I believe, help me in my unbelief

Check out this beautiful old song 'I believe, help Thou my unbelief' by Bill Gaither. Love these guys' voices, such beautiful harmonies!!

We often used to watch 'Homecoming' on TV (with Bill and Gloria Gaither) and had a good laugh - quite culturally different - but loved their hearts and the way they just worshiped freely at God's feet. Often enjoyed singing along.

'I take the finite risk of trusting like a child'

God's Provision

Logged on to InTouch to search for any devotions/sermons about God's strength being made perfect in our weakness, and thought I'd read today's Daily Devotional while I was there... discovered it's based on the same passage I was looking at earlier today.

God says, 'I know you blogged about it earlier today, but did you get it, did you REALLY get it?! I want you to know beyond a doubt that I am with you and I will NEVER leave you. I will provide for you. Trust me.'

I love the way God makes sure His message is crystal clear. He's pretty awesome. : )

Afraid? Confused? Look to Jesus

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Matthew 14:27

Sinking like Peter, then hearing Jesus' voice as He reaches out His hand and holds me, “You have so little faith, why did you doubt me?” (v31)

Marley and Me

Saw Marley and Me last night (the second half of it anyway) - what a great movie. So many tears... made me want another dog even more.

I'm not usually an Owen Wilson fan, but I thought he played John well, and I liked John. I like that he wanted to stick it out even when things got tough. I like that he and Jen were honest with each other and honest about how tough life was at times. Love to watch it again, from the beginning next time!!

'A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water log stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if your rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary? '

John Grogan*

* I thought one of the kids said his name was xx Grogan when he'd written a message to Marley, but I thought I must have misheard it - surely they wouldn't choose that as the name for the family. But when I found the quote, sure enough, there it was... John Grogan!

Strengthened with all power by HIS glorious might

I love this passage in Colossians 1:10-12:

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

My wise brother reminds me that patience is a virtue. Unfortunately it's one I don't seem to possess.

Blown away

This morning I was blown away by God's grace. We had an amazing time of worship, where the Pastor just encouraged us to wait on God and to listen, a few people shared what God had laid on their heart, including different verses, and it was so encouraging. I just love how God speaks the right words to us at just the right time to remind us of His amazing grace and His faithfulness. I also love that Sarah deciding not to go out to Sunday School meant that we could have a cuddle and through that God could again remind me of His goodness in my little girls.

Can't remember where I read this, but I don't know what the future holds, but I know the One who does, and I know I can trust Him completely. This morning I was reminded again to keeping looking at Jesus, to just focus on Him.

Our God is sooo good. Thank you God for an awesome morning being blown away in Your presence! You are amazing!!

Holding on to the hand of my Saviour

:) :-) :)

'I will hold on to the hand of my Saviour
And I will hold on with all my might
I will hold loosely to things that are fleeting
And hold on to Jesus
I will hold on to Jesus for life'

Steven Curtis Chapman

Picnic Fun

The girls love picnics - the take-a-blanket and some food to a park (or the backyard) kind, not the chocolate bar (that I love).

This Sunday we're going to a picnic with a new bunch of friends from church, and I'm really looking forward to it. So are the girls, they're very excited.

I'm very thankful to our great God for our new friends, and for picnics!

Very Clever People

Pixar has a bunch of very clever people working for them - check out this behind the scenes interview. Love a lot of their movies.

Abide in His Love

'As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.' (v9-11)

John 15:1-17

He is the vine, we are the branches... Apart from Him we can do nothing. (v5)

The devil is in the detail

One of my old bosses always used to say that the devil is in the detail. She was a big picture person, and she hated the details. I, as her PA, was the opposite. Now that I think about it, there may be more to the phrase than I ever realised before.

Definitely for me, sometimes the details have confused the more general message God has given me. I'm not saying details aren't important, I think they are - but sometimes they can be a distraction, and may be my heart confusing God's original, simple message. The disciples didn't know all the details when Jesus called them to follow Him, they just followed. They just looked at Jesus.

Just discovered this version of Psalm 46:10, from The Message. Love it!

8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
Bans war from pole to pole,
breaks all the weapons across his knee.
"Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
loving look at me, your High God,
above politics, above everything."

