I hit the ground running back to You!

http://youtu.be/gMn28AK99To - Move - MercyMe

Do you ever get the blahs? I think all of us do from time to time. I'm not talking about those serious bouts of depression that last several days or weeks. That type of Depression may require medical intervention. I'm talking about those days when you just don't feel like doing anything at all, and you might not even know why.

On those days, my mind needs to be renewed.

Romans 12:1-2


Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.



Not often, but too often for me, I get the blahs. They always come unexpected and unwelcomed. I'm a pretty up-beat, happy person. But when I get the blahs, I feel like the life has just been sucked out of me. I don't care about anything. I don't want to do anything. Nothing seems to make it any better. It's not a good place to be, and I'm very thankful that it doesn't happen very often. or last very long.

I know people who are moody. They let the cares of the world just put them into a funk. They get into a bad mood and seem perfectly fine with making everyone else feel just as miserable as they feel. I hate that! I don't understand why they don't just "snap out of it!" Right? Why don't they just decide to be happy? But then I have one of my "blah" days, and I realize it's not that easy to just "snap out of it". It takes more strength than what I have. I need help.


Why do we get the blahs?

There are several reasons we get the "blahs". Life can be overwhelming at times. All of us have so many things we need to take care of. Some days I feel like a really bad juggler. I try so hard to keep all the balls in the air, but then I drop one, and then another,,, and suddenly, all the balls are on the floor, rolling around everywhere. I begin to feel out of control and hopeless.

Fortunately for me, those days don't happen very often, but when they do happen, I have no energy, no motivation, no desire to get up and do anything, and when I do move, it feels like I'm trying to walk in two feet of mud with boots on. The worst part is I just don't care about anything. That is not what God wants for me.

Long bouts of illness, our own or someone we love, can cause us to feel that sense of dullness, and boredom. We become lethargic and even a tiny move seems to take every ounce of energy we have. Medications can cause depression, too. It's hard to get well physically when our bodies are fighting depression.

Difficult Relationships can also create a feeling of defeat. Maybe you have a co-worker or employer, a classmate at school, a family member, a neighbor, or maybe even a fellow church member who just seems intent on making your life miserable. You'd like to just remove that person from your life, but circumstances force you to interact with him or her. If you have to deal with that person very often, you may find yourself in that "I don't care" mode. Maybe that's the only way you can get through the day.

Lack of Sunshine - Many people suffer from the blahs during the winter months. The lack sunshine can affect our sense of well being. We just want to crawl back into bed and sleep rather than face the day. There are physiological reasons for winter blues - lack of vitamin D and exercise (we don't get outside and move around as much during the winter months) can be a big contributor to our outlook and attitudes.

Unconfessed Sin - I think, too, the blahs can come when we have unresolved sin in our lives. Maybe it's unforgiveness or bitterness towards someone; or maybe we're doing something that God doesn't want us to do. For me, when I fail to do something I know God wants me to do, I begin to feel a distance from Him. It's not God creating that distance, but me. I know what I should be doing, and when I'm not doing what I know to do, I feel guilty. If I'm not careful, I'll begin to believe the lies that the Enemy is whispering in my ear. I'll start believing that I'm unworthy to spend time with God. After all, how dare I come into His presence when I'm willfully being disobedient to what He has for me to do! But that is not from God! During those times, Satan tells me to pull away from God, but God tells to draw near to Him, and He'll renew my spirit.


What can we do to "snap out of it" on our "blah" days?

Slow down - Rest - If I'm sick, tired or overwhelmed, maybe I do need to craw back in bed and just rest. Maybe God's telling me to slow down, to stop stressing and just rest in His Arms. When I choose this cure, I try to imagine that God is holding me as I sleep; that I am resting in His love and protection. If I can't sleep, I focus on all the blessings He provides. It's hard to feel bad when I think about all the good things HE has done for me. Sometimes, I listen to my Bible CD. Hearing God's Word spoken over me can be soothing, too.

Listen to uplifting music - Usually, uplifting music can get me moving in the right direction. Mercy Me's "Move" is a great song that lifts my spirits every time I hear it. The song speaks God's promises to me; it encourages me and reminds me that brighter days are coming.


Exercise - Get moving. The link I included above is a YouTube video of a young lady using the song MOVE with a Zumba routine. If you're feeling lethargic and have no energy, I highly recommend that you watch this video and try to exercise along with the instructor. I generally end up laughing my way through the song because I haven't quite mastered "Zumba" yet. And NO!!! I will not be including a video of my Zumba experience. = ) But still when I get up and move - whether it's doing an exercise video, running, walking, whatever it might be that helps to get me up off the couch, I feel more energetic and more optimistic. It doesn't work every time, but it's one of my favorite options when I'm struggling to feel happy again.

Prayer and Time with GOD - This is always my first option. When I start feeling a little down, I pray and ask God to renew my spirit. I know He has promised that He will do that for me.

I can sit in my backyard or go to the park and just sit still and watch all of nature. I see God's provision and His creativity, His attention to the smallest detail. Even with tiny little insects, He has shown us His love and care. I am always comforted by just sitting still with God. When I do that, He renews my spirit - my thoughts and attitudes begin to change. But note the verse below. Paul tells us that we should let the Spirit renew our thoughts and attitudes. We have the Holy Spirit living in us, and we have full access to His power and strength, but we can stifle that power if we don't allow Him to work in our lives. We must be willing to give Him control if we want to be fully renewed.

Quiet time with God is when I need to ask for forgiveness for any sins in my life, specifically, those I know about, and any sins I may not even be aware of. I need to ask God to purify my heart, to make me more like what He wants me to be. I want Him to change me, to mold me and make me to be more like Jesus. More of Jesus - less of me. That's my prayer.

I also ask God to give me wisdom to make good decisions and to prioritize according to His plan for me. When I'm feeling down or discouraged, usually that means I'm thinking way to much of myself instead of others. When I seek to comfort others more than to be comforted myself, God does this amazing thing: He comforts me Himself!

Ephesians 4:22-24 - .throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Depression, discouragement, feelings of being overwhelmed, boredom, feeling like nothing matters - all those things are from our sinful nature. Paul is saying "remember who you are. You have a new nature. You are not slaves to the old nature anymore." Those negative thoughts are not from God. We must stand firm against the Enemy because he will grab any tiny little foothold he can to bring us down. He wants us to dwell on the negative thoughts and emotions; he wants us to wallow in our despair. How do we win this battle? By taking every thought captive to see if it lines up with what Christ says is true. If the thought is not from Christ, we must not let it stay in our heads. We give it to Christ and let Him take it away.

