My Help Comes From The Lord

I will lift up mine eyes to the hills
from whence cometh my help,
my help cometh from the Lord,
the Lord which made Heaven and Earth.

He said He would not suffer thy foot,
thy foot to be moved;
the Lord which keepeth thee,
He will not slumber nor sleep.

Oh the Lord is thy keeper,
the Lord is thy shade
upon thy right hand,
upon thy right hand.

No, the sun shall not smite thee by day,
nor the moon by night,
He shall preserve thy soul
even forever more.




Been reading this song and the scripture and it's just been SO encouraging to me lately, so I thought I'd share it here!  I am so glad that the Lord really is my helper and that He does give me help!

Blessings~

Learning to Live in the Glory

When I say the words, "Learning to live in the glory" my mind starts churning, to actually figure out what those words mean. Often times I get this mental picture of clouds all around; you know, the dark, foreboding clouds, black and tumultuous, heavy and full of rain, then this little sliver of sun light shoots out through the clouds and shines on one certain spot and that spot is illuminated. I think of that "spot" being the "glory." I imagine that is God's special spot for me. Sometimes it seems that the storms of life are raging all around me, sometimes even inside me, but when I choose to stay in that sliver of light, there can be peace.

The reason I say there "can be peace" is because I believe that we have to choose to live in the glory, to live in the peace, to live in the light. But we can also choose to wallow in self pity, depression and fear, allowing the storms to rage and never find true peace.

Life is stressful at times, but if we choose to live in the glory, then we'll have peace. Living in the glory isn't easy at times, because we see the circumstances all around us; we see the rain, we see the black clouds, we see it all, but it's just around us, not in us. The problems are still there, they still need to be solved, but when we allow ourselves to sink into His light, His glory, then we can see things His way. We can see the way HE wants to solve the problems. We can see Him work on our behalf, instead of us trying in our own strength to solve our problems, and wrestling with something that is way bigger than ourselves. The devil wants to see us defeated, but when we are living in the glory, there is no way he can touch us. We are covered by the Lord's blanket of light and we become impossibly hard for the devil to reach.

Keep living in the Glory! Choose, every day to live in the Glory!!! When you find yourself sinking back into the clouds of life, then remember the words, "live in the glory."

Blessings~

Life in the Fast Lane

Sometimes we find ourselves living life day to day in the fast lane. We barely take time to stop and enjoy the real things in life. We rush here, we rush there, we have this appointment and that get together and then the next thing we know it, the day has past; the week has passed, the month is gone and the years later down the road we look back and wonder where time went.
I know I often find myself in the fast lane, and realize that I'm missing the real things in life. So often I miss that little smile from my son, or the loving looks in my husband's eyes that he gives me while I'm cooking or cleaning. I miss the sunrise or the sunset, or the beautiful flower that is blooming by my parking spot. I miss the birds that are cheerfully singing their praises and I miss the white fluffy clouds gliding ever so gently through the baby blue sky. 
But the biggest thing I so often miss is hearing His soft, comforting voice come sailing on the wind, whispering peace and joy, love and blessings. I have realized that I get so swept up into every day life that I forget Who created the world that I live in. I forget His awesome power and I forget that He wants to be apart of my life, even if I am busy. He wants to share in my life and help me make decisions each day. He wants to be there for me in every aspect of my life, whether I'm on top of a mountain, or in the lowest depths of the sea!
Just remember, sometimes life has to be spent in the fast lane, but don't forget to walk along a path, slowly, enjoying the wonderful presence of God. Don't forget to enjoy the beauty of the field of flowers you are driving by. Don't forget to enjoy opening the windows and hearing the birds singing. Don't forget to allow the peace of God to wash over you. Don't forget to listen to His still soft voice.
Blessings~

Psalm 23

Psalm 23

A David Psalm

 ^1-3 God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing.
   You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
      you find me quiet pools to drink from.
   True to your word,
      you let me catch my breath
      and send me in the right direction.

 ⁴ Even when the way goes through
      Death Valley,
   I'm not afraid
      when you walk at my side.
   Your trusty shepherd's crook
      makes me feel secure.

 ⁵ You serve me a six-course dinner
      right in front of my enemies.
   You revive my drooping head;
      my cup brims with blessing.

 ⁶ Your beauty and love chase after me
      every day of my life.
   I'm back home in the house of God
      for the rest of my life.

