Saturday, August 30, 2008

Strength in the darkness...

"fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10-13 ESV

Fear not? God, have you seen the news lately? Have You seen the financial state the world is in? Do you know the struggles of a normal person on a day-to-day basis? Do you know the greatest fear I am facing right now is that I am powerless?

I have had my days lately where these questions have crossed my mind.....all the Lord what-ifs and whys. I have had the occassion where I am so stuck in those questions that I can't see beyond the mountain of stresses I have created around me. I will admit, it took a long time for me to realize what this verse means....and a lot of added burden created from my own meddling.
You see....He isn't saying that we aren't gonna struggle. He isn't saying that we are gonna meet every bill, every deadline. He isn't even saying that we will stay safe in our home tonight.
What I hear Him saying is that He will be there with me while I struggle through each of the situations I allow Him to be with me in. I hear Him telling me to be still and listen......know He is there. I hear Him saying that thru all that is going on in my life, in my head, in my world-----take His hand, feel His love and protection and know that I will be able to hold my head high at the end of this trial.
I am gonna share with you my biggest struggle recently. My son just got sentenced to prison. I cannot even imagine being in his shoes right now. I have heard all the horror stories of what happens in those places and that is my baby going in there. Now, my son has battled with me over Christ for a long time. Let me tell you.......He meets you where you are!!! All you have to do is ask Him in, even when you don't feel that you are worth His time, all you have to do is ask. My son asked!! Praise God, he opened the door and let Him in. Now, I am not going to speak for my son, but I will tell you what I have seen and what I have felt since this took place. My son was filled with fear and anger and he has now started a new life with Christ as his center and plans to continue that when he comes home. My son wouldn't have asked for a prayer to be said for him to save his life. I got a letter yesterday .... "mom keep me in your prayers and ask God not to take away the problems I face, but for the strength for the boys and my family to overcome this and get through." My son is no longer afraid because he knows his Father has him .... he knows that he can rely on Him for strength, comfort and guidance. He knows that at this time in his life when he can pull nothing more from himself, He will take him in His arms, wipe his tears and call him His own and help him through.
I don't know about you, but that just makes me think that if He can handle that kind of fear......I am reaching up!!! Take my hand, Daddy, and show me the way through the darkness when it falls. If I try to let go, just give me a squeeze and remind me that You are still with me. I love you, Lord and am so thankful to have such a loving Father!!

Friday, August 29, 2008

Stretch me...

I don't know about you, but there are certain people that get put into my life that I just have a hard time dealing with. In fact, there are some that I just don't want around me at all.

It is in these dealings that I have to remember that God forgave me of all my faults....that He loves this person the same as He loves me....that it isn't up to me to judge this person's character flaws/defects.

So.....what do I do in these situations? Well, I don't do what I used to do.....which was avoid these people or retaliate with my own character flaws, to put it nicely. What I do now is try to be nice. Whatever the situation, I try to be nice. I know this sounds like I am trying to be all goody-goody or something, but that isn't where I am coming from. Truly, it is easy to love the lovable people of the world....those with good personalities or someone who is always there when I need them or the ones that society sees as a benefit. But, I need to remember to love even those that don't fall into those categories. How am I being taught anything if everything is made easy? How am I to learn to love if everything around me is lovely? How am I to grow if I don't stretch?

See, I think that God puts all kinds of people in our lives for all kinds of reasons, and these reasons don't have to be made known to me. The only thing I need to know is that we are all God's people and I need to be His vessel. If that seed needs sown, I want to sow it.....if it needs watered, let me nourish it..........I think you get the picture. If I can help only one person come to know the Lord, then I feel as though I am doing something right. If I can make one person feel better with just a smile.....then plant it on my face. Someone once told me that if I keep my love bucket full it will continue to run over onto everyone I encounter.

Lord, let me shine for You today. Put me in places and situations that make me uncomfortable...that make me stretch...that make me search You out in the crowd. And please Lord, keep me from pushing anyone away with my attitude or behaviors. Keep my love bucket full, Father, that it may sprinkle onto all those I come in contact with that they may come to love you as I do!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

I so needed that...

"WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE." Matthew 19:26

I soooo needed to hear this today....and really just need to put it on my heart and in my memory.
This is such a statement of hope and promise!!! "With God all things...." do you hear that??....ALL THINGS....are possible!!! That is soooo huge!!
Those things that I didn't think were forgivable.....those things that I didn't think I was worth....those things that I was too afraid of rejection/failure to try....those things that everyone around me told me would never happen................guys, the list goes on............He promises that ALL THINGS are possible......
I challenge you to meditate on that for the day.....what is something that you just can't get around....something that you just can't forgive/forget.....something that your heart desires more than anyone knows................give it to your Father with a loving and trusting heart and just see what He does with it!!