Limitless

There is no limit to the ability of my God
To restore, transform, rebuild and remake...

He looks at those dry bones...and breathes life into them.

He sees the seemingly worthless slag
With the apparent mixture of copper, dirt, and lead
And He creates a sparkling treasure.

He surveys the uncleared wilderness
And restores it to purpose, direction, soundness of mind, and vision.

He is well acquainted with that parched desert,
And inhabits it with streams and flourishing trees and plants.

Is there any limit to what He can transform.
What He can create?

Not for a God who is limitless in His power, His strength, His love, His goodness!

He is a God...
Who makes all things possible...beyond our wildest dreams!!!

He Makes the Desert Bloom

What is your desert, child of God?
You know...
That difficulty in life which you inwardly plead,"If only."

Maybe its an illness, symptom, pain or impairment
That you have been dealing with...
Praying and waiting for health to return...

Maybe its that job that you go to every day, which you dread...

Maybe its that difficult person in your life,
At work, in your family, even a spouse...
That brings drama and chaos to your every day...

Maybe its the boredom of every day...
Or unfulfilled promises, delayed hopes and dreams...

Maybe its the longings and desire for that prayer to be answered,
For prodigals to come home,
For provision to come,
For answers and solutions to booming problems...

Whatever your desert is, my friend,
The Father says, "I want to make your desert blossom!"

Yes, it is possible...for your desert to blossom,
For these are the words of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Has He ever failed to keep a promise?

"Ok, how God?" you question repetitively, "Can my desert blossom?"

My friend, the answer is fixing your gaze upon the One who wants to bless you in this way.
Fix your eyes on Jesus,
On His goodness, His greatness, His kindness, His suffering love.
He poured out His life and shed His blood,
Like a lamb marching to the slaughter room,
Your Jesus marched to the cross,
To bear the brutality of the all the guilt, shame,
To break the power of the curse, condemnation and sin that the enemy intended to destroy you with.

Yes, Your Jesus did this for you, my friend so that in the midst of the desert of life...
You could experience blossoms of hope, peace and joy.
He has a "garden of the Lord" for your desert,
A garden of His presence, His peace, His joy, His strength.

Fix your eyes on your Beloved...
In the midst...
Contemplate His goodness, His faithfulness, His kindness...
And soon... very soon...
You will begin to see the beauty of the everyday, the hidden treasures,
The grace that has been surrounding you all along...
And before you know it...
Joy and gladness will be heard in your garden,
Lovely songs of thanksgiving will fill the air...
And suddenly,
You will realize that your desert is no longer a desert,
But a garden of the Lord!!!

Isaiah 51:3

Patient Lover of God

You are becoming, dear one,
A patient lover of God,
As you patiently wait
For your prayers to be answered,
As you patiently wait for your dreams and the longings of your heart to be fulfilled...

You are becoming a patient lover of God
You are getting practice in trusting His faithfulness, His goodness, His promise,
You are getting practice in believing...
Believing He is good all the time...
Even now...as you wait...

But one day...very soon...
Patient lover of God...
You will watch in awe and wonder,
In triumph, and with much joy and shouting...
You will watch that stronghold topple,
Topple...fall...
And the new will be issued in...
The longing and desire of your heart,
The answer to your prayer...

And you will be an experienced lover of God,
Continuing to declare...
His goodness, His kindness, His faithfulness!!!

How beautiful are the dancing feet of the rescued ones
As they climb the mountain...of their journey.
These feet  dance because they are free.
These feet are quick and willing to respond...
They respond out of joy, out of purpose, out of freedom.
These feet are not trudging along, barely making it,
No, they are child-like in nature, with gaity,
But experienced with a confident step.

These feet are beautiful to observe.
They are not strong in their own strength...
But they go forth in the strength of the One, whose footsteps they have stepped into...
The rescued ones have stepped into the supernatural gait of grace, peace, and favor of the One,
Who walks with them!

Yes, dear one,
Your actions, your faith, your joy as you step into the footsteps of the One who rescued you...
Is the poetry of God...His very handiwork...

"Yes, my darling beloved, even your feet are beautiful." Song of Songs 7

Always, He Has Cared for Me

The Eternal One is my Shepherd,
He cares for me always...

Always, He has cared for me.

Before the foundations of the world
As He thought me into being
As He held me in His heart and delighted in my specialness,

Always, He has cared for me.

As He planted me on earth
Carefully providing, and determining my going and coming...
Loving me unceasingly,
Protecting, opening and closing doors, providing treasures for me to discover,

Always, He has cared for me.

Pursing me with His faithfulness,
Leading me to Himself,
Into the arms of His Son, and joining me to Him...

Always, He has cared for me.

As He taught me about His kingdom
Allowing me to discover who I was...His daughter,
And who He is...my Father...
Graciously giving me His Spirit
For a constant companion, a constant help, a constant source of wisdom and strength,

Always, He has cared for me.

Providing me rest in green pastures,
Restoration in streams of cool waters,
Soothing my fears,
Renewing... transforming...
Continuing to steer me off the hard, worn path of worry, fear, unbelief, and strife,
To a road where truth and righteousness echo His name,

Always, He has cared for me.

Even in the darkness of the storm
He brings my heart to rest,
Reminding me of His presence, His help

Always, He has cared for me.

Laviously spreading a table before me
Of provision and protection
Even when those unwelcome inhabitants invade...
He provides and rescues...
Filling my cup again and again with His grace,

Always, He has cared for me.

Always, He will care for me
Whereever I go...wherever I am...

The Eternal One is a good, good Sheperd!!!

Psalms23

Revealing Truth

O Father,
What is the truth that is needed to be released
Into my soul at this moment
For freedom to reign?

Is it the truth that the Anointed One lives inside me
And the same power that raised Christ from the dead is alive in me?

Is it the truth that there is no condemnation for me now
Because I am in Christ Jesus?

Is it the truth that the Father desires for my soul to prosper in all things
Even in this difficulty at this moment?
Is it the truth that He has good plans and abundant grace for me?

Is it the truth that I am dearly loved, exceedingly blessed, and highly favored?

Is it the truth that because I am His
That as He is, so am I?

Do I know that no weapon formed against me can prosper
Because greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world?

My soul needs to know that I am royalty,
A daughter of a King
With provision from an open heaven.

