A Courageous Walk

Color of Autumn

2010-10-02T18:28:00.000-04:00

In the beginning God said “Let there be light and there was light” Genesis 1:3. But it wasn’t until 1666 when English scientist Sir Isaac Newton discovered that when pure white light passes through a prism, it separates into all of the visible colors. Newton also found that each color is made up of a single wavelength and cannot be separated any further into other colors. As Jesus radiated the prismic glory of God, because in Him is light and as Christians we are ‘salt and light’ to the world. As Jesus is visible in me, there is color.

In an autumn season, we see leaves changing colors blending into an array of beauty especially as the sunlight hits them. Breathtaking landscaped horizons in every direction give me pause for prayer and appreciation to the God of light for letting me be a part of that light.

Further experiments demonstrated that light could be combined to form other colors. For example, red light mixed with yellow light creates an orange color. A color resulting from a mix of two other colors is known as a metamer. Some colors, such as yellow and purple, cancel each other out when mixed and result in a white light. These competing colors are known as complements. Surely, there is a spiritual application here. Christians are colorful, some colors are metamer and some are complements. Some are warm colors and some are cool colors. Understanding that each color is separate visible radiance of light lends a colorful picture of the beauty of holiness and Christ in us the hope of glory.

Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T02:13:00.001-04:00

"I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life." - Abraham Lincoln

2010-05-09T00:08:00.001-04:00

In the beginning, GOD created the heavens and the earth. It was good. For whatever reason, the existence of evil predated the creation of man. Evil was not extinguished with the creation of man. But rather at the time God created Adam and Eve, there was in fact evil with which the tempter interposed temptation, before yielding, evil held no power over Adam and Eve. Once they disobeyed God, eating the forbidden fruit, the terror of evil and suffering and pain was now a blight. In the birth, life and death of the Son of God, Jesus was victorious in redeeming humanity. He broke the power of evil and the curse of the fall, the curse of death was replaced by resurrection power. At Pentecost, the disciples were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Evil remains, but it’s rendered powerless by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and gifted to us by God’s benevolent saving sanctifying grace and power.

2010-05-08T20:06:00.002-04:00

To those who would identify with God’s holy and become the church of empowered believers, Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also.” (John 14:12). Did Jesus really mean this? I believe he did.

As a small man, a family man and an educated man but an individual who faces each day with a physical infirmity, a pastor of the Christian faith in the 21st century, I welcome advisement and counsel from anyone who might enlighten me if I make assertions in a manner not consistent with Holy Scripture. I contend that there is an excellent model of ministry instituted by Jesus and carried forward by the apostles and the New Testament church as recorded in the Gospels and the Book of Acts. In fact, the entire New Testament is a model for ministry. If Jesus fed the multitudes, healed the sick, raised the moral social standards in addressing the way children and women were treated, clarified legal definitions such as 'who is my neighbor', et.al. - is he suggesting that the church can extend this ministry into the 21st century and up until he returns? Why not?

History of our own lives

2010-02-23T15:54:00.001-05:00

The Importance of History in Our Own Lives

History well told is beautiful. The story of our life, the word of our testimony, and of the place where we live, the corner of this wonderful world we occupy, is a story that must be told. And the actual story is the one that should be shared. Historians know the importance of drama but also of accuracy. Biography and military history and the epic stories of faith appeal in part because of the tales they contain. History as art and entertainment serves a real purpose, on aesthetic grounds but also on the level of human understanding. Stories well done are stories that reveal how people and societies have actually functioned, and they prompt thoughts about the human experience in other times and places. Shall we not engage in recounting the past or shove past memories in to the forgetful closets of our mind. The very beauty that inspired our fathers and mothers should inspire us to be immersed in the simple stories of those who came before us and that time invested in immersing ourselves to reconstruct perhaps albeit remote pasts, far removed from the immediate, nevertheless present present day utility. Exploring the ‘pastness of the past’ itself involves a sense of beauty and excitement, and ultimately another perspective on human life and society.

Substitute Teaching

2009-11-03T11:58:00.002-05:00

Each day is a day that God has given us, and each person we meet during that day and the places we go- each moment of that day is in His hands. The joy of discovering the world He has given us and the beauty of each day is further evidenced in the lives of children. As a substitute teacher within the public school system from time to time, my life intersects with many different students in a diverse backdrop of educational learning experiences- and I marvel at the simple yet complex nature of each person, the uniqueness of each moment and the adventure of each day.

