Yesterday was an enjoyable day. Last night we had our first corn on the cob (from my brother’s garden for mine is not ready) and our first green beans I’d picked from my garden. Only a gardener knows how something like this pleases one’s heart!

The best part of yesterday however, wasn’t the supper, it was the company we had. Friends we hadn’t seen for many years came for lunch and the afternoon. There is a story behind the years of absence but that is not my story to tell. This friend has a past quite different from my own, but nonetheless, a story of childhood abuse which is getting the Godly help needed today. Much of the afternoon was spent with our sharing the work of God in our lives. This friend’s help is recent enough that yesterday was the first of sharing it outside of the professional help. It seemed good for us to be the safe place for this first sharing. Surely, I understood what she was sharing. The pathway to finding God’s freedom from the bondage of abuse is strengthened when we find a safe place to share.

This morning I’m meeting with one of our new pastors who is heading our life groups at church. There is a big meeting set for the first of August where all the life group leaders will meet with him. I haven’t taken part in life groups since Kathy and I started with Celebrate Recovery 11 years ago. It has been our life group. Some of our present life groups provide meals for us which has been a huge support. Now, however, with the coming of Christopher Yuan in September, I am hoping our life groups will be motivated to read his book on Holy Sexuality and the Gospel. This book enlightens the readers to so much truth from God’s Word. It also calms much troubled water regarding the present situation of the LBGTQ community and the church. I find most people understand the sin of homosexuality when acted upon, but they don’t know how to accept or associate with someone who may battle this. Christopher adds tremendous insights. So my hope is that our life groups will take his 8-week study guide in the back of the book and walk through it as our Restoration Ministry is gearing up to reach out to our own community. I’d love for this community to find our church to be a safe place if they are looking for christian fellowship and/or forgiveness from a life of this sin.

As I journaled this morning I was struggling with knowing how much of this is of my own selfishness and how much is actually God’s leading? He assured me that I will know the difference as I take each step I’m to take. Doors are open when He is leading. My faith is not to be built upon what my mind can grasp. God told me this morning that Faith is when I will step into what my mind can’t grasp but yet I am led to take the step regardless. Today seems to be one of them and I look forward to seeing what the outcome is.

I know there was no post yesterday. It is not that it wasn’t typed, it just didn’t publish. Why, I don’t know? Throughout the Old Testament God shows Himself in so many ways. On the other hand, man defines God in so many limited ways. This morning in I Kings Israel is going to war with Syria’s king and army. King Ben-hadad, the Syrian king had already lost the first battle with his men saying the Israelite’s god was one of the hills. This time they will fight on the plains because he wasn’t a god there. Well, they lost again.

All of this makes me realize how often we today limit God with our own definition of what He is able to do. Mostly I limit God because I don’t include Him in the details. I remember to include Him when the problems arise which are bigger than I can quickly resolve. This morning God has been revealing that even though man’s mind cannot grasp the enormity of Him, it doesn’t mean my trust and faith have to be as small as my mind’s limits are. I can trust God to be as Big as He Is and let things go which I shouldn’t be doing. Instead, I should let The God of the Universe take care of them.

As I began to journal I was writing out the things I thought I needed to do conflicting with some others. I quickly realized the conflict was my own control being in place rather than asking God to be in control and then I do what He leads me to do. All of a sudden I was limiting God with my own selfishness rather than waiting to see how He would glorify Himself by me simply stepping back and letting Him be in control and I being His servant. At this point I don’t know how this will all work out but I do know I won’t be taking the lead in deciding. I’m going to let the God of the Universe be in charge of the details and I’ll do what He leads.

Today is quiet. The night was noisy at times with the rumblings of thunder around. I got up to no coffee brewed since the electricity had gone off at some point. (That was a momentary crisis!) But, important now is that the storm is past, the morning is quiet, the coffee is brewed and the day is beginning.

I’m taking care of some vehicle issues this morning for my youngest, running a couple additional errands, and then the rest of the day I want to devote to my own reading of the materials we will use this Fall. There are lose ends to tie up in several areas, but I want to have myself mentally and spiritually prepared. God has gifted me some time to do this and I don’t want to waste it.

In my bible reading of I Kings I’m reading about Israel being divided following Solomon’s reign. In all of Solomon’s wisdom, he fell short using it in his own living. His desires/lust for foreign women drove him away from his One True God and in the end, the country was divided. A footnote in the bible said, Solomon’s gift of wisdom which God had granted him did not equate to obedience. I sense God’s Spirit telling me to take much heed to this message. Wisdom from God’s Holy Spirit–following His nudges takes obedience. This obedience is what the “new creation” does and it has to be done each and every day. My grasp of being a new creation is in place now. What I’m learning is that my commitment to living the life of a new creation takes obedience with each nudge The Holy Spirit gives. No excuses, no questioning, sheer obedience by saying, “Yes Lord” and then following through.

Yesterday brought forth the details of preparation which are needing to be addressed before we can have a healthy start to our fall ministries. It is not easy sometimes to take care of them as the work involves adjusting people who don’t fit the assignment they are presently in. It becomes important to address this with them yet do it through God’s leadership rather than man’s. We presently have a few important adjustments needing to take place. I fond myself dismayed and frustrated when I heard what a few people have said and done as though they were in charge and their actions didn’t matter.

Last night’s lesson in Celebrate Recovery was RELAPSE. In the lesson was some clear guidance I needed to be reminded. Stressful times are used by God to help sculpt us into the new creation He is making us into. We can allow these times to hone us or we can resist them and submit to “earthly ways” which Satan is always tempting us to do. The outcome is always telling. When the stress is handled, does the outcome look like God’s Work or does it look like man has handled this?

