31 Days: #28 An ugly-green color

Sometimes I covet my neighbor. All kinds of things I'm jealous of ... cute purses, big homes, amazing vocal talent, skinny bodies, cute clothes on skinny bodies, neat homes, homes that look neat even when they're messy, literally all kinds of things. I can't give too many more personal examples of my jealousy because it's too embarrassing. 

But I will admit that right now I'm having a fit because I can't go to the  Relevant Conference. I keep following the tweets and instagrams of all the ones who are there, and I want to be there, too. It's even in Harrisburg, PA, where I think you get to eat a lot of chocolate. I wrote a post a while back showcasing One Verse (a wonderful cause to end Bible poverty which I support myself), but in writing that post I was competing for a highly sought-after ticket to Relevant.

I didn't win. But out of curiosity, I subscribed to the ticket-winner's blog, and it turns out she is a hilarious writer. I was just catching up on some blogpost reading today and I stumbled across a post she wrote about her preparation for the conference. Of course my ears {eyes} perked right up.

As my kelly-green self read her words, I was astounded by how the Lord made a way for her to go. I mean, literally blown away. So much so that I'm not even jealous anymore because there's no doubt this girl is supposed to be at Relevant. And for whatever reason it just wasn't the year for me to be there, perhaps because I wasn't even a blogger until after the tickets already sold out. Anyway.

So as I kept reading this girl's blog for a bit, a more recent post amazed me in an even bigger way. You would not believe the stuff that's happened to keep her home from Relevant, all just confirmation that she's on the right path. I'm excited to see what happens with The Poorganic Life (what a clever title). I predict that big things are ahead for her! Anyway, I'm not jealous anymore and I'm sorry I ever was. 

I'm still sad not to be there, too, but it's not like He doesn't bless me beyond measure every single day without taking me from my kids and my job right in the middle of the fall semester. Or that's how I'm trying to feel, anyway. Okay, so maybe I'm still a tad bit envious of all those lucky bloggers at Relevant right now, but I'm trying. It ain't easy being green. :)

*This post is part of a series running through the month of October 2011. Read from the beginning here.  Find the other 31-Dayers here.

31 Days: #10 Legalism

This past Wednesday night I stayed home from church, and I didn't really have a good reason to except that I was tired and just wanted some time to myself.

So I sent the kids on and settled in for a relaxing evening, but it wasn't long before the guilt crept in. It's the same guilt that has kept me faithful as a church attendee for my entire adulthood.

So as that oppressive cloud settled in over me and squelched my plans for the night, I pondered what was really going on and thought about all the ways I've let this guilt control me in the past. It's a wonderful thing to attend church every time the doors are open. And I suppose that if one has no other motivation, going out of sense of duty is better than not going at all.

But guilt as a motivator doesn't set well with me anymore. I'm tired of failing to measure up to this unspoken list of legalistic standards. I'm weary of trying to adhere to the very rules Jesus died to obliterate. Who is this judge that guilt-trips me, anyway?

I'm thinking it's me. So I hereby reject legalism in favor of just plain loving Jesus.

Lord, may I pay my tithe not out of obligation, but because I love You and want to further the ministry of Your Kingdom ...  

May I serve You not because I can't say no, but because it brings me joy to use the gifts You've given me ...  

May I find my identity not in my past, but in You. So what if I've been divorced before? Your blood has washed me holy-white and I don't have to answer to anybody for it (including the Church) ...  

May I look at others not in judgment, but with eyes of compassion. May I see them as You do and love them with Your love ... 

May I never again drag my exhausted self to church out of guilt, but let me go instead because I crave fellowship with Your people and I'm absolutely desperate for Your rejuvenating presence ...

So bring on the conviction, Lord, but may the self-condemnation be gone forever, in Jesus name. 

I'm done with religion. You don't need it when you have relationship.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

231. I gave my talk and God showed up

232. three-day weekends

233. thundershowers

234. new friends

235. welcoming hearts

236. friends you can text "PRAY" to and they will, even if they don't know why

237. new curtains and how they can transform a room

238. His leading

239. quiet days to myself

240. Pier One and Pottery Barn catalogs (I can always dream)

241. He set me free

245. reconnecting with old friends

246. pears

247. seafood enchiladas at Rockfish (heavenly)

248. deep, dreamless sleep

249. a rekindled desire to eat healthfully

250. the sound of RAIN hitting the roof, and once again drought is ended. Amen.

