My Saturday's Scribbles posts have a new home! I have closed out my other blog and will be maintaining only one Cyber residence now. It feels good, it feels right. Usually on Saturday I share bits and pieces of our world and the world at large. Jumping from one topic to another~~scribbling down my random thoughts and memories. So, welcome friends!
We woke up to rain today. Again. It has been a very wet summer, but it is hard to complain when forest fires rage in CO and CA, record breaking heat scorches the earth in the southwest, and flooding is pocketing areas of our country. We do have a record crop of mosquitoes and ticks to avoid that local doctors say are "bringing in strange infections", but we still have our home!
Speaking of home, we have a certain someone who periodically visits us who leaves a dark cloud of negativity when their presence is gone. Have you ever experienced that? Ugh.....I find myself guarded and crabby around this person and wanting to walk around blessing my home long after they have left because their dark energy hangs in the air. So, what to do? Pray *pray *pray.....bless *bless *bless...praise*, praise *praise! I refuse to partner with such negative, dark thinking.
Speaking of partnering, tomorrow Joel and I celebrate our 45th wedding Anniversary. We are so very blessed to still be facing each sunrise together, and are excited about what the future holds! We met at The Lutheran Bible Institute in Golden Valley Minnesota, a Minneapolis suburb, in 1966!. Now here we are 45 years later discussing going back to Bible college! You might call that coming full circle.........or something else?
On Wednesday Joel put a new odometer on his recumbent bike and took it out for spin to test it. A short time later he came home with good news and bad news as he called it. The odometer worked well, but he took a bad fall on his bike. He was covered with blood, mud, and water as his fall ended with him sliding across the asphalt and landing in a mud puddle. He lost quite a bit of skin off his arm and there are a few cuts added to the abrasions where his watch was torn right off his wrist! He had trouble sitting for a day or sleeping on his side due to his hip being bruised, but he is recovering quickly due to a big dose of healing prayer and Neosporin, and is out on a bike ride as I write! He is determined to keep riding!
Speaking of determination......I am still walking 20-23 minutes a day which is really a big deal for me. Yay! We even managed a walk when it was 89 degrees and the dew point was 71. There are times my body tells me no with a myriad of symptoms, but granny warrior is making her own rules right now, working hard to walk out her healing!
We picked up 5 quarts of organic strawberries from a nearby farm and managed to freeze a few bags after enjoying some great tasting red fruit in salads, on coconut bliss and saved enough for tonight's pancakes. Yum! So far we have not heard from our favorite Mennonite blueberry growers........sure hope they have a good crop to share this year.
Joel celebrated his 67th birthday this past week. He says it is amazing to be 67 and look back on so many years. We are so grateful to God for the healing that has taken place. Joel is able to walk through each day healthy and it often has us doing a happy dance after years of disability. Thank you Jesus!
Our oldest son and his boy were on a Scout camping trip this past week. They had so much rain the ground squished when they walked. Sleeping out in tents during storms is not my idea of fun, well actually sleeping in a tent in any situation is not my idea of fun, but it sounds like they had a good time considering the circumstances. One of our SIL's was off in Canada fishing the week before.....this year they had indoor plumbing and electricity, a real luxury it seems. We once took a family trip for a month heading out to Washington state visiting the sights, friends, and two places we had lived in Montana along the way. We took our 9 passenger station wagon, our dog Jake, and 6 kids on what the kids call "the trip". We had a tent camper and extra pup tent for sleeping and cooked most of our meals. It really was a great trip and we have many good memories from it.
Not much on TV for summer shows yet, although we did watch Rizolli and Isles. We like shows that have a bit of humor and a lot of relationship thrown in the mix. We have watched a few Biblical teachings on the true nature of God and I have been reading another Guideposts book and re-reading Pastor Paul Teske's book, "Healing Today". What are you reading?
Until next time...............
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Something More Has More
I wanted to share the rest of the story of our night at the healing service with Charis Bible College. We watched one man come to Christ, several receive the gift of a prayer language, people healed, and more.
My back was giving me trouble the day before we left, and on Friday, the day we traveled, I woke up in pain. The trip up was uncomfortable, but I had told Joel we were going even if I had to lay on the floor of the van to get there. During the service my lower back became more painful and slipped out of place. The longer we stood in line at the time for prayer the worse it got, until I finally told Joel, we needed to pray for my back ASAP.
