Devastated for a friend............

Here I am - a women who believes with all of her heart everything about God that I know and have learned over the years. So when a tragedy struck my friend and she loses her only child (only 6 years old), I start to wonder how and why. Then I start to walk around in some kind of fog and in some sort of daze as I question what has really just happened to my friend and to her family. I start to feel as if I don't even know who I am anymore.

Basically my friend's precious 6 year old son went to his friend's house (who was only 7) for his birthday. The mom was going to take them to the movies that evening. When my friend couldn't get in touch with the mom, she called the police (around midnight Friday night). The police met her and her husband at the friend's house . The police brought a dog with them to pick up the scent in hopes of finding something, and they were led to a pond that had frozen over behind their home. When the police officer shined his light on the pond, there was a hole in the ice. Their hearts sank. The fire department and divers were dispatched on the scene and after several hours they brought out the two boys and the mom's body. The police said the mom must have tried to jump in to save them and she drowned as well.

Did God abandon them? Should we just accept this as a part of life? Do we just suck it up even though our hearts are broken? After a while this begins to even work on our confidence in God. We know that we are important to God, but LIFE has a way of chipping those beliefs away, toiling with our mind and our emotions, leaving us to question things that we should already know the answers to. We may even feel that it is our fault somehow and think about ways that we could have done better, or that we could have made this not happen or even ways to change what has happened.

Life is truly a battlefield. I pray that you never have to experience the nightmare my friend is living through right now. It feels like sometimes when we get knocked off our balance by this wave, the minute we stand up another one hits us and the wipeout is even more severe the second time than it was the first. Sometimes you feel that you can't even catch your breath. You may even ask yourself that if God truly is a good God and if He is in charge, then why? Why did this have to happen? Why to such an innocent child and family? Why Lord? Why?

After the many tears and praying, I decided to research this thing called tragedy and why it happens to so many of God's people. I was led to this verse:

John 10:10
"THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY; I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL......."

We are at WAR!! We just don't get it in this life. There is a spiritual battle involving all the forces of Heaven and hell, and it is being played out right here before our very eyes on Earth.

These are desperate times which call for desperate faith. Faith in ourselves or others is meaningless and will lead us to disappointment and loss, but putting your faith, putting my faith, in an all-knowing, all-powerful God means everything.

If you don't remember anything from this post, remember this always: HE IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER. No matter if you lose a child, a spouse, a friend, a parent, your health, your job, your home, your marriage, or whatever else that life throws our way sometimes, FAITH has to be the center...the very CORE of our lives. Faith is what pleases God.

Look at Hebrews 11:6:
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

When tragedy strikes in our lives, no matter what it might be, hit the floor on your knees and cry out to God. Place your faith in him, and He will strengthen you. But remember that if you try to handle things on your own and with your own strength, you will be weak and lost.

I challenge you this week no matter what your burdens are, to give them to God and memorize this scripture:

Matthew 11: 28-30
"Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."


I can't imagine being paralyzed by the kind of circumstances my friend is enduring at this time. I know my faith would be challenged. I think the hardest thing for me is knowing that I can't just put on my "fix it hat" on and "fix" this for her. I want to erase the whole thing as if it never happened and make her pain go away. There are so many of us that are so desperate for a healing, and not just a physical healing, but emotional healing, religious healing, mental and financial healings, the list can go on. We must keep the faith. This path is not easy and God never promised us that it would be. But He did send His only son to die for us and take the sins of the world so that we would have everlasting life. His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. I praise Him today that life does not end here. We have a citizenship to another place called Heaven.

Father I beg you to move on Deena's behalf today. Help her Father to keep the faith. Lord, you gave us emotions and as certain ones arise in Deena as she grieves over the loss of her only son, be there for her Father, to hold her in your arms. You know Father what it is like to lose a child, to give up a Son. You have felt her pain Lord. Please give her peace and heal her broken heart. You are a mighty God. She needs to draw off of your strength. Be her refuge Father. This is a sad time in her life. Tuck her under your wings of refuge. I praise you Father that you have us in the palm of your hands. Thank you Jesus for the veil being torn so that we have direct access to you.

