A Weekend of Bittersweet Celebrations of Life

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Hey, Y’all!

This weekend has been bittersweet.

The kickoff was great, celebrating twenty-two years of being clean and sober. Twenty-one years ago, my mama took me to accept my first-year coin. It had been a month since my dad’s passing. It has now been a month since my mama’s passing. Oh, what loving people they turned out to be.

While I know my mama was in love with my dad through the time of his death and beyond, she would fall in love again six years later with another wonderful man she married. She was wild about him. She ended up being his caretaker until he met Jesus’s face to face.

He was good to us all and loved us all as much as she loved his children and relatives.

Meanwhile, earlier this month marked three years since my grandma passed away.

This past week, while I may not have known the human being herself, Dolly Parton passed away. So much of my childhood was wrapped up in Dolly. In 5th grade, I did have a coat made of patches from T-shirts and torn quilts. Listening to country music has been a big part of my life. While I enjoy other genres, country and gospel music have always been part of my soul.

One of Dolly’s Songs was ” Coat of Many Colors.”

Through it all, I am grateful for twenty-two years of sobriety. It has taught me that I can grieve today, make amends for my wrongs, and I  find freedom by setting others free. I can hold on to the good, help others, love people no matter what, and make mistakes knowing that it is okay.

I do not have to figure it all out.

God has us all.

Today I signed papers from my mama’s stuff, and in there was a copy of my mama’s death certificate. Seeing the causes of her death was so up close and personal. It was like she was dying all over again.

I was overcome by my emotions, and I have cried off and on. I felt like I was trading her for this world. While it may be an irrational thought, that is how it felt to me.

I feel like she has said, “Hey, kiddo, it is okay; I am not in pain.
I love you.”

I have a lot of amends left to make, and I will do my best to make them. I also have a lot of forgiving to do. Life is too short. Once we get that, we want to do better. I know it makes me understand how fragile life is. I want to handle it with better care.

I have moments when I am frustrated, and I do get excited, but I can stop it today or at least make amends promptly.

As long as we have breath, we can make necessary changes. God’s grace and mercy make it possible.

I am excited to meet the person this is changing me into on this side of Heaven!

A friend and I are helping each other through our grief. My friend’s grieving is not my story to share with you. However, as messed up as I may feel, I am honored to continue praying for people today.

Ephesians 2:4–5

English Standard Version

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved-

Thank you for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike. Over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Weary Traveler You Will Not Be Weary Long

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Photo by Thomas P on Pexels.com

Hey Y’all,

It is good to be behind the keyboard again to share my journey with you.

I chose the title of this entry based on a song I never heard before the last two weeks. The singer is singing to the weary traveler, conveying the message that he will not be weary much longer. Meaning  Jesus is coming back soon. In Jesus, the traveler will find rest.

The song resonated with me about my Mama and her journey in the past couple of years leading up to her death earlier this month. She went home to be with Jesus; she was weary in the end. But she fought hard. She did not even let her death define her.

She was a daughter, wife, mother, sister, and friend. She showed love and Jesus to everyone.

As I revealed in my last post, she was my prayer partner. She was my mama and friend. We finally found that level of friendship in my later adult years. I was not the perfect child. It took me getting clean and sober, plus a few more years, to learn respect for her.

She loved me through it all.

I want to get back to the importance of why  I share with you that we were prayer partners. It has been almost a year since she shared the same timeline with me about a lady named Patsy Cameneti and her husband, Tony Cameneti.

Now I confess I have listened to more of Patsy’s messages about God’s Love Through Jesus Christ.

I needed the deeper walk with God through Jesus in a partnership. I still need it now even more so. I do not want pity or sympathy, but my heart feels broken and full. But I feel heartbroken without my mama. But still, the messages I listened to from Patsy have grown and become a reality in me. It was after listening to Patsy that I felt the burden to pray, and it will well up in me until I say, “Fine,  I am just going to pray my way.

The difference is today I am getting those for other people. But when I was on the phone with my mama, I would often start to think, I am too tired to do this right now. However, before I knew it, I would start praying, and she would start praying.

By the time we both finished, it was like a shot in the arm. We would be feeling so much better and feeling like we had church on the phone.

My Mama started her days with Jesus, and she would pray in the Word of God, and she had communion. This now ties me back to Patsy because as I was reading and listening to Patsy, my mama asked me to consider having communion each day, starting with praying and being in the Word.

