The Goodness of God's word

I've been under the weather with the influenza for the past 10 days. I've laid awake in the night absolutely thinking that I was loosing my mind because I was coughing so hard, continuously. My body literally fighting to get air into my lungs. For those of you that have dealt with H1N1 or any type of influenza, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

But sweetness truly came in the midst of those hard spells! God's word would come to my mind and I would find myself resting in Him and trusting Him. I would go over the scriptures I have learned in 2009 and I found comfort especially in one particular verse. If you have never committed to memorizing scripture, I truly would like to encourage you to make this be one of your main priorities for 2010. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!

The scripture that comforted me the most in the past week has been:

Psalm 4:8 NIV "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety."

Father, thank You for placing this scripture on my heart several weeks ago, as YOU ALONE only would know how much it would speak to me in the dark hours of the night fighting for a breath of air this past week. THANK YOU! Father, Your word is life, encouragement, hope, and the very air that I breathe. In Christ Alone...Amen.

**I wonder, have any of you found yourselves clinging to a particular scripture this week? If so, care to share the scripture and what translation? **

By the way, I'm still fighting this, and you truly will never waste a prayer on me.

Lovingly at Higher Grounds,
Yolanda

Sobering and Exhilarating

On December 25th, many of you will be joining my husband and I in the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. While we truly don't know the exact day of His glorious birth, we still come together thanking God for this awesome gift, the gift of a Savior that was promised in Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Immanuel, God with us.



Like many of you, Isaiah 9:6 is a treasure to be hold!!! "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."



I am hungry to learn the names of God this year, to really focus in and soak up ABSOLUTE TRUTHS.



There is so much joy this season and I'm so very grateful. Why? Because with LIFE comes death, and death gave me LIFE! Now isn't that a sobering thought? Especially with this week being focused on such a joyful time in our hearts? Not only is it sobering, but for those of us that have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, it is exhilarating. A sweet nugget that I came across this morning from Romans 5:6-8, "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.....But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." I've only touched on certain parts of this passage and I encourage you to please read for yourself out of your own bible Romans 5:6-8.



God sent His son Jesus Christ, born in human flesh, as well as allowing Him to die on the cross, KNOWING that I would make poor choices, some HUGE in human standards, but God demonstrated His love for me through the birth of His Son and the death of His Son. At just the right time, that is providence, that is grace and mercy, that is LOVE.



Father, I come before You, with a truly humbled heart. I pray that my life and the avenue You have spoken to my heart to share my walk with others, will draw them to You. That they would allow You to demonstrate that very same love to them. Thank You for Immanuel, thank You for the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Amen and Amen!



With much love and wishing each one of you a very Merry Christmas from here at Higher Grounds,

Yolanda

***Update, I will be hosting a study on "Lord, I want to know you" by Kay Arthur on Monday mornings beginning January 4th over at "Joy Comes In The Morning.** Please know that I've never done anything like this as the facilitator IN blog land. But a few have mentioned that they have this book and I thought it would be a great thing to do together. Simply report in and share the insight you have been given from reading the chapter. May the Lord God get all the glory from our participation. ***

Reflections

As 2009 begins to draw to a close, I've been reflecting upon this past year. Have I grown to be more like Christ than I was prior to 2009? Have I lived Jesus OUT LOUD the past 12 months? When others look into my face, do they see the love of God?


In January of 2009 I felt like God was telling me that He wanted my life to be, "Living for Jesus". That has been my hunger and the deep pangs of my heart all year long. I'll be honest, there have been moments and days that I fell short. Yet, I'm pressing on instead of becoming lax and staying put. I have absolutely no desire to be a luke warm woman that didn't hunger for more. I have absolutely no desire to be a woman that didn't finish what God had for me in 2009.

I hope 2010 finds Jesus and I going DEEPER STILL, and that the fire He placed in me 10 years ago, continue to be fanned to flame. That is my prayer for myself as 2009 draws to a close.


I have a couple of friends that are really in a hard season right now. To be honest, I think when we are found walking with Jesus, then our seasons will be down right hard. (I'm thinking of the promise we have from John 16:33) Because this side of heaven is the hardest life we'll ever know and I'm so thankful that eternity in Heaven is going to be paradise. I told one particular friend just this past week, "Cling to God my precious friend in this darker season of life that you are finding yourself in, as HE is the LIGHT that penetrates that darkness."

That piece of encouragement had to have been the Holy Spirit, as it just flowed from my fingertips, I didn't pause to think what I was writing and I knew it was a word for myself as well. Perhaps, it might be a word for YOU?

