Resolutions

New Years resolutions. We all make them, and usually break them.  There are the old standbys....eat less, exercise more (yup, one of my faves, and this time I'm really gonna do it !! LOL).  But what if our resolutions, at least one of them, takes on a new perspective this year?  What if our resolutions focus less on us and more on others.   It is our church's tradition that our Pastor write a short letter each year for Christmas.  It's always poignant, encouraging and thought provoking.  And this year the thought provoking got me thinking!!

In this letter was a story written about William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army.  I am including that story here to illustrate what I am talking about when I say maybe some of our New Years resolutions should focus on others. It's what changed the direction of my New Years goals.

It was Christmas Eve, 1910. General William Booth, the founder of The Salvation Army in London, England was near the end of his life. His health was poor, and he was going to be unable to attend the Army’s annual convention. Booth had become an invalid, and his eyesight was failing him. No one knew that he would not live to see another Christmas.
Somebody suggested that General Booth send a telegram or a message to be read at the opening of the convention as an encouragement to the many soldiers of the Salvation Army that would be in attendance following Christmas and their many hours of labor ministering to so many others through the holidays and the cold winter months. Booth agreed to do so.
Knowing that funds were limited and desiring not to use any more money than necessary so that as much money as possible could be used to help the many people in need, General Booth decided to send a one word message. He searched his mind and reviewed his years of ministry, looking for the one word that would summarize his life, the mission of the Army and encourage the others to continue on.
When the thousands of delegates met, the moderator announced that Booth would not be able to be present because of failing health and eyesight. Gloom and pessimism swept across the floor of the convention. Then, the moderator announced that Booth had sent a message to be read with the opening of the first session. He opened the telegram and read the one word message:
Others!
Signed, General Booth.

"Where is your focus? Is it stayed upon the Lord Jesus Christ with intense focus? Are you allowing Him to open your eyes to the world around you so He can meet needs and minister to people through you? Perhaps it is time for you to spend time with Jesus and allow Him to retune your focus."

These questions were posed at the end of the article.  Great questions (doesn't God give those !). Maybe this New Years, we can take some time to sit with the Lord, and find out where He wants our focus to be, not just in our own lives, but in the giving of ourselves, pouring out His love in service of others.  We were saved not just to sit in heaven after we die, but to serve others, and to practice good works...thereby glorifying our Father in heaven.

There are many areas in my life I'd like to change....eating less (a lot less)  and exercising more, less complaining and more thanksgiving.  In fact I feel a strong witness in my spirit that this is to become a year of thanksgiving for me.  That is my spiritual growth resolution.  But I want to be led by the Lord in where my service is needed for others.  I don't think serving others necessarily has to mean you do some big ministry....although the Lord may lead in that way....but even smaller service, like helping out in the church food pantry, or greeting ministry, maybe it's just doing an extra chore at home to help our your family....the one no one likes to do...perhaps it's donating an hour a week to read to kids or talk to seniors...whatever...ask God to open your eyes and open the door for you to serve others, and Him.  Maybe it's not a specific ministry at all, but being available to God each day for whatever and whoever He puts before You to serve.  Not allowing the daily "to do" list to get in the way of stopping and helping another, of taking time to listen and love.

Matthew 5:14-16  You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket.  Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand where it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise you heavenly Father. 

Ephesians 2:10  For we are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.  

Lord, I pray for each of us, for Your children, Your church, that we would hear Your voice clearly this day, and follow Your path for our lives...to live for You, to serve You, to be Your hands and feet in this lonely world.  Lord, may each person reading this have a blessed new year.  May they grow in their relationship with You.  Let peace enter their hearts and lives, healing and wholeness.  In Jesus most precious Name.  Amen.  

Fear

As I was driving home from church on Sunday I heard a preaching teaching on the end times.  Now, I am not that into worrying over what will happen, when it will happen.....I only know Jesus comes back, God wins, I live happily ever after with Him...those things I am sure of.  But listening to this gentleman was very disturbing to me.  He was describing events in the Middle East that are actually taking place right now, and how all the pieces are in place for the possible start of World War Three....If that's not enough, we are constantly bombarded with negative, frightening headlines, dour stories of hurt and hatred ruling the planet and the hearts of so many people on it.   As I said, I am not usually one to fall into this kind of anxiety, but his time a spirit of fear came over me....not for myself, but for my animals, and the cats I help care for at the shelter.  "What if the world economy collapses?  What if dirty bombs start dropping on our shores?  What will happen to all this innocent creatures we love so much?"   God created in me a heart for His creatures, and I love that He did so, but I feared for them.

I know this fear is not from Him.  I am to walk by faith.  It dispels fear and worry.  So the next day God sent the perfect (however does He do this every time?!?!?) reading in my "Jesus Calling" devotional.  "The media are increasingly devoted to fear-inducing subject matter: terrorism, serial killers, enviromental catastrophes.  If you focus on such dangers and forget that I am your Refuge in all circumstances, you will become increasingly fearful."  Wow, was that right on target?  The reading was accompanied by two wonderfully comforting verses of Scripture.  And they are healing balm to those whose hearts are plagued by fear.  A reminder for our spirits of who is in control and who loves us with an everlasting love.

Psalm 46:1-3  God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.   So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.   Let the oceans roar and foam.   Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! 

Psalm 89:1-18  

1 I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever!
    Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
2 Your unfailing love will last forever.
    Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.
3 The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant.
    I have sworn this oath to him:
4 ‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever;
    they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’” Interlude
5 All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord;
    myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.
6 For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord?
    What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord?
7 The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God.
    He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.
8 O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies!
    Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord?
    You are entirely faithful.
9 You rule the oceans.
    You subdue their storm-tossed waves.
10 You crushed the great sea monster.[b]
    You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;
    everything in the world is yours—you created it all.
12 You created north and south.
    Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.
13 Powerful is your arm!
    Strong is your hand!
    Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
    Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.
15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
    for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
16 They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.
    They exult in your righteousness.
17 You are their glorious strength.
    It pleases you to make us strong.
18 Yes, our protection comes from the Lord,
    and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.

So many times in Scripture You tell us not to fear, You remind us that You will never leave nor forsake us, that You are our strong tower, our provided, our Savior.  I know also Lord that You are aware of the cares of our hearts. You know what is important to us.  Thank You Lord for the comfort You provide in Your Word and by Your presence.  Help us not to fear, but to look to You in faith. You are mighty, and awesome in power, ruler over all, tender as a mother with her child in your love for us.  Thank You for allaying my fears.  

