God's Good Hands

I've been reminded this week, very often in fact, that I am in Good Hands.  No, not the insurance company's good hands.  God's Good Hands.  To be completely honest, God has been reminding me to leave things in His hands. And this last week I really haven't had a choice about it.  You see, my hands can't reach all the way to Florida.  And as wonderful as my husband is, his hands don't reach either.  Now that Bryson is on the other side of the country, I can only trust him into the loving, protective hands of my Heavenly Father.  I never realized before how much my hands were in the mix mixing things up.  But I love how God has used this exciting opportunity for Bryson to teach me a lesson on faith, trust, and relinquishing what little control I thought I had.  I do pray that Bryson learns this lesson too.

As Bryson left, we hugged and cried.  I told him how proud I was of him and how much I loved him.  I gave him a small Bible.  In it I highlighted some verses that he could turn to when he might be feeling discouraged, lonely, confused, or fearful.  As we hugged for the last time, I began to realize that my hands were not sufficient to see him through.  As he pulled out of the driveway, my hands waved good bye and seemed very empty.  But God gently spoke to my heart, reassuring me that Bryson was in the very best Hands possible! 
God's hands are sufficient to provide and protect.  And because I tend to be a slow learner, it's no surprise that the majority of verses in my devotions this week had to do with the power in God's hands.  I'll share a few of the verses and what I've learned.

Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand - Psalm 73:23
God is always there.  Even if I'm not with Bryson, God is.  And He is holding both of our hands during this time, and He won't let go.

Thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. - Psalm 104:28b
God is generous and only wants to give good to those who love Him.  He's not stingy and He will provide
the good things that Bryson needs.  I have a picture in my mind of God holding out all kinds of goodies for Bryson to choose from. And I can find good peace and good comfort because I know that God can give more good goodies than I ever could.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. - Psalm 37:23-24
Even when we stumble, God is there to catch us in His hands.  He will pick us up, dust us off, and put us back on the proper course.  His hands are strong enough!  And since God is there to catch us, that means that He is close to us. 

For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not: I will help thee. - Isaiah 41:13 
Well.....that kind of says it all now doesn't it.  I don't need to be afraid or worried about Bryson.  God is holding on to his hand and helping him.  What a wonderful, comforting promise. 

And God is helping me to grow in Him as I totally trust His hands to care not only for Bryson, but for me and my entire family.  God has the power in His hands to strengthen; the tenderness to comfort; the wisdom to guide; the patience to teach.  I truly am in Good Hands!

So what's the best thing I can do with my hands.....fold them in prayer and lift them in praise. 

Acknowledge God's Blessings

There is a really cute email going around right now about what happens in heaven when we pray.  It talks about angels being busy in the receiving department as all the numerous prayer requests come in.  Then it goes on to describe the angels being busy in the shipping & delivery department as God answers the prayers and bestows His blessings.  The final scene is one lone angel in the acknowledgement department, but he isn't busy at all.  It seems that no one has sent back an acknowledgment receipt of the blessings they've received.

Oh how often we take God blessings for granted. I know I do and it breaks my heart when I think about how often I forget to say a simple "Thank You" to my Lord.  He has given me everything I need and most of what I want.  The praise should be flowing from my mouth on a continual basis.  It should show in my actions and my attitudes as I go about my day. 

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.  Psalm 92:1-2

I recently had the sad experience of watching someone discount a huge blessing that had just been handed to them.  Instead of praising God, they chose to reject the goodness by displaying an unthankful attitude and a rude response.  It really was heartbreaking to witness.  I can't help but wonder how many blessings will now be withheld from this person.  How many hardships must they endure before they turn their heart back to the Lord and be thankful for everything that God has done for them.  A simple "Thank You" would have been sufficient.   A "Thank You Lord" would have been wonderful!  A declaration of God's goodness and provision would have been a powerful testimony to those watching. 

Psalm 135:3 Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.

I never want to discount God's goodness to me.  I want to be a woman who is filled with praises for my Lord.  I am challenged to speak and show my gratitude every single day.  Will you help me?  The next time we meet, let's share with each other at least one praise of how God has been good to us.  And you will have to start as I'm not sure who everyone is that reads this blog.  So just come up to me and say something like,
"God is so good.  He ___________ (fill in the blank)!  And I will rejoice with you and respond with a praise of my own.  If you don't live near me....send me an email....I will reply!!!

So here are my acknowledgement receipts for the blessings I've received.

Thank You Lord

Thank You for my salvation.  I am eternally grateful!

Thank You for being patient with me.  I learn slow.

Thank You for a loving husband, who is also patient with me.

Thank You for the blessings of children.  They are a great joy.

Thank you for the joy of grandchildren.  They are awesome.

Thank You for my mom and my sisters...Three of the best women I

I have the privilege of knowing and loving.

Thank You for providing me with a home, food and clothing.

Thank You for Your guidance in my schooling decisions. 

I will be calling on you soon for some more help.

