I’ve been reading miracle stories to my grandchildren and telling them of some of the miracles I’ve seen when praying for others. After family dinner recently, my 8-year-old granddaughter had the hiccups. As most of us know, they can get downright annoying! She came to me and asked if I would pray for her hiccups to go away. I loved that this was her answer to the hiccups problem. We prayed and nothing happened. So, we prayed again and they were gone. Her faith increased as did mine!

Last night, it happened again. Annoying hiccups. (Hmm, could it be my cooking?) Again, she asked if I’d pray for them to go away. This time, I involved her little brother and his prayer was so sincere and sweet. But they didn’t go away and he was off to the Treasure Chest for his reading reward and didn’t have time to mess with a second prayer. He’s a fast decision-maker when choosing his prize, and she is one who takes her time and looks at everything in the Treasure Chest. Twice! And the hiccups were still there. I put my hands on her chest and asked if we could pray again. Simple prayer. Amazing God. Hiccups gone.

On rough days, these God-moments remind me of how much He cares about what we care about. It reminds me of what’s important to Him – child-like faith, persistence, and trust. If it matters to us, He will let us know our small things (or the big ones) have His attention.

My books that teach kids (and adults) about how much God loves us, are available on Amazon. Or you can go to my Books page here:   Angels on Assignment books

Copyright 2019 Nadine Helmuth Patton

All Rights Reserved

I watched the father of an autistic son recently. The loving care given by this father was visible in many ways, but none brought any emotional response from the son. Knowing this father and son for many years, I recognize the fatherly love and care is genuine. The father has protected and provided in every way possible for his son’s well-being. At 33, the son is now a man and the father has thought about his future and planned for it as well.

There was a moment at this son’s birthday celebration where the father asked for a hug. His specific autism is non-verbal and severe. His ability for functioning is much like a baby. After several coaxings, the son drew near, which was all he could understand, and the father embraced his son. The son walked away with no emotion, no evidence of comprehending, only silence.

Something stirred in me that night. We as human beings have a heavenly father who genuinely loves us and invites us to respond. He wants to communicate with us even when we turn away. He wants us to know He values us, has provided for us and will never stop caring for our needs. The God who created us invites us to draw near, to know Him, to respond to His kindness.

Although the physically autistic son does not have the capacity to respond, he did know he could draw near in that moment, and his father’s arms would reach out. He does know he will be safe when in his father’s care. He knows his father will let him have some nuts, one of his favorite foods! This father has taken the time to understand his son as profoundly as possible, but his heart breaks when he talks of just wanting to know what might be in his son thoughts, whether he knows what life means, how much he understands. One of the father’s griefs is being unable to do things together relationally as other fathers and sons do. He continually loves and values who his son is, knowing there will never be anything given in return.

I found this to be a powerful image of the heart of God for those He has created in His image. Even the best earthly father cannot compare to a heavenly One in the measure of desire for His children to know Him. To reach out to us when we don’t comprehend His love when there’s a rejection-like attitude or we can’t fully grasp His ways. Communication and relationship were only through symbols and abstract methods until He sent One to become like us; His Son who took human form to reveal the heart of His Father and show us how to relate. That passionate love continually pursues us, wanting us to understand, wanting us to draw near for the embrace that awaits, the relationship He desires.

Unlike the autistic son, we do have the ability to communicate with our Father because One stepped into our world and bridged the language of His ways. There are infinite ways that His love is revealed if we choose to see. And the choice becomes ours whether to accept or reject the loving relationship He offers.

When we are ‘born of God’ we begin to grasp the ways that are beyond the natural realm. We are brought out of ‘darkness’ and into His marvelous light. It is a spiritual re-birth that makes everything new, enlightens our understanding and begins a journey for us to know the ways of our Father that go beyond human comprehension.

