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Inspiring Voices - Patricia Aldridge-Hinkle

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56 pages

English

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How do you react to unexpected events in your daily life? Do you panic when devastated, or do you see opportunities for growth? Do personal disasters destroy you, or do they make you stronger? And are your eyes open to behold the wonder and the beauty of life, even as you grieve? In Our Visible God, author Patricia Aldridge-Hinkle shares her own touching and heartfelt life narrative-a narrative about a very happy woman whose life has been filled with both grief and intense joy and thanksgiving. Her love for God and for others has enabled her to see God's hand and guidance leading her through tough times with courage and with confidence in her Lord. Through her journey, God teaches her how to praise Him even in her darkest days. With faith, we can see God revealed both in ordinary and extraordinary situations, and seeing God is not necessarily a supernatural event-though it can be if God chooses to make it one. Most of the time seeing God is an exciting state of mind and an attitude. It can put a smile on our faces and a bounce in our strides as we are led daily into ministry to others, for "blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8).

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Philosophie et théologie

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Publié par	Inspiring Voices
Date de parution	27 janvier 2017
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781462412099
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0200€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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OUR VISIBLE GOD

PATRICIA ALDRIDGE-HINKLE
Copyright © 2017 Patricia Aldridge-Hinkle.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

“Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

[Scripture quotations are]from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked KJV are taken from the KING JAMES VERSION (KJV): KING JAMES VERSION, public domain.

Inspiring Voices
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.inspiringvoices.com
1 (866) 697-5313

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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

ISBN: 978-1-4624-1208-2 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4624-1209-9 (e)