It needs to know that the favor and glory of God is surrounding me...

My soul needs to know that my God hears my cry, knows my voice,
And is even acquainted with my sigh.
Yes, every detail of my life is known by my Father, my God.

Yes, my soul needs to know that God cares, God is fighting, God is moving!

But most of all,
My soul needs to know that it is the beloved one, the rescued one, the favored one...

As my soul embraces the truth
Light comes bursting through...
Freedom comes...
Joy rises...
Peace reigns...

Thank you Jesus for the privilege of being Yours!

The Blessing

There is a blessing that rests upon you, child of God,
Because you have stepped into union with Christ,
You have embraced Jesus and have received His righteousness.

It is the blessing of heaven
The blessing of hope,
The blessing of peace, the blessing of strength,
The blessing of wisdom, the blessing of favor,
The blessing of prosperity, the blessing of unity,
The blessing of laughter and joy...

Yes the blessings of heaven are inexhaustible..
Because heaven is inexhaustible...
This is your inheritance, child of God
That rests upon you
As you sleep, as you work, as you travel, as you study,
As you cook supper, as you mow lawn...
In your everyday...

You do not see it, dear one,
But heaven sees,
And the angels are in awe and wonder,
Your community...your world recognizes the strength, favor and light that you emit...

Yes, "the blessings that rest on the righteous release strength and favor to an entire city."
Proverbs 11:10.

The Heart of the Father

Run, my friend, into the heart of your Father.
This is a heart that cares,
This is a heart that know all things,
This is a heart that is always there for you,
This is a heart that never gives-up on you,
This is a heart that has given Himself for you...

Hide yourself, my friend, in His heart.
You are safe there,
Safe from the accusations, the tormenting fears, the condemnation of the enemy...

In His heart, you will discover strength and comfort.
His heart understands, It has experienced your temptations, it has felt your pain,
His heart has experienced it all,
And has overcome in victory!!!

His heart says, "Rise up!"
"I have overcome, I am with you, I have paid the price,
 I have already established your provision for this need, for your every need."

His heart infuses hope!
It infuses a hope that is anchored to the mercy seat
The mercy seat that His Son, Jesus, has gone in before us
And prepared with His crimson blood.

His heart, that infuses hope
That is anchored, fastened to the mercy seat,
The love seat that is sprinkled with the blood of Jesus, His Son, the Lamb of God...

His heart, that infuses hope,
An unshakable hope
Found here...
In the heart of your Father,
Who loves you completely, perfectly, magnificently...

Run to His heart...
There you will be safe!

He Does Not Disappoint

I will never be disappointed believing in You, Jesus,
I will never be disappointed believing in Your Word,
I will never be disappointed believing in Your promises,
Oh, I will never be disappointed believing You are good, You are able, You are strong!

I will never be disappointed believing You love me,
That I am Your chosen one,
Your beloved, the one You take delight in...

I will never be disappointed waiting for Your best...
I will never be disappointed seeking Your wisdom, your path, Your advise...

I will never be disappointed resting in Your finished work,
Your finished work at the cross,
That brings me to victory, peace, joy and wholeness...

I will never be disappointed loving You, Jesus,
With all my heart, soul, and mind.

I will never be disappointed believing in You, Jesus, because You do not disappoint!

"Everyone who trusts in Him will never be disappointed." Romans 10:11

The Sound

There is a sound that the Father wants us to hear
It is the sound of joy, the sound of happiness, the sound of laughter
That comes straight from His heart, His being, His mouth to mine...

The Father wants me to hear His delight.
He wants me to hear the song of joy He is singing...
Singing to me,
The song He is singing about His delight and pleasure that He finds in me...
His song shouts His desire to bless abundantly, protect entirely, and provide profusely.
Yes, His song sings of His goodness...

If I could hear this song
And believe the words...were really about me...today...at this moment
If I could hear them in the storm and chaos of life...
How different my thoughts would be,
How great my praise, my laughter,
How free I would be of those intruders of anxiety, worry, frustration and offense.

Holy Spirit,
Give me ears to hear this sound
And a heart that believes it as Truth.

Yes, Father,
When my eyes are on your beautiful face
And my ears are tuned in to hear your voice,
The happy sound begins to sing...

Hidden

Hidden
In His strength
Where I can only see, hear, feel and know
His bigness, His power, His glory...

Hidden
And seeing the greatness of His power
The majesty of His grace,
The depth of His love,
The vast supply of His power, protection, and provision...

Hidden
Not running here and there, fretting and striving.

Hidden
Letting My God do what He loves to do...
Take care of me.

It's here,
When I am hiding in You, God,
That the enemy cannot touch me...

Yes, when I am hidden in my Big God,
I can laugh at those puny attacks of distraction.

Here with You,
My weaknesses, faults, and failures disappear,
As I discover
That it is all about You, God.

With You I am safe!

Rise up From the Dust

Dear sons and daughters of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords,
The Lord wants His children to wake up
Wake up to His goodness,
 Remember His faithfulness,
 Remember His grace and the promises He has spoken.
The Lord wants His children to wake up
And see Him in all His glory, all His power, all His strength, and all His love...

He says,
"Rise up from the dust,
 That place of smallness of mind,
 The barrenness, the striving,
 The only seeing today mentality.
 This dust is not the place I have for you,
 This place where you allow the enemy to torment you
 With fear, bitterness, resentment, gloom, anxiety, and moaning."

He continues, encouraging me as He pleads,
"Put on your beautiful cloths,
 Those cloths that I paid for with My broken body and poured out blood,
 That robe of righteousness that I have freely given you...
 Put it on...precious one,
 Put it on precious one, and know that you are righteous."

 "Yes you...the one
  Who thinks you have failed, sinned and don't deserve the gift.
  Yes you..the one
  Who is broken and wounded from life, afraid to hope, afraid to lift your head...
  Yes you...the one
  Who has gone into unbelief for a season and now sees the futility of it all.
  Yes you...the one
  Who feels the Lord could not accept you back after all you have done."

"Yes you.." He whispers,
"Rise up from the dust and clothe yourself with your beautiful clothes!"

"Yes," He continues,
"This robe of righteousness has been yours ever since you have become Mine.
  You do not have to obtain to wear this robe..."

