Light in Louisville

January 6, 2023January 2, 2023 / Mark Brady / 1 Comment

“I’ll never go to Louisville, Kentucky again!” I proclaimed after having a bad experience.

Many years later, I found April online and went to the Philippines to meet her in person. A month later, I returned to the Philippians to marry her. April has two brothers and one sister. I could not meet April’s sister because she was living in Dubai and working as a nurse.

After my bad experience in Louisville, I considered it a dark place.

Little did I know, one day, April’s sister would join a company who finds nurses from around the world and brings them to America to fulfill the shortage of nurses we have here. She arrived with her husband and son in August of 2022. If you don’t see where this is going, she chooses to be a nurse in. of all places. Louisville.

When we learned that April’s company would be closed for twelve days over the holidays, I brought it to April’s attention that we should visit her sister and family for Christmas. It was challenging to wrap my head around the fact that I would be returning to Louisville, but giving April a chance to see her sister after three years was more important. Then I realized I had the opportunity to meet one of my most faithful blog readers in person. Ann Aschauer from the website I recently featured, “SEEKINGDIVINEWISDOM.COM”. Meeting Ann was awesome, and she is as delightful in person as she comes across in her blogs.

After emailing Ann and asking if we could meet, we decided to meet at her church on Christmas morning. While listening to the pastor preaching about Jesus, Emanual, the Prince of Peace, Counselor, and Savior, he referred to him as “the Light of the World.” At that moment, I looked around, and knowing about the people of that church from what Ann writes in her blog post, it hit me, there is light in Louisville!

I felt bad. Convicted of my negative attitude. I repented quietly of my wrong. The rest of our trip was great. I met some wonderful people who are bearers of Light in Louisville. I will never forget this experience and be cautious ever again about labeling a city as dark.

“Thank you, God, for being patient with me and teaching me this valuable lesson lovingly. Again, I repent of my negative attitude toward Louisville, Kentucky. May you raise up more bearers of Light here and in every place worldwide.”

Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
James 3:10 (NKJV)

In the Beginning

December 21, 2021December 20, 2021 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

“First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don’t see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God’s Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.

God spoke: “Light!”
    And light appeared.
God saw that light was good
    and separated light from dark.
God named the light Day,
    he named the dark Night.
It was evening, it was morning—
Day One.”

Genesis 1:1-5 (MSG)

In the End

Because of sin, God saw that the earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. It needed light!

God gave his only Son: “Light!”
    And light appeared.
God saw that Light was good
    and separated Light from dark.
God named the light, Jesus,
    he named the dark, satan.
It was evening, it was morning—
Day One of the end.

Light, Jesus dispels darkness. Over takes it. Walk into any room and flip on the switch and immediately darkness is gone. This Christmas, accept the fact that hope remains and any darkness, trouble, depression. pain, or discomfort can be eased or dispelled by the power Jesus has over darkness, over satan, because He is the light of the world, here at Christmas time and forevermore.

He Forgot

September 24, 2021September 23, 2021 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

He was driving his young, observant, daughter to school. The sun shined bright in the early morning causing sharp glares all about them. While waiting for the light to turn green his daughter announced, “Daddy look,” as she pointed up in the sky toward the western horizon, “God forgot to turn the moon off this morning after he used it.” A rule her father most likely preached in their household.

The little girl made a cute declaration, but we know the truth is; the moon is always on. And just like the moon, God is always there too. There are times we may not see him though we are desperately looking for his presence. At other times we may only see a sliver of Him in our lives. I think our favorite times are when we see God big, and bright, and fully present in our lives.

But the real test of our faith is moving forward in the darkest times of our lives. Perhaps proceeding slowly, reaching out, grasping for something familiar so we know where we are and where we are going. Knowing full well God is there even though we may not see him. It is in those days that our faith is on exhibit for all to see. Others are most likely watching to see how we cope with a lost job, a lost loved one, or a less than favorable medical report.

Those dark days are not the days our faith is grown, but relied upon to get us through the storm.

Hopefully we filled up our faith tank before this journey begin.

Something that is done by spending time with God in the “things are going great” days. Talking to him on a regular basis, learning his nature, and his character. Being confident He is always there.

