…Keep on Skating…

“…But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 NASB

God is not interested in us dashing through life and being the first one to the finish line. Rather, He asks us to take time, to run well and to finish well ~ His Way!  In these days, as many of you are making major decisions for your families and for yourselves, and adapting as you go, I share this memory with you to encourage you to stay focused and intent on your purpose.  And in these days, as you embrace the process, engage in the process, and press on through His Strength, nothing can stop you!

One of our children’s favorite activities during our homeschool years was the monthly Homeschool Skate Day at one of the local roller-skating rinks in our home-town of Waco. It was a great incentive to    motivate them to have their weekly school work completed by Friday morning so they could join the other homeschool students as they packed the rink!  And each month, the rink was packed for the two-hour activity!

About half-way though the skating session, the manager would announce for the floor to be cleared for the races! Children would dash out on the floor as the appropriate age divisions were called. Our children were always some of the first ones to rush to the starting line, hunger and determination burning in their eyes.  They would both welcome victories, no matter what the activity. Taking this very seriously, they skated for the win, and the free soda and treat from the snack bar awaiting the lucky winners!  Oh, those were very good days!

I want to confess to you right now after questioning our adult kids, one of them has a memory of a portion of this event which I am sharing with you. I seriously doubt that anyone else remembers any part of this story…but, I do.  I cannot tell you how many times I have rehearsed it in my mind over the years…laughing at myself…oh silly-silly me…but, remembering the lesson I learned that day, a lesson about looking back.

On this particular day, after the children had their races, two laps around the oval rink, the manager called for any willing parents to come to the starting line and to take their positions; the Race of the Parents was about to begin!

My son and daughter immediately turned to me, their faces ignited with excitement… “MOM, you have to race!  You can do it, Mom…you are an awesome skater!” I am pretty sure they based their opinion on two facts.  I was one of the only moms who could make it around the rink without falling, and I could skate to the rhythm of the music, commonly called ‘dance skating’.  Sometimes, on a very good day, I could make my move and turn to skate backwards!  Oh, my children were so easily impressed in those days!

And on this day, I listened to them echo the messages they had heard from me in every activity they ever tried!  “You can do it! You never know unless you try!  Be brave Mom!  You can do it!  Go MOMMY!”

So, I reluctantly joined the other parents, mostly moms as we lined up on the starting line, some struggling just to stand, and some holding onto one another for balance!  It is not easy to stand still on roller skates! As we waited for the whistle to sound, I noticed that some of the moms began to leave the floor and go back to their seats…Hmmmmm-I clearly should have taken the hint.  But, the children of those of us who remained were now screaming at the top of their lungs for their moms to win!

I was determined to dash out in front of the other competitors as soon as the whistle sounded.  But, as I concentrated and tried to focus, I did not notice the even more rapidly diminishing competition. And, when it was time for the race to begin, I looked around to discover that I stood on the starting line alone-except for a very tall man, a man I did not know, clearly a father of a home-schooling child.

I can’t tell you how much I wanted to shrink and just slip away. What was I thinking?  What was I doing? I panicked! I shuddered, completely aware that all eyes were on me and this stranger, this man, who now was in a REAL starting-line position, as though he had done this before. And, I could hear people screaming and yelling and cheering, and I could see the faces of my kids in the crowd…smiling and cheering me on!  “Go Mommy!  You can do it!”

Oh no!  I couldn’t let them down!  So, like any mommy trying to be brave, I began the self-talk… “I am a pretty good skater… I seldom fall down when I skate…I can skate to the beat of the music…and sometimes, I can skate backwards…and these moms who slithered off the rink before the race even started just might have been a little intimidated by my ability.”

Hmmmmmm. I think my pride began to inflate a bit!

The whistle blew loudly through the speaker and echoed throughout the rink! I hurled myself from the starting line and began madly thrashing and pumping my arms in case it made my legs skate faster. I found myself out in front, daring to look from side-to-side. I discovered that I was alone. And, I could hear the sounds of people clapping…shouting… Go!  Go!  Go!!

So, I went, and went, and went—And, at this point, I began to feel a little more confident and the speed was thrilling to me… “GO Mommy!”  One lap down, and one more…only one more to go!  But, where in the world was the poor man with whom I shared the race?  How would he feel about being pummeled by a mom who had never mom-raced on skates before?

And then, curious and determined to find him, I carefully turned, and peered over my shoulder, and looked back!  There, about ten feet behind me, the man was skating with his arms resting on his chest, and then, yawning, placing his head in his hands feigning sleep. Then, he casually, turned to move in a figure eight, skating backwards!  Laughter filled the rink. Oh, and then I got it!  I realized this was a bit of a show…This man was certainly a ringer!  He knew exactly what he was doing. Who knows, maybe he was a professional roller derby dad!

As I turned, very carefully facing forward, I could see my kids, their attention still on me… “Go Mommy- you are winning!  Go Mommy-Keep on skating!” Honestly, you probably know what I was thinking at this moment, how I was feeling. First, of all, it was extremely funny…and I was so silly-silly silly me!  But, my pride ached a bit. There I was doing my absolute best…and, it was not good enough…or was it?  What exactly was I desiring to accomplish? 

Keep on Skating…

The words of my children… “Mom, Keep on Skating!”  How many times had that been my message to them? How many times had I encouraged them in their swimming lessons when they wanted to grasp the side of the pool? I had shouted to them, running along the side of the swimming pool, “Keep on swimming! You can do it!” In the soccer game–keep on running! In the baseball game–keep on swinging! Yes, even when their team was losing, keep doing the right thing because it is right, no matter what people are thinking. Keep doing your best…yes…KEEP on SKATING!

You see my friends, that day, my goal when I started that silly roller-skating race, was to show my children that I could stand up, I could be brave like them, and I could do my best!  I had the opportunity to give wings to the message my husband and I tried to deliver to them each day. And, I discovered in the process that I honestly did not care if I won that soda and treat from the snack bar, or if people were applauding for me, or in this case, if they were laughing at my role in the entertainment of the day. My goal was to embrace my job as my beautiful children’s mom, modeling for them the way their father and I wanted them to live, and more importantly, the way their Heavenly Father desired for them to live.  We wanted our children to keep on keeping on, to press on, to not quit when there was a distraction, a loss or disappointment, a diversion in school plans, a disaster, or a disheartening defeat. We desired that they would persevere, and not shrink back or quit even when there was an unseen enemy, or a distractor, or a virus attempting to disrupt their lives…What we wanted for them was for them to Keep on Skating!

And since that day-I have learned that anytime we look back…it must always be with the purpose and the intention, to then move forward.  God has given each one of us a job to do…A job which we are called to do, in spite of distraction, diversion, detours, or defeat.  We are called to Keep on Skating…To be brave…to Keep on…to do our Best to serve Him by serving others, and to trust Him to see us to our destination!

“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.” Ephesians 6:7 NIV

One More Thing!

Perhaps you are feeling overwhelmed by the number of necessary decisions you are having to make in these days.  Perhaps, you are frustrated by the circumstantial interruptions in your well-made plans and your family agendas. Perhaps you are feeling tempted to spend more time looking back, looking back to the past, instead of looking forward and experiencing the gift of today, as you anticipate a tomorrow, by God’s grace.  You may feel as though you are staring into a tunnel sprinkled with a few glimpses of daylight, more often lost in the midst of shadows.

