HE KNOWS MY NAME

So, I am down visiting family again.

And when I'm in town, I like to visit the "chains," as I like to call them.

You see, our little mountain town has no chain restaurants or stores.  (It's a rule that’s even written in our charter!)  

Therefore, I must wait either for: 1) Errand Day – when we venture off-the-hill to do errands, or 2) Family Visitation Days – when I make the 2½ hour trek down the mountain to visit family.

I'm not gonna lie, sometimes I just might…

Peek in at IKEA or Costco.

Run into Macy's or Barnes & Noble.

Covertly sneak a Big Mac or a Quarter Pounder.

Scarf down a Subway.

Indulge on a fancy dinner at Outback or Joe's Crab Shack.


But really and truly, my biggest vice is the nearly-daily run to the local coffee place – 

(*$’s…)

Which is what I did this morning…

Which is where, yet again, I was confronted with one of my biggest pet peeves!

My name.

I have tried and tried to get those adorable (?) baristas to spell my name right!!

Nope.

In fairness, sometimes I'll get an older wiser cashier, and they usually get it right.

But the other ones?!

Hardly ever, even when I spell it out loud and s-l-o-w-l-y.

(Refer to the photo at the end of this post for the latest version, AFTER I spelled it for them…GRRR!)

What is the deal?!

It's actually kinda humorous at this point.

But if I'm in a particularly *weird, sensitive, grumpy mood* – (which is why I am getting the caffeine boost in the first place) – I might just feel a little hurt and offended.

C'mon, people.

It's my name – it's who I am!!


Names are funny things.

They seem to creep into our very souls and become a defining part of our personalities.

Some people love their names, some people hate their names.

Some people even change their names.  (For instance, my paternal grandmother despised her middle name and had it legally changed to R!).

When I entered elementary school, I thought my name sounded too old-fashioned.  I can't remember which grade I was in, but I asked to be called Shari.

OK, if you think Sharon gets mangled, you should see the permutations of Shari!!

Years later, after entering "adulthood," I thought Shari sounded frivolous, so I changed it back to Sharon.

Interestingly enough, though, "The Hub" knew me in elementary school, and still calls me Shari.  So do my uncle and my cousins.  The rest of my family calls me Sharon.

I now like my name a lot…(I remember once having a conversation with my mom.  Seems that they almost named me Patricia!  Not sure what they had picked out for a boy's name!)  


What's in a name?

Evidently, a lot.

I got to thinking about my name, and about how much it bugs me when it's misspelled, and I realized something.

There is Someone who never forgets who I am…

And thinking about that pointed me to four Scripture verses that have something to say about our names:


Verse One:

"But now thus says the LORD, he who created you…he who formed you…: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.'" (Isaiah 43:1, ESV)


Isn't it rather amazing, and very comforting, to know that we are specifically and individually called by God?! 

Yes, I know this verse originally referred to the nation of Israel, but don't you think that it's perfectly applicable to us today?

He created us, and formed us in the womb.  

He knows who we are, and knows everything about us.

He has called us, by name, and we belong to Him.

I love that!


Verse Two:

"'Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.  Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.'" 
(Isaiah 49:15-16, ESV)


Again, though this was originally directed at the nation of Israel, I love the idea that God purposefully remembers us, and holds us close.

And our *walls* – the things that are part of us – our personalities, our thoughts and emotions, our failures and shortcomings, our joys and triumphs, our families, our concerns, our bodies, our health, our finances, our moments, all of the life that surrounds us – is constantly held in His omniscient thoughts, and centered in His omnipresent love.

Good stuff!


Verse Three:

"'The one who is victorious will…be dressed in white.  I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.'" (Revelation 3:5, NIV)


The Bible speaks often about the Book of Life – a record of all those who have given their lives to Christ, and accepted His gift of salvation.

It is an eternal record, and it is infallible.

A person's name is either in there, or it isn't – and that is a fact with eternal consequences.

I celebrate the fact that when I confessed Jesus as my Savior and Lord of my life, my name was written in this book.  

Sealed there forever. 

(I kinda like the image of Jesus taking a pen and hand-writing it!!)

One day, the book will be opened, and the names will be read.

And on that day, I will hear my own name, and I will enter into the promise of everlasting life!

I rejoice over that, don't you?!


Verse Four:

"'And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it.'" 
(Revelation 2:17, NLT)


I remember when I first read this verse, I was puzzled by it.  

It is a bit mysterious, and I doubt that I'll ever fully understand it on this side of eternity.

