21,000 DAYS

It's a significant number.

Let me tell you what it means.

I was reading a post the other day about the importance of walking with the Lord – and how it really doesn't matter whether it's only been one day or 10,000…

I got to thinking about that.

I've been a believer since I was about 3.  I just turned 60.  So, I calculated the days.  It's been in the vicinity of 21,000 days that I've walked with the Lord.

I was kinda shocked.

To try to put the number in perspective, I translated it into miles.  And that would be like walking 57 miles a day for a whole year!  (Which, incidentally, would greatly enhance my plan to lose a pound or two or twenty…just sayin').

21,000.

A rather long journey.

And an adventurous one.

It's been fraught with highs and lows – mountains and valleys and deserts – storm and wilderness and drought.  Moments of faith aflame, and moments of parched doubt.  Soaring victory and treacherous failure.

All serving to weave a quilt full of the patchwork of my life.

All walked with Jesus.

OK, sure, sometimes I've lagged behind or run ahead – or even wandered off for periods of time.

But never, ever have I walked alone.

God's Word promises that.

But what about me?

I know that He is always with me…but am I still with Him?

It's no small question.

Plenty of people start out strong in their loyalty to our Savior.  But sometimes, somewhere along the line, life invades that Garden of Eden perfect picture of unity.

Something changes inside…

And the walk with Him is abandoned.

Some only leave for a season.  Some never return.  Some were never on the path in the first place, not really.

But what about me?

Some detours along the way, but I've been walking 21,000 days.

Now, please know that I am NOT bragging here.  This is no "accomplishment" on my part.  This is nothing to "brag" about.  If anything, let it be a testimony to the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father.

What did Paul say?

"If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD."

So, it is all Him.

And yet, there is a choice on my part, too.  For God is the ultimate gentleman.  He never forces people to follow Him, nor to worship Him.  He gives His awful and wonderful gift of free will, and then He lets us choose.

When I was but a child of three, I chose Him.

And I can honestly say I have never regretted nor abandoned my choice.

Yes, I am still with Him.

And this is a particularly sweet victory in the middle of one of the hardest years in my life.


So, what does it mean to stay with Him?

It means a lot of things.  I'm listing some of what it means to me…

Communication – talking to Him, crying to Him, ranting to Him.

Reading His Word – letting His words sink into my heart and permeate my thoughts.

Fellowship – joining with others, not neglecting the Body of Christ.

Worship – never forgetting His holiness and glory.

Praise – telling Him how wonder-full I think He is (even when I'm mad at Him – maybe especially when I'm mad at Him…)

Awe – never forgetting Who's really in charge.

Denying myself – yup, all that personal cross-carrying stuff.

Discipleship – following, always following, after Him.

Hope – Holding On (with) Perseverance (and) Endurance

And yes, JOY – Jesus, Only You.


I guess as I reflect on my lifelong journey with the Lord, this is what it means for me to walk 21,000 days.

It means choosing Him, even when I don't feel like it, even when I don't see my way clear, even when I can only sit in the middle of the road and cry.

It means choosing Him one day at a time.

And what of that choice?

Does it matter?

Oh my, yes.

It matters for me, this is without doubt.  But I also think it has huge ramifications in the spiritual realm.

What does it mean when we choose to stay with Him?

Does it affect the enemy of our souls?

Oh, indeed, I think it does.

My paraphrase of a popular thought:

"Be the type of person that when your feet hit the floor each morning, the devil says, 'Oh no!  They're up!'"

Lately, it's been more like me saying this – "Oh no.  I'm up."  As in, oh dear, it's another day.

However, even in that state of mind, I'm still choosing to follow the Lord.

And THAT, my friends, is what I think scares the enemy.


Job, sitting in a pile of rags, festering with boils, taunted by friends, and light years away from God’s comfort…

Even then – Job was SCARY!

