There is a first time for everything. This past semester God taught me a lot about listening. Listening for Him. Hearing Him. And then obeying Him. He taught what His voice sounds like. It is the most solid sound that has ever entered my mind.
It is also the sweetest sound.
The best sound.
It is comforting.
It is challenging, often times asking me to do what I would rather not.
My flesh begins to fight. My gut says no.
My mind says, "This what God wants. DO IT."
My heart is willing because there with the Holy Spirit, it knows what is right.
He has taught to pray. Really pray.
At camp with our youth, I was privileged, and I mean really privileged, to witness over 100 students worshipping their Creator. They would raise their hands. Or bow their heads. Lie on the floor in reverence, or be on their knees in awe of their Savior.
As I stood in the back of the auditorium and looked and really saw what was happening in front of me, I couldn't help but praise God for what He was doing in the hearts and minds of these teenagers. Of the next generation.
As I stood and watched, I prayed.
I prayed that God would talk to them. That they would talk to God.
I prayed that they would listen.
And that they would hear from God Almighty.
And praise God, they did!
The last day of camp, as we sat half awake eating Cheerio's and pancakes in the dining hall, a staffer asked the students sitting at our table to share something God had taught them during the week. Every night I had prayed that they would listen and hear from God. I had prayed that their earbuds would be stuck in His Word and that it would play through their mind. Two of the boys sitting with us said that while at camp they listened, and heard from God. They were learning what His voice sounded like. You talk about wanting to shout! God had told me what to pray for and He let me see it answered while I was eating my cereal at 8:00 in the morning with sleepy boogers in my eyes!
Y'all, God is good. And He is so stinkin real. And He is solid. He is not made of the wind that the turbulence of the world creates. He is what we stand on. HE is our solid rock that CANNOT be destroyed.
King Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom, glory, domain, and everything else that was his on the face of the earth was knocked out from under his feet.
Daniel 2:31-35
“Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.
The statue, what was built by man, crumbled. Fell and shattered. But the rock, the Kingdom of God grew. A statue will fall. And it can only be so big. But what the heck can you do with a mountain? A mountain isn't about to fall and shatter to pieces. That is how solid and real God is. All the world has to offer us is chaff, the leftover part of the wheat that has no use, function, or purpose that is going to be blown away.
But God is full of light! He has a desire burning inside of Him to talk to us. We just have to listen and we will hear Him. He created us on purpose for a purpose. A beautiful one! He wants to use us. With Him, we function at our full ability. Being with God, trusting Him, resting with Him, giving Him the thoughts that don't glorify Him, is how we hear Him.
He is listening.
Are you?
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
When Jesus talks to me in the sky
"Woop! The driveway's right here, hun," I thought to myself
as I drove down the familiar stretch of rode leading to my home.
Bumpy as ever, the wide, rock-paved piece of land welcomed me home at 11:30 pm.
Pulling through the gate and passing the rose bushes, I did something I do quite often.
I stopped.
With Carrie Underwood streaming the windows, I stuck my head out to look at the stars.
The sky was clear and like a lollipop does for a 4 year-old, the stars popped and shone with their brilliance.
They were showing off tonight.
I looked and looked.
Searched and searched the sky.
Where is it?!
The constellation I always like to find was nowhere to be found.
I saw the big dipper, the little dipper and lots of other gatherings of stars that I couldn't identify.
But I couldn't find it.
I couldn't find him.
Any time I ever look at the stars, I always look for Orion.
I tell myself it is okay to search the skies because it is teaching me to "look up to God."
But, when I actually do find Orion in the sky, I don't pray for my future special someone, or use it as a reminder to look to God and trust Him completely.
In my heart what's really happening is, "Ain't nobody got no time for that!
Get on the move, girlfriend."
My heart is fearful.
I am a daughter of God.
I am GOD's daughter. And He loves me as His daughter.
So why am I fearful?
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18
If He is my Daddy and He loves me more than my mind, body, and soul can even conjure up, why am I so stinkin afraid?
It stinks to be afraid. That is why He doesn't want us to be.
Tonight, God said, "He is not here. He will come when I want him to. Just like Orion appears in the night sky when it is his season, so will your man. Not when you want him to, but when I want him to. He will come during the season that I see fit.
No one else can make you what I want.
I am the artist who is designing you, and at the end of the day, I say what you will be because I. am. your. CREATOR."
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:8-10
I need to be satisfied with Him!
Geez, He has chosen me, made me a royal priestess, part of a holy nation, His possession, called into the light.
I am of His people.
