This morning, during my readings, I had lots of thoughts that popped into my mind to share and elaborate on here this morning - imagine that! I'm sure you wish that I would quit rambling about my personal life and write things of more value... but then, you do keep coming back here to read so guess anything is ok... right?
I awoke a little after 5AM this morning (we did go to bed a little later last night) with a big headache. UGH. But I took an Ibuprofen and now it feels like it is nearly gone. I think the strong coffee helped too. Maybe I was just having a caffeine withdrawal? I used to drink coffee all day long...pot after pot... seriously. Now I drink one cup (about 12 ounces, so more than one cup) early in the morning and sometimes another flavored kind in the afternoon. I occasionally drink my green tea - of which I should drink more. I also try to drink my water... which I have really failed at lately. Summertime I can get nearly a gallon down every day... but in these cooler days I do good to get 1/2 a gallon in - if that. I know you just needed to have that information.
I used up my potatoes yesterday... I had bought a big bag a week or so ago and knew I needed to use them up or throw them away in another week or so. What did I make with them? Potato Salad and Potato Soup. And yes, Ralphd00d, I have a container of potato salad put back for you. I'm hoping to run it by your place sometime this afternoon. We have a memorial service to attend at 3PM at our former church so will see if I can get hubby to swing by after. Yes, I'll keep it cooled. :-)
I took some potato soup over to Ms. Vicki yesterday afternoon and sat and visited with her some. I tell you what, it definitely was ALL GOD that I was there. That is the first time I have gone and stayed for a visit. Within ten minutes or so, she got a phone call from a friend. I could hear intense emotions coming from the phone and Ms. Vicki covered her eyes with her hand. I knew the news wasn't good, especially when I heard the word 'hospital' over the phone. When she hung up, Ms. Vicki explained... a friend's husband had been in the hospital to get stents in his heart - age 74 - and coded. Has been in a coma for two days... the friend had been called by the hospital to hurry if she wanted to say goodbye to him as he didn't have much time left. She was on her way to the hospital. Ms. Vicki was obviously upset, so I asked if I could pray with her.... and did. And then I told her that God had brought me there for this moment to be with her when she got this news, that I could pray with her. What a good, good Heavenly Father we have! Ms. Vicki lives alone; she would have had no one to help her with this troubling news if I had not been there. See how good He is?
Perhaps that is why a couple paragraphs that I read in A Shepherd looks at the 23rd Psalm this morning stood out to me:
"As Christians we will sooner or later discover that it is in the valleys of our lives that we find refreshment from God Himself. It is not until we have walked with Him through some very deep troubles that we discover He can lead us to find our refreshment in Him right there in the midst of our difficulty. We are thrilled beyond words when there comes restoration of our souls and spirits from His own gracious Spirit"
"The simple fact is that just as water can only flow in a ditch or channel or valley - so in the Christian career the life of God can only flow in blessing thorough the valleys that have been carved and cut into our lives by excruciating experiences."
Sometimes our darkest moments come and we feel so alone, unable to think or move. It may be the death of a loved one. It may be troubling times. It may be things coming against us and we don't understand why. But when we turn our hearts and minds to Jesus, and allow Him to minister to us, we can be overcome with His favor, His grace, His peace. Oh why does it take us so long to turn to Him?!
I love seeing the videos of the Asbury Revival that is going on right now. I think this is day 9 or 10. Continuous worship; students from this university and people from all over are going to experience the Presence of God in the chapels on this campus. I heard that it has also started at a couple other university campus - but do not know for a fact. Oh that the Presence of God will flow over the United States and bring people to their knees once again! People are crying out for repentance; people are being healed; the Holy Spirit is falling upon people; oh that we would seek Him in all His glory!
There is worshipper by the name of Kari Jobe - you have heard of her if you hear Christian music at all as she has written and sung several songs. I saw a video that she made as she drove to the university where the Visitation is happening and she said "It is real, what is happening. It isn't made up; God's Presence is here." But have you noticed that it isn't making the national news? Why is that?
Instead what are they showing on the news? The man who was stripped to his underwear running across the 16th hole at the Phoenix Open. The news is giving him what he wanted.... exposure (literally) and who bailed him out of jail? An underwear company (they didn't say which one). And this is news? Who really cares someone was that stupid and disrespectful? Even hubby made the comment when it came on "why is this news?".
Why not share about the goodness of God? Why not talk about revival happening? And it is happening! My prayer is that it will continue to grow; that we will all get on our faces before God and cry out to Him for revival and for a visitation of the Holy Spirit. There is nothing like it, and when you experience His Presence, you will never be the same.
Here is a comment I found about a revival: ".....I broke down crying because I felt the presence of God so powerfully that it was all I could do. And I didn't receive any special anointing or any exciting message or vision. I remember word for word what I heard from God in that moment, and all He said was "I am here because you asked me to be here." That was it. I felt like the 1 sheep of the 99 because out of an entire group of people praying, He took time to come to me and say the only thing I really needed to hear in that moment."
There is also a story going around that the Prophet Seer Bob Jones, who has since passed away, I think, once said that "When the Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl, revival will break out." Now the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl in 2020 and we didn't hear of anything....yet, here we are with a revival happening in Kentucky. Glory be!
Oh, that we would turn our hearts to Him and allow Him to flood us with His goodness!
Where do you stand with Jesus? Are you the '1 of the 99' of the sheep that went astray? Do you know the Good Shepherd is searching for you? Ah, yes, He does know where you are, but He is longing for you to come out of hiding and run in to His arms. Will you? If you will, your life will never be the same. Run!
Blessings!
