It Goes Up, Down and Eventually, Levels Out Again!

What is it that does all this? Well, there are probably several things that you can think of in your life that does this, but for me....

It's the storms....swells of the sea
It's the emotions...anger, joy, panic, disbelief and peace

After having a really bad Monday and Tuesday this week, I was determined when I woke up yesterday morning to make the best of what I had to work with and be content.

I absolutely loved working outside all day. I think that I got more work done than I normally do inside. :-)

There is just something so invigorating about being outside in the fresh, cool, crisp fall temperatures with a slight breeze. The breeze was so gentle and my papers stayed put on the table. I am thankful that I didn't have to weigh everything down or chase papers all over the backyard. That might have taken the joy out of being outside, huh?

I was settling into my contentment mode and making great progress on my paperwork...until the bad news came.

I received news yesterday that was a total blindside. Immediately the discontentment, fear, panic, anger, disbelief...all rose up inside me...all at the same time.

You see, we have been cruising along over the past two years with only a few slight bumps in the road of life. We have been challenged with some situations but God worked them all out and we moved on with life.

As we have watched many people that we know suffer with life and different situations...we have been moving along peacefully, praising God for our blessings and seeing what we could do to help others. Being thankful that it wasn't us for a change. We were under attack of the enemy for 7 years straight. It thought many times that I would lose my mind if we didn't catch a break.

Finally, two years ago...the swells calmed down and it was a smooth, calm sea that we were sailing on...finally! The winds picked up a time or two that made small waves but no real storm manifested itself from it. Again, we were so thankful that God was seeing us through and we were finally catching our breath.

The enemy had been silent now for about two years and he loves to give you a false sense of calm in your life. One that if you aren't careful, could become prideful...like..."look how well I'm doing", "look at us and what we have", "see how I am taking care of my life, family and business". That is another way for him to trip you up because we are nothing without Christ. We are nothing without Him and never will be.

There was always a slight thought in the back of my mind saying from time to time..."when is the enemy going to pull a surprise attack", "when will he blindside us", "I know that he hasn't forgotten about us" but, I thanked God for His provision and protection on our family, dismissed the thoughts and went on with life.

Yesterday, the attack came in the form of a blindside...it was totally unexpected and without warning. We didn't see it coming at all. Were we too comfortable in our lives? I don't think so. We were prideful in our thinking that we were causing all the good that was coming our way? Absolutely not. Were we nieve in thinking that the attacks weren't on the horizon? No, because I knew as long as we were serving God...we had a target on our lives and he would attack again.

So, what do you do when it comes? My emotions went right back up after calming down to settle in on contentment yesterday, the panic set in immediately..."what are we going to do?", "how should be handle this" and so on...my mind was racing. I am the emotional one and my husband is the calm one.

I called him and told him about the bad news that we received. He calmly said "I'm not going to worry about it until I know more about it. We need to call and see what this is all about". He said "I can't tell you not to worry because you probably will anyway, but I am not".

I stepped back, took a deep breath and prayed.

God, you are bigger than this news, this situation. You haven't brought us this far to leave us now. Your Word says "no weapon formed against us shall prosper, the plans that you have for me is to prosper and not to harm me, plans of hope and a future" and you also said "that the enemy intended to harm me with this attack but God, you will use it for my good". I am trusting You, Lord to handle this situation, guide us in the direction that You would have us to go and give us peace in the midst of the storm.

Today, I will be working on a game plan for this situation. I don't believe in being stupid, ignoring a problem and not researching all my options ahead of time. I will be fully prepared for the counter attack and will march forward in power and in might with God leading the way.

This too shall pass! Watch and listen to this beautiful song that I just found...wow!




I can't imagine living one day without Jesus Christ in my life. I don't understand...how do people make it day to day, in the world that we live it...WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST in their lives? Who do they cling to in the storms, who do they cry out to in the night, when their in pain, when the pain in so unbearable and they...... don't have the answers. WHO? HOW? I can't imagine a single day without JESUS CHRIST IN MY LIFE!!!

Isaiah 54:17 (Message)
But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Genesis 50:20 (Message)
Don't you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now--life for many people.

