Breathe into these dead bodies

Anybody else feeling dried up and parched?

Our summer here in Louisiana has been sooooo hot and this doesn't even describe exactly how hot! We have all been sweating, agitated, anxious,dry, exhausted and the list could go on and on with the feelings we have felt just because of the heat! We have felt lifeless at some point this summer; I would venture to guess that we have all felt it at some point. (lifeless)

Reading this morning from Ezekiel 37 about the dry bones vision that God gave Ezekiel; I was reminded that the fresh cooler breezes of fall will help each of us to breathe again! The words God used were Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again. So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet- a great army. Wow! Envision standing in this valley with old bones laying around and God's Spirit was taking you on this tour of these bones spread out everywhere. He begins to tell you that they will live again and all come back together!

Imagine, when God brings Israel all back together. All His people return together to Him! Oh, what a glorious day it will...

The fresh cooler breezes are right around the corner and all of us will have more pep in our steps and we will begin to feel more alive again...almost like dead bones returning...Imagine it! God is so good and we know He keeps His promises...now that is a indeed a wonderful vision of one day truly having pep in our step! Dancing in heaven...all alive again!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

I Will...

Ezekiel 34: 11-24

The Lord shares what He will do for His lost sheep - US!

He will look for us ...

He will find us and rescue us...

He will bring us home.

He will feed us and give us land to lie down in peace. He will tend to us! He will judge between the fat sheep and the scrawny sheep...Did we push the scrawny sheep away or reach to help? Did we help others?

God provides for us always! He pursues us, when we are lost and even provides the way back to His fold.

In Ezekiel 34:26...I will send the showers they need. There will be showers of blessing.

27...When I have broken the chains of slavery and rescued them from those who enslaved them, they they will know that I am the LORD...Yes, Lord it is true! When we realize the things that hold us hostage and we are unable to do anything about it...only when we turn to you and allow You to free us do we realize really just Who You are....Our Savior!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Pretending to listen

Are we pretending to listen?

It struck me reading Ezekiel 33: 30-33 this morning, is this us? Do we go to church and hear the message, but don't hear it? Do we tune out the pastor thinking he is sharing a word for someone else?

Are we guilty of pretending to be sincere and hear the message, but our minds are at home with our to do list? Are we busy with our thoughts about the meal?

We listen, but have not intention of doing what the Word tells us to do...then are we like the people of Israel?

The people of Israel knew Ezekiel spoke the truth. Time and time again it was proven, but yet they refused to truly listen. Do we like to listen, but just not act of the words? Is it easier to go along with every one and not stand up for God's instructions? Are we so weak that we are afraid to stand out like Ezekiel and Jeremiah? After all, look at all the things that happened to these men when they stood out for God...

Yes, things happened...God was right there with them. He spoke with them, He held their hand and never ever were they alone. Imagine, the relationship that these men had with God...the struggles were real, but God helped them. The hurts were huge, but God bandaged their wounds and broken hearts...because they knew God! They were sincere when they listened, they were not pretending!

Are we pretending to listen? Oh Lord, open our ears to hear and our eyes to see the truths that you share with each of us...Amen

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Proud will be brought down

When we look at the picture the scripture from Obadiah makes sense to us.

You have been deceived by your own pride because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains. "Who can ever reach us way up here?" you ask boastfully.

Pause and study the photo a moment. It was hard to fight Edom. The location was hard to get to and their homes were built in rock, but still God could bring them down.

Edom is the land of Esau. Esau, the proud brother that sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. Esau, who was tricked by Jacob and did not receive his father's blessing. Esau who we are told God - Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. So, this is where Esau went to settle and build his home. A man that God hated built this land.

Obadiah and Jonah are the only two minor prophets told to go to someone other than Israel and Judah and give a message. He wasn't going to deliver a welcome message of impending doom for Edom. God rules everyone; whether they believe it or not!

