Laced With Grace

Everything.  Every single thing we do should begin with prayer. 

Now, before you think I’m nuts, I am not talking about asking God to help you pick out a pair of socks.  For crying out loud!  He gave us a brain to decide for ourselves….

What I am talking about is giving our day to Him before it begins…  Deciding at the onset of the day that we will use every opportunity to glorify Him and praise in in everything.

  “Always be joyful. 

Never stop praying. 

Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God’s will in Christ Jesus that you do this.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 GWT)

The “whatever happens” is where we all get hung up.

This time in 2008 we found it hard to give thanks in “all things”….but we pressed in, and pressed on, and did it regardless.

What happened when we gave thanks?  When we praised?  Our minds left our problems and focused in on God the Father.  OUR FATHER.  Who is Soveriegn above all–and HIS decisions can be trusted.

I love to drive down the road with Jesus.  We have the MOST amazing times!   I’m not some super-spiritual-woman-of-God…but I am a woman who loves time with her Lord and Savior….so when I get in the car–it is a purposed act to invite Jesus to be part of my day–especially our “time” in driving.

This act of purposed praise and prayer began several years ago when I would leave the house for work too early for me to even think about getting a Bible out for devotion.  I bought a New Testament on CD–which is totally read by women.  It was like having a few girlfriends along sharing the Word!

I would start the drive off by talking to Jesus.  Praising and praying about the day.  Then I would pop a CD in to hear what He had to say.  Sometimes I would just sing and my sister, Aimee would call me and we would share some tidbits from the Word or from a small devotion book we were reading at the time.

Mostly in my driving, I would pray.  Out loud.  That’s just me–I need to hear with my own ears sometimes what I’m saying to my Father.  I had about an hour drive–and I after struggling with that drive for many years without spending needed time in prayer–I discovered the best part of my day was the drive with Him.  Through the times of silent prayer—or out loud prayer–HE WAS THERE.

I found that the more time I spent praying and praising–the better I could handle whatever what thrown my way that day.  If I neglected it…well, you can just imagine how it might have been handled.  Not southern sweet tea style for sure!

Begin with prayer.  In everything.  Every single thing you set out to do–begin with prayer.  You will be amazed at how God will speak to you, through you, and how His very presence will go before you!

What are some things you can change to  give Him MORE?

• Get up a little earlier, even if it’s just 15 minutes. That habit will grow you–and you will soon find you are getting up even 30 minutes earlier. (Use it for time with Him though, not computer, not laundry, etc.)
• Pause before your tasks throughout the day and thank Him for the ability to do what you are about to do.
• Praise Him throughout the day….OUT LOUD.  He loves this!
• Share Him with another.  Give a sister a hug and tell her that Jesus loves her–so much that HE gave HIS ALL.  He expects no less from us.

Pray the day through…then let’s begin it!

© Angie Knight 2012–The Knightly News. All rights reserved.  Used by permission.

 I have always loved the time of year from November 1, all the way through to January. I love times of gathering, fellowshipping, and most of all loving one another. This year, I will admit to the truth of the difficulty of these events.  We have been extremely busy, and the thoughts of my sister, Wanda stays in the heart of my mind.

Planning what we’re going to prepare to take to mother’s house was always top discussion between Wanda, Aimee and myself. We’d call each other every day to see if who had come up with some new fangled recipe. —To delight the others.

God is all about delighting us. I love what Beth Moore said in her study, 90 Days with the One and Only, “In the Jewish calendar, the fourteenth day of the first month is called the day of conception. If our God of perfect planning and gloriously significant order happened to overshadow Mary on the fourteenth day of the first month of His calendar, our Savior would have been born toward the end of our December. We have absolutely no way of knowing whether or not He did, but I would not be the least bit surprised for God to have sparked His Son’s human life on one Passover and ended it on another.”

Me either Beth. Aren’t we planners as well? When planning a celebration, don’t we try to work it out so that “everyone” can attend? I don’t know about you…but I like to think that the “taking names” (for tax purposes!), was something that God used as well.

Joseph and Mary had to travel back to Joseph’s home town. I kind of imagine that he had a few friends there. Perhaps some relatives. Just for my own contemplative thinking, I like to imagine that he couldn’t go to them at the late hour for a bed for his bride because maybe he wasn’t sure of where they lived now…maybe he didn’t know if he had anyone left in town…one thing is for sure….there was no room for them in the Inn. But God provided.

By the time the wise men arrived on the scene, they were in a house (Matthew 2:11). Perhaps of a relative? I don’t know…but I do know…..God provided.

This is something I read while searching out more on Mary. What her life may have been like up to the point of leaving home and going with Joseph.

“Mary had up to this time been living at the wrong place for Messiah’s birth. A little longer stay at Nazareth, and the prophecy would have failed. But lo! with no intention certainly on her part, much less of Caesar Augustus, to fulfil the prophecy, she is brought from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and at that nick of time her time arrives, and her Babe is born.”¹

The plans God has for you and me are just as detailed. When we leave the plans and directions to HIM, the Master Creator…we will find that it all works out.  When we give our lives to Jesus Christ–and submit to His authority for all the details…the pieces of the puzzle all fit together with a click, as they snap in place.

The job.

The marriage.

The finances.

Even down to the decision of where to go to church.  None of these are beyond His expertise or His planning!

When I read the page for day 5 of the 90 Days with Jesus Study, I immediately thought “party”.

I smiled thinking that we (or at least in our area), will turn any event into a party.

