I hope you're waking up to a marvelous Monday morning! I think it's great to start the week with a good chuckle, so I thought I'd share. Feel free to laugh. Your not laughing AT me, your laughing WITH me ~ because I was, and still am, laughing about it.
If you happened to see the last post, then you know that I had a speaking engagement this past weekend. It was so much fun! This event was entitled 'A Woman's Legacy,' and this group of ladies took it over the top with their decorations, food, and gifts. Everyone was truly blessed, especially me.
So, to the funny part. After a lovely dinner, it was my time to pop up on stage and share. I always get a little nervous at first, so I try and be very careful when walking up the stair to the platform. I had decided to wear cute shoes, just because they were cute, and I wore these high red wedges. I had long jeans, high heels, a patterned scarf, so you see, I was hip & cool.
I made it to the mic without a hitch (or trip), so I told them all that I was so grateful not to have a "Miss Congeniality" moment in my cute shoes, as I have done before strolling down the streets of New York city. In my head, I breathed a sigh of relief and started speaking.
Now we had been served a delicious 'legacy' type meal of recipes that your grandmother might have passed down...chicken pot pie, green beans, peach cobbler, etc. It was yum-my!
Anyway, about 15 minutes or so into my testimony, I felt a little air pocket begin to rise up the center of my being. Now some may call this a belch or a burp, but if you keep your mouth shut, it's just an air bubble. However, this little bubble of air was threatening to make an audible appearance. I waited until just the right time, closed my mouth tightly & swallowed it back down, smiling all the while so I didn't look like a freak.
Somehow, instead of going back where it came from, this little bubble of air exploded in my throat. Normally, this would go unnoticed. However, when you have a microphone an inch from your face, every sound tends to get picked up and broadcast around the room.
In the split second that it took for me to hear the "BWAAAAAMP" reverberate in the monitor, a stream of thoughts ran through my brain; 'You have got to be kidding me...I just burped in front of 200 women, 200 southern women...I am supposed to be a southern woman...What would my Grandmother say...I bet this never happens to Beth Moore!'
I immediately said, "Oh my, please excuse me." Then I got tickled and just started rolling off things like, "Just call me 'Grace,'' 'You have got to be kidding me,' 'That was lovely, wasn't it,'" and so on. We all had a good laugh and eventually moved on.
Later that evening I learned that most of the room couldn't even hear it. I guess the monitor just made it sound REALLY loud to me. That made me laugh again because there were those that had no idea why I couldn't stop laughing, & just started rambling off these random phrases, trying to regain my composure.
Truth be told, there were a number of women there that night that needed a good laugh because the circumstances of their life would tend to produce more tears than laughter. I am happy to be used by the Lord, in whatever way He sees fit. As my Mom loved to say, "ALL things work together for good to those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." (Rom. 8:28) Amen, Mom.
I hope you have a lovely week, filled with the Joy of the Lord ~
Deborah
Monday, April 18, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
The Great I Am
"Let the words of my mouth & the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock & my redeemer." Psalm 19:14
My heart is full of the majesty of the Great I Am this morning. I don't know if you've heard a new song by Jared Anderson called Great I Am, but you must take a listen. I was driving on a trip a few weeks ago, & popped in the new CD from New Life Worship. To be honest, I was so engaged in thought that it was background music for me. However, once the 6th track got started, I could not help but listen & join in worship. It is a such powerful proclamation to the Glory & Greatness of the one true God, the Great I Am. I must have listened to that one song over & over, at least 8-10 times in a row. The whole project is wonderful, but every time I play Great I Am, I feel like the heavens open up & the glory of God is poured out over the earth. I added a link below so you can be blessed by it as well.
http://youtu.be/cPb1OwqplR8
I am honored to be speaking this weekend at a Ladies Night Out event in Star, MS. I have a lot of family there, & one of the churches asked me to come & share my testimony. I've shared it a number of times, at various venues, & so I thought maybe I should share something different, you know, something 'fresh'. I kept asking God to let me know what He wanted to say to these women. I would try to take a nugget from this day or a word from that devotion to build upon, but it never really went anywhere.
This week I was reminded that a testimony is a living, breathing story. It is our own history in the making; but it is actually HIStory. If we look to the Bible, we don't see new stories being handed down from generation to generation...we see THE story being told & retold. When we read the Word, God reveals something new and fresh, even though we may have read the same words over & over. The same thing happens with our testimonies~each time we share what He has done in our lives, God can reveal Himself to someone in a new, fresh way, even though the story may be the same.