I encourage you my friends, to focus on the light, and to Keep on Skating… And remember as you press on, the process is what lies between the beginning of your journey and your final destination. The process and your response are integral parts of your journey, empowering you to navigate and to arrive exactly where God intends for you to land, accomplishing what He intends for you to accomplish. And, when you find it necessary to look back, remember to use what is behind you to propel you to move you forward, regardless of what the past holds, regardless of what others are doing or saying. Stay on task to complete the job God has given you.  My friends, don’t let anyone or anything distract you from what God has assigned you to do…Yes, Keep on Skating! I promise, it is so worth it! And be assured, He is with you all the way! Keep on Skating!

Love you in Jesus,

HOSANNA
to
The KING!

“Save now, I pray, O LORD…” Psalm 118:25 

Today, we celebrate Palm Sunday, commemorating the Triumphant Entry of Jesus through the gate into the city of Jerusalem.  “Hosanna”, the people shouted and waved robes and palm leaves, “Save us now! Save us we pray!”

Oh, these days, how we need a Rescuer! How we are desperate for the First Responder, for the Savior who is Sovereign over everything! And, the ONE who is Sovereign over everything we cannot control, manage, command, legislate, direct, or dominate.

In these days, perhaps we are reaching the end of our self-sufficiency and arriving at the place to acknowledge our desperation for the One who is waiting to enter the gate of our heart.  Or, perhaps He is waiting to be restored to His legitimate position as the KING of our lives. Perhaps we have reached the time when we are willing to be dethroned and to invite and allow the Faithful King to be restored to His rightful jurisdiction in and over our lives.

My friends, how blessed and secure we are as we yield ourselves to the ONE who is Sovereign over all.  The only ONE who is worthy and able to answer our cries, the only ONE who can rescue us…save us.

Heavenly Father,

Hosanna to KING JESUS…Save us now, we pray! Open the gate of my heart, and come in, making Your Triumphant Entry into my life.  You are the legitimate King! You are the ONLY ONE who can Save…the ONLY ONE who can answer the cries of my heart, who can take my desperation, and replace it with HOPE, and take my selfish narcissism and replace it with Your goodness.  Come into my day, into my life, returning to Your Rightful place as King of my heart, and King of my life!” In the Name of Jesus Christ…Be King of my life. Amen!

May today be the Palm Sunday when we all wave our arms of accolade, our garments of praise, and lay down our hearts with devotion and adoration…worshipping the King…King Jesus.  The ONLY ONE WORTHY…and yes, my dear friends…We all will find everything, all things to be,

Just as He Said.

Love you in Jesus,

When We Finally Get to Bethlehem…

“Then all at once, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God singing:

“Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven!

For there is Peace and a good Hope given to the sons of men.” Luke 2:13-14 TPT

The Christmas Dash—you know, those countdown days consisting of final preparations for our arrival at the destination of the journey on which we embarked weeks ago, (for some of us, months ago). The dash, connecting those enlightened moments of anticipation and expectation, in preparation for family gatherings and celebrations…shopping, wrapping and festive adorning of gifts…for grocery lists and long lines…for Christmas carols and hot chocolate…for Christmas Pageants, crooked angel halos, little scuffling boys and peppermint candy canes…for the family Christmas Tree displaying ornaments of the past Christmases  and those reflecting the moments in which we now live…for The Nativity displays, lit by a single brilliant star…for coats, blankets, and food given to nourish and to warm a body and a soul…and for the candles lighting up the darkness of a Christmas Eve celebration…all  preparing for and anticipating and expecting Christmas.  The Christmas Dash connects the preparation and waiting to our arrival at our destination.

The celebration of the arrival of The King, our Messiah who God sent, to be born into the world, in a manger…to be born into our hearts and into our lives…

When We Finally Get to Bethlehem…

I realized today that we have something in common with Mary and Joseph…

They awaited the birth of their precious child. We wait and wait to celebrate His birth. We wait for His Return…

They embarked on a journey to Bethlehem, to the first Christmas. We embarked on a journey to celebrate this Christmas, centuries later…

They experienced the traffic and stress of pilgrims traveling to register for the census. And, we experience the traffic of pilgrims and shoppers traveling to live out the responsibilities of today…

They experienced the crowded village, filled to capacity with weary travelers. We experience the long lines and crowded market places…often filled to capacity and overflowing…

Mary and Joseph believed what the LORD proclaimed through His messengers. And, we believe what the LORD proclaims to us through His WORD…

When We Finally Get to Christmas…

On that first Christmas night, Jesus Christ was born…The Prince of Peace came into the crowded village, into the world of chaos and spiritual disorder…He came as the Redeemer, the Savior, the long-awaited Messiah…He came to save…He came as the Prince of Peace…And on that night…there was the calmness and the Peace of God Almighty…of God Himself, embodied in a tiny newborn child.

Oh my friends, we are waiting for Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus, The Messiah.  We are waiting in the midst of crowded roadways and congested markets…in the midst of long lines and the weariness of work and of waiting…

When, the night of Christmas Eve finally arrives, the world begins to still in the face of the expectation and the anticipation… chaos and disorder are tamed as the Gift of Christmas makes its presence…its arrival into the world…

May the Peace and the Hope Mary and Joseph experienced on that first Christmas permeate your heart and your being…The Prince of Peace has come…and together, we celebrate His birth, His life, and His Love…

All is Calm…All is bright…and may you rest and sleep in heavenly Peace!

And may you…

Sing the Song of Christmas everyday of your life!

Merry Christmas!

Love you in Jesus,

Heart Hugs

“…And Mary said, “Behold, the bond slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah…and greeted Elizabeth…And Mary stayed with her about three months and then returned to her home.” Luke 1:38, 39, 56

And such was Mary’s rapid departure to meet with her beloved Elizabeth after her encounter with God’s messenger, the Angel Gabriel, who brought to her the most incredible news about the birth of her son. Scripture tells us that after Mary had responded to Gabriel with her promise of obedience and her acceptance of the will of her Heavenly Father, she went in a hurry to greet Elizabeth and to spend time with her. Mary knew and recognized that she needed the guidance, the counsel and the encouragement of the godly woman in her life…

Heart Hugs

This is the time of year when I am reminded of those “first” days of school. It seems like yesterday that I shopped with my son for the school supplies for his first day of pre-school. He loved the school supplies, but was far less enamored with the idea of school and of being required to sit in a desk inside a building. Our daughter, conversely, loved everything about the shopping, the supplies, and her first day of school! Our children obviously survived and prospered through those days but, what I vividly remember, is the impact that each one of their “first days” had on my life as their mother. No doubt, other moms had similar experiences. I clearly remember the “Sun glasses” disguise, even on the rainy days to hide the tears which flowed freely from the eyes of the mothers of first day preschoolers and kindergarten children.

There is nothing like the feeling of driving away from a campus, leaving the “little buddy” in the care of another. And then before we know, we are driving those young adults to the college campus of their choice, and leaving the “little buddy” in the care of another. Many of my dearest friends are gearing up to do just that…to make that long drive. And whether you travel across town, or across the country…it is the long drive.

