Tuesday, October 30, 2012

October 25th

On October 25th I set down to spend time in the Word by reading a Psalm and Proverb for the day. This is usually how I start out my quiet time. I began by reading Psalm 51 and verse six jumped out at me.

"Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart." (ESV)

In my quest to find out more on this verse, I looked up a different translation because I love words and meanings and I found this gem:

"Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom" (WBT)

I continued searching Biblical commentary on this particular verse to see line by line what truths this verse has to offer. Here a few things that stood out to me from Barnes' Notes on the Bible. "The word 'desirest' means to have pleasure in and 'inward parts'=the reins, the seat of the mind, the feelings. The 'hidden part' is the heart, the depths of the soul. The cleansing was to begin in that which was hidden from the eye of man, in the soul itself. 'Thou shalt make me to know wisdom'-Thou only canst enable me to understand what is truly wise."

I was so moved by this verse I decided to Instagram a photo of my journal page with the verse written in my own handwriting. And I captioned it, "Make me to know". Oh how I long to know wisdom. And then something so cool happened. Lisa Whittle commented on my photo. Y'all that is huge for me. She is one of my absolute favorite authors. She told me that her book, "Behind Those Eyes" was based on Psalm 51:6. I own the book but haven't read it...yet. I feel like the Lord is setting me up to read it and I am so looking forward it. If you have never read any of Lisa's books, you should. Life. Changing.

So I continued with my quiet time and offered prayer to the Lord for Him to help me to know wisdom in my secret heart. I told him that I wanted to be made whole in Him, lacking nothing. He is so faithful to me. He knows the desire of my heart, my dreams and He is always working on my behalf even when I don't hear anything or see anything. I love that about Him.

Fast forward to today; the day after Hurricane Sandy. Thankfully, here in Maine, we only experienced rain and high winds. In our home, we didn't lose power at all...even though I was ready and had those flash lights and candles on stand-by. Sigh.

I was checking my Twitter feed and noticed that Beth Moore was holding prayer for those affected by the storm at 11:15 AM CST which is 12:15 PM my time so I sat down at my desk and waited because of the time difference. While reading Beth's blog I saw a broadcast from October 25th that I missed called 'A Deceptive Heart'. It was so great to hear her share from her heart.

(Sidenote: I get to see her in person this Friday and Saturday at Living Proof Live. YAY!)

Anyway, she was almost done speaking and she said, "God loves us. If we are not zealous about truth in our inmost parts, we got all manner of lie." It struck such a nerve in me and she then shared Psalm 51:6 and I completely froze. I love how God uses those that inspire me to speak His truth to me and to let me know that He hears and sees me. He knows the desires of my heart. He knows my life dream. Beth continued to say, "He delights to bring truth in the inward parts." 

He is the Lord, the heart knower. That completely overwhelms me with joy. He knows. Even when I don't. He does. How great is our God.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog today. My prayer is that I would not be afraid to share the things that God has placed within my heart; my sanctified and satisfied (in the Lord) heart.

I love words. I love meanings. I love to write and I love the Lord.

This is me.

www.lproof.org
www.lisawhittle.com

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Melissa Emma Designs

Hey Friends!

I finally did it! I opened my first ever Etsy Shop!

I am custom making personalized frames. I have uploaded a few here but please check out my website:

www.etsy.com/shop/melissaemmadesigns

www.facebook.com/melissaemmadesigns

And I'm on Pinterest!

Thanks for looking! :)






Monday, January 16, 2012

JOY

Happy New Year! I've been on a blogging hiatus of sorts. I have enjoyed the Christmas break and have celebrated the New Year. I am back and ready to blog again! Thanks for taking the time to read what's on my heart.

Angela Thomas is my favorite author at the moment. I have four of her books. I'm currently reading 52 Things Kids Need From A Mom. I've been reading it for 41 days so far (that would be one chapter a day for 41 days ha ha ha. ANYWAY. I am also working through her Choosing Joy devotional for this year. Joy is my word for 2012.

So back to today's chapter. Kids Need Their Mom... "To be patient about things like thumb-sucking and pacifiers." This is the one chapter I have been dying to get too. My Jordan is 5 and he still has his baby blankie that old, dirty blue blankie that he lugs around everywhere. I have a family member that threatens to take it from him each time she sees him. Drives me crazy. But, I've always had the approach that he'll give it someday when he's ready. I ask him all the time if he's going to have it when he's daddy's age and he always says yes. I highly doubt that. LOL

Angela shared a few things in the book that spoke to my heart and I thought would be good to share. She says on page 170, "Oh, how I regret being uptight about too many little things when they were little. Why did I worry so much about appearances and buckteeth and what other people's children were doing? For goodness' sake, uptight has been the embarrassment of my mothering. I wanted to be the best, most conscientious, most organized mom ever. All wonderful and noble aspirations until the overwhelming stress of self-imposed expectations begins to eat your lunch. And your spirit. And your joy. Slowly and painfully, God taught me that there is a difference between what my kids needed and the illusion I was trying to paint."

I can relate on so many levels. I don't want to be uptight anymore. I have asked God to forgive me for being uptight and wound up over nothing. Like Angela, being uptight has been the embarrassment of my mothering too. But thanks be to God, He is faithful and is working with me to let it go. I am learning that peace is found in Him and to be thankful. He is also showing me that as I am in His presence, His joy will be given to me. I am thankful that He is with me always-even when I don't know what to do next, when I feel inadequate, when my friends are gone, when I feel alone, when I am uptight. Always. Even til the end of the age. Thank you Lord.

I have joy. I have so much to be thankful for. And now, I just want to share a little of that here with you:

898-904

a chance to start again
heart training
finding joy in God
being satisfied with Him
brining glory to God
a fresh word from God
i don't know but He knows (and that's all I need to know) :)

Happy New Year dear friends in blogland.