Scripture Girl

Joshua 24:15

Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

How many times have we been asked the question, “What are your plans for the future?” Sometimes I just shutter at the thought of having to answer someone in knowing that sometimes I don’t have a clue what the future holds or what I see myself doing in 10 years, even in the next 10 minutes. The one thing that I can hold firm to is that Jesus loves me and whatever God’s will is for my life, then that is exactly what will happen. I really don’t need to know ahead of time or have any anticipation but that what happens has been carefully orchestrated in the heavens without any help from me.

Many people say, “Well, you need a plan and how do you plan on getting to that point?” In traveling to a destination, we acan use the GPS or search it on the web and get instant directions, or use a map (which to some people is just a waste of time.) Personally, I would rather look at a map in some cases, since it’s been the way of travel for many years. GPS can sometimes take you off the beaten path and you end up more frustrated than you would have if you had just stopped and asked for directions.

There are so many new gadgets these days and many of them make life so much easier. When we struggle with life’s uncertainties we have the source of truth and guidance always at our fingertips. When I am struggling with a question about life or just needing to hear God speak to me, I take time to read my Bible. The answers don’t always come right away, but in taking the time to pray and meditate, the answers become more clear. Sometimes anxiety will rise up in certain situations or I just don’t get a peace about certain questions that I’m asking God about. If there is not peace, then it’s most likely not of God.

Psalm 118:21 states, “I will praise You, for You have answered me, And have become my salvation.” David was a man after God’s heart. He was a man of many struggles and truly wanted to live in God’s will. I enjoy reading the Psalms and learning the history of where David was at each point in his life where he wrote these passages. Many times in my writings I am at different point in my own life and I hope that by sharing with others, it will help another person in their struggles. It isn’t easy “bearing your soul” pretty much to the whole world, but I do it because God has given me the ability to write and the desire to serve others.

My prayer for you today is that when you are in need of planning for your future that you seek the GPS of many answers, God’s word in your Bible.

Malachi 3:10

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,

That there may be food in My house,

And try Me now in this,

Says the Lord of hosts,

“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven

And pour out for you such blessing

That there will not be room enough to receive it.”

Recently in my quiet time with the Lord I saw a vision of two windows. In one window, there were trees that were barren, such as wintertime. In the other window there was a butterfly, a woman bending over with a ponytail, and a small child. In praying about where God’s will was in my life and in order to make some decisions regarding my own life, I realized that God had sent me that I needed to see.

The first window was of a time in my life where things were pretty barren. It was like winter and sometimes we are winter women. We are called to withstand certain circumstances and events in our lives that only make us stronger and more dependent on God. As a winter woman, I know that there is always another spring and God willing, he will provide the needs of our lives in his timing. It’s about waiting and to withstand the darts of the enemy.

The second window was an affirmation of what I had been praying about in regards to whether I wanted to go back to work full time and not continue to teach and just be what society thinks I should be. When I took a job as a Kindergarten Teacher Assistant, I had no idea how I would make it on a small salary and provide for an eleven year old child. Needless to say, every prayer has been answered and every need has been met in many different ways. Some of my needs are met easily by other people and some are met by hard work on my part.

I was given another affirmation in regards to the vision in another astounding way today. I stopped by to visit my Day school and in my classroom was a butterfly in the window where my work table sits. I smiled as I realized that the lead teacher had most likely put it there since she knows my love of butterflies. Yet another affirmation of where God truly wants me to be. I look forward to my school year with great anticipation of the wonderful things that God will do in this classroom as well as in the life of my coworker, the children and in myself.

God is always available to us. We just have to take time to talk to him, to seek his face, to have that relationship with him that he wants to also give us. Jesus is the one true friend that you can count on in any circumstance or situation. He may not always give you the answers that you want, but he will surely give you what you need. Wants and needs are not always the same thing.

My prayer for you today is that you take time to pray about your life circumstances and that you are aware of the way that God speaks to you and shows you what the future may hold. All we have to do is ask and we can receive.

