His Offering

God's comfort, although unseen at times, yet, felt so deeply, is like that of an unexpected cool breeze or an icy drink offered on a blistering hot day. Its can bring us to tears because the relief moves us to such deep gratitude, and the kindness felt by our soul is unmatched by any earthly treasure. The sufferings are assuaged by God's grace, either through His Spirit or delivered through the hands of one of His children. The touch of God and the realization of His deep love for us is His offering of a small taste of heaven for our hope. That blessing will always remain as a hot spring of healing in our thoughts when our souls are feeling so cold.

God has given me some wisdom as to why I felt so alone and why He felt so far away. Although I couldn't feel His presence, I still claimed His love and promises because my faith had grown through my many difficulties. I read the devotion in my book this morning and it's message lifted my heart to go on with a faith that transcends my feelings or circumstances. It read: "When nothing on which to lean remains, when strongholds crumble to dust; when nothing is sure but that God still reigns, that is just the time to trust. It's better to walk by faith than sight, in this path of yours and mine; and the darkest night, when there's no outer light, is the time for faith to shine."

This morning brought a new perspective to my mind and a light burst into my darkness that cast God's image of hope before me. He revealed to my spirit that this coming year would be one where His presence would not be so evident but that He was going to go on ahead a bit and call to me to follow Him in faith. Just as a healing soldier needs to push on through physical therapy, a child needs to crawl to develop muscles that will make them able to walk or a butterfly must struggle to emerge from it's cocoon so it's wings are strong enough for flight.......we must develop our faith in order to be able to handle what life has in store for us. God is not absent when hard times come, it is during those times when it is only His wisdom that can strengthen our weary souls and make warriors where there was once only fearful, complaining and doubting children.

We all want to think that life is like a Norman Rockwell painting or a fairy tale but we must grow in our faith to come to terms with the fact that life is hard. There will be losses, heartbreaks, challenges......and without mature faith we will crumble. It's those hard times that will build our spiritual strength so that we can go on, not just for our own good but for the uplifting of others. Faith is a muscle that must be strengthened and developed so that we don't go through life as weak and ineffective soldiers for Christ. We can not remain infantile, broken or immature in our faith, God is real, and just as our body grows so must our faith. We must believe even when we can't see Him........we must trust although everything around us appears hopeless and we must love even when we feel unloved, because He will be our unseen source of all we need and our full portion forever.

Perhaps you, too, have camped by such sweet waters,
and quenched with joy your weary, parched soul's thirst;
to find, as time goes on, your streamlet alters,
from what it was at first.

Hearts that have cheered, or soothed, or blest, or strengthened;
loves that have lavished unreservedly;
joys, treasured joys have past, as time has lengthened,
into obscurity.

If then, O soul, the brook your heart has cherished,
does fail you now - no more your thirst assuage,
if it's once glad streams have perished,
let Him your heart engage.

He will not fail, nor mock, nor disappoint you;
His comfort and care change not with the years;
with oil of joy He surely will anoint you,
and wipe away your tears.

J. Danson Smith

That Stretch of Road

Has your road become weary with no end in sight? Do you feel like the leaves will never return to your trees and their barrenness are a daily discouragement that spring may never come? Each morning you sigh at the lack of hope?

Years ago my brother and I drove across country in the month of July. I decided to move back to California and since I had some belongings we decided to pack up my old Cutlass Supreme and make a road trip out of it. My sister had flown my infant son there already, so, jammed between my brother and I was a car seat with my purse and food packed in it. We couldn't see out the back window because so much of my stuff was smashed into that car. But off we went on our cross-country journey.

I have to mention that my brother is an A to B type person whereas I'm an A, B, C, D...type. His primary goal was to get from point A to point B in as little time as possible where I would have loved to mosey and see things along the way. I like to talk to everyone I meet and stop at antique stores... but on this trip, he was the captain. We drove like maniacs as we took turns at the wheel, making hurried pit stops to get gas and use restrooms. He did most of the driving so I had the opportunity to view most of the United States first hand.

