738 - Ready to go!!!

Dear Lord, I am so excited for today.  So many things I have been waiting and wanting to do and today is the day!!!!!  Oh Lord, help me to see You as I am going going going and to be in constant pursuit of your plan and purpose!  

I have 3 tennis lessons to give this morning before I head off to Evansville for my ankle/hip appointment.  My hip is still hurting something awful and hopefully I will find out what is causing this pain.  I hope it can be fixed and quickly.  I am still enjoying running each morning around 5:15am with my 2 friends and just do not want to stop.  We could bike and I am up for that, but I get such a better workout running - or at least I sweat more and to me that translates as a better workout.  Who knows!  But I am excited to get in front of the doctor and have him look it over!  

Then I will rush home from the doctors - 1 hour away - and try to tidy up the house for the SS Bible study that is taking place tonight.  We are going to begin No Other Gods (NOGS) by Kelly Minter.  I am so excited to do the study - yes, by all means, but I am really excited about getting together with the ladies in my Bible study!  I am praying, Lord, that you will raise up in us a strong ban of woman to make a difference of this little town, Carmi.  I have a ton of ideas of things I want to do with them socially, but also evangelically as well.  Lord, please guide us all.  Lord, raise up those that have a passion for certain things yo have laid on my heart.  Raise up those with their own ideas and raise up those worker bees that have the time, passion, and want to... to do some of these things to make a difference in one life or maybe even 2 or 2000.  This is your group!  

Still studying Joshua!  Just read the first verse of Joshua 7 when Achan and his "friends" took some of the devoted things.  This is amazing to me.  God has just done some incredible things for them - splitting the Jordan and then bringing the walls of Jericho down.  It just seems to me absolutely crazy that after all those awesome things that these guys would disobey and hold on to the devoted things that the Lord specifically told them not to touch!  Because of this disobedience communication with the Lord was broken!  

Oh Lord, you know and I know that I too have acted the same way.  You preform miracles and amazing things in front of me daily and yet I disobey and hold onto the things you have told me to lose!  Jesus, help me!  I find the last few weeks of the Whole Heart Faith and now moving into No Other Gods no coincidence at all.  You have blessed me incredibly and yet I hold on to the things I should not or I pick back up the things you have told me to stay away from!  Why?  Not real sure!  More than anything a discontented heart!  So I set out today to hear You and from You!  I can't wait to know You deeper even after today!  I am searching!  

The SBC Conference was a great time.  The conference was a bit hectic and crazy, but getting to spend time with Ginger Moore, my ministry partner, was incredible.  We spent the night with one of my best friends from high school, Kelly!  That was awesome too!  Ginger and I were able to personally call, together, all of our ministry team speakers and touch base.  That doesn't happen to often!  I mean Ginger and I together so that we can call together doesn't happen often!  Everything was wonderful, just the lack of sleep about kills me!  

Lord, I am ready.  I have my ears open and my heart ready to obey!  I can't wait to obey in whatever it is!  You are so faithful and trustworthy!  I love you Lord!    

737 - Left standing alone in His will

Feel left out?  Not invited to the party?  Left wondering when God was going to choose you?

Now that is a lovely picture!!!!  holy cow!  Love yall --  let me hear from you!  

1) Have you ever felt this way?

2) When?

3) How long were you there?

4) What did it take to get you to a new place?

592 - Rest or Work?

Lord Jesus, many things that I do so often are up for evaluation. I have started many projects at different churches only to stick with it for a couple of years. At first I really had trouble with that. Why did I do something only for a certain amount of time and then move on? Was it a result of my moving so much in my life? Can I not hold to anything? But graciously God showed me that I am a planter, delegator, and visionary. There are times that God calls people to a task and expects them to stay with it forever. And in my opinion which no one is asking for, more often I think all too often many people stick to something way long after God has called them away. So I say all that to say I have been evaluating my blog lately.

It was very difficult to find time to do my quiet time on the cruise. We were literally go go go and always having to entertain someone. We were up at the crack of dawn and not going to bed til very very late. I don't do well without sleep and certainly not in that time zone. So as i desperately wanted to spend time with the Lord, I have to say I did not miss so much blogging and trying to be some what eloquent in my prayers for the Lord.

