JOY...Jesus Only You

I can hardly believe that Christmas is only 17 days away! This year, I am experiencing Christmas in a new and fresh way, different than I ever have before.

Before I share why, I want to welcome anyone joining me from my sweet friend, Karen Ehman's blog . Karen interviewed me for her 12 days of Christmas giveaway, and today is my day. If you don't know Karen, please pop over to her blog. Yes, you will learn more about me and have an opportunity to win a copy of my book, Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner, but you will also be blessed by my many other P31 sisters she has interviewed. You can register to win for all 12 days of her giveaway! You don't want to miss out!!!

On Wednesday, November 4th I wrote a post entitled "The Cry of My Heart" in which I shared my daughter's journey with scoliosis...a journey which on December 21st at 7:30 a.m. will culminate in spinal fusion surgery. Because the Lord had not answered my prayers for her in the way I had asked, I felt such emptiness...no joy...no hope...just tears and sadness, doubt and fear. I had "lost" my joy...or so I thought.

In response to this post, I received an incredible outpouring of love that rocked my world. When I felt I could not take another step, hundreds of you reached out to me. Your words fed my thirsty soul and led me to take my eyes off of my circumstances and place them on my Savior. Your words sustained me.

Through your love and God's Word, I realized an incredibly important Truth. It did not happen the day I wrote the post or even weeks later. It happened last Tuesday at the P31 office when I prayed with my dear, sweet friend, Melissa, over brokenness in her life. She shares this story on her blog.

As she wept, we held her and prayed over her. So many of God's Truths poured forth as we prayed but the word JOY filled my heart and God gave me these words for her...

J. O. Y.

Jesus
Only
You

I prayed them over Melissa as tears poured down my cheek. God shared with me that day the TRUE meaning of JOY. Joy cannot fill our hearts when we are consumed by brokenness, betrayal, confusion, doubt, bitterness, pain, and sorrow. Joy cannot fill our hearts when our eyes are fixed on our circumstances. Joy can only fill our hearts when our eyes are fixed on HIM.

Read God's TRUTH about JOY...

When your words came, I ate them; they were my JOY and my heart's delight, for I bear your name. Jeremiah 15:16

Do not grieve, for the JOY of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious JOY, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your soul. 1 Peter 1:6-9

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22

...so is my Word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in JOY and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst out in song before you.... Isaiah 55:11-12

Friends, yes, I still cry as I think of the doctors rolling my sweet girl away to surgery. Yes, I cry when I think of the excruciating pain Lauren will suffer. Yes, I cry when I think of not attending worship together on Christmas eve. Yes, I cry when I think of not gathering around our tree Christmas morning. Yes, I wonder why God did not choose to heal in the way I faithfully prayed.

But JESUS!!

When my mind travels to those places, my Lord brings me back to JESUS.

BUT J.O.Y.!!!!

Jesus Only You!!!

Jesus CHOSE to leave His throne in heaven. He CHOSE to be confined in a womb. He CHOSE to put on human flesh. He CHOSE to walk among us. He CHOSE to be Immanuel...God with us.

He came so that I...so that you...can know His Joy fully and completely in us through any and all circumstances.

This Christmas...though it will not look like past Christmases...though it will not feel like past Christmases...it will be a special Christmas because I TRULY KNOW THE JOY OF MY LORD!!!

Let me pray for us...

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Christmas. Thank You for Your Love as expressed in the gift of Christmas. Thank You for Jesus. Thank You for the HOPE that is ours in Him. Thank You for the JOY that is ours in Him. Thank You for the PEACE that is ours in Him. For every hurting heart reading this today, will You draw her heart back to Yours. Will You fix her heart on You. Every time her thoughts turn to her hurt or her pain bring her back to J.O.Y...Jesus Only You. Let that be our breath prayer, Lord. J.O.Y....Jesus only You. Your Word says You are the Strength of our heart, our portion forever...our All in All. WE invite You to be that today and each day of this Christmas season. We love you and ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ our Savior and our JOY!! Amen.

CHRISTMAS...THE GIFT OF LOVE

Christmas.

What thoughts come to mind?

