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Hopefully, you have a prayer circle - a friend or two who cover you in prayer, and of course you cover them in prayer, too. In our prayer circle we share our circumstances and perspective and we trust God to bring the situation to resolution. This week, someone in my prayer circle expressed to me the resolution she was praying would occur and it was in conflict with how I was seeking resolve. Well, who is right? Should my prayer partner pray in agreement with me or should she ask God to resolve it the way she sees best? I’ve written multiple times about prayer as an acronym for PRAY - Praise, Repent, Ask, and Yield. When we pray we should first give God praise. We must thank Him for all of His many blessings both seen and unseen. We must repent of our sins. Everyone commits sin, intentionally, unintentionally, and sometimes we try to justify it, but it’s still sin. Until we realize it and repent, we cannot receive forgiveness and the further blessings God has for us. Once we repent we can go to God with the current situation and share our heart. We can share our feelings, our fears, and the resolution we desire. The last part of our prayer should be that we yield. When we yield, we acknowledge that we are human and we are flawed. When we yield, we acknowledge that our plans are in pencil, but His will prevail. When we yield, we say, “Thy will be done.” Jesus taught us to pray in the following way. “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ ~Matthew 6:9-13 In this prayer, we fully reverence God. We acknowledge Him as Creator, our loving Father, One who cares, One who knows, One who plans, and the One who judges. We say your will be done. We don’t know the future, we don’t even fully know the past. We know what we have seen, but God knows all. We can go to Him in prayer and try to bend His will to agree with our needs and desires, but this is not effective. Sometimes we know the resolution that seems best to fulfill our purposes, but we must realize that He knows best. We must go to God in humility and reverence that His plans will prevail.
Rather than asking for a particular conclusion, we should ask that He give us wisdom and discernment that we make decisions that keep us in His will. We should ask that He work to align the hearts and minds of those we encounter with His will, so that His will be done. God’s will, will be done. There is nothing man can do to change God’s plans. He has a plan for each of our lives and as we live we tend to take detours coming in and out of His will, making good decisions one day and bad decisions the next. We sin in new and inventive ways, but none of this surprises Him. He knitted each of us in our mother’s womb and He knows the thoughts we will think before we even think them. Our prayer life is an act of humility that acknowledges that we know our limited position in the world. Our prayers should not be to tell Him what we want, but to align ourselves to Him. A prayer circle is awesome, but the purpose is not that we all agree and seek to convince God that we have the best resolution. Our purpose should be that we each pray God’s will be done. We must acknowledge that He already has the solution and that He guide us to align with it. When He is finished His work that we will understand and rejoice regardless of whether He resolves it the way we would have preferred because we know that He is God and His ways are always good. Amen. This week, when you pray, pray God’s will be done. Amen. Kim
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I’ve been telling my children, “it’s a process, it’s a process.” And truly, so many things in life are just that - a process. At this point in our moving saga, I feel the Holy Spirit reminding me of the same. “Kim, it’s a process.” “It will happen.” “Be patient.” “I’ve got you in the palm of my hand.” “Just be obedient.” “Stay in My Word.” “Calm down.” “I love you.” “You are my child.” I haven’t always been able to hear or feel the comforts of the Holy Spirit, and sometimes now, I still become impatient and start trying to do things on my own. I am still being sanctified, I am still undergoing the process of spiritual growth. I am not a finished product, in the Lord. I can tell that through the years, my faith in God has grown. I became saved and was baptized at around 8 years-old, but I certainly was not complete or spiritually whole then. I attended a new member class in which we learned the layout of the Bible - Old Testament and New Testament, and what the large and small numbers meant on each page. We were taught a few memory verses then encouraged to continue to attend church and Sunday school, and to always try do good. One big thing I didn’t understand then was that once I made the decision to believe in God - once I decided for myself that God did, in fact send His one and only Son Jesus to die on the cross many years ago so that I would not have to pay the penalty of death for my own sins. Then He rose again on the third day as proof that He had defeated death and we could too - that I was saved forever. I didn’t know that once I believed this, my next step was to grow as a Christian. I thought that my every sin would set me back to being an unsaved person. Every week at church I was raising my hand while every eye was closed and every head bowed trying to get saved again. I wasn’t growing because I had not progressed out of spiritual infancy. One Sunday, well into my adulthood, a guest minister preached on the topic of once saved, always saved. Why hadn’t I known this? It was eye opening to realize that every week, for years, I had been getting saved for nothing - I