Sweet Mercies!

"Let Your Mercy Fall From Heaven, Sweet Mercy Fall From Heaven." I don't know if you have heard this song before, but it is sweet! Because God's mercies are sweet! Lately I have felt so underserving of His mercies- our God is so GOOD! He's been showing me my sin- the grossness of my heart- the need of Jesus I have- mercy! So, today- praise the LORD most high! The Holy Spirit is my Helper! I completed 10 miles of running- my last long run until race time. So, as I ran- I did the same 5 mile loop twice- my first 5 mile break I tried this liquid power bar with water- and it did work and no cramping praise the Lord! So, then with 2.5 miles left the rain came down! Last night- wow, I just have so much to share! God pressed Isaiah 45 on my heart- which I am so stoked about!!!!!!! So as the rain fell- one of the verses that stuck out was verse 8: "Drip down, O heavens, from above,
And let the clouds pour down righteousness; Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit, And righteousness spring up with it. I, the LORD, have created it. Yes- LORD rain down Your righteousness- yes salvation!!! God is going to be doing amazing things in Sidney!!!! Then as I was running in the rain, listening to my Shuffle, I listened to Hillsong's Point of Difference: (Hang in there- You MUST read the last part of this blog entry- it gets good!)
The tide is turning
this is redemptions hour
in the midst of a world lost for love
You are all we have now
the lost returning
salvation is all around
in the midst of the world broken down
You are all we have now
for You are God and this hope is ours
so Father open the skies
flood the earth with Your light
this is love
to break the world indifferent

our hearts are burning
a fire that won't burn out
in the midst of a world that's grown cold
You are all we have now
the earth resounding
the anthem of your reknown
as we lift up our eyes
and look to Your glory

call us out
let the world see
You are God
and this hope is ours
so call us out
let the world see
You are God, as we sing

Yes- open up the skies flood the earth with Your light!!!

Then MORE mercy....as I'm running the last 2 miles I stepped on a rock and my left ankle majorly turned in- this is the ankle that I sprained in August and I took a couple of stumbling strides- and called out to My Father for mercy and my ankle is fine praise the LORD most High! Then I remembered at a luncheon I was at today the words of stumbling blocks....I was so not looking at the ground and that stumbling rock came up and grabbed me. At times, just like the sin I mentioned previously, can take me unaware- Oh Holy Spirit- quicken me and open my eyes to be aware of tactics of the evil one- the one that creates division- amongst me and my God, amongst me and His people. Yes- Unity- Yes- unity with the body and most importantly with My Abba.

Katie Abbott

This blog entry is a tribute to the life of Katie Abbott. Katie entered into the gates of heaven this past Thursday and today friends of hers and her family remembered her life. The funeral service today was beautiful. I loved the variety of people in attendance from older people, to her friends from S and H Products and Joy Church here in Sidney- beautiful to see all of us united and Katie's presence united us. Truly as Katie was in a wheelchair, she did not let that limit the joy that she gave to people as countless people shared about her infectous smile; a smile that lit you up. I loved as one of the ladies of the church stated the entire Abbott family went on a mission trip; that initially she thought that Katie came along so that her dad could take care of her, but no- that Katie ministed to people- with teaching her boys about people in wheelchairs, to giving her smiles. I love that! Every life has 100% value- and I believe Katie's life truly has a special place in Jesus's heart. May we VALUE all people. Just because she could not talk as her speech therapist stated, Katie was one of the best communicators. We ended the service by taking communion and how touching that was...as Pastor Chris shared that Katie never could take communion as she could not safely swallow- but now she is partaking- fully. We got to celebrate with her as we partook communion. Lastly we sung Blessed Assurance- here's the last verse:

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Amen.

Multiple things

Good morning! As I write, I'm listening to Misty Edwards- I am Yours- good song if you haven't heard it. It talks about hearing His voice, when He says our name, my heart it years. When I heard His voice, when You said my name...my yearns...in the middle of the night...my heart it yearns. May my heart always yearn for You O my LORD! I'm so thankful, soooooooo thankful for Him. I don't know if you experience the nights where the battle is real in your mind. But let me tell you- when you get up and meet with Him, He meets with You. I'm so thankful that He is my refuge and dwelling place. Psalm 91. I love when His Word becomes VERY real!

I've been reading the Daily Bread for our youth small groups and the days have been ministering to me! Today I read 2nd Corinthians 5. I loved reading these verses: For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Yes, Lord, may I no longer live for myself. I looked up the word control in the Greek- check this out....to hold together i.e. to compress (the ears, with a crowd or seige) or arrest (a prisoner). When looking at the ears- I imagine a riotous crowd- and picturing someone holding their ears tuning it out- so for our lives today- tuning out all the circumstances and listening to Him- ahhhh, i love it! Other meanings to compel, perplex (interesting), afflict- I really like these last two to preoccupy, to be taken with. Yes, may we be preoccupied with Jesus's love, yes, may we be taken with His love.

One last thought for today- yes, it's been a full day already! "The LORD is good to those that wait for Him. At our first entrance into the school of waiting upon God, is mainly set on the blessings which we wait for. God graciously sees our need and desire for help to educate us for something higher than we were thinking of. We were seeking gifts; He the giver longs to give Himselfand to satisfy the soul with His goodness. It is just for this reason that He often withholds the gift and that the time of waiting is so long."- From Waiting For God. Good things do come to those who wait. Wait....wait...wait...oh my soul...my soul waits in expectancy for my good God!!!!!!!!