Wishing you and your family a blessed and joyous Thanksgiving.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
What One Meal Eaten at Home Can Do
I have mentioned before that my family sponsors a child through Compassion International. Her name is Ashwini, and she lives in India.
A couple of days ago, I received a plea from Compassion asking that I donate to their unsponsored children's fund. I went to their website last night, and there were 2,214 photos of children waiting to be sponsored. Of the first 195 I looked at, 33 of the children lived in AIDS-affected areas and 6 of them had been waiting six months or longer for a sponsor. Mind you, that was just 195 out of 2,214.
I would like to introduce to you Souleymane Sanou. He is my new child. I saw his little face with a heart up in the corner of the photo representing that he was one of the children who had been waiting for six or more months, and the Lord spoke to my heart. I knew that he was mine.
God has really been speaking to me the past few years concerning the amount of money we spend on Christmas each year. I'm sure it is more than some people and less than others. Still, for me personally, I find myself looking at the gifts under the tree and thinking how I might have used that money to help people who have so much less than I do. I am so blessed. I posted a few days ago about My Ebenezer. It is just one example of the many ways God has faithfully provided for us.
And for those who wonder why God allows some to have so much while others live in utter poverty, I am afraid I cannot answer that question. I only know that God loves us all equally, and His heart breaks for the suffering of His children. I know that He is not the cause of the poverty.
What I also know is that He has called those of us for whom He has given much to bless those who have little.
As I sat there looking at the pictures of those precious little faces, I thought about the dinner out my family had enjoyed last evening. With tip, we spent approximately $26. Add another $6 to that total, and you have a monthly sponsorship of one child. Add to that the amount we spent on gas filling up our car on the way home, and you have the sponsorship of another child plus some.
In just a couple of hours, I spent more than it costs to sponsor two children. And I know beyond a shadow of a doubt what those children and their families receive from sponsorship means a heck of a lot more to them than dinner out and gas in my car meant to me. For me, it was business as usual. For them, it is their very survival. I think I may be taking too much for granted.
What about you? Can you give up one dinner out to sponsor one of those children? If so, please click on the link in my right sidebar. Even if you don't feel you can afford to sponsor a child monthly, a one-time donation to the Unsponsored Children's Fund will help the children who are registered but still awaiting sponsorship.
During this holiday season, as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving and the birth of the One who came to save us all, may we be His hands and feet to a child in need.
Sweet Blessings,
A couple of days ago, I received a plea from Compassion asking that I donate to their unsponsored children's fund. I went to their website last night, and there were 2,214 photos of children waiting to be sponsored. Of the first 195 I looked at, 33 of the children lived in AIDS-affected areas and 6 of them had been waiting six months or longer for a sponsor. Mind you, that was just 195 out of 2,214.
I would like to introduce to you Souleymane Sanou. He is my new child. I saw his little face with a heart up in the corner of the photo representing that he was one of the children who had been waiting for six or more months, and the Lord spoke to my heart. I knew that he was mine.
God has really been speaking to me the past few years concerning the amount of money we spend on Christmas each year. I'm sure it is more than some people and less than others. Still, for me personally, I find myself looking at the gifts under the tree and thinking how I might have used that money to help people who have so much less than I do. I am so blessed. I posted a few days ago about My Ebenezer. It is just one example of the many ways God has faithfully provided for us.
And for those who wonder why God allows some to have so much while others live in utter poverty, I am afraid I cannot answer that question. I only know that God loves us all equally, and His heart breaks for the suffering of His children. I know that He is not the cause of the poverty.
What I also know is that He has called those of us for whom He has given much to bless those who have little.
As I sat there looking at the pictures of those precious little faces, I thought about the dinner out my family had enjoyed last evening. With tip, we spent approximately $26. Add another $6 to that total, and you have a monthly sponsorship of one child. Add to that the amount we spent on gas filling up our car on the way home, and you have the sponsorship of another child plus some.
In just a couple of hours, I spent more than it costs to sponsor two children. And I know beyond a shadow of a doubt what those children and their families receive from sponsorship means a heck of a lot more to them than dinner out and gas in my car meant to me. For me, it was business as usual. For them, it is their very survival. I think I may be taking too much for granted.
