Learning to Float

I know there's more to a post than a title but hear me out on this. I didn't want to title this post "Learning to Not Drown" though that's what I thought a lot during this study. I want to do in life than have this fear of drowning so I'm working against that fear. I want to embrace the truth that a person could "drown" in life but believers have the faith to KNOW they won't! I also thought of the title "Learning to Swim" but seriously there are times when swimming is too much to even consider. This was one of those times. Swimming was that movement that seemed way too strenuous and out of reach in this moment of my life. So floating it was! Knowing if I remain, head above water, floating where I'm at that I am doing just fine for the time being. 

{I'm not saying we should ALWAYS have the idea that floating is best! No. We should want to start swimming and moving. But there are times when floating is necessary. It gives you a rest. Keeps you from going under - dare I say it... drowning!}

Let us pray.

God, we come and meet with You now and just thank you for this time to sit and be with You. I ask that, as we go through this study together, You will guide us and help us to better understand Your Word. I know You are with us through the highs and through the lows. Be with us now as we study. Guide us as we go. Amen.

Wow! What a week!!! This was definitely one for the books... or blog! :)

Here's a glimpse of what it looked like:

*We celebrated the 100^th day of school. I dressed up as an old woman, 100 years of age obviously! My mom said I looked like my grandma, the late Lillian Lourens. That felt like a privilege to have my grandma reflected in my dress-up efforts. Might sound silly but I took it as a compliment. Maybe I put a smile on my mom's face "seeing" her mom in her daughter.

*My Baby Boy lost another tooth with the help of Big Brother. It was cute to see them "work together" but I can't be around wiggly teeth. Makes me nauseas! But he has such a cute smile now and a very proud brother!

*I had to prep for a dance at school. Oh my, what stress! My chest even began to hurt throughout the chaos. I had to run errands and felt like I was a chicken with my head cut off. I had to make sure the electric/sound was working - and, at first, it wasn't!!!! AHHHH! Then while picking up refreshments at Wal-Mart Big Brother got run over by a cart driven by Baby Boy. The screams, the thrashing, the wailing that followed. Sweet old ladies ran hurried to his side. Oh, it was chaos! Then the day of the dance, Big Brother was sick and mommy needed to stay home with him. I hate having sick sons but I love being able to be there for them and comfort them. Because of this sickness, however, I became a little more stressed about the dance. Things fell into place, help flooded in, and it worked out in the end!

*I finished reading an amazing book by C.S. Lewis: "The Screwtape Letters." WOW! What a read! There were times I had to put the book down because it was so intense. Other times I had to put it down because he used some really big words and my blonde simple minded understanding was struggling to understand, even after I had exhausted all of my reading comprehension skills!

I had been feeling attacked a lot lately. Not by a dog... or a mean person... but by something deeper than that. On a spiritual level. Oh, I want you to know this was challenging. This was hard. I felt I had been taking one step closer to God, deepening my relationship, and then BOOM! POW! Two smacks in the spiritual gut and I was knocked down and out of the path or nudged backwards by the gusts of strong, angry winds. See it??? Let that be a visual for the moment. 

So one day I was listening to radio and the faceless voice said, "...your burden may be heavy but you will not drown." I was like "WHOA!" <<<mind blown>>>  My mind started flooding with visuals of Peter in the water. A hand outstretched. He had taken steps of faith outside the boat to meet his Master on the waters. Then... sinking! The radio host immediately began playing "Oceans Deep" and, although I've heard it MANY times, I just focused on these words. 

"My faith will stand"

"I am Yours, You are mine"

"Wherever You would call me"

"My faith will be made stronger... in the presence of my Savior"

"I will call upon Your name"

Take a minute to read Matthew 11:28-30. It is such a beautiful verse, a wonderful promise! Jesus invites us in. And it's not a dinner invitation we would want to think up a good excuse why not to go. He is calling out to those who are weary and burdened. Oh, THAT was me!!!!! It's all of us every know and then. It's when we are needing to just float! The beautiful promise: "I will give you rest." That word - REST - is a word any of us can relate to. Tired college kids, new moms, worn out professionals! Of course the phsyical "rest" gets me geared up. I LOVE to nap. Rest does a body good!! "I'm closing my eyes for a moment, Big Jake. Just getting a little rest!" (I saw a little girl's onsie that said "I NAP LIKE A BOSS". I need that in adult size!!) But this rest is the spiritual kind. The rest that your soul drinks up. It needs!! And Jesus, JESUS, supplies it to us. All we have to do is come! But WAIT!! There's more...! (those all-too-famous "As Seen On TV" words on late-night infomercials...) His yoke is easy, His burden is light. Those are refreshing words too. Literally giving rest to my soul as I take them in even as I type this tonight. Jesus spoke in terms so that simple-minded folk could understand Him (if it was something they were to understand at the time). Instead of a heavy yoke on their shoulders, His is easy to manage and the burden that falls on His children is light. Oh, the weight that would be lifted off of us if we only let ourselves drop our yokes at His feet daily and trust in His Word! It will help our posture as we stand in our faith.

