I've been thinking latley about prayer.
I know Gods word tells us we don't have because we don't ask and we are suppose to ask in prayer. Yet I somehowfeel as if prayer has lost it's purpose, for many it has become simply a time to make requests of God.
When was the last time we simply called out to God for nothing more than to be in His presence?
Have we become a body who looks at prayer like a jeannie in a bottle so to speak?


Many times we get into prayer and our time becomes a never ending list of requests and not only do we request we go further and even tell God how He should go about filling our order.
We ask Him to do this and remove that even as we declare in our next breathe that we desire His will. Hmm.

I have come to believe that when we come to Father with a heart of prayer, although at times we should be specific, just the mere desire to be with Him is enough.
Have you ever had one of your children be excited about coming to sit with you to share in watching a movie, then they no more get all cuddled up against you and they fall asleep?
I see our Heavenly Father in much the same way. He is pleased we have the desire to just be with Him. Gods word says He already knows what is in our hearts and He already knows what it is we need. So many times going into prayer I am so thankful I can simply come to Him and I don't have to utter a single word. Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Isn't that awesome! We can simply come! No more....no less.....just desire Him and come.
And even if we find ourselves curled up and all cuddled against Him, basking in His warmth to the point we fall asleep, thats okay. he's Daddy God, He will simply hold us and love us and in so doing he already knows the desires of our hearts.

This alone shows His love for us........Abba, I am yours!
Be blessed and in His presence.

Life Update

It's been several weeks since I updated my blog. Not for lack of happening mind you, just for lack of time to sit down and write.
But, the Lord is busy! I have been doing a study about the Jewish roots of Gods word and even visited a local synagogue. It was amazing! I was so moved by just the flow of the Holy Spirit during the Shabat celebration. Even though I am sure there was some sort of prepared message for the evening, you just couldn't sense that anything was being done my the mandates of a clock, and it was freeing! The worship time was absolutley beautiful! The Lord spoke to my heart about the freedom we have in worshipping Him. It isn't about having the right song or the right atmosphere surrounding us, it is just truely all about Him and allowing our spirits to flow freely with His in unison, allowing ourselves to become one with Him. When we allow ourselves to completley surrender during worship we bring ourselves into a place where we are better able to hear His voice, sense His presence and feel His breathe upon us, where restoration can take place.
I would encourage you to worship and praise often. We don't have to wait to go to where we gather with other believers to worship the Lord. Where ever we choose to worship Him isn't what is important, but that we worship, truely worship. Not just sing a song in unison with others but listen to the words as we sing them and let those words penetrate our hearts, and then surrender and fall into the loving arms of our Savior. From it will come greater understanding into the heart of our Father, our love deepens, our hunger for more of Him will grow.

Phillipians 3:3a for we are the true circumcision; who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,

Be blessed today as you worship the Lord in all you do, do it for the glory of God!

Taste and See

Psalms 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.

This past week-end our church began having an additional gathering time on Saturday evenings. What a blessing to be having so much growth! Yet, as we grow in numbers of bodies it has also been our prayer we grow in spirit. As I prayed Saturday asking the Lord to reveal Himself anew to His children, I asked that our awarness of just how close He is would be peaked.
We would feel His very breathe upon our skin. There was a stirring in my heart asking, "will you receive"?
Throughout all three services this week-end this was my prayer, "teach us to receive Lord".
This afternoon Ps. 34:8 came to mind. Then a correlation between what I felt in my heart and what I read in this verse.
Just like having a plate of food in front of you, before it nourishes and can benefit our bodies we must receive it to our bodies. If we simply let the plate of food sit before us it does nothing, we have to get the food into our bodies.
Jesus, through the Holy Spirit can be no closer, He lives within us, consistantly ministering to us.
Yet, if we don't do our part and surrender to Him we will find ourselves complacent and undernourished.
Our lives will always have something for us to be concerned about or to dwell over. But, it's not what the Lord would have us be doing. I know it can be so much easier said than done to just give it to the Lord, yet, I am also seeing the more we surrender the more teachable we become, the more we open up our hearts, the more we receive. The more we receive, the more we grow.