These days are a universal phenomenon. As I experienced the first day of my youngest child’s school career, (yes, that would be Christie) I could not even tell her good-bye because she ran enthusiastically into the classroom, without looking back. Good for her, but I found myself desperately gravitating toward a group of women gathering outside the school building. They appeared to be as unsettled as I was; we stood together, totally unsure of our next step. We made casual conversation, some being honest about the escapades of the morning, others being artificially composed, until one very wise mom suggested that we might want to meet at a local restaurant to grab a cup of coffee, rather than stand outside in the parking lot on the hot August morning. And certainly there must have been rules about distraught mothers blocking the driveway of the school parking lot. My first thoughts were, coffee, oh no, I only do Diet Coke.

All was well because we each consoled one another and sat through breakfast until the 12:00 pick up time. Time truly flies when women are encouraging, nurturing and consoling each other…and, I learned to drink coffee that day by adding lots of cream and sugar. And the greatest results of our first meeting were the relationships formed on that morning, relationships which would last through the years of school, and home-schooling, and life…These were the Heart Hugs desperately needed, all over cups of some form of coffee!

Oh that’s right, Mary knew and recognized that she needed the guidance, the counsel and the encouragement of the godly woman in her life, perhaps they enjoyed a cup of coffee… And that day in the pre-school parking lot, we moms recognized the same need for Heart Hugs…

Heart Hugs are God’s Idea…

I am amused when science announces a major scientific revelation or discovery as though it was a new and original thought. A few years ago a study done at UCLA produced some shocking information concerning women and their need for other female relationships…friends, sisters, mothers…the whole female spectrum. The study determined that women handle stress differently than men and that women’s DNA is wired with the need for female relationships. It concluded that healthy female relationships directly affect women’s health and the stresses of life, longevity, quality of life, and productivity. I really do not think that anyone was surprised by these findings. In other words, God designed women to need the relationships of other godly women…so Mary hurried to Elizabeth…just as I hurried to the circle of women in the pre-school parking lot.

I often think about the relationship with my sweet mother…how much I have missed picking up the phone to call her for advice or to report a new family occurrence; as we know, there are no phone calls in Heaven… So the phone calls from my daughter and my daughter-in-law, are absolute treasures as they share some of their children’s firsts with me…as they share life with me! How, I love the relationship with Christie, Claire, and their daughters, my sisters-in-law, my mother-in-law, and the friends God has brought into my life. Life is just sweeter…better…more fulfilling…more entertaining…and yes, sometimes, more dramatic…but I cannot imagine the void in my life without my family and friends.

As this summer comes to an end, use this time as an opportunity to connect with and to reach into other women’s lives. May I share something I have learned over the decades? When God closes a door, or a season of life, it is His way of lovingly, gently moving us into our next season or destination on our life journey. There were many times, when left to my own accord, I would not have had the courage to pull the door closed behind me, then, to open a new door in front of me…and to let go of the little hand in mine…So, our loving Heavenly Father walks with us pulling a door closed, as He reaches forward to open the next door…the next season, which will be filled with new friends, new opportunities for you and for your children. Remember, just as He walks with each one of us…He is walking with our little ones, our precious ones…in preschool, kindergarten…in college…and beyond.

As we encounter the “firsts” in life, a new marriage, the birth of a child, the first day of school, the ‘first’- last day of school…may we always meet with our Heavenly Father and encounter Him, then may we embrace the people He has placed in our lives…May we encourage one another, nurture, teach and love one another…Remember friends, we need one another as we step into new doors, new seasons… Keep making those phone calls, sending emails, sending texts, having coffee, meeting for lunch, praying
for one another…laughing and crying together, doing life together.

As my oldest granddaughter recently experienced her first day of fourth grade, two of our grands, their first day of second grade, two of kindergarten, and the youngest marched through the doors of pre-school, many of you will experience life’s “firsts, seconds, or thirds”…new doors, new friends, new places… May we always remember that “Heart Hugs” are Sunshine for the Soul and can be shared by doing life together…over a cup of coffee, or whatever…

Hugs and Abundant Joy,

Sunshine for the Soul – The Treasure Hunt 

“Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.  Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.  He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.  He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.”

Psalm 103: 1-4 (NLT)

Recently, while having an intellectual, bed-time conversation with our five-year-old grand-son, Samuel, he began asking me questions about Jesus.  Some, I could answer, but when he advanced the question, “What does Jesus look like?” I paused just long enough for him to interject his own answer.  He began to explain how if he closed his eyes, he could see Jesus…he could see exactly what he looked like. And, who was I to argue with a five-year-old. The truth we all know…Jesus looks exactly like His Father!

As you and I have journeyed these past six weeks and studied thirty Psalms written by David, I’m sure you have discovered countless treasures and have secured them in the Treasure Chest of your heart; I know I have.  And, while we may not be any closer to knowing what Jesus and His Father look like with our physical eyes, I am certain that you and I have learned more about our Heavenly Father, who He is, what he does, how He loves…about His essence and His character as we have dug in to His word, and looked at Him through the eyes of our hearts…our spirits.

The Treasure Hunt

The Psalms written over a thousand year period, contain some of the greatest pearls of wisdom and truth concerning Almighty God. And as we learned a few weeks ago, the Psalms were written as “Songs of Praise”, utilizing the universal language of the human spirit…with “utterances of the soul”. This language of the spirit encompasses every tribe and tongue, every language and peoples, and its music is universal across cultural and linguistic boundaries.  The language of Praise unites those who participate, and destroys barriers which separate, because of the One who is worthy of worship. The Psalms exemplify the pattern for devotion, praise and worship of our Mighty God.  Try to imagine for just a moment, the 4,000 Levite musicians and their instruments as they played the Songs of Praise to the Glorious and Sovereign God… (1 Chronicles 23:5)  It must have been divine…The truth, Songs of Praise are always divine as they are lifted up from the human spirit, to the Living God…no matter how many instruments…no matter how many voices…even one.

Your Treasure Hunt…

As you embarked on your journey, and studied the Psalms, I hope that you kept a list of all of the characteristics you discovered about the LORD. If you did, carefully, look back over your list and examine the Treasure you discovered…my LORD, your LORD is:

Our Shield, our Protector, our King-King of Glory, our God, our Honest Judge, our Creator, our Majestic God, our Shelter, our Refuge, our Most High God, our Master, our Inheritance, our Guide, our Helper, our Savior, our Compassionate God, our Patient God, our Just God, our Shepherd, our Peace-Giver, our Mercy-Giver, our Rescuer, our Deliverer, Our Faithful God, our Rock, our Fortress, our God who listens, our God who answers…our God who Loves perfectly and our God who Loves forever…Our God is the One who Forgives, the One who Redeems…the One who Restores…the One who Delivers…you and me.   

The Greatest Treasure…

As I think back to the question our grand-son asked me about Jesus, and what He looks like, I cannot help but think about how much Jesus looks like His Father…The Son of God was and has been present with His Father-God, and the Holy Spirit…always…and His presence on earth as God’s flesh and blood was foretold through-out the Old Testament.  Every book in the Old Testament in some way directly or indirectly points toward the Son of God, the Messiah. He brings Hope and Life through forgiveness, redemption, and salvation, the blessing God intended for the whole world…

Over three-hundred prophecies in the OT scriptures were written hundreds of years before Jesus was born and, these prophecies were all fulfilled through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, in defiance of mathematical odds. Only Jesus could do this…His fingerprints are found through-out the OT, and fulfilled in the New Testament.