Now flip to Isaiah 26:3. Another promise, did you catch it?! There's a PERFECT peace only found in Immanuel. It is not extended to the wicked. It is extended to those of us who are fixed on God. We are in His peace so we should not be shocked by chaos – there should be a steady about us knowing God has us in His eternal peace. We find it in Him and receive from Him everlasting strength, those who trust. Do not lose confidence or cast your trust elsewhere! Keep it in Him.

Now let's look at another set of verses. Those of you from the original study group will remember our in-depth study on the book of James. Such wisdom! Here's a great one to go with our theme of floating... James 1:2-4. Counting all things joy in suffering brings up that confidence again in God! Remember, James is speaking to believers!! Trials faced by the early Christians is on a whole other level than my life stresses. So this definitely puts things in perspective. Remember the fact that if God has placed those trials in our lives, then He is actively seeking to strengthen us and giving us opportunities to grow and reflect. Like a good strength/sports coach!! They will push you because they know you need that challenge. It will make you better in the end. Oh, years of volleyball camps and practices are flooding my mind! So now look at it spiritually: those tests of faith develop perseverance, leading to a mature Christian character. I want to be that! I hope you do, too. It takes work but, wow, is it going to be worth it! (see also Romans 5:3)

One final verse for me to study with you... Isaiah 41:10. This is the exact verse our Sunday School teacher quoted in class. God likes to link things together if you've never noticed!! "I am your God." He is staking claim in me. Yes! Please!! He is there to strengthen and uphold us. This can’t be done in our absence from Him. I love the part with "right hand" being a righty myself (I'm not downing lefties... He still loves you too). It's comforting to know He has a hand in the matter (no pun intended). He is not distant. And in His closeness, He is playing a role in our lives. He is silencing fears, encouraging faith. He prevents falls and then helps us up when we do fall. This isn’t just a feel-good coffee mug verse. It’s a deep promise that tucks us in at night; strengthens us to walk through trials of life; builds our trust in this sovereign and awesome God that is willing to bend down and hold us, strengthen us, help us, and raise us up. Amen!!!!!

Y'all know I could go on and on and on for way longer. I know this has been a long one - and I even cut out half! The verses I cut out I pasted down below with a little commentary of mine. Let me just end with some final thoughts...

Whatever we may face, our God strengthens us. Our hope is in You, Lord. And because that, no matter our circumstances, no true evil will come upon us. Our soul rests in the Lord. We believe it, we have faith in it. We KNOW it! “all you who…” is not everyone! Not all folks hope in the Lord. But those of us that do are called by David to be strong and take heart knowing that our God gives us that strength (see Psalm 31:24). We have that security and confidence. And it leads to results. We will persevere. We will make it out, whenever that end may be. But rest assure that He has us! We will stay above the waters!

Our Father in Heaven,

Oh this was amazing!! I can not thank You enough for desiring a relationship with us so much so that You speak to us, You support us, You guide us. Your promises are true, I know that!! I pray as we go about our lives this day that we take a look at our stresses - we remember Your Words of truth and promise and we cling to You. You grow us. You strengthen us. And Lord I pray we remember that it is all for Your glory and we honor You for that. Let us not get bogged down, but learn to seek You in trials. Let us remember to be clay in Your hands. Mold us and make us. Thank You for Your grace and mercy and unending love. Amen!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are a few verses to look at and study on your own time. What do they say to you? Feel free to write me and let me know what pops out at you. God speaks to us in different ways! I can't wait for Him to speak intimately to you.

*Psalm 31:24 - an encouraging psalm. Get ready to sing and dance!

*Philippians 4:6-7 - just putting this out there: verse 7 is my favorite! Paul is emphasizing the importance of prayer... an antidote for worry. So wonderful.

*Proverbs 4:25 - Another bit of wisdom from King Solomon.

*Psalm 16:8 - David likely wrote this during or after a crisis of some sort. Here he is professing His confidence in the Lord. Awesome sauce!! 

*NOTE: this blog post was originally intended to be just one part! But as I studied and my notes grew and I began to type, I decided to drop some verses from the detailed piece and give them to you for further study. Also, I was stirred to study someone in particular who relates to our topic. So this subject will continue for another post or two. I don't want to be known as the blogger who puts readers to sleep with too long of entries! Instead, I want to be known as the blogger who spurs her readers to read, study, and search more... long after they've closed the browser. :)

Our Refuge - Part 2 of 2

Hello, dear friends! This has been another whirlwind of a week. But I am so thankful to be sitting here and typing to you. Let's get right into it with a quick word of prayer to start us off and get our minds set on Him!

Dear Heavenly Father,
I'm so grateful to be back here again with You and my friends. Lord, help us to put our attention on You. Let our surroundings just cancel out for a moment and let us find peace in Your presence. You have brought us through another week. All of our lives have been different, with different situations. Only You know it all - the stresses, fears, weight of jobs, family, the world. But thank You for continuing to hold us, protect us, hear from us, and guide us. Lord, I ask that You do just that today as we study Your Word again. Guide us! Amen.

