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LOVE

LOVE…. growing like a vine.

It starts small but with time, care and consistency it blossoms.

It becomes larger, stronger and more present in its environment.

When allowed, it will take over and create beauty where once there was nothing.

With time, its roots become established and secure.

Allow the time to take place.

Stay faithful in the pursuit but don’t rush the time that’s needed to grow LOVE properly.

– Tess Greiner

Psalm 52:8

“But I am like a flourishing olive tree, anointed in the house of God. I trust in the unending love of God; His passion towards me is forever and ever. ”

2 Thessalonians 3:13

“And as for you, brethren, do not become weary or lose heart in doing right [but continue in well-doing without weakening].”

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Let Go, Release it…

Let Go, Release

God has given me the privilage of helping a young mom out during the week. She has a little one who is nine months old and she is dealing with a challenging pregnacy with her second child. I love helping and encouraging her on this journey, even with all it’s bumps and hurdles.

Yesterday we were all sitting around chatting and she gave her nine month old a “babies” cheeto snack. You know, those snacks that dissolve easily in their mouths. The little one ate all the way down to her clutched hand and then thought it was all gone, so she signaled she wanted another one. Watching her, my immediate response was, “Open up, let go and relase what you have”.  As soon as those words left my mouth my thoughts went to how I do the same thing. If I would open up and let go of me, my ideas, my fears, God could continue what He is doing in me and through me. In letting go, I would realize He has given me all I need. I’m hanging on to myslef too much. There’s a treasure to be found when I let go and release trusting He has this.

While I’m processing it all, my daughter looks at me and says, “That was deep”. Here’s her post from yesterday…”

  “Watching this little one snack on a cheeto like substance earlier, she ate down to what was left, of  which she was clenching. Her immediate response was more, because she didn’t realize she had some left in her hand. My mom told her “open up, and release”. I turned to my mom and said “that was deep”. How often do we cry out to God for more when He’s trying to show us that if we just open up & release, we’ll have the fullness of what He already gave us.  Something to chew on this Monday.”

I love how Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts right where we are. The take away my daughter had from this moment in time was slightly different then my own. We are both at different places with different needs, and He met us right where we were to love and encourage us. I also love that it was at the exact same time. The look on our faces gave it away. The Lord was speaking to our hearts and breathing His life into us to keep us moving forward.  He is with us in the “every day” life events if we will just open our eyes and hearts to receive.

John 14:26   But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you. (AMP)

Thank you Jesus for coming to give us back right relationship with our Father in Heaven.

Thank you for sending Holy Spirit to teach us and remind us of your love and truths!

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Go Forward

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Painting by Linda Wilmot

Exodus 14: 15-16

15 And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

  Last week we thought through the idea of “stand still” being more than just a physical command Moses was using to regain order. Instead, it was possibly a command for them to stay spiritually strong in their faith of Yahweh. In verses 13 & 14, it is Moses talking to the people. However, in verses 15 & 16 it is God talking to Moses & the people, commanding them to do what is next.
   I’m always curious about the beginning of vs. 15 when God says, “Why are you crying out to me?”. It makes me wonder if God was a little frustrated with Moses because he had the ability to do all God called him to do, but lacked confidence, so he would not boldly move in what he needed to do. Did God hear the doubt in Moses voice when he was commanding the people to believe?  I can so relate to Moses in this. I will wait to do things because I don’t believe I’m prepared for what’s ahead. I’m still learning to trust who God has made me to be and to be obedient to His call. I’m sure there are times when God says to me, “Daughter, why are you crying to me? Go do what I have made you to do, My Holy Spirit is in you, trust me and go forward.” I need to remember it’s not about me, it’s about Him who is in me that really matters…and makes things happen.

  “Go forward”….seems so simple. I loved seeing one of the definitions for this Hebrew word (nâsa‛) say “to start on a journey”. The Israelites were definitely starting on a journey and God made the way for them each time it seemed impossible. Not everything that came out of the wilderness experience was great, a lot was very yucky with miserable consequences, but there was amazing super-natural provision too, especially when they were obedient.

  I’m thankful that those of us who believe and have called on the name of Jesus have the Holy Spirit in us. We have an advantage over the Israelites because of this, and we can learn what not to do from reading about their experience in the Bible. These verses are great reminders for me to stay strong in faith, keeping my eyes off the natural and to set them on my Saviour and Redeemer, King Jesus, knowing He has put in me all I need to go forward. Starting on a journey can be fearful, but I’m thankful we are told in I John 4 that “perfect love casts out fear”…with each step in obedience to God’s leading, Jesus’ love covers us and casts out that fear.

Despite how you feel… Go forward!

