Remember Whose Child You Are

Remember Whose Child You Are

I don't know when the idea came to me but I do remember the thoughts, feelings, and circumstances that lead to it. I was in my previous marriage  at the time and my husband was heavy into drugs and alcohol often raging about something, real or made up.  I was doing my best in the circumstances I lived in to raise my children for the Lord. I knew I had made mistakes and would make more in my endeavor to try an shield my kids from the ugliness of some of the things in their world. 

At a young age I tried to get them to understand that there will be times I fail them or wouldn't always be there for them. There might even be times they were afraid and I wouldn't be able to be there to protect them. But there was a God, a Father in heaven who would always be there and who loved them more than I ever could. He went wherever they went and was aware of everything they did. I told them that before they were my children, they were the Lord's. And that's where the phrase came from, "remember who's child you are." 

As my children grew older, I knew they would not always be around me. They would gain more independence,  have friends of their own to go off with, and I wasn't going to be there to influence or correct their actions. So each time they left the house out into the world with out me, besides saying, I love you, I would tell them, "remember whose child you are." It was later followed up with a reminder, "You're a child of a King and you should act accordingly." I wanted them to always be aware of their actions and know that I'm not the only one who holds them accountable. I could only hold them accountable for what I knew about, but God sees all and they would one day answer to Him for their actions good or bad.

Therapists and doctors today will tell a person that the poor choices they make are due to the mistakes their parents made while raising them. It takes the blame off the one making poor choices, gives them an excuse, and frees them from accountability. There comes a point in everyone's life, or at least it should, when you know right from wrong. If you know right from wrong, you're  able to decide for yourself which you'll choose. 

 Like I mentioned in my first blog post, in my late teens I faced some major depression and anxiety; accompanied by alcohol and  other means of self destruction. Of course I had an excuse for it. I was living in a home that was often out of control, that, and I was a teenager. Was I aware of God in my life? Yes. Did I lean on Him in times of trouble and when I had feelings of desperation? Not as I should have. Did I drink and sleep with guys in order to drown out the pain and confusion, to find self worth and experience love and acceptance? Yes. Could I have brought all of my hurt, shame, and anger to the Lord? Would He have comforted me? Did He send people in my life to influence and guide me? Yes, yes, yes to it all!!! It's all a spiritual battle we can chose to fight or give in to, yet rarely do people see it that way. I didn't act that way and give into the depression, anxiety, and all that other stuff because of the way I was raised or the things I experienced in life. It was because I failed to recognize the spiritual battle and listened to the lies of the devil. Having this knowledge hasn't left me anxiety free and with out any bouts of depression, I am still human living in a broken world. However, when I take it to the Lord, who's very name covers and protects me, I gain freedom from it!

God is, Jehovah Shammah, the Lord who is there. He is Jehovah Jireh, The One Who Provides.  Jehovah Shalom, the Lord of Peace, and He is El Elyon, The Most High God. If He is my Heavenly Father then I am the daughter of a King!  In my poor choice to turn from Him, the most high God, who is always there, provides a way out, and offers peace, I looked to the world, and what it had to offer instead. My choices damaged family relationships and further damaged my self esteem. It wasn't my upbringing, it was how I chose to deal with my upbringing.

 My teenage and early adult years, a time of life I don't talk too much about, I'm not at all proud of it, as it shows me in an ugly light. However, God always saw me as beautiful. A beautiful mess perhaps, but beautiful. The way I dealt with my life just brought me more guilt and shame. I had aunts boldly, sometimes harshly, pointing out my sin, it made me pile on even more guilt. I held on to it instead of giving it to the one who had already redeemed it.  Instead of facing it, I let it eat at me. Sometimes I would try to turn to the Lord in my own power, but I never made the full commitment to give over everything, all of my ugliness.

 It wasn't until then, when I completely gave it all to Him did I begin to find peace. When you live in fear of being found out that you're a big fake, you're not the perfect person you're trying to be...When you live in fear that nobody will love you the way you are, or that you'll never fit in, or have  fear of anything, you won't have peace. The opposite of peace is fear. When we hold on to fear we can't have peace. Through Jehovah Shalom we can live in peace, or freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions. Through that peace we can live as the child of The most High King, just as we're called to be.

