Still Around but Busy

Hello blog world.  I am still alive.  So much has happened since my last blog.  I got a few prophesies about God bringing me a husband and family and boy did He!  I married a man that I have known for over 18 years now.  My Doug & I first met when he worked as an Electronics Tech where I work.  I actually helped him with some of his procurement.  We have been friends all this time, would talk when we ran into one another.  Doug is everything I told the Father I wanted in a husband and can't be happier.

My walk with the Lord is getting stronger.  I have changed my home church and am settling in with a great group of folks.  It's my husband's home church and I couldn't be happier there as well.  I am enrolled in a Precept Bible Study course on Covenant.  My dear friend Deborah Lynn taught a time or two on covenant before so some of what I am studying is what she taught.   But there are some nuggets of revelation that I am getting that I didn't know or see before.  God's word is so alive and active if we would just read it with an open mind and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal His truth.

Today is Easter Sunday.  One of my favorite holidays of the year....the other is Christmas.  YES both centered around my Beloved Bridegroom King.  A day of remembering that He isn't dead in some tomb, He is alive!  Because He is alive so am I.  Beautiful weather here in Indiana on an Easter...nice change too.

Today in church when Pastor Dale was preaching he hit upon Jesus preaching the Sermon on the Mount.  I got to thinking about the Beatitudes.   The Holy Spirit was prompting me, The BEatitudes.  Check it out....Matthew 5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes

He said:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Be poor in spirit doesn't mean be poor or sad it means be humble.  Be a comforter to those in trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves were comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:4).  Be meek, be hungry & thirsty for righteousness. Be merciful, be pure in heart, be a peacemaker.  Be joyful even in persecution.  Be rejoicing  & glad in all circumstances.  Guess this is the lesson for the season.  Will have to get back in the habit of blogging so I can let you know how my progress is.

Hospitality & New Beginnings

Well God is doing a work in me...so caution to those still allowed to be part of my life....I am a hard hat zone. God is taking me back to the basics of walking with Him. Stripping off all the religious lies and junk from me. There was a time I walked in unison with others, but that time ended 2 years ago this month. It was an ugly break but a necessary one according to God's own design & plan for my life. It was a hard rough season, but as seasons go, it is now over and there is such peace that floods my soul when I remember it. Thank You Father for Your peace and love.

God has brought me to a new body of believers who are a bit behind where I was, but are working towards the goal of a true intimate walk with Him. They are going over the basics once again, learning how to crawl before they can walk & fly. I know I am there to help encourage them along, to love & serve them as my Lord loves & serves me.

I have been back to flight school. My dearest friend Bob spoke how he once saw me fly and how God desires me to fly yet again. Am working my way back there....learning how to fly once again in worship, in prayer, in praise....how to fly in my day to day life. Like a bird who's wings were cut, it has taken a period of time for those feathers to grow back out, for me to trust those wings, for me to learn once again how to take flight and to soar. Some days I like a young eagle fumble a bit and land harshly, but other days I have the confidence and I just soar.

Been down a bit with the flu this weekend, but praising God for it nonetheless as we have had bad weather and icy roads. God always knows what is best for us, even if it doesn't look like His best...for that I am glad. This morning's Sunday school lesson was all about hospitality....one of the gifts He bestowed upon me at birth. It was a wonderful time with Him going over the lesson and hearing how pleased He has been with me that in spite of all I have endured this past 2 years that I am still loving and hospitable to others. That I still open my heart & home to others willingly and without hesitation.

3 John is a short but sweet book of the Bible. It gives the examples, good & bad, of hospitable people. In this short reading the Holy Spirit gave me this: That as the time is growing short, there is such a calling to treat one another in a manner worthy of God. We need to treat others as God Himself treats us.....tenderly and with loving care. Not loving as the world calls love, but as He Himself is love. John 3:16 gives us the perfect example of that love....that God so loves the world that He gave...note that....HE GAVE His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Three things I discovered this morning about this type of hospitality:

1) We are to show hospitality with pure motives. The Holy Spirit reminded me that I did and still do this. That I serve others for God's glory not my own vanity and fame. He reminded me that my motives are pure when I serve.

2) We are to show hospitality and not expect anything in return. The Holy Spirit reminded me that I don't seek fortune or fame. That I don't seek anything in return for my service; that I show hospitality out of the motive of loving my brothers & sisters.

3) Those who show hospitality participate in the ministries of those to whom hospitality is shown. That when I am serving on family dinner night at church, when I do something special to help someone in need, that I am participating in that person's ministry. That when I am serving others I am serving God's kingdom as a whole.

