Month: May 2016

Good

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Good View, Good, Friends, Good Cry and Good God… What more could  you ask for?

Romans 8:28

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
For over a month I have been looking forward to this past weekend. Yes, it was a 3 day weekend.   Yes, it was a time to remember those who served us and afforded us our freedoms. And in many cases gave up their lives. And for that I am grateful!  But for me, this weekend was going to be about friendship!  Deep loving friendship!  So I was telling some ladies at work that we were going to Red River Gorge for some Good Views, with Good Friends, for a Good Cry with a Good God and they looked at me like I was crazy but I was as serious as I could be.  We absolutely need those things in our lives to keep our sanity!
These ladies have been in my life for 20 years and they have seen me in some really great times and seen me in some really hard times as I have for them, so spending the day (long weekend) together was NOT enough!  But I am grateful for whatever I can get!
5 (2)
My husband was the best, he feed us well all weekend and stayed out of our way the rest of the time.  I even had some of my Kentucky friends over to blend the two together, wish I had taken a picture, and that was so much fun.   I’ve been in Kentucky for almost 4 years now but we’ve stayed in contact with each other. And see each other as much as possible.
3  6  So as we sat on the top of that mountain sharing what was going on in our lives, what God is doing in our lives, what changes are happening, what our hopes are and tears are streaming down on faces, God was all around us.   God provided that place, that view for us to sit that day.  God provided those friends for me, He provided me for them so that we could share life together.  God placed hearts in us so that we could feel, yes, sometimes it feels pain but it also feels empathy , love and desires to show grace because it understands the empathy, love and grace that He has shown us.  God is all around!  God was all around us this weekend and I was blessed to have my friends with me.  We have laughed,we have cried, we have prayed and we have eaten! LOTS!    We talked some about when our kids were little and how we’ve had to learn to forgive ourselves, yet still a few tears stream now and then.  We talked about the exciting times of our children growing and the funny things they did and we talked about the teen years (NOT SO FUNNY!).  But now that we’re in our middle ( ?’s) we’re loving our life with God.  We’re learning to love who we are in Him.  Right where we are.  Right where He is using us.  For we have truly begun to understand
Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Because of all the hard that we have lived through, we could have let it break us but we know that we love God  and everything  will work together for the GOOD!
Thank you Lord!  Amen!
 47 18

Examine our Ways

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Lamentations 3:40

Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.

We can all tend to look and pick ourselves to death. Pointing out the blemishes and rough edges constantly.  I know I have them and I must address them but not always. Sometimes, just sometimes, I can examine my good.  It’s easy to point out the ugly but to point out the beauty seems a bit prideful but it’s not.

Isaiah 1:18

 “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord.  “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.

God created us and Jesus died on the cross for us and washed us clean, so why wouldn’t there be beauty in there.   Beauty is possessing qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc.  All of us possess beauty.  But do we know ourselves well enough to see the beauty or do we see ourselves through the eyes of Christ? We have to know Christ, to be able to see ourselves through Him. I have learned how to do that over the last several years.  If I sat with you a while I would share with you some beauty I see in myself.

Pick up that “Big Book” the Bible today.  Get to know Him and look at yourself through His eyes.  Examine your ways of beauty and be glad.

Lord I thank You that You have given me permission to see myself through Your eyes.  To see the value in my beauty and not fear allowing it to empower me to bring glory to You.  I ask that You continue to strengthen me, keeping me humble but bold.  Please be with my family and friends.  Help them to see themselves as You see them.  Amen!

New Commandment

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John 13:34

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

Just how much has God loved us? Enough that He gave us His Son. Honestly I don’t know if I could do that. When I think of the pain I have been in during sickness and turmoil of one of my children, it was almost unbearable at times. Was I a willing partner in causing that sickness and turmoil in my child’s life? Not in a million years! So how did God bring His son to this world, knowing the pain He was going to endure? Unimaginable! But He did it all for us. I am so unworthy of such love yet He is ready and willing to give it to me if I reach out to Him. Can you imagine giving your child to someone so that they in turn would live and come to you in praise? Never! He gave up so much and has left a trail of wisdom for us to soak in all so that we would be with Him in Heaven forever. What a glorious and humbling thought! What can we do to deserve such love? Nothing! But what can we do to show our gratitude? Love others as you have also been shown love!

Lord Father I pray that today I will sit in the presence and realization of Your love for me. Never doubting it, never replacing it with other things, never sacrificing it, never take advantage of it for my own praise, never questioning and never thinking I can earn it by my actions. I love You Lord for loving me in such a big way that I can’t even fathom so in turn I will love those around me in the same way. I will extend the love in a way that brings You all the glory. Amen!

Yes

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2 Corinthians 1:20

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

I am still, I am listening, I am believing, I am trusting, I am following, I am boldly walking, I am saying Yes, knowing that He will use me if I will let Him.  And His glory will be shown.

Will you say Yes?

Lord, I come to You saying Yes.  Even in my weakness You will make me strong.  Thank You!  Please Lord help me continue to look to You and only You for my direction and my worth.  Be with my family and friends Lord.  Help them understand that your promises are just at their finger tips, all they need to do is say Yes to You.  Amen!

