I worshiped You in the depths of the valley

 

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, 

and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, 

then I will hear from heaven, 

and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 

- 2 Chronicles 7:14

I worshipped You 

In the depths of the valley

When all seemed as dark 

As a blinding alley

When I spoke to warn

And felt so pushed back

You filled me with love 

Over wanting to attack

When I knelt to pray 

I trusted You heard

To raise leaders all around 

Who search Your Word

Today I worship 

For a light shines more brightly

On this land repentant

Wanting to be more Godly

I watched with amazement 

The winners of races

Their smiles instead of guile

Thanksgiving on their faces

This is a new day

And my prayer is we go

In the direction Washington prayed 

For us so long ago

I am not a statesman 

Nor eloquent of speech

But I can pray in the valleys 

When hope's within reach

And this morning I learned 

of Project "If 7:14"

Of countless more who prayed 

that our nation be redeemed

Lord, thank you for bringing this day to us in peace. Thank you for those who have humbly battled daily in prayer, praise and work. And for those caught in a battle of wits, thank you when they have chosen well-thought out words over weapons and violence to bring about change in a dignified and Godly way to this land that is hurting. Thank you for the little healing we see, and grant us courage to be a part of the greater healing to come. Please bless our new leaders, and lead us away from Godlessness and a rejection of Scripture. In the name of the One Who makes it possible, our Lord Jesus, who is perfect as I am not in this present age, Amen.

Thank you for reading today, and be blessed as you enjoy the gift of being a free American who is able to worship in peace and has opportunity every day to share the Gospel of Peace in family, work and worship.

Note: Picture taken by me in on Labor Day 2012 in our then hometown of Live Oak, TX, the most patriotic city we have ever lived in boasting countless military families as residents! Thank you for your service!

I dedicate this post to my husband who supports my writing! You kindly helped me with my duties this morning that got put aside so I could write this post while I was inspired to do so!

Miracles: Exceptional and Active (Part 2)

Miracles never claim to invent something outside the laws of physics that God Himself laid down when He created The Universe, known as "the whole body of things and phenomena observed or postulated (Merriam-Webster's online)."

 

The miracles may reveal something beyond our physical Universe such as Steven's view into eternity just before dying, or the man who saw the Heavenly Host before going into battle. Then there is the miracle of the resurrection of a man who was completely dead with no witnesses to the actual raising of his body! This all-dead man was raised by God Himself. The God-man Jesus' resurrected body walked the earth for forty days to show the ultimate miracle... His transformed body! This new body is a pattern for the believer's new body they will receive upon dying faithfully in the Lord!

*

Prior to a miracle, there is a problem, and it always involves human suffering. God's miracles don't show feats of lasting manmade engineering, neither do they parade as royal pomp, nor do they excite like celebrity wit. After the miracle, the problem is resolved. It's never for show, yet God perfectly weaves practical solutions into His story to point us to Him and His eternal reality. They keep moving us the more we read and study them.

 

What amazes me is the love, compassion and wisdom the Lord offers with each miracle. I don't claim to know His tone of voice, the speed at which He spoke or His inflections, but I can read that His words and timing hit the mark, made the point and continue point hearts to God. Amazing!

*Ron DiCianni, The Resurrection mural

Miracles: Exceptional and Active (Part 1)

There are so many questions and commentaries about miracles. I believe the One who is in charge of them all speaks a better word on the subject than me. I hope my thoughts honor God and come across as respectfully as they are meant.

I believe that the miracles are not random, but are teaching aids which immediately benefit those made in God's image. They are also used to complete prophecy or to prophecy future events. They are meant to catch the attention of hearts.

The miracles never veer from God's ultimate purpose, which is to reveal Himself and point us to eternal life. I don't believe miracles were done for the fun of it or for the immediate gratification of seeing something magical and new. No, I believe they point us away from themselves. They are meant to focus hearts on God.

Jesus does not practice medicine, but IS medicine as when he cures leprosy, heals the blind, makes the lame walk again and even raises the dead. "The dead" being defined as completely dead, not a person who is near death. He does not offer scientific conclusions for material phenomena, but IS materially phenomenal as He walks on water, calms a storm and turns water into wine! They are art and science rolled into one. They can comfort and confound hearts with no apology for doing either.

The rules and laws of nature are Christ's foundation, but He rises above them. God through Jesus does not break the rules or bend them. Christ, through obedience to the Father, perfectly commands the miraculous because Christ is God, perfect and holy. He does not cheat life, He IS life! His aim is to capture hearts.

