O Lord, you have checked me out completely
And know everything about me.
You know when I sleep and when I’m awake.
You even know what I am thinking when I think you are far away.
You even look for me and check out the direction I am going when I am busy or even when I am just resting.
You know all of the secret things about me and the way I do things.
Even before I can say a word,
You know what I’m going to say and why I’m going to say it!
You care so much about me that you completely encircle me
and bubble me with your protection.
This knowledge is too much for me to comprehend.
How could I ever deserve such love?
Where can I go to escape your Spirit?
Or where can run to that I might avoid your presence?
If I went to outer space, you are there!
If I lived in the belly of the earth, you are there!
Even when I go to school or face my tormentors,
Your hand is there to lead me and protect me.
If I say the anguish and pain in my stomach shall kill me
And the torment of surviving stressful situations shall destroy me,
Even the pain and torment is not a match for your awesome love for me;
Anguish and stress are dissolved by your power.
For you made my inward parts,
You carefully designed me in my mother’s womb.
I will PRAISE YOU for I am uniquely and wonderfully made!
Everything you make is awesome, somehow my soul knows this.
I was not a surprise to you when I was being formed in the secret place.
Every detail of my body and life were intricately designed by you.
You saw me before I was formed and placed me in your special book.
There you planned my life before I was even born.
Oh God, your thoughts are so special to me.
There are so many!
Counting them would be like counting the grains of sand.
Even in reality, you are with me, not just in my thoughts.
Oh how I wish you would rescue me from the anxiety that tears at my stomach.
Oh nausea and pain depart from me forever!
They seek to destroy my life and steal my confidence.
Together they seek to steal the joy of my salvation.
I hate those who come against you oh Lord.
They are my enemies.
Search me O God, and know my heart!
Test me and know my thoughts!
Let me know if there is anything I do that grieves you.
Lead me into a life of everlasting joy, peace and love with you.
Have you allowed a situation in your life to rule you? Do you fall victim to your tormentors when they strike at you? There is a way to overcome ANYTHING that may seek to destroy you. When you claim the power of Jesus Christ, you have at your disposal the most powerful force in all creation! If you know this Jesus Christ personally, then stop living defeated and begin claiming the power intrusted to you. If you don't know know Jesus Christ personally, then all you need to do is seek him with all of your heart, begin a conversation with him and believe he wants to be your savior and friend. Then invite him into your heart to live forever with you. If you need more information, then send me an email and I'd be happy to tell you more about knowing this God of the universe who designed you before you were born.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
THE MISSING PIECE
For the past week, my kids and I have been putting together a 1,000 piece puzzle with an American flag, sunset and a bald eagle on it. After finally getting the last few (really hard) pieces in their designated place, we still had a hole. One piece was missing.
I knew it was missing for a couple of days, but was not able to find it anywhere. I had resolved to accept the fact that the piece was missing and probably was missing when I bought it (used).
My, now four year old, daughter was looking at the puzzle and said, "Oh Mommy, one piece is missing." I said "Yes, I know." She began looking for the missing piece. She insisted that the piece was in this soft sided box I keep school stuff in and was looking through it to find the piece.
I tried to convince her that it was gone and not in the box. When she would not give up looking in the school box for the missing piece, I agreed to look in there for her. As I started taking items out of the box, I very quickly saw the missing piece. She had been right! How did she know it was there?
My answer to that question is that from her perspective, low to the ground, she had a different view of life and objects. Why she didn't say something sooner, I'll never know. I learned a couple of lessons from her and the puzzle.
I learned never to give up. It was quite challenging to complete the puzzle. I found great satisfaction seeing it come together. I even gave up a couple of nights on Facebook and email to work on the puzzle. The greatest lesson I learned, is that EVERYONE has something to contribute to the family. My daughter, because of her keen observation, was able to put in the coveted "last piece" of the puzzle in making it complete.
This reminded me that God uses the most unlikely people of this world to carry out his plans.
Do you feel like you are not usable by God? None of us are worthy, but all of us are desirable to God. He loves us no matter what. Question is, will you accept God's gift of love and in return, love him back? When you do, he will use the person you have become to do incredible things to advance his kingdom.
I knew it was missing for a couple of days, but was not able to find it anywhere. I had resolved to accept the fact that the piece was missing and probably was missing when I bought it (used).
My, now four year old, daughter was looking at the puzzle and said, "Oh Mommy, one piece is missing." I said "Yes, I know." She began looking for the missing piece. She insisted that the piece was in this soft sided box I keep school stuff in and was looking through it to find the piece.
I tried to convince her that it was gone and not in the box. When she would not give up looking in the school box for the missing piece, I agreed to look in there for her. As I started taking items out of the box, I very quickly saw the missing piece. She had been right! How did she know it was there?
My answer to that question is that from her perspective, low to the ground, she had a different view of life and objects. Why she didn't say something sooner, I'll never know. I learned a couple of lessons from her and the puzzle.