But the more I contemplated it, the more excited I became!

Yes, in so many ways, the Lord is the only one who knows who I truly am.  

He is the only one who intimately knows the spirit that He created in me.

He's the only one who knows what I will look like with no sin, shining in His righteousness, complete in His perfection.

And on this day, I have a feeling that this Truth will be revealed to me, in an exquisitely intimate moment between just the Savior and me.

I picture it in my mind…


Jesus looks me straight in the eye, with one of His precious scarred hands on my shoulder.  

He says:

"Sharon, I have known you since before the creation of the world.  I know every part of you, even the parts that you have not known of yourself.  I love you beyond your comprehension.  I have been waiting for this day."

Then He gently opens my hands, and lays a beautiful white stone into my palms.

I stare at my new name, and tears flood to my eyes.

I look up at Him…

"Yes, this is who you truly are.  Forever this will be your name, and forever you will be My child."

In that moment, I will know what I have never fully known or understood before….

My very being will be defined by my Creator.

I can scarcely take that in!


So, friends, what's in a name?

It's a sign of identification, a touchstone of our personality, an emblem of who we are.

But so much more than that…


It's a personal call.

It's a stamp of belonging.

It's an assurance of love.

It's a promise of life.

It's the hope of one day becoming our true self.


Yup.

I am Sharon – no matter how it's spelled.

And my name is remembered where it counts!




What does it mean to you that God knows your name?

Close...

I think the barista was a pirate.

"Arrr!" 

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.  My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.  How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  How vast is the sum of them!" (Psalm 139:13-17, ESV)

"'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…'" (Jeremiah 1:5, NIV)

"Know that the LORD, he is God!  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." (Psalm 100:3, ESV)

"The gatekeeper opens the gate…and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him.  He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out." 
(John 10:3, NLT)

"'I am the good shepherd.  I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father…'" (John 10:14-15, ESV)

"The LORD is good…he knows those who take refuge in him." 
(Nahum 1:7, ESV)

"'Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth – everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.'" (Isaiah 43:6-7, NIV)

"Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life." (Revelation 21:27, NIV)

"And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it.  The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide.  I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne.  And the books were opened, including the Book of Life." (Revelation 20:11-12, NLT)

"You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven.  You have come to God himself…" (Hebrews 12:23, NLT)

"'…rejoice that your names are written in heaven.'" (Luke 10:20, NIV)



Linked with:

SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, MONDAY OF MANY BLESSINGS, THANK GOODNESS IT'S MONDAY, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, MAKING YOUR HOME SING MONDAY, MUSING MONDAYS, MODEST MONDAY, MOTIVATION MONDAY, INSPIRE ME MONDAY, MOM-TO-MOM MONDAYS, MOMENTS OF HOPE, GLIMPSES LINKUP, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, RICH FAITH RISING, WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, TEACHING WHAT IS GOOD, INTENTIONAL TUESDAY, WISE WOMAN, TELL HIS STORY, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, CHRISTIAN BLOGGER COMMUNITY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, SITTING AMONG FRIENDS, FROM MESSES TO MESSAGES, GRACE MOMENTS, THANKFUL THURSDAYS, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS, SHINE BLOG HOP, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, GRACE AT HOME, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, COZY READING SPOT, NO RULES WEEKEND BLOG PARTY, 100 HAPPY DAYS, FUNTASTIC FRIDAY, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, EVERYDAY TESTIMONY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, FAITH 'N FRIENDS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, GRACE & TRUTH, DANCE WITH JESUS, TGI SATURDAYS, FRIDAY FEATURE PARTY, WORD OF GOD SPEAK, SMALL VICTORIES SUNDAY, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

THE WONDER OF GOD'S NAME

What's in a name?

Well, if you're God, quite a lot!

Our pastor is doing a series of sermons on the names of God.  

And today, I was blown away by how the Holy Spirit spoke to me through his words – how the Spirit moved so powerfully in my heart when we studied this name:

Elohim.

The name Elohim means "strong one" in Hebrew.

So it's an apt name for the Almighty God.  

But what's most interesting to me is the fact that God chooses to name Himself with this name.  And it's also pretty remarkable when God chooses to introduce it.

In the beginning.

Yes, right there in the very first verse in the Bible, there is the name…

Elohim.

Genesis 1:1 could be translated this way:

"In the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the earth."


So today our pastor helped us *unpack* shades of meaning, blistering insights, and nuances of Truth – all held within that name.

Let me start with some facts:

1) This name for God appears over 2500 times in the Bible.