Mother, the Generic Pain Antidote

2009-05-09T13:04:00.000-04:00

Everyone experiences pain, especially individuals with a disability. My earliest memory in life, unfortunately, was a pain experience followed by the loving consolation and comfort of my mother diminishing that pain and then her smile and gentle touch. Without my mother, my childhood, ravaged with degenerative crippling arthritis would have been unbearable. She introduced me to faith in God. She encouraged the medicine of laughter and fashioned times to share and play with my father. His presence assured security. My mother's presence assured belongingness. They loved each other and me. Of this I was certain. But when it came to pain, it was the expertise of my mother. She was my nurse, doctor, and medical team. She was my medication and therapy. There was no cure for my juvenile rheumatoid arthritis but there was relief from severe pain. How do you spell relief? M-O-T-H-E-R
Mother I love you. This expression alone reduces pain. Thank you mother.

Logic

2009-02-09T14:41:00.002-05:00

Friends can certainly make you think. Two statements pertaining to the age old question of What is truth? One profers that "Truth is a pathless land." Another that "Jesus is the truth." In my own experience, I have found that the veracity of a proposition is subject to proof upon a triable set of conditions. Within the set of these two propositons then there must be some reasonable logical intersection. In the absence of a mutual set, it is up to the individual to take their "leap of faith". First, let's explore for potential logic. In mathematical logic =existence is a quantifier, the "existential quantifier", symbolized by ∃, a backwards capital E. We must first agree that we exist.

To symbolize "four leaf clovers exist," mathematicians would first define predicates, P(x) = "x is a clover" and Q(x) = "x has four leaves", and then form the well-formed formula (∃x)(P(x) and Q(x)). The existential quantifier for truth would be the union of the sets P(x) "Jesus is truth" and Q(x) truth is a pathless journey (∃x)(P(x) and Q(x).

The path is not one that we can know of ourselves but does that contradict that Jesus may have found and provided a pathway for us? Truth is - the bearer of a concept lends to its meaningfulness. For Jesus to advocate that : "I am the way, the truth and the life " does not negate that apart from a guide - we may be confused and lost and the logical concession is that another may be our key to a life of hope, peace, love and truth. For me, that person is Jesus.

Jesus does provide a logical response to the truth inquiry.

2009-01-18T12:12:00.002-05:00

The pondering - of this time - the blessings from God and the direction of the future have been on my mind. From the joys of priceless photo moments, family times, travels to Ohio, Connecticut and holidays, Christmas, New Years, Weddings, to the sadness of hard times - sorrows of funerals from personal loss of loved ones to financial loss is a reality of many, life is full. A courageous walk with God leads to life beyond my limitations, opportunities for service to others and tasks at hand. A courageous walk with God also fills my life with wonderful people. The collaborative support of my church family, my wife and sons, my mother, sisters and brother and their families, my friends, and colleagues edify and strengthen my resolve. People to see, places to go, things to do... life is full. Courage I am beginning to see involves appreciation of our God - and courage as a muscles of the heart re-charges as we rest up in His presence - a Sabbath day of rest - so that we may be renewed, ready, willing and able to get up and go. I do not want to miss out so for now I am resting and pondering.

Joshua 1:9

2008-09-01T13:04:00.002-04:00

Be strong and of great courage! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

If there is one thing that I like to share with others, it is that in the presence of God and those whom you love and believe in, that the clouds of discouragement dissipate, and in the place of a frightful feeling of helplessness and hopelessness we have great comfort and encouragement and peace in the presence of God.

Courage to Change things I can!

2008-09-01T12:59:00.001-04:00

"Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can, and
the wisdom to know the difference." -- Saint Francis of Assisi

New Experiences

2008-08-29T01:02:00.002-04:00

This morning as I awoke from sleeping in a tent we set up in our yard, the sky had a tint of blue that I had never seen before. Perseverance through thunder and lightning in a tent camping out with my two sons in our own yard was a first and the blends of purple and blue hues at 5:30am was the most beautiful pre-sunrise sky I have ever seen. Thoughts of bones sore from sleeping in dampness on a hard ground gave way to appreciation to a wonderful Lord who smiled down on my efforts and took time to inspire my soul - how blessed to have two young sons who push the envelope of experience for their 'little feeble aging father'. Initially I may have asked them "Why?" but now I sigh and say Thank you Lord for such a splendid sky.

A funeral service to prepare for brother Sam.

2008-04-11T22:02:00.003-04:00

A quiet, soft voice wept in the phone, "Pastor Bruce, this is Kessiah, my father Sam died yesterday and I have been trying to reach you. I have never met you but my father spoke so highly of you." As I paused to let her relay the story of his passing, my inner voice called out to the Lord. "God, you know how I loved Sam and I felt such an affinity with him as if we were brothers. He was black. I was white. He was tall. I am short. He was elderly in the waning years of life. I was a young man in the prime of life. He could sing. I really do not have a singing voice. Most inspiring was his courageous faith. Sam was physically blind but I could see. Yet we had such a bond in our love for Christ. He had an uncanny 20/20 spiritual vision and could see with the eyes of his heart.

