The King is Enthralled

Psalms 45:11

 "The King is enthralled by your beauty"

 Enthrall, to hold the attention of as if by a spell (http://www.merriam-webster.com). Good night, I love this word! God is enthralled with us! Mesmerized, we have His full attention, He is consumed with you, with me! Isn't that a beautiful concept? Can we truly wrap our mind around that? 

As I sat with a client, Psalms 45:11 kept running through my mind. This young 18 year old cannot see how beautiful she is. She does not know that the God of creation, the God who called her by name before she was born (Isaiah 49:1) is completely and utterly enthralled with her. As I listened, she is just one of many who are downtrodden because of a life full of mistakes. She doesn't know that life should and could be different. Feeling trapped, uneducated, being unwed, without a job and expecting a baby, she is overwhelmed. She has never heard the creation story, of Jonah and the Whale, Zacchaeus...the wee little man, the story of Esther or that Jesus loves her so much that He was a willing sacrifice....just for her. 

Recently, God directed me to First Coast Women's Services. FCWS is a faith based pregnancy crisis center and I, of all people get the privilege of working there. I am humbled! I get to share Jesus with girls that have no hope...I share the HOPE that I have, JESUS! Never in a 100 years would I have placed myself in this ministry, but here again scripture does NOT return void. Psalms 139:16, "Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." My story has already been written, can you believe it...a story about me! God can use broken vessels after all... for He is the potter and I am the clay! Let's just say there is a lot of molding going on.

Having worked with youth for over 10 years, I have experienced many girls who do not realize their potential through Jesus Christ. They cannot fathom anyone, much less God being enthralled with them. Song of Solomon 4:7, "All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you." Not only youth, but adults as well get "hung up" on their past sins, past mistakes and regrets. BUT friend, I am here to tell you that in Isaiah 43:18-19, God says, "Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Satan wants nothing more than to defeat, for "he is like a roaring lion, roaming to and fro seeking whom he may devour". We have to claim God's Word as truth, but we must share His truth as well. Be intentional today. I know there is someone who needs to know that God is ENTHRALLED with them.

"Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely. He loves  every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken." 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

FCWS is looking for volunteers to love on these girls. We even have a Men's Ministry! If you would like information, please feel free to contact First Coast Women's Center at (904) 259-2585 or visit our website http://www.fcws.org.

Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2014.

Beauty for Ashes

Isaiah 61: 3

To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

Circumstances, losses, and even affliction are allowed into our lives so The God of heaven and earth,  our Creator may be glorified! So many times, when we are in the midst of a trial, we struggle to find the beauty in it.  I have to say I love the way  scripture sums it all up.."to give them beauty for ashes".

In the Old Testament, ashes were a sign of mourning; as displayed by Mordecai in the Book of Esther, repentance displayed by many prophets for the sins of Israel, and you just have to love Job! Job 42:1-6 states, "Then Job replied to the Lord: I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asks, Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge? Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me, My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." How many times have we "heard" of God, but our eyes have not "seen" Him? 

We will never be able to wrap our mind around God. His ways and thoughts are so much more than we can comprehend, but that is where our faith, His grace and mercy steps in. God has taken our sins, our mourning, our depression and has made them into something beautiful! Our inadequacies, our unfaithfulness, our gluttony, our adulterous hearts, our pridefulness, our arrogant spirit, our unwillingness to forgive and He...YES GOD because of His mercy and grace is offering beauty for our ashes! We have to be willing participants in His mercy.

At the Foot of the Cross

At the foot of the cross

Where grace and suffering meet

You have shown me life

Through the judgment you received

And you've won my heart

And you've won my heart, now I can

Trade these ashes in for beauty

And wear forgiveness like a crown

Coming to kiss the feet of mercy

I lay every burden down at the foot of the cross

At the foot of the cross

Where I am made complete

You have given me life

Through the death you bore for me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EtAiFJDHSAg

(copy and paste the address above in your web browser)

Has God won your heart?

