I’ve always loved coming to Oklahoma where our kids live. Each time I’m here I think I could live here. There are so many connections we’ve made over the years through our kids and their church. It would be like a second home and family already in place. I “think” I would struggle with the clay soil and trying to garden in it, but who knows???

I was able yesterday afternoon to talk with my son-in-law regarding the counseling program we’re beginning at our church. He is a Ph.D. counseling psychologist so I wanted his impression. He is aware of biblical counseling he said, he just hasn’t had any first-hand experience with it. It was interesting to me that his question regarding it was the same as the retired counselor at home who is going to work with me to get it started. The question is, “How well do the two approaches respect one another?” This was never directly addressed at the conference I attended, but what I did notice was that the majority of the presenters were Ph.D. or Masters’s level psychologists or counselors. They never disrespected one approach over another. The bigger picture centered around making God the great Healer, rather than a “man’s way. We don’t disrespect God using man’s medical work and we don’t disrespect God’s using man’s counseling work. Man should never think his work is ever anything more than a tool in the Hands of God.

We’re in Oklahoma and so glad to be here for Julia’s graduation. Turns out another friends daughter is graduating so we got to attend her party yesterday afternoon once we arrived. So many great folks are here. We will leave for church shortly so my post is also short. I just know God is working and I want to be part of His hands while we’re here.

I

It is quite early in the morning and already God is working. The devotional I’m using was published 4 years ago, but God is using the message today as I read it. Every day He reminds me that the day is His and the details of the day are His also. I don’t need to fret regarding them. He orchestrates if I only let Him do so staying out of His way. What is also amazing is that I get so much more done in a day than I do otherwise.

I had written yesterday that it was a blessing to have the school delaying our meeting until after the trip to Oklahoma today. I had made a list of what I needed to get done and Kathy had a couple things for my list too. Not only did I get all of the list completed, God interwove into the day a visit from a dear friend, a time with one of the Celebrate Recovery men who is struggling, and a surprise trip to my grandson’s first day of employment where he now works. I would have never thought all of this would be in a day, but God already knew and there was no stress in any of it. How I love our God!

Today I was to go to a school I work with on a monthly basis. I was hoping it wouldn’t take too much time since Kathy and I are leaving early in the morning to fly to Oklahoma City for our granddaughter’s high school graduation which is next week. I have some last minute gardening things to complete which I didn’t want done until right before we leave. Well, I got a text this morning asking if it would be ok to delay our meeting? I happily agreed so now the day is open–God is so kind and good!

On Wednesday of this week I got a message from my dear college friend who has been my singing partner for 54 years. He wanted to send the message he sent to me to all of our college grads who had attended the reunion last weekend. He felt they needed to know I have a story of God’s redemption and healing. He encouraged them to order one of my autobiographies. The thought took my breath away, but then I never want to step in the way of God’s leading, so, I said, “OK”. Yesterday I received messages from classmates who had already ordered and one who had done it digitally so he was already reading it.

Over and over again I am amazed at God’s kindness. Before the reunion I felt as though it were 50 years earlier and I was in hiding about “who I am”. Some of that went away by simply attending it. However, God wanted more than “some of that ill feeling going away”. He never stops using His Work to encourage someone else. How AMAZING OUR GOD IS!

Last night we had a powerful meeting with our Celebrate Recovery leadership team. A good deal of truth came out of the meeting starting with our ministry leader. He struggles with his worthiness to be this leader. I identify fully with this “feeling” as I’ve struggled with this my entire life. Who of us is worthy? In our humanness, no one; but in our new creation, we all are because of Jesus Christ living in us. This leader said someone recently asked him if he were a “lifer” in CR? His interpretation of this question was that it was a “put-down”. However, for me, it is a calling from God. It is a ministry I personally need and it is one where God continues to work and demonstrate Himself mightily over and over again in the lives of those who come.

God is such an AMAZING GOD. No man takes his weaknesses and makes them into his strengths. God on the other hand, takes all of our human weaknesses and turns them into His Mighty Works as He transforms us and uses this transformation to demonstrate to others what His Power and Might will do as we continue to live daily with Him leading our lives.

As this journey continues I am beginning to notice something changing. I have never known daily living that didn’t have significant temptations to escape realities of living in it. As a little boy it would be to go away from the house and lose oneself in play or pretend. As an older boy on the farm it was going off to the fields without dad so you could be away from the fear of his moods. As a man I would live in a mindset that would attempt to block the torment of daily living. I found internet porn and that was a big blocker. However, living today no longer has the overcoming temptations to escape life. I find myself wanting to live life and assist others in doing the same with their own. While this is going on I don’t need to escape any longer. What I am writing here has been on my mind for quite some time now, but I’ve been cautious about putting it in the blog thinking if I do it will generate a host of condemnation which I’ve always feared in days gone by. I’m not sure if this will generate anything other than my revealing what life has been like in this body/mind of mine. God is truly teaching me to rely more and more fully on daily living in reality in Him and with Him.

