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The Stones Will Cry Out- Part 1

Have you ever considered the striking difference between how we as humans interact with Christ versus how the rest of Creation responds to its Creator?

Yes we alone have free will, soul, and spirit, which sets us uniquely apart from the rest of the universe but only Creation operates within the confines placed upon it at the dawn of it’s existence. In fact during Jesus’ triumphant entrance, as the scribes and Pharisees objected to the cry of the palm bearing crowd, Jesus declared that if the people did not proclaim “Hosanna, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord”, the rocks themselves would cry out proclaiming that truth. While religious zealots denied his existence and schemed his death, creation lay poised, straining to be heard, ready to acknowledge though it were but stone it recognized the fact that it lay in glorious presence of the one who created it.

What a mind numbing thought, that as the rocks choked back their proclamation of the coming of the Savior of the world, many of the living breathing masses our Savior came to save missed the opportunity to herald in a new covenant and hope, that could radically change their lives for eternity.

As I read Psalm 104 today I was struck with the thought, What if I emulated the unwavering obedience of creation, operating within the designed realm that the Lord of the Universe intended? It would seem this should be an easy task considering I have been given a gift which the rest of the universe has not, for I have been ransomed from a sentence of death which I earned and adopted into the family, blood line, and heritage of Jesus Christ. I have a working, thriving, two way relationship with the Lord who created me. Perfection has bonded with imperfection, the mortal has put on immortality, unrighteousness has been shed and I am gloriously enveloped in the Righteous and Holy Blood of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Creation’s unwavering obedience to Christ is a masterpeice of design, order and faultless wonder demonstraiting three characteristics I feel challenged emulate.

Psalm 104:1-4 "Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.2Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:3Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: 4Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

In Psalm 104, we see that God’s creation brings God glory. Creation cloths Christ with Honor and majesty. The universe and world around us is a perfect display of design and order. By faultlessly operating within these confines it showers upon Him the glory and honor he truly deserves. The sun never shifts from its orbit in an attempt to become part of another, more brilliant galaxy. The moon never says, it is a mistake that I spend my days circling the earth, the world should circle me. By simply being what they were created to be they demonstrate a specific nature or aspect of Christ himself, the God of Wonders.

As a child of God, I am a walking, living, breathing wonder, knit together before the world began. I am so complex my systems and makeup will never fully be mapped or understood by man. I am the meticulous, thought-out handiwork of the Divine Creator. The world was spoken into existence, but God formed Adam with his hands and breathed into him His very breath, the breath of life and through the breath of Christ, “man became a living soul.” I am his child, made in His image. His Spirit has covered and transformed me. I am not only a physical wonder, but a spiritual miracle. My spirit and body bears witness of an amazing work of redemption, regeneration, and sanctification. Does my life reflect the beauty, wonder, glory, and honor that the Lord of the universe deserves? As I go through life, does my life bear witness to the existence of an all powerful, merciful, righteous and loving God, or does creation around me strain in frustration by my failure to Glorify my maker in the special way he intended? The world is filled with men and women straining to be something other than what they were intended. As our hearts grow colder, I believe if we were still but for a moment, and listened, we might hear the growing murmur of creation crying out in frustration "Hosanna, blessed is he who came in the name of the Lord and who stands ready to return once more.

Next time, part 2

Psalm 104:7 "At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away."
God’s creation recognizes and obeys his voice."

Run headlong into the arms of victory

Run Headlong into the Arms of Victory-
II Chronicles 20

Beyond the base of the cliff is a nation, as thick as stars shinning in the clear night sky. The rhythmic vibrations of the encampment swell as they dance together in symphonic harmony. Vibrant notes explode from their instruments racing to unite with the voices that flood the crisp morning air. Their offerings of praise soar to the throne of heaven born on the wings of angels, who lay them at the feat their Creator.

This assembly of has not gathered to celebration a marriage or observe a feast. Spread just beyond their encampment is an immense army. Three nations have formed an alliance, arraying themselves for battle with the intent of slaughtering every man, woman, and child withing their camp.

Hours earlier, the realization of war had enveloped the kingdom in a thick blanket of terror. Fear had swept from house to house engulfing everyone like a plague, but dread was replaced with hope and rejoicing whan they received an unexpected promise. After Jehoshaphat their king received news of the advancing armies, scripture says he “feared” and then “set himself to seek the Lord.” V3 In response to the humble reply of their King, all of Judah followed his example. Unified as a nation, they gathered together and cried out to the Lord for Help. II Chronicles 20 records the desperate yet hopeful prayer of a King, condemned to a bloody and violent defeat, unless the heavens opened and Jehovah God came down and intervened on their behalf. Jehoshaphat walked into the center of camp, fell on his face before the Lord, and cried out for mercy. The Lord heard his cry and the Spirit of the Lord came into the midst of the people and the Lord responded, “Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s….Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them for the Lord will be with you.” V14-17

Now in the early morning hours, Israel has respond in faith to the promise d victory. They have prepared themselves for battle and the King stands in the midst of them with final instructions. “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.”V20 Jehoshaphat then gatheres his entire kingdom together and his next command demonstrates the empowering nature of a faith rooted in power of the true and living God. II Chronicles records Jehoshaphat “...appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endured forever.”V21

Did you notice to whom the king assigned the task of leading his people into battle? The army has been shuffled to the back of the military procession while those armed with nothing more than the weapon of faith have rush forward. Their battle cry is the praise and proclamation of the beauty and Holiness of the Lord. It is under this banner of faith and praise, not military might,the nation of Judah advances into battle. Fast forward now to the end of this story, one as mysterious and glorious as the beginning. “And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten…and none escaped….and the people came to take away the spoil of them…more than they could carry…and they were three days in gathering the spoil, it was so much…..And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of the Israel….”V22-29

Israel was thrust into a conflict they could neither escape or win. With terror in their hearts they cried out to God for mercy and he fulfilled his promise to hear the cry of a humble and contrite nation who calls out to him. He responded to their cry for mercy and gave assurance of divine deliverance. Israel responded to His words of hope with obedience, celebrating and proclaiming the glory of the Lord who would deliver them before they ever set foot onto the battle field. The Lord commanded "Sit still and see"so the king moved their only source of strength and confidence to the back of the line and for once the army was last onto the field of battle. Weaponless, venerable, and weak, those who sang led their nation and the army to the edge of the battle field. As they stood singing, watching, unmoved and empty handed, their enemies were vanquished before their eyes, the spoils of war left for the taking.

