Hearts in Service

Isaiah 43:19 ~  “Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” Chapters 38-55 of Isaiah record how King Hezekiah turned disastrously from the way of faith to the way of works. He has a personal health crisis and he receives a double promise from the Lord – a promise of healing and a promise of deliverance for his city. But having been healed and given a huge sign in confirmation, he turned from trusting the Lord’s promises to seeking deliverance from Assyria by making an alliance with Babylon. So Isaiah pronounces God’s judgment on Hezekiah and basically tells him that since he chose Babylon that is where he will go.  But was that the end? Were all the promises of a great coming David (the Messiah) to be forfeited by one wrong choice? No. There is an immediate message of comfort and the Lord’s answer to sin is the revelation of the coming “Servant of the Lord” which we know to...

Ephesians 1:1-11 (NLT) ~ This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.  May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.  Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.  He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and unders...

I find irritating at how easily I hop down bunny trails and off my desire to stay focused. And yet, God is good, and gently reminds me to get back on track. I keep hopping off course and He pushes me back to the main path. But sometimes I think, "I must exhaust Him!" And of course, God is infinitely patient and kind. But I know I certainly exhaust myself. 😀 This week's "staying on course" has been spent working on an online webinar I'm giving on servant leadership next Thursday, a message I'm preaching next Sunday at one of our district churches and a mission's event I'm organizing that takes place next Sunday afternoon. I've also been amazed at how God so kindly intercedes and answers prayers. Remember that doctor's bill I mentioned? I called them and it turns out they didn't have the correct insurance information and they told me to disregard the bill. A different financial burden was lifted off my shoulders this week as well. And ...

Life can be very difficult at times and when we are the outside looking in at another's life it may seem as if everything is picture perfect. And yet, their reality may be very different than what it seems.  Someone commented to me recently at how blessed my life is and while there are many things that are good, there are just as many things that are not.  I have an adult child who lives with us who is on the autism spectrum. While he is very high functioning, there are challenges each day with him. He struggles which means we struggle. He is currently without a job and looking for another and I try and not get anxious about that. I am so very thankful for the team of people he has through the services he receives. That lessens some of our burden. I spent the day with my in-laws yesterday and left at 7:40 in the morning to drive over an hour to pick them up and bring them to our church. It was an exhausting day. My mother-in-law has dementia and it is sad to see the total chan...

Normally I write a couple of times per week on this blog. However, I realize that it has been eleven days since I've even looked at it. That shows that it's been a busy few days.  I went to a conference in Ohio, have been preparing for upcoming speaking engagements, have had a number of meetings, church ministry and on and on.  But despite the busyness I've been at peace. And I attribute that to taking time each day to carve out space to hear from the Lord. I read and journal. I pray and listen. And I am learning to tune out the distractions that can so easily take over.  I find that the distractions aren't so much due to a busy schedule, but in my own thoughts and anxieties. I can get caught up in worry and allow my brain to carry me down the road of trying to solve problems in my own strength instead of leaving them in the Lord's capable hands. I've been working on stopping the worry and praying instead. It is so easy to allow distractions to keep us from list...

I began the month of June by traveling across the state for a speaking engagement in the area where I grew up. I'm going to end the month in the same church again.  When I go on these trips I do like to find new places to explore and hike. Yesterday's adventure took me here. It was a little treasure through the woods, down a gorge and to a waterfall. After looking at the trail going down into the gorge I decided against it. After all, I'm not totally out of my head! :-) As I was looking back over my goals for the year, I realized that I hadn't done one of them which was to take a day for personal retreat, prayer, thinking and reading each month. So my very sweet husband told me to take an extra day to do that. I am so thankful for him.  I spent the afternoon walking, praying, meditating on God's word and then came back to the hotel. I'm up early this morning to do more of the same. Then I'm stopping to visit with friends before heading home. I even love my t...