He is with me!

Lately I have been reading through Psalms. It has been more wonderful than I could've imagined! And I hope you will be encouraged...I know I was!

Psalm 46:7 "The Lord Almighty is with us..."

Just think on that for a while.

It says earlier in the chapter that He is "our refuge and strength...", our "help in trouble."

As I was reading, that thought alone was enough to meditate on...but I continued on to the next Psalm for the day; Psalm 76. It describes God as "resplendent with light, and more majestic then mountains...," it goes on to say that at His rebuke "both horse and chariot are stilled," He is feared by the kings of the earth. Going back to chapter 46 it tells us that the earth melts at the sound of His voice, "He makes wars cease...He breaks the bow and shatters the spear". What utterly awesome power!!

And then it struck me. That the God described above is with me.

The same Almighty Ruler of the entire earth is with me.

In light of that Psalm 46:2 takes on a whole new meaning, and makes a lot more sense. "Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea..." Why should we not fear? Because "the Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."

"Be still, and know that I am God;"

The start of my journey to trust...

I am going to start my journal posts with Feb. of last year. That was when God really began to get personal and real in my life in a big way. But February of last year was also the start of the most difficult time in my life...and my family's life. So as you read these it is my desire that you might be encouraged in your own personal walk with God!

Nov. 18th '08

"I learned today about not worrying! I am bad at that...sometimes I trust and sometimes I don't! Do anything to get me to trust you totally...I want to be cheerful and not worry all the time."

Throughout 2008 I was asking God to teach me how to trust Him totally...never did I dream of the way in which He would bring that about, nor how hard of a lesson it would be...nor how great the reward was.

Feb 19th '09

This was one of those mornings that just didn't start out very well...and so I was starting to become discouraged and desolate...when my eye just "randomly" fell on this verse in Psalm 18:28-30

"You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With Your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him." That is my prayer!"

It caused me to reflect on the fact that it says with God or my God, it is not my strength that will carry me through, it is not my light that will turn away darkness, it is God's strength and God's light...its all about HIM!! So it is when I place myself under His control and completely surrender my will to His, then that I can claim this promise as my own. And what sweet assurance it gives!

A peek into my life...

In the morning as I was having my devotions I began to read back in my journal over this past year, and the one before. As I was reading I began to marvel at God's goodness in my life! Now let me start by letting you know that I am not one to keep a daily journal of the happenings in my life. I have several journals in the closet that are half filled...or maybe I should say like a couple pages filled...lol But my Pastor, many years ago gave a challenge to keep a daily journal of God's happenings in my life. And I cannot express to you how wonderful this has been!

It was hard to start, but once I got going I couldn't bear to stop! In that little notebook I have poured out my prayers to God, expressed my concerns, praised His name, given Him my hurts, shared my joys and recorded what He has taught me. In the beginning stages I just recorded what portion of scripture I had read that day, but as I got older it began to get more personal. It definitely has not all been pretty, but life isn't always pretty and easy. Life goes up and down, but God stays the same. And my little book is pretty much proof of that. When I am discouraged and my mind starts to wander I can look in my journal and read of God's faithfulness in my personal life. And as I read, I remember the instances in which I wrote the words, look up the scriptures that were meaningful during that time, and realize that God is real and that He does choose to work in my life.

I am not saying that I don't look to God's Word for comfort and strength, that is the whole essence of what is in my journal...I am only saying that it helps to have personal applications added to those of history.

But anyway, I said all that to say, God has been so rich and full in my life this past year that I believe He would have me share with you some portions of my journal...so stay tuned, and I hope that it will be an encouragement to you.