We Don't Go Alone

HE promises to go with us.

HE says there is NOWHERE that we can go that HIS love cannot find us.

HE says that HE will "leave"  the 99 to go find the ONE

HE says that HE will NEVER leave us or forsake us.

But Friend ~   

What HE really wants ~ 

is not to only "go with you"

He wants to CHANGE you!

For in the "changing" He is seen. 

"It is no longer I ~ but Christ who dwells in me" Galatians 2:20

Excuse me but you look vaguely familiar!

Exodus 33
¹⁵ Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” 

Blessings!

Crying Out ~

Psalm 72:12-14


"He will rescue the poor when they cry to Him; He will help the oppressed when they have no one to defend them.  He feels pity for the weak and needy and He will rescue them.  He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to Him."


Have you ever pondered what you could do in a certain situation. Maybe we have not offered prayer because the situation seemed so out of our power and sphere.  


Friend ~  That is why we pray!   
We have NOTHING to offer but Jesus.
  
HE will take care of the ones we pray for, the situations that we lift to Him.  He is faithful and wants no one to perish.  Trust Him today~  Offer Him to this lost and dying world.  He is always looking to heal, deliver, save and forgive.


Introduce Him today!
Welcome Jesus Welcome!


Blessings!

Psalm 65:3

"When we are overwhelmed by our sins, You forgive them all."


What a promise.


Walk in this Word today.   Speak it out loud to the accuser, whether it is from within or without.   


HE FORGIVES US!


HE LOVES US!


WE NEED NOT BE OVERWHELMED!


So stand back up and walk out your day in the Power of the One Who saved you!
His grace will be more than enough in any and all of your situations!


Remember HE LOVES YOU!


Blessings!

A Lovely Day in the Neighborhood

I sit this morning in a lovely home, in a lovely neighborhood,with all the amenities that I could ever need. The birds are singing, the weather is balmy and the sun shines bright.  All is good with the world.


Or is it?


In a book that I have been reading recently the report is that there are over 33 million people living in Uganda. The median age is 15 years old with the average age expectancy being 50 yrs old.  A "nation of young people"  The plague is AIDS.


A nation of young people who have no one to raise them, nurture them, educate them and/or disciple them.
And we all know that this is just a drop in the bucket.  The world is a mess ~ and that can include much of what is going on in our own nation.


2 Chronicles 16:9


For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.


1 Peter 3:12


For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer...


Ps  33:18


The eyes of the Lord are on those that fear Him, He watches over them and guards them from danger.


Friends, please join me today praying for the k-zillions that are lost and in need of a Savior.  He is the answer for the world today!


So soak in the goodness of the Lord realizing that nothing is guaranteed but the Love of God


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whjZTug_O-Y&feature=related

It's Time!

Over the past few weeks it would seem that every time I looked at a digital clock it was always an interesting sequence of numbers;  1:23   2:22   3:33 etc etc.  Enough so that I actually asked a few friends what they thought the Lord might be saying.  (My kids often look up Scripture when a set of numbers are appearing over and over again).   The difference is that my numbers were always different but in some sort of noticeable sequence,  enough to get my attention.  


Yesterday it happened again when I woke up ~   I laughed aloud as I asked the Lord "Father what are you trying to say to me?"    
I heard Him distinctly say, "It's Time" 
   
WOW   That got my attention!   
I knew He was saying that He is about to do some major things.  He is going to "show Himself".   Prayers that have been prayed for years are going to be answered.   

I AM EXCITED!    

Friend ~   do you have eyes to see what He is about to do?  

Do you have ears that are attuned to His voice?    

I saw myself flattened up against a BIG wooden door, straining to hear what might be going on on the other side......the door opened and I fell right into the room.

That's how I want it to be!  I don't want to miss a thing! 

Lean in my friend~  Lean in~

The time is short...in fact....

IT'S TIME!

Blessings!

The Stone Rolled Away

I heard a story the other day.   A friend of mine was told that she needed to "stop" the job that she was doing.  Now this "job" had been her life for many years and it came as a shock to her.  But when she finally "laid it down", it seemed as I listened, that the "stone rolled away" allowing the blessings to flow afresh into her life.


Sometimes our short sightedness,  our "I've always done it this way" can stop up what the Lord is wanting to bring into our lives.  We just can't see it or imagine it.   But God in His infinite grace and mercy will continue to try to get our attention and when we finally see it and lay it down ~ HE begins to move.


