Version: KJV

Philippians 4:6,7

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Today’s devotion in “My Utmost” spoke so clearly to me, I thought that I would write about it! I’ve been reading this classic daily devotion forever, and each year when April 29th rolls around I need to read this word again. Oswald Chambers says, “We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God.” How I LOVE that! Reminds me of the song, “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow”….”There are things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand, BUT I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand.” We are uncertain of “many things”. Actually, we do not know what the next few seconds hold for us. We can make plans and say that we are going to do this or that, but we don’t KNOW if we will do anything. I am usually a spontaneous person. I hardly ever plan. (and that drives some family members crazy!) I just don’t have a problem with saying, “Hey! Let’s go do this or that, now or tonight or asap!” I think I prefer to operate that way because every event I’ve ever meticulously thought out and stressed about has never gone as planned. Someone backed out…someone dropped the ball…someone got sick…someone forgot their part. Or I got sick and the whole thing fell apart! (Truth is, I probably just didn’t get the organization gene!:)  I’ve found that life is just crammed full of “suddenlys”. Unexpected surprises. Detours we weren’t prepared for. Delays we did not schedule. So, we must trust Someone Who saw it coming. Someone who holds our times in His hands. Someone Who knew us before the foundation of the world. A Friend Who is on board the ship and knows where its headed. When everything falls apart Who do you turn to? I hope that we will remember the One Who calls each star by name and Who carved  out the oceans with His hand. He is a dependable stronghold in the day of trouble.  In the midst of the “what ifs’, could be’s, and how so’s”, there He stands saying, “My Word is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path. Don’t worry about your life.” We are not in control, so why worry? Let’s be “anxious over nothing” and pray instead. Trust Jesus to today with the uncertainties. For we can be certain that He IS and WAS and always WILL be.

Version: KJV

Psalm 139

1. *To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.* O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known [me]. 2. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted [with] all my ways. 4. For [there is] not a word in my tongue, [but], lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6. [Such] knowledge [is] too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot [attain] unto it. 7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8. If I ascend up into heaven, thou [art] there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou [art there]. 9. [If] I take the wings of the morning, [and] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10. Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light [are] both alike [to thee]. 13. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well. 15. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them. 17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18. [If] I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. 19. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 20. For they speak against thee wickedly, [and] thine enemies take [thy name] in vain. 21. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? 22. I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. 23. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24. And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

What is the reality of our lives when everything seems to be going wrong, inside and out? For believers, nothing is what it seems! When it looks bad,hopeless,and dark, in Christ there is goodness, hope, and light. I got sick and tired of letting the lies of satan control my emotions and attitude (and at times, my sanity!) and I prayed that the Lord would remove this terrible cloud of hopelessness and frustration that had settled in my mind. In a still small voice, I heard, “Write the truth. Not what you feel or see, but the truth.” So I did. I took a pen and paper and wrote what HE says about my life.  Boy, did the Light come pouring in! I knew this stuff, but had entertained garbage for so long, I was miserable. Thank God for His reality! It’s never what it seems, but everything He says it is. We are never really hopeless basket cases satan would have us believe we are. If we’ve met Jesus and trusted him for salvation, we are HIS. Day by day He is making us like Him.  In an attempt to be transparent with you instead of hiding away and not writing anything of my struggles, I will post MY truth that gave me victory JUST as I scribbled it down the other day. Maybe it will encourage you where you are to believe God’s Word and APPLY (key word) to your heart and mind:)

————–The Truth About What God Is Up To!

God has put me here for His purpose- He has a plan for today. He’s protecting me and preparing me for tomorrow. I am here to glorify Him with my life- I am forgiven, free, and redeemed. He has made me whole and New. He empowers me by His Holy Spirit to live and worship in truth.

He will never withhold good from me. He will defend me at all costs. He goes before me and behind me and surrounds me with favor as a shield. He made me for His glory and pleasure. I do not belong to this world- I will set my affections on things above- My treasure is in heaven, a place prepared for me.

He is working all things together for my good. He’s turning what satan meant for evil into good. He will set truth before me and give me grace to walk in it. He is renewing a right spirit in me and guiding me into His light. He is working His love into me and changing my heart to love like He loves. He is teaching me forgiveness because He wants me to have His peace. He is strengthening me through the trial because He wants me to survive and thrive. He keeps pulling me out of myself because He wants me to be like His Son. He won’t leave me alone because I am His beloved and favored child He gave everything for. I am not what I need to be, but I am certainly not what I was. He is long-suffering and patient with me, pushing me out of the darkness and revealing His glory day by day. I can trust Him. I can pour out my soul, and expect kindness. He loves me the way I am and too much to leave me this way.

