Laced With Grace

I started it in 1988.  The pages are yellowed with age, but  the words are strong. From Proverbs 10:29(a) KJV “The way of the LORD is strength to the upright:”. . .then I went on to Proverbs 3:5-8 KJV—one we all know by heart.  “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.  It shall be health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones.”    Thus was the beginning of my prayer journaling.  It should have been called my Skippy journal.  Or “Sporadic Journal”.  That’s what it seems to have been now.  But I know I kept on praying…I just didn’t take the time to journal.  I had two small children and they kept me hopping from the time my feet hit the floor until I collapsed on the bed at night. 

What caused me to unearth this book from it’s resting place in the bottom of a drawer was Wanda’s prayer journal.  I have hers.  One day someone will have mine.  I now realize the value of the written word.  Touched by her hands, words scratched out with pen or pencil from a sincere heart beating with the love of Jesus Christ.  It has great value to me–for inside are her thoughts on the WORD of God.  Her prayers and her struggles, along with pages of praise!  I just noticed.  Mine is much the same.  Favorite scripture quotes, insights and prayer needs.  In essence, a journal does a lot for the writer, but for the reader down the road it offers great encouragement!

When troubled about a situtation I would write it out.  Then, when God gave me the peace through His word or through prayer, I  would write out the answer or the change of attitude.  Wanda did the same.  It has encouraged me to see and know that I am not alone in the struggles that I face daily.  You aren’t either.

In a conversation with a dear friend recently, I commented that cards or notes of encouragement is something that I try and send often.  The best time—is when I have needed encouragement myself!  I usually put scriptures or a prayer for the individual and pray for them as I write.  You have no idea how much this act of love can help the “sender”.  And then the extra blessing when the “receiver” gets the card of encouragement in the mail and they are lifted up and know that someone is there along side them in their pain.  Praying.

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13 NIV

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:25 NIV (emphasis mine)

Dear sisters, I see and feel the day approaching.  Let us get about the business of encouraging one another daily.  If you have an address for the individual, use the mail man.  If you have the e-mail address only, use it!   Always share with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ~for in His Word is power—and I tell you today—with all the urgency in my heart—we will need all the power He can and WILL— pour on us as we go about the business of sharing our love and faith in Him to others!

I’ve been here before.  As a matter of fact, I believe this year, I opened the first page of Laced with Grace for 2008 with the devotion called “Dawning of a New Year“.  In the past 365 days many changes have taken place in my life.  Many were unexpected.  Lives were forever changed when my dear sister went home to be with Jesus.  Other changes took place when my oldest daughter’s marriage had serious struggles, but through the prayers of many and by the grace of God, they are together and working harder on their relationship.   In my heart I know of changes that, perhaps no one else will know.  But God does.  He is working the changes.  My willingness to go–do and be whatever He calls me to.  And—I concentrate no more on the calling….but on Him.  And I have peace.

I will leave you with words from Paul to the Thessalonians—they are good for sharing to our hearts and lives today!  “But I don’t need to write to you about the Christian love  that should be shown among God’s people. For God himself has taught you to love one another.  Indeed, your love is already strong toward all the Christians in all of Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we beg you to love them more and more.”   I Thessalonians 4:9-10 NLT

Trusting Him,

Angie

The day before the end… I can’t believe that another year is almost over.  This year has been a walk of faith for me but God has proven Himself to me over and over again.  I am excited to see what this New Year is going to bring.

When I was a little girl it was a tradition to go to service on New Year’s Eve and “bring in the New Year, in church.” As an adult the tradition is still ingrained in me.  To me there is something wonderful about ending the old year as I began it and starting the New Year as I want to end it… in the house of God, in the presence of the Lord.

It never ceases to amaze me the sense of child-like awe, wonder and expectancy I feel when I enter God’s house. I am excited as a child about to unwrap a much awaited and longed for gift, not sure what it is but knowing that something wonderful waits within. The beautiful thing about going into the house of God is that I always leave feeling refreshed, renewed and eager to face whatever challenges life throws my way.

I can totally relate to how David felt when he said, “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord. Psalm 122:1″  God’s house for me is a place to lose myself in the wonder of his presence and allow his sweet Holy Spirit to minister to my hurts, lift my burdens, renew my joys and give me courage to face another day, week, month, year… with him by my side to guide and direct me. 

 You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 118:28-29 

Father, thank you for your guidance throughout 2008, I pray your protection over each of us during the remainder of this year.  As we approach a New Year, renew our desire to serve you, increase our faith that we would hold fast to the promises that you have made us, give us courage to share whatever you lay on our hearts in this coming year.

There was nothing interesting about the piece of property that was located right next door to my Grandmother’s place. It was a plain-looking plot of land that resembled most of the other fields in the area. Mostly overgrown weeds and an occasional thorn bush. Ordinary, but yet, there was something different about this field. Off to one corner of the land was what we kids called “The Junkyard”.

 It was not really a junkyard, but it became one as people from the area would load up their “junk” and dump it here on this piece of property. Growing up, I can remember walking thru the junkyard looking for buried treasure.

 ·        It is amazing to me how meaningless possessions can become.

 ·        How bored we get with “things” so we just toss them aside.

 Sometimes, we view our life as meaningless and boring. It is so easy to buy into the world’s idea that value is based on such things as social status, appearance, youth and success. With messages such as this tossed at us every day, it is tempting to believe that we are less valuable if we do not possess these things.

 God sees us for who we are and He considers our life to be incredibly valuable.

 Just like the junk tossed aside waiting to be discovered as someone else’s treasure…God is just waiting to unbury the beauty and the treasure that He sees lying beneath our surface.

 “God doesn’t make junk”

EPHESIANS 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

God loves us so much and has created us for a purpose. May you allow Him to lift you up and bless you with His grace, so that the beauty He has placed within you can shine for His glory! It is my prayer today that you will see yourself as your Heavenly Father sees you… beautiful, cherished, adored and as a precious treasure!

PROVERBS 3:15a “She is more precious than rubies”

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