This statement: "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him…" (Job13:15, NIV)


Esther, willing to take a life-or-death stand against a treacherous enemy…

Even then – Esther was SCARY!

This statement: "And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king.  If I must die, I must die." (Esther 4:16, NLT)


Paul, who was put in prison, whipped times without number, faced death again and again, was stoned, shipwrecked three times, set adrift at sea, and faced danger from friends and enemies alike….

Even then – Paul was SCARY!

This statement: "Just as it is written, 'FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.'  But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:36-37, NASB)


And, even though the thought scares me somewhat, I also want to be SCARY to the devil.

I want my faith to be intimidating to him.

My choice to keep walking on the Narrow Way might just be winning battles that I don't even know about.

Job never knew about the cosmic chess match happening in the heavens.

But when he chose to hang on to his faith in God – even though he was angry and confused and suffering – I have a feeling that the heavens thundered, "CHECKMATE!"

Not that God needed any help from Job – but something happens when beings with free will CHOOSE to stay loyal.

Have you ever pictured the next moment?

I have.  I can see God look at Lucifer with a smile on His face.  I can see a defeated angel skulking away, with his head hanging low, muttering in disgust and frustration:

"Another human defies me."

Yes, let's do that.


So, it's been around 21,000 days that I've walked with the Lord.  And though the walk has not been easy lately, I'm still here.  Still choosing to follow.  Still loyal to Him.

And I am making trouble in the ranks of those who defy the Living God, and who would love to defeat those He loves.

Don't count me out.

I am still walking…

Whoever says he abides in Him
ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.

Following in His footsteps.

"Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the LORD our God."(Psalm 20:7, NLT)

"In God we have boasted all day long, and we will give thanks to Your name forever.  Selah." (Psalm 44:8, NASB)

"This is what the LORD says:
'Don't let the wise boast in their wisdom,
or the powerful boast in their power,
or the rich boast in their riches.
But those who wish to boast
should boast in this alone:
that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD
who demonstrates unfailing love
and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth,
and that I delight in these things.
I, the LORD, have spoken!'" (Jeremiah 9:23-24, NLT)

"As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world's interest in me has also died." (Galatians 6:14, NLT)

"I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, ESV)

"Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever." (Psalm 23:6, NLT)

How many days have you walked with Him?  Do you think it makes a difference when you choose to walk with Him even during tough times?

Linked today with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, UNFORCED RHYTHMS, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, INSPIRE ME MONDAY, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, UNITE, SOLI DEO GLORIA, TITUS 2 TUESDAYS, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS, WINSOME WEDNESDAY, WHOLEHEARED WEDNESDAY, TELL HIS STORY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, FAITH BARISTA JAM, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, THRIVING THURSDAY, THRIVE AT HOME THURSDAY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAY, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAYS, HEARTS FOR HOME, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS, WHATEVER IS LOVELY, THE FRIDAY FIVE, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, WEEKEND BREW, STILL SATURDAY, RECOMMENDATION SATURDAY, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

I AM A FANATIC

Yes, I am.

A hockey fan-addict.

And my team is the Los Angeles Kings.

Who just won the Stanley Cup, thank you very much.


Wanna hear a story?  (Say yes…you're gonna hear it anyway).

My oldest son got into hockey about 20 years ago.  He's always been a huge sports fan.  Me too.  Of course, like every child born in California, he started out playing soccer.  I think it's a *right of passage* here.  Like you can't grow up unless you've kicked the old white-and-black around for a few seasons.

We never really liked the game too much.  (My sincere apologies to all you World Cup fans…).  So, around 1st grade, my son started playing basketball.  We loved watching the LA Lakers.  Exciting, thrilling…FUN!

However, at some point, my son realized that he was never going to be tall enough to play competitively for long.  (Sorry, my genes stopped at 5' 4"...)

So, hockey came to reign.

He started by playing roller hockey.  We all loved the sport.  It was rough, fast, and explosive.  And, though we lived closer to the fan base of the Anaheim Ducks, we became furious fans of the LA Kings.