God uses the laws He created to point back to Him, The Creator! He is exceptional, not exemptional, if there is such a word. He meets the rule and His right-ness surpasses it-that's true exceptionalism! To break a rule He made would confuse us, so He does not do that -- He does not exempt Himself from the laws He created. His miracles rest on using what already is but is broken. Jesus heals the broken, whether healing a sinful heart or a broken body. His aim is to heal hearts.

What are current-day miracles? Should I pray for one? The short answer to the first question is: I don't exactly know, but I recognize one when it happens! The second is: Yes, particularly if you are praying for a God-shaped heart! The heart that worships and obeys God no matter what is a present-day miracle!

It's Never Too Late

Life's seeming impossibles can either define us or refine us. It's our choice.

If I only see my time, talent and treasure as mine to hold on to, to mold into the things I want within a certain time frame or expiration date, then I lose. They vanish as visible dust is carried away by invisible winds.

When I see my time, talent and treasure as God's gifts, even though these things are temporary, my options are practically endless. The visible dust now has the ability to take on the form of a body of work that can outlast my short existence.

My time, talent and treasure are limited, but including my perfect loving Father, Jesus my perfect brother and friend, and with the perfect attitude the Holy Spirit offers, I can't lose.

What time, talent and treasure is in my possession today awaiting God's blessing of multiplication into a body of work that will glorify Him? A second question is how can the borders of His Kingdom be further spread with what He has given me?

In the world we age out, expire in some area of our lives or run out of energy. In Christ have unlimited vision, have joyful length of days and indescribable vitality!

It's never too late to learn more, Agape-love more, give more, stretch a talent more, smile more, be available more, edit the unnecessary more or even revive a dormant dream that you are now prepared to realize, so that God's Kingdom borders might be spread more!

Three Tidbits for Today...

Jesus is more than a command-giver, a task-master.

He is the lover of our souls.

He asks that we return the emotion,

for if we don’t get the emotion right, we cannot participate in proper devotion.

And devotion is a better developer of talents than fear of failure.

(Matthew 25:14-30 / Luke 19:11-27)

Fear freezes, faith frees

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

- Galatians 5:1

 Guard your treasure in your jar of clay and it will keep you from going astray.

Today's post is dedicated to my father as today is his birthday! Happy birthday Dad!

Sail the Small Before Sailing the Squall

My father-in-law taught me to sail. I never became a full-fledged sailor for he was always at my side coaching. But what a dream it was to sail that 19-footer across beautiful Willoughby Lake in Vermont.



Some years later John and I boarded a bigger sailboat with two sets of couple friends for a fun day on Galveston Bay in Texas. The waters were choppy and at times it took two men to hold the wheel steady.



What a difference in the two experiences! But without learning on the calms of a lake, our friend Rick could not have navigated our vessel on those choppy waters.



Learn to traverse the lake you are on before attempting to traverse an ocean. And remember not to be too hard on yourself; after all, you left the dock!

God is never puzzled

After my morning meditation I was responding to an email from my mother and the following thoughts came to mind...

Our lives are a puzzle.

 

Each victory is a visible piece added to the puzzle, 

and each loss leaves a missing space.

 

And yet, God fills in each empty space with his love and grace. 

 

I envision the strong and beautiful arms of Christ 
that were stretched out on the cross 
as the arms holding every piece of the puzzle to my life together...

  

...particularly when it seems there are too many missing pieces! 

  

 Others may see my missing pieces, 

but God doesn't when I am covered, 

bathed, 

filled inside and out with Christ, 

for Christ is holding all of life together.

 

His love protects me inside as I love and release everyone 
who comes to mind in prayer. 
Others' lives are not mine to figure out, 
but to release to God, 
for He is not caught by surprise by anyone's situation 
and loves them more deeply than I!

His love also protects me outside 
when I wear a genuine smile and offer a genuine hug. 
It may be the only therapy I can give another, 
but when I do even those seemingly small things, 
I add a victorious puzzle piece to another's life. 

No thing is too small a gift when given with great love!

Mom, I know you don't write a lot, but thanks for taking the time and listening to me online. Without our email dialogue I could not have articulated my thoughts in such a way. Thanks also for teaching us children to serve others. My prayer is that this piece serves to strengthen other's souls and show them how precious they are to the Lord. I love you Mom and am enjoying this season of life that John and I are having with you and Dad and our wonderful family. This post is dedicated to you! 

I am also dedicating this piece to my good friend Beth who recently filled in a few missing puzzle pieces in my life which blessed me tremendously!