Abba's Girl

Every year in December I host a coffee. My husband describes it as 50 women descending on our house with much laughter following their arrival. Methinks he exaggerates because I've never invited more than 25 and it is an open house, therefore ladies are coming and going for 3 hours. (I might add - he makes his escape from our house pretty darn quick.) This year as I looked at the calendar to set the date and send invitations, the Lord clearly impressed my heart with no coffee this year. I did not schedule the coffee this year. Had I not listened, the coffee would be tomorrow, 2 days after our family suffered a big loss. As a result of listening and obeying, I did not buy the food, send out invitations, and then have to cancel it. I saved myself a lot of trouble. The loss we experienced was not something we ever saw coming. We went from total joy and making plans to emotional heaps. But we know that we know, we will meet this precious child who briefly touched our lives in hea...

This morning as I sipped coffee and read Psalm 33; I thought how easily people can become so engrossed in what the government is or is not doing, their eyes become glued to the world. We need to focus on Jesus and His Word. Psalm 33 reminds us of what the Lord is doing. Not what He might do, not what He did, but what He is doing. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, take your eyes off the media and turn them to Jesus and His Word. Feast on PS 33 and be blessed. 1 Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. 2 Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! 3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. 4 For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. 5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. 6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their h...

Today is beyond breezy (As in there is not enough hairspray in the world windy.); the wind is blowing steadily from the north at 30-40 mph with gusts of 50 mph. What a difference from the hot, humid day we experienced in southeast Texas yesterday! A high of 80 yesterday, today's high is supposed to be around 50 or so. A real life demonstration of how circumstances can change quickly. Normally we like quick changes of hard circumstances, but in most cases God does not work in us quickly, because He wants real change; deep change, not change on the surface but in the heart and darkest corners of our souls. If you are striving to make big changes in your life, do not give up - the Lord is always with you. His Words tells us: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything ...

Today our nation watched in horror the images and news reports regarding the school shooting in CT. 20 students were most likely dreaming about what Santa Claus might bring them or what they might receive tonight for Hanukkah and the upcoming school holiday. Parents of 20 students put their children on a school bus or dropped them off at school and expected to see them later in the day. 7 or 8 adults left for work and most likely had plans for the weekend. None of their plans or dreams will be realized. Tomorrow will not come for them. If you are putting off a decision for Christ, please do not put it off any longer. If you are putting off a phone call to loved one in an attempt to heal a relationship, please do not put it off any longer. We do not know the number of our days. Walk in love, forgiveness, and dying to self. And please continue to pray for all those grieving in CT.

Yesterday as I read a portion of Scriptures from James 5 assigned for a Bible Study, I thought about what it means as we live between the spring and fall rains. James tell us: Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. Some seasons between the the rains are good and little patience is needed, some are long and much patience is required, ot...

As I spend more time in prayer and in the Word during Advent, part of the Lord's plans for me in 2013 have been revealed. Memorize at least 30 Bible verses. Anyone else in for 2013? Step one complete: I purchased index cards at Target last week. Step 2: I am committed to doing this thing because with Christ all things are possible. Step 3: Waiting to see what verses I am led to sow into my heart. I will also be writing Scriptures in 2013, beginning with the Gospel of Mark. I found writing out the book of James for a Bible Study to be a wonderful thing for me to do each night. Let me know if you have are on board for memorizing Scripture in 2013 individually or as part of Beth Moore's Siestas. I hope this Advent Season has been and will be a blessing to you. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,“Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,...