Now, I will tie this back into my recovery, and that is praying and meditating each day. Asking for help in the morning and thanking Him at night. Having a conscious contact with God each day.

The odd thing was, and I told my mama, I was going to order us both this devotion book titled Daily at His Table by Patsy Cameneti. While it is late, I ordered it tonight.

Maybe this is where I feel so heartbroken that she will not be doing this part with me. But she is sitting at His table, and that part I can be happy about.

When I want to feel close to my family, I wrap my grandma’s quilt around me.

What about you, fellow travelers of this world? Are you weary?

Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

He’s got the whole World in His hands!

Thanks for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

The Lunchroom Lady Mama and My Prayer Partner

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The picture is from my Mamas saved pictures

Hey Y’all!

I am enjoying my homemade cafe coffee mocha. My Mama and I have enjoyed these during tough times, special times, or as a reward. I am going through a bitter-sweet time and still waiting for some of the shock to dissipate. My mama went to be with Jesus Saturday (Yesterday Morning).

This is another part of my journey. I owe so much to my little sister for being there for the hardest parts. I am so grateful for her, my mama’s friends, and other family for being there. I am also grateful to another sister who lived with her and helped her with chores and whatnot. My Mama raved that she was a huge help.

My Mama has been my prayer partner for the last six to eight months.

I was keeping it a secret. I enjoyed that bond we shared. We both wanted a relationship centered on Christ. It meant so much more when we shared and held each other accountable. When the conversation started to go downhill, we stopped and turned to prayer.

We shared songs to get through some tough times. I remember one time saying, “Mama, people make it hard for me not to use four-letter words.”

I remember her summary confessing and asking for forgiveness, asking for help not to use them, and you move on, Michael. She would also remind me that we all fall short.

In and out of prayer, we laughed, we cried, and we shared deep emotions. We lived through our phone lines.

Now, I share all this because this was after I made some changes. Then Jesus made changes. We had our years of rough waters. Thankfully, we put those behind us.

I do not mean to imply I am the only one who lost her. There are a host of others grieving for my mama.

It was so much easier to ask God for her healing. My mama always added for Michael too and went into every part of me that needed healing. I texted prayers for her. She would text prayers for me. I want to make sure I am only telling you my story with her. Her stories are not mine to share.

She made great strides in physical therapy. She was willing to do what it took to heal, but in the end, her body betrayed her. When mama was first admitted, I had to come to terms with the fact that we were only getting to text vs talking on the phone.

I would still take a chance and try to call once in a while.

Eventually, I would get a text from one of her best friends, whom I immediately called.

The same day, I got a text from my brother, which is what happened. I still believed she would come out of the adverse effects. I  was praying. I  had a friend make the hour-and-twenty-minute trip to take me to her. I spent roughly five hours with her.

I did not want to leave her that night. I had to leave to take care of myself.

In the end, death on this side was the kind, humane thing that could happen for her. I had to start accepting that the evening I visited her.

The fun fact in all of this is… I first met my mama as a lunchroom lady. That is right. She and my dad took me in as a teenager and adopted me. She was the brightest light in my world.

I am forever grateful to them both.

Thank you for reading.

This has been a special blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God  Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Prayer Works Even Though I Fail Daily

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Hey, Y’all!

Many people have been following my journey for several years now.

That is, they have been following my most diligent writing days. In the past few years, my writing and sharing have been on the decline because of my health issues and, in part, my laziness.

I hope to share with you about the power of prayer. I do not need to delve into my many failures. Though there are many, and I do fail daily.

But here is the message: prayer works! Without prayer, there is no hope for me. I believe that with all my being. As I share this, I also believe that none of us is going through something that, if not handled with care, can cripple us.

By “handled with care,” I mean that we need to turn to prayer. Prayer is a language of the heart that speaks deeply from my soul to God. The power of prayer gives me strength. In prayer, I find gratitude as I am often broken open to finally say, “Here you go, God, here are all the pieces. I cannot fix it, only you can.”

“God, I cannot be with my loved ones, but you can please watch over them wherever they are and protect them all.”

Then there are prayers asking forgiveness for my bad behaviors. I get to ask God also for help in forgiving others. It is not easy, but it is that simple. The hardest of all is to forgive myself.

