I Ain't Tired...No Ways

I love to laugh with my boys and just goof off. But I'm particularly blessed when I get to serve with my them. Saturday, Derek and I ran an 8K to raise money for orphans. We drove down together, talked, made jokes, stopped at Starbucks and had a ball before the race began. You could either walk or run. I decided I'd run with Derek.

Well, within the first 50 yards, he smoked me. I had no hope of keeping up with him, so I set my own pace. I began to pray for orphans all over the world and scriptures began to run through my mind. I asked God to "make my feet like the feet of a deer" and to help me "run and not grow weary." I knew "those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength." At the half way point, I was determined to run the whole thing, but my thighs began to get really tight and shin splints started to set in. So I prayed harder. At the 3 mile mark, my pain was completely gone. God is such a physical God. He took away my pain and gave me feet like deer.

I was feeling it and loving my time with Jesus. In between praying God's Word back to Him, I sang one of my favorite old spirituals - "I don't feel noways tired." The chorus goes like this...

I don't feel no ways tired,
I've come too far from where I started from.
Nobody told me that the road would be easy,
I don't believe He brought me this far to leave me.

When I crossed the finish line, I felt like I was floating. Derek was waiting for me and said how impressed he was with me running the whole race. Honestly, I was a bit proud of myself, but I knew where my strength came from. Oh, I love my Jesus!!

God blessings poured forth...

1. A beautiful, cool morning to run
2. A wonderful, connective time with my firstborn
3. Strength to finish that was not my own
4. A blessed and glorious 50 minutes with Jesus...

I was running for Him!

God, Germany, and Great Times

This time last week, I was hanging out in my mother's hometown in Germany enjoying a wonderful day. I spent a week there with my parents visiting my grandma. She will be 98 in August. It was such a blessed time. Germany is such a beautiful country and my grandmother lives right on the Mosel river...it's breathtaking.

I laughed so much and had such a great time that it was hard to come home. I always miss my boys greatly, but was so torn when I left. I knew it highly likely that would be the last time to see my grandmother, but after a week I begin to miss the boys terribly. So I hugged and kissed and hugged and kissed and then said goodbye.

As I was flying over I began to journal a bit. I was talking to God and asked Him to reveal Himself to me on this trip. I wanted to feel His presence in a very real way. I did. He always has something to teach me and I am delighted to be His student.

I had the pleasure of reading three books during my 20 hours in the air, time in the airport and a few quiet moments to myself in Germany. Each of these books spoke to me in very real and meaningful ways.

The first was called And The Word Came With Power about a lady who translated the Bible to a tribe in the jungles in the Philippines. I was reminded that in 1982 when she was obeying God and bringing His powerful Word to the those who were lost, I was completely centered on myself as I graduated from high school and hoped to take on the world. I was a Christian, but was seeking my will, not His. God said to me as I finished the book, "Eternal things are all that matter."

The second was a bio on Dietrich Bonhoeffer a German martyr who tried to overthrow the power of Hitler by assassination and a coup. He lived completely focused on God's will for his life. I was able to talk to my grandmother about him and she said she remembers him and that she didn't think enough people stood up with him. It was so cool to be talking to my grandmother about a hero of mine who died 20 years before I was born. As I spent time in an area that is not known for its faith, I was reminded of how important it is for me to stand firm and stand strong for my Jesus regardless of what is going on around me.

The third was a bio on Amy Carmichael. She was an incredible missionary who spent 56 years in India saving young girls from the horrible caste system that placed no value on them and sold them into horrible conditions. She impacted the lives of thousands and had and incredible faith that only comes with a complete devotion to the King. Her life was purposeful and impactful, but often very, very hard. I heard God whispering to me as I meditated on her life..."Stay focus on my purpose..."

I'm grateful for my time in Germany, but I'm grateful most of all that God stays close to me and teaches me in every situation. My prayer this week to come is that I live out what I learned.

An Invasion of Intimacy

Two weeks ago I had an incredibly intimate and profound encounter with Jesus Christ. It was unexpected and took time to truly get my heart around it. And for the past couple of weeks, He continued to reveal Himself to me. As I reflect on our time together, I continue to be amazed...words cannot describe what He has become to me. I have just this week watched Him physically heal me, instantly take away emotional pain, intercede in a relationship, move in the lives of those I do life with and show up time and time again.

It continues to confound me how very personal God is. He invades my life with His love and compassion and grace in ways that simply stun me. I am His child and if I ever lose sight of that, I will surely be lost.

I depend completely on Him. I depend on Him for my every breath and for my next step. And I'm thankful He is there every minute of every day for me. He completes me!

I look forward to flying over the Atlantic on Monday as I head to Germany to visit with my grandmother. I look forward to worshipping this same God in Europe and I pray He will reveal another part of His character to me as I stand on another continent. I love loving Him!!