This year Jesus didn't call me specifically to any "New Year's resolutions". What He did call me to do was to fast from shopping for and buying clothes, jewelry, and shoes for a whole year. When He brought that idea to my mind the first time, I honestly tried to ignore it. Yes, as I've shared here before, Jesus has shown me that He is enough. I even shared last month how overwhelmed I am by the peace, joy and contentment that He has given me as I continue to seek and find my fulfillment and satisfaction in Him and His promises found in His Word. But He wanted something more...and, as is always the case when He's calling me to do something, He persists in confirming that calling in many ways.
One of those ways was as I was listening to Christian radio. The speaker was talking about fasting from those things that sometimes hinder our pursuit of God. Another confirmation came from my son who was led to fast also. We talked about the fact that as disciples of Jesus Christ, we rarely deprive ourselves of things in order to feast more on our Savior.
Also, during this time, I even asked, "Lord, how about if I fast for a season or two instead of a year?" His answer to that was to have me turn on the radio a few days later and hear about a family who were led to fast from all extra-curricular activities for (you guessed it) one year. He reminded me that it's at the beginning of each season that I think I "need" to get some new outfits so it made sense that He would want me to include all 4 seasons in the fast. It was then that I said "Yes, Lord, I will obey what you're calling me to do." Along with the fast, He also convicted me of staying on my budget and leaving savings where it needs to be--in savings.
A friend gave me a journal for Christmas that has written on the front: "Live in Hope." I decided to use it to record the things that my Heavenly Father teaches me and how He will provide this coming year as I choose to be obedient to my fast and follow the budget that He has shown me. I want to be real, authentic, honest and sincere in sharing this journey with you.
Am I saying that everyone needs to take a clothing fast? Not at all. I am saying that we all need to evaluate our lives and ask the Lord to show us anything that is competing with making our personal, intimate relationship with Him our #1 priority. Honestly, my budget was tight last year and is even tighter this year as fixed expenses as well as almost all other costs have gone up, but I know that my Lord just wants me to obey and TRUST in Him to provide and not trust in my savings.
The Lord has taught me over the years that my security, worth and contentment no longer come from what I wear or what I have. However, I also realize that I could still get caught up in some old patterns of looking at catalogs and shopping--coming home with 2 or 3 outfits instead of one because I either couldn't decide or because "it was such a good sale". It was like my Lord was asking me, "Keva--am I really enough? I just want you to test me in this and see what all I will teach you.I want you to throw out all those catalogs, to stay out of the stores and to spend that time focused more on loving and getting to know me and caring more for others. So what if you don't have something new each season--are you living for the praise of others or to honor and glorify Me?"
So began this journey. I have heard many times that if we think we can't live without something then that is probably the thing we should give up; realizing that the Lord will give us everything we need to do what He calls us to do. He was already reminding me of that when I read in a devotional by David Jeremiah on January 16--the actual date that I started both the budget and the fast. The verse shared there:
"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God." 2 Corinthians 3:5
A few key points from the devotional: "Most of our worries involve a fear of insufficiency... we're concerned we don't have enough, whether food or money or health or strength. When we think of ourselves, as the source of our own sufficiency, we have reason to worry and be concerned. But as Christians, our sufficiency is from God. And GOD IS ABLE to make all grace abound toward you, that you always having ALL sufficiency in ALL things, may have an abundance for every good work."
2 Corinthians 9:8. "His grace is sufficient for us." 2 Corinthians 12:9. And then Jesus reminds us, "When we come to the end of our earthly resources, we find that His sufficiency has only begun. Remember: His grace, all sufficient, shall be our supply. Put God's promises to the test and see if His blessings don't follow. God loves to prove His faithfulness."
That was the 1st entry that went in my journal. The Lord continues to encourage me and teach me each day from His Word, from Godly men and women who minister on the radio and through books and devotionals. I would like to share some of those things with you to encourage you in your walk with Jesus. One thing I know is that I am already finding more joy in Him as I trust my finances (what He has entrusted to me) totally to Him and stay out of the clothing stores!!!
These are a few things that I read that have challenged me in the fast as well as the budget:
Thou shalt not be consumed with a desire for more. Focus on enjoying the life you've already been able to achieve--from your family and friends to the clothes in your closet (wow--our Lord is so personal and specific) and car in your garage. Wanting more doesn't breed contentment, it breeds more wanting." (I know what that's like, and it's not fun at all.)
"We buy what we don't need to impress people who don't care."
"We live too much to please and impress others. Focus on pleasing God not people."
"In eternity, we won't answer to other people about the way we spent the money God entrusted to us, we will answer only to our Heavenly Father."
A journal entry on January 22 records what I heard on the radio that day:
"Stop the indulgence of the flesh. Fasting reveals the things that control us. It humbles us. It can break a pattern that we need to break. It can break our enslavement to food or whatever has a hold on us. It can ignite our hunger for God."
I recorded these words from David Jeremiah on January 24 in my journal:
"Its great to have provision on earth, but our greatest treasure is still ahead. Don't let gold become your God or money your master. Seek 1st the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33
From the devotional "Jesus Calling" that day:
"My peace is the treasure of treasures; the pearl of great price."
I wrote in my journal that day: "Already I'm experiencing more peace as I trust everything to my Lord and am obedient. It's been fun to get the mail and throw out the catalogs immediately so I won't be tempted to buy something. I'm also finding it fun to put together outfits from what I already have and realizing that there are things that I haven't worn just because I wanted to wear something newer or more "up to date". I'll insert here that I'm not saying that it's wrong to have new things or to be fashionable. The question my Savior is asking me is: "How much do you really need?" I know that He wants to challenge me to evaluate my needs versus my wants, to focus more on Him and others, to spend less on my wants so that I can give more to other's needs.
Now back to the January 24 journal entry:
From "Jesus Calling": "If you have the world's peace--everything going your way-- you don't seek My unfathomable peace." I have more peace now with many more restrictions on my spending than I did when I wasn't following and staying on my budget. Once You, Lord, made it clear that You wanted me to depend on You, not on my savings, You have given me such a peace and joy as I choose to obey. Actually it's been fun trying to spend as little as possible and to really evaluate every purchase. I'm noticing that I'm appreciating all that I already have more and am realizing how little I really need. Our world and the pressure to compete with what others have causes us to buy what we don't really need to try to fulfill needs that only an intimate relationship with Jesus can fill.
There's so much more to share with you from my journal, but I think I've given you enough to read for this month. I'll look forward to sharing more of God's faithfulness and encouragement next month. In the meantime I challenge you to focus on eternity and on eternal treasures such as your family, friends, and other people. More important than even that--focus on Jesus and making Him the #1 priority in your life. Only then can you really be thankful, love others and care for them like He models for us in His Word.
I'll leave you with some verses that have given me direction on those days and moments when my feelings don't match up with God's promises. The Lord gave me these verses after Yance(my son) and Elaine's wedding. After a time of much joy and celebration, I was feeling very lonely for Ty and was discouraged. It was another time of wondering: "Lord, what is your will for me?" He answered very specifically by leading me to I Thessalonians 5:16-18.
"Be joyful always, pray continuously, and be thankful for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
I've gone back to those verses more times than I can count and have chosen to obey them--regardless of my feelings and many times with tears running down my fac. But each time I choose to be joyful and thankful and cry out to Him, He is ALWAYS FAITHFUL to give me the strength I need to take the next step of obedience, all the while never leaving my side.
A song we sang recently at our church called "My Reward" goes along perfectly with what Jesus has led me to share with you this month. As the song says:
"Jesus, You are my reward. Could my heart contain all your love for me? You're all I need to know. Nothing compares to knowing You. Nothing compares to loving You. I'm giving my life to follow you, my King."
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Katie's Challenge
There's a girl I admire very much. Her name is Katie Davis. I've mentioned her book, "Kisses from Katie" on my blog, and it is one that we've recommended on the website. I admire her because she is truly a disciple of Christ. Her passion is to follow Jesus. He led her to Uganda as a teenager then asked her to stay there to live, to eventually adopt 13 girls and to start a ministry that reaches hundreds of other children in Uganda. I want to share with you some from the introduction to her book to challenge and encourage you in this new year and then share thoughts from my heart after that. You may want to grab a cup of coffee and read my blog in a couple sessions since it will be longer this time!! Above all my prayer is always that you will be encouraged to seek Jesus more each day--He is who we all need more that anything else! Okay, lets listen to Katie's words:
I never meant to be a mother. I mean, I guess I did; not right now, though, Not before I was married. Not when I was nineteen. Not to so, so many little people. Thankfully, God's plans do not seem to be affected much by my own.