SONGS OF PRAISE

Written through God’s inspiration, the Psalms also contain the fingerprints of the Messiah. If we wonder, like a curious five-year-old, what the Messiah looks like, we find much of the answer within the Book of Psalms…

My friends, I pray that we continue to study and to discover more about our Almighty God as we dig deeper into the remaining Psalms.  These Songs of Praise are written by people whose spiritual eyes were opened to see more clearly….They experienced their LORD personally and God preserved the Holy Scripture as evidence and testimony for each one of us.  I pray that we look for the Messiah within the Psalms…I pray that the eyes of our hearts would be opened to see Him more clearly as we discover and experience the character of the Father in His incarnate Son, Jesus Christ. What does Jesus look like?  He embodies all and everything about His Father…

“The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command…” Hebrews 1:3 (NLT)

“For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.” Colossians 2:9 (NLT)

The Journey Continues…

I plan on continuing my Journey in Psalms, and I invite you to join me…Read the Psalms aloud each day. I believe there is power in the spoken word, and we know there is power in God’s Word! May we secure our LORD within the Treasure Chest of our hearts, and remember, you are safe and secured in His.  And, all who search for The Treasure, will discover that Jesus is their Greatest Treasure. And together we will sing the Songs of Praise with our lives!

Oh, one more thing…when my grand-children ask me about Jesus and what He looks like, I am going to personally take them to the “Songs of Praise”, and I will ask them to make their own lists about the character of God… (As soon as they can write)…There, God will begin to answer their questions, and show them who He is! They will discover the finger-prints of their Messiah, Jesus Christ. And, my friends, I am praying for you and your precious ones…

And as always…

Love you in Jesus,

Suggested Summer Activity-

As you continue your journey in the Book of Psalms, invite your children to participate in the study and to create a Rock Garden.

Have your children gather rocks large enough to write one characteristic they discover about God from each Psalm you and your children study.  

Using a permanent marker, print one characteristic of God on each stone…My Shield, My King-King of Glory, My Creator, My Majestic God, My Shelter, My Guide, My Helper, My Savior, My Compassionate God, My Shepherd…etc.

Encourage your child to decorate each stone.

Display them inside or outside where they will be seen daily and will invite conversation about their Amazing God.

Summer Blessings!

Sunshine for the Soul-The Treasure Hunt

The Mercy-Giver…  

“Create in me clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 

Forever Changed… 

Almost eleven years ago, I began to pray with a group of women.  Although our backgrounds and lifestyles were very diverse, there was a miraculous and inexplicable connection within the group as we gathered to pray and to lift up the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Community Prayer Group met in an inner city café owned and operated by Mission Waco. And as with any group united in the LORD, testimonies of God’s miraculous Goodness and Faithfulness have continuously occurred throughout the years…We have witnessed His provision, His Healing Grace, His Protection, His Power, His Presence…and yes, we have experienced His Mercy…and His Grace.     

So Deeply Humbled…

On an August morning, women from seven different churches met and one of the ladies had invited a friend to join us. She shared with me that her friend struggled with addictions and homelessness.   Although she had family and a local church, she battled the giants in her life.  And, on a Tuesday morning, she found her way to the prayer group.

At 10:00, prayer began.  “Praise God for who He is…Praise God for what He is…Praise God for what He does…He is our Deliverer, He is our Refuge, He is our Strong tower, He is our Rock, He is our Salvation, He is our Healer, He is our Provider, He is our loving Father, He is the Restorer of our souls…Thank you God that you love us and that we are your daughters, each one of us.”

The prayer time continued as the requests were lifted up to the Father:  Prayers for the city churches and pastors, for local schools, for our government and for all in authority. Prayers for the military soldiers and their families, for the elderly, for children and families, for broken families to be repaired and restored. Prayers continued for people who were blinded by the enemy’s darkness…

We sat in silence for several moments…and then, the woman who was sitting next to me, whispered with a raspy voice, asking to read aloud from her Bible, Psalm 51.  I was struck as I thought about her homelessness, and the fact that she held her worn Bible, one of her few personal possessions.  I quickly turned in my Bible to the familiar words of King David, and my new friend’s voice became bolder as she began to read.

Immediately, humility swept over me as she deliberately chose David’s Psalm of confession and repentance.  She read, confessing her sin against God, and I watched as her hand moved slowly down the page of her Bible, touching each word, each verse. Then, her voice faltered, and I saw tears spilling onto the page of her Bible.  I looked at her face, and as the tears flowed freely wetting the page, she continued to read…

I knew in my heart that the Lord saw the beauty in these shed tears as they washed and bathed this precious woman in the Grace and Mercy of His love… She shared her transgressions with the group and how she would slip away from God, only to have Him gently pull her back to His side with His strong right hand. Her authenticity and transparency overwhelmed me.  She modeled exactly what the Lord asks of us…to come to Him with a contrite and broken heart…to confess and to turn from darkness to His magnificent Light…to His Hope and to the calling that He has for each one of His children, a calling into maintained and continual relationship with the Giver of Life, Mercy, and Grace…

We all Need a Mercy-Giver

This past week in our Journey in Psalms, we read Psalm 51, written by King David.  King David, in all of his wealth and his human glory, successes, and victories, chose to participate in sinful, selfish, ‘evil’ acts which, he identified as sins against the LORD…”Against you, and you alone, have I sinned…” Psalm 51:4.

We may wonder how the ‘man after God’s heart’, could possibly find it in his own heart to commit the crimes, the immoral and selfish acts against his faithful LORD. The One True God had protected David, had rescued him from his enemies, had provided, had trusted him, had appointed him and anointed him as king. David, a man from the tribe of Judah, would carry out God’s will…and would bear the seed of the Messiah…How could he…?

We all Need a Savior…

I sat…humbled by the woman who had transparently shared her life with us, and had given her testimony of her brokenness and of her God’s Love and Forgiveness.   When was the last time that tears of contrition had flowed from my heart, from my eyes onto the pages of my Bible?  Where was my sorrow for the transgressions that I committed against my loving Father, remembering how often I try to measure my sin against another’s transgressions…Had I become so callous and so prideful of my life that my heart had hardened, preserving the selfishness, the entitlement, the wickedness that made its home there?

How Could He? How Could She? How Could I… 

Our group sat in silence…knowing our LORD waits patiently to restore the Joy of His beautiful Salvation He has given to us… He waits for us to respond with tears of sorrow, cleansing tears, beautiful tears of agony over our own departure from His Grace…and He waits for our return to His promise of restoration. He waits with us for our tears of contrition…then, lovingly replaces them with tears of joy.

