Refuge Church CGC

06/02/2026

Just Get Away

Almost every person has that special place where the Holy Spirit speaks quietly into their hearts. A few I know have modeled a prayer room in their home similar to a scene in the movie “War Room.” They have shared they often lose time in this place and a few times the peace is so great that they have fallen into a deep sleep. For some it means turning the radio up to their favorite Christian station and driving mindlessly singing and rejoicing in the presence of the Lord. My son Allen loved to sit in a window watching a summer thunderstorm racing through the area. He said the rumbling thunder and flashes of light reminded him of the awesome power of the Lord.

Then there are those who find great solitude sitting outside enjoying the first rays of daylight creeping over the land. As the world seems the wake up, the various birds bring their morning song of praise to their Creator. They know that come rain or shine the day would always begin to break through the blackness of the previous night. That moment in time restores their hope in the Lord.

Some enjoy long walks on nature trails watching the wildlife, the sound of the gentle breezes blowing through the bushes as the shadows of sunlight wave through the leaves on the trees. Occasionally, a squirrel may scurry across their path and in some areas larger wildlife will dart ahead of them. Others have an array of feeders bringing wildlife like birds, squirrels, and hummingbirds and a vast array of colors fliting back and forth.

For me personally, my favorite place is at the beach. As a caregiver, first to my husband and then my son, I was unable to travel to the beach for about 10 years. After my son passed, a dear friend gifted me two nights at an ocean front condo. At first, I refused her generous gift feeling it was too valuable. Finally, I accepted and stepped out into this new adventure. To be honest, I almost turned around to return home when I realized the trip required going over a tall bridge. Yep, my fear of heights almost got the best of me. I quickly realized I was at the point of no return, and I was forced to continue on the journey.

Then as I reached the top of the bridge, I could see the vast blue ocean. My tears flowed freely as this beautiful sight waved to me. I remember walking out on the balcony watching the waves rushing on shore as the roar of the waves pushed aside the sounds of the world around me. I remember walking for hours, grabbing seashells for later memories, and just listening to the sounds of the water. I realized as I sat quietly in that place that the Holy Spirit was ministering deeply to my heart. I had dealt with years of illness, sorrow, watching loved ones losing their battle to stay with us, and I promise you it was a heavy burden to endure. However, at this place and at this time, the Spirit of the Lord washed away so much of the sorrow and grief I was carrying. Do I still grieve? Yes, but not to the same intensity as in those days.

My point is this; I encourage you to go to the place that touches you, that delivers you, that brings hope back to your weary heart. Whether it’s for a few minutes, hours, or even days, go! Your heart needs the touch that only the Holy Spirit can bring. Whether it’s the sounds of the ocean or the mountains, or your music blaring, go for it. Draw near to the Lord and hold on to the truth that He is with you.

06/01/2026

Scars of the Past

You know there are times in our life when we sit and think about our past and all that we have endured. For some, their life seems like a fairy tale as they lived in a home with loads of love and compassion for one another. They had struggles and arguments but those were quickly left behind as the entire family moved forward. But honestly, I only know of a few that have that kind of past. Then there are those who looked ideal from the outside but unfortunately, behind closed doors was a totally different story. Some suffered horrible abuse whether it was mental, physical, verbal or worse. Being one of the thousands upon thousands of children who lived in a foster home, I can assure you that the horror stories some of the children suffered through can leave scars that no one sees but always remain with them.

I think about different individuals throughout the Word who experienced situations that affected them throughout their life. Eve suffered with the loss of one son through murder and the knowledge that her other son was the murderer. In a moment in time both sons were lost. Even though she bore another son, Seth, as any mother knows, you can never replace the loss of a child.
Think about Mary Magdalene for a moment. We have no idea of the horrors she underwent as either a child or an adult. However, we see the aftermath in the form of a woman tormented by demonic forces. Yet through the touch of the Master, a woman once besieged was set free through the power of the Lord. Mary Magdalene’s life and restoration became a testament of God’s mercy and love.

Joseph, a beloved son, hated by his brothers, was betrayed, sold for mere pennies, imprisoned, falsely accused, and forgotten by many. This young man rose to a position of authority and power under Pharoah. When the very brothers that betrayed him and came before him searching for food, he could have reacted with equal amounts of hatred executing them in an instant. Yet, He was able to look beyond his past and see the hand of God at work in his life and the lives of his family. Revealing who he was, this now grown and powerful man chose forgiveness. “What you meant for harm; God meant for good.” God’s mercy extended not only to Joseph but to countless others including the very ones who caused suffering to this young man.

