People Get Ready

One of my favorite periods in United States history to study is the time of Westward Expansion. A period when people much more courageous than I, brave Pioneers, would hop aboard a covered wagon full of their life long belongings, fueled for the adventure of a lifetime by their hopes, dreams, and ambition.  

Sometimes, however, the husband would mount on horseback, leaving his wife and children behind with family to go claim land and build a home, with the plan to return for his family; sparing them the arduous journey, time spent searching for land and dangers of the treacherous trip.

This was a long journey, often leaving women and children anxiously waiting and looking towards the horizon each day in hopes that their loved one would return soon, safe and ready to take them to new lands.

They prayed for their husband, father’s protection each night while rumors of Indian raids and robbers reached their ears. They dreamed of the home he was building for them and all being reunited again under one roof. Tears inevitably fell each night as the wife longed to see her husband again, but reassuring her heart with the reminder of his loving words, “My love, I am going to prepare a place for you, so wait here and I’ll be back for you—I’ll be back for you.”

I believe if it were me, I would arise each day wondering, “Is today the day?! I must be ready for his return just in case.” I would prepare my children for the journey too! I would do my daily work each day, but constantly dream of my loves return. And then, on that glorious day of his return, when I saw his face coming riding over the hills—with tears streaming from my face, I would run to him with open arms for his embrace and he would wipe the tears from my eyes and I would see tears fall from his face too. Oh, the love… the journey he would have experienced. The patience, endurance, and love it required of him. The sacrifice.

That.is. Jesus.

We are his bride. He went to prepare a place for you and for me.

Lord, I pray, give me the strength to be faithful to you in the wait. Help me not turn from eagerly waiting on you by distractions of this world.  Help me to be focused on the horizon—waiting and watching---pure and clean—ready to leap into your arms--the love of my life. To be held and loved intimately by you, Father. To be found faithful on the day of your return, working hard each day with perseverance, running the race with diligence you set before me.

Thank you for the cross. Thank you for the journey. Thank you for your great act of love and thank you for your promise of return.

“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.” Revelation 1:7

“for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” Romans 14:11

Jesus is Lord

Have you ever doubted the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life? Have you ever wondered, “Is He still there? Did I run Him off?”

1 Corinthians 12:3 says,

“I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says, “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.”

Do you want to KNOW the Spirit is inside you? Do you want to walk with the Holy Spirit each day?

Declare JESUS IS LORD. All day, every day, inside your mind and out loud. With deep conviction, with true belief that Jesus is your Lord.

When you wake up…

JESUS IS LORD

When you are driving to work…

JESUS IS LORD

When you are weak…

JESUS IS LORD

When you are hurting…

JESUS IS LORD

When you are doubting…

JESUS IS LORD

When you are grateful…

JESUS IS LORD

When you are weary….

JESUS IS LORD

When you are scared…

JESUS IS LORD

When you are praising God…

JESUS IS LORD

Psalm 22:3 says, “God is Holy, enthroned on the praises of His people”

I love the quote by Nancy Leigh Demoss that says, “God lives in the place of praise. If we want to be where He is, we need to go to His address.” Praise Him. Praise Him. Praise Him. All day. Joy will fill your heart and soul.

Find security that God is with you. That is a promise. Praise Him daily. Declare He is Lord of your life. Humbly, submit to his Lordship, His authority, His greatness, His sovereignty, with one heart and mind—Jesus is Lord.

Bow to Him, worship Him, He is everything.

The most powerful way to witness to your friends—live out that Jesus is Lord of your life. Want to share how to become a believer? Tell them Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

THREE POWERFUL, BEAUTIFUL WORDS----JESUS IS LORD!

Behind the Scenes

As I sit on the edge of my sleeping daughters bed and watch her sleep I am overcome with thoughts and emotions. Deep, soul-wrenching gratitude floods my heart. I watch her sleep and think of life.

I think of our world, our problems, our division.

I think of Jesus, salvation, and eternity.

And I suddenly think of God sitting at the edge of my bed watching me sleep.

