blessings – Oh Lord Help Us

Gratitude, thankful, thankfulness, joy, blessings, God’s provision, provision, Jesus, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry, nonprofit

Source of Joy: Have You become Bored with God’s Blessings?

DevotionalsNovember 10, 2019November 10, 2019

God gives us many blessings. Once we move past our initial thankfulness, the weight of what we must steward can distract us from the source of our joy.

Perception

For a month or more, the Lord has been confronting me… I hear messages about my perception of His blessings. Most of the time, He returns me to a small portion of the Israelite’s story; when they journey out of Egypt and into the land God promised…

Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, ‘Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.’
Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. The people went about and gathered it and ground it in handmills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.
Numbers 11:4-9, ESV

Bored of Blessings

As an outsider looking in, I become outraged on God’s behalf. He blessed the Israelites with precious food straight from heaven so they would not have to hunt for food. When they woke in the morning, the manna lay in wait for them, alongside the dew. Then, they had the audacity to dream of returning to their lives as an enslaved people because they were bored with God’s provision.

As Christians, we like talking about the blessings of the Father. We praise God for the blessings as we receive them. Once we have them in our possession though, what do we do with them? Do we continue to praise God for them? Or do we become a little like the Israelites, wishing for more or different blessings in the midst of God’s goodness?

Steward His Blessings

God gives plentifully.

He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you.
Deuteronomy 7:13, ESV

The Word promises that God will bless us on Earth. He allows us to multiply through childbirth. He blesses the land and animals that He created for us to provide us with food. Once we possess this bounty, then, we must steward over them.

The blessings, never less so blessings than when we received them, then become responsibilities. This is precisely when we start taking them for granted, viewing them as burdens. Jesus tells us quite clearly in the parable of the talents that we are to steward over what He gives us. When we do we will be blessed with even more responsibility.

Source of Joy

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
Matthew 25:21, ESV

The master praises the servant for managing the gold given to him well and promises him more to oversee. The promise of more influence brings happiness, much like when we receive a hard-earned promotion. The reality, though, includes more work and greater challenges. We are still called to find joy in those challenges, not in spite of them.

I must reflect on when I received those gifts to remember the joy I found in them. I must seek a greater source of joy in the greatest blessing ever bestowed on me: His love, expressed most earnestly through His death on the cross.

The Joy of the Lord

Entering into the joy of the Lord can be difficult for a few reasons. First, we mistake the temporary and conditional emotion of happiness with joy–an attitude of the heart which is steadfast and constant. Joy persists in the midst of very strong, negative emotions because God is present with us in those moments, He is our source of joy.

Do not get me wrong, happiness is expressed in the Bible. It is not absent, but it does not have the sustaining power of this joy that God gives us freely. In Nehemiah 8, we are told that the joy of the Lord is our strength. It allows us to traverse challenges, to steward our blessings, whether we find happiness in them or not.

Additionally, if you are anything like I am, you look for joy in who you have become or are becoming. I read the bible to find me. I look for who I am and who I should be. At the end of the day, though, the protagonist of the Bible is God. All the stories in the Bible, all the statutes, and all of the commandments point us to who God is and what He has done. God is our joy. He is our strength. He sends His word out as the source of our joy.

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
Isaiah 55:11-12, ESV

A Challenge

I challenge myself to find joy by reading about who God is. I challenge myself to look at what He has given me to steward over and remember their origins as blessings. If this is something you struggle with, I invite you to come alongside me in this challenge.

We must remember God’s gifts of provision and the joy we found in them. But never forget the greatest blessing ever bestowed on us…God’s love, expressed most earnestly through His death on the cross. Click To Tweet

james shepperdley

sin, confess, blessings, forgiveness, foundation, unshakable, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Outside: Confessing Our Hidden, Inward Sins to God

DevotionalsJune 19, 2019June 19, 2019

Without confessing our hidden sins to God, they will seep to the outside of our lives. We must surrender our secrets for a blessing and hope-filled life.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and a wise person captivates people.
Proverbs 11:30, CSB

Everything Seemed Picture Perfect

When my family and I first moved into our little house in the middle of nowheresville, we had the most beautiful oak tree in our backyard. It was easily one of the reasons, if not THE REASON, we bought the house in the first place. It had the perfect branch to hang a swing on for the kids and it provided some much-needed shade to our otherwise very bare yard.

The beautiful oak was located right behind our back deck and kitchen; which worked out great for me while I was making dinner. I have a huge, beautiful bay window in my kitchen that allows me to still see the kids as they play outside, in the backyard. We observed this spectacular tree, which seemed full of life, change from season to season the first year we lived here. Then, one day, something looked different about our beloved oak.

The Outside Revealed The Inward

By Spring 2017, we noticed our tall oak tree wasn’t sprouting new greenery. We waited as long as we could and hoped it would produce new green life soon. After all, the other trees behind it were blooming fine. Sadly, though, that just wasn’t the case.

We had an expert tree guy come out to give it a look. He found that it was diseased badly on the inside with decay and rot. We were, unfortunately, witnessing on the outside, what had been taking place for several years inwardly. The moment the oak tree was separated from the other surrounding trees, it’s inward struggles started to show. What once seemed strong and beautiful, was now dying. And there was nothing we could do to stop it.

