Promise

I've been having a hard week. Despite that--

I am thankful for...
...this verse's promise

 For I am the Lord you God who takes hold of your 

right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

                                                             Isaiah 41:13  

...a dinner date with my husband

Hooray!

I just signed myself up for the Scripture Memory Team celebration in January!

I've been working hard on memorizing Bible verses this year. Two a month. (Technically more than that, because sometimes there have been two or three verses at a time.) I only have FIVE more to go!

I never would have believed that I could memorize that many verses. I believe the Holy Spirit put it in my heart last December to give it a try. I chose to focus most of the verses around fear and God's love for me. I can't even begin to say how many times I have resorted to those verses in these last ten months.  I've shared the verses with friends and family. I've flipped through my spiral note card-book when I needed to focus on God's word. Let me tell you, He speaks!

Houston, Texas here I come! (And if the weather is super nice there in January, I just may not come back to the Frozen Tundra of the North.)

Amplified Memory Work

I have been doing something this year that I have never, ever done before.

I'm working on memorizing Bible verses. My goal for this year is to memorize twenty-four verses. As of today I am on Verse #15.

Last December, I was reading this blog post from Beth Moore. I have read Beth's ministry's blog for a number of years and was familiar with the scripture memory work she has promoted through that. For some reason (duh! I know it is the Holy Spirit at work here), as I read through that post and read Beth's suggestions and ideas for memorizing, I thought to myself, "I could do that!" Then I looked around the room to see if someone else had said that, surely it wasn't me..I don't do scripture memory.

But here I am at the beginning of the eighth month in the year and tonight I picked out the fifteenth verse.

Beth said in that December 17th, 2012 post:

This is work worth doing, Sweet Thing. Never – NOT ONCE – have I ever known anyone to get to the end of a Scripture memory commitment and say that it didn’t make any real difference. 

Not a single time.

That has been so very true for me. Just last Monday as I was visiting a dear friend in the hospital, I was able to share one of those verses with her:

Isaiah 41:13 For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your 

right hand and says to you, "Do not fear; I will help you."

There have been nights when I haven't been able to get to sleep because of insomnia (hello fifties) or just too many things rolling around in my head (hello worry-wart) that I have gotten out of bed and found my little spiral book of verses and my Kindle. Then I read my verses, one-by-one, and work them into my memory. Then I go into my Kindle to the Amplified version of the Bible and look up each verse to see what it says in that translation. That had helped me understand the meaning of the verse in a different way.

The last time I did this, I reviewed Isaiah 30:18 --

 Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;

   He rises to show you compassion.

For the Lord is a God of justice.

    Blessed are all who wait for him!

I just love the word pictures this conjures up in my head: The Lord longing to be gracious to me, He actively shows me compassion.

Then I read this in the Amplified version:

And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!

Read it again. 

Go on. I'll wait.

What a picture, huh?

For the word of God is alive and active. ~Hebrews 4:12

Month of Thankfulness - Day 19

^{Romans 8:35, 36-39}

 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

I am thankful for...

...the love of Christ 

...the fact that nothing can separate me from that love.

July Journal -- The Monday Edition

Today has been a typical quiet Monday: reading today's entry in Jesus Calling, (Subject for today: ask the Holy Spirit to guide my thinking according to God's thinking), laundry, grocery shopping, missing my hubby after a wonderful weekend together. (...and just being able to spend a weekend with my hubby qualifies as a wonderful weekend.)

This morning I spent about an hour at a park reading a book and munching on an Egg McMuffin. I was thankful for the slightly cooler weather to be able to do that comfortably.

While in the park, I was entertained by a swarm of preschoolers that were playing in the park. I watched in wonder at the sheer joy on the faces of those little ones as they climbed, ran, swung, and slid. I could even hear someone singing as they rode on the horsey swing. Makes me miss having little ones in my life to interact with.