had already been saved since I was single digits in age. It later began to make sense. Why would the God who created mankind want His precious Creation to perish? He loves us more than we can comprehend. He knows our nature and the thoughts we will think before we even think them. He knows we will sin, but He doesn’t want our sin to cause us eternal separation from Him. The first chance He gets, the first time we make up in our stubborn mind that He does exist and He is in control, and He does love us so much that He put His own Son to death on our behalf - that’s when He saves us. We don’t have to make every decision the way He would have us make it. We don’t have to be perfect - we cannot be perfect and without sin. He only created one man who would live a life without sin and that was His own Son, Jesus Christ. Once we are saved, we must learn to read the Bible so that we know and understand God’s plan for mankind. We must read the Bible so that we can see the exact words of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels. I was taught about the large and small numbers on the pages of the Bible, but I cannot say I actually started reading the Bible until much later - years even after I realized I was saved long ago. Once I began reading it and gaining a better understanding, the process of sanctification began. Sometimes I feel like I am well advanced in the process, but on some days, I am not. It’s a process.  I wanted to share this message today because in our Bible study, last week’s doctrine was Eternal Security and this week’s has been the doctrine of Sanctification. As we discussed these doctrines, I was reminded of how long I remained in spiritual infancy because I did not know that I had eternal security. It is my hope that someone today will also realize that they are saved - or decide that they would like to be saved, and take the needed steps. This is not a message to keep to yourself, this is for everyone you know. If you have never shared a post, this one is worth sharing. Amen.
Thank you for reading! Be blessed this week! Kim If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you may recall that in August 2020, it was a seed planted by my children that was the stimulus for us to move out of our home. Well, on Friday, we cleared out the last of our belongings, leaving the new family a few house-warning gifts, of course, and we moved to an apartment. I know that many people move frequently, but I only moved once with my family, and that was when I was in 8th grade. As a parent who strives to teach through experiences, I thought moving would be a great teaching exercise for the boys - there were other reasons, too, but it started with them. I’ve joked this week that the Lord answered the boys’ prayer in abundance! They will not only be blessed to move once, but twice! I have stressed about this, tremendously - losing sleep, tears, and portions of my sanity. I thought about ways I could back out of the contract, but I didn’t want to disappoint the couple who were patiently waiting for closing day. I’ve wondered why. Why does this have to be so hard? Why haven’t any of our contracts been accepted? Why is this happening to us? Why, Lord, why? I know that my thoughts are not His thoughts, but knowing the nature of God from my study of His Word, I have to believe that He is teaching us some things through this process. He may be teaching us to live with less. We left a four bedroom home in a great neighborhood to live in a two bedroom apartment. Did I mention we have two dogs in the apartment with us? The boys are sharing a bedroom and it’s been great! I told them that in a few years they will be heading off to college and now would be a good time to learn to live with a roommate. They have the master bedroom with both of their beds setup, and they seem to be enjoying this arrangement. The dogs are receiving much more frequent walks, as before we could just let them go run and play in the backyard. I guess this will mean more steps and exercise for us too! As we packed and had to make decisions on what to keep, what to donate, and what to throw away, we realized that our home contained great excess. We probably had enough stuff to fully decorate and partially furnish three homes. It was an accumulation of purchases and gifts over many years. With having to downsize, we had to part with some stuff. The pruning was hard. Big decisions had to be made. The boys were finding things from their childhood and reminiscing over old toys, Halloween costumes, favorite blankets - and they wanted to keep it all. When the keep pile was bigger than the toss pile, I said, “You know we have photo albums and picture boxes of you with all of this stuff. Since we have the pictures, we can get rid of the stuff.” Nick said, ”Oh, I didn’t think about it that way. True.” And I thought - wow, did that come out of my mouth? I need to take that same advice. He may be teaching us to rely on Him more. In Bible study, we are learning about how God shaped Jacob over a twenty-year period. We see that early on, he made decisions on his own, but as he grew, he prayed before making decisions. I am in constant prayer, but I have been intentional about stopping to be specific and praying out loud. The other day, in my exhaustion of lifting and carrying boxes, I said, “Lord, please give me the strength to lift these final boxes and carry them down the steps.” And He did it. I prayed on Friday morning, as the forecast was for rain, that He help us to do what needed to be done and hold off the rain. I left the house to get ready for closing and Troy stayed to finish sweeping the garage. He said that as he backed out of the yard, it began