Every person has such a different reason for blogging. Some are keeping their family informed, some are keeping their personal ministries (speakers, writers, pastors, etc.) informed, some are just trying to be funny, some are seeking friends, and some are just doing their thing they have always done - just different. I have always been a journaler from about 5th grade. So when my friends from the college ministry made me aware of blogging I jumped right in and picked up in what I had already been doing - a prayer journal to the Lord - just in a different style and organization. I loved the concept and everything!

Even though it is a prayer to the Lord I still love to hear from people if they agree with what I have gleaned from Him or whatever is going on in my life. So when I was on the cruise and not able to blog I was thinking much about maybe just taking a break from it. I questioned the Lord about my motives and thought is this another thing I am going to move on from? Is this a plant that was nurtured for a while and then going to move on for someone else to grow on their own personal blogs?

When I got home from everything I had emails asking when I would be back posting. I had emails from kind folks. I had sweet letters. I quickly said, "But Lord this is for You, this blog has nothing to do with what other people think or desire - should I keep on? or should I rest?" Then the Word came....

Joshua 1:12-18 This is a time and group of people that really enjoyed and liked the land just east of the Promised Land. They really wanted to settle there. So Moses with God's approval gave that land to those people with one condition. When the other people go in to take over the Promised Land their fighting men must come out of rest and help to do so. See these people had been in a time of rest. They had found where their feet would land and were resting until the time came for their services to be needed.

I love that they held up to their end of the deal. How often does that happen anymore? I love the fact that God had given them rest, but also called them back out as well. I love that He changes our plan, but then allows us to go right back at it. I love that God allows us to take a timeout. I love when they answered Joshua they were extremely encouraging and enthusiastic. "We will do as you have commanded and we will go where you send us - no problem."

Lord for me - thank you for the rest. Thank you for the clear time away for thoughts, reflection, and most of all I could not help but worship with that incredible scenery. Lord, thank you. Thank you for the encouragement from others, but more than anything the instructions from you. Lord, thank you for your Word and that You speak to me. Thank you for the future and past. Thank you Father for it all!! I love you Lord.

We have so much going on this week. Last day of school for my kids. We have 3 games this week. Tucker has basketball camp in Norris City. The girls have swimming practice. I still have 5 million cagillion emails to get to................. ministry is moving along so well I can not keep up. My book will be completely finished in just a few days. Just a few more questions... My goodness things are hoping. I am really excited for this summer. I love baseball. I love watching the kids. I hope the girls like swimming. Lord, please help Tucker to pull through and start hitting again. He is having such a hard, hard year. If he could just get one hit I think his confidence would return and things would turn for him. Oh Lord, it hurts so bad to see him hurting. Come to his rescue!! Lord, please! Well I need to get the day started!! I love you!

591 - Got my MBA

Joshua 1:6-8 6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

There are people that pay a ton of money to get their MBA. Yes, of course it does hold some clout on the resume and it does prove that they could withstand another few years of schooling and rounds of tests, etc. But as far as finding out how to be successful and prosperous in the business world, the passage in Joshua could do all that for them for free.

Lord Jesus really hit that home to me this morning. I do want to be successful - in life, in ministry, in family, in marriage - and not in that order. But it does take some work on my part. Yes, we would like to think that just sitting back and having faith that God will take care of it all - which He will ultimately - to me does not require that much faith. I think to actually step out and DO something even when you don't know which way to turn or the correct leading of the Lord takes faith. Those of lesser faith see this random stepping as dangerous, uneducated, and even pious to some degree. I see it as obedience to radical faith and courage.

So briefly the Lord just gave me step to success...

1) Be strong and courageous - said not once but 2 times very quickly. It seems to me the strong and courageous part is not so much against your enemies that are obvious, but the ones that you would never believe. It states that the reason you need to be strong is that you will be leading your people to the land - these are YOUR people. They may not understand radical faith. They may not grasp this courage. They may not be accepting of all this change. And they may even question you to the nth degree. Be strong and courageous - have some shoulders and backbone.