The sweet aroma of a freshly cut tree,

Seasonal decor adorning each house,

Beautifully wrapped packages,

Precious ornaments representing years of memories,

Shiny lights shimmering around every corner,

Shopping malls filled with people,

Singing along with your Christmas favorites.

Yes, each one is a sign of the Season.

But LOVE....

This is the TRUE SIGN of the Season.

I have spent the last week reading 1 John. God used my time with Him to remind me of some precious Truths.

First, John reminds us that we ARE children of God. Before Jesus, love was a matter of obeying the law, of keeping score. But after Jesus, love is different. We know a new love, agape love. This is love just for the sake of love. It expects nothing in return. God loves us with this kind of love.

Do you know that the moment you accept Christ into your heart, you have eternal life? By saying "yes," in this life, you have the guarantee of life with your Father in Heaven forever! John 3:36 says,

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life.

Note it says "has" NOT "will have." It is ours...NOW!! Again, read John 5:24,

I tell you those who listen to My message and believe in God who sent Me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

LISTEN TO GOD'S PROMISE...THE PERSON WHO HAS ACCEPTED GOD'S GIFT OF FORGIVENESS AND HAS BELIEVED IN JESUS AS HER LORD AND SAVIOR HAS ETERNAL LIFE...NOW!

This is our HOPE as we walk through suffering and dark times.

This is our HOPE as we enjoy the rich blessings God has poured out upon us.

This is our HOPE as we question is God even listening.

This is our HOPE as we step out in faith to trust and obey.

This LOVE, this GIFT...it is our HOPE!!!

My prayer for us during this Christmas Season is that we would remember and never forget God's great LOVE, His GIFT of eternal life.

Sweet friends, may we stand on our tippy toes each morning, eyes looking intently upward, to catch a glimpse of the GLORY that is one day going to be revealed in us when we enter eternity and become like Christ.

In His Great Love,

I AM........

It has been SO VERY LONG since I have been here or anywhere in bloggy land. I have missed being here. Finding time to sit and write and most especially to sit and read has been difficult. The last few days God placed many of you on my heart, so I decided to take some time today to write. I have missed reading your blogs, your sweet words of encouragement, your funny stories, and your insightful comments.

What is on my heart today is CHRIST...mainly because I find myself in a place where I need to lean on Him...where I need to KNOW He is REAL, and He is HERE, and He is ENOUGH. God in His faithfulnees took me to WHO Christ is....more specifically WHO Christ SAYS He is. I thought I would share these Truths with you today.

I AM the BREAD OF LIFE

I AM the LIGHT OF THE WORLD

I AM the DOOR

I AM the GOOD SHEPHERD

I AM the RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

I AM the WAY, AND THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE

I AM the VINE

I AM...I AM

More, more, LORD, I am hungry for more of Who You are. Tell me more....

I AM the LAMB OF GOD

I AM the SON OF GOD

I AM the MESSIAH

I AM the KING OF ISRAEL

I AM the KING OF KINGS

I AM the LORD OF LORDS

I AM your PORTION

I AM your STRENGTH

I AM LIVING WATER

Oh, how I need to hear these words today. How about you? To know that no matter what lies in front of me, HE IS ENOUGH!! HE WILL PROVIDE!!

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are my ALL IN ALL, THE STRENGTH OF MY HEART AND MY PORTION FOREVER. I confess to You that I don't always come to You first...I worry and fret. I fear. I lie awake at night. Then I sense Your sweet Presence, Your Peace. You remind me that You are TRUTH. You are ALL AUTHORITY. You are LIFE. You are in CONTROL. You LOVE ME!!! Father, give me a heart that trusts You, that believes You for all things...even those hard things I questions and do not understand. Make my heart tender to hear Your voice, to receive Your Peace in its fullness!! Help my unbelief. Show me Your Might and Your Power in the midst of my circumstances. Reach down and touch me in a very real way so I KNOW You are here. I love You, Lord. Thank You for loving me and caring about even the very hairs on my head. I wait for You in this dry and weary land...fill me with Your LIVING WATER, feed me with Your BREAD OF LIFE. I ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen

Words are not enough.....

