This is an old writing of mine from the Spring of 2000. I was reminded of it yesterday when the birds began their beautiful morning ritual.  Creation is something we must take time to enjoy…

It is just before 6:00A.M. on a new morning, a morning set aside for praise of our glorious and sovereign Lord.

It is still dark as I sit out amongst the beauty of His creation, and I hear but only one bird begin the song. I marvel at its sweetness as it announces, with a melody, this new day.

Everything around me is so peaceful, so still, as if the elements of the earth are awaiting an event.

Then, I hear a second bird as if in response to the first. They speak for awhile, just the two of them, one with a tone of authority, the other seemingly submissive.

I look up into the skies noticing the dawn to appear, a picture so perfect, with colors so clear.

The birds, they are all now singing a chorus of great joy.

It’s a song of great praise to the one who has made the red colors arise out of the expanse of the sky.

Look! There he is! In the east of the heavens; thy Savior appears casting rays of light, showing all of God’s might.

I marvel at its excellence as it continues to rise, God placing His Son in the brilliance of the sky.

I remember now, the one lone bird instructing the other of what must happen for man to awaken.

Now, I see the Son in his place, he shines down on me with the warmth of His face.

It is now that I remember from whence he did come, he arose from earth’s darkness showing all of mankind it is Thine will that must be done.

Now, I know why God made the birds, it is to awaken each day to the glory he hath made.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

So how is your prayer life?  Do you…

• Pray once a day
• Pray once every morning before starting my day
• Pray once a day or so but sometimes forget
• Pray once a week
• Don’t really know

If you were able to answer yes to any of the choices above, then your prayer life is seriously lacking.  And, yes, that includes those of you who were able to answer yes to even the top two.  Don’t even think about patting yourself on the
back for a “job well done.”

Seriously, I hope you don’t think of prayer as a “job” at all but rather as an ongoing relationship with your greatest love.  Now that’s a good question-is God your greatest love?  If the answer is yes AND you answered yes to any of the
above then I ask you again-How is your love life, really?  Is God truly first in your life? Read the rest of this entry

Seems I have a bit of catching up to do.  First…Happy New Year!  We ended our year at a worship service.  Rick started the tradition about 3 years ago.  It’s fantastic!  I prepare myself throughout the day by reflecting on the past year, my accomplishments, my failures.  I think about what I could do differently or if I should.  I spend a bit of time praying and by the time of the service I trust in God to direct me.  And He never fails to show me the paths He has layed for me.

It has been my prayer for several years that God would help me to love others deeply.  I’ve discovered there are many steps to experience in attaining that height and depth of love.

The first year I knew I had to rid myself of some anger that had been festering for a couple years.  I wasn’t successful in that year.  It would get worse before I was able to finally release it.  It has only been in this past year that I was able to do that.  Now that it is behind me, I can go forward.

The second year I realized I needed to learn to listen to others, to discover the beauty of that person and that their faults weren’t that much different from my own. That a persons actions usually came from some personal turmoil not unlike my own.  It was amazing to go through that year with that thought and purpose. It opened my eyes to see people in a different light.

This year, with the greatest desire of my heart being to love others deeply, I beleive I can move forward with confidence, with a greater understanding of man and with faith that God is the One that will help me.  I know I must take the time to listen, to hear, to act.  And patience!  When you ask God to help you with something, you better know He is going to do it right.  It isn’t an overnight thing with God, but a lifetime of experience and trust.

Enough of that!  To update you on my arm, the bruising is gone, although there remains a hint of a shadow.  Interesting.  I had my 6 week check up this week.  All is well.  I will say that the elbow is extremely tender still and is the source of some pain.  The doctor assures me the nerve is now waking up and so it is normal.  I am scheduled to have my other arm done on February 3.  UUGGHH!

As I am sitting outside in the beautiful 68 degree weather, my battery is running low.  Again, Happy New Year.  Oh, a good friend of mine pegged this saying today…”All will be fine in 2009!”

God Bless

Tracie

It can be a Rocky trip to get to the cross.   While recently staying in a Colorado cabin, I and a large friendly dog belonging to the camp managers decided to take a hike up the mountain trail where a cross was planted at the edge of one of the cliffs.  The dogs’ name is Rocky and he was both good at finding the trail and wondering off to check out the sights and smells.  I trusted the local mountain dog and to some degree my own ability to maintain a sense of direction.  The result is that we ventured further and further from our destination and deeper into the mountains.

The scenery was beautiful and inspirational.  The hike and climb also made for a good work out.   I say climb because following Rocky lead to some rather difficult routes through strenuous terrain.  The journey was beautiful, inspirational, and healthy; could a person ask for a better way to spend their limited time on earth?

But let’s not forget about my original destination, the cross.

As we wandered back and forth, first east then west with some north and south thrown in, we were what I would call searching but not lost.  This is because I knew basically where I was, I just could not get to where I wanted to be, which now was back home.

One thing about a mountain is that not only is it beautiful, and good to hike or climb, but it should be
respected with great care; because you can’t whip creation; mountain, desert, jungle, or ocean. Often you survive the journey, enjoy it and learn from the experience.

As the thirty minute hike turned into one hour, then two going on three, we traveled over ridges, down ravines through Aspen stands, meadows, and almost continuous rows of Ponderosa Pines.  I began to think this is a lot like life.

