High Places of Responsibility

Habakkuk 3:19 AMP – The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!

As a homeschool teacher, then in my second year of educating my sons at home, I had chosen this verse for my “students” to learn as the school year began.  I didn’t know why I had chosen it, and didn’t fully understand the high places of responsibility part.  I just knew I was drawn to this verse, so the boys and I learned it together.

Only a few short weeks later, it became obvious that I had been drawn by Holy Spirit to this verse because He knew what was coming into my life, and He knew I would need to be reminded of His amazing strength.  My world changed suddenly and dramatically when NOW was the time for moving my father from his long-time home more than 300 miles away to a new home in my city; when his mind was no longer what it had been, and would only get worse; when the diagnosis was made – Alzheimer’s disease.

In the ensuing days, weeks, months, and years, I understood what high places of responsibility were.  In those times I was totally overwhelmed with decisions, situations, and life in general, His Word came back, reminding me that He is my Strength, and He makes me to walk, even making spiritual progress on these high places of responsibility.  I am a walking testimony today that what He promised in this verse, He performed in me!

What are your high places of trouble, suffering, or responsibility as you minister today to the people God put in your heart and then put you in their midst?  Instead of being overwhelmed with it all, declare this verse aloud and be strengthened by His Spirit each time you do!

Blessed Beyond Measure!

I am truly blessed.  In addition to the blessing of salvation.  In addition to the blessing of God’s amazing love and grace.  In addition to Jesus’ sacrifice for me.  In addition to Daddy’s promised gift of Holy Spirit.  Perhaps it’s not really in addition to all these things, but as an outflow of these things.  It was in thinking about the people with whom I recently had a heart-to-heart conversation that the overflowing sense of blessing spilled over into this message!

I am blessed to know several amazing missionaries around the world.  Blessed to have gone to some of the places where amazing missionaries give of their lives in reaching out with the love of Christ to people of other cultures.  Blessed to have given housing and food to several missionaries and their families over the years.  Blessed to be able to hear their heartbeat – for it’s the heartbeat of our God – for the people in the places they now call “home.”

Beyond all these missionary blessings, I am especially blessed to have the honor and privilege of calling some of these amazing people my friends – dear friends.  They don’t just want to know me so I’ll share their visions, sow into their ministries, or minister to their needs.  They want to know my heart, share my vision, and minister to my needs!  They truly want to be my friend.

Thank You, Daddy, for blessing me so richly, and for loving me so much as to bring friends like these into my life, over and over and over!  I truly am blessed beyond measure!

His Grace is Sufficient

Have you ever had a really hard time with someone you are around on a regular basis – a family member, student in your class, co-worker, co-student, etc.?  When you’ve done nothing wrong – really, you haven’t – yet this person gets downright mean toward you, thoughts of more time with them leave you less than happy, to say the least.

After experiencing this myself, I awoke to the anticipation of more of the same antagonistic words and actions.  I prepared myself to “be nice” in my own strength, while dwelling on what had already been done.  How thankful I am that the Lord interrupted my thoughts (vain imaginations) to remind me, instead, of His Word:

Philippians 3:13 Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead

Of course, Kay!  Leave the past in the past.  God’s grace was sufficient in the past.  Even if I am treated the same way the next time, God’s grace will be sufficient for me then, as well.  I will be able to walk in His love, not receiving the offense – no matter how many next times there are – as long as I draw on His grace.

2 Corinthians 12:9 AMP  But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness.

Even to leave the past behind and forget what has been done to me requires me to walk in His grace.  From there, I can lean on Holy Spirit to guide me through whatever comes, also in His grace, so the light of Jesus’ love will keep shining through me – even towards the most difficult individuals.

Leaving the past behind and pressing forward in His grace with you, my sisters!

It is for Freedom!

Since my last post had a similar theme, you can easily figure out where I am in my own life right now.  I guess it could be summed up as practical living in the every day details of life, with Christ at the center.

The latest lesson came as I prepared to clean our tub.  My normal routine is to clean only the tub portion one week, while doing both the tub and shower walls the next.  I used to do it all every time, realized it isn’t needed that often, and gave myself the privilege of an easier week every other week.

When I’m going on a trip, I like to make sure the house is cleaned just before I leave so it will be clean when I return, and I won’t have to add that into my schedule.  Since we are preparing for a trip next week, this was on my mind as I debated whether to clean the walls today or just before we leave.  Then it hit me, and I spoke out loud to myself, “Kay, you don’t have to do it either time, if you don’t want to!”  What a revelation!

Of all things, I have made this a law for myself.  But God doesn’t care if I let it go for weeks at a time, especially if doing the “big” job will steal my peace when I have a tight schedule.  He’s all about my living in peace, you know – and certainly not into my losing it to a less than sparkling shower wall!  I hope you’re laughing at me by now, because I’m sure laughing along with you.

There are bound to be things in your own life routine (no matter how chaotic that “routine” might seem) that really aren’t as important as you’ve made them.  Somehow, they’ve become a law for you.  When you don’t do them, you feel guilty, like you’re just not measuring up . . . to what???  I give you permission today to say out loud that you don’t have to (fill in the blank), and it is perfectly fine with Jesus.  If you get slack, He is well able to point it out – without the guilt and condemnation.  After all:

Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. NIV

Freedom for you, my sisters on the mission field!  Let me hear what “shower walls” have been in your own life.

What Delights!

As if it isn’t enough that spring is here (yes, we dodged the snow bullet this go-round!), with all the beautiful daffodils and new green leaves beginning to show up on the trees, my dear friends from China just visited for a couple of days!  When I have opportunity to spend time face-to-face with you precious and powerful women of God, it is like a breath of fresh air to me.  I don’t know any other way to describe it!

Getting more information than we can possibly share via email, along with the heartbeat of God for the people of China or India, lifts me up in the spirit as nothing else can.  It takes effort not to get a bit down after you leave because, in some cases, I don’t know when I will see you next.   Then Holy Spirit gets me back on track, reminding me to stay strong in prayer for you as you live day in and day out in those lands I only visit from time to time – and I get back up, shake myself off, and get back in my given position.  After each visit with you, my dear friends, I’m standing taller and stronger than before!

Thank you for brightening my life like the emergence of spring!  I love you!