My heart is so full after reading your comments and e-mails in response to my Proverbs 31 Devotion and my November 4th blog post. I want to share how God used you to answer the "Cry of My Heart!!" Last Tuesday I went to work with a heavy heart...so heavy, my sweet friend and P31 sister, Wendy Pope, asked if everything was alright. Of course, at first I told her yes, that I was simply tired. I did not want to burden anyone with all that filled my heart. This saga of Lauren's back has gone on for years, and I felt that there were so many greater hurts than mine that needed prayer and attention.

As the hours passed, my heart grew heavier and heavier, my tears flowed easier and easier until finally it was time to leave, and I could not hold it in any more. I walked over to Wendy's desk and poured out my heart. She talked for a bit and then grabbed my hand and began to pray. Knowing my devotional was scheduled to be published the very next day, she prayed and asked the Lord to provide for my every need through the words of women who responded to the devotional.

I awakened the next morning having no idea how powerfully God would answer that prayer. He answered it in accordance with the promise in His Word - He did abundantly more than Wendy and I could have ever asked or imagined as we prayed.

Your posts and e-mails fed my thirsty soul...each one in its own way. Some provided rich Scriptures and Promises from God. Others shared scoliosis surgery stories that gave me great hope and confirmed the decisions we have made on this journey. Others shared personal stories of Hope and God's provision in your lives. How I wish I could spend time with each of you and hear your whole story!!!

Thank you for stopping in the midst of your busy days to allow God to use you to speak into our lives. Lauren's surgery is scheduled for the morning of December 28th, and I plan to to take every Scripture shared and put it in a journal that I will keep with us at the hospital. I will have your words and stories with me to remind me that you are praying.

Never before have I been so touched by God in such a real and personal way. Thank you for showering our family with your love and prayers!!! Thank you for living out 2Corinthians Chapter One...

All praise to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our trouble so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Although I can never repay all you have given me, I would like to give away three books as a small way to say "thank you." One is a devotional, one is the One Year Chronological Bible, and one is my book, Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner. If you find your name below, please contact me at spkrcoord@proverbs31.org and send me your mailing address so I can send you your gift.

Catherine who sent an e-mail

Julie who posted 11/4/09 at 11:06 am

Anonymous who posted on 11/4/09 at 11:40 a.m.


With heartfelt love and gratitude,

The Cry of My Heart

Welcome Encouragement for Today Readers. I prayed for each and every woman God would lead here today. How I wish I could know you by name and personally thank you for stopping by.

I desire to hear your stories, your wisdom, your encouragement, and what God has on your heart after reading today's devotional. If you have a moment, please click on the word comments below and follow the prompts. If you don't have a blog, you can post by clicking anonymous and leave your name in your comment if you'd like. Your words will mean more to me than you will ever know! To say thank you, I will select a few names and give away a few books that have encouraged me through my journey.

As soon as Lauren was born, and the doctor proclaimed, "it's a girl," I was thrilled!! I wanted a girl so much. As I looked into her big brown eyes, a myriad of questions flooded my mind.

What will she look like?

What will her personality be like?

Will she look more like her Dad or more like me?

Will she love chocolate like me?

Will I be a good mother?

Will I be able to provide all she needs?

I was scared. What did I know about being a mother?

Through the years, I have watched Lauren, now 16, blossom into an amazing young woman. Every birthday revealing the answers to my questions. She still has those big brown eyes and to that God added an infectious smile that lights up a room. She is timely, loves Mexican food, and enjoys anything chocolate like her mother. She laughs at herself, enjoys people, and loves music like her father. Through the years, God granted me the tools and wisdom necessary to provide for her at each stage of her life.

Today, my heart returns to those places of fear, questioning, and doubt that I had the very first day I held her. Knowing doctors will carve open my sweet girl's back from the nape of her neck to the curve of her hips, I find myself wondering again - how can I ever provide all she needs? From where will the strength come to watch them take her into surgery on December 28th? From where will the strength come to wait for hours as they surgically insert rods and screws into spine? From where will the strength come to watch her endure days of excruciating pain and suffering?

When I allow my mind to travel to these places, tears flow unceasingly. My sleep is restless. I awaken asking my Lord "why?" Why does she have to deal with so much at the tender age of 16?

My rational side reasons it could be worse...so much worse. Many mothers have children battling cancer and chronic illnesses that eventually steal away their babies. I have walked alongside of, cried with, and prayed for many of these mothers. Rational thoughts prevail...Lauren will recover; she will be strong and healthy again. This is just a blip on the screen.