.

*This post is part of a series running through the month of October 2011. Read from the beginning here.  Find the other 31-Dayers here

31 Days: #4 A messy closet

It's horrible and I don't dare post a picture of it. It's full of clothes I'll never wear (but might), shoes I'll never wear (but might), and numerous laundry baskets full of more clothes, both dirty and clean.

I hang onto my fat clothes and skinny clothes, out-of-style clothes that might come back around, and clothes so trendy I don't have the nerve to wear them. Then there are the piles of clothes I've tried on throughout the week and changed my mind about wearing, but didn't hang back up.

And my shoe issue is out of control. I keep way too many uncomfortable-but-cute shoes that just might be perfect with that one certain outfit, otherwise I'm not wearing them but I'd better keep them anyway just in case. I have over fifty pairs of shoes and I am not kidding. And surely you don't think they're neatly organized on shoe racks, or lined up in a row on the floor. No.

And then there are boxes and bags and bins and all kinds of other miscellaneous containers full of junk, because after all, I have a large master closet and it's just a good place to stash all the things I don't know what else to do with.

I have friends who are disciplined with their wardrobes. If they don't wear it within a year, it's gone. If they buy anything new to wear, they remove the equivalent from their current wardrobe. Some of them just don't buy it in the first place, which is the smartest way to go.

It's time to let go, time to pass things on to someone who can use them. Sometimes I watch those hoarding shows and I can't imagine things getting that bad. Yet I see in myself some of the same tendencies, even if on a much smaller scale.

So I don't have any organizational wisdom to share because I'm just not gifted that way. For me, it's all about detaching from material possessions and exhibiting a little self-control (so as not to buy things I don't need in the first place), generosity (giving it away so that others who do need it can have it), and discipline to stay on top of the mess (instead of leaving it to deal with later).

But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 1 John 3:17

{This post is part of the 31 Days series running through the month of October 2011. If you want to jump in, you can link up here.}

Day 1: An aversion to crowds

Day 2: Impatience

Day 3: Lamenting my past

Just one touch

It was a risk, and she knew it. To be there was breaking the law. But He was her last hope, and she was desperate.

So she pushed her way through and reached out for that one precious touch. And in an instant the healing came and He felt power leave Him and He turned around and she fell trembling.

But isn't it just like Him to speak the perfect thing to calm our fears? "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction." (Mark 5:34)

He's our only hope, too. May we seek Him the way she did, and may we know His touch today.

Arms around me

The old me would've fired back immediately. I would've popped off with something clever to say, something just as hurtful. I can get crafty with my words sometimes, and not always in a sweet way.

But I don't want to be that person anymore. I want the heart of Jesus. I want to respond the way He would. My desire is to forego all the good come-backs that pop up in my mind. So I often have to remind myself what Jesus did when others hurt Him.

Jesus did not retaliate. He simply forgave.

I have a new way to cope with the hurt. I try to imagine myself in the arms of Jesus. Big, strong arms that engulf me and soften the blows of life. I wonder what my offenders would think if they realized they were really hurting Jesus instead of me.

My blameless Savior deserves the pain far less than I do. Yet when I hurt, He hurts. He desires to take all my pain and suffering. In fact, He already has. And somehow the miracle of this makes the hurt easier to bear. Not easy, but easier.

It doesn't take long to learn that the deeper we go into the ministry of Christ, the more the enemy messes with us because we are a threat to him. He's the snaky scum behind many of the hurtful situations that come along in life to trip us up. So as his attacks grow more vicious, we should let it encourage us rather than discourage us.

It comforts me to know that no matter what stunts he pulls, no matter who he uses to get to me, he knows he can't really touch me. He knows Whose arms are around me. He knows Whose blood has covered me. He knows Who my Shield is. 

