In the Shadow

     

This morning as I was walking my dog, she began to get weary.  Her tiny little legs could not keep up with where her mind thought she wanted to go.  Every once in a while, when I knew she was getting weary, I would scoop her up and carry her for a bit because I was planning to walk farther than normal.  At one point I had set her down after a rest of me carrying her while I walked so, she could walk again.  We walked by a yard where some huge dogs were barking.  She is not a fan of other dogs, let alone big, huge ones that could seem to swallow her up in one bite.  I could sense her anxiety and before she would lose her mind, I scooped her up again and just told her calmly "I've got you Har".   As soon as I scooped her up, she relaxed and the barking dogs that had been carrying on fell silent immediately, never to utter another bark.  It was in that split second moment that the Lord downloaded to me the same.  "The "BIG DOGS" may bark and carry on, but I have you, just keep moving forward and following my plan and listening to my voice."  It was then I was reminded of Psalm 91.                            Maybe you are dealing with the constant bark of the big dogs who have run their loud mouths for far too long with their putrid breath. Trust God to do as He says.  He's got it.  Just keep placing one foot in front of the other and soon they will be silenced and in the distance. 

Psalm 91:

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

Just Hold On

    A few days ago I almost threw this plant in the dumpster. My kid’s purchased it for me for Mothers Day. I admit to not having a green thumb but I did my best to care for it and do right by it. Seemed no matter what I did, it simply kept dying until it looked like there was no hope. It was fully brown and all leaves and stems totally appeared dead.  

It was storming outside the time I thought I may just go ahead and throw it out. I struggled with that thought and didn’t have peace about doing it so I just left it. It was storming anyway.  I just figured Id probably deal with the next day. I was sad about it. I had done everything within my power and it just seemed like no matter what I did there was no hope for it. 

The next afternoon I came out to grab it and take it to the trash when I spotted new  teeny tiny bright green growth coming from the very base of the plant. I wish then I had taken a picture but I didn’t. I was dumbfounded. The day before that thing was dead….or so I thought….no hope of survival it appeared. 

That was two full days ago….now look at it!!  The Lord spoke to me very clearly on this in my spirit. He showed me… just when you think its over, hopeless, defeated….God has other plans and makes himself known. I NEEDED that reminder. 

Reminds me of an old Jason Crabb song we sing “Just hold on…, our God will show up, and He will take you through the fire again. “

Don’t jump ship in the midst of the storm, you might be closer to the other side than you think. Preaching to myself. 

Hebrews 6:18-20

God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Steadfast To the Other Side

 With 4 weeks left, we are at the end of the school year, or at least pretty stinkin’ close.  I am currently grading research paper rough drafts on communicable and non-communicable diseases on all 130+ of my students, and I have to really really focus. I’m weary. We are all weary.  We are also doing state testing in the mornings with students and it is stressful.  When I leave work I often feel mentally drained.  If you have ever been a teacher, or live with a teacher, you probably understand this.  I was telling my best friend that I had a day last week that I literally came home and went to bed at like 4pm and slept hard.  It is the final push of the school year with students, and to be honest we are all tired but trying hard to stay focused to finish strong.  Have you ever seen an overtired toddler respond to stress? Its never a good thing for anyone.   There are probably memes out there joking about the reality of such circumstances. 

     At the beginning of a school year it takes a little bit of time to get into the groove of things and reminders to stay on task.  It is hard to come off of summer schedules and get back into the school routine, it takes focus and determination to get back into that groove.  Mid school year we are usually doing pretty well, and fairly focused, etc…  but then by the end it is a battle again as everyone is exhausted.  It can be the same way with our faith walk as well. 

Many times, we begin standing strong in faith for something, however, as time passes, we become weary and begin to let go of our faith stand. It becomes harder and harder to stand in faith and almost impossible to press forward.

Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

The Amplified Bible says it like this, “And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.”

