Who is in YOUR boat?

Paul experienced quite a STORM in Acts 27. This storm was so violent, it shipwrecked Paul and the entire crew, landing them on the island of Malta. The coolest thing God showed me though, is that He USED Paul's storm and being shipwrecked on Malta for His glory....leading the people of Malta to become followers of Christ.

God will use our storms (when we allow Him) and turn them into "Malta-s", opportunities to WITNESS and share God's love with others.



Jesus also experienced storms....and His disciples.  In fact, they often experienced the storms WITH Jesus.

From Luke 8
Jesus had told the disciples that they were going over to the other side of the lake. They all climbed into the boat and began to cross to the lake. During the sail over, Jesus fell asleep. During this time, a huge storm comes up. "The boat was being swamped, and they were in GREAT DANGER." OK, these guys were fishermen- they were used to life on the sea. They had undoubtedly seen many storms. But this one SCARED them!

They woke up Jesus screaming, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!"

They are hysterical. They thought it was "all over."

Now, I had always "read" this as the disciples were waking up Jesus to have him DO SOMETHING. But, perhaps, they are waking Jesus up because they think they are going to have to jump ship....that this storm is "IT"....this is the end for all of them.... Are they waking Him up, thinking "How can you sleep through THIS? We are all going to die!"

Listen to what happens next. (Verses 24-25)

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" He asked His disciples. In fear and amazement, they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him."

If the disciples had known that Jesus was GOD, would they have been scared? If they knew that I AM was in the boat with them, would they have feared? God Almighty...Creator of the universe...Who set the stars in place....Who created the sea.....Who keeps the winds in storehouses.... was with them in the boat! If they realized WHO Jesus was, would they have panicked? Peter had not yet confessed that Jesus was the Christ. And, although they knew Jesus was something NEW....a prophet, a teacher, something very special.....did they know that GOD Himself was in the boat with them????

If they did, would they have been afraid?

And, it made me think of myself. If I truly believed that the great I AM, the God of the universe, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Almighty were in MY boat, would I be afraid when the storms of life come up?

When temptations come, when trials come....do I see WHO IS IN MY BOAT WITH ME?

Do I relax in faith? Do I trust? Do I rest in knowing that in my time of need, the Lord Himself is there, in MY BOAT, as my strength, my Savior, my sufficiency?


Lord, help me to see You for Who You are. You are the Creator of the UNIVERSE! You have created all the stars, the seas, the creatures... You made ME. Give me eyes to SEE You for who You are. You are the great I AM! When the storms of life come up, help me to trust completely in You, knowing that You can calm them with just a word. You are in MY BOAT WITH ME. Help me to get a revelation of that. I love You, Lord! Praise You, Jesus! Thank You for Your glorious Word! In Christ, the Calmer of the Storms, the One, True, Living God's Name we pray. Amen!

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.

I'm still here......

Thank you all for sweet comments and emails. Life has been crazy this fall. I wrote about what has been going on and how quickly life takes a turn here.

My father-in-law is back in Intensive Care. He aspirated last Thursday and is again battling for his life. Today is a critical day because doctors will need to take him off of the ventilator.

I am coming to you, my prayer warriors to boldly come to His Throne, crying out to Heaven on our behalf! Please pray:

That LES WILL CONTINUE BREATHING ON HIS OWN! He was up to 50% last night.....please pray that he will be able to completely breathe on his own. Pray for his lungs. Pray they would be strong.

PRAY FOR HIS KIDNEYS. He had so much poison running through his body that his kidneys shut down. They are working so much better, but need to improve even more. He has about half of the toxins out of his body. Pray for this poison to be removed.

PRAY FOR HIS STRENGTH AND HIS FAITH. Pray that he puts all of his trust in God right now.

Those(Les) who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings as eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They walk and not grow faint.

Pray Psalm 46, 91, 121 over him.

Les is more than an overcomer in Christ Jesus (and he is! He loves the Lord). No weapon formed against Les shall prosper. He that is in Les is greater than he that is in the world.

Please pray the blood of Jesus over Les. Remember, "by His stripes, Les has been healed."

Please pray for his wife, Barb, and the five boys and their families. We NEED your prayers.

God is so good. The week before this happened with Les, Brian and I had gone to New Mexico. Brian had a work conference to attend and I was able to go. It was such a time to be with the Lord, experiencing His beauty and creativity, glory and awesomeness through nature. We breathed in His glory as we sat by the Rio Grande and at the foot of a mountain. The resort specialized in relaxation and I have never felt so rested. Looking back, it was like God was preparing us and strengthening Brian and I for the road up ahead. Thank You, Lord!

Here are some pics:

Open the door!

Throw the door open wide!

Let Him in....

There is so much He wants to do IN you....

for you....

THROUGH you!

Please visit my dear friend, Lori who is hosting WFW here!

Going Deep

Greetings, dear Reader! Thank you for your patience as I have taken some time away from blogging..... Gosh, it's been 23 days since I have posted! I have been "going deep" with God and needed TIME to dig into what He has been showing me.

Here is an excerpt I emailed to a friend explaining my absence. Please consider it written to you as well! I have been praying daily for you, and even though I have been replying minimally to comments, I have been reading each one. Thank you for your kind encouragement! Here is the email:

Girl, I know I have been silent lately....you are constantly on my mind AND always in my prayers. I continue to pray for you....yes.....blanketing, bathing, enveloping you in prayer, dear one!

