Shhhh...Be still...

I don't know about you.... but to be still sometimes is the hardest thing to do.  I've tried to be just completely still and quiet.... yet thoughts rush in from everywhere.  More often than not.... they are anxious thoughts that try to destroy the tranquil peace that is surrounding me.  Or sometimes, if I am sitting on a very hard surface... I keep twisting and turning to ease the discomfort of my aching body.  

As I am sitting here this morning,  I can hear the cars passing on the highway, and the distant voice of my husband downstairs talking to a friend on the phone.  The heat vent also makes a little popping sound when the air starts flowing through. Yesterday morning, I awoke to the sound of the neighbors diesel truck, and then the garbage truck.  Later as I was having my devotions, someone had gotten an early start on trimming their hedges or mowing their lawn. 

How hard is it to actually just sit and listen to someone else who is talking to you?  I've been embarrassed at times because my thoughts have wandered ... and I'm trying to remember if I locked the door before I left home... or something they said triggered a thought that lead me somewhere else.  

How many times in my devotions have I tried to be quiet before the Lord and just listen... and before I know it, my heart is palpatating because I thought of something that brought concern or anxiety.  God wants us to lean into Him, rest our head on His chest and hear His heartbeat.  He has already read our journal and was up a long time before daylight.. Actually, He was up all night.... watching over us and the things of our heart.  It is possibly the only time that we are completely quiet before Him.  The moment our eyelids flutter in the morning... our thoughts are racing toward the day...  

Can we ask God to calm our anxious thoughts... to settle our hearts long enough to listen to Him... to seek His face even though the world is pounding at the door....

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble,

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with  their surging."

Be still and know that I am God...

Psalm 46: 1-3, 10

 

Jesus, my Joy

Praise you, Jesus...God of my heart...Lover of my soul...

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Psalm 51:10-12

Thank you Jesus, for this:

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Psalm 51:6

I have been asking God to reveal His truth to me...to show me areas in my own heart, my inner being, my soul, that are not well and need healing so that I can be free and beautiful in His eyes. I want to dance in freedom before His throne, be a daughter bringing joy to her heavenly Father...I want to serve without hinderance and love without reserve....

Sometimes,the truth God shows us in our inner being hurts....but He reveals it so that He can cleanse us and heal us....He came to set the prisoners free. He came to set me free...and you.

Oh, how I love Him.

No one cares for your heart like Jesus.

He is the Joy your heart longs for.

The Light of His Face!

As I sit here this morning, the light of the sunrise is streaming through the windows and onto my face. (I'm trying not to notice the fingerprints, dog slobber, dust, bird droppings, and spider webs that are revealed by the glorious rays of the sun.)

I love the light of the sun and feeling the warmth of it on my body. When the sun shines on my face, I think of Psalm 44:3 "for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them." The light of his face. The light of his face along with the his righteous, victorius right hand, saving me, fighting for me, winning the battle for me. I imagine it - the light of his face on mine.

Oh, amazing thought that he delights in me! The warmth of the sun on my face reminds me of that. I thank him for it, relish it, linger in it, soak it in.

On bright spring and summer days, as the rays of sun kiss your face, bask in the light of his face. He is delighting in you.

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" ~ Hebrews 13:4-6

The Bible cuts right to the truth. You cannot argue with what God says in His Word. It's right there for us to read and walk in His Truth.

I get frustrated watching TV and seeing all the disgusting shows that are on there promoting extramarrital affairs and sex before marriage. There is so much sleeping around and cheating happening in these shows or movies. What makes me even more frustrated is that by watching it we support the ratings and encourage them to show it.

In today's society stepping outside the marriage boundaries is glamorized. I trust my husband 100% and he trusts me. I am so thankful that God has brought him into my life and chosen the best person for me. Our marriage is not perfect but one thing we have promised each other is to never allow ourselves to be in a situation where we could be tempted or do something to jeopardize our marriage.

Hebrews 13 also talks about the love of money. Money is the root of all evil, the Bible tells us. It really can be. It can be something that Satan will use to come between people by creating jealousy or it can be something he uses to lead us into sin. God hates sin. Satan loves it. The second we step outside the boundaries of marriage the way God designed it or we lust after things we don't have, Satan has us in his snare. It's a wicked snare that we need to continually pray for God's hedge of protection to be around us.