I have been given His mercy.
And so have you.
as I drove down the familiar stretch of rode leading to my home.
Bumpy as ever, the wide, rock-paved piece of land welcomed me home at 11:30 pm.
Pulling through the gate and passing the rose bushes, I did something I do quite often.
I stopped.
With Carrie Underwood streaming the windows, I stuck my head out to look at the stars.
The sky was clear and like a lollipop does for a 4 year-old, the stars popped and shone with their brilliance.
They were showing off tonight.
I looked and looked.
Searched and searched the sky.
Where is it?!
The constellation I always like to find was nowhere to be found.
I saw the big dipper, the little dipper and lots of other gatherings of stars that I couldn't identify.
But I couldn't find it.
I couldn't find him.
Any time I ever look at the stars, I always look for Orion.
I tell myself it is okay to search the skies because it is teaching me to "look up to God."
But, when I actually do find Orion in the sky, I don't pray for my future special someone, or use it as a reminder to look to God and trust Him completely.
In my heart what's really happening is, "Ain't nobody got no time for that!
Get on the move, girlfriend."
My heart is fearful.
I am a daughter of God.
I am GOD's daughter. And He loves me as His daughter.
So why am I fearful?
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18
If He is my Daddy and He loves me more than my mind, body, and soul can even conjure up, why am I so stinkin afraid?
It stinks to be afraid. That is why He doesn't want us to be.
Tonight, God said, "He is not here. He will come when I want him to. Just like Orion appears in the night sky when it is his season, so will your man. Not when you want him to, but when I want him to. He will come during the season that I see fit.
No one else can make you what I want.
I am the artist who is designing you, and at the end of the day, I say what you will be because I. am. your. CREATOR."
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:8-10
I need to be satisfied with Him!
Geez, He has chosen me, made me a royal priestess, part of a holy nation, His possession, called into the light.
I am of His people.
I have been given His mercy.
And so have you.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
How He Loves
The crickets have returned.
The sky was navy blue and Orion appeared to say hello.
The sun was gone and it was 8:53pm.
I walked down the driveway. I could only see it because I knew where it was at.
Crickets, an occasional horse-cough and my flip-flops were the only noises heard.
The only lights were those of the stars and the blinking tower across the road.
As I stood in the curve of the driveway and listened to whooper-wills and looked at the stars, everything was saying the same thing:
God has brought about spring once again!
The air smelled like grass and freshly plowed dirt ready for corn. My arms welcomed the 70 degree breeze that floated by. My feet were happy to show off their pink toes in my flip-flops.
Winter is ending!
God's voice is drifting through the woods saying,
"Wake up. It is time to dance and sing...for me!"
Thank you, Lord, that spring is coming! Thank you for the hope it gives us! Thank you for your faithfulness to us and the beautiful gift of spring!
The sky was navy blue and Orion appeared to say hello.
The sun was gone and it was 8:53pm.
I walked down the driveway. I could only see it because I knew where it was at.
Crickets, an occasional horse-cough and my flip-flops were the only noises heard.
The only lights were those of the stars and the blinking tower across the road.
As I stood in the curve of the driveway and listened to whooper-wills and looked at the stars, everything was saying the same thing:
God has brought about spring once again!
The air smelled like grass and freshly plowed dirt ready for corn. My arms welcomed the 70 degree breeze that floated by. My feet were happy to show off their pink toes in my flip-flops.
Spring is coming!
Winter is ending!
God's voice is drifting through the woods saying,
"Wake up. It is time to dance and sing...for me!"
Thank you, Lord, that spring is coming! Thank you for the hope it gives us! Thank you for your faithfulness to us and the beautiful gift of spring!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
And the little boy was answered...
Once upon a time a brown eyed baby was born in an Army hospital in Kentucky. Shortly thereafter she moved to Florida. She lived there until she was twelve years old. She spent summers at Grandpa and Grandma's house in Georgia. They lived on a dirt road and went to a small Baptist church. Back in Florida she watched her dad build dragsters and paint flames onto hot rods.
She wanted run a service station and pump all the gas.
Then her dad, wanting to take his family to a safer place, moved the family to Georgia. She lived next door to Grandpa and Grandma when dad was through with their house. She had left everything she knew and that was all she wanted. Yes, the mountains are beautiful, but the beach and salt wind were her stomping grounds. She worked hard in school. She worked hard on everything she took part in.
She loved Biology. So she decided to become a doctor and live on the beach.