Fast-forward about 20 years…

Two seasons ago, I decided to buy my son season tickets for his 30th birthday.  Two seats.  I was lucky enough to be his game buddy most of the time, until he got married!!  ☺

In case you're not a hockey fan, this season was an incredible ride.  The Kings finished the regular season with the record for the least goals scored against them.   And then they started the playoffs by losing three games in a row: 6-3, 7-2, and an OT killer 4-3.  On the brink of elimination, they won four in a row to move on.

The rest is history.  Incredible, exciting, heart-stopping history.


I had the privilege of going with my son to the 2nd game in the finals.

The game in which we were behind by 2 goals, three separate times.  The game in which we finally won in a 2nd (!!) overtime.  The longest (at the time) game in LA Kings history.

And you know, the whole experience just made me think.

I remember sitting in the arena – silent, anxious, hopeless, despairing – the game was lost, I kept thinking.  My son and I didn't speak for over an hour – we were so nervous.  I know it's just a game, but still…

And then, that magic moment came about halfway through the second overtime.  A lightning-quick goal, an eruption in the crowd – against all odds, we had WON!!!

There is something quite thrilling when over 18,000 people simultaneously jump to their feet in ecstatic cheering.  There is something quite thrilling to be one of them!

I laughed, I cried, I hugged my son.  I high-fived tons of surrounding strangers.  United in near defeat, we were now united in sweet victory.


Now, I am always thinking in spiritual terms, you know.

So, this whole experience made me ponder another moment of seeming defeat – The Cross.

I can only imagine the deep despair of Christ's followers, the ones who had had such high hopes.  The ones who watched victory slip out of their hands. Did they whisper amongst themselves, "Wasn't it less than a week ago that He was being praised as our king?  What happened??"

I can imagine their faces – silent, anxious, hopeless, despairing – as they watched, helplessly watched, their Jesus die.

There was no cheering, no cheer, among the many followers of Jesus that day.

There might have been some cheering and high-fives among the followers of the enemy, however.  I'm sure they were quite pleased to have defeated their opponent, and in such a demolishing and demoralizing way.

End of story, right?

Nope.

There's a sort of motto in sports – "It's never over until it's over."  I learned that lesson well in this playoff season with the Kings.

And, a whole bunch of people also learned it when they saw the return of The King!

You see, when I was screaming like crazy at the Kings' win, I was also picturing the throngs of people, and angels, erupting in celebration when Jesus walked out of that tomb!!

Victory!  Sudden and explosive victory!  

Hugs and high-fives in Heaven!

Tears of joy on earth!

Against overwhelming odds, the lowly Man of Sorrows had overcome.  He took the sting out of sin, and destroyed death.


Because of that day, there is another moment coming…

A moment when the *final* victory is won.  When our enemy will be once-and-for-all defeated.  When God will reign forever, and we will all be champions.

Can you imagine being part of the crowd that day?!

On that night in a sports arena in downtown Los Angeles, I did imagine that moment.

And understood that this awesome sports moment had given me a foretaste of something bigger and better that awaits.

A time of momentous victory.

A time when against all odds, against the seeming winning tide of sin in this world, against everything evil, against pain and suffering, against despair and hopelessness, there is coming a BIG OL' WIN!

You know, I think God gave me another insight into the deeper meaning of joy. 

Joy can be found in knowing that there is coming a day when I will be sitting in a throng of multitudes, waiting for God to complete His purposes. Waiting for the culmination of history.  Waiting for God to display His glory and win the victory for His children.

And then, I plan to erupt from my seat, hug and high-five strangers (who are no longer strangers, but dearly beloved saints!) – and cheer along with a throng of people who will now be united in sweet victory…forever!

Salvation has made us all season ticket-holders!!

And I am a Jesus fan-addict!

We are ALL champions in Him! 