Used For a New Purpose

Obviously seeing this was awful because it meant we had to cut our favorite tree down. We decided to use the tree trunk as separate stumps to sit on around our fire pit. My husband, Mike, chopped and split the branches to use as firewood.

When we first knocked it down, I remember thinking “ugh.. what a shame! I wish we had another big oak tree we could plant there that looked just like that one!” I mean seriously… it was just too bare with that tree gone! We needed to do something! ANYTHING! But what?

I looked up and said, “Okay God, what am I suppose to do now?”

Find the Hidden TREEasure

Once we chopped the diseased tree down, Mike quickly spotted another established oak just within the thick part of our woods. This tree was massive in size with an even better branch to hang a swing for the kiddos. The only problem; it was surrounded by thick shrubs, bushes, little trees, twigs, sticks and more. Getting to it was not going to be an easy task! Well, not for me anyway!

Mike thought of this, so I cannot take credit for it. Although, I secretly wish I could. He decided to go into the woods with his ax and start chopping down all the small trees that were in the way. He then cleared the debris; any sticks, rocks, and vines were tossed aside.

He finished it off by taking his riding lawn mower to get all the low shrubs and bushes. He literally made a path to this huge oak tree by creating what looks like a cul-de-sac in our woods! Then he hung the kid’s swing on the sturdy branch and he built them a fun fort with a slide and all! It’s so awesome!

Call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
Jeremiah 33:3, ESV

Becoming Aware of Our Need for Renewal

In our lives, we have to be honest about what’s going on inside our hearts and minds. The deep-rooted sins inside us have become issues that we brush off far too easily on the outside. We never really deal with the underlying sin when we do this. These inward sins will naturally eat at us from the inside to the outside. Until we can’t hold them in anymore.

Friends, our Father in Heaven loves us so much! He knows ALL the diseased trees sitting inside us becoming worse by the minute. We need to lay these sins at Jesus’ feet where they belong. This way, we can see a clear path to the healthy tree in our life. God can take our sins, and use them for a new purpose too! He can use them for His good to kindle the fire of salvation that has begun in someone else’ heart!

Our sins DO NOT make us who we are, but rather, they keep us from becoming the person God created us to be. Laying down the sins that destroy us from the inside out, allows room for the renewal of our inner person to finally take place.

Therefore we do not give up; even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4:16, CSB

Acknowledging Our Sins to God

Acknowledging our sins and taking them captive before the throne of God is of utmost importance if we ever want to mature and grow in our faith. Confessing our sins and asking for forgiveness is necessary in order for the Holy Spirit to work in us properly.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9, CSB

Once the sin, or diseased tree, is finally chopped down, then the Lord will begin to teach us the steps we need to take in order to split the branches into firewood. He will walk with us to throw the pieces into the fire and make sure they burn for good. After this process, which depends on the person’s willingness to change, God will then show us the new path.

It was there the entire time! We just couldn’t see it before because we were blind to it! It was covered up and hiding behind all that worldly debris and clutter in our life. Can you relate, Dear Sister?

Once we are able to see God’s path, leading to a bigger and better tree, then we can finally begin walking faithfully forward to find restoration and peace.

Claim Your Tree of Life

Ladies, let’s choose to go to our Heavenly Father and lay down all of our diseased trees we have tried to keep hidden deep inside. God knows they are there, yet He waits for us to bring them to Him. He desires nothing more than to bless us with the Tree of Life we were always destined to have. It’s the only tree that offers hope, purpose and true satisfaction. It has a firm, unshakable and solid foundation, strong enough to swing, play and even rest on.

So, tell me Dear Reader…What diseased trees are in your way of claiming this awesome blessing today?

Let’s choose to go to our Heavenly Father and lay down all of our sins we have tried to keep hidden deep inside. He patiently waits for us to surrender so He can pour out grace upon our lives. Click To Tweet

Annie Spratt

suffering, pain, freedom, praise, blessings, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Exchange: A Wonder-Full Trade of Beauty for Ashes

DevotionalsApril 29, 2019April 29, 2019

God calls us amidst our sorrow, pain, and despair. He invites us to exchange this life’s suffering, with His beautiful gift of freedom.

Excerpts From: Zimrah Dream Singer by Susan Valles

In the spring of my fourteenth year, Master Jesse came back from a long voyage at sea. I had not seen him since the leaves were falling from the trees the previous year. He strode into the courtyard still wearing his head covering held in place by two blue cords and a warm smile on his neatly bearded face. His linen robe was long and light in color against the heat of the sun with three small buttons at his high collar. Covering all, he wore a handsome mantle of a rich, dark blue. I noticed a small package enclosed in one of his long-fingered hands.

“Master Jesse! You’ve returned.” I stood in Nina’s herb garden, brushed soil from my hands and knees, and received his kiss on both my cheeks.

“Look at you! Little Zimrah, not so little anymore.” He pulled back to hold me at arm’s length, so he could look at me. “You’ve grown tall, and more beautiful than ever. You’re probably taller than other girls your age, by a head at least!”

