Just for Her

Looking out the kitchen window, the sight took her breath away. Just above the bare limbs of trees, the sky shimmered with rays of a gorgeous reddish sunrise.  It was as if God had painted the sky just for her, giving her yet another promise of His relentless love. Without a doubt, she knew, only God could design something so perfect and wonderful.

Knowing the camera would not do it justice still she must try to capture it. Just before she turned to go, she whispered "thank you so much God."

A sunrise always holds a promise for a new day, a day to start over.  Perhaps today you feel the need for that new start or maybe it is simply the need to continue with purpose that which God has planted in your heart.  Either way, today is that day for you!

The Mighty One, God the Lord, Has spoken and called the earth From the rising of the sun to its going down.  Ps. 50:1 (NKJV)

Lamentations 3:22-24 (NKJV)
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”

I love the way The Message bible says the last of those scriptures....

I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).  He’s all I’ve got left.




Friends welcomed over at Spiritual Sundays

She Danced

How she danced! For quite some time now I have been seeing glimpses of things in my mind's eye.  Not just shadows of things but the actual object has been so clear.  Probably about five weeks ago I saw an opened music box with a dancer.  Not the every little girl's normal ballerina music box, this one had a live woman with a flowing skirt.  She held one side of the skirt in her hand while the other hand was extended upward as in praise.  She appeared so full of joy, reminding me that as His daughters this type of joy can and should be ours. 

For many days after, upon waking, I would catch this vision in my mind.  The vision is no longer active but as I was looking through family pictures today I came across this one of my granddaughter dancing.  Maybe, this picture can give us a visual image of the joy to simply let go and praise The Lord!  

                                     

Often the psalmist spoke of singing and dancing being his way of praise. Yet while reading the Psalms there is no doubt that time of trouble, despair, depression and loneliness had been a part of his life since the beginning.  While David often faced the woes of life, he always seemed to come back to the One that gave him courage and hope to go on! 

 

Just as David danced before The Lord in unlikely time of happiness so we can also.   David penned these words and other like them time and again.

 "You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance;

You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers.
I’m about to burst with song; I can’t keep quiet about you.
God, my God, I can’t thank you enough."
             Psalm 30:11-12. The Message (MSG)

 

Like David I choose to remember the times God has changed my troubles, my sorrows and my life challenges into joy.   So I will dance and burst with song as I lift up my Lord!  In the good times and in the bad (hard) times I will DANCE. . .

Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!  Psalm 149:3 ESV

Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.  Jeremiah 31:13 ESV

 

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 Spiritual Sundays, a geat place to read other encouraging, uplifting devotions

Call Me!

Friendships are one of God's true blessing for our lives. This morning with thoughts of a dear friend's request, I came to the Lord in prayer. With thoughts and prayer roaming through the cobwebs of my mind, a tune found its way in. "Call me, maybe it's late but just call me." Ever so gentle I heard Jesus say "trust me, you really must trust me, there is so much more I want to do. You can trust me!"


The gentle inner voice carried the same tune but there is no denying it was the voice of my Lord once again reminding me that He is trust worthy. Jesus was hearing my prayer of worry, my (once again) cry of fear. He,being ever so gentle, brought peace to my soul with this old secular ballad.

As you read this, bet the tune made it's way into your mind also. You are probably humming right now. Let me assure you, Frank Sinatra could woo you with this tune but he couldn't hold a candle to this morning. And who knows that God didn't whisper the words for this old ballad straight to the heart of its authors.

Imagine Jesus singing these words to me and you, His chosen bride!

"Now don't forget me, because if you let me, I will always stay by you.
You gotta to trust me, that's how it must be, there's so much that I can do.
If you call, I'll be right with you. You and I should be together.
Take this love I long to give you. I'll be at your side forever -
call me, don't be afraid, maybe it's late but just call me tell me and I'll be around
call me, don't be afraid, maybe it's late but just call me tell me and I'll be around"



Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Iron Sharpens Iron As God Listens

Why and How Iron Sharpens Iron....

This weekend God once again reminded me of the depth of His word. You will find the words in Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."

But let me begin at the beginning. This weekend would turn out to be one of those life changing events. God had it all set up. All I had to do was walk in obedience.

It started by keeping a lunch date with a sister in Christ. God had already given us a friendship but this day He would allow the iron to sharpen iron. We spoke of our love for Christ as we shared the goings on of our life. Then she shared a verse (Malachi 3:16) with me. Oh my goodness, how many years as a counselor and teacher have I told this story to His daughters? How many times have I envisioned these very words within my spirit and by the Holy Spirit? Picture with me if you will, a group of His daughters sitting around sharing story after story about the faithfulness of our Lord. In the spirit, I can see Him turn to His Son and say "look there are my girls again. How they love us.... I am so proud of them." Then He leans in closer and whispers, "I will hear them and give them the desires of their hearts."