I was amused as I watched two women gathering up their crew of what looked like about 10 three year olds. It took a good ten minutes to get them all to line up and find their spot along the rope they were to hang on to as they walked back to their day care. Of course there were a couple of strays. A couple of kids would get tired of waiting and break away. Frustrating for the care givers,  amusing to me.

Watching those little ones loose interest in waiting for their caregivers to organize them so they could safely walk back to their day care made me think about me and God. How often do I not patiently wait for Him to safely guide me to my next place?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.(Proverbs 3:5-8)

                                                                                                                                                

Holding Hands

Back in May of 1982 I went on a road trip with this guy I knew to attend the weddings of some friends from college. This guy was someone I knew through my involvement in the college Christian group InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. This guy and I were fast becoming best friends. He was very loyal and seemed to really care about me and my well-being. (And as some of you might guess, this guy became my husband two summers later.) My most vivid memory of that trip (aside from the bright pink sundress with matching bolero jacket with white trim I had made and wore to one of the weddings) was that this guy, who was becoming my best friend, held my hand. In my mind's eye I can still see our hands, fingers intertwined, resting between the seats of his 1980 Mazda GLC hatchback. I remember the security and peace and comfort and even love I felt when he held my hand.

Zip forward to 1990. We added a sweet little girl to our family that February. Her big brother was smitten with her and loved to hold her hand and kiss it. When she got big enough to pull her hand away, he would say to me wistfully, "Mommy, remember when Megan used to let me hold her hand?"

 

Then that little girl learned to walk and I would hold her hand as we walked through a parking lot or in the grocery store to keep her safe and close to me. I remember when Megan was 4 or 5 or 6 or 7, I would feel that sweet little hand slip into mine whenever she felt nervous about a new situation. I grieved when she became confident in herself and the big world around her and didn't need to hold my hand anymore.


I also remember the couple of times I have had to go back to the doctor for "further testing". Both times as I was walking in I prayed, "Hold my hand, Jesus" and reached out my right hand to His and we walked in there together. (Both times the test results did not show anything serious. Praise Jesus.)


There have been many nights in our 27-plus years of marriage that I have fallen asleep holding my husband's hand feeling safe, connected, loved.


This morning I was reading in a new devotional Jesus Calling (by Sarah Young) that I received for my birthday. The last couple of sentences in today's reading:

"Enjoy the tempo of a God-breathed life by letting Me set the pace.  

Hold My hand in child-like trust, and the way before you will open up step by step." 

I read these verses to my mom when she was in the ICU two years ago:

Yet I am always with you; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, 

and afterward You will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but You?

And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, 

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 

                                                              Psalm 73:23-26 

Isn't it just the coolest thing that Jesus holds our hand? When I visualize that I feel loved, safe, peaceful, secure, protected, and cherished.

Hold my hand, Jesus, hold my hand.

Day 30 of Thankfulness

I am thankful for...
...these thirty days to focus on what I am thankful for

But most importantly...
...The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Out of His fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. (John 1:14&16)

I would be nothing without Jesus Christ.

Day 4 of Thankfulness

^{Romans 8:35, 36-39}

 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

I am thankful for...

...the love of Christ 

...the fact that nothing can separate me from that love.

Psalm 13

I have been praying earnestly, even desperately for something for more than a year. Last week I came across this Psalm and it speaks my heart:

How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?
   How long will you hide Your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
   and every day have sorrow in my heart?
   How long will my enemy triumph over me?

 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
   Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
   and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

 But I trust in Your unfailing love;
   my heart rejoices in Your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
   for He has been good to me. 

When my heart is crying "How long, O Lord?", I try to remind myself of the last couple of verses:

But I trust in Your unfailing love;
   my heart rejoices in Your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
   for He has been good to me. 

Never Forget: September 11, 2001

Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

John 1: 14&16

And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth. For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift. (Amplified)

PSALM 138

I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
       before the "gods" I will sing your praise.

I will bow down toward your holy temple
       and will praise your name
       for your love and your faithfulness,
       for you have exalted above all things
       your name and your word.

When I called, you answered me;
       you made me bold and stouthearted.

May all the kings of the earth praise you, O LORD,
       when they hear the words of your mouth.

May they sing of the ways of the LORD,
       for the glory of the LORD is great.

Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly,
       but the proud he knows from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
       you preserve my life;
       you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes,
       with your right hand you save me.

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
       your love, O LORD, endures forever—
       do not abandon the works of your hands.

He Is Risen!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Daily Photo Journal - January 6

Our small group Bible study met tonight for the first time after the holidays. We finished up Matthew 6.

The Bible in 50 Words

God made

Adam bit
Noah arked
Abraham split
Joseph ruled
Jacob fooled
Bush talked
Moses balked
Pharaoh plagued
People walked
Sea divided
Tablets guided
Promise landed
Saul freaked
David peeked
Prophets warned
Jesus born
God walked
Love talked
Anger crucified
Hope died
Love rose
Spirit flamed
Word spread
God remained

Amazed

<sup>There are times in this Christian walk I am on, that I have no choice but to sit back and shake my head in amazement.

Sometimes I am amazed at the hard things: the friends who are getting divorced after almost 30 years of marriage; the cruel things said by someone close who should be a cheerleader rather than a criticizer; the cluelessness of the lost.

Sometimes I am amazed at the overwhelming goodness of God: the Bible verse I read that speaks amazingly specifically to something I am struggling with; sunshine; a song on the radio; the unconditional love of my hubby; friends who take time out of their lives just to help me (and I didn't even ask).

I struggle with throwing around the phrase "God is good." It's not that I think He is not good sometimes. I believe He is good all the time. Yes, He is even good in those terrible heart wrenching times: when the divorce comes at you, when family members treat you badly, when children grow up too fast. He is good then because He always loves me even through those kinds of things. God goes out of his way to show me His love. Even if He is breaking me to teach me how to be more faithful to Him, He is good and He loves me. I think Christians tend to throw around the "God is good" phrase too haphazardly especially when our lives are going the way we want them too. But can we say "God is good" even when things in life stink? I'm learning to.

This verse is one that I have been aware of for several years:</sup>

^{The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17}

I just can't quite wrap my brain around God rejoicing over me with singing. What in the world does that look like? I picture me holding my sweet little babies, or sitting on the edge of their beds and singing to them. Is that's what it's like? Does God try to calm me with a song? Does God look at me and do a little happy dance and break into song? Amazing. Simply amazing.

As I was thinking this over, this song came to mind. Worship God with this.

The Other Side of a Cloudy Day

This is a picture of a spot in town that I have been liking to go to to sit in quiet and read my Bible. There have been a lot of cloudy days recently. Outside and in my heart.

But God's word is refreshing. Always.

When I flew to Kansas a while ago it was a dreary day down here on the earth.

After the plane bumped through the clouds, I looked out the window and this is what I saw:

In my head I thought, "This is the other side of a cloudy day." No matter the dreariness of the day, rest assured, this is what is on the other side of those clouds.

Psalm 113:3

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.

Zephaniah 3:17

The LORD your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with his love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.

In Kansas

This morning I flew to Kansas City to see my kids. I had a terrific lunch with Caleb and got to see my daughter-in-law when she had a break from classes. That was fun.

Tonight I went to a Navigators meeting with Megan. It was pretty awesome to see a room full of college kids (80 or so?) seeking and worshiping God. Megan sang on the worship team. Man I love to watch that girl sing and worship God Almighty. We sang a song that I had heard before and just love. It really can send you to your knees in worship. I will share the video with you. It's kinda long, but oh so worth it.

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang:
"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!"

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!" The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

(Revelation 5:11-14)

We have studied the book of Revelation in our Small Group. While it is a hard book to understand, I find encouragement from it. Yes, we live in a sinful world and our country has really taken a sharp left turn away from God. But you know what? In the end... The Good Guy Wins. The Lord God Almighty WINS!

Colossians 3:14-15

Above all, clothe yourselves with love,
which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.