Copyright 2019 Nadine Helmuth Patton

All Rights Reserved

My books that teach kids (and adults) about how much God loves us, are available on Amazon. Or you can go to my Books page here:   Angels on Assignment books

This week I was playing an educational game with my grands. The 6-year-old wasn’t getting his way and I could see the emotional storm brewing. He’s usually a sunny kid. Although it wasn’t a competitive game, his perception was that he was being undermined and the thunder rolled in! After the wind and rain and a full-on emotional storm hit, I gave him the option to calm down away from the game. It didn’t help much, so I tried to bring some peace to the winds and waves with more choices. The one that included a snack did the trick. Grandparents can pick their battles, too!

I’ve written books for kids about choices and how much they matter. We talked about who he really is, strong and courageous. And that it’s his choice in how he responds to these feelings.

I had to give myself the same ‘choices’ talk yesterday. After a grueling 90-minute commute, I needed to make one stop for an item I’d forgotten to get for my husband. A woman brazenly cut in front of me in the check-out line and her attitude riled me. What was that about? I got the impression she felt a lot of superiority as she stepped past me and set her goods down. Perhaps a childhood insecurity was creeping up on my part, but the rudeness of her behavior was obvious. So, I stepped across to the only other checkout, but it had an upside-down closed sign, so I asked. The young man growled that he would go ahead and take me, making sure I understood my few items were an inconvenience to him personally. I tried to be sympathetic, asking if he’d had a long day, beginning to feel like I needed my own pity party. He literally roared NO and that he shouldn’t even be there anymore.

That stormy moment with my grandson came to mind as I faced my irritation head-on the rest of the way home in my car. These were really small incidents. Why was I affected by them? One of the things I used for the 6-year-old would also help me with immediate emotional well-being. Food! I hadn’t taken the time to eat well. That, and some Quiet time. It’s so easy to get sucked into the emotion of the world around us. There’s plenty of opportunity for irritation, taking on another’s ‘storm’, feeling undermined or offended if it’s not ‘our way’. We also have choices.

We can choose to become a part of the storm and continue it or choose to be a conduit of peace with the ripple effect it brings. It begins internally. We cannot give what we do not have. My well-being doesn’t come from outward sources. Not from circumstances or emotions. Not from others’ validating who I am or any insecurities from my past.

I believe we partner with beyond-human power one way or another. And we’re created with free will. We get to choose what we partner with.

There is only One who is the Prince of Peace. What He says about me is what matters. One can never have true peace without allowing Him to be The Source of Truth in our lives. And unless we believe that Truth, we don’t understand who we truly are. Like my grandson, my response is a choice. (We both chose peace, although it might have taken me longer to get there!)

When we choose to believe the truth of the Bible, we become truly free. I won’t rise above the injustices of this world unless I live with His Truth. Letting go of offenses and not having my way is the ‘dying to self’ that He taught.

Recognizing His truth will bring freedom to live with the conscious awareness of what matters most – my identity comes from One Source, the God in whose image I’m created. That brings peace to any storms I have.

My books that teach kids (and adults) about how much our choices matter, are available on Amazon. Or you can go to my Books page.

Copyright 2019 Nadine Patton

All Rights Reserved

Beautiful roses, right? That wasn’t so several short months ago. Gardeners advised us to get rid of it and plant another in its place.

This one was an anniversary gift from my husband and had given us many beautiful blooms. But the desert heat had taken its toll and it was embarrassing to have near the front door. Dead, ugly stems and leaves. No roses or buds. Thorns looking more pronounced than ever. We pruned off the worst-looking part and it still looked pitiful.

Gardening teaches me a lot about life. But unlike the Master Gardener of my life, the One who placed humans in that first garden, I was ready to give up on the roses. Life got busy and I just didn’t get it done. October brought a record rainfall. Water that’s like no other for the soil. And then one day a new bud showed up. The leaves around it still looked bad, but new life was coming through. A few weeks later, I took this picture, remembering the advice from the gardeners.  Happy I didn’t give up.

