See It All

Well, I might as well face it; By now You know me and my faults. You have seen me yell at my spouse, neglect someone who needed attention, take the easy way out to avoid commitment, etc. And these are just the faults I am willing to speak of today. The fact that You know me so well and still love me is one of life's greatest mysteries. I realize that I still try to keep my transgressions from You sometimes, I even try to keep them from myself.

But here I am, asking for You to see it all...the good, the bad...and show me what is next for me. Now that You know me, I pray to become the person You know I can be.

Words to Reach

When I cannot think of anything to say, please give me the words that are needed. There are people in my life who need advice, counsel, wisdom, and help. When I search my mind for the perfect thing to say, I draw a blank. I can only turn them toward You. May they see my dependence upon You so that they will have confidence in the words You give me to share.

These people are the ones I pray for most. You know them and their personal journeys, and I am thankful that You entrust them to me...people for me to know, to pray for, and to care about.

Heal Me

It is easy to break as a human. As a being made of earth, water, and breath, it is easy to crumble and develop holes. Lord, You made me. You know what it takes to heal the places that are broken, underused, and weak.

I give to You my physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds and ask for Your touch, Your breath, Your mercy to cover them. Heal me. Lord!

Your Strength

There are times when I feel there is an army just outside my front door waiting to take me down. The fear builds up because I am focused on my strength and not on Yours. God, help me to rely on you and turn to You even when I feel the fear building. Do not let me fall back on my own ability when I have the source of Your might to pull me through. I am so thankful that You do not ask me to go it alone. When I look to You for direction and encouragement, I have already won the battle.

Does it show?

My spirit feels drawn and thin. My bones ache from nights of restless sleep. My mind seems out of time from too much thinking. I've been avoiding mirrors. I didn't want to see the damage of internal strife in my outward appearance. But I caught a glimpse of my reflection today, Lord. And I was surprised.

I didn't pay attention to whether I had more lines, wrinkles or gray hair because I could see the transformation You made happen. You have given me an air of peace and wisdom. At some point I settled into my own skin, self, and life. It wasn't a look of resignation on my face; it was the look of understanding and security that faith brings to its holder.

My Provider

All that I need, God will provide. Sometimes I try to exert my will rather than pursue His will for me. When my energy is running low, I get desperate and reach for anything to fill the void before I have to feel it. I eat, I watch television, I follow any distraction that pops up, and I doubt joy. Lord, strip me of my prideful desire to do it on my own. Cause me to feel the emptiness and depletion so that I can feel the complete joy when Your sustenance starts pouring in. And when the void is overflowing with abundance, may I remember my Provider.

Make a Choice

Beneath the pain, behind the eyes that look out on hard circumstances, and under the current of anxious thoughts there is the me that God loves and the me who knows strength in faith. Between my past and my tomorrows there is today, and today I choose to praise God and stand firm in my belief that He still sees me. He knows what courage it takes just for me to write these words. He sees the value of who I am even before the lost is found, the hole is filled, and the questions are answered. I choose to look up and to celebrate the blessings that God has given me and not allow the shadow of sorrow and sin to cloud my view. For regardless of circumstances, we always have a choice.

Sing Like a Bird

While I place the Band-Aids of worry over my wounds, God covers my fragile heart with a shield of hope. I visualize this shield and the protection of faith and belief. It helps me face the days with courage. As I pray, I sense the presence of loving arms around me.

My trust in God has brought me joy. I am noticing flowers and colors and the comfort of the breeze. I catch myself smiling more often because I am less afraid of disappointment. I am ready to join the song of the birds above; they know how to give thanks.

Fly High

I want to express myself, Lord. I want to be free of all inhibitions, negative self-talk, and the fear of how other people view me. How many times have I squelched something that is of You because I did not want to be viewed as a maniac, a fool? I believe You speak to us in a language that sometimes is wild and out-of-the-box. After all, You created the world beyond the box that we have created for ourselves.

Let me fly high with a sense of song and creation. Give me the courage to be inspired. Encourage in me the blossoming of more ideas, more adventures, and more life.

The power of words!

Our words are the power that we have to create. Words are the most powerful tool we have as a human being. Our words can create the most beautiful dream or destroy everything around us. Knowing the awesome power of our words, we must understand and respect the power that comes out of our mouths!

Gossiping has become the main form of communication human society. It has become the way we feel close to each other. It makes us feel better to see someone else feel as badly as we do. When you judge someone based on gossip, you see the person through the eyes who gave you that gossip.

Be cautious with your words!

