abandoned to Christ.

"Here was sovereignty. Impatient spirits may fret and fume, because they are not called to the highest places in the ministry; but reader be it thine to rejoice that Jesus calleth whom He wills. If He shall leave me to be a doorkeeper in His house, I will cheerfully bless Him for His grace in permitting me to do anything in His service. The call of Christ's servants comes from above. Jesus stands on the mountain, evermore above the world in holiness, earnestness, love and power. Those whom He calls must go up the mountain to Him, they must seek to rise to His level by living in constant communion with Him. They may not be able to mount to classic honours, or attain scholastic eminence, but they must like Moses go up into the mount of God and have familiar intercourse with the unseen God, or they will never be fitted to proclaim the Gospel of peace. Jesus went apart to hold high fellowship with the Father, and we must enter into the same divine companionship if we would bless our fellow-men. No wonder that the apostles were clothed with power when they came down fresh from the mountain where Jesus was. This morning we must endeavour to ascend the mount of communion, that there we may be ordained to the life-work for which we are set apart. Let us not see the face of man today till we have seen Jesus."

~ Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening
Mark 3:13, September 10

I was reminded of this very thing yesterday and again today during my quiet time. A dear, sweet sister in the Lord, whom I've never met in person, but dearly love said something in an email that blessed my heart in a way that she was completely unaware of. She wrote:

"I hope to call you in just a few minutes....I haven't had much time with the Lord, yet this morning so I felt it important I "call" Him first."

On the surface this statement doesn't seem so grand. But let me share with you why it is. You see, our precious sister was in the midst of battle when she wrote this. She was in much need of reprieve, rest and a kind word. But yet, instead of hastily and quickly searching this out from another human being, she went to the throne of God first...to be disciplined and refined, not to be comforted and reassured.

How often do we do this? I know I don't do it often enough. As a woman, I so often "need" to hear words of encouragement, of comfort, just a simple, "It's okay, I've been there . The Lord has brought me through it and will bring you through it as well. You're not alone." I'm not saying this is a bad thing, what I'm saying is that, like Mary of Bethany, our sister chose what was better (Luke 10:40-42).

Like Martha, I find myself so often, rushing about trying to do something for Jesus (i.e., something colossal: run a ministry, feed thousands, write a book, etc.), or looking to receive something from Jesus (i.e., blessings, comfort, etc.) when all He wants me to do is BE with Him, like Mary. I'm realizing that just being with Jesus automatically guarantees me all that I need (i.e., blessings, comfort, peace, etc.) and more than I could have ever asked of Him.

I'm always looking to do something "important", something I think will matter the most to God, much like Martha, instead of being overwhelmingly satisfied with being in His awesome presence....even if it's as a simple doorkeeper.

Have you BEEN with Jesus today FIRST? If so, was your time with Him a monologue as you laid out all your request and anxieties, or was it a dialogue where He spent time listening to you and you spent time listening to Him?

If you haven't had a dialogue with Christ today, I've got GREAT news for you...THE DAY AIN'T OVER! So get off of here and go up to the mountain where He's called you, so that He may tell you "great and hidden things that you did not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

When you're done, go visit our precious sister Amydeanne at The 160 Acre Woods for more "filling" from the Word!

sitting at His feet,

Hello precious sisters!

A little over a month ago, I asked you for your fervent prayers and sacrificial giving to participate in the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) in honor of my dear friend and sister in Christ, Laurie.

First, I'd like to thank all of you for your prayers and also for registering as a bone marrow donor with the NMDP.

Second, I'd like to share some FABULOUS news with you! I just found out several days ago that a sweet, precious 19 year old young lady is a near perfect match for my darling Laurie! We don't know when all of this will happen yet, but we are so grateful and so in awe of God's provision!

Here's the email she sent out:

My transplant doctor called this morning to tell me....

THEY FOUND A DONOR FOR ME!!!!!!!

It is CONFIRMED!!!!!