I remember how gorgeous Kentucky was with its vast green hills and horse farms. Missouri for some reason really caught my eye as we drove through it as the sun was at an angle. The shadows from the tilted light gave the terrain a picturesque quality along with the scattered solemn trees that stood on the hills. The heartland's beauty kept my soul filled and my mind occupied as the journey stretched out.

Then, came the Mohave desert with its barren, dry and relentless obscurity. We headed into it with determination as we sang Beatles songs out loud together. The old Cutlass had no air-conditioning and the desert offered no radio reception so our self entertainment was all we had. We drove for miles as the temperature climbed to 120 degrees and the floor of the car was like a bon fire under our feet. It didn''t take long to realize the monotonous boredom and discomfort that the elements were creating. We would literally drive for miles and miles with the only goal of getting over the next horizon with the hope that the desert would end. But, it never relented, over each horizon was just another long stretch of barren desert. It was like groundhog day in hell!

My mind began to feel hopeless as the miles of blistering heat wore my senses down. "When will this end?!, I can't take anymore!!" Was the mantra cycling through my entire being. Reaching another horizon to only find a repetitive stretch of desert reaching out before me again, made me think that I was going to die there. We were racing at 100 miles per hour with our feet blistering from the fiery tar that was burning up the tires. The scorching hot wind from having the windows down seemed to be searing our reasoning powers. Just when you think that God has abandoned you, when you think that God will allow your tires to disintegrate and you will suffer a slow death on the scorching tar...Hope arrives.

The desert finally ended. The freeway opened up and there were towns, commerce, provisions. "Thank you Lord", I kept repeating over and over. The temperature lowered and relief began to enter our consciousness. After a stretch of crowded freeway the road dipped down and then rose up to heaven. There was the Pacific Ocean before us with it's cool breeze and sparkling waves. Hell had transitioned into heaven, despair into hope, roaring heat into refreshing cool air.

THAT STRETCH OF ROAD that seemed to never end, ended. The hopelessness of the mind, now had hope. Hearts that were weak now raced with energy and our flesh found renewal. I will never forget the lesson of the desert and how it positioned me to handle so many "desert experiences" that were still yet to come in my life.

Dear ones, are you in a blistering, lonely desert right now? Does it feel as though God has deserted you and that all hope of ever feeling the coolness of joy has escaped? Is your dilemma or trial appearing endless and you're feeling like each horizon just ushers you into more pain? The Israelites, in their desert of discontent asked, "Can God spread a table in the desert?" I tell you, YES HE CAN. He brought forth water from a rock for them. Not just cups of water but a gushing, over abundance of water! God also rescued Elijah in his desert (1 Kings 19), and Hagar in hers (Genesis 21:8-21), and so many others in His great grace.

Your desert will end but never loose sight that God is in the desert with you. It's there where He meets us in the most personal and profound ways. When we adopt the philosophy that comfort, happiness and self entitlement is due to us, then we stunt ourselves from ever growing and maturing. When life gets tough, I seek out tough people to help me through. Christ himself walked through many deserts, ones of tremendous temptation, loneliness, despair and grief. Should God himself suffer while we refuse to share in those sufferings? (Romans 8:17, 2 Corinthians 1:5,1 Peter 5:1). Jesus endured suffering, even to the cross, for one reason, "For the joy set before Him" (Hebrews 12:2). WE were that joy.

Don't try to get through the desert alone but trust and lean on Jesus. He knows the terrain and will supply all you'll need to get through. He will bring you to waters of refreshment, an ocean for your weary soul. In that time of relief you will realize that your experience in the desert, with your Savior, is a gift that will serve you and others on your earthly travels throughout your lifetime.

Isaiah 32:15, "...till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field and the fertile field seems like a forest."

My favorite place on this entire planet is a forest up in the High Sierras. Yet, I have to drive for hours through the desert to get there. Your desert will end, but, I pray you will get through it with the awareness that Christ is with you. No matter what the elements or lack of scenery or level of discomfort, Jesus has been there and He will get you through.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Carry on.

