The Father's Plan for your Day

It is the plan and purpose of God this day to bring into your life people and circumstances that will make you more like Jesus.  Today you have awakened to His classroom.  He has prepared lessons for you to learn and work for you to do.

 His plans for you today are good and perfect.  You can trust His heart.  He loves you.  You can trust His Mighty power.  He is able to accomplish His lofty, and seemingly unattainable goals.  He has already seen this day.  Nothing will surprise Him.

He will bring to you today wonderful opportunities to see Him at work in your life, opportunities to join Him His beautiful work and opportunities for you to grow.  Often these opportunities come in the form of annoyances, inconveniences, unexpected interruptions, delays, pain and heartache.  They also come in the form of laughter, exciting surprises and enjoyable moments.  And yet it is also the plan of God to use the mundane, ordinary, experiences of life as well.  They, too, are a part of His perfect plan.  All of these things have been carefully chosen for you to experience  and masterfully woven into your life by our loving and perfectly wise, Supremely powerful Father so that you might experience His highest good.

 If you fully cooperate with our Heavenly Father, not fighting and resisting Him, not complaining and not trying to avoid the things you don't like, you will experience blessings in such HUGE MEASURE that you won't be able to hold it all!

Protection
Provision of every need
Power
Peace
Healing
Joy
Wisdom
Freedom
and every good gift

Or you can spend your day choosing the path that is most comfortable for you.  You can complain, whine, argue and resist our Father's PERFECT PLAN.

It's up to you.

He hasn't left you to go through life alone.  He's given all of His children a priceless,  gift--His Spirit.

I'm praying that you will choose the path that the Father has prepared for you today.

His plans for you today are perfect and good!

Have a wonderful day!

If You're Waiting

If you're waiting for a blessing from God, be the blessing someone else is waiting for. 
If you're waiting for healing, be an instrument of healing someone else for someone.
If you're waiting for provision, be the provision someone else is waiting for.
If you're waiting for a big breakthrough, be apart of someone else's breakthrough.
If you're waiting for an answer to prayer, be the answer to someone else's prayer
If you're waiting to hear from God, speak the words of God to someone who needs to hear from Him.
If you want to be forgiven, give the blessing of forgiveness to someone.
If you want others to be gracious and patient with you, be gracious and patient with others.
If you really truly want to be loved and accepted  unconditionally, love and accept others unconditionally.

Don't delay. Do it today.

40 Days of Discovery- Day 19

   Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

If God is able to do immeasurable more than I ask (exceedingly, abundantly more!), why do I ask so little of Him?  My sights are too often too low.

Father help me to ask you for greater things--higher things--those things which fulfill your immense plans and purposes for our lives.  Help me to trust you more.  More than I ever have.  Let me rest soundly in your loving care.  Help me to have full confidence that YOU WILL TAKE care of us--of every need.  Help me Lord. Help me.

Just recently, the Holy Spirit has given me a special gift.  His gifts are amazing, and often surprising.  They are given when we least expect them, and I've decided to receive every gift He wants to give me.  I know I cannot manipulate Him into giving me gifts.  I am absolutely in awe, that my Lord loves me so much as to give me another gift.  He's blessed me so lavishly already.  I have so, so much, and here He comes with arm full of gifts again.  Let me tell you, I'm like a kid on Christmas morning.  I'm so enjoying His gifts to me.  Each one is so perfect for me, so special, so beautiful...  Jesus, thank you for making it possible for me to be in the family of God.  Thank you for sending me your Spirit, and thank you for ALL of the gifts.  Amen. and Amen.

Oh by the way, just in case your wondering...

I've been given the gift of a greater sense of God's presence and power.  I can literally feel His presence--physically.  I've also been given the gift of tongues.  I feel like a two year old trying to talk, and I guess I am.  This is all so new and unexpected.  So unexpected.

40 Days of Discovery- Day 6

God is extremely generous!He gives willingly, but He only gives good and perfect gifts.

He's the perfect Father!  The Father gives good gifts to all who ask him.  He will NEVER give us something bad.  NEVER!

Let us do the same to others by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Intoxicate me with your Spirit so that I may move, speak, and think under His influence.

