A Gift of Life

"...But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, Seed of Abraham My friend--You whom I drew from the ends of the earth and called from its far corners, To whom I said: You are My servant; I chose you, I have not rejected you--Fear not, for I am with you, Be not frightened, for I am your God; I strengthen you and I help you, I uphold you with My victorious right hand."

Isaiah 41:8-10 (JPS)

Praises be to God who allowed us the amazing privilege of being grafted into the lineage of Abraham--God's friend--as well as Isaac and Jacob's.  How?  Simply put by accepting His gift, His precious Son, Jesus.  For God Himself, became flesh to dwell among us, making a way where there was no way because of sin.  Jesus, came to earth as a humble little baby, born of a virgin (young Mary) as was told so long ago, all so that you and I could become God's sons and daughters.  Do you realize just how incredible that reality is?  Can you wrap your brain around the fact that the Creator of the universe, our Father, made a way for us to have a personal relationship with Him?  I will honestly tell you that I don't understand it.  It makes me crazy to think of the expanse of the love that my heavenly Father lavishly poured out, certainly exceeding all imagination, just so that I could be restore into a right standing with Him!  How could I ever expect to comprehend this one?  But...by faith, I must. I must simply believe because after all He saved my life, gave me hope and a chance to walk with purpose in my gait, giving me a reason to wake up and live! 

I like what Francis Chan said in his book Crazy Love, “The point of our life is to point to Him…”

You know that you too can have life that is intended to be full, rich and abundant and filled with purpose.  You do know that don't you?  If not, friend, I can't say enough in an attempt to convince you of this truth.  I know, you can't see it, taste it, smell it or see it but...it is yours for the taking.  So here, here is the gift of hope, wrapped up in love and not only love but the Father's love.  A gift of life the life of His Son, Jesus.  Here, it is for you, I want so much for you to have it, no strings attached!  He loves you so much that words are inadequate to even explain it! I pray you receive the blessings of being welcomed into the family of God, friend.  Take it from someone who has been so topsy turvy through her first 30 years of life, it will turn your world right-side up!

Make Me a Change Agent

The song "History Maker" by the group Delirious is a great song that reminds me of the purpose for which we are in the here and now. I shared in a church, some time ago, of being a "Change Agent" and the two terms, history maker and change agent are synonymous. I don't know about you but I do want my life to be used to make a difference for God's Kingdom.

I looked up the meaning of "Change Agent" in the dictionary and this is what I read:

A change agent, or agent of change, is someone or something that intentionally or indirectly causes or accelerates social, cultural, or behavioral change.

If we apply that to kingdom work...wow, that's it! I want to make a difference in the lives of other people to the extent that they will come to Christ or become more Christ-like.I know it is not about me, but about God uses us when we allow Him to work in and through us, we become His vessel or conduit! Likewise, is that "history maker" one who obviously has an influence for Chirst's sake to altar the course of history for kingdom purposes, wow! That is pretty powerful stuff!

Like I told the folks in church that morning, "we didn't get saved to live a cushy, comfy life with all the amenities, we got saved to make a difference in the kingdom as we come alongside those who don't know the King of kings." We are to show and when given the opportunity to share Christ and Him crucified! and from 1 Peter 3:15

"...always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,"

Father, I am asking You to do such a work in me that I would become one who can make a difference in my environment for you. As I go about the day-to-day stuff I want people to see You. And to see that You really can make a difference in people's lives. After all, I am not who I used to be, praise be to God! Let others see You when they observe me so that You will be glorified and others will desire to know You. It is only through You that I can be the hands, feet and mouth of Jesus. As You perfect in me the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, I will make a difference for Your kingdom and change the course of history, Amen.

Praise is Prayer

Scripture teaches that we experience the manifest presence of God as we "enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise." (Psalm 95:2, 100:4 NIV) We thank God for his goodness and we praise him for his greatness.

