He Loves Me Anyway

Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.


I'm feeling kinda blah today. It's probably those blessed hormones that we women get to enjoy! ha! I feel extra sensitive about things that normally don't bother me. It's frustrating to know my mind that feeling a certain way is unreasonable and probably even inaccurate, and be unable to change my feelings! I feel weak, like I just can't keep going. I have no reason to feel this way.

Today, I picked up my Bible and opened up to Psalm 103. The whole chapter is excellent, if you can read it today, please do. The verses above where such a blessing. I needed to hear that my Father "pitieth" me, for I certainly fear Him! It's a joy to know that He's forgotten about my past sins, they're forgiven, so why don't I forgive myself? He knows I'm just dust, yet, He loves me anyway! I surly did need to hear that today.

How 'bout you? Are you feeling blah? Maybe you feel like a failure, and you're ready to quit? Whatever your feelings are today, just remember the following:

• Feelings change. They may not change at will, but they will change! 
• Feelings can often be manipulated by hormones, so before you give  up on life, ask yourself if these emotions could be hormone driven. I'm not saying to act badly and blame your hormones. I'm saying to consider your actions carefully because of your hormones. 
• God cares about us, even our feelings, and is always ready to listen to you and me. What a blessing!

We begin revival services this Sunday, so I have a busy weekend planned. I hope you all have a great weekend wherever you are. Please pray for our revival, if you think of it. Thank you.♥

Destitute

Psalm 102:17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.


This verse was good news to me this morning. I may not be "destitute" in the literal sense of the word. It means "not having the basic necessities of life." I have food and shelter and clothing, I have the "necessities". But I feel needy in other ways. I feel spiritually needy. I've been fighting my flesh in a certain area for a while. It rises up, I conquer it. It rises again, I stumble, then conquer it. I'm out of breath, but I keep going. I'm loaded down, but I keep moving, even if it's just an inch. I need help. I need renewal, revival, refreshment...and any other good "re" word! :)

What a blessing it was to see that those of us who are destitute, and in this case meaning, "not having the necessities of spiritual strength" (my own version of the word), can pray. Best of all, God will hear and not despise our prayer! I'm looking for an answer today, and everyday. I need His help.We are beginning revival services this coming Sunday through Thursday. I'm praying for God to do a work in everyone that comes, but especially me. I need Him to work in me.

I Wish I Could See You

Is. 64:1 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence.


When I was a little girl, I used to wish that Jesus could come down and talk with me, face to face. To tell me that yes, He was there. To tell me what I, specifically do with my life. You know, like, "Valerie, you should become a _________ and marry __________." Of course, in time, He did show me what I should do and whom I should marry! But it would have been nice to have heard it with my ears straight from Him.

Today, this verse in Isaiah caught my attention. It's like Isaiah is saying the same thing I used to say as a kid! In fact, I just told my husband the other day that I wish Jesus could come down and see us in person! I want to cry at His feet (real feet). I want to worship and adore Him (in person), I want to hear from His lips what we should do in the situations we are facing. I wish he would "rend the heavens" and "come down".

The truth is, I can cry at His feet, worship and adore Him, and hear from His lips what He wants me to do. No, none of it is literal, but real enough through the eye of faith. And you know, He just might "rend the heavens" and call His children home to heaven today! Would that be wonderful?! Are you ready? I sure am. He's my best, and often, my only friend. I wish I could see Him, just like I wish I could see some of my real-life friends. It's a blessing to know that someday, I will see Him, and that it might be today. 

Mind Over Body

Heb. 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.


My Dad had amazing talent. Aside from being able to repair anything under the sun and whistle louder and higher than anyone on earth, he also was not ticklish! He and I would wrestle (translation: he would tickle me mercilessly and I loved it!). I would try to tickle him back, but never got a reaction. His feet weren't ticklish. His side wasn't ticklish. Nothing. "How do you do it, Dad?" I'd ask him. "It's mind over body." He'd tell me. This made no sense to a 5 year old! Now I realize that he was able to think about something else and control his reaction to the tickling.

I never did master the talent of "mind over body" when it came to being tickled. I'm still very ticklish! But, I'm learning to apply that principle in another area. The verse today says that we must "consider Christ" if we are "wearied and faint in our minds." It really is all about the mind, isn't it? Those who accomplish great things in the world often faced criticism and failure. Some past examples? How about Thomas Edison, Abraham Lincoln, or Helen Keller? Just about any person of renown faced tragedy, heartache and ridicule before they achieved success. How did they keep going, till they arrived at "prominence"? They believed in themselves and their ideas. Sometimes, they were the only ones who had faith in what they were doing!

