I WRITE TO MYSELF

"All the days ordained for me were written
in your book before one of them came to
be," -- (Psalm 139:16b)

Each one of us is a Divine original, created by God for a special purpose that no one else can fulfill.  I write this post to myself as a reminder that this means me too, because I still tend to measure my self worth by how other people react to me, and by what I perceive to be my successes or failures.

I'll think back to friends I went to school with who appear to have lived successful, meaningful lives, and be filled with remorse over the poor choices I made, the squandered talents and opportunities, and what I perceive to be a wasted life with nothing of consequence to show for it.  

That's when I need to pull myself up and remember that an original means one of a kind--not a copy or an imitation.  I am exactly what and where I need to be for this particular moment in God's plan. From His perspective, my life is not the tragic waste I so often think it to be.  If I had pursued my talents and education to their fullest, and been the best mother/wife/daughter/friend I could have been, would I ever have felt a need for the Lord or for His saving grace?  Would I, perhaps, have spent my life chasing after the things the world has to offer, instead of the things that have eternal value?  Would I have missed God's gift of salvation, a greater tragedy by far?

I am still a work in progress, and God does not measure success in numbers.  If I reach that one person He intended for me to reach, allow Him to use me to bring hope to that one discouraged heart, or lead that one soul out of the darkness and to the foot of the Cross, then my purpose will have been accomplished, and my life not lived in vain.

WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING WRONG

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into
various trials, knowing that the testing of your
faith produces patience.  But let patience have 
its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking nothing."
(James 1: 2-4)

When everything seems to be going wrong and I'm frustrated by my inability to control situations and make them turn out the way I want them to, I have no desire to be patient.  I want to scream, I want to eat, I want to spend money I don't have to spend, I want to do anything that will help me escape the terrible feeling of powerlessness that overwhelms me.  What I have learned, though, is that none of these things can give me the fix that I'm looking for. The only fix is at the foot of the Cross.

I learned this some eighteen years ago when I made a major life change based on the promises of a man I trusted, a man who prided himself on being a person of integrity whose word could be banked on.  When he asked me to marry him, and offered me a job, I had no qualms about moving, or about burning all my bridges behind me, and when a friend warned me not to be so hasty, I was outraged.

It wasn't long before I discovered that my friend's fears were well founded.  There was no job, there was no marriage, and there was no turning back.  Just one big slice of humble pie, along with confirmation that God's word is the only word that can be banked on one hundred percent of the time.

I was angry at God for letting this happen to me, and wished there were someone else I could turn to.  Of course there wasn't, and my mind was in such turmoil that I seriously considered ending my life on the curvy road of a West Virginia mountain.  I could drive my car off one of its steep cliffs and everyone would think it was an accident. The only thing that stopped me was a fear of being crippled instead of dying.

In a state of helpless fury, I wept until there were no more tears left to cry, and then, suddenly, I felt enveloped by a great peace, as though the Lord were holding me close and quieting me.  A picture flashed through my mind of a wild horse bucking one last time before finally calming down, and in that moment, I was able to release what was in my tightly clenched fists and open them up to receive something better.

When I look back in retrospect to that time of hopelessness, and even further back to the time of anguish and devastation following the loss of my spouse, I can clearly see how death led to newness of life, and closed doors opened to better ones that I would never have imagined possible.

With all these evidences of God's faithfulness, it shames me to admit that I still struggle with doubts and fears when faced with events I don't understand, and I am grateful beyond measure that God loves me unconditionally despite my shortcomings.  He is the only one I can be sure will never give up on me, even when I'm ready to give up on myself.

When everything seems to be going wrong, these are the truths I need to cling to, and when my eyes start fixating on the little bits and pieces of the puzzle before me, I need to remind myself that God sees the whole picture, and is working things out for my good and His glory.  

So once again, I lay my burdens at the foot of the Cross, and put my trust in Him who loved us so much that He sent His one and only begotten son, Jesus, to die for us so we could be forgiven of our sins and enjoy eternal life.

