Beloved

I am single. I have no Valentine. (tear). And yet I am part of the greatest love story ever told...I've experienced the greatest love one could ever hope to experience...

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." John 15:13

His life was given up for mine...

"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32

And nothing will ever separate me from Him or His love for me...

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ...Yet in all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35, 37-39

He is the Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord, who loved me with such great love that He gave His life that I might be washed clean of my sin and be made a king and priest to His glory for ever...

"...Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. " Revelation 1:5-6

Yes, it is true. I am His, He is mine....

"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine. " Song of Solomon 6:3.

[Beloved: to be dear to the heart or to be greatly loved (according to dictionary.com).]

And though it is true that I have failed Him often, I have been distracted by the things of this world, and yet He loves me without measure and without bounds and He is ever faithful to me....

"...I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you..." Jeremiah 31:3

Do you know Him too? Do you have this same Love of mine? Oh, friend, did you know? You, too, are dear to His heart. You, too, are greatly loved by my Jesus. You are beloved.

"For God so loved the world (that's me and you) that He (the Father) gave His only begotten Son (The Lord Jesus Christ), that whoever (this means YOU!) believes (or trusts) in Him (The Lord Jesus Christ) should not perish (death in hell) but have everlasting life (live in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ forever and ever)." John 3:16

Wouldn't you agree that my love story is the best love story ever told? :)

Believe and give thanks.

A friend and I were talking many months ago about prayer...about having the faith to not only ask the Almighty God for something but to thank Him for it before it has even been visibly answered. Wow! That is the sort of faith I want to have...faith in knowing that He will answer and it will be the best answer...and faith to thank Him and praise Him for it before I can see it for myself. That takes faith.

"...whatever you ask for in prayer...believe..." Mark 11:24

I pray that we will be a generation that prays...and a generation that has such great faith and trust in the One we pray to that we would thank Him for His answers. I'm praying for many things that I don't know the answer to...but I know I can thank Him for listening, thank Him for the answers yet to be revealed to me while I "...sit still until you know how the matter will turn out..." (Ruth 3:18).

And I've been thanking Him for His faithfulness to me this year...the year 2012. It hasn't happened yet. But I know my God and I know He will be faithful so I can thank Him before He has shown me all the ways He will be faithful to me this year.

"...pray until you believe God--until with whole hearted sincerity you can thank Him for the answer...there is nothing that solidifies faith as being so sure of the answer that you can thank God for it..." Streams in the Desert, January 4

A letter of Christ

Did you know that as a child of God you are a letter of Christ? A letter meant to be read and enjoyed by others. You have a message...a message for others from the Lord. A message of love and redemption and hope for the whole world to read and ponder. We are God's love letter to the world. Isn't that an awesome thought? Awesome in the sense that it is such an incredible privilege and responsibility. Where ever you walk, where ever you go, whatever you say, whatever you do, you are a letter to others from Christ.

"You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." II Corinthians 3:2-3

*Derived from a passage from Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, by Joanna Weaver p.83*

Waiting...

Waiting. Another lesson I continue to learn is about waiting. I had a timeline for my life. An unspoken one but a timeline nonetheless. A few years ago, I began to see my precious timeline crumbling. All the plans I had made weren't turning out as I had hoped. But that's where the mistake is made. My hope was too securely wrapped up in an earthly hope rather than placed in the one true Hope of my Savior. I put too much stock in my own ability to plan my life. I didn't allow room for my Savior and God to make the plans, for Him to show me His best. So now I am learning what it means to wait on His timing rather than trusting my own perception of an ideal timeline.

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.

Psalm 40:1

When the cloud remained...the Israelites...did not set out.

