Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Jesus Loves Me, This I'm Learning

A friend of mine shared this on Facebook a couple of months ago, and I shared it so I could find it again for myself.  There are one or two people in particular who I want to share this with this morning, but I realized, hey, there are a lot of us who need to hear these promises and assurances.  It takes time, but is worth it to look up, write down, record yourself reading all the scripture that is referenced.  Get this "God loves me" thing rooted deep!

A Letter from Daddy-God

My Child, 

You may not know me, but I know everything about you. 
Psalm 139:1 

I know when you sit down and when you rise up. 
Psalm 139:2 

I am familiar with all your ways. 
Psalm 139:3 

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. 
Matthew 10:29-31 

For you were made in my image. 
Genesis 1:27 

In me you live and move and have your being. 
Acts 17:28 

For you are my offspring. 
Acts 17:28 

I knew you even before you were conceived. 
Jeremiah 1:4-5 

I chose you when I planned creation. 
Ephesians 1:11-12 

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. 
Psalm 139:15-16 

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. 
Acts 17:26 

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. 
Psalm 139:14 

I knit you together in your mother's womb. 
Psalm 139:13 

And brought you forth on the day you were born. 
Psalm 71:6 

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me. 
John 8:41-44 

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. 
1 John 4:16 

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 
1 John 3:1 

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. 
1 John 3:1 

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. 
Matthew 7:11 

For I am the perfect father. 
Matthew 5:48 

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. 
James 1:17 

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. 
Matthew 6:31-33 

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. 
Jeremiah 29:11 

Because I love you with an everlasting love. 
Jeremiah 31:3 

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore. 
Psalms 139:17-18 

And I rejoice over you with singing. 
Zephaniah 3:17 

I will never stop doing good to you. 
Jeremiah 32:40 

For you are my treasured possession. 
Exodus 19:5 

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul. 
Jeremiah 32:41 

And I want to show you great and marvelous things. 
Jeremiah 33:3 

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. 
Deuteronomy 4:29 

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart. 
Psalm 37:4 

For it is I who gave you those desires. 
Philippians 2:13 

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. 
Ephesians 3:20 

For I am your greatest encourager. 
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. 
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
                                                                                                                                When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. 
Psalm 34:18 

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. 
Isaiah 40:11 

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. 
Revelation 21:3-4 

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. 
Revelation 21:3-4 

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus. 
John 17:23 

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. 
John 17:26 

He is the exact representation of my being. 
Hebrews 1:3 

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you.
Romans 8:31 

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins. 
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. 
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. 
1 John 4:10 

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. 
Romans 8:31-32 

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. 
1 John 2:23 

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. 
Romans 8:38-39 

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. 
Luke 15:7 

I have always been Father, and will always be Father. 
Ephesians 3:14-15 

My question is…Will you be my child? 
John 1:12-13 

I am waiting for you. 
Luke 15:11-32 

Love, Your Dad 

Almighty God


Tuesday, February 9, 2016

It's All In How You See Things

A few days ago I pulled into my driveway and noticed a teeny, tiny little rainbow.  A magical little rainbow, in a teeny stream of water.  


Yes, that teeny stream of water came through my broken gutter, the snow-melt off a slightly rusty roof.  And though you can't see it in this photo, it held a beautiful, glowing-bright rainbow down the length of its stream.  

But it turned out that the rainbow was only visible within a very narrow view, that if I leaned forward or backward a foot, or was higher or lower in my seat, I couldn't see it.  What a little blessing to pull in to just the right spot to get that rainbow!  

And of course my thoughts extended farther, to the metaphorical.  And I need to preach it to myself over and over again, and usually still don't choose to look for the rainbows.  But sometimes it just slaps me (sweetly) in the face, and I have to remember it: the situation can look pretty ugly, and still, STILL, if you look at it just rightly, there's a rainbow in there somewhere.  

Rainbows are a reminder of a promise straight from God, of his Father-heart toward us.  You can find the original story in Genesis.  And you can extend His promise there to signal His faithfulness to all His promises, because even if we are faithless, He is still faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.  

What a promise!

Because You Prayed

So I'm realizing that I haven't given you an "official" report on my baby's health, or all those other things I asked you to pray with me about.  So here it is--and for those several of you who have specifically asked how things have shaped up since Sunday, thank you!  It is somehow still surprising to realize that, when I ask for prayer or help, you guys really care, and really pray, and really would like to know how a situation changes as a result.  Still learning.  Thank you for the lessons.  

Here is the original post:




Honestly, THANK YOU!

So, Lem isn't 100% yet, but he's back down to a mild head cold, requiring some snot-sucking, saline, and extra snuggles.  During the day Sunday, he retained a bad-sounding cough, but not all-out croupy.  By Sunday night, he slept peacefully again.  We have continued the humidifier in his bedroom.  The Scary Croup was only Saturday night, meaning it stopped when we all joined together to pray.  He's a happy kid again.  


I was not able to nap at all Sunday, but got to experience the Grace that also covered the first month following Lem's birth: the God-given anomaly that I could function normally and even enjoy my awake time despite terrible sleep.  In my life, this is an actual miracle, and not coffee's fault.  We prayed together.  

Andy was alert until he was about two miles from home at the end of a long day.  He and our bigger boys made it home just fine, and then Andy got to take a nap for awhile.  And he made a wise decision to watch football from home instead of traveling an additional hour in the late evening to watch football with friends.  Bummer, but wise.  
And his preaching?  He's gotten good feedback from those who heard it, and he and the boys got to experience some God things with that church family that they haven't seen before--especially the boys--and Andy got to share some special conversation with our boys describing what it was all about.  Important God lessons for our boys to receive from their daddy.  Unexpected was able to be beautiful because we prayed together.  

And Lincoln and Lewis?  Well, they did great, of course.  They experienced/participated in 2 1/2 hours of prayer-worship-communion.  And then Lincoln went off to kids' church during daddy's sermon and did great.  Lewis was not interested in going to a strange nursery, and instead was very quiet during all of daddy's sermon.  The first few quiet minutes were spent in his seat.  And the rest of those sermon minutes were spent by Lewis standing by daddy, spreading out his blanket and lying on the floor by daddy, or running circles around daddy--all quietly, and all welcomed by that church family (Andy checked ;) ).  There may have been a short Tickle Break between father and son.  And the word of God was shared by my husband.  Because we prayed.  

Thank you for praying with me.  Your prayers matter.