Romans 10:9-10

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

Peek-A-Boo

Jenny Beth and I are doing homeschool a little different this year. We decided to be part of a Co-Op, which has turned out to be a wonderful decision. Our Co-op meets every Tuesday. Each Mom has a class that she teaches and then other chores she must complete during the day. My class is Algebra 1, I help setup for lunch and THEN I get to help a very sweet friend in the nursery. The nursery is at the end of the day, so you can imagine how tired these little ones are. Through a small consensus...okay,  it is for our sanity, we decided the kids should go outside for this last hour. They run, play with bugs, expand their imagination with sticks, count leaves...you name it they do it! One of their favorite games is peek-a-boo!

Peek-a-Boo is very mundane with two and three year olds, but it is what makes them happy! Our game is played behind a large magnolia tree. Usually, they will stand behind the tree and we will call out their names..."Where are you"? The game usually starts with one and then the other 3 want to get in on it. It never fails, there will be one who stands on the side of the tree where we can see their little body. They turn their eyes away from us and because they cannot see us, they think we cannot see them! 

HOLY COW! How many times are we that little kid on the side of the tree playing peek-a-boo with God? So often we have this thought process, that just because we cannot see God Himself with our eyes, He cannot see us. It never ceases to amaze me how God uses small things to ever so gently remind me that He is God!  Hebrews 4:12-13 states, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. NOTHING in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." You may not see my heart or even some of my actions, but God does. As Hebrews says, "nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight"!  

As a child in Sunday School, I can remember singing, "Oh be careful little eyes (hand, mouth, feet) what you see, for the Father up above is looking down below, oh be careful little eyes what you see". Wow...and I thought it was just a song to sing when I was little!

Outfit of the Day

Have you ever stood at your closet and said, "I don't have anything to wear"? I know I have... or you go through 5 outfits before you find one and then you still aren't happy! PREACH!! Oh and by the way, the picture above is not my closet. If only I could be that organized. I figure if you cannot see it, it is fine!

As Christians, we should get dressed everyday with confidence. Colossians 3: 12-14, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, CLOTHE yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." It should never be a question as to what I put on in the morning. Just like I choose the right outfit from my closet, I should also choose to get dressed in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 

If I do not make compassion as part of my daily wardrobe then how do I expect to be kind or show patience to another person? I know for me, I have to continually get dressed with these qualities throughout the day. Look at verse 14 again, "and over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity". Love is that final accessory that brings the whole outfit together. 

If you have ever watched What Not To Wear, you know that Stacy and Clinton always talk about bringing the outfit together with accessories...a purse, shoes, necklace or bracelets in a contrasting color. They have said that it finishes the outfit and makes you look like a million dollars! Well, let's just think of compassion as our deodorant, it keeps us from stinking, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience is our outfit of choice, forgiveness is our belt, which tightens the clothing, then it is time to accessorize! We must put on LOVE as our splash of color. ACCESSORIZE...it is what pulls the whole outfit together!

It is just as important to get dressed spiritually every morning, as it is to choose the "outfit of the day"! 

A Time for Everything

Ecclesiastes 3:1

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

As I prepare to write this post, my mind wanders and drifts away to so many other things going on in my life. My baby is in 8th grade, she will turn 14 in a little over a month. The oldest daughter is leaving for college to begin her Junior year, my son just returned from a mission trip in Africa and is working with my Dad and all while I am trying to figure out God's plan and direction for me. The season for me to be a stay-at-home-mom is coming to a close. Tears well up as I think of all the good times we have had, but I am overjoyed by all of the good times yet to come! Gary and I are blessed far more than we deserve.

I am reminded in Philippians 4:6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God." I will begin a new phase in my life...a job outside of the home and I will be finishing my college degree! Yikes, talk about "don't overwhelm yourself". Although, I know this is a God thing, I am still anxious. Am I doing the right thing? Is this the best thing for my family? God, is this truly your will for my life? I know, I know...I completely overthink things! Thank you God, that you give direction in your love letter to me, words of comfort, words of guidance and most of all words of your love for me.  

As I am experiencing all of these "firsts", I think about the moms who are dropping their child off at school for the first time. There are mom's who are sending their child to school for their last year, some are attending new schools...so many firsts! Yet, God in His infinite wisdom instructs us not to be anxious. I am thankful for a God who directs me to just the right scripture when I need it, whether I like it or not! If you find yourself stressed and anxious, go to the Word...God's Word! He has something just for you!