(Click here to read The Father's Love Letter)            

DID YOU KNOW?

"For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize
with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, 
yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of 
grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in 
time of need." -- (Hebrews 4:15-16) 

Did you know that you are a Divine original, created for a special purpose that no one else can fulfill? (Job 10:8; Psalm 139:13-16; Matthew 10:30; Ephesians 2:10)

Did you know that you are a child of the King of Kings, and that no matter what anyone else may think about you, you are special in His sight?  (Acts 17:28; 1 John 3:1)

Did you know that you are the apple of His eye?  (Zechariah 2:8)

Did you know that your name is engraved on the palm of His hand, and that He rejoices over you with singing?  (Isaiah 49:16; Zephaniah 3:17)

Did you know that God desires to lavish His love on you simply because you are His child and He is your father, and that He wants to show you great and marvelous things?  (Jeremiah 33:3; 1 John 3:1)

Did you know that when you feel brokenhearted, He is close to you, and that he saves your tears in a bottle?  (Psalm 56:28)

Did you know that no matter how things may look right now, His plan for your future has always been filled with hope?  (Jeremiah 29:11, 31:3; Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 2:9)

Did you know that no sin is too big or too terrible for God to forgive, and that when you take your guilt and shame to the foot of the cross and turn control of your life over to Jesus, the slate is wiped clean? (2 Chronicles 30:9; Joel 2:13; Luke 18:27; John 3:17-18, 10:10, 13; Romans 8:1-2, 28, 10:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 3:20; 1 John 1:9)

Did you know? 

DON'T LET INGRATITUDE STEAL YOUR JOY

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever
is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent
or praiseworthy--think about such things."
(Philippians 4:8)

I've been reading a book by Ann Voskamp, entitled One Thousand Gifts, which has jolted me back to reality.

I started reading it at a time when I was trying to extricate myself from a bout of depression and my mind was a whirl of negative thinking.  How I wished, in vain, that I could go back in time and rewrite the story of my life, how I wallowed in self condemnation and regrets for the poor choices made that led me to where I am today, and in all that wishing and wallowing, it never once occurred to me that I was indulging in a form of ingratitude.

Ingratitude, that first sin of humanity, that stealer of joy.  Instead of focusing on my many blessings and the positives in my life, I was seeing only what wasn't.  I was hungering for something more or other than what I have, which in turn, was leading to envy, as I allowed myself to fall into the comparison trap.

One of the main themes of this book, the one speaking loudest to my heart, is that thanksgiving precedes blessings, and that leads me to believe it wasn't chance that caused it to show up on my radar screen when it did. The timing was too perfect.

I had already started practicing, to the best of my ability, the advice found in Philippians 4:8 (above), and to help me out, had set up a blog, Glimpses of God's Grace, on which to record all the special grace moments in my day.  Now I was being given confirmation that I was on the right track, confirmation of what I'd already started to discover, that thanksgiving creates abundance of joy.  When we give thanks, we start to experience a miracle of multiplication.  The more things we find to be thankful for, the more we will continue to find.

Ann writes that the habit of discontentment can only be driven out by hammering in one iron sharper.  The stick pin of gratitude.  So in addition to my blog, I have also taken up her challenge to make a list of 1,000 gratitudes.  My joy is returning, and I find that I don't have time for all those gloomy thoughts anymore.  I'm too busy adding to my list.

2/22/2009 REVISITED

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not
consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your
faithfulness." -- (Lamentations 3:22-2)

February 22nd, 2009 was the date of my first post--Why This Blog.  I needed to revisit it today to remind myself of where I was almost five years ago.

Somewhere along the way I seem to have lost sight of what used to be most important in my life.  It happened so gradually, I never even noticed.  Like the frog in the proverbial boiling frog story, I was on my way to being "cooked."  Distracted by the worries of life and a desire for better things, I was allowing the word within me to be choked, just as Mark 4:19 warned it would be.  My eyes were growing dim, and my mind was clouding, as I turned my focus outwards instead of up.

