Oops!

Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. Micah 7:8

I'm in a season of falling. Actually, that's kind of normal for me. I'm known for tripping over curbs, falling down stairs...I even fell over a tombstone once. But that's a story for another time.

Mom says I was born upside down and backwards, so it's her fault. 

But that's not the kind of falling I'm talking about. I stub my toe on disappointment. I trip over discouragement. Frustration is as slippery as a banana peel.

But, as I sit here, on my...um...derriere, I remember this truth: Yes, I've fallen but I will get up! God's presence gives my feet stability.

 

As hard as I try to pull down the shades and sit in the dark, His light bursts through. Darkness can't exist in His presence.

 

I'm not very good at watching where I'm going. I just skip along, falling over any emotions the enemy throws in my path. But, every time, God reaches out His hand and says, "Let Me help you up."

 

When I allow darkness to pour down around me, God says, "I'm here and there is no darkness in Me."

 

Hope, peace, joy...these things flood my life with the Light of God's presence.

 

Praise Him! He's not only the Light of the world, He's the Light of my heart.

 

Have you fallen lately? How did God reach down and pick you up?

When did you last praise Him for His light?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Light Bulb Burnt Out

I had a great idea - yesterday :(

I thought, "That's a great idea for my blog tomorrow. I'll certainly remember it."




I've spent several hours today, trying to remember it. You know that little light bulb that's supposed to appear over your head when you have an idea? Apparently mine's burnt out.


How amazing to know God never loses His memory. He doesn't rely on light bulbs with our names in them to remember who we are and how much He loves us.

We belong to Him. We are His precious treasure. He will never forget us!

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1b

Do you feel like God has forgotten you?
How comforting is it to know you are never out of His thoughts?

Driving in the Dark

My old Hyundai didn't like me.

I was attending a Bible study class across town that began about 6:30 pm and ended at 9:00 pm. One evening, I started home and the headlights wouldn't come on. This church was out in the middle of nowhere and street lights were scarce.

Conveniently enough, we were studying the Gospel of John and we'd read Chapter 9 just that evening. Chapter 9:5 says, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

So...I nervously drove home with my emergency flashers on, saying "you are the light  of the world, so give me light!"

I can't say any miraculous beam of light swept before me but I did make it home safely.

Of course, I took the stupid thing to the shop three times but the headlights worked like a charm when the car was there--just not when I was driving on a dark street.

The point is, however, I often stumble around in the shadows, trying to make a decision and I forget Jesus is the light of the world and can brighten my path so choices are clearer.




He lights my path as I make decisions, as I face temptations, as I struggle with doubts and fears. How amazing! Jesus is my Savior, my Friend, and my Light.



How has the Light met your needs?
When has He shone His light on your dark path?

Hop, Skip, and Jump

My favorite bible is the Amplified translation. I have several, each one used until tape and hot glue will no longer hold them together. It's the one I use when I want to hear God's heart. Enjoy the fullness of Matthew 11:28-30:

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden
 and over burdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve
and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly)
in heart, and you will find  rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet)
 for your souls.
For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good - not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.

Lance Rodgers Art

See what I mean? Look at those words: ease, relieve, refresh, gracious, pleasant...the word that comes to mind is "lighthearted." I wonder, when was the last time I felt lighthearted?


In my minds eye, I see myself hopping and skipping and jumping.

Or maybe zooming along on my roller skates.

I could do all that when I was ten - now I'm sure I'd kill myself.


But humming, smiling for no reason, walking Ruby with a skip in my step...those I can do. But I tend to carry my responsibilities around with me, like a backpack.

It's been along time since I felt that carefree. How about you?

Maybe I'd feel more like skipping if, even for a few minutes,  I really shared my burdens with Jesus. Set the backpack down, Sherry! Let Him carry all that stuff. Then I'd be truly lighthearted!



What image comes to mind when you think about being lighthearted?

When was the last time you felt that way?

You Light Up My Life

Remember this song: "You Light Up My Life" sung by Debbie Boone.

♫ And you light up my life, you give me hope to carry on. ♫

 

 

I never even like this song and now I've got the silly tune stuck in my head.

 

 

I tried humming other catchy tunes like

 

"Zip-a-dee-doh-dah" 

"You Are My Sunshine"                  

"I Been Working on the Railroad."

