" I see grace grows best in winter." - Samuel Rutherford

I find this so true in my walk with Jesus. I pray so much more diligently during the hard, dark days of my life. Yet when the light of spring and warmth of summer days arrive, when the trials fade into distant memories, I so often loose my driven pursuit of a close relationship with my Lord.

After King David's reign, under the reign of King Solomon, his son, God graciously granted the land of Israel peace and quiet on every side. David orders the leader's of Israel to help his son Solomon in the building of the Temple for the LORD with these words, "Is not the LORD you God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side?...Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD you God..." (1 Chronicles 22: 18,19)

Oh that I might consistently devote my heart and soul to seeking the LORD my God during the times of peace and quite just as I do during the times of trial. God give me that determination.

Steadfast

Steadfast: not changing or moving; firm in purpose; true.

Psalm 112 says that the man is blessed whose heart is steadfast.

Psalm 57 and 108 say that the steadfast heart will sing and make music.

When the storms of life are rocking my boat, often times it feels like they're "tossing" my boat to and fro, my heart is easily rocked or tossed right along with it. There has been a lot of that lately. I am challenged to keep my heart steadfast. I am anchored to the solid rock. "My God is my rock." Psalm 18:2.

Can I sing and make music to my God, my redeemer and friend? Yes, even in pain and troublesome unknowns, when my heart is steadfastly trusting, waiting and hoping, I can make exalt the Lord, sing and make melody from the depths of my soul.

Strike up the band!

Relentless Love, Relented Anger

I found three amazing progressive Psalms this week. Psalm 104 talks about God and creation. Psalm 105 talks about God and Israel formed. Psalm 106 talks about God and Israel's rebellion.
It near the end of this last Psalm where I find encouragement in God's merciful dealings with us, His people.

"Many times he delivered them, but the were bent on rebellion

and they wasted away in their sin.

But he took note of their distress when he heard their cry;

for their sake he remembered his covenant

and out of his relentless love he relented his anger."

Oh that we would treasure this relentless love of his, live with thankfullness in this unmerited favor and overflow such character to others whether we feel that it is deserved or not. For that is only when love it truly relentless.

A Scary Place

In reading Psalm 95 this morning my heart was chilled by the time I got to the last verse...
I felt comfortable when I read, "we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care."
Then the stakes rise a little..."Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts..."
This is followed by a quick review of how the children of Israel ignored God and did harden their hearts.
By the last verse God declares, "They shall never enter my rest!" What a scary place to be.
Oh Lord, have mercy on me. Don't let me ignore your voice...as a people of your pasture, I will listen, I will obey. Keep my heart soft so that I will enter your rest.

A Moment of Doubt

Sometimes the road is rough. In Psalm 94 David calls them days of trouble. In a moment of doubt, this morning, I wondered if my prayers weren't getting beyond the ceiling. Then I read:

"Does He who implanted the ear not hear?
Does He who formed the eye not see?"

Cut to the heart of doubt!

I will "tell of His love in the morning and His faithfulness at night." Psalm 92:2

A Restored Friendship

This is beautiful...Webster's definition of the word reconcile is "to restore a friendship after an estrangement."
We are estranged from our God because of our drive for independence. We walked away...He walked towards.
For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Christ, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross...to present us holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation. (Colossians 1: 19, 20, 22)
Winnie the Pooh captures it poignantly when he tells Christopher Robin, "You're just in time for the best part of the day, the part when you and me become we."
Oh the joy of being "we" with my God.

Controlled By or Set Free From Fear

Yesterday a certified letter arrived in the mail. With it was brought fear. It was vague yet contained enough..."This letter is to advise you that because of pending investigation of licensing complaints...it has been determined...until licensing and safety issues are resolved..." No details or explanation were given. This was in regards to our home as a fosterhome. All kinds of things began to swirl around in my head. This happened once before and it was many tense weeks of us proving that the accusations that had been filed against us were completely false. I was not prepared to face that battle again. This letter came on the heels of other attacks from the evil one and I have felt particularly vulnerable. I felt spiritually and emotionally weak. I wanted to escape somewhere far away.

This morning God mercifully encouraged me through His eternal Word:


Psalm 55:16-19,22,23
I will call to God, and the LORD who saves me.
Evening and morning I cry out in my distress and He hears my voice.
He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.
God, who is enthroned forever will hear them and afflict them - men who never change their ways and have no fear of God.
Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you;
He will never let the righteous fall
As for me, I trust in You


Psalm 56: 3,4,9-11
When I am afraid, I will trust in You
In God whose word I praise
In God I trust, I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?
My enemies will turn back when I call for help,
By this I know that God is for me.
In God whose word I praise, In God whose word I praise-
In God I trust, I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?


Nothing can separate me from the love of God.


The rest of the story...
I left a message on the investigator's phone last night asking for a phone call first thing this morning. She called by 8:30am (a long time since I'd been up at 5:15am...too much brain time!!). The problem was a paperwork problem. They were lacking a background clearance form in their files and had been trying to contact our licensor for 4 months with no response. Their "only" option was to put a hold on any more fostercare activity in our home which came in the same letter form as for any other problem worth investigating. I wonder why it isn't in the processes to call the home? Hummmm! Anyway, the problem was quickly resolved.


And, now, to this I still hold on:
In God alone is my strength. He is my rock.