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:57, ESV)

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." (Romans 8:37, ESV)

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession..." (2 Corinthians 2:15, ESV)

"For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory." (Deuteronomy 20:4, ESV)

"'I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.'" 
(John 16:33, ESV)

"He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." (Colossians 2:15, ESV)

"The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son." (Revelation 21:7, ESV)

"Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2, ESV)

"Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance..." (Hebrews 9:15, ESV)

"'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.'" (Revelation 22:13, NLT)



In what area of your life do you desperately need a victory?



Linked today with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, UNFORCED RHYTHMS, INSPIRE ME MONDAY, SOLI DEO GLORIA, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, TITUS 2 TUESDAYS, UNITE, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, INSPIRE ME MONDAY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, TELL HIS STORY, WINSOME WEDNESDAY, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, FAITH BARISTA, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, THRIVING THURSDAY, ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, WHATEVER IS LOVELY, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY, THE FRIDAY FIVE, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, STILL SATURDAY, RECOMMENDATION SATURDAY, WEEKEND BREW, GIVE ME GRACE, SUNDAY STILLNESS


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

CODE TO JOY

First of all, I have to thank all of you…

Thank you for your outpouring of well-wishes, encouragement, great counsel, and most of all, for your prayers.  I was humbled and blessed by the presence of all of you as you responded to my post from last week.  It is a tremendous blessing to know that the journey of Christian faith is walked in community.  And I am grateful that I share my steps with faithful soldiers in Blog Land!!  Again, thank you!

Not only did your prayers help me with the anxiety, I believe that they also led directly to an important insight.

As I mentioned, my Word for 2014 is JOY.

And I believe that God gave me a nugget of Truth from His Word just the other day on that exact subject.

Backstory…

I bought a parallel Bible last week on a certain internet site – (Hint, hint: Some big river in South America…)

And when it arrived, I thought I would *break it in* by doing a Bible Pick 'Ems.  (A "Bible Pick 'Ems" is when I randomly open my Bible and read the two pages I've turned to – and then wait to see what God has to say).

Well, at first I was discouraged, because once again I landed in Chronicles! However, God can speak anywhere in His Word, and I believe He did to me.  Here's the passage:

"…it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the LORD…and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the LORD,

'For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever,'

…the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud…for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God."  (2 Chronicles 5:13, 14, ESV)


At first I tried to imagine that scene.

Can you imagine it???

It says that the "priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud." God's awesome glory arrived, and everything came to a standstill.

Were people frightened?  I think so.  An almighty God is a force to be revered in humble fear and awe.

So I picture the roaring and thunderous arrival of God, and the people hushed.  God had returned in full force to live among His people again.

Yup, glory is a good word for that!


But here's where God personalized the message for me.

He gave me an insight into the order of how this occurred.

1)  WHEN the song was raised
2)  IN PRAISE to the Lord
3)  THEN the glory of the Lord arrived and filled the Temple


Hmmm.

Here's what I got to thinking about, specifically as I've been wrestling with the concept of JOY, of what it means and how it arrives.

I'm wondering.

Is God waiting for my first move?

You see, that important word *when* kept jumping out to me.  WHEN the people raised their voices in songs of praise to the Lord, THEN He arrived and filled the Temple.

Is this a key to the concept of JOY?

Of course we know that as believers we have the Spirit of God living within us. We are His temple now.  So, He's there.  But perhaps, just perhaps, His JOY cannot arrive until I open the door through praise.


Another word picture.

We live in the mountains, up a winding switchback road.  But before you can come up this road, you have to enter a coded gate.  (Trust me, I see the irony of living "out in the boonies" but still behind a gate…)

So, the road is there all the time.  But, you can't get in unless you know the code.

Is it like this with the Holy Spirit and joy?

Is He there all the time, just waiting to arrive with joy, but waiting for us to open the gate?  And is the *code* that opens the gate – praise?

I truly felt like the Lord spoke something wonderfully true to me here.

