10/29/12

God's voice...

Reading the verses below Nehemiah's boldness stood out to me. Nehemiah asked the king for so much. God had clearly given/shown him favor with king Artaxerxes. 

Nothing can stand in the way of God's plan. Not your position, finances, other people etc... However Nehemiah knew his place and was respectful in it.

When the king asked Nehemiah "what he would ask for" before Nehemiah spoke he asked God what he should ask for. Every moment during these happenings were instructed by God. Nehemiah invited and allowed God to make every decision. He allowed himself to be completely directed by God.

How many times do I have a knee jerk reaction to the situation in my own life? We must keep God in the forefront and allow Him to make our choices for us. Inquire and be concerned with how God wants us to respond.

Two questions I'm asking God:
How do I hear Your voice clearly?
How do you speak to me?


Nehemiah 2:1-8

New International Version (NIV)

Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem

I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?
The king said to me, “What is it you want?”
Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.




10/11/12

Psalm 34...


Psalm 34...


I will extol the Lord at all times;
    his praise will always be on my lips.
2I will glory in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant;
    their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Whoever of you loves life
    and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
    to blot out their name from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
    but the Lord delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
    not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
    the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue his servants;
    no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

10/10/12

Hudson...

my heart is aching for a family i hold dear...

i imagine their souls shouting a battle cry from the top of their lungs coming from the deepest place they never knew existed. the kind of place that none of us know we have until we experience  something so tremendously worth fighting for. a cry out to our God that is constant without ceasing fierce and bold...

Oh if we could see this battle with our spiritual sight it would be a sight to behold.

we are flanked by your side, we are with you in battle, we are crying out from the deep places of our souls, we shall be victorious!

in Jesus name... name above all names, we stand and pray

amen

10/9/12

craft fair...

i'm thinking about getting a booth at a craft fair to sell my wares... i'm a little iffy about it however it's minimal cost and it's a safe venue to kinda get my feat wet and see if anyone will actually buy my stuff...

it's scheduled for november...

what do you guys think???

b

10/7/12

what i love about denise...

yesterday was my friend denises birthday...

you know how our facebook pages get littered on our birthdays with well wishes of happiness and your not sure if everyone really means it or they just don't want to be the ONE that didn't care enough to stop by and drop a line. 

well most of the time i don't care to enter into the fb birthday frenzy so i wanted to dedicate this post to my friend denise...

what i love about denise

her passion
her love for her family
her loyalty to her friendships
the way she obsesses about things and can't rest until she deals with them head on because they are important to her
the way you can see the love in her eyes when she talks about her baby brother
the way she does her job and cares for the kids she works with
the way she makes my daughter feel special
that she is always willing to have my son hang out with hers
how she remembers every detail of your conversation with her even when you don't
her sense of style
her amazing raspy voice
her high pitch laugh even though her voice is low and sultry

love you denise

happy birthday...
b

it can make all the difference...

things can change in a blink of an eye...

make every minute count...

stand out

step  up

just say it

effect the world around you

it can make all the difference to

someone...

i read this statement this morning that slapped me!

things don't matter people do thanks donna

i took it as...
not necessarily monetary... even though it's that too
but offenses, situations, worry, stress, fear

stand out
step up
just say it

b