ME, A DOG, AND AN AIR MATTRESS

Yup.

You read that right.

Lest you think that I'm writing a canine version of "The Princess and the Pea" – in which I share an air mattress with a dog and can't sleep because of an errant kernel of kibble underneath – let me explain.

My youngest son had to travel out of town for the last two weeks, and I volunteered to take care of my grandbeagle, Marty.

No one has to ask me twice to do that!

Sure, it saves money – but hey, it's MARTY!!!

I love my little furry guy.

Yes, I am biased, but he's pretty adorable.


Might I just regale you with some highlights of our time together?


1. Dog took middle-aged woman for walks three times a day.

2. Dog made middle-aged woman think about signing up for the Iditarod race.

(The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual long-distance sled dog race run in early March from Settler's Bay to Nome [Alaska]…Mushers and a team of 21 dogs...cover the distance [over 1,000 miles] in 9–15 days or more).

3. The word "walk" is a misnomer – it should more accurately be called a tug, pull, roam, or wander.

4. Dog found the most awkward places and timing to do his "duty" – usually when people were walking by or retrieving the newspaper on their driveway.

5. Middle-aged woman snickered because dog sometimes chose to make his "deposit" in front of one of the two yacht clubs in the area.

6. Dog tried to eat a bouquet of roses.

7. Dog found random paper towels with delicious scents and dug them out of the trash.

8. Dog injured left arm – limped for two days ☹ – then recovered quickly ☺
– quickly enough to tug, pull, roam, and wander.

9. When dog saw someone approaching (anyone!), he came to a complete (and immovable) standstill – even if the person was a hundred feet away.

10. Middle-aged woman had to explain (often) that his stance was not a sign of his ferociousness, but only of his desire to jump up and lick and make new friends.

11. Dog is mistaken for being a puppy – which isn't too bad when you're 9½!!

12. Middle-aged woman was NOT mistaken for being a puppy…sigh.

13. Dog snored.

14. Middle-aged woman might have snored – dog didn't say.

15. Dog loved being chased around the room by middle-aged woman.  Woman panted, dog did not.

16. Dog loved string cheese *treats*.

17. Dog almost ate *string cheese fingers* of middle-aged woman as he bit ravenously into the string cheese.  (Note to self: do not hold string cheese in hand when feeding dog).

18. After countless hijinks, antics, and shenanigans, middle-aged woman is convinced that dog is not a dog, but a mischievous angel in disguise.


Yes, I do love dogs, and I especially love Marty.

My favorite thing of all is curling up next to him at bedtime.

Now mind you, on his *regular* nights, Marty sleeps in his own bed, all balled up, nice and cozy.

But when I am there, I like having him next to me.

Last year I tried sleeping next to him on some couch cushions, but that wasn't too comfortable.

Hence, the air mattress.

I figured that we could pretend that we were out in the wild, maybe Alaska, and *roughing it* together!

I rarely sleep as soundly as I do when Marty is curled up by me.

He usually starts the night at my feet, and then sometime around 4 AM, he wanders up closer.

If I've been sleeping especially deeply, I'll be surprised by a furry face right next to mine in the wee hours of the morning!  (The snoring is usually the first clue…!)

When my son returned home, he was most appreciative of my time taking care of Marty.

But perhaps he'll never know how much it means to me to spend time with my grandbeagle.

I have always maintained that when a human forms a bond with an animal, there is something primal about it, something *original* if you will – like an echo of Eden.


God intended people and animals to have a relationship.

And when we take care of them, we are fulfilling the original directive given in the Garden:

"Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'" (Genesis 1:26, NIV)


How should this charge be interpreted?

First of all, I'd like to correct what I think is a misinterpretation.

Having dominion over something has a negative connotation in most people's minds.

I don't know about you, but I usually think of it as meaning domination, subjugation, or exploitation – like a dictator has over his kingdom.

I don't think of kindness – I think of cruelty and injustice, apathy and insensitivity.

But having dominion over the animals should entail a humane management of them, just as God intended.

I think it's very important to remember that God created animals in His original plan of creation.  He saved them in the Flood.  And they are mentioned in the future, too.

"God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind.  And God saw that it was good." 
(Genesis 1:25, NLT)

"'Bring a pair of every kind of animal – a male and a female – into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood.'" (Genesis 6:19, NLT)

"In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.  The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all." (Isaiah 11:6, NLT)


I'm not going to get into a discussion of whether or not individual animals will be part of the new creation, or debate the question of whether our pets go to heaven – (I personally hope so!) – but I trust God to do what is far better than what I can think or imagine! 