I never meant to live in Uganda, a dot on the map in East Africa, on the opposite side of the planet from my family and all that is comfortable and familiar. Thankfully, God's plans also happen to be much better than my own.
You see, Jesus wrecked my life. For as long as I could remember, I had everything this world says is important. in high school, I was class president, homecoming queen, top of my class. I dated cute boys and wore cute shoe and drove a cute soports car. I had wonderful, supportive parents who so desired my success that they would have paid for me to go to college anywhere my heart desired. BUT I loved Jesus.
And the fact that I loved Jesus was beginning to interfere with the plans I once had for my life and certainly with the plans others had for me. My heart had been apprehended by a great love, a love that compelled me to live differently. I had grown up in a Christian home, gone to church, and learned about Jesus all my life. Around the age of twelve or thirteen, I began to delve into the truths of Scripture. As I read and learned more and more of what Jesus said, I liked the lifestyle I saw around me less and less. I began to realize that God wanted more from me, and I wanted more OF HIM. He began to grow in me a desire to live intentionally, and different from anyone I had ever known.
Slowly but surely I began to realize the truth: I had loved and admired and worshiped Jesus without doing what He said. This recognition didn't happen overnight; in fact I believe it was happening in my heart long before I even knew it. It was happening as I explored the possibility of overseas volunteer work, it was happening as I took my first three-week trip to Uganda, it was happening as I fell in love with a beautiful country full of gracious, joyful people and immense poverty and squalor that begged me to do more. It was happening in so many ways, and I couldn't deny it. I wanted to actually DO what Jesus said to do.
So I quit my life.
Originally, my quitting was to be temporary, lasting just one year before I went to college and returned to normal, American teenager life. But after that year, which I spent in Uganda, returning to "normal" wasn't possible. I had seen what Life was about and I could not pretend I didn't know. So I quit my life again, and for good this time. I quit college; I quit cute designer clothes and my little yellow convertible; I quit my boyfriend. I no longer have all the things the world says are important. I do not have a retirement fund; I do not even have electricity some days. But I have everything I know is important. I have a joy and a peace that are unimaginable and can come only from a place better than this earth. I cannot fathom being happier. Jesus wrecked my life, shattered it to pieces, and put it back together more beautifully.
During the first few months I lived in Uganda, in fall of 2007, I wrote, "sometimes working in a Third World country makes me feel like I am emptying the ocean with an eyedropper." Today, it often still feels that way. I have learned to be okay with this felling because I have learned that I will not change the world. Jesus will do that. I can, however, change the world for one person . I can change the world for fourteen little girls and for four hundred schoolchildren and for a sick and dying grandmother and for a malnourished, neglected, abuse five-year-old. And if one person sees the love of Christ in me, it is worth every minute. In fact it is worth spending my life for.
People often ask if I think my life is dangerous, if I am afraid. I am much more afraid of remaining comfortable. Matthew 10:28 tells us not to fear things that can destroy the body but things that can destroy the soul. I am surrounded by things that can destroy the body. I interact almost daily with people who have deadly diseases, and many time I am the only person who can help them. I live in a country with one of the world's longest-running wars taking place just a few hours away. Uncertainty is everywhere. But I am living in the midst of the uncertainty and risk, amid things that can and do bring physical destruction, because I am running from things that can destroy my soul: complacency, comfort, and ignorance. I am much more terrified of living a comfortable life in a self-serving society and failing to follow Jesus than I am of any illness or tragedy.
Jesus called His followers to be a lot of things, but I have yet to find where He warned us to be safe. We are not called to be safe, we are simply promised that when we are in danger, God is right there with us. And there is not better place to be than in His hands.
For as long as I can remember, one of my favorite Bible verses has been Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." I used to believe it meant that if I did what the Lord asked of me, followed His commandments, and was a "good girl," He would grant all my desires and make my dreams come trus. Today, this is still one of my favorite passages of Scripture, but I have learned to interpret it in a totally different way. It is not about God making MY dreams come true but about God changing my dreams into HIS dreams for my life.
Today I am living the desires of my heart and I cannot imagine being happier; I cannot imagine living any other life that the one that unfolds before me day by day. But believe me, I am by not means living MY plan. I thought that I wanted to go to college with my high school boyfriend, get married, have a successful career and children, settle into a nice house down the road from my parents, and live happily every after. Today I am a single woman raising a houseful of girls and trying to teach others the love of Jesus in a land that is a far cry from my hometown and my culture. This is not a life that I dreamed up on my own or even knew I desired. I am watching God work, and as I "delight myself in the Lord" by doing what he asks of me and by saying yes to the needs He places in front of me, He is CHANGING the desires for my heart and aligning them with the desires of His. As I go with Him to the hard places, He changes them into the most joyful places I could imagine.
WOW! Katie's words challenge me every time I read them. The Lord doesn't call us all to Africa, but He does call us to obedience. Like Katie, God continues to change the desires of my heart and to align them more with His. That is my prayer and desire to have a heart like His. As Katie shared, I want the dreams that I have for my life to be HIs dreams for my life. One of those dreams was to grow old with my husband, Ty. That wasn't part of God's plan for my life and yet I know because I trust Him with all my heart that His plan is always the best. It's not easy, but it's always best. Katie doesn't have an easy life by any means but she has a blessed, joy-filled life. So do I--and like Katie it's not the life I envisioned. As she said--she quit life as most of us know it. She gave up so much but gained so much more as she was obedient to go and do what God called her to do. What I have found over and over again is that when the Lord asks me to do something that seems impossible and takes me completely out of my comfort zone is when I grow the most and see Him working in my life. Katie shared this is her journal:
"Remember, God will never give you more than you can handle."
People repeat this frequently; I heard it when I was growing up and I hear it now. It is meant to be a source of encouragement, and it would be if I believed it were true.
But I don't.
I believe that God totally, absolutely, intentionally gives us more that we can handle. Because this is when we surrender to Him and He takes over, proving Himself by doing the impossible in our lives.
I have learned to accept it, even ask for it, this "more than I can handle." Because in these times, God shows Himself victorious. He reminds me that all of this life requires more of Him and less of me. God does give us more than we can handle. Not maliciously, but intentionally, in love, that His glory may be displayed, that we may have no doubt of who is in control, that people may see His grace and faithfulness shining through our lives.
And as I surrender these situations to Him, watch Him take over and do the impossible, I am filled with joy and peace-so much more than I can handle.
He has taken over in many situations in my life and done the impossible...when my daughter Marshay died one week before her due date, when Ty was in intensive care and I didn't know if he would live, when Ty was diagnosed with cancer and then went to be with Jesus and I was left to face life without him. In all of those times, I saw God do the impossible as I leaned on Him and His promises. He is forever faithful and I am forever thankful. In fact this morning as I was having coffee with my Savior, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. The tears came as I thanked my Lord for His joy and peace--so much more than I can handle and way beyond my understanding.
I challenge you in this new year to treasure Jesus. Seek Him above all else because only He can meet the deepest needs of your heart. Don't just tack Him on to your busy life, but make Him your life. I wasted many years focused more on the world and the things of the world than on getting to know my Savior. I didn't understand then that in order to really get to know Jesus I would have to read His Word (his love letter to me) seeking to grow in my relationship with Him. That's different than reading out of duty or to cross "devotions" off of my list. It's desiring to know Him and making that a priority. He has shown me that He wasn't my priority for many, many years. I was so desperate for peace and contentment but I was searching for that in relationships with others and more and more "stuff". Each one of us know where our treasure really is by examining how we spend our time and what our minds are focused on. I can promise you that more of anything (clothes, vacations, money, jewelry, sports, cars,homes) will ever bring you peace, joy, and contentment. They may make you happy for awhile but then you'll just need more of something else. Only Jesus can meet every need and give you a peace, joy and contentment that never changes even with all the ups and downs of life. You don't need "more" when you have Him. He is enough! He is amazing--He loves each of us so much! Katie said it so well: "I am filled with joy and peace-so much more than I can handle."
Psalm: 9:10 "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord have never forsaken those who seek you."
As I was finishing up, the Lord brought the hymn, "The Solid Rock" to my mind. I found the following video by Avalon. I love all the beautiful pictures of God's creation on it as well as the Bible verses. The most exciting part for me was seeing Ty's favorite verses written at the end of the song: Proverbs 3: 5,6. Bask in the love of our Savior as you listen.
I never meant to be a mother. I mean, I guess I did; not right now, though, Not before I was married. Not when I was nineteen. Not to so, so many little people. Thankfully, God's plans do not seem to be affected much by my own.
