my wings are made of faith

Pushing Back at Life

For many of us, life comes at us fast.  We have busy schedules with many demands and responsibilities.  All of these things are fine as long as we have balance.  

If you have every watched a wrestling match, you have seen a wrestler bend his knees and get ready to fight back.  This proper stance assures him that he will have a better chance for victory against his opponent.  

The enemy will try to catch us unguarded or unprepared and wrestle the daylights out of us, but we don’t have to live this way.  We are not victims in Christ: we are over comers.  We can make time to spend time in the Word and renew our minds.  We can prepare healthy meals so that our bodies are fighting against disease.  We can schedule times to relax and spend with our families.  These are all examples of pushing back at life.  Each of these things puts us in the defensive position against the enemy’s schemes.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says,

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

In other words, life’s stresses are expected, but do not have to be tolerated.  Our challenge is to push back at life with healthy strategies.

My Prayer:  God, show me when life is pushing me into unhealthy decisions.  Give me courage to change some things so that I can push back victoriously.  Thank you that through Jesus, I am not a victim.  Holy Spirit, remind me when I’m flying too fast and guide me through the process of renewing my mind, body, and spirit.  I pray boldly for those who feel like they are trapped.  Give each of them the courage to gird up in a defensive position to take care of their precious lives according to Your Will.  Be very specific in changes for each burdened person with a clear message that comes from you.  In Jesus Name!

In the days just before, during and after the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, there were a lot of reasons to believe that all was lost, and everything they had hoped for was null and void.  The momentem of healings and miracles had come to a complete halt and left them with a long list of "WHY"s.   The disciples and friends of Jesus were caught in the emotions and fears of what was happening...until...

Jesus left them with scriptures he had quoted and explained from the old promises of God.  He had reminded them of how those scriptures applied to himself, and how the promises of God had a time and a place to be fulfilled.  It was when they began to say, "Jesus said..." that their hearts were lifted, to hope that this was not an end to the promises of God, but a beginning to a new way to serve God as the promises were fulfilled. It included them, secured them, and gave them hope. 

They needed to get past the emotional trauma of circumstances and be able to think about the words of Christ for things to start making sense.  The promise to them was that they would receive the Spirit and a new era of life would begin.  We need to remember that the fulfilment of promises comes AFTER a sequence of events, in which the will of God has been done. When death and sorrow and unexpected pain take our eyes off the promises, it is time to return to the Words of our Savoir, where we find promises for our future.  Think how bleak it must have seemed to his disciples and friends.  Now compare your hardest times in life.  Similar, no doubt.  Filled with fear, and overwhelming losses, and walls of confusions that were difficult to see over.  Where do you look for truth, or renewed confidence?  To the promises.   

For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise~ Hebrews 10:36

I believe it is a good idea to keep a filebox, or a certain color of markings in your bible, or a book of verses which contains the promises handy.  Know the promises of God.  If you have never considered that God has promises for you consider this verse:

 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. Galatians 4:28

The word promise is one worth months of study. Seeking the promises that we may claim, may carry  us through our hardest circumstances in life, because no matter what is happening in life, God still must keep his promises.

This week was a week of rainbows for me, the symbol of God's promise to Noah.  The song, "STANDING ON THE PROMISES" has been quietly running like a stream under my thoughts. God desires to give us all a future and a hope.  And that's a promise.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

I have a promise I want to claim.  I am going to post it where I can see it often.  And I am going to watch the process of the will of God play out, and do all I can to keep this promise foremost in my mind, until God's time is complete, and this promise he gave me is fulfilled.   Are you asking God for intervention and blessing? Find a promise, his promise to you...and never forget that God keeps his promises in due time.

Lord, I believe that, like with Abraham and Sarah, the unusual and the miraculous is not out of the realm of being fulfilled if it is your promise.  But I am not asking for a miracle, just the change that your promises bring. Accepting your promise as if it were already fulfilled. In Jesus Name. AMEN

 

 

 

My Familiar Friend

Thursday night I was able to reconnect with a friend from 20 years ago in another town.  Once we had seen one another and hugged, they told me that some had stood back and just watched to see what my reaction would be in getting to hug her again after all these years. I told someone that, back then, if I turned to the right out my drive, one of my best friends lived across the road, and if I turned to the left, my other best friend lived across the road, and now, here she is.  We reminisced and as we spent time together, my heart was warmed as she became familiar to me once again, not only as a friend but in the nuances of things I would only know if I spent a lot of time with her – things that would help me know her even if she looked a lot different, which she didn’t. Memories drifted back to me of her facial expressions and how she adjusted her clothes, the way she punctuated her sentences, the way she lifted one eyebrow, the smile that never seemed to fade, the great way she could tell a story, how we all loved to gather at her house for food, the organized way she kept her household going, the giving heart she had for absolutely everyone.  I could go on and on, because it was like seeing a sister after a long absence.

Some of my favorite memories of living in that place as our children grew up include her and her children.  Some of my life lessons were learned in her living room.  I was always welcome there, and I knew how lucky I was to count her among my friends. It was such a joy to see her again.

As I told you all on Wednesday, my beloved Father-in-law passed into the spiritual realm, and dumped his dilapidated old worn out body to put on his new glorified one. Then he also went to a place where he was able to meet with old friends, and family members whom he hadn’t seen for a while.  I’ll just bet you there were Angels who stood back while the meetings took place, watching to see the looks on His face as they were joyously reunited.  I wonder how differently they all might have looked in their new bodies, but because the scriptures say that, in God’s world, we will be known as we were known, the nuances will be the same.  We like to make sweet imaginations about that heavenly reconnection, because it gives us some peace, but they are just that.  Our earthly imaginations trying to wrap our minds around something we can’t even imagine. 

But there is one someone, whom he had never met in person, whom he got to know here on earth.  Someone, whom he loved, about whom he rejoiced to get to see.  And when they met, Millard knew him.  Of course I am speaking of Jesus.  And actually, I believe this loving man met our Lord face to face at 9:15 am Tuesday morning.  Every nuance of Jesus’ voice, of the loving way he encouraged Millard’s giving spirit, and of His total acceptance of all His children - became real to Millard at that moment.  It was for him like reuniting with an old friend.

God Never Wastes The Bad Stuff

There have been many times in the last few years when i questioned God - WHY did He let me go through such difficult trials and pain. i could never fully understand His purpose when i could barely keep my head above water. It was easy to doubt God's plan when i struggled to hold onto Hope. But i have to tell you, when you get a glimpse of His ultimate plan, it is a beautiful thing. i see it so clearly now and i can look back at very specific trials and the way He was preparing me for the road ahead. 

i remember praying many times that God would not let all the heartache and struggles go to waste. i prayed for Him to mold me, teach me, allow me to help others - to make my life meaningful so that i can be a blessing. That prayer has been answered very specifically in the last few months. Just in the last week, i've had the pleasure of talking with two dear friends who are going through difficult seasons. 

All the bad stuff, the trials and the hurt, if only we could see at the time how God will use it for good ... gosh, we'd patiently endure all the junk for His glory. The stuff that was meant for evil, He promises to turn it into something good. 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.—Romans 8:28

i love how God can take the messed up, shattered, ugly moments of our life and make them beautiful and have purpose. Beauty from ashes. 

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.—Psalm 34:8

It is my prayer that you know that your life has purpose—far beyond what you will ever know or see. 

Lord, thank you that you never let a single moment of my life go to waste. You use ever part of it for your glory. 

Pure Joy

About five and a  half months ago, i wrote a post titled A Quest to Find Myself Again. That trip to away from home for awhile was a brand new start for me. It gave me a chance to breathe deeply - to breathe in a new life and breathe out all the things that were sucking the life out of me. Since that day, so much has changed in my life for the good. i've had a lot of time to spend with friends, family, and most importantly myself - all the ones i've unintentionally neglected in the past few years. A lot of things inside of me were lifeless, but God healed those things and He made me whole again.  

And, if you noticed, i'm still here, in Cincinnati ... in that post, i swore i wasn't meant to be here. i was wrong. i refused to hear God say that i was meant to stay because i wanted to run from everything here that was burdening my heart and run back to what i knew. But not too long after that trip, God showed me exactly why i was meant to stay (stay tuned for that post!).

Lately, i've been trying to put into words the immense joy that my heart feels, but i can't. It's the kind of joy that only a heart can fully know. And, if you know me personally, you've been able to see it - it's like a bright light that can't be hidden. The source of that light is my one true God. The One who held my hand through the 3-year valley, sometimes carrying me, and the One whose timing is perfect. Holding on to Hope (in Him) is the one thing that got me through every day to where i am now - a place where i can just be fully me again. i've so learned that all great changes are preceded by chaos. And even though i dislike chaos, it's made me a more compassionate, giving, faith-filled, appreciative and stronger woman. 

i started this blog in early October 2008, just 6 months before my life turned upside down and some of you have stuck with me the entire journey of pain, heartache, joys, and unknowns. But the greatest testimony i can give to show how amazing God is, is that i'm here and i survived the wicked storm. i walked by faith and God brought me through. This journey confirmed what i believed all along - He will never leave me nor forsake me just like He said in His Word (Hebrews 13:5). My prayers, my faith, and my love for the Lord carried me through. 

Oh, and it was because of YOU, too. Thank you for standing by me, encouraging me, and holding my hand. i really look forward to this new chapter of life that i get to share with you as we continue to encourage one another in God's love and grace. 

Love to you,
Christy 

 

Adjusting My Focus

Many times the struggles I have deal with fear and worry.  This week my chiropractor sent out a message with this poem in it:

“There are two days in every week

About which we should not worry,
Two days which should be kept free
From fear and apprehension

One of these days is "Yesterday"
With its mistakes and cares,
Its faults and blunders,
Its aches and pains.

Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world could not bring back Yesterday.
We cannot undo a single act we performed;
We cannot erase a single word we said.
Yesterday is gone.

The other word we should not worry about is Tomorrow

With its possible adversities, its burdens,
its large promise and poor performance.
Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.
Tomorrow's sun will rise, either in splendor or
Behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise.
Until it does we have no stake in Tomorrow,
For it is unborn.

This leaves only one day, "Today",
And anyone can fight the battles of just one day.
It is only when you and I add the burdens or those
awful eternities, Yesterday, and Tomorrow, that we break down.
It is not the experience of today that drives people mad,
It is the remorse and bitterness for something
which happened Yesterday and the dread of what
Tomorrow may bring.
Let us, therefore, live but one day at a time.”

-Author unknown-

As I read it, I began to see the Biblical point from Matthew more clearly.  Matthew 6:34 says,

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

 If we mourn our past mistakes and failures and refuse to release ourselves, we cannot be living abundantly in the Lord.  There’s no way that having a poor attitude towards ourselves honors our Heavenly Father.  If we swing the pendulum the other way, stressing over the future robs us of “our today” and steals our joy.  Likewise, this focus cannot bring glory to God.  Quite possibly, both scenarios can make us physically and emotionally sick.

Our challenge is simply our focus.  Spending a few minutes thanking God for His blessings each morning is a wonderful attitude adjuster.  In addition to that, putting one foot in front of the other and living for God with the idea that it’s just for that one day will center our thoughts to a Kingdom lens.

My Prayer:  God, help me let go of the mistakes of the past and anxieties of the future.  I know that you have commanded me to worry only about today.  I repent of the many times I have failed to obey.  Thank you that my past and future are all covered with the blood of Jesus.  Holy Spirit, remind me when my thoughts stray to that of guilt or anxiety.  I choose, Lord, to live abundantly each day.  In Jesus name!

 

Overcome

 

My heart melted the very first time i heard this song. i remember immediately thanking Him ... for the battles we face are not our own:

He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.—2 Chronicles 20:15

All authority is the Lord's.  The victory is His (it was His before we were even created).

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.—Matthew 28:18

The song says, We will overcome by the blood of the Lamb. By His blood we can overcome:
• Addiction • Fears • Scars • Pain • Depression • Disease • Loss • Loneliness • Perfectionism • Control • Lust • Anger • Anything that you battling can be overcome - not by our own strength, but by His. 

Whatever you are facing, claim victory in the name of Jesus and wait patiently for the Lord to finish the battle on your behalf. 

Jesus, your name is great and awesome and so worthy of all our praise. Thank you for our victories in Your mighty name!

Ever Felt "WALKED ON"

Believe this:

Claim this:    (As you relate to the people of Israel)

Thus sayeth thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out thine hand the cup of trembling…thou shalt no more drink it again.

But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over; and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street to them that went over. Isaiah 51: 22-23

Awake, awake; put on thy strength…put on thy beautiful garments…Shake thyself from the dust… Isaiah 52: 1-2

Be assured by this:

…my people shall know my name: they shall know in that day that I am He that speaks; behold it is I. Isaiah 52:6

Pray this:

Lord, I believe and claim what you have promised.  I am assured that you are speaking to my heart, and I accept the promise and obey.  I arise from the position of letting this happen to me, and put on my strength which you give, I shake off the dust, and dress myself as if it never happened.  Lord I ask… and receive and open the door to newness… Help me as I choose to love my offender. Amen.

And Do this:

If ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? For sinners also love those that love them… Luke 7:32  But love your enemies, and do good…vs 35.  (See also: Proverbs 25:21 – 22 on how to do this.)

Remember this:

As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. Psalms 140: 9

And this:

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me…Psalm 138: 7 – 8 

Realize this:

 The Lord never asks us to deal with people who walk on us, until he first allows that we are able to rise up from the dirt, dust ourselves off, put on our strength, and dress ourselves with beauty.  And then he promises that he WILL deal with them. It is one of the “opposites of God” precepts that we allow God to fight our battles. Though we don’t understand sometimes –

Accept this:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55: 8-9

 

Honor God in this, and watch and wait….See what the hand of the Lord can do!

Lord, Light My Way

Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path. Psa.119:105

The song about this scripture has been running through my head, lately. It is partly due to the lights we put up on the house and in the yard, which have made my approach to the house at night so much easier. I noticed one night as I reached for my house key that I didn’t need to also pull out my flashlight.  Coming home from work for all the years that Jimmy has worked nights - to a dark house and entering it alone – made me very conscious of how many dark places there are from the car to the door.  And in the last several years, going from dark to light, or the opposite, causes me to not be able to walk straight. I joke that I look like I am inebriated, but it isn’t really funny when it happens.   Jimmy has obliged me by placing motion lights at the doors and drive, and under the deck.  He also has kindly supplied me with little tricks to light my way. I have a key cover that has a tiny LED light which shines exactly on the door knob from the key, so I can see the key hole.  He installed solar lights up the walkway, but the bushes always grew over them and shaded out the sun.  He allowed that a line of rope lights remained lining the walkway after the holidays. But the grass soon grew over it.  So I got a small flash light that I attach to the handles of my purse with a D-ring.  My grandson thinks it’s his toy, but it is to get me up the walk. In other words, I do anything I can to be able to light my path when it is difficult to see.  But these days, no need. If I have remembered to turn on the Christmas lights before leaving, the entire lawn is bright with light when I return.

When we were children, my mother’s home backed up to a AAA baseball field.  In summer, it was the grandest thing a kid could ever want.  The stadium lights lightened the back yard so brightly that we could play ‘til hours past dark.  I remember helping Daddy plow the garden in the brightness of those lights, in the cool of the evening, tossing up the sweet smell of earth, and proud as I could be that he let me guide the tiller, even though I sank to my ankles in the soft broken ground.   Where the light shone brightly, it was like daylight.  But the shadows were deep enough to hide in, and we did. Our favorite night time game was hide and seek, for we could simply lie down in a shadow, and be totally hidden from the seeker.  Hmmm.  Lying in the dirt in the dark…doesn’t sound like so much fun as it was. LOL  

Can you imagine that light, any light which lit your pathway after dark in Christ’s day was a blessing? It was valuable; and required effort to have in any form. In the temple there were strict instructions how, when and where the lamps, wicks, oils, and all assorted related paraphernalia were to be used and kept in the finest working condition.  Light held a place of importance. This year Jimmy wanted candles in the windows. I have always loved them, and was a bit surprised.  He was inspired by light bulbs that flickered with the appearance of a real candle burning.  When we make our traditional gifts to his employees, we will place a candle in the middle of each one.  Not because it is aesthetically, pleasing, but because it is a symbol of the Word of God that came to live among us, even as it was in the temple.

 Sometimes, when the dark times of life make it difficult to see my way, I am so thankful that I have the words of God to lighten my path.  And I just love when God shines so brightly that my path is as bright as my Christmas lights.  Can I leave them up please?  OK, OK… not past February, I promise.  Anyone know where I can get some Valentine’s lights? LOL

The only thing missing from God’s light to my path is the light switch.  In order to have the simplicity of clicking the switch, to have instant light, I have to do the work to put up the lights in my yard.  In order to have the instant light of God’s Word in my darkest hours, I need to have it installed in my heart.  I have a terrible mind for memorization.  I have always had difficulty with it.  But if I am persistant, and read something often enough, I at least can know what I am looking for to look it up quickly when I need it.  But I have on occasion resorted to hanging index cards on the mirror, and putting scriptures in my wallet so that every time I look in these frequented places, I am faced with the scripture I want lighting my path.   One of the first I ever learned was one required to learn in my Girl’s Auxiliary program as as child. 

Arise shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1  

 Even then, I understood that this verse was speaking of Jesus, who wasn’t born at the time.  I understood that God gave prophecy for Christ to be born as the light of the World. And when he said, “I am the light of the world,” I knew he was referring to prophecies like this one. I am glad Christmas comes in the winter, when the darkness descends on the earth early, so we feel a need to put up lights. I love being able to use lights to celebrate the season.  It just would not be the same in the summer.  Lights are not simply a materialistic, unrelated element of Christmas commercialization.  They are about God and who he said he was. They are about a baby who came to light our world with his love and wisdom, freedom and power, grace and hope, peace and promise.  May he light your way today.

Feeling sad… light a candle and praise His name.

Lord, shine brightly into the dark places in the lives of those who need your enlightenment today.  Give guidance, and stability, freedom from fear, and clarity to the path of any who seek your way. AMEN

 For You are my lamp, O LORD; The LORD shall enlighten my darkness.    II Samuel 22: 29 NKJV

Life Application: Find Joy In Your Trials

Trials and Temptations
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.—James 1:2-4

Consider it joy. i can't think of anything harder to do than to consider facing trials with pure joy. Trials tend to bring anger, bitterness, envy, sadness, lonliness, and a myriad of other emotions that are the opposite of joy. Trials test our character ... when we are stripped of everything and left standing cold and wet in the storm of life we are either caught cursing the storm or praising God through the storm for the rainbow that's to follow. 

God says to consider it joy when we face trials because he is perfecting our faith, maturing us and making us complete—He doesn't waste our trials. Just like a typical storm, when the downpour stops, the clouds part, and the sun brilliantly shines, the tears stop, our heart finds joy, and we praise God for helping us weather the storm.

It's always hard to find joy during the difficult times in life, but God asks us to try. When we focus on Him and not the storm, joy isn't far from our reach. 

The Comforter

This week, my small town was shaken by the abduction of a seven year old little girl that was later found brutally beaten to death after being sexually assaulted.  Our community cries out in anguish as we weep along with the family.  Yesterday after the police arrested a twenty year old man for this horrific crime, our hearts still break for the innocent loss of this precious girl.