Today I was reflecting on this scripture, which I posted in the Message Version. I really like the Message version a lot of times, because it says things the way I think them.
I thought about the part where it says, "your trusty shepherds crook makes me feel secure." In real life, a shepherd will use his crook to pull a sheep back from the edge of a cliff , or pull it from a mess of briars and bushes. In life, we will often find ourselves at the edge of a cliff, where we are scared and don't know what to do. He brings his crook to us in the form of a family member, a pastor or a friend to help us think things through and to help pull us back from the edge of a cliff. The crook also pulls the sheep back into the herd when they try to stray. Often times the sheep will look at the crook and shepherd as being cruel or hurtful by not allowing them to do what they want, yet in all reality, the Shepherd is just trying to help and save the sheep from utter disaster.

I was also thinking about the part where it says, "you serve me a six course meal in the presence of my enemies." So often we will watch our enemies prosper and go about their way without their path being hindered. They keep lying, cheating, hurting, being selfish, yet they keep prospering. We'll look at them and wonder why God allows that. But in the end, we are going to be the ones who are feasting on God's love and peace. They will watch and be jealous. So often lately, I have wondered why people who have been in my life seem to prosper, yet they have been so hurtful to my family and I.  But when I really think about it, I realize, it is ME that is really happy. It is ME that is really enjoying life! It is ME that is getting rewarded by God's love and peace.  That is the true reward! Then in the end, we will be resting and enjoying the wonderful presence of God in Heaven!! I can't wait for that day! I love living life on this earth, because I'm with people I love and care for, but to think! No more stress, no more tears! No more pain! Just endless bliss with the One who is SO worth it all!
Blessings to everyone~

Trust

I don't have much to say today, because this blog is supposed to be about being encouraging to the women around me and I am struggling with being encouraged myself!  It's one of those days that my son is fussy, my husband works until almost midnight, it's hot outside, the bills aren't paid (and I don't know where the money is going to come from to pay them) and everything seems to be going wrong...including the bed breaking. It's like one thing after another. It's one of those days that I feel like going to my pillow, digging my head into its feathery deepness and crying.

But it's also one of those days that I am challenging myself to go find scriptures about faith and trust and to keep looking to the One who really does provide. It's just such a stretch for me today and it seems like everything is about to go under! Does anyone else find it hard to keep trusting Him, even though you know, know, KNOW that He will take care of you?

1 Peter 5:7
Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.

Philippians 4:6-7
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don't forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ.

Isaiah 26:3-4
He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in Him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord! Trust in the Lord always, for in the Lord, Jehovah, is your everlasting strength.

Psalms 37:7
Rest in the Lord; wait patiently for Him to act. Don't be envious of evil men who prosper.

John 14:18
No, I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm - I will come to you.

Habakkuk 2:1, 3
I will climb my watchtower now, and wait to see what answer God will give to my complaint.
But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!

I hope these scriptures encourage you, the same they did me. 

Blessings~

Thoughts About Life

 I was up almost all night with my son, because he is teething and he's constantly in pain. I would get him to sleep and then tip toe out of his room, relief washing over me, thoughts of sleep and dreams would infest my mind and I'd slowly crawl into bed. I'd let my head sink into the fluff of my pillow, feeling my body nestle down into the softness of the bed, every muscle slowly letting the tenseness ease out of my body. I'd close my eyes and feel the sense of peace and quiet around me. I'd hear the deep, steady breathing coming from my husband, then the quietness of the night would be broken by teeny little fusses from my son. After about 10 times of that same scenerio, I finally resigned myself to sitting on the couch, hoping that my body wouldn't get so excited about the possibility of sleep. As I sat on the couch in the wee hours of the morning, I let my head rest on the back of the couch. The house was quiet and my mind began to wander to many different things. 
Life has been complicated lately, between my husband getting out of the Navy, to moving to a new place, to finances being very tight, to my son teething and myself having some physical issues.  There have been other issues to; my own father having some health issue to other family issues that are sensitive and hard to explain.  Life in itself has been overwhelming to me and often times I find myself getting uptight and often in a bad mood. I find myself thinking over and over and over again on how things are going to work out and getting worried over the rent, or the car bill, etc.  I find myself doing what I did last night, letting my mind wander and worry, instead of letting my burdens help me turn to God and realize His faithfulness over and over.
God is always faithful, even in the times when we allow ourselves to be overcome with worry and fear. No matter what happens, no matter what problems we have, He is faithful. The verse that comes to mind is, "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. Acknowledge the Lord in all of your ways and He will make your path straight."
So often I look at our bills and the money we don't have in our account and say, omw, what are we going to do?!!!  That is when I have to stop myself and trust in the Lord. My understanding is human...I can only see what is "fact" in our bank account. Yet through the eyes of faith, I can understand that God is always faithful and He cares for us. He won't let us down. Ever.
When life gets overwhelming, learn to trust in God. It's hard, but it's possible. When you find yourself getting worried, remember, God is in control.

