In 2018, I was accepted to write for Holl & Lane. They were an online magazine dedicated to honoring women’s stories in a judge free space. My article was submitted in the Courage Issue and I wrote about fear.
Since then, Holl & Lane has evolved into a contributing writing group called The Kindred Voice, an online still serving the same audience-women! I love who they are, the authenticity they represent, and the space they continue to expand.
If you’re interested in reading the article, please shoot me an email and I’ll send it over.
Dear Mindy, dear Elisa
Recently I saw on TV the tragic story about your mom.
Your dear mom was murdered by a serial killer in 2001.
I’m very sorry about that.
Mindy, the way you took care of your 11 year old sister Elisa back then touched me so much.
A psalmist said to God: “I call on you in the day of my distress, For you will answer me.” (Psalm 86:7). But how does God answer?
It may not make your problems disappear instantly, but it can give you inner peace: “Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God; and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6, 7). How does the Bible indicate that God really cares about us?
You are important to God
“God does not forget a single [sparrow] . . . You are worth more than a whole flock of sparrows”.
*** Bible scriptures ***
(Luke 12:6, 7) Five sparrows sell for two coins of small value, do they not? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Have no fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? Apparently meaningless birds are not meaningless to God. Every sparrow, no matter how small, is a valuable living being for him. What must he then think about human beings? They are the heart of his creation on earth. He made them in his image and they can reflect his most admirable qualities (Genesis 1:26, 27).
“O Jehovah, you have searched through me, and you know me… You discern my thoughts from afar… Examine me, and know my anxious thoughts” (Psalm 139:1, 2, 23)
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? God knows you personally. He knows your most hidden feelings and fears. Even if others do not understand what you are going through, God understands you and wants to help you. Doesn’t this thought give you courage?
For this reason he sent Jesus to earth 2000 years ago, to end evil, crime, death and misery for once!
When Jesus was on earth, he resurrected several dead people to show what he would do in the future.
*** Bible scriptures ***
(John 11:32-44) When Mary arrived where Jesus was and caught sight of him, she fell at his feet and said to him: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he groaned within himself and became troubled. 34 He said: “Where have you laid him?” They said to him: “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus gave way to tears. 36 At that the Jews began to say: “See, what affection he had for him!” 37 But some of them said: “Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind man prevent this one from dying? 38 Then Jesus, after groaning again within himself, came to the tomb. It was, in fact, a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 Jesus said: “Take the stone away.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to him: “Lord, by now he must smell, for it has been four days.” 40 Jesus said to her: “Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took the stone away. Then Jesus raised his eyes heavenward and said: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 True, I knew that you always hear me; but I spoke on account of the crowd standing around, so that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice: “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The man who had been dead came out with his feet and hands bound with wrappings, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them: “Free him and let him go.”
Since Jesus gave his life as a corresponding ransom for the people.
*** Bible scriptures ***
(1. Timotheus 2:6: who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all — this is what is to be witnessed to in its own due time.) He is able to resurrect people like your dear mom from the dead.
(John 5:28, 29) Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life…
Our Creator feels this way, as it is written in Job 14:15:
(Job 14:15) You will call, and I will answer you. You will long for the work of your hands.
Then your dear mom will experience a fascinating time where there will be no more crime, death, epidemics and sorrow.
(Isaiah 35:5-7) At that time the eyes of the blind will be opened, And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 6 At that time the lame will leap like the deer, And the tongue of the speechless will shout for joy. For waters will burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert plain. 7 The heat-parched ground will become a reedy pool, And the thirsty ground springs of water. In the lairs where jackals rested, There will be green grass and reeds and papyrus.
(Revelation 21:3-5) With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” 5 And the One seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new.” Also he says: “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
Dear Mindy, dear Elisa, in the near future our creator will establish the promised paradise on earth. You can experience this together with your dear mom. Then such tragic experiences will also no longer arise in your mind:
(Isaiah 65:17) For look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be called to mind, Nor will they come up into the heart.
I wish you all the best and God’s blessings dear Mindy and dear Elisa.
Martin Flatz
Müselbach 992
6861 Alberschwende
ÖSTERREICH
info@martinflatz.at