I will be going to meet with my oncologist on Sept. 11th to be first phlebotomized (draining of my blood because of the Polycythemia).... but we will be discussing the other more important news that I received this morning... all I know that this will all be happening before the end of the year!!
God is great and He does DELIVER precious people into our lives.. close by or from afar... I will not be allowed to know her unless she wants to know me a year after this procedure. Please pray for her health as she puts her own little body through so much to help a stranger... All I know about the donor angel is that she is a 19 year old female who matched 6 out of my 6 preliminary screenings... and has matched just shy of my more thorough screenings that have already been completed. (my sisters matched only 3 out of 6 to give you an idea how perfect she is!)
This all will be happening for her and I before the end of the year .. here is a great web site of details of "what to expect" Click here: Bone Marrow Transplant Information
I will keep you in the loop if you would like ... but I may not know anything else until... hmmm... I find it out!! ;o)
I love you all and I thank you for all your endless prayers and I praise Him ever day for what He has shown me during this journey and the roads that lie ahead... i hope from my experience a lesson of how precious one's life really is, is learned.
I know after reading this web site.. it will be a hard journey.. please continue to lift my family up in prayer.. our struggles that lie ahead of our separation as I recover in a hospital for a few months, my children for their own limited knowledge of this experience.. and the year it will take for my body to recover.. until I can return to my own feel-good self. Continued prayer for my mom, sisters and most importantly my husband who has been my rock that this journey may not be over just yet - but we continue to grow and educate our children the importance of family and friends and knowing that things will be okay.

She's got amazing faith doesn't she? What a blessing it is that God would grant me the privilege of calling her my friend! Below is a picture of her family. Aren't they just beautiful?

rejoice & pray with me,

There are many four letters words that can change the meaning or things. Like when you've watched a wonderful movie and then...suddenly, there it is...that four letter word that just messed it all up! And you think, "Now why did they do that?! It was a GREAT movie and they had to go and put that in there! That word didn't make the movie better! It made it bad! What a way to ruin a good movie!"

I hate when that happens. And to think, it was over a very small four letter word.

We often seem to look over the little things like that in our lives, don't we? I know I do! I'm always waiting for and looking for God to "give me a sign". I'm always looking for the parting of the Red Sea in a difficult situation or the pillar of cloud by day to follow and a pillar of fire by night to comfort and protect me in my fears.

"And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Him they asked Him to show them a sign from Heaven. He answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' And in the morning, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. And evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah."
~ Matthew 16:1-4

In this passage, the Pharisees and Sadducees were testing Jesus and wanting Him to prove that He truly is the Messiah and they can trust everything He says. Jesus' response to them was that they were evil and adulterous to even ask Him such a thing. And here, dear sisters is where I found myself this morning. Evil and adulterous. Evil by asking God to do something that would only make me feel better, but would not necessarily be beneficial to anyone in the situation nor with the focus of pleasing Him or bringing Him glory. And adulterous because I choose to worship what my eyes can see over believing and trusting in all that He has said and I know to be true.

Jesus knows when we're most tempted to sin...it's often when we can't "see" the outcome. It's the "not knowing" that causes us to fear instead of trusting God and standing firm upon His truth - His spoken Word. And sometimes, it's just that we're just skimming through His Word, and not really meditating on it...so we miss this simple, teeny, tiny, four letter word that changes EVERYTHING! And what is this word? It's WITH.

"Then He said to them, 'My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with Me."....And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And He said to Peter, 'So, could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
~ Matthew 26:38 & 40-41

Can you imagine? The King of kings, the LORD of lords, the Alpha and Omega invites us to watch WITH Him, to pray WITH Him. And why does He give us such an incredible honor? So that we do not fall into temptation. Jesus didn't command His disciples to pray for Him, He said, "pray for yourselves". I often forget this simple truth: God does not need me or anything from me. He is God, I am not. But He's given us a powerful gift -- prayer -- the ability to be WITH Him, abide IN Him and live THROUGH Him.

So today, I'm committed to be abundantly satisfied to be WITH my Savior, without requiring any signs or miracles to prove that He is worthy of my trust, devotion and love. After all, He IS, the Great I AM. Besides, is there truly any better place in all creation to be, than WITH JESUS? I know for certain there is not.

Will you join me dear sweet sisters and be WITH Jesus today? Just be, nothing more. For God calls us human-beings, not human-doings.

in awe to be WITH Jesus,

My Favorite Bible Reading Plan

24-HR Reformation Radio

ABOUT ME

Subscribe

Get new posts by email:

FOLLOW

POPULAR POSTS

My Offerings

Faithful & Trusted Studies

Faithful & Trusted Magazine

Faithful & Trusted Podcasts