Teshuqah- hebrew for DESIRE

(asking for grace for last weeks quietness............lots of head colds and teens with final exams that also consisted of shorter school days . Life has had me spinning a bit disoriented lately.)

In the winter, seeing a tree striped of its leaves, and considering that within a little time the leaves would be RENEWED, and after that the flowers and fruit appear, I received a high view of the PROVIDENCE and POWER of God.....................(The Practice of the Presence of God).....Brother Lawrence.

     I thought my story.........was already written.......but it turns out there is always second chances!
Hiking 5 or 6 miles straight up a mountain wasn't my idea of fun!
Winter can be uncomfortable for some due to the ground being cursed.....bringing forth thorns and thistles.

     When I hiked up that mountain in October at the Cove..............pouring my heart out like dirty water............wanting so badly to shed my dirty little secrets............I Him whisper to my heart......."rock!"

But I doubted...... did I really just hear that?  "ROCK."
Me of so little faith!

     Separation I scream.................from the old rock where I have been embedded so long!

Hosea 10:12

¹² Sow for yourselves righteousness;
reap steadfast love;
break up your fallow ground,
for it is the time to seek the LORD,
that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

God is Love...............Love is God!

( Agape)

 means "love" (unconditional love)

John 13:34-35

 

³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

My view laying on my back in front of the barren forest looking up!

 I live the bare and barren................as a winter tree with wounds.............unprofitable........fit to be torn down and burnt!

I have no green shoots in me.......no fruit here I scream...............just old thorns and thistles!

It goes back to the days of Adam and Eve...................where they abandon their God-given role.
Where the Lord says to Cain before the first murder committed............"SINS DESIRE IS FOR YOU!"  "You must RULE over it!"
He fails and so do we. Has our discontent with our lives permitted our own DESIRES to eat of the forbidden fruit?

(Yes we have all eaten the fruit of lies...................because of our trust in SELF.)

The trees start to sway to their own rhythm............of this world. Maybe they are exposing me for who I really am?  What is buried deep I cry? It's me who is scared of my old wounds starting to bleed.

I lay for a while and listen..................to the wood-pecker that is knocking hard on a tree.

Is God knocking?............Knocking on the door of my heart and yours asking.........."Will you welcome me with Joy and Thanksgiving?"

Recreate in me a new heart...............harbouring nothing that would keep thy presence from me!

What's buried the deep can corrupt the heart and keep us from producing fruit!

Occupying our time with trivial things that change daily.

"Give ourselves up to God, with regard both to the things temporal and eternal, and seek SATISFACTION ONLY in the fulfilling of His will, whether He lead us by suffering or by consolation,  for all would be equal to a soul truly resigned.......(SURRENDERED).-Brother Lawrence.

If I truly DESIRE to know God.........................then I have to be willing to surrender to God so He can break up the hard, barren ground in my spiritual life!

In Hosea......God caused them to DESIRE................ that LOVE (AGAPE); relationship with HIM.
He enabled them to see. Do we truly want to see? 

His desire for all of us is to get back to our 1st love.........................."CHRIST."

Through grace my dear friends................we can surrender all.........and drink from the very water where we will never thirst again................drinking of the joy's........found only in HIS presence.

Join me will you?

all is well,

Robbie

so thankful;

for the fog on a cold Jan. morning

rain drops that keep on falling

giggling teens up-stairs

warmth by a fire place

candles burning bright

a new year that is bringing changes

a God who draws you near

the sound of water rushing strong in a creek bed

rocking chairs

clean bathrooms

a break from work

cleaning out closets

quiet mornings with the King

darkness

mirrors of reflections

desires that can change

simplicity

the word

Opportunities

Before Jesus departed to his heavenly throne to  take his position at the right hand of our Father, he spent time with his final eleven disciples- commanding them to " go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19-20

If these were the last words spoken to his disciples, you know they were very important.

Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Christ commanded us to tell others about him and promised us that he would give us the power to do so.

Also, No one can tell your story- telling others what Jesus has done for you is what he commanded us to do.

As an ICU nurse I have opportunities every day to tell others about Jesus- NO.... it is my obligation as a christain to tell others about Jesus. Do I want to save his Mercy and Grace and Love just for myself and my family?

