WAVES

Dad are you going to hit this?   It was too late to do anything different.  Wham and we were airborne.

July in Arkansas is miserable and being outside is awful.   So what do you do?  You find cool air anywhere you can find it. 

We decided to travel to the river just to feel whatever breeze was available.  Off we went.  We were loaded with everything we needed for a short afternoon ride.  As we were moseying down the river, no let me rephrase that, my husband doesn’t mosey he is full speed ahead.   We noticed another boat coming towards us.  It wasn’t a boat you would normally see at the river.  This was a boat that should be in the ocean, it was large.  All of us were staring trying to figure out what in the world this boat was doing.  That was when it happened.  Anna was the only one not gawking  at the oncoming boat.  Into the trailing waves of the boat we went.  Up in the air sideways.  My sister in law hit the floor, I held on and Anna covered her head.  We didn’t just hit one wave we hit two. 

All of us hit a wave at times in our lives.  We may hit one, we may even hit two.  We may not see it coming and it may send us airborne.  We can be traveling full speed ahead with everything going just the way we had planned and wham we are knocked to the ground. 

When this happens we have no other choice but to get up and get going again.  Going in the direction the Lord wants us to go.

My mind ventures to the Bible and Jonah.  The large waves came crashing into the boat.  That is when He got tossed overboard and into the belly of the whale.  It wasn’t until he realized he must follow the Lords path that he was able to get up and ride the waves. 

In Biblical times and in our days we all hit waves, especially if we are following our own path and not the Lords.  Whether you survive or not depends on if the Lord is in the boat with you. 

None of us are immune to hardships, but with the Lord guiding us we can hit the waves head-on and survive.

Psalm 65:5-8New International Version (NIV)

5 

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,

    God our Savior,

the hope of all the ends of the earth

    and of the farthest seas,

6 

who formed the mountains by your power,

    having armed yourself with strength,

7 

who stilled the roaring of the seas,

    the roaring of their waves,

    and the turmoil of the nations.

8 

The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;

    where morning dawns, where evening fades,

    you call forth songs of joy.

Don’t panic or hit the floor when you hit the big wave.  Embrace the collision and follow the Lords plans for you.

TASK

 “Multi-tasker” I am not, but my husband is.  He may not look that way when you see him flying down the road.  His truck is disheveled, paperwork on the dashboard and mud located on every inch of his vehicle, however his life is perfectly put together.  It even seems that he does better when he is under pressure.  When he isn’t pedal to the medal things will come falling back into his lap to make him that way.  It’s like the Lord knows he needs deadlines to meet and tasks to keep him busy. 

Are you at a time in your life when there are deadlines to meet?  Are you under pressure feeling overwhelmed with the task ahead?  Are you one of those that do better when you are going 90 mph instead of 20?  Are you disheveled?

“Trust and obey there is no other way,”  this hymn keeps playing over and over in my head as I work diligently preparing for the week ahead.  If you are working on a project and meeting a deadline perform for Him.  Commit to the task putting forth the effort to finish it.  You will find your work easily completed when your labor is for His glory. 

When you allow Him to guide your direction, giving Him control of the task the planning and preparing will fall together.  Don’t give temporary control to  Him, give Him full control.

Trust and obey when flying at a high rate of speed with deadlines to meet. Perform the job for the glory of the Lord and the work will be easily accomplished. Be steadfast and immovable doing the Lords work for Him.

Proverbs 16:3New International Version (NIV)

3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,

    and he will establish your plans.

1 Corinthians 15:58New International Version (NIV)

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

DIS-EASE

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”  Deuteronomy 31:8 “Some words of encouragement for next week, He is waiting on you.” 

These were the words I read on a text message yesterday morning.  What I needed to hear, however my friend didn’t need to send it to me, I needed to send it to her.  She sits every other week with the red devil poison dripping into her body.  It moves from the bag and then slides into her veins.   In-between the chemo, blood transfusions and potassium drips, doctor appointments have taken over her calendar. 

Cancer may have invaded her body, but it hasn’t taken away her faith.  Her beauty from within radiates the whole room as she enters. Not a stich of hair, but a laugh that is contagious and a smile that is infectious.  She is the face of cancer with a heart of gold.  She hasn’t even reached the age of 40, but she has more wisdom than people her senior. 

