Fullness of Joy

“ If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me.” –Matt 10:39

Last night in my Holy Yoga Masters training, I was introduced to “Trauma-Sensitive Holy Yoga” (Thanks Heidi Vance!)  In this practice, a healing journey is pursued through the use of the breath, mindfulness and movement.  It is an empowering practice that allows students to gain awareness into how trauma has affected them: mind, body, & spirit.  The human response to trauma is personal and unique for each individual.  God gifted each of us with automatic coping skills that help us get to the other side of a traumatic event.  We may run.  We may fight.  OR (like I tend to do), we may freeze!  This was my a-ha moment of self discovery through the power of the Holy Spirit.  In my experience with trauma, I am a “freezer”.  Being a “freezer” isn’t necessarily bad… It is a survival skill that may work in certain situations…(maybe?)  But the problem with being a perpetual “freezer”  is that we can go numb as a result (pun intended).  When we (I!) continue to practice this skill of freezing, we don’t really ever process the trauma.  It can get stuck in our souls like a revolving memory.  Really the act of numbing our feelings is the opposite of “practicing presence’.  One of the reasons I love the practice of yoga is that it forces me to BE STILL.  I can forget my “to do lists”, step away from the busy, and just be in the moment.  A rare opportunity practice presence.   It is in this space that The Lord often reveals Himself to us.  It is also in this space of stillness that He shows us who we are.  He did this for me this week.  He showed me how I have a space in my heart that is closed off for self protection.  He is gently restoring that space and allowing me to heal.   See, When we push down those emotions and feelings we are burying our hearts.  Closing them off to the bad, but also to the good!!  Jesus does not want this, friends.  In John 10:10 He says “I came that you may have and ENJOY life… and have it abundantly”  It is in HIS presence that we can truly have FULLNESS of JOY (Ps 16:11)   With our buried worries is buried joy. Numbness closes us off to the intimate relationship with the Lord.  Let’s open our hearts to be fully present and experience life in abundance and fullness of joy. 

Divine Grace

"You are being completed in Him"- Col 2:10

 I love that this speaks to my becoming.  It reminds me that I am a work in progress and that it is only through Him that I will blossom into the woman He created me to be.  Pressure off.  It is not by my own accomplishments and my striving.  Not my own doing or any works that He finds favor in me.  It is ONLY through the Grace of Jesus Christ that I am made complete. 

The greek translation for completed is katertizo.

Katerizo:  to fit or join together; prepare or prefect for it's full destination or use and to bring into proper condition.

See, he is completing us by repairing what has been broken.  Repairing what WE carelessly handle.  Even the things we recklessly handle.  Of course we break stuff.  We are just bulls running around in a china shop.  Toddlers in a glass cathedral full of tons of tiny fragile figurines.   That's us.  We tear things up.

But he restores.  Where we neglect, he carefully and tenderly mends.  He doesn't just haphazardly fix the damage.  His Master plan  includes a complete remodel when necessary.   An extreme heart/soul makeover that is a more beautiful version than we can imagine.  And He clears the path before us and smooths the paths behind us where we stirred up all the dirt and muck.  We are constantly being Completed in Him. By the POWER of His divine grace.

Mountain Top Moment: It's a musical journey

Just back from Holy Yoga training retreat, today I am taking you on a musical journey as I reflect on what the Lord is teaching me.

Carinthia – I Am With You Always:
 I went in to retreat hungry.  Craving to hear from Him... Up close and personal.  I wanted that "mountaintop moment" of coming face to face with my Holy Creator.  I was screaming..."SHOW ME ME GOD!!!  Show me who YOU are.  Show me who I am in YOU".

A Great Big World – Say Something: 
Lord you tell me... "call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known."  -Jer 33:3
See, I was striving after Him.  Calling to Him.  He gently said," stop striving and BE STILL...