Beautiful

I smiled but discounted the compliment. Beautiful? Me? I was too tall, too dark, and my eyes too strangely grey to be deemed beautiful. Instead, I considered the dusting of grey in his beard and gazed into his deep brown eyes. The skin wrinkled around them when he smiled back at me. I saw tenderness there, but also the old sadness that still lingered.

Perhaps he saw something of the loneliness in my eyes or the fear that tormented my nights and clouded my days, causing my dread of the inevitable setting sun. Perhaps what he saw had sparked the compliment. There was no beauty in me.

He held out the package and I opened it, discovering a lovely, ivory comb carved in the shape of a butterfly.

“Thank you, my lord,” I whispered with emotion threatening to overwhelm me. I held back tears, not wanting to cry in front of my master and possibly have to explain what the matter was. How could I tell him how much this small token of love and consideration meant to me in contrast to all the fear?”

That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.”

Slavery

Although my book is about a slave girl living in Judea at the time of Jesus, the battle portrayed within its pages is just as real today. Fear is a horrible, relentless slave master with no compassion or mercy. Like Zimrah, my younger years were plagued with slavery to a presence I couldn’t describe or shake. Fear. It followed me everywhere I went and whispered lies from the shadows whenever I was alone, which was often.

Unlike Zimrah, who grew up in one, protected house, I lived in 13 houses, in four different states. I never stayed anywhere long enough to make any real friends and became as familiar with loneliness as I was to the inside of a moving van.

Now, (on the other side of years of healing prayer) I know that my parents were amazing, and like Master Jesse, gave me gifts and called me beautiful. But at the time, I couldn’t receive the truth enough to outweigh all the whispered lies in the darkness.

My parents…gifts from my heavenly Father. They gave me an upbringing in the word of God, and my dad…what he gave me was priceless…

Sparkle of Light

“I walked back through the sunbeams into the courtyard—the sunlight doing much to dispel the atmosphere of sadness that lingered—and crossed the shade of the almond blossoms. Their sweet aroma made me think of pressing oil with Nina when the fruits ripened in the summer. I walked into the cool entryway and then turned left into the library.

I loved this room. It was saturated with the memories of Silas sitting at the heavy cypress table with his scrolls, brushes and ink, teaching me Greek, Hebrew or Phoenician letters and their meanings. I ran my fingers on the familiar lines on the low table, imagining as I did when I was younger, little faces of animals or mythical woodland creatures in the scattered circles of darker wood made by the grain. Across the room, in one of the shelves built into the plastered wall, I pulled out Master Jesse’s ledger, right where I left it half a year ago. As I crossed the room to return it to him, something to my right caught my eye. It was a little sparkle of light coming from the adjacent storage chamber.

I hardly ever ventured into this chamber anymore. I had no reason except curiosity when I was much younger. It was full of Master Jesse’s family things, trunks full of old scrolls and maps of ancient boundary lines…But now by some trick of the sun coming in the windows at just the right angle, the bronze fittings on an old trunk resting on the back wall were highlighted. It drew my eye and awakened my curiosity.

Treasure

I knelt on the tattered and dusty carpet on the floor, which might have been brightly striped once, but was now so darkened with age that the original pattern was unrecognizable. I placed the ledger beside me and touched the bronze fitting that had caught my eye. I half expected it to burn my fingers as if it were truly hot from a fire. Blowing dust from the top of the ancient oak and undoing the clasp, I opened the cover.

It was full of what one might expect—musty smelling cloaks and folded cloth, but under a few layers of heavy fabric was something else. It was a case made of a dark wood that looked older than the trunk, though much better preserved.

My curiosity flared. What could be in it? The carving on top of the wooden case was an outdoor scene, a meadow surrounded by lush trees on the side of a hill. I ran my fingers over the smoothness and marveled at the quality of the workmanship. The case was so beautiful in itself. I could not imagine what kind of treasure it contained. I placed it gently on my lap, so I could close the lid of the trunk and use it for a table. Moving up to my knees, I put the case on the lid and opened it. What I found would change my life forever.”

Exchange

What Zimrah found in the case was a lyre, an ancient instrument like Kind David played. What my father gave me was based on that ancient musical device—the guitar. He taught me how to play and how to worship, and like King David, he taught me the power of singing the word of God. It is that word and learning to accept the love of the God who spoke it, that sets me free from slavery to fear. His words are true.

Because you are precious to Me. You are honored, and I love you. Do not be afraid for I am with you.
Isaiah 43:4-5

In the midst of my fear, He is calling. In the midst my loneliness, He is singing, “Daughter Mine, fair and fine, light in the morning sun. Come to me, sing to Me, before the day is done.”

He is calling me to a wonderful exchange: freedom for slavery, beauty for ashes, joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.

What joy to hear His call every day and respond, “Thank you, My Lord.”

In the midst of fear, God is calling. He is calling us to a wonderful exchange: freedom for slavery, beauty for ashes, joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair! Click To Tweet

If you would have asked me when I was eight what I wanted to do, I would have said, “Write.” God had a lot of other wonderful things planned for me first. Daughter, wife, mother of four, songwriter, worshipper. He knew they would all be used to tell a story of victory.

Zimrah Chronicles are an allegory for that story. I am constantly learning how to live the adventure Jesus spoke before I was born, to live from heaven to earth, and to bring as many with me as possible.

