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Sixty-two Days

Believe it or not, in 62 days, 2026 will begin.

That doesn’t seem like that long of a time and yet, many things will happen.

Many will celebrate joyously and others through tears. Others will plan for the new year meticulously and some will throw up their hands in disgust.

There is always so much striving, it seems. “I need to…I have to… I must….”

When do we rest? When do we attain this mountain top of peace we hear about?

Psalm 62:5 – “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him.” (NLT)

When my mind overwhelms my body, I quiet my spirit and think on purpose of things I know to be true.

God loves me. He created me and Spirit is with me. I am never alone. He hears me as I cry, question, reason, scream at Him. (He’s a big God and NEVER tells me I am too much.)

He is for me. My hope is in Him. There is tremendous sadness and hardship in this world. He grieves with us. I have to believe that He allows things to happen so His glory will be revealed. (If I understood that, I would be God and I am NOT.)

He is for me. He will guide and teach me. He directs my steps.

As I have said before, thinking on purpose is not always easy. But it can be done. Remind yourself of who you are and Whose you are. Rest in Him.

It is Well

I did something totally outside my comfort zone last night.

I attended a community prayer vigil for a family I did not know. I was to serve at this event but, I was the one who was blessed.

A local wife and mother tragically lost her husband and two daughters at the same time. I can’t even imagine the grief and pain. It hasn’t even been a week.

Our city wanted to do something and people made it happen. Hundreds gathered at a local stadium to remember those lost and to support one another.

I learned about the family and how they loved each other and their friends. I also learned how they loved God.

Young people stood and read Bible verses and prayed. They all testified to the FACT that these three were now safe in the arms of Jesus. They were sure they were going to see them again in heaven. They spoke with confidence through tears.

People acknowledged their pain, their anger, their questions. But they also acknowledged God and His authority and the surety of salvation.

My heart was full. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.

The pain, anger and questions are still there. But Jesus is too. Thank you, young people of Huntsville, for preaching the truth and spreading the gospel.

Short and Simple

Today is the day the LORD has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Actually, the verse states it this way: This is the day the LORD has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. I made it singular.

I’ve been awake since 1 something and out of bed since 3:00. I don’t know why I couldn’t sleep. Tim couldn’t either.

Now, not even three hours later, Tim is already at the office and I’m searching for words.

Mostly, the ones that are coming are questions. Why…? How am I going to…? What does this…?

I know He is listening. But telling me to wait. Or am I not listening.

Regardless, today – (all 94.5 hours of it) – I will (on purpose and continuously) – rejoice (be thankful and find delight) – be glad (keep a good attitude and smile.)

How is your morning?

Waiting

Do you wait well? What does that even mean?

Waiting for clothes to dry. For traffic to clear. For your order at Chick-fil-a.

Waiting in the waiting room. Waiting in the smaller and more private room. Waiting for your dog to find her ‘perfect spot.’

Waiting for an answer. Waiting for payment. Waiting for a promotion.

Waiting for a spouse. Waiting on others. Waiting on the Lord.

But those who wait upon the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)

Waiting for the Lord and His timing and His acting is not passive. The verse states that ‘they will soar’ and ‘they will run’ which means ‘they’ need to be moving.

It’s a promise of strength restored and renewed.

We know that we need to continue to work, pray, and be faithful. But sometimes we grow tired and want to take a break.

God wants His people to be faithful. Even in the desert. Even when we don’t know what is going on or how it will all work out.

We keep waiting. Keep praying. Actively speak to the One Who knows. Who is always working. Who is always faithful.

He waits too. He waits for us to come to Him. He waits for people to surrender to Him and to confess that He is Lord. He waits and is so very patient. But He is always working.

Thank you, Jesus!

Think on Purpose

Anyone an over thinker? Both of my hands are raised.

Anyone run down various rabbit trails in your mind? Again, both hands are raised.

I started my card business on September 1 (http://goGoddesigns.myshopify.com) and was very focused for about 10 days.

But then life happened – nationally, locally, within family – and I became distracted and quite sullen.

I found myself escaping to the lure of the scroll. I told myself I was learning. But I was actually escaping and avoiding.

I was asking the big questions – why, how, what, who…. But I wasn’t talking to the One who knows the answers. I was avoiding Him too.

I was invited to a worship night. I didn’t want to go. I had enough of people. But I knew I needed to.

I reminded myself that worship wasn’t about how I was feeling. Worship was about who my God is.

And He is worthy.

After making my joyful noises and listening to others speak of Jesus, I was refreshed. I spent time in His presence. He held my hand.

A couple of nights later, it was small group time. Again, I didn’t want to go. But I knew I needed to.

Being around people who are like minded and who are discussing Jesus is exactly what I needed. Time and time again, we said we need to focus our thoughts (think on purpose), determine what lies we are believing, and replace those with God’s truth.

How many times have I believed the lie that I can do things alone. I’m better off without people. I don’t need anyone. Or, I’m not good enough for God to love me so why talk with Him?

Stupid defeated enemy. He knows he can’t keep me out of heaven. His goal, however, is to make me ineffective here on earth.

When you find yourself escaping or avoiding, stop! Think on purpose! What lies are you believing? What truth do you need to remind yourself of?

Run TO Him – not away from Him. He is the Comforter. He is the Truth.

Choices lead and feelings follow. Choose to read, hear and accept His Word and His Truth.

Think on purpose!

Lord, help me

Why am I in such a mood?

Why is everything annoying me?

Why is everyone annoying me?

I know I have not been sleeping well. That doesn’t help.

When I wake up, I’ve got a worship song in my head. I don’t feel like my mind is racing.

I go to sleep quickly. It just doesn’t last.

What to do? Pray. Worship. Move on.

Some days it’s easier said than done.

Thankful

I don’t believe Thanksgiving is just a season. We should constantly be in a mind of giving thanks.

We all have an abundance of opportunities each day to be grateful. It could be the kind clerk behind the counter. It could be the honest mechanic who will fix the actual problem with your vehicle. It could also be the teacher who enjoys his pupils. Or it could be the nurse who enjoys taking care of her patients.

There are many reasons to be thankful for people. There are many reasons to be thankful for situations also.

Our youngest son was involved in a head on vehicle accident yesterday morning. We have much to be thankful for.

‘Somehow’ the paramedics and state troopers were notified. There was special equipment to extricate everyone from the vehicle. There were plenty of emergency vehicles to transport people to multiple facilities.

They were able to contact his fiancé and she contacted his dad. Tim was already in town and only had a 15 minute drive to the hospital instead of 30 minutes. After multiple nights of little sleep, the night before the accident, Tim and I both slept soundly.

Tim was able to witness the love his fiancé has for our son. She wouldn’t leave his side. The hospital was conducting a mass casualty drill during this time so there were many employees available to help assess the injuries. Ben’s head, chest and abdomen were clear. He has a cast on his arm and a splint on his finger.

Many lives changed yesterday morning because of the accident – most I will never know of. We have much to be thankful for. God, you are good. All the time. I don’t understand but I trust You. Help us to be grateful even in the hard times.

God is Unable

Yes, that felt strange even as I typed the words.

God is God and is able to do anything and everything. But, is He really?

He forms life, created the world, provided salvation for all who believe. Jesus lived a sinless life on earth. The Holy Spirit lives inside His children.

God makes it rain on the just and unjust. He makes the sun bright and the earth far enough away not to ignite.

Yes, He is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,” according to Ephesians 3: 20.

However, God is unable to go against His nature or His character.

God is good. All the time. And all the time, God is good.

Not that God is limited by time, of course. But, if He is always good, He cannot NOT be good. (Yes, that hurts my brain too.)

Psalm 92:15 states there is no wickedness in Him.

I don’t know the answer to all of your questions. If God is good, then why are we remembering the horrific acts of 9.11.2001? If God is good, why were there horrific acts of violence this week against people NOT being horrific?

