You Never Let Go

I can remember a time when my oldest son Brett (who is now 10) brought out the absolute worst in me. He was about two and half years old and his every move went against my every direction. AND as luck would have it, our middle son Tanner made his worldly debut at about the exact same time Brett decided to become part monster.

One day shortly after Tanner was born, I decided to venture out to the big grocery store with my two little boys. I got Brett out of his car seat first (rookie mistake) and told him to stand right next to me while I unhooked Tanner's car seat from the car. I tried to hold onto his hand while removing the car seat and that was a lost cause. So stupidly, I let go. I let go for a split second. I looked up just in time to see Brett running into the parking lot. Of course there was a truck coming and I can remember the moment of complete and total panic. I put the car seat down and ran after Brett. The driver of the truck saw me long before he saw my helpless toddler and he came to an abrupt stop. I picked up Brett and waved pathetically at the driver. All the while, Brett is kicking and screaming. I was so embarrassed. The truck driver probably thought..."Good Job Mom". And Brett...the little monster...didn't even thank me for saving his life! He just kicked and screamed. We did make it in, through and out of the grocery story without anymore problems, but this story does lead me to a point...

God Never Lets Go

We are part monsters too sometimes. I hate to admit it, but I act much like a two year old sometimes when things don't go my way. I have a feeling that God feels like I do as a parent some days. He tries and tries to hold our hands through life. He tries and tries to hang on...even when we pull away. (AND Oh how I hate it when the kids pull their hand away from me.) I would imagine that God feels that way too. He knows our path...he knows the dangers that lie ahead and he just wants to protect us. But we push and we pull and we think we can run ahead without him. He is there to save us...he is there to pick us up when we get knocked down. He is always there...He never lets go. And when he saves us or helps us in anyway, we don't always remember to thank him. In fact, more times than not, I am angry with him when things don't go my way. I am too busy finding fault to notice that he is there picking up the pieces.

The song that I have loaded to the play list is called Never Let Go. I love this song and what it says...You never let go, you never let go, you never let go. Over and over to remind us that he never lets go. We are so lucky to have him...always.

Happy Sunday All!
Amy

Note

Hey all! I have moved my play list to the top of the page because I have heard from a couple of people that it is hard to concentrate on the words with the music playing. If you need to quiet the music, just pause the play list and you can read in peace. ;) Hope this helps!
Amy

One touch

I got up this morning and read my devotion. If the blog has made me do anything, it has made me get up and read. I have tried and tried to make myself read a devotion everyday for a long time, but never could make myself follow through. That is something I am willing to admit. I am good on the ideas, I am good when I put my mind to the task at hand, but I am terrible on the Follow Through. Coach and I were discussing this yesterday and I was laughing so hard I was in tears...because he is dead on. I start a new diet every other Monday...I have 17 workout DVDs in my case...I started making to do lists at the beginning of the year to help my forgetful mind...haven't printed one in two weeks. I have shelves of undone scrapbooks, I have a cross-stitch that I started when I was pregnant with Tanner...who will be 8 in two weeks sitting in my nightstand. I am good with the start, not so good with the finish...so this blog is my new challenge. For the "consistently inconsistent"...as my dear friend Trista so eloquently put it...the blog is making me follow through with quite possibly one of the most important tasks of my life...my relationship with Christ. We are one week in...please pray that I will stay on task!

Okay, so today's devotion was entitled Looking for compassion. The verse that went with it is this...

And behold a leper came and worshiped Him saying, "Lord if You are willing, You can make me clean." Matthew 8:

Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him saying, "I am willing, be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matthew 8:3

These two verses are so powerful. This man had been banished from his family, his friends, and everything he knew from this disease. He was willing to take the risk. He makes one appearance, has one request, and receives one touch. But that one touch changed his life forever.~Max Lucado, Just Like Jesus

Okay...one touch changed his life forever.

