Father Knows Best
God
Suit Up, Y’all!
This morning during my daily God Time, I must admit that I felt very distracted. Focusing 
to begin with was difficult at best and I had to stop everything and pray for God’s help in bringing me back to Himself.
As I prayed, Ephesians 6 settled into my spirit and I picked up my bible to read. The words floated off the page and I knew that this was exactly what I needed to hear on this day. Distraction, my Teacher pointed out, is one of the enemy’s main weapons; one of his primary go-to battle plans. And, we–as children of the One, True God–are instructed to always, always clothe ourselves in His full armor.
Our father reminds us, through His Word that the devil and his band of demons are very real. We may not see them with our naked eye, but they are just as real as our Father. That’s the bad news. The good news is that they are nowhere near as powerful. The Lord tells us that He has and will always have the edge and, through Him, we also have the same edge. We must not ever forget that.
There is absolutely nothing that satan can throw at us that we and God cannot handle together; together being the operative word. Alone, we are left defenseless, like tiny lambs among wolves. However, when we walk with Him; when we step out on the battlefield in His armor, thine enemies will retreat; they will back away. They know that they can’t win even the smallest battle against Him!
And, even though we know they will return and that they lie in wait, hoping to catch us with our guard down, we need not fear as our God is with us always and loves us dearly. He calls to us to come to Him, defenseless children who become great warriors with Him by our side. Suit up, y’all, it’s going to be a great and victorious day!
And The Word of God Says….
Ephesians 6: 10-
The Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Amen and Ehmen.
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A Bittersweet Love Story
Dear God, as I continue to reflect on this Easter season, I ask that you help the words flow 
from the deepest recesses of my soul, the inner places where You dwell in all Your holiness and righteousness. Thank you for sending Your son and for Him taking on human suffering and death just so that we could live with You forever. I am overwhelmed by Your grace and love for me and, though I am eternally sorry for my sins and shortcomings, I am eternally grateful for Your grace and forgiveness and, most especially, your gift of salvation, wrapped in the arms of Jesus and presented to us freely. All we have to do is believe and accept, both of which I do, wholeheartedly. Thank you, Jesus, for what You endured; for Your obedience to the Father, no matter what; and for making a way for me. May I become more and more like You as the seconds and minutes tick past. I don’t want to waste any more time. Help me to stay focused on Your will and purpose. Father, Your will be done, on earth and in me, just as it is in Heaven. Amen and Ehmen.
A Bittersweet Love Story
As His son hung on the cross, bloodied by the hands of man and scoffed at by the evil and lost, God was certainly saddened in the moment—saddened by the state of His creation that brought everything down to this very moment. A moment perhaps best described as a necessary evil and one that would change the destiny of humankind forever; a new and 
foolproof way for the very ones that were created in God’s own image to live forever in His Presence. It was and is the invitation of all invitations and it is extended to each and every one of us.
As one who has accepted that invitation, this Easter season finds my heart and mind naturally harkening back to the pivotal events that would forevermore open Heaven’s doorway to the likes of me and you; to sinners saved by grace and grace alone.
Yes, it was part of God’s plan that His Son would die on that cross so that we could live forever in His Presence. But, though it was always a part of His plan, doesn’t mean that it was easy. Jesus, though the Son of God, was fully a man, born to a human mother and into flesh and body just like you and me. He needed air and food just like us and he felt pain like us as well. And the cross undoubtedly created agonizing, horrific pain–pain which He in no way deserved, but humbly accepted out of pure love for us. Which one of us is not heartbroken that he had to endure such torture for us? But, at the same time, who could not be completely filled and overjoyed that he did it so that we could dwell in the presence of our Lord forever?
To me, it is indeed the epitome of a bittersweet love story; that right there in the middle of the cross where God’s heart hung in the balance, wrath and judgement met mercy and 
forgiveness and our invitation to dwell with Him forever was permanently engraved and then sealed with the blood of His one and only son and our sweet, sweet Savior.
Thank you, sweet Jesus. Thank you. May my life be a testament of my undying gratitude and may Your Glory shine through me until the day I, too, take my last breath on earth. Amen and Ehmen!
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The Predestined Path
When you learn to have complete faith in God and the plan that He has for your life, then and only then will you poise yourself for true success and fulfillment. Will it always be easy? Absolutely not. Will it always be worth it? Absolutely and positively yes.
