In His Presence

Well, well, well. I'm back. I haven't written in quite a while. The busy back to school life has returned, and I hardly have time to catch my breath by the end of the day. Yes, I know I'm not in school anymore. That's contrary to the belief of some students who saw me at the high school last week... pushing my baby in her stroller. Not completely sure it was meant as a compliment, but hey, I'll take it.

So there has been the busy schedule thing, but I also haven't written because I have been waiting for some profound revelation to write about. Just waiting. And waiting. And waiting...

But, then I remembered. That was never my intention with this blog. My heart was to share what was going on. The good, the bad, and the ugly. So, I apologize. I'm sorry for waiting around until I had something "great" to write about. For not sharing because I don't think I have something good to bring to the table.

This is the mentality I struggle with between God and me. The enemy lies and tells me that God doesn't want to spend time with me until I have something good to bring to the table. Or that I need to clean myself up before I can spend time in His presence. I hate those lies. And yet I live like I believe them.

The truth is, when Jesus paid the penalty for my sin through His death on the cross, He made me clean enough to be in God's Holy presence. I've been washed as white as snow. Not because of anything I brought to the table. Simply because of His love, grace, and mercy. So, if God loved me enough to make a way for me to spend eternity with Him, why do I act like He doesn't want to spend time with me everyday? Because He so does! It's me who chooses otherwise.

It's in His presence where I am made whole. Surprise! He knows I'm broken already! In Matthew 11:28, He invites the "weary and burdened" to come to Him. Not the perfect and complete. He knows I will never have anything good to bring to the table. 
And He still delights in ME. 
And He delights in YOU!

So let's stop with the guilt trips and shameful glances at our Bibles that have remained untouched for weeks. He's waiting for you. Not with a furrowed brow, and not with a list of the time you've missed. But He waits with more love and grace than we could ever fathom. 

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV84)

I hope this leaves you encouraged. I'm praying for you a renewed energy and excitement in your time with the Lord. 

There is peace and abund joy in His presence!

Choose joy!

Good morning! I've never been able to say that in a post because I usually hit the publish button at some ridiculous hour after midnight. So I guess, technically, those have been written in the morning too. Today, however, I've chosen to entertain the sweet little one on the bed beside me until she drifts off for her first nap. Whenever that may be.

We don't have strict routines in our house. Never have. Probably never will. My husband and I are very laid back. With his unorthodox hours at work and our involvement with high school and college students, it would be nearly impossible to stick to the same schedule every day.

There is one thing that sends both of our blood pressures through the roof. Traffic. And drivers who apparently never read the book before they took their permit tests at age fifteen. Impatience engulfs the car when we're behind a slow car in the fast lane or a driver who refuses to believe that it is, in fact, legal to turn right on red. So yesterday, when we had a babysitting offer that presented us with a spur of the moment date night, heavy traffic tried to put an end to it.

As we rushed across town from the babysitter to the movie theater, the Lord began to teach me a lesson. He tries to do that a lot when I'm in a hurry, but rarely will I listen. Yesterday, He spoke louder. Or probably just quieted all the other noise in my heart and mind so that I would hear His still, small voice. He brought to mind a sermon that I heard years ago about the Providence of God.

When we are in right relationship with Him, communicating regularly and seeking to know Him more, God will guide our steps and direct our paths. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6). So if it is true that He will direct my paths when I acknowledge His sovereignty and goodness, then I believe that this means in everyday life. Not just the big decisions. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think we are puppets on a string, but I do believe that my God is big and in control.

As we stopped at yet another red light downtown, I thought about the application of this in real life. God can intervene in our plans at anytime. Like when I'm trying to leave the house on time, but the baby spits up a dozen times and we both have to change clothes twice before actually leaving, making us an hour late to a friend's house. And while I am flustered and angry on the way there, I arrive to find out that everyone else is late, and had I been "on time" I would've been waiting. For an hour. So my mindset goes from angry to thankful. So thankful that the Lord knew I would not need to be there when I planned and threw a kink in MY plan. That's small. I know.

But what about the times that He directs my paths and I don't ever get to see what He was having me avoid? When the car in front of me stops at a yellow light which I most certainly would have gone through, and at the next intersection a truck is running a red light. I may never see the catastrophe that He kept me from. Maybe I'll only see the diversion He put in the way. And I am so busy focusing on how this affects my agenda that I miss out on praising Him for a miracle.

With all that being said, I'm changing my outlook on life. Instead of getting mad or frustrated at the small kinks in my plans, I will choose to praise God for whatever He's doing. I realize that this will take tons of practice. And it will probably be easier for me to implement in my husband's life when he needs it. Sorry, Rob! But my first act in this new way of thinking is to commit some scripture to memory. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." This blew my mind when the Lord gave it to me.

I have a choice.
I can choose anger or I can choose joy.
I can choose to focus on the kink or I can choose to focus on God's goodness.
I can choose pouting or I can choose praise.

I choose joy!

Perhaps you find your plans throughout the day being interrupted. If it tends to ruffle your feathers more than it should, I challenge you to stop and praise the Lord. Praise Him for who He is! Praise Him for whatever He is doing behind the scenes. Choose joy.