2) Elohim is the name that is translated "God" in Scripture – so when you see the upper-case name, God, it is actually the Hebrew name Elohim.

3) The name Elohim is plural and singular – thereby declaring the existence and truth of the Trinity from the very beginning.

4) Therefore, the name Elohim declares that the Trinity was involved in the process of creation.  Yes, the one God in three Persons – all of them participated in this miraculous work.


So, God chooses this way of introducing Himself – by using a name that holds a treasure chest of doctrine, theology, and mighty truth.

Pause and ponder that.


But our pastor also elucidated other characteristics inherent in a Creator God.

He used these words: transcendent, outside of time, not confined by what exists, organized, intelligent, detailed, extravagant, sustaining.

Elohim is infinitely more than and substantially distinct from His creation.

In fact, creation only points us to conclude that there is Someone greater.

Now, I am a nature lover.  And I live in a pretty awesome place.  Surrounded by majestic mountains, and towering trees, and creatures galore.  The sky is often bright blue, and the moon glows like the sun.  The air is so clear at night that I can see the Milky Way and its entourage of a multitude of stars.

Some are tempted to worship these things.

But this awe and adoration is misdirected if we stop at the "stuff."

It would be like worshiping a book just because the cover is pretty and the pages smell good…without ever reading the words, or knowing the author.

Creation speaks.

And it speaks of its Creator.


Lately I've shared a lot about the difficulties this year has brought to my life. How sometimes I feel so alone in it all.  Just the other night, when I once again could not fall asleep, I looked out my window in the kitchen and stared at the skies.  I whispered aloud, "You know, God, that is a pretty awesome sky You've created."  And in that exact moment, the biggest shooting star I have ever seen streaked across the sky!

It was if I heard God say, "I'm here."

My eyes teared up as I was once again reminded of the transcendent God of the universe who also deigns to come near.

Elohim.

The Creator, who is all-powerful.

Think of words that mean powerful:  strong, great, mighty, awesome, commanding, authoritative, prevailing, majestic, almighty, invincible, supreme, sovereign, omnipotent.

This God is our God.


Why do we doubt Him?

Why do we struggle with trusting Him completely?

Why do we try to control our own lives, to determine our own circumstances, to manipulate our own situations, to fix our own relationships – ON OUR OWN?

I don't know why I do that.

I think I’m just a slow learner.

Are you?


So, as this very powerful message was coming to an end, our pastor chose to have us focus on a very particular scene from the book of Luke.

A young woman is confronted by the angel, Gabriel.  And he has a message for her:

"…behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

I don't know about you, but if I was Mary at this moment, I probably would have uttered something really profound like:

"Huh???"

We're not alone in those feelings.  Mary was a bit confused, too.  For she knew that she was a virgin, and she knew how creation worked.  She could not fathom in her own mind how this prediction was ever going to come true.

But then Gabriel, who declared with his very own words that he stood in the actual presence of the One, uttered this amazing truth:

"For nothing will be impossible with God."


Listen to these words in other translations:

"For no word from God will ever fail."

"Nothing is impossible with respect to any of God's promises."

"Because nothing is difficult for God."

"For no word from God shall be void of power."

"For no promise from God will be impossible of fulfillment."

"For everything spoken by God is possible."

“For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.”

"For every promise from God shall surely come true."


I have written each of these interpretations of the Word, for I want them to burst upon your heart, as they have in mine, as a mighty refrain – chanted over and over, and building to a crescendo of truth.

And then, insert the name, and it all becomes thrilling:

"For nothing will be impossible with Elohim."

Pause and ponder that!


I finish with these words from our pastor:

All God needs is Himself, and all I need to do is trust Him.

Yes.

God established at the very beginning that there is no one or nothing that we can turn to besides Him.

He is the One who made it all, who keeps it going, and holds it all together.

He is the One who made me, who keeps me going, and holds me together.

He is in control.

Elohim.


As we sang the last song of the day, I coupled one sentence of the lyrics with an astounding statement from our pastor – and knew that both had come directly from the Holy Spirit like an arrow to my heart.

This will be my prayer this week, the prayer that embodies and encompasses every prayer that could ever be said:

"Elohim, hold me, please hold me…"

And the answer that is The Answer:

"JUST REMEMBER MY NAME."

I will reveal my name to my people,
and they will come to know
its power. 