Praise is prayer. When I lift up my heart to God to praise him, I talk to him and commune with him. Prayer is not all asking. As Thomas Watson, the seventeenth-century Puritan, quaintly put it, "Many have tears in their eyes, and complaints in their mouth, but few have harps in their hand, blessing and glorifying God. Let us honor God this way. Praise is the quitrent we pay to God: while God renews our lease, we must renew our rent."

True prayer is in itself part of our praise of God. We go to him in a way we go to no one else. He is able to help us as no one else can. Furthermore, in prayer we submit ourselves to God's will--we pray "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Mathew 6:10) as the foundation of all our other prayers. By our acknowledgment that God's will is best, we praise God indirectly for his infinite and perfect wisdom. -- from "Praise Is Prayer" by Derek Prince

Father, let me lay down all of the concerns that I am having. I truly want to be void of all things that are worldly and reek of me. Give me, even if for just a few minutes, the opportunity to dwell in Your presence and let me linger there as I simply place my attention full on You, Lord. Gazing upon Your beauty and acknowledging all that You are. I know that You will then fill my heart with Your purposes, Your will for my life, my environment, and my community as I radiate Your love. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Out of the Desert

I have had my dry times--spiritually speaking--where it seems as though I am crawling  through molasses. Have you ever experienced that? Everything is just as it always is and I then begin to sense the growing barrenness in my life. That old feeling of walking alone and out of sync with the flow. Everyone else seems to be alive and excited to be serving God but for some reason, I feel blah spiritually!Those times have been too often and frankly I do not like being there. It is a pathway that is weighty and bordering on sorrow and dare I say depression?

I have never been in a sand dessert but for a time I did live in the northern part of New Mexico. It is not quite the same but there are some similarities with the hot dry, summers. In a sand desert, there is some life but not a bustling flurry of activity as in a thriving forest. It is simply too hot and dry.This ugly cactus plant of mine is rather similar to the plants that grow in the desert. It tends to thrive on very little water and it is so ugly that I almost wish it would die so I could get rid of it. I think it is about 45 years old and as you can see it doesn't get huge. What grows (very slowly I might add) are these ugly long fronds or whatever you call them with their prickly little edges (although not like the usual cacti with its thorns.) It sits rather lopsided in my pot and obstructs my husbands view of the television if I don't turn it around the other way.

My dry times can be just like that old cactus, dry, barren, lonely and fruitless. It really is a terrible place to be. I am not even nice to be around because I have no joy, motivation or energy. I just want to hang it up. Interestingly, it even causes those that I am around to get cranky, like my husband. My hard places don't just effect me, they also have an impact on those around me. My co-workers know when Kimberly Dawn is going through rough times because I am usually a pretty joy-filled person. (Praise God!) But not with the weight of the world on my shoulders, pressing me down! Or a mind preoccupied with relationships gone awry.

However, it is in these valleys where my sorrow is caused by my own poor choices. If you are a relational person like me, you know how important people are in your life, you need them to interact with and fellowship with and just to enjoy life with. Thank you Lord for creating fellowship with one another. But then a quirky communication takes place and an offense comes along and suddenly the joy has been robbed. I have reacted by making provision for the flesh, and harbor bitterness or jealousy in my heart and wham, down I go and it is time to linger in the desert for a few rounds about the mountain. My thoughts are possessed with wrong thinking. My reactions are very "me" centered around all my thoughts and hurt feelings. Woe is me, they don't understand, what about my feelings on the issue and don't I have a "right" to feel the way I do? Just look how they have hurt me! It is amazing what we will try to justify!

When I go to bed at night, I want sweet thoughts and pleasurable memories of my day or week. I want to reflect on the goodness of the Lord and to be able to see His hand in motion throughout my day. If I am in the midst of a desert experience I can't see any of that, just poor, miserable me. If I dwell too long in that place I become dryer, harder and more and more lifeless and bitter in my own defense. What an icky place to be!