I love this quote from Billy Graham:

"God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he'll be there."

Yup.

But I digress.

The point is that we should consider the fact that mankind was given the task, privilege, and blessing of representing God in this world. 

We are appointed to be His caretakers.

And as His image-bearers, we have been charged with the serious responsibility to act as God would.


I like the analogy of a garden and a gardener.

The gardener has, in a sense, dominion over his garden – but this position of power is not to be taken lightly.

What gardener would intentionally harm or destroy his garden?

Rather, he tends it carefully – feeding and watering it, protecting it from weeds and invading pests, sheltering it, and promoting growth.  In short, the gardener does everything in his power to help the garden thrive.

I think it's the same with animals, specifically – and the same with all of creation, in general.

God gives us the weighty task of caretaking, of taking care of HIS creation.

We must always remember that creation does not belong to us.

It is not ours to use or abuse.

It is not ours to waste or squander.

It is not ours to trample or trash.

It is not ours to conquer or crush.

"The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours – you created it all." (Psalm 89:11, NLT)


OK, so you might not be an animal-lover, or a tree-hugger, or a swim-with-the-sharks kind of person.

But I'll just bet that you have had times when the beauty of creation has left you breathless and awed.

Why?

Because you felt God in that moment.

"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made." (Romans 1:20, ESV)


So, once again I had the joyous task of taking care of one special little dog.

And once again, I was taught a lot about God in the process.

About responsibility and caretaking.

About kindness and compassion.

About appreciation and respect.

About being God's representative in a world that rarely reflects His character – and doing it well.


All this, while lying on an air mattress with a small beagle in the middle of the night!

Well done, Marty!!




What are your thoughts about taking care of God's creation?

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.


(Cecil Frances Alexander)


"You care for people and animals alike,
O LORD."

(Psalm 36:6)

"The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it…So the LORD God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky.  He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one.  He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals." (Genesis 2:15, 19-20, NLT)

"'With my great strength and powerful arm I made the earth and all its people and every animal.'" (Jeremiah 27:5, NLT)

"O LORD, what a variety of things you have made!  In wisdom you have made them all.  The earth is full of your creatures." (Psalm 104:24, NLT)

"'You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.'" (Revelation 4:11, NIV)

"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…all things were created through him and for him." 
(Colossians 1:16, ESV)

"'You alone are the LORD.  You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars.  You made the earth and the seas and everything in them.  You preserve them all…'" (Nehemiah 9:6, NLT)

"'Just ask the animals, and they will teach you.  Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.  Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you.  Let the fish in the sea speak to you.  For they all know…For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being.'" (Job 12:7-10, NLT)

"For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.  Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse.  But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay." 
(Romans 8:19-21, NLT)

"'In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground.  Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety.'" (Hosea 2:18, NIV)


"Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens!
Praise him from the skies!
Praise him, all his angels!
Praise him, all the armies of heaven!

Praise him, sun and moon!
Praise him, all you twinkling stars!
Praise him, skies above!
Praise him, vapors high above the clouds!

Let every created thing give praise to the LORD,
for he issued his command, and they came into being.
He set them in place forever and ever.
His decree will never be revoked.

Praise the LORD from the earth,
you creatures of the ocean depths,

fire and hail, snow and clouds,
wind and weather that obey him,
mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars,

wild animals and all livestock,
small scurrying animals and birds,

kings of the earth and all people,
rulers and judges of the earth,

young men and young women,
old men and children.

Let them all praise the name of the LORD.

For his name is very great;
his glory towers over the earth and heaven!"


(From Psalm 148, NLT)



Linked with:

SMALL WONDER, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, 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, LIVING PROVERBS, MOM-TO-MOM MONDAYS, MOMENTS OF HOPE, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, UNITE LINKUP, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, RA RA LINKUP, INTENTIONAL TUESDAY, GLIMPSES LINKUP, TUESDAY TALK, WISE WOMAN, THE HOMEMAKING PARTY, TELL HIS STORY, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, CHRISTIAN BLOGGER COMMUNITY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, SITTING AMONG FRIENDS, WEDDED WEDNESDAY, 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, COZY READING SPOT, NO RULES WEEKEND BLOG PARTY, FUNTASTIC FRIDAY, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, EVERYDAY TESTIMONY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, FAITH 'N FRIENDS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, GRACE & TRUTH, DANCE WITH JESUS, FAMILY, FRIENDSHIP & FAITH, TGI SATURDAYS, FRIDAY FEATURE PARTY, WORD OF GOD SPEAK, SMALL VICTORIES SUNDAY, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

A CHICKEN STORY

Her name was Henny Penny.

