In The Hour of Need

Dear Jesus help us please
in this hour of our need.
thank you that you hear our prayer
thank you most that you are there

to show your power that far exceeds
the greatness of our heart felt needs
when you raise your mighty hand
it only takes but 1 command
All I need is to be still
and with your blessing I'll be filled

let once again your name arise
on praises lifted to the skies
the storms of life you are the calm
for you are where my help comes from

tho the instruments you use
may wear hats and socks and shoes
but its your hand that is out stretched
to be sure I always get the best

only you know just what I need
and only you my soul can feed
only you can take what I've been through and
turn it to praises back to you

I pray you'll also be able to use me
as your hand and heart to meet needs
help me remember where you've brought me from
Help my heart let others feel at home

Let them know you'll always be there and
show them just how much you care
Let my words now testify
Upon You we all can rely

Lord now I thank you for this trial
thank you for ALL the hidden smiles
for reaching down to my dark place
that I might reach up & touch your face   :)

I Love You Jesus!
Becca

Keeper Of My Memories

A memory this evening was causing a little frustration when only a fragment of it would come to me. Finally, I closed my eyes and tried to picture the moment and what lead up to it, but the details were blurry. So I asked the Lord and waited.

I heard a still small voice, "How long will you wait & be still?"
"As long as it takes!" I eagerly replied.

Suddenly a prayer began resonating from deep within me, from behind the eyelids in the silence and among the mixed up images:

To The Holy Spirit I Prayed,
"Oh, Keeper of my memories....those you would have me keep forever...and those You'd have me cast aside to lighten the load I carry...Please clear up the places that are fuzzy, and silence every lying voice I hear within my head! Let your purpose come in clear and sharpen my senses to your leading! Be the glue that puts and holds all the pieces together that you have allowed me to experience. Help me remember the words from Your Heart and from others, so that I'll recognize important moments and hold on to them to use for Your Glory! Amen."

Of course there were many interruptions, and the silence was too short. But I know He heard my prayer. Maybe you might close your eyes and pray that too. :-)

He Did Not Retaliate-1Pet 2-23

1 Peter 2:21-23 (NIV)

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”  When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
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I think the Lord woke me up early today. I looked some into His word and was reminded of a great passage.1Peter 2:21-23.  Look it up in context when u get a minute :)

When I shared this with a friend over Skype, his response was "Very difficult for us as men. But so worth following his words. When I get angry at what others are doing to me, it is hard to hold my tongue."

Yes, it is hard, but Grace empowers us if we are willing. I doubt its just men who struggle with this. Its Human nature to want to defend yourself.  I think that's what "dying 2 self" is about. Not giving in to what the flesh really wants. Or as Scripture says, Reckoning yourself dead to sin." 

If your body was dead, what could anyone influence you to do? Nothing. Right?  No one could insult you, taunt you, bribe you, or even co-urse you into doing anything against the Law of Love.  If we could just let our minds be renewed and washed by the Water of the Word to the point that they are TRULEY SET on the things Above (not on Eathly things) the things and influences of Earth would have no affect on us either. Our bodies keep on living, though not us, but Christ lives within us. And if Christ indeed lives through us, then in turn our bodies would never be used to return insult for insult or retaliate to wrongs done against us. 

I've heard responses to this line of teaching something to the effect of, "Well I'm a child of the King and I'm not supposed to be a doormat!!"  After hearing many messages on this topic and thinking extensively on the matter, I can't help but wonder where "self-defense" comes into this whole theology.  If we truly lay our life down at His Feet and say "This is yours now God. Do with me what you will" aren't we doing as Jesus did and  "entrusting...(ourselves)...to the one who judges justly?"  How can we strike back without undoing that surrender? 

Just a thought....and something I hope and plan to see manifested in my life as well.  Because if God, my awesome Father fights for me, if a fight is required, He can get MUCH better justice than I ever could. Or...He may choose Grace when the other party knows they deserve justice. Thus, a brother or sister may be won without a word :-)   --- Selah....

Pressing Toward The Mark,
Rebecca

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Who Hasn't Had Pain?

Who hasn't been hurt, wounded, rejected? Who hasn't had disappointment, unmet expectations, loss, grief?  If the answer, as I suspect, is "Nobody!" then on some serious level, we should ALL be able to relate.

Then why is it that most of us think we gotta go around with a happy face and give others the impression we've never gone through anything? Or maybe we ARE going through something, why are so many of us so quick to hide it and doubt ANYONE could ever understand...as if we are the only one who's ever gone through stuff like this!

Why do we hide?  Why do we weep in silence?  Why do carry sadness alone?  Why not lay it at the feet of Jesus?

Happy Nine-iversary

This is a picture of my husband bill putting gas in the car so that we can go out and celebrate our anniversary. I can hardly believe it has been nine whole years! Sometimes it seems like only a few months ago! This day is such a blessing because we have been sick for so long.  I began to wonder if perhaps this anniversary would pass us by as so many other special ocasions have done before. But now we are on our way to red lobster praise the Lord!