God promises he'll never leave us or forsake us. The more we draw closer to God the more we walk like Jesus did. If we're filling our mind with the junk that's out there and not filling ourselves with what God wants for us in His Word, you can start walking the way the world wants us to. We become desensitized to the evil out there.

There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
My son, keep your father's commands
and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
Bind them upon your heart forever;
fasten them around your neck.
When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.
For these commands are a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,
keeping you from the immoral woman,
from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.
~ Proverbs 6: 16-24

It's easy to get caught up in what we see on TV or movies. Satan uses this to stomp on our self esteem and self confidence. God wants what's best for us. Fill your mind with God's words, not the world's words. Keep your mind pure. Soak in on how Jesus walked and follow by example. Let God's commands be the lamp, His teachings the light.

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength." Isaiah 30:15

When I discovered this verse many years ago, it opened up a whole new way of thinking and living for me.

We at Soul Kitchen repeatedly write that it’s about God and what He does and has done rather than about us and what we do.

Religion = what man does to reach God.

Christianity = what God has done for man.

Isaiah 30:15 has become a benchmark verse for me to see if I am living in – embracing - what God has done and promises to do.

In repentance and rest is your salvation. I repent of the ways in which I have gone my own way or have relied on myself for salvation. I rest – even bask - in what You have done for me.

In quietness and trust in your strength. The fears, concerns, rantings even, are stilled…calmed… when I trust in God; in His faithful love and goodness towards me.

Unfortunately, Isaiah 30:15 doesn’t end where I had it end above. It continues, “but you would have none of it." Verse 16 follows with , “You said ‘No…’” and tells of what the people rely on instead of God.

That’s where I question myself. Am I walking in repentance and rest? Quietness and trust? Am I saying “No” to God in any area of my life instead of trusting God and His ways? Am I relying on myself... or others... or other things?

I couple this verse with Isaiah 32:17

The fruit of righteousness will be peace;
the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.

How I want my life to reflect this. I want this life of righteousness through Jesus Christ. A life of being able to confidently trust God and have that peace that only God can provide.

One more very cool verse that I found in my Bible travels this morning! :)

Psalm 85:10

Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Surrounded by the enemy...

Sometimes in life, we are surrounded by the enemy and don't even know it... Sometimes he has already attacked and we didn't feel a thing.  I'm sure you have been there.  He attacks our thoughts, our bodies, our health and our relationships with other people.  There are times when he makes things look pretty good... and there are times when we see everything we love disintegrating before our very eyes.  He likes to rob us of a few things too... like our health, our goals and visions for life... our hope and often our dreams.  

A friend of mine has battled leukemia for years.  In January of 2005,  she had written a letter to me and claimed this passage of scripture for the year.  She would cling to it for dear life.  

     "O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven?You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations.  Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can withstand you.  O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?  They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, If  calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and You will hear us and save us."

     "But here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them.  See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance.  O our God, will you not judge them?  For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us.  We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."

     

     "All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood before the Lord."

     "He said; "Listen, King Jehosphaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem!  This is what the Lord says to you:  Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army.  For the battle is not yours but God's."

              II Chronicles 20:6-13, 15

Our battles are oftentimes so huge we cannot fight them.  But my friend Lois held onto God's word and trusted.... It doesn't always turn out specifically the way we want it, but Lois told me this past month that she is in remission.  

We all have battles that we are fighting.... can we trust Him to fight them for us.... even if it takes longer than we want it to?  I had much rather God fight the battle for me than try to fight it myself.  My strength is weak and powerless.... His is matchless!!!

Belonging

For the majority of my life...I believed that I didn't fit in anywhere...that I just didn't belong.

Even though, I have been greatly loved in my life...by my parents, and others that God brought into our path. I made friends easily each time we moved. I felt uninhibited crossing cultural borders. But somewhere along the way...the evil one whispered a lie to me...."that I didn't belong." I'm not sure when I began to believe it, but at some point in my teenage years I agreed with the father of lies, and entered into womanhood believing and living with the insecurity that no matter where I went or what I did...I didn't really fit, I wasn't welcome, and I didn't belong.

Oh Precious Sisters.....How that one little lie has hindered me over the years!