What about you? Can you give up one dinner out to sponsor one of those children? If so, please click on the link in my right sidebar. Even if you don't feel you can afford to sponsor a child monthly, a one-time donation to the Unsponsored Children's Fund will help the children who are registered but still awaiting sponsorship.
During this holiday season, as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving and the birth of the One who came to save us all, may we be His hands and feet to a child in need.
Sweet Blessings,
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Random Things About Me
My buddy, Janel, over at Dandelion Dayz tagged me for this meme.
THE RULES:*** Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.***Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.*** Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their name as well as links to their blog.*** Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Seven random things about me...hmmm...
1. I really love cloudy, rainy days. That may actually be classified as a weird one.
2. Since we don't have a wood-burning fireplace anymore, we sometimes roast marshmallows on our gas grill. :-) I know that's not about just me, but hey, it's my party, right?
3. When I was growing up, my grandfather had a friend who used to sing the song, "Delta Dawn" every time he would see me. I am totally telling my age here. Anyone remember that song? Sing with me, "Delta Dawn, what's that flower you have on? Could it be a painted rose from days gone by?" I heard you singing. :-)
4. I totally heart the Jonas Brothers.
5. I usually am reading two or three or four books at the same time. Seriously.
6. I'm not a natural red-head. "What, you say?" I know, I know. You're shocked. Truth is, my hair actually has four different colors on it at the same time. I've been going to the same hairstylist for 6 1/2 years, and she has filled up a card and started over with the colors of my hair. Yep, it's true.
7. I'll stick with my hairstylist for this last one. I drive 40 minutes one way to get my hair done. She moved, and I don't trust anyone else with my hair.
So, there you have it. Seven totally random and probably weird things about me. I'm tagging:
Just Keep Praying
Positively Alene
Not Mine, But God's Story
Ponderings From the Pathway
Sweet Tea for Surrendered Sisters
I realize that's only five, but that's all I have for now. Anyone else who wants to play along is welcome to join in.
Blessings,
THE RULES:*** Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.***Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.*** Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their name as well as links to their blog.*** Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Seven random things about me...hmmm...
1. I really love cloudy, rainy days. That may actually be classified as a weird one.
2. Since we don't have a wood-burning fireplace anymore, we sometimes roast marshmallows on our gas grill. :-) I know that's not about just me, but hey, it's my party, right?
3. When I was growing up, my grandfather had a friend who used to sing the song, "Delta Dawn" every time he would see me. I am totally telling my age here. Anyone remember that song? Sing with me, "Delta Dawn, what's that flower you have on? Could it be a painted rose from days gone by?" I heard you singing. :-)
4. I totally heart the Jonas Brothers.
5. I usually am reading two or three or four books at the same time. Seriously.
6. I'm not a natural red-head. "What, you say?" I know, I know. You're shocked. Truth is, my hair actually has four different colors on it at the same time. I've been going to the same hairstylist for 6 1/2 years, and she has filled up a card and started over with the colors of my hair. Yep, it's true.
7. I'll stick with my hairstylist for this last one. I drive 40 minutes one way to get my hair done. She moved, and I don't trust anyone else with my hair.
So, there you have it. Seven totally random and probably weird things about me. I'm tagging:
Just Keep Praying
Positively Alene
Not Mine, But God's Story
Ponderings From the Pathway
Sweet Tea for Surrendered Sisters
I realize that's only five, but that's all I have for now. Anyone else who wants to play along is welcome to join in.
Blessings,
Monday, November 24, 2008
Obeying the Quiet Voice
On Friday, I posted about listening to the "quiet voice" when It insisted that I go downstairs instead of finishing my morning routine. Oh how I was rewarded for my obedience!
Today, I heard a story on the radio that went way beyond my experience of last Friday.
A man had used his cell phone at lunch and upon ending his call went to put the phone in his pants pocket as he always did. However, he felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit to put his phone in his shirt pocket instead. While not understanding, he nevertheless obeyed.
Later that day, he was out mowing the grass when he was hit by a stray bullet from a hunter. Not knowing whether or not he had been injured, he took his cell phone out to call 911. His phone disintegrated in his hands. It had been hit by the bullet. His shirt pocket was located directly over his heart. The man was unharmed, but doctors said had it not been for the cell phone, he would have most certainly been dead.
I was covered in chills when I heard the story.
Oh Father God, please give me spiritual ears to hear when you speak and the faith to obey no matter what I may think about Your instruction. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.