How in the world do I come to an end of my desert journey? Thanks be to God for the power of the Holy Spirit in spite of quenching His Spirit with my "me-ness" mentality. Something jogs my heart and I begin to see that I am the problem not the other party. I'm the one who is holding on to the bitterness, unforgiveness, anger and resentment because all I can see is how mistreated I have been. God's Word has sooo...much to say about the above list of excuses we use to stay in our desert-land:

This Scripture from Matthew 5:23,24 really sheds a spotlight on relational issues out of sync:

"So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God."

I am believing that my offering to God is not going to amount to anything with resentment at the root of my heart. And I have worshiped and wondered why I couldn't sense His presence and wondered why He seemed so distant from me.

From Romans 13:14 Paul tells,

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."

And this includes along with all sorts of immoralities, strife and envy.  And once again from Mark 12:25

"But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too."

You have to admit that forgiveness is a huge issue in God's eyes. I guess that means that I better make it a priority also. God says 70 times 7 and that if I cannot forgive then I too will not be forgiven. God forbid I don't get a grasp on this one! So, what is my excuse now? Can I really justify my situation any longer? I don't think so! Okay Holy Spirit, show me how to get myself to the watering hole 'cause I am so parched and desperately longing for Your presence once again.

You see, with enough sunlight and just the right amount of water, that ugly old cactus does an amazing thing every once in a while. It unpredictably blooms. Sometimes only one or two but these huge gorgeous blooms come out of the most unlikely places. And like that blooming cactus, I too need adequate time in the "Son" so that I can produce fruit that will please my Father and bless others. 

How's your heart today? Are you filled with bitterness and anger? Unforgiveness and resentments? The Lord would have us walking in the fruit of the Spirit which is right where I need to be so I want will exhibit those attributes toward others. It is through a victorious life that this fruit grows and is used to show others the love of Christ.

Galatians 5:22,23

"But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law."

Father, will You show me my unpleasantness and its root? I don't want to be there anymore. I want the fruit of the Spirit to be evident in my life so that when others look at my life they see You. Help me to root out all the negative things like anger, resentment, bitterness, envy and strife those things that keep me in bondage. Set me free and even if I need to go to someone for forgiveness will You give me the grace to humble myself and approach that one so that we might be restored to fellowship with one another and with You? I trust that You will work out all the details of this in my life and that You will receive all the glory, honor and praise due Your Name. I will lean on Your promises and trust this to be resolved in Your perfect timing. Restore me Lord to Your presence and fill me with Your sweet Holy Spirit, in Jesus' Name, Amen

Encouragement for You!

Are you hungering and thirsting for more of the Lord? Are you tired of lagging behind and weary from going round and round the mountain? Friend, let's seek the Lord like never before! The prize is just ahead of you, you must not be discouraged to the point of giving up and giving in. Continue to press in and pray like never before!

“Revival is not found by urging repentance (even though God wants us to repent). It does not result from seeking unity (although unity is important). It does not come by seeking the harvest. It is not achieved by seeking city transformation. In fact, revival is not found by seeking revival. Revival comes--God’s presence comes--when we seek Him with allof our hearts!" Robert Heidler, from Chuck Pierce's book, Reordering Your Day: Understanding and Embracing The Four Prayer Watches

“He will revive us! On the third day He will restore us that we may live

In His presence. Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge Him.

As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains,

Like the spring rains that refresh the earth.” – Hosea 6:2-3

This encouragement comes from Kimberly Roelofs, the Administrative Assistant for the Capitol Prayer Network and Midwest Chaplains!

There really is no reason to give up, just keep praying and we will birth the breakthroughs!

Undignified Worshipper

From Matt Redman's book "The Unquenchable Worshipper - Coming Back to the Heart of Worship" (published by Regal Books Copywrite @2001 Matt Redman)

This afternoon I played Matt Redman's song "Undignified." It is a captivating song that gets right to the heart of King David who danced with all his might upon bringing the ark finally back to Jerusalem. It was a public display of a heart passionate to serve God and it disturbed his wife Michal so much that their relationship was never the same, she came to despise David for his unruly public display of worship.

