Grace and Mercy 2009

New Years Eve... when the countdown begins of letting go of the current year, and bringing in the new year with great celebration and hope for better things to come. For some, this past year has been a year of struggle and hardship. For others, it has been the best year of their lives. For most of us it is a year that has brought both hardship and times of joy. Pain and sorrow are often intertwined with success and joy.

My husband and I took fruit baskets to our surrounding neighbors this year the week before Christmas. As we listened to each family recap their struggles this past year, we felt that we had shared a little part in their lives as we had prayed for them over the year. One man's wife had died with cancer. A wife had lost her husband due to an accidental death. He had been cleaning the gutters on there house and fallen. Another young couple struggled to raise a young family and plan for the future. He had been going to school as well as work. Other things had happened during the year. He said it was the hardest year they had experienced. Another neighbor is raising three sons without their father as he is working in another country.

This year, in our family, we saw renewed relationships that had been broken. We experienced the loss of a dear brother who died with lung cancer. We were in involved in two weddings of young ladies we had known since their birth. We tried to be an encouragement to the broken hearted. We have experienced sickness and healing. We had some great family times together with our children and grandchildren. We rejoiced at the birth of our new grandson.

If I could declare a theme for this past year... it would be "grace and mercy." If you could read my journal... it would describe in detail what God has done in my life in the year of 2009. If I could read your journal... it would probably describe much of the same. I have grown in grace and knowledge and I am so thankful for the Lord, His Word that guides me, for friends that encourage me. I am thankful for the freedom we have to serve and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. We are a blessed people and nation.

As we leave 2009 behind... may you be blessed in your relationship and knowledge of the Lord Jesus in this coming year. May you grow in grace, and may His grace and beauty shine through you. May others want to know who He is because they have seen Him in you.

"All of us, with no covering on our faces, show the shining greatness of the Lord as in a mirror. All the time we are being changed to look like Him, with more and more of His shining- greatness. This change is from the Lord Who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18

" I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation-- righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ--for this will bring much glory and praise to God." Philippians 1: 9-11

That You Should Be Mine!

That you should be mine.

Reading the Old Testament can be challenging at times, but I have come to love it. When read with New Testament understanding, in the light of Jesus as its aim and fulfillment, it comes alive with the character of our God who really is the same today as he was all those very many years ago.

You have to admit that some of the Old Testament laws and regulations are a little weird. Some of them make you wonder what the Israelites were thinking in the first place if God had to tell them that such and such was a no-no. Really – don’t have sex with your father’s wife or your sister or your dog? I guess people, if left to themselves, and the influence of the ruler of this world, will do just about anything. In fact, that’s what the people of Canaan were known for – evil practices, abominations in the eyes of God, done in the name of worship to their pagan gods.

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is like no other god. The God of Israel has a different way of doing life, different rules to make life work, different rules of worship so that his people would be like him and would not participate in the abominable practices of the surrounding nations.

I am the Lord your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statues. You shall follow my rules and my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 18:3-4

I am the Lord your God, who have separated you from the peoples. You shall therefore separate the clean beast from the unclean…You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine. Leviticus 20:24-26

That you should be mine. Listen to the heart of God in that statement.

That you should be mine.

That same God says to you today, “I am the Lord your God. I want you. I want you to be mine. Your acceptance of the sacrifice of my Son makes you holy to me, separated out from the others, mine.”

Oh Lord, I am yours! I belong to you. May I walk in the joyful confidence of knowing that I am wanted by the Most High God.

(a recycled post)

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

I wish you a blessed Christmas. May you experience peace in your heart because God is with you. May you have joy in your heart because of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. No matter how "good" or "bad" your Christmas may be, may Christ's love embrace you. May you know that God cares for you, and that He is good.

With "Season's Greetings" and "Happy Holidays" often replacing "Merry Christmas" as a greeting, I was wondering what came even before that. I was pleased to discover the more meaningful traditional Orthodox greeting:
Christ is born! Glorify Him!

Grace, peace and love to you. May God's blessing be on you and yours.

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Luke 1:35

And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God."