"By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible." 
(Hebrews 11:3, ESV)

"The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created.  He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.  He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.  Let the whole world fear the LORD, and let everyone stand in awe of him.  For when he spoke, the world began!  It appeared at his command." (Psalm 33:6-9, NLT)

"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth...For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm." (Psalm 33:6, 9, NIV)

"The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.  Then God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." (Genesis 1:2-3, NLT)

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." 
(John 1:1-3, ESV)

"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you.  Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?  In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:7-10, NIV)

"'Am I a God who is only close at hand?' says the LORD.  'No, I am far away at the same time.  Can anyone hide from me in a secret place?  Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?' says the LORD." 
(Jeremiah 23:23-24, NLT)

"For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God..." (Deuteronomy 10:17, NASB)


"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world."

(Psalm 19:1-4, NIV)


"This is what the Lord says,

he who appoints the sun
to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
to shine by night,
who stirs up the sea
so that its waves roar –
the Lord Almighty is his name:
'Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,'
declares the Lord,
'will Israel ever cease
being a nation before me.'

This is what the Lord says:

'Only if the heavens above can be measured
and the foundations of the earth below be searched out
will I reject all the descendants of Israel…'"

(Jeremiah 31:35-37, NIV)


"For in him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28, NIV)




What does it mean to you that we have a relationship with the Almighty Creator of the universe, the One and Only Elohim?



Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, UNFORCED RHYTHMS, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, SALT & LIGHT, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, SOLI DEO GLORIA, TITUS 2 TUESDAYS, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, UNITE, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY'S PRAYER GIRLS, WINSOME WEDNESDAY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS, CAPTURE YOUR JOURNEY, COFFEE AND CONVERSATION, TELL HIS STORY, WHAT YOU WISH WEDNESDAY, WISE WOMAN, WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, WOMEN HELPING WOMEN, THRIVING THURSDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, EVERYDAY JESUS, HEARTS FOR HOME, GRACE AT HOME, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, FAITH BARISTA, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, LIGHT FRIDAY HIT LIST, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAYS, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, THE FRIDAY FIVE, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, SO MUCH AT HOME, FAITH & FELLOWSHIP, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, HEART-FILLED FRIDAYS, SATURDAY SOIREE, SATURDAY STILLNESS, RECOMMENDATION SATURDAY, WEEKEND BREW, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

I AM A WEIRDO

Yeah, I admit it, I am a puzzle, even to myself.

Kinda like this quote from Winston Churchill:

"It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma."

For instance, I sorta have a *rough-and-tumble* side to me.

Though I wasn't really a tomboy growing up, I did indeed have less-than-girly moments.

I still do.

Wanna know some?

(You are saying yes, right?) 


I am terribly proud of the fact that my dad taught me the *proper* way to throw a baseball, shoot a basket, and pass a football in a perfect spiral.


My brother and I used to play *army* all the time.  I liked his G.I. Joe action figures, his Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars, and his Tonka trucks.


I love that my very first car was a stick shift – a Mercury Capri.  (A four-on-the-floor variety, not three-in-a-tree).


I once drove that Mercury Capri, with the awesome stick shift, at 109 mph. Stupid, yes, but I was racing a guy, in another Capri, and wanted to prove my mettle.


I once rode on the back of a motorcycle in the desert at about 95 mph. Also stupid, but very exhilarating.


I loved driving my dad's Firebird and later, his Corvette.  I now love driving my sons' Challenger or Ford 150 truck.  Oh, and "The Hub's" Jeep Wrangler, with the stick shift.


I used to play handball and racquetball against my guy-friends…and WIN.


I really liked showing off my sports injuries – like jammed fingers.  Once, when my brother and I were playing catch, I missed the baseball and it hit me in the eye.  I was rather excited about having my first black eye – except it never materialized past a little purple shading on my eyelid that looked like eyeshadow.  Grr.


I once played football with my brother, my cousin, and a neighbor – all boys – TACKLE football – and scored, both passing and rushing.


I LOVE watching sports of all kinds, but my favorites are football and hockey. The more contact, the better.


I use men's deodorant – it smells better to me, and works better.


I have been known to wear boxer shorts because THEY. ARE. COMFORTABLE.


I have one favorite piece of lounging attire – my husband's sweatpants and a flannel shirt.


I enjoy, really enjoy, camping – in a tent – roughing it.  I am not particularly upset by dirty hair or a smelly body – (after all, that's what men's deodorant is for!)


I have my very own bag of camping gear – my own flashlight, Swiss army knife, Leatherman tool, rock pick – would love to add my own hatchet and shovel.


I also have my own hammer, screwdrivers, and measuring tape.  Don't use them much – but I like having them around.


