Skip to main content

Let us have grace. Grace for each other’s weaknesses. Grace for suffering and sin and even for the “walking-dead” among us.

I have been thinking about some of these things over the past several months, and now even more with COVID-19... But, the topic came to mind after recently having suffered through 2 early-term (under 6 weeks) miscarriages, both right before hosting missionary teams | my sister’s recent near death and continued struggle to fully recover | and then recently seeing school reports from my little brother who was diagnosed with a meduloblastoma (brain tumour), after struggling in school and needing to be homeschooled (over 20 years ago!) | also thinking of past and present struggles in my own life, family (and extended family), and friends (including experience with PTSD and special needs).

1 Corinthians 10:13 English Standard Version (ESV)

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.“
Let us have grace for: 

The parent at the grocery store, with children misbehaving - they may not be their biological children (foster/adoption/respite/step), and they may be suffering with a (visible or invisible) disability (fetal alcohol syndrome/developmental delay/PTSD/malnourishment).

The young boy in your classroom who is acting rebellious and not handing in homework, changing his neat writing into scribbles - he is angry and stressed about things at home and about his failures, wondering why he can no longer ride his bike, rollerblade, print his name... his parents are getting divorced, and “worse” than that, he has an undiagnosed brain tumour.

The woman you interact with at the store, in passing, at the bank, at church, in a business meeting, hosting you for a meal in her own home, anywhere, who seems unfriendly, irritable, grumpy, or even unintelligent - she is struggling because she ___________ (has an autoimmune disease, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, brain fog, has a newborn and hasn’t slept as her body recovers from labour and delivery, has her period and is in pain, just had a miscarriage, is being abused (physically, emotionally, or spiritually), was recently raped, is going through menopause, is recovering from a near-death experience (car accident, malaria, TIA, stroke) - and “has to” keep going like nothing happened or is happening.

The man that you interact with that seems distant, irritable, distracted, unfriendly - he is ______ (struggling in his marriage or other relationships, he is burdened with the burdens of his family, he is caring for a sick wife or struggling child, he has trials in his business or ministry, he has no income, he is in physical pain, he is fighting a sin or a sickness), but “has to” keep going and not let go of his responsibilities.

The drivers who rage and cut you off - they have a cortisol imbalance and are in a constant “fight or flight” mode from a trauma (at least/especially in El Salvador!), they are on their way to the hospital or the morgue, they just lost their job, they will lose their job if they arrive late.

The people being served by ministries and relief efforts who fight to be first and get the most - they are living in fear and in poverty and literally think they will not survive if they don't fight to receive (and probably suffering from PTSD).

Those who bought out all of the TP and hand sanitizers - they are living in fear, and may have PTSD or a disability (like brain injury) and might not be able to think more than 15 seconds into the future.

Sometimes we need to have grace for people. We are all going through something. 

Aside from the trials and temptations and struggles of our lives, we are living in a fallen world, dealing with our own sin, being sinned against, and living with the affects of sin and the curse.

Let us love. Love through showing compassion and understanding, and love through speaking encouragement and Truth (and truth in love). Let us share hope.

There is hope in the Gospel. Hope in the Saviour who was acquainted with grief, who was fully God and humbled Himself to take on our flesh. Who, in His love and perfect, divine sinlessness, freely took the wrath of God upon Himself on the cross, bearing our sin, shame, and curse, and now offers us His righteousness. 

Let us humble ourselves to repentance, to obedience, to His Lordship, and to allowing Him to sanctify us through His Word and through the trials that He brings us through. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and remember that this is not our home - if we belong to Him and He is our Lord, then we are citizens of Heaven and have an eternal hope of no more pain, no more sickness, no more tears, and no more sin. And everything will be perfect, and will be so much better because of what we have suffered here... 

He is working all things together for His own glory and for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose. 

