Yesterday morning when I wrote in my journal asking God what He wanted me to know for today, He indicated I was to be sure and listen to Him before I responded to the day. I knew what work I was to do in the day but I simply kept His message within me not sure how it was to be applied. As it turned out, the principal had several questions for us. There are two of us working with this particular high school and the director of the consulting work had also come for the morning. I suddenly found myself in the depths of a conversation that was going to need a few years to complete. Our present assignment for this school is a 6 month one. I was repeatedly asked what my thoughts were during the meeting but I found myself overly silent. It wasn’t that I didn’t agree with what the conversation was, but it didn’t fit our present situation.

This morning right before I got out of bed I was reminded that the principal and I had already agreed what my work should look like for these 6 months. I still know deep within that this is the right work for the present. As it turned out, my day today takes me back to this district and in the afternoon to this same site. I know now we will move forward doing what God intends to have done. The discussion yesterday would need 3 years at least to be accomplished/implemented. Today I know what I will say: “Stay the course of the original plan. If the school qualifies for continued help after this spring, we now have a plan started for the next layer of help.” God is GOOD!

Today I am touched and reminded about how to pray when I read Luke 11. In it the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray just as John the Baptist had taught his disciples how to pray. In it Jesus gives them what we now call the Lord’s Prayer. Joyce Meyers puts a footnote outlining the points of prayer found in this. They are: worship, intercession, repentance, surrender, praise and petition. I don’t think God is going to be judging us if we don’t follow exactly this outline, but He does want us to include these elements in our daily communing with Him.

I also love how Christ goes on to tell His disciples to be diligent when praying. He tells them of the one who comes in the middle of the night to get help from a friend. At first he is turned away but he is diligent in his requests until the needs are met. Christ says we are to be this way as we come to God in prayer.

All of this has been good for me to reread. Being diligent in prayer hasn’t always been easy for me. Yes, I pray each day but holding things before God in intercession and petition is a discipline I’ve needed to grow. I want to be a good and faithful servant who remembers all of Christ’s instructions in how I pray.

God is bringing to the surface of my life some critical things which I’ve never seen before like I do today. Now that I truly believe I am a new creation as a result of Christ’s work at the Cross, I can see things I’ve avoided before. These are things like: I sin daily with selfishness. There are those moments when I feel nudged to say or do something which I try to rationalize myself to not address. God showed me one this morning. When I was reading my devotional the message hit home for one of the men in our step study. I heard God’s nudge to take a picture of it and forward it to this young man. I tried to rationalize out of doing so, but I finally did it. These acts of obedience are always important. I’ve never felt this to be so true as I do today.

Now that I no longer see my past as my current “sin state” I can hear God more clearly and I want to obey Him more solidly. I’ve always had a first excuse which sounded like this: “I can’t do that, I’m a person who was used and they know it!” This lie doesn’t stop me like it use to. However, I still have thoughts which are now more selfish which try to stop me. Now they are more about my reputation. What if they think this is stupid? What if they don’t want me interfering with their personal lives?

This morning I confessed my pride and selfishness to God and asked Him to forgive me for it. I’m sure I’ll need to do this often, but now I see this more clearly. My past is my past. My present is where I want to live and stay daily in touch with God being obedient to His nudges.

In my Bible reading this morning I was reading in Luke 9:35. In this scripture verse God speaks to John, Peter and Andrew. Jesus had taken them with him on the mountain to pray. It is here that Moses and Elijah appeared to him. There is much in this story but what gripped me was when God’s voice spoke to John, Peter and Andrew. He said, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to and yield to and obey Him!”

I can’t tell you how many times I ask God to speak to me so I get His insights in whatever the situation might be. In so doing, I listen to Him. If I then don’t surrender (yield) myself to His message by surrendering and then obey Him by following through with what I’ve listened to, I am now disobedient.

God has never spoken to me with a message like this: “If you feel like doing this, I’d suggest….” No, God is always clear and precise when He speaks and gives insights. When He told the three to listen, yield and obey, it wasn’t an option. It isn’t an option today either. I want to be a much better follower of His leading in my life. God is such a magnificent Father and I want to be a son who obeys by listening and yielding so I obey His commands.

Today is a family day. It is one of those were my brothers and spouses get together for lunch and the afternoon at one of our homes. This morning I was reflecting on blessings as I wrote about yesterday. I believe the biggest blessing my dad gave me which I want to return to him, is this family of mine. I’ve always been grateful for my sisters, they seemed to always accept me. I’ve only grown to feel accepted by my brothers in these past few years. I honestly believe now that all of this was buried in me rather than true for them. I didn’t accept myself so I couldn’t believe they’d accept me either. So, for today, I am most grateful for them. When we get together each month it truly is something I look forward to. Thanks dad!

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! It is very nice to be home. The message God gave me yesterday morning about our meeting was exactly what happened. One would never have known there had been so much drama in the previous two days. God’s Holy Spirit had obviously been working on each of the participants. This final meeting was as though the drama had never existed. Also, it didn’t seem fake or a facade. I do believe man’s emotions and pride was getting in the way of what needed to be learned. God did His Work and this morning I am very grateful.

God’s message this morning is driving home one which my prayer warrior gave me a week ago. She gave me a set of CD’s on the topic of Blessings. She said it had been most meaningful to her and she felt it might be worth my while to also listen to them. I had been doing so last week and earlier this week. Yesterday afternoon, with the long drive home, I was able to listen to the last two (there were 6 total). Then this morning’s Bible reading in Luke 6 Jesus is telling the disciples and the crowd with them to not only forgive your enemies but to bless them.

Joyce Meyer’s writes a message regarding this command to bless as well as forgive. It challenges me to bring to God how I bless dad now that I’ve forgiven him several years back? This idea of blessing someone is not a new message but I’ve sure never thought about it in this context. Yet, I firmly know God is wanting me to do something along this line with dad. I don’t have any direction yet, but I’ve asked God to show me what He wants this to be. I do trust my Heavenly Father.

Today is the presentation to the district office group for which the past two days have been spent gathering evidence for it. We will finalize details this morning and give the presentation so that we finish by noon time. I’ve not been part of a review where so much drama has taken place for a long time. It isn’t pleasant. God seemed to assure me this morning that today is in His hands and I should not fret for the message is ready to be delivered. So, here we go.

I’m glad that I’m going home this afternoon and that Celebrate Recovery is tonight. This time away doing this work has drained strength and I’m feeling the need to be in an environment of spiritual celebration. Tonight will be a testimony night. I have no idea whose it will be but it doesn’t matter. A testimony always lifts the ones attending and reminds me that no matter the struggle, God is always there and will use our struggle to assist Him in redeeming others when we quit hiding it and let God use it. In fact, in my devotional reading this morning I am reminded that Paul became a true disciple for Jesus when He learned to thank God for His struggle, because with the struggle He finally grew to know and obey this tremendous Savior we serve. I want to do the same.

Sometimes I find that this journey we are on while we are in this human form takes us into difficult places. I saw and met a lot of nice people yesterday and I will again today. The work being done is nice but it is not completing the goal of teaching which is having all students learn well what they are being taught. There are five of us on the team and tomorrow we need to report to them all that we have seen in a fashion which enlightens them and doesn’t chastise them.

I read in my devotional this morning that God’s nature is loving and kind and in His kindness he allows us to choose to follow His lead rather than to follow our own emotions. Sometimes these two will collide. I listened to my team talk last night about our observations and we were all stymied at the time. I’m going to trust that God will give us the message we are to deliver as the time comes. I know I’m doing what I do for a reason and sometimes the reason is tougher than other times. However, it is the same Voice I want to be listening to no matter what the case is.

I’m trusting God to be fully in charge of this day and the results of it. To God be all Glory for Great Things He Hath Done–and will continue do so so as we are obedient to Him.

Today was my mom’s 110th birthday. She has been gone 21 years which is hard for me to believe. She was the stalwart one in our family able to handle any problem given to her. I never in all my life saw her crumble. She remained strong no matter how big the battle and there were sure some big ones being married to my dad for 73 years and being mom to a dozen kids! How much I love and respect the gifts of being raised by such a mom.

Today I start in a hotel room in Eastern Idaho doing what’s called a federal review for a school district here. Part of this work is done ahead of time where you examine documents the district submits electronically to the state dept of education supporting the use of the federal dollars they receive. I’ve looked at them as have the others on this team. When we met last night there was a good deal of conversation regarding the absence of this and that. When I was praying this morning I was reminded to look for what they are doing rather than what they aren’t doing. This we will get to do because we spend today and tomorrow in all of their schools interviewing and observing.

I love mornings when God is crystal clear and my mind is not filled with what the day had in it. I only want God before me but I too often allow the issues of the day to cloud the sweet voice of God’s Spirit. His voice is always here and I still need work on hearing it throughout my day and not just the start of it. I love how patient God is!

Today’s physical journey has me going to my typical Monday school district and then later this afternoon I go to Eastern Idaho for 3 days to work with another district there. This work is something I’ve done since I “retired” almost 13 years ago. However, I’m thinking this will be my last year to do it. It pulls me away from the work I do with local districts and it doesn’t have the same impact one would want. I do sense God’s leading in this decision. I have one other district to do in Northern Idaho and that will be the last. Somehow it seems right to stay closer to home with the districts here.

Yesterday was a busy day, but it was one filled with God’s blessings. The highlight for me was the quartet’s singing for the two widows. Both of these ladies have played important roles in my life’s journey. The one had been my secretary for many years in my younger days. She taught me much about being a servant-leader. The other is my prayer warrior of today. She has taught me how to live and believe as a new creation which is one of God’s promises to those who believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. My heart still this morning feels so grateful for the honor of giving them a blessing in song and prayer.

This morning God is reminding me to look only to Him and not to myself as I step into today. No other gods before me–only The One True God!