Now What?

I/we have been going through a mix of emotions lately.  In this place of unknown in ministry/job and just life my husband put it simply in an email he sent to his sister.  It was beautifully said but very "real."

But in the end it was the voice of God that we followed, with His timing.  Now we are in that challenging time of "what exactly next?"  It is uncomfortable, but I am sure God has his shaping purposes at work in us.  That is the nice translation.  The other translation is "some days if feels like a train wreck."  Yet somehow in the middle of it all we cling to the fact that we followed His lead, so we will cling to His promises, even when we do not yet see them.

Sometimes I wish that I was more encouraging to him.  Sometimes I feel the same as he does and the frustrations make it hard to encourage.  You know those times in marriage when your both down so you can't lift each other up.  I highly dislike those times.  This morning he woke up looking like that "train wreck."  He usually goes to a men's prayer group on Friday's with some other pastors in the area but was thinking about not going today.  It was my chance to encourage him to go.  I don't think the enemy wanted him there.  Lord bless him this morning!!!!!  I should interject here that we have been dealing with a serious water issue in our basement which is causing more stress.  It is an added challenge that I wish we didn't have.

So we cling to the promises of Jesus.
2 Cor. 4:8-9 "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."

JOY--------------:)

This past week has been challenging for me as I have been doubting way too much.  Doubting the next step and even doubting God.  Ever been there?

Until.....I read these words from a young missionary.  "Satan can only take from you what your willing to give him.  Don't give him your joy."  Those words hit me as I realized that's what I had given him.  In the midst of uncertainties it's easy to get down and lose the joy.  But it is true that it is the thief who wants to steal that from me.  Jesus said "I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly."  That sounds pretty joyful to me!  Isaiah 55:12 says "you will go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song for you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."

This morning my heart was joyful as I attended our youngest daughters Senior high school send off.  It is a time when the students all share something, a story, a thank you, whatever they want to share at the end of the year.  I was so proud of Angela as she got up and shared her testimony, with tears, about how thankful she was for Toledo Christian and the genuine friendships that she has made here.  After moving in the middle of her junior year she is able to see how God took care of her.  And she thanked her parents for listening to God and moving, even though she didn't want to.  I love that girl!!!!!!

So even though there are uncertain days ahead, I love that God is in control of all of them and  already knows what each of our next steps will be.  Some of you have had the same job most of your life, lived in the same house and in the same town.   That is awesome how God has settled you.  That is not my story though.  I have had many a day where I wish it had been like that but things in my life would not be as they are if they had.  Guess God's plans are always best - and when I wonder if God knows what he is doing - well, I just need to get out of the way and remember the amazing things that God has done and come back to the truth.

Thank you Jesus for all you have done and all you will do.  
You are always good.

It's been a while...

Yes, it has been a while since I blogged last. 

God is always changing up my life, all the time.  Ministry for my husband is going to look different - so different that I don't even know what it will be.  That's funny!  God is funny!  He tells us what step to take and makes us wait for the next one.  Seriously, come on God.  You always want me to "wait."  Why is that?  But the truth is always the same - God is God and his plans are always better than mine.  So I will wait - again!!!  I say that with a smile. :)

I was at my moms bible study at my daughters school this morning, which is always a blessing to me.  The ladies there are awesome, we just love each other, not judge, and it's so great  to be in this kind of envioronment.  But today they just blessed me, they blessed me so big.  They didn't just share encouragement and love they showed it. 

Then I was thinking about our prayer time together.  As everyone had different prayer requests and different people we were praying for, I started getting this picture in my mind.  Try to hang with me for a minute.  Picture you, praying for someone specific, or for a situation in their life.  Now picture you and 10 more people in different places also praying for the same person or situation.  I started imagining these multiple prayers rising.  Then I started imagining this over and over from many different people.  But the number of people praying can grow so huge too.  Now imagine yourself needing prayer - maybe you have cancer, or your husband lost his job, or your child is sick, or your marriage is crumbling - the power of so many prayers being said on your behalf is so cool.  Then I wondered what it must be like to be God and hearing all these prayers.  That just must be so cool.

2 Corinthians 1:10-11
"He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."

Keep praying people, keep praying.  And if you are being prayed for - those prayers are going straight to your Heavenly Father who hears them.  Can't get any better than that.

What do I know of holy?

Have you ever felt too sinful to come to Jesus?
Have you ever felt like God is too holy to draw near to?
Sometimes I am blown away by the power of God.
Sometimes it brings me to tears.