The Mercy of a Pause

Her name was Abigail and after reading her story I could see myself being friends with her. I could imagine any kind and thoughtful person totally "getting her." I still recall her acts of wisdom and call them to mind when I need counsel. We are made up of many people in our lives, adopting good behavior from some and hopefully rejecting foolishness from others. Abigail is someone who you should mirror and desire to be like.

Her-story is in the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel, chapter 25. Abigail was a woman who was intelligent and beautiful (25:3), I imagine her as one who loved others and found her joy in those around her. She had to, because her husband Nabal was a crude and foolish man. When someone who has a giving heart and thoughtful mind is joined with a stingy, thoughtless person, it will be the kind soul that extends empathy and grace toward others as they cover for the fool. That is exactly what happens in this story. David and his 600 men had taken it upon themselves to protect the interests of a land owner named Nabal. Nabal's shepherds took protection from David and his men during the sheep shearing season and because of this Nabel's estate profited.

David sent messengers to ask Nabal for his kindness toward him and his men by offering hospitality to them but Nabal ignored them for a long time. When he did address them he scoffed at them, insulted David and refused hospitality to them. They returned to David and told him of what happened, which sparked an immediate response of fury from their leader. "Put on your swords!" David told his men, and he himself put on his. Four hundred men pounded toward Nabals estate with a thirst for vengeance. Disaster was inevitable.

One of the servants at Nabal's estate told Abigal, Nabal's wife, the truth of how David's men protected them and how they requested hospitality but got only insults hurled at them by Nabal. She warned Abigal that disaster was headed their way so Abigal wasted no time. She immediately interceded with a plan (which I'm sure she was skilled at since she had to do this many times for her foolish husband throughout the years.) She assembled her servants and engaged with them to prepare a feast of food and drink. She knew words alone would not hinder the path of David and his men but a food would.

How many of us would have the presence of mind to think so clearly when we knew that calamity was heading our way?  Thoughts of survival such as hunkering down or fleeing for saftey would probably be our first reaction. Abigal was of wise character though as she took action without haste. She loaded up donkeys with the delicacies and sent her servants ahead of her with the provisions. She met up with those who went ahead and saw David and his men heading toward Nabals. The scripture clearly paints the picture that David's full intent was to slaughter Nabal and all the men of his household. David's heart was filled with vengeance and fury. He was out of control and completely driven by his emotions.

That day, on that desert road, God intervened through Abigal to protect His servant David from a sin that would have left him covered with shame and disgrace. A sin that would have made David a murderer rather than a noble warrior. A sin that would have kept David from God's plan for his life and his position as the chosen King of Israel.

So many times we thank God for what we have but never take into mind what calamity God has kept from us. Gratitude goes both ways and reminds us not only of the grace that is bestowed upon us by God's gifts but also of the mercy that withholds misfortune. Our emotions can drive us to say things that can never be taken back as well as actions that are devastatingly irreversible. God's grace and mercy can save us from ourselves if we would only accept "His Divine pause."

Abigal presented a pause for David as she delivered a plea to him. She descended from her donkey, hit her knees before him and spoke reason to him. She humbled herself and begged him to listen to her. The smell and sight of the provisions she brought along with her beauty and wisdom stopped David in his tracks. She had the ear of the future King and the Divine Pause was achieved. Abigal was a living instrument in the hands of the God.

So many times we allow someones actions or words to get us to react in ungodly ways. We argue back, we curse them, we crumble in tears of self-pity, refusing to even attempt to see what God is trying to accomplish. That's why God so desires for us to want His heart within us! Because if we have His heart then He can complete His good works in all of our lives. Most of what we blame God for is a direct result of our disobedience.

After David hears Abigal out he responds to her, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak." Then David accepted her gifts and sent her home with a blessing of peace. "I have heard your words and granted your request." David told her. The Divine Pause changed all of history.

Abigal returned home to find her husband Nabal drunk so she waited to tell him of the events that took place until morning. Another act of wisdom attributed to the humble woman of God. The next day she told him everything and he immediately suffered a stroke. About ten days later Nabal died. God upheld David's cause and delivered His justice to the foolish and wicked man. David went on to marry Abigal.