Well Rooted

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Luke 17:6

So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

Well, it’s not a mulberry tree and I’m not planting them in the sea but they were pulled up by the roots and replanted.  Now, I looked over them yesterday as I stuck them in the ground and said “Now Grow” and hopefully they will obey.   I don’t think that is exactly what the Lord was saying ……………. or was it?   Some would say that I have a “green thumb” so I do have faith in the gift the Lord gave me to nurture my garden and produce beautiful things.  Things that will bring me joy and peace.  I have faith in that.

The plants I uprooted were well established, well rooted, and I totally mangled their root system.  Is that what sin does?   Whether it’s our own sin or the sin of others, we can be well rooted, our foundation can be firm and sin swoops in and mangles it all up.  But wait! Just like those plants have me to love and nurture them back and help their roots get strong again, I have Christ that will do the same for me.  That is faith! I have faith, that regardless of what swoops in and tries to mangle my well rooted faith, Christ is going to protect me, nurture my roots, give me a shot of root booster, trim off the shame, guilt, hurt, pain or whatever else the sin left in it’s wake.  Christ will do the same for you.  Where ever that sin has taken you, no matter how mangled you are believe, have faith in Him.   You may not have a green thumb but you do have a God who loves you.  So have faith the next time sin swoops in and let your well rooted faith take over.

This is also true when we’re being called to step out there in faith to walk a path that will bring Christ glory and bring others to Him. A path that we may feel under qualified for but one that Christ has already qualified us for.  Have the faith that He will not call us to step out and leave us hanging out alone.

Lord, I’m letting my faith lead me on Your path. Amen!

 

Apple of Your Eye

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Psalms 17:8 

Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings.

Being a mother was the 1 thing in life that I wanted the most and it has been a joy to have been blessed with 2 sons.  I love them beyond words and am thrilled with with the love that they continue to give back. Particularly through my grandchildren…… They are definitely my ALL!

Now I would be lying if I said that every moment was blissful but there has never been a moment that they would not be able to say, “Mom, I know that I am the apple of your eye and you would keep me safe if within your power.”.

That is 1 wonderful thing about our Lord, Jesus Christ!  He keeps me as the apple of His eye: Hides me under the shadow of His wings.  Regardless of what happens to me! Regardless of what I do! Regardless!  His love for me never fails! Regardless!  He is my love, my joy, my protector, my refiner, my provider, my knight & shining armor, my everything. No other can take His place and no other can take mine in Him.

And so the same goes for you!  You too are the apple of His eye!  He too will hide you in the shadow of His wings.  Curl up in that place and find peace there!

Lord, Thank You this morning. Be with me as I walk today. Help me be bold and courageous. Be with my family & friends. Show them a way out of whatever pain they are sitting in and help them step into the warmth of Your love.  Amen!

The Ultimate Victim

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Luke 23:34

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

Most of us could say that at one point or another, one situation or another, we could be considered a victim.  It can be as simple as a slanderous word or as deadly as murder but yet still a victim.  But as it shows in Luke 23 the act of slander ended with the deadly, ultimate act of murder.  Jesus was the Ultimate Victim.  And He did it for us.  And even on His cross, his death bed, he called out to God, asking for forgiveness for the people.  “Father, Forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

So I ask you, as a victim, have you cried out to the Father?  Even if reconciliation with the offender is not possible, their soul is still in need of the Savior.

Being a victim is not a place that anyone wants to be. It’s painful and sometimes, usually, shameful, but it’s not a place that we  have to stay. I implore you, if you are being victimize in any way, remove yourself, seek protection from an outside source.  There are people out there, community services, churches, loving by standers that will give you a place to go. You do not have to stay there.  There is nothing that you have done to deserve it!  Just as there was NOTHING THAT JESUS HAD DONE to deserve His ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.

Lord, I pray for those living in fear each day that are being victimize.  I pray that You will provide them with bravery and the right circumstances so they are able to escape from the traps they have found themselves in.  I thank You for being our Savior in all our ugliness.  Lord help me to be brave and step out with confidence.  Be with my family and friends. Loving them, protecting them, strengthening them, showing them the way.  Amen!

Secrets

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1 Peter 2:9

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
From the time we start processing our thoughts, the secrets begin.  The older we get the deeper and darker they can tend to be.  Sometimes totally engulfing us like a title wave and destroys everything in it’s path.  But sometimes those deep dark secrets simply linger there, letting us tip our toes in, teasing us, taunting us, enticing us, shaming us and welcoming us until we break and the flood of that wave releases. Either way there is destruction. But there is a way out of that destruction.  One that is free of secrets, free of darkness and wide open to LIGHT.

GOD, JESUS, HOLY SPIRIT

Invite him in!  I did and it is beautiful on this side of the destruction.

Lord, thank You for the way out.  Thank You for being my Savior above all.  Thank You for not caring what was in my darkness.  Thank You for showing me Your light.  Lord I ask that I will be BRAVE.  Brave enough to continue to walk with You and share Your light with others.  Share the change.  Share Your way.  Share their escape.  Please be with my family and friends Lord.  Help them to see that secrets are destructive.  Help them to understand that they need You and You alone in their lives to lean on and shine Your light on their path to freedom.  Amen!