Ecclesiastes 2:26a states, "To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness...". Aim to please God, embrace the new season and pray about EVERYTHING! 

P.S.

Prayers are graciously accepted for this old gal who is intimidated by change.

Fifty Six Years and Counting

1 Corinthians 13:4-8b

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

LOVE NEVER FAILS."

July 26th, my parents will be celebrating 56 years of marriage! My brothers and I have been blessed with godly parents. They have shown us the true meaning of commitment to one another and to our Lord Jesus Christ. Mom and Dad have lived 1 Corinthians 13 throughout their marriage, even when they did not have Jesus as Lord of their lives and marriage!

The joke in our family is that Daddy raised 4 kids...my mom, my two brothers, and me. They were married when she was 16, YIKES! The phrase "they didn't have a pot to pee in or a window to throw it out of", summarizes the beginning of marriage for the two of them. There were not enough chairs at the dinner table, so Mom sat on Dad's knee to eat. Although she cooks better than Paula Deen now, it was not always that way! A lot of hot dogs, gritty greens and burnt meals, but Dad did not care. Mom was still in high school and Dad made sure she finished and then encouraged her to go on to college. They literally lived from week to week and sometimes the week lasted longer than 7 days. Throughout their marriage they have endured many obstacles, from finances to health. Dad has had stents placed in his heart and underwent open heart surgery. Mom had a partial thyroid removal only to find out it was cancerous, but through each incident it was even more evident of their love and commitment to one another and to God. I am so thankful for the example God placed before my sweetie and I!

In spite of the rough start, they always persevered, trusted, hoped and loved. Couples like this need to do seminars on what marriage truly is.......COMMITMENT!  Love, although the dictionary may refer to it as a noun, it is most definitely an action verb. Love is something an individual must do. A person must choose to love and it is shown in their commitment and actions they do for another person! 

If we were to look at the statistics of divorce in America, we would see that 50% of marriages will end in divorce. There is a divorce every 13 seconds, over 6,000 in one day and throughout the course of the week over 46,500 couples will call it quits! You cannot tell me that we do not have an epidemic! People are not committed. We need to see more examples like Mom and Dad!

Marriage is a commitment! It is a covenant between two people and God that should not be taken lightly. Marriage is not easy, it is a lot of giving. It is so sweet to listen to them, Dad tells Mom how pretty she is and that she is his "sweetie pie"! If you have been lucky enough to know them, you have been able to experience the love and respect that they have for one another.  They always want to make sure the other is happy and content, they go above and beyond what the norm is in today's society....we could all learn something from them!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM & DAD!

THANK YOU FOR THE PRECIOUS EXAMPLE 

OF LOVING ONE ANOTHER, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY

LOVING GOD!

It's Independence Day!

"WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness"

The Declaration of Independence signifies our country's freedom. Did you know that on July 4th, 1776 the final draft was approved by the Continental Congress. Fifty six Congressional Delegates signed this document with Benjamin Franklin being the oldest person to sign. A committee of five were chosen to compose the declaration, they were as follows: Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston and Roger Sherman. Although independence was declared on July 2nd, the final draft of the declaration was not approved by Congress until July 4th and it was not signed until August 2nd! 

As we prepare to celebrate the 4th of July, I do not find it coincidental that my quiet time consisted of 2 Kings 19:30, "Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above." Revival can happen! Our nation has fallen so far from God and it it my duty, our duty to lift this great country up in prayer. Not only do we need to pray for our leaders, our soldiers, but we need to pray for the people of this nation.  It is our responsibility to share Jesus! I have not doubt that revival can happen in the United States of America. We are in desperate need of another GREAT AWAKENING!

Although tomorrow is not the National Day of Prayer, please join me in praying for our country! On January 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy said in his Inaugural Speech, " Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!" What can we do for our country? Pray for God to tender the hearts of the people, for us to have boldness and intentionality to share Jesus with our neighbors and with people we encounter, lastly pray for us to represent Jesus in every facet of our lives. Sometimes we are the only Jesus that people see!