The Mercy of a Pause. How dangerous to disregard it or refuse to see it. The legacy of our life and the lives of others depends on our willingness to take that pause!

Ephesians 4:26, "In your anger do not sin..."

Bottom Cry

When you encounter someone who is emotional, edgy and spiraling downward try to remember that it's not our job to put all their broken pieces back together, it's Gods. We are not saviors, Christ is the Savior. We need to humble ourselves before the Lord and be servants to His work. When He has dealt with me, I recall His stillness and sense of peace as He would listen to my lamentations. In His wisdom He knows that all the words we're crying out are coming from a deeper place, our BOTTOM CRY. His love sees straight through to the heart of our pain and it's from there He wants to begin healing us. Only God can love and heal at that level.

He does use us though, to be His hands, eyes, ears and mouth. We need to be a source of God's love for the hurting and use our arms to hold them, our eyes to relate to them and our ears to hear them. We need to let Jesus love through us. BUT, we have to pray for wisdom regarding Gods perfect timing! Nothing can replace the sacred time that a soul spends alone with their God. Many times prayer is our only current duty but so many times we take the wheel from God and try to fix everything in our timing. In those times when darkness overwhelms, it is only God who can work in the dark. In the book of Job 38:2, God says to Job regarding a friend who is trying to counsel in the darkness, "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?" Read Job, chapter 38-42, you will be blown away by the rebuke of God to those who try to do His work as oppose to the work God instructs them to do!

I've always been a fixer, someone who jumps into another persons mess with my opinions. Yet, as I mature in the faith, I am learning to just be available to God and to stop blocking Gods work. His timing is perfect, not mine, and I can do irreparable harm by jumping in front of Him. We would be shocked to death if we truly understood the damage that is done when we talk over God! (Seriously, read those chapters in the book of Job!)

The Bottom Cry is a wailing from the soul that only God knows how to comfort and guide. Let people know that you are there, whether it be at a distance in prayer or just to sit and listen...but don't counsel until they ask or until God's Spirit moves you. More of God's love shines through our actions than our words. People need what only God can offer yet we try to take over and it only hinders the work of grace and healing. Our responsibility is to get our own hearts right with God. We cannot comfort or offer wisdom to someone unless we have layed ourselves out before God first. It's so easy to work on other people because we think if we shine a light on them then Gods light will be off of us.

The rawness and vulnerability of our bottom cry is a beautiful thing and we shouldn't be in such a hurry to get away from that place. We try to rush others into comfort as well as ourselves because we fear the place of sorrow. But, Jesus was a man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3) and He doesn't want us rushing to feel good, He wants us to sit with Him so He can comfort, counsel, empathize and heal us from the inside out. The bottom cry, the place of sorrow is Christ's wheel-house, it is in His embrace where we must begin that journey. Then, at the perfect time He will call us to reach out to someone.

Psalm 4, "Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer."

John 13:23, " John, leaned in and put his head on Jesus' breast..."

Cornered

Life is a game of power and control that can suck even the humblest of souls in at many levels. What do we do when someone check mates us and they appear to have all the control and we are imprisoned, cornered and see no way out! Well, there are three choices that we have at that point and it takes a soulful decision that will determine the outcome.  

The first choice is to refuse the other two options and to choose hopelessness then death. Isaiah 40:27 reads, "Why do you say and complain, "My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God?" A person whose mind sees no hope and their heart does not believe that God will rescue them will choose this option. They simply do not see any way out.

The second option is ingrained in our flesh and it is to fight with fury. Pull out all the weapons of our rage and seek to destroy. The problem with that option is it will not only destroy the opponent but it also destroys us in the process. We live through the battle but we are decimated in character, shackled with bitterness and live a life with a soul that is diseased and shriveled. We also leave the stench of our ungodly behavior in our wake and it follows us where ever we go, repulsing those around us. It's not a win but a massacre and we are left covered with shame. A chain of resentment, anger, rage, stubbornness, bitterness, emptiness...is placed around our neck by our own self as a congratulatory metal but it weighs us down and cripples us. Our pride puffs us up on the outside but makes us too bloated to enter into any grace. A sick and twisted victory that even the survivor can't live with. Yet, so many take this wide path out of the corner because it is the only path that is wide enough to carry all their ugly, clanging plunder through.