I could tell you numerous stories about how christain nurses and doctors pray for and with their patients. It would take all day to tell every story.

I am reading a book now- Gray Matter. A book about a neuro-surgeon who prays with every patient before and after surgery. Regardless of how the surgery goes- he gives God the glory.

I held her hand as she held onto life. " Im so weak- I almost left this earth". After hearing that- I usually know that their time on this earth is short. There were a lot of people in her room, she was 90 years old, but still wanted everything done for her at this time. As I held her hand and looked up and down her arm for a vein- to start an IV in. I asked her- " Do you know Jesus". I pray for boldness at work, I wanted to scream it, but instead I whispered it. " Oh yes" she said. After that brief moment, the only thing she could say- was Jesus, Jesus. That is the sweetest name I know.

What a precious time. I want to yell out his name.

Use what time we have on earth- use the opportunities to tell others about Jesus. Talk about his goodness to others- to your friends. Tell them what he has done for you. And in everything give him the praise and glory, that he deserves.

In his service.

Amy

Weekends are for reaching and quietness

All is quiet here this week...........except for the rain! The trees blowing with the rhythm of this world.
I am resolving to sit a spell in quietness.............reaching for God............remembering that to reach for God is to reach God!

May your weekend be one of reaching for Him even if it requires sitting in the uncomfortable stillness, committing to attempt placing yourself in the quietness of Him!

May all your weekend warm friends be one of reaching!

all is well,
robbie

Desire

As the sun rises to meet the day I rummage through photo's from my trip to Israel!


As I look out the window this morning............the sun glistens through the trees and I watch the tree tops sway to their own rhythm. But it is me who feels a void.............my heart I left in Israel!

     But I know these feelings I have for that Country is not of my own will........there is very little that I have chosen for myself. Because their is a God in heaven who is moving...........speaking and who still performs miracles today! He is the one who appoints my lot and determines my path. He himself has placed HIS desires in my heart;   for the apple of his eye........."Israel."

Today was a; "Revelation," for me in my quiet time this morning.............God has been circling me with the same question for months:  "Robbie, what do you truly desire?"  For months I have been coming up with numerous answers:  " to know Him more,.........to be more Christ-like,........to be His friend,...........to be a better Christian!!!

rev·e·la·tion

   /ˌrɛvəˈleɪʃən/ Show Spelled[rev-uh-ley-shuh n)

noun

1.

the act of revealing or disclosing; disclosure.

2.

something revealed or disclosed, especially a striking disclosure, as of something not before realized.

3.

Theology .

a.

God's disclosure of Himself and His will to His creatures.

b.

an instance of such communication or disclosure.

c.

something thus communicated or disclosed.

What I DESIRE................for myself I CANNOT attain, BUT.....what HE DESIRES in me HE can attain for me!

Maybe what we all need in 2012 is a REVELATION...........of the truth.........that because of our own flesh.........we DO NOT have the ABILITY to place God at the center of our life! God himself has to place himself there!

Maybe this day we could ask together.............with our hands held out OPEN.......for the gifts that He has for us. For Him to take our eyes and fix them upon HIM!

As the rain moves in and the sky turns grey............... it's me who whispers; "make this day a day of of obedience, a day of spiritual joy and peace.

And through each small death of our flesh........God perplexes His Kingdom forward.
Let us not be afraid when life seems the heavy because He is my father and yours.............we shall not be afraid!

all is well my sweet friends,
robbie

Weekends are for enjoying the brightness of the day

     Let your where-abouts this weekend warm friends be about the LIGHT that never fades........ His light......let Him in.........open your blinds..............open your doors........open your hearts..........letting His light invade your home and your hearts!

     Let the SPIRIT........of Him who is the LIGHT of the world...........rule within your heart!

all of grace,
Robbie

    

Waiting on the Lord

I watch my lab.................he is always WAITING................waiting for my husband to come home.

A real surrender is what I see.................when I cup his face in my hands it is then that I wonder......how? how can he simply wait all day long if necessary for us his humans to return?

It is us that God himself is asking our souls..............to practice..............WAITING.....on Him!

Psalm 25:4-5

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁴ Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
teach me your paths.
⁵ Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.

And so we wait...................................we wait for His guidance!

How hard it is to just WAIT on the Lord!