We loved the Lord. He had been a pastor for many years. Lord, he fought his cancer so bravely for so long. The doctors had declared him near death's door over and over. He prayed and believed and lived victoriously praising the Lord and never missing church. Being blind, he needed a ride to church every Sunday and my wife would go and pick him up because I wasn't physically able to assist him along and into the vehicle. He played his guitar and sang every Sunday morning during the morning worship. He even went to the local hospital with us on Sunday afternoon to encourage the residents. He enjoyed the presence of the Lord and coming together with other Christians. I have missed Sam very much since his health failed and he was admitted into the Veteran's Hospital. Just before he was admitted to the Veteran's, one Sunday afternoon after church service on a ride back to Sam's place, we vowed to see each other in heaven. How edifying to hear Sam sing Amazing Grace, "I once was lost, but now I am found, was blind but now I see."

2 Corinthians 5:7-9 (King James Version)For we walk by faith, not by sight: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

Sam, look's like you made it. There's no pain. You can sing with the heavenly choir and be re-united with family and friends as you share words of praise and love to God from glory to glory.

Courage for Christ

2008-04-11T20:32:00.000-04:00

A Sudanese Christian boy has his knees and feet nailed to a board and he is left to die. When rescued he says he forgives the man who did this because Jesus was also nailed and forgave him.

A Vietnamese pastor is sentenced to two years in prison. When he is offered an early release, he declines stating that he has a group of new Believers in the prison he has to disciple.

A Colombian missionary is kidnapped and told she only has two hours to live. She tells her captors that if she only has two hours to live, she wants to spend it telling them about Jesus.

Courageous Walkers

2008-04-03T00:14:00.002-04:00

Looking back, I've been privileged to meet some exceedingly extraordinary people who have immeasurably influenced the course of my own life and ministry. Most of them have not stood in the bright white lights of popularity and fame. In fact, most have names you've probably never heard. But they have been a special encouragement to me, nonetheless.

Interestingly, in my situation, those most heroic influencers, encouragers and purveyors of inspiration and resolve have been within the circle of my own family primarily. From my father, Harvey Braswell, now in heaven claimed by an unsolved homicide, and my mother, Iva Pearl who has nurtured me through times of great suffering, to my sister Carolyn Greene, possessor of a sceptor of righteousness, who has guided and encouraged my giftedness, my brother Gary Braswell, business entrepreneur par excellence of Braswell Galleries, who has backed me up through falls, physical and financial, and my younger sister Sandra Carlson, teacher who cares and dares to teach those with the greatest challenge to learning, she has been a rallying support for my wife and I in diverse ways. Carolyn, Gary and Sandra have been there for me at special times, critical points of interpersonal relational dynamic needs and seasons of gladness and sadness -- together with my devoted lovely wife Maureen of 20 years and sons Paul and Peter both sons who stand taller than I yet who walk courageously with me from day to day -- all in all-- there is something quite extraordinary within each of them that is a story deserving of full disclosure and telling-- a story of a family each of whom contain all those special qualities that comprise the extraordinary as celebrated out in the life of one somewhat insignificant person - a suffering child- Bruce ravaged by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis from age 2 who has matured into a little man- one who is small but mighty, small in stature, standing 4 feet tall yet mighty if spirit and faith and courage, thanks to God's extraordinary family saints.

2008-03-20T21:37:00.001-04:00

Mother Teresa: I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.

Courage is being able to say thank you for my hurting.

2008-03-13T00:10:00.000-04:00

David, a 2-year old with leukemia, was taken by him mother, Deborah, to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, to see Dr. John Truman who specializes in treating children with cancer and various blood diseases. Dr. Truman's prognosis was devastating: "He has a 50-50 chance." The countless clinic visits, the blood tests, the intravenous drugs, the fear and pain--the mother's ordeal can be almost as bad as the child's because she must stand by, unable to bear the pain herself. David never cried in the waiting room, and although his friends in the clinic had to hurt him and stick needles in him, he hustled in ahead of his mother with a smile, sure of the welcome he always got. When he was three, David had to have a spinal tap--a painful procedure at any age. It was explained to him that, because he was sick, Dr. Truman had to do something to make him better. "If it hurts, remember it's because he loves you," Deborah said. The procedure was horrendous. It took three nurses to hold David still, while he yelled and sobbed and struggled. When it was almost over, the tiny boy, soaked in sweat and tears, looked up at the doctor and gasped, "Thank you, Dr. Tooman, for my hurting."