Rescue came in the form of a friend who asked me to do a Bible study with her, a study that soon shook me out of my stupor.

I am very grateful to my friend, Tammi, and also to have revisited my blog today.  I needed this reminder that at the foot of the cross there is mercy and grace. There is forgiveness, healing, and deliverance. This is the place where the slate gets wiped clean and you can have a fresh start.

YOU CAN'T WORK YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN; YOU CAN'T EARN THE FATHER'S LOVE

"For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not
of works, lest anyone should boast."
(Ephesians 2:8-9)

Recently I found myself falling into the trap of comparing myself to others and then feeling disheartened and condemned for never having done anything really selfless or sacrificial like home school my kids, or become a loved one's  caretaker, or gone on a missions trip, or done anything creative to better someone else's life.  

And then came a gentle reminder, through a devotional I was reading, that God loves me unconditionally, and I don't have to perform well in order to receive His love.  There is absolutely nothing I can do to make Him love me more or less.

John 3:16 tells us that "God so loved the world (you and me included) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  In fact, He loves us so much that even if you or I were the only person on this Earth, He would still have sent Jesus to die for our sins so we could be set free.

There is only one caveat.  As much as it is not God's will for anyone to perish, He will not impose it on us or force us to accept it.  He leaves that choice to us.

When I am overcome by feelings of falling short, or not measuring up, I find it very comforting to know that the only way to receive the gift of salvation is through faith.  It is not something I have to earn.

GLIMPSES OF GOD'S GRACE

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, 
for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'"
(2 Corinthians 12:9a)

That verse has been so hard for me to come to terms with.  I want to feel strong and in control, but lately I've been feeling anything but, and it took a recent battle with chronic fatigue to show me the true condition of my faith (or rather, lack if it) when faced with situations I cannot change.

My blood work showed an extremely high count of Epstein Barre antibodies, hence the fatigue.  I was told there was nothing that could be done for it, and if I was patient and got enough rest, I would feel better in a few months.  Well, patience is not my forte.  I wanted immediate relief.

I prayed for healing, and was prayed over, and when I didn't get the instant results I wanted, instead of trusting the Lord to heal me in His way and in His time, I tried to help Him out by taking things into my own hands.  Get a second opinion, switch my supplements, change my diet.  Anything other than just rest and trust.

Finally, after exhausting all the options I could think of, and then some, and none of them having brought about the expected change, I finally admitted my powerlessness and became ready to surrender and yield to God's better plan.  

Once I gave up the struggle, I began to see glimpses of God's grace that I could never have seen when I didn't feel the need to depend on Him to help me through my day.  I learned the meaning of the Apostle Paul's statement, "When I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor.12:10b)

Whereas many of my feel good days were wasted because of my tendency to procrastinate and put things off until they pile up and overwhelm me, some of my most productive days have been days when I've felt so weak I had to draw on the strength of the Lord to carry me through them.

There was one day, in particular, when all I wanted to do was stay in bed, but the Lord gave me the strength to get up and go into town to run some errands.  On the way home, I stopped for gas, and His grace surrounded both me and my vehicle when brain fog caused me to forget to put the cap back on the fuel tank, and then several blocks down the road glanced in my rear view mirror and noticed the tank door was ajar.  I could almost feel Him smiling down on me when I pulled over, exited the car, and saw the cap still perched precariously on the hood right where I had placed it.

When I got home I would have liked nothing better than to lie down, but there were two huge pots of bone broth that had been cooling, and that needed to be taken care of.  By His grace, I was able to skim the fat off, pour the soup into containers, and store some in the refrigerator and some in the freezer, which first had to be cleaned out and reorganized to make room for them.  Then He gave me the strength to clean up a huge spill that happened while I was pouring the soup, and that had trickled down the cabinet doors before landing on the floor and creating a slippery mess.