The list continues throughout the Word. Imagine Abraham’s pain, watching Hagar walking away with his son Ishmael, knowing it was his own actions that resulted in this event. Or Peter facing the reality that he denied the Lord just as was spoken. Picture the agony of those days immediately following the crucifixion. His heart must have ached as he faced the truth of his betrayal. How could he ever overcome the treachery? Saul, later renamed Paul, lived with the knowledge that even though he had cried out for forgiveness, he sent countless individuals to prison and their death simply because of their belief in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Betrayal, rejection, abandonment, self-indulgence, wrong choices, and blatant sin, can cause scars that we have to face long after the action. Some of the heartaches came as a result of someone else’s choices. Others are the result of our own actions. No matter how they arrived those scars often determine our actions and more importantly our reactions to certain situations. Yet, as we surrender to the Lord, yielding our heart, our mind and spirit we discover that in spite of our past the Lord reaches out to us. Like the prodigal’s father who began running to meet his son, the Lord runs to us also. He eagerly awaits for our return and to see this journey of healing begin in our life.

Do you have scars? In reality we all do in one form or another. How do we react to these areas of pain? Do we allow the Lord to minister and deal them or do we continue to cave in and react? We have to hold on to the reality that our scars are a result of our past. They only have the ability to hold us back if we allow them too. Today, seek the Lord. Seek His healing power. Seek His mercy and grace and press forward. Today is a new day.

06/01/2026

06/01/2026

VBS Thursday Friday Jun 4&5, 530pm to 8pm- Sat Jun 6th 1030am - 1pm Refuge Cgc @ 4875 coras grove rd Willard NC

05/31/2026

05/27/2026

“Be” My All in All

While I studied, three simple words seemed to jump off the page as I was taking notes. At first, I didn’t understand exactly why they stood out so much but as I began praying, the Lord ministered to me the importance of all three words. The words alone are just random but with His revelation each one made perfect sense, and how they related to my life. The words all began with the letters “be” and in a specific order. Three simple words but definitely impactful, behind, beside, and before.

As I thought about my life over the years, I can see the hand of the Lord that guarded me, protected me, guided me and was always with me long before I came to know Him or understand His love for me. He was always “behind” me. At times, He protected me from harm at the hands of others. Then there were the times when He watched me falter and fall when the choices in my life were devastating. He was always right there behind me, calling me to turn around and see His face and to see His heart for me.

I remember traveling with my husband and suddenly we became surrounded by 18-wheelers. There was one in front, one behind, and one riding close to us on the driver’s side. There was no place to go, no exit coming up, no safe way to escape the situation. To slow down would be unwise with the truck riding our bumper. There was no opportunity to go around even though there were two lanes going in each direction. Talk about nerve wracking. I was so thankful when my husband said, “Find us the first exit off this road.”

As that memory came to me yesterday, I thought about how often it seems like I have faced the same type of situation in my life whether it was physical or spiritual. Surrounded by struggles with no viable path away from the situations. At times, it might have been dealing with finances. Other times, it may have been a struggle with health issues, or when our son was critically injured with a life-changing outcome. Life is constantly changing and unfortunately, there are times when we feel surrounded with no viable way out of our predicament. It looks hopeless and we are completely helpless. Yet, the Lord is always right ‘beside’ us. He is faithful and true, keeping His promises to never leave nor forsake us.

The last word was “before”. I am so thankful to know that the Lord goes before me, guiding my steps and lighting the path of His choosing for my life. May I be sensitive to His call upon my life. May my hunger and thirst for more of the Lord forever increase. May the Lord continue to draw me closer to His heart and reveal His words of insight and wisdom. I am so thankful to know whether it was in my past, my current situation in life, and even in my future that the Lord is right there with me. He has always been faithful and true and will continue to do so now.

If you are struggling in life, please know that you are not alone. Maybe you are in a situation that resembles the incident on the highway with the 18-wheelers; please know the Lord will provide a way of escape even though you may not see it at the moment. Trust Him. He has always been behind you, He is beside you in this very moment and as you seek His face, He will go before you and guide your steps. Hold on to His Word and know that you are never truly alone.

05/26/2026

We are getting ready for take off! If you have not registered your kids, get them registered today! We can't wait to see you at Galaxy VBS!

http://www.tinyurl.com/VBSGalaxy2026

05/24/2026