The xx – Try:
But still, I strived.  I strived to surrender (and in case you're wondering, duh...this doesn't really work)  He said, "beloved, let go.  I am here.  He gently reminded me that I am saved by grace & He has sent His son to save me.
"Saving is all His idea, and all His work.  All we do is trust Him enough to let Him do it.  It's God's gift from start to finish!!  We don't play the major role."  - Ephesians 2:8


Josh Garrels – Never Have I Found:  
But, He said, "you have a choice to make.  Me or the world.  Flesh or the Spirit."  If I simply open my hands, He will take all of the junk of this world exchange it for freedom.
"The thief approaches with malicious intent looking to steal, slaughter, and destroy; I came to give life with joy and abundance."  -John 10:10

Mumford & Sons – Awake My Soul:
You know what?  The world keeps pulling me back.   So I white knuckle.  I drag my wrecked self, broken and insecure toward the lies of this world.  The lie that "in these bodies we will live and in these bodies we will die."  I self doubt.  I worry that I might need to hold on to some of the "things" of this world!  They are my protection.  If I could just get to the top of that mountain.
 But He says..." NO!  I have more for you.  I have life in abundance.  Joy for tears.  I am offering you freedom!  Simply receive grace.  That's it.  You have already arrived."

Muse – Madness:
So this idea of grace is finally starting to take hold.  I must turn from this flesh driven life and be transformed.
"Do not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renaming of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" - Rom 12:2
I hear his voice..."do you love me?  Feed my sheep".  See, it's not about ME.
Now.... I have finally seen the light.

Bethany Dillon – In Christ Alone
My "all about me" quest to the mountain top began to shift to praise and worship.  The focus became less about me and more about Him.  It is in Him that my hope is found.

KB – Church Clap (feat. Lecrae)
Just as I can't fake a strong core, I can't fake true faith.  If I simply"go through the motions of worship and praise, I will be left empty and weak.

Matt Maher – Lord, I Need You
Wait.  Oh no.  I am pulling back again.  I. Can't. Surrender.  I can't give it all to You.  I can't live by the Spirit.  This world is calling me.  Distracting me.  tempting me.  But again, he takes my hand and leads me to the path of still water and restores my soul.  And so I sing...."teach my soul to rise to you"... and I rest agin in the promise that I am be transformed by the renewing of my mind.

Hillsong Live – I Surrender - Live
..."here I am down on my knees again surrendering all."  He tells me.  "you are wasting time WAITING to grow closer to me...waiting to fully embrace my love..." "Stop waiting and LIVE TRUTH...."" You have been on the mountain top this whole time.  LOOK AROUND dear, THIS is what you were created for.  To glorify me and enjoy me forever.  STOP striving.  Rest, embrace freedom.  Live love."
"God delivered His people out of the bondage of captivity in babylon.... God was wonderful to us; we are one happy people"

Jeremy Camp – Overcome

So finally the striving and begging gave way to freedom and praise.  Worthy of honor and glory and worthy of all my praise.  Awesome and great is your name.  You exchanged ashes for beauty.  Tears for joy!

Chris Tomlin – Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

My chains are gone!  I've been set free!!!  I am now able to look around in awe & wonder.  I am on top of the mountain.  Met by my Maker.  

Mercy and Forgiveness

Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."
What does it really mean to be merciful… To show mercy?  I think I treat others fairly.  I try to "do unto others as I would have them to do unto me"! I take dinners to friends who are having a rough day (sometimes)… I help friends with childcare issues… I even let others pull out in front of me in traffic if I am able! Ahhhh…. BUT.  Those same friends have been bringing me dinners when I needed them, helping me with my kids, and I am always so thankful when SOMEONE finally lets me out when I am trying to pull out of the High School at drop off time!   Justice is getting what we deserve.  Mercy is something altogether different!  Mercy is receiving something that we do not deserve! Forgiving someone who has not earned forgiveness!  How many times should we FORGIVE?  What if what that person has done the "unforgivable."  
In Matthew 18, Peter came to Jesus asking the same question… "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?  Up to seven times?  Jesus answered I tell you, not seven times, but SEVENTY-SEVEN times." 

