Gratitude

Today has been a long day and a thoughtful day. It has been blessed in ways I see and I'm sure that has been also in ways I have not seen. I am praying earnestly about some things. For now, the best thing for me to do is keep reaching in the things I need to do but also to be still and know in the things I don't.

God bless you all. <3

Busy :p

I have a lot of things that I want to post but just haven't been able to get in here to do it. I hope to update really soon.  God bless. :)

Thank You...

I watched War Room a few hours ago. It was a really good movie. I was praising the Lord on the way home and this song popped into my head. It got me to thinking about some things. It made me think about how we have a ripple effect in the lives of others and they in ours. 

We should be a blessing to others and sometimes we do it without even trying. You just never know what others are seeing in you. Sometimes it can be more than we see in ourselves. 

We get busy living life sometimes and don't really think about our actions and how even something really small to us can be huge to another.  We should ask ourselves more often what we can do to be a blessing and do it on purpose as well as just in living our lives for God.

We should also make it a point to spend time in our War Room.
It's not just something we CAN do. It's something we NEED to do!! 

Lay it down and let it go...

God and I have been spending time together this morning. I have loved all of it. For once, I did more listening than talking. He's really trying to help me with something that I have taken to Him over and over. This morning, part of the song "Just Be Held" by Casting Crowns is in my head.

"And when you're tired of fighting

Chained by your control

There's freedom in surrender

Lay it down and let it go

So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away

You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held

Your world's not falling apart, it's falling into place

I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held

Just be held

Just be held"

Read more: Casting Crowns - Just Be Held Lyrics | MetroLyrics

The whole part above there is in my head but the most repeated and the strongest emphasis is on

"There's freedom in surrender. Lay it down and let it go."

I have a tendency to get frustrated over too many things. I long to be unflappable. I have met people that have really floored me with the peace they have. It's easy to look at some and think, "It's easy for them to have peace because there isn't anything going wrong." Wrong. We all have things going on and sometimes more than we show. 

I was working with someone at a job and the job was crazy at times. The people sometimes reacted to the craziness. One person who didn't was a manager and had young kids with one on the way. I know from experience that work has stress at times and home has stress at times and sometimes at the same time. It can be overwhelming. But, more often than not, she had peace and a smile. Even when she got upset, she didn't seem that ruffled.  I both admired and was baffled by it. I asked her one day how she could be like that?  She said, "I can't do anything about it. So, why get upset?"  Hmm.  I saw her point but I wasn't sure it could be that simple for me.  

That was awhile ago. I still keep trying to catch myself and let it roll off like water on a duck's back. This morning, God is giving me a gentle nudge and some food for thought.

"There's freedom in surrender. Lay it down and let it go."

As I am typing this, my son is across the room chomping cereal with his mouth open. I have told him time and time again to close his mouth. He knows better but just doesn't sometimes think about it. I have also already seen him blow his nose really big and there is a little bit of a chill in the air. Outside it is 53 degrees and high of 74 for the day. I have already switched the a/c to heat. Maybe he's congested and is having difficulty breathing while he eats. I should just be happy he is eating breakfast. I'm gonna lay it down and let it go. <3 

The whole song is beautiful. If you haven't heard it, take a listen. I love it. God bless you all and I hope you all find freedom in surrender today. Lay it down and let it go. :)

 

Not my will but Yours be done...

So, God has been speaking into my heart a lot today.  Maybe it's just that I have been better at listening today.  I have to tell you that He is constantly stretching and growing me. Today is one of those days.  I had decided a long time ago that if I were to blog that I wouldn't make it too personal. I didn't want to be one that journaled, essentially, in public. Nothing against those who do. I just thought, for me, that it was a bit too much. I'm a pretty private person. However, I think God is leading me out of my comfort zone. He has a way of doing that. It's called faith building. Obedience. Maybe it's a hearing test. Did we listen? Did we really hear Him? 

He knows that He can use music and television/movies to speak to me. I will get a revelation or a correlation somehow. Today's reminder is from Aladdin.  God is holding His hand out like Aladdin on the magic carpet and saying, "Do you trust me?"  I don't believe any symbolism about the carpet, etc. For me, the meaning is clear and simple. Do I trust Him with all that is going on right now both in public and in the depths of my heart?  My answer?  A meek yes. Not meek in the sense of uncertainty in trusting Him. Meek in the uncertainty of where we are going to go. lol  YET, I know that I would be nothing without Him and He has always proven Himself in countless ways. Do I trust Him?  Yes. Am I a little shaky and hope not to freak out on the way?  Yes. 

Some might say being timid and freaking out don't go with trust. Sure it does. We have the timidity or fear first but we have to submit to our trust in the Lord. Look at Joshua. One of my favorite scriptures is Joshua 1:9 (this is NET version):

"I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the LORD your God, am with you in all you do.”

What strikes me about this is that God tells him the same thing, at least 3 times in short order. He had already told Joshua in verse 3, "I am handing over to you every place you set foot, as I promised Moses."  Handing over. It's his for the taking. God said He would be with Joshua and would not leave. He told him the plan, how far spread the land that He was giving him was,  He gave Joshua vision and promise. That was all up to verse 5. In verse 6, God tells Joshua not to be afraid. Then, in verse 7, while He is still talking to Joshua, He says it again. And, again, He says it in verse 9.  

He was preparing Joshua for a road and a plan that maybe Joshua wasn't sure of. Moses had been the leader. Now, Moses had passed away. Someone had to lead. God chose Joshua and gave him every assurance and encouragement He could, including, "I...am with you in all you do."  He basically said to Joshua, "I've got your back."  

Some may also bring up 2 Timothy 1:7 -

"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline."

True, He didn't. But we started believing the lies of the serpent in Genesis 1. 

So, as always, I am leaning on Him (Proverbs 3: 5-6) and also on Jeremiah 29:11-14,

"11 For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope. 12 When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers. 13 When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul, 14 I will make myself available to you,’ says the Lord. ‘Then I will reverse your plight and will regather you from all the nations and all the places where I have exiled you,’ says the Lord. ‘I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.’

I don't know where this blog will lead but I know the One who is in control. That is enough for me. I trust Him and I might buckle up for the ride. :p  Another song reference. Ginny Owens "Get In, I'm Driving."  God bless you all. <3