Wednesday, September 29, 2010
The Lower Lights
I just stumbled upon this and was so excited to share it with you all. I hope you enjoy the revival of hymns. Would love to do this sort of thing here in our town. We have so many talented musicians.
A Vision of Prayer
This has been a huge burden for me lately. Just another reminder that our prayers do availeth much. If your interested in reading an amazing book on prayer my husband highly recommends "A Praying Life" by Paul E. Miller.
"But the Lord said to me, 'Do not say, "I am only a child." You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,' declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.'"
-Jeremiah 1:7-10
What a grand-scale vision is today's reading! Uprooting nations and kingdoms? Destroying and overturning realms? Building and planting in remote corners of the earth? Little wonder we quiver and whine, "That's not for me, I am only a child."
But God is with you as you grab hold of this magnificent vision. That's right, God has appointed you over nations and kingdoms. He has appointed you to uproot and tear down... through prayer! God will touch your mouth and give you the words to intercede for the nations of the world. If you can't actually serve on the foreign mission field, you can travel there through prayer.
The world is starving for your prayers. And the Devil is terrified of them. So don't let Satan shrivel and shrink your vision down to a size which he finds more manageable. If your heart needs to get pumped up, read Jeremiah 1:7-10 one more time and rejoice over God's vision for you to reach the world through prayer!
Dig out an old National Geographic map and thumbtack it opposite your desk to remind you of God's grand-scale-vision to reach the world with His love. Ask Him to fill your mouth with intercessions and then start building and planting through your prayers.
Enlarge my heart, Lord, to pray the way You would have me to pray for the world!
Taken from Diamonds in the Dust. Copyright © 1993 by Joni Eareckson Tada. Used by permission. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530
Blessings,
Joni and Friends
www.joniandfriends.org
"But the Lord said to me, 'Do not say, "I am only a child." You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,' declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.'"
-Jeremiah 1:7-10
What a grand-scale vision is today's reading! Uprooting nations and kingdoms? Destroying and overturning realms? Building and planting in remote corners of the earth? Little wonder we quiver and whine, "That's not for me, I am only a child."
But God is with you as you grab hold of this magnificent vision. That's right, God has appointed you over nations and kingdoms. He has appointed you to uproot and tear down... through prayer! God will touch your mouth and give you the words to intercede for the nations of the world. If you can't actually serve on the foreign mission field, you can travel there through prayer.
The world is starving for your prayers. And the Devil is terrified of them. So don't let Satan shrivel and shrink your vision down to a size which he finds more manageable. If your heart needs to get pumped up, read Jeremiah 1:7-10 one more time and rejoice over God's vision for you to reach the world through prayer!
Dig out an old National Geographic map and thumbtack it opposite your desk to remind you of God's grand-scale-vision to reach the world with His love. Ask Him to fill your mouth with intercessions and then start building and planting through your prayers.
Enlarge my heart, Lord, to pray the way You would have me to pray for the world!
Taken from Diamonds in the Dust. Copyright © 1993 by Joni Eareckson Tada. Used by permission. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530
Blessings,
Joni and Friends
www.joniandfriends.org
Friday, September 24, 2010
Louis: our little man grows
Louis' favorite activities right now are flipping over on to his side or belly and trying to get his thumb in his mouth. He has plenty of smiles for us all and is starting to be more vocal as the days go by. He also seems to like to scratch at his face so he has all these little scabs on his nose and cheeks despite the fact that I regularly cut and file his nails! He's sleeping anywhere between 4-6 hours at night which is amazing for all concerned and seems to be just such a happy and contented baby!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
From Streams in the Desert
I awoke early this morning after a full nights sleep and opened up my devotional for todays entry. Streams in the Desert always speaks to be somehow but especially today's entry. I've been struggling with mastitis off and on for the past two weeks and its been a hard little patch for me. I've also been doing quite a bit of soul searching and seeing that old sins die hard and sometimes all I can do during this busy time is cry out O God please just help me. Sometimes that just means letting go and releasing myself and all my flood of emotions and fears to my Savior. That is such a hard thing for me because trust is an issue at times, well most times, and I'm so dog gone serious and intense it makes me sick (literally sometimes). And yet I know there is hope. I keep hearing whispers of it....this too shall pass.
"I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord (Phil. 3:8)
This is the happy season of ripening cornfields, of merry song of the reapers, of the secured and garnered grain. But let me hearken to the sermon of the field. This is its solemn word to me. You must die in order to live. You must refuse to consult your own ease and well-being. You must be crucified, not only in desires and habits which are sinful, but in many more which appear innocent and right.
If you would save others, you cannot save yourself. If you would bear much fruit, you must be buried in darkness and solitude.
My heart fails me as I listen. But, when Jesus asks it, let me tell myself that it is my high dignity to enter into the fellowship of His sufferings; and thus I am in the best of company. And let me tell myself again that it is all meant to make me a vessel meet for His use. His own Calvary has blossomed into fertility; and so shall mine. Plenty out of pain, life out of death: is it not the law of the kingdom?"
