by Stacey | Nov 10, 2011 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
You not only know me, you know everything about me. You know my thoughts, my dreams, my fears and my plans. You know me better than I know myself seeing past my actions and straight into my heart.
When You formed me in secret, weaving together my intricate parts in the depths of the earth, You wrote down my days before one was lived. You refused to observe from afar. You stepped into creation and entered into relationship with me.
You are precious to me O Lord, more precious than anything. You search me and know my heart and love me anyway. You expose my evil ways and call me back to you.
by Stacey | Oct 20, 2011 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
True to my British roots, I love a good cup of tea. During difficultly I go on autopilot and put the kettle on the stove. I often don’t even want the tea, just the act of making it calms my nerves.
The other thing I do during difficulty is pray through Scripture. It calms me like nothing else can. I insert my name into the Word of God and drink in the warmth of personal message. Sometimes I insert the names of my children or loved ones as I pray verses that speak to my heart.
I not only pray through Scripture, I often write it down. The act of writing it down gathers my scattered thoughts revealing the true condition of my heart.
I love to go back and reread my prayers often shocked at the beauty of God’s Word. Praying through His Word is a beautiful thing.
Below are a handful of paraphrased verses I treasure. Maybe you can share some favorites of yours?
I am afflicted but not crushed, perplexed but not despairing, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed because of the treasure that lives in me (2 Corinthians 4:8).
May I walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May I be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy giving thanks to the Father who has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered me from the domain of darkness and transferred me into the kingdom of his beloved Son in whom I have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossian 1:9-14).
I bow my knees before the Father from whom every family in heaven and earth is named, according to the riches of his glory he may grant my children to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in their inner being, so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith. Being rooted and grounded in love, may they have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that they may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19).
God’s grace is sufficient for me; His power is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord (Romans 8:38-39).
I have nothing to fear, God has redeemed me. He has called me by name, I am His. When I pass through the waters He will be with me, when I go through the rivers they will not overwhelm me, when I walk through the fire I will not be burned. The flames will not consume me. For He is the Lord my God, the Holy One of Israel, my Savior (Isaiah 43:1-4).
He was wounded for my transgressions; he was crushed for my iniquities. The punishment that bought me peace was laid upon Him. By His wounds I am healed. Like sheep I have gone astray. I have turned to my own way. The Lord has laid on Christ my sins (Isaiah 53:5-6).
Here is a trustworthy statement. If I have died with Him, I will also live with Him. If I endure, I will also reign with Him. If I deny Him, he will also deny me. If I am faithless He is faithful for He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2 11-13).
You are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth. Unite my heart to fear your name (Psalm 86:10-11).
by Stacey | Oct 17, 2011 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
A wash cycle dances in perfect harmony with the clothes dryer. Damp shirts are pinned to the indoor clothes line pinching pennies. Water steams to a boil on the stove top. Oatmeal simmers for 25 minutes. The sun rises.
The children are bathed. Prayers are said. Snuggles are given. Kisses are shared. The sun sets.
Everyday the cycle repeats providing fodder for scoffers claiming family life is too predictable, too ordinary, and too mundane.
I disagree.
Shaping my children is not ordinary. It’s challenging. Being entrusted with the awesome privilege of caring for my family is not mundane. It’s an adventure. There is nothing predictable about life. It is a gift.
I can think of no higher honor from God than being trusted with His precious creation.
The cycle repeats.
As I wash the tangle of tiny clothes I pray for their future. As I pinch pennies I thank God for giving us more than we need. As I make breakfast I pray for those in countries going to bed with growling stomachs and thirsty mouths.
I confess and repent. God washes my sin, bathing me in the blood of His Son. Prayers are uttered, cried, sung and whispered. Snuggles are treasured. Kisses are generous. There is nothing ordinary about this.
This day is a gift. It is my pleasure to absorb every minute. It is my privilege to serve Him.
by Stacey | Sep 12, 2011 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
On any given day you could walk into our home and eavesdrop on this conversation:
“Jon, please go get your jammies on.”
“Okay Daddy.”