2 Corinthians 5:10 - We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

When we refuse to let those thoughts which are not from God stay in our heads, we must also be proactive in filling our minds with positive messages from God. When a negative thought or attitude creeps into my brain, I ask God to take away, and then I intentionally replace that negative thought with things that are of God. I start listing my blessings or singing a song of praise or maybe I'll read one of David's psalms. I fill my head with God's word. If I don't replace the negative with something positive, the negative thought will come back stronger and bring some of his buddies. = (

Luke 11:24-26 - “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ 25 So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. 26 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.”

Philippians 4:8                                                                                                                                  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I have to remember that God has a plan for me, and it's a plan for good and not evil, a plan to give me a hope and a future. I can trust Him to provide everything I need to rise above the negative thoughts and attitudes that threaten to bring me down. I can rejoice even when I'm feeling weak because when I feel weak, that's when I turn to God. His power can work best in me when I rely on His strength .I cannot do this life on my own. I need my Savior.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 - Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Father God, You are my safe place. When this world tries to drag me down, You are the One I run to. I feel Your Protection and Your Provision every single day. I praise You, LORD, Creator of heaven and earth! I'm in awe of Your majesty, Your power and might, but most of all I am blown away by Your great love and mercy towards me. Thank You for redeeming me through Your precious Son. Thank You for forgiving me and making me whole by the power of His blood. Holy God, use me however You see fit to bring glory to Your Name. Help me to turn to You when I feel discouraged. Help me to quickly recognize the lies that Satan would have me believe. I am Your child and I am worthy, not from anything I've done, but all because of Jesus. I love You, LORD, with all my heart.

http://youtu.be/N0HozFRRp9Y - Back to You - Mercy Me

                                                                     ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


As I was research this topic, I came across this wonderful website: www.JeffRandleman.com . Jeff is youth minister for Mountainview Christian Church in Missouri. He listed 16 proactive tips on how to beat the blahs.

To read the full article, please go to http://www.jeffrandleman.com/16-things-you-can-do-to-beat-the-blahs .

So I’ve put together a list of things that I’ve found helpful in beating the blahs.

• Run away from your moods. When you recognize that you are in a funk, intentionally run away from it. Make it a point to eliminate this attitude from your day.
• Celebrate the good. My summer has been so hectic and traumatic. One way to get past that is to celebrate the great things that have happened. Positive thinking can have a huge impact on both your attitude and energy.
• Boost your energy. Exercise. Run. Bike. Walk. Hike. Whatever. Exercise can help. My personal favorite is geocaching. It gets me out and moving. I find it relaxing, and yet mentally challenging as well. 
• Treat yourself to a snack. Make it a comfort food. Or choose a healthier option. Either one is ok. The point here is not to gorge yourself, but to eat something you enjoy in order to help change your attitude.
• Read a good book. Grab a great story, or something inspiring. Or sit down with your Bible for a while. Just a suggestion… don’t read Lamentations at a time like this.
• Appreciate something beautiful. Step outside and look around. Look at the sunset, the clouds, the leaves on the trees, the butterfly that just floated past. Enjoy the beauty of your surroundings.
• Release your emotions. It’s ok to cry if you need to.
• Go to a friend. Grab a trusted friend and go to lunch. Let them know how you are feeling. They may have some great suggestions. And if not, at least you know someone is there to lean on. That in itself can be a huge help.
• Do something for someone else. One of the best ways to change a bad attitude into a better one is to look beyond yourself and help someone else. Trust me; this works.
• Spruce yourself up. Dress sharper. If you look good, you’ll soon start to feel good.
• Journal it. Write down how you are feeling, and be detailed. It may be helpful to step back and look at the big picture. Plus, later, you can see how God stepped in and changed things.
• Listen to some inspiring music. Music has the power to lift you up. Turn on something positive and encouraging. My personal choice is Howard Shore’s film score to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
• Do something different. Step out of your normal routine. Do something you don’t normally do. Changing things up a bit can be helpful.
• Laugh. Nothing can lift your spirits like a good laugh. Go find someone who can make you laugh. Watch a funny TV show. Read a few great jokes. Spend time with your kids, watching them. My kids are a constant source of smiles and laughter for me.
• Rest. Sometimes the best thing you can do is rest and relax for a while.
• Look for balance in your life. Try to eliminate things that elicit the negative; focus on the things that bring more positive thoughts and attitudes.

The blahs are normal. Everyone experiences them. In fact, they may even be somewhat beneficial. They can be an indicator that you need to slow down or stop. They can indicate that it’s time for a break from the steady routine of life.

But the blahs can be beat. This list is just the beginning. I know there are many, many more things that can help overcome the blahs. These are just some of the things that I’ve found to work in my life. Give them a shot. Maybe they can help you as well.

What do you do to beat the blahs?




from http://www.jeffrandleman.com/16-things-you-can-do-to-beat-the-blahs .



Thanks, Jeff, for letting me share these great ideas!

He knows my name

http://youtu.be/7C2o0jHNRuU - Beautiful - Mercy Me

When my grandchildren were learning to talk, I wanted them to learn how to say my name - "Nana". My trick was to hold up a banana (because all babies learn to say "nana" for banana, right?") hoping that they would  say "nana" and I could pretend that they actually knew my name.  A funny thing happened along the way.  My sweet little nephew had seen me perform this trick with my grandkids, so he put two and two together, and decided my name must be, Nana Banana!  

I love that name!  I love that my nephews still call me Nana Banana sometimes.  They know my name.
There's just something special that happens when someone calls me by my name.  When someone cares enough to know my name, that makes me feel good.

God knows my name.  He knows everything about me.

Psalm 139



O Lord, You have examined my heart and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
You place Your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!


I can never escape from Your Spirit!
I can never get away from Your presence!
If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I go down to the grave, You are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there Your hand will guide me, and Your strength will support me.
I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—
but even in darkness I cannot hide from You.


To You the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to You.

For You created all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in Your book.
Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up, You are still with me!


Every time I read Psalm 139 I feel a great sense of being loved by God.   
The Creator of the Universe knows my name.  He cares about everything that concerns me.

http://youtu.be/CC8puwexBBo - He Knows My Name - Paul Baloche


Isaiah 43
But now thus says the LORD, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.

John 1:1-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.



