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This past spring was a turbulent time for me. I experienced a variety of strong reactions to events in my life. This has made me stop and consider how awesome the Holy Spirit is to my mental health. Several times, an overwhelming feeling of fear and dread left me with the kind of terror that takes control of your mind. I know fear lives in your head, but irrational behavior overpowered me.

Immediately, I felt the Holy Spirit taking control of me. I quickly submitted to Him. That, in itself, caused me to consider verses dear to my heart. Like, be still and know that I am God, Psalm 46:10. Fear not for I am with you. That’s all through Scripture. He commands us to be brave. He’s with us. Feeling His presence never, ever fails to stabilize me. Whatever happens, I allow Him to control me. That’s a choice.

One of those times, my niece had texted me that my sister was at the hospital. She’d had a heart attack. They wouldn’t give her any information until she could prove the Jane Doe was her mother. When I read the message, fear gripped my racing heart. I felt His presence takeover.  Fear was being replaced by concern for my niece.

The doctors at the hospital said my sister was a miracle. She shouldn’t be here. She lives in a tiny rural town. The ambulance came from a small town about ten miles away. They took her down the road about twenty-five miles to a medium sized town. The last thing she could remember was opening her front door for the EMT’s.

She woke up the next day and they removed the tube that had helped her breath. She couldn’t stop smiling and chuckling. Every time she crossed her ankles an alarm went off and her blood pressure cuff tightened on her arm. Both arms had tubes and she was to hold them still on the pillows. She couldn’t. Joy was bubbling out of her. She reminded me of a little bird, all aflutter, and anxious to leave her nest of blankets.

I’d watch her face filled with joy and silently praise God for leaving her in this world. She died and was resuscitated on her living room floor. The EMT’S got the credit. Also, the doctors, but I know Who was guiding their hands. God is so good.

Dear Readers, if you love someone, tell them. It may be the last thing you say to them. You should show love in many different ways, but hearing it is nice, too. That works both ways. Saying it and then not showing it causes a lot of pain. People know. What’s that quote?  Words are cheap. Actions speak.

The Holy Spirit not only produces the fruit of self-control in me, but He gives me peace. He also supplies love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. You’ll find these traits in Galatians 5:22-23.

Verse 16 of that chapter is about walking in the Spirit. The older I get, the easier that walk is for me. Why? I’ve learned to quickly recognize His presence. He never fails to help me with my emotions, or to give me strength when I ask for it.

Someone hurt me deeply a few years ago. The physical hurt in my heart became a part of me. I prayed about it often. One morning, I woke up with the familiar pain and softly whispered, “Lord, it hurts so bad.” Immediately, the ache was gone. It was completely gone. I was stunned. The hurt had become such a part of me, that I actually felt the loss of it. That was so weird. Thankfully, that irrational feeling passed quickly.

Walking in the Spirit isn’t always easy. It bewilders me often. God is the only one that I put above my husband. A lady walked up to my passenger-side car window and immediately said she was a Christian. Her car was down the road. It was out of gas and no one would help her. I offered to help, but she didn’t seem concerned about the car. She was asking for two dollars so she could get a cold drink.

I realized what she was doing, but I reached for my purse and opened my wallet. My fingers closed on the two dollars, but I felt compelled to give more. I touched the five, then the ten, but I pulled out a twenty-dollar bill. She snatched it out of my hand when I extended it. I heard a thank you as she disappeared behind us.

Her eyes, when she saw the twenty, made an impression on me. All in a matter of seconds, I saw shock, greed and then fear. She rushed away from me. I wondered why she felt compelled to tell me that she was a Christian. Could she see Him in me? I put her on my prayer list for thirty days, but every now and then I still pray for her.

My husband was furious with me when he realized what I had done. The request for two dollars had upset him.  He’s sick of able-bodied people taking advantage of kindness. I tried to explain that I had an overpowering urge to do this. Nothing I said helped. While he raged on, my mind was replaying all that had happened, but his anger upset me.

It was strange sitting there in the car remembering it all. The way she looked and her expressions. I saw my fingers slowly touching the different bills, while the Lord compelled me to pass each note, until I reached the twenty. His presence always fills me with wonder and awe. I knew my husband would react the way he did, but everything I have belongs to God. I’m pretty sure it was a test.

After my husband calmed down, his conscience was bothering him. He said he guessed he was going to hell. That made me chuckle and respond. “Being sick to death of scam artists won’t send you to hell. Not even quenching the Holy Spirit will send you to hell. But . . . I’m pretty sure you failed your test. Expect to take it again.” He wasn’t amused.

A few weeks later, perhaps he did. We were standing in the Walmart parking lot, and talking to my sister. She was watching something behind me. I turned to see a woman walking towards us. My husband immediately asked her what she wanted. She said her RV had broken down and no one would help her. He assured her he was NOT going to help her either. I was shocked by his attitude, and then hers. She started cussing him. I called the store and we noticed security pulling up to the RV.

I have watched my husband buy food for people, buy gasoline, change flat tires and help in many different ways. People who try to con him experience his wrath, but he helps those who truly need it. Take the gasoline. Last time it was a family of four. They had tried to make it home, but had about thirty miles to go. The man explained his situation and my husband believed him. He mailed the money back within the week.

Christians are to have all nine virtues of the fruit that I mentioned earlier. God wants us to have a disciplined mind. When we falter, He steps up to help us. He is faithful. We are to yield to His promptings. Kindness matters to Him. We’re also to obey Him by studying His Word. We’re to meditate on it and to pray for understanding.

My blog is about God being real, and my relationship with Him. I KNOW the Holy Spirit lives in my heart. I KNOW He is a gift from my Father in heaven. I depend on Him for EVERYTHING. I BELIEVE in the power of prayer. I BELIEVE miracles happen every day, but most of the world isn’t aware of them.

I KNOW God saved my sister. When a doctor tells you a miracle occurred, “you can take it to the bank.” A lot of people prayed for her, but AFTER the event. It was the prayers before that day that saved her. Pray daily for your loved ones. Your faith in Him will move mountains. Search Scripture for the times that Jesus said, “Your faith has healed you.” Or “Because of your faith.” You’ll be amazed at the power of faith.

It’s the Holy Spirit’s work to prove that God is real. He’s done an awesome job in my life. I KNOWN beyond a shadow of doubt that God loves me, because He revealed Himself to me. It’s like honey. I know that it’s sweet. I can tell you that it’s sweet. But unless you taste it, you can’t possibility understand its unique sweetness.  

Psalm 34:8 comes to mind, O taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man that trusts in Him. King David invites you to experience God’s goodness for yourself.

Dear Readers, I sincerely care about you. I want you to know the awesome God that holds me in His hand, and cares for me daily. He’s the same God that King David wrote about and loved. Search for your Creator and the truth. Never, ever give up. Your afterlife depends on it.