Have you Seen an Angel Lately?

In my morning quiet time, I read about Paul sailing, as a prisoner, to Italy. The blustering winds grew in strength causing the deep waters to rise up against the ship. Though Paul tried to warn the crew about the storm, the leaders of the vessel dismissed him and moved forward.

After several days of “taking a beating” from the violent storm, the crew lost all hope that any of them would be saved. Paul, and his gracious heart, stood before them and said, “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.” (Acts 27:21-26 NIV)

 Can you hear Paul’s’ heart? In the midst of the storm and drastic situation, he encouraged. His thoughts moved away from his own predicament and he focused on ministering to others – to their needs, emotions, and spiritual well being. He also understood one other thing – the crew had not eaten in quite some time. He was concerned about their physical well being. He understood they needed strength – physically and spiritually.

 I was six months pregnant with my youngest son when we moved to Lipan Texas. My husband was called to serve as the lead pastor of a church in that little Texas town. We were excited but I wasn’t used to driving twenty minutes to reach the grocery store – or any other store for that matter.

 A few days after our first week there, we drove to the nearest town and found a pizza place for dinner. We stepped inside; dim lights hung overhead and we realized we were too late for lunch and too early for dinner - no wonder the restaurant appeared empty.  As we followed the waitress to our seats, I noticed one other couple huddled in a far corner off to the right of us. The woman in the corner stared as we passed by. I thought nothing of it - people stare at pregnant women.  

 We looked through the menu and at some point I noticed the woman still staring. I smiled and looked away. She smiled too. I felt it odd we were the only ones in the place. Time passed and I noticed the woman continued to stare. I squirmed in my seat, swiped my hair to the side, and wondered what her problem was.

 After the waitress took our order, I inhaled a deep breath and exhaled the stress of being pregnant. I grabbed a sip of cool water and out of the corner of my eye, saw the woman approaching.  Before we could say a word she said, “You two are Christians aren’t you?” 

 “Yes we are,” my husband responded.

 How did she know that? I pondered.   She didn’t see us praying over our food because it hadn’t arrived. It left me baffled.

 My husband began his long spill of being the new pastor at the church. She seemed uninterested. Upon his first breath and pause, she turned from him, looked toward me, and said, “The road ahead of you is going to be difficult, but don’t be afraid. God wants you to know that He will be with you.”

 Speechless. Stunned. I had no idea how to respond. I simply said, “Thank you.” And then she left as swiftly as she came.

“Was she an angel?” I wondered. “What was that about?” For days her words consumed my thoughts. What kind of difficulty would I endure?  Who was she?

 This morning the Lord reminded me, once again, of that incredible moment - when He spoke to me through someone I'd like to call an angel. He did the same for Paul when he sent an angel his way to say, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul.  “You must stand trial before Caesar.”  You – Paul – You're going to have to stand trial and the road ahead is going to be difficult, but don’t be afraid. And the men on the ship? Well – they’re going to be okay too.

 That season I did go through many difficult and trying days. The Lord’s message encouraged me more than I ever imagined it could. It became the hope I grabbed hold of and clung to with my whole being.  

 Years later I was asked to lead worship for a women’s conference on the Island of Malta. What a beautiful and glorious place! I sat by the Mediterranean ocean and watched the powerful waves hit against the large stone walls. With such force and intensity the water flew above the fifteen foot barriers sending droplets of water my way.  My thoughts turned toward Paul and his unbelievable adventure . . . and that in the end. . . God brought him through a great storm. God will do the same for us. He’ll even send us those amazing and miraculous messages to sustain us along the way.  

May Your Journey Be Filled With God's Sustaining Message

God Bless America Revisited

This morning I watched BeBe Winans sing God Bless America on Good Morning America. As the beautiful rich tone in his voice echoed from the platform, I began to focus on the lyrics. He sang the song in such a way it almost forced me to think about the words. The song, we have mouthed the words to a million times and half-heartedly vocalized, suddenly tugged at my heart.