There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know him.  He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.  But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God,  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Sometimes, I forget that Jesus was there with the Father, in the Beginning. He was not just sitting on sidelines, watching His Father create the Universe. God tells us that through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.  Somehow, I forget the God, the Son, put on flesh and came to earth to live with man so that we could not only be saved through His sacrifice, but so that we could know that He understands what our human existence is like.  He knows our struggles and our temptations because He became man and experienced those things, too.  He showed us how to live a life that honors the Father.
 
When I read Psalm 139 I usually think of God the Father creating me, knitting me together in my mother's womb.  But Jesus was there actively involved in forming my body.  Go back and read Psalm 139 and think about Jesus being Creator God - because He is.  When I do that, His sacrifice becomes more awesome, more unimaginable!  To think that the Creator of the Universe laid down His rights as God to come to earth, not as a royal King or Ruler over everything, but as a lowly man who didn't even have a place to lay His head.  He didn't come as a strikingly handsome man. There was nothing special about His physical appearance. If I were God and decided to come to earth, I think I would make myself beautiful and perfect in appearance - isn't that we all seek after?  We all want physical beauty.  But Jesus had beauty that came from the inside, from His heart.  And people were drawn to Him, not because of His outward beauty.  They were drawn to His beautiful spirit, His love and compassion.
 
Isaiah 53 
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.  He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.  Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. 
Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted.  But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. 
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
 
This is Jesus, my Savior, my Creator, my Advocate.  He knows my name.  He sees each tear that falls.
He suffered extreme persecution and humiliation and finally, sacrificed His life for me.  The LORD God in Psalm 139 died for me.  Father God suffered right along with His Son, because what parent would not feel every blow, every nail being driven into his child's hand? 
 
My Creator is also my Savior.  He took great pains in forming me to be just who I am.  In His eyes I'm perfect. He could have made me any way He wanted.  I'm not an accident.  He didn't mess up by making me too short or too tall.  He made me just like I am for a reason.  And He looks upon me, His very special creation and says  "it's very good". 
 
I know that God has a very special plan for me, a purpose that He designed since before I was born.
He formed my body and my mind, providing me with every physical and mental tool I will need to accomplish the purpose He has for me.  I know I'm His perfect design, even down to the number of hairs on my head - Luke 12:7.  So why do I try so hard to be different from how He created me? 
 
My prayer comes from Psalm 8 and part of Psalm 9.  David gives the thoughts of my heart beautiful words of praise.
 
O Lord, our Lord, Your majestic name fills the earth!

Your glory is higher than the heavens.
You have taught children and infants to tell of Your strength,
silencing Your enemies and all who oppose You.
When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers—
the moon and the stars You set in place—
what are mere mortals that You should think about them,
human beings that You should care for them?
Yet You made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything You made,
putting all things under their authority—
the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents.
 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

I will praise You with all my heart, O LORD.  I will tell of all Your wonders.
I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your Name, O Most High.

http://youtu.be/tcJXe0fbuWE - Wonderful Maker - Chris Tomlin

Jesus - Others - You - JOY

This photo was taken about a two years after I started communicating with Emma
and Oscar.  Oscar is top row far left, Emma is holding baby Carol - on top row, 
next to her is Timoland who was about 14 at the time.
is next to her left.





This is the first photo I received of the children with Oscar (in the blue shirt - back row).

The building in the foreground is where the children slept.  It offered  little protection from the

weather.  Oscar and Emma had a dream of being able to build a new hostel, a new, safe latrine,
and a new kitchen.  They believed God would provide.  And He has.

Christmas 2010 - Oscar's kids along with some of the children from the village.
They are standing in front of the new hostel which was completed this year.
Timoland is in the black shirt - back row.  This young man is following in Oscar's
footsteps.  He will complete high school  in a couple of months and hopes to attend a university.

When I first met Emma and then Oscar, I asked them what they hoped to be able to accomplish in the future for Happy Choice Ministries.  Emma gave me a detailed report of what they envisioned for the future.  Her outline included a new kitchen, a new latrine, a new hostel, and various programs to be put in place to help train the children with skills such as sewing, farming, mechanics, etc.  I must tell you, I couldn't see how in the world all this could ever happen.  They had no support - not even their local church was able to help much since most of the members were elderly, widows and poor families who barely could survive themselves. 
But Oscar and Emma believed God's Promises.  Six years later, God has provided through the generosity of his children.  Happy Choice now has a new latrine, a new hostel and a new kitchen.  Oh, yeah, they also have piped water coming right into the kitchen now.  Another of God's amazing blessings.

http://youtu.be/7fwI4qbLpxE - Just Another Mountain - Jamie Slocum

Proverbs 3:9-10
Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.


Proverbs 11:25 .
A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.  (NIV)

Proverbs 13:7
There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.

This is an email I received this morning from my friend, Oscar:

Praise God ,this Morning



I just wanted to thank God the Almighty for His great love unto us .


We are all doing well and God is good .


Thank God so much for the work He has called us to do, caring for the orphaned and all the needy children.


Yesterday i met my former friend who is working in Nairobi .We discussed alot but when i told him what i do, caring for the orphans and needy children, my friend told me that i am wasting my time and resources. He asked me ,''who will care for your children?''


It was a blessed day for me since i took my time to preach the living Word of God to my friend, and at long last he was weeping tears after hearing part of my life stories which he didn't know. I told him i am not interested in owning any thing big here but instead am working for God and to own something in heaven .

The only thing i learnt from him is that there are many people who do not understand what God has called us to do, and we are not doing this work to please any man, but God our Heavenly Father has called us purposely to serve these little ones .
 
Oscar loves to share God's message to anyone he meets.  He and Emma also provided bibles to one of the local schools.
 
 
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”


Oscar and Emma don't give to receive, although I know their reward in heaven will be great. They may never have many material blessings on this earth.  Their treasures are laid up in heaven.  They sacrifice daily for the 12 children God has entrusted to their care.  If all they had to do was care for their three, their lives would be so much easier.  But Oscar knows what it's like to be left alone on the streets. Oscar was orphaned as a young teen and he remembers very well ,feeling alone, until he met his friend, Jesus.  His heart is full of compassion towards homeless children.  He wants them all to know his true Friend. 

When I first began communicating with Oscar and Emma, I  was uplifted by their words of faith.  They taught me about trusting God and believing in His provision and protection.  No matter how tough things got for them, their faith was strong and unwavering.

Oscar and Emma have three children of their own, Bobby, Bonny and Carol.  Providing for three children can be difficult in Kenya, however, neither Oscar nor Emma are afraid of hard work, and they do everything they can to have enough income to take care of their children. 

