there are so many people hurting today in my little world. people i know that have had family members affected by the Joplin tornadoes and others who have lost more than I dare imagine-a child. Lord have mercy.
In the face of such tragedy a reverent silence-full of emotion fills my soul. what do you say?
BE NEAR SWEET JESUS. BE NEAR.
be near those who are in shock because their world came crashing down around them while they sat in bathtubs, basements, and under furniture and watched as their community and homes were swept away.
be near the Blevins and Wagoner families who have lost soo much. Paid the ultimate price for freedom, by sacrificing their son. Just as you did dear Lord. BE THEIR COMFORT. all I can think is...
Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.
our hope. our salvation. our lives. all come from you. So again I pray...
OH SWEET JESUS BE NEAR. aw
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
What is REST?
REST.
1.the refreshing quiet or repose of sleep: a good night's rest. (uhmm.....)
2. refreshing ease or inactivity after exertion or labor: to allow an hour for rest. (yea...)
3. relief or freedom, especially from anything that wearies, troubles, or disturbs. (thank you Jesus...)
4. a period or interval of inactivity, repose, solitude, or tranquillity: to go away for a rest. (sounds wonderful)
5. mental or spiritual calm; tranquillity. (how I crave this...and finally...)
6. the repose of death: eternal rest.
Do you feel like you get enough rest? me either. and when i do take time to rest i often feel guilty about it. Especially when I am afraid that I may be hurting another by not being available to them as much as they would like for me to be. But I cannot be everything to everybody. And some people want more from me than I can possibly give. and that is hard when it is people you love. but i have begun to realize that if i do not have rest (in whatever form i feel i need it) then i am not being the best i can at other times. we must come to Him for rest -whether it is sleep, or times of reflection in the word, or a good book, or exercising, or gardening, rest is very necessary. not zoning out (that is different) it doesn't not restore, it steals. zoning out has no benefits. rest does. it revives, it doesn't drain our emotional, or spiritual buckets. like eating too much food while parked on the couch watching something that we will feel guilty about later. not that a good movie can't be rest at times. I guess the difference to me is where your thoughts are during this time of inactivity. And if I stuff with chocolate while I am vegging out (which I have been known to do) when the guilt comes it is definitely not restful.
Isaiah 30:15 "This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says, In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength but you would have none of it.
But why do we resist rest if we crave it soo much? i don't want to merely exist. I want to LIVE! for my Jesus and for my family and for my calling. everyday. consistently. but it is soo hard. especially when we try to do it from our own strength, without taking time for rest.
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"
And I want to know and learn more about this rest, and if the Sabbath rest should still apply to us today. my gut says yes. since in Hebrews 4 (the new testament) it encourages us to keep the Sabbath. but it is so hard. to squeeze everything and everyone into our overly scheduled lives. we usually use Sunday or Saturday as a day to get the stuff done that we need to get done, between jobs and sport schedules, and those that we love. I would love to hear your thoughts about this one.
Hebrews 4:11 "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same [2 Pet 2:6] example of [Heb 3:18; 4:6] disobedience.
Don't get me wrong, relationships are so important. I believe that they are the most important part of living. What else can we take with us into eternity but our relationships, with God and others.
But let us make sure that we are making time for the most important relationship, our relationship with Him. His is the only relationship that offers rest. I love spending time with my family and friends and church family but these relationships can be taxing at times. Let us make sure we are going to Him to be restored. for REST.
1.the refreshing quiet or repose of sleep: a good night's rest. (uhmm.....)
2. refreshing ease or inactivity after exertion or labor: to allow an hour for rest. (yea...)
3. relief or freedom, especially from anything that wearies, troubles, or disturbs. (thank you Jesus...)
4. a period or interval of inactivity, repose, solitude, or tranquillity: to go away for a rest. (sounds wonderful)
5. mental or spiritual calm; tranquillity. (how I crave this...and finally...)
6. the repose of death: eternal rest.
Do you feel like you get enough rest? me either. and when i do take time to rest i often feel guilty about it. Especially when I am afraid that I may be hurting another by not being available to them as much as they would like for me to be. But I cannot be everything to everybody. And some people want more from me than I can possibly give. and that is hard when it is people you love. but i have begun to realize that if i do not have rest (in whatever form i feel i need it) then i am not being the best i can at other times. we must come to Him for rest -whether it is sleep, or times of reflection in the word, or a good book, or exercising, or gardening, rest is very necessary. not zoning out (that is different) it doesn't not restore, it steals. zoning out has no benefits. rest does. it revives, it doesn't drain our emotional, or spiritual buckets. like eating too much food while parked on the couch watching something that we will feel guilty about later. not that a good movie can't be rest at times. I guess the difference to me is where your thoughts are during this time of inactivity. And if I stuff with chocolate while I am vegging out (which I have been known to do) when the guilt comes it is definitely not restful.
