Tag: Featured

God Really Does Know Your Name

Published on by pmclead17 Comments

A beautiful sunrise was filling the eastern sky so I decided to go out on the front porch to enjoy my coffee, my Bible, and my quiet time. I was listening to the birds and savoring each sip of my coffee when this thought came to mind.  Somewhere I had read or heard in a sermon perhaps, that God enjoyed hearing his Holy Word read back to him.

So I opened up to Psalms and began with the 46th.  I stood there reading to him and tears began to run down my cheeks. I went on with the 47th Psalm and the tears kept coming. There was something so special about reading to God.  It just filled my soul in a way I’d not experienced before.

I stopped reading after that and continue offering  Him my praise and thanksgiving for such an awesome time together. As I was looking up in the sky and relishing the moment, I saw something amazing.  There at the bottom edge of the clouds, just where the sky comes up to the clouds, there it was, my name.     Patti, clear as it could be and spelled the way I spell my name… Patti, with an i.  There were no jets in the sky leaving a trail.  There were very few clouds that day and they were huge.  This was not a time of staring at a cloud long enough to imagine it looking like an elephant or something.

God had written my name in the sky, right there where I could see it.

Of course I didn’t have my phone to snap a picture and I knew if I left it would be gone by the time I returned.  So, I just stared in wonder, in thanksgiving, in awe.

Since that time whenever I start to doubt Him or doubt that He knows that I exist, I remember.  I remember that He indeed, knows where I am.  Matthew 10:30 says that even the hairs on my head are numbered.  He knows who I am.   This is an awesome Scripture from Psalm 139 in the Message:

  1-6 God, investigate my life;
    get all the facts firsthand.
I’m an open book to you;
    even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back;
    I’m never out of your sight.
You know everything I’m going to say
    before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you’re there,
    then up ahead and you’re there, too—
    your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful—
    I can’t take it all in!

Such an amazing God that He would care enough about me, care about each one of us to know  every detail of who we are.  We never need to wonder if He knows us.

He even knows the way I spell my name.  Patti, with an i

Sideshow Attractions

Published on by pmclead4 Comments

 

I love to drive.  Living here in the beautiful Texas Hill Country provides for a lovely drive just about any day.  The stretch of highway between our town and the next is lined with hay fields, vineyards, peach orchards, and my springtime favorite, wildflowers.  

On a recent drive to check out the scenery, I headed west and set the cruise control.  At each new awe-inspiring site I would gaze over to take it all in but would also drift over onto the shoulder a little.  When I heard my tires run over the warning bumps on the shoulder, I quickly corrected and got back in the middle of my lane.

I did this several times which made me laugh a little but it also made me ponder a few things.  I consider myself a very good driver, that I handle my truck well in any situation, yet with just a glance over to the fields beside me, I wasn’t staying on the road well at all.  Same with my life. I think I do a good job at staying on the road God has laid out before me, yet with a simple glance one way or the other, I’m off the road.

In Proverbs chapter 4, verses 25-27 (Message version), you’ll find one of my all time favorite passages.  The message is quite clear.

Keep your eyes straight ahead;
    ignore all sideshow distractions.
Watch your step,
    and the road will stretch out smooth before you.
Look neither right nor left;
    leave evil in the dust.

Even when the sideshow is as beautiful as a field of red poppies or a green pasture filled with grazing black cows, it is still a sideshow and can get me into serious trouble if all of  my attention goes there. Satan would love nothing better than to entice us off the road Christ has laid out for us. He will use the beautiful as well as the ugly to get us to swerve off the road or turn onto a dusty, bumpy road filled with detours of trouble.  

My road trip with God is like my drive in the country, I’m easily distracted by beautiful opportunities and options, other than the ones God has chosen for me.  I’m also easily tricked into thinking it’s a Godly option when really it is Satan trying to sneak one by me. Maybe you do the same thing.

When we find ourselves running over the warning bumps on the shoulder of our life’s journey, we should take heed.  It is probably the Holy Spirit giving us a little nudge to wake us up and get our eyes back on the right road.

“Leave evil in the dust,” verse 27 says.  So spin those tires and peel-out from the dusty evil shoulder before we get ourselves in big trouble.  God will lead us down the smooth road and show us beauty along the way.  We just need to stay focused on Him.

 

If this rings true for you as well, please share it and pass it on.  Thank you.

Talking to God

Published on by pmclead6 Comments

My God can take anything that I need to say to Him.  I don’t have to sugar coat it, think it through, practice it, I just need to voice it.  There is nothing I can say that will change that He loves me or how much He loves me.  Nothing can take me from His hand (Romans 8:37-39) including my own words spoken while in the pain of a heart breaking moment.  He loves me that much, enough to allow me, even encourage me, to speak up and let Him know my thoughts and feelings, my deepest hurts and disappointments, and what I’m angry about.

I learned that God can take anything I need to say to Him during the darkest, most difficult days of my life, when my precious son Garrett was killed in action.