Numbers 9:19

Sometimes the "cloud" remains and we must sit and wait. And while I sit and wait I do the next best thing. Sometimes, the next best thing is trivial (or at least that's how it appears to me!) like doing the laundry or cleaning the house. Other times its helping with a kids outreach or taking an elderly couple to lunch. And while I do these things I learn to wait for what my heart desires, all the while trusting God for the best, learning day by day that He is much more capable of directing my steps than I am. (shocking, I know!) :)

And in this process, I am seeing His hand as He directs my steps. I am seeing His blessings and faithfulness. So even though this thing called life isn't always going the way I want it to go, I am choosing to rejoice and be thankful for my God, His faithfulness, and direction...and maybe while I'm waiting, the Lord is busy working in and through me to accomplish His perfect will in me! :)

The One Who Provides

I am thankful the Lord has shown me more and more of who He is over the last months. I am thankful that He is teaching me that He is Jehovah-Jireh. He is teaching me that in all things I can trust Him to provide my every need. He made provision for my salvation and if He is capable of that great provision than He is able to see to all my other needs...physical, emotional, spiritual. He knows what I need more than I even know. He knows what I need when I'm all alone. He knows how to provide for me in every situation. I do not need to fear what the future holds....it reminds me of the verse in I John..

"There is no fear in love but perfect love casts out fear..."

I John 4:18

...I have experienced the greatest love possible through my Savior. This perfect Love casts out fear. This Love can take away all my fears of what the future holds. Fear of being lonely. Fear of failure. Fear of not being cared for. Fear of being single forever and ever.. :) Fear.

Fear can be so debilitating. I don't want fear to keep me from being productive for the Lord and His work. I don't want to look back over the years and have regrets, knowing that I allowed unfounded fears to paralyze me.

And so I rest in knowing that I serve a God who cares about the big things (like my salvation!) and the little things (like flowers for my birthday). I can put aside my fear of the unknown, knowing He holds it all in His hands! He cares for me. He loves me. He is Jehovah-Jireh, the One who will provide.

For the Beauty of the Earth!

The last few days I've woken up in the morning, praying that the Lord would get me safely to work. It's a well known fact that nurses do not get snow days. Rain, snow, sleet or ice...the show must go on! For me, this means waking up an hour earlier....looking out the window to assess the weather and the roads and then watching the 5 AM news to determine the best route to work. Then, I bundle up (scrubs are not known to be warm and toasty in this wintery, blustery weather!), hop in the car and slip and slide all the way to work!

You would then think that once I arrive to work there would be at least 12 hours of relative calm and normalcy compared with the morning commute! But, no! The madness continues throughout the day! So you might understand how wondrous it was to get safely home last night. I pulled into my snow covered driveway and stepped out of the car. Before I stepped into the toasty warmth of my house to enjoy dinner and a cup of tea, I had to take the trash to the curb for pick up in the morning. Normally when I do this task after dark, I'm petrified...scurrying to grab the trash can, drop it at the curb and run as fast as I can to safety. But last night, there was only peace and quiet. There is just something about snow...all of the sudden everything seems so bright in the night...and so calm and quiet. It was beautiful to just take a moment to enjoy that peace and quiet that seems to have overtaken the city...or at least my neighborhood!

So, in the midst of the busyness of this season, the craziness that ensues with the snowfall, and the madness of life, I hope you take a moment to stop and enjoy the beauty of this earth that the Savior of the world designed and created!

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory!
Isaiah 6:3

For the Beauty of the Earth
by Folliot Pierpoint

For the beauty of the earth
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.

For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon, and stars of light.

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild.

For Thy Church, that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love.

For the martyrs’ crown of light,
For Thy prophets’ eagle eye,
For Thy bold confessors’ might,
For the lips of infancy.

For each perfect gift of Thine,
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of Heaven.

Refrain:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.

A "Helper"

A thought that has primarily been on my mind for many months is this idea that God created the woman to be a "helper". We find this true when we read Genesis 2:18 when God says "...I will make him a helper comparable to him." Typically, when we think of our role as a "helper" we think of it in the marriage relationship, a woman coming alongside a man in marriage and becoming his partner, his helper in life. I've watched the marriages around me and seen the women coming alongside their husbands, helping them. What an incredibly important and awesome role! But can this role only be experienced in marriage? Am I only able to just wait and hope to some day be able to experience this "helper" role because I am a single woman?

I have a hard time believing that God would wire us to be helpers and yet only allow it to be developed and utilized within the confines of marriage alone. At the same time, I often find it difficult to be creative and think outside the "marriage" box when it comes to being a helper. The other day, I was reflecting on the importance of encouraging and exhorting one another in the Lord and it struck me that this is a way that ALL woman can be helpers.