I never meant to live in Uganda, a dot on the map in East Africa, on the opposite side of the planet from my family and all that is comfortable and familiar. Thankfully, God's plans also happen to be much better than my own.
You see, Jesus wrecked my life. For as long as I could remember, I had everything this world says is important. in high school, I was class president, homecoming queen, top of my class. I dated cute boys and wore cute shoe and drove a cute soports car. I had wonderful, supportive parents who so desired my success that they would have paid for me to go to college anywhere my heart desired. BUT I loved Jesus.
And the fact that I loved Jesus was beginning to interfere with the plans I once had for my life and certainly with the plans others had for me. My heart had been apprehended by a great love, a love that compelled me to live differently. I had grown up in a Christian home, gone to church, and learned about Jesus all my life. Around the age of twelve or thirteen, I began to delve into the truths of Scripture. As I read and learned more and more of what Jesus said, I liked the lifestyle I saw around me less and less. I began to realize that God wanted more from me, and I wanted more OF HIM. He began to grow in me a desire to live intentionally, and different from anyone I had ever known.
Slowly but surely I began to realize the truth: I had loved and admired and worshiped Jesus without doing what He said. This recognition didn't happen overnight; in fact I believe it was happening in my heart long before I even knew it. It was happening as I explored the possibility of overseas volunteer work, it was happening as I took my first three-week trip to Uganda, it was happening as I fell in love with a beautiful country full of gracious, joyful people and immense poverty and squalor that begged me to do more. It was happening in so many ways, and I couldn't deny it. I wanted to actually DO what Jesus said to do.
So I quit my life.
Originally, my quitting was to be temporary, lasting just one year before I went to college and returned to normal, American teenager life. But after that year, which I spent in Uganda, returning to "normal" wasn't possible. I had seen what Life was about and I could not pretend I didn't know. So I quit my life again, and for good this time. I quit college; I quit cute designer clothes and my little yellow convertible; I quit my boyfriend. I no longer have all the things the world says are important. I do not have a retirement fund; I do not even have electricity some days. But I have everything I know is important. I have a joy and a peace that are unimaginable and can come only from a place better than this earth. I cannot fathom being happier. Jesus wrecked my life, shattered it to pieces, and put it back together more beautifully.
During the first few months I lived in Uganda, in fall of 2007, I wrote, "sometimes working in a Third World country makes me feel like I am emptying the ocean with an eyedropper." Today, it often still feels that way. I have learned to be okay with this felling because I have learned that I will not change the world. Jesus will do that. I can, however, change the world for one person . I can change the world for fourteen little girls and for four hundred schoolchildren and for a sick and dying grandmother and for a malnourished, neglected, abuse five-year-old. And if one person sees the love of Christ in me, it is worth every minute. In fact it is worth spending my life for.
People often ask if I think my life is dangerous, if I am afraid. I am much more afraid of remaining comfortable. Matthew 10:28 tells us not to fear things that can destroy the body but things that can destroy the soul. I am surrounded by things that can destroy the body. I interact almost daily with people who have deadly diseases, and many time I am the only person who can help them. I live in a country with one of the world's longest-running wars taking place just a few hours away. Uncertainty is everywhere. But I am living in the midst of the uncertainty and risk, amid things that can and do bring physical destruction, because I am running from things that can destroy my soul: complacency, comfort, and ignorance. I am much more terrified of living a comfortable life in a self-serving society and failing to follow Jesus than I am of any illness or tragedy.
Jesus called His followers to be a lot of things, but I have yet to find where He warned us to be safe. We are not called to be safe, we are simply promised that when we are in danger, God is right there with us. And there is not better place to be than in His hands.
For as long as I can remember, one of my favorite Bible verses has been Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." I used to believe it meant that if I did what the Lord asked of me, followed His commandments, and was a "good girl," He would grant all my desires and make my dreams come trus. Today, this is still one of my favorite passages of Scripture, but I have learned to interpret it in a totally different way. It is not about God making MY dreams come true but about God changing my dreams into HIS dreams for my life.
Today I am living the desires of my heart and I cannot imagine being happier; I cannot imagine living any other life that the one that unfolds before me day by day. But believe me, I am by not means living MY plan. I thought that I wanted to go to college with my high school boyfriend, get married, have a successful career and children, settle into a nice house down the road from my parents, and live happily every after. Today I am a single woman raising a houseful of girls and trying to teach others the love of Jesus in a land that is a far cry from my hometown and my culture. This is not a life that I dreamed up on my own or even knew I desired. I am watching God work, and as I "delight myself in the Lord" by doing what he asks of me and by saying yes to the needs He places in front of me, He is CHANGING the desires for my heart and aligning them with the desires of His. As I go with Him to the hard places, He changes them into the most joyful places I could imagine.
WOW! Katie's words challenge me every time I read them. The Lord doesn't call us all to Africa, but He does call us to obedience. Like Katie, God continues to change the desires of my heart and to align them more with His. That is my prayer and desire to have a heart like His. As Katie shared, I want the dreams that I have for my life to be HIs dreams for my life. One of those dreams was to grow old with my husband, Ty. That wasn't part of God's plan for my life and yet I know because I trust Him with all my heart that His plan is always the best. It's not easy, but it's always best. Katie doesn't have an easy life by any means but she has a blessed, joy-filled life. So do I--and like Katie it's not the life I envisioned. As she said--she quit life as most of us know it. She gave up so much but gained so much more as she was obedient to go and do what God called her to do. What I have found over and over again is that when the Lord asks me to do something that seems impossible and takes me completely out of my comfort zone is when I grow the most and see Him working in my life. Katie shared this is her journal:
"Remember, God will never give you more than you can handle."
People repeat this frequently; I heard it when I was growing up and I hear it now. It is meant to be a source of encouragement, and it would be if I believed it were true.
But I don't.
I believe that God totally, absolutely, intentionally gives us more that we can handle. Because this is when we surrender to Him and He takes over, proving Himself by doing the impossible in our lives.
I have learned to accept it, even ask for it, this "more than I can handle." Because in these times, God shows Himself victorious. He reminds me that all of this life requires more of Him and less of me. God does give us more than we can handle. Not maliciously, but intentionally, in love, that His glory may be displayed, that we may have no doubt of who is in control, that people may see His grace and faithfulness shining through our lives.
And as I surrender these situations to Him, watch Him take over and do the impossible, I am filled with joy and peace-so much more than I can handle.
He has taken over in many situations in my life and done the impossible...when my daughter Marshay died one week before her due date, when Ty was in intensive care and I didn't know if he would live, when Ty was diagnosed with cancer and then went to be with Jesus and I was left to face life without him. In all of those times, I saw God do the impossible as I leaned on Him and His promises. He is forever faithful and I am forever thankful. In fact this morning as I was having coffee with my Savior, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. The tears came as I thanked my Lord for His joy and peace--so much more than I can handle and way beyond my understanding.
I challenge you in this new year to treasure Jesus. Seek Him above all else because only He can meet the deepest needs of your heart. Don't just tack Him on to your busy life, but make Him your life. I wasted many years focused more on the world and the things of the world than on getting to know my Savior. I didn't understand then that in order to really get to know Jesus I would have to read His Word (his love letter to me) seeking to grow in my relationship with Him. That's different than reading out of duty or to cross "devotions" off of my list. It's desiring to know Him and making that a priority. He has shown me that He wasn't my priority for many, many years. I was so desperate for peace and contentment but I was searching for that in relationships with others and more and more "stuff". Each one of us know where our treasure really is by examining how we spend our time and what our minds are focused on. I can promise you that more of anything (clothes, vacations, money, jewelry, sports, cars,homes) will ever bring you peace, joy, and contentment. They may make you happy for awhile but then you'll just need more of something else. Only Jesus can meet every need and give you a peace, joy and contentment that never changes even with all the ups and downs of life. You don't need "more" when you have Him. He is enough! He is amazing--He loves each of us so much! Katie said it so well: "I am filled with joy and peace-so much more than I can handle."
Psalm: 9:10 "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord have never forsaken those who seek you."
