Blanket Victory

Are you an early riser or a night owl?  When you have a 7 yr old and a 14 yr old you have to be both!  Admittedly, I am ready to check out by 10 p.m.  There are no more brain cells left, patience is empty, and energy level begins to bottom out.  In the morning the only thought on my mind is reconnecting with my coffee pot!  While the java is brewing I putz around the house tidying up and going through piles, fluffing pillows, just mindless programming that gets my day in order.  Then when the glorious moment arrives and the aroma tweaks my brain cells I pour the first cup, grab my bible bag and head for the dining room table.  I like to sit by the back window and watch the sky change colors and see what birds visit the bird feeder.  It is the most peace-filled part of my entire day!  I love it.  I sit there until the stirrings of my house begin.  Then I sit some more.  I spread out all my stuff ( I love my stuff) which includes:  my bible, my journal, my devotionals or bible study book, my daytimer, and of course my coffee. 

AHHH, so so sweet are these moments.  One thing I have learned about quiet time is distractions will positively come, usually in the form of your thoughts.  That is why I keep my daytimer with me so when I think of something that needs to get done or a phone call I need to make or whatever else, I quick jot it down and move on.  Sometimes I use a devotional that jump starts my quiet time.   Then I pray, say good morning to the Lord and ask him to illuminate a verse that He has for me that day.  Right now I am working through an organized 365 daily reading bible that has an Old Testament excerpt, New Testament excerpt, a Psalm, and a Proverb.  I will take notes as I am reading to things that stand out to me or maybe a scripture verse that I want to memorize, or maybe one that a friend might need to know.  Whatever is speaking to my heart I write it in my journal.  Things vary over time; I switch books and bibles to keep things fresh.  Last year I taught my kids how to read scripture using the form S.O.A.P.: scripture, observations, application, and prayer.  Here is an example, first pick a verse or small chapter, for now I will use Psalm 5:3:

S----"In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."
O----There is something special about the morning.  The day is fresh, our thoughts are fresh, and there is a clean slate before us.  I can share with God the things that will fill my day and ask Him to ordain what happens and what doesn't.  I can go into the day with God, hand-in-hand, having thought about the important pieces and perhaps reorganizing things that can wait.
A----I need blanket victory!!! (especially when it is cold and dark in the morning and my bed is so warm and snuggly).  I remember how much better my days are when I start them off with the Lord, because for me, if it doesn't happen first thing in the morning, it doesn't happen at all.  Let's face it; the tyranny of the urgent is tugging at me constantly!
P----Father God I love to spend the morning with you.  Seeing the sky change from blues to purples to hints of pinks (that I know you make just for me, pink is my signature color!) to the opening of the sun casting its welcome on our home.  Help me to have blanket victory and throw off the covers and get to the table of grace where you wait patiently for me.  Thank you that your mercies are new every morning, thank you for a new day. Amen.
That is one idea, or maybe you could do a word study, or reference the scriptures in the side bar that take you around the bible where that same idea is explained.  Perhaps you will have a bible study book that you are working through that helps you dive deeper into the word.  Did you know that there are 31 Proverbs, you could read one each day of the month.  The ideas are endless really; I would love it if you would share yours!

The Cross

Easter is in about 5 short weeks.  I remember one Easter we had attended a sunrise service out by a pond.  It was chilly and foggy that morning.  A decent size crowd had gathered and there was quiet anticipation in the air.  My oldest, who was about 4 at the time, looked out over the pond as the fog rolled around and said in his outside voice, "Mommy, look-I think I see the Holy Spirit!" 
My friend Lynnette told me that Easter was her favorite holiday and as Christians the most important one we celebrate.  I had to think about that at first because I am a zealot for Christmas.  Easter is so deep and profound that you really have to take the time to journey to the cross, through the bible, to wrap yourself around all that Easter entails.  It really is the crux of what we believe as followers.  I started a book last Easter called Preparing My Heart for Easter by Ann Marie Stewart.  I worked through about half of it during my quiet time.  I have been looking forward to completing the study this Easter.  She is an excellent historian and really captures Christ's footsteps to the cross.  The study also focuses on the women who followed Jesus during His life and death and you get absorbed in finding yourself among these women.  So if you are looking to prepare your heart for Easter, cozy up with this book, I think you will really enjoy it! 

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV

You know that I have asked all of you to entrust me with your prayer requests.  I have one for you.  A sweet precious friend named Macey is in the hospital again.  She is 8 years old and has had major surgeries over the years.  Her intentines have been removed as well as everything connected to them.  She has sepsis and major complications I can't even go into at this point.  She has the spirit of an angel and is an inspiration to behold.  If you think about it, would you pray for her and her family.
They and I would covet your petitions of her behalf.

Blessings,
E.W.

