About Me

Carma Dutra
Reverence and respect for God and a genuine devotion in serving God are essential in making life worthwhile. My purpose for this blog is to observe and participate in life's temporary successes and failures reflecting the human perspective. In the end our role is acceptance. A pretty big bite of faith is required.

View my complete profile

Followers

Powered By Blogger
Friday, February 12, 2010

A Thin Place Discovered

Following is my submission for Thin Places kindle contest.



“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” Matthew 7:13

One summer I attended a Billy Graham crusade at the Los Angeles Coliseum. I went alone and sat in the nose bleed row so my cigarette smoke would not be noticed. The top row was my fig leaf because I wanted to hide from God too. Besides if God was really there He would reach me no matter how high I sat. I defied Reverend Graham to touch me with Truth. The invitation was given and I tried to force myself to feel something. I watched as hundreds of people moved toward the stage and remember thinking if I, a Christian, didn’t feel anything, then how could my salvation be real? I turned aside and entered the wide gate to destruction.

That one act sent my life on a downward spiral of alcohol co-dependency, divorce, abortion, anxiety and worry. I was an empty clay pot, severely cracked. Since that time I have found my way back to God and His mercy. Through His love and grace He is using my botched attempts at doing it my way as teaching tools on how not to live. Also, reliving my past helps me discover a new thin place where His “living water” never fails.

“And the Lord will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places,…and you will be like a watered garden…a spring of water whose waters do not fail” Isaiah 58:11a. 


Carma

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I loved the honesty and sincerity of your story, Carma. God will bless you mightily for your obedience.

Carma Dutra said...

You are a dear, Kathy. Thank you. I can see that great things are in store for you.
Carma

T. Forehand said...

Carma, very honest and sincere. I sometimes feel that I cannot be Christian enough because I did not have those same trials that you, Mary, and others describe. Although being a nurse has certainly made me question why some things happen to me and others, I know God loves us all. Bless you.

Carma Dutra said...

Hi Terri, everyone's trials are unique to their own situation. I didn't sin because I didn't know Jesus. I sinned in spite of knowing better. Peeling away layers of guilt is painstaking.

You are such a blessing to all the people you minister to. I am sure you feel tested a lot. When that happens just lean harder on God.

Blessings to you,
Carma

Post a Comment

Join CWA

About Peace of Mind

A Christian perspective on pursuing peace, joy and life in a Secular World as God gives it. Also, book reviews of Christian and Secular titles or in other words, just good writing. Fiction, non-fiction and author interviews. Including thought provoking articles.

Follow Me on Twitter

Follow carmadu on Twitter