All Wrapped Up

I feel God's arms around me today.  Not for any particular reason, just because I know He is there.  He continues to remind me how much He loves me. 
My love and I received our wedding invitations in the mail last week.  I think we have both been on cloud nine since.  It is for real, it's official.  66 days!  Oh yes, we are counting down!  There is a peace about it all.  Yes, I do get overwhelmed and a bit worked up when spending more than a consistent hour focused on wedding, but it's what I do.  I'm a planner, a know-it-all-ahead-of-time kinda girl.  I don't like bad surprises! But once my love brings my thoughts back to why we are getting married and not the day itself, peace swarms over me all over again!  I am marrying my best friend, my mate picked by God!  How can I be any happier?
That being said, God is showing Himself to me in so many other ways.  Through the blessing of a simple house cleaning, sitting at lunch and listening to loved ones, trusting God when a friend loses a car, and then finding it the very next day, unharmed and just down the road.  I am starting to learn what it really means to put my whole trust in God.  This is a real effort people.  You can't just shoot a prayer up and hope for the best.  No, you must pray consistently with the knowledge He will answer your prayer.  "Have faith!" He tells us time and time again.  Faith....putting your entire heart into it!  Every ounce of who you are must truly KNOW that God is there, that He is listening, and that He WILL answer your prayer.  God is Good!  Everything about Him is Good! 
But, there are still those times when the enemy tries to hold us down.  Problems are thrown in our path that we don't (or sometimes even do) expect and they cause us to lose our faith.  We think they are too big of a problem.  Maybe it has happened too long so we think it's too late.  STOP!  God is bigger than it all!  GOD IS GOOD!!  Send that prayer up and know He will answer!  but don't stop there, send it up again, and again, and again until He answers.  Do not lose faith.  The moment we stop praying to Him is the moment we lose faith. 

Remember this today,

GOD IS GOOD!!


*Updated
Here's a big one.  In reading this post, God showed Himself to me once again.  He says, trust in Me!  Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself.  I must change.  I can no longer be a "know-it-all-ahead-of-time" kinda girl!  God spoke to me through me!  LOL  He just blows my mind! :)

TRUST ME

I got a call today.  I let myself lose You for a moment Lord.  A moment too long!
I hear you Lord.  Your saying, trust in Me.  Everything is always right with Me.  I trust You Lord.  I give it all to You.  You are the Great Physician!  I love You Abba, Father!

Family

What do we do when someone in our family is hurting, but there seems to be nothing we can do to make them feel better, or to bring them back to their first love, God?  As a wise blogger has said, "The Holy Spirit is the only one who can do this, Period!"  Only He can show them the love they need and only if they seek Him out for it. 
Much has been stirring within my family, many seem to be hurting and some trying to push their hurt onto others.  No one likes to hurt alone.  This brought back feelings from my past.  Feelings of anger, loneliness, pain, defeat.  After praying for these few specifics, God reminded me what He showed me years ago.  He is always there, He wants to love on us, He has already carried our burden, we just need to completely hand our pain over to Him. 
So in a prayer that some day these loved ones of mine will find themselves here reading this single post, I want to share exactly what God has been telling me for the past few years and what has encouraged me to be filled with joy.

This is an excerpt from Our Daily Bread. July 12, 2012
ABIDE WITH ME

Hebrews 13:1-8
"Let brotherly love continue,
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.
Remember the prisoners as if chained with them -- those who are mistreated -- since you yourselves are in the body also.
Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.  For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'
So we may boldly say:
"The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear.
What  can man do to me?"
Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."


"One of the highlights of English football (soccer) each year is the final match of the annual FA Cup Final.  For more than a hundred years, the day has been marked by excitement, festivity and competition.  But what fascinates me is how the game begins.  It starts with the singing of the traditional hymn 'Abide With Me.'
At first that struck me as odd.  What does that hymn have to do with football?  As I thought about it, though, I realized that for the follower of Christ it has everything to do with sports, shopping, working, going to school, or anything else we do.  Since there is no corner of our lives that should not be affected by the presence of God, the longing that He would abide with us is actually the most reasonable thing we could desire.  Of course, the presence of our heavenly Father is not something we need to plead for -- it is promised to us.  In Hebrews 13:5, we read, 'For [God] Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."'
Not only is God's presence the key to our contentment, but it is also the promise that can give us wisdom, peace, comfort, and strength -- no matter where we are or what we are doing.  -Bill Crowder
Thank You, Lord, for walking with us every day.
You are our guardian, friend and guide.
May we sense Your loving presence and always know
that You are close by our side. Amen.

Our greatest privilege is to enjoy Christ's presence."

May God bless your day and remind you He is always there, so there is no reason to fear!