A Dot in His Picture...

Over the last year we, my hubby & I, have really had to change the way we are living our life. Serving God & trying to do His will, as we understand it, has been a part of the majority of our married life… but God has really challenged us (me) more than ever.  God is always asking me, “How much are you willing to trust Me? Are you ready to give everything up as you know it, to follow Me to something bigger I have for your life?”  I am sharing this to only say that God keeps “shaking” us/me awake to what new step He has for us... what might be next?

As a kid I can remember playing with a sliding tile puzzle… maybe some of you don’t even know what I am talking about. It is a hand-held plastic game board, about 3”x 3”, that had 15 interlocking tiles that you would slide around trying to put all the tiles in order to make a picture or to get the numbers in order.  Each tile was important to the puzzle, and each move you made could make it or break it.  There would be many times I would slide the same piece around in a “circle” trying to get it to go where it belonged. I must confess there were times I tried to cheat by popping a tile out so I could solve it easily… that never worked though because even if I could get it popped out I could not get it pushed back in!

That is how my life feels sometimes lately… like a sliding tile puzzle!  God has every piece of my life in His hands and He has to be the one to make the picture.  There are many days I try to slide a tile into a different position and that usually just scrambles things all the more.  I can only see one piece at a time… and some days maybe not even the whole piece… but God can see the whole picture. 

Okay, so here is my fleshly truth… there are moments or even days that I want to turn back from this path.  It seems too hard when I feel like I don’t know where I belong.  I feel lonely and isolated, and let’s face it… just plain impatient!  I know God knows what He is doing, but does He have to take so long to do it??? Really?!

And God’s truth… He knows the plans He has for me, plans for peace and not harm, and a future filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11).  He also has promised never to leave me (Hebrews 13:5) He said, if I love Him I will be obedient to His Word (John 14:23, 2 John 1:6).  And just like Jesus said to Peter when Peter wanted to walk on water to come to Jesus, but failed… “You of little faith, why do you doubt?” Matthew 14:31

That is it… there really can be no arguing with God’s truth! I cannot live by how I feel which changes from moment to moment! I have God’s solid truth to stand on.  I may be only a dot in His big picture, but it is okay… that is where faith and trust have to come into play.  I must trust Him enough to go where He says to go, move where He says to move, and speak what He says to speak.

As we grow in our faith… we can see clearer & clearer, or maybe it isn’t really clearer, but rather that we are walking by faith & not by sight! (2 Corinthians 5:7) Some days I must look like… 2 steps forward, 3 steps back! Do you have those days too? We can always say, “No.”… but the truth is… it is not about us.  We all are a dot in His picture! Is your dot in the place where He wants you to be?

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. ~ Psalm 51:10

I don’t know what you are going through, but God does… He cares.  Cry out to Him and lay yourself at His feet.  When feelings start to overtake remember His Truth!  Lord, I pray for each person that reads this… help us to keep our eyes focused on You… the One that holds life in His hands. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Rejoicing in Truth!

Carin

The Cost?

A few weeks back I wrote the words, “The Cost?” on my notebook I write thoughts & prayers in… that is the only thing wrote on that page. I had some idea of where it came from, but it was not a complete thought at the time so I never wrote anything more. I was dealing with quite a bit of anxiety at that time… I knew God was working on me in this area… just writing those words gave me some relief in my heart & mind. But every time I flip through that notebook, that page keeps jumping out at me.

This morning I was reading in Exodus 16 about the Lord providing manna for the Children of Israel while they were in the wilderness. They whined & complained about the lack of food, which I’m pretty sure was not pleasing to the Lord, yet He still provided meat (quail) in the evening & bread (manna) in the morning. While I read this, the name, Jehovah-Jireh kept coming to my mind… the Lord our Provider.

I have always felt a connection with Abraham & Sarah in the Old Testament. They were not perfect by any means, yet God made a promise to Abraham & Sarah (Genesis 17)… no matter their “bumps in the road”… He kept His promise to them. There is so many good things to read about this dynamic couple, but today I was reminded of Abraham’s offering of Isaac, their son, to the Lord.

The Cost of obedience for Abraham was unbelievable… yet he was willing to obey. In Genesis 22 you will find this demonstration of faith, obedience & provision.

