Tag: trust

Assured

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Today I went to visit an old Fran from college.  Kim Morrisette is not just any old Fran.  She’s the woman that God used to water and point toward the Son, the seeds that my mama had sewn into me, raising me in Christ Jesus, knowing Him as my Lord and savior.  I was so broken, so sad and yet I was searching for something big and deep and real and although I was confused about many things, I knew that what I needed and wanted was only going to be satisfied by God.  So Kim led me and a group of girls in our dorm, Greene Hall, through bible study.  Our friendship deepened and she went on to disciple me and train me to do the same thing for other women on campus.  She poured into me and facilitated further training with my roomie and me as we helped to lead a new, small campus ministry.

I didn’t get to spend a very long time with her– I teased her about living out in John’s barnyard (she lives quite a distance from me in a beautiful farmhouse “out in the sticks”) and that took a bit of our time away because good ole me left a little later than I intended and then I made it all the way to her street and got lost–but the time I was able to just be around her and meet her children and see her face and see what her life is like now, was so good.  I missed Kim and I am so glad that during this season of my life, the Lord is making a way for us to connect again.

Within the past week I’ve been in close connection with people who have lost loved ones.  Some have been traumatic and the other quiet but all have been hard and sad.  I almost feel like times are very uncertain right now; you can’t know if the last time you see someone will be the last time. . . how much will change with people between now and the next time you see them, if you are so fortunate to see them again?  So much fear and uncertainty.  And although it’s reasonable for me to feel and think this way, it’s not the way of truth.  It’s not Philippians 4:8-9 and it won’t draw me closer to my savior, it’ll just keep me questioning Him, and doubting Him.  

I enjoyed spending time with Kim so much today because it was a reminder for me that there have been other times when I thought that God had left me, forgotten about me, wasn’t working on my behalf, didn’t have a plan for my life except to repeat what had been done in my family generations past or just plain old didn’t care.  But Kim came to me at the most crucial time in my undergraduate career.  I was on the brink of utter hopelessness and I needed to know that all that mama taught me about God was real and that there was more.  As I look back to then and see what my life is now, in those times when I felt so shaky and uncovered, God, in fact, did have a plan and He was working it out for my good, even when I didn’t always sense it.  Seeing Kim was such a sweet reminder of His grace.  God is so good.  In times of tragedy, pain, sorrow, loss and confusion it’s good to have a blessed assurance– that firm, sure, sweet reminder that He is in control, He knows what He’s doing, His word is still true, He is trustworthy, He’s got me and my whole world in the palm of His hands.  I am safe there.

I’m sure that there is someone out there reading this who just needs a reminder that He is good and that He is a loving Father.  Please, be of good service to yourself and think about your life–what it was, what it is, and what it could be.  He’s there.  And He’s been there the whole time.  If your waters are smooth right now or if they are rough, this is a good time to know the God you serve and His characteristics.  Do yourself a favor.  Remind yourself of all that He’s done.  And rest.  Assured.

Wednesdays with Beth: Filled to the Measure

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It’s Wednesday so that means we get to tune in to Life Today and hear what the Lord is speaking to us through Mrs. Beth Moore.  If you watch the program regularly and have done so for a time, you may have already seen this one before.  I have seen this one and the story she tells in it has been referenced by others who have seen it.  But this video still came right on time for me.

God’s sovereignty and providence is sure.

I had an experience just last week that just seemed so weird but, in the moment, I was so sure that I was being prompted by the Holy Spirit to be obedient to the things He was speaking to my heart.  I wrestled with myself and the personal cost of my obedience all the way up until Monday for sure and then finally, I just decided to let it go and trust God to confirm for me if I had indeed heard Him or if I was just a loon.  And with just the seed planted in my mind that I had misheard and was wrong, acting crazy and unable to hear from the Lord, satan had a field day and really put in work to discourage me.  But God is so faithful, Frans!!!  I know that I have some readers who are not Christian and to them all of this talk compels them to think, “No ma’am, you actually are quite loony.”  But something happens when we engage God through His holy spirit, allow His words to abide in us and we respond to the call. . .   We get to participate in the divine.

Check this out:  http://lifetoday.org/video/filled-to-the-measure-3

Been worshiping to this song since we sang it during church service on Sunday.  One of my faves from Hillsong.  Hope it blesses you.

Five Minute Friday: Risk

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I’m joining The Gypsy Mama over at lisajobaker.com for Five Minute Friday today, where Lisa-Jo invites bloggers to “write for five minutes without worrying about getting it right.”  That’s right.  I had five minutes to write about a topic she pre-selects, today it was “risk,” without over thinking, spell checking, correcting, re-reading, all of that stuff.  yikes.  So, I had up one post and I followed all the rules as I wrote it but then  I had another thought so I scrapped the first, set my timer and wrote the post below.   Here’s my first attempt, which turned out to be more like ten minute Friday since I scrapped the first try.  :0/  Mercy, Frans.  :0)  Check out the post and then hop over to the site and see how some of the other bloggers are pondering and writing about risk.

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We all knew that it was a healing service.  And we had been told just the day before that we needed to “get our faith up” because if we wanted to see God do anything miraculous, it would require our faith, for His word does indeed say that without faith it is impossible to please God.

As I sat in my seat, I could only imagine what were the needs of the people gathered there around me.  I knew that I was coming searching for healing for the broken places in my mind and in my heart but what were the other needs?  Was there a lame man who would dare to trust God to give his legs back their mobility, right there for all of us to see?  Was there a blind man?  A bleeding woman?  What would we see that night?  Who would dare take the risk to trust Him?  And is there really any risk when you are dealing with the things of the divine?

To my surprise, there were many.  And yes, there was a man who was was not lame but he had a crippled walk.  All throughout the service, I heard him and I watched Him.  Sitting there, in his wheelchair, he worked to get his faith up.  He came for something that night and the risk of going back home with it cost more than giving his whole self to God.  Frans, he got up out of that chair, and out loud he called the devil a liar.  And he walked across the floor.  And He stared risk right in the face and said, “Lord, I trust you.  Make me to walk.”

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