Submitting Self to God

"Submitting self to God is the only real freedom - because the deepest slavery is self-dependence, self-reliance.  When you live your life believing that everything (family, finances, relationships, career) depends primarily on you, you're enslaved to your strenghs and weaknesses.  You're trying to be your own savior.  Freedom comes when we start trusting in God's abilities and wisdom instead of our own.  Real life begins when we transfer our trust from our own efforts to the efforts of Christ." - Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels by Tullian Tchividjian

No Fear

"The biblical writers were all on the same page when it came to believing that God is in control of all things and that nothing can happen that he doesn't first review and allow. He's never in a position of wringing his hands in confusion; he's never surprised at what occurs on earth; he's never wondering what to do next." - From Your 100 Day Prayer by John Snyder.


This gives me hope because it means God is taking into account every detail and working things out for the outcome that he already sees. In fact, I have nothing to fear because whatever the future holds, God is already there. His plan is for my good and for His glory whether I cooperate or not; whether I think getting from here to there is how I would like to do it or not. How much better to rest in peace knowing that he is in control and everything will work out. It takes the burden of worry off of me and that's how God wants it all along.

What Have We Become?

Excerpt from an article by Paul Proctor:

"I continue to be both saddened and disturbed by how many professional Christians there are today that are more interested in advancing their own ministries and agendas than they are the Word of God – and frankly, it shows because far too many spend their time and effort talking about we, me and mine – promoting and defending themselves, their feelings, their visions and their experiences with one another, week in and week out, rather than contending for the faith with Bible in heart and hand. (Jude 1:3)

...The Great Commission has not changed since it was given even though the so-called “church” and its hirelings have. What would the Old Testament prophets say to us today if we could hear them? What would the Apostles from the New Testament say if they were still with us?

More importantly – what is our Just and Holy God saying to us right now?

Look around – look in the mirror – and then look in your Bible for answers – that is, if you really want to know what they are. They’ve been there all along."

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” – Matthew 28:19-20

Nothing is Impossible

"The word impossible isn't part of God's vocabulary. It's a word we thought up on our own, and we think it carries lots of weight. But it does so only when we subtract God from the formula. If there's no God, the kind of God portrayed in the Bible, then we would have every right to think that there are all kinds of impossible things in the world." - from Your 100 Day Prayer by John I. Snyder

My Name is On God's Tatoo

"Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted. But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, And the Lord has forgotten me."

"Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me." -  Isaiah 49:13-16

I read this in my devotional today and was reminded that no matter what happens, no matter how uninvolved God seems in my circumstance, He is still there and is actively at work.  He can't forget about me any more than I, as a mother, can forget about any of my children.

When God seems far away from my struggle, I just have to calm down and see that He is there.  It's usually my own worry that blinds me from His presence.  It's kind of like when a young child loses sight of her parent in Walmart and she panics, but her mom is just on the other side of the clothes rack and never lost sight of her child.  Once I am able to see past the anxiety of the situation, I discover the Lord never left and always had me within reach. 

In fact, this scripture says I am engraved on the palms of His hands and am continually before Him.  That's kind of like having my name permanently tatooed on His hand as a constant reminder that I am His.

That's a huge grace note for today.

A Little of What You Like Does You Good...

"Little luxuries are more conducive to sustained well-being and pleasure than big ones.  These days, this philosophy of happiness is gaining popularity and, while I don't believe that happiness is an absolute state to which we all have a right, I do agree that a little of what you like does you good.

I would hazard a guess that most relatively contented domestic artists subscribe to this philosophy (both knowingly and unknowingly) and treat themselves regularly in small but significant ways.  The gentle arts offer such a wealth of little luxuries that it's not difficult to create a chain of small pleasures that link together to make a necklace of non-precious gems to adorn your life.  Pretty buttons, trimmings, ribbons, lovely yarn, half a yard of a beautiful fabric, a good novel or a book of poetry, a few squares of chocolate, a box of French macaroons - all are strung on my personal necklace of luxuries."

- From The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brocket