The Wolf's Story

Since I can't stop thinking about my last post, I thought I'd find a visual for Jay and Katherine Wolf's story:

Enjoy! And be awed by God!

Just a Little Poem; A Hymn

If thou but suffer God to guide thee,

And hope in Him thro' all thy ways,

He'll give the strength, what-e'er betide thee,

And bear thee thro the evil days;

Who trust in God's unchanging love

Builds on the rock that naught can move.

Over, thou restless heart, be still

And wait in cheerful hope, content

To take what-e'er His gracious will,

His all discerning love, hath sent;

No doubt our inmost wants are known

To Him who chose us for His own.

Sing, pray, and swerve not from His ways;

But do thine own part faithfully.

Trust His rich promises of grace,

So shall they be fulfilled in thee.

God never yet forsook in need

The soul that trusted Him indeed. Amen.

- George Neumark

I Will NOT Give Up!

"My plans are made. While I can, I sail east in the Dawn Treader. When she fails me, I paddle east in my coracle [small boat]. When she sinks, I shall swim east with my four paws, and when I can swim no longer, if I’ve not reached Aslan’s country, I shall sink with my nose to the sunrise."

These words were spoken by Reepacheep in the Narnia book, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. When the warriors and the characters of the book are weary and wanting to give up, he reminds them of the final goal. 

We must keep our sights set! We must keep our aim on the eternal. This life becomes weary of suffering, of trials, of pain. We too often think, we can't keep going. But Jesus' promises are true.

Psalm 199:50 reminds us : "My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life."

He will not forget us, Beloved. When the ground gives way, He will catch us. When we take our last breath, He will welcome us. When we cry such tears we feel we are drowning, He counts all of our tears and knows. Knows how many we have shed. Knows the pain our hearts and bodies feel. Knows that we are but dust; frail and incompetent to continue on our own.

Beloved, we too, need to have our aim on Beulah Land! Our Great God and Father will welcome His children home at the end and we can have peace and hope now on the this side of eternity. He desires we use all the things He brings into our lives to bring Him glory and shine forth as shining gold. 

So, just like Reepacheep, no matter what obstacles come our way we keep going. We seek for strength from the the Almighty "Aslan".

Book Review - Frederick

The spirit of determination that allows one to overcome such adversity as Frederick Ndabaramiye did is quite amazing. Faith is always part of that spirit. Faith that God gives to believe in the hope of a future and faith that forgives those who try to take your life from you.

Frederick, an autobiography, is an unbelievable story of resilience and fortitude. Frederick lived through the Rwandan genocide and was severely maimed by his enemies. His story is one that touches the deepest nerve in one's soul. God had a mighty plan for him. God sovereignly placed people and things in his life to direct him exactly where he needed to be at the perfect time. As you read this book, you will find yourself immensely grateful for your own blessings, as well as, asking yourself the question of, "How can I be an instrument of service to those who are hurting around me?".

This story is one of hope for the future. One boy's story of how he overcame incredible odds and become a man who helped others do the same.

**As a part of the blogging network, I received a free copy of this book.

Our Hope Is Strong and Sure

Hebrews 6:17-20 

"So when God desires to show more convincingly to the heirs of promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have THIS as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest FOREVER after the order of Melchizedek."

I was just pondering on the hopelessness of the lost this morning. There are so many in my own life whom I pray unceasingly for. They are dead in their sins and without hope. Even worse, they have been blinded by the prince of the power of the air. But I will keep praying.

We all go through severe trials. Every. Single. Person. Believing and lost.

But we as God's adopted children have been given access to a Hope. A Sure and Steadfast Hope. No matter how deep our valleys go, God is able to reach and bring hope. When we have an eternal perspective, we know the end of this life will be magnificent. The fight and pain will be gone one day.

Hebrews chapter six is a magnificent promise. Our hope has entered the inner place behind the curtain. This may not mean as much to us in our day, but I think back to the Hebrew people reading this promise. They had known nothing but sacrifices. Blood everywhere. Killing of the innocent for the sinners. And only once a year could the High Priest, and him alone, enter the Holy of Holies to present a sacrifice for the sins of the people on the Day of Atonement. Every other day there were sacrifices to be done in obedience to the Levitical Law, to remind the people they needed forgiveness for sins. But just once a year on a particular day the High Priest would sacrifice for the sins of the people. Thus, to show just One sacrifice would suffice. And The Lamb of God was slain to take away the sins of all those who would believe.

Our Hope. Our Anchor. Our Lamb. Our High Priest.

This is My Hope.

Hopelifter

As I am going through a deep inner and outer trial, I chose a book for my next blog book review that I thought would be a key to helping me out of the pit I seemed to be in.

Boy, was that an assumed understatement!

Hopelifter, by Kathe Wunnenberg, lifted my hopes and set me on a path out of this pit. It will take fighting each step of the way. She does an amazing job in relaying her own struggles, but also, in giving the reader the remedy for hopelessness. This being: to find our hope in God alone, and then to give that hope to others. From the Gospel, to meals, to notes, to offering your time and resources, Kathe lays down the foundation to being able to think outside of your own hurt and pain. It is so easy to get self centered through our valleys. To only be able to think about ourselves. The key to healing is exactly what Kathe Wunnenberg says. But it isn't only words. She has lived this example in her life and gives tangible ways to be a hopelifter. 

I'm thankful for her candid and refreshing encouragement and admonitions. Now to just do it! By God's grace.

As a part of the Booksneeze blogging network, I received a free copy of this book.

Decisions and Wisdom

Can I ask you to please pray?

We have decisions regarding "Hoss" that need to me made in the next week. This has brought on a new round of fear and anxiety for me. I am fighting. I've got my boxing gloves on. Yet, I vacillate between courage and fear. So I remember this:

Psalm 143:8 "Make me hear in the morning of Your steadfast love, for in You I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul."

Eagerly, Oh You of Little Faith...

"In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer for you and eagerly watch." Psalm 5:3

Lifeless, faithless and "just" words. This is how I feel so many times when I am pouring my heart out to the Lord. I often ask myself, "Do I really believe what I am saying or asking for?" Now, before you express your concern, I must tell you I self-talk a lot. And I do end up answering with faith, that, "Yes, I believe."

My faith, though, surely is weak at times. As I read this verse this morning, it encouraged me to order my prayer (sacrifice) and eagerly wait in expectation. I know God hears. I know prayer is real. I remember our faithfulness journal that we have kept and see how He has answered. My Father in Heaven does desire to give me His good gifts. I know He desires to hear me cry out to Him. He wants to see me seeking after Him. Even when my prayers are not answered in the way I would like or at the time I think would be helpful. So I go to the Word of Life, the Wonderful Words of Life.

Psalm 31:24 "Be strong and let your heart take courage; all you who hope in the Lord."

Psalm 130:5 "I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait; and in His Word do I have hope."

Psalm 130:7 "O Israel, hope in the Lord, For with the Lord there is lovingkindness, and with Him is abundant redemption."

Lamentations 3:24 "The Lord is my portion, says my soul, Therefore I have hope in Him."

Book Review - 50 Days of Hope

Cancer.


I wager this word is a familiar word to every family around the world. It hit close to this home two years ago. My precious mom went to be with Jesus after fighting lung cancer. I didn't know if I was up to reading a book on having hope in the midst of cancer, but I thought I'd try it and see.


And I am so thrilled to have read, 50 Days of Hope, by Lynn Eib. For through reading this little devotional I realized my beloved mother did win the battle of cancer. Just in a different way. Mrs. Eib helped me to see this.


Any one who has someone dealing with cancer, this is a must read. Mrs. Eib takes you through personal stories as well as specific Scriptures to help in the journey one will go through when fighting this dreaded disease. The bottom line: Each day of hope lies in faith in the Resurrected Savior. Even those days that seem unbearable. She lifts the spirit of the reader. I'm not dealing with cancer, but I can imagine what a help this book would be if I were.


God can bring victory in one's life through many means. Of course, we want our love one to be healed and stay with us a while longer, but reading this book put my focus into perspective.


As a part of the Tyndale Blogging Network, I received a free copy of this book.

Another Book Sent From Above

I just finished reading, Desperate Hope, When Faith in God Overcame My Despair, by Candi Pearson-Shelton.

God placed this book in my hands. No. Really. I did put it on hold at our local library, not knowing what in the world it was about. It sounded like a great read.

My Precious Savior knew more. He knew I had to read it.

Candi Pearson-Shelton takes us on her journey of losing her beloved brother, Ricky, to a two month battle with Leukemia. She and her brother both have been part of the Passion Movement. She wrote the title song to the album, Glory Revealed. She knows her Savior and yet, like me, she had so many questions that she had to explore to come to the realization of her great Savior. This Savior that she had so often sung about.

Her story is candid. Her journey is my journey. The mental and emotional fog she existed in, I have felt and at times still feel. But I also cling to the promises she reminds herself and the readers.

Each chapter is filled with raw emotion, yet solid truths from God's Word. God used this book, along with Scripture, to begin a new level of healing in my soul. I know God's Word is true, yet I have hesitated to dig in. I thank my Shepherd for using the body of Christ to speak to the depths of my soul. He brings trials, grief, hurt and comfort to some in order to comfort others. It is so astoundingly true.

One amazing truth Candi brought out was in the very first chapter. She reminded me of Jesus' prayer for the disciples in John 17. Verse 24 tells us that Jesus prayed to His Father to bring all those who are given to Him back to where He is. I prayed for the opposite, but Jesus' prayer was answered when my beloved mother was taken home to be with Him. I must rejoice in this.

I am.

Hard Things Come...

...and I am encouraged by this.

A Hard Lesson For a 4 year old

My littlest one is facing a trial most 4 year olds don't face and one that most adults struggle to get through.

She misses her big brother.

Restless nights take over.

Screams are heard through the night.

Tears are unceasing.

The pain she feels only comes out when the darkness comes.

What do you say?

The only answer lies in trusting our Good Shepherd.

My prayer is that this uncertain time in her life will prepare her little heart for her future...a future of faith in God.

Soft, reassuring words are whispered through the night to her little heart

Prayers are uttered my her mama for a peace in her soul.

Tears are still flowing. This time not just from the little lass.

Psalm 116:1 I love the Lord, because He hears my voice and my supplications.