BUT how are we able to do this?  How can we possibly have mercy for someone when they have shattered our hopes and dreams?  When they have harmed those that we love the most… or when they have stolen that which is most dear to us?  HOW can we possibly have mercy?  Well that is an easy answer:  we can't unless the Holy Spirit intercedes and changes our hearts.  The Hebrew word for mercy is "cheesed".  The word means more than just sympathizing with another, or feeling sorry for them… even more than simply empathizing with them.  It means to get right inside another person and see life through their eyes.  To think with their minds.  To feel with their feelings.  It is taking on all their past experiences and feeling the weight of them as we see the world through their eyes.  It is ONLY through the POWER of the Holy Spirit that we can do this.  Forgive the unforgivable.  Love the Unlovable.  
Then, we too will be shown mercy.  

  

Meekness is not weakness

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." -Mark 5:5

Think, for a moment, about success.  What comes to mind?  A "go getter"?  A big house with a nice car in front of it?  Straight A's, scholarships, awards…we teach our kids to set their goals high and go after them, right?  Not to settle for mediocrity.  But Jesus tells us that the meek will inherit the earth.  What does this mean?  As I dug into this verse, I came to the conclusion that Jesus DOES want us to be ambitious …driven… successful!  He just wants us to do it in a meek manner.  

Christ Himself was meek.  He was humble & forgiving, full of grace and mercy!  He was also Full of passion and power! POWER brought under control.  Soooo, the meekness that Jesus is preaching about is one of humble submission.  This takes strength, friends.   The Greeks used the word praus to describe the a wild horse that has been broken. That once wild, bucking horse is now a calm and submissive. But that horse still has the same strength and passion, it is just channeled for the benefit of it's master.  See, the way I understand it, meekness is is not an extinguishing of our inner passion,  it is igniting it!  Then instead of just letting it burn freely, we channel our passions!  We channel our God-given spiritual gifts, and our Christ given Holy power to be used for His glory.   It’s not a weakening  of our passion… it is CHANNELING it…. !  And in doing so we become rich. 

  "You're blessed when you're content with JUST who you are-no more, no less.  That's the moment you find yourself proud owners of everything that can't be bought."-Matt 5:5 The Message Bible

Blessed are those that mourn

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."-Matthew 5:4

God is the ultimate Comforter.  He can turn ashes to beauty.  He promises to bring us hope and a future, even in the midst of the storm of great loss.  Have you experienced a loss so significant that your whole life seemed meaningless and hopeless?  Well, this is His promise to you: "You will be comforted!".  In essence, He says "CONGRATULATIONS... I see your great loss and I will turn your dark moment into glorious light... I will give you hope."

I have been witness to great tragedy and loss.  I have heard the echoes of a friend's desperate screams in the midst of sobs.  I heard the cries that rang of complete loss.  Held the hand of a young widow as she looked in her daughter's eyes and told her "Daddy is in heaven"... And I was there as the sun rose behind the mountain, when the shock of loss turned to raw mourning. 

Jesus says "Blessed are those who mourn"....This "empty, nothing left to give" type of mourning is what Jesus was talking about.  Do you grieve this deeply for your sin?  I ask myself if I have truly ever felt so convicted of my sin that I fell to my knees like a grieving widow.  Do we TRULY connect our sin to the death of our beautiful Savior?  When will we get to that point?... The moment the Holy Spirit convicts us in such a way that we are completely empty of self. The point where we are so distraught over our sin that we have nothing left.  When we realize that we powerless...keenly aware of our lack of control.  When we (and maybe you already are! )get to that point, then, we will have no choice BUT to surrender.  When will die to self Jesus will bring us into a spiritual maturity and we will be blessed, for we mourn.  And we will be comforted. 

Being Blessed

What does it really mean to be blessed? I dove into this question this week as I began studying Matthew 5... the Beatitudes.  So here is the scene.  Jesus was just baptized by John, publicly blessed by His Father, and we witness the  manifestation of the Trinity as the Holy Spirit descended like a dove.  After being tempted in the desert, He began His public ministry, and gave us a sort of road map to the true path of "blessedness".  Not happiness.  Blessedness... Like skim milk vs. cream.   To be blessed is to be Spiritually prosperous. "To walk righteously in joy".  To have EVERYTHING you need.  "FULLfilling" JOY-not dependent on your life circumstances, or your paycheck, or your health, or you child's successes... a deeper seated contentment.  The Hebrew translation of blessed , esher,  really got my attention.  It implies the sense of congratulations! "CONGRATULATIONS!... You are poor in spirit!"  "CONGRATULATIONS! ... You mourn."  It is an expression of approval from our God!  Why in the world would he congratulate us when we are "poor in spirit" or when we mourn??? Because He knows the rest of the story... The ending.  He knows that when there is less of us, there is more of Him.  He knows that when we mourn, our Heavenly Father will embrace us and fill us with a love and a peace that we can not humanly comprehend.  So go.  Be blessed. 

