Gail Larson’s Blog

How do you feel about your name? What does it mean to you? Want to keep it? If so, why? Won’t you be the same person if you change it?

When names changed in the Bible, you knew something big had happened. Lives changed because God had been at work. Characters found themselves revitalized. A chapter closed, another one began. A change in a name meant something significant had happened. Expectations had been modified-usually raised.

And it’s happening to me. Next month, my name will change. I will no longer be Gail Larson because God has intervened. He has given me a new name-Gail Burleson.

I smile as I write this because something significant has happened. God, the heavenly Father of love, is bringing His children, Gail and Lon Burleson, together in His holy and perfect will. Joining together as husband and wife certainly merits a new name!

I want to share my joy with all of you…and ask you to continue following our progress on the journey where God leads us. In the near future, I will ask you to change your internet favorites from www.gaillarson.com to www.gailburleson.com and continue to ride along!

I cannot begin to know what He has planned for ALL of us…Remember what Paul said? “No eye has seen, nor ear has heard nor mind conceived what God has in store for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

But I do know He continues to work in our lives, month by month, day by day, hour by hour. With Lon at my side and God encircling both of us, I reach out to you in thanks and praise to our Savior, knowing our life paths grow ever closer. Thanks for your support, your prayers, and for riding along!

Looking ahead to the next glorious “hill” in our lives…

Gail   

I take great pleasure in sharing with you how God, our heavenly Father of love, has worked immense wonder in my life-bringing everything together in His holy and perfect will on March 12, 2010, when I will be joined in marriage to the man whom God has chosen.

A man filled with integrity and driven by God’s purposes, Lon Burleson lives and loves to serve his Savior. We met during a Sunday morning worship service a few years ago. He sat at one end of the pew and I happened to sit at the other end.

Oddly enough, no one came to sit between us! Lon smiled as he passed me the offering plate. When the tips of our fingers touched under the plate, he smiled again and life has been full of joys and surprises ever since!

So my wish for all of you-this Christmas and into the coming New Year-is that you too, will experience the wonder and awe that comes into life when you recognize the handiwork of God in your life. I pray that you will keep your eyes wide open and your heart soft and yielding.

Let His Spirit lead you. Let the endless love of the Savior weave your life-threads into His own beautiful tapestry. May His story become your story and may your life be forever blessed as we all journey forward together-learning, growing, becoming enmeshed with the Perfect Love which knows no ending!

Lon and I humbly ask for your prayers as our two paths become one, traveling in the same direction, eager to discover where God will take us!

We wish you hearts “full-to-bursting” with His love and joy during the closing days of 2009 and into 2010!

Faithfully His,

I traveled on a business trip this past week. The rainy, cold and dreary skies made me look forward to my trip home where Texans had been enjoying “chamber of commerce” weather. As I boarded my plane, I glanced through the window of the small regional jet and saw a large smudge in the middle of the window. My first impulse was to retrieve a tissue from my bag to wipe it clean - but a voice inside me said “look through the smudge, look through the Crystal Vue Coated Glass!”

Instead, I held the tissue, settled down for take-off, and postponed my window-cleaning.  As the plane rose above the runway, I gazed through the window to see the ground disappear into the cloud cover. Then as the plane pierced the clouds, the sky became a brilliant azure blue in the late afternoon sun!

I thought - how could all this glorious sun and sky be hidden from everyone on the ground? The cloud cover below the plane seemed like gray icing on a cake - there were no breaks - only continuous clouds. We were gliding to a destination called home through a seam between Heaven and the icing!

Then I noticed the tissue, still in my hand. I realized the wonder of the azure blue sky had led me to look past the large smudge on the window.  Why, I wondered, when it had annoyed me earlier? Because I focused on the beauty of God’s creation and allowed myself time to relax and reflect. I had taken the time to notice the panorama beyond the smudged window.

At times, aren’t we all too focused on what is immediately in front of us - right smack in our field of vision - a problem we must “deal with right now?” Paul writes - “So, friends, take a firm stand, feet on the ground and head high. Keep a tight grip on what you were taught, whether a personal conversation or by our letter. May Jesus Himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech.” (1Thessalonians 2: 15-17, the Message)

If you are reading these words, know this: I reflected on His Word for my two hour flight to Houston. I enjoyed looking through my Crystal Vue Coated window - unpolished! While watching a spectacular sunset, with the darkness of night chasing the tail of the plane, I considered all that I have been given - family, friends - unending blessings and thought of the week ahead.