It may seem odd to think of encouragement/exhortation as a mode of being a helper. But, as I look at a more familiar picture of a "helper" in the marriages around me, I've noticed my friends being helpers to their husbands by encouraging them. Encouraging them to be faithful to their families, to their assemblies, to their God. Encouraging them in their role as fathers, brothers and sons. These "helpers" have recognized wonderful characteristics in their husbands and have encouraged them to continue on in these behaviors as well as recognizing their potential and encouraging them to strive to reach that potential.

Personally, I can think of times in my life where someone saw potential in me that I didn't recognize in myself. They came alongside me and encouraged me to pursue that potential. That is how I want to be to those around me...I want to be in tune, recognizing the potential of those around me and encourage them to pursue it! I want to be the sort of "helper" that can come alongside another with a pure desire, not with manipulative or selfish motives, but to really see others become a more devoted and faithful servant of the Lord. If we all were to seek and encourage unrealized potential in those around us, I wonder how the body of Christ would be changed? Would we see more of our young men becoming Godly leaders and more of our young women becoming Godly helpers?

Whatever the case may be, the Lord has been challenging my heart to seek opportunities to encourage one another in our faith that our "labor may not be in vain." Praying this very thing for each of you today!

"...we sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. ...lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and lest our labor might be in vain."

I Thessalonians 3:2-5

**I'd love to hear your thoughts and observations on what it means to be a "helper"!

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is a day we celebrate the mothers in our lives. I am so thankful for my mother. As I've watched her over the years as mother to Scott and I, and now as grandmother to Kate and Zach, I've seen her continually give of herself, being selfless for the sake of her family. I am so incredibly thankful for the godly example my mother has set forth and hope to be as selfless to the loved ones in my life as she has shown to me. Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

To all of you mothers out there...kudos to you for all the hard work you are putting into your children, sitting up with them late at night when they are sick and fussy, cooking their meals each day, doing their laundry, and wiping their noses to name a few. But your most important job as mother is diligently working to grow them up in a way that their lives might honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and that they might grow up to be men and women with a passion for the things of God.

As I was looking at verses this morning about mothers, I came across this verse in Isaiah 66 that made me realize how much a mother is a picture of our Lord. "Like a mother comforts her children, so the Lord will comfort you." (Kelly paraphrase!) Wow! I think that verse caught my heart in a special way because last night I longed for my mother, for her loving touch and most of all for her comfort. I don't care how old you get, there are moments in life that nothing soothes like a mother's comfort...and that is a sweet picture of our Savior and the comfort He offers to us.

For this is what the LORD says:
"I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.

As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."

When you see this, your heart will rejoice
and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants,
but his fury will be shown to his foes."

Isaiah 66:12-14

My Tongue?!

Over the last few weeks, I've realized that I am becoming more settled in my new job. One nice thing about a new job and a change is that I can also use the transition to reflect and determine what changes I need to make in myself. One thing that has always bothered me in nursing is the politics, the gossip, talking about others, etc. It's a very common issue in life that we all encounter. When we find ourselves in a conversation that has taken a turn in the direction of gossip, how do we deal with it?

Our tongues are a weapon, dangerous. Our tongues spill careless words that cut to the heart. If I carried a sword with me, I know I would always be aware of where the sword was, who was near it. I would be oh, so careful so that no one would be hurt or injured because of my carelessness. And yet, with my tongue I am thoughtless and unaware of the trail of blood I leave in my wake. I do not want my tongue to be characterized by the following:

1. Destruction & Deceit: "Your tongue devises destruction,Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully." Psalm 52:2

2. Lying: "Getting treasures by a lying tongue is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death." Proverbs 21:6

3. Evil: "He who has a deceitful heart finds no good, And he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil." Proverbs 17:20

4. Poison: "But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." James 3:8

5. Foolishness: "But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. " Psalm 15:2b

So, what should my tongue be characterized by? What are the descriptions of a "good" tongue?

1. Wise & Just: "The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,And his tongue talks of justice. " Psalm 37:30

2. Tree of Life: "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit." Proverbs 15:4

3. Promotes Health: "But the tongue of the wise promotes health." Proverbs 12:18b

4. Guarded/Kept from Trouble: "Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles." Proverbs 21:23

Wow! I want a tongue that can be described in these terms. What words should be coming forth in order to live according to that characterization?

