II Corinthians 4:6 - "Touch The Sky"

I woke up this morning singing these words from the song "Touch The Sky" that United sings...

My heart beating
My soul breathing
I found my life
When I laid it down
Upward falling
Spirit soaring
I touch the sky
When my knees hit the ground

What a blessing to be in such a relationship with the Lord. To not only hear His voice but to actually feel His breathe over me. There is no better place than to live in His presence, 24/7. I am so grateful for the days the Lord changed my spiritual life in a mighty way...

• the day I accepted Him into my heart for the very first time and then a couple days later when I was baptized for the first time
• the day I learned how to talk to Him just as if He were sitting right beside me
• the day I came back to Him after rebelling
• the day I took the step to be sanctified
• the day I began living for Him 24/7
• the day Doc re-baptized me in the Jordan River
• the day He told me to "go deeper"

I love sitting at His feet, listening to Him, basking in His love, feeling His breathe upon me, following His direction...

Find me here at your feet again

Everything I am
Reaching out
I surrender come sweep me up in
Your love again and my soul will dance on the
Wings of Forever

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for this song this morning to remind me of our relationship. Thank You for always being here for me. Father, I pray for more of You to fill me to overflowing so people will see and hear You in me. I pray for the depth of our relationship to go deeper so You will ooze out of me. Lord, use me today to be a beacon of light to someone in this dark world. I pray for people who are living in darkness to come to see the light in You. Father, may those who are going through difficult times know You are there for them. Thank You Jesus for being My Light. Amen.

II Corinthians 12:7-10 - "Always"

What a blessing to receive a message that says, "just to let you know - you have been prayed for today" from a dear sister in the Lord. The last two days have been full of pain. That is something I don't always deal with and I try to not complain about it but it drives me crazy. I think of Paul in II Corinthians 12 where he talks about having a thorn in the flesh. He says in verse eight how he prayed and asked the Lord to remove the thorn but that wasn't the Lord's will. It was then Paul chose to "...delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (vs. 10). That is the kind of faith I strive for. But there are some days definitely harder than others as I deal with physical ailments. I love what Matthew Henry says about this passage of Scripture...

"Prayer is a salve for every sore, a remedy for every malady; and when we are afflicted with thorns in the flesh, we should give ourselves to prayer. If an answer be not given to the first prayer, nor to the second, we are to continue praying. Troubles are sent to teach us to pray; and are continued, to teach us to continue instant in prayer. Though God accepts the prayer of faith, yet he does not always give what is asked for: as he sometimes grants in wrath, so he sometimes denies in love. When God does not take away our troubles and temptations, yet, if he gives grace enough for us, we have no reason to complain. Grace signifies the good-will of God towards us, and that is enough to enlighten and enliven us, sufficient to strengthen and comfort in all afflictions and distresses. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Thus his grace is manifested and magnified. When we are weak in ourselves, then we are strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; when we feel that we are weak in ourselves, then we go to Christ, receive strength from him, and enjoy most the supplies of Divine strength and grace."

I am blessed in knowing I have others who are obedient to the Lord in following His guidance to pray for me when He knows I am in need of an extra dose of His encouragement. I also am blessed in knowing when people ask how I am doing and my response is something along the words of "OK" or "Not where I want to be.." people will pray for me. I don't ever want to be known as someone who complains of their ailments. But because I deal with a disease that does not always show my issues I need to let people know when I need some extra prayers. That is where I am today. I just feel like I need some extra prayers. I am grateful for His love and grace that gets me through the tough days. The Lord is so good to me.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace. Thank You for people who encourage me through tough days. As I prayed and anointed others today I was blessed in the knowledge that You are always with us...You never leave us...You are always there to encourage us. Woo hoo! What a blessing You are! Lord, fill me to overflowing with more of You so people will see You in me. Thank You Jesus for being My Strength. Amen.

