Saturday, June 17, 2023

Battling the storm…

 


Ever feel like you are in the storm of your life and wondered how you got there?  Sometimes the storms are distractions from the enemy trying to stop you from moving forward where God has called you.  Other times, they are just storms God allowed in your life to strengthen you.

My husband and I went away on our annual trip to the KLove Fan awards in Nashville just a little over 3 weeks ago.  We love taking this trip yearly to remove all distractions to focus on each other and the Lord.  Each year God shows up and fills our cups abundantly.  We spent a few days on the mountain top and our cups were so filled we couldn’t wait to get back home and pour out of those cups to those around us.  We walked away inspired and blessed.



 

Then we got home.  Work came in like a flood.  Actually, life came in like a flood.  The first day back I received over 100 service calls.   That same week our AC and hot water heater broke down.  Kind of ironic since my husband does HVAC.  We failed to see the humor at that moment.  Then physical issues crept into the picture.  What next?

This past week I was on the phone with my husband during the day and mentioned I felt exasperated like fighting a head wind walking down the street with a flimsy umbrella that suddenly flips in the opposite direction. 




What did I do?

I reminded myself of our week away.  I reminded myself of how the enemy loves to distract after a blessing.  We were blessed.  We were being distracted.

I would like to say my attitude became Polly-Anna immediately when I realized the storm was not my making but the enemy trying to distract me.  But it didn’t.  It took time.  It took prayer.  It took diving deep into His word and reminding myself what I learned 3 weeks ago.  One song resonated with me that week.  Brandon Lake’s Gratitude.

So come on, my soul
Oh, don't you get shy on me
Lift up your song
'Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs
Get up and praise the Lord!

This song hit home after the Lord gave me a word while we were away – Your time of mourning is over.  He wasn’t removing the situation from me, but removing the pain I had been experiencing the last year.  My time of pain was taken by GOD.  He then told me to praise Him in the waiting.  He was working.  I needed to only praise Him in the waiting.


That is what I did that week.

That is what we did together.



This picture was taken by a stranger behind us at the event.  She wanted to share it with us.  We worshiped with over a thousand of our ‘best friends’ that week.  It was truly a mountain top experience.

I write to remind myself of these precious moments…

If you are in a storm, remember no matter the reason, GOD is with you!  Rise up and praise Him in the storm.  Read all the verses you can on praise.  You will be surprised how many there are…

He will get you through.

 

Isaiah 25:1

 Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.

 

Psalms 150:6

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.

 

Psalms 103:1-2

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—

 

 

Here is Brandon Lake’s song Gratitude:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1em6MJp0zUc



                                                        Copyright © 2022 Peggy A. Priest. All Rights Reserved.

Thursday, June 8, 2023

Patience In the waiting…

 


Remember when you were waiting for Christmas morning when you were a child? 

It seemed to take forever!   

I remember when I was young and wanted Christmas morning to arrive.  I had so many expectations and hopes for that glorious morning!  I would sit up as long as I could and try to listen for any activity downstairs that would signal presents arriving.  But no matter how hard I tried, my eyes would betray me, and I would drift off into the night until the light from my window woke me the next morning.  

I would then rush from my bed and race downstairs to see what had happened the night before while I slept.  Excitedly I would race back and forth from the tree to the overfilled stockings trying to decide which was more important to unpack.  In my excitement I never doubted Christmas would come.  It always did, thanks to my parents. I never questioned the event.  I only tested my patience as I waited each year for that day to finally arrive.


God has given us many promises in His word.  We may not have the exact dates, but we are assured they are coming.  God is true to His word.  Always.

He also answers our prayer requests.  Sometimes those answers are not immediate, but that doesn’t mean He is not working on them, or us.  Just because we haven’t heard from Him, doesn’t mean He isn’t there.  The Israelites had not heard from God for centuries.  That didn’t mean He stopped working.  That didn’t mean He stopped caring.  That didn’t even mean He walked away.

He was being patient.  He was asking them to be patient. 

He is asking us to be patient.

Just like He was in the Old Testament with His people.

Just like He was with His people during Noah’s time.

Just like He was during Moses’ time in the desert.

Just like He was with Nebuchadnezzar, Saul, David, and even Job.  He was patient with each of them.

He is asking us to be patient.

He is working.

His plans are in place.

He is coming again.

Take refuge in the King today. 

 


Philippians 1:6

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

 

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

 

Revelation 22:20

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”


                                                 Copyright © 2022 Peggy A. Priest. All Rights Reserved.

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