I do not personally know this family, but this crime hits too close to home.  As I hug my children a little tighter, I pray fervently for God, our Comforter, to pour out His abundant grace and mercy on this grieving family.

As we wander through our lives, incidents like this remind us just how quickly a life altering tragedy can occur.  We know in our minds that God is in control, but do our hearts fully acknowledge that He is still on the throne even in the midst of heartbreaking loss?  Our challenge is to abide in the Lord knowing that His plans for us are good even in the deepest trials and tribulations.  

As you read this today, please take a moment to pray for the Rivera family as they lay their child to rest and begin the process of the seeking justice.

My prayer:  God, we ask that you pour out exceeding grace on the Rivera family during this season.  Reveal yourself to them mightily.  We know, Father, that you see all things and are in control of every situation, but our heart breaks for such an untimely, senseless death.  Remind us to lift this family up in prayer as the Holy Spirit reminds us.  In Jesus name!

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."                                                                         ~Romans 8:28

What i learned about being selfless

At the beginning of this year, God told my heart that He would reveal many things to me regarding my life, my marriage, and Luke's health. And He sure did—just not in the way that i thought or expected. And, while that saddens me, i see God's hand in all of this and i feel His presence and love more than ever.  

A few weeks ago, i got word that someone in Luke's family wrote that i was selfish on his facebook wall. While typically don't let things from people who don't know me or the truth get to me, this really hurt and i carried it like a chain around my neck for awhile. (i even wrote a blog post 2 years ago about being selfish). 

After a really hard 3 years, i had actually thanked God for teaching me to be selfless. And i don't think i'd ever expect anyone who didn't know me personally or my circumstances to really know what that means for me. i am not writing this post for anyone but myself—it's a way to document and close this chapter of my life in this place (my online journal), to let go of the frustrations of other's opinions and judgment and to move forward in the joy of the Lord as a promising new year awaits me.

to those who think i am selfish—you weren't there when: 

• Luke first had a seizure while awake, in front of the fireplace, when i rushed to break his fall.
• i had experienced Luke's 4 seizures within 24 hours due to a reaction to pharmaceuticals, just six months after being married.
•  i lie awake at night afraid and exhausted, praying for him. when i lie awake crying out to God for strength and grace.
• i would fall to my knees in prayer for all his needs to be met. 
• for three years, i never had more than a few nights of uninterrupted sleep.
• i managed our home, finances, cooked all homemade meals, cleaned, worked full time and took care of him.
• i was the encourager and spiritual leader in our home.
• i stayed up late to finish freelance work to help pay his portion of the bills and his premarital bills.
• i selflessly gave up things i wanted or needed to provide for his needs.
• i took him to the doctor 1-3 times per week ... in three years that's a total of about 312 doctor visits.
• i suffered hours of immense pain from ovarian cysts caused by the stress by body was under.
• my 5'4" frame  had to move his 6'4" body after a seizure or prevent him from falling.
• i felt so alone.
• i struggled to  stay awake at work from the stress, lack of sleep, and the constant moving.
• i would draw him warm baths to soothe his aching and tired body.
• asked you for help and you were too busy.
• i had to watch him suffer through a seizure, prayed him through it, and lovingly cared for him.
• Luke stopped responding to me as a wife and treated me like a mother.
• i found out i was pregnant at the beginning of this year and carried the worry of losing it because of stress. you weren't there when i lost it at 3 months due to stress and i suffered the loss alone so that Luke would never blame himself for the stress i carried. i sacrificed my health for his.
• he ran away from home and me and called his parents. when he denied my touch in the hospital. when he chose to go home with his parents and not me.
•  i tried to call him after he left home and he didn't respond to my texts or calls. when he didn't try to call me to tell me he missed me or loved me. 
• he told me he didn't want to be my husband.
• i was so deeply distressed that he didn't call me or want me after 3 years of taking care of him that i was down to 97 pounds, unable to eat much or sleep.
• i was up against a 20-year health battle and a family who didn't love me or believe that i tried to give him the best of everything i could.
• i tried to do the very best that i could do, surviving by the strength and grace of God and by the love of my friends and family.

i don't say these things to make myself look like a hero or like a deserve an award. i am not perfect. i have made mistakes. i want you to know that if all these things that i lovingly, without anger or bitterness, did for luke has made me appear selfish, i am so very, very sorry—i pray that you will forgive me. 

i want you to know i did the best that i could—my heart believes this and God has reassured me of this. i gave and gave and gave all i could—and i did it until Luke chose to walk away. i never masked my vulnerability and my weaknesses. i embraced them, letting the Lord fill me with grace and strength. i choose to move forward in love, peace, and in God's will for my life as i close this chapter. 

Choose Joy

In Nehemiah 8, Ezra the prophet, and the Levites who provided the music, read and explained the law of God to the people. It says: Vs 4: “ Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose.”  The people had gathered in the street, and the pulpit was high above them. When Ezra opened the book of the Law in the sight of all the people, they all stood up. He read to them from the “Bible” of their time. Afterwards, Nehemiah taught the people and helped them understand what was being read to them. Upon hearing and understanding it, they cried.

I don’t know about you, but that scene seems as familiar to me as if I were there. Like a good blessing church service. But for these people, this was extremely special, because they hadn't had access to their scriptures as we do today. There wasn’t a Bible or two for every person. I think I actually own 4 not counting the coffee table versions or the family bibles from my mom. I can’t imagine not being able to pick up one, open it and glean from its words whenever I pleased.  There have been centuries of people who have not had that easy access.  We sometimes don’t consider what a glorious opportunity we have in our age to choose any verse we desire to read. With a concordance by my side, or Bible Gateway open, I can actually choose to read only the verses that speak of my subject. It blesses me so much, that I can’t imagine not having that option.

When the people heard what Nehemiah taught, they cried.  Yet he admonished them to make a choice not to be sad:

Vs. 9. …This day is holy unto the Lord your God. Mourn not, nor weep.

Vs 10. Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared…Neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

When we are faced with the toils of the world, and sadness or worry stealthily seek to spoil our joy, God desires that we choose Joy, that we may have strength in those times. Ever notice how sorrow zaps your strength.  My husband and son often choose to joke in what seems like inappropriate times to me. If I am sad, my husband goes out of his way to make jokes so I will smile. Sometimes I don’t feel like smiling, and I don’t want him joking.  But his is actually the better attitude. I allow the sorrow to drain me. He finds joy and remains strong.

Vs. 12  says: And all the people went their way to eat and to drink, to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

Nehemiah was helping the people to choose how they placed their focus. He wanted them not to dwell on the fact that they had not known the law, and hadn’t understood God’s desires for their lives; not to let their regret take the stand in their lives.  Rather, he wanted them to direct their focus on the fact that they now had understanding, and that was a reason to be glad.

I believe the Lord has led me this season, to find Joy for my strength.  I have been saying for a week how much stronger I felt this Christmas, and was well aware that I was choosing to have joy. But only when I asked the Lord what I should I write about this week, did I see the multitude of scriptures that indicated that choosing Joy is the reason for my renewed strength. The Spirit of God had led me to joy even before I read the admonitions of scripture. And he had demonstrated the results, so that I might have no doubt when I read the words.

Isaiah 61:3 says: To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning.

The medicine for sadness around the holidays or any time, is to chose to have joy.

In Nehemiah 8, the Levites who were the praise and worship people, found themselves with a different task. It says in verse 11 that they stilled the people and said “hold your peace… neither be ye grieved.”  Many of the verses in my concordance, which speak of joy, note that God gives joy coupled with peace. So I have decided, in the words of the old pastors and ministers of the Word, to “HOLD MY PEACE” AND CHOOSE TO HAVE JOY…

When we get together at a funeral of one of my husband’s family, there is always laughing in the hallways.  And by the casket, for that matter.  There was a time when I wondered what other people who were in other rooms thought, but I finally realized, that since so many of Jimmy’s family are secure in their salvation, that the laughter was more than appropriate. They are a family who lives their joy. There is scripture to back the desire to rejoice when someone has died and gone to the presence of God.  But most of all, the Word clearly tells us to make being joyful the remedy for our sadness, and the means by which we return to a place of strength. His family most definitely finds their release and ability to  move on in their knack for laughter.

One of the “Opposites of God” basics is that we can turn from one thing and be renewed in its opposite.  This fits the principle, that we should release the one and seek the other.Let me challenge anyone who finds themselves weary and overwhelmed, to find Joy so that they may also find Strength.

An exercise in renewing your mind would be to write the word JOY and place it everywhere.  Hang it on the fridge, on the mirror, on the dash of your car.  If jokes aren’t your thing, then find pictures that make you smile, or wear colors that bring you joy. Look in the mirror and actually make yourself smile.  During the day, raise your eyebrows and follow it by relaxing your face, then smile.  Think of God and Smile. Think of your favorite food and smile. Think of something and close your eyes and spell out silently: J O Y. Visualize it. Hold your smile for as long as you can and time it. Ask your co-worker to tell their joke again, and this time smile! Renew your mind.

Much love to everyone this Holiday season. And for those who are really having a hard time finding joy this year, say this over and over: “Count It All Joy.”  It won’t feel like joy, but the mind will eventually obey God’s Word. For you I pray in a special way, cause I’ve been there…I know how hard it is to choose joy in pain. But the time will come…the time will come.

Lord, help the hurting, the weary, the sad and grieving, those with loss and those who just don’t know why they don’t have joy to choose selectively to find joy, that they may have the strength your Word promises.  Grant this is Jesus Name and for whom we celebrate. AMEN

The Lord's Business

My husband had the opportunity to have a very godly grandmother named Ruby.  She was an absolute treat and spoiled him rotten when he would stay at her house every weekend eating pizza, ice cream, and coke floats  and working puzzles.  Grandmother attended church every Sunday, without fail.  Her faith in God still remains a legacy.

