depth of riches

Feeling like it’s a time to share some more of the words God has given in my journal time. I hope you will feel His pleasure, direction and challenge as you read…

….Feels like a day to lean into Your heart Lord. You’ve shared so much in this past year and yet I feel the coming year will be the most exciting and even humbling year. Not in a way of tearing people down but in a way of knowing You so intimately. Such a depth to the riches and knowledge of knowing when we are one with you Lord. (Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!)

I do long to share my heart with my bride. I have so much to give and so much to shower over you. Many are so focused on the things of this world they don’t understand that the kingdom is at hand and that they are needed to carry on the work, not of just believing or sitting in a building but of redeeming, restoring and rebuilding. How can we help You Lord? Rise up, get out, speak boldly and love thoroughly. It’s not about all being street evangelists but where you are – love, where you are – share hope and joy, where you are – speak My Truth. Where you are!

Colossians 1:8 ….we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

I pray that in your week, everywhere you step will be a place of encountering His goodness and sharing it with others. That you would go out boldly and please Him in every way! Let your love shine on!

seeing more

Have you ever heard Louie Giglio speak on the INDESCRIBABLE? Several years ago he spoke locally and it was very exhilarating to SEE through his descriptions of God’s creation. You might like to SEE in a refreshing way today! He has a longer message that might even touch your heart more.

Let us SEE with new eyes Lord. That each day, we will have further wisdom and revelation in our knowledge of You. That we will be further amazed at Your hand at work in every second of this world and our individual lives. Thank you Jesus for bringing us into this Kingdom on earth – as it is in heaven! 

behold

verb

archaic . literary

1. see or observe (a thing or person, especially a remarkable or impressive one).

   Example: “behold your king!”

I  have intentionally omitted an image for the day so that your imagination can be used further. One of our greatest strengths is our mind. To be fully functioning, it needs to include both creative and logical sides. I don’t believe the “mind of Christ” exists only in knowledge. We have often discounted our imagination by calling it vain. Twisting what is really said in 2 Corinthians 10.

I’d like to leave you with the word BEHOLD today. A place to engage your imagination in seeking the Lord. Each place we step, every person we encounter, all of the wonders of nature that surround us have something for us to BEHOLD. A message for us to learn from, to share, to ponder.

Lord – let us BEHOLD Your presence today. Let us BEHOLD Your creation today. Let us BEHOLD Your love today. I pray we would walk in anticipation of seeing, of beholding, of imaging WITH YOU. Not in a way to usurp You but in a posture of knowing You more fully today and everyday. That what we behold would reveal Your heart to us so we would walk more fully in Your ways. 

ask.answers come

Spirit Dance

After I wrote on Jesus coming for His Bride, I listened to a message while I was doing some work. It was on Jesus and the Bride. My before bed reading talked further on Jesus and preparing His Bride. Prayer with a friend also ended up sharing again – the Bride of Christ!

The Lord knows the questions of our heart. He longs to give us answers even more than we want to know them. His heart is that we would have questions. His desire is for us to know Him more. Not just to know “about” Him but knowing the intimacy of His heart. Through this we will know ourselves even better. It’s not a knowing that comes from self-reflection of how bad we goofed but of who our Creator has designed and called us to be.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
    to search out a matter is the glory of kings.
Proverbs 25:2

Thank you Lord that You long to share the secrets and mysteries that surround us. Thank you that You graciously give and give and give. Let us learn to be the BEST RECEIVERS of Your wisdom and grace! 

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Romans 8:32

spring will come

As the snow starts to blanket things again, I thought of my aunt’s painting. In her memory care home one of the activities has been painting. She’s been very proud of her creations and I am too! She even remembered that is was “the one her niece really liked” and wouldn’t let them take it. (They used another instead.)

I do wonder what might have been if she had tried some of this earlier in her life. She always leaned more toward TV watching than doing things with her hands, but she certainly is making up for lost time.

It is more beautiful to see the blossom of people than the signs of spring.

The snow drops my sister saw last week are now covered in white. Often as people begin to bloom, things come to cover up what has just started. It doesn’t mean it’s over and done, just a time to regroup, strengthen and come forth again. David’s life showed that in many seasons. He kept his focus on God and knew what God said, would surely come to be.

