Say That Again...

Stepping into Life

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Sun, 13 Nov 2016 17:29:00 +0000

Even though my life is feeling rather peaceful right now, my heart knows I'm in a war zone. The beauty of it all, is that God has granted me a season of rest, peace, and a view of life I haven't always seen. With each step towards the heart of God, I see the Warrior He has put inside of me.

I don't always know or understand what to do with the Warrior spirit that sometimes clings and claws at the same time. The inner restlessness that peeks out on the peace filled days, and the long clung to hope of something more.

God keeps telling me to look beyond the disappointment and see the total contentment of Who He Is. The disappointment of loss and pain that hides the Warrior from stepping into life. The conflict of vulnerability versus the defense of armor.

Life has so many blessings and so much to offer. For me, in this season, it offers quiet days and rest. There is a change of direction on my horizon, the Warrior in me feels it, but I don't know what it is. There is a rapid stirring within my heart that knows God is who He says He is, He does exactly what He says He's going to do, and He loves me. Yet, still when the Warrior inside of me runs to hide I feel the fear, the angst that attempts to overtake my spirit.

His Sword is mine to grasp onto and never let go, it gives me courage, hope, and faith. The reality is, to live in courage I must use the Sword, to feed my hope and faith I must see the power of the Sword. This is stepping into a fullness of life.

Looking back, I can see that God has surged through my life in such a way that He overcame adversity. He has held back the raging war that wanted to overtake me, and given me His strength and power to fight His way. He has done it all. He has covered the labels with His protection and called me whole in Him. He has wiped away the pain, and granted me solace. Yet, still I find that ever searching heart of mine looking for more of Him.
My thoughts can sometimes collide with each other, but this morning He is assuring me that to step into life with Him is the desire to want more of Him.
Say That Again, Lord Jesus!

Is It Safe?

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 16:27:00 +0000

The last several months I've been reading in the book of Romans. I just keep reading it, over and over again. I like every bit of it, and continue to learn something new each day.

One thing I have learned, again, is that God is safe. He longs for his people to be safe as well, his church.

Is it?

Have you asked yourself if you are safe? Have you considered what that might look like? Have you asked others if you are a safe person?

A few years ago I asked these questions. Several people said I was very safe to them, but there were a couple that said they did not feel safe. I asked more questions, and then worked towards being safe for them.

Some people may believe that God is not safe because of the situations they end up in. I've felt that way. Or, maybe if God does not answer them in the way they are hoping, He is not safe. I've had a list of questions and needs presented to God that have not been answered in the way I would like, through this experience I am learning to surrender to His way, not mine. And, he continues to show me what being safe with him really means.

But, lets go back to the church, is it safe? I am part of the church, do I contribute to it's safety? Do I feel safe in the church, the building I visit every week? Do you?

I admit that if I felt safe in the church, they would see and accept more of who I've been, and who I am. Instead, I have chosen to step back in church situations. What do you do?

I have a group of church people around me that love me and accept me. This feels safe to me. I know that each one of them strives for Godly character and they are safe.

God has perfectly woven every detail of our lives to fit into His perfect purpose. He has wrapped us in a robe of Righteousness and called us holy. He has paved the way to his Kingdom, and placed the keys in our hands. He has promised to always love us, and to give us a secure future with him. He lifts us up to see what's ahead and he beats within each heart.

He is so very safe!

Who am I to be any different?

God has called his church Saints. Yet, we so often walk around as sinners.

He has given me his righteousness and I can now shine. He co-glorifies his people. He stands with us; therefore who can stand against us? He is loyal to his people.

He does not condemn. He opens his arms to his Saints and holds them lovingly. He accepts his people--you and me.

So, today, as I ponder the question of safe churches, I challenge you to find your church that lives with every detail woven into God's purpose, wrapped in his perfect righteousness, and focused on his Kingdom. Your church will love you always, and point you to your future with him. The Saints around you will recognize your gifts and allow them to shine, and they will stand beside you. Your church will not condemn you, but keep their arms open to you in love and acceptance.

Jesus, remind me to Say That Again and again as I stand with you and your saints.

The Fire of His Heart and Soul

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 02:02:00 +0000

Summer is almost over! Can you believe it? This has been a very full and fun summer for me and my family. My kids and I have read a couple of very large books together, we've enjoyed swimming, camping, biking, trips, friends, barbecue's, ice cream, and grandchildren. My kids are not excited about school starting, they want summer to last forever.

My husband and I gave our poodle a hair cut today. We decided to call it the Hit and Miss haircut. He is a standard poodle and he has a lot of hair, we got some and we didn't! Thankfully, he doesn't care. He is the happiest dog on earth, I've never seen him sad.

