I (need to) Get On My Knees

*You know how I LOVE music!! Do you know that song from the title?

On My Knees - Jaci Velasquez

If I prayed as often as I felt led, my knees would be busted, bruised, and raw from so much hit-the-floor praying. It's not that I don't want to ruin my knees or dirty my pants -- it's just that I don't... I JUST DON'T! Poor excuse -- no excuse. (I'm being very honest and transparent, y'all). Can you relate?

I have found myself leaning more on other things like calling my spouse/a friend/my mom to talk. NOT that that's wrong to seek advise and support -- but that shouldn't be my first source. GOD should be the first lifeline!

I have found myself detouring around prayer with things like Facebook and Pinterest. If you know me, you know it's getting ridiculous when that detour includes laundry and housecleaning!!!!!

I have found myself consumed with other important projects like additional school work (not required) and extending projects that shouldn't require much but I put more into them just for the extension.

Man, if I was a friend of mine being treated by me like this we wouldn't be close friends much longer!

There's the difference though. I don't know why - I just don't understand it! The God of the Universe, the Creator Himself continues to seek me in a relationship when I put Him off and drop Him on my list of priorities.

Have you ever heard someone say, "Why do people treat the ones they love so disrespectfully or rudely?" Then a reply comes like, "Because they know their loved one will always be there and they just learn to take it - the other person really doesn't feel that way, they just give their loved one the leftovers." Let's be honest... that's a crummy attitude. And leftovers get mushy, tasteless, and cause too much heartburn or gas at times. Just ask my loving husband!

So going beyond my marriage and close relationships here on Earth, I give my Heavenly Father my leftovers?!? Ugh!!!

So now let's try to turn this around... when we dearly love someone and want a deep, intimate relationship with them we give them so much of our time, energy, and focus! We make sure to give them the first minute of our day and the last thought of our night. We run to them with any news that comes our way. We lean on them for strength, support, and wisdom during trials and events in our lives. We even just sit there with them with nothing much to say but just spending quality time together!! And through this, we feel so full - so complete - so _____________ (what word would you use for this feeling?!?!?!?!)

Reflection time:
Have you ever been in this rut? (I seriously believe it's just a rut - but yet this rut could become a lifestyle that would become displeasing to our Father -- let's NOT go there!)
So then with it being a rut, what action(s) do we choose to take?
And when are we going to implement this action plan? (sounds fancy... I guess it's all this professional adult stuff I have in my life lending way to fancy-shmancy lingo)

I know this doesn't wrap up our STORM study - that's coming shortly. I just felt the need to write about this. I have no doubt that I'm not the only one who is going through this (or has gone through this) sort of thing. And if we are honest with each other for the purpose of accountability, we will find ourselves meditating over our relationship with God and, through conviction, changing what needs to be changed PRONTO! If the Spirit is tapping on us, convicting us, calling us to draw closer to God and we keep putting it off, pushing it aside, or turning our backs... just stop right there!! Why would we keep doing that??? Let's respond. Let's have some of the holiest of jeans, rawest of skins, and bruisiest (??? sure, why not) of knees!!

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!

AMEN!!

 

Deuteronomy 6:7

 

Deuteronomy 4:9

 

Deuteronomy 11:19

 

Isaiah 38:19

 

 

God, this just felt right to type about this tonight! Oh, I have become lethargic in my Walk. Some days I feel on fire, but then most days I feel like I'm barely plugging along. In all of this, it still amazes me that You are so loving and willing to let me come back and cling to You! Why would I ever grow lazy in such relationship??? God, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. And help me each day to commit to this relationship with You. I know You know me but You want to KNOW me more... and as I continue reading and studying Your Word and spending time with You, I desire to know You more too! Just as with any relationship, the more time I spend with You, the more I am drawn to You and want to seek You out more. God, this is my prayer! Reignite the flame in me. I want to be on fire for You and be close to You! Thank You, Lord Jesus!!! Amen.

