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Discussion Forum : Articles and Sermons : In the middle of the Mess by Sheila Walsh.. a real good book to read..

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EAGLEFLYING
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Joined: 2012/9/25
Posts: 886


 In the middle of the Mess by Sheila Walsh.. a real good book to read..

In the middle of the mess...

Who are you looking for?
“She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. ‘Dear woman, why are you crying?’ Jesus asked her. ‘Who are you looking for?’”
John 20:14-15a (NLT)

As Labor Day approached several years ago, I was bone-tired.


Finances were tight, and we hadn’t taken a vacation in some time, so I asked God if He could open a door. I prayed, and I waited. A couple of days later, a friend mentioned the people who’d booked their condo might be canceling their reservation. If they did, he wanted me to use it.


That night I prayed, If this would be a good thing, Lord, please open the door. If not, slam it closed.


The following morning, my friend called and said it was all mine. I was so excited. I would be relaxing for a week, rent-free, no makeup, no high heels — just T-shirts and a ball cap. My husband Barry had some things to take care of at home and offered to stay with the dogs while I rested and prayed. He kissed me goodbye as I set off the following morning.


An hour into the journey, things began to go wrong.


The air conditioning in my car quit on a day stretching into the high 90s. I turned the dial to the max to see if it might kick back in, but it didn’t. I turned it off and kept driving, but after an hour, sweat dripped off my forehead into my eyes. I rolled down the windows, hoping fresh air would dry me out. And it did — until the storm hit. The sky dumped bucket after bucket of hot water, and before I could roll up my window, I was soaked. Traffic came to a stop, and cars turned on their hazard lights.


I alternated between windows down with large buckets of water coming in, and windows up and large buckets of sweat pouring down. Nine hours later, I arrived, soaking wet and tired but still excited about the next day to relax. The following morning, I brewed some coffee and drove straight to the local drugstore to pick up the necessities.


Less than an hour later, I found a deserted area outside and situated my chair and belongings. Paradise! But as soon as my body hit the chair, it collapsed on top of me. I was trapped — quite literally.


Apart from a large dog that bounded out of nowhere and kept licking my feet, I couldn’t see anyone else in the distance. I couldn’t figure how to get out of my predicament. By the time I dug myself out, my legs were bruised and scraped, and it started to rain — not just rain, but storm! My canine friend wagged his tail, and I left him the soggy towel before I headed back to the condo. The week was not going as planned, and after another string of mishaps — which would take too long to describe — I decided to abandon the trip and drive home through the storm in my incapacitated car. Barry met me at the door with a sympathetic hug and a large stack of towels.


Nothing had turned out the way I thought it would.


It hadn’t been the worst experience in life, and it certainly wasn’t the end of the world, but it had definitely been disappointing.


Don’t you find it’s the little things that push you over the edge? You cope with the harder things in life, and then the dryer breaks when you need to get laundry done and you end up crying a bucket of tears. Or your child doesn’t get the part in the school play she hoped for, or your friend cancels plans to have coffee just when you really needed to talk.


None of this is life-altering, but it’s disappointing and can catch us off guard.


When I find myself struggling with these kinds of disappointments, I choose to hear Jesus ask me the question He asked Mary Magdalene on that resurrection morning as seen in John 20:15a, “Who are you looking for?”


When we look for Jesus in the middle of what’s not working, we discover He’s always there, bringing peace and comfort. We can sit with Him for as long as it takes to be reminded of what’s always true, no matter what might be true for a moment. He loves us. He is with us. He is here.


And you don’t have to take this step alone. Join me and thousands of other women who are taking these steps together in my online Bible Study community.


Father, things in my life don’t always go as planned. I confess it’s easy at times to lose heart over the ups and downs, even if they are small. Thank You for the comfort and peace You offer in the middle of my mess when I choose to focus my heart again on You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Jeremiah 29:13, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” (NLT)

Psalm 16:11, “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” (NLT)


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Frannie

 2019/5/30 13:05Profile
Jeremy221
Member



Joined: 2009/11/7
Posts: 1532


 Re: In the middle of the Mess by Sheila Walsh.. a real good book to read..

Frannie, how does Sheila describe God meeting her “in the middle of her mess?”

This paragraph has me wondering about if she understands the rest of God:

“When we look for Jesus in the middle of what’s not working, we discover He’s always there, bringing peace and comfort. We can sit with Him for as long as it takes to be reminded of what’s always true, no matter what might be true for a moment. He loves us. He is with us. He is here.”

