Watch Him Move

2 Chronicles 20:15, 17 KJV

And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.  Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.

Often when I'm facing something difficult, that almost seems impossible, the Lord leads me back to this passage of scripture.  When I am tempted to fix a problem on my own, I can hear Him say, " Tonya, set yourself, stand still, this battle isn't yours, it's mine. I'm always with you, trust me, I've got this." My spirit begins to stir within me encouraging me...

Trust Him, even when you're losing the battle...help is coming.
Trust Him, even when your faith is fading.
Trust Him,  because you love Him.
Trust Him, because He loves you.
Trust Him, because His word is true.

I know He says that he is always working things out for my good and He has a plan, so, today, I'm gonna sit still and watch Him move!! :-)

Waiting for Perfect...hmmph!

Life can make us bitter and pessimistic about things if we choose to let ourselves be swayed by everyone else's failures and negativity...stop, just stop, take responsibility for yourself and your own actions...Life is what you make it, if you're waiting on 100% certainty that you're not gonna fail before you give it your all and take a chance, well, friend, you'll be waiting forever.  I've got news for ya, you will never be fault-free, and neither will the people in your life. So, if you are loved and love in return, then move forward and choose to make the precious moments you've been given with them the best ever. Because, one day, you'll look back and see just how much time you let pass you by all because you were waiting...waiting for perfect to find you, you let perfect-for-you pass right on by.

The Palm of His Plans

Struggling to find peace in the midst of frustration is, well, frustrating!  I was a blubbering mess this morning when I asked for a friend's prayer to cover me, then I went to the one place I knew there'd be help - the Word! I opened my bible, and out fell a sweet thank you note given to me by a precious sister over a year ago. It's sweetness was found marking the pages of Daniel chapters two and three. Only the Lord knows exactly what we need when we need it. I have so many doubts and questions about issues far beyond my control, and I often become overwhelmed in feelings of  unsettling insecurities. I don't like not knowing  where I'm gonna land, but my sweet heavenly Father gently reminded me today that He most definitely does. I'm so grateful the One who holds creation in His hands, the One who sets the hours within the days, the One who holds all the mysteries of life in the wisdom of His grace, is also the One who has my life in the nail scarred  palm of His plans!! 

All the Difference

We have such an hope in our Savior! Why I lack confidence has absolutely nothing to do with Him, but everything to do with my sin! When I find my boldness to proclaim Him to others difficult to muster, it's only because I'm foolishly forgetting that my confidence rests not in my goodness, but always, and only, in His goodness! We can always have assurance that He is faithful to do what He has promised- when He is lifted up, He will draw all men unto Himself.  I pray He reminds me daily of this hope - it's all about Him- enabling me to be bold with the confidence of Christ; He will make all the difference!!!

Philippians 1:20

According to my earnest expectation and my  hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

He's all I need

Proverbs 5:21
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord , and he pondereth all his goings.

 

Even when I don't know where I'm going, or where I'll end up, He surely does! There's not one day in which I should worry, my Lord has me in the palms of His hands, for the nails of Calvary have engraved me there.

Hiding Place

Thou art my hiding place and my shield, I hope in thy word! (Psalms 119:114)

Often I lie awake when troubling thoughts invade the stillness of the night. I wonder about lots of things in those quiet moments, such as, what is your will for me God, where will I end up, will I be married, single, will I ever feel truly content, will I do enough for The Lord, will I finally feel forgiven along with  a whole host of other ordinary, everyday concerns. Goodness how the enemy strives to steal our joy, but oh what a refuge of hope we have in His word! Hiding it in our hearts creates a shield of protection and a sense of peace. All the matters of our lives, shall God not search them out, for he knows the secret places of the heart. (Psalms 42:21) "Learning to lean, learning to lean...learning to lean on Jesus. Finding more power than I'd ever dream, I'm learning to lean on Jesus."  He is honestly the best the best hiding place there is! 

I love you Daddy!

There are so many things I'd love to talk with you about. So often I think, "Boy, Dad sure woulda loved that" or "wonder what Daddy would say?" I am so sorry that I did more than my share of disappointing things while you were still with us, but your belief in me was astounding! You would have been proud to see the change God has made in my life! Thanks for being such a loving and forgiving Dad! It has taught me to be the same way to others! Because you came back to The Lord later in life a broken and humble man, there was a resolve in you to serve Him with such faithfulness! I often think of the verse in Luke 7:47 where Jesus says, "Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." What a joy it was to watch you live for The Lord, you knew what it was like to be forgiven of much, and the joy and dedication you served The Lord with was so awesome to watch. You were the picture of a man who "loved much"! Thank you for leaving that testimony of grace behind, for I have drawn so much strength from it. It helps me more than anyone could ever know! I miss you, but it's a comfort to know you are having a wonderful time with our Heavenly Father. I just wanted to take a minute and thank the good Lord for making you my Dad, and to you, for loving me so completely! Happy Father's Day to you both, I love you more than words can express!