John 16:21; James 1:17; Luke 2:19; Matthew 3:17b

As a young girl, I prayed for my babies. I asked the Lord to bless me with ‘good’ children. As I prayed, I never dreamed how much the Lord would bless me with answering those prayers. Thirty-five years ago today the Lord gave me the blessing of my first born. When I think of that day and the turmoil of Paul’s birth, I once again know the Lord was protecting both of us. I think of John 16:21…

When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

I am grateful for not knowing what all was going on until after the fact. As I held Paul for the first time, I was grateful for the way the Lord answered my prayers. James 1:17 reads…

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Not only did the Lord bless me with a baby but He blessed me with a ‘good’ one! Paul was such a happy baby. He ate and slept. When he was awake, he was always in a pleasant mood. Once again, I was grateful for the way the Lord answered my prayers. I would cuddle him and think about how blessed I was to be his Mommy. Luke 2:19 reads…

But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

As Paul grew up I was amazed by his love for others, his compassionate heart, the way he cared for others, and the way he enjoyed life. He reminds me so much of my Daddy and oh how my Daddy was proud of him! He grew up to be a fun-loving young man who met the love of his life, ‘my Lizzy’! They were made for each other. What a blessing we received when she became part of our family. The Lord blessed them with Miss Bella who is following in their footsteps of being fun-loving. The three of them bless me in so many ways but most of all in their love for the Lord. I am blessed in knowing Paul will hear the words of Matthew 3:17b when he meets the Lord…

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the blessing of my first-born. Thank You for the way he loves You and follows You. Lord, I pray for continued blessings to be upon him, Lizzy and Miss Bella. I pray they will continue to seek You in their daily lives. May Your Spirit be in him as he leads his family, in his the workplace, among his friends and family…every aspect of his life. I was blessed with Paul never leaving the house without a hug and an ‘I love you’…oh how I miss his hugs. But Father I know my duty as his mother was to raise him with Your love and that I did. Lord, just as I pray for more of You in me I pray he seeks the same. Thank You Jesus for being The One To Bless Me. Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "The More I Seek You"

There are so many things to be afraid of in this world. So many questions can pop into our minds throughout the day...

• What if I die before my children are grown?
• What will happen to my spouse if I die?
• How will I handle the death of a loved one?
• What if we don't have enough money to put food on the table?
• How would we survive a major catastrophe in our family?
• Will my children know I love them?
• What if my health never improves?

The list could go on and on. But we must remember we do not have to do anything on our own strength. When we ask the Lord to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings of our life, we have nothing to fear. He empowers us to get through anything that comes our way. When we live in the 'what ifs' of this world, we give the enemy an open door into our lives. The enemy loves to cause fear in us. He loves when we depend upon ourselves instead of the Lord. It is then that he has control. We must allow the Lord to be in control. He must be the One we turn to for strength in trying times. If we don't, we will miss great blessings.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the reminder today I do not have to give into the spirit of fear. Thank You for empowering me over being fearful. Lord, You are my King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You are the One in control of my whole life. I pray for blessings in abundance to be upon me as I seek more of You. I pray for Your empowerment to come down upon me in all I do and say. Fill me to overflowing. Thank You Jesus for being My Empowerment. Amen.

Hebrews 12:11 - "First"

The thing I am most thankful for today is the way the Lord has blessed me over the last eight months. The trip to Israel where He spoke to me about "going deeper" kicked off a change in my life. It was not too long after that I was stopped with an MS exacerbation. I know the purpose of it was for me to follow that command of "going deeper." During the months that followed I have been challenged physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. 

For each and every challenge...I am grateful. 
Having all of my grand babies together for pictures this summer...I am grateful. 
Having a husband who cares for me so much...I am grateful. 
Experiencing answers to prayers...I am grateful. 
Hearing, listening and speaking words to command a kidney stone to pass for Doc...I am grateful. 
For friends and family who encourage me through tough days...I am grateful. 
Not knowing where the Lord is taking me yet knowing He is My Guide...I am grateful. 
Having Him as My Hope...I am grateful.
Being a vessel of light for those who have come to know the Lord...I am grateful.

