Christmas (Bay) in August!

A few friends and I ventured down this weekend to kayak around Christmas Bay. It was a new adventure for me and you know, I enjoyed it! Even though we are smack in the middle of summer, it was not as hot as I had expected. We saw lots of wildlife and even got a little exercise. We put in at a place called Ernie's Bait Barn. I was told they had the best burgers around. And I can testify... they were mmm mmm good! Overall, we had a great time. Photos at left.

All for now,
Lisa

Same Song, New Verse

I competed in the River Cities Triathlon again. It was very much the same as last year, but I had a great time with some friends from church who also competed. We made lots of good memories. Photos at left.

All for now,

Lisa

New!

God, in His grace, mercy, and forgiveness, has given me new things. A new heart that is free of strongholds. New ears to stay in tune with the Spirit. And new eyes to see the things He would have for me. The below is a brand new song from Brandon Heath. It was the first song I heard the other morning and it spoke to me. I hope it speaks to you also.

Give Me Your Eyes
by Brandon Heath

Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down in the cold black top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breathe in the familiar shock of confusion and chaos
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared

Chorus:
Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Was it far beyond my reach?
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
Again yeah yeah yeah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work, he's buying time
Are those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared

Chorus

I've been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving past me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all alone

Chorus (x2)

All for now,
Lisa

This is The One Thing
This is The Only Thing

Those Sara Groves lyrics (see below) are my life right now. The clouds have parted, the veil has lifted. Right now, I feel completely healed from my past PB (Prodigal's Brother) sinful inner thought life of pride and self-righteousness (sounds prideful to say it that way, but truly, it's just thankfulness... from one who is in true need of a Savior. And so very thankful for his grace, mercy, and forgiveness). I just love the way He weaved all of that together. I just love the way I can see something (a year ago) and then God reveals it so completely (all being there right in front of me, then shazam!)

You know, He got my attention with "husband" (something he knows I so desperately want), then He showed me how He's been there for me (through my journals) and how much He loves me, pursues me, and delights in me (which I feel blessed that I felt it first from Him, then I will from my husband). Then he showed me how little I trust him, or knew him (through waiting on those promises). So I learned about His character (through the "words" He gave me). Then I saw in those words who He was and that I could completely trust him. And then He exposed my sin, my sinful inner thought life (through friends, ss lessons, and my own conviction). But then once I got it, I confessed it, and He cleaned the slate. It doesn't mean I'm free from sin, just from the stronghold! Praise Him!!

A friend of mine gave me the verse from Habakkuk 2:3 a year ago, which I thought was a promise for me about a husband. I'm not so sure now. "The revelation awaited it's appointed time". Now, I think I see it was about my healing (perhaps it could be for both). And my next step in the new journey could be with a husband or not (and yes, I'm still praying that it is). But it will be with God. Humbled. Mindful. Following. Learning. With God! Not in my self-effort. My hands are off!!

And now, He's asking me... "ok, Lisa, now what? Do you want to keep going with me and what I have for you which is great and unsearchable things (Jeremiah 33:3)? Or do you want to find your husband? This is not the culmination (as I had erroneously thought earlier "now, where is my husband?") This is the start... of something new. I'm not sure of what - but I know it involves humbling myself to serve others out of the overflow of God's love. And all of this doesn't mean I won't be prideful or self-righteousness anymore. It just means now the slate is clean from strongholds and that I will be able to see it more readily. "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me" (Psalm 51:3). Some how, some way...Romans 12:9-13 speaks to me:

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Now, I'm moving forward... where.. I'm not sure. Wow... I think that's the journey in a nutshell.

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 11:2

I've been pondering humility and what exactly that means. I don't think it means being a push-over or a over-doer (for that can be prideful too). A friend reminded me of Uzzah (in 2 Samuel) and how his irreverent act angered God. He truly didn't realize God's holiness and was careless. I think that's where my pride comes in. Not truly humbling myself, realizing God's holiness!