But God has given Oscar a heart for the homeless children he sees every day on the streets and in his village.  Oscar remembers too well the hardships he faced when he was left to care for his own needs.  He has taken in several children over the years.  Oscar cares for many of the children in the village who live with a grandparent or sick mother.  They have a roof over their heads, but not much else.  When Oscar has extra food, instead of saving for a rainy day as we might do, he shares his extra food with these other children.

During the elections in Kenya, there was great violence in the streets of Kisumu.  Businesses shut down.  Food was scarce. It was a very dangerous time for everyone.  Oscar's best friend was killed as he traveled on the road between their village and Kisumu.  Oscar was even attacked as he came back from Kisumu with some food for the children.  It was a horrible time.  But God protected the children.  Oscar said that there were breakins in the village.  Young men were roaming the area, stealing anything they could find.  It was if suddenly there was some bio chemical in the air that made people crazy and evil.  I knew Oscar was concerned for the safety of his family and the orphanage.  But he continued to trust God.  I hadn't heard from him for a while, and I knew what was going on in Kisumu from watching the news.  Finally, I received an email from Oscar.  He had some scary things to say.  But once again, I saw a man whose faith was steadfast.  He told me that break ins had occurred in several of the homes in his village. But God had protected the hostel ( the childrens building ) and Oscar's house from attack.  He said some of the homes that came under attack had protective walls surround them.  Yet, the hostel and his home had no walls of protection.  God was their shield.

During this time, one of the young boys who had recently come to live in the hostel decided he could take care of himself.  Food was very scarce and the children must have been hungry.  Oscar said that this young boy had lived on the streets prior to moving into the hostel, finding food any where he could. He probably felt his chances of having enough food was greater out on his own, rather than having to share with 12 other kids. He hadn't been at Happy Choice long enough to see how powerful God works in this ministry.  In desperation, he set out to find food on his own.  Oscar tried to find him, but he never did.

I thought how much we are like that young boy.  When times are tough, and God doesn't seem to be hearing our prayers, we sometimes seek to make our own way, just like this young boy.  If God doesn't provide an answer immmediately, or at least as soon as we think He should, we take matters into our own hands.
But if we trusted God like Oscar does, maybe we would wait for God's timing.  I don't know what happened to the young boy who ran away from the centre, but I am sure the children who stayed and waited on God's provisions are much healthier both physically and spiritually.

Faith is beilieving when we can't see.  It's easy to trust God when everything is going our way, when life is good, and we have everything we need.  True faith is trusting God when you have nothing.  I love this passage in Habakkuk:

Habakkuk 3:17-19
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign LORD is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights. 

This is how Oscar lives his life.  He rejoices in the LORD regardless of his circumstances.  He cares for 12 children who were not born into his family by  natural means.  These children were given to Oscar by God.
And Oscar loves them as his very own. 

I know Oscar must make God smile.  I'm honored to know him and to sit at his feet as he teaches me about faith and trusting in God - no matter what the circumstances.

Father, You are our great Provider and Protector.  I'm so in awe of how You reach down to us with love and kindness, providing for all our needs.  Your compassion is evident throughout Scripture, and I have witnessed it first hand in my life, in the lives of Oscar and Emma and so many others.  I know You are with us.  I know You care and want the best for us.  Thank You,  LORD, for taking care of us and giving us just what we need.  Forgive me for those times I try to do things my way rather than waiting on You.  Father, please direct my steps, help me to follow where You lead me.  Help me to hear Your truth and quickly recognize the lies of the enemy.  Thank You for saving me through Jesus, my Redeemer. I'm so thankful to know that You are with me always.  Father, please continue to bless Oscar, Emma and all the children of Happy Choice ministries.  I know You will provide for them and protect them as You always have.  Father, give Oscar everything he needs to speak Your truths to those you put along his path.  Give him influence in his community and among the children, so that others can see Jesus living in Oscar and be drawn to our Savior. Today, help me to give You control over everything I think, say or do.  Everything I am, LORD, is for your glory.  In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

Top photo is some of the poor widow women who Emma helps standing
in front of the new hostel with Zack and Michael from Lost Orphans
when they visited Happy Choice in August.

The bottom photo is the new kitchen. Oscar wanted Zack
and Michael to cut the ribbons for the grand opening!
This kitchen has a sink and a fireplace for cooking - even storage area
and counter tops.  Looks a little different from the old kitchen seen below.



This was the old kitchen where Emma
prepared meals for the children.

  

He's watching over me me, even at 3:20 in the morning.

http://youtu.be/05Y-Px39cm4 - God with Us - Mercy Me


Deuteronomy 32:10-12
“For the people of Israel belong to the Lord; Jacob is his special possession. He found them in a desert land, in an empty, howling wasteland.


He surrounded them and watched over them; he guarded them as he would guard his own eyes.


Like an eagle that rouses her chicks and hovers over her young, so he spread his wings to take them up and carried them safely on his pinions.


The Lord alone guided them; they followed no foreign gods.




Saturday morning, I woke up at 3:20 a.m..  I was worrying.

I rarely wake up in the middle of the night.  When I fall asleep around 10:30-11:00 p.m., I'm pretty much down for the night.  I sleep soundly and restfully.  It's a wonderful blessing to have that kind of peaceful sleep, and I'm so thankful. 

But Saturday morning was not one of the restful nights.  It had been a tough week.  And the Enemy seemed intent on stealing my peace by whispering defeat and despair in my ear.  I was worried about the future. What if something happened to Larry? Ever since we had that little scare with Larry's health last year, I have had a reoccurring thought in my head:  Would I be able to provide for our family?  Should I be doing something other than my mortgage business?  I'm willing to do whatever God has for me to do, but He isn't giving me much direction. Or if He is, I'm failing to see where He's leading. Anyway, that was what was going on in my head, and I couldn't rest. Worrying about "what-ifs".

When I woke up, I really hoped that it was time to get up.  Things always look better in the light of day, right?
But the clock said 3:20 a.m.   Ugh!!! Can't get more - middle of the night-  than 3:20 a.m.  So I decided to try and go back to sleep.  The enemy would have none of that.  The discouragement tapes starting playing in my head.  As I was laying there, my phone gave a little short beep, alerting me to a new email coming in.  I was trying so hard to go back to sleep so I didn't pick up my phone to see what the email was.  I should have.  It was a very special message from a wonderful friend.  She, too, had awaken - at 3:30 a.m.  Unlike me, my friend decided to go to her backyard and sit quietly with God.