Let me share this... as I was just typing that prayer (I usually sit with eyes closed, in a "peaceful moment" and just type what I am saying in my mind) my sons were upstairs both yelling "MOM" because they can't decide on a movie to watch TOGETHER, our dogs ate their kibbles and then Bodie went on to throw it all back up only to eat it AGAIN, and Big Jake sat in the background watching UFC on LOUD -it's kinda our "thing" to watch together now. OH, how the distractions were alllllllllllllll around! But I know our Father smiles down on this moment. I will continue making Him the focus.

Side note:  (((we LOVE our tangents)))
I've started reading C.S. Lewis' book, "Screwtape". I had seen it in the library and thought it looked interesting (the title was intriguing) but C.S. Lewis was smart and used "smart people" language. I'm simple. I rely on the thesaurus to sound smart!! So I didn't think I could get through his book. Then I heard what it was about - a conversation (letters) between two demons about a "patient" (person). Then I was intrigued! I figured I could look up those BIG words when needed. I only get to read a little at a time with our busy schedules, but it's a very intense book. A good read. In it, the demons talk about interruptions that need to be placed in the life of the patient. Distractions. Focus-losers. I tell you all of this because of the prayer event from above. I'm not saying I have a demon assigned to me - LORD, I pray I don't. But I know I don't have a COMPLETE knowledge of the spiritual world. Don't think I will until eternity - if even then. I have no doubt, though, that distractions are constantly being placed before us by the Adversary to keep us from growing more intimate in our relationship with the Father, an extremely valuable priority!!

Our focus the past few weeks has been the idea of God as our refuge! We had an Introduction to the Series and Part 1 so far. We will wrap up this subject focus today! My prayer is that you have received some new insight, a better understanding, and/or an increased drive to seek the Father and know Him as your refuge - and to let Him use you to show this truth to others.

Ok ya'll! So there were three more verses we were going to focus on regarding refuge.
Psalm 91:1-2
Psalm 62:6-8
Proverbs 14:26
We will go ahead and dive into the first one and keep rolling along!

Psalm 91:1-2 reads He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
In Part 1, we talked about Psalm 91. I'm not going to worry too much about the back story then. In these first two verses of the chapter we hear an amazing "choice and promise" thing going on. The person who chooses {choice} to dwell in His shelter (living a life of communion with God) will {promise} abide in His shadow (protection and security at all times). WOW! That is DEFINITELY a verse for a coffee mug!!!! I love how God does not force us to do anything - it is through free will. This then makes it even more "God-glorifying" when we CHOOSE Him. But He doesn't make a scene out of us choosing Him. He does something greater - He covers us, protects us, shelters us. As a parent, when your child chooses to run over and give you a hug you accept it and give the child a huge bear squeeze right back. You don't stand up and shout, "Look, baby boy knows he needed to give me a hug because I deserve it. I'll just sit here and let him squeeze me and not reciprocate." NO! Your love grows for your child. You cherish that hug! And then you give back to him. How great is our Father that He gives something back to us. Oh, if we are honest with ourselves we KNOW we don't deserve anything of the sort. But with all humility we accept His givings and glorify Him even more!!!

Friends, let me say a few more things about the above verses. Choosing to dwell in the Almighty shows a true believer's character. We know this is our true "home" - all those military friends out there, this might resonate with you! With that, believers who choose Him gain that confidence in comfort and privilege in receiving shelter from those things that try to eternally hurt us. He is a shelter both from the storms of life and, at times, the hot blazing rays of sunshine. I usually relate sunshine to happy and relaxing. Until I drove home (WEST) one evening during sunset and could barely see the road and cars before me. My glasses weren't doing the job. And my hand trying to block the sun was also blocking the traffic before me. I was very tempted to pull over and wait 15 minutes for the sun to lower some more (yes, I know the sun doesn't move or "lower" but you smart folks get what I'm talking about) before I continued on my commute carefully. One last thought about shelter: it's not a temporary pass or a short-lived vacation with God. It is a residence for believers! "He will be their rest and refuge forever!" (Matthew Henry commentary)  It is a choice. This has amazing promises connected to it. So what do you choose?

Psalm 62:6-8  He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.
This is another psalm penned by David. The background of it (time, reason, etc) is not known. But throughout this chapter David professes his confidence in God and then encourages others to do the same. In verses 6-8 David identifies who God is to him. These descriptors are so powerful! Rock. Salvation. Fortress. Refuge. What/who do you stand on? What foundation do you have under you? God is our rock, a firm foundation. I can stand confidently on Him and His truths! He is our salvation. He saves us!!! This, we will be eternally grateful for. He is our fortress. The protection He provides keeps out eternal harm (like mentioned in the verse above). My house is NOT a good fortress. Someone could probably kick in my front door and get in. Hopefully my crazy protective dogs would then intercede (or our other means of home defense). But God is a FORTRESS! Again, I think of Lord of the Rings and the fortresses that were in that movie. Times that by infinity and that's my God's fortress protection! I love how David proclaims "I will not be shaken." That is a truth for all of us. But I see it as one we must choose to uphold in ourselves. God will not be shaken. Yet we are mere mortals. We must choose daily to stand in Him and NOT BE SHAKEN! Hold tight to His truths and promises, friends. The world around us might tremble and shake but as we seek shelter in Him, hold tight and stand strong! Trust in Him AT ALL TIMES! He will not take a coffee break from His sons and daughters who seek to be with Him. David makes a plea: pour out your heart before Him. I pray you know this: God already knows your heart! It has to do with relationship building though. Communicate with Him. Talk to Him. Let Him hear your heart - not just your hopes, dreams, and desires. Let Him hear your fears, your stresses, your insecurities. Your faith will grow through exercise. And as your faith grows, so will your joy and trust in the Father.

