Disappointed with God?

What do you do when you are disappointed with God? What if you feel let down or Angry with him? Have you ever felt this way? What do you do?

Even worse, what about when someone you are close to, perhaps even a family member is lost in this? How do you encourage the un-encouageable?

From what I’ve seen, running away from God or being angry or disappointed makes it all worse. You get further and further away, more and more depressed, and soon slip completely into a spiritual coma of anger, sadness, and a sense of being “wronged” by God. This is a dangerous position that requires full repentance, but the ironic part is that those in this position don’t feel they have anything to be repentant of. They take the part of the victim, and feel they “deserve” something better than what they got.

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Cr 12:8-10

We have such light burdens. We are set free and in that freedom we need to rejoice. If God is withholding something from us, it is for our benefit, and the ultimate glory of his name. If you feel you really “deserve” something more, repent, because we deserve death and eternal destruction, but by his grace we are given life eternal. What more do we deserve?

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’" Rev 21: 3-4

I don’t know about you, but this promise is worth it all to me. How amazing is his grace. I know where I came from, I know what I deserve, and I am overwhelmed by his mercy, goodness, and grace.

I look forward to hearing any insights you have on how to help this person? And better yet, how to help the one who has to live with them? 

Blessings today my friends!

Kari

What do you hear?

Oh I want to hear from the Lord, don't you? To hear the audible voice of God Almighty. The very voice that spoke the world into being. The Voice that calmed the sea. The great and mighty voice of the I AM. And the tender voice of the one calling me home and saying "Well, done....". As I was thinking about this I began noticing something interesting about how people heard the audible voice of God in the stories of the bible. Some heard a still small voice, others the voice of an angel, and yet others heard a terrifying sound that they begged to stop.

John 12:28-29 says...
" Father Glorify your Name! Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.' the crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered, others said an angel had spoken to him."

 Exodus 20:18 says...
" When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, 'Speak to us yourself and we will listen, but do not have God speak to us or we will die"

Hebrews 12 :19 says...
"...such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them..."

1Kings 19:12 says...
"After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper."

What was the difference? Why did some hear terrifying thunder and others hear a gentle whisper? Why does Moses hear the Lord calling him up the mountain yet the people hear a terrifying loud trumpet blast and thunder?

Could it be that it depends on our positioning? The same voice speaks, The same words are written on the pages of scripture, but perhaps our ability to hear is different depending on the condition of our heart. The same words speak peace and restoration to one person, and offend, frighten, and convict another.

The simple truth is this. We will all hear the voice of God someday. Whether you are a Christian or not you will hear the voice of God. And you will stand before his throne. The question remains, do you want to be terrified? Or comforted? When we repent and turn to him we can hear him as the gentle whisper that brings hope and healing into our heart, rather than the terrifying voice we wish would stop speaking. I hope you will spend some time today learning how to hear his gentle voice. The Lord is faithful and just and His greatest desire is to be reconciled with his people.

Blessings today as you listen to what God has to say to you today.

Give Me a Revelation

Give me a revelation has been the cry of my heart for the last few weeks. I have been going through the Beth Moore Study on Revelation and she has encouraged us to wake each morning and ask God to reveal himself to us. I have been amazed and astounded by what the Lord is revealing to me.

Do we have a revelation of him in this generation? Do we know how awesome in power and splendor he is?

The one who spoke all creation into existence with just a word is a more awesome and powerful God than what I think we make him to be. We like to think of him as our friend ~ and he is~ but we forget that while he loves us and is gentle with us, that he is also holy. Immensely Holy. We need to have a revelation of that.

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” Revelation 4:11

If you search the scriptures you will find that there are a few amazing glimpses into what the very throne of God looks like. Try to picture this scene in your mind and then draw it out on paper to get an idea of the positioning of the elements around the throne.

“…and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God, Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures…” Revelation 4:2-6

I don’t know about you, but I can’t read this description of the throne of God Almighty without the spirit within me crying out:

 “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, is the Lord God Almighty who was, and is, and is to come.” Revelation 4: 8b

Ask God to reveal himself to you. Tell him you want a revelation of how Holy He is. Then watch and listen, you will be overtaken with awe.

Blessings friends!