Give us teachable hearts Lord, help us to surrender self to You and all our plans, to lay them down before You and receive all You have for us. Place Your precious peace upon us as we lay every care, every worry down at the foot of the Cross, and help us grow deeper in our understanding, and our love for You and those in our lives.
We praise You and thank You........In Your precious name Jesus, Amen

Be blessed........"O'Taste and see that the Lord is good".

Clutter in our Hearts and Minds

This morning my day started with a hunt, you know the kind I'm referring to, where you know you just saw it, and you search and search and you find many other things you previously went on a hunt for but the one thing your searching for right now is no where to be found. Then you become frustrated and you can think of nothing else, finding this thing becomes almost an obsession. Then as you are on the search you find yourself on the onset of a great throw away session. Are ya with me there ladies? Or am I the only one who does this?
Today as I was on my tirad a thought came to me about "clutter", it's everywhere!
I've often wondered when visiting others what they do with their clutter. You know the kind I'm talking about, all that stuff that comes in the mail that you might (not) use some day, where in the world does everyone hide this stuff?
Anyway I realized, while on my hunt, that this clutter is everywhere, not only with mail, but we have newspapers, periodicals, our e-mail boxes, and also inside of us, in our minds and our hearts. I couldn't help but wonder if the clutter inside of us works the same way as the clutter on the outside, and couldn't imagine why it wouldn't. I have found when we have all this clutter in our lives it keeps us from finding the very thing we need. Have you ever found yourself checking e-mail and finding so many that you just delete them all, then someone asks you if you received the e-mail with an invite or an announcement of an important event?
When situations and circumstances come our way we tend to fret about them almost obsessivley, cluttering of the mind. When we allow our schedules to become overloaded, cluttering of our time. When we worry about things we have no control over, cluttering of our hearts. I am seeing a corralation here between our physical clutter and our inner clutter, aren't you? All this clutter keeps us away from finding the very thing(s) that is most important.
Hosea 10:12 Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord Until He comes to rain righteuosness on you.
"For it is time to seek the Lord".
How much of our clutter keeps us away from seeking the Lord? How much of our clutter keeps us away from hearing His voice?
Sometimes it's very difficult in our own strength to let go of something, or a situation that just breaks our hearts. Our thoughts tend to take over or clutter up our time, our minds and hearts. We want to let go but find we are just too weak. Recently I found myself in this very place, where my thoughts seem to be taken over by circumstances heart breaking and out of control, and I found myself constantly thinking about it. In one instant I simply said "Lord, I don't want to be thinking about this all the time" , and a verse came to mind.
Matthew 6:33 But, seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
God cares and He knows our hearts. When we bring all things unto Him first, we can then let it go. You might be thinking thats easier said than done, and I agree. But, after the verse came to me, later that day even when I sat down it dawned on me that I hadn't really thought about that issue much at all since I called out to God. He truely had come and helped me unclutter my thoughts. My heart felt lighter upon realizing this and excited for the future. You see this isn't the only time I've allowed myself to be taken over by a situation, actually I had begun to think this was just how I handled things. But, now the Lord has shown me He will help me keep my heart and mind on Him if I simply bring it all to Him, first.
How many times have I thought it would be so awesome to have help uncluttering my life, and all along the only help I needed was just waiting for me to ask.
I don't know if this message will help do anything about that paper clutter from our mail, or the clutter in our e-mail boxes but I do pray it encourage you to let it draw you to the very one who can help you unclutter your heart and mind and bring you to a place of freedom and peace. I pray it will bring encouragment to take a good look around our lives and get rid of the stuff and the doing that just isn't going to bring an eternal benefit. "For it is time to seek the Lord".

Being Teachable

Proverbs 1:8 Hear my son, your father's instruction
And do not forsake your mother's teaching;


I remember that feeling inside when I would overhear plans being made when I was a small child. That sense of wanting to know all the details, the times, and the day in which these plans were to take place. Sometimes my mother would be accommodating and would fill us in without hesitation, and other times be more lock lipped than Fort Knox. (this was a saying my brothers used all the time when sometihng was not openly available to them, funny how those things stick with you). Mom always had her reasons for either revealing or keeping quiet about what was to take place. I recall for the most part being excited and just accepting that plans were being made for me.
Why are we not as accepting of the plans the Lord prepares for us? Maybe "accepting" isn't the right word here, possibly it's more a need for patience and trust on our part.
In Isaiah 40:31 it says, " But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength."
When we are children we have such a sense of acceptance and trust for those who care for us, who have shown us love and nuturing. Why then as we grow older and supposedly more mature in the Lord we seem to trust Him less than we trusted our own caregivers as a child? In Matthew 18:3, Jesus says, "Truely I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
"Like children"!
What does it mean to "become like children"? My granddaughter loves to sit on my lap and have me teach her how to count, or do puzzles, or read to her. Her curiousity about life and all thats in it overwhelms me at times. I think this is a perfect example of what our Father desires from us, to come, sit on His lap and let Him teach us.
How do we want our children to accept our teaching? With resistance? Rebellion? Or acceptance and trust?
I believe the Lord is calling His children to a deeper understanding and also a deeper commitment to His plans for our lives. The only way this will happen is by trusting Him, knowing He loves us, He helps us, He fights the battles for us. But, we must trust, we must be teachable and accepting of His plans.
Just as when we were little and we trusted the plans being made for us by our parents we are to trust and believe our Fathers love for us would never lead us astray, He loves and cares for us and longs for us to come to Him just like His word says, "as children", trusting Him and having a teachable spirit about us.

Daddy, I come before You today with my arms held high, reaching for You to lift me up to sit upon Your lap and listen and to be taught. Open my ears and eyes, as well as my heart, mind and spirit to receive and trust in all You have for me. Thank You, In the name and power of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Now, go on, go crawl up on your Daddy's lap and have a nice long talk!
Be blessed!

Parental Lessons Learned

Acts 2:25-28
'I saw the Lord always in my presence;
For He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted;
Moreover my flesh also will live in hope;
Because you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
Nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.'


My Mother once told me that when your children are little they step on your toes, and when they are older they step on your heart.
I through the years have found the truth in this statement.
I love being a mom, but I will tell you, it is the most difficult job we women will ever face in life. I have learned so much about myself and about life through my children.
I have come to a better understanding of the heart of God by being a parent. His tolerance, His grace, forgivness, and mercy have become the things which I crave to possess in greater measure than seems natural for the flesh to obtain.
I have learned I do not possess the power to change a heart no matter how the condition of that heart breaks mine. I've also learned that when you parent a child into adulthood it doesn't hurt any less when they stray just because you didn't actually give physical birth to that child. Being a parent isn't about the birthing process it's about the loving process.
I have learned that when your children become adults they don't always recollect the past the same way you remember it, at times bringing laughter and others times tears.
I've realized once we become adults and we're raising our own children we still may not see the things we did in our youth that contributed to some of our own hard places and take ownership instead of passing blame.
I have learned much by being a parent, but I have learned much more by being a child, His child, and it is in His presence He will restore gladness in my heart. I never want to make His heart feel the way mine does today, although I know I have and He has always been there just waiting for me to turn to Him in repentance and desire to once again sit and bask in the warmth of His love for me.
It is in His presence where I find peace.
The greatest lesson I have learned is although I am still a parent and cannot take that responsibility lightly, I'll do it best by being His child first.

Gifts

WOW, Life sure does get busy, doesn't it? I can't believe it's going on two months since I've last written here.

The past few days as we all start to collect those last few gifts to give for Christmas Day my mind and heart has been stirred about the receiving of gifts, and how sometimes we tend to overlook the gifts that are most precious.

Do you remember as a kid, or ever watched as a small child, or even an older child for that matter, is opening the gifts of Christmas, and they open one and immediatly put that gift to the side then proceed on to the next, finally arriving at the last gift and after opening it, looks up and asks the question, "Is that it"? " Is that the last one, really"?

As we approach the day of "Christmas", the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour, I am praying we would all take some time to evaluate life, and see those gifts for which the Lord has given. Although I am no longer a big fan of the winter season the Lord has impressed upon my heart the beauty and the gift He has given us in this season. The symbolism of the pure white covering of snow that washes over the dingy dirty look when the appearance of life has faded for the season.