Yesterday I was out walking with my dog.  The smell of fresh cut grass got my attention.  It seemed like winter weather had lasted forever.  I am now seeing and smelling buds on trees blossoming and it is actually starting to feel like spring.  God was showing me as I walked how the dead things have to be removed to make room for growth and new blooms.  Even the grass, even though I can just now see the green, was rooting and growing and moving upward and onward beneath the surface. It is so hard when you are tired of “winter” and dont see the evidence of “spring” you become weary in the waiting. We have to trust that He is indeed doing a new thing. I have noticed something similar in my own personal life. 

     When I am pressing through a challenging season or standing in faith for a breakthrough – there always comes a time when I become weary. When it feels like I don’t have the grace to stand in faith another moment. I didn’t always know this – but I have learned that it is in that very place, I must take a deep breath and push with all my might (much like the last push before a baby is born, if you have given birth you know what I mean) and press on through.  We have to press so that new life can come through.  If we stop pushing during birth, both mother and baby could die.  In faith, it feels like sometimes the grace is no longer there to press in, still, I must push on through anyway. Why? Because it is on the other side of that ‘moment’ that breakthrough comes. I can’t count the number of times this very scenario has taken place in my life.  Currently I am in a place of having to keep pushing and pressing through because I know that the other side is closer than I think.

Hebrews 3:14 says, “For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.”

The Amplified bible says it like this, “For we have become fellows with Christ  and share in all He has for us, if only we hold our first newborn confidence and original assured expectation [in virtue of which we are believers] firm and unshaken to the end.”

Steadfast to the end. That is where we must stand. And it’s not always easy. Let's be REAL - it is stinking hard and some of the most difficult times we have ever had to deal with, but we must continue steadfastly. 

I don’t know where you find yourself today. Perhaps you are weary.  I understand more than you realize from my own perspective.  If so, look for those in your life who are full of faith, who will help you walk that last mile or help you push that final push and remind you why you are. Whatever you do, hold your confidence steadfast to the very end. When you do…you will reap! You have His Word on it.

Gods Peace

 I once heard a statement that caught my attention. It was “if you protect your peace, your peace will protect you”.  I also had a friend that used to tell me all the time “Go where your peace lies”. I pondered those statements for a few days.

While I knew it was true, I was searching for a scripture to confirm it. I do not have to look very far.

 

Philippians 4:7 says, And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

I found some interesting things as I began to study the word ‘keep.’ In the Strong’s Concordance, this word means; to be a watcher in advance, to mount guard as a sentinel (post spies at gates); to hem in, protect, keep.

It further means; to guard, protect by a military guard, either to prevent hostile invasion, or to keep the inhabitants of a besieged city from flight.

 

As I have shared with you before, peace is an aggressive weapon. We now see, it is also a guard and a protector. Yes, peace is a weapon, a guard, and protection. Yet before you can possess this wonderful blessing you must first have peace in your life, your heart and mind.

 

Sadly, these days, peace is not something I sense on most people, not even on Christians. Personally, I struggle to find that place at times.  I am learning more and more how to find that peace.  I don’t think people realize the power of peace. If they did, they would fight to obtain Gods peace and to maintain His peace.

 

Jesus said in John 14:27, Peace, I leave with you, MY peace, I give to you.

Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 

Can you see what God has given us, according to this scripture? He gave us HIS peace. The same peace that carried and protected Him through crowds who wished to stone Him. The same peace that carried Him through the cross. The same peace that carried Him, that garrisoned about Him, through hell. The same peace that led Him out to rise again. THAT peace is the peace He has given you and me. A peace that rules and reigns if we allow it to. This is a peace that protects and guards.

 

So, how do you begin to get this peace? That answer is found in Isaiah 26:3.

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in you.

 

We can’t keep our mind on the problems, challenges and what is going on in the world and walk in peace. 

I am guilty of struggling with this.  We must keep our mind on God, His Word, and His promises. Then and only then will we walk in this God kind of peace.

 

Once we have peace, we must protect it. We can’t allow things or people to come in and steal our peace. And trust me, the enemy will do everything in his power to steal your peace. However, he can’t touch it if you don’t allow him to.

 

Jesus gave you His peace. It is yours. Yours to keep, or yours to let slip away. I can tell you from experience, nothing compares to the peace God gives.

