Stop the Pain

Pain...sometimes it creeps up on you and you have to decide what to do with it.

I’m not talking about bodily aches but the knife in your heart and twist it pain.

The, take your breath away, pain. What do you do with it?

You allow it to stay and you hold it up to the light and study it, turning it this way and that, checking out every angle and facet. The pain deepens.

Or...you accept that it is there but decide not to allow it to linger.

You offer it to God as a sweet smelling sacrifice, knowing He loves you and will never leave you and that He has carried your sorrows.

I choose to do the latter. I know the pain will return but each time I hope to send it away quicker.

So I take a deep breath, even though it is a painful breath, and REJOICE in my God.

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11 Message

Pull Up Your Britches

Today is May 11, 2011 and there is snow falling and accumulating on my deck. I know everyone says we need the moisture, but can’t it come in the form of rain?

God has promised us the seasons and they do show-up, but sometimes there is a teasing that the next season has arrived only to have it snatched away by a sudden reversal.

This happens in our lives too.

A dark season that has been hanging on seems to be ending, light has begun to spill through and we turn our faces towards it, feeling the warmth. With our eyes closed and our face lifted to the heat, a shadow suddenly chills our heart.

We open our eyes to see the clouds have once again rolled over us. Discouragement digs its tentacles into our mind and we are tempted to shut the door on hope. That is the one thing we must never, never do. Hope is our anchor.

Just as I know in the next few days the sun will be shining and I will be outside in my yard planting flowers I know the despondancy that thinks it has a hold in our life will melt away like the snow.

We are filled with questions, screaming for answers which may or may not come. God has His reasons for not revealing all His plans to us but He gives us hope through His promises. As God guarantees that the seasons will continue He gives us assurances in His word concerning our lives.

I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering. You will turn back to me and ask for help, and I will answer your prayers. You will worship me with all your heart, and I will be with you and accept your worship. Then I will gather you from all the nations where I scattered you, and you will return to Jerusalem. Jeremiah 29:11-14 NCV

My choice: Do I throw a pity party and call all my friends to join me or do I take a deep breath, pull up my britches and call out to God:

“Good morning Lord, I'm reporting for duty, what do you have for me today.”

His Big Hands

Day 15 of 40 Days of Lenten Posts
With so many tragic things happening in the world it is frightening to watch the news.

What do we do with the questions that seem to have no answers?
We bow our heads in prayer weeping for those who have lost loved ones, homes, businesses.
We wonder; what would I do if that were me? Would I lose all hope? Who would I turn to for strength and peace?

Even though the fig trees have no fruit

and no grapes grow on the vines,

even though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no grain,

even though the sheep all die

and the cattle stalls are empty,

I will still be joyful and glad,

because the Lord God is my savior.

Habakkuk 3:17-18 Good News Translation

We put our trust in God and He promises:

I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you

on the palms of my hands                    
Isaiah 49:15-16 NIV

He knows our pain and He weeps with us and then we must remind ourselves that He has the whole world in His hands. The whole world! He has not forsaken us.

2010 IS ON THE WAY

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY BLOGGING FRIENDS
It seems everyone is posting their resolutions, goals or plans for this new year which will make its appearance in 1 1/2 hours. I will make this post very short because this year is almost gone and you don't have much time to read it before 2010. :)
I want to give you a word from the Lord for your life:

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11 Message

How can we worry and fear when we have this promise for our lives.

Image: Diane Shaw