Throughout my life I have had many sad and long days, but now is not one of them. In fact, they are far and few between right now, and for this I am praising God. It's not because we are trial free, believe me there are still several of those stacking against us. But, it's because of what I believe and know about them. God has placed me to win, and I'm going to believe in His miraculous work in my life to follow through with that.

I experienced some amazing breakthroughs this summer. One was the ability to get in the pool and the lake and actually swim. For years, I have felt a block when it comes to swimming. I didn't want to be cold, or I just couldn't make myself get in the water. Now, that has come to an end, I'm swimming a lot and enjoying it. I give credit to God's healing power through an Art Sozo training that I was involved in.

Also, due to that training, my paints have come alive again. I use to paint, draw, etc, but it was left by wayside several years ago. Now, I am enjoying that gift again, finding it to be very healing and fun.

So, what is happening in your life that God wants to heal? What are some of the lies you are believing about yourself that keeps you from living life to the fullest? What is the truth? How do you want to ask God to revive your heart today?

Are you growing in the fire of His soul and heart, or does life feel stagnant?

This is my desire this September, to continue to grow in the fire of His heart and soul.

Say That Again and march on!

Time Runner

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 18:33:00 +0000

So many times I hear people say there isn't enough time. Life is spent running against an unseen clock, hoping to catch an hour, a minute, or a second of time. I use to feel this way at times; it was very challenging for me to go throughout the day without my watch on, I had to know the time.

But, I've discovered that with or without it, time passes by at the same pace. Many people spend most of their life living in the same cycle, as if each cycle were the first time. The same issues, same obstacles, same everything.

It takes courage to STOP.

Time races by, and we choose each day how to respond. You can lean into each moment and with strength choose to savor the life given you, or you can run.

I've done both.

To savor we accept responsibility for our own lives. We stop poking the person next to us and expecting them to change first. We set boundaries that bring life to ourselves and our family. We seek truth and sometimes boldly speak the hard truth.

To savor is to stand still long enough to recognize the blessings all around us. To stop talking and listen. To savor, one cannot manipulate, twist, and control.

What is happening in your life today that recycles year after year? What are your options? Are you thriving in the blessings God has given you, or pushing them away? Are you grasping at past mistakes and pulling them into your present? Do you feel entitled? Are you running from the given time of this moment?

Many times in the day I need to pause and just ask Jesus for help. He knows every situation, every heart and thought. I don't have the answers, but I can choose to have the faith that He does. It is up to me to stop running against the time I've been granted, and let it all go to Him.

Jesus, Say That Again to me, You created time, you hold my heart, and You've got it all under control today.

Quirky Life

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 17:36:00 +0000

This has been a good week. I've spent a lot of time with people that I love, and we've had fun together. My two youngest kids and I went for a long drive and listened to a favorite book, Three Weeks with my Brother, by Nicholas Sparks. (see my review for this book on www.rootedinmercy.com) We went swimming at a little beach, and we ate ice cream. I also spent an evening walking with a close friend, and more time walking with my daughter in-law and grandson. Again, I praise God for the people He has put in my life and the journey He walks with me. Each day is a new adventure and there is joy.

There have been a lot of adjustments, growing pains, and moments of searching. Life is continually richer for me as I recognize God's handiwork.

What brings a richness to your life? How has God taken the growing pains in your life and turned them into joy? Who do you have in your life that enriches you? Where is your purpose on this earth, and how is that purpose bringing light to the world? When you are in the midst of pain, how does that brokenness shine with the light of God?

God causes all things to work together for good to those that love Him. And, even though life is not always fair, God is. He is fair and just, and everything He does is out of love towards us. He is good. When I started to believe this and see this, life changed for me on many levels.

I know that life is not fair. I have current situations that do not feel fair, but God continues to give me a heart of compassion for those situations and a faith that He will bring joy from the pain. There is strength in being able to recognize the pain, trust others with your pain, and then walk in faith that God has it handled.

I'm thanking God for this day. Even in the midst of a world that can be unfair, there is so much good. Treasures, really.

And, I'm listening to God Say That Again as we journey together.

Cloaked

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 13:39:00 +0000

My daughter and I painted our nails last night and watched a Cinderella story. It was a special moment, and I began to feel overwhelmed with gratitude for the gift that she is to me. She's growing up so fast, and I wish I could catch every moment and bottle it up. But, the days continue to march by, she's excited about the prospects of all that is in front of her, and I find myself feeling somewhat apprehensive at times at what is in front of me.

Age is such a curious thing. We can't wait to grow up, then when one finally feels grown up, the question of being old lurks in the distance. Maybe old is just a frame of mind, I tell myself, yet my body might disagree. Things change, even if I think young.