I have had an idea for quite a while about blogging on the idea of being the daughter or a child of the King, but I wasn't sure from what perspective to take it from. It wasn't until after listening to a speaker at Saturday's Morning Tea for the ladies at church, sharing a piece of my testimony with another woman there, and dealing with some family issues that echoed the very loudly the need for everyone to keep in mind that they are a child of The Most High and we should act accordingly.

As much as I had always told my children through out their lives to remember who's child they were, I hadn't turned it around to myself. I didn't really start doing that until almost three years ago when someone handed me a book they thought I should read called, His Princess by Sheri Rose Shepherd. The point in wanting my children to remember who's child they were wasn't just because I wanted them to take responsibility for their actions but to know they were special and loved, not just by me, but a king! This book is written as a collection of letters from The King to us his Princess. Apparently it was something I needed to read.

We are children of the Most High King and we should act accordingly. What does that look like? It's funny that the speaker Saturday discussed the very idea of being a child of God. She used an illustration that pricked my heart a bit, because I couldn't relate to it. She described what it was like to be a little girl holding on to her daddy's strong hand, and while her hand was in his she felt safe and strong and that she could do anything. She related that feeling to what it is like to return and trust in the Lord. I have absolutely no idea what that is like. I never had a touch from my earthly father that felt safe. Although I longed for that very feeling, to put my hand in a big, strong, encouraging hand, that steadies my steps. Not having that left a hole in my heart that I tried to fill with so many worldly and self destructive things, everything but God. The one who had been holding out His hand all along. All I had to do is reach out and take it. When I finally did, He lifted me up, set me straight, and as long as I hold on He keeps me steady. 

18 “I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,

Says the LordAlmighty.”( 2 Corinthians 6:18)

Being a child of The King means to walk in faith. With faith, you can't have doubt. There's no doubt which way to go in life if you trust Him enough to follow Him. Isaiah 48:17 reminds us to listen He will tell us which way to go. "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,The Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go." And, "For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught." (Proverbs 3:26) Life is going to be hard, in our humanness we will make mistakes but those mistakes are what we do, not who we are. He will keep us from being caught or unable to escape. Keep moving in the direction He calls you.

Your crown may be a little beat up, tarnished, and it may be missing a few jewels, but your title of Prince or Princess of The Most High can never be taken away. Walk in the position you hold, with your mangled crown on your head, looking forward to Him, and keep going! My hope and future are in Jehovah Shammah, the Lord who is there; Jehovah Jireh, The One Who Provides; Jehovah Shalom, the Lord of Peace, and in El Elyon, The Most High God, My Heavenly Father. 

Remember Whose Child You Are.

**

Jehovah Shalom- the Lord is Peace Judges 6:24

Jehovah Shammah-The Lord is there Ezekiel 48:35

Jehovah Jireh- The Lord Will Provide Genesis 22:14

Elyon- The Most High God 

Genesis 14:18

The Plan Revealed Through Copies, Shadows, & Symbols

The Plan Revealed Through Copies, Shadows, & Symbols 

Did you ever think, why? Why didn't God have a plan B? Does he have a plan B? After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden wasn't that end of God's plan; the plan to dwell with and fellowship with His creation? Once sin began to entangle and infuse itself into the world, God couldn't have that same fellowship, yet He never gave up on us, His creation. The Lord is always giving us glimpses of His love  and His desire for us to be near Him, creating structures, symbols, and relationships to reflect His love and desire to be near us.  

One interesting thing  I have learned in my current Bible study, is that God loves us so much, and wants to be near, and have fellowship with us, that He is constantly creating ways to get closer. He uses symbols to keep us reminded of Him or to give us glimpses of the Heavenly Realms where He resides. The Lord uses copies and shadows of the heavenly things. Hebrews 8:5 recounts how Moses was instructed to build the portable tabernacle where He could fellowship with His people: "They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’” (Hebrews 8:5)

The Tabernacle and the things to be placed in it and around it was a copy and shadow or pattern straight from God in His heavenly realm. The garden of Eden built by God, for Adam and Eve, where He could fellowship with them, is another copy and shadow of the heavenly realm. If you look at the description of Eden in Genesis and the description of New Jerusalem in Revelations they both contain a river and the Tree of Life. Eden and the Tabernacle both had an East Gate that was guarded. 

