Ohhhhhhh Air Force night week, how I loathe thee!
Yes. The reason, and only reason, I am writing a blog on a Friday night is because the husband is in a four hour SIM (flying simulators for pilot training- look at the picture below) that started at 5:00 in the evening.
Whoever thought this was a good idea must be questioned…hmmm…
Oh well! We do try to make the best of it: we wake up late, snuggle for a good chunk of the morning before forcing ourselves to pry open those eyelids, make big breakfasts and try yummy latte recipes, and enjoy the Word of God.
Yet it was especially hard to get this day started due to the awesome storm we spent last night watching and waking up to the sound of rain which just lulled us back to sleep.
We finally bribed ourselves to get the day going by making plans to go to walmart and gather supplies for baking Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls and making a pumpkin spice latte (for the recipe, visit http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2010/10/vegan-pumpkin-spice-latte-not-starbucks.html ) ..and boy, was that worth every straining effort of waking up!
( the didn't get a picture of the Cinni rolls.. :( sorry!!)
However, the best part of this morning was enjoying God’s word in the fullest (its been a while since we have had this kind of time to really enjoy it!!) As I read the stories of the past men and women after His heart, I felt Him encouraging me that He wanted to bless my heart in the same way… and fill it with the fullness of Lord!
So that’s exactly what He did. He brought me to 1 Samuel and Luke, where the barren were conceiving and being blessed with long awaited miracles of life:
“For nothing will be impossible with God,” Luke 1:37
“Go in peace, for the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 1 Samuel 1:17
“Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people,” Luke 1:25
It is so neat for me to read these types of testimonies in my similar trial of being barren to see that there was a plan for each one of these gals and when they conceived was on His time for His plan, not by theirs. Each one of these women were looked on with contempt and judgment from others (both friends and society), but they instead did what I earnestly hope to do in my life: They glorified God despite all of their hardships (accusations for Mary and her conception, righteous Elizabeth who was thought to have “secret sin”, and Hannah who was thought to be cursed and drunk). I love it! What Godly ladies! How I want to follow Him and not worry about what others think when I do what I have been lead to do! I confess: I constantly struggle with what people will think of me if I do something radically for him or something outside my comfort zone. 'What will they think of me… Am I wasting their time… Are they questioning my motives right now? What are my motives… Why am I now concerning about that when I didn’t before question it? Why didn’t I talk to that woman back there about the gospel? What would the girls that I am shopping with think?'
And why am I so self-conscious? Because I am human: I am selfish, self-centered, and fearful.
What is my antidote? The sweet gospel. Jesus died for this and everything that keeps us from being near a perfectly holy God and prevents us from truly becoming reflections of Him that He created and adores. Now, with perfect blood, we can do what was once impossible: Fight off ourselves and strive after Him!
THANK YOU JESUS!
If these women were treasures to God and their actions pleased Him, why should I worry about the things He has prepared for me before time (Ephesians 2:10)? That’s why these women are mentioned in the Bible. They had a large part in carrying out God’s ultimate salvation plan. God gave them the strength not to be afraid to walk out that plan, no matter what others thought about them. In fact, has the thought ever occurred to you that others might not even care?? [Gasp] (Yea, I know. News flash, huh guys??)
So walk out in the way he is leading you, “only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches,” 1 Corinthians 7:17.
He’s gonna help you and He longs to bless you:
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped. My heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” Psalm 28:7
“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45.
Time to take little mister on a walk :)
Be blessed!!
Location:Altus, OK