Thanksgiving is more than taking time to spend time with friends and family - it is also a time to give thanks for all we have been given in good times, through hardships and loss. A time to prepare and celebrate our religious freedom and realize “…godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1Timothy 4:8 NIV)

 I try not to ask myself why the sky is so blue when it meets the gold night just before turning to darkness. I simply accept its beauty with the wonder of a child and smile - as it should be. Yes, this trip was my reflective time to prepare for Thanksgiving - to thank Him for all I have been given and for what is yet to come - for my family, friends, and all of you.

And for plane trips where I was led to look beyond a Crystal Vue Coated window that had not been polished. I cannot polish my sins or the sins of the world away - He did that for all of us! In that fact we are secure! Paul’s writes - “This is why we’ve thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We’re banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers. Get the Word out. Teach all these things.” (1Timothy 4:10-11 the Message)

Dear Friends, the world is waiting to hear what Jesus means to you - share the news of your Crystal Clear View of His Love for everyone - Teach with Your Life!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Thanks Gail for posting this story on the website!

Susie Wolf, Team Member
Gail Larson, Inc.

About halfway down the hall, it happened. Out of nowhere, one of the residents walked up to me and grabbed my hands in hers. She stepped within a couple inches of my face, her eyes sharp and glaring. I had seen eyes like hers before and knew I could never predict what she might do or say next.

Then with the voice of an orator who never needs a microphone, she declared, “I like to sing!”

“Me too!” I answered. “What should we sing?”

With every student’s eye upon us, she pulled me even closer, keeping my hands clasped with hers in an iron grip. “Jesus loves me!” she commanded.

Thankful that I knew her song choice, we begin to sing. Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…A few measures into the song she loosened her grip and I motioned the students to sing along. A few quavering voices joined us, then the chorus grew and other residents added their voices to ours. By the time we finished, the hallway was crowded with people singing about the love of our Savior. Everyone smiled and applauded, the resident released my hands, said ‘thank you’, and went back to her room while the students and I continued our tour.

Once again, finding God in the pages of the story of everyday life proved to be an uplifting experience. God is not far away, at the end of a long spiritual journey. He doesn’t live in a distant ivory castle somewhere. He is found in the middle of the events of your everyday life. He is as close as your next breath and the next song you sing.

Jesus does love you. Really. Behind every annoying circumstance, open your eyes wide and learn to see God as He governs all things. See that He can bring you closer to Him through troubling situations as well as through pleasant ones. Intrusions in your life can upset your plans and go against all that you want. But they also will chase you in the direction God wants you to go.

And isn’t that what it’s all about? Going where God wants you to go? Doing what He wants you to do? Our response to Him should be as enthusiastic as the words that one of my students said upon leaving the Alzheimer’s hallway. With gusto and conviction in her voice, she said, “Now, THAT is where I want to work!”

May you be blessed as you declare the same words today as you follow where God leads you.

Until next time, Find God In Your Story! FGIYS!

Gail

The absolute best place to be is where God puts you now. Any other place is undesirable because you chose it for yourself. In my own life, events of the past few months transpired to give me the opportunity to teach high school seniors in our district’s career and technology programs. Great hours, great kids, and great people to work around-all of this, with the additional benefit of being only five minutes from my home!

Just a few short months ago, I had no idea the position even existed. Yet, through a good friend’s email, the opportunity presented itself. Following up with prayer, lots of God-listening, and my friend’s encouragement, I applied and was excited to receive the job.

Through this experience, I have learned that a life of faith does two things. First, faith helps you see God behind everything and everyone He uses. Second, faith keeps you in a place where you are not sure what will happen next. To have faith you cannot always want to know what is happening or what is going to happen. God desires that you trust Him alone from minute to minute instead of devising your own schemes and dreams.

Resolve to let God take care of His business. Just be faithful to what God asks of you now. And where you are now, is exactly where you are supposed be. “Tomorrow will take care of itself…no worries.” (based on Matt. 6:34)

Any questions?

