Say this...

Often times people that know me know that I tell my stuff.  When I say stuff it's not the good stuff I'm talking about it!  No, it's the stuff that I would rather leave hidden in my own home or heart.  It's easy to share the good stuff, but the ugly isn't so easy to share.  Honestly, I came to place in my journey that it was as if I heard the LORD tell me ~ Debbie, swallow your pride (ouch) admit the other stuff too!  So when I speak or write I share things that often times I don't want to, but because I believe I am suppose to.  Healing will often times come in the process perhaps for me or for someone else

I have been on a six week journey through Psalms this summer and I've loved the study.  It's simple and done at home on your own schedule.  Well, this week I came to Psalm 107 and these verses spoke to my heart about why I've shared the ugly as well as the good.  The Lord provided a healing because I've truly at times struggled with why I have to share stuff while others don't and perhaps it's because the LORD hasn't told them to yet.  The Lord smiled on me with these verses and provided words that for some reason I needed to hear.  Thank you LORD!

Psalm 107: 2 ~ Let the redeemed of the LORD say this-those he redeemed from the foe,

We should share because we are redeemed!  WE need to say so!

Psalm 107: 14-16 ~ 

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.  He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains.  Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.

So once again, I have to admit that I shared, but wasn't always happy that I felt compelled to do so.  The LORD showed me and touched my heart that I want to share because He saved me.  He broke the chains that had me captured and because of His unfailing love indeed I must share the good, the bad, and the ugly because all of it will be used for HIS Glory!  His Light will shine through my ugly choices  as well as the blessings!  Or perhaps it will be the healing balm for your own heart or for someone else!

I hope this helps someone else open up and share.  When we hold it in the Lord showed me it's truly about perhaps our own pride rather than His glory.  If we are redeemed we need to say so...let His Victory shine!  After all, He won the battle for us and saved us...so we need to hit our knees in obedience and say use it all LORD, use if all!

Thanks LORD for loving and forgiving me,

Debbie

Do you hear?

Yesterday as Kenny and I rode through the aspens it was so quiet all you could hear were the aspen leaves moving in the wind.  Immediately my mind went to the story found in 2 Samuel 5, when David ask the Lord about fighting the Philistines.  The Lord replied in verse 24 ~ 

As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army."

Does this not just amaze you?  It does me!  I imagine scenes in my mind as I read scripture and I picture King David in prayer talking to the LORD and the LORD answers.  David wasn't surprised the LORD answered he was waiting on the answer and then the LORD tells him to listen to the tops of the trees.  Imagine the army sitting, waiting to attack and all of their ears tuned in to the quiet until the rustle of the treetops!  Yesterday, I was amazed how loud the rustle of the trees in the wind was and I was and am amazed at God's Wonder.  He doesn't do anything in the usual ho-hum way of doing things!  Aren't you glad that we serve a Mighty God that just amazes us daily?  I mean no loud lightning, no powerful storm the movement of the tops of the balsam trees!  I love it and the way God works!  God doesn't work in the way that we expect Him to.  No, He does it in unique, awesome, special ways.  Ways that only He could provide for each of us.

Beginning on August 22, which is a Thursday at 6:00 p.m. at Summer Grove Baptist we will begin to study and to be intentional about being awakened to the nearness of God through the study "Wonderstruck" by Margaret Feinberg.  We will be intentional about the wonders of God and how to be aware of His Mighty Nearness!  I've been working on this study and I am truly becoming even more aware of things such as the wind blowing and scripture coming to mind that God is teaching me something.  I pray that you might join us to grow together, but most of all to grow closer to the LORD.  It is about our own unique journey with the LORD and sharing the wonderful works that He is doing!  He still moves tree tops!

Email if you have questions about the study or would like to join us!  If you can't be with us think about  doing the study alone or with your group.  Also, look for the wonder of the LORD.  Be intentional always ask the LORD to help you see His Wonder!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Also, beginning the Tuesday and Wednesday after Labor Day another study about Joseph will be offered as well.  We will look at the story of Joseph and what we might learn from his journey to help us with ours!  This study will be offered at Noel Methodist at 520 Herndon more on it to come.

Be alert...prowling around

Imagine, driving along singing praise and worship music with the radio.  Your dog happily hanging out the window, when suddenly you see movement across the road.  Yes, this is what is in your line of vision.  Quickly I rolled up the windows to protect Sadie and I.  At the same time grabbing for my camera.  Of course, wanting to capture the beautiful image of the mountain lion at the same time thinking I can't believe this is happening.

