Updated on August 4, 2014
My God Has Named Me
You shall no more be termed Forsaken, nor shall your land be called Desolate any more. But you shall be called Hephzibah [My delight is in her], and your land be called Beulah[married]; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married [owned and protected by the Lord]. – Isaiah 62:3-5
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I know this promise is one for the Israelite nation. I’m so much like them, and God never changes. Not ever.
They were forsaken. Desolate. My name could be desolate, most days.
Empty. Bare. Stripped of any worthy offering.
Alone. Solitary. Even in a crowded place, surrounded by love, who could know what life is like for me? How each breath sometimes feels not worth the effort.
Joyless. Without hope. Putting on a happy face doesn’t really scratch the surface, the facade of “I’m ok”. Not much to look forward to when forward means further. Harder. Deeper into the difficult.
But Desolate is not my name.
It is not my name because I have found the One who delights in me. He has named me Hephzibah, and it is a name I treasure. The God who fashioned the galaxies delights in me.
It is not my name because I am married. I am called Beulah, for the Lord owns and protects me as a husband loves His bride.
He finds my meager offering to be a spring of love. Bountiful, lasting, sought.
Christ assures me that He is the constant companion who knows what this life is like. He cares, He soothes, He comforts.
My Bridegroom has promised that joy and hope are found in Him. The roots burrow deep into my most secret fears, bringing light and a desire to continue on.
This promise, given so long ago, holds true today for Brides like me. Like you.
What is your name?
Heavenly Father, it is so difficult for my small mind to grasp Your great love, especially for someone as unworthy as I. Thank you for calling me Hephzibah and Beulah. I am Yours. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on August 3, 2014
The One About My Vacation
“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered—
how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath.” – Psalm 39:4-5
I am officially back from vacation, and settled in back at home. It’s wonderful.
I appreciate all the prayers for us while we were away. They were felt and needed. We had a lovely time and made some great memories. It was pure joy watching the children enjoy things they’ve never seen or been able to do before.
With that said, I had to face some harsh realities, and I feel led to be honest with you here about those. Because surely there are others like me, who look so forward to getting away and then find that real life might not match up to their dreams.
Vacation with an illness and disability is mostly just a change of address. This epiphany became clear this week, and it hit me pretty hard. We did have a wonderful time, but I spent most of the time in the cabin and am pretty set back from the tiny bit I did do. I literally only left the cabin on 2 days, for 2 hours at a time. A 5 day vacation. Yeah.
It feels very much like I’m a bit of taffy, being pulled and stretched in different directions at once. Twisting between which way I should actually feel. Much too tired to actually be able to sort it all out.
I want my family to go and have fun without me, knowing that their joy will bring me joy. And then they are off and I am alone and trying not to feel left behind. I desire to push just a little harder, in hopes of extending my time out with them, or what I am able to do. And then I push, for just 15 more minutes, and my ear drum bursts and I spend the last 3 days in terrible pain. Worth it?
For those of us who face these vacation challenges, nothing is simple, is it? As a dear friend says, “We have to take our bodies with us on vacation.” Exactly, Lynn. Exactly.
So I’ve been on a bit of a roller coaster for the last couple of weeks, as I’ve tried to sort through my emotional ups and downs, at the same time wading through my physical issues.
I am so, so glad that we went on vacation. I recognize that even a month ago, I would have been unable to even get there. In that way, it feels like a victory. I would do it again in a heartbeat, and I will always cherish the memories. I hope we can do it again soon.
I am so, so sad at how far I have declined. You would think that after years of being homebound and doing nothing but reclining all day every day, I would be completely aware of how bad off I am. But you would be wrong. Somehow the vacation made things much clearer, in a much harsher way, and all at once. Constantly, I thought of how this would have been 6 years ago, or how I wished that it could be. The comparisons exhaust me.
And so I am right back at square one with the acceptance issue. I guess we never fully master that, do we? At least not this side of heaven.
But the Lord, oh, He’s been so good to me through this entire thing. I haven’t heard one sigh or seen one eye roll as I broach the same ground with Him that He has carried me through countless times before. He sits with me as I mull, nodding in all the right places. He keeps His arms securely round me. He picks me up and carries me as I cry on His shoulder.