I sat on a chair like a woman prayer minister had shown me back in December, and Joel and I had done ourselves once before. Putting my legs out straight, we could see one was shorter than the other. Joel quietly prayed and said, "Jesus, you are the best chiropractor there is, so would you adjust Missy's (he has always called me Missy) back now." We watched my left leg lengthen, which I felt up in my hip and lower back. When I stood up my back was back in place and the pain was less. By the time I was prayed with by Daniel~which I described in my last post here ~my back was better yet, and falling under God's power did not make it worse.
We stood in line with a man around age 70 who was very quiet, and was supported by his son and DIL. He went before us and soon after shared that his ears were healed. He had taken out both hearing aids and put them in his pocket. He was smiling as he shared that the vertigo that had made standing or walking difficult was also gone! Another woman's back pian was gone. We had noticed but were not near the young woman who was in a wheelchair who went up for prayer. She was paralyzed from the waist down. No, she did not get out of the chair and walk, but after the prayer ministers spent time praying with her she could feel tingling in her feet and wiggle her toes. We did not know any of these people personally, but we believe God was healing them and more!
Sometimes we may doubt healing because we have been turned off watching those on TV who pray for healing while putting hands out for money. Jesus is the ONLY Healer. Charis Bible College and their Healing School train others and believe we ALL can pray for ourselves and others to be healed. They follow the Biblical teaching and commands of Jesus in Matthew 10:8 to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons. They know that we have the same power that raised Jesus from the dead inside of us as believers, and by Jesus power and authority we can pray and command healing to be released.
After the service we left for home talking the whole way. It was a powerful experience and blessed us greatly. As I said before, God desires a deep intimate relationship with us. He loves us so much and has so much He wants to share with us....including some delightful surprises in our autumn years! What a journey we are on.
My back was giving me trouble the day before we left, and on Friday, the day we traveled, I woke up in pain. The trip up was uncomfortable, but I had told Joel we were going even if I had to lay on the floor of the van to get there. During the service my lower back became more painful and slipped out of place. The longer we stood in line at the time for prayer the worse it got, until I finally told Joel, we needed to pray for my back ASAP.
I sat on a chair like a woman prayer minister had shown me back in December, and Joel and I had done ourselves once before. Putting my legs out straight, we could see one was shorter than the other. Joel quietly prayed and said, "Jesus, you are the best chiropractor there is, so would you adjust Missy's (he has always called me Missy) back now." We watched my left leg lengthen, which I felt up in my hip and lower back. When I stood up my back was back in place and the pain was less. By the time I was prayed with by Daniel~which I described in my last post here ~my back was better yet, and falling under God's power did not make it worse.
We stood in line with a man around age 70 who was very quiet, and was supported by his son and DIL. He went before us and soon after shared that his ears were healed. He had taken out both hearing aids and put them in his pocket. He was smiling as he shared that the vertigo that had made standing or walking difficult was also gone! Another woman's back pian was gone. We had noticed but were not near the young woman who was in a wheelchair who went up for prayer. She was paralyzed from the waist down. No, she did not get out of the chair and walk, but after the prayer ministers spent time praying with her she could feel tingling in her feet and wiggle her toes. We did not know any of these people personally, but we believe God was healing them and more!
Sometimes we may doubt healing because we have been turned off watching those on TV who pray for healing while putting hands out for money. Jesus is the ONLY Healer. Charis Bible College and their Healing School train others and believe we ALL can pray for ourselves and others to be healed. They follow the Biblical teaching and commands of Jesus in Matthew 10:8 to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons. They know that we have the same power that raised Jesus from the dead inside of us as believers, and by Jesus power and authority we can pray and command healing to be released.
After the service we left for home talking the whole way. It was a powerful experience and blessed us greatly. As I said before, God desires a deep intimate relationship with us. He loves us so much and has so much He wants to share with us....including some delightful surprises in our autumn years! What a journey we are on.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him
and he will make your paths straight.
Indeed do not rely on your own wisdom
Fear the Lord and stay away from evil
Then you will have health for your body
and healing for your bones and nerves."
Proverbs: 3:5-8
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Something More
Over 30 years ago I read a wonderful book by well known author Catherine Marshall entitled, "Something More". In it she shares about her relationship with God and how much it was deepened when Holy Spirit became a bigger part of her life. I am feeling the same way.
