"My sheep hear my voice..." - God

WOW - I just love when I KNOW my God is speaking to me.

Think about it...
THE creator of the universe,

The One who has laid the foundation of the earth and determined its measurements,

The One who prescribes the limits of the sea, saying "thus far shall you come, and no farther",

The One who caused the dawn to know its place;

The One who has entered the storehouses of the snow and hail and has birthed ice and the frost of heaven,

The One who sets the stars in order and guides their movements in the heavens,

The One of whom every lightning bold first asks where it should go;

The One who created the sun...that object which is 146 million km from us, He created and I cannot even go outside without sunblock on!!!

The One who is intricately interested in all living creatures, knowing when they give birth, setting them free in their own habitat - giving them the very nature of their being.

THE One who can do all things and whose purposes cannot be thwarted!

...this...ONE...has spoken to ME?!?

Yesterday He drew me out of bed early speaking the language that I understand (and you would think crazy), directing my reading and day.

This morning it was 0550hr - He ever so gently opened my eyes with His love - calling me to come meet with Him. How could I not? WHY would I not? What a delight!

He delights to thrill my heart with the simplest of things, those things with which I recognize His presence, His alluring. Simple "things". This morning it was as "simple" (as if ANYTHING Sovereign God does could EVER be called "simple"!) as turning the page of my wee devotional calendar.

It was a gift to me 6 years ago from a dear friend. It blessed me every day for the next year. It then sat silent in a box for the next 5 years.

Until 2 days ago.

It spoke to me 2 days ago - "If your devotional life is sleepy and tired - God is probably as tired of it as you are." - Frank Laubach.
Ouch!!!

Yesterday it started "Instead of forcing yourself to have devotions in the morning, try..." "Forcing" myself to meet with Creator God?!??

OUCH!!!

Today, as I turned the page and began to read the words

"For Christians, the beginning of the day should be burdened and haunted by various kinds of concerns they face..."

I was flooded with the knowledge that Creator God was, indeed, ordering my day. You see...I KNEW these words! How do I know? On June 17, 2011 I read these very words for the first time. They impacted me such that I scanned the page into the computer then printed it off. It hung on my computer and wall for the next 5 years...it still does!

My entire mind, body and soul settled into a sweet spot...knowing that Father God was "speaking" to me.

It IS sort of comforting when you KNOW that the creator of the universe, the One who holds ALL things in His hands, is with you.

Cares about you.

LOVES you.

And will move heaven and earth to have His will done in your life; to conform you into the same image His Son, Jesus .

And..."if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." (Romans 8:25)

That which I cannot see is me being in the image of my precious Jesus. But He has promised.

And what God promises He CAN do.

And He WILL do.

He has promised my sanctification. And, although it can wreck me at times, that is exactly what I desire - to be like Jesus. Pleasing to the Father, serving Him, loving Him, glorifying Him in each thought, word and deed. Just because of who He is!

THIS is the reason I have been praising Him lately for His holiness.

He WILL NOT let me get away with anything! But, in total love and compassion, He is directing my entire life so that I WILL be conformed into the image of Jesus. One day...

...one day.

One day, I will perfectly please Him to whom I owe my every breath and heartbeat.

Thank you, Father!

We are told to love -
- each other
- all the time
- sacrificially

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Galatians 5:14

"All-in love for God produces all-in love for others." Strong message by Pastor Todd this morning. Made me think of my post from November.

Is the Holy Spirit bored waiting for me?

One of my favourite authors, Randy Alcorn, wrote on his Facebook page (June 11, 2016) -

Christians may assume Heaven is boring because their lives are boring. That’s not God’s fault; it’s their own. God calls us to follow Him in an adventure that should put us on life’s edge. He’s infinite in creativity, goodness, beauty, and power. When we experience the invigorating stirrings of God’s Spirit, trust Him to fill our lives with divine appointments, and experience the childlike delights of His gracious daily kindnesses, we’ll know that God is exciting and Heaven is exhilarating. “Happy is the man who fears the LORD, taking great delight in His commands” (Psalm 112:1, HCSB).