There is a third option but it is narrow. In order to escape this way one must lay down all that is not righteous. The gate to this path is shaped like Jesus and until we surrender our self-righteousness we cannot fit through it. We must sacrifice our own desires for revenge and take on His character of humility. Romans 12:19,20 reads, "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, "It is mine to avenge, I will repay, says the Lord." On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on their conscience." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Being trapped and cornered is usually looked at as a horrible thing but quite the contrary. That is a place of repose and freedom, if we allow God to shape us there into His image. There's an old saying, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way." Most humans choose the hard way. Like a fish on a hook being reeled in, we will writhe, contort, lash about and buck His every attempt to calm us and transform us. He knows though, that if deep down you weren't willing you would have chosen option #1 or #2 already. So God waits, and waits until we wear ourselves out.

I recall the time my three year old granddaughter came to California from Belgium. She was exhausted and her little mind could not adapt to the time change. In her frustration she became uncontrollable and inconsolable to the point that she had no wits about her. So I took her into the bedroom and tried to get her to sleep but she was having none of it. I held her in a loose hold in my arms as she fought me every inch of the way with her body and full spirit. I sang songs to her, prayed over her and just kept telling her that I knew what was best for her and she had to trust me. Well, two hours later she relented in my arms and finally exhausted herself. She slept for 19 hours and woke the next day fully refreshed and being her old cute self again. Not one remnant or memory about the wrestling match remained, only the fact that I was Nana and I loved her. That memory always served as a reminder to me that God knows what's best for me. I can fight Him or I can relent and let Him have His way with me. His way is always best.

Choosing humility is NOT EASY, so how do we do it? The first step is to get all our injustices layed out before Jesus (He certainly understands injustice.). Psalm 22:24 says, "For He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden His face from him but has listened to his cry for help." Lay it out, wrestle with God, cry, lament, scream... get it out of you and before Him. Does it all feel too dirty and vile to expose it before God? He already knows your thoughts so get over it and throw it all up in His lap, He can take it. Calm your spirit.

Second, set a time limit of how long you are going to wallow then stick to it (unless you want to release yourself from it sooner). Don't let your emotions own you by giving them an open ended ticket to reside in your being for as long as they want. It's okay to have a pity party but all parties must end at some time. Calm your mind.

Third, stop pacing like a wild animal that wants to hunt but can't because it's in a cage. Calm yourself and let the zoo-keeper bring you food and water. God did this for Elijah in 1 Kings, chapter 19 when he provided Elijah with nourishment and refreshment and rest after he ran from Jezebel's wrath and wore himself completely out. Calm your body.

The fourth step to humility is to make the conscience choice to engage with a trusted confidant who will listen hard and long and who you know will offer you sound, Godly wisdom. Opening ourselves up to accountability is difficult because then there is someone out there who not only knows our mess but is going to offer encouragement at a time when all we want to do is to tell everyone to shut up and back off. Isolation is the devils playground and as much as we want to wallow, trust me, it's God's playground you want to be in when your vulnerable. Calm our pride.

The fifth step is to WANT to get out by the narrow path. Posture yourself for that, determine it in your whole being. Be a drill Sergeant to yourself and have a plan. Let true conviction steer you to the complete commitment that you are going to de-bloat yourself of pride and take on the garment of God's righteousness instead. Begin to pray again, trust God again, read His Word and LET HIM love you! Mother Theresa said, "It is never about you and another person, it is always about you and God." Let God deal with the vengeance so you can focus completely on finding some peace through your storm. Opponents love it when we are reactive but they despise when we have peace. Calm your demeanor.

Being cornered is an AWFUL feeling! Christ knows exactly how you feel. Remember Him begging His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane to release Him from the cross experience? His anxiety broke the blood vessels in His face and He literally was sweating blood. Yet He told His Father, "Your will not mine." He set His pride aside to be obedient to His Father. Will you make that choice? The choice to love God more.