to rain. As we look for our new home in this seller’s market, it will only be through Him that we find our next home. We’re not able to rely on our own efforts to make it happen. The new house will be chosen by Him. We can articulate what we want, but we don’t know the future and our future needs. We are relying on the One who knows these things to guide us to the correct house to suit our present and future needs. I struggled with a title for this week’s post. It’s just stuff. Less stuff, More Him. It’s a Process. As I try to stay in touch with my feelings I realized as we moved our belongings that I was neither excited nor regretful. I was going through the process. I cannot say for certain that the Lord told me it was time to move - I may have made that decision on my (collective) own. In 2019 when I wanted a Honda CR-V, He asked me, “Where are you going to park it?” That meant I needed to get rid of the old before I could receive the blessing of the new. To me the same applies in this situation. Before we can be blessed with a new home, we must part with the old. It’s done. Now what, Lord? I could be depressed, gripped with fear, or we could have just bought something and settled. Instead, it is well with my soul. It’s a choice to trust God, continue to pray, and remain joyful, and hopeful through the process. Amen. ~2 Corinthians 4:16-17 16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ~John 15: 2 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ~Psalm 126:2-3 2Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
It can seem like for about the past year we have been living out a series of worst case scenarios. Last year, this time we were beginning to hear about a virus that had the potential to become a pandemic - and it did become a pandemic. Millions of people have suffered from the virus and watcher loved ones suffer hoping they would recover, but the worst case scenario played out. We are currently watching our friends in Texas suffer biting cold snow and blizzard conditions. As they have prayed for the storm to pass, worst case scenarios of electrical failure, bursting water pipes, and deadly conditions have played out. After 15-years at the same address, our family has decided to move. Without having a new home under contract, we decided to list our home on December 31, 2020. It’s now been under contact for 40+ days. We have written multiple contacts on homes to purchase, but to no avail. Worst case scenario, we are moving to an apartment while we continue to look. During the summer of 2020, my son earned his driver’s license and soon after, his grandparents bought him a car! Every parent of a new driver worries a bit - did I teach him everything? What if he encounters a road rage situation? What if...? Well, on Friday, the worst case scenario struck. He was rear-ended and pushed into the rear of the car in front of him. There are all kinds of things we can say, “when it rains it pours.” “Things are going from bad to worse.” “It’s the snowball effect.” I’d like to challenge you to say something else as you experience your own worst case scenarios. “But God.” Yes, we are still experiencing a pandemic, but God saw fit to bless us with a vaccine and now the numbers are decreasing! Texas is still in the midst of its crisis, but God is there! He is protecting people and guiding them to resources and bringing forth a sense of community as they cling together to help one another. This week we will be moving to an apartment, and disappointed because it’s a far cry from our dream home. I have been stressed about the fact they won’t do a month to month, nothing shorter than 3 months. And the cost of the 3 month lease was $400/month more than our mortgage has been. But God...had the property manager reach out to me...to ask if their lease-break option might be helpful. It’s a 12-month lease, but can be broken with 30 days notice. Now the rent is $20 less than our mortgage has been. But God! My son’s car is damaged in the front and rear. It may be totaled. But God...saw fit that no one was injured. But God saw fit that my son would not be charged as a contributor to the accident. But God saw fit that I, not his little brother, nor one of his friends be his passenger when the accident happened. But God! As you continue through life and what seems like worst case scenarios, look for the hand of God. It’s there. Rather than commiserating over the situation, thank God for what it’s not. Realize that God is good all the time. He is not the cause of our worst case scenarios. He has not forgotten His people. And it’s not necessarily true that He is trying to teach you a lesson. He may be, but no where in the Bible does it say we should expect all of our days to be without confusion, heartache, or pain. Be intentional about looking for God in the midst of every worst case scenario. Without Him, it really would be the WORST case scenario. Amen. ~John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Thank you for reading! But God...Amen. Kim I’d say this question is asked by all of humanity at some point in time. Some of us ask this question daily, others, only in times of distress. What was God thinking, we wonder - was there a lesson I was to learn? Did He do this to teach me to persevere? Was the purpose of this to show me how independent I can be? Was He showing me His love? Sometimes when God shows us His love it may not feel the way we prefer to feel love. If you have ever wondered the thoughts of God, you are not the first. We read in Genesis 30 about sisters Leah and Rachel both married to the same man, Jacob, and in competition for his love. They each want to bear children from him as proof of his love.
