storms

Sound Of Heaven Touching Earth

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As we sang this song yesterday during worship it was actually happening. Heaven was touching earth. It is a regular thing that we take for granted, but I was reminded during the song that amazing things happen when Heaven touches earth.

For instance in Texas during a hot dry summer when the grass is brown and dead looking, a good rain will make your lawn look like the weeks of heat killing never happened.

Yesterday Heaven squelched heatwaves across the country. But is also brought some destruction. We try to think of Heaven as this gentle peaceful place instead of powerful and mighty.

I mean what happens when powerful and mighty meets weak and unworthy? When permanent meets not permanent? When holy meets unholy?

But think about this: if Heaven contains a mighty and powerful God, why wouldn’t what comes out of it also be mighty and powerful? Why wouldn’t whatever comes from Heaven have transforming power?

Perhaps this week we should examine what happens when Heaven touches the earth. It changes what it touches.

Stormy Days and Sleepless Nights

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Rainy wet days are not good for getting my steps in, but lots of good came from the storm clouds this week. My dying rose bushes really appreciated the rain. There is something about the water from heaven that truly beats the water from the hose. The bushes find almost instant satisfaction and renewal.

I find the same type of satisfaction in the midst of a storm. While storm raged overhead, they also raged inside. I got to have conversations with different women this week that revealed how God worked through their storms. Like the dried out roses, some women were beaten and battered but at the roots they were nourished. They found strength in the struggle.

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This week something that was meant to harm me, turned into one of my most powerful moments.  I took that and empowered others. God is so good. I know many women going through right now, but let me tell you God is getting some glory through them. Several times I had to stop and shout because the Lord’s word does not return void.

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I can’t count how many times this week I have said, “Don’t worry, God has got this! Don’t be afraid. Trust the process.”  We tend to focus on the the dark clouds overhead, and not the impact the clouds have on our life. We only have one way of seeing a storm as something that is coming to destroy us. When all the Lord is doing is tearing loose something that has us bound.

But we need to pray to see the storm the way the Lord sees it.

He tells us in His word that His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8)

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Storms

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Some days you are running along with life. It is not going the way you want it, but you have learned to make applesauce out of bad apples and lemonade out of not enough lemons.

You have learned to walk with the Lord and pray.

Lord, should I go this way?

Lord, should I do this?

You are walking and working in His will. You are helping the poor, reaching the lost and representing Jesus well.

All of a sudden, the winds pick up and start to blow harshly. It begins pouring rain before you can find shelter. Your car is wrecked, your job is lost, your loved one is ill.

If you like me, you like, I need to check my connection cause He didn’t say anything about this in our morning quiet time. You feel blindsided by God. He didn’t mention this catastrophe when you were chatting.

Laura Story reminds us that sometimes our blessings are in the storms. If you have been praying for something and trouble has taken up residence in your life, look for the blessing.  This week in bible study, Moses is surrounded by people who complain and grumble about everything. Can you imagine spending your latter years with a bunch of complainers? They were on their way to the promise land and did not like how God was driving.  Eventually all of the complainers died in the dessert and never got to go into the promise land.

Just because you don’t see a way out of your problem, doesn’t mean God hasn’t got it all figured out.  Look for the blessings in your storm it will make the journey to the promise land so much better.  One of the greatest gifts God gives us is a choice.