ICY FIRE

A cooling pour over boiling

John 10:10: "The thief cometh not but for to steal, to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly."

Sometimes God is heat, a Holy Spirit fire of anointing and intensity. He gets my attention! Sometimes He is a blast of cold water, soothing and quieting and forcing my emotions to simply calm down. For someone wired like me, both a blunt warrior and yet an empath and a sensitive soul who deeply feels the sorrows of others, the cooling works best for my fevered brow.

Just like my own emotional state at times gets on "overwhelm and overload", so does our nation of the United States of America.

As we celebrate our nation's 249th birthday today, I have a couple of reflections.

Our dear USA is in severe overload, too many "amps", too much "wattage" being poured through too narrow of arteries. Something has to give...toooo much heat, icewater is needed!

Our whole USA culture is founded on the deep desire for freedom, an honorable pursuit. This is, however, a narrow line to seek and needs the balancing power of God. Freedom in pursuit by flawed human beings, this is much harder than it looks. Freedom has formidable prices to pay, parameters to abide by, in order to survive.

"Cause and Effect" has an annoying manner of tapping me on the shoulder and whispering "Excuse me, Miss Williams, I think you have some things to correct here... shall we talk?" Grrr... Being grounded by the presence of God and His Son means being grounded by overwhelming love, not scolding or condemnation. It is also a pure logic and survival tactic, especially for sometimes-ragged adventurers like myself, who wandered far afield, landed in plenty of mucky ditches and in dismay, stumbled back from the brink. In the lovely manner of "hindsight", I could have simply sat down next to Papa God, repented of my latest mess and asked for counsel on "how the heck do I get outta here??" Papa would have helped me up and out, step by muddy step and reviewed my mistakes in triplicate (gently!) But nooo...I had to do it myself... (blunt, you know...) and spent 35 years of stumbling until I found my way back Home to God. I would not suggest such practices…

Once the push is on for " do your own thing"...the foundational ramparts and barriers begin to crumble from within. My own Boomer generation was stuck, jam-in-the-middle of all the expanding-demanding. In the overheat of battle, we tore down protective forces, not realizing the foundations were being fractured and crushed. Stupid is too weak a word for what we did, driven en masse by the lies of the devil. Pushing and cajoljng and insinuating, our boundaries of protection were kicked to bits. I can see this in reflection, in sorrow and great distress. While regret is not a helpful emotion...the sorrow remains, as does my indignation over the mess that resulted. I understand rebellion...as we were also thoroughly lied to, sacrificed on the altar of greed and power.

Sometimes in my past, when I lived in big cities where I both participated and later...ruefully observed dissolute behavior, I used to wish I could pour an ocean-sized vat of ice cold water over the overheated display! ( I never did get my wish, even if the cold water was to be poured over myself as well...)

I have certainly been an offender in being "over-sensitive " and too deeply reacting to the world, much to the dismay of parents and others. Learn by doing, that's me...but the price is high. "Don't be so sensitive " is an utterly useless condemnation for me, useless. I seek to not be encompassed by domineering structures that try to overcome me....and yet have primally experienced the negative results to some unwise behavior!

The devil is not stupid, he plays his deadly games quite well...and one of my brothers was sacrificed for stupidity when he was killed in 1968 in the Vietnam War. His life was stolen, along with thousands of other young American men. That war was the huge build of rage and sadness that pushed my generation over the edge and nearly me along with it.

In recent weeks on Substack and Notes, May, June and July 2025, I have seen increasing cries of sadness from younger generations...weary, angry, discouraged, feeling abandoned, plaintive, lied to, beaten down, sometimes literally beaten-on in the sex acts.

Talk about the rage of an Elder...one who did not bear her own children, I aborted both of them in 1973. I see these sorrowful kids of 2025...and I want to yell at the top of my spiritual lungs..." you have value, you are loved, you are needed, please hang on! Don't allow that fallen angel, the devil, to devour you! He does nothing but lie!! You have needed gifts!" I am uncertain how I could minister to these young people, but only to say " I hear you, I was once there myself and there is hope for you, slow but sure."

I sigh and realize this may be my life's work...to encourage the discouraged and help "bind up the brokenhearted" and offer solace to the sorrowful. This may be the reason God kept me alive when I asked repeatedly to come Home. This is directly from Isaiah 61:1, "the spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek, he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted..." I am not equating myself with the Messiah! I am simply one of God's conduits for the mesage of Isaiah 61:1, the compassionate hearing of the sorrowful, in desperate need of help. I was one!

I do not push, nor do I scold, especially as I detest being scolded. I just empathize...offer a verbal hug or moment of attention to the dear humanity of a person I am speaking to...one of God's beloved creations.

I, who never gave birth...am offering a prayer, a momentary shoulder to cry on, a word of clarity or the potency of an empath, one who has their own wounds from the past wanders of a 35-year Prodigal to my Christian faith and who legitimately feels the sorrow of another. I may be blunt, but I am not shallow or smarmy, I am authentic and raw and real. Like a well-worn travel guide..." there's a bridge out ahead...slow way down!"

I can warn without shouting.

P.S I just had the thundering realization tonight, after reading one particularly poignant and plaintive essay by a gifted young lady, still a virgin in early 20's, sharing her deep desire to be loved before she had sex...and the sincerity of her desire. I was not able to offer a comment, as her Substack site was "only paid subscribers can comment." I wanted to gently empathize with her that I had the same thing in youth and that her longing to be loved is primal with young women...and many young men are just as sorrowful, the blind leading the blind. I also see in stark realization...even at four months from 73...that I am not yet emotionally healed in the male-female arena. Holy Spirit has a way of dropping strong realization in my proverbial lap! (Please continue). Help, Papa God...

Wendy Elizabeth Williams, Friday, July 4, 2025

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--Consider hiring me to do some short hops of writing for you. I am skilled at what I call "emotional-descriptive" writing. As a consumer who is not easily impressed with many products or services, I write as if I were presenting a product or service to myself! Authentic emotion is a powerful selling tool, not pushy but honorable. I call myself a "micro-entrepreneur" and that means a tiny company of one or a handful and that is my best serving arena. Contact me here on Substack Notes via a Direct Message or on my Ko-fi page. Very affordable, no long-term commitment!

--Please pray for me that I clearly hear Holy Spirit's dear voice, as He guides my writing. Thank you! Wendy