Psalm 25: 1-5, "To you , O Lord, I lift up my soul; in You I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one whose hope is put in You will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse. Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long."

Luke 13:24, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter but will fail."

True Joy

Thoughts on Eden


On my desk is a prayer notebook with names of people listed inside. Some I know but many are strangers that I've met and took the time to ask them if there was anything I could offer up in prayer for them. It always amazes me how everyone has a prayer request. The human heart wants to believe there is a loving God that cares for them amidst all the pain in this world. All souls desire hope.


As I was looking at the names in my book I recalled a young woman that I had met in a drug store. She immediately engaged in conversation with me which led to the topic of God and church! She was so full of joy and wonder as we talked about deep things. After about 20 minutes of talking I saw her facial muscles go down and a look of despair come over her face. I asked what she was thinking and there it was...the dichotomy of what we know is God's will and what we desire in our own hearts. She asked me my opinion regarding a choice that she was struggling with and I told her that I would not tell her what I thought but what the bible says about it. It is sin just as so many other things in our hearts, minds and lives are. Its no different than a heart filled with unforgiveness or a mind that dwells on worshipping nature above the Creator. God's desire is that we choose to remain in His flock where we are safe and not wander out into territories of our own desires. Her demeanor changed instantly to a combative stance and I could see instantly that this was an area of her heart that she wanted her desires and not God's. It is at those precise moments where we choose WHO God IS or we make up our own version of a god to suit our desires.


We all have our "Eden" moments when we are not satisfied with all that God has given us but we yearn for the fruit that is forbidden. I believe the first thought that leads our minds to wander to the forbidden tree is, "I'm not happy." As soon as we let our eyes wander beyond the flock of God and not "Hold every thought captive unto God." 2 Corinthians 10:5. The pull on our hearts begins and our minds are hooked and begin getting reeled in.


Why was Eve even near the forbidden tree? She had the entire lush garden of delights and God's blessings all around her and available to her yet she wandered toward the forbidden tree. She gazed in it's direction and wondered if there was MORE. She allowed herself to go closer because she kept looking in that direction. Rather than keeping her eyes on God and all the goodness He gave her she chose to let the lure of MORE cast its hook through her focus. The mind and the heart are connected and where the mind goes the heart follows. So she went closer.


The closer we get to something the more of our visual span is consumed by the object. We can satisfy more curiosities. As Eve allowed herself to draw closer she was now able to hear the sounds that surrounded the forbidden tree. A voice whispered, too low to fully hear it she leaned in. The hiss spoke, "Did God really say, "You must not eat from any tree in the garden?" The woman replied, "We must not eat from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die." Eve is now engaged with "The Hissing More" and he has all of her attention. "You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Eve now directs her focus to the fruit and reckons in her mind that it is good for food, pleasing to the eye and desirable for gaining MORE wisdom, so she eats of it. Her heart took what it wanted.(Adam was with her but that is a story for another day.)


Our craving for MORE starts with looking in the wrong direction. God wants our focus on Him and His goodness but when we choose to let our eyes wander it's then that our mind begins to toy with the object of desire. Like a cat who settles for a ball of yarn when its owner has so much more to offer. That playful ball of yarn doesn't offer us food, water, hugs, love, protection, true companionship...yet the eyes of the cat cannot resist it's appeal. We then throw our heart with wreakless abandon to the lure. Whether it be drugs, adultery, idolatry, sexual immorality, unforgiveness, a haughty spirit, gossip...we now have a new master. One that is fickle, two-faced, conditional and offers no long-term affection or safety. We are now at the mercy of the ravenous wolves and elements. Our souls are exposed to a master that cannot be trusted.


Just as the Apostle Peter sank when he took his eyes off of Jesus as he was called out upon the stormy seas (Matthew 14:29), we fall into cold, dark waters when we take our eyes off Jesus and choose our own way. But, praise be to God our Savior who will hear if we cry out, plunge His hand down into our darkness and pull us back into His presence of safety and goodness! Into His unconditional love.


