Meaningful Mondays

Hi Everyone!  I hope you had a safe and happy weekend.  I know there were some surprising storms that popped up in our area with some damage that was worse than the storms of April 27.  I'm so glad everyone is safe though.

As you know, my birthday was on Friday -- turning 48 wasn't the best birthday I've ever had.  It's funny how stress affects people.  It makes us say things we don't mean and hear things that weren't intended.  I think it's all a matter of managing our emotions a little better and speaking with words of encouragement rather than tearing others down in an effort to be humorous.  I'm glad this birthday has come and gone and I look forward to the coming year -- my best present was the gift of rain from my Father....thank you Lord!

We've spent the last few Mondays on spiritual gifts.  Today, I'd like to share some characteristics of the encourager.  The gift of encouragement is sometimes called the gift of exhortation.  To Exhort means to empower others, urging them sometimes with force or power - to motivate with the truth of God's Word.  Encouragement means to inspire with courage, spirit and hope.  This is the essence of the person who is gifted in encouragement.  It's more than just speaking a kind word or having a positive attitude.  Encouragers are able to see the bright side in any situation and are able to find good in others when it would appear there is none.  They exhort others to press on, move forward, do the right thing -- they make great motivators, counselors, teachers, and speakers.  They typically enjoy people and are comfortable in small or large groups.  They are often the "life of the party" and don't mind being the center of attention.

When operating in the Spirit, the encourager has supernatural ability to speak the truth in love to others in areas that can be uncomfortable.  They can motivate groups to go forth into battle - and keep going when times get tough.  Outside the Spirit, though, the encourager may battle depression, narcissism, selfishness and a sharp tongue that can do great damage if not seasoned with self-control.  Encouragers who don't refuel can become exhausted and one of the key ways to know if this person is running on empty is to listen to the way they talk.  If they are negative, down, selfish or hurt, burnout may be the issue.  Encouragers are also sensitive and may be artistic.  Because of this they are highly intuitive to their surroundings and may sense discouragement when it's not intended.

Careers for the spiritually gifted Encourager can be broad in scale.  Sales, teaching, motivational speaking, counseling, media personalities, politics, public relations, etc. may be great options for this type of person.  Encouragers can be introverted or extroverted but at the core they are always able to see the positive outcome and have a strong need to work in positive environments.  Poor career choices for the encourager would be those away from people.  While encouragers do well independently, they are people oriented and aren't complete unless they are using this gift both in the church as well as outside the church.

In the church, the encourager is a great person to have around the pastoral staff. They are good teachers, but may not use Scripture references as often as they should, even though they truly believe every word of it is true and meaningful for all of life.  They make wonderful counselors because they usually have a lot of life experience and can make practical application from Scripture naturally to most any situation.  They love to talk and laugh and can lighten the mood in tense situations.  Because of their light-hearted nature, encouragers and administrators sometimes don't mix well.  Administrators can be very serious-minded where the encourager prefers a jovial atmosphere.  It's not that the encourager isn't able to be serious when necessary, it's that a room full of serious-minded individuals might not appreciate the levity in a stressful or serious situation.  Encouragers can feed off of distracting conversation and can get an entire group off track if given the stage.  But they are so important to the church body to empower others with the truth of God's word in such a way that even difficult subjects will be accepted more smoothly and in difficult times, the encourager can truly brighten the mood.  They are often gifted performers who are able to add to any worship service and the room lights up with encouragers are present.

Barnabas was a great encourager to Paul.  Peter, James and John were great encouragers to Jesus.  David was an encourager to himself and to so many during battle and his reign as King. 

Paul said of the church of Philippi - "I thank God every time I remember you" in Philippians 1:3 - this church was such an encouragement to Paul and provided for him in ways that weren't just physical -- they were mature believers who were passionate about the Gospel. 

