WHEN GOD BREAKS IN

Oh happy day! (...hope you're having one)

I TRULY enjoyed opening up the Christmas box Mom brought down to me this summer. Last night, as I opened it expecting to unwrap Mom's handmade village (I've enjoyed setting this up year after year and with my new home, I was fortunate she gifted it to me), I found not only the village, but a box FULL of surprises. Wreaths, ornaments (including my baby ornament and many I made/were gifted to me over the years), numerous decorations including some I forgot about from a friends shower, a manger scene (minus baby Jesus...he's KIND-OF important so I'll have to wait to put that up until I can find one at a vintage shop ;o) and endless odds and ends. THIS WAS THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT...and it's not even Christmas yet!

Here is just a part of it:

I started with the basic tree decorated the same as last year:

...then began adding all of Mom's special touches to the house :o):

...I still need to finish the village (snow, trees & sparkle of course) but it sure is beginning to look a LOT like Christmas!!!

AND now to my wonderful Wednesday morning. Mannings Reflections for Ragamuffins daily devo was the perfect interlude into my 25 days of prayer for Momma for a conversation at Christmas (starting TOMORROW, December 1, stay tuned...) Back to Manning:

WHEN GOD BREAKS IN

We are plunged into mystery - what Abraham Heschel called "radical amazement." Hushed and trembling, we are creatures in the presence of ineffable Mystery above all creatures and beyond all telling.

The moment of truth has arrived. We are alone with the Alone. The revelation of God's tender feelings for us is NOT mere dry knowledge. For too long and too often along my journey, I have sought shelter in hand-clapping liturgies and cerebral Scripture studies. I have received knowledge without appreciation, facts without enthusiasm. Yet, when the scholarly investigations were over, I was struck by the insignificance of it all. It just didn't seem to matter.

BUT when the night is bad and my nerves are shattered and Infinity speaks, when God Almighty shares through his Son the depth of his feelings for me, when his love flashes into my soul and when I am overtaken by Mystery, it is kairos - the decisive inbreak of God in this saving moment of my personal decision. Shivering in the rags of my fifty-nine years, either I escape into skepticism and intellectualism or with radical amazement I surrender in faith to the truth of my belovedness.

His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant" You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' - Matthew 25:21


And with that, I pray.

I pray and thank God for all that he is and all that he has given me. I pray that God continues to use me as his vessel and shine through me. I will do what is in my power and he does the rest...AND I pray for BIG things!

God knows my heart and how I yearn for Momma to heal. All I want for Christmas is a (real) conversation with her. I am SO VERY THANKFUL that she is functioning as well as she is now. He didn't have to give us THIS MUCH of her back... but I continue to have hope that she will regain complete clarity of thought and speech...and we will give HIM all of the glory with each MIRACLE He unwraps.

Until tomorrow...

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

PEACE

Well, after such a delicious message on Sunday (my blog post yesterday)...I had to dig back into last weeks message at Eagle Brook. I'm happy to report that the message entitled Peace was EVEN BETTER! And by better, I mean that it met me exactly where I am at and the reminder really resonated with me in a new way!

Pastor Jason explained:

If there’s one thing that’s needed today it’s a sense of peace. All we have to do is turn on the TV and we can begin to worry about where our neighborhoods, cities, nation and world are headed. Add to that what might be happening with our job, in our families, or with our friends, and it’s no wonder we live with anxiety. Yet, Jesus said, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.” Jesus wants us to live with his peace; it’s a gift He’s given us. So the question is how do we do live with a deeper sense of God’s peace?

He then went on to explain two elements that are a needed part of our prayer life. Whether you are hearing this for the first time, or being reminded...I think we all can relate!

TWO ELEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE ADDED TO OUR PRAYER LIFE:

·         Petition God:

o   1. Coming before God and letting him know (continuously) our need... (invite him to be an active part of it)

o   2. Ask him to show us what we can do. (God, show me what I need to do, what needs to change in me)

·         Thanksgiving: The foundation of our prayer - thank him for ALL that he has done! God already knows what we need before we ask him. It’s all about the relationship! (God is not our vending machine). 

What better way to dig into the Christmas season then to remember the peace God gifts us with everyday!  I really encourage you to listen to the message! It will be the BEST 32 minutes and 48 seconds you spend today!

Click here to watch: http://www.eaglebrookchurch.com/pages/page.asp?page_id=38656 (click on show details under INKED and then click WATCH NOW next to 1. Peace)

JOHN 14:27 (NLT)

I am leaving you with a gift– peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give you is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

2 CORINTHIANS 11:23-27

I have worked harder, been put in prison often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I’ve been shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

PHILIPPIANS 4:12

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7 (NIV)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

PHILIPPIANS 2:28

I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety.

2 CORINTHIANS 12:8

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need.’