I can't deny it...I've thought of Mary in awe my whole life. I've tried to imagine what she must have been like and what kind of personality or character would have made her the young woman God chose to be the mother of his only Son. I don't think she was perfect by any stretch of the imagination. I do believe however, that one of the things that set her apart was her complete trust and submission to her Heavenly Father. She pretty much sums that up with her response to Gabriel's life changing news for her in verse 38. And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." I love that.

Another thing I love is that God is seriously the King of Gift Giving. You know that when He gave us Jesus, His precious and only Son....He gave us the gift that just keeps on giving. Our blessed Lord, Immanuel, Prince of Peace...with his birth brought hope...and with his death brought life.

What was available for only a select few, before his foretold coming, is now available, accessible and life changing for us as His sons and daughters...His precious ones.

That amazing gift given to Mary to help her do what God had called her to do...is yours and mine today...for the exact same reason. We have intimacy with our Saviour. We have His Spirit to help us grow and fulfill God's will in us. We are part of his purpose and part of his plan.

Thank you Jesus for your beautiful sacrifice. Thank you for sending us your Holy Spirit. Thank you Father for loving us that much.

For whatever seems impossible for you right now...remember what you have and what you have been given.

And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you....."

Eyes to See

I love this story about Elisha and his servant, Gehazi. It's a great reminder of reality. The king of Syria is after Elisha, because he keeps sending word to the king of Israel, warning him of the whereabouts of the king of Syria who is warring against Israel. He finds out Elisha is in a town called Dothan...

So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city.

And the servant said, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"

He said, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see." So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:14-17

God opened Elisha's servants eyes to see the reality of the situation and invited him to be courageous. "Don't be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

I also think of when the angels appeared to the shepherds at the time of the birth of a little boy. God allowed them to see the multitude of angels rejoicing and praising God. What a gift! I would have loved to have seen that, and heard their voices. How could you not want to go see for yourself "this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us"? They got to see the reality of the situation and were invited to rejoice. "And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen..."

May the Lord give us eyes to see the reality of the situation, whatever it may be. Sometimes he opens our physical eyes to see spiritual realities, sometimes our spiritual eyes are opened by faith to see, to know, what's really going on. May we gladly accept the invitations to be courageous and rejoice!

Those who are with us, are more than those who are with them!

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Peace in the Valley

We talk about mountain-top experiences; we talk about being in the valley. I was reading an emailed Christmas letter from friends this morning. In response to a song "God of the Mountain" by Lynda Randle, she writes how she relates to the idea of "God meeting us in the Valley – the place where there is shelter, warmth, people and also all of the conflict and disorder that is part of real life." (italics mine)

I love that. God meeting us in the valley; God with us in the valley...and being our peace.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

I want this God with me in the valleys of life. I want the wisdom of His counsel, I want the power of His might, I want the faithfulness of His love, I want the reign of His peace...in EVERY day of my life!

Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:10&14 (And I hope by now that you know He is pleased with His own. Isn't that amazing grace?!)

The Prince of Peace, the God of peace (1 Thess.5:23) is with you in "the conflict and disorder that is part of real life" as my friend writes.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 Who does He keep in perfect peace? You and me as we are mindful of the "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" and put our trust in Him to be all that for us personally. As our focus is on Him peace comes. He keeps us in perfect peace as our mind stays on Him. That's the challenge, isn't it? When we get conned into worrying about our concerns and problems ... poof! ...our peace is gone.

This is my Christmas prayer for each one of us, that in our lives "the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. Isaiah 32:17

Throughout this last week before Christmas may you "go out in joy and be led forth in peace". Isaiah 55:12

My Jesus Coat

(This post has been re-cycled from December 2008)

A few years ago I was invited to several "fancy" events that just so happened to be in the middle of winter.

I'm typically a jeans girl, but I must admit...I do get that nervous excitement of dressing up on the rare occasion that sends me back to that same girly sensation of getting ready for the senior prom.

The first event was an elegant evening wedding. I went shopping and bought an appropriate dress and shoes for the occasion. How fun. I had not, thought ahead, however, to what coat I might wear that would suit such pretty attire. I did not think of the coat at all, actually...until a couple of hours before we were supposed to leave for the wedding when I noticed it was freezing outside!

Out of time and not wanting to spend a lot of money on a coat that I would only wear a couple of times a year...I called my girlfriend and asked if she had anything I could borrow that would look okay with my elegant dress and shoes. She said she'd bring me something when her and her husband picked us up to go to the wedding. When she arrived...I tried on all of my coats, plus her coat that she had brought for me, to see what looked best. We decided that her coat was the best of the options and so I put it on and we went to the wedding. The only problem was that the sleeves were seriously about 5 inches too long and no matter how we tried to fix the sleeves...it just looked a little funny. I wasn't too worried though because I thought that I would just take the coat off as soon as we got there. It would be fine.

Well....something wasn't quite right with the heat and it was freezing in there. I tried to take the coat off, but every time, I was miserably cold. There I was...a woman...dressed like a princess...but feeling like a little girl...playing dress up in her Mama's coat. We laughed a lot that night and eventually I got warmer....and we had fun. But I told Jesus....that I had at least 2 more fancy events to go to and that it really would be nice if I had a nice dress coat to wear.

Sometime later....my sister and I were out "treasure hunting".....(browsing around in thrift stores)...not looking for anything in particular....when I saw it there on the rack....

A beautiful...chocolate brown, faux fur, vintage, full length coat in mint condition and it was just my size....I trembled with excitement as I took it off the rack...it was so heavy and beautiful...I couldn't believe it.....this time....I felt like Lucy from Narnia as I put it on....

I couldn't stop smiling as I found my sister to show her my treasure...."Jesus totally loves me," I told her, "this coat is from Him." And I knew it...with all my heart.

I hadn't grown up with a lot....and I had experienced Jesus providing huge needs in my life...but this wasn't one of those times....this was simply...My heavenly Daddy showing his little girl that He loved her....it wasn't a need....just a petty little desire....but I had shared my heart with Him and He had shared His with me.

I love that coat! I feel like a million dollars when I put it on....It is my Jesus coat.

What ever your needs are....share them with Jesus....give Him your heart and ask Him what His love looks like for you today....

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

In His Shadow

Psalm 91:1

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. KJV

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. NIV

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. ESV

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High

will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. NLT

I love Psalm 91. You should go read the whole thing.

The other morning I awoke to Psalm 91:1 running through my mind. It is a verse that I am familiar with but not one that I have chosen to memorize and since I did not consciously put it in my mind, I have been joyfully meditating on it ever since. I have been asking the Lord to speak to me through it and to reveal to me specifically how it applies to me in my life right now.

Well...it's December. Which translates "crazy busy...everyday, every night seems like something's going on."

Lord...How do I manage the life I live, in the world I live...keep up, keep it simple and not lose focus of You in the most wonderful celebration of Emanuel--God With Us?

You readers out there may have some good suggestions for us because I know I'm not alone in this.

But for the meantime,I will tell you what I try to do...I pray alot and I meditate on God's words...It's the only way I can stay focused on what's important. It's the only way I know how to enjoy what I actually love and that is... Christmas!

So back to Psalm 91:1...What does it mean to dwell in the shelter of the Most High? What imagery does that conjure up for you?

What does a shelter do? What do you need sheltering from? Dwelling doesn't mean here for a few days, gone for a few days. It means living, residing, decorating, being at home. In your everyday busy life, in your work, in your relationships, in your thought life....what does it mean to live everyday in God's shelter?

And the promise is this....if we dwell in the shelter of the Most High...we will rest and abide in the shadow of the Almighty, the El Shadai.

When I think of resting and abiding in the shadow of my Lord...I get a whole new sense of what is important. He's helping me with all "my plans" for His Birthday Celebration. We're close. I'm still a bit scatter brained but I'm 'resting' in the doing and not 'fretting' in the doing.

Let's dwell with Him together. Bless His Holy Name. What Joy He brings in the peace of His Presence. Celebrate His Birth. Rest in His Shadow. Know the Truth. Live in His Shelter.

Grace and Peace and Joy to you my sisters.

Joseph the Carpenter

The Birth of Jesus Christ

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.¹⁹Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

²⁰But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

²²All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."

²⁴When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
~ Matthew 1:18-25

Let's put this scenario in today's time. There's so much infidelity going on in today's society that it makes me sick. What's been on the headlines this week: Tiger Woods and his admissions of infidelity... him taking his wife and 2 kids to Sweden to work on being a better parent, husband and to work on himself.... 13 women have come forward admitting to affairs with Tiger. That's only one example of what's going on this world. There's so many I could list off.

No man had ever slept with Mary. God incarnate placed His son Jesus into her womb. In those times a woman could be stoned for becoming pregnant before marriage. Mary was carrying God's son and Joseph, not knowing or believing that this was true, loved her so much he chose to do the honorable thing and not have Mary stoned but to divorce her quietly. An engagement was legally binding in those days and was totally different than how we go about getting ready for marriage. God intervened and Joseph obeyed. He took Mary as his wife and had no union with her until Jesus was born. Wow!

Look at how many teenagers are having sex before marriage. Look at how many couples live with each other to see if they're compatible for marriage. How many marriages are falling apart or have fallen apart because of extramarital affairs either by the husband or wife. Divorce is so predominant in today's society. It's quite sad.

Joseph could have walked away from Mary. He could have chosen to make a spectacle and have her stoned and her pregnancy exposed publicly. Mary could have walked this journey by herself and suffered alone. Joseph chose to stand by her and shared the "shame" she would have endured by this pregnancy. That's a man! Not many men would do that today. How many of us would wait that long to have sex? It's advertised and glamorized on TV that sex before marriage is okay. The temptations are there and were real I'm sure for Joseph and Mary once they were married yet he chose to have no union with her until Jesus was born.

The true Christmas story is truly from God. No one could ever carry a child conceived by the Holy Spirit on their own. Joseph and Mary walked this journey by God's strength. That sure is a testimony of God's power and amazing strength.

Joseph the carpenter was a role model that we can look to. How many of us are willing to walk the other way when things get tough and challenging.... sometimes embarrassing... so we run and hide. How many of us would choose to walk the road that's got rough terrain, even though we know there's gain by walking the tougher journey. I find that difficult myself. It's easier when things go smooth and my way. I am in a place where the journey is tough yet I long for the simpler life I had without as many challenges. Yet, knowing I'm growing deeper in love with Jesus in this journey would I still trade it? Today I realized that I wouldn't. I praise God for showing me the strength of Joseph.... I have alot to learn from him.

Ponder the Path of Life

As we continue last Friday's discussion of "the path," let’s look at another comparison.
Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol (the grave); she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it. Proverbs 5:5-6
Those who do not know Christ as Saviour and Lord are unknowingly, and maybe some are consciously, following the path of death to the grave. They do not ponder the path of life… and don’t realize they are already dead since they have not chosen Life.

But the righteous – those who have received the righteousness of Christ and walk in His ways – do ponder the path of life and have literally been set on a brand new path - the path of life!
In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death. Proverbs 12:28
Even if the righteous walk the path of life all the way to the grave, that death is not their end, nor will it be ours if we die before the Bridegroom returns. For those who have died in Christ are very much alive with Him… and will be for all eternity. What an amazing promise of hope!

This hope is not only for the afterlife - Praise God!- but it’s for here right now on earth.
For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders – makes level - all his paths. Proverbs 5:21
The Lord has His eyes on our paths, and He makes them level before us. How gracious and kind He is! God gives a very precious promise in Psalm 91:12.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways, they will lift you up in their hands so you will not strike your foot against a stone.

God does not wish us to be tripped up. That’s the work of the enemy. In fact, the next verse in Psalm 91 reads, “You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.” (vs. 13)
We have been given authority over the enemy through Christ! That’s good news. We can be victorious in our walk on the path of life!

God further provides His blessing and protection over us.
Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. Psalm 91:14-15

May you be encouraged today as you continue to walk with our Father on the path of life... and may you be filled with joy.

Love, the strongest thing...

Christmas... what a mixture of emotional thoughts... It comes each year but we all see and experience it differently. Yet, there is something about the birth of Jesus that moves us. It reaches the very depth of our soul. I think it is because it doesn't stop there. We watch Jesus, grow from a little baby lying in a manger to a young boy hanging out in the Jewish Synagogues. We watch Him work beside His earthly father as a carpenter and we see Him walk along the shores of Galilee calling His disciples to follow Him. We watch Him love and care for the sick and bring the dead back to life again. We look on as He gathers the little children on his lap and blesses each one. And we can only stand and gaze in agony as He takes my sin and yours, and the sins of the world upon Him as He carries His own cross to Golgatha.

It is hard to look at this tiny little baby and see Him nailed to a cross for us. But had he not given his life, there would be no celebration each year. It would just be an ordinary birth on an ordinary day. The sacrifice He made lives in our hearts today and is the reason we hold Christmas so dear to our hearts. It is the reason we give to the poor, we gather together, we are moved to acts of kindness not even thought about throughout the rest of the year. I believe it is the time of year that a lot of people experience the love of God.

But Satan is also aware of the impact it has on our lives. His trick is to have us so busy with all that has to be done, it puts us under great stress. We can be so busy with the preparations of Christmas that we miss what our heart wishes to celebrate. Hurt feelings, anxiety, anger, impatience, even self- centeredness and loneliness can blind us to seeing the glory of Christmas and the birth of Jesus.

We need to slow down, even skid to a stop if we need to and reflect and think on what is important to us. Really, the best gift we can give to anyone is the gift of Christ in our hearts, His love, His compassion, His mercy and His joy.

"Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world... stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death... and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas." Henry Van Dyke 1896

In His Arms

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

I have been pondering the word "faith" lately. It's seriously a huge word.

I've read of it more times than I can count or recall. I've claimed it, spoken of it and prayed for it. Sometimes I've felt overflowing with it....and other times....I've felt like I didn't have any.

And truthfully, I'm having a hard time writing about it. But the more I read God's Word, the more exciting it becomes, the more I want to know, the hungrier I feel inside my soul for Truth, and the more I realize how little I know about a lot of things, and in particular, about faith.

When I think back through all the heroes and heroines in the bible that I admire....each one had pretty much, one thing in common....Faith.

They let go of themselves...and took the hand of God.

Ephesians 6:16 says

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

1 Thessalonians 5:8 talks about....having put on the breastplate of faith

I couldn't help but think here about what the breastplate protects.

When life gets crazy...when we have conflicts and trials and stress...when relationships are struggling and there's not enough money to make ends meet...when sickness and death threaten us or those we love...when all seems hopeless....

We need to hold on to what we know is true...even though we may not be able to see it at the moment...We need to hold on to our faith. We must let go of ourselves or anyone else we're hanging on to and grab hold tight to the hand of God.

The evil one knows that faith is what protects are heart (I'm not talking about our eternal soul, saved by grace through Jesus Christ...I'm talking about what we believe) If we stop believing that God is who He says He is and that He can do and will do what He promises in his Word...we begin to lose heart...we begin to believe satan's lies to us...and we begin to lose faith in what we know is true. He attacks our faith...we doubt and lose hope.

The Bible is completely full of verses about faith...more than I can write. Story after story fills its pages of people that put their faith in God. When I allow my circumstances to flood my mind with all of the worries they tend to bring...I can lose sight of hope and goodness and joy.

In a picture the Lord gave me...it's like I am in a sinking boat filled to the brim with all of my fears, and worries and stresses. The wind is blowing and the waves are crashing all around me and water is pouring into the boat. But I am struggling, tossed to and fro, I can't keep my balance as I try to hold on to everything in the storm. Jesus is calling to me to jump out of the boat...his arms are open wide...I want to...but the waves look so rough and scary. I have no control over anything and some of my things in the boat have already washed over the side and fallen into the water.

Jesus keeps waiting for me...He is already saving some of the things that have fallen overboard...the water looks freezing and his boat looks so far away.

I look around me and let it go. The minute I jump into the swirling waves...He is there. His strong warm hands pull me up into the safety of his arms.

It is faith.

I just wouldn't want to be anywhere else but right there...in his arms.

Another little bit about paths...

(Interestingly, I had thought about writing this blog before I read Amity's blog from Friday. How often our paths cross!)

After a particularly trying day at work last week, God led me to Psalm 139 where he encouraged me with his love by reminding me that he not only knows everything about me, where I go, what I do, what I say, but that he knows it all beforehand, and that my days, every one of them - good and bad - were formed for me before they happened. His hand leads me and his right hand holds me. And like David, I say, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it." Which means for me - it is too wonderful for me to fully grasp. And I also say with him, "Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." My soul knows it very well. I have received abundantly the benefits of his wonderful works.

The last 2 verses are a prayer, I believe, for God to continue his work, to keep doing what he does as proclaimed in the preceding 22 verses. "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"

"The way everlasting" can also be translated, "the ancient way". David prays, "lead me in the ancient way!"

Jeremiah 6:16 let's us know what that is:

Thus says the LORD:"Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.

David is asking to be lead in the way that is good, the paths of righteousness that he is familiar with as revealed in Psalm 23. The places of rest. He talks to himself about it also in Psalm 116:7, Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

It is God's desire for us that our souls will find rest, peace. Jesus said it, too: Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29

The paths for our feet should lead us into rest for our souls. As Amity encouraged us to do, let's ponder our paths, be fully aware of them, and walk in the light. Knowing that the paths God leads us down will lead us to rest, contentment, and joy. That we may say, "Wonderful are your works, O God. My soul knows it very well."

Sometimes the wounds are as fresh as when it just happened. Other days it seems like a long time ago. I've been hurt by a woman who I called my friend. She said such nasty things to me in a moment where I needed her the most, a time where I leaned on her strength. I confided in her and trusted it was kept in confidence. The thing I came to know later is that all other people's information was being shared with me and never did it cross my mind that my "junk" was being shared and spread around church. In a time where my husband and I needed our caregroup to surround us and pray for our marriage and the postpardum depression I was going through, is when everyone pulled back and people at church would find ways to avoid us. We were judged based on rumors and it was a very painful time for our family to have our lives exposed and confidence broken.

Jesus knows what it means to be hurt, spat at, criticized, judged, and alone. If you look at his geneology you'll see that he didn't come from a perfect line of heritage but that God used people with broken lives filled with horrible sins to bring the Saviour into this world. We all have a history and our families have a history. Jesus understands all of it.

Jesus knows my pain. He knows my fears of becoming friends in a new community and getting plugged into a new church. For the past couple years we've attended a bigger church and it wasn't as important to get plugged in as we could sit comfortably in church, be fed, participate in worship. We grew so much in that time soaking in on God's truths. It was a safe place for our family to go... where we didn't need to meet people but could slip in and out each week without the major socialization. We had a handful of people that we would talk to every Sunday.

Now I'm in a different season in life. I'm in a small town. Small church. Close-knit community where everyone has their friends and family and here we come. I have to step out of my comfort zone when people come to talk to me at church. It's scary. What comforts me is that Jesus knows and feels all my pain and fears with me. He is the best friend I will ever have!

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.~ Proverbs 18:24

Many of you are walking a road where you feel alone too. You might have been hurt like I was and are in a similar place that I am. You might have been the person who walked away from someone when they needed you the most. I want to encourage you in this Christmas season and every day to trust Jesus with your heart. 1 Peter 5:7 says to "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

Jesus does care and understand. Let Him stand in the gap for you and be your shoulder when you need someone. He will never leave you or abandon you in your times of need. He is with you ALWAYS!

God bless you today.

Ponder the Path

With the beginning of the month of December, I'm reading the Proverb that correlates with each day. Since it's the 4th, I read Proverbs 4.

There's an interesting contrast that caught my attention in this chapter.
The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know over what they stumble. vs. 19
For the wicked it's dark, and they don't know what tripped them up. They don't have a clue, and maybe they don't even bother to figure it out.

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day. vs 18
Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. vs 26
Ponder the path of your feet; take heed to the path of your feet; watch the path of your feet; make level the path of your feet. These are all different translations of verse 26. Pondering the path of our feet is a conscious awareness and can lead to deliberate action. This is our responsibility. Since the path of the righteous - those who have received the righteousness of Christ - is full of light, we can be aware of our path.