I Saw The Light

We had some fun with this song in church today.....some "dancing in the aisles" and hand clapping were definitely in order.    Thanks to our great music team for bringing a lift to our hearts today. Enjoy!!

JOY TO THE WORLD

(throwback to my youth LOL)

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Merry Christmas

Family and Friends

Merry Christmas to you all !!

We are so blessed in all the gifts we give and 

receive this time of year.  The greatest of these being the reason we celebrate, Jesus Himself.

As much joy as we get from blessing one another,

I can only imagine God the Father's joy in

giving us His Son.

God the Father gave Jesus, wrapped as a present

in human form, to save us all.

John 3:16 tell us:  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

Imagine that  !!  The creator of everything wanted our 

fellowship so much, loved us so much, 

that Jesus willingly came to earth, lived perfectly, died and rose again to bring us to Himself.  

So I pray for you, my loved ones, my readers near and far,

that during all the wonderful fun and bustle of this season, 

that God warms your heart with His love

for you and that you remember the 

greatest gift of all.

Have a great holiday !!

Many of you will be surrounded by family and friends this holiday.  There will be fun and laughter, memories shared and memories made.  But there are others who are alone. They have no one to share the day with, perhaps they are widowed, perhaps they live far away, maybe in the military, separated from loved ones, or are estranged from family....whatever the reason, they will not be sharing a Christmas celebration.  For them, I pray.  I pray that they will find themselves in the presence of Jesus, who never leaves nor forsakes us, who is there with us...wherever we may be.  It is the reason He came.  Our Immanuel--God with us.  Take the time to make this day a special visit with the Lord. Sit with Him, share with Him, let Him share His love and fill you with His peace.  I pray you will find His arms around you this day.  And I pray you will know how much He loves you.  Have a blessed Christmas.  

Remember

It's almost the "big day."  Christmas.  The whole season points to this day.  Yet, what in my life this season has pointed to You?  The reason for the season.  Sometimes  I get the sense that all the activity, all the decorations, the gift giving, the celebrations, all of it is in search of a feeling.  That elusive, "feeling of Christmas."  

The last week or so, that thought has been ringing in my heart.  Is what I am doing during this time pointing me towards Jesus,  Is He at the center of the season for me?  And sadly, more often that not, I have to say, "No."  I enjoy the holiday fun, gathering with family and friends (and lets not forget all the yummy food).  And that is wonderful.  Giving gifts, helping others during this time is so special and heartwarming.  But if I am forgetting the reason behind all of this...getting too caught up with the glitz and sparkle of the season, then I am losing the heart of it all---Jesus Christ.

So today, I want You to be my focus.  Stay in the center of all I do today and tomorrow, and the day after that.  I don't want to lose You Jesus...lose You to the bustle of Christmas.  Thank You for coming the this broken down world to lift us out of the muddy pit and seat us with You in the heavenly places.  I want to remember that, to remember You.  

Looking For Jesus

It's been a busy few weeks.  And it seems as Christmas draws nearer, the pace grows faster.  No matter how much I try to get the gift buying, card writing, supply stocking business done before December starts, I still end up racing to the finish line of Christmas Day. Each year I vow to "get done early" and just enjoy the Christmas season, doing the fun stuff of family and friends and festivities. I vow to spend time with the Lord, celebrating His birth and all it means for me. But it never really seems to work out that way.  Being a Postal worker doesn't help....along with all the preparation of my own home for the "Big Day," is the added blessing/burden of working long hours helping to deliver Christmas for the American public. I'm not complaining. The overtime is so helpful.  And I've gotten to help out with the Angel Tree Ministry at church, so that is a special blessing.  Also I have had and am looking forward to more wonderful time with friends and family...doing the Christmas fun stuff.  Everything the holiday season is supposed to be! But yet the rushing and frantic feelings are still there in this last week before Christmas Day..and I really wish that I could relax and enjoy.

It seems that the time with the Lord in the morning has grown shorter, when I really would like to see it grow longer at this time of year.  That special oasis of peace that I feel when I am with Him ends all too soon and the hustle bustle begins.  Quick visits!

A few years back I came across this poem, and I found it with my Christmas cards a few weeks ago. As I read it I found comfort, conviction and the Lord's calling.  As much as I need to be with Him, is as much as He desires to spend time with me.  And this is true for each of us.  I don't know the author of this writing, but I will share it here with you guys in the hope that you will hear His call, and take time to stop and enjoy His presence.

If you look for me at Christmas you won't need a special star - 

I'm no longer just in Bethlehem

I'm right there where you are.

You may not be aware f Me

amid the celebrations -

You'll have to look beyond the stores

and all the decorations.  But if you take a moment

from you list of things to do

and listen to your heart, you'll find

I'm waiting there for you.

You're the one I want to be with,

you're the reason that I came,  And you'll find Me in the stillness

as I'm whispering your name.

Love, Jesus

The greatest treasure of this holy season, is the gift of Jesus Christ and the lovely time spent enjoying His company.  

Lord, open our eyes to what's important and fill our hearts and lives with Your presence.  Thank You

Luke 10:41-42  And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

Bittersweet

I drove to work yesterday, listening to Klove, as usual....I just love this contemporary Christian music station.  A beautiful song came on, that brought tears to my eyes and a warmth to my heart.  As I sit here typing this, I get misty eyed all over again.  This will be our second Christmas without Mom. And I, all of the family, miss her very much.  So as the song "Different Kind Of Christmas" came on, I felt it fill my heart with remembrance, sadness, and smiles all at the same time.

As I listened to the words, I felt the melancholy of missing Mom creep into my heart.  Anyone who has lost a loved one knows, that even as the years go by, the memories and the missing don't really fade away.

But the end of the song, where it talks of the remaining family around the table, brought a special kind of joy to my spirit.  Over the last few decades, my Mom was almost the last one from her generation, the last of the "matriarchs" as it were left in our family.  She was the one who held everyone together, who prayed for each of us, who talked and counseled....the string between us all. She was the heart of our family.  But as I listened to the end of the song...and thought about our family, I realized that she left a beautiful legacy.  And the heart of the family was the love she shared, and the sense of family handed down from her and her sisters....they all left us a legacy.  And we, all of us together, are that heart of the family now.  And I know that they are filled with joy as the wait for us to join them in heaven, seeing the connections and love between those left behind.

Yes, we miss those who have gone on before us, but they live in our hearts and in our love for one another...Thank You Mom and Aunt Alice, Aunt Julia, Eileen, for leaving us an inheritance of family to carry on.  And I am thankful for my Aunt Kay, as well.  Even though she married in, (we never differentiate blood from married to, in my family.....family is family!), she too added to our closeness and connection.  I know she and Mom considered themselves "sisters."  And even though she now has alzheimers, she is truly the last Matriarch of her generation in the O'Connor clan.  What a blessing You have given us Lord in our family.  Thank You.