God has emotions and He is with us when we are hurting, confused, sad and angry. Please take your questions, concerns, and anger to Him. He is a big God.

As David wrote, “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” (Psalm 39:7)

Again, I don’t understand, Lord. But I trust in You. That phrase is on repeat in my head.

God is good. All the time. And all the time, God is good.

25 Years in the Making

More or less.

When you finally breathe life into something you’ve thought about and dreamed about for so many years, it’s a bit surreal.

Many years ago, a friend and I would take a greeting card and write a Bible verse inside with a note to encourage the recipient to add a verse and send it to someone else. It was fun when the cards circled back to us and were full of different verses.

People enjoyed getting real mail. And they enjoyed reading positive words. People still do. With that in mind, I finally launched Go God Designs. (http://goGoddesigns.myshopify.com)

Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue….” Proverbs 12:18 says, “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Words matter. We can all remember the feelings of hurt and rejection. We have felt abandonment and pure hatred when someone said what they said or texted what they thought.

Sometimes, we replay those words in our minds. That is, sometimes we speak the horrible words someone else said to us over ourselves. Stop it!

We need to stop speaking death over ourselves. We need to stop speaking death to others.

My prayer is that when people read the words of these cards, they will remember who they are. I hope they will also remember whose they are. I pray they will brighten someone’s day and refocus them towards Jesus.

Send them anonymously or write a personal note. Stash it in someone’s notebook or leave it on a seat addressed as simply “For You!” Post it on your fridge or bathroom mirror.

25 years (or so) is a long time to dream. But I am so very thankful to the Lord for helping me every step of the way. So very thankful.

Lies. All lies.

The devil, our enemy, has one goal. Since he knows our salvation is secure, his goal is to make us ineffective while we are alive. If we don’t promote the Gospel and point people to Christ…if we aren’t unapologetically enthusiastic about Jesus and what He has done for us through the cross…if we aren’t seen as different from the world…the enemy has won the battle. (He still loses the big one.)

His mission is to kill, steal and destroy. He does this through lies. Jesus called him the father of lies (John 8:44.) I know this to be true. And yet, I have believed the lies for many years.

I had friends throughout school and college but when I moved, I didn’t really keep in touch. I am an introvert and used that to agree with the enemy that I didn’t need relationships. I was okay on my own. (Lie #1)

I married Tim and three teenagers. I rarely spoke life over them because I was convinced that I didn’t know what I was saying (#2) because I didn’t have any biological children.

When we would attend church, I would walk quickly by people with my head down. I would busy myself with tasks and not engage. I had nothing to offer people. (#3)

If people knew me and knew what I had done (or didn’t do) or what I said or what music I listened to or what cuss word I said, they wouldn’t want to know me. (#4) This was my lot in life – to be mediocre (#4) and to work through the condemnation (#5) that God had for me.

At our first small group in Highlands, people were hugging each other and smiling. I hated small talk and would disappear or busy myself with my phone. I could always appear pious with a Bible in my hand.

I asked one of the ladies in the group if I was going to have to become a hugger to stay in the group. I don’t like that, I said. That’s not me. She came very close to my face (all up in my personal space) and said, “I will pray for you.” Oh my goodness! I wanted to run far far away.

But I know that she did. Things didn’t shift overnight. But they did shift.

The Lord revealed to me the lies that I had believed. I found who I was in Christ and who He created me to be. Here is the truth.

I am God’s child. (John 1:12) I am complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10) I am free from condemnation. (Romans 8:1-2) I am created in His image. (Genesis 1:27) I have a future that is good and was planned by my Creator. (Jeremiah 29:11) And another BIG one – Jesus came so that I (and you) could have life – an abundant, amazing life. Or, as The Message paraphrase states, more and better life than (I) ever dreamed of. (John 10:10)

Think on purpose the TRUTH about who you are in Christ. In Him is your confidence. This is truth. And the truth will set you free. (John 8:32.)

(originally posted August 2022)