If you would like to connect with Susan more you can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, her lovely Podcast, or on her website.

Yoni Kozminsi

gratitude, remember, acknowledge, Oh Lord Help Us

Gratitude: Remember and Acknowledge for a Life of Joy

Devotionals, Stay SaneNovember 13, 2018January 13, 2019

How many times do we slip into the muck of life because we are stuck in our own pity-party? Get out of the muck, and into a life of joy and gratitude.

“It’s ok to have your pity party, but then you need to move on.” This is some sage advice given to me by my husband’s grandmother when I was a newlywed. I cannot for the life of me remember what prompted this advice to be imparted to me, but it has stuck with me for nearly two decades. Perhaps this wisdom was shared in a moment of tough love, but I received it well, and treasure it greatly.

There are still days when I have my pity parties. Things seem too difficult. I feel too tired. There are moments when I want to throw in the towel and call it quits. Days I feel all alone in a crowded space. My feelings are hurt, yet again. And before I know it, I am wallowing in the muck.

In the middle of the muck is usually when I heap on a big dose of guilt and shame. You know, to make myself the martyr of my own demise. I think I shouldn’t feel this way, I should be tougher, I should be better, I should do more. No wait – I shouldn’t do more – I should do less. I should be grateful. Meanwhile, the promise of abundant life slips by.

Pity Party

There are things that are too difficult. There are problems I simply cannot fix because I do not possess the means. But, hallelujah! They are not too difficult for God.

I do feel tired at times. But the things I am doing like parenting, and leading, and teaching are good things. They continually bring me back to knees.

There are moments I want to quit. A life of joy doesn’t mean easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. It means peace. Things can be hard yet peaceful.

There are days I feel alone. The loss of friendships has left gaping wounds. I hide behind facades, too afraid to let people see the real me. But I am NOT alone. God continually meets my need for community.

My feelings do get hurt. Having a sensitive heart is a strength of compassion. This is how God created me, and I am confident it is a gifting He gave on purpose. But honestly, it is often my own insecurity that causes my wounded pride.

Gratitude

Gratitude is woven throughout a life of joy. And gratitude begins with awareness. By acknowledging and remembering the blessings in life, our attitudes shift from doubt to confidence.

Remember God’s faithfulness of provision in your life. And say thank you.

If we are able to solve our dilemmas on our own, we would not need to rely on the Lord. And if we provide the solution, then we receive the credit. When there seems to be no solution, God will provide. He will receive glory, and we learn to trust in a deeper way.

Remember God’s strength gives you endurance. And say thank you.

We are in continual training. Every trial we go through prepares us for further work. This is our hope and comfort. Because we know that our future is for eternity and that our life has purpose by glorifying the Father, we see value in these trials.

Remember God’s peacefulness brings you comfort. And say thank you.

Because the task we are enduring is one we are called to, part of His provision is comfort and peace. There is a difference between stretching our faith, and a struggle with the Spirit within ourselves. We have His peace within the discomfort.

Remember God’s plan for community. And say thank you.

Instead of focusing on the loss of friendship, focus on the friends we have. Invest into these people, build trust, and love them well. God does not desire us to be alone, He created us to need community.

Remember God’s love for you and all His creation. And say thank you.

Getting the focus off of ourselves, onto others, we can see that we are loved and cared for. Recognize this. Be thankful for the love other people give. Receive it well.

Move On

If you find yourself in the muck, go ahead and have your pity party knowing you will not stay there. Feel all the feelings – sad, stressed, overwhelmed, hurt, scared. Then remember. Remember how God cares for you, the provisions, the blessings. Acknowledge the good in your life. Focus on what you have, love who you have, use the time you have and do it all for the glory of the Lord.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18, NLT

Gratitude is woven throughout a life of joy. Gratitude begins by acknowledging and remembering the blessings in life. Then our attitudes shift from doubt to confidence. Click To Tweet

blessings, promise, wilderness, pattern, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Pattern: Preparing Our Hearts for the Bold Promises of God

Devotionals, Stay SaneOctober 29, 2018January 13, 2019

There’s a Biblical pattern to inherit the Lord’s promises: the Lord makes bold promises, prepares us to receive them, and helps us enter the promised land.

Recently in my quiet time with the Lord, the Holy Spirit dropped two very specific scriptures into my spirit: Deuteronomy 1:8 and Deuteronomy 8:1. I love it when the Holy Spirit guides me to specific passages of scripture. Even though I am studying my Bible, I definitely am not a seasoned Bible student who has memorized the Word, chapter and verse. So, when He directs me to specific passages, I pay close attention. These two verses were all about entering the promised land. Although I was excited by His invitation to enter the promised land, I needed to understand what exactly this meant.

The Promised Land…

So, what is the promised land? And how do I get there? The Lord has been expanding my notion of what the promised land actually is. As a new believer, I simply equated the promised land with heaven. Further along in my faith walk, I learned that the promised land was a physical place that the Lord had promised to the Israelites. But more recently, the Lord has been showing me a much more nuanced picture of the promised land–as a spiritual process that follows a particular pattern.

Although it can be a physical place, this is not the only form that the promised land can take. The promised land can also be a spiritual promotion in a certain area of our life. So, we can experience a promised land in our physical health. A promised land of financial blessing and abundance. And a promised land in our relationships with friends and family. Ultimately, the Lord invites us to enter into a place of promise–a place of wholeness and abundance–in every area of our lives.