2) Obey all the Law - not part, not the part you like, not the part that is fun, and not just the part that takes no courage, but ALL the Law. On the cruise there was an Orthodox Jewish couple. Obviously they were doing their part to obey all the Law. I walked up to meet them and was introduced. In normal style I stuck out my hand to shake. He refused and said he could not touch another woman. At a dance party one night he walked around with 2 drinks of water in his hands. Didn't want to make a mistake. I suppose in the best way they could they were trying to live by the Law. We know according to the New Testament that the Jesus sets us free from the Law. Praise you Father - I could never live up! Thank you for your blood!! Help me to live by Your grace and mercy, but never taking those for granted or to live by excuse!

3) Meditate on it day and night - To live by the Law at least back then and now for my new Jewish friends it takes years of education in the Jewish faith to live by the Law. I was told they each took time away and out of their life to attend a Hebrew School in Jerusalem to know the Law. Even those that are not Orthodox were so serious and committed to the faith. I think the jewel i take from this part of the passage is to be reminded this is a love letter from my Savior. He wants me to read it each and every day, multiple times a day if possible, and just bask in what He has done for me, said to me, and His love for me! Even though I have read it before, I want to open the note, smell the sweet fragrance, and see the sweet love once again and again and again!

Do all those 3 things and success is on its way - lots of money - probably not, but peace, joy, love, patience, etc!!!!!

511 - Reciprocating Love - Hesed (LONG and a bit controversial)

Heavenly Father - Thank you for another wonderful day. Jesus I pray right now for my friends that are hurting and going through a terrible time. Lord please be their shield, guard their hearts and mind, and show them the way to joy once again. Lord, some have found themselves in a pit that was not dug by their own hands, but by another! Lord, be their redeemer and counselor. Please do something in their life to redeem them from the pit. Oh Lord I hurt for my friends and want things to be different as well. Jesus, most Precious One, be large in their lives right now. They are having trouble seeing you in any of it. Help me to pray for them throughout the day and days! Thank you in advance!

I found myself again in Joshua, but mingled through Ps. 138 after "talking" Holly from Crown Laid Down. She said, "Did you know that when I was looking up God making us strong and stout-hearted (from Psalm 138) that Rahab was the Hebrew word for stout-hearted? Rahab means strengthen, overcome, proud, make sure and behave proudly. Isn't that neat? Love your heart for His Word!" So that comment alone made me really do some digging and investigating a bit more. I want to be strong and stout-hearted!! I will come back to that!

On into chapter 2 of Joshua we get to the part where the deal is made there is an interesting word used. Rahab asks for her family along with her own house to be saved during the invasion and killings. There was going to be some bloodshed. Side note: Many times in the Bible God sends out His people to shed blood, kill, destroy, leave not one single human alive........as much as i hate it too that means everyone! God has ordained war many, many times in our history. The war we are in right now with Iraq is very, very serious - I know everyone knows that. But God wants us to stand up for those that can not stand for themselves - Micah 6:8 - (Iraqi people) and I think God wants us to do any and everything to make sure His Word and Mission is pursued throughout the world - that every man has the chance to hear the gospel! I know it seems more like a economic war and it is, but I know that our Lord and Savior has a greater good in store - there will be good come out of it. I need to have more of a spiritual perspective, see things through my Lord and Savior's eyes. I promise there is going to be good and there already has. It takes war at times, I do believe.

Whoa - that was a tangent! So anyway there is going to blood shed. In verse 12 Rahab says, "please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family because I have shown kindness to you." That kindness is the "hesed" love in the Old Testament. That is a reciprocating love - meaning that if i show you kindness or love you will show that back to me and I can expect it! It is usually seen in those that have a close relationship, but as in this case and many others that is not always the case. Hesed love is incredible. It is like when you are waiting in a huge line at the fair and someone even a stranger allows you to cut line. I would never do that........ ha ha. Anyway, you cut line and have a merry ride. The only thing is that as you are waiting in a long line and that person walks by wanting to go on that ride too. They have every right according to this kind of love, hesed, to ask you if they can get in front of you, cut line - reciprocating love! This is exactly what Rahab had done! She has kind to them and she wanted and made them swear by oath that they would do the same back for her. After all as we discovered yesterday she KNEW the Lord and wanted to be on that team now!! Plus emanate death had to play a part as well!