40 Days of Discovery- Day 5

Today's journal excerpt (Jan 6):

Part of the reason I have had the compulsion to "rule keep" is to avoid suffering.  Somehow I think that if I do everything "right", I can avoid  all pain.  Clearly, I have issues!

How do I put no confidence in my efforts, yet work hard as unto the Lord--pouring out my full effort?

Resting in His grace isn't an excuse to be lazy.

Teach me Holy Spirit how to do the work you've called me to do, FULLY trusting you to cause my work to be productive and effective.  Knowing full well that my works will be flawed.

Oh how the Holy Spirit taught me this as I directed for Classical Conversations.  I was aware on so many occasions of my flaws.  So many occasions!  I failed miserably in many areas.  I hurt  people.  I was often back peddling and readjusting, learning, undoing and not being nearly as organized as I needed to be.  I didn't trust others to help me as I should.  I messed up my finances over and over.  And yet I experienced great success overall!  God allowed me to lead flourishing communities.  From the community I directed, 5 new communities were formed, including 6 directors, a state manager, and many tutors whom I was blessed to influence.  Some may say that I was in the right place at the right time.  And I would agree.  I was right where the Father placed me.  I was continually on my knees listening to His voice, that I might obey His every word.

I certainly didn't obey perfectly, yet my heart's desire was to please Him and He honored that.  I was also blessed by the families I served.  Seeing how God accomplished His great and mighty work in and through me is encouraging.

So we can be free to do ALL that God calls us to do, knowing that He is FULLY responsible for the results.  Our job is to fully devote our hearts to Him, and seek to obey Him to the best of our ability

That's the GREAT God I serve.  He takes all that is wicked, evil, depraved, and somehow transforms it so that it produces something beautiful, good and inspiring.

He did that with the cross.

He does that with His people who are being  persecuted.

He's doing it, with me.

40 Days of Discovery- Day 4

From my journal:

Today I rejoice in failures and mistakes.  When we do our best, and we still fail. When we strive and still no results.  When we are searching for answers.  The answer is ALWAYS Jesus.

It is our failures that reveal the truth about us.  We are weak,  powerless, and needy--apart from God.  We need help.  There is no amount of "try this" or "try that", "read this" or "take this class" that will make us adequate.  It is God Himself that makes us complete.

His grace is sufficient.  His righteousness is perfect.  His wisdom is complete.  He is fully able to implement all that He knows is good.

And he calls us to rest in His sufficiency.  REST.

Stop working, striving, performing.... and rest.

Come all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke and learn of me, for I am gentle, and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  Matthew 11:28-29

The yoke that I put on myself isn't easy and, the burden that I carry isn't light.  The yoke that others put on me isn't easy.  It's burdensome.  The yoke I put on my children isn't easy.  The yoke that the culture puts on me isn't easy.  It's seems more spiritual to carry a difficult yoke and a heavy burden.  But it isn't.  We can't run a race with a heavy burden. We need to be light.  I can't run my race with the guilt of not living up to unrealistic standards.  I can't run with the burden a cart full of "do's and don'ts" that I must live up to or... I'm a bad person.  I must perform perfectly or I won't happy.  I must work so hard not to mess up my kids.  I must work hard to be healthy.  I must work hard keep my home clean and beautiful.  Being a good steward honors God.  I mustn't overspend.  I must wash my girls hair twice a week so that their hair is its healthiest.  I must prune my roses.  I must ... I must.... I must...  Every talk show, magazine article, suggestion from a friend adds to this burden.  The weight of all these things often presses in on me so heavily, that I can barely breathe.

So I thank you Jesus, that you simply tell me to receive your perfection.  You've already done what I can't do.  I'm free to love, and to be loved.  Your grace is more than enough to cover my failings.  Your grace fills in all my gaps.  Your love redeems my failures.  Seems too simple. 

When I come to you with sincere repentance, you forgive.  Everytime.  I don't have to beat myself up.  I don't have to do penance.  I don't have to beg and hope for forgiveness.  I simply ask.  You are faithful and just and you forgive ALL our sins and  purify us of all unrighteousness.  Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That means I can forgive myself.  I don't have to let the weight of these burdens weigh me down anymore.