We see in this passage that the sisters are in great competition to bear the most sons. They experience hurt feelings, jealousy, sibling rivalry, all to hide the underlying feelings of bitterness, humiliation and unworthiness each of the women felt to differing degrees. When the women, themselves, could not conceive, they gave their servants to gain an edge over the other. In verse 6, Rachel believes God has vindicated her and has succumbed to her begging. In verse 17 we are told that God listened to Leah. She interprets it as her reward or prize for giving him her servant. Later when Leah conceives again, she believes God has given her a son, so that she will then gain her husband’s love. In verse 22 we are told God remembers Rachel, listened to her and enabled her to conceive, thus removing her disgrace. This passage, while it took place, we believe, from 1836 BC to 1689 BC, shows us that we are not the first to attempt to determine God’s thinking. Several things to note about this passage. 1. God is not a participant in our sin. He doesn’t participate in our attempts to one-up our peers, our pettiness, or our attempts to make others jealous or to humiliate. If we think He is a participant we are wrong. ~Habakkuk 1:13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? 2. God’s plan is sovereign. Although we are made in the image of God, having the ability to think, reason, create and plan, we must never underestimate Him. His plan overrides our plans every second of every day. ~Colossians 1:16–17 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 3. Our prayers do not change His plans. God cares for mankind. He knitted each of us together within our mother’s womb. He knows our every need, want, desire, motivation, insecurity, fear, and more. Our prayers are our communication with Him. Our prayers help us to stay in alignment with him, but our prayers do not change His will. In the example above, God had formed a covenant with Abraham (Jacob’s grandfather) that his descendants would be too numerous to count. The sons Rachel and Leah bore to Jacob were the descendants of Abraham. ~James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 4. God doesn’t forget about our situations or conditions. Scripture says God remembered Rachel, and He listened to Leah. This could make us think that maybe He forgets about our problems or sometimes doesn’t listen to our prayers. I think these are examples of anthropomorphisms - when Scripture attributes human traits to our sovereign God in order to help us understand. Genesis 8:1 tells us, “But God remembered Noah and the animals…” Let’s understand that He didn’t actually forget. To be forgetful is a flaw and He is not flawed. How can He forget something we are constantly praying/begging for, anyway? When the solution to our situation takes longer than we are willing to wait, we may think God forgot. When His plans align with our prayers we may rejoice and say He listened. We must always remember our place and never confuse it with His. He is sovereign in every way and His sovereignty is beyond our imagination. ~Ephesians 1:11 11In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. As you continue throughout the week trying to figure out what God is thinking, meditate on Romans 11:34-36
Thank you for reading!
Happy Valentine's Day! (Sorry it was long - I have to write what I am given. Amen.) Kim I grew up in what was called a New Testament church, and I really didn’t know the designating factor between the OT and NT until much later in life. For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, the OT is the story of God and His people before the birth of Christ. In the NT, there is a new covenant, a new promise, the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I began to study the OT. I find it fascinating, God’s choice to inspire certain details in the narratives, and how other details are excluded. In Social Studies when we learned about Mesopotamia and the beginnings of civilization, it was boring, but to read about it in Scripture is captivating and amusing. Certainly, the ways of life then were different from today, but the way humans think has not changed. Recently we read about the twins Jacob and Esau, how Esau was born moments before Jacob, with Jacob grasping his heel. It seems the inclusion of this detail indicates that from their beginnings Jacob wanted to be in Esau’s position, or wanted what was rightfully his brother’s. In Genesis 25, we read:
Of all things important, why this? Jacob was cooking some stew, and Esau said he was starving. Jacob, as I think about my own sons, takes this opportunity to do a bit of bargaining. I could hear my sons bargaining over taking out the recycling or washing the dishes, but these boys bargained the birthright - for soup. We know that this was important because it was included in Scripture and because Scripture draws a conclusion for us, just in case we missed it. Verse 34, “So Esau despised his birthright.” What was the birthright? It was like a “head of household” status given to the first born. It gave the firstborn the rights to the father’s estate and a double share of everything that was to be passed down. When I read the passage in Scripture, I would say Esau didn’t care much about it, or didn’t find it too important, but Scripture tells us he despised it - he hated it, he detested it, he regarded it with contempt. So, what’s the big deal? Who ordained that Jacob would be younger and Esau older? God did. He told their mother that the older son would serve the younger, but then in this scene, we