If you have the gift of encouragement, please use it to encourage your pastor, ministerial staff and church family.  Be a voice of unity and harmony and not division.  In your workplace and family, use your gift to lift up others who are hurting or down-trodden - even yourself at times.  Find wisdom in the Truth of God's Word and share it with others when you have the opportunity.

Find humor in day to day living and enjoy life one day at a time.

May this day be a blessing to you -- see ya tomorrow! Amy

Wednesdays in the Word AND Tips and Tricks Thursday!!! arriving on FRIDAY!!

You GUYs!!! I am SOOO sorry!! I have been in Project Central for the last few days and haven't touched the computer until very late each night and by that time it was email, a little facebook and bedtime! 

So, today I'm combining 2 into 1 on the day I told you I wouldn't be sending a blog post....call me what you will -- I understand! 

Let's start with tips and tricks and I'll end in the Word - hope that's ok with y'all....

Well, today is my birthday.  I'm 48 and have decided to do something good for me and make a pledge to myself and to the Lord to get healthy this year.  No, I'm not going to go on some amazing spa diet and no, I'm not joining a gym and no, I'm not having any radical surgery -- been there done that and nothing worked long-term.  I've just decided to find ways each day to move more, find ways to add more fruits and veggies to my diet each day and subtract more junk and to let being healthy because it honors God to take care of my "temple" better.  If I am blessed with a smaller clothing size that'd be great, but my primary motivation is really to feel better and have more energy and truly to honor the Lord with a healthier body.

So, rather than giving you guys tips and tricks, I'm asking you to give me some.  If you have some great ways that you've discovered to get healthier that actually have stayed with you long term, I'd love to hear about them.  Believe me, I've tried all the diets there are that are out there and for a short term, they've all worked...but I want to hear your "go to" things that make you stick with a lifestyle change long-term and ways you live "normally" and stay on track. 

So, go ahead....I'm listening -- let me hear from you ladies and gents....help me make this change for the long-term - the get-go - the whole shootin' match - the big kahuna...I need you!

Today's devotional is going to come from the Ten Commandments....Exodus 20:3-7

"You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name."

Kelly Minter has written a Bible study entitled "No Other Gods".  I'm sure that I've referenced it before in this blog.  It's one of the most Scripture rich studies that ties the seriousness behind God's commandment to have no other gods before Him.  In her study, she talks about how good things can become idols, defined as "functional gods" when we allow them to take our attention away from a life lived to worship and glorify God.  For the committed Christian, it's not necessarily the cares of the world that get us off track.  It's the good things...ministries we are committed to, spouses and children that we adore, churches we attend, our homes, our families, our bodies, our jobs, or friends, and the list goes on and on.  In the name of our commitment to the Father, we commit our attention to these things and it's the things that end up holding our attention.  It's not that we bow down and worship them, it's that they own more of our hearts and minds than they should. 

Maybe we love them more than we love the Lord, maybe we worry about them too much, maybe we want them to be perfect, maybe we enjoy being with them more than we enjoy being with Christ, maybe we spend more time thinking about them than we do God's Word, maybe we are afraid to surrender them to the Lord because we are afraid to trust Him with them....see how quickly our attention can be diverted.

In my own life, I believe now that food has become an idol to me.  It's been a place of comfort when my emotions aren't balanced.  It's become a place of success when my career or my life haven't felt so successful.  It's become a place where I can take out my frustration on a bad day, entertain serve my family and challenge myself to do something new on a tight budget.  But what I've discovered through the study of these verses is that God doesn't mind if I enjoy his bounty and provision.  But when I use it as a means of escape from my troubles, I'm substituting it for Him - He wants me come to Him - to seek Him first in all things. 

It's great to have hobbies and to enjoy doing fun things.  It's great to eat and enjoy good food and good friends.  It's wonderful to have the ability to do things like sing, dance, lift weights, karate, cook, run, play sports, sew, paint, and so on, but when we use them as a means of escape or as a way to feed our souls, then these good things are serving as functional gods - idols.