The poem from today's Streams in the Desert was timely (as usual):

Oh, the Spirit-filled life; is it thine, is it thine?
Is your soul wholly filled with the Spirit Divine?
As a child of the King, has He fallen on thee?
Does He reign in your soul, so that all men may see
The dear Savior's bles image reflected in thee?

Has He swept through your soul like the waves of the sea?
Does the Spirit of God daily rest upon thee?
Does He sweeten your life, does He keep you from care?
Does He guide you and bless you in answer to prayer?
Is your joy to be led of the Lord ev'rywhere?

Is He near you each hour, does He stand at your side?
Does He clothe you with strength, has He come to abide?
Does He teach you to know that all things may be done
Through the grace and the power of the Crucified One?
Does He witness to you of the glorified Son?

Has He purified you with the fire from above?
Is He first in your thoughts, does He have all your love?
Is His service y our choice, and your sacrifice sweet?
Is your doing His will both your drink and your meat?
Do you run at His calling with glad eager feet?

Has He freed you from self and from all of your greed?
Do you hasten to comfort your brother in need?
As a soldier of Christ does your power endure?
Is your hope in the Lord everlasting and sure?
Are you patient and meet, are you tender and pure?

Oh, the Spirit-filled life may be thine, may be thine,
Ever in your soul Shechinah glory may shine;
It is yours to live with the tempests all stilled,
It is yours with God's blest Holy Spirit to be filled;
It is yours, even yours, for your Lord has so willed.

I humbly answer YES! Yes, Lord, for today, Yes!! I will keep walking, in step with the Spirit.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit
Galatians 5:25

That's the one thing I know.

All for now,
Lisa

The One Thing I Know

The lyrics speak incredibly loudly in my life

The One Thing I Know
by Sara Groves

And the clouds just parted
on a corner of my life
And I can see for miles
and the things I was stuck on
Things I thought would never change
They just broke open wide

This is the one thing I know
You said you won`t let me go
You said you won`t let me go
You`ve done a good work in me
And you won`t quit till I`m free

And the veil just lifted
I can finally understand
The way you work in me
But even if I didn`t
You are still a sovereign God
Who has a plan for me

It`s good to know you work with hurt and broken souls
That you`ll take a soul like mine
And in all the world nothings taken hold of me like Christ

This is the one thing
This is the only thing
You are the one thing
You are the only thing

This is the one thing I know
You said you won`t let me go
You said you won`t let me go
You`ve done a good work in me
And now you're making me free

All for now,
Lisa

The Chapman Family Goes Public

As you know, the Chapmans lost a family member in late May due to a horrible tragedy. They have just recently gone public with their struggle through it.

Let me just say it's amazing... honest, true, not without questions. I am humbled.

All for now,
Lisa

Friendship

You know, they say when you lose one of your senses (seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, etc), it makes the others ones seem more heightened. While I cannot confirm or refute that, I would say the same holds true for life experiences. Having lost my only sibling (who was, without a doubt, my best friend), I am now keenly aware of friendships. Perhaps sometimes too keenly. Unfortunately, sometimes I can be too sensitive to a friend's behavior - which is great when the behavior is good, but needs to be seasoned with grace and mercy with the behavior is not so good. I also believe the loss of my sister has given me the boldness to always be sure to tell my friends I love them and to take the opportunity to say things I might have otherwise left unsaid. I am very aware just how precious life truly is.

So, today, when both Our Daily Bread and My Utmost for His Highest spoke on friendship, it gave me reason to pause to think about that. And to blog about it also.

Dictionary.com says, “friend·ship –noun
1. the state of being a friend; association as friends: to value a person's friendship.
2. a friendly relation or intimacy.
3. friendly feeling or disposition."

Wikipedia says, “Friendship is a term used to denote co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more beings. This article focuses on the notion specific to interpersonal relationships. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, and affection along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis."

I consider myself incredibly blessed with some good friends and deep friendships (and I’m not speaking of the Facebook kinds of "friends")! Some of these friendships began in the 3rd grade, some just last week, but regardless, I am thanking God for them right now. In the last few months there has been a watershed of events - and I have learned new aspects of friendships. I think Our Daily Bread hit it on the head when it spoke of finding a "fellow Christian or two who can come beside you and hold you up (see Eccl. 4:10), pray for you, talk with you, and remind you that you are not alone." That may be the true essence of Christian frienship. Not about who we are or how well we do something, but how we respond to our friends. (I hear my mother's voice in my head... "the way to have a friend is to be a friend"). So, I ask myself an important question here: what kind of friend am I? I want to be the kind of friend that comes beside my friends, holds them up, prays for them, talks with them, and reminds them that they are not alone!

And most importantly, My Utmost For His Highest spoke of the best frienship of all! The fact that God is my most intimate friend connection. And it truly has nothing to do with who I am or what I can do, but how I respond to Him. So, then I have to ask myself the same question to God: "what kind of friend am I"? And then the harder part comes. Listening for the answer.

I heard this song in the car on the way back from lunch… timely, wouldn’t you say?

Friend of God
By Israel Houghton

Who am I that you are mindful of me
That you hear me when I call
Is it true that you are thinking of me
How you love me it's amazing

(Chorus)
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
He calls me friend

God almighty, Lord of Glory
You have called me friend

(Repeat chorus)

He calls me friend
He calls me friend

All for now,
Lisa

House of Love

That's exactly what God has created for us. C'mon in; there's plenty of room.

Love's the Only House
by Martin McBride

I was standing in the grocery store line
The one they marked express
When this woman came through with about 25 things
And I said don't you know that more is less
She said this world is moving so fast
But I just get more behind with every day
And every morning when I make my coffee
I can't believe my life's turned out this way
All I could say was

Love's the only house big enough for all the pain in the world
Love's the only house big enough for all the pain

He was walking by the other day and I said
Hey baby how you been?
Yeah I got me a little girl now and she's 4 years old
And she's got her daddy's little grin
And you only want what you can't have
And baby you can't have me now
I gave my heart to another
Yeah I'm a mother and he's a father and we're a family
And we've got each other
And I found out the hard way that

Love's the only house big enough for all the pain in the world
Love's the only house big enough for all the pain

You drive three miles from all this prosperity
Down across the river and you see a ghetto there
And we got children walking around with guns
And they got knives with drugs and pain to spare
And here I am in my clean, white shirt
With a little money in my pocket and a nice warm home
And we got teenagers walkin' around in a culture of darkness
Livin' together alone, and all I can say is

Love's the only house big enough for all the pain in the world
Love's the only house big enough for all the pain

And I can't explain it and I can't understand
But I'll come down and get my hands dirty and together we'll make a stand
Somewhere cross the parking lot some bands playin out of tune
City streets are gonna burn if we don't do something soon
And senorita can't quit cryin, baby's due now any day
Don Juan left, got sick of tryin
No one there to show him the way
She came down to the grocery store and
She said I, I wanna buy a little carton of milk but I don't have any money
I said hey I'll cover you honey cause the pain's gotta go somewhere
Yeah the pain's gotta go someplace
So come on down to my house
Don't you know that

Love's the only house big enough for all the pain in the world
Love's the only house big enough for all the pain

I'm sure not all,
Lisa

Saw it a Year Ago, Just Getting it Now

wow, I was seeing something needing a healing in my life and I sent this to two Bible study friends in May, 2007:

http://www.stpaulscary.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=372&Itemid=355

please read the whole thing (it's short), but the key part:

But in this other brother, we see a glimpse of the other kind of guilt, and we have to be a little more shrewd to pick up on it. His guilt is a bit more insidious. This is the kind of guilt that lives deeper down, which refuses to be satisfied by God's promises. This is the kind of guilt that lives by the book and judges by the book, but refuses - refuses- to accept the limitless love of God. And we really do have to be a little bit clever to see it because this is the kind of guilt that tempts us to quickly file this story under "p for prodigal" so that we don't spend too much time thinking about his brother's feelings, and how much in common we might have with him.

I saw it over a year ago (and a friend prophesied the same thing for me at that time)... I somehow knew I was some sort of prodigal's brother, but I couldn't put my finger on what exactly was at the root. Now I see it. yet I'm just now getting it... living by the book, judging by the book, but not receiving the whole purpose of the book... the limitless love of God. I think, in my wait (of not receiving), I got caught up in thinking that His promises were not for me (or I just couldn't receive it for myself) - or that I had to work towards it - self-effort - and the self-righteousness associated with it. In the back of my head, I was thinking I could work myself towards deserving something or another (yes, you can read husband there). And I was cleverly sulking in my waiting, filling my time with more self-effort.

You know... now, I'm ready to come back in the house (of love). I'm looking forward to seeing what it looks like. But I think I'll leave the piety, self-righteousness, self-effort, and arrogance (as subtle as they are) outside. I'm really not sure what got me to think and do those things (and that's not really the point), but the party is inside and I want to relax and rejoice!

I emailed those two Bible study friends on June 2, 2008 and said, "I feel a completion coming on; I can't say what, but I know it's coming. Yes, the past two months have been a completion in the healing. Truly, then, I had no idea!

(Seeing now that I'm) Healed, Complete, and Content,
Lisa

P.S. Here is the seventh set of seven words. This may complete the set (at least on this healing):

grace
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:16
Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Acts 20:32
and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24

submit
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. Ephesians 5:22
Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Hebrews 12:9
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

discipline
And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, Hebrews 12:5
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Revelation 3:19

rejoice/relax
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 1 Corinthians 13:6
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4
In this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7

easy/light
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:30

healed
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet,"so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.Hebrews 12:12-13

beloved
Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders. Deuteronomy 33:12

... Paul Harvey ...

Received this in my inbox early this morning. Didn't get to it until just now. Perfect timing (of course!). Bold below is mine. I've said before that waiting is trusting. And we know for sure that the Lord strengthens those who wait (Isaiah 40:31). How do we wait and trust? "By being grounded in the Word of God and seeking Him daily as our source of strength and knowledge".

STRAIGHT TALK
by Charles R. Swindoll
Read 2 Kings 1:1--18

Today, countless people seek to know the future. Newspapers and magazines carry horoscope columns. Television networks advertise psychic hotlines. Bus stop benches boast ads for palm readers. Magazine racks beside grocery store checkout counters offer paperback books on astrology, numerology, and other occult subjects.

To many, this hype may sound like sheer silliness; it may appear to be nothing more than harmless fun. After all, what's so bad about reading your daily horoscope? But listen up---this is enemy territory! It is anything but silliness or harmless fun. Like the wood and stone idols of Ekron, these present-day seers are substitutes for putting our trust in the living God. God is displeased with any occult involvement. No matter what the motive, no matter how great the need, dabbling with the occult is sin. God's Word is crystal clear on this subject. Far back in the book of Leviticus, God gives His people this direct command: "Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God" (Leviticus 19:31).

Beyond that, God is dishonored by any specific pursuit of the future that does not find its source in His Word. I realize that most people who begin dabbling in astrology, fortune-telling, or Ouija boards don't take it all that seriously. Astrology, for example, has a captivating appeal. Most do it for fun or out of curiosity. But these simple, harmless-looking games begin a process that many cannot handle; and they open doors that should remain closed. Then it's only a matter of time before the dark powers of demonic forces suck them in, and they find themselves ensnared.

But let me reassure you, God is delighted when we trust Him only. The Lord strengthens those who put their trust in Him. If we are not grounded in the Word of God and seeking Him daily as our source of strength and knowledge for the future, we, too, can easily fall prey to the lure of the occult.

Learn a lasting lesson from Elijah. As you stand strong for the truth, watch out for the enemy. He not only plays dirty; he plays for keeps. And he's playing for your soul.

I'm sure not all,
Lisa

Ain't It Always the Case

Today's MUFHH

Learning About His Ways:

1) He comes where He commands us to leave
2) He teaches where He instructs us not to teach
3) He works where He sends us to wait
". . . tarry . . . until . . ." (Luke 24:49). "Wait on the Lord" and He will work (Psalm 37:34). But don’t wait sulking spiritually and feeling sorry for yourself, just because
you can’t see one inch in front of you! Are we detached enough from our own spiritual fits of emotion to "wait patiently for Him"? (Psalm 37:7). Waiting is not sitting with folded hands doing nothing, but it is learning to do what we are told. (bold is mine).

