Still Holding On

Last week my little one broke her leg for the 3rd time in 7 months. Same leg, same spot. We have been attempting to get an approved referral from our Hospital to a specialist as we know there is a health issue prior to this 3rd break. With this break I have struggled greatly in holding on to the promises - but God is so good. Yesterday when I was sure I could not take one more drop to the burden I was bearing He gave me a glimpse of His hand at work. It wasn't the approved referral, it wasn't manifested healing, it was just a small gesture that showed me beyond a shadow of a doubt that God knows how I feel, He knows I am afraid, He knows my specific fears, He is with me. The small gesture relieved A LOT of my anxiety and renewed my faith. I am back to the scripture that got me through so much quite a few years ago, Jeremiah 29:11. Back then it was to save my marriage, today it is to heal my daughter and to help me through each day until healing is complete.

I have a mental picture today - Here I am hanging on this rope, the rope is made up of Gods Word - Jeremiah 29:11 is where my grasp is, and I am looking up and see that God is holding on even tighter to the other end of the rope, let me telling you He is not letting go and He is even pulling me closer to him... while I am hanging onto this rope words of doubt, are flying by me, even hitting me trying to get me to be distracted from holding on and looking to God - I can read them so they are easily distracting me, I have to choose to look at the rope, adjust my grasp and look to God - KNOWING HE IS PULLING ME CLOSER.

I just told my sister in law the other day that I think we all have seasons of tears. I am in a tearful season again, and it's okay, I know the seasons change.

I pray your rope is the Word of God today.

Holding on to His promises

I have no doubt God plans big things for 2010. I felt God promising me a breakthrough year for 2010 towards the end of 2009. By the time January rolled around, I just could not deny God speaking this to me. I am reminded of Jeremiah 29:11 (my favorite verse) I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, but to give you a hope and a future. In the whirlwinds (see previous post) and bumps of the new year - Satan is trying to get me to doubt God or to doubt what I heard. Well, I am not going to do it. I am going to hold on to what I KNOW I heard. I am going to praise God each day, each bump of the way for the wonderful things he is bringing to pass this year. I have a big imagination, I mean big, and I have been imagining about what all God is working on - and I get so excited to remember that God does exceeding and abundantly more than we can ask for or imagine! I can already see glimpses of what he is working on - just glimpses. I praise God for those glimpses. As I think about these things I find myself more diligent to be disciplined in my actions and in my thoughts. I am trying and exciting to operate in God's will for every little thing I do each day. It's exciting and calming at the same time!

God works in Whirlwinds!

The past week or so has been quite unexpected crazy. Daily it was just a whirlwind. My routine was disrupted, I wasn't getting spend much time at home with my husband and kids, I had minimal downtown - yet I was right where God wanted me to be - with my sister who was in the hospital. It was certainly a whirlwind of a time. I could have become very grumpy, even selfish, but even more importantly I could have become mad at God. You see, I am confident God is going to work mightily this year in my life and my family's life. I feel God is telling me - it's going to be good! But, when all this happened I could have got mad, I mean, what kind of start to the year is this - day in day out, my sister in pain, trying to juggle family, work and being at the hospital. My sister even said something to the effect that this was an awful way to start the new year. When she did, it was like the hairs on my neck standing up, something was not right with that thinking. Quickly the words were given to me - It's a great start to the new year sis! The doctors are going to find out what has been bothering you for a while now, fix it, and you get to spend the rest of the year free of pain! God took care of everything around me. My husband didn't get cranky from having to handle the household for over a week. My work was very understanding and let me come and go as needed. I did not stress out about it! I was where I was suppose to be and God kept putting confirmations of this all around me. My sister is doing much better, great even, she is spending a couple of week recouperating at our oldest sisters house. I am back into my routine. I got to spend time with my mom that was enlightening. I can't help but to think much more happened during that time than I can imagine or see. I praise God for using whirlwind situations to work good.

Knowing who you are and being happy

Just recently I was in a situation that normally I would walk away from feeling inadequate, less than those who I was with, down, and lacking. For the first time, when I walked away, I felt good about myself. Things haven't necessarily changed. The people I was with were the same that they have always been, same social status, same financial status, same, same, same. So, why did I feel good about myself? For the first time I realized that I AM doing my best to hear God and to be the person God wants me to be. It no longer mattered what these other people thought, how they acted or how they treated me. This was a HUGE thing for me. Out of all the things we could be in this world and in our lives, what better call to heed than the call of God on our lives?!? This call is a good call, a true call, a call from our creator - this call could not be any more right for us! It is freeing really. Just awesome.

Well, it's a brief post, but I challenge you to ponder it and how you view yourself in light of how you think others view you.

Lots of love,

D. J.

Are your eyes open?

Thanksgiving is upon us. I am so excited. I love the holidays. As I am sure many of you are doing the same, I have been pondering my blessings. I am abundantly blessed. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty in my life that could be improved, but there is a lot more in my life that I honestly can't imagine having any better because it is so near perfect. As I have been thinking about my blessing I have become my mindful of my thoughts and attitudes towards my blessings. For example; My husband is off work right now due to an injury. I am frustrated that he hurts and so I tend to get mad - it's much easier for me to be mad than worried or hurt. That is some seriously wrong thinking. I have a two year old. A beautiful two year old. But, she is a two year old - terrible twos - but why am I allowing myself to get short with her when I do. Wrong thinking again. My house does not clean itself - I complain -I must have forgot how thankful I am to have a house to clean, how thankful and blessed I am to have a family to clean up after. So, I am having several self talks as I am counting my blessings and choosing my attitudes and responses. I encourage you to do the same. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

D. J.

Wow, there is just so much God is showing me right now. It's amazing. As I have mentioned, I have kinda been in a blah pattern for a while. Not really hearing from God, but knowing he is there. I had let my praying fall back substantially, I had not been reading His Word near often enough. I had been more dependent on my own abilities rather than leaning on God's. I think we all get to this point sometimes, it happens a little at a time, so little we hardly notice it until it has grown. So, I started blogging - sharing my experiences hoping to help others, then I got back into singing with our worship team, I made church attendance a must - not just Sunday Morning, but Wednesday, and for church functions. I have just been doing what I know to do, adding a bit more over time.

In doing these things, the walls blocking blessing have been falling all around me. Most recently I have been basking in and enjoying the peace that only God can give. Everything around me is far from "peachy", but I am trusting God to see me through, as I do what I know to do and follow Gods promptings. Last night my eyes were opened to be praying for someone I had no idea I needed to pray for, someone very near and dear to me, for things that I was shocked that needed to be prayed for. My eyes were opened to what has been "attacking" another dear person in my life. I was so prompted to pray and the prompts were VERY specific! This is a blessing to hear from MY God and to know that I know Him well enough to hear His voice. It's humbling knowing that God already knows the needs of these two individuals, yet wants me to pray. He could handle this all on His own, but He wants my prayers.

For the first time in my life, I have prepared a prayer closet. I am so excited. It was another one of those things I felt prompted to do and while it looks really silly, I already find peace there. I am so excited to get into a regular groove of reading His word and praying (journaling) daily. I am excited to meet one on one with my Heavenly Father.

Focusing on God's word for my life - day to day life, rather than on my own stinking thinking continues to be a priority for me. It's hard to be attentive to this at all times, but a must. If anybody has any helpful ideas please let me know.

I pray God's peace for you this week.

Lots of love,

D. J.

Say "NO" to Stinking Thinking

My goodness, our Wednesday night sermons are so awesome! We are covering spiritual warfare and our pastor is phenomenal at teaching this subject!

I have allowed myself to be consumed now, for quite sometime actually, with negative thinking regarding our finances, my time, my relationships, my personal job performance, my weight loss battle...you name it I was not thinking positive thoughts, I have been constantly worried, frustrated and hopeless. News Flash -- God does not want us to live in a constant state of worry and he certainly doesn't send us ill will. I realized I have been thinking more on the worldly things and have been spending less time in God's word. What a waste of time! That stinking thinking blocks God's blessings. What you think about you bring about! As a man thinks, so he is! What does God say about you! What does God promise His believers? I encourage you find scriptures that point you, your thoughts, your words and your actions to God. Ponder things that are pure, lovely, and true and let God handle the rest! You have to make a daily commitment to this, sometimes hourly, sometime even more frequent! Hold your thoughts captive, when you think a negative, wrong, or worrisome thought, capture it, cast it out and replace it with God's Word!!

By the way, while I have been consumed with this worry and stinking thinking you would never have known it to see me. I am a very happy person, even when I am full of doubt and worry, it takes a lot to get me down. I think it's important that we realize that some people don't "show" and "express" their needs, just because they are happy doesn't mean they don't need prayer, support, and encouragement. The scripture tells us to pray for one another -- it doesn't say only pray for those in need -- pray for one another!

On a final note - those of you who read this, please email your friends and invite them to follow my blog. I want my little personal lessons, experiences and ponderings to help others, the more who know the more can be helped.

Lots of love!!

D. J.