God gives us our spouses, children, families, friends, jobs, talents, gifts, homes, cars, gardens, etc. and he wants us to enjoy them.  But if we find ourselves trying to "fix" the people in our lives or maybe we're holding on just a little to tightly - then what we're saying to the Lord is that we can manage them better than He can.  Not true, dear friend.  We must trust God as first and only God.  We must open our palms to the things we hold on to so tightly and let Him have them.   This is the "grass roots" of trust. 

If fear controls us, if distrust controls us, if our emotions control us - really anything controls us then we have issues with trust.  A dear friend shared with me when I was at my lowest point that when she was at her lowest point in her own life she began every day saying to the Lord, "Lord, I'm going to trust you with the outcome of this situation."  And she would do that every time she felt afraid or out of control or angry or at a loss.  She did it on days when she didn't believe it - and she did it on good days when things were going well.  Little by little, she truly began to trust God more and more with every situation.  Today, her life is an amazing example of restoration, grace, mercy and healing. 

In my own life, I am learning to trust and relinquish all things to God.  The first thing He has blessed me with for being obedient in these this is peace.  I have bad days, sure, but my situation hasn't really changed - but the peace of God has covered me beyond explanation...a promise that He has fulfilled...Phil. 4:6.  I'm learning to give Him my troubles and to let Him work them out.  I'm becoming bolder in sharing my faith.  I'm becoming more able to hear His voice and heed His instruction.  I'm learning that prayer doesn't have to be formal or wordy -- it's conversation with my Lord and can happen anywhere, anytime.

Dear friend, I urge you to take a deep look into your heart today.  Ask the Lord to show you if there are any "functional Gods" in your life that may be causing you to stumble in your relationship with Him.  It's really a big deal to Him - if it wasn't - it wouldn't have been the first commandment He gave to Moses....and it wouldn't have been the first commandment Jesus shared when the disciples asked Him which commandment was the most important - Matt 22:37.

And when things get really tough, shout to the Lord - "Lord, I'm going to trust YOU with the outcome of this situation." and say it until you believe it and whether you believe it or not...

May you be blessed, not stressed and may this weekend be one that draws you closer to the Lord....

On Monday, I'll be a little older .... and hopefully a little wiser too!!  See ya!  Amy

Kitchen Tuesday

Happy Tuesday!! I'm so excited to share this recipe with you today!! I made it for dinner on Monday night and it was absolutely delicious on this hot summer day!

I know you have probably tried thousands of different chicken salad recipes but I must say, this is one that surprised me...

Here goes....

Hearty Roasted Chicken Salad

3 bone-in chicken breasts (skin on)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt, pepper

Heat oven to 350 F and place chicken breasts on a pan.  Rub both sides with olive oil, salt and pepper and put in oven -- roast until skin is crispy and juices run clear.  Let cool and remove skin and bones and shred chicken with a fork into bite size pieces but large enough to tell what meat it is.

Put chicken in a large bowl and to them add the following:

1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1/2 cup of sliced red grapes (add more if desired)
2 handfuls chopped walnuts (don't you just love my measurements!)
1/2 cup sour cream (may use regular, light or fat free)
1/2 cup mayo (may use regular, light or fat free (I used Dukes light)
1 T. soy sauce
Juice of 1 whole lemon

Stir together gently making sure all ingredients are blended.  When combined, toss in about 2 tablespoons of chopped green onions and lightly mix in.  Taste to see if salt and pepper are needed...chill for about 30 minutes.

To serve:  Make a plate with thinly sliced cucumber, fresh strawberries or melon, a few cubes of cheese and some crispy crackers or toast points and serve. 

Delicious with a glass of icy cold lemonade or tea....

Healthy, filling and yet light and cool and ready in a flash with very little chopping or effort....my kind of summer supper!  Hope you enjoy it too!!!