We are weak and vunerable. We face battles and enemies we can not escape from or destroy. We serve the same God who delivered the nation of judah and like them, he has a promise for us. He has said when we are weak and afraid, he will be our strength.
II Cor 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.


When we are abandoned, left to face our giants alone, he will not leave us or fail to intervene on our behalf.
Heb 13:5
I will never leavethee, nor forsake thee.


He has promised that trials will come but when we pass through the fire and water, at the end of our struggles and we will find find a wealthy place.
Ps 66:12
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water:
but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.


When we lack and have nothing he tell us to open our mouths wide and he will fill them.
Ps 81:10
I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt:
open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.


Victory is ours to claim, death has be swallowed up.
I Cor 15:55-57
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
...But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.


If you have no strength, if your hands are empty, He who filled the depths can fill you. If your heart quakes in fear, your body ravaged with scars from battle, He who healed the sick and made whole the lame, knows your pain and can heal every wound. If you are weary and despair life itself you are where you need to be. Lift your voice in praise and adoration for "the beauty and holiness of the Lord." Discard your earth bound weapons and abilities and march to the front line of battle. Sing to the Lord and gaze in wonder as He intervenes on your behalf. Grace will rain down, weary hands will be lifted up, feeble knees will be strengthened, victory is assured, and the spoils of war will be yours.

Lift your eyes to heavens, where the source of your help and strength
Resides, and RUN HEADLONG INTO THE ARMS OF VICTORY!

PSALM 121
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:
he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

God's amazing timing

Trying to get back into the swing of things, but three children 6 and under make finding time hard : ) I have had a few request regarding the "Just water the camels" story and my courtship story so I thought I would repost the story that I have had published in a few magazines and try to piggy back from there with excerpts from my book.

My love story actually starts with a story...

January of 2002, I was sitting in our living room with my parents and brother. My dad and brother worked for the same company a few miles down the road and they came back to our house every day for lunch. Our lighthearted discussion switched to the not so cheerful topic of the upcoming tax season. In the middle of our discussion, my dad exclaimed, “Brian, have you changed your number of dependents?” In less than a second, dad’s innocent question triggered some rather astute female intuition. The resulting effect was a very excited and harmonious exclamation from mom and I “You're having another baby!” Brian scowled and turned red, while my poor dad apologized profusely for letting the secret out. Questions flew at my brother faster than he could field them but soon, the wall clock chimed mercifully providing my brother a means of escape from the barrage of questions that rained down upon him. Mom followed Brian out to the car, pumping him for any other information he had about grand baby #4. I remained in the house, cleaning up the mess left over from lunch. As I placed the dishes inside the washer, my mind was a whirl of thoughts and emotions. Suddenly I found my excitement for Brian and his wife veer unexpectedly, changing to feelings of sadness, longing, uncertainty, and anger.
When mom returned to the house, she was practically floating on air, her excitement over grandbaby number four radiating from her face. The tears and emotions that weighed heavily upon my heart made me feel guilty and frustrated and I kept my back to my mom attempting to hide them. Her female intuition kicked in again, and sensing something was wrong. She walked to the sink and gently put her arm around me and said “What’s wrong sis?” I turned and with tears flowing freely exclaimed, “When will it be my time?” I would turn 28 in a few months, and contrary to my dreams and aspirations, I found myself the lone child still living at home. In the span of 3 years, I had watched my best friend court and marry my brother. I had been a spectator as many other friends I knew courted, all of whom were younger than myself. It was hard to sit back and watch as romances bloomed, engagements were announced, weddings showers were thrown and babies followed. My mom was married at the age of twenty, and I had always expected that by 25 I would be married and holding babies of my own. As I neared my 28th birthday, I began to realize marriage may not be in the near future and possibly not in my future at all. My single status became the source of sever trials and saddness in my life. Many times I felt as if I had fallen overboard into a vast and dark sea. I was exhausted to the point of despair from fighting the waves of dashed hopes and expectations that assailed me on a daily basis. More than anything else in life, I wanted to be a wife and mother, but it seemed this gift was being bestowed upon everyone but me.

I was almost twenty eight and as the possibility of marriage seemed to fade, a new struggle emerged. If I was not going to get married, what was my calling in life? Where I was supposed to invest my time, energy, and money? My parents suggested I find something I enjoyed doing, so I got a job at a hospital and began the process of enrolling in a local medical program so I could finish my nursing degree. The Lord was faithful and gave me grace and strength as well as an amazing family that encouraged me. The Lord did given me a peace in my heart concerning my single status, but the emotions and longings never went away completely. I experienced days of amazing contentment and joy, but there were times when the desire awoke in my heart and the longings overwhelmed me. The day Brian announced the anticipated arrival of Biddle #2 was one of those days!

I remember hearing about the concept of courtship and embracing the idea of allowing God to bring the right one along in His own time. I decided to trust Him, but I think I had the expectation that doing so would get rid of all the longings and struggles the single life posed. The decision to wait and trust is in some ways was harder because it takes great faith to relinquish the role of seeker/finder while taking on the role of one who “waits.” When I dated and moved in and out of all the church single groups, my focus was always upon finding the next “possibility.” When I committed to waiting on the Lord I was forced to shift my focus. My gaze had to turn from what I wanted and did not have, to what I did have and what I could do with it. I had placed my trust in the Lord and in exchange, he required I become a worthy steward of the blessing and gifts He chose to rain down upon me each day because I was single. The verse that became my anchor during my early to late 20's was Psalm 84:11-12




The Lord your God is a sun and a shield,
The Lord will give grace and glory,
No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
O Lord of Host, Blessed is the Man
That trusteth thee.

My daily challenge became this-

Seek the Sun and appreciate the shield. The sun gives light and direction and it provides life and growth. Accepting God's “not now” was accepting his plan of growth and purification in my life through the trials I faced as an older single girl. Accepting God as a shield was also accepting and trusting His protection of my heart and soul and future. As God said not now to me and my dad said no to young men, the years of waiting was preserving me for God's amazing best, not the feeble and limited “best” I day dreamed about.