God is so interested in us that He longs......desires......(Eros);   for us to be in His will...............and His love.

We are powerless to do the waiting on our own.......but we are no longer alone.............the Holy one has taken up residency in us..........Immanuel....."God with us."

It is me who prays mudane prayers all about me;.................but wait quietly before the Lord, pipe dreams I scream..........................and in His word He says to me:

Psalm 46:10

 “Be still, and know that I am God;

It is all about surrender.......surrendering to the Divine and the keeping our eyes on Him!

Do we believe that He wants to be gracious?.........that He wants us to EROS.....HIM! Then waiting on Him would be considered pure JOY!

"My soul, WAIT thou only upon God!"

all of grace,

Robbie

What will 2012 bring?

What is it that you desire?

The wind whips the hard through the night.............and it's me who wonders what will the new year bring?

The New Year does stir excitement within...........that maybe this thing called self can truly die!
Jesus who gave no thought to ease or pleasure or WORLDLY enrichment.............but filled His life with DOING..............FOR OTHERS.........always SELF-DENYING!

Winter is truly unfolding this day...........with a glimmer of hope that this year can be the year to know Him better.

2011- Was the year of learning to give thanks in every situation.............finding gratitude.-  “eucharisteo."

EUCHARISTEO - - Greek Verb

MEANING: To be grateful, feel thankful; give thanks

NUMBER OF TIMES USED IN THE BIBLE: Used 39 times in Scripture in the following ways: Give Thanks = 26 times Thank = 12 times Thankfulness = 1 time

EXAMPLE:

He that regardeth the day, regardeth [it] unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard [it]. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. Romans 14:6 God has been circling me for a while with the word.............."desire." 2012 will be my year of DESIRE..............desiring to know Him better. greek word for desire= Eros --meaning a longing! I long to know Him better. Longing only to seek the pleasure or desire of Christ! Ask yourself today;  "What is it that you desire?" (for 2012) Standing at that cross-roads in life............which path will I take? Which path will you take? The road less traveled is going to be steep..........one with bumps and bruises.

I want to connect with God.............no more half-hearted commitment!
PSALMS 42:1-2;
¹ As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

I need Him................I desire that personal intimacy with Him......we are a living incompleteness.......a gap, and emptiness that longs.............for fulfillment!

So this year 2012 will be a year of prayer! Prayer leads to intimacy with God.  That's how we will connect!

Over 75 million Christians go to church every Sunday.........falling into two main groups:
1)  wanting a personal experience of God's presence or
2)  to have a better understanding HOW to live the Christian life.

(Although over 75 million Christians are going to church less than 1/3 have an actual relationship or even DESIRE to have a relationship with Him!)

I need to KNOW Him............I can't settle for the feel good experience......the day will come when brokenness happens.....................pain...........even death and I can't rely on my feelings! I have to know Him in order to trust Him! And the only way to know him better is to spend time with Him.

Prayer is the door for knowing Him better!

Sometimes God will bring you to the door but He can't make you go through it................you have to step out on your own free will and MOVE forward! Your real encounter with God may behind that door! Prayer is your heart!!!  Asking myself today; "What are the desires of my heart?"
I am tired of being the Israelites wandering in the wilderness............with trials and hardships that can literally kill me! He sat me in front of a dead forest..................He is telling me that I am in the wilderness..................where it is consistently....BARREN, DRY and DESOLATE. I am asking Him today;  "how can I so infested with SELF fit into His plan?"

EROS............ I whisper over and over again.............wanting that DESIRE to seek Him with all my heart, soul and mind.

I look out the window and I see it........the sun glistening through the trees in the 20 degree weather.....and I wonder how........how do I take my eyes off of me and place them on Him? Trying harder is only putting hope in self.......being the better mama..........friend............sister and wife only comes from Him. From A daily EROS for more of Him. Peace cannot be found................because He is our perfect PEACE.

James 8:8a “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”


Psalm 73:28 “But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge that I may tell of all your works.”


Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
Might this year for me EROS be the year that changes everything?

Draw near to HIM.............Desire HIM.......................prayer is an expression of who we are!
What you desire is who you will become...........and what you become is what you will leave behind for the next generation!

Want you join me?
Let this be your year of DESIRING more of Him!


all of grace,
Robbie