I'm preparing this morning to lead worship at North Side Christian Church in Terre Haute, and as I was reading scripture, I came across this one, and felt God's love so strongly in it, so I thought I'd share:
"as for me, I am poor and needy...but, the Lord is thinking about me right now." Psalm 40:17a
Wow. So true. Me in my nothingness. But God.
May you too be encouraged by being reminded that the Lord is thinking about you right now.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Building Altars
"Build altars in the places where I remind you who I am, and I will come and bless you there." Exodus 20:24
Building altars...do you ever build altars?
Several years ago, I was at a Karen Wheaton concert. I love to hear Karen both sing AND speak. I've seen her a few times, and every time I've been greatly blessed by her words and music. Anyway, at this one particular concert, she was speaking of building altars. One thing she said was that when God meets her in a special way through His Word, she marks it, dates it, and writes out to the side of the scripture what it was that God spoke to her about there.
It's been several years since I heard Karen say that, and ever since then, I too have "built altars" in that way. If you look at my Bible, you'll see many places highlighted with a "name" or a "word" out to the side that indicates/reminds me of how God met me in that place. Not just that place in the Bible, but at that place in my life.
Sometimes it's not just the Bible that God speaks to me through, sometimes it's people, or circumstances. When those times happen, I journal what God has said to me.
"write down for the record everything I have said to you..." Jeremiah 30:2
"build altars in the places where I remind you who I am and I will come and bless you there"
I have found the last part of that verse to be SO true, for I can tell you that as I read thru my Bible, and run across one of my "altars", I am reminded of how God met me at that point in my life, and in being reminded, my faith is refreshed, and He does indeed come and bless me there.
Building altars...do you ever build altars?
Several years ago, I was at a Karen Wheaton concert. I love to hear Karen both sing AND speak. I've seen her a few times, and every time I've been greatly blessed by her words and music. Anyway, at this one particular concert, she was speaking of building altars. One thing she said was that when God meets her in a special way through His Word, she marks it, dates it, and writes out to the side of the scripture what it was that God spoke to her about there.
It's been several years since I heard Karen say that, and ever since then, I too have "built altars" in that way. If you look at my Bible, you'll see many places highlighted with a "name" or a "word" out to the side that indicates/reminds me of how God met me in that place. Not just that place in the Bible, but at that place in my life.
Sometimes it's not just the Bible that God speaks to me through, sometimes it's people, or circumstances. When those times happen, I journal what God has said to me.
"write down for the record everything I have said to you..." Jeremiah 30:2
"build altars in the places where I remind you who I am and I will come and bless you there"
I have found the last part of that verse to be SO true, for I can tell you that as I read thru my Bible, and run across one of my "altars", I am reminded of how God met me at that point in my life, and in being reminded, my faith is refreshed, and He does indeed come and bless me there.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Be Alert For Signs of His Presence
The other day I had been out to see a client, and when I left there, I headed back to the television station. My plan was to go back into the station, and heat up some lunch. However, as I pulled back up to the station this thought passed through my mind, “go see Godfrey (another client) NOW because he’s only going to be in the store for about another hour.”
The “thought” happened just as I was pulling up to park, so I quickly analyzed the thought, and pulled back out of the parking lot and headed to see my client.
So, I walked into the client’s place of business, and sure enough, he was there. After sitting and talking with him for about ten minutes he said to me. “Did you get my voicemail?” I said, “No”. He cocked his head and said, “Really? You didn’t get my voicemail?” “No, I did not get your voicemail.” I said. “Where did you leave it at?” “Your office” He replied. “So what did it say?” I asked. He said, “I left a message on your office voicemail telling you that if you wanted to see me you’d better get your butt down here in the next hour because I was going to be leaving.”
Hmmm… :-)
"Well", I said, "My phone did not give me your message, but God did.” And I proceeded to tell him what had happened. We were both amazed by it.
How many times do we have thoughts that we think are just “fleeting” thoughts, but instead are the Holy Spirit trying to communicate with us? Maybe, just maybe, we should think about what we are thinking about.
