A Bountiful Harvest

Oh...this needs to be short because I have dinner on the stove and a lot to do tonight, but I have to get this out while it is fresh and before I get tied up again and forget to post...this post just can't be forgotten.

Let me say, this is not a post to brag on myself...for I am nothing, this isn't about something I did...because I can't do anything worthy of praise...but this is all about how awesome is the God I serve!

The verse that is to be woven into my curriculum this nine weeks at school is James 2:15-16. It states: If a brother or sister is poorly clothes and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things they needed for the body, what good is that?"

My class and I have discussed this verse at length and even participated in projects to bring the verse to life...oh how funny to think that I could bring to life a verse...God brings to life His living word!

I was leaving Kroger this afternoon. As I neared the stop sign at the edge of the parking lot I saw a girl standing on the corner holding a sign. We have all seen the signs...we all know what they say: "homeless, need money for food, anything will help..." Of course I took a deep breath, felt a little knot in my stomach and began wondering "okay...what do I do?"
I have seen so many people holding signs...and I never know exactly how to help because I never know the exact story...maybe it's not for me to know. As I drove past her, I almost didn't make eye contact (Let's face it, isn't it easier to ignore the person begging if you don't look into their eyes?) but then I did. I saw her smile, and then my eyes drifted to her belly...she was pregnant, that was one thing about her situation I could be certain.

I pulled out of the lot, and thought "What can I do?" That is when He spoke. I felt the Holy Spirit speak to me and remind me of James 2:15. Oh...okay...

I pulled into the closest and next lot and parked the car. I began to pray. My prayer went something like this..."Lord, I know I need to help her, I know your word teaches this...but how? I cannot give her money, I can't afford to give her money right now and I don't have any cash even if I could...how do you want me to help her? What if she isn't safe? What if this is a scam? I need you to help me help her."

I've been helping out with one of the pregnancy centers here in the area so my plan was to give her the phone number. "Okay Lord, that is a good plan...if I can't give her money I can at least give her a number to call for help." That is where (I thought) the plan ended...but that wouldn't be much of a God story.

I looked up the phone number on my phone, dug around for a pen in my purse, then opened up the console to get a notepad...as I opened it up, there, displayed right in-between the mess of my console, was a Publix gift-card.
I gasped.

Let me say, I don't shop at Publix much, I am still a Kroger girl...trying to convert...but I definitely have never bought a Publix gift-card in my life. "Really Lord?? Really?"
Also, let me say, I know my gift-cards and where I keep them...I also know what is in my console...I have never seen that card before. It was still in the packaging, it was brand-new, never used.

I called my husband to make sure he didn't put it in there...he didn't have the slightest idea what I was talking about. Not only was this card mysteriously placed in my car...it was even the correct season. It had pumpkins and apples on it, and at the top it read "For a plentiful season"

It will be a plentiful season alright, especially for the girl because she is about to bring into the world a precious baby boy. After I got over being choked up (why do I let God catch me off guard...I know He is amazing...) I prayed over the card, and took it to her. She is from Romania, she is 20 years old, she has been living in her van, and her due-date...was YESTERDAY!

She said she was a Christian and she appreciated my help and that God had provided for her.

There is more to the story...if you want to know more I will gladly tell you, but I want to stop the post here...because this is again not a story about me or even her...but about how God provides for His children and how He gives us opportunity to live out His word...if we will listen for His voice.

I am not saying to go give all your money away or to even give anything to the man or woman holding the dirty signs on the street corner....but I must share, no shout, about His goodness and His greatness and the far reach of His love!

Here is a picture of the card....could the message have been any more perfectly timed? 

How can I keep...

from... Singing, Praising, Shouting, Exclaiming, Proclaiming....God's GLORY?

Oh how great God is. He was and is and will be!

When I look at the blinding sunrise, when I see the beauty of a created world all around me my heart sings for joy at how great God is!

I will sing of His glory now and I will sing of it forever. How can I not? How can I not proclaim the goodness and greatness of God? He has shown me Himself, He has revealed to me how He loves me, and how He has made a way for me to have relationship with Him now and forever. A perfect and holy God...the one who created me, loved me from the beginning, and loves me now, He wants to be with me? Oh how great that I didn't choose him first, but He chose me! He loved me (past-tense) when I was still running from Him, He loved me, I am His beloved!

He is everywhere...He is in the sunrise, the shooting stars, the rushing winds, the laughter of children, the ripples of a tide, the mighty waves of the sea, the dew in early morning, the crisp fall air, but most of all...He is in me! He is in my heart and His love is good and great and never-ending and never-stopping! Oh when I feel Him in my soul, when I hear Him whisper to me, when I feel His love bubbling up inside of me, how can I keep my soul from singing of His greatness and His glory?

