Good Morning Ladies!! Let me try this for the second time! I was so proud of myself on Thursday morning that I had woken up early and written this entire post. Then I went to publish it, and I deleted the entire stinkin' thing! So...I am just now getting the chance to try writing it again!
So sorry we missed last weeks' blog question. I was on the road traveling with my mom and grandma, and I figured that all of you were busy doing spring break things as well! Monday morning ladies, it was great to catch up with all of you after being apart for a couple of weeks! Tuesday night ladies, I hated that I didn't get to see you!! As Sara probably explained, I had been in court all day with a precious family that I used to work with. And this next week, I am going to be on the road yet again going to see Jeff's family in South Florida. His mom and dad just come home permanently from Uganda, and we are going to see them!!! Please remember us in your prayers while we are traveling. I can't wait to see everyone again next week!
Ok...so here is our blog question for this week!
"Have you ever had an ugly cry in public? If so, please share!"
I can't wait to read everyone's responses!
Love ya,
Macki
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The Journey
I wrote this a while back and just found it while looking through old blog drafts. God has pressed it on my heart to share it with you! Love ya...Macki
The Journey
Wow!!! What a ride I have been on over the course of the past weeks. It is times as these when I have to lean not on my own understanding, but stand firm on those scriptures that God has pressed upon my heart. I have to believe that though the things around me are confusing and uncertain, if I keep my two feet standing on Christ Jesus, God's plan will prevail. My eyes have to keep looking upward, seeking for the answers that He has called for my life.
After a year-long strenuous sifting on my spirit, God has blessed me abundantly over the past few weeks by allowing an explosion of my faith to just overflow from every fiber of my body. There is a fire burning inside and a joy that has been re-lit in my heart after a year of a serious spiritual drought. Over the course of this past year, I have been doing all of the "right" things to seek God; however, He has remained hidden from me. I have mentally known that He is there, but I have not been able to emotionally "FEEL" that He was near me. There have been times over this past year where I was flat on my face sobbing and crying out for the Lord...wanting so desperately for Him to "comfort" my grief with that spiritual sensation that only He brings. But for some reason, that sensation did not come. I kept crying out..."Where are you God...where are You?" Looking back, I know that He was near me...very near; however, I do believe that God was allowing me to be tested...asking me..."Macki, what are you going to stand on...feelings or the things that I have promised you? Are your going to fight for Me...or allow your feelings to consume you?" You see, I had to come to the realization that despite being able to "feel" Him in the midst of my uncertain circumstances, I was going to stand on His many promises that He was still with me. I was going to stand on the promise that "He would never leave me or forsake me" (Deuteronomy 31:8). I was going to stand on the promise that "though I sowed seeds with tears, I would come back with shouts of joy" (Psalm 136:1-6). I was going to stand on the promise that "the testing on my faith would produce endurance "(James 1:3). I was going to stand on the promise that "if I do not lose heart in doing good, I would reap if I did not grow weary" (Galatians 6:9). I was going to stand on the promise that "if I raise my eyes towards Him, my help would come"(Psalm 121:1-2)!
And, WOW, how ABUNDANTLY my has Help come!!! He has moved like a mighty wave over every area of my life... nourishing it with His healing waters. There are just those times where I want to shout from the mountains...and this is one of them!! God is near!!! He has a plan!!! And this is what I have to remind myself of today. God has a plan...His perfect plan! If this year has taught me anything, it is to seek. Seek Him!! If we SEEK Him, and we shall FIND Him. If confusion and lack of understanding have boggled your mind and your clarity this week as they have done mine, go back to the basics. Pray scripture over your lack of understanding. Pray them over and over. Carry them in the car with you...take them and place them on your desk at work...place them on the kitchen counter while you are cooking supper...put them in your pocket for those unexpected times when doubt consumes you. Keep reading them until they take root in your heart and that joy that comes from Christ Jesus alone trumps our own ability to understand. And that JOY will come. That peace that surpasses all understanding will consume you.
One last thing, what we do have to remember is that we are ultimately seeking GOD'S PLAN. The vision that He placed in our hearts is for His purpose and for His reason. Though we do not always understand God's timing, He allows circumstances that grow our courage, sift our faith, and produce endurance, so that through these trials, His perfect love in us will be refined as pure gold...and He can be glorified through our love for others. Our ultimate existence should not be focused on a time nor a place for that vision to be fulfilled, but it should be on the planting of seeds and the producing of fruit...and God will handle the details! Let's ENJOY the journey that God has put us on! Oh, the abundant blessings that He already has in store for us if we do not lose sight of Him!!! Let's not miss one moment in seeking the harvest!!! And if fear or discouragement do find their way into our weary hearts, please don't lose courage and always remember that "He who has begun a good work in [us] will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ!(Philippians 1:6)!
