The Sound of Silence

I breathe in….

                         …and out…
                                 
                                                     …in…

                                                                      …and out…

In the silence, I can feel the soft beating of my heart…hear the slight whoosh in my ears as I sit here in this place I’ve called home for so long now.

It’s times like this when so many memories fill my head.

It’s times like this when I begin to reflect on my life, remembering the good, the bad, and the terribly ugly.

It’s times like this when regret sets in…

…when shame hovers dark and heavy…

…when loneliness taunts from every shadowy corner…

…when tears brim and eventually spill…

…a heart wrenches and a soul cries out “why?”…

And in the silence, through the tears...over the sound of the heart that is breaking…

I hear His small, still voice…


{“I’m here”} – my breath catches
{“I always have been”} – I am humbled
{“I love you”} – my heart leaps
{“I always have”} – I believe
{“I always will”} – and now the tears are those of joy

With every wrong turn I make, he puts another turn in front of me, steering me back in the right direction – gently prodding me and guiding me.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”   ~~Isaiah 30:21

I feel His strong and gentle arms wrap around all of me…


Heart
                    Mind
                                      Body
                                                         Soul

In the silence, I am in awe that He could love me…a sinner of the worst kind…and yet I have a knowing in this wildly beating heart of mine that, like King David, He sees me as a (wo)man after His own heart. It gives me cause to bow down in thanksgiving, here in this quiet place where it’s just me and Him.

The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.  ~~1 Samuel 16:7

The sound of silence is the small, still voice…His voice…

Listen...

He’s calling your name…

Walking On Sunshine

Ahhhhhh... bright, beautiful, warm sunshine!  After several days of cloudy, cold, windy days and bone-chilling nights here in Central Texas, I woke up this morning to a glorious sight - the sun was out in full glory.  The sky a crystal clear blue.  It took all that I had to not go outside and hoop and holler a chorus of hallelujah's to the heavens (I did so rather quietly in my bed while still tucked under the covers, lest the neighbors think I had completely lost my mind).

It is true, there are some real dangers to sun exposure, but I am truly saddened that the sun has been made to be some kind of "monster".  As with many other things potentially dangerous, moderation is the key.  There are so many wonderful benefits of sunshine that have been pushed aside and forgotten.  Scientists and doctors seem bent on scaring us all to stay into the dark caves of our homes and offices out of fear of what "might" happen to us if a little bit of sun touched our skin.

Below are some wonderful benefits of enjoying the sun, but first I want to point out that God made the sun - and God does not create "bad" things.  The sun is SO important that God made it in what is known as the very first day!!!

Genesis 1:1-5 says:  

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

Did you catch that?  It says "God saw that the light was good..."  That alone is enough to convince me that the sun is not my enemy!

But for those who need a little more prompting, keep reading!

A daily dose of sunshine enhances your immune system. It increases the number of white blood cells in your blood, and helps them to fight in destroying germs better.

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Sunshine encourages healthy circulation, and stimulates the production of more red blood cells which, in turn, increases the oxygen in your blood.

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Got the blues? One of the major benefits of sunlight is that it soothes your nerves and boosts your mood by increasing the production of endorphins and serotonin in your brain.

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Getting enough sunlight during the day can help you sleep better at night. Exposure to natural light during the day increases your melatonin output at night.  Melatonin is a natural hormone made by our bodies that enhances sleep and slows down the aging process.

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Sunlight helps to balance out your hormones. Some studies show it may even help to relieve certain symptoms of PMS (can I hear a good Amen?!)

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Sunlight helps your body convert a form of cholesterol that is present in your skin into vitamin D. This results in lower blood cholesterol levels.

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And of course, a definite plus is that sunshine gives you a healthy looking complexion. It will make your skin smooth with an irresistible healthy glow.

 So, get on out there and catch a few rays!  Yes, be wise and take necessary precautions so that you don't over-do it.  Remember, the sun is not your enemy - it is the source of life and growth for us and all the earth.  Go enjoy it!

One Word

There’s a lot of talk this time of year about “resolutions”. We make our lists and we resolve to improve our lives in these areas. For some, the list is only a couple of items; for others the list seems endless. It can be overwhelming, and often by February those lists have already been long forgotten in the tangle of daily life.

I have stumbled upon and embraced a new concept recently – an “un-resolution”, if you will. I heard about it from a friend on Facebook first, and then again on a national radio station that I listen to every day. It’s called “My One Word” (click here to go to the website and check it out for yourself).