"Precious one," He whispers,
"When you wear this robe and know that it is yours...
  You put Me on.
  You clothe yourself with My righteousness, My glory, My strength, My authority,
  My peace, My joy...
  You see,
  It is not about what you have done or have not done...
  It is about what I have done."

"And dear one," He gently continues,
"Those slave bonds that are around your neck...
  Slip them off...
  I paid for you to have complete freedom,
  Remove those thoughts that keep you acting and believing like a slave,
  Instead of remembering that you are Mine.
  Those thoughts of "poor me,"
  Those thoughts of "never enough,"
  Those thoughts of "it's my right."
  Refuse to give power to any spirit that wants to torment and destroy,
  Refuse to allow these bonds to keep you in the dust,
  In that place where you really do not want to be."

Yes, beloved one of the King,
The Father's plan has always been for you to be in the beautiful green place with Him,
The beautiful green, broad place
Where you know you are the righteousness of Christ
That place where you know you are loved completely, accepted fully and highly favored...

Yes, precious son or daughter of the King,
Enjoy the goodness of your God!!!

Isaiah 52

Flawless in His Eyes

Flawless in His eyes
That is what I am, that is who I am
To the Father...

Yes, when He looks at me
He sees flawless, nothing missing...

"Oh," you say,
"How can that be? No one is."

But the fact remains
For those who have believed and embraced His Son, Jesus...
He sees them as flawless...

He tells me this
When I am feeling condemned
For my lack of patience, my complaining spirit, for my lack of discipline...
"I see you as flawless!"

"But God," I argue,
"It seems like I am never victorious in these areas."

"But I see you as flawless, beauty itself..." He repeats.
"You see," He continues,
"When I look at you, I see Jesus.
 I transferred My righteousness to you when you believed and embraced My Son, Jesus
 That is who you are, my child, you are righteous.
 No, it's not your righteousness...
 It is My righteousness that I transferred to you
 Because you believed in My Son.
 My Son took all the punishment for your sin.
 He received the curses, the condemnation, the shame you deserved.
 It has all been judged by Me,
 And you, my child, are acquitted!!!"

"I cannot change My verdict." He whispered,
"Because My righteousness cannot be lifted from you.
 We are joined together, cemented...
 I cannot break covenant."

"But, But, But..." I respond

"It is all a mystery of My grace to you my precious child," He continues.
"I declare you flawless!"

But the Lord Says...

Oh how I love those words

"But the Lord says..."

Contrary to the anticipated expectation,
The blaring news report,
The dreaded lab results,
The seemingly obvious...

"But the Lord says..."

He says something different.
His message carries hope and restoration.
His message has the power of heaven behind it.
His word contains  the element of supernatural.

Yes, His words sound outrageous to our ears,
But to our spirit ears
Which are connected to His Spirit,
It brings Hope,
It lifts our eyes, our thoughts to Him,
Reminding us of His bigness, His goodness, His strength, His authority, His grace...

He promises that all who wait upon Him will not be put to shame!!!

Yes,
And the world will see, the world will hear
And they will know...
That the Lord is the Mighty One, the Lord our Savior and our Redeemer!

A Letter

Grieving mother,
Whose heart is heavy with concern for your son,
Your son, who has turned from wisdom,
Who has listened to the spirit of foolish, the spirit of pride and arrogance against your God,
Who has responded to the whispers of the spirit of the lying tongue, the deceiver...

Allow yourself to be comforted by the Prince of Peace,
The Holy Spirit, who loves to come alongside with a touch of heaven
And refresh and encourage your feeble heart,
And plant those seeds of Hope...

Yes, the Prince of Peace, the Holy Spirit,
Knows all,
He knows your son,
He feels your grief, anxiety and pain...

 Take courage in your God
He cares and loves your son dearly,
He has plans to turn this captivity of your son into something good...
Yes, this is the God who raises the dead,
This is the God who creates something out of nothing,
This is the God who gave His life
So your son, and you, precious mother,
Could have wholeness, peace, and joy...

There is Hope..
Our God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can imagine.

You, dear mother,
You are the Father's treasured daughter,
You are royalty!
Your Daddy holds out His scepter to you, His favored one...

Yes, the time of grieving will end very soon...
Because, your son, precious one,
Will return to wisdom, peace, and wholeness...

Love always wins.

And your prayers have been heard and answered with a
Mighty shout of Yes and Amen!

Keep On

Yes, we need to keep on celebrating,
Celebrating the hope,
The expectation of good, the promise of blessing,
The experience of God's grace in our lives, and in the lives of others.
Yes, this is possible
Even in the times of trouble,
When all seems hopeless...

How, you say, can I hope when all appears hopeless?

Does hope belong to the land of make believe?

No. our Hope has an anchor, a foundation.
Our Hope has the promise of the One who raises the dead.
Our Hope has the promise of the One who calls into being things that don't exist.
Our Hope has the promise of the goodness of God,
Restoring all things for His glory.
Our Hope has grace and love in the picture,
With an unlimited supply of the riches of heaven...

Is there anything I cannot hope for when I look into the face of my Beloved,
And see the magnitude of His heart to bless, prosper, and bring me to wholeness?

No, dear one...
This Hope in our God does not disappoint!!!

This Hope in our God is not a disappointing fantasy.
Because this Hope comes from an experience,
An experience of the endless cascading love of the Father
To me...His beloved.

Yes, let's keep celebrating the Hope
The anticipation of His goodness, His blessings, His promises!!!

A Letter to Daddy

 Daddy,
Could you have ever imagined
This site I saw on the farm you bought and poured out your life to make a living
For your wife and children for so many years?

I saw a celebration, Daddy,
On your farm today...
A wedding celebration of your granddaughter.
Your son walked her down the aisle of your yard that over-looked the creek
And gave her away to her beloved.

There were 200 some people on your farm celebrating this glorious event
And they all left rejoicing, blessed, and refreshed
With the beauty, the serenity of the farm, and the joy of the celebration.

Yes, Daddy,
I remember when I would lay on the grass with you at twilight and you would look up at the sky
Predict the weather and plan when you would do your mowing, raking, and baling...
I know you laid there and dreamed...
You so wanted your farm to stay in the family...and it has.
But today I witnessed something that I believe was beyond your wildest dreams...

