A Season of Change

"A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;

A time to tear,
And a time to sew"

- Ecclesiastes 3:6-7

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 I am in a season of change. My website will very soon look completely different, and this blog will be integrated into that site. I'm beginning to remember why I don't like change! Migrating all the poetry is a big job.

I am not posting any poems on Twitter or Facebook this week. I want to get the migration done as quickly as possible and I have company coming in this weekend which is when I usually do all the scheduling for posts. 

Hopefully by this time next week, I'll have a new site for you to see! God bless!

Matthew 6:25-34

This section of the Sermon on the Mount has been on my mind and heart for several weeks now. Our family is in a season of struggles right now and God is teaching us to trust Him for everything we need. This is a huge stumbling block for me since I want to be in control of as many things as is possible. I like plans and schedules and definitive answers. Waiting is not my strong suit.

I haven't written a poem from this verse yet, but I am fairly sure that will happen soon. I am starting to think that the reason I haven't been able to take any of my older ideas and flesh them out is because I'm in a different place now. I have different emotions, different situations, and a different perspective. Now that's not to say I won't ever use them, just probably not right now.

I have been working this weekend on my new website, mostly a lot of data entry. It's going to be more work than either I or my webmaster thought, but it should be done soon. It's going to take some getting used to, but I have high hopes!

I am beefing up my Twitter postings to seven a day, seven days a week. I think that trying to reach as many people at as many different times as possible is an important thing. As vile as Twitter can be at times, it can be turned into a powerful tool for the Kingdom too. Keep your eyes open for all those posts!

On Tuesday, March 1st, I saw a Twitter post that there was an urgent message being presented to the IHOP staff, family and students. We were a little worried so we tuned into the live web feed and wow ... we were rocked. Here is an edited version. To get the full message, you can go here to the archive on www.ihop.org and scroll down to March 1, 2 PM. The message begins at about 1:23:00. Then you will need to click on March 1, 4 PM to access the second hour.

John Mulinde is from Uganda and he brings a powerful message from his past. It will bring new insight into many Scriptures and change your view of your life radically.

Well I am off to add more content to my new website. I pray blessings over you and that God would meet you in every moment of each day!

Unrelenting

I posted a new poem last week called "Unrelenting" which was born out of the song "You Won't Relent" by Misty Edwards from IHOP-KC. You can see a video of it performed live here on YouTube. It's also on her album, Relentless, available in a number of places. The verse that some of lyrics come from is Song of Solomon 8:6.

God loves us. God loves us passionately. God wants us, all of us. And He will ask us relentlessly to give Him everything in our lives. But He will never force anything. He will never stop pursuing us as His children, but He will never force us to love Him.

One of my favorite VeggieTales quotes is from "A Snoodle's Tale". The "Creator" is asked by the little Snoodle why he doesn't just make the other Snoodles love him. And the man replies, "A gift that's demanded is no gift at all." It makes me cry every time. If God wanted everyone to love Him, He could force us to do that. But He wants us to make that choice. He gave us freewill and gave up the chance for universal admiration when He did that. However, He will never stop trying to woo us to love Him.

My family and I would appreciate your prayers. We have all been sick with colds and such, and our son had another seizure this past week. We need healing!

I am still working on my book, with formatting well on its way. I am very pleased with the way it is coming together. I hope that poems, but more importantly the testimony, will bless a lot of women who have been through some of the same things I have.

If you have a prayer request, feel free to leave a comment, contact me on Facebook or Twitter, or send me an e-mail here. Have blessed week and may God watch over you all!

Season of ...

What is Christmas to you?

A season of ... joy? giving? celebration? busyness? stress? Maybe a little of all that?

For me it's that last one; or at least it has always been before. I'm hoping that this year will be a little different though. This year (I pray) we've got the focus right.

A verse that has been on my mind since I found it is Hebrews 13:6. I obviously try to do good and share, but are those two things really sacrifices in my life? Do I share to where it hurts? Are the good things I do forcing me to sacrifice anything?

I wrote about our amazing Thanksgiving dinner last week, and this verse reminds me of that evening. We sacrificed time as a family, money for the extra food, gas to drive our friend back and forth. I sacrificed some comfort, having a new person I didn't really know well in my home.

But God blessed it mightily. He was well pleased with what we did. And I want that again. I want all the blessings God has for me.

So, like I said in my last post, we are opening the doors of our home to friends, family, maybe even a stranger, on Christmas Day. We'll have food, warmth, music, and fellowship. It won't be quiet. It won't be private. It won't look like any other Christmas we've had in the past.

And I am very okay with that.

I have been writing Christmas poems for a few weeks now, and I currently have four that I'll be posting the week of Christmas. I'm actually hoping He'll give me one more so I have a full slate of new ones that week, but we'll see what He's got.

Have a great week everyone. I pray that God pours out blessings as you navigate this season and that you are always able to hang onto the reason we celebrate every year. See you next week!