Every Step of the Journey

" so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Joshua 1:5)

As we journeyed to California, Oklahoma proved very flat, but as I looked out the window, I couldn't help but notice the power lines and how they were shaped like crosses. As far as I could see, I could see these powerlines. It reminded me of God's sweet faithfulness to His children and His promise to always be with them. It warmed my heart to know and be sure that no matter where I am in the journey, He is with me every step of the way. Great is His Faithfulness!

My Beloved

You're My Beloved You're My Bride

To sing over you is My delight

Come away with Me My love

Under My mercy Come and wait

Till we are standing face to face

I see no stain on you My child

You're Beautiful to Me

So Beautiful to Me

I sing over you My song of peace

Cast all your care down at My feet

Come and find your rest in Me

I'll breathe My life inside of you

I'll bear you up on eagle's wings

And hide you in the shadow of My strength

I'll take you to My quiet waters

I'll restore your soul

Come rest in Me and be made whole

You're My beloved You're My Bride

To sing over you is my delight

Come away with me my love

(words by Kari Jobe)

On The Wings of the Storm

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

This scene came right on the heels of a violent storm. Lightning flashing everywhere...torrential downpour...wind shaking things in its path. In my experience with God, storms always bring beauty...always

Sometimes Ya Just Gotta Pull Over

God's beauty is everywhere! He's sitting in Heaven just waiting for someone to ask Him to show off His Glory! This scene was one of those days...God used the ordinary task of going to pick up pizza to ask me if I was going to take time to notice His Glory. I could not pull off the road fast enough to try and capture this beauty with my camera! I figured that I needed to pull over instead of trying to drive and hang my camera out the window.

"Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array." (Genesis 2:1)

The Climb

We had a fun opportunity to go to the mountains of Georgia where the Appalachian Trail begins. We made the trek up more than 600 stairs to get to our destination the the top of some amazing Falls. As we were climbing and huffing and puffing up each stair anxious to get to the "beauty", I looked back upon this scene. God gave me a gentle nudge as I looked down. So many times in this life, God presents us with a mountain to climb. It may be a mountain of pain, of sorrow, of growth, or even of joy, but as we tend to do, we want to get the hard work of climbing over with so that we can reach the top and see the beauty. In my hurriedness to reach the top, I was missing the beauty of the climb...the stopping every so often to see the beauty of where I was and the even greater beauty of looking below to see how far I came. The peak and end destination was beautiful, but God didn't want me to miss the beauty in the climb.

Breath of God

" The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

It's taken me a few days to digest all that has happened in our city over the past few days. One moment I was cleaning out flower beds with my husband, and the next our city was in crisis from a tornado that rummaged the earth for 22 minutes. I have two families that are dear to me that will have to rebuild because their homes are unliveable from the storm.

Spending the next days racking my brain to find ways to help, something occurred to me. This devastation occurred on Good Friday, and it was amazing to see the Body of Christ be His hands and feet of service over these past days. I have seen Jesus, in the form of His people, all over Murfreesboro. I can't help but think that God at times has to allow these devastating things to remind His creation that we were meant for something more in this life besides serving self. We were meant to live a life of service to Him. That's exactly what I've seen. Service out of the overflow of Christ living in us. Is this time excruciatingly hard to watch? Of course. But, I know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him.

I posted this picture because of something that my friend James said to me as we were surveying his devastation. He lives in an older neighborhood with very mature trees...actually an oak in the front and back yard. With the sound of chainsaws in the background, he said these words to me, "The mighty oak is no match for the breath of God." So true, James, so true.

I am thanking God today for the good that I already have seen coming from this storm in our lives. Just as the rubble leaves the scene of devastation overflowing in the trucks that carry it, our lives continue to overflow with the love of Jesus Christ, who is with us in the midst of every single storm we face in this life.

Rain

I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit. (Leviticus 26:4)

Spring, just as in life, has its share of rain. Rain has many purposes...it nourishes the ground; prepares new life to flourish, it acts as a storehouse for drought; it makes what was dry, wet, and what was thirsty, a drink. Rain also can "rain" on our parade. It keeps us in, it makes us wet and irritable, it obscures our vision, makes us "blue", and thwarts our plans.

The rain in our lives has many purposes as well. It can make us blue; thwart our plans; come unexpectedly; and be an inconvenience. There is beauty in the rain because God is always in the rain.

God can allow rain in our lives to nourish us; to cloud our vision so that He can show us His; to bring about new life after a season that seemed dead. God's rain can offer us a drink after a season of drought. No matter how we look at it, God is always for us and has a purpose and a plan for our lives. His rain in our lives is ultimately to bring forth growth and a harvest in our lives. Hallelujah! Bring the rain!!