His Grace and Glory. Our lives are meant to bring Glory to God and God alone! Regardless of our state, whether single or married, as long as we accept His grace and carry our burden in faith, God will be glorified and we will be strengthened.

No good thing. Most importantly, the Lord showed me that He prepared for His goodness to be showered down upon my life so much so, that it could be said every day, “On this day, God withheld nothing that I needed for happiness or success or survival!” My challenge was to find, claim, and treasure each blessing He gave. The fullness of my basket at the end of the day depended upon the eyes I choose view life with, and whether my hands accepted with grateful obedience what chose to give. If I was distracted by the desires of the future, I would become blind to and miss the blessings of today. If I looked at life with limited, blind, and earthly vision, not only refusing but also unable to take what the Lord chose to bestow, I would find my basket empty each day. It was important for me to not loose site of the fact empty baskets weren’t because God didn’t hear my pleas, was unable to grant my petitions, or because he simply failed to give, but because I failed to accept what he lovingly chose to give. God knows what is best and “His Best” is ALWAYS what he gives to his children when they live their lives in faithful obedience to him.

- - - Now, back to the story. :) Flash back about 6 years to the summer of 1996. I was sitting in a hotel room with my mom and two other ladies. We were all on our way to the North Woods where my brother was a drill sergeant for a basic training. Both mothers had a son in unit 12 and we were having a sweet time of fellowship as each woman discussed the changes they had seen in their boys over the space of the eight week basic. I remember one mom in particular. She talked about her handsome, smart, athletic son named, David. Her description sparked my curiosity but that only lasted until she disclosed his age, he was 18 years old and 5 years younger than myself. I don't recall ever seeing him during the promotion and I spent my time visiting all the friends I had worked with in the kitchen the previous year. His mom and his existence totally slipped from my memory when we left the North Woods and returned home, but as it turned out their family started going to our church.

Ironically, the following summer I was asked by our pastor’s son to help run the game time during VBS and wouldn’t you know it, David was in charge. I remember my first impression of him was one of extreme frustration. The guy would not say a word to me. Each day I would approach him and ask what we were doing and what he wanted me to do but my efforts were rewarded with indistinguishable mumblings. While I struggled to make myself useful, I kept myself busy chasing away a handful of young flirtatious girls who kept finding their way out to the game field with some excuse or the other so they could be within eye sight of this new guy fresh back from ALERT. Although he never batted an eye at them or reciprocated their childish advances in any way, I was sort of disgusted with him and how foolishly these young girls were acting over this kid who did little more than mumble and who never said more than 5 words to me.

On the evening VBS was wrapping up, Pastor Scott called me over and completely bowled me over when he apologized for all the rumors that had been flying. I looked at him totally clueless about any rumors so he enlightened me. Apparently, because of our close proximity with each other during VBS, it had been assumed that we were an official item and a courtship was brewing, if not all ready happening. I burst out laughing over the absurd idea. How could this annoying “kid” and I being the source of such ridiculous rumors?! I assured Scott no offense had been taken and once again I ushered the existence of David from my thoughts.

- - - Flash ahead a few years to the day David’s dad announces his courtship to another young lady at our church. I remember not being surprised because it had been pretty obvious they were headed in that direction. Even thought I added their names to the growing number of younger friends who were courting or newly married, I was truly excited for them. In the swirl of emotions, I was left wondering “Would anyone ever notice me?” “Would I ever know what it was like to have a person ask for the opportunity to win my heart?” Not surprisingly, while romance was flying through the church, my struggles with being single got harder. I struggled and fought to keep peace and contentment in my heart, but it was HARD!

Over the next year or so David’s courtship and eventual engagement began to unravel. In the beginning of 2002 his engagement was called off and the relationship ended. Because of David's friendship with my brother, I knew a little about his struggles and hurts during this time. I felt badly for him and the pain he had experienced during his relationship. I greatly respected him for how he handled the situation. I had seen a growth and sensitivity develop in his life through his own fiery trials, and a maturity which our pastor had commented exceeded some of the men he had pastord. I remember standing alongside my mother the day his mom quietly asked us to pray for him. She explained the engagement was over and he was in Arizona with a friend seeking the Lord guidance and some healing...

Her words evoked a number of emotions. One was sadness and an other concern. I had known many men who walked away from the Lord when their relationship with a lady fell through and I felt a burden for David and felt prompted to pray the Lord’s protection over him. Funny enough, as I prayed that the Lord would bring healing in his heart aI also asked that the Lord bring the right “young” lady into his life when it was time. Never for a moment did my heart awaken to the possibility of relationship with him, in my mind I think I still saw him as an 18 year old kid.

David will tell you he remembers sitting on the ledge of the Grand Canyon being overwhelmed by its beauty and grandeur. He remembers musing upon the fact that the God, who made the landscape before him, was also the God that had made him. David knew this amazing God could take care of him and the desires of his heart. He told the Lord he believed he had placed the desire to be married in his heart, but that he was not going to go looking. He exclaimed to the Lord, almost in frustration or a dare, that if God had someone for him, he would have to put her in his back yard... The Lord is amazing and does not work according to our time table, and this became evident as my future love story was written. The year David and the young lady from church started courting, the Lord had pretty much placed us in his back yard!!! We moved into his little town and were just 5-7 minutes away from his home depending upon who was driving : ) After we moved, our family had been placed into the church Shepherding group his Dad was a leader of, and our family went over quite frequently for outings, bible studies and cookouts. I had also enrolled in a gospel doing chalk art class, and happened to be in these classes with his little sister. So, the entire time David was away, courting this girl and spending time with her family, his family and ours got to know each other very well and we became close friends.


