Good grief!

"Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief." Proverbs 14:13

As you may have read in a previous post, we didn't plan to move to Lexington almost two years ago - we wanted to stay in Bowling Green where we lived for the past 24 years, and where our children (& now grandchildren!), my mother & step-father, David's brother, friends, etc. all live in or nearby. You get the picture. But God had different plans and brought us here.

Since we are only about 3 hours away, we try to visit pretty often - especially during the past 8 months since our precious twin grandbabies were born! It's been 5 weeks since we've last seen them and it's about to kill us! And, we still have about 1 1/2 weeks to go before we see them!

"Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief."

That verse perfectly describes my heart during some of our visits to BG. I can't wait to get there! Our visits always include so much laughter and fun, but I sometimes find myself missing them in the midst of the visit - anticipating the loss of their company while I'm still in the room with them! How crazy is that? We often have a silent ride home as the joy of the visit deflates with each mile we drive. Our youngest daughter, Sarah, recently spent about a week with us prior to moving to New Orleans and the emotions were the same - heart ache amidst the joy.

It was such a relief when God showed me that I have been experiencing grief, not for the loss of a loved one who departed the earth, but for the loss of our family life as we lived it & loved it for so many years. We will never be that same family we were 5 years ago or even 5 months ago. But, He has also reminded me that no amount of miles can take away our memories or our love for one another.

Recognizing my feelings as grief is helping me work through them and to recapture the excitement we had when God first brought us here! My heart's desires is to be a vessel for Him to use, so I can't wait to see what He has planned for us ahead! Just two chapters later in Proverbs 16: 3-4, God promises us "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. The LORD works out everything for his own ends -"

My prayer for today:
My most gracious heavenly Father, thank you so much for your Word. I pray for my thirst for Your Word to continue to grow and grow - you have all the answers! I don't know why we ever bother to look anywhere else for guidance. Thank you for being the Great I Am and for always knowing just what I need to hear. Thank you so much for including me in your plans! Help me to keep my focus on you and to never forget that my true joy is in you and you alone. I don't want to let circumstances interfere with that. I love you and praise you for who you are and thank you so much for always keeping your promises. In your son, Jesus' precious name, I pray . . .

What has God said to you today through this scripture?

(In case you've never met them, Spencer and Kate are above - aka: precious grandbabies! And, thank you, Jenny, for the use of your photo.)

Today is the day you worried about yesterday . . .

"Do not fret - it only causes harm" Psalm 37:8
"Commit your Way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass." Psalm 37: 5

This weekend we were at my brother-in-law's home, which is the home he and my husband grew up in. Although he has done extensive remodeling, he still has many items in the home that belonged to my in-laws.

It was nice to see an embroidered piece I did for my sweet mother-in-law, Kathleen, many years ago hanging on the kitchen wall. It says "Today is the day you worried about yesterday and all is well." Kathleen was a wonderful Godly woman with strong faith, but she was also a worrier. I made the sampler for her, but at that time in my life, it was advice I benefited from as well!

I think one of the biggest changes Jesus Christ has made in my life is in the area of worrying. I used to lay awake at night fretting over this and that - probably most of it were things that didn't matter much, but to me at the time, they were real sleep robbing concerns. I have a vivid imagination and can make something out of nothing in the blink of an eye! Back then I didn't always think about turning my concerns over to God in prayer - unless it was the "God, if you'll fix this for me this time, I promise I'll never do that again: kind of prayer.

I am so thankful that God has so much patience, mercy, love and forgiveness and has worked so hard to convict me not to worry, but instead to turn my concerns over to Him. Some days it's easier than others and some days I don't quite succeed, but (Praise the Lord!) I can't remember the last time I had a sleepless night! Now when I am tempted to worry about something, I count on Jesus to help me abide by Matthew 11:28-30, " Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you nad learn from me for I am gentle and humble in hears and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

AHHHH! What a relief!

My prayer for today:

Dear Lord, thank you so much for teaching me to rely on you. You have proven to me time and time again that you are in control. And, you do such an excellent job! I am so thankful you call me your own and continue to teach me new lessons each and every day - even the tough ones. Thank you so much for loving me. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

What did God say to you today through these verses?

Scary Thought

"For as he thinks within himself, so he is . . . " Proverbs 23:7 NASB

We had a wonderful worship service this morning at Center Point Church in Lexington, KY. We heard from mission team members who recently returned from a week serving God in Brazil - it's always amazing and encouraging to hear and see how God is such a huge God and works in and through people throughout the world. I have to admit that hearing them and seeing the glow on their faces made me reminiscent of my mission trips and, yes, a bit jealous! But, I know in my heart that God can use us just as well here as internationally.

As always, at CPC, the music was awesome and "worshipful." But, what hit me closest to home was Tim's message. Based upon Philippians 4:8, it was part of a series on Philippians entitled "Living Life to the Fullest."

Philippians 4:8 says:
Finally, brethren,whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

How does that verse make you feel? At first read, my response is something like, "Absolutely, Lord! That's exactly what I want to do!" And I sincerely mean it. However, living it every minute of every hour of every day is another matter.