I am intrigued by the idea of wilderness survival.


I like snakes - (the non-venomous, in-captivity, small variety).


I love off-road four-wheeling exploration.


I prefer leather furniture, dark woods, earth tones, straight and traditional lines.  I'm not real big on patterns.  Our living room looks like an old English library – and our house is an effort to replicate an old hunting lodge/cabin – just the way I like it.



I've got lots more.  But you get the idea.  However, sometimes I'm a paradox to myself.  Yeah, I have these *rugged* parts of me, but then at other times, I act like such a girl.

But isn't that what makes humans so wonderful?  We're all so different, so distinctive – such an interesting mixture of traits and qualities, such an eclectic brew of likes and dislikes.  We're full of consistency and contradiction.

And, at the end of the day, we are exactly who God created us to be.

(Well, not the sin part – but you know what I mean).


And we are meant to be here.

Planned and loved before the creation of the earth.  Woven in the womb. Intricately and wonderfully made.

One-of-a-kind.

Placed on this earth by our Creator.  Purposefully placed. Intentionally placed.  Meaningfully placed.

For just such a time as this.


I'm sure you are familiar with the story of Esther.  And though the name of God isn't specifically mentioned in this Old Testament book, His Presence leaps off every page.

There can be no question of God's hand in Esther's entire life.  Her background, her experiences, her placement at just the right places at just the right times, her courage, her wisdom.

The way that God invited her to be part of His Master Plan.


It is no different with us.

We are unique to this lifetime, this decade, this year, this day.

And God intends to use each one of us – through the way He created us.  Every mixed and mysterious and multi-faceted way that He put us together.


So, let's let Him do that.

Let's embrace the uniqueness that is called ME.  The things that make sense, and the things that don't.

The consistencies and the contradictions.

And let us be continually open to the leading of God in our lives, our unique lives, just like Esther was.


For we are here, at just such a time as this.

The Camping Couple - Roughing It

"Who knows if perhaps you – YOU, just you, uniquely you, only you – were made for just such a time as this?" (My paraphrase of Esther 4:14)


"LORD, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

You know when I sit down or stand up.

You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.

You see me when I travel

and when I rest at home.

You know everything I do.

You know what I am going to say

even before I say it, LORD.

You go before me and follow me.

You place your hand of blessing on my head.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too great for me to understand!

I can never escape from your Spirit!

I can never get away from your presence!

If I go up to heaven, you are there;

if I go down to the grave, you are there.

If I ride the wings of the morning,

if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

even there your hand will guide me,

and your strength will support me.

I could ask the darkness to hide me

and the light around me to become night—

but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother's womb.

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,

as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.

They cannot be numbered!

I can't even count them;

they outnumber the grains of sand!" 

(From Psalm 139, NLT)

Might I encourage you to join me in this prayer:

Lord, sometimes I don't understand myself.  I'm complicated.  I am a crazy mixture of things.  A product of my background, my nature, my experiences. But, I want to embrace myself as the person that You created me to be. There's lots of work to do, yes, but You made me to be exactly that – ME. Thank You for making me in Your image, and for making me unique.  Please take all that I am, and make me useful for Your purposes.  I am no accident. I am where I am, just at this time, because You have brought me here.  You had this planned, long before I opened my eyes to the world.  Guide me, transform me, infuse me with Your Spirit.  May I ever continue to look more and more like You…

What are some unique things about your personality? 

(SIDENOTE: Might I just add another contradiction about me?  My lunch today: Slim-Fast and Cheetos.  Don't judge me...)

Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY
Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Laura at PLAYDATES WITH GOD
Hazel at TELL ME A TRUE STORY
Jen at UNITE
Darlene at TITUS 2SDAYS
Jen at SOLI DEO GLORIA
Rachel at WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Judith at WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS
Kasey at WALKING REDEEMED
Beth at THREE WORD WEDNESDAY
Jenifer at WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY
Lyli at THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY
Bonnie at FAITH BARISTA JAM
Laura at FAITH FILLED FRIDAY
Mel at ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS
Sandy at STILL SATURDAY
Barbie at WEEKEND BREW
Janis at SUNDAY STILLNESS

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Curious

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!

Today's word: curious

What does it mean to be curious?

Is being curious a good thing, or a bad thing - or can it be both? Explain.

If you could ask God one question, what are you most curious about?

Let me know what you think!!

"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

VISITING IN BLOG LAND

Hi everyone!

For those of you who are used to seeing me post early Wednesday morning - well, here I am on Thursday morning!

