My Shelter from this Storm...

I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth... Psalms 121

(read the whole chapter - remember I know you have a bible, you just need to look for it and dust off the dust that's covering it.)

I have been thinking about this "storm" that I find myself in the midst of. Words of encouragement and a whole lot of compliments have been thrown my way. I don't know about you, but I get very uncomfortable with attention and compliments. I know everyone is showing their support and so I receive them graciously, and I am ever so grateful. I leave and I think about everything someone has said and I am touched. One of the words used to describe me is strong. Funny thing is, I don't see myself as strong - physically? Yes! I can rearrange my whole entire house and not break a sweat. Emotionally, mentally and spiritually? No. Surprise? I bet.

A few days ago, after coffee with a friend I was thinking about all this again and just talking to my (our) Heavenly Father about all this - it makes no sense to me that I feel so vulnerable and weak  inside and yet be seen as strong. And then a song comes on the radio that reminded me of the scripture above.

I will digress a little...

I grew up on a tiny island in the middle of the South Pacific - literally. We affectionately refer to our island home as "The Rock." The home I grew up in is at the foot of a mountain. As a little girl I used to look up at that mountain, (a lot), and say the this scripture: I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? Then I would boldly say, My help comes from the Lord! I can't tell you how many times I looked up at that mountain and say this scripture. I had no idea I would be sitting here many years later recalling this memory for you.

Anyway, as I drove thinking about this scripture - I asked, Where does my strength come from? At that moment I was overwhelmed with a sense of gratefulness because I was reminded that HE WILL NEVER LEAVE ME, NOR FORSAKE ME! Even though my human strength may fail me, my Father's strength will carry me. He is constantly reassuring me that He has already healed me. That He is leading me step by step.  It is because of Him and His sacrifice that I am able to boldly delcare that everything is going to be ok.

2 Corinthians 12:9

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

I am still not quite sure why I have to go through this, I just know that He has me by the hand and is leading me. He has even had to reach down and pick me up and carry me. I may not understand, but I trust Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on you own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.

If you are like me, then you are a "big picture" type of person. Don't bore me with the details, I just need to see/understand the big picture. What is the outcome we are hoping for? What's our goal? What's our purpose? I have a really hard time moving forward if I don't know what the goal is. But...

In  this "storm" I am in, I wholeheartedly trust my Heavenly Father. I definitely know that He is at work and He is preparing me for bigger and better things. :)

It's been about a month now since I have started this journey, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that God is faithful and true at His word. I know He loves me. I know who I am in Him. I know this because of what He did for me 2000+ years ago.

Today, we remember the torture and pain that our Saviour Jesus Christ suffered ON OUR BEHALF. He knew NO sin - you and I do. It's because God the Father wanted a relationship with us, that He sent His Son to die on  the cross. Our Heavenly Father's plan for us was to give us a life free of sickness and pain, but we have this sinful nature that keeps us from enjoying that life. So He sacrificed - and for a moment He HAD TO FORSAKE HIS ONLY SON. Think about that for a moment - if you are a parent, let that sink in.... Can you imagine turning your back on your child when he or she is crying out for help be cause he or she is in pain?

As painful and as agonizing as that was for our Father - He did it for you and for me. Because He loves us - He wants a relationship with us. He wants to bless us, provide for us, heal us, restore us, the list goes on... HE LOVES US...

John 3:16

For God so LOVED the world, He gave His ONLY SON, so none of us would perish but have everlasting life...

He is amazing, He is faithful and true, and HE IS CRAZY IN LOVE WITH YOU!!

Find a church this weekend, attend it, God's waiting for you.

Happy Resurrection weekend!! HE IS RISEN!

Lots of Love!!

Me. :)