A Link For the Fearful

This has encouraged me today. For fear has taken hold...along with anger and hate. I know where I must flee. I go there now. His arms are waiting. He sees my sin and pain. He forgives. He heals.

Weekend for the Weak...Hoping For Refreshment

My birthday is tomorrow and my hubby is taking me here.

We are praying for a refreshing weekend worshipping with one of the greatest worship leaders of all time.

And I must not forget being with my favorite person.

True Sight

Matthew 20:33-34
They said to him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened." And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

My prayer is that my beloved oldest will seek sight.

May Jesus show pity to him.

GRACE!

May he follow Him forever.

Not Impossible!

He is having struggles again. Home, but not happy. Fighting against everything.

As I was reading the Word that brings life each day to my soul, I came across this passage:

Matthew 19:23-26
And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Then the realization came to me as it does everyday, "I am not in control; God is."

I must lay him at him at the feet of my Lord, yet again.

Savior, I surrender.

A Special Visit

On Monday, the four kids and I were able to visit a very special person.

My Grandpa, their Great-Grandpa.

We had a delightful time we had!

A Book Review...To Change My Focus...and Yours

So often, living life is all about us and our needs. In this most recent book review for Booksneeze, I am challenged to remember those far from home, that deal with pain and persecution on a daily basis. I am thankful for Beth Moore and Kim Davis' hearts in wanting all of us, but especially women, to see through the eyes of other believers around the world and the ins and outs of their lives.

We say we are persecuted here in the west, but we really don't have a clue what this means. Not only does this devotional help redirect our focus off of ourselves, but as we all endure trials, it reminds us that there is someone always dealing with harder issues than ourselves. As I read through this book, I also learned much about the lives of other women who live in much harsher and more difficult days. Running water and washing clothes is a very easy task to perform....one I take for granted. As a mother, I am rearing my children in a very safe place. Not so for many of these women. Another thing to bring much thankfulness to my heart.

God is the One making the difference in these lives. The same God I worship. The same Faithful God who cares about the very number of hairs on my head.

The Shepherd Speaks

At last He spoke. (to me as well)

"You have learned well, Grace and Glory. Now I will add one thing more. It was these lessons which you have learned which enabled me to change you from limping, cripples Much-Afraid into Grace and Glory with hinds' feet. Now you are able to run, leaping on the mountains and able to follow me wherever I go, so that we need never be parted again.

So remember this; as long as you are willing to be Acceptance-with-Joy and Bearing-In-Love, you can never again become crippled, and you will be able to go wherever I lead you. You will be able to go down into the valley of the world to work with me there, for that is where evil and sorrowful and ugly things are which need to be overcome.

Accept and bear and obey the law of love, and nothing will be able to cripple your hinds' feet or to separate you from me. This is the secret of the High Places, Grace and Glory, it is the lovely and perfect law of the whole universe. It is this that makes the radiant joy of the Heavenly Places."

-excerpt taken from Hinds' Feet in High Places, pgs. 242-243

For some of us, the Valley is in our own home. For others it exists down the street or across the seas. Wherever this place is, remember the Holy Shepherd is there, never leaving us or forsaking us.

Compassion not Cruelty

Love not Hate

Lessons Learned...#4

Both I and "Grace and Glory" have learned so much through this journey to the High Places.

Here is the next lesson:

"The fourth thing," said she with a RADIANT face, "was really the first I learned up here. Every circumstance in life, no matter how crooked and distorted and ugly it appears to be, if it is reacted to with love and forgiveness and obedience to Your will can be transformed. Therefore I begin to think, My Lord, you purposely allow us to be brought into contact with the bad and evil things you want changed. Perhaps that is the very reason we are here in this world, where sin and sorrow and suffering and evil abound, so that we may let you teach us so to react to them, that out of them we can create lovely qualities to live forever. That is the only really satisfactory way of dealing with evil, not simply binding it so that it cannot work harm, but whenever possible overcoming it with good."

Romans 12:19-21
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

If we have the mind of Christ, we can accomplish this. Keeping our thoughts focused on the cross and what Christ accomplished for us.

Lessons Learned...#3

"Grace and Glory" is recounting the 3rd lesson she has learned while waiting for her hinds' feet. She has been taught some marvelous things by her Shepherd. Things I am being taught as well.



"The third thing that I learned was that, You, my Lord, never regarded me as I actually was, lame and weak and crooked and cowardly. You saw me as I would be when You had done what You promised and had brought me to the High Places, when it could be truly said, 'There is none that walks with such a queenly ease, nor with such grace, as she.' You always treated me with the same love and graciousness as though I were a queen already and not wretched 'Little Much Afraid'."



"Then she looked up into His face and for a little time could say no more, but at last she added, 'My Lord, I cannot tell you how greatly I want to regard others in the same way'."



My Lord, here is Your other handmaiden, "Laden with Fear". Over the last few weeks, You have showered me with grace, mercy, forgiveness and love in a way that I have treasured. For my fearful responses have taken precedence too many times. Your perfect love has cast out my fear. Thank you. The fear wants to still rise up. I need your Word each day to help dispel my worries and anxieties. Help me to regard others, especially "Hoss", in the light of who You are. I love You, my Perfect Shepherd. Lead me on.

Lessons Learned...#2

"Much-Afraid", who has been renamed by her Shepherd as "Grace and Glory", is recounting the lessons learned as she made it to the High Places.

"Then I learned that I must bear all that others were allowed to do against me and to forgive with no trace of bitterness and to say to Thee, ' Behold me, I am Thy little Handmaiden, Bearing with Love,' that I may receive power to bring good out of this evil."

So much has happened in my life in the last 2 years that could so easily start that root of bitterness. I must forgive. I want to bring my Savior glory through what He has allowed in my life. I very much desire to be His little Handmaiden, Bearing with Love. For I realize He has been so patient with me. He has forgiven me of so much. He never has failed me.

Thank you, kind Shepherd.