Sweet Blessings,
Today, I heard a story on the radio that went way beyond my experience of last Friday.
A man had used his cell phone at lunch and upon ending his call went to put the phone in his pants pocket as he always did. However, he felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit to put his phone in his shirt pocket instead. While not understanding, he nevertheless obeyed.
Later that day, he was out mowing the grass when he was hit by a stray bullet from a hunter. Not knowing whether or not he had been injured, he took his cell phone out to call 911. His phone disintegrated in his hands. It had been hit by the bullet. His shirt pocket was located directly over his heart. The man was unharmed, but doctors said had it not been for the cell phone, he would have most certainly been dead.
I was covered in chills when I heard the story.
Oh Father God, please give me spiritual ears to hear when you speak and the faith to obey no matter what I may think about Your instruction. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.
Sweet Blessings,
Sunday, November 23, 2008
My Ebenezer
We had our Thanksgiving service today at church. It truly was a worship-filled, celebratory experience.
Part of the service centered around offering up our "Ebenezer." This term comes from 1 Samuel 7:11-13 in which the Israelites are pursuing the Philistines. Samuel set up a stone and named it Ebenezer saying, "Thus far has the Lord helped us." (v. 12) Ebenezer literally means "stone of help."
We had been asked last Sunday to mediate this past week on what had been our Ebenezer over the past year. It could be an object or even a verse of scripture. We were to bring the object or scripture with us today where there was then a time during the service in which we were to approach a table at the altar and lay our Ebenezer down as an offering to the Lord.
My immediate thought was how God had provided for us concerning my husband, Richard's, job during the past year. Last year, less than two weeks before Thanksgiving, we found out that he would no longer have a job after December 31, 2007. This was a shock to say the least. The employees in his department had packed up their offices, had a final lunch together and prepared to leave for the last time when they were told at the 11th hour that it had been decided they would be kept until June 30, 2008. Reprieve No. 1.
Richard and his co-workers drifted along for several months with this knowledge hanging over their heads but trying to carry on as if it was business as usual. Co-workers left for other jobs. He was sending out resumes. Add to this the fact that we had discovered he would most likely see a significant reduction in his salary should he find a new job.
June 30th loomed ever closer and still things had not changed. It was a couple of weeks before the deadline, and FINALLY, the employees who were still there were told they were being kept permanently. Reprieve No. 2.
While we were thankful Richard was still employed, things were tough nonetheless. The job he had always done was no more. He was very unhappy with the direction his duties had taken and continued to search for a position with another company.
Finally, my piano teacher suggested Richard send his resume to her husband who could forward it on to the right people. I will spare you the details, but it was such a God-thing. Richard was not only offered a job with this company doing the job he had always done, but he didn't have to take a pay-cut either! The benefits were comparable, and the company would even recognize his time of service with his previous employer. So, after one year with the new company, he will even be back to the same amount of vacation he had when he left his old company! Reprieve No. 3.
This is, obviously, a big way in which God has helped and provided for us over the past year. There are so many others, but for the sake of the service today, this was certainly a biggie.
I'm so thankful to God. He gave me such peace during the whole entire situation. I didn't know how God was going to work things out, but I knew that He would. I'm not just thankful for how He provided; I am thankful for the way He made His presence known to me in the midst of a difficult and trying time.
And in case you were wondering, my Ebenezer was a computer mouse. How about you? What has God done for you over the past year, and what would you use to represent your "stone of help?"
Blessings,
Part of the service centered around offering up our "Ebenezer." This term comes from 1 Samuel 7:11-13 in which the Israelites are pursuing the Philistines. Samuel set up a stone and named it Ebenezer saying, "Thus far has the Lord helped us." (v. 12) Ebenezer literally means "stone of help."
We had been asked last Sunday to mediate this past week on what had been our Ebenezer over the past year. It could be an object or even a verse of scripture. We were to bring the object or scripture with us today where there was then a time during the service in which we were to approach a table at the altar and lay our Ebenezer down as an offering to the Lord.
My immediate thought was how God had provided for us concerning my husband, Richard's, job during the past year. Last year, less than two weeks before Thanksgiving, we found out that he would no longer have a job after December 31, 2007. This was a shock to say the least. The employees in his department had packed up their offices, had a final lunch together and prepared to leave for the last time when they were told at the 11th hour that it had been decided they would be kept until June 30, 2008. Reprieve No. 1.