When I was pregnant with our oldest son, Grandmother would call and check on me and when she was finished talking on the phone, she would just hang up.  She always said that she didn’t believe in saying good-bye.  The Lord called Grandmother home when I was about to give birth to my oldest child through a massive heart attack.

Over Thanksgiving, we visited Eric’s aunt and uncle who live in Grandmother’s former house.  As we drove down the street, we noticed that about a quarter of a mile from her house, the landscape was demolished in the recent North Georgia outbreak of tornadoes.  When I mentioned the destruction to Eric’s aunt, she replied, “Like Grandmother used to say, ‘The storm is the Lord’s business.’ We weren’t worried at all.”

I began to ponder this idea of the Lord’s business, God began to prick my heart about all of the things that I worry about that I can’t control or fix.  2 Peter 1:2-4 says,

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

You see, as children of God, we are given the grace and peace to live godly lives because we have a relationship with our Father.  Every detail of our lives is “The Lord’s business.”

Our challenge is to keep our focus on the Lord instead of the troubles and storms of life.  Paul said it wonderfully in 2 Corinthians 12:7-8 when he asked God for a thorn or painful ailment to be removed from his life, 

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

God’s strength is magnified in us when we are stripped down, out of ideas, fatigued, and totally dependent on Him.  His promise is that His grace is enough and that our storms of life are “The Lord’s business.”

My prayer:   Lord, I confess my sin of worrying over things that I cannot control nor change.  I thank you for the godly legacy and wisdom left by Grandmother Ruby and we know that you are fellowshipping with her in heaven right now.  Holy Spirit, remind me when I am trespassing on the Lord’s business with my ideas of solving God-size storms.  Thank you Jesus for being the perfect example of a man who relied on the Heavenly Father for every situation.  In Jesus name!

 

How He Loves Me

A friend recommended this song to me yesterday and as i listened to it, i started to cry. For a moment, i couldn't figure out what emotion was driving the tears so i sat quietly and just waited on the Lord to speak to my heart.

Despite the ugly divorce, i have felt tremendously blessed in every area of my life lately. The Lord is truly showing me His glory through all of this—His faithfulness moved me to tears.

You see, i've been made to feel like i don't deserve anything good from people who have been very good at judging my life, by those who don't know me or who have never taken the time to know me or my heart. So to receive good, overwhelmingly abundant blessings has left me standing in awe before God with my hands raised high in praise.

God reminded me today, as i study Galatians, that i just need to keep focusing on Jesus and not what people think of me.

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.—Galatians 1:10

 

How wide, O how wide Lord
How deep, O how deep Lord
How great, O how great
Is Your love for me

If you are in a similar place of thinking you don't deserve anything good—it is a LIE from the enemy. God wants you to know that you deserve:
• His undying love
• every good gift He has to offer
• peace
• true love
• pure joy
• to know and experience Truth
• rest

And it's not that we deserve it because of anything we have or haven't done, but because of what HE has done for us—thank you, Jesus, for the cross. His love for us is deeper, wider, greater than we could ever imagine. He rises the sun for us each morning, surrounds us with flowers in the spring, and is nearer than our next breath. He is an amazing God who is worthy of all our praise.

Giving thanks to God—continually.

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.— Hebrews 13:15

Continually. This word is so important in this verse. What does it mean to give thanks to God continually? It means to give thanks whether you are walking through the darkest valley or on cloud nine. 

There are seasons in life that are full of blessings and there are seasons that are cold, dry, and seemingly barren. Regardless of the season, true joy and heartfelt happiness come when you learn to be thankful continually. 

Being grateful can be challenging when the journey through the valley is long, hard, and lonely. But if we practice gratitude continually {daily} then the habit of praising God and being grateful for even the simplest and smallest of blessings carries through the difficult seasons of life. 

Too often, it's easy to only be thankful for the big blessings in life—a new house, new car, a baby, career change, etc.—and we forget that we are far more blessed than most with food on the table, clothes on our back, good health, laughter, and a warm place to call home. 

i love what Max Lucado says about gratitude:

Gratitude, more aware of what you have than what you don’t. Recognizing the treasure in the simple – a child’s hug, fertile soil, a golden sunset. Relishing in the comfort of the common – a warm bed, a hot meal, a clean shirt.—Max Lucado

Being continually thankful is counting daily blessings, big and small, and expressing our gratitude to God through praise and adoration. God just doesn't deserve our praise when things are going well. He deserves our praise as He guides us through our seasons in the valley, not because going through the valley is fun, but because praising Him regardless says that we trust Him during the challenging times in life. 

i truly believe that God's heart melts when He hears two simple words:

Thanks, God, for a warm bed. Thanks, God, for smooth traffic this morning. Thanks, God, for a hearty, healthy breakfast. Thanks, God, for my friends and family. Thanks, God, for listening to my prayers. Thanks, God, for believing in me. Thanks, God, for protecting me. Thanks, God, for shoes on my feet. Thanks, God, for your perfect will for my life. Thanks, God, for your grace and love. Thanks, God, for the simple gift of life today.

Dear God, i don't say thank you near enough .... so thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you for all the little ways you bless me daily—may i never forget to be grateful every single day of my life.

Send him packin'

Ever wonder exactly why the Bible seems to harp heavily on not breaking the law of God, and if you read scriptures randomly, especially in the Old Testament, that it seems to be all about working harder and harder to please God by not breaking the laws?  When your pastor or teacher teaches the Word, ask yourself this question.  Did he or she take me to a place of victory over SIN in this discussion? Most teachers will lead you to a place of recognizing the sin in your life but not to a full understanding of winning the sin battle.  Please remember that SIN is that which is outside the boundaries of what God has planned as the best for you.  If life isn’t functioning the way God designed it to, it is not a failure of the design… Now having said that, return to my question.  Is the person I am allowing to be my shepherd, leading me to a place of victory over my sin, or did they leave me to be a sacrifice to the wolves?

Many preachers in churches I have attended, felt that just getting people to an altar for confession of sin, was the job they had to do, and they went to great lengths to get it done. However, I went to a church in my youth that was very different than that, and by God’s grace, I was gifted with that pastor’s great example of how to fill the altars - God’s way. At this church, every time this man preached, more and more people came to the altars to accept Christ as their savoir.  His was not a message of beating people over the head with their sin. His was a message of Christ’s release from sin. And that simple truth was such a joy to people, that they went out with great excitement and invited their friends to come hear someone who tells you how to have that freedom.  It was infectious.  It was on target. It was so like Jesus - soooo  CHRIST- LIKE.  That is exactly how the early church began to grow so quickly. Because the message from God was freedom from the ritualistic grind of obedience to the law, and people were so glad to hear it. 

But it is confusing.  If it is something you grapple with, read Galations 3 and 4.  God’s design even in the beginning, even in the sacrifices of the Temple, was to set us free from the trap - when operating outside devine design captures our life, and holds it prisoner.   Paul saw the early Christians doing battle with this concept. It was not just a Christian battle. The Jews and their forefathers had done battle with this concept forever.  But even Paul had not seen clearly the truth about God until he became a Christian.  Now as the shepherd to young churches, he understood that they had not truly seen the Grace of God in their hearts. They had not grasped the freedom in such a way as to have it seered into their consciousness. Their minds had not been renewed to the point that they ceased to slip back into living under the law. 

It’s no different for us. It is the same battle that every Christian must wage, until that is, that by the renewing of their mind, their thought processes are more apt to take them directly to the power of the knowledge of GRACE, than the power of the Law.

Paul says: vs. 2.  (paraphrased) – I only ask you this.  Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  3. Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now depending on being made perfect in the flesh? 4. "have you suffered so many things in vain?"

            vs. 10. – as many as work to keep the law are under the curse.  For it is written: “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”  11. But, that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident. For “the just shall live by faith!” 12. The law is not of faith.  Anyone who does them (the laws) "shall LIVE IN THEM".   13.  “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.  For it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree:" (one of the laws). 

Paul then discusses the difference between God’s promises and his law, and that the covenant of the promise actually came 430 years before the law, and the law was never intended to “make the promise of none effect.”  He says that "if the inheritance be of law, it is no more of promise…but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”  Paul then poses the question we all have wrestled with:  vs 21. “ Is the law then against the promises of God?”

 Have YOU suffered so many things in vain?  As God gently leads you through the consequences of sin, or the trials by fire that strengthen your steel, do you enter your battles and try to fight them yourselves, or do you grow in the knowledge that God offers peace. Think about the word Peace. One of the most wonderful principles of scripture is among the “opposites of God” set of principles.  It is that God asks us to set ourselves in array for the battle and come boldly to the place of battle…and then requires that we STAND and watch as He takes care of the enemy. I love the whole armor scripture.  Love it, mostly because of this fact. God understands that, while we are going through the processes of life and learning (growing in Grace), we need something to do.  And we need protection from the enemy and ourselves. So he tells us to prepare our minds, to rethink our life patterns, and renew by casting away the old thought patterns, then revise our determination to serve according to the plan. Get up, Get dressed, Go out to battle. But when we have done all that, He calls us to the battle to watch Him win the battle! That’s sooooo cool!!!  God always leads us to Victory, We are unable to be certain of victory if we fight the battle ourselves.  Only when God fights the battle do we have confidence we can truly win.

When James said, “Faith without Works is dead,” (James 1:20) he understood that God calls us to a process. We don’t come to faith without the process.  A process of learning more about God, while learning that His laws work only when He is in control of them. They are His laws, and  it’s all His creation.  We just muck it up. God didn’t create us to become God. He created us to become Friends of God. All He wants us to do is Love Him, and let Him Love us.  And share that with anyone who doesn’t understand it. 

Does that make us not responsible for our sin? Absolutely not.  Awareness of sin is awareness of how totally lost and helpless we are without our creator. We need God. We need to be in Awe of God.  But we need to let God be God and know a lot more everyday about what that means. But our love of God is doing us no good if it puts a wedge between us and God, because we strive more and more everyday, to obey a set of laws that is impossible to keep….thereby making us Hate God for giving them to us in the first place.  One of the OPPOSITES OF GOD is: He gave us laws < & > He NEVER meant for us know HOW to NOT break them?!!?  He knew when He made us that we would eventually break them, even in the Garden of EDEN. He had a plan for our salvation.

Christy and I talked earlier this week about the spiritual battles, and how you must learn as you go while fighting them. It is never a sin to not understand while God is teaching us.  But it is a sin to disobey what we understand.  Sometimes we give into disobedience, just because we are too weary to keep doing the obedience thing. That’s OK. To all who find themselves in this push-pull struggle, including myself, I would love to ask:  “Do you get it? that God only asks us to continue striving until we really get it?  that He really doesn’t want us to go there?  so He lets us go there, so we can see where it leads us?  and see how exhausted we will get? Then HE brings us back from there - and hopes we will have learned not to keep going there?”  (Parents will relate.)   Yet God always provides a remedy for sin. (Note to parents: this is why hugs are necessary after discipline.)

God didn’t let the Israelites show up to Jericho and not have a list of things He wanted them to do. Then, He made them march around the city. He made Noah build a boat that no one else had ever seen the likes of.  He asks big things of us, with a complicated instruction manual as our help. It all seems fruitless sometimes. But when it boils down to it, we will do all He asks us to do, to the best of our ability, and in the end, all He wants from us is to lock ourselves in the ark and ride out the storm.  ~Totally, in His control.  In the end, or rather NEW BEGINNING, we let go of our striving and Let God fight and WIN the battle. Your armor is your defense against the enemies secret attacks on you. But when Christ comes in offense, rejoice that you are fully prepared, and turn the battle over to the Lord. 

…If there had been a law given which could have given life, righteousness should have been by the law.

The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galations 3:21 & 24

 Thank you, Lord for saying, “It is Finished,”  in your dying breaths.  And thank you for the Resurrection - an end to the power of the law and a new beginning full of power to defeat the effects of the law.  Help me, Dear Lord to not fall back to living under the curse.  Help me not to have suffered in vain. Help me not grow weary while training to be a soldier..  As we are called to the battles in our lives, give us peace and help us Stand, as YOU gain MY victory. Especially when others bring sin into our lives Help me Lord to not give up while I am building the “Ark” in my life. It is hard enough dealing with when I bring sin into my life, but I feel helpless when I can’t control when other sources bring sin in.  Lord, be in control, and help me feel secure when YOU are in control. AMEN 

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Nailing Fear to the Cross

 

About a month ago, I saw an intriguing quote on Facebook that said, “I will not be a casualty of fear.”  Regretfully I am unable to name the profound author; and it has taken me this long to churn this thought around and ask Jesus to shed some light for us.

The definition for casualty is “An accident, especially one involving serious injury or loss of life.”  Isn’t that exactly what fear does?  Fear grips us in such a vice that we are unable to move except in a strangulation response to its tightly wound shackles.  This cannot be abundant joy filled living!

2 Timothy 1:7 says,

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

This verse tells me that when I am operating out of fear, I am NOT making decisions with power, love, and sound mind.  In other words, I am relying on my emotions to define my thoughts.  The challenge is simply admitting to God that we are scared (He knows anyway, right?) and then choosing to turn those fears over to Him even if we have to a million times a day.

Fear of “what could happen” makes us sick and anxious. Jan Silvious says, “What if’s don’t exist, so don’t even go there.”  

In other words, we need to get a grip on our thoughts.  2 Corinthians 10:5 says,

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

The enemy would choose for us to be crippled with fear so that we are unable to fulfill our missions in expanding the Kingdom.  A practical idea is to make a “fear list” and just write down every thought that is making us scared or fearful.  Then we can write beside it a promise from God’s word or the facts of the situation beside it-replacing the lies with precious truths.  We will no longer lose ground to the enemy but take back what was stolen from us.  Verse by verse we can nail our fears to the cross. 

You may be like me and say, “But what if I do all of this and the worst case scenario happens?”  The fact is that it probably won’t, but what do we do if it does?  

I attended church with a godly woman named, Cindy, and she had breast cancer once, but then found out that it was back in other places with a vengeance.  She was a teacher and taught until she knew that she could no longer be with her kids.  Cindy underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatments as long as she could.  Toward the end of her precious life, I have a vivid memory of seeing her in the balcony of our church with her hat on and hands lifted in the air praising God with everything in her.  

I guess the answer to our question is that: if the worst case scenario comes, we will praise God anyway.  We will praise our Creator and Lord, with every bit of our hearts until we are no longer on this earth.  No, we will not be a casualty of fear, but a demonstration of abundant life right up to the end.

My Prayer:  God, I admit to you that sometimes I am so scared of the situations that life throws at me.  Thank you, Father, for being in control of every circumstance I will ever face.  Spirit of Fear, you are not welcome here.  Go to the foot of the cross and stay there.  God, replace my fears with truths carefully defined by You and help me stay in the mindset of taking every thought captive to Your obedience.  I choose to nail my fears to the cross and live my life abundantly.  In Jesus powerful name!

Dogged Determination

As I write this blog post, I’ve been nursing a cold for two days in my sweatpants  and alternating between drinking hot tea and cold smoothies.  My voice is gone-I mean that it’s really gone and when I speak I sound like a goose honking which is not very conducive for teaching Kindergarten.  

Yesterday as I was having a bit of a pity party, I began talking to the Lord about my attitude and sickness and I said, “Why now?  Why me?  I really don’t have time for this.”  As I was reading a Christian article, I came across a statement that went something like this, “Christians cannot ask God, ‘Why?’ in hard times if they didn’t ask Him, ‘Why?’ in victorious times.”

You see, I’ve been just plugging away at my life for a long time feeling pretty good about things without giving acknowledging that God is the giver of all good things.  I am not saying that God made me sick; only that maybe He allowed this quiet time for me to reflect on bigger things.

Sometimes I get very complacent when things are going well, but Isaiah 50:7 reminds me of my posture of determination that I am to have, 

“Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,

I will not be disgraced.

Therefore I have set my face like flint,

and I know I will not be put to shame.”

 I love the image of setting my face like flint.  What a difference it would make if we decided to attack life fearlessly with our faces set like flint!

Life has a way of throwing curveballs at us with our health, jobs, or homes.  Our challenge is to claim the victories of God’s Word with the determination of a confident fighter until the victory becomes reality.  

My Prayer:  God, thank you for allowing me time to reflect on your truths.  I confess to you that complacency is the enemy of victory.  Holy Spirit, remind me to and help me become determined and set my face like flint against life’s challenges.  Jesus, thank you for the example of determination that you showed at the cross.  In Jesus name!

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

Even when life is uncertain, God is not uncertain. He still has the whole world in His hands.

  

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He makes me strong.

With everything changing around me (the season, job location, divorce, etc), i really felt encouragement from the Lord to attend a new church as i start a new journey. Traveling the whole month of October and taking a break from church (the physical building, not the act of worship) has been a good way to transition to a new place for fellowship. 

It felt so good and refreshing this morn to be at this new church. i was able to tune out the crowd and soak in His presence. The title of the series they were in was Stronger—i felt like i was exactly where i needed to be and it felt so good.

In the time of worship He really spoke to me:

I have made you strong. When i thought about what that meant, i realized that it didn't mean He created me strong, but that He made me strong through all the trials in my life. And at a time when i feel a bit weak and vulnerable He reminded me of the strength that i have through Him. Every heartache, pain, disappointment, and setback that i've experienced has not made me weak. It has made me strong. And ...

He promises in scripture to make us strong.

He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.—Isaiah 40:29

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. 
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’—Isaiah 41:10

The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; 
This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will extol Him.—Exodus 15:2

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.—Philippians 4:13

The God who girds me with strength And makes my way blameless? 
He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, And sets me upon my high places. 
He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.—Psalm 18:32-34

I want you to be desperate for me. We were singing this song and the words i am desperate for you, i'm lost without you seemed to be the only words i could hear. As if God was saying seek Me first ... not second or third, but first. Be desperate for Me alone and I will direct your path. With all the change happening, i don't know what to seek first. There are so many things pulling me in different directions and i am easily distracted. My heart and head are on overload. But i got the sense that God was telling me to simplify. To trust in Him and get rid of the stuff that is weighing me down so He can show me exactly where i need to be. 

Today's experience was a good reminder to continually put myself in a quiet and safe place where God can speak to me. He longs to encourage us in that way, but He won't shout over the noise, busy schedule, or be last on the mile-long to-do list.. We have to want and need to be desperate for Him. We have to be willing to simplify our lives to make time for Him. We can't expect God to move in our life if we don't make a place for Him to move. 

i am challenging myself (and you) to simplify the busy schedule to make time for Him and His Word. Pray and ask God what you can give up or rearrange in your schedule to spend more time with Him. Simplifying our schedules for Him will not only lower stress levels, but bring calm, clarity, focus, and a way for God to truly give you direction and a purpose. 

Instant Prayer

My baby grandson had a minor surgery this week that resolved a problem, which left unattended could have been a big problem when he’s older. Though it pains me to see him twinging in pain now, how much better to know that it could be resolved now with a little pain, rather than being a “big pain” in the future.

 I could not help but relate to how we sometimes won’t face our problems and take them to the Lord early, but because of the pain they bring up, we let them ride until they consume us.  How much better to let the Savoir in and let him do a little surgery now, than be living with the results of our sins or heartaches later.

Sometimes it takes a bit for us to realize we have a need either because we are busy, in denial, or just didn't understand things were out of kilter.  Procrastination is not the answer once we become aware!

Romans 12:12 says: continuing instant in prayer.  We want instant food, instant messaging, and instant money.  Why not an instant remedy for whatever is burdening our hearts. 

Jesus didn’t wait a second to respond to our prayer for Salvation. In fact he doesn’t wait to answer our prayers ever.  Sometimes we have to wait for the answer to be revealed, but in God’s book, prayer and response are “instant.”

 ¹¹Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.  Psalm 42:11(KJV)

 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.  Romans 12:12

Thank you, Lord, for instant conversation between you and me. Help all the people who think they are not worthy, or must go through someone else to get prayers answered, see the truth provided in your Word that prayer was meant to be an easy conversation with an all powerful God. You speak to the lowly the same as the most “righteous.”  You hear us one and all.  I praise You for being the health of my countenance, and instant hope. AMEN

 

Please remember to visit us everyday on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Wings-Are-Made-of-Faith/212364455451281 ,

 or just type in My Wings Are Made of Faith in your Facebook search box.

 

Turn About!

 

The word “repent” is illustrated in scripture, as having a boat whose very small rudder is able to make a very large boat turn about.  In the movie Titanic, we are told that the rudder was too small to turn the ship about fast enough to avoid the ice-burg, resulting in the infamous disaster.  Never the less, a very huge ship can be turned about with a very small rudder.  

 A second illustration of what repenting should be is travel.  With modern day GPS travel should be easy, (GPS - the tool that was supposed to revolutionize getting from point A to point B without stopping to look at the map, which is no doubt sending you back to the map, like it is me).  I will admit that for generally getting you there over a long distance, on major highways, I like the GPS, and for finding places when a map or computer are not handy, I like it.  But I turn it off when getting around in an unfamiliar city. I get very tired of being told to stay in the left lane, just moments before being told to make a right turn. What? Did no one tell them it’s illegal to make a right turn from the left lane? Both illustrations indicate to us that the Christian walk is a matter of navigation in God’s eyes.   Not a treadmill of choosing right from wrong, or trying to choose which religion is the best guide. (Spiritual GPS) Who ever actually gets it 100% right anyway?

Navigating the Christian walk is frustrating to seasoned, well-studied Christians, much less for newly saved individuals, who have way too many religions telling them what is the best way to go. Of all the Bible “dirty words,” as Lori calls them, “sin” has got to be the one that sends people away from the Christian concept more than any other word.  “Repenting of sin” sounds down right gut wrenching, to an adult who is contemplating Salvation, if it means a daily grind of self inspection, which includes trying to draw all the fine lines between RIGHT and WRONG.

Think about it.  If you take any subject, and you begin to use it to navigate according to it’s rightness or wrongness, you find yourself on a pendulum of swinging from one side of the issue to another, of “how far can I go without crossing God’s line?”  NOT that we are trying to sneak in a little sin, but that we are trying to not displease Him. (double negative intended.) Sometimes it seems even the Amish sin.  And by the way, they admit they do.  Do you get the point, that it is impossible to live by a right/wrong gage? The more you try to gage your sin, the farther you get into living under the law, and we are made free from the law by our salvation. It’s a ploy of Satan to keep us looking at ourselves, and take our eyes off Jesus.

To some people, this argument sounds like a total cop out to pretend we don’t sin. But properly labeling sin for what it is, and looking at repentance as God wants us to see it, makes the “repent” word down-right appealing. Sin is any thing we do that is taking us in a direction out of God’s perfect will for our lives. Sin is like driving to a destination and getting on the wrong road. It affects us in negative ways.  It adds frustration and stress to our circumstances. If it is the wrong road, it just won’t get us where we are going. The only way to resolve the situation is to turn around, or if traveling by boat, turn the helm by moving the rudder > to head in the right direction. Whether it is a total turn around, backtrack and start over, or is just a simple left or right turn -time is lost. But there is no getting around the fact that we won’t get to a northerly destination going south.

Living within God’s will is as simple as that.  It is not whether my pants are the right color, or if my tattoo is upside down.  Ridiculous? Well some of the things that people say are sin gages are ridiculous too.  If there is one thing I personally believe Christians need to repent of, it is falsely representing the Christian walk - as a list of rules God wants us to follow.  We have turned more people away from Christ by misrepresenting him and why he died. And that my friend is sin. 

Can we always avoid disaster when our ship is heading into sin even though we repent? Sometimes, we just don’t realize we are sailing headlong into the thing that will destroy us, until it’s too late. That is the sole reason for finding daily time to take a look at the map, turn off the religious GPS, and focus on the destination. And on hearing the still small voice of God. 

One last thing about repenting. For me it is most often an act of pulling up anchor.  I find my self anchored, going round in circles, as if dead in the water, unable to move forward.  Finding safe harbor, refueling, and restocking are all elements of the ship illustration of the Christian life. But the only time it is good to just sit idle in the water is for fishing, rest and relaxation, and research.  If your engine and equipment are sound, there always comes a time to pull up anchor and go! So repenting may not be a change in course, or a decision to stay on course, but a decision to set sail for a God given destination.  That too can require a change of mind or circumstances. Without making the change, sin will develop in your life.  Is God going to send you to Hell if you miss the boat? NOOO!  You just won’t receive the greater things God has in store that can be found at that destination. Why miss out?

See sin, from now on, as a going thing, not as a doing thing. See repentance as a change in course thing, not a sit down and cry cause I’m so bad thing.  Your self worth will rise, because you will begin seeing yourself as God sees you – as a friend with whom He can hardly wait to show how great things He can do in your life, which great places He wants you to go with Him to, and what marvelous things He wants to show you along the way. And why miss the gifts at the end of the journey. How simple to just realize you are sorry you're headed the wrong way, and turn about.

For Bible illustrative reading  - Paul talks of living strictly under the law and being converted to the Christian walk:

Acts 26 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+26&version=KJV

He then tells the story of being prisoner aboard a ship – as a free man held prisoner because he has determined to petition Caesar.  Paul is not in sin himself, but finds himself at the mercy of someone who choses to not heed Paul’s admonition from God for when and where to sail.  They sail into disaster, and yet God remains with them, and none is lost.

Acts 27 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+27&version=KJV

2 sets of verses: from this text I would leave with you:

Repentance in the hour of need - 

  ²²And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. ²³For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, ²⁴Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

 ²⁵Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Acts 27: 22 –25 &

⁴⁰And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. Acts 27: 40

All the repentance in the world will not save you from the disasters that come into your life, but when they come, they will give opportunity to encourage others to believe.

LORD, help us to be willing to turn about, even when it means heading into rough seas, especially when our circumstances have hindered our getting to your intended destination. AMEN

 

The Pilgrimage

A few weeks ago, my family and I headed to the beach for a week. On our way I kept thinking, “I can’t wait until we are there!” Although I was looking forward to a week of relaxation, how much time did I waste looking toward my destination instead of the journey?

Psalm 84:5-7 says,

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they will make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.”

This is the foot note in my Bible: “The pilgrimage to the temple passed through the barren Valley of Baca. No specific valley has been identified with Baca. Because Baca can mean ‘weeping,’ it may have been a symbolic reference to the times of struggles and tears through which people must pass on their way to meet God. Growing strong in God’s presence is often preceded by a journey through barren places in our lives. The person who loves to spend time with God will see his or her adversity as an opportunity to re-experience God’s faithfulness. If you are walking through your own Valley of Baca today, be sure your pilgrimage leads toward God, not away from Him.”

As we take these verses apart a little, let’s examine the word, “blessed.” Blessed means happy but more than the emotion of being happy. Instead it carries a deeper meaning of being full of praise, honoring, or a contentment that brings happiness.

We see that the Israelites were on a journey and were going through a rough season or the Valley of Baca. From this Biblical example, I see that I can be blessed, happy, content, and peaceful during a difficult season of my life when I recognize that God is my strength. My outcome is often determined by my outlook.

You see our lives will have trouble. This is the result of living in a fallen world.

In John 16:33, Jesus says,

“I have told you these things, so that in my you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

As the Israelites were on their pilgrimage, they stopped from time to time at different bodies of water where they rested and regained their strength until they make it to The Lord Most High. It is imperative that we identify the places or times where we can rejuvenate in the Lord. This doesn’t mean we have to literally go anywhere, but we could simply rest in His presence with some praise music playing. Our blessing will fall on us when we are seeking, believing, and resting in God.

The last point is that we need to embrace the journey-even in the hardest places. Let’s face it, no one loves difficult times, but the lessons we can share and the empathy we can have with others is priceless. Recently, I went through a difficult season and I remember praying, “God, show me what I need to take from this and how I can help others.” Now I regularly speak with several women who are experiencing the same kinds of trials that I went through just a few short months ago. I find that they don’t feel guarded when sharing with me because I know exactly how they feel. There is not one tear wasted because it’s turned into ministry for other hurting people.

I pray that no matter what part of the pilgrimage you are on, you are seeking God. He is the giver of Hope and Life. You, my dear friend, are His child and He cares deeply for you.

My Prayer: Thank you, God, for reminding me that all seasons of my journey are victorious because of the hope you offer. I praise you for being my place of rest and rejuvenation even during my darkest hours. Jesus, thank you for overcoming the world and for giving us the perfect example to live by. Holy Spirit, remind me when my focus is on myself instead of you. Guard my heart so that it may not veer to the right or left. In Jesus Name!

Tempered Like Gold

 
I was watching a jewelry presentation on new technologies in tempering gold, which produced an effect on gold threads, which allowed the gold to stretch and return to it’s shape.  By weaving 20 to 35 strands of the thread, the jewelers had made necklaces and bracelets that were stretchy enough to not need clasps.  They could be stretched enough to go over one’s head or hand, and according to the maker, were stronger than any other kind of pattern used for jewelry because it didn’t kink, and dent; therefore, over time, it would not loose it’s value. It would not become unattractive or un-wearable, so he was willing to say that it was a lifetime investment. This jeweler also had gold threads wrapped over stretchy silicone, which made massive, more solid looking jewelry, which also stretched.  And the thing that struck me was that he was interested in frequently saying something about the process of how they achieved this remarkable trait, while the sales girl was only all about how beautiful it was.

I was intrigued, that a metal held the properties to be made stretchy.  I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised, because I know that part of the process for tempering any metal, including steel is to make it stronger, by making it flexible.  The steel for sky-scrapers and bridges will break in the wind, if not tempered to a point where it withstands the wind and bends slightly. But of course, you would not want it so stretchy that it could not hold it’s shape.  The same was true for the bracelet, since the jeweler wanted it to return to wrist size after stretching it over the hand. 

They were gorgeous.  Each gold thread had been diamond cut into patterns along the entirety of the thread, and this added sparkle as well as aided in weaving the flexible shape.  The one thing the jeweler wanted people to know was that it was a heat process that set the memory into the metal, and made this possible.  He said that they could not do this with 24 carat gold, which actually had the malleable properties built in, because it would stretch out but not return to it’s original shape.  But by adding other metals which also gave the gold it’s various colors – platinum for white gold, and copper for rose gold – the gold content was reduced to 58%, which was exactly the right content to apply the heat process to and achieve the desired resiliency. This was the formula he said for 14 carat gold.  He said we should always be proud to wear 14 carat gold because of its ability to withstand abuse more than purer forms of gold.

I guess we all know something about this.  We’ve heard it all our lives, but this very moldable stretchy form to which this jeweler had taken the process, was refined to near perfection, in my mind.  I thought of how, when God puts us through the fires of life and adds himself to our very makeup, it makes us so bent out of shape that we don’t know what shape we are in. Hammered and beaten and cut all to pieces, I don’t think we see the bigger picture of coming out of our trials being all sparkly and beautiful. Then, He heats up the circumstances of life and holds us to the fire more than before. Only then do we have memory molded into our very make up.  We become flexible to withstand being stretched to extremes, but can bounce back, and return unscathed to beauty and form.  And that beauty remains etched for all time, to remain valuable in its maker’s eyes.  He is willing to guarantee his work for a lifetime of wear.  The jeweler, who was from Italy, was so proud of his creation, and confirmed that it took weeks to make each piece. The process could not be shortened, because each step was necessary.  There were no shortcuts to achieve the desired strength and beauty he purposed the piece to have.

God has included himself into the process of molding us.  Like pure gold we hold great value to him, but when we become less of ourselves, and one with Him, we take on a flexibility that helps us give with the ebb and flow of life.  We are no less gold, just gold plus that which makes us more than just something pretty to look at.  We take on God’s strength and character.   In a way, Jesus was like this jeweler, who took what was known about the properties of gold for thousands of years, and made it more useful than it had ever been before. As the sales girl, stretched the bracelet gently, the maker said,  “Oh, stretch it more than that, it will not fail.  It can stand much stretching and will always return to its perfect shape.”  So she stretched it twice as far and it returned beautifully to a perfect bracelet once again.

 Lord, I have been through some fires in life, that like the old saint, Job, I wanted to find you and bring my arguments. I wanted you to give me answers as to why must the fire be so hot! What value could my circumstances possibly have on becoming more like you, when, while going through the fire I was so bent out of shape that I didn’t even recognize myself, much less see you becoming one with my character?  I certainly didn’t act like you.  I knew you were there, I knew you allowed me to fall into my emotions and you didn’t mind at all. I knew you never accused me, saying, “How dare you ask me Why?” You let me groan from the pain, and cry out for help. You knew I thought it was more than I could bear.  But rather than leave me, as with Shadrack, Meshack and Abednigo, you joined me in the fire.  In places where no one else could go with me, you were there. When the din of the intensity made it impossible for me to hear you, I could SCREAM to you, and it was OK.  You never cared that I acted like a human and not like God. You simply made yourself the element of strength that would be bound to my future.  And when I emerged exhausted from the process, you allowed me to simply spring back into shape, but now stronger, more beautiful, etched by your hand a permanent pattern of your design. Woven intricately into a new form, renewed in my mind, with a shiny new purpose.  More valuable in my Maker’s eyes.  Thank you for being the only one I have to answer to when I go through the fires of tempering.  And thank you for becoming one with me, even when some would wrongfully judge me as being far from your presence.  Because, Lord that is what people do.  As Jesus said, “Father forgive them, because they just don’t understand.”  And because that is just what You do. AMEN

 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.  Job 23:10

 

Watch & Wait

My husband recently told me how he had been praying about certain things when I expressed concern about an area of personal financial issues. He said, “All I can say is, this is what I prayed, and this is what God did, so this is all I know about how to believe, Cynthia.” My concerns just melted away. If I had known how he was praying and how he felt about God’s response, I probably would have never worried in the first place. Yet in his humble thinking, he didn’t wish to boast about his prayers. He has never shared much about his personal relationship with God. I knew he sometimes obeyed God in sharing our worldly goods with people as God led him. His dad was remarkably generous and sometimes gave more than was wise for his family’s best interest, so I never minded my husband’s choices because he had learned to be reasonable. But lately, he has shared that he felt God wanted him to change how he approached some things. Although I was extremely glad to be brought in on this one area of his interaction with God, I am glad to step back and just watch God work out in his life whatever else God is doing. But I do love when he shares, because I am also edified.

Sometimes the best thing we can do for someone who is finding how to depend totally on God and what He is doing in their lives is to just watch and wait. If there is not a time in our children's lives when they begin to reach out to God for themselves, they are crippled for years in their spiritual walk. The watch and wait time can be for years. But God continues to be in control, and continues to speak softly, drawing those He loves to a closer walk with Him. He ususally isn't very pushy. And He never gives the whole plan dot for dot. If God choses my curcumstances ad chosses to resolve the things as He does, what reason should I have for trying to change that set of events or consequences? Unless He asks me to turn the helm.

One of the best things that I have benefitted from lately, is to let my husband use his skills, developed over the years, to plan our vacation. This year my input was simply that I would just like to anchor in one hotel, and not wander too far from that central point to make our daily excursions. By letting him take it and run, he planned sunrises, sunsets, shopping and all. But only God could have made them as incredible as they actually were!

It will probably often feel like I am only a passenger aboard the boat that my husband and God drive. While watching God tell him to turn the helm, I only wish to be told, that we aren't adrift in the Ocean of No Direction. I genuinely like that my husband has decided to go to great lengths lately to share with me as much as he knows of how God is guiding him to a "new port of call." And equally proud that he shares when he just isn't sure where God is going at all. Even then, I am content that God is gthe one who is drawing up the map. But, I think I'll stay aboard. And enjoy the ride. Well, kinda like Noah's wife aboard the Ark. LOL

Lord, I thank you that you have blessed my husband in such a way that he is confident enough to say, if God is in it, I don't know what else to believe. Thank you for security when you are in it...whatever it is. May someone be blessed today by simply standing by your door, listening, as they watch and wait. In Jesus' Name - Amen

Blessed is the man that listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts. Proverbs 8:34

On the Topic of Judging Others ...

There is one thing i've always been afraid of, even before i committed my life to following Jesus—judgment. i'm not afraid of judgment by God because i know that His grace and His blood has covered all my sin. i'm talking about the judgment that comes from people, especially those who call themselves Christian. i've been amazed, throughout my journey as a Christian, that the people who've hurt me and judged me the most are the same ones who preach scripture and go to church in their Sunday's best.

i've been thinking a lot today about the reason people leave church and give up on God. It's because the people who have come forward in truth and honesty and brokenness are the ones who get criticized by the ones who should be responding with love and grace, seeking truth because they know Jesus and His word.

Now, i find myself surrounded by a bunch of stone-throwers in regards to my dissolution of marriage.

And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”—john 8:7

There is a lot of gossip going around in religious establishments when no one knows the truth—and no one has asked me for it either. Mere speculation. What i find to be the most interesting and saddening is that a lot of these people stood around and watched me struggle for over 2 years and left me to carry all of this alone. Maybe they prayed. But no one offered to come to our home and help ... to see what i saw and experienced. Yet, when my husband tells me he just wants to be my friend, doesn't call me but twice in two months (to only ask for more of his things), and had rejected me 3 times within 3 days, they are all ready to throw the first stone at me in judgment. And even though i offered several times to meet with people to share the truth (truth that only a wife would know about her husband), they all rejected me and decided to speculate what they believed to be true.

"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”—john 7:24

Today, i am not afraid. God knows the truth and one day it will all surface—truth always wins. The truth has set me free and i won't be held in bondage by those who choose to gossip untruths. God is the one true judge and i know that i am right before God and that is all that matters.

i was reluctant to share all of this, but think it's important to share because Christians (i include myself in this) are not doing a very good job of be a shining light of God's love and mercy and grace. We are turning people off from Christianity and Jesus because we are judgmental, hypocritical, impatient, quick to anger, gossipers, etc. If we are reading our Bible, we know what God says about all of these things, so every time we contradict what we know to be true by our actions, we send people farther away from the church and Jesus.

i am not angry or bitter that i am being talked about. If anything, i'm even more empowered to be rich in mercy and full of love as i encounter those who are hurting and going through turbulent times. The truth will always be that we will never know someone's whole story (without going directly to the source), so we shouldn't be quick to throw stones. Those who are hurting need to be loved and heard and shown grace—everything that Jesus would show us.

i love what Matthew 7:1-5 says (click the link to read the NKJ version). The version below is The Message version.