HEB 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. [2] Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

You endured our burdens on the cross.  You carried them, so that we would never have to carry these burdens again.

COL 2:20 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: [21] "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? [22] These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. [23] Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

I'm not putting those burdens back on me again.  Help me Holy Spirit.  I don't want to go back.

Continue to expose "the rules" that I still submit to, thinking that somehow if I'm able to follow them, I'll be alright.

40 Days of Discovery- Day 3

Today was a day of discovering something old.  The Holy Spirit brought me back to the basics of my life's mission:  sharing the gospel.  Everything should come back to the gospel, right?  If the gospel really is good news, why would I not want to share it?  God has chosen the church, his followers, to be the means by which the mystery of the gospel is revealed.  What an awesome privilege!  God certainly doesn't have to use us.  He's God!  He could have a donkey to proclaim it.  He could write it on a wall.  He could have the birds to sing it.  But He chose people like me.  And I've neglected this great privilege.  Oh, Lord I repent.  Forgive me.

There are people around the world dying because they're sharing the gospel.  They're just that passionate.  They're just that committed.  And I don't want to offend.  Poor excuse.  I was reading an article a month or so ago about a woman and her husband in Iran who prayed EVERYDAY that God would show them who they are supposed to share the gospel with.  Everyday!  And this is in a country that is hostile to Christianity!  What's wrong with me?

So I asked the Spirit this question:  How can I share the gospel in a relevant way?  with creativity, boldly, wisely, lovingly  The gospel message isn't foreign here.  Many have heard it, and tune it out.  I'm asking for fresh creative ways to share the ancient message of truth.  I'm asking for passion, and power to do this great work.  Creativity means nothing if there is no power.  God's power changes people's lives, not my convincing words.

I echo the prayer of the early church when they were under persecution, "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."  and the response  "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."  (from Acts 4:29-31)

Here are a few other scriptures that the Spirit gave me as I asked the question:

 Colossians 4  And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. [4] Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. [5] Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. [6] Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Give me an awareness of the opportunities that you provide me--those doors that you open for the message.  Enable me to proclaim the message clearly and allow my actions confirm my beliefs and bring you honor.

 Matt10: [16] I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Holy Spirit, give me practical ideas, a great sense of discernment of people and situations, and intelligence beyond my physical capability so that I am able to speak with sincerity, boldness, and simplicity.  Do this for my children, my husband, and all of your people. Awaken your people to great boldness in proclaiming the gospel.

I do need to give myself some grace, for God has lavished His grace on me.   I tend to be hard on myself.  I have shared the gospel.  I'm just not nearly as committed as I should be. Thank you Holy Spirit for revealing the truth.

Some Things Take Time

 

I originally wrote this the day before thanksgiving.

It's the day before thanksgiving and I have begun my cooking marathon.  By the time we sit down to our meal tomorrow, I will have baked potatoes, a turkey, rolls and cornbread dressing.  I will have slowly simmered a turkey back in order to release the flavors and nutrients, creating a full-bodied broth.  I will have chilled my pie crust dough, homemade cranberry sauce, and a homemade dressing. Chilling helps everything to gel, and gives the various flavors time to marry.  I will have soaked my turkey overnight in a brine (water filled with seasoning).  The result will be a flavorful moist turkey.  (It was quite yummy) 

As I sit here listening to my pots bubble on the stove, I was thinking of how it takes time to create a great meal.  A once a year meal!  I can't do this regularly.  But I was thinking that in order for us to have a great meal for our souls, it takes time.  Often, I want my time with God to be quick, microwaved, or stir-fried and quickly consumed so that I can get back to life.  So many needs are calling.  Then I wonder why I'm not fully satisfied.

If I want to get past the surface level of understanding of scripture, I must be willing to pay a price.  It takes time to go deep, to find treasures the lay hidden deep below the surface.  I must be willing to think deeply, to ponder, taking my time, letting the Spirit of God take His word into my inner most parts.  Letting it marinate.  I'm learning the blessing of allowing God's word go down deep , to my very bones.  I want His truth to be the air that I breathe.  I want His thoughts to be my thoughts.

This takes time.

