I just copied a short saying in Facebook that someone else has posted:
'Healing doesn't mean the damage never existed. It means the damage no longer controls our life!'
Such a powerful statement! I saw this as I was scrolling through posts. But I kept going back to it, couldn't get it off my mind.
To quote one my pastors 'It all goes back to the cross.' Christ was beaten and they put nails in his hands and feet to hang him on the cross. Serious damage was done then. But He arose from the dead, the damage did not destroy him. It no longer controls him!
Because our identity is in Christ, what the Father has given to the Son, He has also given to us. We have healing! Praise God! Through the work of the Holy Spirit, good counseling, prayers and love of others, I've received healing for lots of things in my life. And not just physical, actually more emotional and spiritual than physical.
Once I allowed the Spirit to comfort and console me, the healing began. I became more at peace with myself and with others. I was not so angry or seeking revenge. The damage no longer controlled my life.
It's easy to see that once you break a leg and it heals, you can't deny it happened, but you no longer need crutches to get around.
Once you've had a car accident and the car is repaired, you can't deny it happened, but you no longer need a rental car to get around.
But when you apply that principle to the spiritual and emotional part of your life, the truth is so profound!
God not only saves me for eternity, but from the consequence of my sin. I can't deny it happened, but the sin and it's effect don't control my life.
As far as my personal sin, it did happen, but the remorse and the grief no longer control me. I've been forgiven, the sin has been sent away, as far as the east is from the west. Hopefully I learn from my mistakes and don't commit the same ones again. I step away from the sin, whether it was intentional or unintentional, and live in the Spirit to not repeat that sin.
As far as sins committed against me, the anger, hate and pain they brought no longer control me. Scriptures says 'By His stripes we are healed'.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 KJV
That healing is for not only my sins but those sins that were done to me! Amazing! Grasping this truth was huge for me! ALL things done against me have been forgiven and healing is available for me. Those things no longer control me. I no longer act out in response to what was said and done to me. I am healed through the work of the cross, so I respond in His love because of what He did for me.
It's not about what's been done to us, rather what's been done for us!
And then choosing to live in the freedom, peace and love. Let those things control your life.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Sunday, March 10, 2013
My Name in Print!
Very exciting news last week, my Homecoming Magazine arrived. This is a much anticipated event! There are very few, if any, southern gospel concerts in this part of the country, so my magazine is my link to the gospel world to keep up to date and stay attached to the heroes of my life.
I read the magazine from cover to cover, every word, soaking it all in, not wanting to miss a thing. Near the front is 'Views From You', which has letters/notes from readers on a specific topic. The theme for this issue is art and this article intro was:
'Many of us can think of a time when a creative work touched us deeply. Sometimes art can communicate truth and love more effectively than someone simply trying to argue the point to us. Can you think of a time when a song, book, poem, movie, painting, sculptures, play or other creative works revealed a profound truth to you or touched your soul?'
I started reading the first letter and when I got to the 4th sentence, I thought "This person's story is just like mine!" I scanned down to the bottom of the letter and the print said "Cindy Baines."
Oh my gosh, I've been published!! Admittedly, it's only a letter to the editor, but there were loads of people who responded to the question posed on the magazine's Facebook page. And they picked mine! I'll admit, I was probably annoying to those around me for the rest of the day! I was just so excited!
For those of you that manage to live without the Homecoming Magazine, which I can't fathom, this is my letter.
'When our daughters went away to college, the empty nest syndrome sent me into a deep depression. A friend gave me a copy of the first Homecoming video, and I watched it over and over, crying through the entire video. The biblical truths were a comfort to my soul. In 2006, I had breast cancer surgery and the drugs and exhaustion brought depression again to visit. My now large collection of Homecoming videos were a healing balm to my should again. The first Sunday I was going too wear my wig was very distressing to me. I had on my Red Rocks video. The entire concert was exactly what I needed that morning. "Bigger Than Any Mountain" - oh, how I knew that was true. God was bigger than any cancer. Sue Dodge Sang "Showers of Blessings." There was no way to list the blessings God had sent us during that year. The Crabb Family sang "The Reason That I'm Standing." I knew that it was God's grace, love and compassion that He gas to me that kept me standing. The Hoppeers sang "Mention My Name." I knew there were people all over the country who had been praying for me, and I had felt the power of the prayers. Donnie Sumner sang "My Anchor Holds," one of my favorite songs, and I knew my anchor rested in Jesus. Andthen "It Is Finished," another one of my favorites. By now, I'm ready for church, my wig is on and I'm feeling strong because these songs have touched my should and reminded me of all the great things my LORD has done for me. I have lots of the videos, and they all bring me such joy and comfort, especially now that we live in an area where there are not a lot of gospel concerts.
It's not a lot, essentially a letter to the editor. But it's the first time I've seen my name in print, not counting graduation programs and the like.
My personal editor reports that my book is looking really good, but she's going to go through it one more time. Next will be preparing all those pages of information in the front of any book and a cover. Then, sending snipits of the book to famous people for endorsements. I know, I know, I'm not cozy friends with any famous people. But I have a few family and friends who knew some fairly famous people. And I have some ideas up my sleeve! We'll see how it pans out.