A God Story

Years ago there was a Christian Book Store near my house.  After shopping, we went to check out our purchases and they had a stack of papers next to the register.  This paper was a story they were handing out to their customers.  I read over the story and asked if I could reprint to enclose with my Christmas cards that year.  The lady manning the register said, "absolutely."  I don't know who wrote this piece, there is no author listed, but it's great story illustrating God's love for mankind.  I share it here in the hopes that you will love it too, and maybe share it with those in your life who don't know the love of and salvation of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Here goes:

There was once a man who didn't believe in God, and he didn't hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays.  His wife, however, did believe and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus, despite his disparaging comments.  One snowy Christmas Eve, his wife was taking their children to service in the farm community in which they lived.  They were to talk about Jesus' birth.  She asked him to come, be he refused.  "That story is nonsense!" he said. "Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man?  That's ridiculous!"  So she and the children left, and he stayed home.

A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard.  As the man looked out the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm.  he sat down to relax before the fire for the evening.  Then he heard a loud thump.  Something had hit the window.  Then another thump.  He looked out, but couldn't see more than a few feet.  When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window.

In the field near his house he saw a flock of wild geese.  Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and couldn't go on.  They were lost and stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter.  They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and aimlessly.  A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed.

The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them.  The barn would be a great place for them to stay, he thought.  It's warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm.  So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside.  But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and didn't seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them.

The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them, and they moved further away. He went into the house and came with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread crumb trail leading them to the barn.  They still didn't catch on.  Now he was getting frustrated.  He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction, except toward the barn.  Nothing he did could get them to go into the bard where they would be warm and safe.

Why don't they follow me?!" he exclaimed.  "Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?"  he thought for a moment and realized that they that they just wouldn't follow a human.  "If only I were a goose, then I could save them," he said out loud.

Then he had an idea.  He went into the barn, go one of his own geese, and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild gees.  He then released it.  His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn -- and one-by-on, the other geese followed it to safety.  He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes early replayed in his mind:  "If only I were a goose, then I could save them!"

Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier,, "What would God want to be like us? That's ridiculous!"  Suddenly it all made sense.  That is what God had done.  We were like the geese -blind, lost, perishing.  God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and save us. As the winds and blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered this wonderful thought. Suddenly, he understood why Christ had come.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full or grace and truth.  John 1:14

What a wonderful story.  A beautiful depiction of God's love for His creation, loving us enough to send Jesus to become one of us so He could save all who would accept His gift.  Jesus---the greatest gift of all.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.  

Some Favorites For Christmas

Discernment, From Mom

Perceive, keenness in perceiving and understanding of what is of the Holy Spirit, examine, question

James 4:7  Therefore submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  

Satan's schemes always being with a lie, a false lead, a subtle twist to the truth.

Ephesians 6:10-18  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--

Put on the "Armor of God," especially verse 17 (the helmet of salvation)--protect my mind from the attacks of the enemy.

From me:

How do we have discernment?  Looks like Mom went right to the Scripture (what better authority than that!)  Staying close to God, resisting the devil (submitting to him allows a fog to settle over our minds and hearts, blurring our thinking and clouding our communication with the Lord), and keeping God's armor securely in place.  We have His righteousness.  Jesus' substitutional death on the Cross allows us to be clothed in His righteousness.  The Bible teaches us what is true.  We are to walk in His peace, be filled with His peace and share the peace offered in the Gospel.  Faith causes us to believe God and His promises, to trust when all we see is darkness, or wrongness, feel confused or afraid. We do not have to live in fear of what Satan throws at us!  The helmet protects our mind, our thinking. With the Sword of the Spirit we defeat the enemy's lies.  We splay them open for what they are and reveal the truth of God.   When we are walking in this way, we are stay in contact with the Lord and know what pleases Him.  We are able to hear His voice and know which path is correct. Will we sometimes go off in the wrong direction?  Of course.  We are human and I know, for myself, my spiritual hearing gets skewed by emotions, my physical well being, and my own desires (it's amazing what we can make ourselves believe is God's leading when we want to!).  But the closer we stay in contact with God, through prayer and the Scriptures, the more discernment we will have and the less we will get off His chosen path.

Thank You Lord, for Your armor, for teaching us discernment through Your Word, and even sometimes Your discipline.  I thank You for the Holy Spirit living inside of me to lead me in the right way.  Help us all to hear clearly, to desire Your way above our own and to follow You closely, each and every day.

Birthday Visit

My Birthday was Saturday.  Happy Birthday to me.  LOL  On my birthday I always look forward to hearing from the Lord.  I think of it as my special instructions, assignment, encouragement, my special God visit for the year ahead.

In the "Jesus Calling" devotional the reference verses came from Genesis 28:11-16.  It's one of my favorite stories in the Bible, so I was thrilled to have the Lord include it in my "Birthday card" from Himself.

Genesis 28:11-16  Then he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.  He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.  There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.  Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.  I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”  When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”

I love that in the driest, most desolate place, Jacob discovers that the Lord is there.  And the Lord wants me to remember that as well...I am never abandoned...however dark and bleak, empty or alone I feel.  In work when everything is going south around me....my attitude is growing grumpier...He is there to lift me up.  When I get hit with one large bill after another...the washer breaks, the car needs work and the cats all decide to need the vet at the same time...He is there to provide.  When I feel like I am drifting emotionally...nothing seems settled inside or I feel  mentally, emotionally spent and bankrupt....He is my anchor and my fulfillment.  This is my encouragement for the year, and I wish too share it with my readers here, that you too may find the Lord to be "Him Who sees me."  (That's from another of my favorite stories in Genesis 16)  He sees our need, our desires, our hopes, our struggles and He is with us.

But along with this encouragement came instructions for the year ahead.  My marching orders so to speak.  They came from Psalm 31:20  You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of men; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

There is a lot of negative talk, gossipy tongue wagging, critical, complaining yapping going on all around me.  And as the Lord as said before, He wants me to steer clear of this.  So that assignment continues for me....to hide myself in Him when the "strife of tongues" is reigning the day.

And not only does the Lord want me to refrain from certain types of talking, He wants me to grow into an encourager to others.  Support and inspire others to use their gifts, their talents.  Applaud their growth and attempts to walk forward along the path the Lord is leading them on.  A better way to use my speech, if you will.