It takes early mornings or late nights so that I won't be interrupted.  Sometimes it means sneaking away from the hustle and bustle of my household.  It means chores go undone, e-mails go unanswered and phone calls don't get made.    But, you see, I must sit at the feet of Jesus, allowing Him to fill me to the fullest measure with Himself.  And that, my friend, takes time.

May you deeply ponder His majesty and grace in your life.  And may your lips be filled with praises for His generous gifts to you.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season, don't miss out on God's greatest gift to us--His presence.  

O come, O come Emmanuel into our hearts.  Change us forever. Fill us with the life that is truly life.  Loosen our hand's grip on earthly things so that we may grasp the hem of your garment, and be made whole.  Amen.

  Merry Christmas!

Day Retreat

My husband and I have begun to make it a tradition to have a "day retreat" right before school starts in August in order to refresh ourselves and to have time alone with God.  I cannot begin to describe the many blessings that we receive from this one day.  God always has such wonderful gifts in store for us.  He's such a  personal God, and He loves special time alone with each of His children. Not only does He want us to hear His voice, he wants us to simply enjoy Him.  He wants us to rest in His presence.

I'd like to share some of the sights that I was able to enjoy on my day retreat.  These are photos I took at Mayfield park in Austin Texas.  It's the perfect place for a day retreat.

Perhaps you'll inspired to have your own "Day Retreat".

The Little Pebble and the Majestic Water Fall Part 2

Suddenly, a mighty wave lunged from the river, towards the little pebble.  The first instinct of the pebble was to cringe with fear at this great wave, but then it remembered that the Water Fall loved it.  So it took a deep breath and let the wave take it into the river.  The pebble found the wave was surprisingly gentle.

That little pebble was filled with so many emotions.  Fear, exhilaration, surprise... These experiences were all so new and unknown to the pebble that it really had no idea what to expect next.  It didn't know what to do, and every time fear seized it and threatened to take it under, the little waves would tickle its cracks and crevices whispering, "Cooperate with me.  Do not fight me.  I will make you into something beautiful."  And so the pebble would finally relax, letting the currents take it to all sorts of strange places.  As it did, it enjoyed a myriad of delights.

Now I must not mislead you into thinking that all of the pebbles experiences were delightful.  Oh no!  There were many difficulties along the way.  A few times the pebble was way-laid by little islands in the river, leaving it feeling impatient and disappointed at its lack of progress.  Other times forceful rapids threw the pebble here and there, bruising and beating the little pebble senseless.  It was during those times that the pebble thought it would never survive this adventure in the river.  There was even a time when an evil bird tried to snatch that pebble right out of the river, but the Great Water Fall rescued it with its mighty waves, sending the bird away disgusted for not being able to pick up such a seemingly easy little prize. 

I guess now seems like a good time to tell you that this pebble was changing.  All of the plights that the pebble endured during the  journey were changing the pebble.  It's rugged edges were becoming smooth.  It's dirt, of course, was washed away and it was being reshaped.  It even gleamed in the sun, which was why the bird tried to snatch it from the river.

The pebble also experienced lazy, restful days when the water danced around it playfully.  The pebble loved days like this.  It enjoyed the view around it and even took time to look at the water creatures, marveling in their beauty.  It was on one of these days that the pebble discovered its change.  As the little riplets of water danced around it, they began to sing.

"Look into the water little pebble.  See your reflection."

That seemed like a puzzling request, yet the pebble did as it was told.  Lo and behold!  What a surprising view met it! It did not recognize itsself.  It was beautiful!  The Great Water Fall had done what it had promised.  It had made it into something beautiful.  Yes, now it was becoming a worthy offering for the Water Fall.

There was still much more the pebble had to endure, for the Great WaterFall had not finished with the pebble, but now that the pebble had seen the Water Fall's work, it gladly submitted itsself to the Water Fall's power.  (Most of the time)  The Water Fall could be trusted.  It loved the little pebble more than even the pebble realized.

Stay tuned for more.  Please read the story to your kids, or grand kids.  I'd love to get feedback.  Does the story make sense?  Is anything confusing?   What do you or your children enjoy about the story? 