Abraham & Sarah had prayed for years for a child, & when this promise was finally fulfilled, the Lord asked for Abraham to give Isaac back through sacrifice! It just amazes me… I can’t even comprehend it!

FAITH is the word I have chosen as my word for 2016… I want to grow deeper in faith… I was to learn how to trust God more… I want to move forward in faith no matter how uncertain the road may seem. Remember, when you pray for stronger faith… that does not happen without difficulties of life to stretch you & grow that faith… it will cost you something! It will also be a time to cling, yes cling, to God’s Word even more.

Abraham packed up everything he needed to offer the sacrifice to the Lord as he & Isaac headed to the mountain. I believe that Abraham knew one of two things would happen… if he sacrificed Isaac, God would bring Isaac back to life (Hebrews 11:19), or the Lord would provide a substitute sacrifice. Which as we read He supplied a ram as the sacrifice.

I can look back & see how the Lord has provided throughout my life… always… in incredible ways! My anxiety does not come from His past faithfulness, I am living proof of that… it comes from not trusting Him for the future! It is crazy, I know! The Lord has done so much for me… but why should He do more???

Jehovah-Jireh does not mean “the Lord did provide”, it means “the Lord will provide”… it’s a demonstration of His ongoing faithfulness to His children. He is a good, good Father. I know that… I can trust that!

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” ~ Philippians 4:19-20

The truth is… I have no idea how our current situation will turn out. And I have to be okay with that! Trusting God for provision will cost me something… it will cost me anxious moments, it will cost me miserable days, it will cost me tearful conversations. On the other hand, anxiety has cost me dearly… it has cost me peace… it has cost me joy. Which has the biggest cost… which has the best outcome?

Everyone is going through something in their life… this is my story… I am a work in progress…taking it all day by day! I do pray for each person that reads these words & I ask that you might do the same for me.

Rejoicing in Truth!

Carin

Finding a Piece of Peace…

I woke up around 4a.m. & I couldn’t get back to sleep. My brain kicks into gear & then it just swirls from one thing to another… a spiral of anxiety woven very rapidly! I knew I had to get it under control before it went too far, so I began to pray. Lately there have been so many times I really don’t even know what to say when I pray… sometimes all I can say is, “I trust You, Lord.” Sometimes I just say the name of Jesus! There is power in His name! Jesus tells us in John 14:13 that whatever we ask in His name, He will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. For me… just calling out His name brings peace of mind!

In my “grown-up” life I have pretty much always played it safe… although the last 10 years has brought a little more unpredictability at times. I guess that happens when you choose to step-out in faith… our move to Lake City 10 years ago was a big step for me. Then deciding to follow a God-given dream to move to Ludington was a “crazy” giant step! Through these times I never felt unsafe or insecure of the future… not that any of it was easy… hope was always at hand… I could see it, because God had given me a vision for it all!

I am not sure why this business adventure Luke/we are trying to get off the ground is knocking me for a loop! I know my dear hubby has searched for wisdom from God… I believe that Luke will do excellent as a crop consultant… it is perfect for his gifting! So why am I letting fear of the future consume me at times???

I know many people can’t understand why we are doing what we are doing… I don’t understand it either, from a human point of view… and for the most part peoples’ opinions really don’t matter to me! We are both in our 50’s! How crazy is it to start down this unpredictable path???

All of a sudden, I was just wondering why am I writing this & what is the point… but as I’m writing down these thoughts, I am seeing more of what is really going on with me… it all goes back to TRUST! With the B&B God gave me a very clear vision of how it should be… He painted pictures in my heart & mind… it was all very real & tangible to me! With Luke’s business, which he has named “Shining Legends Agronomy”, is all in his heart & mind… I can’t see the vision or even understand much of what he does or how it all works! The only real part I can play in it is to support Luke & trust that he is following what God is guiding him to do!

Oh man! Why does it have to be TRUST???!!! You can’t touch it… you can’t taste it… you can’t hear it… you just have to surrender to it! That is really the only way to have peace of mind! It sounds so easy… but it’s not… it really is not!