The Pattern…

But this process doesn’t happen all at once. In order to fully enter into these different areas of promise–these promised lands–we must go through a process of spiritual development. And this process follows a Biblical pattern. No matter what the promised destination might be (health, wealth, relationships, etc.), there is a pattern that emerges in scripture that shows us how to arrive there.

If we hope to enter into the Lord’s promises in different areas of our lives, we can expect the pattern to look roughly like this: First, God makes a bold promise. Next, He takes us to a wilderness season, where He prepares us to enter into His promises. Finally, He leads us into the promised land and helps us fight the battles to fully possess it.

The Promise…

By examining the Israelites’ journey from captivity in Egypt to freedom in the promised land, we can clearly see this pattern emerge. First, God made a very bold promise to Abraham:

And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

Genesis 17:8

Mind you, God made this promise to Abraham when Abraham was 90 years old. God promised that he would have a son with his wife, Sarah, who was barren. And all of Abraham’s descendants (the Israelites), would inherit the promised land. Bold is perhaps not even a strong enough word to describe God’s promise here. Impossible might be better suited to describe the magnitude of what God was offering!

And this is how we know a promise is from God. It is big. And bold. And we can be absolutely certain that we will not be able to accomplish the promise in our own strength. We will have to learn to rely on God. And as we can see in Abraham’s story, God is faithful to fulfill the bold promises He makes. Ultimately, God honored His covenant with Abraham. He opened Sarah’s womb, and she bore their son, Isaac. And as promised, Abraham’s descendants–the Israelites–indeed would eventually inherit the promised land.

This is how we know a promise is from God. It is big. And bold. And we can be absolutely certain that we will not be able to accomplish the promise in our own strength. Click To Tweet

The Wilderness…

Eventually is the operative word here. Because the promise would not come to pass for many centuries. First, the Israelites endured 400 years of captivity in Egypt. Then there was the exodus into the wilderness. And not long into their wilderness season, the Israelites were already getting impatient. They thought that they were headed to the promised land, but now they found themselves in very immediate danger. They were being pursued by the Egyptian army and pressed up against the Red Sea with nowhere to turn. That’s when they started to question Moses, and ultimately, God.

And they said unto Moses, ‘Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?’

Exodus 14:11

This might sound strange, but this particular passage of scripture has haunted me. It reminds me of a very difficult season when my husband and I were going through a wilderness in our finances. To spare you all the ugly details, let’s just say I was having a very hard time trusting God’s process, and I did not understand this pattern that I’m describing now. I was complaining, grumbling, worrying and doubting. Gripped by fear, essentially I was accusing my husband and God of trying to harm me rather than help me. Had I understood then what the Lord has shown me now, perhaps I would have handled that wilderness season with much more peace and grace!

Preparation…

But so often when we have a promise from the Lord, we get impatient because we think it should happen right away. He says it. And just like that: boom! We’re in the promised land. Wouldn’t that be nice? Well, actually it wouldn’t be.

If the Lord were to allow us to go straight into the promised land, we would not be prepared to handle the battles or the blessings there. So, in His infinite wisdom, God first leads us in a direction that seems to be the opposite of the promised land. Although it might not be where we want to go, the wilderness is precisely where we need to go.

It’s in the wilderness that God prepares us to eventually enter the promised land. Consider all the preparation that the Lord gave the Israelites. Within the first two years, God gave them manna, and He led them in perfect safety. He gave them law with the Ten Commandments, and He established the feasts they would follow. He also provided them instructions for how to build the tabernacle. All of these preparations were to equip them to enter the land of Canaan.

Lengthening Our Stay…

Just like the Israelites, we don’t get to know exactly how long our wilderness seasons will last. But we can see from the pattern with the Israelites that if we don’t learn the lessons the Lord is trying to teach us, we can lengthen our stay in the wilderness.

After a couple years of preparation, the Israelites were just on the brink of entering the promised land. When the twelve scouts went into Canaan to get a lay of the land, ten of them came back with a negative report. They frightened the rest of the Israelites as they described the giants that inhabited the land.

Only two scouts, Caleb and Joshua, said that the land was truly the wonderful promised land that the Lord had promised them. Full of faith, they tried to assure the people that the Lord would help them defeat the giants. But swayed by their fears, the Israelites opted to turn away from the promised land, thus returning to wander the wilderness for another 38 years!

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Joshua 5:6

Beloved, even when the testing and trials of the wilderness seem impossible to face, we can rest assured that the Lord is up to our good. It is not His plan or desire to abandon us in the middle of the wilderness. But it is His purpose to prepare and refine us there so that we will be fully equipped to enter and possess the promised land.

Entering the Promised Land…

It is not God's plan or desire to abandon us in the middle of the wilderness but to prepare and refine us there so that we will be fully equipped to enter and possess the promised land. Click To Tweet

When the Israelites finally entered the promised land, they had to face the giants there. But the Lord promised to fight for and protect them:

Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.

