Seasons

Many words could describe this last year... joy, laughter, hugs, dancing, growing, growing pains, grief, remembering, wide-eyed, miracles, tears, work, little sleep, lots of sleep, seasons, new friends, family, celebration, mistakes, grace, Spirit-led, faith, promises, God's faithfulness, waiting, promises fulfilled, dreams, weariness, new days, love so amazing, hope. 
But one overwhelming theme:  God is always faithful.  :-)

Morning by morning I wake up to find the power and comfort of God's hand in mine
Season by season I watch Him amazed, in awe of the mystery of His perfect ways
All I have need of His hand will provide, He's always been faithful to me *

Today I just want to encourage you that in whatever season you are in, God is faithful and He knows exactly where you are.  He sees the beginning from the end... He knows the plans He has for you, we just have to trust Him and stay close to His heart. :-)

Painful things happen in this life... when you lose someone you love, it is right to grieve.  There's a season of grief, of trusting God to carry you, and of healing.  And healing comes in stages.  As I have grieved the death of someone I loved and those dear to me loved, it didn't help my heart to know a wise quote or have someone try to understand.  I just needed Jesus... I just needed love.... and I just needed to serve and love those around me, and trust God for the strength to do so.  When the whole world was pulled apart and ripped to shreds, my tears overflowing out of a heart trying to understand in grief, I stood in a circle of people and prayed to the God I knew was there.  Our friend may have died, but we knew she was with Jesus. We called on the God Who loves us more than we are capable of loving Him... and counted on Him to be our Comforter, just as He says in His Word.  We counted on Him to bring peace to our hearts, and to take our grief and be our Healer, just as He promised in His Word.  You know what?  He did, and He continues to... more ways than I could have imagined.  Our community is closer, and we are filled with hope.... even though it hurts sometimes.  Death wasn't meant to be, and I think it grieves the human heart on a level deeper than we can see because we somehow cry out in our hearts for the perfect world with no sin, no pain, no tears, no separation from people & no separation from God.  One day... :-)

So many good things have been this past year too... joy & laughter-filled memories abound.  It's like the Word says "...weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."  It is good to celebrate all of God's blessings... for every good thing comes from Him... but most of all it is good to celebrate Him.  He is the source of all true joy, comfort, love, hope, faith, holiness... forgiveness & healing... He is the Great One, Lord of all creation.  :-)

I will praise God in every season, because He is faithful.  His character never changes... He always was faithful, always is faithful, and always will be faithful.  I can count on Him & it gives me joy to praise Him.  Sometimes I remind myself (rather, He reminds me :) to Trust in the Lord with all my heart... I will never regret it. 

All of my life in every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship **

In every season & in everything, reach out to Jesus... for He's already reached for you.   :-)

*Song lyrics "He's Always Been Faithful" by Sara Groves
** Song lyrics "Desert Song"  by Hillsong 

The Dance Will Go On

Every night in my dreams
I think of You & eternity
I know the dance will go on

For love you came to free us 
to save us- redeem us
God loved us before we loved God

Near, far, wherever we are
I believe that the dance will go on
Sin's no more, the King opened the door
And He's here in my heart
And my heart will live on and on

Love shed His blood one time
Died our death, rose to life
Now we live as children of God

My Lord, how I love You
Your true love I hold to
Search me and know my heart, Oh God

Near, far, wherever we are
I believe that the dance will go on
Death's no more, our King opened the door
And He's here in our hearts
And our hearts will live on and on

You're here, there's nothing I fear
For eternity we'll dance on and on
Lord, You reign forever I'll seek Your face
When you call home our hearts
There before You, we'll dance on and on and on


Remembering you, Madeleine Camille... my heart misses you so much today.  Missing you gives us a glimpse of our true home and the  incomparable beauty of the gospel.  I can only imagine.... but I believe that the dance will go on. 

"Eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and no mind can imagine,
all that God has prepared for those who love Him." ~1 Corinthians 2:9

 

u-turns are good!

Friends, there are days that we wish had been a little different... and that we'd done something differently.  One person hurt someone very dear to me with words, and when I heard about it this evening I was angry.  Now, there is a righteous anger and we're allowed to feel that; we are to pray and to speak if it is necessary... and as I'm looking at the Word tonight, there are so many verses and instructions for this. 

Just a few verses from Ephesians :

"Be angry and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil and opportunity." 4:25-27

 

"Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear."  4:29

 

Then the famous verse in James :-)  "...let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God."  -James 1:19-20

I've promised to live by this Book, and love this Book, and read this Book... and still I make mistakes.  :-/  Tonight the mistake was when someone in my inner circle asked me what was wrong (they can usually tell at a glance :) I  TALKED TOO MUCH.  I had prayed, but then I talked and thought and became weary trying to know what I should do.  :-/  I wish I'd done that differently. 

"The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer..."  -Proverbs 15:28   I knew that.

"He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles." -Proverbs 21:23 

"He who restrains his words has knowledge, & he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding."

-Proverbs 17:27

I knew I should have been self-controlled and only explained what was necessary, and then gone straight to God & His Word & prayed earnestly before saying anything else.  Which is what I'm doing now, and what I will keep doing.  U-Turns are good. :-)

Do you ever find that you do this too?  God's shown you the best way, and once in a while you come across something in life, and you delay doing it that way and end up off course? 

So I told the Lord I was sorry, and also ..." that I am so disappointed.  Lacking self-control feels crummy, and God, how am I worthy now for all the amazing things you've been doing... and how could you work through me tomorrow?  God, I'm a little discouraged."

Do you ever find yourself here at the end of the day, and ask God that too?  If so, be encouraged... good news... here's how God ended those worries:

 

"This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. 

The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. 

They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness."

                                                                                                             -Lam. 3:21-25

I always think it's particularly funny when God does this for me. Really, what are the chances of opening the Word, landing in Lamentations, and the verse right there is the perfect word of encouragement!  :-)

Great is the Lord, and worthy to be praised!  

Psalm 24... Selah!

"The Earth is the Lord's, and the fullness of it, the world and they who dwell in it.  For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the currents and the rivers. Who shall go up into the mountain of the Lord?  Or who shall stand in His Holy Place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted himself up to falsehood or to what is false, nor sworn deceitfully.  He shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.  This is the generation [description] of those who seek Him [who inquire of  and for Him and of necessity require Him], who seek Your face Oh God of Jacob.
Selah [pause, and think of that]!"  vs. 1-6

The earth is the Lord's- all of it.  All that I know was created by God, and the greatest Greatness I could ever know is God Himself.  I feel as if my eyes have taken a breath of air and are refreshed.

Who could stand before- or even begin to approach- the light of His glory?  Who shall stand up in His Holy Place? "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted himself up to falsehood or what is false, nor sworn deceitfully."  This scripture sounds like Jesus! That's Jesus! :-)


"Lift up your heads, O you gates; and be lifted up,  you age-abiding doors, that the King of glory may come in.  Who is the King of glory?  The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.  Lift up your heads, O you gates; yes, lift them up, you age-abiding doors, that the King of glory may come in.  Who is [He then] this King of glory?  The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.
Selah [pause, and think of that]!"  vs.  7-10

It is good to pause and think about Who God is.... to intentionally gaze with our hearts at the Lord through the words of the Bible.  To set our hearts and affections on the things above... on our King of glory.  Selah!