see that Esau was okay with giving up his position as the older son - all it took was a bowl of soup, a temporary need, to cause him to sacrifice it. Later, in Chapter 27, we see that he obviously forgot about this day because he thinks he can still get his father’s blessing, but it had already been given to Jacob. What has God given to me that I treat nonchalantly? What blessings has He ordained just for me that I don’t value? In what ways do I despise the goodness of the Lord that has been bestowed upon me? This passage illustrates that when we don’t protect the blessings He has given to us, it’s an offense to Him. Scripture draws the conclusion, “So Esau despised his birthright.” What blessings do I despise? What blessings do you despise? - - - - - One thing that comes to mind is my hair. It thick and has a tight curl pattern, and did I say thick? I've lamented over my hair for years, but during the closure of 2020, I began to embrace it. I realized it's a blessing not a curse - a blessing many people do not have. I decided then that I would stop speaking negatively about it, stop putting heat and chemicals in and just wear it with pride. Today, I am realizing that I despised my hair - glad I checked my attitude. The next thing that comes to mind is work. I cannot tell you how I prayed for this job. I lost multiple nights of sleep praying that I would get a call back, prayed through three separate interviews - and God decided to bless me with this job. It is a lot of work, more than I could possibly have imagined. I complain about it, I’ve said this way of life has made me a shallow thinker, prevented me from writing novels, all sorts of things - I may need to repent, as I certainly would not want my job to be taken away from me. What do you despise? Do you need to do better? Check your attitude this week, in Jesus'. Amen. Kim I can hardly believe January 2021 is almost over, what a whirlwind! I joked that January 1 felt more like December 32, but in truth, I’ve had some new prayers this month. Covid-19 has continued, and it’s much closer to home now, than ever. I’ve received nearly 20 contact tracing notifications for my children attending school. Amazingly they have never been identified as a close contact and have not had to quarantine. The list of people I know who have had, or currently have Covid is growing, and my daily prayer when I look at Facebook, is that I don’t find out someone has died. That prayer, has unfortunately, been answered as NO. Everyday, I am faced with sending condolences and adding friends and family members to my prayer list as they, and I, grieve another loss. Our family began 2021 with a prayer. We decided to step out on faith, but had no idea it would take this much faith! While we remain hopeful that our prayer will be answered affirmatively, 31 days in, we are beginning to wonder. We are asking ourselves if maybe we made a mistake. We have wondered if God is hearing our prayer - I know He is because I saw His very personal hand on my life multiple times this week. For instance, I’ve been trying to overcome my love/addition to Coca-Cola. After waiting in a long drive-thru line at McDonalds, for a large coke (that was my complete order) I was told that they were out of Coke. What - McDonalds out of Coke? That had to be a God thing. If He cares whether or not I drink Coke, He most certainly cares about the bigger issues in our life. I was reading in the book of Job this week, and while, I have never experienced what he experienced, I have experienced similar thoughts. 4 For sighing has become my daily food; my groans pour out like water. 25 What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. 26 I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil. Maybe you have experienced similar thoughts. Maybe you’ve had something heavy on your mind that you are praying about and hoping for resolution, but see none in sight. Maybe your prayer is for understanding. Quite often we commiserate with friends or read self help books to help us reach understanding. The book of Job, itself, can make someone question or wonder why, just as Job did. If we keep reading, we will find God’s response. Below is a portion. 22 Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail, 23 which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle? 24 What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth? When I read this, I am silent. I have no answers. I tremble in awe. I realize that my questions do not have answers that can be reconciled with any self-help book, I won’t find the answers on Google, I won’t find the answers from conversations with friends - although I love them, value them and know they mean well. When I read this, I am reminded that the answers to my questions are found only in God’s Holy Word. I am reminded that the Holy Spirit resides in my heart. He comforts me when I am anxious. He knows my questions, my desires, my innermost thoughts. When I read Job 38-42, I realize that the answers to my questions may not be for me to know. I realize that, once again, I have started thinking too much. I am reminded that I should be thinking less and praising more. At the end of the chapter 42, Job said it best: 2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. Thank you for reading! Stay safe this week! Kim Last week I referenced the story in Genesis 24 in which Abraham had sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac and bring her to Canaan. The servant, we are not told his name, wonders if she will not come to Canaan, if he should take Isaac there - Abraham tells him no. He explains that he has prayed that God send an angel before him to make the choice simpler. Once the servant made the trip with his ten camels, he climbed down and began to pray. He proposed that he would ask one of the women for water, and if she also offered to water his camels, that she would be the one, the wife for Isaac. I was struck by verse 15. “Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder.” This prayer was answered before he had finished praying. In this week’s study we learned that Isaac and Rebekah struggled to conceive a child. Verse 21 states, “Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.” We can easily calculate from verses 20 and 26 that twenty years, yes twenty years, passed between the two sentences in verse 21. We also know that Isaac’s father and mother waited and prayed for MANY years before he was conceived. Sometimes the Lord answers our prayers immediately, sometimes His answer is wait, and sometimes His answer is no. I’ve said this many times and personally I have experienced all three responses. Currently, I am waiting on the answer to two prayers. I don’t think they are related, but they could be, only the Lord knows! Waiting is hard and I begin to wonder how I should proceed. I know that faith without works is dead, so I am not waiting in paralysis, but waiting and continuing to do the work He has called me to do. I am waiting and seeking the answer to my prayers. In February 2019, I was out walking, thinking, and praying, and I realized that I might need to consider purchasing another car as my son would try for his permit that summer. At the time I was driving a nearly 20 year-old car, that embarrassed him, and I thought a new driver might need some more modern safety features. I continued walking and I quickly decided that I would purchase a Honda CR-V for him. I thought a 2010 or 2011 would be modern enough and would probably not break my budget. I continued walking, thinking and praying. My former neighbor who used to work for Honda, popped into my mind, that I should reach out to him to see if he still worked there and if he might have such a vehicle in stock. While walking, I texted him. He called me immediately. I told him what I was looking for, and added that I wanted white or silver, and told him it was no hurry. His response, “What? ‘10 or ‘11, white or silver? I ain’t gonna find that! And you want low miles? You need to expand the years or the colors or something, I’m not gonna find that!” I thanked him and assured him I was in no hurry. At home, I went online to search for the car, but did not see what I wanted. On that Monday I went to the credit union to work out the financing for the car I had not found. It became almost impulsive that I would look online for the right car. I said it wasn’t a hurry, but I acted as if it were urgent. I began to see car ads on my Facebook. In May, on Mother’s Day, I was sitting on the couch and I heard a voice say in my right ear, “Where are you going to park it?” Startled, I thought, oh, I guess I need to sell this old car! Immediately, I took the vacuum cleaner outside and cleaned that old car up and parked it with a for sale sign on it. It took about two weeks, but it sold! I prayed again, “Lord, I did it, now what?” I heard no response - which means wait. My friend at Honda would check with me periodically to be sure I hadn’t found the vehicle elsewhere, but I had not. Finally, I told him that I no longer wanted a silver vehicle, I wanted white, but it could be ‘10 or ‘11. He was borderline furious. By July I was getting antsy. My son had his permit and I was teaching him to drive in the vehicle I depended on and didn’t feel comfortable doing so. I began to lose hope that I would find the ‘10 or ‘11 Honda CR-V. The bank would call every month or so to ask if I had found a car or to tell me my approval had expired and I would need to apply for financing again. I began to expand my search. It no longer needed to be a Honda CR-V, it just needed to be a compact SUV, and white or silver were okay. I couldn’t believe how elusive that desire was! At the end of July, I found a 2009 white Toyota Rav-4 online and went to test drive it. It drove well, had low miles, and I prayed to ask the Lord if this was the car, but He didn’t respond. I called my husband, but he was fishing so he didn’t answer. I called my dad and he didn’t answer. I bought it. I didn’t use the financing I had already worked out, but I let the dealership work out the financing. On that Monday I received a call from the dealership that the bank had rejected the paperwork and I would need to come back and bring $500 more towards the down payment and the payment would increase by about $200 per month. I cried! I called the bank and was advised to return the car to the dealership since they messed up the financing. I couldn’t do that, too embarrassing! Sure enough, that evening, my husband and I went to the dealership to return the vehicle. I took the walk of shame. That Thursday the credit union called and asked if they could help me find a car since they had this outstanding loan! I went and sat down with a loan officer who looked at some choice websites with me and we found a car north of Charlotte. That evening, my husband and I drove 40 miles up to that dealership to test drive a 2010 Toyota Rav-4 with low miles. I liked it - it wasn’t the car’s fault the other one didn’t work out. I wanted to buy it, but my husband wanted to haggle over a scratch on the gas tank cover. As we stood on the lot trying to decide if that scratch