Say The Right Thing~

Chello~

Proverbs 15:23 Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!

I totally agree with this verse.

We've all been there--a place where we were at our wit's end. Didn't know how much more we could take. Didn't think we could handle one more thing going wrong, and then God sends an ambassador of peace and joy to lift our spirits and calm our soul.

Ambassadors of peace take on many forms.

The doctor who assures you that the medication is safe to take.

The friend who "just happened" to text you at a moment when you needed an encouraging word.

The neighbor who drops by with a cake for no good reason.

The elderly church lady who takes a moment to let you know she's been praying for you, and you suddenly realize why you've been so tranquil lately.

The spouse who senses a burden and takes out the trash--without being asked.

A chubby toddler who waddles up to you and says, "Wa wuv woo," for no good reason.

All of these fine folks were, in fact, steered to you by God so you could have a wonderful moment.

God sends these ambassadors to me on a daily basis. Everyday I receive encouraging words from you guys, or prayer requests. And yes, even a prayer request is a wonderful thing to ask for because it shows that (a) you want to pray, and (b) you welcomed me into your life with confidence and trust. I am always humbled by that--sometimes to the point of happy tears.

Let's purpose in our hearts to be always be ambassadors ourselves; I can personally assure you that you will wind up receiving more than you could ever give.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, It is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time. Thank You for all the awesome people you put in our lives. Keep us alert to the needs around us because we know that when we say the right thing, it will always come back to bless us. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Actively Waiting~

Praise the Lord for sunny skies:)

And...

Praise reports continued!

(1) One of you received excellent news about your child's health.  Your email to me included the words, "I will keep praying."  I love that you aren't going to stop praying just because everything is peachy king for the moment.  In fact, praying when everything is going smoothly is, in and of itself, an exciting DEVO topic--look for it soon:)

(2) In yesterday's praise report section I talked about someone who had found an intruder in her breast etc...It was a praise report because she was determined to thank God no matter what.  Late yesterday she found out she has a benign cyst.  Praise His high and holy name.  She never thought she would say, "Thank You, Jesus, for my benign cyst!"  But she did, and she meant it.  Amen!

Several undercover pictures of what takes place in a doctor's office were taken while waiting for the results, and honestly, nowadays, these diagnostic centers look like day spas, which is nice.  But there's that word again--WAITING.

Isaiah 40:31 They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

The word "wait" as used in scripture is not a passive one.  It does not mean to sit around counting minutes while fretting and freaking out.  At it's root it means to look for, hope in, and pray to God all while actively expecting Him to intervene in your situation.  

Yesterday my friend sat down in a chair while waiting for the results of her exam.  But her soul was busy busy busy.  Several whispered prayers were offered to Jesus, and you can be certain that both she and I were looking for Divine intervention.  Wouldn't that be the point anyway?  Why pray if you don't expect an answer.

We may not always receive the exact answer we were expecting, but we are promised when we wait for the Lord, we will have all the strength we need.  

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We need to be strengthened today.  We need to soar carefree above our concerns close to You.  We have a lot to do and take You at Your word when You assure us that we can do what needs to be done without growing weary or fainting.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Praise Reports~

Greetings~

Praise report time!

(1) One of you has been praying long and hard for guidance for your child and was eager to see that child settle into a job. A open door had been sitting there for a while and things appeared to be stalled, and then BAM! yesterday everything fell into place. And proving once again that God has perfect timing, your child started today sooner than expected and everyone is excited to see what the future will bring. AMEN!

(For all of you waiting on God's direction for your child or even yourself, take a moment today to thank Him for answering prayers. Number one above is the result of a praying mother!)

(2) One of you, who thought love had passed you by, is in love for the first time as a thirty-something adult. All this time you thought God had forgotten you, but you know your momma was praying for a special young man, and BAM! you are newly engaged and thrilled beyond words.

(For all of you waiting for love, take a moment to thank God that He is the ultimate matchmaker and knows exactly who to send your way. In the meantime, ask God to fill you with peace and joy as you wait for Him.)

(3) As I sit here and write this, one of you precious and lovely souls has an appointment this afternoon because you found a little intruder in your breast. But God has already been called upon, cried to, and invited to fill you with peace and health. This qualifies as a praise report because no matter what, you are prepared to give Him praise for being in control! I am humbled by your attitude and know that others need to read this and be inspired.

(For all you facing health challenges, never forget that calling upon God is the first course of action. When we wait for Him He promises to make us strong.)

