I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD my God,
I cried to You for help, and You healed me.
O LORD, You have brought up my soul from Sheol;
You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit.
Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones,
And give thanks to His holy name.
For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
Now as for me, I said in my prosperity,
"I will never be moved."
O LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong;
You hid Your face, I was dismayed.
To You, O LORD, I called,
And to the Lord I made supplication:
"What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?
"Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me;
O LORD, be my helper."
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
Psalm 30
Giving thanks to Him who can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Unexpected
So, the enemy, Satan, certainly knows our weaknesses doesn't he? It has been extremely difficult for me to find time to be still before the Lord the last couple of months. When I have, I certainly haven't had time to reflect and write about it. Which accounts for the lack of posts since creating the blog.
I have come to a crossroads so to speak. I am having to let go and step back from some things in my life that I enjoy and at one time was called to do. It has been a difficult decision to give up some responsibilities and committments for a variety of reasons. Yet, I know for this season of my life, it is necessary.
In some of the moments I have sat with the Lord and listened to Him, He has spoken to me about contentment. I find it hard to be content. Perhaps it is my personality, either way my discontentment has become a barrier in my relationship with the Lord and even others in my life. I have tried to hold onto some activities and things that are of a life I thought I would have during this time. However, God in His wisdom, called me to some different circumstances and experiences than I expected. I have been half-heartedly doing that, while still trying to do things I desired or wanted in the life I had planned. Thus the discontentment and complete exhaustion!
So, sadly I have resigned some responsibilities. However, it is amazing the absolute relief that washed over me as well when I finally let go of these things. I don't doubt the decsion. Therefore, I know it is of God since I typically question myself repeatedly. I have committed to try to embrace some of the unexpected circumstances and seek to serve God in places I didn't expect to be.
When I committed my life to Him, I had it all planned out. I just knew I knew the plans He had for me and how it would all come about and what He would call me to do. Surprisingly, I was not right! So, the test has really come to me. Am I really offerring Him my life even when it unexpectedly turns off my life map? I can't say that I have been passing this test with flying colors. But, I can say I am regrouping and rather than just enduring it, I will find rest, contentment, and even joy through it. I will not fail, I cannot fail, His sacrifice was too great. O Lord, I need your strength and nearness each day. I pray that I sense your presence so closely that it is as if you are breathing on my neck. Grant me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to serve others in your name in any place you may lead me.
I have come to a crossroads so to speak. I am having to let go and step back from some things in my life that I enjoy and at one time was called to do. It has been a difficult decision to give up some responsibilities and committments for a variety of reasons. Yet, I know for this season of my life, it is necessary.
In some of the moments I have sat with the Lord and listened to Him, He has spoken to me about contentment. I find it hard to be content. Perhaps it is my personality, either way my discontentment has become a barrier in my relationship with the Lord and even others in my life. I have tried to hold onto some activities and things that are of a life I thought I would have during this time. However, God in His wisdom, called me to some different circumstances and experiences than I expected. I have been half-heartedly doing that, while still trying to do things I desired or wanted in the life I had planned. Thus the discontentment and complete exhaustion!
So, sadly I have resigned some responsibilities. However, it is amazing the absolute relief that washed over me as well when I finally let go of these things. I don't doubt the decsion. Therefore, I know it is of God since I typically question myself repeatedly. I have committed to try to embrace some of the unexpected circumstances and seek to serve God in places I didn't expect to be.
When I committed my life to Him, I had it all planned out. I just knew I knew the plans He had for me and how it would all come about and what He would call me to do. Surprisingly, I was not right! So, the test has really come to me. Am I really offerring Him my life even when it unexpectedly turns off my life map? I can't say that I have been passing this test with flying colors. But, I can say I am regrouping and rather than just enduring it, I will find rest, contentment, and even joy through it. I will not fail, I cannot fail, His sacrifice was too great. O Lord, I need your strength and nearness each day. I pray that I sense your presence so closely that it is as if you are breathing on my neck. Grant me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to serve others in your name in any place you may lead me.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Why, "Being Still . . ."?
