The Good Life

Greetings from Adele’s Inspiration Café!

Today’s blog post: 

The Good Life

by Chaplain Adele M. Gill

 ^“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17  (NIV)

To many unbelievers, the Bible is nothing more than an irrelevant and outdated book with vague words written long, long ago that have no application for our daily lives in these modern times. It is a book that is sometimes passed down from generation to generation, but too often, it is one that collects much dust, as it’s wisdom and application are put aside, left on a shelf, and virtually unknown.

However, to believers, Scripture is at the center of living a godly life. It is a bright candle in the darkness of a fallen world, a beacon of light for the weary, the lost, the last and the lowly. Sustenance for poor and hurting souls in need of discernment, protection, comfort and guidance, the Bible stands ready to address many of the contemporary issues we experience. It is a light to our feet and your ticket to redemption as you come to believe more and more in Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, our guide and advocate who was given to us by Jesus Himself.

The Holy Bible is chock-full of practical knowledge we can and need to apply to our daily lives through word and deed. Relationships, work, times of adversity—it’s all in there. It has been said there is nothing new under the sun. Those words take on special meaning when talking about all we can experience and learn through Scripture. For believers, followers of Jesus, there is great insight and clarity in the Word, which leads us ever closer into relationship with Him.

Once we start reading the Holy Bible, as we embrace the scriptural meaning ourselves, we are able to apply the truths we learn in so many ways in our own lives. We are enabled to effectively teach others about Jesus’ life, and The Way to righteousness, as opposed to self-righteousness. We are able to live a good life and use it to help others follow Jesus. We are able to speak truth in Love, helping each other to follow him with greater focus and fervor. In essence, we are to equip ourselves for the Christian life by reading the Bible, especially the New Testament, then in turn, share the Gospel of Jesus with others.

In as much as Jesus is the Light of the World, we are all commissioned to love God and one another, and to that end, bring His light into the darkness that surrounds us, while tending the flock in our midst. If we look closely at Jesus’ life and His teachings found in Scripture, we can easily grow in zeal over time, and openly share Him wherever we go--In that way, shining a bright Light upon our little corner of the world.

 “Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.”  Mark 4:21

© Copyright 2018   |   Adele M. Gill

http://www.theinspirationcafeblog.net 

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Chaplain Adele M. Gill, RN, BSN, ABDA is author of 3 books including “From Broken to Blest: Embracing the Healing that Awaits You,’ written with Dr. Verna Benner Carson. From Broken to Blest is now available on Amazon and Barnes at Noble in print, Nook & Kindle versions.              

To order your copy, please click on this link:

https://amzn.to/2pNt9Sk

The Power of Civility

by Chaplain Adele M. Gill

 “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6

Like any loving parent, Father God stands in wait for our anguished pleas, for us to turn to Him so He can help us meet our daily needs and challenges.  Though He first loved us, He calls us to love Him, and others, with all our heart and soul. In fact, loving others—especially those who are difficult to love, is one great way that we express our love for God and answer His calling. We need to remember the times we have not been difficult or lovable ourselves, and use that as a starting point to build on in our relationships hence we slip into complacency.

Certainly with this mandate to love, it is important for us to be at peace with everyone in our lives lest hatred, loathing, and unforgiveness take root in us. Yet, what is it about our humanness that leads us to anger and disharmony with others that think and do differently than we do? Perhaps that is a question we’d prefer to answer another day, but there is no time like the present.

Hatred for others has the power to enable people to be ruled by their negative feelings. It can destroy lives, especially those who harbor deep anger, and remove all God given peace and joy in the process making us bitter. Hatred can be insidious, sometimes getting a foothold when we are fully unaware it is happening. When we hate others we know, we sometimes give up that peace and joy in the name of being self-righteous with the need to be right, superior or hostile, which is counterintuitive to God’s love for us.

But what about when we hate or fear those we do not know or respect, simply because they think differently than we do, especially in the current social climate? Well, the effects of hatred still apply—possibly in greater measure, as there is no room for negotiation. When the loathing of an individual involves an acquaintance, or even a public figure you do not personally know, judgement abounds. And the effects of hatred can linger on for years with no closure. Yet, as Christians, we know that there is but one judge, and human judgement of others should have no place in our lives, as one cannot love others and judge them all at the same time. We need to make a choice.

We need to ask for God’s Will in discernment of what is good and right and true, and seek out those things. When we differ with the beliefs or actions of others, whether we personally know them or not, it is best to step away and respectfully try to agree to disagree when necessary. The cost of giving away one’s peace and joy is steep and should be avoided at all costs. There is great power in coexistence and civility. Let that be a goal we strive for in our daily lives.

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  Psalm 23:6

© Copyright 2018    |    Adele M. Gill

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Chaplain Adele M. Gill, RN, BSN, ABDA is author of 3 books including “From Broken to Blest: Embracing the Healing that Awaits You,’ written with Dr. Verna Benner Carson. Their book is now available on Amazon and Barnes at Noble in print, Nook & Kindle versions. Please click on this link:

https://amzn.to/2pNt9Sk 

Prayer Changes Things

Greetings from Adele's Inspiration Cafe!
Today's blog post: Prayer Changes Things


“Pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.” James 5:16

Though it is truly a blessing to have people to pray for us, it is important as Christians to recognize that each of us has equal access to God through Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Whenever we pray and ask for Jesus’ help, it is always a powerful experience whether we pray with others, have them pray for us, or we pray for ourselves.

All of us have times have infirmity, worry, anxiety, sadness, and fear. So what can we do about that which is beyond our control? How can we maintain and restore balance, peace and joy in our lives in times of adversity, against all odds? One vitally important way is through prayer as prayer changes things. Relationships are restored, doors are opened, people are strengthened, comforted, protected, healed through God’s abundant supply, as He cares for all our needs in His own special time and way.

Sometimes we all need divine intervention, and there is great relief to be found in prayer as we hand the situation to Jesus, giving Him control. For the Bible tells us in Matthew 18:19:  “Amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.” When you turn to your ‘praying friends’ or family to prayerfully intercede for you on your behalf, you will certainly be blessed. Prayer really does change things. However, each of us is capable of praying and having our prayers heard and answered. This is not relegated to a few—it is a great privilege we all have whenever we venture into prayer.

The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.”  James 5:16

To become a righteous person in the eyes of God, we simply need to keep on trying to discern and follow His Will. We all have the potential to be righteous—it is a choice we make. Though we are striving souls focused on doing God’s Will, we all fall short. All of us. Yet, God sees our efforts and hears our anguished cries. He knows our thoughts and actions. He wants us to trust Him with all our being in every situation. That’s why God sent Jesus to be with us—all of humanity--to hold our hand; and trust Him through the storms we all encounter and lead us into eternal life.

© Copyright 2018   |   Chaplain Adele M. Gill

http://www.theinspirationcafeblog.net 

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Chaplain Adele M. Gill, RN, BSN, ABDA is the author of 3 books including “From Broken to Blest: Embracing the Healing that Awaits You,’ written with Dr. Verna Benner Carson. From Broken to Blest is now available on Amazon and Barnes at Noble in print, Nook & Kindle versions.                To order your copy, click on this link:

https://amzn.to/2pNt9Sk

Good News!

Greetings from The Inspiration Cafe

Today's blog post: 

Good News!

^{Adele M. Gill}

^{http://www.theinspirationcafeblog.net} 

^“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. ⁴ Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, ⁵ for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.”

^6 “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Philippians 1:3-6

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Scripture tells us that we as Christians are called, and enabled, to spread the Good News in one form or another. Sometimes it happens inadvertently, as is the case when we simply smile or say “hello” to a total stranger as we go about our day. Other times it is more purposeful as in praying for others or providing compassionate encouragement to a loved one, friend or even an acquaintance who is hurting. As this passage says, we are all partners in bringing the Bible message to the world right around us; to the people whose lives touch our own, and beyond. And to that end, it begs the question, if we, as believing Christians, don’t reach out to others, especially in times of need, who will?

Everyone’s way to share their faith is different. Some people prefer to quietly help others and thereby spread their faith through their actions sharing one-on-one. As Christians, we need to pray and look for opportunities in our daily lives to share our greatest hope, our most prized treasure—Jesus Christ.

As an aside, I have found that the internet is my chosen medium for sharing Jesus. For this effort, each time I write this blog, I post it on Catholic Online (over 1 million readers), Wordpress, Facebook, Twitter, Author’s Den, Blogger, an email service such as Mail Chimp, and most recently, FeedSpot: Christian and Faith Blogs, which reportedly has 2.2 million readers. Because of this blog about God’s Love which I have been writing and distributing for 8 years, I continue to pray for my readers and continue to look for places to post it, and by the grace of God, great opportunities continue to open up. The writing process is this: I pray and write whatever comes, edit it, then post it online. It is pure joy to write what God sends, and share His message, and I pray, with your help, that I will be able to continue this ministry for many years to come.

Even something as simple as ‘liking’ or ‘sharing’ this blog can have a far-reaching positive ripple wave effect on souls, helping them to grow in faith. I am truly grateful and consider people who do that for this blog to be important partners sharing in this effort, this ministry, also known as Silverlining Communications. Some people attend seminary and go on to preach in parishes or congregations. Others engage in leading or participating in Bible study or the written Word. 

The options for faith expression and sharing are endless as we are all unique. It does not require eloquent speech or grand standing—just heartfelt love for God and others. But make no mistake about it, God will use all of your efforts to ‘plant seeds’ of faith—No effort is too small or is ever wasted, as we walk in peace, Love and joy, sharing the gift of faith we have so generously been given by God Himself through the power of the Holy Spirit.

^6 “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6

© Copyright   2018   |   Adele M. Gill

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Chaplain Adele M. Gill, RN, BSN, ABDA is the author of 3 books including, “From Broken to Blest: Embracing the Healing that Awaits You,’ written with Dr. Verna Benner Carson. Their book is now available on Amazon and Barnes at Noble in print, Nook & Kindle versions.              Amazon link:  https://amzn.to/2pNt9Sk

Wherever You Go

Greetings from Adele's Inspiration Cafe!

Today's blog post: Wherever You Go

^9 “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged.                        For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

Some say God can only be found in church, others say he is nowhere to be found. However, today’s Holy Scripture tells us He is with us wherever we go. As believing Christians, we need to guard against limiting God in our own minds and hearts, and help each other understand the truth, the timeless realities, revealed in the Bible. The New Testament promises us that Jesus, our Savior, God’s only Son who was resurrected from the dead for us, is with us always; that He will protect us, guide us, lead us, comfort us and save us as we go about our daily lives and lead us into eternal life for the asking. He is intimately involved in our lives as we invite Him in.

In as much as Jesus loves us all unconditionally, He is ‘Emmanuel,’ which means God with us. He is with us in good times and in bad. How can it be that He is with us through it all; that He knows us better than we know ourselves? It is through the power of the Holy Spirit, imparted to the Disciples on Pentecost that the Holy Spirit it came into being when He breathed new life into the disciples.

In order to be present to humanity, Jesus stands close to us all, as the above Scripture says, ‘with us wherever we go.’  This is true for believers and non-believers alike, though the latter are generally unaware of His presence, or they would likely believe in salvation through Jesus Christ.

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9 / NIV

This passage also talks about the command to be strong and courageous. Though through free-will, and fear and uncertainty we often fall short, we need to try to follow God’s commands. Perhaps to gain strength in times of weakness, and grow in our relationship with Jesus, we need to approach life reminding ourselves that we are never alone; that all that is good comes from God. He IS our strength in times of adversity, watching over us especially in times of need. Yes, it is easy to forget we are children of God and need to depend on Him for everything. But in our humanness we sometimes don’t trust Him as we should, as fear takes hold and we lose our courage.

Could it be that we need to pray more fervently for God’s help, that we will be able to trust Him fully, seek Him more often, and accept His Son as our Lord and Savior? Certainly it would be helpful in assisting us to grow spiritually, in peace and Love, the essence of Christian life. 

© Copyright 2018   |   Adele M. Gill   |   Distributed by News Consortium

http://www.theinspirationcafeblog.net

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Chaplain Adele M. Gill, RN, BSN, ABDA is author of 3 books including “From Broken to Blest: Embracing the Healing that Awaits You,’ written with Dr. Verna Benner Carson. Their book is now available on Amazon and Barnes at Noble in print, Nook & Kindle versions.              

Please click on this link: https://amzn.to/2pNt9Sk

Whom Do You Trust?

    Greetings from Adele's Inspiration Cafe!

                          Today's blog post: In Whom Do You Trust?              

                                        “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and he will act."                                            Psalm 37:5 / New American Bible (NAB)

For the best outcome, whenever starting something new, a new school year, a new job, a new family, etc…, it is important to commit your way to the Lord as you go through your daily life, even while doing the ordinary, the mundane. Yes, we all know that we need to work hard and believe in ourselves to succeed; we need to do our part.

As Bible reading Christians, we need to believe that all true and enduring power comes from trusting Jesus Christ, the Great Healer, Comforter, Protector, Guide, Lover of Souls, friend, Lord, and Savior—eternal and living in our daily lives. Yes, Jesus is all these things. It is through trusting Him that peace that surpasses all understanding, and discernment freely flow. In God’s generous grace, through His saving hand of His Only Son, Jesus, we are able to accomplish far more than we ever could on our own, especially in times of adversity. He will step up and step in when we call upon the holy name of Jesus.

Certainly there are limits to what anyone can accomplish on our own as Matthew 19:26 tells us:

 “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

To forge a connection with God is to establish a life source to fall back on, even, and especially, to trust and depend on His Only Son, Jesus Christ. Some may say God is a crutch, and that they are self-made and have no use for Him in their lives. They prefer to go it alone—but perhaps they do so with great risk. God our Creator knows each of us inside and out, whether or not we believe in Him or His Son, Jesus Christ does not change that fact. He stands in wait for us to believe in Him with sublime trust, with the understanding that He will work all things for the good. Even for those who have ‘done a lot of living, He stands in wait for us to turn to Him with open arms.

For those life-long agnostics who don’t believe in God—yet--(I personally don’t believe in atheism), I say take another look. God’s majesty in nature is but a foretaste of his capabilities for those who follow Him. Defined as Love, He Created all of Heaven and Earth, and all of humanity, and stands close by those who love Him with all their being. As we trust God and seek Jesus, the Great Healer, rather than the healing, we give God glory and He will intervene on your behalf:

“Keep seeking and keep knocking and the door will be opened to you.”  Matthew 7:7

Someone asked me once about my belief in Jesus. In a practical sense, He is like a large umbrella. If you stay close to Him, and believe and trust in Him, He will keep you dry from the torrential rains that occur throughout our lives. But we have to trust Him and stay under the umbrella for that protection. Step away, and you will be drenched and left to your own devices.

Trust is Jesus is not always easy. Sometimes it is truly a leap of faith involving a high level of trust. Most often Christians turn to Him in times of need. This sublime trust—a manifestation of faith, belief in the unseen--brings discernment, peace and joy in the knowing He’s ‘got this.’

And He does!

© Copyright 2018   |   Adele M. Gill

Catholic Church: Time to Heal

By Adele M. Gill 

“For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 / New Living Translation (NLT)

Most days this blog is about Scripture and God’s Love. However, in light of recent events, I feel I would be remiss if I did not address the ongoing crisis in the Catholic Church. Certainly by now most have read or heard about the reports about the devastating, reprehensible abuse that child victims have suffered at the hands of some Catholic priests going back some 70 years, and the complicit cover-up by Catholic Bishops and Cardinals. It is my expressed hope to shed some light on this extreme evil that has occurred over time, so we can all better deal with the heinous news that is unfolding even as I write this.


Initially, my reaction was astonishment, disgust, and deep sadness. How dare those priests defile vulnerable, helpless children? How dare they bring scandal and evil into the lives of so many? Clearly, the church has made a big mistake all along with dealing with—or not dealing with—pedophile priests--two words that should never be used in the same sentence. I believe that to say these priests are mentally ill is a mistake, which may be why they say there is no help available for pedophiles; that even with psychiatric treatment, they cannot and do not change. Rather, I believe pedophilia is pure evil--evil incarnate--that needs to be dealt with swiftly and directly to get innocent children out of harm’s way.


These pedophile priests should have been charged for their high-crimes and incarcerated rather than hidden. Most of the accused priests on the list reportedly have never been tried in a court of law, have died, or are covered by the statute of limitations, due to the Church knowingly covering for their crimes. There are precious few who will actually be charged for their crimes, and perhaps fewer yet who seek out the opportunity to reconcile with God for their sinful behavior.


This week, I have started praying for all the children who were used and abused, whose lives were affected, forever changed, by sexual abuse by their trusted parish priests. I pray these children/adult children can someday, somehow, some way be able to forgive those who molested them, and the Lord will heal them fully. As difficult as it is, I have also been praying for the priest perpetrators, as they are in dire need of God’s mercy. They have both destroyed lives and brought scandal and shame upon the Church of my faith. Once trust worthy, they have destroyed mental and physical health of many of those they abused, have eroded public trust in priests and the Catholic Church, and these effects will likely last for decades to come.


My gut says they need to be punished to the full extent of the law, and the victims need to be afforded much needed resources and help-- every opportunity to heal. In all of this, when I pray, it has occurred to me over and again that, as much condemnation as I feel, I cannot be judge and jury. By the Church hierarchy covering up for these pedophile priests, they likely avoided incarceration, which may have led them to repent of their sins and ask for forgiveness, which the Bible tells us is necessary to make things right with God. Due to the Church hiding and shuffling them from parish to parish, most, in essence, went Scot-free.

‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ Luke 24:47

I especially pray for all the good, caring priests left behind in the wake of this travesty, those who may be somehow held accountable by the people for the sins of their priest colleagues, though they are really good priests—and that is the majority. May our Dear Lord protect them and give them peace, comfort, wisdom, and discernment as they continue to effectively minister to their parishes/communities.


The Bible tells us to let Jesus handle the evil among us that we encounter; our job is forgiveness. Take it to the foot of the cross and allow Jesus to deal with the perpetrators as He will. Most of all, my fervent prayer is that God’s will be done in all of this, as He deals with each of these pedophiles as only He can, while enabling their victims to fully heal.

© Copyright 2018   |   Adele M. Gill

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Adele M. Gill is a retired RN/BSN, a Chaplain, and the author of 3 inspirational self-help books including 'From Broken to Blest: Embracing the Healing that Awaits You,' written with Dr. Verna Benner Carson, available on Amazon in print, Kindle and Nook formats.