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Monday, March 31, 2014

April 1 "Much-afraid Mighty Warrior" Judges 6-12

God called an afraidy cat a "mighty warrior."  God will make him so!  He will make you so!  "The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor." Judges 6:12.  God wants me, wants you to trust in His calling, rest in his care, no matter what the circumstance.  Five years ago this very day, a nurse---not a doctor---grabbed my hand as I sat in a waiting room thinking the results of my routine mammogram would be normal.  Not so!  "You have a rather large cancerous tumor that needs to be removed immediately."  They knew right away.  Stage II metastatic breast cancer.  3 surgeries.  The highest amount of radiation possible. And God said to "Little Miss Much Afraid"---Exodus 14:14---and He did!  God was and is awakening in me, in Gideon, in you, a need for deeper strength that only He can provide.

And God spoke peace.
And I found Grace.
Still finding it.
Still hoping.
Grasped.
Loved.
God.

COME BOLDLY:  Timeless Prayers
Father, You said it way over two thousand years ago but didn't you mean it for me as I faced the loss of my church, my friends, my health---nothing too valiant did I offer you back for that.  But, You called me mighty and strong.  By Your Great Power and Infinite Mercy make us the men and women Who stand strong in the midst of the mess in which we live.  May we love you a little More this day than yesterday.  Do what only You can do in our hearts.

PHOTO:  The Hill Country.  Backyard of a Ranch.  A place like a Golden Pond.  Pensive and Praying I ask God to help me find grace in this place in my life, so barren and broken yet beautiful.  Help me to know in places deep where I know not that I am a mighty warrior in Your Sight.  

7 comments:

  1. Ah, be still and know that I Am God. I will fight for you. My sleep patterns leave quite a bit to be desired. Sleep good some nights and then the very next night, get no more than four or five hours of sleep. The nights that I have trouble falling asleep....and I start to get churned up inside because I can not go to sleep, I find myself quoting...Be Still and KNOW that I AM God and then feeling myself calm down in my core and relaxing and taking a deep breath or several.

    Thank you Bev,for being transparent and sharing your heart and struggles with us. They have blessed me and taught me. You truly are my sister in Christ. Feel so close to you and live so far away. God has been so good to me to bring us into contact, even if only over the Web.

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    1. What is there about the night watches, Mary Lou? Seems like so much goes on in my head at 3 a.m. I will pray for your sweet rest at night right now. I love your heart here.

      Bev, five years is a marker! It is a victory for you. God has been so evident in your journey, in your growth, as your Place of refuge through this tough battle. And you are an overcomer because of Jesus!

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    2. Mary Lou, I will pray for you as you endure sleepless nights. I have struggled with it, and one night, this winter, I imagined my bed as a safe place where no harm could come to me. I imagined the bed as my oasis, safe from all the troubles that bombard me during the day. I leave them on the floor as I climb into bed. After a good night sleep, they don't seem so large.

      Annette, the photo looks like your ranch. What a blessing it was to be there. Thanks again for sharing.

      Bev, what a spiritual marker for you. You put up your stones as markers for all to see and you are such a source of encouragement to the Pearls. I agree with Annette, your transparency is so powerful, as God is at work in your life, the ripple effect touches us all.

      As for Mike and me, as we are learning to live our lives dependent on God, it is an amazing journey. Following God and trusting Him to provide make us feel like we are just starting our spiritual journey. Looking back, I can see how we didn't even begin to trust Him the way He intended us to. Looking at the present, I feel honored to be tested in ways I didn't even know I could endure, I couldn't understand I had to let go of THINGS and grab Jesus with both hands. Looking forward, I am ready and willing,

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    3. Thank you for the help on sleeping/not sleeping.You are an inspiration on sharing they journey you and Mike are on. He will use it mightily in your lives and the lives of those you touch. May you feel His righteous right hand holding on to you as you travel on this part of your journey here on earth.

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  2. Their problem, (our problem?) is that they feared men, and did not properly fear God. God will do it. If we are Christians, He will fight on our behalf. We ARE warriors if we are Christian. We are enlisted in God's army and we will override our enemy Satan if we remember that God makes us mighty warriors. Not what we do, but what we think can defeat us more than anything. Healthy fear of the Lord will win every time. If we must be afraid, (and must we?) we must get it in perspective. What can man do to us? We are overcomers. We are strong because it is in Him that we find our courage and power and victory. Amen?

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  3. I could not have made it to where I am today without you all. You have been such a source of strength and kindness and love. Could never find the words to say how much God has used each of you. At this 5-year cancer free mark, I am grateful to a very Good God and His Sovereign Hand. We are all under the Omnipotence! Two simple words deep from my heart: Thank You!

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