Time

Lately, I am running and running and meeting myself coming and going.  The Lord lead me to this Psalm that David wrote and I am using the Message version this morning

Psalm 70

A David Prayer

 ^1-3 God! Please hurry to my rescue! God, come quickly to my side! 
   Those who are out to get me— 
      let them fall all over themselves. 
   Those who relish my downfall— 
      send them down a blind alley. 
   Give them a taste of their own medicine, 
      those gossips off clucking their tongues. 

 ⁴ Let those on the hunt for you 
      sing and celebrate. 
   Let all who love your saving way 
      say over and over, "God is mighty!" 

 ⁵ But I've lost it. I'm wasted. 
      God—quickly, quickly! 
   Quick to my side, quick to my rescue! 
      God, don't lose a minute.

Now I don't feel like I'm sinking, but I'm close.  I'm tired and reminded of the commercial I've fallen and I can't get up.  Anybody else know that feeling?  Seriously, so much going on and nothing I want to miss.  

When I read this Psalm this morning I was reminded that God does rescue me and help me through these busy times, because HE carries me through!  He is my strength!  He is my rescue!  It doesn't matter if it is by my choice or His ~ He gets me through!

Thank you Lord for indeed rushing to my side!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Peace anyone?

"My peace I give to you"  John 14:27

What does the kind of peace Jesus is talking about look like to you?

In my quiet time this morning I meditated and pondered this scripture and found the image of Jesus always saving me.  My mind had the image of the game we always played in youth about trusting your friends to catch you, so you fall back into their arms.  Well, that is the image that came to my mind about this verse.  I have peace because I trust all the promises Jesus made to each of us!

Truly a peace that passes all understanding.  I share that this was not always so and I've told many of you before that Kenny always told me that I lived in fear.  Fear of what was going to happen and it's true.  At least it was true until I truly trusted and believed God keeps His promises and truly Jesus gave me this peace.

Ponder your thoughts about what this peace looks like to you.  Do you have it?  If so, how do you describe it?

Give thanks for this gift of peace!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

You can too!

Weekend after weekend I go to women's events and share about God showing up in my life and I watch the desperate faces that desire the same for themselves and yet they don't believe He will show up.  I ask how can you not believe that if you truly desire the Lord to be a part of your life that He will not show up?

It's us!  It's not Him!  He shows up, performs miracles and we don't even take notice after the time.  Do you remember what you pray for?  Do you acknowledge Him when your answer comes?  Do you mark it off as coincidence or chance?  Well, it's not either one it's God!

Don't ask and forget to wait and watch for your answer!  Pay attention, be intentional and watch God work!

Desperate people.  Our society is filled with hurting people that so desperately need to know that the God of the Universe sees them and HE does!  The more important question is do we see Him?

Be watchful!  Be mindful!

"Lord, hear my prayer; let my cry for help come before You."  Psalm 102:1 HCSB

Lord, hear the desperate people and it is my prayer that they will be watchful for your answer and be amazed that you see each and everyone of us.  It doesn't matter how small we see ourselves, we are your children that you love enough to send your Son to die for each of us.  You love us beyond measure and it is my prayer that we all truly begin to realize how much indeed you do love us and that we will begin to comprehend just a little bit of your love.  Amen

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Winning isn't everything!

Okay, those of you that know me know I love to win!  I take my sports seriously!  I am a huge did I say huge Arkansas Razorback fan?  Well, I am!  The past two years have been awesome being 21-5 with the future looking bright for even better things to happen, until one Sunday afternoon recently.

Yes, a coach decided to take a chance.  No one would be the wiser (he thought)  Well, things have a way of coming out.

I sit and write this morning saying I am proud of the University of Arkansas for taking a very difficult stand! A stand that will affect them financially, possibly in games, but they stood for what is right!  Difficult choices are not easy, but we all need to stand for right choices.  We all make mistakes and I am not sitting in judgment, but when you are a public figure; you must be able to stand up and admit your mistake rather than adding to the first wrong choice with another one!  When you are leading young people people must realize that for them to be honest with you, you must be honest with them.  We are not allowed to do one thing and ask young people to do another!  We ask them to walk the talk and we must do the same!  

Again, I love to win and I've realized win or lose ~ Arkansas is a winner!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

But I don't want to...

Question for you to ponder...

How do you think Lazarus felt when he began to hear the words from Jesus "Lazarus, come out!"