As I was finishing up, the Lord brought the hymn, "The Solid Rock" to my mind. I found the following video by Avalon. I love all the beautiful pictures of God's creation on it as well as the Bible verses. The most exciting part for me was seeing Ty's favorite verses written at the end of the song: Proverbs 3: 5,6. Bask in the love of our Savior as you listen.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Jesus--Our Great Burden-Bearer
I'm beginning this year very contemplative. The Lord has taught me so much in the past year about trusting Him, relying on him, and desiring Him more than anything or anyone. It's now been almost 3 1/2 years since Ty went "home" to heaven. Our kids (who are now adults) and their families were here for Christmas Eve morning. We had a blessed time. It was the best Christmas since Ty's death. The Lord has brought much healing to all of our hearts. I trusted Him moment by moment as I prepared for the time that we would have together as a family. Christmas has always been a hard time for me because of the expectations I put on myself to make it perfect for everyone, to have all the right food, gifts, parties, decorations, etc.... It's always been a time where I never feel like I measure up to the "perfect Christmas experience" that I have created in my mind. It's also because I compare myself to others which I've talked about before here and which is something we should never do! Then after Ty died, I put even more pressure on myself to try to somehow make-up for his absence so that it wouldn't be so hard for my sons and their families.
Anyway, I'm so thankful for my Lord's patience and compassion. My son Yance's words to me early in the Christmas season helped me to change my focus. "Mom, do you really think that you're so important that you are capable of making Christmas perfect for everyone? That's not your responsibility." I realized that I was carrying way too much on my shoulders and that the Lord was wanting me to cast my cares on Him--to come to Him--weary and burdened and that He would give me rest. So...that's what I did--moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day all the way through December, and it was the best Christmas ever.
Decisions are always hard for me, but I chose to believe His promise to me in Psalm 73:23,24. "Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory." How personal and awesome is that?! All through the Christmas season I trusted Him to guide me, and I held tightly to His hand. He guided me and gave me much joy as I picked out gifts for my precious grandchildren and gifts for my sons and their wives that would help them remember Ty.
A couple other verses that helped me through this time were Psalm 121:1-2 "I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth." These verses which are part of the song, "Praise You in the Storm" were such an encouragement to Ty and I during Ty's cancer. He was our help then and was my help now as I journeyed through December--on the 19th which would have been Ty and my 31st wedding anniversary as well as December 24th which would have been Ty's 55th birthday.
Much healing has taken place since October 17, 2009 when Ty went home to be with his Savior, Jesus Christ. We all still miss him so much, but this Christmas was truly a time of celebration--celebrating new beginnings and new memories as we focus on our Lord's plans for our future. Watching Preston, James, and Clara open their gifts and play together was one of those precious new memories. Grandchildren are such a blessing!!!
Now that Christmas is over and we start a new year, I trust that it will be one of building many happy memories with your family and friends. I want to encourage you in this new year to cast all your burdens on Jesus because He cares for you. Speaking from experience--He is the great burden-bearer. Find hope in these verses from Psalm 145:13b-14. "The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down." The life application commentary for these verses as well as for other verses from this Psalm sum up so well all that the Lord has done for me over and over again and continues to do as I depend on Him minute by minute and trust in Him with ALL MY HEART:
Anyway, I'm so thankful for my Lord's patience and compassion. My son Yance's words to me early in the Christmas season helped me to change my focus. "Mom, do you really think that you're so important that you are capable of making Christmas perfect for everyone? That's not your responsibility." I realized that I was carrying way too much on my shoulders and that the Lord was wanting me to cast my cares on Him--to come to Him--weary and burdened and that He would give me rest. So...that's what I did--moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day all the way through December, and it was the best Christmas ever.
Decisions are always hard for me, but I chose to believe His promise to me in Psalm 73:23,24. "Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory." How personal and awesome is that?! All through the Christmas season I trusted Him to guide me, and I held tightly to His hand. He guided me and gave me much joy as I picked out gifts for my precious grandchildren and gifts for my sons and their wives that would help them remember Ty.
A couple other verses that helped me through this time were Psalm 121:1-2 "I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth." These verses which are part of the song, "Praise You in the Storm" were such an encouragement to Ty and I during Ty's cancer. He was our help then and was my help now as I journeyed through December--on the 19th which would have been Ty and my 31st wedding anniversary as well as December 24th which would have been Ty's 55th birthday.
"Holy Father, my precious Savior, You are so faithful." Your faithfulness was our focus on Christmas Eve as we as a family remembered Ty on his birthday and celebrated the years that we were blessed with his presence and all that we learned from him. We also celebrated your birth, Jesus and the hope that we have in You--that You were willing to come to the earth to live and die for our sins so that we could have a personal, intimate relationship with You.
Much healing has taken place since October 17, 2009 when Ty went home to be with his Savior, Jesus Christ. We all still miss him so much, but this Christmas was truly a time of celebration--celebrating new beginnings and new memories as we focus on our Lord's plans for our future. Watching Preston, James, and Clara open their gifts and play together was one of those precious new memories. Grandchildren are such a blessing!!!
Now that Christmas is over and we start a new year, I trust that it will be one of building many happy memories with your family and friends. I want to encourage you in this new year to cast all your burdens on Jesus because He cares for you. Speaking from experience--He is the great burden-bearer. Find hope in these verses from Psalm 145:13b-14. "The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down." The life application commentary for these verses as well as for other verses from this Psalm sum up so well all that the Lord has done for me over and over again and continues to do as I depend on Him minute by minute and trust in Him with ALL MY HEART:
"Sometimes our burdens seem more that we can bear, and we wonder how we can go on. David stands at this bleak intersection of life's road and points toward the Lord, the great burden-bearer. God is able to lift us up because (1) His greatness is unfathomable (145:3); (2) He does mighty acts across many generations (145:4); (3) He is full of glorious splendor and majesty (145:5); (4) He does wonderful and awesome works (145:5,6); (5) He is righteous (145:7); (6) He is gracious, compassionate, patient and loving (145:8,9); (7) He rules over an everlasting Kingdom (145:13); (8) He is our source of all our daily needs (145:15,16); (9) He is righteous and loving in all His dealings (145:17); (10) He remains near to those who call on Him (145:18); (11) He hears our cries and saves us(145:19,20). If you are bending under a burden and feel that you are about to fail, turn to God for help. He is ready to lift you up and bear your burdens."How's that for a Psalm of amazing promises to claim in this new year? I'm so thankful that in this uncertain, fearful world that we have a faithful God who promises to never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) I also was reminded of this verse in the new year; 2 Chronicles 16:9 says: "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him." As Chuck Bentley said in the devotional book "God Is Faithful":
"May this be the year that you become completely faithful in complete commitment to our Faithful God."The words of the following song, "The Hurt and the Healer" have been so true in my life. The Lord truly has breathed my heart back to life even though a part of me has died.That has happened as I have kept my eyes completely fixed on Him. As the song also says, "fall into his open arms". That's what I have done and continue to do. I pray that each of you will do that on the easy days and on the hard days. Our Lord longs to meet our every need!!!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Jesus--My Most Treasured Gift
Contemplating what Jesus would want me to share with you this month as look I forward to celebrating His birth, I read back thru my last blog. As Lovely Branches launches it's new website this month, I would encourage those of you who haven't been here before to go back and read my November blog to be reminded during this Christmas season to appreciate the many blessings you already have and most of all to celebrate Jesus and bask in His love for you.
This month is especially hard for me in that not only do I miss Ty for Christmas, but it is also the month of our anniversary and his birthday. God is so faithful though at always reminding me that His grace is sufficient for me and His power is made perfect in my weakness. Also, I trust Him enough to know that His plans for me are always perfect and continue to take one day at a time looking forward to that day when I will get to see Him and Ty again.
Also, this season is hard because I have to fight being drawn back into my past struggles of thinking everything has to be perfect, that having and getting more is better. Our Lord needs to be our focus above everything else as He reminded me recently as I was reading John 14:23 which says:
"Jesus replied, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching, My Father will love him and we will come and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching."
From my journal I wrote: "I realized as I read this that for many years I truly didn't love you, Lord as much as I loved and desired the things of the world and my own happiness. I was blinded to my sin. It's really hard to look back and acknowledge my sin and selfishness. I even struggled with tithing. I didn't understand that everything I had was yours on loan to me to use for your honor and glory. I desired to have peace and now know that can only come from you; yet I searched for that in the things of the world. I was jealous and envious of others and felt insecure and insignificant when I didn't have what the world says makes you valuable. How sad, Lord, that I wasted so much time chasing after meaningless stuff instead of truly seeking to know You. I'm so sorry! Peace can only come from an intimate relationship with you and realizing that I have the Holy Spirit living within me to guide and counsel me. John 14:26 says: "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." The life application commentary for that verse says: As we study the Bible, we can trust the Holy Spirit to plant truth in our minds, convincing us of God's will and reminding us when we stray from it. For many years I wasn't studying the Bible and really seeking to know Jesus. I would have devotions to check them off my list , but I wasn't desperate to know Jesus and to obey Him. I was much more desperate to have the "in" thing to wear, to have the "perfect" house, plan the next vacation, read books or the newspaper, watch T.V. or a movie, or even spend fun time with family and friends. All of those things were more of a priority than getting to know Jesus and surrendering to Him. Even though I read the Bible, I wasn't desperate to know Jesus, to have Him lead me. I still wanted control. Thank you, Lord, for continuing to change me and make me more like Jesus as I have chosen to meditate and read your Word with a desire to know you and love you more. Your living Word has revealed to me the sin in my heart that I was blinded to for so long. My desire now above anything else is to be your humble servant, to glorify you in everything and to become more like you each day as I depend on the Holy Spirit, who lives in me, to change me. Thank you, Lord, for never giving up on me and for your unconditional love and acceptance of me just as I am!"