1. Praise & Righteousness: "And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness, And of Your praise all the day long." Psalm 35:28

2. Kindness: "She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness." Proverbs 31:26

3. God's WORD & Commandments: "My tongue shall speak of Your word,For all Your commandments are righteousness." Psalm 119:172

4. Confessing Jesus Christ: "..and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phil 2:11

I want to be characterized on my unit and in my life as someone who does not participate in gossip or other destructive conversations. It's a daily, hourly, minute by minute struggle to use my tongue wisely and to not participate in conversations that are destructive. And, these verses that I've shared have challenged my heart to strive for a tongue that promotes life and health, and shares the kindness of the Lord Jesus to all those around me and ultimately glorifies His name.

Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 24:12-14

Abundantly Satisified

Recently, a friend of mine sent me a copy of the following devotional:

'This is the day the Lord has made.' Psalm 118:24

Three of the biggest mistakes you can make are:
(1) Longing for yesterday. Learn from the past, but don't put a halo on it. The Bible says: (a) "Do not say, ' Why were the old days better than these?' For it is not wise." (Ecc. 7:10) (b) "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" (Is. 43:18-19)

(2) Longing for the right somebody. God knows what you need better than you do, and "No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Ps. 84:11). Instead of finding the right person, strive to become the right person.

(3) Longing for some future destination. It's a mistake to believe that when you arrive at a certain point you'll be happy. No, your happiest moments are along the way, not at the end of the trip. When it comes to living, you can't improve on the Scripture "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

These thoughts encouraged and challenged my heart to stop longing for the things which I do not have and to be "abundantly satisfied" with all that the Lord has blessed me. He has given me my salvation, a wonderful family, a beautiful niece and handsome nephew, a job to provide my daily needs. His mercy, faithfulness, and His lovingkindnesses shown to me are boundless and without measure. And, as the Psalmist wrote, I want my heart to be "abundantly satisfied with the fullness of His house..." and to rejoice that this is the day that He has made for me to rejoice in!

Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the great mountains;
Your judgments are a great deep;
O LORD, You preserve man and beast.

How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.
They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house,
And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.
For with You is the fountain of life;
In Your light we see light.
Psalm 36: 5-9

**A special thanks to Andrew Nelson for my recent blog sprucing. My pictures are ones that were taken while I was hiking in Aspen, Colorado at Maroon Bells. Andrew incorporated them nicely along with other ideas in order to come up with my new look! Thanks for all your help, Andrew!

Tired...

Tonight, I'm feeling tired. I'm tired of the snow. I'm tired of the cold. I'm tired of the winter that brings the cold and the flu bugs and the pneumonia bugs... But, I'm mostly just tired! I'm too tired to even get up to go get dinner. My stomach is growling, actually it's rumbling! And yet, here I sit, too tired to get up. I can almost smell the chili that is waiting for me (even though it's still thoroughly frozen in the freezer)! It's been a long two days at work and the only thing I can think about is the fact that I have to get up and do it all over again tomorrow!

Not only that, but in the midst of my tired state, I want to ward off any grumpy, mean, irritable attitude that can often accompany my exhaustion! I want my attitude tomorrow to glorify the Lord just as much as if it were my first day at work! I don't want to allow my "weak" state to falter my guard that is up against gossip, complaining, anxiety, or any other things that are so easy to succumb to on a "good" day, let alone a day where I feel like I'm already starting behind.

So tonight, I'm saturating myself in this:

"Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praise worthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you."

So now, I am going to go shower off all those germy bugs, defrost my chili and then snuggle down for a winters night and pray that the peace of God will be with me tomorrow, no matter what it holds, and that my attitude will reflect the things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtue and praise! I pray that your tomorrow will reflect these things too!

A reminder to all those with cabin fever:
There really is warm sunshine out there
somewhere...let's just hope it visits us all soon! :-)

Praying, Waiting, Exalting

John Heller spoke last Sunday on one of my favorite verses. He was speaking on the 10 lepers where 9 did not return thanks and then he took us to Isaiah 30:18 that says:

"Therefore, will the Lord wait, that He may be
gracious to you and there He will be exalted..."