Evidently, God had put me on her heart at 3:30 that morning.  And she listened to Him.  That email I had received at 3:40 was from my friend. This is a part of the devotional from Streams in the Desert:

Our almighty God is like a parent who delights in leading the tender children in His care to the very edge of a precipice and then shoving them off the cliff into nothing but air. He does this so they may learn that they already possess an as-yet-unrealized power of flight that can forever add to the pleasure and comfort of their lives. Yet if, in their attempt to fly, they are exposed to some extraordinary peril, He is prepared to swoop beneath them and carry them skyward on His mighty wings. When God brings any of His children into a position of unparalleled difficulty, they may always count on Him to deliver them. from The Song of Victory



When God places a burden upon you, He places His arms underneath you.

The message was clear.  God allows struggles to help us grow stronger and more dependent on the power and strength He has already given us.  We have everything we need to face any challenge.  We just need to learn to trust Him. 

No one knows what the future holds.  We can be fine one day, and the next day something can happen that changes everything.  I don't worry often, but life is so uncertain.  I'm afraid that I couldn't survive on my own. I'm 62 years old.  Am I supposed to be doing something else? I've been in the mortgage business for 20 years.  What other skills do I have that could provide enough income to survive?  So many questions... It's scary.  But this little devo sent by my friend spoke to my heart.  I could almost hear God saying:  "Carol, I'm right here with you.  I see.  I understand.  No matter what the future holds, I'll be with you. You have the ability to get through anything that I allow in your life.  Just trust me. I have already given you strength and power and everything else you need to finish strong. Trust me. I will not fail you nor forsake you." 

God does not give me a spirit of fear! Worry and fear does not come from God.  He wants me to feel powerful, fully equipped in His power.  His Spirit lives in me!  How can I be afraid of anything that might come?

2 Timothy 1:7 
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.



I can't tell you how loved I felt the next day as I began to put two and two together.  My precious friend answered the promptings of the LORD when He put me on her heart.  She is always so good about sending encouraging messages to me and several of our friends.  Normally, those messages are sent to all of us, but at 3:40 Saturday morning, the message she sent was to me only.  It was intended just for me.  I feel so loved by God and by my friend.  God used her to show me His love and compassion.  I'm so blessed to have that kind of friend.  I'm so blessed to have that kind of Father.

Clearly, God wanted me to know I was not alone and that He cared that I was burdened.  He reached down (through my friend) and lifted that burden of despair right off my shoulders.  I am loved by the Creator of the Universe!  My Father sees every tear I cry, and He comforts me with such loving kindness!

Sunday morning after services, a sweet young man came to me and said "Carol, I just want you to know I'm praying for you.  I've been praying every day for you, and God answers my prayers.  I know He does, because I see His answers every single day.  I will continue to pray for you."   It was just another love note from God. This young many didn't know I had been worrying about the "what ifs" in my future.  God put it on his heart to pray for me and Larry.  And he, just like my other friend, listened to God's promptings.  I feel so loved!



God is a loving Father. I think  of all the things going on in this world - war, famine, sickness, financial struggles, worries much greater than mine, and it just amazes me that with all that requires His attention, He sees my pain and my suffering, and it matters to Him.  He takes the time to reach down to me with love and comfort.

My Father cares about what concerns me, whether those cares are real or imagined. He is worthy of all my praise and devotion.  

This is what I learned this weekend.  God cares and I'm always in his thoughts.  He's watching over me - even at 3:20 in the morning. = )  He's never to busy to make time for me when I need Him.

Psalm 32:8
The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.

http://youtu.be/98nG3xH02wo - I know You're there - Casting Crowns


The other thing I learned:  When God puts someone on my heart, I need to stop and pray for that person.
It may just be that their name pops into my head out of the blue, or it may be a more complete thought or concern about something I know they are dealing with.  If God brings them to mind, He's asking me to come along side of them, just like He did with my friend on Saturday morning and my other friend on Sunday morning.   They both listened to God.  I am blessed because they were obedient to lift me up in prayer.

Holy Father, You are so worthy of my praise and devotion!  You are my Rock, my Safe Refuge.  When I'm afraid, You are my Protector and my Shield.  You are the Strong Right Arm that lifts me up when I fall.  You are faithful and good.  And Your love for me is beyond my comprehension.  I feel that I can face any army because I know You will be by side and when necesary, You will step in front of me and defend my cause.

Please forgive me for those moments when I forget who I am.  I am the daughter of the King of the Universe!  My Redeemer has bought me with His own blood.  I do not have to fear anything this world may throw at me.  My God is stronger than the enemy .  I put my trust in You.  Be glorified in my life, LORD God!  Help me to relinquish control today, and just to follow where You lead. Give me Your wisdom so that I will choose the path You have prepared for me. Thank You for loving me. Thank for sending my sweet friends to encourage me and lift me up.  I am overwhelmed with Your love towards me.  Blessed be Your Holy Name!
In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

Honoring our Father through obedience

Richey and Bryce  = )

                http://youtu.be/4Z8bXcBRIU0 - Want to be just like You - Phillips Craig & Dean

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you."  Exodus 20:12



When I was younger, I thought that God had just made up a bunch of rules and regulations for me to follow.  I thought it was a test to see if I would obey. Some of the rules seemed impossible to follow.  Some just didn't make any sense to my human mind.  But I tried to obey the best I could because I didn't want to be punished by God.  I saw Him as a disciplinarian ready to slap my hand whenever I failed to measure up to His expectations.  And I never measured up.

I obeyed out of fear, not out of love or gratitude.  I still fear Him; but it's more like being awestruck by His power and His majesty.  He is Creator of the Universe, and I'm so humbled  and so grateful that HE loves me.  I fear Him - not unlike how I feared my parents when I knew I had done something I shouldn't have done.  I wasn't afraid for my life, but I knew there would definitely be consequences for my actions. I didn't like being disciplined very much. 

Richey, me and Mikey

I have a different perspective now.  As a parent, I understand the love behind the rules and regulations.  The rules I make as mom are meant to make life easier, safer, and more enjoyable for my child.   My rules are designed specifically to help my child be the best he can be.  Sometimes that means correcting and disciplining him so that he can learn how to make better choices.  He doesn't always understand why he can't do this or that, because he doesn't have the experience or hindsight that his dad and I have. 

Larry's mom, LaVerne, used to tell him, "Larry, you can go along the road of  life and hit every pothole, or you can listen to me, and I can direct you around those potholes."  Pretty wise advice. 