Psalm 105:4 says, “keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence.” (The Message)
Father, help me to recognize your voice, help me to be obedient to what it is that you tell me to do. And when things like the above story happen, help me not to chalk it up as a coincidence, but as a definite sign of YOUR presence. You are amazing.
The “thought” happened just as I was pulling up to park, so I quickly analyzed the thought, and pulled back out of the parking lot and headed to see my client.
So, I walked into the client’s place of business, and sure enough, he was there. After sitting and talking with him for about ten minutes he said to me. “Did you get my voicemail?” I said, “No”. He cocked his head and said, “Really? You didn’t get my voicemail?” “No, I did not get your voicemail.” I said. “Where did you leave it at?” “Your office” He replied. “So what did it say?” I asked. He said, “I left a message on your office voicemail telling you that if you wanted to see me you’d better get your butt down here in the next hour because I was going to be leaving.”
Hmmm… :-)
"Well", I said, "My phone did not give me your message, but God did.” And I proceeded to tell him what had happened. We were both amazed by it.
How many times do we have thoughts that we think are just “fleeting” thoughts, but instead are the Holy Spirit trying to communicate with us? Maybe, just maybe, we should think about what we are thinking about.
Psalm 105:4 says, “keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence.” (The Message)
Father, help me to recognize your voice, help me to be obedient to what it is that you tell me to do. And when things like the above story happen, help me not to chalk it up as a coincidence, but as a definite sign of YOUR presence. You are amazing.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Great Performance
I'm in Greenville, Illinois right now where my daughter is attending a basketball camp. I went to dinner tonight with a couple of friends that I went to high school with. Our daughters are all the same age. We had a really good time visiting over dinner.
One of our dinner conversations was about Jamie Foxx. In May, I watched as he was on a country music special that was honoring George Strait as the country music "artist of the decade". I, being totally out of the loop, didn't even realize that Jamie Foxx could sing. So, when he took the mic and did his rendition of George Strait's hit, "You Look So Good In Love", I was CAPTIVATED. It was absolutely incredible. After it was over, I rewound it, and called my whole family in to watch it, I was so impressed with how he took the song and made it his own....
My friend Lisa, whom I dined with tonight was equally impressed by his performance.
If you haven't seen it, it's worth watching...thought I'd share it here...
One of our dinner conversations was about Jamie Foxx. In May, I watched as he was on a country music special that was honoring George Strait as the country music "artist of the decade". I, being totally out of the loop, didn't even realize that Jamie Foxx could sing. So, when he took the mic and did his rendition of George Strait's hit, "You Look So Good In Love", I was CAPTIVATED. It was absolutely incredible. After it was over, I rewound it, and called my whole family in to watch it, I was so impressed with how he took the song and made it his own....
My friend Lisa, whom I dined with tonight was equally impressed by his performance.
If you haven't seen it, it's worth watching...thought I'd share it here...
Sunday, June 7, 2009
In the Prayer Room
Many times prior to church on Sunday's I go into the "prayer room". I can't tell you how many times God meets me there. I can't tell you how many times I literally walk in the door, and feel His presence. Like, what's that all about? "Lord, were you just hangin' out here waiting on me to show up?!" Or is it that because it's the "prayer room" and people are continually talking to God in there, that His presence just kind of hovers there?
Anyway, I'm not sure what that's all about, I can only tell you that OFTEN times, it happens.
So, today, I went into the prayer room and, as usual, felt His presence as soon as I walked in. Paul Boyer was also in there, so we chit chatted just a little bit about some people that God has recently brought into Paul's life. Then, Mariann Schaefer came in, and added to our conversation. Paul and Mariann both are, very much, people whom I consider to be "prayer warriors". And for whatever reason, God has seemingly assigned me to Mariann. Meaning, I don't even have to tell Mariann what's going on in my life because God does. Sometimes at the height of when I'm going thru something, Mariann will e-mail and say, "what's going on?" It always cracks me up 'cause she always knows that somethings up without me ever saying anything.
