Saturday, April 24, 2010

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Thank you to all of you for your positive comments. I don't usually have time to sit down on Saturday morning and write on my blog. But this morning...for once..I have some quiet time. Ha!!! I should be doing laundry, cleaning house, bathrooms, etc....but I don't have that motivation. I actually felt led to get on here. More on that later.

Hannah is in Lindsay, OK at a track meet. I was originally going to go. But Isaac has his last baseball games today at a tournament in Piedmont. Hannah still has a few more track meets. So I asked her if she minded that I didn't go with her. She said she didn't mind. So later, I will be heading to Piedmont for his Baseball game. While keeping in contact with her to see how she is doing. I know she will do well. And, we all know Isaac will after what happened Thursday night. He told me that that was the most fun he has had playing with the school team this year. Pretty bad when it has come to the end of the season!!! He will play in the summer league though and he had fun in that last year.

I mentioned that I felt led to get on here this morning. It was after my devotions. I was feeling a little blue...Isaacs birthday is coming up tomorrow...actually Monday...but we will celebrate Sunday at dinner with the whole family. Then I was thinking about Mother's Day. Mine,yes, because last year...as John and I were mending our relationship he made it so special. I keep going back to that day. Then, for Marilyn, how she must be hurting so much, losing her son, having to celebrate without him. She must be in so much pain. So, last night, as I sat in the living room alone, I had these thoughts racing through my mind. I really had to put them in the Lord's hands as I laid my head down. And as always he was faithful. Almost overslept to get !!!

But as I read my devotions, in a very melancholy spirit, the Lord began to speak to me through the devotions, his word, etc. At the end of my devotional time I always read two devotional books. They both spoke to me in such a profound matter. My spirits were raised and I began to look at THIS day differently. Tomorrow is in God's hands. I don't have to worry, because he goes ahead and prepares the way for me.

So, when I was thinking of heading to Panera Bread, I sat in my chair and began to think of my blog. And I felt moved to get on here and share my devotions with you. I felt like maybe they needed to be put on here to help someone. So here they are:

This is from God Calling (I have paraphrased some of it so it wouldn't be so long....

Within you is the Life of Life. The Life that down the ages has kept my servants, in peril, in adversity, in sorrow.

Once you are born of the Spirit, that is your Life's breath. You must never doubt, never worry, but STEP BY STEP, the way to freedom must be trodden. See that you walk it with me.

This means no worry, no anxiety, but it does not mean NO EFFORT!.. When My Disciples told Me that they had toiled all night and taken nothing, I did not fill the boat with fishes WITHOUT EFFORT ON THEIR PART! NO!!! My command stood. "Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught."

Their lives were endangered, the ship nearly sank, the help of their fellows (I noticed that they had help from their friends...just as I have Jeff and Sallye, and many more that have come to help me at this time)had to be summoned, and there were broken nets to mend. Any one of these trouble might have made the feel My help was not there. And yet as they sat on the shore and mended those nets, they would see My Love and Care.

The man who reaches the mountain height by the help of train or ca has learned no climber's lesson. But remember this does not mean no Guide....this does mean that My Spirit is not supplying wisdom and strength. how often, when sometimes you don't know it, I go before you to prepare the way, to soften a heart here, to overrule there.

......As I read this...I began to think...you know...I think I thought that God would do it all. That I didn't have to work hard to come back from this tragedy. That all I had to do was pray, seek him, and all would fall into place. Well,this has shown me that it is going to take work. That it is going to be hard. But he goes ahead of me...always...and always prepares the way for me. Always has a plan. That He loves me and cares for and about me. But, I must work.....or no lessons will be learned.

Then there was this devotion from Jesus Calling:
This was a real teaching one....

Rest in the stillness of My Presence while I prepare you for this day. Wait on Me in confident trust. Be still and know that I am God. There is both passive and an active side to trusting Me. As you rest in My Presence, focusing on Me, I quietly build bonds of trust between us. When you respond to the circumstances of your life with affirmations of trust, you actively participate in this process.

I am always with you, so you have no reason to be afraid. Your fear often manifests itself in excessive planning. Your mind is so accustomed to this pattern of thinking that you are only now becoming aware of how pervasive it is and how much it hinders your intimacy with Me. Repent of this tendency and resist it, whenever you realize you are wondering down this well-worn path. Return to My Presence, which always awaits you in the present moment. I accept you back with no condemnation.

.........Wow....Again...There is a time to be passive in my trust of Him, but then there is the time to be active. I feel like at this time in my life I have to be both at the same time. But, never did I think that there were two ways to trust in Him.

The part about excessive planning spoke to me also. I am a planner. I want to know what I am going to do the next minute, hour, day, week, etc. But, I think the book was so true when it said that excessive planning can hinder my intimacy with Him. So, today, I did repent and promised my Lord that I would resist it. That He does go ahead of me, preparing my way. I don't have to be excessive in it, constantly dwelling on how my day will go, how it will end......its already done...I just have to be in constant communion with Him and it will all fall into place.

Well, I hope one of them spoke to you as they both spoke to me. Isn't He amazing??

Hope to see you, my friend, at church tomorrow. Can't wait to hear what God has to teach me and show me.

Love to you all,
Saundra

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, Saundra, you did an awesome job this morning of reminding us of God's faithfulness. Thanks so much and may God continue to bless all of you.

Anonymous said...

Saun (sb)

Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Saundra, what a wonderful devotion! Something that might help you - log on to Flylady.net. If you follow some simple rules your house will be clean with dinner on the table each night. I use by crock pot every morning therefore, dinner is ready in the evening. Try it! see how you like it!
Love

missd said...

Thx Saun,
Those were 2 good devotionals. I do believe God is going before me, but when overwelmingly bad things happen, totally unexpected, you can start all the planning and doing...which sometimes has to be done, like if you have to go to court, etc. You have to go prepared. But, we can always ask the Lord to help us prepare, show us what we need to do, help us find those things and reach out to friends who we are certain are in our lives to HELP us.

Thanks, I'm glad I got on here today. This has been a rough week, or two actually. I needed to be reminded again of who is really in control...especially when it seems unexpected circumstances are controlling your life

...and when you don't see why he would lead you into more totally unexpected negative stuff

...and you wonder why you were never taught these things might happen

...why you never saw Christians admit these things were going on in their lives

..and you remember how they were judged if something bad happened to them, so why should they talk or ask for help

...but sometimes we have to ask someone for help when you are backed into a corner.

Again, thanks because even though I don't know why so much stuff happens all at once, I know who is in control and I know whom I have believed, and He is able...He has it under control even if I don't see it from here:)

Anonymous said...

Amazing, thank you Saundra. Still praying for you and your family.