I love all the visits of the Lord.  Small little touches, amazing displays of His love....but it's the birthday one that makes my heart glow the most...because it feels so especially personal and directed. Thank You Lord for this birthday gift.   I can almost see You going down the "aisles" of heaven, looking over the shelves for just the perfect present for me.  When You find it on the shelf, You take it down and place it on the prettiest paper (it's got sparkles and shine, just as I like), lovingly wrap it up and tie a wonderful blue bow on it (blue is my favorite color!).  It's thoughtful and just the right size.

Lord, help me to remember, to live, to grow.  To remain in Your presence, and to follow Your path for me this year.  Next year, I want to be more like Jesus than I am today.  Thank You for Your specificity  in caring for Your children, for me.

 Genesis 16  Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”  Abram agreed to what Sarai said.  So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife.  He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.  When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.  Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.”  Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.  The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur.  And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”  “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.   Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.”  The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”   The angel of the Lord also said to her:“You are now pregnant  and you will give birth to a son.  You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery.
 He will be a wild donkey of a man;  his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.” She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi: it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.  So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne.  Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Calling The Cavalry

Okay, so I have to share the instant God visit I received when I opened my "Jesus Calling" devotional right after writing the last entry about questions.  God is so amazing !!!

From the book;  "Do not be surprised by the fiery attacks on your mind.  When you struggle to find Me and to live in My Peace, don't let discouragement set in....When you find yourself in the thick of battle, call upon My Name;  "Jesus, help me!"  At that instant the battle becomes Mine; your role is simply to trust me as I fight for you."

Wow, was that so awesome or what!?!  Calling on Jesus in the thick of the aggravation, frustration, tough situation....not just to be delivered out of the problems, but to come through them glorifying Him in my response.  Be the issue large or small....He is on the throne, and in charge and longing to get His hands into my mess.  He's just waiting for my invitation.

Lord, remind me...it's in Your name I find my peace, and my victory.  You can deliver.  Thank You for this timely reading this morning.  I love the way You do things!!

1 Samuel 17:47  All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

Questions Again

You know I love God questions.  Just those quick little God visits that drop a question on our hearts that make us go, "hmmmm..."

There was the question on Sunday referring to my earnestness of awaiting Christ's return.  Then there was yesterday's little gem.  I was trying to do a hundred things (just like any other day), and vacuuming the floors was one of them.  The vacuum was being difficult!  The end kept falling off, the cord fell out of the socket, got caught on this or that....I was getting frustrated to say the least. The battle of the vacuum...then next great war in history!  So as all this was going on, in comes "The Question."  "Do you fight the sin in your life as hard as you do everything else."  Wrestling with the vacuum, fussing over things in work.....all the small and not so small things that draw my ire day in and day out....mostly inconsequential or unimportant.

What I should be fighting at these times is my proclivity to complain, to get exasperated over these trifles.  I should be fighting for keeping the peace the Lord says I have in my heart.  These are the important battles.  And I have the Holy Spirit to bring me to victory in this.

Thank You Lord for the questions.  I love these thought provoking jewels You place into my heart.  Help me to act on them accordingly.  On to victory, remembering the battle belongs to the Lord!!

Waiting

                                     



For thousand of years Israel awaited her Messiah.  The prophecies were all there, pointing to the One who would save them.  Many looked earnestly, praying for fulfillment of the promise.  Luke 2:25-26 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 

My heart quickened as I listened to Sunday's teaching and the Lord's question popped into my head, "Are you awaiting my return as earnestly?"  Hmmm...not so much.   That Promise kind of gets lost in the bustle and hurry of the everyday.  You know, I kind of  think of it from time to time.  And when things seem to be at their worst, I wish for it....but the joyful hope of deliverance and reunion that His return will bring....I guess I just don't think about it all that much.

But yet the Lord's promises are for us today.  A deliverer, a savior, a mighty king will return to claim His bride, the church.  In this world of violence, a place that is becoming increasingly hostile to the name of Jesus Christ, where the darkness seems to be overcoming the light, we hold on to the Promise, and we are to eagerly, hopefully, and with excitement, await His return.  Looking each day...Is today the day?!  And return He will.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6  But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.  For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.  For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman.  And they shall not escape.  But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.  You are all sons of light and sons of the day.  We are not of the night nor of darkness.  Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.  ANTICIPATION AND WATCHFULNESS

1 Thessalonians 4:16  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And thus we shall always be with the Lord!  JOYFUL EXPECTATION.

As the night seems to close in around us, these promises are our light.  They give us hope when the darkness seems to be winning.  God has already written the final chapter...and I've read the end of the book...HE WINS!!!   Lord, I eagerly await Your return.  I look for You, for Your deliverance.  Help us to hold onto that FACT.

Revelation 22:20  He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly."  Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  I know some people may be in places and circumstances that seem like anything but a place to give thanks for.  We may be in a hard situation, maybe it's of our own making, or maybe its not...but God's word calls for us to give thanks.  So my challenge, to you and to me is to find five things to be thankful for today and focus on them.  Can't think of five, then try three! And tomorrow, do the same.  I once heard or read something that said, every morning when you wake up, think of three things to be thankful for that day.  It's a good way to begin the day....with gratitude.

The idea is to make gratefulness a habit.  I just read yesterday in "Jesus Calling":  "When you mind is occupied with thanking Me, you have no time for worrying or complaining.  If you practice thankfulness consistently, negative thought patterns will gradually grow weaker and weaker."  I know that is what I want in my life.

No matter our situation, God is good.  No matter how we feel, God is good.  No matter what we see going on in the world around us,  God is good.  He is holy, He is sovereign and He is on His throne. He loves us unconditionally, He saves us fully, He cares for us tenderly.

Psalm 34:1  I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 106:1  Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever.  

1 Thessalonians 5:18  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

Thankfulness is the way of obedience.  It's not an emotion, it's not optional...it's God's design and desire for us.  We may not feel it, but we do it in faith, and in obedience to God's command.

So today Lord, I thank You.  A couple of days ago I made a short list of things I am grateful for.  I could sit forever and never come to the end of Your blessings to be thankful for Lord.  Lord, make thankfulness a habit in our lives.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DEAR FRIENDS 

Walk By Faith

Last week I wrote about how the Lord keeps a fog over the path and illuminates just the steps right in front of us.  We walk by faith not by sight.  The Lord gave me an illustration of this as I drove to work a few days ago.  I turned onto the parkway and all ahead was hidden in a rainy mist.  I couldn't see except a short distant before me.  The Lord used this sight to reinforce His teaching from the other day.  How cool is that !!  I love when our Father takes a teaching and makes a clear picture out of it.

