Word Filled Wednesday

I'm joining Extravagant Grace for Word Filled Wednesday. Come join us and soak in the beauty of the Word!

After the rain

I went for a walk with the dog (and the camera) this afternoon, when the rains had finally stopped. The air is cool, but fresh, and the colours of everything seem polarized and alive.

What beauty there was in the sky and the lushness of the fields beside our acreage. Faith was still, watching for the ground squirrels that are also finding a place to make themselves a home on our land.

I am reminded of how Jesus told His followers that the animals have found shelter, but He had no place to call home:

Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Matthew 8:20 NIV

Our Lord's did indeed have a home in heaven, but He came to walk our earth so that we might be reconciled to the Father. When He left us, it was with a promise:

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." John 14:1-3 NIV

This is beautiful land that I am blessed to inhabit right now, but it truly is not my home. My resting place will be with Jesus and the Father. When I remember that simple yet profound truth I find it easier to release the tight grip I may try to keep on the things that I can see and hold now.

"Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting." 2 Corinthians 4:18 Amplified

Robbing Him of glory?

Instead of trying to pretty this up, or change any part of the encounter, I will simply share a journaling session I had with the Lord yesterday.

"I don't know where I'm headed Lord and can only trust that You do. I seem to avoid doing those things I believe I should - writing and finishing my course. Do You know what I am afraid of? I know I have the ability to complete the tasks, for You gave me these abilities - so I know if I persevere I will not fail. Why then am I so afraid to succeed? Is it fear of what the next item on the list would be?

Lord God I want to be willing to do whatever You ask. Forgive me for any stubborn attitude that may still rage in me. Search me, show me the errors in my thinking, the rotten places in my heart."

"You're afraid of pride, little one, so afraid that you don't even want to draw near the edge of that pit. Can you see that if you don't accomplish anything you think you have no need to fear becoming prideful. Are you proud of Me? What I work in you and through you is to glorify Myself. If you don't allow My work to be made manifest in your life you actually rob Me of glory. I know this is not your intent is it? But it all becomes confused. I am healing you of your need for man's approval, but that does not mean you should not shine before man. Be MY glory, as My trophy."

"I so do not want to rob You, Lord, or disappoint You. Help me to be all that You created me to be, the work of Your hand and Your heart. Let me learn to boldly wear the stamp of the Master."

Choosing Peace

My aging mother is suffering with a paralyzed vocal cord. What at first she brushed off as laryngitis persisted for long enough that she finally agreed to see a doctor. Cat scans showed that the cord is paralyzed because a lymph gland is enlarged and pressing on a nerve. Not sure what is causing the enlargement called for more tests. The last few weeks have been a time of waiting and questions and more waiting and more questions. Yesterday was perhaps the most difficult as she went in for a biopsy of the lymph node.

My folks live in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, while I'm now in rural Manitoba. It's a four hour drive to the airport in Winnipeg to take a dearly priced two hour flight. These are the moments when I feel the distance between us most acutely. My brother who lives near them took Mom to the hospital for the test which would be done under general anesthesia and I was left to wait alone for phone calls to keep me informed.

Time stretched on slowly with no word from my brother. I paced, I cried, I tried to distract myself, and I always came back to prayer. I prayed for my father as well, who lives in a care home with dementia of an unknown variety and expects my mother's company all day and all evening, every day. She has gotten him used to this routine and change upsets him. I prayed for their salvation again, as always, for time indeed is short and they have not met my Jesus.

Do you know how quiet it is when you're waiting for a telephone to ring? The silence can be deafening. As my tension level began to rise the Holy Spirit reminded me of the following scripture:

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. Isaiah 26:3 Amplified Bible

Perfect peace? I knew I could certainly use some of that.　The sceptical side of me (the voice of the enemy speaking lies into my mind) said "How does that work? It's not possible" but I didn't listen to that twisted voice. I chose instead to trust my Lord and focus my attention of Him. Sure enough, as I began to glorify His name, all that concerned me diminished as He was magnified. I knew that whatever the outcome of the day would prove to be, He was in control and He had a plan and soon all was well with my soul.

Pathology reports should be ready in a few days. The doctor said he could find no cancer, in the lymph node or the lung. That's the good news. Now back to searching for a cause of the troubles. More tests, no doubt, and more waiting.

How will I walk through these trials and remain strong for my family? I am choosing peace. I am going to commit to, lean on, and hope confidently in my God.　

Greater glory

I just took this closeup photo of the glorious colour and detail of a portulaca in our flower bed. I am breathless and awestruck again and again when I catch a glimpse of what our God has created. The beauty that surrounds us cries out His majesty. Yet even as I celebrate what I can see, how much more will we celebrate the glory yet to come?

"For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!" 2 Corinthians 3:10-11

Cafe Chat July 9th

Kim said: This week I am changing up the tone just a bit, but you will still be blessed in a big way. I want to talk about miracles that have happened in your personal life. Remember miracles come in all shapes and sizes; don’t get caught into thinking of one way only. In as much detail as you would like to share, please tell me a “miracle” that has happened in your own life. Let us share the wonderful works of our Lord together this week!

For 30 years my tobacco habit grew, until even as a fitness professional I was smoking 3 packs of cigarettes a day. I could not even conceive of a way to quit, it seemed the task was overwhelming, too large to imagine.

On Thanksgiving Day (the American holiday, I wasn’t yet in Canada), about one month after I had come to know Jesus and been born-again, I knew I was no longer alone, and need not rely only on my own power. With a box of nicotine patches in hand, I sat down and spoke to God. I admitted to Him that there was not any possible way for me to quit by myself, even with the patches. I needed His help, and would leave it all in His hands.

That evening, I counted down the cigarettes left in the pack, until I found myself smoking the last one. I would not use a patch until the next morning, for I knew I had no cigarettes at home, and all stores where I could buy them were closed for the holiday. I spent time reading all the information about using the patches, and the list of symptoms and problems I would have. Then I prayed again. I gave Him my addiction.

I could not believe how remarkably easy it was to never light another smoke! I know the patch took care of some of the physical cravings, but according to the literature, I should still have difficulties. It was very clear to me that God has been faithful to me, and it was His work that kept me from wavering.

My God had delivered me, and I could not keep silent. In a great move of boldness, I began to tell people who had never known of my habit, (clients and students that I hid my addiction from, realizing the contradiction in lifestyle) that I was quitting. It was a great opportunity to witness to the wonders of our Lord. Anytime someone would ask how I did it, I would smile, and give them a joyful answer.

"It was easy. All it took was a patch and a prayer."

On my first anniversary of quitting I wrote the following little poem:

Today I need to celebrate
For what a year it's been
I know that I am truly free
The glory goes to Him

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people to be his very own and to proclaim the wonderful deeds of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9

I will indeed shout praises to the One Who called me out of darkness. I will continue to tell of His wonderous deeds. I will worship Him not only for what He has done, but simply for Who He Is!

What miracles has the Lord done in your life, big or small? Come share at Cafe Chat.

Quiet Stream

So it's paramount that you keep the commandments of God, your God, walk down the roads he shows you and reverently respect him. God is about to bring you into a good land,

a land with brooks and rivers, springs and lakes,

streams out of the hills and through the valleys.

Deuteronomy 8:6-7 The Message Bible