It kept me from freedom. It kept me from walking in confidence to be the woman God sees in me. It kept me from serving to my fullest. It kept me from joy.

Jesus says...."You belong to me. You are my daughter. You are my princess. You are mine."

Your identity rests in the hands of your Saviour, the One who died to make you His own.

1 Corinthians 6:17
But he (or she) who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him. (italics mine.)

Do you get the significance of what that means?

Sister...if you have joined your heart to Christ...then not only do you belong to Him but you are part of Him, and are one spirit with Him.

Believe me...with that as your inheritance....You Belong!

I will leave you with this....a prayer close to my heart these days....

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19

What Are We Waiting For?

I was at the memorial service for a dear friend. And amongst all the differing thoughts and emotions of celebrating life and seeing family and old friends, this is what I take away:

Don't wait until you are dying of cancer before you start really living.

My friend said that cancer was the best thing that ever happened to her. Hmm. Better than meeting your husband? Better than getting pregnant? Better than being offered your dream job? Most things in life, we think we have a choice about. Most things don't just "happen" to us, or so we think, but nobody chooses cancer. The best thing? She said that the things that truly matter in life became the most important things, and every day, she asked God, "What's the most important thing I can do today? What will really matter to me and to you?"

In this she knew that her marriage really mattered. Her husband said after the service that it is an amazing thing to know that you really matter to someone. "I mattered to her," he said with tears in his eyes.

Her children mattered. God gave her 13 years to raise her children from the time she was diagnosed. A beautiful endowment of favor, and she knew it.

Loving people mattered. Friends, family, homeless people, her counseling patients, other cancer patients.

Enjoying life mattered. Life itself and the ability to wake up everyday was a gift. Gifts are meant to give pleasure, to get use from, to be treasured and enjoyed.

The sum of it for her - Living means loving people. That's what she did, and I benefited from her love for 32 years. She didn't wait to have cancer to start loving people. That's what she did, but the fact that she didn't know how long the rest of her life would be made loving and enjoying people the thing she lived for. It's what mattered for the amount of time she had left.

What really matters for the time you have left? None of us know how long that will be. I think God would love us to ask him daily, "What's the most important thing I can do today? What will really matter to me and to you?"

What are we waiting for?

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
~ Micah 6:8 (NIV)

Walk humbly with God..... what does that look like to you?

I soak in on God's truth through worship. Anyone who knows me knows that I almost always have worship music play throughout my home. Over the past while I've had alot on my plate and I find it difficult to find quiet time to soak in on God's Word. My refuge has been the quiet moments in my house where the music warms me and God embraces me, encouraging me that each day is new and fresh. That has been such a huge thing for me to know that each day is new and that we don't need to repeat yesterday. Yesterday is behind us and we step forward into a new day.

I have many friends each struggling with issues or circumstances that are out of our control. I have been feeling guilty that I cannot pray for them or be there for them as they journey through these tough times. I barely have enough strength to carry myself through the day that I cannot take on any more. God reminded me through Micah 6:8 what the Lord requires of me...."to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Even though my burdens and load are heavy, I can only take on so much. When I worship while I work, my heart is in tune with God and I feel His presence. I know He's near me. I feel Him wrap his Heavenly arms around me when I need it. He comforts me when the tears come in those moments of complete brokenness. I feel that this time in my life that this verse is a reminder of my relationship with God. I have had so many decisions to make and it's imperative that I remain integral. To do this each decision I had to bring at Jesus' feet.

My journey is a quiet journey with God and I. Just the two of us conversing back and forth.... connecting through worship and music. I'm walking with God.... one step at a time.... waking up fresh each day knowing that tomorrow hasn't come and yesterday is gone.... Today is new. Embrace it and treasure it. Take this day to act justly.... love mercy and walk humbly with God. He has shown us what is good.

The Lamb of God

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:19

Father God, today as we behold Jesus, may we look and see Him as the One who took and takes away all of our sin. Every single one of them - those that we are so aware of and those we don't even recognize as sin.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4

Father, may this truth permeate our hearts and minds and be our shield from the lies of the enemy that speak a different message. There is no condemnation. The required righteousness is fully met in us through Jesus Christ! Thank you Father that it really isn't about us, but about You and what You HAVE DONE.