Deuteronomy 9:3

So often in the battles, God simply instructed the Israelites to show up and stand still. As they stood firm, the Lord fought and won the battles for them. And this is how they fully possessed the promised land. By having faith in the One who had made the bold promise, by trusting the One who faithfully instructed and led them through the wilderness and by putting their confidence in the One who delivered them from all their enemies in the promised land.

The Lord is leading each one of us into greater and greater promises as we walk with Him. If we’ll trust His process and follow His divine pattern, we too will inherit His promises. We too shall enter His promised land.

If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

Numbers 14:8

Has the Lord made you a bold promise? How has He prepared you in the wilderness? Have you entered a promised land in an area of your life?

All scripture references are from The King James Version of The Bible.

blessings, control, depression, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Reins: Relinquishing Control to The Lord Who Blesses Us

Devotionals, Stay SaneOctober 9, 2018January 13, 2019

When we give the Lord the reins to our life, we relinquish control. And as we let go, He leads and guides us into His blessings.

Sometimes, when I pause and consider my life, I am amazed at how the Lord has blessed me. It definitely has not always been this good. But the more that I’ve relinquished control over the reins of my life, the more the Lord has given me a life seemingly tailor-made just for me. The blessings that flow from Him are incredible.

The Blessings

I have a loving husband whose heart is inclined toward Jesus. Over the years, I’ve seen the Lord do a tremendous work in his heart. Today, he is truly the man I always hoped I would get to walk through this life with. We are blessed with two beautiful children. They are caring, healthy, smart, curious, and uniquely talented.

Then there are the ways in which the Lord has healed my mental and physical health, giving me abundant energy and the ability to physically do the things I desire. And that’s not to mention the creative pursuits I get to be a part of: writing for this blog, making jewelry as a tool for ministry, singing and making music with my husband and worship team at our wonderful church, creating yummy, healthy recipes, and making our house a cozy home where peace and beauty rest.

But it hasn’t always been this way…

I Hated My Own Life

For many years, I honestly hated my own life. Riddled with depression and anxiety, I could not imagine a time when I would want to live–much less a time when I would feel so blessed in so many ways! But despite my many blunderings and missteps, the Lord has guided me to this pleasant place.

A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

Handing Over the Reins

I’m so appreciative of, and humbled by the life I am getting to live. It is not always perfect, but it is good. And I know who gave me this wonderful life. It’s not of my own making. I’m living a blessed life because about a decade ago, I handed the reins of my life over to Jesus Christ.

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

Psalm 139:13

The Lord has been leading and guiding me since before I was even born. But for so many years, I was fighting against who He was and who He wanted to be in my life. I was striving to maintain control over my own path. And He let me exercise my free will. I jerked away from Him to try to find my own way. But my road was paved with regret, shame, selfish ambition, anger and the like. I was literally heading for destruction in the form of depression and suicide.

Only Part of the Picture

Still holding onto anger and rebellion against the version of Jesus that my mom had exposed me to, I could not trust that Jesus truly was who the Bible says He is. In a nutshell, I was raised in a very isolated, strict, fundamentalist, religious atmosphere…

My mom was trying desperately to hold fast to all of the “rules” of the Bible. So, an intimate relationship with Jesus was not her priority. A carryover from her wounded past as an orphan was the belief that if you don’t follow the strict rules, your life will literally be in danger. Outside of the rules, severe punishment awaited.

Biblically, there is some truth to this notion of the rules–outside of God’s grace and mercy, we really aren’t safe or protected from evil. But that’s only part of the picture that the Bible offers. It’s as if my mom had only torn out the pages about fear. About the fire and the brimstone. And that partial picture is what she revealed to me and my siblings.

Somehow, the loving invitation of the gospel–the parts about Jesus’ love and grace and mercy–were on pages that had gone missing. Sadly, Mom missed the invitation that so many believers miss. The invitation to trust that we are loved by a good Abba; a good daddy who leads and guides us perfectly if we’ll trust Him.

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Romans 2:4

Gathering Up the Shards

When I was out from under my mom’s authority, no longer hitched to her wagon so to speak, I ran as far and as fast as I could. Away from anything that smacked of Jesus, the Bible, or Christianity. With unbridled determination, I grabbed the reins to my own life. Thinking I could mold it, shape it, and ultimately force it into what I wanted it to be, I forged ahead.

But no amount of ambition, perfectionism, self-sufficiency, and determination could save me from the wall I was about to hit. And I thank God that He let me hit that wall. Because when I broke into a million pieces, Jesus was there, lovingly gathering up the shards and putting them back together again. He was refashioning them into something beautiful. Into the Hope that He had known all along.

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

Psalm 147:3

Reined in by Love

I’ve learned to relinquish the reins through seasons of both hope and despair. And through it all, I’m learning that I am the most loved, protected, and at peace when I rest in the security of my Father’s love. When life is hard or scary, and I don’t know what to do, I can run to His loving arms. He has reined me in with His love.

When we learn to relinquish the reins of control, we can find rest in the security of God's love. When life is hard or scary, and we don't know what to do, we can run to His loving arms. He reins us in with His love. Click To Tweet

Today, I’m happier and more fulfilled than I’ve ever been. And I know that He has even better things in store for me in the years to come. But none of this would have been possible if I had held fast to the reins of my own life. When we relinquish control to God, He sets us free. Yes, beloved, we lose control over our lives, but the path is smoother, and the blessings far greater when we are trusting Him!