Along with being inconsistent, I am very non-confrontational. I don't like to be put in situations where I feel like I am out of control or that I am not guided. I am terrible in situations of loss. When someone we know and/or love is going through a time of grief and loss, I tend to back away for fear I will say something wrong...or offend them in their most fragile time. When someone is having trouble, I tend to avoid the situation rather than speak my mind in an effort to save face. (Not always, but most of the time) What I am slowly learning is that I am never NOT guided. God is always with me and he is usually the one pushing me to go forward and give that one Godly touch. When I read these verses today, it all made sense. People need God. He is in my heart and I am available to share his love. With anyone, anytime. Uhmmm, that kind of scares me...what if I say or do the wrong thing. In my head, I always think that I NEED to say something...anything, to break that awkward silence. But the truth is, the Godly touch doesn't always need to be words. Sometimes, a hug, a smile, a touch is all that person needs to feel God's love. And if I can put myself out there in the most awkward time of my life, that one touch just might be all that person needs to receive, feel and pass on His love to someone else! Compassion...

One day not that long ago, Mom and I were sitting in a restaurant. A girl walked by and she was staring straight ahead. We made eye contact and I smiled. My Mom said, "Do you know that girl?" I did not. I had no idea who she was, but she had a look on her face like her mind was full of worry. When I smiled, the most amazing thing happened...she smiled back. If our Godly touches were received and passed on every single time...can you imagine? Today, I will make a consciounce effort to touch the people around me with God's love. Who knows...there just might be some consistency there on my part. Off to Tanner's last basketball game! Have a wonderful day.
Amy

Give Me Jesus

Wow. The only word to describe my experience last night is Wow. I have so many things I want to share, and I actually am remembering them this morning. Usually that is not the case for me. I forget EVERYTHING. I forget what time Tanner's practice is. I forget to put Brett's ONLY BLACK SHORTS in the dryer on game day. I forget to pack lunches, to sign folders, to call people back (this one is HUGE btw), to check emails...the list goes on and on. AND if you know me personally, you know this is so very true. But last night at the concert, I learned things...and this morning I woke up and I still remember!

Okay, so today's devotion...ugh. I say ugh because this one really hit home for me. Forgiveness. The main idea in my devotion today is forgiveness. This seems to be a popular topic in the idea of Faith...and I am so bad at forgiving. The devotion talks about washing the feet of the disciples. And I mean JESUS washing their feet...not just the lowest of low servants washing their feet. The King of the Universe. The book says~The hands that shaped the stars washed their feet. Wow. When you think about that...anyway. The devotion says that Jesus washed their feet not to remove dirt, but to remove all doubt. Here is the hard to swallow part...Jesus knew what would come next for each of these followers. He knew as he washed their feet what their future would bring. Max Lucado said he looked for a bible verse that said "Jesus washed all feet, except the feet of Judas.". Right? I mean, that make sense. Just hours after the King of the Universe washes this mans feet, Judas betrays him. And the kicker? Jesus already knew he would.

BUT JESUS WASHED HIS FEET ANYWAY.

Much like that of our sins. He already knows what lies ahead and lies behind us...and he washes us anyway. He willingly says, come and I will wash away all sin. Something I heard last night...His Mercies are New EACH DAY. WHAT? Wait a minute...you are telling me that each morning, I can get up and he will still be there? Yep. Even if I sin and fall short of the glory of God? Yep. Even if I yell at the kids? Yep. Even if I betray a friend's confidence? (ouch) Yep. Jesus said to his disciples, "You don't understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later." John 13:7 He washed them of their sins before they even committed it. He offered MERCY...Mercy...before they even sought it.~Max Lucado Just Like Jesus

Wow...a lot to take in, right? Well okay God. I have sinned. I have fallen short. I need to be forgiven. What's that? My feet are still clean? No, I am pretty sure they aren't. I am pretty sure I, like the disciples, want to bury my head in shame sometimes at the things I do, or the things I say...and he says,

Lift up your head daughter. I forgive you.

I hear you Lord.

Anyone out there who has fallen short...ask for forgiveness. And as you are asking, think about those in your life who need forgiving. Take that load off your back and offer forgiveness for those who have sinned against you. It is so much easier to let it go, than to carry the weight of a grudge.

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. John 13: 14-15

Last night at the concert, Jeremy Camp played a song that we often sing in our JAM (Jesus and Me) service called Give Me Jesus. As we were singing, the tears just started and I let them flow. AMAZING. His touch in our lives is simply amazing and if we are open to feeling the touch...and to all the good that comes with it...there is nothing else that matters. The words go like this...

Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus...You can have ALL this world, but Give me Jesus.

Take it. Take the grudges, take the jealousy, take the hatred, take the frustrations, take the sadness, take the worry...take all the things that make me fall short...and Give me Jesus.

