It's not over

  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.~ Philippians 3:14

A message from Dr. Tony Evans was shared with me yesterday-"Be careful in your old age". While I am not in my physical old age yet,  I have been walking with God a long time and his message inspired me and led me to think about some things that I wanted to share.

First, the race is not over.  There is still work to be done and battles to be won.  We must fight complacency and comfort and realize that we still have a calling in Christ Jesus.  We have a prize that calls us heavenward and we have not yet obtained it. There is more to learn and room to grow deeper roots. Therefore, we have to keep our armor on and our shield of righteousness raised high.  Our hearts must be guarded and minds renewed daily so that we can be sensitive to what the Spirit speaks to our heart.

Secondly, we have a legacy that enemy wants to steal.  A legacy of faith.  A few weeks ago, my mother and I were talking about the women in our home church who we were able to pattern our lives after.  Praying women, women of consistency in their faith, and women who served the Lord until they were called home.  It made me think about my walk with the Lord and what I want others to know about this journey with Christ.  I want them to know that it is rewarding and that it is worth it.  I want them to know that it is a daily conversation with the Creator and lover of my soul.  It is not without challenges, but those challenges only serve to strengthen my faith and I am never alone.

A few weeks ago I wrote about my struggles with church attendance.  I realize that was a subtle attack from the enemy to get me to be isolated, "in my old age".  To work in the church at my convenience as if I am doing God a favor.  Wrong attitude and mindset.  Thankfully,  there was a continual call for me to be connected.  I let go of my pride about a couple of things and let grace flow.  I thank God that He has given me the opportunity to do a "shift" in my thinking (shout out to Rev. Stone).  I thank God that there are still women to pattern my life after and that I can be one of them some day if I continue to press my way forward even in "my old age".

Lord, thank You for your word and thank You for strong faithful women of God.  Help us to let go of pride and continue to be teachable and sensitive to Your Spirit.  Help us to run this race and press onward and upward for the prize of eternal fellowship with You.  Help us to fight the good fight of faith.  In Jesus name. Amen 

When you are worried

  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. ~ 1 Peter 5:7

There is a lot going on in this world.  Senseless deaths and violence, natural disasters and the devastation that they bring, wars and rumors of wars, disease, financial stress, and a general lack of compassion and empathy are running rampant. Everything seems heightened and intense.  These things, not to mention home life issues, could cause anyone to worry or fret.  How do we deal with it all? Not on our own.  

God tells us  to cast ALL of our anxiety on Him because He cares for us.  We relinquish control to the God who is sovereign and has all power in His hands.  We surrender our fears to the One for whom all things are possible ( Mathew 19:26).  We trust in the Lord with all our heat and lean not to our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).  We pray.

I Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing.  This means that we have an heart posture of open communication with God.  Through His Spirit we stay in His presence and receive His comfort and reassurance as we trust Him with our daily lives.  I pray for myself and others; my neighbors known and unknown.  I pray that His Kingdom comes.

Lord, we live in a fallen world and their is chaos all around.  Let us remember that You are Lord and everything is under Your control. It has been sifted by Your hands. Helps us to cast our cares and worries onto You and receive comfort by trusting in You. Help us to wait on You Lord and see You in the midst of it all. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Praise report:  My eye is much better.

Waiting Seasons

 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. ~Isaiah 40:31

I'm in a waiting season.  My eye problem is back and it is taking longer than three days for it to heal.  However, I am trusting in God.  I'm trusting that He is actively working this out for my good according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).  

So what do I do while I wait?  I set my face towards God (2 Chronicles 20:3) and I pray.  I pray to my God who is able to do any and everything ,to heal me again.  I seek His guidance and I put my trust in Him.  I have faith and praise Him for what my human eye does not yet see.  I know deliverance is coming, so I continue to hope and praise Him for all the ways He is helping me.

For example, sunlight really irritates my eye.  I have to wear sunglasses to drive.  I had an errand that needed to be run and was worried about driving. I was going to beg off, but something about that felt lazy.  I wasn't feeling good about that choice, so I opened my front door to see if my eye could bear the light.  I decided it could.  I got prepared to go out, shades on, ready for the "battle", but God.   When I stepped outside the sun was gone, hidden by the clouds.  It was like having two pair of shades.  I called my husband and told him what God had done.  I drove without pain and was able to take care of my business.  God is good and merciful.  Let me note, if you can't see while you are driving -do not do so.  God gives us wisdom.

It just so happens that a lady from my church, an intercessor that had been praying for me, told me about her eye and the instructions that the doctor gave her.  This was  a day before my eye decided to be a pain again.  She said you just have to let it rest and heal.  So that is what I'm doing waiting on God and His timing.  Letting Him renew me as I go through this storm.  I know that He will lead me to victory and allow me to run on.