Even on the best of days, I would have stopped at that point to take a long break, but by His grace, I kept going, washed all the dishes, including the big greasy pots, made a batch of kale chips, put the indoor plants out on the balcony, did three loads of laundry, and changed my sheets.  This may not seem like much to most folks, but to me it was an amazingly monumental achievement, and I don't want to forget any of the details.

I could end this post here, but neither do I want to forget how God's grace helped me with my work, and how during this time of trial He has been teaching me to trust Him more and not be so easily influenced by the way things look or feel in the natural.  He is in control, and so much bigger than any of that.

Case in point.  I have a virtual job doing transcription, and had not had any work for several months.  It wasn't until I felt incapable of doing any work at all, that it started to come in again.  I didn't want to risk turning it away and finding myself replaced by someone younger and abler, and had a moment of panic.  I forgot all about Philippians 4:13, which assures me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, and focused, instead, on what seemed to be the unfairness of it all.

Looking back, I'm ashamed of my lack of faith.  God has always been so faithful.  Why did I doubt?  What I was magnifying all out of proportion was nothing but a little glitch in His sight.      

By His grace, I was able to work despite my fears, and He even provided the necessary favor to get me switched to a project with less pressure and higher pay when my boss asked me if I would be willing to lay aside the work I had started for them, and take on a client they didn't want to bother setting up all the necessary paperwork for.  If I was willing, I could deal with the client directly and charge them full price.  I was willing, and wound up getting paid over twice the hourly rate I normally get paid by the company that put us in touch.

All went well until I got to the last interview, a three-hour group interview, and started feeling stressed by the length of it, and because I was having trouble understanding what some of the people were saying.  I just wanted it to be over, and my wish came true sooner than I expected, when by the grace of God, and to my great relief, I discovered that the interviewer had forgotten to turn the tape off during breaks, which, in turn, shaved off almost an hour of actual transcription time.

Though I'm still walking through a misty valley of fatigue, it doesn't seem  so hazy anymore.  The Lord is walking by my side, and I'm seeing more and more patches of light as the sun burns through the fog.

THE CRAZIEST IDEA EVER

Here I go again, posting something I did not write, but it is so thought provoking (at least it was to me), that I wanted to share it.  And after it is done provoking your thoughts, I pray that you, like, me, will put it into practice.  It was written by my friend, Lara Love.
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Tuesday, August 7, 2012DAILY INSPIRATION - AUG. 7 - The Craziest Idea Ever


Today's devotional is purposely unedited. You will soon understand why. I am sharing it with you raw, the exact way it was written. Straight from the heart.

How crazy is this? My dear friend suggets I write without looking. Yes, she actually suggested I write with my eyes closed. How crazy is this? Think about it? Years upon years of private school education, Ivy League education, a English degree, and now I'm supposed to write without looking?

Yes. I am even trying it now. It's woild. How can I edit as I go along? I can't. Not really. I have to write from the deepest place within and trust all will be well. But is it?

Isn't this what the walk of faith is all about? Walking without living according to our natural flesh. My. What a difference it is to shut my eyes when I'm walking through life - or writing.

I cannot rely on what I did before - like where the keys on the computer keyboard are. I have to rely on something else altogether. I have to write by faith.

I have to walk by faith. Or not. Certainly I can open my eyes and walk the way I have always walked.

Oops, I cheated. I wanted to make sure my fingters were where they belong.

So what about this faith walk? God doesn't want us to walk according to the ways of thew orld, or the ways of the flesh.

He wants us to make decisions not according to seeing the keys on the keyboard, and placing our fingers there. He wants us to put our feet on His pathway and follow Him by voice, by His Word, by HIs HOly Spirit within. And this, I can honestyly say, makes this journey so very craxy - at least in the eys of the world.

I have a smile on my face right now even as I type in the darkness of my eyes being closed.

Oddly, and how crazy is this, I feel more light behind my eyes, more light within my heart nad body, with my eyes closed. Why? I feel His presence more than ever, not distracted by the world without - around me. Smile, smile, smile.

