David's Psalm

Journey to seek a promise to the Lord this day:

Psalm 101

A psalm of David.

"I will sing of your love and justice, Lord.

I will praise you with songs.

I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me?

I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.

I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar.

I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them.

I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.

I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors.

I will not endure conceit and pride.
I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me.

I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence.

My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked and free the city of the Lord from their grip.

David was pretty strong in his promises to the Lord. How many of us live with things like this on a daily basis and yet never move forward to make the necessary changes we need to make. It is very difficult to do.

"Lord, grant us the strength to make the changes in our homes, lives, work places, and churches we need to make - to move forward in a healthy way and in healthy relationships."

Change your Journey Today!

To Dairy Queen . . .and Beyond!

Sometimes our journeys are unexpected. I have learned that anything can happen and what I really perceive is happening may not be accurate. Today was a very busy day for me. I juggled a million hats. Women in general do that, but as a pastor's wife I have those days where I do more juggling than I would like. It all started with a visit to my friend's house to meet with her insurance man while she was at work. Then off to the church where I ended up  meeting with our youth pastor about decorations for his youth room -  I then had a conversation with our church secretary which ended in praying over her and for her - delivered poinsettias to shut ins and friends - had a cup of coffee with Ms. Evelyn who recently turned ninety - ran by another friend's home and visited with her about her cooking - ran home to find my oldest son ill -got him meds and settled - fed the dog - fed myself - phone rang - headed out to meet with another woman at the church - ended up ministering to one woman who had come and spent time praying - never did get to the things I planned on doing with the other woman who came to meet me at the church - Finished praying with the woman in need - finished up in time to teach a teenager a piano lesson (still at the church) - ran to the store for a few items on the way home - started dinner - ate dinner - cleaned up - finished watching a movie with my youngest son which we had started the night before - movie ended - hubby came home from meeting - we all ran to Dairy Queen for a treat - and then . . . I didn't have a hat for what happened next. However - it was definitely a Calgon moment.

My husband decided that he would NOT go through the drive - thru at Dairy Queen. My oldest son had been ill earlier and did not look his best so he decided to wait in the car but first gave us his ice-cream request. My youngest son did not want to go in either - nor would he tell us what he wanted. Suddenly he regressed to five years old. He fumed - he fussed - he whined - his voice elevated to an extreme high pitch. "I don't want to go in!" My husband and I got out of the car hoping he would follow - he did not. We ordered what we wanted and then ordered something we thought he might like. (Okay we have a soft heart)

All the way home a tired unhappy young fellow graced us with his rebellious tone. After threats of grounding he still continued - My husband threatened that if he did not close his mouth he would lose his XBox for a week - my son continued - "Two weeks!" hubby shouted. That didn't stop my son. Somehow the grounding kept going - "One month!" "Two months!" until finally . . . . "Yard sale!" My oldest son and I snickered. Nothing stopped the shrills and of course we couldn't believe he was acting so childish.

Finally making it home - I took my tired body and tried to exit the vehicle - all the while listening to the rantings of a fourteen year old. His little lips moved non stop - rapidly as if he had no control over them. At one point I looked around to find something I could possibly shove between them hoping that would help. My husband and I were now on edge - tired - worn - weary - there was nothing else to take away from my son! He had lost just about everything and still kept on going. In the midst of that my oldest son was oblivious to what was happening - he was in his own little world like most sixteen year old boys. While trying to get up the steps and into the house for solitude and wishful settlement, my oldest son decided to do the "Dairy Queen trick" with his blizzard - you know - the kind where you take the frozen blizzard and hold it upside down. According to Dairy Queen it is not supposed to budge. Well - they actually did that for us after making the blizzard - however my son was in the car and did not get to see it.

