God is amazing

God hears our prayers and He answers us in His time....I don't know why I find this amazing, like it hasn't happened before....I guess when it is fresh we are just in such awe at how a perfect Saviour could love us, me, this beautiful mess......But to Him I am more than just a beautiful mess. I am so thankful that He sees me and searches me and tests my anxious ways....He knows me, He knows what I need, He knows that I need those little nudges along the way.....But by far, I have learned that is so freeing to trust Him....so completely freeing........
"My chains are gone, I've been set free.....Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but know I'm found, was blind, but now I see...."
Don't wait to have that blindfold removed, let Him in now, His picture is so clear, crystal clear, He sees the beauty, not the ugly....He will turn your broken into beautiful........He is completely amazing!!!

Jeremiah 29:11-extended.....

About 7 years ago, I quickly identified this as my life verse, Jeremiah 29:11. It was given to my husband and I by friends that we love and respect so much. Over the last few months we have been in a pit, now transitioning into a valley. Although I am thankful and forever grateful that we are out of the pit, it is almost more terrifing to be in the valley. But on to my point, last night this verse took on new meaning to me, because I kept reading....I have kept reading before but at this point and time in my life, I think I was specifically meant to keep reading in the New Living Translation bible.
"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. I will be found by you, says the Lord. I will END YOUR CAPTIVITY and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and bring you home again to your own land."
Now for those of you that are aware of what I have been going through you will so get this. God has been speaking to me for so many years, He has been speaking to my husband as well. But for so long, we just heard the beginning of the verse. But for us we needed to keep reading....Seek me, Seek me, Seek me....Not the world, not each other, not wealth, not happiness, but ME. O lord how I wish that I had come to that revelation sooner. You are so good to us, and we are so undeserving of your love. I pray, earnestly pray that the Lord would continue to open my eyes to Him. I get it, some don't, but I know that He will use me......He will end my captivity, He will end my husband's captivity, we are free, free in Jesus Christ. Hear this, I just have such a strong impression on my heart that we are free, so many of us are lost, but He just wants us to open our hearts to Him and be released. He has freed us, don't look back, move forward.......

new beginnings.....

I pray with all of my strength and might that whatever the outcome of our situations, regardless of how bleak and impossible them seem, that God would give us the strength to realize that He will, and He will, be glorified through it all. Regardless of the outcome....I was listening to a sermon online that a friend had suggested the other day and came away with these thoughts...."Great faith is not faith that knows what God is going to do it's one that trusts Him to do what is best." How often can we swallow that and receive that? We are not perfect, bad things happen to good people, but our God is Sovereign.....Are we willing to leave the result of our situtations to God, completely? Of course His purposes we may not understand, we may never find the answers, but God will give us a peace. He has given me that peace. Fight as I might, I know that I can not win this battle alone. I don't want to fight it alone. It is a battle to get up each day my sisters, but each day is new, and God somehow gives me the grace to "wake up and put on my makeup!!:):)" I am trusting Him, I am in faith and resting in what He can do. Whether or not He follows "my plan" I will still press on, for His ways are greater......
God is giving me new ways to find "me" again.....I was bold this last weekend and finally stepped forward. Ever since I have been on the worship team in FL about 6 years ago, it has been on my heart to continue in this...but we moved around so much it was difficult. I had the opportunity again in LA, which was the best experience for me. And then again in IL. That was really hard to leave, because I felt like God was showing me a whole new way to connect with Him. Well now, here we are in IN. The worship team is lacking a keyboard player, there is a keyboard up there but it has been unoccupied for the time we have been. So I finally asked about it, after much proding from the Lord:):) Short story, I went to my first practice tnite, and it was wonderful, God continues to show me what a big God we do serve. He is showing me that He has so much more to offer than what the "world" does......I am so blessed, so richly blessed, I know that my God is here with me, in this valley and through this valley He will continue to walk with me and show me His mercy.....I am submitting to His plan for me, although I am unsure of what is in store, I am fully surrendering to Him.......