How great God is and greatly to be Praised! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3wa89TU3WU

I am currently loving this song!

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

Psalm 145:3

An Embrace, A breath, A sigh

Since the canyon was grand, and I think I might have left a tiny piece of my heart there, I think it is fine to write a second post on it...

Our last night in the canyon there was a terrible or incredible (however you want to look at it) storm. Let me say that our guides said over and over that it "never" rains in the canyon...for any of us on the trip, that is hard to believe...because it rained the majority of the trip. Whether we were being drenched in the rapids, misted by sprinkles of rain, or just saturated with a down pour, we stayed wet most of the trip.

As I mentioned before, we talked a lot about the global flood during our trip. We talked about how it was powerful, catastrophic, and world changing...literally, it left behind this great and grand canyon.

As we discussed the flood we also discussed the brave few who followed God's command to enter into the Ark and receive salvation from the powerful waters. Noah...ever heard of him? I am sure you have. When I think about Noah's ark, I always think about the puzzle I had when I was a child. It was a colorful and fun scene filled with lots of animals (2 of a kind of course) entering into the archway of the Ark. I can vividly remember Noah in the picture as well as a few raindrops, dark clouds, and a rainbow that went from top corner to top corner in the puzzle. I loved that puzzle....while somewhat accurate, I am certain now that it was not entirely like that...

When I learned of the bible story as a child, what I remember most is Noah's faithfulness to follow God's command and build this giant boat and fill it with animals and his family. I remember learning that he had probably never seen rain and didn't know what to expect, just that he blindly followed God's word. I learned that the people who didn't listen to Noah and believe that a flood was coming perished. I learned that after the flood, God put a rainbow, turned upward toward himself, in the sky to signify His promise to never flood the entire earth again...that was the story I learned...sound familiar? I still believe all of those events to be biblical and true, but now, after experience this trip, my heart is gripped for the others in that story...the ones who were not the main characters...the ones who perished.

Like I said, our last night in the canyon a great storm came upon us. It was in the middle of the night and there was no sleeping through it. It was loud and it rained hard...really really hard. As if the rain alone didn't wake us all, the thunder and lightening really put on a show. As the thunder boomed and the lightening bounced around the canyon walls I became a little frightened. Did I mention we were in little tents on the bank of the mighty river? My mind began to race....I could see the water levels rising or worse, our metal framed nylon tent being struck by lightening. I remember looking out the mesh window of our tent thinking "we have no control over this..." I began to pray for our safety. I prayed that God would protect us and keep the water level down and the lightening far away. At one point I looked over and Chris was awake too. I reached across the tent and grabbed his hand. I kept praying and telling myself "it will all be over in a while, when morning comes, this storm will have passed over us."

Guess what?? It did. The storm will always pass over those who are in God's embrace. But for the first time in forever, God reminded me of the people in the great flood and how it didn't pass them by. I thought about how scared I was and wondered if that is how they felt. I am sure it was. I had a sense of relief thinking that the storm would pass, but did they? Maybe at first...when the waters started to rise, maybe they too thought it would pass. At what point did that change for them? When did they start to think "what if this doesn't stop?" At what point did they become fearful and realize the waters would keep rising, the storm wouldn't cease? At what point did they realize that the storm would take their life? I get chill bumps just thinking about it. I think about Noah and his great faith. Was he ever scared? Not for himself maybe, but for those he cared about around him? Could he hear their cries, their pleas? What about when the waves picked up and the storm was at its worst? Was he scared then? He didn't know how long he would be upon the rough seas...did he cry out "how long of Lord?"...I don't know...maybe.

I think back to the beauty of the clear skies after the storm in the canyon. God said he would never again flood the entire earth. He said that a second judgement would come but not by water. He even took a bow, turned it toward himself, as a promise that He would make a way for His chosen ones, for His children...and oh how He came through on that promise. I am so thankful that He didn't leave it up to me to save myself or find my own way, but He made the way, through Christ, for us.
Even if the waters of the river had risen and our situation turned dangerous, I would have been scared for sure, but because I am covered by Christ, death has forever lost its victory over me....praise God!

As I walk the rough waters of this life, and when the seas may rise, I pray for the faith of Noah. I pray for faith to walk humbly and fearfully with my great God, never forgetting his holiness and might...I thank God He has made a way of salvation for me. I can walk knowing that in any storm, a good and sovereign God holds me in his tight embrace, never letting me go, and I can take a deep breath and let out an eternal sigh of relief.

Oh to be a child of God...there is no greater thing to be. 

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters; I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, you Savior."          Isaiah 43: 2-3

"Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" 

1 Corinthians 15:55

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw

I love this song...favorite line "your grace abounds in deepest waters, your sovereign hand will be my guide." 

*This is not my picture, I can't take credit...although there was a rainbow that night, my picture just didn't do it justice.