Twice

Twice.  In one month.  Thank You, Lord!  

You know, Lord, that You had have me tucked away in isolation for quite a while now so that I may trust in You rather than others.  You and I both know that this has caused me to cling to You in deeper ways.  You have ordered my steps to be in line with YOU, not others, thus increasing my dependence on You.  You have kept me at peace during all of this, even though, at times, I have whined and cried out to You about being isolated from other brothers and sisters in Christ.  Of course You have worked all these things for my good as only You can do.  Thank You, Abba Father, for loving me so much and drawing me closer and closer to You.  

Earlier this month You gave me an afternoon of a quilting lesson with a young woman that I have known for quite a while.  She is a delightful young woman who loves You and is growing in You.  What a wonderful gift she and our time together was to me.  Hard physically but incredible at the same time.  Bless her, Lord, and keep her in Your Truth.  

Then today while at the Subway inside Walmart You coupled me with another sister in Christ, but one that I had never met before.  Our conversation centered on You as we sat there eating, drinking and enjoying our time together.  Both of us needed someone to talk about You and Your magnificent ways.  We encouraged each other about the trials in our lives and walked away from our time together knowing that You had placed us together at this time for edification and comfort.  We may never see each other again this side of Heaven, but we both went away feeling blessed by our time together.  You are so awesome, Lord, and provide our every need, even those that we don’t know that we need.  Bless her, Lord, and use her greatly for spreading Your hope and encouragement to others.  

Twice.  More to come.  Be glorified in it all.  Praise You from Whom all blessings flow!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”  2 Corinthians 1:3-4

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.”  Psalm 118:9

Reign And Shine

I absolutely love it, Lord, when You show me Your Presence in the ordinary.  Just when I needed it, You set a sign on a church marquee in my sight.  It said something like this...

“The forecast today: God reigns and the Son shines.”  

Wonderful Truth in a short, concise and everyday way, Lord.  How grateful I am to You for reminding me of this Truth and for Your long-suffering with me as I grow in You.  Keep me in Your Truth and keep my eyes on You.  This piece of dust praises You and prays that You will be glorified in all that I am and do.  

Reign and shine, Lord.  Reign and shine as only You can do. 

Love, 

Your never-ending student

“The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.”  Psalm 103:19

“He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.”  Psalm 72:8

“... God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords”  1 Timothy 6:15b

BIG God, little i

Lord, as You continue preparing me for all that is to come in my life, You have been pressing in hard on me that You are bigger than anything that will come into my life and the lives of my family.  I must say that I’ve been paying lip service to this concept in the past, however, You are deepening and changing my heart and understanding about Your “bigness” and Your sovereignty.  I am grateful, for, if You were to leave me where I am with this, I would never be able to face whatever is coming.  While the “whatever” is still untold, I do know that You will reveal it when the time is perfect.  As much as I want to know soon, I feel certain that I am not yet prepared enough to know now.  You are still placing Your “bigness” into my heart and soul and, by Your grace, I will wait.  May Your will be done.

These are the things You are teaching me in deeper ways these days...

**You are bigger than anything I can ever possibly face, not matter what “it” is.

“How great You are, O Sovereign Lord!  There is no one like You, and there is no God but You, 

        as we have heard with our own ears.”  

2 Samuel 7:22

“In the beginning God...”  Genesis 1:1

**Your love never fails and will always be there for me.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor 

         the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able 

         to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:38-39

**Nothing is too hard for You... NOTHING!

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, You have made the heavens and the earth by 

        Your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you.”  Jeremiah 32:17

**Your grace is all sufficient at all times.

“But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.‘  

        Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest

        on me.”   2 Corinthians 12:9  

**I can praise You and trust You in all circumstances.

“...Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?..”  Job 2:10

“ Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” 

        Psalm 20:7

**May Your will be done, not mine.

“Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, 

         may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as You will.”  Matthew 26:39 

BIG God, little i...  just as a lighthouse looms large over us, Lord, You tower far above us and anything that comes into our lives.  You are sovereign and in control, no matter what gifts You give us and no matter what they look like.  I am so very thankful.  Apart from You I can do nothing.    

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33  

Questions And Answers

Lately, Lord, You have directed me to Your psalms.  While my words simply do not come to pray, may these be my prayers to You.  

Questions:

“How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?  

How long will You hide your face from me?  

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and

every day have sorrow in my heart?  

How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.  

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;  

my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and 

my foes will rejoice when I fall.  

But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. 

I will sing to the LORD, for He has been good to me.”

Psalm 13:1-6

“O God, You are my God,

earnestly I seek You;

my soul thirsts for You,

my body longs for You,

in a dry and weary land

where there is no water.

I have seen You in the sanctuary

and beheld Your power and Your glory.

Because Your love is better than life,

my lips will glorify You. 

I will praise You as long as I live,

and in Your name I will lift up my hands. 

My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;

with singing lips my mouth will praise You.

On my bed I remember You;

I think of You through the watches of the night. 

Because You are my help,

I sing in the shadow of Your wings. 

My soul clings to You;

Your right hand upholds me.”

Psalm 63:1-8

Answers:

“I lift up my eyes to the hills—

where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the LORD,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—

He who watches over you will not slumber; 

indeed, He who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you—

the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 

the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm—

He will watch over your life; 

the LORD will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. 

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,

He leadeth me beside the still waters, 

He restoreth my soul.

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness

for His name’s sake. 

Yea, though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death, 

I will fear no evil,

for Thou art with me;

Thy rod and Thy staff,

they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me

in the presence of mine enemies.

Thou anointest my head with oil;

my cup runneth over. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.”

Psalm 23

“...because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you.” 

So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my Helper; I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?” 

Hebrews 13:5b-6

You always have the answers, Lord, to any question I might have.  Though the times are really tough and the waiting seems so long, You and You alone will uphold me with Your Word and make it possible to walk through them as You lead and guide.  Praise You from Whom all things are possible.  

Love, 

Your straying daughter whom You love anyway