Kari

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Basil Soup

The Lord gave me a bounty of Tomatoes and Basil one year. I wanted to be resourceful and really use all that the Lord gave, so I decided to make soup. I looked through tons of recipes, and nothing was exactly what I wanted, so I made one up!! And this is my creation. It has a few extra steps, but the steps really pay off in flavor! This also makes an amazing sauce for Tortellini (Yummm-O!) Hope you like it.

Kari's Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato-Basil Soup

12-14 Medium to Large Tomatoes

1 Whole Head of Garlic

6 Red Peppers

1 Cup Diced Onion

2 Cups Packed fresh basil leaves 

3-4 Cups Chicken Stock 

1 Cup Half and Half

1/3 Cup Sour Cream

1 tsp Sugar

2Tbs Olive Oil

1Tbs Butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1 The Roasting process! Roasting really brings out an amazing rich flavor!

12-14 Tomatoes (medium to large) cut into 1/4 wedges
1 whole head of Garlic unpeeled

Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet  and roast at 450 for about 40-50 minutes or until all the moisture is evaporated. Roast the garlic till soft, remove from oven and cool, then squeeze out garlic pulp

I would NOT recommend separating the garlic like I have here in this Picture. It is much better to roast the whole head of garlic.  

Roast 6 Red Peppers till black but not burned through.

Cool slightly and remove skin and seeds.

Step 2  All together in the pot!

Saute 1 cup Onion in 2Tbs Olive oil and 1 Tbs butter till soft. Add a pinch of salt and 2 Cups Fresh Basil. Continue to saute till very soft. Add 1tsp sugar and coarse black pepper to taste.

Add Tomato, pepper, garlic, and chicken stock to pot and simmer for approx. 1/2 hour over medium heat.

Step 3 Blend!

Blend in a food processor till smooth and strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds and tomato skins. 

Step 4 BLING!!

Return soup to the pot.  Add half and half and sour cream, warm through, adjust for salt and pepper and enjoy!

Now I must tell you at this point that you don't really have to add the half and half and sour cream. It is so good with out it, but it becomes extra special with this touch of cream and richness. I love this as a soup or as a sauce for pasta. I hope you all enjoy this soup as much as me! It's a great way to use up some of your tomato bounty. Enjoy!

Blessings!

Kari

Come Up in the Morning

"Give God the blossom of the day. Do not put Him off with faded leaves" ~ Streams in the Desert

I am reminded today to rise early and give my Lord the first of my day. How precious it is to give him the first attention in the morning. He meets me, and gives me wisdom and forgiveness. Instruction, and peace. Thank you Lord that you are a relationship builder. That you desire relationship with me more than anything. You sacrificed your own son to have this relationship with me. Praise you.

Today two new scriptures come to my attention: 

"The eyes of the LORD range through-out the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him" 2 Chronicles 16:9


"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you: he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" Isaiah 30:18

He sees us, Every part of us.  He longs for us and rises to show us compassion and grace.

I must rely on what I know, not just what I feel.

My heart is full this morning. The type of full that makes words difficult to describe in full measure. I am just so thankful that God never gives up on me, or sees me as worthless, no matter what my sin. He is faithful to bring to completion the work be began in me.

What are you thankful for this morning?

TITHING OUR TIME

Have you ever thought about tithing your time? 

If we were to tithe our time to God in direct prayer and bible study that would be 2 hours and 40 minutes of time a day to give to God.
What could I accomplish in my spirit if I did this? 

What leaps of faith could I make? How would that change me? 

Truly, I do wonder if we should tithe our time instead of our money. I mean, I know we could all use more money, but I believe we are more protective these days of our time. I know I am. I think I love it more. I never seem to have enough of it. And I tend to covet those who seem to have more time. I just don't ever know how they get everything done and still have time to look beautiful?? 

I get annoyed at how long it takes to brew my coffee, get my computer to boot up, my kids to get in the car, and even how long it takes to read this blog post. Please tell me I'm not the only one?? Crazy isn't it? 

I mean we have invented all of these things to help us to get things done faster and we end up becoming a slave to that very thing.

But Christ came to set us free! So let's be free!! Maybe God isn't calling you (or even me) to tithe a full 2 hours and 40 minutes of prayer and study time a day, but there are days I don't even spend an hour, 1/2 an hour, or 15 minutes,before I'm done and on to the next thing that keeps me so busy. That is wrong. It's sin, and I am now confessing it. 

