Hiding place

“All night long, God is at work!” (Selah)

Romans 5:18, “Against all hope,” we still believed good things would happen to my Dad.

Genesis 18: 14, “Is anything too hard for the Lord!” Personally, I would tell you no. If what we are praying for is His will, all things are possible.

Exodus 14: 21 “All that night the Lord drove the sea back.” And he will, through what may seem to be our darkest hour. 

Keep your trust in Him and hold on to your faith, even if it becomes, “as small as a mustard seed,” (Matt. 17:20) trust Him. God will teach you during these dark hours of the unknown.  To have strong faith, takes GREATER trials. 

Faith is being built stronger in the night, but where do you hide when you are afraid? I choose Jesus.  He is my hiding place, “When I am afraid, I will trust in [Him].” (Psalm 56:3).  Maybe my Dad was hiding there too. When things seem the darkest, God is doing great work in our lives, our faith becomes stronger by feeling His grace, which is sufficient.

A Chaplin, by the name of Peter came to see my dad every day, and reminded me to go back and read Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die...”  The secret to our peace is to realize God is in control, and His timing is perfect. That’s why I say, 'If it is God’s will,' because we have to trust God with our loved ones.

Romans 6:23 “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We made sure my dad confessed to this, and he did. He confessed Jesus to be his Lord and Savior.

God's word says to, “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.” (Isaiah 7: 11).  Our prayer for my dad was a desperate cry for him to be healed and have more time with us. We placed ourselves, and our dad before our Great God’s control and power, and His will. I don’t know where my dad was for the 24 or more hours that he remained so unresponsive, but I do know that the God who rolled the sea back for Moses, rolled my dad’s eyes open the next morning. God works through the night! A miracle to demonstrate His power, and the healing that doesn't come from the explained. God gets all the thanks and glory, to the doctors and nurses He placed over my dad. After all, EVERYTHING IS IN HIS CONTROL ANYWAY!

We are never ready to lose a loved one, even if you know they have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. But since the promise of God is eternal life, He truly is forever faithful, no matter what we face here, “under heaven.”

Glory to our God

Kim…. (Thank you all for your prayers)

Whatever you are going through, I pray you find peace. This is a beautiful song to help get you started…

Hope of a broken world.

Into my weakness, into my darkness, Your spirits moving upon my heart, and You speak the words, “Let there be light!” (Gen. 1:3).  

Have you allowed this light into your chaos to receive His promises. Jesus wants to give us a new life, cast out the old as far, "as the east is from the west... He removed our  transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12).

He doesn’t care where you’ve been, He just wants to clean us up so we can reflect His image to this broken world. Matthew 5:16: “Let your light shine before men”

Jesus to me is a picture of Beauty, reflecting, "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness," everything I can’t be without receiving Him into my darkness, and bringing me into the light, changing me. (Galatians 5: 22).

I love the story of the two thieves in Luke 22:39-41. One of them who hurled insults at Jesus, “Aren’t You the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” The other one said, “Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” This criminal knew he was never going to come down from that cross alive. He didn’t have time to clean up his act, which is a picture telling us, works doesn’t save us, faith in Jesus does. It’s never too late, and you are never too far gone to cry out to Jesus.

 This criminal saw something in Jesus, that moved him in such a way, that it became his road to salvation right at that second.  He said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, TODAY you will be with me in paradise.” What an act of Love and forgiveness. Even in His misery on the cross, Jesus had mercy on this criminal, who’s darkness turned to the “Light!”

Jesus is the only hope for this broken world. The only hope for broken lives, “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” (Romans 5:5).

Grace and peace to you

Kim

Power of your name, "Jesus."

There is POWER in the name “Jesus.”

We shouldn’t be ashamed, or think we are saying something wrong when we mention His name. People are quick to say anything they want in front of you about sex, or use whatever language they want in front of you, and they really don’t care who’s standing around. 

Some people when talking about Jesus, don’t mention His name, or they look around like they’re saying something wrong. There’s nothing wrong with talking about Jesus, it’s just that people aren’t use to hearing about things that are Pure and True.

The bible tells us “that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord...” (Philippians 2:10).  So say His Name, Jesus, there’s POWER in it.

It’s beyond saying to people “there’s a higher power,” or telling them, “there is someone to turn to.” Say His Name in your conversations. He will guide you how to lovingly share is name.