He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Matthew 10:39

Are you still holding onto the reins in a certain area of your life? Have you experienced the reining in of His love?

All scripture references from The King James Version of The Bible

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Giver: Surprising Answers to Our Secret Heart Prayers

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 9, 2018June 28, 2019

God is the giver Who gives what we don’t even know we need. He knows the depths of our hearts and answers the secret prayers within us, surprising us with His blessings.

I want to share with you my first prayer I wrote a little over a year ago when I started writing my prayers down with some regularity.

Dear God,

Thank you for Your messages in my life. You are moving mountains and have held my hand, comforted, and carried me. Thank you seems less… insincere. Your mighty works are awesome and great to be praised. Continue to help me accept the next challenge You are asking me to accept. I love to write and I keep feeling a pull from You to tell a story. Please guide my pen, words, and desires so that the story I tell is pleasing to You. Let me keep You as my truth and light. Bless my beautiful children. Guide them to find Your will in this season of their lives.

Love,
me

Answered prayer…

About six months later I mentioned in our church small group that I was feeling God pulling me to share my love and experiences. Rachael implored me to share what that meant exactly. I really didn’t want to say more, so I hemmed and hawed. Used some big words that meant nothing. She took my hands in hers and she said, “I need to hear the words. What is in you heart?”

“I want to write.”

“I’m going to share an opportunity. You can join in, or go a different way and I will be your biggest cheerleader…”

Can you imagine? I am tearing up thinking of it now. God answered a prayer, guided me on a path, and brought me an awesome new friend.

In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

Proverbs 16:9, NIV

Unknown prayer…

I have felt so free and my spirit has been opened in ways I didn’t know could happen. Writing and sharing it with others has brought so, so much to my life. I have connected to my friends and family, my co-workers and small group members in deeper ways. People ask me to pray WITH them now. I think that has been the biggest privilege God has created for me. I still feel a little self conscious when I do, but that is more of wanting to find the right words.

A verse that has been helping me be more comfortable praying out loud with people is, If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7, ESV)

When this verse showed up on my Facebook timeline back in January, I wrote this prayer:

Dear God,

Thank you for your answers to prayers, Thank you for guidance and direction, Thank you for opening my heart and ears. Miracles surround us. Thank you!

Love,
me

Surprise prayer…

All this has lead to several talks with you, lovely readers, who have brought so much hope and inspiration to my life. You have shared words that have buoyed me. Comments that boosted me when the dark side of depression has tried to wheel its way into my life. I have felt love and connection when parts of my story have resonated with you. And I have reconnected with friends and family that I had resigned myself to losing.

Right before I wrote my story about my grandmother and grandfather, I saw the verse, Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, ESV). As I reflected on this, I prayed:

Dear God,

Surprise me with ways I can influence others in Your light. I feel you talking to me, but there is so much, I’m not sure what is me and what is You. Help me to discern the difference. Let the Holy Spirit speak to me and let my heart hear.

Love,
me

Heart prayer…

A few days after that post, I had the most amazing conversation with my brother. We connected in a way that we haven’t since we both became grown ups. Life becomes busy, families grow, distance, both literal and figurative, pushed us apart. No, we never fought. We see each other a few times a year. Have been on vacation together a few times, but never spent time sharing what was on our hearts. God is so good; He gives us what we didn’t even know we need.

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God is amazing. If you let Him speak to you, your life will become fuller. Mine is far from perfect, but the ugly parts are so much more bearable and the good parts are so much more glorious. Talk to Him. Listen to Him. Allow Him in. You will be so glad you did.

Sammie Vasquez

Blessings: Seeing the Unexpected Goodness of God

Devotionals, Stay SaneJanuary 11, 2018June 28, 2019

Some blessings from God are undeniable, His goodness abounds. However, some blessings we may miss if we are not focusing on Him. Some are found in unexpected places.

A baby! My sister-in-law just had a beautiful baby. I haven’t even seen him yet and I know he is beautiful. He is a gift from God, how could he be anything else.

A new job! My husband recently got a new job that he hadn’t even been looking for but it has afforded him so much opportunity in such a short period of time.

An “A”! My daughter is a college sophomore and is finishing up another semester with top grades. So much to be thankful for. Abundant blessings from God.

…because of the God of your father, who will help you, because of the sovereign God, who will bless you with blessings from the sky above, blessings from the deep that lies below, and blessings of the breasts and womb.

Genesis 49:25

But what about “Mommy my ear hurts!” or “You aren’t doing enough Heather. I think you can do a better job.” Are these blessings? Could they be? Yes, I think they could be. Maybe not in the moment, but they can be.

Last year I got a “neutral” evaluation at work. I have never had anything but a stellar review in 20+ years. It was very hard to hear. I wanted to fuss, make excuses, blame others. But the truth is that I was working with no joy for what I was doing. I wasn’t blessing others so I didn’t deserve to be blessed. What I did deserve was a wake up call that made me draw closer to God. My Heavenly Father was there in my time of need. He pressed upon me to pray. I could hear His voice in my head so clearly, “Talk to Me. Let Me be a part of your life.”

Jesus replied, ‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.