If only I would live my life this way. Even with my eyes open, if only I would disregard the shouts and cries and voices and distractsions of other people, situaitons, circumstances - and walk with Him. Solely. Only. By faith - in the love of my life. My precious JEsus.

Come, follow me, He says. I take His hand. My friend who gave this crazy idea prays each day for Jesus to take her hand and wlak her through the day.

Alas, take my hand, Jesus. I cannot walk with my eyes closed. Hold me. Lead me. TAke me where you desire me to be.

I love you, JEsus. Eyes closed and all. I feel your presence so strongly this way. Thank you for filling me up with yuourself.

Craszy, crazy. I can't wait to open my eyes and go back to see if any of the words came out right. Perhaps my fingers landed on the wrong keys and garbleed everything. But what matter is this? What matters most is this. I love JEsus, and I choose today to follow Him - eyes closed, eyes open. Heart on fire, heart open to the Lord of my life! Amen.

Dear Lord, help me to do something crazy today. Help me to walk with you with my eyes closed. Help me to not rely on the world around me to show me the way to go. Help me to live the way you have called me. By faith. I love you! Amen.

Yes, I am opening my eyes now. I will look for the scriptuyre I know belongs here. For that, I will not mbe able to keep my eyes closed any longer. Yet I choose this day to do my best to walk by faith - eyes open or not. My eyes, I know, must be fised on HIM.

2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Posted by Lara Love at 8:30 AM

SO YOU STILL THINK GOD IS A MERCIFUL GOD?!

This post was not written by me.  I copied it from Marie's blog--A MINIATURE CLAY POT--because I wish I had thought to write something like this, and because even if I had thought of it, I could not have worded it any better than she did.

 * * * * * * * * *

(Maybe, just maybe God spared my life because He loves YOU and wants you to hear this..He wants you to believe that He loved you so much He gave His only begotten Son that if you would believe in Him you would have eternal life.)

"So, you still believe in a merciful God?"  Some of the comments online are genuinely inquisitive, others are contemptuous in nature. Regardless of the motive behind the question, I will respond the same way.

Yes.

Yes, I do indeed.

Absolutely, positively, unequivocally.

Let’s get something straight: the theater shooting was an evil, horrendous act done by a man controlled by evil.  God did not take a gun and pull the trigger in a crowded theater. He didn’t even suggest it. A man did.

In His sovereignty, God made man in His image with the ability to choose good and evil.

Unfortunately, sometimes man chooses evil.

I was there in theater 9 at midnight, straining to make out the words and trying to figure out the story line as The Dark Night Rises began. I’m not a big movie-goer. The HH and I prefer to watch movies in the comfort of our own home…where I can use subtitles and get a foot rub. I don’t like action movies. And I don’t like midnight showings.  But, as I wrote in my last post, parents sometimes make sacrifices for their kiddos and I decided I would take my fourteen year old and sixteen year old daughters who were chomping at the bit to see this eagerly anticipated third movie in the Batman Trilogy. Twice I had the opportunity to back out and twice I was quite tempted. But something in me said just go with your girls. I did.

So I was there with them, fidgeting in my seat, some forty or  fifty feet away from the man with the gun. It’s still a bit surreal, but I do know that when the seemingly endless shooting started, as my girls were struggling from whatever gas or chemical had been released, and we figured out what was happening, we hit the floor. I threw myself on top of my fourteen year old who was on the end of the row, straight up the aisle from the shooter.  In that moment, as the rapid-fire shots continued, I truly thought I was going to die. And I realized that I was ready. I have put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ as the redeemer of my soul, and there wasn’t the slightest doubt that I would be received into heaven, not because of any good thing that I have done but because of His merciful nature and the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Still, as I lay over my daughter, I began praying out loud. I don’t even remember what I prayed, but I don’t imagine it really matters. I’m sure it was for protection and peace. It drew me closer into the presence of God. When there was a pause in the shooting, people began to clamor for the exits. The girls and I jumped up and joined the masses. We had to step over a lifeless body, not knowing where the shooter was. We raced to our car and I dumped my purse, frantically searching for keys, looking all around, prepared to hit the ground. I yelled at Michelle to call Matthew and find out if he had made it out of the theater next door. She did. He did. We booked on out of there.