Then Tim quoted Proverbs 23:7: "For as he thinks within himself, so he is . . ." . What a scary thought! But, it was just what I needed to hear. I know that I cannot obey Philippians 4:8 on my own. When left to myself, I will drown in a sea of negativity & who knows what else. Jesus is my lifeline to the life He wants me to live and to the life I want to live. And, it's a lifeline I need many times each and every day - that's why He instructs us to dwell on these things.

My prayer for today:

Lord Jesus, thank you for being my lifeline. Thank you for wanting more of me than I can imagine. Thank you for a wonderful church home where we hear your truth each and every time we gather. Thank you for putting people in our lives who remind us of who you are, who we are, what you expect of us and show us how we can get there. Please forgive me for all the times I fall short and thank you for your mercy and forgiveness. I love you.

What did God say to you today through these verses?

Bearing Fruit

"You would live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God." Colossians 1:10-11

Several years ago I had the privilege of serving at a Women of the Harvest retreat for women serving in the mission field who were in the USA on furlough. It was such a blessing in so many ways! One of the special blessings was getting to know Mimi Wilson and Shelly Cook Volkhardt. These special ladies were missionary kids who became missionaries and now serve (in different locations) in the USA. They are speakers and authors. Together they wrote a wonderful book, "Holy Habits," which I highly recommend.

This verse reminds me of a story Mimi shared in "Holy Habits" that I want to share with you.

Mimi wrote:

" I also collect stories that remind me of God's victories. A middle-aged missinary couple in Spain with whom I visited told me the following story. Several years ago, they met an older woman in the city square. The lady had spent 30 years in missionary service in the African country of Senegal. The couple invited her to their home . . . As the woman talked, it became apparent that she had suffered. She said she felt that her years of service had been wasted. She lost one son to a crocodile, another son had been seriously ill, and her husband died. When she left Senegal, a grieving widow and mother, there had not been one convert to show for the sacrifices of thirty years.

During their visit, the couple mentioned that they had recently received a newsletter from some young friends, also missionaries in Senegal. They shared the newsletter with her, and as she read it, she began to cry. The letter told of how the young couple had contacted different tribes. They were surprised to discover an amazing God-consciousness among them. Their view of God as Father was so clear, and the young couple said they had no idea where it had come from. People from seven different tribes were coming to Christ. When the retired missionary lifted her head from the letter, she said, "Our family lived and ministered among five of the seven tribes mentioned in this letter. We never knew if they understood. But know I know!"

My prayer for today:

Father God, thank you for showing this missionary woman how you did use her for your good and that her suffering and sacrifices did bear fruit for your kingdom. And, thank you for the dedication she and family showed through serving 30 years without knowing if anyone understood the love, grace and mercy they were sharing. Lord, please help me to keep You as the center focus of my life each and every day - my prayer is that I live my life in a way that is worthy of you -pleasing and honoring to you, that you would use me to bear fruit - whether I see it or not. Please help me not to mind if I don't see fruit yielded - as long as You do. Please help me to draw closer to you each day and continually grow in my knowledge of you so that I can share more effectively with others. Most of all, Father, thank you for my Lord Jesus Christ and for being who you say you are yesterday, today and tomorrow. I love you so much! In Jesus' name. . .

What did God say to you through this verse and perhaps through the story Mimi shared?

Prayer Warrior

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

I wrote the following in 2005, but it came to mind because Sarah is visiting with us in preparation for moving to New Orleans this weekend to go to seminary. She is still a prayer warrior! I cannot wait to see how God grows her as she works on her graduate degree and how He continues to use her the rest of her life! Have to admit tho - wish she weren't going to be so far away, but she is following God's will and I sure can't argue with that!

My youngest daughter, Sarah, is a prayer warrior if I ever met one! She has been our “default” dinner prayer leader for years – so much so that I feel out of practice of praying out loud in front of others. She loves to pray and praise our Lord – not that the rest of us don’t – it’s just hard not to let her pray!

I remember hearing her pray and speak in front of her youth group several times. When I’d comment about enjoying what she said, she’d often tell me she really didn’t know what she said, she had just prayed that God give her the words he wanted the group to hear. I couldn’t help thinking, “Way to go Sarah, turn it over to the Master!”

Last year she volunteered to send daily prayer emails to family and friends of a mission team during their trip to China. You could just feel her love for Christ and for her friends (& brother) who were the mission team as well as for the unsaved people they were encountering each day. I was in awe some days at the way God was using her to speak for Him. I think the key is that Sarah opens her heart and her mouth to allow God to use her as he sees fit. She often struggles with figuring out what He wants her to do, but she always consults him through reading His word and through prayer before she makes major decisions.

My prayer for today:
Father, thank you for the blessing Sarah continues to be in our lives. Thank you for using her to glorify your name. Please continue to use her to do your will. As Sarah always ends her prayers, in your Son’s awesome name, Amen.

What did God say to you today through this verse?

Song of Joy

Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."

Psalm 126:1-3

Last night our home was filled with the sweet sweet sound of girly laughter! Our daughters, Amanda & Sarah, are visiting and two of Sarah's long time friends came for the evening.What a blessing!