Trying to keep the faith in all of this world's devastation,

Robbie

" I am Hungry"

God uses the most creative ways to minister to us or to simply get our attention. A few days ago I was in a hurry; I had just picked up one son from his grandmother and needed to pick up my other two plus their friends. I had an early morning meeting and my mind was going in a hundred different ways. I was in the car, trying to listen to my nine year old, Beth Moore,on one of her CDs, plus drive in a busy city with traffic. I came to a red light. I looked ahead a saw a man with a sign that read, " I am hungry". Usually the signs read.. Will work for food, etc. This man was not on the side of the road, but walking up and down, and in between 4 lanes of traffic. What I was thinking... WOW they are getting brave, walking through the cars. The man was walking my way. One car gave money, then another. I was impatiently waiting for the light to change, to avoid him coming my way. The man in front of me held his hand out of the window as if to say stay strong, or hang in there. The light changed to green. I heard my son digging for change and trying to get the window down so that he could give the man the quarter that he had found. I quickly rolled his window up and told my son that the light was green and we had to go. The man found his way to the side of the highway and I drove on. This event has played over and over in my mind. I read books on how to raise compassionate and unselfish kids, etc. But I just missed a great opportunity to show my son humility and kindness. I am sorry for that, and pray for God to give me another chance. I also thought later that the sign read; " I am Hungry". Is he hungry for food, or simply for God, or hungry for a better life, another chance. We let so many opportunities pass us by each day to make a difference. To let others see Jesus in us. I am going to slow down and try to see the little chances God gives me. I want to be like Jesus, but as much as I want that, I want my kids to be like Jesus. Father forgive us for always being in a hurry. Help us enjoy time with family and friends. And when an opportunity comes for us to help someone in need, help us see them with your eyes. Thank you father for being patient with us.
Amy

What do you want God to do in your life today? Ask for it and then Wait for the Father to move.
I pray for God's hand to move amongst His children today and stir up a hunger to draw closer to you Lord in these last days.
Instead of asking God to move, let's move God with what we are asking. Think about it.

Jennifer

SIN

Sin will take you deeper into the pit than you ever wanted to go and it will keep you longer than you ever want to stay...............author unkown...

The Gift.........................

My mom gave me the most beautiful little picture frame with my favorite verse.



(Psalm 91:11): For he shall command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways...



This has been the most comforting verse to me I have ever known. When I was first saved,which hasn't been that long ago, I had a lot of fear, and that verse gave me so much comfort (yes I am a woman with a past...lol!!). So when my mom found it on a tiny little frame I couldn't believe it. I held that little tiny frame so close to me. Even though it was cheap in price, the meaning meant more to me than gold. I slept with it every night by my bed. It meant so much to me to be able to see that verse where I slept at night. One day my dad came for a visit. Now my dad has lived a very hard life with some of the choices that he has made. But when he was here something in my spirit said "give that to your dad". It was the softest little whisper in my heart. I thought, "No God. Anything but that. That means so much to me, that is my verse". I was actually trying to bargain my way out of giving that precious verse away. I knew it would mean nothing to my dad. I knew he would sit it down and never give it a second thought. It had no money value but it meant everything to me. That was God's word that comforted me through so much fear. I continued to feel this ever so gentle nudge to be obedient. So I did give my dad that tiny little picture frame with my verse, and I explained to him how much it meant to me. He looked at me like I was crazy. But he took it and has to this day never mentioned it again. I have often thought about that little frame with my verse and have searched high and low in every christian book store that I have been in to find another one but...nothing.
I guess it has been around 2 years ago when that happened, and as one of my bible study classes (Esther) was ending the group presented me with a little box. Now, they had never heard this story before. I had never shared it with my class or anyone for that matter. As I unwrapped this little box, I opened it up to find the most beautiful silver bracelet I have ever seen. I noticed there was a verse engraved around it. When I picked it up to read it, I screamed. There it was...my verse...engraved all the way around that bracelet. On the inside was engraved Psalm 91:11.
Wow I am still touched by this as tears fall down my cheeks as I write this now. The class had no idea. When one of the women in the study went to purchase the gift (the bracelet), she said there were several verses to choose from and "something" (hmmm...what could that "something" have been?) nudged her to get that one.
WOW isn't God amazing. His ways are not our ways , his thoughts are not our thoughts, his timing is so different from ours. He cares about the little things. That little tiny picture frame has turned into now the most beautiful bracelet that you have ever seen, and I am now wearing my favorite verse around my wrist.
Praise Him today and be obedient. Listen to the tiny nudging of the Holy Spirit and sit back and watch God work.
Thank you Jesus for caring even about the little things. Praise you Father! You are worthy.....