Jesus is my most important relationship. I love my husband and children, but I can't be the wife and mother they need without filling my soul with the Love of God each day. 

Luke 5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Oh how I need to be more like my Jesus. I need to withdraw to lonely places and pray... Often. Pray with me my friends that I can be more faithful with my time. 

Blessings on you today!

Kari

About Kari

Coming Soon.... ;-)

Have you Surrendered All?

Gen 22:16-18 "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."

This is something that I think I am learning continually. That when I fully surrender over to Him that thing I hold closest to my heart,  that he is good and kind and gives it right back to me. But when he gives it back to me it is even better than it was before. And what HE gives cannot be taken away. Glory to Him! I know that this is not unusual, Abraham was not the only one asked to give over that which he loved more than life. We are all called to do this in everything that has potential to be held in our heart over God. He has the right to be first in our heart.

F.B Meyer says it like this in speaking of Abraham's Sacrifice  " It is simply a specimen and pattern of God's dealings with all souls who are prepared to obey Him at whatever cost"

So my question for you today is: What are you holding on to that God is asking you to surrender? and Are you prepared to obey him at whatever the cost, even if it means giving over that one thing you hold the most dear?

Blessings to you today dear blogger friends!

Books I Love

Favorite Devotionals















Beth Moore Bible Studies and Books (Love her!!)

 





























Diet

Are You an Allied Mom?

Hello, my beautiful Christian blogging friends out there! I am so happy that you stopped by! I have been tucked away in my secret "office" aka the camping trailer, cooking up something good with my good friend Stephanie Page over at Sharing the Pages of Life.  And today I have the extreme pleasure of finally announcing our blog baby Allied Moms!!!




"We are a Place for Online Christian Moms to Mingle and Build Their Blogs."

As Christian women we want to support and encourage one another. Hebrews 3:13a says: "Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today,"

Our heart here at Allied Moms is to help you, the Christian blog mom, find a place to meet moms, Share your heart, AND promote your blog for FREE!

So join us, grab our button, link up your blog, comment on our getting to know you question of the day, and be entered to win one of 24 free weekly ad spots. Then go and visit other moms on the list, make new friends, and see what they are doing with their blogs.

Because.... in this big wide mom blogging world, it's good to have a few Allies!

Please,  Stop by this new site we made, I really hope we get to "mingle" together. And remember spread the word, because the more followers we have, the more publicity your blog gets!

Blessings to you all!

Set Me Free ~ By Casting Crowns

It is good to remember How and When God set us free! This song is powerful to me. As you know from my testimony I was bound and gagged by sin. Ravaged by it's consequences.... But HE SET ME FREE... Thank you Lord. 


So the question remains. If you don't know him... Do you want to be free?

The Beth Moore Blog- My Favorite Place to Hang Out

If you are a Christian woman you probably have heard of Beth Moore. But have you visited the Beth Moore Blog? If you haven’t then you are missing something special. Known the world over for her in depth bible teaching for women, Beth and her two daughters, Melissa and Amanda, are as genuine and revealing about their life as you would hope. They have immeasurably blessed me.

What is Beth’s blog all about?

The Beth Moore blog is a real, down home, where you live, type of blog. The three beautiful ladies will share anything from a favorite family recipe, funny dog and kid stories, to in-depth, cry your eyes out, change your life, honesty about their walk with Christ. When you are a part of that blog you feel like you are a part of their inner circle; a part of their family even. This is one of my favorite things about Beth Moore. She has a way of not only teaching you, but also making you feel like you are her dear friend.  Perhaps that is why so many of us women love her so much.

What does Beth teach about?

Her dedication to teaching the word of God to women is unparalleled. I have done most of Beth's bible sudies and I can say with honesty that I don’t believe you will find a better bible teacher on this planet for women. She teaches hard to understand subjects and deep scriptural truths and presents them in a way that makes you understand. It becomes personal by deepening your knowledge of our amazing bible. She also gives you the tools necessary to find the truth in scripture yourself, by showing you how to study the original text and cross reference with other scriptures. In the Beth Moore blog, she teaches by example about real life, walking with the Lord, and about having a real relationship with Jesus.

How has the Beth Moore blog been a blessing?

