Safe

Once again, I was going to start this post with an apology for not posting in almost a year just like I did last April . . . but then I got thinking about how God just wants us to turn from our old ways and not waste time on apologies. So now, I turn back towards my worship of Him without fear of letting Him (and you) down.

During my hiatus from posting, I have gone through many trials and troubles. I have been brought down by stress, responsibilities, and countless worthless worries. I have also watched people that I love get brought down by things of this world. So this post is for all of us who are living in fear and regret.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV) Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.

As a self-proclaimed control freak, I constantly struggle with letting go of my worries, my stress, my issues, and my faults. I think that if I just worked harder, I could fix everything on my own. To my dismay, I am proven wrong every single time.

God is the only one who is in control, the only one who can give me peace, the only one who can keep my life in control. The more I try to do things myself, the more gloriously I fail!

I pray that those of you struggling would just give up! No, not give up on yourselves, but give up trying to fix things on your own. God promises to keep us safe in his arms if we hand over the reigns completely to Him.  He doesn't say that it is easy or comfortable . . . He just tells us that it is necessary.  We need to turn to Him because He is there, He is strong, He is loving, and He is capable of doing everything we can't do!

Safe by Phil Wickham    To the one who's dreams are falling all apart and all you're left with is a tired and broken heart.  I can tell by your eyes, you think your on your own; but you're not alone.  Have you heard of the One who can calm the raging seas?  Give sight to the blind, pull the lame up to their feet?  With a love so strong and never let you go.  No, you're not alone.   You will be safe in His arms.  You will be safe in His arms.  'Cause the hands that hold the world are holding your heart.  This is the promise He made: He will be with You always.  When everything is falling apart, you will be safe in His arms.  Did you know that the voice that brings the dead to life is the very same voice that calls you now to rise?  So hear Him now, He's calling you home.  You will never be alone.  These are the hands that built the mountains, the hands that calm the seas.  These are the arms that hold the heavens, they are holding you and me.  These are hands that healed the leper, pulled the lame up to their feet.  These are the arms that were nailed to a cross to break our chains and set us free.

So will you rest in His arms?  Will you trust that you are safe there?  I'm the first to admit that it's not easy . . . but it's what we all NEED!

My Hope Is In You

As I sit down to write this blog entry, I realize that it has been almost exactly one year since my last post.  What in the world has happened? . . . LIFE!  Within the last year, I continued teaching, working on my Graduate Degree, and spending time being a devoted wife & aunt.  All to which I added the addition of becoming a coach.  My husband and I now coach the local high school ski team together and we're sure that God wants us to be reaching these kids.  On the flipside, such a great responsibility brings about countless hours of organization, reflection, stress, and busyness.

I'm not making excuses; in fact, I am admitting that nothing in life should be an excuse for growing distant from the Lord.  Unfortunately, this is exactly what I allowed to happen.  Another momentous event this year was that a close coworker of mine was diagnosed with inoperable cancer.  The news has devastated our school and community.

While many of us are struggling with the news of her diagnosis, she is a testament to God's grace in how she is handling the events.  Her faith, strength, and peace are admirable.  Upon reflecting, I realized that I need to rely on God as surely as my coworker is.  I was reminded of my need to put my hope in him.   

Psalm 91:2 (NIV) I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

This scripture verse is a reminder of how our trust, our faith, and our hope needs to be in God.  It can't be satisfied by being busy, being successful, building relationships, or anything else in this world.  Nothing in our lives can replace the sense of fulfillment that we receive from a strong relationship with Christ. 

He is our refuge.  He our sustainer and healer.  He is our Lord.

As I was reflecting about my dear coworker and sending off a card to her in the mail, I found this song on the internet.  It's funny how God can bring something to you at just the right time.  It has been playing nonstop on my laptop since I heard it. 

My Hope Is In You by Aaron Shust    I meet with You and my soul sings out as Your word throws doubt far away.  I sing to You and my heart cries, "Holy! Hallelujah!  Father, You're near!"  My hope is in You, Lord, all the day long.  I won't be shaken by drought or storm.  A peace that passes understanding is my song and I sing My hope is in You, Lord.  I wait for You and my soul finds rest.  In my selfishness, You show me grace.  I worship You and my heart cries, "Glory!  Hallelujah!  Father, You're here!"  My hope is in You, Lord, all the day long.  I won't be shaken by drought or storm.  A peace that passes understanding is my song and I sing My hope is in You, Lord.  I will wait on You.  You are my refuge.  My hope is in You, Lord. 

This song and scripture verse are testaments of our need to put all of our hope in Him.  When we give Him our all, He gives us a peace that we can't even comprehend.  Even though it's hard to remember when we are bombarded with all the distractions in our lives, it's the only way to survive.   

Always

We are constantly faced with circumstances that test our faith.  On of the most jarring of these is the loss of a family member.  Unfortunately, we all face this trial at some point in our lives; but it's particularly difficult when it comes unexpectedly.  My prayers go out to those who have lost someone close to them.

Isaiah 43:10 (NIV) "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.  Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. 

Even though it may feel like God is nowhere near you right now, have faith that He is right beside you. He is always with you. God has been there before this pain, He is with you now, and He will be there after the pain subsides. He never fails and He never leaves your side. Hold on to His promises to love and comfort you.