Have you asked the Lord lately if He is trying to get your attention?  Do you feel stuck and that your prayers are hitting a solid ceiling?  Perhaps God is trying to direct you a different way.  Open yourself up to Him and see what He has to say.  Don't be afraid.  He will not let you fall.  He will not forsake you.  He will not give you a stone when you ask for bread.


Friend,  I bet that there is a corner up ahead that you simply can't see from where you are standing.  We serving a loving heavenly Father.  You do not need to be afraid.  Stop, look and listen to what He might have for you today!


Blessings!

He Leadeth Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAcgX3Aqo9g

My daughter was sharing with me today some her thoughts about moving to Brazil.  She told of a picture she had in her mind of standing on the edge of a cliff and the Lord pushing her off.  It made her uneasy yet it seemed to be the thought stuck in her head.


The Lord, in His goodness and mercy, replaced that picture in prayer.  She again was standing on the edge of the cliff, looking over, when Jesus rushed up beside her, grabbed her hand and jumped WITH HER!


Ah what a different emotion that picture evokes!
He is WITH ME!
By HIS OWN HAND He leads me!

He leadeth me: O blessed thought! 
O words with heavenly comfort fraught! 
Whate'er I do, where'er I be, 
still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me. 

Refrain
He leadeth me, he leadeth me, 
by his own hand he leadeth me; 
his faithful follower I would be, 
for by his hand he leadeth me.

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom, 
sometimes where Eden's bowers bloom, 
by waters still, o'er troubled sea, 
still 'tis his hand that leadeth me. 

Lord, I would clasp thy hand in thine, 
nor ever murmur nor repine; 
content, whatever lot I see, 
since 'tis my God that leadeth me.

And when my task on earth is done, 
when by thy grace the victory's won, 
e'en death's cold wave I will not flee, 
since God through Jordan leadeth me.

A Struggle of Faith

This is not a bad thing.   


A friend said this to me this morning as she grappled with some life issues going on in her family.  
A struggle will build your muscles.  It means you have not laid it down and walked a way.  You are musing, meditating, thinking, pondering, praying as to what God is about in all of this. 


Some of our situations are VERY DIFFICULT.  
But I would remind you ~Nothing is too difficult for God.  
HE will give you the grace needed to walk thru whatever HE has allowed in your life. 
 Do not make hasty decisions. Do you turn the other way.  Do not back down. 


HE will answer.  He is up to something.


Trust child trust!


Blessings!

Glib or Confidence?

I was speaking to a friend the  other day about faith in God etc. and it came to my mind that I perhaps sounded "glib"

1. Performed with a natural, offhand ease: was fascinated by his unfailingly glib conversation.

2. Characterized by fluency of speech or writing that often suggests insincerity, superficiality, or a lack of concern.

As I was thinking it through, I thought of how a child might speak about HIS dad.   "Oh my Dad can do that...."

"My Dad can do anything"

"My Dad will take care of that" 

"My Dad always....." etc etc

Do you hear what I'm saying?  

I feel SO CONFIDENT in my Lord and Savior that when I'm listening to someone fret or worry I just want to say  "Oh you don't have to worry about that My DAD will take care of everything.!"

He has proven Himself over and over to me during the past 50 years and what you are hearing or reading is not glib  it is CONFIDENCE

Confidence in the One Whom I know holds me

takes care of me

provides for me

numbers my days

never lets me go

speaks to me and directs my path

I could go on and on and on.

OH HOW HE LOVES US!

Blessings!

Even The Bad Is Good

Now to many people that statement will just not make any sense.  But to those that follow the Lord, those that know HIS ways, YES even the bad is good.


How can this be?


Well not only does the Scripture say that "all things will work together for good", (Rom 8:28) but we know that God, as a loving Father, keeps a close and intimate "eye" on us. 
 2 CHRONICLES 16:9
For the eyes f the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him.

So in the Good, Bad and the Ugly, if we are following hard after the Lord, we are on solid ground and we have nothing to fear.  He is with us.  He will make a way.  He is working out a plan in our lives.  He is molding us and making us into His image.  

Don't move friend....His timing is PERFECT!   Just praise Him right where you are!