Now let's think about this with our Lord! My commentary - this is really getting exciting, praise you Lord - says that Hesed is central to God's character. That means that He can not help but have a reciprocating love. Even though we are unfaithful at times and forget to allow that person in the line at the park with us, God's hesed love can never forget. His hesed can never not be perfect. It also says, "God's hesed, however, is not bound by the covenant itself (Old Testament covenant)" simply because men may prove to be unfaithful - there is no "may" about it. We are unfaithful. God's hesed is everlasting. Oh my - i am jumping!!!

OK - hang in there Leigh - this is coming full circle. Holly lead me to Ps. 138 about Rahab meaning strong and stout-hearted. At the end of that Psalm is verse 8. "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your LOVE (hesed), oh Lord, endures forever - do not abandon the works of your hands." (Did you see how the psalmist, David, used a hyphen there in that verse. He must have been a speaker too. I write like I am speaking and have lots of interjections and hyphen thoughts i like to call them. David did it, so can i!!! yeah baby!!!) OK - here it comes. I need to settle down.............. I am so pumped!!

Rahab was strong and stout-hearted for many reasons. But i can see here one reason she went on to have her name written in the Hall of Faith - a prostitute in the Hall of Faith!! God made her this way simply and then He used her strong and stout-heart personality to continue on His good work. I am assuming, but this encounter with these Israelite guys and her up close and personal encounter with the Lord may have been the first for her. Maybe not, but maybe too! So God not only showed her how His love - hesed - works, but He was able to do it through these men. From that experience she was changed. Her whole family I bet! She had to have been strong because I am sure much ridicule was left to be had. "Oh there is Rahab - wasn't she that prostitute in Jericho?" Can't you just hear it now from other women on the street or shopping mart? Turning up their noses and strutting themselves in pride like they have no sin! But she was strong and stout-hearted. She experienced first hand the hesed love of our Lord, her God that she KNEW (yada) and never turned back. As we just saw in the verse in Ps. 138:8 - God did fulfill his purpose in here and it happened to be with a hesed kind of experience! He is just that way - He can't help it!!

Even in this war with Iraq, God will fulifll His purpose. For those that have lost loved ones He can not forget you nor can He NOT love you back!! Your time is coming, all our time is coming if we know His as Savior. He will have the last word, rest assured! Vengance is His, not ours!

Father, Savior, Redeemer, Lover of my soul, Forgiving One...............thank you thank you thank you! You have bestowed so much hesed love on me i can hardly stand it. And to think you are not even finished. You will fulfill your purpose in me just because that is who you are. You are a reciprocating Hesed God. Even when i fail to love back, be faithful to your promises and commands, when I worship other gods, when i bow to things that have no purpose in my life - you can not help but love back!!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!! Jesus - I love you!!

510 - Take them at their word

Dear Jesus, I was reading from Joshua 2 this morning about my woman Rahab. There is not a ton we know about her, but much we can infer. I know that she birthed Boaz and he turned out to be a great man of God, very well respected and quite successful. She was said to be a prostitute and known by the officials in town. Hmmmm. Her house was connected to the city wall leading me to believe that the city folks were not the only ones to frequent her business. Even the outside world of Jericho knew her "name". But something happened.

The 2 spies that Joshua sent over to look everything over went straight to her house. They knew! But I am thinking they treated her differently than the normal guys. I know this is an obvious place for foreigners to come to since people were in and out of here quite often, but also this is the place I would like to believe that the Lord sent them. Why??????????? He works in mysterious ways. We know now that Rahab actually was in the lineage of Jesus. It had to happen this way. But it is not just that the guys went here and were hidden, something happen to my woman Rahab and it was a result of this encounter with these guys. She got up close and personal with a new customer and I believe it was the Lord Jesus!

Verse 9 says "I KNOW the Lord has given you this land..." That "know" there is one of the most important words in the Old Testament. It is "yada" and it is an all encompassing KNOW. Not just to know lightly, but to perceive, to understand, to be sure of, to be convinced, to know the Lord in some instances in the OT. Like a deep understanding and realization! Not only did Rahab understand that it was the Lord that gave them this land, she KNEW it was the LORD, the Yahweh LORD. I am looking into this story here, but just go with me. I think that Rahab had heard about all the things the LORD had done for these people. I would think going to a prostitute would be kind of like going to a hair cutter - i know this is a far stretch. There is going to be a little talking about some gossip or something before you get into the "cutting". So I am thinking she had heard some of the things that others had heard through the grapevine. She was well aware of things going on outside her city. PLUS - the city officials went straight to her house to see if she had been with the spies. "Yes, they were here, but have left." They knew enough to ask her first - I think some had been there themselves and maybe did some "talking".