All of us parents were young once.  We have experiened the journey from birth to adulthood.  As long ago as it was, I still remember being a teenager so clearly.  I remember the good times and the bad times.  Looking back, I have a different view of those life experiences.  I remember how terrible I felt when I broke up with my high school boyfriend. I was hurt and devastated!  I thought I'd never find anyone else like him.  It was the end of my world - at least that's how it felt at the time.   Looking back now, breaking up was probably the best thing that could have ever happened.  God had a better plan for me.  I just couldn't see it at the time.  But my parents did.

Of course, I blamed my parents for the breakup!  I don't how I managed to make it their fault that he was not a good boyfriend, but I managed.  All they did was try to encourage me. They assured me that there would be someone else much better down the road. But every time they tried to "help" me,  I'd get defensive and angry at them - not because they were wrong, but because they were right.  And when you're a teenager, it's really hard to admit that your parents are right about anything.  = )

I wished I had known then what I know now.  My parents loved me more than anyone else on earth.
They wanted me to be happy and have a wonderful, full life.  They sacrificed for me.  They always put my needs ahead of their own.  Why?  Because I was their child, and they loved me more than I could understand.

Now I understand.  I know how much they loved me because I'm a parent, and I know how much I love my children and grandchildren.  I would do anything humanly possible to insure their happiness.  The rules I made for my sons as they were growing up were meant to protect them and to help them learn how to be responsible, caring adults.  Not one rule was meant to hurt them and or to make life harder than it had to be.  Not one rule was meant to take away even one second of  their happiness. 

As a parent, the hardest thing to do is to stand by and watch your child making a mistake that could easily be avoided.  If only they would listen!  I've been there.  I know what will happen if they continue on a certain course.  And I know how to make it better because I've lived it.  I have the experience.  I know the outcome of those choices.  But they don't always listen, and even when they do listen, they some how think their situation is totally different from what mine was all those years ago.  But as Solomon so wisely said, "There's nothing new under the sun."  Our children make the same mistakes we made  because they don't fully trust our love or wisdom.

How do we get our children to understand that everything we do, every rule, every disciplinary action, every thought we have towards them is for good and not evil?  How do get them to trust our love so that they can listen when we instruct them on how to choose the right path?  How do we teach our children to honor their parents?  Why do children have to make all their own mistakes instead of learning from the two people who love them more than anyone on earth loves them?

I think one of the problems is that husbands and wives don't honor each other in front of the children.  We criticize and put down our spouses too often.  It's disrespectful.  And if we don't respect each other, why should our children respect us? 

Sitcoms have taken a bad turn in the last few years.  Dad is always a big joke.  Mom is almost always portrayed as  "the smart one"; she's usually quick witted and doesn't mind throwing a cutting remark in dad's direction.  The kids take in every word, every eye roll, every put down, and eventually, they may very well  copy mom's behavior and attitude.  This happens in reverse, too.  Dads don't always  respect their wives.  They don't always demand that the children treat mom with respect and honor.  If dad doesn't pay any attention to what mom has to say, why should the kids?  That's what we see on T.V. and in the movies.  Unfortunately, that's what many of us see at home, too.

I've made lots of mistakes, and I wished I could have a "do over" or two.  Hindsight makes all things so much clearer.  I've learned lots of very hard lessons, and how I wished my children and grandchildren could learn from my mistakes instead of having to make the same stupid mistakes themselves.

This is what I know:

• If I don't treat my husband with respect, eventually, my child will not respect him either.
•  If my husband never places any value on my knowledge or my contributions to our family, my child won't think I have any value either. 
• If I use cutting remarks and put downs towards my husband, my children will think he's a big joke. Why would they trust dad with any problem they might have?  I've made him out to be a big loser who can't do anything right.
• If my husband is verbally or physically abusive to me, then my child may imitate those abusivebehaviors  - either towards me or towards a future spouse.

Bottom line:  The only way we're going to get our children to honor their parents is if we honor each other. 
That means even if we are divorced from the other parent, we still need to teach our sons and daughters how to respect the other parent, for their sake.

When children respect their moms and dads, they are more likely to listen and to obey them.  Life would be so much easier if  they would do that.  So many of those potholes could be avoided if children would just listen and obey the instructions of their parents.  Aren't I just so full of wisdom?  lol

But guess what?  Here I am at 62, and I still make those same dumb mistakes.  Sometimes I still refuse to listen and obey my Father, just like I did when I was a kid.  The difference is now I know better.  = (

My heavenly Father gives me rules and guidelines for living my best life.   Do I listen?  Do I always obey?
Nope.  You see, sometimes I think His rules are a little outdated.  After all, He made those rules thousands of years ago.  Lots of things have changed since then.  Right?  Not really.  The hairstyles and clothing may be different; and of course, we now live in a high speed internet world full of all kinds of challenges; we're inundated with advertisements telling us that we deserve to be first; we deserve to be happy.  On the surface, life seems very different now.  How can God expect us to follow those old rules?

Again, we have Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, telling  us, "There is nothing new under the sun".  But what does he know?

Think about every challenge you face. 

Sickness  - the man with leprosy, Job
Death of a loved one - Mary and Martha when Lazarus died
Suffering - every apostle, Job,  and of course, Jesus most of all
Relationships - Joseph and his brothers, Job had a discouraging wife
Financial issues - the widow who gave her last penny, Matthew, a tax collector had to change his career, Job lost everything.
Depression, Jealousy, Self-esteem issues -  David was depressed; King Saul was jealous; the woman who was caught in adultery felt worthless, ashamed, Job was depressed...
Mental illness - pretty much everyone who had a demon cast out, Saul
Marriage issues - Bathesheba and Uriah, Hosea and Gomer, Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and his wives = )

The list could go on and on.  Go ahead.  Try and think of even one challenge that we have today that the people in early bible times didn't have. Adultery, promiscuity, homosexuality, bickering and division in the church, etc.
Every temptation falls into one of these three common denominators:

1 John 2:16 says, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”

Pride -                             "me first"
Lust of the flesh -    craving things of this world
Lust of the eye -       being enticed by outward beauty or desirability

Every single struggle, every single temptation we experience has happened before to other people.  God has seen the same sins happen over and over again since the beginning of time.  He knows how to avoid the potholes, but we won't listen.

Adam and Eve faced temptation in the same way we do:

Genesis 3:6 
“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”

One rule!  That's all they had to follow!  God told them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This rule was for their protection; for their long term happiness.  If they didn't partake of the fruit from this tree, they would not become aware of sin.  They would remain innocent before God.

