Praying For Rain

"then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit."  Leviticus 26:4

Last week we went on our annual family camping vacation, (which is why I wasn't posting) and had a wonderful, wonderful week.  God really smiled on us all week long.  The weather was perfect, the bugs were  non-existent, and the night-time hours brought the sweetest, most restful sleep.  I can't tell you how wonderful it was to spend the week not worrying about rain, and keeping everything dry.  And yet, there was a part of me, all week long, who was continuing to pray for rain, because it has been so dry.  Well, the last night of our trip we got to experience that bit of rain.  While it wasn't fun dealing with the aftermath of everything being wet, the torrential downpour that completely soaked us was actually kind of fun to experience.  It made me think that all the dry earth around us would rejoice so much to experience such a soaking.

We're teetering on the brink with a widespread drought this year.  If the paper I was reading yesterday was correct, much of our region is in that make-or-break spot, where we need a good soaking soon, or the crops will be headed to the point of no return.  Our immediate area experienced some of this rain in the last 24 hours, but we sure still need more.  This morning as I look out the window, some of the lawns have thankfully lost their crispy edges, but there is definitely still plenty of brown there. 

I'll tell you though, I am having kind of a difficult time with praying for rain right now.   Andy took a week off of work for our vacation, and he doesn't get compensated for it.  We can't really afford a week without pay right now, but we felt he really needed the time away anyway.  His job relies on it not raining, so he can be working outside.  Even on the weekends, he has some tree work coming up and he needs it to not rain so he can do the tree work and make up for the missed income, plus bring in extra to take care of some immediate needs for our vehicles.

So how do I pray for rain?  God's timing is absolute perfection.  He knows the perfect times to let the rains loose.  And more than that, he knows where.  Right now, as I type this, another round of rain is passing through.  It makes me smile and grin, and think about how much God knows and loves us, because where Andy is working today is well south of this band of showers.  So he can put in his full day of work while our ground gets another soaking. 

And so this morning I hope you will join me in praying for rain.  Our country sure needs it, we're hovering on the brink of another dust bowl, but if we seek the Lord and ask for His intervention, perhaps we can help make a difference.  Because if you look at the verse posted up above- that right there is another one of God's promises.  He promises to send the rains in the right seasons- and the season is NOW. But more than that, once the rains come, the land will yield its produce, and the trees their fruit.  We will NOT experience another dust bowl on our watch.

May God bless this nation with a pouring of rain.  May he quench the parched lands with the healing rains of heaven, and may the coming harvest be so abundant, that the people will be amazed and will know that only God above could have provided the abundance before them.  May God heal our land, and bless the people across the nation.

The Excitment and Anticipation

"And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. ³ You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. ⁴ And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. ⁵ It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”  Joshua 6:2-5


This is always one of those stories in the Bible that gets my blood pumping, because I love seeing God give direction, and the people obeying.  I love seeing the faith acted out before me as I read the tale over and over. Yesterday as I was driving around running errands, God dropped Jericho into my head, and I couldn't stop thinking about it.  And it was because of something that I'd never thought of before.  


The Israelites had received their directions from God.  They knew what they had to do- and it was a lot of work on their part.  It couldn't have been easy to march around that city six days in a row.  And yet they continued to do it day after day.  But then do you know what happened?  Suddenly that sixth day was at it's end.  Suddenly they were at the day before the most awesome thing was going to happen.


Think about that.  The anticipation and excitement had to have been overwhelming.  They had completed the march of the sixth day, and were waiting for it to be seventh day.  They knew God was going to do something awesome on the seventh day.  That time of waiting for it to actually BE the seventh day had to have been excruciating. 


Can you imagine?  I really can't.  Yet, yesterday when I was driving in the blazing heat, I couldn't help but feel like we're on the verge of something... we're on the verge of God doing something so spectacular and so wonderful, and I can hardly stand the anticipation that is building inside of me.  


Also yesterday, a friend shared a screen capture of a map of the United States.  It actually was a very pretty map that showed the heat across the country- and the entire country looked like it was on fire in the picture.  I couldn't help but think that maybe this was a sign in the natural of what's going on in the supernatural.  A sign that our country is preparing to get back to its roots and burn for God.  Wouldn't that be awesome!


Anyway, the anticipation is great.  It's exciting, and it's building with every moment.  I don't know what it would have been like to be one of those Israelites.  Did they stay awake all night because they were too excited to sleep?  Were they so exhausted from marching for six days straight that they actually slept deeply in preparation for the last grueling day?  We do know that they rose early, and I suspect it was because they simply couldn't sleep anymore- the anticipation was so overwhelming.


 ^"But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only they marched around the city seven times. ¹⁶ And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city!"  Joshua 6:15-16 

And there we see again, how it wasn't just a silent act of marching around the city.  After they'd completed their march, Joshua instructed the people to open up their mouths and shout.  They had to release a sound into the atmosphere.  It wasn't until after the people shouted that the walls came crashing down.  Had they all stayed silent, those walls would still be standing today.  But they used their voices to change the atmosphere- they acted, they had to DO something physically.  And then, God rewarded them for their faith and their diligence.

 " So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city."  Joshua 6:20

The walls fell down flat. 

What walls are you facing today? Can you feel the anticipation stirring in your spirit?  God is up to something, and perhaps He is just waiting for His children to open up their mouths and give a great shout.  Perhaps the time is upon us to face our walls (our situations) and have faith that God will remove them from us completely.

The anticipation is completely overwhelming me.

Speak To Your Situation

"But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm." Matthew 8:26

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a fairly quiet person.  I don't usually purposely seek out conversations and interactions with people.  I like listening, especially.  It's hard to really listen to someone when your mouth is full of chatter all the time.  But God's been working on me and my quietness.  There is certainly a place for quietness and stillness, but God's basically been showing me all kinds of instances in scripture where the voice was used in a situation.  The example I posted above is a perfect one, and it fits very much with today's dangerous hot weather.  Let's see what was happening prior to this verse.


 ^"Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. ²⁴ And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. ²⁵ Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” " Matthew 8:23-25


A great storm had come up- such a strong storm that their boat was covered with waves.  Jesus' disciples were all fishermen- they were used to rough seas and storms that would come up.  That's simply a part of the way of life for a fisherman, so when we read these verses, the fact that they were literally fearful for their lives says a great deal about the seriousness of this storm.  They specifically said that they were perishing- they were in danger of losing their lives, so we know this storm was really awful.  Yet, Jesus slept on through it until they came to wake him.  When he was awoken, Jesus chided them for being fearful and showed them one of the secrets of being a child of God.  Jesus SPOKE into the winds and the storm calmed.   We can read the same account in the book of Mark:


"And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. ³⁸ But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
³⁹ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm."  Mark 4:37-39

In both instances, Jesus arose and rebuked the wind with his voice.  He didn't stay quiet and just think the words to calm the storm.  He physically opened his mouth and sound came out in the form of words.