Monica Dickens, Miracles of Courage, 1985.

Courage- A definition

2008-03-12T23:53:00.002-04:00

COURAGE pronounced: kur'-aj:
Hebrew [~chazaq], "to show oneself strong" (see Numbers 13:20; 2 Samuel 10:12;
1 Chronicles 19:13; 2 Chronicles 15:8; Ezra 10:4; Psalms 27:14, 31:24; Isaiah 41:6)

Hebrew [~ruach], "spirit," "animus" (Joshua 2:11)

Hebrew [~'amats], "to be alert" (physically and mentally), "to be agile, quick, energetic" (Deuteronomy 31:6,7,23; Joshua 1:6,9,18; 10:25; 1 Chronicles 22:13; 28:20)

Hebrew [~lebhabh], "the heart," and figuratively, "person," "spirit" (Dan 11:25)

Greek [@tharsos], "cheer" (Acts 28:15).

A virtue highly esteemed among all nations, one of the four chief "natural" (cardinal) virtues (The Wisdom of Solomon 8:7), while cowardice ranks as one of the mortal sins (Ecclesiasticus 2:12,13; Revelations 21:8).

Concentric Circles of Courage

2008-03-12T20:07:00.001-04:00

As prayer requests pour in from all around, I happened upon a book in my library by W. Oscar Thompson, Jr. entitled "Concentric Circles of Concern" (Broadman Press, 1981) dealing with relational circles from the inner circle of self, to the next circle of immediate family, then a circle encompassing those of relatives, then close friends, then neighbors, then acquaintances, then person x. Oscar asserted that God holds us accountable for everyone who comes into our concentric circles.
Some have difficulty loving others but he notes that when Jesus becomes Lord of our lives, we must surrender forever the right to choose whom we will love. Oscar was a pastor and yes so am I. He battled cancer for years while writing his book and continuing in ministry until he went to be with the Lord. Surely, he was speaking from his personal experiences as he outlined love as meeting needs. We can show love to God by giving a cup of cold water and going the extra mile.

This model helps us to identify those whom we may reach and to think of points of contact. Let us begin here but press on. For when life's concerns press upon us all and upon many of our friends and relatives,so many in the various circles become burdened. Attempting to meet the needs of others may cause a backlash of emotional suffocation and lead to a spiraling vortex of focusing upon the pains and problems with diminishing effectiveness in prayer life. Perhaps a ploy of the evil one!

When adversity presses in, it is time to take a courageous walk with a brave heart directly to the points of need together in faith praying and believing for miracles. Where there are two or three gathered together in Jesus' name in overlapping circles of courage, there is Jesus in the midst. Where is the pain, where is the sorrow. In the divine presence, they are but a faint whisper. The tornado like funnel cloud vortex of circling problems dissipates, the wind reverses and brings a fresh breeze of healing, wholeness, peace and joy emanating from outward extending waves generated by overlapping circles of courage. May you feel the wave of courageous faith warriors praying for you, reaching out to you in Chrislikeness?

Courage for Today

2007-07-24T10:08:00.000-04:00

Yesterday is a canceled check; tomorrow is a promissory note; today is the only cash you have so spend it wisely.” Kay Lyons

Scars

2007-07-20T13:06:00.000-04:00

"The scars you acquire by exercising courage will never make you feel inferior." D.A. Battista

A Lesson in Courage

2007-05-08T15:31:00.001-04:00

Developing Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis before reaching my third birthday meant that hospital visits, doctors and needles would be inevitably woven into my childhood memories. One particular doctor visit just before my sixth birthday stands out with pivotal clarity.

After spending an entire day of having doctors, nurses, and medical students poking & prodding me, I revolted in complete exasperation. I fussed and fumed, and I refused to cooperate. The disgruntled doctor swung around and sat down to face me straight in the eye. “Young man,” he retorted, “you have to have courage! Courage,” he said, “is resistance to fear. Courage enables you to master fear. Without it you will fail, but with it, you can fight the battles that lay ahead.” I straightened my back, dried my tears, and held out my arm. That day I learned the value of courage.

While courage does not come easily, its worth is inestimable. On my own, I do not possess enough might or courage to face the physical challenges still ahead. My strength and comfort continue to come from God who spoke to Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9 NIV)

Courage and faith are my constant companions. Together they provide the stamina I need to confront an uncertain future. I agree with Victor Hugo who once said, “Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.”