As I have said so many times: "Jesus is enough." Don't rely on things or other people to give you lasting peace, joy and fulfillment. They are only a temporary fix. This Christmas season focus on Jesus. He satisfies all who trust in Him. He will never fail you! Psalm 145:13b says: "The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made." and verse 18 says: "The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth."
I can promise you that the peace Jesus gives as you surrender everything to Him is truly beyond understanding. He waits patiently as we try to find that peace in other things and people and what joy He gives when we choose instead to run into His arms and listen to what He has to share with us in His Word, the Bible (his love letter to each of us). My favorite time of the day is spending time with Jesus, my best friend, and hearing what He wants to share with me from His Word speaking personally to my heart. His words to me are more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. (Psalm 119:72). It is no longer a duty but a time of blessing as I get to know Him better and understand a little more each day how wide, long, high, and deep His love is for me and for you too! (Ephesians 3:18)
Where is your focus this Christmas? What do you treasure? The best gift that you could ever hope for and what I searched for in all the wrong places for so long--is peace, joy and contentment. That very special gift can only be found in one place--in an intimate walk with Jesus. You won't find it just knowing about Him, you have to get to know Him. When you choose to seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13) and find a treasure that far exceeds anything this world has to offer. I pray that Jesus will be your most treasured gift this Christmas and that you will choose to be still and know that He is God and to seek Him with all your heart. You will be blessed with the best (more of His love for you) and have the best Christmas ever as you choose to rely on and rest in Him every moment!
The song I'm going to share with you was shared by a facebook friend of mine. It's called Open my Hands by Sara Groves. As the song reminds us that God withholds no good thing from us. Also, I pray that you will with me open your hands and your heart to Jesus and as the song says to nod your head with an emphatic yes to all that He has for us. His plans for us are always the best even if those plans are painful and hard, He is faithful and will walk with us through everything!
This month is especially hard for me in that not only do I miss Ty for Christmas, but it is also the month of our anniversary and his birthday. God is so faithful though at always reminding me that His grace is sufficient for me and His power is made perfect in my weakness. Also, I trust Him enough to know that His plans for me are always perfect and continue to take one day at a time looking forward to that day when I will get to see Him and Ty again.
Also, this season is hard because I have to fight being drawn back into my past struggles of thinking everything has to be perfect, that having and getting more is better. Our Lord needs to be our focus above everything else as He reminded me recently as I was reading John 14:23 which says:
"Jesus replied, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching, My Father will love him and we will come and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching."
From my journal I wrote: "I realized as I read this that for many years I truly didn't love you, Lord as much as I loved and desired the things of the world and my own happiness. I was blinded to my sin. It's really hard to look back and acknowledge my sin and selfishness. I even struggled with tithing. I didn't understand that everything I had was yours on loan to me to use for your honor and glory. I desired to have peace and now know that can only come from you; yet I searched for that in the things of the world. I was jealous and envious of others and felt insecure and insignificant when I didn't have what the world says makes you valuable. How sad, Lord, that I wasted so much time chasing after meaningless stuff instead of truly seeking to know You. I'm so sorry! Peace can only come from an intimate relationship with you and realizing that I have the Holy Spirit living within me to guide and counsel me. John 14:26 says: "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." The life application commentary for that verse says: As we study the Bible, we can trust the Holy Spirit to plant truth in our minds, convincing us of God's will and reminding us when we stray from it. For many years I wasn't studying the Bible and really seeking to know Jesus. I would have devotions to check them off my list , but I wasn't desperate to know Jesus and to obey Him. I was much more desperate to have the "in" thing to wear, to have the "perfect" house, plan the next vacation, read books or the newspaper, watch T.V. or a movie, or even spend fun time with family and friends. All of those things were more of a priority than getting to know Jesus and surrendering to Him. Even though I read the Bible, I wasn't desperate to know Jesus, to have Him lead me. I still wanted control. Thank you, Lord, for continuing to change me and make me more like Jesus as I have chosen to meditate and read your Word with a desire to know you and love you more. Your living Word has revealed to me the sin in my heart that I was blinded to for so long. My desire now above anything else is to be your humble servant, to glorify you in everything and to become more like you each day as I depend on the Holy Spirit, who lives in me, to change me. Thank you, Lord, for never giving up on me and for your unconditional love and acceptance of me just as I am!"
As I have said so many times: "Jesus is enough." Don't rely on things or other people to give you lasting peace, joy and fulfillment. They are only a temporary fix. This Christmas season focus on Jesus. He satisfies all who trust in Him. He will never fail you! Psalm 145:13b says: "The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made." and verse 18 says: "The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth."
I can promise you that the peace Jesus gives as you surrender everything to Him is truly beyond understanding. He waits patiently as we try to find that peace in other things and people and what joy He gives when we choose instead to run into His arms and listen to what He has to share with us in His Word, the Bible (his love letter to each of us). My favorite time of the day is spending time with Jesus, my best friend, and hearing what He wants to share with me from His Word speaking personally to my heart. His words to me are more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. (Psalm 119:72). It is no longer a duty but a time of blessing as I get to know Him better and understand a little more each day how wide, long, high, and deep His love is for me and for you too! (Ephesians 3:18)
Where is your focus this Christmas? What do you treasure? The best gift that you could ever hope for and what I searched for in all the wrong places for so long--is peace, joy and contentment. That very special gift can only be found in one place--in an intimate walk with Jesus. You won't find it just knowing about Him, you have to get to know Him. When you choose to seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13) and find a treasure that far exceeds anything this world has to offer. I pray that Jesus will be your most treasured gift this Christmas and that you will choose to be still and know that He is God and to seek Him with all your heart. You will be blessed with the best (more of His love for you) and have the best Christmas ever as you choose to rely on and rest in Him every moment!
The song I'm going to share with you was shared by a facebook friend of mine. It's called Open my Hands by Sara Groves. As the song reminds us that God withholds no good thing from us. Also, I pray that you will with me open your hands and your heart to Jesus and as the song says to nod your head with an emphatic yes to all that He has for us. His plans for us are always the best even if those plans are painful and hard, He is faithful and will walk with us through everything!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Thanking God
Plans have changed for what I wanted to share with you this month. Last month I mentioned that I wanted to share from someone who demonstrates what it means to trust in Jesus. Well, I gave away the book that I was going to share from so that will have to wait for another time. Also, I wanted to apologize for the spacing of my blog last month. It made it a little hard to read. It looked great and wasn't all spread out until I published it. As I've mentioned before I'm not very good at this computer stuff, but hopefully the simple words that our Lord leads me to share will be a blessing and encouragement whether or not the format turns out right!
