S.I.S.

S.I.S.----each of you. Listen up!

Struggles Increase Strength.....for those who suffer according to God's will. There is a point; His point.

Joni Erickson Tada, whose suffering season of disability will last a life time, shared once on a JoniandFriends Video of the time she had voiced these words from her soul---Tired, weary, collapsed, heavy, sad and defeated. Not voiced as a prayer. Yet, 30ish minutes later she felt a brightness in her chest as if God had answered what she hadn't even known was a prayer. She saw this as evidence (Isaiah 40:29) that God gives power to the faint and to those who have no might, He increases strength.

In The Way of The Wildflower,* Ruth Chou Simons stated, "It's grace that suffering isn't purposeless" (p. 110) and "It's grace when things don't happen according to my plan but happen for my good." 

(p. 111)

Psalm 72 says, "God will deliver the needy who cry out"!

"Find Strength in Struggle."

Cry out, S.I.S.----Loud and Clear!!

SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD!

GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY *is His authority and control. His control means that everything happens according to His plan and purposes. 

Our triune God's sovereign control is the loving and gracious oversight of the king of creation and redemption. Many see it as a pathway to peace, especially in the midst of grief and life-threatening struggles.

I appreciate Soup Campbell's succinct sharing with a local pastor recovering in ICU as the sole survivor of an airplane crash on a trip which he had planned.

"He is or He ain't!" (Soup Campbell)

The pastor, overcome with sadness and guilt, weeps!

Soup repeats. "He is or He ain't!"

It's not the end of the story but the "pathway to peace" began!

*https://www.crossway.org/articles/series/key-bible-verses/

N.A.P.

I am always up for a nap....or down for....the quick snatch of sleep time.

But this morningI found a better N.A.P.! It was on my laptop screen and I cannot remember the source. Imagine that!!

How blessed it is to be able to give others a Non Anxious Presence in the middle of the storms of their life, your life or both.

Today, may all "busy, hurrying and scurrying" folks heed and N.A.P. knowing God is with; Our Sovereign Lord is in control.

FROM A CLINIC BED TO A CHURCH YARD!

An encouraging quote reverberates regardless of its location!

Thanks to the clout of high school chum, Joyce Ann, my God Wink quote from an EKG room, is now on the lawn of a church in Owensboro, KY. 

There is nothing more encouraging than the prayers and actions of friends in the faith......whether in a clinic bed or a church yard! (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

A LIFE WELL LIVED!

The celebration of "Gran Marje's" life began with a picture posted by her granddaughter, Clare.

It continued in Sunday School as her son, Rad, shared a tribute to his mother. There were tears and hugs along with lots of Scripture and memories bringing much laughter! 

Marje was an elegant lady of grace....full of love for her Lord, her family, (80+ grands, great grands and great, great grands) her church friends, and anyone else the Lord brought across her path. All who knew her know Marje is not gone; she just went to be with the Lord---and of course her Chubby & Queen Elizabeth II along with many friends, family and family in the faith who predeceased her!

3 Truths Marje lived by and shared with family...

1. In everything give thanks. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
2. I have learned whatever state I'm in therewith to be content...for I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11, 13)
3. And we know all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Together we shared a love of books and I still have many with her inscription as to why I would love each book!

Seeing her recently in Sunday School (she didn't miss a Sunday even as her maladies increased these past two months) she called me her "miracle girl."

She often called me that and it's a moniker I cherish as it meant she had prayed for me during some difficult times. 

Her prayers spread far and wide. Now she is face to face with the One who heard all her prayers!

Rad shared that as he was at her side as she drew her last two breaths, she smiled during both of them.

Such an example of a life well lived---'til her last breaths.

PROCESS PROCEEDS PROMISE

"The Process before the Promise" is the first chapter in my new devotional book of 50 devotions, seeing beautiful again, by Lisa TerKeurst. As a weird reader/wordsmith, the fact that the chapter title was alphabetically correct as well as contextual spiritually, was a great hook. BTW, I chose the verb, proceed  in this entry title because it can indicate moving ahead---ie. to continue and it keeps the title alliterative and in ABC order. Though, I admit, precede would definitely work & probably more definitively, except for my alphabetic idiosyncrasy.  

What follows are my journal jottings. I have decided I cannot do one chapter per day, rather I  meditate on just one chapter, with its scripture correlations per week.

• Sufferings seem  present for a long time; long-suffering is not always long enough to match the suffering from the struggle. 
• TerKeuherst's "Hurting but still  hoping--" (p.14) touches my idiosyncratic tendency of alphabetical order. For me: Hoping in spite of the hurting. Hoping is what helps us get through the hurt. (Though I clearly understand the author's context.) 
• Great reflection on Psalm 40.
•  Psalm 40:1-10--David is praising the Lord---a perfect basis for hope being able to flourish.....regardless. He is waiting patiently---it's part of the process. 
• Hope is a continuous action part to the process. Sometimes repeated over and over.
• David continues to focus on God's goodness, even in the struggles/low places, reinforcing his belief in God's goodness to continue. 
• Psalm 40:11-17--David continues crying out to the LORD, recounting his need as well as his trust. David remembers the Lord is his help and deliverer. 