There are foxes, coyotes, bears...out there my friends who are just waiting for a wandering lamb to leave the fold. When we choose to leave the presence of our Shepherd we are exposed and vulnerable to the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual attacks that shred our souls. I recently read a quote from the Dalai Lama which said, "The purpose of our lives is to be happy." As I chuckled a bit and then felt sorrow for those who believe that, I realized that it is that exact mind-set that causes our eyes to look beyond the flock. If we cannot be happy with the Shepherd then God help us when we look elsewhere! The seach for happiness due to our discontent is just The Hissing Voice telling us that there is MORE out there, but there is not.


The "MORE" that we need is in Christ! Finding Joy in all our circumstances, experiencing His grace and compassion when we deal with loss, forgiving and reconnecting, loving more deeply, having a whole and healthy soul that is free of shame, families reunited or rebuilding a new family after the wreckage of divorce, sweet sleep, a calm and peaceful mind, a happy home, peace regarding our eternity, a body free from anxiety...


Little lambs, what your soul needs is not OUT THERE, it is in the fold. Our Shepherd promises us that no matter what is in this world that He will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). That doesn't mean that bad things will not happen but it does mean that it will all happen in His sovereign, merciful hands. Many people have seen horrors that this world dished out and as long as we are on this planet of discontent sin will continue. Our choice though is will we stay near to the Shepherd or will we run with the wolves till they themselves turn on us.


I know temptation and every time I followed it I left it's presence broken, filled with pain and shame. I was wounded there and it took many years for those deep wounds to heal. Outside the flock I numbed my pain and distracted my shriveled soul so that I could cope in the environment. When all the while I could have been with my Shepherd, my Savior, where I would have been safe and loved. My heart would have experienced true joy and not the unsatisfying pursuit of fleeting happiness. Read the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. When we make up a god who fits into "our" lifestyle we then have a distorted image of our perception of God. This invented idol lets us down, turns on us, leads us into paths of destruction and pain. We then question the real God's love when in truth it was our "idol of self desire" that disappointed us. As long as we want what we want rather than what He (Christ) wants for us, we will never know true joy or satifaction.


Cry out to Jesus little lamb for you are not out there in the darkness alone. He has come after you and is waiting on your cry for help. He will not turn from you but He will reach down and raise you up to His chest. In His great mercy, grace and love He will hold you tight and bring you home to the flock. There He will cleanse you of the scarlet stains and make you white as snow.


Isaiah 40:11, "He (God) tends His flock like a shepherd, He gathers His lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart."


Keep your gaze on Jesus.

Unrelenting Weeds

Oh boy, did I let my vegetable garden get out of control with weeds this year! It all started out so beautifully when I tilled the soil in the spring and planted all my veggies in perfect rows. Not easy work but the results are so rewarding. We brought out our two torquoise garden chairs that we love and our small wire table with the silver platter as a top and sat there to admire our hard work. With a craft beer for my husband and a chilled glass of wine for me, all we could do was bask in the beauty of it all. Then came the rains and more rain until about a month later our garden was invaded by a million tiny weeds!

My husband and his brother went at it and weeded the raised beds along with the pathways. It looks so tended and loved within those gates when they were done. Then again, the rains came and the weeds grew. We went up there and weeded the raised beds but didn't do the pathways. Our intentions were to spray the paths with weed killer but we never did it. So, weeks later the tiny weeds became tall weeds and a few weeks later the tall weeds became amazon weeds. We couldn't keep up and it all seemed so overwhelming that we surrendered to them. We handed over our garden territory to the enemy and as a result the weeds choked out our fruits. Every glance toward our once beautiful garden covered us with shame.

How often do we let this scenario play out in our minds, hearts or lives? Where there once was a joyful song in our heart, we let the negativity take over as life's trials watered it. Where we once had a nice roll going of being in God's Word daily turned into busyness and our spirit life shriveled. Weeds are inevidable and so are the ups and downs of life but one thing I've learned is that whether you're tending a garden, a heart, a mind or your life...it needs to be tended daily! My saying is, "It's better to do something small than nothing at all." Yet, I did not live that out in my garden scenario. I didn't FEEL like going out there daily (I'm more of an indoor person) and that choice, that neglect, allowed my enemy to take over that territory. My garden bore no fruit.