On Friday, June 14th we headed up to Minnesota to a healing service. The service was presented by the Healing School at Charis Bible College in CO. I watch it live stream every Thursday afternoon so I was excited to see they were branching out and coming to our corner of the world.
The service started before seven with an hour of worship music, then a Biblical teaching on healing before people came forward to the prayer ministers for healing prayer. Of the 650 people there I expect that 400 or more came up for prayers. We waited in line 1 1/2 hours for "our turn".
I have shared Joel's story here, but not my own. It has taken me several days to digest it all. It was awesome and life-changing.
I was blessed to have Daniel, the leader of the healing and worship program pray for me. Amazing. He declared what is called words of knowledge over me, sharing something personal that he could not have known about. It was from Holy Spirit and touched me greatly. I immediately felt washed in love. Then Daniel prayed for my requests. While he was praying I fell under the power of God. Some call it being "slain in the Spirit." Daniel laid hands on me, prayed, and the next thing I knew I was on the floor thinking, "I am on the floor!" I did not feel myself go down, actually I felt nothing, but joy and love. I was not afraid, I knew it was from God. I look at it as being overcome by God's powerful love.
My symptoms did not leave, but I have felt a surge of energy and joy. I know I am healing because I was healed!! Does that make sense? It does to me! The energy and joy have continued. For the past 9 days I have walked twice as far as before, now at 22 -23 minutes each time. What fun! Even more important for me is the Father's love that has gone from a "knowing" to experiencing. The rest is coming!
I am very aware that healing, prayer languages, and falling under God's power makes some people uncomfortable. I can only tell you that after being a Christian for 52 years, a graduate of a Bible college, and a Lutheran pastor's wife who has been deeply involved in his ministry over most of the last 33 years~~~~~I never expected to be learning and growing and finding myself in a much deeper relationship with God than I thought possible. I can only describe it like Catherine Marshall did, even titling her book the same. There is ~ "Something More". These older, life-long Lutherans would not have missed this part of our journey for anything.
God has asked us to step out on the water and answer the call of something more. We are so grateful! As we move forward with all our loving Father-God has planned for our lives, I am reminded of a song I like to sing~~
On Friday, June 14th we headed up to Minnesota to a healing service. The service was presented by the Healing School at Charis Bible College in CO. I watch it live stream every Thursday afternoon so I was excited to see they were branching out and coming to our corner of the world.
The service started before seven with an hour of worship music, then a Biblical teaching on healing before people came forward to the prayer ministers for healing prayer. Of the 650 people there I expect that 400 or more came up for prayers. We waited in line 1 1/2 hours for "our turn".
I have shared Joel's story here, but not my own. It has taken me several days to digest it all. It was awesome and life-changing.
I was blessed to have Daniel, the leader of the healing and worship program pray for me. Amazing. He declared what is called words of knowledge over me, sharing something personal that he could not have known about. It was from Holy Spirit and touched me greatly. I immediately felt washed in love. Then Daniel prayed for my requests. While he was praying I fell under the power of God. Some call it being "slain in the Spirit." Daniel laid hands on me, prayed, and the next thing I knew I was on the floor thinking, "I am on the floor!" I did not feel myself go down, actually I felt nothing, but joy and love. I was not afraid, I knew it was from God. I look at it as being overcome by God's powerful love.
My symptoms did not leave, but I have felt a surge of energy and joy. I know I am healing because I was healed!! Does that make sense? It does to me! The energy and joy have continued. For the past 9 days I have walked twice as far as before, now at 22 -23 minutes each time. What fun! Even more important for me is the Father's love that has gone from a "knowing" to experiencing. The rest is coming!
I am very aware that healing, prayer languages, and falling under God's power makes some people uncomfortable. I can only tell you that after being a Christian for 52 years, a graduate of a Bible college, and a Lutheran pastor's wife who has been deeply involved in his ministry over most of the last 33 years~~~~~I never expected to be learning and growing and finding myself in a much deeper relationship with God than I thought possible. I can only describe it like Catherine Marshall did, even titling her book the same. There is ~ "Something More". These older, life-long Lutherans would not have missed this part of our journey for anything.
God has asked us to step out on the water and answer the call of something more. We are so grateful! As we move forward with all our loving Father-God has planned for our lives, I am reminded of a song I like to sing~~
"Can you hear the voice of the Father
Inviting you to walk on the water
Inviting you to walk on the water
Risk it all.....answer the call........and enter in."
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Can You Hear Me Now?
Joel began working with his dad and brothers on the farm when he was 12 years old. He discovered years later that he lost part of his hearing in his left ear from driving the old cab-less tractor that had an exhaust system that came out at ear level for him. Since then he has been unable to hear high sounds. Over the years his hearing loss has increased.
And then..........
A week ago Joel and I were able to go to a healing service that Charis Bible College Healing School held in Minnesota. Nearly 650 people attended the service of worship, biblical teaching and prayers for healing. At the end of the service we waited in line for 1 1/2 hours to reach the many many prayer ministers that were paired up to lay hands and pray over the needs of the people.
I will share my story another time, but Joel told me that the team he had prayed with spoke to the ringing in his ear, restless legs, and arthritis in his thumbs. One of the prayer ministers then asked, "Do you need prayers for your hearing?" and Joel, replied, "Yes! I forgot about that one!" So they also prayed for his hearing to be restored. He did not notice any changes then, but truly expected healing to come.
We arrived home at 1:30am after talking all the way about our adventure. We were flying high!
The next morning as we lay in bed talking Joel got a strange look on his face, turned over and said..."keep talking". So, I did. He then turned back and said, "I can hear!" Before, if he laid on his right ear he could not hear me talk clearly even though I was right next to him. Now he can!
Later that day we turned on the TV. In the past it had to be quite loud and he would still cup his hand over the ear to hear better and we used the closed captions at times. Watching the TV, Joel turned to me and said, "That is so loud, can you turn it down?" Amazing!
I had a good laugh when Joel said to me...."We'll, my hearing is restored, but the ringing in my ear is louder!" I laughed and said, "Joel, it is not louder, it just seems that way because you can hear it now!!!" Over the week the ringing has subsided too. Praise God!
I no longer need to ask Joel, can you hear me now? OR "can you hear the TV" No longer do we need to turn the volume way up on the phone. No longer.
Only God!
And then..........
A week ago Joel and I were able to go to a healing service that Charis Bible College Healing School held in Minnesota. Nearly 650 people attended the service of worship, biblical teaching and prayers for healing. At the end of the service we waited in line for 1 1/2 hours to reach the many many prayer ministers that were paired up to lay hands and pray over the needs of the people.
I will share my story another time, but Joel told me that the team he had prayed with spoke to the ringing in his ear, restless legs, and arthritis in his thumbs. One of the prayer ministers then asked, "Do you need prayers for your hearing?" and Joel, replied, "Yes! I forgot about that one!" So they also prayed for his hearing to be restored. He did not notice any changes then, but truly expected healing to come.
We arrived home at 1:30am after talking all the way about our adventure. We were flying high!
The next morning as we lay in bed talking Joel got a strange look on his face, turned over and said..."keep talking". So, I did. He then turned back and said, "I can hear!" Before, if he laid on his right ear he could not hear me talk clearly even though I was right next to him. Now he can!
Later that day we turned on the TV. In the past it had to be quite loud and he would still cup his hand over the ear to hear better and we used the closed captions at times. Watching the TV, Joel turned to me and said, "That is so loud, can you turn it down?" Amazing!
I had a good laugh when Joel said to me...."We'll, my hearing is restored, but the ringing in my ear is louder!" I laughed and said, "Joel, it is not louder, it just seems that way because you can hear it now!!!" Over the week the ringing has subsided too. Praise God!
I no longer need to ask Joel, can you hear me now? OR "can you hear the TV" No longer do we need to turn the volume way up on the phone. No longer.
Only God!
"I am the God who heals."
Exodus 15:26
Thursday, June 13, 2013
With His Love
When I receive certain verses more than once or receive several verses on the same topic I pay attention to what God is trying to tell me. Early in the week the word quiet showed up several times in scripture.
I knew these blessings were more for my mind than my body. My body has been demanding I rest, but my mind was resisting. And these verses reminded me of the scripture God gave me to go with my words for 2013~rest and trust.
The main verse that I focused on was Zephaniah 3:17........starting with the part that I read in my Daily Light devotional. "He will quiet you with His love". Later that day I came across the whole scripture on a blog I was visiting.
This verse is packed full of good news! We are first told God is WITH us. Always. Forever. With. We are never alone. What a comfort that is.
Then we read He is mighty to save. Our Rescuer. Sending His Son to save us. Savior. A mighty warrior on our behalf.
Next we learn how He quiets us. With Love, not just any love~HIS love. This part of the scripture has been my rock this week. Washed in His blood and now His love. Amazing.
We hear that He takes great delight in us. Not just ordinary delight which would be more than enough, but GREAT delight. The definition of delight is to take joy or pleasure and enjoyment in. This is how our Father God feels about us. This is how important we are to Him!
Finally, He rejoices over us with singing. God feels so happy and joyful about us He sings over us. Powerful!
How can we doubt the Fathers love for us? I am taking note of God's instructions to let Him quiet me with His love. To remember.............He delights, He saves, He is with, He sings, He loves. I pray the same for you. That you be quieted and embraced by our Father God's love.
"Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him."
Psalm 62:5
"You're my place of quiet retreat,
I wait for your Word
to renew me."
Psalm 119:114
Msg
I knew these blessings were more for my mind than my body. My body has been demanding I rest, but my mind was resisting. And these verses reminded me of the scripture God gave me to go with my words for 2013~rest and trust.
"In repentance and rest you will be saved. In quietness and trust will be your strength."
Isaiah 30:15
The main verse that I focused on was Zephaniah 3:17........starting with the part that I read in my Daily Light devotional. "He will quiet you with His love". Later that day I came across the whole scripture on a blog I was visiting.
"The Lord your God will be with you. He is mighty to save.
He will quiet you with His love. He will take great delight in you.
He will rejoice over you with singing!"
Zephaniah 3:17
This verse is packed full of good news! We are first told God is WITH us. Always. Forever. With. We are never alone. What a comfort that is.
Then we read He is mighty to save. Our Rescuer. Sending His Son to save us. Savior. A mighty warrior on our behalf.
Next we learn how He quiets us. With Love, not just any love~HIS love. This part of the scripture has been my rock this week. Washed in His blood and now His love. Amazing.
We hear that He takes great delight in us. Not just ordinary delight which would be more than enough, but GREAT delight. The definition of delight is to take joy or pleasure and enjoyment in. This is how our Father God feels about us. This is how important we are to Him!
Finally, He rejoices over us with singing. God feels so happy and joyful about us He sings over us. Powerful!
How can we doubt the Fathers love for us? I am taking note of God's instructions to let Him quiet me with His love. To remember.............He delights, He saves, He is with, He sings, He loves. I pray the same for you. That you be quieted and embraced by our Father God's love.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Passing The Test
"Come to me all who are weary and carrying heavy burdens
And I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you.
Let me teach you for I am gentle and humble of heart,
and I will give you rest for your soul.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30
Last fall God blessed me with 26+ (I quit counting after 26) encounters with the above verses in Matthew 11 in only a few weeks. God was making more than a small effort to get His message across to me! I believe He was preparing me, teaching me, and providing the answers I needed for peace in my circumstances just like any loving Father would do. With patience He gently reminded me over and over again that the only place to rest was with Him. Trust Me....Trust Me....He was whispering.
Needless to say, after last fall's encounters with Matthew 11:28-30, I felt the words I was to meditate on this year were "rest" and " trust". They really are connected for me. I truly need to trust God in order to rest in Him. His plan, His love, His healing, His wisdom. Rest in Him. I even changed the title of my blog in my quest for entering into rest with our Lord Jesus.
Now if I could just make the leap into His lap and stop struggling.......
This past Sunday morning Joel Osteen spoke on "entering His rest". Especially at times when our circumstances have us feeling overwhelmed or we are challenged by storms that come our way.
A storm comes up.........financial, emotional, physical, spiritual. Money is scarce, anxiety wants to take up residence, the doctor gives us a bad report, or we find ourselves wondering where God is in our mess. A storm.
God wants us to trust Him in ALL circumstances. He wants us to climb up on His lap and rest while we let him calm the storm, or calm us while we (God and us) go through the storm.