Edom was filled with wise men and sages. It was located on the kings highway and much wisdom from India, Europe, and North Africa all passed through this way. We are told in verse 8 - At that time not a single wise person will be left in the whole land of Edom...God didn't think they were too wise! Even in verse 9 we are told that the mighty warrior of Teman would be terrified. The name Teman is derived from the name of Esau's grandon. So the terror would run deep...way back and the land destroyed!

How wise are we without God?

We will be like the Edomites and loose it all without the One True God!

Lord, help us all to gain the wisdom that you desire for each of us. The wisdom that only You are able to provide. The wisdom of helping each other, true compassion for others, that you alone sent your Son to die for each of us and that this is the only way to walk through that narrow gate. Thank you for loving each of us sooooo very much and for the grace and mercy that absolutely no one deserves or understands! Amen

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Even in the pit - we have hope!

Lamentations - Woeful cries

You are in a pit. Deep in a dark pit and you glance up to see the light. Hope.

Hope arrives with "The Light!"

Lamentations 3:55

But I called your name, LORD, from deep within the pit. You heard me when I cried, "Listen to my pleading!" Hear my cry for help!" Yes, you came when I called; you told me, "Do not fear."

Imagine, Jeremiah's sorrow at the loss but his thoughts were drawn back to God's mercy. The Hebrew word used here was used over 250 times in the old testament trying to share God's gracious love. It is all encompassing of grace, love, mercy, compassion, truth, forgiveness, and faithfulness. Never does God's mercy fail, even in the darkest moments when His judgment comes, His kindness is still present. His faithfulness endures forever! Judah was never going to be destroyed forever!

God keeps His promises!

So deep in the pit of destruction, Jeremiah remembers God's promises and clings to hope found in God's words!

Cling to God's promises,

Debbie

Repeatedly

Sadness felt with the words today. Repeatedly warned by the prophets that God sent to change or face destruction. In today's reading Jerusalem fell.

The event was so huge that it is recorded four times in God's Word. Jeremiah was very accurate in the predictions he had given the people - God had given the details and He allowed it to happen.

Often times I've heard Jeremiah refered to as "the weeping prophet" today I understood. All of the treasures that David had saved and Solomon used in the temple were either destroyed or hauled off to Babylon. Later on we will see they were even used at an immoral banquet by one of these awful people! I got it! I understood the tears of absolute heartbreak that Jeremiah felt. He felt like he had failed, because the people did not listen. God's temple was destroyed and the people allowed it to happen.

Warnings were everywhere, but they decided to ignore them or we doing that right now? After recently studying Revelation it hits me about everything that is happening in the world and how we could be ignoring God's warnings. WE don't know His Time Schedule, but He gives us warnings and the choice of following Him...or we following His desires and His instructions? You may ask what are they? Well, pick up His Word and find out for yourself! Choose Him and know the treasure of His Word, but also the peace that you are ready, if He does decide its time for Him to return! Oh, what a glorious day it will be!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

In Eden!

We have everything going for us!

What gets in the way?

Pride!

Ezekiel 28 is the message the LORD gave to Ezekiel for the king of Tyre, but it is also words about Satan. The source of all wickedness and to which the King got his evil ways!

The devil when he was an angel was a model of perfection as was the land of Tyre in the world of trading. Tyre was also a beautiful country like the garden of eden. So perfection was abounding! The devil had every precious stone all specially made for him when he served as the mighty angelic guard, who had unlimited, continuous access to God! You had access to the highest, most prestigious around serving God and Tyre of being set high in the trees!

Perfection until evil found you! The country of Tyre and the angel both ruined by evil and pride..or was it pride that caused evil to invade both angel and land?

The land of Tyre gradually disappeared and its location is no longer prominent. Satan will one day be gone as well and celebrations will take place in the New Heaven and the New Earth! No evil, no pride only God's Glory shining everywhere and surrounding all!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will be heard

Wedding celebrations are special! On Sunday I was reminded by author Don Piper about the groom's excitement watching the bride walk to the aisle. The eyes of a groom they never leave their bride. The eyes even smile and it matches their mouth; always a touching scene at a wedding.