Dear Jesus,
I am so grateful for all You do for me. You are so awesome. Lord, I just want more of You to fill me to overflowing so You will ooze out of me. The desire of my heart is for people to see and hear You in me today. Father, touch people through me. Love on people through me. Give people what You want them to receive through me. I love the words in a song Lauren Dangle sings....You are my treasure and my reward! Thank You Jesus for being My Treasure and My Reward! Amen.

Nehemiah 8:10b - "At The Cross"

"Holidays"...for some that word represents family, traditions, fun but for others it represents sadness and loneliness. After a divorce/separation or a death in a family holidays can be pretty tough to get through, especially the first one after the loss. My heart breaks for children who have to deal with their family being torn apart. The days of 'what use to be' are no longer. New traditions are started and old ones are missed for many. It is hard to have joy during such times but we must remember the words of Nehemiah ...

It is through His strength we can get through tough days. It is through His joy we will not spend the holidays in turmoil or sadness. How? By being intentional in focusing on Him instead of our situation. 
Jesus
Others
Yourself
He has so much love to shower upon us...all we have to do is accept it.
He has so much grace to pour down upon us...all we have to do is accept it.
He has so much hope to give us...all we have to do is accept it.

I woke up early this morning to pray for ones who my heart breaks for. I pray they will know He is their strength during these tough days.

• the children dealing with parents separated; the parent who will not be with their children for the holiday due to the separation
• the children whose parents are physically still on this earth but yet have nothing to do with them; the grandparents who are raising them
• the one suffering in her body with cancer; her family as they support her
• the families going through their first holiday without a family member; the families who continue to miss their loved one that has been gone many years
• the one who lives alone and has no family members around; people to include her in their holiday plans
• the mothers who are saddened with not having their grown children with her for the holidays; the grown children to contact their Momma on the holiday
• the one who is dealing with a severe medical issue and can't do her normal for her family; her family to rally around her and help her to realize she is still with them and that is enough
• the family with the premature baby who can't be around people; help people to realize the importance of protecting this little one
• the one going through testing for a disease; help them to lean upon the Lord for the days ahead
• the one hospitalized with infection; his family to not lose hope

As I was praying the Lord brought a song Chris Tomlin sings called "At The Cross" to my mind....

There's a place where mercy reigns and never dies
There's a place where streams of grace flow deep and wide
Where all the love I've ever found
Comes like a flood
Comes flowing down

His mercy, grace and love are ready to flow down upon each one who is willing to surrender to Him. It is in surrender that hope is found. Days of the past will never be the same after a divorce or death but they can still be good days when we allow the Lord to be our focus. New memories can be made. Yes, there will be tears of what we no longer have on earth but praise His Holy Name when we have Him in our heart we have hope in seeing our loved ones again in heaven. When we have Him as our focus, we have hope of better days ahead after a divorce. 

I remember the holidays of being without my boys. They were not fun. I was thankful when the Lord showed me the holiday can be any day, it doesn't have to be just celebrated on "the day" it falls on the calendar. When I realized that, it was as if a load was lifted off my shoulders and we were able to celebrate the holiday again. As they grew up, married and had children that idea became even more meaningful as inlaws came into the picture. Time had to be split again with more family members. I am forever grateful for the way the Lord showed me many years ago that a family celebration can occur on any day not just "the day"! Yes, I still have my moments of wishing I were with them or that they would call but then the Lord checks me in my spirit and reminds me there are many who don't have anyone.

I also am thankful for the way the Lord loves on me when I have a melt-down over not having my Daddy on this earth. Oh how I miss him. I miss the morning phone calls...the words of encouragement...the way he joked around... But I am also thankful he is no longer in pain. I pray for my dear Momma every day because I know his death left a big void in her life. As we grieve for a loved one we must remember to cry out to the Lord but also we need to remember we are not the only one missing them. We need to support others who are also going through the grieving process. In order to get through the tough days our focus must be...