Richard and his co-workers drifted along for several months with this knowledge hanging over their heads but trying to carry on as if it was business as usual. Co-workers left for other jobs. He was sending out resumes. Add to this the fact that we had discovered he would most likely see a significant reduction in his salary should he find a new job.
June 30th loomed ever closer and still things had not changed. It was a couple of weeks before the deadline, and FINALLY, the employees who were still there were told they were being kept permanently. Reprieve No. 2.
While we were thankful Richard was still employed, things were tough nonetheless. The job he had always done was no more. He was very unhappy with the direction his duties had taken and continued to search for a position with another company.
Finally, my piano teacher suggested Richard send his resume to her husband who could forward it on to the right people. I will spare you the details, but it was such a God-thing. Richard was not only offered a job with this company doing the job he had always done, but he didn't have to take a pay-cut either! The benefits were comparable, and the company would even recognize his time of service with his previous employer. So, after one year with the new company, he will even be back to the same amount of vacation he had when he left his old company! Reprieve No. 3.
This is, obviously, a big way in which God has helped and provided for us over the past year. There are so many others, but for the sake of the service today, this was certainly a biggie.
I'm so thankful to God. He gave me such peace during the whole entire situation. I didn't know how God was going to work things out, but I knew that He would. I'm not just thankful for how He provided; I am thankful for the way He made His presence known to me in the midst of a difficult and trying time.
And in case you were wondering, my Ebenezer was a computer mouse. How about you? What has God done for you over the past year, and what would you use to represent your "stone of help?"
Blessings,
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Thankful for the Little Things
Today was a wonderful day spent with family. We began by cooking breakfast together. Homemade biscuits with honey and molasses from our local farmer's market and scrambled eggs with melted cheese. Ummm, I could get hungry again just thinking about it.
We turned on the Christmas music station on satellite, and gathered our Christmas lights from the attic. A good part of the morning was filled with testing of the lights and replacing of old bulbs. What could have been an onerous task was made enjoyable by the fact that we were all working together as a family and just enjoying spending time with one another. It didn't matter really what we were doing, only that we were together while doing it.
My in-law's came by, and we made the trip over to our local mega mall. This, too, was enjoyable. Yes, the place was quite packed with people, but the sights and sounds were just fun. The beautiful decorations and music were a veritable treat.
Dinner at a local restaurant on the way home, and I now sit here in front of my computer feeling tired but quite contented.
It truly is the little things sometimes.
It is my prayer for myself as well as each of you reading this that there will be many more days like this during the busy holiday season rather than the stress that can so easily overcome us this time of year.
And no, I haven't forgotten that we haven't celebrated Thanksgiving yet. More on that tomorrow.
Blessings,
We turned on the Christmas music station on satellite, and gathered our Christmas lights from the attic. A good part of the morning was filled with testing of the lights and replacing of old bulbs. What could have been an onerous task was made enjoyable by the fact that we were all working together as a family and just enjoying spending time with one another. It didn't matter really what we were doing, only that we were together while doing it.
My in-law's came by, and we made the trip over to our local mega mall. This, too, was enjoyable. Yes, the place was quite packed with people, but the sights and sounds were just fun. The beautiful decorations and music were a veritable treat.
Dinner at a local restaurant on the way home, and I now sit here in front of my computer feeling tired but quite contented.
It truly is the little things sometimes.
It is my prayer for myself as well as each of you reading this that there will be many more days like this during the busy holiday season rather than the stress that can so easily overcome us this time of year.
And no, I haven't forgotten that we haven't celebrated Thanksgiving yet. More on that tomorrow.
Blessings,
Friday, November 21, 2008
A Beautiful Illustration
This morning as I stood in our bathroom listening to the gentle sound of rain falling on the skylight, I felt that "gentle nudge" to go downstairs. I wasn't really sure why. I hadn't finished getting ready, and there was still some time before I had to wake my husband and daughter up to get ready for work and school. Still, the Voice was insistent, so I obediently went downstairs wondering what I would find.
Daylight was just beginning to break, and I could see that the sound I had heard on my skylight upstairs was actually the sound of sleet mixed with a few snow flurries, an unusual sight here in North Carolina to be sure. The sleet had begun to accumulate on my back deck, but, to be honest, the sight wasn't much to behold. Still, I stood there watching.
