The night shines as bright as day

 I do well with lists.

I have my list of top favourite web sites:

1. http://www.aholyexperience.com/

2. http://proverbs31.org/ 

3. http://www.incourage.me/

4. http://boomama.net/

5. http://www.desiringgod.org/

I have a list of the best cookies

I have a list of favourite songs (changes everyday).

I have a list of all the books I have read this year, and a list of books I want to read next year.

I do well with lists.  I love blogs and articles written in point form. 

I need step by step plans. Philippians 4 is a step by step plan for peace. 

Who doesn't need more peace in their lives?  Here is the way to peace

1. Stay true to God (vs. 1)

2. Always be full of joy in the Lord. (vs. 4)

3. Be considerate in all you do (vs. 5)

4. Stop worrying. Replace worry with prayer, tell God what you need then, THANK HIM (vs. 6) 

5. Fix your thoughts on what is true, honourable, pure, lovely and admirable. vs 8 

...Then you will experience God's peace which exceeds anything we can understand. 

That is the list but how do I, weak and unsteady, stick to the plan? How, when faced with terrifying thoughts in the dark of night, do I stay on track?  When there is real threat to my peace will I go to the plan or will I go straight to worry?  Renee Swope in her book, A Confident Heart says " God's power in me and me putting my trust fully in Him can get my feet back on solid ground." page 169.

"To You the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to You." Psalm 139:12b

God is there,  He knows, He loves.

"You go before me and follow me.You place your hand of blessing on my head." Psalm 139:5 

To get to the goal of peace, there is prayer, there is thanksgiving there is God,
                                                 there is no worry.

Neither do I condemn you

9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” 

John 8:9-11

English Standard Version (ESV)

I was sitting in Disneyland, enjoying the sun and people watching. A young man walked by eating a white bread Cheese Whiz sandwich, wrapped in waxed paper. He had brought it from home. How could he make such a poor choice? Then I looked down, in my own hand I held a sugar coated, deep fried churro.

I sat beside her on the plane. She had pierced eyebrows, lips and nose. She had tattoos on her neck and arms, her hair was black and she looked angry.I looked down at my freshly pressed dress slacks and sensible shoes, I only had to get through the next 90 minutes. I am sure she wouldn't want to interact with me either. I pulled out my book before the plane was even finished loading. As the plane took off she looked at me and said " Does it always make so much noise?" This was her first flight, she was a scared young girl flying for the first time. We chatted and I was ashamed of myself.
How many times do I condemn or play judge to people around me? Am I part of the crowd that is pointing a finger at the one standing before Him? There are so many people everyday who feel condemnation, please Lord don't let it be me that is pointing my finger at them.

Sometimes I am the condemned, sometimes I am the condemner. When I find my self condemning, I pray I will read what Christ has written, I will watch closely to see His words written in the sand. I will walk away and not condemn, or better yet I will stay and stand along side the condemned one. I will help her to her feet to show her the path that Jesus has for her, to go and sin no more.  

If my life is a mess, then...

When my life seems like it is out of control,
 the house is a mess, the finances are a mess, 
my prayer life is weak, eating healthy is gone, 
or things just feel off; then I go back to - 

              "The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He required of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

Lots of times things are a mess because I haven't been doing what is right, I don't love mercy, and  I don't walk humbly with my God , so my life is not in control.
Recently my 80 year old dad completed a mountain marathon. He is a tough guy but this was a challenge, even for the 800 people who were all younger than him. When asked how he does it he replied, "I get outside everyday, I work hard and keep on doing it even when I don't feel like it."
The Lord has told us what is good, and He has told us what is required. If I am not walking humbly with Him so many things will go off, no matter what I do to try and fix it. 
It is simple really, "keep on doing it even when I don't feel like it." 

What flows in must flow out.

One more day comes to a slow finish and if I am honest, no I did not do all I was meant to.
My talents...lets see, mmmm think, think think,
I am hospitable, at least I used to be.
I am a good event organizer, at least I used to be.
I am creative, at least I used to be.
I am a people person, at least I used to be.
What has happened that I let these talents, these passions, slowly wither up like the hanging baskets in my front yard? Vibrant with color and life in the spring now dry, useless and ugly hanging there to be taken away and forgotten.
We had a speaker tell us about the Dead Sea. It is called the Dead Sea because it is dead. It is dead because what flows in, has no way to flow out. It just flows in and evaporates. My life...

I have started a come back from the Dead Sea my life has become.
The Lord has started new life in my heart, new growth for the person I should be.
I am going to say YES.
Here it is, yes to hospitality, yes to people, yes to the Lord.  What has been flowing in must begin to flow out.
Flowing In:

"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? "Micah 6:8

Flowing In:

⁹ Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹ Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. ¹² Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. ¹³ Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.  Never be wise in your own sight. ¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."  Romans 12:9-18

Waiting to be Radical

Yesterday I finished a “radical step of obedience”.   Little Mr. moved with his parents who will attend University. I said yes to caring for him, I obeyed and it seems like a small thing but for me and this family it was important.

Today I am sitting in my white space waiting on God. What will He ask of me?

What will I respond?

Will He ask me to minister to girls who have an unexpected and maybe unwanted pregnancy?

Will He ask me to encourage parents going through a black cloud with a prodigal child?

Will I be asked to encourage women with mother hearts but no child to hold?

Will it be something I have never dreamed of but will fulfill me because it is EXACTLY what I have been created to do?

Whatever it is I pray I will be a “Yes” girl and I will honor Him in all I do.

Here is where I start:

                     Pray this:

   Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.

  Cast me not away from your presence,

and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

  Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit  Psalm 51:10-12   

           Do this :

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, 

and all these things will be added to you.  Matthew 6:33

   

            Live this:

love the Lord your God with all your heart 

and with all your soul and with all your strength 

and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

           And this:

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; 

  worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. Psalm 29:2

                                                            Waiting...

 

In Him alone will I trust.

There have been too many times in my life that I have run first to people for prayer, for counsel, or for encouragement, instead of to the One I pray to, the Great Counselor, the Almighty God.
I was part of ladies Bible Studies, Prayer Chain, sewing groups, Mother's Who Care, Small Group, I had the phone number to several phone in prayer lines...it wasn't healthy for me.  It was too much support but not enough trusting in Christ alone.
The support groups were all wonderful, but I was too dependent on these human resources. The Lord had me take a step away from them.
I said yes to the heavenly support and no to the "help groups".
I missed them. I was lonely for them, then  I saw my prayers answered, I felt comfort, I knew strength, I witnessed growth. Wow.
It was for a time, not forever. I am now in an online Bible Study with support and counsel, from many godly women and I know it is where I should be now.  

This  prayer ..