I just have 2 words:

BELIEVING GOD

It is Beth Moore's bible study that I am redoing (did it 5 yrs. ago). Wow. It has been awesome, but very time consuming (IN A GREAT WAY!)- I have to think of a different word than "consuming"- that sounds negative.......

Girl, FAITH.....even when we think we are "full" of faith, God encourages us to go even deeper....believe Him even more....."push the envelope".....I am not sticking my big toe in, testing the "faith waters", but am doing a HUGE cannonball in an OCEAN of believing.....but, it has taken ALL of me....

And, it has taken ALL of me.....but, BOY, how I have seen God work these weeks since Easter! I have missed you and missed blogging and have so much to share with you!

I cant wait.......

Until then,
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Blessings!

The Way Things Are?????

Did you ever see the movie, Babe?

Great movie.....

Anyway, Babe REFUSE to accept the status quo. How about you?

Hop on over to Laced With Grace where I will be talking about REFUSING to accept
"the way things are."

Click here to read more....

Put on that armor!

Grace and peace to you all this morning!

Do you ever wake up feeling "heavy?" All the burdens of the day upon you, and you haven't even brushed your teeth yet? That's where I was this morning. Thinking (OK, worrying) about all those things that need to be done- kitchen cleaned, floors scrubbed, bathrooms cleaned (didn't I just do that on Wed?!), the laundry room cleaned and ready for winter, my closet cleaned, all of the laundry put away...

I was feeling that overwhelming feeling of "how am I going to accomplish all of this?!" Even on my morning walk, the time when I meet with God, praying and praising, I felt very distracted and my mind had a hard time staying in one place! He spoke to me, "Tracy, of all days- put on your armor!" So, I thought I would put it on with each one of you, so that we may together "stand firm and be alert," ready for whatever comes our way.

Let's praise Him before anything else!
from Psalm 57:
"I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts- men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp words (OK, David was being chased down by Saul, in fear for his life. But- that laundry room is a ravenous beast to me! Thinking about it is devouring my energy and my joy!)
BE EXALTED, O GOD, ABOVE THE HEAVENS; LET YOUR GLORY BE OVER ALL THE EARTH.
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.
FOR GREAT IS YOUR LOVE, REACHING TO THE HEAVENS; YOUR FAITHFULNESS REACHES TO THE SKIES.
BE EXALTED, O GOD, ABOVE THE HEAVENS; LET YOUR GLORY BE OVER ALL THE EARTH.

the armor from Ephesians 6:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and IN HIS MIGHTY POWER (Lord,
I want to rely on YOUR power- not my own. Help me to be strong in YOU!).
Put on the full armor of God so that you can stake stand against ALL
the devil's schemes (whether he is trying to steal your joy, distract
you or replace the Truth with lies).
...stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand (sometimes, that is all we have left- we are just standing and saying, "I will not give up!").
Stand FIRM then, with the belt of TRUTH buckled around your waist..."

Lord, we do put on your Truth. Jesus said, I AM THE TRUTH. We buckle the Lord Jesus Christ around our waist.

And just like any weight lifter would never lift a heavy weight without first buckling that leather belt around his waist, we would not dare lift any weight of the world without first buckling the Truth around our waist.

The center of your body is the "powerhouse." If it is out of shape, it can cause all sorts of problems. We need Jesus and the written word- Truth centering us, making us strong, giving us the support we need. Lord, I believe Your Word is Truth, it is power. I choose to believe it. No matter what I am "feeling," I choose to put on the Truth and the promises of Your Word. I am a Child of the Most High God. You love me. If You are for me, who dare be against me? I am more than a conqueror in the Lord Jesus Christ. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I am precious and honored in Your sight. You are working ALL things together for my good (all things aren't "good," but Your are working everything together FOR MY GOOD!). Jesus said, "Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free." I choose to BELIEVE AND LIVE OUT THE TRUTH- IT WILL BRING FREEDOM IN EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE.

We put on the breastplate of righteousness. And, again, where does our righteousness come from? It comes from Jesus! What does a breastplate cover? Our hearts! The Bible says, "Above all else- guard your hearts, for it is the wellspring of life." We place Jesus over our hearts. Above everything else, we ask You God, to come in and make our hearts pure!

Make my heart like yours! Give me a new heart. Work my heart so that it soft and pliable and ready to listen to You. Purify my heart. "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Lord, help me to set my heart on things above, not on earthly things. Show me things in my heart that You want to change. Help me to surrender ALL of my heart to You and to Your good and healing hands. I know Philippians tells me that when I pray (and am NOT anxious about anything), the peace that passes all understanding will keep and guard my heart (and mind) in Christ Jesus. I give You my heart, God and I place the righteousness of Jesus over it.

We fit our feet with the readiness (to be fully prepared) that comes from the gospel of peace. Lord, our feet take us everywhere we go. We put on Jesus on our feet- the gospel of peace. Jesus is the only way we have peace with God. Help us to take Him everywhere we go, being a Light for Him, shining His light. Help us to spread the good news of our faith. In every word, to friends to strangers, to our husbands and to our children, let us exude Jesus. Help us to "walk the walk" with Jesus fitted to our feet. When I read this part of the armor, I am always reminded that after Jesus healed so many, He would say, "Go in peace- your faith has healed (saved) you." Lord it is our faith that brings peace- peace with God, peace with others, peace within ourselves. Lord, strengthen our faith!

