He is Good

He is good, He is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. (Insert music)

I have been dwelling on these thoughts lately. And when I do, I can't help but sing.

My eyes can't be fixed on my circumstances.

My eyes can't be fixed on the temporal.

My eyes can't be fixed on those around me.

My eyes can't be fixed on the jagged rocks that cause me to stumble, nor the cliffs that bring fear close by.

My eyes must be fixed on "the author and perfecter of my faith". I must be "press on to the upward call of Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14)

Remember these posts a couple of years ago? Well, I'm musing over them and grabbing that book out again.

Fear can be so crippling, but when I gaze at my Savior and remember all He is doing and CAN do, I marvel that I can even fear.

I fall to my knees (which are hurting by now, for the falls seem so hard) and cry out for strength to trust. To be obedient. To bask in His grace and mercy.

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.

Lessons Learned...#1

As I am reaching the end of Hinds' Feet in High Places, I am so full of emotion.

"Much-Afraid" has reached the heights and has been given a new name. "Grace and Glory" is conversing with the Good Shepherd and He asks her what she has learned. As I read her response, I double over in tears, anguish, and yearning to want to be there. I still feel like I am in the desert most days. Or if I find that I have one foot on the slope headed to the High Places, then I slip, tumble and fall.

Here are "Grace and Glory's" words that I long to speak forth too.

"First, I learned that I must accept with joy all that you allowed to happen to me on the way and everything to which the path led me! That I was never to try to evade it but to accept it and lay down my own will on the altar and say, 'Behold me, I am thy little handmaiden, Acceptance with Joy.'"

Patience is Necessary

I have figured it out.

I really AM "Much-Afraid". Was Hannah Hurnard writing about my life when she wrote, "Hinds' Feet in High Places"?

She had to be...but how did she know?

As I continue on this journey with my twin, I continually come back to surrendering my will on the altar. My Good Shepherd, He continually asks this of me. Each chapter that is read is absorbed into my very soul. I long to be free. I long to Accept with Joy whatever path the Lord has for me. But I find myself looking to the High Places wondering if my Leader has forgotten me. And then, just like "Much-Afraid", I call out to Him in my distress and He is right there with His arms around me.

"Much-Afraid" has learned she much trust completely. Not only this, but learn to accept with joy what the Shepherd has for her. This translates to me: Head knowledge is not enough. Saying, "I believe God is sovereign and in control" is not enough. This will not sustain me. I must KNOW my Savior intimately and with joy submit to His plan.

Now, what? Patience. Patience. Patience.

I don't know when my Shepherd will take me out of this precipice. I don't know when He will give me my heart's desire. Wait!

My heart's desire is peace. And I simply forget that it can be obtained even under duress. My Good Shepherd wants me to surrender my times and plans to His.

This is where I find myself. On a very interesting journey. A mental fight. A spiritual battle.

Acceptance-With-Joy

Much Afraid has been in the wilderness. Her Shepherd has taken her to view crushing scenes through a portal.

*Grain being crushed to make bread.
*Clay being shaped by a Potter.
*Metal being heated and formed for perfect use.

Each of these being a picture of what our Lord uses in our lives to get our attention. They seem cruel and hurtful, but must be done in order to shape us for His perfect purposes.

As Much Afraid finally accepts this, I must too.

She is now ready to leave this desolate place. As she gazes out over the emptiness she spies a small yellow flower. There are no watering holes, nor seeds, nor birds to sow the seeds. She wonders where this beautiful touch has come from. As she arrives closer she asks this refreshing creation, who she is and where she comes from. Her answer?

"I am Acceptance-With-Joy".

I, again, shut the book, a little more slowly this time to ponder this. Not only is my Shepherd asking me to trust Him, but now He is asking me to accept all that He has for me...with JOY...

The next layer of my heart has been exposed....I find myself begging Him for help as I know what I must do.

Much Afraid Hits the Desert

As I ponder my readings and meanderings through, Hinds' Feet in High Places, I continue to find myself looking at myself.


She encountered Pride that caused her limp to be greater than necessary. The Good Shepherd rescues her (from herself) and she continues on her journey.


Her wonderful guides, Sorrow and Suffering, now lead her to a precipice that looks out over a barren, dry desert away from the High Places that her Shepherd promised her. She can't believe that this is part of the plan, and cries out for Him.

As He explains the need to trust, she finds herself offering this prayer. It is mine, as well.

"I do love you, you know that I love you. Oh, forgive me, for I can't help my tears. I will go down with you into the wilderness, right away from the promise, if you really wish it. Even if you can't tell me why it has to be, I will go with you, for you know that I do love you, and you have the right to choose for me anything that you please."

Another day of Thanksgiving

Gifted Musicians who help to bring our worship to Christ

The Cross where my burden has been laid

Trials that bring my hinds feet in high places

The prophets of old: Habakkuk, Daniel, Jonah, Amos, etc.

Warm slippers on cold mornings

The gentle caresses of my love's rough hands

Running, clean water from our well

Forgiveness

The beautiful buds on my Christmas Cactus that waited to bloom until I was home from our Christmas vacation

My precious circle of girlfriends known otherwise as "Mangoes"

Romans 8

The sound of a bouncing basketball as my hubby and son play "Jesus" (instead of horse) with an unsaved friend in the neighborhood....always a good opportunity to give the Gospel.

Our beloved friends from church that help out with "Marie's" hair...this is always a challenge for her "white" mama. :)

Grace, more and more grace, grace exceeding my sin and guilt