At 11:00 a.m. prayer ended.  I know that each one of us was changed that day. I am so thankful for those moments with my new friend.  She enriched my life…she reminded me that gratitude and thanksgiving are necessary and that honesty before God is imperative.  Although she and I battle different giants, we each wrestle with the giants of temptation to demand our own way.  On that day, she and I sat side-by-side as sisters in Christ.  I needed her that day to lead me and to show me and to remind me how to approach the Father with honesty and truthfulness.   And she needed our prayer group that day to love her and to live these life moments with her. She was not alone, nor were we…

Together, the prayer group experienced the Community of Christ.  We were reminded of the forgiveness that is available to each one of us because of the Blood of Jesus, the Blood of the Sacrificial Lamb…God’s perfect and Holy Son…

Oh my friends, just as King David and the broken woman at the prayer group, brought their sacrifice of confession, of repentance before the LORD, our God is faithful to cleanse our hearts, and to remove the ugly stain of our guilt… (Psalm 51), to remove our sins as far from us as the east is from the west (Psalm 103). When we come before Him with honest, contrite and repentant hearts…The Mercy, Grace, and Forgiveness of our LORD is sufficient enough. According to His Word, our God is faithful to cleanse our hearts, lavishing His Mercy and Grace on our lives…He is faithful to Forgive…restoring to each one of His children, the Joy of His Salvation.

May we never forget, and always remember that our LORD GOD never changes…He never runs out of His Love…And, yes my friends, we experience liberty and freedom in His Forgiveness…No one…not one can take that away…and as always…

Love you in Jesus,

The Treasure Hunt-Week Six

“I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. ” Psalm 119:45(NIV)

Read a Psalm each day and journal your answers to the questions below.

*Monday-Psalm 63:1-11

*Tuesday-Psalm 65:1-13

*Wednesday-Psalm 68:1-35

*Thursday-Psalm 86:1-17

*Friday-Psalm 103:1-22

*Saturday-Write a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for what the LORD has done in your life. How has His display of Power brought His Comfort into your life?  Continue your list of the attributes of God.

Daily Questions:

Record what you learn about God and His relationship with David?

What do you learn about the LORD’s character?

Have you personally experienced this particular attribute or character trait of the LORD?  If so, how? What are you learning about your relationship with God?

What treasure have you discovered about your God? What have you entrusted to Him this week? What has been His response?

Enjoy your Journey as you unpack God’s Truth and His Word. May you discover and experience The Greatest Treasure…May you live confidently that God is big enough, to save you and to forgive you.  He holds your life…He is your Mercy-Giver, He is your Grace-Giver…He is your Redeemer …today…and forever.

Download and Print the Treasure Hunt – Week Six Here

Sunshine for the Soul-The Treasure Hunt

Our Comforter…

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”

 Psalm 34:18 (NLT)

We all marvel at true stories of brave and courageous rescues, where someone steps out of their safety and comfort zones, risking injury or sacrificing themselves for the sake of another. Those are the heart-warming stories reported in the news feed which inspire us, drawing us toward one another in connection and community. These human heroes are incredible and selfless.  But, as courageous and brave as they are…there are conditions of the heart and the spirit that no human hero can repair, or replace, or retrieve.

As a parent, I found these moments with my children to be difficult and heart-breaking. When they broke their favorite toy, their father would try and repair it. When they had an accident, a broken arm or leg, we could rush them to the doctor, and the medical team would set the broken part, and allow God’s design of ‘time and repair’ to do the rest. But, when a heart-breaking and spirit-crushing event or circumstance occurred, demanding its own way…Billy and I were powerless and could not fix or repair their broken hearts or their crushed spirits. The truth…we all experience times when we just cannot fix that which is broken…within ourselves, and in the lives of loved ones.

Last week, I shared how God was my Peace-Giver. He walked with me, and carried me in the midst of the storm as my father battled leukemia. Following my father’s eternal Homecoming, God’s Peace remained with me…But, we were left with our two heart-broken children. Their little hearts were shattered as they came to understand the finality of their Grandy’s departure from this world. While they were enamored with the reality of Heaven, the wound and pain of loss left their little hearts broken, and their spirits crushed in a way that far surpassed anything they had experienced before. Each day, they would grieve and cry and tell me how their hearts hurt, “Mommy, we have boo-boos in our hearts…”

One day, I went to the medicine cabinet, pulled out two Band-Aids and placed them on their chests across their hearts. I reminded them that just as God helps their injuries and boo-boos to heal, God, in His time, will also help their hearts to heal. Yes, they needed the Heart-Healer; they needed the Rescuer, the only one who could heal the broken-places, the only one who could comfort them in their grief.

We All Need a Heart-Healer…

Each one of us, at some point in our lives, has experienced brokenness. We all have been shattered in some way. For some, your brokenness may be a dissolved dream, or an unfilled expectation.  Perhaps it was a broken-heart caused by the loss of a job or friendship, or a broken marital relationship…Perhaps, the death of a close friend, a parent, a loved one…a spouse. Perhaps the loss of a precious child devastated and shattered your heart and crushed your spirit. Or, perhaps your greatest heart-ache has been empathizing with your child as you helped them navigate difficult and painful circumstances. We all know the desperate feeling of a crushed spirit…and the fear of the seemingly hopeless abyss-which threatens to engulf us.

King David, the man after God’s own heart, experienced many blessings and accomplishments in his life.  David’s intimate expression toward His God, the God of Israel, reveals the heart of a man, who recognized and believed in the One True God. He was desperate for Him.  And, yet, as we have been reading and studying in Psalms, David experienced heart-breaking and spirit-crushing circumstances in his life-time, as well. He was embroiled in conflict with King Saul over the Kingdom of Israel, and encountered numerous enemies and threats on his life. David experienced the death of a son and other family tragedy. No human responder or rescuer could heal his shattered and broken heart. No human responder or rescuer could heal his crushed spirit…not one could comfort; not one could console the King of Israel.

There is a Heart-Healer…

But King David knew his Rescuer; he knew his Responder and King David was desperate for the Heart-Healer…Yahweh, the LORD God. And, the truth…we all are desperate for the Heart-Healer…

Recently, I have encountered people, friends and acquaintances who have willingly shared their encounters with devastating grief, broken and shattered hearts, and crushed spirits.  Some have children who are in addictive life-styles and are praying and waiting for their return…and they suffer, grieve, and pray…holding on to Hope.  Others lost children, some before birth, some at birth, some in childhood, others as teens, college students and young adults who experienced accidents, or diseases. All of these precious ones left behind bereaved loved ones with broken and shattered hearts, and crushed spirits, desperate for relief from the agony of devastating loss.

There is a Comforter…

Yet, these people testify, just as King David did, that their LORD became their Comforter, their Healer, their Rescuer. When they thought their hearts would rip apart and crumble into pieces, they experienced the Powerful Presence of God and His miraculous and tender intimacy. Each person proclaimed the inexplicable, almost indescribable salve of comfort and peace which accompanied them for days, weeks, months, years…and still is present to bring them continual  comfort and healing in the midst of their pain of grief and loss. Although the open wound may close, the scarred tissue of the heart will always remain very tender…fragile and sensitive to the pain of their deep grief… But, they all express with certainty that the LORD has not and will not run out of His Comfort, and continues to lavish it upon their lives… for as long as they live, for their life-times!

He is Same Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow…

Oh my friends, the same God who brought comfort and healing in the Psalms, is the same God who visits us today, who dwells with us through Jesus Christ, our Advocate and the Helper, the Holy Spirit. Our God is not stingy with His Healing and Comforting salve…rather, He is generous as He pours it into the broken hearts and crushed spirits of all His people. His people of all ages…children, teens, college students, men and women, parents, grandparents…and for them, for you and for me, His comfort never runs out and His love never runs dry. I pray as we continue our Treasure Hunt in Psalms, that we all depend and trust our LORD God.  He is our Heart-Healer, our Comforter…He is our Treasure!

