Singing in the Shadows

I shared Psalm 63 with our ladies this week as a word of encouragement for their life journey. Many of us are in the stages of life where concerns consume us. That is a soft way of saying we are driven with worry and fear over issues in our lives.

It may be a worry over our families, children or spouses, or lack thereof. Maybe you are facing a crisis that has stemmed from our economy, job changes or difficulties or maybe you need a job. How about bad news from a doctor’s report, is that causing you nights of restless sleep?

Psalm 63: 1-8 says the following:

“1 O God, you are my God, 
earnestly I seek you; 
my soul thirsts for you, 
my body longs for you, 
in a dry and weary land 
where there is no water. 


2 I have seen you in the sanctuary 
and beheld your power and your glory.

3 Because your love is better than life, 
my lips will glorify you.

4 I will praise you as long as I live, 
and in your name I will lift up my hands.

5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; 
with singing lips my mouth will praise you. 


6 On my bed I remember you; 
I think of you through the watches of the night.

7 Because you are my help, 
I sing in the shadow of your wings.

8 My soul clings to you; 
your right hand upholds me. 
”

I have been pushing through some weariness, choosing to throw off some concerns and have found God’s great refreshment as I choose to sing from the shadow of His wing. He is my covering and He wants to be yours.

It is an awesome thought to be in the shadow of His wing. God is covering my life and my journey ahead, the known and the unknown. It helps me to stay off the “me do it” track and keeps me coming back to the, “ No God, you do it!”

The key is that I have to stay under Him if I want to be covered by His shadow. It’s about submission and trust. These are not easy things to surrender but life is always lived out better when we do. Take rest today in the peace that comes from having the covering of the Most High over you. Switchfoot sings a song that remind us of this truth, "The shadows prove the sun shines." Who knows, maybe as you are covered by His shadow you will begin to sing a new song!

Life is more fair than you think

I have joined the journey to read the bible through in the next 90 days, and started off with a bang! Then we went on a family trip to California to celebrate my grandmother’s 90^th birthday and as quickly as I had gotten ahead I fell behind. So the last few days I have been doing extra reading to get caught up to where I want to be.

Today as I was reading the follow scripture something stood out to me. In Exodus 30:13 it says, “Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the Lord.” (Bold emphasis is mine.)

This reference is about how the Israelites were to honor God through the Feasts and how their sacrifice would be measured. Of note to me was that EVERYONE’S sacrifice was measured on the same scale so that there was no inequality. There were many at this time that would manipulate the scales of measure, using their own scales and claim they were equal. To deal with this practice the instruction was given that all sacrifices were measured the same on the same scale and that all were required to give the same amount.

Let’s remember when we face times that feel “unfair” that God is the one who holds the ultimate scale and He weighs all things equally. It is easy to look at someone’s life and feel that their journey has been given more favor than yours, but today is not the final place of measure. I encourage you to trust the one who calls us all to equal sacrifice.

Christmas as a Time Out (originally posted on FB December 22, 2009)

We are taking some time off this year between Christmas and New Years and I started to think about time off, time away, down time, time lost, time given, but one memory that stands out is when I have given my kid’s a “time out”. This provided them a window of opportunity to go to their rooms and cool off. To think about an action that they have done and to consider, "what could I have done better?" or maybe "I shouldn't have done that." This was also for my benefit; a break from the conflict so I wouldn't over discipline (my kids might debate this part of my thought) and a stop to the action so they wouldn’t do any more damage. More than anything it was a chance to turn it around, to go from bad to good.

I have found that God provides me the same window of opportunity over and over; yes, He has put me in a “time out” many times and still does. But in addition, over the years I have learned to put myself on a “time out”. I find that during the Christmas season it is especially beneficial to find a window of time for one of these self imposed moments. I am not talking about hiding in your room to avoid the family during Christmas, but to take a spiritual "time out" somewhere in the season. To stop and consider my life in the same way I would ask my kids to consider theirs. Thinking about my actions that I should or should not have done, to choose being better at life and to appreciate the efforts that others have made on my behalf whether I deserved them or not. To see God’s gift to me, by giving me another opportunity in life for a new day and a chance to “turn it around”.

It always feels good to come out of that experience with a heart of healing and a commitment to new things, to embrace others with the same spirit that has just been renewed in me. Praying for you and your family this year that you would experience the work of Christ in your life as if you have just come out of a “time out”, willing to be renewed and reconciled in every area of your life that you possibly can be. After all, the greatest gift that has been given to you is the same gift you can give someone else, a chance to turn it around for good!