May 25th 2002, four months since asking my mom “when will it be my time?”. I had just worked the night shift at the hospital and was supposed to drive to my sister’s house so I could help her get the kids dressed and to church. After falling a sleep at a red light, I realized I was too exhausted and decided to head home to sleep. When I got home my parent’s were in their room so I down at the kitchen table and ate a bowel of cereal. My parents, completely unaware of my arrival, bantered back and forth about something as they went about their Sunday routine but I was too exhausted to notice. I never heard a word they were saying and without any thought of their extremely erratic and hyper behavior, I went to bed. When they returned from church I was all ready up. They both continued to act very oddly and almost in unison asked me to accompany them on the back porch swing. I accepted the invitation, my foggy brain still clueless anything was out of the ordinary. (those of you who have worked split shifts know how tired and out of it that kind of schedule makes one : ) The phone rang and my dad jumped like he was expecting someone and he sprinted inside to answer it. A few minutes later, he stuck his head out the door and told us he had to go on an errand and would be back soon.

He left and mom asked me to walk with her so we strolled around the yard making small talk. About fifteen minutes later my dad returned, they once again they ushered me to the back porch swing and asked me to sit. As soon as my backside hit the padding, my dad jumped up and exclaimed, “shall we tell her?” With that he disappeared into the house returning with an Eddie Bauer bag. With a smile on his face he exclaimed “Jody, someone has asked if you would “Water their Camels.” This question is a whole other story and there is no time to go into it, but it comes from the story of Isaac and Rebekah and it was a challenge my mom gave me back in 1995 concerning my single years. This simple statement was their way of letting me know someone wanted to court me.

To my surprise, dad announced that the man was David Watkins. (At this point I had forgotten the age difference) As I sat shaking, holding the camel in my lap, my dad explained how everything had taken place, including meetings I knew nothing about. He asked if I has any questions and he answered everything I asked about David. I trusted my father and wanted to be open to his wisdom or insights in my life and future marriage so I had asked my dad’s counsel regarding possible suitors. Dad’s approval of David spoke volumes to me and I if Dad thought him worthy, I was willing to give him a shot at my heart, so I agreed! My parents and I went out to eat to celebrate and afterwards dad made a phone call to poor David who had lain on his bed awaiting an answer the entire time. Our courtship began May 25th 2002, we were engaged July 9th, and on November 2nd 2002, we were married. (I was 28 David was 24 : )

- - - Fast forward to the following year, January 2003. I stood in the living room of my parents home, almost exactly a year to the exact day that I asked my mom “when will it be my time?”. I handed her a Boyd’s bear figurine of a grandma bear holding a grandbaby cub and let her know our first child was growing inside my belly and due in September!

Nothing was ever withheld, I had at times just refused to hold what my sweet Savior wanted to give. His timing was perfect, the wait without regret, the story and man I received a beautiful and amazing story and gift. Look for the treasures each day, they are there!

The Priceless Gift

The Priceless Gift
Psalm 50:7-15
"Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you:
I am God, even thy God.
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.
I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds,
for every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beast of the field are mine.
If I were hungry I would not tell thee, for the world is mine, and the fullness there of.
Will I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

A few days ago David and I were reading a Psalm written by King David, and my husband made a comment about him I had never considered before. In a time where the religion of the Jew's revolved around customs and traditions, law and “doing/works”, David was ahead of his time when he wrote Psalms like chapter 51. Somehow this scraggly backward shepherd boy become king, realized that one could slaughter an entire heard of cows and have a heart still separated from God because of sin. He fully grasped the key to a right and proper relationship with Christ, something the Pharisees and “Doctors of the Law” still hadn't figured out hundreds of years later earning them the open rebuke and scorn of Jesus Christ himself.


As a parent with three kids, my hearts desire and prayer is they they come to know and love Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, serving him faithfully all their lives. I feel woefully inadequate as one of their spiritual God given teachers, and fear I will fail them, so David's story interest me greatly. As I mulled over this thought, I asked my husband, how he thought a lowly, last born, adolescent boy, who spent solitary hours and days in a field with nothing but sheep and a musical instrument as his companion, discover this secret? How did he figure out in the midst of sheep and grass, what men who studied the law all their life in the “house of God” missed? What did David discover in the fields alone with the sheep that the pharisees and scribes missed, that being what the Lord truly wants from us and the precious truth of what keeps us in a right relationship with Christ. What did Jesse his father, teach him? What kind of worship with Christ did he experience in the solitary fields that illuminated his spirit with the truth- It is not at all about the “sacrifice”, but “rather about the heart of the sacrificer.” Perhaps in the fields, with nothing to distract, and nothing to offer but his heartfelt love, adoration, and worship David experienced what men spend years trying to discover, a true and living relationship with Christ.


The next day I read Psalm 50, and when I got to the verses 7-15, the Lord spoke to my heart and humbled me with a truth I had never thought of. This chapter begins with the musician author speaking about the might and glory of God, and then the Psalm shifts to the Lord making a very profound statement about his relationship to us and all of creation. His statement is basically this, your sacrifices mean nothing to me because everything you take and offer up to me is mine all ready. I created the animals you offer to me, I control their movements, they obey me, they belong to me. He proclaims in Psalm 50 If I were hungry or wanted one of them, I would not come to you nor would I ask you to go get me one-THEY ARE MINE!!! The value or power of a sacrifice is not found in the quality, quantity or price of the sacrifice, the value of the sacrifice comes from something else and David realized this and he knew he could offer one-thousand of the choicest bulls from a heard and it could mean nothing to God, yet a poor peasant could offer a turtledove and obtain the grace, mercy, and forgiveness of the Lord.


This then is what brought me to my knees......The Lord God created this universe with the power and breath of his voice. All creation bows in obeisance to him, and he wields the power and the authority and the ability to control it all..... all that is BUT one thing. The Lord created the earth, the land, seas, animals, and heavens, and then he created within man something he prized and valued above all else, his heart. It is here the Lord then chose to limit himself. He could have demanded our love, required we worship him. He could have created us like the animals of the field forcing our obedience and service but he did not do this. Instead he created a gift, priceless and desperately sought after in his eyes and he relinquished his right to it. Limiting himself, he gave us the ability to give him something precious and treasured that he could not get for himself. This is what made our heart and our fellowship so precious to him. Then to establish how greatly he yearned for the right to possess that treasure, he offered in exchange the greatest gift he could, and the only sacrifice that could redeem that which had been tainted and made unworthy of him through sin. Thus he offered the unspeakable gift of his only son Jesus Christ. He offered up glory and majesty for the corrupted and sinful heart of man. The God of Creation, the One and true Gift became the seeker and the the corrupted and destitute became both the gift and the giver.


How humbling it is to recall every day that there is nothing I can acquire here on earth that is of true value and worthy to Christ. I can not achieve a salary, worldly goods, or any thing else of value here on earth that measure in any degree to his goodness, righteousness and holiness. I can not attain any measure of success that is of any value or worth to Christ, it is paltry and worthless compared to him.


All I can give him is my heart, but to him my heart is all he wants. For those who have accepted him as Lord and Savior, accepting the blood of his son Jesus Christ as payment for our sins, allowing him to wash our hearts clean that we can give it back to him holy complete is just the first part. Once this is done, the giving is not over, and this is what David understood. A bullock burnt on an alter by a man who does it to be seen of man is of no value to the Lord, but a bull given by a man with a heart broken and remorseful of his sin is priceless. Tithing 50% of my salary, proudly dropped in the offering is of no value to the Lord, but pennies from a teens allowance given with joy and out of love for God's provision is worth more than mountains of gold. Staying up late so I can deliver a message in Sunday school motivated by pride and the desire to receive praise of man is worthless, but seeing a sister or brother in need and laying aside what I am doing to extend encouragement or support is priceless and sweet smelling to the Lord. The Pharisees of the OT strove to “practice” the law but they never understood the reason for the law nor did they discover the secret of true love that could empower them to truly live the law thus becoming a sweet smelling sacrifice to God.


I have been challenged by the Lord to make sure that my heart is in a right relationship with him and to make that relationship and love for him the driving force of all I do, say, and aspire to accomplish. What an amazing thought it is to think I posses something God truly wants, seeks, and esteems. “What is man that Thou art mindful of him?” This weekend we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Savior and Lord. The ultimate sacrifice made by the King and Creator of the Universe. Does it boggle your mind as much as it does mine, that is was a wretched and sinful heart he sought to redeem? What amazing love would compel Christ to send his blameless son here to earth, alloim to be tempted in every manner we are, to suffer as we suffer, tire as we tire, to sorrow, bleed, and die that he might obtain the one thing of value that we posses, our heart, our devotion, our love.


Fernando Ortega's Song “Sing To Jesus” is a wonderful story of this sacrifice and the mystery of the love of Christ.


“Sing To Jesus”

Come and see, look on this mystery
The Lord of the universe, nailed to a tree
Christ our God, spilling His Holy blood
Bowing in anguish, His sacred head

Sing to Jesus, Lord of our shame
Lord of our sinful hearts, He is our great redeemer
Sing to Jesus, honor his name
Sing of his faithfulness, pouring his life out unto death

Come you weary and he will give you rest
Come you who mourn, lay on His breast
Christ who dies, risen in Paradise
Giver of mercy, Giver of life

Sing to Jesus this is the throne
Now and forever He is the King of Heaven
Sing to Jesus, we are his own
Now and forever, sing for the love our God has shown

Sing to Jesus, Lord of our shame
Lord of our sinful hearts
He is our great redeemer
Sing to Jesus, honor His name

Sing to Jesus this is the throne
Now and forever He is the King of Heaven
Sing to Jesus, we are his own
Now and forever, sing for the love our God has shown

He uttered a word

Most of us value the genius and hard work of an expert in a field that interest us. For example, a car enthusiast can be brought to a steady drool by a automobile. Set a car in front of him that has been finely crafted, harnessing raw power, exquisite comfort, and unparalleled handling and there is an immediate understanding and appreciation of what stands before him. An artist can stand in front of a painting from one of the masters and be brought to tears not only by its beauty, but also by the power of the message given voice through the skillful mixing of colors and design set onto the surface of a simple piece of white canvas. It is through sweat, skill, long hours, and hard work a man attains and posses the ability to do, and it is in the fruition of his strivings that he finds power, recognition, and even fulfillment through his creations, accomplishments and works. For some the ability comes very natural yet for the naturally talented, long hours and devotion are still required for success.


Through all our strivings and accomplishments we seek glory, fulfillment, recognition, value, and peace. Yet even as we showcase our grand accomplishments, at our best can do nothing more than humbly sink to our knees because we stand paltry and wanting in comparison to another. Now please don't rush out and quit your jobs in a state of depression become a couch potato, rather consider the power of the truth of the unsurmountable weakness and need of mankind.
I am reading a book by Gary Thomas titles “The Beautiful Fight” which is an amazing and empowering book that I highly recommend. One of the chapters I just finished contained a section on becoming familiar with the voice of Christ. This section was one of those where you feel the need to read real slow, sometimes more than once, meticulously chewing and mulling over the truth that lays before you. I literally put the book down because I felt the need to mull over the significance of what I had just read. The following day, I came across a Psalm that stopped me in my tracks, and then I turned to the gospel of Mark and boom, the same truth jumped out from the scripture.


Psalm 29 starts by admonishing us to “give” to the Lord all that is rightfully due him, including glory, honor, worship.....because he is God. What's interesting is that the rest of the chapters repeats over verse by verse a phrase that expresses one of the most amazing abilities of God, and in fact the very first of his abilities ever mentioned in Scripture. While it is not the sole ability or attribute that validate his claim and his demand and right to be called our one and only God, it is a mind boggling one.


Psalm 29:3 Begins with this powerful phrase, “The voice of the Lord” and it proceeds to list the power contained in a single word or phrase uttered from his lips. As I went through the list and then started recounting all the miracles he performed by his “word”, the importance of listening and training our ears to recognize, hear, and seek God's voice as pointed out by Gary Thomas really hit me.