Could this be my prayer? Could I say the words and truly focus on the meaning of them for the first time in my life - without being in church, a sports function, or event? Afterwards I sat in the silence and sung the words in my own way - with no vocal sound - no crowd of people - and no hurry to get it over - just myself and the Lord.


Father God - please bless America,


This land, that not only I love, but that you love, you created, you designed.

Lord, thank you that you never leave us. Please continue to stand beside us Lord - guiding us through every crisis, turmoil, and destruction.

From the Rocky Mountains in my back yard Lord - to the  prairies that extend far beyond our vision.

Bless our sweet homes Lord -nestled deep in the snow drifts of Alaska to the tall pines of Texas,

Down to the oceans, flowing white with strength and power.

God bless us - Lord -  please bless us.

We need you Lord -

We need you.

Bless America Lord.

May Your Journey Be Filled With Prayers for Our Country

Let God Remind

Franklin D Roosevelt once said, "We Americans of today, together with our allies, are passing through a period of supreme test. It is a test of courage - resolve - of our wisdom - our essential democracy."

Truly, as we fix our eyes upon this great country, we can't help but take in those seasons of deep suffering, conflict, and change. As we reflect back upon a country once founded on Biblical principles it breaks our hearts to feel as if it is slipping away.

I stand and passionately ask, "What is happening to our country Lord!"

It is easy to fear the present and the future  -

But God Reminds, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Can we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Heb. 13:5-6)

It is easy to lose sight of  how our founding fathers tried to shape this land for the better only to have it changed so much -

But God Reminds, "I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10)

And as our hearts sink at the devastations, destruction, and losses, we wonder where our Lord is hiding -

But God Reminds, "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him." (Psalm 37:7)

And so we take the words Franklin D Roosevelt said in the midst of his great crises and remind ourselves that it is a time to have great courage, wisdom, and resolve. We still have our freedom. We still have our Lord.

Let God Remind us to stand on the foundation Christ set for us. . . "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." No one can take that away. No one can stop us from drawing near to God and grabbing hold of the freedom we find in and through Him.

 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, THERE IS FREEDOM!"

2 Corinthians 3:17

May Your Journeys Be Filled with FREEDOM

Burning Desire to Praise

What is it about a sunset or sunrise that takes our breaths away? The glistening glow hanging overhead captures us. It is the hand that controls it that grabs my attention.

I stand in its grandeur - I stand in awe - I stand and allow the view to penetrate my soul.

My eyes receive its glorious splendor

My body swells with emotion - - not only of its magnificence but of its love - - yes a love for the one who created it.

The colors sift through my flesh - floating deep within - like a cloud. It is lovely in every way.

I praise Him oh my soul!

I picture Him there 

The great artist from above painting on His large canvas

The mountain burns like fire

I feel its warmth  

The heavens, the sky, the clouds - - they all praise him 

I praise Him

"Praise the Lord. 

Praise the Lord, you his servants;
praise the name of the Lord.
Let the name of the Lord be praised,
both now and forevermore. 
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the Lord is to be praised.

The Lord is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens. 
Who is like the Lord our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,  
who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?"

Psalm 113

A Call Worth Making

This past week while working on a chapter for my book, I read something I had read a million times, worked through something I had heard preached more than once, and understood the miracle of the moment - yet again. But this time something struck me in a different way.

Lazarus died and was raised from the dead.  With great authority - Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  (John 11:43 NIV)  Lazarus came forward without hesitation. While driving home that day I thought about the details of that moment. In the silence I heard God say, "I can do the same for others."

"You can do what Lord, " I asked.

"Speak it - Proclaim it - Believe it, " He said.

Suddenly I heard the words being shouted at me, "Come out! Come out!"

I understood this, I had heard it said before, I believe it can happen - but this time it was different. God said fill in the blank   "                       Come out!"

Whatever it is that we are struggling with - having a hard time living with - "Come Out!"

