Give it all to God

"But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."  James 1:6

A young woman almost 8 months pregnant walks into a doctor's office for her regular appointment. After what appears to be routine blood work and ultrasound, the doctor tells her she is sending her for another test with a specialist.  The doctor has spotted what he believes to be a hole in her baby's heart and is a sign of Down Syndrome.  Over the next week, more tests are performed and even the specialist could not say for sure what she saw.  The doctor goes over all the scenarios and even the "challenges" of raising a baby with Down Syndrome.
The young woman and her husband do the only thing they know to do.  They pray.  This young woman bows herself before the Lord, begging Him to take care of her baby, no matter the result.  She already loves this baby no matter what health issues it may have.  This young mother-to-be freely gives her worry and anxiety away to the Lord.  She cries out for God to take away her worry, to not allow the devil to steal her joy over this baby, and to allow her to spend the rest of her life loving this baby.  She believes in the Lord.  She trusts the Lord.  She gives away her worry and leaves it at the altar of the Lord.
This young mother-to-be was me.  I cannot tell you that I knew that my baby girl would be fine, but I can tell you I knew that my God would take care of her.  My husband and I did the only thing we knew to do with all certainty --- give our fears and anxiety to the Lord.  For the rest of my pregnancy, I did not worry over those tests, over what my baby may or may not have, or even if we could care for a baby with Down Syndrome.  My God gave us joy and allowed us to spend the rest of my pregnancy in excited anticipation of our baby girl's arrival.
Were the doctors wrong?  Was there no hole in her heart?  Or did God work a miracle?  I can tell you that the doctors blamed refractions in the picture and every other possible malfunction of equipment and not one of them proclaimed a miracle.  But I can tell you that I believe God worked it all out for His good!  I didn't need my baby's birth to be proclaimed as a miracle in order for it to be special.  I just needed the Joy of the Lord and His unwavering love for me!
So when life hands you a burden that seems unbearable or when worry takes over, take it all to the Lord.  Take it and leave it at the altar.  You must not just take it to Him but leave it there.  He cannot bear it for you if you still try to keep it to worry over.  He wants to take it from you.  He wants to give you joy even in what seems like the darkest places, but you must give it all to Him.  When you do that, you may see miracles, but you will most definitely see the Hand of God and His unfailing Love for you!

Dear Lord, I pray that those who are walking in dark paths of worry and doubt will come to you with their fears and worries, that they will not only bring them to you but that they will leave them with you.  I pray that more and more of us will truly place our trust in you by giving our burdens to you.  Thank you for taking our burdens and replacing them with joy and love and grace.  Amen

The day of my Salvation......

"I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."  Isaiah 61:10

I know the day of my salvation.  I was just 10 years old in the middle of a revival at my home church.  I remember crying and not understanding why I am crying.  Yet I also remember a peace washing over me.  I remember feeling like I had been clothed with garments of salvation as he wrapped his arms around me.  
When my daughter was 6 years old, she was saved.  I am so thankful to have that assurance that I will be forever with her in heaven.  I am so thankful that Jesus is in her heart.  I am thankful she can proclaim: "God's got me."  
I've had a couple of friends whose children have gone far too early to be with the Lord.  My mind cannot fathom that pain, that heartache, that loss; yet my heart is exceedingly glad that I will see those children again because I know who lived in their hearts.  I delight greatly in the Lord.  
Isaiah 61:10 gives me peace when I read it.  This verse assures me of His great love for me.  The God of all creation loves me.  The God who rescues the lost loves me.  The God who created the land and the sea loves me.  The God who heals the brokenhearted loves me.  The God of forgiveness loves even me.

Dear Lord, I am so thankful for your love, your grace, and your mercy.  I am grateful for your garments of salvation and I pray for all my friends who do not have the assurance of salvation today.  I pray you use me as a witness for you, O Lord.  Amen

I LOVE the Lord!

"I love the Lord, for her heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.  Because He turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live."  Psalm 116: 1-2

Many times in trying to explain something to my 6 year old daughter, I find that she can take my long explanation and spit out it simply and plainly back to me.  I sit there then wondering why didn't I just try to say it that simply to begin with!  As I read this verse, I was reminded how simply I love the Lord.  Yes, I love Him for many, many reasons that I could talk for hours about; yet I simply love Him because He hears my voice -- because I am His child and He my Father!
I find my daily life super busy like many of you.  My mind drifts from one thing that needs to be done to the next million things on my list.  I feel guilty when I don't spend enough time with the Lord each day, taking time to praise him, thank him, and spend time with him.  Yet I focus on this verse and realize that during my time with the Lord maybe I should focus on my love for him.
I have always had a self-image problem.  I hate the way my body looks.  I hate the way clothes look on me.  Blah, blah, blah.  I say that to say this --- I love the Lord not because He looks a certain way but because he loves me.  God loves me not because of the way I look but because I am His!
I leave you today with this thought from Kay Arthur --
"You have been created by God and for God, and someday you will stand amazed at the simple yet profound ways He has used you even when you weren't aware of it."