All for now,
Lisa

I Can See Clearly Now

I know I'm showing my age but I remember that song when it came out (Johnny Nash was so cute!). But that title speaks of how I am right now... in a pretty good place. Well, at the end of myself I guess. No question, God has been very apparent to me lately. Yet in all that goodness, a couple of insidious things have happened: addiction which led to self-effort and me trying to rush to the "goal"

Let me explain: in all that has happened lately, it has been good. It has been very good. But I think in seeing God more apparently in my life has led to me wanting more.. wanting more... wanting more (almost like an addiction). And instead of waiting and welcoming, I was seeking Him (not bad), in my own effort (not good). That's where I've veered off course a bit. And that's when anxiety and confusion comes in.

The second part was equally subtle. I think I completely understand God's sovereignty... there's no question about that. He's in control. But somehow in all that I have learned and relearning afresh I think some part, in the back of my head, could "rush" through it.... "yes, Lord, let's get through this, I get it, now let's move on..." kind of thing. And He's not about that. And I don't want to be either.

Of course, I've seen this through a variety of ways (Beth Moore was our subsitute teacher on Sunday and she spoke of discipline (the right heart to do the right thing and the right time for the right reason), a friend in my Bible study talked about freedom/liberty/emmancipation in Christ and that truly spoke to my heart, and I'm reading "Life with God" and it speaks of those very things (discipline, "law of liberty", and indirection) - which I read about after all these other things happened). And today's "Streams in the Desert" spoke to it also... about yielding my life to God with a definite act of my will. Absolute trust. To take my hands off my own and yet welcome what He has had, has, and will have for me. Sometimes He has to me in a couple of different ways to "get it"!

I'm taking a deep breath in! His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

All for now,
Lisa

P.S. my words:
content - Phil 4:12, Hebrews 13:5
delight - Zeph 3:17
comfort - 2 Cor 1:3-4
liberty/emmancipation - Psalm 119:45
response - Daniel 10:12
joy - John 16:24, James 1:2-3
yoke - Matthew 11:28-30

Content But Not Satisfied

Hudson did it again

nuggets:

If I am honest I must confess that I am both ecstatic about the life I have been given, the blessings I have received, and that I still long for more. In light of God’s many blessings I am rich beyond measure and content but I would be a liar to say I have all that I want. I am both content and not satisfied.

Contentment demands faith and trust in a God who is faithful and trustworthy. Contentment is peace in the midst of hunger. It is an expectant certainty that He will indeed provide our daily bread despite the hunger we now know.

But satisfaction is another thing altogether. Satisfaction speaks of approval. It speaks of what is good, what is complete. If it is “not good for the man to be alone” then it is okay that we are dissatisfied.

It is our God that has placed us here in our circumstances and we love and trust our God because we know He loves us. We need only know that we are loved. Because He cares we can bring to Him all our wounds, longings, and hopes. It is contentment in our circumstances and the God who overseas all things that will keep us, the dissatisfied, from despair.

What I hope is that the honesty of realized and confessed dissatisfaction will free you and I to walk on in faith and allow those who walk with us to better comfort us.

All for now,
Lisa

What Could I Say, and What Could I Do?
But Offer This Heart O God Completely to You?

That's a line taken from a Hillsong United praise and worship song called The Stand. But that's also a line taken from my life lately. Or one to which I'm drawn.

And you know, these last two months have been intense. I have seen God's character and felt His presence incredibly. In fact, probably a way I've never experienced before! No doubt about that. But I also feel a bit like I've been through the ringer. But I'm not sure whose done more "ringing" - God or me!

I was reading in "Life with God", by Richard Foster, where it says, "we do not produce change by practicing the Disciplines - we receive it". He speaks about the "law of liberty" which is intended to be guidelines to keep us from going into the bondage of self-effort. This line was good: "spiritual formation does not occur by direct human effort, but through a relational process whereby we receive from God the power or ability to do what we cannot do by our own effort". That struck me also.

Now, let me offer that I do not doubt God's presence or work in my life. And I've been trying to be still - and working hard for it. But Foster also states, "There might be a kind of slavery that is very religious - an attempt to work hard to gain God's approval instead of living obediently in response to the joyful freedom of God's grace." Well, as Voddie Baucham says, "if you can't say amen, you better say ouch". Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!!

So I think for now I just need to dance with my Lord in my pretty cotton dress in a lovely open field on a cool, sunny day (which all might just be in my head) and just "be" for a little while.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1

All for now,
Lisa

Interesting Post-Script

I was looking today through my journal of poetry - which I began in January 1997. To the back pages I added some good quotes. I just found where I long ago penned the very quote from MUFHH (from yesterday):

There is a connection between the strange providential circumstances allowed by
God and what we know of Him, and we have to learn to interpret the mysteries of
life in the light of our knowledge of God. Until we can come face to face with
the deepest, darkest fact of life without damaging our view of God’s character,
we do not yet know Him.

Very interesting. I wonder in the last 10 to 11 years if I have truly come face-to-face with the deepest, darkest fact of life yet? And if I have faced them without damaging my view of God? Chambers says until then, I do not yet fully know Him.

What is the deepest, darkest facts of my life?
that I'm mortal?
that I'm powerless?
that I'm sinful?
that I'm single?

Facing all of these have only served to bring me closer to God; to recognize my greater need for God; and to recognize that's He bigger and more present than I had imagined. No, I can say without equivocation that facing these deep dark facts of life have only served to increase my view of God. I'm a fully aware of knowing Him.

I love journaling. It makes it easier to see the road marked with Jesus.

All for now,
Lisa

Two Months Later

Five fingers, each hand,
Grip is off the controller
Joy stick is in the hand of the joy giver
I'm hanging on for the ride
In the palm of His hand
He's making all the moves
Now He's already mine and I'm already his
Trials have brought me closer to both my ones
He's spoken through it all
To get ahold of me to prove He is enough
I long for both, I'm consumed by both
And I now see both more beautifully, more radiantly
He has had wonderful compassion on me
A promise for His precious
Both are waiting for me, waiting with me
When it's the appointed time
Love will knock my socks off
Yet I'm complete in One
I am about my Father's business and that's love
My heart is His home
Keeping it pure, defeating sin
Asking God to give me the right heart for the right choice
Remembering the harvest
Hope, faith, trust, confidence, promise, wait, and free
Righteousness, blamelessness, obedience, remembrance, character, rest, and receive
Welcome, total completion, enjoy, new, love, desire, and provide
Palm of His hands, dwell, lay down, look up, sovereign, courage, and trustworthy
Rock, fullness of time, rely, true, fully persuaded, faithful, and peace

All for now,
Lisa

No Purity, No Power

My pastor is going through the book of Exodus right now. He continually mentions that "God's will is always accompanied by God's power and God's provision". And I believe that.

So I've been thinking about God's will. And how to completely trust Him with my life (through considering His character). That's recently been a strong theme for me. And with completely trusting Him comes completely committing ALL of me. ALL of me includes looking at the subtle sin in my life - and getting rid of it! No, it's not the biggies... I foolishly thought because I had the biggies down that I was doing "pretty good". But it was the "innocuous" thoughts - self-righteousness, pride, arrogance - that got slowly wrapped around the God things in my life tainting my own purity with my own poison. And if sin fills that space then there's no room for God's purity, or God's harvest.

Sunday morning capped it! Once again, I'm getting pretty transparent. But it was in the car on the way to church as a matter of fact. I realized some very subtle sinful thoughts which were wrapped around some God thoughts. I confessed it, repented, and asked for humility. Then, in Sunday school, my teacher was not there, so she had a substitute. Would you believe it was Beth Moore! And would you believe she taught on Hebrews 12:1-13 (God disciplines His sons)! Ouch!!