JOHN 16:33

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

One of my favorite Christmas songs came on my Pandora station today and it fits well with the message of peace today...and I just had to share it with ya!

My Christmas Prayer: That you find peace in the amazing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?



DIRECTION

TRUST IN THE LORD with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in ALL your ways submit to Him, and He will direct your paths. - Proverbs 3:5-6.

I couldn't think of a better way to end a wonderful weekend home, then getting up early for church Sunday morning! ...okay, I lied...because after four days of non-stop activity I WAS EXHAUSTED! But, Momma insisted, and I am very glad we got ourselves there before I headed to the airport yesterday.

Eagle Brook Church is in the middle of a series entitled "INKED". They are highlighting biblical promises written in ink in God's word. We are reminded that promises from God are forever and will never change! How refreshing!

Yesterday's promise was a promise of direction. Pastor Bob highlighted Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to Him, and he will direct your paths.

He challenged us with this questions: "How much of my life will I TRULY turn over to God and will I trust Him with EVERY area of my life, or just parts of it?"

He then gave us three rocks to stand on:

• Your greatest point of FEAR is where you need to TRUST the most.
• My own UNDERSTANDING is often more WRONG than RIGHT.
• When you SUBMIT every aspect of your life to God, then HE will DIRECT YOUR PATHS.

He further explained that TRUST is, in fact, the crossroads where FAITH meets FEAR. It seems that what we fear MOST in life is what we are challenged to FULLY submit to God. Bob really emphasized, "Your greatest point of fear is where you need to TRUST God the MOST!"

I know your deeds, that you're neither hot or cold. I wish you were one or the other. But because you are lukewarm - neither hot or cold - I'm about to spit you out of my mouth. - Revelation 3:15-16

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, won't he also freely give us all things? - Romans 8:32

The service ended with all of us standing before God, our hands lifted with palms facing up and open to Him. We were led in a prayer to offer up to God what it is that we FEAR THE MOST and to FULLY SUBMIT it TO Him. I was reminded in such a sweet way what TRUST should feel like both on earth and for eternity in heaven.

Here is the link to the sermon if you want to watch: http://www.eaglebrookchurch.com/pages/page.asp?page_id=38656 (click watch now next to #2. Direction)

I am one thankful young lady to love a God who shows unending grace.

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

FAITH? OR FORMULA?

Manning had another great thought this morning. I appreciate the position it placed my heart in this morning, Thanksgiving 2011.

Faith? Or Formula?

If we could rid our minds for a moment of all the definitions of faith that we have grown up with and that have caused more trouble than they were ever worth, we might discover with alarm that the essence of biblical faith lies in TRUSTING GOD.

The difference between faith as belief in a series of doctrinal formulations - such as incarnation, salvation, redemption - and faith as UNCONDITIONAL trust in God is enormous. An unshakable trust in God is the remedy for much much of our sickness, melancholy and self-hatred. The heart converted from mistrust to trust in the IRREVERSIBLE FORGIVENESS of Jesus Christ is redeemed from the corroding power of fear. So awesome is the ultimate act of confidence in Christ's acceptance that one can only stutter and stammar about its protean importance. UNFALTERING TRUST  in the merciful love of the redeeming God deals a mortal blow to skepticism, cynicism, self-condemnation, and despair. It is our decisive yes! to Jesus' summons, "Trust in the Father and trust in me" (see John 14:1).

The words of Angelus Silesius, "If God stopped thinking of me, he would cease to exist," are strictly orthodox; God, by definition, is thinking of me.

The merchant of mistrust dismisses these words as hyperbole and remains sullen.

Abba's child trusts them and goes draft for JOY.

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24.

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

I AM THANKFUL FOR...

THANKSGIVING has a whole new meaning this year!!!

Word's CAN NOT express how THANKFUL I am to be h.o.m.e! Mom, Dad and Courtney all came to pick me up from the airport last night. I was greeted with BIG hugs, which were needed with the 35 degree temperature! brrrrr.....

We had a great evening looking through a book I made for Mom and shared lots of laughter! Mom came plowing into my room this morning at 7:30am saying, "Yo, yo, yo (with arm motions)...time to get up!" Courtney made us pumpkin spice coffee and the gals put on some facial masks. We then all sat down to a yummy breakfast! What a great start to a low key family morning.

Mom and Sister dug right into speech...and on to a great day we go!

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2.

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

THANKSGIVING GLASS

Thanksgiving Glass

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See Details Buy Now

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

CHUCKLE

I was fortunate to spend Friday at a health fair with a wonderful woman named Barbara. We shared many stories and I was very fortunate to meet her!

She sent along a wonderful email with some cute cartoons I just HAD to share with you...good for a chuckle!