was too deep to be buffed out I received a text from my friend at Honda of Rock Hill. It was a picture of a 2011 Honda CR-V with 86K miles that was in the process of being traded. My heart skipped a beat. That was my car. The Lord answered my prayer on August 3. I texted back - “That’s my car, do not let anyone get it. Park it in the back with a sign on it. I am coming! Thank the Lord.” I could write an equal amount here about this very specific answer to prayer, like the fact that the car wasn’t a need but a want; like about how I got a raise that began on July 25 that was nearly equal to the car payment; like about the Carfax report on the car; like about how now my son has his own car I drive the Honda CR-V. When I say He worked it out for my good, I just want to shout! Today, have “submitted” to the Lord, a prayer that is a need, and I am waiting. I am not worried. I know He will answer. I know that He knows this prayer has a deadline, not one that I set, but one that exists. I know He is working it out for my good. If you are a frequent reader of this message, be looking for a testimony - it is coming. I know I’m not the only one who is calling on the name of the Lord today. I hope this week’s message gives you hope. I prayed, then succumbed to my own desire and timeline, and bought something else. He allowed me to make a fool of myself, but prevented the second lapse. He answered my exact prayer with the exact person He told me to reach out to, who was also the exact person the owner would bring it to at the dealership. Right now, I am so hopeful imagining how He is working out all of the intricacies of my current prayer right now, I can hardly wait to share the testimony. AMEN!
 So many things have been on my mind this week, I don’t know where to begin. I’ve spent a great deal of time in reflection as I realize I am the age I considered old as a child. As a matter of fact, I am the age I considered old as a young adult. Today (Jan. 16) I celebrate my 45th Birthday. Like my 40th birthday I wanted to spend it in Hawaii, but circumstances didn’t support such a trip. Five years later we plan to be adventurous and eat dinner inside at a restaurant to celebrate this milestone. As the day has been approaching, I’ve been thinking. First, it is an awesome act of God to even still be alive. Most recently, I’ve survived months of a pandemic without becoming sick. I’ve had high blood pressure for years, I’ve been overweight for years. I’ve reached a point in which I can maintain my weight, but have difficulty with losing it - but, for me, maintaining is a huge step. There was a period when I thought my vehicles were magnets attracting other cars into wrecks and I was afraid to drive. I have survived a divorce and the suicidal thoughts that came with it. To be “old,” I’d say I am in overall good health-no major aches or pains. My feet hurt first thing in the morning. I can no longer walk around barefoot, I must wear my slippers. I sometimes can’t recall names of people or the specific order of events as I tell a story. My coworkers laugh at me for drinking hot water. I finish my coffee then refill my cup with water and heat it in the microwave - I don’t know why I like it, but I do, twice a day! The only thing that has really become a problem is my vision - or shall I say, my eyesight. I have Dollar Tree readers and Blue-Light readers stashed everywhere, and two pairs of prescription bifocals. I’m at the point where I can’t even recognize myself on a Zoom screen without glasses. My vision, however, I think is strong. On Friday, I read my Proverb to be reminded of the Scriptures written just for me. There are 31 chapters of Proverbs, one for each day of the month, so your Proverb is the one for your birthday. Immediately, I know Proverbs 16 is for me. Verse 1 and verse 9, “To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. 9In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” I am a planner. I am a thinker, I like to do the research, do the calculations, and work out all the details. I struggle with allowing things to “just happen organically” or leaving things to chance - or leaving things to the Lord. I pray without ceasing, but I also think without ceasing, and when His answer is not obvious to me, I fill-in with my own plans. If I don’t hear from God, I assume He is telling me to do it my way. And that must stop. My Proverb continues, “All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. 3Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. 4The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster. 5The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.” This past week we studied Genesis 24. In this chapter, Sarah has died and Abraham is old. He asks his servant to travel 600 miles to his country of birth to find and bring back a wife for his son, Isaac. As I read this, I found myself in the servant’s question, “5The servant asked him, ‘What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?’” Abraham responds, emphatically NO. He tells the servant that God has sent an angel before him to make the process simpler when he arrives. The servant prepares the camels and they make the trip. When they arrive it is almost evening, but probably several days later. It was at the time when the women came out to fill their jars with water. The servant climbs down from his camel and begins to pray. He asked the Lord to make the trip successful. He asks the Lord to make it such that whichever woman he asks for water, if she also offered to water his camels, then that be the wife for Isaac.