And this victory makes me smile.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13

#76-#100
76. the arms of Jesus
77. victory over the enemy
78. beautiful music
79. seeing raindrops on the window pane ... yes, RAIN, finally!
80. new friends, and the wisdom they bring to our lives
81. old friends, and the wisdom they've brought--and continue to bring--to our lives
82. school clothes shopping is done!
83. the first week back to work is over and done with
84. the yard is greening back up
85. the Holy Spirit's leading
86. reminders to keep my mouth shut
87. cooler weather (even by a few degrees)
88. really good reads
89. he brought me roses just because
90. enough cans in the cupboard to make good soup
91. Sunday afternoon naps
92. swinging on the porch
93. I finally learned how to set the sprinkler system correctly
94. opportunities to work with excellent musicians, and what I have learned from them
95. new blogging friends
96. encouraging comments
97. reminders to overlook mean comments
98. the strength that comes with each new test in life
99. a good milkshake
100. I found {somewhat} cheap gasoline today and filled 'er up. Amen.

Gloria Vanderbilts {be still, my 80s heart}

I wanted them so badly, but my parents thought spending crazy amounts of money on designer brands was ridiculous. I was only in the 7th grade, though, and everyone else had them. Everyone. I was the only uncool kid in the school. I didn't have Calvin Kleins or Jordaches, either, but I was willing to bypass those lesser names in pursuit of the ultimate.

Ah, Gloria Vanderbilt designer jeans. The 1983 edition. I salivated just daydreaming of owning a pair. The little handwriting on the back pocket ... the little duck on the front pocket ... being twins with every other girl in school ... so many beautiful benefits! I knew my life would be complete if I could just have them.

My beloved jeans! 1983

So after I saved my money up for half a lifetime, my mom took me uptown to Ann's Dress Shop to make the purchase of the decade. My patient mother must've been sick watching me spend $40-some-odd dollars on something that ridiculous. I can still see her shaking her head in silence as Ann rung me up and I eagerly unwadded my bills. I couldn't get home fast enough. I needed to get those new jeans on ASAP!

I'm sure I wore them every day for a month. I think the back problems I've had in my adult life originated from those jeans because for days I walked around with my torso twisted so I could stare at the embroidered handwriting on my back pocket. Would you believe someone actually snapped a picture of it? That's me to the right, in my Granny's house with my new jeans on. --->

I wish I could remember how long it took for the new to wear off and the buyer's remorse to settle in. It was a whole lot of money to spend on something so frivolous, especially for a junior high kid.

The Lord showed me even then that possessions can't make us happy. Unfortunately, He has to keep on teaching me the same lesson because even as adults we want what everyone else has. And then each new thing we acquire only fuels a desire for more things. This is why buying superficial things to satisfy the yearning of our hearts never works in the long run. One of my friends never lets herself make even a $50-purchase without thinking it over for a day (and praying about it first). I think it's a practice I need to adopt.

I know the Lord loves to bless us abundantly with things we enjoy. But He also wants us to be good stewards of all He's given us, and He longs for us exercise a little self-control now and then and find our treasure in Him.

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Matthew 6:19-21

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  Romans 12:2

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Matthew 6:33 

For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.  1 John 2:16

By the way, I'm proud to say that today I wouldn't dream of buying my kids a pair of designer jeans. In fact, I despise spending lots of money on apparel of any kind. I have four kids to clothe--sweet, reasonable kids who don't bug me for the equivalent of 1980s Gloria Vanderbilts. We're more just your every-day Target and Old Navy kinda people. :)

5-minute Friday: "Still"

Here is my first ever "5-minute Friday" post (idea courtesy of The Gypsy Mama over at (in)Courage) ... where I write for five minutes without proofing or editing. I just write without worrying whether it's just right. Man, that's hard. But here goes ... (today's topic is "Still") ...

 GO.

After all this time off, I still haven't cleaned out my closets. I still haven't helped the kids go through their clothes. I still don't really know how to do yard work. I still haven't gotten in the habit of a real exercise routine. However, summer still isn't over yet.

I still hold onto the things I need to surrender. I still wish I'd done things differently. I still battle my own plans and desires for my life. However, I'm still just a work in progress and He's still not finished with me.