He feels the same deep love for me that I feel for each of my children. Except- His burden is greater than mine and His love is far purer than mine. He knows what lies ahead for me. He sees my future.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to know my children’s future. I can’t imagine the human flesh trying to deal with the burden and joys of the surprises life throws our way. Can you grasp the pain of knowing the very day your child would experience heart ache?

Only a deep, solid, agape love would endure that pain and joy over and over again for his children. If I knew what problems tomorrow held for my children and knew they had to face them--what would I do?

As a Mother that loves them I would do everything in my power to prepare them. I would do everything in my power to mold them, to equip them, and strategically place people in their life to support them. I would pray for them and if possible rescue them.

I think of our Heavenly Father. He knows what this broken world is going to throw our way. He knows some things we just have to face. But he doesn’t leave us alone. He does everything in his power to prepare us. Sometimes we listen and other times we push that preparation away. He works daily- fighting for us-to be molded and equipped for the battles this world hurls at us. He strategically places people in our lives to support us and encourage us.  He not only has prayed for us, but gave his own Son to rescue us.  He fights for us. He loves bigger than us. He carries so much more than us.  He chooses to go before us.  But we choose to see Him at work or not.

We can choose to say He is not there. We can choose to say He allowed this awful thing to happen. Or we can open our eyes to a real, enduring, redeeming, and rescuing kind of love that is at the center of every worldly heartache.  I praise God the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit for working on my behalf and your behalf. I praise Him for watching, planning, and strategically working day in and day out behind the scenes for my benefit. I praise Him for His Greatness and His eternal Love.

All Glory and Honor to Him!

1st Day of Kindergarten

I was watching her play outside; joyfully, without a care in the world, giggling her heart out when it first happened. Sadness began to creep slowly across my heart and a heavy sinking feeling starting to make its way to my stomach.  I have felt this pain before, but it caught me off guard this time. I thought I was prepared for this, and by round three this was going to be a breeze.

 You see, I’ve already sent two other children off to kindergarten for their first day of school, and while it was hard, I quickly found great joy in watching their love for making friends and learning that I realized everything was as it should be.

So why is this pain and hurt creeping through my spirit again? Maybe it’s because I have been a mother to a preschooler for the last decade; having a precious babe by my side for more hours than I can count (my little side-kicks, as I like to call them). Maybe, it’s because she is my last and I am grieving the goodbye to ten joyful and precious years of being a stay-at-home MOP.  Maybe, my heart is just so full of gratitude that my God would grant me three beautiful gifts to nurture, love, and mother—that my heart and (eyes) can’t hold back the love that spills out.

Yes, they are tears of love; tears of thankfulness, joy, sweet memories, and God’s grace.

I can’t promise the tears won’t continue to fall out. I will do everything in my power to hide them on the first day of school from my most excited little kindergartner.  I wouldn’t dare want to dim her light. But, if you see me linger for one last look and discreetly wipe a tear from my eye, (or have a complete melt down in my car) when I say good bye- know that my tears are full of love and joy. Tears of sheer gratitude that an all loving, grace-giving God would grant me such precious treasures to love, hold, and cherish.

“Thank you Lord Jesus for these precious little ones you entrusted in my care. They are yours, not mine, and I will trust them in your watch care all the days of their lives.  I thank you for the change of seasons, and stages of life. I will choose gratitude over sadness. I will find joy in each new season of my children’s life and praise you for the little people you are creating them to be. I will rejoice as they grow and walk in your ways. Lord you are so good and your love endures forever. . . .Thank you for the tears. They are reminders of great love.”

~Katy Roberts

8-6-16

Heavy Burden

Three nights in a row the Lord has awoken me with the desire to pray deeply for a friend. She is a friend that is going through a nightmare. At least, what I consider to be a nightmare. She seemingly has very few to confide in and the weight of what she is going through is very heavy. I awake and I pray. I pray for peace and comfort and perseverance. I pray for God’s deliverance and rescue. I yearn for my prayers to be answered swiftly. I ache to help carry her load.

Through my prayers for my friend, the Lord has continuously reminded me of Moses. Do you remember the story of the Israelites being attacked by the Amalekites? Moses gave instructions for Joshua to pick a group for battle. Moses then went to the top of a hill overlooking the battle with the staff of God in his hand and he raised it high. If you read in Exodus 17, you will find that as long as Moses held the staff high the Israelites were winning the battle, but as soon as he lowered his staff the Amalekites began to have victory.

My friend is in a battle. A battle of trust, faith, and complete dependence on the Lord. She is powerless and defeated without perseverance in faith, trust, and the sovereignty of our great God.

But sometimes, she gets tired. Her fears and doubts make her faith weak and that’s when brothers and sisters in Christ step forward. You see Moses grew weary. His arms became weak, but Aaron and Hur stepped in to help support his arms. When Moses wanted to faint they held him up. When he grew tired and weary, every fiber of his being screaming to give up, his friends supported him. They helped Moses hold his banner of complete trust and dependence in the Lord high.

“But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set.” Exodus 17:12

Are you carrying a heavy load today? Are you losing sight of what a powerful God we serve? Has fear weakened your trust and faith? It’s okay if you have grown weary and tired. Just like Moses had Aaron and Hur, the body of Christ is made to support you, encourage you, stand by you, and lift you up. 

If you will pray a prayer for my friend. You don’t know her, but she needs some Aaron & Hurs in her life right now. Pray for God’s deliverance. Pray for the enemy to not have a single foothold to stand on and for truth to win.

Thank you so much sweet friends. We are the body of Christ. We are his hands and feet. Every prayer matters. Thank you for helping me and my friend carry this load.

Have you heard?

It’s going to happen.

At some point in our lives, even if we try to avoid it, we will hear gossip.  As believers in Christ Jesus, when gossip inevitably hits our ears I believe we have a responsibility to respond with action. 

True or false, we are now privy to secret knowledge about someone else’s life. 

Let’s challenge ourselves to keep the following three responses in mind.

*First, step in their shoes. True or false, we put on glasses of grace, mercy, empathy, and love.  We try to determine what they might be going through. What could be the possible cause, weakness, or struggle that led them astray?

 *Secondly, before taking one more step we start praying. If we listened to the gossip, we are now held responsible.  Secretly start battling in prayer for the persons involved. Take it as a direct assignment from the Lord. Pray over the situation, the people involved, the possible struggles, and for God to intervene, heal, and convict.

 *Thirdly, stay silent. Loud in prayer, quiet in voice. We should tell no one what we heard. As though our life depended upon it, let's hold ourselves accountable before God to not continue the cycle of gossip.  

***(Obviously, if this gossip contains any illegal reports or form of abuse you would report to authorities.)

“Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.” Proverbs 11:12

The Month of No Electronics

A couple of months ago, my husband and I made the decision to take away our children’s electronic devices. 

Each child had a kindle fire, and while we originally thought it would be useful for educational games it had morphed into a prison for their minds. They came home, did homework, then headed straight for their electronic game. 

If you asked them a question they answered without looking up. If you needed their attention it took a whole 10 seconds for them to exit their electronic world before entering into reality to be able to formulate a coherent and appropriate response. They became moody, easily angered, and eerily quiet.

We knew something had to change.

We were watching this electronic device steal their childhood right before our very eyes.

My husband and I sat them down and explained why we were making the decision to take away their electronics, cold turkey, I might add. They grumbled and complained, but we stuck to our decision. We started by saying, “let’s give it one month and we will re-evaluate.”

They asked for a couple of days if they could have their electronic before they finally accepted our decision. And then, something absolutely wonderful began to happen. They pulled out old board games and played together. They went out doors and created games. They started riding their bikes and building ramps. They dug for worms, gave them a bath (which killed the worms) and then gave it a funeral. They jumped on the trampoline and planted seeds. THEY BEGAN TO LIVE AGAIN.

It's now been three months and I recently commented on how much I have enjoyed watching them play and live life together since getting rid of the kindles. My daughter responded, “Oh yea! I forgot we had kindles” THEY HAVE NOT EVEN MISSED THEM!

I’m not saying they will never pick up an electronic. I simply write this to encourage any of you who have considered being the “mean parent” and taking away the electronics or seriously cutting back. I write this to encourage you. I write this because sometimes it’s nice to know someone has your back. Sometimes it’s nice to not be alone.  And sometimes it’s just nice to stand together as parents.