Isaiah 30:15 "This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says, In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength but you would have none of it.
But why do we resist rest if we crave it soo much? i don't want to merely exist. I want to LIVE! for my Jesus and for my family and for my calling. everyday. consistently. but it is soo hard. especially when we try to do it from our own strength, without taking time for rest.
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"
And I want to know and learn more about this rest, and if the Sabbath rest should still apply to us today. my gut says yes. since in Hebrews 4 (the new testament) it encourages us to keep the Sabbath. but it is so hard. to squeeze everything and everyone into our overly scheduled lives. we usually use Sunday or Saturday as a day to get the stuff done that we need to get done, between jobs and sport schedules, and those that we love. I would love to hear your thoughts about this one.
Hebrews 4:11 "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same [2 Pet 2:6] example of [Heb 3:18; 4:6] disobedience.
Don't get me wrong, relationships are so important. I believe that they are the most important part of living. What else can we take with us into eternity but our relationships, with God and others.
But let us make sure that we are making time for the most important relationship, our relationship with Him. His is the only relationship that offers rest. I love spending time with my family and friends and church family but these relationships can be taxing at times. Let us make sure we are going to Him to be restored. for REST.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
After Stillness Comes...The Beautiful-Stir.
The last few weeks a stillness has overtaken me. A quietness of spirit. Somewhere in the dark recesses of my soul change was emerging. A gentle knowing was beginning to fill the weary dessert places hidden below the surface of the deep. Where once pain and fear ruled, now peace was emerging...ever so quietly. gently. the stir began.
At first I did not perceive it, once perceived~still unrecognizable. There was a new presence in my spirit that had never been there before, but once recognized...embraced. A simple agreement had been made with my Creator somewhere in my subconscious that is nothing short of transforming. An agreement~ to believe who Christ says that I am. And to believe for the first time in my life that having a feminine heart is just as God said it was in Genesis 1:31 Very Good. To cast off all the pain that being a woman- in this sin filled world can bring and STOP believing all the lies from Satan- that being a woman is nothing short of a curse.
Sweet Sister Do you believe that? I urge you dear friend to consider...what it is in us (as women) that uniquely reflects the divine. As women we offer to humanity the one thing Satan hates most...Our beauty. not only in our physical being but in everything we touch. The beauty of a house made a home. The beauty of a flower garden loved into being. The beauty of a soft caress and gentle tear. The beauty of offering comfort to loved ones through meals prepared, dishes done, and laundry washed. THE BEAUTY OF LIFE GIVEN. Oh dear ones...
Today, I pray from the depths of my being that somewhere within your soul you will find the grace to embrace all that is beautiful about being created woman and to believe that it is not a curse but God's crowning creation to be made FEMALE. TO REVEL IN THE THRILL OF TRANSFORMING YOUR WORLD INTO WHAT ONLY YOU AND YOUR FEMININE HEART CAN MAKE IT...BEAUTIFUL.
Love & Prayers to you today as I CHOOSE to honor my creator by saying to Him YES LORD! I AM BEAUTIFUL. AND SO ARE YOU! aw
At first I did not perceive it, once perceived~still unrecognizable. There was a new presence in my spirit that had never been there before, but once recognized...embraced. A simple agreement had been made with my Creator somewhere in my subconscious that is nothing short of transforming. An agreement~ to believe who Christ says that I am. And to believe for the first time in my life that having a feminine heart is just as God said it was in Genesis 1:31 Very Good. To cast off all the pain that being a woman- in this sin filled world can bring and STOP believing all the lies from Satan- that being a woman is nothing short of a curse.
Sweet Sister Do you believe that? I urge you dear friend to consider...what it is in us (as women) that uniquely reflects the divine. As women we offer to humanity the one thing Satan hates most...Our beauty. not only in our physical being but in everything we touch. The beauty of a house made a home. The beauty of a flower garden loved into being. The beauty of a soft caress and gentle tear. The beauty of offering comfort to loved ones through meals prepared, dishes done, and laundry washed. THE BEAUTY OF LIFE GIVEN. Oh dear ones...
Today, I pray from the depths of my being that somewhere within your soul you will find the grace to embrace all that is beautiful about being created woman and to believe that it is not a curse but God's crowning creation to be made FEMALE. TO REVEL IN THE THRILL OF TRANSFORMING YOUR WORLD INTO WHAT ONLY YOU AND YOUR FEMININE HEART CAN MAKE IT...BEAUTIFUL.
Love & Prayers to you today as I CHOOSE to honor my creator by saying to Him YES LORD! I AM BEAUTIFUL. AND SO ARE YOU! aw
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