Searching through the Ashes

Today as I prayed with a group ladies, God gave me a very powerful revelation that I'd like to share with you.  One of the ladies was praying for the victims of the recent fires of Central Texas and recounting the miracle of a couple finding their wedding ring in the midst of the ashes.  It was as though her words were spoken from the Heavenlies themselves.  This couple needed to search among the ashes, the ruins of their lives in order to find that which they treasured and through supernatural intervention, they found their prized possession--a wedding ring.

Fires are raging everywhere.  In our homes. On our jobs. In our churches. In our finances.  In our families.  In our bodies.  And for many there is little left, except ashes.  There seems to be no hope.  Everything.... is....gone. Maybe you're ready to give up.  All that's left is empty promises and unfulfilled dreams.  But our God, our Great Redeemer has this word for you:


Search among the ashes, and find your treasure.

What have you lost?  Intimacy in your martial relationship?  Have you lost everything financially because of a recent layoff?   Has your child walked away from God?  Have you lost your joy?  Seek, as one searching for a Great Hidden treasure.  Persist.  Get dirty--really dirty.  Deal with painful memories.  Dig past the rubble.  Do the hard work.  Search for the hidden treasure.  And if you persist, you WILL FIND it.  God promises that those who seek will find.  I also want to encourage you to solicit friends who will seek with you.  It is much easier to find a hidden treasure with help.  Friends will encourage you when you want to give up, and keep you from getting sidetracked.  Searching for treasure among the ashes isn't a work to be done alone.  And don't forget to dress properly for the occasion.  You don't search through ashes with flip flops and a tank top. Put on your armor--the FULL armor of God so you will be able to take your stand against the Enemy.

I believe that as you search you will discover that your treasure is God Himself, for He said that He is our inheritance.  In Him you have ALL.  God is a compassionate and generous God.  He delights in giving His children good gifts.  Expect that He will bless you in ways you cannot begin to imagine.

Don't give up.  Don't walk away.


Keep looking.  Keep searching.
                                                        Through the ashes

Psalms 119:57 You are my portion, O LORD;
    I have promised to obey your words.

  Luke 11:9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Collaboration

   
I was recently blessed with the opportunity to collaborate with some wonderful artists on some art projects.  I've never done anything like this before.  When Kathy first asked me about being a part of the collaboration, I was excited and honored that she would ask me.  But as the time approached for us to begin the collaboration, I began to get nervous.  This was totally out of my comfort zone!  I didn't know what to expect.  There was no plan.  And I had no control over what would happen. I had to trust that God had a plan.
     The first day we met, I remember the anxiety I felt.  I was like, "I'm here.  Now what?"  We prayed.  And God did a marvelous work through us.  We brought our scraps, and leftover pieces and over the course of a month, we're created 6 beautiful works of art.  I'm amazed!  Each piece is so different.  We each contributed in some way, to each piece.  And each person's contribution was absolutely vital to creating that final product.

Interestingly, we are each very different.  We come from different ethinic and cultural backgrounds.  We each work in different mediums.  Our styles are very different.  Even our methods of creating art are different.  But you wouldn't believe how much harmony we've had.  The Spirit of God has worked through each of us enabling us to work with oneness of mind.  We committed ourselves to be servants, listening to the Spirit and being sensitive to the ways that He was moving.

     Did we agree at every moment?  No.  But we always came to an agreement in a peaceful manner.  Sometimes it took time to hear what the Spirit was saying.

     I can honestly say that I could never have created anything like these pieces alone.  Now it almost feels strange working alone in my studio on my personal pieces.  I miss that interaction and feedback.

It's been fun!  And I've learned so much and grown through the process.

I have been given a small glimpse of what God wants to do in His people on a larger scale.  He wants us working together, each bringing our little bit to the table in order to create a Great Feast.  We can't do it alone.  We must be willing to give...and receive.   And in the process each of us will be changed.  Paul says in Ephesians that we become more whole, for you supply what is lacking in me, and I in you.   The church becomes a fuller expression of the Magnificient Glorious Infiinite God.  The knowledge of His glory becomes more complete and more fully displayed.  How exciting!

We need each other.  God wants to use us working together to do something beautiful for Him.