Once Adam and Eve were kicked out of Eden, the gate wad protected by Cherubim wielding fiery swords, to keep them from returning and taking from the Tree of Life. The Tabernacle contained the  contained the lamp stand that not only represented the tree of life but had rich symbolism about who God is. God's use of symbolism is to keep us reminded of Him. Each of the seven branches on the lamp stand represents the seven (perfect number of completion) attributes of God, with the center one standing by itself as the Spirit if God, surrounded by the other six: wisdom, understand, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear. 

Through out the ages God has been trying to get closer to us. However, due to our sin nature, there is a separation.  A separation that is caused by that sin that took hold of the world in the time of Adam and Eve. As plan A continued, Jesus came to make a way for us to be reconciled to God so that we can again have that fellowship. Sadly, each time God creates new ways to be near, man finds a way to mess it up. Jesus is the final way, it is only through Him that we will have that fellowship that will last into eternity. It is through Jesus, God the Father continues to pursue a relationship with us.  

There is one problem, we are human and by our very nature we will continue the cycle of sin. Unless we desire God and the blessings He has for our lives, more than our life itself, and accepting the gift of God's son, Jesus we won't get to experience the closeness and the presence of God. 

While our sin separated us from God, He never had a plan B. We're still living plan A! I know as much as I seem to fail in life, each failure, if I let it, pulls me further away from God.  Who, by now must have exhausted an alphabet of plans and had to borrow letters or characters from other non-English alphabets, to keep me going. Especially after today, I fell pretty hard. I'm still trying to brush the dust off. 

However, even though on days like today when it is hard to believe, and the life plan doesn't seem to line up just right, either the way we planned or thought God was planning, we  (I) need to remember to praise God. (Especially after I did the complete opposite today). When it doesn't line up the way you thought, hoped and prayed it would, know God has a better plan for you. (Boy, I said something like that in small group last Monday, how quickly my human heart forgot!) Good thing He’s not surprised at the turn of events, of what has come our (my) way, or how you’ve (I've) reacted to it. I'm still a part of plan A, we're still a part of plan A and He is still creating ways to show us His love, pulling us along until the day we get to see Him face to face and He can say, "well done good and faithful servant." 

Look around and see what He is doing in your very midst: your friends, where you work, through your relationships, and the place you live. Find out what He’s doing. It's very hard for me to see today, yet I know and trust He has a calling, that purpose and plan spoken about in Jeremiah 29:11. God knows what you need more than you do. Not only does he have a better view of the bigger picture, don't forget, in His need to be near us and love us in the flesh, He came as Jesus!  "Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted."(Hebrews 2:17,18) not only did Jesus allow himself to be tempted, while hanging on that cross he felt the weight of the world's sin, pain, and suffering. He felt and experience everything we could ever go through. If he knows what it's like to be broken, then He knows what will fix us. With that knowledge, Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father praying on our behalf. 
He still gives us glimpses, copies and shadows, of what's to come today. Some of these copies and shadows include our marriages, they are to mirror His love and devotion for us, as described in Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3. His Word is full of not just stories, but examples and symbols of His love. Even the structure of the church is to keep us encouraged in moving forward in that love He has for us, even when we can't see or feel it. 
2 Timothy goes on to say, " who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began" ( 2 Timothy 1:9). The grace and calling were there before time began! That is when Plan A was set in place. God created time and space for mankind.  Through out that time and space we have been given glimpses copies and shadows of great things to come in our life as well as the great love He has for us each day. So, although things didn't go as planned today, I know and trust God has a better plan, plans to prosper, not to harm, plans to give you hope and a future like it says in Jeremiah 29. Look for the copies, shadows and symbols along the way. It's part of the great adventure! Life.

 

The Heat is On

6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ( 2 Timothy 1:6 NIV)

God has really been using the messages given by the pastor at my church, the current group Bible study I'm in, and of course my Amazing Man to speak incredible truth into my life. There aren't any new truths, as God said there is nothing new under the sun, but new layers of truth are revealed in order to see more clearly what God is pointing to. And I'm just now getting it. For a few weeks those old enemies, anxiety and depression have really been attacking me. 