After about a minute, the sleet became less, and suddenly, it was snowing! I watched in amazement as the flakes became larger.
My house backs up to woods, and right now, they are a tangled mess of brambles and brown, dead leaves. Certainly not particularly appealing to look at.
But as I sat and watched the snow fall against the backdrop of those seemingly unsightly woods, my perspective began to change. Seeing those woods with the beautiful snow falling all around them somehow had made them look beautiful as well.
As I watched this glorious sight, I began to realize this is exactly what God does for us. It is why He sent His Son to die for us.
Our hearts are brown and dead on the inside just as those woods are from the sin that fills us. But just as that snow falling changed the way those woods looked, so does God's view of our hearts change at that moment when we ask for forgiveness of our sins and that Jesus come in to live and wash our hearts as white as snow.
My heart was so full as I thought about this this morning. I sat there thanking God for loving me, for sending Jesus to save me, and for sending me downstairs that I might share this special moment with Him.
It was such a beautiful time spent with Him alone before the hustle and bustle of the day began, and it set the tone for my entire day. What a wonderful God we serve!
Sweet Blessings,
Daylight was just beginning to break, and I could see that the sound I had heard on my skylight upstairs was actually the sound of sleet mixed with a few snow flurries, an unusual sight here in North Carolina to be sure. The sleet had begun to accumulate on my back deck, but, to be honest, the sight wasn't much to behold. Still, I stood there watching.
After about a minute, the sleet became less, and suddenly, it was snowing! I watched in amazement as the flakes became larger.
My house backs up to woods, and right now, they are a tangled mess of brambles and brown, dead leaves. Certainly not particularly appealing to look at.
But as I sat and watched the snow fall against the backdrop of those seemingly unsightly woods, my perspective began to change. Seeing those woods with the beautiful snow falling all around them somehow had made them look beautiful as well.
As I watched this glorious sight, I began to realize this is exactly what God does for us. It is why He sent His Son to die for us.
Our hearts are brown and dead on the inside just as those woods are from the sin that fills us. But just as that snow falling changed the way those woods looked, so does God's view of our hearts change at that moment when we ask for forgiveness of our sins and that Jesus come in to live and wash our hearts as white as snow.
My heart was so full as I thought about this this morning. I sat there thanking God for loving me, for sending Jesus to save me, and for sending me downstairs that I might share this special moment with Him.
It was such a beautiful time spent with Him alone before the hustle and bustle of the day began, and it set the tone for my entire day. What a wonderful God we serve!
Sweet Blessings,
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
ABC's of Praise
Tonight with our children's choir, one of our leaders did a devotion with the children concerning ways that we can praise God. We discussed thankfulness last week, and tonight we discussed how thankfulness and praise are two different things. We then took the letters of the alphabet and went through trying to think of names or characteristics of God for each letter of the alphabet. Each of these is a way that we can praise God.
Here are a few of the one's we came up with:
A - Almighty
B - Beautiful
C- Caring
D - Divine
E - Eternal and Extraordinary
F - Friend (I really like this one)
G - Gentle
H - Holy
I - Immanuel (which means "God with us." I'm so thankful that He is.)
J - Joyful/Jesus
K - Kind
L - Love
M - Majestic
N - Nice
O - Omnipotent (ok..that one is mine)
P - Powerful
Q -
R - Righteous
S - Serving
T - Truth
U -
V -
W - Wise
X - eXample
Y -
Z -
Any taker's on the letters we left blank? I would love to hear what some of you come up with, and have a great day praising God!
Sweet Blessings,
Here are a few of the one's we came up with:
A - Almighty
B - Beautiful
C- Caring
D - Divine
E - Eternal and Extraordinary
F - Friend (I really like this one)
G - Gentle
H - Holy
I - Immanuel (which means "God with us." I'm so thankful that He is.)
J - Joyful/Jesus
K - Kind
L - Love
M - Majestic
N - Nice
O - Omnipotent (ok..that one is mine)
P - Powerful
Q -
R - Righteous
S - Serving
T - Truth
U -
V -
W - Wise
X - eXample
Y -
Z -
Any taker's on the letters we left blank? I would love to hear what some of you come up with, and have a great day praising God!