In the book Matt says:

"One of the Hebrew words for praise, hallal, means to be clamorously foolish or mad before the Lord. (That's where we get our word "hallelujah.") In a "reasons to be passionate" competition, the church of God should come an easy first; yet too often we find ourselves lagging way behind in this area. Isn't it time we saw a bit more holy mayhem in our worship?"

I am in agreement with Matt's opinion that we don't give all the honor and praise due our King. Let us rave and rant at sporting events and our kids games, but solemn we must stay before our glorious King? Heaven's no, let me be a fool for Christ's sake and let my praise simply magnify my adoration for all He is and has done!

Lord, my desire is to give you everything I have when it comes to my expression of worship and praising You. Let my praise be a delight to Your ears as I worship You with all my might!

Searching for God with Skin

Searching for God with skin on is sort of like looking for love in all the wrong places. Sometimes I am an emotionally charged woman with ups and downs depending…on a lot of things. It could be a hormonal thing, a crisis or just a wrong reaction to a negative response from someone. When things are out of wack in my world it would sure be a wonderful thing to just have God with skin. He could wrap His arms around me and speak words of comfort and encouragement to my spirit. But that is just it, I can’t “feel” the comfort or the healing so then I just feel very alone. I'm pretty sure most could identify!


What I need I can’t seem to find. I want my Papa because to hear Him would give me comfort. But I can’t hear His voice audibly. Of course if I did it would scare me half to death! So what am I to do? I can’t run to man, for he is just like me, weak and vulnerable and easily persuaded. Not always wise in his ways and, or given to discernment. No, I can’t go there--although many times I am so tempted to do just that! And maybe, just like me, when you have given in to what the flesh wants you in turn get burned. Instead of the hope and encouragement you were looking for, the fix becomes temporary. Leaving a hollow in your spirit.


Girls, (I am not minimizing the problem here) this is what I can choose to do. I can run to my Daddy, my Abba. The One who will never, ever let me down. The One who gives comfort to my spirit and causes me to soar once again where I belong. No, it may not be the fleshly comfort that would “feel” so welcoming but, my spirit would be ministered to and I would receive a healing touch that would alter the outlook of my situation. So I run to Him, and I crawl upon His lap that is more than roomy enough for this big girl to snuggle in and I receive his love. Here is where the healing begins.


There was a time when I truly needed a real encounter with my heavenly Father. I will let you in on a time when I learned that I wasn’t an orphan after all.

“I remember one morning when I felt so lonely and longed for an earthly father to receive comfort from. You see, I am very alone most of the time. At this time in my life, my husband and I are at different places spiritually. We aren’t always on the same page when it comes to the Lord. I tend to spiritualize things a bit more and my man is down to earth and very basic in his faith. Sometimes that makes me feel a bit alone. One morning after my husband went off to work (he is the early bird and leaves the house like clockwork every work morning at 5:05 and sometimes I sneak back to bed but other times I can have good times with the Lord when I stay up. Although it was an unusual thing to do, I heard my ‘Abba’ Father beckon me to come and crawl up on His lap and bury my head in His shoulder. I am just about sure that I looked around to make sure that no one could see me and actually it was only the animals and me home at that time.

So I did what the Lord invited me to do! I covered myself with a quilt and envisioned being in my daddy’s lap and I cried out to Him pouring my heart out to Him. I told Him how very lonely and sad I felt.

There are times when we do not get the emotional response we need from our parents or spouse and that can pull us into a down time—maybe even throwing us out of whack emotionally. But god, You are there and You hear my cries and my pain, You don’t become weary of hearing me whine and carry on. You listen and comfort me, You, the God of Jacob, hear my prayers. This is something so amazing. Had anyone been able to see me that morning and heard my weeping, they would have wondered if there was something drastically wrong with me. But, my Daddy, My Abba Father, held me close and was very attentive to my sorrows and provided me with comfort and peace. To my spirit He assured me of His love and acceptance of me—which is so what I needed at that moment. You know, it could have been PMS or feeling sorry for myself for whatever reason. But God, my God, was there for me when no else was for my husband surely would have thought I lost my mind. My God knows the heart of His girl and how she just gets lonely and sad sometimes.”
(from Worshiping in the Psalms, Psalm 84)

It indeed seems odd that this could bring the peace needed in a dire straights moment, but for me it was a true epiphany that would forever change the way I perceive my heavenly Father. Girls, guard your heart and don’t let your emotions rule, run to the right thing and you will receive the comfort that only your Daddy, your Abba, can give you. You will find healing and peace that passes all understanding and you will have the courage to go on!


