HIS WAVES

They are HIS waves, whether they break over us,
Hiding His face in smothering spray and foam;
Or smooth and sparkling, spread a path before us,
And to our haven bear us safely home.

They are HIS waves, whether for our sure comfort
He walks across them, stilling all our fear;
Or to our cry there comes no aid nor answer,
And in the lonely silence none is near.

They are HIS waves, whether we are hard-striving
Through tempest-driven waves that never cease,
While deep to deep with turmoil loud is calling;
Or at His word they hush themselves in peace.

They are HIS waves, whether He separates them
Making us walk dry ground where seas had flowed;
Or lets tumultuous breakers surge about us,
Rushing unchecked across our only road.

They are HIS Waves, and He directs us through them;
So He has promised, so His love will do.
Keeping and leading, guiding and upholding,
To His sure harbor, He will bring us through.
Annie Johnson Flint

"Stand firmly in the place where your dear Lord has put you and do your best there. God sends us trials or tests, and places life before us as a face-to face-opponent. It is through the pounding of a serious conflict that He expects us to grow strong. The tree planted where the fierce winds twist its branches and bend its trunk, often nearly to the point of breaking, is commonly more firmly rooted than a tree growing in a secluded valley where storms never bring any stress or strain. The same is true of human life. The strongest and greatest character is grown through hardships."
L.B. Cowman

Cheerleaders in Life

Cheerleaders. We all need them. They don't play the game for us but they stand on the sidelines cheering us on. In my battle with cancer I have had many. One of my loudest has been my father. Throughout my life he has always been on the sidelines encouraging me not to quit. He has spoken words of motivation and affirmation when the going has been tough. Many conversations have been sprinkled with these words of wisdom, "Pick up the smooth end and let the rough end drag." Maybe the biblical translation would be about casting our cares upon God, or not being anxious for anything but letting our requests be made known to God and his peace will guard our hearts. My dad also gives great stress advice. He says just be a duck in life! If you ever watch a duck put their head under water you will notice when they come up, the water just rolls off them. The oil in their feathers prevents them from taking on water so they don't drown. The stress of life can certainly try to pull us under and destroy our peace, joy and physical health. One thing I've learned through this journey is how toxic stress can be on any attempts to heal and recover from sickness or disease.
My father's advice, comfort, and encouragement is only a phone call away. Your heavenly father is only a prayer away. My advice is don't start your day or leave home without it. Before you face your day, face God. Let His Word be your cheeleader. There are thousands of words of comfort in the Bible. Let them penetrate your thoughts and emotions. Cast your cares on Him because you are not strong enough to carry them. The journey is going to be a long one and you will need all the help you can get.
I am thankful God has blessed me with an earthly father that represents His heart towards me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and a dad who loves me. I encourage you to let God's word cheer you on in life, so you in turn can be a cheerleader for others.

Matters Of The Heart

God shapes our heart so we can shape the heart of others. This is His purpose in pain and suffering. King David was referred to as a man after God's own heart. David did not lead a perfect life, but God was able to reach him in the midst of his failures and tragedies. Ravi Zacharias has written a book titled "The Grand Weaver" which talks about how God shapes us through the events of our lives. He says, "God the Grand Weaver seeks those with tender hearts so that he can put his imprint on them. Your hurts and your disappointments are part of that design, to shape your heart and the way you feel about reality. The hurts you live through will always shape you. There is no other way." Hebrews 2:10 is a fascinating verse. It says, "In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering." God had a purpose for allowing his son to suffer and he has a purpose in allowing you to suffer. In John Chapter 9 the disciples see a man who was blind from birth and they ask Jesus, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."

God shapes our hearts and displays his work to the world through us. Like Job, the world watches as we struggle through our pain and suffering. Through trials, our hearts will either be hardened, broken or made more tender. The choice is ours. Zacharias says, "Only if you are willing to pray sincerely for God's will to be done and are willing to live the life apportioned to you will you see the breathtaking view of God that he wants you to have, through the windows he has placed in your life. You cannot always live on the mountaintop, but when you walk through the valley, the memory of the view from the mountain will sustain you and give you strength to carry you through."

A woman after God's own heart. A woman who did not grow bitter or blame God for her pain. A woman who shaped the hearts of thousands because she first allowed God to shape hers. These are the things I want people to say about me when I have gone on to spend eternity with Jesus. What will people say about you?

We Are At War

Today I was reading from John Eldredge's book Waking the Dead. He quotes John 10:10 which says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

He goes on to say, "Have you ever wondered why Jesus married those two statements? Did you even know he spoke them at the same time? I mean, he says them in one breath. And he has his reasons. By all means, God intends life for you. But right now that life is opposed. It doesn't just roll in on a tray. There is a thief. He comes to steal and kill and destroy. In other words, yes, the offer is life, but you're going to have to fight for it because there's an Enemy in your life with a different agenda. There is something set against us. We are at war. Until we come to terms with war as the context of our days we will not understand life."

This past year I have been fighting for my life. The reality of an enemy who wants to destroy me has never been clearer. The enemy does not fight fair. He doesn't announce he's coming. He fights dirty and he fights hard. The tactics he uses will destroy body, mind and soul. The enemy hides in order to try to convince you he isn't there.

Maybe your war isn't cancer. Maybe it's finances, your marriage, work, or your family. God can arm you for battle. He did David. Five smooth stones were all David took into battle with Goliath. Hardly fighting weapons. It took only one stone to slay the enemy. Your weapons of warfare may not be what you expect. Pray and ask God to arm you for the daily battle. Pick up the sword of His Word. Put on the shield of your faith and arm yourself in praise. Know that when you step onto the battlefield, you are not alone. God will never leave you or forsake you. He has stood by countless hero's of the faith as they have fought their own giants. He will stand by you. Run to the battle with a God saturated soul. He is a God of miracles. Be living proof!