But then my reality, the reality of my emotions, of my fears, forces its way back in. I want to believe. I want to trust. But the "whys" and the "what ifs" take control.

I hear in my head.

Wendy, you are a Bible Teacher.

Your calling is to share the Hope of the cross, the Truth of the Word, and the power of prayer.

Your calling is to encourage women to trust and believe God and His Word for all their needs.

Oh, how I KNOW these truths. Yet, today, I find myself the one needing words of Hope and encouragement. I find myself being the one crying out, "I believe, Lord, help me with my unbelief!"

Today, I am thankful for you...my Bible Study girlfriends, my Proverbs 31 sisters (thank you Wendy Pope for praying me through yesterday), the precious women God brings into my life after every speaking engagement, and my amazing cyberspace bloggy friends who bless me daily with your visits and your posts. Every one of you is a gift from the Lord.

Today, I have prayed for stories and fresh words of encouragement from Scripture to remind all of us of the LOVE, FAITHFULNESS, AND GREATNESS of our God. As you share, please don't forget to leave your name and a way to contact you for the giveaway. If you cannot get into the blog to comment, please feel free to e-mail me at spkrcoord@proverbs31.org.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5.
Blessings,

The Lord's Prayer - Part 2

Last week we took a deeper look into The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Today we will examine the last few verses of this beautiful prayer.

Before I begin, I want to let you know that on Wednesday, November 4th, Proverbs will run my devotional for the month of November. It was an extremely hard devotional to write, and I am still in the midst of the struggle with my Lord...praying daily to trust Him in the midst of seemingly unanswered prayer...trusting He knows what is best. Wednesday, I will be giving away a few resources that have encouraged me through this journey, so please share this devotional with your friends, especially those who may be struggling through a tough place with God. Invite them to visit the Proverbs web site to read the devotional and to stop by here and share their journey, their questions, their doubts, and their prayers. My heart is trusting that through the comments women leave, we will all experience God's promise from 2 Corinthians 1, which says,

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

As I pondered this verse, the Lord took me back to the Gospels. Each one vividly portrays the tremendous humiliation and physical suffering Jesus endured. He received thirty-nine (a scourging) lashes at the hands of Roman soldiers. Following the scourging, the soldiers stripped Him and draped Him in a scarlet robe. They twisted together a crown of thorns and forced it onto Jesus' head. Mocking Him every step of the way, the soldiers placed a staff in His hand and knelt before Him, calling "Hail, King of the Jews." Surrounding Him, they spit on Him and repeatedly struck Him with a staff. When Jesus was so weak He could barely stand, the soldiers ordered the Savior of the world to carry His own cross as they led Him to certain death. Upon reaching Calvary, the soldiers forced Jesus down on the cross and, stretching out His arms on the cross beam, drove nails into His hands and feet. His blood poured out.

The TRUTH behind these verses pierced my soul. Jesus did this for me!! Jesus did this for you!! A deep sense of sadness and gratitude washed over me. Jesus, who never sinned, who never told a lie (1 Peter 2:22), suffered physical and emotional torment for our sins that was beyond human comprehension. Moreover, as the prophet Isaiah explained, "Yet it was the Lord's will to crush Him." (Isaiah 53:10a). God planned for Jesus to suffer and die on that cross before the creation of the world. God poured out His wrath for me and for you on His own Son.

Then when Jesus' tortured body and His crushed spirit could stand it no more, Jesus cried out, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34). What a beautiful act of submission to the will of His father. In Hebrews it says Christ "learned suffering" (Hebrews 5:8). Jesus submitted, knowing his obedience meant death and separation from His Father for the first time in history.

Jesus' next words penetrated my heart. Jesus prayed from the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34). Jesus asked His Father to forgive the very men who had mocked Him, tortured Him, and finally murdered Him.

The question before us is this: If Jesus died to forgive our sins - if He asked His Father to forgive the men who nailed Him to the cross - what right do we have to withhold forgiveness from anyone. For me specifically, years ago, I had to ask myself, what right did I have to withhold forgiveness from the man who raped me?