...to be continued!  

Where was God on Sept. 11, 2001?

"...You planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good... easy now... nothing to fear."- Gen 50:20 The Message Bible

We live in a broken world.  A world with disease, senseless murders, & broken hearts.  

How can we possibly imagine, much less LIVE a “Kingdom Life” in this world? 

Well, the Bible tells us that when we are following the will of God, and fully surrender to Him, the Kingdom of God, even if only a glimpse, is available to us!  NOW.  Even in a broken world, where sin and evil are rampant... Where children and spouses die, and where people choose darkness over Light. 

 Do you remember what you were doing on September 11, 2001 when our freedom was attacked and many lives were lost, along with our sense of security?  Did you wonder that day where God was???  God promises that HE IS WITH US.  He promises to go before us and prepare a way for us.  EVEN if our path is right smack on a course of tragedy, disease, & heartache.  Still, God's plan's are always good.   His plans reveal His power and love for us.  EVERY TIME.  It usually takes time and a hindsight to see the big picture of His perfect Plan.  As many people mourned the tragic loss, and raged with anger for the terrorists, I was given a special gift on Sept 11, 2001.  I was blessed with a perfect blue eyed angel named Evan McKay Froning.  As I held an angel in my arms, I was keenly aware that God’s goodness WOULD NOT be overcome by evil plans. His Word promises us, time and time again that He is sovereign.  And He is GOOD.  

 " It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”-  Deut 31:8

I wanna be free!

This morning while talking with some great ladies,  the question was posed ,"are you living free"? Sure, I was born and raised in a "free country", but am I truly living HOLISTICALLY free?  Or am I living as a slave to myself and the world?
Galations 5:1  "It is for freedom that Christ set us free.... Ok, so re-read that. So HE gave us freedom so we could LIVE FREE.   Having any sort of "false Gods" puts us the bondage of slavery. It chains us to our former self.  God's plan for you and for me is a life of abundance.  Of Wholeness, joy, peace, joy and comfort.  FREE. When we live in constant fear of our futures or when we maintain unhealthy relationships.... when we share irritation or even hostility to strangers (ie the Walmart Clerk who is going so sllllloooowww), or to the ones we love the most! ... When we use our "freedoms" to indulge in the flesh, we are allowing ourselves to be burdened by the yoke of slavery.  Instead, Lets "live FREELY-animated and motivated by God's Spirit. (Gal 5:16)  This does not mean we walk around always being perfect.  We are human.  We will fail because of our freedom.  But that same freedom can set us free.

Gal 5:22-23  But what happens when we live God's way?  he brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard-things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity.  We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people.  

I want to live like that.

Where was God?

"...You planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good... easy now... nothing to fear."- Gen 50:20 The Message Bible

We live in a broken world.  A world with disease, senseless murder (even of children!!),  & broken hearts.  Where was God when the bombs exploded at the Boston Marathon, or when my friend fell from a waterfall in front of his wife & daughter?  Where was God when my girlfriend became a widow at 38?  When my own body is constantly working against me as I fight MS?  Where is HE when my sister searches for true love or when my friend buried his baby boy?? I want to believe with my whole heart, but sometimes doubt creeps in and I am left with so many questions... WHY WHY WHY???

This is what I know.  God promises He is with us.   He promises to go before us and prepare a way for us.  EVEN if our path is right smack on a course of tragedy, disease, & heartache.  Still, God's plan's are always good.   His plans reveal His power and love for us.  EVERY TIME.     It usually takes time and a hindsight to see the big picture of His perfect Plan.  But His Word promises us, time and time again that He is, was and will be there.   

