Jesus is my candlelight.

I am reminded more than any year before of the true LIGHT that shines during Christmas – Jesus.  He is the LIGHT that came into this weary world, to save us from eternal darkness. And the peace and warmth I feel in my heart reminds me of a single candle shining in the darkness.  

Jesus is my candlelight.

"His life is the light that shines through the darkness

-- and the darkness can never extinguish it." John 1:3

This world's Christmas season is loud, trying to steal my attention. But the peace of the flickering flame cannot be rivaled.  And the more my eyes focus on the flame, the more the world around me hushes. 

My soul quiets amid the candlelight.

This world's Christmas season is flashy. It tries to pull my eyes away.  But nothing is as beautiful as one candle’s light in the darkness. 

The rest of the world dims as I focus on the flame.

This world’s Christmas season is busy. It boggles down my soul, filling my mind with endless to-do lists. But as I look up from my list and see one single dancing flame -- lighting up the vast darkness with its wonder -- I can finally breathe.  

And I breathe in the peace of stillness.

It is the schemes of the darkness to try to extinguish His light in this world.  Not only at Christmastime does the world try to tempt me to look away.  I am grateful that one still, small candle always chases away the dark. 

Because if it wasn't for Jesus, I would be forever in the darkness.  

little white lies

I was taking a walk today to get my daily coffee.  It's a new thing I've started.  Since I work from home, my "steps" are lacking.  And I live close to our town square!  

Anyways, I was thinking about white lies when I was walking. It started out by commending myself for being such an honest person.  And then I slapped myself back into reality -- no one on this earth is a completely honest person.  I try, I'll give myself that -- and I'm much better than I used to be.  But - well, I grew up with people pleasers. And when trying to please people, little white lies happen.

A few years ago, I was convicted by the Holy Spirit and, in my heart, began a transformation.  I began to realize when I was lying.  And I began to see it for what it was -- I was making myself a untrustworthy person.  

And then -- and this is where I think the conviction in my heart took place -- I realized how hurt the other person would be if they knew I was being untruthful.  

Right here - while I am writing this - I want to assure you they weren't huge lies.  You know -- that I'm not that bad of a person.  But seriously -- why does that even matter?  A sin is a sin to our holy God.  And while as followers of Jesus, we are saved from our sins -- He does not want us to sin.  With each life choice -- do not sin.  

I leave you with this -- Proverbs that I read a few days ago.  Could be why I was thinking about honesty and dishonesty.

Proverbs 11:1 -- The LORD hates cheating and delights in honesty. 
Proverbs 11:3 -- The good man is guided by honesty; the evil man is destroyed by his dishonesty.

rediscovering my lifeline

This morning I was listening to Charles Stanley's message on "When You Feel Frustrated," speaking about God giving a restlessness of the heart when He is trying to move you towards something.  "Little by little He moves you -- stirring up your heart full of agitation and restlessness until you come to Him."

Man, Charles Stanley -- you hit the nail on the head!!!

This past summer, I was so restless. I felt anxiety like I have never felt before.  I couldn't sleep past 5am -- and that is NOT like me.  I love my sleep.  But I had to get up!  It was like I couldn't think or even breathe until I heard from Him.  My dog and I would take long walks, listening to sermons.  After the walk, I would plant myself on the back porch and just read God's word.  I would draw, read, pray, and listen.  It was the ONLY way I could feel any peace in my heart.  And I have honestly only felt that way one other time in my life -- when I lost my fiance at the age of 24 in a car accident.

I knew there were big changes going on in my heart.

And this change has been the greatest gift of all time -- I rediscovered my lifeline, my Bible.  It is no longer something I just study.  It IS my lifeline.  It is my direct line to God's leading in my life.  He speaks directly to me through His word -- giving me advice on how to live my life TODAY -- on what decisions to make.  He speaks directly to my heart -- giving me a peace that I can find nowhere else.  If you see me out and about, you know that His word is close by.  I have to have it near me.

When anxiety creeps up (my restlessness) I run to His word to fill my heart with the peace that only He can give.

I've been a believer since the age of 15 -- and I look back and see so many seasons of my life.  I love His leading.  I love looking back and seeing that God can bring good out of everything I encounter, everything I endure.  And I love this new sense of HUNGER for His word.  Yes, it came out of a season of great difficulty.  But I wouldn't trade that season of difficulty for anything -- for in it I heard directly from God as I traveled down that pathway.  Blessed.

faith is ...

Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for
and the assurance of what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1

expect flowers

It takes incredible faith to keep believing for flowers when you are walking through a desert. But flowers are promised. Keep believing!!!!!

I am a believer

"By the grace of God, I am what I am." 2Co 15:10

I am a believer. 

I believe in God’s leading. I believe God’s word speaks directly to me as I walk this life. I believe He is using my everyday circumstances to speak to me – and teach me, guide me, and mold me as I study His word daily.


I believe life isn’t always easy. I believe it takes hard times to grow in faith.  Just as God took the Israelites through the wilderness, but continued to provide for them and guard them as they traveled --  I believe He is providing for me and guarding me as I walk. 

I am a believer.

fly away and rest

Wishing you all a restful Labor Day weekend!!!

hope anchors the soul

thank goodness i have my Anchor in Jesus. if i didn't -- i would be adrift with worry.

a sunday morning prayer

dear Lord,
This morning I woke up with a tightness in my heart -- fears filled my thoughts.  I wanted to pull the covers over my head and hide.  But I got up.  I got ready.  And You were waiting for me at church.  You wanted me to hear ...