If you are one who has previously read my posts, you might recall awhile back my post about the birds. I marvel at this creation of God and the wonder of their life, not only the diversity of their colors, shapes, sizes and characteristics, but amazingly how God cares for them. I watched the other day from my car as I waited for my daughter as the sparrows did this awesome dance in the air. First it was just fifteen or so flying then landing on a rooftop, as several more joined that group, they all lifted up in flight the last following the first as they all swoped down, then back up to land on the utility wire. More then joined in as they all again lifted in unison and dipped and swayed in their flight, as if dancing in the air. By the time they left where I could see them there must have been hundreds of them. I sat there falling in love with the love of our Father all over again.

I seen this display as a gift the Lord gave me the vision to partake in, one I may have missed if given to the hurried schedule we all find ourselves in these days.

Some of the greatest gifts we could ever receive are all around us, in the gloriously blue sky He has used to paint the backdrop of our outdoor world. Even those days that are somewhat gloomy can carry beauty as the other evening we found reds and pinks swirled within what was the time of sunset. The giggly laughter of a small child, the twinkle in the eye of an elderly person when you tell them you love them, the hugs we receive when we so need encouragement.

As we all gather together with our loved ones this Christmas, it is my prayer that we would see the truest gifts of life all around us and we be given the ability to appreciate them for what they are. The greatest gifts, the ones that are from the Fathers heart through His children, given to each other. Embrace someone this season and open your eyes to the wonders that surround us all in the awesome beauty of His creation.

May you know the greatest gift the Father has given us, the gift of His Son, Jesus!

Putting Self Aside

When I looked at the date of my last post it just confirmed for me what my mind and body had already been screaming at me for weeks now.........life has gotten too busy.....slow down. But, have you ever gotten yourself into such a tailspin that you just don't know how to slow down?
What's really crazy is I have been here before and I got better at it and for a very long time I had developed a rhythm, an easy pace if you will. Then sometime this past summer that ol' ball began to roll and it just seems to be picking up speed as time passes by.
One day last week as I was attempting to catch up with some household tasks, I found myself in a stuppor of frustration and I was asking God to show me a way to make this all just slightly easier. I was making suggestions to Him as I cleaned, like if only they would this, or if only they could that, then this might be alittle easier on me. As it was beginning to look as if I could be close to completion I came upon another big mess to clean up, and sarcastically asked, "does this ever end?". I continued on my little tirad....okay....huge tirad about cleaning up after other people. I made the comment half to myself and half to the Lord I suppose being He had been the only one I had been conversing with this entire time...(and not all on a sour note), just how tired I was of always cleaning up someone elses messes. Right after I said those words it was as if I heard the Lord immediatley say to my heart........"You mean like I do yours?"
Talk about being humbled before the Lord!
You see the week previous to this one I had been asking the Lord where that fine line was between being selfless and giving too much. I've really been struggling with staying on task with the duties in my own life while at the same time pushing those things to the side to aid others when their lives have thrown theme a curve ball or two. I was becoming overwhelmed at times and frustrated that maybe I was being taken for granted or taken advantage of or maybe just unable to say no, which has been an issue for me in the past. At the same time praying about being a true reflection of Christ.
Through this one brief moment God not only brought enlightenment but He also answered my question with a renewed joy of serving others.
I now can see that to live like Jesus is to live without limits. I don't recall ever reading or hearing of a time when Jesus refused to help anyone that asked. It is through the giving of our hearts that others will see the reflection of Jesus in us. I am finding that even though I can become tired and weary physically and emotionally God is faithful to His word.

And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Gal.6:9

And whatsoever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men; Colossians 3:23

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not grow weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Throughout this time I also have been dealing with some medical issues. I can see clearly now how by doing these extra tasks God has been the One carrying me, giving me strength beyond my ability, because I was doing exactly as He would have me do.....serve others......witness without words through my actions. Allowing the Lords reflection to shine through. When we truely are willing to set ourselves aside for someone else thats when God shines through us, thats when His strength will carry us to do amazing things we cannot do in our own limited abilities. It's not about making my life easier; it's about fulfilling the purpose for which I am here. To serve, just as Christ said He did not come to be served, but to serve, this too is my call.
I wished I could say I'll never again become frustrated by the distractions or even the messes of others, but I know it will only take me one second of recollection to realize once again the magnitude of what He has done for me....humble I become and willing to put myself aside for the sake of another, just as Jesus has done for me.
I pray this is encouragement to your heart that God sees all those little things we do, and although they may seem little to us at the time, with and through God even those little things can bring huge dividends in reward to others.

