Vacation with Jesus

July 2 2016
Festivities of the day before are over, but summer has started and the desire to relax and put aside the regular obligations, the constants of our regular days and embrace the full understanding of vacation is tempting.

I am immersed in family. I haven't seen my sister's and brothers and their kids in two years.  But I am surrounded when counting my kids too 10 kids 8 and under, 8 siblings and my mom and dad.... It is only going to get busier and I am loving it!!!

But today lacking sleep from kids not sleeping through the night and up till 12 laughing and playing games with my sisters and brothers I got up early. I spent time with Jesus. This is not me looking for applause but more so me confessing that it is easier to forget that I committed to Jesus that I would spend time with him. It would be easier to sleep in and chill out when I woke up, or not even get out of bed.
But instead I pulled myself out of bed, and here I am meeting Jesus and I am refreshed in more ways than a cup of coffee and family can ever do for me.

The word was challenging and hard, convicting and encouraging and pushing me into worship, repentance and growth.

I am studying Acts through #shereadstruth. How can we live in the boldness of our faith today when tolerance of everything but biblical Christian faith is acceptable. When speaking truth is not welcome even when spoken in love. When it is easier to live with a veil covering our "faces" then allow for the people to see the evidence of the spirit working in us outside of the safety of our church building.

Do you need to heaar this, do you need to see Christ today? To you need to allow Christ into your vacation time?
I pray that you carve the time out, surrounded by the attention of family and children and the beauty of vacation to invite the Lord into this time too.

It has been rather quiet over on this blog lately, but I find many things percolating...
My mind has been busy with the things of the new year and so today is a catch up day, a look at all the things that have been zipping around my heart and soul and challenging me in all the ways of God.

First:
I have been inspired, challenged and stirred in the areas of creativity.
A wonderful friend of mine started an Journalling Bible last fall and her instagram's are so encouraging. I have a very creative mind, but struggle oh so much in drawing it out. If Journalling Bibles interest you please check out Coralee's blog by clicking here.

Beautiful isn't it! I have been so inspired by her. Just before Christmas, my husband and were out with some friends. We were talking about devotional life and I started saying how my current journal, has been driving me crazy. I started to talk about what I preferred. Well, my hubby was listening so intently and purchased for me as a gift on Christmas morning a new heavy paper, coiled and beautiful journal. He also included a new set of Sharpie pens (he was careful to note that they do not bleed through). I was really excited, but as I continued to look at these large papers, I got discouraged.

In comes my good friend Coralee again. She not only inspired me through illustrated faith, but now also through documented faith. This is a group of people who have been joined together through art, a love of the word of God and the heart to journal. Coralee directed through her blog to a women named Stephanie Akerman. This woman has started Documented Faith. This I thought, this I could do. I think I can start here and then maybe after I am more comfortable move into a Journalling Bible.

So here goes, I am going to show you the first few pages of my Documented Faith Journal. I am continually stretched, continually pushed and continually meeting God in a new and expressive way this year.

Second:

31 Days to Clean

I have had this book on my IPad for a few months, having bought in November. This book is one to help all the "Mary's" out there clean their homes and still have time to sit at the feet of Christ. Sarah Mae, wrote this amazing book. I am looking forward to starting it this month. Tomorrow (Tuesday January 20th) there is a group of women, reading the book and working through the challenges together. I NEED THIS! If you would like to join us, pick up your copy on Amazon for $1.19CDN for the next 6 days! Then the cost goes up to $4.99CDN . (Click on the link "31 Days To Clean") Visit Sarah Mae on her blog, as she and other women walk this through together. 

Thirdly:

If:equip

A daily, free online biblestudy, that gave me so much life last year. I am going to thoroughly enjoy the time spent in the word. For the next 3 weeks we are studying Joshua. Join us!

 I pray for all of you who read this blog, that you will encounter God in a new and inspiring way. That we will journey together in to a deeper intimacy, knowledge and communion with our heavenly father.

 Be blessed.

 Snow drifting, temperatures dropping, Christmas lights light up my dark country lane.

December

Garland and lights, stuffed snowman and Christmas music fill my house

December

Advent readings, new traditions, baked good, and icing tasters

December

 Tonight as I wrap my hands around a cup of warm, spicy tea, and listen to a new album by a very talented friend, I can't help but linger...

Karla Adolphe is a very talented musician and a good friend. Her songs have a hauntily beautiful sound to them. They make you think of a light fluffy snowfall, and a walk in mild winter temperatures. They encourage you to fold into a blanket, warm drink of choice in hand and reflect on what this season's meaning truly is.

I love how when she sings "We three Kings" you are drawn in and it is personal, this is not an overly common Christmas song, but I become expectant and long to see the Star.

In the song " Do you hear, what I hear?" She encourages you so that you wish you could have heard and seen, she invites you to the precious serenity of the stable home of Jesus Christ.

There are three more songs on the album, one being an original. I can see this album playing over and over in my home this season as I linger with my Father.

Karla describes the songs as  "The songs express themes of pilgrimage, longing, hope, revelation, visitation and prophecy. I hope in them you find rest, linger with me and thank you for joining me on this journey." ( as quoted from her blog)

Advent means COMING

I invite you to come, linger here with me, pick up a cozy blanket, warm cup of choice, come sit at the feet of our God, meet Him as we have been beckoned to. Let this season be about HIM, his love, his sacrifice, and the greatest gift.(More on that inspiration from a favourite blogger and encourager Ann Voskamp tomorrow.)

Please follow this link and be blessed this season,

Lingering

Outside of me....

Today I am sore, today and last night my body hurts. With little to no voice, constant headaches, back aches, everything aches.... I am choosing to look outside of myself.

It is easy to sit and mope, to complain, to find reasons to not clean, mother and be a good steward of this home.

Today it is easy instead to hide in myself, play games on my iPad, put off needs of my children, and the call to SURRENDER my needs and wants to Christ. It is easy to spend no time thinking of HIM. 

easy.....but life draining....

instead today I am going to choose CHRIST, not myself...

Today I am going to enjoy the giggles, laughter, and color that the girls bring to my life

Today I am going to worship through the aches, through the sore throat... 

Today I am going to hear Christ, surrender me, and focus on HIM.

Through the housework, and the lunch times, through the happy kids and the whiny moments, the color of my home, through the rain clouds outside, through the storm clouds that threaten to hide Christ from my own heart.

Today I am going to prepare my heart for all Christ has for me....

Today I leave on a ladies retreat and Satan doesn't want a victory this weekend for Christ...

There is much a battle going on over here, and I do suspect in the hearts and minds of the ladies getting ready to attend this weekend....

So today we say "NO!" To ourselves

Today we say "YES!" To God's plan for our families, our hearts and our spirits and HIS GLORY!!

No voice mama

Today is day three of no voice. My throat is so sore, and I find out that with out a voice being a Mom is difficult at best. It is harder to address behaviors, break up fights, tell them how beautiful they are, help with meals, it is hard to function. 

This makes me think of the church...

As the church we have three resources of our Heavenly Father that we can access...

Father, Son, Holy Spirit

what a gift we have! 

Not only do we have the God the Father, our creator, our Beginning and End, Yahweh, Alpha and Omega...

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  

"He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us."(Psalms 103:8-12)

But we also have the GIFT, the expression of His Great and Powerful love, his Son. God gave us His son. Not to just save us from Hell, not to only ensure us of our entrance into Heaven. Do you have a Son? I do....Samuel is a most precious gift to me, he is giving, loving, affectionate, passionate, my first-born, my gift from God. 

Can you imagine saying "Son, I love you, I walked with you from the beginning of everything and now I am sending you to fulfill the Scriptures, you know what I need you to do. I am asking you to surrender yourself for our people and for our glory, to allow yourself to be tortured, cursed, beaten, and then I am going to turn my back to you, when you most need me, I will turn from you, because of the filth that is upon you I cannot be around you.

This is thee ultimate act of love... And we have this gift! The gift died, but then was resurrected with the hope and the Glory of new life, LIFE OUTSIDE OF DEATH, LIFE OUTSIDE OF SIN, LIFE OUTSIDE OF MYSELF

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:24-25)

Not only do we have a Father God that loves us to cleanse us of any wrong, but He also gave his Son for his to cement it. His only Son. What amazing gifts we have received.

" Because He was full of Grace and Truth, from HIM we all received one gift after another." (John1:16)

Unfortunately Christians like to stop here.

Unfortunately  as Christians there is a lack of knowledge/pursuit of the third gift...

How do we function without number three

How do we move, grow, and know The Lord deeper without the THIRD PART OF GOD

God  is NOT COMPLETE without the HOLY SPIRIT
           like a mom with no voice....no ability to influence and guide, to comfort, to encourage


do we know God, do we know Christ.... do we know them through our heads, do we have all the knowledge and yet not understand his love for us, his intense love?

do you know you are BELOVED, TREASURED, DESIRED, WANTED, PURSUED?

You have met God, you have met Christ, have you met THE HOLY SPIRIT
Have you encountered the wholeness of GOD

"Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."(Luke 24:46-49)

"But the Helper, the HOLY SPIRIT, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."(John 14:26)

Oh Helper, help me that I may see you, that I may always be in remembrance of all Christ has taught me, that I may be clothed in the power from on high....

"So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the COMFORT of the HOLY SPIRIT, it MULTIPLIED" (Acts 9:31)

Oh Holy Spirit work in me, so that I may know the comfort of you, so that we will see the church multiplied.

"Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because GOD'S LOVE HAS BEEN POURED INTO OUR HEARTS THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT who has been given to us." (Rom 5:2-5)



oh Holy Spirit, fill us up afresh, baptize us anew, that we would now the fullness of your love for us, that we may further your name, your glory, that we might have the joy that can only come from you....

Thirsty...dry... Drink of me...

"Like a deer to the pool, I'm coming after you.
 Like a thirsty animal, my heart is for your love." (John Mark McMillan)

A lady in our church was telling me a story about a month ago. She had come home from work one day and was unusually tired. So tired, that she considered going to bed as soon as possible. Out of habit, she had a glass of water. She was so thirsty, she drained it right away and continued drinking. She drank glass after glass, until 8 large glasses later, she was satisfied. Not only satisfied, but regenerated, she had ENERGY! 

And Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”John 4:13-15

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN DESPERATE?

Do we know what it means to desire something so much that we are DESPERATE?

This lady at the well, I think as we go through our Christian walk we are all ladies at the well from time to time.

She came alone, but left surrounded, she came thirsty and left to never thirst again, she ASKED, he SOUGHT her out, she desired and he asked her to be REAL. "Go, call your Husband and come here." (Knowing she had no husband)

True worshipers WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH. 

the Father is seeking.....

Drink of me, drink of me, let me satisfy you. LET ME REVIVE YOU...

LORD I SEEK YOU, REVIVE ME, QUENCH MY THIRST, LIVING WATER COME UPON ME...