I came across something I wrote 4 years ago today:

“PEACE – complete surrender to God’s will; letting His breath breathe life into my soul; trusting completely that God has it all under control, regardless of what it looks like to me… there is no PEACE without faith.

For He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek PEACE and pursue it. 1 Peter 3:10-11”

This is a battle for me… I know God is stretching me & growing my faith. I am not trying to whine… I am just trying to be honest & real… hoping that whoever reads this might get a glimpse of what God has for them through my testimony! I am just a work in progress… I must be because I have big old growing pains!

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword?... Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” ~ Romans 8:35 & 37

Rejoicing in Truth!

Carin

Chocolate Milk Day…

I can remember when I was in elementary school we always had chocolate milk on Fridays. Not only was it “Friday,” the day before the weekend, but we also got this extra special treat of rich, sweet, chocolaty goodness! Something as simple as that was what I looked forward to all week! I “suffered” through with the plain milk the other 4 days… knowing & expecting & believing the chocolate treat would come at the end of the week! A little thing that brought joy to a kid’s life!

Why couldn’t every day be a chocolate milk day??? And if every day was a chocolate milk day, would I still appreciate chocolate milk??? Such perplexing questions! ;) 

 

So now I come to the real reason I was even thinking about elementary school beverages… JOY!

I would tolerate the other 4 days of the week, just to get to the good stuff at the end of the week! When Friday rolled around I had joy that this was the last day of the school week, plus I got to indulge in chocolate milk!

In Hebrews 12:2 it reads, “We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of Him, so He endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it bought Him. Now He holds the honored position-the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne.” (GW)…now don’t blow a gasket! I am not comparing elementary school to death on the cross or chocolate milk to being in Heaven! The point I am trying to make is that Jesus endured what He did because He knew what good would come from His sacrifice… He not only would save the world, but He would get to be with His Father in Heaven forever!

So let me ask you the same question I have asked myself... Am I living each day like it is a chocolate milk day or am I just enduring each day like a plain milk day???

We all have circumstances to deal with in life, some are more tragic than others, but what we all need to remember is JOY has nothing to do with our circumstances... it has to do with our focus!

"He is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trusted in Him, and He helped me. Joy rises in my heart until I burst out in songs of praise to Him." ~ Psalms 28:7 (TLB)

Are you ready to trust God more? Are you ready to let JOY burst out of your heart & mouth in praise? Shout it out loud!!! God, You are good! Thank You for this "chocolate milk kind of day!"

"But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You." ~ Psalms 5:11 (NKJV)

I pray we all have a chocolate milk kind of day! Keep the faith! Keep hoping with expectancy for God to work it all out in His way! Keep focused on Jesus!

"Also pray that by the will of God I may come to you with joy and be refreshed when I am with you." ~ Romans 15:32 (GW)

May you find refreshment in a "Chocolate Milk Day!"

Rejoicing in Truth! 
Carin

It Doesn't Have to Make Sense...

I was reading in 2 Kings 5 about Naaman, captain of the King of Syria’s army. He was ill with leprosy. A maid servant from Israel had told them about Elisha, the prophet, & how his God could heal Naaman. So the King sent a letter with Naaman to go see Elisha. When he got to Elisha’s house, Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman telling him to go wash seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman was ticked off & I am sure his pride was a little hurt that Elisha wouldn’t even bother to come to the door & talk to him face to face. What Elisha told Naaman to do made no sense! Why did Naaman have to wash himself in the dirty Jordan River, why couldn’t it be in a cleaner body of water? Plus, why seven times?

That is me so many times… I ask God for answers & then when He gives me an answer I won’t pay attention to the answer because it wasn’t what I wanted to hear, or I scrutinize it & try to make sense out of it. Even those times that I have ignored His answer it is still disobedience!

In this story of Naaman & Elisha, Naaman had to trust what God was saying through His prophet. Naaman had to humble himself & take this step of faith into that dirty water. Could God have healed him just by asking God to? Yes! But what would have changed in Naaman? How would his faith been strengthened? How would Naaman ever come to the realization that the God of Israel was the only true God! Or even if Elisha would have laid hands on Naaman, would Naaman have given the glory to Elisha & not God???

“Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find, and for the one who knocks the door will be opened.” ~ Matthew 7:7-8

What are you struggling with today? What answers are you seeking? Are you turning a blind-eye to what God is showing you? I know there are many times I have prayed & felt like God is being silent… I have to question… is He being silent or has He already given me the right answer & I have ignored it? Just a thought!

Rejoicing in Truth!

Carin

Driving Through Life...

I cried out to God this morning because I have been feeling so overwhelmed at times lately. And you know what? He answered me with His Word!

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

I know being overwhelmed happens to me when I stop trusting God… when I try to figure it all out & trust myself… I become my own god! I know that will not work, but it is so easy for my flesh to slip back into that way of thinking! Even after all these years of being a Christian… God has definitely got His hands full with me! *Ü*

Read Psalms 5… This was the place in the Bible God took me to right after I prayed for guidance, strength, & clarity!

In verses 7 & 8 of Psalms 5 it says, “But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; in fear (reverence) of You I will worship toward Your holy temple. Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face.”

No matter the trial or even my imagination… I need to keep focusing on God. Trusting God! Believe that if I trust Him, He will lead me the right way… even when I cannot see any further than the next step!

Luke & I were talking yesterday about the windshield of the car compared to the rearview mirror… how one is so much bigger than the other. We were discussing how when you are driving your concentration needs to be on what you see looking through the windshield… you have the rearview mirror to glance back at to see where you have been & to check for hazards that may be coming up on you, but your real focus always needs to remain looking forward.

I can see how that lines up with my daily walk as well… if I spend all my time looking back at my failures or hurts, I will lose track of where I am headed & most likely run off in the ditch! God gave us a memory, not to beat ourselves up with or fret over past mistakes, but I believe it is so we can see where we have been & what He has brought us through! All praise, honor & glory belongs to God the Father & His Son, Jesus Christ!

Then in verses 11 & 12 it says, “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.”

Trust… Rejoice… Shout for Joy… God is your Defender… He will bless you… He is your Shield

Be Blessed as you go about your day!

Rejoicing in Truth!

Carin

X-tra -- So funny… as I was typing the word, “shield” it hit me how God is like our “windshield”! He is shatter-proof, always in front of us to protect & guide. The cleaner we keep our windshield the better we can see through it! Not just on the outside of the window, but the inside too, where that filmy smutch builds up!

God's Symphony

On our ride home my eyes were drawn to the gorgeous hues in the tree line.  The trek home leads us through winding, hilly, picturesque views.  The passing landscape led me to think about the seasons… do you realize that autumn is the only season that is prepared for by three previous seasons?  As you can, take these colorful moments of fall in & really soak them up… look hard at the beauty & really appreciate the Master painter that painted each stroke! 

I was thinking how God’s symphony of seasons culminates into a crescendo for the eyes with an explosion of unbelievable vivid color! Although these intensive shades can be quickly fleeting, so I have to learn not to take any of it for granted.

“Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest

sing for joy.” Psalms 96:12

It can be the same with the seasons of life… the “winter” season means death, especially in Michigan… but it is so necessary. “Spring” brings new life… it bursts forth out of the ground after we have made it through the cold, gray winter. Then the “summer” comes along, a season for growth... rain, sun, warmth, & long days prod the advancement along. And finally, “fall”, the final step in life… the time to shine forth in all the glory of how the Creator designed.

Whether you are living through an illness, moving on to a new stage in life, or just trying to figure out this thing called, “life,” you will be in one of these seasons or maybe even multiple seasons at the same time in different areas of your life. For example, we have been waiting for our house to sell… we put it up for sale 15 months ago… that was a long winter, but at the same time, it was a time of growth (spring) for me too. The choice was mine to focus on the economy & the home sale’s estimations or to focus on what God was doing in my heart. These moments of growth (summer) would always lead to the son-shine & the warmth of intimacy with Father. And now, the sale of our house! The end of “winter” in this area & the culmination (fall) of God’s glorious faithfulness!

Of course, now starts another season… I pray this time of finding a new home to fulfill the vision of the dream God has given will not last long. No matter how long this winter lasts, I know my choices of how I deal with it will be where life & growth will happen in my life. Father wants us to always cling to Him… not just in moments of uncertainty! But always!  When it comes right down to it… all of life is uncertain… God is the only thing that is certain!