How come, you may ask...

Well, I had the honor of doing a guest post for Joan on her blog, Reflections of His Grace, for her weekly Grace Cafe feature (the link is embedded).

Won't you please join me over there - I'd love to have you read about

"Big Fish, Little Fish."

And trust me, you will really enjoy Joan's lovely blog.

C'mon - you've got the time. Come enjoy a cup of encouragement!

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

BIG FISH...LITTLE FISH

We are studying the disciple John in my Bible Study.

And when I was doing my homework the other day, we were asked to put ourselves in the place of the newly-called disciple. What must it have been like to follow Jesus – to see Him perform miracles? Turn water into wine, heal Peter's mother-in-law of a fever?

Those first few days must have been so exciting.

Can't you just imagine how John must have thought each new morning, "I wonder what He's going to do today!"

So, I'm pondering this...

John saw Jesus do some really big things.

Goodness, John even saw Jesus feed a crowd of over 5,000 with two fish and five loaves of bread.

THAT is a "big fish" moment for sure.

But, I'm thinking, there also had to be times when John just sat across from a campfire,and shared a sparse meal of fish with Jesus. No hoopla, no miracles, just sitting…

A "little fish" moment, if you will.

What were John's thoughts then?...

***To read more, please join me at Joan's GRACE CAFE***

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

BIBLE PICK 'EMS - Specks of Matter

My husband and I love to go camping in the desert.

And one of my favorite things to do is sit by the campfire and look at the sky.

It's fun to scan the sky at dusk, and try to find the first few *stars* that appear. Before you know it, the sky is FILLED with them – they are EVERYWHERE! You can even see the Milky Way – it looks like a wispy cloud that stretches from horizon to horizon.

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite things to study and learn about was astronomy – it still is!

One of the amazing facts I learned about stars is this – the distances are mind-boggling!

Ready for our lesson? (Don't worry – there won't be a pop quiz!)

Besides the Sun, the nearest star to Earth is called Alpha Centauri. It lies 4.21 light years away from earth. That means if something could travel at the speed of light, which is 186,000 miles EVERY SECOND, it would take 4.21 years to reach this closest star.

Think of it this way – the spacecraft that holds the record for the fastest ever space travel would take a STAGGERING 19,000 years to reach this star!

So, needless to say, sitting under that beautiful canopy of stars in the desert is an absolutely spectacular, awe-inspiring experience.

And quite humbling, I might add.

Today's "Bible Pick 'Ems" is a perfect reminder:

"When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers – the moon and the stars you set in place – what are people that you should think about them, mere mortals that you should care for them?" (Psalm 8:3-4)

You know, it's true.

Staring at the infinite majesty of the skies, it is easy to think that we are nothing to an Almighty God.

And yet, Psalm 147:4 makes this amazing statement: "[God] counts the stars and knows them by name."

In light of His awesome power, we seem so small and insignificant.

We seem like nothing more than "specks of matter."

And yet, our God DOES indeed think of us… more often than we can even know.

Listen to the words of Psalm 139:17, 18: "How precious are your thoughts about ME, O God. They CANNOT BE NUMBERED! I can’t even count them…"

Our God, the One who knows the stars by name, also knows my name, and YOUR name, each one of you.

And He thinks about us all the time.

We are "specks of matter"…that matter!

Yes, my friends, God not only THINKS about us – HE LOVES US!

Let these wonderful words from the book of Psalms wash over you:

"The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love…He does not punish us for our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as GREAT AS THE HEIGHT OF THE HEAVENS ABOVE EARTH…For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust…the love of the LORD remains FOREVER with those who love him."

Yes, looking at the stars in the desert sky gives me new insights about God. The work of His creation in the heavens is awe-inspiring, and it can make us feel insignificant.

However, the same God who paints the sky with stars, is also the One who came to die for us!

He gave His life for us – just because He LOVES us.

And you know what the best news is?

This love is ours FOREVER!

"NO power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, NOTHING in all creation will EVER be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord!" (Romans 8:39)

I will never look at the stars without thinking about God’s love, His FOREVER love.

And my hope for you today is this – that you will ALWAYS know His deep love within your own heart, and that you will draw closer to the majestic God of the heavens, the Master of the skies, the One who knows the stars by name…

…the "Living One who sees YOU" – and knows YOUR name.

"When in doubt, search God out!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Nature

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!

Today's word: nature

What is the most beautiful thing you've ever seen in nature?

How do you think God speaks through nature?

Let me know what you think!!

'This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"