I love it when God ministers in a fresh way! It reminds me of the endless avenues He will use to reach us. Our God is creative:) THE Creator! Sunday night at church, a visiting pastor from Chili preached the message, through our pastor interpreting. He read from Ezekiel, chapter 2……1. And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. 2. And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.

These words just jumped off the page for me. I got the visual of the prophet standing and receiving God’s instructions and that thrilled me! More often than sermons, people, sunday school, or Bible study, He reaches me right where I am THE moment I need that Word, whether in Wal-Mart, driving down the road, or by myself. I’m usually at home alone on Mondays and I relish that time alone with God! We have an awesome time:) Yesterday, I got on my face before God. I poured out my heart, got some things off my chest, cried a lot, (it wasn’t pretty) and pleaded with the Lord. My goodness, did I feel worn out after all that! Like a popped balloon. Totally spent, wind knocked out of my sails, I sat in silence. Then I stood up and He began speaking to me. I STOOD. And then I heard the Word of the Lord. While it’s therapeutic to “tell it all to Jesus”, it’s strengthening to listen for a change. Not only was I restored by the Words of His voice, but I was at peace too. Now, there have been many times I’ve heard from the Lord laying flat on my face or sitting still,but for this Word, I needed to “stand and hear”. Maybe it was God’s way of letting me know that,to hear THIS, I had to get up out of some stuff. Maybe God is calling you to get up. He knows where you are! He wants you to “pour out your soul before Him”, but it may be time to rise and “come forth”. Stand and hear what the Lord has to say about it all. His answers may surprise you.

I’m so glad God sent His servant alllllll the way from Chili to give me the Word and prepare my heart to hear from the Lord! What an encouragement to know that He speaks through strangers, friends, family, even those who do not speak your language! Oh, how He loves us.

I’ve so sadly neglected this blog for the past weeks. Not intentionally, just forgetfully! Whew! Life gets weird sometimes, doesn’t it? I mean, you’re walking along your merry way, praising God and all is LOVELY. Then…WAM BAM!! You get blind-sided by a force you never saw coming. You find your self flailing your arms like a new swimmer and grasping at anything to pull you back up to that heavenly state of mind! Thinking back to that “lovely place with the Lord”, I realize now that those sweet glory days were probably a needed rest preceding the struggle. The calm before the storm. Thank God He sustains us through everything that life throws our way. There’s no way to escape pain and disappointment in life as long as you are breathing, but NO MATTER WHAT, He is there. I’m so thankful for Beth Moore, bless her heart. She has ministered to me through her teachings in this season more than any other. I’m just finishing up her new book, So Long Insecurity, and let me tell you, it had me pegged to a T! I’m such a nurturer, wanting to be everyone’s answer and fixer, that I place my self- worth at the absolute bottom of God’s priority list. After all, we women are here to serve others, right? Somewhere along the way, I lost my sense of strength and dignity that a woman of God is entitled to. Doesn’t that happen to all women? I can only IMAGINE  the balancing act  you wives and mothers have to perform day in and day out. Isn’t it great to know that GOD KNOWS we are weak and that we sometimes want to pull our hair out?! He made us and is intimately aware of our strengths and the places where we are not so strong. Faithfully, He carries us and allows us to roll that big burden onto His shoulders. We are not perfect, confident ,or secure all the time, BUT thankfully our security is not of ourselves! Our security is in Him! Here’s a verse Beth used to really drive that truth home. Psalm 112:7-8: She (and I put my name here) will have no fear of bad news; her heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Her heart is SECURE, she will have no fear; in the end she will look in triumph on her foes. (Trusting the Lord is the key here.) Love it, love it! No matter what we face, we are secure and after all is said and done, we have victory!  No fear no more. We are secure in the One who knows we are stressed and depressed from time to time. What hope we have in His grace! One more great Word. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. (Prov. 31:25) Strength and dignity is mine as a woman of God. Girls, let’s walk in that wonderful reality today with our heads held high in His glory! Now, I realize that men read this blog, as well as women, so this goes for you too, guys! Rest in His strength. Let Him be your stronghold as you journey through this life.