Worship Wednesday - Never Once

Ever had one of those days that just seem to drag you down? How about weeks or maybe you have experienced months? One thing after another? Lately that has been the case in our family. I like roller coasters, but only the kind you get on, scream as you get the thrill and then BAM! Just that that the ride is over and you step off!. 

Well, I am not liking this ride at all. It seems something new and unexpected at each and every turn. Some days it seems as if I am barely hanging on. Other days, I seem to straighten myself out and go along with the ups and the downs. As long as I am hanging onto God's promises I am pretty steady. But those days that I take my eyes off of HIS WORD and put them on my circumstances.........

A big ol' MESS happens. I scream, I kick, I seriously WANT OFF THIS RIDE. 

And then it happens. Without a warning....the Holy Spirit reminds me  - 

"you know that you are not alone."

"God's got this."

"Trust in His Promises" 

I then turn to the Word that comforts me...

"Be strong and of a good courage"

"God is MY refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1

"God is in the midst of ME, I shall not be moved, God will help me early in this trial" Psalm 45:5

 He loves me and He is with me.... He is not surprised by this. He will hold me with His right hand of righteousness. He alone is my portion. 

And a sweet peace stills my soul. I am reminded of His presence a few months back when we had a health scare with my sweet husband. During a gall bladder attack they found a cyst on his kidney. Once he had his gall bladder removed, we had to follow up with an MRI on his kidney. The results sent him to a Urologist which put us sort of in a panic. With a daughter and son-in-law being nurses, we found out way more than we needed to know. Oh, and you know the internet..... it is full of useful and SCARY, DIDN'T NEED TO KNOW THAT, OVER THE TOP INFORMATION. When I got to the C word. I FROZE! I could not breathe!! So, do yourself a favor. Don't be a surfing doctor. It leads to even more worry, more what ifs.......during the 2 week wait to see the real doctor. 

I began to seek the Lord with all my might!! I immediately went to Psalm 46 sitting in that MRI waiting room. One of my go-tos in times of distress..... when I got to verse 5 it was as if it were lit up. "God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved, God will help her and that right early" Psalm 45:5

 I felt His peace and His presence at that moment. 

The days were long and some nights were even longer. When darkness begin to shadow over the situation, we went to His word to bring light back into it. Everyday God gave us verses to cling to. It was if we were hanging on for dear life. The appointment came and once again we had to wait over a weekend for the dr to consult with another dr. When B called me with the news that it was just a "blood-filled cyst" again I was frozen. I didn't know what to say. The presence of God was so real that I was just in awe of Him. All I could do was thank Him. Praise Him. 

That night, I was folding my umteenth load of laundry, and still praising Him with the radio on K-Love. This song came on a month of pure emotion, and praise began to fall from my eyes and my heart. 

 We got the kids together and we told them the good news, how our prayers had been answered. We shared a lot of things about how God works in our lives and how much He love us! How HE is always with us, even when we think maybe He isn't . We shared this song and immediately. Bub got his guitar and started learning it. Precious time for our family.

Last week my prayer list on Worship Wednesday - now some PRAISE for those requests

Please pray.....
B's test results - PRAISE THE LORD! He has a cyst on his kidneys that they are monitoring every 3 months. Results from a recent Ultrasound  - no change in cyst - THANK YOU LORD!! MRI in 3 months
Am's surgery - went well, she is recovering well. Still has some discomfort. Praying that this worked for her stomach problems.
My Brother & his family in Venezuela  -please continue to pray. This country needs the Lord and our prayers. God protect and provide.... as they share the news of Jesus with the lost.
Sis & school  - LOTS of prayers were answered last week. May GOD continue to show her who HE is
My mother - hurt her back during the snow a few weeks back. Slowly on the mend. 

and many other unspoken that the Lord knows all about.  God knows my heart about these situations and He will get GLORY for them.

On that roller coaster??  He is there

Barely hanging on?? He is there

Top of the mountain  - all is good?? He is there 

Ready to jump off?? He is there

Hang on  - God's got this!

Worship Wednesday:WAIT

 

 

Lord, while we W.A.I.T please help us to

Worship YOU

Acknowledge YOU

Invite YOU to be with us 

Thank YOU

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

 

Father, we know that your WORD is true, and that while we are waiting YOU will renew our strength, you will help us to run this race and not be weary. YOU say you WILL and I know YOU WILL!!!

 

Please pray for my husband, B. We are in WAIT mode for a health situation. Thanks for praying!

 

 

Jesus Our HOPE

 In my previous post, I wrote 

"HOPE that was born on Christmas. In Christ's birth God provided HOPE. Hope to a lost and dying world." 

Those words ring even more true today.

I haven't had words to write about the events of last Friday. Nor do I have them today. Many bloggers, did a day of silence, many shared there heart, many focused on the children, and many shared there HOPE in Christ. And I can only write of what I do know.....

Jesus was born to die for me.

Jesus is coming back to get me one day. 

He will never leave me nor forsake me. 

His promises are true. 

He heals the brokenhearted. 

He loves me with an everlasting love. 

I could write more about Him, because I know He has so much more for me. I have been reminded that I am to focus on the Lord and His promises and not on the evil in this world.

My hope is in the Lord!

I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. Psalm 130:5

 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. Lamentations 3:24

Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil. Jeremiah 17:17

I have seen the poem below a couple times. It warms my heart, renews and reinforces my hope. Hug your loved ones a little tighter and a little longer. May our Heavenly Father pour out His grace and mercy.

20 Beautiful Children 

‘twas 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air...
they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
they were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"this is heaven." declared a small boy. "we're spending Christmas at God's house."
when what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
and as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"may this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"come now my children, let me show you around."
excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
and I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."

Written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf , PA (my hometown)