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When God Says No
I am typically upbeat and optimistic, but after this past hard season of loss, I have found myself struggling to find my normal happy self. I even felt some depression which is rare for me. And, this isn’t the first hard season I’ve faced! But this time, when I prayed for God to work a certain way, He said no. That hurt, a lot. So, would I still trust Him? Would I still walk in the truth of Romans 8:28-30? Would I say, His love and goodness are still true? Where would I focus my eyes and look for what sustains in the “even ifs” of life? For a couple…
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I’m Not That Bad! Part 2
The best part of experiencing conviction from the Lord, is the result when we repent…restoration. So let’s conclude this line of thought from last week with that beautiful gift He gives us. If you missed last week’s post, please read back to Part 1 . In Isaiah 38, we see what happens when Hezekiah, who was stricken with a deadly illness, prayed for God’s healing. As God extended his life, he wrote a poem. “Indeed, it was for my own welfare that I had such great bitterness; but Your love has delivered me from the Pit of destruction, for You have thrown all my sins behind Your back (Isaiah 38:27).…
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I’m Not That Bad! Part 1
I’ve noticed as I have aged and grown spiritually, the Lord is quicker to get my attention to sin in my life. My toes stay sore most of the time as He steps on them in conviction. Repentance is a daily ongoing activity! The more I learn about Christ and understand the depth of His holiness, the more I am aware of how far I am from it. I desire it but continue to miss the mark. What triggers awareness of sin in your life? What do you do to stop at the trigger before allowing the temptation to become sin? If we do not know the Word, our awareness…
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Timing is Everything
I often write about waiting, and God’s timing not usually matching mine. But throughout scripture we see evidence that God always has a plan, and His plan is always perfectly timed. In Genesis 21, after waiting basically a life time desiring to become a mother, Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had told him (Genesis 21:2). The year was perfect for Isaac to be born. The next Israelite patriarch was born and it fit completely into God’s big redemption timeline. The timing for Isaiah’s vision of God seated on His throne was specific as well. God was calling…
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Waiting with Patience?
I’m not necessarily a patient person. I applaud those who are. Tending to work fast on most anything, I am a “get’er done” kind of gal. Waiting in line, waiting on answers, and well…just waiting in general, is REALLY hard! This year the Lord directed me to memorize Romans 8. My verses for this week are 24-25. The context is how we were saved through our hope in Christ and now we eagerly wait for our full redemption when Jesus returns and makes all things new. Read back a few verses in your Bible, or better yet, the entire chapter to get a better look at the context. My post…
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Are You Blooming?
I wrote on a similar topic a while back, Grow Through What You Go Through, but the day I took this photo, I was sitting outside on the deck having time in the Word and kept looking at this new flag on our deck. I loved the vivid colors, but more than that I want to do what this says. All that God was saying to me lately came together in this thought, bloom where you are planted. There are some things I am not really happy about right now, but can’t do anything about. So, this thought is especially poignant. In John 15, Jesus teaches His followers how essential…
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My Pillar
What guides your thoughts and actions? To whom do you look for wisdom? We can rely on friends and family, and those in our life group, for solid advice, but none have the wisdom that only God provides as we look to Him primarily for daily direction. As I was reading the book of Exodus, I arrived at the passage that includes instructions to the Israelites to follow the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. That way they would know which way they were to travel. As I focused on this passage, I was reminded of the Pillar we have today to guide us…
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The Weight Of It All
What is the heaviest thing you’ve ever held or worn? What did that feel like? Now add 20 pounds to that & feel the weight. I do not enjoy heavy clothes in winter, much preferring to summer wear that is so much more comfortable. I can’t imagine adding more weight to my heaviest winter coat which is already heavy! Approaching Holy Week, my chronological Bible reading had me in Exodus, having recently read about the first Passover as Israel left Egypt bound for the land God promised would be theirs. As happens so very often, something jumped off the page to me and immediately connected with Easter approaching. Another Old…
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Nevertheless
What is the last experience you had that looked totally hopeless? How did it turn out? Or how has it turned out…so far? For those who know Christ, nothing is beyond His ability to remedy according to His plan, His glory and our good. (See Romans 8:28-30.) In my final week of study of Amos by Jennifer Rothschild, the word “nevertheless” stirred up my absolute love and gratefulness for the “but God” of my faith! Jennifer had us define “nevertheless” (or what I see as “but God”). Looking it up I found it means: in spite of evidence, even so, however, but, be that as it may. This is bad…
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The World We Live In
I’ve watched from a distance the culture of anger we see all around us today. Painful as that is, seeing it in the community where I live brings it close to home and breaks my heart. Especially when Christians are angry and violent for a “christian” reason. Seeking justice, but in an un-Christlike manner. A hateful and even threatening manner. But it’s a picture of what we’ve all witnessed across the nation. A hint of truth, a huge dose of untruth, then attacks on social media platforms that are aimed at destroying people. Watching attacks on people they don’t know at all. They believe lies they see or hear from…