But this time it was real followers of Yahweh that came for a visit. I am thinking they told to her and confirmed to her all that she had heard about their God. She KNEW! She believed and she came to know this God as well. God got up close and personal to this girl even in the midst of what she had going on. I am sure she answered the door thinking it was just another customer. Even as they might have said we are not wanting your business we are just needing a place to hid. "Yeah, yeah, yeah" must have rang in her mind - let's get on with it. But this was different. She KNEW!

Oh Lord Jesus I praise you!! You got up close and personal with this lady that was up close and personal with so many. Oh she was intimate, but not with you until this day. You came to visit in a very different way, through strangers, but became intimate with the lady Rahab. You did not wait till she had made a complete change. You didn't even wait until she had verbally committed to change her life with no actions taken yet. You met her in the midst of what she thought was going to be just another day and changed her!!! She KNEW!! Lord, I am not a prostitute, but there is some changing you want to do in my life. Just like this recent reconciliation with this friend. You did not wait until my heart was ready - you just came on in and did the house work! I was content at forever being caught up in inhabiting these bad feelings. But GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh Lord Jesus - thank you!! Thank you for changing me and for making a difference in Rahab's life. Thank you!!! I KNOW and she KNEW!! I love you!

392 - He Forgets Our Past or Does He?

Good Morning Savior - I am a little late typing out my bloggy thoughts as I have been reading about a young 27 year old mom of a 12 year old son that has been diagnosed with liver cancer. She is mad, angry, scared, distraught, did I say angry - and for just cause. You can see her thoughts here on her blog at www.nicole-austin.blogspot.com She is hurting bad right now and needs our prayers. Please leave her any kind of comment...I think anything will speak to her right now. There is even one reader that is Buddhist and trying to encourage her. My fear is that will be the one voice she listens to. Please pray - I can not even imagine! Oh Lord, forgive my attitude this morning - this puts me in my place! Thank you!

This morning i was in Joshua 2 and 6 and also Hebrews 11 just a tad. We studied the woman Rahab. That is a name you would think no one would ever name their child and my preacher in Charlotte even mentioned that one time. He said, "Rahab, now that is one name I am confident no one would ever name their child." He kind of said that giggling as did the audience. One of the girls in my singles discipleship class, Rahab!!!!!!!!!!!!, just laughed and thought how uneducated that sounded from a very educated man. Very assumptive and insensitive!! Wow!

Anyway - the thing that stood out to me was the way Rahab is described in all her accounts in the Word. It always seems to be Rahab, the prostitute. It is rarely Rahab with just her name. Beth Moore did discuss this unsettling description and it made me wonder even more. Beth Moore stated that it was left in there so often because God did not want us to forget who He used and what she came from.

As I sat there with my Word in front of me I began to think even more about that. So many times we hear about God forgetting our sins and of course not holding them against us. But I wonder if having the description behind Rahab's name was possibly a consequence of her sin as well. As if the Lord has said I forgive you, I forget it as far as the east from the west, but I am going to allow it to remain to glorify me and teach others a lesson through you. You made this bed, but I am going to allow it (the description of your past) to remain for My glory. Whenever one reads about Rahab in the Word they will know that I "deal" with all kinds, I redeem all kinds, and be careful because your sins may follow you by title if nothing else - Rahab the prostitute. I don't know, just a thought. But at the same time when God forgives and forgets our sin it is not that He now calls on Rahab the prostitute and wonders why she has that description following her name - He does forget I know He does because the Bible tells me so, but yet He knows good and well why others are referring to her by that................... I guess she was really pleased with her new body - clean, fresh, whole, purified - and name when she reached the throne and saw Him face to face. Oh how I wish I could talk with her now. That would be cool!

