Trust in God's Grace -- He Will Provide the Ticket

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NLT

We can’t begin to understand how God will supply all our needs until we are actually in need. We must not expect to live today by using tomorrow’s resources. We should learn to live just one day at a time. God’s grace is sufficient and His blessings are bountiful. God’s supernatural grace comes at a time when you are ready to receive it and not before. God’s grace will come at the perfect season in your life!

I read a story about Corrie Ten Boom where she was asked how she could continue her strong faith in God with all the sadness and loss that she had experienced in her lifetime. She told the story of how at an early age she learned to depend on her earthly father to provide her with all her needs at the time she needed them. As a young child, she used to travel the railways of Europe with her father. Her father would hold onto her rail ticket until the day of their adventure; even waiting until he saw the lights of the train coming before he would hand her the ticket. There was no need to give Corrie the ticket early because it might get lost. She faithfully waited until the time she needed the ticket, knowing that her father had never failed her. Just as she trusted her earthly father for all the little things, she grew to trust her heavenly Father for the bigger things even more. Corrie Ten Boom reached up for and received her ticket only when her father saw that the train was coming.

Sometimes in life we are asked to carry a burden that seems too heavy to bear. Remember that God’s grace is sufficient enough for everything that comes our way. God will never leave you or forsake you. His grace will always be sufficient in every season of our life; it will come the moment we need it.

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 NLT

Have a cup of coffee and listen to the song I have included here by Fee, “Glory to God Forever.” The words he penned remind us that God is our creator, our father, our savior – “Shout and Sing the Greatness of our King… Take my life and let it be all for your glory…” Love this song! Enjoy.

Glory to God Forever

I'm Not There Yet -- When Will 'IT' Happen

“…teach the older women to live in a way that honors God… teach others what is good… train the younger to love their husbands and children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands.” Titus 2:3-5 NLT

So many times I have set goals for myself and then I would sit back and seemingly just wait for the “IT” to happen. I never meant to do that, but it does seem to have been my life’s pattern. Is it any wonder that the “IT” never happened?

When will I ever become a Titus woman the bible talks about? I did promise myself that would be my goal, especially now that I am a senior citizen and am widowed. I thought this would be a good way to spend my final days – living for the Lord and helping other women know the perfect peace of God. Perhaps that was my problem, I made it a goal and I wasn’t doing any training.

I remember reading messages from my niece about how she was training to run a marathon. I believe it was a 25k run, or something of that nature. As far as I am concerned, once you get past the 1k mark it might as well be a 50k run for me because I was never cut out to run marathons. Back to my point… the point is she began to train for her goal just weeks after giving birth to her fourth child. Every day she began to nourish her body with the proper diet and she began to increase her stamina by running a bit further each day. It didn’t happen overnight, but within months she was prepared and ready to run. She reached her goal and ran the race. She prepared daily and shared with all of us her progress. We were all cheering her on during her training and celebrated her completion. Now she is known as a marathon runner and her next goal will only be another race. She will never have to earn the title of marathon runner again because we all know who she is and that she will continue to strive for more. It has become a way of life for her.

Perhaps that is where I have been missing the boat, waiting for the goal! I need to begin training each and every day to be the woman God has placed on my heart to be. I will begin feeding my mind with the things of God. I will continue to share the truth of God and share my shortcomings so that others can see how God made it right. It is about me, not the other person. I need to change my focus and not allow my world to be conditional on the people – my life; my goal is not dependent on the circumstances that surround me. My foundation, my life, my goal needs to be built on the solid rock of Christ. I need to keep on pressing on for the prize!

“I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus is calling us (me).” Philippians 3:14

I will continue to sing the song of hope…

Lost Your Way? – Get It Back!

Lost Your Way? – Get It Back!

“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” – 2 Corinthians 3:17

How many times have you found yourself in the blahs or the doldrums?

Today I wanted to talk about getting back the joy, getting back to the dance, getting back to laughter and the preciousness of life. So many times we find ourselves bound by our own thoughts, in slavery to the things of this world and to our own sinful desires.

“Familiarity breeds contempt!” Have you ever heard that saying? I lived it with my entire life. I learned to live a life of secrets – to not share with others – that no one really cares about your problems – that God helps those who help themselves and the list goes on and on. Perhaps you could add your own thoughts in here; thoughts that might keep you bound in your own spiritual quietness.

We can become a slave to our own inner thoughts, not just the obvious sins that one can fall prey too. God sent His son to set us free! I believe that it is within our own minds, our own thoughts that we are bound the most. I know I fall prey to things like:
• What would other people think
• My childhood has many buried secrets
• I must meet the expectations of others
• Strive to perform or obsession to meet a specific goal
• Need for an authority figure to say they are “finally” proud of me
• Being an enabler so as not to hurt someone’s feelings
• Exhausting and putting myself last

I am learning to recognize the blahs, the depression, and the grayness as just that – a mood that I have created in my own mind. Jesus did come to set me free; He came to set us all free from whatever it is that separates us from Him and robs us of our joy. Now, when these feelings try to take hold I immediately stop, confess the sin and move on! I get over it and start to dance again. I have learned to replace in my mind the thoughts I know to be false with the things I know to be true. I find these truths in God’s word. There is nothing like the Psalms to always find something to lift my spirits and show me the truth. David was a real person with real problems, yet he loved God wholeheartedly – He was a man after God’s own heart. Lord Jesus, give me a heart like David.

David also knew how to surround himself with people he could share with – David has his Jonathon. I, too, am learning to share with others. Because in sharing with people of like mindness, they help keep me focused on the truth. My friends remind me of the forgiveness of God, they point me to the scriptures that help to bring reconciliation.

“Familiarity breeds contempt”? – Never, I find that with sharing my problems together we find solutions. God tells us in Matthew 18:19-20 that “…if two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” Isn’t that beautiful? God did not intend for us to carry our burdens alone!

Let me end by sharing with you a sweet song by MercyMe, “I Can Only Imagine.” I hope you take an extra minute or two and listen to the beautiful words. I can only imagine what it will be like when I see the Lord face to face and surrounded by His glory – I hope I dance!

I Can Only Imagine