However, after deciding not to give in and just continue to press into those places God is leading, whether I feel so anxious I'm going to die, or at the very least, pass out or not..I think I'm starting to hear and understand a little better when God is trying to get ahold of me. (By the way, I haven't died or passed out yet.) So I just take a week or so and write a blog and make the devil pay a toll by giving the glory back to God!

While I may have been saved at the young age of 11 years old, like you read in my first blog post, and believe I have had a relationship with the Lord all these 33 years, it's only been in the past year or so that I realized, I may have grown in the Lord, and have depended on Him for my existence, but that is all the relationship was. Depending on Him to exist and survive. Like a baby depends on their parents. They don't understand true love yet.  Babies just understand they have a need, they look to their parents to fulfill that need, and when it is fulfilled, they are content. They are growing and feel fulfilled but it takes time to mature.

 I think for so long I have stayed in that child stage. Not really mature or as mature as I should or could be. I just knew, as I said in my first blog post, "I had a need not to be alone, feel rejected, or abandoned. I had a need for a loving father who loved me for me, because he created me. Not for what I can do for Him. I may not have fully understood the meaning of salvation until I was much older." Yet, today, I'm still learning; there is more to learn about the precious gift of salvation, and the relationship God wants to have with us.

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ( 2 Tim 1:6 NKJV)

6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ( 2 Timothy 1:6 NIV)

Wow! 2 Timothy 1:6, The verse just before one of my most important life verses. How could I have missed it for so long? Ya know, the Greek word for gift is charisma, which is a gift of grace, an undeserved gift from God, referring to not only salvation but gifts of the spirit. 

God lit the fire in your heart!  In my heart! It happened when we came to Him and received salvation!  The fire was lit and gifts of the spirit were distributed as He felt necessary. It is up to us to keep the fire going and to work and flow in the gifts of the spirit as He sees fit. Not just when it is convenient for us. ( Those last few lines didn't necessarily come from me, because to me, it's a bit anxiety provoking)  So when I feel my light isn't burning like it once was, I suppose there are some things I should be doing to stoke up the flame. 

Since coming to the realization, that I needed and wanted that relationship with the Lord, and receiving the gift of salvation, I've had many times of growth and rededication. I've also had many times in my life where I have strayed, allowed certain things, people, and relationships to influence and even alter the direction my life was headed, not always in a good direction. I've had to turn around many times, often feeling like I was at square one. Isn't it wonderful we serve a God of second, third, even 70 times 7 chances? 

The wounds of the past, due to my poor choices, and some times the choices made for me, may be healed, but not with out scars left behind. The amazing thing about scars is that they were once wounds that were a bloody mess, but through the cleansing and healing of the Holy Spirit, they no longer fester and ooze. Scars remind us where we've come from, and what we've been saved, cleansed, and healed of. Even as Thomas in John 20:27 understands, Jesus is recognized by His scars. It wasn't His sin but ours that caused the scars. He shares in them  to be used as a reminder to give testimony of God's unfailing love. 

Being in this new marriage I'm in, and sharing this new life, I have been given a new glimpse of God's love, and what a Godly relationship should be like. Most importantly what His love looks like. Things are so much better these days. As I look back through my past and all the events that took place to get me here, it reminds me of the way precious metals are refined. To remove all the impurities, to make it stronger and more valuable, it must go through the fire! And I've been through some pretty hot flames, often raging infernos.  With out it all, I don't think I would appreciate the life I have now. 

My husband and I live a pretty simple life with hardly any material possessions in comparison to many in our country and even some around us, we don't go on extravagant vacations, or own fancy cars, or anything like that. All of our furniture is second hand and mostly free, we live in a tiny one bedroom apartment that costs way too much, we barely make it pay check to pay check, no matter how hard we ( I should say my husband. He works harder than I) work. Yet, we appreciate all that we have more than we did when we had the "stuff"  before we lost it ALL (my husband had much more to loose than I). Life isn't about the stuff, it's about where your heart is for the Lord. About the relationship  you keep with Him, and moving forward.  Psalm 24:3-5 says, "Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?

    Who may stand in his holy place?
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
    who does not trust in an idol
    or swear by a false god."