God is currently teaching me to do this very thing, be still. Notice I said currently, meaning I have not yet kicked this practice yet.
It is quite difficult for me to just be still before the Lord. Of course there is the time issue, but even when I carve out the time there are other obstacles. The primary one, my mind. My thoughts easily wander and I begin to think of millions of things. My mind often is my biggest enemy in my quest to follow God.
So, I am attemting to be still before the Lord more often in an effort to know Him more and hear from Him. It is in the times that I am able to do this that I really hear from Him. Often, I think we talk and talk to God, but fail to be still and allow Him to speak or just find joy in His presence.
I am actually hoping that blogging will help me as I am working on this. It will provide a place for me to journal or share some of the lessons or experiences I have during this time and also hold me a bit accountable as well.
The second part of the statement is, "and know that I am God". I have to ask myself and you, do we really get that, He is GOD! The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who called Moses from a burning bush, the God who rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt by His mighty acts, the God who parted the Red Sea, the God who David praised, sang of, and danced before, the God who spoke light, darkness, and all beings into being, the God who closed the lions mouths for Daniel and walked with he and his friends in the fiery furnace, the God who John the Baptist proclaimed, the God who sacrificed His one and only son to redeem all mankind who choose to follow Him, the God who conquered death, the God who healed sick people, caused the blind to see, lame to walk, and deaf to hear, the God who sought out a woman living in sin to offer her living water, the God who prayed for forgiveness for those who beat and killed him, the God who will return again to establish His eternal kingdom and rescue His children forever!
This is the God who allows me and welcomes me to sit before Him and just be still!
Amazing, unbelievable!!!! I can only think, "Who am I that you are mindful of me?"
I am thinking of the people in my life who I am comfortable to just sit in silence with and not feel a need to feel it with meaningless or even meaningful chatter. Most of the time when I have just met someone, or am in a car for example, with someone I know, but not extremely well, we feel the need to talk. It may be about the weather or something mundane, but typically we find ourselves finding something to talk about.
It is with those who I know well and am most comfortable with such as my husband, mother, sister, children, dad, close friend, that I can ride for hours with and not feel it necessary to say anything. Of course we may talk, but it is not uncomfortable if it is quiet.
I have to ask myself then, do I know my God intimately enough, that I can be still before Him and not be uncomfortable or feel the need to fill the silence with chatter?
So, that's where I am and answers the question, "Why, Being Still . . . ?"
I am sure I will post about my family, friends, and experiences we have, but primariy I want to journal and write about what God is teaching me and the road I travel down in my journey to know Him more and better grasp how deep, how wide, and how long His love is for me.
So, I have to ask just in case anyone ever actually reads this, would you join me and take the challenge in Psalms to "be still and know that I am God . . ."?
It is quite difficult for me to just be still before the Lord. Of course there is the time issue, but even when I carve out the time there are other obstacles. The primary one, my mind. My thoughts easily wander and I begin to think of millions of things. My mind often is my biggest enemy in my quest to follow God.
So, I am attemting to be still before the Lord more often in an effort to know Him more and hear from Him. It is in the times that I am able to do this that I really hear from Him. Often, I think we talk and talk to God, but fail to be still and allow Him to speak or just find joy in His presence.
I am actually hoping that blogging will help me as I am working on this. It will provide a place for me to journal or share some of the lessons or experiences I have during this time and also hold me a bit accountable as well.
The second part of the statement is, "and know that I am God". I have to ask myself and you, do we really get that, He is GOD! The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who called Moses from a burning bush, the God who rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt by His mighty acts, the God who parted the Red Sea, the God who David praised, sang of, and danced before, the God who spoke light, darkness, and all beings into being, the God who closed the lions mouths for Daniel and walked with he and his friends in the fiery furnace, the God who John the Baptist proclaimed, the God who sacrificed His one and only son to redeem all mankind who choose to follow Him, the God who conquered death, the God who healed sick people, caused the blind to see, lame to walk, and deaf to hear, the God who sought out a woman living in sin to offer her living water, the God who prayed for forgiveness for those who beat and killed him, the God who will return again to establish His eternal kingdom and rescue His children forever!
