Oh has it been one of those seasons. One of those times when I feel like everything is caving in around me and it is hard to find even a glimmer of hope. As I prayed for encouragement today I ran across these verses in the Bible.
Joshua 21:43-45
So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
NOT ONE OF ALL THE LORD’S GOOD PROMISES FAILED; EVERY ONE WAS FULFILLED.
Today it seems to me that there is no way that every one of God’s promises is going to be fulfilled in my life. That is what my feelings tell me, yet the word of God tells me something very different. My feelings tell me I have made too many mistakes, had too many doubts, that the circumstance looks hopeless, and that God is not going to come through. OH HOW MUCH I HAVE IN COMMON with the Israelites! The Israelites seemed to forget God’s faithfulness the moment after His amazing miracles. They constantly looked at the circumstances they could see instead of remembering how many times God had provided. They bickered, doubted, even turned to false gods. Yet GOD WAS FAITHFUL to them. They did not earn His faithfulness or provision, but that is the God we serve. Thank you Lord!
It is so comforting to know that God uses people. People who make grave mistakes. God called David the murdering adulterer “a man after God’s own heart.” Knowing Peter’s weaknesses Jesus still called him to be a founder of the church! God knew the Israelites would complain and turn their backs on Him, yet he still set them free from slavery and gave them the Promised Land.
I think my struggle is truly letting go what my “promised land” is supposed to look like. I feel like I know so well WHAT it is and HOW it is supposed to look and the BEST way to get there! When it doesn’t go the way expected I feel such despair and fear as though it is all over. Maybe my promised land as I saw it is never going to come to pass, but I find comfort in knowing He will be faithful to me.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Only Bloglieve
James 1:2-8
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
These are my verses of the day. Was feeling a little rejected today, and when I prayed about it this passage popped into my head. I have always loved the first part. I have truly seen that trails and hard times can be counted as joy and they do help us to grow and mature as Christians and as people. They make us more compassionate and definitely stronger. I have also been blessed know that God gives wisdom to ANYONE who asks without looking at our faults. What an awesome promise is that????
As much as I love those parts that is not what jumped out at me today. Instead the end caught my attention more than it ever has before. The part about doubt. It actually says a man who doubts is unstable and should not expect to recieve from God! It is amazing how much faith has to do with our walk with the Lord. The faith to accept Him, the faith to follow Him when so many others are headed in the opposite direction, the faith to go when we don't feel ready or say yes when it seems to hard, and then the FAITH to believe when it doesn't look so good. The faith to trust during the darkest of night. Lord help us not to doubt. Help us to cling to you that you might be able to bless us!
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
These are my verses of the day. Was feeling a little rejected today, and when I prayed about it this passage popped into my head. I have always loved the first part. I have truly seen that trails and hard times can be counted as joy and they do help us to grow and mature as Christians and as people. They make us more compassionate and definitely stronger. I have also been blessed know that God gives wisdom to ANYONE who asks without looking at our faults. What an awesome promise is that????
As much as I love those parts that is not what jumped out at me today. Instead the end caught my attention more than it ever has before. The part about doubt. It actually says a man who doubts is unstable and should not expect to recieve from God! It is amazing how much faith has to do with our walk with the Lord. The faith to accept Him, the faith to follow Him when so many others are headed in the opposite direction, the faith to go when we don't feel ready or say yes when it seems to hard, and then the FAITH to believe when it doesn't look so good. The faith to trust during the darkest of night. Lord help us not to doubt. Help us to cling to you that you might be able to bless us!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Jelly blogs...an Easter thought
John 12:23-24
23Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Happy Easter! I hope and pray that God is speaking to everyone the way He is speaking to me this week! It is such a blessing to hear His voice!
This week God has truly shown me that it is a blessing to die to myself. I am rejoicing that He has picked this week for me to die to certain things because it the same week over 2,000 years ago that God proved He was willing to make that sacrifice for me. Jesus died that I might be whole. But, he didn't stop there He rose from the grave to show me that dying to self isn't the end. It is the beginning!!! I believe He brought everything to a boiling point in my life this week so as I walked thru dying I would easily remember He walked thru it too. It has been a reminder to me that after death comes the RESSURECTION. What is the resurrection? It is LIFE!
God has been asking my husband and me to obey him in a very hard area for a long time. I have fought and even tried to excuse my lack of obedience by slathering it things that sound righteous. I found verses to back up why I was disobeying. I used every term that sounded righteous. But, really I fighting God's will and trying in my feeble human way to control the outcome of my life. I had it planned in my head. I knew what it was supposed to look like!!
Finally (without much help from me sadly) God brought His will to fruition. The hard decision was made. It hurt. It was hard. It required dying to self. But then, strangely enough, peace came flooding in. Even through my tears there was peace. That peace that surpasses ALL understanding. And not only had that, but something within me broken. I was able to see so clearly where I had been going wrong in certain areas of my life. I could see how desperately I was trying to control things. How fear motivated so many of my decisions. Time and time again God has tried to show me that no matter how I try to control something I can't change the outcome! All I do is carry a burden that is not mine to carry. I cannot make people truly happy. I cannot make people want the Lord! That is between them and God. All I can do is what He calls me to do and let Him have his way. His way in me AND in others.