My mind has to focus on the life God has given me, eternal life. That is what young really is.

So, I've had some moments of looking back on my 53 years and, like many people, I wish I could change a few things. There were so many days I wasted. I was trapped in my mind and didn't believe I had a way out. I didn't know freedom was within me, that God loved me, and that I was not trapped under a law of rules. I was governed by fear.

Fear of being seen.

My experiences taught me to be afraid of visibility. When I stepped forward to be heard or seen, I felt rejected, even by God. I was labeled by others as crazy, rather than heard.

Crazy is a silly word, I think others label when they don't understand. And, when crazy doesn't work, they just use a different label, like mentally ill, or handicapped.

What if we saw each other as Jesus sees us? What if we all listened like He does, and accepted the hearts of others, rather than try to fix them?

It would've made everything different for me.

God's eyes never left me as I floundered around in fear. The lies I believed about myself were deeply ingrained, yet God never believed them. He knew who I was, and that truth would reign. He knew I was searching for love and acceptance , not shame and punishment. Yet, my surroundings and the lies I believed reeked of shame and punishment.

The only solace for me was within the walls of my own home. It was there that my family knew me and saw me as Jesus did. Outside those walls, I remained cloaked in fear. The church was a place of ravenous judgers, who drew me in then spit me out when I showed my imperfections. The office of therapists created false acceptance and practiced weak boundaries. My ability to trust was highly limited.

Even now, truth repeats in my mind. "God does not waste a single day." Though I may feel I wasted time in my life, God redeems it all. He takes the cloak of fear, and wraps it in His righteousness. The restoration of loss, the renewal of minds, the revival of my heart is daily brimming with joy. What I thought was wasted, He turns into life.

So, now as I write this, my daughter sleepily dreaming beside me, I have a simple prayer.

"God show Your truth through her fears."

If she is able to see His truth when fear creeps in, she will conquer the world. She will see Jesus instead of shame. She will see grace and not punishment. She will see life and speak life in all situations, rather than run from life and those that love her. She will look back on life and know that not a day was wasted.

Jesus, Say That Again to her, and open her ears to Your Word!

The Wounded Strong

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 01:48:00 +0000

Recently I witnessed a wrongdoing. It brought up a lot of feelings inside of me. Anger, sadness, pain, compassion. My initial response was to fight for the person that had been wronged, but then I decided it would be best to wait and pray and see what God had in mind.

Since then, I have been thinking of the women at the well. In John 4 verse 24 I read this today, " God is sheer being itself--Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration." Jesus is looking for people who are worshiping him out of their very being, their true selves, openly and honestly.

He is not asking us to come before Him without problems or without wounds. In fact, when He spoke to the women at the well, she had a lot of problems. She was amazed that Jesus knew all about the many things that she had done, and was still doing. Yet, He still engaged in conversation with her, and she was still a light to others. She went back to her village and called them to follow her and brought them to Jesus!

"And they went out to see for themselves"

There have been times in my life that I have been pushed away and told I could not help in the church because I was wounded. The rejection of Godly Christian people was very painful, and that was much harder for me to recover from than other wounds in my life. It was like a knife in my back permanently wedged there by people I loved and trusted.

This is what I witnessed again last week, and it is wrong.

God loves the wounded, because we all have wounds. He uses those who openly come before Him with our wounds and admit to Him that they exist. Then by His stripes he heals them.

By the grace of God I will stand on His integrity and His love, and believe in the light He has put in His people.

Say That Again!

God and Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 19:58:00 +0000

So I heard a sermon by Kris Vallatton the other day that intrigued me, and it helped me put some pieces together in my own head. He was talking about being friends with God. The part that I loved, and hadn't given a lot of thought to before now, was the stories of Abraham and Moses in conversation with God:

"Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the Lord. Abraham came near and said, 'Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?' So the Lord said, 'If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.'" Genesis 18: 22-26

This conversation between The Lord and Abraham continues until Abraham has convinced God that the city should be spared if ten righteous people are found.

Now, if we look at the story of Moses, he knows the people have sinned horribly and God is not happy. God actually said to Moses that he is ready to destroy them. So, like Abraham, Moses fell down before God and prayed: "O Lord God, do not destroy Your people, even Your inheritance, whom You have redeemed through Your greatness, whom You have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not look at the stubbornness of this people or at their wickedness or their sin. Otherwise the land from which You brought us may say 'Because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land which He promised them and because He hated them He has brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.' Yet they are Your people, even Your inheritance, whom You have brought out by Your great power and your outstretched arm."