Yes, the key to joy is praise.

Now, in the midst of struggles and strife, it is sometimes near impossible to feel happy.  But we're not asked for that.  We are called to praise God, in the midst of everything.

But I am also seeing in these verses, what we are to use as the basis of our praise.  I'm not sure that God expects us to be thankful for the struggles and strife.  We don't have to like it much when we’re overwhelmed by life.

But, we can always, always praise HIS character.

And that's what the Israelites did.

"For He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever."

Can I do this?  Can you?

Yes, I can answer YES!

Even if I'm really nervous, or really afraid, or really hurting, or really anything…I can still turn to the sky and raise my voice in praise to the One who is GOOD, and LOVING, and STEADFAST.

The One whose faithfulness endures FOREVER.

The key to joy is not found in the surrounding circumstances, it's not found in WHAT'S going on.  The key to joy is found in the character of our Lord, it's found in the WHO we turn to in the middle of all of it.

The unchanging One.  The One who never slumbers nor sleeps.  The One who sits on the throne.

The One.


So, Lord, here I am.  

Raising my voice in praise to Your name for who You are, and for who You are to me.

I'm entering the code to the gate…

I can hear it open up…

And I am waiting eagerly for Your presence to fill the temple of my heart.


JOY is driving up the road…

Looking for JOY
in all the right places!

(*Look closely - I'm there in the middle of the road!*) 

"Sing a new song to the LORD,
for he has done wonderful deeds.
His right hand has won a mighty victory;
his holy arm has shown his saving power!
The LORD has announced his victory
and has revealed his righteousness...
He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful...
The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
Shout to the LORD...
break out in praise and sing for joy!
Sing your praise to the LORD...
Make a joyful symphony before the LORD, the King!"  

(From Psalm 98, NLT)


"Shout with joy to the LORD...
Worship the LORD with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the LORD is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation."

(From Psalm 100, NLT)


"Sing praises to God, our strength...
I heard an unknown voice say,
'Now I will take the load from your shoulders;
I will free your hands from their heavy tasks.
You cried to me in trouble, and I saved you...'"

(From Psalm 81, NLT)


"Praise the LORD!
For he has heard my cry for mercy.
The LORD is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
The LORD gives his people strength."

(From Psalm 28, NLT)


"Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!" (Nehemiah 8:10, NLT)



What is something that you can praise the Lord for today?


Linked today with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, UNFORCED RHYTHMS, INSPIRE ME MONDAY, UNITE,  TELL ME A TRUE STORY, SOLI DEO GLORIA, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS, TELL HIS STORY, WINSOME WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, WORDS OF LIFE WEDNESDAYS, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, THRIVING THURSDAY, FAITH BARISTA, EVERYDAY JESUS, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, THE FRIDAY FIVE, ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS, WHATEVER IS LOVELY, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAYS, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, STILL SATURDAY, RECOMMENDATION SATURDAY, WEEKEND BREW, GIVE ME GRACE, SUNDAY STILLNESS


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

WOULD YOU PRAY FOR ME?

Yup, it is me…

…standing in the need of prayer.

I feel kinda selfish asking for it.  I feel sorta vulnerable telling you why.  But a dear friend (you know who you are!) encouraged me to be honest, and so that's what I'm going to do.

Most of you know that my dad passed away in January.  What most of you don't know is that this event has triggered a debilitating bout of anxiety.

Anxiety is a terrible affliction.  And it’s a *thorn* that I have dealt with all of my life.  As long as I can remember, I have always been nervous, agitated, afraid.

I've been to the doctors and counselors, the ones who have told me about a hereditary predisposition toward the problem.  I know that there's a family history of it.  I know that my temperament lends itself to it, too.

But still, the explanations do nothing to make me feel any better when the waves of worry overwhelm me.

Fear can sometimes be a good thing.  Fear keeps you from potential danger, and fear can serve to kick in that "fight or flight" response that is necessary to survival.  But anxiety is not beneficial.