God has done some absolutely amazing things in my life, & brought me through times that I would not have survived if I had not seen the 'goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.' (Psalm 27:13) The testimony that I have of His faithfulness is a story that I love to share, whether it is to an audience of 200, or an audience of 2. My favorite testimony time is spent curled up on the sofa, with an audience of one...one pair of beautiful hazel eyes staring up at me as she asks, 'Mommy, tell me about the time..." Her story will have mine & Rick's woven into it, just as our testimony has those of our ancestors, friends, & family running through it as well. That becomes our living legacy.
We all have a story, & we all have an audience. Take a few minutes & listen to Jared's song; 2, 3, or maybe 10 times. As you worship the Great I Am, may He remind you of His faithfulness to you in such a real way that you have to share it with someone.
If you don't mind, I'd appreciate you joining me in prayer for this weekend. Saturday evening there will be a couple hundred women coming to hear my / HIStory. May God use my mouth to speak His words, & may He open all of our hearts & minds to hear His voice. I am humbled & extremely grateful to be a child of the Great I Am.
"The Lord bless you & keep you, the Lord make His face shine upon you & be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you & give you peace." Numbers 6:24
Deborah
My heart is full of the majesty of the Great I Am this morning. I don't know if you've heard a new song by Jared Anderson called Great I Am, but you must take a listen. I was driving on a trip a few weeks ago, & popped in the new CD from New Life Worship. To be honest, I was so engaged in thought that it was background music for me. However, once the 6th track got started, I could not help but listen & join in worship. It is a such powerful proclamation to the Glory & Greatness of the one true God, the Great I Am. I must have listened to that one song over & over, at least 8-10 times in a row. The whole project is wonderful, but every time I play Great I Am, I feel like the heavens open up & the glory of God is poured out over the earth. I added a link below so you can be blessed by it as well.
http://youtu.be/cPb1OwqplR8
I am honored to be speaking this weekend at a Ladies Night Out event in Star, MS. I have a lot of family there, & one of the churches asked me to come & share my testimony. I've shared it a number of times, at various venues, & so I thought maybe I should share something different, you know, something 'fresh'. I kept asking God to let me know what He wanted to say to these women. I would try to take a nugget from this day or a word from that devotion to build upon, but it never really went anywhere.
This week I was reminded that a testimony is a living, breathing story. It is our own history in the making; but it is actually HIStory. If we look to the Bible, we don't see new stories being handed down from generation to generation...we see THE story being told & retold. When we read the Word, God reveals something new and fresh, even though we may have read the same words over & over. The same thing happens with our testimonies~each time we share what He has done in our lives, God can reveal Himself to someone in a new, fresh way, even though the story may be the same.
God has done some absolutely amazing things in my life, & brought me through times that I would not have survived if I had not seen the 'goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.' (Psalm 27:13) The testimony that I have of His faithfulness is a story that I love to share, whether it is to an audience of 200, or an audience of 2. My favorite testimony time is spent curled up on the sofa, with an audience of one...one pair of beautiful hazel eyes staring up at me as she asks, 'Mommy, tell me about the time..." Her story will have mine & Rick's woven into it, just as our testimony has those of our ancestors, friends, & family running through it as well. That becomes our living legacy.
We all have a story, & we all have an audience. Take a few minutes & listen to Jared's song; 2, 3, or maybe 10 times. As you worship the Great I Am, may He remind you of His faithfulness to you in such a real way that you have to share it with someone.
If you don't mind, I'd appreciate you joining me in prayer for this weekend. Saturday evening there will be a couple hundred women coming to hear my / HIStory. May God use my mouth to speak His words, & may He open all of our hearts & minds to hear His voice. I am humbled & extremely grateful to be a child of the Great I Am.
"The Lord bless you & keep you, the Lord make His face shine upon you & be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you & give you peace." Numbers 6:24
Deborah
Friday, March 25, 2011
I want to post the devotional for today from the book Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young.
March 25, 2011 ~ "Let thankfulness temper all your thoughts. A thankful mind-set keeps you in touch with Me. I hate it when My children grumble, casually despising My sovereignty. Thankfulness is a safeguard against this deadly sin. Furthermore, a grateful attitude becomes a grid through which you perceive life. Gratitude enables you to see the Light of My Presence shining on all your circumstances. Cultivate a thankful heart, for this glorifies Me and fills you with Joy." (1 Cor. 10:10 and Heb. 12:28-29)
I woke up really early this morning, but stayed in the bed & had a morning conversation with the Lord. The scripture that He reminded me of was the one that a lot of people know well, Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know that 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."
So often, I think we almost gloss over some of the scriptures that have been a part of us for a long time. But this morning, He kept saying to me over & over, "I know, I know, I know," & then reminding me that it's "the plans I have for you." It was very powerful & encouraging to me, & hopefully it will be to you, also.
