Hello guys!
I recently went hiking next to a lake and was overwhelmed at the wildlife that was out and about in this heat. Didn't they get the memo that it is 102 degrees outside? For that matter, didn't I get the memo. I don’t want to do anything when it is so hot, and it blew my mind to see the activity of these creatures.
Anyway, one of the creatures I saw on this day was a black snake. I think it was a black racer. He was about 3 ½ feet long and looked like he had recently eaten some lunch. He was far enough up the trail that I saw him in advance and was able to enjoy watching him without interrupting his quest. I was awed by this creature, but was quickly reminded of a recent encounter that wasn’t as pleasant.
I was hiking in a sandy area next to a river on a nice sunny day. It was hot, so I had decided to wear my hiking sandals. Like many times when I hike, I was just enjoying the day and may have even been singing out loud, I’m not sure. I just know that I wasn’t paying that much attention to the trail in front of me.
All of the sudden I was face to foot with a copperhead snake. He was as surprised to see me as I was him. He was about 4 feet long and ready to strike. My sandaled foot was only about 5 inches from his mouth. Fear gripped me, but then I started to talk to him. I know crazy, right? But talking to the snake calmed me long enough to send a prayer to my Protector. I realized that I just needed to keep moving. And move fast! I think my heart raced the entire time that it took me to get out of the woods and to my car.
My main reason for sharing this story is not really about me or about the snake. It’s about the fear that gripped me. Fear has always played a large part in my life I would make decisions about what I would or wouldn’t do based on fear. Fear has kept me from building relationships. Fear has kept me from being bold.
Let me just say that fear is one of the biggest tools of the enemy. Fear so easily creeps into our lives that most of the time we don’t even recognize it for what it is. The snake was easy for me to recognize, but fear is sometimes an automatic response, so it can be hidden from our conscience. The good news is that God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). He gives us peace! Just like in the way that I began to talk to the snake, we can and should rebuke the enemy and the fear that he wants to entangle us in. Fear is a creeper and it’s time to fight back and let peace fill our lives. Who is with me? Join this crusade of recognizing fear for fear and combating it with the truth, which is peace from our God.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Dance with Me!
Hey Friends!
Every once in a while I find some beautiful music that just touches my heart. This is one of those songs. And although, I am not very graceful, I love to simply twirl before my Lord. This song encourages my heart to be at peace and bask in the love of my Lord and maybe even twirl once or twice before him. Let His love soak over you as you listen to the music and read the beautiful words of Him who loves YOU!
Every once in a while I find some beautiful music that just touches my heart. This is one of those songs. And although, I am not very graceful, I love to simply twirl before my Lord. This song encourages my heart to be at peace and bask in the love of my Lord and maybe even twirl once or twice before him. Let His love soak over you as you listen to the music and read the beautiful words of Him who loves YOU!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Eggshells of Learning
Hey Friends!
I laughed this afternoon as I was getting ready to eat my lunch. I have been trying to eat a bit more balanced and my mom has been helping me with this goal. Since I pack a lunch while I am working, I need things that travel well. One of my favorite lunch specialties is a boiled egg (with other yummy goodies too). Well, my mom boiled some eggs and told me I could take one with me for lunch if I wanted. So I laughed as I was trying to peel this boiled egg. For whatever reason, the eggshell wanted to cling to the egg white and it was just turning out to be one big mess. My co-workers were laughing with me, as I had eggshell all over the place.
I share my silly experience because it reminded me of something that I read recently that I wanted to share. I was reading in The Power of a Praying Woman, by Stormie Omartian. She was sharing about a time in her spiritual walk where she felt like she was an eggshell. If you will indulge me, I would like to share part of that story with you now.
“A few years ago, I had become so busy with working, taking care of teenagers, trying to be a good wife, running a home, writing books and traveling to promote them, being at all church meetings, helping people who needed it, and trying to make everyone happy, that I neglected the most important thing- my intimate walk with God. It’s not that I stopped praying. Actually, I was praying more than ever about everyone else on the planet. But I didn’t pray about my own walk with Him. It’s not that I didn’t read His Word. I read for hours as I did research in the Scriptures for different projects I was working on and the Bible study classes I was taking. But I didn’t give God time to speak to me personally through it. I was busy doing good and neglected to do what was best. I became Martha instead of Mary without even realizing it (Luke 10:38-42).
I didn’t take enough time for God and me alone, and as a result I became so depleted I couldn’t go on. I felt like that eggshell, as if I could be crushed with very little outside pressure. I knew I needed more of God in my life, and nothing on earth was more important than that. There wasn’t anything else that could satisfy the hunger I felt inside except more of His presence. And I came to realize how important it was for me to guard and protect my personal relationship with God in prayer.” (Omartian, pg. 10)
I have been and probably will be in this place again, where I feel empty without the pouring in from God. That is what I hope my life is all about: Him pouring into me and then allowing me to be poured out for others. But in this moment He is teaching me to simply sit before Him and allow Him to pour into me. That is the most important thing you and I can do. Just be still and listen to God. He wants to communicate with us!