You are our precious Saviour! We love you and thank You for your great love. Keep us walking in Your righteousness.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside quiet waters,

He restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness 

      for His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley

     of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

      in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

      my cup overflows,

Surely goodness and love will follow me

      all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

      forever.

During the Vietnam war, my husband was on the USS Forrestal, an aircraft carrier in the US Navy. As they were loading munitions onto the planes, an unforeseen accident happened.  As a result, missiles and  bombs that were supposed to be loaded onto the airplanes exploded. Flames erupted, shrapnel and metal portions of the planes flew in all directions.  Men were trapped inside the planes, on the flight deck, in the hanger bay  and underneath on the decks which housed the men in sleeping quarters.  The damage was extensive.  Smaller ships moved in to assist the sailors who had jumped overboard or who had been blown overboard by the force of the explosion.  The men in the living quarters just below the flight deck didn't have a chance to even say their last prayers... the men on the flight deck who died when the bombs and missiles exploded didn't have a chance...

Though men were stationed all over the ship, every man alive knew the sound of a bomb exploding.  As the alarms sounded, the men who were able ran for their stations.  My husband was a signalman.  His job was to communicate with other ships through Morse Code.  As he ran for his post, he stumbled over bloodied and battered bodies,  he heard moans and cries of the wounded; he saw men holding bombs in their arms trying to throw them overboard.  He has images of death and destruction that he carries with him today.  

My husband was not a believer at the time but had attended church as a child and teenager with his family.  Yet, the only thing he could think of as all of this was happening... and in the hours that followed was, "The Lord's Prayer" and "The 23 Psalm."  He told me he repeated those over and over again. 

It is amazing how we know that God is really our only source of comfort.  Other people can try to ease our pain,  but God is the only one who can touch the deepest part of our inner being, our soul.  I have found this to be true so many times.  

I am grateful for the people God has brought into my life to help show me who He is.  Oh, how I I love Him!  He is there.... even in our darkest hours...  

I am struggling to write today.

I have not lost hope...nor have I lost faith....on the contrary...I cling to the only One who gives me Hope...the Lord of my heart...the Prince of Light...Jesus.

In the last two days...I have recieved news five times of great loss and deep sadness...I am reminded of Job and how he refused to turn his eyes from God in his suffering. The only difference is....Job's grievances were his own...mine, on the other hand, are for others, dear in my life. Big difference....but my heart still hurts for those that I love, in their suffering.

My prayers for them, do not go unheard. Their own cries for help...do not go unoticed.

Psalm 34:17
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Oh....David knew how to take his heart before the Lord. I love him for that.

Take your hurts before the Lord....Seek Him and He will be found by you.... and amen, to what Satisfied wrote yesterday...be encouraged as you give courage to those around you.

God is with us.

En-courage

I love words. The dictionary is one of my favorite books, and I keep one next to my Bible. I love to look up word meanings to gain deeper understanding of God is saying to me. So this morning we're going to look at the word Encourage.

First encourage:
-noun
the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc. without
fear; bravery.

-synonyms
fearlessness, dauntlessness, intrepidity, pluck, spirit

And a few more definitions:
dauntless - not to be intimidated
pluck - bravery, boldness, determination
spirit - excellent disposition or attitude in terms of vigor, courage, firmness of intent

Courage. I want to have it! Boy, do I need it!

Now let's look at the prefix en:
To cover or provide with
To cause to be

You can see why God is big on encouragement. So when God says to encourage one another, he's telling us to provide one another with braveness, to cause each other to be bold and determined in the face of difficulty. Wow! If he tells us to do that, then it must be possible. We have the ability to make each other courageous!

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up..."

"And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all."

"My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ."

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Oh, how we all need to be encouraged! And since bravery, boldness, and determination are godly qualities and God's desire for us, our enemy works very hard to discourage us. He wants us to give in and give up. There is much to discourage us. BUT, God is with us, for us and in us. What can man do to us? Our God reigns! Jesus Christ is Lord and his purpose will prevail!

Who will you be able to encourage today? May the God of hope encourage your heart and may you cause others to be brave, confident and determined to stand firm in faith in the face of the circumstances they are facing.