Obedience that costs

When catching up with friends on Monday night, I was reminded of something God clearly told me a while back (not audibly, but it was very clear). Initially my thoughts were: 1) God is soooo good; 2) no worries, if that's what He wants me to do I'll do it. But then as time passed I realised just how hard it would be to do what God had asked me to do.

This is probably the most I've ever struggled with obedience. I've already failed lots, and when I haven't failed I've struggled an awful lot! But through it God has been teaching me more about the depth of His love for me.

So often as I've heard the story of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, I've kind of skimmed over it. The fact that he doesn't have to go through with it is the bit that stands out most. It's not nice to sit too long with the feelings Abraham would have experienced as he built the alter and laid his son Isaac on it. But sometimes that's what it's like for us as we obey God. Obedience often costs.

Make me strong again

I love the honesty of the Psalms. I smiled when I read this verse tonight. it's just so real and kind of matter-of-fact. I love that God chose the Psalms to be included in the Bible. I love even more that He promises to be our Strength.

'I am sad and tired. Make me strong again as you have promised.' Psalm 119:28

Life

Sometimes life is a hard slog.

So many emotions in one day...

Catching up with an old friend over coffee. Watching Sarah and Lucy play with my friend's little girl. Tantrum number 1 (actually, perhaps number 2 or 3 by this stage...). Listening to beautiful music on the radio. Hearing that this week is marriage celebration week. Opening my uni assessment results and getting a distinction for the subject I'd least expect it in! Sarah sharing the excitement with me and giving me a cuddle. Saying thanks to God with Sarah and Lucy. Listening to the girls giggling in the bath. Our cat coming over to sit on my lap and have a cuddle. Another tantrum. Catching up with some more friends over a cuppa. Hearing my little girl coughing in her sleep - anticipating a long night. Being reminded that God tells me to cast all my cares on Him. Being surprised to have a pretty good night's sleep - thanks God!!

Laying our cares at God's feet

As I read tonight's devotion about laying our cares at God's feet, an old song started playing in my head, 'I cast all my cares upon You, I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet, and any time that I don't know what to do, I will cast all my cares upon You.' Simple song, but a great one.

Who is this?

35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

41They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Mark 4

Afraid I'm just like the disciples - often lacking faith and afraid. But then I see Jesus again. I am reminded that NOTHING is beyond His control.

Any offensive way

I found this scrappy bit of paper in my Bible the other day - I'd written on it during our Bible Study on Psalm 139. I also blogged about it back then.

We'd been encouraged to pray and ask God to show us 'any offensive way' in us (v24). Four months on the challenge is just as great. But God's grace is just as sufficient as it was four months ago and as it will be four months from now.

Belong to Him

A number of years ago I heard this beautiful song on the radio as I was driving, I remember crying when I heard it. And that was before I'd been through what I have now -think it was a few years before I was married. I can't find a version I can listen to on the web - might search for the CD next time I'm at Koorong, but here are the words.

God rejoices over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).


Joanna Carlson, Belong to Me

She Walks In And Closes The Door
Shuts The World Out Of Sight For Another Lonely Night
And She Cries As She Kneels On The Floor
For This Empty Room And This Solitary Life

But Heaven Is Hearing And Sharing Each Tear
And I Know The Father Is Near
He's Saying
You Can Belong To Me
I'll Cherish You, Treasure You, Love You Completely
Someday You'll Finally See
How Precious You Are In My Eyes
You've Never Been Out Of My Sight
I Love You For All Of Your Life
You Can Belong To Me

A Little Boy Lies On His Bed
Wonderin Where Daddy's Gone And Did He Do Something Wrong
And He Hides All The Fears In His Head
As He Tries To Be Strong
But He Feels So Alone

And Heaven Is Hearing And Sharing Each Tear
And I Know The Father Is Near
He's Saying
You Can Belong To Me
I'll Cherish You, Treasure You, Love You Completely
Someday You'll Finally See
How Precious You Are In My Eyes
You've Never Been Out Of My Sight
I Love You For All Of Your Life
You Can Belong To Me

It's not always about doing

This is what the Sovereign Lord,
the Holy One of Israel, says:
“Only in returning to me
and resting in me will you be saved.
In quietness and confidence is your strength."

