Healing

You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress.

He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our sicknesses he carried;
it was our diseases that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!

When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”

Praise the Lord!
How good to sing praises to our God! How delightful and how fitting!
He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
Then you will have healing for your body
and strength for your bones.

“Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”

Psalm 59:9 (NLT)
Isaiah 53:3-4 (NLT)
John 5:6,8 (NLT)
Psalm 147:1,3 (NLT)
Proverbs 3:5-8 (NLT)
John 5:8 (NLT)

Distressed

The angel of the Lord appeared … and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”

“Sir,” …“if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?

Then the Lord …said, “Go with the strength you have…”

“But Lord,…how can I…?...I am the least in my entire family!”

The Lord said …, “I will be with you…”

Seek His will in all you do,
and He will show you which path to take.

Companions, as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us.

God reminds us,
I heard your call in the nick of time;
The day you needed me, I was there to help.

The smallness you feel comes from within you.
Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way.
I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection.
Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!

And now, isn't it wonderful all the ways in which this distress has goaded you closer to God?
You're more alive, more concerned, more sensitive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible.

He stands up for those who are beaten down.
He gives food to hungry people.
The Lord sets prisoners free.
The Lord gives sight to those who are blind.
The Lord lifts up those who feel helpless.
The Lord loves those who do what is right.
The Lord watches over the outsiders who live in our land.
He takes good care of children whose fathers have died.
He also takes good care of widows.
But he causes evil people to fail
in everything they do.
The Lord rules forever.
The God of Zion will rule for all time to come.

Praise the Lord!



Judges 6:11-16 (NLT)
Proverbs 3:6 (NLT)
2 Corinthians 6:1, 13 (MSG)
2 Corinthians 7:11 (MSG)
Psalm 146:7-10 (NIRV)

Lord

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.


(Lord) Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.

So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”

Proverbs 3:5 (NLT)
Psalm 143:8 (NLT)
Psalm 23:1-3 (NLT)
Psalm 139:1-4 (NLT)
Hebrews 13:6 (NIV)

Trust

Don't overlook the obvious here, friends.

With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. God isn't late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn't want anyone lost. He's giving everyone space and time to change.

He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.

All your works praise you, LORD;
your faithful people extol you.
They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.

You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Trust in the Lord always,
for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength!


2 Peter 3:9 (MSG)
John 15:2 (NLT)
Psalm 25:9 (NIV)
Psalm 145:10-13 (NIV)
Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)
Philippians 4:13 (NLT)

Peace

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy!

Romans 8:28 (NLT)
Philippians 4:19 (MSG)
John 16:33 (NLT)
John 16:22 (NIV)

Pathways

‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’
As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
(So) The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.
The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.”
What a God!
His road stretches straight and smooth.
Every God-direction is road-tested.
Everyone who runs toward him makes it.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Just think—you don't need a thing, you've got it all!
All God's gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale.
And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus.
God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus.
He will never give up on you.
Never forget that.


Acts 17:28 (NIV)
Psalm 37:23-24 (NLT)
Psalm 18:30 (MSG)
Psalm 32:8 (NLT)
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
1 Corinthians 1:9 (MSG)

Planning

Job 17:11-12 (NIV)
My days have passed, my plans are shattered.
Yet the desires of my heart
turn night into day;
in the face of the darkness light is near.



I have been feeling rather...mortal lately. I had a great friend, a sister-at-heart, pass away very suddenly. She had been a part of my life for 47 years and there is a hole left where she used to be. Through the years we fluctuated between being close and talking daily to not being in touch for months at a time. But always, when we got together, we seemed to pick up where we left off, laugh thru our struggles and good times, hug, and let life go on.

She left a list of accolades that were phenomenal: Four different degrees. A life spent searching for the new, the unknown, with a love for people and nature alike. Her grave site was specially chosen for it's trees and beauty, but also for people to visit. She will have a bench instead of a headstone to invite everyone to sit and laugh...thru the struggles and good times of life.

My life has felt like an increasing avalanche down a steep mountainside lately. I try to work, write, even clean house, only to have things left undone at the end of the day. The projects not finished and my life slipping away with each breath was becoming overwhelming. Then my sweet friend leaving was the ultimate reality check! It was like a cold brick of ice hitting me in the face: I am mortal! I WILL die someday! And what have I left undone that God had put on my heart to do?!

So my blog title is 'Planning'. It is a God chosen title for I have been in deep conversation with Him about my life...yeah, about my struggles and good times. He has shown me many things: How I have let important things go by the wayside because they became difficult and fearful. This blog for one *sigh* but also other plans I had in the past. And I haven't loved people deeply for fear of rejection or getting hurt. But He also showed me the good things I have accomplished, too. Raising four children, all who are believers in His Son. Being faithful to a marriage of almost 34 years. Growing, with His help, out of religion and into His kingdom. There are other good and bad not listed, trust me, but these are some that came to mind.

With a deep desire to know His will, I have consulted the Lord. Listened to His teaching in Matthew, in Corinthians, trusted friends advice, and other writings. He has come thru loudest in these verses:

Psalm 20:2-5 (NIV)
May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
May we shout for joy over your victory
and lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.

and

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
'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.'

The desire of my heart and my plan is to love Him more. To love others with a love like His. To serve like Jesus Messiah. To care for people, not only the way my dear friend did, but the way my Lord did. With my limited physical ability this will become quite creative, but one thing I CAN do is blog. I can write. So I will be taking a creative writing class (and practicing on my blog for sure!), continuing my embroidery work for charity, (Anyone need something embroidered? Proceeds go to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Tulsa Medical Missions Teams.), and I will be keeping and eye out for where God is working in a way I can join Him.

So I will say like Job,
"My days have passed, my plans are shattered.
Yet the desires of my heart
turn night into day;
in the face of the darkness light is near."
and I will move into the light and work out my plans in His kingdom until He decides my work is finished.

I'm doing my happy dance btw!

With loving remembrance of
Pamela Borovetz Sturgeon
January 19, 1928 - January 28, 2011

Roadblocks

My daughter called me this morning.
That was not unusual.
But it had iced and snowed last night and I knew she was driving so I answered quickly.
She had frustration in her voice and my thoughts immediately go to 'She's had an accident!'
No accident.
Just roadblocks.
People were driving very slowly because of the ice.
Too slow, really.
And now there was construction on the highway taking her to her first day of school as a student at OSU.
She was frustrated at being late on the first day.
Thus, the call.

Her situation made me think of this blog.
I seemed to hit a lot of roadblocks last year.
I took many detours.
I was so frustrated, at one point I gave up .
But...I'm back.

Roadblocks are interesting.
If I try to run through them, I quickly find that progress will stop in quite an abrupt manner.
Stopping and waiting for all the work on the road to finish would take years of idling.
But taking the detour leads to places I normally don't or wouldn't go.

Some lead to roads that are narrow, rutted, potholed, dusty and down right dangerous.
Some bring me near shops and businesses I had never noticed before.
Other detours lead through quiet neighborhoods that make me wonder who lives in the old, well maintained houses that look so peaceful.
But they all lead me in the direction of my original destination on the other side of the roadblock.

The roadblocks, all of them, have lessons for me to learn.
They build patience.
They build knowledge.
They build wisdom.
They build opportunity.
They get me out of my comfort zone and allow me to grow into peace in many different areas.

And the coolest thing about roadblocks for me?
It gives me precious time with my Father.

So I'm back writing this blog until the next roadblock detours me around areas of my life's road that needs construction.
Then I'll be back again.
Or, if the Lord wills, I will write about the detours I am on, or have taken.

Thank you for journeying with me.
Thank you for your patience.
Thank you for your love and encouragement.

Isn't the road of life exciting?!?

Oh...and my daughter made it to school fine.
Found a great parking place.
She had plenty of time to find her class.
And we had a wonderful, happy chat while in the middle of her construction zone.

Gotta love roadblocks!

1 Peter 2:4-8 (The Message)
Welcome to the living Stone, the source of life. The workmen took one look and threw it out; God set it in the place of honor. Present yourselves as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, in which you'll serve as holy priests offering Christ-approved lives up to God. The Scriptures provide precedent:

Look! I'm setting a stone in Zion,
a cornerstone in the place of honor.
Whoever trusts in this stone as a foundation
will never have cause to regret it.
To you who trust him, he's a Stone to be proud of...