Sweet Blessings,
One Year Blogoversary
Well, today marks my one year blogoversary. This has certainly been a new experience for me, and I have enjoyed it ever so much. I don't get to blog as often as I would like sometimes, but I would like to say a great big Thank You to those of you who have stuck with me even when my posting isn't quite so consistent.
Here's to an even better second year!
Blessings,
Here's to an even better second year!
Blessings,
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
To Further Emphasize...
To further emphasize what God was telling me today, I heard this song on the way to church tonight. I wasn't listening at first, and then, all of a sudden, I heard these words: "I....will....walk by faith..."
And I will. I must.
Praying the same for you.
Blessings,
And I will. I must.
Praying the same for you.
Blessings,
Walking By Faith, Not By Sight
I went to bed early last night with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that the man for whom I had voted for President was not going to win. I started watching election coverage at 5:00 yesterday, and by 8:00, when the polls in less than 15 states had closed, I had had enough. I just didn't feel I could take anymore.
I did not see President-Elect Obama's acceptance speech, nor did I see Senator McCain's concession speech. I have heard that both were gracious and eloquent.
When I awoke this morning, the sick feeling in my stomach had not left. Even before I went to my computer to check the outcome on the internet, I already knew in my heart how it had turned out.
I lay in my bed for a few moments and asked God, "He won, didn't he?" God's gentle reply was, "Yes, my child, he did, but I am still in control."
With those calming words, I arose to face the day. I wish I could tell you that I immediately felt buoyed by God's gentle reminder, but the truth is, I still felt sick at heart.
I went downstairs to have my quiet time, and I couldn't even think how to pray. This hasn't been a problem for me over the last few weeks, as God has been showing me exactly how He wanted me to pray for the election and our country. This morning, I felt stymied, though, and so, instead, I simply prayed, "Holy Spirit, please intercede on my behalf because I have no words this morning."
As the morning wore on, the sick feeling began to dissipate somewhat. I continued to pray and ask God to help me. I visited the blogs of several Christian speakers/leaders whose counsel and wisdom I respect to see what they had to say about the outcome. I highly recommend reading Lysa TerKeurst and Beth Moore's posts. They both have summed things up much better than I ever could.
Still, I would like to share what God has shown me today. I woke up this morning knowing the outcome and feeling heavy-hearted. I wanted to trust that God was still in control regardless, but what I knew in my head, wasn't quite resonating in my heart.
God is faithful, though, as always. He has used blog posts, a devotion, a video, and I'm not even sure what else to speak to my heart today and lift my spirits.
A couple of the blog posts, I have already mentioned above. In the devotion I received today was this quote by Corrie ten Boom: "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." How true. How true. Then, there was this video, linked to on Marybeth Whalen's blog:
It was in the video that I was reminded of 2 Corinthians 5:7: "for we walk by faith, not by sight." (New American Standard)
For reasons I can not understand, nor do I have to, God allowed Barack Obama to be elected. He was not surprised by this. Before the dawn of time, He knew this day would come.
My eyes tell me this should not be, but my faith in the One who is still seated on the throne trusts that this, too, has a purpose. Therefore, I will stand today on God's Word that says that I walk by faith and not by sight.
In standing on God's Word, I must also follow His command in Romans 13:1: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."
With that in mind, I realized that my prayers today are actually no different than what God has been prompting me to pray for over the past several weeks. I will pray for President-Elect Obama. That God will give him wisdom and discernment. That he will be protected from attacks by our enemies. That he will receive wise counsel from those closest to him. That his family will be protected. And that in those matters where his stances do not line up with God's Word, that his heart will be changed.
President-Elect Obama is not an enemy. He is a child of God, the same as I, and God loves Him the same as He loves me.
I will continue to pray for our country. That we will turn our hearts and minds back to God.
Those who love the Lord have the same job to do now, post-election, as we did pre-election. Pray.
May we wear holes in the knees of our pants together.
Sweet Blessings,
I did not see President-Elect Obama's acceptance speech, nor did I see Senator McCain's concession speech. I have heard that both were gracious and eloquent.
When I awoke this morning, the sick feeling in my stomach had not left. Even before I went to my computer to check the outcome on the internet, I already knew in my heart how it had turned out.
I lay in my bed for a few moments and asked God, "He won, didn't he?" God's gentle reply was, "Yes, my child, he did, but I am still in control."