I witnessed a celebration that was a touch of heaven,
And many were there to experience and be touched
With the goodness and extravagance of your God!

Yes Daddy,
You did not know in the mundane chores, moments of extreme fatigue,
And the routine of your faithfulness as you provided for us...
That you were building blocks of a foundation that would lead to this day that I witnessed today...
You endured in the tiredness, the crunch, the storms of trouble...
Faithfully, you continued on...
Believing in your good God,
Believing He was able to Help,
Believing you were called to be where you were,
Believing that you served a big God!

 As I walked around your property and observed the joy that was resounding from so many...
I was thinking about you, Daddy.
I was pondering the fact that you were also viewing this event through the portals of heaven,
Observing and rejoicing in your God,
Who exceeded your wildest imaginations with His goodness and faithfulness!

Precious friend, if you happen to come upon this letter to my Dad,
Be encouraged
That in the simpleness, the mundane of every day life...
When you endure with joy, knowing that all things have purpose...
You are building a foundation.
A foundation of a dream that will exceed your wildest imagination some day...
Because we have a good, good Father, who loves to give His children good, good gifts!

That is what He is doing for me!
When I saw this picture taken by my daughter,
I saw the little girl standing there
Observing the same familiar childhood horizon,
And I realized that God's goodness was so much better than I had dreamed as a child,
That God's love and His blessings, gifts and rewards
Have already exceeded my wildest dreams...

Yes, it is our God who does it...
He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we may ask or think!

He Marches Forward

Who is this who is marching forward?
 Marching forward in royal robes, stained red?
Who is this who is marching forward?
Marching forward in greatness of strength?

"It is I," says the Lord.
"It is I, the Lord, who is mighty to save...
 It is I, dear one...it is I."

"I have trodden the winepress alone,
 I have trampled all your enemies, all your foes are under My feet.
 My robe reveals the victory."

"Your enemies, dear one, have been destroyed.
 Observe My scars, My wounds,
 My blood that was shed for your victory..."

"You are safe now...
 Safe from the proud oppressor,
Safe from the one who attempts to steal, kill and destroy."

"You have called...
 And I have marched forward.
 I stand before you now with victory!
 Victory that is yours because you are Mine,
 Victory that has been won with suffering love!"

"Precious one, I love to come...
 I love to fight for you,
 I love when you ask,
 I love to give you all you need..."

"Because I am in love with you,
 Because when you suffer, I suffer..."

"Be assured that My love will always rescue you...always save you,
 For My love for you will never end!"

Isaiah 63

Is There an End?

Is there an end to the discovery of the greatness of our God?
Is there an end to the outpouring of His blessings?
Is there an end to the stories of His faithfulness, His provision, His goodness?

There is no end...
There is no stopping...
There is no measurement that can contain or word that can describe
The magnitude, the continual outpouring,
The untold, even forgotten answers to prayer,
And the outpouring of His love upon us...

Generation after generation
He continues to reveal more of His goodness, more of His glory.

Sometimes it is brilliantly displayed for many to observe,
Sometimes it is in the every day,
The protection, the favor, the grace, the divine appointment at the appointed time...

Other times it is all around
But only available to be seen when the scales fall off and the Light invades...
Occasionally it is hidden,
And needs to be dug up and rediscovered...

But the truth remains,
Day in and day out,
There is no end of the greatness of our God, no end to His faithfulness, His goodness!!

May my heart bubble over with observation,
Stirring me to proclaim His goodness...

Yes, this is the marvelous goodness and beauty that You desire to pour out upon us
With specific intent to reveal that abundant life You desire for us!!!

That Beautiful Broad Place

That beautiful broad place
That You bring us to Jesus,
After You rescue us and draw us into Your embrace,
Is green pastures
 And still waters of peace, hope, and freedom...
It is the place where burdens are lifted,
The place of a child-like trust,
A place where we skip upon the mountains, and laughter resounds...
Yes, that beautiful broad place
Is the place where I know all my sins are forgive, present, past and future...
It is the place where the Light is bright and my vision is clear,
It is the place of sparkling refreshment...
This beautiful broad place is a place of cherished unity,
It is the place of smiles and hugs, and where love abounds...
It is the place of new ideas, creativity, and favor,
It is when the harp within me is bursting with a happy song...
Yes, when I am here,
I know that this is the place I was created to be,
It is the place of good plans that You planned to delight me with as You thought me into being
And breathed life into me...

Thank you Lord for coming to my rescue...breaking through...
Transporting me into that beautiful broad place with You!

The Righteousness of Christ

There is something about believing His Word,
Believing His Word,
About how He loves me, sees me,
Who He is and who I am
That is life-changing...

So often I read it
And think...That's nice...but He can't mean that about me...

When He calls me lovely,
His loyal dove, His royal daughter, His perfect partner...

Surely He knows that I don't measure up,
I don't come into that category of being loyal, royal, lovely...

But then He reminds me of the difference...
My eyes see only the natural,
With the limitation of a physical body, limited space, and so limited knowledge.
His eyes see from all of eternity,
From all wisdom and revelation.
His eyes see what happened when I believed in His Son Jesus...
His eyes see the robe of righteousness of His Son that covers me,
His eyes see the plans and purposes He has for me,
His eyes see from heaven's perspective,
From a good Father's heart,
From the riches and abundance of heaven...

So I have to believe His Word,
Even when it doesn't seem fair, just, or valid to my thinking.

I am the righteousness of Christ
I can't step in or out of who I am.
This is the gift that was transferred to me
When He took all my sin, guilt, shame, condemnation, and curse upon Himself...

Yes, it is grace unexplainable,
Grace way beyond my understanding,
Grace yesterday, today and forever,,,

It is a truth I can cling to,
A truth that lifts my head as I get out of bed in the morning,
 And encourages me as I retire at night,
No, there is no condemnation or accusation from His glance,
Rather, His loving favor, protection, and abundant provision surround me,
Because I am His, His beloved, His daughter...

Even when I fail,
He picks me up...
And reminds me who I am...the righteousness of Christ"
And the waves of His grace...flow upon me afresh,
Erasing the old and transforming my thinking,
Until I too bear fruit of joy, peace and love...