I realize that sisters have different responsibilities that can easily be assigned as ‘for kids,’ ‘for the family,’ ‘for church,’ etc. Does Sheila address seeing all these things as unto the LORD? Brothers have same challenge in their own sphere but it seems like sisters relate being torn by all the obligations to different groups.

 2019/5/31 2:33Profile
EAGLEFLYING
Member



Joined: 2012/9/25
Posts: 886


 Re:

Hello Brother
I love and admire Sheila Walsh.. She has written many books one of my favorites "its ok not to be ok."
I believe she does address this by seeing Him in the middle of the Mess.. Perhaps you should read the book and you would understand better. Women see GOD differently. One of my favorite verses is the woman who was washing JESUS's feet with her hair. I believe this is so true of worshipping in Spirit and in Truth from her heart. She didnt care about the cost of the perfume she just wanted HIM to know she loved Him and wanted to bless HIM.Luke 7:38
I hope u get a chance to read some of her materials.. She is real and vulnerable.. I think that is awesome to be real.. If you are real with your messes and you have JESUS in the middle you dont have a mess anymore..
Hes in the middle of it..
Hope this helps..
Bless u
Sister Frannie


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Frannie

 2019/6/12 21:20Profile
Jeremy221
Member



Joined: 2009/11/7
Posts: 1532


 Re: In the middle of the Mess by Sheila Walsh.. a real good book to read..

Frannie, I stand by my original observation. This woman is off. She is preaching a soft, psychbabel rich message that does not produce righteousness. I see no evidence of the knowledge of God in her words. She uses the Bible but the Bible and Holy Spirit do not appear to be the inspiration for what she teaches. I urge you to stay clear of her.

Sheila Walsh regarding suicide:

Quote:
when desperate children of God take their own lives, God may not have called them home, but He welcomes them home.



This is from an excerpt of “In the Middle of the Mess.” I believe that this middle of the mess doctrine is a perversion of true biblical teaching on the role, purpose and meaning of suffering. In the doctrine Walsh promotes there seems to be no difference between suffering caused by one’s own sin and suffering for the Gospel. In every description of this doctrine I have witnessed, one’s life flows from your own choices and desires. These may be informed by Christian teaching and church culture to live a good, culturally acceptable life but they don’t actually flow from a life in God. Though at the least intentioned, this is not the life God has called us to nor what has been provided through the Holy Spirit. If you really want to understand suffering, ask the Lord to reveal its meaning. For me He used the books of Peter.

Link: https://www.faithgateway.com/miracles-middle-mess/#.XQMqTSWRXDv

EDIT: I have found a free chapter from the book so I am examining it to get a fuller view of Walsh’s ideas. I don’t want to dismiss her off hand without pointing out what she really is and perhaps attempting to provide a better understanding of what she has worked toward and contributed.

 2019/6/14 1:18Profile
savannah
Member



Joined: 2008/10/30
Posts: 2265


 Re: off




"This woman is off."

Your observations are correct Jeremy.

Apparently, she was under the impression that she was to be an entertainer.

Like many other women today, she thinks she is immune to the exhortation found in God's Word.

Titus 2:3-5
Likewise, older women are to show their reverence for God by their behavior. They are not to be gossips or addicted to alcohol, but to be examples of goodness. They should encourage the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible and pure, to be workers at home, to be kind, and to submit themselves to their husbands. Otherwise, the word of God may be blasphemed.

Where are these women?

Like the woman in Proverbs 31:10, such women are hard to find these days.

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 31:10

Most are like the woman in Proverbs 7:11.

They're producing after their own kind, as we find in Genesis. Rather than daughters of Sarah.

We need to get back to the Garden!

Before Eve took the lead that is!

 2019/6/14 10:58Profile
MrBillPro
Member



Joined: 2005/2/24
Posts: 3422
Texas

 Re: Jeremy

Quote:
when desperate children of God take their own lives, God may not have called them home, but He welcomes them home.



Jeremy said:
Quote:
This is from an excerpt of “In the Middle of the Mess.” I believe that this middle of the mess doctrine is a perversion of true biblical teaching on the role, purpose and meaning of suffering.



Jeremy, as someone that has lost a child to suicide, could you help me out a little here on what you're saying?
Thanks! Bill


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Bill

 2019/6/14 12:03Profile





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