This is a crazy life we live ... madness all around ... turmoil and pain and upheaval and no sense of direction. And in the midst of it all, I don't stay still enough to listen. Even when I'm in a tailspin, I have the choice to plant my feet firmly on solid ground, bow my head, close my eyes, and seek His presence. And in those still, quiet moments--in the midst of the chaos--I can hear His whisper.

Be still, and know that I am God.

Be still. No matter what's going on around me, I have the choice to simply be still. It doesn't matter about all the things that are still wrong in my life. It doesn't matter about all the things I'm waiting on that still haven't happened. None of it matters when I am truly, perfectly still. Stillness is His peace.

Be still, and know that I am God. Listen for My whisper.

Lord, help me be still.

STOP. :)

A thousand sleepless nights

A friend of mine recently sent me Laura Story's new song, "Blessings", and I cried as I listened. The lyrics articulate so beautifully the way God can bless us through heartache, and the words invite us to contemplate how our trials might just be His mercies in disguise. I heard the song again in church this past weekend, and I can't get it off my mind.

I don't think a song like this would've spoken to my heart so deeply before tragedy struck my home a couple of years ago and drastically altered life as I knew it. In a time of agonizing grief and fear, God showed up and blew me away with His amazing love, mercy, provision, and peace. By no means has it been easy, but I have known His presence all along the way, and I am forever changed as a result.

But it's an ongoing journey, and sometimes I get very tired. I grow weary of fighting battles day in and day out, of always having to struggle to keep from sinking back into that all too familiar pit of despair. I am tired of the sleepless nights, and I detest the fear that the darkness brings.

I don't remember being scared of the dark as a child. But if I ever was, it wasn't like this. When I think back to my most extreme times of hopelessness over the past two years, I think of the nighttime. It seems like life's heartaches are more overwhelming in the deepest, darkest parts of the night. Sometimes when I go to bed, I ask the Lord for peaceful sleep and then trust Him that things will look brighter when the sun comes up. Sometimes doing so is the only way I can face the night.

I didn't used to have trouble sleeping. I've experienced bouts of insomnia from time to time, but this isn't insomnia. It's a real, live battle, and it's one I'm not always strong enough to fight. The darkness brings things to mind that I don't want to remember, images I've begged God to help me forget. The night brings dread and discouragement. In the dark, I feel like a failure. I experience condemnation. I lose hope. Oftentimes I forget that the sun will rise again in the morning.

I forget to focus on the Light.

I know that the darkness I battle is of the wicked one. After all, he is the prince of darkness. And a clever prince, he is. He tricks me into thinking that I've failed so miserably that my life must surely be beyond restoration. The darkness overcomes me and weakens me. I can't shake the feeling of despair. Suddenly everything in my life seems wrong, and before I know it, I'm in the flesh and don't have the strength to fight.

In times like these I have to force myself to run to the Light of His word, which is full of life-giving reminders...

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of  God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.... 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Through it all, I've become very aware of the unseen battle being fought continuously in the spiritual realm. May I never lose sight of what's really going on. May I always reject the spirit of fear or discouragement. May He remind me each day to put on my spiritual armor and fight. May I never forget Who fights for me when I am too weak to fight for myself.

And may I always hold in my heart the amazing truth that He is accomplishing His purpose in me, even if it takes a thousand sleepless nights and a lifetime of being refined through the pain. May I always run to the Light.

An excerpt from  "Blessings":

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops? 

What if Your healing comes through tears?

And what if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst 

This world can't satisfy?

And what if trials of this life 

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are Your mercies in disguise?

Story, Laura. "Blessings". Fair Trade/Columbia. 2011.

Bouncing back from heartache

Life is full of heartache and disappointment. We all have terrible things happen, but do we respond in a productive way? I've observed two kinds of people:

#1 When something horrible happens, they give up. They go to bed, pull the covers over their head, and stay there for awhile. Some stay in bed longer than others, depending on personality and level of gumption. But eventually they get out of the bed--and when they do, they get up with real gusto! They determine to live, in spite of the horrible thing(s) in their life. They set out to make a new life for themselves. They follow their dreams; they pursue true happiness. They go places, meet new people, do new things. Now they understand exactly what it will take to make them happy, and they set out to obtain it. Do they find happiness? Usually, at least for awhile.