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

LOVE'S RESPONSE

Manning writes:

Confronted with the radical demands of the Christian commitment, our natural response is fear, anguish, insecurity. But confronted with the lived truth of God's enveloping love, insecurity is swallowed up in the security of agape, anguish gives place to hope, fear to desire. The Christian has become aware that God's appeal for unlimited generosity from his people has been preceded from his side by a limitless love, a love so intent upon a response that he has empowered us to respond through the gift of his own Holy Spirit.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. - Ephesians 2:4-5

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

NOWHERE

This mornings Ragamuffin devo was SO GOOD. As I've worked through my devotional this year, God continues to use my morning devo to meet me right where I'm at.  This morning really resonated with me...just a GREAT lesson! In fact, it is all about the central theme of this blog...being IN THE MOMENT!

Here it is:

The Geography of Nowhere

To live in "nowhere' - composed of the two words NOW and HERE - is to live in the temple of the present moment.  Paying attention to the gift that arrives right now, right here, is one of the premier skills of the spiritual life.

To live in the present means to trust deeply that what is most important in life is the here and now. We are constantly distracted by things that might have happened in the past or that might happen in the future. It is not easy to dwell in the temple of nowhere, to remain focused on the present. Our mind is hard to master and keeps pulling us away from engagement with the present.

When Jesus tells us to become like little children, he is inviting us to forget what lies behind and to forgo concern about the future. It is only now that we are in the presence of God.

"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." ~Matthew 6:3-4.

I just LOVE this! I want to continue to be reminded of the gift of the HERE and NOW! Thanks be to God!

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

SHOUT TO THE LORD

love this song!!!

Shout To The Lord

My Jesus, my Saviour
Lord there is none like You
All of my days I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love

My comfort, my shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord
All the Earth, let us sing
Power and majesty
Praise to the King
Mountains bow down
And the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name

I sing for joy at the work
Of Your hands
Forever I'll love You
Forever I'll stand
Nothing compares
To the promise I have
In You

My Jesus, my saviour
lord there is none like you
all of my days
I want to praise
the wonders of your mighty love

My comfort, my shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Shout to the lord, all the earth let us sing
Power and majesty, praise to the king
Mountains bow down, and the seas will roar
At the sound of your name

I sing for joy at the work
Of your hands
Forever I'll love you
Forever I'll stand
Nothing compares
To the promise i have
In you

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

FULLNESS OF GOD

Happy Monday! I hope today is an EXCELLENT jump-start to the week!

Here today's verse from this mornings Made To Crave devotional:

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to KNOW this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be FILLED to the measure of all the fullness of God.”- Ephesians 3:17-19

Do we REALLY know:

• how WIDE
• how LONG
• how HIGH
• how DEEP

His love is??? It continues to floor me just HOW ABUNDANT His love is and HOW AVAILABLE it is to ALL of us!

We serve one AMAZING and LOVING God! Be FILLED with His love today!

 

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

JOY

Happy Sunday to all!

I am just getting SO excited for the holiday season ahead! If you know me at ALL...you know I love everything Christmas! :o)

The message today was on JOY! Perfect segway into the CHRISTmas spirit! Pastor Bob started singing this little diddy...and people could not help but sing along:

In his message, Pastor Bob explained the difference between happiness and joy.

Happiness comes from something HAPPening...which is directly related to circumstance. Whereas joy comes from the Greek word chara, which is derived from the same root word charis (meaning GRACE). Joy is the FRUIT of the spirit inside of each one of us who believes! We have it and it is NOTdependent on circumstance.

Click Here: Joy Message

You make known to me the path of life;in your presence there is fullness of joy;at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. ~Pslam 16:11.

YOU HAVE IT!!! Did you know you have:

1. The JOY of the Lord
2. The JOY in the Lord
3. The JOY from the Lord

Joy truly is a gift from GOD to YOU...let's spread joy!!! :o)

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

I WILL GLORIFY YOUR NAME

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart...I will glorify your name forever.
Psalm 86:11-12

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

GOD IS MY FOCUS

I've been following a great 21 day devotional Lysa Terkeurst wrote called Made To Crave. Today's thought really hit home and can apply to any area of your life you are trying to crave anything of this world, but God. Here is her challenge:

Today I challenge you to start a new cycle of making God your focus, rather than food. Each time you crave something you know isn’t part of your plan, use that craving as a prompting to pray. I crave a lot. So I’ve found myself praying a lot. Potato chips and brownies now prompt me to pray! God gave us the gift of prayer to turn our times of desperation into relationship opportunities with Him. This cycle is far more promising than distancing ourselves from His goodness with our own sense of self-loathing and defeat.

For example, when we make God our focus, we can wake up in the morning and say “God, I want a biscuit this morning. Instead, I’m eating poached eggs. I’m thankful for these eggs, but I’ll be honest in saying my cravings for other things are hard to resist. But instead of wallowing in what I can’t have, I’m making the choice to celebrate what I can have.”