Over the years several of my friends have been stricken with this dreadful disease.  It amazes me how their personality transforms.   They see everyday as a gift.  Their faith becomes so strong they can move any mountain that stands in their path.  They may be afraid, but they don’t show it.  They are passionate and empathetic, caring and giving.  I am in awe of their demeanor. 

It doesn’t matter how old we are, man, woman, child, color or race no one is immune to cancer.  If it attacks our bodies we have no other choice but to fight back.  Its no walk in the park  it is a rough mountain hike.  There are steep mountains and low valleys, but God is there.  At times we may not think He is, but he is forever present. 

If you have been diagnosed with a disease or if you receive the sentence later remember these words:

GOD IS BIGGER THAN ANY DISEASE!

Go to Him He is waiting to Ease the Dis-ease.

Psalm 94:14 the Lord will not abandon you

Great extra read: GOD IS BIGGER THAN MY CANCER http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/god-is-bigger-than-my-cancer

PYTHON

Does Satan work on you?  The closer we get to the Lord and His plan for us the more the snake will slither into your life.  Satan doesn’t want the Lords plans to succeed, so He will do whatever it takes to devour you. 

Jentezen Franklin has a new book, “THE SPIRIT OF THE PYTHON; EXPOSING SATAN’S PLAN TO SQUEEZE THE LIFE OUT OF YOU.”  Doesn’t that sound interesting?  The description of the book is the perfect analogy to that of the devil.

Pythons have an interesting way of killing their prey.  They constrict it until it can no longer breath, literally suffocating the life out of it.  In the spirit realm Satan often works in the same way, slowly slithering his way into the lives, attempting to choke the very life out of us.  The python spirit can squeeze the joy out of your worship and prayers.  It can pressure you to keep quiet when God wants you to speak up.  And it can steal the peace of knowing that you belong to God.  But there is a way to defeat him.  You don’t have to become his prey.  The spirit of the python helps you understand the strategies of the subtle destroyer, how he works how to detect him, and how to break his hold from your life.  You can learn to: recognize the early warning signs that you are under attack, find the ways you may have unknowingly given him access into your home, bring God’s deliverance and and restoration into every area of your life.

Sound interesting?  Does the python have his body coiled around you at the present moment?

When you are on a mission for God stay close to the Holy Spirit.  None of us are immune to Satan’s work, however we are protected by God.  God is stronger and smarter than that sneaky snake. 

When Satan is trying to choke your breath, silence your voice and limit your life do not worry.  The power of faith will conquer all.  The snake in the grass will be defeated and you will no longer be his prey. 

Break free from the subtle destroyer and reclaim your life of passion and purpose for the Lord. 

Thanks Dina for sharing your find. 

DISCOMBOBULATED

Discombobulated, an understatement as to how my morning was going.  Twenty miles outside of town I realized I had forgotten my premeds.  Back I went.  Before this had happened I had turned off my alarm and fallen back to sleep, so I was already getting a late start.  I made it back home took my meds and off I went again.  I arrived at my appointment only 4 minutes late that was a miracle. 

I sat in the chair as the dental assistant came in and said, “I’m going to let Christy numb you while the doctor is working on the patient next door.”  Anxiety set in, I started to sweat and my body was figidity.  The dentist is where I don’t like to visit very often and now they had changed things on me.  I was uneasy, but didn’t want to make anyone else uncomfortable.  I tried to breath in and out and remove the panic and ease the nervousness. 

The problem was this, I trust my dentist.  Although I have apprehension I know that he is going to take care of me.  When he comes in the room I’m not concerned on whether or not my mouth will receive the medication to numb the nerves.  However, I was uncertain as to how this was going to go.  Uneasiness is an emotion I don’t like to feel especially when it deals with pain. 

As my dentist worked I started thinking about the day and prayed that the Lord talk me through the minutes of the drilling. I was led to the word trust.  Just as I trust my dentist to take care of my teeth, I trust Jesus to take care of me.  I am less fearful of the procedure when my dentist is in control of the utensils, just as I am fearless when I allow Christ to be in control of my life.  My dentist mends what is shattered and broken, just as Christ heals my wounds and dries my tears. 

Over, my tooth is fixed and I am headed home.  I am mended and can return to my normal routine.  We turn to the dentist to help us find comfort in solving our dental issues, but when caught in the chaos and discombobulation of life we turn to the Lord.  Our help comes from Him.