I flunked the test. You see, Joel Osteen said yesterday, "When you are at rest, you are passing the test." I flunked the test. :) When I "rest", when I stop striving to get well, I truly feel anxious, because I believe deep down in the six year old part of me that when you stop fighting, when you are still and stop resisting, bad things happen to you. I also am one who prays, but then I take the reins back from God's more than capable hands! Thus: I. Struggle. with. resting.
When I was battling Lyme Disease I would pray and pray about it, and then I did research and more research, followed a strict diet, took a ton of supplements, herbs, and antibiotics, and followed a rigid sleep and rest schedule. I felt I just had to do everything exactly right in order to get the 2 + 2 = 4 result I was looking for. It is not that those things did not help, they did......but I did not trust the doctors or God to get me the results I desired. As you probably know the healing that came my way in the past year was the result of prayer. Only prayer. Interesting.
Now, with the setbacks I have had this year I am still striving to get the results I desire WHEN I desire them. I end up taking my eyes off of Jesus and unto Dr. Google or my own efforts. Striving.
That brings me back to the resting. God has shown me the same verses in Jeremiah a few times concerning my healing. "I will give you back your health and heal your wounds says the Lord."
I know I will be healed. He has promised to give me back my health. He has promised to heal my soul wounds. But when? I resist it being at His timing. It is hard for me to trust sitting on His lap. It is hard to rest in His arms and trust Him with it all.
Just being honest here.
Because, here is where the truth lies about my present journey......When I enter into His rest, I am passing the test.
I have learned from Ann Voskamp that one way to learn to trust is by taking in all those small and large things in life. Write them down and meditate on all God blesses us with on a daily basis. "Eucharisto comes before the miracle." (Ann) Grace.....gratitude......trust.
So each day I am making the effort to find those things I am grateful for. In the midst of feeling just plain awful I am holding on to those many things that come my way by the grace of God.
Laughing with Joel
Crying with Joel over the death of our sweet dog Levi last Friday
A cardinal stopping by and gracing my view
A heavy rain that reminds me of our years in The Philippines
Being able to sit on a stool and make pancakes
Eat pancakes with fresh strawberries and coconut whipped cream
Sitting in what was once my mom's recliner and remembering her
A text from a daughter with pictures to share
Entering Papa God's rest and sitting on His lap...even for a moment
Passing the test....one day at a time.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
What We Have Here
Do you ever feel that? For a few days I have been corresponding by email with Charis Bible College in CO. I had gone to the site and ordered their course on Healing by Barry Bennett, but I had inadvertently registered for the online college when I ordered the course. I wanted the correspondence course, not the online class.....but there was a break down of communication on my part.
Three weeks after ordering I was still waiting for the course to arrive. I knew our credit card showed a charge for it, so I emailed...they emailed....I emailed....they emailed.....and finally someone called me and explained things to this ol' granny warrior (remember my Zena Princess Warrior post?). What we had experienced was a failure to communicate because I had misunderstood what they were offering. They kept asking me if I had ordered correspondence or online....I was online when I ordered the course so I figured that is what they meant...oh boy! What we have here.......
Sometimes when we talk with God we may thinking....."What we have here is a failure to communicate."
You have sent your request and you are standing on God's promises, but the answer to our prayer does not line up with the request, so we find ourselves saying.........Ahhhhh, God? Did you misunderstand what I was requesting? Did I not communicate to you clearly my needs? Did I not read that all Your promises are yes and amen? Hmmmmmmmm
I think what we may have here is a failure to communicate.
This is where trust comes into the equation. If His answer to our asking is wait or no or even silence, we need to trust that His plan for us is good, We trust that there is no failure to communicate, there is only a loving Father who is doing what is best for his children. We trust and rest in that knowledge no matter what we are experiencing.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding
In all your ways acknowledge Him
and He will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5,6
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
The Appraiser
This morning an appraiser came as part of our adventure in refinancing our house. It was odd to have someone we did not know come through our home taking measurements, photos and notes. We were looking at our home through a stranger's eyes.
Joel and I saw this from different, but telling perspectives. Joel was proud of all the work we did or had done by professionals in the past nine years. The list is extensive. We took an ugly duckling and created a swan...or close to it. He saw great changes and a nice house. I saw all the work that was done, BUT I focused on the things that still needed work! I said nothing but found myself anxious and wanting to tell this guy our future plans for renovations.
Very telling.
Joel knows what still needs to be done but is able to find joy in what has been accomplished. I see all the changes, and I am happy about them.....but I find myself easily forgetting what has changed for the better, and am drawn to what is not done.
Whether it is our home or the person I see in the mirror, the flaws can stand out as eyesores for me! And yet I know we have a nice home and I know that I have been "fearfully and wonderfully made"! I know that I am enough because of Jesus. The other day The Lord whispered to me......" You are so much harder on yourself than I would be on you."
Some day we will all stand before The Appraiser, our Lord. Will He be a stranger to us or will we know Him well? What will He see?
Because of Jesus, because of Father God sending His only Son to die for us, He will see that we are fearfully and wonderfully made! He will see us through His Son's light! He will see us forgiven, flawless, and whole. Because of His love for us we can stand strong on that final day, knowing we are no longer flawed or unfinished. Because of Jesus.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
What Warms Your Heart?
Today I am in my recliner all decked out in my corduroy knit pants, hooded sweatshirt, and wool slippers. I know. It is June 4th and I am dressed for winter. My body is in a "shut down" mode and when this occurs I need to stay warm. The only thing missing is my wool comforter, affectionately named "Wooly", but that seemed like overkill, even with March temperatures on this cold rainy day in June.
After years of battling chronic illness I know how to warm my body. But in my present frame of mind.............I needed to revisit the answers to the following question~~
"What warms my heart?"
Encouraging words, praise music, hugs from my hubby, porch sitting, a text or phone call from one of the kids......these are all things that warm my heart. Maybe your list is similar. But we need more. We need to fill our hearts with the Word of God. God's promises. His voice. Today I read a quote on Facebook by Stormie Omartian that spoke on this.
" The more you put God's Word in your mind,
the more you will hear God's voice speaking you your heart."
Yes, God's voice will warm our hearts. On cold days, seasons of change, or times of discouragement, staying "warm" is a good thing. Spirit, soul, and body~ each has its own needs and God provides for them all. So, if you are having a tough day, wrap up in comfy clothes, turn on your favorite praise music and open God's Word. It will warm you heart.
Monday, June 3, 2013
MBM: Remembering His Promise
Linny over at A Place Called Simplicity created Memorial Box Monday, where she shares their stories of God's faithfulness and provision, while asking others to do the same. They have a Memorial Box in their home with objects on display that help them remember......just like Joshua who built a stone memorial as God instructed.
I have written several stories which you can find archived here, but today my story is a bit different, although not any less important to me.
If you visit my blog you know I have been on a healing journey from 28 years of Lyme and several co-infections, Fibromyalgia, cancer, PTSD and more. When I first began this walk with Jesus, I was given the words, "God wants you well" by four different sources/people, and God gave me the verse, "I will give you back your health and heal your wounds, says The Lord" found in Jeremiah 30:17 to stand on~~first when I was going in for cancer surgery, second when I was praying for healing concerning Lyme. Through prayer my husband was healed overnight from Lyme and the Lyme was destroyed for me also through prayer. Praise GOD!! Other conditions have not left as quickly, but improvement was pretty steady.......until.....
This year my health has been challenged and at times my belief in healing too. It began with UTI and BV infections that have had me on rounds of antibiotics. Then my thyroid started malfunctioning again. Ups and downs in energy and strength opened the door for discouragement and fear. Doubt followed. Satan began whispering to me....."You just thought God wanted to heal you....you are not healed. Silly you....this is as good as it gets."
Recently I needed to go back into the doctor for more tests and exams. I prayed and asked God to give me a verse to hold on to. I just wanted to be obedient to His plan for my life. The next morning I went to my email and opened the Joel Osteen devotional. It was titled, "Healing Is Yours"! The verse that went with the devotional?
"I will give you back your health
and heal your wounds, says The Lord".
Jeremiah 30:17
There it was. Remember? The very verse he shared with me three years ago, then 14 months ago......
There it is~~ God's faithfulness. His promise.
I am still spending way to much time in my recliner. Physically I feel worse than I have in months....I am longingly waiting for Holy Spirit to tell me to put on my hot pink tennies and walk again. Meanwhile, I am remembering........remembering His provision in the past........remembering His promise, standing on His Word, and being obedient to His instructions. God is faithful.
What is God asking you to remember today?
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