John spoke on the fact that an immediate answer to our prayers is not always the answer that will be the best for us or will glorify the Lord the most. Perhaps, there are things that need to change in me, or perhaps in circumstances around me, for the answer to be the best for me. Perhaps time just needs to pass. Whatever the case, the Lord is waiting because He wants to receive the glory. And, for me, that brings comfort. To know that it's not that the Lord is ignoring my prayers or holding out on me. He is waiting so that He will receive the most glory. And, if it means that I wait all my life for an answer and He receives the most glory by the way I respond in waiting, than that is what I want. Everything is designed for His glory.

I say these things, but I must be honest that my heart doesn't quite fully follow in this line of thinking yet. I sometimes struggle with really desiring the Lord's will for my life if it means that what I want won't be fulfilled. That statement brings out the reality of my childish heart...to desire what I want over what is God's best for me. I read it in scripture, I know it in my mind, that it is best to be in God's will but sometimes it is hard for my heart to follow in suit.

What I have realized, too, is my sinful heart in how I approach my prayers to the Lord. Sadly, oftentimes, I am "doubting God's ability to bring it about...expressing a kind of 'hope fatigue' and resignation...a strong current of unbelief toward God."* Whatever my prayer is for-healing from illness, salvation of a soul, provisions for my needs, etc- I seem to be so surprised when I see the Lord answer my petitions because in my heart I am minimizing God's ability to bring it to pass.

So I have been challenged this year to "pray things through" (George Dawson), to not just present them before the Lord once or twice but to be faithful to the fulfillment of an answer (yes or no!). I have been challenged to be committed to pray boldly to the Lord with unwavering faith that He WILL answer me ("you have not because you ask not") when He will be glorified the most...and that He will help my heart to truly desire His exaltation over my own need for an immediate answer.


*Quoted from Radical Womanhood: Woman Praying Boldly

"Now hope does not disappoint..."

Do you ever find yourself discouraged with whatever season you are enduring right now? Things in life may not be turning out how you expected or how you planned, or maybe the job you have doesn't give you the satisfaction you thought it would. Do you ever find yourself looking at life circumstances and when you look around, you all the sudden find yourself in a "funk"? I don't know about you, but I know I've experienced the "funk" and I was reminded about where our true contentment lies when I read the following excerpt from "The Purple Cellar" in her post titled "Our Vital Need for Hope".

"Contentment is a choice, although at times it is hard to believe that. It just makes no sense. We would give anything to get out of the funk in which we find ourselves. But picking ourselves up by our purse straps just isn't going to do it. We need an answer; we need help. And if we do not get it, what starts out as a mild case of the blues can spiral down into depression, which leads to discouragement, and then, finally, to despair. There is a common thread in each slide we make down this awful spiral—a loss of hope. Each time we move a little lower, it is because a little more hope has died.


The key, of course, to not losing hope is to place our hope in the right things. If we set our hope on something, even a very good something, that we want in this life, we may well lose our hope, because there are no guarantees that we will get the things we want in the here and now. There is only one thing of which we can be sure, and that is God's presence and all the blessings that come with it. Our hopes will find increasing fulfillment if what we hope for is to know more of Christ. Our hopes will be realized if deeper intimacy with our heavenly Father is what we seek. Our hopes will not disappoint if we long to be free of our enslaving sins. We can bank our hopes on any and all of the things God has promised us in his Word."

I've recently been enjoying some posts over at "The Purple Cellar" blog on the topic of contentment. One post spoke that "Contentment is Always an Option" and that no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in or what season we are experiencing, there is always an option to choose to be content. But we have to be looking for our contentment in the right places, we have to be placing our hope where it will not be disappointed.

What a wonderful reminder to set our sights on the things above, to set our hopes where they will not be disappointed. And, the one place that our hopes can safely rest are in the promises of God's word. We find true contentment when we seek (and find!) an intimacy in knowing our Savior and seeking after the things that please Him.

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."

Romans 5:1-6

Is it really an "Accident"??

Yesterday, as I was hurriedly leaving work, my car personally got to know the concrete support pillar in the parking garage. I heard the crunch, felt the jolt of the car, and was instantly horrified that I could be that stupid! How could I back right into the very large pillar!? How did I not see it? And, why are there accidents like this that just seem to be inconvenient, frustrating, and, to say the least, costly?

