... not sorrow, grief or loss.. but only blessings when we trust and obey...

I just had a GREAT revelation...

just lately I have been confronted with some stuff that I kind of think I should be done with...
hurts inflicted by some people that kind of no longer are in my life.. and yet they are... kind of..
and... it's been tough.. especially since it is not really my hurt, but that of others, who I LOVE... a lot..
and still mine too.. kind of...

praying as I was driving away.. I was asking the Lord when it would finally end .. thinking about this I came to the conclusion it probably never will and that made me feel even more discouraged..

now.. a little while later, when thinking about it again, prompted by the Counselor that makes His home inside of me..  I decided to pray and forgive.. because I just cannot stay there..
there is nothing I can do to change the situation, all I can do is to trust and obey..
trust and obey the One that is in control and who loves not only me, but those I love, too..

obey Him because He tells me to forgive.. since He forgave me...
and trusting Him for what I cannot control and change.. for those I love and myself..

I know that He is the one that because of His purposeful goodness allows that stuff in our lives..
so... really... it's best to stick to the plan.. the plan of the One who sent His Son to make a way for sinners like me and everyone else who will believe..

after all, His plans are to prosper and not to harm, to give a future and a hope..

He said this and I believe it:

Forget the former things;

    do not dwell on the past.

 See, I am doing a new thing!

    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

    and streams in the wasteland.

such freedom.. such relief and peace.. thanking Him for how black and white it all really is..

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He does richly repay;

Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,

But is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,

Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

AMEN

.. whatever happens.. rejoice in the LORD....

Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.

( Philippians 3: 1)

no matter how things are going for me, no matter how much reason for "happiness" I have or none.. no matter if my relationships are what I want them to be, no matter how successful I am, no matter the amount of worries of any kind I have... in order to safeguard my faith I have to choose to rejoice...

I was sure by now

God You would have reached down

And wiped our tears away

Stepped in and saved the day

But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls

I barely hear Your whisper through the rain

"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

And every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

I remember when

I stumbled in the wind

You heard my cry to you

And you raised me up again

My strength is almost gone

How can I carry on

If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls

I barely hear You whisper through the rain

"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

And every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

I lift my eyes unto the hills

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

The Maker of Heaven and Earth

whatever happens... and on this earth you will have trouble, but the One who chose to save you by dying on the cross for you, He, He has overcome the world.. He has overcome death, He paid the price.. whatever happens.. choose to rejoice in Him and praise Him.. 

let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. for the joy set before him ( of making us His own )  he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

( Hebrews 12: 1-2 )

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ

( Philippians 3:8 )

whatever happens is nothing compared to the immeasurable riches of knowing Him ... the endless treasures of being His... eternally.....

... sick puppies and a great mystery...

... between almost losing my oldest puppy dog this week.. thank God he was the one "critical" patient at the vet clinic that made it... lot's of stuff to take care of for moving, selling and other stuff, busy at work and concerned and praying for the "family front" I was blessed to get away from....

I was thankful that this week, like every week, so faithfully my Lord and King had some real cool insight for me...

when I lie in bed and all I can pray is "your will be done" over and over again.. I am so glad that I know, no matter how things will feel for me and those that I love here for a while, right in the middle of His will is the only place I am free.. the only place that is right.. the only place that is going to be best.. for all involved..

precious time with my children.. entrusting them to Him who loves them more than I do... even when my heart breaks for what they are having to deal with.. I cherish every minute...

so He showed me some stuff this week... something exciting about the mystery of who He is.. the mystery that Paul, the zealous apostle understood and that made him into this man that was willing to lay down his life for the church ..

by His Spirit He has indeed revealed to us the mystery of Christ.. the unsearchable riches of Him, accomplished for us by His death and resurrection.... the endless treasures available to us in Christ..

we are the ones that have been charged with letting the world know about all this... a world perishing... blinded by "worldly wisdom" as blind and deceiving today as it was 2000 years ago...

"We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.  None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,

    what no ear has heard,

and what no human mind has conceived”—

    the things God has prepared for those who love him—

 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God."

(1 Corinthians 2: 6-10 )

how exciting... how amazingly cool .. this does not only speak about what heaven will be like for us one day.. no, this applies to our lives today.. living like He tells us in His Word, only by His strength and grace.. we have no idea how GREAT the things are that He has for us.. living for Him.. serving Him, telling others about this "out of this world mystery" I have indeed seen Him doing this.. in the midst of destruction, rejection and abandonment, scary stuff and plain, unbearable pain... He has carried me and blessed me in ways I could never have imagined.. seen or heard.... He ALONE is worthy, there is none beside Him.. NONE..

so let's tell everyone... let's be as zealous as Paul was, who cares if some might think we are a little fanatic... I am CRAZILY in love with Him.. Him, whose name is HOLY..

all praise and glory is HIS, now and for eternity.. AMEN..

.. As I go, hand of God, my defence, by my side....

missed Thanksgiving with my family and worshipping with my church family this weekend ..
a necessary trip to step up to the "plate" of family responsibilities and obligations.. a good and valid reason to forsake the meeting together of the community of fellow believers my God has placed me into..

and yet.. too bad that stepping into the "birth family" usually means stepping away from the family of God.. not only in regards to the "physical" place but also in a spiritual sense.. darkness encroaches that tries to dim and  snuff out the light that so brightly shines when drawing close to the Lord together..

I know that He is always there, I know that His power lives in me and that I am not ever going to lose it.. I know that He Himself is my peace and that nothing can ever snatch me away and out of His loving hands..

finding time for some solitude, to dwell in His presence.....  it's hard to come by..

so I am relieved that tomorrow morning I can depart and go back to my home.
so thankful that He indeed has worked it out that I have a place like this.. ( no matter the circumstances surrounding me personally )

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,  by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,  and since we have a great priest over the house of God,  let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,  not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. ( Hebrews 10: 19-25 )

thankful to God for those that are here to spurn me on towards love and good deeds, those that encourage me and are Christ to me..

As I rise, strength of God

Go before, lift me up

As I wake, eyes of God

Look upon, be my sight

As I wait, heart of God

Satisfy and sustain

As I hear, voice of God

Lead me on, and be my guide

And be my guide

Above and below me

Before and behind me

In every eye that sees me

Christ be all around me

As I go, hand of God

My defense, by my side

As I rest, breath of God

Fall upon, bring me peace

Bring me peace

Your life, Your death

Your blood was shed

For every moment

Every moment

Above and below me

Before and behind me

In every eye that sees me

Christ be all around me

even when those that are "Christ around me" can't be close, I know that He is right here, surrounding me and giving me all I need so that every eye that sees me can see Christ in me... 

trusting Him to do this for His glory, 

AMEN