Deep Calls to Deep

When life overwhelms, when things seem far too big for our smallness, when our hearts cry out from the depths of whatever it may be...fear, sadness, anguish, mourning...our hearts cry from the very depths of our being.  Pounding, pouring, roaring deep.

David cries out like this...

Psalm 42:5-8
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.


6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon —from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.


8 By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.

David reminds himself that even in his depression, his hope belongs to God.  His praise goes to God. He might not "feel" God right now...but he remembers how it feels when God is with him and reminds himself that even when it feels that God is far away, or quiet...He is still there.  Singing over him.  

Deep answering deep.  God hears those cries from our hearts and His heart answers.  Giving peace, giving strength, directing His love towards us...rejoicing over us with singing. 

Zephaniah 3:17
17 The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.

Put your hope in God, praise Him, live your life for Him.  He is with you, He saves you, He takes delight in you and rejoices over you with singing.  Close your eyes, draw close to Him...listen to His song for you...deep answering deep....

Intentional Living...

It's the start of something new....something big....something intentional.  Over on my sidebar, you see a badge for Hello Mornings.  I am joining the challenge again to work "new" good habits into my life.  There are three parts to this challenge...regular, daily Bible study, and time with God; exercise; and daily planning time.

I will say that I try to have a daily time with my Lord already...some days that goes better than others, and honestly, some days it doesn't happen well at all.  Exercise is much the same...my goal is to get up each morning and either go for a walk or workout with a dvd....some days the lure of my pillow is stronger than the lure of fitness.  And I am NOT at all a daily planner...but how nice would it be to know what's for dinner each day, what appointments I need to get to, what goals I'd like to accomplish each day....  I tend to forget or double-book myself sometimes because I am just not as organized as I'd like to be.

This challenge builds in accountability in the form of a supportive group of other women.  We check in with and encourage each other regularly.  My group is on facebook, so it's easy to say hello, comment on a Bible study or give a "high five" for reaching a goal.  It also gives us an opportunity to pass along prayer requests.

That being said, my goals for this challenge are to work on more regular bedtime/rising times....I've gotten into a bad habit of staying up far too late at night, which makes it hard to get up in the mornings.  With school starting soon, my daughter will need to get up early enough to get to her zero hour class at 7 am...which means I also need to be up and moving long before that.  I want to find the best time for my quiet time with God, whether it be in the morning, or before I go to bed at night.  And I want to make a better habit of not only working out/walking more regularly but also eating healthier.  So, lots to work on, but as this is my second time in the challenge, I don't think any of those things are too far out of reach.  Daily life has a way of changing our "plans" but good habits make it easier to stay focused.

Philippians 3:12-15

Straining Toward the Goal

¹² Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

**edited to note...if you click on the Hello Mornings badge in my side bar, it will take you to the main webpage for this challenge!  :)

Singin' on Sunday

Go ahead!  Do a little happy dancing today!  :)  You know you wanna!

Love God, Love Others

Ephesians 5:1-2 says:
Be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

What does it mean to be an imitator of God?  To walk in love?  To see others not as objects, but as God's creation made with love.  To see others not as a target or a prize to win, but as the owner of a heart that needs care, kindness, gentleness.  To see others not for what they can do for us, but as someone we can serve with the hands of Jesus.

What if we set aside our own agendas and looked for what someone else needs...and provide it?  What if we give a hand, a cold glass of water, a listening ear, a strong arm.  What if we reach out where no one else will?  What if we just give...without expectations of receiving?  What if we sacrifice our own wants to provide for someone else?

What would this world look like if we were imitators of God?  If we loved unconditionally, if we spoke up when necessary, if we forgave more readily.

What if we gave ourselves up, just as Christ did? 

5 Minute Friday: Here

It’s a #FiveMinuteFriday free write flash mob!
Where a beautiful crowd spends five minutes all writing on the same topic and then sharing ‘em over here.
Want to know how Five Minute Friday got started and how to participate? All the details are here.

Now, set your timer, clear your head, for five minutes of free writing without worrying about getting it right.

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..
OK, are you ready? Please give me your best five minutes on:::

Here…

Here I am.  

 Genesis 31:11-12a

11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’12 And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see...'

Genesis 46:2-3

2 And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.”3 Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation."

Genesis 3:4-5

4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”

Isaiah 6:8

8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Whenever we call on the Lord, where is He?  He is here.  Right here.  Listening, ready, standing next to us, holding us with His mighty right hand.  

Whenever He calls on us, where are we?  Here?  There?  Anywhere but HERE for Him?  Jacob, Moses, Isaiah answered His call with "Here I am."  They listened to Him, and accomplished mighty things in His name and to His glory.  

How often do we answer like that?  I know I am not always ready to say "Here I am, send me."  Why not?  Why not answer His call...will God lead me astray?  Will He take me anywhere He cannot protect me?  Will He ever leave me?  No.  So...the next time He calls....Here I am.

Remarkable You...

NaBloPoMo prompt:  What's the sweetest thing someone said to you today?

Louie Giglio in 2008

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.  He knows your name.  He knows you.
Do you not know?  Have you not heard??  He gives strength to the weary and power to the weak....

Taste and see...

Psalm 34:8
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Today I ate a fresh, ripe peach.  It was perfectly firm and sweet...bursting on my tongue with juicy flavor.  If I closed my eyes I could taste God's creativity in each bite.  The coolness of the fruit, the juice that tasted oh so good...the sweetness of God's provision and love in one piece of fruit.  

Today I tasted the sweetness of spending time with my daughter, the youngest of my brood of three, who is both loveliness and goofiness all wrapped up into one beautiful 14-year old girl.  She is a blessing given to me by a God who created each of us, who knew us before we were born to this earth.  Her smile, her laughter, the way she says "goodnight momma" when she goes to bed. 

In my life, I have tasted the sweetness of God's provision, His unending and unconditional love, His comfort when I have been broken, His encouragement when I have been sad, His joy when I have needed it most.  He is good.  His love endures forever.  He is unchanging.  He is always there.  

Do you have a space in your life that is empty?  That is reaching out for something, anything?  Do you feel a need for a relationship or growth in your relationship with God?  Take refuge in the Lord.  Let Him have that space and fill it for you.  Taste, and see...the Lord is good.



NaBloPoMo Prompt:  something sweet you ate today.