Thank You Lord for the way You teach and lead and guide.  Keep us close to You so we don't loose our way in the shadowy world we live in.

List

Salvation, God's love, Holy Spirit, The Bible, compassion, family, good friends, freedom, my church, sunsets, color, roof over my head, hands to hold, hugs, snow covered everything, sunshine, the ocean, cloud striped skies at night, getting home safely, coffee with friends, sleeping in, cats purring, hearing a favorite song at just the right time,  flip flops, soft light coming through the curtains in the morning, peace and quiet of time with the Lord, cupcakes, tail wagging dogs greeting you at the door, God's little lessons every day, His touch on my life, the weekend, Christmas decorations, getting closer to the Lord....

On and on it goes, the list of things I am grateful for.  This week of giving thanks stirs in my heart the reflection of God's goodness.  Lord, teach me to be more grateful.  Let thanksgiving be my "go to" in every moment of my day, especially when I am getting frustrated or upset.  Let me remember to be thankful in all things.  Your blessing, my thankfulness, neither depends on my feelings.

Why not try making your own list today.

This Week's Little Victories

Little victory, big results.  God's word promises His Word will not return void.  It will yield fruit.  So when a few nights this week I remembered to look at my Scripture cards, I knew it is God working to create a new heart and new attitude in me.

For years I've carried around little index cards with Scripture on them.  You know, we've all read Christian books and heard teaching on writing out index cards with Scriptures that speak to us, or to an area where we are struggling or want to grow in.  And I do it.   I write them out, put them in my bag and promptly forget about them.  A pocketbook gets old and worn, out they come with everything else and into the new pocketbook they go, once again relegated to the "junk" in my bag status.

But this week.....yaaay, I've actually been reading them.  Put my hand in, grab a card and read away! It's a miracle!  Okay, maybe not quite miracle status, but pretty good nonetheless.  I am happy that I am actually using them!   And I have about 20 or so cards!!  LOL

I am so glad for this prompting of the Holy Spirit to start focusing on these cards.  One of the things that the Lord spoke to me about during Sunday's sermon was being a disciple, and sharing the light of Jesus.  I don't know if my Pastor intends his sermons to teach some of the stuff that I end up learning, (I'm thinking I go off on a whole different track sometimes!) but God sure does use what He is saying to spark and inspire my heart.

So the verse John 8:31-32 came up.  "Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, 'You are truly my disciples if you obey my teachings.  And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.'" (hey, punctuation people, how do I "punctuate" this ?!? LOL).Our Pastor has explained to us that a person who desired to be a disciple of a certain teacher would go and spend all his time with the teacher, living with them, learning from them constantly.   So the thought came to me, "what keeps me from being a disciple?"  Of course the obvious answers came, pride, selfishness....But then I heard the Lord speak about remaining in Him.  John 15:5 Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches.  Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.  For apart from Me, you can do nothing.  

And so as we meander down these stepping stones of the Lord's leading, we come to the Scripture cards and actually using them.  This is how I remain in Jesus.  I remain in His Word.  Looking at the cards brings my focus back to Him.  I am blessed to have access and freedom to the Bible and it's my responsibility to use it.  I love the God visits that string together like lights on our path, each one illuminating the next step in His teaching.  I look forward to the victory and fruit His Word will produce in me.

Isaiah 55:10  The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth.  They cause the grain to grown, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.  It is the same with my word, I send it out and it always produces fruit.  It will accomplish all I want it to and it will prosper everywhere I send it.  


Lord, keep me at this.  Help me to keep Your Word and Your presence in the forefront of my mind.

Fog

Yesterday's "Jesus Calling" really resonated with me.  It's something I've been trying to become proficient at for the last couple of years, with varying degrees of success.  Staying in the moment.

I have a tendency to look ahead....not way into the future, but just for the day's "to do" list.  "I have to do this; I need to get this done," statements run round and round in my head (I believe there is a very well worn rut in my brain for these words).   I've already done it this morning...waking up making the list in my head (actually, that started last night)...many times I even write it down.  I don't consider that last part a bad thing, it does help me to remember what's on the agenda for the day....anyone who knows me knows I have no memory!!  LOL  But, it's the stressing over it, the "I gotta...I gotta..." attitude that creates discord, havoc and stress in my heart, day and mind.  It steals my peace.

So when I read the words in the devotional yesterday morning, I was once again reminded (we just mentioned my bad memory) that I needed to stay in the moment and focus on Jesus.  "As you look at the day before you, you see a twisted, complicated path....You wonder how you can possibly find your way through that maze."  Sarah Young then reminds us that we are to recall the promises of the Lord for guidance and His presence with us.  "As you look again at the path ahead, you notice that a peaceful fog has settled over it, obscuring your view.  You can see only a few steps in front of you, so you turn your attention more fully to Me and begin to enjoy My presence."  All I am required to do is look to the Lord, then take the next step in my day.  In that way, task by task, encounter by encounter, moment by moment the day will unfold under His leadership and in His glory and plan.

"To do" lists aren't a bad thing.  They help us remember, keep us on track. I need them desperately! But I think it's releasing them into the hands of Jesus and going with the flow, His flow, that is the key to keeping the day peaceful, joyful and fruitful.

Lord, keep me focused on You, one step at a time.  Thank You for this reminder once again.  I think I will put it on my "to do" list.  LOL

Victory in Jesus...Theme for the Week!!

John 8:31-32   Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 15:5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

That Song Stuck In My Head

Job 1:21b  ...The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

This verse has been playing over and over  in my  head for the last few weeks.  It's a great verse.  It reminds me that the Lord is to be blessed no matter what is actually going on around me, in my life, or what I feel or see.  This is a lesson I seem to need reminding of time and time again.  And I'm okay with that.  I want praise and honor of the Lord to become the "go to" attitude in my life, so ingrained in my being, that my first reaction is always to bless and praise God whatever the circumstance or happening.

The Lord also has included a song running around my brain as well...and it runs along the same theme as the verse.

1 Thessalonians 5:18   Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Most times, when things get frustrating or don't go my way, people won't cooperate with my idea of how life should work, traffic lights seem to all be red, the clock moves faster than I would like.....my first reaction has always been to complain, gripe and many times to blame God.  But now, this verse, or more accurately, this part Job 1;21 is coming into my head when life doesn't behave the way I desire.  And I am loving it !!  I love that the Holy Spirit is creating a new habit in me.  It's has been my prayer for so long to break free from a complaining spirit...and I still have a ways to go...but I know, know, know that I am on the path to recovery from this addiction!!  Yaaay.  Thank You Lord.