As I listened last night to the lesson and applied what I was hearing to the events of the day I knew God was helping me see the steps He wants taken. God’s Work always leaves man in awe. When this happens I always think–how in the world did that come about? I then look up and thank God for His Leadership. He is so GOOD–all the time!

God is Faithful. This is something I can always bank on. When I get overly focused on something I think is critical only to find it isn’t, it was just my thinking, I can always rely on God to bring His Purpose to the forefront. As I personally prepare myself for this coming fall’s kickoff of restoration ministry my mind and passion begin to scream at me with things we MUST do. Yesterday’s meetings at our church brought a sense of calm to all of it and a means to address what needs to be done. I learned a long time ago to take my thinking to others I trust in the profession I worked and see if they agree. Yesterday was one of those days for the ministry work. I truly thank God for giving us people who balance us.

God is good all the time—all the time God is GOOD.

Yesterday’s fishing trip was a day to remember. Taking my 8 and 9 year old grandsons with my younger brother equals memories to keep. Even my brother thanked these two boys for a fun day for him. We didn’t know it at the time we quit at the lake, but we got home with 100 fish, 98 crappie, 1 -8″ bass and 1-12″ perch. We didn’t keep at least that many others. We called this day a fishing success! Last night I pan fried fish in our largest skillet thinking the boys would take the rest home for their mom and siblings. They ate them all! I helped, but I was amazed at how they much they loved them.

Today I’m meeting with a couple of our pastors planning for the big weekend in September when Christopher Yuan comes and then we kickoff our two Restoration Ministries. There is so much I want to have happen to ensure that every single person who ought to be present will be there for the weekend. Then, I pray that every single person who should come to the classes will find the courage to take their step to find the healing for that which haunts them.

This morning God reminds me of Who He Is! He also reminds me that I am free to work for Him, believe in Him, promote Him through the Kingdom Work He wants me connected with. For a moment I reflected on my recent past. I use to be involved in God’s ministry work to hide who I really thought I was. Even though I love doing God’s work, I’d pray it would give me the merit in God’s eyes so I could live with Him forever. Now, these lies I can tell are what God uses to help others step out of their traps set by the evil one as he’d done to me for so long. How amazing our God is!

Today the journey takes us fishing!

I awoke this morning with the weight of the world upon me. Throughout the night I was having dreams which ended with doom or panic because doom was inevitable. As I picked up my phone it registered a text of evil from an unknown sender. I recognize all of this as attacks so I took all of this to God this morning. Once I finally got all of this journaled and asked God what I am to believe from it, He said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, both you and your household.” Acts 16:31. God went on to tell me that my worry is due to an absence of surrender. The weight I sense is an indication for me to surrender. These battles are spiritual ones. Worry is the flesh’s response to a spiritual matter. That is why we are to “not worry”. Instead we are to surrender it and then “believe/trust” that God is Who He says He is–God Almighty.

I have much to learn about all of this, but I am committed to staying the course with God, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit. This must be what Paul talked about when he said he was running the race. He was definitely a new creation and he was learning to run the race of life that was totally surrendered to God’s Leadership in his life.

Today is my youngest’s birthday. Happy birthday Angie! She wanted to take the kids to the water park for her birthday and just relax. Well, she decided we should do this last night rather than today. As it turned out it was a good choice. Today is about 10 degrees cooler and last night was a blast!

I’m rather stuck of late becoming more and more aware of what it is like to be a new creation. I said yesterday that I’ve come to believe without doubt this is true for me. I’ve known it’s truth for years, but having it anchored in my heart and soul had many doubts. I also said yesterday that this takes place when we ask Christ to be our Lord and Savior. His Work on the Cross paid the price for us. What I didn’t say was the Gift He also gives us at this time. It is the Gift of The Holy Spirit.

When we become a new creation The Holy Spirit is given to us, however, He is the Gentleman that waits until we ask. I have so much to learn and believe in this arena. The Strength of The Holy Spirit is ours upon asking. What I’m also learning is my need to surrender my own personal fighting. Even though I know my fight has lost all my life, I still resort to it when temptation comes instead of immediately surrendering. When I was having my bible reading this morning God reminded me so well of these steps; turn away, call my sponsor, praise Him, and surrender my fight. These steps are easy to take, but boy, does Satan’s minions want us to fight these attacks on our own. They know we will fail again. The Holy Spirit is ready and is naturally God’s Strength. Satan flees in His presence. I want to become mature in this practice but I have a ways to go yet.

Today started early for me. It wasn’t intended on my part but God had it in mind I’m sure. For a couple hours ahead of my typical time for getting, I arose as I couldn’t sleep. I ended up reading a book I had been wanting to, but hadn’t as of yet. Its title is: Holy Sexuality and the Gospel. Its author is Christopher Yuan. I’ve mention him before as a man who has stepped out of the homosexual lifestyle and is coming to speak at our church in September to kickoff our Restoration Ministry classes for the coming year. I have never read anything which clarifies so well the confusion in our present day about sexuality: homosexuality and heterosexuality. God gave us sexuality upon creation and He told us to be Holy. When sin came into the world through Adam and Eve’s sin, sexuality got impacted just as all of man did. The sins of homosexuality and heterosexuality are just that–a consequence of sin. I’m not going to try and explain what the author says in detail, but I’d surely suggest one getting the book and reading it yourself. It is not only good about this topic, but it is good clarifying sin’s impact on life itself.

I appreciate so much finding the freedom to be the new creation from Christ Jesus’ Work on the Cross. The removal of the bondage of my past has given me eyes for sin itself. I can see that God wants me (each of us) to see sin as the consequence of choice. I use to think I had no choice. Sin was done to me and I was that sin. This is no longer owning me. I am still a sinner saved by Grace. But, the truth in that is there is always a choice for us. I choose to live for Christ and quickly repent if I happen to sin. The chains are broken–praise the Lord!