Why would you think such a tragedy would make me question the goodness of God? If anything, both of my girls said it made Him a much more real presence to them; the youngest shared this verse: Do not be afraid of sudden fear nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your feet from being caught.

He is not the cause of evil, but He is the one who can bring comfort and peace in the midst of evil.  It’s been amazing to see the outpouring of love from so many people after this unthinkable act.  Yes, there was one evil act, but it is being covered by thousands, possibly millions of acts of kindness.

We have not yet slept, so the girls and I are overtired and a bit emotional.  But overall, we are praising God and resting in His Goodness.   I love this word of wisdom and encouragement from a former pastor of mine:

Up to this point I haven’t had words to say that would matter. Of course we are all glad that you and the family are safe. Of course we would all state the obvious that this is horrific and senseless. But those words still don’t carry weight that remain in the midst of the questions. Then it hit me… Do you know what the difference was between Job and his wife in their response to the tragedy of losing everything… Job 1:20 Job was the only one that worshiped in the midst of it. Marie, I know your heart and I’ve seen your worship lived out before your family. Before the weight of this becomes unbearable… worship. Your profile pic was not coincidence, not by accident that you changed it on July 15th, but a beautiful foreshadowing of your need to hear the cry of your heart and give Him praise. 

Though we don’t have all the answers, we do indeed listen to the cry of our hearts: When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What  can mere man  do to me? Psalm 56:3-4

God is always good.

Man is not.

Don’t get the two confused.

We will continue to praise and worship our mighty God, anticipating that He will bring beauty from ashes, as only He can do.

If you want to know how to pray for us: first and foremost, we need sleep. Somehow our bodies seem too wired. We also want the life that God has graciously allowed us to continue to live to not be a gift given in vain, we want our lives to draw others closer to Him. We do not want fear to dominate, for God has not given us a spirit of fear. We want His joy to be seen and experienced in all that we do.

Pray for the families who lost loved ones, and for young people who witnessed such horror. Pray for this to be an opportunity for God to manifest Himself in mighty ways.

As for you…we will pray that YOU might know His goodness.

Still grateful for this wonderful life,

Marie

A STORY OF HOPE

This e-mail forward a friend sent me is such a beautiful story of hope, I wanted to share it with you.  Apparently it's an old classic that's been making the rounds for a long time, but it's new to me.

Enjoy!

THE FERN AND THE BAMBOO

One day I decided to quit…I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality…. I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

“God”, I said. “Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”

His answer surprised me.

“Look around”, He said. “Do you see the fern and the bamboo?”

“Yes”, I replied.

“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

“In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

“In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. The same in year four.

“Then in the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.

Compared to the fern, it was seemingly small and insignificant.

But just six months later, the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.

It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.

“Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you.

“Don’t compare yourself to others.” He said. “The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful.

“Your time will come”, God said to me. “You will rise high.”

“How high should I rise?” I asked.

“How high will the bamboo rise?” He asked in return.

“As high as it can?” I questioned.

“Yes.” He said, “Give me glory by rising as high as you can.”

I left the forest, realizing that God will never give up on me. And He will never give up on you.

Never regret a day in your life.

Good days give you happiness; bad days give you experiences; both are essential to life.

–Author Unknown

TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON

This wonderful post was written by my friend, Lara Love, over at Walk by Faith Ministry.  I hope it blesses and encourages you as much as it did me.

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Resurrection of the Trees

I couldn't believe my eyes. Nor could I believe what the Lord had placed in my heart. Probably few people have been as excited, and humbled, by little buds of leaves on a tree. But I was. After all, I had been quite certain that the once glorious trees that form a long line across my yard were plain and simply - dead.