The other day I was driving home from a ladies bible study that I attend at my daughters school.  Our time together was awesome, we prayed together for all our prayer needs, and there were many.  A few ladies layed hands on me and they all prayed for me.  As I began to drive home I had my worship music playing and I began to worship and pray.  As I sought the Lord in prayer I could feel his presence in the car.  As I was praying it came to me - I just turned my head and said "you are right here" - Holiness, the Almighty God, who is holy, was next to me in my car.  I didn't have to try to get to him, he was right there.  As I worshipped tears filled my eyes and I felt overwhelmed to be in his presence.

He is here in my presence right now.  He is there, right by you now.  Are you struggling with a sin?  He is there right next to you, not judging you, but beckoning for you to release it to him.  Are you lonely?  He is right there next to you and wants you to know that.  Are you afraid?  He is right there next to you, with his arms wrapped around you telling you "do not be afraid."

I think so many of us have made God way too small.  We have packaged him just the way we want him.  To fit our life.  Lay it all down and open yourself up to him completely.  Lay aside all the man made teachings of God and look to the bible.  This Almighty God, creator of everything, creator of YOU is bigger than what your little mind can comprehend.  There is nothing too big for him, no circumstance that he cannot handle.    He loves you with a love that will never fail you.

Take a moment to worship.

REAL PROMISES

Do you believe that all the promises in the bible are true?
Do you believe that you can claim these promises personally in your life?
I do - well - sometimes - well - yes I believe them but I often don't act like I do.

I was reading toward the end of Joshua how the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers.  The people took possession and settled.  And the Lord gave them rest on every side.  Take these words to heart today: Joshua 21:45 "Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass."

God's promises all came to pass - ALL OF THEM. 

His promises in the bible will all come to pass in your and my life too.  For example: "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you." - "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - "The Lord your God is with you wherever you go." - "Fear not, for I have redeemed you." - "But whoever listens to me will live in safety and at ease, without fear or harm." - "God is our refuge and strength."

Reading the promises that God gives us and living them out are two different things.  We can see that in the lives of the Isrealites.  The verse above reminds me of this amazing, powerful and loving God that we have.  His promises still were true even though they failed time after time.  Such is the case with you and me.  We fail, time after time but God's promises will never fail us - ever!

Pray this prayer with me:  Father God, I love you.  I want your promises to be alive in my life.  I want to not just know them but to know and believe them deep within my soul.  You are a God of love and a God of peace.  Pour an extra measure of your Spirit within me to overflowing and I submit to you all of my life.  I desire your promises fill me to my core.  Thank you Jesus.

Lean on Me

Someone reminded me that my blog is out of date.  I have sat down a few times to write but words either didn't come clearly or I was too busy.  A week ago my grandson arrived into the world.  Matthew Timothy - his middle name is my husbands name.  He is a beautiful gift from God.

The other day my daughter Angela came home from school all excited and told me she had something to show me.  "Hold on", she said, and ran up to her room.  I had a feeling what it was.  Within minutes she walked down wearing her cap and gown.  Yup, it happened, tears filled my eyes.  She is my last one to graduate.  Her long blonde hair surrounding a light blue cap and gown was so beautiful.

Life does move on whether we like it or not.  Sure I wish that life was not so fragile right now.  I would love it if there wasn't so much unknown.  Having faith sounds awesome doesn't it?  We all want to live a life that in whatever circumstances we face we will have faith.  But if we are honest, having faith is just plane hard.  You see, for us to have a stronger faith we have to be in situations that will strengthen our faith.  I was reading this morning about Joshua's instructions to take over Jericho.  Those were some pretty crazy instructions but he knew that he heard from the Lord.  He had faith.  Sometimes in life we are faced with situations where we are forced to have faith, trusting in God when we do not see the answer.  We have days when we cry (I do), we have days when we are strong but knowing that God has our life in the palm of his hand should bring us more comfort than it does.  When suddenly we are in a situation where we don't see the outcome we so often try to take things into our own hands.  We do all the planning and forget to seek God.  What, like we can do a better job them him?  Sometimes we think we can.  That never works out very well.

Proverbs 3:5-6  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight."

Father God, may I/we trust you above what is around us.  I seek your face this day above anything else that is a distraction.  Your will be done in my life. 

What and who are you leaning on?  Lean on Jesus.

Choose Life!

Sometime in life we have to make choices.  Some are simple some are not.  I think about our attitudes in life, mine today as I read Deuteronomy 30:19-20.  "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse.  Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days."  These verses brought tears to my eyes. 

Sometimes life is just hard.  But God has before us choices - we can choose to live in the hard stuff of life or we can choose to live in the blessings.  I know sometimes we can't even find the blessings but they are there.  We cannot allow the hard stuff to be bigger than the blessings.  When we do that we begin to forget all the great things God has done in our life. 

So when you find yourself wallowing, we all do that sometimes, say to yourself "I choose life, for God is my life and the length of my days.  I will hold fast to him." 

Take a moment to worship.