This morning at 7:00 a.m., we had our prayer time at Cup of Joy’s Office.  There’s certainly a lot to pray about these days. Every where I turn I see or hear from so many who  are going through such trials. Whether it’s financial or physical or emotional. I just received an email from Focus on the Family saying they are cutting 159 jobs. You turn on the news to hear one more business going out of business. I know with Bowen Construction we are feeling the recession as well. Every one is affected. These are trying times!I heard from the Doctor yesterday that they think the spot on my lung is scar tissue and not cancer. That is great news! He was not certain until he sees all the old scans but for now, I will go with that! Yes, I started the morning early praying and I intend to finish the day praying as well. I feel like God is testing our faith. It’s easy to trust when things are going great. I have said so many times that God cannot do anything apart from who He is! He is loving and He is kind! I know that God will answer our prayers and I know it will be for our best and for His Glory! I was talking with Cara this afternoon about some of the things our family is praying for and we started listing  all the great things God has done for us in the past and how faithful He has been to us and that we do not deserve what we do have.   To have the doctor call and say it’s not cancer is such a great gift. We began to think of all of God’s past faithfulness and before we got off the phone we were reminded that our Father is a great loving Father. The cross and salvation is the greatest gift of all and in this life if things don’t turn out the way we think it should, we know we have a great God who wants us to love Him above anything else we desire. God is good and He is loving. His mercy is overwhelming! I’m reminded when Peter told Jesus that people are walking away because they did not like what he was saying and He replied “are you going to leave also”?  Peter said “where can we go? Only you have the words of life! In other words, nothing in this world satisfies like He does! Every thing else leaves us empty and wanting more.  We should run to Him not from Him!  I know a lot of people are praying and seeking answers. I can’t help but wonder is the answer is in our seeking? Is the longing of our heart lie in the opportunity and privilege of prayer? Like Cara said “We don’t have to worry, God has been so faithful to us and we don’t deserve half of what we have anyway”!  So for today, I’m going to thank Him for what He has given me and not what I think I’m lacking! I challenge you to count your many blessings with me and focus on what God has given you,  not what you are lacking at the moment. In other words, is He not enough? If we have God, do we really need anything else? He is eternal! everything else will pass away! If we hold on to anything else, it will be gone as fast as the stock market!!!!

I have heard it said “what you have your eyes on will determine your direction”. Reading this morning in Hebrews 12 the writer encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus. He is the author and perfecter of our faith. Meaning He is who gives us faith. Hebrews says to fix our eyes on Him! We are to look to Him for all our needs, questions, desires, fears and doubts. In this world,  we need a reminder that He is on His throne and nothing goes past His knowledge. He knows everything that’s going on and He has always been in control and will always be in control. I know there’s a lot of evil going on in this world and I’m not saying God does evil. Of course not. He is not tempted by evil and there’s no evil in Him but as I read scripture, He sure uses evil to bring about good. In Romans 8:28, it says all things work together for the good. He does not say all things are good He just uses all things for His good.  The story of Joseph is a great illustration of God working things our for His Glory! In the same chapter of Hebrews it tells us that we are to look to Jesus and it gives us exactly where we can find Him. He’s on His throne. In the book of Revelation, it reminds us around 150 times that Jesus is sitting on His throne. A throne is a seat of power and control. What I need to know and possibly you might need to know is that I’m not to look around me and determine that things are out of control but I’m to look up and see Jesus in control and He’s sitting on His throne. He’s in control and He is in a seat of power. Not the government, not the media, not the stock market and not Hollywood.  But, Jesus!Yes, I did check this morning and I would encourage you to do the same as you pray. Kneel. Knowing that you have a King and His name is Jesus and He is sitting and watching and waiting for His Father to say “Son, go get my children”! Keep looking up, you may hear the trumpet as He calls us Home!I’m ready, how about you? 