I began this journey almost twenty-two years ago. I was an active alcoholic and turned into a dry, angry alcoholic. My troubles were mostly of my own making. I could neither agree nor accept that. I thought putting down the drink, weed, and pills would be enough. It was not enough. I had to change my behavior.

I was angry at God and people for a long time. I thought I was angry at God for not fixing things. I was angry because God was not doing things my way.

God and I finally have an understanding. I give Him the pieces, and I get to mend my ways. The baggage I carried, I get to give that to Him as well. Though I must admit I am usually trying to pick it up again. It humbles me each time I give it back.

While I strive to be transparent about this part of me, I am thankful for the behaviors I do not repeat today.

Prayer has not always been easy for me. However, several months ago, I felt a calling to pray for someone, which has helped me grow.

I get to ask God for help. Sometimes the simplest prayer is: “God, please help me.” If I am willing, I get to pause throughout the day instead of reacting. I am still growing and need lots of help with this.

You see, it is in my brokenness that I get to be whole in Him. I get to be whole in Him because prayer changed me. Prayer changes things, people, and situations if we let it.

Prayer is my connection to God. Without prayer, I will not survive.

We get to pray while we walk each other home.  What a powerful thing prayer is.

Acts 17:26-31(ESV)

 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for

“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;[d]

as even some of your own poets have said,

“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’[e]

29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Thank you for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Giving Thanks Even From Last Year Through Present

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photo by BoxcarMike

Hey, Y’all!

It is great to be behind the keyboard once more. I regret not writing much more this last year. I have so much to be thankful for. I do feel like I have been on a tilt-a-whirl. I have learned much from faith to sin to prayer and forgiveness in receiving and giving both.

It is like walking a tightrope.

I had a huge scare at the beginning of the year, when I watched a surgical wound turn black overnight. I was trying to find hope and faith, and the nurse practitioner could not give it when I asked the question, “Was I going to lose part of my foot?” She said she did not know.

I prayed, I cried, I asked others to pray, and I told God I could not accept this.

I am still dealing with wounds, but healing is taking place, and I have not had to lose my foot.

I am truly learning to heal, and while it has been almost 9 years of good education, it is a process.

The truth is, I am tired and I could not keep up with social media, writing, and everything. I needed physical therapy. I needed different devices to help me be mobile.

I have boots which are called Crow Boots. I am still learning to walk in them. I am not done learning nor changing my ways.

I take it one day at a time. I ask for help and help when and where I can. I do what is in front of me and thank God for helping me through the day.

The one thing that I am clear on is this: I cannot give to someone else what I do not possess myself. I also should say I have screamed, but I am now more centered and living more in truth than before.

For those who may say they do not care for my medical report, my life is mostly medical. I hope to add more to my life.

It is about true recovery in body, mind, and spirit.

My belief in prayer and faith has deepened in the past week as I have prayed over a few people, asking God to help them. I found myself hurting some of these people. I also find it humbling as others pray for me.

Regardless of where I have found myself, God is faithful. I may not get answers within my time limit. However, I do get answers. Some answers are yes. Some answers are “no.” and other answers are “wait.”

There is a lot of wisdom in being still. The storms in my life used to come, and I would pray Oh God, please stop this! Sometimes I still pray that prayer.

Many of our storms are of our own making. You see, as I write this, I am just seeing now many of the things in my life that were and are problems I could have avoided; Had I been listening to the words,” Be still.”

When I get the words of be still, I know God is still working on me. The truth is, I have not mastered being still. I am still learning how to be still.

The Things I am thankful for:

  1. I am thankful for continuing healing.
  2. I am thankful the storms are getting shorter.
  3. I am thankful for divine wisdom in what may seem impractical times.
  4. I am thankful for friends and family.
  5. I am thankful for phone calls.
  6. I am thankful for prayer.
  7. I am thankful for rest.
  8. I am thankful that the sun does rise each new day.
  9. I am thankful for grace and mercy even when I have been blind to how much of it has been given to me.
  10. I am thankful God loves me.

Psalm 46:10 New American Standard Version

“Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth.”

The scripture above, most people are more familiar with the beginning of the verse as, be still and know that I am God… I chose the above version because it says stop striving.

Striving is when I try with my own to make deals or bargain to get what I want. Striving means for me also yelling, screaming, and blaming.

In my journey, it has been my experience when questioning where God is, I am anxious, irritable, and willing to fight and argue over trivial stuff.

In my new walk, I am doing my best to put aside that and believe and trust that God only has my best interest in mind.

To stop striving tells me there is a necessary action. It is not just sitting here twiddling my thumbs.

I must ask God for help and thank God for helping me. It is another daily reprieve for me.

Thank you for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Changes Yet Much Of The Same Things

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Elephant Rock

Hey, Y’all!

It has been several months since I last wrote on my blog and connected with friends on social media. I’m back at the keyboard now, sipping a hot cup of coffee.

I have undergone three or four medical procedures and have learned much about healing through this experience. These procedures have brought about significant changes in my life. I’ve taken my recovery seriously, focusing on fighting infections and promoting wound healing.

In retrospect, they were momentous events at the time and certainly included scary moments. I must improve on my part now.

I have lost sight of the work needed towards healing after bouts of depression. Meanwhile, faith, hope, love, and prayers have sustained me.

The issue is that once I fall behind on daily responsibilities, everything starts to feel like an emergency. I am constantly putting out fires in my life. I have been desperately asking for help, and while I quietly pray, I also find myself sometimes shouting toward God, “Hey, can you help a guy out?”

I had to ask someone for help more recently. I renewed my driver’s license and submitted the necessary paperwork to ensure my benefits continue uninterrupted. Over the past few months, I received some medical equipment that has been essential for my healing. A couple offered their assistance, and if everything had relied solely on me, it would not have been done.

I have an extra health issue going on. But it may get resolved sooner.

I appreciate everyone who has helped me get through the tougher times.

I am making changes in different areas of my life. Each day presents an opportunity to make even the smallest of changes.

The thing with even the smallest of changes is that if you get enough of them gathered together, they can become like building blocks. Like anything that you build, the foundation must be solid.

In the past few months, I have prayed with someone at least once a week. There were a few times missed. However, in the two weeks, everything came together wonderfully.

It was like a reawakening of my spirituality. Prayer has become a game-changer for me. It is powerful and causes changes to happen. While the changes in me are small, they are exciting!

I ordered two eBooks to help support this new phase of my journey.

Last weekend, I listened to three speakers, which prompted me to reflect on my life. I am still learning to avoid praying for problems and to stop making accusations against others in my prayers. I am gradually learning how to pray more effectively.

I am working through the changes, and I feel frustrated because I am committed to making this shift. In my mind, I still hold onto the perfectionism I have always had, and I want everything to be done the right way. I need to let go of my perfectionism and embrace what is absolutely right.

I am not willing to let this fizzle out.

The truth is, I do not know how everything will play out. I do know I will not be doing everything perfectly at every moment.

I am a harsh judge who needs to stop judging. Let God be God. I live in a glass house, so I should not throw stones. Thank goodness for mercy and grace.

Micah 6:8 (ESV) English Standard Version

8  He has told you, O man, what is good;

and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,1

and to walk humbly with your God?

In simple terms, for me, it means acting right, doing the next right things, to give mercy more than I ask for, and walking humbly with God, as I understand Him, and even at times, not understanding God. God sees the whole picture way better than I ever could. I need His mercy and grace every day.

I am thankful for life.

Thanks for reading!

This has been a blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Part Two Soul Washing Christmas One Word

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Photo by uc815uaddcuc1a1 Nui MALAMA on Pexels.com

Hey, Y’all!

I must write another blog post entry!

I am sharing my experience, strength, and hope.

As I shared in my last post, it has been a Soul-Washing Christmas! I have always considered Christmas the holiday until New Year’s Eve.

Friday I was in pain praying for it to be lifted. I also had physical therapy which helped in part. When I had to be on my feet I pressed through the pain. I alternated between my bed and my chair.

I am incredibly thankful for someone who cleans, cooks, and takes out the trash. He also does my laundry and dishes, and so much more.

I could not do these on my own at the moment.

To me, this spiritual journey started back when asking God for help and thanking Him at night.

It was around 8:30 PM on Friday when I got up and made myself a snack. I decided it was time to get back to bed.

While I was awake and in pain I wanted something to comfort me. As I have shared before I enjoy country gospel music. So, I turned the TV on in the bedroom. I just pressed on any song to start. I found myself praising God even through the pain.

I used to think the old hymns and that kind of music were dead.

That music takes me back to my roots and there is power in those words. I started talking to God on the bluffs as a young child between nine and eleven years old. I poured my heart out. I decided the rain was God‘s tears. When God would not give me what I wanted which was to be safe from harm. Well, then I asked God for the guts to kill myself. Since I was not getting a gun, I asked Him to give me the courage to jump off the bluffs into the traffic. I decided then, that God was not going to save me from that situation I had to face at home.

I still tried to do better, and I could not seem to do better or fix my situation.

Almost 50 years later, things are different.

I started having a desire once again to do better. Especially, once I came through this last surgery.

I am still going to share the past of when I was a teenager I remember those tender moments. I wanted those more than anything else. I just wanted things to stay that way. I had a self-will that would not stop.

In these last couple of years, I have gotten more real with myself, God, and others.

This Christmas I have had a soul-washing and yearning to be better and hang on to the belief of God. Here in the recent past, I picked my ONE- Word: Faithful.

For once in my life to worship in truth. To believe in a faithful God and to learn to be faithful myself.

I started having a desire to pray for others. It starts with family. I have learned I cannot pray a sincere prayer for others and act like a fool to others.

I am still learning more every day even in tears and pain. But When I worship and tell the whole truth as well as follow the practical direction the pain lifts.

I am not a perfect person, no one is perfect.

I know during that surgery I asked my dad to let me come home and he disappeared, so I saw him. The next thing I knew, the surgery was over.

I still have work to do before I go home.

When I feel God’s power through those songs I cry. I find myself in a position to ask for forgiveness, ready to forgive, ready to do better and to believe in my healing even if I am afraid.

This is part of my journey.

Psalms 147:3 (ESV)

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Thanks for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Merry Christmas To All My Friend Family And Readers

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Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Hey, Y’all!

Merry Christmas!

As I reflect on Christmas in the past, I am grateful for all the years I have had with my family. I realize how often I took those moments for granted, never considering that loved ones would one day be gone. However, I choose to focus on joy because those people are now at peace, and the ones who are still here mean more to me than ever.

Living out my faith has profoundly changed my life. This Christmas has been a deeply cleansing experience for my soul. This journey will require ongoing effort, as I’m only beginning to understand what true surrender means. It involves embracing the moments when God takes hold of all my life.

At this time in my faith walk it means, casting out the negative thoughts and fears. Getting rid of imagination forced upon me. It is like when we get unsolicited advice. We did not ask for advice yet; it was forced upon our brains. We must go with the truth we already have.

My heart was broken shortly after my release from the hospital in the past two or three weeks. While I may still feel the effects of the events that happened; I have the truth inside me. What is more,  I believe my support is unmoved. The truth is the truth.

God has not brought me this far to drop me now.

I felt God say to me, “You are not going under.” I must go with the positive. I am giving God all my pain both physical and emotional pain.

I am asking God for direction, while I am taking direction from my prayer partner and medical team. My life is changing before my eyes. Instead of giving a flat-out no to direction, I am meeting people halfway and trying to be open to more. I am getting stronger even though I notice little problems with other things that are so insignificant, compared to the biggest nemesis.

God is faithful and His word does not return void. Therefore, I want to be faithful to God. I hope I get the chance to share this with everyone going through the challenges, stubbornness, and the same hard-headedness I have had.

The truth is they may not listen. However, a seed gets planted. A seed was planted in me. I believe and I am holding onto hope for myself and others.

1 Peter 1:16 (ESV)

16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 

In this past year and some just in the last few weeks, there are things I have learned, and I am thankful for.

  1. God will lead me if I ask Him to.
  2. Hope will not die as long as we keep our faith feeding it.
  3. Hope gives us faith to hold on to.
  4. Action is the only way we can change.
  5. Change may be the result of evil men, but God brings the good out of it and you find if two people are being tried to be removed from your support they support you anyway.
  6. Soul cleansing is needed from time to time.
  7. Family are people we have taken for granted hold them and hug them tight. They are gone before we know it, just as we may be gone before we know it.
  8. Faith is a walk we cannot fake, and we can make it through with God’s help.
  9. Asking in the morning for help, correcting and making right a wrong or mistake as soon as we can, and thanking Him at night, gives a clean heart and conscience.
  10. Forgiveness, Grace, Love, and our apologies are strong and moving actions

Thank you for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

A Faith Walk Cannot Be Fake Its Real

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Photo by Garon Piceli on Pexels.com

 Hey, Y’all!

I am here to write another blog post entry.

I woke up this morning and felt fear gripping me. As of now, I have no answers. Right now, it means waiting it out as some tests are to be scheduled and doing what I am told to do.