Don Piper was sharing that is how we should be about heaven. Eager, excited, knowing in our hearts just how awesome it will be and is...I was excited this morning reading from Jeremiah 33: 11 about God sharing about the joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will be heard again, along with joyous songs of people bringing thanksgiving offerings to the LORD. They will sing, 'Give thanks to the LORD of Heaven's Armies, for the LORD is good. His faithful love endures forever!' For I will restore the prosperity of this land to what it was in the past, says the LORD!

God will restore and joy will be everywhere! Confetti, laughter, songs, dancing, and love - God will provide the celebration!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

No outward expressions

Imagine God asking you the following -

I am about to take away your dearest treasure, but do not show any mourning or sorrow.

Ezekiel was told that God was about to do this to him. He was going to take his wife in death to show the people of Israel. He instructed Ezekiel to show no outward emotions in the loss, no tears, don't cover your head and don't take off your sandals and not to do any of the normal rituals in mourning. Ezekiel was to groan silently!

Ezekiel's wife was sign to Israel. Terrible things were going to happen and they were not to mourn their families. Ezekiel was obedient and submissive to God's will. Ezekiel was such an example of obedience. A heartbreaking example or do you think they paid attention to his loss or were they only worried with their own? A people that had continually disobeyed God's instructions, did they notice Ezekiel? Reading this morning, it kept going through my mind did Ezekiel suffer so much loss and nobody ever noticed him? Did anyone realize what Ezekiel was doing in obedience to God? Did they think he was crazy and just ignore him? Did anybody understand Ezekiel's testimony?

Ezekiel's wife was described as "the desire of his eye", his "boast", and his "delight." Imagine, not being able to mourn the loss of your delight. Your joy, your mate, but knowing deep inside that God saw your obedience and that one day you would be rewarded by Him!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Set empty pot on coals - Heat it red hot!

God does finish everything!

God wanted to get rid of all the filth! So, He wanted everything burned up and out...all evil gone.

So, in Ezekiel 24, he uses the story about putting a pot on the fire and taking God's choice people or in the story the best part of the sheep flock and putting them in the pot to boil.

Israel was filled with corruption and it can't be cleaned up...

In the end, look at verse 11 - Now set the empty pot on the coals. Heat it red hot! Burn away the filth and corruption.

The empty pot had to be placed back on the fire to be sure it was all gone. In the home of a leper it was done like this read in Leviticus.

Nothing was clean only fire could take away all the sin.

Ezekiel went through so much and he was so obedient. So far, he endured being housebound, tied up, mute, he had to lay on his left side of 390 and his right for 40 days, he had to eat things that were awful, he had to shave his beard and his hair, pack his bags and dig through a wall and these are not all....tomorrow we read about the loss of his wife and the instructions that he can not mourn the love of his life. Is he obedient to God once again?

Obedience is never easy for anyone ~ even someone that God loves! Which is all of us!

Sweet blessings,

Deb

Solving the Riddle...

Do you like to solve puzzles?

Do you like to solve a problem?

Well, in Ezekiel 20:49; these were words were spoken...

O Sovereign Lord, they are saying to me, 'He only talks in riddles!"

Did they really want to understand or do we?

Over and over they are told about what to do and what not to do, but they turn a deaf ear. Over and over God is pretty plain about His desires.

Is it perhaps that our own unwillingness to hear that will not allow our hearts to get it? Is this perhaps what the people during Ezekiel's time were doing?

We know the way to solve the puzzle, but we don't want to hear it? So we just don't listen. We don't allow our hearts to grasp it; we pretend to not figure out the riddle or perhaps we don't allow our brains to get it...

I don't think Ezekiel was speaking in a riddle...I think God's Words were truly pretty plain...Stop doing evil...Stop doing evil...Do not put anything before Me...I gave you the land of milk and honey, the most beautiful place on earth and you refused my decrees...All pretty easy to understand, if you want to hear it...

Do we want to hear?