The giggles of twenty-somethings are just a sweet as those of preschoolers! Especially when it's been way too long for this group to gather in our home. It was so reminiscent of past times in some ways and so new in others. As Amanda said, "How quickly conversation changes - used to be about nail polish and hair styles and now it's about who's having children!" Some things don't change - making homemade pizza and playing games (& leaving them sleeping while I go to work!) - altho last night was the first time we'd all played Rock Band together!

The sweetest part of the evening for me was realizing how "The LORD has done great things for them." All four girls love the Lord and their lives and lifestyles reflect the sincerity of their dedication and commitment to Him and to sharing Him with others. All are actively involved in both local and foreign missions. Two are graduate students at seminarys. The other two serve in teaching and nursing.

Last night was a special blessing and I know God orchestrated it! I just can't wait to continue to watch how he uses these girls for His glory!

What did this verse say to you today?

My prayer for today:

Lord Jesus, thank you so much for coming into the lives of these four girls at an early age and encouraging them to grow their relationships with you each day. You have so richly blessed them and their families by Your protection of them and the blossoming of each into such fine and Godly young women. Thank you for the plans you have to use them in so many ways throughout their lives. Thank you for sharing them with us.

Free Personalization!

"Yes, Lord, we wait for You in the path of Your judgements. Our desire is for Your name and renown." Isaiah 26:8

You know how you get those "junk" mail letters, catalogs and stuff that have your name throughout the piece so it looks like a personalized message just for you? I don't want to burst your bubble, but it really isn't personal. It's all computerized.

BUT, God is the King of the personalized message and has been since the beginning - without the help of computers!

No matter how many times He does it, it never ceases to amaze me how God sends me so many personalized messages through such a variety of vehicles. I know I've mentioned this before, but I just can't help praising God again and again for the blessings He provides me this way. Of course the core message is always scripture, but sometimes He shares it through other people or in other writings. And, of course, His timing is always perfect!

God gave me this scripture tonight through a Beth Moore daily devotional (from a previous day) and some of her comments were so on target with some of the things God is teaching me, so I want to it:

" . . . Sometimes when we obey God and go where we believe he is sending us, we're not altogether certain what we expected, but after a while we asertain. "this certainly can't be it." In fact, obeying God can initially seem to get us into a bigger mess than we left.

It can make you think, "I must be an alien here." But actually, that may be your first indication you're in the right place. We can be in the bull's-eye of God's will for our lives even when things make utterly no sense. Sometimes we just have to wait on that ugly, five-letter word: "later." from "Believing God Day by Day" by Beth Moore (July 29th)

God is continually sending each of us personal messages through His word. You and I can read the exact same scripture, but receive a distinctly personal message through it from Him. Isn't that amazing?!

What is God saying to you today through this scripture?

My prayer for today:

Thank you, Lord, for not giving up on me and for continually sending me the messages I need to hear through your word. Please help me quiet the world around me so I can hear even the faintest whisper from you. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share Your word and Your glory with others. In Jesus' precious name, I pray.

Hope, peace and joy

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15: 13

Our church is reading through the New Testament and are just about through Romans. From the beginning David and I decided to read out loud together after dinner and it has really been a blessing to share this time with him. When we read Roman's 15:13, I noticed I had a star next to it and the date 09/07.

Since I count on him to be my memory, I said "wonder what that means", but before he could answer, it hit me - that's when we moved to Lexington. As I re-read it out loud, I looked at him and said, "that's what we did - trusted Him."

Trust Him, we did and trust Him we still do - even when we don't understand and even when things don't seem to make sense.

When my job was eliminated in May 2007, we turned the situation over to the Lord. The one thing we decided was that we wanted to stay in the Bowling Green area because we wanted to stay in close proximity to family - even if it meant not working at the ideal job or making the most money. In late June/early July I saw a job posting in Lexington that was a perfect match to my experience. When I asked David if he thought I should apply, he told me to continue doing what I'd been doing all summer - apply for positions that interested me and then turn it over to God to figure out if it was where He wanted me or not. So, I applied. So much for our decision to stay in BG!

Throughout the 2 month process from when I applied until I accepted the offer and started my job in Lexington, God made it perfectly clear to both of us that we needed to trust Him, be obedient in accepting the position and moving away from our family. He would work out the details of selling the house (which He did - it sold to the first people who looked at it) and everything else. He filled us with peace throughout the decisions and with joy in the anticipation of what He had in store for us in Lexington.

I needed the reminder of this verse. The hope, peace and joy only the Holy Spirit can provide is what I need to pray for each and every day.

What about you? What did God say to you today through this verse?

My prayer for today:

Father God, thank you so much for sending your son Jesus to the Cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us as well as to give us the hope and power than can only come through you. Lord, please forgive me when I lose sight of all you have sacrificed for me and get caught up in what I perceive as sacrifices I'm making. I pray that each day you will empty me of Terry and all my human issues and fill me to overflowing with your Holy Spirit so everyone I encounter sees and feels the love of Jesus Christ in my words and actions. Thank you so much . . . .In Jesus' precious name, I pray. AMEN.