This month I'd like to share my journal entry on October 17, the 3rd anniversary of the day my husband, Ty, went home to heaven and to see Jesus. As I praise you this morning, Lord, it occurs to me that You give us so many blessings for free. My windows are open and as I look out at all the beautiful trees with orange and yellow leaves, I am thankful for your creation. I don't have to pay to enjoy it's beauty. I mainly need to slow down and pay attention to the beauty that is all around me. On this the 3rd anniversary of Ty's death, it's interesting how you had me focus on the trees and the beautiful fall day. For much of my life, my focus was on getting more things rather than appreciating all I already had. Ty, on the other hand, always appreciated the little things and especially your creation, Lord. He loved being in the country, taking care of the cattle, enjoying wildlife, sunrises, and sunsets. He was very content and thankful. What an example he was to me, Lord, of resting in you and appreciating all the free gifts and blessings that You surround us with each day. Thanks for walking with me these past 3 years; many times carrying me when my heart was breaking. Thanks for filling up the hole in my heart with more of You and your love and for helping me to find a new normal in this life without my sweetheart as I chose to run to you, to read and believe all of your unfailing promises in your Word, and to trust you with all my heart, to lean not on my own understanding but to acknowledge you in all my ways and know that you will direct my paths. Proverbs 3:5,6 (Ty's favorite verses). Thank you, Lord, for leading me on this new path, for never forsaking me. I still miss him so much, Lord. Thank you for being my Rock now that my little rock, Ty, is gone, for being my strength, my fortress, my shelter, my comforter, my helper, my healer, my Savior, my Father, my best friend and now my husband (Isaiah 54:5). I can't begin to express how much you mean to me. I am so weak and yet you have been my strength. My heart was broken into so many pieces that I thought it could never be whole again. Yet, you have and continue to heal by wrapping me in your arms of love as I cry out to you. The truly amazing thing is the peace and joy that you give me each day as I choose to lean on you and rest in your love and promises. NOTHING in this world can bring the peace, joy, and contentment that you have given me. As I said at the beginning, the best things in life really are free to us anyway. You, Jesus, paid the biggest price--giving your life so that I could have a relationship with my Heavenly Father that would meet my every need. You have shown me over and over since Ty's death, that you, Jesus, plus nothing equals everything. Thank you!"
That ended my prayer but I went on to say: Life is hard sometimes very hard, but God is good. Nothing can separate us from His love, and He never leaves us to suffer alone. We bring on added suffering and heartache when we choose to rely on or trust in things, other people, relationships, entertainment, etc. to make us feel better or to fill that hole in our hearts. It's so easy to get so busy that we just squeeze our relationship with Jesus in here and there instead of making Him our #1 priority and focus. He's always waiting with open arms for us to come and find rest and exactly what we need to help us in every area of our lives. This statement by A. W. Tozer is so true: "As Jesus is exalted to the right place in our lives a thousand problems are solved all at once." We need to quit chasing after more and more of what our world says we need and instead find true rest, peace, joy and contentment in a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus, the one who died for us, who loves us unconditionally, who desires what's best for us and promises to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. (Ephesians 3:20)
I'm so thankful for the years that I had with Ty and for what he taught me as he trusted Jesus. I pray that my life will be an example too of trusting and obeying my Savior and appreciating the abundance of His blessings. I mess up so much and get so frustrated with myself, but I'm thankful that His love
never changes and that He never gives up on me. Let Him comfort and help you today with whatever needs you have. If it's been awhile since you've shared your heart with Him then why not take a walk and visit with Him (He is the best friend you could ever have) and in the process enjoy the beautiful colors of fall and maybe a sunrise or sunset too!
Celebrate that our God is for us and is with us as you listen to the song "Our God is Greater" and also enjoy the many pictures of God's creation.
This month I'd like to share my journal entry on October 17, the 3rd anniversary of the day my husband, Ty, went home to heaven and to see Jesus. As I praise you this morning, Lord, it occurs to me that You give us so many blessings for free. My windows are open and as I look out at all the beautiful trees with orange and yellow leaves, I am thankful for your creation. I don't have to pay to enjoy it's beauty. I mainly need to slow down and pay attention to the beauty that is all around me. On this the 3rd anniversary of Ty's death, it's interesting how you had me focus on the trees and the beautiful fall day. For much of my life, my focus was on getting more things rather than appreciating all I already had. Ty, on the other hand, always appreciated the little things and especially your creation, Lord. He loved being in the country, taking care of the cattle, enjoying wildlife, sunrises, and sunsets. He was very content and thankful. What an example he was to me, Lord, of resting in you and appreciating all the free gifts and blessings that You surround us with each day. Thanks for walking with me these past 3 years; many times carrying me when my heart was breaking. Thanks for filling up the hole in my heart with more of You and your love and for helping me to find a new normal in this life without my sweetheart as I chose to run to you, to read and believe all of your unfailing promises in your Word, and to trust you with all my heart, to lean not on my own understanding but to acknowledge you in all my ways and know that you will direct my paths. Proverbs 3:5,6 (Ty's favorite verses). Thank you, Lord, for leading me on this new path, for never forsaking me. I still miss him so much, Lord. Thank you for being my Rock now that my little rock, Ty, is gone, for being my strength, my fortress, my shelter, my comforter, my helper, my healer, my Savior, my Father, my best friend and now my husband (Isaiah 54:5). I can't begin to express how much you mean to me. I am so weak and yet you have been my strength. My heart was broken into so many pieces that I thought it could never be whole again. Yet, you have and continue to heal by wrapping me in your arms of love as I cry out to you. The truly amazing thing is the peace and joy that you give me each day as I choose to lean on you and rest in your love and promises. NOTHING in this world can bring the peace, joy, and contentment that you have given me. As I said at the beginning, the best things in life really are free to us anyway. You, Jesus, paid the biggest price--giving your life so that I could have a relationship with my Heavenly Father that would meet my every need. You have shown me over and over since Ty's death, that you, Jesus, plus nothing equals everything. Thank you!"
That ended my prayer but I went on to say: Life is hard sometimes very hard, but God is good. Nothing can separate us from His love, and He never leaves us to suffer alone. We bring on added suffering and heartache when we choose to rely on or trust in things, other people, relationships, entertainment, etc. to make us feel better or to fill that hole in our hearts. It's so easy to get so busy that we just squeeze our relationship with Jesus in here and there instead of making Him our #1 priority and focus. He's always waiting with open arms for us to come and find rest and exactly what we need to help us in every area of our lives. This statement by A. W. Tozer is so true: "As Jesus is exalted to the right place in our lives a thousand problems are solved all at once." We need to quit chasing after more and more of what our world says we need and instead find true rest, peace, joy and contentment in a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus, the one who died for us, who loves us unconditionally, who desires what's best for us and promises to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. (Ephesians 3:20)
I'm so thankful for the years that I had with Ty and for what he taught me as he trusted Jesus. I pray that my life will be an example too of trusting and obeying my Savior and appreciating the abundance of His blessings. I mess up so much and get so frustrated with myself, but I'm thankful that His love
never changes and that He never gives up on me. Let Him comfort and help you today with whatever needs you have. If it's been awhile since you've shared your heart with Him then why not take a walk and visit with Him (He is the best friend you could ever have) and in the process enjoy the beautiful colors of fall and maybe a sunrise or sunset too!
Celebrate that our God is for us and is with us as you listen to the song "Our God is Greater" and also enjoy the many pictures of God's creation.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Trust and Obey
As I sit contemplating what my Lord would have me share with you this month, I'm overwhelmed by God's goodness, faithfulness and love. He continues to teach me so much as I seek Him in His Word as well as thrread and study the lives of others who love and desire to follow Him. My journal pages filled up quickly as I tried to write down all that He was speaking to my heart about.
A recurring question that Jesus has been asking me: "Keva, do you trust me? Am I really enough?" The Bible study that Lovely Branches Ministries is doing right now is called "Stuck" by Jennie Allen. In the chapter on worry and fear she shared this verse: I Peter: 2:24 "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed." Jennie shares:
"Our freedom cost Christ everything. Because He died and defeated sin and'
death in His resurrection, we have the power to "die to sin". Freedom did
God is asking us. Do you trust me? Do you trust me when your life is out of
No one ever told me how insane Christianity was before I signed up.
No one told me that it would cost me everything.
But in surrendering everything, we find freedom."
F. B. Meyer in the book Streams in the Desert writes:
"This is the blessed life--not anxious to see far in front, nor eager to choose the
What I have discovered, especially in the past three years since my husband, Ty went
The life application commentary from my Bible offers this challenge:
"We should be willing to lose our lives for the sake of the gospel, not because
our lives are useless but because NOTHING--not even life itself--can compare to
what we gain with Christ. Jesus wants us to CHOOSE to follow him rather than
to lead a life of sin and self-satisfaction. He wants us to stop trying to control
our own destiny and to let Him direct us. This makes good sense because, as
the Creator, Christ knows better than we do what real life is all about. He asks
for submission, not self-hatred; He asks us only to lose our self-centered
determination to be in charge. Many people spend all their energy seeking
pleasure. Jesus said, however, that a world of pleasure centered on possessions,
position, or power is ultimately worthless. Whatever you have on earth is only
temporary; it cannot be exchanged for your soul. If you work hard at getting
what you want, you might eventually have a "pleasurable" life, but in the end
you will find it hollow and empty. Are you willing to make the pursuit of God
more important than the selfish pursuit of pleasure? Follow Jesus, and you will
know what it means to live abundantly now and to have eternal life as well."