Tell an engineer, who has been to school 4-8 years that you want a car that can do A, B, & C, and perform E, F, & G, and the process from beginning to end takes months and even years, and in the end the design may never become more than a concept drawn onto a piece of paper. Contrast this with the God of Creation who in Genesis simply spoke the world into existence! This is a God who with his voice, uttered a command and in an instant every planet was aligned where it needed to be. By the breath of His mouth, every star was set in its course. By the simple utterance of a word, he hung in the heavens the constellations, which on a certain day, and in specific moment in time would align perfectly thousands of years later foretelling and proclaiming His birth. This God uttered into existence all of creation, plants, animals, and land each coexisting intertwined yet harmonious with each other. This God mad each and every animal in a moment with fully working and functioning anatomy, covering every need and process of life adaptable for living both then and in the present. It took me weeks to get the anatomy and physiology of one system down to where I fully grasped how each organ worked and entwined itself to the next. I had to study to understand how each organ could possess an amazing ability and function unique to itself yet totally dependent upon all the rest to remain viable and keep us alive. Yet, what men and women spend years in college trying to understand, the Lord created into existence in a brief moment in time. That is raw power, and that realization is what brought King David to pen the famous verses in Psalm 19 “The heavens declare the glory of God.....” and in Psalm 139:15 “My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.”


The same God who did all this, and even things we have not discovered or can't even comprehend, wants to speak to you. The God who spoke and healed the lame, the sick, and the dead, who can divide the heavens, part oceans, and vanquish sin, wants to lead, instruct and empower you. Matthew 4:24 says “And he said unto them, “take heed what you hear......and unto you that hear shall more be given” I have had to ask myself, whose voice and I listening for, to what or whom have I tuned my hears? Consider the parable of the seed of the sower. Most of us can quote what each of the sowers represent and the consequences of their actions, but I don't think I have never given much though to the fact that “Hearing” was the great seed, or gift they were given. Each sower “heard” was given “words” and the life they had lived and the things they had given their hearts over to determined what they did with that great treasure and power.


I have been challenged to cut out that which deadens my ears to my Fathers voice. I have been challenged to search my heart and to see where all my affections lie making sure nothing is strangling the voice of truth and leading me to live a life contrary to what I am called to no matter what “todays church” tells me is acceptable.


I am humbled and amazed that the Lord of Creation wants to speak to me and I am purposed to spend the rest of my life listening for the still small voice of my Savior. If you were told a successful businessman, politician, pastor, counselor, athlete wanted to have lunch with you and advise you, would shrug him/her off and throw away the opportunity of a lifetime? Do you realize the Creator of the Universe who simply speaks and creation obeys, wants a word with you and not just today, but tomorrow and the day after and the day after that.


Who am I Lord that you even take notice of me? You created this universe, you set up kings and tear down kingdoms, you afflict and heal, you seek and you save, and you want to speak to me!!!???

Two quarters and a lesson

On Sunday, our pastor told a very thought provoking story and a few days later I came across a very powerful and unique verse in Matthew 16:23 that seemed to tie right into the story.
The true story goes like this....One day a father took his two children out shopping with him. When they got to the store he noticed they had a petting zoo set up for the children. He dug two quarters out of his pockets and handed one to his son and daughter and told them to go into the zoo while he shopped right outside. Seconds after leaving them at the entrance, he noticed his young daughter trailing behind him. He turned to her and asked why she was not at the zoo, petting the animals with her brother. She looked at him and replied the tickets to get in cost 50 cents so she had given her brother her quarter. This touched the father deeply because he knew how much his daughter loved animals and because of that love, he understood the extent of her sacrifice. He walked back with her to the gate and they stood together watching the son play, pet, and romp with the miniature animals. As he stood there, he reached into his pocket and fumbled with the remaining quarters still in his possession. The quarters, sufficient to buy his daughter her own ticket, seemed to be burning holes in his pocket, but what he did next is not what you would think.....for the father remained where he stood, never taking the quarters out, never offering to buy his daughter her own ticket. He not only was a loving father, but he was also a wise man and he wanted to allow his daughter to experience the joy and the reward of her sacrifice of love. Had he given in to the powerful desire to buy the second ticket, he realized he would have cheapened the value and the price of her precious sacrifice.


As I sat in the pew and listened to the story, a host of emotions flooded my heart. I imagined myself in his shoes with one of my precious children beside me, for whom I would give my very life. A battle began to rage and I experienced a conflict in my soul because, although the wisdom of his decision rang true in my heart, the desire to give “good” to a child who truly deserved a reward would have been hard not to pacify. As I sat there I wondered, would I have made the same choice? I can honestly say, I think I would have given the quarters, and while that may not have been a wrong decision, perhaps in giving the quarters the child would have received the lesser and least valuable of the rewards.


I think most of us can say we have been on both the receiving and giving end of “withheld good” As a parent, I find I am faced with this decision almost every day. An incident happened this week in which one of my kids misbehaved in Sunday school and then throughout the week demonstrated willful disobedience and disrespect towards me. The kids had been invited to a special breakfast on Saturday with their Sunday school class and my husband and I decided we would not allow the offending child to attend with their sibling. Wow, was it hard dropping just the one child off and leaving behind my chance to get out by myself. It was even harder looking into the eyes of my child as we drove away while she sobbed asking to be able to go. I wanted to turn around, but I realized if I gave in and let her go, the lesson would not be learned and the transgressions would be repeated and left to be dealt with another day. Although my child was very repentant and show genuine remorse, my spirit and my husband counseled me to stick to my guns by withholding the “good” because I loved my child and wanted her to learn a very valuable lesson.


In Matthew 16:23 Jesus said “.....get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savoriest not the things that be of God, but those that be of man.”
These were pretty harsh words for Peter after he “rebuked” Jesus for forecasting his death. While Peter was right to be repulsed by the idea of His Lords murder, had his spiritual eyes been open and had he been able to comprehend the eternal ramifications of the willing sacrifice Jesus was about to make, I believe he would have closed his mouth and instead fallen to his knees humbly weeping at the feet of his master as Mary had done days before.


Have you ever found yourself in the shoes of the father, equipped with the ability, and/or power, and strong desire to give? Have you ever had the opportunity to “give” or “do” good but had the spirit prompt you respond with a second choice, the better choice, to “withhold good”?


Have you ever found yourself in the shoes of the girl, faithful and obediently following Christ, yet having a desire, need, or request withheld? Has the anguish of your heart ever been met with the still small voice of the Lord saying “Not now”, “Endure for a while”, or “Trust me”? I know people enduring through unbelievably painful trials in their marriage, work, and life. Their desire is pure and they have faithfully served him and what makes it tough is that they know the Lord could simply utter the words and make it all go away, bringing healing, peace, or restoration. Yet for some reason, in his infinite wisdom and love he withholds the “good” and instead gives just enough strength and grace to endure.