It is my desire to receive and keep clean hands and a pure heart, after emerging from the refining flames, in order to stay aware of and or recognize the presence of the Lord. It's in the presence of the Lord we find our hope and future. 

While I've been fighting back the darkness, like a mist around the edges of my mind, and the anxiety that wants to creep into my thoughts these past couple of weeks, I've used this post I'm writing here, and my current Bible study to help stay focused on Him. In doing so, a thought has been trying to settle in my heart since last night's Bible study... 

Ya ever feel like one of those people who never seem to catch a break, while you watch others around you who seem to get everything handed to them? Maybe not everything, but things just come to them naturally, and they probably don't even pray about it. You pray about it, you work hard, and you do your best in all your humanness to live "a good Christian life", and you still seem to miss out. It's frustrating to pray for something for so long and seeming to never get it, or feel your prayer wasn't heard, or think it's been delayed by some action or inaction you took or didn't take?! The thought I struggle with, yet know I MUST BELIEVE IT, or loose my mind over current situations, is this: "It doesn't come naturally because there is no glory in that. My prayers are heard and answered, either now or in the future. It's in a supernatural way so that there would be no denying that the answer or solution came from God the Father who loves me more than anyone else could, which further reveals  His glory." I've seen that supernatural answer after praying for the same thing for almost 20 years! So, I know God hears and answers in His time for a reason, grater than our limited minds can understand.

However, tonight in all my messiness and inability to see the whole picture, my hope and future seem a little distorted and veiled. I am thankful, I know He is on the other side of the veil and when the time is right, He will lift it and show me more of what I need to see in order to increase my faith and keep me moving forward. Until then, I won't give up my hope in knowing He holds my future, and I know it's better than anything I could ever dream. In the mean time I could use some of that supernatural intervention in my life.

And They Lived Happily Ever After...The End

And They Lived Happily Ever After...The End

"... “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lordhas taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”"

Job 1:21

While scholars can't agree exactly when Job lived, there seems to be a consensus among some theologians I have read about, that he lived sometime after the flood and just before Moses, maybe the early part of Moses' life time. However, he was a real man who had a whole book dedicated to his life in God's Word. 

Job was a prosperous man with a strong faith in God, a large household including: seven sons and three daughters and many possessions. God's word states that he was considered "blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil." Yet, he endured  numerous hardships all in one day, greater than the average man ever had!  Job lost his seven thousand sheep by lightning, or as the Bible puts it, " fire from heaven". The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the three thousand camels and took them away, as well as killed his servants by the sword. Five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys were raided and taken away by the  Sabeans,  who also killed more his servants by the sword. Job's sons and daughters were also crushed and killed under the oldest brother's roof while they were eating and drinking wine as the book of Job tells, "a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house and it fell on the young people." Through all the loss, pain and sorrow, Job never "sinned or charged God with wrong. He held on to his faith in a merciful God! 

Still, Job endured more! He became covered in sores from head to toe, even lost his peace of mind. Surely he must have felt depression over take him and insanity creep to the edges of his mind . In fact, he cursed the day he was born. I've been in that state of mind before, almost there last night. (Oh the places the Devil can take you, if you let him.) His friends, thinking they were helpful surely weren't, by trying to put the blame all on him and some sort if sin he must have committed. After all, why else would God allow all this? Job's own wife encouraged him to curse God and die! See, Satan was trying to shake his marriage too. Job held fast to his faith, he never gave up, trusting in a God who is good and loving through it all. 

In the end, Job's life was restored with twice as much as he had before! His friends came back, he gained a new family of seven sons and three daughters and he lived to a good old age, and saw four generations of descendants. The perfect "And they lived happily ever after...The End" story.

Not that my life has been as rough as Job's, but those who have followed my blog or at least read my first post knows, I've had some tough struggles before I lost everything. However, like Job I have had everything restored and gained even more and better than what I had before. Like Job, my life isn't a fairy tale, happily ever after, sure, but "The End"? Not quite.

Job gained his family, possessions, and wealth back. However, knowing our God, it wasn't just handed to him. I'm sure there was work involved. Man, going through raising that many teenagers again, that's enough work for anyone. As silly as it sounds, all of that just dawned on me today after crying most of the night and morning.

