your limbs grow tired, your eyes are weak, and your hair a silvery gray, I will carry you as I always have. I will carry you and save you.” Isaiah 46:3-4, The Voice

 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A Mother’s Day Wish To ALL Mothers

Happy Mother’s Day to all those wonderful women who were blessed to hear their baby’s first cry and watch as they grew into adorable toddlers, sweet teens, and capable young men and women.  You have had your ups and downs, joys, and trying moments raising your child, but you have been with them through their life.

This post is for those women who suffered the loss of a child through miscarriage, a stillborn birth, or lost a baby in the first few hours or days of their little life.  The pain you feel is insurmountable, and never goes away.  Through the years you wonder ‘why’ and question yourself and God.  Some of you have never been able to have another child, and the memory is painful. 

There are those of you who made the decision to have an abortion for whatever reason, and have regretted it ever since.  God still loves you, and I just want you all to know that even though you are not able to watch that child grow, you are still a Mom and God has been watching over your baby all this time.  Your child is not in ‘Limbo’ or anywhere other than Heaven.  These children have touched the face of God and know His love right now.  Please don’t believe anything else.

My heart goes out to each of you, and you are in my prayers for peace and comfort.  Happy Mother’s Day to you dear ladies who have suffered.  May God bless you and may His love overwhelm you on this and every day of the year.  I wrote this poem for a very special woman that I love dearly.  She has given me permission to share it with you.  We both hope it brings you peace.  With loving thoughts this Mother’s Day, Deirdre

 

In Loving Memory of My Son

Don’t tell me he’s gone!

In my heart he lives on!

I’ve seen his sweet face, though not felt his embrace.

His smile I never was able to see,

But his memory lives inside of me!

 

I had plans for my son!

His youth would be fun!

I expected to watch him grow up!

My son, my son, my sweet baby boy!

An answer to prayer and my heart’s pride and joy!

 

 Why did You allow this to happen to him?

How could You take him from me?

What did I do to deserve such a pain?

From this hurt will I ever be free?

 

 Child, your son is not gone,

In My house he lives on!

His heart is as pure as gold!

He knows My face and has felt My embrace,

Here, he will never grow old!

 

 He didn’t cry when he reached for Me,

And placed his small hand in Mine.

With trust and a giggle he knew who I was,

He’s known from the beginning of time!

 

 He laughs and he runs and he worships My Son,

His short life was not in vain.

He helped you to see what true love is,

New joy will come from your pain!

 

 You will see him again

Though you know not when.

His home is here with Me.

I’ve opened the door to life evermore,

Where he’ll live for eternity.

 ©Deirdre Tolhurst 18 August 2012

“In Loving Memory of Baby Ethan”

 “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.” Mark 10:13-16

Nightfalls

"The evening has arrived in the land. I hear the birds holding a very busy conversation. One starts and another finishes, and I wonder what they may be saying.

As dusk encroaches on their banter, are they making plans to see each other tomorrow? Are they finishing up their day's work before retiring until the sun breaks the twilight and rises from its sleep?

The crickets will soon take over the quiet of the still night air. Their chirping will awaken the cicadas and an insect party will begin. The owl will fly and the animals of the night will begin their day.

And I will rest in the arms of my beloved once more, peaceful and unaware of the night games."

"The flowers are unfolding in the fields; the birds are warming up their songs, the cooing of the turtledove is heard throughout the land." Song of Solomon 2:12 Voice

An Excerpt

I wanted to put out an excerpt from the book I am currently working on.  I would love your comments Dear Reader!

"And the stars glistened and the moon shone, and peace filled the countryside.  Only those who believed knew He was there.  Only those who didn't doubt could hear His voice in the cool night air.  They were still, they were expecting.  They were rewarded with direction and knowledge.  They praised His name as all the animals of the night listened.  They were in tune with Him.  Are you?" 

"...and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, a still small voice."  1 Kings 19:12 NKJ

From the collection From My Heart to Yours by Deirdre Tolhurst

God, Where Are You? I Am Afraid!

"Dear Child, I am here, right beside you.  You don't have to be afraid, for I will never, under any circumstance, leave or forsake you.  There is great power in fear, but it is only powerful to the one who wields it.  For those caught in the "grip of fear," there is nothing like it.  Fear comes directly from evil.  It is tortuous to the mind, and can even cause the heart to die.

"I don't bring fear, I never meant for my children to even know fear.  It, like most things, is something you can take or leave.  I prefer you leave it.  That defeats the enemy.  If he can't scare you, his powers are useless against you.  I gave you the spirit of love, and power, and a sound mind.  Those spirits are really all you need.  A sound mind shouldn't bow to fear.  Fear is always a lie.  Always!

"I remind my children constantly that I am with them, but they go on their way rarely stopping to realize they are alive, clothed, housed, and fed.  They forget to notice the beauty around them.  I don't bring the sun up with a glorious sunrise and then go away until evening when it sets!  No, not at all.  I am everywhere you turn.

"I am the blue in the sky.  I am the breeze in your hair whispering "I love you."  I am the ripple on the water, and the flower whose fragrance gathers your attention.  I am the bark on the mighty oak, shielding it from the battering elements.  I am the sand beneath your toes on a warm beach, and I am each snowflake that glides down from the heavens.  I am a sweet drizzle and a hailing monsoon.  I am a whisper on the wind and the howling gales.  I am your smile because your heart is happy.  I am each tear you shed.  They are so precious to Me that I collect them and keep them in a jar.

"I am the cloud that gives you relief on that hot summer day.  I am that little puppy that melts your heart.  I am that rock outcropping where you can rest on your climb.  I am the roar of the ocean's waves.  I am the mountain you moved close to so you could enjoy its beauty and majesty.

"I am the sun and the moon, and the stars.  All that I created is from a part of Me.  It is all my design.

"Child, My Spirit is within you.  I never leave you.  I wouldn't want to, you are valuable to Me and I want to protect you.  I am not just sitting beside you when you are at death's door, I am walking each step with you, dreaming each dream, resting, running, jumping, climbing, all of it.  I am even in the gym with you.

"So shake off your fears and your doubts.  You are a child of the Most High God, the Commander of the Heavenly Armies!  You will never fight alone.  I have gone into battle before you, and I have declared victory!  There is nothing to be afraid of, I am here!"

He Leads the Way

Good morning, Jesus!  I love You!  I am so happy to be Your child and one You love so much!  What a wonderful morning to be alive and see Your glory in the light of the full moon!  The rolling clouds that surround it appear to undulate around its base and sides and there is a huge circle of milky white all around it!  I remember that the moon has no light of its own.  But with the sun (Son)'s light reflecting off of it, it becomes a beacon of hope on what would otherwise be a very dark night!  Because of that brilliant light piercing the darkness, a platinum path is visible in a world that lies between the blackness of night and the glory of dawn.  The asphalt shines with little bits of icy residue twinkling like sapphires on the road I am to travel today.  You have lit the way!  You have made my path silver, glowing in the darkness.  And I know the Holy Spirit guides me and my ears shall hear a word behind me saying, "This is the way, walk in it."

"Your ears will hear sweet words behind you:  "Go this way.  There is your path; this is how you should go" whenever you must decide whether to turn to the right or the left."  Isaiah 30:21 The Voice