Scriptures found during the early days of my new job, Eddie's hard place and my lifelong challenge....letting go of control.

I Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you PERFECT, STABLISH, STRENTHEN, SETTLE YOU.

Wow, what a promise!  

I Samuel 12:24 Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things He hath done for you!

Submit, Surrender, Sacrifice

Reverberating message of

SUBMIT

SURRENDER

SACRIFICE...


Is that not what the SAVIOUR lived for us?


HE being our ultimate example....

Philippians 2:5-9
  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 
 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 
 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness 
 of men:  
 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death
 of the cross. 
 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 

May I learn it so I can live it.  Live it beautifully not begrudgingly.

May my man clan see me live it.  May they see it in their SAVIOUR.  May they LEARN it....and LIVE it.

Your strength found in our surrender not in our stubborn persistence.
Your strength found in service not in being served
Your strength found in giving not in receiving.
Your strength found in dying to self....

 Psalms 16:11
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Record keeping.....

forgetting that love keeps no record of wrongs.


Tallying my do's for his did nots....
yeilding restlessness, unhappiness, abrasiveness.


Peace avasive.

Turning to my truest solace....Your love expressed...Your Holy LIVING Word.

REST in You.

WAIT...not just wait, but PATIENTLY do so.

FRET NOT.(PSA 37:7)

CEASE FROM ANGER.

Forsake WRATH. (PSA 37:8)

All commands....no suggestions.

way better are your ways...

ISA 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

YOUR methods yield pleasures for evermore....

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.   PSA 16:11

FRET NOT in any way to do evil (PSA 37:8)

    repay insult for insult
    indifference for indifference
    grunt for grunt....(Why do men grunt when a lady so desperately wants words...)
    dishes in the sink for dishes in the sink....

Reminders abound....

But the MEEK shall inherit the earth....(PSA 37:11, Matthew 5:5)
the MEEK shall delight in the ABUNDANCE of PEACE!

The mouth of the righteous child speaks WISDOM (PSA 37:30)....no demands, no ultimatums, no tantrums....

Oh save me from myself.(PSA 37:39) YOU ALONE are my strength in time of trouble.

I need THEE 
    EVERY HOUR.....

Drawn

Overtures by YOU ignored.
Long nights, chores done. 
Only moments alone with you, punctuated with drooping eyelids---yielding sleep.
Graciously even then I am in your loving hand receiving the sweet balm of rest.


Awakened at 2am.  Needing time alone with you.

I reach for water...Struck by the irony.  I need You as the deer thirsts for the water brook. Psalm 42:1

Overwhelmed by Your love.
Overwhelmed by Your desire for my love....as a parent yearns to hear the proclamation of their child's love.
                                                              ....as a woman yearns to be drawn into the arms of her beloved.
Overwhelmed that You yearn to hear my expression of love.....praise.
                                                              ....the sacrifice of praise(Heb.13:15)....from my lips.
Overwhelmed that You draw ME.  Day after day You draw ME...your child

Sweet restrains of Selah stream God Bless the Broken Road..  Tears fall. So randomly chosen by Pandora....nothing random by You.
Lost dreams....lead to You.  Broken hearts...lead to You, my Northern Star....Star of David.
"I would like to have all the time I lost and give it back to YOU.  But YOU just smile and take my hand.  YOU have been there.  YOU understand.  It is all of the greatest of plans." 

Tears fall.  Prayers flow.  I feel washed in the grace of forgiveness.  Drawn by cord of love.  Embraced by a love that will never let me go....even on this road broken by human imperfection called marriage, motherhood and ministry.

Psa 73:25-26 Whom have I in heaven but THEE? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides THEE,,,,My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever!!!!!!!

In Christ alone have we find strength and refuge!

Prayer meeting...not just the meeting of church members...but the meeting of my needs

The message by Brother Dale was taken from James 1:  1-5 entitled "4 Imperatives for turning trials into triumphs".

1.  COUNT - James 1:2  Count it joy when we suffer trials.   While unpleasant,  it is an affirmation of God's love for us.
2.  KNOW - James 1:3  things work for our good.....trials are of spiritual value to the Lord's people.
3.  LET -  James 1:4  submit to the Lord's will during these times as they aid in our maturity.
4.  ASK - James 1:5   when we do not understand what we are going through,
ask (in faith) for wisdom which the Lord gives liberally.

Hungry or thirsty?

Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is good:  blessed is the man that trusteth in HIM!

Isaiah 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

John 4:14     But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 21:12     ...Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.

Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before m.....

In spite of our poverty, in spite of our emptiness...

HE SATISFIES!!!!!!

He trusted in the Lord God......II Kings 18:5

Reflecting on the old lessons of the new year....at the top of the list was "Do you trust Me"?

Visiting with us last weekend was Missionary to the Deaf, Jim Sloan.....He opened his sermon asking "What epitaph would God engrave upon our tombstone?"  Oh may it be like King Hezekiah!  He trusted God...engraved in holy writ!  He trusted God.  Our God is trustworthy due to His character, His conduct, and His compassion.


He cannot lie.

He is holy.

He changes not. 

He keeps all His promises.

Psalm 9:10  And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, 

LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

New Year...Old Lessons

Do you trust Me?

Will you wait on Me?

Do you love Me?

Do you desire Me?

Do I meet your needs?

When your heart is overwhelmed...do you lean on Me?

Will you do the "difficult" for My glory?

Will you thank Me for adversity?

Will you see My shaping potter's hand at work in your life?

I think of the dear father of the ailing child in Mark9:24.  
..."I believe; help thou my unbelief."


May the Lord grant us strong unshakable belief that only He can give.

Prayer meeting...not just the meeting of church members...but the meeting of my needs

There are times that the words don't come.  I stumble explaining my position for the decisions I make and the values I hold dear.

Why do I not join in with so many of  the world's "pleasures".  I know that the happiness offered by the world and its vices only bring temporary pleasure often with devastating effects on ones soul.  Rather than seeking guidance from our Dear Shepherd of Psalm 23...the world offers its numbing when life gets unbearable.

Thoughts from Psalm 23 regarding, "He restoreth my soul....leads me in paths of righteousness"  took many turns last night, but the last morsels for my frazzled soul took me to Titus 2:11-15a

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 

Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 

These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke.....