Note:  These were all private for many years and with few exceptions, only shared with my husband.  However, God is very much moved on 2/3/23. To share with the public means I am called to redact any content which could be harmful or hurtful to others.  The beauty is how God gave me posts like this one for HIS GLORY, in HIS TIMING.

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Father God,

How perfect of you to insist I come to “your room” and share what has been going on the past week. 

You wake me from a much -needed rest and do not ask “nicely” that I come and write complete sentences at this hour.  No, you are the truest “Big Man” and you demand it.   You do not shout in a hateful way.  You do not yell.   Gently, like a Father holding their child’s hand, you compel me with the mighty power of your Holy Spirit.  You force me to rise from the bed with a sense of urgency to be obedient.  Despite my exhaustion, Lord, I am grateful to be able to be obedient.  I am beyond grateful for you.

I stumble downstairs and you tell me “the hour is important, the hour is now, the time is now.” Although you are not shouting or yelling, it feels like you are excited in my obedience.  In fact, it feels like  you are cheering me on to absorb this exact moment.  I check the clock and it is exactly 3:18.  You lead me to First John.   I am overwhelmed:

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but actions and in truth.  (NIV)

I can not thank you enough, Father God, for having your hand on me this entire week.  The volunteer effort has consumed me in service for Your Kingdom.  Every action, word or deed, has been lead by you.   Every little step was guided in love, being shown in actions and truth.   The prayers I have had for our church, YOUR church, especially with this volunteer scrapbook project were all echoed in prayer by another member of YOUR church, if not Hope Fellowship.  I love the irony and your sense of humor, Father God. I love that you let me in on the secret, or the joke, in a way that my heart can hear it and appreciate it more deeply each time.

Still, it is the past 36 hours which have been the most overwhelming.  By far, the most challenging situation possible.  Thank you for guiding my morning Bible flips to direction for each day, in every situation.  Between Timothy and Matthew, you certainly planted exactly what I needed in my heart to be the peace-making woman you wanted me to be in this time of extreme pain and stress.     I declared it yesterday that the only way I could have maintained composure, grace and truth ****DESCRIPTION OF SITUATION REDACTED**** in this situation was with YOU, Lord.  There was no other way.  Then again, there never is.

I am floored how you are reminding me that you are here with me.  Now.  In this moment.  Thank you for getting me out of bed to have this very private time with you.  I love you.

Just so I have them to reflect on more deeply in the future, here are the other places you took me this morning:

Matthew takes me to 18:3.  I think “I am not awake” but you tell me to note it:

³ And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Then Galatians 3:18 to remember The Law and The Promise

For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

Seriously?  I have not been in Ephesians in a hot minute:

¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

 Deuteronomy.

I commanded you at that time: “The Lord your God has given you this land to take possession of it. But all your able-bodied men, armed for battle, must cross over ahead of the other Israelites

And you tell me to stop with James.  Oh, how I love the toe-stomper.

Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

P.S.  “Go to your room” is not a punishment.  It was the perfect opportunity to be alone with you.  Please remind me to share this with Blake and Morgan when YOU want it shared. Again, you make me giggle.  It is now 4:18 and our hour is coming to a perfect close, as only you could plan.  Thank you, God.