I talked to my friend who calls every weekday morning. I was just trying to be positive, failing miserably I might add.

I sat here inside my head for a while. I called my prayer partner I let it ring three times and I said to myself out loud, well, if they don’t call back it is okay because I am not going let this turn into one of my hallelujah breakdowns. They called back. I was feeling a little better. I am stronger now.

I decided to get ready for my physical therapist. I decided all I could do was do what I was supposed to do.

I made a walk farther than the physical therapist had planned and came back did my exercises and felt much better. My physical therapist asked how I was. I told her about my morning she agreed prayer was the best thing.

Every day I think about my whole belief system. This one thing I know, prayer works. When I am weak in faith I need help.

I started to listen to an artist, Brandon Lake. I listened to him sometime back. My favorite song of his is Talking To Jesus.

When I play that music and pray I am strong in faith. I just lay on the bed, listen, and pray. Here lately I am playing Jesus music a lot because especially in a Faith Walk there is no room for sitting on the fence or playing. In years past, I have sat on the fence a lot. The reason I do think about my belief system is because I do not want to be fake. I did a lot of faking before and I did not feel very good inside. I need to be able to live in my skin. Because this works, I cannot deny it.

I make mistakes for sure, and I get tempted to falter. But I know it is like everything else. You have to keep at it. I refuse to give in or give up. I will follow directions and believe in goodness.

Living this way is changing my life. I have not had to take a pain pill today.

Something changed inside of me during this last hospital stay. I am still changing. I am making better choices and changes.

I admit coming home has had more challenges than I had expected. I am better. I expect even better yet.

I am driven to my knees over my brokenness. I am determined to keep praying and to be real.

For me to choose my one word as faithful is no accident and feels like a test to be faithful. The difference in knowing what is true for me happens when no one is watching. It does not mean I do not mess up. It is just different.

1 Thessalonians 5:24 (English Standard Version)

 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Thanks for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God bless Y’all, Everybody!

Preparing For My One Word For 2025

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Hey, Y’all!

I was up late because I was in pain and a three-hour nap was necessary.

I am fitting in writing however and whenever I can.

I had been debating about even doing a one-word for the upcoming because staying focused in the past year has not been my strong suit. I have made changes, and my latest life change is proof I need to stick with it this year and press forward.

I have been having hard education lessons coming my way in the past couple of weeks.

  1. I am responsible for my growth process.
  2. I must be accountable to those in my life whom I value and call my tribe.
  3. I must be the steward of not just accepting healing in my body, mind, and spirit. I am responsible for allowing and changing however I can, so the healing multiplies.
  4. I get the opportunity to add value to others’ lives.
  5. There is an obedience principle in all of it so that I can grow and be stronger in my faith.

All of this comes down to the one-word “Faithful.”

I have a desire to pray for and with other people. In order for that to be present and to add value to others I must be willing to accept the responsibility of being faithful.

I have a need spiritually, for help from God to change me so I can be faithful.

While I look back I can only see where I did the minimum at most.

I listened to a message tonight that was given a couple of years ago. Two years ago, I tried listening to this message and it was like a foreign language. Tonight, this message spoke directly to me.

 There is a bottom line to it all. Being faithful does not happen by accident. Building strong habits does not happen by accident. These things happen by being intentional.

I want to be able to say:

I am ready.

I am consistent.

I am devoted.

I am generous.

I am faithful and I am a finisher.

I have seen others appear successful, influential, and happy. I want that also.

The two main things I do not want are to be fake or hypocritical.

Every year I end up saying my life needs an overhaul. Some of it is because I am a perfectionist and if I cannot reach perfection it is too easy to give up or work under half-steam.

I screw up daily while I know I am not alone; it is not okay for me to quit.

I started doing One-Word with my friends and there have been changes I just want and need more.

I must take specific actions just to reach my full potential through healing.

I have been taking my time with this post because I did eventually make it to bed after a long week of being back home. I have work to do as it is a full-time job of keeping up with appointments and arranging for people to come to my home. I also have physical therapy, meds, and simple basic self-care to keep up with.

I woke up at 9: 30 am and had a nightmare that I had to be taken in for emergency surgery to have my appendix taken out. I am glad it is not real.

Habakkuk 2:4 (English Standard Version)

“Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,
    but the righteous shall live by his faith.”

Thank you for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!