that is always seeking.

seeking for the fallen,

searching for the lonely,

looking for the lost.

And when He finds us ,

He beholds us as we are….poor

and needy.

We behold Him

Full of  mercy.

I’m glad I did for  it enables me to do that which our God told us to do:  ”COMFORT MY PEOPLE”  (Isaiah 4o:1)  That’s my desire.   For the remainder  of my days, I  want to write about the  sweet comfort of Jesus. I want to encourage you during  the dark days of your life.  Also I want to write about the light side  of life  that we call the ‘joy of the Lord ‘. Our all-wise Lord has shown me both, equally precious.

If you, my  cherished reader, would like to share  how Jesus has comforted you in your affliction , or  any of  the hard places of your life, as well as the joy that compensated  for it all,  I would be happy  to read it and, perhaps, publish it with your written permission.  Thank you.

Genie Sessums

comfort: Cody loved Jesus.  But more importantly, Jesus loved Cody.  After all, He died on the cross for him.  For us all.

After the funeral, I wrote on the calendar in the square for May 13, 2009:  ’Cody went to heaven on this day’. Then

I reflected:  No more pain for my son.  No more agonizing depression. No more being bound to alcoholism.  Only peace and joy

in the presence of the One he had loved since childhood.

On the first anniversary of Cody’s death, I stood at the window watching a dust storm blowing tumbleweeds across the land.  In my

mind’s eye, I could see Cody and his two brothers, as small boys, playing ball, even in the dust storms.  When they became

teenagers, they made a formidable team in high school football and baseball. Cody made valedictorian of his graduating class.

When he became a man he worked as hard in making a living for his family as he did in childhood play.

Today, I walk over to the calendar on the wall and write in the square: ‘Cody in heaven a year;’.  I turn to walk away but something

had caught my eye. Underneath my writing, in bold letters, was printed ASCENSION DAY. In a year’s time I had never once seen

those words written in the square for Cody’s death. I never even knew that Jesus’  ascension was celebrated. But now that I know

I want  to start celebrating this day of our Savior’s ascension to heaven.  And yes, I will celebrate my son’s going to heaven on

this special day.  I am persuaded that Jesus not only ‘ascended’  but that He  also ‘descends’.  Our Lord’s tender ways convince

me that He was there on that hillside when Cody lost all hope for living.

By Renette Autrey

as told to Genie Sessums, valentia27@gmail.com

to  the one who  is suffering from

Loss of a loved one _

loss of  health _

loss of a job _

breakup of a marriage.

and,oh, let us not fail to extend   comfort to  the homeless _

to the lonely _

to the elderly gentleman or lady sitting  alone on the park bench_

It could be  just a friendly  ’hi’ _

the opening of a door _

a smile _

the standing aside.

the thinking of others.

But, above all, it’s  the still, small voice of God

telling us how we can help

His needy ones.

Once He said to me, as I was walking with my granddaughter past a dress shop,

“Grandma, do you have your purse?”

He didn’t have to say anymore.

I turned to my  granddaughter.  ”Sweetie, let’s step inside this Dress Shop .

I’d like to buy an outfit for you  to wear to work. “

Her eyes told me that  which I should have known_ a single  mom _

trying to make ends _ appreciative  of this kindness.

“Comfort , yes, comfort My people!”

Says your God.  Isaiah 40:1

There would have been no slippery highway.

_ No poor visibility_

_No leaving a teenage son behind_

_ a grieving mother  _ a host of friends.

If only You had been there, Lord _

But, I WAS there, my dear one.

_was there  long before it happened.

It was in my timing;  it  was no  accident.

Yes, I knew  her mother would grieve _ but not as one without  hope.

She is of great faith and trusts me completely.  You know that.

Yes, I was there.  I will always be there .

I was there when I brought your friend,s daughter with me to heaven.

Believe that.

Jesus said to her,”I am the  resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me shall never die.”  John 11:25

Genie Sessums                 Valentia27@gmain.com

“I know that You can do all things;

No plan of Yours can be thwarted.”

Job 42:  1-2

“For I know the plans I have for you,”

declares the Lord.  Plans to prosper you and not to harm you _

plans to give you a hope and a future  Then you will call upon me

and find me  when you seek Me  with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13

Our all-wise heavenly Father has a plan for you and me.

No, He doesn’t write it on a piece of notepaper and  put

in our coat pocket  for us to take out and read  when

we reach  the crossroads of life.

Nor does God meet us at those crossroads and say,

“My child, let us take this path.”  Sometimes ,

He’s not even there.

Or, you don’t think He is.

Rather,  God’s plan for us is found in His Word.

It is found in His laws for right living……..

It is found in  Jesus’ salvation for us………

It is found  in  His prophecy of our  future……..

You can not go astray  or stumble if you follow His Word……….but

should you stumble, He’s there to pick you up.

If you take the wrong  road,  He’s there to  lead you back to

the Highway.