A cute little black-and-white-feathered chicken.

Let me tell you how she and I became friends.

Many years ago, I lived in a small, two-bedroom rental.  It was a quaint little place – I really liked it.

Except it was on the corner of an intersection that had all kinds of activity.

Evidently, I was the unknowing tenant who resided on "Dead Man's Curve."  In the four years that I lived there, there were at least two bad car accidents, and many near misses.

But I digress.

Suffice it to say, I was used to random *bustle* outside the door.

But one morning, I heard all this shouting.  Looking outside the window, I saw several children, yelling and throwing rocks into the yard!

Of course, like an avenging angel, I swooped out and shouted, "What are you DOING?"

Amidst a cacophony of high-pitched screeching, I was able to determine that their chicken had "escaped" their backyard up the street, and landed in the tree in my side yard.

They wanted it back.

Well, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that these kids were hooligans, and that that poor chicken had barely escaped with her life.

I told them that she was in my backyard, and they weren't allowed on my property.

Grumbling threats – (did I hear someone say *cherry bomb*?) – they stomped off. 

Only to return about half an hour later with a couple of dads in tow.

More shouting, more threats.

However, I basically told them that I wasn't about to let anyone climb a ladder on my property (liability), that they’d better stop their kids (brats) from throwing rocks at my house (let alone the chicken), and if she had a mind to stay – well, that was her choice.

I think they came back another time or two.  I held my ground.  And they gave up.

Well, there she was – Henny Penny – firmly roosted in my tree.

I felt sorry for her.

She'd stay out there all night – in the dark and the cold.

Every time I woke up, I'd see her in the tree.  Every time I'd come home after dark, I'd see her in the tree.  Even when it rained and stormed, I'd see her in the tree.

A few times I saw her on the ground, but as soon as I opened the back door and went outside, she'd fly back up to the tree for safety.

I remember thinking, "How can I get her to trust me?"

Well, of course it's no surprise that she didn't.  After all, who knows what terrible treatment she received at the mercy of those other (horrible) people??

So, I launched a campaign to win her trust.

I'd go out every day and talk to her.  I'd say good night every night.  I'd put chicken feed out for her on the ground.

After a long time, several weeks as I recall, she'd finally stay on the ground when I was outside.  Then, she'd let me get closer and closer to her.

And then…one day…I left the back door open when I went back into the house. 

She walked up the steps and looked in. 

But, as soon as I stepped toward her – back to the tree.

Finally, one day she didn't leave.  

She walked right into my house and let me pick her up!!!

It was so very cool.

From that day forward, she would come into the house every day. 

I can remember picking her up and putting her on my lap, where she'd nestle in and take a nap while I stroked her little red comb and feathers.

It made me so very happy.

I had finally been able to communicate to her that I wasn't like all the other people she had known.  I wasn't mean and vindictive.  

I was kind and gentle and loving – I could be trusted.

I still think about Henny...

And about trust.

Sometimes, in my relationship with God, I'm just like she was – skittish, unsure, scared, distrustful.

Sometimes I base my trust on my past experiences. 

I judge God's character by the various "characters" that have peppered my past. 

I rate His trustworthiness by the people in my life who have hurt, disappointed, rejected, and criticized me.

I stay in the tree.

But isn't there a HUGE part of God's heart that is desperate to show me that HE is not those other people? 

That He is kind and gentle and loving?

That He is eminently worth every ounce of my trust?

It seems to me that in some ways, God is always wooing us "into the house" to rest in His arms.

He is always seeking to show us that He is a very safe place to land.  

He wants us to hide in the shadow of His wings – secure, with no thought of fear.

Yes, I finally won Henny's heart.

But God did an amazing thing to prove His love – He gave up His Son.

Today, I hear Him calling me. 

I see Him standing in the doorway, beckoning me inside where it's warm and safe.

"Sharon, won't you please come down from that tree?"

You know, I think I will.

It's better than sitting out here in the dark!