Wait for Him...What do those words mean? (Tune in tomorrow)

Isaiah 40:31 They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, Sometimes our strength needs renewing. We feel weak and don't know how much more we can take. Soaring like an eagle and running without growing tired sounds appealing too. The first step is prayer. Fill us with energy and vitality and joy today. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Jesus Loves Baseball~

Monday Greetings~

As we start off yet another week with the drizzles, let all that rain remind you of God's bountiful blessings. Well, this reminds me of a hymn.

The chorus goes like this:

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

I am confident that if we took out a sheet of paper and starting writing all our blessings down, our pages would fill up quickly and we would be blessed by our blessings.

Something I would have to include is what I saw Saturday night. Hormone went to play baseball with some buddies and before the game started, they made a circle with the opposing team, held hands, bowed their heads and prayed.

Glory glory hallelujah!

This proves that strong, athletic, handsome, fiercely competitive young men are not--I repeat--not embarrassed or afraid to ask the Almighty for protection and help.

It was a beautiful moment, and I quickly asked Hormone's dad to snap a picture so I could send it out today.

Does Jesus even care about a baseball game? He does if we make Him part of it.

1 Corinthians 10:31...everything should be done to bring glory to God.

God has great power to keep us safe, bless us, protect us, provide for us, and fill us with peace and enjoyment no matter what we are doing, so we should verbally acknowledge Him for these things. When we honor Him by inviting Him to be part of our lives, we glorify Him.

It is important to note that the folks on Hormone's team took it a step further by also glorifying God in deed as well. There was no cussing, spitting, or rude gestures from anyone. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, for a change, and was glad to see that it is possible to have fun and keep it clean.

My daughter-in-law and I even cheered. Remember Fire Cracker, Fire Cracker, Boom Boom Boom!? I was kicking especially high that night.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We glorify You right now by inviting You to come into our life today and everyday. We thank You in advance for Your provision and protection and for all the beautiful things You will show us this week. We want You to be a part of every single thing we do. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

 

I Want to be Barfed Up~

TGIF Greetings~

Today we end our Jonah tour with his own words. See if you can identify with his prayer, and feel free to use it yourself!

Jonah 2:1-10

"From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and You listened to my cry. You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.

"To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But You, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. When my life was ebbing away, I remembered You, Lord, and my prayer rose to You, to Your holy temple. Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’  And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land."
Points to ponder:
Jonah prayed while he was in the middle of the problem--literally.
He called on God and God answered!
He felt like God had totally forgotten him, but he didn't let that stop him from praying.
He thought it was all over, but new life was just around the corner.
Sometimes it's a sacrifice to be grateful and shout out praise when you are engulfed in a problem.
But when we do...God commands the fish to vomit!
I LOVE IT!
PRAYER: Dear Lord, Command the "fish" in our life--that thing that has us upset, and fearful, and worried, to let us go. We want to be vomited onto dry land! In Jesus' name, AMEN~
(I bet you never thought you would pray to be barfed up! HAHAHA)

Prayer is a Precursor to Deliverance~

Happy Thursday to all my precious brothers and sisters in Christ~

Jonah's hell, like we saw, only lasted three days. I can think of several things I have gone through that I would have gladly had end after three days.

But why three and not four? I was sharing with a friend this morning that a while back I was praying with someone about our childrens' questionable relationship choices and BAM! her answer came within a week. Mine took a couple of years. Nevertheless, the timing is not up to me or you but rather God.

I remember one Christmas Jorge and I saved up and bought three-year-old Hormone a Power Wheels electric jeep. It went about 5 MPH at maximum speed. I will be eternally grateful for the moment he saw the car because his expression of pure joy is permanently in my brain.

However, what about if I would have given Hormone the keys to a brand new full-sized jeep instead? He would have gladly taken them, but it would have been too much too soon and too dangerous.

Is it possible that our heavenly Father giving us what we want when we want it no matter what could also be dangerous or at the very least not in our best interest? I have often said that as difficult as it was seeing my child in that certain union, it taught me so much about prayer and having the right attitude. That entire season of heartache and anguish pushed to to my knees, and it has been a blessed road!

So what should be our attitude when faced with a problem? When in the belly of the beast of an emotional, physical, relational or financial problem?

And, if He controls the timing should we even pray? He is going to do what He wants to do and when He wants to do it regardless, right?

(I hereby interrupt this DEVO to remind everyone that I do not have all the answers. I, along with each of you, am living a faith journey and learning as I go).