The Real Meaning of Easter

"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."
~ John 3:16 (NIV)



As I searched for something that brought our eyes and hearts to the real reason we celebrate Easter, I came across this YouTube video. It's not for the faint hearted. I couldn't sugarcoat anything about today and make what Jesus had to suffer for me any nicer than reality. I remember watching the movie "The Passion of Christ" with my husband and when the movie was over we just sat in silence. Neither of us could talk as we stood in awe of what Jesus did for us.... just so that we could be free.

No longer did a High Priest have to stand before God for us and interceed. No longer did we have to offer a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus was that sacrifice. He bore our sins on His shoulders. He suffered the abuse. He took the beatings. He knew what was coming ahead of time and how he would suffer yet he chose this so that we may have life! Eternal life!

Christ died so we could have eternal life. Grasp that today. After you've seen what Jesus had to endure for us I hope you walk away a changed person. I can't imagine how you can't. Easter is a time to celebrate our freedom from our sins. It's not about a cute Easter bunny that hides eggs and we find them. Easter is not what the world makes it. Easter is about life... life because Jesus died for us that we can live eternally.

Dear Lord Jesus,
I admit that I am a sinner and I am in need of you and your forgiveness. I want to turn from my sins and follow you completely. I believe that You are the Son of God who died on the cross for me and all my sins; you were buried, rose to life again and You are coming back. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. I accept the Father's gift of eternal life through faith and belief in you alone. I receive you as Lord and Savior of every part and area of my life forever and ever.
In Jesus' Name. Amen

What does the Cross mean to you? How has Christ changed your life? We'd love to hear from you.

A Drink

If I could have been there…on the road leading up the hill…when Jesus stumbled past… I would have wanted to comfort His heart…ease His pain…give Him cool water to drink. I live far from Golgotha though, and even further from that time in history, but I still long to serve Him in this way. I’m sure many of you have felt this way too. God knows that. He knows how He has made us. And He gives that opportunity to us…today.

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'” Matthew 25:31-40

Remember this as you serve those around you, be it changing another diaper, preparing dinner for your family, doing the dishes afterwards, welcoming a new neighbour to the neighbourhood, etc. It is Christ you are serving. Talk about significant! (Who says it’s not?) We have this opportunity and privilege! And one day He will also welcome you and say, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father.”

Blessed Easter to you. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Going Home....

Lately, I have been thinking more and more about "going home."  As I looked at the fresh, red dirt, on top of my brother's grave, I felt a deep loss.  I would never hear him speak again... or sing the old gospel hymns that he loved so much.  

There is a song that I have been listening to lately called,  "What Would I Leave Behind?"  The things I would like to leave behind are the things that will last.

One of my greatest encourager's has been Keith Green.  He was a singer/songwriter whom I got to know through his music in the late seventies.  My husband and I couldn't make it to one of his concerts but we sent our preteen daughter.  She came home so excited!  "Mom," she said.  "It was so awesome!  Even if you didn't have the money, Keith Green gave you a cassette tape or album anyway!"

Several years later, I was struggling with the deepest depression that I had ever experienced.  It was all I could do to put my feet over the edge of the bed in the morning and place them on the floor.  I could not pull out of the sadness that had a grip on me and would not let go.  About two months into this sadness and sorrow, an elderly woman whom I barely knew stopped by for a visit on her way to another town.  "I have been praying for you, she said, and the Lord told me to give you this book."  As she placed it in my hands, I could tell by the cover it was about Keith Green.  It said, "No Compromise."  I thanked her and held the book to my chest.  I knew that Keith had died in a plane crash with two of his small children.  I also knew that once I opened this book, my life was going to change.  

As I listened to his music and read his life story... I gained hope each day.  One of Keith's messages was... as Christians, to live as we believed.  He was bold in challenging people to walk strong in their faith.  He was sold out; committed, and loved the Lord with a passion that was contagious.  As I began to seek the Lord's face, the healing began in my heart.

If I could "leave behind" anything when I "go home"... it would be words of encouragement in the Lord.  He is our eternal hope.   He is our Redeemer and Savior.  He is the reason we can get up in the morning and face a hard day.  Our worldly possessions will pass away but the Word of the Lord will last forever.

"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your  hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."       2 Thessalonians 2:16

"So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you whether by word of mouth or by letter.     2 Thessalonians 2:15

To Tell You the Truth

I didn't really want to write about this today but it's been on my mind the last few days...and if I'm laying my heart out on the table...I guess this is an h'ordeurve.