Always attempting to walk in obedience,

Robbie

God's Amazingness Seen

As I read what other's write days after we write about things, I am reminded how everything with God is circular. He circles us with His word, with His answers, and as we praise Him and our praises go up to him, His glory comes back down to us in return...as in a circular motion. Again, I see His hand moving and stirring among His people as I read similar, almost word for word at times, stories like the ones we have shared on our blog.
There is one topic in particular that I read on another blog that was posted today and we were circled with it yesterday and blogged on it. God is bringing unity amongst His people. And I'm not talking about people that know each other, or even live in the same city or state. These are complete strangers. But there is a common ground that God is speaking to us about.
He never ceases to amaze me. He never stops being the most amazing and unpredictable Father. He opens up His huge arms and pulls His children in tight and wraps us with His love and His word and in that moment I see another glimpse of who He is, another piece to the puzzle that He is allowing me to put together. And I beg for more of it, for more of His awesomeness and amazingness and splendor and all that He has to offer to me as His child.
Thank you Father.
I love you Father.

In love with the Father
Jennifer

Wow...I just got through reading some other womens' blogs, and I realized something. I have no room to complain. Sure I may struggle with finances, being a diabetic, my weight, having a preteen in the house and the hormones that are coming along with that, having to work night shift and being tired all of the time, parents getting old and sickly, and everyday situations that may arise BUT I am so blessed in so many ways.
I have a wonderful and faithful husband whom I absolutely adore. My children are healthy. I have a roof over my head and food on my table everyday of my life. God answers my prayers for provision and protection over my children every single day.
I have so much that I overlook when the small struggles are thrown my way, but there are women out there that have lost a child, have children with diseases and handicaps that cause them to have to provide total care, they deal with diseases themselves that do not allow them to dress themselves and some that are completely homebound.
And I sit and sulk whenever I don't get enough sleep from being up all night working. Praise God I even have a job because there are also those out there who struggle with the loss of a job and income too.
I think we get so consumed with our own struggles sometimes, whether they are big or small, that we don't see the struggles of others around us.
Stop for a minute and look at others in the grocery store, in church, in the news, at the mall...we never know what others are going through or have been through. Sometimes their lives may look so put together but we don't know what they have had to walk out in their lives.
Today I got a dose of this. I read blogs of women that have struggles that I myself cannot imagine going through.
I pray that God continues to help take my focus off of me and let me see the world through His eyes, catching every hurt and pain that others may have and allow my heart to be like His so that instead of caring so much about what I deal with, I begin to care that much about what others are dealing with. I want to see people in the mall and know their burdens so that I may lift them up in prayer and see the hand of God reaching down and touching them at that moment.
Open my eyes and heart to be like you God...to think like you, to hear like you, to see like you and to hurt like you do for these women mentioned above. Even though they go through some very difficult times, they still find hope and strength in you and today that blessed me to see and read about.
Thank you God for taking me to these sites and helping me realize myself that my life is not so bad and nothing is too impossible for you to help us get through.
Let's get back to caring for others...truly caring for others.

With His eyes today
Jennifer

Pray through it....whatever it is...God will bring you through it....Just PRAY...Don't give up...Don't get down and depressed...Pray through it.

Jennifer

"My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."
Proverbs 3:11-12
Sometimes we need to be disciplined by the Father. Not all discipline is a negative thing.
Our God loves us, but He will also discipline us when we need it just as our earthly father does. Sometimes we need to be bent over the knee and spanked and sometimes we just need a pat on the hand or a good talking to. But whatever it is, God does it with love and because He loves us is why it is done.
Read through the bible and let the words penetrate you and change you.
If you don't have a reading plan, try reading the Proverbs each day. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs (and usually 31 days in a month). Get in the habit of reading a chapter a day. It's a good habit to start.
Ask God to correct you and discipline you so that.....Yes...You become more like HIM.
Worship the Father today by reading His story, the Bible.