Sickness - Fear, Depression - "Come Out!"

Sadness - Loss - Isolation - "Come Out!"

Insecurities - Anger - Disappointments - "Come out!"

Bitterness - Jealousy - Anxiety - "Come Out!"

Rise up and speak it with conviction and an overwhelming desire to have it. Speak it in Jesus' Name! Through Christ it can happen. Want it - fight for it. Jesus wants to free us from the dark tomb where we have kept those things buried and raise us up to live - just like he did for Lazarus. Make the call my friend -

I can't imagine what went through Lazarus' mind when he walked out of the dark tomb and into the glorious light. Now that was a moment worth living.

May Your Journey Be Filled With Living 

Angry Daddy Protecting His Young

"Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.
Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
“He won’t call me to account”?
But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless."

Psalm 10: 12-14

Can you see the Lord rising up in our defense?

Can you see the Lord lifting His hand?

As I read this scripture I could just see God rising up and lifting his massive hand. Like a mother hen who ruffles her feathers to protect her young, like a mother bear protecting her cubs, like a rhino, or large mother elephant that have killed other animals and people to protect their babies – all of these have risen up in their own ways. But in truth I cannot even fathom the sight of such a powerful God rising up to protect His children. The Psalmist paints an amazing picture of what it might look like . . .

"In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.

The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry.

Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky.  Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, LORD, at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me."

Psalm 18

May Your Journey Be Filled with God's Protection

Snow

The Lord speaks in so many ways. One way I find the Lord speaks and teaches me is through my children. My oldest son is all grown up now - well almost - he's 16. When he was a little boy, the Lord revealed something to me through a journey moment. We lived in the Ft. Worth area of Texas. After living there several years, no snow had fallen, not one flake. Our winters weren't much of a winter. One particular Christmas the Lord revealed himself in an amazing way to one small child.

Snow:

On this crisp Christmas Eve, my five year old son and I threw on a light jacket and headed into town to rent a video game for him to play. Jaren and his tender quiet spirit rode gently next to me and I adored the time with him. His beautiful blondish hair and blue green eyes could brighten any winter day.

After our quest had been accomplished, we made our way back home enjoying the season of the colorful lights around the homes. Silence was broken when I heard, “Mom, I wish it would snow.”

I wholeheartedly agreed. I too wanted to see snow but reminded him that it doesn’t snow very much in Texas. In fact, it had not snowed where we lived in many years. If we were to get any snow at all, it would be a flurry or two. Now gazing back out our windows at the beautiful scenery I said, “Look at the rain, if it were cold enough it would be snowing right now.” I could see Jaren’s little mind working.

With such conviction he piped, “We could pray for snow!”

“Yes,” I said and before I knew it his plan was set in motion.

“Mom, you pray for it to be cold enough and I’ll pray for it to snow.”

I said okay and continued driving. He gave me a look and I asked, “Right now?”

“Yes! Right now!” he said bouncing around in his seat.


I asked if it would be okay to pray with our eyes open this time and he agreed that it would be fine. I prayed first. I asked God to please bring the cold. When I finished I heard, out of the mouth of a five-year-old, the most precious prayer. It was a prayer of faith and kindness. It was a simple prayer of a child wanting so desperately to see the beauty of the snow for the very first time.

As we finished, I began to try to explain to Jaren that sometimes God answers our prayers right away and sometimes he does not. I really did not want him to be disappointed if it didn’t snow that night. He just looked at me and smiled.

The next morning I was awakened by my youngest son Zach.

“Mom! It’s snowing!”

I immediately jumped out of bed, rushed to the window, and peered through the cold haze. To my surprise, it was snowing! I gazed upon the biggest snowflakes I had ever seen in Texas. I could not believe my eyes! It really was snowing! On Christmas Day!

My father, who was with us that Christmas, went into Jaren’s room to wake him, knowing he would be excited to see the snow. No one in the house knew that we had prayed for snow the day before. Neither Jaren nor I had watched the news that prior evening.