Wishing you listening hearts and faithful days,

Gail

I received an email invitation on Thursday, asking if I could make some time on Friday to speak with senior White House staff on a conference call.

Oh, right. Someone has too much time on their hands and has dreamed up another silly email joke.

My index finger hovered over the delete button as I read further. ANA member (American Nurses Association)…nurses-only health care reform conference call with White House Office of Health Reform Director… Senior Advisor to President… Director of Office of Public Engagement…White House Communications Office.

I pushed the ‘print’ button instead. And cleared my Friday afternoon calendar for the call.

As a registered nurse currently involved in recruiting and teaching high school seniors for health care professions, I know significant changes in our health care system need to be made. How long can people endure with what we have in place now? I know that over fourteen thousand folks every day lose their insurance coverage. Can significant changes be made that will be fair for everyone?

And as a Christian, I know that God tells me to reach out to help the hurting and needy. But there are millions…where do I start?

The White House staff gave us some ideas. Get the facts about the Health Care Reform bill. The real facts…not those being circulated around in chain emails.

Here’s a good place to start: Go to www.PolitiFact.com (non-partisan, St. Petersburg Times in Florida)

People who have read the Health Care Reform Bill in its entirety actually do exist. Jennifer Tolbert with Kaiser Family Foundation is one of them. As an independent health care analyst, she has read and analyzed its proposals, point by point. Check it out: http://www.kff.org/healthreform/sidebyside.cfm

Do you remember being told when you were young to clean up your room? As you looked at what needed to be done, you felt overwhelmed. The task seemed too big, too time-consuming. You wanted to turn your back on it and try to hold out until your mother finally gave up on you and did it for you.

Health care reform elicits somewhat the same feeling. Everybody wants to wait on their mothers to come in and clean up the mess.

But you are the mother. You are the father. And you are faced with a messy situation that needs to be addressed. Let’s dig in and see what we are dealing with. Have the authors of the bill done their absolute best to come up with viable solutions?

Jesus says, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:37-38)

Give it some thought. Give it some prayer. Read your emails carefully. Maybe the White House wants to speak with you too. After all, your connection with the Creator is powerful.

I’d love to hear what you think about this. Can health care be equitably given to everyone who needs it? Is this our Christian responsibility?

Gail

“God needed Michael in heaven more than we needed Michael here.”

These words stated by Stevie Wonder at Michael Jackson’s funeral service made me stand up and scream at the television.

God doesn’t NEED Michael Jackson any more than He NEEDS Billy Graham or Mother Theresa. God is God! All-powerful, all-knowing, all-present.

Stevie did not respond to my ranting. So for good measure, I gave him a piece of my mind. Stevie, I am so disappointed in you. If you knew Michael as well as we were led to believe and if Michael acknowledged God as the Giver of his musical gifts, why not share his faith in Christ with us? Millions could have heard of Jesus’ unending love and what He has done for each of us.

Unless Michael did not know Jesus as His Savior.

Who knows? Only God and Michael.

Where does that leave you and me? We know Jesus…don’t we? We follow Jesus…don’t we? We share Jesus…don’t we?

…well, don’t we?

We drive around town with fish bumper stickers on our cars; we make weekly appearances in our local churches; we wear Christian jewelry. Aren’t those nice ways to help others think about their faith?

What has happened to the fifteen million wearers of the WWJD bracelets over recent years? Did the “wearing of the bracelet” change lives? Or did the fad die out because we felt ‘labeled’? Maybe we didn’t want to feel quite so ‘obviously Christian’.

I wonder if Michael Jackson wore a bracelet. I wonder if Jesus would have worn one.    

What do you think? Comment lines are now open…click below on ‘leave a comment’.

Gail

One of my two sons is a submariner. At this moment, he and his shipmates are “God knows where”. The navy term to describe it is ‘underway’-protecting our country, deep in the waters of the earth, at undisclosed locations which they have been commanded to keep secret from everyone. Even their mothers.

“It’s all for your sake, Mom,” he told me during the last precious phone call I received. “And for the whole country. Let freedom ring…remember?”

Yes, I remember, but I want to know where you are! I remember shoving little red floaties on your arms to keep your head above water. And then you could always see the bottom of the pool.

