Author: Mimi Acosta

Mimi Acosta is a retired secondary school administrator and educator. Soon after they were blessed with a saving faith, Mimi and her husband, Noé, began a ministry of education for pastors in Latin America—Gospel Through Colombia. Through this mission, Mimi teaches women’s Bible studies and encourages women to do the same within their churches and communities. At her church in Central Florida, Mimi sings in the choir. She enjoys writing songs and poetry.
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Gardens of God’s Grace

This is a morning of mornings, Sweet Sister!

A tiny hummingbird paid a visit to our newly planted morning glories.  The whirring wings produced a diaphanous halo around the bird as she hovered about the wide open lavender trumpets.  The elegant beak moved into one flower for, what seemed, but a small eternity, and then, off she went, seeking her sugary repast from another part of the well endowed garden.  This was one smart little bird!

I could not help but think of this diminutive creature, blessed with the capability to hover as a helicopter, equipped with her own built-in straw to suck sweet nectar from a magnificent bloom.  She was small, but lovely, as was the flower that provided her food this morning. And, although it was my husband’s delight to plant for me such a royal garden—right outside my breakfast nook— it was certainly God’s precious grace that initiated everything—this morning, from all eternity.

As if I had no cares at all, my thoughts today continued on the bird and the flower and the whole landscape. Every portion, part and parcel of that moment was a gift from God. God enhanced this creature with a talent for suspended animation, as her tiny wings fluttered at a rate impossible to determine. Her delicate beak, light enough for flight, long enough for feeding, little enough for her lilt, was crafted by our perfect Creator.

There was, also, the morning glory, a triumph among flowers, a delicate little roadside diner for passing hummingbirds. Each bloom with wide open mouth, singing praises to our gracious Father, enticed me to burst into Doxology—to Him be the glory—alongside the roses, hibiscus, geraniums and hydrangea.  What a Garden of Grace! God gives us eyes to see the color of each flower, ears to listen to the rainfall on the petals, hearts to enjoy His Creation.

At prayer, today, my eyes fell upon a cross.  It is an ornate metal object, designed for beauty, a symbol to remind me of what God’s grace did for me.  I thought about Jesus and His gardens.  One was the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) where sinful man would first hear the Gospel of Grace—the promise of Jesus, the Redeemer.  Then there was the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22), Christ’s torture chamber, where the suffering of Jesus, the Savior, would begin.  But, oh, Sister, there was a third garden—the Garden Tomb—where death itself, was defeated (John 20)!  Jesus, our Risen Lord, reigns eternal.  Now that is Grace!

As we sing the hymns that describe Grace as amazing, wonderful and marvelous, and, ah, Grace is certainly all of these, we should keep in mind that God’s grace was expensive, is abundant, and belongs to Him alone to give as a gift.  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9.  His grace is bestowed on us, not earned by us.

That is what makes it so special—that a simple, little hummingbird would be designed so well to be able to be fed in midair from a flower that grows wildly in the garden of the home where dwells a sinner—a sinner saved by Grace!

~ Your sister, Mimi

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Parfait Please, With a Cherry On Top!

My Dear Sister,

Kindness is a delightful virtue that smiles often, never frowns, is not self-absorbed and  is always received with gladness and, sometimes, with surprise.  As a distinct fruit of the spirit, following a list of virtues—love, joy, peace and patience, (Galatians 2:22) kindness is the cherry on top of the parfait!

Kindness is the ignition to selfless, altruistic performance:  help for the helpless, provision for the needy, encouragement for the distressed, gentleness to the sarcastic.  Random acts of kindness are never counted or measured.  People just do them, for family and for strangers, stretching beyond their daily routine or work, sometimes incurring a financial expense, sometimes resulting in back pain and, yet, they expect nothing in return.  One does not even think about a simple kindness extended.  Small acts of kindness are as meaningful as any.  The loveliest aspect of kindness is that it is received and extended without expectation either way.  We all experience that feel good feeling from kindness, but we must never forget that kindness of every degree flows from the one source of true love—God!  Have you received kindness this week?  Have you extended kindness today sister?

You and I could always use an example to help us understand. God gives us a beautiful model of kindness in His word.  Consider the kindness of the Proverbs 31 Woman.  She exudes the virtue, doing her daily chores selflessly and joyously.  She rises early and retires late so that her day is long enough for her to pour out as many acts of kindness as possible: she works with her hand in delight (v. 13); she extends her hand to the poor, and stretches out her hands to the needy (v. 20); she opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue (v. 26).   Ah, that is it—she teaches kindness by her talk and her walk!