It is adrenaline on high octane.  With no tangible reason in sight.

Anxiety is debilitating.

It's like the feeling you get right after almost having a car accident.  I wake up with that feeling every morning.  I have it every night at bedtime.  And often during the day.

And boy, I've really been struggling with insomnia lately.

Lonely hours when I either can't fall asleep, or hours in the middle of the night when my thoughts keep me from falling back to sleep.

I've had some meltdowns lately.

Crying that I thought I wouldn't be able to stop.  Frantic, breathless moments when I felt like running out of the room and never coming back.  Times when I was sure that my heart would burst or my head would explode if I couldn't calm down.

Anxiety – the dreaded feeling that something terrible is going to happen soon.  An impending sense of doom that I'm just waiting for the email or phone call to tell me what I fear – not knowing exactly what it will be, but knowing that it's going to be awful.

Ever heard that phrase "waiting for the other shoe to drop"?

Well, that's how I feel.  Except I'm sure that the shoe is going to fall on me and crush me under its weight.

Sometimes I feel like a hypocrite.  I write my blog posts, and try to finish on a *faithful* and uplifting note.  And it's not a lie because I write about what I truly believe.  And, truth be told, I do feel a lot better myself as God speaks to me through the words He gives me.

But I've been terribly afraid that if any of you knew how I've been feeling lately...well, maybe you would realize that I don't feel very faith-full at all.

I don't want to disappoint anyone.

I don't want to disappoint God.

And, I've been afraid that if I came out with the truth – like I am now – well, that you'd all think less of me.

But I have dedicated myself to telling the truth, no matter how that might look.  

So, I'm being honest.  


I am struggling, dear friends.  

Struggling mightily with the fearsome enemy called FEAR.

And I could really use your prayers.

Even though I feel self-conscious asking for them.

I know that many of you are battling some heavy-duty stuff right now, and I feel slightly embarrassed asking for prayer.  I feel that my battles with anxiety seem paltry in comparison.

Sometimes I have wished that anxiety could be measured in a blood test, or seen on an x-ray.  In other words, I wish there was measurable and tangible proof that it exists.  That it really is a real condition.

But deep anxiety is real.  Trust me.  And if any of you suffer from it, or know someone who does, you know how pervasive and devastating it can be.

So yes, here I am…humbly asking for prayers.

And please know this, I appreciate it more than you'll ever know.


Now, having gotten that off my chest, I do refuse to end this post here.

For indeed, though I am in a difficult season right now, I must never give in fully to its darkness.

I cannot ask for prayers without acknowledging the full faith that I have in the One to whom you and I will be praying.

Even though I have been questioning His wisdom in the word He gave me for 2014 – JOY.

Five months in, I'm still saying to Him, "Really, Lord?"

How can He expect me to find joy in the middle of the toughest times I have had in a long time?  How can joy compete with a million other thoughts and feelings?  How can joy overcome mind-numbing fear?

I wonder, and I ask God about it all the time.

I don't really have any good answers.  Except this thought…

JOY must be something "other" than any other feeling we experience in normal life.  It must be something that supersedes the natural.  It must be something that invades my soul from the outside, rather than a feeling that bubbles up from my own efforts.

Joy may not blot out trouble or suffering.  It may not make anxiety disappear.

But it can stand above it all.

And I guess that's what I'm asking you all to pray for.  Sure, I would love the anxiety to disappear.  I ask God for that all the time.  And trust me, I'd be totally OK if He answered with a miracle of serenity!

But, if not, I am asking that you'll join me in praying for JOY to stand above what I feel.

That my panicky moments, my fearful days, my anxiety-filled nights will not steal the joy I have in knowing that even though I am rocked by life right now, I am still in the safe and secure hands of my Savior.

I am asking that the Prince of Peace will reign – even when I can hardly breathe.

This is what I pray for you, too.