I used to think that one person couldn't change the world. Perhaps in the larger scale that is true. But one person can have a positive or negative impact on their immediate circle of authority or world. I choose to be hospitable towards others, whether they are deserving or not according to the world. Why? Because of John 3:16.....because God chose to be loving and hospitable towards me; a sinner who didn't deserve such love and grace.

What does all of this have to do with new beginnings? Why loving God and loving others above one's self is the beginning of a most excellent journey. Am back to the basics and beginning a new leg of a most excellent journey. I hope to blog more of my progress and hope you come along for the ride.

What are you afraid of?

Today I am pondering, pensive and thinking. I have been told I over analyze things....yes perhaps so. When things or situations come into my life I look at them like one would look at a Rubik's cube. I turn it this way and that, I study it before I make the next move as I don't want the next move to be a wasted move that will cost me ground. This morning the Lord is speaking to my heart, "What are you afraid of?" It is all I can do to keep from crying.

What am I afraid of? Well other then the obvious to my friends...spiders & snakes...can't stand them, the list seems endless within me. I am afraid of truly being alone even though I know HE is with me, I am afraid of being alone in the natural. I don't like living alone, I don't like eating alone and I certainly don't want to die alone.

I am afraid of failure. My life seems a "Magoo" life. Mr. Magoo was a cartoon character I used to watch as a kid. He was an old bald man with very poor vision and he had to wear thick glasses. He never really saw where he was going, he bumbled along through life. But somehow when he stepped off into the unknown there was always a steel beam to catch him....kind of makes me think of how God is in my life....He is that steel beam I seem to step out on when I do muster up the courage to step out. But I am afraid of failure....why? Well I have no clues....still trying to Rubik cube puzzle that one out. I guess it comes from this drive within me to do things right the first time....or perhaps my drive to please others and not let anyone down as I have been let down so much myself. I don't know. Perhaps it is a trust issue. I don't trust myself to do things and trust it will work out....perhaps just the basic trusting of God & His work within me to sustain me through whatever obstacle.

I fear if I allow myself to love others, I fear I will either hurt them or get hurt myself. Hurting others is a big one for me. I know what it feels like to have one's heart ripped out by the carelessness of a friend or loved one....so I guess this is what keeps me from loving like I should.

The fear I really don't know how to truly love or that I will truly be loved. I wonder sometimes in the course of my 2 marriages...did I really love them? I mean truly love them or did I just love the idea of being married? Will I ever be truly loved not for anything I can do or give someone but truly be loved? I know in my head God loves me, but have I truly allowed that to filter to my heart to where I know beyond a shadow of doubt that God TRULY loves me? Have I allowed God's love to permeate my very being?

Then in today's email I get this nugget of wisdom....no it is not written by me and I don't take any credit for it.....

Stoplight Faith
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2 by Os Hillman
Wednesday, August 18 2010

"And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith" (Matt 13:58).

You can learn a lot about people in traffic. For instance, I observe a lot when I see 20 cars in one line and only 3 cars in another. The reason for the longer line is these people want to make sure they get to make their turn after the light. I, on the other hand, want to get through the light first, then I will worry about making the next turn. This is a difference in risk taking tolerance, or perhaps faith; or even some might argue with me that I'm operating out of presumption versus real faith.

No matter which person you might be in this situation, it is sure that faith is often spelled R.I.S.K. When the priests carried the ark into the Jordan River at flood stage there was a risk they could lose the ark to the Jordan River. However, that is not what happened. "And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap" (Josh 3:13). God changed the entire environment and made it possible to walk across without the pressure of wading through the powerful water only when they took the first step.

Risk means there is a potential for loss. However, when God leads us to take a risk, then He is there whether we succeed or fail. He is there in the success and He is there in the failure. If He leads you to take a risk it may not always succeed in the way you think. In fact, it could even fail.

The only true failure is when we fail to take the risk when God is leading us to do so. Sometimes the fear of failure is the greater obstacle than the risk itself.

Has God called you to step out in an area that requires risk? This could be the place He wants you to move. Ask Jesus to give you the courage to step out.

So now another few questions exist....am I afraid of so many things because of the risk required to step out in faith and just step out?? What am I afraid of losing if I step out and do what God is calling me to do or to give Him? Is hanging onto whatever it is I have a death grip on really worth holding onto? Will this soul of mine ever get surrendered to the point where these questions will just die?

So many questions & so much confusion. Perhaps my friend is right....I do over analyze things. Perhaps the best course of action for me is to go back to step one and just "be".