Application---aka "Do it, Dots" 

The Lord put David upon a rock. God kept His promise that He is with those who trust in Him. As He did for David, He will do for me "On Christ the solid rock I stand." He is my Hope. Live it out so that others may see the hope within especially during the hardest times.

Waiting is a part of the process. 

W orshipping

A s

I

T rust           (my acronym)

How we wait shows our testimony lived out..... of the One in whom we place our hope because of HIs promises. He works all things together (Process -->  Promise) for our good and His glory, regardless of the circumstantial or relational outcome in our lives.

PLAN G

Each Type 1 personality seems to always have a plan. Maybe it helps one feel more in control. 

"Just in case folks" always have a Plan B. In extremes Plan C. Plan D and on down the alphabet allowing for snafus, interruptions, etc.

They make a list and check it twice. (At least twice)

Not so with God. Quote scribbled in the front of my Bible---"GOD ONLY HAS PLAN A!".

Many are the plans in the mind of a man (or on their list), BUT it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21, parenthetical insertions and emphasis are mine)

God only has ONE plan. His will. (Ephesians 1:11, 21)

His good and perfect plan. His Plan is the only plan. It's called sovereignty. (Psalm 115:3) It's a continuous working together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

PLAN G = GOD"S PLAN. GOD'S PLAN NEVER CHANGES! (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

Mattie Dear said it well. "Be of good cheer. God is in the plan." 

That would be Plan G.

CHOOSE: ALL

"All" is only 3 letters but in a grammarian world, it speaks volumes. "All" assumes 4 of the 8 parts of speech depending on its usage. That makes me think all is an all important word. (adjective) So....I'm going to give my all to get this right! (noun) If I don't lose all of my mind in the process (as pronoun, substitute for noun)

Are all of you already confused? Or am I all alone in my confusion? (adverb)

The main idea is that generally the usage of all expresses the entire quality or extent of something. 

Today, I choose ALL only as complete, in its entirety.

I remember a favorite old hymn of my grandmother. "I Surrender All." 

Not I surrender all except; that bit of resentment I keep well hidden, my health, my home, my children, my spouse, my savings account, etc. 
No buts or exceptions with total surrender.

The hymn says "All to Him I freely give."

Reading Robert Morgan's devotional, All to Jesus,* this year, I am amazed at the power of that word throughout scripture----from God's commands to the Israelites to His comfort to all believers as the God of all grace (1 Peter 5:10) whom He invites to cast all anxiety upon Him (not some or part) because He cares.(1 Peter 5:7)

I choose this day to surrender all to Him who works all things together for my good. (Romans 8:28)

*I thank Marje Andrews, with all my heart, for giving me this gem of a book.

"mo-TEA-ley" cuppa

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,...(Romans 8:28, KJV)

My jigsaw puzzle working friend, JoLynn, finds joy in looking at the mishmash of colors and motley/dissimilar shapes which have been dumped out of a 1,000 piece puzzle box. She knows that they are all part of a bigger picture----which she doesn't even choose to see ahead of time. She allows the pieces to "work together" to form the picture. (I recommend "Zuplez" 4/9/09 blog entry for a more complete explanation of her unique ability)

Scrabble expert friend, Ann, has a similar approach to all those tiles that tumble out of the maroon velvet bag. As she selects her "unseen" 7 tiles for her tray, she has an uncanny way of perceiving the longer words or the  higher scoring short ones. She takes what is dealt her and begins looking for only the tiles that are needed exchanges. I want to turn them all in for a fresh start. I can't "see" the possibilities. She sees multiple possibilities. Her technique is the winner. At least, I've never won against her.

Sadly, I often approach life seeing only the pieces, the broken pieces---a hodgepodge of events..... and not factoring in the Lord and His bigger picture for me until later. My desire is  to "pray my way out" of the "pieces and tiles" that are uncomfortable or hurtful. 

For many of us, daily events appear to pour out pieces of life that are stressful, troublesome, disappointing even. Yet, these troubles can be used by God to teach us important life lessons. Where we see stress, He sees opportunities. Unexpected crisis are a part of life---at least in the Liles household. But.....a crisis for any of us can be used, by the Lord, as a lesson for growth and betterment in our lives.

Intentional practice is needed to see problems as learning opportunities. Opportunities waiting to be solved in His timing. If one doesn't focus on seeing God's hand or begin quickly praying and asking to see God's hand, then problems can overwhelm and negatively consume one's thought life.

Look for the bigger picture. Exchange all those disjointed and disappointing mo-TEA-ley, miscellaneous pieces of life for His all encompassing peace. Remember to thank the Lord in everything and to ask Him to clearly show the life lessons He has in each piece. 

 

Each piece of one's life exchanged for His purpose = His peace. 

The Lord will bless His people with peace. (Psalm 29:11)

A mo-TEA-ley cuppa needs to be sweetened with God's peace.

