“Comfort, comfort my people..

..says your God” in Isaiah 40:1. He is the comforter and He wants to make us into those who are able to comfort others. It comes through the trials, tests, waiting, and wondering. As we walk with Him through experiences we never imagined would happen.. He does something deep in us.

We are taken to places of grief and suffering that we did not know existed. We wonder if there has been some kind of mistake. Where is God in all this? Has He left us in an unbearable place? No..He is right there with us in the midst of the storm. He holds our heads above water as we feel it rising all around us.

He is the author of the great story that we are living in and there are no mistakes in the script. He allows us to be wounded and then binds up the wounds so we are able to help the hurting people who come into our lives. His purposes are higher and greater than our own.

So our comfort zone is not His highest priority..our hearts and our character matter deeply to God. He doesn’t punish us..but He does stretch us, teach us, and prepare us so we can truly become His people in this broken world.

If you are in a season of sorrow and struggle right now..Watch and wait until God comes for you..showing your His great unending love for you as you trust Him. He is faithful.

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”     2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Curve-ball

God is good at throwing curve-balls isn’t he? Just when you think you know what He might do next..He does something totally unexpected. Over the last year my husband and I have prayed continually that God would direct our steps..that we would stay on the path with Him without having any ability to discern His direction. It was been very challenging and sometimes I’ve wondered if we missed a critical turn. Whenever I checked in, He seemed to be saying that we were exactly where He wanted us and all we had to do was wait and pray.

In the midst of the waiting He has been working to get us ready for a new season. We still don’t know exactly what it will look like..but at least we are getting glimpses. He has a plan and it is unfolding in the perfect way..not the way I would unfold it.. but I’m not in charge. The waiting has been difficult and there were times when I felt so abandoned and afraid..yet God was fully present..He never moved away. It is important to remember how safe we are with Him.. even when we don’t feel that way.

Now that we are in a transitional time.. I am meditating on Psalm 23 and it is helping me immensely  as we are moving ahead. I found a book that helps you memorize the psalm and meditate on it as you go through your day. What a difference it is making .. I am finding myself resting more fully in His goodness and feeling secure in His presence. Isn’t it amazing how God loves to bring us closer to His heart as we trust Him despite our fears and anxieties? Here is the psalm.. it is a wonderful reminder of the heart of our Good Shepherd.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

It is only 6 short verses..but what a treasure!

Green pastures

Still waters

All the days of my life!

 

 

His purposes and plans for us..

As we approach the end of the year it is a wonderful time to remember that our God has great plans and purposes for this next season. His bigger story is unfolding one day at a time..our part is to take each step that He gives us. Each new morning is an opportunity to ask God for the plan for that day..to seek His face and His purposes.. to discover the work He is doing around us.

The peace comes when we stop looking toward the future. The picture I get is this..God has given us our life and we are to live it fully. It is as though we are standing in a beautiful garden with flowers of every color all around us and instead of soaking in the beauty we are gazing over the fence wondering what lies on the other side.

We are missing the present moment..longing for something we cannot see. All we really need to know is that He is already there. God is here with us and He is there waiting in that future place..ready and waiting for us when we arrive. He holds out His hands to us..eager to embrace us when we run to Him.. promising to catch us if we fall.

There are no words that capture the heart of God.. it is mystery, beauty, love, acceptance, and grace..plus so much more.

My prayer is that you will commit your way to Him..dedicate your life to Him..live daily with Him..seek Him and remember His amazing love for you!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Relinquish

Relinquish is the word that I heard God speak on Easter. . He got my attention with this one.. I don’t use this word in conversation..I knew it came from Him.

So what does it mean? It is bigger than letting go..it comes closer to surrender. It seems to me that He is asking me to stopping holding on to things that I desperately want and really give up on trying to make them happen. Very hard for a “doer” like me..I always want to make things happen..I get satisfaction from being able to help people..connect people..figure out a way to contribute..add something. Not bad things in themselves..but dangerous when God is really wanting to be at the wheel.

He wants a deep part of me to trust Him..the part that still enjoys figuring out what will happen next..and the way it will happen. He is drawing me to a place inside where I have no answers..a place that scares me. It means taking bigger risks with Him.. trusting Him with things that feel completely out of control.

The whole process is very humbling..I need God much more than I ever imagined. It challenges my individualist nature and my strong personality. Who am I if I really rely on God for EVERYTHING? Do I have a part? What does He really want when He says relinquish? I am writing so I can discover the true nature of this word and receive it.. then I can move forward with Him.

