Thursday, September 9, 2010

Hello again! Two posts in two days, this is awesome :)

I don't have the words to explain the excitement going on in my heart but i know the cause for all this joy is Christ. For the first time in many years I feel that God has melted away frozen hard places in my heart that were neglected for much time.

Do you know joy is a gift from God and when you are walking with him you are given that? I'm experiencing the joy of the Lord and it taste good!


Last night I read something and was on the verge of jumping out of my bed and celebrating! I had a true 'aha!' moment between God and I and it was awesome. I hope that my words can describe it in a way that shows you how special this truth meant.

In the 23 psalm there is a verse that says 'he makes me lie down in green pastures'. It is a promise from God that He will give us rest. He is my shepherd and I am one of his sheep. He leads me to rest during seasons of my life. WELL i read that and thought oh that's really nice to know even though i've heard this many times. The author of this particular book Elisabeth George explained in further detail about a time in her life where God enforced a time of rest. She had just moved with her husband and two little girls to another country and he was gone a lot working in another place so she was given a lot of down time to do...not much of anything. She began to become upset by the fact that she was not doing anything or working in any woman's ministry. She spent a lot days having 'quiet time' with God which she began to realize this was a time God was giving her to rest. To do nothing but be there for her girls and spend time in God's word, in prayer, etc. He was making sure she rested because she needed that. Alright so I read this and it hit me. I have been struggling with this same thing!


I have moved back home and have now come to a point where I was feeling pretty bad because people would ask what i'm doing and all i could come up with was that i'm visiting family. This is not entirely the truth though. I have been spending a lot of time with God during all my quiet down time.
I spend a lot of time in prayer now and am studying God's word. I have grown quite a bit and really believe God has been restoring my heart and renewing my spirit. It has been a painful but amazing experience since i've been home. As I read those words from Elizabeth it hit me hard. God is making me lie down in green pastures, feeding me His word and restoring me each day! There is a new joy that i have in the Lord because of this time. He is enforcing me during these months to rest. I needed it more than i could have admitted before. As it dawned on me it was really exciting and i couldn't stop smiling and thanking God for caring for me that much. It was hard to go to sleep because i was full of praise and wanted to tell someone!

There is this song by Selah called unredeemed. It's a beautiful song! In it the lyrics say "But when anything that's shattered, is laid before the Lord, Just watch and see. It will not be unredeemed."


I came to God when I moved back home and said Lord have your way with me, I am yours. Already He has done more than I can begin to write down. It is hard to let God put you through the fire but through each trial and hard situation He has promised to see me through and remain. We have also experienced moments of healing that are intimate and full of tears on my end and thanks to Him. There is something very beautiful about God changing a person from the inside out. I don't know what God's plans are but I know that sitting at His feet is where i'm at and it's a wonderful place. I love Him, and love that He is introducing me to new things about Him and bringing friends into my life that are nothing but a blessing. I can't tell you how overwhelming it is when you are given people to love and care about and have them be a joy to spend time with!

Thank you for letting my share what God is doing in my heart, this is my way of shouting on the mountain tops how Great my God is. :) Have a wonderful night!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful and warm reminder that God will put us where He wants us, regardless whether WE want us there or not.

Today, I accepted His firm boot on my butt to mentor a 6th grader who's father won't allow him to have a mentor "because you aren't retarded!" Long story short, I told the principal AND the councelor that I am going to be his "under the radar mentor" whether dad wants it or not. I got a major green light from both! The thing is, this kid is adorable and sweet, but he is a handful. I can't explain why my heart went out to him on Day One, but it did. And the truth of his life story is just as heartbreaking as a story could be. But that child didn't get put on this earth to be mistreated or disliked, and God has seen fit to put him in OUR school, with ALL of us, and apparently it has become part of my mission to mentor - and yes, love - him through these next three years. In spite of his father's negligence, his mother's abandonment, and his grandmother's inabilitiy to reconcile the situation for the boy's best interests.

I was called to that Middle School, and the call was intended to put me where I could do for these kids the most for Him. How I hope I can be enough for them....

Loving your gentle spirit, Laura. You are an encourager, and I do appreciate reading your uplifting posts!

Gail