It was beautiful, yet scary.  Immediately, I thought this is just like the scripture in 1 Peter 5:8 ~ Be alert and of sober mind.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  I had just looked at this spot and nothing and suddenly a lion was standing there within a stone's throw and well one leap for it to the jeep.  Let me tell you my adrenalin was flowing and my heart was pumping.  Never did I expect a lion in my path the same is true with the tricks of the devil.  We aren't expecting someone to come in with the latest juicy bit of gossip and then to get caught up in a moment of really?  Then all the questions of who, what, when, where, how start so that not a detail is missed.  Have you ever been there?  Before you knew it you were caught up with the devil's schemes and he is slowly devouring you with juicy gossip, which turns into a sin!  You weren't looking for it, but there it was.   Just that quickly the devil catches us in the most unsuspecting way; words of a friend, or perhaps taking you into a setting that leads to something that you have to make a decision that leads to temptation and sin.  I don't know what your temptation might be, but the devil is prowling just like the lion that crossed my path this week waiting to devour each of us!

The question is will we allow him to do this?  NO, we will be alert and of sober mind knowing who we trust and believe with all our heart!  Our Father who tells us over and over ~ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

It's true, so claim it!

Claiming it in the path of the lion,

Debbie

Please let me be the one...

The past several weeks I've been studying the Psalms among other things, but over and over praise as been paramount in my heart, mind, and soul.  We need to praise God through everything, the good, the bad, and the ugly!  It's easy to praise God during the good times, but the bad?  

Well, today I was looking at the story of Jesus healing the lepers in Luke 17 and something else jumped off the page at me!  Jesus healed ten men right?  Well, only one realizing that he was healed returned to praise Jesus!  What, only one?  Yes, only one.  Immediately, in my soul it hit me how many times have I been the other 9 or how many times have I been the one?

It is my prayer that I am the one, but I know in my heart I have also been like the other 9.  I ask the LORD to forgive me the times that I am like the other 9 and not like the 1 that runs and falls at the feet of Jesus and gives Him my love, my thanks, and my praise!

Praising the Lord,

Debbie

Praise the Lord

Psalm 89: 1 ~ I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness know through all generations.

It is so true that I will sing.  You may not want to sit by me, but I'm going to sing of His love, His grace, and His faithfulness and I'm going to share it too!  Always...

I am having a wonderful summer and just want to share a little bit of it with my friends. 

Well, we have had a little bit of stuff happen unexpectedly.  Myself and JJ had to have b-9 growths removed, but we are both doing fabulous with wonderful results.  Now JJ may not look exactly wonderful here and he gets this thing off on Friday, but he is great!  I am great!

love, love the farmers market...lots of wonderful people and lots of cool stuff check it out for yourself every Saturday under the bridge beginning at 7 and lasting until noon.  I get there early better parking and cooler!

I practice with my camera and love coming home to see how they turn out!

I can't talk enough about the beautiful flowers.  A huge bunch of flowers for $8.00.  Not only huge, but pretty!  I love them!

More...

  Even the beauty of the fruits and veggies are hard to describe!

More of the cherries!  Kenny loves cherries so I had to get him some of these...

More...

Flags from the big 4th celebration abound and they were blowing in the nice breeze! 

Even one on the bridge which touched my heart!

I went to the sunflower trail into town last weekend, this weekend for a different view I went the opposite direction.  You know it does look different going and coming.  Beautiful sunflowers everywhere.

This time it was neat to spot the church steeple coming into view across the field

Coming closer and closer...

My beautiful flowers arranged in my kitchen to enjoy and be reminded of my wonderful day!

Remember today the words from Psalm 89: 52 ~

Praise be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Diet Cokes and now it's getting really personal....

Well you can see in the picture one of the books that I've been reading; "Confessions of a Raging Perfectionist" by Amanda Jenkins.  It is great!  I hope you all are picking up some of these awesome books I'm mentioning, because they are truly great books and God gave each of them a powerful message to share!  

I've told you that the book is awesome.  I knew it sounded great.  Frankie and I were headed to Colorado in May when I first heard about it and I ordered it immediately.  Now it's all with God's timing I believe when we finally read something.  I've often times had a book that will lay around my house for a year or more and I don't pick it up until I feel prompted to pick it up and most of the time it's got a serious message for me.  Actually when they mentioned it on the radio as being something a lady read on the entire out of town retreat to all the ladies and they didn't want to do anything else...well that must be a good book!  

Now I want to share she got in my business!  I read the cover and found she loves Diet Cokes well I knew the way she talked about them that we must be sisters of different parents and well we are, but she truly got in my business throughout the book, but I mean real business in chapter 10.  How?  She ask what were my "holy crutches"?  Imagine it!  Who wants to think about things that we might not be doing right ourselves like eating too much, drinking too many diet cokes, shopping all the time, going to the spa, trips, movies, partying, the list could go on and on...She really got personal when she mentioned when we go through a tough time, do you reach for the crutch or Jesus?  Do you think you have to have that Diet Coke first and then Jesus?  After all, the diet coke will be gone in just a second (especially if you drink them like I do)  and Jesus stays with us always!  Why not call on Him first?  He definitely supplies all we need and when we need it, but we reach for that satisfaction in the moment.  Think about it and maybe you are a whole lot better than me.  If so, good for you!  If not, read the book!