Isaiah 30:15 (New Living Translation)

I had to read the 'resting in me' bit a few times - initially it didn't make sense. As someone who likes to get on and do things, I was a bit baffled for a while. But then suddenly it started to make sense. God has done it all.

I remembered back to Sunday morning's message, that Jesus is the heart of the gospel. Only by resting in Him will we be saved! It's not about what I do, it's about resting in Him and what He has already done on the cross. Sure, as we rest in Him He propels us forward to do stuff, but not the other way around.

'Only in returning to me and resting in me'. God reminds me to get my priorities right, to seek first His Kingdom, to rest in Him. Instead of trying to figure out what to do, there are times when I need to just rest in Him. That's all. Rest. Why do I find that so hard?!

Dancing

Still loving ceroc. The one thing I dislike about it, apart from the 'unusual' guys (usually older), is that it gets the endorphins going. They say endorphins are the chemicals released in the brain to make you feel good, and that exercise helps release these chemicals. Though ultimately they're very good, I'd rather feel this energised earlier in the day, not when I should be going to bed!!!

It's heaps of fun though. Loved dancing with one guy who kept dancing ahead of the instructor in our beginner class, most of the other guys were on their first lesson so he's had a bit more practice - he has this really funny laugh too.

One asian lady I met last week told me she hopes I find a nice young man there, doubt that! She was sweet. Oh yeah, and this other asian girl came up to me and said hello - I stood there awkwardly for a bit and asked her what the link was, she then told me her name which didn't help at all, then it occurred to me I met her in class last week. Der. How embarrassing!! What's worse, I still can't remember her name. I'm pretty sure it has two syllables.

Yesterday

Last night I played keys at church for the first time in a few years. As the service began I was so nervous, haven’t been nervous like that in a while.

When I played at another church and at college a few years ago I was part of a big band and I usually just played (didn’t sing on a mic as there were plenty of singers), but last night it was just the leader on his guitar and singing, and me on piano and singing. I struggle to play fast songs so that was nerve-racking, especially without drums. To make matters worse, the lights at the front of the church had been turned off just before we started, so I could barely read the music. In the final song I had to drop out for a bit because I couldn’t read the chords at all... it was terrible. Maybe I need a magnifying glass next time I play?

Earlier in the day I enjoyed being part of another church service, catching up briefly with some old friends, and meeting a few friendly new people. Then had to rush off for father’s day stuff. It was a busy day, but sometimes busy days are good – there’s less time to think. Saying that, this morning’s devotion from 103.2 was titled, ‘Simply resting’. Hmmm.

Run to Jesus

I still love how God speaks to us so personally, and how His timing is so perfect. Here’s what I read in my devotion tonight that reinforced part of the great message I heard this morning. It’s not about me and what I can do for God, it’s about Jesus and what He’s already done for me.

‘The prophet Isaiah wrote that our strength comes from trust in God (30:15). When life gets rough and feels as though everything will come apart, stop rushing and wondering and run to Jesus. He is the Anchor of your soul, the One who is strong and faithful and has promised never to abandon you.’ p5 Charles Stanley, Seeking His Face

RUN TO JESUS!!!!

Reminiscing

I’ve caught myself reminiscing about days gone by a few times recently.

Good memories of a walk along the beach getting to know a guy, even though nothing came of it. Good memories of enjoying yum-cha with the family ‘on release’ from hospital when I’d either just had Sarah or was about to have her, can’t remember that part which is terrible I know! The food seemed extra special having eaten hospital food for a week or so.

I’m finding that reminiscing can bring sparks of hope. There’s nothing like hope to keep us going. It’s good.

Putting aside my feelings

Very often (nearly always, I’m afraid) when I come to church my feelings are uppermost in my mind. This is natural. We are human, we are “selves”, and it takes no effort at all to feel. But worship is not a feeling. Worship is not an experience. Worship is an act, and this takes discipline. We are to worship “in spirit and in truth”. Never mind about the feelings. We are to worship in spite of them.

From ‘Let me be a woman’ by Elisabeth Elliot, p5