A few months ago I had an awful, awful dream.  I had a dream that I had new infant nephews, but they were dying.  They were dying in our arms, and in my head I knew that I knew that what they needed was prayer.  They needed me to open my mouth and speak healing words to their body in the name of Jesus, but I was distracted.  Every time I would think about opening my mouth to pray out loud over them, something would come up and the words never came out.  It was horrible, and I woke from that dream with a sense of grieving for the loss of these precious babies.  At first I was really worried that this was a dream that spoke of future events, but the more I mulled on it, the more I realized that God knows what speaks the most to me.  He knows just how much my nieces and nephews mean to me, and He used that idea to convey a message to me about the importance of learning to speak the Word to my situations around me.

The message was certainly received.  If I don't at least try to open my mouth and give voice to the words rolling around in my head in minor situations, what will happen when the major situations come up?  If I am too fearful to speak to my garden and bless my plants and encourage them to be fruitful and multiply (for fear the neighbors might hear me and think I'm loony), how am I going to be able to speak life into that person who was just hit by a car in front of me?   If I am too fearful to "practice" by going outside and speaking to that thunderstorm to dissipate, how am I going to know what to do when there is an actual tornado bearing down on us?


The thing is, Jesus actually took the time to tell us how to do this! The Lord's Prayer is the perfect model for how we should pray for our situations.  Here are the first few verses, which we all know:


"Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
¹⁰ Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven."  Matthew 6:9-10


The first thing we do when we pray is we praise God.  He loves to hear the praises of his children, and I kind of think it gets his attention real good.  Like when my daughter tells me that she really likes the dinner I've prepared, it gets my attention, it makes me happy to hear such praise from my child.  The Father is the same way.  But then look at that next verse, that is the key.  God's Kingdom is come, His will be done, on earth as it IS in heaven.  Think about that!  Are there tornadoes and tidal waves and earthquakes in heaven?  Are there diseases in heaven?  Are there cancers and heart attacks and arthritis in heaven?  Of course not!  Heaven is a perfect place, and part of this praying business is to align heaven and earth.  To cause that which is in heaven to be the reality here on earth. 


"Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  Matthew 18:18


All of these verse together bring forth a very lovely idea.  That we can use our voices to spread God's Will here on earth.  It's certainly not His Will for man that we perish in harsh weather events or suffer disease that the devil has spread about the earth.   But it doesn't do us any good if we're too afraid to open our mouths and release what Jesus is teaching us. 


The awesome thing is that there is always going to be another opportunity to put this into action. Always.  I have heard countless testimonies from evangelists and preachers about when they first started to pray for infirmities.  One in particular decided that he really wanted to see God heal deafness, so he started praying for every deaf person he could find.  He literally prayed for hundreds and hundreds of deaf ears to open, persevering and believing that it was God's Will for the deaf to hear.  And then one day it happened, his perseverance and faith was rewarded with the healing of a deaf ear.  He could have given up after the 200th person or so, but he didn't, he kept on, certain that there was no deafness in heaven, and as such, there should be no deafness here on earth.   He also didn't just simply think his prayers for the ears to open.  He spoke to them, commanding them to be healed in Jesus' name.  


There are times and places for "thought prayers".  I really think God understands when we're in a situation where we think our prayers, and he listens to those too.  But it's the spoken word that literally affects the atmosphere around us.  It's the spoken word that Jesus used to rebuke the storm and calm the seas.


It's time to put this into practice.  I don't know where you live or what the weather is like where you are, but for the next two days we are actually under a dangerous heat warning.  It's extremely hot and dangerous outside, and it's been intensely hot for the entire week.  We had such a low-key 4th of July this year because it was too hot to even go out to the garden for a few minutes.  I, for one, have had enough of this heat, and it worries me to hear about people who don't have air conditioning.  It worries me a little to think about my husband outside working in this heat all day long- and all the many people like him who still have to go to work and can't sit at home in the comfort of the cooler air. I happen to believe that whatever the weather is like in heaven (is there even what we consider weather in heaven?) that it never poses a danger to everyone who lives there.  And I believe this excessive heat is dangerous and not of heaven.  So when I head outside in a few minutes, I'm going to put my faith into practice and rebuke the heat.  


Jesus did it!  He may have rebuked a storm instead of a heat wave, but by golly, it's time for us to start realizing that we are citizens of heaven, and as citizens of heaven, we have the right to bring heaven to earth.  Today I'd like to do my part.

Happy Independence Day

"if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."  2 Chronicles 7:14

It's a great day for the United States of America today.  Today is the day we celebrate our nation's birthday and reflect on how she began all those years ago.  The study of history is absolutely fascinating, and when I think about how God moved things all around the globe to bring this country to it's beginning, I get chills.  I love reading accounts of history and seeing how God made things work out.  I've been watching a TV series, and reading books that talk about the reign of Henry VIII in England.  I've long been fascinated by that period in history, but it's so incredible to look back and see how God took one man and used it to completely change the course of the church in England.  And furthermore, it was the actions and rulings of Henry VIII that drove the pilgrims to decide to seek religious freedom in a new nation across the ocean.  Had Henry VIII been a docile and inactive king, we would be looking at a completely different history of our country.

I posted the verse above as reminder this morning, as we celebrate our country, we should remember to always be praying for her as well.  You know, I used to read the verse above and while it was a call to prayer for me, it also made me wish that more Americans were Christians- that they were praying people and talked to God.  But someone recently pointed out to me that this verse is not specifically talking to the people of a nation.  It's talking to God's people.  He specifically says "My People", so the people who already are Christian, who spend time with Him.  That's who God is calling to prayer. 

This verse is a promise! 

If God's people here in America will take the time to pray and seek our Father in Heaven, He WILL hear them and will heal our land.  That is so huge right now.  Our physical land is in a tailspin right now.  We have massive widespread drought, we have torrential downpours and storms in other places.  Half the country is under massive heat warnings, while other parts of the country are shivering in their sweaters and running the heat in July.  Wildfires out West are ravaging the country, and are not confined to the forests anymore- in the last week hundreds of residents of Colorado Springs lost their homes and neighborhoods to a wildfire.

If the people will pray, God will hear, and He will fix what is going on in our atmosphere.  And I can't help but mention that what's going on in the atmosphere is a reflection of what is going on with our government.  Too many extremes with no relief in sight. 

If the people will pray, God will hear.  Won't you take a minute today, while you are celebrating and rejoicing in living in a free land, to take the time to pray for this free land.  I know I will.

