Pause, Wait and Rest

Never underestimate the power of a rest. In music, there are notes and there are also rests. I was reminded of this in my favorite devotional, "Streams in the Desert". A rest is very important to a musical piece. It gives the remainder of the piece emphasis. It promotes the tune.

Our lives are like a work of musical art. There are the comings and goings of every day life and then there are the "rests". Psalm 23 says that He leads us beside quiet waters.

Don't be afraid to pause, wait and rest. Especially when you feel like you need a break, or need to hear from God.

I Kings 9:11-12 says,

"And He said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke 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 earthquake;

¹²And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [a sound of gentle stillness and] a still, small voice."

Elijah found God where he least expected Him. In the pause, in the wait, and in the rest.

I Remember

"And he put on them the shoulder pieces of the ephod to be stones of memorial or rememberance for the Israelites, as the Lord had commanded Moses." Exodus 39:7

It can be a good thing to "remember".

As I woke up early this morning, just a few minutes ago actually, the air was crisp and cool. I remembered stepping outside at 3 am in Kansas City after a long conference. I remember how awesome it was to serve the Lord among ten thousand believers, and I remember the early rainy morning I left to move back home.

I remembered waking up in Spain after a long flight, and also the long nights there and the sounds of the courtyard natives singing, dancing and having a great time.

I remembered traveling to West Virginia to set up free car washes and loving the mountain air.

I remember the cold, crisp air in Rome blowing across my face as we made our way across the city, and the faces of thousands of refugees who had no blankets in below freezing weather. I remember Paul's prison and how I wept just being there. I remember seeing the altars of the martyrs where one supposedly said, "You can turn me over now--this side's done."

I remember the air in Paris and how overcast the weather was, but how intensely romantic!

I remember Jesus. I look through ten years of journals and see request after request of "Lord, please send my husband!" I remember our first kiss. :)

I remember leading a worship team in college --going to churches to share God's heartbeat with them through worship. I remember our first trip to serve, where one of my band mates lost his life in a van his first semester in college. I remember saying "No" before we left to driving that vehicle.

I remember having my life "together" and being very independent, and also when I gave it all up to go on a mission trip. I remember the bed my mother made for me in their single wide trailer and the crisp cool air inside of it.

It was a cold morning this morning. It reminded me of many other mornings and experiences.
I'm all about new beginnings. "Remember not the former things" Isaiah 43 says. However, when we pause to reflect on all that He has done for us, then our heart is stirred to hope for a better tomorrow.

I like what Heidi Baker said, "When you find out how good He is, then you find He is even better than that!"

I am looking forward to more great adventures with the Lord. They are just around the corner in the cold crisp air.

A Tribute To My Mother

I realized yesterday just how much my mother means to me. I really don't know if I can put this into words without sounding trite, or like I want to elicit emotion. These are just the facts and something I hope will inspire and challenge each of us.

Yesterday afternoon after work I had about five hours of Christmas shopping ahead of me. My mother asked if I could come by the hospital (where she goes each day for radiation treatments). She and my dad had a Christmas gift for Brian and I.

So, gladly I went and my dad left to do some errands. It was my job to see her over to physical therapy after she got out of her treatment session. She came out and said, "Oh, I forgot I have to see the doctor today before I go." My first thought was, "I wonder how long this will take". Then I thought, "Well, I would like to visit with her so it's probably working out for the best."

A side note: recently I have begun to see who in my life is most important. That is, who really cares for me. To be fair, I know that I need to BE a friend to have a friend (Proverbs 18:24). But here's what is different about a mother's love: You don't have to be her friend for her to be yours. She will love you unconditionally.

So we are sitting there waiting for the doctor (mind you, my mother's right hand is swollen twice its normal size and her left hand is slowly regaining it's function. She can hardly pick up a cup) and she says, "Open your Christmas gift--I wrapped it myself." She had taken a piece of tissue paper and wrapped up a gift for me, and one for Brian. There wasn't even any tape on it, so I know she probably refused my dad's help and insisted she do it herself. Somehow, that tissue paper means more to me than the gift.

Her wrapping our gifts symbolizes a couple of her best character traits: making the most of what she has and giving her very best to me. She always has and always will. For many years she worked a full time job, got her college degree and sent me to a private school. When I saw the effort she put into "wrapping" our gifts, I forgot about all the shopping I had to do and sat with her, waiting for the doctor, relishing our time together.

So remember this Christmas that no one can take the place of your mother. If you have a mother she probably has made mistakes, but take time to appreciate her. It is a time for family. I am so thankful to have my mother in my life this Christmas. Each day is a gift for us to cherish one another. Merry Christmas!

Prosperity

Psalm 35:27 says, "Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause;

And let them say continually, 'Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His Servant'."

John 10:10 is one of my favorite verses. It says that the enemy comes to steal kill and destroy, but Christ came that we might have life and have it ABUNDANTLY.

You do the math.