As Christians, our hope for the future doesn't necessarily rest in our own talents or ideas (even though God is the giver of talent and ideas to mankind). It rests in our ideas about Christ. Do you believe Him? Do you claim His promises as your guiding principle? Many read God's Word, fewer actually live it.When I get discouraged and want to quit serving God, the Holy Spirit reminds me of what Christ suffered for me. He didn't give up. He didn't say, "Hmmm, dying on a cross isn't fun, so I'm quitting." No, His love for my soul and yours drove Him forward.

I needed this verse today. I'm a natural born quitter! But that's not the way I should be. Our verse says to remember Christ when I want to give up. I must dig into Scripture and claim a promise!

Let's keep our mind on Christ. In the end, we can claim success!

My Morning Dose of Conviction

Psalm 78:39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

Psalm 78 is a concise history of Israel. It rehearses the story of the Israelites as they left Egypt and traveled toward the promised land. During their journey, they complain over and over. They turn back on God over and over. Yet, over and over the Lord delivers them and provides for them.

You know, I've been catching myself complaining lately. I grumble and mumble, mostly under my breath, but it shows on my countenance that I am not content! I was just smitten by the Holy Spirit about it yesterday. Now, today, I read about the children of Israel and how they griped - and I didn't read it in Exodus, oh no! I read it in Psalms! I think the Lord is trying to tell me something. And it is this: stop complaining. I need to just take God at His Word with confidence that He will keep His promises! I know He will, I've seen Him do it over and over! So, this is not a stretch for me to believe. In fact, it should be automatic. But, I am just flesh. I fail. I often make the same mistakes over and over. I grow weary of being in this trial....when will it end?! When I feel panicky, I must turn to God, He will help me. I must guard my mouth for it will not!

I'm so grateful for this verse! I'm so happy that God remembers I'm flesh, that my life is just a breeze that will not come again. So is this trial. Contrary to popular belief, it will not last forever. He will see me through it. I'm thankful for God's mercy and forgiveness!

Well, now that I've been thoroughly convicted of my sin, I think I'll go on with my day. But not in my flesh, in His strength.

Blossoms in the Desert

Is. 35:1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.


This verse captured my imagination today! The wilderness and desert shall rejoice? There will be roses blossoming in the desert? I know that there is a really deep truth to this passage. It's referring to the gathering of Israel. Isaiah is a prophet for the people of Israel, his words refer directly to them.

But think about this! Isn't it true that God takes our desert moments, our wilderness experiences, and turns them into something beautiful? God did that for the children of Israel when they were leaving Egypt. They were not in a pretty place, they were not in fun circumstances, yet over and over, God provided in amazing ways! He sent them blessings that they would not have seen anywhere else!

I can say that God has done that for me, too. Because of suffering with PPD not once, but twice, I saw the Lord work in my life in ways others have missed out on. Because of losing my Dad suddenly when I was 26 years old, I've seen God work miracles in my life. I've received blessings from His hand that I would not have gotten if Dad were still here. Do I wish the Lord could have left him here longer? Oh yes! That will never change. But if I have to go through hard times, I'm so thankful I have the Lord to go with me. He sends blossoms in the desert to make the journey easier, and that is a great blessing.

Are you in a personal wilderness today? Is your desert hot and dry? You are not alone! Cry out to your Heavenly Father and request a few roses! He will send them, and even better, He will see you through to the other side. If you don't know the Lord as your Savior, then go HERE for more information, or write me using the contact page above. He's waiting with open arms for you, to see you through and to send you some blossoms in the desert.

My Prayer

Psalm 71:18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed they strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.


I grew up in a Baptist church where the pastor was bold, and told it like it was! No sugar-coating or treading lightly. He often told us young people that most of us would not stay in church as adults, because we were only coming because our parents made us. It wasn't in our own hearts to be there, in fact, some of us were rebelling inside about being at church. Ouch! I really liked church as a kid, but, in the spirit of being "real", the main reason I liked it was because my friends were there. I loved to talk! :) I remember thinking about his words about church in the car on the way home one night. I wondered to myself  if I would stay in church, or fall out? I wasn't sure.

I have good news for my pastor and all of you! I stayed in church! And, I love going to church! Not because I get to talk to people, either. I really love the preaching of God's Word. The difference in my feelings now compared to as an eight year old girl, is that I'm saved! I wasn't even born again way back when. Another difference is maturity. I didn't understand a lot of the verses and sermons that I heard as a child, but I do now! Well...most of them. ;)

My prayer now, as an adult, is that I would stay faithful to the Lord in all areas of my life: my Bible time, prayer time, church attendance, witnessing, serving in some area, until I die. I pray that I cling to the promises of God's Word until I've shown God's power to my children and the generation to come after me. 1 Cor. 10:12 reminds us that we should never assume we are standing strong in the faith. Just as soon as I think, "I'll be faithful till the end, no problem!" I'll find myself away from God, doing my own thing. Why? Because of pride! I want to stay faithful to the Lord, that's my goal, but I know I can only do it with His help.