I was crying about how hard life is. It is a struggle, it's not fair. I posted some of this pity party on FaceBook last night: My Amazing Man is currently working 2 jobs. The day job has turned into 30 hours a week, and the evening job 40 hours a week. I'm down to one job that I'm feeling quite burnt out on, after 15 years of the same type of work. When I had more than one job, it was so mentally and physically stressful. Now, we're still just barely making it. I hate that Tim works so hard and when his body is tired and sore, he keeps going. I can't find a better job to replace my current one or as much as I don't want, find another job to add to the one I have that won't kill me. 

We have such a great desire to get more involved in church and make more connections. We have a dream to move into a house of our own and expand ministry roles. We want to be able to help and bless others more than we're able, especially family members who really need it. My heart aches for all the things I desire but feel unable to do. I don't want "things", I've learned to live with very little. It's the connecting with people/friends outside of social media including my husband, I really miss and want. As well as buy groceries and pay the bills.  

 I haven't forgotten my blessings. "God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good."It could always be worse, I've lived way worse before! This is just a different kind of struggle. I know God will and is walking us through it even though it seems so dark now. He won't let go of our hands.

 

Everyone wants their "happily ever after...The End." I think especially in America we're conditioned to believe that because we're Americans we don't have to work as hard, land of the free and all. As I look back on all the things I'm crying about, as real as they are and as painful as they are to me, they are first world problems.

I still live in the best country in the world, even though many of the people living here seem to be making some poor life choices that affect our nation. It's still better than others. My husband and I may not be serving the Lord in the capacity we feel led to yet, but we are still free to worship Him. We're free to choose whom we want to marry and be an equal partner in that marriage; with out being hidden away, abused and tortured. ( I am more than aware in some cases it happens in our country, but it's not acceptable) which is why I have an Amazing Man in my life. Our rent for our tiny apartment may be crazy high and difficult to pay, but we have a place that is warm and dry. Our cars may be in some desperate need of work and payments are behind on one, but we have TWO. We may not have the jobs or careers we like, but we have work with Sundays off. God didn't guarantee a 40 hour work week. In Biblical times as well as countries around the world today, people work from sun up to sun down seven days a week making a fraction of what we make, if they have a job at all. And people in our country want to cry about not having paid maternity or paternity leave for months at a time. Or paid for this or that, because other countries ( who are going bankrupt by the way) are doing it. People want to cry about all of these false social injustices in our country while turing their heads to what is going on in the rest of the world. We are a spoiled nation and it is easy to get caught up with everyone crying, "it's not fair". 

So, we may be barely making financially it at this time, BUT WE ARE MAKING IT, and better than many others in the world. I don't know everything God is working out in us and I don't quite know what the lesson to be learned is. Although, I do know the plans He has for us is to prosper us, not to harm us, to give us hope and a future! He said so. 

Prosperity, hope, and a future doesn't mean life with out a struggle and hard work. Our human idea of prosperity is very different in God's eyes than our human eyes, I'm sure. Monetarily, God's economy is very different than ours.  Anything worth having, including a good life is worth working hard for.  Even if I have to piece together jobs that cause fear and anxiety because they are so out of my box and maybe somewhere deep inside a small part of me felt it was beneath me, if that's what God leads me to, I shouldn't turn it away. I should stay faithful in ALL THINGS AND IN ALL CONDITIONS, because HE is faithful to me! Besides everything good in this life is a gift. And every gift is only temporary.

Where is your faith today? Oh to have the faith of Job. When life is at it's worse don't give up. Like Job, He's not done with you yet!

Do You Ever Wonder...?

Do you take time to wonder?

Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” John 4:48

The above verse was written about a time when Jesus was urgently implored to come and heal a man's son who was dying. Jesus commented about the faith of people, in order to believe they had to see signs and wonders. They couldn't just believe in who Jesus was, they had to see who Jesus was through His works. Once they saw what Jesus can and has done, their faith increased. God knew we humans, with our limited minds, would need to have constant reminders of His eternal power and love for us. Therefore, He created the beauty we see around us daily. Romans 1:19-21 states that very idea,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Sadly, as time goes on people aren't taking the time to recognize the beauty around them. Many have lost their wonder, and miss out on God's wonders! Do you ever wonder? Do the deep reds, brilliant oranges, mixing with purples and blues in a sunset still take your breath away? What about the leaves in autumn, as they gently float to through the air before landing on the ground, do you watch? Or, do you anticipate raking them up to get them out of your way?  What about the first snow fall as it blankets the earth, hushing every sound and glistening  on the trees? Do you get out and see, or do you shut yourself inside, turning up the heat while attempting to keep the cold world out?