Thank you for hearing my heart...

Even though I fear the storm clouds,
the SON is still shining. 

"As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.  I thirst for God, the living God.  When can I go and stand before him?  Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, 'Where is this God of yours?'  My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be...Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you...I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.  'O God my rock,' I cry, 'Why have you forgotten me?  Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?'  Their taunts break my bones...Why am I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again - my Savior and my God!" (From Psalm 42, NLT)

"Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent.  Free me from my troubles.  Have mercy on me and hear my prayer...In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe." 

(Psalm 4:1, 8, NLT)

"Those who are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the LORD...They will eat and sleep in safety, and no one will make them afraid...Be glad and rejoice with all your heart...For the LORD...will disperse the armies of your enemy...At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster...Cheer up...Don't be afraid!  For the LORD your God is living among you.  He is a mighty savior.  He will take delight in you with gladness.  With his love, he will calm all your fears."  
(From Zephaniah 3, NLT)

"I will praise the LORD at all times.  I will constantly speak his praises.  I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart...I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me.  He freed me from all my fears.  Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy...In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles.  For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. Taste and see that the LORD is good.  Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!  Fear the LORD, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need...Turn away from evil and do good.  Search for peace, and work to maintain it.  The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help...The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help.  He rescues them from all their troubles.  The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.  The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time." (From Psalm 34, NLT)

"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." (Psalm 55:22, NIV)

"Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully." (1 Peter 5:7, AMP)



What is your battle today, and how can I pray for you?



***Take the above highlighted parts of the Scripture verses, put them together.  This is what you get!

Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember You.
Free me from my troubles.
Cheer up.  Don't be afraid!
With His love, He will calm all your fears.
Those who look to Him will be radiant with joy.
The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.
He will never let the righteous be shaken.
For He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

PRAISE THE LORD, O my soul...



Linked today with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, UNFORCED RHYTHMS, INSPIRE ME MONDAY, TELL ME  A TRUE STORY, TITUS 2 TUESDAYS, UNITE, INSPIRE ME MONDAY, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS, WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS, LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WINSOME WEDNESDAY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, WORDS OF LIFE WEDNESDAYS, TELL HIS STORY, THRIVING THURSDAY, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, FAITH BARISTA JAM, EVERYDAY JESUS, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAYS, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, THE FRIDAY FIVE, ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, WHATEVER IS LOVELY, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, RECOMMENDATION SATURDAY, STILL SATURDAY, WEEKEND BREW, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

PEG-LEG BEAGLE

Most of you know I have a granddog.

A beloved beagle.

Named Marty.

Yup, I am way too attached to that dog.  But he's just so cute I can't stand it!  And he and I have bonded over these last 7 years.  Yes, he lives with my son, and I am only an occasional visitor to their domain.  But when I'm there, me and Marty are thick as thieves.

So, a couple of weeks ago, I was down the hill taking care of my mom.  And my son and Marty came over for a visit.  Marty was quite excited.  He loves to play the *steal the stuffed animal and watch Gramma Sharon run after me* game.  (I'm usually the one huffing and puffing the most).

Sometimes Marty gets extra-excited, and he starts doing something we call "laps."  Basically he starts running really, really fast from one side of the room to the other, over and over again.  He's a master at the quick *turn-on-a-dime* maneuver.  

And then, he usually just plops himself right in the middle of the living room. A panting, pooped-but-pleased little pup.

It's great fun.

And this night, Marty did an especially impressive rendition of "laps" – fast and quick and tight in the turns!

I loved it.

Until the next morning.

That's when I saw the aftermath.  Marty had pulled up lame.

Oh, how my heart bled at this pathetic sight.  A limping, hopping beagle. Still wagging his tail, and gamely making his way to see me.

It was so very sad to see the happy-go-lucky beagle of the night before turn into a gimpy, struggling little creature.

Later that day, I took him out for his walk.  (Nature still called).  And dear sweet boy, he had to hop along on three legs.  