I spent much more time for alot of my life pursuing possessions, and pleasure and other's approval more than pursuing knowing and loving Jesus with all of my heart. Those things only brought temporary peace and joy. They truly were hollow and empty. What I know now and want to remind others never to forget is that only a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus where He is your pursuit (a choice that we make each day) over anything or anyone else will bring lasting peace, joy and contentment. Jesus plus nothing equals everything!!! As Jennie says in the Stuck study: "As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems are solved all at once." Another interesting thing that I have found as I pursue and rely on Jesus above everything and everyone else is that He helps me to appreciate and enjoy all the things and relationships that He has blessed me with so much more. I am content and grateful for all that I already have instead of wanting all the things that our world says is important. I want the blessings that come from knowing and loving Jesus more every day, the blessings and freedom that come from trusting Him and obeying His Word not just reading it. Do I always trust Him and obey? No, but that is my desire. Like Paul, I hate it when I choose "my way" instead of His. My way is never the best and I know that. I'm just so thankful that He loves me just as I am with all my faults, that He knows me intimately and has promised never to leave or forsake me. It does break my heart when I break His with my selfishness, arrogance, pride, worry, fear, impatience, anger, etc....all sins that He suffered and died for. What's so wonderful is that as I come to Him seeking His forgiveness that He lovingly and patiently forgives me and holds me close. And hopefully, as I seek Him and love Him more each day that His glory will shine through me, that He will increase and I will decrease and that I will choose to TRUST and OBEY more and more because as the hymn says: "there is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey!" Next month I'll share from a young lady who did trust and obey and how Jesus is using her to share His love and comfort with many. Thanks so much for journeying with me on this road of growing closer to Jesus every minute of every day!!!
Here are two songs that I want to leave you with. The first one is "Trust and Obey" and the second is "His Strength is Perfect". To me they kind-of go together. We need His strength to be able to trust and obey. It's so great to be reminded that in our weakness, He is there to carry us and that we are strong in Him. The one video pictures a father holding the hand of his child just like Jesus does for us. The next one has such beautiful pictures of God's creation. Enjoy them both and be reminded of God's overwhelming love for you!
A recurring question that Jesus has been asking me: "Keva, do you trust me? Am I really enough?" The Bible study that Lovely Branches Ministries is doing right now is called "Stuck" by Jennie Allen. In the chapter on worry and fear she shared this verse: I Peter: 2:24 "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed." Jennie shares:
"Our freedom cost Christ everything. Because He died and defeated sin and'
death in His resurrection, we have the power to "die to sin". Freedom did
not come cheap, but it is there for us to take freely. Surrender is difficult,
but God calls us to it because when we die--die to our hopes for our lives,
our need to please everyone, our demands, our fear of failing, our need to
promote ourselves, our control, our fear of loss and hardship--we find freedom.
He brings life from death--God can do that in us.
God is asking us. Do you trust me? Do you trust me when your life is out of
control? Do you trust me when you lose your job? When your husband loses
his job? Do you trust me when your child is rebelling? Do you trust me when
you are being misunderstood? Do you trust me when you are craving to be
married and there is no potential husband in sight? Do you trust me when I
ask you to risk your comfort, your security?
No one ever told me how insane Christianity was before I signed up.
No one told me that it would cost me everything.
But in surrendering everything, we find freedom."
F. B. Meyer in the book Streams in the Desert writes:
"This is the blessed life--not anxious to see far in front, nor eager to choose the
path, but quietly following behind the Shepherd, one step at a time...The
Oriental shepherd was always out in front of the sheep. He was down in front.
Any attack upon them had to take him into account. Now God is down in front.
He is in the tomorrows. It is tomorrow that fills men with dread. God is there
already. All the tomorrows of our life have to pass Him before they can get
to us."
What I have discovered, especially in the past three years since my husband, Ty went
to his forever home with Jesus, is that the more I trust God and do not fear and worry the more joy and freedom I have. He doesn't want me to worry or be afraid but to find peace and fulfillment in Him alone as I take His hand each day and rest in His love. Jesus said in Mark 8:34-37: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous an sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
The life application commentary from my Bible offers this challenge:
"We should be willing to lose our lives for the sake of the gospel, not because
our lives are useless but because NOTHING--not even life itself--can compare to
what we gain with Christ. Jesus wants us to CHOOSE to follow him rather than
to lead a life of sin and self-satisfaction. He wants us to stop trying to control
our own destiny and to let Him direct us. This makes good sense because, as
the Creator, Christ knows better than we do what real life is all about. He asks
for submission, not self-hatred; He asks us only to lose our self-centered
determination to be in charge. Many people spend all their energy seeking
pleasure. Jesus said, however, that a world of pleasure centered on possessions,
position, or power is ultimately worthless. Whatever you have on earth is only
temporary; it cannot be exchanged for your soul. If you work hard at getting
what you want, you might eventually have a "pleasurable" life, but in the end
you will find it hollow and empty. Are you willing to make the pursuit of God
more important than the selfish pursuit of pleasure? Follow Jesus, and you will
know what it means to live abundantly now and to have eternal life as well."
I spent much more time for alot of my life pursuing possessions, and pleasure and other's approval more than pursuing knowing and loving Jesus with all of my heart. Those things only brought temporary peace and joy. They truly were hollow and empty. What I know now and want to remind others never to forget is that only a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus where He is your pursuit (a choice that we make each day) over anything or anyone else will bring lasting peace, joy and contentment. Jesus plus nothing equals everything!!! As Jennie says in the Stuck study: "As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems are solved all at once." Another interesting thing that I have found as I pursue and rely on Jesus above everything and everyone else is that He helps me to appreciate and enjoy all the things and relationships that He has blessed me with so much more. I am content and grateful for all that I already have instead of wanting all the things that our world says is important. I want the blessings that come from knowing and loving Jesus more every day, the blessings and freedom that come from trusting Him and obeying His Word not just reading it. Do I always trust Him and obey? No, but that is my desire. Like Paul, I hate it when I choose "my way" instead of His. My way is never the best and I know that. I'm just so thankful that He loves me just as I am with all my faults, that He knows me intimately and has promised never to leave or forsake me. It does break my heart when I break His with my selfishness, arrogance, pride, worry, fear, impatience, anger, etc....all sins that He suffered and died for. What's so wonderful is that as I come to Him seeking His forgiveness that He lovingly and patiently forgives me and holds me close. And hopefully, as I seek Him and love Him more each day that His glory will shine through me, that He will increase and I will decrease and that I will choose to TRUST and OBEY more and more because as the hymn says: "there is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey!" Next month I'll share from a young lady who did trust and obey and how Jesus is using her to share His love and comfort with many. Thanks so much for journeying with me on this road of growing closer to Jesus every minute of every day!!!
Here are two songs that I want to leave you with. The first one is "Trust and Obey" and the second is "His Strength is Perfect". To me they kind-of go together. We need His strength to be able to trust and obey. It's so great to be reminded that in our weakness, He is there to carry us and that we are strong in Him. The one video pictures a father holding the hand of his child just like Jesus does for us. The next one has such beautiful pictures of God's creation. Enjoy them both and be reminded of God's overwhelming love for you!
Friday, August 31, 2012
God Is Our Strength
Wow! Where do I begin? For those of you who have been reading my blog, you may have noticed that I haven't written anything in awhile. The reason being was that I was questioning whether the Lord wanted me to continue writing. Part of the reason I was questioning that is because I was doing what our Lord tells us not to do--compare ourselves with others. As you all well know, there are many bloggers who are very gifted at sharing words of encouragement and hope from God's Word and their lives. Also, many of these bloggers are very artistic using pictures, videos, etc... It made me wonder why I should continue writing when there are so many more creative people offering hope in Jesus. I kept praying about it asking the Lord to make it clear what He wanted me to do. I sincerely desire to honor and glorify Him, but honestly, I was hoping that He would tell me to leave the blogging to others to do.
On August 12 as I was having my coffee time with Jesus, I started my prayer time thanking Him for His strength because on that particular day I was feeling very weak and discouraged. It was one of those days when I was missing Ty alot, was weary of this life and needed His strength to help me to carry on. As I do every day, I expressed my desire to do His will and told Him that I was still struggling with whether He wanted me to continue the blog. That particular morning He led me to read in the devotional book, "Jesus Calling". This is what I read:
"Come to me when you are weak and weary. Rest snugly in My everlasting arms. I do not despise your weakness, My Child. Actually, it draws Me closer to you, because weakness stirs up My compassion--My yearning to help. Accept yourself in your weariness, knowing that I understand how difficult your journey has been.Do not compare yourself with others, who seem to skip along their life-paths with ease. Their journeys have been different from yours, and I have gifted them with abundant energy. I have gifted you with fragility, providing opportunities for your spirit to blossom in My Presence. Accept this gift as a sacred treasure; delicate, yet glowing with brilliant Light. Rather than struggling to disguise or deny your weakness, allow Me to bless you richly through it."