Fathers

"As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him." Psalm 103:13
"Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding." Proverbs 4:1

With Father's Day approaching, I thought it would be a good idea to share a word on Fathers.   I heard on the radio this morning that the average American spends $175 on at Mother's Day but only $100 at Father's Day.  While I also believe that Mother's Day is important, I also believe that Fathers should be celebrated and cherished just as much.
The Bible gives clear instruction on the roles of fathers, and how, as children, we should learn from our fathers.  Proverbs 4:1 commands us to gain understanding from our fathers.  I think back to my childhood as my father tried to teach me to play softball.  I am still not sure which of us was more at a disadvantage!  Then when I was 15 years old and ready to start learning to drive, my Daddy took me out for some driving and parking lessons.  Now when anyone complains about the way I drive, I blame it on my Daddy!
Thankfully, my father was also there in my times of need.  When I had really messed up or made a bad decision, my father was there.  Sometimes his presence meant discipline.  Other times he was there with a hug and loads of compassion.   I know now that my Daddy only wanted the best for me.  As I now have a daughter of my own, I understand the parents heart for their children to do better and be better than they themselves once were going up.

 Above is my Daddy and my daughter back at Thanksgiving last year.  I am so thankful to still have my parents in my life!  I want to challenge you to celebrate your Fathers this Father's Day like never before.  Whether still on this earth or not, find a way to celebrate what they meant to you!
Happy Father's Day, Daddy!  Thank you for your selflessness, the way you have always provided for us, and for always loving us! We love you!!!

And last but certainly not least, Happy Father's Day to my wonderful husband!  You are an Awesome Daddy to our baby girl!  Thanks for always providing for us and loving us so much!!!  We love you!

Love and Marriage

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."  Ephesians 5:25

Our pastor recently spoke about marriage.  His sermons were inspiring to me in many ways, and my husband and I sometimes felt he was speaking directly to us!  Yet, the most interesting observation of the marriage sermon was from my six-year-old daughter.
The pastor made a comment in his sermon that "husbands and wives should love each other more than they love their children."  My daughter, if she caught nothing else in that sermon, caught that one statement and found issue with it.  One night at bedtime she said, "Mama, I think I need to pray for the preacher because I don't like what he said.  God needs to have a talk with him!"  She questioned me for weeks about this one statement.  This past Sunday, she cornered the pastor before the service and wanted to hear his explanation.  He graciously responded to her, "If your parents love each other they way Christ loved the church, they will love you more than anyone else in the world."  That made her happy!
Marriage is not a destination but a journey, and one that you should take with the one person you cannot live without!  God loved us so much that He gave up His Son for us.  Stop and think about that statement.  Now do you love your spouse as much as Christ loved the church?  Are you and your spouse an example for your children of what a godly marriage should look like?

Where There Is Hope...

"Be strong and take heart, all of you who hope in the Lord."  Psalm 31:24

If you have turned on any type of media lately, you have definitely seen the devastation in our lands over the past year.  From earthquakes, tsunami warnings, tornado outbreaks, to tornado fatalities the devastation goes on and on.  As I awoke Monday morning, I found the news of the day was yet another tornado in the Midwest.  The pictures told a tale of complete devastation and the loss of life was unbelievable.  I am sure that your initial reaction was much like my own -- sorrow and sadness.
Yet my next reaction was of prayer but maybe not for what you think.  You see, I began to pray that the Lord show Himself to the world before our time here on earth comes to an end.  I see the people on the television who seem to be lost in sorrow and devastation, and I pray for them.  I pray for their hearts.  I pray for their health.  I pray Psalm 31:24 into their lives.
I love Job 11:18 -- "You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety."  If anyone understands complete sorrow and sadness that comes with a life devastated, then it would be Job.  Yet Job had hope in the Savior of the world.  Job had hope in his God.
There are numerous verses in the Bible that speak of hope.  Below are some of my favorites.
-- Psalm 33:20  "We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield."
-- Psalm 33:23  "May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you."
-- Psalm 62:5  "Yes, my soul finds rest in God; my hope comes from him."
-- Isaiah 40:31  "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength...."
Have you ever experienced sorrow and sadness?  Have you ever been in the pit and felt your life was in complete devastation?  Have you ever held onto your hope in the Lord and found your way into His grace and mercy and have a testimony to share?
May the Lord be with the people of Joplin, Missouri as well as the areas affected across the South from the previous outbreak of tornadoes.  May they find rest in His comforting arms.