Another first to get through. But I don't want to just get through it. I want God to be glorified through my day. I want Doc to be proud of me if he were here. I am sure he wouldn't be happy about my present situation but once again I want him to be proud of me. The other day at the hospital I mentioned how we loved going to the waterfront. The therapist asked if I still go there and smiled when I said 'yes!' If Doc were still here today, we would have a big meal with lots of leftovers, take a nap, and then go for a drive. I had planned on making new memories with Paul, Liz and Miss Bella but then had my fall. I am not allowed to drive so I can't go into the waterfront. What is a girl to do? I realized at 3AM I needed to have some time at home today. It is all part of my healing process. I miss my honey and my four-legged buddy. I miss sitting down at my laptop and typing with both hands. I miss a lot of things that are different for me this year but the one thing I do not miss is living in God's presence. He is such a Good, Good Father! His presence is where I find strength!
Recently people have looked at me with a weird look on their face when my response to how I am doing is 'good.' I don't know if they think I am lying, if they think there is no way I could be 'good' with what I have gone through over the last few months, or what. I feel like I am doing 'good' instead of just being 'ok.' I still have my moments of tears but that's ok. They are part of my healing process. I still have times of feeling lonely but that is to be expected. I miss Doc and Mordecei tremendously but I know they are both out of pain. I miss having Doc to talk to, go for a drive with, make memories with, etc. But I would not wish him back for anything with the pain he had and especially with the way he was after the stroke. I would not have ever thought I would be a widow at the age of fifty-nine but I am. I cannot change that but I can and do allow God to be my strength through these days. Matthew West's song Truth Be Told is on my mind.
Lie number one: You're supposed to have it all together And when they ask how you're doin', just smile and tell them, "Never better" Lie number two: Everybody's life is perfect except yours So keep your messes and your wounds and your secrets safe with you behind closed doors
But truth be told The truth is rarely told, no...
I say, "I'm fine, yeah, I'm fine, oh, I'm fine, hey, I'm fine" But I'm not, I'm broken And when it's out of control I say it's under control But it's not and You know it I don't know why it's so hard to admit it When bein' honest is the only way to fix it There's no failure, no fall There's no sin You don't already know So let the truth be told
I had many times of saying "I'm fine..." during the days of the cancer in Doc's pancreas and in his last weeks after it spread to his spine, hips, etc. I would tell people that when I was hurting so badly. I felt like people would not understand what I was going through. Sometimes when I was truthful with what I was experiencing I felt like people didn't know how to response to me and it made them feel bad. Therefore, I would just put a smile on my face and push through. We cannot understand everything people go through but I try to allow God to give me His words to say when I know people are hurting. I also try to focus on Him and His Word so I will have insight to share with people. II Timothy 1:7 was my go-to verse throughout the time with Doc's cancer and death. I was determined to not allow the enemy an open door into our lives and I knew I needed to live in the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to make sure he stayed out. Praise His Holy Name for the strength I receive from that verse.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for the blessings of yesterday! The visits with: Elizabeth, Rhonda, Marion, Colette, Carringtons, Darryl, and Chrissy. The gifts from Rhonda and my secret sisters were so thoughtful. Thank You for the phone call from Paul! Thank You for the hugs from Miss Lilly! You gave me such a blessed day and I am grateful for every aspect of it! I was so tired when I woke up and You provided a nap before my day got going. Thank You for giving me exactly what I need when I need it! Cleanse me so You can fill me today with more of You. May You flow out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a mighty way. I pray for Your blessing over packing shoeboxes today. I wish the kids could have been involved but with the COVID it just wasn't possible. I miss being with them on Tuesday nights so much and pray we can be together again soon. I pray Your peace over Jeff with the loss of his mother last night. I pray he will lean into You to get through the days ahead. Thank You for continuing to empower me through the healing over Doc's death! Thank You Jesus for being My Strength! Amen.
This morning the Lord took me to Psalm 18. It was written by David to God and is about having victory in life through God. The last verse in the New International Version reads: He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing love to his anointed, to David and to his descendants forever.Victory! Yes! My challenge at the end of the sermon yesterday was Give God praises this week for every time He blesses you with victory! We talked about how the only way to have victory is to put on the full armor of God every day (Ephesians 6). When we do, we willknow the joyful soundas in Psalm 89:15. It is not complicated to have victory but it does take being sold-out to God. It takes surrendering our checkbook, our calendar, our family, etc. It takes dying to self and allowing God to have His way with us. The enemy will fight for our soul but we must allow God to do our fighting for us. This can only be done with starting each day by putting on His full armor.We must remember the enemy cannot take anything from us unless we allow him to do so. In spite of the battle that is raging, and in spite of Satan’s attacks, and in spite of the enemy surrounding us on every side, in spite of the deadness and dullness and unconcern of a lot of Christians, we canknow the joyful sound. We need to not only hear it but know it. Not the sound of gloom and doom, not the sound of discouragement, not the sound of sorrow, and not the sound of defeat, BUT AJOYFUL SOUND! I have been asked to pray for many who are dealing with depression. The things that are happening in our world today are becoming overbearing. This is a scary time for many with the threat of COVID19, the unrest in the political world, etc. The enemy is working overtime to make people be afraid, depressed, fearful of their future, etc. We must remember God is in control even in the mess we are living in. Even when we cannot see anything good happening, He is good. When we cannot see anything but strife, He is there in His empowerment to love on us. When we feel like we cannot go on, He is there to give us exactly what we need to continue on. He desires us to live in His love and empowerment. He desires us to walk the road of obedience to His will. His desires are greater than anything the enemy tries to put before us. I am reminded of the songSee A Victory...
The weapon may be formed, but it won't prosper When the darkness falls, it won't prevail Cause the God I serve knows only how to triumph My God will never fail Oh my God will never fail
I'm gonna see a victory I'm gonna see a victory For the battle belongs to you Lord I'm gonna see a victory I'm gonna see a victory For the battle belongs to you Lord
Yes! God will give me a victory because He never fails! The war was already won on the cross and He takes every battle on for us when we allow Him. We do not have to fret but instead can stand in His peace. We do not have to worry about tomorrow but instead remember He already knows the outcome. Woo hoo!
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the war already being won! Thank You for taking care of the battles before me! Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace that go before me! Thank You for giving me victory over the enemy! Thank You for yesterday's service where You spoke truth through me! Thank You for my time with Will and Sandy over lunch and then Jennifer and Eddie for a visit at the waterfront! Thank You for continuing to heal my hurts over Doc no longer being with me! Thank You for protecting my Momma and others from the nasty weather yesterday in Ohio! Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me today to overflowing with You so Your love will ooze out of me. May people see/hear You instead of me. May You put people before me who need to feel Your love in a special way today. Thank You Jesus for being My Victory! Amen.
I was reminded of Paul's words of Romans 15:13 yesterday at Kirstin's Celebration of Life Service. These words encourage all who trust in God to allow Him to be what they need every day of life. They encourage us to allow Him to fill us with joy and peace in the midst of the storms of life. They encourage us to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us to overflowing with His empowerment. They are exactly what we need to hold onto when we feel like we cannot take another disappointment to come our way. I was thinking this morning about the word 'joy' and what it means to me. Jesus Others Yourself. When we have this as our focus, we will have joy in our heart. Focusing on God and others takes our focus off our own problems. God puts people in our lives to encourage us and love on us. As He does, we need to allow Him to work through these people to heal our hurts. The words spoken to us are especially instrumental in our healing. One of the things helping me in my healing process is having people share stories about what Doc meant to them. Last night I was in conversation with one of 'my boys' who did life with us as a young teen into adulthood. He is struggling since Doc's death. I'm grateful for that. I'm hoping those struggles will draw him closer to the Lord. In the conversation we talked about me being a pastor. I told him I love to preach and love on people. His response was, "I know. I've experienced that love." That encouraged me greatly to keep on doing what God has called me to do. Yesterday as words were spoken about how Kirstin loved God I thought about the witness she gave through her smile. You could see joy oozing out of her and could feel God's love through her. I thought about how she and Corey made us feel welcome to the district at our first pastor's retreat here in South Carolina. I pray when I die words of this caliber will be said about my life. This morning I was thinking about how some people think pastors have to be nice because of their position. Some think pastors are fake in the way they treat people. I am sure there are some pastors who struggle with loving with God's love. Perhaps their struggles are because they are not living in His love themselves. Or perhaps they have allowed the enemy an open door into their life that makes it be they cannot love with God's love. I am praying for all believers, especially pastors, to realize His love and live it out to the fullest. I am praying for all pastors to allow God to use them for His glory as they stay focused on Him. Joy, peace, and hope are attributes we all can experience when we die to self and allow Him to be in control of every aspect of life.
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders Let me walk upon the waters Wherever You would call me Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander And my faith will be made stronger In the presence of my Saviour
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your joy, peace, and hope in my life! Thank You for keeping my focus on You! Thank You for these words of Paul in Romans 15:13 that encourage me to trust You! Father, this morning I am praying for all believers but especially pastors to experience You to the fullest capacity. I pray all of us will get to the end of ourselves so You can be glorified in and through us. Lord, be with all pastors who are preaching today not to speak one single word unless it is what You desire. I pray You will be glorified through my words and the words of all preaching. Father, I continue to pray for Corey with Kirstin's death and for Jennie and her family with her grandfather's death. Praise Your Holy Name they are with You. There is such comfort in knowing Doc is with You. Oh how I miss him but I am so blessed when people share stories about him. I was blessed yesterday as I did a 'normal' thing of ours while in the Charleston area. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me so I can live out Romans 15:13. Thank You for being My Joy, Peace, and Hope! Amen.
God took me to Joel 1 this morning, specifically verse four. As I was reading, I wondered if I heard right. What does locust have to do with anything? Then I dug deeper and realized Joel was talking about what was going to happen to Judah at that time. It was not a picture of what it would be like in the final judgment from God but was what was going to happen then. Verse four reads in the New King James Version:
What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; What the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten; And what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten.
I read from Enduring Word Bible Commentary about a plague of locust in today's Israel and Syria in 1915. The first swarms came in March, in clouds so thick they blocked out the sun. The female locusts immediately began to lay eggs, 100 at a time. Witnesses say that in one square yard, there were as many as 65,000 to 75,000 eggs. In a few weeks they hatched, and the young locusts resembled large ants. They couldn’t fly yet, and got along by hopping. They marched along 400 to 600 feet a day, devouring every speck of vegetation along the way. After two more stages of molting they became adults who could fly – and the devastation continued.
This time with the locust was one that would be talked about for generations. It was a time never experienced before. Matthew Henry shared how God is in control of all creatures. He can make any creation do as He desires. He wrote: God is Lord of hosts, has every creature at his command, and, when he pleases, can humble and mortify a proud, rebellious people, by the weakest and most contemptible creatures. It is just with God to take away the comforts which are abused to luxury and excess; and the more men place their happiness in the gratifications of sense, the more severe temporal afflictions are upon them. The more earthly delights we make needful to satisfy us, the more we expose ourselves to trouble.
Will we see something of this sort come down upon us? What will God allow to happen or do to us as a rebellious people? Times are tough but how tough will they become? What is it going to take to get people to realize God is what they need in this life to not just through the temporal aspects of life but to spend eternity with Him? It is human nature to choose the easy road but we know from Matthew 7:13-14 which road we need to take.
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." NKJV
Matthew continues in verses twenty-four through twenty-seven about how we are to live our life built on the Rock. He must be the foundation of our life if we desire to live with Him for eternity. No matter what comes our way we must be ready in our faith and trust Him. He desires us to be strong in Him. The desire of His heart is for us to be so strong in our faith others will desire what we have in Him. Woo hoo!
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder this morning of what I need to do to be ready for whatever tough days are ahead! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Thank You for the rest You provided yesterday! Thank You for being with me as I continue to take care of insurance, death certificate, etc.! Father, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a meaningful way. Lord, be with Corey today with Kirstin's service. May he feel Your presence and strength. I pray the same for Nadine today. Lord, I pray for believers to live as You desire, loving on people with Your love so more people will come into relationship with You. I pray for bi-vocational pastors who are pulling together the sermon You desire of them to preach tomorrow as this is their 'day off' from their regular job. I pray for pastors who are struggling with what You desire of them to preach to hear from You today. Lord, continue to empower us all. Thank You for continuing to be with me through this time of adjustment without Doc here with me! Thank You for the way You continue to give me exactly what I need, when I need it! Thank You for being My Foundation! Amen.
Each time I woke up during the night I had words to Big Daddy Weave's song Alive going through my mind. The one time I woke He had John 1:4 on my mind. John begins his book talking about a life with Christ when we are in relationship with Him. Verse four in the New Living Testament reads: What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by. When we live for Him on this earth, we will live for eternity with Him. Woo hoo!
But God, rich in mercy You came to save me Now I'm alive But God, strong and mighty You reached down for me So I could rise
Now I'm breathing in, breathing out I was in the grave, but God you called me out Now I'm breathing in, breathing out I was in the grave, but God you called me out
InThe Passion TranslationJohn begins his writing with these words. In the very beginning the Living Expressionwas already there. And the Living Expression was with God, yet fully God.God sent His Son to earth to live among the people. He sent Him to die on the cross for all our sins. He sent Him to rise from the grave so we can all live. We have the opportunity to live in His presence when we choose to do so. His presence is where freedom and peace are found. I am so grateful for His love, mercy, and grace that is poured down upon me every day. He could have left me living with the enemy playing havoc in my life but instead He chose to lift me out of the 'junk' of life and save me. Woo hoo! Oh, how I pray for more people to get to the point in life where they realize He is the way to live. I pray for more people to get to the end of themselves and allow Him to have total control over their entire being. We all have the opportunity to live in His Light. As we allow Him to shine brightly through us, He will use us as His faithful servants. I love how one commentary put it...
All that in men which is true light--knowledge, integrity, intelligent, willing subjection to God, love to Him and to their fellow creatures, wisdom, purity, holy joy, rational happiness--all this "light of men" has its fountain in the essential original "life" of "the Word"
His attributes will flow out of us as we become more Christ-like. I desire to shine brightly for Him in this fallen world. I desire for people to see Him in me and desire to be in relationship with Him.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for pulling me out of 'junk' of life and giving me another chance to live for You! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit! Thank You for going before me today and being my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts so people will see You shine brightly in and through me. Thank You for directing my steps in the day ahead! Thank You for my appointment yesterday with the neurologist! Lord, I pray for the results of the MRI to be favorable and not show activity with the MS. I also pray it will happen sooner than later. It was different not having Doc to talk to about what she said. Another first. Thank You Father for continuing to be with me during these days of transition to being a widow! Thank You for being My Living Expression! Amen.
The Lord took me to Psalm 2 this morning. I feel like it was written for today instead of many years ago. It is about how people are living in evilness instead of with the Lord. I read it in different versions to get the meaning better. In The Message it reads:
Why the big noise, nations? Why the mean plots, peoples? Earth-leaders push for position, Demagogues and delegates meet for summit talks, The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers: “Let’s get free of God! Cast loose from Messiah!” Heaven-throned God breaks out laughing. At first he’s amused at their presumption; Then he gets good and angry. Furiously, he shuts them up: “Don’t you know there’s a King in Zion? A coronation banquet Is spread for him on the holy summit.”
Let me tell you what God said next.
He said, “You’re my son,
And today is your birthday.
What do you want? Name it:
Nations as a present? continents as a prize?
You can command them all to dance for you,
Or throw them out with tomorrow’s trash.”
So, rebel-kings, use your heads;
Upstart-judges, learn your lesson:
Worship God in adoring embrace,
Celebrate in trembling awe. Kiss Messiah!
Your very lives are in danger, you know
His anger is about to explode,
But if you make a run for God—you won’t regret it!
There are so many God-deniers in our world. People would rather enjoy a life led by the enemy because there are no consequences given by him. What they do not realize is there are eternal consequences they will deal with. Perhaps they are aware of that but do not believe they are true. Or perhaps they think there will be time for them to change their ways. The point I believe David is trying to get us to realize is we, as Christ's followers, need to realize how people are living. We need to make them aware of the need to be a follower of Christ. When he says Your very lives are in danger..., he is trying to get people to open their eyes to Christ. Right now in our world it appears the enemy is winning but he is not. We must remember God is in control. God may be allowing certain things to happen to stretch our faith. He may allow circumstances to be where believers will be persecuted in a deeper way to take our faith deeper. God has power in both heaven and earth. He is the Head over us and we must remember that. The last few verses of this Psalm remind us how we all are to live. We are to worship God and keep our focus on Him. We cannot allow the things that are happening around us take our focus away. Matthew Henry writes of this when he tells us we need to rejoice in God because of the uncertainty of all things in this world. He continues:
To welcome Jesus Christ, and to submit to him, is our wisdom and interest. Let him be very dear and precious; love him above all, love him in sincerity, love him much... Unbelief is a sin against the remedy. It will be utter destruction to yourselves; lest ye perish in the way of your sins, and from the way of your vain hopes; lest your way perish, lest you prove to have missed the way of happiness. Christ is the way; take heed lest ye be cut off from Him as your way to God. They thought themselves in the way; but neglecting Christ, they perish from it. Blessed will those be in the day of wrath, who, by trusting in Christ, have made him their Refuge.
No matter what is happening in our political world, with COVID19, etc. we must remember to love God as Jesus told us to in Matthew 22:37. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Luke 10:27 also includes we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. God's love is the answer to the 'junk' of this world. His love is all we need on this earth so we will spend eternity with Him. The last words of Psalm 2 in The Voice read: But blessings await all who trust in Him.They will find God a gentle refuge. Woo hoo! No matter what happens in the days ahead I will trust God. No matter how 'bad' life becomes I will trust God. No matter how much ugliness we see I will trust God. Plain and simple. I will trust God because He truly is the One in control. This morning I am reminded of the words to Refuge that Finding Favour sings...
My soul it sings to you Oh God you are my refuge I will cling, I will cling to you My shelter through the storm My peace when waves of troubles roll I will cling, I will cling to you
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder this morning You are still in control in this messed up world! Thank You for loving me so much that You do not give up on me when I miss opportunities You put before me to love on others with Your love! Father, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a new, different way. Lord, my heart is hurting for so many people. I pray most of all You will be greater than the hurts of their heart. I pray Your peace to come down upon all who are struggling. I pray for Jim with today being Sandie's birthday. Thank You for Gay's brother's diagnosis being made! I remember when I received the same diagnosis Doc praised You and said 'now we know what we are fighting.' Praise Your Holy Name for being with me all these years through the fight with MS. Lord, thank You for my appointment with the neurologist today about the tingling in my face/head. I pray You will use doctors/medication to give me relief. Thank You Jesus for being My Refuge! Amen.
I panicked when I could not find Doc's service in Ohio on-line. I had not saved it anywhere thinking I would always be able to go to the church page to watch it. Thankfully, it had just been moved to the district page. This is the second time I watched the replay of it. Once again, I was so blessed by all said by those who participated. This morning God woke me to the words of the song Only Jesus by Casting Crowns.
All the kingdoms built, all the trophies won Will crumble into dust when it’s said and done 'Cause all that really mattered Did I live the truth to the ones I love? Was my life the proof that there is only One Whose name will last forever? And I, I don’t want to leave a legacy I don’t care if they remember me Only Jesus And I, I've only got one life to live I'll let every second point to Him Only Jesus
Doc truly lived out a life for Christ. He mirrored Christ in the way he lived, the words he said, etc. Watching and listening to James, Ben, and Craig reminded me of how well Doc did what Jesus commands all of us to do through the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). He replicated himself in such a great way. I am grateful for the way he mentored people, especially myself. I am grateful for the way he took time to love with God's love. He had such a compassionate heart and wanted everyone to be in relationship with God. As I read his journals the other night, I read between the lines the hurt of his heart with people who were not walking with God. I remember one time he said in a sermon about how the birth date and the death date on a person's headstone were not important. It was how the 'dash' in between was lived out that really mattered. I need to get better at living out my 'dash' time. I do not want to waste the time God gives me on this earth. Listening to Shannon talk about even when we were seven hundred plus miles away Doc still ministered to the department blessed me greatly. Last June when Doc found out they were in a serious situation he not only prayed but he let them know he was praying. When people ask you to pray for them, they are blessed in knowing you will do as you say. This week has been full of prayer requests. People know when I say I will pray, I will. They know they can depend upon me to pray when they ask. I am thankful God has given me the heart of a prayer warrior. I miss praying with Doc. Even when he was in the hospital, we would FaceTime to pray at bedtime. I am thankful for the memories I have of doing life with him. He would tease me about always taking pictures but the many pictures I have continue to be a part of my healing process. Ben's words at the service of life in Ohio continue to be with me. This is a new season of life. It is a season I never expected to be in but God continues to be with me through it. This week has been full of times of healing. I am so grateful for the way God walked us through those last months we lived out together on this earth. I also am grateful for the way He continues to strengthen me as I adjust to life without my honey.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the memories that continue to heal my heart from Doc leaving this earth! Thank You for giving me so many ways to heal! Thank You for the upcoming holidays I am going to spend with family! Thank You for answering Kaleigh's prayers with a job and for Sam and his wife with their new home! Thank You for giving me a heart to pray for others! Lord, may You cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit. May You shine brightly through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today. My prayers are heavy for so many people. The lady who lost her husband this week; Jenn's daughter; Rebecca Belt's mother; Ashley and her family with the loss of Nick's mother; Gay's brother Walt with medical issues; a man in ICU from an overdose; Christy, Tammie, and Sandi with selling/buying homes; people without work or having less hours; Shari's little grandson; the homeless as the weather is changing; Valarie and her family with Little Melody's funeral; and so many others. I pray for safe travels for Bob and Beth today and for them to have an impactful time with family. Lord, once again I pray for my life to be lived as You desire. May Your will be done through everything I do or say. Thank You Jesus for being My Example To Follow! Amen.
The Lord woke me to the words ofGod So Lovedthat We The Kingdom sings. Woo hoo, God! These words mean the world to me.
For God so loved the world that He gave us His one and only Son to save us Whoever believes in Him will live forever The power of hell forever defeated Now it is well, I'm walking in freedom For God so loved, God so loved the world
The word forever is used in two ways in these lyrics. One to describe what life will be when we believe in Him. The other to describe how satan is defeated when we allow the Holy Spirit to live in and through us. We do not have to fear anything that comes our way but instead can stand upon II Timothy 1:7 in the strength of the Holy Spirit. We must stay focused on God so the enemy does not have an open door into our lives. He can creep in through people, music we listen to, what we watch on TV or see at the movies...there are so many ways. The more we fill ourselves up with God, the more we will be able to praise God. The more we focus on God, the more we will be able to praise God. The more we share our testimony and are bold in our witness, the more we will be able to praise God.
Praise God, praise God From whom all blessings flow Praise Him, praise Him For the wonders of His love Praise God, praise God From whom all blessings flow Praise Him, praise Him For the wonders of His love His amazing love
His love is so amazing! His love covers all our sins! His love is all we need to not just get through life but to flourish! His love needs to ooze out of us so others will desire to live for Him too. His love is what life should be all about. Our calendar should not be filled up with 'stuff' but instead we should be open to whatever He calls us to do. Our checkbook/debit card should not be filled with evidence of worldly things but instead should show God's business being done. Our lives should not be ones of distraught in the midst of the chaos of life but should show God's peace. The only way for us to live as He desires is to be totally sold out to Him. God gave everything including His Only Son so we could live. Jesus came to this earth to be our Example of how to live. His Word is full of great treasures to guide us. He desires us to conquer the enemy and be victorious. Woo hoo! That is how I desire to live my life too! I am determined to be victorious through the 'tough' days of life. I am determined to not allow the enemy one little foothold into my life. I am determined to stay focused on God so thepasswords of praisewill ooze out of me and I will live inHis wrap-around presence(Psalm 89). Woo hoo! I am determined to be the woman God is calling me to be.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for the way You blessed me yesterday! Thank You for the day ahead! Thank You for my time with my new friend Kaleigh! I pray blessings over her appointment today. Thank You for the way You spoke to me as I studied yesterday morning and then You brought everything together last night with what You desire of me to preach Sunday! I get so excited as we go through that process. Woo hoo! Lord, cleanse me so I can be filled with more of You. Empower me to be who You have called me to be. I pray for Cait as she goes through her test today to feel Your presence and know You are with her. I also pray for: Valarie and her family as they mourn Little Melody; Corey with the loss of Kirstin; and LaNora with the loss of Ray. May they and all who are grieving feel Your peace. I pray for Debbie with her broken arm and Teresa with COVID19 to experience Your peace. I pray for the family dealing with the husband having serious medical needs to feel Your peace. Lord, most of all I pray for those with spiritual needs to have someone go before them and be You to them. Lord, help me to get better at sharing Your love with others. Thank You for being My Example! Amen.
God is so good at encouraging me. Last night as I was reading for my Discipleship Band, He brought II Corinthians 4:16-18 and I Peter 4:12-13 before me. There was a statement in my reading that spoke volumes to me. "Brokenness may be the greatest qualification for ministry." We all must be broken before Him before He can use us to do His will. The reading continued, "God desires to use our pain not to harm us, but rather to bring life." Yes! God is not taking me through these 'tough' days for no reason.God is making new lifein me (II Corinthians 4:16-18). As I allow Him to use my pain to shape me into His image, I will find comfort in Him. In my reading it was described, "When we hurt, we can discover the treasure of His comfort even in the dark places." Woo hoo! The more I seek Him, the more I will have the desire in my heart to walk in obedience to His will. The more I walk in His will, the more I will become more Christ-like. I must trust Him with my whole being. I must love Him with my whole being. I must allow Him to work in and through my whole being. None of these things can be done in just a part of my being but in my whole being. As I live in this manner, He will take my broken dreams and create them into being the dream He has for my life. Victory is found in living in this manner! Woo hoo! I love how God is speaking to me. He is so, so good. I desire for my testimony to be one of victory. As II Corinthians 4:16 says, 'I will not give up' when the tough days come. Instead I will allow God to shine brightly through my cracks as a broken vessel. I will strive to be bold in sharing my testimony and in sharing the Gospel so He can use me to further His Kingdom. Today starts another week. There are various things on the calendar but the most important thing for me is to stay in relationship so I not only hear His voice but walk in obedience to it. Woo hoo!
Take me and mold me, use me, fill me I give my life to the Potter's hand Call me, You guide me, lead me, walk beside me I give my life to the Potter's hand
You gently call me into Your presence Guiding me by Your Holy Spirit Teach me dear Lord, to live all of my life Through Your eyes
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your Word that encourages me so greatly! Thank You for yesterday where You used me to preach the Gospel! Thank You for loving me so greatly that when Chris asked how I was doing my reply was 'good!' Thank You for the healing process over losing Doc that continues in my heart! Thank You formaking new lifein me! Thank You for my secret sister that sent me the perfect blanket that encourages me through the healing process! Thank You for cleansing me today so You can fill me with Your Holy Spirit! May You be my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts throughout this day in a mighty way. I pray for a family going through a tough time with the husband's health issues to feel Your presence today. I also pray for the one ministering to them to feel Your strength. Lord, remind us all of what C.S. Lewis said. "Life with God is not immunity from difficulties but peace in difficulties!" May we all take the things that come before us and allow You to work in and through them. Thank You Jesus for being My Peace! Amen.
I prayed before going to sleep for pastors who would be in the pulpit this morning. During the night God woke me to pray for pastors dealing with physical issues to lean into Him to get through them. One time He woke me to pray for pastors as they lead their congregations through these turbulent times with COVID19, elections, etc. He had me pray for all of us to lean into Him instead of allowing the enemy any open door. He also had me pray against division among the people and to pray for unity to happen. This morning I woke to the words of a song Lauren Daigle sings called Look Up Child.
Look up child, hey Look up child, hey Look up child, hey Look up…
You're not threatened by the war You're not shaken by the storm I know You're in control Even in our suffering Even when it can't be seen I know You're in control.
Yes! He is in control and we all need to remember that. He knows what we are going through and is right there with us to get through all of the junk of this world. He desires us to lean into Him. He desires us to allow Him to guide us through the 'tough' days on this earth so we can spend eternity with Him. He desires us to be on our knees seeking Him so we will walk the road of obedience to His will. He desires us to know His love so we can share it with others. He desires us to stand in the empowerment of the Holy Spirit instead of allowing the enemy to put fear upon us. Plain and simple. He desires us to live in Him. Last night as I read through Doc's journals I was so blessed by the prayers of his heart. He prayed for God to cleanse him so he could walk in His will. He prayed for me and the boys to go deeper in our faith. He prayed for his church people to receive what God gave him for them to hear and to live as God desired. The desire of his heart was to be who God wanted him to be. I miss him as my husband but I also miss him as my pastor. I miss his teaching and preaching but I especially miss his prayers. I pray God will empower me to be a better leader. I pray He will give me more of a heart to love with His love so people will realize His love. I pray for all pastors to have this desire.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for another Saturday night of praying for pastors! Thank You for my time last night when You drew me to read Doc's journals! Thank You for his love I experienced through that time! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You today! Thank You for giving not only myself but all pastors a heart for You so others will experience Your love! Thank You for giving pastors what we need physically, mentally, emotionally, and most of all spiritually as we go into the pulpit today! I pray a physical touch upon those who are dealing with issues such as Mike Dennis. I pray for pastors who are struggling in their churches financially over these last months with COVID19 and for pastors dealing with division in their churches due to politics. May You be greater than anything that comes our way. May You take us all deeper in our faith through turbulent times. Thank You Jesus for being The One In Control! Amen.
God loves us all so much. The desire of His heart is for all people to love Him. When we love Him, we can love others with His love. This has been a theme in my life in such a powerful way for several weeks. This morning He woke me to theGod So Lovedthat We Thy Kingdom sings. I love these words...
For God so loved the world that He gave us His one and only Son to save us Whoever believes in Him will live forever The power of hell forever defeated Now it is well, I'm walking in freedom For God so loved, God so loved the world
Praise God, praise God From whom all blessings flow Praise Him, praise Him For the wonders of His love Praise God, praise God From whom all blessings flow Praise Him, praise Him For the wonders of His love His amazing love
He gave His Son so we could all live. He loves us so much that He does not want to have one person go to hell. He gives us all free choice. We are the only ones who can decide to live for Him or to allow the enemy his way in our life. I am so grateful for God to be the One in charge of my life. I am so grateful for the way He blesses me daily. I am so grateful even in these days where I cannot fathom being a widow at age fifty-nine, He encourages me. I am so grateful times of being with couples is becoming easier. I am so grateful I am not afraid of driving alone at night. I am so grateful for my tribe who continue to support me. Plain and simple. I am so grateful for being a daughter of the Most High. This picture was taken on the night of my ordination interview. I was so blessed to have Doc with me especially since the ordination service has yet to happen. We talked on the way home about how blessed we were as a couple serving God together. We talked about things we were praying about as individuals and as a couple. I remember being so tired after the interview. I know it was just an emotional let-down after the anticipation of the evening. Once again God blessed me through Doc that evening.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for all the blessings of yesterday and the ones You will provide in the day ahead! Thank You for calming the tingling a bit yesterday so I could enjoy time with friends! Thank You for my tribe who loved on me so well yesterday! Ofie and Lisa; Norma; Rhonda and Chris; Chrissy; Nancy; Carol; Paula; Sheri; Will and Sandy. Thank You for those who will come today for work day at the church! May You be in the midst of our conversation and work. Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! May You ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts. Father, another loss on this earth is breaking my heart. How I pray for Your comfort for Valarie and her family with the loss of Little Melody. Be so very near to them during these 'tough' days. My heart also breaks for several others who are going through: the loss of a loved one; fighting disease in themselves or in a loved one; having relationships issues; and especially for those who are battling spiritual issues. May You be greater than what they are facing so they will come into Your arms for Your peace. Thank You Jesus for being My Most High! Amen.
The Lord woke me at 4:10 to pray for a friend. This is the second day He did this. When I asked the friend if there was anything in particular to pray for they said there was not. When times like this happen, I wonder if God is protecting people from something unknown. I also wonder if it is God's way to get us to go deeper in our faith. Will we be obedient when He wakes us to pray? When we are told there is no great need in a person's life, will we quit praying for them? How will God use our obedience? I know I always want to walk in obedience to Him. This morning He took me to Psalm 16 to ponder upon. I love this Psalm where I read how satisfied David was in his relationship with God. I love to see how David was satisfied through trusting Him. He was satisfied by living in God's presence here on earth and knowing he would live with Him for eternity. In The Passion Translation it reads:
Keep me safe, O mighty God. I run for dear life to you, my safe place. 2 So I said to the Lord God, “You are my Maker, my Mediator, and my Master. Any good thing you find in me has come from you.” 3 And he said to me, “My holy lovers are wonderful, my majestic ones, my glorious ones, fulfilling all my desires.” 4 Yet there are those who yield to their weakness, and they will have troubles and sorrows unending. I never gather with such ones, nor give them honor in any way. 5 Lord, I have chosen you alone as my inheritance. You are my prize, my pleasure, and my portion. I leave my destiny and its timing in your hands. 6 Your pleasant path leads me to pleasant places. I’m overwhelmed by the privileges that come with following you, for you have given me the best! 7 The way you counsel and correct me makes me praise you more, for your whispers in the night give me wisdom, showing me what to do next. 8 Because you are close to me and always available, my confidence will never be shaken, for I experience your wrap-around presence every moment. 9 My heart and soul explode with joy—full of glory! Even my body will rest confident and secure. 10 For you will not abandon me to the realm of death, nor will you allow your Holy One to experience corruption. 11 For you bring me a continual revelation of resurrection life, the path to the bliss that brings me face-to-face with you.
I love the titles David gives God. My Maker, my Mediator, and my Master. My prize, My pleasure, and My portion. I also love the way David describes his relationship with God especially for your whispers in the night give me wisdom, showing me what to do next. God gives me so much insight during the night. He loves on me 24/7 or as David says, for I experience Your wrap-around presence every moment. Woo hoo! Yes! David was satisfied on this earth. He knew where he would spend eternity and that gave him a sense of satisfaction. David knew he needed to continue living in God's presence, doing His will to have eternal life with Him. He knew dying to self was not just a one-time thing but needed to continually be in his spirit. David's last words of this Psalm in verse eleven in The Living Translation are the icing on the cake for me. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presenceand the pleasures of living with you forever. Woo hoo! Yes! Living in His presence brings me great joy not only on this earth but for eternity with Him in heaven. He blesses me in abundance every day. I am so thankful for the way He is walking with me through these great losses in life. I am grateful He continues to give me exactly what I need. Like David, I am satisfied in the Lord. I am satisfied with knowing He loves me so much. I could never be completely satisfied where I am in my relationship with Him because there is always room for growth. I desire for my faith to be taken deeper and my light to shine brighter for Him. I desire for people to see His strength in me more today than yesterday. I desire to have more of His wisdom. Plain and simple. I desire more of Him to flow in and through me. One writer wrote David was satisfied with God because of the stabilizing influence that God had on him. Yes! I am satisfied with God because of His stabilizing influence. That influence is what keeps me grounded in my relationship with Him. Woo hoo!
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the opportunities You gave me yesterday to love with Your love! Thank You for the opportunities You will give me in the day ahead! Thank You for the strength You continue to give me as I find my way through this new life without Doc! Thank You for the 'gifts' such as the picture I found on my computer yesterday of him and lunch with my friends Rhonda, Sheri, and Chrissy! Lord, cleanse me of anything not of You so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May you shine brightly through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a more intentional way than ever before. I pray for my friend You woke me up to pray for the last two days. I do not know why You have me praying but You do and that is all that matters. I pray for the lady You told me to give money to yesterday at the store. Once again, I do not understand why it was such a little amount but You do and that is all that matters. Lord, I pray for Your healing touch on: my friend Cait; Little Melody who is hospitalized; a lady who was taken to the ER with chest pains; a lady who is on a vent in ICU with COVID19; and many others dealing with health issues. I pray for Colleen as Triston's medications were adjusted again. I also continue to pray for many in a season of loss. Donis; LaNora; Corey; Alyssa, Desiree, and Chloe; Mr. Fran; Grammy; and our family. May You continue to give Your strength through 'tough' days. Thank You Jesus for being My Stabilizing Influence!