Verse of the day:  Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Meaningful Mondays

Happy Monday!  I hope it's going well and that you started off the week with worship!  I had to wonderful blessing of worshipping out at Chapel in the Pines and sharing the special music of the morning yesterday.  It's so beautiful out there!

Well, today continues our journey to discover more about our Spiritual gifts and how they can be used to produce fruitful, faithful lives that glorify the Lord.  Today, we're going to take a look at the gift of mercy.

I must admit - this is a gift that I've not been blessed with abundantly.  Mercy is defined as "compassionate treatment of or attitude towards an offender, adversary, etc., who is in one's power or care; clemency; pity".  The spiritual gift of "mercy" is one that gives supernatural ability to feel and express unusual compassion and sympathy for those in difficult or crisis situations and provide them with the necessary help and support to see them through tough times.  One who has the gift of mercy doesn't just feel or care - they have the ability to get in the trenches with those who are hurting - to walk in an other's shoes as such.

The good Samaritan - Luke 10:30-37 is probably one of the greatest examples of someone with the gift of mercy in Scripture.  Jesus spoke about mercy on many occasions.

Those who possess mercy as their primary gift will be drawn to others who are hurting, grieving, sick, needy, poor and helpless.  Needy people readily sense this gift and gravitate to the person with the mercy gift.  Mercy-givers feel fulfilled after visiting with those who are sick rather than depressed about the situation.  They will look for ways to help others and naturally seem to "know" what to do and do so without judgement or self-gratification.  Mercy-givers enjoy care-giving and sense a great deal of compassion for those in their care. 

Mercy-givers who move away from operating in the Spirit, can become very needy, depressed, selfish and uncaring - the direct opposite of their natural tendencies.  Mercy-givers must be very sensitive to giving out and becoming over extended, and must work hard to re-fill their own tank from time to time, both spiritually and physically.  An exhausted mercy-giver may become ill, either mentally or physically (or both) if not encouraged to let others be involved in care-giving - especially when this involves a loved one.

By profession, Mercy-givers make good counselors, foster parents, health professionals, personal care-givers, special needs, elementary and preschool teachers, geriatric care-givers, physical and occupational therapists, customer service representatives, and massage therapists.  Mercy-givers are great listeners but must realize their own limitations with regard to giving help to those in their care.

A parent with a strong mercy gift will be compassionate and caring but may lack in the ability to discipline and enforce house rules.  They are patient and loving but can be manipulated if not careful. 

Jesus referred to mercy givers in His Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5:7 - blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy...it would appear in this verse that the mercy gift is a gift that keeps on giving - an endless supply that runs over...and when the gift of mercy is used to glorify the Lord - He refills the tank to give and give and then give mercy again.  In showing mercy to those who in need of any kind, the Lord gives more mercy to give again and shows mercy to those in need (sinners) through His death and resurrection...a beautiful picture of grace...and mercy on all of us.

The gift of mercy is a treasure, one to be shared with others.  It's not one to be kept or used to gratify "self".  If mercy isn't given away, it's really useless. 

I affectionately call mercy-givers "nut-magnets".  My mother and a dear friend have the gift of mercy as one of their primary gifts and I'm constantly amazed at the people who gravitate to them.  They can be standing in line at the grocery store or post office and without saying a word, the person next to them will begin to pour out their heart of the troubles that they are carrying for that day or season.  They are both precious people who use their gifts to glorify the Lord - but I've seen them both be taken for granted and used at times as well.  They can be gullible and will believe a "sob story" and give the benefit of the doubt much more than they would ever pass judgement and walk away.  They both have a sense of humor about it, but are so thankful to have others to hold them accountable and to be another set of watchful eyes for a scam.

In the church, mercy givers work well with the elderly, home-bound, missions, children, special needs classes and assistance, disaster assistance and charity drives, counseling ministries and the like.  They may take a leadership role or a serving role depending on their other gifts, but mercy givers are essential to the backbone of the church's outreach to the community and missions projects.  Their passion will drive the success of these endeavors.

