Reflections in the midst...........

Here I sit in the midst of a lot of muck. I most certainly am not stuck in the muck, for I know I have a Father who will take care of me. Yet I am amidst a plethora of ridiculous circumstances that are trying to consume me. It's as if all of hell is trying to take me down. Not loving that! It's hard not to feel the overwhelmingness of it all, I must admit. Add in PMS, a stolen car, plumbing problems, a loved one deceased and massive financial issues, and much more -  well you get the picture. The worst part of it all is the words and actions of one who relentlessly torments me, all in the name of love. Nice!

Dark massive clouds are looming over me. Yesterday, all I could see were the dark clouds and I felt low and weary. Condemnation was trying to reel me into a place I did not want to be. How dare it try and touch my heart and mind - there is no condemnation for me. NONE! 

But despite the fact that all I see and feel in the natural is trial and challenge, I can still remain in peace. I may not always act on that peace. I have to talk to myself and remind me of who I am and whose I am, and just who it is that is keeping me. Renew my mind and remember how faithful my daddy is and how he has always always delivered me. I may want to despair, or lean on my own understanding, but His spirit within me speaks the soft reminders, "I am carrying you, I am with you, I will prevail, I have good plans for you to prosper you and not to harm you, you are precious to me, you matter immensely and no weapon formed against you will prosper, anyone who takes up a sword against you will have to deal with ME!!" 

He never judges me, or condemns me with His words or His actions. He never points out my faults or makes me feel like I can't come boldly to Him. Nothing will separate me from Him. Our relationship is ROCK SOLID. Thanks to who He is, I can confidently live in a peace that passes all understanding. He guards my life, my heart, my mind, my soul, for I am in Christ and He is in me. My feelings, though they can seem all consuming, do not lead or drive me - it is Christ as my source, my life, my all that guides me safely through this life of difficulty. Yeah though I walk THROUGH  the valley, I shall fear no evil. I take comfort that I am walking through. He is leading me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. He continues to remain faithful even if and when I may want to become despondent and despair and give up. He leads me into ALL TRUTH. I just love that! How refreshingly wonderful it is to have at least one perfect relationship in this life - well at least His side of the relationship will never fail, and I can always depend on Him. ALWAYS!!! Wow! What a relief! And all of this is of Him. Not me or what I do. How good is that? I can seemingly fail, but yet not fail, because I have the perfect righteousness of Christ. That IS love. 

Imagine a  human relationship, where even when you do something to your spouse that is not so great, he says, "I find no fault in you. You are never wrong. You are perfect."  Even if you get good and mad at him, and scream obscenities at him, he will say, "I love you dearly, here come close and let me love on you for awhile." 

My how that softens ones heart. Once I again I am amazed at His great love for me, simply by how He responds to me. Even though my circumstances are still swirling about, I can rest in His arms knowing such peace, such comfort. Truly there is no greater love than this!!! 

In need of a Breakthrough....

So, I have been quiet lately, the weather has been amazing and our days our busy with trying to enjoy every moment. I have been pondering many things and growing in my hunger for more of GOD, His Presence and His power to breakthrough in my life. That said, we are in the midst of a storm that the enemy wants to overtake us, but Jesus wants to calm and have His peace and power triumph!
I won't go into details here, but I do share this to be honest and real and to seek prayers from wherever I can get them!! I am learning how much our enemy Satan hates us, and hates the message of grace and will do anything to keep us from going forward in it and truly living in the freedom Christ has purchased for us. I refuse to let my life be robbed over and over again of victory, joy, peace and miracles both physical and spiritual!!! I won't give up hoping in the One who has final authority and power over the enemy, who has already been defeated once and for all at the cross. My God reigns, Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, with the earth as his footstool and ALL things under his feet, interceding for me and for you!!!! I WILL experience BREAKTHROUGH - Why? Because, what is the Gospel for if we can't live in the fullness of our salvation?! Wholeness, healing, preservation....not just sins forgiven!!

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places......"

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us......"

"And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God......"

In need of a Breakthrough....