As Children

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:" John 1:12


I would do absolutely anything for my children.  Anything.  When we first discovered we were going to be parents, our initial plan was that Andy would stay home with the kids while I made a nice income for the family.  This was entirely possible, as I was working my way quickly up the ladder at my place of employment.  But the longer I baked that baby, the longer I wanted to be the one to stay home with my child.  And as time passed, our thinking shifted, and it was determined that we would live off of what Andy could provide.  


Those first few years were such a time of testing, and in fact, we still are tested to this day.  I've been at home for 12 years now, and it really has been a sacrifice for us to have me at home with the kids.  It would have been very easy for me to put the kids in day cares and go to work to help pay the bills.  We'd probably be homeowners and have all the material possessions we could want.  Instead, we're living paycheck to paycheck, and not even that sometimes.  But you know what?  Every sacrifice has been completely worth it to get to raise our children ourselves.  And then to take it a step further and educate them ourselves as well?  As I'm watching them grow and unfold into the people God wants them to be, I know that every hardship we endure, every sacrifice on our part has been worth it.


This week we are learning the ropes of our new dance schedule- and if that isn't a sacrifice, I don't know what is!  The hours I spend at the dance school with the kids literally equates to the time put into a part-time job, only I'm paying them instead of getting paid.  But you know, it's worth it.  The hard work and effort the kids put into dance, and they joy they experience from it is worth the sacrifice- it's worth the sacrifice of my time to have them there, and it's worth the financial sacrifice.  We'd much rather pay for another year of dance instead of planning family vacations.  Our children are worth every penny and every second.


So how much more are we worth to out Heavenly Father?  When I think of my children, and the sacrifices, and how much my heart takes joy in being able to do what we do for them, how much more does God delight in us as His children?  I was so worth it to God, that He sent Jesus to pay a huge price so that I could know my Father in Heaven, and that I could spend eternity with Him.  Think about that.  God looked into the future, and He saw you being born.  He saw you coming into this world, and His heart leaped with joy at the possibility of spending eternity with YOU.  But Adam and Eve messed things up a bit, so God crafted a plan to send Jesus to fix what Adam had broken.  Jesus came, and He sacrificed more than we could ever know, because He loved you more than anything.  Because He loved me more than anything.  Because He loved your neighbor more than anything.


Wow. God poured His heart and His breath out when He created mankind, and He loves each and every one of his children.  Even the naughty ones.  *Smile*


Think about that.  Think about your own children- or your future children.  Children can indeed by naughty from time to time, breaking rules or misbehaving, and yet, no matter how awful the offense, we always, always love them with all our heart.  My children will always be my children, and I will always love them to the fullest- no matter what their transgressions may be.  


How much more does the Father love His Children?


I believe that one of the reasons God gives us children is so that we get an opportunity to try to experience the great love He has for us.  I don't think our love actually comes close, but it gives us a glimpse, it gives us something to refer to when we talk about the Father's Love. 


It's an amazing thing.  You are His precious child, and no matter how you may have stumbled or fallen, He is always right there with arms wide open waiting to spend time with you.  


I could ponder this all day everyday, and every moment I am still amazed.  So today I choose to delight in my Heavenly Father.  I choose to be embraced by my Father and let Him share something special with me today.  My eyes and ears are open and ready to see what He has for me today.  It's a new day, the sun is shining, and He has something He wants to share just with me today.  And He has something He wants to share just with you today.  Will you open up and let Him do that today?  I would pray that you would do just that. 

Keys

"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,"  Ephesians 2:6

 "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God."  Colossians 3:1


So yesterday I talked about how it's simply not sinful to ask God for blessings and promises, and I realized later in the day that maybe that post didn't go quite far enough.  I don't want anyone to think that life and seeking God is all about our Heavenly Father being a giant gumball machine or a giant slot machine, where you ask for what you want and then wait for Him to spit it out.  God's definitely not like that.  And I also wasn't talking about asking God for...well, material posessions, though there are places for that, and the Bible does say that God wants to give us the desires of our hearts.


"Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart."  Psalm 47:4


But here's the thing.  The more we spend time with God, the more we spend time seeking His face and His goodness, the more the desires of our heart shift into being the desires of God's heart for us.  It just happens.   I have long had a desire in my heart to live out in the country, to have the ability to homestead and try to do as much as we can on our own.  God knows me, He knows my heart, and yet a few years ago when it was time to relocate, God didn't take us to a country property where we could do whatever we want.  He brought us smack dab into a city that needs Him.  He put us right in the heart of a neighborhood that needs Jesus.  This past winter when we were having troubles meeting our rent obligations, I wondered if maybe we were done here already.  And then I instantly thought of all our neighbors and thought that we haven't had enough time yet to make that eternal impact.  God put us here for a reason, and my heart's desire is not for the homesteading property in the country- it's a hearts desire to stay right where God planted us until we have accomplished His goals for this neighborhood.


That change of heart comes from spending time with Him.  When I look at the verse above from Ephesians, it blows my mind to really read it and digest it.  Because according to that verse, when I committed to serving Christ with all my heart, I was raised up to sit with Jesus.  And then we go further and look at this verse from Colossians.   So there we are, saved and raised with Christ, so our focus should be where we are- on the things above.  Our focus should be on the heart of the Father and what He would have for us.  It's absolutely amazing to think of that.  


The heart of the Father is for us, His sons and daughters, to realize that all His promises in the Bible really are for us.  The "things" that I spoke of yesterday.  God isn't a giant slot machine, where we put our time in and out pops something that we want.  God is about relationship.  When we spend time with Him- by digging into our Bibles, by praying, by spending that quiet time- we draw closer to Him.  We get to know Him better, and then we give Him opportunity to take that closeness further.  And it is then that we see the desires of our heart realized.  Because the desires of our heart become His desires for our heart.  


It's all about relationship.  I'm not going to sit here for days and hours and pray for God to send me a camper, or a boat, or a million dollars.  Would those things be nice?  Sure thing! And while I am certainly believing that God always knows what bills need to be paid and the provision will be there for that very thing, I want what God wants for us.  Maybe someday He will bless us with a million dollars.  We've certainly made enough dreams and plans for the future that those funds could go far in realizing.   But you know, if those dreams and ideas never come to fruition in this lifetime, that's perfectly okay, because I have something better.  I have a relationship with my Heavenly Father, who sees me sitting right there next to my brother Jesus, and has also given me a wonderful relationship with the Holy Spirit, who will help keep me out of trouble and keep me on the right path.


And I want what God wants. 

The Father's Pleasure

 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom."  Luke 12:32


There are those in the church today who would argue that seeking God and asking him for things is sinful.  They say that we should want nothing, that we should allow our Heavenly Father to give us only what He desires to give us, not what we want.