"You will weep no more.
When He hears you, He will answer you.
When you turn to the right or left,
you will hear a voice behind you saying,
This is the way,
Walk in it."

Isaiah 30:19-21

Thank You, Lord for using challenges in my life to direct me straight to You -- my Rock, my shield, my fortress.  Thank You for Your promise ... "You grant a treasure of common sense to the honest. You are a shield to those who walk with integrity.  You guard the paths of the just and protect those who are faithful to You." (Prov 2:7-8).  Thank You for being my one constant -- my one place of safety and peace where I can breath and just sit at your feet and give to You all that troubles me.  You are my rock and my fortress.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

dear child,
The world cannot give you the peace you need.  There is no rest to be found.  You heart will be heavy until you turn off the world and look to Me.  Open your eyes.  Open your heart.  I will lighten the load -- and you will SOAR.  Pray to me, and I will answer you. I will show you great and hidden things that you do not know.  Jeremiah 33:3

bow my head and fly

{find art block here}

the ground i walk on

may be filled 

with weeds.

the sky i see 

may be

cloudy.

the rain 

may never
stop.
nevertheless,

if what i see

with my eyes

looks to be

without

hope,

i can close 

my eyes,

bow

my head,

and

FLY.

"Those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength. They will soar."

live by faith

what we see lasts only a short time, but what we cannot see lasts forever #liveByFaith

Above is what I put on Facebook and Twitter today.  I have been quietly praying for those in Oklahoma. Events like that always bring me to my knees.  So often fear takes over my heart.  I put myself there -- I hurt for them, cry, and pray.  It takes God's words to heal my heart and help me to move on after tragedies -- both tragedies that I read about and tragedies in my own life.  

His hope always shines through.

cast all your care on Him

so you've probably noticed -- my last few posts were about being yourself.  there is a reason for that.  you see, my youngest daughter is struggling.  there are aspects of herself that she does not like.  and those aspects that she doesn't like -- she sees what she wants be like in her big sister.  and that has made for some behavior problems --- fighting among my girls that i was not used to.

just as when they were babies -- when there was crying, there was a reason.  tired? hungry? gas?  as school-age kids -- when there are behavior problems, there is a reason.  sometimes it is as simple as being tired or hungry.  but as the winter months stretched on, i knew it had to be something else.

my youngest daughter is stubborn -- and proud.  she is also quiet and reserved -- and tough.  i've always said, her stubbornness and toughness is a great complement to her shyness.  honestly, no one is going to push her around.  but it is her shyness that she hates in herself.  she sees her older sister with friends galore.  her older sister is not shy, to say the least.  she is always able to talk to anyone.  and my youngest sees that, gets upset -- and finally opened up with how she wishes she was more like her sister.

so while talking with my youngest about how she is made exactly for the race ahead of her - reminding her that God does not make mistakes - I find out why she has been so irritable and sad lately.  you see, at second recess, she has no one to play with.  no one.  and that -- breaks. my. heart.  (first recess she has her good friends, thankfully).

i can relate to my youngest.  i've been there.  i've been at the work parties when everyone is paired up talking, and i'm walking around trying to look interested in the food on my plate. i know this anxiety.  i'll admit it -- i have social anxiety.  it shows up at things like recess (i always hated recess), parties that you go to alone, and yes -- even church.

this last week i've gone to the school to be with her at second recess.  i can only do so much for her--but hoping that at least walking around with someone instead of alone would help ease the pain.  and it seems it has.  i think the very thought that she has an anchor in me to help her as she feels lost with this huge problem has helped ease her little mind.

and thank goodness i have my Anchor in Jesus.  if i didn't -- i would be adrift with worry.

"cast all your care on Him, for He cares about you." 1 peter 5:7

good Friday

 The Cross is the point where God and sinful man merge with a crash and the way to life is opened – but the crash is on the heart of God. Oswald Chambers

be YOU

it breaks my heart when i hear my youngest say ... "i'm shy, i don't like being shy." i remind her what i have to continually remind myself -- we are designed precisely for the race laid out in front of us. each facet of our design was created and put in us for a reason. we may not see the "why" right now, but we will!!

I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize… Philippians 3:13

be you

be true to you

and the God

who made

you.

you are you for a reason.

love that.

life is not perfect.

don't try so hard to make it perfect!

trust Jesus.

lean on Him.

smile.

love others.

love you.

laugh.

listen to music.

sing.

hope and faith are my wings

hope and faith

are my

wings.

flying above

fear.

above

doubts.

above the

weariness.

in a sky

full of

wonder,

healing love,
strong belief.

into the arms

of

never-ending

gentle strength.

back to the basics

Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent -- reminding us that we are only dust and we will return to dust.  It calls us back to God, back to the basics, back to the spiritual REALITIES of life.  And with that -- back to the JOY and PEACE that comes from living our new life born out of death.

walk by faith

“We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life - those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength.” Oswald Chambers

listen to God

“At times God puts us through the discipline of darkness to teach us to heed Him. Song birds are taught to sing in the dark, and we are put into the shadow of God's hand until we learn to hear Him...Watch where God puts you into darkness, and when you are there keep your mouth shut. Are you in the dark just now in your circumstances, or in your life with God? Then remain quiet...When you are in the dark, listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else when you get into the light.” 
― Oswald Chambers

patience

“Patience is more than endurance. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says--'I cannot stand anymore.' God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands. Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” 
― Oswald Chambers