Nothing. Once you truly lay hold of His peace and begin to walk in it, you will fight to keep it.

 

Peace is a weapon – one that will guard and protect you – all the days of your life.



Just as the scripture says, that peace will watch out for you and warn you in advance. It will garrison about you and protect you. It will help you to stand your ground when things try to invade your atmosphere. Peace is an aggressive weapon and a strong protector. Combine Gods peace with praise and worship…. Mountains will move!! And that peace….it is yours for the taking. In Jesus Name!!

Is It Well With My Soul? Peeling The Layers

      

 This morning as I was praying with my best friend, I had asked God to show me what it meant to be at a place where it was “well with my soul”.  He's been telling me to keep focused, my eyes on Him, like in Psalm 121.  When I opened my eyes, I looked across my room to see a plaque I’ve had for a few years staring me in the face.  It literally said “It is well with my soul”, and I lost it. I’ve seen that plaque a million times, to the point of where I hadn’t noticed it in months. That morning the Lord had laid that phrase on my heart in the early morning hours. I remember telling my best friend that I didn’t know how to “get” to that place. The place where I can say  “it is well with my soul”, because so much of my life does not feel “well with my soul”.   I begged God to show me how to do that. To show me what He was trying to teach me, to teach us in that moment. 

Later in the morning I began the continued work of projects on the house trying to get it ready for market. I got to a place where I finished painting and then began to rip up carpet. I had not planned to do it that day but decided to just check to see what was underneath for future reference as I knew I would pull it up eventually. I found beautiful hardwoods underneath. I immediately started trying to cut it up and pull up the layers. It was stuck down good and not an easy task. I pulled and cut and ripped. I grunted and pried  up the million strips, nails, staples, padding etc… During that time I found myself walking through full range of different emotions. I felt the anger of abandonment on several levels, forced to deal with these projects alone. I felt enraged at allowing myself to be robbed of self worth. Infuriated that Id forgotten who I am in Christ as I was treated to believe my contribution didn’t matter or wasn’t enough. That I believed I wasn’t worth being treated as a priority. With each pull and tear of layer, each nail, each staple, I felt myself release things Id been holding on to, both verbally and emotionally and spiritually. I would work on an area at a time, and then clean it. I did this until nearly the entire room was clear. I then took time to polish parts of the floor. When it was done I stood in peace and in awe at what God had led me to do and its beautiful transformation. By the end, I was both exhausted physically and emotionally, but felt a sense of freedom, inner strength, and peace I had not felt in some time. I had watched God give me an example of what He was doing, both literally and figuratively. I had watched the layers be peeled away. I had watched things that had been stuck down tight be released and removed, smoothed out and then polished.  Im still learning  and asking God to reveal to me what it means to claim “it is well”.  
This morning, He woke me and reminded me to walk in His “bold confidence” as He continues to peel away layers and refine me and remind me my foundation in Him is strong. I pray with each layer I can recognize how He not only calls me deeper but also higher with each breath as my soul heals. 
I pray today, as you read this, that as the refining and peeling away of layers in your own life in this unpredictable world. I pray that you will hear the peace He whispers to you as He carries you both deeper and higher. I pray you recognize the place that “it is well with your soul”, only possible with He alone as your foundation.  
Psalm 46: 1-3
God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way 
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging

All Things New

     As I sit at my kitchen table this is the view that caught my eye. Fall is tied as my second favorite season with Spring, following summer in the lead. I admit I get awe struck when the leaves begin to change and the artistic beauty God gives us to behold. The words in my head immediately were a verse from 2 Corinthians ….”old things are passed away, behold all things become new”.

The color change we see in leaves means they will soon be passed away in preparation for the new to come. It doesn’t happen right away, it takes time. As I look at my life right now it simply feels like I have dealt with more loss of people and things than one should in my 52 years. If you know me well, you already know my story, but this isn’t a boo hoo moment, and not really about me. I could choose to focus my life on the loss or what has fallen away in my life, but Id rather focus on the growth. Id rather focus on the healing, I’d rather focus on Gods provision and promises, that He is still batting 1000 on in my life. It may look different than Id  ever imagined  but He’s done all He said He would do in His timing and not mine. 