I was encouraged to see that he was in good spirits, and hungry, and didn't seem to be in much pain.

So, my son and I decided to wait and watch him for a few days.

But, when I went to bed that night, all by myself, I cried myself to sleep.  

It just broke my heart.


I thought about two things.

First of all, I thought about how quickly Marty adapted to the injury.  How he instinctively knew how to avoid injuring his leg further, and how to get along without using it.

His spirit found a way.  

Do I do this with the setbacks in my life?

Not hardly.

I am sidelined way too easily by circumstances.  I'm a *giver-upper* way too often.

I tend to curl up inside, lie down on the couch of self-pity, and moan and complain about the things that happen to me.

I do not hobble well.

Marty is a testimony to me about what it means to persevere, to endure, to rise above painful circumstances.  He teaches me what it means to have an indomitable spirit.


The second thing I thought about is this…

How unfair Marty's injury was in the whole scope of things.

Creation did nothing to cause its downfall.

That was all us – all of our doing.  We were the ones who fell.  The ones who brought disease, and pain, and suffering, and death into God's perfect world.

And, because of us, creation groans.

It makes me sad.  I feel sad for the animals and for the plants and trees.  I feel bad that creation is under the curse of death and decay.  All things must die, and it just doesn't seem fair.  They didn't do anything to cause it.

As I watched Marty, I somehow felt responsible for his suffering.  

And so, I cried some more that night.  Over the sight of an innocent dog who had to feel pain because of the cosmic consequences of humans being human.

I hate sin.

But even in this, God brings hope.

We will be resurrected, and creation will be restored.

Sometimes I feel the groaning of us all – creatures and creation – deep in my soul as we all long for the release from sin's slavery.

Sometimes I can't wait for God to make it all right again...all RIGHT again.


I am happy to say that Marty seems to have healed.  He walks on four paws again, and I am greatly relieved.

But, I remember the lessons I have learned.

I have learned that I must strive to persevere and endure the hardships and suffering of an imperfect world with an unflagging spirit, and a joy that overcomes.  I have learned that being in this world means groaning and longing, but there is tremendous hope.  

For one day God will restore His perfection, and we will witness the glory of His holiness.

Oh, and I also learned that a 7-year-old dog (49+ years) probably shouldn't do "laps." God bless him, his spirit is willing, but his flesh is a little bit weaker!!

I can relate!

 All creatures great and small,
The Lord God made them all.

"You care for people and animals alike, O Lord."
(Psalm 36:6)

"...let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1, NLT)

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.." 
(1 Corinthians 9:24-26, NIV)

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (Romans 5:3-5, NLT)

"I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection.  But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me." (Philippians 3:12, NLT)

"I shall run the way of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart." (Psalm 119:32, NASB)

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7, ESV)

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us!  For [even the whole] creation (all nature) waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God's sons to be made known [waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship].  For the creation (nature) was subjected to frailty (to futility, condemned to frustration), not because of some intentional fault on its part, but by the will of Him Who so subjected it—[yet] with the hope that nature (creation) itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and corruption [and gain an entrance] into the glorious freedom of God's children." 
(Romans 8:18-21, AMP)

What slows you down on your faith journey?  What gives you hope?

Linked today with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, UNFORCED RHYTHMS, INSPIRE ME MONDAY, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, UNITE, TITUS 2 TUESDAYS, TESTIMONY TUESDAYS, WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAY, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, TELL HIS STORY, WINSOME WEDNESDAY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, INSPIRE ME MONDAY,  COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, WORDS OF LIFE WEDNESDAYS, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, THRIVING THURSDAY, FAITH BARISTA JAM, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAYS, ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, WHATEVER IS LOVELY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, THE FRIDAY FIVE, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, WEEKEND BREW, STILL SATURDAY,  RECOMMENDATION SATURDAY, GIVE ME GRACE, SUNDAY STILLNESS


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"