Once again it brings me back to Isaiah 43:19 ~ “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

 So as we wait on the answer to the offer we put on a house… it is my time to keep preparing for the glorious new season! So that means packing, & sorting!  If I keep my thoughts on God & draw nearer to Him, I have such peace. I feel like He is propelling me into unknown waters but I praise His name that He knows all! He created everything so how can I not trust that He has it all under control???

He is doing a new thing! That is why I feel like these are unknown waters… they are! It can’t be new to me & still be known to me! It is His living water that He is propelling me into! How can I not praise Him??? No matter what is to come!

We are all in those different seasons of life… no matter your situation or circumstance… trust Him! Do you want to keep living the same old life or are you ready to let Him do something new? This can be so excruciatingly hard… I get that, believe me, I get that! But the “reward” for trusting Him more can be so peaceful.  I don’t have all the answers, all I can do is share my experience & the truth God is showing me.

Things I have to keep reminding myself of:

~ God is faithful! (Psalms 33:4)

~ His timing is always best & never close to my timing! (Isaiah 49:8)

~ He will answer my prayers in a way that is best for me to bring Him glory! (Jeremiah29:11-14)

~ He is always near, even when I don’t feel like He is! (Psalms 34:18)

~ The battle is not mine, but God’s! (2 Chronicles 20:15)

I praise You, Lord, for Your glorious creation… the creation in nature & for what You are creating in each of us who choose to follow You!

Rejoicing in Truth!

Feelings Over Truth?

I have had a couple “bumpy” days… I have noticed that some days I have a greater need of mercy… not only from God but from others too!  The thing with God’s mercy is that He has given me all the mercy I will ever need forever… given in daily doses! “Through the Lord’s mercy, we are not completely wiped out. His compassion is never limited. It is new every morning. His faithfulness is great.” Lamentations 3:22-23

The problem is so many times I don’t “feel” it because I am choosing to do things my own way.  Doing things my own way only helps me to put my trust in me & not Him! What a colossal mistake is that??? Yet I continue to do it over & over again!

Trusting in the Lord means I am surrounded by mercy (Psalms 32:10)  Being in a holding pattern of sorts right now in my life, some days it is not so easy to just trust that everything will work out!  There are many moments that I feel God will not come through for me, but because I trust Him with my whole life… I know He always will!  It is a funny thing about feelings… they can rarely be trusted!  God put feelings & emotions in us… that is true, but He put them there, I believe, as warning signals not as a way to live our lives!  I know for myself if I trust on how I feel to get things accomplished or to live my life… I would never do anything or go anywhere most days!  I heard a statement that courage is not the lack of fear but the faith to do it in spite of fear!  Some days I have more courage than other days!

For instance, if a person is afraid to fly they can get on the plane without too much anxiety, but as soon as the wheels come off the ground that is when trust has to kick in!  You feel like life is out of control… you may not have a clue about how the whole flying thing works, but it is then that you must trust that it will be okay!  God said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” And that is why I know & can boldly say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear! What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Trust, faith, mercy… those are all great words! They seem so “holy”… we can use them when talking to someone about their problems.  “Trust in the Lord, He has got this!”  “Have faith that it will all work out for His good!”  “God has poured out His mercy on you in this situation!”  I am sure I have said a variation of these statements at one time or another. And I truly meant them!  But when it is me going through it… like I said those are great words, but do I really “feel” that to be true? 

I was reminded once again recently that trust is an all or nothing choice… either I trust God with everything or I really don’t trust Him with anything!  That may seem like a harsh statement, but trust is trust!  When we can’t see what the next 5 minutes might hold for us… can we trust God that it will be okay?  “I trust You with this 5 minutes, Lord!” If what it takes is to trust Him for 5 minutes at a time… then trust Him with your whole being for that 5 minutes & then repeat it over & over & over! I know that sound ridiculous, but if that is what it takes, then that is what it takes!  And FYI… I am writing this for me as much as for anyone else!

