Meeting God on a Snowny Morning

Snow, small at first, just a shining in the cold morning air, comes down faster now, larger flakes floating like feathers from the colorless sky to a colorless world.

It's beautiful and today, it feels personal, intimate. Watching it I feel a settling in my churning spirit as if God's grace is floating down around my shoulders.

Somehow, watching this snow, it seems God's reply to my restless heart, to its anxious cry.
Soothing, comforting me, saying,

"I am listening, child.
I AM giving,
I AM blessing,
I AM enough
to cover your world of chaos and pain
(temporary and light afflictions)
with beauty, grace, love.
My mercy is enough to forgive and cover the ugly parts of you.
My grace becomes yours.
I AM.
I hear from heaven and answer,
sending as many blessings
as there are snowflakes falling from the sky."

Abba Father. Abba father.

The snow is mercy, falling from above, covering me.
The candle glowing is grace, creating light & hope in the grey of today.

I lean on Your tender heart
You are here, I AM,
and I am gonna be fine.

Good Lord it's Morning! OR Good Morning, Lord

Another little QTT*

I like to sleep.

I love snuggling beneath my downy comforter and soft pillows and relaxing my aching bones, my mind drifting on a sea of pleasant sensations, cuddly and warm. Ahhhhhh.

HOWEVER,

if I'm to keep my daily appointment with the Lord, I'm going to need to tear myself out of my cozy cocoon, stretch my arms into my robe and head out to meet Him, greeting Him with praise for the new day.

More often than not, this can be difficult to do.

On mornings when the floor seems just too cold and the bed too soft and warm, I remind myself of this cute poem by Jill Briscoe. I picture God, the needle, pulling me up and out from the covers and somehow it helps me to rise, if not shine. Once again, our dear Savior takes it on Himself to put in us what He asks of us.

Try it, it works.

I am also reminded today as I write this that to become a beautiful butterfly, the caterpillar has to shed the comfy cocoon. Thank You Lord, for speaking new truth to us, each day!

God the Needle



God the needle, the thread,

Get my body out of bed,

How to know You if I sleep,

You the Shepherd, I the sheep.

God the needle, I the thread,

Is my Bible open read?



God the needle, I the thread,

Get this truth inside my head,

Here to weave my time today,

In my work and in my play,

Make a picture, fasten me

Inside Your lovely tapestry.



God the needle, I the thread,

And when all is done and said,

May the picture You have made

Last forever, never fade.

May my thread reflect Your glory,

When You've finished Jesus' story.



God the needle, I the thread,

Get my body out of bed.


(AMEN)

*QTT=Quiet Time Tip

Daily Devotions Inspired by 90 Minutes in Heaven

I depart from my year-long review of Christian fiction today to share a great devotional book I've just finished reading. It turned out to be one of those books that just speaks to your heart exactly what you need to hear each day, and of course I had to share that!

Don Piper is man who lives with pain. But he doesn’t wallow in it. In 1989, he was pronounced dead by EMTs for 90 minutes in a car accident. After returning to life, he spent months in the hospital recovering from his injuries and still today lives with the resulting pain from the accident.

I also live with pain. Due to arthritis, physical pain is a given in my daily life. I’m also terribly sensitive to the normal big-time pain killers (such as Vicodin) so I pretty much refuse to take them.

I’ve often asked God about the “why” of pain, of being unable to walk even a mile a day I used to, the ability to work out at the gym. Then I picked up “Daily Devotions Inspired by 90 Minutes in Heaven” by Don Piper and Cecil Murphey.

Reading the devotions in this book has renewed my faith in God’s providence and reminded me that I’m not alone in my suffering. Just knowing there are other believers fighting the same battles, trusting and persevering and looking forward to heaven for our complete healing is a fantastic blessing and comfort.

Don and Cec write for people not saints. The devotions are full of personal stories; lessons learned the hard way and inspiring scriptures on every page. I especially loved the prayers at the end of each devotion. These moments with God expressed the desire of my heart beautifully.

If you are a person who sometimes wonders about what God is doing in your life, if you’re going a rough patch or even if you’re just wondering about heaven and what God has in store, this would be a wonderful 90 day journey for you to take. The end will leave you comforted, peaceful and closer to heaven and to the Lord.

http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Inspired-Minutes-Heaven/dp/0425232085/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276349033&sr=1-1

God Answers Prayer! -- Try connecting with Him.

I've recently been reading a book that has had a major impact on my life and I wanted to share it with as many people as I could, in the hope that they will be blessed as I have been by this book. Peter Lundell's new book, Prayer Power--30 days to a Stronger Connection with God is one of the most helpful books about prayer I've ever encountered, and I've been a believer since 1958.

What I love most about this book is the simplicity and directness in teaching about prayer. The short chapters and 30 day format are perfect for a new believer, for anyone seeking God and a great "refresher" course for us "seasoned saints". Peter writes with great insight sharing stories from the lives of many believers as well as his own experiences in learning how to connect with our loving heavenly Father. It would also make an ideal study for a small group. An appendix in the back, containing "Growth gages and suggested activities" allows the reader a practical method of evaluating their prayer life, where they are and how to move towards for a closer connection with God. (End of commercial-ha-ha)

Personally, I am so thankful God brought this book into my life at this point in my life. Because of some pretty chronic pain due to arthritis, (resulting in a total hip replacement in Sept. 2007) I felt impressed to grab on to one of Peter Lundell's suggestions about praying scripture for myself.
The scripture was Mark 11:23 where Jesus says "If anyone says to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him". As Peter suggested, I replaced the word "mountain" in the verse with the word "body" and said "Be strengthened" instead of "thrown into the sea".
In faith, I began to pray, " Body, be strengthened!" and (hopefully) "not doubting in (my) heart but believing" that what He says will happen--specifically "it will be done for him".
God has answered that prayer in an amazing way. Shortly after I had begun to pray, I "just happened" to see an online auction for a membership to a local gym. Hmmm, could this be the beginning of an answer from God? With only 4 hours left in the auction, I prayerfully placed my bid and got the membership for one half of the usual price.
That happened about a month ago and since then I've been able to exercise several times a week and regain more strength and mobility than I would have thought possible. (Did I mention I also had a hip replaced in 2007?) I'm now almost off the Ibuprofen I had been taking, up to about four or more a day, usually. And yesterday for the first time in at least 5+ years, I was able to do something I haven't been able to do for years--put a sock on my right foot almost normally! (OK, I get excited about the little things but just imagine if you always needed help to put on your socks--not fun).

Joining a gym was not something I was even considering. I had no idea how God would "strengthen" my body. But what an awesome Shepherd we have who knows how to lead each sheep to exactly the right pasture--or gym in my case. And God even took into account how I much I LOVE a bargain, arranging the ½ price membership to the gym! All this has just happened in the last thirty days. I am so grateful to God for the way He keeps His word!

As I continue reading the book, Prayer Power, I am looking forward to seeing what other surprises God has in store for me. If you are longing to know God better, to see His Hand at work in your life, to have a stronger connection with God, please join me and give Prayer Power a try.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to see thousands of answered prayers all over the blog-o-sphere!?!
Feel free to post yours here!

(for more information go to http://www.peterlundell.com/)