In addition to all of this, take up the shield of FAITH! Yes! It is not faith in ourselves, our abilities, the world.... But, faith in You, the Lord Jesus Christ! I can do all things through Christ! I believe "You are who You say You are, God! I believe You can do the things You say You can do! I believe I AM WHO YOU SAY I AM- blessed, chosen, adopted, accepted in the Beloved, included in Christ, FORGIVEN, redeemed, a child of the Most High God! I believe Your Word is alive and active in me!"(Beth Moore) Lord, there is no better shield than our faith!

Have you seen movies like "Gladiator?" The shields were huge, covering the soldiers' whole body. And, when a group of soldiers were together, they went down together, as a whole (like the Body of Christ), bringing their shields together as one. With this shield, "we extinguish ALL the flaming arrows of the enemy." We put out every lie and scheme of the evil one by holding up our faith in the One who already has defeated him! Satan is a defeated foe! "He that is in me is GREATER than he that is in the world- Satan." We pick up our shields and stand firm against the enemy, choosing to believe God and all of His promises.

"Take up the helmet of salvation." Wow! Ladies, so often the battle begins in our minds! It starts as a sliver of doubt. A lie planted by the enemy. Our own fleshly desires and sin. It can be a lack of trust in God. But, put on the helmet around your mind! And, where does my salvation come from? It comes from Jesus! I am putting Jesus around my mind, my thoughts. I am "taking EVERY thought captive in obedience to Jesus Christ."

No matter how I can explain it, how reasonable it looks, how much I desire to think it, I am giving it over to Jesus! The Word says I have the mind of Christ! I want to think like You, Lord! I want to put down every lofty thought and vain imagination that comes against You. I want to trust You and what Your Word says! Lord, clean up my mind! I surrender it to You! I don't want to think things that are NOT of You! Take every thought, every idea, and make it Your own. Your Word says I do NOT have a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, self-control and SOUND MIND. Again, Your Word says DO NOT BE ANXIOUS OR WORRY about anything (ANYTHING!!!!!!!), BUT IN EVERYTHING, TO PRAY ABOUT IT WITH THANKSGIVING, AND THEN THE PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING WILL KEEP AND GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS. Lord, renew my mind in You.

And, finally, we are to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Again, Jesus, You say You are the Word. I pick up the Living Word and the Written Word, my sword, and I fight against anything that would come against me. I cut through any lie of the enemy. I cut through any misconception, any confusion.

Your Word is LIFE and TRUTH. Lord, Your Word is a light for my path (in the world's darkness, Your Truth will shine Your way). I want to hide Your Word in my heart so that I may not sin against You. Your Word shows me the way I should go. Grow in me Your Word, O Lord. Give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation while reading it so that I may know You better! Fill me with Your Word and Your Truth.

Now we are ready for our day! May grace and mercy and peace be yours in abundance today!

Is the earth shaking?!

“God is our refuge and strength (mighty and impenetrable to temptation), an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” – Psalm 46:1-3

Wow! This psalm says so much, and we could so easily skim right over it, reading it without giving it much thought. But, let's ponder it together....

Have you ever felt like life was crashing in around you? Have you felt like the earth was “giving way” under your feet? Have you ever felt like mountains were going to fall down all around you? Have you heard waters roar in your life? Has it seemed like life was falling apart? Have you felt afraid, unsure, stressed, attacked, or that life seems too difficult? This is exactly what the psalmist is talking about.

But, he has an answer for us.

Verse 1 says, “God is our refuge.” Don’t miss the first point- God is OUR refuge. This is personal. He is not someone else’s, but MY refuge. I can claim this for myself!

What is a refuge? It is “a place of shelter, protection from danger or difficulty, a place of safety, a safe retreat.” GOD is those things to us- He is our safe place- our protection from danger and difficulty.

God is also my strength. The Amplified Bible says “mighty and impenetrable to temptation.”

God is mighty- able to defeat any temptation or trouble that would come my way. Strength is “the state or quality of being strong, the power to resist strain, stress, and the power to resist attack.” This verse doesn’t say that I am my strength- it says “God is my strength.” I don’t have to draw upon my own strength and power, thankfully, because my strength always falls short! I am never strong enough, but God is.

Then, the psalm says that God is “ever-present.” He never leaves! He is ALWAYS here with us (even when we don’t “feel” like He is here, the Truth is that He is always, ever present). Psalm 121 says God is always watching over us. “He who watches over you will not slumber nor sleep (you don’t have to “lose sleep” with worrying, God is NOT sleeping). He watches over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” So, God is always with us, ever-present.

Well, not only is God always present, but He is an “ever-present HELP in trouble.” Sometimes we may have people in our lives that are always there in times of trouble, but they are not a help. God is a HELP. He is full of wisdom, He knows how to help. He sees the whole picture of your life, not just what you are going through at the time. He knows what we need even more than we ourselves do. And, “He works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” Sometimes, God is the only One who can help and we can trust and know that He has a perfect plan.

The next verse says “THEREFORE (therefore, because He is our refuge and our strength and is an ever-present HELP in times of trouble), we will not fear.”

This is a bold statement. It doesn’t say we shouldn’t fear, or that we don’t have to fear, maybe we won’t fear, but is a confident faith statement WE WILL NOT FEAR. I will make the choice to NOT fear, but instead to trust God because He is ever present and never leaves me, because He is my refuge, my safe place, and He is my power, my strength to resist stress and attack. Even though my circumstances may be awful- the mountains are falling down around me and I am in an earthquake of life- I am going to CHOOSE to trust in God. I am going to encourage myself in the Truth. I am going to resist fear and keep my eyes set on the One who can save me. I am going to believe this Word and live it, no matter how I may “feel.” I am going to repeat over and over to my heart that “God is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.” I am going to declare this Truth and choose to believe it.