Do your past experiences ever keep you from trusting God completely today?

Sometimes
God calls us
to break out of our shells.

"'My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.'" (John 10:27-28, ESV)

"'And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.'" (John 6:39, NLT)

"And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security." (Job 11:18, ESV)

"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain..." (Hebrews 6:19, ESV)

"I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.  He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure." (Psalm 40:1-2, ESV)

"Those who fear the LORD are secure..." (Proverbs 14:26, NLT)


"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the LORD:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him...

He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day...
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you...

If you make the LORD your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
no evil will conquer you...
For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
They will hold you up with their hands...

The LORD says, 'I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.'"


(From Psalm 91, NLT)



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, LIVING PROVERBS, MOM-TO-MOM MONDAY, MOMENTS OF HOPE, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, UNITE LINKUP, WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, RA RA LINKUP, TEACHING WHAT IS GOOD, WISE WOMAN, THE HOMEMAKING PARTY, TELL HIS STORY, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, SITTING AMONG FRIENDS, WEDDED WEDNESDAY, THE LOFT LINKUP, GRACE MOMENTS, GROWING IN GRACE, THANKFUL THURSDAYS, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS, PARTY AT MY PLACE, SHINE BLOG HOP, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, GRACE AT HOME, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, COZY READING SPOT, NO RULES WEEKEND BLOG PARTY, FUNTASTIC FRIDAY, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, EVERYDAY TESTIMONY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, FAITH 'N FRIENDS, GRACE & TRUTH, DANCE WITH JESUS, TGI SATURDAYS, FRIDAY FEATURE PARTY, WEEKEND WIND DOWN PARTY, REWIND FRIDAY, WORD OF GOD SPEAK, SMALL VICTORIES SUNDAY, GIVE ME GRACE, 



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

IS ANYBODY OUT THERE?

Hellooo…

Is anybody out there?

Sometimes I feel this way – like I say "Hello" and all I hear are crickets answering me…

Chirp, chirp.

Seems to me like Blog Land has been kinda quiet lately.

Which leads me to wonder – is blogging dead?

If you google this question, you'll find various opinions on the matter.  But most people agree that its *heyday* has come and gone, that its peak popularity is in the past.

I certainly know that many people I became acquainted with when I first started blogging have long since left.

I get it.

It's hard to keep up with it.

Inevitably, if you blog long enough, you'll face either writer's block or burnout, or both.  And life happens.  Other things take priority.  I know that there have been a few times when I seriously considered discontinuing my blog.

I felt like my words were dry, my inspiration was lagging, life got complicated.

But somehow I felt like God wanted me to stay, and He kept giving me one more idea at a time.

So I'm still here.

But I firmly believe that God is the only one who can tell us whether we need to stay, or that it's time to leave.  

And we should heed His voice.

It's just that I miss some of my old blogging friends.


Losing contact is a hard thing.

Sometimes it's nobody's fault, it just happens.  People move out of the area (like I did), or life gets busier, or we add other people to our lives.

But still…

There are times when I feel like my voice echoes back to me when I cry out…

"Is anybody out there?"

It’s hard enough to feel this way with people, but sometimes I feel this way with God.

Like He's moved somewhere and neglected to give me His forwarding address.

Hellooo…

Are You out there, God?

Chirp, chirp.

I have often wondered to myself – why is it that sometimes when we need God the most, He seems silent or hidden?

I have heard this referred to as the north face of God.

(Though I have not read this book yet, I find that it's highly recommended: "The North Face of God" by Ken Gire.  Also great, a book that I have read, "Disappointment with God" by Philip Yancey)


What does this mean?

The north face of a mountain in the northern hemisphere is generally the coldest, iciest and most formidable route to climb.

I like the word picture of our faith journey being like a long trek up a steep mountain.  There are so many apt parallels that can be drawn.  But perhaps my favorite of all, is the treacherous ascent to the summit.

Climbers on Mt. Everest have a name for it – the Death Zone.

"At the higher regions of Mount Everest, climbers seeking the summit typically spend substantial time within the death zone (altitudes higher than 26,000 ft), and face significant challenges to survival.  Temperatures can dip to very low levels, resulting in frostbite of any body part exposed to the air.  Since temperatures are so low, snow is well-frozen in certain areas and death or injury by slipping and falling can occur.  High winds at these altitudes on Everest are also a potential threat to climbers.