In my little life, this is a day with a lot going on in the lives of us & some family members. So, hearing Him say to me that He knows, & that the plans for me (& mine) are His, brought such a level of peace to my petitions. Then I read Jesus Calling and was so grateful of the reminder to be thankful in everything.
Just yesterday, my daughter was crying & crying (for the second evening in a row) because her eyes were red, itchy, & swollen from the pollen outside. We had to run an errand in the car, & she literally sobbed the whole way, occasionally throwing out a "Jesus please heal me, RIGHT NOW!"
Memories of my mother flooded my heart & I asked Kathryn if she had thanked God for the pollen. "Nooooo, why would I do that?!!" came her passionate reply. I proceeded to tell her (in true Anne Cox aka Mom fashion) that God created the pollen, & without it, we wouldn't have all of the lovely blooms in spring. And, she could be thankful for the pollen, yet also ask God to take away her allergies to it.
So, she gave it a go, and in between sniffles, indeed thanked Him for the pollen that makes the pretty flowers. She then asked (rather than demand) that He heal her itchy eyes. Not long after we were home, the itching stopped, the redness went away, & we thanked Him for His healing touch. Thank you, Lord, for making Yourself & Your hand known to the heart of my daughter.
Back to the plans...having a thankful heart totally changes our heart & gives us a paradigm shift. As Sarah said, "a thankful heart glorifies Me & fills you with Joy." Next time you feel anxious or upset about something, or even find yourself carrying a load that is a bit heavy, look for even an eentsy weentsy part of it about which to be thankful. You'll be amazed at how your heart will be lifted & filled with true Joy. Even if your circumstances don't change, the manner in which you walk through them will change. How do I know? Because it's happened to me, time & time again. But mostly because He has promised, & that makes it a done deal.
I'll leave you with the follow up from Jeremiah, verses 12-14 ~
"Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity..."
Amen. Have a blessed day today ~
March 25, 2011 ~ "Let thankfulness temper all your thoughts. A thankful mind-set keeps you in touch with Me. I hate it when My children grumble, casually despising My sovereignty. Thankfulness is a safeguard against this deadly sin. Furthermore, a grateful attitude becomes a grid through which you perceive life. Gratitude enables you to see the Light of My Presence shining on all your circumstances. Cultivate a thankful heart, for this glorifies Me and fills you with Joy." (1 Cor. 10:10 and Heb. 12:28-29)
I woke up really early this morning, but stayed in the bed & had a morning conversation with the Lord. The scripture that He reminded me of was the one that a lot of people know well, Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know that 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."
So often, I think we almost gloss over some of the scriptures that have been a part of us for a long time. But this morning, He kept saying to me over & over, "I know, I know, I know," & then reminding me that it's "the plans I have for you." It was very powerful & encouraging to me, & hopefully it will be to you, also.
In my little life, this is a day with a lot going on in the lives of us & some family members. So, hearing Him say to me that He knows, & that the plans for me (& mine) are His, brought such a level of peace to my petitions. Then I read Jesus Calling and was so grateful of the reminder to be thankful in everything.
Just yesterday, my daughter was crying & crying (for the second evening in a row) because her eyes were red, itchy, & swollen from the pollen outside. We had to run an errand in the car, & she literally sobbed the whole way, occasionally throwing out a "Jesus please heal me, RIGHT NOW!"
Memories of my mother flooded my heart & I asked Kathryn if she had thanked God for the pollen. "Nooooo, why would I do that?!!" came her passionate reply. I proceeded to tell her (in true Anne Cox aka Mom fashion) that God created the pollen, & without it, we wouldn't have all of the lovely blooms in spring. And, she could be thankful for the pollen, yet also ask God to take away her allergies to it.
So, she gave it a go, and in between sniffles, indeed thanked Him for the pollen that makes the pretty flowers. She then asked (rather than demand) that He heal her itchy eyes. Not long after we were home, the itching stopped, the redness went away, & we thanked Him for His healing touch. Thank you, Lord, for making Yourself & Your hand known to the heart of my daughter.
Back to the plans...having a thankful heart totally changes our heart & gives us a paradigm shift. As Sarah said, "a thankful heart glorifies Me & fills you with Joy." Next time you feel anxious or upset about something, or even find yourself carrying a load that is a bit heavy, look for even an eentsy weentsy part of it about which to be thankful. You'll be amazed at how your heart will be lifted & filled with true Joy. Even if your circumstances don't change, the manner in which you walk through them will change. How do I know? Because it's happened to me, time & time again. But mostly because He has promised, & that makes it a done deal.
I'll leave you with the follow up from Jeremiah, verses 12-14 ~
"Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity..."
Amen. Have a blessed day today ~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)