Surrounded by His Love

By Carolyn Bradley

“You gave me life and showed me kindness and in Your care, You watch over my life” (Job 10:12).
SURROUNDED BY HIS LOVE is a book of love, family, and togetherness and deals with issues that are pertinent in our lives.
Surrounded by God’s love, we are given great peace and joy, knowing that he is there—with us—for all our lives and into eternity.
Our families, our friends, and our lives are all intertwined with God’s love, comfort, hope, care, and help for us and for all.
We live our lives surrounded by his love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664190245

Carolyn Bradley

Author of THREE previous books “THE SEEDS OF MY LOVE” and “SUNDAYS, DREAMS AND SOUVENIRS” published under pseudonym Carolyn Majors and a third novel “A GINGERBREAD HEART.” “IN THE COMFORT OF HIS ARMS” is my fourth book with guest authors contributing stories and inspirational writings. Those who read the book will be helped to deal with some of life’s biggest obstacles, and learn how to overcome them and retain the joy of living, loving and serving the God whom we love and the people we meet along the way. Our lives can be enriched and empowered as we read – “IN THE COMFORT OF HIS ARMS”

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Copyright © 2021 by Carolyn Bradley.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 08/28/2021

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

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Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

THE HOLY BIBLE, CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH VERSION

Copyright 1995 American Bible Society

Used by permission. All rights reserved.

In loving memory of James Majoris, my brother, who gave the world a shining example of love, hope, prayer, and caring, and for all our loved ones who likewise gave us an example of how to leave the world a better place.

CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgments

PART 1

The Great Commandment

The Old Lions

Blue, She Wore

Your First Day

Emma

Just For A Moment

Isaac’s Prayer

Humble And Beautiful, My Dad, The Custodian of Our Hearts

A Girl of Nineteen

Change

Helping with Ptsd

Robe of Compassion

Hats

A Letter From A Grandson

A Winter’s Morning

A Time to be Given

To Breathe the Fresh Air

Living with The Holy Spirit

The Gift of Love

Max

Frost

Chasing Butterflies

A Time of Praise

Our Garden

Haiku for the Hours

Accepting Applications

Leave Your Fear on the Mountainside

An Embrace of Love

There Is A Light

Where the Treetops Glisten

A Letter to Laura

The Tragedy of Today

Sharing with Father Peter

A Bunny

Grief

The Our Father

PART 2

Searching

Grandpa, Salamanders, And The River-Stream Wide

Oh, Lord

An Open Letter to Someone Contemplating Suicide

My Angel

God and the Apple Tree

Worry

Father

The Art of Thanksgiving

A Happy Thought

A Carolina Wren

Her First Mother’s Day In Heaven

A Time to Hope

Praise

A Time to Share

Joy’s Gift

A Soul

Perhaps

A Time to Believe

If You Could

A Time for Forgiveness

Cover the Earth

Packing Our Bags

An Obstructed View

Kindness

Depression

Bent Trees

The Gift of Peace

Saving

The Ache

A Silent Night

The Way

Faith

Loving Lord

PART 3

Starting for Home

Oh, My Darling Clementine

PART 4

Good Tidings

Joy to the World

I Am the Good Shepherd

Lazarus and the Rich Man

The Ten Lepers

Jesus in the Home of Levi

The Widow’s Son

The Denial Of Peter

A Meditation: Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus to Carry His Cross

Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross

Christ Loved Us and Gave Himself Up for Us

For God So Loved the World

The Love of Jesus

A Meditation: Jesus Is Placed In the Tomb

The Ascension

Pentecost

The Mercy Of God

PART 5

We Are Hard-Pressed

Our Hearts Rejoice

All Things

Jesus’s Love and Grace

I Will Bless You

The God of Hope

Give Thanks

Respect

A Prayer

Petition

Purity

Praying

Called By Name

God’s Gift

This Is the Day the Lord Has Made

Trust in the Lord and Do Good

My Cup

You Are My God

For He Commands His Angels

A Woman Who Honors The Lord

God Arms Him with Strength

Beloved, I Pray that All May Go Well with You

Clouds

Father’s Love and Hope

The Lord is Good

The Trust of God

Be Still

The Lord is One

Courage

Love

Life

Suffering

Sacrament

Joy

Dear Father

Chant of Love

Majesty

For Me

What I Could Have Done

A Child of God

May the God of Hope Fill You

Honor

Caring

The Lord Is King

Light

Peace

Perseverance

Abandonment

Quiet

Courtesies

Sickness

Climbing Mountains

Holiness

Adoration

Prayers

Jesus

Prayers

Prayers

PART 6

Preface

Jazzy and the Shiny, Bright Night

A Light for the Nations

The Holly Berries

ILLUSTRATIONS

1. The Cover

2. Part One

3. The Great Commandment

4. The Old Lions

5. Blue, She Wore

6. Your First Day

7. Just For A Moment

8. Isaac’s Prayer

9. Humble And Beautiful, My Dad, The Custodian Of Our Hearts

10. Change

11. Helping With Ptsd

12. Robe Of Compassion

13. A Letter From A Grandson

14. A Winter’s Morning

15. To Breathe The Fresh Air

16. A Time To Be Given

17. The Gift Of Love

18. Chasing Butterflies

19. Haiku For The Hours

20. Accepting Applications

21. Leave Your Fear On The Mountainside

22. There Is A Light

23. Where The Treetops Glisten

24. A Letter To Laura

25. Sharing With Father Peter

26. A Bunny

27. The Our Father

28. Part 2

29. An Open Letter To Someone Contemplating Suicide

30. Worry

31. Her First Mother’s Day In Heaven

32. Joy’s Gift

33. Perhaps

34. Bent Trees

35. Part 3

36. Part 4

37. Part 5

38. Part 6

39. What I Could Have Done

40. Searching

41. The Art Of Thanksgiving

42. A Time To Hope

43. A Time To Believe

44. Starting For Home

PREFACE

Surrounded by his love, we are given great peace and joy, knowing he is there, with us, for all eternity. Our families, our friends, and our lives are all intertwined with his love, comfort, hope, care, and help for us and for all. We live our lives surrounded by his love.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

With thankfulness and deep appreciation, I would like to acknowledge all the contributors to this book:

Jeff Bradley

Bernadette Finley

Karina Garrison

Barbara Hervey

Claude Kinty

Jonathan Llewellyn

Ann Majoris

Isaac Majoris

Michael Majoris

Josie Pate

Lynda Cross Slowikowski

Sharon Ann Steele

Marilynn Walker

Margie Zellars

PART 1

You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in Your care, You watch over my life.

—Job 10:12

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THE GREAT COMMANDMENT

Claude Kinty

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Thou shalt love the Lord God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment and the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (Matt. 22:37–39, KJV).

When we look at the cross of Jesus Christ, we can see the true meaning of the love of God. We know that what he did, he did for us, and he called us to walk in that love for one another.

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves. For charity shall cover a multitude of sins (1 Pet. 4:8, KJV).

If a man loves me, he will keep my words, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him (John 14:23, KJV).

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is Love (1 John 4:7–8, KJV).

THE OLD LIONS

Karina Garrison

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I entered the hospital to visit my father the same way I left it—weary and with a tender vine of heartache weaving itself around my emotions. Saying that the recent months had been tough would be an understatement, and the last few years—well, they had been brutal. I’d been to the heights of hope only to crash and burn. I’d witnessed the kindest of hospital staff and the coldest and most insolent ones. I’d batted away quality of life speeches and replaced them with the true value of human life.

Everywhere I turned, it seemed there was an endless sea of hurdles to scale or mountains to move.

As an inspirational speaker and writer, my well of what I thought was never-ending inspiration was, indeed, drying up.

Even people of faith get weary, I reasoned. So what do they do then? How do they draw water from an empty well?

I remembered when I held my father’s hand a few days earlier. He couldn’t speak or move, but his eyes found mine when I called to him.

The staff didn’t think much of that fact, but I did. I recognized the flame in his blue depths––that spark of fire that showed me that he understood and was still present and pushing to survive.

The day before he’d gotten ill, he’d asked me about the writing project I’d been working on. He’d always offered me ideas, eager to help and proud of his youngest child, the author. But on this particular day, we were interrupted, and I hadn’t answered his question. It has bothered me ever since; the question just hung there––lingering in the air like a leaf on an autumn breeze.

We’d been unable to communicate fully since.

Dad, I whispered in his ear, I want to write again—to work on something that would make you proud, but I’m really struggling. Inspiring words can’t come from a dark place. I wish you could give me ideas like before.

Are you Karina? a nurse asked as she entered the room. Earlier, your family mentioned you’d be in. They also told me that you’re a writer.

A writer of no words, I thought. Yes, I said.

You currently working on anything? she asked, and I couldn’t tell whether she was truly interested or just trying to make conversation.

Not at the moment, I answered, but even as I spoke, I grimaced. I had never been without uplifting words before.

My father moaned as the nurse touched his sore arm, and I turned to him. Even at his advanced age, he’d been through more gut-wrenching procedures than many younger men, yet he still fought with a determined, ironclad spirit to survive.

Once again, I was reminded of his remarkable generation—of that war-veteran era that produced some of the most tenacious and faithful human beings ever. They were valiant fighters and steadfast defenders of everything decent. But how had they remained so strong? What secret did they harbor that I and the current generations could learn from?

I’m sorry, but you’ll have to leave now, the nurse instructed, drawing me out of my thoughts. He’s scheduled for more tests. You can return after seven.

I studied her for a moment. Who was this woman, really? Was she gentle? Kind? Impatient? Who were all of these medical people