A Simple Guide for Behavior
"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

Father God, we live in such a judgmental culture. It's easy to pick on others to take the focus off our own faults. Help us all to seek the truth—from the source—so that we can all be right before You. Take the stones out of our hands, God, for we know we have no right to judge others. Remind us that the right thing to do is to be kind to those who are hurting and struggling, to hear their story without judging, and to be full of mercy and grace. Humble us, Lord, when we have a holier-than-thou attitude because we know we are not without fault, too. Bless those who seek truth in honesty and with their heart. Bless those who are feeling the heat of judgment that's not from You— block the flaming arrows and give them a spirit of peace.

Scripture to memorize:
 “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.—Matthew 7:1-2

Take Five!

One of my dearest Christian friends used to say, “Inch by inch-life’s a cinch!”  I often come back to that simple saying when I am feeling overwhelmed by life’s demands.  I, like you, have many roles and expectations being a working mom and wife.  

I firmly believe that the enemy would want us to have chaos rule our lives.  From the Garden of Eden when satan’s temptation caused Adam and Eve to trade a life of peace and comfort for one of turmoil and hard work; and our adversary has had a plan of distraction laid out for God’s children.  This divisive scheme of busyness continues to plague us.

This following is an excerpt is from the devotion called “SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND” by Marsha Burns dated 8/9/11:

“Make time for Me in your busy schedule. Your ability to stay connected spiritually will produce peace and good fruit in the face of overwhelming circumstances. Remember that you don't have to accomplish enormous challenges all at once; you are well able to do one thing at a time, moment by moment and still succeed. Refuse the allow stress and pressure to steal your peace and joy, says the Lord.”

Isaiah 26:12 says, “Lord, You establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.”

The past six years have been such a tremendous spiritual journey for me.  I rearranged the way I do business with the Lord-beginning with the minute I get out of the bed.  Instead of being hurried and late, I simply get up a few minutes earlier and sit in my chair to read my devotion, sing a song of praise, write in my prayer journal, or just soak in the presence of my Heavenly Father.  I ask the Lord to prioritize my steps for the day and guide me to accomplish the things that make a kingdom difference.  This has made a huge adjustment on my outlook of life to that of a heavenly focus.

Psalm 5:3 says,“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”

The author, David, reveals through this verse that God’s perfect plan for us is to spend time with the Lord first thing in the morning and lay our burdens at his feet while waiting expectantly for direction.  

Our daily challenge is to take a few minutes and fellowship with our Heavenly Father.  This simple “time out” in our lives will allow God to direct our paths and align our hearts and attitudes with His perfect plan.  The peace that flows from our relationship with the King will transform our routines into a kingdom focused life.

My Prayer:  God, thank you for adjusting my attitude when I take a few minutes out of my morning to fellowship with you!  Holy Spirit, show me how to maintain a life that is pointing others toward my Heavenly Father.  I lay down my busyness at the foot of the cross and thank you, Father, for providing perfect peace in the midst of a hectic schedule.  In Jesus name!

 Scripture to memorize:

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from, me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

                                                                                                            ~Matthew 11:28-30

 

 

Finding contenment in a time of change ...

 At the beginning of the year, i wrote a blog post on my New Year's Resolution for this year—simply being content.

The Oxford Dictionary defines content as:

adjective
• in a state of peaceful happiness
• satisfied with a certain level of achievement, good fortune, etc., and not wishing for more

verb
[with object]
• satisfy (someone)
• (content oneself with) accept as adequate despite wanting more or better

noun
• a state of satisfaction

In Philippians, Paul says this about contentment:
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.—Philippians 4:11-12

We know that we are really and honestly content when we can agree with what Paul says. i really believe that there cannot be true contentment apart from Jesus. He is the source of joy and contentment because we realize without Him we are nothing. When we have Jesus in our heart, on our mind and in our spirit—and we are filled with joy only He can give—we are content in any circumstance ... whether our cup is overflowing or we are walking in the darkest valley.

In the last three years, there are few things that have stayed the same: My family and my joy in Christ. Everything else has been changing in some way. In my state of constant change, God has proved Himself stable in my life and for that i am grateful.

Once again, i have found my life changing, interestingly at a time when the season is changing. The day after my birthday, about two weeks ago), Luke called to tell me that he is happy where he is, that he has no intention of coming home, and that he wants to be my friend. Honestly, after three years (three years tomorrow, in fact), it was hard to be content with what he wanted. But God has assured me that i would be OK. He has put peace on my heart as i have filed for a permanent dissolution of marriage, granting Luke his wishes. i am resting knowing that even if i lose one more thing, i will never be able to lose Him. i am content with Him—my source of life, joy, peace, and hope.

Some days, being content is harder than other days, but i reflect often on what Paul says in Philippians. i know what it's like to have much and i know what it's like to have much taken away. When i find my source of joy to be in Him, and not people, money, or possessions, being content comes naturally.

So, as i move forward in this new year and beginning of a new chapter in my life, i move forward joyfully, looking forward to God's blessings. i have much story left to write as God closes one door. i am confident He will open many, many more and bless me for being a faithful servant.

Promises of God

From the file box:

Prosperity = The Fulfillment of the Promises of God…

 In 1993, my husband had a surgical procedure done to clean a blocked artery and save his heart and life.  Seeking comfort, he ran across the verse: A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

Followed by: 37:14:  And shall put my spirit in you and ye shall live…. 

Now these verses were taken out of context, but when you are facing something that might mean your life, you don’t care how the Lord gives you peace of mind.  The whole Biblical text is written to the Israelites who needed restoration as a nation.  This is the text where the “Dry Bones Parable” is found.  A promise is given by God to raise up the floundering nation and give it new life. Even though it is presumed to be as dead as dry bones, God promises to “resurrect” it, and give it full life once again.  

Ezekiel was a colorful writer, but God used him to give strong mental pictures of how God was able to do whatever was necessary to keep his promises to His people.  In the depths of these verses, so much more can be gleaned.  The resurrection promise itself was a “type picture” of Christ.  Jesus’ disciples would come to understand that the real resurrection for the nation of Israel was through their Messiah. Israel became, not just a great nation, but the ancestral parent of a greater work - the birth of a church, to which any who believed might be born. Through them God gave life to a family that would affect the world. But this great work would come only when His followers thought all hope was lost.  It would only occur if this long awaited Messiah died. Never did they dream he would be resurrected.  Yet the picture was there, just as Jesus said, in the very verses they studied and believed.

Jesus did not remain dead long enough for his bones to dry.  But the prophecy was about an Israel, which came to a place where they feared all hope was lost. They lost their ability to believe that God was able to give continued life to their failing nation.  Mmmmm. Parallels all around this one, but I am not going there.  (Yes the people of our nation would do well to seek the truths in these chapters.)  God does wish to give continued life to the nations he has blessed, even to the point of bringing them back from dry bones.  But my actual point is - these verses give us a visualization of the lengths to which God is willing to go, to give the people he loves the promise of life.  Out of that life was the promise of a savoir, and if Israel failed, would there be no savoir?

In a discussion with my son, recently, I asked him to use the litmus test of basic Gospel truths, against which to test the doctrines of various religious faiths as he studied. We talked about why one of the most important of these is the fact that God wants us to choose life in every circumstance. Life and the regeneration of life are extremely important to God.  But when you are facing a circumstance or illness, which threatens life, death, not life, can be the reality.  I have often thought that if I were facing cancer, I would not have the desire to fight for life. Mainly, the reason is that death is the better than life, because of Christ.  I see the after-life as my resurrection to the best form of life. But, I am not seeking death. Yet God prefers that I choose to love life.

For my husband - where he was, wanting to live, and who was facing a life-threatening event - any promise from God that He cared about life, which could give an assurance that life was really important to Him, was timely.  My husband loves life. He loves living every day.  He has a God attitude about life. He holds each day precious. Even before he was threatened by his blocked artery, he treasured life.

So when God gave him these verses, they were not out of context for him.  The “ye shall live,” of Ezekiel 37:14 was as if it were written to him and for him, because God was comforting his heart and giving peace to his mind. God was saying to my beloved, I care about YOUR LIFE.  It was personal. 

It is a wonderful thing that our Bible is so multifaceted.  My mind is opened to the vastness of God’s ability to use His Word to bless and inspire us in so many ways.  Every story, and parable bears a witness to the truths He wants us to focus on and in fact, to bank our hopes in the vaults of their promises. 

So Jimmy claimed those verses, and went to surgery with a renewed confidence that God would use this scary time in his life to give him not just renewed physical life, but renewed spiritual hope for a greater, longer, fuller life.

I have a flip-calendar of scriptures, given to me by my daughter, from Heartland Samplers, Inc., which is one of a Series called “Bless Your Heart.”  It is appropriate for me because I often use the southern phrase “Bless your heart.”  And not as a derogatory remark, but in the sense of this calendar, that the Lord can bless your heart in a spiritual way through the Word and Prayer.  Anyway, on February 4 of this particular year’s calendar, it says:

“God can mend a broken heart, but we have to give him all the pieces.”

Followed by the verse:

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18.”  

On this page I scribbled: the year, a note about the surgery, and the verses my husband had claimed, so I could remember the day the Lord resurrected us to new life, when we could share in the second half of  Ezekiel 37:14 which says: 

“then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.” 

Thank you, Lord for promises to claim. For scripture, that calms our minds and spirits when the days of comfort are needed. Give comfort today to those who need it and seek a word from you.  Help us all to appreciate that You are the champion of life in all aspects of life.  You have made life a precious thing. Help us to live like we cherish it too.  In Jesus’ precious name, AMEN.