Let's collaborate.

My Song

There's a song that begins to stir in my heart,
that begins to surface as I think on the goodness of God.
As I meditate on His goodness,
His grace,
His love,
His Holiness,
His purity...
A poetic prose begins to rise from my soul
It's been hidden there waiting to be found
It's composed by the Holy Spirit and uniquely song by me.
It is a song that's being song in the heavenlies
by the angels
and by saints throughout the ages
This song is a song our hearts have been waiting to sing
Like a woman with child who eagerly awaits the moment of giving birth
She eagerly anticipates the joy of holding her sweet baby in her arms
But there is discomfort,
there is pain to endure
MUCH PAIN
But in the end, it's worth it
for in her arms is a baby
Oh the joy to hold that precious baby!
This song is our baby
Our heart anticipates giving birth to this melody
As we experience life this song grows within us
developing, gaining understanding, maturing
And often there is much pain that must be endured in order to give birth to this song
But Oh the joy that is felt
Oh the relief that the song has finally been freed.
for this song was meant to be song
An unsung song is a travesty.
We must sing our song.
I must sing my song.

Heavenly Father, enable us by your Spirit to sing beautifully, powerfully, truthfully, pouring ourselves out, holding nothing back, singing in this life until all that we know by faith becomes clearly known.

My Last Bath

One day I decided to have a talk with God.
"Are you really there?"
"Is this Christianity thing real, or
is it something people made up to make weak and incompetent people
feel better about themselves?"
I heard no reply,
but a mirror appeared.
And I saw myself.
I almost threw up!
It was a most disturbing image.
I was FILTHY!
My clothes were full of muck and yuck.
My hair was matted, with dirt, dust and...moving creatures
My teeth...
I cannot describe,
Let's just say I looked like one of those zombies from the movies.
So I did what any self-respecting, intelligent person would do.
I went to clean myself up.
I took a long shower,
washed my hair--using the best products with LOTS of soap.
Put my clothes in the washing machine, then dried them.
And you won't believe this!
I went back to that mirror,
and I looked EXACTLY the same as before!
What the...!
I was puzzled, befuddled, confused, and disturbed.
How could that be?
Perhaps I need to wash multiple times before I would be clean.
Then one appeared before me,
One like a god,
He was overwhelmingly beautiful!
In fact, so beautiful and pure that I immediately felt as I looked,
putrid, ugly--a mess
His beauty took my breath away
and I fell at his feet as though dead.
He spoke.
"Get up"
In my mind, I said, "I can't."  For I could not speak.
He responded as though he could hear my thoughts.
"Yes, you can.  I will strengthen you."
So I stood before Him vulnerably, ashamed of my filth.
So ashamed...
So afraid...
So dishonored...
And yet he spoke to me with such gentleness and love,
with such compassion,
yet with power and GREAT authority.
His words pierced my soul
and went deeper than deep.
He said, "Do you want to be clean?"
"I tried to clean myself," I replied.
"Do you want to be clean?" He said again.
" I was about to take another bath, in fact several baths and wash my..."
He interrupted me and spoke with such power that the earth shook and my soul vibrated with His words.
"Do you want to be clean?!"
At that, I fell to my knees in anguish and managed to conjure up a feeble,
"Yes.  I want to be clean."
He nodded His head and smiled.
He at once removed His glorious robe, leaving his under garments exposed.
He put His hands in a bowl of soapy water which I had not seen before,
grabbed a washcloth and stepped towards me with it.
At once, I stepped back.
"No, I cannot let you..."
He simply looked at me with those compassionate eyes.
"Ok." I said.
"When I clean you, you shall be clean."
And He began to clean me.
He washed my hair.
He removed my clothing and washed every part of me.
This glorious one knelt before me and cleaned my feet.
I had never felt so alive!
I had never felt so loved!
Every touch brought healing.
Every touch brought freedom.