-From In the Hour of Silence
"Do we call it dying when the bud bursts into flower?"
"I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord (Phil. 3:8)
This is the happy season of ripening cornfields, of merry song of the reapers, of the secured and garnered grain. But let me hearken to the sermon of the field. This is its solemn word to me. You must die in order to live. You must refuse to consult your own ease and well-being. You must be crucified, not only in desires and habits which are sinful, but in many more which appear innocent and right.
If you would save others, you cannot save yourself. If you would bear much fruit, you must be buried in darkness and solitude.
My heart fails me as I listen. But, when Jesus asks it, let me tell myself that it is my high dignity to enter into the fellowship of His sufferings; and thus I am in the best of company. And let me tell myself again that it is all meant to make me a vessel meet for His use. His own Calvary has blossomed into fertility; and so shall mine. Plenty out of pain, life out of death: is it not the law of the kingdom?"
-From In the Hour of Silence
"Do we call it dying when the bud bursts into flower?"
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Our kitchen and dining area floor is finally being done by my amazing husband! He works hard and so finding time to work on our own home has been a little bit tricky for him. I am so thankful that we have taken our time waiting for funding and timing but I can't deny that getting this done is a huge relief for me...
Thursday, September 16, 2010
I'm moving past my emotions today. You know those days were you start feeling sorry for yourself. they come on quick and then become hard to kick. there is a point at which you have to say to yourself "ok, I can't change my flood of thoughts right now they are coming too quickly but I can swim like hell to stay above the swell and pray through the storm that seems to rise one more time over the horizon of my life."
Friday, September 10, 2010
Fences
"The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand."
-Isaiah 1:3
When I was growing up upon a farm in the hills of Maryland, God used horses to teach me a few of life's lessons. Such as, my sister's two horses, Shotgun, and his best buddy, Reds. The goal in life for Reds was to weasel his way through the pasture fence, while Shotgun was content to remain behind.
Reds would find a way almost every night to escape through the fence. After a late-night phone call from the farm over the hill, my sister would have to climb out of bed and hunt down her horse with a flashlight - usually finding Reds standing placidly on the yellow line of our country road, munching weeds and being target practice for oncoming cars. She'd lead him back, always finding Shotgun in the pasture, whinnying and waiting for his buddy to come home.
I've been like Reds. For the longest time I was restless, looking for life's loopholes to crawl through. But for what? Greener pastures? No, life's weeds. Shotgun knew his place behind the barriers. Unfortunately, Reds was relieved of his pasture privileges to spend his nights in the barn. If I wanted to be safe, I knew I had better learn a lesson from those horses!
Despite having an owner and master, the fact remains that we are not always content with God's control, or satisfied with His provisions. We sneak beyond the limits He has set for us. God has given us boundaries in our marriage, our friendships, and in our knowledge of evil. There are even borders for your desires and lines for your emotions. Stay within the boundaries God has placed around you.
Father, forgive me when I search all along the fence line of my thoughts for an escape. I want to stay behind Your fence of protection!
Taken from Diamonds in the Dust. Copyright © 1993 by Joni Eareckson Tada. Used by permission. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530
Blessings,
Joni and Friends
www.joniandfriends.org
"The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand."
-Isaiah 1:3
When I was growing up upon a farm in the hills of Maryland, God used horses to teach me a few of life's lessons. Such as, my sister's two horses, Shotgun, and his best buddy, Reds. The goal in life for Reds was to weasel his way through the pasture fence, while Shotgun was content to remain behind.
Reds would find a way almost every night to escape through the fence. After a late-night phone call from the farm over the hill, my sister would have to climb out of bed and hunt down her horse with a flashlight - usually finding Reds standing placidly on the yellow line of our country road, munching weeds and being target practice for oncoming cars. She'd lead him back, always finding Shotgun in the pasture, whinnying and waiting for his buddy to come home.
I've been like Reds. For the longest time I was restless, looking for life's loopholes to crawl through. But for what? Greener pastures? No, life's weeds. Shotgun knew his place behind the barriers. Unfortunately, Reds was relieved of his pasture privileges to spend his nights in the barn. If I wanted to be safe, I knew I had better learn a lesson from those horses!
Despite having an owner and master, the fact remains that we are not always content with God's control, or satisfied with His provisions. We sneak beyond the limits He has set for us. God has given us boundaries in our marriage, our friendships, and in our knowledge of evil. There are even borders for your desires and lines for your emotions. Stay within the boundaries God has placed around you.
Father, forgive me when I search all along the fence line of my thoughts for an escape. I want to stay behind Your fence of protection!
Taken from Diamonds in the Dust. Copyright © 1993 by Joni Eareckson Tada. Used by permission. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530
Blessings,
Joni and Friends
www.joniandfriends.org
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