Let us not become weary in doing good - even to our fellow sojourners and those we meet along the way. They are either born-again sinners saved by grace who also need our grace as they are being sanctified and as they fight the inner-battle between their sinful flesh and their redeemed spirit,  or their behaviour is human nature, and they are actually “dead in their trespasses”, naturally living in sin, and don’t know any different - they need us to speak/preach/teach and live the Gospel. 

Either way, We all need grace.
__________________________________

 If you read this and are unsure of what you believe or where you stand, if you want eternal life - Jesus said, “you must be born again”. Find a Bible and read it - start in John and Romans to understand who Jesus is and what the Gospel is - send me a note if you need to be referred to a Bible believing and Bible-teaching Church or if you have any questions or prayer requests.




Reader’s Favourites

Walking the path marked out - by Charity Okurut (early 2000's)

No matter what the circumstances, no matter the happenings, know this: He holds you in the palm of His hands and He has wonderful plans for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future. Along the way, don’t look down so long that you don’t see the road ahead. Don't keep your head up so high that you don’t see the path, and so trip and fall. Don’t look back so long that you forget where you are going, nor keep your eyes fixed so far ahead that you forget where you came from, and what made you who you are today. Memorize the faces of those travelling alongside you. Identify those who need your help and recognize those who need to help you.  And no matter what - never give up! ~ Charity Okurut nee Pilkey
Read more

Passionate for Truth: If you are a born-again Christian, do you use the JW Bible or Book of Mormon? What if I told you that Jesus appeared to me with insight into re-translating the Bible? What If I added words to the Bible and made it available for Christians everywhere?

“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19 “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:1-2 “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.” Proverbs 30:5-6  In the Garden with Eve and in the dessert with Jesus, Satan used the Word of God too... ...
Read more

Reflecting on Child Soldiers and IDPs in Soroti, 2004: Journal Entry and Poem

Child  Soldier (Reflecting again on meeting child soldiers in Soroti, Uganda in 2004)  Although I didn't know it at the time, I met my husband - and even interviewed him- in Soroti Town in 2004. That visit will forever be etched on my memory. We have just published the second edition to Samuel's story now. Having freshly re-read and edited every page, I have again re-lived his story as if it is my own (which is probably why I have been feeling so exhausted lately!). Imagining life as an Internally Displaced Person (IDP), living on a battlefield and surviving in the jungles, is one thing; remembering the child soldiers and child wives that we met is another. The picture on the right, and the one below, are of IDPs in Soroti. They have beautiful smiles, and while they were completely displaced and spread out throughout the city, seeking safety from Kony's army that rampaged villages in the district, they were still "innocent". The children that we me...
Read more

Brave Heart (April 2007)

Brave Heart April 11, 2007 thoughts on faith, being brave, being strong and living a life of love. (imagining a stage, with light shining down, and mew, standing behind the curtain and peeking out, too afraid to step out). I cannot step through the curtain and into the light. Of myself, I cannot. But I know whom I believe in and HE is able.  I know that He did not take me out this far only to leave me. He is faithful and His Word will not return to Him void. I have fallen, but He will never let me stay down. He has healed me and saved me and will continue to use me for His glory.  I will advance in faith and commit my life to the Lord and allow Him to change me and to make me more like Himself -even when it hurts. My identity is in Christ and not in my ministry. I will seek Him and his Kingdom. I will pursue intimacy and fight the good fight. I will not quit, I will finish the race.  The vision that God has given me is so huge, so amazing -and it is not m...
Read more

God’s Sufficient Grace - and my “stroke-like symptoms”

Here is a little update on my health... All of the neurology and rheumatology appointments went well and there was no pathological reason for a stroke, my brain and heart are all normal -praise God! A hair analysis did show heavy metals, and the neurologist said the symptoms were all “migraine-related” (did you know you can have a migraine without a headache?) The advice is to do a heavy-metal detox, take supplements like magnesium and Ubiquinol (among others), to have massage therapy, do stretches, and to rest more. My  diagnosis was also changed from Lupus to Fibromyalgia -which have similar symptoms, but which means that there is no risk to organ damage or deterioration (I also have a congenital back problem which adds to the pain and stress on my body). If you missed why I was seeing a Nuerologist in the first place, here is what I wrote in July: I had a mini stroke or TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack), on Saturday June 22nd. Below is what I wrote on facebook:...
Read more

Did God REALLY say He created everything in 6-morning-to-evening (literal) days? Is it essential to Christian Ministry & Education that He did?