This made me think of something my daughter said at a women's conference two weeks ago. She wondered if the Holy Spirit got bored waiting for us to step up our prayers.

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20)

Do I pray believing this? If I did I would never be bored and neither would the Holy Spirit within me.
Oh may it be thus.

And they're gone...again.

And they're gone...again.

That one...on the left. She is the one who kidnaps my heart. Every summer.

Each summer for I don't remember how many years, my daughter and her ministry partner head off for the summer. Traveling from their home just north of Toronto, Ontario to California via the Grand Canyon. They take along "interns" with them. College aged girls who desire to serve alongside them and get messy in ministry. They go to various camps throughout North America, ministering in music, counseling and message. Sharing Christ with young people all summer. Including California, Washington state, Tennessee, New Hampshire, New York and all over Ontario - gone for about 8 weeks.

One of the main things I used to pray for was safety. Oh...I still do. For sure! But years ago I heard a message by Irwin McManus. He said the center of God's will is not always "safe". He explained that the apostle Paul was in the center of God's will...but not safe by our standards. He was beaten 5 times by rods or stones, shipwrecked 3 times, spent a night and a day on the open sea, was in danger from rivers and bandits. He was in danger...but always in God's will.

So, now I pray for them to be in God's will...knowing that is where He would have them. And where they want to be.

Oh...I do throw in the request that He may be pleased to have His will include their safety and return home in one piece, body, mind and spirit. Hey, I am a mom!

You would think it would be easy for me now after so many years...what it is? Maybe 12? Or more?

But it is not.

No...each a year a part of my heart drives away with them. Traveling all over North America.
I know they are serving our wonderful God...He has provided all they have needed - physically, emotionally and spiritually. From sunrises and sunsets to double rainbows at just the right moment.

They have seen Him demonstrate His majesty in nature...and in the saving of a young child at camp. I know THIS. But...it does not make it easier on my heart.

I am so thankful over the past several years for social media - I can trace their locations, see the pictures and read the comments that have stirred their hearts.

As they leave...my heart hurts.

While they are away...my knees hurt.

When they return...my arms are full and my heart is whole.

So...off they go this year.

And...I would want it no other way. Really!

I love full moons...just saying!

I was on my way to bed last night and looked outside. I saw this in the sky - right in front of me. These heavenly objects never cease to amaze me and cause me to think of my Creator. And His word:

"In the New Jerusalem, "the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb."

What a day THAT will be!

The Veil is torn - not put on a shelf!

Doing some reading this morning for a question that stumped me in the Bible Study I'm doing with the sweetest group of ladies in Bradford :). I LOVE this section of a message by Charles Spurgeon speaking on the torn veil in Hebrews 10:20 -

""Who shall separate us from the love of God?" Only one veil was made, and as that is rent, the one and only separator is destroyed. I delight to think of this. The devil himself can never divide me from God now. He may and will attempt to shut me out from God; but the worst he could do would be to hang up a rent veil. What would that avail but to exhibit his impotence? God has rent the veil, and the devil cannot mend it. There is access between a believer and his God; and there must be such free access forever, since the veil is not rolled up, and put on one side to be hung up again in days to come; but it is rent, and rendered useless."

Daughters & Mother's Day

So...this happened!

My daughter's words blessed my heart and made it swell.

The picture she used...well. I'll not speak to that.

Mother's Day - Slow down...please.

WOW - what a week!! And I am very grateful for TWO Facebook posts that make me excited for THIS Mother's Day.

I want to thank our gracious God for the privilege of having loved 2 mothers and for the privilege of having 2 precious children to love and be loved by!!