Our final verse of the study...
Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.
Knowing the Father and having a relationship with Him builds that strong confidence in Him: who He is and His promises. This is a lot like the above verses. But my favorite part of this verse is the ending: ...his children will have a refuge. For those parents out there, have you ever thought about your child's life after you? What I mean by that: we won't be with our child every step of the way. When they are older and on their own, do you wonder what their life will be like? What decisions they will make? Oh, I know I've taken my parents on a roller coaster ride of parenting. But they did an amazing job of raising me in the Father, allowing me to have this knowledge at such a young age. The knowledge that the Father loves me. I had to learn many things the hard way. MANY THINGS! EXTREMELY HARD! My parents, however, lived a life I saw (and still observe) that led me to His truths and promises. I then furthered my understanding beyond what they afforded me. The way we live our lives (walk - talk) effects our children. If we can demonstrate and model for them a interactive relationship with the Father, our sons and daughters will have experience in it prior to their days of independence outside of our arms. It will still be a choice for them that they will have to make. And our prayers will be flooding over them in that. Proverbs 22:6: Raise a child up in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart. What greater gift could we give our children than to show them the Way?! Then, they might know His awesomeness and choose to seek shelter and refuge in Him. AMEN!!

I hope you have received some good news today. Learned new truths. Gained more clarity. Received more joy! I am revived! How amazing to know and remember that God is a refuge for those who CHOOSE Him. He can not be shaken - we will not be shaken if we cling to Him. He is our protector! To know this and feel this just gives me such confidence and reliance on Him!

So where are you? Is He your fortress? Do you stand in His protective shadow? If not or if you have been struggling to rely on Him, now would be as good of a time as ever to realign yourself to Him. Come back to Him. His promises hold true. He WILL BE your refuge. It is your choice! He is standing there, strong and able. What an amazing visual!?! The God of this universe ready to shelter and protect us from any harm. And our children may follow and know that this is true.

Dear Father,
How amazing is this study! I have gained a greater confidence in Your foundation in my life. You have shown me more promises and truths that I want to cling to. My prayer is that we will hold these tight to us and do something with it - ACT upon it. I pray we choose to make our residency in You. To not just seek You in the hard times but find our rest and comfort in You all the time! And Lord how awesome is the thought of being an example to our sons and daughters and others of this world that they might choose to seek refuge in You all the days of their lives. God, You have filled me and led me through this study, I have no doubt! I pray this has been pleasing to You. That my friends reading this have gained more knowledge of You and now eagerly look to You for protection and comfort. Thank You for Your promises, for Your truths that we can stand firm in and not be shaken! Oh, how awesome that is! Walk with us as we go about our day. Lead us in Your ways. Protect us Lord Jesus. Amen.

Our Refuge - Part 1 of 2

Good morning ladies! Here we meet again. I am so excited about this! My week has been hectic both at work and at home. While I type this, I am sitting at my sons' Saturday morning jujitsu class. While the boys are studying this martial art, I am studying the Word with my girlfriends! Sounds like a great time to me - thanks for joining me in spirit!

I have been anticipating this time of study with you and looking forward to our gathering (it might be cyber but I know our connections are real). We will continue reading and focusing on the idea of refuge. We will dissect a few verses on the subject (all three in the book of Psalms... 9:9, 46:1, and 91:9-10). We will cover the other three verses in the next post. So let's get going...

Dear God, Good morning! We are eager and excited to study Your Word again today. I am looking forward to what new lessons and meanings You are going to reveal to us! For me, it's been a crazy week but I thank You for being a part of it and guiding me through all of it. I ask that Your Spirit will guide us in this study of refuge - a subject that many verses and sayings have pointed to and referred to in my week alone. You reaffirm this study to me!!! Let Your Words imprint on our hearts and stir us to love You deeper and serve You more with willingness and eagerness! Amen.

So a few weeks ago I felt a huge tug in my heart to study refuge - the physical, the spiritual, the emotional meaning to this word. It is found all throughout the Psalms. It is used in other books to describe locations where people could go in the Kingdom of Israel (Cities of Refuge). In Hebrew, the word refuge is machaseh (makh-as-eh') and occurs about 20 times in the Bible, according to Strong's Concordance. Other sites mention it being used in the Bible more than that. Either way, the depth of the meaning of this word intrigues me! Hope, shelter, trust!