As I was driving to the auto shop with my stearing wheel very off centered, I began to think about accidents and was gently reminded of the devotional I had read just that morning by Elisabeth Elliot:

All Things Serve Thee

During my husband Addison's terminal illness, everything in our lives was changing. The cancer had spread with a speed which startled the doctors. I found during those hard days and nights strength in the ringing words of the liturgy, proclaimed aloud as the congregation knelt: "Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again." I could hold onto those immutable facts.

The psalmist found the same strength in the Lord's infrangible decrees: "This day, as ever,Thy decrees stand fast: for all things serve Thee" (Ps 119:91 NEB). The Lord is not subject to vicissitudes, exigencies, and contingencies." Accidents" are, in fact, subject to the Lord of the universe, the blessed Controller of all things."

Thy promise endures for all time, stable as the earth which Thou
hast fixed" (Ps 119:90 NEB).

He "fixes," that is, He sets in place, the whole earth. Surely He can fix
and establish my heart. Every "happening" serves Him. **

**by Elisabeth Elliot**

Though I am certainly not facing anything comparable to the terminal illness that she was facing, I can rest in knowing that my God is a Sovereign God and does not allow anything to cross my path without His knowledge and without a purpose. I know that my God allows certain circumstances to come into my life to prune, mold and change me, that my character might become more and more like that of my Savior's.

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith...though it be tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and
glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love."
I Peter 1: 6-8a

I am comforted and reassured to know that the circumstances I face that appear to be less than ideal to my eyes really do serve a purpose. The purpose is that I might seek out the Lord, the ultimate Provider and Protector, to be the fulfillment of my every need and desire. The purpose is that I might be drawn into a deeper love and greater intimacy with my dear Savior.

God's Sovereignty

As I've been thinking about what it means to trust the Lord, I've also been thinking on the sovereignty of God. I recently came across the following definition of God's sovereignty:

It means God is always in control; it does not mean that He dictates; it means that in spite of everything that happens He is STILL in control and His will still prevails.

One of my favorite books, Fine China is For Single Women Too by Lydia Brownback, carries the theme of God's sovereignty throughout it's pages. This book reinforces the idea that trusting the Lord in all His sovereignty provides safety. It reminds me that we are to look beyond today and view our lives in light of eternity. It reminds me that in spite of my own shortcomings that the Lord's will prevails.

Brownback discusses finding contentment and joy living exactly where God places us at any given time. She discusses Joshua dispersing the land to the various tribes and how there wasn't equal division of the land; the Levites didn't even get any land to call their own. She quotes Dean Ulrich in regards to this passage:

God will sovereignly direct your steps and put you in the place of service that He wants--however great or small. He'll take care of the opportunities for advancement, and He'll see to it that the things about which we worry so much will turn out well. For now, though, He's more interested in the fact that you faithfully follow Him in the place where He has you. In the future, He'll continue to draw and redraw the boundary lines the way that He wants, but He wants you to be faithful in the boundary lines that He has drawn now.
We tend to eye up our neighbor's "property"--whether it be tangible possessions or skills, talents, achievements, friends, or looks. The next time you are tempted to eye up your neighbor's property, think of these land surveys. They were "distributed by lot in Shiloh before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting" (Josh. 19:51). Remember that God has drawn your boundary lines. Given your eternal hope--the fact that your hope in Christ transcends this life--you can say that your boundaries are pleasant.

So, whether you are living within the boundaries of motherhood, marriage, singleness--whatever the boundaries, God has drawn around each one of us the lines in which we are to live. And it is while living within these boundaries, while trusting God's sovereignty, that we are to faithfully follow Him. In this is true contentment.

Simply Trusting

Forgive me for such a lengthy post but the topic of trusting has been weighing heavily on my heart. In our daily conversations we often speak of trusting the Lord. Whether it is reminding someone to trust the Lord during a difficult time or reminding ourselves to trust the Lord with the day to day details, it seems that this is a common phrase we use. But, what does it really mean to trust the Lord? I've been doing some reading on trusting and here are some common themes that are thread through scripture when it speaks of trust.