Mark 2: 11

“I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

As I started to write this devotional I was reminded of how many times I have let conditions of my life seem to take over and I didn’t remember that I am free in Jesus. T.D. Jakes writes, “Believe that He paid the price for your sin and guilt. Believe that He has washed you and made you clean. Have faith that He will reward you when you call on Him and it shall be done.”

Deliverance means that now you control what used to control you. Deliverance means that the thing that sat on the throne of your heart and ruled with ruthless power over your life has been dethroned and replaced by Jesus Christ. What an easy way of living your life if you are willing to succumb to Jesus’ power instead of letting the enemy defeat you.

The enemy wants to defeat you. As the scripture says, “he prowls like a lion looking for someone or something to devour.” When we are keeping ourselves in the word of God, we are less likely to succumb to the taunting of the enemy, but there are times when we are tired, we are overworked and we are just not able to take a stand like we would when we are focused on the promises of God’s word. How easy it is to sometimes just have a pity party and not realize how blessed we really are.

When I get to that point, I have to get back into the scriptures. I have to be with people who affirm my abilities and who know the person that I am in Christ. I have to continue to pray and to be lifted in prayer by those who are willing to stand in the gap in prayer for me. I am not perfect and don’t claim to be perfect. I have many obstacles to overcome and I am willing to learn and be taught ways of overcoming the attacks of the enemy. I also know that the enemy will attack those who are earnestly seeking God’s will in their lives.

Jesus is always there offering his hand in your life if you are willing to take his hand and to be lead. Mark 3:5 states, And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. All it took was faith on behalf of the man to receive the restoration that he needed in his life. I want that same restoration in many areas of my own life and am willing to stretch out my hand and receive Jesus’ hand in return.

When I have “dry spells” in my writing, I have to remember to pray and get into the word. I have to ask Jesus to take my hand and become the words for this website. I only write through the Holy Spirit, and at times I have to be willing to let him has his way and his words in order to speak to me as well as speak to others.

My prayer for you today is that you stretch out your hand and receive the gifts that Jesus has to offer in your own life. He is more than willing to meet you halfway.

John 7:37

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.”

Upon awakening this morning I had a song pop into my head and it’s a sweet song that we sang during our VBS this year, “Come to Jesus.” The children’s innocent voices and hands lifted in praise was a sight to behold. (Chris Rice also sings a version of this song.) I think when I am struggling with certain issues or needing some comfort in my own life, I remember that song and the warmth of its words and how I feel when I sing it. It is also a reminder of his life that he gave so that I might not be so burdened.

I recently attended a mission trip in Hilton Head, SC, which was entitled, “Week of Hope.” We took a group of middle school kids and they were put into groups with kids from other states and each morning they set out for the task that had been given to them. Some visited nursing homes, worked in a food pantry, made small home repairs, worked with handicapped adults, sorted clothes at the local Salvation Army, and I was fortunate enough to set up a tent each day within a low income housing area and have games, coloring fun and hot dogs with kids and their families.

What was amazing to me about this trip was the ability of the kids to just jump into new activities with kids they didn’t know and make them their best friends in just 5 short days. I remembered my own childhood and making new friends at camp or Bible School. The Camp Director emphasized the need to continue the relationships after we were apart. How many times do we promise to keep in touch with friends and loved ones and then we just don’t make the effort to do so?

Loving lasts, and our service to each other isn’t meant t be a one time thing. We need God to move our hearts to make things last. In the past few years I haven’t felt like I knew where I was supposed to be career wise or even relationship wise. Fortunately, God knows everything and he has given me the ability to write, to teach and also to love. That’s how I know that I am supposed to be in the field of Education. I also know that he has provided one person for me to love for the rest of my life and he has sent me that person, even though I have waited a long time.

When in doubt in any area of your life, I hope the song “Come to Jesus” will help you to know how you can get the answers. Visit Godtube.com and listen to the words, it will move your heart. The Kids version is entitled, Power Labs VBS, Come to Jesus. How sweet a sound during any crisis in your life that children remember and sweetly sing about their Savior. It will bring tears of joy to your heart.

My prayer for you today is that you will find the joy and peace in your life that you’ve been looking for and that you will remember to make love last in the days to come.