I recently dealt with a situation involving a student bouncing from our school to two other schools and then returning to my classroom all within one week. The inconsistencies in his home life are not of his doing - he is a child!! But it broke my heart... my heart cried for him (I cried for him)! I remember how upon his return to our school he turned the corner to head to my classroom and both of our faces just lit up! The moment he walked in to my classroom, I hugged him long and hard and told him how excited I was to have him back with us!! He told me he had been thinking of us and wanting to be here, not in another classroom or with another teacher. I knew that to the best of my abilities I would provide him consistency at school. I would keep him safe. I would have the best of intentions for him. Even when he might want to just play and mess around, I would still do what was best for him since I know his educational (and emotional) needs. And I am only his teacher!!!!!!! How much deeper and stronger are our Father's feelings and intentions for us. I can guarantee you the hug that I feel like sending up to my Father is as tight, if not tighter, than the one this little kiddo gave to me on his return. And the squeeze that my Father "sends down" to me is more consuming than the one I could muster up for this child. Oh, the refuge of safety and love our Father consistently provides in our times of need for comfort and security.

Psalm 9:9 states "The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble." Although some folks have been told, and believe, that Christians are promised a good, happy-filled, fluffy life, that is not biblical. What is biblical is that God's people will have hard times and be oppressed. That might not sound too peachy but it's the truth. On the flip side of that though, we can flee to Him and faithfully know that no REAL harm will be done. I'm not saying we won't get boo-boos on our elbows, scrapes on our knees, and knocks to our egos. But when I say real I am relating that to the spiritual and eternal. My God has promised protection in that. This gives believers a "sweet satisfaction and repose of the mind." (Matthew Henry's commentary of Psalm 9:1-10) THAT is what I will cling to, knowing how this relates to "real harm".

So then that brings us to Psalm 46:1 and 91:9-10. I jump to these two because of what they state and have in common with the above verse.

Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Here we hear refuge and strength used together. To know that we not only have a shelter of protection but a STRONG shelter is even more awesome! Think about it - the THREE LITTLE PIGS!! The Big Bad Wolf destroyed the first two shelters (aka refuges)! But he couldn't conquer the third. I give credit to the little piggy that built it because he knew what to use as building materials. The other little piggies might have had to swallow their ego to run to his house (or they had really just ran out of options...). But they ran to the most promising structure, one that would offer refuge in their troubled times. Hear me out though ya'll... don't seek vacations outside of this refuge! Who doesn't like a nice getaway vacation?!?! In our relationship with God, we shouldn't take those vacations away from His promised shelter. Stay in His protection. For the enemy is always prowling around. He doesn't work 8-5 and then honor the Sabbath. So flee to the Father and be secure. One final thought on this verse: it states He is a very PRESENT help. This is a promise to us that we won't have to seek His whereabouts: no GPS directions we will have to follow, get frustrated with, and give up. NO! He is present. He is near. Though Big Jake is not sitting at my very side while I type this, he is near. If I needed him, he'd be right by my side. Even if he was at the store, he'd be "present" in the sense of a phone call away and a quick drive down the street. I may not be physically present to my amazing girlfriends, but I am present in their lives (or at least try to be). How much greater presence our Father in Heaven offers us as our refuge and strength!!! We will never find anything comparable in all of creation.

Psalm 91:9-10 - Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place - the Most High, who is my refuge- no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. There is a discussion whether this chapter (91) was penned by Moses or David. Matthew Henry seems to lean more towards David, who possibly wrote this during the time of his "punishment" following the census (2 Samuel 24:1). Back story: David had been provoked by Satan to sin (nothing new there) which offended God. David counted his men to know his army's size - offering him a reason to boast of his greatness, taking the focus off of God. As a military wife, I was introduced to this chapter as the Soldier's prayer (Marine's... Airman's... Seaman's... Troop's... whatever!!!) It is full of great promises, guaranteed to all His people. In this chapter, David speaks to us about making God our habitation. And, good news! There's room for all of us in His mansion!!! Because, let's be serious... I don't care HOW loving you are, in a cramped space we are all going to get crabby!! But back on focus... we are told no real evil will fall upon us though we will experience troubles. I read this great part of the commentary by Matthew Henry: ...at times it (life) may be grievous, not joyous... but no evil will befall you... there is a mixture of good in it and a product of good by it... not only the person, but the dwelling shall be taken under divine protection. I love how it says "No evil shall be allowed...". I think of Gandalf and his staff: "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!" 

How much greater is my God who stands as my protector and shelters me from evil, rearing His mighty hand and outstretched arm, commanding no evil to fall on His people. Now that's an awesome visual!! Get on it, Hollywood! Make this amazing scene using your high-tech visual effects! *but don't ruin it

I think of this house that surrounds me. Inside I am dry, warm, and safe. It is spacious. It is clean (uh, ok... it's "tidy"). But it has marks, nail holes, and scratched floors. Termites might make their home in the walls someday. And the wind might push through some of the lifted seals over time. And, yikes! A cracked foundation if it ever came to that. But in my God I find a perfect refuge. He covers me from the storms of this worldly life - I might get sprinkled on or shaken from the thunder but no real danger will come of it. His walls will not be corroded, His foundation will not be shaken. So in His refuge is where I find myself. And if there is a day when I don't find myself in His security (and in all honesty there has been that "day"), I know I can (re)turn to my Maker and He will offer me vacancy in His spacious mansion with an extended-stay promise. Won't you join me in His refuge? And let's invite a friend while we are at it!