The Storm - Part 2

God definitely showed me some things this week!! I found myself in some really interesting positions. A few of those times, I know selfishness, pride, and lack of self-control got the best of me. But I am thankful that God didn't give up on me in those foolish moments! I learned a lot. And if I take the time to reflect on each of those moments, God teaches me even more! Isn't that what we should want? For God to teach us, mold us, refine us even more?? SPOILER ALERT! None of us are perfect. (Gasp!! --don't be hurt! Please try to resist from exiting out of this post... I promise it gets better!) I learned a long time ago that He takes us where we are at and, if we are willing, He makes us better. I feel closer to Him when I go through moments like these if I take the time to come to Him and say, "Father, fix me! Show me where I went wrong... help me to do better next time. And not so I can just be a 'better person' but so You can be glorified." It is definitely not easy apologizing. And it's not something I really like to do (especially to another adult...), but when I know it will grow me as His daughter and He will be glorified (because it's definitely coming from Him!!!!!) then it's worth the clammy hands, racing heart, nervous look, shaky voice, and need for extra deodorant!! ;)

Let's get going on today's post...

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you so much for this blog. For this moment to study You more. To visit stories from Your Word and learn from them. God I thank you for these quiet moments when we can reflect on our week, seek Your help in growing us, and asking You to guide us back on the path of Your will. As we read and study the powerful wind today, would You open our minds and hearts to what You would have us gain from this moment in time? Please let us be in Your presence and be filled with the Spirit. Amen!!!!!!!!

So last week we started reading about the storm (heavy winds) in Matthew 14, verses 22-33. Jesus is not on the boat with them. He stayed back to dismiss the crowd and to have some quiet prayer time on His own. So at this moment, the wind is raging... the disciples are in the middle of the Sea, far from land... the boat is being tossed by the waves... and our Lord is not with them... BUM! BUM! BUUUUUM! (just giving it that mystery movie feel).

Picking up in verse 25... And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

BAM!!! Now THAT is a powerful chunk of verses! Did you catch all that??

Jesus is so good! He did not leave the disciples out there in the windy weather on the Sea of Galilee. NO! He came to them! There's high winds tossing their boat about. The men were probably a bit nervous - let's be real! Stomachs turning. A bit concerned for their well-being. And then they see this Man who has been doing amazing things. Some of them are believing in who He really is (Peter hasn't been asked yet "Who do the people say I am? Who do you say I am?") and others still have questions or just that "not sure" mentality. Let's wait for a moment to discuss the walking on water moment and just focus in on the fact that He came! In the middle of a storm (the weather could change in the blink of an eye on this sea), He came! In the middle of chaos, He came! To some very ho-hum men in a boat, He came. Why??? To show His power? To hop a ride the rest of the way to shore? To show He cared? To show His love for these men? I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt this part of this story proves an amazing truth: no matter the situation, Jesus will be there!! As much as snowy weather keeps us stranded or rain slows our travels, we still try our best to get to someone we love when they are in need. How much MORE our Savior will come for us! Just even think on the point that He was willing to come from His place up in Heaven to this Earth, coming down to save us of our sins! Yet in the storms of this world that we will go through in our lifetimes, He will still come to us!

Jesus is so powerful! Think about it... He walked on water!!! I know y'all have seen the silly posters and pictures out there relating to this event (some in good humor so we all chuckle along...). He has sovereign dominion over all matter.  I recently taught solids-liquids-gases to my Kindergarten students. It was neat exploring water in these three states. And then a little girl shouted out, "So did Jesus walk on ice?" I smiled, always excited when Jesus and God are brought up in conversation in my public education classroom!! I told her the best answer I knew: No, sweetie, the Bible tells us that Jesus walked on the water - doing the impossible to prove His awesomeness, something that no one here on Earth could ever do! Isn't it amazing??" I heard a preacher once speak on this regarding the molecules and scientific make-up, these momentary changes that might have occurred the moment His feet touched the water surface. To be honest, I don't really need to spend my brain's energy thinking through it like that. It is just so amazing, such an "awe" moment that I can leave it at just that. I don't ponder too hard about God parting the Red Sea. Or Jesus raising Lazarus. But I believe with my whole heart it happened, that's the truth, and my God is powerful beyond my brain's understanding!!!!!!



