Broken But Not Abandoned...

I am so saddened by the devastation in Oklahoma… giant tornado killing so many people… including children.  Two schools were hit and neighborhoods were wiped out!  My heart also hurts in all this for the people that are looking to understand how God could let this happen.  I saw a comment on FB in response to a prayer for God to comfort these families… it reads: "So turn to God for salvation against devastation that God clearly caused? A mile wide tornado? That's crazy."  It is a hard thing… knowing that God can stop anything… He could have stopped His Son from dying on the cross for my sins too, but He didn't! 

There is no logic!  If we could figure it out or understand it… then what would we need God for? God created everything there is in nature.  He put the natural way things are to be, in motion, but that doesn't mean that it will never get out of whack at times… and He allows it to happen.  Just like our free will… He could treat us all like puppets to live and do everything perfectly as He wants it, but what would that be?  Would that be living?  He loves us so much and the only way for us to love Him back is through free will… if you force someone to love you is that really love? 

“But God is rich in mercy because of His great love for us. We were dead because of our failures, but He made us alive together with Christ. (It is God’s kindness that saved you.) God has brought us back to life together with Christ Jesus and has given us a position in heaven with Him. He did this through Christ Jesus out of His generosity to us in order to show His extremely rich kindness in the world to come.” Ephesians 2:4-7

These situations are so devastating and hard to grasp the good, if any… but I have to trust that God knows what He is doing!  What is my alternative to that?  I can either trust that God is sovereign and His Word is true or I can choose to live my life with no hope… Is that really a choice?

I have recently become a fan of the Sidewalk Prophets… they have some great songs, but one of their songs, “Keep Making Me”, has words that are so powerful to me!  Because words are so important to me I find it hard to sing words I don’t mean… some days I can sing these words and mean them… other days I cannot even get them to come out of my mouth because of the tears.  I want this to be my prayer every day… as you read the words you’ll see what I mean.

Make me broken, so I can be healed
‘Cuz I’m so calloused now I can’t feel
I want to run to You, heart wide open
Make me broken

Make me empty so I can be filled
‘Cuz I’m still holding onto my will
And I’m completed when You are with me
Make me empty

‘Til You are my one desire
‘Til You are my one true love
‘Til You are my breath, my everything
Lord please keep making me

Make me lonely so I can be whole
‘Til I want no one more than You Lord
‘Cuz in the darkness I know You will hold me
Make me lonely

‘Til You are my one desire
‘Til You are my one true love
‘Til You are my breath, my everything
Lord please keep making, I know You’ll keep making, me

My prayers go out to those hurting in Oklahoma… may they feel God’s presence as their comfort!  And may they know that they are not abandoned!

“I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.” Isaiah 49:15-16

Rejoicing in Truth!

Bringing Him Glory... Finishing Strong!

This spoke so strongly to me today… I just knew I had to share it on Coffee Cup Corner!  Bible Life Coaching from Sheri Rose Shepherd:

“It is always the last act of love, the last word spoken, the last move made that is the one remembered most.

Have you ever fought hard for something or someone you really believed in? You gave your all, your love, your time and your talent only to have it come to a bitter end where it seems you lost everything that mattered most to you including your faith? I have been there, and in these broken-hearted moments I could not find anyway or anything to restore what was lost or repair the damage done. But I discovered in the word of God that the ONE thing I can do is choose to lay down my feelings and bring a strong close to whatever is coming to an end. I can choose to react in a way that will bring glory to God. I know it is hard to push through painful places when you're hurting, but it is even harder to look back with regret and know you wasted the pain and became part of the problem.

If you are in a season of painful change and things seem to be coming to an end, allow me to share with you some Bible Life Coaching tips that will give you peace, perspective and help you persevere so you finish with a strong close...

• Pray for a bigger picture than your own pain and it will help purpose you to Finish Strong!
• Do what is right and Refuse to engage with whomever is attacking you or you become like them.
• Focus on God's will and not your rights. Remember that our God is a just God and He will repay those who have come against His children.
• Turn your hurt into Hope for the future and, rather than fix your mind on what you're losing, choose to trust God for new beginnings that will lead to His plans for you!

God's Letter to You

I believe if The Lord was going to write you a personal letter about battles this life brings it may read like this....

My Beloved Child,

Your life lived for me will become the legacy that lives on long after you are gone. Your fight will never be forgotten. You are a hero of the faith and your commitment to the call will carve character into the next generation. Every prayer you prayed will become a blessing passed down. Every tough choice you made to obey me will become a foundation of faith your family will stand on in their tough times.

Your courage will continue to bring comfort to many during their difficult times. Your Trust in me will remain in others who watched you walk in peace. I, your God, declare on this day that your children's children will be forever blessed because you lived your life for an audience of One... Me!

Love,
Your Lord and Savior who died for you

Treasure of Truth

Happy are those who delight in doing what He commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will never be forgotten. — Psalm 112:1-3”

I pray you received a blessing from this as I have!

Rejoicing in Truth!