Jesus

Others

Yourself

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the reminders you have brought to me this morning. Thank You for Nehemiah  8:10b that enables me to get though tough days. Lord, each one I prayed for this morning needs Your touch. They need to feel Your strength. They need to know Your joy. Holy Spirit, come down upon them in a mighty way. I can't encourage everyone who needs encouraged but I ask that You fill me to overflowing so I can be You to those who I come in contact with. May Your words be my words...Your actions be my actions...Your attitude be my attitude. Lord, I am sorry when I am judgmental with people. Enable me to not be. Thank You Jesus for being My Joy. Amen.

Ephesians 5 - "Lift My Life Up"

Sometimes I get battle weary. There are times when I feel like no matter what I say or do makes a difference in people's lives. I want to give up trying yet I know I can't. The desire of my heart is to see the desire of the Lord's heart be fulfilled. That will take people getting to the point of surrender. It will take people realizing life is not about what they want but rather what the Lord wants. There are times what we want and what He wants will be aligned but not always. I am so ready for His return. I'm tired of the 'junk' of this world that tries to pull me down. I get discouraged with people being too busy with life that they put God on the back burner or sometimes even forget Him totally. He is the One who created us. Not only did He create us but He created us for a purpose. What is that purpose? To be Christ-like. How can we do that? By following the direction Paul gives in Ephesians 5.

Verse 1..."Follow God's example..."
Verse 2..."walk in the way of love..."
Verse 3...live a pure life
Verse 4...be thankful
Verse 5-7...stay away from those who don't follow Him
Verse 8-10..."Live as children of light...find out what pleases the Lord"
Verse 11-14...expose darkness
Verse 15-16..."Be very careful, then, how you live..."
Verse 17..."understand what the Lord's will is."
Verse 18-20..."be filled with the Spirit...always giving thanks to God"
Verse 21- 33..."Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

If every person on this earth strived to live a Christ-like life, the world would be a better place. If we put Christ first in all that we do, our lives would be more pleasant to live. There would not be 'junk' to deal with if everyone had Christ in their heart. Unfortunately, the enemy is in this world to keep people from being Christ-like. Praise the Lord the enemy does not have the supernatural powers Christ has but unfortunately he finds ways to get into people's lives. He finds little things to blow out of proportion to cause issues in relationships. He takes our circumstances and tries to use them for his good instead of God using them for His good. These words of Matthew Henry are encouraging:

"When afflicted or weary, let us not seek to raise our spirits by strong drink, which is hateful and hurtful, and only ends in making sorrows more felt. But by fervent prayer let us seek to be filled with the Spirit, and to avoid whatever may grieve our gracious Comforter. All God's people have reason to sing for joy. Though we are not always singing, we should be always giving thanks; we should never want disposition for this duty, as we never want matter for it, through the whole course of our lives. Always, even in trials and afflictions, and for all things; being satisfied of their loving intent, and good tendency. God keeps believers from sinning against him, and engages them to submit one to another in all he has commanded, to promote his glory, and to fulfil their duties to each other."

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for taking me to this passage this morning. Thank You for encouraging me to keep on the path You have me on. Thank You for the reminders of this passage of what it takes to be Christ-like. Father, that is the desire of my heart because I know it is the desire of Your heart. Lord, whatever this day holds it is Yours. Wherever You lead my words and steps they are Yours. Fill me to overflowing with more of You so people will have the desire to be Christ-like. Lord, I pray for those who are struggling with surrendering to You. I pray they will have their eyes opened up today to this life of freedom. Thank You for being My Example. Amen.

Psalm 23 - "I Am Not Alone"

The phrase "status quo" has been going over and over in my mind for the last couple of days. I looked up the meaning and it said, "the current situation: the way things are now." I have been pondering this definition and asking the Lord how it applies to me. I love where I am in relationship with the Lord yet I always want more of Him. I don't think we should ever be satisfied with where we are with Him. But then this morning He took me another direction in my thinking as I was praying for a dear friend who is in a battle in her physical body. The desire in her heart is for her family members to be in a personal relationship with the Lord. She wants them to go beyond just knowing Him. Through her situation she desires them to draw close to Him and know He is with them during these tough days. She has great faith and the desire of her heart is for them to see that and want it too. She is the 'poster child' for the song I Am Not Alone. She lives out these words...