I'm an advocate for the truth. I have always told my kids that telling the truth is more important than anything that they've done wrong...and that if I hear the truth first, from them, their consequences will not be as severe. I want my children to appreciate the value of the truth. I pray every day that they will know the truth and that God will give them his gift of discernment to know the difference between truth and lies. I believe that truth is life...the foundation of trust...and without it, relationships are empty. I seek truth. Jesus calls Himself the Truth.

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6

So we talk "the truth" but how do we live it out amongst those closest to us?

I was convicted through my daughter this week...and have had a gentle reminder of the importance of living in truth, living out truth, and telling the truth...all the time...even when it doesn't seem like a big deal, or it feels easier or seems easier to not exercise truth.

Our daughter has a cat that she loves like crazy...and she wanted her cat to have kittens more than anything. We however, felt that it was not the best for us to have kittens right now and so we took 'Angel' to the vet and well, you know what happened.

However, I did not have the heart to tell our daughter that we had gotten Angel fixed...so I told the rest of the family not to tell her. Everytime, (which was all the time) our daughter asked if Angel was going to have kittens....I would just say,"Well, you never know...." meanwhile, I did know....that it wasn't going to happen.

This was a couple of years ago. A few days ago...someone was over and asked me a question about Angel...I was standing at the counter making dinner and simply replied..."Oh, yeah...we had her fixed a couple of years ago." My daughter caught my eye with a look of devastation on her face. She motioned for me to come over to her and told me that she needed to talk to me alone in my bedroom.

When I got there, tears were spilling over her cheeks and I thought, "Oh boy, here it goes...I'm going to have to explain all the reasons why we got Angel fixed and.....but she looked up to me and all she said was...."You lied to me."

The Holy Spirit convicted my heart. I confessed to the Lord and to her and asked for forgiveness. We talked about it and prayed together. I didn't make excuses or brush it off as nothing. We talked about trust and truth...I asked her to learn from my mistake.

Later that night...her and her brother were fussing with each other...and she asked him to leave her alone....I was around the corner and she didn't know I was there... "I've had a rough night," she told him. "You could guess for a million years, and you'd never guess what Mom did."
She didn't tell him.

I am reminded of the value of the truth....my kids are not too young to know the difference...and they are learning through life....through my life.

John 8:32
Jesus said, "and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

A blessing and proclamation for us today...

May we be filled with the knowledge of his will
in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,
fully pleasing to him,
bearing fruit in every good work
and increasing in the knowledge of God.
May we be strengthened with all power,
according to his glorious might,
for all endurance and patience with joy,
giving thanks to the Father,
who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption,
the forgiveness of sins.

(from Colossians 1:9-14)

Amen and Amen!

Last week I asked what your God moment was in the past week. Since I sat in the church on my weekend away with my hubby I've been more and more aware of "God moments." I've had many God moments this week that have blown me away and left me breathless and in awe of God. I have had one of the roughest weeks I've ever experienced and many moments where I was crumpled on my floor in complete brokenness.... emotionally and spiritually. I've had many decisions to make this past week in regards to what is best for my family and knew that some of these decisions were going to hurt people. I cried out to God many times this week for His words of truth to resonate in my heart and that I could keep my eyes continually upwards and not off of Jesus.

Each time I agonized over what I needed to do I pulled out some verse cards to refocus my heart and decision on Jesus. Another way I connect with God is through worship. I blasted my new Brian Doerksen CD through the home and worshipped along, pouring my heart out to God. I find it amazing how at a moment when I need it the most that God brings the right words that I need to hear. I had that as my biggest God moment this week. I used to meet weekly with a mentor and I hadn't talked to her in a while. I was on the ground in my son's room in a heap - literally. I couldn't stand. I shook so hard that I couldn't hold a kleenex to my face to wipe my tears. I was collapsed on the ground and had to run to the toilet not knowing if I would throw up from the feelings that were inside of me. I had never in my life been in such a state and I wasn't sure what to do with it. In that moment I asked God if he could speak the words I needed to hear. After I had composed myself I walked to the computer to check my email and there was a verse that my mentor had written to me because the Lord had laid it on her heart for me. At a moment I needed to read this words is when these words came:

Ephesians 3:17-19

"Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long , how high and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."