Another significant threat to climbers is low atmospheric pressure.  The atmospheric pressure at the top of Everest is about a third of sea level…resulting in the availability of only about a third as much oxygen to breathe. Debilitating effects of the death zone are so great that it takes most climbers up to 12 hours to walk the distance of 1.07 mi from South Col to the summit." (Wikipedia)


Yes, sometimes the walk of faith is dangerous – fraught with trials and temptations.

And sometimes it can be a lonely walk.

Because sometimes, when we are in the midst of adversity, this is exactly when God seems absent.

Why is that?

I went on a search for answers, and found many interesting verses about the seeming "hiddenness" of God.

And many of these verses speak about times when God tests our faith (I've included them in my Scriptures at the end of this post).

At first, quite honestly, these verses kinda riled me up.

My reaction was like, "C'mon, God.  I'm in the midst of difficulty and You choose this time to feel far away?  Not fair…"

And then I started to think about His promise to never leave me nor forsake me.

Is that what He's doing – leaving me?

Grrr…

But then, as I pondered this more, I began to realize that there is a big difference between God's promise and my perception of it.

Just because God "feels" far away doesn't mean that He is.

And the sense of His absence is actually a way for God and I to draw closer to one another, and a way for my faith to grow stronger.


Let me put it this way.

When my sons were little I hovered over them like a crazed helicopter pilot.  Not wanting them to get hurt or scared or sick, I was right by them all the time.

"Whoop, whoop!"  (Rotor blade sound effects...)

But as they grew older, I realized that it was important for them to launch out into life.

My toddlers ventured farther away from me.

My preteens moved even more.

My teenagers traveled into the far reaches of independence – testing the boundaries, learning their own.

And now, my sons have developed into mature adults.

Strong in their values, their decision-making, and their wisdom.

Did I ever abandon them?

Of course not!


In much the same way, God works for our spiritual maturity.

He tests us along the way, allowing us to build our faith stronger in times of trouble.

And sometimes that means that He will feel far away.

I am consoled knowing that I am not alone in these feelings.

David felt them:

"Why are you so far away when I groan for help?  Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.  Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief…Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me." (Psalm 22:1-2, 11, NLT)

And Jesus quotes David's words from the cross:

"'My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?'" (Psalm 22:1, NLT)

No, we are not alone in feeling alone.


The north face of God.

The chilly silence.

The icy hiddenness.

The formidable sense that we are all alone.

Hellooo…

Is anybody out there?

Are You out there, God?

He is.

Ponder this –

Those mountain climbers who dare to ascend the north face of Mt. Everest rely on one thing more than anything to make it to the summit…

Oxygen.

The very stuff that keeps them alive.

"…he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being." (Acts 17:27-28, KJV)

"For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being." (Job 12:10, NLT)


Yes, though my sense of His presence can be faulty at times, though He may seem distant for a time of testing, the Truth remains the same:

He is with me.

Every step of the way.

So I keep climbing…




Have you ever felt like God was far away?

He's as close as my heartbeat,
As near as a sigh,
A part of each breath,
He is ever nigh. 

So where is God hidden?

He's here, in my heart,

Directing my pathways

As He has from the start.

Where is God hidden?

He's not! Don't you see?

The Most High of the Universe

Dwells within me.

(© Sharon Kirby, October 4, 2000)

"However, when ambassadors arrived from Babylon to ask about the remarkable events that had taken place in the land, God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart." 
(2 Chronicles 32:31, NLT)

"Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands." (Deuteronomy 8:2, NIV)

"Then the LORD said to Moses, 'I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.  In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.'" 
(Exodus 16:4, NIV)

"The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man." (Psalm 11:4, ESV)

"'I will refine them as silver is refined and test them as gold is tested.'" (Zechariah 13:9, Holman CSB)

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my…thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." (Psalm 139:23-24, NLT)

"I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.  Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness." 
(Psalm 26:1-3, NIV)

"But he knows where I am going.  And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold." (Job 23:10, NLT)

"For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried." 
(Psalm 66:10, ESV)

"Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine.  Test yourselves.  Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith." (2 Corinthians 13:5, NLT)

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." 
(James 1:2-4, NLT)

"So be truly glad.  There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.  These trials will show that your faith is genuine.  It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold – though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.  So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." (1 Peter 1:6-7, NLT)

"God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation.  Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12, NLT)

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." (James 4:8, ESV)

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