My cousin, Daniel, and his wife, Brittany, welcomed their first child, Bayleigh Lynn Taylor, nine days ago!  Isn’t she beautiful? We are tickled to death to finally get to meet her!  She is precious…. just like her mama,daddy, proud grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles. Oh, and cousins! That pretty red hair runs in the family, too!

Years ago I read the tiny, powerful book called, The Prayer of Jabez. I loved it because it encouraged us to ask for the blessing of God on our lives, families, children, and even everyday, seemingly, “small” things. God wants to bless us so that we can be all He has made us to be. He knows that we can’t do that without His Hand of favor. I was reading one of King David’s prayers this morning and found myself ,word by word, praying it over my family, home, ministry, and future. I’m sure you’ll agree, that if ever we needed the blessing of God, it’s now! 

2 Sam 7:28-29

And now, O Lord God, thou [art] that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken [it]: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

Well, I just realized that I haven’t blogged in over two weeks! Maybe three…:/ It ’s been an extremely busy time for our family and things do not appear  to be slowing down, so I’m making time to sit down at this laptop! I’ve been catching up with e-mail, facebook, myspace, and twitter…my,my,my!! When did all of that become so necessary? lol 

Job 23: 10. But he knoweth the way that I take: [when] he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. 

The Lord has been so good in our services on the weekends. He never fails to move, and speak, and lay His mighty hand on us….just because He loves us. As I think back to where I was a month ago and where I am today, I am amazed at how faithful God is to stick with me! Each day I want to do His will, but I fail often. What an awesome Father we have ,Who will gently correct, patiently wait, graciously love, and mercifully remove our mistakes and sin. I just want to say today that HE is all that matters in life, because in Him is life!  Apart from Him, we are just going through the motions…existing, trying to make things happen on our own. It’s no wonder we fall down and fail miserably when we attempt to control our circumstances! Before I was here, He had a plan for me. Before I drew a breathe, He knew the road I would travel. He knows what lies ahead, so it makes sense to rest, be happy, and trust Him, doesn’t it? But we love to take the lead and feel in charge. Just from experience, I know that way of life always leads to disappointment. I gave a charge to graduates last Sunday to “follow the One Who knows the way….trust the One with the plan.”  

Jeremiah 29:11 ’For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

When I focus on His will and not my own, I’m really living. Dwell on His promises and stand on His Word. Hope in Him! Believe and have faith in His plan for your life! That is a plan that will not fail.

I’m on the road this week. Right now I’m on the bus traveling to Arkansas for a service tonight. Saturday night I will be near St.Louis with my friends Crossway and Chelley Odle for a concert. Both of these artists have recorded my songs and its always a blessing to get to hear them sing them in person! Then on Mother’s Day our family will be with our wonderful friends at Westside church in Willow Springs,MO. The awesome pastor and his family have hosted us for a week in the spring for several years. My daddy is loving the turkey hunting up here! I’m looking forward to seeing what God will do and how He will speak in our services. I have the feeling in my spirit He’s about to take us over..I preached last Saturday night at Girl Talk that God doesn’t bring us out to let us die in the wilderness! He has a place prepared for you and I. A promise we can depend on! He brought us out to take us in!(Deut.6:23) I love that Word!