The one thing I can say for certain is that in both Jonah and the disciples' case, as well as in every problem I have ever faced, prayer was a precursor to deliverance.

Jonah brought his problems on himself through disobedience--something none of us has ever done (ahem ahem). But the disciples' storm started because they were following Christ. Either way--because of our poor choices or because we were blind sighted while actually doing something good--the first step we must always take to get ourselves thrown up onto that beach is to pray.

Pray when you mess up, pray when someone else messes up, pray when life just happens. P-R-A-Y!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Your Word is clear: We must pray before anything else. Before we talk it over with someone, or head out to the doctor, or start a business, or read a book on the power of positive thinking, we must pray. We must talk it over with You. We must invite You in to do Your thing. There is a divine and amazing blessing that always takes place when we declare our trust in You. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

The Lord Provided a Hugh Fish~

Rainy Tuesday greetings~

Yesterday's DEVO caused many things to come into focus for some of us.

Whereas previously one of you did not know how to pray for a husband who is making poor choices, now you are boldly asking God to send the wind until there is a course correction. AMEN!

Another one of us finally let go of fear and asked God to shake things up for your teenager whose choices have had you worried lately. You have been so concerned about the consequences your child might face that you lacked trust and courage to ask God to send the wind.

So I dedicate this DEVO to you.

Jonah 1:17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

By verse 17 in Jonah chapter one, Jonah has tried to run away from God by taking a ship in the opposite direction of where he was supposed to go, has realized that God sent the storm to get his attention, and has been thrown off that very same ship because it was the only thing that would bring the calm. And while the others on the ship are now safe, Jonah has been swallowed by a huge fish.

Pretty frightening circumstances. We all grew up hearing this story about Jonah and the whale. But the Bible does not say whale--it says huge fish. It could have been a whale, but I once heard a preacher say it could have been a great white shark because they are big enough to swallow humans whole. The horror!

Either way, I can not imagine the fear. However, look at the verse again: The Lord provided the huge fish.

Being in that desperate condition was part of God's plan. What Jonah thought would kill him and digest him, was supernatural provision to bring about a change of heart.

Jonah 2:1-2 "From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: 'In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and You listened to my cry.'"

Two points today. (1) Trust the Lord with your family. He knows what type of "fish" to send. He knows what circumstance it will take for your loved one to turn to Him. And (2) It may appear that, like Jonah, someone you love is in the realm of the dead, but when they finally call on God, Jonah 2:10 "The Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land," God will turn that situation around and bring a fresh start.


PRAYER: Dear Lord, We want You in control of the "huge fish" that will bring a change of heart in the life of someone we love. We pray and ask You to take charge. As difficult as it might be, we know that when You provide the circumstance it ends up well. And we know that by praying, we are inviting Your will and Your purpose to prevail. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Send the Wind~

Jonah 1:4 "But the LORD hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart."

Sometimes He calms the wind; sometimes, when it suits His purposes, He sends the wind. In this case, it was to get the attention of one of His children, Jonah, who was running away from what God had asked him to do.

Ultimately, Jonah jumps ship and goes where God wanted him to go in the first place. But not before he got swallowed up by a great fish and pitched a tent in its slimy belly for three days and three nights.

 Eventually, Jonah gets barfed up on the beach. And as difficult and mind boggling as his experience was, all those circumstances nudged him along until he made the right decision.

We will look at Jonah this week as his life will greatly encourage us and teach us a thing or two. But for today we ask ourselves: How do we know whether to pray for calm seas or stormy waters?

Last week when we read about the disciples fearing for their lives in the midst of the storm, Jesus ordered everything to be calm. This week we see that rather than calm, God purposely sent the storm to get Jonah's attention.

The difference between these two scenarios is that the Bibles tells us in Matthew 8:23 that the disciples were following Jesus. Jonah 1:3 tells us that Jonah ran away from the Lord.When you are following Jesus, when you are living His way, when You trust Him through prayer and the storms arise, pray for peace!

When someone you love has turned their back on what is right, has chosen to ignore our Lord, is causing heartache and pain, then CHOP CHOP!!! Pray for God to unsettle their life until they come to their senses.

I am liking this topic already!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You and You alone control the wind. You know when to send the calm and when to stir things up. We desire for you to keep us in peace, but we also know there are times when we need a strong wind to get us or someone we love back on course. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Give the Order!