The trick is in learning that nothing in your life is a surprise to God. He knows what happens to you before it happens and is constantly shaping and melding those experiences so that through them you can fulfill His purposes. What an honor.
It is true. Just as His word says, God uses everything for good. Those painful times become valuable, one-of-a-kind, critical ingredients for the end result that God has planned. Truth is, if you never had such experiences, there would be no ingredients for God to work with. Yes, you may miss your husband, your wife, your job, your child, your youth, but remember and take solace in the fact that those things and even the loss of those things are the very ingredients that are propelling you straight ahead into God’s purpose for your life and, ultimately, His Kingdom.
Instead of dwelling on your hurt, focus on being thankful for the gift and for the fact that God still finds you worthy of fulfilling His purposes here on earth. Take the attention off of yourself and realize—as hard as it is to do—that this life is not about you, but Him, His Purpose and His Will. Fortunately, it is also in Him, His Purpose and His Will that we are promised to find complete joy and fulfillment which could never be rivaled by anything or anyone on earth, no matter how great. Now, that’s an awesome promise.
Count me in! Amen and Ehmen!
And the Word of our Almighty God says…
These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. –John 16:33And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. –Romans 8:28I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not to abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. –Jeremiah 29:11
For we are God’s own handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us…that we should walk in them living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live. –Ephesians 2:10
Now to Him Who…is able to carry out His purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams. —Ephesians 3:20
It is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.–Philippians 2:13.
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Rain Down On Me!
I just went for a walk on this rainy evening. In taking in the sweet smells of rain intermingling with newly bloomed flowers, I began to wonder if this could possibly be the scent of heaven. Just then, I fully believe that God, disguised as gentle raindrops, began tapping me on my shoulder. Focusing my mind on Him, I heard Him whisper in my ear, a little lesson on rain. “Have you ever really thought about the miracle of rain—life-giving waters that I send from Heaven to first wash away the dirt and the grime and then to feed all MY many beautiful trees and flowers and plants,” he quizzed. “Brenda, my child, just like the rains I pour onto the earth to cleanse, give and sustain life there, I want nothing more than to rain down on you. I planted your seed years ago, but for you to become the fully-developed, blossoming, beautiful, breathtaking and fruitful one that I intended for you to be, you must allow me to rain down on you. You must trust in me that through my plans for your life, you will be cleansed and you will be fully drenched in My Living Waters that will not only make you live your earthly life in full bloom, consequently spreading roots and seeds that will grow My Kingdom here on earth, but will give you the ultimate eternal life with Me.” Lord, God, I praise you and pray that you rain down on me, today and forever. I give you my life for Your purpose. Direct my steps and let it rain. Amen and Ehmen!
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Just Be
Don’t you just love that sometimes the most awesome things in life are those that defy logic?
Those that don’t necessarily make sense.
Things—like God and Heaven—that require Faith.
Things like the moon, the stars, the sunrises and sunsets that you don’t have to understand to enjoy.
Things which require you only to be.
I hope that today, no matter what is going on, that you find time to just be.
And to thank God that you are.
–Amen and Ehmen.
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The Story With A Happy Never-Ending Ending
Recently as I was re-watching The Bible on the History Channel, I was captivated by the word “history.” It was if my brain hit pause with that word on the screen and it’s all I could think about for a few minutes. I woke up again this morning with that word on my mind. Thus, I pondered it for a bit.
History is the past and many of us spend too much time in the past; we keep busy trying to re-live it or change it and are often unable to fully enjoy the gift of today because of that.
But, take a closer look at the word. History. His-tory. HIStory. His Story. History is His Story and all things that are a part of His Story are woven together “for the good of those who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose.”
Best of all, if you are one of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, His Story is guaranteed to have a happy never-ending ending.
“And they lived happily ever after….”
Amen and Ehmen!
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The Compliment in Being Compared to a Donkey
Though they are often the “butt” of many a joke, I have always had a special affection for donkeys. And, 
every year around Easter, that affection grows. Have you ever wondered why Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem oh so many years ago on what we now call Palm Sunday? Why not a strong, valiant horse? A horse worthy to roam the king’s pastures?
This week, in reflecting on that very question, I thought I’d ask God himself. And so, during my God time earlier this week, that is exactly what I did. As I sat quietly with nothing but a Bible, a blank page and a deep affection for The Father, these are the thoughts that came to rest deep in my spirit.