• First of all, in whom do we put our trust? Our trust is to be placed into those whose character has been established to be worthy of trust. We know that the Lord and His character have been tried and proven over time. We know that those who have gone before us have experienced the faithfulness of our God. He sent His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins. His love is beyond measure and has been exemplified throughout time. Our God and Savior is worthy of our trust.

"And those who know Your name
will put their trust in You;
For you, Lord have not
forsaken those who seek You."
Psalm 9:10

"Our fathers trusted in You;
They trusted in You and You delievered them.
They cried to You, and were delivered;
They trusted in You, and were not ashamed."
Psalm 22:4-5

• Those who put their trust in the Lord are not ashamed. To be ashamed is to be disappointed in; to be ashamed is to be confused; to be ashamed is to have a feeling of fear that prevents us from doing something, from accomplishing that which the Lord has clearly set before us. When we do not trust the Lord, we are allowing our fears to choose our paths instead of trusting the Lord who "makes my way perfect" (Psalm 18:32).

"To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, I trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed."
Psalm 25:2

"Do not fret...trust in the Lord
and do good...delight yourself also
in the Lord...commit your way
to the Lord, trust also in Him."
Psalm 37:1,3,4,5

"In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?"
Psalm 56: 11

• There is vulnerability associated with trusting someone, and that is no different with the Lord. To be vulnerable is to be "unprotected against attack; susceptible to criticism; capable of being wounded or hurt." None of those things sound particularly inviting to me and yet to truly trust someone and reap the blessings associated with that trust, we must be open to allowing ourselves to be vulnerable. To be vulnerable, we must set aside our pride and humble ourselves so that the ones we trust see us for who we really are, faults and all. It is when we are vulnerable that we open ourselves up to wise instruction by those we trust. With the Lord, I think our vulnerability allows Him to search our hearts and weed out the unlovely things in our lives, that we might be made more holy.

"I have also trusted in the Lord;
I shall not slip.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me;
Try my mind and my heart."
Psalm 26: 1-2

"Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him."
Psalm 62:8

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting."
Psalm 139:23-24

• There is great blessing associated with trusting the Lord. We find shelter and refuge, safety and protection. We find guidance for our steps and preparation for our paths. We find great rejoicing, fulfillment and satisfaction, and mercies from the Lord that will endure forever. These are just a few of the blessings we partake in as children of God when we choose to trust our Lord. And, that is exactly what trust requires...it is something we choose. It is a daily, hourly, moment by moment decision we must make and as we trust in the Lord, we fall under His protection and receive many blessings in the process.

"Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
There is no want to those who fear Him."
Psalm 34:8-9

"For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings
I will make my refuge..."
Psalm 57:1

"For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name."
Psalm 33:21

"As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him."
Psalm 18:30

"Therefore the children of men put their trust
under the shadow of Your wings.
They are abundantly satisfied
with the fullness of Your house."
Psalm 36:7-8

Why trust? We trust because it declares the works and glory of the Lord. We trust in the Lord because this is true happiness.

"But it is good for me to draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord God,
That I may declare all Your works."
Psalm 73:28

"...And whoever trusts in the Lord,
happy is he."
Proverbs 16:20b

To trust is to relinquish control to another. To trust is to not be ashamed. To trust is to be humble. To trust is to fear the Lord. To trust is to realize that the Lord always knows best. To trust is to find blessing and joy.

"For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
from those who walk uprightly.

O Lord of hosts,
Blessed is the man who trusts in You."
Psalm 84:11-12

Tampa Vacation: Mile Marker ZERO!

Kathy and I spent a lot of time driving along Gulf Blvd. We finally reached St. Pete's Beach at Mile Marker Zero! It was beautiful so we spent some time taking pictures.

The birds were always squawking and waking us up in the morning or waking us up on the beach! So, this picture is in memory of the birds!

Kathy and I enjoyed using the timer on our cameras! Needless to say, the couple on the bench was laughing at us as we ran back and forth and then tried to look "natural"!

This beautiful house sits at Mile Marker Zero, facing St. Pete's beach. It's so picturesque and looks like a lovely place to retire one day. Ok, maybe that's just wishful thinking talking but one can hope, right?!

I even had some fun making footprints in the sand. Now I finally know why they make fun designs on the soles of
shoes. Its for those occassional times we leave our footprints in the sand!