Thursday greetings~

Here's a shout out to a couple of special DEVO readers who became grandmothers yesterday. May we all be so blessed one day. Grandbaby and mother of baby are doing well, and I am told that there are still a few brave souls out there who choose to go natural all the way! I am not one of them, as I am anesthetized just to go to the dentist. But I admire it, nonetheless:)

Matthew 8:26 He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then He got up and gave an order to the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

Let's examine a super duper sequence of events.

(1) Storm arises suddenly.

(2) Disciples freak out.

(3) They call on Jesus, Who is nearby and resting in the middle of the chaos.

(4) Jesus gives an order, and Voila!, everything is completely calm once again.

My favorite number has always been #4, so let's focus on that one.

Matthew 8:27 "The men were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!'"

As parents we teach our kids to be obey us. But let's face it--no child is 100% obedient 100% of the time. But even if you're all proud of yourself for having perfect offspring, can you imagine ordering the rain to stop? Or commanding the wind to die down?

Doing that takes real power and authority, and none of us can do that. But God can, and He has, and He will keep on doing it.

Take a few moments to think about where in your life you would like Jesus to give an order.

Now refer back to the sequence of events. Three comes before number four, so let's ask.

PRAYER:

Dear Jesus, We call upon You to restore calm in our lives. To bring in peace, joy, and hope, and remove fear, unhappiness, and discouragement. We ask You now to give an order to ______________, and thank You that when You speak, everything and everyone must obey You. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN~

A Little Goes a Long Way~

Wednesday greetings~

 

A few of you lovely birds were a little startled to read that Jesus was asleep in the middle of the storm.  I prefer to look at it like this: If Jesus is in the boat, there's never any real danger to begin with. Amen~ 

 

Matthew 8:26 He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then He got up and gave an order to the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

 

When the disciples screamed for His help, Jesus' priority was to remind them that they needed to have a little more faith. 

 

Sometimes I feel like I could use more faith.

 

However, and let's really let this absorb into our souls, their little faith was enough because Jesus calmed the waters.

 

Jesus never said, "You of no faith."  So He took what little they had and worked with it, people.

 

Jesus works with us--always.  He may encourage us to strengthen our faith and bolster it up by praying and reading the Bible, but He never ever rejects the faith we do have.  Do not fret or worry that you are somehow missing the mark. 

 

Faith-building point of the day: A little goes a long way with God.

 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You that when we call on Christ He accepts all the faith we can muster and uses it to do mighty things.  Strengthen us and protect us.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Don't Ask For His Presence~

Good afternoon~

One of the very first dates Jorge and I had was a fishing trip on his dad's boat. It didn't take long for me to get seasick, and yes, I hurled in front of the man whom I least wanted to ever see me like that.

I was mortified, and his dad had to turn the boat around and get me back to dry land. Luckily for them they still managed to catch a dolphin in the process.

Being seasick was an awful feeling, and I felt my body swaying for hours after I was ashore. But at least, I never feared for my life. In fact, I recall Jorge and his parents kind of making fun of me because I couldn't handle the one-foot waves. (Excuse me for never ever having been on a boat before!)

My experience was totally different than what happened to the disciples. They were caught in a furious storm and they were freaking out.

Matthew 8:25-26

"The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!'"

As bad as being seasick was, I will agree that fear of drowning has to be way worse. And even though Jesus was asleep--sometimes we feel as though He is tuned out of our life as well--the reality is the disciples didn't have to go too far for help.

YOU NEVER HAVE TO GO FAR TO ASK FOR HELP.

Faith-building lesson of the day: If you feel like you're going to drown, shout for salvation! Make it loud enough that you need to use exclamation points. It's OK.

I find it immensely comforting that Jesus is always with me. Closer than close. And that He knows that sometimes I need to yell.

And He is with each of you--right now.

Sometimes I ask for His presence, and then I correct myself and thank Him that He is always with me.

Sometimes I ask Him to be with my children, then I take it back and thank Him that He is their tightly-knit Companion.

Do you see the difference? If we can accept by faith that Jesus is literally with us, it will change our entire perspective for the better.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Sometimes we are guilty of asking You to be with us, when You are already here. We want to be purposeful in our prayers, and that means we must pray with precision. Thank You for Your constant and abiding presence in our life. We need You every second of every minute of every hour of every day. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

 

Jesus is With You~

Monday greetings~

Matthew 8:24 "Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat..."

When I included that verse in Friday's DEVO, I purposely left out the rest of it because I wanted to write about it this week.

It says, "...but Jesus was sleeping."