Thank you for waiting

It has taken time for me to remove my layers of pride, ignorance, defensiveness, and emotional baggage. My personal transformation is taking place slowly, but it is happening. You amaze me , Lord. While I was cursing my burdens, You were polishing them and changing them into good things. How did You take such brokenness and turn it into hope? When I started this walk I was so far from You and Your heart. I was too scared even to trust my Creator. Through faith, I have been given freedom. Through trial, I have been give a new life. Thank you for waiting Lord!

Never too tired

Even the strongest people get tired at times, but God's power and strength never diminish. He is never too tired or too busy to listen and help. His strength is my source of strength. When I feel all of life crushing me and cannot go another step, I need to pause and remember to call upon God to renew my strength.

Before the rainbows

When rainbows appear after a rain, it is a sweet reminder of God's faithfulness. As a child, I always focused on the brillant colors. As an adult, I understand that it first takes the storm before we see evidence of the beauty that follows. I need to seek the shelter of God's love during the thunder and the lightning of life. Perseverance will bring me to higher ground where the view is bright. Then my eyes can be opened to the color and brilliance of the hope ahead.

Just Watch

I have naysayers in my life. I allowed them voice because I was sure it was the Christian thing to do. But over time I realized they only desired to heal themselves, to engage in conversation that drained and did not uplift, and to take rather than give. I speak of God but they shake their heads and change the subject. Please help me to rely on Your strength and understanding so that those who doubt my belief and hope will not have power in my life. When they see the joy I have during times of hardship, they will know my contentment comes from You alone.

Perseverance

I look at old photos and think about how I look, what I was doing, who my friends were, and what life was like. Maybe what I should examine are the lessons God was teaching me at that stage of my life. I pray to be taught God's will through the wisdom of other people and the experiences that come my way in order to move me forward toward higher and more level ground in my walk of faith. It takes perseverance to go from the lowlands to the top of the mountain. I pray that as I piece together the times of my life from memory and wisdom, I will have a greater understanding of how perseverance is not only possible, but is a natural and necessary part of my faith journey.

Last Forever

This life is not all there is. This life is preparation for the next. I was made to last forever. God designed me in His image, to live for eternity. One day my heart will stop beating. That will be the end of my body and my time on earth, but it will not be the end of me. My earthly body is just a temporary residence for my spirit. My relationship to God on this earth will determine my relationship to Him in eternity. Death is not the end of us. Death is not our termination, but your transition into eternity.

Feelings of Home

We carry a yearning in our hearts for the community we know has been lost - a closeness, a quality of connection to other people that sings with vibrance and shines with vitality. This feeling calls out to us of a time and place of belonging, of comfort, of being nestled in the hands of unquestioned love and embraced by the warmth of acknowledgment and understanding - a place we can be ourselves and have impact on others - a place that feels like home.

Fearless

I can feel my muscles grip with tension and fear each time I think of the uncertain things in my future. It is useless, this worrying. Yet I invest much time and energy toward it. I cannot know what is around the bend, but I am under the care of the one who does know what will come and what will happen. Lord, Your voice envelopes me, and I am ready to listen to your words of peace and security. You do not reveal secrets of what is to come, but You say, "Continue without fear. We take the next steps together." Thank you for that comfort!

Follow the Plan

My Heavenly Father knows my needs and my abilities and He provides for me based on His timeline (not mine). The Lord has a plan for me - a purpose. I pray daily that God keeps me on the road that He has paved for me, that He patiently takes my hand and guides me. Sometimes it becomes difficult to have the faith and trust, to be patient and wait for God's plan to unfold - to resist the urge to step in and try to take control myself. Thank you Father God for loving me, even during those times when I may not be loveable. You gave me my life - I want to use every minute of it to the fullest and at such a quality that I can offer it back to you. Help me Lord to be the person you want me to be!

Be still...

Quiet down the mind. Know that God, within and without, takes care of all things. Most of our problems arise because we push against life instead of going with it. We try so hard to keep ourselves from being uncomfortable that we create the exact situation that we fear.

Cedar Ridge Ranch

Yesterday Jerry and I spent the entire day at CRR. It was a beautiful day, very little wind and perfect temps. We spent the day working of our walking paths...hard work, but totally enjoyable. Reminds me of the hours that my dad and I use to spend together cutting wood. Here again, it was hard work, but times that I treasure. My dad taught me a lot down in the timber area...not just about cutting wood, but what it meant to love and respect nature. To this day, I would not trade my time outdoors. These are times when I feel so close to God and to my dad. I could hear my dad whistling and see him sitting there on the old Ford tractor as I worked yesterday. My dad has been gone for seven years now, but I can still feel his presence with me. No, this does not make me sad, it actually puts smile on my face...for how do you miss someone who never leaves you?

Can you believe it?

Who would have ever though that this ol' woman would be creating a BLOG! Thank you DeAnne for opening this door for me. Who knows where it might lead :)