God is amazing!

I'm not a perfect Christian. I'm a mother who makes mistakes daily in my parenting decisions. I'm a wife who can say the wrong things. I'm a sister who can say hurtful things by accident. I'm a friend who doesn't always support decisions. I have opinions and feelings. I get hurt and can hurt others in the process. I have a big heart and a heart for Jesus. That's what I know with confidence. I'm passionate about Jesus. One thing I've learned in the past couple years as my relationship with Jesus has grown deeper and deeper, is that God is always there. He does things in His time and His way. Things don't always go how I would like them to but they work for my good because God has bigger and better plans for me. That in itself is awesome. Praise God!

I invite you to listen in on an encounter Moses had with God. Come imagine “being there” as you read about when God showed Moses His glory and basically introduced Himself to Moses.

This encounter is found in Exodus 33:12-23 and 34:5-7. It’s one of my favorite passages of Scripture.

Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people."

The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 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?"

And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."

Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."

And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."

Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."

What a beautiful interaction between Holy God and man - His creation! Doesn't it make you want to know God like that?
God introduces Himself; describes Himself. Do you see God as:
The LORD?
Compassionate?
Gracious God?
Slow to Anger?
Abounding in love and faithfulness?
Maintaining love to thousands?
Forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin?
Punishing the guilty?

Does this match up with your picture of God? If not, you can ask God to give you a new view - a true view - of Himself. Let’s make sure that what we know of God – how we think of Him - lines up with who He says He is. Let’s make sure the lies that the enemy has fed us, casting doubt on God’s goodness and love are recognized as lies and don’t mar our view of His glory.

I love my God. I love how He introduces Himself. I love how He is opening my eyes and my heart to see Him more and more for Who He truly is. He is soooo good!

Don’t you also just love how Moses knows how God thinks of him? And how God affirms Moses? We have an amazing relational God! Let Him be that real with you. He wants to have that kind of relationship with you. Trust Him.

No turning back... no turning back...

When I was a child, and even in my teen years, I often sang a song that was very profound.  Even after I married and worked with children in a youth group... we would sing this song around a campfire or youth meeting.  Many have sung this song without actually counting the cost for what it means.  It has been sung from the lips of people all over the world.  It is a simple song but definitely makes a statement.  

  I have decided to follow Jesus,  

  I have decided to follow Jesus,

  I have decided to follow Jesus,

  No turning back,  no turning back...

I have read that it began circulating among the churches in the United States in the 1950's.  I'm sure that most people did not know the origin of the song,  yet, it became the favorite of many.  It was the follow-up song to many conversions... whether it was a Sunday night church service,  a revival meeting, camp fire gathering, or meetings in general.  

  Tho, none go with me, still I will follow,

  Tho, none go with me, still I will follow,

  Tho, none go with me, still I will follow,

  No turning back, no turning back...

Much to my surprise I found out this song originated in India among the Garo tribe.  The tribe is located in Assam.  It was used among new believers to make a statement of their faith in Christ.  In many tribes, to become a believer of Jesus Christ meant a loss of family,  separation from your loved ones, friends;  and for some, disinheritance.  It could also mean a loss of honor and recognition in the community. 

Having come from a non-Christian family, I could relate in a sense, the choice to follow Jesus... alone.  "Tho, none go with me... still I will follow."  When I accepted Christ, I had counted the cost for several years.  Yet, when my choice and God's will joined together at the same time, the cost did not matter.   Jesus slipped His hand in mine.... and I have never wanted to turn back.  

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  John 8:12

April Fools

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."
Psalm53:1a

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs 12:15

The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.
Proverbs 14:1

The Bible actually has a lot to say about the foolish and the wise....the book of Proverbs is packed with examples of both....

I know that I have made foolish choices at times but it is not a pattern of life that I want to stay stuck in....there are always consequences that come with foolishness and personally, I want to learn from my mistakes.

I love it that Jesus doesn't just tell us to not be fools...He teaches us how to be wise.

Psalm 51:6 says.......Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Ask Jesus to open your eyes and your mind to understand the truths of His word....the more you soak yourself in truth...the wiser you will become.

If you've got a minute go back to February 27th and read something Amity wrote, you can also click on the label wisdom and find it....It's worth reading again and seems so appropriate for today!!!