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Stand Still

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Picture painted by Linda Wilmot
Exodus 14:13-16
And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Although I shouldn’t be, I’m often surprised at how many of my responses to life’s challenges resemble the Isrealites in the wilderness. Prior to these verses you just read, the Isrealites were yelling their doubts, fears, and complaints very loudly to Moses. Thousands of people all looking through eyes of fear and blaming him for what they projected to be the outcome. Moses demands, challenges them, to “Fear not, and stand still”. With thousands of people yelling, throwing hands up, and charging at you, telling them to “stand still” seems logical but highly improbable. He needed to regain some order to this fearful multitude so chaose didn’t take over. But what if this Hebrew word reveals a different perspective other then the physicality of standing still.

The Hebrew word used here is “yâtsab“. The Strong’s definition explains it to mean to place (any thing so as to stay); reflexively to station, offer, continue: – present selves, remaining, resort, set (selves), (be able to, can, with-) stand (fast, forth, -ing, still, up). I read this and think Moses wasn’t just physically calling them to stand still. No, he was challenging them to stand fast in the truth of the greatness of Yahweh. They were looking at the physical,natural world around them and evaluating the outcome based on their own abilities, strength, and power. Moses was exhorting them to stand fast and believe that the Lord was their deliverer, their protector. Moses was trying to awaken their hearts to trusting God instead of looking to a man to do something. Moses knew he, a human – mere flesh, couldn’t save them, but he believed God would finish what He started and keep His promise.
So this makes me think, how often  do I look at my circumstances and evaluate what will happen only based on this natural world and my human abilities? Or how often do I cry out my fears,concerns, and dislikes or  go to people for help and to save me, when my Father in Heaven is just waiting for me to “stand still”, call on His name, and know that He is God? Honestly, this has happened more times than I care to admit, but thankfully God is growing me in this area and I am not where I once was. Just like the Isrealites saw during their time in the wilderness, we serve a mighty, super-natural God. As followers of Jesus we have been given new life, love, and power from on high to share His gospel throughout the world. To be His love to a hurting world, so they will see and receive all He has for them. …of course He will make a way even when we see no way.

Psa 46:10-11 Be still, and know that I am God: …I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

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Hope As I Wait

The Lord’s encouragement this morning…Psalms 33:20-22  Our soul waiteth (to adhere to, tarry) for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy (kindness, beauty, favor, reproach), O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope (expect, wait, be patient, to be pained, trust) in thee.

I love that the Hebrew is so full of depth in what a single word means. Honestly, the good of these words is my expectations but my natural self is feeling the negative side of each word. Don’t we need some reproach to fully grasp the fullness of His favor, kindness, and beauty? Isn’t the process painful,at times, when we wait on God? Always staying true to praising His name and expecting, with hope, His goodness and love; this is the only place I should wait from.

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Home is where the heart is…

I’ve been thinking on this idea of what we call “home”. Even the dictionary has several meanings for this word. Some of these include …”a structure(house, apartment, shelter of any kind) used for residency for people”…. “members of a household together where one lives permanently”. However, the definition I connect with the most is …”a place in which ones domestic affections are centered”.

I was thinking through this word, “home”, this weekend as I drove back to the place we moved away from six months ago. I was wondering why I have such strong affections for being there and why I don’t have the same feelings when I am at my new “home” or even in the city I was raised in, which I lived in most of my life. That’s when I discovered my definition of home.

To me, home is where I am most loved, where there are people who want to do life with me through the hard and messy times and also through the good and fruitful times. A place I will always find people who care enough to seek me out to love on me or to ask hard questions. A place where I can be me and not fear being rejected and the people that were apart of the amazing things God has done in my life. A breath of fresh air kind of place.

I can’t say that this place was always this way for me. It took time to establish relationships and opportunities of doing things together in order for this feeling of “home” to be so strong. There were hard moments of tension, rejection, and fear that tried to stop this place from being home to me, but yet, this is the very place that feels the most like home right now.

This doesn’t mean that my new “home” won’t ever have this feeling. I need to allow time to bring about the connections and opportunities. I need to not focus how uncomfortable I may feel, but give thanks to God for the amazing people He has for me to meet and do life with. I need to not compare but seek out the new path God has for me in this new city. I need to trust my Father in heaven like Jesus trusted him. No doubt. Ever.

God’s Word says to “seek FIRST the Kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33) This definition of “home” that I have, also extends to the home my Heavenly Father has for me. In my time with Him, I can relax with Him and am accepted;feelings of love and joy surround me. He loves His time with me and I love being with Him. In this time of transition, I will hold on to this “home” with my Papa God and let it be what sustains me.
My heart is at home in Him.