Lord, thank You for this ongoing God visit.  This wonderful work in progress.  I pray that You will encourage people, through this entry that we are all works in progress, masterpieces being painted by You...the process is sometimes long and arduous, but You are at work.  Help us to never give up, because You never give up.

Good and Bad

Last week I prayed to the Lord for adoptions at the kitten shelter I volunteer at.  And yippee!  We had 5 kittens and 1 adult go to their "furever" homes!!  So very very exciting and happy.   And I got to share that it was God who deserved the credit!!  That's icing on the cake as far as I'm concerned.

Fast forward to this week.  A friend is in need of placement for 5 kittens.  The area they are in is not great, not safe and I am feeling pressured into acting, when I don't feel comfortable with the whole situation.

Last week I felt like I was on top of the world.  This week I feel sick to the very pit of my stomach. Up-down, up-down....smooth-bumpy, smooth-bumpy....the road of life.  I get it!!  LOL.  A couple of days ago the devotional in "Jesus Calling" advised, "Learn to appreciate difficult days."  Hmmmm...tough to do.  And I really get frustrated with the seemingly trivial, not so trivial and some downright difficult dilemmas, problems and circumstances.   But the Lord says in James 1:2 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,"  

So over the last few weeks, I've read about bringing difficult days, events, people, emotions....all of it to Jesus.  And I know we are to praise Him in all circumstances.  All these God visits, all this teaching from Him is what keeps me going right now.  And how awesome is that.  He knows what we need even before we get to the place where we need it!  LOL     What a mighty, wonderful God we serve.

Thank You Lord that You are there, You are in control, on the mountains and in the valleys.  I need not fear, nor fret...but bring all to You and place my moments and days in You capable, loving hands. I praise You for all things.  I am blessed to be Your child.

I AM

Exodus 3:14a  I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS

John 4:26  Then Jesus told her, "I am the Messiah!"

Revelation 22:12-13  See I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to repay all according to their deeds.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

A Different View

God sees so much differently than I do.  I look at my days and see little if any progress in the deeper areas of my walk with Him.  One of my greatest desires is to become aware of His presence in all things.  Somehow it usually gets lost in the shuffles of the day.  My focus becomes more earthly as I move away from my "God time" in the morning.  I'm sure I am not alone in this, so I'm sure I am not alone in needing a little pick me up from the Lord to remind me we're on the right track, and He is looking at us, not with a disappointed frown, but a loving smile.

"Jesus Calling", November 1.  "Don't be discouraged by the difficulty of keeping your focus on Me, I know that your heart's desire is to be aware of My Presence continually.....I am delighted by your deep desire to walk closely with Me through your life."

God is so good.  He tells us in Zechariah 4:10  Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand,  For these seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord that search all around the world."

Jesus rejoices in our smallest of beginnings.  A spark in our hearts He can turn into a warm, glowing flame.  Our tiniest of desires to please Him into an all consuming passion for His Presence and will in our lives.  God sees our desire, looking at them aligning with His and He works with it.

I can remember many years ago, as I worshiped in church one Sunday, being so frustrated in the fact that I couldn't keep my mind on the Lord during this time.  Ugh!!  I thought to myself.  But the Lord gave me a picture in my head of a young child handing their parents a drawing.  The parents don't look at it and critique  the fact that the child made the people purple and the sky green.  They don't point out that there is crayon outside the lines or that you can't tell what the picture is actually supposed to be.  No, they look at it and exclaim their delight.  They see it for what it is, a gift of love from their child. And they adore it, displaying it proudly on the refrigerator or a wall.    And this is how God sees our smallest of efforts, our "tries and fails" are so much more important than our "never try at alls".  The love behind the effort, the desire to please is what He is looking at.

Last night, again, I felt the Lord saying to me, "Celebrate the victories, the moments of success." And I do!!  I love that I remember to seek Him, to open myself up to His nearness a few more times today than I did yesterday.   The Lord is celebrating too!!

Zephaniah 3:17  For the Lord your God has arrived to live among you.  He is a mighty savior.  He will rejoice over you with great gladness.  With His love, He will calm all your fears.  He will exult over you by singing a happy song.

Lord, thank You that You see so much differently than I do.  And thank You for reminding me of that truth.

Relax

Friday was, as usual, a busy day.  Busy before work.  Busy at work.  Busy Busy Busy.  I've learned no matter how crazy my day is going to be I need at least a few minutes with the Lord before the race starts.  And Friday morning I had a nice visit with the Lord, so I was all set for my crazy day to begin.

As the day wore on and I wore out, I kind of forgot about that peace of the morning.  Nothing earth shaking, just caught up in the face paced routine of the day.  So I sat down in my car at break.  I love doing that....all of a sudden, it's quiet.  The noise of  Steward Ave traffic fades into the background, and the chaos of my work area Just a little bubble of tranquility for half an hour.

I play Candy Crush Soda on my phone.  It's a relaxing, turn off the mind and veg kind of thing.  So I decided to play for a while as I sat in my bubble.  Ahhhhhhh.  And then the guilt starts niggling through my brain.  "What a waste of time."  "You should be studying the Bible."   "Maybe some prayer would be nice."  Ugh!!  Can I get a moments peace???  Can I have a break???   So what does this kind of thinking produce, besides guilt?  Anger.  Anger at the Lord.  And it's in that emotion provoking instant that I know this guilt and these suggestions are not from God.  So I sat and felt the Lord lead me in His peace...this wasn't Him putting me on the treadmill of doing.  The Lord is content to sit with us even when we need mind resting, silly games to distract us from the busy and bustle of the day.  It's resting in Him that is important,  no matter what I am doing.  Enjoying the moment, and bringing Him into it.

So to back up this conversation with God, I turn on the radio and He plays me one of my favorite songs, Waterfall, by Chris Tomlin.  God is so good.  It's like He just wanted the whole atmosphere to be one of peacefulness and His presence.  What a wonderful God visit this was.  And yes, I was still playing my game!!

Lord, I ask for You to be in every moment of my day.  Those dedicated to time with You, in study or in prayer, those filled with work and chores and errands...and the down times, the times of silly or what some would see as "non-productive."  Be in all of them with me.  And I give them all to You. Let each minute of my day serve Your purpose.  Thank You for filling my life with You.  

                                      

Sunday Songs

God's Discipline,From Mom

Hebrews 12:5-7  And have you entirely forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you His children?  He said, "My child, don't ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when He corrects you.  For the Lord disciplines those He loves,and He punishes those He accepts as His children."  As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children.  Whoever heard of a child who was never disciplined?