Dear sister would that my talk and walk were as drenched in kindness as hers!  Oh, I rise early and go to sleep late, but do I extend kindness in that time?  Am I wasting precious kindness opportunities by treating others as if they owe me something?  Do I create my agenda with a continuum of give me, get me, or do for me?

Recently, a man was featured on television for his commitment to one act of kindness daily; Just one act.  He was being admired and praised across the nation.  Imagine that—just one act of kindness!  Just ONE act of kindness, really?

As a Child of God, saved by His mercy and grace, it is my duty and privilege to live my life to His glory!  That means that my every moment should be one of obedience, selflessness, and praise to Him in everything that I do. There are so many ways to please God through kindness today, kindness done only in His presence. I can write a Get Well card.  I can sing a hymn while doing an unpleasant, neglected chore.  I can respond gently to a harsh word.  I can bless a homebound person with a phone call.  I can pray.

Oh, how I want to be a constant flowing fountain of kindness!  But I am not.  This is where I fall short of the glory of God.  Dear sister, please pray for me, that my daily tasks are not accompanied by resentment, that my contributions to the poor and needy are done without fanfare, and that what I say is never abrupt or hurtful.  Pray that the seed of kindness that was planted in me by God’s grace would begin to grow and blossom. I want to extend as much kindness as the Lord will permit—to my husband, to my family, to my friends, even to those who dislike me.

Proverbs 31 ends with praise for the woman who fears the Lord.  May this holy fear be ours today with praise to God in every kindness that pours from our being.

Kindness is such sweet fruit.  Like the cherry on a parfait!

With Love in our Kind Jesus,

Mimi

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Our Rock, Our Hope

Dear Sister,

Are you enjoying the festivities of this wonderful Christmas season?  Christmas is my favorite time of year and it is my heartfelt expectation that you would be joyful as we celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ, Son of God, Redeemer, Savior, King and our only HOPE.

Amazingly enough, the sound of HOPE permeates the air through the ringing of Salvation Army volunteers, children’s lists for Santa Claus, and the resolutions for the New Year.  There is hope for the store retailers that their shelves will be emptied by December 24, and that there will be no returned items on December 26.  There is hope for a father to keep his job.  There is hope for a family to be reunited with their loved one serving in the military.

Every moment in our life there is hope—that the car will last another month, or that the bills could be paid, or that the marriage will get better, or that the cancer will go away.  We hope for an early spring, for a job promotion, for a winning season, for a good report card.  We have hope…that longing, sometimes, aching of the heart, which appears as a light at the end of the tunnel, the silver lining of a cloud, the smile that follows a sigh.

Have you felt sometimes that your hope is dwindling dear one?  Perhaps I can encourage you.

“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” Are you familiar with this hymn? Remember the refrain? “On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

This old hymn is eternally relevant and reminds us that we may enjoy the beauty of God’s creation, the loveliness of seasons, the coziness of home and family, the security of a job, and safety in our country—but we must not make these things our hope.   Alongside all these blessings, we might, also, suffer poverty, illness, tragedy, confrontation, heartache—and we must not bear these afflictions with hopelessness.

With the God-given gift of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are able to enjoy and endure, knowing that our eternal home is not in this world, but in heaven with Him.   Jesus Christ, our solid ROCK, is our hope! “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  Colossians 1:27.

Stand on the ROCK with me, my friend, and be encouraged.  There is no one better than Jesus Christ to know all about life in this world.  He created this world, lived in this world and sustains this world.  What glory He receives when a person’s heart is touched by the Holy Spirit and that person trusts in Christ alone for his eternal joy!

Mild he lays his glory by;

Born that man no more may die,

Born to raise the sons of earth,

born to give them second birth.

Hark! The herald angels sing;

“Glory to the newborn King.”

 

Have a Blessed Christmas, full of joy and hope!

Mimi

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To Love Mercy

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8

Dear Sister,

The mercy of God is no small matter, we must love it!  Throughout Scripture, we are reminded constantly that we are at God’s mercy for everything–EVERYTHING. The word, mercy, is often interchanged with the words lovingkindness, and compassion.  The three are synonymous, and our hearts and minds are blessed by verses that contain these words.

