I Am But Clay

Sometimes it’s a bit too easy to forget that I am but clay. It seems rather silly to think that clay could ever possibly do anything on it’s own and yet I try. Forgive me Father.

Oh Father help me to surrender completely to Your hands as you mold me into the woman you desire. Oh how I want to put away any thoughts of what I think I should do or be and yet yield to you.

My heart is often so stubborn, forgive me. Help me surrender completely to Your grace. A grace that works daily in my life to make me more like Your son.

You are my Father, I am but clay, You are the potter. Mold me, make me, help me to surrender to Your hands.

30 Days of Blessings: First Snow

Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.’ Isaiah 1:18

I love the first snow. It’s beautiful to watch as each unique flake floats down from the sky and lands on the earth covering it with a blanket of white.

A blanket of white reminding me winter is indeed here. Pure white snow covering that which has dried up and died from the season before.

Snow covers that which has seemingly died. But deep inside it waits to come forth again to bring the beauty of color. Deep inside blossoms await to live once again.

That blanket of white that covers the earth today reminds me also of something even more beautiful. It reminds me that my sins have been covered.

Sin and death no longer reign in my soul. Sin which causes deep darkness of the soul and eternal death has been covered by the blood of the lamb. Jesus died that I might live. He paid the debt for my sin.

Now my sin lies covered and is as white as snow. Brilliant, beautiful snow that is spotless and pure is how my sin appears to God.

His blood covers my sin and what was once dead now springs to life with the newness of Christ.

Hallelujah! What an amazing blessing!!

30 Days of Blessings: He Delights in Me

I often forget that He does delight in me. I am precious. I am loved.

I forget when I take my eyes off Him. I forget when I see others promoted. Honored. Recognized. Made much of.

This morning I was reminded by Jennifer Drakes Lee “God is right there, waving His arms, saying, “Look! Look! See what I’ve made for you here? See, now, the wonder of your very own children, and the dazzling night sky, and the ruby color in the communion cup? Child, you are adored, cherished, important, and all kinds of WOW to me.””

God does see me. Not only does He see me but He is “wowed” by me. Not because of me or anything I have done. No, I am all kinds of WOW to Him because of what Christ is doing IN and THROUGH Me.

He delights in me. He is delighted, not because of what I do, but because of who I am in Christ.  He delights in me because my heart desires to obey, follow, and live for Him.

I may not have many “followers” on my blog. I may not touch a single person with a word I write. I may not be published or a sought out speaker. But this one thing I know. This is what He reminded me of this morning.

I write for Him.

I speak for Him.

I teach for Him.

I live for Him.

Nothing else matters. I don’t need the world’s or the church’s approval. I am not called to build myself up. To build my reputation or following. I am called to follow Him.

The sad truth is, sometimes, I want to be noticed. I want someone to “approve” me. I want others to be delighted in my writings, speaking, or living. But to want it to be all about me is to take HIS rightful glory.

It is sin. So with a humble heart I come to Him, again, and confess my pride. I confess that I want the glory due Him. Oh to write that is so painful! To see it in print makes me sick to my stomach. But it’s true.

When I desire glory I am taking what belongs to God. I am saying to God, “I did this. It’s mine. You had no part of it.” 

The truth is, I am nothing without Him. I would have nothing apart from Him. It is because of Him and Him ALONE I can live and breathe and have my being!! (Acts 17:28)

When I choose to follow, even if it means in obscurity, He is delighted in me. He is “WOWED” by my simply obeying Him.

He is delighted simply because I am HIS!!

It will no longer be said to you, "Forsaken," Nor to your land will it any longer be said, "Desolate "; But you will be called, "My delight is in her," And your land, "Married "; For the LORD delights in you, And to Him your land will be married. Isaiah 62:4 NAS

A Renewed Purpose

Isaiah 61 is probably one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. My heart connected to it in a way that totally took me by surprise when I first read it. I was living among ashes when those words first began to awaken my heart. God began to show me then that this is what HE would do in my life. That was over 12 years ago.

Today I see clearly how God put people in my life that gave the good news of God's love for ME.

I mean He REALLY loves ME!! And because of His great love He sent those  that would help heal my broken heart and help free me from my prison.

God has showed me HIS Grace. HE destroyed my enemy of shame. God sent those in my life that would comfort me as I mourned what was lost. He allowed them to care for me, to love on me and be Him with skin on.

God then took those ashes and turned them into beauty. He gave me a new name. God took the ruins of my life and made something new and wonderful.

My name was unlovable, unwanted and shame. God called me HIS BELOVED!

I am His Beloved! And I am left with a heart that loves my Lord with greater understanding. A heart that wants to serve Him, a heart that longs to do God's will. Not just God's will for His people but His will for ME!

Often I wonder why would God want to do all this for me? Apart from  the fact that He loves me, He wants me to go into the world and share the love of God, His grace, His power, His mercy and His forgiveness. It was given to me so that I might share the truth to others so that their ashes can also be turned to beauty.

God has anointed me to share God's love and grace to the poor and heartbroken. He wants me to tell those in captivity to shame and sin that they can be free.

O how my heart longs to help women rebuild their lives, to know the love of Jesus. To know that His love can and does set them free. I want them to know that they are not unforgotten, unlovable, ruined, dirty, trash, forsaken, but God calls them "Oaks of Righteousness" and He wants to display HIS glory through them.

They need to know! Who will tell them?

I want these women to know that God can raise something new out of the wreckage of their lives, they CAN start over. I want to have the opportunity to share with them that God will take the rubble of their live and make it new.

He did it for me! He WILL do it for them!

Oh God my life is yours, use me as you will, show me what it is you are calling me to. Show me what it is that you desire for me. My heart grows restless and I wonder just what you are up to. Are you calling me to something new?

A Hug From God

This morning I was reading in Isaiah 43 and as I read verses 1 through 4 I felt such a hug from God. My dear sisters no matter where you find yourself this day remember that you are God's daughter. You are precious to Him. You are His! He is with you. He loves you!

1 But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator,O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!

2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.

3 "For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place.

4 "Since you are precious in My sight, {Since} you are honored and I love you, I will give {other} men in your place and {other} peoples in exchange for your life. (Is 43:1-4; NASB; italics mine)