 

It worked for a few minutes and then the horrible thing was back in my head again. (Apologies to the "You Light Up My Life" fans out there.)

 

Really, those lyrics sound like they could be in a hymn but, I have to confess, God doesn't always light up my life.

 

Sometimes He stretches my faith like a rubber band.

 

Sometimes He pulls me so far out of my comfort zone I can't even see it anymore.

 

Sometimes He asks me to do something I really don't want to do.

 

I'd prefer to stay where I'm safe and happy and sure of myself all the time. But then, I wouldn't need Jesus' light, would I?

When has God pulled you totally out of your comfort zone?
 

120 Miles per Hour!

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me."   Exodus 16:13 

My speedometer broke a couple days ago. I've been running back and forth to the vet in a nearby town for laser treatments Um...no, I'm not getting laser treatments, Ruby is. And, no, she's not having wrinkles around her eyes made less visible. She's having treatments on an inflamed joint.

Anyway, the speed limit on the highway is 75 mph. I set the cruise control but I noticed that even the slow cars were zooming past me. Now, I don't speed (much), so I knew something was wrong.


I sped up to go with the flow and my speedometer said I was going 110 mph.

I'm a NASCAR enthusiast and I've always wanted to go 110 mph but I could tell I really wasn't going that fast.

For one thing, I still had control of the car.

So, I've spent the last few trips going with the flow. Today, a little alarm went off in my head: How many times do I go with the flow? A little compromise here. A little "I want to fit in," there. I step into the shadows, hoping God won't notice.

Genesis 16:13 has always been one of my favorite verses - it comforts me to know God's light is always around me, He's always aware of what I'm going through.

But I can't pick and choose when He sees me. He sees me when times are tough, so why do I think He doesn't see me when I step off His path.

We can't escape God's spotlight - and that's a good thing. He sees us when we need Him and He sees us when we step into the danger of compromise. He gently reminds us that we need to get back on the path of living by faith.



When have you stepped off the path, hoping God wouldn't see you?

How did He guide you back?

The Miracle of Light

God made two great lights--the greater light to govern the day

and the lesser light to govern the night. Genesis 1:16

We know the moon only reflects the sun's light. It seems to shine brightly, but that's an illusion.

What does the moon really look like? The image through a telescope during a new
moon, when the sun's rays are blocked, is not a pretty picture. It's rough and pitted. Cold and harsh.

Isn't it amazing that God chose to use the sun's rays to cloak an ugly moon in beauty?

The wonder of this miracle becomes even more amazing if we catch an glimpse of our true selves when we're not cloaked in God's light - the light of Jesus.
We're soaked in sin, through and through. We're surrounded by darkness. Isaiah says we're uglier than filthy rags. We're smellier than our pet's poop. That may make us smile, but God is repulsed.



What an astounding transformation! From repulsed to loved. God chooses to fill us with the light of His Holy Spirit and to cloak us in the brilliance of His Son. Our filthy rags are cleansed and we shine with the beauty of God's grace.







Let your mind fill with the wonder of it. Let your heart swell with the joy of it. How can we not shout and sing God's praise! Praise Him for the miracle that He chose you to bathe in His glory.


You are chosen. God's beautiful light awaits you. If you're still standing in darkness, reach out to Him and ask for the Light of His Son.

His Shining Face

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us,

Psalm 67:1

This morning, I sat in my rocker, eyes closed, and tried to picture the Lord sitting on His throne and smiling at me.

I could feel his face shine on me - shining love and warmth and joy down on me and
on my day.

Today, there will be many opportunities to reflect the shine of his love, warmth, and joy to those around me. This idea both excites me and challenges me.

How can I hide such a beautiful light under a bushel?

Will you have opportunities today to share God's light?
How can the simple things in your life shine his light?

YAY!! San Antonia - let's make it 4 in a row!

Sheltering Shade

The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand.

Psalm 121:5

 

 

It's been a hard week. Lots of frustration. Plans upset. Things going wrong at every turn.

Through it all, I felt the cool protection of God's shade covering me during all the ups and downs.

Praise God that He is our guiding light and our sheltering shade!

How has God been your shade in hard days?
What does His cool protection mean to you?