Why do we receive discipline?  God's purpose is to train us in personal holiness.

Hebrews 12:10  For our earthly  fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in His holiness.

God's discipline is corrective not punitive and to teach us the way of holiness, godliness.

1 Timothy 4:8  Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. 

Take God's correction seriously.

2 Timothy 3:16-17  All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.  It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.  

To avoid divine discipline:  Pursue God wholeheartedly.  Study the Scriptures.  Apply them to our lives.  Find godly people who will hold us accountable for our actions.

1 Corinthians 11:28  That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup.  

2 Corinthians 13:5  Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine.  Test yourselves.  If you cannot tell that Jesus Christi is among you, it means you have failed the test.  (added by me)

Practice Spiritual examination.

1 John 1:9  But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong thing.  

Confess our sins to the Lord God, this tells God we agree with Him, that His way is right and what I'm doing is wrong.

1 Timothy 6:11  But you, Timothy, belong to God; so run from all these evil things, and follow what is right and good.  Pursue a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.  

Repent, humble our self quickly, admit our wrong behavior.

From me:

Discipline is no fun.  Who wants to be corrected?  To be told they are wrong and suffer consequences for their actions?   Hebrews 12:11  No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it is painful!  But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.   Other versions of the Word puts it as "producing a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."   And that is the payoff.  I love when I do the right thing, and I just have that peace and joy that comes from knowing I followed the way of Jesus.  God is so good to us....He knows that sin and rebellion, in the end, bring us nothing but heartache and sorrow.  Even in the smallest of things, our hearts become disquieted inside.  So He teaches us, disciplines us, patiently, lovingly.  What a good Father we have.

Thank You Lord for loving us enough to correct us, to teach us and lead us in the paths of holiness. Thank You for Your patience and tenacity in dealing with us ofttimes  troublesome beings.  I am so grateful that You never let go of of Your children!!

Wow--Growth

I just glanced over to the "About Me" section of this blog.  And the first line is "After spending too much time saying things like, 'God, You just don't care....' I realized that I don't say that all that often any more.  How cool is that!!  I don't always like the path God leads me on.  I don't understand and a lot of time it hurts and frustrates, getting through the day leaves me drained.  Other times the Lord shines brightly on my hours, I am uplifted and steady.  (A normal, mixed human existence I guess) But I know God is there, and most of the time I remember He cares and loves me. GROWTH!! Yaay!!

This is especially encouraging and I thank the Lord for pointing it out.  I see so little progress in certain areas and I get discouraged.  I love how our Father enheartens us at just the right time.  Giving us that much needed shot in the arm, boosting our spirits.  Growth.  I know I need to see this.  I need to see that my battling, especially within myself, is not in vain...but I am on the right road with the Lord. And we are moving forward.

It's funny, I wasn't really sure what I would be writing today.  I have had a few things over the last week that I have been touched by, and then I thought about sharing from Mom's journal.. But the Lord had another plan.  He guided my eyes to see one sentence on this page.  And then led me in a whole different direction, and uplifted my heart at the same time.

Thank You Lord for helping me to grow.  I pray that those who read this are growing in their lives too.  Lord, mature Your children that we may glorify You.

More Music, More Comfort

I've chronicled my struggles here these last couple of weeks (more like a year or so)....I am still holding on to the Lord.  That is one of the greatest gifts He has given me, my ability to continue putting one foot in front of the other not matter how bumpy the road or steep the climb.  I may sit down a while, throw a bit of a fit, even go backwards or stray off the path,  but then I get back up and on, and take His hand again and move forward.  I am forever grateful for this character trait He has created in me.  It's sometimes the only thing I have going for  me !! LOL

The reason for this blog, the why behind it was to show His touch on my life and to open people up to see those times in their own lives when God breaks through in a special way.  Many times for me He has done this in songs....just the right song at just the right time.  I know I am not alone in this, finding comfort, encouragement and soothing peace in music created by the Lord, through wonderful Christian artists.  It is why I take such pleasure in sharing the songs that lift me up here.  Yesterday the Lord sent another one my way and I share it with you now,  My hope is that it is just the right song at just the right time for just the right person.  And that person is you.

Praying today, that we just allow ourselves to be held by the Lord.  I can't fix things Lord, small  or big, I rely on You...help us all to let go of the control we so desperately cling to and submit to Your plan and leading.  I know I don't always see where we are going Lord.  I don't always like the trail we are on...it's hard, and there is disappointment and challenge along the way.  I know am I to speak peace to the things that hurt, the things that are difficult and trust Your design.  Help me, and our readers to do that Lord.  I bless Your name today precious Lord.  Hold us Lord.  In Jesus most mighty and loving name.

Songs

Hunger

Last week was a rough week at work.  Remember how I was talking about the little irritations, well it continued on for the next few days....and I cannot go for long riding on that bumpy road before I fall off the edge of a cliff!!  And fall I did.  I went slightly ballistic at work.  My temper got the better of me.  I hate unfairness, and I hate inefficiency. So couple them together and mix in tiredness and a general down mood....well it's a recipe for nothing good to say the least.  And nothing good came out of my mouth that day.

I want so badly to be a good witness for the Lord.  To live a life of peace and love and just shining His light to those around me. I want others to be drawn to Him.  I get so frustrated because I fall so short, so often, of this ideal. This last time, I became so disappointed in myself, so discouraged of ever changing....still am to a certain extent, almost like giving up....but still holding on, if that makes sense.  I hold to the Lord, yet have pretty much given up on myself, and maybe that's where I'm supposed to be...I don't know.  But through all of this, the Lord remains faithful.  And I am forever grateful for that.

As I mulled this over the next day, my failure, my hopelessness I looked at my phone where I have an app that gives the verse of the day.  LOL...God is so good, as always.  Matthew 5:6  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.  That is what my loving heavenly Father sent to me.  A promise.

I went to do my devotional for the day and the sentence :Look to me continually for help, comfort and companionship." stuck out to me.  I spoke to the Lord, "Where is this?  Why do I so often stand outside your arms of comfort?  Why do I feel, as usual, like an outsider looking in on this Christian life of Your love and peace?   But then I realized God did send His comfort and His answer in the verse of the day.  My God visit.  He also led me up to Matthew 5:4  God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  

I struggle with anger.  I struggle with my mouth.  But the Lord sees my heart.  And as I drove to church on Sunday knowing how much I want to honor Him and to shine for Him, I felt Him say to me...."This is the you I see."  He is not looking at the failure and the faults, the Christian who feels more like a hypocrite because they mess up most of the time.  He's looking at the child who wants to please Him.  And His love shone down on me.  What a beautiful series of God visits.