Thank You for being there when I need you.

Thank You for safety when I drive.  You know I speed sometimes.

Thank You for my friends.  They are valuable treasures.

Thank You for Westside Baptist Church.  A much needed light in this community.

Thank You Lord....I love You!

Okay........that oughta keep that lone angel busy for a while!  

 



God is Present

Remember back in elementary school when awards were handed out at the end of the year.  It always seemed that the most applause was given to those students who received the "Perfect Attendance Award". 
And why not?  That's quite an accomplishment, never missing a day of school, always being there.  Well that's how it is with God.  He is always there.  He never misses a day.  God is personally present every day in my life.  I must sadly admit, however, that I am not always present with God, nor have I always acknowledged God's presence in my life.  But that's where God's patience and grace are so beautifully displayed as He's been teaching me from His Word.  And hopefully I have learned a lesson or two.

Lesson #1: God is with me....every hour of every day.  He is personally involved and active in my life.  He doesn't stand at a distance watching the events of my day unfold.  He is in the midst of everything I do.  Even when I feel He isn't there, He is!  It is my own faulty thinking &/or emotions that allow me to believe that God is not near.  But the fact is, He is present.  Psalm 139:1-10 says so.  I'm trying to memorize it.  But this passage of scripture says that God knows my downsitting and my uprising.  He is aquainted with all my ways.  He is before me and behind me.  Any place I go, He goes to.  And I love verse 10 "Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."   Wherever I go, not only is God with me, but He is there to lead me and to hold me.  I find that very comforting, especially during the times in life when things aren't going quite so well. 

Here's my tendency concerning God's presence.  When things are tough, I mean really tough, I know God is there.  That's when I lean on Him the most.  That's when my trust and faith are at it's highest because I know that I can't get through without God by my side.  But when things are going well, especially well, that's when I tend to forget that God is with me.  Oh I still have my daily devotions and prayer, but I just go through my day with no thought of His personal presence.  How silly is that?  Some people are just the opposite though.  They recognize God's presence during the good times and feel He has left during the tough times.  They wonder where He is and why He's left them.  Equally silly.  God is there, all the time....which leads me to...

Lesson #2:  I need to acknowledge God's presence in my life.  I am learning that two things are needed to acknowledge God's presence:  Praise & Prayer.  By having an attitude of praise, I am showing His goodness in my life.  Public praise testifies to others how God is working personally in my life.  It shows that He is real and close and intimately involved in the affairs of my life.  Prayer also is a key way to say to God that you know He is with you.  1 Thess 5:17 says that we are to pray without ceasing.  To me that means keeping the lines of communication open with God all day.  I try to converse with God throughout my day.  Sometimes it's the big, important things of life like school/career decisions and sometimes it's the little stuff like feeling a cold coming on or having the right attitude as I do housework.  But whatever it is, I talk with Him because He is here with me and I want to acknowledge in presence.  It's like linking arms with God as we walk along together. 

I can honestly say that every time in my life when attendance was taken, God has never been marked absent.  He is always there.  Perfect Attendance!  My challenge is to do the same. 

One last thing....Some people say God is nowhere to be found.
I say...God is now here to be found.

God is Good

So I was all ready to sit down this morning and write about a particular struggle going on in my life.
Actually, it's been going on for awhile and I've never really been able to figure out why I haven't gotten
a handle on it.  Yes every time I started to write, it just wasn't what I wanted to say.  I couldn't get the words
to express the thoughts I wanted to share.  And then it hit me.....crash, bam...like a bolt of lightening!  I was leaving God out of the picture.  I needed to turn to Him first and get my priorities back in line.  So I left
my computer, picked up my Bible, my devotion book, and my reading glasses (a true necessity), and spent some quiet time with my Lord. 

I began reading about trusting God and trusting His word.  And if I was going to trust God, especially during a struggle, I needed to learn more about Him.  I learned that He will and does deliver His children from all, not just some, but ALL their afflictions (Ps 34:19 & Ps 72:12).  I learned that He is with me wherever I go (Josh 1:9), and that His grace is sufficient for all my needs (2 Cor 12:9). 

But another verse jumped out at me. 
Psalm 119:71 - It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. 

Hmmm....God says afflictions are good.  Really?  Good?  Yes!....good!  God even goes on to say why it's good for troubles to come....so I can learn His statutes...His law....His way!  And is there any better way than God's way?  And the answer is.......a resounding no!  God's way is always best.  I may not understand it at times.  But then I don't have to understand.  I am to walk by faith, not by sight.  I am to trust that God's ways are not my ways and that His thoughts are higher than my thoughts (Is 55:8-9).  I am to trust that He knows the beginning from the end and that all things will work together for the good to them that love God who are called, according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).  And there's that word good.....again. 