Until next time...listen for His voice!
I laughed this afternoon as I was getting ready to eat my lunch. I have been trying to eat a bit more balanced and my mom has been helping me with this goal. Since I pack a lunch while I am working, I need things that travel well. One of my favorite lunch specialties is a boiled egg (with other yummy goodies too). Well, my mom boiled some eggs and told me I could take one with me for lunch if I wanted. So I laughed as I was trying to peel this boiled egg. For whatever reason, the eggshell wanted to cling to the egg white and it was just turning out to be one big mess. My co-workers were laughing with me, as I had eggshell all over the place.
I share my silly experience because it reminded me of something that I read recently that I wanted to share. I was reading in The Power of a Praying Woman, by Stormie Omartian. She was sharing about a time in her spiritual walk where she felt like she was an eggshell. If you will indulge me, I would like to share part of that story with you now.
“A few years ago, I had become so busy with working, taking care of teenagers, trying to be a good wife, running a home, writing books and traveling to promote them, being at all church meetings, helping people who needed it, and trying to make everyone happy, that I neglected the most important thing- my intimate walk with God. It’s not that I stopped praying. Actually, I was praying more than ever about everyone else on the planet. But I didn’t pray about my own walk with Him. It’s not that I didn’t read His Word. I read for hours as I did research in the Scriptures for different projects I was working on and the Bible study classes I was taking. But I didn’t give God time to speak to me personally through it. I was busy doing good and neglected to do what was best. I became Martha instead of Mary without even realizing it (Luke 10:38-42).
I didn’t take enough time for God and me alone, and as a result I became so depleted I couldn’t go on. I felt like that eggshell, as if I could be crushed with very little outside pressure. I knew I needed more of God in my life, and nothing on earth was more important than that. There wasn’t anything else that could satisfy the hunger I felt inside except more of His presence. And I came to realize how important it was for me to guard and protect my personal relationship with God in prayer.” (Omartian, pg. 10)
I have been and probably will be in this place again, where I feel empty without the pouring in from God. That is what I hope my life is all about: Him pouring into me and then allowing me to be poured out for others. But in this moment He is teaching me to simply sit before Him and allow Him to pour into me. That is the most important thing you and I can do. Just be still and listen to God. He wants to communicate with us!
Until next time...listen for His voice!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Clouds
Clouds!!! Oh, how I love clouds. I know that I have shared before that I have always been fascinated with clouds and it is so true. I could spend a nice quiet afternoon laying on my back in a grassy meadow simply watching clouds. Maybe it’s just the child in me, but it so fun to watch them dance across the blue sky.
As I was driving into work this morning I was stopped at every red light on the way. However, instead of getting upset that I was going to be late to work, I started watching the clouds. On a normal morning, I get to enjoy watching the sun rise over the buildings in town. It is always a quiet and peaceful time. This morning it was dark and it looked like it was going to rain. You couldn’t see the sun at all because of the dark ominous clouds.
I was a little bummed out because things in my life haven’t been looking that great. It seems like I am going through a stormy time, when my prayers are hitting the ceiling. Let me put it this way, if it could happen, it has and if there are blessings, they seem to be delayed. Please hear my heart, I’m not complaining, because I know that everything works together for my good. God is simply refining me. And I am joyful in that. But the cares of this world have just been wearing me down. I am weary in the stormy place.
As I saw the dark clouds this morning, I thought: great, the clouds are even gloomy, just like my life! But thankfully, my drive was not over yet. Otherwise, I would have missed the beautiful sun peeking through the dark clouds. At the exact moment that I saw the sun, I heard a song about God’s radiant love. Oh friends, in that moment I realized that even though I couldn’t see the sun, it was still there. And God’s love is even more that way. It is always there, even in the gloomy moments, when I can’t see it. He is always faithful and true. His love never changes!
I walked into work, having confidence that He will give me enough grace to make it through the gloomy places because He loves me. I hope this encourages your heart too. He loves you and that never changes. No matter what we are going through or how hard the trials may seem, He is faithful! Let Him love on you today…even if it’s through a cloud :)
Until next time...
As I was driving into work this morning I was stopped at every red light on the way. However, instead of getting upset that I was going to be late to work, I started watching the clouds. On a normal morning, I get to enjoy watching the sun rise over the buildings in town. It is always a quiet and peaceful time. This morning it was dark and it looked like it was going to rain. You couldn’t see the sun at all because of the dark ominous clouds.