Dear God, this time with You has been awesome! Thank You for flooding my mind with reflections and knowledge. How great it feels to apply Your truths to my life - to my decisions. God, as unclear as this posting might have seemed at times, Lord I ask that its focus and intentions are made clear to the readers and it glorifies You. My thoughts and understandings can get all tangled up so I ask they are made perfect and clear in You. Lord, I pray I have given way to Your Spirit and not of my desires. I walk away from this post with an excited spirit, just reaffirmed in what all You offer us as Your adopted sons and daughters! Thank you God for Your blessings and provisions. I ask that we remain in You and are guided by You in our lives. And that we arrive not at the unsteady tents of this world but at the fully protected shelter of the Lord. Amen.

Taking Refuge - A Quick Note

When I think of God as our refuge, I think of...
*times I've been in physical danger and He covered me
*times when I have experienced emotional or mental distress and He held me
*times when I am worn down and tired and He holds me (I like to cuddle!!)

Recently we tried reaching out to the Saturday Night Lady (introduced in the previous post). When I had called or text her to follow up and offer any more help, I would either get voicemail, no response, or a quick pick-up/hang-up. I was confused and frustrated and wanted to just yell through the phone: I JUST WANT TO HELP YOU!!! Then, I would turn to God and say just about the same thing: WHY DID SHE COME INTO OUR LIVES, YOU OPENED OUR EYES TO SOMETHING, WE ARE WILLING TO HELP - isn't that what You want out of us??? - AND YET WE CAN NOT RECONNECT WITH THIS WOMAN???? (sorry for all the caps but I definitely what to emphasize what my heart was feeling. Note: I wasn't screaming at Him, just pouring it all out to Him) 

Big Jake and I were discussing this - I was sharing my frustrations about this. All of a sudden the words that Big Jake spoke seemed like words of wisdom (I often think he is a wise one - but this was different). He said: Maybe God is protecting us from something that COULD happen through this new relationship.    ((((mind blown)))  Have you seen the new TMNT movie? There's a part when Michelangelo makes a "mind-blowing" gesture after Splinter says some wise words and that's exactly the movement I did when I heard those words of wisdom flowing from Big Jake's mouth. I truly believe it was a moment when God used an adopted son of His to answer my mind-knotting question.

To recap what I learned:
God opened our eyes to see someone's pain. We responded by helping her with monetary support and offering any other help to her family. We even exchanged numbers. We met with God in prayer opened our minds and hearts to what He had planned for this - no matter how big! We tried reaching out to her over the next few days. Frustration grew in my mind and I asked God why it was so hard to help her. Big Jake and I conferenced over the matter and an answer came: take refuge and trust in Me! (((mind blown... again)))

Oh, how God shows Himself. How God speaks. How God protects us, calms us down, teaches us lessons, shows us His heart!!

Sometimes I think God wants to see how far we are willing to go as His servants, whether He uses us at that moment or not. He's preparing us for something greater for His kingdom's sake. We don't know His eternal plans.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. ~Proverbs 3:5

My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.  ~2 Samuel 22:3

 

Put me in, Coach... I'm ready to play (I pray)!

Until then, let me stay warmed up and ready on the sidelines!!!

You are My Refuge {Series Introduction}

It's already Tuesday night but <<this>> post has been on my mind for a few days now -- even before this blog went LIVE! Let's get our focus on Him. Then: a quick timeline to get you caught up...

Dear God, thanks for encouraging me (aka bugging me - in a good way) to sit down and get typing! Seriously took me allll day but I did it... thanks for being continual in Your encouraging. Thanks for not giving up on it -- just as You've never given up on me. Lord, let these words that follow be pleasing to You and glorifying to You. My vocabulary is pathetic (did Moses ever think that too?) but You know my heart and I hope it aligns with all that You have intended out of this blog. Guide us in our studies. Amen!

Saturday night... We met a wonderfully sweet lady and sons asking for help outside our local grocery store. Between her broken English and my extremely small Spanish vocab, I figured out a few things: she believes and prays to God, misses her husband, and has little to no support around here. This touched our hearts and we wanted so badly to help her beyond the small handout we gave her. After exchanging numbers, we were sure we would stay in contact and help her out. Effort was made to invite her to church and lunch the next day but, again, our HUGE communication barrier caused the plans to not go through. This did not stop Big Jake and me from praying intentionally for God to use us in their lives and others like them. (I could "see" this huge door opening and wondering what in the world this meant for us - here in town, around our country, in other nations.... ???)
 