It begins with His Kingdom coming in our hearts, and changing our anger towards things and people, to compassion for the lost and hurting. Seeing them how He sees them. We need to give with the life that we’ve been given. The mercy and grace that we receive everyday should bring us to become humble children of God. 

Micah 6:8 says, “He has showed you, o man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Do we show the same mercy to people who wrong us, like God shows us when we wrong Him? Are we fair in how we deal with people? God calls us, “My people.” and, “if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven..….and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7: 14).  

I want my heart to break with the things that break His heart. When we do this, we can see a world be changed. I guess this is why things haven’t changed in over 2000 years. So many people are out for themselves, or getting even with someone, or treating someone the way YOU think they deserve to be treated. I am so glad Jesus didn't treat me that way.

If you looking for fairness in this world, you WON’T find it. If you look for Jesus, you WILL find Him !!!!

Jesus had so much POWER, yet He was so humble, peaceful, and kind.  When I even think of Jesus, I feel peace, and see beauty. There are also times I need to call on, and see Jesus, say His name in my heart so I feel His POWER in situations I know I couldn’t have dealt with without Him.

“Jesus” is the Name that changed me.

“Jesus” is the blood that saved me from my sin.

Who’s the shelter for the hurting? Who’s the refuge for the weak? Who’s name can redeem the undeserving? Whose Name holds EVERYTHING you need?

“Jesus!”

The Name above ALL names!

Grace and POWER of Jesus to you.

Kim

For anyone going through a rough time...

“When the tears keep pouring down, and my lips can’t make a sound, I know YOU hear my prayer.”

I have been in this place with Jesus many times in my life. I know He’s there, and I know He hears the prayers from my heart, but sometimes the only word that flows from my lips is “Jesus” over, and over again. His name is the only thing that brings me a peace inside, and His arms of faith pulls me back to Him.

I Know a lot of us have been in this place, where our hearts get weak, and hope just seems to slip away.

I went to visit my dad in the hospital, and what I saw set my mind restless on what I was seeing, not on “the things which are above," (Colossians 3: 1). I have written devotionals on, hope, faith, and to trust in the Lord. I talk to people all the time about keeping their faith and trust in the Lord, but when it hits you personally, you realize just how human you are, and you are reminded of where your only source of strength comes from. I also thank God for all my brothers and sisters in Christ who remind me of Gods promises when I can’t seem to think straight.

I know to look to Christ for my strength , but when you are watching a loved one struggle with health issues in the hospital, and no one seems to have answers, your soul can feel so afraid, and your mind begins to run away with thoughts that carry you far away from Christ side, who is your ONLY source of strength. I thank God for all the doctors and nurses, but no one comforts your soul but Jesus.

1 Corinthians 2:3: “I came to You in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.” 

2 Corinthians 12:9: But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

There is nothing I want more for all my family, especially my mom, at this time of waiting on answers for my dad, and for what Gods plan is, than for Christ power to rest on all of us. God is in control of it all anyway.

Please pray, thank you

Kim

I would die for you

How pleasing it must be to God's ears to say to Him,  “Use my life in whatever way your name is glorified. Even if surrendering means leaving everything behind.” Then to wait on Him. He will make everything clear to us, and the reason why we’re here.

I heard a love story on the radio the other day, and it just melted my heart. It was about a 26 year old man. He was sharing his story about waiting on God for his wife. He was tired of all the dating and breakups. He said he prayed to God and said, “I am tired of dating and making a mess of things. I am waiting on You. I want someone I could share my faith with.” He said he waited about a year, and God sent him his wife. He then went on to say that the woman God gave him was confined to a wheelchair. Everyone asked him, “how could you take on that responsibility.” He said, “when God puts something together, it’s a perfect fit.” He went on to talk about how he wanted someone to share his faith with, and how much his faith has grown with his wife.

A perfect fit, a perfect testimony, on how our prayers sometimes don’t come in the package we expect. But God has a purpose for everyone, and everything He puts together.

Do you want who God has for you? Do you know why your alive? Are you willing to die to the things you want and desire, for the things God has for you? Unless we surrender our lives to Jesus, we will really never know our purpose, or why we are here. 

Matthew 16:24-25, “if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.”