Now you can’t see the bottom and I have an overwhelming urge to shout at you again-you’re going in the water, honey, don’t forget your floaties! Does our United States Navy issue floaties?

And as if it isn’t enough to have one son I cannot locate, my other son has devoted himself to keeping our roadways safe for travel. As a Texas State Trooper, he will be completely absorbed in watching and assisting motorists to reach their destinations. Let freedom ring…remember? Free to travel. Free to be safe. Free to give and receive help.

Yes, I remember, but I want to know where you are! The first time you furiously pedaled out of my sight on your Big Wheels bike, I yelled, “Be careful! Don’t go too fast!” And now I want to holler again-there are lots of cars on the road, honey, don’t go too fast!

Do you think the Texas State Troopers would mind if I sent him a text-mail while he was on duty? Oh, my. Whatever happened to lighting sparklers in the driveway?

What did you just say, Lord?

“Do not be anxious about ANYTHING! Pray! Tell me what you need! I am here. This is what I do. I have a blanket of peace with your name on it. Say the word. I will take it out of the box and give it to you. It is yours.”*

Pray. It doesn’t seem like enough…but it always is. There is an American young man in a hostile situation in Afghanistan at this moment-I am sure he is praying. Why don’t we join him…?

*Referenced verses: Philippians 4:4-9, Gail’s translation

I really hate it when celebrities die. Media tells us a few details, but the questions running through my mind are never answered.

Was anyone holding their hand when the last breath was taken? What were the final words they spoke? Were they ready to die? Did their families know the end was near?

Most of all, I always wonder…what was the state of their hearts? Did they know Jesus as their Savior? Had anyone bothered to tell them? Were the people around them captivated with earthly accomplishments and celebrity status to the point that their dear friend’s heavenly and eternal well-being was ignored?

It bothers me a great deal.

But maybe I am underestimating them. I admit I don’t have the slightest idea as to whether or not they will be sitting on heaven’s front porch when I arrive.

Given the enormous potential of their influence, maybe they should have ‘come out of the closet’ about their faith…if they had faith. Imagine the number of people who might consider a life with God if celebrities talked openly about their reliance on Him. Who knows?

What if you die tomorrow? You are a celebrity to those who love you. Have you told anyone about your faith in God? How do you really feel about Jesus? Will those you leave behind wonder if they will ever see you again?

This is no time to hold back. Tell your family how you know Jesus. Tell your neighbors about Jesus.

If you are reading these words, know this: I woke up this morning with you on my mind and in my heart. I may not be able to sit at your kitchen table and have coffee with you every day, but be sure of one thing…you are loved and I have prayed for you. In my mind’s eye, I have taken your hands and asked God to complete the work He has begun in you and in me.

Don’t be afraid. Tell the world how you feel about Him. Right here. Right now. The Internet is such a gift. In ALL things, God works together for good for those who love Him. Ed, Farrah, and Michael, we will miss your physical presence. And I hope I’ll see you on heaven’s front porch…

Readers, the world is waiting to hear what Jesus means to you…

Gail

Before the hour at the nursing home passed, the word ‘hopeless’ had left my mind.

As our guitars strummed the final chords to the closing song, vigorous shouts of Alleluia, Praise the Lord, and Thank You Jesus, erased every remaining negative thought from my mind.

God had connected. Spirits were lifted. Folks were encouraged. The church of His people had gathered and worshiped.

It didn’t matter that the nursing home residents depended on technology and wheelchairs for mobility and life.

It didn’t matter that a lady in the front rocked her baby doll through the singing and sharing.

It didn’t matter that another resident had chosen to wear an old winter coat, hat, woolen scarf and gloves to our service on the warm Sunday afternoon in June.

And it didn’t matter that a gentleman in the back wore a large terrycloth bib around his neck.

Yes. People suffer. Pain is inevitable. Hearts cry when left unloved.

But true happiness can be found in suffering-because true happiness does not depend on your circumstances. God is bigger than your circumstances.

How about you? Have you lived through a time of suffering? What did you learn about yourself? What did you discover about God? Do you feel true happiness is hopeless? Or do you possess hopeless happiness?

It’s not just me…others are waiting to hear from you. All of us have stories to tell. God told us to encourage one another. You’ve heard my story, can’t wait to hear yours. Because of Him, I remain–

Hopelessly happy,
Gail