When God shows up

This past week was very occupied with the shows that my boys (my two young thespians) were in (The Jungle Book/Cinderella), and I've been very occupied with that the last couple days. I know it's been several days since I last posted, and I wanted to post something; however, whenever I tried to sit at the computer, I couldn't do it. And I certainly couldn't sit here to work (still have more to do). My head and neck ache...which makes it difficult to think on a deep level.

As I sat at the computer and got to this website, I lamented at my inability to sit here. I slid (literally) out of my chair and to my knees. Now, you have to picture this. Light off, kneeling in front of and leaning on my chair, my neck feeling too weak to hold my head up so my hands were holding my head up as the chair supported my elbows. I felt like the woman in the First Alert commercial: "I've fallen and I can't get up!" Yes, I could move around, but to sit still in this one position, to do the one thing I needed to do, felt impossible.

As I prayed, the verse from a song I learned back in college came to mind...Psalm 145:14-16:

"The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing."

Here I was, fallen (in a sense) physically, bowed to my knees, eyes on and seeking him for help, trusting him to show up and meet my needs...knowing he doesn't always meet our needs in the ways we want or in our preferred time frame. But I also know he's honored and loves it when we look to him and put our trust in him. So however he responded, I was committed to looking to him and trusting how he chose to provide.

All I can say is that I was filled with praise as I felt renewed strength in my neck again and was able to hold my head up. And I told him I would tell you about it. I do need to tend to some issues in my neck soon, but for now, "The Lord upholds" my head and is strengthening my neck.

I'm thinking about how often we struggle with issues...and struggle, and struggle...without falling to our knees and getting our eyes on him (I know we ALL do it). But how he longs to make eye contact with us...in those times and all the time. He is so passionate about us and delights in our attention!

"Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear me and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever." --Deut. 5.29

Back to work now to finish the last chapter of "Clash of Hope." Please pray for God's words in this chapter on 'Good Conflict'. It's been the hardest, but I know he'll show up and make it as he wants.

I'm praying for you.

Customer Reviews on CBD

If any of you is interested, I would love it if you would write a review of one or both of my books (if you've read them) on the CBD website. Just go to www.christianbook.com, do a search for Healing Tears or Life Beyond The Scars, and then scroll down to customer reviews. Thanks.

God pouring out his glory

I've been very, very consumed with editing workbooks, for the next round (phase 3) to be released this July, as well as writing one on conflict resolution. I sense the prayers of friends, and I am so grateful. I love what I'm doing, but this crunch time is exhausting.

I've focussed entirely on writing this week, and I sense God pouring his words into me...in ways I couldn't accomplish on my own. I have the majority of this workbook (Clash of Hope) written...about three more chapters to go. I hope to have it completed in the next week. I am so excited about what God is speaking through me into this book...I want to share it all with you now (but please buy it in July! :)

I'm feeling a bit weary, achy, and tired from long days and late nights, so please continue to pray for my endurance. My kids, in particular, are feeling the effects at times...even though I'm doing my best to keep them as a priority. We just don't have as much down time together (a temporary thing). All my time is used very deliberately right now (and for the next 2 or 3 weeks). My spirit continues to stay refreshed, yet I don't want to take it for granted...so if you would, please pray in all these ways.

Thank you so much for supporting me. And please feel free to comment with your own prayer requests. It encourages me, and I will pray for you.

I'm thinking about all of you right now...and what God says about you in Romans 8:30, "And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And he gave them right standing with himself, and he promised them his glory."

Come To Me

I'll confess; I'm trying to play catch-up here and give you some background before I give you current highlights.
"Come To Me" is a theme that I had been hearing from God from about November through January. Here's the quick synopsis:

1. Someone mentioned the song "Come to me" back in Nov. Not being familiar with it, I googled it and found that Celine Dion did this song recently on her "Miracle" album. I read the words (which are written from a parent to a child), and what I heard was God speaking directly to me.
Some of the words are:

"I will always love you no matter what
No matter where you go or what you do
And knowing you, you're gonna have to do things your own way
And that's okay; So be free, spread your wings
And promise me just one thing...

"If you ever need a place to cry
Baby, come to me; Come to me
I've always known that you were born to fly
But you can come to me
If the world breaks your heart
No matter where on earth you are
You can come to me..."