There are many love stories and sacrifices of love, but none greater than the Greatest love story and sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ.  1 John 3:16, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us...” Knowing that Jesus died for me, “While we were YET SINNERS,” (Romans 5: 8), it is my desire to give Him all there is of me. How can we possibly do less, when through His own death we live?

I pray you’re life becomes clear to you, and the reason why you are here.

Grace and peace to you

Kim

This video shows clips of great love and sacrifice of our soldiers, policeman and women, firefighters, those who lay their lives on the line for us every day.  God bless them, and thank you!

You are...

Before life on earth even came into existence, the bible tells us that it was, “formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters... He separated the light from darkness.” (Genesis 1:2-4).

The way God created the world from nothing, He is also creating our character, if we allow Him to have His way with us. You see in every verse from Genesis 1:1 thru 24, that “God saw it was good.” Anything God creates is good, but we can’t forget that there is also darkness trying to have its way in us. There is light and darkness in all of us. That’s why a daily prayer of mine is to give Jesus all of me for who He is, and hope that I glorify Him in my day. For the ONE who holds the stars and the beating of my heart, I will exalt Him above all. I know I am an ongoing piece of work as long as I am here, and I am sorry for the times darkness shows through me.

What separates the light and darkness in every human being, is to give Him all of what we are, and ask Him to take us apart. Opening your heart to Jesus is the only way for change.

Some people have a hard time believing because there is so much darkness in this world. That’s because there is so much darkness in some people who won’t allow change to happen in them. Keep your eyes on JESUS. HE IS “the light of the world,” and the ONLY TRUE LIGHT. Not religion, not a preacher, not a Christian, not even the church. We all fail God at times. Jesus is the ONLY PERFECT ONE.

There are many scriptures in the bible of Jesus explaining light and darkness. I love 

John 3:16-21, “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

It is better to live in the light than the darkness, but so many people are afraid of change. They want to keep living how they please, instead of pleasing God. Jesus' purpose for coming to earth was to, “make all things new.” (Revelations 21:5). To die for the sins of the world, , “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24). 

I pray you see through all the darkness this world has, by turning your eyes to the cross on display. Everything about it is beauty and love. The darkness you see has been from the beginning of time and people's choices on who they follow, and what they make God up to be. It usually isn’t a picture of beauty and love. So keep your eyes on the cross, Jesus is the Perfect One.

As long as I live, I will allow God to change me for all He is. It’s the only thing that feels right and makes sense to me in this world.

Don’t keep looking and searching for answers that aren’t here to find... You're not home yet, and there will be nothing but light when we get there.

Grace and peace to you…

Kim

Cry in my heart.

Sometimes the answers to our prayers aren’t what we expected and it can take us down, fast. Faith, trust, hope, being still, perseverance, these are the characteristics of Jesus being put into us.  It hurts, but God knows in the end we'll say, "it was worth it." I’m sure a lot of us have learned that if we never had a problem, we would have never learned that God could solve them. Where would we be without Jesus? I remember where I was, do you? The joy of this journey, is the fullness of Christ being made in us to share, and give hope to the hurting. But those of us who chose to be on this walk with Jesus, know that it isn’t without trials, but we also know that we don’t walk alone.

For those who are still searching for happiness in all other things, you won’t find it because Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.” (Revelations 3:20).  And He will keep knocking at your life. He doesn’t want you to be without Him.

The world offers us a lot of “things” but none of it is lasting satisfaction like Jesus. What do we really have if we don’t have Him? He is our only hope for lasting fulfillment, and peace in times of trials. So when life is knocking at your door, is it bringing you to acknowledge God and who He wants to be in your life, or are you still handling things on your own? Jesus is patient, YET PERSISTANT, but He will not break in.

Jesus teaches about money and worry in the book of Matthew, chapter 6. In verse 33, He tells us, “But seek FIRST His Kingdom, and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Seek who God is first, and who He wants His Son to be in your life. Jesus wants His presence to fill up our senses. A hunger for things that are deeper than things of this world. If we open our hearts we could go there with Him. We need to choose what has first place in our lives.

I know there will be times of worry. Sometimes it just can’t be helped, and God knows that. But the more you get to know the lifter of your head, you will find you don’t stay down as long.

So if I’m going to worry about anything, I try to let it be on what pleases God, and give Him first place in my life. You have to be willing to surrender. God has every right to everything in our life. After all, He gave everything to us. He provides all your needs and, "will meet all your needs,,,” (Philippians 4:19).