 ^" It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”-  Deut 31:8

"I will go before you
    and level the mountains,
I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
    and cut through the bars of iron..."  -Is 45:2

 “Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.”  Deut 31:6

Psalm 139:5 ..."you hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me"   One meaning of hem is "to surround or enclose somebody or something"  He is ALWAYS. THERE.

You Heart's health: Pura Vida!

How is the health of your heart?
Can you honestly say you feel His love deep within your heart... through lifes pains and aches?  Do you feel His NEVER changing, NEVER ceasing, AlWAYS constant presence in your life?  He loves you without reservation.  Without justification.  Without  "buts and ifs"  He's not waiting for you to become better to love you more.  His love is perfect and constant.   Jesus Calling, my favorite devotional, had great things to say about the weeds in our hearts today!  What weeds are taking up space in your heart?  (and mine)!
Pride? Worry?  Selfishness? Unbelief?

Imagine Him as the Holy Gardener ever present in your heart.  Constantly at work within us to rid us of these stubborn weeds, so that our hearts will be lush and healthy.  Full and beautiful.  Because the weeds can't last in the light of His Presence.  The light will scorch out the selfishness.  Burn the unbelief... until our lonliness just shrivels and worry fades.   God's light can turn our weeds into lush, colorful gardens of love and abundance!  How beautiful is that???

But we all know that some weeds are really tricky... No matter what we do, they still seem to creep back in.  Just as we get busy in another area of our "gardens', turn our backs,  there they are... BACK AGAIN!  The best remedy for weeds is to prevent them!!! We must start with rich soil.  Our hearts health is nourished by spending time with Him, time in His Word.  Fellowship with believers.  We become healthy when it is not about US.  This is how we keep the weeds from even starting!  So even when troubles come, we can allow His Peace to light our heart-space with healing and health.  This changes us.  It makes us available to receive God's perfect, never changing, never ceasing, always present love!!  Then, friends, it's (as they say in Costa Rica)  "Pura Vida"... (rough translation:  pure life: it's all good)

  

The "wonderful" cross...?

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross

Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross

All who gather here by grace draw near and bless

Your name

Were the whole realm of nature mine

That were an offering far too small

Love so amazing, so divine

Demands my soul, my life, my all

Wonderful Cross?  This idea seems so backwards,right…?  What could possibly be “wonderful” about our Lord dying a brutal and painful death on the cross? After hearing my Pastor, Kevin, touch on this last Sunday, I got curious.  So I dug a little deeper into the word "wonderful"

Some different meanings of the word that got my attention...

wonderful:  joyous and grave; beautiful and repulsive; surpassing human comprehension; causing amazement joined with terror; marvelously extraordinary

 ahhhh... Yes.  The cross is wonderful.   A place where Love meets sorrow. Where our brokenness was healed.   "His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls."- 1 Peter 2:24   

See friends, we were created to live abundantly!  That's why Jesus came... "I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." -John 10:10

So as we bow in awe at the foot of the cross...when we cry for the suffering Christ endured for US, we must remember-this is not just a sad movie with the best gory effects. This is OUR LORD dying.  FOR US.  All so we could live abundantly.  It can’t just move us to tears on Good Friday, cause us to celebrate on Sunday, and then just go about our “worldly life”on Monday…  it MUST change our hearts and guide the way we live!

Is what you’re living for worth Christ dying for?

 

Becoming...

Romans 12:2-4 from The Message Bible

"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—(even your yoga!) and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

I love these verses!  This is a recipe coming straight from God's Word on how to become the best YOU!  (and me!)  We can "get up and try, try, try" (to quote the song by pink) every day, but until we surrender to Him, our quest for righteousness and self-discovery will never amount to anything!!  It's not about what WE do for Him... It's all about what HE does for US!!!

