Thursday, January 30, 2025

Guest Writer: Author Pam Thorson - If He Tells You Something Twice, He Means Business


Guest Writer: Author Pam Thorson
Subject: If He Tells You Something Twice, He Means Business

I spent the first four decades of my life raising children. It only took the first one of those
decades to discover that my vocabulary had shrunk roughly to a couple paragraphs of my
mom’s more colorful language. Since Mom grew up in the South, she knew a lot of colorful
language.

If my brother and I whined that we wanted something, she stopped the whining in its tracks with this solemn reminder:

“There’s people in hell wanting ice water.” That was Opal-speak for “No.”

Another of her favorites was a mind-bender but got the point across: “If you think you’re going to do that, you’ve got another think comin,’” which was also Opal-speak for “No.”

She highlighted her most ominous warning with a shot of side-eye and cool demeanor that told us she meant business: “Don’t make me tell you again.”

We strove to never force her to repeat herself. Mother was not one to make idle threats. Her punishments weren’t brutal or severe, but she generally followed through promptly.

Mom taught us well to obey authority, which has surely made our lives easier as adults. I’m thankful, though, for the patience of our long-suffering God. Not only does He repeat Himself often to us hard-hearted humans, He gives us time to contemplate the seriousness of our choices.

What I love the most is the way He confirms His Word to us, fearful and slow to believe as we are.

Once God has spoken;
Twice I have heard this:
That power belongs to God;
And lovingkindness is Yours, O Lord….
Psalm 62:11-12

Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharoah twice, it means that the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about. Genesis 41:32

This is the third time I am coming to you. EVERY FACT IS TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES. 2 Corinthians 13:1 (KJV)

God is not afraid to repeat Himself.

The summer of 2024 nearly took our family down. Our quadriplegic son Kevin was seriously ill for months, necessitating seven hospital stays, two life flights, fourteen ambulance rides, and four surgeries and procedures. In the middle of all that, we nearly lost our home in a wildfire, had to evacuate our property, and couldn’t return until the authorities reopened the highway.

Standing with Kevin as he fought round after round of illness under such harsh conditions, we began to crumble. We asked the community to keep praying, even as our courage wilted under the relentless trials.

During one of his hospital stays, his nurse friend came to the hospital to stay with him while I went to rest. At home, I collapsed and wandered through the social media posts I’d been too busy to read. On Facebook, someone I didn’t know posted how she had been led to pray for Kevin and had been given a Scripture for us: Psalm 27.

I read it, soaked in every word, and clung to the comfort and deliverance it offered. Thinking it might encourage Kevin, too, I texted his nurse at the hospital to see if she would read it to him.

I had barely pushed “send” when she shot a text back.

“I had just opened my Bible to read that exact passage to him when you texted me,” she wrote.

Whaaaaat?

What were the chances that I would randomly see a Scripture shared by a stranger for Kevin and happen to send it to the hospital at the exact moment his friend thought to share it with him?

Confirmed by two or three witnesses.

PSALM 27
A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God

The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?

When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

Though a host encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me,
In spite of this I shall be confident.

On and on, the chapter pours out encouragement and hope, ending with this:

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD.

We waited. God healed Kevin slowly, in His time. We are back in the home that God spared for us, glorying in His keeping power. Life is still hard. We sing a new song, though, as He teaches us this psalm of fearless trust in Him. 


Guest Writer: Author Pam Thorson

About the Guest Writer: Pam Thorson is a nurse, author, speaker, and full-time caregiver. She is the owner/admin of a certified family home in Idaho, juggling her official duties with her love of research and writing. She is the author of four books - Song in the Night, Out from the Shadows, Arrow, and Blood Falls. You can find her books on Amazon, as well as Arrow and Blood Falls at bookstore ...And Books, Too! (andbookstooonline.com)


Her Books:




You can connect with Pam Thorson here:

Thank you for the wonderful devotional, Pam Thorson. I always love your writing! You're so inspiring in what you do. Keep going! - Look forward to having you on again.

Many blessings,
- Grace Thorson
at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Guest Writer: Author Pam Thorson - If He Tells You Something Twice, He Means Business

Guest Writer: Author Pam Thorson Subject: If He Tells You Something Twice, He Means Business I spent the first four decades of my life raisi...