“Child, do you remember the verses in My Word in which I told you that the first will be last and the last shall be first; those that remind you to be a humble servant? My friend, the donkey, is a fitting image of what I expect from my children. Humble, hard-working, peaceful. I don’t need pomp and circumstance from you. I just need a willing, servant’s heart.
I asked for a donkey to ride me into Jerusalem for many reasons, one being to remind all of my children that it matters not how the world sees you, but instead how I see you. This donkey, considered one of the least among his kind, was fit for a King. With a servant’s heart and attitude, he escorted me into Jerusalem and into my destiny and this is exactly what I ask of you, dear child—a servant’s heart and attitude that I can use to take me to the people of the world and into my ultimate and eternal destiny. I want ALL of my children with me in eternity. Even one lost grieves my spirit so. Think of those parents who have lost one of their children to drugs, alcohol or depression. Think of the parent whose child has run away, who they’ve lost all contact with. Oh how their heart grieves! Now, multiply that by infinity and that is how I feel about my lost children. My heart is not complete without them. My kingdom is not whole. They are MY children. All of them. No matter what they have done. No matter what they haven’t done. They are MY children and I love them. And, I need you, to help me bring them home. I need you to be like that humble, willing donkey that will take me to my children; to my destiny as Father of All. Go read the story of the Prodigal Son. I will open your eyes to new things, my child. And, go through this day aware of my presence. I’ll be right beside you all the way. It’s going to be a good day, child. A very good day.”
Thank you, God, for this. Thank you for the donkey and thank you for now giving me a reason to smile when someone calls me one. 🙂 Amen and Ehmen!
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Friends on Purpose
My friend, Denny, is finally coming back to us for a visit. On this eve of her arrival, I thought I’d post a journal entry about our friendship. I can’t wait to see her. Oh, and I posted this picture, because we have often seen a lot of Ruth and Naomi in our friendship. Of course, I’m Ruth, because I’m younger and cuter. Just sayin’…
We had become friends almost instantly; too quickly, according to some of our individual friends. Not that it mattered too much what others thought, because God was obviously and determined to put us together. And, neither of us were brave enough—nor willing—to say no to Him.
Of course, to begin with we both had questions, a lot of questions. Who wouldn’t, given the way we’d met and the fact that we had been drawn to one another practically from the get-go? How could an anonymous, virtual game of internet Scrabble, a chance meeting on a social networking site, lead to such a deep, tangible and very real friendship? What could God have possibly been thinking by pairing the two of us together and for what reason?
From the outside, we were just so different. Two very different women with different pasts and different presents. One, a single mom with two jobs and the other a semi-retired housewife. What’s more, we lived what seemed like a world apart—one in western Canada and the other in the southeastern United States.
But, on the inside, well, that’s where it all began to make sense. For on the inside, we were practically twins, soul mates whose bond was quick, yet undeniably powerful and steadfast. So powerful, in fact, that even against our common nature, we were drawn to each other, spending hours truly getting to know one another from the inside out. We talked about everything, from our childhood, to our adulthood, our pain and sorrow, our hopes and dreams, and most especially about God, who we both loved with all our hearts and who continued to make it abundantly clear that He wanted to be at the helm of our lives and that he wanted our lives to be intertwined forevermore.
No, there was absolutely no way this was a chance meeting. For two ordinarily private people highly skilled at hiding behind humor to finally lay down their weapons of defense—the very masks they used when they thought the rest of the world was looking—this most definitely had to be a God thing.
The next seven-plus years would prove that over and over again; and is the basis of a story that God has placed in my heart; a beautiful, unbelievable, but very true story that is sure to touch hearts and to help people for years to come. And, though life keeps getting in the way of actually getting that story set in ink, it is with pen in hand that the journey of purpose continues. One day…prayerfully soon…you will be able to read it in its entirety.
In the meantime, welcome back, Denny. My heart and home are yours. Amen and Ehmen!
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Embrace the journey
What’s behind you isn’t something to dwell on, other than it was necessary to bring you to where you are today. Whether a pleasure trip or rocky road, it was the route to your current destination. Embrace it. Today is a gift from God.
And the Word of God Says…
18“Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past. 19“Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.…Isaiah, Chapter 43
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus…Philippians, Chapter 3
Amen and Ehmen! 