Deuteronomy 9: 26-29

The part I related to, and even chuckled over was how God, in both cases had had it! He was done with the people. Yet, it took a friend to talk Him through the situation.

This was the sermon, and I liked it. I liked it because, there are times that I am done with people and I run to God needing Him to talk me through the situation. This helps me see how much He understands. He gets it.

Or the great value of having friends in our lives to process difficult situations with. God calls us friends, He wants to know what is going on in my life, and He wants to tell you what is happening in His life too. It's a conversation.

What do you want to talk to God about today?

Is there something you need to say again?

I know, for me, there are many things I bring to Him, and many times I ask Him to Say That Again!

For Him, it is a delight!

www.rootedinmercy.com

Whole30

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 20:34:00 +0000

My family has been on a nutritional reset. We have doing the WHOLE30 for the month of January. In many ways it has been fun, and other ways it has been very challenging. My husband and son found it to be a challenge initially as they detoxed from carbs and sugar. I found the challenge to be more emotional and time consuming.

I was spending a lot of time preparing food, something I do not necessarily enjoy. Then, I found it emotionally draining to hear any grumbling or complaining about it. My patience the first couple of days was thin, as it felt like a lot of work with little benefit.

We are on our 18th day, and for me it doesn't feel like as much work now. I've figured out a good routine and I'm not living my life in the kitchen anymore. Thank God! My husband has been very helpful and even though he claims he hasn't noticed a lot of benefits, I think there have been several for him. He's lost weight for one.

My son, still is not overly excited about our adventure, but he has stopped complaining. He even helps on occasion. And, he too has lost some weight and looks great. He is not excited about making less sugar and less carbs a way of life for us. But, that is our goal.

My daughter and I have done pretty well. She is looking forward to having pancakes again, her favorite weekend breakfast.

My favorite part of this journey is that we have worked together as a family. We have had a big breakfast everyday, and sat down together to eat it. And, the same with our dinner. We make our brown bag lunches together. It has been a family effort, which to me has been very good. This is something I want to continue in our home.

The value of learning nutrition and teaching our children moderation is something I've always believed in. It makes a difference when the entire family is on board, working together for a common goal.

I think this is true for all things concerning the family-church, time, communication, friends, etc The family is a unit to be unified together.

What are the things you are doing in your family that bring unity?

Jesus was all about unity with His disciples. He was with them day in and day out. He walked with them, talked with them, and ate with them. He worked at relationship with them. They were high on His list of priorities.

I like the way Jesus lived! It was whole! Say That Again!
To read my reviews on the WHOLE30 cookbook go to www.rootedinmercy.com

Growing Roots

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 14:37:00 +0000

So much has happened, where do I begin?

God and I have been on a journey that has escalated the last couple of months. This has been a fascinating ride for me.

I've known for so long that He has been creating ways for me to have deeper roots. This, is not always pleasant. He has also been repeating the words to my heart to "Rise Up" and I've been praying about that for sometime now.

This brings me to my devotional blog and website www.rootedinmercy.com This site has been an adventure for God and I together and a step of faith for me. It's been my "Rise Up"

As I've stepped forward I've had to fight against many of the enemies weapons. I've spent hours praying to God for courage and strength.

Some of the weapons used against me have been:

-rejection

-fear

-failure

-isolation

This is God's promise: "No weapon forged against you will prevail" Isaiah 54:17

With prayer, I have found that He raises me up and deeply roots me in Him. When I really begin to feel that internal battle, and I do, I ask a friend or two to pray for me, and fight with me. My courage and strength returns, in time.

"God's Word is an indispensable weapon" Ephesians 6:17

What are the weapons forged against you?

We all have our battles, and our root system. Each one of us will Rise Up in some way, and the enemy is working hard to push us down. Know the weapons used against you, and perfect the use of the weapons given you.

Say That again!

Where's the Power?

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 02:48:00 +0000

Last week we experienced a strong wind storm, the lights flickered, and then our power went out. We were then without lights, heat and water for the next four days!

It felt like the wind had swooped in on us and blown it away.

Thousands of people in our community were hit by the wind storm, and left without power.

For us, we were very fortunate to have family and friends that still had power in their homes and welcomed us to come shower and stay warm. We had friends that offered us food, and a generator. It was very kind and helpful.

The experience was good, and eye-opening.

I saw the goodness of others, and I felt loved.

I witnessed how quickly things can change from normal to not so normal.

I was impressed with how well my children adjusted and sailed through each day.

I was incredibly thankful for everything provided to me from our loving God.

I felt blessed to still have power at our office.

It was Saturday morning when we heard our son calling from his bedroom with excitement "the lights are back on!" And, sure enough, the power had come back on. I was eager to take a shower!

I think we quickly forget how blessed we are. We've been given so much abundance and luxury, but we become accustomed to it all. It is sometimes easy to take it all for granted, but when the wind blew and it all went away, and it stayed away, I was more and more grateful.

I like having power. I like to see in the dark. I like having heat on cold mornings, and I really love hot showers. I especially enjoy having water to drink. These are all wonderful gifts from God, and I am so thankful to have them back!

Praise Him today for all that He has blessed you with; it's the week of Thanksgiving. And, there's so much to be thankful for.

Say That Again!

Going To The Other Side

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 19:33:00 +0000

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

Matthew 14:22

There are some challenges in our life right now. We've been in the middle of a storm now for a very long time, like the disciples were when they crossed the lake. We've been riding the waves, up and down. But, lately, it feels more like the waves are overtaking us. This last Sunday in church the sermon was about the waves overtaking us, and one of the points he made was that Jesus told his disciples to get in the boat and go to the other side! Just go to the other side! There will be storms in between, but Jesus comes and calms them down. We don't even know how long it's going to take to get to the other side, we just know that Jesus said to go to the other side.

For me, there are many things that Jesus has said to me that does not coincide with what is happening now, but I have to keep my focus on what he said. It's challenging. Life circumstances do not look good, the waves bring moments of doubt and questions, but I'm not at the other side yet.

I'm in the middle of the lake!

My husband, children, and I are not going to drown because Jesus put us in the boat and told us to go to the other side.

When fear creeps in, and it does, I have to run back to my source and he reminds me that we will not be forgotten.

Jesus, Say That Again!

To Dance

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 22:54:00 +0000

Then he broke through and transformed all my wailing

into a whirling dance of ecstatic praise!

He has torn the veil and lifted from me

the sad heaviness of mourning.

He wrapped me in the glory-garments of gladness.

Psalms 30:11

I read a book by Brene' Brown that said to be really vulnerable with each other, we must learn to laugh, dance, and sing. Shortly, before that I had heard a man and women speak about the powerful effects of laughter, and how when we start to tell ourselves lies, it actually works to laugh at them. After all, isn't it God that inspired Solomon to say that laughter is like medicine?

Then, I remembered a retreat that I went to a couple years ago and they had a talent show. My favorite talent was a young woman that got up in front of everyone and sang a childhood song. There was a small thing-she could not carry a tune at all! But, her song was absolutely beautiful!

This brings me back to dance.

There was a wedding a couple weeks ago. I had the honor of being in this wedding. This was an honor for me on so many levels that I won't go into, but I will say it nourished my heart.

It nourished my heart as a friend

a woman

a mother

and a wife

At this wedding, there was laughter and song and then there was the dance.

We watched the Bride and Groom dance which was incredibly romantic, and, I know, the wedding is about them. But, this dance was about my husband.

I could see him standing on the other side of the dance floor and I knew the Spirit was telling me to dance.

Take note that neither of us have dance experience!

When I pulled my husband onto the dance floor, his smirk was priceless. We had so much fun!

To dance with a crowd of people around us, but feel like it's just the two of us is heaven. And, at that very moment, I felt like God had broke through years of grief and given me a glimpse of all the joy that is to come.

We've had a lot of grief, loss, pain, etc yet there is joy to dance, sing, and laugh. God sees through the pain and breaks down the veil and brings gladness.

Today, I am dancing in this.

Say That Again to me Jesus as I dance before you.

The Dash

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 18:59:00 +0000

There's a beginning.

There's an end.

And, there's the dash in between.

The dash in between is the life we live between being born, and dying.

The Dash.

It's full of our parents hopes and dreams, anticipations, cries, and maybe even disappointments.

It's crammed with friends, possibly siblings, strangers, our own families.

Or, maybe we are all alone.

The Dash; has stuff, lots of stuff.

It's full of countless choices, thoughts, and decisions.

Maybe regret.

Hopefully rejoices.

Thousands of celebrations.

For some, it is short, way too short. For others, it is long.

It has a tendency to be riddled with fear as age creeps upon us, or maybe it is loneliness.

The dash is often accompanied by illness, anxiety, and stress.

So many hopes and dreams for this dash----

When I come to the end of my dash, all of these will be true for me.

Jesus holds them all, and so much more.

Dance in your dash.

And, when it comes to the end, even though there is sadness, I would like to think that my dearest friends have the courage left in their dash to dance for me!

Continue to Say That Again and Again!

Hope In God

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 19:09:00 +0000

O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling places. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God.

Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.

Psalms 43:3-5

Hope in God. As I look around at the world today, and even at things within my own family, there are things to be disturbed about. I need and want to hope in God. I need Him to send out His light and truth. I absolutely need Him to lead me.

He promises to bring joy.

He says He is my Help!

I will praise His name even when I do not understand, when the path appears dark, I will pray for light, and trust that He is leading.

Because He is God, and God is good through every situation.

And, so I will again Rise Up into the light of Jesus and dwell in His truth and walk according to His Word all the days of my life. I will not fear the lies of man, but I will know in my heart all that God has said and have His joy deep in my soul.

Say that Again, Shout it out, Rise Up, and Say that Again!

Rise Up, Again and Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 17:52:00 +0000

If every woman were to RISE UP to the God-given position created for her, how would our world be different? If we each used our voice to speak out about not just the pain and the fears, but the joys and the dreams, how could we change each day presented to us?

What if we RISE UP to the challenges and say yes, if we believe in the dreams that seem impossible, and know that love is constant because love is God. What if, together we RISE UP and in our weakness and vulnerability, we are strong through Jesus!

If every woman were to RISE UP and accept the gifts from the Holy Spirit, how miraculous would that be?

Gifts of prophesy, healing, and speaking in tongues.

A Word of Knowledge, Discernment, and faith.

As the Spirit anoints the Saints, He stirs within women today. I know He is calling me to RISE UP and lead in more ways than I have before, RISE UP and speak in different ways than I have before, and be bold!

RISE UP, women of God, in every way, for your Creator is calling you!

Say That Again!

The Long Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 01:52:00 +0000

The road between my family of origin and my home is very long. It took me two long days to make the drive there a couple weeks ago, and now, my husband and I are driving back to our home again.

Just like the long drive, these last two weeks have been a long journey for me.

An insightful journey.

Delightful. Sad. Peaceful. Irritating. Joyful. Frightening. Hopeful. Heart-wrenching. Maddening. Funny. Quiet. Exhausting. Changing. Spirit-filled. Life-giving. Wanting. Needing. Lonely. Free. Delivering.

My Mother died.

It still sounds a little strange to say it.

I learned some things about her that I didn't know, and I realized that all children have trouble, in various degrees, seeing their parents as real people.

My mother died, and it stirred a lot of emotion inside of me. The first thing I wanted to do was run to Jesus and pray. I needed to be in a quiet space, someplace alone with Him. My soul was able to delight in His comfort, the peace of His love.

He moved me in ways I've never been moved before.

Thirsting for more of Him,

and for His filling in the gaps of my family.

Sometimes there is pain, and a void that hangs in the room after a loss. A loss of many years, loss of trust, loss of hope, loss of faith in each other. Nobody knows what to do, or where to start, but I do know that God will lead the way.

Feeble bodies, minds, and souls can be lifted up into the heart of God and be healed. Families that are pained, will be healed.

Journeys are long. This is a long journey for me.

I am so thankful that I am not on this journey alone. For God has promised to never leave me or forsake me.

Say That Again, My Lord and Savior!

Four Old Ladies

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 04:39:00 +0000

My day was spent with four old ladies, much older than me. I drove them to church.

Three of them squished their soft bodies in the back seat of my car and buckled each other in.

Each of them are over eighty.

We drove to a little white country church with a tall steeple, and sat on a narrow pew. The church was full, our pew was shoulder to shoulder saints.

We sang old hymns, and blessed each and every child. It felt like I had gone back in time.

As I drove the car, listening to the four old ladies, I was so struck by the cycle of life. Each of them with a story about a husband or two, children near or far, grandchildren that once came to play. And now, so many of the people they once had in their lives, are gone or busy.

They have each other.

Old ladies, old friends.

These women, so rich in life, yet in so many ways forgotten. So faithful to turn to God in prayer, because they know that is really the only way to win the battle, yet so many times never asked to pray. Women with a wealth of wisdom and knowledge, yet so often pushed aside never to be heard.

These women are thirty years older than me, a lot can change in thirty years! As I listened to them, and watched them, I prayed. I don't know what God has in store for me in the next thirty years, but I do know that I want more. I want more of Jesus, and more of His promises. I want more richness of relationship from family and friends, more love, growth, and wisdom.

I want to be embraced, not pushed aside.

I want all that Jesus has for me, to step into His Promised Land and thrive there.

Say That Again, Sweet Jesus!

Tripping

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 14:22:00 +0000

When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; and your foot will not stumble.

Proverbs 3:23

I just drove over 1800 miles in two days. It was a very long road trip. For the most part, it went very well. Near the end of my road trip, I felt a little tripped out. I spent much of my time on the phone talking to my husband.

I was exhausted.

