Hebrews 4:14-16

Greetings dear and precious sisters-in-Christ,

The last Wednesday of 2017. What a year!!! I know that every single one of you have ben challengened and tempted and tested beyond your limits. I know that for many of you the very thought of facing another day was so hard but yet there was something deep in your heart that even the mind could not comprehend that kept you from giving up.

I know because of Hebrews 4:14-16 " Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Yes, the year of 2017 had its challenges - those moments when you wanted to shout or cry or kick something or collapse into a heap.
Yes, the year of 2017 had its rewards - those moments when you jumped up and down or laughed so hard that your belly hurt or was awestruck by the beauty or stilled by the sound or captured by the Love given and received.

Yes, 2017 each day filled with His tender mercies, each day filled with rejoicing, each second, moment, and hour filled with HIM.

As the year of 2017 comes to an end I pray that each dear and precious sister-in-Christ, yes, you my dear and precious friend, may we "therefore, let us draw near with Confidence to the Throne of Grace, so that we may receive mercy and find Grace to help in time of need." This is a mystery!! A marvelous and rich mystery that the LORD reveals to us at just the right time and place and hour when needed.

Abba Father, Praise to thee and thank You for each second, moment, and hour of 2017 given to us by You. Lord I pray that as this year comes to an end that each dear and precious sister-in-Christ would embrace ALL of the days which You planned and purposed and guided and directed and carried and kept just for them. And as they say goodbye to 2017 may it be with thankfulness for Your Peace which passes all understanding, Your Joy which is their Strength, Your Hope which is believed, and Your Love which has no bounds. In the Precious Name of Jesus, the Name above ALL names, Amen.

Embracing That Which Has Already Been Given,




LyndiaSue

Expecting the Call - Matthew 5: 14,16

Greetings dear and precious sisters-in-Christ,

Today's title for my post comes from an excerpt of Chapter 13 of a book by Stormie OMartian. The title of the book is "Just Enough LIGHT for the Step I'm On Trusting God in the Tough Times." Yes we all our in "Tough Times". It is inevitable and how we decide to process and live is called, "walking by Faith."

This time of the year I always get melancholy and when something very sad happens I seem to want to dwell to deeply on the sadness of it all. And that is why this year I am once again met with the sadness of it all and want to not dwell to deeply but rather turn my eyes upon "expecting the call."

Yes, "God has a great purpose for each one of us. There is a call from God on your life and mine. The question is, will we listen to find out what it is?" [quote from the book]

Consider the Christmas Story - the great purpose He had on Mary and Elizabeth and Joseph and the Shepherds and the Inn Keeper and the priest Zacharieas and King Herod and Caesar Augustus.

Abba Father, Praise and Glory and Honor, how delicate are Your Golden threads oh most Glorious Lord, each one precious in Your Sight, each golden thread used so beautifully to bring about Your Glory. How glorious was Your Glory displayed on that night as the angels announced to the shepherds the good news. Lord I pray for each dear and precious sister-in-Christ that she would be "expecting the call" upon her heart and mind and soul and as she reads and listens to the Christmas Story being told that she would wait in great expectancy to see Your Purpose for her very existence. In the Precious Name of Jesus, the Name above all names, Amen.

Embracing That Which Has Already Been Given,




LyndiaSue

Psalm 16:9,11 Therefore my Heart

Greetings dear and precious sisters-in-Christ,

I have been waiting for the local outdoor ice skating rink to open. I saw some activity two weekends ago, but did not see anyone around. Last Saturday I drove by on my way to a meeting and IT WAS OPEN!! I talked to a couple of my hockey guys and found out that I hadn't missed very much, it had only been open for a week and they wondered where I had been and invited me to go home and get my skates and come join in the fun. I told them that I had a meeting to go to and would come on Sunday.

Sunday morning arrived, the sun was shining, the temperature was 27 degrees and out the door I went down to the ice rink. It is only 5 blocks away from my house. Putting on my skates my doubts began. It had been several months since I had worn my ice skates and been on the ice with them on. Would I be able to stand up, would I be able to skate without falling. I had the whole rink to myself so what if I fell and no one would find me for several hours. Wow, all these doubtful thoughts - what was I thinking. But then... stepping out on the ice, as my left foot blade touches the ice, my body settles down, my thoughts gather to the feel of the blades on the ice and I begin. After the first lap around and into the second a still small voice, "Do you trust that I AM with you and have heard your doubts and your fears?" My response, "Yes, Lord forgive me for doubting and fearing." An hour and a half later my legs were getting tired but I wanted to continue. My legs won so off the ice I went.

How easily I am ready to be doubtful and to have fears!! What if I had taken those doubts and fears and did not go out on the ice? But I did and the experience was rewarding and amazing. The scripture verses for today are so meaningful for me, "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. You will show me the path of life; In Your Presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." How magnificent is our Heavenly Father!!

Abba Father, Praise and Glory to thee this day as we gather together. Lord as we come before Your Presence may all of our doubts and our fears be laid aside and may we boldly proclaim this: "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. You will show me the path of life; In Your Presence is fullness of Joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." In the Precious Name of Jesus, the Name above all names, Amen.

Embracing That Which Has Already Been Given,



LyndiaSue

1 Kings 19:11-12 The Essence of Who I AM

Greetings dear and precious sisters-in-Christ,

I woke up this morning realizing that it was going to be a busy day. I have an annual meeting to atted tonight and since I have to present something I am already feeling a little apprehensive. Yes, me, the one who is able to speak all the time to anyone who will listen. But in this case I want to make sure since I am representing our Association that I do a good job. But then, I stopped thinking of that matter and turned to writing to you this morning as it is Wednesday. Pretending that I had to muster up something by myself, the still small voice said, "I will give you the Words to write as soon as you begin to seek Me. Once I did that ...

"The Essence of Who I AM"

[The definition of Essence: the very being or power of a thing; the formal cause of being; peculiar nature or quality; a being; essential part; a concentration of the active ingredients of a substance in a smaller mass; a solution of essential oils in rectified alcohol; a perfume -- which also included: Essential, a) belonging to the essence; necessary to the existence of a thing; inherent; something indispensible; a chief point; a leading principle.]

Scripture reading: 1 Kings 19:11-12 "So He said, "Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the reathquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing."

Abba Father, Praise and Glory and Honor to thee alone, oh LORD that as we enter into a time of celebrating the birth of Your Son, who came to earth as a babe, may we hear "a sound of a gentle blowing", and just as Elijah heard and wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrace of the cave, may we stand in Your Presence and hear Your Voice. LORD we are wanting to know the "Essence of Who I AM. I pray for each dear and precious sister-in-Christ that she would come to know..."Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separte us from the Love of God (Rom 8:39). In the Precious Name of Jesus, the Name above all names, Amen.

Embracing That Which Has Already Been Given,



LyndiaSue