I realize that not all of my readers are Christians; some of you may not even consider faith to be a part of your life. Don’t let that deter you from thoroughly checking this out (although there’s nothing better, in my opinion, than getting to know our Creator and Savior). The principle of this concept can be used by anyone.


It is going to take some time – a little work – a lot of thinking. Don’t sit down and just pick any old word. Think forward. Think about how you would like to see your life – see yourself – at the end of this year.


I don’t want to give too much more detail here. I really want you to go to the website, read through and follow the instructions.

And then…come back here, share your word in the comments section and how/why you came to choose that word. If you have a scripture verse/quote that goes along with it, please share that as well.

And now, you ask, what is MY word? My word is…

~~~RELEASE~~~

I chose this word because it is time for me to truly release the past – all the hurts, all the mistakes, everything. To release it from my own hands, to toss it all up to the heavens and to let God have it all. I realized that I cannot move forward until I have completely let go of the past. I am hindering myself in the work He has for me by clinging to the past. My ultimate goal by the end of this year is to be a free woman -free from the bondage of my past -so that I can live the life that I was meant to live all along for Him.

My scripture verse:

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
~~Matthew 6:33

Wishing all of you a very happy 2011.  I hope you all find what you are seeking - because we are all seeking - and I pray that by the end of this year (and all throughout) that you will be blessed with the knowing that you are loved.

Someone's Baby

This.....

...is someone's baby.  Her mother tried to abort her, and she lived to tell about it.  You can read her story here.  And you can help stop abortion.  What will you do?

This....

...is someone's baby.  She has just been beaten by someone who said they loved her.  You can help stop family violence.  What will you do?

This...

...is someone's baby.  He was taken from his home at 8 years old and made to watch while strangers killed and mutilated his family.  You can help stop child trafficking for purposes of war.  What will you do?

These...

...are someone's babies.  Some were told they would be given a better life.  A career, money, love.  Instead, they spend their days and nights servicing male clients - sometimes 12 or more in a day's time.  Some were promised nothing, only forced to do the unthinkable.  You can help stop human trafficking for the purposes of sex slavery.  What will you do?

This...

...is someone's baby.  Her pillow is made of cold hard concrete, and she spends her days feeling worthless and ashamed as she begs for money or food from strangers who often don't even acknowledge her presence.  You can help stop homelessness.  What will you do?


Each of us individually is not able to do {everything}; but each of us is able to do {something}.  What will you do?  I pray that you will look around you at everything you have been blessed with.  I pray that you will fall on your knees in thanksgiving.  And I pray that you will then get up off your knees and go out into to the world and DO SOMETHING.

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

Matthew 25:40

~~~~~

We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:19

What Matters Most

I think for most of us, we would agree that what matters most to us is our family and our friends.  Those relationships in our lives are vital, and we put a great deal of effort into them every day.

Did you know that there is another relationship that is even MORE important?  One that should come above even your spouse and children?

Did you know that even though when you put this relationship above your family and friends, it doesn't take away from them, but it actually enhances and enriches all of your other relationships?

I am talking about a relationship with God, our Father in heaven.  If it were not for Him, we would not have all the others in our lives.

This year, I am committing to getting to know God better.  God the Father...God the Son...God the Holy Spirit.  Each works differently and yet they are mysteriously the same.  I think it is important to know all three parts of the Trinity in order to gain a full understanding.

The only way we get to know someone is by spending time with them.  Listening and learning.  Asking questions and receiving answers in return.  Learning about God and getting to know him looks different for everyone, but if you are just starting out - or like me returning to sit at the feet of our Lord - one of the best ways to understand Him is to study the Bible.

I am participating in a "Scripture Memory Team" that is sponsored by {Living Proof Ministries} with Beth Moore.  This plan is so simple and is a wonderful way to jumpstart keeping yourself immersed in the Word of God.  The directions for participation appear in this blog post {click here} and you can enter your first verse of the year {here}.

Like I said, it's really simple.  You are only committing to memorizing 2 verses a month (verses of YOUR OWN CHOOSING - this needs to be meaningful to YOU); only 24 for the entire year!  I will have a page on my blog dedicted just to this, and I would love to have you follow along with me.

May God bless you richly this year!

"You crown the year with Your good blessings, and You leave abundance in Your wake."

Psalm 65:11

The NET Bible