In a nutshell she said:

Your Disciplinarian is not about disabling you, but healing you
And He will change your harvest
Where are you crippled?
How have your tried to handle it?
That's what He need to break
That's what He wants to heal
And give a harvest of righteousness and peace

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet,"so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Hebrews 12:12-13

God, put in me the right heart to make the right choice. And take away the insidious part that is sin in my life. Have room to give Your harvest! I receive the discipline. Heal me and turn my harvest for good.

If it's ONLY Jesus, then it can be NOTHING else.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24

How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:9-11

All for now (I think),
Lisa

First Song I Heard This Morning

oh wow... such a sweet, wonderful, TRUE song! Listen with your heart.

You're Not Alone
by Meredith Andrews

I search for love,
When the night came and it closed in,
I was alone, but you found me, where I was hiding,
And now I'll never ever be same,
It was the sweetest voice, that called my name singing

You're not alone,
For I am here,
Let me wipe away your every fear,
My love I've never left your side,
I have seen you through the darkest night,
And I'm the one that who's loved you all your life,
All of your life

You cry your self to sleep,
Cause the hurt is real, and the pain cuts deep,
All hope seems lost,
With heart ache your closest friend,
And everyone else long gone,

You've had to face the music on your own,
But there is a sweeter song that calls you home, saying

You're not alone,
For I am here,
Let me wipe away your every tear,
My love I've never left your side,
I have seen you through the darkest nights,
And I'm the one who's love you all your life,
All your life

Faithful and true... Forever,
For my love will carry you...

You're not alone,
For I... I am here,
Let me wipe away your every fear... Oh yeah,
My love I've never left your side,
I have seen you through your darkest night,
Your darkest nights,
And I'm the one that's loved you all your life,
All of your life

All for now (I think),
Lisa

Be My One Thing

I think these are pretty perfect lyrics to go with Hannah and her sisters (he he).

Everything
By Tim Hughes

God in my living
There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping

God in my resting
There in my working
God in my thinking
God in my speaking

Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything

God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting

God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
You are everything

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
Be my everything

All for now (I think),
Lisa

Only Jesus

In examining Hannah yesterday, I was reminded that her ONLY problem was God-sized, her ONLY solace was God. Her ONLY hope was God. Her ONLY prayer was to God. And her ONLY praise was to God. Oh there were good things around her (her loving husband), not-so-good things around her (her bitter rival), but those things grew strangely dim (see song below).

Then, in today's MUFHH, it talked about God using anything and everything in us and around us to point out what we really think about Him... and how much we truly trust Him. And Him alone.

This really spoke to me:

Through every cloud He brings our way, He wants us to unlearn something. His purpose in using the cloud is to simplify our beliefs until our relationship with Him is exactly like that of a child— a relationship simply between God and our own souls, and where other people are but shadows. Until other people become shadows to us, clouds and darkness will be ours every once in a while. Is our relationship with God becoming more simple than it has ever been?

He's been working on that in me. Not that I've necessarily had a mis-trust issue. But I think I've had a mediocre trust in Him. I think I've lived more of a "trust in Him... but go ahead and do your own thing" kind of life than a "trust in Him... alone" life. And because of that, I've had a trickle-sized view of God. And He wasn't going to have any more of it. He's put me in the crucible for the last two months to purify me of it. And now, every time I think "Ok, God you're bigger than that", He blows my mind to even bigger proportions!!

And this last part of MUFHH was the ringer:

There is a connection between the strange providential circumstances allowed by God and what we know of Him, and we have to learn to interpret the mysteries of life in the light of our knowledge of God. Until we can come face to face with the deepest, darkest fact of life without damaging our view of God’s character, we do not yet know Him.

Now, even in the darks times of today, I want to see nothing, save Jesus! I can see God's character today in a way that I could not have seen yesterday. And the things around me have dimmed. Yes, I can hear these lyrics ringing in my ear:

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
by Helen H. Lemmel (1922)

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

And I'm reminded of this verse (I love the King James version best):

And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more,
save Jesus only with themselves.
Mark 9:8 (KJV)

All for now (I think),
Lisa