Laced With Grace

“So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness…”

Exodus 15:22nkjv

When our oldest daughter was young, many of my friends complained about how their kids held them hostage by an annoying purple dinosaur on TV. While in our home, we were trying very hard not to dislike a poor little deformed Frenchman. The Disney movie, The Hunchback of Notre Dam was Meghan’s absolute favorite. No matter how many times I sat and watched it with her, how many times I wanted to scream from the sheer exhaustive repetition, there was always one scene that would make me laugh out loud.

After the beautiful Esmerelda leads the guards on a wild goose chase, at one point she knocks over a large cage containing an old prisoner. It rolls a bit, then comes to a stop. Breaking open the rusted iron lock, an old prisoner steps out. “I’m free! I’m free!” He joyously exclaims. Then immediately trips and falls into the stockade, which closes and locks. “Dang it.”

I don’t care how many times I watch that scene, I always laugh. What a perfect example of how our lives seem to go at times. The mountaintop experience is exhilarating but it often seems the moment we step our foot upon it we have toppled down into the valley below.

The Israelites experienced the very same thing. No sooner had they stepped onto the other side of the parted Red Sea, still in song to the God that had performed the greatest miracle they had ever witnessed, their very next step would be smack dab into the wilderness. From mountaintop to valley, they had to be wondering what had just happened?

Are you in the valley today? Is your spiritual walk parched and dry from a drought of desert dwelling? Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid for the Lord your God is with you every step of this journey. Sweet sisters, do not despair and do not be discouraged. The Promised Land is always on the other side of a wilderness experience.

Friends, the mountaintops are beautiful places of untold miracles and answered prayers. Great joy and intimate fellowship with God await us there. But it is not where we were meant to stay. The blessing of the heights is what the Lord gives to fuel us for the wilderness and the droughts that will soon come. The mountaintop experience might take us higher, but the valley experience is what will take us deeper.

May you be blessed today,

Joanne

I know this is a little strange….my last post’s topic was on birthdays!  I guess the theme is on my mind because my husband and I both have January birthdays.  Today I am 41.  Hmmm…  It’s not as exciting as last year when I turned 4o.  Brian had a big party for me.  Lots of people called and emailed to talk to me.  Friends met me for coffee.  The kids even cleaned the house!  

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!- Psalm 118:24

As I get older, I am beginning to notice all of the things everyone warned me about.  Little jewels like crow’s feet, grey hair, creaky bones, and a spare tire….

So, although I am not so excited about my body getting older, I DO WANT my spirit to mature… I want to grow in my relationship with the Lord.  I want to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a (woman), I put childish ways behind me.  Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part;  then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.-1Corinthians 13:11-12

I don’t want to stay the same!  I want God to continue to grow me and change me and mold me.  I don’t want to make the same mistakes year after year, but I want to learn from them and overcome them.  I know God is doing a new thing in me each year.  I don’t want to look over my shoulder, lamenting about the past and the mistakes I’ve made.  Instead, I want to look forward to what God is doing in me and through me TODAY.  This year, I want to take the wisdom God has given me and make the right choices.  I want to put away my “childish” ways, my immature, selfish ways. 

Forgetting what is behind and straining what is ahead, I press on toward the goal…

Thank You, Lord for creating me and blessing me with an incredible life with a wonderful husband and amazing kids.  I am blessed beyond measure!  Thank You, God for birthdays.  I pray that this year I continue to grow and mature.  I do not want to be the same this time next year.  I surrender this year to You.  In Jesus’ Name we pray.  Amen.

 Please visit me at my personal blog

To Do:

• Wash clothes, clean dishes, mop kitchen, take daughter to the doctors for her unexplained sickness…
• Grade homework, write advertisements for ministry, call so-and-so…
• Teach AWANA, exercise, pray for the little baby at church who is having heart surgery…

Lord,

I am so overwhelmed by it all. 

I am afraid that I’m doing the best job I could do.

I am stressed.

I am nervous about my daughter’s health.

I am unsure of myself and my ability to do all that You’ve put on my plate.

I….. need YOU!

As I breathe out this simple prayer, I know that you’ve prayed the same kind of prayer yourself many times. I open up my heart before God and tell Him how I’m feeling and how weak I am. And He…. He’s not surprised by who I am. 

He knows me inside and out and He knows the remedy for who I am and how I’m feeling.  He reminds me of who He is and I turn my prayer around:

He is… the God who is ABLE to do ANYTHING and who strenghtens me so I can do everything He asks of me.

He is…all-powerful.

He is….all-loving.

He is….my counselor, my healer, my redeemer, my hope.

He is….in control.

He is…All that I need.

It’s amazing how these few words can change the way I view my day.  My thoughts turn around, off of me and my inabilities and onto Him and His ability.  My problems and responsibilities don’t seem so overwhelming when my eyes are on Him.