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

The High Branch

Ezekiel 17:22-23

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I Will take a branch from the top of a tall cedar, and I will plant it on the top of Israel's highest mountain. It will become a majestic cedar, sending forth its branches and producing seed. Birds of every sort will nest in it, finding shelter in the shade of its branches.

Messiah prophecy!

God provided the Messiah from David's line, the royal cedar and Jesus established himself and His kingdom!

Did you know that Branch is a name for Messiah? I learned that today along with thinking about the young tree growing into the majestic cedar and that this is all about Jesus!

Everything flourishes and grows under Jesus and His guiding the world and each of us! We grow and flourish when Jesus is our leader!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

God's Glory

Today, all I am able to or want to focus on His the Glory of God!

Over and over beginning the reading in chapter 10 of Ezekiel - it mentioned...

The temple was filled with this cloud of glory and the courtyard glowed brightly with the glory of the LORD.

The moving wings of the cherubim sounded like the voice of God Almighty and could even be heard in the outer courtyard.

Today, focus on God's Glory that surrounds you! Yes, daily it surrounds us and we miss it...

Today, keep your eyes focused on God's Glory!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

taken by the hair

Ezekiel was given such visions to share with the people and with us. In today's reading from Ezekiel 8, (please pick up the Bible and read this today) was taken to the Jerusalem to the temple to see what was happening in the temple. Idols everywhere!

People hiding in dark rooms with their idols - thinking God doesn't see.

People openly bowing to worship the sun!

People thumbing their noses at God.

Well, we may not be worshipping the sun, but what do we place before God at home or at church? Is it a certain pew? Is it a certain teacher? Is it the pastor? Is it ourselves?

The story goes on in Ezekiel 9 with the LORD thundering it says about punishing the city! A man wearing dress of linen entered carrying a writer's case. He instructed the man to walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on their forehead if they were weeping and sighing because of the detestable sins. Then he told the other men to follow and kill those that were not marked!

God represents mercy and He does have it, but eventually He will make His judgments. Over and over we are told...

Without God we are all lost...He provides the only way!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Submit!

Imagine for a moment being Jeremiah - the LORD tells Jeremiah in Jeremiah 27 to make a yoke, and fasten it to your neck with leather straps. The Lord is telling the people must submit to the King of Babylon - even the wild animals are under his control.

Now look closely at the photo of the ox yoke in the photo. Doesn't look to comfortable - does it? The only difference would be the straps would be made of leather and these look like they are made of wood...heavy, bundlesome, beat down or weighted down with true weight on your shoulders...not some of the things we carry around on our shoulders that we don't think we can manage no real weight. So Jeremiah had real weight and the other weight of all the people...all the concerns, all the worry of what was happening to God's people...

Imagine it...Submit means to surrender to another's will.

None of us have any problems with submission - do we? Look around...if it's not my idea then it's probably not a good idea. How many meetings have you been in lately where nothing is settled because it isn't the person in charges idea? Look at our government! Look at our churches! Look at our homes! We all want our own way!

Well, perhaps we should have the look at the lesson that Jeremiah don't believe the lies of others only believe God. Trust in God and allow Him to show us the correct route, so that when our yoke is broken it's not replaced with one that is made of iron and unbreakable. We don't want to carry our yokes the rest of our life - believe God, trust God, and allow Him to take the yoke away forever!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

A throne of blue lapis lazuli

Can you imagine?

Being in Ezekiel's shoes? Let's ponder it a moment with all the facts from Ezekiel 1 - It was Ezekiel's 30th year on the July 31, while he was exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon. He is sitting beside the river possibly thinking about how they ended up in Babylon held captive by the enemy, when suddenly he felt the LORD's hand take hold of him. How do you think that felt? How did he know it was the LORD's hand? Do you think it was comforting, but at the same time so strong that it could have felt like no other?

Suddenly, he sees a storm coming with lightning and fire and these beings that looked human except: they had four faces and four wings with straight legs and their feet were like a calf's? What? Really? Can you imagine trying to write this down or explain this to anyone? Well, he is trying, so let's move along...Under their wings were human hands...these hands touched the beings beside them which moved straight forward in any direction without turning around...each had a human face in front, a lion on the right, the ox on the left and eagle on the back! EAch had two pair of wings not one, but two that outstretched to touch the living beings on either side they could move however they wanted to. They looked like bright coals of fire or brillant torches...imagine all of this! The description goes on and on....but what caught my attention most was their was a surface described as crystal and that a voice beyond the crystal above spoke...something like a blue lapis lazuli throne high above and then high above that was a figure who resembled a man...All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. The glory of the lORD and Ezekiel fell down to the ground when the voice spoke...

Ezekiel had been sitting beside the river thinking about all that was happening, when the LORD gave him an experience simply beyond words...

The Lord set him on his feet and fed him a scroll with instructions of what to do and say to the people. Imagine, the LORD feeding you a piece of paper, but it tasted as sweet as honey and the LORD placing food in your mouth that will instruct everyone around you! The LORD taking the time to personally feed Ezekiel HIS FOOD FOR THOUGHT TO GIVE OTHERS! The Lord told Ezekiel let all these words sink deep into your own heart first - take it all in - grasp it and understand it...We must listen for the LORDS words to us and let them sink in deep, before we share or rush to tell others.

Ezekiel was so overwhelmed that he sat for seven days and how was he feeling bitter and in turmoil, but the LORD had a strong hold on him. So, it's okay if we are bitter and not exactly dancing with God ask us to do...we aren't alone! Imagine, Ezekiel witnessed this amazing vision and still had very human feelings of bitterness, being overwhelmed and simply uneasy with what God was asking him to do. So, what is God asking you to do? Feel whatever you are feeling, but sit down and wait for it to all sink in deep...allow God's instructions to takeover and taste sweet as honey like a soothing balm to your soul...Allow God to do His thing; which passes our understanding...let the peace flow with God having fed you the plan!

Sit by the river and wait for it to all sink in...

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

A little bit of hope please?

News on the television is never good...

Commentators only share doom and gloom...

Politicians only want to point fingers at each other... and then I pick up my reading from the Chronological Bible and it to is filled with people doing what is evil in the sight of the LORD!

Presently, we are reading from Jeremiah and he is known as the "weeping prophet" well I wonder why...the time was filled with nobody listening to the LORD and plowing their own path in spite of warning after warning! Do you think it was just ear wax and no way to clean it out? Nope, I think it's hard heads and demanding to do things their own way - pretty much like now days! But today, I need and want a little bit of hope so I'm skipping over to Mark 11 starting in verse 20 where Peter reminds Jesus of the time they saw the fig tree wither after Jesus cursed it and Jesus replied with Have faith in God and I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself in the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. What are you struggling with? Do you have a mountain ahead of you such as illness, a bad relationship, debt, a job loss, the list goes on and on well believe God! Believe absolutely no room for doubt and have hope in the words that Jesus gives us!

Let's try sharing words of hope, joy, and love that Jesus gives us! Let's get rid of all the words of doubt and darkness with words of light and hope - The words of Jesus!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

God's Words ~ Are they your joy and heart's delight??

Jeremiah 15:16

When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart's delight...

I try to remember how I got through each day without God's help. I remember being frustrated, unsure, irritable, and just plain afraid of what might be next. I lifted short prayers, but truly I didn't know what would happen next.

Little by little I was pulled to God's Word. I started in small groups study in God's Word and things began to clear up a little bit, but still not focused. I read more and more and studied more and more and things became a little clearer.

One day I was challenged at a conference to read God's Word through daily for a year and it changed my life! Instead of a piece here and a piece there I began to get the whole picture. I understood where people were in their own life when things happened. I began to see that God spoke to me through His Word and we began to have a relationship! Yes, a relationship! Why do so many think we have to wait till we get to heaven? Do you really want to reach heaven and realize that you could have had more while here on earth?