But they didn't listen.  They didn't trust God's love towards them.  They listened instead to the enemy.

The serpent twisted the truth. He planted a seed of doubt.  "You will not surely die, for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:4
Eve could be just like God!  Pride crept in. 

We all are susceptible to becoming prideful.  Pride is all about self.  We seek honor and power for ourselves rather than giving all honor to God.  Anytime we trust in ourselves instead of trusting in God, we can become prideful.  

When I think of pride, I get an image in my head of a football player who has just made a touchdown.  He's in the end zone doing a little dance, pounding his chest, just screaming, "look at what I did!".  He seems to have forgotten all the other people who made the touchdown possible.  The quarterback, his teammates who protected the quarterback so that he could execute a good pass, all the guys who blocked and tackled, clearing the way so that he could run the distance...  But he crosses the goal line - not them.  He did it.  That's pride - failing to give honor to those who made his victory  possible; taking all the glory for himself.

Eve saw that the fruit looked good.  Lust of the Eye - Genesis 3:6 - "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good and pleasing to the eye..."   The fruit looked good; it enticed Eve.  The outside beauty of the fruit tempted her to question God.  How can anything so beautiful be bad?
2 Corinthians 11:14b
...for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 

Eve trusted her own understanding.  The fruit was desirable and appealing.  Her human desires for food and for more knowledge became a stumbling block for her. She wanted something this world could offer -delicious food and wisdom.  Her Creator knew what was best for her, but she thought she knew better. The lust of the flesh - selfish desires tempted her. 
Genesis 3:6 - "...the fruit ... also was desirable for gaining wisdom."


Jesus was tempted in the same way when He was in the wilderness.  He had fasted for 40 days and nights, and certainly, He was hungry and tired.  The enemy always hits us when we are weakness, most vulnerable. 

Matthew 4 tells us how the devil tempted Jesus. 

"If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."  Matthew 4:3 – lust of the flesh

Then the devil took Him to the holy city and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple.
"If You are the Son of God", he said, "throw Yourself down.  For it is written, 'He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.'" Matthew 4:5-6 – the pride of life

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  "All this I will give You, he said, if You will bow down and worship me."  Matthew 4:8-9 - the lust of the eyes.

Here's the thing.  Adam and Eve did not listen to God.  He knew what would happen if they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  He warned them specifically, "DO NOT EAT".   He gave them every other tree to eat and use as they saw fit; just not this one tree.  The serpent convinced Adam and Eve that God was holding out on them; that He didn't want the very best for them.  So, instead of listening to God, they used their own logic and reason, tainted by the lies of the serpent. And they did what they wanted to do.

The devil tried the same tactic with Jesus.  But Jesus remembered His Father's Words.  He answered every temptation with Scripture:  "It is written".  He could have said, "My Father says..."   Jesus knew that the only way He was going to accomplish His purpose - Salvation for those who believed - would be by listening to His Father and doing  everything He told Him to do. He knew His Father had a plan and a purpose for Him.  Not only did He listen, He obeyed.  He showed honor and respect to His Father because He knew His Father loved Him.  He trusted His Father completely.

Sin came into the world by one man - Adam.  But by one Man, Christ, we can all be saved.  The difference between these two men was the first disobeyed and the last One obeyed.

Why can't I learn to trust my Father?  He has never failed me.  He's never steered me wrong.  He's never abandoned me, even when I turned my back on Him for a while.  He provides for me.  He protects me.  He blesses me so much.  He even sent His Son to take my punishment so that I can be with Him for all Eternity.  I know He wants the best for me.  He knows the past, present and future and how every choice I make plays out for good or for bad.  He has a plan for me that's far greater than anything I can imagine.  I seek happiness on earth - He wants so much more for me; He wants me to live a life full of joy for ever and ever.

I truly believe He loves me; I believe He wants the best for me,  So,  why oh why, do I not listen when He speaks?  Why don't I seek His direction in every circumstance?  Why don't I obey Him instead of thinking I know a better way?

I think if we parents could teach our children to sincerely trust us; to have faith in us; enough faith to obey our instructions even when those instructions seem counter to what they want to accomplish; if our children could just remember that we've been there and have so much more insight and wisdom because of  our life experiences; and if they could just know without a doubt how great our love is for them, maybe then when they grew up and became Christians, it would be the most natural thing in the world for them to trust their Heavenly Father.  The most important thing I can give my children is a deep, personal understanding of how much God loves them, and that He has a very special pupose and plan for each of us.  We just need to trust Him.

Father God, thank You for loving me and for being so patient with me.  Forgive me for being rebellious, even now I still have moments when I think I know best.  You'd think I would have learned by now.. Thank You for patiently prompting me and guiding me.  Thank You for not giving up on me.  Father, please help me as a mom and a grandmom to teach my children and granchildren by my example.  Help me to show them how to obey - even when it doesn't make sense to me.  Maybe if they can see me obeying You, without hesitation, maybe they will learn to trust You completely, too.  Help me show them Your amazing love and faithfulness through every circumstance that you allow in my life.  Father, help me to remember that before You allow one difficulty or struggle in my life, You filter every single challenge through Your deep and abiding love for me.   Father, instead of focusing on getting to the end of a struggle, help me to focus more on allowing You to accomplish Your purpose for me during the difficulties.  You are always faithful and I trust You to bring me good and not evil; a hope and a future.  I don't want to settle for my idea of happiness.  Fill me up, LORD, with Your Joy which lasts for ever and ever.  In the precious Name of Jesus, I ask all these things.   Amen.

http://youtu.be/3JfifnH3wd0 - The One You Need - Shane and Shane                                                                

Mikey and Brooklyn

Mikey, Jill, Brooklyn and Presley



Richey, Amber, Jaycie and Bryce



Rob, Jenna, Ally, Cari and Bobby



                                                             Larry, me and Tyler 2011


Family forever  ~ ~ ~      

In quietness and confidence is my strength...

The Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says, "Only in returning to Me and waiting for Me will you be saved.  In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it."  -  Isaiah 30:15

Why is it so hard to find quiet time? I long for the tranquility that I feel when it's just me and God - no noise - no distractions- just soothing, calming quiet.  But it's so hard to shut the world out.  It seems everytime I sit down to just "be still and know", that's when all those things on my "to do" list come flooding in.  I can't seem to clear my mind of the noise and distractions. 