Blessings 

A Good Conclusion

I received a Christmas Letter the other day and there was a paragraph that I think bears repeating.  It goes:


"As for me, I am coming to the age, when I deeply realize that some things are not going to change.  And if they are, I am not going to be the reason or facilitator of that change, no matter how good I think that change may be......I do not have to fight to change it anymore..  This knowledge has brought a peace that has begun to rest in my heart and is beginning to seep into my outer life.......
What has begun to happen is that I am beginning to look up from these circumstances and find an abundance of other things to be thankful for and a great big God to be thankful to!..............I have begun to experience JOY!
...........when I look up I no longer drown in the circumstances of living in this sinful, dangerous, uncertain world.  My wondrous discovery this year is that I can be joyful...at least most of the time..........It is so delightfully unexpected."


I am so thankful that my friend has come to see this TRUTH!  She has been leaning into the Lord and not to her own understanding and the Lord has been faithful to allow this truth go deeper and deeper.


Friend accept this gift from the Father.  Take HIS peace.   You will not change things but HE can!  Rest in His ability and His timing.  Lean beloved lean!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0zz6msgnPY&feature=related

Fussing

Have you ever just found yourself fussing?  You are at the end of your rope, things are looking dark and impossible and you fuss.


Why do we so easily forget our Savior?  How can we overlook the one who created it ALL and holds it all together?


Today, friend,  remember and ask Him to enter in to your problem.  He WILL give grace, divine wisdom and creative thinking.  I have been known to tape 2 fingers together, set my phone alarm for every 15 mins, mark on my hand, etc. in order to be reminded thruout the day that HE IS HERE AND ABLE!


Join Him today
Praising Him
Blessings!

I Am Overwhelmed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18p8OyYgUhU&feature=related


I am overwhelmed at the LOVE of our Savior!   My knee is much better, please continue to pray.  I opened a Christmas Card today and it was from Jesus!  He had sent me some money!  He signed it "I own a cattle on a thousand hills!"  
What a precious Savior, a good Friend, a faithful Husband.  
I am a "kept woman" 
I am never out of HIS sight.  
HE SEES ME!  




Jesus You're more than a friend
more than my heart could ever express
Your love and Your grace never fail me
Your merciful touch always heals me


YOU BRING JOY TO MY SOUL!


Friend~  He wants to be all that and more to you today!
Let Him!
Claim His promises over your life and watch how HE fulfills every single one


Joyful Joyful Lord we adore Thee!


Blessings

Mary Did You Know?

Don't you just love this song?


The fact is Mary probably did not know too much about her future.  She was asked to obey and she did.  She did do a lot of pondering and I don't recall seeing anything on face book. She just walked it out believing.


We don't know, BUT God does!  We can trust HIM.  HE will guide us, guard us, provide for us, calm us, keep us, heal us, give us wisdom, strength and GRACE.  


Is the suspense just killing you?  Are you so busy worrying, planning  and thinking about tomorrow that you are not enjoying the day?  The scripture tells us to leave tomorrow alone Matt 6:34.  We are to preface all our plans with the "Lord willing" James 4:13-15   


As the Lord told my friend...."You know its really simple to serve Me"    TRUST.  The same God that created it ALL and holds it ALL  does not find you too big to handle.  


So dear frazzled friend......BREATH.  LAUGH...... TRUST...... PRAISE.  


Its ALL GOOD.  (even if its not)


Blessings!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY4_wIJUCMU&feature=related

Mother's Ears

Have you ever been in a crowd or group and been able to distinguish the cry of your child over all the noise?
There you are in the church service, meeting, playground etc etc, perhaps chatting with a friend, and all of a sudden, you STOP . Your body tenses and you listen.  Is that your child crying?

I love Psalm 18

^"4 The cords of death entangled me;
   the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
⁵ The cords of the grave coiled around me;
   the snares of death confronted me.

 ⁶ In my distress I called to the LORD;
   I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice; 
   my cry came before him, into his ears.
⁷ The earth trembled and quaked,
   and the foundations of the mountains shook;
   they trembled because he was angry.
⁸ Smoke rose from his nostrils;
   consuming fire came from his mouth,
   burning coals blazed out of it.
⁹ He parted the heavens and came down;
   dark clouds were under his feet.
¹⁰ He mounted the cherubim and flew;
   he soared on the wings of the wind.
¹¹ He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
   the dark rain clouds of the sky.
¹² Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
   with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
¹³ The LORD thundered from heaven;
   the voice of the Most High resounded.^[d]
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
   with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
¹⁵ The valleys of the sea were exposed
   and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, LORD,
   at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

 ¹⁶ He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
   he drew me out of deep waters.
¹⁷ He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
   from my foes, who were too strong for me.
¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
   but the LORD was my support.
¹⁹ He brought me out into a spacious place;
   he rescued me because he delighted in me.