Blessings~

Blessings Come Through Raindrops

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

This song means so much to me.  Sometimes we don't realize how God's blessings come to us. Sometimes it takes a time in our life where we are so low emotionally and spiritually to realize how much God cares for us and how much He really does provide for us. Sometimes we think that we're so alone and that this whole world is against us, yet it's really during that time that God is protecting us and showing us the Way He has chosen for us. When Jesus walked this earth as a human being, He didn't choose the easiest path. No, He chose the hardest path. The one of pain and suffering, the one where there were tears and trials. Yet when it came down to it, His reward was Heaven. It wasn't always easy for Him to forgive and love when people were hating and cursing Him, yet He continued to show people the power of true love.

 Praying that you and I will realize the true blessings that He has given us and that we will always trust Him, no matter where He leads us. 

The Lord is my Light

Psalm 27

A David Psalm

 ¹ Light, space, zest— that's God!
   So, with him on my side I'm fearless,
      afraid of no one and nothing.

 ² When vandal hordes ride down
      ready to eat me alive,
   Those bullies and toughs
      fall flat on their faces.

 ³ When besieged,
      I'm calm as a baby.
   When all hell breaks loose,
      I'm collected and cool.

 ⁴ I'm asking God for one thing,
      only one thing:
   To live with him in his house
      my whole life long.
   I'll contemplate his beauty;
      I'll study at his feet.

 ⁵ That's the only quiet, secure place
      in a noisy world,
   The perfect getaway,
      far from the buzz of traffic.

 ⁶ God holds me head and shoulders
      above all who try to pull me down.
   I'm headed for his place to offer anthems
      that will raise the roof!
   Already I'm singing God-songs;
      I'm making music to God.

 ^7-9 Listen, God, I'm calling at the top of my lungs:
      "Be good to me! Answer me!"
   When my heart whispered, "Seek God,"
      my whole being replied,
   "I'm seeking him!"
      Don't hide from me now!

 ^9-10 You've always been right there for me;
      don't turn your back on me now.
   Don't throw me out, don't abandon me;
      you've always kept the door open.
   My father and mother walked out and left me,
      but God took me in.

 ^11-12 Point me down your highway, God;
      direct me along a well-lighted street;
      show my enemies whose side you're on.
   Don't throw me to the dogs,
      those liars who are out to get me,
      filling the air with their threats.

 ^13-14 I'm sure now I'll see God's goodness
      in the exuberant earth.
   Stay with God!
      Take heart. Don't quit.
   I'll say it again:
      Stay with God.

This is The Message Version of this scripture and I just love it! Its like the way I speak and think, so I can relate to it easier.  I just was reading this tonight and wanted to share it, because I found it encouraging and soul lifting.  Sometimes my world seems to suddenly come crashing around me and I forget the the Lord really is my Light, my Path, my Salvation. When I feel that the people that I want so much to be in my life, yet by their choice, I can't be with them, I have to turn to God and remember that with Him by my side, I need to fear no one and need no one. He is my all in all and God will be faithful even when others aren't.  This scripture just means so much to me right now. He raises me up beyond those that forsake me. He carries me through the darkest of nights. He upholds me through my fears and doubts, and shows His mighty power through every circumstance!

Just remember, in your life, when others forsake you, when you find yourself all alone, surrounded by enemies, He is right there. He is your stronghold! He is the One you can count on forever!

Blessings~

You Are Good

Today, after I dropped my husband off at work,  I had to run a couple of errands to get bird food and some toys for my son. As I walked through each store, people were always commenting about how cute my baby is and how blessed I am to have a little son.
When they made these comments, over and over, sometimes my mind would wander to the times my son just fusses and cries and how not thankful I am...then I realized, no matter what, children are a blessing from God. Just because my son fusses doesn't mean he's not a blessing! 
It caused me to think even deeper on how good God is and how being thankful is so rewarding.  I don't ever want to not be thankful for the blessings that God has so generously given to me.
It's challenging, day by day, to be thankful for the seemingly disturbing, frustrating circumstances,  but when I take a look around me, I see all the things that there is to be thankful for!
I am so glad to be serving such a wonderful, generous God who is sooooo good and so faithful, even when I am unfaithful...even when I fail.

Blessings to everyone!!!

The Desires of Our Heart

Delight yourself also in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

So in my devotional time I keep being drawn back to Psalm 37 and here is something I found that someone else wrote about this scripture.

"Your relationship with God ought to bring you more joy, satisfaction and pleasure than any other relationship, activity or material possession you have. Scripture exhorts you to delight yourself in the Lord, finding your great pleasure in God an the things dear to His heart. How can you find please in what God enjoys? Only as you spend time with Him will you begin to take delight in the things God loves. As you spend intimate time with God and allow Him to show you your situation from His perspective, you will begin to see things as God sees them. As you adjust yourself to God, your heart will begin to desire the same things God's heart desires. When you pray, you will find yourself asking for the very things God desires. Matters foremost on God's heart will be preeminent on yours. Your first request in prayer will not be for yourself, but for God's name to be exalted and His kingdom to be extended."

I just thought that was very good and it has opened new ways for me, on how to pray and how to seek after the heart of God.  I just want to be a woman after God's own heart and to love Him and enjoy spending time in his presence.

Blessings~

The Roller Coaster

"Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures." - Joseph Addison

 

Today has been one of those days I've had to realize my losses and choose to move on. It's hard and difficult in a way I never thought was possible. You know, where you have those deep longings of the heart; dreams you have and hopes for certain things, then you realize that those longings, dreams and hopes most likely won't ever come to fruition.  It's sorta like being on a roller coaster....you get on the ride, you climb slowly to the top with agonizing excitement and then the big drop comes, you rush through the thrilling part and then "boom" you're done...you're at the end and you feel a  bit of disappointment that the ride is over and you wish it could have lasted longer. My longings, dreams and hopes seemed to have been riding on a roller coaster for the last year and then suddenly the ride came to a stop and I had this major let down, realizing that my dreams and hopes weren't going to be realized, because the people that I had envisioned in these hopes and dreams didn't dream the same thing I did! 

Life is that way, but when we realize that Jesus is the reason for hopes, longings and dreams, then all three of those things will come true! He never lets us down and if we set our sights on the One who is always faithful, is always trustworthy, is always there for us through thick and thin, then our lives will forever be lived on a roller coaster; we'll never really know what to expect, but we will have the assurance that God will never leave us with the "boom;" the "let down" and the disappointment. We will always have something to look forward to and we will always have our hopes, longings and dreams fulfilled. But we have to have our lives sunk so deeply into Him that our hopes are His hopes, our dreams are His dreams and our longings, His longings. 

"Delight yourself also in the LORD: and he shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

When we delight ourselves in Him, loving his will, his way and his path, then our desires are going to be His desires, ultimately leading to Him giving us the desires of our heart... I hope that makes sense.
Seek after the Lord with all your heart, ask Him what His longings, dreams and hopes are for you. As you have guidance, follow what He shows you and watch the roller coaster of God's love take you to places you never thought you'd go. Let His overwhelming power surprise you with the excitement of His ways. Let His presence overwhelm you with the unknowns and the new things that He wants to accomplish with you and through you!

Blessings~

The Power of Love

So the past few weeks have been challenging and hard for me on learning the power of love. Seems that every time I try to be nice and do what Jesus would want, I get "slapped and spit" on.  It's been discouraging and heart wrenching to watch people I love and care for hurt themselves emotionally and spiritually. I've had to determine to keep pressing on in God's love and to not back down, give in to my anger and bitterness.

If you find yourself in that kind of situation, don't hesitate to ask for prayer and immerse yourself in the scriptures. Let God's love overflow your heart and don't back down! Keep doing good and you WILL see results, even if it's not on this earth.

Blessings~

Laura Story Blessings (lyrics)

I thought I'd share this song! I love it!