I realize it’s almost Halloween but Halloween is not what scares me.  If I didn’t know that God is sitting on His throne during this difficult time in our country, I would feel hopeless! As I read in  2 cor. 4:16-18, God says for me not to lose heart  even though I’m wasting away physically,( in other words I’m getting old) I’m to be renewing inwardly every day. The greatest thing about this truth is that he compares our light and momentary troubles to eternal glory. This life will pass away, I will pass away.  God says that what really matters right now is what I’m doing for eternity.  Not losing heart but keeping an eternal perspective. keeping an eternal perspective is very difficult.  How do you not worry about today and concentrate only on the eternal ? Glad you asked! In verse 18, it tells us to fix our eyes not on what we see but on what we do not see because what we cannot see is eternal.I can tell you, what I’m seeing on the TV or seeing in the paper is definitely tempting me to lose heart!  I’m so glad this life is not eternal. This will soon pass away and what we do for eternity will last forever. Studying Revelation is confirming this verse for me. This earth is going to pass away, God is coming again and he will make right for all the wrong in this world! That’s a promise we can hold on to! So, I guess whatever happens on November 4th is earthly and what God does in my life is eternal. It’s not what the world is doing, that’s going to allow me to not lose heart but it’s what I love with all my heart, it’s what I spend my time investing in, it’s what I worship that will keep me from losing heart and also will  produce for me an eternal glory that out weights it all!! 

I’m sitting here having my quiet time thinking, “there’s nothing on this earth compares to Him”. I certainly have tried to fill my longings with artificial things that leave me  empty. Thinking about Christmas time when you search and search for the perfect gift for your children or grandkids and finally get that perfect gift and they open it look excited and then throw it to the side and play with the box! You think, are you kidding me! If they only knew what I went through to get that “one toy” they so wanted.  I wonder if that’s what Jesus thinks when He sees us delight in a empty box called “things beside Him”? If we could only get a hold of what He went through to give us Him! He’s the gift! we love all the empty things in life so often than just wanting Him! I’m just as guilty! wanting “things” and not “Him”! Sure, I know in my head and heart that He alone satisfies, He alone fills my longings, but living life I often play with empty boxes. I think that the empty box is more fun at the moment til I am reminded of it’s emptiness.Then in my emptiness I cry out to Him realizing He is the gift! Reminding myself the price He paid to have Him! when am I going to know that the price He paid He did it for me to know Him? Not, just to stay out of Hell and that’s amazing within itself since I deserve Hell but I get to call Him Father. I get to talk with Him, I get to bow before a Holy God!!  His love and all I have in Him is more than enough!! He really is everything and He alone fills my longings!Father, please remind me to throw away the empty boxes in life!I love you Father, I really do! 

Today in our bible study,  we studied the first four churches in Revelation.  At the beginning of each church, Jesus would tell the angel to write and describe who He is. He reminded the church in Ephesus that He held the churches in His hand, He is in control and had the authority to do what He willed.  In the Church in Smyrna, He reminded them He is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. That was important because they were being martyred daily. The church in Pergamum, it is  He who has the sharp, double-edged sword. The Word of God. How they are to stay true to the Word. In Thyatira He described his eyes as a blazing fire and feet like burning bronze. Judging their church for Idolatry, acts of immorality along with so much more. I have to admit, it’s been a “heavy” day for me as I look at each church and as I ask myself how do I reflect the church,  the body of Christ? He often said to them to be faithful and to hold on to Him til the end. To repent and  remember the height in which they had fallen. What a lesson for us all! A lesson to be faithful to the one who holds the body of Christ in His right hand. To remain faithful when pain and sorrow is such a part of the day. To make sure that I hold to the teaching of the Word and not compromise my beliefs when it is true to the Word of God. Knowing that He searches the hearts and minds of us all! He says that He walks among the churches and He knows what’s going on. In all reality, that’s a comfort. I find comfort in the truth that God is all knowing! I need to know that my life is in the hands of a God who is always there and knows everything! A God who is in control of every situation. Father, I pray that today as you walked among our study you were pleased! 

If you take God out of life, life is meaningless. That is so true! Can you imagine trying to deal with life without God? I’m trying to imagine such a thing and it’s beyond my imagination. as a matter of fact, life with God is tough! These past 2 weeks I have heard more heartache and tragedy than I would ever want to hear. I had to get out of the office for an hour just to walk around and think. Have you ever had to just get by yourself and think?( I guess that’s why I love our retreats so much) I just walked and asked  God to love on His hurting children. After my walk, I turned to Ecclesiastes 11:5 “As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God the Maker of all things. It’s so true. I do not understand the work of God who is the Maker of all things. The minute I think I have some insight on God He does something or either allow something to happen that puts me back on my knees saying “I’m going to trust you anyway”! I think Peter said it this way ” to whom shall we go?” you have the words of eternal life. I see it this way, we can either walk away and live life on our own or we can trust God’s heart when we cannot understand His hand. To me, walking away is not the answer. I think it’s hard when I’m holding on to God, it’s impossible when I’m trying to live life on my own!Yes, it’s true  this is not heaven and we are not living in the garden but  I can’t imagine trying to live life without God. I really cannot!! 