Go Shawty

It's my birthday! Spiritual birthday, that is. On this day 12 years ago, I saw a dream come to pass. I had a terrible sickness for a year that went un-diagnosed. This Methodist raised young woman was hoping to be healed. I had a prophetic dream that I was "slain in the Spirit", and it came to pass at a healing crusade December 7, 1997.

I've never been the same. As I began to reflect on the past 12 years today, my thoughts lingered in the past for a second, but turned and focused primarily on the present and future.

You see, the number twelve is significant. Biblically it can represent authority or perfection of government. This year (especially since going through a trying time these past 2 months) I have become a more strong and confident individual. Part of my success can be attributed to Brian. He encourages me to experience the FREEDOM I have in Christ, and to get out of the box of rules, regulations and self-imposed laws. I have learned the importance of following God, not man.

But thanks be to God, I can finally say I know who I am in Christ. This is totally the work of Holy Spirit in my life, and came mainly through studying the Scriptures. I know there is more to learn!!

I just want to say that I love Holy Spirit more now than ever. Here's a good example of the freedom He brings. The other day I realized that instead of telling people "no" straight forwardly, I had a tendency to say, "Well, I might not..." Immediately He brought to mind a principle. If you were abused in the past, you can fall into the trap of insecurity, lacking confidence in communication. He said, "KD, you can just say 'no'."

I use that example to say that I certainly feel like it's been 12 years. My soul has been pruned tremendously. Hundreds of "issues" worked through, and thousands of lies exposed. But now I am begining to walk in power and awesome God-given authority.

Jesus said, "All authority on Heaven and earth has been given to Me. Therefore, Go and make disciples of all nations... (Matthew 28:18)." We are in Christ. I believe I am a walking miracle, and so is everyone who has been baptized into Christ. We have the power we need to help a hurting world.

I am ready to go on the next mission. More details later on that.

Nothing I've ever given up for Christ has ever been missed. He's given me 100 times more than I've ever given up for Him. Mark 10:30 says we will have 100 times (in THIS life) as much as we've given up for Him. I am looking forward to what He has in store in the years to come!

Confidence and Safety

Proverbs 3:25 says, "Do not be afraid of sudden fear or of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught."
Notice the phrase "when it comes". At this point in my life I am not surprised at the onslaught.
It will come.

However, God's promise to us is too keep our feet from being caught. 1Samuel 2:9 says that He keeps the feet of His Godly ones, but the wicked will be silent in the darkness, for by strength shall no man prevail.

Let us be reminded once again that God is our safety, our refuge and strength. Not by might nor power, but by His Spirit are we kept safe.

In the path of wisdom there is peace. This is the other side of the safety issue. Proverbs 3:17 says that "All her (wisdom's) paths are peace. Ephesians 6:15 talks about "having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability promptness and readiness produced by the Good News] of the Gospel of peace."
Keeping our peace is key to living a victorious, and confident life. I saw a sign this week that said, "Anger is one letter away from danger." Wisdom tells us to keep our peace. If we are covered by Christ, whom shall we fear?

Not to deviate from the subject at hand, but we need to remember who we are. In the past we may have been poor and alone, but God says that we are kings and priests. He says that kings will be our fathers and queens our mothers (Isaiah 49:23). He says that He raises the poor out of the dust, the beggar out of the trash pile and sets them with the princes of His people (1 Samuel 2:8).
Personally I realize that I've had a beggar mentality for far too long. Part of being a King is realizing that He will contend with those who contend with me (Isaiah 49:25) and that I can walk in confidence and peace knowing that He keeps me safe.

the Secret Place

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. He will cover you with His feathers and under His wings you will take refuge. You will not be afraid of the terror by night nor of the arrow that flies by day" (excerpts from Psalm 91).
This is the definition of peace. Not that things are always perfect...there will be arrows that fly by day. But we can dwell in the "secret place" and the Lord will fight our battles (2 Chronicles 20:17).
Romans 8:38 says that neither death nor life, angels nor principalities, things threatening or things to come, height, depth or any thing else will be able to separate us from God's love. This love is ours because we are in Christ. It is not dependent on anything we do or do not do. We can trust His love to lead and protect us.

Psalm 91:4b says that His truth will be our sheild and buckler. We need to read His Word daily to receive living and active truths that will protect us from the snare of the enemy. I love to worship with singing and playing instruments. Normally that is what I do to draw closer to God. I realized a couple of weeks ago that I had not read the Word very much, so I opened my Bible and it spoke directly to some situations in my life. We need that intimacy with God that comes through the reading of the Word, and while it is true that He fights our battles, we must do our part as well by getting direction and wisdom from Heaven.
Also, when we stay filled with the Spirit, we will see that the "arrow that flies by day" will actually just bounce off us. We are better equipped to handle life's challenges.
The alternative is that the world will be on top of us, instead of us being on top of the world.
There is indeed a "secret place" in God, but we have to get there, and trust Him while we abide under His shadow.