Resting in His perfect peace,
~ Kimberly Dawn

Father to the fatherless

Father wounds are very painful and they can take a very long time to heal. We have been airing a program on our radio station that has naturally--because of upcoming Father's Day--made father the focus. Rightfully so! One day a year we can honor the man (in some of our lives) that served to be that marvelous example of love, provision, admiration and respect. As I said, in some of our lives. I think it is truly wonderful when people speak of their fathers with the utmost of respect and admiration. But on the other hand, there have been too many poor examples of that fatherhood role exhibited by those who claim the title of Father, Dad, Pop, Papa, etc.

I don't mean to sound sarcastic about this, I really don't, I am however standing for those of us who either had poor examples of fatherhood inflicted upon us or didn't have a father at all such as myself. Now listening to the gentleman on our program give the most illustrious talk about the man he looked up to and admired with the utmost of respect, his father, made me long for that missing link in my life. I really cried to think that there can be an earthly man that fills that mold of 'father' so wonderfully as the speaker's father did. Wow! The respect and admiration was more than evident as he shared of losing his father and spending those last days with his hero.

Okay, you are thinking what is this girl's problem that she can't be thrilled for a shining example of an earthly father. Really, I do think it is wonderful but my heart is empty for the father that I never had. I always heard what a wonderful man he was but funny, that wonderful man couldn't take care of my mother and me. I was always told he was such a pioneer type, rugged and fun-loving, but I have only seen pictures of me with him as a one-year old. I understand he came from a family of good fortune but mom went to work to support us because that great guy that my father was couldn't hold a job. When I wrote an aunt to see if she had anything wonderful to share about my father she told me he was a disgrace to her family and poor excuse for a human being. Argh, there was no love lost there! Needless to say, my image of this wonderful man was somewhat skewed and the whole scenario of fatherhood seemed quite a mystery to a little girl who remained curious and longing for what she thought others had and she had not.

It took many years of very difficult circumstances to realize that I was looking for 'love' (father's love) but that I was going at it all backwards. At the age of 42 my life took a 'right' turn by realizing that I had a root of bitterness I wasn't even aware of that had settled itself deep in my heart. It was 12 years earlier that I had opened myself to the gift of salvation and received Jesus Christ into my heart. But that didn't make my life 'happy.' A series of circumstances brought about by my pride, dysfunction and strong will found me miserable and ready to give it all up. It is rather remarkable to think that God had a different plan. And part of this journey was acknowledging that the pain in my heart was--for the most part--due to anger toward a man I never even knew. Quite an amazing thing to think about how someone you never knew could have such an impact on your life, but he really did. It was in large part because of the Freedom in Christ ministry that I was able to release that bitterness and begin to see that I have a perfect Father now. I still have twinges of longing for "God with flesh" like when you want a great big hug from arms that can just pull you in and hold you so you can snuggle your head into his chest and feel the comfort of all comforts. For now that can't be, but someday, I am going to run to my Abba Father, my Daddy and He is going to embrace me and never let me go.

I am longing for that day! And friend, if you have that emptiness in your heart, that hole that just runs on empty because there was no father love to fill it up, I have an answer for you. Will you let the Father of all fathers begin to fill the hole with love that will begin to heal as a balm does on a wound? He is the Father to the fatherless, the husband to the widow and He will never let you down, leave or forsake you! Cry out to Him right now, something just like this:

Father in heaven, I am longing to have this hole in my heart be healed.
I have looked for love in all the wrong places and have paid dearly for my poor choices.
I am so tired of running from one thing to another as I look for whatever it takes to keep the pain from overwhelming me.
There are times when I just want to kill myself and be done with this life.
As I look up to You, will you receive me just as I am and forgive me for doing my own thing as I searched for something to bring me happiness.
Forgive me for the mess I have made of my life and help me to have a clean, new beginning with You.
Thank you that by Your Son Jesus, I can come to You and You will hear me and answer and You won't turn away from but will welcome me into Your family.
I look forward to the plan that You have had for me since I was being formed in my mother's womb and I am going to trust You to be my guide as I learn to love and live for You.
In Jesus' name, amen.