I recently read this great quote somewhere (?!) that said something like... "if you are searching for yourself you will never find yourself; instead, seek Christ, and then you will find Him, and in the process, you will also find yourself!"  The only way we can become who God truly created us to be is to seek Him with our whole hearts, surrender to Him, and respond quickly to His Holy whispers in our hearts!  Surrender takes practice, friends... and constant maintenance! But, as a sister in Christ just taught me...the MOMENT we surrender, He begins a transformation within us.  Isaiah 43:18 reminds us to be present... to watch what He is doing... for He is about to do something brand new!!!

Let's be present and watch.  Watch who we are all becoming in Christ. 

Fear ... NOT!

Do you ponder the question, who am I, and WHY am I here??? Rest assured, dear friends, you were designed with a clear purpose... He knew all the intimate details of your life before you breathed your first breath...!  

Let's read Psalms 139 ... again! And let it marinate.  
Read each word and really let it simmer.  

Psalms 139:13-16  The Message Bible
"Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God- you're breathtaking!
Body and soul I AM MARVELOUSLY made!
I worship in adoration-what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;all the stages of my life were spread out before you, 
The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day."


Isn't that amazing!?  He took great care in designing us, and has a special PLAN for each of us.  The God who created the oceans and the stars and the heavens has written YOUR life story...How does your story glorify Him and give you life in abundance?  I am still discovering and trying to understand what His Holy Plan is for my life.  So I will Pray.  Be Still.  And listen.

The NSRV version says 
"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

So this got me thinking... does He want me to be afraid of Him??  So I have been diving little deeper into the idea of being FEARfully made... What does this mean??  FEAR is a common theme in the BIBLE... You probably have your own ideas of what it means to fear God, and I myself ask WHY in the world would He want us to be SCARED of HIM???

Why would God... the God that loves us so much that he sent HIS ONLY SON to die so that we could be with Him for eternity, want us to be "scared" of Him.   
So maybe this "fear” that He calls us to to is not like “scary movie afraid”.  When we truly live a life in Holy fear of Him, we are free of worldly fears!  God did not design us to be "fraidy cats"!

2 Timothy 1:7

New International Version (NIV)

7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,(A) but gives us power,(B) love and self-discipline.

To fear HIM is to be in AWE and REVERENCE in His Holy Presence... It implies submission.  It is to be STRUCK with amazement for His Power.  It is to BOLDLY proclaim Him as the Ultimate Supreme Power over the world.  A God fearing life means the END of other worldly fears!

Run to Him!

Do you ever feel lonely? Stressed out? Overwhelmed? Angry and irritated? 

Picture your troubles, fears, doubts and emptiness like a pool of dark, murky waters.  Waters that seem overwhelmingly dangerous and unpredictable!  Like a deep abyss of sin and doubt.  Now in stark contrast, imagine His mercy taking your hand and leading you to clear waters of peace!  These waters are inviting...Smooth & Predictable.  Easy & Gentle!  Even when the waters get choppy, you still feel the overwhelming calm of His Peace.  

This is a life with Christ.  His love is constant...It never changes!   "We can not worry and trust God at the same time!" (Babbie Mason)  By living in fear and worry, we are making our hearts home the muddy, dark waters of this world.  

Proverbs 30:5 "Every promise of God proves true; He protects everyone who runs to Him for help. 

 

Where do you run for help?  Let's get out of the murky waters and enter into the Living Waters of His Peace!

take heart...

My faith journey has been just that... a journey!  With ups and downs, ebbs and flows.. I have had times in my life that I feel close to God...times when I felt His Holy Presence in my life.  When I felt His peace and His guidance.  But I also have to admit that I have had time of doubt and questions (and still do!!)  Times when I run to the world, and not to the Lord with my problems and doubts. I have often tried to cover my doubts with worldly comforts and "busyness".  Friends, when we do this, will always be left with more questions and more searching for something to fill that hole in our soul.  We were created to ENJOY God!  I LOVE THIS!  Our "enjoying God" brings fulfillment to our lives and pleases God!!!   Isn't that amazing... By simply ENJOYING His creation, we are pleasing Him.  Friends, when we have times of doubt or questions, let's RUN TO HIM.  

Psalm 27:14

The Message (MSG)

I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness

    in the exuberant earth.

Stay with God!

    Take heart. Don’t quit.

I’ll say it again:

    Stay with God.