We reached the bottom of the steps in the garage that led into the house when my oldest son suddenly decided to stop - turn his blizzard upside down and give out a big shout of "YYYEEAAHH!" I watched as two seconds later - the ice cream fell to the steps creating a big "PLOP" leaving my son dumbfounded and holding onto his empty upside down dairy queen cup! At the same time my youngest son is whining, "I didn't want to go in . . . . I don't know what they have! . .. I just wanted to go through the drive -thru . .. you could have just gone through the drive-thru! . . ." I wanted to get back in the car and drive around the block or maybe the state of Colorado! After the ice-cream was cleaned up and the youngest son sent to bed - my husband and I stood by the dryer (one more task) and burst out in laughter. We laughed and laughed. My husband said, "I just wanted a nice trip to the Dairy Queen."

Hope your journey is filled with laughter this week.

A Resourceful Moment

This past week I spent some time with a friend. Her first visit with the counselor and she needed a friend to be with her. I learned a great deal from the therapist especially a few words spoken that lingered in my mind. I pondered on the word "sabotage." When someone is receiving counseling an unhealthy person in the family may try to "sabotage" the process or healing. This happens for various reasons - but still I had some difficulty painting a picture of what it might look like.

A few days later I had an appointment at the doctor's office. I sat in the lone waiting room trying to keep my eyes open all the while wishing I could have a cup of coffee. That would come after the blood work. I picked up a magazine next to me and allowed it to unfold through my fingers - finally stopping it on a page about counseling. I found it interesting that the article at hand happened to of been about a couple in therapy. They tell their sides of the story and then its the therapist's turn. Ironically the therapist voiced her opinion about "sabotage." Of course feeling as if I am having a "journey moment" I perked up and leaned into the article even more.

I, once again, learned something new "sabotaging." But still needed a clearer picture of what that might look like. Behold - leave it up to the Lord to usher you into an example. Sometimes we can be told, spoken to about it, but it isn't until we are thrust inward that we really understand it. That day a situation came up. Trying to make sense of it all, I walked into the other room and heard the Lord's sweet voice - "This is sabotaging." I drew my hands up toward my cheeks and smiled - almost giggling inside. It all made sense. I understood completely - clearly.

It was a simple journey that day - with a simple sign - but a HUGE lesson. Look for the journey moments this week - ask God to help you understand things you do not understand and give Him the glory when it happens.

The Shackled One

My husband and I were asked to serve at a funeral for a friend. My husband would deliver the message and I would help with the music. The couple that lost their mother wanted the service to be very evangelistic. They wanted it to be a moment for others to have opportunity to come to Christ.


The day of the service, the church filled with family and loved ones. I was touched and could feel the sweet presence of the Lord as I watched tears flow even before the service began. The woman who passed was well loved. I stood on the large stage behind the black keyboard with the microphone in front of me. I played hymns of “Amazing Grace,” “Sweet Beulah Land,” and “Sweet By and By.” I played choruses of praise and worship to the Father that gleamed upon those mourning - and so we worshipped in spirit as we waited for the service to begin.

Seconds before the service started, heads turned toward the back doors that opened. In walked a young fifteen-year-old boy. I couldn’t help but stare too as he shuffled his way down the aisle. On either side of him stood two guards holding on to his shackled arms. The chain connected to his ankles, wrapped around his wrists, through the handcuffs, and finally falling near his stomach. The clanging and clicking of the chains resounded to the high ceilings of the acoustically structured church creating uneasiness with all. The teen's long journey ended as he found his place with the other family members sitting on those first three pews. I later received information that he was a grandson to the one we were remembering. I couldn't help but wonder how shameful he must have felt - walking the long path, shackled and humiliated in front of the entire church.

I was then reminded of a journey another man took - shackled and beaten. In a sense it reminded me of Jesus. He too walked down a long road with all eyes upon him. A deep lump in my throat rose until I swallowed to push it back down. The heaviness upon my heart increased. All I could do was stare at the young teen - my heart grieving and yearning to do something about it.

My husband shared the eulogy and spoke well of the woman. Her children came up and shared from their hearts. God was moving; I could feel it. It was then my time to sing. I stood and placed my fingers on the keyboard like I have done so often. The keys were familiar and comforting. As I finished my song I felt as if God were moving among the people.

“Please help him to understand that you love him Lord.” I said to myself hoping the young teen would walk away with that much.