I was a little bummed out because things in my life haven’t been looking that great. It seems like I am going through a stormy time, when my prayers are hitting the ceiling. Let me put it this way, if it could happen, it has and if there are blessings, they seem to be delayed. Please hear my heart, I’m not complaining, because I know that everything works together for my good. God is simply refining me. And I am joyful in that. But the cares of this world have just been wearing me down. I am weary in the stormy place.
As I saw the dark clouds this morning, I thought: great, the clouds are even gloomy, just like my life! But thankfully, my drive was not over yet. Otherwise, I would have missed the beautiful sun peeking through the dark clouds. At the exact moment that I saw the sun, I heard a song about God’s radiant love. Oh friends, in that moment I realized that even though I couldn’t see the sun, it was still there. And God’s love is even more that way. It is always there, even in the gloomy moments, when I can’t see it. He is always faithful and true. His love never changes!
I walked into work, having confidence that He will give me enough grace to make it through the gloomy places because He loves me. I hope this encourages your heart too. He loves you and that never changes. No matter what we are going through or how hard the trials may seem, He is faithful! Let Him love on you today…even if it’s through a cloud :)
Until next time...
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Be Still
Wow! That's all I can say about the revelation that the Lord gave my heart this afternoon. The Lord is teaching me to be still...actually at times it feels like His has been teaching me for a long time.
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:1 "Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts." Colossians 3:15
The message just keeps coming my way. You would think that I would get the clue and just be at peace in stillness. In my defense, I am trying to have a set aside sabbath and focus on the Lord and the Lord only. It's hard to set aside time, much less focus. Anyway, back to the revelation from this afternoon. The revelation came from this scripture:
"One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind." Ecclesiastes 4:6
I was also reading in "The Three Battlegrounds" by Francis Frangipane about discernment. This is what Frangipane had to say about this scripture:
"There is too much labor and toil in our minds, too much striving after the wind. If we want discernment we must become aggressively calm. This is not a passive state of mind but an expectant, focused waiting upon God." (pg. 82)
Although this passage is talking about discernment, I would like to apply it to our lives in general. I know that I am so busy doing that being aggressively calm is not something that I practice. But God is teaching me to be calm. To be at rest in His peace. To be still before Him. In this calm, peace and stillness is where He will whisper to me. If I am too busy being active, I might miss His whisper. Wow! That's all I can say...
Until next time...
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:1 "Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts." Colossians 3:15
The message just keeps coming my way. You would think that I would get the clue and just be at peace in stillness. In my defense, I am trying to have a set aside sabbath and focus on the Lord and the Lord only. It's hard to set aside time, much less focus. Anyway, back to the revelation from this afternoon. The revelation came from this scripture:
"One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind." Ecclesiastes 4:6
I was also reading in "The Three Battlegrounds" by Francis Frangipane about discernment. This is what Frangipane had to say about this scripture:
"There is too much labor and toil in our minds, too much striving after the wind. If we want discernment we must become aggressively calm. This is not a passive state of mind but an expectant, focused waiting upon God." (pg. 82)
Although this passage is talking about discernment, I would like to apply it to our lives in general. I know that I am so busy doing that being aggressively calm is not something that I practice. But God is teaching me to be calm. To be at rest in His peace. To be still before Him. In this calm, peace and stillness is where He will whisper to me. If I am too busy being active, I might miss His whisper. Wow! That's all I can say...
Until next time...
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Encouragement
Happy Today!
I am so thrilled to be a warrior of the King of Kings!!! It is my joy and honor to be a part of His army. However, there are times (more than I would like) when I become discouraged and distracted from my mission. When I have these moments, I look to my King and those that He has placed in my life to encourage me. My King is my Rock! He keeps me strong!
Today I was discouraged. But, God wasn't going to leave me that way. I first received an encouraging text from a friend, just telling me that she was praying for me. Then, I checked my emails and there was more sweet encouragement that I needed. It was in the form of a newsletter that I get from Sheri Rose Shepard's ministry called His Princess. Check it out:
http://hisprincess.com/2011/08/i-will-be-your-rock/
May your heart be encouraged in the battle! Until next time...
I am so thrilled to be a warrior of the King of Kings!!! It is my joy and honor to be a part of His army. However, there are times (more than I would like) when I become discouraged and distracted from my mission. When I have these moments, I look to my King and those that He has placed in my life to encourage me. My King is my Rock! He keeps me strong!
Today I was discouraged. But, God wasn't going to leave me that way. I first received an encouraging text from a friend, just telling me that she was praying for me. Then, I checked my emails and there was more sweet encouragement that I needed. It was in the form of a newsletter that I get from Sheri Rose Shepard's ministry called His Princess. Check it out:
http://hisprincess.com/2011/08/i-will-be-your-rock/
May your heart be encouraged in the battle! Until next time...
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