As I followed Rocky along a six inch wide trail with a rough ten to twenty foot express to the bottom, depending on which way you tumbled; I noticed the route seemed more suitable for the dog than a person. On the other hand he did tuck his tail, not a good sign; sometimes those we follow don’t really know what’s best for us or them!

At this point I knew it was time to stop just talking to the Lord and start giving up control to God to get me and Rocky back, preferable in one piece.

Often I began an adventure, or just the day, knowing what I want and what I think is best, yet the good and exciting things often side track me to the point that I only think I’m in control and know just exactly where I am.  My focus often ceases to be the Christ as I attempt to seize the day, Carpe Diem!  Of course “seizing the day” and focusing on Christ are not opposites.  In reality it is experiencing each day and moment with God that truly gives us the day and plenty of adventure to boot.

It’s beautiful, healthy, and fun, yet the majesty of the mountain, the trees and ridges, kept me from finding what I had set out for, the cross.  Just because something meets our understanding of good and pleasurable does not mean it is best for us, others, or in the proper prospective in regards to what we consider most important. I have found what we say is not nearly as important as what we do.

I eventually turned it over to God, deciding to head down the mountain based on some far away landmarks forsaking the beauty around me and concentrating on getting home.  It was only then that I found both Cross and home.  Do we listen to God or do we insist we know the way or follow someone else?

Rick

What does it really mean to have faith?  We say we have it, yet do we live it in our daily lives?  There are some that do, yes.  But most often, I would have to say people lack faith.

Paul tells us in Hebrews 11:1 what faith is…”Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

I’ve thought a lot about this particular verse in seeking to understand why it is that I continue to suffer from chronic pain.  It has caused me to think a lot about my hope and where it lies.  I do carry a lot of hope that one day I will be free from the daily suffering, but I’ve come to understand that it is not in the end result that we carry hope, but it is in the journey toward the end result that it abides.  And that journey of hope has brought me much gain.  The fulfillment of peace and the exuberance of joy are two of my greatest treasures.  But faith has become the essence of my Christian life.

In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus said, “Have faith in God.  I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Faith that moves mountains.  Faith in yourself that you can move a mountain will not gain entry into the sea.  But faith that God will move the mountain for you will move it beyond the depths of the sea.

It is too often that we base our faith on the end result rather than the blessings we received during the journey.  It is then that we may begin to lose hope and life becomes a chore.

Where does your faith lie?  Does it rely on the outcome of daily life or is it found in the hope of your daily blessings?  Must you have proof of faith, if so, then it is not faith at all.

In my faith journey, I have refocused my hope.  It is not on the hope of the physical being, but it is hope in the spiritual.  For my physical self is dying just as is yours.  But what lies within my spiritual being is the promise of Jesus.  He has moved mountains for me.  My hope is that God allows me to use His strengths, gained through faith, to bring blessings upon another.  My hope is that my blessings flow into you and that you share them with another.  And God is faithful.  He has used me to reach out to others in ways I never thought possible; just as He uses others to bless me.  It has been and continues to be an awesome journey.  It is a journey of growing Christians.  Christians who find that hope lies in salvation and salvation is discovered in what we sow each and every day.

I have learned to stop staring at the mountain before me and to look for the space between the mountain and the sea.  It is there that I’ve discovered faith and where my hope lies so preciously.

Thank You Jesus for the faith, hope and love you’ve given me.
God Bless,

Tracie

posted February 8, 2007

Rick and I teach a Disciple class on Wednesday evenings. Disciple Bible Study is a series of studies with the intent of making disciples. It is direct in its individual challenge to “take up your cross and follow me” It is changing lives, renewing the individual as well as the church as a whole. I firmly believe that if a person takes the study seriously, and it is taught appropriately, change will occur in the persons life. One cannot study the Word with a willing heart and not change; it is that powerful. The statistics of this particular study are amazing. Rick and I were students for several years before we became leaders of Disciple Bible Study. We have not missed a single year and God willing, we will continue to offer this course as long as He will allow us. I am a huge proponent of this particular study. It is one of two ‘tools’ that helped to guide me toward a changed life. The other is Emmaus. I’ll talk about it in another writing.

One of the things that is so amazing about studying the Word of God, is no matter how many times I’ve read a particular scripture or book, i always find something new when reading again. The Word is, after all, active, living and revealing only that which we can handle in a particular time of our life. I mention this because I have read Mark numerous times but it was only last night that i realized the significance of the crowds.

The crowds were made up of people who were oppressed, the poor, the lost, the lonely, the ones who needed hope. These crowds of people were so needful of their savior that He could hardly get away to eat. He would try to “escape” on a boat, but without success. The crowds were anxious to hear the Word. They needed it, desired it.

Where are the crowds today? Where are the people anxious to hear the Word of God? Where are the people who are anxious for the Savior? Are we not needy enough to be anxious? Have we involved ourselves so much in other activities that we are numb to our real need? Do we have so many things that satisfy us that we don’t feel the need for a Savior?

I fear the direction this world is heading. It doesn’t leave one with a good feeling. So much division, so much emphasis put on the SELF. That is our downfall. I pray for something better, i pray for change of hearts and I pray for God to help me get beyond the SELF.

I have a meeting to prepare for!
TTYL…Tracie