The Father’s Heart Foundation’s beliefs and core values (link at bottom) , as well as our vision for Christian education and discipleship, are founded not just on a general “Christian” belief system and moral code, but are grounded in a biblical worldview -a complete, biblical world view that begins with Genesis. I will add footnotes * for a few points, but for others, you may use your own research to check - also, as a note, most of my knowledge on this subject is from personal research over several years - hence the lack of footnotes ;) .   In creating a culture - with a goal of creating a biblical and godly culture- we need a blueprint and a foundation... As is needed in creating anything from a lego structure to an apartment building, we all need a blue print, and we need to start with a solid foundation. We need an understanding of God’s Word for a solid biblical foundation. So, then, as Christians, we need to know “what is foundational”? What is “fundamental”? And...
Read more

Oh Uganda, may God Uphold Thee

(Warning, this is a "political post": but, we believe without a doubt that it is God who sets up and takes down kings, and ultimately they SERVE Him - God IS the KING over all kings and HE is on His Throne. Uganda needs PRAYER, above all. This is not a post against Museveni, but about democracy , and for the people!) Samuel wrote a beautiful post about his country, and the need for peaceful change, that I wanted to share. It is in response to the recent unrest and protests over the proposed Constitutional change, allowing for President Yoweri Museveni to continue as President, even in his old age. He has already changed the Constitution, to allow himself to "serve" as President for more than two terms. He has been in power since he was sworn in, after (during) a war on Obote, as the  new president. Museveni promised a return to democracy at his inauguration on January 29, 1986:  "The people of Africa, the people of Uganda, are entitled to a dem...
Read more

Father's Heart Coffee

Father’s Heart Coffee gives 100% profits to The Father’s Heart Village in El Salvador. With every sip, you empower us to sustainably care for the holistic needs of orphaned children.   Lets us know if YOU want to try our coffee! It is: -Shade grown -High Altitude (Apeneca) -Pacamara -Honey Process -Organic -Dark, Medium or Blonde Roast AND, for every pound of coffee sold, we can purchase 30 blocks for building a future of hope! We can ship coffee to you anywhere in North America! Order via our Canadian Website - donate page (more order options coming soon too!): www.fhfcanada.ca And, don't forget to order your copy of our book! Proceeds help our family to care for fatherless children in El Salvador & Uganda! Amazon Author Page
Read more

Reflections on Rwanda from 2004

A City on A Hill Written by Charity Pilkey, January 2004, after visiting Rwanda ( the land of a thousand hills ) Teardrops falling on a thousand hills Somehow invisible Footprints marching on a thousand hills Somehow silent Bloodstains rolling on a thousand hills Somehow transparent Echoes crying on a thousand hills Somehow muffled Tears that fell, now fall from mourners Survivors march to make new prints Blood now dried, remains a vivid reminder New cries resound on a thousand hills So, if you are remaining Keep walking and learning Keep striving and yearning For His light to shine brilliantly From this land of a thousand hills.
Read more

What do so-called “False Teachers” teach, and how can we know it is false?

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:1-5 I feel compelled by a biblical mandate, to say something about a huge burden that I have had for several year now, and that has been growing - to warn people about false teaching! Anytime a doctrine or teaching or movement is presented as biblical truth to the church in general, every individual Christian, and leaders in particular, are to rightly judged such teachings ...
Read more