If you are a mercy-giver, you will be happiest when you are busy helping others.  Find a place to help and your life will take on more meaning and will bless other in ways you cannot begin to imagine and in doing so you will fulfill your calling and will reap the reward of a never ending supply of mercy to yourself and to those you care so deeply for.

Be blessed today -- See ya tomorrow!  Amy

Friday's Freebies

Hi Friends - well, it's Friday and you know what that means!! Freebie Day!!!

I've taken a look at last month's statistics and it appears that Monday thru Thursday are your best view days.  So I'm going to let this be the last Friday blog for a while.  I'm cool with that for the summer at least because most people are so busy and trying to get ready for the weekend.

For today's freebie I'm just gonna touch on some easy stress relievers...this heat has really raised my stress level so I'm guessing you might be experiencing the same thing.  So here are some ideas to manage stress on these hot days:

1.  Drink plenty of fluid.  Whether it's water or your favorite iced tea or some fresh lemonade, fluids help to keep your body's temperature regulated and therefore, will keep your heart rate at a regular rate...just watch the caffeine!

2.  Touching your forehead, wrists, back of your neck and bottoms of your feet with an ice cube can quickly lower your body temperature.  It's quite relaxing if you have just finished up with exercise too!

3.  Candles scented with vanilla or lavender will lower stress.  These scents are familiar and comforting and will help you relax after a long day or stressful trip home in traffic.

4.  Make some cinnamon toast and munch.  Mix sugar and cinnamon and then spread butter on some whole wheat bread.  Sprinkle cinnamon mixture generously over the butter and toast to your preferred crispness.  This is a great comfort food and quite relaxing!

5.  Give yourself a foot massage.  Using a tennis ball, roll back and forth with your foot.  The ball will give the muscles in your foot enough resistance to relax them.  Do this for 2 or 3 minutes per foot.  When finished massage some lavender scented lotion into your feet and prop them on a comfy pillow...I hear you saying, "ahhhh!" now!

6.  Epsom salts, essential oils and baby shampoo make a great bubble bath.  Pick your favorite essential oil and add 1 cup of salt, a few drops of oil and a little baby shampoo into some warm but not hot water.  Soak your troubles away while reading a good book - nothing stressful -- try a magazine or light-hearted short story.

7.  Pet your pet...studies have shown over and over that pets help to lower our stress level.  Spending time with them is absolutely what they love and petting, brushing or playing with them will both relax you and them, too!

8.  Take a long walk near water.  There's something about being near water that takes the stress away.  If you can go to a park or near the ocean where there's a ready source of water, it may still be hot, but the water focuses your attention away and before you know it, the stress begins to melt away.

9.  Do a repetitive task.  I know people who iron clothes, cook, sew, knit, etc. who say that it's a great way to let the stress go.  They play music they love and sing along or sway while doing the repetitive motion of the task...it's worth a try...it might be the thing that works for ya!

10.  Dance!  Turn on your favorite music and wiggle.  Whatever the style - make sure that you move.  You don't have to be good at it - just wiggle -- before you know it -- all the achy muscles, fatigue and ill mood will be gone...

Lastly -- spend time with those you love.  Laugh, play cards, games, cook out - whatever you enjoy the most - surround yourself with those people -- it's the BEST way to unwind after a tough day, week or month.  Make time for this -- you'll never regret it!

I hope you have a GREAT weekend!  See ya Monday!!!  Amy

Tips and Tricks Thursday

Happy Thursday Y'all!  This short week is just about gone, isn't it!!

Well, it's Tips and Tricks Thursday -- I think I'm just gonna give y'all a few quick tips for flower arrangements...

The easiest arrangement to do is to use just one type of flower in bulk.  This is an elegant bouquet and you don't have to do anything except trim the stems.  If you purchase or pick all of 1 color or type of flower, and put them in a simple vase - your table will be just gorgeous without much effort at all. Pitchers, mason jars, coffee mugs, vinegar bottles and oil bottles make great vases.