A month ago we were preparing for a drought year for the farmers and our entire valley. Now, a month later, we have had abundant rain in the valley and snow in the mountains so that we are above 100% snow pack. We are all praising God for this. Then, this morning the frost is hitting. I awoke at 3:30 am to the windmills stirring in the orchards. I got up to check the temperature and it was 33 degrees. I had covered everything last night in preparation but, as I prayed this morning God reminded me to pray for all that He sent the rain for. He didn’t provide the rain so that what it would nourish could be killed by one night’s deadly frost. I went out in the morning cold and asked God to bring His protection to the very crops He sent the rain to grow. God is amazingly GOOD!

Over the weekend someone I cherish shared with me they are having an intense therapy session today. This person has been in denial about a good deal in the past and now they are ready to face it. I so love how God uses His Light to awaken what we want to stay blinded to. Today is the beginning of a new dawning for this person. Praise God!

Yesterday was such a nice day. Church was wonderful, I came home and was able to complete the last project for the spring readiness of gardening this season, took a little nap and then all of our family gathered together to celebrate the Moms. What a wonderful time it was.

I keep mentioning in this blog that the details of our lives are of great importance to God. I do this because God is convincing me of this relevance from Him to each of us. Throughout my life I’ve not wanted to bother God with details–just major events. Yet, God has been wanting me all along to let Him enter into every aspect of my life–including what I’ve called minor. I’m beginning to see too that He wants entrance into them because what I’ve called minor are often the selfish things I want to do but not sure God is wanting me to do them. These things have been ones like having a big garden, an abundance of flower pots on the deck, big flower beds in the yard, etc. All of these take time from me for which I truly enjoy. I’ve never asked God is He wants me doing them, I’ve always asked if He’d help me get them done hoping He enjoys them like I do.

What I am learning is to TRUST God to lead me in every aspect of my life–little or big. All of my time is His to lead. If He is leading me away from some of “my loves” I know He will give new “loves” in their place. I will do and go where He wants.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you moms! What a glorious creation God made when He created each of you to be the mom’s you are.

Yesterday I mentioned about going back to the reunion. During the chapel 3 of the classmates told glimpses of their lives during these past 50 years. What was incredibly evident from two of them was the work of The Holy Spirit in their lives. In addition to this, a couple we sat with at the two meals talked deeply about The Holy Spirit’s work in their lives. I’ve known I have The Holy Spirit within me but I’ve also disbelieved I could be His tool. God has been doing a great deal of healing for me in this area of belief committing to believe I’m a new creation. This morning as I was journaling I wrote that I wanted to have what these classmates have and what the book of Acts is talking about as I read through it in my bible reading.

I always ask Jesus what He wants me to know for today and this is what I heard Him say: “My son, if you think you are ready for a step outside of My work in your life, you’re again thinking selfishly. I want you thinking openly about My desires for you. The Holy Spirit’s manifestation is so much bigger/immense than a couple of actions man wraps his mind around. The Holy Spirit personalizes God Himself in you. This is My role in preparing you for this next step. Lets get the temple ready for the next step, My son.” I couldn’t help but sit here in awe at God’s Wisdom so far beyond that of man!

Yesterday was an interesting day in a couple of ways. I had much I was wanting to get done since this is my last weekend to get the last of the spring gardening/yard work finished. We leave next weekend for Oklahoma for our granddaughter’s graduation. As the day started it was calm so I wanted to spray weeds only to find I didn’t have any spray left for one of the ingredients. I started early in the morning moving all of the plants from the greenhouse to the deck for potting all of the pots. I began to plant until the store opened so I could get the spray I needed. I then sprayed all that was needing attention. I went back to planting pots and had them done in time to shower and head to the college reunion. The rest of the day was primarily occupied with it.

The remarkable part of the day for me was first, getting the pots done in such a short period of time. It usually takes me a day and a half and yesterday I had it done in half a day. In that half a day I’d also gotten the spraying done which took a couple hours of it. I had been dreading seeing all of the college folks only because they really didn’t know “the real me”. This morning as I was journaling God reminded me that all of the classmates are His kids too and He has walked them through their own stories. I should have known this, but it was a nice reminder that we are all human with common temptations and weaknesses.

I go back this morning for a breakfast and a chapel service. I’m singing in the worship team for it. I go this morning celebrating rather than dreading. God really does care about the details of our lives and wants us to know how He fits into every one of the details.