My father patted his back, “Jaren, wake up. It’s snowing outside!”

Jaren sat up in the bed. He looked at his grandfather, and without running to the window, he smiled and simply said, “I know.”

The Tear Drop

Have you ever been in the midst of an emotional mess and at that precise moment God did something extraordinary? We all have those moments where our emotions get the better of us.

While on their journey through the desert, the Israelites faced many emotional moments. Most of those moments were directed toward Moses, whom many of them thought must have been losing his mind. The Israelites rose up against Moses time and again. My heart ached for Moses. I can't even imagine how he must have felt, after all he was only trying to follow God and the task at hand was something he really did not want to do.

What happens to us during those emotional times? Can God indeed speak to us when we are falling apart? Can the Lord reach out and whisper, touch us, and embrace us? Of course he can and does. Sometimes it is not in the way we expect.

The Tear Drop

I had never been to Breckenridge Colorado, but had opportunity to go on this particular weekend. This little cottage town nestled deep within the mountains and blanketed in white absolutely took my breath away. Skiers and snowboarders, wrapped in their warm ski suits, lined the sidewalks. The Christmas lights gave off a festive appearance and warm glow. The buildings were draped in color and beautiful carvings seeped through the soft snow that embraced them. It was a lovely place.

I stayed at a quaint bed and breakfast just off the main street. The manager said, “You must go and see the ice sculptures.” I did and was again in awe at the grand statues. They were glorious! What artistry and gifted craftsmanship.

The next day I spent all day at the wonderful Agape Outpost Chapel. I had a wonderful time at the conference and then it was time to make my way home. It snowed all day causing a lovely white to swathe the trees and the homes. At one point the snow started to fall harder and I became worried about getting down the mountain. I wanted to make it down before dark but I was too late.

 I could hardly see the road  due to the snow. The roads were icy and dangerous. I made it through the tunnel and then the road started to descend. I turned the radio on and listened to worship music. I too worshiped in the car as I was making my way down the mountain. It was a glorious sight – grand and filled with God’s greatness – a scene that is truly difficult to explain.

I looked out over the magnificent mountains with the snow falling and a part of me feared the height and blizzard like condition while another part of me wanted to stop the car and bow down to the Creator and Most High King. In the midst of my passion to bow down to the Father and my fear of driving in the snow, a song came on the radio. Natalie Grant’s “Better Hands Now” song moved me to tears; not just the song, but the presence of the Lord and the awe of His beauty. I began to weep – and weep – and for a time I had difficulty seeing.

I called my husband and pulled myself together. I needed to get out of the snow but the presence of the Lord was amazing. The road coiled until eventually the snow stopped and civilization surfaced. All was well and all was dry. After traveling a ways father, peace filled the car and I knew I would soon reach home. But then something unusual happened, the very song I heard while on the mountains came on the radio once more. Once again I was moved with emotion. 

 “What is wrong with me Lord?” The words growled from my soul. I was a blubbering mess! The Lord was truly speaking to me through that song and His presence was evident.
Suddenly while trying to wipe away my tears so that I could see the road. I heard a sound. It was a thump on the windshield. One large drop of rain fell from the sky and landed on the windshield right in front of me. It wasn’t ice, it wasn’t snow, and it wasn’t water from my car. Startled, I looked closer to see the tear trickle down the windshield as if a tear trickling down someone’s cheek. I felt, at that very moment, that it might be a teardrop from God! He too was crying! I started laughing and crying all at the same time! I’m sure the people passing me thought I was some kind of crazy woman.

At that very moment God reminded me that when our hearts are stirred, God’s heart is stirred too. God reminded me that when we are moved with emotion – He is too! And so often we are moved because of the Lord’s presence. It all goes together!
When we experience the Lord’s presence it is an amazing moment. Those moments happen at different times in our lives and we must take hold of them and hang on to them. Let us never forget that God’s love is truly unique. His expression is amazing and he does speak to us in the most unusual ways.