Jesus is... Jesus (His voice tells it all... no name needed)! As He is approaching the boat, the guys freak out thinking the "being" is a ghost. Jesus calls out, "It is I!" Is there a group of friends that you know so well that you could walk into a darkened room where they sit and say "It is I" and they'd know your voice? How about your spouse? (I sure HOPE you could do that to your spouse and he/she would know your voice!) In Song of Solomon 2:8 it reads, "Listen! My beloved! Behold, he is coming." That person knew the spouse's voice. I know my sons know my voice!! And I'm sure some folks would know my voice over the phone if Caller ID was taken away. But here we are in a storm, during the Fourth Watch (so like between 3 and 6 a.m.), dark all around, wind howling, waves crashing. And this man comes walking on the water and says "It is I!" How shocking maybe at first!! Holy cow, a man is walking on the water! Oh, but I know that voice!! Comfort and calmness rush over me. I'm still a bit confused at what is taking place... BUT I KNOW THAT VOICE... HE IS HERE! Friends, isn't this such a beautiful thought!?!? True believers who are in an intimate relationship with our Savior KNOW His voice!

One final thought for our study today...

Jesus is reassuring and comforting! After the men grow terrified and fearful of this approaching ghost, Jesus IMMEDIATELY calls out to them to "take heart... do not be afraid." Jesus did not have them sit there in the tossed boat full of fear for long. He immediately called out to them and shared words of comfort. I do not believe fear and doubt come from God. They are feelings we gained from being part of this fallen world. So the Son of God squashed their fears the moment they were expressed out loud. How amazing! When we bring our fears and doubts to Him through prayer (our conversations with Him) He can immediately fill us with peace. We still have to work through some things - I'm not saying the situation that caused that fear or doubt will instantly be removed and erased out of our lives. But the feelings that filled us will be covered over by this supernatural peace that only comes from our Heavenly Father!! Think about it: peace is part of the Fruit of the Spirit. So that peace that washes over us comes from the Spirit filling us, which is a direct connection to the Almighty. WOW!! <<<mind blowing>>>

Friends, there is still one more major part in this story that we will dissect next post (Peter takes an amazing step in faith...). But for now, let's just reflect on the points of today's post: Jesus is good... Jesus is powerful... Jesus is Jesus (we know His voice)... and Jesus is comforting. The men were faced with some pretty extreme conditions (If you want to look more into the Sea of Galilee and its weather, check out http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/ednk-seaofgalilee.html for more info) and then they got to experience something amazing. Let us remember this story and know that when we might be in a horrific storm in this life, Jesus can still do something amazing!

Have you experienced "something amazing" in your lifetime? Or have you seen it take place in someone else's life? I have the faith to know that my God will come to my side, offering me peace like no other, whatever the situation may be because He is the Almighty!

Dear God,
Thank you so much for this study time. I know we were in Your presence!! And I have full faith that You guided this study. God, when we face the storms of this life as we go about our week let us please remember Your goodness and Your peace, Your voice and the comfort that only You can provide! How amazing is this story so far! Please be with us as we start this week. Let us remember to seek You often and keep our focus on Your will for our life. Amen.

The Storm ~ Part 1

I've really enjoyed having this blog as an accountability piece between me and God AND me and you! Seriously! Yes, this is a cyber friendship (frien-bership ??) buuuuut... we stay connected through the Word and it is wonderful!! Enough mushiness... {tomorrow is Valentinue's Day  --  that's my excuse}

Our focus for a few posts is going to be on a storm and Peter. This prompting came to me when I started the last blog post about learning to float. I kept thinking about Peter and the moment he lost focus. Instead of cramming that into the last post, I decided to make it its very own study. I'm not going to rush through it - there's a lot of GOOD stuff. So let's get started!

Dear God,
We are so thankful to be sitting here again and studying more about Your love and grace. In every story and event that we read and learn about, we find more of Your love, promises, and truths to hold close. We ask that You guide us in this study of storms and Peter, and that You reveal great things to us. Let it grow us closer to You, Father. Amen!

Our focus story is Matthew 14:22-33.

At the beginning of Matthew 14 (after John's beheading) we find Jesus and his disciples hanging out with lots of folks. Jesus has the best catering business around (just being silly) -- from a few fish and loaves He is feeding 5,000 men (that number does not include all the women and children in attendance BY THE WAY). So as the hillside feast is wrapping up, some amazing events follow. Let's look at the first few...