This is the God who allows me and welcomes me to sit before Him and just be still!
Amazing, unbelievable!!!! I can only think, "Who am I that you are mindful of me?"
I am thinking of the people in my life who I am comfortable to just sit in silence with and not feel a need to feel it with meaningless or even meaningful chatter. Most of the time when I have just met someone, or am in a car for example, with someone I know, but not extremely well, we feel the need to talk. It may be about the weather or something mundane, but typically we find ourselves finding something to talk about.
It is with those who I know well and am most comfortable with such as my husband, mother, sister, children, dad, close friend, that I can ride for hours with and not feel it necessary to say anything. Of course we may talk, but it is not uncomfortable if it is quiet.
I have to ask myself then, do I know my God intimately enough, that I can be still before Him and not be uncomfortable or feel the need to fill the silence with chatter?
So, that's where I am and answers the question, "Why, Being Still . . . ?"
I am sure I will post about my family, friends, and experiences we have, but primariy I want to journal and write about what God is teaching me and the road I travel down in my journey to know Him more and better grasp how deep, how wide, and how long His love is for me.
So, I have to ask just in case anyone ever actually reads this, would you join me and take the challenge in Psalms to "be still and know that I am God . . ."?
Sunday, August 29, 2010
So, I am finally doing it!
I can't tell you how long I have considered a blog and I have a very lengthy list of reasons why I haven't blogged. My type A personality who will feel that I must have regular entries and feel like a failure and begin obsessing about it if I don't and I don't need one more thing to "have to do" is just one on the long list (how's that for a run-on sentence?). Others include but are not limited to:
As a Christian, God is always working on me. Afterall, didn't Paul say that He who started a good work in us will complete the work? (Phil. 1:6) Over the last couple of years, He has gotten to some intimate areas of my life. (Some of these I will blog about and some probably not) One lesson I have and am continuing to learn is the need for us to share more with other believers and non-believers. As I said, I am quite private and I have been convicted that I need to be more transparent - don't worry, I won't be giving too much information that would cause embarassment for me and anyone who may read this. What better place than here, huh? :)
And, I have always enjoyed writing. I didn't say I was great at it, but I have enjoyed it. In recent years, I have written alot, but not just for the sake of writing and never creatively or freely.
Also, I have had many friends who blog tell me how much they really enjoyed it and that it provided a time for reflection and writing, that it was almost like therapy for them. So, I have felt this need to try it for a couple of years really and continued putting it off and putting it off until finally I couldn't any longer.
I make no promises about the frequency nor the duration of this blog and certainly not the quality of the content. My prayer and desire is that I glorify my Savior and am obedient in every aspect of my life, including blogging. So, as my preschooler says, "Let's get this party started!"
- I am rather private about personal issues,
- I can become paranoid about putting stuff on the internet,
- I don't have a whole lot to say really,
- I don't think I am a very interesting person,
- I don't sew, craft, monogram, have super-duper recipes, or a great camera that I know lots of tricks with,
- I don't know how to make it really really cute
As a Christian, God is always working on me. Afterall, didn't Paul say that He who started a good work in us will complete the work? (Phil. 1:6) Over the last couple of years, He has gotten to some intimate areas of my life. (Some of these I will blog about and some probably not) One lesson I have and am continuing to learn is the need for us to share more with other believers and non-believers. As I said, I am quite private and I have been convicted that I need to be more transparent - don't worry, I won't be giving too much information that would cause embarassment for me and anyone who may read this. What better place than here, huh? :)
And, I have always enjoyed writing. I didn't say I was great at it, but I have enjoyed it. In recent years, I have written alot, but not just for the sake of writing and never creatively or freely.
Also, I have had many friends who blog tell me how much they really enjoyed it and that it provided a time for reflection and writing, that it was almost like therapy for them. So, I have felt this need to try it for a couple of years really and continued putting it off and putting it off until finally I couldn't any longer.
I make no promises about the frequency nor the duration of this blog and certainly not the quality of the content. My prayer and desire is that I glorify my Savior and am obedient in every aspect of my life, including blogging. So, as my preschooler says, "Let's get this party started!"
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