With those calming words, I arose to face the day. I wish I could tell you that I immediately felt buoyed by God's gentle reminder, but the truth is, I still felt sick at heart.
I went downstairs to have my quiet time, and I couldn't even think how to pray. This hasn't been a problem for me over the last few weeks, as God has been showing me exactly how He wanted me to pray for the election and our country. This morning, I felt stymied, though, and so, instead, I simply prayed, "Holy Spirit, please intercede on my behalf because I have no words this morning."
As the morning wore on, the sick feeling began to dissipate somewhat. I continued to pray and ask God to help me. I visited the blogs of several Christian speakers/leaders whose counsel and wisdom I respect to see what they had to say about the outcome. I highly recommend reading Lysa TerKeurst and Beth Moore's posts. They both have summed things up much better than I ever could.
Still, I would like to share what God has shown me today. I woke up this morning knowing the outcome and feeling heavy-hearted. I wanted to trust that God was still in control regardless, but what I knew in my head, wasn't quite resonating in my heart.
God is faithful, though, as always. He has used blog posts, a devotion, a video, and I'm not even sure what else to speak to my heart today and lift my spirits.
A couple of the blog posts, I have already mentioned above. In the devotion I received today was this quote by Corrie ten Boom: "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." How true. How true. Then, there was this video, linked to on Marybeth Whalen's blog:
It was in the video that I was reminded of 2 Corinthians 5:7: "for we walk by faith, not by sight." (New American Standard)
For reasons I can not understand, nor do I have to, God allowed Barack Obama to be elected. He was not surprised by this. Before the dawn of time, He knew this day would come.
My eyes tell me this should not be, but my faith in the One who is still seated on the throne trusts that this, too, has a purpose. Therefore, I will stand today on God's Word that says that I walk by faith and not by sight.
In standing on God's Word, I must also follow His command in Romans 13:1: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."
With that in mind, I realized that my prayers today are actually no different than what God has been prompting me to pray for over the past several weeks. I will pray for President-Elect Obama. That God will give him wisdom and discernment. That he will be protected from attacks by our enemies. That he will receive wise counsel from those closest to him. That his family will be protected. And that in those matters where his stances do not line up with God's Word, that his heart will be changed.
President-Elect Obama is not an enemy. He is a child of God, the same as I, and God loves Him the same as He loves me.
I will continue to pray for our country. That we will turn our hearts and minds back to God.
Those who love the Lord have the same job to do now, post-election, as we did pre-election. Pray.
May we wear holes in the knees of our pants together.
Sweet Blessings,
Monday, November 3, 2008
A Disobedient Protester Am I
Delayed or partial obedience is still disobedience. I say that because God told me last Tuesday He wanted me to share this, and I have been dragging my feet in doing so. More on the disobedience part at another time as it is a topic for another post. For now, on to what God showed me last week.
I am continuing to study Beth Moore's 90-day devotional on David. Last week, I was reading about what transpired between David and his son, Absalom. You can read about this in 2 Samuel, Chapters 13 and 14.
The part that I want to focus on specifically is that Absalom was angry with David and had allowed bitterness to take root in his heart. The prayer that day was asking God to help us not allow that to happen in our own hearts.
I stopped and thought about this for a bit and then asked God if there was any bitterness or anger in my own heart towards anyone. He then brought someone to mind. I admit I was a little stunned by this at first, but as God spoke to my heart I knew that it was true.
That person was Clay Aiken. I know. Silly, right? I don't even know him, so why does it matter? Well, apparently, it matters to God.
And when He told me He wanted me to post about this again, I argued with Him. Our pastor preached a couple of Sunday's ago from Jeremiah and asked the question when God asks us to do something, are we a player or a protester? I admit, I was the latter. I did not want to visit this topic again. When last I posted about it, the backlash was something I would prefer not to experience again.
But here I am, one week later, and God still has not let this go.
You see, basically, what He showed me was that when I posted about this initially, I did so with love and compassion in my heart. But since that time, I have allowed the compassion to get pushed out and anger to take its place. God convicted me about this. He told me that while my anger was not unwarranted, it was misplaced. I should be angry at the sin, not the individual.
So I prayed and asked God to forgive me. I asked Him to help me be rid of the anger and return to the compassion that was there in the beginning.