So ti is not fair to bring up Rahab's past with description without looking into my past and wonder what He has used for His glory in my description. Leigh the talker, complainer, gossiper, etc. - She now uses her words to speak Truth to others and make known what He has brought her through for His glory. Leigh the lazy, selfish, glory seeking, etc. - She now uses that energy to encourage others, serve others in ministry, and have an open door policy to whomever dares to enter the zoo (my house)! Do I ever fall back in those old descriptions - why sure - God will take me home when I have been made perfect and trust me - ask Clay my hubby - this girl ain't no where near perfected. I might get to see my great, great, great grandkids for the amount of work He has to do before I see Him. ha ha!!

But as each day goes by - i know He sees me as redeemed. For all those things that I have done and the labels i have allowed people to call me or describe me by - I know who I am in Christ. After all I am who He says that I am. I am forgiven and that is worth shoutin' about!!! I love you, Lord.

I had an awesome time at Mrs. Nancy's pool yesterday with Andrea and Rachel. This was a gorgeous pool, underground kind of thingy with a driving board and slide. It was awesome! In what i am finding out is normal Rachel style - she had fruit skewers, cookies made, homemade lemonade to die for, and chips as well. Not to mention the cutest hairstyle ever and bathing suit. She is just too much! While i was there her dad and brother went out in the fields and personally cut me a TON of sweet corn!!! They are real farmers (corn, pigs, beans - well, i don't know about beans, but it makes the story sounds good) and just about the sweetest ones i have ever met. And her momma sat with us talking while snapping green beans!!! They had a ton of dogs, a must on a farm, and even had 11 lab puppies. My kids were in heaven. You could look up through all the fields of corn and see her grandparents house on the hill. This family has got it all. Truly blessed!!! I love this family!! AWESOME!

Today is not much on the schedule EXCEPT Bible study Believing God gals tonight!! Yeah!!! We are probably going to McDonald's for lunch because they have the new Hello Kitty toys - yeah baby!! We are getting the girls hair cut at 4pm unless they can get us in earlier. I was hoping to take the kids to see Nancy Drew this week, but time has run out. Anyway - Life is sooooo sooooo soooo good. I am blessed and thankful!! Chin up and get my feet moving!! It is time for a praise dance. Want to join me?

PS - don't ask me why my signature block is way up at the top - i can not tell you why and don't kow how to fix it!! ha ha! who cares anyway - God is great!

391 - And the Walls Came Tumblin' Down

Yep, that is right - little John Cougar Melloncamp going through my head this morning. Did you know that I graduated high school in the town where he was from and his daughter dated some mystery dude? It was almost like a ghost story about town because we never saw any of them. Anyway!

This morning I have studied about the walls of Jericho coming down. Joshua 6. To me it is a completely fascinating story. Almost hard to believe if it had not been in the Bible - nevertheless it is Truth! It makes me think about the walls in my life that need to be blasted with a horn and shoutin' to come down. Very much nothing of my own power, but by the power of the Lord. I can think of actually more than one wall in my life that I need Him to knock down - If I only knew the obedience plan of action He is calling of me. I need to know exactly if I am suppose to shout, wait, knell, march, gather up sisters, pray, fast, etc... I just want to know Lord.

But the scripture this morning that is resounding over and over in my mind is 2 Cor. 2:14. "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him."

He certainly calls me into obedience and even very specific things He might want me to do before He claims the victory or tears down the walls, but more importantly it is HE who is leading the Triumphal Procession. Lord Jesus, you are my leader and I really want to be on your heels. Will I bug you? Many times when my youngest is on my heels and will not allow me to breath I get irritated and bothered. Sometimes a girl needs a break. But i feel confident that You are not that way. You want me as close as possible - even my breath in the same rhythm as Yours. I would think You want me not only on your heels, but you want me stepping on your toes following your lead like a little girl dances with her Daddy. Oh Father hold me close. Let me be aligned with you and following so closely. I want to be part of You victories. The war out there is so rough!! Even those that are following closely or those that think they are, are falling away - being deceived, getting swept under, oppressed for one reason or another - being defeated. Oh Lord, my heart knows You lead the triumphal precession! and in that we have responsibility. I can not just jump on the bandwagon and expect to reap all the rewards.