This psalm ends with a verse you may be familiar with, “Be still and know that I am God.” Let’s quiet our hearts and our minds and KNOW in our hearts and minds that He is God. He is Creator of the Universe. He is Creator of each one of us. He is the Alpha and Omega- the Beginning and End. He is our Father, our Savior, our Friend. He is our refuge and strength and ever-present help.

Father, we praise You. We love You. We know that You are God. We stand in awe and amazement of Your love and Your power and Your glory. We thank You that You are our safe place, our strength. We thank You that You take our burdens- You are strong enough. You help us in times of trouble and we need not fear. Lord, I pray for anyone that is experiencing an “earthquake” of life, they feel the earth giving way beneath them. Come to them, Lord Jesus. Remind them that they are not alone. Whisper to them that You are here, waiting for them to lean back upon You, to depend on You. Make it reality to them of who You are. Praise You, God! In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

Thanks for your patience!

It's been a while since I've been here.....

It's not that I haven't tried.

Activities.

An endless "to do" list.

And, a computer that hasn't cooperated much!!!!

I've missed you.

Thank you for your prayers.

Yes, I have been avoiding you!

It's been two weeks since I have blogged. And, honestly, yes, I have been avoiding you.

Have you ever been "in a funk"?

A time when you pushed God away and just "succumbed" to life? To the busy-ness?

A time when you just "didn't feel" like reading the Word. Or blogging. And, I wish I could say that I was at least journaling the old-fashioned way with my spiral and pen, but alas....I didn't feel like doing that either!

Thankfully, God doesn't LEAVE us! He doesn't say "He doesn't feel like" dealing with us! He was right there all along, beckoning to me.....whispering to my heart....wooing me.

So, last Monday, at my Bible Study (I'm the leader!) I knew I needed to "fess up." I poured out how I had been feeling the last few weeks and how I had been NOT spending time with God. They also shared a common "funk" in their lives as well! (Is it summer? Back to school? The times we are living in?) Well, we prayed together and shared our common desire to "get back on track!" We all knew that we didn't like not spending time with God!

So, I am GRATEFUL to say, I am back in the Word....back seeking time in His presence.....back blogging!

I do have a very important prayer request as well.

Please pray for my dear sister in Christ, T. Her 14 year old son died suddenly in an accident. Please lift up this family in your prayers as they grieve the loss of their son and brother. S. was(is) an amazing kid who loved the Lord! We have confidence in knowing he is with Jesus!

Thanks everyone. And, thank you as you have patiently waited for me to "return"! :)

And, if you are experiencing, "a funk," please continue to diligently PRESS IN! Continue to seek God with all that you have! Fall down on your knees and cry out to Him! He will answer!

"....pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, ENDURANCE, and
gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the
eternal life to which you were called...." 1Timothy 6:11-12

Word-filled Wednesday

You may have noticed this image on my sidebar. It is a picture from last year's flood in Cedar Rapids. June 13th marks the one year anniversary, but it seems like a LIFETIME ago....

Our city is remembering this date by celebrating what God has done. (Please scroll down to read more about the FANTASTIC celebration!) There were so many times you could witness the hand of God through this difficult trial. And, while our human nature tends to ask "why", we rest in the knowledge that our God is GOOD and that we become stronger through our adversaries. Without resistance, we would never grow. The most important thing to remember is that God is with us. He never leaves us. And, He is here walking us through it.

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." Isaiah 43:1-3

Please join in this week's WFW! Click here to see more participants!.

Here are more pictures of the flood. Click here and here and here to read more about the flooding. And, please scroll down to read about the celebration!

Dear Graduate

This is a different kind of post.....please feel free to forward or email it to grads!

Dear Graduate,

Congratulations! God is proud of you. It may be hard to believe you are graduating and entering into a new season of life. This is a new beginning, and as each adventure unfolds, every wrinkle in it will be more exciting than the last! I hope you are making faith a priority in your life.




Isaiah 41:31 says “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.” I know, Graduate, with God by your side, that you will soar on wings like eagles!




And, of course, at this exciting, sometimes scary time of your life, it is wonderful to remember that God has a SPECIAL plan for you. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans for hope and a future. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.” God has a special plan and purpose for your life. In fact, Graduate, God has had this plan for you from the beginning of creation! Paul says in Ephesians 1:4-6, “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. He chose YOU, Graduate. In love, He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will- to the praise of His glorious grace which He has freely given us in the One He loves (Jesus).” Peter says, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness and into his wonderful light.” (1Peter 2:9)




God loves you! YOU ARE A CHILD OF THE MOST HIGH GOD! Isaiah 43:1 says, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are MINE!” Never forget, you are God’s child- His Beloved. Isn’t that cool?!



Graduate, I want you to hold on to God’s love as you go away to school or begin life as an "adult." Life will be very different. You will be “free”- free to make your own choices and your own decisions. You will decide how you live your daily life. God says in Jeremiah 6:16, “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus says in Matt. 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and LEARN FROM ME, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” So, Graduate, when you are burdened and you do have to make choices and decisions- go to Jesus!



There will be many “crossroads” you will come to Graduate. You will face many trials and temptations. I wish it weren’t so, but it is. But, you will learn from your trials and temptations, and they will contribute to your character building! Whether you succeed or fail during your trial, God always brings valuable life lessons from it.