Enjoy your day.

Jennifer

As I sit in my office with kids in the background playing in the house I decide to play one of my favorite songs by Kari Jobe, "The More I Seek You". I can get so lost in God's presence during this song that at times I feel it in my throat. The words to this song could not express more how I feel right now in my walk. I have fallen so completely inlove with God that I can't think sometimes. I get in my quiet place (the office), put on some praise music, and just get lost in His presence. I throw my head back, I cry out to Him for more and the more I cry the more God shows up. The more that I truly seek Him the more of Him I find and then I want to seek Him more and more. Sometimes I spend hours in here sitting in His presence, letting Him take me wherever He wants me to go...in the bible, listening to His voice, letting me cry, letting me unwind from the day, and simply ministering to my soul deep down to the marrow of my bones. God is so alive and so real and wants us to come and seek Him. He wants us to crawl up in His lap, lay our head on His chest, hear his heartbeat, and get lost in His presence. He does something to me when I am here. He fills me up to overflowing, He ignites a fire that was burnt out, He wipes away tears before they even fall sometimes, He smiles and listens and speaks.
Psalm 51:10 says to "create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me."
God will create this in you, He will embrace you in His presence and the Holy Spirit will not leave your side if you seek Him..."Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;" (Psalm 40:16).
Listen to this song on our blog (it's the 3rd one I think)
The words to this song are:
The more I seek you
The more I find you.
The more I find you
The more I love you.
I wanna sit at your feet
Drink from the cup in your hand
Lay back against you and breathe
Hear your heart beat.
This love is so deep
Its more than I can stand
I melt in your peace
It's overwhelming.

These words become my words to the Father when I sing this. His love is so deep and sometimes I can barely stand in His presence. I do melt and become overwhelmed with God's presence sometimes. BUT I love Him so much that I want more of Him and I seek Him even more because of this.
I have found that love that I have searched for years for in my walk with God. He is here when I need Him and want Him. He is here the second I whisper His name. He is waiting on His child to call out to Him and when we do, our Heavenly Father pours out His love in so many ways to us.

The more I seek Him....the more I do find Him.
Melt in His peace...

Jennifer

Today one of the Yahweh sisters, Robbie, was able to meet with one of the pastors of her church. When we are going to start another bible study we do a lot of praying about which one God wants us to do. There can be a lot of "stress" on which one is the "right" one. Then there is the financial part of the video series (if there is one) that goes along with the studies. It's not easy to choose all of the time.
Now granted there are times when we know immediately what God wants us to do and then there are other times when we have no idea. So, today we got together and spent some time in the bible book store looking at different studies. There are some that look good, some that look like "meat" and some that look like "milk", some that look encouraging, some that are Holy Spirit driven, and then some that we just want to do. So which one?
Sometimes I think you just know that you know, but you analyze so many things that you double guess yourself. (Who will like it? Will they be able to keep up with it? Will they be disappointed because it's not like the past ones? Are they ready for this type of study? Is it just what WE want?)
And then, God puts people in your life like the Pastor Judi, that brings direction and encouragement in your decisions, and you realize that if you are obedient with what direction that God is taking you then all of the "other stuff" will fall into place. I think we knew what study we were supposed to do in that bible book store today, but the details worried us a bit and brought about confusion, and we know that our God is not a God of confusion.
But we prayed for God to direct us and He did. He allowed someone with a lot of biblical knowledge and expertise in this area to help guide us, to push us on in the right direction that we were headed.
Sometimes we all need a little push from wiser instruments in the Body of Christ.
God will take care of the details...We just have to be obedient to the direction that He is leading us.
So, ladies, GET READY. I believe that God is going to do some great things through this next study. I am excited and I pray that you are ready to dig into God's word.
We will be posting the name and dates of the next study soon so check back in with us.

Jennifer