To those I would suggest thinking on a small child.  Think of a little four-year old girl walking the aisles of a toy store.  She sees so many wonderful toys, in a dizzying array of colors and styles.  Toy after toy- all designed to entice her to want to play with them.  Her eyes alight on the most beautiful little doll- cherub-like, with beautiful blue eyes and golden curls.  The little girl's breath catches as she takes in this wonderful doll, and she realizes that more than anything, she'd like to take this baby doll home with her and care for it, play with it, and make it her new best friend.  She turns to look at her mom who is following behind her.  With eyes as large as saucers she looks up and quietly asks if they could purchase this doll.


Instead of looking at her daughter with love and saying yes, Mom quickly fills with anger.  She grabs her daughter by the arm and tells her that she is shameful.  How dare she be sinful and desire this baby doll.  How dare she ask to buy this doll- she should have known better and simply looked upon these toys with no desire in her heart.  Mom angrily removes the daughter from the toy store, muttering about repentance and correcting such bad behavior.

Sounds a little crazy doesn't it? But isn't that exactly what these people are saying about desiring the good things from God?  Our God is an amazing Father who desires all good things for His children- and I believe he delights when we ask for them.  Just think on that little girl again.  As a mom, I've been there many times before.  I've been in the toy store with my children when they find that one special toy and ask gently if it might be possible.  I never got angry or upset, in fact, my heart would fill with joy for them as I told them yes, and watched with delight as they picked up this toy and carried it around the store with beaming faces.


God wants us to desire His gifts and His goodness.  And He has so many of them!  The Bible is chock-full and packed with gifts and secrets that are there only for the asking.  


I don't go to the store and buy an amazing assortment of fresh fruit, only to put them in a bowl for display.  And when my children crowd around the bowl, eyes and mouths watering for the sweet goodness in front of them, I don't tell them no.  I don't say "Look only, that fruit is on display and not for you."

 "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!"  Psalm 34:8


God's fruit is for us, and readily available at any time even.  We don't have to wait for Him to go to the store to purchase them because the purchasing has already been done.  Jesus purchased all that God has for us when He died on the cross in our place.  Every promise in the Bible was purchased Just. For. Us. And it's just waiting out there for us to want to reach out and grab it.  


God's promises are for us, for today!  Like this beautiful promise hidden in Isaiah, that we shall never know hunger.


"They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them."  Isaiah 49:10

It is not sinful to desire the fulfillment of God's promises in our life.  That's what God has been waiting for- He's been waiting for His sons and daughters to wake up to the realities that He's already spoken into being.  He's been waiting for His children to realize that the price for these promises has been met in full, and that they are simply waiting to be realized.

God's Word IS for today.  It's for you, it's for me, and it's for every single person who has recognized Jesus as their Redeemer.  It is God's good pleasure to give to us what He desires to give to us, and if gives Him even greater pleasure to see His children desiring His gifts. 

Freely Given

"But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."  Matthew 10:6-8

Well, well, well. It's been a while since I've been here, and gosh, how I've missed it.  So many times a fleeting thought would appear, and I would think that I need to blog that, and then the moment passes, time passes, and days would go by.  In the back of my mind, my neglected blog has been just hanging out, just patiently waiting for me to take finger to keyboard and bring it back to life.  But I almost felt like whatever I had to say would be fake.

What do I mean by that?  I guess I've always thought that this blog is a reflection of my thoughts on various scriptures and passages in the Bible.  But so often those thoughts have been inspired by others.  Inspired by preachers, my pastors, different books, authors, even the side notes in my Bible.  And it felt like I was just sharing other people's thoughts really.  Thoughts I'd maybe adopted as my own- but someone else's thoughts in general.  It's actually pretty easy to get inspired by those around you when you are open to it.

But this past weekend I attended a three day school that completely overwhelmed me, but at the same time, completely inspired me.  In fact, the speaker shared the verse above when talking about the school we were attending.  She wanted us to take everything we were learning and share it with anyone who would listen.  And something clicked.  I wasn't just taking other people's words and giving my own twist to it.  I was trying to share what God was teaching me through His Word and the world around me- because it was freely given to me.  When a pastor gets up and shares his heart on Sunday morning, he's not preaching and hoping that his congregation will keep all his words to themselves.  His desire is that they'll take that message and carry it to others.  

Freely I have recieved, and freely I should give.  

I guess that makes me a selfish little blogger, because I've been hoarding all these thoughts and words to myself over the last months.  I guess I was really caught up in a deception of the enemy, because not only was I keeping everything to myself, but I was telling myself that people out there who stumble on my blog don't really want to read about what I have to say anyway. That they all have their own little bubbles of life, and probably don't believe that the entire Bible is for us today- including all of the miraculous and supernatural.  And maybe there are some who don't.  But I believe.  I believe with all my heart that God's Word is 100% for today.  It was for yesterday, and it's for tomorrow, and I need to get back to chronicling my thoughts here on the blog.

Because this blog is a journal.  It's not about who pops in to read from time to time.  (Though I am very glad that YOU do!) It's about me and my spiritual journey, and what God is sharing with me daily.  It's something that I can go back and read through and feel encouraged by- because boy, does everyone need encouragement from time to time!

So I think this means I'm back.  I have no idea the frequency with which I'll be blogging here.  I'm going to shoot for daily, but right now we're on summer break and I have a little extra time.  I really just need to find a good time to get some blogging and thinking done, and with God's help, I'm sure I'll find it.  I am tired of listening to the lies of the devil, and I will not remain silent in my own little world.  I'm going to keep my fingers on the keyboard and keep plugging away and sharing all that He has to share with me.  Because He sure has things to share- each and every day.  I can't wait to start talking about some of it.  

Fixing The Focus

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;"  Colossians 3:12

I am so easily distracted these days.  I tell you, I put a load of laundry in the washer first thing in the morning, with the idea that if I can keep at it, I can have all the laundry in the house washed, folded and put away in no time.  Then a day passes, and the washer is still holding that first load. Sigh. I could certainly blame it on this beautiful, beautiful early spring that God is blessing us with.  Wow! The sunshine, the warmth, the new beginnings right before our eyes are such a balm for the weary soul after a rough winter.

But the fact remains that I've been too easily distracted as of late.  My resolve one minute is literally gone the very next as something else comes up and gets in the way.  I've been really distracted lately by trying to figure out why people think the way they think.  Many months ago I read online about how Christians were getting in a tizzy because other Christians think it's important to have Christian people in the political arena, in Hollywood, in our schools teaching, running businesses, and so on.  Christians were upset by this thought?  Why on earth would it be a terrible thing to have good Christian men and women in the White House?  Why on earth is it a terrible thing to desire Christian people in Hollywood to make wholesome family entertainment?  I honestly, and truly do not get it.  And yet in my thought life I keep coming back to these thoughts because they make so little sense to me.