He answers all of my same questions, over and over again. Sometimes with silence, but that’s still an answer, isn’t it?
He holds my hand, linking His fingers with mine so I won’t lose my grip. He gives my husband and children just the right words to say at just the right moments, breathing hope and love back into my weary heart. He reminds me of my importance and that I am enough. Even now. Just like this. I am enough.
I thought you might need to hear it, too.
Holy Father, Your faithfulness astounds me. Thank you for walking this ground with me once again. I’m sure we’ll be back here again, but I’m looking forward to a mountaintop view soon, instead of these shadowed valleys. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on August 1, 2014
Sunday Scripture: 8/3/14
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You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel. Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!
– Hebrews 12:24-25
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Shelly
Updated on August 1, 2014
Recommendation Saturday: What Will You Do With Your 2 Seconds?
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. – Philippians 4:8
Maybe you’re just passing through. Not a moment to spare.
You have 2 seconds to speak into someone’s life.
What will you say?
Go.
We are best when we are community.
I would love to share in some of that community
right here from my website.
You can join in, too!
Share a post from your own blog
and then simply click on the
“Add your link” button below
and enter your blog information.
Then, please grab my Recommendation Saturday button
below, and place it on your website or post,
so that others can find their way to
our little Saturday community!
You can also Tweet your participation with the hashtag
#recommendsat
so that we can all find each other on Twitter!
You may also join in by leaving a comment.
The most important part of our community
is spreading our hope and love to others
by visiting some of the other inspirational sites
linked up and leaving comments there.
Heart Hugs, Shelly <3
Loading InLinkz ...If you have been helped by this post and think it could be helpful to someone you know, please share this post on the social network of your choice for me.
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on July 31, 2014
The Dust From My Feet
And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate. – Luke 9:5
We are called to bring the message. Our feet are dusty from the roads we’ve traveled to do it… both figurative roads and cyber ones.
Once the message is delivered, our job is done. Besides prayer, what more can we do?
Are you discouraged by negative comments? Are you baited into fighting with those who would pull us off course?
I’m writing to encourage over at my friend Kirra’s place today!
Won’t you join us?
If you have been helped by this post and think it could be helpful to someone you know, please share this post on the social network of your choice for me.
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on July 28, 2014
Red-Winged Love Note
The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing. – Zephaniah 3:17
photo credit: Tim Harding via photopin cc
You might remember that I love red-winged blackbirds.
They are God’s reminder to me of His care, and it’s like a hug when I see or hear them.
Last week I had to travel to undergo a test. I had to drink what is optimistically called a “smoothie” before the test. It’s actually more like radioactive paint. Yummy, right?
My tummy thought so, too. I have car sickness on a good day. Imagine my eagerness to climb into the passenger seat that morning. I really needed a sighting of a red-winged blackbird, badly.
I’m hoping… oh, so hoping…
that you’ll join me over at Rest Ministries today.
After you finish reading, you can check out what the site has to offer. They do really wonderful things for people like you and me.
If you have been helped by this post and think it could be helpful to someone you know, please share this post on the social network of your choice for me.
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on July 17, 2014
Sunday Scripture: 7/27/14
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Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.
– James 1:19
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on July 18, 2014
Recommendation Saturday:
photo credit: …anna christina… via photopin cc
For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. – 2 Corinthians 4:6
Don’t settle for less.
Take it in stride.
You can still be the answer to a prayer!
We are best when we are community.
I would love to share in some of that community
right here from my website.
You can join in, too!
Share a post from your own blog
and then simply click on the
“Add your link” button below
and enter your blog information.
Then, please grab my Recommendation Saturday button
below, and place it on your website or post,
so that others can find their way to
our little Saturday community!
You can also Tweet your participation with the hashtag
#recommendsat
so that we can all find each other on Twitter!
You may also join in by leaving a comment.
The most important part of our community
is spreading our hope and love to others
by visiting some of the other inspirational sites
linked up and leaving comments there.