God does not make  plans that are too hard for us.  For….

along with His plans , there are  gifts of  blueprints  for us :

LOVE…JOY…PEACE…LONGSUFFERING…KINDNESS…GOODNESS…FAITHFULNESS…

GENTLENESS…SELF-CONTROL.      Don’t leave home without these!

They are God’s safeguard for our journey.

Genie Sessums                             valentia 27@gmail.co

He is  pleasant.  He is handsome.  He is strong .   Like a gazelle, he leaps over mountains.

But I cannot leap over mountains. I am old.  I am gray.   My vision is poor.

My Beloved   steadies me as I walk beside him.  Mostly He carries me now.

But I was young when I first met Him.  A rebel.  A proud, selfwilled rebel.

I resisted His overtures for a long time while enjoying the ways of the world.

But one day I came to my senses.What would it gain me if I  enjoyed this sinful world

then lost my own soul?

I heard His voice again:

“Rise up my love, my fair one.

Come away.  Let’s take a journey together.”

The journey has not been easy. My Beloved and I have traveled  through  tangled wildernesses;  hot,

dry deserts with  dangerous creatures  lurking; swift rivers to cross;  and dark clouds _ the darkest

being  the time I could not  find Him.  Then there was the pit.  But He reached down and pulled me

out  of that hellish place.

Now, I’m leaning hard on my Beloved:

“Let’s talk about the journey, my fair one”,  He   said, looking deep into my eyes.  ”What think you

about it?”

“I don’t regret one step of the journey.  Yes, it was hard, but it brought me to know You, and I

wouldn’t   trade that for anything of this world.    I truly  would not, my Lord.”

He took my  head in His nail scarred hands and faced me to the east.

“That  is Mt. Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem.  We  will soon be there, my fair one.”

“Oh, my Savior!!.  The journey !  The journey!    How can I  ever  thank You enough?”

My  Beloved did not answer.   He was standing at the portals  of The Golden City, beckoning me  to

Him.

Genie Sessums                      valentia27@gmail.com

his children…..his cattle…..his health…….his   wealth……  all  in rapid  succession.   Only   his  wife survived  , who told him to  ’curse God and die’.  She was of no comfort to  Job.  Neither were his           philosophical friends .

The well-known Christian author, Rick Warren, wrote in his book, “The Purpose  Driven Life,”these wise words:    ”TELL GOD EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL”.That’s what Job did. I must do the same.

“Lord ,  I want to….really need to……tell you what’s on my heart and in my soul. I truly feel my heart will break if I don”t.

I feel dead……….alone……………a stranger  to myself…….a prisoner …..

Moreover, Lord, I feel worthless……..forsaken.

“Lord, I am brokenhearted.”

“Lord, the Psalmist says  that You heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.”Psalm 147:3.

“I’m  claiming that  promise, Father.  You turned Job’s  sorrow into joy.  Please do that for all of us

who are  vexed in spirit  and mind and soul, and we will give You the praise.  Thank you.

nigh giving up?

Does the enemy 0f your soul still  wage war

against you?

Child of God, if our heavenly Father covered His servant David’s head

in the day of battle,

He will surely do the same for you in the day of your battle.

He only asks that you give it to Him.

Remember, the race is not to the swift _

nor the struggles to  the strong.

God equals it  out this way:

The  soldiers go off to war , and when they return

they share the spoil with the  ones  who  could not go off to fight.

The strong and the weak share.

They share alike.

This was David’s   statute  and ordinance for Israel to this day.

How much more  God’s ordinance of ‘share and share alike’  is in effect for all time?

The battle you think you are losing has already been won.

Claim the victory!    Accept the crown!

God  always causes His children  to triumph _be they weak or strong.

Trust Him  to fight your battle.  The Lord of Armies is more than able.

Genie Sessums      valentia27@gmail.com

The Mighty One will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,,

He will quiet you with his love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah 3:17

Lord, I didn’t hear You  singing over me when I  was in deep despair.

My world was dark

and  silent.

I thought you had cast me off.

-stopped loving me

appointing me  lonely days – sleepless nights.

I looked around .

I thought  everyone was safe in Your arms

but me.

I remembered  how You loved me in times past-

and I You.

Why,  oh why, did you leave me?

My spirit becomes defiant and I  storm to the heavens:

“I am a child of the King, too!

My  Lord  loves me  as much as He loves all others.”

Then, Lord, You did a most beautiful  thing:

You reached down and  pulled me out of the Pit-

held me in Your strong arms

and began singing  over me.

It was  a song of love  _ sweet, sweet song of  purest love.

It could only have been born in the crucible of  the cross.

“Put me down, Lord.   Please put me down.”

He put me down.

I fell at His feet _His nail-scarred  feet _and I began to sing:

“More love to you, O Christ, more love to Thee!

Hear Thou the prayer I make  on bended knee.

More love, O Christ to Thee.”

He took my hand in His.  His love had renewed me.

Genie Sessums

You reached down and  lifted  me out of the pit -

You held me in Your strong arms.

You  sang over me   _  sweetest melody I ever heard.