It is that way with everything and that is OK - really it is more than OK, it is awesome. I like to know I have some purpose or at least a list of things to cross off. The end of that verse says "through US spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him". I looked up "spreads" and it means to reveal, to make known, to expose, to take off a lid and show. I also looked up knowledge and it means understanding, awareness, recognition, familiarity.

We have so many battles in this life. Some are physical and some are mental - bitterness, accepting forgiveness, overcoming sin, etc. But when we are in line with the Leader, He leads us to victory. We may have much to fight on the way, but as long as we are aligned with the leader we shall be victorious. But the other thing - as we are following and fighting we are to leave a trail, beautiful, fragrant trail of His awesomeness. We are to leave a trail that makes Him known, recognizes Him, a trail that is familiar to those that know Him, but also a familiar fragrance that non-believers recognizes as a good thing! Not a trail of regret or stinky attitudes, but one that people can come long after you have left and know that He was good and is still good!

Father I do thank you for the acts of obedience that you require of me. I thank you for my responsibilities in my relationship with you. It only speaks volumes to me of your concern, care, and interest in me. If I were just a puppet I would have no reason to leave any kind of fragrance. Oh Lord, what is my smell? Is there a stench I leave behind? Is there any sweetness to my breath as I talk about You and the victories You have brought me through? Do my pores oozes a perfume that is pleasing? Do I walk away from people leaving them to ask - what is different about her - her eyes, her laugh, her smile, her strength - she even smells different. Let it be true Lord. Knock those walls down, lead me into victory, and may i shout out Your glorious praises leaving your sweet aroma everywhere i go! I want to make you proud Father!

Going on a tour of the kids' new schools this morning...again. We are getting closer and closer to our closing date. I drove by yesterday and wanted so bad to take down some curtains, etc, but can't just yet - it is not mine yet. Yesterday was awesome with the church activities. We had about 50 kids K-6 show up. It was a trick finding enough transportation. I have received quite a few inquiries for speaking lately. I pray I am something they are looking for. One retreat and a couple of MOPS events. There are still some other places I have not heard from in a while - Alaska, Texas, Arkansas, Michigan or was that Wisconsin???? I am not sure - I don't want to bug so I will wait. Lord, You do it if it is suppose to be! Thank you!!

Update - those Google Ads on the side of the the blog - I am up to $41.38. Wow - that is cool!

Don't forget to go cruising with me - please!!! www.girlvillegetawaycruise.com

224 - Get Your Feet Wet

Heavenly Father - I am leaving for Nashville in just a few minutes to do a retreat down at Brentwood Baptist Church. I still can hardly believe that i was chosen to go there, but am real excited. I am really nervous though. All my female relatives are coming down and i have not seen any of them in a long time let alone spoke in front of them. Lord, my only wish is that You are glorified and I please You. Protect me and all that are traveling down.

This morning I went to one of my favorite passages. There were a couple of things that stuck out and then the obvious things i had learned some time ago. My favorite verse in this passage is Joshua 3:5, "Consecrate yourselves because tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." I love that. The Israelites were about to go into the new land and were needing to cross the Jordan. God had given them instructions about moving the Ark ahead of them. First of all they needed to be pure......... I love the very end in verse 17 when it states that the Ark stood on dry ground when passing through a RIVER and that it remained in the middle until all the people had passed to the other side - on dry ground. It says to me loud and clear keep God in the middle of everything you do and in the midst of all you do. It says to me to keep God in your view as you step into the unknown and know that He always has your back as you proceed forward to the other side.

The other important point is the fact that the leadership had to stand in the water before it would part. They had to get their feet wet. They had to chance looking like an idiot if they had misunderstood the Lord and what He had asked them to do. Lord, help me to not be afraid the get my feet wet. Help me to not know what it is that you are doing with my life, but be willing to step into the unknown risking looking silly. I want to be the one You can run to and call on. As i have said before I want to be Your go to girl. Big or small.

Thank you for Your Words this morning. I am stepping into the water and and trusting You to dry the land and make my path obvious and straight. Lord, may I always be looking for You up ahead and keeping Your laws and commands in the forefront of my mind. May i seek to honor You and be found faithful. Lord, do you "thang". I am excited to meet You in Nashville in the lives of the women there and see what all You are going to do.