Sunday... Our church only had one service this day. Coincidentally As God had planned it, one of our pastors spoke on Paul's words in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 {¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.}. The huge point that I received out of Pastor Trace's teaching that day was: "Anna, study the Word MORE... then you will be better prepared for good works that God could do through you." Yes, Sir! I hear You loud and clear!! Fact is, I know this but often I fall into slumps... I plateau... I become content in my Walk with Him. This was a great reminder! Pair it with our paths crossing with our new friend the night before and my mind was running!!!
 
My dearest friends know that once I get an idea stuck in my mind, I have a VERY hard time letting it go - putting it to sleep - until I feel satisfied with the findings and "figureoutings" (there you go, Webster - get with me for the definition!). The idea of a refugee kept creeping into my mind during the sermon that Sunday (go ahead and tell Pastor Trace because I was paying attention to him... promise! Look at my Sermon Notes notebook). I did what a normal woman of the Word would do... I flipped to the Index! My Bible has TWO so double score! I looked up the "refuge" and started jotting down any verses that had that word in them. Then, ordering those verses I charged through my Bible - while listening to the sermon - and marking the ones that really stood out to me. Those ones got starred for later research! I wrapped up in time for the Invitation, during which time I sang my lungs out to a sweet song performed on the organ with beautiful pipes pushing out the such loudness! NOTE: I found beauty in that as it made me think of my sweet Grandma W. but in all honesty I prefer the Contemporary Worship time. :)
 
Now if you've read this long, pat yourself on the back, splash some cold water on your face, stretch and rub your eyes... and charge on! I promise it's worth it. God's been tapping my shoulder to sit and type this blog post up. So don't disappoint the Big Man (...no guilt trip)!
 
Definition time... take note!
A refugee is a person who is outside their home country because they have suffered (or feared) persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, or political opinion; because they are a member of a persecuted social category of persons; or because they are fleeing a war. (thanks, Wikipedia)
A refuge is a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble; something providing shelter. I love the synonyms I found:  protection, safety, security, sanctuary. That is lovely to me!

I share these two definitions because it's where God has taken my mind. Whether it was from the meeting with the Saturday Night Lady, or the thoughts of my students and their lives outside of my Kindergarten classroom, or those folks we can donate money to so they can receive livestock and items for daily living, or the thoughts of orphans who are CRAVING a loving home and forever family (why does it have to cost so much to reach out to them and why does the system/process take so long for some families to be granted the opportunity to pour their love into a child in need?). I don't know why God put this focus on my mind but I love it. I love it because He's drawing me nearer to Him through this topical focus. Let Him do the same with you!!
 
So  since I've written a novel this evening - and I don't think I've even scratched the surface because everything keeps rolling around in my mind - I'll end with this. Here's a few verses for you to meditate on (I'd say "chew on" but then that makes me think of food, then I think I should go forge through the pantry, and then I'll be too full to go to bed... oh, the struggles I endure).
 
Psalm 9:9   Psalm 46:1  Psalm 62:6-8  Psalm 91:1-2  Psalm 91:9-10  Proverbs 14:26
 
"Where are the full verses," you ask? I figured 1) you could click on each one and read from the shortcut I provided or 2) grab your personal Bible and look them up. Then if you like it, you can underline/highlight/mark it up to engrain it in your mind. That's how I roll!

After one reading (a basic introduction to refuge)...
*Which verse do you immediate feel drawn to?
*What does your refuge look like, feel like?
*When have you felt drawn to Him for refuge? Or have you EVER felt drawn to Him for refuge?
*Do you trust in His refuge?

Some of the questions might be tough to respond to right now. We will look deeper into this "refuge" topic in the next post. But for now, take one of these verses and write it on your heart (or start with a notecard) and view it daily. Think on it. Meditate. See and hear what God has to say to you.

Let's call it a night, friend.

Heavenly Father, what a moment this was! My mind was racing and I felt You guiding me. I pray that was the case, from the bottom of my heart!! I ask that whoever reads this post will receive something out of it in Your name. Whether it be a connection, a question, a reason to seek You more... I pray it shifts our eyes and heart towards You. God, as we seek out the idea of refuge I ask that You show Yourself as the ultimate Refuge in our lives here on Earth. Let us better understand this principle and the power behind this word. Your power!! Amen.

If You Move, I'll Move...

Where You go, I'll go... Where You stay I'll stay... If You move, I'll move... I will follow YOU!

This is a lovely chorus from a song by Chris Tomlin (you can hear the whole song with lyrics here - if we were in person, you know I'd sing it for you!!). The reason I bring up this chorus is for the purpose of sharing my move. We were stationed in North Carolina for four years (one year longer than originally planned but that year was one of the best years of my life). Then it was time for our family to move to Alabama. This was going to be a very bittersweet move.. the hardest one of our lives by far! We had solid friendships and, let's be real, even technology can't keep you as tied to friends as a close proximity. We prayed over this move. Knowing that it was God's will for this next step in Big Jake's career, we went. We said our See Ya Later's (knowing it wasn't a forever good-bye) and hit the road.