POSTED BY MACKI SMITH AT 9:25 AM
The Journey
Wow!!! What a ride I have been on over the course of the past weeks. It is times as these when I have to lean not on my own understanding, but stand firm on those scriptures that God has pressed upon my heart. I have to believe that though the things around me are confusing and uncertain, if I keep my two feet standing on Christ Jesus, God's plan will prevail. My eyes have to keep looking upward, seeking for the answers that He has called for my life.
After a year-long strenuous sifting on my spirit, God has blessed me abundantly over the past few weeks by allowing an explosion of my faith to just overflow from every fiber of my body. There is a fire burning inside and a joy that has been re-lit in my heart after a year of a serious spiritual drought. Over the course of this past year, I have been doing all of the "right" things to seek God; however, He has remained hidden from me. I have mentally known that He is there, but I have not been able to emotionally "FEEL" that He was near me. There have been times over this past year where I was flat on my face sobbing and crying out for the Lord...wanting so desperately for Him to "comfort" my grief with that spiritual sensation that only He brings. But for some reason, that sensation did not come. I kept crying out..."Where are you God...where are You?" Looking back, I know that He was near me...very near; however, I do believe that God was allowing me to be tested...asking me..."Macki, what are you going to stand on...feelings or the things that I have promised you? Are your going to fight for Me...or allow your feelings to consume you?" You see, I had to come to the realization that despite being able to "feel" Him in the midst of my uncertain circumstances, I was going to stand on His many promises that He was still with me. I was going to stand on the promise that "He would never leave me or forsake me" (Deuteronomy 31:8). I was going to stand on the promise that "though I sowed seeds with tears, I would come back with shouts of joy" (Psalm 136:1-6). I was going to stand on the promise that "the testing on my faith would produce endurance "(James 1:3). I was going to stand on the promise that "if I do not lose heart in doing good, I would reap if I did not grow weary" (Galatians 6:9). I was going to stand on the promise that "if I raise my eyes towards Him, my help would come"(Psalm 121:1-2)!
And, WOW, how ABUNDANTLY my has Help come!!! He has moved like a mighty wave over every area of my life... nourishing it with His healing waters. There are just those times where I want to shout from the mountains...and this is one of them!! God is near!!! He has a plan!!! And this is what I have to remind myself of today. God has a plan...His perfect plan! If this year has taught me anything, it is to seek. Seek Him!! If we SEEK Him, and we shall FIND Him. If confusion and lack of understanding have boggled your mind and your clarity this week as they have done mine, go back to the basics. Pray scripture over your lack of understanding. Pray them over and over. Carry them in the car with you...take them and place them on your desk at work...place them on the kitchen counter while you are cooking supper...put them in your pocket for those unexpected times when doubt consumes you. Keep reading them until they take root in your heart and that joy that comes from Christ Jesus alone trumps our own ability to understand. And that JOY will come. That peace that surpasses all understanding will consume you.
One last thing, what we do have to remember is that we are ultimately seeking GOD'S PLAN. The vision that He placed in our hearts is for His purpose and for His reason. Though we do not always understand God's timing, He allows circumstances that grow our courage, sift our faith, and produce endurance, so that through these trials, His perfect love in us will be refined as pure gold...and He can be glorified through our love for others. Our ultimate existence should not be focused on a time nor a place for that vision to be fulfilled, but it should be on the planting of seeds and the producing of fruit...and God will handle the details! Let's ENJOY the journey that God has put us on! Oh, the abundant blessings that He already has in store for us if we do not lose sight of Him!!! Let's not miss one moment in seeking the harvest!!! And if fear or discouragement do find their way into our weary hearts, please don't lose courage and always remember that "He who has begun a good work in [us] will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ!(Philippians 1:6)!
POSTED BY MACKI SMITH AT 9:25 AM
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Week 6 Discussion Question
Hey Ladies...
Here is our blog question for the week!
"Describe a moment when you knew God had strategically timed something you read or heard."
This one may take some thought...it will for me as well. I hope that some of you can relate to this question and will feel comfortable sharing how God moved strategically in your life!!
Love ya,
Macki
Here is our blog question for the week!
"Describe a moment when you knew God had strategically timed something you read or heard."
This one may take some thought...it will for me as well. I hope that some of you can relate to this question and will feel comfortable sharing how God moved strategically in your life!!
Love ya,
Macki
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