 

When people ask me, “How do you know what you believe is true?” I tell them, “Because He changed me. I’m satisfied and have His peace He promised me in His word. I don’t understand it, and it’s hard to explain it, but it’s real!”

Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The answer to your peace is in the end of that verse, “IN CHRIST JESUS.”  The only “One” who never changes is God, so we need to be  willing to change, surrender our ways and show Him He’s LORD of our life.

May the peace of our Lord always be with you.

Kim

Hold my Heart

The beginning of this song holds to me the two most important character building qualities of the Christian life to receive the third being built in us: Pray and Wait -  that is victory of faith.

Life and it's trials can knock us to our knees. That is the best place to be and pray, call out to God and wait on Him.

The bible is full of stories of faithful followers of Jesus. Everyone of them was not without questions and trials. How is our character built? How is our faith built? It is learned in life’s lessons...

1 Timothy 6:12 - “Fight the good fight of faith.” 

Hebrews 12: 2, “fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and perfecter of our faith.” 

If we look at the life of Jesus and His followers, we see that following Him would not be easy. There will be times of questions and waiting 

Psalm 46: 10 - "Be still and know that I am God..." - 

And times of answers and moving forward 

2 Timothy 4:7 - "I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

His promises still remain wherever He has us at. Never give up hope and faith.

Hebrews chapter 11, is a great book to read in the bible about faith, and you will see how God is always seeking to teach us the way, and to trust Him. Verse 6 says; "anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those that earnestly seek Him.” Because God DOES EXIST, everything good or bad that we go through matters, and shows people who are in doubt that we live, move, and breath because He lives in us, and our life’s purpose and trials are for His glory. He holds our hearts, and hears our cries. Our “whys” and “How longs” in life become less and less, until you are "worn out from [your] groaning."  (Psalm 6:6).

Our walk in life, even though we may be passing through a trial that can have our soul so disturbed within us, can be used to show that glimmer of light to others, that we are still going to "Put our hope in God, for [we] will praise him..."  

(Psalm 42: 11).

To stand upon the mountain of God we have to go through the valley. As we go through valley of life, God is doing His best work shaping and molding our trust and faith in Him. Like a baby taking their first steps, unafraid of falling, and in faith lets go, we need to let go and let God bring us to the top of the mountain.

Our questions may be without answers, but His promises are there to hold on to. He is everything He says He is, He holds our hearts through this life as He builds the final result of faith... VICTORY!

Grace and peace to you

Kim

Questions? Ask Him, He knows they are there.

Steven Curtis Chapman is a well known Christian artist. A few years ago a tragic accident happened, and his daughter was accidently killed. Yes he had questions, and even wrote a song about it. When I heard this story, my heart was so full of pain and sorrow for his family, but especially his son. By accident, not seeing his younger sister in the driveway, he struck and killed her. I can’t even imagine the pain the whole family felt at the loss of Maria Sue.

I love Jesus with everything that’s in me. I live my life as best I can to glorify Him. But that doesn’t mean I won’t have questions about things as long as I am here on the other side of home. God already knows the questions we have, so we might as well just ask Him.

My husband got a phone call from his sister the other day, and we found out a family member who is pregnant, found out the baby that she is carrying has no leg from the knee down. I am so glad God knows my heart, because the questions I had inside were many. I know He understands us being filled with questions, but not unbelief. 1 John 3: 19-20, “This then is how we know we belong to the Truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is Greater than our hearts, and knows everything.”

So don’t feel bad if you have questions like, “how could you God?” or, “where were you God?” He is Big enough to handle them, and he will quiet you with His love. For, “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.” (Romans 8:1).  I have to always remind myself that God is Greater than my questions, and He knows my heart.

When you see how these little ones handle their handicaps, and the smiles bigger than their little faces, it blows me away. And to think of the stupid things that I can complain about, makes me mad at myself.

There is lessons for all of us. Sometimes in our own pain, or sometimes the trials of someone else. Everything has a reason that we may not understand for now. Knowing that God understands our questions, we have to believe and be thankful for all we have, and to know a day of redemption (rescue) is coming.

Jesus is seated on His throne and even He said, “I am making EVERYTHING NEW!” Revelations 21: 5. That’s our hope we have to look forward to. We are NOT HOME YET!    So let your, hurt collide with the Healer...

Grace and peace to you

Kim