Do you think he really wanted to leave where he was and come back to the world filled with sin, doubt, fear, and unknowns?  He knew all about heaven and now he was hearing the voice of Jesus call to him.  The voice that He so treasured while here on earth.  The voice he listened teach about the place he was now witnessing for himself, the voice he believed, the voice he always counted the moments until he heard it again, but now?

Don't you think Lazarus was like Jesus come on...You have been teaching me all about this wonderful place and now you are calling me back after four days.  Do you think he paused or jumped right back to life and got up and walked out of that tomb?  How long do you think Jesus and the crowd waited?

I don't know, but in my way of thinking and knowing the love felt between Lazarus and Jesus it was quickly.  Even leaving heaven Lazarus knew Jesus had good reason to call him back.  He knew Jesus was teaching somebody something and he was going to be a part of the teaching.  He was still obedient leaving heaven and obeying Jesus to return to the world where perhaps he wouldn't even live for very long because he would definitely be a target now.  The pharisees would be searching for a way to rid the world of him right along with Jesus, but yet Lazarus got up and walked out of that tomb.  Stinking to high heaven (the place he just left) to walk out of a tomb with people holding their noses from the smell, but also their attitudes causing a nose problem!

Are we obedient when Jesus calls us to a path that is uncertain?  Do we allow our own desires behind us knowing that Jesus indeed as a reason for the request He is making of us?  Do we allow the stinking attitudes to stop us or do we burst from our tombs with the dirty rags and stinky smells knowing that Jesus will work it all out?

Leave behind your tomb and walk right out smelly and all and allow Jesus to clean you up and show you the path He desires you to walk!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Filled to the brim...

I was reading the story this morning of Jesus changing the water to wine and two things captured my attention and my thought process. (John 2)   First, in verse 7 -  look how Jesus told the servants to fill the jars with water and it goes on to say they filled them to the brim.  The servants filled the jars till they were running over and already Jesus had such a feeling surrounding Him that the servants wanted to fill up and be filled up.  Or at least I think so, they didn't question Him and they knew they were short on wine, not water but they listened to what Jesus told them to do and filled the jars with water!  Water and Jesus is Living Water what a metaphor right here in the very beginning of John.  Early in His ministry Jesus had the aura of people listening to what He said and then they wanted to please Him, they wanted more of Him, so they followed His instructions.  His Light was Shining so bright that they didn't question they just obeyed this man that was attending the wedding.

The next thing that just jumped off the page at me Jesus told them to take this water to the master!  They knew they filled those jars with water.  Water not wine and they were knowingly were going to take this water to the master.  They were taking a big chance because only wine would be served to his guests not water.  Continue looking at verse 9 and we are told that the master did not know where the servants had gotten the wine, but the servants knew.  The servants knew!  The servants knew a secret, but they didn't exclaim it.  Jesus allowed them, "the servants" to witness this first miracle.  Oh it wasn't a healing of a person, but it was a pretty big deal.  I mean Jesus turned water into wine and He shared it with the servants.  The master never realizing that the Messiah had just done His first miracle at this wedding.  No, the master just thought they had a huge mess up and saved the best wine for last!

Don't we save the best for last sometimes?  I mean in our walk with God, don't we wait or at least the majority of people do until later in life to experience more?  We wait until later, but what if later doesn't come?  I think once again one of the most touching things is how Jesus shared it with people that others viewed "less than" or those that were only there to serve.  Jesus began His life of serving everyone with those at that wedding that were there to serve.  Jesus indeed filled up those servants to the brim!  I have this beautiful picture of the servers returning home that night exclaiming to their family about this young man that attended the wedding they worked at today with dancing and laughing and then walking over and telling them to fill the jars with water and then it became wine!  The master said it was the best wine and little did that master know that the "True Master" had filled the jars with wine!

Once again filled to the brim,

Debbie

Knocking will you let me in?

I was relaxing and reading in the pool this afternoon when I kept hearing knock, knock, knock and I begin to look around.  I mean this noise is constant and beginning to annoy me and my reading.  I look so forward to this time of year of reading and learning, while I relax in the pool.  Down time I call it and I don't allow myself this much anymore!

Well, anyway it was a knock, knock, knock, and it went on and on.  Finally, I spot this beautiful little bird just pecking away in this palm tree.  I still don't know what it was doing, but it was working so hard.  I didn't stop to get my camera until later after the little bird was long gone, but God gave me a very powerful message.  While pausing to investigate the noise I discovered something so awe inspiring!  Don't miss your moments!