PERIPATETIC MOVEMENTS

8/19/13 Peripatetic is a Ronnie Steven's 50¢ word. He has a trove of them. It aptly describes my movements this summer, though I would use "hither and thither" to chart my journeys. Maybe even hither, thither and yon.

The journeys away from home have seemed to go in all directions yet they were meaningful and worth while because the purpose was to spend time with family and dear friends. Fait accompli.

But....the time at home, in between those trips & treks, has had me here, there and everywhere. Not much (purposeful, at least) accomplished. Running from pillar to post, as my grandmother, Gena, would have said---a linear description of walking in circles and therefore accomplishing very little. 

So what's the remedy? Meditation.

I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. (Psalm 119:15)

God can redeem the time lost in my peripatetic, helter skelter, chaotic life when I take time to sit at His feet, head bowed and Bible opened on my lap. He can work everything together for good.....for His purposes. Even my hither and thither life style.

Dreg of Excessive Planning addendum

6/20/13 Two days ago I posted the "dreg"(sin) in my life. Excessive overplanning. With further research  I "stumbled" on "Over Planners Anonymous." Everything from an "empty blog" and discussion groups---with some like gripe sessions others like funny confessionals (I'm such a super planner that I have to plan time for spontaneity) to thought-provoking devotionals. Funny and convicting. There was even a blog for "Disney trip overplanners." More conviction!

Just naming said dreg as sin was convicting enough for me. But God......didn't leave me there wallowing in  anguish and defeat.

Example of "old school" excessive planning---add to that...electronic calendars w/ audio prompts & emails and piles of post-it notes and you have an idea of the weight of my "dreg."

My blog entry ended with my confession but God began to bring scripture to mind. Reminders for one who trusts in the Lord and not in self from Proverbs 3: 5-6 soothed me with the words of reassurance,  "that as I acknowledge Him, He will direct me, making my paths straight."
Other verses of comfort:

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." (Proverbs 16:3, NIV)

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21, NIV) 

And we know that all things God work for the good of those who know Him.. (Romans 8:28, NIV)

So grateful that God's word always gives hope---even for  "excessive overplanners."

Simplicity group members access to "Overplanners Anonymous."

VIOLATION

1/24/13 This is NOT the blog I had whirring in my head as I pulled into my drive and saw what once had been my carport entry door--open with pieces of wood hanging down. At closer glance I saw hinges and splinters all over the floor. And then I knew......

I ran next door while calling hubby and my neighbor called the police.

Welcome Home doesn't feel so welcome.
Didn't they read the verse at the back door or see the cross hanging in the window?

Real emotional violation occurred when I saw the ransacked bedroom. After dumping things on the floor as they cleared the drawers the burglars even took the top drawer in its entirety. That drawer was from the chest my Great Aunt Jewel had purchased in 1906----the emptiness a constant reminder. A reminder of several irreplaceables in that drawer. The only "love" letter I had of my Daddy's written to Mother during World War II, after the birth of their son, Buddy. The gold necklace with my grandkids names on it. My watch, hubby's wedding gift. 

"Batesville" Carolyn, understood and described it as a "theft" of our security."

Margie H. understood that the loss that goes beyond the cash and the jewelry to the personal--- "especially, sentimental things that they took from you and have hurt your heart in doing so.  The people who do these kinds of things suffer from “cold hearts of stone.” 

God understands too. I'm sure there is a life lesson in this for me as I prepare to teach Bible Study in just 3 weeks. The first verse in the lesson I'm teaching at church in Ecclesiastes 3:16 reads:

Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

Though Ecclesiastes 12:13 & 14 is not part of my lesson assignment, I think I will definitely incorporate it into my lesson.

The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: (A)fear God and (B)keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

Violation is the wickedness that happened at my house today between 10:45 and 11:45 am. 

But God.....can use it for good. (Romans 8:28)

Saturating Saturday

1/24/09

Began day with Saturday routine (routine feels good) --- Warriors on the Wall prayer time---praying lots for my "back-up/sub partner, Linda Dickens---what a privilege to pray for others.

Together Larry and I listen to son Buddy's Jan.18 sermon on-line---series he is in dealt with truth about trials and sufferings---how timely—from I Peter 1:6-12 and a few detours to Romans 8:28 (LA's verse) and Matthew 6:15 & 16 (scripture passage I taught in Mexico last March)---God blessed us with His peace. So…………….

Word of the day is Peace--------------World definition is without conflict or war---Dotsy definition is supernatural calmness in the middle of war or trial and God's word says……

The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace. (Psalm 29:11)

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. (Psalm 37:11) Wow, there's yesterday's word---abunDANCE---God often has to show me things more than once (or twice even) Will have to do a word study on Hebrew word for meek b/c definition that comes to mind is not one that I think describes me.

After God, had given me all this during my time with Him, then I opened Jesus Calling and the first two words were, "My Peace" (Uh—hel-lo!)

Glad for peaceful morning b/c rest of day was a whirlwind with 3 phone calls from sweet, precious, brilliant, world-renowned plastic surgeon, Dr. Louis Carter. He called my Dr. Burruss—Dr. B's response was, "How did you know about this?" Anyone besides me know the answer to that!!!!!