The scripture from Jeremiah spoke exactly to how I feel ~ God's Words are my joy and my hearts delight and I indeed devour them! I study commentaries, I study original words, and I learn and grow more, but most of all ~ I talk to God like never before!

Thank you God for Your Mighty Word!

Sweet Blessings,

Debbie

God made...and we can only imagine!

In Jeremiah 10:12; we are reminded that God made everything...here are the words -

But God made the earth by his power, and he preserves it by his wisdom. With his own understanding he stretched out the heavens.

Wow! God the Creator of ALL!

We take our paint brushes or drawing pencils and have a difficult time, but God made the real thing! Over the past several weeks here in Colorado it's struck me just how small I am and how big God is...if you are in the mountains and you see people at a distance on the mountain hiking they look like ants. The mountains go on and on and on...they are huge, but God is bigger. The whole trip my mind keeps going to God the Creator and His wonderful imagination in creating everything. The animals, to the streams, to the mountains, to the rocks, to the humans that look like ants God thought about all of it and created it and it is blowing my mind.

We worry and we fret over the S & P people downgrading us, we fret over, if congress will raise the debt limit, and we fret over will anybody ever get along again...when all of this comes into focus of what matters we should only be focused on God! God will take care of things in His own way; oh we make choices that might change it a little bit, but God is in charge and only He knows what is going to happen with all of it, but as I get ready to return to the real world of home and everyday life I go with a sense of it will all be okay! God is in charge and this gives me peace that none of the people making all these decisions are truly in charge ~ only God!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Light in the Darkness

Daniel 2:22

He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light.

Indeed, only God is able to see through the darkness.

Focus on the light!

I love old Neb's dream and how he knows it is deep with meaning, but nothing from the dark is able to help him interpret it...no astrologer, no enchanter, no sorcerer only God's men are able to give him meaning to the dream - only because God told them what it meant! Give God His praise and give Him the glory and watch Him work...

Daniel knew death was coming, so what did he do - he hit his knees in prayer and ask his friends to do the same. He ask God to show His mercy and reveal the meaning of the dream. So God with all His Glory and Light gave Daniel the meaning to this dream. Daniel is in a foreign land surrounded by darkness of unbelievers, evil, foreign gods and God still showed up!

Are you surrounded by darkness? God will still show up, if you ask Him to! Ask Him today for help.

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Diet of veggies and water - Please

Stand your ground like Daniel!

In Daniel 1 - we learn about Daniel and his companions arriving into the palace of Babylonia. The king decides to select strong, healthy, good-looking young men to serve in the royal palace. They would be trained in language and literature of the land for three years and then enter his service.

Daniel was determined not to defile himself with this land's food and wine. But how? Daniel ask the chief of staff to please give them only veggies and water. Well, you wonder how did this man agree...GOD! God had given this man a respect and affection for Daniel.

You see wherever we go - God is working before us! So ask for the veggies and water...STAND for what you know God is calling you to do! Be who GOD wants you to be and He will walk before you making the way!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

No I didn't order a cup of anger...

You sit down you order in a restaurant a cup of something - I would wager to think it would not be a cup of anger! How many of us want a cup of anger from a friend or foe; much less God!

Judgment from God! He is very angry and He will send it for us to drink at times. Yes, we have grace, but...read Hebrews 12 about God's discipline. God still will discipline and I know we don't like to think about it, but it is true. Read this chapter and study it.

Over and over, over and over, we push and we shove and we don't listen and finally God tires of our disobedience...Read about God's anger, but more important read about His love, but do not ever forget that we must be obedient...Yes, He forgives but our choices or disobedience will come with a price...

In today's reading from Jeremiah 36 when the king let the man read the scroll shocked me. The king was sitting before the fire to keep and warm and each time Jehudi finished reading a column that section was cut off and the king took a knife and cut off that section and threw it in the fire. Contempt for God's Word...We may not cut it off and toss it in the fire, but are we picking it up and opening it up...and then reading it? Is it not really bad to just leave it laying, unopened on the coffee table? Do we realize the value of God's Word? Over and over 3 men begged the king don't do that...but he wouldn't listen? How often do we not listen?