James says (James 1:2-4), “Consider it pure joy, my brothers when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” So, to mature and be complete, you MUST face trials. And then, (verse 12), “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life God has promised to those who love Him.”



You will be tempted, Graduate, by alcohol, drugs, and sex. You will have to choose every time which direction you will go. Deuteronomy says that you will have to make choices. God says, “Now, what I am commanding you today is not too difficult. It is not up in Heaven, so that you have to ask someone to ascend to it to proclaim it to you. Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask someone to cross the sea to bring it back to proclaim it to you. No, the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, today I set before you life and prosperity, or death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. (Jesus later adds and with your MIND), to keep his commands, and to walk in His ways. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him.”



Just remember that you are not alone. Even at times when you feel alone, or you feel like you are the only one who believes this, remember that you are NEVER alone! God is with you, and He gives the Holy Spirit to help you. Ephesians tells us, “Having believed (in Jesus as Christ), you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession- to the praise of His glory!” Graduate, you were marked by that seal! You have the Holy Spirit living inside of you! And, it is not some wimpy spirit! Oh, no! 2Timothy says, “You were not given a spirit of timidity or fawning fear, but a Spirit of POWER, OF LOVE, SOUND MIND, AND SELF-CONTROL!" Isn’t that cool? You don’t have to rely on your own will or your own strength, (or strength from professors or friends) but you have the strength of the MOST HIGH GOD LIVING INSIDE OF YOU. Philippians 4 says, “I can do ALL things through Christ, who strengthens me!”




You can’t always make wise choices in your own strength, but you can through Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit! Isn’t that AMAZING?



I’ll never forget my 1st night at college. My roommate was my very best friend. We had been friends since 4th grade, and I thought I really knew her. We went to a party our first night at school. I left the party and went back to the dorm before her. I had drank way too much, and passed out on my bed. Well, when I woke up the next morning, she wasn’t there. I was so scared. I didn’t know what happened to her. I didn’t know what I should do. Should I call the police? Should I call her mom? I didn’t know what had happened to her. I was so naive- it never even crossed my mind she would stay out all night. I didn’t even know we were ALLOWED to do that! Well, she was OK. She had decided to stay the night at the place where the party was. She had met a guy there. I never asked if they had sex. I was just so shocked that she felt comfortable to be out alone.




Well, I became “educated” very quickly to “normal” college life and made so many poor choices. I am so thankful that my husband was there, too. We weren’t married yet, but were engaged. I know if I had been “single” at college I would have made so many choices that I would have regretted. You see, at the time, partying is so fun. “Everybody” parties, and goes wild. It seems normal. It seems so exciting, so glamorous. Temptation is always exciting and “fun.” If it weren’t why would we sin? If the apple in the Garden had been wormy and rotten, Eve would never have taken a bite. But, it was luscious and seductive and enticing and inviting.




College is exciting, and it feels like you’re so “grown up” and in control of your life. I felt so “in control.” But, there were many times I was so out of control. I made so many stupid choices. I put myself in danger so many times. It is only by the grace of God that I wasn’t raped or hurt. I thank God that He was watching over me. God is good. Even though I abandoned Him during those years, He never abandoned me. He sent many angels to watch over me. God gives us the Holy Spirit to help us through these times. Paul says in 1Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” Isn’t that awesome? God gives us an escape route to help us get out. God will be helping you through!



But, you have to take God with you. When I went to school, I took a vacation from my faith (although it was very weak to begin with). My professors, my friends, the “world” had such an impact on me. They, not my faith, controlled me and my behaviors. But, the Bible says, “Above all else, (above EVERYTHING- classes, relationships, professors’ teachings, TV shows, politics, news media- above ALL else) guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23. Fill your heart daily with God’s word and prayer so that you may have a wellspring of life within you!



I have always been on a quest for knowledge. I was always the “geek” who lived for school. I was always on the dean’s list and enjoyed the challenge of getting all A’s. I have loved acquiring knowledge and research. I get a thrill walking through the library. Essay tests were my favorite, so that I could show off how much I knew! So, when I went to college, I soaked in everything (except God’s Word). I also was performance driven, and success orientated. I wanted to please all of my teachers. I wanted their approval and acceptance. Whatever they said, I took at face value. I never questioned. I learned that to do well, I needed to conform. I just absorbed and conformed. But Paul says in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to patterns of this world. Instead by transformed by the renewing of your mind.”



Unfortunately, my mind was transformed to reflect the ideals and attitudes of my collegiate experience. By the time I graduated, I had acquired much knowledge and “understanding.” Of course, I had gotten it from professors, media, and my friends. When I left school, I had a set of ideas that I thought were so intelligent and “in touch.” But, by studying God’s Word and growing in my relationship with Him, I see how WRONG I was!




Graduate, you will need to fill your heart and mind with God’s Word so that you can discern what is right and true. You will meet many people at school with different religious beliefs than yours. Many of them will be your favorite teachers. This may confuse you, or make you question your own beliefs and the Truth of God’s Word. Sometimes you may feel foolish for trusting in Jesus. (Notice I said JESUS, not God. For many will believe in “God”, but it will be their own idea of “god”- a god who fits in to THEIR wishes or thoughts of how a “god” should act or believe.)



YOU MUST STAY ALERT! The Bible has so much to say about the world’s “wisdom.”

Graduate, this “wisdom” will SEEM so right and so true. It will make you question your beliefs; it will make you question the Bible and its authenticity and validity. The Bible says in 1Corinthians : “ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing (unbelievers), but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” And, “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” And, “This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” And, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." There are many “wise men” at school who will question your faith, who will try to make you feel inferior, less intelligent, and foolish for your beliefs.