I took communion at my kitchen table this morning even before the sun rose because I wanted to be reminded and thank God for His sacrifice so that I could live a life of freedom in Him. That doesn’t mean its without pain but it means no matter what circumstances occur, He’s got me.  

The scenery we see happen before us  this Fall, is a visual of His promise to make all things new.  We may grieve the old things…whatever that looks like for you. Its normal to grieve, and you should. In some ways you will always grieve in some way regardless of time or distance. New things however, are coming. He knows our deepest desires. He knows the plans He has for you. Plans are for a hope and future. In order to move forward we must make peace with our yesterdays. You don’t have to like what occurred but we have to make peace with it, otherwise we will never recognize the New He speaks of. when He decides to reveal it. 

As seasons change in your life or as leaves fall away, thank Him in advance for the NEW thats coming, the NEW that is promised. He made the ultimate sacrifice so that it could. ❤️ Blessings. 

   Wrote a song about it years ago that Ive recently been reminded of called “You Make All Things New”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_2_Ot0pG-E&feature=share&si=ELPmzJkDCLju2KnD5oyZMQ

 

To Be Present with His Presence

 

     As a teacher and in my position, I get paid to think ahead. I get paid to plan, to think ahead for those things that could go wrong, to head off problems, to be strategic in managing my staff and students for the best possible educational outcome.  In my job it works and is beneficial. In life, however, the reality is that we cant fully do that because no one knows what tomorrow brings. There is an uncertainty. We can buy insurance, invest in retirement, plan our savings etc… but it still doesn’t solidify the future. Planning isnt a bad thing, we should all be prepared. However, when our mindset is so much on planning, preventing, analyzing the future or whats to come, we can miss what is in the present. We miss whats right in front of us. Fear is really good at stealing the present. Fear will destroy, distort and discourage you.  Fear will destroy your present moment, distort the rationale of your future, discourage you and attempt to steal your joy and hope. Fear is also direct disobedience to what God says, because He says not to fear. 

Over the last several months especially, Ive worked very hard at being especially mindful of my thoughts of the present. Trying to stop those moments, those spiraling thoughts, that tempt to press my brain ahead to worrying about the future and consume me. When that happens, I miss moments right in front of me with people I love. Some of them read me well enough to assist me in stopping those thoughts in their tracks when they see it happening. It’s usually a distant look I get on my face and they will say “where are you?” Or “where did you go?”

Im a nature girl. Its one of my favorite places to be. I love, especially, being out on the water. Gods creation is always somewhere I know I can stop and focus on the present. The sound of the paddle hitting the water, birds chirping, the waves crashing. The breaking of a branch, the sound and smell of a crackling fire, and the way the fire dances across the wood. The sound of laughter, a smirk, a smile, or glance , the sound of voices of those I love. Being present is a gift to yourself and those you love. 

Thinking ahead is not a bad thing unless your thoughts are soaked in fear and it suffocates you from being present. Fear is self absorption. Fear keeps you from seeing past your own kingdom walls to the good things He has provided for you presently. Being present means you trust Him to hold the future even when it doesn’t make sense or looks different than you ever imagined.  Being present means bringing down the walls, even if temporarily, to engage in His blessings and His purpose. 

Being present also means being vulnerable because it means exposing your heart and it feels risky. God has still ordered your steps just like he did Peters when he stepped out of the boat. You may not want to step out of the boat and be present, but Jesus already knows you, your thoughts, how your brain works. He knows how you will overthink and second guess everything. I am so incredibly guilty of this. He is still there though, waiting with extended hand. Seek Him first. (Matthew 6:33) You may sink enough to feel the water tickle your nose hairs, but the waters wont sweep over you. (Isaiah 43:2)

Keep your eyes on Him, stay focused, keep taking steps. As my best friend and I often remind one another, “we ARE gonna get to the other side” but won’t you want to be present when you get there?! Yes and Amen. 

"There are

only two days in the year that

nothing can be done. One is

called yesterday and the other is

called tomorrow, so today is

the right day to love, believe,

do and mostly live."