With everything in me, I believed I was speaking truth to His daughters when I said He listens in on our conversations. However, the words were to become gospel as Sue shared God's word with me. Oh and by the way, I doubt Sue had ever heard me share that story.... She was simply sharing the Scripture from her morning devotion with The Lord.

The next day we were attending "Joy Conference". The conference speaker, Rhonda Holland spoke the same words, using the same Bible passage, of how He looks down, listening and calling us His. God says "Mine".

My point here is simple!  Sue gave me God's written word (one that was already deep in my spirit) and Rhoda came to sharpen the verse even more so...

We must not isolate ourselves! We must seek both Godly friendships, mentors and places to grow in God. When conferences are offered we must find the time to go drink and feed at the table God has prepared for us. God does use others to not only sharpen us but to confirm things deep in our spirit. I ,for one, am glad God sent His daughters my way this weekend. This story is only one of many I could share from this weekend! Perhaps, I will share more later.

By the Way, the truth is God does listen to our conversations and He does call us "MINE"... I won't put the scripture here for you because I want to challenge you to go pick up your bible and read it for yourself.

Malachi 3:16-17 Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament


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Photo from: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images

Hide and Seek

Thoughts of my son, Michael and his youngest daughter danced into my mind this morning during my quiet time. Thoughts of how Rebecca would be downstairs with me and as soon as she heard Michael come in the kitchen door she would run into my bathroom to hide.  Making his way downstairs he would begin to say "where is Rebecca?"  Although she always hid in the same place, he would open other doors in his search for her.  As soon as his hand touched the bathroom door handle her laughter would begin.  With her ear-piercing screams of delight, she would run to receive his hugs and kisses.

There are periods in my life when I go eagerly into my prayer closet.  As I go it is as though every part of my being is crying out to be with God.  However during the dark unsure periods of my life I find myself hiding.  The prayer closet seems almost dangerous and certainly a place that guilt of being so unsure will have to be dealt with.

This morning as I thought of Rebecca's father playing the game with her, I realized like Rebecca though I hide I know my Father will come to seek and find me.  When He enters the room (my heart,) my every sense of being screams with the delight of a child being loved.

Just as Michael knew where his daughter hides so my Heavenly Father knows where this daughter hides.  Can we truly hide from God? Of course not!  Does God know of my guilty feelings and of my lack of faith?  Of course He does! Still He will come calling, "daughter, where are you?" 

 

Psalm 139:1-12 - NLT

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.

You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

I can never escape from your Spirit!

I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.

Picture Credit: http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll118/Jacazza/Hide-N-Go-Seek.jpg

This Little Light of Mine

Maybe it’s because my birthday is right around the corner that all these old songs and childhood memories are surfacing. Last night this post just popped into my mind and remained clear as a bell this morning. So here goes….


Days in children’s church singing “This Little Light of Mine”, were those not the days? Days full of hope, dreams of popsicles, puppy dogs and the new boy down the street. Later the dreams became hopes of what we become, where we go in life and who we would marry. For some of us our dreams were of doing great things to make the world a better place for our kids. For many the dreams have come true. For others, not so much!

Do you remember singing this song as a child?



What if for those who think their dreams are dead, for those who think all hope is gone – what if they caught a glimpse of your light? What if we as Christians truly let our light shine? Imagine what one candle light in a dark room can do. Now imagine three. Think larger what could a group of candles do? Do we truly realize the tremendous privilege God has given us? He has given us the ability, the tools and the light we need to shine in the places where it seems dark will never end.

This little light of mine – I’m gonna let it shine; let it shine, let it shine! This little of ours, we’ve gonna let it shine; let it shine, let it shine!

Join the other gals over at Tuesdays Unwrapped know you will enjoy reading the great stories told by them.

Diffuser of Fragrance

Have you ever heard it said that one can be known by the fragrance they wear? When you walk up behind someone do they know by your fragrance that it is you? There are many things about my grandmother that I remember. Her long hair put up in a bun, her love for painted fingernails and the way she smelled of Avon talc powder are just a few of my memories.

Don’t know about you but when I leave this world I want to be remembered. Remembered not necessarily for the fragrance I wore but for being a diffuser of a fragrance. My greatest desire is that all may see the great love of Christ through me. God’s word says that through us He diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

Ponder with me this morning – do we as Christians bring and leave the scent of God’s love with others? We can you know!

"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."  2 Corinthians 2:14-15