Listen today!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

We all have wounds and need healing...

Several things I've been reading over the past several days have pointed towards ears that don't hear, hearts that are closed, eyes that don't see and the different reasons why. This morning, I picked up the Word for the reading and from Jeremiah 25 about the LORD giving words for Jeremiah to go and share with the people in Judah and Jerusalem. The people weren't paying attention and they were progressing down the evil road to evil...

These words hit me ...But you would not listen to me, says the LORD.

Are you like me and think well that message sure was good for old so and so over there they needed to hear that or I wonder if they will pick up on this word in bible study this week? Yes, it's shameful, but am I alone? Sometimes, I'm pretty sure that the words are for me, but I choose to ignore it!

I am also reading Stumbling into Grace by Lisa Harper and it is great. She shared a thought about possibly when we all arrive at church we should put on hospital gowns and grab a crutch or wheelchair to show that we are all in the same place - wounded, hurt and in much need of God's Grace and it hit me just how true this statement is...We all arrive at church with smiles, dressed nicely, hiding all wounds, rather than showing up with honest, real appearances with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Now don't get me wrong I don't think we need to pull up let the tears flow and the wailing begin...no, but we don't need the pretense that often times exist...We need to be real, get the q-tips out to clean out our ears to hear, open our eyes to what is really going on and remember grace, grace, and more grace shared with each other!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

P.S. Pick up Lisa Harper's book - Stumbling Into Grace - also mark your calendar to see in November go to www.journeyofsistersministry.com to hear more and learn more about the event

Refusing to listen!

I got to 2 Chronicle 35: 22 and I just stopped and thought well there I am again...

But Josiah refused to listen...Josiah went out to fight the Egyptians and the King told him he didn't have a beef with him to go home that he was on a mission from God. He was doing what God told him to do and it was no business of Josiah's.

Well, Josiah didn't pay any attention and he was wounded and later died all because he stuck his nose where it didn't belong! How often do you offer two cents when nobody ask? How often do you lend an ear when somebody is speaking, but not to you? How often do you enter a fight when it is none of your concern? I know I do...just like Josiah!

Father, forgive me for the times I refuse to listen or when I decide to make something my business when it's not just like Josiah. Thank you for the story of Josiah to remind me to take a good look at myself. Amen

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Are you hauling a heavy load?

Is there something that you just can't seem to let go of and it is weighing you down? Is it like you have a load on your back that is just about to put you to the ground?

Why do you continue to carry it? Is it a badge of honor? Is it duty? Why?

Life deals all of us stuff. My stuff is huge to me and your stuff is huge to you, but we all have stuff. Sometimes the load is a little lighter than at other times, but we all carry our stuff around with us.

Today, in of all places God showed up in 2 Chronicles 35 where King Josiah is celebrating the Passover once again. He read the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the temple and he truly had been transformed. He had turned from all evil and was truly turned to a Man of God with all his heart and soul and strength! Josiah was telling the people to put the ark back in the temple - you no longer need to carry it back and forth...The words that jumped off the page were you no longer need to carry it...I don't know why or for whom...it may be me and I just don't realize what I'm carrying that I don't need to anymore. It may be one of you reading, but the words were bold to me.

You no longer need to carry it!

Search your heart and allow God to take whatever it is that you are carrying around - I am. We (women) sometimes think it is our duty to carry our share, plus our families, plus our friends, plus people that we don't hardly know, but it's not our duty! God can handle it all and by letting go of this stuff it will free us to serve God the way He calls us to - not our stuff!

Thank you Lord for the way you show up in Your Mighty Word! I love you and I treasure the gift of Your Word. It is my prayer that Your Word will light up another woman's path like it does for me every day. It is my prayer that it will light up all women's paths and hearts, so that we will answer the call you have for each of us. Amen

Sweet blessings,

Debbie