Boo-Boos and Band-aids…

Incidentally, I remember the morning that our children both ran into my room, holding their old-sticky Band-Aids in their hands…smiling as they competed with one another to be the first to tell their good news.  Each child explained how their Band-Aid came off, (maybe with a little help), and each one explained how God had helped their hearts to feel better…He had helped their boo-boos to heal…even though they would still shed tears, and would still miss their Grandy…Their hearts received His Comfort…

My friends, we know the scars will always be there…but so will God’s Comfort and His Healing.  He is forever generous to lavish His Healing and Comforting salve on the hearts of His people. And, we as His children, can be totally assured…His comfort never runs out, and His Love never runs dry.      

“He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 (CSB)

Love you in Jesus,

The Treasure Hunt-Week Five

“How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.” Psalm 119:103 (NLT)

Read a Psalm each day and journal your answers to the questions below.

*Monday-Psalm 51:1-19

*Tuesday-Psalm 54:1-7

*Wednesday-Psalm 56:1-13

*Thursday-Psalm 57:1-11

*Friday-Psalm 59:1-17

*Saturday-Write a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for what the LORD has done in your life. How has His display of Power brought His Comfort into your life?  Continue your list of the attributes of God.

Daily Questions

Record what you learn about God and His relationship with David?

What do you learn about the LORD’s character?

Have you personally experienced this particular attribute or character trait of the LORD?  If so, how? What are you learning about your relationship with God?

What treasure have you discovered about your God? What have you entrusted to Him this week? What has been His response?

Enjoy your Journey as you unpack God’s Truth and His Word. May you discover and experience The Greatest Treasure…May you live confidently that God is big enough, powerful enough, and mighty enough to save you and to sustain you…He is your Comforter and He is your Heart-Healer…today…and forever.

Download & Print The Treasure Hunt – Week Five Here

Sunshine for the Soul –The Treasure Hunt

HIS POWER and HIS PEACE

“The LORD rules over the floodwaters.  The LORD reigns as king forever.  The LORD gives his people strength.  The LORD blesses them with peace.” Psalm 29:10-11

Have you ever thought about the relationship between God’s power and His peace?

We often think of ‘peace’ as being a passive condition when, we, if possible, can chill and relax in the midst of whatever circumstances surround us. And, if we are honest, we expect, in some mysterious way, for peace to just appear in our stormy and stressed lives if we can just hunker down, shrink back and wait out the storm…

As I thought more about the relationship between power and peace, I began to think back to storms and stormy seasons I have experienced in my lifetime.  There were numerous times in the years we lived on our ranch when powerful tornadoes skirted around our property, uprooting trees, slinging giant branches, and dismantling rock and brick walls and fencing…but, thankfully, leaving the roof on our home. We spent many evenings, and some exciting ‘family time’ camped out in our downstairs pantry.

During those years on the ranch, we also experienced what I call ‘fire storms’. They would begin with a single spark, and morph into ravaging storms of flames and smoke. One Christmas, we celebrated in the midst of a fire which eventually burned over 1000 acres of ranch properties.  Billy, our son Adam, and our future son-in-law Barry, joined efforts with the fire departments in battling the blaze on our ranch.  Neighbors drove their bull-dozers over to attempt to contain the flames. Two days later, the fire re-ignited threatening the structure of our home. Eventually, the fires were extinguished and we were left with some charred acreage and the reminder of the consuming storm.

I also recall sitting out Hurricane Carla in 1961 when my parents chose not to evacuate our home in Corpus Christi. I was enthralled by the magnitude of nature’s power over what I thought had been indestructible structures in our city.  A few days before the storm made land, I remember the raging waters along the coastal beach…and the darkness, almost blackness of the sky as we secured our doors and windows in our home, preparing to weather the giant hurricane. I will always remember the intense power of the wind we felt through the shaking walls of our home, and the flooded streets following the monster storm.

More recently, while driving from Waco to Austin, I experienced the unannounced Texas thunder-storm complete with one-inch hail.  The sound of the stormy winds, rain and thunder, and the pelting of hail on the hood of my car and windshield demonstrated the tremendous power of the storm in my life that day. I sat helpless on the side of the road, joining a few other travelers who had pulled over because there was no other place to go. No shelter, no cover, just hunkering down, to wait out the storm…to wait…

Those Other Storms…

And, then, we all know about those storms in life that come sneaking into our lives, some expected and anticipated, and the others which come unannounced, with no warning, allowing no time for preparation.  There is no kitchen pantry, or shelter, there are no boarded windows and barricaded doors…There is nowhere to go…no detour, no alternative route, no GPS wisdom…there is no other way, except through the storm.

HIS POWER Brings HIS PEACE…

Think for a moment about a particular storm you have had to go through…the one where there was no detour, no way around…no way over, or under…Your only option was to go through the storm… Perhaps, you are in this season of a storm at this moment.

One of these storms occurred in my life as we walked in the last month of my father’s decade battle with leukemia, a ravaging and cruel disease.  Most children, in some way, experience the fear of losing a parent, and the very thing I had feared as an only child was now imminent. It didn’t matter that I was an adult child, wife and mother of a five-year-old and a seven-year-old.  I had never been in a storm like this one, and it was a count-down…a month, weeks, days…moments. This was a raging storm…and there was no way around it…over it…under it…We had to walk these steps with my father, as far as we could go.  What happened?

I experienced a power I had never known could possibly exist…I thought I knew God, and had been pressing into Him and had discovered that He was my shelter, and my shield …But in this storm…He carried me through it…His power was bigger than my fear, than my grief, than my loss…and as He escorted my father from this world, my Loving Heavenly Father calmed the storm inside of my heart and my mind…and He carried me through. His Words in scripture spoke in a new and meaningful way into my heart.  Praise music playing throughout the night, brought a peace-filled rest I had never experienced before. I discovered my Treasure in the midst of the storm…God was and is my Peace-Giver. 

The Peace-Giver

King David experienced extreme storms of life, and as we study Psalms, we are becoming aware of many of his struggles. Although most of us probably won’t have to pick up stones to battle a giant man, or lead an army into battle, God uses David’s life to teach us. David learned from experience and relationship with the LORD, Yahweh, that His God was big enough, strong enough, and powerful enough to defeat the enemies of the LORD’s people. David learned that in the storms of life, when there was no detour, or alternative route, God’s Power was sufficient to carry him through the most ravenous and destructive storms. And, David discovered that the LORD-Yahweh was his own Peace-Giver, in the midst of the storm.

Our Peace-Giver

Whether our Almighty God chooses to calm the storm, or instead carries you through it, He is powerful enough-strong enough-big enough-wise enough-sovereign enough to protect you and sustain you, and to calm the raging storm inside of you.  And, as He calms the storm, He carries you. His Power is the author of the Peace he gives to those who honor Him, and worship in the splendor of His holiness. There is no storm in this life, big enough, or powerful enough to steal the Peace your Heavenly Father provides for you, and gives to you, as you press in to Him and anchor yourself to Him.