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

Itty Bitty, Tiny...From His Perspective

You have learned so many different things over the course of your life, you have been taught so much in Sunday School, Children's Church and in "big" church...but...sometimes God turns on the light bulb...just a little brighter for some and 200+ watts brighter for others (like me).

I was praying and asking God to speak to me again through His word because of some situations that we were going through that we completely out of our control. I felt the Lord remind me of where we were last year and what He promised me back then, still applies today.

Last year, 2007, was one of the worst years...it was a year full of financial attacks of the enemy, job related stresses, no family time, investment property issues, deadbeat tenants and so much more.

During those times, I felt like I was lost in the sea of stress...bobbing up and down and each time I come up....seemed like the enemy pushed us back down with another attack. I would only have enough time to grab a quick breath of fresh air and then it was down under again.

This was an ongoing thing over the past several years. The enemy tried to beat me up, make me blame myself and/or my husband, tell me the best thing to do was to just run away...leave it all behind and go. The darkness would sweep in like a fog, only it was very black and oh, so lonely.

On December 18th, 2007, I started looking again in Isaiah because God really spoke to me the week before in Isaiah 61. I stopped and started in several places...reading a few scripture in this chapter and then in that chapter. I turned to the back of my old Bible, my old faithful, King James version from childhood....there was a note that I had written one that said "Be renewed...Tap into God's strength...Isaiah 40:28-31. I read 28-31 and then went back to read the entire chapter.

Isaiah 40:28-31
(28) Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. (29) He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. (30)Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; (31) but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (NIV)

I got to verse 10 and 11...I thought about God going before me, his provision for my needs and his protection as my shepherd. Wow! But then, I got to verse 12 and it hit me hard! I read it over and over...I continued reading the chapter but my eyes were repeatedly drawn back to verse 12.

(10) See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. (11)He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

Verse 12:
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?

I began to think about that and meditate on that one verse....then other verses came to my mind:

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 18:35
You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.

Psalm 138:7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.

Psalm 139:10
...even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

I began to thank God when I think about the awesome size of his hands...(really, I can't even begin to comprehend it) and the size of my problems. He goes on to say in the verses that follow different comparisons of things we can understand (ie. mountains, dust, nations) to the size of His hand...like in verse 15...

Isaiah 40:15
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they are fine dust.

He weighs the islands as though they were fine dust....WOW! If the islands are "as fine dust in his hands....then my problems are so tiny that you couldn't even see them with a microscope. All that brought the assurance that NOTHING IS TOO BIG FOR GOD, that nothing is impossible for God and he holds me in the palm of His mighty hand because I am His child and with Him...we will make it!

He reaffirmed to me today that if He said it in the Bible, confirmed it to me in December '07, then it was just as good today as it was then. He let me know that I can REST in Him, for He will take care of me and my family. He will do the same for you!

Amazing Grace

Grace

Grace

God's Grace

Now, that is truly amazing.

What does grace mean?

I love this definition in the Unbridged Dictionary for GRACE:

Theology.
a. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.
b. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.
c. a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christian graces.
d. Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God's favor or one of the elect.

When God pours out His favor, His grace on you...you experience what it means to be in the state of grace....being in God's favor...one of the elect.

ELECT:
Theology. a person or persons chosen by God, esp. for favor or salvation. (Jennifer's interpretation is...hand picked by God...means you are special to Him!)

We have been praying and trusting God in an area of our lives for the past year. We are at a time in our lives that we need a plan of escape. Back in June, we felt led to go in a certain direction in this situation. It seemed like it was the plan of escape that we needed, however, it was not the way that I had been praying for. It took me several weeks to come to terms with this new and different direction because it was not the way that "I" wanted. It was not the "desire of my heart" and I had to resign myself to the fact that God sees the big picture and knows what is best for me rather that is best for my pride.

When we came to the fork in the road, we turned left because we felt that was the correct direction. I don't think that we missed God but I think God wanted to see if we were willing to lay down our pride and follow Him...no matter which direction that He was leading us.

We must have passed the test of willingness to obey in spite of our own feelings because a week ago, God said "STOP!"

We stopped in our tracks, continued to pray for guidance, had our close friends praying with us for God's favor in this situation.

God said "make a U-turn...NOW!", go back to the fork in the road and go in the direction that would have been a right turn in the beginning.

We were obedient.

God is faithful.