Are you enjoying your moments as much as you should?  Well, perhaps we are being filled with this stuff that just doesn't last like Jesus!  Who are you depending on?  She talked about Jesus going to the wilderness for forty days early in His ministry and how He was tempted by the devil.  (Matthew 4)  Her thought was so that Jesus would learn dependence in a big way on His Father, so that He would get through the desert, his ministry, and the cross!  Jesus knew all He needed was His Father to depend on and He was teaching us to depend totally on Him too!  Imagine, we think these little things will help us and they do in the moment....moments pass and we still have that hunger that only Jesus will fill!

Over the past few weeks dealing with a few stressful situations I realized I was downing too many diet cokes!  I had actually gotten a little better in the spring and well bring on a little stress and I was popping the top a lot on the diet cokes.  I didn't start reading this book until I was in the middle of the stressful stuff when I was popping the Diet Cokes like they were my lifeline.  Yes, I know it was wrong and wow did He show me!  Even when He shows me my weaknesses I love it, because I realize how much HE loves me!!!!  A lot more than I am able to comprehend and I love it that He shows up right in the middle of these moments in the absolute coolest ways!  

You know part of the coolest ways is sharing them, even when it shows your own weakness!  So, I'm sharing God's cool way of disciplining me and teaching me once again to look to HIM for my strength.  He is so awesome and He did not tell me to give them up yet,(diet cokes) but I'll keep you posted if He does.  Oh, I probably will not have to tell you if He tells me that because He will definitely have to help me with the bad attitude in the process!  So ...check out this neat book and it really is good for women of all ages!

Also, remember to share even the tough moments when God shows up and then praise Him that He alone is the Great I Am.  Share, Share, Share!

Remember is Psalm 23 ~ Who does it tell us is all we need?

The LORD is my shepherd; I have all I need...

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Weekend in the Word and sunflowers...

A beautiful morning beginning in God's Word and my pals...before a drive along the Sunflower trail.

Even the cows are looking for the shade...not much out there either.

Beautiful flowers

more...

and more...

even more....I was having a very thoughtful, beautiful day with the Word of God rolling around in my head.  It is the time of year that I study a lot, so my mind is filled with who, what, when, why, how, and so many more questions that I talk to the LORD about and anybody else that will listen...when I come to this sign and I am reminded how quickly we are thrown curves in life.  Our hope, faith, love, trust all come from the LORD and the only way through these curves that happen so quickly is the LORD!

The LORD brought to my mind scripture from Isaiah about flowers withering and then again in 1 Peter 1: 23 - 25

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.  For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the LORD stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you.

So, treasure your moments with the LORD pondering and learning His Words with Him!  Also, enjoy the flowers that will fall soon...

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

A Must Read....

Okay, all of you that know me; know I love to read!  In the summertime, you know that I devour books.  Well, I will recommend a lot of books later in the summer, but right now I've got a must read for everyone!

The book is 

Captive in Iran: A Remarkable True Story of Hope and Triumph amid the Horror of Tehran's Brutal Evin Prison

by Maryam Rostampo

Embark on a chilling journey inside one of the world’s darkest and most dangerous places: Evin, the notorious Tehran prison. Here, prisoners are routinely tortured, abused, and violated. Executions are frequent and sudden. But for two women imprisoned for their Christian faith—Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh—this hell on earth was a place of unlikely grace as they reflected God’s love and compassion to their fellow prisoners and guards. Against all odds, Evin would become the only church many of them had ever known.

In Captive in Iran, Maryam and Marziyeh recount their 259 days in Evin. It’s an amazing story of unyielding faith—when denying God would have meant freedom. Of incredible support from strangers around the world who fought for the women’s release. And of bringing God’s light into one of the world’s darkest places—giving hope to those who had lost everything, and showing love to those in despair.

I copied this information direct from Amazon.com and all you need to do is go to Amazon.com and order the book now.  I promise you that you will have a whole new view of how blessed you are to walk in the church of your choice on Sunday morning and worship.  It will open your eyes to a whole new world and enlighten all of us to most of the world is very different from our world.  We better open our own eyes before we wake up in a world that we will not be able to freely worship Jesus in our churches.  

Please I encourage you to listen to these special young ladies share their testimony of sharing Jesus in the jail cell in Iran.  The worst prison in Tehran and how He showed up there more than in America where they now live.  You will not regret reading this book and allowing God to show you the world.

Blessings,

Debbie