Here the disciples are in danger of capsizing, and Jesus, can you believe it? is asleep.

Faith-building point of the day:

Jesus is right there with them in the middle of the crisis.

That about sums it all up: NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, JESUS IS WITH YOU!!!!

Everybody do a happy dance :)

And, by the way, His being asleep is all part of the lesson.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You that Jesus is with me, and He is with my family. He has been given an open invitation to dwell in my heart, and by faith I receive His steadfast presence every second of my life. In Christ's name, AMEN!

Suddenly~

TGIF Greetings:)

For the past few days we've looked at this verse and discovered that God has good plans, and we need to get on board with His plans by telling Him we trust Him. We also need to live life as though we truly believe that He makes everything beautiful at the right time.

I will be the first to admit that it is easy to live this way when His plans and ours align. When love is in the air and money is in the bank. When the kids are first in their class and working the afternoon shift to learn responsibility. When everyone is healthy, and everyone is getting along. When the flowers are in bloom and there's not a rain cloud on the horizon.

What about when something unexpected happens?

Matthew 8:24 "Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat..."

My sudden and furious storm happened on July 8, 1990. I got a phone call from my mom that she didn't feel well, and one week later we learned she had pancreatic cancer. She passed away May 24, 1991, and for a long long time I struggled with how it could possibly be part of God's plan to prosper my mom by letting her die of cancer. I could not understand how His promise of no harm fit in with her chemo treatments. How her future was cut short--too short by dying so young.

For a long long time I thought I would drown in the grief. On a daily basis I bombarded God with "why?" questions.

I did not get all the answers, but I did get a few.

Prosperity, as defined by our friends at dictionary.com means "a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition."

The best place where we will all one day thrive and flourish is with Christ Himself in glory.

And, can any harm ever come to us again when we are in heaven? No! No chemo, no needles, no cancer, no pain.

Finally: If God's intention is to give us a hope and a future, is there anything better we could hope for then to spend our future in perfect peace, health, and happiness with Him?

God's timing was not mine--not by a long shot. But here is what He whispered in my heart after I questioned Him--even His very love for me. (I am ashamed to admit it.)

"Yenisita, every good Father calls His children home. Besides, You know what heaven is like. Would you really want me to send your mom back to earth?"

I can honestly answer no; I wouldn't want her to come back.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Let us feel Your presence now and when the sudden storms arise. Thank You that You can handle all our questions and that You have all the answers we will ever need. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

The Lord's Purpose Prevails~

Thursday Greetings~

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

God knows the plans He has for us, and He is also aware of the plans we have for ourselves.

Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

He knows what we want, why we want it, when we want it, and where we want to be when we get it. But when we seek Him and pray for guidance, this means that sometimes we will not get our way. Thank God!

I can think of a few things that if I would have had my way, my life would be considerably less enjoyable then it is right now. Maybe doing things his way worked for Sinatra, but it hasn't worked for me.

Nevertheless, His purpose for His children prevail. And what is His purpose? To prosper us in mind, body, and soul. To never harm us. To give us hope and a bright future.

We need to accept the above-statement as fact if we want to be content. We also need re-evaluate the definition of prosperity and what it means to have a bright furture because like I said yesterday, not all of us are in a great place right now. Many of us are questioning not only God's plans, but maybe even His love for us.

"If God loves me so much, why did He allow ____________?"

Yesterday we learned that the plans belong to God. Today we must nourish our faith and tell God that we trust Him. That He is trustworthy. That we want our plans to align with His. That He knows best. That He and He alone has the ability and the desire to bless us beyond belief and to overwhelm us with peace.

Once upon a time I did fill in the blank above and questioned why a loving God would allow my mom to die of cancer at 47.

Want to know what He said?

Tomorrow. Hahaha~

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Your Way is better than ours. We do trust You. We want Your best for us and our families, and if this means not getting our way, then as scary as it is to give up control, we do it. Oh wait, we have no control! Prosper us now in every area of our lives. Pour out Your peace on us that we may be content. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

God's Way~

Wednesday Greetings~

 

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

This verse is such a comforting and beautiful promise for all God's children.  No matter what is going on in your life right now, you can boldly say that God is on your side.  He is all about setting you up to bless you, not harm you.  To give you hope, not despair. To give you the something to look forward to, not leave you perpetually crashing into one dead end after dead end.

Oooohhhh--I can hear some of you lamenting, "God's plan is not happening for me.  I am not prospering.  I am under a lot of stress. I am hopeless..."

