Because: 5 Minute Friday

Because:
My first thought was of that old hymn we used to sing in the church where I grew up.
I don't remember any of the song except the chorus:
"Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
All fear is gone
Because I know
He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives"

I can actually hear my Grandma Libby singing this in my mind.

Because of her love for my grandfather, they had my dad
Because of his love for my mom, they had me
Because of God's sovereign plan, my days are all accounted for
Because of God's love for me, I can trust Him
Because of God's mercy, I am still alive today
Because of God's grace, I have a wonderful husband and three incredible boys
Because of second chances, I have a soft heart
Because of God being God, I can wake up smiling
Because God won't give up on me, I can keep on going
Because God has a home prepared for me, I can be at peace
Because heaven is real, I have hope
Because I believe..
no one
no thing
can take that away

Hold ~ Five Minute Friday

Hold that thought
Hold fast to God
Placed on hold
Hold accountable
What is holding me back?
So many things going on in my brain right now.
So many definitions
As I think about different things
These pictures come to mind
The thought of not holding onto anything else but Jesus
Both hands holding onto Him like a rope
Like my life depends on it
The thought of just walking beside Him
Holding His strong and capable hand
Walking in peace because I'm with Him
The other thought that makes me smile
Is my loving Savior holding me in His arms
Not because I need to be held
I do
Not because I ask to be held
I do
But simply He holds me in His arms just because
Because He wants to
Because He loves me
He holds me close to His heart
Simply because I am His
I'm am so glad that He has a hold on me
Even if I let go
And I have
He is bigger than that
I am His
He will never let go of me

Ready ~ 5 Minute Friday

Ready
What does that mean...
exactly?
"completely prepared or in fit condition for immediate action or use; duly equipped, completed, adjusted, or arranged, as for an occasion or a purpose"
Am I ever really ready?
It doesn't seem like it.
Words like "completely prepared"
never describe me.
My heater just went on.
I'm not ready for winter
not mentally
not physically
I'm not even ready for Fall.
Things always seem to come up
just when I think I might be getting close
to be being ready
Is being prepared and being ready the same?
According to the definition: properly expectant, organized, or equipped; ready
It is
I feel better saying I'm prepared
much better than saying I am ready
I am prepared for today
I'm not sure I am ready for it
I have prepared my heart to trust God
And He is always ready

Can I trust God?

Can I trust God? This is a title from day one of a devotional I'm doing by Jerry Bridges. My personal answer is absolutely! The reason I can be so bold is because I have seen Him do amazing things in my life and others around me. I know that He is indeed God.

I read a verse this weekend while up in the mountains. It was so powerful to me I decided to commit it to memory. Psalm 36:7 says, "How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings."

Therefore

It is because of His lovingkindness that I can put my trust in Him.

Today in my devotional I read another verse that I want to commit to memory. Heb 3:12 says, "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God."

take care, or take heed, watch out, be careful, beware

an unbelieving heart is evil and it leads you to fall away from God

leading you, takes you away, causes you to depart, abandon, turns you away, diverting, forsake

Bridges says, "Obeying God is worked out within well-defined boundaries of God's revealed will, while trusting God must be worked out in an arena with no boundaries, where we're always coping with the unknown."

"In order to trust God, we must always view our adverse circumstances through the eyes of faith, not of sense."

Reminds me of the lyrics in the song "Ocean"

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior

So, yes I trust God.

Today

But I need to always guard that trust, because as soon as I begin to doubt, my heart turns me away.

It is nothing new is it?

Not trusting God, not believing His lovingkindness, goes all the way back to the garden.

God can be trusted.

It is our own hearts that cannot

Whisper ~ 5 Minute Friday

Help me to hear Your whisper
Make it loud in my heart and mind
Drown out all the other noises
No replacement do I want to find

Help me to know Your whisper
May it be the only voice I hear
Whisper Your love in my heart
Whisper Your presence is near

Make Your whisper distinct
Make Your whisper clear
Whisper Your strength to my soul
Whisper "do not fear"

When my world crashes around me
When my world crashes within
Whisper that You will never leave me
Whisper courage when my faith is thin

Help me to hear Your whisper
I need You to guide my day
Whisper Your light all through me
Whisper through my mouth what to say

Getting Ready... RMC Women's Retreat

I have been waiting for tomorrow's Women's Retreat since the end of last year's. I have always enjoyed my time away, in the mountains of Buena Vista Colorado.

God Has always done a work in my heart while on retreat. He draws me nearer and deeper, and sometimes addresses some hard things that need to be dealt with.

I really don't have time to do this today... write.. but I wanted to just post some realness of the day before my time away. Pictures and 3 words (sometimes more) of what my day today looks like today.

Being real:

7th grade assignment

scarf needs pressing

clean.. must put away

What to pack?

should I redo?

Dinner... something Mexican

Walking from school

Little League Game

helping with homework

reading to the boys

Well..
Now it is time for bed.
It was a full day.
It was a good day.
I never did put the laundry away.
I am packed and my heart is content.
I talked with each of my boys today and know how their days went.
If I have time tomorrow I will redo my nails as I don't like them this way.
I go to sleep with a smile on my face.
Only 10 moments of my day were posted here.
Only 10 out of 100's
Yes...
It was a very good day.