Last night after returning home from a shower at church, we got the answer that we were praying for in my inbox of my email. We still had questions and I asked those questions last night...all the while...praying for God's favor in this situation. When I got up this morning...the answers were there again...in my inbox of my email.

Praise The Lord!

God is Faithful!

We have a few small hurdles left to clear but God willing...it will be another prayer prayed, answered and turned into another testimony of God's amazing grace. We will continue to pray for God to clear the way until everything is signed, sealed and delivered on October 24th.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV)

WHAT AN AWESOME BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR A DAUGHTER TO RECEIVE FROM HER HEAVENLY FATHER FOR HER BIRTHDAY...OCTOBER 20TH. I don't mind if it is 4 days late:)

We are nearly the end of our Isaiah 61...The Year of the Lord's Favor...2008 and God has faithfully honored His promise in 3 of the 4 areas that we have been believing God for. The last one seems to be impossible to the human mind but I know that "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD!"

Luke 1:37
For nothing is impossible with God." (NIV)

We are praying for a loved one to return to the Lord, commit their heart to Him, serve Him and be used mightily by Him. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!!! Please agree with us in prayer that this will happen.

My prayer is to keep them physically safe and beyond that..."Break them, Lord! Whatever it takes."

Where Are You?

Are you having doubts today that Jesus is hearing your cries? Are you feeling defeated? Are you sinking and you feel like no one cares? Are you starting to have doubts? Are you feeling discouraged today?

If you can answer "yes" to any of these questions...just remember this:

Jeremiah 32:27
"I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?"

We all know the answer to this question regardless of your circumstance today. The answer yesterday, today and forever will always be "NO"...there is nothing to difficult for God.

Here are just a few of the miracles that Jesus performed when He walked on the earth. Read them, study them and let Jesus speak to you today.

Jesus performed all these miracles just by speaking to the situation that was at hand. If He could do it then, don't you think that He can still do it today.

• Cloud by day & pillar of fire by night (To Guide You)...Exodus 13:17-22 (vs. 21,22)
• Parting of the Red Sea...(Way of Escape)...Exodus 14:13-31 (vs. 21,22)
• Manna and Quail...(His Provision...Food)...Exodus 16:1-34 (vs. 14,15)
• Drinking water from a rock...(Meeting Your Needs)...Exodus 17:1-9 (vs. 6)
• Jesus walks on the water and bids Peter to come to Him...(Faith in Him)...Matthew 14:22-33 (vs. 28-31)
• Jesus heals the leper...(Healing)...Mark 1:40-42
• Jesus calms the storm...(Peace & Faith)...Mark 4:35-41 (vs. 39), Luke 8:22-25 (vs. 24,25)
• Feeding the 5,000...(Meeting Your Needs)...Mark 6:32-44 (vs. 42-44) and John 6:1-14 (vs. 11-13)
• Healing of the deaf-mute...(Healing)...Mark 7:31-37 (vs. 35)
• Drives out evil spirit...(Deliverance)...Luke 4:31-36 (vs. 35)
• Woman with an issue of blood...(Healing & Faith)...Luke 8:43-48 (vs. 48)
• Raising up a dead girl...(Faith)...Luke 8: 49-56 (vs. 52-54)
• Water to wine...(Provision)...John 2:1-10 (vs. 9,10)
• Blind to see...(Healing)...John 9:1-7 (vs. 11)
• Death of Lazarus...(Faith)...John 11:1-44 (vs. 41-44)
• Resurrection of Jesus Christ...(NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE)...Matthew 28:1-10

There is not a single thing that is going on in your life that God cannot change in an instant!

But, we have to pray, give it to Him, leave it there and let Him take control of the situation.

When we give it to Him, it is not our battle to fight anymore but it is His.

Let Him do what He is longing to do today...help you, lead you, guide you, provide for your every need, make a way for you, take your pain away, lift up your head, put joy back in your heart...BE LORD OF YOUR LIFE!

Hebrews 13: 8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:5

"I will never leave you, nor forsake you"Whatever is troubling you today that is out of your control, take it to the Lord in prayer...make your request known to Him.

Philippians 4:6,7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition (definite request), with thanksgiving, present your request to God. (7) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Have a blessed and restful weekend.

Jennifer