If you want to work with a variety of flowers, I'd like to suggest using the rule of 3's.  If you will use 3 of each stem, your arrangement will have balance - trim the stems in graduated lengths for variety and insert them into the arrangement in chunks rather than individual stems -- this will give more balance to your arrangements.

Never put flowers in ice cold water or in hot water.  It will shock them and they will not live as long.  If you want to condition flowers, put them in tepid (tap water at room temp) and them place them in the refrigerator.  This will allow the flowers to adjust to cooler temperatures gradually rather than shocking them.  You can do this overnight for arrangements that need to last a long time or if you have blooms that need to open slightly.

Try using herbs and veggies in your arrangements.  If you have small cherry tomatoes that can be cut by the stem, put them into your arrangement - same for peppers - cut parsley, sage or rosemary for added greenery -- you can "stem" vegetables like carrots and cucumbers and put them into styrofoam for added interest.  Grapes, berries, lemons, limes, and apples make great arrangement additions as do artichokes and larger peppers.  A kitchen arrangement filled with fresh vegetables and fruits makes such an attractive enhancement to your decor.

Filling clear vases with one type of fruit is a great easy arrangement idea.  Tall cylinder type vases filled with whole oranges (or any single type of citrus) and sliced rings placed against the sides at the top can add a pop of fresh color to any table or counter top.  Any citrus fruit will work for this project. This type of arrangement won't last more than 1 day though - so keep that in mind - the water will get murky.

If you need a quick fix of something interesting - put different types of lettuce heads in a large punch bowl or lined basket filled with ice water (if you use a basket put the ice in ziploc bags and place on towels inside the basket).  Just lay them on top of the iced water and pack full.  You can add in red cabbage, savoy cabbage and even some celery bunches (trim off any discoloration) -- talk about a pretty arrangement -- mist with water to give a fresh picked dewy look!  Or if you won't have the arrangement out for a long time, make it look like a fresh bowl of "salad fixins" and just tuck whole tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, radishes, etc. into the lettuce leaves.  You might need to use a few wooden skewers to make them sturdy - wouldn't advise using them on the tomatoes.  After your event, these products can mostly be eaten.  Just be sure to wash them and store them properly.

Some of my favorite arrangements come from my "yard flowers" -- if you have a pretty bunch of flowers, pick them early in the morning and place them in fresh water as soon as you can after cutting them.  Mixtures of zinnias, oak leaf hydrangeas, daisies and tiger lilies are so striking with their bold colors and lacy petals. 

Another simple idea for arrangements would be to fill a large basket full of potted plants.  Purchase an assortment of brightly colored annuals (begonias, sweet potato vine, verbena, dusty miller, vinca and some herbs and arrange them in the basket lined with newspaper.  You can even let a little of the paper hang over the edge for a market fresh look.  Brightly colored napkins would be a good liner too.  Arrange them according to height and color and in no time you'll have a re-usable arrangement that you can plant in your yard later.  So so cute!

If you like melons, why not purchase a few and make them your centerpiece.  Slice cantaloupe in half and leave the seeds and lean the halves against other whole melons.  Watermelon could be halved and then quarter one half and then cut into large chunky pyramids.  If you place this on a rimmed platter covered in hydrangea leaves, you can tuck fresh daises around for a really interesting "edible" arrangement.  And the aroma will be heavenly!  Just use the rule of odd numbers and purchase either all of one type or 3 varieties (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon), adding in other fruit for interest (a combination of berries, bananas, melon, citrus, tropical and shaped fruit (pineapple, star fruit, ugly fruit, etc.) might be interesting in a basket - some cut, some whole. 

The point is - use your imagination - purchased arrangements are convenient - but with a little thought and planning, you can personalize your party and make it interesting and fun for you and your family and guests.