• Hurricane coming? Gather everyone in a safe place and let’s eat! Let’s play some games! What is that, if not a party?
• Bible Study time? Gather them all together in the living room, get out some cups, plates, forks, napkins, make some coffee, have some juice or iced tea ready, plead with Jeff to make a cake with extra thick icing….and you have a Bible Study Party! You learn from the very heart of GOD, and you have you some rejoicing in the kitchen with cake!
• Baby about to be born? The waiting room is OURS! When waiting on that new arrival—there is MUCH prayer—some eating if he/she takes a while getting here…and then once that lusty cry is heard—it is all out party-time!

Christ’s birth is a day to celebrate! While we don’t know the exact day, we do KNOW

He CAME.

He lived.

He died.

He was resurrected.

 He lives TODAY! I think that is worthy of a celebration EVERY DAY of the year!

This is the LORD’S doing; it [is] marvellous in our eyes. Psalm 118:23 KJV

Father God…thank you for tending to each and every detail of my life. All the way from the difficult ones I can see…to the miniscule ones I might not notice. I praise You, for even in the difficult days, I feel Your presence. I KNOW You have me in Your sight. Nothing escapes Your notice. Thank You for following so closely my heart. Take tomorrow and make it YOURS. For Your glory. Not mine. I love and praise You forever. In the precious name above every name…Your Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ~ Amen.

© Angie Knight-The Knightly News.   All rights reserved.

Previously posted on The Knightly News, December 15, 2008.   Pictured,  grandson, Jake.

¹Jamieson, Robert; A.R. Fausset; and David Brown. “The Gospel According to Luke.” Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Blue Letter Bible. 19 Feb 2000. 4 Sep 2008.

It won’t sound like a ringing phone.

It won’t sound like a doorbell.

It is distinct–to the recipient.  You will know.  Your heart will burn within you–an indescribable joy, that will bring definite tears.  Joy does that sometimes.

I remember well the day the call came for me.  Driving home in the setting sun, I had experienced the presence of God so strong for over a week–almost as if He were hovering near–just waiting for the perfect moment to lean over and whisper in my ear.

The moment came.  I had been driving and looking at the skies, giving Him loud praise and glorifying Him on the way home from work.  Out loud I began to lift my voice in worship to Him–tears began to fall.  Soon, the drive became non-existent.  I can’t even tell you how I arrived home safe and sound, the conversation was so enrapturing.

The intensity grew in my spirit–until I felt I would burst if I didn’t respond.

“YES”! I will serve YOU!  In whatever manner You choose!

“What will serving Him look like”, I wondered to myself.  At that point, it didn’t matter.  Just as long as I was able to be near Him, able to feel and hear Him.  That’s all that mattered to me.

Almost two years have now passed since our conversation while driving.  I’ve cleaned some toilets vacummed, mopped, and scrubbed for Him.  I’ve cooked meals and fed hundreds this summer, spoke at retreats, Bible Studies, and preached my first message on Mother’s Day last year.  

Some of these jobs are so unpredictable (along with the finances).   But it’s all serving.  Not one single job is more important than the other.  Since the saying yes to His call, there has not been a day that I would change and go back to the predictable–

Recently I watched the last few minutes of a “football” movie.  I love movies about sports characters.  Baseball, football or basketball.  This one I had not seen from the beginning, but I caught the most important part.  It was “for me”.

One of the lead characters of the movie had damaged his knee–irreparably so.  He was told by his doctor that it needed “rest”.  The doctor didn’t give him a pass to play, yet the young man, so in love with the sport, lied to the coach and played.  He didn’t last 10 minutes.

Now the damage was worse than before.  Never would he play again.  Days later, sitting in his uncles car, this teenager sobbed like a baby.   “What is there to live for if I can’t play?  That’s all I ever dreamed of doing! What else is there?” 

His response to his mistake of playing when he was told “let it heal”—was a cry of desperation. 

“What else is there”?

Father,

I first thank You for placing the call on my life.  I know that Your Word says that You have a plan for my life—a plan to prosper me and not harm me. 

I place everything I am and have in Your hands.  To do with as YOU see fit. 

I ask Lord that you show me those things about my personality that are a hindrance, I ask that You help me address them, help me see Your way—help me overcome my flesh so that I can know the calling You have ordained before the foundations of the world for me to accomplish and bring You glory.

Father, I know there are lives to impact for You.  Souls that need to find You—and You have strategically placed me —at this particular time to touch lives and bring Your love into clear focus for another.  They may not understand—but they can see me and they can see what YOU have done in my life. 

LORD, as I begin to see things that I need to lay aside, help me desire Your Word more than ever before—for it is by Your Word that I will grow.  It is by Your Word that I will have spiritual food to feed the hungry.  Enable my spiritual ears to hear and know Your voice—enable my mind to understand.  I want to experience more than I have ever experienced before in You.  Help me take on the mind of Christ.  Enable me to “think” what is pleasing to You.  I know that I must do my part—and my part is in getting into Your Word—for that is where Your voice is found.

I know that You won’t “take my life”,  I must willingly offer it up as a sacrifice.  Father, today—that’s what I give.  I give You me.  As insignificant as I may feel so often. 

I know that so many times what we feel as insignificant—YOU use to do significant things.  Not just some times…but LORD, every time.  You amaze me.

As I give myself over to You, I will be listening.  Every day—to hear from You —a word—a direction—a renewed passion.  Fresh thoughts—Spirit inspired ideas with a fresh anointing.  Do in me all that You desire. 

I am willing Lord—to be the vessel—the instrument that can bring another life to You.

In the holy name of Your Son, Jesus I pray, commiting all to Your capable hands,  Amen.

© Angie Knight 2011. All Rights Reserved.  Used by permission.