On Sept. 11, 2001, America was forever changed. It has been 22 years since the attacks, – but that tragic day, which served as a true test of the American spirit, will be remembered always.

It reminds us how fragile life truly is. The trauma, the incredible loss within families is a history that turned many to their knees in prayer.

“President George W Bush said this:

“Now, we have inscribed a new memory alongside those others. It’s a memory of tragedy and shock, of loss and mourning. But not only of loss and mourning. It’s also a memory of bravery and self-sacrifice, and the love that lays down its life for a friend―even a friend whose name it never knew.”

Many do not remember, and others choose to disregard any mention of this tragic day of history. But many want to honor the tremendous loss of this day and honor the value of lives tragically lost. My own way to honor is by prayer.

On this day, we observe Patriot Day and all that it represents—we honor the value of life, those we loved and lost, our country’s resilience, and the strength of the American spirit. We are grateful for the great sacrifices made of bravery. We pray for those who still suffer physically and emotionally from this tragedy. May they come to healing and an awareness of your love.

Father, we also call upon you as our country faces many difficulties, chaos surrounds us, wickedness abounds. Our hearts are grieved and we stand before you bowing before your sovereignty. We feel many times Heaven has been shut up, and sin is devouring our land. Life is a great mystery by which you only have the answers.

Your word says in 2 Chronicles 7: 13-14.

“When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people . . .

“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

We repent before you – for you are speaking directly to us your people – that the church has not taken action against ungodly sins, that we have not lived a life representing godliness. We have not fully reflected your image. Forgive us, Oh Lord

We desire to seek you, we want freedom from spiritual bondages in our families. We believe in your Word and desire to see all your promises activated in our daily lives. Help us dear Lord.

Open our ears to hear you and our spiritual eyes to see and understand your will. We want to hear from Heaven. We want you to bring healing to our land. Amen

Written by Judy Cline – 9/11/2023

It seemed to catch me by surprise this year until I saw an abundance of lovely greeting cards and beautiful flowers galore. Gifts for Mother’s delight remind loved ones to plan for Mother’s Day Sunday.

This season brings both intense joy and pain.

How do we celebrate our dear Moms who bring meaning to our lives? Appreciate their hard work, sacrifice, and dedication. My thoughts engage as I reminisce my early years of motherhood and my childhood days growing up with my devoted mother.

The feelings of loneliness are felt by those who mourn the love or loss of a child, or the emptiness of not having a loving mother to enjoy and celebrate. Some feel disappointed as mothers in themselves. Blame comes quickly to those who have regrets.

And although it is a special season of the celebration of Motherhood many are troubled by the state of our families and communities. We must face some critical concerns.

Lethargy has no place in improving the health and welfare of our children. Strength and healthy development are ultimate accomplishments.

Sadly, in contrast, some reject, deny and accost motherhood altogether. It challenges the mother’s role to adapt to needed lifestyle changes.

Modern women have been given diverse opportunities, choices and experiences who former generations could not realize. The examples to remain single rather than marry, or the choice to develop a career in exchange for becoming a mother, or even simply to plan the size of a family by using birth control. All are acceptable choices in today’s society. What is not acceptable is the neglect of our children.

The negative impact statistics are troubling and as a result, our children have to grow up faster. They have been denied the carefree childhoods many older generations have enjoyed. This saddens many.

My point is being made that we must find greater support opportunities for the development of healthy children, as well as their parents. Grandparents are rallying to the cause of providing security and safety in families. Others in our churches, synagogues and communities are standing up with helpful hands as well.

If any good came out of the pandemic, renewed values toward family have been evident. Relationships gave begun to heal. Thank God for positive change. Be a nurturing friend and a loving parent. Invest in our future generations.

“Failure is not fatal or forever.” Jennifer LeClaire

Contrary to modern thinking, Christian faith is not a cop-out for the weak. Faith is not a process of ease. The reality is that challenges of life, require us to walk out faith in much more substantial ways than ease and comfort. We wrestle and battle to first find it-and then we battle for it to grow and develop.

I am not talking about “religion” in a degraded modern sense. I am talking about steps of commitment, and devotion, to a heart-felt faith in Jesus Christ.

Genuine Faith is not a comfort shoe by which we step into on a Sunday and step out again Monday. This pretentious faith is falsely represented and ultimate disillusionment is perpetuated by this life style. This is a “show” of religion; a falsehood of looking the part. It is not true faith and it offends many.

Sadly, we see “falseness” everywhere, but it does not cancel genuine faith. It rather shows a greater contrast of the genuine believer against a shallow pretender. Falsehood gets exposed everyday. Observers are so offended by false representation of a claim without substance that they become dismissive, not willing to examine the genuine faith of believers. Don’t let this be a cop out.

Explore the Bible, begin with the life of Jesus, his relationship with his disciples, and his New Testament teachings. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24, NIV)

It is Lent and a very special time of Passover season. It is a season to prepare our hearts and homes to welcome family and friends.