Let's not allow this to happen to our minds and hearts though. The garden is just the example of when we get lazy what happens. Next year can be a new start with lessons learned. No great great loss. But, loosing precious territory in our mind or heart IS a big deal! That territory is God's and at ALL cost we are to defend and protect it! There is no margin for error when it comes to our spiritual lives. We are to plant God's Word daily, water it with the Holy Spirit daily, tend it with perserverence, weed it with truth, till it with love every day. We are to share the fruits daily, feeding and nourishing others. I'm sad and a bit ashamed at what I allowed my garden to turn into. But, as it went unattended I was busy going to bible studies, worshipping God through song, going to church, sharing the gospel, reading and studying my bible... and the garden of my mind and heart were producing the fruits of the Spirit!

Children of God, maybe we can't do it all and maybe there are some of you who can but at the cost of some precious moments. One thing I do know is that NOTHING should ever come before tending the Spiritual garden of our hearts DAILY. And don't allow the enemy of our souls to deceive you that it is a joyless task for it is not. Take joy in it! Sing along to worship songs, read your bible out loud, smile as you serve, talk with God all day and focus more on thanking Him. There's SO MUCH TO BE GRATEFUL FOR. Act out these joyful tasks and He will bless your heart's garden with all the fruit of His Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. God's Spirit is the best organic weed killer. Your heart's garden will display His glory for His glory.

Psalm 68:19, "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who DAILY bears our burdens." (If God bears our burdens daily then surely we can praise Him daily.)

Matthew 6:11, "Give us this day our DAILY bread..."

Luke 9:23, "Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross DAILY and follow Me."

Hebrews 3:13, "Encourage one another DAILY..."

Knots

I've admitted that I'm not a multitasker and when too many things get on my plate I get overwhelmed easily. So often I am amazed at how others handle so many major issues at one time along with the multitude of small things happening in between. This morning as I was doing some sewing I was praying and asking God to guard my mind with His helmet of salvation in regards to some things that are coming up. As I was praying the spool of thread dropped and I ended up with a handful of string that was in knots. It didn't upset me too much because for some reason I love to unknot things! I think because it keeps me focused on one task and it clears my mind of other issues. It relaxes me and in that state of mindlessness I'm able to hear God in  ways I otherwise could not.

As I began to unknot the string the Lord spoke to me regarding how I need to let life unfold in His terms and not mine. I looked down and in my hands were so many knots and I had to just start at one end and one at a time along with patience and joy (I had Christian music on) take one knot out at a time. I couldn't focus on the knots ahead and I had to stay intent on the one knot that was on my attention. One knot at a time. As I worked on it the Lord kept revealing to me that that is exactly how He wants me to handle my upcoming issues. God works along with us to unravel the circumstances and trials of our lives. We are never alone, we never have to be all-knowing, we never have to get ahead of ourselves. The All-Mighty God of the universe who designed us before the foundations of the earth handles our knots. In His timing all things work together for good!

All God wants from us is trust and obedience. When we surrender to His timing and trust in His grace we are free from anxiety, worry and control. Relinquishing control to our unseen God is probably one of our hardest tasks and only reveals a seed of unbelief in our mind and heart. So many times we want to take the machete from Him, tell Him to get behind us and just start chopping our own path through the jungle before us. We often do that and it just leaves us exhausted and lost, laying there praying to Him to help us. Let's try a new way! Let's surrender to Him and trust Him to make a way before us that is best for us. One knot, one mess at a time.

Isaiah 25:1, O Lord, You are my God, I will praise You. I will give thanks to Your name. For You have been faithful to do great things, plans You made long ago.

Psalm 9:10, Those who know your name will put their trust in You. For You O Lord, have never left alone those who look for You.

Isaiah 46:11, "I have spoken, and I will make it happen. I have planned it, and I will do it, says the Lord."

Deut 7:9, "Know then that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God. He keeps His promise and shows His loving-kindness to those who love Him and keep His laws, even for a thousand generations."