When He had finished washing me, I saw myself in the mirror
and I was not ashamed.
I was cleaner than clean.
I was astonishingly beautiful!
Radiantly beautiful!
Amazingly pure--with no hint of the filth that was once there.
Then he brought me a robe.
It was a robe so pure,
so glorious,
so brilliant
so, so beautiful.
I reached out to take it and he shook His head.
"I must clothe you with my robe.  It is not yours to take, only mine to give."
It was His robe! You know what I was thinking.  I couldn't take His robe!
Again, reading my mind, He said,
"Receive this robe as my gift to you.  I want you to have this gift."
So I bowed my head, letting Him clothe me with His robe.
Truly words cannot explain what my eyes saw when He clothed me in His robe.
My eyes were filled with tears.
I was overcome with joy.
I couldn't speak.
Yet in my gratitude, I knelt before Him and kissed His feet and His hands.
It was then that I saw the scars--
the horrid scars on his hands, His feet, His side.
It startled me for I hadn't seen them before.
Reading my mind, He said,
"Yes, I took these scars so that you can be clean."
"Who are you?"
He replied, " I AM the one who was, and is, and is to come.
I AM the beginning and the end.
I AM the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world.
I AM the King over all Kings.
I AM the All-powerful, Mighty conquering one who delivers.
I AM...
               Jesus."

Blessings on Your Life

All these blessings will be upon you and be your constant companion IF YOU OBEY Yahweh (the unchanging, ever-present, self-existing one; the one who reveals Himself to His people) :

You will be blessed wherever you are, whether in the city or in the country.

You will be blessed to bear many children.

And all of your work will produce MUCH  fruit.  Your business will flourish, and your ministry will be effective.

You will always have plenty of food to eat.  Every need will be met with abundance.

It matters not if you are coming or going, blessing will always be near.

Those who rise up against you in order to harm you will be defeated before your very eyes.  Yes, they will come to you in confidence and strength, but they will run from you like roaches scattering when the light turns on!

Your investment and savings will be blessed.  Every venture, and business idea will be successful.

The Lord will set you apart from others as special.  You have a special purpose—a holy calling.  But you must:

Obey ALL of the Lord’s commands.  You must walk in His ways.  His ways are not the ways of man.

Then all people on the earth will see that you are a child of the Most Holy.  They will be afraid to do you harm.  YET you will find favor with them because they think so highly of you. 

You will have ABUNDANT PROSPERITY!  You will overflow with every good thing.  The Lord will open the gates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing that you don’t have the capacity to hold it all.  Everyone you encounter will benefit from your overflow.   You will be a channel of blessing to your extended family, your community, the nation and even the world!

He will send EVERY needed resource in order for your work to prosper.  He will provide the right environment for you to succeed.  All of your efforts will be productive and effective.  (The curse of sin has no power over your work.  Hallelujah!)

You will have so much that you can give freely to many who are in need, and never have need yourself to borrow from others.  You will provided exactly what you need AT THE RIGHT TIME! No Loans!  No Credit cards!  No Debt!  Ever!

You will be a leader, not a follower.  You will set the trend for others to follow.

But you must focus your thoughts on giving your full and complete devotion to none other than God—carefully listening to His voice and following all His instructions exactly.  (Don’t worry about whether it makes sense.)  

If you do, You will always be at the top and never at the bottom!

Pay attention.  Focus.  Don’t get off track.  Don’t be distracted by the world’s promises of pleasure, immediate gratification, or its promise of popularity or quick success.  Don’t follow any of their methods of using debt, deception, using people for their own selfish gain, devaluing the work of others in order to make the largest profit margin, or abusing the environment.  Don’t use their marketing schemes that appeal to man’s sinful cravings, stirring up desires in people in order to get more sales.  Don’t do it!  Resist greed, wastefulness, and overspending.  

Pursue God.  Not the blessings.  For God, Himself is the blessing, the treasure, the inheritance.  In Him we have ALL that we desire and need.

WAIT ON HIS BLESSINGS, for His blessings always come without regret. They always come at the proper time. His blessings, truly satisfy.

A modern day paraphrase of Deut 28: 1-14 (with a few other scriptures added)

I still have a heart

 This is a story written by a friend of mine.  She recently sent me this e-mail about an encounter she had with a  homeless lady in downtown Austin.  She gave me permission to post her story.