This passage made my whole spine tingle. Before he had finished praying - his prayer was answered. The God the servant prayed to, the God of Abraham, the God who sent an angel before him to make the journey successful, is the same God to whom my prayers are directed. The servant proposed a plan, but presented it to God, apparently God agreed and it was so. I am so inspired by this story. In the words of Tye Tribbet, “If He did it before, He can do it again.”
During my 45th year of life, I want to renew my prayer life. I may start a prayer journal to put my prayers in writing. Our family started the year with a big prayer. Well, it's big for us, but it's not big for the Lord. It’s a process, we know, and He is working. We have already seen His hand at work. I’m trying not to worry, but I’ve done calculations and have considered plan B, C, and D, but I try to remain patient, as He knows my prayer. I prayed to the most high God and He will answer in full, I am sure. Once He does, I will share the testimony and praise with you. AMEN. Thank you for reading! Read your Proverb! Kim
I saw the above meme posted on a friend’s social media this week and it really gave me a much needed chuckle! We’re one week into the new year, and, well, you know what’s happening! Believe it or not, I have no words for my thoughts and feelings regarding last week. I just know that the look on my 16 year-old’s face when I came home from work on Wednesday, was very disheartening. He called me over to look at his phone. He was looking at still photos of the mayhem at the Capitol. He still has a year and a half before he can vote, but these United States appear to be a foreign land. I’ve found that when we don’t have the words, we can go to the Word for wisdom and understanding. Four passages I would like to highlight. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. ~1 John 5:21 NLT If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. ~2 Chronicles 7:14-15 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ~Galatians 3:28 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. ~1 Corinthians 14:33 It always gives me pause when I see someone that I haven’t seen in a while and they tell me they are following me on social media. I try to post nice things, funny things, Scriptures, pictures of my dogs, my weekly message, but following me just doesn’t seem like the best use of someone’s time. I know they just mean that they see my posts, but it makes me think of idolatry and I am certainly not someone to be idolized. I am someone who sins, I am imperfect in many ways, I am growing in my sanctification, and I am a friend of Jesus, but I am not Jesus and not someone to be idolized. We must be very careful that we don’t begin to allow anyone or anything to take God’s place in our hearts. It can happen very easily. We can idolize sports figures - calling them the GOAT, we idolize actors, musicians, and politicians - hanging on their every word. It’s a dangerous thing to allow someone or something to replace God in our hearts. Paul wrote about how we should handle disagreements in Romans 14, saying, “Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.” While we all have differing beliefs and ideals, we shouldn’t allow these to become matters of contention. We must keep the ways of the Lord as first and foremost in our hearts and minds. We must humble ourselves, pray, and allow His sovereignty to rule. His ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) We must realize that although we differ from others in our thoughts and opinions, we are still one in Christ. Whether we are a Clemson fan or a Carolina fan, a Delta or an AKA, a southerner or a Yankee, or a Democrat or a Republican, none of this matters. When we go to heaven, it will not be sectioned off for different cliques. Scripture reminds us that “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ~Galatians 3:28 This week, when you feel yourself getting upset, feeling the need to lash out at someone because they think differently than you, feeling the need to use social media to make a point or handle a disputable matter, pause. Try to have some objectivity. Remember that Jesus taught us to love, and He taught us to pursue peace. Always remember 1 Corinthians 14:22, “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” There are about 50 weeks left in 2021, let’s not let week one set the tone. Amen. Thank you for reading! Pursue Peace. Kim Previous Post about Disputable Matters |
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