Christians out there are accusing Christians of horrible things right now, and all I can think about when I think of that is that a house divided cannot stand.

"But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand."  Matthew 12:25

I cannot understand why Christians have decided to attack their brothers and sisters in Christ, accusing each other of awful things.  I've watched as Godly people get caught up in these arguments and debates, and in the end, no good comes out of it, because both sides are certain they are correct, and everyone walks away with an even bigger distaste in their mouth for the other people.  It's abhorrent, to tell the truth.  To attack one another over trivial bits of doctrine and theology.  Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your savior?  Yes. Then that's good enough for me.  Everything else is semantics.

The thing is though, that while our good Christian brothers and sisters are arguing and fighting each other until they're blue in the face (because neither side is budging) other things are happening around them.  Scary things, things that we don't read about in our local paper because they are done in secret.  Muslim brotherhoods are moving into the remote regions of our country to build their mosques and appear as a peace loving alternative to Christianity.  Jesus IS peace!  And yet we are not displaying peace in the least because we're so busy attacking one another and breaking our focus- which should be fixed solely on HIM. The devil is taking advantage of this.  He's exploiting this divisiveness in the church with relish.  He's wringing his hands with glee as he watches our fighting and then when we're not looking, sends something into our very neighborhood that we won't be able to anything about once we finally realize it's there.  

What happened to kindness and meekness?  What has happened to make normal, rational Christians into the rabid, unkind people they've become?  Why do they turn on one another with such hatred instead of embracing one another and appreciating what they DO have in common- the love of a God who would send His son to be our Savior. 

And so while I am so caught up in these thought processes, my focus is also broken.  While I stay far, far away from these tainted dialogues between various members of the church, it's something that's clearly in my thought processes.  Yet, there's nothing I can obviously do about something that's clearly becoming a worldwide problem for the church.  So I just think on it, and I get frustrated with people in general.  In the meantime, the kids and I have been studying some amazing cultures and people and I am simply aghast that us as Christians can be so caught up in these trivial petty matters while there are people around the world who are really and truly suffering.

I don't get it.  And I don't want to get it.  

What I want is to have these thoughts out of my head.  I want to stop focusing so much on what other people think and believe and simply think on thoughts that God has for ME.  That's what this broken focus is affecting.  I read something really awesome in my Bible, and instead of just being joyful that God shared that with me, my thoughts are ones of criticism- why don't other people see this?  I think it's high time that we as believers stop reading our Bibles and thinking that what God reveals to us is meant for everyone.  I truly believe that sometimes God will open our eyes to something in the Bible that He means for only us at that moment.  I will read a passage a hundred times, and it isn't until the 101st time that something new leaps off the page- some new revelation or understanding. That's perfectly normal!  And in fact, it can be scientifically proven that it's a normal occurrence.  

The brain processes thoughts in different ways in every stage of our lives.  So a verse that we read when we're eight years old has a completely different meaning that a verse we read as a teenager, as a young adult, or as an elderly woman who has lived her life fully.   There's a reason our Bible is called a Living Word- because it actually IS!

I would pray today that this season of broken focus would be put snugly in the past, to never return.  God has things to say to us, things to share with us, and He can't do it if we're not focused on Him.  He won't do it if we're not focused on Him.  I would pray that He would help not only myself, but my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to check our focus and hold it where it should be.  Smack dab in the center of His Will. 

Unexpected Benefits

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28

One of the things that we've been earnestly talking to God about over the past several months has been money.  Not so much prayers of asking FOR money, but prayers for wisdom in dealing with the money that comes into our household.  And then prayers for actually acting on that wisdom.  Every winter it seems we find ourselves, at one time or another, in a pickle about something with money.  Some winters it's minor and less important, some winters it's pretty major.  This winter has been absolutely horrendous, as we were caught off guard with such an early lay-off.  We weren't prepared in the least, and other issues came to light, and it's been a very, very long four months. 

Andy is finally back to work, and as the income begins to flow again, I have been praying daily that God would help us to stretch what is coming.  It would be so, so easy to take these first few paychecks, pay some on the many back-bills, but then fritter much of it away.  How easy would it be to take the family out for dinner, or go on a small spending spree, buying a few clothing items that we've been needing or splurging on higher priced grocery items.  The fact is though, that for a while anyway, every penny that comes in is going to be required to go elsewhere.  Our livelihood depends on it- if bills are not paid, bad things happen. 

I know that God's got our backs on this.  We've got the knowledge on how to get through the next few months of catching up, but what we need is the application of that knowledge.  And that's what I've been praying on an awful lot.  I've been asking the Holy Spirit to get ready to stop us from doing anything dumb.  I think He's at the ready, and we'll get through these next few months, and all will be well.

But what I wanted to talk about today is really some of the benefits we've discovered during these four months of lay-off time, because it goes along with wisdom and finances.  There have been unintended consequences of being broker than broke for a few months.  We've learned to do without A LOT of things, and many of those, we'll not go back to.  One such example is that Andy has re-discovered car maintenance and repair abilities.  Once upon a time, we couldn't afford a mechanic to take care of our vehicles, and Andy did the majority of it himself. Well, as time went on and his income increased, the mechanic became more involved in our lives.  Every oil change went to the mechanic.  Every stray sound went to the mechanic.  Andy literally forgot that he knew how to do this stuff himself.  Well, guess what he's rediscovered?  He does know about cars.  He can do an oil change himself, easily and way cheaper than any mechanic could do.  He can do the research and replace parts in the vehicles as well.  Had we not been to a point where this stuff HAD to be done, when we had no money to do so, I doubt he would have rediscovered that he even could. 

Naturally, I always discover benefits in the kitchen when Andy is laid off.  We get cravings for various dishes, and I learn how to make them cheaply and deliciously.   When he's not working, one of my number one items that I make consistently is homemade bread.  But last week I ran out of time on a day that I needed a loaf of bread to go with a soup supper.  On the way to dance we stopped at a pricey bread shop and picked up a loaf of their bread.  It was good, don't get me wrong.  But every single one of us thought about how much better my bread tasted.  My homemade bread, that I've perfected and can prepare with my eyes closed was so much better than this expensive artisan loaf from the bread shop.

Through this time of lay-off, God has been showing us little ways that we can save money all year round, not just when Andy is laid off and not working.  This is huge, because I've really been feeling a need to do more to feed the hungry.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, this can be difficult to do, because you need money to feed the hungry.  Well, by changing our own oil in vehicles, Andy is probably saving about $300 a year.  Not much in the grand scheme of things, but in other countries, that $300 can go far.  We can feed an entire orphanage in Kenya for a couple of weeks with that money.   By making my own bread instead of buying it, I am easily saving hundreds of dollars a year, more than enough to sponsor a child living in the slums of India, or living in a tent city in Haiti.