Jesus sends His disciples away. And not just away, like a walk down the path. No. In a boat. Out in the water. To head towards the other side. "I'll catch up with you later, guys!" In verse 22 it says "immediately". So prior to dismissing the crowd, He instructs the men to head out. The seas were fair, weather nice at the start of the travel. And the men had followed His guidance and set out on the course.

While His men are sailing away, Jesus dismisses the crowd and heads to a quiet location for some prayer time alone. What a great example He sets for us today! Get away, get alone, and pray, y'all!!! We don't know what all took place during that prayer time but He was there until night fall. At this time, we find out our friends the disciples are out a ways in the water. And at this time, the waves are pounding the boat. The wind is blowing quite fierce. Does this story sound familiar? A boat. A storm. Hmmm? Check out Matthew 8. I wonder if these men (some former fishermen) had a thought like "Seriously? Again?! And this time Jesus isn't with us!!! He calmed the sea with his voice last time. I guess we will suffer through this one... if we're lucky. Ugh!!" Or maybe they thought about His words during the last storm: "Why are you fearful, oh you of little faith!" Maybe they were determined to hanker down and keep the faith in this storm.

At this point, we are going to push pause. I have some thoughts to share with you to wrap up this moment of the study. There's still so much I want to dive into in this story. We aren't even to the amazing walk yet!! But let's ponder together...

*There were fair seas at the start of the travel. Then a storm came before the arrival at the destination. Take a moment to think of this little nugget of truth. Oh, how many events and moments in my life are exactly like this process!! "This is easy enough... smooth sailing from here!" And woooooooo goes the wind and CRASH goes the waves! If you've read the chapter, you know how this stormy story ends. As for us in our daily lives, if we are believers and have faith in Jesus, we too know our ending! The storms may rage but our faith shall not fail. Do we learn from the lesson of the past, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" He was there once. He will always be there.

*They had followed His guidance to set out towards the other side. Now, they faced another storm!
Experiencing the first storm together where Jesus calms the seas, they now find themselves facing this storm alone. I'm not saying God wasn't THERE, but Jesus wasn't there (in the physical sense). Had the first experience left enough of an imprint on them? Would their "training" suffice? I believe with all my heart God tests us for many reasons. One of the reasons is to see our maturity and test our trust in Him. Where we fail, He will refine us and train us up if we allow Him the opportunity. Where we stand and not fall, we know we are gaining a stronger foundation. Are we allowing God to train us up? A personal trainer can only train someone in the gym if that person shows up! Then, in a competition, the trainer stands to the side, cheering and shouting out little tidbits of knowledge and technique but it's pretty much up to the contestant at that moment to take all the knowledge and experiences gained and make it through whatever event successfully. Can you connect with this? And don't miss the obedience part of this point. They followed His command. Do we listen to Him when He guides us? Are we obedient when He calls us? Even if it means a storm lies ahead (it's a broken world... storms always lie ahead).

*The disciples did not detract or go off-course.
Now, it's highly unlikely they could get to any shore with ease in the battle with the waves. But we are not told that the disciples abandoned ship or changed headings. So with that, their travels might have been disturbed but they were not driven from them. They pressed on. They stayed the course. Oh, the waves of this world crash hard on us and at times we feel so bogged down and swamped that it is so difficult to even think about moving one tiny step forward. But are we willing to just stay the course?! No matter the storm: no matter the winds or the waves!



So what are your thoughts? We are only a few verses in and I feel like I am overwhelmed with some amazing truths and applications for my life. As the rest of this story unfolds, we will focus in on some more amazing moments that hopefully impact you. As our Messiah shows up in the next scene, so many more golden nuggets can be found. So come back shortly and let's study some more together! Let's pray...

Dear Father,
Thank you so much for putting this study on my heart. There's so many awesome parts remaining in this event that I pray You make it clear for our understanding. Lord, I ask as we go about our lives we think about these few points we have pulled out of this story. God, please train us up. Please guide us. And I pray that we are obedient and respond to Your guidance. No matter what storms lie ahead. May that strengthen our faith! Amen.

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Ladies, I try very hard to make my thoughts clear. And I try to provide an organized flow to every posting. So it is my prayer that even if there is a loop-dee-loop somewhere in this, that it does not take you off track in your studying and understanding!

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!

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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!!!