"God, please do something with these trees," I had prayed dejectedly, and not so sincerely, just days before. What could I possibly do with a bunch of dead trees? With the South Carolina climate bringing forth months of brutal heat and a large number of dogs that love the outdoors, I couldn't imagine what my life - and yard - would be like in the upcoming months since my trees had so obviously failed to revive this year.

Where would the dogs lie down and enjoy the shade of all these previously beautiful trees? How would I enjoy my yard quite as much when I looked out at a row of dead trees? How could the trees possibly be bare of leaves at this time of year? We have had plenty of warm weather and sunshine thus far in weeks past. Quite obviously, the trees had died. What could have killed them? I wondered as I perused their "legs" (trunks) and "arms" (branches) for signs of disease - not that I know much at all about trees. I can hardly remember saying a prayer, but somewhere amid my sad spirit I surely tossed one up to heaven.

But alas, the Lord knew my trees truly didn't need my prayer at all. The Lord, after all, knows the seasons of the year. He knows all of our needs, even the trees. He knows the life span of everything. He knows the cycles of everything and everyone. He knows the time of birth, and He knows the time of re-birth. He knows all about trees, and He quite obviously knows all about me.

Surely the Lord was smiling down from heaven as He watched His daughter murmur about the state of her trees. The funny thing is, they are not my trees at all. They are His. The yard is not mine. It is His. The dogs belong to Him, and so do I. He knew what was to come, and I can only imagine He looked forward to what would happen when I discovered the resurrection of the trees.

Yes, just today I saw it all. All the buds. The buds of leaves. The buds of leaves of trees I had assumed dead. How I smile to see what the Lord has done. But truthfully, the Lord has not resurrected the trees. The trees have produced their buds of leaves right on time. His time. And not only could I not believe my eyes at the sight of the buds on the trees. But I marvel at what the Lord has placed in my heart. Yet another lesson in faith.

How often in our lives do we presume something is dead? How often do we walk away from a person, place, or thing because we have no hope? How often do we give up praying for someone we love because we believe it is too late? How often do we put the brakes on a vision the Lord has given us because we have not yet seen it come to pass? How often have we imagined a dream has died and failed to give it a chance to come into being? How often have we turned away from a relationship because we would not wait for the Lord's appointed season for it to blossom?

I could have chopped down the trees in my yard because I had declared them dead. At the very least, I had given up on them. I was already morose over the loss of them. But such a short time afterward, the Lord showed me they were not dead at all. They are as alive as they have ever been. This is the time of their season.

Sometimes we give up on people, places, and things the Lord has ordained just a short while before God's appointed time for them. Other times, we turn away because we believe we have waited far too long. Sometimes God gives us a dream or vision for something so far in the future that we give up on it because we cannot imagine waiting that long for the vision to be born.

Do you have something or someone the Lord has put put on your heart that you have quite simply determined dead? Have you given up on a dream He gave you? Or praying for a person in dire need of prayer and love? Or a vision He keeps reminded you is for an appointed time in the future - not now. Please don't give up. Please trust the Lord that He not only knows the seasons of the trees. He knows your seasons also. And He knows your future, and mine. He knows the order, and cycle, and seasons, of all that He has created.

Perhaps the dream He has given you is not dead at all. Perhaps it is simply not yet time. Only the Lord knows.

I look out the window and smile as I see the trees with which the Lord has blessed me and the dogs. Sometime soon, I know, the Walk by Faith Ministry dogs will be lying in their shade. And I will watch them, and remember, that the Lord made these trees. And He has given them another season. And He has given me another reminder that His ways and thoughts are His own - and always the very best. In His time.

Ecc 3:1 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Ecc 3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
Ecc 3:3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
Ecc 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Ecc 3:5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
Ecc 3:6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
Ecc 3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
Ecc 3:8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

Reprinted with permission from Walk by Faith Ministry, www.walkbyfaithministry.com

AND THE WINNER IS...

The winner of my giveaway (picked by Random Integer Generator) is #2 -- Randi Fulton.

Congratulations, Randi!