When I walk through deep waters
I know that You will be with me
When I'm standing in the fire
I will not be overcome
Through the valley of the shadow
I will not fear

I am not alone
I am not alone
You will go before me
You will never leave me

In the midst of deep sorrow
I see Your light is breaking through
The dark of night will not overtake me
I am pressing into You
Lord, You fight my every battle
And I will not fear

She has no fear of the days ahead but she does desire her loved ones to know how to live in such days in that state. Fear is something the enemy gives us, the Lord gives us peace. Fear is something that cripples our thinking, the Lord gives us clarity. Yes, we have questions as to why people have to get such things as cancer and we may never know the complete answer. But for my friend she sees her disease as a way for family to come into a deeper relationship with her Lord. She sees herself as the pathway for eternity for them. Does she want to be in such pain? As a human being the answer is 'no' but as a child of the King the answer is 'yes, if it will enable people to see Him in her.' The Lord took me to Psalm 23 this morning as I prayed for her and her family as they go through these tough days.

Matthew Henry writes about this Psalm, "The Lord gives quiet and contentment in the mind, whatever the lot is. Are we blessed with the green pastures of the ordinances, let us not think it enough to pass through them, but let us abide in them. The consolations of the Holy Spirit are the still waters by which the saints are led; the streams which flow from the Fountain of living waters. Those only are led by the still waters of comfort, who walk in the paths of righteousness. The way of duty is the truly pleasant way. The work of righteousness in peace. In these paths we cannot walk, unless God lead us into them, and lead us on in them." Praise His Holy Name for giving us exactly what we need no matter what we are going through in life. He is Our Quietness, Our Contentment, Our Peace through the storms of life. Henry continues, "The Lord's people feast at his table, upon the provisions of his love. Satan and wicked men are not able to destroy their comforts, while they are anointed with the Holy Spirit, and drink of the cup of salvation which is ever full. Past experience teaches believers to trust that the goodness and mercy of God will follow them all the days of their lives, and it is their desire and determination, to seek their happiness in the service of God here, and they hope to enjoy his love for ever in heaven. While here, the Lord can make any situation pleasant, by the anointing of his Spirit and the joys of his salvation. But those that would be satisfied with the blessings of his house, must keep close to the duties of it."

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for being Our Quietness, Our Contentment, Our Peace no matter what we are going through. I pray for Betty and her family as they go through these tough days. I pray they will draw near to You so they can feel Your strength. Lord, speak to those who are not in relationship with You. Father, the desire of Betty's heart is for all her loved ones to spend eternity with You. Bless her today with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to give her what she needs to fight this battle. I pray for Your healing touch to come down upon her in such a way that there is no doubt You are her Healer. Lord, fill her to overflowing so all who see her see You. Speak through her words in a way that is comforting yet bold to her family. Father, I pray for You to flow through me as I minister to them. Fill me to overflowing with more of You. Thank You Jesus for being My Great Shepherd. Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21 - "Drops In The Ocean"

The Lord woke me up singing the words to a song Hawk Nelson sings called "Drops In The Ocean" and I was immediately blessed.

If you wanna know how far my love can go
Just how deep
Just how wide
If you wanna see how much you mean to me
Look at my hands
Look at my side
If you could count the times I'd say you are forgiven
It's more than the drops in the ocean, ooh ooh

Wow! What a great reminder of just how much Jesus loves us. He loves us enough to die for us. Each and every day we see His love for us by the things that happen all around us. Yesterday was a day full of blessings that reiterated the fact that Jesus loves me. Physically, I walked on my own. Woo hoo! Emotionally, Doc reminded me so much of the way my Daddy helped my Momma when getting ready for company. Woo hoo! Spiritually, Doc's words about second chances in the wedding ceremony reminded me the Lord gave me a second chance when I came back to Him. Woo hoo!

This song is a great reminder of His love, mercy and grace. Nothing stops Him from loving us. His love is greater than everything. I am so grateful I got to the point in my life where I realized just how much I needed to be in relationship with Him. But I am especially grateful for the day I realized that relationship needed to go deeper into a life of surrender. Woo hoo!