So, I have been quiet lately, the weather has been amazing and our days our busy with trying to enjoy every moment. I have been pondering many things and growing in my hunger for more of GOD, His Presence and His power to breakthrough in my life. That said, we are in the midst of a storm that the enemy wants to overtake us, but Jesus wants to calm and have His peace and power triumph!
I won't go into details here, but I do share this to be honest and real and to seek prayers from wherever I can get them!! I am learning how much our enemy Satan hates us, and hates the message of grace and will do anything to keep us from going forward in it and truly living in the freedom Christ has purchased for us. I refuse to let my life be robbed over and over again of victory, joy, peace and miracles both physical and spiritual!!! I won't give up hoping in the One who has final authority and power over the enemy, who has already been defeated once and for all at the cross. My God reigns, Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, with the earth as his footstool and ALL things under his feet, interceding for me and for you!!!! I WILL experience BREAKTHROUGH - Why? Because, what is the Gospel for if we can't live in the fullness of our salvation?! Wholeness, healing, preservation....not just sins forgiven!!

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places......"

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us......"

"And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God......"

A prayer request....!

A dear friend of mine just called me today to let me know she is having a miscarriage, please pray for her and her family, they have been through so much already this past year! Pray that she will feel God's loving embrace around her, his compassion for her and for healing.....!

I know God works all things for his good purpose, and heals the broken hearted and binds their wounds, I know God is the God of all comfort, His name even means compassionate, I imagine Jesus shedding tears with her, but when we are in the midst of difficulties such as this, it can be but a shadow and a dream we hope for one day -the pain is just so real and so present now, it's hard to hold out for peace and have faith in these truths,  and it's hard to be comforted......please lift her up as the Lord leads.....

A prayer request....!

A dear friend of mine just called me today to let me know she is having a miscarriage, please pray for her and her family, they have been through so much already this past year! Pray that she will feel God's loving embrace around her, his compassion for her and for healing.....!

I know God works all things for his good purpose, and heals the broken hearted and binds their wounds, I know God is the God of all comfort, His name even means compassionate, I imagine Jesus shedding tears with her, but when we are in the midst of difficulties such as this, it can be but a shadow and a dream we hope for one day -the pain is just so real and so present now, it's hard to hold out for peace and have faith in these truths,  and it's hard to be comforted......please lift her up as the Lord leads.....

.....It's all Good!!!

I have come to a new understanding and appreciation for the verses "God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love him, according to his good purpose." Romans 8:28 

There have been times when I questioned "why is God allowing me this great pain I am going through, I don't understand, or at times in the past when I had misconceptions about God, I was tempted to think he was punishing me, but that just wasn't true. At times he may discipline me, because he loves me, but I am learning His discipline is so kind..really, I mean that, because I know He loves me, not always easy though....but what about the times when my life seemed like pure hell.....I know God can't be authoring these moments, days, weeks, months, years even....and why would he allow me to live in it soo long....anyway, I have come to take great comfort in the simple fact that though God may not be causing my painful circumstances, he allows them and turns them into His good.....really He does, I get this now and love it! 

Like the story of Joseph, boy did he go through it! But I love in the end when he faced his brothers in Egypt and said to them "What you intended for harm, the Lord intended for good!" 

I love that, his faith and confidence in God, despite the years of agony he went through, God restored the years, gave him power, wealth and influence, isn't that amazing!! 

I have had some rocky times, haven't we all?!  But you know what is so cool, God is going to use those times for a very good purpose one day and it will bless us as well as others and bring glory to God!!! Because He is the author and finisher and perfector of our Faith, He will do it!! 

.....It's all Good!!!

I have come to a new understanding and appreciation for the verses "God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love him, according to his good purpose." Romans 8:28 

There have been times when I questioned "why is God allowing me this great pain I am going through, I don't understand, or at times in the past when I had misconceptions about God, I was tempted to think he was punishing me, but that just wasn't true. At times he may discipline me, because he loves me, but I am learning His discipline is so kind..really, I mean that, because I know He loves me, not always easy though....but what about the times when my life seemed like pure hell.....I know God can't be authoring these moments, days, weeks, months, years even....and why would he allow me to live in it soo long....anyway, I have come to take great comfort in the simple fact that though God may not be causing my painful circumstances, he allows them and turns them into His good.....really He does, I get this now and love it! 

Like the story of Joseph, boy did he go through it! But I love in the end when he faced his brothers in Egypt and said to them "What you intended for harm, the Lord intended for good!" 

I love that, his faith and confidence in God, despite the years of agony he went through, God restored the years, gave him power, wealth and influence, isn't that amazing!! 

I have had some rocky times, haven't we all?!  But you know what is so cool, God is going to use those times for a very good purpose one day and it will bless us as well as others and bring glory to God!!! Because He is the author and finisher and perfector of our Faith, He will do it!!