The anger hit and it hit full force. I came to know an even more loving God than I’d known before.  There were lots of “WHY?” and “Why MY son?” “Out of hundreds of thousands of soldiers, you let MY son die!”  I would scream and cry and scream some more. I accused Him of not listening to me or answering my prayers. Many, many people had prayed in agreement for Garrett’s protection and safe return home.  But NO, God had to take him home….home. Why?

Some days it helped me to go out to the backyard, pull weeds and talk to God.  I would rip those weeds out of the ground with a vengeance and pray for answers.  Other days, I would throw clay pots on the concrete drive in the back of the house and talk to God. There is something about breaking those pots that proved to be a great stress reliever.  (I highly recommend it!) Some days our talks grew pretty loud. I’ve wondered and laughed at what my neighbors were thinking when they heard me.

I have to admit, a  few times I wondered if I had overstepped the boundaries with God. How could I, this filthy rag servant, be so bold to speak to the King of Kings and Creator of Everything this way.  But every time I wondered, I would hear Him say, “It’s okay, darlin’, tell me everything. I know you’re hurting and you don’t understand. Just keep talking to me.” If I had stopped talking to God, I’m certain that I would not be here today.  But since I did keep praying, I’m certain that is the reason why I am healthy and have come this far in my healing.

He is so good, so faithful.  So when you have the thought that you need to pray a certain way or you worry about how to say what you need to say, stop right there.  Know that He wants to hear from you, however it comes out. Just talk to Him.

The Word says in Hebrews 4:16 to, “Come boldly before the throne of Grace”.

He means it.

And in I Peter 5:7, “Cast your cares on Him for He cares for you.”

He means it.

He’s a big, big God.  He can take it. Talk to Him and be blessed.

 

If this spoke to you today, share it with a friend, it may speak to them as well.

Up A Tree

Published on by pmclead8 Comments

I was such a tomboy when I was a little girl.  I had dolls, Barbies and girly stuff , but I really enjoyed playing with my brother’s trucks too.  

Our yard was the yard.  Everyone played in our yard.  Our house was in the middle of the block and our yard was flat and perfect for all sports.  We played football in the front and baseball in the backyard. Four-square was a big fun and our double driveway was the perfect size for that too.

I thought that I was pretty tough playing all the games alongside the boys of the neighborhood.  A few of the other girls played sometimes but it was mostly me and the boys.

There was a tree between our house and our neighbors house.  We climbed it often just like the other big trees on our street.  One day things just didn’t go as they usually did. I climbed way up in the tree and scouted about but when it was time to come down, well, I couldn’t do it.  My friends tried to talk me down, telling me where to put my feet and which branch to hold onto next, but it didn’t work. I just couldn’t do it, I was scared! Nothing they said helped.  I held on tighter with each suggestion.

Finally, I cried out, “Go get my daddy!”  

Daddy came outside to see what was the matter.  He tried to talk me down just like my friends had done, but I still couldn’t do it. After awhile he was getting a little frustrated and he said, “Patti-cake, you’re just going to have to trust me.  Jump, I’ll catch you.”

 

Sometimes when I’ve messed things up because I’ve gotten too sure of myself and made decisions without praying about it first or acted on what I thought was a good idea instead of talking to God about it first and waiting on His answer,  is when I call out for help from my heavenly Daddy.   

Then after His gentle redirection I can almost hear Him say, “Patti-cake, you’re just going to have to trust me.”

No matter how tough we think we are, no matter how much we think ‘we’ve got this’, God is still the one I cry out to for help when I – get stuck up in a tree.  You can trust Him too.   Proverbs 3:5-6, verses that are a favorite of  mine come to mind, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

In other words, trust Him and jump – He’ll catch you~!

 

 

Singing Art Class

Published on by pmclead1 Comment

Teaching 5th and 6th graders first class of the day is sometimes a challenge. They come in full of life and very full of voice! It is art class granted, not your typical warm up exercises to get ready for an academic class, but it is still a class. This day was like most other days, kids came in still using their playground voices, aka, as loud as possible.

We were working on sketching their pet so I got them started as soon as possible but the loud talking continued. I decided to put some music on to hopefully calm down the chatter. I chose some praise music that was a bit on the mellow side.

The first song on the playlist was, “Ten Thousand Reasons”. Then the most amazing thing happened. The talking stopped and I do mean all, and all 20 of my students started singing along.

Honestly, I was startled at first but I didn’t say a word as I thought they might stop, so I simply listened. I did, however, whisper, “Lord, are You hearing this? Are You just loving this precious praise coming up to You?” I knew Jesus was happy.

After the third straight song of them singing all the while sketching, some of the kids sitting closest to me noticed the tears in my eyes and I couldn’t stay silent any longer.

“You just blessed me more than you all can imagine! And I want you to know something. I know Jesus, I mean I know Him personally and I think I can say for sure that you all just made Him so happy. I think He is up there in heaven with a big ‘ol smile on His face because of your singing!” There were a few surprised faces in the group but most had the look of sweet content.

Sometimes in my crazy, loud days, I just have to stop the chatter, stop the loud talking and start praising the Lord. I need to refocus my attention on what is important and the calm of Jesus will come over me and all is well. Maybe it’s the same with you. Turn on some music and let the praise begin!

Psalm 105:2. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.

Psalm 95:1. Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.