Hit the brakes, people!  Let's break it down, yes? 

The very first thing we learn from this verse is that the plans belong to God.  

It doesn't say, "I know the plans I have for myself," declares Yenise, "plans to prosper myself..."

This does not mean I don't have plans.  I do--lots of them.  And right now I am quaking in my ankle socks just thinking about what would have happened if I could have somehow exerted control over Rayray's life and sent her to school last year.  And don't think I didn't try.  I called and cajoled and cried to them, but they wouldn't budge.  (I may have initially had a minor temper tantrum).

I was so smug--thinking to myself, "You won't budge?  Fine.  But you'll see; I know Someone Who will make you."

I turned to God and pleaded with Him to move the red-tape mountain.  I asked Him to unholster His heavenly guns and cause a ruckus.  I begged Him move the hearts of the inept ding dongs who messed up. 

Crikey! NOTHING HAPPENED.  

Except that all along God was busy behind the scenes setting us up to bless us.  When we couldn't see how it would work out, He could.  He always knew His plan was best.   And He also knew that we would eventually comes to our senses and thank Him for being in control.  (The older and wiser we get, the more quickly this happens).  He knew that we would re-embrace this life of faith and accept that our way of thinking must take a bow to His will for our life.  

Sometimes that can be difficult because we are just so sure that everything would be better if ________ (fill in the blank).

What did you fill in the blank with?  I am not saying to let it go completely.  After all, Rayray is in school this year.  I am saying, however, that God knows best, including the timing of things.  If you're still waiting for something or someone, or if your dreams are on hold or even non-existent, let's take a step of faith together and embrace God's plans.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 "It is beautiful how God has done everything at the right time."     

PRAYER: Dear Lord,  If we're being honest, sometimes it's hard to believe that Your plans are best.  There are things You have allowed that we would not have chosen for ourselves.  But today, as one big DEVO family, we take a step of faith straight toward You and thank You that You are in control.  Nothing and no one else has a say in our lives.  We open our arms wide to receive all the good You desire to do in us and in those we love, and we find comfort in knowing You have perfect timing.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~     

Detours~

Greetings~

I finally straightened out all the mess with my name at the Social Security office and was able to get my Driver’s License. For once, I came out semi-decent in my picture, and for that I rejoice!

But wait—there’s even better news: RAYRAY IS ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I waited a long time to write this DEVO, and now that the day has arrived, I am doing so with uncontrollable joy in my heart, and I pray these words will be an amazing encouragement for all you praying people out there.

Where to begin?

We parents carry such a burden for our children, and sometimes it is painful. Sometimes it is difficult. Sometimes it is agonizing. Sometimes we wonder whether God is even listening. Sometimes we throw our hands up and give in to despair. But then it all comes together, and we have a better understanding of what God was up to.

Rayray graduated college in May of 2012. At that point she had already applied for Grad School and was waiting for the answer. All her little ducks were in a row—her grades were there, her extra curriculars were there, and please, her mother was praying hard.

And then we get the news that a clerical error was responsible for her not getting into the program. It was discovered too late and Rayray was told she would have to wait a year.

THE HORROR! This did not line up with Rayray’s plan for her life, and frankly, nor with my plan for her.

But at this point in my journey with Jesus, I know enough to know that I am not God. That’s right. I do not always know best, nor am I capable of making all decisions on my own. And I don’t have it all figured out—not even close.

So I looked at my baby square in her disappointed face and promised her that there was no reason to freak out. God was in control—not some putz in the admissions office.

At least Rayray had a job. A friend of a friend of mine mentioned something about a Charter School that was looking for a volleyball coach, and Rayray wound up being hired on the spot. All this was in September of 2012.

I remember Rayray trudging off to practice those first few days—not totally hating it but feeling like it was a royal waste of time when she would rather continue in her studies.

At one point she said to me, “Mother, I know God has a plan, but this detour stinks!”

And I said, “Rayray, sometimes the greatest gifts are found where you least expect them. Trust Him.”

And wouldn’t you know that during her very first game the referee at the game invited her to a meeting for club volleyball. He thought she would be a great coach during the off season. Rayray, who was looking to keep busy, went to the meeting and then came home slightly disappointed because there weren’t enough kids for her to have her own team. There was, however, a spot as an assistant with some guy coach.

That “some guy,” is now her fiancé, and we are all praising God!

More tomorrow J

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Activate Your plans to prosper us and give us the future we have hoped for—for ourselves and our children. In Jesus’ name, AMEN~