You may be crying out to God saying, "I need you.  Why did you leave me?  Why did you let this happen?" 

Things often seem unfair, but God has a larger plan.  One that we can't even begin to comprehend.  He knew long ago that you would be going through this pain and He's ready to hold you in His arms.  Hold on tightly to His promise and assurance that He will wrap his loving arms around you. 

This song is written from true stories of pain and loss. Let the words comfort you through your sorrow.  God is with you!

Always by Building 429   I was standing in the pour raining one dark November night, fighting off the bitter cold when she caught my eye.  Her face was torn and her eyes were filled.  Then to my surprise she pulled out a photograph and my heart just stopped inside.  She said "He would have been three today. I miss his smile, I miss his face."  What was I supposed to say?  But I believe always, always our Savior never fails.  Even when all hope is gone, God knows our pain and His promise remains.  He will be with you always.  He was living in a broken world dreaming of a home.  His heart was barely keeping pace when I found him all alone remembering the way he felt when his daddy said goodbye, fighting just to keep the tears and the anger locked inside.  He's barely holding on to faith, but deliverance is on its way.  'Cause I believe always, always our Savior never fails.  Even when all hope is gone, God knows our pain and His promise remains.  He will be with you always.  Friend, I don't know where you are and I don't know where you've been.  Maybe you're fighting for your life or just about to throw the towel in.  But if you're crying out for mercy, if there's no hope left at all, if you've given everything you've got and you're still about to fall - Well hold on!  He will be with you always.

Not only is God always there for you, He knows what you are feeling.  He knows what it feels like to be let down; we let Him down every day.  He knows what it is like to be lonely; we constantly turn away from Him.  And He knows what it's like to lose a loved one - after all, He graciously sent His son to die for you.  He gave up His loved one so that you could be His child today.

Desert Song

A friend of mine recently recommended this song to me and I haven't stopped humming it since.  Similar to the hardships I spoke of in my posting Stand in the Rain, this verse and song talk about how the struggles we face are meant to strengthen us.

I Peter 1:3-7 (NIV)  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

The visual picture in my mind from this verse is that of a refiner purifying gold over a burning flame.  The refiner in this picture is God and we are the gold: imperfect and flawed.  In order for God to truly strengthen us and purify our hearts for Him, He needs to put us through flames of trials.  The trials are hot, uncomfortable, and difficult; however, they are not more than we can withstand. 

Whatever struggles you are facing in your life, remember that God is with you through them.  Know that He may be using these struggles to strengthen your faith, show you glimpses of His mercy, or purify your life of imperfections that are weighing you down. 

These struggles are not things we look forward to; but, we need to have faith that God is allowing us to go through these trials with the purpose of strengthening us!  Just as gold is purified by fire - we are strengthened and purified by the trials that heat our lives.

Desert Song by Hillsong United   This is my prayer in the desert when all that's within me feels dry.  This is my prayer in my hunger and need.  My God is the God who provides.  This is my prayer in the fire and weakness or trial or pain.  There is a faith proved of more worth than gold.  So refine me, Lord, through the flame.  I will bring praise, I will bring praise.  No weapon forged against me shall remain.  I will rejoice, I will declare God is my victory and He is here.  This is my prayer in the battle when triumph is still on its way.  I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ.  So firm on His promise I stand.  All of my life, in every season, You are still God.  I have a reason to sing; I have a reason to worship.  This is my prayer in the harvest when favor and providence flow.  I know I'm filled to be empty again.  The seed I've received, I will sow. 

No matter what you are going through, God is right there.  He is with you through life's storms and battles.  And He will still be standing with you when the storms and battles are over.  He is with you through it all.  

We Will Not Go

Recently, I came across an Old Testament story that I've heard so many times before.  It is the story of Moses leading God's people out of Egypt.  You know the story: the slaves are freed, miraculously cross the Red Sea, enter the Promised Land.  That's the story we're all taught, right? 

Actually, before Moses led the people to the promised land, they first spent time worshiping God in the middle of the desert!  We usually pass over this part and skip right to the reward of the Promised Land.  That is, after all, the final destination; but what about the journey to get there? 

Exodus 13:20-22 (NIV)  After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.  By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.  Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. 

God didn't want to just bring His people to a wonderful place; He wanted to bring them closer to Him.  To do this, they needed to make a pit stop in the vast sands of the desert, not in the land that flows with abounding gifts.  If we were in a beautiful place, would we really stop to think about how God's grace got us there?  If we are always focused on rewards (money, friends, success), we lose sight of what is truly important: our relationship with the God of the universe! We need to remember that our goal is to draw near to our Creator - our goal is not to just reap rewards from Him. 

Fire by Night Cloud by Day (We Will Not Go) by Kelly Minter   Fire by night, cloud by day; our God will lead the way. Desert sand or promised land; our God will lead the way. Forever we will follow, no matter what tomorrow holds. We will not go, we will not move, we will not walk without Your presence. We will wait for You. The great I Am, almighty God, we are desperate for Your presence. And without You, we will not go. Troubled soul when darkness comes; our God will lead the way. Joyful heart when blessings flow; our God will lead the way.

Don't depart for the Promised Land without God in your life.  Life's rewards will be meaningless if you don't have a relationship with the One who gave them to you.  Remember that He is always with you, even if you feel you are stuck in the middle of a desert searching for those Promised Lands...