I was thinking about all the “changes of tomorrow” people are going through… the kids going back to school, the economy not doing so great, loss of a job, illness, and on and on. Those things are hard circumstances! In the middle of that you may not “feel” like God will come through… how do you trust & know that He will?

God sent His Son to the world as a sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:9).  You can read in Matthew 26 how that even Christ asked for His Father to let the cup of death pass from Him, but He also said, “not as I will but as You will.” (v. 39)  If Christ was able to trust His Father even through death & knew it would be alright… how can I not trust Him through these circumstances of life? God gave His Son’s life for my sins… why would He not do what is best for my life now?

His answers may not always look the way we think they should look, but that is okay! Trusting Him has no limits!  It is through trust we can find contentment & through contentment we will bring Him glory!  Oh, how I want my life to bring Him glory!

Father, I thank You that no matter my feelings I know You are always with me & in control of every situation.  I praise You for Your goodness & faithfulness. When the world around me seems to be crumbling Your mighty arm is my shelter… I trust You for my salvation & I trust You with each one of my days. One step at a time is all You require of me & I can do that knowing You hold the plan.  Thank You for loving me! I pray blessings over each person that reads these words; shine Your light in those dark places. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Rejoicing in Truth!

Time In Between...

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is when Peter was asked to step out of the boat and walk on water. Read it in Matthew 14:22-33. I can remember as a kid in Sunday school hearing this story... in fact I can almost hear Mrs. Bauer, the beginners’ class teacher, telling that story. She was such a sweet, loving lady and I am sure she had great impact on many lives, including mine. Anyway, back to the story... as a kid it seemed so "mystical" to me (although I am sure as a kid I didn't know that was the word for it!).

I can remember being down at our local beach and thinking if I put my eyes on Jesus I should be able to walk on water... I was taught that Jesus was in my heart, so I fixed my eyes on my chest (because that was where my heart is... and Jesus lives there... are you still with me?) and stepping out very carefully to try and walk on water... why didn't it work for me... what did I do wrong????? Oh, the mind of a child... wish I could be that naive now.

Do you ever feel like the in between time is the hardest time? For instance, what do you think was going through Peter's mind the time between when he asked Jesus to bid him come and walk on the water and when he actually got out of the boat??? Do you think he was thinking, "Do I, don't I, do I, don't I?" Did he have anxiety? I find for myself the in between time is probably the hardest time... the thinking about it... wondering what will happen... should I, shouldn't I?... is this really what I should be doing?... how long do I have to wait?... what am I to learn in this time?

I guess that is the question... what am I to learn in the time in between? This time can be the hardest but it can also be the most rewarding. During these times we can be drawn closer to God... our eyes can be taken off ourselves and our problems... we can reach out to help someone else... we can completely surrender our ways to God's ways.

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

Here are the lyrics to a song I really love called "Time In Between" by Francesca Battistelli:

You were there when Your Father said, "Let there be the light"

You obeyed when He whispered, "Son, You have to leave tonight"

To spend nine months in a mother's womb, three days in a borrowed tomb

It's the time in between that brings me to my knees

Knowing You came for me

And all that I can be I'm amazed, so amazed

And I thank You for the time in between

Don't take much for this crazy world to rob me of my peace

And the enemy of my soul says You're holding out on me

So I stand here lifting empty hands for You to fill me up again

But it's the time in between that I fall down to my knees waiting on what You'll bring

And the things that I can see I know that my songs incomplete

Still I sing in the time in between

So many ways Your love has saved the day

And I'm grateful for them all.

But it's the time in between the middle of two things that says everything

It's the reason I believe, I'm amazed, so amazed

And I thank You for the time in between.

Lord, I thank You for the time in between.

Just know that in the time in between you are not alone… you are not the only one! Hold tight to ALL that you know to be truth… God’s Living Truth inside you. In the silence… in the stillness you can rest in His loving arms and His faithfulness. Be amazed… be thankful… trust Him... praise Him! He will get you through! He will complete the work He has begun in you!

"I’m convinced that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it through to completion on the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6"

Rejoicing in Truth!

What are You Thinkin’?