Has He said something similiar to you? What does  it truly mean to relinquish everything to Him? .. feel free to comment, I would love to hear your thoughts, ideas, or experiences.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”

Give us more faith

Where does faith come from? From God. We cannot conjure it up and it is non-existent unless we realize that our faith is not only in God but from Him. He is the giver of all good things and that includes the faith we need to keep trusting Him. My faith wavers..there are days when I wonder who I am. Did I wake up an atheist? My heart is weighed down and my spirit sags. My life seems to be on hold and my dreams feel dead.

Where is God? I have forgotten His faithfulness..difficulties have come between us. There is nothing else to do but run as fast as possible in His direction..even if I am dragging myself along. He meets me as soon as I move toward Him.  It is like the story of the prodigal son who wasted his inheritance..when he returned home his father embraced him and showered him with love and attention.

God’s faithfulness is unlike anything we can ask or imagine. His plans for our lives are far deeper and richer than our minds can comprehend. Our perspective of what is happening is nothing compared to the larger story that He is unveiling. Our lives have huge significance and He is always working to change us.. to transform us and to bring wholeness into our lives. If we run away..He runs after us. If we stand still.. He embraces us. If we fall.. He picks us up. If we lack faith..He fills us. If we are drowning..He saves us. If we need help.. He rescues us.

The Runaway Bunny

 

Once there was a little bunny who wanted to run away.
So he said to his mother, “I am running away.”
“If you run away,” said his mother, “I will run after you.
For you are my little bunny.”

“If you run after me,” said the little bunny,
“I will become a fish in a trout stream
and I will swim away from you.”

“If you become a fish in a trout stream,” said his mother,
“I will become a fisherman and I will fish for you.”

“If you become a fisherman,” said the little bunny,
“I will become a rock on the mountain, high above you.”

“If you become a rock on the mountain high above me,”
said his mother, “I will become a mountain climber,
and I will climb to where you are.”

“If you become a mountain climber,”
said the little bunny,
“I will be a crocus in a hidden garden.”

“If you become a crocus in a hidden garden,”
said his mother, “I will be a gardener. And I will find you.”

“If you are a gardener and find me,”
said the little bunny, “I will be a bird
and fly away from you.”

“If you become a bird and fly away from me,”
said his mother, “I will be a tree that you come home to.”

“If you become a tree,” said the little bunny,
“I will become a little sailboat,
and I will sail away from you.”

“If you become a sailboat and sail away from me,”
said his mother, “I will become the wind
and blow you where I want you to go.”

“If you become the wind and blow me,” said the little bunny,
“I will join a circus and fly away on a flying trapeze.”

“If you go flying on a flying trapeze,” said his mother,
“I will be a tightrope walker,
and I will walk across the air to you.”

“If you become a tightrope walker and walk across the air,”
said the bunny, “I will become a little boy
and run into a house.”

“If you become a little boy and run into a house,”
said the mother bunny, “I will become your mother
and catch you in my arms and hug you.”

“Shucks,” said the bunny, “I might just as well
stay where I am and be your little bunny.”

And so he did.
“Have a carrot,” said the mother bunny.

All wrapped up

That’s the way I feel the day after Christmas. The packages are all unwrapped and the anticipation is over.. but I feel pretty wrapped up and ready to unwind. I love this week before the year ends. There is a quietness and a peace that seems to fall on everyone. We are all tired and some of us actually get down time..time to rest..to reflect..just to be. The flurry of activity leading up to Christmas is gone and we are able to step back from life and prepare for the year to end.

Since I was born on New Years Eve.. this is a very special time for me. My year ends right about the time when 2011 ends. I begin a brand new year of my life on January 1, 2012.. the same day you can begin a brand new year. It doesn’t have to be your birthday..you can have a new beginning..a fresh start. Periodically we need these things..markers of one season ending and another one coming. As we look ahead we can ask God to renew our hope..to strengthen us..to enable us to continue living fully with Him.

I enjoy the opportunity this provides for dreaming, renewing old desires, remembering, trusting, and believing. We are entering unknown territory as 2012 unfolds. We can anticipate new adventures, gifts, and blessings from the hand of our Provider.  Yes.. there will be difficulties and challenges..but He is going to equip us and strengthen us as we face these things. Our God is with us!