Have a Great Friday!
Amy

Revive Me

Revive Me according to your loving kindness, Revive me that I may speak your words, Revive Me according to your loving kindness, Revive me...Oh Lord.

I feel like this blog is such a blessing in my life. I have no idea what made me decide to do this,(I am pretty sure God was involved) but from the moment I designed and wrote the first entry to now, I feel like I have grown. One week. I have changed as a person in one week. Not only because of the things I have written, but because of the events that have happened here in our lives.

The song that I added to my play list today is called Revive Me, by Jeremy Camp. I am going tonight to see him in concert with my Mom, Sis, Niece, Nephew and my son Tanner. T is my middle son and we are so much alike it is scary. I love this kid because he is afraid of nothing. He is open to anything and his smile is contagious. Can't wait to spend the evening with him. My oldest son will be playing a basketball game and Coach will be, well...coaching. The little man will be spending the evening with Grandpa Mike and I hope to be spending it being close to God. I love this song. It is slow and meaningful. I love that it is an invitation to God to come in and change us. Revive in my bible means to bring or come back to life. When I think about how the devotions in the last week have revived me...I am so thankful. When I think about the comments or the little emails to let me know how much you appreciate the effort...I am so Amazed. I don't even know what to think. But I am excited at the possibility of where this is going for my heart and for yours. Our own personal revival...Love it. We are responsible for the change within us. It is our choice and it is our responsibility to see it all the way through. We can't change anyone but ourselves...but in changing ourselves, we help revive others. If you don't have anything going tonight...other than shopping for groceries before the snowstorm...there are still tickets available to the concert. I cannot wait to see how God works through Jeremy Camp to bring me back to Life.

Today's verse is Psalms 80:18 Then we will not turn away from you: revive us, and we will call on your name.

I plan on taking a few pictures and will post tomorrow! Have a blessed day all!
Amy

My heart, your home

A few years back, I bought my very first worship music CD. It was WOW Worship for kids and I loved it more than my kids did! We listened to it everywhere we went and there was a song on that CD that really hit home for me. It was called My heart, your home. I have added it to the play list so if you haven't heard it already, please listen. The devotion today is called the heart of humanity and basically it talks about how different our hearts are from HIS. In recognizing the differences, we might think that having a Heart like Jesus is hopeless. Not true though. Because when we accepted Jesus into our hearts, we accepted his heart as well. Because he has made our hearts his home. That is a crazy thought to me. And almost a shameful thought at times...he knows my thoughts, he knows my every move...and there are days when those thoughts and those moves are not my pride and joy. But how incredible this verse makes me feel. 2 Corinthians 3:18, Strange as it seems, we Christians actually DO have within us a portion of the very thoughts and mind of Christ. Sooooo, you're saying there's a chance! Yes, I have thoughts and take steps each day that I am not proud of, but I can honestly tell you through this very small process, I already see my mind shifting when I get ready to snap at the boys. I can hear HIM saying...
Don't use that word...pick another word to express how you feel.
Darn it. He is in there. He is trying to help me and to make my heart like HIS. And instead of fighting the change, I need to embrace it because ultimately, that is my goal. To have a heart like his.

I am sure you have noticed by now, that I like to use stories of my life to illustrate my point. But the story in my devotion today is just too good not to share. I will not give you every detail, but hopefully, you'll get the point. The story itself is from David Jeremiah audiotape, (The God of the Impossible) There was a Lady who had a house in Ireland. She was wealthy, yet frugal. She was the first in her area that decided to install electricity in her home. A few weeks after the electricity was turned on, the meter reader read her meter and asked the woman if she was using the power because the reading was so low. She answered with this..."Every evening when the sun sets, I turn on my lights just long enough to light my candles, then I turn them off".

She's tapped into the power, but doesn't use it. Her house is connected, but not altered. We occasionally flip the switch, but most of the time we settle for shadows. What would happen if we left the light on? What would happen if we not only flipped the switch, but lived life in the light? Max Lucado~Just like Jesus.

Wow...food for thought. He already lives within me, so how can I make that visible on the outside? If you are on this journey with me, and I mean really really really on this journey, try today to stop and think before we speak or react. Remember who is taking up residence in your heart and let the light shine. Blessings!
Amy

Today's Verse

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:29