I realize that any type of rebellion equals chains. Even when the rebellion is clothed in righteous phrases! But when we finally surrender the things we hold onto so tightly, whether it is our dreams, desires, relationships, "me time", whatever it may be, the chains fall and then we really experience that HIS yoke is easy and His burden is light!
We have been singing a song that says "Trading all that I have, for all that is better." He truly is better. Just His peace alone is worth a thousand dreams!
Though it can painful to trust other people and myself into His arms, I know what He has for us all is better than what we can offer ourselves.
23Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Happy Easter! I hope and pray that God is speaking to everyone the way He is speaking to me this week! It is such a blessing to hear His voice!
This week God has truly shown me that it is a blessing to die to myself. I am rejoicing that He has picked this week for me to die to certain things because it the same week over 2,000 years ago that God proved He was willing to make that sacrifice for me. Jesus died that I might be whole. But, he didn't stop there He rose from the grave to show me that dying to self isn't the end. It is the beginning!!! I believe He brought everything to a boiling point in my life this week so as I walked thru dying I would easily remember He walked thru it too. It has been a reminder to me that after death comes the RESSURECTION. What is the resurrection? It is LIFE!
God has been asking my husband and me to obey him in a very hard area for a long time. I have fought and even tried to excuse my lack of obedience by slathering it things that sound righteous. I found verses to back up why I was disobeying. I used every term that sounded righteous. But, really I fighting God's will and trying in my feeble human way to control the outcome of my life. I had it planned in my head. I knew what it was supposed to look like!!
Finally (without much help from me sadly) God brought His will to fruition. The hard decision was made. It hurt. It was hard. It required dying to self. But then, strangely enough, peace came flooding in. Even through my tears there was peace. That peace that surpasses ALL understanding. And not only had that, but something within me broken. I was able to see so clearly where I had been going wrong in certain areas of my life. I could see how desperately I was trying to control things. How fear motivated so many of my decisions. Time and time again God has tried to show me that no matter how I try to control something I can't change the outcome! All I do is carry a burden that is not mine to carry. I cannot make people truly happy. I cannot make people want the Lord! That is between them and God. All I can do is what He calls me to do and let Him have his way. His way in me AND in others.
I realize that any type of rebellion equals chains. Even when the rebellion is clothed in righteous phrases! But when we finally surrender the things we hold onto so tightly, whether it is our dreams, desires, relationships, "me time", whatever it may be, the chains fall and then we really experience that HIS yoke is easy and His burden is light!
We have been singing a song that says "Trading all that I have, for all that is better." He truly is better. Just His peace alone is worth a thousand dreams!
Though it can painful to trust other people and myself into His arms, I know what He has for us all is better than what we can offer ourselves.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on...blogs
Some of my favorite things right now...in no particular order.
1. Prayer Meeting
2. Getting back into the gym
3. Seeing what an amazing big sister Jacey is.
4. Jack's drawings...they are just awesome and so funny! The one below is of a roller skating accident! Notice the one one the right punching the skate boarder..his helmet and skateboard are flying in the air!
5. When my baby boy flirts with me. :)
6. The Biggest Loser
9. busy hand and feet
10. distressed furniture
11. baby faces!!!
12. My daughter's eyes
13. faded florals
14. Isaiah 61: 1-3
17. My kids playing nicely together for hours
18. Micah's tiny palm
19. Worship
1. Prayer Meeting
2. Getting back into the gym
3. Seeing what an amazing big sister Jacey is.
4. Jack's drawings...they are just awesome and so funny! The one below is of a roller skating accident! Notice the one one the right punching the skate boarder..his helmet and skateboard are flying in the air!
5. When my baby boy flirts with me. :)
6. The Biggest Loser7. Going to the gym...especially with my friend Lonni.
8. baby smiles
9. busy hand and feet
10. distressed furniture
11. baby faces!!!
12. My daughter's eyes
13. faded florals
14. Isaiah 61: 1-3
15. Children's Ministry
16. Flowers in old unconventional containers
17. My kids playing nicely together for hours
18. Micah's tiny palm
19. Worship20. dressing my boys alike
21. My wonderful husband
23. Jack's red hair
24. You Were There by Avalon
21. My wonderful husband22. laughing with good friends
23. Jack's red hair
24. You Were There by Avalon25. Jackisms
26. What God's doing in my life
26. What God's doing in my lifeIt twas Ms.Scarlett in the library with a blog
I finally has a Mystery Party. I have always wanted to. It was pretty fun! I of course made a complete fool of myself, but what else is to be expected!! I am sad that I don't have more pictures, especially of the people who came later. :*( If anyone has pics, please forward them on!
The unhappy couple! Sally Spirit and Bobby Backer the star Quarter Back.
The looney Principle living vicariously thru her students.
Peter Prez...aka Don Johnson/a WWE Wrestler/heavey metal fan
Alan Algebra...why does my sweetie always get typecast as a nerd?? ;)
Cindy Sensational (the culprit) and Kevin Kicker
Peter Prez and Clerical Katie
The unhappy couple! Sally Spirit and Bobby Backer the star Quarter Back.
The looney Principle living vicariously thru her students.
Peter Prez...aka Don Johnson/a WWE Wrestler/heavey metal fan
Alan Algebra...why does my sweetie always get typecast as a nerd?? ;)
Cindy Sensational (the culprit) and Kevin Kicker
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