Wonder if I know of an artistic person who can do my cover? I know what I want, but I can't draw a straight line with a ruler, so I'll not be doing the cover.
We're moving slowly with this process, but at least it is moving now. It sat idle for a long time. The thrill is in the journey.
I read the magazine from cover to cover, every word, soaking it all in, not wanting to miss a thing. Near the front is 'Views From You', which has letters/notes from readers on a specific topic. The theme for this issue is art and this article intro was:
'Many of us can think of a time when a creative work touched us deeply. Sometimes art can communicate truth and love more effectively than someone simply trying to argue the point to us. Can you think of a time when a song, book, poem, movie, painting, sculptures, play or other creative works revealed a profound truth to you or touched your soul?'
I started reading the first letter and when I got to the 4th sentence, I thought "This person's story is just like mine!" I scanned down to the bottom of the letter and the print said "Cindy Baines."
Oh my gosh, I've been published!! Admittedly, it's only a letter to the editor, but there were loads of people who responded to the question posed on the magazine's Facebook page. And they picked mine! I'll admit, I was probably annoying to those around me for the rest of the day! I was just so excited!
For those of you that manage to live without the Homecoming Magazine, which I can't fathom, this is my letter.
'When our daughters went away to college, the empty nest syndrome sent me into a deep depression. A friend gave me a copy of the first Homecoming video, and I watched it over and over, crying through the entire video. The biblical truths were a comfort to my soul. In 2006, I had breast cancer surgery and the drugs and exhaustion brought depression again to visit. My now large collection of Homecoming videos were a healing balm to my should again. The first Sunday I was going too wear my wig was very distressing to me. I had on my Red Rocks video. The entire concert was exactly what I needed that morning. "Bigger Than Any Mountain" - oh, how I knew that was true. God was bigger than any cancer. Sue Dodge Sang "Showers of Blessings." There was no way to list the blessings God had sent us during that year. The Crabb Family sang "The Reason That I'm Standing." I knew that it was God's grace, love and compassion that He gas to me that kept me standing. The Hoppeers sang "Mention My Name." I knew there were people all over the country who had been praying for me, and I had felt the power of the prayers. Donnie Sumner sang "My Anchor Holds," one of my favorite songs, and I knew my anchor rested in Jesus. Andthen "It Is Finished," another one of my favorites. By now, I'm ready for church, my wig is on and I'm feeling strong because these songs have touched my should and reminded me of all the great things my LORD has done for me. I have lots of the videos, and they all bring me such joy and comfort, especially now that we live in an area where there are not a lot of gospel concerts.
It's not a lot, essentially a letter to the editor. But it's the first time I've seen my name in print, not counting graduation programs and the like.
My personal editor reports that my book is looking really good, but she's going to go through it one more time. Next will be preparing all those pages of information in the front of any book and a cover. Then, sending snipits of the book to famous people for endorsements. I know, I know, I'm not cozy friends with any famous people. But I have a few family and friends who knew some fairly famous people. And I have some ideas up my sleeve! We'll see how it pans out.
Wonder if I know of an artistic person who can do my cover? I know what I want, but I can't draw a straight line with a ruler, so I'll not be doing the cover.
We're moving slowly with this process, but at least it is moving now. It sat idle for a long time. The thrill is in the journey.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Sassy on the scene
Those of you that have known me a long time know that I've been called Aunt Sassy for years. When our girls were quite small, another little girl at church couldn't say Cindy, it came out as Sassy. And I have been Aunt Sassy since.
So many thoughts are bouncing in my head, I'm not sure which I should chat about first. My book is sort of front and center now. After all this time, I wrote it in 2006, I'm finally making some progress. I've spent a substantial amount of time with some experts on blogging and publishing a book. I have a friend who is editing it, so I'm finally getting pretty excited about this process!
A finished book can be posted online and can be purchased as an ebook. Publish on demand is now an option, meaning you don't have to order 100's or 1000's of books and then try to sell them. Tho I do want to have some printed. There is a list of people who will get a signed copy - not that my signature is worth anything! But I also want to put them in oncology offices, Cancer Society offices and other places to give away.
The book is the story of my cancer journey, but it's purpose is to share how my faith and the prayers of many sustained me.
So many thoughts are bouncing in my head, I'm not sure which I should chat about first. My book is sort of front and center now. After all this time, I wrote it in 2006, I'm finally making some progress. I've spent a substantial amount of time with some experts on blogging and publishing a book. I have a friend who is editing it, so I'm finally getting pretty excited about this process!
A finished book can be posted online and can be purchased as an ebook. Publish on demand is now an option, meaning you don't have to order 100's or 1000's of books and then try to sell them. Tho I do want to have some printed. There is a list of people who will get a signed copy - not that my signature is worth anything! But I also want to put them in oncology offices, Cancer Society offices and other places to give away.
The book is the story of my cancer journey, but it's purpose is to share how my faith and the prayers of many sustained me.
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