I honestly don't know if I will ever get better.  But I am going to trust and hold onto the promise given me....God will see it through.  I am not giving up, I am holding on.  Jesus is my hope and my salvation.

Lord, help.  I know I am not the only struggler here....and I pray for all of us,  those of us  for who this ideal of Christian life seems out of reach.  Lift us up Lord.  Thank You for standing by us.  Let us not forget that.  Let us not let go of You and please get our eyes off ourselves and our circumstances and focus them solely on the One who saves us.  You.  Thank You for Your comfort and care.

Depressed, From Mom

Despondent, empty, lonely.  An emotional state.  Despondency.  To cast gloom upon.  To sadden.  A pit.

Lamentations 3:23, 27  Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each day.... And it is good for the young to submit to the yoke of His discipline.

Submit to God's yoke means to willingly come under God's discipline and learn what He wants to teach us.

Proverbs 18:14  The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear it if the spirit is crushed?

A broken spirit is one's person-hood which has been crushed by life's difficulties.

John 11:4  But when Jesus heard about it He said, "Lazarus's sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for the glory of God.  I, the Son of God will receive glory from this." 

This sickness (depression) is not unto death but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.

Silently reflect on what God wants.  Humbly repent.  Self control is needed in adversity.  Confident patience, depending on the Divine Teacher to bring about loving lessons in our life.

Depressed?  Read Job.  Need Encouragement?  Read Psalm 121

Psalm 121

I look up to the mountains--does my help come from there?  My help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth!  He will not let you stumble and fall; the one who watches over you will not sleep.  Indeed, He who watches over Israel never tires and never sleeps.  The Lord Himself watches over you!  The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.  The sun will not hurt you by day, nor the moon at night.  The Lord keeps you from all evil and preserves your life.  The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go both now and forever.  

From me.

Depression seems to be a part of life from time to time.  Some people battle it daily.  I was one of those people.  It is really a sad and sometimes debilitating sickness.  I know we all get sad sometimes and holding onto the Lord is the best thing we can do....Some need medical help, as I did because it is a physical condition.    But God is in the healing.  Always Him.  Thankfully I am out of that stage of my life, through the Lord's grace.  But I know many still struggle just to get out of bed in the morning...I pray that the Lord's hand would be upon You.  I pray if there is something that needs to be done, or to be changed, or  if help is needed, that you will find the answer.  God is always for us, even when we are in the pit.  When things seem the darkest, the blackest...let us focus our eyes on the Cross, it is there we find love and healing.

Jesus Says

Wow.  That was all I could say a few days ago when I read October 9's devotional in "Jesus Calling." Wow. God hit the bulls eye (again).  He went right to the heart of me, brought comfort and correction...all at the same time in a way only He can.

Last week I had been praying about my seemingly unquenchable desire for complaining.  I hate it.  I mumble and murmur to myself, to the Lord.  I rattle on to others, joining in the gripe fest at work.....I'm sick of myself!!!!   I'm tired of hearing myself....I can't imagine what the Lord thinks!  Or can I?

So a few days after I prayed  over this (and am still praying), I read the devotional.  And I was floored!!  It started like this, "You have been on a long, uphill journey and your energy is almost spent.   Though you have faltered at times, you have not let go of My hand.  I am pleased with your desire to stay close to Me."   Ok, sounds great. Very encouraging and oh so welcomed by my heart.   I feel that speaks of my days, my trek though this life quite accurately.  I've always considered myself a struggler; persevering and not giving up no matter how difficult or how many times I screw up-- thankfully, it's the way God made me.

But then the next portion....hmmmmm, well here comes the correction (well deserved to be sure). "There is one thing that displeases Me:  your tendency to complain."   Well, all I can say is "AGREED."  It displeases me too Lord!!  But oh how the Lord works it all together.  Do you see it? I had just prayed about this horrible inclination of mine....grumbling and moaning about the little things, the big things, all things.....It's something I so want to rid my life of.  And knowing that the Lord heard my prayer, knowing it is His desire as well....I know He is pleased with Me in this wanting to end this almost addiction like habit in my life.

And I know that this is the beginning of the end, a prayer that will be answered.  I am on my way to becoming a thanker rather than a grumbler!!  Yaaaay.  What a cool God visit.!!  Only the Lord could get us excited about correction!

Philippians 2:14-15  In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you.  You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people.  Let your lives shine brightly before them.  

God is for Me, and You

It's been one of those weeks.  Everything that can go wrong does go wrong.  Nothing major mind you, but just a series of little annoyances that seemed to pile up into a mountain.  I'm not really sure whether or not the days were especially rife with little irritations or if it was just my perception, but the whole  of it was that I was not exactly enjoying myself.  I think I have more tiny cuts and nicks on my hands this week than I've had in a year.  I've stubbed things, dropped things, spilled things, many, many things....Paper cuts, bad hair days, containers that wouldn't open with out a chainsaw or blowtorch or some kind of "garage" tool.  Dropping pallets at work, (something I very rarely do...this time I did 2 in one night), oh and running over my toe in work....which wouldn't have been quite as bad had I taken time that day to change into my work shoes instead of a pair of nylon sneakers.....Tuesday night I had a speaking engagement for Voice of the Martyrs, I needed to leave work by 9 pm and I wanted time to change and clean up....of course everything came in at the last possible minute causing me to rush and hurry. And then of course, I realize I had forgotten to stop for gas and then I missed the turn off for the facility I was going to....on and on and on LOL.  I laugh now, but I have not been filled with giggles this week.  We've been doing that Genesis study and talking about how Jacob wrestled with God, asking for a blessing.  I feel like I've been wrestling with God, begging for some relief from the crazy mountain of minutia, the avalanche of annoyances. Asking for His blessing and blaming Him at the same time.  At one point I finally asked why He hated me so much...that's how sad and abandoned I felt.

So as I drove home from the Voice of the Martyrs engagement at 4 am the Lord finally came through in the form of songs....letting me know He was with me, for me and loving me....even as I struggled through the week and felt anything but cared for.  My blessing came.

                                                                    

                                    

God is so good.  So loving.  So thoughtful.  He is so cool and awesome.  I had such a crummy week, such a struggling week, and I definitely was not the sweetest daughter He could have, and yet He still wraps me in His embrace and comfort.  But I had to hang on through the week, through the rough patches.  I wish I had done better in my attitude, but I am learning and growing and God is for me!

Thank You Lord, for being on our side.  Help us to remember that, even when it seems everything, from big to little is against us.  You are never against us.  Thank You for reminding me of that again.