Now here's the amazing part of my day.  After I get done with my devotions and study, I stand up and immediately the phone rings.  It's someone from church telling me that there is a lady who is interested in Bible study.  I get her name, number, and a little background info.  Apparently, she is going through a trial.  So I pray first and then I give her a call.  She is a lovely woman but boy is she going through a trial.  She opens her heart and pours it out to me.  She has so many questions about why this is happening, what did she do wrong, how will she deal with it.  She is steadfast about her love for the Lord, but this is shaking her to the core and she needs help.  And here comes the amazing part.....I have the words to share with her.  Not my words, but God's words.  The very words I was just studying.  The very words that God used to speak to my heart, He was putting into my mouth to help her.  I shared with her the verses I listed above and a few others.  We talked about how God is in control of everything and that He always has a plan and a purpose for what happens in our life.  I kind of think God used this sweet lady to teach me as well.

I truly believe that if I had spent time this morning lamenting over my own struggles and living it up at my own pity party,  I would have missed out on some truly amazing blessings today.  God challenged me today to always keep my eyes on Him....first and foremost.  Only good will come when I do....and there's that word....good....again....Yes, my God is so good!!

God Restores

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

The above verse is so true.  I have had the amazing privilege to see this verse in real live working action over the last year as God has taken tragedy and used it for good as He has restored and healed my husband's family. 

Let me set the stage.  I will take you back to April 28, 2010.  My husband's family is estranged, to say the least.  For well over 10 years there has been some kind of turmoil going on in this family.  I won't go into all the details because that really isn't the point.  The point is that relationships were severely broken and there were some very deep wounds.  And though many in the family were praying for healing, I believe that we were becoming reconciled to the fact that this was just the way the family was going to remain.  Birthdays, holidays, weddings, and anniversaries all came and went with little to no contact.  And when there was some form of communication, often it would lead to more hurt, which led to more seperation and division in the family.   My husband and I took on the attitude that we would just live our own lives.  Having a fragmented family was the "norm" and we made the best with the little bit of family that God had given us.  Little did we know that God wanted to give us everyone! 

So life on April 28, 2010, was fairly routine, nothing out of the ordinary.  Then the phone call came in the early morning hours of April 29, 2010.  My sister-in-law's (Char) husband (Jim) had been murdered in his home.  It was a horrible act of evil hurled upon this family.  But God's goodness and grace took over.  Over the days that followed, the entire family gathered together.  Restoration was taking place.  There was no need to rehash old arguements or open old wounds.  All the hurt and pain of the last decade fell away. Forgiveness was asked for in our tears and given in our hugs.  Priorities were put into perspective as we all looked to God for the comfort and strength that was so desperately needed. 

One amazing thing I learned during this time was how God had been working in the lives and hearts of this family during our time of division.  Jim and Char were strong Christians, active in their church and leading a Bible study in their home every week.  My husband's parents were part of the Bible study and loved learning more about God's Word.  Other family members who were Christians were regularly praying for the family.  My own relationship with God grew over the years as I desired to be more Christ-like in every area of my life.  So even though we may have spent some time divided, God kept us united through His love and His leading. 

So today is March 8, 2011.  Not quite a year has passed.  We just came home from a wonderful weekend in Washington with the family.  We celebrated the arrivals of four new babies born into the family over the last few months.  We celebrated as a family, restored and united.  I spent a lot of time yesterday looking at this family God has given back to us.  I am more grateful than words can ever express.  I am grateful that God never gives up on those who love Him.  I am grateful that God is patient.  I am grateful that God's plan is always best. God took one terrible, horrific night and used it to put His plan of restoration into motion.  He has turned tragedy into triumph and has worked this all out for good....His good.....He is Good!!!! 

My purpose for this blog

Okay, blogging doesn't seem to be quite as easy as I thought.  I've been reading other people's blogs over the past few days and have come to realize that most of them have a specific purpose.  Some blogs have no
rhyme or reason, and to be honest, those are the ones that are the least interesting.  The blogs that have
a focused theme are the ones that I am drawn to the most.

So I began to deliberate about my blogs purpose.  Then I thought about my purpose and what should be the focus and center of my life, and the answer was clear......Jesus! 

So this blog will be about my growing faith as a Christian.  I will share the things I'm learning from God's Word, from preaching & teaching in Church, and from others in my life.  And I look forward to learning and growing from other bloggers who share the same interests as well.  My greatest desire would be for this blog to glorify God, edify and encourage others, and share the love of God with those who need it.

Just getting started

So, I'm not real sure what to write about.  Besides, it is 1:20 in the morning and I have to be up in about 5 hours and teach Women's Bible study at 10am.  The Bible study has been really good this year.  We have been going through the book of Luke and studying the life of Christ.  I have really learned a lot about the
deep compassion and love that Jesus has for people.  He never turned anyone away.  No matter how busy or tired, Jesus always took the time to meet the needs of those around Him.  What a challenge to my heart for sure!  There are people all around who need some love, time, and attention.  And I can do that.  But the bigger question is....will I do that?  I hope so.  I try.  I strive to be more Christ-like in my actions and attitudes....but there is always room for improvement.