Friday, September 9, 2011

Stumbled Upon a Verse



When your words came, I ate them; 
they were my joy and my heart’s delight, 
for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty.





This verse reminds me of how far I've come. As a young mom I was a hand-wringer. I encountered temper tantrums—sometimes my own and not my toddler's. I would hope the money held out until the next paycheck. I had conflicts with girlfriends. 

I rarely ran to God's Word. I certainly didn't read it everyday or even every week. I preferred to stew about my problems. 


The years, the messes I've had to clean up, the crying at night—mine and not only my children's—have taught me something. Run—don't walk—to God's Word. It has become my delight. 


I have learned that nothing truly satisfies my worries like a time reading my Bible. I struggle just like everyone else with busyness—how to fit it in. 


I use a read through the Bible in a year. So far it has been 21 months but I have 20 days left and I'm still reading. When I finish my one year Bible in 21 months I will start all over—even though it will probably be October and not January. Who said we have to wait until January? 

I have the dramatized version of the gospels recorded on my ipod. I often listen to it as I get dressed in the morning. That's truly putting on the full armor of God along with the mascara!


The dramatized Old Testament stories are great in the car with the kids. Just one more way to stay in the Word during a busy season of life. 

God's Word has become my delight and I can't seem to get enough now. This is one lesson I wish I'd learned much earlier in my MommyLife!


Monday, September 5, 2011

Cry Baby!

How is your prayer life going?


I have to admit, I struggle to fit it in at times.

I know God is always near. He delights to hear me turn to Him. I get a little used to the fact that He is always there I can enter His presence boldly at anytime.

My reading in the book of Hosea this morning struck me:


They do not cry out to me
from their hearts...
Hosea 7:14a

The people Hosea spoke to may have looked good on the surface with their offerings at the temple but they kept God at arms length in their hearts and their emotions. I do that way too often. 

I had a front row view this weekend watching my seven-month-old granddaughter. There were lots of smiles and lots of tears. She seemed to go between one to the other at the slightest provocation. She connected from the heart and we all knew what she was feeling at any given moment.

When God talks about the kind of prayer life He wants us to have with Him, He beckons us to cry out to Him from our hearts.

I wonder how often my routine "bless me" prayers connect from the depths of my emotions?

I'm determining this week to cry out to God from my heart. It takes time. It takes focus. I'm endeavoring to be a bit of a cry baby before my heavenly Daddy.