My Life in Red and White

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." (Psalm 84:11) "The LORD is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness." (Psalm 145:8) NASB "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy." (Psalm 103:8) "Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;" (Exodus 34:6) I've been thinking for a few years about doing blog posts on songs that I'm listening to at a particular time; songs that have ministered to me in a particular season and helped me walk through some though times - but it's just been a thought.  Today, I decided to start that first blog post on these songs. For lack of creativity or bursting ingenuity, I'll call these posts 'Song Alert'. So to...

T here remains therefore a rest for the people of God. Hebrews 4:9 Sitting at home and listening to the rain pouring down, the winds howling and the thunder blasting, seeing the lighting crack the dark skies, I am reminded of the state of my heart. Trouble, rumblings, worries, decisions... my storm raging inside a worse picture of that outside my window. Then a word drops in my heart ... "there remaineth a rest". And I am reminded, that there is more to life than worries and sorrows, there is more than excitement and motion, sometimes in focusing on 'doing' we loose sight of who God has called us to 'be'. There may be situations of conflict, turmoil, storms raging within and without... but this promise we have from God, that 'there is a rest for the the people of God'.  This rest is provided for us by God and we choose to enter it... a place of ceasing from all our 'works', from 'doing'; a place of transition to that state of ...

I love my devotional. It's outdated and filled with christian virtues people no longer pursue. It focuses on building strength of character as a christian, dependence on God and complete trust in His will. This is really what I need for daily survival in today's world. But I also love the fact that God uses my dear old devotional to speak to me in amazing ways that are so relevant.  Yesterday, I had a conversation with a friend about being at my 'wits end' and so I was going to hand everything over to God. She looked at me, smiled, and said,  'isn't that what God really wants?'  'For us to hand over things to Him from the beginning? and not wait until we run out of steam?'  I smiled back and wondered. Really wondered for a while at her words and the truth behind the simple questions.  We are taught to be independent as children. Raised in a manner that we can 'stand' on our own. Be independent in thought... question, critique, find ou...

Somewhere between the sand dunes and the ocean waves my heart cried out to you. Somewhere between the motions of daily life and the quest for something greater. Somewhere in the middle of trying to find my balance, They say 'it's out there'... but I've been searching for it for a while. Somehow, I needed a break and I went in search of it. Boa Vista... 48 hours of bliss! Lounging on the beach, walking in the sand dunes. Wondering, walking, wandering... Like those diving for lost treasure, in my heart somewhere is a treasure I've lost sight of. A treasure, I had lost sight of. My vision, askew. My focus, dim. A treasure, I had lost sight of. Wondering, walking, wandering.... I called out to You. My heart longed for you, this priceless treasure, the connection I had with you, to hear your voice, To see your face, To walk with you To wonder at you To wander with you To be lost in your awe and wonder. And so my heart called out to you, from its d...