Be blessed all, it will be a bit before I post again, we are off to sunny Sanibel for a much needed rest and renewal, mind, body, and spirit!

Missed Blessings

I read a story the other day that has had me thinking. The story was told about a woman who past the same man every day on her way home from work. This man stood on a corner of a busy intersection holding a sign asking for food and stating that he was hungry. The woman past the first day and felt bad for the man but didn't respond. She saw him on the second day and her heart was a bit more stirred and she continued to think about him even after she was home. On the third day she was eating her lunch at work and thought about the man she would more than likely see once again on her way home from work. She decided to make a stop at a near by burger establishment on her way home. As she approached the intersection she saw the man at the same spot, and she pulled over in close proximity to where the man stood and she called out to him telling him she had brought him a burger and fries to eat. At first the man appeared to have not even heard her, she repeated what she had said, and couldn't believe her ears with his response. He had been polite enough when he told her he didn't eat beef, he was watching his cholesterol levels, so that ruled out the fries as well.
How many times do we pray for answers to lifes situations or trials and the Lord answers, yet we pass, because the answer didn't look like we had invisioned it to look. Or we didn't think it was the right answer for us. I really think many times God does send answers to our prayers and we refuse them. So many times when we pray I think we can already have in our minds what the response should be, how it should appear and even when, then when a turn of events happens that changes the situation wether that change is good, bad, or indifferent we turn our backs and walk away not even considering the idea that it very well could be an answer from the Lord. Not always when the Lord answers our prayers do we receive immediate relief. I believe that sometimes answers to prayer can be a process that happens over time.
Just like in the illustration of the starving man, the womans heart was stirred to help him, and he looked the answer to his prayer in the eye and refused it.
The only way we can be in tuned to the way God may be working in our lives is to stay in tuned with Him. He wants us to be an active part of what He is doing in our lives. God doesn't need us to bring blessing to our lives, but He desires us to share our lives with Him, even though He knows all things in advance, it's about the relationship.
1 John 5:14-15 tells us that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
I pray you will go to the Lord today asking for your eyes to be opened to the blessings He brings into your life, and your relationship with Him will become deepened with every word spoken in His presence.
"So will I compass thine altar, O Lord; that i may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of thy wonderous works". Ps 26:6-7

It's Been Awhile

It really has been a long time since I have posted anything here, So much going on through the summer and now that we are back to full-time schooling at home, time is still in short supply.
From Chicago in early spring, She Speaks conference in June, and back to North Carolina in August for our youth mission trip, and started on as a youth leader in Bible study with our Jr. High girls, this summer just flew by. Seems I was just getting ready to settle in and plan some summer family get togethers and realize school planning needs to begin. And that could take a totally seperate post, since we are using brand new curriculum this year. This means lots of planning time. yet, my hope and prayer is that this curriculum will save me prep time in the future and so far we are adjusting okay and Libby seems to be doing good with it.
It has been in these past crazy, whirlwind months, that I so realize my need for the Lord, and just how much He does carry me! "His strength shown in my weakness". And I have to admit, in these past months I have been feeling incredibly weak. My doctor feels it's probably hormonal issues, I mean, well, I did turn the big 50 this year! Yet we are doing several kinds of tests just to be sure. So, if any of you out there do read this...say a prayer for me....would ya?
Gods word tells us, that when we cry out for Him, he is faithful to answer. I have found His faithfulness in this verse. Throughout these crazy hectic months it has been my time with Him that has kept me sane, helped me to balance,and given me an even stronger hunger and desire for intimacy with Him. The more I turn to Him and lean on Him the more I want of Him, the more I desire to be like Him. I wished I could say that throughout these months I have been a patient soul with all that I have come into contact with, but come on, lets be realistic here, I DID mention the hormones right? But, I have found I actually have become more patient than I once was and I take no credit for any of it, It's all Him, believe me...patience has never been one of my strong points. Anyway, I am rambling now because I am tired so my point........I do have one!
Get in His presence! The more you spend time with Him, the more you find you not only need to, you just want to. Prayer time isn't a chore or a struggle to gain your points from God today.....that time becomes like the air you breathe......without it you simple begin to suffocate!
Be blessed all...and in His presence!
Until next time..............