Repairer of the Breach

Isaiah 58:11 NKJV

"The Lord will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."


Lord, I just want to thank you. This has been a wonderful Christmas season. Our needs and many of our wants have been abundantly provided. We have enjoyed the company of each other as a family. We have been graced with the wonderful presence of friends & extended family. Our church srvices have been filled with celebration & worship of the birth of You, my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. Our home has been filled with Your sweet presence through family worship of Your birth. Our life is being blessed with new family You are grafting in. Sweet, sweet memories have been made here this year.

God, as we enter into a new year tomorrow, I'm filled with great excitement to see what lies ahead. I'm filled with anticipation of what good things You have in store for us next. Let this entire year be filled withYou- growing closer to You in every area of our lives, experiencing Your presence, & witnessing Your miracles. Let me testify to everyone I meet of Your great & saving power! Hallelujah!

" Those from among you
Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In."
~Is 58:12~

Careful Words

Proverbs 13:3 NKJV

"He who guards his mouth preserves his life,
But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction."

The Message words this scripture like this:
"Careful words make for a careful life; careless talk may ruin everything"

Ouch! How many times have I needed these words. I would do well to guard my conversations wisely, more than I do. I really can destroy what the Holy Spirit is building by my words.

Father, rather than defeat, despair, & death, help me speak life & faith & hope in every word I utter.

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."
~Ps19:14~

You Haven't Seen Anything Yet!

1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV

But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

It's not an easy thing admitting we are wrong. Sometimes God tells me to take my hands off the wheel & let Him drive. Often, I didn't even realize I'd taken the wheel from Him. I do that so subconsciously, just navigate my own way, drive wide open in a direction, running from something that doesn't even exist- the enemy put the fear there in my mind.

Being strong & independant are absolute qualities the Lord loves to use, but they are also qualities satan likes to use. Finding balance can only come through submitting to God, one instruction at a time, small steps as they may be. These small stepping stones are laying the foundation to something much larger-something you're too close to see yet.

What area has God given you a simple command to follow? Have you obeyed yet? Pray for His strength to give Him the wheel, fresh & new every morning. Trust where He is driving you on the path just ahead. He is preparing something greater than your eyes have ever seen or your ears have ever heard! It's bigger than your heart can dream- you have't seen anything yet!

The Vapor of Our Calling

Psalm 39:5 NKJV
"Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah"

Even the life of our sweet Savior Jesus was a vapor here on earth. Although He is eternal, without beginning & without end, His ministry span & His mission here in earthly body was short- 33 years. I already have outlived His time here. Am I as focused on my earthly mission as He was? Do I understand the purpose of my calling? Do you? Make no mistake, there is a point to your life. A God-ordained calling for your time here.

Below are the words to the song "Mary Knew". As the mother of Jesus, she understood her calling. She endured in complete confidence & faith, to believe & live something so miraculous, it made no sense in the natural world. I pray you're blessed with the wonder of Christmas all over again this year. . .

An angel of the Lord, went out for visitation
Mary's willing heart was this angel's destination
He spoke of one, who would be born, to reign as King, and Lord
Overshadowed by the truth Mary knew

Everyone would question, her story's valadation
Mary's news did not bring a joyous celebration
Even Joseph could not understand, that this was heaven's Lamb
But a manger now held the truth that Mary knew

Mary knew Him at His best, she knew Him at His worst
She understood the man in Him, but knew that God came first
So she held her little promise, and she watched Him as He grew
Her faith necer waivered from the truth, that Mary knew

She followed all the way, to a top of a great hill
Mary watched in silent pain, the Father's plan fulfilled
And at His feet she knelt that day as tears ran down her face
For the cross now held the truth that Mary knew

Mary knew Him at His best, she knew Him at His worst
She understood the man in Him, but knew that God came first
So she held her lottle promise, and she watched Him as He died . . .

So she held her little promise and she watched Him as He arose . . .
Her faith never waivered from the truth, that Mary knew

Be Strong, Don't Dismay

1 Chronicles 28:20 NKJV

And David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God—my God— will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord."

The Land of Uprightness

Psalm 143:10 NKJV

"Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in the land of uprightness."

HIS Eye

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye. "
~Ps 32:8~

It's an interesting time of life for me. Our schedule couldn't be more packed. It's just normal daily life "stuff"- work, ballgames every day, church activities, chores at home. It's all things we love and enjoy. But still, we get tired sometimes. Can I tell you that's when satan comes to attack, when your tired and weak and not expecting him? It's a scheme as old as Jesus' day. Satan did the same thing to Him, he brought temptation after Jesus had fasted forty days, when Jesus was weak in body.

It is these times I have to remember this verse: that He will guide me with HIS eye. Not my own eyes.

Listen to the next verse in this passage:
"Do not be like the horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you."
~Ps 32:9~

When my mind has difficulty focusing because of fatigue or discouragement, it's HIS eyes I need to trust.When I can't see any further than the nose in my face, I've got to remember He sees everything ahead, my future. When I cannot understand why I have to take this long winding road ahead instead of the short-cut, I've got to trust there is something dangerous He is detouring me around.

His eyes see my future, the grand plans He has for me. And they are bigger than anytting I could have dreamed on my own. I must not make Him drag me with bit & bridle. I must step forward with a willing spirit, trusting His eye.

Just Believe

"Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."
~Mark 11:24~

My Heritage

Psalm 61:5 "For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name."

Sing YOUR New Song

"He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord."
~Ps 40:3~

Songs of Deliverence

"You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah"
~Ps 32:7~

"Our vision is returning. Hints of creativity are reemerging. It's a new day, God doesn't hate us after all, and we can't help but praise. The wind is blowing in our faces once again and once more hope springs eternal."
~from Beth Moore's book: Get Out of That Pit~

Show Me The Path

"You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
~Ps 16:11~

Transparency-Teach Me

"Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in the land of uprightness."
~Ps 143:10~

It takes time to learn. Time. And it takes a willing spirit to be taught. It also takes a willing spirit to teach others the ways of God. It's called shepherding. It takes extreme dedication to live God's principles before them, to practice unwaivering faith in front of them, and to be real before them in our failures.

Transparency- the defination reads: " 1- permitting the free passage of electromagnetic radiation; 2-the quality of being clear; 3-a picture consisting of a positive drawing or photograph viewed on a clear base; 4- . . .to be viewed by natural or artificial light, which shines through it

Be a transparent life for someone to view Jesus through you. Take time to shepherd someone young in their faith, so they can get a firm foundation for the rest of their life. It matters more than you know.

Your Reward Is Coming

"But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”
~II Chron 15:7~