Everday Miracles...and Perseverance?

Join me at Laced With Grace today where I will be sharing about this peculiar petunia....and PERSEVERANCE!

Restoration

Restore.

Restoration.

Sometimes we don't know we even need it....or just how badly we do.

For those of you who walk with me may have known this has been a year of spiritual dryness....




Dry devotions time.

Dry prayer life.

Dry small group time.

Dry writing.

In fact, when I had to write a devotion for the Cafe, Laced with Grace, or At the Well(forget my own blog!), I would sit feeling completely empty....like I had nothing to "give." I often pulled from my archives just to post something.....anything. I had even taken a break from the Cafe and the Well.

I was dry.

Then we went to Family Camp last week.

This was a LIFE CHANGING experience for the whole family.....

But, for me- I have been completely RESTORED.

God healed my heart....I was able to honestly share and "deal with" things I have pushed down- with God, Brian, and ME...my fears.....my year with homeschooling.....the pressure I have felt this year trying to DO IT ALL and be everything.....Brian's dad passing away....strife at our ELCA church....friends divorcing....taking care of parents...

We arrived Sunday evening and went to worship right after dinner. From the first song, the tears flowed down and I released all that had been pent up for so long.

I worshiped the Lord.

I let go.

He began His restoration in me.

The next morning Pastor Mike taught on Mary and Martha. OK, for any of you who have been following me for any amount of time, you know I have TAUGHT on this passage! See here and here.

Their story is precious to me. And, to have God remind me of all He had taught me about Mary and Martha the very first morning pierced my heart immediately! OK, I sat and cried through that lesson. I know He was whispering, "OK, Tracy....let's hear it again."

I realized for the past year I had become Martha.

I had lost Mary.....who I REALLY am.....the disciple at His feet soaking up His Presence....hanging on every word....face upturned to RECEIVE Him....

Restoration.

We then went to break time. Brian and I took a walk back to our cabin where I was able to spill out all that has been on my heart. Through tears, I shared my feelings of inadequacy, failure, distraction..... I rested in his strong arms.

Restoration.

We went back for more teaching. Pastor Mike began to teach about the woman from John 8.

OK, again, if you know me, you know this story is also PRECIOUS to me. See here and here. God brought a whole women's retreat, "Walking in the Light" with this teaching! For goodness' sake, I even used the same clip from the Passion!

But, I had forgotten.

Again, God spoke to me, reminding me I had forgotten the things from "at first" (Rev. 2:1-7). I had forgotten my first love.

Restoration.

Witnessing a group of young people honestly bare their souls with "cardboard testimonies."

Restoration.

Watching my husband walk in his calling as spiritual leader of our home....for the first time.

Restoration.

Taking communion as a family.

Restoration.

Watching my teenage son experience Jesus and be WASHED in the Holy Spirit.

Restoration.

Worshiping the Lord, fully, passionately, completely, openly, honestly...

Restoration.

I am so full.

Thank You, Jesus.

Blind man sat by the road and cried.....

I shared this today on Laced with Grace:

Have you ever been BLIND? Have you had such an intense desire to see?

I love the story of blind Bartimaeus from Mark 10.

⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. ⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

I love that he SHOUTED. He is not afraid to cry out to Jesus. How many times have I failed to CRY OUT….to shout with passion….with everything I have.

Listen to what happens next…

⁴⁸ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

It seems like there is always someone there ready to quiet us…..telling us “don’t bother Jesus”….He is too busy…..He isn’t concerned with our problems….we are insignificant to such a powerful God.

⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

Jesus STOPPED…..stopped what He was doing….stopped where He was going. This reminds me that Jesus always has time to LISTEN to the cries of my heart.

So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” ⁵⁰ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

⁵¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

Don’t you love that? Jesus could have simply healed the man. Jesus wants to do more than physical healing. He gets down to the HEART issue: WHAT TO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU? Jesus asks each of us, “What do you want Me to do for YOU?”

Are you lonely?

Are you sick?

Are you empty?

Are you broken?

Jesus asks each one of us: “What do you want Me to do for YOU?

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

That is the cry of my heart- Jesus, I want to SEE. I may have 20/20 vision, but I want to see SPIRITUALLY. I want to “live by faith, not by sight.” Lord, give me eyes to see You.

Give me spiritual eyes. Like the words to “Amazing Grace,” I was blind, but now I see.” Look what happens next.

⁵² “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Notice that the man’s FAITH healed him. Lord, may I have faith like that! And, what does he do next?

He FOLLOWS Jesus.

That is my favorite part of the passage! He is able to see…..and follows Jesus.

May I always follow You, Jesus. May I always follow You.

Father, thank You that You are ever ready to heal me….but I have to remember to have the faith to ask. May I always seek hard after you, no matter who or how many are telling me to “shut up.” May I be like the man and SHOUT LOUDER! Lord, may I have that kind of faith! Lord, thank You for Your compassion. Thank You that You open wide my eyes to see You. Thank You that, although I was blind, now I see. Thank You, Jesus. Praise You.

Freedom!

On July 4th, Independence Day in the United States of America, we do more as Americans than just eat hot dogs and watch fireworks. We celebrate our independence!

Lots of people think July 4th commemorates our victory in the Revolutionary War. But, we are actually celebrating the date that our founders signed the Declaration of Independence.

But, what is the "Declaration" all about?

I'm sure if you conducted a "man on the street" interview asking random people about the Declaration, they would know that it was stolen in the movie, "National Treasure," but not much else.

Why is our INDEPENDENCE so important?

And, do we as Americans take it for granted?

I love the verse from Galatians 5:1 that says,

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free."

Christ died to set us free from bondage to sin and death.

Deep down in the recesses of our spirits, we have a deep longing to be free.

"For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail?" ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

This Independence Day, take a moment, won't you, and ponder some of this wonderful document. Remember always, that we live in the most amazing country in the world. And, because of Divine Providence, we are blessed with incredible liberties, freedoms, and privileges that the rest of the world only dreams about.

Part of the Declaration of Independence:

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.

I pray YOU will have a wonderful July 4th.....and as you enjoy your hot dog and watch beautiful fireworks light up the sky, let us join together thanking our amazing Lord for the blessing of the United States of America, but most of all, for the beautiful gift of Jesus, who indeed gives us true freedom.

Father, thank You so much for the gift of Jesus, and that through His sacrifice, I, indeed have true freedom from sin and death. Thank You, Lord, that because of Jesus, I am no longer a slave to sin, or have to be in bondage to anything. Thank You, Lord, for the sacrifice of our founding fathers. Thank You for Your gift of the United States of America. Thank You that I am blessed to live here. Thank You, Lord, for the sacrifice of all the brave service men and women who continually fight to keep us free. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.