In Process...

From Amie's Desk

It's shortly after 5:00 in the morning and my mind is mostly awake in spite of the early hour. Bible study ended yesterday for the regular season and I'm not quite sure what today will bring. Questions spin in my thoughts: What new?, what now?, what next?. I know the Lord has answers and I want to know them too.

"I am preparing you to be My sanctuary."

"I know Lord, You've been working on that with me a very long time. I remember singing the praise chorus with my friends when I was Bible college: 

"Lord prepare me, to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true 

and with thanksgiving, I'll be a living, sanctuary, for You.".

"I'm still working, Amie. These things take time. Conforming you to the image or likeness of My Son takes time.It's not any easy or instant process."

"But Lord, I..."

"Becoming holy is not like changing your hairstyle. It doesn't happen from night to morning in most cases. You aren't suddenly going to wake up one day more holy and Christ-like than the day before. It's a process. Let me work."

It's a process...He's at work....this is what I know for now....may He be praised.

It doesn't seem like a lot...but He isn't unaware...

The Gift of Balance

From Amie's Desk

This past week, I went to Bible Study with the older women again; they are such treasures to me! One dear lady came up to me after the lesson to tell me she was praying for me. 

She said:  "My balance isn't good. I've been having difficulties with my legs again. This makes me think of you. When I think of you, I'm reminded to pray."

It's not necessarily what I would choose friends, but it's what God uses. When we begin to struggle ourselves, we become more aware of others who may be struggling around us. 

If a person's struggles with balance cause her to think of me, praise God! I need all the prayer I can get!

If my faithfully showing up at Bible study causes one person to gaze more deeply upon the One who faithfully walks with me, praise His name!

He is exalted when we remember Him...

He is exalted when we remember each other...

Problems with physical balance aside, we all need Him every single day... whether we admit it or not. We are weak, but He is strong. 

May the Lord be exalted in my life, whatever it takes.

May the Lord be exalted in  the lives of the women I reach out to, whatever it takes...

May we continue to bless each other and speak encouragement into each others lives, whatever it takes...

He is faithful and He can use us for His purposes to be His instruments...whether we have good balance or not...

May He get glory and may others see Him while they are keeping company with us...

This is my hope and prayer.

Amen.

Pacing and Striving

From Amie's Desk

I have decided again today: I want to live in a season of bold answers. The kind of answers found within the hymn Christian, Do You Struggle? The last stanza of the hymn, inspired by Andrew of Crete, says:

Christian, do you wrestle those who taunt and claim, 

"Why keep fast and vigil? Prayer is said in vain." 

Christian, answer boldly: "While I breathe I pray!"

Peace shall follow battle, night shall end in day.

I want to live my life in such a way that prayer is as natural as breathing  I want to rely on the boldness of the Holy Spirit when I don't have a boldness of my own. I want to keep close watch and vigil on my everyday life so that I don't miss opportunities to watch God at work. I want the discipline of prayer as way of life even if my way of life is not so popular, practical, or realistic to others. I can't help but think my life would be different and uncharted if my eyes were even more focused upon the King and His will. 

I do need to live with the confidence that peace shall follow battle and I need to keep my armor on. I need to to don the shield of faith every day and have my sword always ready and steady. I need to know and be reminded that the night of this life will not last; I need to keep pressing on in the firm hope that dawn is even now on the horizon. My natural walk may be a shuffle and a step-drag, step-drag, but my spiritual walk can be as competent as a runner who has found her stride. My pace need not waver as the finish line draws closer because my source of competence is not myself; it is supernatural. The God who knows me is the same One who enables me and He is able to do more than just keep me slogging along. He can cause me to sing and sing boldly. He gives me life and He calls me to live it boldly: sharp and strong, wise and humble, advancing feet yet worn-out knees.

Inhale and exhale, in and out, contract and expand, thoughts, prayers, and breaths all coming together in opposition to anyone who might stand against. 

Fearless and beautiful in the middle of a weekday afternoon... 

We have it.

From Amie's Desk

I was lying in bed very early this morning when a verse came into my head I've never really considered before. 

I looked up the verse reference on my computer several hours later and sat back in my chair, mystified: 

"With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall." (Psalm 18:29)

Weirdest verse reference from out of nowhere I've ever received in my life. I guess I will really have to trust God on this one because He knows I cannot even climb a flight of stairs without assistance. I have zero military intelligence and no tactical finesse. My sense of direction is just awful, and I don't consider myself skilled at overcoming physical barriers. I have needed help all my life and perhaps this verse is one of many ways God is reminding me I  already have it. He has it. Together, we have it. 

When I go forward in His strength, I won't somehow be duped. I won't be disappointed. He will not let me down even if others take up against me. He will make a way for me to do all the things He calls me to. He will give me provision, guidance, peace, and sustaining grace. He is not a God who delights in creating obstacles and barriers; He is a God who delights in removing them.

By His grace, He will keep providing friends to help me in my journey.
By His grace, He will keep me from feeling alone even when I am.
By His grace, He will hold me when I am weary.
By His grace, He will give me whatever I need whenever the enemy draws close with his taunts, claims, and lies.