The Journey of Hearing From God

One of the questions I get asked more than any other is "How can we know that God is speaking to us?" "How do I follow God's direction?" "I don't feel God around me."



Tough questions - sometimes the Lord reveals Himself so clearly that it is almost impossible to miss while other times are more subtle. Of course we can't always base our feelings on what might truly be happening when we say, "I don't feel God around me." Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God says that God speaks by the "Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church." But I have found that God uses other things to speak to us as well.



I know that to hear Him more clearly on a daily basis it must begin with a relationship. Building the relationship and becoming familiar with God's teachings and scriptures gives us a better opportunity to hear and recognize those moments when he is speaking. Can God speak to you if you do not have a relationship with Him? Of course He can. God uses many ways to get our attention. From there - the relationship begins and we learn to tune into God's voice.



Mothers are particularly good at keeping track of their small children. When a mother wakes her child for the day and leaves them to get ready while she works in the kitchen to prepare lunches or breakfast does she stop tuning into what her child is doing? Most would say no. One ear is usually tuned to the rattling of the dresser drawers, the squeaking closet doors, and running water in the bathroom. Even though a mother is busy about her work, she is still tuned into what her child is doing. In the same sense when a child is playing gleefully next to its mother while she sits and visits with a friend, what do think would happen if the mother rose up and started to walk away? You guessed it - a panic stricken toddler following after. Even though the child was playing, it was still tuned into its mother.



I believe that God does that with His children. Even though He is busy about His work - he is tuned into what we are doing, how we are feeling, what is going on in our heart . . . and at just the right moment - He speaks. Although it may not always be in the way we expect.







Bathroom Mirror



After returning home from a long day my husband snapped at me. I knew he was under a great deal of stress as senior pastor of our church and had practically been up all night working on a paper for seminary. “What gave him the right to snap at me?” I asked myself. Boy was I being selfish and childish. Not realizing that this was a day that my mate needed 90 percent from me, I only gave ten. I was upset and decided that I would show him! Amidst my childish behavior, I found my Bible and marched loudly to the bathroom. I dug deep into my makeup case and pulled out the brightest tube of lipstick I could find. I started at the top left-hand corner of the bathroom mirror and wrote in big bold letters, “LOVE IS PATIENT, LOVE IS KIND, LOVE IS NOT EASILY ANGERED!” I stepped back to take a thoughtful look at my masterpiece and decided it would do the trick - get his attention.

I left my graffiti, walked out, and then began to wait. I waited for the pleasant apology. I waited for the deserved hug and warm embrace. I waited . . . and waited . . . and waited. “Any minute now,” I thought. Time passed as I watched my husband enter in and exit out of the bathroom door all the while never saying a word about the scripture on the mirror. As usual, his attitude softened and his apology came but still with no mention of what I had done. I wanted to ask him if he had noticed the mirror. In my stubbornness, I chose not to be the first to bring it up. I decided to make sure it sank in so I left the scripture on the mirror for about a month or so. Well, God does have a sense of humor.

Back then, my children were younger and demanded more attention from me and in my attempt to escape to get a few minutes to myself, I would retreat to the bathroom to count to ten or catch my breath. As I stood at the sink, I would look up at that mirror and read what I had written. What was intended for someone else became my rescue. It relaxed me on mornings when little hands were pounding on the door while I was getting ready for work. “Love is patient.” It was a soothing balm when I became tired and felt like snapping. “Love is kind.” It became a reminder for me when my temper was short and I felt the tension rising in my soul. “Love is not easily angered.” It was a teaching tool for me and to this day I am still learning to follow that scripture. I had no idea when I scribbled it on the mirror that day that I was actually writing it for myself - but God knew and at just the right moment . . . He spoke.





As you venture out on your journey with God strive to build that relationship. That is one of the first steps you can take in learning to hear God's voice as well as moving forward and having the journey you so desire. Look for Him to speak to you through His word - however He may choose to do so. . . Look for those Journey Moments.