Also, it is time to return to meaningful spiritual traditions and to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus, he who is called the passover lamb of God, “who takes away the sin of the world.” If ever we needed spiritual renewal, the world needs it now. The cross is the centrality of Christian faith and it represents true forgiveness from sin and reconciliation back to God.

Matthew 24:5-7 TPT “For many will appear on the scene claiming my authority or saying about themselves, ‘I am the Anointed One,’ and they will lead many astray. “You will hear of wars and revolutions on every side, with more rumors of wars to come. Don’t panic or give in to your fears, for the breaking apart of the world’s systems is destined to happen. But it won’t yet be the end; it will still be unfolding. “Nations will go to war against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms. And there will be terrible earthquakes, horrible epidemics, and famines in place after place.” Matthew 24:5-7 TPT

Our tomorrows are threatened by all this and even more. Fears increase as we wonder about securing our future. Genuine faith must strengthen, grow and develop even as nations collapse or endure.

“Touchy-feely’ faith is out. This is the era of strong Christians. Tomorrow belongs to Christians who are stronger than any headline—stronger than threats—stronger than anything unfolding on the earth.” Mario Murillo

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24, NIV)

As Christian faith is challenged may it be a searching, seeking time of discovery. May many return to their roots of faith this lent season.

~ Judy Cline, Christian Advocate/Speaker

There are people in this world who have no faith, those who have little faith and those who seek to grow more in faith. It is even said many are disillusioned and are renouncing faith. The question we all must answer ~ is faith worth pursuing? Many fail to even seriously inquire.

It was the early sixties when racial tensions in the south were hot and restless. I had not been exposed to such racial issues. My Idaho neighborhood all looked the same; brown heads, red heads and blondes. I had friends and family members from the Mexican community, but only knew one black family that lived in our small town. In my view, people were meant to get along. We did as far as I knew. Racial discrimination may have happened, but it was never a part of my small world.

On many train routes during the sixties dining cars were limited. Passenger trains had scheduled hour meal stops. Directions to few cafes were announced and available within a short radius of the station. It was before the growth of fast food chains so choices were limited. Passengers debarked for an hour lunch or dinner break. We became familiar with the routine on our long journey south. It was a new travel experience for this young Idaho girl: a north-south, cross-country train ride to San Antonio, Texas traveling with her mother.

As an innocent eleven-year-old, I witnessed my first experience of racial segregation. It happened in the only cafe we were directed to dine in at our train meal stop. He was the black uniformed GI, the quiet soldier who sat directly across the aisle from us, who was turned out of the cafe. I was in direct view of the angry owner’s eviction.

In total dismay, I rushed out of the cafe and ran after the young man. Shocked and crying, I asked what he wanted to eat; he politely dismissed it, but I insisted on bringing him something to eat.

I went back to my unsuspecting mom who was left wondering what just happened. It was then, at that shocking moment, I knew I had been deeply affected by skin color discrimination. I simply couldn’t understand it.

I tasted the humiliating pain of segregation. My eyes were opened to see the dismantling of human dignity. This full significance grew as I became an adult. ~ The suffering one goes through with Racial prejudice.

When we experience the pain of discrimination, we are confronted just how we choose to live. DO WE BECOME DISMISSIVE, COMBATIVE, OR DO WE STAND UP TO WHAT WE KNOW IS JUST AND RIGHT? WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE.

This one childhood experience affected the many opportunities I took to embrace the better choice. It is amazing what one learns ~ life with other cultures. It changes our limited perspective and stretches us into a broader life experience throughout our life. We are not the only one who matters.

My enlargement grew with specific times as an adult. We had recently moved into the Washington DC area and we soon became acquainted with our neighbors. The husband was Nigerian and the wife from The Republic of Guyana, South America.

We were invited to a holiday party which we accepted. Upon arrival, we met dozens of their friends and work associates. The clear distinction was we were the only white couple there. That moment of awareness was when we experienced the reality of being the minority. Although we had a brief moment of awkwardness, we used it as a learning experience.

Perhaps the greatest gift I received in the process of embracing diversity is my enlargement of my own family. My two children have interracial marriages. I have four lovely Hispanic grandchildren and two West Indian black granddaughters. And recently, a foster African American granddaughter. I love the enrichment of diversity. I love my UN family.

We taught our children to accept people for who they were, not by the color of their skin. We continued our acceptance and building diverse friends. We accepted them into our home, eating at our table and sharing life with our family. I continue to make that choice today to expand my life experiences.

Maybe it is time to finally learn to shake ourselves from complacency. Loosen the tightness of our own family and establish friends and expand inclusion of others that are different. Share our rich human resources. It is amazing the creative ideas, the strengths, the compassion to influence we can give to one another for our mutual good.

It is a sad day of continual racial tragedies. If only we could lay aside our prejudged minds of racial issues. Let’s be part of the change so needed for reconciliation. Be intentional. Be generous in awareness, acceptance and love. Be involved in some way in community to heal our hearts and land.

