Always

But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain.
Psalm 3:3-4

The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Isaiah 58:11

Yesterday, I had to make a big decision. So I spent the day in prayer and worship. God is teaching me not to focus on the problem, but to look up to him instead. So each time I got bogged down in details, I looked up and worshiped. At the end of the day, I made a decision based on prayer and the advice of some wise people. I felt so at peace and was thankful for the support of people that love me and God's help in making this decision. I thought that would be the end of it.

No, it definitely wasn't. At about 1:00 AM, I woke up second guessing my decision. Oh my goodness, doubts were coming from every direction. It felt like I had foolishly given up an opportunity of a lifetime. So I cast this care on God and went back into worship. Finally, I was able to sleep again.

I woke up in the morning feeling so loved by God and my friends and went to work with confidence and excitement. That's when the problems began again. I couldn't make my key work. Customers started showing up and couldn't get in. I had to call my boss who was having her own trouble sleeping. She was kind of cranky when she arrived. As the morning progressed it seemed like several customers had taken grumpy pills. Everywhere I turned there was a disgruntled person.

Here is what I concluded. I think God gave me the decision in the first place so that I would be set free in some areas. On the other hand, I don't think the enemy was very pleased with my decision, so he decided to pick on me. One part of me struggled, but another part of me was rejoicing because the harassment of the enemy proved that I was on track. I know that he was trying to make trouble for me, but he mostly succeeded in getting me to hope in God and to be thankful for God's faithfulness and guidance.

Here is a song that I heard on the radio this morning. It really spoke to me in the midst of this whole adventure.

Through God's Eyes

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4-5

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9

Yesterday, while dancing Zumba, I kept seeing myself as a person I know of that is overweight and clumsy. Then it occurred to me that my thinking was only making things worse. It made me feel heavy and clumsy. So I changed the picture in my mind's eye. I instead, visualized myself to be more like our instructor. I saw someone that was a healthy weight, coordinated, limber and full of energy. The transformation was amazing. All of a sudden I could raise my hands higher and dance more energetically. This morning, I am aware of the negative opinion I have of myself and life in general. I am excited to think about how life's dance is going to change as I begin to see myself and my life through God's eyes. "Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." (Psalm 86:11)

Love Never Fails

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
Psalm 63:3

I am so thankful for God's love and faithfulness. Ever since I read Proverbs 3:3 last week, God has been feeding it to me. It is a vital nutrient that I am lacking. There is no love like God's love. He doesn't love me in spite of me. He truly loves and enjoys me. There is no faithfulness like God's faithfulness. He isn't faithful and kind just because that is what a good God would do. He is faithful and kind because he is faithfulness and kindness. All around me people are saying, "Do it my way," and, "Be my expectation that I have for you." I am even saying these things to myself. The only place to escape is in God's goodness. Nothing can separate us from his love. Even if all humans failed me, he never will because his love is better than life.

Little Child

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:1-5

There is a little child within each of us. This child is unsophisticated, innocent and free. The child is unencumbered by shame, sin, lies of the enemy and striving. I prayed from the place of this child today. It is a place of humility and so sweet. When I pray from this place I am at peace and know in a greater measure that I am the beloved of God. I understand that the more I welcome this little child within me, the greater influence this child will have on me. I am being set free to be truly me.

Tongues

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
1 Corinthians 14:18

For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:2

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. Romans 8:26

"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven." Matthew 18:19

I have been worshiping God in tongues this morning. I feel an incredible thing happening. It's like a place in me, that is truly me, is praying. It isn't muddled by the lies of the enemy, shame or striving. On the other hand, there is a purity and holiness in this prayer. It is also as if God is holding my hand and we are praying in unison. He is agreeing with my prayer and adding prayers of his own that my spirit is in unity with. It is really beautiful and sweet and some of the most peaceful prayer that I have ever experienced.

I think there is a boldness in tongues that we don't have otherwise. I remember, once, hearing a man tell about God doing a wonderful thing in his life. When he thanked God for it, God said, "It is what you asked for."
He asked, "When did I ask for it?"
God answered, "When you were praying in tongues."

Today's Assignment

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3

I will share with you the assignment that God gave me for today. I thought you might want to do it with me. Know God's love and faithfulness towards you and others. Choose love and faithfulness towards God and those around you. Choose love and faithfulness from mankind towards God and you. Meditate on love and faithfulness from every angle and let it be the one thing that you are the most aware of today. Put it around your neck and write it on your heart. Be aware. Savor it. I guarantee a beautiful, light filled day for anyone that dares to take this assignment on.

Life

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;" John 8:31

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
Luke 6:46-49

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:23-24

The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble. Proverbs 19:23

Last night I felt like God was asking me to choose his word. He wants me to know him through his word. I keep trying to find life and get to know God along the way. God wants me to come to him and his word for life. I am not to try and find life and then season it with God and his word. I am to know God and his word, and out of this will come life.