• Friend, you will never regret making this new beginning. Welcome to the family of God, you are now a child of the Most High God! If you made the decision to receive the free gift of salvation will you let someone know? You can even let me know and I will do my best to send you something to help you on your new journey just email your response to kimberlydnyborg@gmail.com.

~ Northern Minnesota May ~

It is just dreary today and a bit on the chilly side, yeah, just a bit! I looked out my window to see my fairly young lilac bush with its first full flower blooms, (we only planted it a couple of years ago) and I couldn't smell the delightful lilac fragrance. It made me sad that it is so cold that the fragrance won't emanate from these lavender lovelies. But as I reflected upon that reality this flowed from me:

The flowers of Spring
that we have waited for so long.
As winter decides on one last fling
A last attempt, then to be gone.

Beloved lilac and the flowering fruits,
Shiver while longing to release their fragrance.
Tender new leaves, buds and shoots
As the cold north wind blows, they dance.

A prelude to the promise of all things new
they anxiously await the warm summer season.
Then it's here, the longed for months but few!
It won't be long, too quickly fall will beckon.

I know God is well aware of the seasons we go through and possibly we are sometimes a bit premature. If we aren't ready to advance we must wait patiently for the right timing, God's timing and then, what will emanate from us is the fragrance of Christ. A fragrance like the smell of fresh baked bread or fresh brewed coffee. It beckons us to come in, out of the cold and the darkness into the warmth and light where the darkness is dispelled and left behind.

Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they might see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." 

More Like Him

More like You, I'm longing to become

Where I imitate Christ and am gradually set free

With Your Spirit, You have permeated this one,

And someday in Your presence I will be.

Imitators of Christ, little Christs, Christ likeness, I want this to be my goal and I long for the day when my striving will be done. You see, I am becoming more aware that I am to be an example to others, a model if you will of Christ. Not perfect (heavens!) but one who shows Christ through her strengths and weaknesses. I conduct Bible studies and am on the air each weekday with a radio program where I can use my gift of exhortation and encourage others along their way.

While pondering and working on this week's memory verse,

"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1 (NASB)

My thoughts became filled with a deeper understanding and longing to be more like Christ. The first part of 2 Corinthians 7:1 tells us that we have promises from God. I looked back to chapter 6:14-18 to see just what these promises were all about,

"we are the temple of the living God...I will dwell in them and walk among them (that is with us, me)...I will be their God and they shall be my people...I will be a father to you and you shall be sons and daughters to Me..."

Wow, these are incredible promises and should cause some kind of a response from us as children of the Most High God! But there is also this clear distinction between walking with Father God and walking contrary to His ways,

"Do not be bound together with unbelievers, as this sets us up to partner with lawlessness, darkness, idols and the unclean..."

Okay wait a minute here, are we to set up camp in Christendom and have nothing to do with the world? How can we introduce others to their heavenly Father if we isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. I have known situations with believers who actually see the verse as meaning we avoid the unbeliever, period. And the verse does say that we are to come out from among 'them' (unsaved gentiles) and separate ourselves from them. So how in the world does this work?

I hope what I have found is that the key word here is the word bound. Bound means to be fastened or tied to something and as I wonder about that in the context of Paul's words I see that our wise Father instruct us (for our own good) not to be fastened and tied to the things of the world. In the Amplified Bible it uses the word yoked [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith.] A believer should not marry an unbeliever, nor should a believer draw up a business partnership with an unbeliever. Believers are not supposed to think like unbelievers and therefore, we can't run a tight ship with conflicting beliefs. I know you can run through the scripts this portrays.