Heart Hugs, Shelly <3
Loading InLinkz ...If you have been helped by this post and think it could be helpful to someone you know, please share this post on the social network of your choice for me.
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on July 13, 2014
Overwhelm Me… A Prayer
**(My family and I are getting ready for our first ever family vacation this week! In order to have time to pack, rest up, plan and enjoy this time, I’m pulling some of the most popular posts from my blog and re-posting. Hope you don’t mind.)**
Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles. – Psalm 55:2
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Overwhelm me, Lord.
Overwhelm me completely.
Cast your shadow of mercy over me
until it seems as shady as a cave.
Wrestle me to the ground
and pry my grasping fingers from my cares.
Swamp me with your lovingkindness
as I lean here on a cypress knee.
Fill me to overflowing with your goodness
so that I can spill out onto others.
Rout out every worry,
leaving no stone unturned.
Blast into my thoughts like a foghorn
so that I am deaf to all but Your singing.
Smother me with your love
like a mother who can’t stop hugging her long-lost child.
Send a deluge of Your grace to engulf me.
Let it wash warm over my face,
mixing with my tears and scrubbing me clean.
Destroy all idols
and woo me back with the enormity of your faithfulness.
Crush myself, and win me over.
Overwhelm me, Lord
with You.
Heavenly Father, hear this prayer offered up to you by each person reading it. We love you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
If you have been helped by this post and think it could be helpful to someone you know, please share this post on the social network of your choice for me.
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on July 13, 2014
Fruit of the Spirit
**(My family and I are getting ready for our first ever family vacation next week! In order to have time to pack, rest up, plan and enjoy this time, I’m pulling some of the most popular posts from my blog and re-posting. Hope you don’t mind.)**
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! – Galatians 5:22-23
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This morning I woke from a dream of my old life. This happens every once in a while, and it always leaves me feeling restless and a little melancholy. The dreams make me nostalgic for the way things used to be, when my calendar was full and my legs were pumping. The things I filled my days with were good things: taking care of home and family, visiting the sick and shut-ins, teaching, cooking meals for elderly, volunteering in my children’s school. Some days the thought that those pursuits are now beyond my abilities is a crushing thought. Why would God allow me to lose abilities that I was offering up to Him?
I just keep reminding myself that there is indeed a time for every purpose under heaven, and there are seasons in our lives. I wish I had realized before that I didn’t need to try and fit every purpose into every season in order to be successful or worthy. Do I really have to “do” anything to be worthy of God’s love? NO!! It is my own pride and confusion that drove me to those things. While everything I listed is a good thing if you are able, those things are not required for us to be considered contributing members of the Lord’s Body! So, I am thankful that I was able to be busy in those ways when I could, but now I must ask “What do I now have to offer?”
I wish I had recognized the “have-it-all-and-tomorrow-is-too-late” mentality of our world for what it truly is… a lie. Is this season in my life difficult? Yes! Are there times I wish to go faster and do more? Certainly! But I now try to recognize those as the calling of my fleshly desires, not the calling of the Spirit. In truth, each Fruit of the Spirit can be found in my often invisible and segregated life. He is still at work within me! I’ll give a few examples I have found:
*love – listen to my children, support my husband, pray for enemies
*joy – sing praises, make others laugh, think of heaven
*peace – be still, pray, submit
*patience – embrace my weakness, start each day new, take my time with others
*kindness – send cards to sick, make bookmarks for others, smile
*goodness – tell others about Christ, pray for others
*faithfulness – choose Jesus, never shy from the truth, work in my marriage
*gentleness – answer softly, give credit to God
*self-control – when I fear, do it anyway; turn thoughts back to hope and faith
By going deeper into these fruit, I am coming to know God, being known by Him… not merely knowing about him. These are the examples I wish to leave to my children. These are the places I wish to explore for my own self.
No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God. – Micah 6:8
O God, I offer up to you today what sometimes seems to me to not be enough. Help me to rest in your assurance that your Spirit can still work and move in my damaged body. My desire is wrestle my own spirit into submission, no matter the condition of the flesh. Thank you for allowing us to always be enough, just as we are. In Jesus’ Name, Amen….
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