I’m studying Revelation getting ready for our bible study to begin tomorrow night. The very first mention of Jesus says He is coming with the clouds and everyone will see Him. He tells us who He is in verse 8 of chapter 1,  I am the Alpha and the Omega. Who is and who was and who is to come - The Almighty.This morning coming to the office the sky was absolutely beautiful. All I could think about is Lord come quickly. Life is hard. I have heard from several ladies lately that are going through such difficult times. I just sat at a red light looking up to the sky saying “Jesus, your children are crying out to you. Please love on them and let them know you  hear their cries !  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if He came today!  But, if not,  I need to remember He is the God of my today, my yesterday, and my future. In the meantime, I will continue looking at the clouds and long for Him and remind myself He is Almighty!

I’m just sitting here at the office thinking and looking out the window. The wind is blowing and the wind reminds me of the Holy Spirit where you don’t see Him but you see the evidence of His presence. Today has been one of those days that I have felt His presence. The older I get  (trust me I’m getting older) the more I see that God has a plan for me and I never know from day to day what that might be. There are times I have an agenda that I expect to accomplish and God has another agenda for the day. Like today. I didn’t see what the agenda was til after the fact when  I felt His presence. Just like the wind outside.To feel His pleasure and to experience His presence doesn’t always come about the way I thought it would. Some times it’s after I’m reflecting on the situation that I realize God did that, God made that happen. God wanted me to be there at that time, God wanted me to run into her, God wanted me to call them. I may be just doing life and then realize God led me to that place to show me His presence. I’m starring at this picture over my desk and it has Psalm 61:28 “Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I “. God is leading me and at times I’m not aware of it but later I see the evidence of His presence. Just like the wind! The most amazing part of God’s leading is that God would take the time to lead me or even desire to lead me. Now, that’s amazing! God is too good to me! 

I cannot believe it has been months since I have blogged! It seems like yesterday Howard had his surgery and I was sitting in the hospital room waiting for the doctor to come in and tell me he was fine. He didn’t say anything very encouraging til weeks later after the surgery and we were in his office for a follow up. He said that he was very concerned when he was performing the operation but was happy to say after the results were back that all the cancer is gone! Have you ever watched a doctor talk and you think in your mind “he’s not telling us everything and all he is saying is let’s just wait til we get the report back”? well, that was how it went for me but I’m happy to announce Howard is fine!You never know when God is going to take you down a path you prefer not to go even though you  know in your heart that if God allows you to travel that path, you would rather travel that path with God leading than another path you were leading! We are in the middle of our summer bible study and loving it. We are so pleased to have so many ladies. We are studying Spiritual Maturity and desiring our Father to grow us up!Cup of Joy is at our new office and loving it! We certainly see that our Father has led us here!!  I was thinking about me listening to God’s voice.  He does speaks so clearly in the stillness or is it that only as we quiet ourselves do we hear?  

I’m sitting here at Emory Hospital watching my sweet husband sleep. Today he had his surgery for prostate cancer. It’s hard to believe he had cancer seeing how healthy he is but life never seems to go like we think. The doctor seems to think that he will be fine. Of course, we will not know until the report is back from the lab but I sure can’t complain. Howard always says that we do not deserve anything but hell and if we get anything, it’s a gift from God. I would love to thank everyone who has prayed for us. God has been beyond faithful to us and I’m overwhelmed with the goodness He has given to our family. Andy is preaching on the series describing faith. One thing he said is that for us to pray knowing God can heal but not knowing if it’s His will to do so. I have prayed this so much lately. Knowing that He can heal and not knowing if He will.  It’s always a great reminder that my commitment to God is not based on what He can do but who He is! He is good, He is faithful, and He’s mine! I really am so thankful that at this moment God has given us a good report but being reminded that had we not had a good report, the cross is more than enough!Have a wonderful week enjoying His goodness!Love you all!dot