Lessons from a tree & a little boy named Carter

Ok so this might appear an unusual post, but heck my life is anything but usual. A couple months back we had some nasty storms rip through where I live. What once was a mighty maple tree was now a heaping mass of tree. But there were many lessons to learn from this tree. Ephesians 3:14-19 gives us some of the lessons of my tree...I won't post the scripture here, but encourage every reader to seek for him/herself!

One of the things I noticed about this tree is that it had a tremendous root system. When it came down it didn't come down because of bad roots! Half of the truck is still standing upright in the ground. Ephesians 3:17-18 "that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you , being rooted & grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height..." We should be like that tree...firmly and well rooted in Jesus, in love. God is the embodiment of of love and so is His Son Jesus. John 3:16 "For God so LOVED the world that He gave His only begotten Son Jesus." Did you catch that...God loved us so much He gave His Son, created in love, to be a love sacrifice for us.

The tree when it was upright and thriving had a good root system that provided plenty of nourishment for that tree. The soil must have been pretty rich for it to have gotten that big. How is your root system today? Are you firmly rooted and grounded in Christ, the good soil of which you get plenty of nourishment? Or are you rooted and grounded in this unstable world, which is not so nourishing to one's soul?

Second thing I noticed about this tree....it's hollow! Yep a good wind came along and because this tree didn't have enough substance it blew right over. It was virtually snapped in half in an odd way. But if you look at the stump remaining and start looking up into the tree it is hollow. Ephesians 3:19 "to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be FILLED with the FULLNESS of God." We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit & Christ. What are you filled with today? Are you filled with the Holy Spirit, Christ, the very word of God? Or are you filled with you & what this crazy world has to offer?

Third thing I have noticed about this tree....because it's root system was/is so strong, there are shoots coming up! Yes this old tree is persevering to survive! It has a never die attitude and there are several new trees coming off of the old dead one. Ephesians 6:17-18 "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying always with all prayer & supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." Knowing in our minds that we ARE saved and the children of God, exercising HIS word in our lives, our work place, our community....praying ALWAYS. Did you catch that...we are to be praying always, not just when we need something but always talking with the Father, persevering in this daily life to become more like Christ and to be the example of Christ to this world. Are you running the race to win the prize? Or have you given up because of a leg cramp? I may be limping at times, but I am still persevering to run this race and obtain that glorious prize! Come jog/run/or walk with me a bit!

The lessons I learned from a boy named Carter Kipp. Carter is a sweet angelic boy in California that is persevering and daily winning his battle with liver cancer. I follow his family blog daily....just click on the link and pray! Carter is barely 2 years old and although I don't know him personally and have been following his progress via this wonderful thing called the internet; I have learned some lessons from him. So this next portion of my blog is dedicated to this wonderful young warrior & his loving family. Thanks Carter & Kipp family for continually teaching me in the midst of your storm...Hugs!

The first lesson I have learned from this young warrior is not to complain. This sweet boy has a tube coming out of his chest that his parents pump medicine into several times a day. I think it is called an IV line, but heck I am no nurse. This boy has been through several rounds of chemo, been sicker then a dog, yet hasn't complained or grumbled. This sweet spirit has just tried to smile and persevere through it all. In all the pictures I have seen there has been a smile, yes a weak one at times, but a smile nonetheless.

Second lesson I have learned from this young warrior and his brother Bennett is unconditional love. Kira, Carter's mom, posts regularly Carter's progress but also how both boys are interacting in the midst of this. Carter is a loving sweet boy, who in spite of his own issues has concern for his bigger brother when he scraped his knee. Bennett has been tender and careful playing with his brother. Reading their stories shows you the love & bond these 2 have for one another...something we adults who have been hardened by the world could stand to learn again. We can learn how to be tender and caring once again for our brothers and sisters in Christ, but also for the lost.

Lord, keep healing Carter, keep shrinking that tumor until it is non existant. Holy Spirit pour out your horns of healing & joy over, into and through not only Carter but this family as a whole. Let all weariness be removed from this family in Jesus' mighty name. Father open the windows of blessing & provision over this family. Father Your word says You will meet all our needs...meet all of the Kipp family's needs emotionally, spiritally, physically, & financially in Jesus' mighty name. Amen

Dear reader, I encourage you to click on the link for "We Love Carter". Go read this touching blog and take up the burden of prayer for this family. If you can afford a cup of coffee, take that money and send it on to the family for financial help.....it may seem like a dollar or a few cents in your hands, but God can and will multiply it for the Kipp family's use and God's own glory.