Written by Judy Cline: revised from 7/2016

TRUE – my daughter, Angela, is a October baby. Lots of COLOR in her life – fun, vibrancy, creative passion for teaching, beautiful relationships with her friends and family. She always challenges those who know her, to reach high to achieve and live out their best. Love surrounds this woman with her influence for living God’s very highest purpose. What JOY she is to everyone!

Every life has a story and her beginnings are worth telling. Many of her friends and family may not know she almost died in my womb before her sudden C-section birth. She was caught in the trauma of preeclampsia, a condition of pregnancy which cruelly turns deadly upon a baby in the womb. It was a toxic fight for life for both mother and baby for sure. Perhaps, that is why she is a born warrior by nature; not only a survivor, but keen fighter for others, too.

The immense relief I experienced after twelve hours of unconscious silence. The nurse introduced our 5lb baby girl, our Angel, and laid her upon a pillow because I was too weak to hold her. That moment of victory changed our lives forever.

The fight was fierce to give birth which ended with a blood clot to my heart, an infarction. How does a previous healthy, young woman eager to be a new mother leave hospital as a 21-year old survivor of a heart attack? … Grateful to be alive, weak, but forever holding her most prized possession for her fight for motherhood.

Every year, like so many mothers, I relive the grateful joy of this October Birthday, and I fully understand that life is truly a gift. It doesn’t come without cost and sacrifice, but the years of watching her legacy develop is awe-inspiring.

Happy Birthday sweetheart! Continue your fight for justice, your advocacy for children, and your adventurous love for life. You have earned your wonderful influence in the lives of others. You are not one who walks on the air of entitlement, but instead continues to grow in the confidence of your God- given identity. The world needs strong compassionate women.

~ Written by a proud mother: Judy Wolcott Cline

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It is not exclusively the gift of child-bearing that we celebrate, but the nurturing of women we embrace. Not all women bear children but all women have qualities that when nourished are nurturing.
There are many women who contribute to the need of love and affirmation in the healthy development and care of lives. Not all of us are born with healthy nurturing mothers, or learn nurturing skills, but we all have needs to be loved and developed.

Today motherhood, the nurturing nature cherished in past generations, is often defamed because of a hardened push towards empowerment. Dishonor of gentleness must be resisted. It is a not so subtle exchange in the current environment for toughness and positional empowerment.

Perhaps  the celebration of Mother’s Day represent a reminder for balance and a return to some innate, softer emotional needs within us. 

I am grateful to receive many imparted gifts by wise and talented women in my life. There are many nurturing women – apart from my own mother who enriched my life.  But my mom nurtured and gave my sisters and I wise Godly counsel and imparted faith, self-worth and mentored confidence. It wasn’t a motivation to rule others, but a drive to be fully alive and to be successful in our choices. My life reflects her devotion to my childhood training. She will always be my most prized mentor, my own mother of honor.

Only days ago, I sadly loss a friend of more then forty years, she is one who describes best both a mentoring friend and nurturing mom. The many cups of tea consumed sitting in her English sitting room, are reminiscent of the genuine warmth of a nurturing woman. We had many refreshing times together with deeply emotional and spiritual connections. Our conversations shared the varied life experiences throughout the years. Together we knew the embrace of the heartache of loss and the joy of contented life.  We found renewing wells of faith in God, often by praying for one another.  I learned life is lived in contrast. It is far easier to share it with those that care.

Our friendship spanned over 40 years from my early marriage development through the shocking death of her only daughter, the recent death of my husband until the aging process peacefully, laid her to final rest. I will forever be grateful for her compassion and unconditional love to me and my family. She was truly a valuable women of honor.

Love abundance is not to be contained; she spilled out unconditional love to young women in pregnancy crisis and her teaching instruction to young children. She gave a natural impartation of acceptance, an affirmation to everyone in her presence – acquaintance and friends alike – young and old – and everyone left stronger and wiser. What a tribute trophy she is to all that is pleasing in womanhood. Someone who embraces, imparts and then sends forth to meet the challenge.

What qualities do we value in women the most? So many wander from those we have valued in the past. The qualities of mentoring, educating, affirming and developing young families is in need of reviving. The struggle to just breathe is the heavy load on modern women and they all need active life support.

It is a restless cry we see manifesting in reckless abandonment from true principles of a healthy society. Brokenness is crying for repair. It languishes desperate in abandonment. Woman can bring the needed care and inspire men to greatness.  That is why we must learn to nourish the wilting spirit.

Flowers are a timeless favorite during Mother’s Day. We all love to give and receive them. We may know a teacher, a nurse, or a great mother we want to honor. Celebrate not only the role but the qualities of the nurturing women.

It is good to remind ourselves growing love gets our hands dirty. It is less important the title of the gardener. What matters is the the basic knowledge and outcome of tending plants and pruning growth. Healthy roots produce beautiful fruit. They are life’s reward. Be grateful for others who have pruned and watered your own thirsty garden. Now turn and water those who need a little TLC around you. It will nourish your own soul as well.