But, remember, Graduate, God has given you the Truth and the Truth has set you free! Again, be alert! Don’t take anything at “face value.” Measure the “facts” against God’s Word. And, remember, God has already CHOOSEN you! It is not an accident you are where you are. God will empower you, enable you, and work through you, if you allow Him to, Graduate.


I kneel before God and pray for you Graduate from Ephesians,

“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints (other believers), to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know that this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

What are YOU Learning....about the power of your words?

It's been a few weeks since I have joined my friend Gina at Chats with an Old Lady for "What are YOU Learning." I am so glad to be joining in today!

I have been studying the Gospel of Luke the past few weeks and have been enjoying it so much! Our wonderful God has given us such a gift....His Word. I LOVE the Old Testament as well as the New. But, when I read the Gospels, I am inspired and refreshed and encouraged like nothing else! It is amazing to watch our incredible Lord perform miracles, teach such pearls of wisdom, and speak such beautiful words. And, as I have been reading Luke, I have found there is so MUCH to learn! Each chapter....each passage....each verse is filled with so much! Thank You, Lord!

Father, I pray that You will give us deep insight into Your Word today. Thank You, God for a Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we may know You better!

I am just going to share on one very small part of Luke...chapter 1...BEFORE the birth of Jesus. First of all, let's get to know Luke a bit. He wasn't one of the 12 disciples...but he was a follower of Jesus. He says, "...I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning. It seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you..." He was a doctor. That brings so much revelation right there! He will "see" things a little differently than a fisherman or a tax collector! He will notice details and have an understanding of some things that someone who hasn't studied biology wouldn't.

He doesn't begin his Gospel with a genealogy (although he includes one in chapter 3). Instead, he sets the stage with the birth of John the Baptist. He begins by telling us about John's parents- Elizabeth and Zechariah. He says "both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly." BUT there was one BIG problem with this couple- they hadn't had any children AND they were "well along in years."

If there is one thing I have seen in scripture- it is that it is NOT a good thing to be barren in Bible times! There is a stigma and SHAME that goes along with it.

Now, Zechariah was a priest. I have read that in those times, the priests would take turns doing different duties. But, it was a rare thing to actually be the priest to go into the temple to burn incense before the Lord. THIS is a HUGE thing! We don't always understand it because we have the privilege here in American to go into church anytime and as Christians, we enter into the Lord's presence anywhere. But, for Zechariah, this was the TOP honor in his duties in priesthood. I also have read that this honor was only once in a lifetime.

So, Zechariah's "division" was on duty and he was "serving as priest before God." Then, it was time to choose by lot who would go INTO the temple of the Lord. Drum roll please.....yep. Zechariah's lot was chosen. What a coincidence! NOT! I just LOVE reading about God's sovereignty! Let's draw straws to see who goes in today. Looks like you, Zechariah.

"All the assembled worshippers were praying outside the temple." I know that everything in the Bible is important, so I don't want to just slide past this without noticing. God's people were praying.

Meanwhile, inside, Zechariah is burning incense and Gabriel, the angel appears to him!

The Bible says he is "gripped with fear." But, the angel tells him not to be afraid. He then goes on to tell this man of God that he and Elizabeth, despite their old age will have a son. The angel tells him to name the son JOHN. And, then, listen to this! The angel says, "He will be a joy and delight to you..." What parent doesn't long to hear that???? This child will be a JOY and DELIGHT to them. Gabriel goes on, "and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth (or from the womb). Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. "

WHEW! Don't we all have great aspirations for our children? But, WOW...to know our child will save the Lost and be a source of great joy to many people! Isn't that thrilling????

Then, Gabriel goes on to say, "And he will go before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous- to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

This is amazing! Elijah is VERY important to the people of Israel and the angel tells Zechariah that his son will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah!

I was reading in Malachi, the prophet, and found this. "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers."Malachi 4:5-6

Since Zechariah was a priest and the Bible says he observed all the Lord's commands. I know he had to study. He surely would have recognized these words from the prophet!

So, here he is, in the temple of the LORD with an angel before him speaking words of the prophet, telling him about a miracle that God will perform through him and Elizabeth, taking part in an amazing plan of God....bringing many people back to the Lord! THRILLING!

So, how does Zechariah react? Does he jump for joy? Fall down on his knees? Raise his hands to worship the LORD?

Nope.

Zechariah doubts. He questions the angel, "How can this be??? I'm old. Elizabeth is old." What is unspoken is "This can't happen. Nope. Impossible."

Never mind that Abraham and Sarah had Isaac when they were 100! Never mind that God parted the Red Sea. Never mind that He put every star in place....the sun...the moon. Never mind that He created every living thing, made the mountains. Never mind that He keeps the oceans in storehouses. Never mind that He brings the rain, the wind....

Gabriel doesn't take this lightly. He says, "I'm Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news." He then tells Zechariah that he will be SILENT and not be able to speak "until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

I believe that there is POWER in our words. The Bible says that there is the power of life and death in our tongue. I believe that God did not want Zechariah to speak doubt and negativity over Elizabeth and this miracle. God would not ALLOW Zechariah to speak this over the situation. God doesn't let Zechariah even whisper this doubt to Elizabeth. Before Zechariah leaves the temple he is not able to speak.