Father, I'm thankful that You have penetrated my heart with love, with light, with joy, and with peace. I'm thankful for the opportunities that You gave me in 2009 to LIVE FOR JESUS. I am looking forward to 2010 as You and I draw closer to one another. Lord, I desire to never allow darkness to rule my decisions and instead to be found becoming Christ-like with my choices. I love You Lord Jesus. Amen.

Learning from Miss Daisy

This morning it is -3 without the wind-chill, mighty cold for Southwest Kansas in early December! The snow had fallen through out the day yesterday and into the night and this morning I saw something with fresh eyes. I saw something amazing about Daisy, our basset hound, as the sun glistens beautifully on the fresh snow. Do you see it as well?

In the midst of the snow fall, in the midst of the cold and bitter day and night, in the midst of the heat of the summer, in the midst of the rain and wind...she walks the same narrow path. No matter what storm is raging around her, she is on the same narrow path. She has this whole back yard to herself to walk any where, and she stays on the same path! (I wasn't able to find out why dogs do this, but I find it amazing!)

God desires that for you and I as well Girlfriends and Guy friends. To be on the straight and narrow path, not the wide path. Matthew 7:13-14 NIV "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." I added emphasis.

I quickly took a look at this from the Message "Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention."

Father, may You find each of us today not taking the shortcut but investing in the way to life, YOU. To keep to the narrow path, narrow road, the road that leads to life no matter what the storm is raging around us and with-in us. You, Father, are our road map, may we be found living by it giving it our total attention. You continue to amaze me Lord and I thank You for teaching me Your truths in such simple ways. In Christ's Name, Amen.

Lovingly at Higher Grounds,

Yolanda

Heart over flowing with thanksgiving

This past weekend, four of us from my community as well as my church, traveled to Oklahoma City for our very first "Deeper Still" event. Can I just tell you, GO! GO GO GO!

Interesting after my last posting, but simply you won't find any milk at this Women's Conference. Truly the meat of God's word.

This trip was a double blessing for me because back in March when we ordered our tickets and got our motel room, I found out that a Siesta (VALERIE) that I blog with was attending as well. Then just last week on the LPM Blog, I saw a short message from another lady (Misty) that I've met through the blog world was attending too! I also met Valerie's daughter, Kristen that she often shares with us in the blog world. Golly, can it get any better than that???

I so praise God for the friendships that I have made through the LPM Blog. Women that are real, that love Jesus and that are willing to take a few moments or even hours of driving to meet one another. A very incredible blessing to me as my passion is women's ministry and I love hearing the hearts of women.

**Misty, Yolanda, Valerie**

I would like to challenge you, as I was challenged as well, that He can and does answer our prayers.

Can't somebody feed that child?

Greetings this beautiful morning of December 1st! December! Where has the last 11 months gone? I'm nearing the ending of reading my bible this year because of course it is December, you know. ;-) 1 Peter captured my heart this morning and encouraged me so much with a call to Holy Living, something God had placed on my heart back on January 1st. Living for Jesus in 2009 was my mantra. That has been my hearts desire for so long, perhaps you feel the same way. 1 Peter encouraged me as well this morning with a lovely reminder of the call on my life as a wife, for suffering for doing good, suffering for being a Christian but what has held my attention was from Chapter 2.

"You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness." Verse 2-3 New Living Translation.

Do you find yourself ever craving something so badly that you just have to have what ever it is your are craving? When I've found myself in that situation, truly nothing else satisfies me. That is exactly what Peter is saying to you and I in this passage, to be craving pure spiritual milk.

Haven't you ever been around a child that is crying so much that they are sobbing hysterically? That stinky old pacifier isn't going to satisfy the crying hungry child!! They need REAL nourishment. Peter calls you and I to cry out for the nourishment that can only come from God, to make it known that we need to be fed. Then to pick up the spoon and begin to feed ourselves. Just as a baby grows into a toddler, from just milk to needing something more substantial, that is how the soul of a Believer is as well. We are to be continually growing. When we are then Sunday morning is no longer enough, a devotion here and there is no longer enough, Bible study during the week is no longer enough. We then begin to need the nourishment of God's word DAILY.

When someone says, "Can't somebody feed that child?" God says, "Yes, I can!".

Do you have a desire for God's word? If not, I suggest that you pray and seek God asking Him to place that craving inside of you, so that you would cry out for pure spiritual food.

Father, I praise You for giving us Your word to feed upon daily. I am grateful that when I don't understand Your word, I can come to You asking for understanding and wisdom to discern what You would have for me. Lord, I thank You for spiritual milk, bread and meat. May I always have a craving for it and never be satisfied that I would be found no longer having a hunger. I hunger and thirst, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Dining on Your word here at Higher Grounds,
Yolanda