Lord, I pray for each person reading this today..Prepare each one for the things that lie ahead and renew their hope. We want to end this year with our eyes on you. We need more faith..we need more of you. Keep us in the shadow of your wings and fill our hearts with gratefulness. We love you and we trust you!

 

Falling..into place

Have you ever felt like you were falling? What I mean is the feeling that you are not going to be able to keep standing under your current circumstances..it’s all just too much..you wonder..will I make it this time? How is this all going to work out? Everything seems out of control and uncertain. Do you know what I am writing about? I wish you were here so we could talk about this.. it is such an important topic.

Life is always throwing unexpected challenges our way. We suddenly find ourselves underwater. Which way is up? We are swimming and swimming hoping we can come to the top for air before it is too late. We grow weary..we are drained..worn out and discouraged. Our hearts are heavy and our spirits are sagging under the weight of it all. There are seasons like that for all of us and sometimes they happen right around the holidays..in fact they often seem to coincide with this time of the year.

Our culture says..be happy..spend money..pretend that everything is wonderful. Sometimes our churches do something similar. Rejoice..give thanks..God is good..Romans 8:28..we are supposed to embrace this season with the joy of the Lord. What if we really don’t feel that way right now? It is OK..in fact it’s more than OK.. it is often the most difficult time to rejoice. Grief comes to the surface during the holidays..old grief and new grief. Old wounds are opened by family gatherings. Unpleasant memories are triggered by familiar faces.

This season reminds us of those who are gone from our presence and won’t be celebrating with us. Every holiday can trigger those memories and bring a sweet sadness to the surface. It is the way God made us. He created us to feel deeply and to remember. So what are we supposed to do with all this? Take it all to Him..be honest..don’t cover up..ask for His help and don’t condemn yourself for being human. He is with you and He knows all this anyway..nothing is hidden from His sight.

Spend time in His presence and let Him open those old wounds..don’t be afraid to cry. Tears bring restoration and healing..He has great things for you..trust Him with your whole heart.

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
   don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
   he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
   Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
   your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
   give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
   your wine vats will brim over.
But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline;
   don’t sulk under his loving correction.
It’s the child he loves that God corrects;
   a father’s delight is behind all this. ”

 

By faith…

We walk by faith.. desire to live by faith..pray for faith..wonder about faith. Faith is hard to grasp because it is counter-intuitive. Our natural inclination is to look at our circumstances, evaluate our options and move forward in a logical way that involves the least amount of risk. Living by faith is completely different.

Our decisions are not made by looking at our circumstances..we have to overlook many of our natural inclinations. Faith based decisions often are not logical and involve great risk. It is very challenging. I was remembering some decisions I’ve made over the past decade that were based on faith. I got married for the 3rd time after I was widowed at 51..and after having two bad marriages. That was a risk. I borrowed money to go to Seminary without knowing if I could even earn enough to pay back the loans..very risky. Money is the biggest area for most of us. We feel secure when we look at the numbers in our savings account..if we have one. 

God asks us to trust Him..to walk with Him..to believe that He will meet us and sometimes He keeps us on the edge of our seat as we so this. I’ve been happily married for over 9 years. We are still trusting God for the money to pay back my student loan. We are walking by faith..not by sight and believing in the goodness of our God. He is still asking me to take new risks and I am still praying for courage as I live this life of faith.

Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Never Give up..

How many times have you heard that phrase? It pops up periodically on my igoogle desktop app. I always get encouraged when I see it.  So many times in my life I have had to wait and wait and wait. With more than 6 decades under my belt.. I can remember things I have  hoped for 40 or 50 years.. Wow! That is hard for me to take in. Our sense of time and our perspective on waiting are very different from God’s. He is eternal and He is not in time. 50 years to Him is nothing.. He created time..imagine that!

So when we wait for something for a year, 5 years, 10 years or more..that does not mean we are to give up and believe that it will never happen. How do we continue to have hope? By trusting that the one who created us and gave us desires will bring them to completion..in His time not ours. It is reassuring to realize that every single thing that God intended for us on this side of eternity will come to pass if we don’t give up..if we don’t walk away..if we follow Him around every corner..through every dark tunnel..holding on as He takes us on detours and leads us into unknown territory.

Life with God is an adventure.. adventures are not always easy..they are often risky. If you are waiting and waiting..keep it up. Trust Him..remember His goodness..keep holding on..don’t give up. Here’s one of my favorite verses..from Psalm 27. It is for you!

“Wait for the LORD;
    be courageous and let your heart be strong.
    Wait for the LORD.”