We have the written word of God to bring light to our path.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105

We have the Holy Spirit living in us, teaching us and leading us into all truth.
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." John 14:16-17,26

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21

Ponder the path and make level paths for your feet, my dear sisters. May His Word and His Spirit lead and guide you today in all you think, say and do.

A Christmas Blessing...

It was the week before Christmas... 1961. I sat on the steps in the hallway staring at the Christmas tree in the living room. Mama was not one to be particular about her tree. We children always helped decorate it though the ornaments were few. Using the same wrinkled tinsel year after year, excitedly throwing it all over the tree. But when Christmas was over and the tree came down, we took each strand and carefully packed it away.

Though my Daddy had a drinking problem, he always tried to make sure each child had a present under the tree. Somehow, though, I knew this Christmas was going to be different than any other we had known. Daddy was slowly recovering from a heart attack. Mama had taken us to the S & H Green Stamp store that day. Carefully counting her stamps to see what she could buy, she chose a bicycle, perfect for my younger brother. "He's little," she said. "He won't understand if he doesn't get anything for Christmas." And she found a small doll for my baby sister. We hardly had money to buy food. I knew she could not afford gifts for the rest of us. So, I sat on the steps thinking about what a bleak Christmas it was going to be. I was fourteen and trying hard to understand.

A knock on the door arrested my thoughts. We lived in a turn of the century home built in 1910. Little had been done to change its original appearance. When I opened the door, I was greeted by familiar faces, more to me, than to Mama. For two years, since we had moved there, I had walked to a little church about a half mile away. Standing in front of me were people who had told me about Jesus, about how much He loves us and how He cares about every part of our lives. They had boxes of food and gift certificates for each child. We could pick out whatever we wanted at J.C. Penny. I wanted to cry... God really did care. Mama took us shopping the next day. Mama even got money to buy things she needed. I bought new clothes to wear to our Christmas pageant on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning, I would not care if there was nothing else under the tree for me, I knew God loved me!

Mama never did attend that church, except on special occasions. But those people continued to demonstrate their love to her. When Daddy died eleven years ago, they continued to bring food boxes at Christmas and money for her house taxes. Over the years, her heart softened and at the age of seventy-nine, she gave her life to Jesus. Three years later, I was sitting by her bed when her hand slipped away from mine, as Jesus held the other and walked with her through the gates of heaven. I have watched God soften hearts as He softened Mama's. Not in our time, but His. Our God is faithful! May He bless you this Christmas season beyond your imagination! Each day, as you step outside your door and breathe in the cool winter air, may you know that His love for you is boundless... and His reward certain.

Where is Your Faith?

One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side of the lake." So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?" Luke 8:22-25

I've often wondered about this story and Jesus' question to his disciples. What did he mean when he asked them, "Where is your faith?" Did he expect them to call out to God before they woke him up? "Why didn't you pray?" Maybe.

Did he expect them to believe that nothing bad would ever happen to them and that they would make it through the storm? Doubtful. It said they were in danger. It was real.

Was he mad at them for waking him up? Did he expect them to have faith to calm the storm? Don't think that's the case either. It was the wind and the raging waves he rebuked, not his disciples.

Was he frustrated that he had to rescue them...again? Get them out of a jam? I don't think his question was a reprimand or a scolding, and I don't think he was disappointed in them. God isn't like that. Like I said before, it was the wind and waves that received the rebuke.

I believe he was getting them to think. Times of crisis are good teaching opportunities. Where is your faith? What do you believe about me? Are you getting who I am? Apparently, up to that point, they weren't getting it, because they were afraid and marveled at the obedience of the winds and water. Maybe when they saw his authority over the natural realm, they started to get it then.

Anyway, I believe he asks us the same question now and then. In the midst of life, when good stuff happens and when the storm comes (particularly when the storms come), he asks us, Where is your faith? What do you believe about me? Do you know who I am? Are you getting it that I love you and will take care of you? That nothing is impossible for me?

Where is your faith today?