#2 They simply seek God. They say, "Thy will be done"--and they mean it. They allow Him to set their path. Though it's difficult and scary, they determine to trust in Him. And then they wait on Him, for as long as it takes. They are willing because they realize that His timing is perfect and that He sees what we don't see, and He knows what we don't know. They don't let their anxieties or their fleshly desires pull them away from the things He has in store for them. Through the process, He draws them near. And in the end, they find real joy.

I have been a #1--and boy, was I happy! I figured out exactly what it would take to fulfill me, and I went after it. When I found it, I was elated! It almost made me thankful for the heartache, otherwise I would never have discovered so much happiness!

But I learned that when you're a #1, the happiness is only an illusion. It's only temporary. At first you think your new life is everything you ever wanted, but then all of the sudden you realize it's nothing like you thought it would be. In most cases, you end up bitterly disappointed by the lie that sucked you in. Once you realize you've been deceived, it's too late to go back and do it over again. You're devastated to figure out that you don't really know as much as you thought you did.

But the good news for a #1 is that after you crash and burn, you get the chance to start over and be a #2. You get to seek God this time. You get the choice to travel down His path instead of yours from this day forward, and it doesn't even matter that you messed up. He allows you to put the past behind you and start over, just like that.

As a #2, you get to live your life walking toward all the wonderful things He has in store for you. You get to relinquish your future to Him; and in return, He takes your burden and deals with it for you. You get to let go of the worry and trust Him to handle it all. You can rest in knowing that you are on the right path. Period. And you get to experience peace, love, joy beyond your wildest dreams. For a #2, the happiness is real, although a shallow word like "happiness" can't begin to describe the experience of true joy in the Lord.

We are all wounded souls struggling to make it in a difficult world. It always blesses me when I get to talk to someone who chose to run to God in in the midst of a trial--and found Him to be their Answer. It encourages me to do the same, and it also helps me to put my pain in perspective.

I've come to know that pain purifies. The only thing to do in times of pain is to run to Him. He's the only One who can take the bad and turn it into something wonderful, to the point where we come to realize that we wouldn't even recognize the abundance of our blessing were it not for the pain.

As much as it hurt me in the process, I'm thankful He converted me to a #2. May we seek Him always, in the happy times and especially in the heartache.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Peace, be still

Thunderstorms scare me to death. They always have, from the time I was little. I used to wake up in the night during storms as a child and run to my parents' room to crawl in bed with them. They had a big bay window that made the lightning look even scarier. Still, it was better than being alone.

I hadn't thought about my old habit of doing that for a very long time. But then one night around two years ago, I found myself sleeping between my parents again. I felt like a child that night in my thirty-seven-year-old body. This was a very different type of storm, much more severe than any I had weathered before---one that made me doubt I would ever see clear skies again. I had tried to rest that night, but sleep eluded me. When my dad heard me still up, he took me and put me in his spot in the bed with my mother, and then he slept in his chair right next to me. I relaxed a little being between them like that, but still I knew this storm was indeed a terrible one, and it wasn't going to blow away for quite some time.

With all the recent storms in our North Texas area, I've thought a lot lately about that scenario. I have wonderful parents, but despite their burning desire to fix all that was wrong in my life, there was very little they could do. The bigger storms of life call for an even bigger God, and I'm thankful I have my God Almighty to help me weather those tumultuous times that are just too horrific to endure alone.

I've also thought lately about another huge storm that occurred a couple of weeks following the night I've just described. Grief-stricken over the recent events in my life, I was on my way to visit a new church. I didn't feel like going, but a friend had invited me and had said that her pastor and some others wanted to pray for me. Not wanting to refuse prayer at a time like this, I forged ahead and determined to go in spite of some impending bad weather. Little did I know that God had big plans for our family regarding our future in this church. And it was all to begin on this night. No wonder a storm was brewing.