Too many years, Andy goes back to work and we go right back to normal.  The cars go in for maintenance, the grocery trips adjust.  Not this time.  I believe that God has been showing us where to adjust for reasons beyond saving money.  He's showing us where we can trim so that we can begin giving more in the areas that are on our hearts.

And the examples of car maintenance and baking bread are only a small part of the things that God has been showing us.  They're just two of the things that immediately spring to mind when I think of what He's been teaching us.  They're also reminders- that God will use anything and everything for HIS good. 

Blessed Are The Hungry

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    For they shall be filled."  Matthew 5:6


 ^"for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
⁴⁴ “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ ⁴⁵ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’" Matthew 25:42-45

It's been a while, my friends! I have to admit, February was a very, long hard month for me.  And yet, time was certainly fleeting!  Every time I even thought about sitting down and blogging, something clamored for my attention.  Hopefully I can work on getting back on track here, because I have so much to tell about, so much to share, and so many things on my mind.  Today I wanted to talk about something that seems to be everywhere I look these days.  Hunger.

And I literally mean everywhere! Abigail and I have been studying the life of Mother Theresa, and her compassion and care for those in poverty was beyond incredible.  In addition to that, Zander and I have begun studying the life of George Muller, who also served the less fortunate in a mighty way.  I've been posting in and discussing threads about food pantries and food banks on various forums as of late.  Last night's sermon at church dove a bit into the subject of hunger, and we even sang the song Hungry during worship, now that I think about it. Different TV shows I watch have called attention to world hunger, and even the fiction book that I'm currently reading has a whole storyline devoted to hunger.  It's on my mind. A lot.

Andy went back to work this week after a long lay-off period.  It is only by the grace of God that we've made it through, (more on that another day, I promise!), and yet, while our meals may not have always been spectacular, one thing I can absolutely say is that we have never been hungry.  Not like so many. 

At Christmas time there was an image floating around the internet that showed a starving African child on one side, and an angry Christmas shopping mob on the other side, and asked the viewer to define necessity.  It has stuck with me ever since I saw it, because my heart breaks SO MUCH for those who are hungry.  I know I've posted about this a dozen times before, but I just feel like it's an essential time to try and do something, anything.  I don't know what, but God must have it before me for a reason!

I've often had ideas about the ideal way to stock a food pantry or I've had ideas about teaching basic cooking to moms who truly don't know how.  Lately those ideas have shifted to the thought of sponsoring a child through Compassion International, or making donations to Heifer International.  The thing is, the ironic thing is, that all those things take finances.  Something we don't have!  Andy's back to work, yes, but it's going to be a few months before we even have anything that can be called extra income, as we have much catching up to do. So why on earth would God put these things before me that I can't do anything about?  

Maybe it's to try and help me find the faith that He will provide.  As I begin the planning and the planting for the garden, I have such grand plans this year.  Every year I think about how wonderful it would be to have extra and be able to share it with those who need it.  Maybe this will be the year that the abundance from the garden actually happens!  And, oh, I so want to be able to help those who need help!  I want to be able to give money to people when they say they are going to be working in orphanages.  I want to be able to sow into various organizations that actually feed the hungry.  I want to look into what it would take to make a big pot of chili or stew and take it to one of the homeless shelters in the area.  

I don't think that God places these desires on my heart for nothing.  So for now, what I choose to do is pray about it.  And maybe He'll show me ways to start small.  Maybe He'll show me something extra to put in my grocery cart that will really bless someone.  Maybe He'll show me a particular region or area in the world that I should pray for.   I have no idea.  But what I do know is that there are way too many people in this world suffering from hunger.  That should not be, and we as a church should begin to do something about it.  Government has tried to help.  Here in our own country there are programs that can help those who need it, such as the food stamp program.  But it's not enough, and since Jesus actually told the church to take care of the hungry, I believe it should be our job to do so, not the government's job.


Feed the hungry.  We can start small, maybe in our own backyard.  And we can pray.  It may not be much, but it's a start.


"For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness."  Psalm 107:9

 

Always Changing

"My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
I recite my composition concerning the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer."  Psalm 45:1


The kids read Psalm 45 aloud today at the beginning of our school day.  We read through the New Testament in 2011, and when January came along, we decided to start reading through the Psalms.  I love starting our school days with verses full of joy and praise.   This verse jumped out at me right off the bat this morning- the part about the heart overflowing is just so spot on.  My heart is overflowing, each and every day, and just when it seems like there's no more room in there, I am reminded of something else and my heart swells to near bursting.  God is just so wonderful.  


We've been very, very busy these past weeks.  January was such a calm and relaxing month for us, but February has been quite the whirlwind!  It seems like we've been moving from moment to moment with little time in between to catch our breath.  The blogging has suffered this month because of it, but be assured it's not because of a lack of things to say, thoughts to dwell on, or moments of joy that should be shared.  In fact, I've often crafted little short blog posts in my head, and have simply not found the time to sit and put words to keyboard.  


But last night as I sat at dance, as I do three evenings a week, I was thinking about how I really wanted to sit down and blog about something, and then the perfect verse popped up just a few moments ago, and I just had to do it.  The kids are off doing their reading assignments for the day, so hopefully I can accomplish something here while that is going on.  My routine at the dance studio has pretty much been the same ever since we started going there nearly six years ago.  While class is going on, I bring a book and sit and get my reading in while classes are going on.  I've loved doing that, because I honestly don't have as much time these days to just get absorbed in a book- but when I'm sitting there for a few hours while the kids dance I can get a whole lot of reading done.  It's wonderful.  But last night, as I sat there, simply holding my book, I reflected on how I haven't been getting as much reading done as of late.  On the one hand, that's kind of saddening to me, because I love to read!  But on the other hand, it shows to me exactly how God is stretching me and molding me.


Because the reason I'm not getting my reading done is not because I'm so focused on the kids dance classes, but because in the last few months I've actually set the books down and started chatting with those around me.  I know, I know, that seems like such a normal thing, but for me, well, I'm just a quiet person.  I'm not chatty- when talking, I like to just get right to the point and not waste words.  And yet, here I have been, chatting it up with the other parents around me so much more than I used to.  Oh, I've talked with people here and there in the past, I'm not completely void of social skills, but it's always been a few things here and there, and then I'd dive right back into whatever book I've got with me.  It's very interesting, and I'll tell you what totally struck me about the verse I posted up above today is the line that says "my tongue is the pen of the ready writer".  Because 95% of the time, in my conversations with people at the studio, I find myself in the role of the encourager.  Something is going on with their lives, their kids, something with dance, etc, that the person I'm speaking with is wrestling with or is concerned about, and I've been spending a lot of time encouraging those around me.