This shows me for my own life, that I need to have faith, trusting in God's promises, no matter how WILD they may seem....AND I need to watch my words. If I am believing for a miracle, I can NOT speak doubt over it. I need to remember that with God, "all things are possible!"

Two other things I love about this story:

1. Elizabeth says, "In these days He (God) has shown His favor and taken away my disgrace among the people." Having a baby took away her disgrace. I love that God takes away our shame!

2. Zechariah's faith is restored. Remember the angel told him to name his son JOHN? Well, this was unusual because there weren't any "Johns" in his family and it was custom to name children a family name. Zechariah still can't speak (and he is the head of the household) so when it is time to circumcise the baby and name him, the people were going to name the baby after Zechariah's father. Elizabeth spoke up and said, "NO! He is to be called John." They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."

Then, it was Zechariah that WRITES, "His name is John."

We know that he believes! He could have named the baby anything, but he obeys what Gabriel had told him and names the baby John. Zechariah doesn't name the baby like everyone expects.

Guess what?

Zechariah's voice comes back! It was Zechariah's act of FAITH that brings his voice back. And, then when it returns, Zechariah uses it to PRAISE GOD with a beautiful song and prophesy.

Lord, fill my mouth with words of faith! In Jesus' Name I pray! Amen!

Miracle Monday....scroll down for Gathering at the Well..

For the past couple of times of Miracle Monday, I wrote about my mom and the miracles of her life. She is a hero to me! I thought you might like to read more about her. She truly is a "miracle." Despite all of her trials in life, she has continued to turn to God. Her faith has overcome the most terrible of circumstances. It is really about trusting God when it hurts.

My prayer is that she encourages you!

My mother’s faith is so remarkable, considering all the trials she has had in her life. She had polio as a young child. The doctors told my grandma that my mom would never walk without braces. When they came to fit her for them, she was riding her bicycle in the driveway.

She quit school after 8th grade to work and help her family.

She met and married my father, the love of her life. As a young mother, she lost a 3 -day old baby daughter.

Several years later, when I was 6 months old, my father and my 13- yr. old brother were killed in a boating accident.

As you can imagine, my mother was devastated, feeling as if her world had fallen apart. She was left as a young mother with a 9 year old daughter and a 6 month old baby to raise on her own. In less than a year she remarried and began a new life.

Bob was a creative man who painted beautiful pictures of forests and wildlife, especially owls. He played the guitar and had a soulful voice. I remember him singing “The Green, Green Grass of Home.”

Four years later tragedy hit again in my mom’s life. One stormy night Bob was out on his motorcycle. It was slippery, and Bob was hit by a car.

Bob lost his arm and almost lost a leg in that accident. My mom nursed him through the next 9 months and took care of him while he was in a full body cast for 9 MONTHS. Bob lost more than his arm in that accident- he lost his livelihood and his love of life. He received a large settlement from the accident and didn’t need to work. So Bob began spending his free time and his money wallowing in his pain every day at several bars in our small town. It was common for him to be there by early afternoon every day. He was a bitter, angry man and a mean drunk. My most vivid childhood memories are the fights my mom and stepfather would have after a late night of drinking.

With each passing year, the fighting kept getting worse and he began beating my mom. I can remember the fear I had and the feeling of helplessness. Friday nights were the worst because the drinking that had begun in the day always continued into the late night hours. I remember lying in my bed awake dreading the sound of a car in the driveway because I knew the fighting would begin soon after that.

My mom survived that night and many more beatings, cuts, bruises, and a broken jaw. It wasn’t until Bob molested me that my left him. Because she wanted to protect me, she and Bob divorced immediately. There was no visitation allowed. All ties to Bob were cut completely.

But, through all of this, she has never turned from God and given up on Him. I have never heard her accuse God of not answering her prayers. She has kept the creed that everything happens for a reason and we need to trust in God’s plan. She surrendered her life to the Lord and taught me as a young child to completely put my trust in God. All through her life, she went to God in prayer. Again, it is important to remember that God’s ways are not our ways and that His timing is not our timing.

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”

Our trials should never surprise us. We live in a fallen world. Because of sin, because of the presence of evil, life will never be perfect. It’s not that Peter is saying rejoice about this bad thing that is happening to you. No, he is saying rejoice, praise God, worship the Lord during this trial.

My mom instilled in me the belief that “everything happens for a reason.” Many times WE don’t know why, but we have to trust God, and know that HE knows why.” She repeated that saying constantly through my life and she has truly lived her whole life believing it with her heart.

Has she ever cried out in pain and grief, wondering “why?”

I’m sure she has.

Has her faith ever been shaken?

I’m sure it has.

But, it has been this belief and trust in a GOOD God who is faithful that has gotten her through these painful trials. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” It doesn’t say in all good things, in only pleasant things, or in happy times, but in “ALL things, God works for the good.” And, again, it may not be the “good” that we would choose, but how God chooses.

So many times we pray that we “want to be like Jesus.” What did Jesus come to earth to do? He came to suffer, to die to His flesh, to sacrifice Himself. When we “offer our bodies as living sacrifices,” when we are obedient to God, and when we rejoice in the midst of trials, we are becoming more like Jesus.

Please visit Beth for more Miracle Monday!

In Other Words

Denise, from Shortybear's Place is hosting IOW this week. Boy, she has chosen a wonderful quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. I have been pondering this for a few days. Wow! There are so many directions I would like to go with this....it has sparked many ideas.

"Take the first step in faith."

Faith is about NOT seeing...but believing anyway. Trusting that the staircase is there. Believing.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
"-Hebrews 11:1

This is the essense of faith.