Lord, You know my circumstance and I ask for patience while I wait for your healing.  Give me wisdom in dealing with my eye and help me to trust in Your way and Your timing.  I pray for others that might be in a holding pattern.  Let them see Your might.  Renew their strength.  In Jesus name.  Amen

Beauty from ashes

 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.~ Isaiah 61:3

Jesus is the reason why I have beauty from my ashes.  He is the reason why I wear a garment of praise instead of despair.  He has planted me allowed me to flourish to the praise of His glory.  This girl, as one of my friends often says, this God's girl has come a long way and it because of Jesus. Its because of what He did on the Cross.  He died for my sins and redeemed me with His blood so that I could be free.  So that I would no longer be oppressed by sin and the enemy.

I once wandered from God.  I was dressed in self-pity and shame.  I would come home from work and welcome the darkness.  I was trying to hide.  I was a believer who had lost her way because I believed the lies of the enemy.  I was in the mud and I hated myself, but God.  He continued to love on me and put people in my path that gave me purpose ( His purpose).  He pulled me out of miry clay and placed my feet on the firm rock (Psalm 40:2-4).  He took the ashes of my life and made something beautiful.

He opened His arms wide to His prodigal daughter and kissed my forehead.  He loved me and forgave me.  He restored me and every day I live in His grace and mercy.  As David said in Psalm 23, my cup runneth over. Thank You Jesus.

Lord Yo took the worse moments in my life and transformed them and me.  You took what I had lit am match to because of sin and rebuilt it  to something even better.  You are a great God and worship You.  Thank you for redemptive love.  In Jesus name, Amen

What has God done for you?

  “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. ~Luke 8:39

'Praise God from whom all blessing flow.  Praise Him. all creatures here below. Praise Him, above ye heavenly host.  Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

I remember singing this hymn in church and it is so fitting for the overwhelming gratitude that I have for God.  As the scriptures says ..tell how how much God has done for you and that's what I'm going to do today.

First, He saved my life by dying on a cross and rising again.  He gave me a new name and a new identity that is found in him alone.  He allows me to be in relationship with Him and He is a friend like no other.

Second, He heals me.  I put that in present tense because I have an autoimmune disease that creates issues of various kinds, but every time I ask for a healing and relief, my God comes through.  Just this weekend, my eye was red and in pain.  Light aggravated the pain.  I prayed and asked for prayers from the intercessors in my church.  On the third day, I was healed.  Praise God.   He heals me from my anxiety and allows me to function and work.  I made to the end of another school year.  Year 30 for me.  Isn't God good.

Third, He has blessed me grace and favor.  Not just me, but my family. He has proven to me over and over again that His promises are "Yes and Amen".  He does this daily.  He is with me at all times, good or challenging.  He sees me through and He takes care of my family, nuclear and extended.

There are more than a million things that God does for me. From helping me locate crucial documentation that I thought was lost to letting me receive confirmation that I'm doing the right thing. He is a gracious Father and I love Him.  I just wanted someone to know.

Lord, thank You for blessing me and keeping me.  Thank You for love.  May I testify of your goodness.  In Jesus name.  Amen

Who owes who?

 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast. ~Ephesians 2:8-9

Yesterday, I was reminded of something very powerful.  God can never and will never be indebted to me.  Hearing these words took me back to a point in my life where I turned away from God because I unknowingly had this mindset.  

I looked at my life and saw personal relationships crumbling and blamed God.  I thought that since I was doing things "the right way" that it somehow would exempt me from hardships.  I thought God owed me when the reality is that I owed Him everything.  I still do.

Christ died on the Cross for me while I was yet a sinner.  He loved me before I loved Him.  He loves me even when I go the wrong way.  He loves me enough to correct me and bring me back to Himself restoring the relationship that we have.

The "work" I do and the holy life I tried to lead is my reasonable service to God.  It is my duty that I do in response to His great love for me.  It is not done for recognition or praise.  I can't earn my salvation.  I can't earn my freedom.  That is a gift given freely by God because of His grace and mercy.  The blessings I receive are a bonus and I am grateful.

Lord, thank You for Your word and Your truth.  Help me to have the right heart posture and mindset towards You and the work I do in Your Kingdom.  Keep me humble and bowed before You.  May You alone receive the glory. In Jesus name.  Amen.

Give Thanks

 "I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds." ~Psalm 9:1-2

This week I got a letter from my future me.  It was a email I wrote in December to be delivered in 

May.  It said  "Look at God.  Give thanks.  The Lord has brought you this far. 

With all your imperfections, God loves you. You have made an impact.  Don't give up. "

As my school year winds down I can look back and see all the ways the God has kept me and my 

students.  As the psalmist says, I recount all His wonderful deeds.  I remember His faithfulness and

His promise to never leave me.  I recount His promise to give me rest.  I remember His grace and

His mercy.  I remember the opportunities He gave me to be a witness to my students and 

colleagues.

God is great and greatly to be praised.  He is to be worshipped with a whole heart.  He is deserving

of my thanks and gratitude.  Thank You Jesus.  Thank You Lord.

Father, I thank You for your covering.  I thank You for blessings and goodness You have shown

to me.  I give You thanks and I give You praise.  In the holy name of Jesus. Amen