Sometimes life is like this. Ugly. Embarrassing. Dry. The heat of our world takes a toll and we have a hard time blooming. Pruning is painful. Failure overwhelms us. We dread the future. Think we’ve had all the manure (I’m a farm girl) we can take. Wish we could start over.

There’s One who gives us a second chance, never gives up on us. He prunes and waters, knowing we’ll bloom again. He’s not afraid of our pain. He sees beyond the ugly and embarrassing, knowing He’s created us for beauty.

He somehow uses the messes, (even if we’ve made them), to bring new growth. That’s called grace. His love will always bring us to the possibility of redemptive ways. A chance to bloom from His life-giving water. He brings new life from those tough times. With a fragrance that’s better than ever.

The One who created us isn’t giving up on us. Never will. He’s the God of 2nd chances, new beginnings. That’s what I’m thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is a day I’ve cried some tears. Emotions have been hard to sort through as the past weekend processed through my mind. It started Friday night (at least for me) when my husband encouraged me to look at the moon with him in the backyard. Not that strange of a request really. He told me our son had sent a text about it. And I knew our son was out doing what he does (saving lives) that night. Someone had been texting. A lot. So I oohed and aahed at the moon.

We’d left the door open and I thought I heard a noise in the house. When I looked in and saw our small grandchildren in the kitchen unexpectedly, I happily said, “Oh look some little people are in our house.” As I opened the door and stepped inside, my mind could not comprehend what my eyes told me I was seeing. Even now, I can feel that place in my heart that was trying to grasp the reality that both of my brothers were standing in MY kitchen. The first words I heard were “Happy Birthday”, but my jaw was so far open that a response took a while to come out of my mouth.

How do you comprehend the love that brought one of them to arise waaay too early in his Virginia home, fly through Atlanta and come to Phoenix in still miserably hot September? Or the other one who left his pastorate on a weekend to come from his Kansas home – both of them just to celebrate me as their sister?

Extravagant love that sacrifices is like God’s love. It’s overwhelming.

I’ve been blessed by a lot of love in my life. This was over the moon. The planning and plotting and possibly some perjury that went on was enormous. So I confess. I’ve said it’s hard to surprise me. I think my daughter took it as a challenge. The previous weekend she got me pretty good with a surprise party with family and friends. And my husband surprised me with the announcement that he was taking me to the beach on my actual Big day. Yep, they’d got me! It was amazing to be surprised. I felt so loved. But they weren’t done.

Being the “surpriser” had been pretty fun two years ago for my younger brother’s Big day. And I hadn’t seen my brothers since. I got to see my sister this summer, but not those two. After our parents were both gone, it had to be more intentional for us. My older siblings are 8 years older than I, my younger brother is 8 years younger. It’s quite an age span and I wasn’t emotionally close to them growing up. As adults, we don’t live geographically close and our communication is random. Hence this perception was not on my radar as a possible thought. I’ve never spent time with just the two of them. But those two are crazy fun, and together, well you’re not quite sure when they’re serious or joking.

My granddaughter sobbed when they left. I shed my own tears after seeing them off on different flights. So much laughter. Great new memories. Meeting new members of my family. Having a few moments with nearby cousins. Bonding with my grandchildren. Getting a gorgeous bouquet of my favorite flowers from my sister. This tells me how much they value me. It wrecked my heart to be honored in this way.

I didn’t get to spreadsheet-plan and organize the time together. I had no meals prepared. I had a wedding to go to in the midst of it all. My hospitality instinct preparedness wasn’t activated. I did happen to clean my house that day. Amazingly, the moments worked out and the focus wasn’t on the plan but the people. Somehow this too was a gentle reminder that I can enjoy not having a plan and things work out. The detour on our way to the airport today took us past In and Out Burger unexpectedly and gave my younger brother a treat not found in Kansas.

Detours, unexpecteds and being able to roll with it. Sacrificial love is best enjoyed when we let go. Embrace it. Freedom to be loved is God’s design.