As I was reading Ephesians 3 this morning I was blessed with a prayer Paul gave for the Ephesians and prayed it for those in my little world...

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace! Thank You for second chances! Thank You for the ways You remind me each and every day of these things. Lord, just as Paul prayed for the Ephesians I lift my voice up this morning asking You to do this for my friends and family. Strengthen them with Your power...fill them with deep faith...root them in Your love so they may "...grasp how wide and long and high and deep..." Your love is for them. Lord, bless them mightily as they seek more of You. Bless me greatly as I seek more of You. May You ooze out of my being today in all that I say and do. Lord, You know what is ahead in this day and I pray Your blessing to be upon it. I pray for calmness when I start to feel anxious. Lord, once again I thank You for my husband. I pray You will let him know just how much I love and appreciate all he does for me. Father, thank You for being My Greatness. Amen.

John 11:17-44 - "Exhale"

3 AM...the Lord woke me with these words going through my mind and had me pray for some who are going through some life changing things...

Just let go
Let His love wrap around you
And hold you close
Get lost in the surrender
Breathe it in, until your heart breaks
And exhale, exhale

• I prayed for two couples...one starting their marriage and another seeing their marriage end due to his alcoholism. 
• I prayed for two men...one fighting for his physical life on this earth and another fighting for a life the enemy has him convinced is OK.
• I prayed for two women...one who is seeking the Lord for answers as she deals with her daughter who has chosen the way of darkness through a lesbian relationship. 

These words just kept coming to my mind..."Just let go...Let His love wrap around you..." No matter if we are seeking the Lord or following the enemy these words are so applicable to everything we do. We need to allow God to direct every step of our way. When we do, He will give us peace in knowing we are doing what He desires of us. My heart breaks for those who listen to the enemy instead of God. Life with the enemy may seem good at the moment but it does not last. Life with God is the only thing that lasts. 

In the story of Lazarus in John 11 Jesus says some powerful words when he commanded Lazarus to come out of the tomb in verse forty-four. The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” Those words are exactly what many need to adhere to today. "Take off the grave clothes..." The things of this world that the enemy gets a foothold into our lives are 'grave clothes' as they take us further away from eternity with the Lord. Earlier in this chapter (vs 25-26) Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” When we "Take off the grave clothes," we will have eternal life with Him. When we surrender to the Lord, we will have eternal life with Him. Sometimes that surrender comes in the form of our loved ones. Sometimes it comes in the form of allowing God to work in their lives instead of us fretting over the way they are living. Alcoholism, sexual identity issues, lesbian relationships...these are all things God is greater than. We must have the faith that He can handle such things and then we must be willing to leave them at His feet and be amazed at how He works in and through them.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for giving me the opportunity to pray for these dear ones during the night. Thank You for working in and through their lives. Father, I pray for a physical touch to be upon the one in ICU. I pray for his family to be comforted in knowing You are working a miracle in his physical body. I also pray for the couple who are marrying today. I pray they will have You as the center of their life. Lord, be with those who are hurting with loved ones following the enemy instead of You. Bring light to their darkness. "Take off the grave clothes" that have them bound. I pray against the ways of the enemy in their lives. Lord, I also pray for strength in my physical and emotional body. I pray for Your infilling so I won't miss any opportunity You put before me to be You to others. Fill me to overflowing. May Your words be my words and Your actions be my actions. Lord, You are so awesome. What a blessing to be in a surrendered life with You. Thank You for being My Eternity. Amen.

Isaiah 61:1-3 - "Exhale"

I love the meaning behind the words of "Exhale" that Plumb sings. They are words we all need to hear many times in life. We tend to hold onto things that really aren't ours to begin with. Everything we have belongs to the Lord. Nothing is ours to even hang onto but yet as humans we don't always live that way.