Well, sometimes we do as Paul says, "..the very thing I do not wish to do...". When we are young in our faith and still depending on the milk of the word instead of the meat, we tread where we shouldn't and then pay the price. Hey, sometimes we learn the hard way and sometimes we dwindle in our faith and end up forsaking our calling even to our faith.

I remember well as a young, new Christian (divorced mother of three) how convinced I was that the man I was living with (a good man) was the man I would spend the rest of my life together with. Although he knew what the Christian life was all about (walking away in his early twenties) he was not living like one then and basically would have called himself a 'backslider' when we began our relationship together. As a brand new Christian, I was convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was right and good and we ended up getting married. My choice superceded God's best for me and my children to the point that we really had some very trying years ahead of us...But God! The long and short of it is that we have now been married for 25+ years and God has definately restored the years the locust destroyed but I learned a tremendous lesson first hand about being with one of a different alliance than myself. And the lesson was literally driven home. I tell you, our Abba Father knows what He is doing when He tells us not to be bound to those things that are not of Him. The good news is when we come to that hard place in the road as a result of our poor choices, we can cry out and turn back to the One who will lead us home. God will reward your faithfulness to do the right thing and make the right choice by waiting on Him. Then you will reap the benefits referred to in that memory verse, those promises Paul says we have because we are God's children.

Father God, so many of us have to learn the hard way from our wrong choices. We have received many bumps, and scrapes along the way that result in scars (like my being divorced) that can sometimes be unsightly. For that one today who is getting ready to make a life changing decision, I pray that she would stop, be still and listen to Your Holy Spirit. Father, it is not only just hearing Your voice in our spirits, it is then making the choice to respond in obedience to Your instruction. I pray that their desires would not have the upper hand in their decision making today. Give them the grace to pull back if necessary until You can direct them in the pathway that will be that best choice for all involved. I am reminded of Proverbs 3:5-7 ,

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil."

Thank You Lord for loving me enough to be my guide as I become more like you.

May you know His blessings!

One Man's Description of Worship

Worship ~

"is the submission of all of our nature to God,
it's the quickening of conscience by His holiness,
nourishment of mind by His truth,
purifying of imagination by His beauty,
opening of the heart to His love,
submission of will to His purpose,
All this gathered up in adoration...is the greatest of human expressions."
~Ravi Zacharias

Go and Be Reconciled...

"...Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God."

So my former co-worker and I discussed the portion of Scripture above. And having gone through some studies that deal with 'offense' this came to light again today. First of all how important it is that we have right relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ (not to mention all the other wonderful and not so wonderful people in our lives.)

Here is the Scripture in its context:

"You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Do not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.' But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the high council. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

"So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. Come to terms quickly with your enemy before it is too late and you are dragged into court, handed over to an officer, and thrown in jail. I assure you that you won't be free agian until you have paid the last penny."

I am now understanding that I just don't have a 'right' to carry a grudge or to hold on to a misunderstanding with another person. But...why is it so hard to set these things right with a brother or sister I may have offended or royally ticked off? Well, what about that person who observes my actions and sees me as a 'goody two shoes Christian' yet can't get along with my brothers and sisters? What am I showing them? Probably that I am no different from the rest of the world. But I know that I am supposed to be. I am sanctified and set apart. This means I should operate in and with love not being 'holier than thou' but holy unto God. I believe this means that I need to look different (responding with actions that reveal a heart of love) to those who observe how I behave, with compassion and being more like Christ!

Father, will you forgive me for my reactions to people, and help me to see we are on this journey of becoming more like You and that means that I need You to teach me how to forgive and ask to be forgiven. These aren't easy lessons, Father, and my spirit is sometimes very wounded, but I want the transformation into Christlikness to grow and continue even if it hurts. Thank you for Your love and patience towards me, Your daughter who so often times blunders her way through life! I love You, Father and know you are working all things together (in my life) for good. Amen