Beloved HE hears you when you cry out.  He does not sit idle but your cry arouses Him and alerts Him to your need and He moves on your behalf.  Do not give up.....Help is on the way   His grace IS sufficient for you!

Blessings!

Does Jesus Care?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncpuyN01U48&feature=related



Oh YES HE CARES and IS able to comfort and deliver!


Blessings friend!

He Rescues the Souls of Men

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiVvHxgHL5Q

Wonderful, merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend
Who would have thought that a Lamb
Could rescue the souls of men
Oh you rescue the souls of men

Counselor, Comforter, Keeper
Spirit we long to embrace
You offer hope when our hearts have
Hopelessly lost the way
Oh, we hopelessly lost the way

You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for

Almighty, infinite Father
Faithfully loving Your own
Here in our weakness You find us
Falling before Your throne
Oh, we're falling before Your throne

Open My Eyes Part 2

Taken from  Expecting to See Jesus by Anne Graham Lotz  pp107-108

Is God trying to pry open the eyes of your heart so that He can show you His glory?  Is He using a personal, emotional or  financial  life-shaking experience you are enduring for that purpose?  And have you misunderstood so that, the more intense your situation becomes, the more tightly you squeeze your eyes shut against Him and what He is trying to reveal to you?


Stop resisting Him.  Stop resenting Him.  Stop complaining. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.  Stop demanding what you want...Adjust your attitude.  Change your mind about things, about yourself- about others- about Him. Relax in total trust.  He knows what HE is doing.  Let go and look up!  Let Him open the eyes of your heart.  
OPEN YOUR EYES !  

Open your eyes to the vision of His glory!  Prayerfully, expectantly, sincerely, open your eyes to Him!

Amen and Amen!

Sitting in the Boat With Jesus

I've been pondering lately about the guys in the boat with Jesus...You remember the story...storm comes up, they panic..wake Jesus up... HE calms the winds and sea.
Ok   Can we get to the place that we SO trust HIM that no matter what happens, eyes on HIM, we do not react in fear?  
I personally think it is possible.   
A number of months ago I heard the Lord say to me that we were going to be working on "Confidence"     an unshakable stance, unwavering

1. The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust: 
2. The state of feeling certain about the truth of something.
3. faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way 
4. full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing:

Now for certain the ONLY WAY, in my estimation, that we can have this type of confidence is if we have entered such a tight relationship with HIM that we know and believe in HIS nature without doubting. This takes time and practice.  

How about you?    You are in the boat....it's tipping on it's side but you're with Jesus....yes HE seems to be sleeping, but none the less HE Is with you.... Can you trust?   Will you try to save the ship, try to shake HIM awake  or will you curl up close to Him and hold on tight? what do you think.

I hear HIM throughout my days lately...."DO YOU TRUST ME NOW?"

Yes I am willing to learn this lesson...Give me grace Lord to be unshakable because of YOU, MY ROCK,  my strong tower.

I pray this for you as well dear friend!

Blessings!

Right Where You Are

She sat in the small room off the narrow hallway.
No door, No sheets, sterile.    Suicide watch with every 15 minutes an orderly check.
She did not dare lay down, it was the scariest time of her life.  It had finally happened and she had "cracked", lost it, broken down.  And now she was HERE.   Sitting on the stool in the corner near the toilet she held her head and cried.  Despare.  Loneliness.  The End.


A life of success....led her here?   Where was the audience now, the bright lights were a faint memory.
She heard the footsteps and did not even bother to lift her head.  She knew it was the quarter hour check.


"Sheila"  She lifts her head and a man stands in front of her.  A man she has never met or seen.  He holds a little stuffed lamb out to her. She takes it as he walks back toward the doorway.  He turns and quietly says "Sheila, the Shepherd knows right where you are."   Then he was gone.


She knows it was an angel with exact timing.  Those words kept her alive and she held on and things began to get better.


Could this be your story?  Are you feeling low, in the pit, discouraged?   HE know right where you are.  He NEVER leaves you.   Muster your strength to crawl up onto HIS lap and stay there.  He does not need you to do anything else ~  Just rest.  You will make it through


Blessings dear one