Abba's Girl

I celebrated my 50th birthday last Saturday. I choose to look at is as my year of jubilee and not think oh my WORD, I AM 50 which is way older than my parents were when I decided they were fossils!!! I received birthday cards in the mail, birthday greetings on Facebook and breakfast in bed and a nice dinner at Carrabbas that night. In 50 years I have learned much but still have much to learn; I've mellowed some what and I promise I don't look a day over 49. What's next? I don't know. But I do know I want to serve the Lord (with gladness and singleness of heart for you Episcopalians/Anglicans out there) with the right heart motives. I want to know Him more through His word and prayer and spending time with Him. I want to hear the words well done when I cross the finish line. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the ra...

Some parts of the country have received too much rain in the last few months, other parts have received little rain for months. Texas is experiencing the worst drought in 75 years. Today it has been raining in my area for several hours. Not hard, but a nice steady rainfall. I hope the cracks in the ground (and my skin) fade or disappear (miracles happen) entirely. Of course, more rain is needed, but today I feel joy in the atmosphere as I am out and about on office errands. People joking about not knowing where their umbrellas are. I am not making this up, the grass is already greener than it was earlier today and growing before my very eyes. I am sure the firefighters battling brush and forest fires around Houston, Huntsville and Madisonville are elated. I hope you have joy in your life today. Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his peopl...

My current verse is John 15:7 (NIV) If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. The Amplified Version: If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. I've heard the prosperity Gospel applied to this verse, however I personally believe as we grow in Christ and abide in Him, the things we desire are heavenly minded and therefore what we ask is too. Think how far you've come in your prayer life. I can remember praying this at 16: Dear Lord, I will miss curfew if I have to stop for any red lights. Please keep them green all the way home or I'll be grounded. (Implying it would be His fault.) I will say the lights remained green and I arrived with seconds to spare. I laugh when I think back to that prayer, I hope He does too.

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said.“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” So many of my friends and family are presently facing serious circumstances in their lives. We all do at one time or another. The Lord never promised us a walk in the t...

Seriously (I know I say this often!) - how can it be June 1st!!! I am continuing memorizing Scripture from John 15, today I begin with verse 6: If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. Last week a friend and I prayed for a couple hours after church for teachers, the administration and students in our area districts. The Lord showed me so many times we want to remain in Him and we walk away as we enter the work place. I don't know if that resonates with anyone, but I've been that person in more than 1 season of my life. He also showed me many of the people I was praying for (most of whom are unknown to me) keep their eyes on Jesus in the dark of night, but avert their gaze by the light of day. It can be so hard sometimes to live out His plan, but we know He would not call us to do so if His grace and mercy were not sufficient. Let us remain in Him with our focus on ...