How often do you look at the world around you in awe and wonder? In the Spring are you surprised by the vibrant colors you're sure you haven't noticed before, coming from new buds, and leaves on bushes and trees? Do you notice the nests, or do you not look up that high? In the summer do you soak up some rays, feeling the warmth of the "Son"? Do you watch the grass dance and sway as the invisible breese move across the Earth? Do you feel small in a thunderstorm while excited by the power in the light show? What about the Grace in the rainbow? Even though science seems to explain the mystery of the ever changing seasons, God's beauty and wonder haven't left, many just quit looking for it.

We get so caught up in ourselves, the plans for our future, the things we're trying to obtain, politics of the world, or just getting to the next page in our book of life. Our foolish hearts become darkened to the light and wonders of God. So dark that some miss Him all together and never even read the words on the page. It's been thumbed through so fast, they never got it.

 If we're not careful the story will be over before we know it, and we will have missed all the little hidden details God added to our life to make it more enjoyable, or even salvageable. Details hidden, in hopes we would take the time to slow down, look for them, while finding Him in the middle of it all. Our God is The Creator, and in His creativeness, He wants us, His children, to explore and find wonder, excitement, peace and happiness. When we find happiness in His creation, He is happy because He created it for us!

Our world can be and is at times a scary place full of uncertainty. However, birds go on singing, the seasons still change, there is a new sunset and sunrise daily. God, from the beginning of creation has been trying to get our attention focused on Him. When our attention is on God The Creator, the worries in life don't seem as big.

My Amazing Man (as I call my husband) and I are always taking time to step out and seek the wonders God has for us. We have an awful lot on our plate and just physically getting out and seeking Him, makes all the difference in our week. After church, we get in the car, pray, ask God to show us some cool stuff, and He does. We don't have a lot of money so we just drive to no place in particular. Every picture I use in my blog posts are from an adventure we've had, seeking God's wonders.

Science may have explained away a lot of things man used to wonder about, but just because I know how and why a rainbow exists, there is still wonder and beauty in it. And Grace, don't forget the Grace. God chose to use that rainbow as a symbol of His Grace. He could have chosen to destroy the Earth and save nothing or no one. Just because we know how it works doesn't make it any less beautiful. Just because I know how snow is formed, the wonder and beauty in the intricate detail on one tiny snowflake isn't lost. Just because I know why lighting forms in the clouds, doesn't make it any less wonderful and powerful. Only God is powerful enough to stop the storm, in the skies and in life.

Where is your hope and future? My hope and future lies in the wonder of a God, who created the wonders on earth, and set the desire to seek out wonders in my heart. No matter if the people of this world seek to tear it apparat, The Creator isn't done creating and performing wonders for his children to seek.

22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.
Isaiah 66:22

13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
2 Peter 3:13

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
Revelations 21:1

The Last Stand

Matthew 18:2-4,10
2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Children in New Testament  times weren't idealized like they are today in western culture, that of being "happy go lucky" or free to be indifferent,  innocent, and having that simple faith. They were of little importance, claimed no status, and gained little merit or favor.

In general, children don't focus on the failures of the past or the what ifs in the future. The focus is on the experience of the here and now. Vs. 4 of Matthew 18 speaks of humility. It's not the innocence of a child that captures the heart of God, none of us can be innocent on our own. The average child hasn't earned anything in this world, they haven't gained wealth or recognition. Children seem to have natural humility, before the lies of the devil grab a hold of their hearts, before the world captures their mind and tells them they have to have this or be like that, they are content with the position they have in life.