And then she met a young man with green eyes and calloused hands. He supported her and loved. He took her seriously. He loved her and she loved him, and his crazy family, in return. In this, she gave up her dream of living by the beach; falling asleep to the sound of the waves. She fell in love with a mountain man. It was cold December day and it was the evening of the 20th that they promised to love each other until they died.
She was in college learning how to become a teacher.
But she wanted to quite. She wanted to get a job at the bakery she drove past everyday. She wanted to have a baby. He didn't want her to quite and he wouldn't let her. He wanted a family too, but he knew it would come in due time. She didn't quite. And didn't have a baby, either.
And then she graduated and a year later fell in love with a swaddled-pacifier-sucking Christmas present.
She began teaching and taking her babe to the sweet little lady babysitter. Doesn't sound to hard, right? Three years later, right before the firecrackers started in July God gave her own firecracker right on the due date. She didn't want to leave another baby. She wanted to be with her babies. And her green-eyed hero granted her her wishes.
A little boy once asked a small girl what she wanted to be when she grew up.
The small girl answered, "Well, I want to be a nurse, a cook, a race car driver, a teacher, a hostess."
"There is no way you can do all that stuff!" was the little boy's response.
"A mommy is all of those things," is all the small girl had to reply to suffice the little boy.
My Mommy is all of those things and more, and my Daddy knows it. My Daddy loves her and she loves him.
I love you, Mommy and Daddy!
Love,
Leah-Joy.
She wanted run a service station and pump all the gas.
Then her dad, wanting to take his family to a safer place, moved the family to Georgia. She lived next door to Grandpa and Grandma when dad was through with their house. She had left everything she knew and that was all she wanted. Yes, the mountains are beautiful, but the beach and salt wind were her stomping grounds. She worked hard in school. She worked hard on everything she took part in.
She loved Biology. So she decided to become a doctor and live on the beach.
And then she met a young man with green eyes and calloused hands. He supported her and loved. He took her seriously. He loved her and she loved him, and his crazy family, in return. In this, she gave up her dream of living by the beach; falling asleep to the sound of the waves. She fell in love with a mountain man. It was cold December day and it was the evening of the 20th that they promised to love each other until they died.
She was in college learning how to become a teacher.
But she wanted to quite. She wanted to get a job at the bakery she drove past everyday. She wanted to have a baby. He didn't want her to quite and he wouldn't let her. He wanted a family too, but he knew it would come in due time. She didn't quite. And didn't have a baby, either.
And then she graduated and a year later fell in love with a swaddled-pacifier-sucking Christmas present.
She began teaching and taking her babe to the sweet little lady babysitter. Doesn't sound to hard, right? Three years later, right before the firecrackers started in July God gave her own firecracker right on the due date. She didn't want to leave another baby. She wanted to be with her babies. And her green-eyed hero granted her her wishes.
A little boy once asked a small girl what she wanted to be when she grew up.
The small girl answered, "Well, I want to be a nurse, a cook, a race car driver, a teacher, a hostess."
"There is no way you can do all that stuff!" was the little boy's response.
"A mommy is all of those things," is all the small girl had to reply to suffice the little boy.
My Mommy is all of those things and more, and my Daddy knows it. My Daddy loves her and she loves him.
I love you, Mommy and Daddy!
Love,
Leah-Joy.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Today I Am Grateful
I am not grateful everyday, but I should be.
Today I am very grateful.
Only thirty minutes away from my house in a valley, a tornado gave a party.
It danced and sang.
And it left a mess of destruction as a party favor.
Homes are gone.
The place where laughter, food, and goodnight-kisses were given,
are a heap of sadness and suffering now.
Work places are gone.
Where men and women provided for their families,
ate sandwiches with their friends, and stayed till after 5:00 when they didn't have to.
Nothing was taken from me.
My home is still here, my daddy is still working.
I thank God that we are safe. That our brown couch is still our brown couch.
The Avenger cups are still in the cabinet and my tooth paste is where it belongs.
If you were not touched by the tornado I hope that you praise God for that.
And ask Him what you can for those that were forced to host the party that it threw.
If you were touched, torn, or bruised and battered, I want you to know that I am praying for you and so are others.
I pray that God gives you strength, endurance to the end, hope, peace, and rest when you need it.
Today I am very grateful.
Only thirty minutes away from my house in a valley, a tornado gave a party.
It danced and sang.
And it left a mess of destruction as a party favor.
Homes are gone.
The place where laughter, food, and goodnight-kisses were given,
are a heap of sadness and suffering now.
Work places are gone.
