"Hill Country Thoughts:Walking Daily With The Lord -Thoughts, Hopes,and Living in the Real World" "Without having seen Him, you love Him; though you do not [even] now see Him, you believe in Him and exult {and} thrill with inexpressible and glorious (triumphant, heavenly) joy.
“Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Luke 18:1
E.M. Bounds in Purpose of Prayer, Chapter 7, makes the following statements:
"The words are the words of our Lord, who not only ever sought to impress upon His followers the urgency and the importance of prayer, but set them an example which they alas have been far too slow to copy."
"The always speaks for itself. Prayer is not a meaningless function or duty to be crowded into the busy or the weary ends of the day, and we are not obeying our Lord’s command when we content ourselves with a few minutes upon our knees in the morning rush or late at night when the faculties, tired with the tasks of the day, call out for rest."
"God is always within call, it is true; His ear is ever attentive to the cry of His child, but we can never get to know Him if we use the vehicle of prayer as we use the telephone—for a few words of hurried conversation."
"Intimacy requires development. We can never know God as it is our privilege to know Him, by brief and fragmentary and unconsidered repetitions of intercessions that are requests for personal favours and nothing more. That is not the way in which we can come into communication with heaven’s King."
“The goal of prayer is the ear of God,” a goal that can only be reached by patient and continued and continuous waiting upon Him, pouring out our heart to Him and permitting Him to speak to us. Only by so doing can we expect to know Him, and as we come to know Him better we shall spend more time in His presence and find that presence a constant and ever-increasing delight."
"Always does not mean that we are to neglect the ordinary duties of life; what it means is that the soul which has come into intimate contact with God in the silence of the prayer-chamber is never out of conscious touch with the Father, that the heart is always going out to Him in loving communion, and that the moment the mind is released from the task upon which it is engaged it returns as naturally to God as the bird does to its nest."
"What a beautiful conception of prayer we get if we regard it in this light, if we view it as a constant fellowship, an unbroken audience with the King. Prayer then loses every vestige of dread which it may once have possessed; we regard it no longer as a duty which must be performed, but rather as a privilege which is to be enjoyed, a rare delight that is always revealing some new beauty."
How awesome are these quotes and how blessed I was as I read them and realized that this has been the very thing that the Lord has been doing in my life over the last three years.
That he has been teaching me what it means to be in an attitude of prayer, of worship and praise. That he desires that intimate relationship with us so that we are attuned to Him. To hear His voice as we go about our everyday life. To pray for those He brings into our lives no matter where we are.
Learning to be intimate with the Lord is very important. For it is during these times that we learn to hear His voice, to hear His heart and it is during these times that He brings healing to our inner most being and He begins to show us how to pray for others, to lift them to Him in prayer. To intercede and stand in the gap as needed.
One of the most important things that I have learned is that no matter where I am at or what I am doing, I can always be in that attitude of prayer, that relationship with the Lord and it is the same for you my friends.
He calls us into this intimacy so that we can learn to be one with Him, leaning upon Him and hearing His heartbeat.
There have been many times while sitting at Starbucks, drinking coffee, journaling and reading, that I will pray for different ones that come into Starbucks.
An attitude of prayer keeps us open and alert to that still small voice of the Spirit speaking to our hearts to pray, to intercede and to pray as He leads.
It can be at home, at WalMart, or walking around the neighborhood, that you can be in that attitude and relationship with the Lord.
Let us go to the Lord with a heart that is open to Him, receive and to give out of that which has been given to us!
My daughter Elise and her husband, Hunter just recently got back from Texas.
One of the things that they brought back was a plant. It looked familiar, like I had seen it before. Actually I have. Nearly thirty-three years ago.
This particular plant began as one leaf in a glass of water in upstate New York where I was in Bible School and over the years it grew into a very large plant. It was my pride and joy, as it survived Bible School, a long trip to Texas and nearly thirty years of Texas weather.
But in the last three years it was neglected, left to fend for itself and when I left Texas in December I thought it was gone.
So when I saw this plant, I was amazed. Even though the original plant was dying, appeared beyond hope, Hunter, was able to take a part of the plant that still showed life, transplanted it and now there are four or five leaves as you can see.
So the plant lives on. Out of death comes life and it is the same with us, when it appears that the enemy has won, out of the battle of life, comes hope, that is focused on the Lord.
He takes that little bit of hope and waters it with His Spirit and draws us to Him and as we soak in His presence, as we absorb the word, as we stir up the gifts, He molds us, shapes us and makes us vessels that can be used for His glory!
You just never know when or where the Lord is going to speak to your heart.
I was taken a shower when the thought came to me as to who the ultimate blogger would be from the Bible.
I began to think about it and the Lord brought the Psalmist David to mind. It made sense and I said," your right Lord!”
David would really fit into the blogging scene. He would make full use of the Internet, to bring glory and honor to the Lord and the very thing that He does in the Psalms is the very thing that would draw him to blogging.
David writes from the heart, writes from his inner most being. He shares his failures, his hurts, his joys, his victories.
He is real and the very fact he is real is what would draw people to his blog if he was writing in our day and time.
What draws us to the Psalms is that we can identify with him, with the things he shared. He is open, vulnerable and misunderstood at times.
Here is a man who danced before the Lord and when his wife told him he was foolish, he said, “I will be even more foolish.” He was not afraid to share his heart, his love for God or admit when He made a mistake and was quick to ask forgiveness and move on.
David had a heart after God. He was a friend of God. He was on intimate terms with the creator of heaven and earth. He was quick to repent, to change, to allow the Spirit of the Lord to mold him to be an instrument in His hands.
Next Monday evening, I will have the opportunity to share with the Christian Authors Guild which meets in Marietta, Georgia, about Hill Country Thoughts. What it is all about, why I chose this way to write, how it came about.
My hearts desire is to share the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ. To share the fact that we can walk in the ways of the Lord now. That we can live in the reality of who He is now, today. We can walk with the peace of the Lord, knowing that He has and is preparing the way before us. That we are real people, living in the real world, and serving a living Lord.
As I shared with a friend the other day, I would have to say that the last three years have been the best years of my life as I went through the chemotherapy, radiation, the two surgeries and the divorce.
I know that to the world, that does not make sense, butI was brought back into focus, brought back to that first love relationship with the Lord, that I have gone from knowing Him as Savior, to knowing Him as Lord.
And because of this, Hill Country Thoughts was birthed and new life has sprung forth and the Lord has allowed me to become a pen in His hand. Allowing me to share, like David, my heart.
Being real makes one vulnerable, it exposes our flaws, even as David, exposed his. We can identify with Him and hopefully others can identify with what we share as we walk this road of life.
To know that no matter what we go through in life, the Lord will be with us to lead us through as we stay focused on Him. May the reality of the Lord be seen in what we write but also in the life that we live, for often times, our lives speak a lot louder than our words.
I don’t think I have been given a greater honor than hopefully being a pen in the hand of God. That He has allowed me to reach out and touch others, to share the hope that is within.
The one thing that I know, is like David, I want to encourage others, to share from the heart the life changing power that comes from serving the Lord, that in serving Him, we are set free.
Sometimes it is hard to write, to share things, things that make you vulnerable, exposes ones heart, things that hurt, that show you are human. But in the sharing comes a release that only the Lord can give! The one thing that I promised the Lord when He began Hill Country Thoughts, was that I would be honest, open and real, in my walk and relationship with Him and with others. That I would share from the heart, knowing that the Lord would take what was shared and minister to others.
I have not posted anything in over a week simply because I didn’t "feel like it." I was basing my week on how I was feeling, the battles that I was going through. I was self focused. The more I looked at myself, the less I felt like writing, like sharing, thinking, what does it matter, who cares, why bother.
The thing is, I knew it was a trick of the enemy. The purpose of the enemy is to undermine us in anyway that he can. To silence us, to convince us that we will not have an effect, yet it is a lie, a trick.
As I sat here in the little park, a breeze is blowing, leaves moving to and fro and it a brought a peace and a rest to me and it made me realize that this whole week I had not been giving the Lord the time it takes to create a relationship of intimacy, of hearing that still small voice, that speaks to our heart and says peace, be still and know that I am God and because I was not listening, the harder it became to write, to share, to hear.
The one thing that the Lord wants to do is reveal Himself daily to us. To give us fresh bread, a new understanding of who He is. He wants to give us a fresh revelation of who He is. He will reveal Himself anew daily.
He will reveal himself to us in the things of life, the things that we go through and as we go through the times of trials, of dark nights of the soul, we will come forth stronger and closer to the Lord.
Let us rejoice in the fact that we serve a Father who loves us, woo’s us back onto the right track, to that place of hearing Him, that during those times we are wondering is it worth it, am I really hearing His voice, am I walking the right path?
It is during that time, like the breeze in the park, we hear that still small voice of the Lord, say, "Yes it is."
It is so hard to take out hands off the steering wheel of our lives and allow the Lord to do the driving.
Often we want to say, “Lord, don’t you think we should take this road, instead of the other one? You know the other road seems pretty bumpy to me and I am not so sure I want to go that way. Are you really sure Lord?"
And the thing is, that in our heart of hearts we know that He would not lead us down any road or path that we could not travel because He has already prepared the way before us and we know that we will be made stronger by the things that we endure, that we go through, that they are just for a season.
We know that as we go through them, that the character of Christ is being formed in us. That He has made us to be overcomers. That we can and will prevail in Him.
Since last Monday, May 9th, I have not picked up a pen. I left it lay there as I went through things in my life, things that the Lord was touching, healing, closing wounds and revealing others that needed His touch.
I told the Lord that I didn’t want to write for the sake of writing. I want to write because that is what He wants. He knows my heart is to be a ready writer, a pen in His hands. He has put me in a place where my dependency is totally on Him. That I am to look to Him and that is a very scary but hopeful place to be. To know that He is the all sufficient one. He is my provider.
I ask my friends that you would pray for open doors of ministry, of provision, of guidance for Hill Country Thoughts.
I know that my father’s plans are good plans and He has given me a new passion, an unquenchable hunger for His Word, His presence and He is giving me a passion to write.
It is only when we are consumed of Him that we find the strength to walk in His ways. He wants us to share that which will strengthen others in their walk with Him.
Let us share the bread of life, let us share the Lord Jesus Christ and let us follow the road that He has set before us.
It is amazing how the Lord will speak to us. Before I went to sleep last night my heart and spirit seemed to be in turmoil as a lot of things where going through my mind making me wonder what is going on, how long will the battles last?
I woke up at around 04:00 and was listening to FM 104.7 The Fish, out of Atlanta, Georgia. The song that was playing was called “God Believes In You.” Of course my first reaction was to tear up, to realize that in the early morning hours, my Father woke me and let me know that He believes in me!
How awesome is that! That He let me know that I am not walking this path alone, that as His child, He is walking with me. Revealing Himself, making Himself known as I remember to stay focused on Him.
It is during these times that we hold even closer to the Lord. Even if it is only a thread, a thread in the Lord is stronger than anything when it is our Father that we are holding on too. For it is as we look to Him, like Peter, when he appeared to be sinking, that Jesus reached out and lifted him out of the deep that he was sinking into.
That is the hope that I have this morning. That my Father reached down in the midst of despair and lifted me out of the deep and let me know that He believes in me. That I, that you are not without hope. That the time of restoration in our lives is at hand as we cling to the Lord with all that is within.
To realize we are being intertwined with the Lord, with our Father, becoming one with the them. That we are reflecting that relationship and that gives hope to us, as well as others.
Remember my friends. God believes in you. He has called you. He has chosen you and you are His.
I am in the process of reading “A Gentle Thunder: Hearing God Through The Storm” by Max Lucado.
In the acknowledgement he says “A book should be a garden that fits in the hands. Word petals of color. Stems of strength. Roots of truth. Turn a page and turn the seasons. Read the sentences and enjoy the roses.”
When I read that I said "Lord, let that be true, that someday that which I write will be as that garden, that the words will be as petals showing forth the many facets of you." That people will find strength in that which is shared, that it will build them up in the faith, in their walk with the Lord.
That, that which is shared will be rooted in truth and as the pages are turned they will reveal the seasons of life. That which will nurture the hearts and souls of those that read them. That the words written will give off the fragrance of the Lord, the smell of the rose, knowing that the fragrance comes from the crushings of life, from the storms.
Max goes on to say “That there are certain passions only learned by pain. And there are times when God, knowing that, allows us to endure the pain for the sake of the song." (Page 29)
I know that the only reason I can write is because of that which I have gone through in my life. It is no longer theory but has become a reality. I have a long way to go but I am heading in the right direction. With the grace of god I have learned to endure, so that the song that comes forth will be a song of worship and praise.
Max also said “Though you hear nothing, He is speaking. Though you see nothing, He is acting. With God there are no accidents. Every incident is intended to bring us closer to Him."
Indeed that is true. I know that through the dark nights of our souls, through the storms, that He is speaking, that He was acting on our behalf and everything that we go through will bring us closer to Him if we allow it too. The choice is ours.
There are no accidents. He was not surprised or caught unawares. He will finish the work that He has begun in us.
To be a pen in the hand of God is my desire. May the Lord bless each and everyone of you in that which you are going through, for it is during these times we learn to hear Gods voice for in the midst of the storms, He reveals Himself.
It sure has been an awesome day and I just want to thank you for all that you have done and are doing even now in my life. Thank you for the many friends that you have given me since moving here to Kennesaw.
You have open so many doors for me and you have put people into my life that have encouraged me in my writing, in what I share.
"Your welcome Paul. I delight in my children. In blessing them and listening to them. That is my desire. To spend time with each and everyone of them, to teach them to hear my voice in the midst of all that is going on."
You mean that you are really here? Even when we don’t feel your presence? When you seem to be so far away, you are here?
"Yes, I am closer than you think. I hear every heart beat, feel every pain, catch every teardrop. I am there to embrace my children, to tend to their wounds, heal every bruise of the heart, of the spirit. I am there to teach you to love those that hurt you, to forgive those who betrayed you. I am there to lift you up and draw you to my presence."
You are there at all times? When I cry out during the night? In the storms and in the valleys?
"Yes, it is during those times that you are being molded and shaped. That I am producing in you the character of my son so that you will reflect the reality of who He is and what He has done in you."
"In the trials, in the valleys your character is being built and you are becoming stronger in your walk. It is during these times that I reveal myself through that which you are going through."
Through the evening it seem like the lord carried on a conversation , not audible, but in my heart we communicated, we shared. He made me know that in these last two and a half years He has been remolding me and shaping me into that pen that can be used in His Hand to express His love and His heart!
That the battles this time around have caused me to flee to Him who is my source, my all in all. He that watches over me and reveals Himself in life, in the Word and in the people I have come into contact with.
He is indeed changing us and wooing us, if we will allow Him. He takes joy in our time with Him and He enjoys making Himself known, no matter where we are at!
Each one of you my friends, my fellow bloggers, writers and ministers. You are each unique and a vital part of what our Father is doing. He is raising a standard, and that standard is us. It is the Christ within, the dynamic power of the new life that we have in Him.
We have been given the privilege to be the light that shines, not to be hid under a bushel. We are not hermits for Christ!
Rather, we are called to be ourselves in Christ, to reveal Him in our everyday life to those around us. To share the simplicity of the light, the love and the hope that is in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Over the last week and a half I have been in the process of refocusing, of sitting things in order in my life. Over the last couple of weeks I found it very hard to focus but yet it is something I needed to really do.
Hill Country Thoughts is not about me, though I am part of it. It is about the Lord, about what He has done in my life, as well as in the lives of others.
It is the Lord, His word and the Spirit that gives us the knowledge, the understanding of what it means to be a servant, a father, a grandfather. It is the Lord that shows us the awesomeness of who He is.
That we begin to see people as the Lord sees them. Not with an eye of judgement, though that comes into effect sometimes. He sees us with the eyes of compassion, with love, with the heart of a father.
Over the last week and a half I became so focus on my pain and lack of medication, that my focus became blurred. I could not see clearly and because of that, I backed away from the pen, saying why write and then the Lord reminded me why I am writing and for whom I am writing.
So here I am at 02:30 in the morning sharing my Fathers heart and love. He loves me so much that He woke me up to remind me how blessed I am.
I am blessed to have three great children, Gloria, Joshua and Elise, who love me and their mother very much. I am thankful to be here with my daughters. I am thankful for my son Joshua, who always encourages me to write.
I am blessed to have three great grand children, Rebekah, Jordan and Keian, who love their papa very much, who with that twinkle in their eyes, bring a joy to my heart.
I have been blessed to have had Jodie as part of my life for nearly thirty years. Our children, grand children are a testimony of the Lord’s blessing to us. I know that the Lord will bless her. His plans for her are good plans.
I can look back now and see how blessed I have been to have Mom and Dad Shelley in my life, for the love they have for all of us. They were super in-laws.
I am blessed to have friends such as Pastor Scott, Lewis, Bob and Diana, Robin, Von, David and Marc and many others who have been there in prayer, in encouragement, for that I am very thankful!
I am thankful to the Lord for Hill Country Thoughts, that the Lord is allowing me to be a pen in His hand and I am thankful my friends for you, for taking the time to drop by, to read, and to encourage me. You all have touched my heart and have given me a purpose to press on. To share the simple things that the Lord puts on my heart.
I am thankful for Crossmap and for the team there. That they chose me to be one of their writers and they have encouraged me often. Thanks Roy, Jessica and the rest of the Crossmap team.
I am saying all this my friends to let you know that I am truly blessed. That the last three years have drawn me closer to the Lord. What the enemy meant to use to destroy me, did not work, it has pushed me closer to the Lord.
Now I am here in Kennesaw, Georgia with many new things happening in my life. New friends, new relationships, doors of opportunity. The Lord has even given me a Starbucks nearby where I have made a lot of new friends.
I have not disappeared, I just had to refocus and remember what Hill Country Thoughts was about. It is about the Lord. About the great things He has done and how blessed I am to know that He is the Lord of my life. That He has chose me to be a pen in His hands.
We are indeed a blessed people when we realize that we serve the creator of heaven and earth and that His plans for us are good plans. That He will fulfill His word to us.
He has called us. It is up to us to follow, even in the midst of the battles, during the storms, let us follow and walk with Him. Let us stay focused on Him!!
The word Gethsemane means “oil press.” It represents those places of deep, pressing pain and mental agony!
I recently read an article in the Pentecostal Evangel by the title of “Hard Times” By Charles R. Swindoll, on page 18, February 20, 2005 issue and the following really stood out:
“There is no place more alone than one’s own Gethsemane.”
“But there are personal Gethsemanes you must walk through completely alone. You’ll always feel a deep loneliness while you’re getting through the tough stuff of pain. That’s when Christ will be there. Your best friends may fail you. Some will try to understand, but often they can’t. A few frankly, will forget you. Some may turn against you. In the agony of your need for relational support, you’ll have all you need with Christ.”
“You will find Him at those times closer than a brother. I know. He has met me in my own Gethsemanes, and He will do so again and again and yet again."
As I read this article there was much I could identify with. I can truly say that in the Gethsemanes of my life over the last three years that the Lord has been that friend that has indeed been closer than a brother. He has carried me through every battle, every struggle, every defeat. He has been there without fail, to bring me through. Even when I could not see with the natural eye, He was there.
To know that He will be with us through the hard times gives us a peace that transcends anything of this world. It is indeed in the Gethsemanes of life that we truly learn to know our Father, our Lord. To become intimate in His word, in His presence and in His Spirit.
I want to encourage you my friends to remember that as you are in those times of “Gethsemane” to remember that you have a friend, that He is with you as walk through these hard times and that He will, not might, bring you through, even as He has brought me through the times of pressing in my life.
We are a people of hope, of faith and we have an advocate with our Father, the Lord Jesus Christ who will bring us through as we lay hold of Him with all that we are and to know that He will be with us in the “Gethsemanes of life.”
Just finished up a little while ago with the men’s bible study here at Starbucks.
Wasn’t expecting it to be so emotional. But it was, as we discussed that we all come to a place in our lives at some time, where we are reduced to a place that we are utterly dependent upon the Lord.
Where everything that we counted on or we looked to is stripped away, totally removed and the only option we have is to look to the Lord as the sole answer and source for all things in our lives.
It is not an easy place to be because it strips you, of you. Makes you realize how hopeless life is without the Lord as the source of strength. That He is the very foundation that we must build upon. It is the only thing that will not be shaken, torn asunder, that will stand the storms, the battles, the adversities that come our way.
That even through tears we can look to our Father, knowing that He so loves us that He wipes away the tears, He eases the pain and He applies the balm of healing that reaches our inner most being.
He also teaches us to forgive ourselves, to know that He has taken it all to the cross. That He has forgiven us, and we have to forgive ourselves, knowing that it was all nailed to the cross, removed, so that we can start afresh. A new beginning as we draw from Him the strength to walk the path we are on, each day.
That is what the Lord did this morning as I fellowship with my brothers in the Lord here at Starbucks. The Lord reached in and touched some more wounds in my life that I thought I had yielded to Him and once again set me free to focus on Him.
Again, the Lord in mercy and grace, set me free this morning to let go and allow Him to work in my inner most being and He used others to do so. We need to allow the Father to touch our hearts, our spirits, to set us free.
Allow Him to use others to bring healing to your life when He wants. You will be surprised at the awesomeness of our Father to touch our lives through others when we least expect it and in ways that will surprise us.
Our Father works outside the box that we have put Him in at times and sets us free when we allow Him to be who He is. Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Our Father, who sets us free to follow Him.
On Friday, I was being very introspective. Looking within, contemplating my thoughts, my feelings, a self examination.
It can be a good thing, but sometimes we can allow it to take our focus off of our walk with the Lord. To focus on all the things that are "wrong", the things that we are angry about as I did Friday.
I got really upset. Angry because my medications from the VA Medical Center has not shown up. I got angry with social security, because of my dealings with them. I got angry about my divorce.
I was angry because of having to be dependent on others and I was really angry because of dealing with constant pain. I was so angry at so many things that I lost my focus on the Lord. Instead of calling on the Lord. I dwelt on myself. The only one that knew I was angry was the Lord and me.
But I did do a wise thing. I gave my best friend in Texas, Lewis a call and let him know what was going on. That I was going through some spiritual warfare and I needed some prayer support and that is what I got.
Though we are several thousand miles apart we were able to unite in prayer and I was blessed and strengthen by the prayers of my brother in the Lord and likewise I was able to take the focus off me and was able to pray for my friend Lewis.
It is when we go through these times that we draw strength from one another. That we can unite in spirit and find strength in the Lord and it will enable us to press on and into the things of the Lord.
So if you find yourself being very introspective, look up and not in, for when we look up to the Lord, then we allow Him to look within and deal with the anger, the hurts, the pains, the things that take our focus off the Lord.
It is during these times that the Lord inclines His ear towards us, as David says in Psalms 40:1, that he ultimately hears, He answers persevering prayer. Barnes in his commentary says the word "inclined" here means properly "bowed", that is, He "bent forward" to hearken or place His ear near David’s mouth to hear him. Is that not awesome.
Matthew Henry’s commentary says of David in this Psalm: God answered his, David’s prayers. He inclined unto David and heard His cry. He goes on to say that those who wait on the Lord, though they may wait long, do not wait in vain!
Again an awesome promise. That our Father will incline His ear towards us to hear and not only to hear, but He will lift us up out of the pit of despair, of anger, of pain and set us on a solid foundation.
What a promise and what hope is there in this. Let us also incline our ears toward the Lord that we might hear that still small voice and respond to it and be made strong in the Lord as we are obedient to the word of God, to the life that it brings as we are lifted up and out of the pit and sit on a solid, unmovable foundation.
Just when you think you have everything under control, POW, you don’t!!
Today was actually a super day. A real presence of the Lord, a super morning at Starbucks. Met two new brothers in the Lord and just had a good day in general.
The afternoon went well and then this evening I open my mouth and inserted my foot but I guess none of you have done that.
Actually I butted into a conversation my son-in-law was having with his youngest son, when I should have kept quiet. I got angry because my son-in-law when I asked him if I was butting in, said yes, and boy did that do a number on my pride and what did this “mature man of God do?”
I grab my coat and hat, walked out the door and slammed it behind me and took a walk to the little park down the street. I found a nice spot to sit and just began to talk to the Lord and let Him know how I was feeling, hoping to get some sympathy.
But being a Father, He in His mercy and grace began to show me more areas that I thought I had in control that needed to be dealt with, that I needed to yield to Him, especially my tongue, that little tool, that can produce life or death.
I was so mad that I was shaking and it only made me madder because I knew I was wrong and I was embarrassed at being wrong and I knew that I would have to apologize and allow the Lord to continue to work in me to bring to the surface the things that needed to be dealt with.
As they are brought to the surface and removed we then begin to become more and more like the Lord, being transformed and conformed to His character. I also knew that I could not allow the night to end with anger still on my heart and again, it was my son-in-law who took that first step toward forgiveness even though I was the one at fault. So there was healing and forgiveness and the enemy lost another battle.
Sometimes it is hard for us as parents not to want to step in and say this is the way that I would do it, not realizing that we are undermining the authority of our grand children's parents as I did earlier this evening.
I am so thankful to the Lord for watching over me and being with me. To teach me anew what it means to walk with Him and be conformed to Him so that I could be the example to my children and grand children.
That they would see that I am still a work in progress and that we are always of being molded and shaped by the Lord to become more like Him in our walk, in our relationship with Him, with our families and friends and with others.
We are all a work in progress and we are learning day by day what it means to be more and more like the Lord!!
As I was having coffee this morning at Starbucks my friend Ron was there. A Pastor from the Kennesaw area who I had met recently, of course, at Starbucks.
When we first met we began to talk about ministries, about the Lord and I shared about Pinecrest where I went to school and he began to share how he had minister there and was acquainted with a lot of people I knew. It was so amazing, that here in Starbucks, in Kennesaw, Georgia, that the Lord would allow us to meet. A God thing for sure.
I went to a prayer meeting with Ron last night and it too was awesome. Such a presence of the Lord. I felt like I was at home, like I have been a member a long time. To me that is so neat how the Lord will bond brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Everyday here in Kennesaw has been an adventure in the Lord. Each day I meet someone new to talk too, to encourage, to lift up and to exhort in the Lord. I don’t think there is a greater honor we can have, than to be a servant. To be an instrument in His hands to reach and touch others. Learning to know the Lord a new, of learning to yield to Him.
To trust Him is life changing. We are never the same when we have been touched by the Lord as we yield to Him and allow Him to re-create us and mold us into a reflection of Him. That the Christ within will shine forth.
Let us learn to lean on the Lord. To rest in Him. To walk in the fullness of who He is. Let us rise up in His purposes in our lives and use the gifts, the talents that He has given us, to exhort, to lift up, to encourage, to pray one for another.
As you awake tomorrow my friends, wake with anticipation. Focus your heart, your mind and your thoughts on the King of Kings and rise with hope, with praise on your heart and know that your Father is there to walk with you as you yield to Him!
I really am amazed at the changes that have taken place in my life over the last couple of years. How my life has been turned around and how all my perceptions of my heavenly Father have been changed by the events of my life.
That out of all that I have gone through I am learning what it means to have a father who loves me, cares for me and watches over me. Even when I didn’t understand and I looked at Him with tears in my eyes and a heart that seemed broken, that would never heal.
Yet, My Father, embraced me and loved me with a love that only He could give. He loved me with a love that reached deep within. A love that touched wounds that were buried deep and brought healing, closing those wounds with the presence of His Spirit and not only that, He took those wounds, those hurts, those pains and they were nailed to the cross of His Son and the blood that was shed brought the healing that was needed.
Each day has become an adventure of sensing that my heavenly Father takes delight when I open His word, come into His presence and we spend time together. That He reveals Himself through the word, through the people that I meet.
Our Father cares. He takes delight when you come into His presence. When you acknowledge Him and just give thanks and love Him. Our Father takes delight in the simple times. Of just being with Him and that is the sense I get this morning. That our heavenly Father looks with delight, with a gleam in His eyes, when we say, “Morning Father, I love you!”
Even this morning, when my five year old grandson, Jordan woke up, getting ready for school, comes into the living room, with a smile on his face, a gleam in his eyes, gives me a hug and says, “Grandpa, I love you.” My heart just swelled and a smile spread across my face and my heart was lifted up!”
Imagine how much more it makes our Heavenly Father feel when we come into His presence and say “I love you Father.” I know that it blesses Him. That it brings a smile to His heart and He looks at us with an even greater love as we walk with Him!
Come into His presence this day. Let Him know how much you love Him and embrace Him with your heart and allow the healing and transforming power of His love and presence bring healing and restoration to you this day.
Sitting here at Starbuck's this evening, enjoying my coffee and relaxing and thinking about the day and how blessed I am to be here with family, both physically and spiritually. The Lord has indeed blessed me.
I was thinking about how the enemy will use many things to try and convince us that pressing on in the Lord is futile.
The reason I push on is that there is a passion within, a rekindled love for the Lord and my Father. That through the fires of adversity I have been made stronger. That the Lord has renewed my strength with His. He has enabled me to overcome so many things that it is hard to know where to begin.
There was a time in my life over the last couple of years that I was determined never to leave the house, never to step out because of the surgeries that I went through and how they affected my life.
Having an ostomy to me, was the end of the world, a sense of deformity. Though others could not see it, it still effected every aspect of my life, of my view of who I was. I wanted to pack it in. There was a battle raging inwardly.
The enemy played havoc with my mind and spirit. Trying to convince me, man, people won’t want to be around you, what an embarrassment you will be if something happens, what will you do?
But the Lord enabled me to overcome. I have come to realize that there is nothing that we go through that cannot be used to glorify the Lord. Never have I blamed the Lord.
Oh, I got angry, I didn’t understand and I know that the Lord did not put this on me but what He did do was give me the strength, His spirit and He helped me to overcome and to stand strong in Him.
There is nothing we go through my friends, that the Lord won’t use to bring glory to Him as we allow His character to be formed in us.
Chemotherapy, radiation, two major surgeries and a divorce, have not taken my eyes off the Lord, though the enemy tried hard to do so.
But now I see that we are transformed, we are changed, we are conformed to the Lord as we learn to yield to Him even in the times of adversity. To give it all to Him. To come to a place of saying, “Lord, I don’t understand it all, but Lord, it is all about you.”
It is when we come to this point in our life that we begin to shine, to reflect the Lord to others and it goes from theory to reality. That out of the fire, the adversity we are birthed, we are given hope, we are enabled to walk in the Lord!
It is when we rise up in the Lord, in this new life that we give off the fragrance of the Lord. It is like a flower, that when it is crushed, it gives off a fragrance.
And we too, like the flower, go through things in our lives, through the times of crushing, but the end results if we allow the Lord to work in us, is to bring forth a fragrance that will draw others to want to know about this peace, this rest, that we have and we will be able to share that it is the Lord that has changed us.
Joy does come in the morning my friends. There comes a time of realization of who we serve and that we shall see the reality of the Christ within being manifested in our lives, here and now!
Sometimes it is really rough to get up, to press on, to push forward when everything within looks like one big battle after another, struggle after struggle that seems to never end.
But yet there is within, that still small voice, that speaks to us, lets us know, that it is all right, that our Lord is with us.
And it is as we learn to respond to that still small voice in the midst of all that is going on, that we begin to grow and begin to move forward in the Lord.
It is a day by day, moment by moment walk with the Lord that gives us the strength to press forward.
It is the hope within, knowing that we don’t have to have a spirit of fear, of anxiety, but rather to put on the full armour of the Lord. That He has given us a spirit of strength and hope.
That our focus is turned from us, to Him and to others. In doing so, healing is brought to us and makes us stronger in our weakness because our dependency is on Him.
It is one of those things that is hard to put into words, in our weakness we are made strong, in becoming a servant, we become free. It is realizing that it is Christ within that lives, no longer us that lives, yet we live.
In other words, we are ourselves in Christ, becoming that portrait, becoming all that we are meant to be and to fulfill His will in our lives.
There are days and sometimes weeks that we have to choose to rise up each day over the pain, over the battles, the wounds and the hurts and make a sacrifice of praise and worship, of adoration to the Lord.
In that action, we are lifted by the spirit of the Lord to overcome those obstacles, events in our lives, by the word of God, by the spirit and enabled to walk in the Lord.
Sometimes the Lord will send people our way to encourage us. To remind us that greater is He that is within us. I had the privilege of meeting a new friend this week, a member of CWG who took time to come and visit me here in Kennesaw.
We talked about writing, life and about the Lord. It was a time of encouragement to me and I came away blessed and strengthen in my spirit. I want to say thank you because you indeed blessed me, encouraged me and reminded me how blessed I am with my children and grand-children here in Georgia.
As I look back I can see how the Lord is slowly but surely bringing me forth into His purpose for this day and time. That He is given me the honor and privilege to be a pen in His hand. To write what He puts on my heart.
Sometimes daily, maybe weekly. That He is molding me and shaping me into His image, His character, to reflect the Christ within. Most importantly He is teaching me to look beyond myself, to look to Him and to draw strength that I need each day to walk with Him.
There is hope and there is purpose for each of us and it is only when we cry out to our Father, that He lifts us above the wounds, the pains, the hurts, to walk with Him.
To draw His strength, that overcomes the dark nights of the soul and brings out of that darkness into the light of His presence and enables us to walk each day, to reach out and to focus on Him, to give to others what has been given to us.
I know that it is only as I write, as I share, as I talk that I can express the things that the Lord has and is writing on my heart, that which hopefully will cause others to draw closer to the Lord, to find their strength in Him.
It is during this time of writing, of sharing, of giving out of what the Lord has given me, that I am coming into the purposes that the Lord has for me.
That it is as we yield to the Lord, that we will find the strength to press on and in and know that we are pleasing our Father and that He will teach us to focus on others and thus setting us free to receive healing from Him.
Yesterday was a beautiful day in spite of the overcast skies and the rain.
The Lord’s presence was so strong, making me aware that He truly is in control of all things, all events in our lives and as we yield to Him, His purposes in us will be fulfilled.
Yesterday, as I was sitting in the living room relaxing, taking it easy, thinking about things. My young grand daughter Rebekah came up and gave me a hug and said “Grandpa I love you.” She then asked and answered a question and it made me realize how much the Lord is in charge and always confirms things to us and often times it is out of the mouth of a child!
The question Rebekah asked and answered was “Grandpa, does Jesus want you to stay here in Georgia? Because I think He wants you to stay here.”
I was in awe of the Lord for I knew this was His way of speaking to my heart through my seven year old grand daughter and letting me know this is where I will be for a season.
As I sat at Starbucks last night, just relaxing and thinking of the events of the day I counted myself blessed because I know my Father loves me and His plans are good plans and He is allowing me the privilege of putting pen to paper, to share my heart. To share with others the hope that is within.
I pray that which the Lord gives me to share helps others to soar to new levels, new depths in their relationship with the Lord, that they will find strength in the word, in His presence and hopefully in the things shared from the heart.
Each one of you who blog's by, who write, who comment or just take time to read are very special to the Lord.
We are each unique to our Father and as we press in, as we yield to Him, a change is brought within. We begin to grow and mature because of what the Lord is doing. That we are learning to walk in the here and now and that we can serve an ever present Lord!
We are being brought to a place to truly know our Father. That we are being brought to a place of abiding, of dwelling, of learning to hear the heart beat of God. How awesome is that!
I know that this is something that I share often but I feel like it is something that the Lord wants repeated and it is this.
Do not ever think what you have to share is not important, for it is. I cannot tell how many times the Lord has used many of you to speak to my heart, to my spirit and gave me the extra boost in the spirit that I needed.
Don’t let the enemy rob you of the gifts that your heavenly Father has given you. A few words shared in the spirit goes a long way.
Be blessed my friends. Rejoice in that which the Father has given you and hold tight to His hand as you follow Him, for He will guide you through this path called life!!
Actually it is a very, very sad tale about an old friend!
Someone that I literally leaned on, who was part of my life, who always gave me support when I needed it. I could always grab him and off we would go to venture into a new day. He was a very special gift, given to me by some very special friends, Marietta and Keaton, but now he is gone.
Earlier today, I went to Starbucks to have coffee and write and relax, to see what doors the Lord would open for the day. It was a beautiful day. It was nice to be out and about and meeting new friends.
When it was time to go, I grabbed my pack, my hat and my cane and went to the car. I got everything loaded and headed to the house.
All of a sudden I heard a rumble on the roof and in the rear-view mirror I saw my cane, my walking stick, roll off the roof unto the highway, a very busy highway and I also noticed an 18 wheeler bearing down on it and I was hoping that by the time I got to the corner and turned around, that my cane would survive.
But, my once strong cane became a very splintered pile of wood, scattered on the highway, with just a little left to remind me that it once exsisted.
So, sadly, I am no longer Able to raise Cane. So goodbye to a dear friend, a good companion. Thanks for all the support and for all the times you enabled me to go just a little further.
Thanks for being a strong supporter, for indeed, I could always lean on you!
“I will lift up my eyes to the Hills, from whence cometh my help - my help comes from the Lord, maker of Heaven and Earth” ... "The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and even for evermore.” Psalms 121:1, 2 & 8 [KJV]
Indeed my help comes from the Lord. He is the one that has been with me each and every step of the way over the last couple of years. He has given me the strength to endure even when I thought no more Lord, no more!!
It is the Lord who opens one door and closes others and brings us to the place that He wants us and for me, the place for now, is here in the Hills of Georgia, in Kennesaw. It is almost impossible to put into words the peace and presence of the Lord that I have felt since being here.
Most of this week has been staying here at home, resting and getting stronger from the events of last Sunday evening.
Last Sunday was a tactic of the enemy to try and put fear in my heart, that maybe I am missing the Lord but I know that I am not, so again what the enemy meant to use to stop me did not work, it caused me to draw even closer to the Lord and to find my strength in Him.
I know that the Lord is getting ready to open doors, to allow me to give an even stronger testimony about the awesomeness of God.
We really need to learn to lift up our eyes and look to the Lord knowing that it is from Him, that we receive strength to walk in His ways.
To know the Lord will watch over us and protect us even in the darkest moments. Even when we are under attack, He is there to comfort and strengthen us and bring us through.
Even last Sunday, when all the bleeding began and a voice kept trying to convince me this is it, your not coming out of this.
The enemy was trying to instill fear, but even at that moment, I was able to lift up my eyes as it where to the Hills, to the Lord and to draw from His presence the peace that passes all understanding and it carried me through.
And here I sit, almost a week later, at Starbucks, having my coffee and sharing about the awesomeness of my Father, who watched over me and brought me through.
Last Sunday, January 9th, is an evening that I will remember for a very long time!
I was at Starbucks having my coffee, sitting in my favorite chair and was beginning to write the post for Sunday evening when I felt a trickle in my right nostril when all of a sudden blood began to gush forth from my nose and from my tear duct in my left eye and my throat filled with blood and I was sitting in the chair trying to get someone’s attention because I couldn’t say anything with blood gushing out of my mouth and finally someone figured out that I wasn’t waving at them and they immediately came to my assistance, along with the store manager.
The manager Sue, and the two people that helped me were super, they stayed with me through it all till my son-in-law Sheridan and daughter Gloria where able to get there, along with the fire department and EMS from Kennesaw, who also were super and were very assuring.
The rest of the night went like a blur, going to the Emergency Room, having my right nostril and sinus cavity packed with two balloons, then admitted to the Hospital. I spent the night and most of the day there at Kennastone Hospital where I received excellent care from everyone.
During the whole time that all this was going on, I had the peace of the Lord. I felt His presence, even while all the bleeding was taking place, I had a peace and rest and yes I was a little scared and I let the Lord know that I believed I was ready to be with Him but that I was not in a particular hurry to get there.
I just want to say thank you to all of you who prayed for me, for those who called and sent notes and e-mailed me and for all of you who blogged by. It meant a lot to me and it was very comforting. It was good to know that even in the midst of this that my Father was there. That He made Himself real and gave me the peace that only He can give.
I know the Lord has purpose yet for me and that nothing the enemy may use to try and put fear in my heart will work. For my strength, my hope is in the Lord. That the more the enemy attacks, the more it causes me to draw closer to Him.
Remember that no matter what you go through in life, you can draw strength from the Lord and that He will enable you to walk the path that He has sit before you. That He will replace that fear with faith.
The Lord never ceases to amaze me how He does things. The doors He opens, the people that we meet.
When I went to Starbucks this morning for my morning coffee, to sit and read, write and just ponder things for awhile I noticed a group of men sitting where I normally sit and I just sensed a presence of the Lord so I went and sat near them.
They were talking about the Lord, the word, just fellowshipping and after awhile I was fellowshipping with them and I gained four new brothers in the Lord as we talked and shared over the next couple of hours. It indeed was a blessing from the Lord!
It reminded me today that no matter where we go or where we are, that the presence of the Lord is with us. It is not limited to a church building. The presence of the Lord is were two or three or gathered together in His name. It can be in church, on the front porch or sitting here at Starbucks or Isaacks Restaurant back in Junction, Texas, drinking coffee and fellowshipping with new friends.
The presence of the Lord is with you when it is just Him and you. When your in prayer, reading the word or just enjoying His creation. His presence is with us at home, at work, in whatever we do if we but allow Him to be there. That we can enjoy His presence, His Spirit.
Each day we are given the chance, the opportunity to reflect Him. To be ourselves in the Lord, that we live in the power of His spirit, reflecting the reality of that new life that we have in Him.
Yes, we stumble at times, we make mistakes, but we get back up, we press in and pursue Him and move forward. Each time that we get back up and press in, we become stronger in our walk with the Lord, for our dependency is on Him, not ourselves.
Each day is a new day. A new revelation of who He is in our life. That we indeed can walk in His ways, knowing that where ever we go there He is, if we will but allow Him to shine forth from our hearts, from our spirit, that He will draw others to want to know more about Him.
As His presence did this morning. It drew me to have fellowship with four new friends and brothers in the Lord!
The thing that has really amazed me the little time that I have been here in Kennesaw, Georgia, is the number of people that the Lord has put me into contact with.
I was at Starbucks this morning with my son Joshua and daughter Gloria, sitting in my favorite spot just visiting and talking, enjoying time with my son before he heads back to Colorado Springs.
While sitting here we struck up a number of conversations with people coming in for their coffee and waiting for it and we would just begin to talk and during this time I made new friends and connected with fellow believers.
The Lord will always open doors when we make ourselves available to Him. He gives us opportunities to share, to write, to talk and visit with others if we but say here I am Lord, use me!
Again this evening, I am sitting here at Starbucks and the Lord again has open opportunities to share what He is doing in my life and with Hill Country Thoughts.
The people here at Starbucks are some of the friendliest people that I have ever met and I look forward to many visits while in Kennesaw.
I really am at peace here. It is like the Lord is moving me another notch in the direction that He wants me to go at this point in my life. I will be here for awhile in Kennesaw while I am waiting for my Social Security hearing, then I will go back for the hearing, to pick up my car and come back here for a season.
I want to encourage you my friends to launch out, to allow the Lord to lead you in new paths, in new ways. To expand your tent pegs.
Let 2005 be a year that we allow the Lord to use us to the fullest, to expand His purposes in our lives. Let it be a year of expectation!
New doors, new opportunities and launching out in the Lord. Let that be the cry of our heart. Sense the excitement of the Hope of the Christ within, to be alive in 2005. Let life flow forth from the words we write, the things that we speak, let us be moved by the impulse of His love.
You just never know what doors will open each day as you wake with an expectancy in your heart. Knowing that the Lord has a purpose for you and that your walk with the Lord is not based on "feelings" but on the Word of the Lord.
Learning to live by faith, trusting the Lord, taking a step off the cliff, knowing that He will be there to catch you. It is not an easy thing to do but I am finding that the Lord is causing me to more and more trust in Him!
That He is teaching me to live the 23rd Psalm, that the Lord is indeed my shepherd. That He is our Shepherd. That He will lead us and guide us as we simply trust in Him!
He wants us to know what it means to walk with Him day by day. Trusting in His provision. Trusting in His guidance as we walk with Him. To give to others what He has given us. To share a word or thought of hope, to be real in the Lord!
We have a purpose, a calling and that is to reflect the reality of who He is. Lord of our life. He gives us purpose, even when it does not seem so. He enables us to touch others as we share out of that which we have gone through, out of the path that we have walked.
We are His hands extended, to reach out to minister to those around us, to meet them were they are at. At home, at work, on the phone, even online, to give out of what has been given to us, Hope!!
My youngest daughter, my son and my grand daughter and I went to the morning service at NorthStar Church here in Kennesaw. It is about a block away and a nice walk.
What an amazing service, a tremendous presence of the Lord and what a blessing to find a church so close. The people where very friendly and outgoing. They made you feel like you were part of the family already and that was how I felt. It was just like the Lord to give me a place close by and to have the little park as an added blessing.
One of the songs that they sang this morning really spoke to my heart. The one verse that really touched me and was a confirmation and answer to a prayer. The verse “Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of your love.”
That really spoke to my heart. That is the desire of my heart, as a writer, that my hands would be moved by the impulse of my Father’s love, to express the heart of our Heavenly Father, His love to others in this New Year.
What a tremendous thought to ponder. That all we do, as writers, as fathers, mothers, grandparents, as husband and wives, as ministers, teachers, in whatever we are called to be in life, to be moved by the impulse of our Fathers love, of His heart and His purpose.
That our motivation would be to express the hope that we have within. That it would bring hope to others who need to see it, in a world that needs hope. It is because of this hope, because of the Christ within, that we can walk this path called life, for we indeed as Christians, are a people of hope and expectation.
Let us cry out to our Lord, “Take our hands Lord, lead us in your ways, in your paths, let us be moved by the impulse of your love in all that we do.”
Till later,
Paul
This Post was for Sunday 1-2-2005
Hill Country Thoughts Paul E. Dawn Jr.
Kennesaw, Georgia
Think on This:
“As we spend that time with the Lord, as we ponder His word, it will bring forth fruit in due season, and it will be life to others as we share those things that the Lord has made real in our lives as we walk with Him, as we go through the trials of life, the dealings, as we mature little by little, we will be able to share with others that which has been made real in our life, not theory but the life changing power of the word" - Paul
Words Aloft
Let my words soar on the
rising currents of your spirit
Let my words be powered by the
heart of your inspiration
Let my words lead others on the
incredible journey to your heart
Let my words reflect the vastness
of your Mercy, new every morning!