The interruptions of life can make us feel off balance or out of control. I consider myself appropriately organized. That’s not similar to controlling! However, floating in the middle of the unknown is quite pleasant when it’s a sea of love you’re floating in. My brothers are amazing men. One lost his first wife to the devastation of cancer when she was only 37. The other one has helped hundreds of families cope with grief and loss as a hospice chaplain and pastor. They’ve both traveled overseas a lot. They both love to cook stuff I’ve never heard of. They live life with passion and unlimited wit. Time spent together is an incredible gift. I am so grateful and honored for this weekend of celebration.

Surprising someone you love in a way you know they’ll love is an amazing way to celebrate them. Small surprises or big ones. Making time for moments together. This is love at its best.  I will be careful of one thing. I’m not going to be so quick to go look at the moon with my husband – well, unless it’s at the beach!

She was one of the most patient women I’ve ever known. Tiny and tough. Courageously she chose to follow the Jesus of the Bible when it meant rejection and her own mother not attending her wedding. Tough with an inner strength of character. My mama. I’m grateful for her character that taught me so much about forgiveness and loving well. Her heart of love was enormous, her body petite. At every stage of my life, she was always genuinely interested in my world. She influenced my children to know her God. She loved my husband dearly.

My friends from college would come to our home because they loved hanging out with Mom… and Dad. The next generation, their grandchildren, brought friends too. Not only were they hospitable and ready to feed you, they found ways to encourage each person as an individual. Loved, valued and respected for who they were no matter the differences. And always sharing the ways of Jesus with each one. She connected and loved in a way that made you want to be your best self.

It seems to me that our world is lacking true mothers and fathers. Mom would have been 93 today. She ‘mothered’ many young women in her community. She ‘mothered’ others long after her own children were grown. Many can give birth, but not all give real life.

I’ve followed in some of her footsteps… with writing and bringing hope to women and sharing hospitality, but I’m not as patient or tough! Her father died when she was a teenager. She had to be tough. She milked cows and baled hay as a young woman. She could calm their ferocious rottweiler with one word so the delivery man would be safe. She partnered with Dad in starting two successful businesses. She cared for her mother-in-law later in life. She learned to do email because she valued connecting to others. She went for a para-plane ride for her 70^th birthday. Raised as a little Amish girl, she lived outside her comfort zone in many ways.

If you weren’t blessed with such a parent, ask God to bring you one no matter what your age. If you can parent with the father-heart of God, be courageous and do it. Go for the adventure! It would make the world a better place.

Picnic at the farm – Me, Dad, Mom & Grandma

For the past several years I’ve worked as a volunteer with women in crisis. I’ve heard hundreds of stories that are beyond my imagination. The broken lives and gut-wrenching stories have changed my heart in many ways. I’ve learned a lot about compassion and listening. Hearing about a situation from a political or media view versus sitting across from a woman and listening to her personal story usually gives a different perspective.

A new season is opening for me as I’ve said yes to going to a new location. It’s near a downtown intersection where over 60,000 cars pass by daily. Yes, daily. There’s a bus stop and a light rail stop there as well. Behind our building are apartments that house refugees from many nations. I’m told by the fire department workers close by that they’re known to have bed bugs. Our police friends tell us it’s known as the worst area of our city. It helps to know I have friends in the I.C.E. agency around the corner. There was a stabbing in front of the building last week.

When I was asked to consider going there, I went with a friend who knows that area well and we walked the perimeter of the building and prayed. A lot has changed for me in the past few years. Risk-taker wouldn’t have been a description of me as I grew up. Timid and fearful were more like it. I’ll turn 60 later this year and I’m taking on a new adventure as ‘retirement’! I’ve never pictured myself going to the ghetto. It certainly was never on my list of what I wanted to do when I grow up! But I admit, there’s an excitement inside that’s beyond me. I have no idea what awaits me in this place. My ‘yes’ to God is echoed by His ‘yes’ to me. That is enough for me.