Keep it simple, don't put too many different types of anything, and cluster your combinations in chunks rather than scattering them - and your arrangements will look beautiful.  Don't be afraid -- give it a try -- you might just surprise yourself!

Have a great Thursday!! Be blessed...not stressed!  Amy

Verse of the Day:  Jeremiah 33:3:  Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Wednesdays in the Word

Hello Friends!  It's a hot one here in Alabama!  Hope you can find a cool spot in your world today.

Today's Word comes from Psalm 27.  It's such a beautifully written Psalm of David and one that has ministered to me for such a long time.  Here goes:

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.

7 Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me.

8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.

9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.

10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.

11 Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.

12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.

13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

I've never been a person who walks in fear.  I've never really been someone who was hunted down like an animal, like David was by Saul.  I've never been a soldier on a battlefield in a war zone.  But I've felt so much of what David speaks of in this Psalm as I've walked with Christ.  Any fears that I've experienced have come from the battlefield of my mind where my enemy (satan) lurks to make me feel inadequate, hopeless, afraid and helpless.  There have been times when, standing up for what is right have brought the powers of hell against me - in the form of spiritual warfare, anger, lies, malice and such.  And while I've not been physically wounded - the wounds have been against my spirit.  The feelings of abandonment, rejection, wronged, hurt and all the emotions that go along with it - wounds of the heart.  Maybe you feel this way - maybe you've been attacked by the enemy so much that you are weary and troubled...afraid...tired. 

Like David, we must remind ourselves all day, everyday that the LORD is our Light and our Salvation - who should we really fear - no one can defeat the One who holds us in His Holy Grasp.  We must immediately cry out to our Abba Father when we have a bad day, a bad month - a bad year.  He is the One who shelters us in his safe dwelling place.  Good soldiers must take time to retreat in battle or exhaustion can take over their wisdom and reasoning.  Christians must know to do the same.  If the battle has gotten hot, give yourself permission to take a break and pull back from enemy fire - even if it's just to drink from the Living Water of the Word of God....one passage of Scripture can be Gatorade for your soul...in a dry and thirsty land.  We may not have the privilege of a long-term retreat - but we must refuel our weaponry - our armor must be repaired from time to time - we must get more ammunition - it's necessary to stay alive.

If you look at the progression of this Psalm you'll see that David begins with a question - reminding himself of Whose he is.  Then he acknowledges that his enemies will attack him and that they will be defeated when they do - not because of his strength or might - but because of Whose he is.  David has a keen sense of reality of what his life was about. He acknowledges that the defeat will come and that there will be a victory celebration when it does - that is steadfastness in knowing God intimately and personally.  There is no doubt in David's questions or statements - that is resolve.  David's cry out to God is a battle cry - it's a child-like cry -- arms raised - Father, Father -- be my Victor, my General - go before me in this battle - it's submission and acknowledgement of Who is in control.  It's not laziness or surrender in defeat.  His cry is a faithful cry -- it is the desire to NOT go it alone in battle...that's faith and complete trust.  There is desperation for God not to turn away or to turn David over to his enemies - that's the humanity.  David knows he will fail if God isn't with him.  He knows his cause is a lost cause if it's not to glorify God...that's humility.  And then his last words, he reminds himself that this season of warfare is temporary - there will be a season of peace - time will change and that he will see God's goodness in people "in the land of the living" - that's here in this life - not just eternity and he reminds himself just to wait and trust in God - that's hope. 

I love this Psalm.  I love God's Word.  I don't spend near enough time in it - but the nuggets of truth that He breathes over me when I do bring a washing of peace that I cannot explain.  Every step I've made over the course of the last 7 years, God has spoken to me these words - be strong and courageous - do not fear.  I've read them over and over and over again.  In this world we WILL have trouble - but take heart - for I (Jesus) have overcome the world.  That's a double promise -- life IS going to be hard - but JESUS has defeated it for us. 

I hope this has been an encouragement to you this day...

Until tomorrow - be blessed...not stressed!  Amy