Makes me wonder what other kinds of
"impressions" I'm leaving wherever I
walk without even realizing it!

"Uphold my steps in Your paths,
That my footsteps may not slip."

Psalm 17:5

Psalm 46

My heart is downtrodden today. In fact, I'm sitting in my office (actually, it's more like a closet!) at work trying to get myself composed enough to get back to work. It's been a very hard week in so many ways. My only comfort is that the Lord is my "refuge and my strength, a very present help in trouble..." So, if any of you are feeling discouraged, here's a Psalm to bring you comfort.


Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Let us not fear. God is our refuge and strength. Let us behold the works of the Lord today and remember His faithfulness throughout the generations.

Psalm 62

My soul, wait silently for God alone,

for my expectation is from Him.

He only is my rock and my salvation;

He is my defense;

I shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory;

The rock of my strength,

and my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah

Psalm 62:5-8

Discipline Part 2: Self-Control

It's been a while since I've given my blog any TLC and I've had a few of you wonder when I was going to post again. To be honest, I usually like to be "inspired" before I post anything, inspired to share some sort of collected and organized thought. But I haven't felt particularly inspired of late, especially since I wanted to continue to address the topic of discipline. To me, that topic hits a little too close to home and may be a little too convicting for my liking, so I think I've been in a holding pattern of avoidance! But, this little desire to avoid the topic doesn't make it any less applicable to my life and so I need to press on and continue to gain an understanding of what it means to be disciplined and how I practically make changes to gain a more disciplined life.

There are various ways that I can be more disciplined outwardly in my daily life. Currently, I am working to improve my approach when it comes to making my meals at home rather than eating out so often, which not only affects my budget but also my cholesterol!! (I know, I should really be too young to be talking about cholesterol!) I'm putting together weekly meal plans rated "easy", "moderate", and "special occasions" so I can streamline my grocery shopping/list making and choose the meal plan that best suits my schedule for that week and provides a little bit of variety! This is just a small way I want to become more disciplined and organized.

But, in what way can I become more disciplined in my spiritual life? What "little" adjustments can I make that will help develop my character? Are there specific goals I should be striving to achieve in my quest for discipline? My last blog gave several definitions of discipline so I thought I'd look at them one by one and develop the idea of discipline in bite size portions.

Being disciplined is to have "controlled behavior

resulting from disciplinary training; self-control."

This particular definition caught my attention tonight because of it's reference to "controlled behavior" and "self-control". It reminded me of a passage I read recently in a book regarding gentleness as mentioned in I Peter 3: 3-6. "...it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."

"Gentleness, or meekness as many translations have it, isn't weakness or spinelessness or timidity or even niceness. This word in classical Greek was used to describe tame animals, soothing medicine, a mild word, and a mild breeze. It is a word with a caress in it.

Gentleness also implies self-control. Aristotle said that gentleness is the mean between excessive anger and excessive angerlessness. So the person who is gentle is able to balance his anger. He controls it.

Meekness/gentleness is strength under control. The gentle woman is strong! She is in control of her fears. She is as strong as steel."

Biblical Womanhood in the Home

--Edited by Nancy Leigh DeMoss--

The disciplined woman is going to exhibit a meek and gentle spirit. She will be characterized by self-control. To have self-control is to have "control of one's emotions, desires, or actions by one's own will".

But, how does a person cultivate a life characterized by self-control? Our tendency is to pursue our own desires, to seek after our own will, and particularly as women, we often battle to control our emotions. How do we get a handle on self-control?

• To have self-control involves an aspect of selflessness. Wouldn't you agree that to be disciplined is to lay aside selfish tendencies? Think of an athlete...they lay aside the desire for the immediate gratifications of life in order to train and discipline their bodies so that they might achieve a specific goal.

• Above all, in order to have a life characterized by self-control, we must immerse ourselves in the Word of God. "As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue...But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. " (II Peter 1: 3, 5-8)

It is only through time spent with our Savior that we will begin to gain an ability to truly bring our emotions, our actions, our thoughts under the discipline of our will. It is only through time in the Word that we can bring our will under subjection to the will of our heavenly Father. When our own will aligns with His will, that is when we can begin to gain a life characterized by self-control and therefore, discipline!