Sadly, I don't hear near enough about that.  I find most often that when people are complaining or voicing concerns, most often what is on the other end of the conversation is commiseration.  So many people out there are sad, concerned, depressed, and just feeling negative about various things in life.  By speaking words of encouragement to someone who needs it, I am using the pen that my tongue actually is and I am writing words of joy, encouragement and strength into their lives and minds.  I've literally seen the stress in another mom's eyes melt away as I've shared bits of encouragement here and there.  It's remarkable how simple words can make such a difference in another person's life.  And as Christians, I don't think we do near enough of it.  I think all too often we're too quick to want to engage someone in conversation for the express purpose of getting them saved that we get caught up in their issues ourselves and find ourselves commiserating or affirming the negative feelings instead of encouraging and exhorting.  


The Bible clearly tells us to exhort one another, to encourage one another, 


"Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing."  1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NASB)

Now, I realize that these particular verses, and many others in the Bible are speaking to us as a church- we're being given directions on how to behave towards one another as a body.  While I definitely agree that we need to be building each other up- how much more important for us to build up someone who maybe doesn't know Jesus as their personal savior?  Because I'll tell you exactly how this will play out.  As these people hear encouragement over and over from someone, over time they're going to start to get curious, and one day they're going to want to know how exactly it is that someone can be so positive all the time.  And that right there is the opening worth waiting for- the moment to introduce them to Jesus, the one who makes everything positive and wonderful.  That's where we get to share with them our faith in a God who takes care of all things, no matter how dire it may seem on the outside.

As Christians we're often referred to as clay- we talk about God being the Master Potter and molding us and shaping us until we're perfect. 
  
"Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:  “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel! "  Jeremiah 18:5,6

When I think about that I think that as the clay, we'll probably never really be finished being molded.  There's always something new that God would have us do.  It makes me wonder sometimes, what I might look like 20 years from now.  How different could I be then if God is working on me each and every day?

Seed To The Sower

 "Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,"  2 Corinthians 9:10

I wonder if sometimes we don't ask God for different things because we think it's too small.   We'll pray for Him to heal someone of cancer, but when we have a cold, we just let it run it's course, thinking it's just a cold.  We'll pray for the finances to pay a big bill, or several big bills, but we don't pray when there is a small something that we could need.  Or maybe we don't pray about a situation, because we just don't think it's something worthy enough for God to bother with.   I've been learning about that a bit this week, as I took a few small things before God, and asked Him about them.  I've been sidelined with a nasty viral infection this week, so while its been running its course, I've had more time than normal to just think and take my thoughts to God.

One of the small things I finally took to Him was my daughter's math for school.  See what I said above about trivial things?  She's such a smart girl when it comes to math, and I've been struggling with which direction to take her in math.  At the beginning of the school year I found a math program that was inexpensive, and she enjoyed doing, but it wasn't the one we both really wanted her to do- the one we wanted cost big bucks and just wasn't going to happen.  She finished that first book, so I ordered her a second one, and in the last few weeks wound down to the end of that book too.  So we were at a crossroads.  By all accounts, she was ready to begin tackling Pre-Algebra.  But, the main program I wanted was prohibitively expensive.  The inexpensive program would work, I thought, but I was concerned about it being thorough enough.  And then there was the issue of starting at the beginning of any Pre-Algebra program.  They all begin with a serious review- of all the things Abigail has been working hard on these last months.  She didn't need review, she needed to move ahead.

So I went to God with it.  I did.  As I looked at various programs, and tried to see if I could find a thorough, inexpensive program, I kinda gave up.  I went back and looked at the cost of the expensive one, and pretty much just laid it all on Him.  I asked Him to help us find the funds to be able to purchase this program or to help me find a great alternative.  Well, Monday night because I wasn't feeling well, Andy took the kids to dance while I sprawled out on the couch and watched random TV.  I had prepared for the rest of the school week and was thinking about Abigail's math.  After this week, I was tapped out, I had nothing else on hand that would work for her.  As I thought on that, a website literally dropped into my head- along with the idea to go check it out.  I know better about random ideas- they don't just come from nowhere, so I did what any sensible person would do and grabbed the laptop and looked it up.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts."  Isaiah 55:9


The website was the perfect solution!  Not only does it provide excellent and thorough instruction of Pre-Algebra subjects, as well as practice material, it is completely free.  There is absolutely no cost to us to use the materials on this website for Abigail's math studies.  It's such a remarkable answer to prayer!  What I was expecting was the money to come in to buy the program we wanted, but this website is even better, because we can skip any and all review, and just move on to completely new subjects.  And when she's completely all the pre-algebra, we'll move right on into algebra.  I'm so excited, and so thrilled to know that God even cares about what my daughter is learning in math.  He knows her so well, that He knew that she would thoroughly enjoy the lectures and the practice problems as well.  


The second answer to prayer this week is more related to being a sower and needing some seed, because that's exactly what I needed this week.  I've scratched my head this week trying to figure out where I can come up with just a few dollars to pick up a few things that I've been needing at church.  Some cleaning and hospitality supplies that I'm running low on and would like to have stocked up for a conference next week.  There's just been no extra money laying around, and I was thinking about different things I could maybe list online for sale even, I just couldn't think of where to get this extra little bit of money.  So I've spent time talking to God about it, and pointing out that I just need this little bit of money to help take care of His house, and to take care of our guests next week that come for the conference.  Pretty much though, I was asking for God to show me wisdom- show me where I could find a way to make up this little bit of money I needed.  


In this instance, God worked a little more directly than that, as last night someone pressed into my hands actual money.  Enough to purchase everything I need.  I am so excited about this! Last night I had a hard time falling asleep because I kept thinking about being a gardener, and I was thinking about how when I have seeds, I sow them into the ground expecting a harvest.  I don't hoard my seeds, and I don't take my seeds and do something with them other than plant them- wasting them.  I'm sure this thoughtful person knew that Andy has not been working, and thought they'd give me a little something to bless me.  Well, being a gardener, the absolute best thing I can do with this seed that has been given to me is sow it, and there's no better place to sow it than His House.  As soon as I saw that money, I knew exactly what I was going to do with it- there were no thoughts of treating myself to something new or nice. No thoughts of taking my family out for a movie (though that would be wicked fun) or other some fun adventure.  I just thought about how generous and special this anonymous person was, and felt like a gardener- that I needed to sow this seed properly.  God saw fit to put me on someone's heart so that they would give me seed.  I can't wait to sow it!