2. Okay, fast forward a couple weeks. My friend, Monika, shared a verse with me that was speaking to her: Matthew 11:28 (AMP), "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]"
Her insight was that if I go to God with my burdens, and then I leave that time and I'm not refreshed, then there's some burden I've either taken back or haven't left with him at all.

3. My friend, Erin, shared a funny online video link with me, and then I noticed another video link in the margin, so I checked it out. It was Juan Mann's "Free Hugs" campaign (I'll say more about that another time), but the song in the video starts "I don't mind where you come from as long as you come to me."

I savored these three "come to me" messages for a few weeks until...
4. Then it all came together. I had been seeking Life apart from God (again), and He was gently reminding me of the only place I would really find LIFE. Inside I was feeling like an anxious, restless, unfilled, panicked mess. So I decided to get in bed and read Psalms (because David, the psalmist, understands me). I randomly opened my Bible to Psalm 40 and started reading, "I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and mire...." Yes, he does understand me, I thought, relieved. I continued reading, and then I came to a verse that just jumped off the page, "Then I said, 'Look, I have come.'"
God had been calling me, and yes, I had come...and He was there.

5. The next morning I woke up to spend more time with the Lord. I found many verses in Psalms reminding me that "My Hope Is You"...my hope is God. It was refreshing. Then several more follow-up "come to me" verses came to me that built on the message God was speaking to me...

John 7:37b "'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.'"

Joel 2:12 (AMP) "Therefore also now, says the Lord, turn and keep on coming to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning [until every hindrance is removed and the broken fellowship is restored]."

Romans 8:30 (NLT) "And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And he gave them right standing with himself, and he promised them his glory."

I hope you're enjoying His glory today.
Till soon.....

Quick Thought for the Day

The other day my friend Beth and I were talking. Among other things, we pondered this thought:

God is working;

Don't live like He's not.

It's easy to get wrapped up in resolving everything we have going on in life, dealing with all the frustrations, etc. And then I remember this thought. He has something going on...and then my hope is to be able to see what good things He wants to bring out of my circumstances.

Aloneness

I've been juggling my time between editing and writing a workbook on conflict resolution. The last few days I've focussed on the editing, but I'm so torn because I have to get them both done, and I want to do both, yet I'm overflowing with thoughts on the conflict resolution chapter I'm on. It's focussed on the armor of God, and I just can't wait to get all my thoughts out. Here's a synopsis: This morning, much was coming to me about ALONENESS.

There's a song called Come To Me by Celine Dion that says,
"And the seven seas you sail
All the winding road you're on
Leave you lost and feeling all alone
Let my heart be your beacon home."

And Jesus said in John 16.32,
"But the time is coming--in fact, it is already here--when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me."

We can relate, at times, to the first three lines of the song, and the first sentence in Jesus' words. As Christians, we have Satan as our enemy, and he wants us to get stuck in those beginnings--those tragedies. But the truth is in the last lines: We have a safe place to rest in God's heart, and there, we are not alone.

Whatever we believe will impact what we do...how we move in life. A friend just reminded me that the primary initiation of all of our physical movement comes from our waist area. It's fitting then, that in the armor of God, the belt of truth covers the center of all our movement...that is, what we believe will determine our action. If you believe you're alone, you will likely despair. But if, even in your aloneness, you realize you are certainly not alone, there is amazing peace, and you will move in that peace.

I must end that thought there for now. But feel free to share your thoughts or experiences on it.

Till soon......

the blogging thing

I decided to try the blogging thing as a way to keep those who are interested informed, primarily, on all the CarePoint updates. And this way, it's easy for anyone to send a quick and easy comment or question as well...and please, please do so.

I'll also keep you informed on changes that are happening in our lives--there seem to be many new and exciting things relating to ministry these days, and I will be writing about that soon.

You will also, occasionally, get some previews of whatever book content I'm working on...it's hard to keep my mouth shut (or my fingers still) when God is speaking to me. It just pours out of me like it did with David in Psalm 40 when he said "I delight to do Your will, ...I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord."

I will certainly include prayer requests as well. Especially when my work load gets heavy, like right now through April, I get weary and I need prayer. I would be so grateful for anyone willing to pray for me, especially through these times.

Thanks so much for reading. I will be writing more soon.