"The happiest one on the earth is the one who keeps Your Word and clings to righteousness
   every moment!" Ps. 106:3

The Courtroom

You do not bring me into Your courtroom for judgment...
No, I have already been judged.
All my sins, all my failures have been judged,
Yes, I was found guilty...
But the precious blood of your dear Son, Jesus,
Washed the guilt away,
He took the guilt, curse and accusation of my sin upon Himself,
 Paid my debt with His life...and transferred to me His righteousness!

Yes, Father,
When I enter Your courtroom,
You see Jesus,
You see the blood of Your Son,
You see Christ within me,
You see the righteousness of Your Son covering me...

My heart sings,
Because now when I enter Your courtroom,
We are family...
You are my Daddy...and I am Your daughter.

And You welcome me and ask,"And what would you like Daddy to do for you?"

And I tell you my longings...my desires...my hopes...my dreams...
And willingly You listen , bless, and gift me with Your goodness,

"Because You are a good good Father that's who You are, and I am loved by You, that's who I am."

What Will Keep Me?

It is not the message of
    I must
       or
    I have to
       or
    I am trying
       or
    I did
That will keep me, protect me,
Impart to me the blessings that the Father wants to give me.

No,
It's only
The message of grace,
Of what He did,
Of what He is doing,
How He sees me,
And who He says I am
That will keep me strong in the faith...receiving that abundant life.

Yes,
It's His Work, His Grace, His goodness,
And me just believing and receiving,
That unceasingly magnificent love, that unmerited favor, that poured-out grace.

The Question

The question...flaunted toward me... from that proud oppressor,

"What are you trusting in that makes you so confident?"

"Do you think positive thinking will win this battle?
 Do you think you can fight this enemy alone?
 Didn't you hear the news, read the report?
 Didn't you hear the accusation?
 How can you trust in God? What makes you think He will help you this time?
 You have no reason that your God should listen to you after that time of failure the other day.
 How about a compromise?
 I will only rob you of half of your faith, half of your peace, and then I will let you alone..."

 That oppressor goes on and on with his accusations, pleas for attention, and lies of promising good.

Yes, King Hezekiah heard the taunts,
He heard the reports of disaster, the threat of failure, the lies, accusations,
He heard the offer for compromise
And the promise of flourishing delight attached to the demands of this prowler...

He heard, and his first response was to enter into the Presence of God!
And as he magnified his God,
And reminded himself of the bigness, strength, power, and goodness of His God...
The Word of the Lord came with a promise,
A promise of deliverance,
A promise of rescue,
A promise of divine help...
Yes, Hezekiah's promise of a miracle came as He worshipped and remembered his God!!
And the Lord came and destroyed that enemy...
And that enemy marched away without King Hezekiah's army lifting a finger!

So the question remains...
What am I trusting in that makes me so confident?
Confident that restoration and return are coming,
Confident that light will break into that darkness,
Confident that the promise that were given will come to be,
Confident that my God hears my pleas, knows my needs, and desires to bless me,
Confident that my God is good and that He loves to pour out His riches on His children,
Confident that the miracle will manifest!

How could I put my trust in any other
Or turn my face away from His adoring glance
To engage in compromise with an enemy, with this one who taunts my Beloved?

My answer...
My trust is in my best friend, my precious Savior, the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace,
My trust is in the Healer, the Maker of heaven and earth,
My trust is in my Beloved,
It is Him I am trusting in,
Because He is the only One who loves me completely!!!

Isaiah 36,37

What Happens

What happens when the people of God step forward?
The people of the living God,
The people who know they have purpose in life,
The people who know God is on their side, and no weapon formed against them may prosper,
What happens when  the people of God step forward?
The people of God who are covered with the blood of Jesus
And surrounded by His glory and favor,
The people of God who know they have the host of heaven on their side...

What happens when the people of God step forward,
The people who are confident that their God goes with them and protects and guides them...

The earth shakes...
That is what happens,
Satan trembles in fear and enemies are destroyed,
And a shift happens in the atmosphere...

When the people of God march forward
With their God as their constant Hero and companion...
The impossible suddenly becomes possible,
The light begins to reign,
And the sound of hope abounds...

Yes, when the people of God march forward with confidence in their God,
Things happen,
Things change,
Goodness abounds,
And love wins!

Heavy Hearted

Precious one,
Is your heart heavy with desire
Desire to see a loved one free?
Free from the enemy's grip,
Free from the wandering,
Free from the experimenting with all the world promises to be delightful.
Is your heart heavy as you carry your loved one's pain, wounds,
And as you watch those waves of despair flow in and out?

Oh, how your heart longs to see this dear one bloom, with new growth,
Oh, how your heart yearns for their springtime of awakening to the Father's love to arrive...

My friend,
The Father does not want to see you burdened with this care, worried or anxious.
He wants to transport you into the heavenly places with Him
Where together, with Him, you can see as He sees.
He knows, sees, and has been interceeding for this dear lamb of His long before you have...
He is confident... because He knows the good work that He began in this dear one
Will be perfected!!
He sees and knows the "how' and the "when."

Friend,
Continue your prayers with much hope and joy in the Lord.
Look into His face and hold unto those precious promises...
For your hope is in Him!!!

Yes, that is how it is possible
To lay that burden down...
To pray and declare with confidence, eventhough the picture looks otherwise...

Allow Him to transport you
Right next to Him,
The Prince of Peace.
And He will give you supernatural eyes
To hope, believe, and rejoice in His goodness.

Trust

When my trust is in myself,
In the natural, the obvious, in my ability, in money, education, my job, or a person...
I become fearful, anxious, frustrated,
I question the circumstance,
Strive for protection and provision,
I waver and become shaky.
Suddenly, I am not sure if I am doing the right thing,
Or believing the right thing...
I begin to doubt the faithfulness and goodness of my God,
And peace seems far away...

But when I trust in my God
The negatives flee.
And I allow Him to do what He loves to do...
Open the storehouses of His riches in Heaven,
And abundantly, He pours out His grace and meets all my needs!!!

"When our trust is in You, God, we are unshakeable, unmoveable. When our trust is in You, You  wrap Your presence around us and protect."  Psalms 125

Gentle Care

Today, I looked at my tomato plant and thought,
This is a true miracle,
I remember the day I planted this tiny seed into the dark soil,
It seemed impossible at the time that anything could result from this seemingly worthless action.
But instead I erased that thought and hoped,
Pictured a bountiful crop of tomatoes,
Pictured those canned jars of tomato soup, salsa and remembered the taste of tomato sandwiches.