I write all of this to you because I knew this would affect our study group, Acts 2:42. We planned joked about FaceTiming me in on Friday mornings to facilitate our gatherings. I knew I was going to have a hard time moving away from this amazing group of gals. Big Jake encouraged me to "see" my new mission field: my new classroom, my new job, my new neighborhood, my NEW. This was an exciting thought for me, but, man, I knew I was going to miss the Acts 2:42 group - those intimate interactions with girls who knew me - the good, the bad, the ugly.

So getting into this new groove of mine in Alabama, honestly, was rough. I had a hard time maintaining my own study time with the Father. I wasn't getting plugged in and connecting with other women who studied the Word. Even my "coffee talk" (prayer time) with Him was not occurring frequently enough - a friend would consider our relationship dead by the lack of time spent together!!

Thank God I serve a God who wants me to draw near to Him! Otherwise, it'd be like I was on a boat with no motor and no guide, floating aimlessly in an everlasting sea with no shore.

Just in the recent weeks (maybe months) God has continued talking to me, even if it was on a megaphone trying to get my undivided attention which He fully deserves. I knew it was way past time to start a blog. A while back, I started one under my account but never really used it. Instead of naming a whole other blog, I would make that one what it was meant for - connecting me and YOU with God!

My intention is to type on here often, with the focus being on God: drawing us nearer to Him, walking closer to Him, finding our refuge in Him, setting our eyes on Him, and living our lives so others see Him (in us). I will start us with a prayer and end with a prayer. We will have verses to look up and reference. While you read my posts, please feel free to nibble on a few snacks! And, although this is a blog post, you can ALWAYS comment and we can reach each other that way - the way of fellowship in the 21st Century! :)

So tonight I end with this...
God,
Thank you for this fire relit in me. I pray this blog is a place where I can record Your promptings in my life... where we can reflect on Your awesomeness here... where we can learn to apply new or rediscovered Truths to our lives... where women can feel Your love pouring out on our lives. Lord, guide me as I blog. Lead me in YOUR will. And let this be an outreach to someone - whether I know her or not, You do. Speak into her life. Lord let her hear. I give this to You!
Amen.

Acts 2:42 ... the Beginning

Ever have a moment when you feel prompted to do something?

Just tonight I told Big Jake that I feel prompted by God to do something, I just don't know what. He laughed at me! Now don't go thinking my husband is insensitive, doesn't listen, and just doesn't understand. His laughter came by way of my physical movements. When I'm "in to something" I <<<get in to it>>> with hand gestures and facial expressions. I must have really poured myself into that statement tonight because his later interpretation of me was Emmy-worthy!

IN A NUT SHELL...

At the start of 2013, God was prompting me to do something. I remember reading through scripture (I was completing a Beth Moore study on my own) in the book of Acts and I came across chapter 2, verse 42. That verse was underlined, highlighted, and reread so many times - there was just something about it. As I was diving further into His Word, it became VERY evident that I was to share the Good News that I was studying with other women and I would base it on the four principals of Acts 2:42: study, prayer, fellowship, and "bread". Through word of mouth (my husband invited co-workers' wives since I didn't really know too many women at the time -- and this was a HUGE step for my husband) I opened up my home and let down my wall of security to follow God's prompting for me to fellowship, study, break bread, and pray with women.

It started out slowly, a few different women each week. But it grew. And I mean GREW!! It wasn't just the size of the small group that grew but our depth of connections grew. There was a bond that formed between many of us. I had N-E-V-E-R had this many godly women in my life! I am an extroverted person and am not afraid to be transparent with my life (maybe that's because I have no filter or "slow down" part of my brain that makes me really think through if I should open up and share or keep it to myself). Either way, I grew ten-fold in my love for God, His Word, His Kingdom, and His daughters (and sons, too).

Study, Fellowship, Prayer, and Bread

We would meet weekly and study deeply: Ruth, the Bible's origins and layout, Proverbs 31, James, Judges, women of the Bible, etc. I would take their ideas or needs and focus my studies in preparing researched lessons supported by solid commentary. I loved doing this for my girls! And it strengthened my relationship with the Father! Win-win!!! We would have wonderful fellowship time, often running into lunch time (never complaining... I didn't have many deep, meaningful friendships up to this point, like, EVER in my life). Our prayer time always preceded our study as well as wrap up our study. Taking prayer requests from each other at the end would offer us opportunities to intercede for one another during our own personal prayer times throughout the week. And, it would bring us closer! Opening up and sharing our personal praises and requests - even those unspoken ones - added to our friendships (did I mention this was HUGE for me???). As for the bread... we saw this as an opportunity to make/bring treats and eat together! What person does not like food? No, we didn't have a loaf of bread that we would break together each week (though the thought had crossed my mind). Food brings people together - and keeps bellies from rumbling. So it was a weekly part of the study as well. Some weeks it was an abundance of tasty treats, other times it was a few last minute pick-ups from the local grocery store. Either way, when we focused our study on these four main principals like those believers from the early Church recorded in the book of Acts.

That might not have been the smallest nut shell possible but, if you know me, that's the best I can do! This was the beginning of "Acts 2:42", an amazing study group focused on deepening our knowledge in the Word and strengthening our relationship with the Father.