The second day of my trip felt much longer than the first day, and I took more breaks. So, by the end of the day, it was dark when I was nearing my destination. I kept praying for God to keep me focused and awake. My husband directed me on the lonely country roads. It helped to have his voice in my ear as well as my friendly GPS.

The 1800 miles of road tripping was really amazing. It gave me time to think, pray, sing, cry, and listen to favorite books. I thought a lot about previous trips with me sons, and thanked God for the blessing I have in them.

I loved the long stretches of sunflower fields and the beautiful acres of tall corn growing in the sun. I praised God for the farmers I saw working hard in the dirt, and the numerous cows grazing in the pastures.

Life is precious.

Every step of the way.

There are so many golden moments.

In the midst of loss and sadness, there are golden moments before us, precious times. This is what I love about God, He lays out such beauty and peace.

In my 1800 miles I felt some major irritation, too. It was like walking through a dry desert with no water, but even that period of time, God blessed me. He pulled me through, very gently.

He showed me my fears.

Jesus, sometimes I start to feel like I'm tripping out inside my heart, and I need you to calm me down. You are always there. You have promised that I will not stumble when I walk with You.

Say That Again!

When Death Visits

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 09:30:00 +0000

My mother died last night. Both of my brothers were with her, I'm happy she was not alone. She needed to have them with her. She was 85 years old.

It feels strange to me.

It feels sad.

It's 2am, I woke up from a restless sleep. I was thinking about my mother.

I keep telling myself that I need to hold off on feeling or thinking about this right now. Today is a very big day, my ministry team and I have been preparing for it for months.

I need to focus.

But, focus may be challenging for me.

I remember the day my dad died; it felt strange.

In fact it seemed unreal, I didn't even tell anyone.

It took about a week for me to soak it in.

A friend called me last night to pray with me; it was comforting. She knew I would have all kinds of swirling thoughts, and I do.

Swirling thoughts.

It's a new chapter in life. Or maybe it's a new book. I am now without earthly parents. It's a strange place to be, I don't think any child ever imagines it to ever really be a reality.

Now it is.

It jumps me to my own life and my own children. Someday, they will be without a mother. And, even though they will have the eternal hope of seeing me again in the Kingdom; it will still be a loss for them that will be painful.

Death is painful.

I am sad.

I am sad for many reasons.

I am praising God for His mercy toward my mother. She wanted to go, she was tired.

Father, You hear our cry, and You answer.

Say That Again!

Image Bearer

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 16:16:00 +0000

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27

David says this:

Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule the works of Your hands; You put all things under his feet.

Psalms 8:5-6

God created Eve to be His Image Bearer. He was calling her into a deep intimate relationship with Him, a long walk. A life time journey. He wanted her to study Him. He called her to make Him her center.

She was also called to walked daily with her husband and be in relationship with him, but he was not the one that determined who she was! She was not called to reflect Adam, she was called to reflect God.

And, together, they were crowned with glory and majesty. Together they ruled the works of God's hands, together it was under their feet.

Eve was called to be a helper (ezer) Genesis 2:18

Ezer is used sixteen times in the old testament, and means "strong helper" as in Warrior!

Adam was alone, and he needed a warrior by his side. Someone strong, someone that could lead at times, make wise decisions, share God's Word with all people, fight, and play. There's no way he could've done it alone.

No man can stand alone.

As a strong woman with a calling I know that my purpose is to be an Image Bearer and God's Warrior. This is His original design. His calling on my life has purposed me to speak His truth to all people when His Spirit prompts me to do so.

Because He has crowned me with glory and majesty, He has given me gifts to lead in battle, and that is good.

What will you do with your gifts and abilities that God has given you? How are you being an Image Bearer today? How does your ezer benefit others?

Father, thank you for creating me with strength in Your Image, show me how to continually speak Your truth!

Say That Again!

Shoulder News

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 16:16:00 +0000

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, Your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Since you were precious in my sight, You have been honored, and I have loved you.

Isaiah 43: 2-4

Eight weeks ago I had shoulder surgery. It has been a long eight weeks!

Lots of pain.

Yet, God has healed my shoulder and my heart. And, it has been very good.

I saw the doctor last week and he said all is well. Nine more weeks and my shoulder pain level should be much less. (clap please)

Physical therapy is down to one day a week, which I will find more manageable. (more cheers)

Last Saturday, I held my grandson. By this, I mean, I carried him around the room in my arms. This is a joy I have not been able to participate in for months. (cartwheels, cheers, and claps)

So, yes, it has been challenging. God has given me so much support through my husband. And, I have another friend that always takes the wheel when we go somewhere, so I get a break.