I met a lady at the store down the road. We ran for paper plates, etc. She is homeless & filthy; literally covered in dirt. She appeared fearful to speak to anyone but couldn't resist saying "hi" to [my son], who ran up to her & tried to grab her hand. She told me I was "blessed to have him". I could tell by her tone that she had had children at one time. She told me she was hungry & asked if I had $1. I told her I don't normally carry cash but I had some drinks in my car. I told her I'd look to see what I had. By the time we were buckled in, she had walked away. I looked around & saw her getting yelled at by a mom (with the mom's daughter) on the other side of the parking lot. I drove up to the homeless woman as she walked away & I could see urine on her shorts & more dirt. She flinched when I drove up. I told her "it's ok" & showed her the $4 I had found in my wallet. She hesitantly came to my window. I asked her for her name. She was truly surprised. She whispered, "Sandy". Then in a tearful voice she said, "I am homeless but I still have a heart." I introduced myself & asked permission to pray for her. She started crying. I handed her the money & said, "I wish I could do more...Jesus loves you." Through tears she looked quickly skyward & said "I know". She said, "I know now that all I need is food in my stomach, some shade & to be able to pray." She looked at me with genuine gratitude, still crying. She said, "You have no idea how far this will go. I can get some food to eat." Then she became embarrassed about crying in front of a stranger. She quickly turned & walked away. Her voice was hoarse from dehydration. I could tell her body was overcome with the blazing Texas heat. But she walked off thanking Jesus for my piddly gift & because someone cared enough to ask her name. It was so hard not to run after her & beg her to go to an emergency room. I know she probably won't be alive much longer. I may have just paid for her last meal. What amazes me is that this woman is a mother, a daughter, a sister-in-Christ. And no one even wanted to know her name.

Embrace your weaknesses, Receive His grace

In the song "Beneath the Surface", I've tried to describe the desperation that I've felt in trying to keep "everyone's" approval.  Never letting anyone get too close, so they wouldn't find out who I really am.  If they knew, they wouldn't like me, certainly wouldn't love me.  In fact, they'd judge me.  I see the belly beneath the clothes that hangs.

The voices of the enemy tells me that "I'm lazy."  "I'm worthless."  "I'm not trying hard enough."  "Don't accept defeat." "Work harder."  "Work smarter."

I cannot accept that there is something deficient in me.

And every failure bring another wave of guilt and another layer to hide.  It pushes me deeper underground.   I cannot face the reality...
I fail.
        I'm weak.
                       I'm needy.

I'm desperate for God to fill me.  I cling to His grace, for it fills in the places where I fall short.  He was perfect, because He knew I could never be.  He lived the life I can't and then He gave His life to me as if it were my own.  So His perfection is mine!  It makes NO sense. I still fail--miserably.  My faults are always before me, seeking to re-imprison me inside the walls of guilt and shame.  But love says, "No!

She's forgiven and free!"

I'm learning to live in this reality.  Not letting the eyes of others tell me I'm ok.  Not letting their misinformation tell me how to live.  Looking to Love to show me how to live in this freedom, and desiring to take others there.

How can I embrace my failures, my weaknesses and my struggles?  They're not areas to be hidden, to run from, to surpress...   When I  spend all of my energy hiding, it seems like the forces of darkness expend all of their energy trying to expose them, all the while whispering, "Don't let them find out.  What are they going to think?"  The moment I give up the struggle and announce my struggles, my pains and my problems from the rooftops, I walk in new freedom.  Hell's hold on me is broken.  And in rushes a flood of grace and peace that carries me.

And I'm NOT making excuses!  That lie won't fly anymore!

No more comparing.  I have my own unique path to walk.

I can only do my best, given my circumstances, my strengths, my weaknesses...and even if I'm not doing all I can do...

                                  HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT!!!!!!!!!



embrace your weaknesses
admit your failures
stop trying to earn approval and acceptance
stop trying to prove that you're worthy
stop comparing yourself with others
receive His grace
receive His righteousness
receive His perfection, His wholeness, His sufficiency
receive His love
receive His forgiveness
receive His full acceptance

He gave His life that you might have these extravagent gifts
just open your heart and receive them

From a Recovering Achiever seeking to fully receive the gifts God so generously and lavishly gives