It never fails, when I'm trying to spend some quiet time with God, that's when I will remember all the things I need to do. My thoughts take over:

"I'll just get up and make that one phone call, then I can really be still."
"If I just put one load of clothes on to wash, then I can be doing two things at once." 

And it doesn't stop there.  It really is a battle of the mind.  The enemy does not want me to spend this time with God.  He does not want me to feel the comfort and peace that being alone with God provides.  He throws everything he can at me, trying to distract me from the One who can calm my spirit.

When I let those distractions take me away from my communion with God, I'm putting those things before Him. I'm basically saying, "Father, hold on just a minute, I just have this important thing I need to do.  It won't take a second for me to check my email.  After all, there might be something very important I need to attend to."  That's exactly what I'm thinking when I get up from my quiet time to do that "one thing" that seems so critical at the moment.  I'm telling God to wait?  Am I really going to tell  my Father that something else is more important than my time with Him?  That is not good.

There are times = ) when I am talking to my husband, trying to share something that is really important to me, but he doesn't see the importance of what I'm saying.  After all, he has things he needs to do, and he is easily distracted.  If his cell phone rings, he doesn't think twice about answering it right in the middle of our conversation.  Needless to say, I feel pretty unimportant in those moments, even though I know he loves me.  I just don't feel like a priorty when he doesn't give me his full attention when I'm talking.

It makes me feel bad.  After all, shouldn't I be the most important person in his life?  Shouldn't what I have to say matter more than what anyone else might say?  Okay... to be fair, I do the same thing to Larry.  = )  It's the pot- kettle thing.  But what's even worse, I do the same thing with God.  In my quiet time, if the phone rings, I usually answer it.  "Excuse me Father, I just have this important call...."  REALLY???

In my quiet time, God will speak to me.  Maybe He will speak by giving me insight regarding the passage I just read, or maybe He'll speak through a bird soaring high in the sky.  If I don't let the world distract me, if I don't let my own thoughts distract me, God will speak to my heart with love.

Is that 30-45 minutes of down time really going to prevent me from doing all the things I need to do for the day?  Do I really think that?  It's crazy to think that because I waste at least that much time doing meaningless things all through the day. 

This struggle to have quiet time is spiritual warfare to be sure.  If the enemy is fighting so hard to keep me from it, he must know how powerful it can be.  In quietness and confidence is my strength.  If I want to be strong and powerful throughout the day, I need that quiet time with God.  I refuse to let the enemy steal it away. The (Holy) Spirit who is in me is more powerful than he (the enemy)  who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

I love the verse in Isaiah:  "In quietness and confidence is your strength."   I have experienced that strength that comes from simply sitting in my yard, watching the squirrels scamper around, racing each other from one tree to the next.  I've seen the birds scurrying about as they look for food for their babies.  And when the wind is just right, I love watching them fly overhead, allowing the air to come under their wings and lift them up. They are carried along with no effort on their part.  All they do is just spread their wings wide, trusting God to do the rest.

photo by Tomasz Sienicki

I love the word "soar".  The online Free Dictionary defines it this way:

To rise, fly, or glide high and with little apparent effort.
To climb swiftly or powerfully.
To ascend suddenly above the normal or usual level as in  "Our spirits soared."

What does "soaring" have to do with quiet time?  Well, when I sit quietly in my backyard and wait on God, He sometimes speaks to me, by sending a beautiful bird high over my head, soaring confidently with power and ease.  In that moment of  quiet and peace, I am reminded that just as He gives that beautiful bird the ability to rise above, He will also give me the strength and confidence to rise above my worries and cares, if I simply trust in Him instead of myself. 

Isaiah 40:30-31
Even youths will become weak and tired,

and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

http://youtu.be/mVEvD30e5yc - On Eagle's Wings - Hillsong
 
I hope you can find your quiet time with God today.  I know it's difficult to get away from the noise of this world.  But Jesus found time, and He was so much busier than we are.  Every where He went, He was bombarded with people who needed Him.  How many times do we read that He went off by Himself to pray or to be alone with His Father?  Sometimes, He would wake up early in the morning, while everything was still quiet.  One way or the other, He found time. I need to find time, too. 
 
Quiet time is so important to my relationship with God.  How am I to know what He would have me do if I never really sit still and listen?  I can read a chapter from the Bible every day, but if I'm not being still and truly listening with my heart for what He wants to show me in that passage, I'll miss out on so much. 
 
Isaiah 30:18-21
"But the LORD still waits for you to come to Him so He can show you His love and compassion.  For the LORD is a faithful God.  Blessed are those who wait for Him to help them.
O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more.  He will be gracious if you ask for help.  He will respond instantly to the sound of your cries.  Though the LORD gave you adversity for food and affliction for drink, He will still be with you to teach you.  You will see your teacher with your own eyes, and you will hear a voice say, "This is the way; turn around and walk here."
 
When I try to do things on my own, or when I get caught up in the cares of this world, my Father, who loves me and has compassion on me, will sometimes allow adversity or affliction in my life.  Not because He's mean or wants to punish me, but because He's my Father, and He uses whatever is necessary to draw me back to Him for my sake.  2 Corinthians 12:10b - "when I am weak, then I am strong" becomes real to me. Because when I'm facing difficulties, when I feel overwhelmed by this world; when I realize that I cannot do it alone, that's when I reach for Christ.  In weakness, affliction, adversity, I become strong by trusting in His strength, not my own.
 
When I wait on God, when I sit and listen, Isaiah says I will hear His voice say "This is the way; turn around and walk here."  But if I don't  listen, if I don't make time to be still and quiet before Him, I won't hear what He has for me.
 
Matthew 14:22-23 ESV
Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. And after He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, ...


Mark 1:35 NLT
The next morning Jesus awoke long before daybreak and went out alone into the wilderness to pray. 
 
James 4:8 ESV
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Psalm 46:10 ESV
Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Matthew 6:6 ESV
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

http://youtu.be/mZGzu6oI9b4  - I Give You My Heart - Hillsong

Father, my heart's desire is to worship You. Nothing and no one is more important to me than You.
Lord I give You my heart, I give You my soul. I live for You alone. 

Please help me to shut out the distractions for just a few minutes of precious time with You alone.  Just You and me.  Father, open my ears and prepare my heart so that I will see clearly what You have for me today.
Before I get all bogged down in things I need to do, help me draw strength and confidence for the day by spending quiet moments with You.  Nothing matters more than my time with You.
Every breath I take - every moment I'm awake, Lord have Your way with me. Do what You need to do to keep my attention on what is most important.  More than anything, I want this day to honor You.  In the blessed Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.