My friends, I pray that we continue to draw closer to the LORD as we study His Word, and that we live in total confidence that He is our Peace-Giver.  His Power produces His Peace, and His Peace is more powerful than any storm we will encounter…There is no storm that can rob His children of the  Treasure we find in Him.  

And by the way-in the midst of the Texas hail-storm,  I turned up the volume of the Praise music, and yes, I could faintly hear it over the raging storm…I just had to listen for His voice…

“He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves.  What a blessing was that stillness…”     Psalm 107:29-30

 Love you in Jesus,   

The Treasure Hunt-Week Four

“The entirety of Your word is truth, and all Your righteous judgments endure forever.”  Psalm 119:160 (HCSB)

Read a Psalm each day and journal your answers to the questions below.

*Monday-Psalm 31:1-24

*Tuesday-Psalm 32:1-11

*Wednesday-Psalm 34:1-22

*Thursday-Psalm 36:1-12

*Friday-Psalm 40:1-17

*Saturday-Write a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for what the LORD has done in your life. How has His display Power brought Peace into your life?  Continue your list of the attributes of God.

Questions for each day:

Record what you learn about God and His relationship with David?

What do you learn about the LORD’s character?

Have you personally experienced this particular attribute or character trait of the LORD?  If so, how? What are you learning about your relationship with God?

What treasure have you discovered about your God? What have you entrusted to Him this week?

Enjoy your Journey as you unpack God’s Truth and His Word. May you discover and experience The Greatest Treasure…May you live confidently that God is big enough, powerful enough, and mighty enough to save you and to sustain you…today…and forever.

Download & Print The Treasure Hunt – Week Four Here

Happy Father’s Day to all fathers. Happy Father’s Day to our Heavenly Father… His personal name is Yahweh.

Sunshine for the Soul-The Treasure Hunt

FIRST-NAME-BASIS

“Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.”

Psalm 103:13 (WEB)

Almost ten years ago, Billy and I left our home-town where we both had lived for over forty years to pursue an adventure! We both had attended grade school, middle school, and high school there, and after we were married in 1979, we chose to live in Waco to be close to our family. We went on to raise our children on our ranch just outside of the city. Having lived there for four decades, there were few places we could go without knowing someone…or someone knowing us-or at least experiencing some sort of facial recognition!  That’s just how a relatively small town functions.

After our children were married and established, we set on an adventure and moved to a new community, a much larger community…and suddenly, our experiences in public places dramatically changed. For the first time in our adult lives, other than when we traveled, we experienced a world of unrecognizable faces, and silent greetings of occasional eye contact and a smile. Suddenly the first-name relationships were virtually non-existent. Unless someone wore a name-tag, or had their name tattooed on a visible part of their body, we didn’t speak peoples’ names, and there was silence in return.  In other words, our ‘first-name basis’ relationships, always cherished and beloved, remained in Waco. We entered into a new, unexplored-often silent territory of crowds, trusting—hoping there would be potential for new relationships, while maintaining those we treasured in our home-town.

First-Name-Basis

It is amazing to me what I learned from this experience when my perspective changed.  When Billy and I began to connect and to invest in our local church in our new community, we both began to recognize people and connect their names and their faces.  We all know the intrinsic value of calling people by their name, and in being recognized by name as well. Honestly, I had taken all of this for granted.

While it was wonderful to have people approach me and call me by my name, I also realized something else that I had never appreciated before our move.  When, someone approached me, and introduced themselves, telling me their name, it confirmed to me that they were willing to make themselves vulnerable and available to be known by me. Knowing their name, because they introduced themselves to me, was the first step toward knowing them personally…in friendship and community.  Communication, introductions, and conversations tear down the initial barrier between two strangers, and initiate the opportunity for casual friendship, and perhaps a more meaningful personal relationship. I like to call this ‘personal and intentional positioning.’

The more I experienced this ‘personal and intentional positioning’ as our acquaintances increased, especially in our church, the more I discovered how ‘personal positioning’ exemplified the character of our God and His desire to have relationship with you and with me.

GOD STEPPED DOWN

Centuries before Billy and I relocated, centuries before you began your journey, God engaged with His creation in very personal and intimate ways. When the Israelites found themselves enslaved in a hostile country, desperate for a Deliverer, a Redeemer, God, stepped down, into the life of Moses.  And this God, the God of Israel, paid a personal visit to Moses, calling him by his name, in a seemingly unlikely place and time. God appointed Moses to deliver the Israelites out of bondage, and toward the promise God had given to Abraham, the promise which would eternally affect and bless all people on earth.  

This God, bearing all of His characteristics and attributes positioned Himself and intentionally introduced Himself to Moses, calling to him, and identifying Himself by His personal Name…introducing Himself as… Yahweh. God intentionally became personal and intimate, engaging with Moses in a miraculous relationship. We are told in Exodus 33:11 that God spoke to Moses face to face as a person speaks to a friend.  God, Yahweh, already knew Moses by his name, and His purpose was to be known by Moses and all of His people. His purpose today, is to be known by all people, by all of us.

God Stepped Down and Introduced Himself…

This past week, we continued our Treasure Hunt in Psalms and discovered that David was the author of the Psalms we have studied thus far. We remember that King David composed over one half of the one-hundred-fifty Psalms.  In your study this week as you continued your list of the attributes of God, you may have discovered a common thread running through each one of Psalms written by David. As you look closely, David knew God’s personal Name and addressed the Most High God in a personal and intimate way. David called Him Yahweh, His Hebrew name; and LORD (all caps) being the English rendering of God’s personal name. My friends, David was on a First-Name Basis with the LORD…Yahweh!

The Treasure Hunt

Some of the most beautiful treasures we find in the Book of Psalms are the heart-felt, authentic, transparent, passionate expressions of the authors toward the LORD-Yahweh. David had experienced the God of Israel personally and grew into a deep and intimate relationship with Yahweh.  Yes, David was clearly on a First-Name Basis with the LORD God. David poured out his heart and emptied his soul as he approached the King of Kings, the Most High God…disclosing his most personal thoughts, his fears, his concerns, his desperation, his weakness, his sinfulness…and laid it before Him, in total assurance and confidence in Yahweh.

The study of and Journey in Psalms provides insight and opportunity for the reader, the student to discover for themselves ‘Who their God is’.  Just as God positioned Himself to be known by Moses, the patriarchs, and the Israelites, the LORD God, Yahweh, positions Himself to be known by you and me. He has given us His Word, the Bible, and He Keeps His Word. “For the word of God is alive and active…” Hebrews 4:12.  And God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, positioning Him, to establish relationship with us, both intimate and everlasting… “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…” John 1:14.

Today, on this Summer Study, I pray that we recognize and embrace the truth that our God wants to have an intimate relationship with each one of us.  He wants us to have more than just knowledge of Him, or information about Him. He already knows each one of us by name, and He waits, intentionally positioning Himself, prepared to introduce Himself to us, and to establish a personal, intimate, and eternal relationship with you, with me.

And as we grow in relationship with our God, may we also remember that we are His ambassadors to others who may not be on a First-Name Basis with the LORD, Yahweh.  May we intentionally position ourselves, wherever we go in our daily lives, to introduce ourselves to others, and call them by their name when they introduce themselves to us…and then, may we speak into their lives and show them and tell about Yahweh, our amazing and loving God, who wants to be on a First-Name Basis with them…He waits for them…He waits!

I pray that we all continue our Journey in Psalms…and experience more intimacy with Yahweh, our LORD. Enjoy your Journey…as you Treasure Hunt!

Love you in Jesus,

The Treasure Hunt-Week Three

“I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.”

Psalm 119:11 (HCSB)

Read a Psalm each day and journal your answers to the questions below.

*Monday-Psalm 19:1-14

*Tuesday-Psalm 23:1-6

*Wednesday-Psalm 24:1-10

*Thursday-Psalm 27:1-14

*Friday-Psalm 29:1-11

*Saturday-Write a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for what the LORD has done in your life. What do you feel like you can share with Yahweh? Continue your list of the attributes of God.

Questions for each day: 

Record what you learn about God and His relationship with David?

What do you learn about the LORD’s character?

Have you personally experienced this particular attribute or character trait of the LORD?  If so, how?

What treasure have you discovered about your God? What have you entrusted to Him this week? Has your relationship with Yahweh changed?  If so, how? 

Enjoy your Journey as you unpack God’s Truth and His Word. May you discover and experience The Greatest Treasure…your own personal, intimate relationship with Yahweh, your LORD!

Download & Print The Treasure Hunt – Week Three Here

 Summer Sundays-The Treasure Hunt…Journey in Psalms

The Watcher…

“He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.  He keeps every promise forever.” Psalm 146:6 (NLT)

Years ago when our two children had just attained their scuba diving credentials, we experienced wonderful family time exploring. Although Billy and I had enjoyed underwater adventure together, something very special occurred when our children joined us on the journey of discovery.

Experience the Creator…

It is astounding to me that over seventy percent of the earth lies under the cover of the ocean, with over eighty percent of the ocean territory remaining unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored. Although the expanse of our family exploration was extremely limited, the discovery of God’s miraculous creation left its impact on our experience and is engraved in our memories.

One image I will never forget is the image of my husband following our group of family and friends, on each dive. Once everyone was in the water, Billy would lag behind, arms folded across his chest, swimming behind the group.  He didn’t explore, or investigate.  He didn’t act as a tour guide, leading…Rather, he WATCHED!  He stayed far enough behind to watch the entire group…He watched to make sure no one dipped down too deep, or ascended too rapidly; he warned anyone who got too close to fire coral, or a camouflaged sea predator.  He randomly checked air tanks, and watched for buoyancy issues and was quick to distribute additional weights when needed.  He watched as a protector and a guardian, intent to retrieve curious divers who would unknowingly or at times, intentionally stray from the group. We had heard the horror stories of divers becoming lost or injured in the abyss of the ocean, yes, even on recreational dives…so Billy watched…and he watched.

As we explored and discovered, not only did we experience a new realm of God’s Creation, but we gained a deeper understanding of our profoundly creative and Sovereign God, the Creator.   Our awareness of His presence and His signature on life permeated our lives in new ways in the water, and when we returned to dry land.

“But the LORD is in his holy Temple; the LORD still rules from heaven.  He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth.” Psalm 11:4 (NLT)

As we encounter more of God’s Word, we all can reflect on circumstances in our lives which help us to personally embrace scripture in a very real and applicable way. My scuba diving experience with my husband watching to protect and to guard his loved ones was a meaningful example of perspective and purpose. As parents, as friends, as family, we protect those we love…

Clearly God created us and gave us life to introduce Himself to us, to draw us to Him to experience the beauty of Creation, and to establish an authentic and intimate relationship with Him.  Our God is the perfect parent. In order for Him to demonstrate His character to you and me, and to all people…He watches…He watches everyone, always has and always will… And as I discovered over the years of Treasure Hunting in God’s Word, our God Almighty is a Watcher…

The Journey in Psalms

Last week as we studied five Psalms, we discovered many attributes of our God. Although we may have already known these characteristics, I was awe-struck to look at them collectively.  In order for God to be my Shield, my Protector, my Rescuer, my Victory, my King, my God, my Just God, my Honest Judge, my Majestic God, my Creator, my Shelter, and my Refuge…in order for God to be who He is…He WATCHES…He WATCHES over the whole world, every nation, every tribe, every peoples, every region, every mountain, over the depths of the sea and the oceans.  Nothing, and no one can escape His WATCHFUL eye. No one can escape His Extravagant love. His reach is long enough, far enough, wide enough, extensive enough for those who willingly grasp His Hand. Yes, our Holy and Divine God WATCHES…

“The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” Psalm 121:8

You probably discovered that King David was the author of the Psalms we studied this past week.  David, from the tribe of Judah, was chosen and anointed to replace the shamed and disobedient Saul.  As a boy warrior, David fearlessly confronted and defeated the Philistine giant Goliath, in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of the armies of Israel. Later, although King Saul pursued David to destroy him, King David refused to kill or harm Saul because David respected the LORD, and His appointed.  King David ruled over Israel as a victorious warrior King, yet, sinned inexcusably before his people, and his God. King David, broken-hearted and in great despair repented before God; and in His faithfulness, mercy, and grace, God restored and forgave David.

David was chosen, in spite of his human frailty, because of His faith and belief in the LORD, and was called a “man after God’s own heart.”  David’s outpouring of affection, his dependency, and his faith in Yahweh, the LORD, is recorded in the Book of Psalms…Praises to the LORD! And, King David, recognized that the God of Israel, was the true and rightful Sovereign King, as he cried out in Psalm 5:2, “Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you.” David understood and believed that His God, His King was Sovereign; He was the WATCHER…who protected and guarded with His Shield of Love…

My friends, I pray that you and I continue our Journey in Psalms, intent and determined to dig-in to God’s Word, to be tenacious and fervent to know our God more intimately, and to experience Him more profoundly. What assurance we have that our Heavenly Father watches…He watches…He watches…He never sleeps; He is never distracted; He is never too busy, or unavailable…Yes, He is always dependable and always and forever is and will be,  who He says He is.

Enjoy your time as you are refreshed, renewed, revived, and absolutely reassured that your faithful God is watching over you…Summer blessings as you continue your Treasure Hunt!

Love you in Jesus,

The Treasure Hunt-Week Two

“Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.”

Psalms 119:37

Read a Psalm each day and journal your answers to the questions below.

*Monday-Psalm 11:1-7

*Tuesday-Psalm 13:1-6

*Wednesday-Psalm 14:1-7

*Thursday-Psalm 16:1-11

*Friday-Psalm 17:1-15

*Saturday-Write a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for what the LORD has done in your life. Who is your God? Make a list of the attributes of God you are discovering.

Questions for each day:

Record what you learn about God and His relationship with the author of the Psalm? Who is the author of each Psalm you study?

What do you learn about the LORD’s character?

Have you personally experienced this particular attribute or character trait of the LORD?  If so, how?

What treasure have you discovered about your God? Who is your God?

Enjoy your Journey as you unpack God’s Truth and His Word. May you discover and experience The Greatest Treasure…and in the process, may you enjoy your, ‘irreplaceable Now Moments’, with your family, your friends, and your God.

Download & Print The Treasure Hunt- Week Two Lesson Here