Return to Worship

I struggle to find the inspiration. Even when presented with the time to sit and worship, my mind wanders to the day’s activities and the weeks needs. It takes effort to sit quietly before Him but once I’m there I don’t want to leave. It’s worth returning to worship.

“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.”—Luke 17:15-16

Ten healed—one returned to worship.

Days filled with blessings, thanksgiving jumbled into a prayer over the dinner table will not suffice. Today I return to worship.

A godly husband who follows hard after God

Prayer warriors who surround me and my home with whispers of blessing

A house—warm and silent on a winter’s night

Food to gather around and share laughter, stories and words of encouragement

Friends who love with a deep abiding love

Opportunity to be what I was created to be—fulfilling my birthright

Friends who bless me with time and support as I develop my abilities

Cozy socks and snuggly robes

A six-year-old who loves to read to me

A four-year-old who still cuddles close

A tall strapping eleven-year-old with a passion to share Jesus

A beautiful blessing of tenderness wrapped in thirteen, always ready with a hug and a servant’s heart

The time to teach how radical blessings show up after radical obedience

I return to worship and fall at His feet with thanksgiving.

What has you returning to worship at His feet?

In Your Presence

“In Your presence is fullness of joy;”—Psalm 16:11

Can I stay here? Dwelling safely in your presence, feasting on the bread of life

As I stay here, will you take my life and wipe away every drop of strife?

Wrapped in the cocoon of your love I feel perfect peace

When your voice whispers gentle words, my worry must cease

Can I stay here, Father?

Go? I must pull myself from your warm embrace and go?

Can’t you send another in my place to share your mercy, love and grace?

Why must I be the one to show?

Yes, Father. I hear you. Your command is clear

I’ll lay aside my worries and cast off my fear

With you to instruct me, I can go so others may see

If it’s a witness you want, that’s what I will be

And once my mission is fulfilled, I will return to this place of refuge

To dwell in your presence beneath the shelter of your wings

For it is here that I rest in safety, it is here my heart freely sings

{It is so easy for me to stay wrapped in the quietness of my devotional time—yet He has called me to go and share. The gems that He shows must be passed on to others. I was created to serve, as were you.}

My Life- poured out as a drink offering

Yesterday I turned thirty-three. It was a day filled with love, hugs, and jubilate celebration—the best birthday I’ve ever celebrated. Even better than the year it snowed deep drifts of white in Indiana and I had my closest friends over to the house.

At the end of the day {yesterday} I laid quietly in bed evaluating my life. What had I accomplished in my thirty-second year? The answers swirled in my mind and I begin to lay out a plan for this New Year in my life—my focus, my ambition.

Most of my thirty-second year was spent struggling against the Holy Spirit—my spirit at war with Him. I wanted what I once had and He wanted me to move forward to new things. I was trying to grow spiritually, my own way. He was holding me back from moving to far in the wrong direction. Finally I stopped—stopped struggling and straining against His hand. I fell into His arms and He pointed my face forward toward the future. Oh the peace found in resting in His arms! The bliss of saying “YES” to His will. The joy of surrender is such a welcome from the anxiety of fighting.

This, my thirty-third year, will be poured out before Him as a drink offering—daily. My own insecurities will have to simmer in the background as I leap forward in joy. I realize that all I do is in HIS strength alone.

“What would you have me do today, Father?”

I am grateful for another year.

I’m blessed beyond measure.

A conversation with God

I found this conversation in my journal. It was written months ago during a time when my life was taking on water. I cannot remember the conversation well—hence the journal. [I wonder if I am the only person who records their conversations with the Holy One]. With my writer’s instinct [that is the insatiable desire to write], I tend to communicate best with Him on paper. During this particular time, He presented my life to me as a boat—a big beautiful boat that should have been sailing above the water. The boat was sitting at the bottom of the ocean.

Me: It looks like a boat.

It doesn’t float like a boat.

Father: The theory is correct and it should float but something is missing. It looks “put-together” but it’s still sitting on the bottom.

Sometimes in life you look the part; dress, act, talk the part. But inside, your spirit is sinking to the bottom. Once it’s sunk, the only redemption is something much bigger to lift you out of the water, drip you dry and set you in a safe space for repair.

You take on too much water sometimes; adding unnecessary things to your day, week, month or year. Once on the bottom you realize what happened. It may not have been just one thing that happened. Maybe thousands of things—a little water at a time.

Me: How do I keep from sinking?

How do I see the signs of taking on too much?

Father: Learn to recognize the signs:

Tiredness

Sadness

Fear

Worry

Loss of concentration

Sleeplessness

Don’t become isolated. You need someone to keep you accountable.

Don’t run and hide! Ask for help and accept help. One thing is to ask for help and another is to let people help.

Rest. Rest doesn’t mean sleeping; it means abiding in the Word and in prayer. It means casting your burdens on me. I care for you [1 Peter 5:7].

Nourish your body. That sunken boat is beyond patching—nutrition is a little late when the boat is sunk.

The conversation ended there—at least on paper. Maybe your life is like my sunken boat. Maybe your boat isn't at the bottom yet but you recognize the signs that you're taking on water. I think we have all been that boat at some point. Don't isolate yourself! Ask for help and accept that help. Rest in Him. Nourish your body before the holes are too big and your only rescue is a drip dry on land. A boat is useless on land! We were designed to fulfill a purpose.

"Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved."--Psalm 55:22

2012 Declaration

He is calling me forth from childhood and childhood things I must put away.

This is my declaration to grow. My one word for 2012—Grow!

My spirit will expand and communicate on a deeper level with My Savior. When I stumble in my human weakness, I declare that I am “good ground” (Mark 4:20), my being is rooted in Him and He cannot fail.

Childhood emotions and fears will be put aside. Forgiveness and love root peace—I choose to forgive. Emotions do not define who I am. My birthright is found in the KING OF KINGS—I am his child.

This physical body that I have been given—I give it back. This year, I hold NO part of my flesh. This shell is the instrument I’ve been given to fulfill my purpose. In honor to my Creator, I will keep it running efficiently. To the best of my ability, it will not hinder me in any capacity.

I will be in communication with Him as I listen and come alongside those who need His healing touch. The weak in spirit, the brokenhearted, those in physical pain and disarray—I will declare His healing and majesty. Fear will not dominate, my sufficiency is found in His power and not my own.

This is the year He has chosen for me to GROW.

What have you been chosen for?