"His Line in the Sand" - 07/06/13 - Psalm 1-2, 10, 33, 71, 91

^" My God, free me from the grip of Wicked,
    from the clutch of Bad and Bully.
You keep me going when times are tough—
    my bedrock, God, since my childhood.
I’ve hung on You from the day of my birth,
    the day You took me from the cradle;
    I’ll never run out of praise." (71:4-7)


It has been difficult, throughout the years, to separate who God really is from the examples of "love" in this world.  Too many years I spent believing He loved as some of the humans - conditional, based upon performance, double standards, favoritism, even status.  Not until I started digging into His Word, did I start to see how He is just the opposite of all I was believing "love" was. 

His Word has removed the "clutch" of lies which held me down in the pit of life. 

There have been different times I can look back upon and see I was removing myself from those who were keeping me down.  In doing so, I was ganged up on, bullied, ostracized, made fun of, ignored, treated like an outcast.  You would have thought when their "true colors" came out, I would have seen they weren't loving as Christ loves.  Yet, I still would find myself running back into the pit. 

It was scary drawing the line in the sand and not moving it.  Being in the pit was the only thing I had ever known. 

I felt alone.  Unsure. 

I was picking up doubt and second guessing the "line" I had drawn. 

Often, I would erase and move it.  Covering up the "me" He created and conforming to what "they" wanted, fooling myself I was fitting in.  Comforting myself in thinking it was better to be back in the role of being "unaccepted", because it was all I had ever known. 

His Word has caused me to realign my vision onto Him and this time, He drew the line in the sand.  I have put my Trust and Faith in Him, no longer do I allow them to hold a power over me.  The difference now, as I stand firm "in" Him, seeing the faces of the "Bad and Bullies" and hearing their voices threaten me, is He has equipped me with His Armor. 



Armor I have freely taken and learned to dress myself in, to stand firm in, and while focused on Him, I see they are retreating. 

I see now, they are all wind and no blow. 

His Word has also reinforced me while I stand at the line, I am not alone.  He has surrounded me with those who are "in" His Word who reaffirm whose I am.  Who reaffirm I am standing "in" and "on" His Truth. 

His Word has introduced me to my Abba - one who loves unconditionally, without double standards or blatant favoritism, without being bad or a bully. 

The One who loves Whose we are not who. 

How I praise Him, even without knowing I was doing so, I was searching Him out since I was a child.  Even when I was searching in the pit of life, He never let go of me - for I am His anointed.  We all are.  It is our choice to accept being His or reject it.  His Word has given me the desire to choose Him.   

 "I’ll never run out of praise" for how He has shown and given me real love. 

"Brothers and Uncles" - 09/21/13 - Nehemiah 11:1-12:26, I Chronicles 9:1-34

Their brothers stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving,

 
 



one side responding to the other, as had been directed by David the man of God.   

(Nehemiah 12:24)















I love the relationship between Adam and Nichalas. 

Just sitting and watching them interact, drinking in the blessings of our fruits. 

 

Last weekend, Nichalas flew home for a wedding, and I was blessed with many memory making events.  Our hotel room had a loft, where Curt and I slept, with another bed downstairs.  There was also a pull out couch in the living room area. 

It made my heart smile, knowing the couch was not even an option.  The guys have never hesitated, or thought of it as abnormal, to sleep together.  Even with Nichalas now being married, when Amber isn't with us, they sleep together.  I love hearing their voices murmuring in the dark, as they talk themselves to sleep. Their laughter is often the last sounds I can remember, before I fall into the world of dreams. 


When they were little and had sleepovers, it was not unusual to come in the next morning and find all of them squeezed into one bed, or on the floor. 

They just enjoyed being close, they enjoyed being "brothers". 

I love going through photographs of years gone by and being reminded of all the joy and blessings this group of guys have brought - and still do - into my life.  (Wishing I had those photos available to post, not wanting to leave anyone out.)

 

These boys are now grown men,          

Just this past summer, Lucas joined Adam and Nichalas in playing video games here.  When I went down to wake them up, there they were, all three crowded into Adam's bed.  I love how all of them, who grew up together, are still so close.  That God is in the center of their relationships, that the world's evil doesn't come in and desecrate their relationship.  I love knowing, until they breathe their last breath, they will always be there for each other. 

Even though they aren't of the same blood, they are closer than most blood relations that I know.  They are there to encourage, hold accountable, support, honor, and love.  They are loyal and would die protecting each other and theirs. 

Lucas has been a daddy to Abel for one month now.  It is still a little hard to comprehend this little guy I used to babysit for, beginning when he was two, is now old enough to be a daddy.  To sit and hold Abel, knowing I am holding a part of Lucas.  Wow!  So much delight comes from just watching the guys come together around this little babe.  The pride, the caring, gentle touch, not holding, holding, not changing a diaper. 

Knowing without a doubt, they are there for Abel, and all other children we will be blessed with, in the years to come. 

 

They are uncles.  Through our ABBA, they are of one blood.