Where men and women provided for their families,
ate sandwiches with their friends, and stayed till after 5:00 when they didn't have to.
Nothing was taken from me.
My home is still here, my daddy is still working.
I thank God that we are safe. That our brown couch is still our brown couch.
The Avenger cups are still in the cabinet and my tooth paste is where it belongs.
If you were not touched by the tornado I hope that you praise God for that.
And ask Him what you can for those that were forced to host the party that it threw.
If you were touched, torn, or bruised and battered, I want you to know that I am praying for you and so are others.
I pray that God gives you strength, endurance to the end, hope, peace, and rest when you need it.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Nine Strawberry Cookies
Friendship can't be explained on the rim of a picture frame with a few fluffy words.
Friendship isn't a couple movie nights and dress up parties.
Friendship isn't just texting and smiley faces.
Friendship isn't picking up the tab because you can.
Friendship isn't gifts and smooth-sailing.
Friendship is baking salted caramel oat bars and seeing the being joy in the midst of it.
Friendship is saying, "Lets eat at home and watch a Redbox. I'm broke."
Friendship is holding hands during Les Miserables and putting your heads together in the sad parts.
Friendship is bits of encouragement fused together by God to give you hope in the next chapter of your life!
Friendship is touching toes and being OK with it.
Friendship isn't a couple movie nights and dress up parties.
Friendship isn't just texting and smiley faces.
Friendship isn't picking up the tab because you can.
Friendship isn't gifts and smooth-sailing.
Friendship is baking salted caramel oat bars and seeing the being joy in the midst of it.
Friendship is saying, "Lets eat at home and watch a Redbox. I'm broke."
Friendship is holding hands during Les Miserables and putting your heads together in the sad parts.
Friendship is bits of encouragement fused together by God to give you hope in the next chapter of your life!
Friendship is touching toes and being OK with it.
“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I thought I was the only one.” -- C.S. Lewis
Friendship is nine strawberry cookies.
My friends, dear sweet ladies,
I praise God that you are my friends. I praise Him for giving me true friendship in you! I pray that God gives you the strength to face whatever this year may bring! Be it a trial you did not expect or a blessing you do not understand! Just like Paul told the people of Philipi, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."
Love,
Your Friend.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Happy Birthday, Mommy!
She is woman from whom grace and mercy flow
out of because she has been filled to brim with them. She washes, feeds, and
teaches all her children whether or not they are still at home. Her left arm is
stronger than her right arm from years of holding babies and toddlers. She
rarely ever paints her nails because it never stays on long in the dishwater.
Seeing her read her Bible in the morning, getting her strength from her Heavenly
Father, is a picture of peace. She has a laughter that starts at her toes, revs
up in her soul and then bursts through her lips. She is a mother figure to all
who love her. She is Deboo to some, Deborah to her friends, Momma Debbie to
many, and Mommy to me. She walks me to my car as I head out for school and asks
how she can pray for me that day. Just like the woman is Proverbs 31, my daddy
praises my mommy. She is woman who “acts justly, loves mercy, and walks humbly
with her God.” Micah 6:8 With a clean sink at 6:30 in the evening, she shows my
daddy, in just a small way, how much she loves him. That is where he likes to
wash his hands when he comes in from work so she has it prepared for him. My
mother is a beautiful woman. She is a woman who serves people with her soul.
She is woman that is mothering orphans. But because of her love and obedience
to her heavenly Father, they are no longer orphans.
I am blessed in a colossal amount to have this woman as my mommy!
Thank you, Lord, for bringing her into the world on this day! Thank you for making her my mommy!
I love you, Mommy! I hope you have had a wonderful birthday!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
She Is My Sister
When anyone else would have lost hope, she held on.
When anyone else would have wondered if they were ever going to get to go home, she had patience.
After seeing child after child and baby after baby go home with their mommies, she had faith.
After holding on, embodying patience and never loosing faith...
God has decided, in wonderful mercy, to give her to this crazy, Southern family that can't wait for her homecoming!
Marigrace and Jim at a cookout hosted by their wonderful church!
Grandmother and Uncle Keith this spring
Noel and me at Christmas 2011
Hope with her spaghetti bread at Christmas
JubiLee teaching a friend/sister a piano song
Jesse, Will and JubiLee blowing balloons at Easter
Hope, Whitney-Faith and Marigrace "teaching" our friend, Jessie, to group waltz.
Marigrace coming home from New York!
And two of the craziest people in the world: My parents!
I thank God for the tenacity in the faith, their boldness in obedience and their love for life inside God's will.
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