God’s mercy is great in forgiveness.  In Psalm 51: 1, David cries out to God, Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my iniquity.  David knew that in his grievous sins of adultery, manipulation and murder, God’s mercy provides forgiveness.  Whenever I sin, the Holy Spirit does not let me rest until I confess it to God, ask for His mercy, and trust in His forgiveness.

God’s mercy is boundless in His provision.  In Hosea 14:3, for in You the orphan finds mercy, the prophet acknowledges that all our physical, material and emotional needs are met in the mercy of God.  In my daily prayers to our Heavenly Father, I often take to Him my needs and wants.  Well, He may not give me what my flesh desires, but He always gives me exactly what I need.  Every little morsel of food, my ability to walk and talk and breathe, and the blessing of a loving and dedicated husband are all within His provision, by His mercy upon me.

Also, Sweet Sister, God’s mercy is rich in grace.  In Luke 1: 46-55, Mary exalts God in a burst of song, and remembers that His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him.  Mary knew that her only hope for salvation was God’s mercy in providing a Redeemer.  Alongside Mary, we never deserve to spend our eternity in the bliss of Heaven, yet, God sent us His Son, Jesus, Who is 100% God and 100% man, to pay in full for all of our sins.  By God’s mercy, we are given the faith to believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior.  In John 10: 27-28, Jesus gives us His word that we can leave this earth at any time and immediately be in His blessed arms.

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

Oh, to love mercy!

Your Sister,

Mimi

 

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The Virtue of Self Control

Dear Sister,

As the autumn leaves begin to express changes beyond their control, I meditate upon what truly controls those changes that always result in the colorful splendor of a landscape that had been monochromatic for many months.  It is not that the leaves lack self control.  It is that they submit to the One Who controls the leaves—and everything else in His Creation.

Often enough, I think that I am in control of my time and space, my person and health, my ambitions and my will.  I make my agenda, go for my walk, and make my plans.  I think that I have it all together—that is, until someone or something gets in the way of what follows the “my”.

I used to believe that self-control was something I demonstrated to others.  I always received an A on my report cards in the area of Behavior and Self-Control.  How glad I was to know that the teacher had missed those times— when I chatted during class, when I used a cheat sheet, or when I lied that I knew John Lennon’s cousin!   With total satisfaction, I took my “A” in Behavior and Self-Control and thought of myself as being a very good little girl.

You know, Dear Sister, my Christian walk began late in life, but, I thank my God for His perfect timing.  I love my Holy God, I love the Holy Bible, and I love His holy people.  But what I do not love is the sinner that I was and still am.  To think that my good behavior and self-control had been rewarded, I recognize even that as sin.  There is no small sin—not for a child, not for a woman, not for the daughter of the Most High God.  Sin is sin, the result of not having self-control.

How could there be true self-control, without God controlling the SELF?  Whenever I forget that, and I forget it too often, I will answer unkindly, or boil up with impatience, or participate in gossip.  You could see me in action anytime someone crosses my plans, or crosses my path, or crosses my pride.  There is only one cross that should affect us. It is the Cross of Christ.  

Self-control is a wonderful virtue that comes when we believe that all of our sins—past, present and, future sins— are completely forgiven because God has given us the faith to believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior.  His death on the cross was not drama for books and films, but was a real event that had cosmic effect over all time, space and creation.  It is a virtue that helps us set limits, restrains our behaviors, and keeps us hopeful.  As Peter states so tenderly: “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”  (1 Peter 1:13)  Although Peter may be speaking here about Christ’s Second Coming, for new believers, or for those you and I meet today who may believe, this is great advice for the changing of lives and for the renewing of minds.  

As you and I, Dear Sister, continue in our Christian walk, remember that we want to hate sin and anything out of control that reeks of sin, and that when we do sin, we have Jesus, our Advocate, and God’s Throne of Mercy and Grace.  We need to remember that our Christian walk is paved with virtuous struggles, preserving us by God’s Holy Spirit.  Again, I refer to Peter, whose lack of self-control mirrored our impetuosity, our impertinence, and our impropriety.  He indicates here how each virtue moves toward self-control, and, then, builds upon self-control.  

From 2 Peter 1: 6-8,  “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  

Notice, Dear One, self-control is right in the middle!
Let us look, again, at the exquisite leafy panorama in orange, yellow, red and gold, and remember that the same God Who controls these dying leaves, are controlling us and preserving us for a magnificent eternal life with Him.
Enjoy His gift of autumn!
Mimi