There is a woman I barely know, whom I have never met personally, yet her life, struggles, and testimony has greatly impacted my life and walk with the Lord. I think of her daily and pray for her, that the Lord would reward her faithfulness, her long suffering, and her commitment to the truth no matter the cost, by bringing her out of her present fire and into the wealthy place place he promises awaits her an the end. At the same time, I wonder at the eternal impact her life, struggles, and story has made upon countless women all across the country. Her spiritual growth and maturity, and the wealth of knowledge and insight she is able to share, is priceless. I look at her life and I am reminded and admonished to not doubt when the Lord chooses to withhold the “good” so he can eventually give me something far greater that that which my soul longs for.


My life verse is Psalm 84:11-12
The Lord your God is a sun and and shield
The Lord will give grace and mercy,
No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly,
O Lord of Host, Blessed is the man that trusteth thee.


He can pour out blessings and goodness like the sun pours down it's rays, but he can also withhold and in withholding shield and protect us from not just evil but also second best. No matter his decision we know it is made with Love and mercy and it is accompanied with grace to endure.


Psalm 66:12
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads
We went through fire and through water,
But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.


If you are going through a trial where you are simply waiting for an answer He is there. If you find yourself painfully thrust into the refiners fire over and over again as you pray for an end to the hurt, He is there. If you find yourself in a vast and lonely ocean, fighting waves of despair and hopelessness, as you use all your strength just to keep your head above the water, no matter the trial no matter the pain, our Saviour is still there. He stands quietly with us feeling our present pain, understanding our present yearning, and our seeing our present need and he stands there with two quarters is his pocket. As our Lord passes with us through the fire and water, remember he also stands there with us in our future deliverance, our future healing, and our future blessing, and knowing all and seeing all, his hand remains where it rest and he lovingly and with omniscience withholds the “good” so that he can eventually give us of his best.


He who withheld not the most precious gift he possessed, his only and beloved son, will not withhold anything of lesser value. Why settle for just quarters when we can own the entire bank!


Are you willing to let go of the quarters and allow him to give you of his best, when and where he deems it best?

Go Get Engaged.......

Engagement, it is an event most girls dream of. A life altering moment in time when a man pledges his love, faithfulness, and life to the one he has asked to become his wife. This arrangement signifies an amazing transformation in the lives and relationship of the couple who seal the exclusive pledge between themselves through the giving and receiving of a ring. In an instant, a young woman's status changes from single to unavailable as she is thrust into a flurry of preparation for the day her promise becomes reality and she joins heart, soul, and body with the man she loves. While the change in status from single to engaged can take mere minutes, the process of “engagement” starts long before the question is “popped” and the ring is placed onto the finger of the “Bride-to-be.”

As I think about engagement, one thing that stands out is the process two people go through to get to the point where they are willing to “forsake all others.” When a woman proudly takes up the title of “Engaged”, bestowing upon her lover exclusive future rights to every aspect of her life, she become both a servant to and master of the other. As I approached my 28th birthday, very single and very much alone, I would have given all I had to taste the joy and wonder of a love as compelling as this. If you are a young lady and find yourself in the same shoes I did at 27, I want to encourage you with the challenge to “Engage your heart” in the one and only place where you will experience the love, joy, and peace you soul truly seeks and desires. Marriage might be right around the corner for you, or it may be years away, but regardless of the “when”, “right now” there is one seeking to woe your heart and your affections.

Jeremiah 30:21b says,
“I will cause him to draw near,
and he shall approach unit me;
for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me?
Saith the Lord.

And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

I want to draw your attention to the initiator of this amazingly divine and sacred dance between the God of heaven and the one he passionately loves and pursues, you! Lord states “I will cause him to draw near.” Do you feel unlovely, alone, worthless? Stop and quiet your heart and listen! In the stillness of your aching and troubled heart, do you hear his voice? Can you feel him pursuing you driven by a passion deeper than any ocean, unfathomable, unmeasurable? He is there whispering your name. Don't let the world's perception of love and your desire to find earthly love drowned out the voice of one who seeks your love, affection, and devotion.
How does the Lord cause us to draw near? By revealing the source of the aching void in our heart and soul, quenchable only through his pure and holy love. He reveals this void and need through testings and trials which burn away the dross leaving very little for us to hang on to or glory in. Stripped bare and exposed by our weaknesses, with little to glory in or become proud of we become acutely mindful of our desperate need for a love relationship with him.

As you travel the path the Lord has called you to, realize that the trials and difficulties you face as a single woman are one of many ways the Lord will reveal his love and power, compelling you to draw near to him. He desires to, and is at work bringing you to a place where you not only recognize your need to “engage your heart to him”, but are also filled with a driving desire and passion to seek, find, and experience the transforming and fulfilling wonder of the love of Jesus Christ in your life.

In the next few weeks I want to focus on “engaging our hearts to draw near to God”, and how exactly God seeks to capture and win our affection and what our responses should be to our suitor, the God of Heaven.

Please read Jeremiah 30:21b and look for other verses regarding the Lord as a lover pursuing us.

I would like to leave you with a thought and some questions:
*Would you pledge your life to a man you did not know or would you inter into a relationship with someone you knew nothing about?

*Do you truly know and understand who the Lord is?

*Is he a familiar friend or a distant stranger?

*What do you know/understand of His name and nature?

*If you are finding your relationship with him distant and strained, and if so,is it because you do not truly know or understand him?

This might date me, but imagine you were on “The Married Couple”, a popular TV game show where couples are asked questions about their significant other and then given points based on their answers which reveal how well they know each other. If it was you and God on that show together, how well would you do? Would your answers be correct? Would they be lifeless and canned, based on what you read or what your pastor or parents taught you about God? Could you give answers gleaned from personal experience and an active relationship with Him? Would your answers be uttered with the love and devotion of one who had a true understanding of who your God was?

Where is your heart right now? Who has your heart?

Presuming upon the Future......

Presuming upon the Future

In his book Seeking the Face of God, Gary Thomas recounts the story of William Nelson, a general serving in the Union Army during the Civil war. As he reposed in comfort, in a place seemingly safe and sheltered from the dangers of battle, this man found himself facing the reality of death, when an errant bullet entered into his his body draining in mere minutes the days, years, and a future life which up to that point he had presumed upon. In that moment, Thomas asks that we ponder the one final and desperate plea this man made when he realized his life was seconds away from ending, “Send for the clergy man; I wish to be baptized.” Caught unexpectedly at the gate of eternity, this man realized he had but a few precious seconds to accomplish all that mattered most in his life, and at that moment, everything took a back seat to preparing his heart to meet his maker.

In Psalm 90:12, A chapter in my Bible titled “A prayer of Moses, the man of God”, Moses implores “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” , and in James 4:14 James warns “Whereas ye know not what be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth way." The truth about life is that in lite of eternity, our days on earth are limited and few, but even more important, their number is not guaranteed. Death isn't a respecter of persons coming only for those who accomplished their fair share of success, wealth, purpose, or happiness, It snatches the old and the young, the “important” and the “insignificant”, the weak and the strong, The only restraint death knows comes from the hand of God and as scriptures says “And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Heb 9:27 only God knows the day and hour.

As I read “Seeking the Face of God”, I was struck by the truth that often times we presume upon our future supposing we have years and even decades yet at our disposal and we live our life accordingly. Our priority's are flipped upside down and we squander the day we live in assuming we have tomorrow in which to make it right. Thomas points out that “It is the only the denial of death that allows us to continue rebelling against God. It is only because we are presuming on some future time to set things right that we ever consider letting them go wrong.”

With balance and truth, we must consider this thought. As it is irresponsible of us to not allow the reality of our future and promised eternity to influence the present day in which we live, it would be just as irresponsible of us to stop providing for our family, caring for our body, paying bills, going to work....... thinking “what's the use tomorrow I may die.” We have to place our dutys and responsibilities, our physical/worldly callings, as well as our spiritual calling in light of the fact that today may be our last opportunity to get "it" done, to do "it" right.

As a twenty seven year old single woman, I wish I had come across this truth. I have to confess that as I fought to trust the Lord, my focus was on a future I both longed for and feared. By this I mean I focused upon something I desired, expected, and presumed (most days) I would eventually get- Marriage. At the same time however, I was immobilized by a fear that kept me from gleaning all I could from each day the Lord gave me, fearing that one wrong choice or action would close that door of marriage forever. I was focusing on the future, but not far enough into the future and not upon a truth or calling capable of motivating, fulfilling, empowering, or convicting me like I needed. I had no idea if marriage was indeed a calling the Lord was going to grant me, but there was another calling he had given “Be ye holy, even as I am Holy” I Pet 1:16

If you are a woman, who like me looks(looked) for guidance and direction as you travel the uncertain road of singleness (or insert whatever season you are in) wondering if you are headed in the right direction, adequately preparing for what lies ahead, let me encourage you to take stock of where you have allowed your gaze to linger and fall upon. If your gaze is where it should be, upon “Eternity”, and reaching the place where you are prepared to meet Christ without any regrets or shame, all else will fall in line. If every decision, opportunity, fear, failure & triumph is viewed in the context of the death of my flesh and my transformation into the presence of Christ I can be confident I will respond, recover, and wisely make the right decisions. If I dare to ask moment by moment whether what I am doing prepares me spiritually to meet Christ or instead diminishes my impact for Christ and impoverishes my spiritual calling, then I will find the wisdom to make the right decisions and motivation to do what is not only best for me, but for others, and for Christ..

Our eminent death can empower us with great motivation and resolve or we can ignore the truth of the uncertainty of life, and find ourselves utterly shocked and filled with regret and shame when one day soon we realize heaven looms just minutes or seconds away.
Matthew 6:34 “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Learn to shed the cares, concerns, worries, and trifles that do nothing to usher you closer to the presence of God and the finish line he has appointed for you to cross. Ask for wisdom to discern between “the Needful” Luke 10:42 which can not be taken from you, and the trivial and hollow distractions that will blind you from seeking and finding the face of God where you can bask in the peace and power of his presence.
Phillippians 3:10
That I may know Him,
And the power of His resurrection,
And the fellowship of His Sufferings,
Being made conformable unto His death.


References:
SEEKING THE FACE OF GOD by Gary Thomas (Harvest House Publishers 1999)
Scripture quotations were taken from the KJV Bible

Watered any camels Lately?

I thought I would begin my first post by explaining where the phrase "Just water the Camels" came from. This challenge, by my mother, to become a keeper of camels was one of the turning points in my life as I struggled with the various trials common to young and older women alike who desire to be married, but also desire God's best in their lives. Questions like: Why am I still single? What do I do with my emotions and desires? What am I supposed do do with my life right now, prepare as if I will get married, or assume I will not and just move on?.......

For today, here is my story of how I assumed the role and position of Keeper of Camels.

At the age of 23, my mother asked me to accept the challenge a woman thousands of years before me had fulfilled, and to pour my life into doing it with all my heart and strength. The woman was Rebecca, and my mom's charge, taken from her life, revolutionized how I viewed my single status and the future ahead of me. Mom read the story of Isaac and Rebecca in Genesis 24, pointing out that Rebecca was preforming the mundane task of watering her father's camels when her life was changed by a single decision and an act of humility and love. On that day her actions and the charachter that drove her to offer assistance to the stranger changed the course of her future.

The day Rebecca headed to the well to fetch water for her family, I am guessing she never entertained the possibility she was going down to meet the servant of her future husband, yet this is exactly what happened. By choosing to be a servant and by offering water to the stranger and to all his camels, Rebecca unknowingly became the fulfillment of a prayer uttered by another who was looking indeed looking for a spouse. She left with a bucket to fetch water and returned with jewelry on her wrist and future bride of a powerful and famous man in Biblical history.

After reading the story, my mom handed me a figurine of a camel, and challenged me to just "Water my camels." By this she meant, to faithfully preform the daily tasks and jobs the Lord asked of me each day, believing and trusting that in His perfect will and timing, my Isaac would come.

I want to pass along the same challenge to you, asking you to discover and accept the "Camels" the Lord has entrusted into your hands today. Accepting the job of caring for and keeping them until the day the Lord takes them from your hands and gives you another position.