The Invitation

It is nothing short of a miracle my parents survived raising me.  Yep, my middle name was trouble and if I didn't find it then it found me.  I hung out with my teachers in high school, a 27yr old (with a really nice car) took me to my senior prom, and I lived in my own soap-opera (diva, drama, and devious all rolled up).  Madonna was my role model, not this one:

But the "Ladies with an attitude, fellows that were in the mood, don't just stand there, let's get to it, strike a pose, there's nothing to it" one.  Yikes!  I believed there was a God, but not one who could know someone like me.  While in college I fell in love and married in 4 short months.  I graduated, got a teaching job and everything, absolutely everything fell apart.  My husband's son from his first marriage was hospitalized with cancer.  He passed away a few short months later.  The pain and turmoil that entered him was a force to be reckoned with.  We fought terribly and regularly.  About a year later I left.  I spent that summer walking in a haze wondering what had become of my life.   He agreed to counseling and that fall we picked up somewhat where we left off.  I got pregnant and toward the end of my pregnancy came to breaking point.  I had been attending church on and off and the message was starting to take hold of me.  I clearly remember sitting at my dining room table writing thank you notes from a baby shower and started crying.  How could I possibly become a mother and raise a baby when my marriage was so broken.  I could not, but I knew someone who could.  I committed myself to Jesus right there.  "I can't do this alone, nor do I want to, but I understand that You want to be a  part of this mess."  That Sunday I went to church and was baptized, 9 months pregnant!  I accepted Christ's invitation of complete renewal and restoration and began a new life.  I needed to read the bible over and over because my way of living was not in the same grove as God's and I needed to know what changes had to happen.  I was very eager for this living water; I had been thirsty for 25 years!  I faithfully prayed for my husband to come to know my Savior, but the more I tried to talk with him, the angrier he got.  I felt the Lord tell me, "talk more to Me about hubby, and less to hubby about Me."  It was about 2 years later that he did finally accept Christ's invitation as his Lord and Savior.  Oh what a glorious day that was!  He literally went down in that baptism water a dead man and came up a new creation.  That began our new journey in our marriage.  Because we went through such horrible turmoil, we  now have the privilege to mentor married couples.  God is so faithful, so amazing, and so good!   I don't worship any Madonna now; I worship the one, true God.  15 years ago I accepted an invitation that forever changed my life.  That same invitation is for everyone. 

This Sunday a friend of mine is preparing to accept that invitation.   My heart is beating in anticipation of this forthcoming glorious moment.  In our family devotions this morning I told my children I would be fasting from my favorite treat, dark chocolate, on behalf of my friend who will no doubt be met with unseen spiritual warfare this week.  I was surprised when my oldest said that he would also fast from his favorite video for the week as well.  My other 2 committed to prayer every time they picked up their favorite activity.  We have been memorizing scripture this school year and every week we have a new one.  This week our verse is from 1 Tim 4:7b, "Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness."  One element of spiritual fitness is fasting, so this week we are honing that discipline.  Being spiritually fit is a daily quest.  Warrior's must prepare and practice just like the Olympic athlete's.  Reading God's Word, memorizing scripture, meeting weekly to worship at church, and fasting is how we get in shape for the tough times ahead.  I pray you will take time today to get in some training.  Blessings, E.W.

Good Morning Sunshine!

Infinite, glorious, majestic, creator of all the earth; Lord you amaze me!  Did you realize that God is in the business of repetition?  He is monotonous, and He loves to be monotonous!  What do you think of when that 'm' word comes to mind?  Nothing positive I'm sure.  Think about this; everyday the Lord says, "Okay sun, it is time to rise again!"  And so the sun does.  Everyday he tells the oceans to wave, the flowers to bloom, and the seasons to change.  Just the thought of all the snow we have and that God made every snowflake different makes me wonder.  Now I ask you, do you think He delights in this task?  Would you?  Somehow we have bought into being inanimate about reoccurrences that visit everyday!  When we bought our home 11 years ago I was so excited.  I wanted to clean it and care for it.  Over time I met the chore with dread and disinclination.  My house was the same; it was my attitude that had changed.  Reminding myself of that puts things back into perspective.  I am really glad to have a home to keep up and care for!  Same thing goes for repeating for the umpteenth time for child A to brush their teeth, having a sink full of dirty dishes, wiping up mudding paw-prints in the fall, reminding someone again of an obligation, tucking in a child who calls for you just one more time, climbing into bed to snuggle up with a book and hubby's looking to snuggle up to you!  The list goes on doesn't it?  Again I need to remind myself that I adore my husband, I love being a mom, and I need to be useful and helpful.  The enemy gets us thinking it's MY time, MY space, MY needs, and MY energy to be spent how I choose.  Hmmm, how many times did you need a 2nd chance at something, a reminder, a little grace, a little nudge?  So here is the great part of God's blessed monotony.  Over and over and over he forgives us, loves us in spite of our selfishness, and prompts us to try again. 

 Philippians 1:6 NIV
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.


God is so faithful to work with us as we are.  He is patient to keep working with us, cheering us on, and wanting what is best for us.  Me too, that is what I want for myself and all my loved ones.  Today I want to encourage you to keep being consistent, to keep the big picture in mind, to embrace gratitude for the repetitions that come your way everyday! 

Standing in the Gap

Reading through Ezekiel is rather dreadful-such naughty people (and in BIG trouble)!  In the 22nd chapter it says, "I searched for someone who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one."  That caught my attention.  Jeremiah 5:1 helped, "if you can find a man, if there is anyone who does justice, who seeks the truth, then I will pardon her."  God is looking for honest and true people.  This wall is not one of stone but of faithfulness.  We continue to move further and further away from the precepts America was built upon.  If the Lord searched America over whom would he find that stands in the gap?  To me standing in the gap is praying!  I am not a political gal by nature, I am learning though.  Frankly, the more I hear in the news the more my heart is broken, and that is just little 'ol me, what is God thinking about all of this?  Abortions, terrorists, tolerance, smooth-talkers in white houses, wars, and the list goes on and on. Our country needs a total spiritual reconstruction!  When we give the appearance of loving God without living his way, we are covering up sins that could eventually damage us beyond repair!  My voice may be small in how my senator responds to my emails but my voice is HUGE when I pray and intercede for my country.  Will you join me?