What better way to live than fully in today rather than always looking to start over on Mondays!

I just love this idea. While our humaness channels us into "poor me" mode, we can refocus ourselves prayerfully on God and in turn enrich the ONLY relationship that TRULY MATTERS!

All for now...

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

SERVANTHOOD

Another delicious reminder from B. Manning for us ragamuffins:

The Decision For Servanthood

The spell of self-hatred cast by moralism/leagalism is broken when a Christian is no longer seduced by secular standards of human greatness and makes the glorious breakthrough into the lackey lifestyle of the Master and desires to serve rather then be served. The stark realism of the gospel allows for no romanticized idealism or sloppy sentimentality here. Servanthood is not an emotion or mood or feeling; it is a decision to live the life of Jesus. It has nothing to do with what we feel; it has everything to do with what we do - humble service. When this metanoia is effected in our lives by the power of the Spirit, freedom from the tyranny of self-hatred is the first fruit. "It is for freedom that Christ set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Gal. 5:1).

O Lord, truly I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant;
you have freed me from my chains.
~Psalm 116:16

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

WHAT A SAVIOR

Amazing words this morning...

What A Savior

Atoning sacrifice
Keeper of this life
Hallelujah You are savior
Beginning and the end
Forgiver of my sin
By Your mercy You have saved us

Jesus You are stronger
More than any other
Hallelujah what a savior
Jesus You are higher
My soul's deepest desire
Hallelujah what a savior
You are the shepherd king
You lead us by still waters
Hallelujah You are savior

You are my only hope
Your kindness is my friend
In Your presence You restore us

You are the way the truth and the life
You are my joy and salvation
Stood in my place taking my shame

~Laura Story

Wher have you seen God's grace in your life today?

TRUTH

Pastor Bob's message was phenomenal this weekend! It is a must watch on TRUTH!!!

 

Click here to dig in - It's More Than A Word...Truth: Pastor Bob Coy

 

 

 

And for those of you who love an oldie worship song...here is what I was belting out in my car on the way to work this morning:

 

 

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

HOPE

¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

Ephesians 1: 18-19

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

A HEART FIXED ON JESUS

Another wonderful note from Manning this morning...

In biblical symbolism the heart is the eye of the body. The anxious, darting, filmy eyes of many Christians are the psychosomatic manifestations of a heart beclouded by the vanities of this world. The translucent eyes of others radiate the simplicity and joy of a heart fixed on Jesus Christ, the Light of the world.When the author of Hebrews enjoins the reader, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith" (12:2), he not only gives a simple prescription for Christian transparency, but also insists on a reappraisal of one's whole value system, for "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34).

My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Psalm 108:1

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

BE NEAR

Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?

REALLY HUMAN, REALLY POOR!

This morning I welcome November with open arms! I am SO thankful for all that God is currently doing in my life. As we round out 2011, I begin to reflect on all of the ways God has shown me his grace EVERY SINGLE DAY this year (and every year for that matter). Crazy to think where this blog started back in January: INSPIRED and on through Mom's stroke and the healing process for her, myself and our entire family! I continue to be in AWE of his love for me, and his love for you!

My morning devo was my great reminder of how human we REALLY are:

REALLY HUMAN, REALLY POOR

The Christian who is really human is really poor. How does this poverty of spiritism reflect itself in day-to-day living?

In conversation, the poor man always leaves the other person feeling, "My life has been enriched by talking with you." And it has. He is not all exhaust and no intake. He doesn't impose himself on another; he doesn't overwhelm him with his wealth of insights; he doesn't try to convert him by concussion with one sledgehammer blow of the Bible after another. He listens well because he realizes he is poor and has so much to learn from others. His poverty enables him to enter the existential world of the other, even when he cannot identify with that world. Being poor, he knows how to receive and can express appreciation and gratitude for the slightest gift.

Atomic physicist and spiritual writer Peter van Breeman has written: "The poor man accepts himself. He has a self image in which the awareness of his limitations is very vivid but that does not depress him. This consciousness of his own insufficiency without feelings of self-hatred is typical of the poor in spirit."

Hear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am devoted to you.
You are my God; save your servant
who TRUSTS in you.
Psalm 86:1-2

- Manning; Reflections for Ragamuffins

As I read this devotional this morning, I was reminded of a friends facebook post that has stuck with me:

You have to lead people gently toward what they already know is right.
- Phil Crosby

Phil Crosby applied this to his leadership philosophies in corporate America and I am unaware on where his heart is with the Lord, but none-the-less, I have been chewing on this thought the last few weeks. I think it is an incredible posture our hearts can take as Christians while we spread God's loving grace.

Looking forward to the gift of today! Where have you seen God's grace in your life today?