You see butterflies have been a special thing between me and God and a lot of other people and God, but me too!  Anyway, I began to take my nose out of the book and look around and they were flying around me on my float and some were even just resting floating right along with me this afternoon and it was so powerful that God was saying - Be still and know that I am God along with I'm knocking are you going to let me in???  I was reading about Him and He was right there with me!  I put my book down and just enjoyed His Mighty Company!

Relax and enjoy spending time with Our Father!

Sweet Blessings,

Debbie

Imaginations are a wonderful, terrible thing...

I have to admit to all of you that for the last several months my imagination has been running away with me!  Changes are happening all around me and all of you that know me well know I like being organized and how things are going to go and when things are about to change - I PANIC!  No, let me reword that I use my imagination that God gifted me with to the absolute best of my ability!  After all, we must be the best at what we do, so I imagine things that will probably never ever happen and then I start working on solutions to situations that probably will never happen either!

Anybody with me?

Come on girls - you know I like to know if anybody else ever walked in the same shoes!  

Finally I realized through the Nehemiah study that I keep rave about that I had to be specific with God with questions not so general.  He showed me to slow down, allow Him to handle things and for me to open my mouth and talk!  Thank You LORD!  Seriously, you would think I would know this, but nope once again I was depending on just Debbie and well that doesn't work too well.

Once again, I want to thank the LORD for answering my prayer and showing me once again how wonderful He truly is and that His Plans are so much better than mine!!!  Once again, He got me on track until the next time I allow Satan to attack me.  Thank you LORD for your patience and your love!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Is anybody listening?

We reside in a world filled to the brim with hurting people.  Yes, some of the hurts are self-inflicted hurts, but they still are hurting.  We are called to love those around us, not to judge, not to condemn, but to show compassion and perhaps tough love at times, but love!

Sometimes the people just need someone to listen.  When we take a moment to listen they realize in that moment that someone sees them, that someone cares enough to pause in their busy day and notice them!  Have you noticed anyone lately?  Perhaps that lady on the grocery aisle you are about to make eye contact with needs someone just to smile and say love that blouse, your haircut is so cute, your child is adorable just something to know that you see them!

I read these words that just touched my soul - Jesus heard something different, because he listens like no other person in the world.  Jesus recognized her voice because his entire focus is on people in need.  Dorothy Valcarcel worded it so beautifully that Jesus listens like no other!  It is not past tense, He still listens!  I know because when I truly pour my all out to Him, I realize that I am loved and that indeed He hears me and He knows!  It is truly hard to describe the peace, but it happens.  Try it for yourself, but in the mean time be His arms, His smile, His words, His feet to someone in this hurting world!  Let someone see His Light shining through you today!

He Sees You!  He Hears You!  He Loves You!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

What is God up to?

I know God is doing something right now in my life and I'm not quite sure what it is yet.  Do you have those moments that it excites you, but yet you are afraid to find out at the same time?  Well, that is where I am right now.

Many of you know I read a book last year called Kisses from Katie and it really stirred my heart about this young lady from Tennessee that moved to Uganda and her whole world was never the same, but she truly knows God!  Now God leads me to another book and more of the same about how we need to allow God to take our life and we just say YES!  Well, I'm trying to do this, but I also admit to a certain amount of fear every time  He begins to do this with me.  I admit it!

How many of you realize that in America all of us that make more than $30,000 are richer than most of the people in the world?  How many of you realize that if we want something most of us figure out a way to eventually purchase whatever is on that list?  How many of us realize that our stuff is just more stuff?

Look around today and notice what do you really not need that is just laying around your house?  One of the things God truly has shown me is How important His Word truly is to our journey!  We probably all have more bibles just laying around on our coffee tables than some people have in a village.  Yes, we take God's Word so for granted.  Studying Nehemiah and the celebration that takes place in chapter 8 and 9 about hearing God's Word again and how it should be so special to hear His Word.  When was the last time you truly celebrated God's Word?  Some countries do not have this gift.  Some people must sneak to even get a glimpse of God's Word, some people die for looking into God's Word and yet we leave it laying on our coffee tables!

I'm not sure what God is doing right now with me, but I'm waiting and listening for direction.  It is definitely an adventure that never stops once you truly take His Hand and say okay!  I am also able to tell you that even though I experience a little fear with the unknown God holds my hand the entire time leading me wherever it is He is taking me and wow, it is the ride of a lifetime!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie