God Blesses Above and Beyond

January 25, 2016 by 8 Comments

untitled

Anyone growing weary while traveling a hard road? Anyone growing discouraged while waiting for God to answer your cries for mercy? Don’t give up. Let me encourage you. God may be getting ready to bless you above and beyond your present hopes. The photos with my post today are our family’s testimony to that very fact.

Before I say more about our family’s story, though, let’s recall a story from the Bible—one that shows how God has been in the above and beyond business for a very long time. We all remember the story of God parting the Red Sea for Moses and the Israelites as they made their escape from Egypt, but do you remember that they then traveled for three days in the desert without finding any water?

I’d say traveling in the desert without water is a hard road in anyone’s book. The parched and desperate travelers must have been begging for mercy from the God who was leading them out of Egypt. When they came to Marah, they found water, but it was bitter. Moses cried out to the Lord, though, and he showed him a piece of wood to throw in the water to make it sweet. The Lord heard Moses’ cry for help and met their desperate need.

God was not finished blessing and refreshing the Israelites, though. He led them on to even more. When they reached Elim, they not only found water in abundance—twelve springs to be exact—but they found shade as well in the form of seventy (yes, seventy!) palm trees. God blessed them above and beyond.

God has blessed our family above and beyond, too. Our daughter Kristin and son-in-law Shawn traveled a painful desert road for years as they desperately cried out to God for a baby. As their parents, we traveled a hard road as well as we hurt for them and prayed along with them. And then, when none of us knew how much longer they could endure, God answered our cries for mercy. He blessed Kristin and Shawn with precious newborn twin boys—our sweet grandsons Isaiah and James. Yes, when God answered, he said, “Here’s two!” Above and beyond indeed!

Friends, we have a Father who specializes in above and beyond, who loves to give good gifts. If you are barely hanging on today as you wait for him to answer your cries for mercy, take heart. He loves you. He has the perfect plan in place, the perfect answer for you and your unique situation. Trust in him. Trust in his above and beyond heart. Even though the answer may be different than what you imagined, it will be what’s best. He will not fail you.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

*When has God answered your prayers above and beyond what you dreamed or imagined?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out next week. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Photos by Anna Martin Photography; also find Anna on Facebook.

Isaiah and James

Filed Under: Above and Beyond, blessing, family, Gift, mercy, perseverance, travel, trial, trust, unfailing, wait, Word of God Tagged With: , , , ,

Undone by the Gift of Our Savior

November 30, 2015 by 6 Comments

4161935408_9b02a46dd9_zLast year at this time, my husband Don was enduring a season of pain like he’d never known before. On November 15, 2014, he fell roof-high from a ladder and fractured his spine in eight places. He was laid up at home for almost two months before he could attempt a return to a modified work schedule. He needed pain medication on a regular basis for a while. It was rough.

One day during December while I had a favorite Christmas cd playing and “Joy to the World” was wafting through the air, I went in to check on Don and he was crying. He was completely undone by the gift of our Savior.

He said, “He could have come down from the cross. He could have come down. But he stayed. He suffered. For me.” Because of the pain Don had been enduring, the fact that Jesus came to earth to die a painful death to pay for our sins took on a whole new level of meaning for him. Our “Joy to the World” came at a great cost. A cost Jesus was willing to pay.

As we listen to and sing the carols of Christmas this year, let’s listen and sing as if it’s the first time we’ve heard or sung them. Let’s be touched afresh by them. Let’s come undone by the gift of our Savior.

Why not start with “Joy to the World”? I’ll print the words below. Let’s glory in its message together today!

“Joy to the world , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.”
*lyrics by Isaac Watts

*Has a carol of Christmas ever taken on special meaning for you?

*Flickr photo by jeffweese, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: Above and Beyond, Christmas story, family, Gift, holidays, joy, love, mercy, music, salvation Tagged With: , , , , ,

Midweek Morsel: God’s Throne of Grace

August 21, 2014 by 4 Comments

82767550_eb9bd791a1_z

I have a tendency to approach God at times like He is a disapproving parent or some other harsh authority figure—a boss or a teacher, etc. I forget how much he loves me. I feel like he’s thinking instead of all my faults.

As a result, instead of running into his open arms with the abandon of a dearly loved child as I pray, I enter his presence with eyes downcast, weighed down by a load of guilt and feelings of failure.

But when that happens, I have it all wrong. This is how scripture tells us we can approach God:

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

What will we find at God’s throne? Grace, mercy, help. God wants us to approach him with confidence so he can freely give us his unconditional love. So let’s lift up our heads and eagerly run to the One who loves us like no other.

*How can we remind ourselves of God’s great love, mercy, and grace?

*Flickr photo by adwriter, Creative Commons License

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Be sure to enter the “Back At It” Giveaway. See post for details!

Filed Under: free, giving, grace, help, love, mercy, prayer

Midweek Morsel: The One Who Stills Storms

January 16, 2014 by 5 Comments

7282735938_5f20ef6bfb_z

“He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm and he guided them to their desired haven.” Psalm 107:29-30

One thing I love about scripture is how we can pray it back to the One who gave it. His words can guide our prayers and express our hearts’ deepest desires, requests, fears, joys, and thanksgivings. Won’t you pray back the verses above with me today?

“O Mighty God and Heavenly Father, thank you so much for being a God who is able to still the storms in my life to a whisper. Thank you for hushing the waves that threaten to engulf me.

Lord, the calm you’ve blessed me with is such a welcome relief and lifesaver, and I rejoice in you and your good gift. Thank you for guiding me to the haven I so desperately needed. Thank you for being the One who stills storms.”

“And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Mark 4:39 KJV

*When has God calmed a storm in your life?

*Flickr photo by Dave

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, will come out in early February. Sign-up is free and to the right!

Filed Under: help, mercy, peace, prayer, protection, rest, Word of God

Tender Mercies

October 30, 2013 by 16 Comments

7943816746_6406362a26_z

I’ve got to admit it—it’s hard getting back to blogging (and other things) after the unexpected loss of my mom. Let me start by thanking you all for your prayers and many expressions of love and concern over the past couple of weeks. Each one has touched my broken heart. Each one has been much appreciated.

It was so difficult to see Mom lying in a hospital bed injured beyond repair, but you know what—God was with us each step of the way, granting tender mercies and reminding us of other mercies he’s given leading up to this last event. I won’t try to recount them all. There are too many. But I would like to share a few and offer God praise for them all, told and untold.

Ah, the tender mercy of seeing God’s hand in the timing of Mom’s home-going. Though it felt too soon to let her go, God allowed us a great year together as a family this year.

Mom and Dad celebrated their 60th anniversary on January 1st, and we celebrated Mom’s 80th birthday in May. Even though she suffered a TIA in June and another in August, Mom and Dad were able to enjoy our family reunion trip to Tennessee in July. After finally getting her blood pressure stabilized, Mom and Dad were also able to take a little trip back to Missouri (their home for twenty-two years before moving to Tulsa last year) just a couple of weeks before the accident. They had the best time renewing their friendships and visiting their church. All of these things were gifts—tender mercies as my friend Karen called them—to all involved.

Even the timing of Mom and Dad’s move last year—which was hard on all of us at the time—is a gift beyond compare now. God knew it was time for Mom to go home so he moved them close to family in plenty of time for them to get settled in their new home and church. If they hadn’t moved, Dad would be three hours away from family today. Instead, he lives in the same town as my sister Carolyn now, and I live just seventy-five miles away. A tender mercy indeed.

God’s merciful timing was evident on the day of the accident as well. Carolyn just happened to be at home because her boys were on fall break. The accident happened right outside the hairdresser’s shop—and she just happened to be a friend of Carolyn’s. She called Carolyn and told her Mom had been in an accident, and Carolyn was able to get to the scene in a few short minutes because it was just blocks away. Since my nephew Cody was home from school, he was able to go pick up my dad and take him to the hospital—which again, just happened to be blocks from the accident scene. Pretty amazing in a city the size of Tulsa. Coincidences? No. More tender mercies from our loving Lord.

Even the way Mom died was a mercy in the grand scheme of things. Her dad died in the months following a major stroke, and it looked like Mom might be headed in that direction. As hard as it was to see her poor sweet body go through the trauma of an accident, she went into a coma almost immediately and didn’t suffer. How much better than to endure the effects of a major stroke or the cruelty of cancer or Alzheimer’s. Yes, another tender mercy—though it still hurts like crazy to have lost her so unexpectedly.

The few days we had with her in the hospital were another gift from God. Dad especially needed those days to accept the fact that it was time for her to go to heaven. Those days were precious to us all. Even though we didn’t know if she could hear us, we were able to tell her we loved her.

These are just a few of God’s tender mercies to us, and oh, what comfort he gave us through them. What peace they offered in the midst of heartbreaking pain. What a kind and loving heavenly Father we have. And yes, I’m singing his praise through tears right now, but oh how worthy he is of our praise.

Thank you, friends, for standing with me and my family during a time of such great sorrow.

“Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.” Lamentations 3:32

*Flickr photo by Flower’s.Lover, Creative Commons License

*The Life Notes Subscriber Appreciation Giveaway is still underway. Details are in my Oct. 17th post and sign-up is to the right. Deadline is 6 p.m. Nov. 13. Don’t miss out on the chance to win a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble!

Filed Under: comfort, family, grief, mercy, praise
« Previous Page
Next Page »