The God who has kept me on crutches, moving forward, all these years is able to help me handle whatever comes my way in days ahead. He possesses knowledge, strength, and ability I do not.

He can help me advance against troops and leap over walls (like the psalmist) if He has to...By His grace, I hope He never does...

Learning Together

From Amie's Desk

Dear Friends and Loved Ones,

Today I am writing in support of the miraculous power of prayer. Today I am writing in support of precious Sadie Mae and those who love her. They are ordinary people called to an extraordinary task and so far, by the grace of God, they are doing fantastic work. In this past year, my family and I have added another branch to Sadie's prayer tree by committing to pray for her and her family on a regular basis. I can pray for Sadie on a regular basis because so many people have prayed for me on a regular basis. On our own, we fall short and even fall flat, but with God's help and by His providence, together we can accomplish great things! We give Sadie (and her siblings) a place to grow, serve, and belong; in turn, Sadie and her siblings continue to teach us what it looks like to grow, serve, and belong. 

The path of blessing is a two-way street and sometimes it takes a long while to get things figured out. We never really get things squared away because human life is a dynamic process where the variables are always changing and being modified. The process of change commits us to being life-long learners and disciples, but that is a good thing. As we learn and grow, mature and change, we hopefully recognize more and more our tremendous need for Christ and His grace. He is the vine and we are His branches. As we abide in Him, the harvest will come and we will bear much fruit.

I write today in the confident hope the best is yet ahead for Sadie and her family. God has gifts for them and for each of us that will be unwrapped as we loyally wait upon Him. Sadie is a gift and I can't wait to see the gifts that God will choose to unwrap through her and in her as her story and journey unfolds. She is a marvel and masterpiece and He has plans for her which are yet to be unveiled.

As I think about Sadie and other people with disabilities I know, I am encouraged to forgo shortsightedness. God has plans for people that go far beyond what we can see or imagine in any given moment and He beckons us to keep believing in spite of potholes and pressures, tensions and tiredness. He is faithful beyond everyday stresses though sometimes we have difficulty distinguishing light amid fog.

I believe prayers prayed for me long ago are yet being answered in my life right now. He is using me as His humble work of art! I pray believing for Sadie as God paints into her life, and I invite you to join me.

We've come this far by faith...yet we've only just begun...

Pass it on...

Able

From Amie's Desk

"Lord Jehovah is compassionate and cherishing; He is patient and His grace is abundant.(Psalm 103:8)

Father, 

I praise You now for Your compassionate grace. I thank You for Your patience with us while we find it hard to be patient with ourselves. It is a lengthy,winding, path we travel and often the road between where we are and where we would like to be does seem to be forever long.

It takes patience to heal. 

It takes patience to grieve.

It takes patience to plan

It takes patience to wait.

Lord, guard us from impatience as we turn our hearts and eyes upon You: again, again, again, again; 

As the child who stumbles frequently in learning to walk, so we are with You. We need much love and long-suffering as we journey in places known and unknown. Every day brings with it a measure of uncertainty; thank You for being a secure place and refuge. I praise You because we don't have to be embarrassed before You. You are with us in our peace and with us in our preoccupation, We don't need to hide from the One who is our hiding place, 

You grant us the freedom to be who we are where we are and the overwhelming ability to encounter obstacles as the necessity arises. Help us, dear Jesus, to remember that even tall mountains only need to be scaled one grace-filled moment at a time. Give us wisdom to know if a hug is needed when words will not suffice.

May we love You and serve You in all that we do. May our every breath, thought, word, and deed bring You glory. 

We worship You again today because of who You are. 

Gifted

From Amie's Desk

"You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head."

Father, 

I praise You today for crutches and wheelchairs, beds and buses. I am grateful You never lose track of where we are and what we need.  You know when we can rise to praise You and when we need to rest. Things which sometimes catch us by surprise are not surprises to You. You watch over us so well; You restore our strength from day to day and  guide us along right paths for the honor of Your name. May You get the glory for all You do and allow. Thank You for establishing a history of faithfulness with each one of us. Thank You, Lord, for markers all along our path and memories of Your abiding to sustain us when we are scared and fretful, wondering and waiting.

Thank You, Lord for the gift of Your peace which passes all understanding. Thank You, Lord, for the gift of breath, and smiles, and laughs, and hearts that feel, share, connect. Thank You Lord for the absence of awkwardness when Your reassuring Presence is made known. There is incomparable quality to friendships where You are Center and King.

Thank You Lord for all the times You've carried us and helped us along when we have needed tangible strength or solid evidence of Your watch-care. Your providence in each of our lives is beyond measure .

Forgive us when we fail to recognize You for who You are.

Thank You for the blessings You crown us with and for Your Spirit who surrounds us. Thank you for answered prayers, whispered prayers, and  intimate conversations with You alone as a specific and unique audience. 

Thank You for hearing our hearts and numbering our heartbeats.

Because of You, all will be well.

Because we know You, it already is.

You make it well with our souls.

You give the resources and to You belongs the final word.