I admit, though, I am not there yet. The truth is, I am really angry about this, and I am having some difficulty separating my anger. The man has a gift, and I believe God put him in the position He did to be a light in a dark place, to be a ray of hope. God's hands and feet.
I understand that he has his foundation that does lots of great work to promote inclusion for children with disabilities. He is an ambassador for UNICEF. All of that is sharing God's love with other's. I am not discounting any of that.
But the truth is, the entertainment industry is not the poster child for Christian values. As a matter of fact, I just read an article today about a new study that is out linking teen pregnancies to their exposure to sexual content on television. Ya' think? You can read the article here, but a short summation of the study is that "teens exposed to high levels of sexual content on television were twice as likely to be involved in a pregnancy in the following three years as teens with limited exposure."
If you have read my blog for a while, you know that I have talked numerous times about my own checkered past. I have made more mistakes than I can count, been in the pit more than a few times, and am ever grateful that God is merciful and hasn't given me what I deserve.
I say that to reiterate that I am not casting stones here, although I realize if this is the first post of mine you have read, it may seem that way. I can only pray that you will take the time to read more of my blog and see that this particular post is about me venting. More than that, though, it is a response to a command from God to do something. I may have argued. I may have delayed, but here I am doing as He asked.
And as we go into Election Day tomorrow, we need political leaders, entertainers, and the average working American to stand for the truth of God's Word. This country needs individuals who will stand up for Biblical values.
I pray that it will be so.
Blessings,
I am continuing to study Beth Moore's 90-day devotional on David. Last week, I was reading about what transpired between David and his son, Absalom. You can read about this in 2 Samuel, Chapters 13 and 14.
The part that I want to focus on specifically is that Absalom was angry with David and had allowed bitterness to take root in his heart. The prayer that day was asking God to help us not allow that to happen in our own hearts.
I stopped and thought about this for a bit and then asked God if there was any bitterness or anger in my own heart towards anyone. He then brought someone to mind. I admit I was a little stunned by this at first, but as God spoke to my heart I knew that it was true.
That person was Clay Aiken. I know. Silly, right? I don't even know him, so why does it matter? Well, apparently, it matters to God.
And when He told me He wanted me to post about this again, I argued with Him. Our pastor preached a couple of Sunday's ago from Jeremiah and asked the question when God asks us to do something, are we a player or a protester? I admit, I was the latter. I did not want to visit this topic again. When last I posted about it, the backlash was something I would prefer not to experience again.
But here I am, one week later, and God still has not let this go.
You see, basically, what He showed me was that when I posted about this initially, I did so with love and compassion in my heart. But since that time, I have allowed the compassion to get pushed out and anger to take its place. God convicted me about this. He told me that while my anger was not unwarranted, it was misplaced. I should be angry at the sin, not the individual.
So I prayed and asked God to forgive me. I asked Him to help me be rid of the anger and return to the compassion that was there in the beginning.
I admit, though, I am not there yet. The truth is, I am really angry about this, and I am having some difficulty separating my anger. The man has a gift, and I believe God put him in the position He did to be a light in a dark place, to be a ray of hope. God's hands and feet.
I understand that he has his foundation that does lots of great work to promote inclusion for children with disabilities. He is an ambassador for UNICEF. All of that is sharing God's love with other's. I am not discounting any of that.
But the truth is, the entertainment industry is not the poster child for Christian values. As a matter of fact, I just read an article today about a new study that is out linking teen pregnancies to their exposure to sexual content on television. Ya' think? You can read the article here, but a short summation of the study is that "teens exposed to high levels of sexual content on television were twice as likely to be involved in a pregnancy in the following three years as teens with limited exposure."
If you have read my blog for a while, you know that I have talked numerous times about my own checkered past. I have made more mistakes than I can count, been in the pit more than a few times, and am ever grateful that God is merciful and hasn't given me what I deserve.
I say that to reiterate that I am not casting stones here, although I realize if this is the first post of mine you have read, it may seem that way. I can only pray that you will take the time to read more of my blog and see that this particular post is about me venting. More than that, though, it is a response to a command from God to do something. I may have argued. I may have delayed, but here I am doing as He asked.
And as we go into Election Day tomorrow, we need political leaders, entertainers, and the average working American to stand for the truth of God's Word. This country needs individuals who will stand up for Biblical values.
I pray that it will be so.
Blessings,
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