Blessing

Always amazes me when God wishes to communicate something to me. It often seems wrapped in mystery, something I could easily overlook if I didn't pause to be still. And yet something so clearly marked with His fingerprints.

Often He speaks through His Word. Like I pointed to the other day, sometimes He takes a verse so dear and sheds new light on it. But sometimes He speaks through others. As I've been wreslting these past few months, this song has crossed my path.



God's blessings and graces are many...sometimes we just can't see them at first. May you see the blessings, my friend.

A choice- two ropes

In life we always have a choice, don't we? It's one of God's great gifts to us. This morning as I awoke and muttered my first prayers, I began to see the choices before me.

I've been in a place the past few days where I've again had to face that my plans and God's plans are not the same. Life's so much easier when those two align. But I also know that I can't force God to make His plans my plans. So I have a choice.

What will I choose? My plans? My plans are are like a rope I could choose to cling to. It's a rope that I've braided since a girl. I would be a wife. I would be a mother. I'd have at least two children. Life would be centered on caring for this family and raising the children up to follow God. I'd always thought my family would live near where I grew up. We'd have time with grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. My mom and I would visit and I'd get advice from her over cups of coffee. Later I added details like the children would be a few years a part. Not so far apart that they didn't share things in common, but not one on top of the other either. 3-4 years would be great. I'd even adjusted that plan to 2-4 years most recently! Of coure this rope already had to be rebraided somewhat over the years, but still a large piece of it was intact. There's nothing really wrong with this rope. Except that it's pretty small isn't it?

The other choice I have is God's plan. Ahh... but that rope I can't quite understand. It's so big I can't see where it leads. I can only see the now- a husband and a son to honor, love, and care for. Other family to keep near despite the challenge of miles between us. A church family to serve. But I don't see much else. I don't know what a little further up the rope holds. I don't know what dreams are up there. I don't know what to set my expectations on.

Or do I know what to set my expectations on? God has said He has plans and they are good (Jer. 29:11). He says he wants me to live an abundant life (John 10:10). He says I am loved (Jer. 31:3). He says life is to bring Him glory and it's to share His love with others(John 15:8). He says this life is only a shadow of what's to come (John 14:3). He says to set my heart on Him and things above(Col. 3:1). He says I can trust Him, even when I can't see (Prov. 3:5-6). He says He's my rock, my foundation, my hope (Ps. 62).

So which rope should I choose to hold on to?

Yes, you got it. I'm going to choose to hold on to God's rope. I'm also aware that I need to cut down the other rope and not try to tie it up again. (The not tying it up again is probably the harder part!) You may want to ask me later which rope I'm holding on to.

What about you though? What are you holding on to? Good question isn't it? There's always a choice- two ropes!

Renew

It's been some time since I last wrote. Life seems to get busy and this little space gets squished out when that happens. That doesn't mean that I'm not pressing on or thinking, it's just there's not time to sit and write.

In the space since I wrote last I've continued to count God's graces. I've had good days and not so good days. Life has been happening. Sometimes I'm amazed at the territory my emotions can cover in a week. Well, let me look at that again...in a day! Sometimes I'm just plain ol' weary from it all.

Last night was one of those weary moments for me. I was feeling a bit defeated. I'd slid a bit into the pit where those nasty thoughts swim in my head and drown out God's truth. I must admit I turned to the computer to see if I could find something to read that would help. I wondered if there was someone out there who had walked a similar road recently and could offer some encouragement. (I know I should be turning to God and His Word first, but that wasn't what I choose.) God was kind and brought me to some words that turned me to His Word. I'm so grateful. The words had to deal with waiting and God's perfect timing. It reminded me of my treasured verse, Isaiah 40:31. I took a moment and thought about that verse and all the miles it's traveled with me. And then I noticed it. The little word renew.

But they that wait upon the Lord, will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Hold it. If God is promising to renew their strength when they wait on Him, then maybe waiting drains strength? Maybe it's normal for this process to make us feel all twisted and limp. Maybe it's normal to be discouraged when we wrestle to hold on to God when we wait. Maybe I'm not so far off the mark. God is promising renewal. He's promising to give what we need...to replenish it.

It was a small word, but it gave needed strength. Keep holding on. God will renew and enable until there is victory.