³⁸So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles,^[a] fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. ³⁹There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! Rom. 8:38-39 (TPT)

The little girl will continue to grow, and learn. She will study astronomy, and realize the moon is not an object that is turned on or off, but forever present, used, and needed somewhere around the globe. And hopefully she will learn about God, and that He doesn’t waste anything, especially the people He makes.

Let There Be

January 8, 2021January 7, 2021 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I love it that God spoke the world into existence, and it started with him saying, “Let there be light.” Before he said those words the earth was there, and it was dark and shapeless, but the Holy Spirit was hovering above.

I think a lot of people are going through a very difficult time right now. One might say, dark and shapeless, but know this, the Spirit of God is hovering above. Keeping an eye on you, so you are not alone in the darkness although it may feel like it.

What if, in your darkness, someone said,
“Let there be light”?

Your healing could be separated from the darkness. Your employment situation could be brighter. Your long awaited spouse steps out of the shadows into full sight. Whatever it is, in the time it takes for God to say, “Let there be light”, your whole situation can change. So what is God waiting on? When the moment is right. When you are right, or when the other person is ready, or the employment connection is made.

In the meantime, we wait, as patiently as we can, knowing that while life is dark the Holy Spirit is hovering overhead. Remember, light dispels darkness immediately, in an instant. Light over powers darkness. It cast it aside.

After God spoke light into existence he looked at it said, “It is good.” When God speaks into your life, your situation, your darkness afterwards he will say, “It is good.” And it will be. Your darkness will be over. It will be gone, and you see your new day dawning. You will breathe in and out like you never have before for the weight of the darkness will have lifted. If you place your hope and trust in God I promise you will see the end of the doom and gloom.

So lift your head and say, “Let there be light.”

Three Days of Darkness

October 17, 2018October 15, 2018 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

dispel There is nothing like the fear that comes from physical, or emotional darkness. When you can’t see your way, and you have no clue on when and where light will come. Your heart can pound like a concert bass drum.

Exo 10:21-23 MSG GOD said to Moses: “Stretch your hand to the skies. Let darkness descend on the land of Egypt–a darkness so dark you can touch it.” Moses stretched out his hand to the skies. Thick darkness descended on the land of Egypt for three days. Nobody could see anybody. For three days no one could so much as move. Except for the Israelites: they had light where they were living.

Another time, when there was darkness on the earth, for three days, was when the Son of God, Jesus died. You talk about your only ray of light going out and sickness settling in, to the very depths of your being. Jesus had once said, “I am Light that has come into the world so that all who believe in me won’t have to stay any longer in the dark.” (Joh 12:46 MSG) Three days of darkness, until Jesus was resurrected from the dead, then Light once again walked on the earth.

Are you stumbling around in life desperately running your hand along the wall, panicking as you look for the switch? Has your darkness lasted much longer than three days? Don’t get angry, as Pharaoh did. Don’t let your heart be hardened, as his did, and definitely don’t shake your fist at God. He may be allowing the darkness, to move you toward Him, who is Light. Accept Light. Accept God. Try living in a way, where you can see your way, by believing in God’s way.

The Closet Door

August 27, 2016 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Closet Like most kids, I was afraid of the dark. I would turn off my bedroom light and run and jump in bed from about three feet away so the monsters under it couldn’t grab my ankles and pull me under. I was especially afraid of the darkness that dwelled inside my closet. Embarrassed to admit it, but I was 40 years old before I could leave the closet door open on purpose at bedtime. Too many horror movies I guess.

There is another closet where darkness hangs I am still afraid. It is the one in my heart. I fear the part of me that does come out occasionally that can lead to monstrous results. I desire someday I can leave its door open, on purpose, and not be afraid. The only way that will ever happen is if I allow God to go there and clean out the closet, remove the darkness.

Darkness cannot remain when there is light, and God is: Light.

1Jo 1:5 This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there’s not a trace of darkness in him. (MSG)

That God is light – Light, in the Scriptures, is the emblem of purity, truth, knowledge, prosperity, and happiness – as darkness is of the opposite. John here says that “God is light” – not the light, or a light, but light itself; that is, he is himself all light, and is the source and fountain of light in all worlds. He is perfectly pure, without any admixture of sin. He has all knowledge, with no admixture of ignorance on any subject. He is infinitely happy, with nothing to make him miserable. He is infinitely true, never stating or countenancing error; he is blessed in all his ways, never knowing the darkness of disappointment and adversity. (Barnes Notes – Bible Commentary)