The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
    he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
    the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people he chose for his inheritance.
From heaven the Lord looks down
    and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches
    all who live on earth—
he who forms the hearts of all,
    who considers everything they do.
Psalm 33:10-15

when plans burst

Lakey Sunset

Sometimes it’s simple things that speak loudly. Just after looking at a recipe, I heard a POP and knew it was something in the fridge. My imagination did not prepare me. The biscuit tube I had thought to use, was overflowing its diagonal lines…

How often are your hopes and ideas bursting before you get to them?
Do they seem useless, finished and better forgotten?

Do you ponder the fullness of God’s word and the depth of His promises or wait for it to burst out in revelation?

Think of Joseph, David, Ruth… They didn’t seem to have much to hope for anymore. The things God showed them seemed to expire, then SUDDENLY… life shifted!!

God loves the impossible! Nothing is too hard for Him! What seems impossible with man, is always possible to God!

Don’t give up on those dreams. Don’t stop those prayers. Be open to God giving them in an even bigger way than you could imagine, because He loves to outdo even our most creative thoughts!

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Ephesians 3:20 MSG

Maybe our ideas have been too small, our prayers a bit wimpy and our hopes past their expiration date – BUT GOD – He is not small, wimpy or late!!! He is faithful!!!!

We are saved by trusting. And trusting means looking forward to getting something we don’t yet have—for a man who already has something doesn’t need to hope and trust that he will get it. Romans 8:24 TLB

I pray you will see even more of God’s blessings and favor as you continue to HOPE and DREAM of even bigger things with Him!

knowing his voice

The sun was shining.
The snow was melting.
The beach was calling.
…I listened…

The beauty of the day is not always in your surroundings but in the peace found in your innermost being. It comes in many different ways to each of us. Taking notice of God’s work in our lives and all around us should be a place of great comfort. Hearing and knowing His voice should be our biggest goal for the day.

 

How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand – when I awake, I am still with you. Psalm 139:17-18

Even to those who don’t know God – He is still speaking…

⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
⁸ A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹ So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
¹⁰ The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
¹¹ And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 1 Samuel 3:7-11

Lord, help us to hear Your voice with clarity and seek Your voice each day. That we would recognize the variety of ways You talk to Your children and respond, “your servant is listening.”

above the waves

on the easel

I heard someone over Christmas say, “Oops, I forgot, I’m not going to speak negative, that was negative.”

I think she is is her 80’s and still decided there was a change she felt would be worth it for her life! Keeping up with news, friends, and family – is not always encouraging. Many of the topics most will discuss are the negative ones. She had also commented about getting the paper again. I suggested if she wanted to stay positive – skip the newspaper! :0)

One thing is for sure – the good news of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven is definitely something to uplift us!!

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:1-3, 10

The waves will come – it’s part of any great beach scene… but be sure to look up and see what God wants to show you for this coming year. I’ll be taking some time to paint, pray and ponder…

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8

Have a wonderful celebration of the NEW! Thank you for joining me on this journey. Praying God’s bountiful blessings to you and yours!

noel

Wishing you a Christmas filled with awe, wonder, hope, joy and peace. May this beautiful song and video fill you with even more love for this one called Jesus as you celebrate this Noel “birth of God”.  God’s blessings to you and yours.

The birth of a child who is also a King, Savior, Redeemer, Shepherd, Lamb, Healer, Light and more. 

unthinkable

Yesterday was a little thought stretching on what we might consider obstacles.

Today, imagine yourself in the journey with Mary and Joseph when they hear what God has in mind for them…

“You will be with child”- but I’m a virgin!
A quiet divorce – “Keep her as yours!”

How would you advise them?

Mary was told she was “highly favored” yet she could be stoned because of this pregnancy. She still said, “Let it be unto me according to Your word.” Joseph was ready for separation but heard the Lord in a dream – STAY.

Mary and Joseph listened, trusted and moved in faith. The simplicity from John 10,

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

 

I pray you will seek His voice and find a new measure of comfort and knowledge of His great love for you. That He also desires for you to birth something more amazing that you could ever dream (not necessarily a child.) It’s not about the obstacles seen on this earth but about His heavenly plans laid out before you were even born. Trust that He knows you more intimately than you know yourself and that you are filled with all the fullness of God. 

Using both the Luke 1 and Matthew 1 stories of Joseph and Mary. You might even see how you might advise Elizabeth and Zechariah with the obstacles in their part of the story.