Personally I love learning from Beth. I never ever get tired of her style of teaching. But the Beth Moore blog allows an interaction with Beth and her daughters that makes me feel that I am not alone in my walk with God. If I had a chance to speak with Beth personally I think I would tell her “thank you”. I would say thank you for not talking down to us, like so many bible studies do. Thank you for being yourself, and being true to teaching the word of God to us in such a manor that honors us. I have learned more from Beth, Melissa, and Amanda, than you could possibly imagine. When I have needed a spiritual partner the Beth Moore blog was able to give me the connection I needed with fellow believers.

Spend some time on the Beth Moore blog today. You will be so glad you did.

Strength From the Depths

Today I was reading an old journal of mine from a time in my life that was very hurtful and dark. It was necessary for me to depend completely on The Lord for my emotional strength. My sorrow was so great, and my sense of alone-ness was so deep. All I can say is that it was only in HIM that I emerged stronger, and more victorious than I was when I went in to that time.  Now, I fondly look back on that time in my life as a time of great growth. Amazing right?  Jesus walked so closely with me during it.  He was truly sustaining me. He has promised to be with us during those times and I am living proof that he is faithful to that word. 

Here is an excerpt from that journal. (I apologize for the length.)

 1 Corinthians 6:10 "Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." 

I am saddened by the happenings around me. I am sorrowful that things are not going well. It breaks my heart to see it. I am sorrowful to the point of laying down and letting it overtake me. But I wont.  I wont because My Lord is strong and He is able to lift me. He says "Rejoice!" 

Not Rejoice about the actual bad thing happening, for who says "Wow, thank you that I am in such agony because someone betrayed me, or sinned against me, or hurt me?" No one says that, but God still says Rejoice. 

• Rejoice that we have his promises,
• Rejoice that No wound  can be fatal when we are saved by Christ. 
• Rejoice that he will do all things to work for good. 
• Rejoice that you are not alone. 
• Rejoice that He has found you worthy of enduring this pain-knowing that you will not break, but grow closer and more dependent on him.
• I rejoice that my Lord carries me. That He fights my battle.
• I rejoice that my pain is deep enough that I have to ask him daily to carry me because I can not do it alone. 
• I rejoice that in my weakness he is Strong.
• I rejoice that he is teaching me the GIFT of silence.
• I rejoice in the new words he gives me and that he is nearer to me than ever before.
• I rejoice at my inner peace. 
• I rejoice that the enemy has lost and that Jesus has won and because of that I have the victory and the enemy must leave in shame.
• I rejoice that God gives me just enough strength for today, because if I think of my future and I worry about what might happen I may have no strength to survive. But with today's strength and today's tasks I am powerful and able to do everything I want.
• I rejoice in my Lord who is always with me. 
• I rejoice that no one can take that away from me.
• I rejoice in HIM!! 

What a petty thing my troubles are in comparison. Even though they cut me, bruise me, and cause me all sorts of anguish, they are small when I compare them to the greatness of my God and savior. ~"Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" ~ Praise to God Almighty the king forever, who can stand against him? Certainly not you enemy, certainly not you circumstance. Enemy you have been beaten, circumstance you have lost the war. Jesus has the Victory! Jesus has the victory!"

I don't know if you can identify with the type of season I was in when I wrote this, but I am finding strength today in my own words of faith written so long ago. Perhaps you will too. 

Thanks again for letting me share my heart today ladies!

Kari

Hello Again!

Oh my dear Blog ladies... I am so sorry that I have been absent from my blog for so long. I have been experiencing one of those times in my life when I have allowed myself to become overwhelmed with "things" to do.

Everything seems urgent, and everything seems necessary. Unfortunately when I allow those times to overtake me, it is usually a good indicator that I am not bringing my life before God and trusting him with my "things". God has been speaking to my heart, gently, but insistently helping me to bring my priorities back into focus. Here is the scripture that spoke to me and the insights I noted when God brought it into my focus.

"Bring them here to me." Matt 14:18     

When Jesus Said this he was asking the disciples to bring the tiny amount of food that they had gathered to feed the 5-thousand.  It was a completely inadequate amount to try and feed so many. And yet they were asked for what they could bring. Did God need it? Nope. But he required it because he wants us to be a part of what he is doing. Our daily work is like this. We are to bring our complete work to him.... and he will make what we have done enough. Though this seems simple, it is really very complex because it takes knowing you have done all you can do, letting go of what you can't do, AND trusting him to make it all work.

WORK, FAITH, TRUST. This is where I went wrong. I kept DOING, and forgot to give it to him. How silly would it have been for the disciples to try and feed the 5-thousand themselves with only 5 loaves and 2 fish? Pretty ridiculous. But that is exactly what we do when we don't bring it to him in faith and trust. He is so good to us. He is faithful. 


I am learning this lesson as I look at the gigantic pile of things I have to do. I will do what I can today, and give the rest to him, and have faith that he will make it enough. 


Thanks for letting me share today ladies, I hope to be posting more often.... as I trust him to get the rest done.

Will You Serve Where God Puts You?

"...Stay there until I tell you..." Matthew 2:13 (partial)




 

I’ll Stay where You’ve put me; I will, dear Lord,

Though I wanted so badly to go;

I was eager to march with the “rank and file,”

Yes, I wanted to lead them, You know.

I planned to keep step to the music loud,

To cheer when the banner unfurled,

To stand in the midst of the fight straight and proud,

But I’ll stay where You’ve put me.

I’ll Stay where You’ve put me; I’ll work, dear Lord,

Though the field be narrow and small,

And the ground be fallow, and the stones lie thick,

And there seems to be no life at all.

The field is thine own, only give me the seed,

I’ll sow it with never a fear;

I’ll till the dry soil while I wait for the rain,

And rejoice when the green blades appear;

I’ll work where You’ve put me.

I’ll stay where You’ve put me; I will, dear Lord,

I’ll bear the day’s burden and heat,

Always trusting Thee fully; when even has come

I’ll lay heavy sheaves at Thy feet,

And then, when my earth work is ended and done,

In the light of eternity’s glow,

Life’s record all closed, I surely shall find

It was better to stay than to go;

I’ll stay where You’ve put me.

“Oh, restless heart, that beat against your prison bars of circumstances, yearning for a wider sphere of usefulness, leave God to order all your days. Patience and trust, in the dullness of the routine of life, will be the best preparation for a courageous bearing of the tug and strain of the larger opportunity which God may sometime send you.”


Reprinted with thanks from “Streams in the Desert” by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman 

Jason Gray- one of my favorite artists "More Like Falling in Love"

The Unloved Woman

Have you ever known an unloved woman? One who felt her husband didn't love her? Have you ever felt unloved, or forgotten by someone? A friend, a parent, a spouse? No one likes to feel like they are not worth another’s time. How much more this would hurt if you were in a marriage like that. I am thinking specifically of the relationship between Leah, Jacob, and Rachel. Here is one of my all time favorite scriptures. It seems a bit obscure, but you will see why I like it in a minute.

"When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren." Genesis 29:31

Now, I am not rejoicing in Rachel’s barrenness, but what I am rejoicing in is God going to bat for Leah. He gave her honor, when everyone else had dishonored her. I could cry thinking about how loving and compassionate God was to her.

"When the Lord saw... He.."

When he saw her pain HE took action. He did something tangible. Do you wait for the Lord to take action for you? There are no other words more powerful to me in the bible than when God "rises" to rescue his own. This is the same God who can create the universe with a word! That he would be passionate enough about your circumstance to rise to meet the challenge is astonishing.

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" Isa 30:18

The bible says Leah was the undesirable sister. Not even her own father wanted her. He didn't respect her enough to find her a husband in an honorable way. Instead, he passed her off in secret to the first unsuspecting relative he could find. Even her sister was against her.

What do you think life was like for Leah? Her Father didn't want her, her husband didn't want her, and her sister didn't want her. She was told she was undesirable, while her sister was loved and desired by the husband they shared. But God wanted her. God honored her. Listen to how Leah named the first four of her sons. See how she obsessively tries to win her husbands attention, and then watch as she goes from misery in her circumstances to praising God for her blessings.

Reuben : "... Reuben, for she said, 'it is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now'." (Reuben means, "He has seen my misery") Gen 29:32

Simeon: "Because the Lord heard I am not loved, he gave me this one too." so she named him Simeon (Simeon means "one who hears") Gen 29:33

Levi: "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have born him three sons." so he was named Levi. (Levi means attached) Gen 29:34

Judah: "This time I will praise the Lord." so she named him Judah. (Judah derived from the word praise) Gen 29:35

Notice how her situation didn't change? Leah would have six sons, an honor for any woman of her time. But her husband still didn’t love her. With the first three sons she wallowed in her misery but by the 4th son she began to praise God. She finally saw Gods hand in her circumstances, and that was her true reward. She would feel "loved" through God. Even though her circumstances didn’t change.