Yes, my hope was in the life that was within the seed...

So although my natural eye was telling me one thing, I chose to believe in the life within the seed.
And hope blossomed,
And I became a gentle gardener over those tomato seeds.
Carefully, I watered, and exposed those seeds to heat and light,
My hope was rewarded when I saw the green begin to pop through the dark soil,
With faith building...
I gently transplanted each little skinny sprout, watering and exposing it to sunlight.
As the temperature got warmer outside, I began giving them an hour, then 2, then an afternoon
Gradually weathering them for the outside temperatures.
As that plant continued to grow, I transplanted it again, giving it more room to spread its roots...
But then I looked at the calendar...
And began to fear...
Are these plants going to be ready by mid-May when I want to plant??
But I continued to believe in this miracle and gently garden those plants,
And today I am looking at them...amazed and delighted!!!

This little miracle made me think of my Gardner, the Father, my Maker,
He has such faith in me as He plants me here on this earth.
Gently, He tends to my every need, without me even being aware of His touch.
At first, I rest in His care, child-like, carefree,
But then the disappointments of life begin to show up,
And I begin to doubt His gentle care over me as I fear, worry, and complain.
But gently He reminds me that He planted me...
He knows what is in the seed,
He knows what is needed to bring me
To that place of fullness, that place of maturity, that place of fruitfulness.

Yes, so many times these natural eyes and finite mind cause me to reject His care,
To fret, doubt, or fear...
But gently He restores, strengthens my branches again
Allowing me to receive His kind, compassionate care...

Yes, it is all a miracle
The process of a seed growing and maturing into fruit,
And the process of growth in my life...
All resulting from the gentle care and abundant grace of our Father!

Springtime of Passionate Love

Did you know that if you are in Christ,
If you have said,"Yes" to Jesus,
That you are planted in the valley streams where the orchards of the King grow and mature?

The valley beds that are next to the river or stream are rich in nutrients.
They prosper from the nourishment of abundant sunshine and water.
The Lord has planted you here friend, in this valley stream,
So you could grow, prosper, and mature.

To our eyes,
This does not appear to be a place of growth,
Here in the valley.
The mountain top seems more preferable.
Here in the valley,
Life can be harsh, hard, difficult, painful...
But the Lord has planted you here with purpose.

It is those hard times friend,
That turn us to the stream,
For nourishment, for help, for answers, for refreshment.
This stream has life in it,
Because it flows from the throne room of God Almighty!
It is the river of His perfect love.

We can have as much of this stream, this river as we like.
We can wade in it a little, duck our heads in once and awhile...
Or we can swim in this river of His perfect love.
He gives it to us freely, willingly,
Offering it to us in our every need.

Yes, friend,
It is the rough times that turn us to Him, the stream, the nourishment, the Help,
It is the hard times that keep us hungry, keep us thirsty,
It is the hard times that allow us to see our need.

When we enter,
He does all the work,
Pursing, forgiving, washing, transforming, renewing, beautifying...
Yes, He comes and lifts those branches up into the embrace of the Father's heart,
And new growth appears as His love is absorbed.

The blooming of springtime comes
When I receive His passionate love,
And life becomes Him and me...
Not just me.

The Sparkle

They will sparkle
In the land,
His chosen ones,
His beloved ones,
His rescued ones.

Yes, beloved one,
Chosen and rescued
By the King of Kings, the Lamb of God,
You sparkle...
You have been rescued, delivered, bought
With the precious blood of Jesus.

His righteous blood
Won the battle for you.
His perfect, powerful blood
Makes you sparkle...

Sparkle in your world,
Like a jewel in a crown...

You did not realize it did you...
That as you drove to work... you sparkled,
As you walked into your office...you sparkled,
As you ran to catch the bus...you sparkled,
As you prepared breakfast for your family...you sparkled,
As you paid for your groceries...You sparkled,
As you worked in the yard, went to the gym, conversed with your neighbor.....
You sparkled...

You did not know,
But the oppressor saw the sparkle
And trembled in fear
Of the potential danger your sparkle would have in his plans...

You did not know,
But the One who rescued you saw the sparkle,
And He rejoices with great delight
In His jewel,
His delight,
His glory.

Zechariah 9:16

Tender Love

Thank you Lord, that Your tender love is blended into everything You do.
Your tender love is blended into Your beautiful creation.
Your tender love is in my relationships,
Your tender love is in the gifts and talents you bestow upon me.

Tenderly You protect me,
Tenderly You provides,
Tenderly You comfort and encourage,
Tenderly you teach and instruct me,
Tenderly you shepherd, anoint, commission,
Tenderly You heal,
Tenderly You embrace me with your hugs and kisses,
Tenderly You whisper Your endearments and sing your song over me.
Tenderly You continue to love...without accusation or condemnation.

Yes, Your tender love is blended into everything You do...

But you are not tender with the enemy, the accuser, with that spirit that attempts to harass and harm...
No, powerfully You destroy and command justice.
Powerfully You command the enemy to leave, to get off Your property...
Powerfully You defend, protect, fight, preserve and rescue me...

Yes, powerfully and tenderly You take such good care of me!!!

We Do Not Know What to Do

We do not know what to do
But we are looking to You, Lord, for HELP...

This proud oppressor has come to taunt,
Taunt defeat, taint loss, taint with a boastful victory shout...

But You, Lord, tell me something different as I cry to you for HELP...
Softly You whisper,
"Do not be afraid...
 Do not be discouraged...
 This battle is not yours,
 This proud oppressor has come to taunt Me!!!
 He has come to tread on My territory and oppress My property...
 Yes, you must know that this battle is Mine..."

"Now march out, dear one,
 March on knowing that I am with you!"

When Jehoshaphat did not know what to do,
He called out to God for HELP..
And even though that proud oppressor continued to taunt Jehoshaphat with his mighty threats...
Jehoshaphat heard the Word of the Lord,
And now, he knew and he believed...

He told his army to, "March out and believe."
Believe that God was with them,
Believe the Word of the Lord that was given them,
Believe the promise of God Most High...

Jehoshaphat did not wait for the victory to shout his praise,
No, he appointed singers to march ahead of the army,
And shout the praises of God...

They marched forward singing and believing,
And they watched God destroy that enemy
Totally
Even causing them to leave all their riches behind.

Jehoshaphat and his army did not begin their battle in fear,
Neither did they begin hoping for victory,
No, they began their march forward believing, knowing and singing the victory that was to be theirs.
They had cried out to their God for HELP,
They heard His Word, His promise,
And they believed...

The result..
Victory on all sides,
With the enemy having to pay with defeat and great loss...

When the enemy comes to taunt, dear friend
And the storm looks wild and fearful,
And we do not know what to do...
May we call out to our God, for HELP.
He will speak His Word...
And we can march on, knowing
That He is with us and He is fighting this battle!!!

Yes, and may we always be singing His praises!!!

2 Chronicles 20

Shame

Precious friend,
Are you bent over with burdens of shame?
Does a memory cause your face to cloud, and your heart to cry regret?
Maybe you hide a continual shame,
That you think only is known by you,
But Oh, how your heart cries to be set free...
Is this shame causing you to think yourself unworthy...
Unworthy of the grace of God,
Unworthy of His blessings,
Unworthy of His goodness...?
Has the shame of a rash decision, a heated argument, or a compulsive choice...lowered your head?
Yes, you have tried to conceal,
Tried to make everything appear fine,
But inside you know that one thing...
That continues to haunt you with defeat and failure.

The Lord sees it all, knows it all.
This shame you bear has not altered His opinion of you,
It has not erased His acceptance of you, nor removed His love for you...
He knows what is causing your head to hang,
He knows what continues to cloud the spark of light and hope from your eyes.
He know all about shame...

He experienced it to the fullest degree
When all the shame and guilt from humanity, past, present, and future was placed upon Him...

Yes, He bore your shame so you wouldn't have to carry it anymore.
He stands before you now and gently whispers,

"Lift up your head, my beloved.
 Look in My eyes of love,
 Observe the nail prints in My hands,
 I took the shame so you wouldn't have to carry it.
 I want you to lift your head,
 You are shame-free,
 A new wave of My grace is washing you even now...
 I took your shame and gave you My righteousness.
 I want you to receive this gift from Me.
 I accept you...
 I want you whole...
 I paid for your shame, you are now free..."

Psalms 145:14 "Those bent over with burdens of shame You will lift up."

The Unseen Promise

How quietly,
My Father blankets the earth with His provision of snow.
His provision of moisture and nourishment,
That will penetrate through the ice and ground and water those hidden things.
Those hidden bulbs, hidden seeds, hidden roots...

Yes, this blanket of snow is a promise,
A promise that is not seen at the present,
But a promise, in the making...that will bring those desired longings,
Of spring...seed time...blossoms...
These desired blossoms are unseen at the present,
But friend, they are coming!

And this snow, that at the present, may seem to be an irritant...
An irritant of cold, wet, closings, difficult travel, shoveling...
This irritant is actually part of a beautiful promise of the unseen goodness of God.

In your life, friend,
The winter and barrenness you are experiencing at present is for a purpose,
Yes, the purpose is hidden,
Just like the springtime and blossoms are hidden from me on this snowy day...

But your God has heard your prayers,
He knows the desires of your heart,
He has plans of good for you.

Your irritant of today
Is preparing the way for your springtime, your fruitful blossoms of tomorrow...

Be assured, treasured one,
That the unseen of what God is doing...will spring forth...
The seed is being watered,
Roots are being nurtured,
And before you know it...

"Your bondage of barren winter will be over
 The cold rains will be finished and gone,
 Flowers will appear everywhere,
 And you will see that a new season of grace has arrived." Song of Songs 2:11,12 TPT

My Comforter

You come Holy Spirit
And comfort me
You comfort me in my sorrow, my sadness...
You know all the issues,
You know all the feelings that well up within me,
But you accept me as I am
And with Your tender love...
You comfort me...

You comfort means so much to me,
I know You have experienced sorrow,
Your sorrow was more than all humanity's sorrow put together.

So You know
And You come
The One who experienced the heaviness of all man-kind's sorrow upon Him...
The One who shed tears until He sweat drops of blood,
This One comes to me,
And invites me to open my heart to Him...

He calls me His "loyal dove," His "perfect partner," His friend,  His "flawless one."
He does not condemn,
Tell me to "deal with it," or "get my act together."
No, He just invites me to receive Him on this dark night...
He wants me to know
I am joined to Him on these dark days.

"Come deeper still with Me," He pleads...
"I need you, dear one,
 I need to lavish My love upon you."
"Precious one," He continues,
"When I see you in need... it blesses My heart to give to you.
 My heart wants to give you more,
 More of all I have stored up for you,
 More of the abundance of grace, peace, strength, and joy,
 I suffered so you could have this in abundance!"

The fragrance of His suffering love...
Drew me to Him
To receive all I needed, so much more than I expected...


Song of Songs 4

That Proud Oppessor

Those proud oppressors,
Fear, sickness, pride, frustration, anxiety....
They think they can rise up,
And have full reign over you, my friend.
But they are deceived,
They have walked right into a trap,
Because you, son or daughter of the King,
Are covered with the blood of Jesus
And you, dear one,
Have a promise of blessing over your life!!!

Yes, you have a promise,
From the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Maker of heaven and earth
Over you, His beloved one,
A promise of blessing...

Did you know, friend?
That this proud oppressor,
Who you thought had conquered, had won, was big and powerful,
This proud oppressor has to bow,
Bow to the One who you belong to...
This proud oppressor,
Has to bow and get out!!!

Because you have a promise of blessing over your life!!!

So tell it to go...
Remind this unwelcome intruder who you are, and who you belong to,
And begin to walk in your blessing!

Your Savior gave His life to guarantee this blessing for you,
This blessing of instead!!!

He promises to bless you with gladness instead of mourning,
Gratitude instead of despair,
A double portion instead of shame and disgrace,
Health instead of sickness,
Peace and a confidence instead of worry and fear...

"Yes, His promise of blessing over you, will break you free from the proud oppressors!"
 Psalms 119:122

The Process of Sowing

Those who sow their seeds with tears,
Their seeds of prayer, of continual faithfulnes, of continual hope,
For change, for breakthrough, for healing, for restoration...
Will reap a harvest of God's goodness!

Yes, those who sow their seeds,
Trusting in their God,
Will return with joyful laughter...

For their God is good,
Their God is faithful,
Their God keeps His promises.
And the harvest... watered with His supernatural grace,
Is overflowing,
With more than we could have dreamed...

Because this is who our God is...
He sees the big picture,
He is always working, He cares,
And suddenly...
Our eyes open... and we can see...
The depth of His purposes,
And the layers of His detailed work.

And the miracle is revealed before our eyes!

Yes, joy abounds because of His goodness!!

Psalms 126

For the Joy That Was Set Before Him

He endured the pain,
Received the rejection,
Slap after slap upon His face...
He suffered with each blow, each whip, each lash upon His body
As His skin ripped and bleed.
He was mocked, ridiculed
As He held His hands out to receive the piercing of the nails,
And they were pounded into His hands and feet.
He hung there forlorn and forsaken
Yet He uttered not a word of offense.

But instead, He blessed His enemies...

How God, How,
How could You endure all this,
Yet not sin with a word of offense, or thought of bitterness?

Then I heard Him whisper His answer...
"It was because of the joy that was set before me."
"My precious one, I set you before My eyes...
 I saw your chains drop,
 I saw you forgiven and free,
 I saw you healed,
 I saw you happy, prospering, and whole...
 It was worth it just for you, precious one." He whispered.

Because of the joy that was set before Him...
Lord, is this how I can keep the offenses from prospering in my soul?
Blessing the offender, thanking the Lord and believing the best about the indiviual,
Seeing in my spirit my offender transformed and something good coming from it all...

Only with your Spirit within me is this possible, Lord!

Thank you Jesus for leading the way with such radical love!!!

Confidence

This confidence
That I can have in You, my Father, my Daddy, my God,
Is such a gift,
Yes, it is my great reward.

Thank you Father,
That I can confidently run into Your arms and know that You are there.
Thank you that I can be confident that You hear my every prayer, my every longing and desire.
Thank you that I can be confident that You will keep me, help me, fight for me, protect me.
Thank you that I can be confident that You save to the uttermost...
Thank you that I can be confident in name of Jesus, in the covering of Your blood.

What would life be like if I didn't have this gift, this reward?
Who could I turn to
In my fear, my sorrow, my anxiety, my insecurity, my questions
If I did not have You, Father, as my confidence?

There would be no solid ground, no peace, no comfort, no encouragement, no security for my soul.
It would feel like I was sinking, wandering, so fearful, overcome with the "what ifs,"
And so alone...

So I thank you Father for this reward of confidence in You.

May I not treat this reward lightly,
Or cast it away with my questions and doubts...

The confidence You give me is not a variable.
It doesn't change with the shifting winds, the new trend, the storm or the disaster...
No, this confidence in You remains the same...through it all,
Because You remain the same, yesterday, today, and forever...
Always faithful, always good, always kind, always pouring Your love upon me...

Oh, Father, You are my strong confidence...
What a priceless reward!

Hebrews 10:35 "Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens.
                           Remember the great reward it brings.

The Kindness of My Father

When I think about the kindness of my Father,
My heart sings and I bow in awe and wonder...

Who else would give His best, His only beloved Son to rescue me,
When I saw no need to be rescued, saw no need for a Help...
When I thought I could handle it all on my own,
With my own strength, my own intellect, my own knowledge?

Who would give His best,
Even though He knew the crushing, the suffering, the magnitude of the pain that was ahead
For the One He loved the most...
His One and only?

Who would suffer like this for someone who turned turned their back on Him,
He despised and rejected Him,
Who would give Himself so sacrificially and wholly
To someone who didn't deserve anything? 

It was His kindness that planned the redemption,
It was His kindness that humbled Himself to dwell among us.
It was His kindness that endured the suffering, the offense, the denial, the grief, the blackness 
    of the night
So we could have wholeness, forgiveness, and fellowship with the Father.

Yes, it is His kindness that  drew me to Himself,
That opened my eyes to see my need,
That revealed His love and unmerited grace.
It is His kindness that transferred His righteousness into me,
As He shed His blood and accepted me in the Beloved.
It is His kindness that restores  the old, that rebuilds, remakes, recreates, transforms me...
It is His kindness that grows me, teaches me, matures me.
It is His kindness that bestows the riches of heaven upon me and gives me access to those things      above.

It is His kindness all the way,
All the way...even in the desert, the wilderness.
How He wants to prosper me, wants me whole, wants me happy...
His kindness that will continue to be lavished upon me,
Even as I enter those pearly gates,
And gaze upon those kind eyes, feel the embrace of those kind arms and hear those kind words
   of welcome...

But you say,
"Well how about now, how is God kind now in my miserable life?"

Precious one,
Have you thought about the kindness of sun, rain, warmth, and a cooling shower?
What about the kindness of love, hope and faith, or mother and father? 
How about the  kindness of family, togetherness, laughter, sharing, gifts?
What about the kindness of health, of working muscles, of a breath, and a beating heart?
Or the kindness of a smile, a hug, a caring neighbor?
What about the kindness of pets, watching birds, or the uniqueness of each animal,
Or the green grass, the snowy slope, or running water?

There is no end my friend,
To the kindness of your God,
The kindness of your Creator,
The kindness of the One who thought you into being and loves you completely...

Why are our eyes so often blinded to this kindness?
Is it because His kindness does not broadcast its gift,
He does not demand a payment, or demand qualifications for us to receive...
No, He gives it silently, in love, with no strings attached...

Yes," Your love God is like a flooding river overflowing its banks with kindness!"
 Psalms 145:8b TPT
   

Patiently

You are so patient with me, Jesus,
Even when I don't deserve it.
You see it all...
You see the wandering away,
You hear it all...
You hear the questions, the doubts, the sarcasm, the blaming...
And patiently You continue
Continue to love me completely.
Patiently, You wait for my eyes to discover Your burning heart of love
Yes, that heart that passionately loves even me.
Patiently, You wait
Not anxiously, or grudgingly, or irritated...
So patient when I ignore You,
So patient when I fail You.

You know the end,
So You patiently wait,
Loving me completely,
Knowing that the discovery is promised and paid for...

Patient love