The SECOND Facebook post was this song by Nicole Nordman, "Slow Down". It so clearly expresses my feelings about BEING a mother right now. If you're a mom...get the tissues ready. With the post of the song she wrote:

"I don't know of a more uttered or whispered phrase from a mother of any age, about her child of any age, than 'It's going by too fast.' I feel like I spend my life trying to slow time. Trying to celebrate the growth and the milestones of my children, and then secretly day dreaming about building a time machine in my garage, so I can return to rocking my babies at midnight. If you've ever looked at your child running across a field, or striding across a graduation stage, or walking down the middle aisle of a church clutching a bouquet, you'll know why this song is special to me. Please enjoy the video below, remembering the moments we wish we could slow down, and sharing them with those we love most.” - Nichole Nordeman

The FIRST post was last Tuesday when I read about "pre-grieving" Mother's Day. It was JUST what I needed this year.

I have lost two mother's. My biological mom I had for the first 15 years and the "acquired" mom I had for the next 50 years until she passed away at the precious age of 99 last September. For the second time I was again mother-less.

I have also lost a daughter at birth.

So THIS year was starting to hit me hard. BUT...this year we would also be celebrating my oldest child's birthday! And I did not want anything to detract from his special day.

SO it was such a blessing to read Anna Voskamp's Post last Tuesday about PRE-grieving. Which is what I did this week.

So, with a spirit of much thankfulness to God I am ready to celebrate this Mother's Day!!

The look of love.

THIS is what love looks like. For me. Today.

This morning Jodi asked me how my day was going and I shared that 35 years ago today was Easter Sunday and the day her daddy went to be with Jesus. I explained that I wasn't sure why but I was finding it very hard this year😟

He was a good man and I think I am missing what we could have had😔. Or maybe with my mom passing away recently, it was all just "adding" up. I really don't know. But...I determined this morning to Press hard into Jesus today.

So...this precious daughter arrived at my door with these flowers. And food!!

I am truly blessed!

I Love the "But"s of God!

Just chewing on this verse.  Again.  Still.

It is one that I have often pondered over - but now, with memorizing Philippians, it has been SO prominent in my thoughts for a couple of months...

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:12-13 ESV

The "Therefore" is there for us to understand the obedience that is expected of us to that which Jesus demonstrated in the verses above:

“...Christ Jesus, who...emptied himself...And...being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Philippians 2:5,7,8 ESV

BUT...I cannot do this on our own.

“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate...For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out...Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.” Romans 7:15, 18, 24-25 ESV

BUT...it is God who "works in me"...the Holy Spirit sanctifying me - completing that good work that He began - fulfilling the promise (for He IS the Promise Maker AND the Promise Keeper) -

BUT...

"Those that take God’s sovereignty and working and use them as an excuse for inaction and lethargy are like the wicked and lazy servant of Matthew 25:24-30...The idea is that since God has done and is doing a work in the Christian, the Christian therefore has a greater responsibility to work diligently with fear and trembling regarding his own salvation and walk with the Lord. God’s work in us increases our responsibility; it doesn’t lessen it in any way...Those that are really God’s servants use their understanding of His sovereignty and omnipotence as a motivation for greater, more dedicated service to Him." - David Guzik (Enduring Word)

BUT...God...again!!!

“Grace all-sufficient dwells in you, believer. There is a living well within you springing up; use the bucket, then; keep on drawing; you will never exhaust it; there is a living source within.” (Spurgeon)

GLORY!!!!!  There is HOPE for me yet!!!

Easter weekend ALWAYS makes me think of the imagery in the song by Philips Craig & Dean... "Mercy Came Running"

"Once there was a holy place

Evidence of God's embrace
And I can almost see mercy's face
Pressed against the veil

Looking down with longing eyes
Mercy must have realized
That once His blood was sacrificed
Freedom would prevail

And as the sky grew dark
And the earth began to shake
With justice no longer in the way

Mercy came running
Like a prisoner set free
Past all my failures
To the point of my need
When the sin that I carried
Was all I could see
And when I could not reach mercy
Mercy came running to me"

Mercy has a name and His name is JESUS!!