Friends, no matter what we are harboring unforgiveness for in our hearts, Jesus, our Lord and Savior, our Redeemer, our Salvation, not only asks, but set the model for, us to forgive others as freely as we have been forgiven. Scripture makes it VERY clear that to receive forgiveness we must forgive others. Mark 11:25 says, "But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins too."

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Finally, Jesus directs us to ask God for protection from temptation and for deliverance from the deception of Satan, the father of lies. Scripture tells us that Satan prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking to devour all that is God's and all that is good. Only in God's power, the power of His Holy Spirit, can we successfully battle Satan and the many temptations and deceptions he throws our way. Pray in Jesus' name for the strength to resist everything that exalts itself against the will and authority of God in your life.

Friends, I want you to KNOW and BELIEVE with all your heart that the Lord's Prayer is as relevant for your lives today as it was when Jesus uttered the words to His disciples over two thousand years ago. I encourage you to learn this prayer and make it your own!!

Love you and so thankful for you!

The Lord's Prayer - Part 1

On my heart today is prayer. A simple word, yet a word that oftentimes instills questions, intimidation, and even fear in God's people, especially when asked to pray out loud.

Jesus knew we would struggle with the concept of prayer, so He gave His disciples...and us... a model for prayer, commonly known as the Lord's Prayer.

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:9-13.

This, sweet friends, is simply a recipe for prayer. I love to cook. When attempting a recipe for the first time, I follow it exactly and gather all necessary ingredients. As I grow more comfortable with the dish, I may add more of this, less of that, or even add new ingredients to suit my taste.

So it was with the Lord's Prayer. When I first began to pray, I followed Jesus' recipe.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

Hallowed
derives from the Greek word hagiazo, which means "to make holy, to make a person or thing the opposite of common." The Lord's Prayer taught me to begin my prayers with praise, praising God for His love, His grace, His mercy, His power, His Presence, and His sovereignty. Often we forget how much we have to be thankful for in having a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe and the Savior of the world until we focus our hearts on praising Him.

Thy kingdom come thy will be done.

Jesus' words direct us to ask for God's will , not our own, to be done in our lives. This is the hardest part of prayer, and the one I struggle most to understand. Jesus sets the example for us. When speaking to His disciples, Jesus continually told them that it was not His will but His Father's will that motivated all He did. Listen to Jesus' prayer in the garden of Gethsemene: "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine" (Matthew 26:39). Again in John 5:30, Jesus says, "I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the One who sent me, not my own will"(NLT). Scripture is clear. We must surrender our agendas to God's agenda, even when we do not understand or even see it.

Give us our daily bread.

What does Jesus mean by daily bread? He is referring to our daily needs. Listen to this excerpt from a prayer in Proverbs 30:7-9: "Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die...give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." God knows that when we seek after too much or have too many riches, we may become proud and forget that He is the giver of every good and perfect gift we have. Moses warned the Israelites:

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land He has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God....Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God...You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth. (Deuteronomy 8:10-14, 17-18.

God cares about our everyday events in our lives and wants us to come to Him with all our needs. But we must to be sure that we are not coming to Him with all our greeds. Asking Him for our daily bread, keeps our hearts centered on Him and His provision.

In my next post, I will visit the last few verses of the Lord's Prayer. Until then, let's end our time together with praise to our God, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords...let us capture the magnificence of our God....

How great are You, Lord, worthy of glory, worthy of honor and praise. We lift Your Name this day, Lord, as the One who is our All in All, the One and Only True God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever!! You are the Lamb of God, the Bread of Life, Living Water to quench our thirsty souls. You are the Lion of Judah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You are our Savior, our Redeemer, the Rebuilder of broken hearts. You are Faithful and True. You are the Rock of our Salvation, the Wisdom of the Ages. You are the Truth on which we stand. Father, as we kneel before You, the Creator of all things, seen and unseen, we lift our faces toward Your heavens and tremble in awe that You know our names, know our hearts,and desire a personal intimate relationship with us. Father, know we are so thankful for You, for Your Son, for the gift of Your written Word, for the gift of Your Holy Spirit, and for the gift of prayer. Father, teach us to pray in a way that draws us closer to Your heart, open our ears to listen and our hearts to receive all You have for us today. We love you and ask this all in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. AMEN