I also thought of this quote in terms of my faith journey. I can't see the whole stairway of ME. Yet, I need to continue to take each step. "He that began a good work in me will bring it to conclusion." Philippians 1:6. God isn't finished with me. He is refining my faith. He can see the whole staircase, the "finished me," but I can only see the steps I have taken. I need to take each step in faith.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

And, God knows the plans He has for me....He knows the stairway of my life. I can't see the "end"- how everything will turn out. I don't know what is up the road ahead....I can't see the whole staircase. I just need to keep my eyes on Jesus, taking each step in faith.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

I hope you take a few moments to ponder this quote...then visit Denise to read more....

Trust In Him!

We had an AWESOME time at Walt Disney World! (Check in tomorrow for Wordless Wednesday for all of the pics!)

The first night of the trip, however, I wasn't sure how it would be.

We ate a late buffet dinner with the characters Pooh, Piglet, and Tigger. We had a great time. The kids were having a ball being silly, reveling in Disney "magic". Andrew, 12, thought the oysters were especially funny and filled his plate with them. He was being silly, taking the oyster "meat" out of the shell, squishing it, putting it in Mom's face.....I kept telling him not to eat or touch it! I warned that he could get sick and repeatedly told him to put it down! (The one thing I forgot to tell him was to wash his hands- you know where I am going with this, don't you?) When he opened the last oyster, yellow gook exploded all over his plate. This was the last gross straw!

We didn't think much about the oyster- we watched "Wishes" an incredible fireworks presentation, shopped a little on Mainstreet, took our bus back to the resort and settled in for the night....until 3 A.M.

Andrew was deathly sick! He didn't even make it to the bathroom. He was sharing a room with Brian and I and the little kids were in the adjoining room. I sent Brian into the other room to sleep and "Mommy mode" kicked in as I got up with a sick Andrew about every 45 minutes. He was so sick! I had to call housekeeping to help clean up.

I was so worried- frantic! First, Andrew was violently throwing up every hour and I wondered if I should take him to the hospital. And, secondly, the thoughts of ruined vacation went through my mind as I pictured Ashley, Aly, Aaron, and Abigail all coming down with this virus. It was a restless night as I prayed for him, drifted off to sleep, awakened to him getting sick, prayed for him, drifted off to sleep....

I continued to talk to God through the night. I prayed that it wasn't a virus that would go through our whole family. I prayed that Andrew would be healed.

And, sometime during that long night, I released the situation to God, completely trusting Him. As I talked/prayed to Him, I reasoned that God had blessed us with this wonderful vacation and it was in His hands. I thought that God knows what is best for us and that He works all things together for our good. I knew that God was in control. And, even if (worst case scenario in my mind) we all spent the rest of the vacation puking, His plan was perfect and good. I kept telling God all through the night, "I trust You, God. I trust You."

I felt such PEACE!

Well, the next morning Andrew rested while the rest of the kids played on the white sand strips of beach outside our room (I think the beach was their favorite part of the vacation! It wasn't a swimming beach....a pretty beach with hammocks for relaxing next to the lake.) A wonderful waiter we met the day before asked Brian where Andrew and I were when Brian took the kids to breakfast. When he heard what happened, he sent up chamomile tea to help settle Andrew's stomach. (No coincidences!) By afternoon, Andrew felt fine and we were off to the parks!

Isn't it funny that this was the WFW post I made before the trip?

Rise up! Now is the time!

Mamas, Mothers, Grandmothers....

Now is the time to rise up...awaken! God has placed us here in THIS time, at THIS place, in this generation "for such a time as this." He wants to do great things in us and through us!

We need to nurture the next generation of daughters!

We need to show them that life is more than shopping malls, American Idol, and soccer! God has called us to be Light and Salt. There is a hurting world starving for the affection of God, for the Truth, for the healing of our Savior .

He has called us to be on our knees crying out to Him on behalf of this fallen world. He has called us to reach out, beyond ourselves, outside of our comfort zones...to be the hands and the feet of Jesus.

The theme of the JM convention was being a relentless woman- pursuing God with everything we have, everything we are.

I want to be that woman.

Praise You, Jesus!

Do you worry? I am at LWG today!

Do you worry? Please click here to visit me at Laced With Grace!

I'm at the Cafe

We are intrigued by fear, aren’t we? We tune into TV shows like “Fear Factor,” ride the most thrilling roller coasters, and watch scary movies. We cheer the prospect of being victorious in overcoming our fears.

But real life fears can be different, seizing us and consuming our lives. I have a friend who confessed that she is gripped by fear, afraid of making mistakes as a mom and things happening to her children. Although she didn’t like the feelings of fear, it was apparent that she had come to a place of “living in it.” And, as she shared these feelings with a group of women, they drew the conclusion that fear is just a “normal” part of life and something we just have to live with.

Or is it?

What if……

Please visit the Cafe to finish reading this devotion!

Amazing Grace....I'm over at Laced With Grace

“Amazing Grace”

You know the words.

“I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see.”

What we don’t always realize as Believers, though, is that Grace is so much more than (just) being forgiven of sin. Grace is the power to be the women God has created us to be! Grace empowers us. God wants our hearts to be strengthened by Grace, as it says in Hebrews.

The Lord does not want us to be in bondage to failure. He does not want us to live defeated lives. He does not want us to believe and succumb to the lies of the enemy. He wants us to be free and full of joy....

Please click here to read the rest of this devotion at Laced With Grace!