The heavy winds and rain were already blowing in as I arrived, and I ran into the sanctuary soaked and freezing. By the time the service began, it was pouring rain and thundering more loudly than I had ever heard before. I was absolutely terrified, and I remember thinking Why on earth is this storm scaring me so badly after all I've just been through? I don't understand what's wrong with me! But in the midst of all the distraction of that storm, the congregation began to worship. And then the Holy Spirit fell---and my fear left immediately. Suddenly I didn't care about the thunder anymore. I didn't care about the strong winds or the heavy rains. I just wanted to savor the presence of the Lord because in that place and on that night, in the midst of the turmoil both outdoors and in my heart, He brought peace to His wounded child. He surrounded me, He fell upon me, He filled me. Peace, be still. I'll never forget what His peace felt like in that moment; it was indescribable. He was helping me learn to run into the shelter of His presence when the downpour got to be more than I could bear.


Mar 4:39  He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

Just when I think my skies are clear, and just when I begin to take fair weather for granted, those pesky clouds blow in again. More often than I'd like, it storms. The conditions vary greatly in severity, but no matter whether the clouds bring a light shower or a raging tempest, I know where I can find Peace.


Mar 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

I'm thankful I don't have to ask "Who can this be?". I know exactly Who He is. He is my Shelter, my Strong Tower, the Calmer of My Storms. When my soul is in turmoil, He cares more than I could ever comprehend. He is faithful to rescue me from the pandemonium. Miracles happen when He speaks words of peace over me.

I still don't like storms. However, I have come to appreciate them because they allow me the privilege of experiencing His wondrous peace in the midst of chaos. As unpleasant as they are, I do not have to be afraid of storms. Peace, be still.

He meets me there

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

I remember the first time I felt the presence of the Lord—and I mean really, truly experienced Him as Comforter and knew in the depths of my soul that He was there in the room with me. It was the darkest night of my life, because earlier in the day I had learned that I was the focus of my husband’s death investigation. My school district had no choice but to send me home until things were resolved, and I knew I would not be allowed to come back to work for the remainder of the school year. So in addition to the heart-wrenching grief that came from the kind of loss I had suffered, I was now faced with the possibility of going to prison for a crime I did not commit. I was terrified for myself, and even more so for my kids. This was one of those points we come to in life in which there truly are no words to articulate the kind of prayer that needs to be prayed.

But in my anguish I remembered the Bible telling me that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in times like these with groanings that cannot be uttered. That was what I needed that night—prayer much deeper than mere words—so I began to claim that scripture. Alone in my dad’s little study, the pitiful mess that I was, I began to cry out to God and beg the Holy Spirit to intercede for me. I begged.  I’ll never forget what He did. He came and met me there in that little room, right in that very moment. I felt Him literally cover my entire body, from head to toe. I didn’t need to see Him or hear Him. He was just there, and I sensed His presence to the depths of my being. It was really the first time I ever knew Him as Comforter, and I can’t describe the peace I experienced in His presence on that awful, awful night. The next morning I was amazed by phone calls we received from loved ones who knew nothing of our latest news, yet had been burdened to pray for me through the night. I’m thankful they were obedient, even though they didn’t know the full extent of the reason they were praying. That’s how the Holy Spirit works. He comforts me, He intercedes for me, and He burdens others to intercede for me.

There have been many such times since that experience. I know my family and friends love me, but there are simply times when no one understands because no one else is walking in my shoes. When I am in my most heartsick state of despair and there is nothing to do but weep and I feel utterly alone in the world, the Holy Spirit meets me there and comforts me. He reminds me that I am never, ever alone. And He continues to burden others to pray for me in those times when I desperately need prayer the most. He never ceases to amaze me. That’s why I take it to heart when I am burdened to pray for someone else, or maybe a name comes to mind and I just can’t let go of it. We never know what someone else is going through, and I am honored that He would choose me to make intercession for someone who needs it.

He always meets me there in those moments when I desperately need comfort, and He’ll meet you there, too.


Lord, thank you for making a way for us to experience Your presence through the gift of your precious Holy Spirit. Thank You that You intercede for me, and thank You that You burden others to make intercession for me. Help me to live my life in a way that never quenches Your Spirit, but rather extends to You an open invitation to make Yourself real and present to me every day.