Several things began to shape me with courage and boldness. 1. Reading about miracles and hanging out with people who continually experience the miraculous ways of God boggled my mind and created a hunger in my soul. 2. Spending time with God that was quality and not short-changed by a busy schedule. It sometimes felt like I was doing nothing, but I began to see the benefits and He began to change my heart.

My grandpa John had a quote that I have taken as my own – “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.”

The solution for any crisis always has at its heart the same answer – Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Because my God is a Life-Giver, I can be a Life-Giver. The reason I believe in Jesus, is the reason I believe He offers the real answer to life’s problems. Not easy answers, but ones that will transform lives. Whether in crisis or not, He sees each of us as valuable and worthy of His love. Human beings want to know this. It’s not just for a certain place or time, it’s for everyone everywhere we go. My part is to be trustworthy and faithful to bring that Good News.

I won’t blog or write as much as I focus on this intense new area. I know I will always write stories to inspire because stories inspire me. If you want to be included as a recipient of the stories of this new chapter, please email me at ksgirl58@yahoo.com.

I had a great experience this week. You wouldn’t think that sitting down with my husband and an attorney and preparing for what happens after we die would be amazing! But it was. We left that office being deeply touched, knowing it was yet another God-moment in our lives. Although we don’t have a lot of earthly stuff, we hadn’t updated our previous will that had been done to provide guardianship for our minor children. Trusting God in every step of our lives, He had again designed a good thing in a place that ordinarily seems hard.   

I believe it’s important to steward well what we have been given. I don’t care what happens after I die because I’ll be with Jesus and nothing is better than that. Except I do care. Leaving a legacy that outlives me is important to me. I was given a heritage of faith by my parents and my grandparents and I’m grateful. I love the moments I have now with my grands. Making memories, sharing my love of stories and gardening and travel. And Jesus. But the next life is all about worshipping the One who is worthy. The One who gave His life so I can have eternal life. It matters how I live my life now. It matters for the generations to come. It matters that my parents and grandparents made huge changes in their lives, at the cost of being ridiculed by family, so I can know the truth of Jesus and the Bible.

Living beyond the moment, being good stewards, and valuing what has eternal worth isn’t part of our culture. But leaving a legacy for generations to come, shows our understanding of faith.

By the way, if you don’t have preparations made for after you die – the physical or the spiritual – you can PM me and I’d love to introduce you to my attorney or my Jesus.

It’s orange blossom season where I live. The entire backyard smells wonderful as my orange tree blooms. I’m really sensitive to smells, so it can become overwhelming when the wind blows.

When I was alone in my car recently, I could smell my husband’s cologne. I don’t know how it had ‘rubbed off’ on the seat or steering wheel, but in that moment, it felt like he was near. It warmed my heart and made me smile.

It reminds me that my life can bring a fragrance of life wherever I go. Or a stench. Bringing a life-giving aroma to the world around us is important. Making our world a better place is choosing to see each individual through eyes that aren’t from our natural realm. There are some folks I don’t agree with in many ways. I don’t like how they treat me. I want them to give me respect. But I can only make choices for me. I can respond instead of react. Speaking the truth and loving well can go together, but I find it really difficult. I’d rather just avoid any confrontation. Somehow it helps me navigate a difficult conversation when I think of what our relationship will ‘smell’ like after the conversation. How will they remember the things I said?

We don’t have to back down from the truth. Nor do we have to agree or try to change others. My mom used to tell us we could agree to disagree. Our world needs to hear truth. We’re all broken in various ways and there’s only one real ‘fixer’. Being The Way, The Truth and The Life got him killed. But His plan was beyond what that looked like. It was a win for humankind, not a defeat.

When we choose to be life-givers that bring the fragrance and hope of God, that ‘smell’ may be offensive to some. I can be afraid and silenced, or I can be courageous and un-offendable.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 NIV

Copyright © 2018 Nadine Patton

All Rights Reserved