Matthew 21:21

No mom ever wants their child to be hurt or sick. So how can “Mommy my ear hurts!” be a blessing? First it is another opportunity to pray. Invite God into the situation. Second, it gives everyone a chance to slow down. Even if it is only for the day, those snuggles, time to play together, and just a moment to relax are precious gifts. Blessings.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7

I don’t want you to think I believe God allows bad things to happen. I categorically denounce that idea. Satan is alive and well in our world, sin runs rampant. Bad things, unspeakable things happen. But God is there. He will hold you and tighten His hold to help you get through. You will never be alone…and that is the true blessing.

‘no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the Lord.

Isaiah 54:17

You have heard “when the world hands you lemons make lemonade.” That is what God wants from us. Make a life that glorifies Him, invite Him into the brokenness. He will sweeten your experience and love you through it all.

My blessing is on those people who trust in me, who put their confidence in me.

Jeremiah 17:7

Dear God,

Bless our hearts. Attune them to your voice. Let Your love surround us and tighten in our times of need. Thank You for always being there for us. You are my best friend because in You I find my truest and best self. Thank you for that blessing.

Love,

All scripture used is from the New International Version.

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Galina N

Even in the difficult times, God is pursuing us and longs to pour blessings upon us.

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Uncomfortable: Intimately Knowing God Through Suffering

Devotionals, Stay SaneDecember 21, 2017September 8, 2019

Christianity is hard and uncomfortable. Pursuing God through our suffering results in blessings and knowing Him more intimately.

I laid awake last night pondering the brokenness and sorrow surrounding us. The desperation is palpable. As I prayed, a verse nestled deep in my soul sprung to mind and repeated until I fell asleep.

I would have despaired unless I had believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Psalm 27:13, NASB

When I got up this morning I went to the book shelf and retrieved the New American Standard Bible my parents gifted to me on Christmas day, 1990. Most other versions don’t include the part about despairing. NKJV says, “I would have lost heart,” but ESV, NIV, HCSB and NLT skip straight to being confident about seeing God’s goodness while here on earth.

Most days I feel that unwavering assurance, but what about the days when that conviction wavers? When the days turn into weeks or months? When you yell at the sky WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

Uncomfortable: Pursuing God In Spite of Suffering

Some of the people I love are hard pressed on every side. I wish I could swoop in and take on their struggle. But who am I to say I could weather a storm better if God has given a season of testing to someone else; to my friend…to my child? Stepping back, I am humbly reminded I am not their savior. I have no idea how God is working sadness or brokenness or devastation for His glory. He has used painfully uncomfortable times in my life to produce a courageous heart. Can He not do that for them?

C.S. Lewis said, “If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.”

Why Christianity then?

Pursuing the God of the bible has not saved me from heartache in this world; instead it seems to draw it like a magnet! But I have experienced God’s goodness. I have been wrapped in His peace that surpasses understanding. There was a time when I felt Christianity was only the best option and no other religion or belief was worth pursuing. In essence, if this world was all there was, I would still have lived a good life. I had no clue how thinking in those terms revealed the depth of my distrust. Only through the foundation of the scripture was I able to stop doubting and believe (John 20:27, NIV) when I encountered heartbreak, fear, and loss.

Uncomfortable: Blessing from Suffering

It’s not all bad either. There is much good. In just my small sphere of life, I have witnessed God restore broken friendships and shattered marriages. God literally raised my son from the dead when his heart had not beat for nearly 10 minutes. I swore off volunteering in children’s ministry at church, yet through the power of the Holy Spirit, God softened my heart and is not only using me to guide young minds toward the gospel, but He is blessing me in the process!

I am sincerely grateful for the glimmer of hope that has carried me for so long; yesterday’s belief has sustained me. Now I want the raging wildfire that doesn’t cower at challenge or shrivel up when tragedy strikes. On good days, I have prayed “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!” (Psalm 139:23, ESV). May I not recoil and complain when He does just that. Suffering is a necessity to achieve gratitude and grasp the fullness of life that is found in Jesus Christ.

I love Brennen Manning’s eloquent thoughts on the matter. “It is hard to be a Christian, but it is too dull to be anything else. When Jesus comes into our lives with his scandalous cross in the form of mental anguish, physical suffering, and wounds of the spirit that will not close, we pray for the courage to ‘stand fast a little’ against the insidious realism of the world, the flesh, and the devil.”

Uncomfortable: Intimately Knowing God

My son asked me this morning, “How can I make daddy laugh?” I laughed. “It’s taken me 20 years to learn that art; it’s not exactly something I can explain. You have to know him,” I said. “I do know him!” he argued. I said, “It’s the same with God. In order to know what pleases someone, what they enjoy, what makes them happy, sad, excited – what makes them tick – you have to spend time with them. As you get to know them more intimately, you learn how to say something at just the right moment to bring a smile to their face.”

To be loved and pursued is at the core of every human being. It is a longing placed there by God. He fulfills that daily through His word and any other means He chooses to use to make us aware that He is the God who sees. He is here. There is no one like Him.

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Glenna Hopper

but God…pursued

Because the Lord loves you fiercely, you are pursued fiercely. When circumstances arise that feel like attacks against you, know that God is using them to bring you into a deeper relationship with Him.