Speaking Grace to the Mountains (originally posted on FB July 9, 2009)

I did a bible study several years ago called “The Covenant” by James Garlow, and one of the teaching points in it has stuck with me and has become even more relevant in my life in recent days. One of the items in studying the New Covenant is the exchange of symbolic items; one in particular is the exchange of belts representing strengths or assets. Our weakness for God’s strength, our poverty for His glorious riches, who wouldn’t make that exchange? The key is all about being willing to walk in His strength and not your own. This is one of those discipline issues. Choosing to give yourself over to the one who holds all power and relinquishing your feeble control over areas of your life. This would be, and still is my lifetime battle.

Many of you know we are leading our church in a building program, not for the purpose of a beautiful building, but to have a better tool to facilitate ministry. This journey has been relentless in shaping and refining my ability to walk in trust and faith, to really exchange my weakness and poverty for His strength and provision. It has been amazing the shaping taking place in so many hearts and lives of our church family. The growth of faith and standing firm for what God has placed in their hearts has been awesome.

One of the items from the bible study years ago that I keep calling on was a deeper understanding of grace and its role in “strength”. In the study it gives a fuller definition as “Grace, biblically understood, is God’s willingness to unleash His power in my behalf though I don’t deserve it.” (p.37) Then the biblical example comes from Zechariah 4:6,7 ““Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of "Grace, grace to it!"’"

The author summarizes it this way, “God is telling Zerubbabel to “speak grace” to a mountain. What does that mean? It means He’s going to partner with you. “Together we’ll bring this mountain down and make it a plain,” God says. (p.38) I love that, speaking grace to my battles, fears and weaknesses: grace.

Today I am reminded once again that God is willing to unleash His power in my behalf (by grace) to bring the mountains in my life down, as I exchange my weakness for His strength. So if you see me driving by the property and mouthing the words “grace” know that I am putting into motion one of the great exchanges that God has promised through the covenant, my weakness for His strength and choosing to walk by faith for all that He has in store for us, by grace!

You were created for this (originally posted on FB May 19, 2009)

I was out walking our dog yesterday morning, (Tobi – 57 pound lab who is 5 years old and very energetic) carrying all the gear that good dog owners take with them. She was on her leash, I had a dog treat bag with the required poop bag if needed, and the great dog throwing stick with the tennis ball. As I was walking I was trying to remind myself that I needed to breathe deeper, to let the benefit of deep breathing strengthen and sustain me better. I needed my oxygen saturation to be deeper and better to obtain all the benefits of this walk. During my walk I was praying and bringing to the Lord my great sense of being overwhelmed by the tasks he has placed in my life to carry. I was unpacking my heart in regards to the sense of feeling ill-equipped to stand in faith as I should when circumstances become so weighty. It was a great moment of God speaking grace and comfort to me and reminding me to breathe deep. Not only that I needed to breathe deeper for the physical benefits but also I needed to breathe deeper of His presence for the spiritual benefit. It was a simple moment, but one where I understood completely His provision of spiritual health over me.

The lesson went deeper as I stopped at the park to throw the ball with our dog. You see our dog has a problem, even though she is a Labrador Retriever she doesn’t seem to know how to retrieve a tennis ball. She will only retrieve the special ball that has slots for treats in it. She is motivated only by immediate, seen and guaranteed rewards. I have been working with her by putting treats under the tennis ball and trying to teach her to retrieve other items, but I throw them and she just looks at me while I wind up retrieving the thrown ball. I was getting so frustrated with her and exclaimed, “What is wrong with you? You were born for this, bred for this, you were created to do this.” Again I felt the Lord say to me, “This moment that you are in, where you feel so inadequate; you were born for this, created to do this. I am having to put bones under every place I want you to go just to get you there and coax you to do the very thing I created you to do, the very thing that should come natural to you.”

Psalm 119:65-80 (The Message)
65-72 Be good to your servant, GOD;
be as good as your Word.
Train me in good common sense;
I'm thoroughly committed to living your way.
Before I learned to answer you, I wandered all over the place,
but now I'm in step with your Word.
You are good, and the source of good;
train me in your goodness.
The godless spread lies about me,
but I focus my attention on what you are saying;
They're bland as a bucket of lard,
while I dance to the tune of your revelation.
My troubles turned out all for the best—
they forced me to learn from your textbook.
Truth from your mouth means more to me
than striking it rich in a gold mine.
73-80 With your very own hands you formed me;
now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you.
When they see me waiting, expecting your Word,
those who fear you will take heart and be glad.
I can see now, GOD, that your decisions are right;
your testing has taught me what's true and right.
Oh, love me—and right now!—hold me tight!
just the way you promised.
Now comfort me so I can live, really live;
your revelation is the tune I dance to.
Let the fast-talking tricksters be exposed as frauds;
they tried to sell me a bill of goods,
but I kept my mind fixed on your counsel.
Let those who fear you turn to me
for evidence of your wise guidance.
And let me live whole and holy, soul and body,
so I can always walk with my head held high.

I am so humbled of God’s amazing grace to lovingly lead and teach me even in the most practical of ways. Committed to dance to the tune of His revelation!