Just let go
Let His love wrap around you
And hold you close
Get lost in the surrender
Breathe it in, until your heart breaks
And exhale, exhale
Spirit come
Tear down the walls
That only you can
That only you can
Reconcile, this heart to yours
Right now God, right now
Oh God
We breathe in your grace
We breathe in your grace
And exhale
Oh God
We do not exist for us
But to share your grace and love
And exhale

"Get lost in the surrender...Breathe it in, until your heart breaks, And exhale..." Yes! This is exactly what surrender looks like. We must be broken before we can surrender. We must say 'yes' to the Lord being our King of Kings and Lord of Lords before we can surrender. We must allow Him free reign of every aspect of our life and then we can "Exhale" and enjoy all the blessings of a surrendered life. There will be no doubt we are filled with Him and His peace no matter what comes our way from that point on. He will be in control and we will have His strength and His peace through it all. 

Last night as I was falling asleep the Lord shared with me a hint of what is ahead in my life. I love how He works. He is kind of like a teaser with just bits and pieces of information. A few months ago He told me He has something big for me but I wasn't ready yet. Last night He told me the song "My Story" shows part of what is ahead. I asked how I would share my story...written form or verbally? His reply, "Daughter, you will receive My direction soon." Woo hoo! I love where I am in relationship with My Heavenly Daddy. It is so cool to not only talk to Him but most importantly to hear and listen to Him.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for conversing with me. Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace. Thank You for my husband who seeks more of You just as I do. Thank You for the way You give peace in the midst of the storms of life. Thank You for all that You do for me each and every day to draw me further into Your Kingdom. Lord, fill me to overflowing so I can do more of Your will. Father, I wait for Your direction on the next step and I pray as I wait You will take me deeper into relationship with You. Thank You Jesus for being The One I Am Surrendered To. Amen.

Philippians 1 - "My Story"

The Lord woke me up with a song Big Daddy Weave sings called "My Story" and I was immediately blessed by the knowledge of how the Lord has loved me even when I was still in the womb. I am so blessed by His love, mercy and grace. If it were not for His grace, I would not be where I am today. The last line is one from the hymn "Blessed Assurance"...

This is my story this is my song praising my Savior all the day long

I praise Him with confidence in knowing He loves me and my past is just that. My past. I live in His Kingdom today in order to live for eternity with Him. As I share by life with others I am sharing Him. He is my life. He was my life even when I turned away from Him. He never turned away me, it was I doing the rebelling. 

My story...my legacy...oh how the desire of my heart is to leave this earth knowing others knew Christ's love because of me. I want to be as Paul says in Philippians 1:21..."For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." The way that will happen is when I live verses nine through eleven each and every day...

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

If I told you my story
You would hear hope that wouldn't let go
If I told you my story
You would hear love that never gave up
If I told you my story
You would hear life but it wasn't mine

If I should speak then let it be

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder of Your love, grace and mercy over my life. Thank You for never leaving me even when I rebelled and walked away. Thank You for open arms to receive me back. Oh how I pray for more people to find Your love, grace and mercy for their own lives. I pray people will see and hear You through me and my story. Lord, I pray for people to find Your hope in this hopeless world. I pray they will find Your love in this hateful world. Father, I also want to thank You for the reminder that I need to tell my story. Holy Spirit fill me with more of You so I am empowered to do that. Fill me to overflowing to where You ooze out of me. Thank You Jesus for being My Story. Amen.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 - "There's Hope In Front Of Me"

The lyrics to "There's Hope In Front of Me" were on my lips this morning. What a blessing to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there is hope through Jesus Christ no matter what happens in life. 

He is our Hope in the midst of the storm. 

He is our Hope when everything in life seems to fall apart. 

He is our Hope when our loved one leaves this earth. 

He is our Hope when there seems to be no hope.

There's hope in front of me
There's a light, I still see it
There's a hand still holding me
Even when I don't believe it
I might be down but I'm not dead
There's better days still up ahead
Even after all I've seen
There's hope in front of me

We, as believers, have Hope but there are so many who still refuse Him. My heart breaks to see people struggling so much when they don't have to. Yes, there are still struggles that come along in the life of the believer (my MS is a good example) but when You believe in the Hope of Jesus Christ you deal with struggles differently. His strength becomes your strength. His peace becomes your peace.

There's hope in front of me

There's a hope still burning
I can feel it rising through the night
And my world's still turning
I can feel your love here by my side

You're my hope
You're the light, I still see it
Your hands are holding me
Even when I don't believe it
I've got to believe
I still have hope
You are my hope

Jeremiah 29:11-14 reads,

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

The key to having peace in the midst of the storm is found in these verses. We must call on Him, pray to Him and seek Him. It is then we will find true Hope. He delivers us from the junk of this world to a peaceful place. That may not mean our turmoil is gone but it does mean He is our Hope in the midst of it. He never leaves us but instead is carrying us along the way. I praise His Holy Name for not leaving me when I walked away from Him. 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for being My Hope. Oh how I pray for more people to get to the end of themselves and accept You as their Hope. I also pray for those who believe but are still holding onto themselves instead of allowing You to be their King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Father, speak clearly today to those who need Your Hope in their little world. I pray for those who know You yet have strayed away. I know how hard it is to come back to You but oh how blessed they will be when they return. Lord, fill me to overflowing with more of You. I pray for the empowerment of Your Holy Spirit to come down upon me in such a way that no one will doubt that You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords of my life. Thank You Jesus for being My Hope. Amen.

II Chronicles 20:1-30 - "At The Cross"

Empty words...I don't ever want to say them to anyone who is need of being encouraged.  What really blesses me is the fact that when I say Scripture to someone there is no way they are just 'empty words.' I have had opportunity to pray for some hard situations lately...situations that don't seem fair for those involved, especially the ones who are innocent in situations. My heart is breaking over those who are being cut to pieces by the actions of loved ones. The Lord has reminded me over and over again to tell them what He gave Jahaziel to tell Jehoshaphat in II Chronicles 20:15..."Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's." He continues in verse seventeen, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you." What did Jehoshaphat do? He fell down and worshiped the Lord. The next morning as he went out for battle King Jehoshaphat he told his people to have faith in the Lord. In verse twenty-one he directed the men to praise the Lord. They sang, "“Give thanks to the Lord for his love endures forever.” They continued to praise Him as He fought the battle for them. They also praised Him when they realized not only did He fight the battle for them but He blessed them in abundance with equipment, clothing and things of value (vs 25). I love verse thirty of this passage. "And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side." Wow! There are so many reasons to allow the Lord to take care of the battles of life but to me the greatest one is the peace He gives when we surrender our battles over to Him. Doc mentioned yesterday in his sermon about the peace we have in the midst of MS. It does not mean I don't have melt downs from time to time but it does mean even in the midst of the melt downs He is with me. 

God has delivered me. He has seen me through some pretty tough things in life. I have experienced a murder in my family, cancer in loved ones, being molested as a little girl, divorce, the loss of my Daddy, MS...so many things. But the most important thing is that I live in His presence daily. It is there I know His peace no matter what goes on in life. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your peace. Thank You for the words of encouragement You put on my lips for those going through tough times. I pray this morning for these ones to find Your peace:

• the wife with the husband having a sexual identity crisis
• the lady who appears to be losing the battle she is in with cancer
• the young man who is struggling with decisions of family members
• the boy who has endured a horrific time with his parents
• the lady struggling in her job 
• the wife with the alcoholic husband
• the parents with a daughter who is marrying her lesbian mate
• the two rebellious teen girls who are pushing the limits with their parents
• the man who is feeling like he doesn't know what to do with his job situation
• the new believer who is struggling with people tearing him down
• the expectant mother who has been told there is no hope for her baby
• the husband/father who just lost his wife and unborn child
• the husband/father who is supporting his wife through what appears to be her last days on earth
• the family making decisions about their elderly mother's health

Lord, I praise You for the peace You give me. I praise You for the way You direct my path to share Your peace with others. I praise You for being who You are in my life. Lord, may You fill me to overflowing so people will see and hear You in me. Thank You Jesus for being My Peace. Amen.