My husband presented a moving message about eternal life and the security that we have in knowing Christ. I stepped up for the closing music as my husband asked all eyes to be closed in the congregation. The soft flow of music filled the church as my husband asked those that wanted to know the Lord to raise their hands. I never look when he does the “Sinner’s Prayer,” but something told me to look up. I looked up quickly trying to keep my mind on the music. I looked straight up and my eyes fell upon the shackled one. At that very moment I saw his hand thrust upward towards the heavens with great passion, emotion, and without hesitation. I felt as if my heart had filled with a million tears and couldn’t hold them. I could hear the rattling of the chains as his arms extended toward the heavens - as if a cry for "Take these shackles Lord!"

The two guards found their places on either side of his elbow. The shackles remained on his hands and his feet hugging him tightly as he wobbled down the carpeted aisle to exit the church. His tiny steps slowly carried him to the front door. The chains rattled beneath his hands and against his feet adding a troublesome sound to the music playing.

I stood numb and felt as if I should do something! God eased by burden for the young teen at that very moment. I didn’t need to feel despair or hopelessness for him as I previously felt. God had done His work and done something miraculous! This young man may have walked out physically shackled, but God had broken the chains that once bound his heart. Jesus walked the the road for him, Jesus suffered the beatings for him, Jesus paid the debt for him - he was free!To free one’s heart is a freedom like no other. The shackles around his heart were replaced with the Cross. He now had the freedom to grow in Christ - change his life - he was free . . .

Thank you Jesus for suffering on that cross, carrying our burdens, and paying our debt.

God's Provison

Years ago many of my friends and family members were prompting me to make a CD of my original music. I dug my heels in for quite some time. I guess deep in my heart I didn't feel I was good enough for something like that. After many prompts I agreed that I would pray about it and seek confirmation from the Lord. Sure enough after praying about it one evening, the next morning I found in the scripture to "publish my works. Sing to the world a new song."

At that moment I truly felt the Lord say that I should move forward with this project - and so I did. I raised all of the support that I needed for the project except the last $1,000.00. Suddenly everything came to a halt. At first I waited patiently but then when the months started passing by I became worried. After six months I started pleading - After nine months passed, I started trying to figure out who I could call and borrow the money from - and as it drew closer to a year I started getting angry - and with God! I became a complete mess. At the same time this was going on, no one called and asked, "Where's my CD?" No one harassed me for their product. No one approached me about any of that - they simply waited for it to come forward. After wrestling about the funds and coming to the conclusion that I could do nothing about it - I simply gave up. I surrendered. I threw my hands up in the air. I put the breaks on all of my dysfunctional emotions and released them to the Lord.

Sometimes our journey lessons do not come easily. Sometimes our journey moments and lessons are a process and take a little longer than we would like. The Israelites spent 40 years in the desert. They received lesson after lesson and yet so often they didn't "get it." Their lessons were difficult and trying. Their lessons involved becoming emotional, waiting upon the Lord, and trusting; something we all struggle with.

But God is God and all of His wisdom is greater than our thoughts or minds and we do not get to see the big picture of the puzzle until He reveals it. About a week after I surrendered everything to the Lord, I received a phone call from a woman, an older woman, who had no idea I was doing a recording project. She simply said, "Tina, I have something I would like to bring over for you."

It is not unusual for us to receive pies and goodies like that - being a pastor's family. She rang the door bell, I waited, and she handed me an envelop. She told me that she would have had it sooner but was waiting on it to come in. I didn't know what "it" was until I opened the envelop and saw the check written for $1,000.00. My heart sank. I cried. I felt horrible that I had put up such a fit about the finances when the Lord had it all figured out after all.

You see - during that waiting period, God placed upon the heart of another to bless me. He was waiting on her to act on that - she was waiting on the money so that she could act - and the Lord blessed me on the project in the meantime. God is good. He does know what He is doing. He will take care of you.

May your journey this week be a journey of hearing and waiting patiently upon the Lord - and may you see the miracle when it arrives.