All week leading up to snow camp, I was really struggling with whether or not I should go. I didn’t really want to leave GraceAnna for 3 nights and 4 days. I was flip-flopping all the way up to the night before. Finally – I prayed about it – isn’t it funny/sad how praying about it was the LAST thing I did…. Anyway – as I was praying, I really started to feel like I should go – no real solid explanation – just a feeling – now if you know me very well, you’ll know I’m not much for sensationalism and I rarely use the phrase “ God told me” – or “ God spoke to my heart”… but in this instance – I really felt like the Lord did “speak to my heart” and He was saying “Come away with me.” I went ahead and packed my bags that night as if I were going to go – but still held out for the morning to make a final decision. The morning of March 2, I woke with such a strong urging to go – and the same phrase was resounding in my head… “Come away with me”. Now, being the mom of a two year old and brand new 2-month old, you can imagine how little quality time I get with the Lord – the more this phrase rung in my heart, the more sure I was – that yes – I needed to get away and be alone with the Lord. Little did I know the plans God had for me…..After the accident, a dear friend gave me Streams in the Desert and as I was laying in the hospital bed, barely able to see or hear, my sister read to me the devotional for the day of March 2 – it referenced a verse in
Exodus 34 – verse 2″ Be ready in the morning, and then come up ……. Present yourself to me there “…. –
the same refrain the Lord had laid on my heart. It was so comforting to hear those words and be reminded of what I had been confident of Friday morning… that the Lord had wanted me right where I was that morning.
I have been nervous about sharing my story – not because I am scared for people to know my story but because I am scared of my pride and my “old self” that loves to rear its ugly head! I so want the Lord alone to be glorified and don’t want to say anything to puff myself up or make myself look like I am this amazingly spiritual woman with some kind of deep walk with the Lord – I am scared to steal any of the spotlight from Jesus – because He is the only one who should be exalted EVER – and especially here as I share what He has done.
Psalm 115:1 1 “Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”
As I prayed about all of this, I realized the best way to glorify Him would be to share with you His words – and not mine… so with the rest of my space, that is what I want to do…. Share with you His words that were impacting and especially meaningful to me right after the accident….
Isaiah 40 (selected verses)
6 “All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
8 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever.”
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?
13 Who has understood the mind [d] of the LORD,
or instructed him as his counselor?
14 Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge
or showed him the path of understanding?
15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
25 “To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and complain, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.”
As huge and infinitely great God is… He still chooses to give strength to the weary
God’s grace is overwhelming. He knows exactly what I need to get through each day… and not just “get through” but rejoice in each day and all that it brings. James 1:2-3 – “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”
I Peter 4:10 10 ” Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” As this verse implies, many times this month, I have known God’s specific grace for me each day through many of you – whether it was a hot meal, an encouraging e-mail, card, or phone call, someone to do our laundry or watch our children as we’ve run around to various doctors… God has used you to administer His grace to me and my entire family!
II Cor 12:9-10 9 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Lamentations 3:21-23
“Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.”
In all of His goodness and grace, we oftentimes forget how massive, frightening, terrifying, and “other-worldly” God is. If it were not for His great love for us, we would be totally consumed in His presence – we would perish. Yes, He is big enough to save our lives in the accident and even heal us completely, but sometimes we forget that He is “big” enough to do pretty much whatever He wants to! And I can guarantee whatever He chooses to do will be that which brings Him the Most glory.
Psalm 115:3
” Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.”