Children don't care that they are completely dependent on their parents just as we should be be completely dependent on our Heavenly Father. When children are hurt or scared they have no problem turning straight to their parents to receive their peace comfort,  and contentment. It's only when we rely solely on Our Heavenly Father that we will have complete peace. I believe  He created a hole in our hearts that is to be filled with Him. However, so many miss the mark and try to fill that hole with stuff, with people, relationships, power, status, and just things. While trying to hold onto all of those things, we're  slowly giving our freedom away. With that freedom peace isn’t far behind. It is the freedom and peace that can only be given by Him. It's  a scenario  repeated  throughout  history.

While history seems to repeat  itself, we are witnessing history in the making, which will  include times of desperation that haven't been felt  or experienced  by many currently in this world and certainly  not in this country. The United States of America  may boast of strength, safety, and prosperity. We may claim to be the strongest and most admired and desired country to live in, with many freedoms, even blessed by God. However, the comfort in those boastful claims are weakening.  Weather or not people want to admit it, no matter how much the history of our country is rewritten, we were once a nation founded on the one true God. Today, our country  seem so very far from Him! They have turned their eyes away, keeping them hidden from the truth.

Many have given their trust and have sought out peace and security by looking to the government, a government  created  by man that is easily corrupt. This hasn’t happened in our country alone. When we put all of our faith into man made things, we are creating  idols or gods of our own making. The more power and influence  we allow  idols to have in our life the less power and freedom we have.  It was once a great, new, and unique idea to have the government  run by the people. Not the people run by the government. I believe the idea was a government run by the people while they looked to God. That is one sure lesson I have learned in life, as long as my eyes are on God and my feet stay on His foundation, I will stay headed in the right direction. Many have gone to war, battled, and died for that very idea!

 At the end of the Gettysburg Address, in 1863, Abraham  Lincoln  said,” It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the

earth.” People once believed in freedom under God so much, they were willing to die for it. Many people around the world still are, but what about in our own country?

Our government  now seems to be run by just a handful of people turning  our country  further and further from the ideals our founders once thought to be great. This same caution  about keeping our freedom was echoed in part of a speech given by Ronald Reagan in 1964 during an election year. He recounted a recent discussion  he had with a friend and a Cuban refugee, a businessman who had escaped from Castro. When the friend said, “ "We don't know how lucky we are." And the Cuban stopped and said, "How lucky you are? I had someplace to escape to." And in that sentence he told us the entire story. If we lose freedom here, there's no place to escape to. This is the last stand on earth. “ He further went on to say, “This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.”  A TIME FOR CHOOSING (The Speech – October 27, 1964

See history, continues to repeat  itself! Nobody  pays attention  to it. Each time history is repeated we have greater consicuences! Although, in all my humanness, I wonder  if it matters that history  repeats itself. Even the Bible is a glimpse  into the past present  and  future  at the same time. I suppose  the lesson  that  is to be learned  isn't  exactly  to keep from repeating  it, because  as an individual the odds of my ability  to change history isn’t very high. The lesson is, how to live in the times we are living in, while history is being made. We don't  give up our peace and freedom, and lay down and die either. While the end may feel near, souls still need saving! If we lose  our freedom in this country  the task of seeing souls saved will become  more difficult. As you  know  being a Christian  in other countries isn't  too popular, in fact  it's  deadly. As deadly as it is, Christians understand the blessings of God outweigh the risk of death on this earth. If we aren't now as a country, we soon will be, the last, or one of the last stands on earth before the end comes.

I know I'm  stepping out and sounding like one of those fear mongers  yelling, “THE END IS NEAR!” Oh, I know people have been saying that since the time of Christ. The signs have been around just as long too. That is very true. However, like the beginning of sorrows or birth pains as mentioned in Matthew 24, they are coming more often and much strongrer, like the consicuences of history repeating itself will become more harsh, until suddenly, the birth of the end does come. Where will your hope, peace, and comfort be then? Will you have hope while living in the future, which may as well be our present now as foretold in Matthew?

Matthew  24:6-14 “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all[a] these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences,[b] and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

I think, right now we may be between verses 8 and 10. It is good that we are allowed to know this much. If we knew much more, we probably couldn’t handle it. We know enough to be prepared. John 16:33 says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” We can find hope in being prepared and knowing through Jesus whatever happens we can take the peace He offers. Who knows what 2016 will hold? Just as John 10:28-30 tells me,  I know God holds me and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in the palm of his hand and nothing can pluck me from it! Have you received that hope and future?