The Plan I Have For You

Galatians 6:9-10 So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don't give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work  for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.      My greatest experience with the weariness, and joy of these verses came as a two-year-old Sunday School teacher. The attention span of a preschooler is about one minute per year of age, so trying to figure out if you actually taught anything in those two minutes is a miracle in itself. But there was one Sunday God showed me what a difference my time was making. A young little guy, who came on the church bus, had hardly said anything during the weeks before. As all the toddlers moved about, playing happily, he pointed to a picture on the wall and said "Jesus." My heart jumped inside my chest. JESUS...he knew the man in the picture was JESUS. Weeks of anxiety and the stress of wrestling toddlers, spending more t...

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV) A great message from my pastor in his devotional yesterday morning about prayer. These verses tell us that if we ask, it will be given, and if we seek, we shall find.  In his message, he goes on to say if we aren't getting answers, we should pray even harder!  Jesus prayed until he sweated drops of blood. I've been praying about something for an extended period of time.  I know its not a selfish prayer.  But I've prayed and I've prayed, and yet the doors I thought should lead to the path I was seeking keep closing in front of me.  I know its a prayer he will answer in time...but how long? Reading these verses yesterday, I realized what a prayer whimp I am.  I've asked God to make things happen, but I am afraid if I tell him I REALLY...

Exodous 33 19 The L ord replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, 20 21 The L ord continued, “Look, stand near me on this rock. 22 As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen. before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.” ” I had a good laugh reading this chapter.  Moses is preparing to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.  God plainly tells Moses he will not go with them because they are stubborn and rebellious, and he will surely kill them along the way.  Wow!  Its a wonder many of us today are still alive too... Moses then asks God that if he will not go with them to show his presence.  God tells h...

There's a blog coming about God's burden on my heart to "Get it Together."  About six months ago, he revealed me it was time to stop just going through the motions of life and to do a better job of taking care of myself and my family.  Giving my best by taking care of the top priorities with which I have been entrusted at 110 percent and weeding out what doesn't have to be there.  Learning to let him guide me with prioritizing my life and trusting him to help me to let go. You know, things were going pretty well for a while.  I was seeing progress.  I was less stressed, taking more quality time for me and with my family.  Fast forward to two weeks ago.   My seasonal job (full time all year, overdrive in the spring) has kicked in full force.  So has basketball, 4-H, band, Hee Haw, church activities...Vertigo from a sinus infection, has left me feeling like I'm spinning just a bit faster than everyone else.  I have been just getting thro...

The Call of Jeremiah   4 The word of the L ORD came to me:     5 I chose you before I formed you in the womb;     I set you apart before you were born.     I appointed you a prophet to the nations.      6 But I protested, "Oh no, Lord G OD ! Look, I don't know how to speak since I am [only] a youth."      7 Then the L ORD said to me:     Do not say: I am [only] a youth,     for you will go to everyone I send you to     and speak whatever I tell you.      8 Do not be afraid of anyone,     for I will be with you to deliver you.           [This is] the L ORD 's declaration.     9 Then the L ORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and told me:     Look, I have filled your mouth with My words.     10 S...

Isaiah 43:19 (The Message) Forget about what's happened;    don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new.    It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert,    rivers in the badlands. An opportunity, one that appeared so right it felt like it had been placed in my path.  Yet God closed the door in a way that left me feeling like I forgot to move my hand and left my fingers throbbing in the threshold.  In a matter of hours, someone close to me received a similar opportunity with all the pieces of the puzzle falling into place.  While extremely proud for her great news, something inside hurt deeper.  Discouraged, I opened my devotional guide, and the verses above spoke so vividly to my heart. The last couple of years have seemed the hardest for me physically, spiritually, emotionally.  I'm not saying they haven't been good ...

Its a beautiful morning.  The sun is shining brightly across the multi-colored landscape.  Leaves drop like rain as Fall will soon make way for winter.  Coffee is always a welcome start to the morning, but something about the crispness in the air makes it taste that much better. Seasons.  God's reminder of how things change.  The beautiful fall leaves and the joy of bringing out the long sleeves will soon be replaced by winter, with its brisk, short days, and hopefully a little snow mixed in to delight the heart.  Winter melts into spring with the tiny budding leaves and reemergence of beautiful flowers.  Then summer, with long days made perfect for play time and enjoying the beauty of the world outside. Our lives change.  Our babies grow up into toddlers then into teens.  Young adults look up one day to realize the are middle agers no longer living a carefree life, but one of responsibility for a family.  As quickly as those days c...