When we are unloved, or even just feel unloved, we have a choice. We can say, " woe is me I am so forgotten", or we can begin to praise God in our circumstances, and say “ HE is enough.” Cast your cares on him... even your desire to be loved, because He is even the provider of our love. He lavished it on Leah, the unloved woman, because from her came the tribe of Judah, and as you know from this tribe came our savior, Jesus-oh what a blessing! Rachel had the eye of her husband, but Leah had the eye of God almighty! Praise you, oh Lord that you are not like man! Praise you, oh Lord, that you have your eyes on those who are forgotten or unlovely or hated, praise you that we are loved deeply by you even when those who are supposed to love us don't. Praise you Father that you see us and you say:

"The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord." Psalm 45:11 NIV

Blessed is She...

"Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"  Luke 1:42

At first I had much difficulty taking this scripture into my heart as my own. After all, this is referring to Mary the mother of Jesus. But in Studying the words, it's really about believing isn't it? It's not about who I am or what I've done that is good or bad, but about God giving grace when we believe.When we step in belief we are blessed. Something happens in a heart when we stubbornly refuse to give in to the enemy's plan to sow doubt and despair.

"Blessed is she who has believed..."

Has believed. How long have you believed? How long have you waited for that thing you are believing about? The blessing seems to come after the believing, but not necessarily immediately after believing. Actively believing, not a one time deal. Continuously walking in a state of belief. No longer wishing for or even hoping for in the sense that you "hope it will happen" but in a state of waiting for God to reveal his timing. Knowing that your God will either bless you with whatever it is, or give you something HE regards as better. Oh, that is powerful. To know that God will not give you something because you want it, but to give you what he thinks is better for you. When we have this kind of trust, we are blessed. When we really believe that God is for us, and is working for what is best for us, we are blessed.

"what the Lord has said to her..."

How do you know what the Lord has said to you? Are you engaged in active, continual listening? The bible says that his flock know his voice. Perhaps He "Has said" something to you long ago, perhaps we must have long suffering or long waiting to see the fruition of what we know has been said. Mary had to wait until the signs of pregnancy were obvious to "see" what she was believing for. She didn't immediately see what she was believing for. This kind of believing means that we must spend time actually listening to God. Do I listen? Really? In such a "get it done" society, do we really spend the time we need to listen to Gods voice?

"will be accomplished..."

Yes Lord, accomplish your will! God will make it happen. Is anything to hard for God? Do you believe God can do it? Here is the real question...  do you believe God will do it? We can trust in the word of God! If what you believe he has said is backed by scripture, you know that God will do it. Do you know the one thing God CAN'T do? He can't be what he is not. God can't lie, becaue it is the opposite of what he is... He is truth. So we can 100% trust that if said it, he will do it. Here is a scripture to take to heart about what he has said he will do.

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling  of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mournng or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'" Revelation 21:3-5

"Revelation Song" - Gateway Worship, Song led by Kari Jobe

I just love this song! Enjoy the worship!

Hope Deferred

In the winter you can't see the spring, and if while in the winter you only believe in what you see, you are missing truth. Because the truth is that spring is coming, and death is no more.

This is my answer to those who say they only believe in what they see. How short sighted. In the natural world this would be considered ridiculous, but when we start talking about God, suddenly those of us who believe spring is coming are the crazy ones. Interesting how the enemy uses this. The bible calls our faith in spring coming hope deferred (psalm 13:12). I like that. My hope is real, though it feels deferred so much of the time. I think about the things happening in this world and I feel very much worried that the spring may never come. And almost in the same instant I feel frightened that it will suddenly appear and I haven't done enough preparations and will be caught with my guard down. Hope Deferred. Hope hoped for. Hope realized. Wow, that day is coming soon.

What is it that you are hoping for in your life? How long has it been "hope deferred"? Is it a promise from the Lord? Think about that hope that you hold so dearly and remember that just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's any less real. God lives in infinite wisdom, and he holds that thing in his hand until the time is right for hope deferred to become hope realized. Take heart, our waiting lasts only a short while, but our joy will be everlasting. Blessings to you sisters in Christ

Kari