I am a very inquisitive person.  I have always liked to know how things work… the reasons why things are done a certain way… things need to make sense to me.  A cognitive thinker you might say.  (Cognitive: acquiring knowledge by the use of reasoning, intuition, or perception; relating to thought processes.)  This however has not always been a good thing!

The good part of this is… I am pretty good at Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble, Sudoku, word finds and crossword puzzles… none of which you can make a living at!!!   The bad part… I am an over-thinker!  If something doesn’t make sense I struggle with believing or following along.  This way of thinking can make things tough as a follower of Christ.  There are so many things that will not make sense to my human brain.  Many times what I am reading in God’s Word gets stuck between my brain and my heart.  I can be like a spoiled child and demand God to explain to me why things are the way they are, but how much good does that do?  Or I can completely trust that He is in control and has it covered.

Reading Psalm 131, I was shown how that we can be like the child who is still demanding food from the momma… we fret and cry and demand God to do what we want Him to do in our lives. Or we can be like the weaned child who sits on the mother’s lap content and satisfied.

Are there things in your life you just do not understand?  Maybe you are demanding things from God that He knows is not in your best interest.  When is the time you learn to be humble, patient, content… trust Him with your whole being and circumstance… even when you do not understand God’s reasoning?  I am not saying you shouldn’t ask God… He wants you to bring your desires and requests to Him.  What I feel this is saying is that no matter how long you have to wait for His answer… you trust Him with faith and patience not fret and worry. Like it says in Psalm 131:3 – “Hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever.”  After all, divine logic is so beyond humane thinking or understanding!

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. Philippians 4:6 (AMP)

Ask yourself, do you want to keep living in anguish and worry or are you willing to wait in faith, hope and peace???  Can you trust Father while He works it all out in His good, acceptable and perfect will?  I would say that is a resounding, “YES.”  It is not easy, but it is easier when we get our stinkin’ thinkin’ out of the way. 

Remember… nothing is a mystery to God.

Rejoicing in Truth!

It's a Trust Thing...

I want to start out today by asking you some straight forward questions… Are you saved? Have you trusted Christ as your personal Savior?  Do you believe that God’s love for you is so great that He gave His Son to die for your sins?

If your answer is “no” to any of those questions… then first you need to get that taken care of.  Now is the time to pray and ask God to forgive you of your sins, confess to Him that you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, repent (turn from your sinful ways), and declare that you are choosing to live the rest of your life for Him. Romans 10:9-10 says: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  Now, if you made that decision… go and tell someone.

As a follower of Christ I see my decision to accept Christ as the biggest decision of my life!  I cannot even grasp how God’s unselfish, unconditional love has changed me.  In order to believe that I am secure in His mighty grip… I have got to trust Him with my whole being. Do you believe that to be true for you as well?  We can trust our Heavenly Father with our eternal destination, yet there are so many times during an average day we do not trust Him with our daily needs!!!???  How does that work… does that even seem possible???

Are you going through a rough patch today? Or you may be dealing with just ordinary, average obstacles.  Is your trust in Christ alone to deal with whatever may come your way today or are you holding onto it with fret and worry?  I was reading in II Corinthians 1:9-10 “Indeed, we felt within ourselves that we had received the [very] sentence of death, but that was to keep us from trusting in and depending on ourselves instead of on God Who raises the dead. [For it is He] Who rescued and saved us from such a perilous death, and He will still rescue and save us; in and on Him we have set our hope (our joyful and confident expectation) that He will again deliver us [from danger and destruction and draw us to Himself],

I am talking to myself as I hope it is also touching your heart.  If God cares for you enough to sacrifice His Son… why wouldn’t He care enough to make the right plan for your life?  When I could see His message to me in this scripture I felt so silly that I realized I don’t always trust God with the “little” things in my life.  I felt like He was saying to me, “Trust Me My precious daughter! I am in control. If I love you enough to give the life of My Son for you, then that should show you I care about every part of your life.”

May I encourage you today… no matter what you may be going through… God cares about you, His precious child.  Throw your hands in the air and tell Him you know He is in control and that you put your complete trust in Him to do what is best for you, no matter how big or small.  Remember the more you rely and trust Him the more strength He will give.

The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a crushed spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all… The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned. Psalms 34:18-19, 22

Rejoicing in Truth!