Hidden Traps

 Hidden traps

Put there by the enemy

To steal, kill, and destroy

Hidden traps of pride, fear, offense

That steal joy, that rob

from the goodness He wants to give me, that keep me from radiating His nature to my world…

Hidden traps of “poor me,” “I can’t,” or “tomorrow “…

Hidden traps of worry, doubt, disappointment…

Hidden traps of one lie, and another lie, and another lie, to fit the narrative of what I want to believe, of what everyone else is doing, or fits the narrative that is everywhere…

These hidden traps

All set with great anticipation and intent to steal my joy, my purpose, my destiny…

Yes, the traps come in all shapes and sizes…

But God…

He sends His radiant light of Jesus, His Spirit, His Presence, His Word, to expose the trap.

He turns those hidden traps into obvious traps.

He gives new thoughts

And provides a way of escape…

His Light leads me around those hidden traps and gives me an INSTEAD.

Instead of a trap, His light allows me to encounter streams of blessings on the path.

No hidden traps on my path now…

Only obvious sinkholes

Which I gladly avoid! 

Thank you Father for delivering your children from the hidden traps on our path of life. 

Sin

 Sin

Causes my life to be filled with frustration,

Irrepressible anguish and misery

And the pain never lets up…

It removes my strength

Saps the joy of the Lord from my life

And dries up the wells of living water within me…

But…

When I surrender 

And call out to my Life- giving God…

He forgives me, wipes the slate clean

Washes the guilt away…

And the pain disappears…

Confessing my sin…keeps me safe

Surrendering…hides me in Your secret place

And protects me, 

Songs of deliverance and rescue come from my mouth…

And the Redeemer whispers,

“I will stay close to you

I will instruct and guide you along the way…

Just come with me…!

Psalms 32:10 “But when you trust in the Lord for forgiveness, His wrap around love will surround you!”

Flattering Tongue

 The enemy flatters with his tongue

He makes his plans sound safe and effective,

For the common good, equality, unity…

The enemy repeats and repeats his talking points

Twisting words, attempting to flatter, all for the purpose of manipulation…

Oh, but these empty words, these deceitful promises, 

Are lies, straight from the pit of hell

Planned with an agenda to steal…kill…destroy…

O God, 

Tune our hearts to hear truth 

To welcome truth…

To discern truth…

The truth of Your Word, and Your Spirit…

Sometimes it seems like we walk alone on this path of truth…

Truth that rejects the lie, that refuses to be manipulated, and sees through the flattery…

But we are never alone when You are on our side,

You open our eyes to the many who are holding onto truth

And as we stand and walk in Your truth…

We rejoice with exceedingly great joy

BecauseYou are fighting for us…

You are our Hero…

You have good plans and purposes for us…

Plans to keep us and giving us life, and life abundantly!

Praise be to God!

A High Rank

 Humbly, by grace, and all because of the blood of Jesus,

I can proclaim…

I am a daughter of high rank,

Because my Father is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings…

So how can someone of my rank

Fear…for lack of provision 

Fear…for lack of protection 

Fear…an assignment, a report, a circumstance?

How can someone of my rank

Fear tomorrow…or become anxious?

I am from the rank of royalty

My Father is above all other names, principalities, rulers,

He has unlimited supplies

Heavenly manna…

Is there anything my Father cannot do…?

Can someone of my rank be afraid of failing

When heaven is on my side?

Can someone of my rank

Moan, complain, stress

When I have a Father who has good plans and purposes for me and turns everything into good?

How can someone of my rank

Stoop to small thinking

Stoop to offensive 

Stoop to looking for something better

When I already have the best?

How can someone of my rank

Speak harshly, unkindly

When I have been given everything and have so much to give?

The questions could go on and on

But the reality remains…

I am a daughter of a King, a princess

I have been given everything in my union with Christ Jesus

I can only represent my Father well

I can only be as He is, kind, patient, gentle, generous…

I am rich because He is rich

I am safe, because He keeps me safe

I am loved because I am His…

I am a daughter of high rank…

“Walk in a way that is suitable to your high ranks…” Ephesians 4:1

The Sunrise of His Love

 Oh the sunrise of Your love Lord,

Ends our dark night

Breaks through the clouded dawn

Fills us with songs of joy

Overwhelms us with gladness

Replacing our years of trouble with decades of delight...

Allowing us to see, experience, and proclaim, Your miracles, Your glorious wonders,

Giving us the sweet beauty of Jesus...

Oh the magnificent gift of the sunrise of Your Love...

You pour it out continuously over us,

But when we find it

And enter into it

And receive...

Oh...

Our story begins to change...

Love praying and believing with all my beautiful sisters! 💕

This Daffodil Reminds Me of My Dad

 How could a daffodil remind you of your Dad, you ask? 

This daffodil reminds me of my dad because today, April 4th, was my dad’s birthday. And for his birthday my mother always made him a hickory nut cake decorated with yellow daffodils in the center. 

Some years it was easy to find the daffodils, other years the search for a daffodil if it was a late spring was a challenge. But without fail, she always found them .. somewhere. 

My mother had no idea that decades later, this simple touch of creativity and thoughtfulness would cause a spark in her daughter’s memory, of the arrival of daffodils, and her daddy’s birthday!

What are the memories that I am leaving for my children and grandchildren that they will be telling their children and grandchildren about... sparking a memory...

I have no idea...

But everything we do in life has the potential to inspire and build up, or stain and tear down...

Today, this daffodil  is sparking my memory to remember my dad and thank the Lord for the wonderful dad he was. I thank the Lord for his hard work to provide for his family, his love for God, his love for us kids, and his love for my mother as he would hug her and then say to us, “Isn’t she just beautiful!”

I wonder if my dad had hickory nut cake today for his birthday celebration in heaven...and if he did... I am sure daffodils were in the center!

Life Union With Jesus

What is it like to step into life union with Jesus??

It is peace
It is joy
It is forever
It is friendship, fellowship
It is Help
It is acceptance
It is forgiveness
It is fresh new
It is rest
It is satisfying
It is as Jesus is so am I...

Oh the joy, oh the privilege of living my life intimately joined to Jesus!!!