I learned never to give up. It was quite challenging to complete the puzzle. I found great satisfaction seeing it come together. I even gave up a couple of nights on Facebook and email to work on the puzzle. The greatest lesson I learned, is that EVERYONE has something to contribute to the family. My daughter, because of her keen observation, was able to put in the coveted "last piece" of the puzzle in making it complete.
This reminded me that God uses the most unlikely people of this world to carry out his plans.
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (New International Version)
26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
Do you feel like you are not usable by God? None of us are worthy, but all of us are desirable to God. He loves us no matter what. Question is, will you accept God's gift of love and in return, love him back? When you do, he will use the person you have become to do incredible things to advance his kingdom.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
THE POWER OF THE FATHER
My daughter loves the movie "The Game Plan" (mostly for the big ballet scene in it) where a famous pro football player suddenly becomes responsible for an 8 year old daughter he didn't know existed. In this one scene, the father is talking to his daughter's ballet teacher who has come to rescue him from a girly-girl party at the mall. He comments that "moms" seem to make it all look so easy and doesn't know if he has what it takes to be a good parent. Then the ballet teacher tells him not to underestimate the power of the father. She says that fathers are there to catch you when you fall, pick you up, dust you off and encourage you to try again. While it's not the only thing fathers are good for, it is an important role.
I have a friend who is a young adult seeking desperatly to find his way in the world. He had a difficult childhood due to circumstances beyond his control and later due to his own choices. The big hang up he has today is his own father's image of who he would become 7 years ago. What we tell our children with our words, and just as loudly, with our actions has an impact on who they become. For the child, who needs acceptance, guidance and encouragement and not be able to get it, can leave a child feeling worthless, defeated, hurt and angry.
We are all born with the desire to love and be loved because we are made in God's image. He wants to be loved too! More importantly, God wants to love us! So how do you move on when your parent relationship, mother or father, doesn't work out the way "it's supposed to"? When parents don't nurture their children and love them the way God intended them to, then over time, hearts become broken, bitter, hurt and indifferent. All my friend wants from his dad is for him to tell him how proud he is of his accomplishments and help him up when he's down. The power of the father, good or bad has a lasting impact on his children.
During the ballet scene of the movie (the part my daughter likes to watch over and over) the football father is one of the dancers. He is very nervous when he discovers that his entire football team is there to watch him dance. It is his dedication to be a good role model for his daughter that gives him strength to go through with the dance. He says to himself "the power of the father, the power of the father". He had just given his daughter a pep talk about not quiting because she was nervous and there he was feeling just as vulnerable as she did.
Parents don't always have their act together and sometimes they find strength to accomplish difficult tasks from their relationship with their children. A "good" parent isn't one that always has the right answers. A good parent is one that walks ALONG SIDE their child during the good and bad times. A good parent teaches their child to recognize what causes the pain and suffering but gives their child the freedom to make choices. A good parent isn't afraid to seek help and let their child see them fall and pick themselves back up. There are many good lessons to be learned from failing than succeeding. It is way harder to keep trying when you keep loosing or falling down. Real failure doesn't come from not succeeding, it comes from never trying again.
What about you? How has your father (or mother) influenced you? How does that influence affect your relationship with God?
"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jeremiah 31:3
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."
1 John 3:1
I have a friend who is a young adult seeking desperatly to find his way in the world. He had a difficult childhood due to circumstances beyond his control and later due to his own choices. The big hang up he has today is his own father's image of who he would become 7 years ago. What we tell our children with our words, and just as loudly, with our actions has an impact on who they become. For the child, who needs acceptance, guidance and encouragement and not be able to get it, can leave a child feeling worthless, defeated, hurt and angry.
We are all born with the desire to love and be loved because we are made in God's image. He wants to be loved too! More importantly, God wants to love us! So how do you move on when your parent relationship, mother or father, doesn't work out the way "it's supposed to"? When parents don't nurture their children and love them the way God intended them to, then over time, hearts become broken, bitter, hurt and indifferent. All my friend wants from his dad is for him to tell him how proud he is of his accomplishments and help him up when he's down. The power of the father, good or bad has a lasting impact on his children.
During the ballet scene of the movie (the part my daughter likes to watch over and over) the football father is one of the dancers. He is very nervous when he discovers that his entire football team is there to watch him dance. It is his dedication to be a good role model for his daughter that gives him strength to go through with the dance. He says to himself "the power of the father, the power of the father". He had just given his daughter a pep talk about not quiting because she was nervous and there he was feeling just as vulnerable as she did.
Parents don't always have their act together and sometimes they find strength to accomplish difficult tasks from their relationship with their children. A "good" parent isn't one that always has the right answers. A good parent is one that walks ALONG SIDE their child during the good and bad times. A good parent teaches their child to recognize what causes the pain and suffering but gives their child the freedom to make choices. A good parent isn't afraid to seek help and let their child see them fall and pick themselves back up. There are many good lessons to be learned from failing than succeeding. It is way harder to keep trying when you keep loosing or falling down. Real failure doesn't come from not succeeding, it comes from never trying again.
What about you? How has your father (or mother) influenced you? How does that influence affect your relationship with God?
"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jeremiah 31:3
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."
1 John 3:1
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