Anyway, back to my story. What I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED about our time in the prayer room was that we were sitting there talking, and then just as quickly, we all started to pray. We didn't pray together this particular time, we just prayed individually. What I loved about it was the comfort level that was present. We didn't say, "okay, I'm done talking and I'm gonna pray now." Though there would have been nothing wrong had any of us said that. But we didn't have to.
As my quiet time in the prayer room began, I started by thanking God for that. For the family that He has given me at FCC. That we can be sitting in the same room and have conversation, and then not have conversation, and feel comfortable doing so. It is so good to have Christian brothers and sisters who "get it". Who know me, and I know them. Who love me, and I love them. Who pray for me, and I pray for them. This is how God's church operates, and in keeping in theme with Marybeth...it is such a "good" thing.
Anyway, I'm not sure what that's all about, I can only tell you that OFTEN times, it happens.
So, today, I went into the prayer room and, as usual, felt His presence as soon as I walked in. Paul Boyer was also in there, so we chit chatted just a little bit about some people that God has recently brought into Paul's life. Then, Mariann Schaefer came in, and added to our conversation. Paul and Mariann both are, very much, people whom I consider to be "prayer warriors". And for whatever reason, God has seemingly assigned me to Mariann. Meaning, I don't even have to tell Mariann what's going on in my life because God does. Sometimes at the height of when I'm going thru something, Mariann will e-mail and say, "what's going on?" It always cracks me up 'cause she always knows that somethings up without me ever saying anything.
Anyway, back to my story. What I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED about our time in the prayer room was that we were sitting there talking, and then just as quickly, we all started to pray. We didn't pray together this particular time, we just prayed individually. What I loved about it was the comfort level that was present. We didn't say, "okay, I'm done talking and I'm gonna pray now." Though there would have been nothing wrong had any of us said that. But we didn't have to.
As my quiet time in the prayer room began, I started by thanking God for that. For the family that He has given me at FCC. That we can be sitting in the same room and have conversation, and then not have conversation, and feel comfortable doing so. It is so good to have Christian brothers and sisters who "get it". Who know me, and I know them. Who love me, and I love them. Who pray for me, and I pray for them. This is how God's church operates, and in keeping in theme with Marybeth...it is such a "good" thing.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
A Good Thing
You know how sometimes people refer to the person who brought them to the Lord as their "Spiritual Father", or "Spiritual Mother"?
Well I'd like to refer to the person who got me started in this whole bloggy thing as my "Blog Mama". And my blog mama, Marybeth, is currently posting "good things" on her blog. Making it a point to see and mention those good things that happen in every day life. I thought that was a great idea, so I decided to join her on that journey.
So, for me, today's good thing is that I got to go to lunch and play miniature golf ALL AFTERNOON with my boss, a couple of other sales reps, and one of my very favorite clients, Jill, who by the way, in reference to my last post, pays her bills on time.
Work has been seriously overwhelming in recent days, and to take an afternoon off and actually SCHEDULE some fun was SOOOO refreshing!! and the other good thing is it was my BOSS'S idea! What a great boss!
We had SO MUCH FUN, and fun is GOOD!
Well I'd like to refer to the person who got me started in this whole bloggy thing as my "Blog Mama". And my blog mama, Marybeth, is currently posting "good things" on her blog. Making it a point to see and mention those good things that happen in every day life. I thought that was a great idea, so I decided to join her on that journey.
So, for me, today's good thing is that I got to go to lunch and play miniature golf ALL AFTERNOON with my boss, a couple of other sales reps, and one of my very favorite clients, Jill, who by the way, in reference to my last post, pays her bills on time.
Work has been seriously overwhelming in recent days, and to take an afternoon off and actually SCHEDULE some fun was SOOOO refreshing!! and the other good thing is it was my BOSS'S idea! What a great boss!
We had SO MUCH FUN, and fun is GOOD!
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)