The tears came as I read those words. As Jesus has done countless times since the death of my husband, Ty, almost 3 years ago, He spoke so intimately to my heart. You need to understand that I don't read in this devotional every day and yet on this day when I was feeling so weak He knew I needed to hear His words of comfort in my weakness. Also, He reminded me not to compare myself with others--to accept the gifts that He has given me. After reading the devotional, He spoke so clearly to my heart: "I want you to continue writing, to be willing to be vulnerable, to share your heart--what I'm teaching you, and to be willing to be misunderstood, remember--I was." He also reminded me that the things He has used in my life to change my heart and draw me closer to Him have been simple, black and white words on pages--from His love letter, the Bible and through other books which are written about His Word. I don't need artistic ability. I just need to pass on the hope that He gives me and desires all of us to have as we seek to know Him better and become more like Him. So...that's what I'm going to do. Jesus is my HOPE--the reason I get up every morning. He desires an intimate, personal relationship with each of us and always knows exactly what we need to hear as He showed me on August 12 and continued to show me as I looked up the verses that were listed in the "Jesus Calling" devotional. This is where again I want to share how specifically our Lord will speak to our hearts as we seek Him. As I looked up the first verse, my eye was instead drawn to a verse that I had highlighted on another page which said:
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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 be faint." Isaiah 40: 29-31.
How awesome is that? He's again reminding me that He will give me strength when I am weary. Also, I read the life application commentary in my Bible which said:
"He is never too tired or too busy to help and listen. His strength is our source of strength. When you feel all of life crushing you and cannot go another step, remember that you can call upon God to renew your strength. Hoping in the Lord is expecting that His promise of strength will help us to rise above life's distractions and difficulties."
Then I turned the page and read these verses that I had highlighted:
Isaiah 41:10,13 - "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." And verse 13 - "For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you. Do not fear; I will help you." The other verses listed in "Jesus Calling" were Isaiah 54:10 "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you." It was so great to be reminded of God's love that never fails and His compassion for me. Then from Romans 8:26,27 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." and the life application commentary:
"As a believer, you are not left to your own resources to cope with problems. Even when you don't know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with and for you and God answers. Ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for you in accordance with God's will. Then when you bring your requests to God, trust that He will always do what is best."
In my weakness, I can be assured of the help of the Holy Spirit. In my weakness I started my coffee time with Jesus by asking Him to give me strength. That strength, as well as encouragement and joy came as He directed me to His Word and very specifically took me to verses that He knew I needed to hear. I started out my morning ready to throw in the towel, and my loving Heavenly Father scooped me up in His arms and spoke His words of comfort as I chose to seek Him. As I told a friend recently: "I just love my Lord so much--He amazes me more and more each day as He helps me to take step after step on this road we call life."
So...I know Jesus wants me to continue to share what He teaches me as I choose to cling to Him, my HOPE. May He bless each of you too with a better understanding of His never-ending love and compassion for you and remind you of what an intimate, personal Father He is to us, His children. Nothing and no one can meet your needs like Jesus!!!!
The song, "Wonderful, Merciful, Savior" came to my mind as I was finishing the blog. I looked it up on youtube and was again amazed at my God as I read these words in the song: "Here in our weakness you find us." Not only did He direct me in His Word to the verses I needed to hear, but He also gave me a song too. I am in such awe of Him. I trust that as you listen to the song that you will praise and worship Him and will also be blessed by the beautiful pictures of His creation. Actually, I have given you two videos of the song to listen to and watch. I liked one for the beautiful pictures and the other for the added verses and quotes. I hope that you will be blessed by both as you praise our Lord in song.
On August 12 as I was having my coffee time with Jesus, I started my prayer time thanking Him for His strength because on that particular day I was feeling very weak and discouraged. It was one of those days when I was missing Ty alot, was weary of this life and needed His strength to help me to carry on. As I do every day, I expressed my desire to do His will and told Him that I was still struggling with whether He wanted me to continue the blog. That particular morning He led me to read in the devotional book, "Jesus Calling". This is what I read:
"Come to me when you are weak and weary. Rest snugly in My everlasting arms. I do not despise your weakness, My Child. Actually, it draws Me closer to you, because weakness stirs up My compassion--My yearning to help. Accept yourself in your weariness, knowing that I understand how difficult your journey has been.Do not compare yourself with others, who seem to skip along their life-paths with ease. Their journeys have been different from yours, and I have gifted them with abundant energy. I have gifted you with fragility, providing opportunities for your spirit to blossom in My Presence. Accept this gift as a sacred treasure; delicate, yet glowing with brilliant Light. Rather than struggling to disguise or deny your weakness, allow Me to bless you richly through it."
The tears came as I read those words. As Jesus has done countless times since the death of my husband, Ty, almost 3 years ago, He spoke so intimately to my heart. You need to understand that I don't read in this devotional every day and yet on this day when I was feeling so weak He knew I needed to hear His words of comfort in my weakness. Also, He reminded me not to compare myself with others--to accept the gifts that He has given me. After reading the devotional, He spoke so clearly to my heart: "I want you to continue writing, to be willing to be vulnerable, to share your heart--what I'm teaching you, and to be willing to be misunderstood, remember--I was." He also reminded me that the things He has used in my life to change my heart and draw me closer to Him have been simple, black and white words on pages--from His love letter, the Bible and through other books which are written about His Word. I don't need artistic ability. I just need to pass on the hope that He gives me and desires all of us to have as we seek to know Him better and become more like Him. So...that's what I'm going to do. Jesus is my HOPE--the reason I get up every morning. He desires an intimate, personal relationship with each of us and always knows exactly what we need to hear as He showed me on August 12 and continued to show me as I looked up the verses that were listed in the "Jesus Calling" devotional. This is where again I want to share how specifically our Lord will speak to our hearts as we seek Him. As I looked up the first verse, my eye was instead drawn to a verse that I had highlighted on another page which said:
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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 be faint." Isaiah 40: 29-31.
How awesome is that? He's again reminding me that He will give me strength when I am weary. Also, I read the life application commentary in my Bible which said:
"He is never too tired or too busy to help and listen. His strength is our source of strength. When you feel all of life crushing you and cannot go another step, remember that you can call upon God to renew your strength. Hoping in the Lord is expecting that His promise of strength will help us to rise above life's distractions and difficulties."
Then I turned the page and read these verses that I had highlighted:
Isaiah 41:10,13 - "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." And verse 13 - "For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you. Do not fear; I will help you." The other verses listed in "Jesus Calling" were Isaiah 54:10 "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you." It was so great to be reminded of God's love that never fails and His compassion for me. Then from Romans 8:26,27 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." and the life application commentary:
"As a believer, you are not left to your own resources to cope with problems. Even when you don't know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with and for you and God answers. Ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for you in accordance with God's will. Then when you bring your requests to God, trust that He will always do what is best."
In my weakness, I can be assured of the help of the Holy Spirit. In my weakness I started my coffee time with Jesus by asking Him to give me strength. That strength, as well as encouragement and joy came as He directed me to His Word and very specifically took me to verses that He knew I needed to hear. I started out my morning ready to throw in the towel, and my loving Heavenly Father scooped me up in His arms and spoke His words of comfort as I chose to seek Him. As I told a friend recently: "I just love my Lord so much--He amazes me more and more each day as He helps me to take step after step on this road we call life."
So...I know Jesus wants me to continue to share what He teaches me as I choose to cling to Him, my HOPE. May He bless each of you too with a better understanding of His never-ending love and compassion for you and remind you of what an intimate, personal Father He is to us, His children. Nothing and no one can meet your needs like Jesus!!!!
The song, "Wonderful, Merciful, Savior" came to my mind as I was finishing the blog. I looked it up on youtube and was again amazed at my God as I read these words in the song: "Here in our weakness you find us." Not only did He direct me in His Word to the verses I needed to hear, but He also gave me a song too. I am in such awe of Him. I trust that as you listen to the song that you will praise and worship Him and will also be blessed by the beautiful pictures of His creation. Actually, I have given you two videos of the song to listen to and watch. I liked one for the beautiful pictures and the other for the added verses and quotes. I hope that you will be blessed by both as you praise our Lord in song.
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