Jon starts off for the bedroom but on the way he spies an ant crawling under the front doorway. “Look at this Daddy!” Before Daddy can rise from his chair Jon follows the ant with his eyes and finds Katie’s sparkly red dress-up shoes. He picks one up and inspects it.
Jon slips the shoe on the wrong foot and sees a hat he thought he had lost under the bench. He slaps it on his head and pretends to be one of the Disney Super Sleuths. “Look Daddy, I slapped my cap!”
“Jammies Jon,” Daddy gently reminds.
“Oh ya.” He makes his way around the corner and walks past the mirror. He stops to admire his sleuthing cap and spies a chocolate smear from his corner lip to his cheekbone. He gallops off toward the bathroom to wash his face.
Once there he remembers he needs to brush his teeth. He gets out his toothbrush and pops open the toothpaste tube and a cheery flavored bomb spurts out plopping in the sink. He takes his toothbrush and starts scrubbing the paste off the enamel.
This is where Daddy finds him. Not putting on his jammies, but hard at work scrubbing the sink with his toothbrush, hat askew, and his sister’s shoe on the wrong foot.
Nothing Jon did was wrong. Well maybe scrubbing the sink with his toothbrush was wrong. But Jon fell into the same snare many of us are trapped in: a lack of focus.
No one can do a million things well, but we can all do one or two things well. There are many good things that can steal our focus. The challenge is to discover the one thing God has called you to do and to that one well. Stay on task. Remain focused. Do it well.
by Stacey | Aug 22, 2011 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
One e-mailed changed everything. Bad news rained down determined to drown my commitment to be thankful in everything. Is this a challenge from God – to remain thankful in the mess? Is it temptation from Satan to throw in the towel? I don’t know.
News struck with a severity that stole the breath from my lungs. My limbs trembled – literally. A week ago I had no idea what a lifeline my thanksliving list would be. What started as a private challenge morphed into a lifesaver to which I clung during the storm. God is good.
Still.
Always.
Never changing.
Good.
Do I have answers? It depends on the question. I have no idea why God allows heartache. I have no idea why He can, but He doesn’t. But I will tell you what I do know.
God is who He says He is.
I am who He says I am.
I can do all things through Christ.
God will do what He says He will do.
God’s Word is alive and active in me.
Sound familiar? It might to some. Week One, Lesson one, Believing God .
My thanksliving list grows. I’m thankful that God put in place the support I would need to survive this week before the first day dawned. I’m thankful for teachers of His Word. I’m thankful for the challenge to list my gratitude. The big things don’t seem so overwhelmingly big. My God can do ANYTHING.
81. Believing God is in control. 82. Knowing God can provide. 83. God is bigger than any problem I face. 84. Moments of calm, however fleeting. 85. Deep breaths 86. High work ethics 87. Visitors 88. Competency 89. Our medical system 90. Fast service 91. Smiles 92. Answered prayer 93. God’s transforming power 94. That God doesn’t need my help 95. Miracle of changed lives 96. A warm bath 97. Prayer Warriors 98. Freedom to choose 99. For a God bigger than my questions and doubts 100. FOR NOT NEEDING THE ANSWERS 101. Victory 102. Quiet enough to hear God whisper 103. Omnipresence 104. Corrected thinking 105. Father/daughter projects 106. Mornings out 107. Praise music 108. Obedience when it is difficult 109. The cross 110. Spontaneous worship 111. Feeling God 112. Personal reflection 113. Fearless love 114. Singing out loud 115. Overcoming 116. Private worship 117. Theologically correct lyrics 118. Time 119. Adult conversation 120. Road trips 121. Hugs 122. Accomplishment 123. Ready on time 124. Going with the flow 125. Afternoons at the beach 126. Cousins 127. Sleepover giggles 128. A cool breeze 129. GPS 130. Tim Hortons 131. Gathering of God’s people 132. Preaching His Word 133. Brothers and sisters in Christ 134. Study of His Word 135. Community prayer 136. Full rain barrels 137. Intercessory prayer 138. Holy interruptions 139. Early bedtime 140. Uninterrupted rest