So what small thing have you not been asking God for? Because to God, there is no such thing as a small thing.  If it matters to you, it matters to him!  He's a good Father who loves His children and cares about what they care about.  I thought of that this morning during prayer time with the kids.  We've been praying heartily for their dance costumes to come in for their first competition next week.  It may seem like a silly thing to be praying, but it's very important to my kids- they're genuinely concerned about their costumes not coming in.  So of course we pray for these costumes to come in- I'm a good mom, and if my kids are concerned, I'm concerned.  I have no doubt that God will see to their concerns and will see that they have their costumes. God cares about what my kids care for. He loves them so much.  And He loves you so much too!  So go ahead and ask Him today.  He provides seed for the sower and bread for food- He can provide the smallest desire, but sometimes He just wants to hear you ask for it.  Go ahead, ask!

Pass It On

"She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard"   Proverbs 31:16


This morning I felt inspired to turn to the passage in the Bible about  my favorite woman.  Every single time I read about the Proverbs 31 woman, I take something away from it.  But today, as I read through it, and felt encouraged in my daily duties as a housewife and mom, I noticed that something was missing.  There was one particular task that was left out of her list of exceptional achievements.  What struck me that was missing was that it never mentioned how she taught anyone what she was doing.  It never mentions once that she taught her daughters the ways of managing a household.  It never mentions that when she's sewing garments for her family, that she's teaching others to do the same.  And when she considered the field above and bought it, it never says a word about her teaching others how to do the same.  I found this very interesting.


Because that's exactly what I've been thinking about for some time.  I've often thought about teaching other people various abilities that I could pass on, but that teaching never really goes any farther than my own kids.  I remember last spring, thinking about my gardening and future salsa-making, and thinking that I should offer to teach people how to make their own salsa.  Time really ran away from me last year, though. I was making batches of salsa in my sleep sometimes, just to get it done.  I've thought in the past about teaching cooking classes, about passing on how to make simple meals homemade and from scratch.   Most recently, just this week I've been thinking a lot on the coming gardening season.  I'm in the planning stages for my gardens this year, and I thought about how it would be wonderful to pass on the love of gardening and get others to try their hand at planting a few seeds.  I wondered how I would go about doing such a thing, but then I've also wondered if I really know enough about gardening to help someone else get going.  I still have plenty of failures in that regard.


But you know, I don't think that any of those thoughts that I've had to pass on what I know have been completely futile and useless.  I do think that there will be a time in the future when those thoughts will come to fruition.


"O LORD, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep."  Psalm 92:5

God gives us His thoughts sometimes, and I actually spent quite a bit of time yesterday thinking about gardening and teaching others how to do so.  And what do you think happened?  I got a brief little message on Facebook late last night from someone asking about gardening.  God couldn't have made it any more clear to me that this idea that's been rolling around in my head is a thought that He has shared with me.   I really think that in the years to come, home vegetable gardening is going to become a very important source of food for families all over the world.  Food prices are going up, and gardening is actually quite inexpensive- especially if you know people who already garden.  Gardeners love to share seeds, tips and fruits of their labor.  And with food safety in question all the time, it just doesn't get much safer than food grown in your own backyard.  I've been feeling an urgency in getting my gardens set up for the last few years, and that urgency has not gone away.  In fact, this year's gardens are already more about what I can grow in quantity, versus what I want to try growing.

So I'm thrilled at the idea of passing on gardening.  It's something that literally anyone can do- with a pot of dirt and a handful of seeds, a meal can be produced from the ground.


"The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing."  Psalm 34:10


God gave me this ability of being able to plant seeds in the ground and understand how to make them grow.  God gave me the desire to do so in the first place- He gave me a very good thing, and it is now my task to pass on that knowledge.  I'm really excited to do so.  It could be that I end up helping just one person.  It could be that I end up helping many.  No matter how many it is, what matters is that I follow the Lord's guidance and pass on what needs to be passed on.  


"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!"  Psalm 34:8

Perpetual Spring?

"Truth shall spring out of the earth, And righteousness shall look down from heaven."  Psalm 85:11

" Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert."  Isaiah 43:19


"For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations."  Isaiah 61:11

One of the areas that I've been taking care of at church has been a little display window when you first walk in the door at church.   I don't do anything major or exciting, just keep it clean and arrange different elements as the seasons dictate.  The first year I did it, I had a lot of fun changing it up with the seasons, yet trying to keep it classy and welcoming.  I loved my display classes in college, and this is a small way I can put that talent to use.  But last spring, I did a window that I thought turned out especially nice- basic, but nice.  When late summer came though, and I started thinking about changing it up, life happened, and I never got around to changing it.  Then fall arrived, and I had these ideas of fall leaves and pumpkins, and yet again, the change didn't happen.  Of course, Christmas came next, and I had ideas of evergreens and snowflakes- things that didn't necessarily need to be changed right after Christmas. 

That window is still holding the display I made for last spring.  It's not because I've been lazy about taking care of it either.  It was almost a puzzle for me, why was it that every time I thought about doing the window, something came up?  Well, this winter has been incredibly mild and warm.  We've had beautiful temperatures- yesterday it crept up close to 50, it was so warm and nice, and when I went out, I just was filled with such hope and excitement.  The exact same hope and excitement that I feel come the end of March when the spring thaw finally rolls around.  The winter doldrums really get to me by this time every year, and I'm just so tired of being cold.  This year, it seems the winter doldrums haven't even had a chance to make an appearance.  While I realize that spring may still not happen until the end of March, this mild weather just makes me think spring!  It fills my heart with joy and hope and has me eagerly looking forward to tomorrow.

Because that's what spring does for me.  Every year when spring rolls around I get so hopeful- the idea of new things springing forth from the ground and from the trees in the air just fills me so much with the goodness of God.  The idea of experiencing spring year round is awesome to me- because it tells me that God is preparing to do a new thing!  Just as every spring we watch the ground to see what flowers and plants are going to spring forth after a season of dormancy, I am also watching God, wondering what new things He has planned for His people in the days to come.

I love new.  I am not one of those people who is resistant to change- I love it, and I look forward to everything constantly changing.  I actually try very hard to never settle into routine or keeping things the same- every day is different.  When we rolled over into the new year from the old year, I was filled with anticipation at the things that could come in this new year.  Yet, as January marched on, it marched very slowly.  It seemed to me to be a very long month.  For me, this flip into February from January is almost more exciting than the year changing, and I can't wait to see what God has planned.  Here in the United States, and in a few other places around the world, we celebrate Valentines Day in the month of February- a holiday that is all about love.  Could this be the month that God unleashes His unrelenting love on His children?  I'm ready for it.

I'm waiting for it, and I have expectations for it.  I think I was meant to leave that spring window up as a reminder that the season of new-ness is upon us.