Inspiring Voices rev. date: 01/26/2017

DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to the Glory of God, as He reveals Himself daily to those who have eyes of faith to see Him.
CONTENTS
OUR VISIBLE GOD IS SEEN
IIN GRIEF
In All Things Give Thanks!
Consolation
You Are Not Alone
The Hole In The Sky
IIIN CHURCH
The Attic Window
Packing Up
IIIIN UNEXPECTED PLACES
Invisible In Plain Sight
Pure Joy!
IVIN NATURE
Music In The Sky
The Stink Lily
The Stink Bug
Suspended In Thin Air
A Walk In Autumn
VIN FAMILY
Back In The Groove
Surprise!
Vigil
That’s My Abby!
A Prayer For J.T.
Blessings Continue
VIIN FEAR
Hawk On The Steeple
Death Threat
Pre-Flight Panic
Sub-Zero Angel
VIIIN A CHAOTIC WORLD
Food For Thought
Give Thanks
Thanksgiving Day Contrasts
Change
FOREWORD
Our life narrative is composed of a beautiful and complex tapestry consisting of our stories and heart songs. These are woven together to define who we are and how we have lived.
More than two decades ago, I was appointed to serve Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church. One of the first people I met was the Director of Music and Arts, Pat Aldridge. I instantly found in her a partner in ministry who shared a deep love for Christ and people. We worked together for nine years in serving the community around us and glorifying our Creator.
I was instantly amazed by Pat’s diverse talents and gifts. She was an extremely talented musician who could draw from her choir music which exceeded their combined talents. Because they so loved her, they gave their all to the task of singing. The music that proceeded from the choir was a heavenly chorus each week.
Accompanying the choir were talented instrumentalists – organ, trumpets, French horn, cello and tympani - who were amazing. Even though the church was of a modest size, Pat put together an ensemble rivaling any church in the region. Even to this day, I long to have such a talented group playing in the church I serve. Each week the congregation was treated to a heavenly symphony that honored God.
Pat had a knack for writing and producing drama. Our church was known throughout upper East Tennessee for our Christmas productions. Several hundred people would grace our campus for dinner theater. They would leave with both their bellies and hearts filled to the brim. It was amazing because all who performed were amateurs, most of whom before working with Pat knew they had little or no acting abilities. She even placed me on stage. How did she get out of us what she did?
From every anthem and play Pat conducted, something special was communicated to the audience. We knew it was more than a technically performed work of art. It was Pat sharing her heart and passion with God and with us. We were so blessed to have a taste of heaven on earth.
While Pat’s artistic flare was a blessing to me, another deep passion of her touched me more. Pat loved people and had an empathy which flowed into nearly all those she knew. Even though I carried the title of “pastor,” in the congregation, it was Pat who had the “pastor’s heart.”
Early on in my ministry at the church, I felt as though Pat spent too much time and energy in caring for others. It seemed she always knew who was hurting and struggling and would share the information with me. I thought her level of concern and care she was providing would interfere with her primary job as our music and arts director.
I was so wrong. Never did the quality and timeliness of her work falter. Her prep for worship, preparing the choir, helping with the children and youth music ministries and Christian theater were always excellent.
Eventually, I came to realize God had given her the gift of compassion. She had so much love to share with others. Even to this day, Pat’s love for others has not dimmed but continues to shine brightly. When we talk, she will share what is going on in the lives of others.
Pat’s first husband was a key leader in the congregation and was loved by all. He was a spiritual giant in the church and in the community. He was a great ally. Pat and Duard were the perfect couple. They so deeply loved and supported each other.
The tapestry of our lives is often given its most brilliant colors when pain is woven into its pattern. Our agony becomes a contrast shading the work of art.
I had made plans to attend a conference with my father and another colleague. Pat had assured me all would be well at the church during my absence. She was sure the staff could manage quite well without me. (She was right because they did a great job).
So, with all my preparations made, we set off one morning for Atlanta. Little did I know that within an hour of my departure, Pat received a call informing her of her husband’s collapse. It would be just a matter of a few minutes that she would learn he could not be revived.
I would not learn of Duard’s death for several hours after my arrival in Atlanta. (This was before my cell phone was a constant companion.) When I heard the news, my heart sank. I contacted Pat as quickly as possible. I knew I could not return immediately because of traveling with others. As I talked with Pat, I could feel she was heartbroken, yet she was so understanding of my situation and showed more compassion toward me than I had been able to express for her.
Grief was so real to my sister. She never tried to run from it but seemed to run into it knowing she would emerge stronger at some point. While some of her heart songs had notes of melancholy, her heart never stopped singing.
Some years after I left Wesley Memorial I was talking with a mutual friend. He shared with me Pat was marrying a widower from the area. I did not know the man and I felt it was important for me to approve. But Pat did not consult with me, nor did I have opportunity to interview her new groom.
When I met Clark, I first thought, “Man, you are blessed!” Then as I got to know him, I realized he is a blessing to Pat. She was given another opportunity to share her life with a great man.
Many of the stories and poems you will read in this book are a part of my life experience with Pat. As I read them, my memories come alive and my heart sings. I imagine being present in those events I did not have the fortune to enjoy with Pat. My narrative of my life and the strength of my heart have been uplifted by sharing life with Pat.
I know you will be fed and enriched as you read these stories and heart songs. You will find yourself soaring and at times weeping. You will remember your stories and hum your own heart songs. Maybe, if you are lucky, you will be able to find a vantage point from which you can view your own life tapestry.
Dr. Dwight Kilbourne
Senior Pastor
Ooltewah United Methodist Church
Ooltewah, Tennessee
PREFACE
Have you seen God? No? Yes? Perhaps? How can we “see” God? Is not God, Whom we worship, unlimited in size, shape, and scope? Does not His all-encompassing love and the fact that He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient give Him the ability to be seen at all times, by all people, and in all places? Yes, if we are looking through the eyes of faith that only He can give us. As creatures formed in God’s own image, I do believe that God can and does reveal (makes visible) Himself to us through all our senses.
When I was about five years old, my mother took me to the woods to get rich dirt for the many flowers she grew around our home. I was amazed to find beautiful flowers blooming everywhere in the woods. As I ran from plant to plant inspecting each colorful blossom, I was confused, because I knew that Mother worked very hard to grow her fl