After I read this I started thinking about the phrase "take heart", so I looked up it's actual meaning.  To "take heart" is to be encouraged, and to start to feel more hopeful and confident.  We MUST be an active participant in order to "take heart"  We can't just sit back and wait for the "believing to come".  We must stay with God, through our doubts.  We must CHOOSE to believe.  Choose Jesus.  Understanding that until we see Him face to face we won't see every piece of His master puzzle.  We must accept the mystery His Plan.

WAKE UP!!!

Here I am revisiting this verse!  I just love how directly it speaks to me... giving me explicit direction for my life!!!
Ephesians 5:11-16  "Don't waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness.  Expose these things for the sham they are.  It's a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see.  RIP THE COVER off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ!
Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
CHRIST WILL SHOW YOU THE LIGHT"

Wow.... That passage speaks for itself, right???!  What are you trying to hide from Christ?  RIP OFF THOSE covers and expose them!  He knows our lies.  He knows our deepest darkest secrets.  He knows our past.  He knows our faults.  Jealousy.  Anger.  Doubt.  He knows all of it.  All those things create holes in our soul.  The healing comes when we allow Christ's love to shine through those holes.  Ephesians 5:8 tells us to "live as children of light...for the fruit of light consists of goodness, righteousness and truth"!

Let's go to Him with our gaping neediness.  Let His light of love fill us!  Let His light shine into our darkness, and cover us with His grace!

Where does hope come from????

“ God won’t give us more than we can handle”… ? really… Do you believe this?  What about those parents in the Sandy Hook shootings, or the widow who just lost her best friend… or the parent who is watching the child that they love be taken by drugs or addiction????    

…If we are going to believe God’s power and amazing Grace, we must believe that he has a plan, purpose and intention.  God doesn’t make bad things happen to us.  He doesn’t give someone cancer to teach them a lesson.  He doesn’t take someone’s husband in a tragic accident so that He can prove His power over this world.

How do we know this???

The Bible says! Cor tells us all about faith hope and love…. And then says the greatest of these is Love…HE LOVES US…

WHY?  To reveal His Holy presence… others will see His comfort and peace flow from me in the midst of pain and brokenness.

Also because if we are going to share in His inheritance… the inheritance of eternal life, we must also share in His suffering

When we suffer for HIM, we will find peace… When we TRUST and believe that He will provide, we will not be reluctant to make a TRUE sacrifice…ONLY when we make this type of sacrifice will we experience God’s deep peace…

Cor. 10:13

 God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

See this passage does NOT say that God won’t give us more than we can handle (HE WILL!!!)… It says he will give us a way out so that we can endure… Just look at Paul's suffering...

2 Corinthians 11:21–30

²² Are they Hebrews? ^aSo am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. ²³ Are they ^bservants of Christ? ^cI am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, ^dfar more imprisonments, ^ewith countless beatings, and^foften near death. ²⁴ Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the ^gforty lashes less one. ²⁵ Three times I was ^hbeaten with rods. ⁱOnce I was stoned. Three times I ^jwas shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; ²⁶ on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, ^kdanger from my own people, ^ldanger from Gentiles, ^mdanger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; ^27 nin toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, ^oin hunger and thirst, often without food,² in cold and exposure. ²⁸ And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for ^pall the churches. ^29 qWho is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

^30 rIf I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

See, God WILL allow us to endure more than we could EVER handle on our own!!! In vs 30, Paul ”boasts of the things that show his weakness” because those things show his (and our) dependency on the power and mercy of God.

For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead (2 Cor 1:8,9, 

God is making it clear that we are not self-sufficient. It will never be enough to just”dig deep” on our own, or try to power through every tough situation.  And we cannot “white-knuckle” our way to holiness. We need Him!

What if our blessings come through raindrops?what if our healing comes through tears?

So maybe we need to stop seeing the tough stuff in our lives as reasons to doubt God’s mercy… . Maybe we need to start seeing them as proof that God indeed loves us very much—so much so that He will not let us try to rely on our own weak strength, but will feel His amazing grace, and HIS comfort through our faith…!!!

Romans 5:3…

we^[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we^[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope.