The year was 1998 and the tattered piece of paper was inadvertently left on the counter and I saw the Christmas shopping list my babygirl had written in childlike letters:

Lacey-Game
Dad-Socks
Mom-“Dimond” ring

And my Momma heart melted. I knew the budget could do the game and the socks (we still laugh about this) but obviously no diamond ring could be purchased. What was in her heart just didn’t measure up to her gift-giving budget! Ever been there? Ever long to give an amazing gift but what you could muster up just didn’t convey your heart? Well this was the conundrum that Janelle was in, although she had no clue.

Well, I went to the store and bought the game, the socks and nicest “dimond” ring I could find, wrapped them in shiny paper, had Lee tag them and then lovingly placed them under our glistening tree. Lee whispered to Janelle that the ring was purchased and her excitement grew as the days in December ticked along! By the time Christmas morning rolled around she could barely contain herself and you know, neither could I! What my Momma heart most desired was for my babygirl’s generous heart to be allowed to give me something that in her mind conveyed her great love for me. I opened that package and ooohed and awwwed not over a ring that held a heart-shaped piece of glass, but over watching a loving heart’s desire for someone else being realized.

She never knew that I had made her gift to me possible and funny thing is; it made it all the more precious to me! It was a gift of my love that enabled her to express her love. It was a sacred and joyous moment because it was reminiscent of that holy night where the Father gift of love meant that we could now express our love for Him! He gave what truly was His very best-His only Son! The gift of Jesus fully conveyed the workings of His loving heart and that in turn allows us to convey the workings of our heart to Him-and the amazing circle of love goes round and round! “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He (first) loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” I John 4:10 Oh for the unspeakably glorious gift found only in the face of Jesus!

So today as we celebrate His birth on this holy day, may we who call upon Him in faith in that priceless gift, in turn give back to Him the only gift that we truly possess; may we give the gift of us; for us in intimate relationship with Him is at the top of His “Wish List” because the gift of Y-O-U is what He most longs to see under His “tree” at Calvary!

Happy, happy, most blessed birthday Jesus! And the gift goes on and on!

Simple Trust (Part Two)

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9 (NIV)

Last week I shared how my bad day found me at the park, where there was nothing to lift my discouraged heart but a dog chasing a rubber ball. I felt like that dog was living my life as she chased the ball for what I thought was no good reason. Finally the Lord opened my heart to how my lack of trust was hindering the joy in my life.

Well, I was still at the park but by now, my gaze was fixed on this dog and her master. What did this almost giddy dog know that I didn’t? What did she see that I couldn’t (or wouldn’t)?

As I watched I realized that she had recently had puppies. And it dawned on me that her master was actually blessing her with an opportunity to release pent up energy, to exercise her heart, strengthen existing muscles, build new muscle and develop stamina. What I saw as meaningless was actually brimming with purpose! I also recognized that all of this was taking place on the inside; unseen by the natural eye. And I began to ponder if God was using the “meaninglessness” of my everyday life to work something on the inside; something unseen to the natural eye-something that was “brimming with purpose”.

I started wondering if God in all His infinite wisdom had ordained these mundane tasks in my life to help prepare me for the sacred tasks that His plan held. What if these ordinary events were His proving ground, preparing me for the extraordinary plans He has and I was missing it?

Of course the dog had no such thoughts; she only loved her master and was willing to chase the ball for the sole purpose of being with him. If he threw it, she trusted him enough to chase it with no questions asked and she could be, would be happy about it. The “light” finally came on and I realized that this was exactly where I had lost my way. I wanted meaning, rationale. Before I would chase the ball I wanted answers and revelations of exactly what He was working in my life.

My ability or should I say my willingness to rejoice “in everything” was held back by my prerequisite of meaning and understanding. My trust was conditional upon God “explaining Himself” to my satisfaction. Have you ever been there? My heart was saying “Why are You asking me to do these things?” and “How does this fit Your plan?”  But He was simply tossing the ball and asking me to trust His heart-without explanations.

I had an agenda, but whenever I choose to set aside my agenda and turn my focus from the questions of my heart and onto Him; chasing the ball becomes a place of rejoicing instead of a point of contention. Do I have it all down? No, but when the everydayness of my life threaten to overwhelm me and suck the sparkle right out; I remember the dog and I choose to “chase the ball” with a lightness in my heart and joy in my step, knowing that His plan and His timing are worth the wait and the effort!

I realize that His ways are above my ways and His thoughts above mine, so I set aside my preconditions and relinquish my plan to His. And I choose rejoicing over confusion and frustration; fostering contentment in every task He puts in my path. I am coming to know more deeply His joy as I willingly chase the ball wherever He tosses it; retrieving it and laying it and myself at His feet; soaking in His sweet presence until He throws it again.
Well I gotta run; I hear my Master calling my name and I think I got me some ball to chase-wanna come?

Papa God, Please continue to remind me that walking out Your plan for my life isn’t dependent on me understanding everything You ask me to do. And that my greatest joy can be released when I choose to trust in the beauty of Your plan. I set aside my agenda in exchange for trusting Your loving heart and hand and all that they hold for me. Amen

Simple Trust (Part One)

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you." Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT)

I was having a bad day. Anyone who knows me knows that this is a statement I seldom voice; but we all have “bad” days right? As Christians we are not immune from the trials that weigh us down and obscure our vision for the future.

It was just one of those days. I know you have them too. What do you do when the difficulties of the day feel like they are a precursor of what lies ahead? For me, I drive to the park for some quiet time with the One who holds my future. I just needed His assurance that He hadn’t temporarily “forgotten” me, forgotten my calling, and forgotten my dreams. I know that sounds silly, since God can’t forget, won’t forget any of His children; but I guess I was looking for some reassurance. Have you ever been there?

It’s a little bit like when my daughter Lachelle was small and busy playing; sometimes she would stop what she was doing, get up, come close to where I was and just touch me lightly. As if to ask “Even though I have moved away from you, we are still connected, right?” And I wanted to say like the little child that I am; “Papa, You seem to have moved far away from me, please come and touch me lightly and remind me that we are connected.”

So I drove to “our” special place and sat in my car, listening for His voice. I heard nothing, so after a while I turned on the radio, hoping for something that would lift the fog that covered my heart, but nothing helped. Click. No interesting people to watch, no children playing-nothing, nothing but a dog and her master. Back and forth, back and forth; he threw the ball and she retrieved it. I watched the dog and I said to myself “Hmph, look at that, it’s just chasing that ball for no good reason. How useless!” I thought. And the idea slowly crept into my heart that that dog was living out my life; just chasing the same ball for no good cause, which of course did nothing to lift my murky mood.

But how often do we live our lives in the mundane? Clothes get laundered only to get soiled, again. Dishes get scrubbed only to get dirty, again. The work week gets put in and then in a flash it is Monday, again. Sometimes the sameness of our weekly, monthly or even yearly routine can feel like it is sucking the sparkle right out of us! Routine, predictable, tedious are a few of those sparkle sucking words.

But the difference was, I could see that the dog was having a ball (couldn’t resist the pun) and I most certainly was NOT.

It was then that Jesus began to speak to my heart; come join our whispered conversation...
Jesus said “Sandy, even though I have left this earth we ARE still connected, remember? I am as close as your very next breath.. The plan I have for you will come into being because there is NOTHING too hard for Me. The plan is not in question, but your complete trust in Me, perhaps that is...” “Will you trust Me in the mundane and trust in the beauty of My dreams for you little one? Though the plan is veiled, My purposes are sure and steadfast. I can be trusted and relied upon in each and every matter that touches your life”

And I know that what He spoke to me, He longs to whisper to your heart as well. Close your eyes and let Him touch you gently, reminding you that you and He are still connected and that His good plan for your life is not in jeopardy! Next week I’ll share the rest of the story.

Papa God, Please open my eyes to the fact that no matter what I‘m experiencing You haven’t moved away from me and that you are always as close as my next breath. As I relinquish my dreams to You please release Your joy in my heart and life. Amen

Restoration and Reflection

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” II Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)

I saw a billboard recently that was mangled by the wind and flying trees from a devastating storm. I shook my head in amazement at the destruction that was evident and I thanked God once again that our home was spared. As I continued on my way Papa began to speak to my heart. He reminded me that people’s lives were a little bit like that billboard; for what was originally created to bring awareness of its sponsor, now lay in ruins, crushed by unforeseen circumstances; a testament of the devastation it had endured through circumstances beyond its control.

A billboard is deliberately designed for a three-fold purpose: to draw the eye for interest, to attract attention to a message and to ultimately influence a specific reaction. Similar to this billboard our lives too were intentionally created by God’s loving design for a purpose; to experience a loving relationship with Papa God and then to reflect an accurate picture of who He is to the rest of the world. Our grace-filled lives are meant to draw the eye for interest to our Creator! Our faith-walk is intended to ultimately influence others to check out the God we love.

A billboard’s reason for being is never for itself; it exists for the benefit of another, so we too were created for Another and thus our true meaning can only be found in Him. We were brought into existence to convey honor and glory to the One who died for us.

How do we do that?

Our life reflects who He is when we obey His commands and love Him first and others second. When people watch our lives unfold they should be viewing His message and not ours. Just like the blank billboard has little to offer its sponsor on its own merit, so we too find our worth in being a reflection of our Savior. We have no light of our own, but as believers we can function as an excellent source of reflection.

Sounds easy enough, but then the daily grind of life happens and a precious one who was created to bring glory to their Creator can get crushed by the unforeseen circumstances that are beyond their control.

Then what?

What will happen to the mangled billboard? You and I both know the answer; eventually the city crew will dispose of it because it has outlived its usefulness.

But what about us?

Remember I said earlier that we were similar to a billboard, but not identical and this is where the similarity ends. People, no matter what destruction they have experienced are ALWAYS worth the restoration process! As His precious sons and daughters, Papa sees our potential through His eyes of love. He fixes the broken pieces, replaces the missing parts and eventually, if we stand still as He works out the kinks, we are made new and brightly reflect His glory.

What if your life feels like that crushed sign?

The good news is that Papa is in the restoration business! He has a plan and timetable for every renovation. Be patient and know that every moment is a hands-on event, i.e. His hands are ALWAYS on you.  But even in the midst of the devastation and destruction we can still reflect who He is. While we are waiting to become all He’s created us to be, we can glorify His holy name. Don’t believe me? Think about it...have you ever had something catch your eye on a sunny day and you realize it’s just a shard of broken glass or even a bit of shiny trash? Somehow it’s enough to reflect the sun and no matter where we are in the renewal process, we too can shimmer by reflecting the Son to this darkened world, because all the broken pieces of our lives serve as a glistening mosaic of praise when lifted up to our King!  

Let’s pray.

Papa, how we long to bring You honor, but at times our lives feel crushed by unforeseen circumstances that are beyond our control. Please come and begin the restoration process in us so that we can reflect the goodness of who You are to our lost and dying world. Amen

SNUGGLE UP

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you...” James 4:8 NLT

Morning had come, the sun was shining and I was sitting on the loveseat, writing a devotional, my computer was balanced precariously on my lap and I was busy typing away. I glanced across the room and on the couch all curled up was Bella, my Sheltie. She looked peaceful as she slept and I continued to write.

I’m not sure what woke her up, but she jumped down and I remember thinking; “She must want something”. To my surprise though, she jumped up on the loveseat and instead of laying at the other end like she usually does, she came close and having nestled right beside me, allowing virtually no space between us; she proceeded to close her eyes again.

I stopped typing and I looked down at my faithful friend of six years and I thought “Hmmm, she didn’t want anything-she just wanted to be close to me.” This small gesture on her part touched my heart and I began massaging her little furry neck, looking for a way to give back just a bit of her devotion.
And it was then that Papa spoke to me...

He said “Isn’t it nice when someone just cannot stand for there to be any distance between you and them; that they don’t come for a blessing from your hand, just for a closeness to your heart? And when that happens, don’t you just long to bless them in any way you can, because you know that they love you for you and not for what you do for them? Well that how I feel about My children too. I want them to temporarily forget about My blessings and just want to be with Me. I long for them to refuse for there to be any distance between us. I desire for them to be willing to leave their safe comfort zones and come to the place where I am; not where my blessings are; where I am!”

He said; “Sandy, just like your heart was so stirred by Bella’s love that you stopped what you were doing and touched her waiting life with your hands of blessing, so I too long to touch your waiting life with My hands of blessing when you choose to leave your comfort zone and come where I am...with no thought for promises, no hope for blessings; just Me!”

I wonder how often we spend our “quiet time” being anything but quiet. We come before God with our wish-list in hand and begin reciting it to Him and call it prayer. But oh how His heart longs for us to become so enthralled with Him that we forget to give Him our list, because our needs and desires get lost in our heart’s passionate quest to be close to Him; not for what He can do for us, but just to snuggle.

Webster’s Dictionary describes snuggle; “to draw close especially for comfort or in affection.” When was the last time we snuggled with our Papa God? He’s waiting with a loving heart and open arms for us to leave our place of comfort, lay aside our wish list and just snuggle up and bask in His enveloping presence.

Hey everyone, I’ll race you there! Get Ready, Get Set, GO! Ready or not Papa, here we come!

Lord, we long to be close to You in ways that we have yet to ask for or even dreamed of. Give us revelation knowledge of Your great love and how much You want us to snuggle up. Help us to leave our comfort zones and close the gap that we have heretofore been content to remain between us. Remind us to lay aside our wish list and soak in Your sweet and transforming presence. We long to seek Your heart instead of Your blessings. We do love You Papa, but please help us to do it better! Amen

THE DELAY-Part Two

Delays. Everyone’s life gets, well...delayed with them! Sometimes in the midst of our deferral we feel like we’re the only one though. However Abraham was delayed in receiving his promise, Joseph was delayed so he could save a nation, Moses was delayed from delivering God’s people, Daniel’s answer was delayed, David’s reign was delayed, Jesus’ ministry release was delayed in the wilderness. Ummmm, I’d say we are in good company!  Well, last week we talked about the delays that we all experience and how we need to trust that Papa God has our ultimate good in mind-even when we can’t see it. We also learned that trusting God’s heart means that we can trust His plan for us...even during the detours of life. So today let’s look at just a couple blessings that we can experience RIGHT NOW if we find ourselves in the midst of a delay.

1. Delays make you stop forging ahead. We see this as negative but think about it for a moment; when you are at a railroad crossing and the bar comes down with its flashing lights...aren’t you glad the bar delayed you from crossing the tracks at the same time as the multi-ton train? In Numbers 22:22-33 we read about how the prophet Balaam’s life was saved by way of a donkey’s delay! Postponements while not convenient are sometimes vitally important and who is to say that the l-o-n-g d-r-a-w-n out delay that you are wrestling with right now isn’t one of these critical deferrals?

2. Delays give you time to consider your options. Sometimes we have our spiritual blinders on as we run down the paths that we’ve selected-come what may. We are so busy trying to control our corner of the universe that we miss better options that are waiting for us-if we’d just take the time to look. But like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland...we rush ahead singing “I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date.  No time to say "Hello, Goodbye".  I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!” And although delays have a tendency to stop that outward running, we must also allow our Father to use these deferrals to calm our inner rushing as well. If not, we may miss those better choices because we’ll be too busy declaring to God “You’re late, You’re late for my very important date! No time to say ‘Hello, Goodbye; You’re late, You’re late You’re late!” Thankfully though, delays quiet the voices that accompany the rush of life, so we can carve out the time to seek His face and listen for His eternal perspective-so we can select His very best options! This enables us to glean the unique and treasured nuggets found in delay.

 3. Delays should make you turn to the Keeper of Time. This is true because they remind us that we are not in control of our universe>>>He is! Not only does God declare in Isaiah 55:9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”, His plans are so much better than ours too! And if you are in need of further proof, consider I Corinthians 2:9 which offers this amazing promise “...No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.” Close your eyes with me and meditate on that for just a minute or two. Just close your eyes and let your heart move from every long-held dream, from every aching desire and then let Papa whisper that His plan far outweighs, completely out glistens, entirely out sparkles even our wildest imaginations! What we can desire for ourselves or for those we love, pales in comparison to the passion of His heart and the workings of His hand!

What we “lose” by delays are more than offset by the unique blessings that they can position us for. So the next time a delay seems perpetual, let’s remind ourselves, that trusting God means trusting that His timing is exactly what we need to position ourselves for the rich rewards of being right where His perfect love determines is best, even if it comes “out of season”.  

Isaiah 64:4 declares; “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.” Oh the riches of a trusting heart who embrace this promise without restriction...for He who hath promised is faithful beyond our imagination and is oh so worthy of trust with every delay that He sends! So we can accept to our deepest levels, without reservation that with Papa; the best is always yet to be; so that we may we from the depths of our hearts proclaim; I will “wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” because “...the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. (Psalm 27:14, Psalm 33:11)

Papa, I choose to trust you in seasons of delay. In those moments help me to stop forging ahead without regard, remind me to use the delay to seek Your better options and strengthen me to turn more fully to You; the Keeper of Time itself...help me to rest in confidence that Your perfect plan for my life includes perfect timing as well. Thank you Papa for never leaving me to wait alone; I believeand am thankful that You are with me for this ENTIRE life’s journey. In Jesus Name, Amen.

THE DELAY-Part One

 “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness...”, “I will wait for the LORD...I will put my trust in Him.” 2 Peter 3:9, Isaiah 8:17

As I stopped to catch my breath after my morning run I happened to look at what was left of our flower garden. Considering it was November I wasn’t expecting a lot. : ) However, much to my surprise, there at the end of the garden was a huge, GORGEOUS peach iris! I stopped in my tracks and took a closer look. I snapped a picture of it because it was so beautiful! Of course it was no more lovely than all the other irises that bloomed in May, but I promise you I enjoyed this one so much more; because it was blooming out of season.  Almost immediately Papa whispered to my heart; “The fruit that is awaited the longest is always the sweetest and people’s lives can bloom out of season just like this flower and what is delayed can end up being the loveliest of all!”

That word took my breath away! I teared-up and sat down on the steps and began to look with fresh eyes at all the delays I have experienced in my life. Precious friend I know that you have had them too! Deferred promotions, s-l-o-w-e-d down healings, held up wisdom, postponed releases, overdue “special some ones”, yes the treasured hopes we have waited for for so long...the burning questions left unanswered...the promising dreams that have been out of our reach for so long that they seem to be fading from the clear view of our hearts. When everything within us longs for God to step in and move, but all we hear is the hollow echo of our pacing feet and the ringing sound of our unanswered questions...what then?

We may quote Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them”, however the “good” of delays is sometimes swathed in the shadowy places and we are left to wonder what if anything is happening for our betterment. But there is a saying “Trusting God means trusting in His timing too” and I believe that this is a lesson that we not only need to learn, but one that we must choose to remind ourselves of on a regular basis...because He knows best.

We’ve gotta remember that God doesn’t operate on our timetable. In my 40+ years of loving Papa, I’ve found that His timing and mine rarely agree. Of course He’s always right...but I want things like yesterday! Have you been there? : ) Yet our Father is lovingly, but resolutely moving at His determined pace. Nothing you or I could ever do will “hurry up” God. He fully perceives all aspects of past, present and eternity; we on the other hand only catch glimpses through our tiny window of earthly existence (and even those are filtered through the lens of human frailties and personal life experiences). He is not only the ultimate time keeper; He’s also the Keeper of Time itself! He clearly distinguishes the beginning from the end and He fully realizes what we need and when it’s the best time to release every single blessing.

I guess the question we need to answer is; Will we have confidence in His plan? (including His timing) Honestly though, an even deeper question lurking behind that query is; Will we trust His heart? If we can unreservedly believe His love for us, then the first question becomes a “no brainer”. And think about it, if we can rely on Him as the Captain of our eternal salvation; is He not even more worthy of trust for the temporal details of our earthly existence? i.e. How can He be deemed capable to secure our eternity, but somehow fall short to be entrusted with our earthly hopes and dreams? Truth declares that He is faithful for BOTH!

 Sometimes though we wonder if the delays we experience negate the goodness of Papa’s plan for us...but look at it this way...If someone is throwing a birthday party for you and because of its elaborate design of “amazingness” it has to be pushed back for a few days; does that mean its worth or “goodness” factor is truly diminished just because it came “out of season”? Not by a  l--o--n--g--s--h--o--t! And in a simliar way we have to aggressively trust and envision that the promised good of Romans 8:28 is being actively crafted on a daily basis by our loving Father, even when the days seem d-r-a-w-n out past what stands to human reason!

But when delays drag on, do I ever long to insert my own timetable? You bet! I’d be a liar if I said otherwise, but that’s just my limited perception talking. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to worship a God who can’t out think me in every way! Lol Isaiah 55:8 states speaking of God;  "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.” I don’t always see the benefits of delay on my own...BUT if I trust that He loves me and that He allows deferrals for my ultimate good, then there must be some redeeming qualities in the detours we call delay. Later this week we’ll take a peek at the benefits of delay. For today, let us make the quality choice to expect that His all-seeing eye captures the entire vista of the perfect plan He’s crafting for us AND that His loving heart will make certain that not a single blessing escapes us as we dare to willingly submit to the times and seasons of our lives!

Papa God, We know in our heads that You hold our lives safely in Your hands but sometimes when our unanswered questions and the delays to our dreams drag on, it weighs us down and makes it difficult to trust in the perfectness of Your plan...please come and remind our hearts that You are actively working out everything in our life for our eventual good. We trust You but help us trust You more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

IN THE TEMPEST

“Who layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters; Who maketh the clouds His chariot; Who walketh upon the wings of the wind...” Psalm 104:3  

As we in Virginia hold our collective breath and sit waiting with the rest of the eastern seaboard for this latest hurricane, I came across this quote by Willa Cather who said “There are some things you learn best in calm and some in storm.”

And I wondered what lessons lie before us not only with this particular hurricane but also in the wide-ranging storms of this life.  Hurricane Sandy has been much anticipated, so many wisely took the Boy Scouts motto of “Be Prepared” to heart and have everything they need at their fingertips. But sometimes “life happens” through unrelenting squalls that come in entirely unannounced and take our hearts by storm. But whether they are much expected or catch us completely off-guard, I believe that there are at least three lessons that we can learn from this expected gale and the ones that sneak up behind us.

1. Everyone experiences the storm.  Sometimes the most difficult part of a storm is the feeling that we are weathering the brunt of it by ourselves and that we alone are suffering the raging winds and the assaulting rains.  But the truth is many are experiencing the ill effects of this hurricane and additionally on the whole; no one gets a pass for a storm-free life, because everyone includes...well, everyone.  Jesus explicitly declared in John 16:33 that “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.” NLT He doesn’t say that we might, He didn’t hint that we may possibly; He declares unequivocally “you will have many trials and sorrows”...no one escapes it! Thankfully though, Jesus didn’t just leave us with that thought; He goes on to say “But be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.” So although we each can be confident that we will all face our share of storms, in Him there is ultimate victory!

Note: This is also a WONDERFUL opportunity to reach out and support those who are being devastated by this storm AND those who have been ravaged by the storms of this life. It is in reaching out our hand of love and friendship that we are most clearly the children of our Father. The Body of Christ actively caring for those in the midst of storms (be they natural, emotional, financial or spiritual) is one of the clearest and most compelling arguments for our reason for being>>>to LOVE others into the kingdom of God!

2. You are not alone in the storm. The tempests come and fear can grip our hearts because the storm is volatile and unpredictable. The enemy of our souls may whisper to our  anxious hearts that we are staggering alone beneath the wind and waves of any particular storm and the feelings of isolation can drive us to despair.  But we can take heart for the One who gave us existence is also the One who promised to never leave us, that instead, whenever we need Him He assures us that He will come! In John 14:18 Jesus assures us “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” and Paul relates “...God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5 In fact in the original language He uses a triple negative to emphasize the point. In essence He says “I will not, I will not, I will not leave you”.

Now that’s not to say that all will be  “peaches and roses” for our entire life because we talked about that in lesson one; but it does mean that whatever storms come our way and whatever ill effects do befall us...never, never, never are we left to face them alone. He WILL come to us!

Think about dear ones...what kind of father ignores the frightened pleas of his dear children? Even a decent earthly father will take pity on his children when they cry out in fear and our heavenly Father is the best Papa; so our cries will always reach His listening ears and they will never fail to touch His loving heart. No, He will not leave us, ever.  

3. There is a place of calm in every storm. No matter the strength or size of a hurricane, there is always an area where the storm is not raging and the winds lie dormant. It is a position where the tempest has ceased and is untouched by the power and devastation of the storm. In the eye of the storm there is a space of quiet where all that abide there remain unscathed. And Papa promises that no matter the volume of the storm, no matter its magnitude; we can always hide under the shadow of His massive wings while the storm rages all around us. There is a place where we may abide in sustenance and safety and we will find that as the winds whirl around us, as the relentless rains pelt us unmercifully, that that place, that that blessed location is in His pervasive and holy presence.

Oh that we would praise Him for there is no storm so dark that the Light of the World cannot bring a dawn! Oh that we would worship Him for there is no gale so potent that the Omnipotent One cannot silence it! Oh that we would choose to trust the heart of the One who loves us best >>>because there is no tempest so prevailing that the Creator of both the winds and the waves cannot calm them...and us. Come oh Lord for in Psalm 104:3 Your Word proclaims You as the storm walker and in You we find shelter now and forever!  
“Who layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters; Who maketh the clouds His chariot; Who walketh upon the wings of the wind...” Psalm 104:3  

Papa,
Come and hold us, remind us that we are not alone in this hurricane nor in the storms that this life will bring. Help us to rely on You, to trust in Your strong and yet tender care for us. Help us to hear You calling us to come swiftly that we might dwell under the shadow of Your expansive wings. Help us to find that place of calm and safety and to abide there knowing that in Your presence we are loved and cared for. Help us to trust You dear Papa no matter what lies ahead; for in You we are safe and secure...today and for all eternity! In Jesus Name, Amen

“For Now...For Always”

"There is no freedom like not having to impress everybody." ~Joyce Meyer.

I love this quote, but impress everybody??? Even better, how about if we don’t live to impress anybody? : ) Could we, would we dare to believe that I am who He says I am, that I am accepted and loved  because He fully accepts me and unquestioningly loves me...and that that is enough...For Now...For Always?     

This sounds so simple, so basic, but Oh Lord, help us get this truth down to the depths of our spirits! Give us multi-layered rest from every side! Set us free from trying to be "all things to all people", from performing to be valued, from laboring for the acceptance of an unwilling person, when You dear Father are ready, willing and oh so able to fully love and accept us RIGHT NOW-no strings attached! (Jeremiah 31:3)

Papa You become more precious to me as the years increase! For 43 years I have loved you! Of course in the beginning it was just a “little girl love” : ), but now I pray it has become my greatest, my most enduring passion. Everything, even everyone that I treasure pales in comparison to the greatness of who You are! My heart swells in gratitude and devotion for the love that You have offered and yet it amazingly, wondrously is a love that is not only offered, but it is a love that pursues us through the length and depth of this our earthly existence!

How about you dear friend? Are you living today for the audience of One or are you merely existing in a daily, useless trap of performing to be valued, to be loved, when the God who formed you...when the Creator who tenderly fashioned you with His very hands is waiting with open arms? Would you dare to listen to the gentle voice who longs to whisper to your disenchanted heart; “You, my dear one are enough because I say you are?” He earnestly desires for you to recognize, believe and most of all experience; the fierceness of His love through the unfathomable depth of His great sacrifice...all for YOU!

When we masquerade our true self to “fit in” we may well be condemning ourselves to a lifetime of shuffling mask after mask in a vain attempt to achieve “acceptance”, only to realize that those who “receive” us are only giving the nod of approval to our facade and not the real us, which only serves to increase our feelings of isolation, which can in turn force us into a wearying prison of performance! Think about it precious friends! We end up living our lives on a stage where each day showcases our feeble and yet desperate attempt at perfection; a useless exercise that will assuredly drain the very life that God so lovingly created.

Each heart was given its very existence to be loved...every being was formed to flourish in affirming relationship, yet regrettably this life that was purposefully created to be fully known and loved, now expends it greatest efforts in trying to earn those graces that its Creator is waiting to lavish freely upon it. How it must grieve the heart of our Father when we hide His matchless treasure behind a plastic veneer; and so descends the genuine beauty of the cherished masterpiece, which quietly slips beneath a sea of the artificial.

Oh that we would grasp and treasure the opinion of the One who sees our every flaw, who fully knows each failure, who perceives our every doubt and yet stands ready to embrace our weary hearts. One who looks into the deepest levels of who you are now and who He longs for you to one day be and declares with arms open wide that our seeking hearts have found a home...in His>>>For Now...For Always!

Papa, You created us to be in affirming relationships that give us value and a place of belonging; please help us to see that in Your heart ours has found a place of acceptance and worth. Please set us free to be the person You created us to be, not striving for perfection but gladly wearing Your robes of righteousness; a signal to our weary hearts that all striving finds its end in what You have already done for us!. Help us to love you more deeply and receive Your unconditional love more fully. In Jesus name, Amen  

Consider checking out this song linkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF5CjtrIl_c&feature=related “Someone Worth Dying For”~Mike’s Chair

THE ONE GREAT LIGHT“He himself was not the light; he [John] came only as a witness to the light.” John 1:8

Godly relationships are like little lights that springing from Papa, bear witness of the One Great Light! I have found that these other “lights” are fleeting when weighed in comparison to my Father’s eternal light, but still, what a blessing they are! They are like small solar lamps that have no light of their own, but rather absorb from the sun and glow with its light, for a season. These are helpful as I stumble from the car to my front door; lighting the footpath I am on, but when the sun rises, their tiny light is enveloped in the radiance of the brilliant sun. Of course these lights were never intended to take the place of the sun; they merely absorb its energy and then reflect its beauty in the darkness. They are a small reminder of the great light that is coming!

Oh how similar are the lights that other believers bring to us! Papa graces us with them to brighten our walkway when we cannot see Him shining in our life! They have no true light in themselves, but they beautifully reflect His great light and are such a rich blessing from the Father’s loving hands! They are gentle promises of the Radiance that is surely coming to us, though perhaps for now, we cannot fathom the Son illuminating our pathway when the shadows fall heavy and our path seems dim.

Each of experiences interludes of fog and haze approaching; where a light would be most welcome...yet none are found. But we can rejoice in these seasons when our passageway seems draped in obscurity, for this is only Papa’s way of drawing our attention and reliance from others, so that we may focus and rely on Him alone. In those moments we must choose to trust in our Father’s love and care; knowing that in the absence of other light, we can see His most clearly.

Occasionally, we are even asked to trek the long and winding path in seeming darkness- for a brief season...but we can take heart, for He who loves us promises to never forsake us and He vows to not leave us in the shadowy places! (John 12:46  “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” John 12:46) We are never really alone in the dark, for His love and light cover and guide us...for even when our eye cannot distinguish it, our hearts can discern it...for it is the Daystar, the bright and Morning Star; whose light will break forth and shine brighter than the noonday sun; for it is a Light that lives in our hearts! “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” II Corinthians 4:6

(Also see Revelation 22:16, II Peter 1:19)

Papa, Thank you for the light of others that you have blessed our lives with; let them serve as reminders of Your great light. Grow in us the love and light that comes from You and let it glisten brilliantly as an outward witness from within our hearts, drawing every eye to You, trusting You to light our path and theirs. Amen.

Although God spoke this particularly to Israel, it also applies to us in a more general sense. "Ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is mine" (Exodus19:5).

I laughed out loud when I read this verse and I said to no one in particular “I could be a poster child for this verse...I am nothing if not peculiar” : )

Now don’t get me wrong I am not “knocking” myself, just taking a healthy dose of reality...I am a little peculiar and in case you haven’t realized it...I am happy to inform you that YOU may just be too!

Peculiar. It’s an unusual word...it’s fun to say...try it with me...seven times REALLY fast and look how it’s spelled P-E-C-U-L-I-A-R. It almost looks like>peck you liar...which could, but thankfully won’t come into play later in this blog : )

Is it bad to be peculiar? The world thinks so! They’ve come up with alternate words to soften the blow of being peculiar...they say “eccentric”, “idiosyncratic”, “distinctive” and my favorite “quirky”. However what they usually really mean is “odd”, “strange” and “weird” lol

In fact the dictionary defines peculiar as “Strange, odd, unusual” or “slightly and indefinably unwell” (See I told you!)

The world is uncomfortable with peculiar people, it tells us to conform, to be just like everyone else. And sometimes we buy into that. We change how we dress, the way we cut our hair, the words we use, and even sometimes the friendships we cultivate, all to fit in. But I gotta tell you being like everyone else is way overrated! God made each of us unique. Admittedly some of us more unique than others : )

I know I’m peculiar; some prime examples include my aversion of opening the refrigerated biscuits that come in a tube. Now rationally I know that they won’t actually harm me...but I still call Lee into the kitchen to open them for me>peculiar. Another one is my dislike for wooden pencils, I dunno why I don’t like the feel of them, I guess it’s just me being peculiar...again : ). I’m sure I have more peculiarities that I could bore you with...but I’d rather hear about YOURS in the comment box...because I feel certain that yours are way more interesting than mine: )

I am poking fun at my “specialness” but the truth is not only does the world want us to conform; the enemy of our souls takes every one of our “uniquities” (this falls into the “not a real word, but should be” category and if you have your own blog, you too, can make up words at will: ) and tries to use them as a weapon against us. He whispers to us; “If people knew the real you, they’d reject you, If others saw how different you _____ they’d avoid you.” (Insert nearly anything here like “think”, “act”, “feel” etc) and my personal favorite “If you were only like (insert any name here) people would accept you.”  Satan is adept at taking what God intended to be a blessing and twisting it into something ugly, something that divides us instead of bringing us together.

Sure Papa could’ve made us like cookie cutter people, all the same. But He didn’t. Did you ever wonder why? I have. It’d be easier at times if I was just like everyone else, but how incredibly boring would that be for God and for us?! Besides, it is the diversity of who God created us to be that brings beauty and color into our world. When faced with the choice, dare to be different and pick peculiarity!  

Earlier we looked at the negative definitions of peculiar, but thankfully it also lists it as “belonging exclusively to” and “particular; special” and it’s these second definitions that remind us that being peculiar is actually a good thing in God’s eyes and has always been a part of the Father’s plan in our creation!

The Father intentionally designed you-which means your life has great meaning! You weren’t some “happy accident”, in fact; YOU were first birthed in the heart of God! If we dusted you for fingerprints we’d find His fingerprints all over you! So we are His exclusive treasure because we belong solely to Him! In Him we have the freedom to be peculiarly special!

He actively chose to make us distinctive, because each of us was created to showcase a different facet of who God is. Like a single facet on a matchless diamond, each life was brought into being to display His glory in a way that is peculiarly its own. You are His rare jewel, His Masterpiece; because you are a “piece” of the Master!

When He crafted you, Papa in His wisdom placed within you every gift and talent needed to accomplish His perfect plan for you. No one in this present, past or future world has ever or will ever have exactly the same mix of gifts, talents and life experiences as you. So just like your fingerprints; you are unique and irreplaceable! 

That means that you are peculiarly qualified to bring honor to the Father by walking out His plan for your life. No one else can walk it out like you or for you! It is our divine purpose to showcase a small facet of who He is: but only if we choose to be peculiar! Peculiar? Yeah, I’m peculiar and I hope you are too!

Let’s pray...

Papa, Thank You for actively creating us to show forth a unique facet of who You are to the people You cause to cross our paths! Help us to see that we are a product of our Your love and creativity...strengthen us to walk out this life’s journey in a God-honoring way that peculiarly showcases who You are! In Jesus name, amen.

A Planting of the Lord

“In their [His] righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for His own glory.” Isaiah 60:21
"They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor." Isaiah 61:3

The dawn found me sitting alone in my morning room, having my devotional time, when I noticed a beautiful yellow hibiscus bud that began to bloom right before my eyes literally, it was amazing and as I watched it, I heard the voice of the Father, speak to me, telling me that He was going to make my life like that beautiful bud, that it would bloom and the beauty of it would bring Him glory and I really believe that word is for each of you as well!

YOU are a planting of the Lord, He planted you as a seed within the womb of your mother, He fearfully and wonderfully made you. He brought the jubilant, soaking days of spring, the nourishing sunshine for summertime growth, He ushered in the cool breezes that brought with them the winds of change, like autumn days and yes, He also allowed the bitter winds of winter to assault your unsuspecting life. But through it all, He is there; being ever watchful to allow only those circumstances that would bring eventual good to your life.

 I know that there have been seasons of dormancy and pruning that have been dry and painful; times when your way felt solitary and His gentle voice seemed silent; but throw aside the temptation to question His dealings in your life. From His vantage point, He sees clearly all the brilliant vistas that are yet to come for you; things that you have not seen or even dreamed of, but they lie safely tucked in the heart of your Father and He is ever moving you toward them!

Oh trust in the sure hand of the Master Gardener, who brings exactly what you need! If you are wilted and suffering the effects of past choices, He can come in and bring a time of refreshing, if you are in need of a shot of fertilizer to boost your fruit production; He can bring the divine supplements found in His holy Word.

And if you are already bearing luscious fruit then He may indeed bring the pruning shears. Thankfully, He knows exactly when and how much to prune to bring the most prolific results! And since pruning is all about future growth and more fruit bearing capability; a bountiful harvest is surely coming!

And when our heart is reeling from the clip of the pruning shears, we can take comfort in the knowledge that the Gardener is never closer to the plant than when He is pruning it! You can water and even fertilize from a distance-but during a pruning season; His eye never shifts from us and His skilled hands never leave us and ALWAYS, He prunes in hope of the coming harvest and ever we abide under His shadow in those shearing moments!

And because He not only fully knows His plants; but loves and cherishes them, so He always brings exactly what they need at the very best moment. He is rarely early, but He’s never late either!

So know that no matter where you find yourself, no matter what the situations of your life look like; the Master Gardener has a plan! So the future is filled with tender promise and there are incredible buds on YOU and in YOU; the beautiful plantings of the Lord!

 Papa, We long for our life’s journey to bring You honor, please help us make the right choices to do that better. We yield our lives afresh to the skilled hands of You; our Master Gardener. We choose to trust that You have a perfect plan for our lives and will with that plan, bring whatever we need to bloom profusely for You. Amen

Well, here we are! My initial post on my very first blog! I’m so happy that you have stopped by and pray that your heart will be encouraged, your path will be a little more illuminated and that the level of your hope will increase as we walk on this journey...together.

I’m so glad that you have chosen to join me on this voyage; whether you decide to subscribe and travel with me for every step of this adventure or you just come and “visit” for a while...I am thrilled to have you with me! I had been praying about starting a blog for quite some time now, but it had remained in the “praying stage”, just a little piece down the road from the “planning stage”, which is just a hop, skip and a jump from the actually “doing stage”. lol Oh sure I’d do it...someday, but that day as of yet had never come.

Interestingly, not too long ago I had prayed; “Papa give me a sign, an assurance that you want me to do this now”, but I hadn’t shared that with anyone, so imagine my surprise when out of the blue I got a call from my daughter Janelle to check a link that revealed that she had set me up a blog! Oh Wow, no more excuses, but the truth is I couldn’t have waited much longer, because if I didn’t share soon I may just have burst! lol The Love I have been shown has permeated to the very core of who I am and like a seed it has germinated and taken root. It is living, growing and hopefully bearing fruit, but its initial growth has taken over and it needs to be planted in a place where it can have room to grow so that I can share more fully about the Master Gardener, my one Great Love!

This is “Hope and Light for the Journey”, so it is my desire to point to the One I love, to be an arrow, a blinking, flashing, neon arrow pointing to the ultimate Hope Bearer, who is not only the bearer of hope, but is in actuality its very source! He is the only basis for true and lasting hope. There is no such thing as an impossible circumstance or a hopeless situation because we are never without hope, for we are never without God. His is a love that never loosens its grip on us; therefore hope clings to us as His loving arms encircle our lives. Yes! He is Hope to us!

 It is also my desire to direct our gaze to the One who not only dispels the darkness but is the essence of light and its original cause! We can bring no light of our own because He is the one true source of light...but we can each function as mirrors to reflect the One Great Light to this darkened world who are travelling on a journey to a place they’ve never been before and they are doing it within a covering of pervasive darkness. They grope their way in obscurity where every circumstance has the ability to trip them up.

But it isn’t just the “pre-believers” for whom the light appears evasive...we all have days or seasons where our path seems blocked, where doors slam shut at every turn and a fog seems to have settled around our lives, leaving us wandering in a mist of obscurity...longing for a light to break through our circumstances and enlighten our wondering hearts.

But it is precisely to that bleak and dismal place that there comes a living and radiant Light that nothing can squelch or extinguish and with it He ushers in a pervasive Hope that no circumstance of our life’s journey can touch!

You see our life too is like a long journey to a place that we have never been before. Not one that we dreamed up, but a journey of God’s active design. This is not just the trip of a lifetime; rather it is the trip of our lifetime!

And there’s just this one journey, there are no “do overs” in God’s economy...our lives are each a “maiden voyage” so to speak; one to a customer : ) (Hebrews 9:27) One of the first things we need if we are embarking on a “voyage” is a sense of direction. We’ll never end up where we should be if we are heading the wrong way. Although going in the right direction doesn’t automatically ensure our arrival, it IS a good first step. Well, one of the goals of this blog is to point us in the direction of the One who created us with our particular journey in mind, so He can be sure to keep us traveling the right way.  

Let’s just say we find the right direction to head...wait! Don’t leave yet!   It’s not enough to head the right direction, if we are going somewhere we’ve never been, I can’t think of a better thing to have than a detailed map! Sometimes when Lee and I are going on a long trip we use a Trip-Tik. It’s a service that AAA provides; you tell them where you are starting from, where you want to end up and they make a turn by turn map for you, that includes detours, construction areas and places to stop for refreshment. It not only aids you in your arrival, it actually enhances the journey! Well another frequent theme on this blog will be verses from the Bible because it is our life’s road map and our daily survival guide; which not only aids us in navigating our way, it enhances our journey as we head toward our final destination!

So we know the direction to head, we have our detailed map but we are lacking something vital! An experienced guide! What could be more helpful than a well-seasoned guide who can lead the way, direct your path and give sound advice? A wise pastor (Wayne Mancari) once said that the hero of every Bible story is God and the hero of this blog-story is God! He is the starring attraction if you will. This blog will feature snippets about my life, my family and friends and even a few “strangers” along the way...but the only real “headliner” is my God...hopefully your God too!

We will focus on Jesus; the Ultimate Guide who has not only been where you are going; He created the path! So He knows the twists and turns along the way and where every single pitfall lies! We’ll also make the Father (the One I call Papa) and the Holy Spirit our focal points as well!

 If a blog can have a heart this one will beat for the glory of who God is! It will be my profound pleasure, my absolute privilege to talk about the One I love with anyone and everyone who will listen. : )

And by the way, don’t make me do all the talking! Sure this is my blog, but I wanna hear from you too in the form of comments : )Because the truth is there is a fourth thing that we all need for our journey>>> fellow companions! Who you are travelling with affects the quality, not to mention the FUN factor of your journey! Come on, anyone that has travelled with a whiny child KNOWS this is true! Who you are with will make it or break the trip, right?

Well I hope that this blog will not only point us in the right direction, provide us with a road map and experienced Guide; it’ll also hopefully give us the opportunity to connect with fellow travelers...people who are heading to the same final destination that we are! How cool is that?!

The final reason for this blog is....drum roll please....YOU! You and your lives are a passion for me and it is you that is firmly resting on my heart with every story I communicate and every thought I share. The Father has given me the heart of a shepherd, who greatly desires to help care for Papa’s little lambs and to point them to the Great and Good Shepherd; who is the Lover of their soul! I hope that His love and care for you will shine through my feeble attempts and I pray that you will draw closer to Him and experience for yourselves in a new and richer way; His sweet, abiding presence through this simple vehicle.

Blog-keeping Notes: I do apologize for the length of this initial blog, my goal is to keep them somewhere around half as long as this has been. It is also my hope to post once or twice a week so you won’t inundated with daily blogs : ) Also while I am posting “disclaimers” of sorts; I also apologize in advance for my superfluous use of exclamation points, incorrect use of ellipsis points, smiley faces and lol’s...it’s just me, being me...and in this way I am incorrigible! lol : )

With tickets in hand, suitcases packed, survival guide at our fingertips and our Guide leading the way, let us step forth and get started on this the journey of our lifetime!