And, so much more.

I'm praising God for His healing.

I'm praising God for the support He has brought into my life.

I'm praising God for redemption!

Say That Again!

The Fountain

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 15:47:00 +0000

Last week as I was reading my Bible and worshiping, God gave me an image of a bubbling fountain. It was inviting, beautiful, and invigorating.

In Revelation 21: 6-7 He talks about the fountain:

And He said to me "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

It says that He will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts!

I don't know about you, but I am thirsty EVERY, SINGLE. DAY.

I'm taking the drink; it's free!

If I don't take the drink, I won't overcome.

Jesus is inviting. Jesus is beautiful. Jesus is invigorating.

Jesus is the Overcomer.

I have a shirt that says "A BLOOD DONOR SAVED MY LIFE"

that would be Jesus.

His blood, on the Cross, has opened up eternity for me. He took my past, present, and future upon Himself, so I could be an Overcomer and live with Him for all eternity!

This is amazing news!

Take courage, my friends, and drink today from the fountain. He is there for you.

Say That Again, Sweet Jesus!

Deep unto Deep

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 22:19:00 +0000

Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me. The Lord will command His loving kindness in the daytime, and the night His song shall be with me-a prayer to the God of my life.

Psalms 42:7, 8

This last week my husband and I took a step of faith. It felt scary to me in a lot of ways, and we had to pray through it. I also needed to ask a couple friends to pray with me, because I was not feeling calm, and I wanted calm. God brought this verse to me immediately and I began to feel waves of calm come over me as we moved forward with our decision. I even woke up in the night, feeling assured that God was with me, singing me His lullaby.

Near the end of the week, God sent a friend with a gift for us; it completely redeemed our step of faith! It was so incredible and once again I am amazed by what God does and who He is!

He continues to call me into deeper places, because He is deep. He assures me that He will be there all of the day with His lovingkindness. And, when the nightfalls He will still be there, singing His sweet song over me. It will be so constant, it will be the prayer of my life!

Before this step, He kept repeating to me "Hope in God" and each time I would open my Bible it would seem to fall to Psalms 43:5

Hope in God

For I shall yet praise Him,

the help of my countenance and my God.

Deep places require hope, and all hope comes from God. I am learning that more and more. Praises to the name of God!

So today I will Say That Again!

Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:45:00 +0000

It's been twenty days since my shoulder surgery. In some ways it feels like months, not weeks. Time can have a way of getting carried away, or just all mixed up.

I've been moving very slowly, at least it feels very slow, the last three weeks. Focusing on recovery with a positive outlook has been my goal, while still being real and honest about how I feel and what is going on inside my body and my heart. Sometimes those two positions collide with each other, and I'm left with a lot of crashing noises and messy pieces to sort through.

There has been so very much to be thankful for. God has abundantly blessed me with beautiful family and friends to surround me during this time and support me, my husband, and children. They have brought us food, given us rides, brought flowers, run errands, and visited often.

There have been so many days that the pain in my shoulder has felt bigger than my courage. And, when I hear long term predictions of this being a 3-4 month intense struggle, I feel discouraged. Then, when the time is extended to two years before my shoulder is completely healed, I find that I really begin to struggle with feelings of despair.

This.Is.Not.Okay.

I cry out to the Lord with my voice;

with my voice to the Lord I make

my supplication.

I pour out my complaint before Him;

I declare before Him my trouble.

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,

then you knew my path.

In the way in which I walk

they have secretly set a snare for me.

Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one

who acknowledges me; refuge has failed me;

no one cares for my soul.

I cried out to you, O Lord:

I said "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. Attend to my cry for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise your name; the righteous shall surround me, for you shall deal bountifully with me."

Psalms 142: 1-7

At physical therapy yesterday he measured the stretch of my arm, and it is up to 80 percent! The last 20 percent is the toughest to accomplish, and I'm not moving beyond the 80 because of the pain I experience. The journey ahead, the 20 percent, could take as long as two years!

When I woke up this morning, and I started to pray, the thought that "it doesn't have to be that way" came to mind. God will stretch my arm in His timing, it's all in His control. I need to diligently do the exercises and rest in His care. Yes, it's going to be painful. And, yes I want to talk about that; it helps to process it. But, however long it takes, God will bountifully deal with me and my family. I feel afraid sometimes that it will be a long time, but if it is, He will replenish my strength and give me courage every day. He will give my husband all that he needs to manage as well, for this has not been easy for him.

There is so much to learn in the journey of life. God continues to bring me along and teach me about compassion, love, hope, trust, faith, and much more. Today I am asking Him to whisper words of hope over and over to me and I will continue to

Say That Again!