Endurance a Life long lesson

...I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. II Tim 1:12b

My Sisters in the Lord,

 Deep in my heart I desire to reflect my Lord; that my brief life here might be 'not I, but Christ'. I long for the Holy Spirit’s 'much' fruit (Gal 2:20, John 15:8) that I might bring Him glory. Have you not also prayed for patience and love to flow through you? (I Cor 13) Then do not fear whatever trial you now face. Embrace it in faith and reap a rich fruitage 'afterward.' (Heb 12:11) Trust Him. Trust means to 'lean hard into God'. (When reading your Bible try this phrase where it says 'trust'.) 

Those who know your name will trust (lean hard into) in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10

Is there anyone who having set their heart to live a crucified life, exalting our beloved Lord,  who has not instantly become a target of the enemy? Discouragement is one of satan's most effective tools especially when it comes to intercession. How easily we can slip into discouragement when our fervent loving prayer for another has not seen it's hopes fulfilled. Days and months pass, even years may have gone by and we ‘see’ nothing...

Matthew 15:21-28 tells of a woman who refused to be discouraged even in the face of being ignored and criticized. Interceding from a mother's heart of love her pain was geat! She believed who Jesus was though it does not tell us how she heard about Him or if she had previously witnessed His power to heal. We do know she had faith. Knowing who He was revealed to her the truth of who she was and she cried out "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed." These words divulge that she knew more than the average non-Jew about Messiah and she knew she did not deserve Him to even acknowledge her presence. She also knew satan possessed her daughter! Put yourself in her place....  You know to Him to be Messiah and you know He has miraculously healed others. You are hopeless and you know no one can help your daughter. A ragged cry erupts from the depths of your mother-heart and you look up to catch His eye only to see His back and a deafening divine silence! The words you do not hear and the words you do hear strike with fear... "Send her away, she is extremely annoying!" ... but you stay and choose to keep believing. Kneeling, the jagged rocks digging into your knees, you humble yourself before this very average-looking man and cry, "Lord, help me!" ("Lord" infers she worshiped Him v25).  Hear Jesus final words with your heart, "O woman, your faith is great..." She believed, she endured, she worshiped, she received,! 

Do you relate to this woman? I do. I have a daughter who is cruelly deceived and held captive by the enemy. Rebellious for more than two decades and in crisis almost monthly as she embraces lies making self-destructive choices and continues on stubbornly. God is greater than her lies, greater than her wrong choices, greater than the enemy who comes to kill steal and destroy. She is His who loves her more than I. 

With my eyes on circumstances it is hard to keep believing and keep praying, but I endure moment by moment or I should say crisis to crisis, as I choose to focus on Him "knowing whom I have believed." It is He who began a good work in her will continue it. I praise Him for His love and faithfulness daily and He has provided prayer partners to stand with me.. Praise Him! I give thanks for each one.

"I am learning never to be disappointed, but to praise," wrote Arnot of Central Africa."

"I think it must hurt the tender love of our Father when we press for reasons for His dealings with us, as though He were not Love, as though not He but another chose our inheritance for us, and as though what He chose to allow could be less than the very best and dearest that Love Eternal had to give. AC"

Keep praying my sisters, keep believing for the ones astray from the fold until Christ be formed in them! One of life's lessons is learning to endure.  God hears and answers in all wisdom. Our faith is in a great God who puts our tears in a bottle. 

Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24

Abba, You who love us immeasurably. It is You we are in awe of Namer of the Stars! It is You who knows the names of those for whom we pray. We praise You for working in their lives, even now, to give them one heart to reverence You. Stir up the Living Word in their lives for it will not return void but accomplishes Your will! Bring a need into their life which causes them to humble themselves before You and let Your loving kindness has led them to repentance.  There is nothing too hard for You Father. I stop right now to say "I love You" and I am overwhelmed with who You are, with Your goodness. Thank You for being so good. I pray as always in the name of the Lamb of God, who reigns forever. amen

Enduring because He is good!

az

Questions and more Questions

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us... Hebrews 12:1

My Beloved Sisters in the race of faith,

I spent some time with a sister who has a suffering-walk in this life. As I drove away I was reminded of the many 'testimony' services I have been in over the years; testimonies of how God changes lives, meets needs, heals disease and intervenes with amazing timing. It is joyous to hear testimonies of God's faithfulness and blessings; unless it is never your testimony. Tears fill your eyes and you feel forgotten, as though you do not matter much to God. We all know people want to hear about His amazing provision and how He rescues His children. A good God would certainly not leave them to suffer..... would He? Yet His word is brimming over with scripture about suffering.

I have often wondered how many testimonies are not given because they do not have a 'deliverance' or a answer to a heartache or trial? Is God 'not' faithful if there is no 'miracle'? Is God 'not' good if our prayers, to all appearances, are 'unanswered'? Maybe it is that we do not recognize God's hand because the answer is one we would not embrace or choose? Does it take more faith to receive a 'yes' from God or a 'no' to being healed? Is God somehow obligated to heal us? Could it possibly fit His plan to use our suffering, even our death (or both) to accomplish His will? Is God obligated to save a family member? Is God still good if you have prayed countless years and there seems to be no progress and things are worse? Is losing your job or your business punishment because God is somehow displeased with you? Could He have a higher purpose in our suffering? Is God after our happiness or our holiness? Do we sit and wait for God to be faithful in our life because of a skewed understanding of the purpose of trials or do we just want to be in control and decide how things should be? Could He be trusting us with the mystery of His will?

"Yes, He often trusts us to trust Him when it doesn't seem as if He were providing."ac

I believe God will reveal in heaven a very surprising perspective of trials and losses suffered.  I am convinced the endurance of a believer, who suffers and is faithful to our Lord Jesus, is greater than a quick, temporary answer that pleases us now? Could it be endurance is the greater miracle? A saint who with joy, moment by moment keeps praising, keeps believing, keeps standing strong, keeps trusting the Father, with no visible encouragement and no end to the suffering in sight, could they be the greater testimony to God's faithfulness. 

My friend and I sat and talked of God's goodness. She shared that this past two years has been a time of continual loss and more loss. I took her hands in mine with her palm up, as if in surrender and ask quietly, "Are they empty?" She hesitated a second and said, "No, but they're raised." God's Spirit filled our hearts and mouths with His praise and we celebrated. Her hand gesture and words of of faith encompassed this unspoken Truth: "I will praise Him if nothing ever changes because He is good. He is faithful. His grace is sufficient."

I am inspired by her testimony of God's faithfulness as I have watched her suffer endlessly.  God has given endurance when things seemed cruel and impossible. He has poured out grace and I have witnessed in her a 'freedom in Christ" the world has never tasted. Suffering is temporal it only feels eternal.

"Never will you regret the fellowship of sufferings. There is nothing offered on earth but a cross (and what joy is folded up in that offer!) Luke 9:23  One of the hardest things in our secret prayer life is to accept with joy and not with grief the answers to our deepest prayers." ac

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Hebrews 12:11

I pray to You Suffering One, You who poured out your blood at Calvary and opened a way for us to be with You for eternity. Our suffering and trials are not happenstance but directed by Your nail scarred hands. Thank You not one minute of suffering will ever be for naught as we trust You for the unexplained. You alone offer the fellowship of suffering and benefit our taking up our cross. Teach us to trust You and believe it is good for me to suffer affliction that I might learn your statutes.  Thank You for child training us because You love us immeasurably. Wherever my sisters find themselves this week, I pray they would seek You and enjoy Your love and grace. You hold their hearts in loving, gentle hands and for this I praise You. Encourage sisters who need encouragement and strengthen those who feels so weak. I pray they will draw near to You and experience You drawing near to them. You are an awesome God and I am in awe of You Holy One, You are so good. In your Son's name I pray.

az

To view my sculptures click here: http://www.mnsculptors.com/

Sacrifice of Praise Pleases Him

Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15 My Precious Sisters in faith, I have been called back to Psalm 119 over and over this week. It is a dwelling place for a hungry heart! Provoking praise and wooing me to pray God's word back to Him. This Psalm is so personal and in your face, it calls you to go deep. Do not stop at wetting your toes and then turn away! Take a plunge. Read until a verse speaks to you and then own it. Paraphrase it and work to put it in your head. Focus on the meaning of the words and pray it daily for your and yours for a month. There is no more perfect prayer than to give God's word back to Him. He provided lavishly by giving us His written word and as this word is established in us it will produce reverence for Him (see 119:38) and indescribably more. Job considered the Word more important than his necessary food. Job 23:12 Fact: We are His delight. Talk about miraculous... the word says:  As for the saints (us) who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. Psalm 16:3 "The Lord's portion is His people; Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance." Deut 32:9  If you know anything about Jacob, you may think God definitely got the short end of the stick for His inheritance. We are talking heal-grabbing, deceitful, manipulative Jacob, who cheated his brother Esau out of his inheritance. God knew before hand that Jacob was a rascal and yet chose him to be His portion. Let this bathe you in Truth. God has chosen us! psalm 33:12  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance. In the Old Testament Israel was chosen. In the New Testament, we who believe are chosen. (Eph 1:4) Heal grabbing, complaining, manipulating, pride-filled, sorry for ourself, disobedient believers. Unbelieving-believers. (Isn't that an oxymoron?) Yet we are God's portion! His alloted inheritance. The short end of the stick. These words go deep into my heart, over whelmed by the love of One who is good and compassionate. Even when life hurts I am rich in the faithful love of the One who is perfect. "As for God, His way is perfect." Psalm 18:30  Try replacing the words 'His way' in this verse and read it aloud with: 'His will', 'His plan', 'His timing', 'His peace', 'His purpose' etc.  Form the habit of using everything that  speaks of His presence to remind you of Him, and as you are so reminded, lift up your heart in loving adoration. 'Lord, I love Thee; I who am dust of Thy dust, I love Thee; I worship Thee; I adore Thee.' ac Oh that through out a day I would offer to Him the sacrifice of praise. What is the sacrifice of praise? God goes on to define it: 'the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.'  I think this relates back to verses 5-6 of this chapter. We can continually give thanks because He will never leave or forsake us. He is our Helper we do not have to be afraid. We choose with our 'will' to trust Him. A thankful spirit glorifies Him. If we are trusting Him we will have a grateful spirit! And for those who can sing like David, all the better! "The LORD is my strength and my shield;  My heart trusts in Him and I am helped;  Therefore my heart exults,  And with my song I shall thank Him."  Psalm 28:7 O, Exalted One, I come with praise to You, I am praying again Compassionate One, I want to honor You by a grateful life. Establish Your Word to me as that which produces reverence for You! May Your word have free course in my mind and heart that I might reflect the image of Your Son. I do not understand how I could be chosen to be your portion! Remind me that if I focus on the 'me' of this truth that it isn't about me, it is the truth of how great and unsearchable Your love truly is. I will never understand such Love as this, but I humbly thank you, Forgiving One. I pray Your gentle whisper of Love would accompany this email for each of my sisters. Lift them head and shoulders above all that would pull them down. Let encouragement surge through them as they seek You and they would take heart. As they look in the mirror remind them they are Your portion! Let it wow their heart... I pray in the name of the Holy Choosing One, who chose me. amen His portion, az

O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Heb 4:17

My precious Sisters who are called to die, 
Often, I am drawn to memorize a verse and do not realize at the time it is to strengthen me for a trial. At other times a trial draws me to a verse. In the first instance I am brought into an exercise of situation that I might learn Him. He uses circumstances to reveal who He is and who I am. Just as it occurred this week with Job 5:8-9 which I had been studying.

"But as for me, I would seek God,

 And I would place my cause before God; 

 Who does great and unsearchable things,

 Wonders without number.

I fought tears with each step I walked. Life hurts. I didn't deserve to be rejected or devalued. I grasped my 'sanity pack' of 3x5 cards in my hand. The card on top being the Job verses. As I read the words breathed life. I determined I would seek God and place my cause before Him. To 'place' was to "commit, give, lay down, heap up, bring." I heaped up my hurt before the throne of the compassionate One embracing grace and the opportunity to know more of Him.  I would not 'seek' to blame, or be understood or defend myself, instead I would 'seek' God.

The word 'seek' was to "tread, to worship: ask, care for diligently." Doesn't that just move your heart? We do not bring our cause before just any god. But in a spirit of worship we come to the living God who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number!! Just then a song was given to this non-singer! "O for a 1000 tongues to sing my ''great' Redeemers praise"... I sang and His Love lifted me. 

A critical remark was made in the hearing of a woman working at a hospital. An angry response flew to her lips in her own defense, but at that moment, she heard a word inwardly: "See in this, a chance to die." paraphrase from AC

This has practically impacted my understanding of dying to self, the flesh. See in this a chance to die...  to self, and the pride of defending myself,die to rejection or insult or misunderstanding. "See in anything"--  anything that arouses you to claim your rights or even consider them at all... a chance to die. A dead woman is a 'dead' woman.

But as for me, I would seek God.....

A crucified life cannot be self-assertive. It cannot protect itself, It cannot be startled into resentful words. The cup that is full of sweet water cannot spill bitter-tasting drops, however sharply it is knocked. AC

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal 2:20

That I may 'know' Him. Phil 3:10 intimately

Unsearchable One, I am in awe of You. I bow before You, Doer of Wonders without number. Carry me and enfold me near Your heart of Love. It is more than difficult to reconnoiter Your Holiness and power to speak billions of galaxies into being with the fact You indwell me!? Even more so, that You arrived through the birth canal and walked sorrow's sod and died in my place, all so I could be washed clean in Your blood and live.... forever!? Who are You Mighty One? I do not understand about Your Holiness or the relentless Love You lavish on me! You blow me away Breath of God. And to know that You pray for me and comfort me and cherish me... unexplainable, undeniable, unchangeable.... I am on my face before You precious, Holy One.

O for a 1000 tongues...

az

Glory!

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. II cor 4:17-18

Dear Sisters, who live in in the promise of His glory,                Sept 1, 2010

Faith stands on the Word of God apart from everyone and everything. When I am Spirit filled and walking by faith, my life is centered on the Lord Jesus as the Holy Spirit always draws the focus to Christ Jesus. 


when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth; "He will glorify Me,"
John 16:13-14


In an instant my heart can be detained by something here and my faith has an object to conquer. Is not the visible antagonistic to the invisible? I Thought of Eve in the garden... detained by food.... and she lost faith. I found how easily I am distracted as I 'defend myself' instead of trusting the LORD to be my defense or I allow the attitude or actions of another, determine my response. He has promised me strength to bring Him glory; instead I react in the flesh and occupied with the visible. Yet, He is the glory of my strength! Psalm 89:17 nas


Glory: sum total of all God is and does. Glory is not a separate attribute or characteristic such as holiness, wisdom or mercy.  Everything God is and does is characterized by glory. God's glory is eternal and without measure and He reveals His glory through creation.  


I was told to put the words "character and likeness of God" in place of the word "glory" in a verse, to better understand the meaning. I tried it in Romans 8:18 and have never forgotten the blessing of it.  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the character and likeness of God which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18


Wow! and there is more!  Also wondrous is the meaning of the word 'foreknow'! Listen to what set my heart dancing my sisters! 


Foreknow, foreknew, known, know: To set one's love on a person or persons in a personal way. 

For those whom He foreknew, (us) He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; Roman 8:29

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:14-15

I AM the good Shepherd; I have set My love on My own Arlene and she knows Me! I am always near protecting and providing for her.


The eternal God, the great 'I AM', the God of all glory and power has set His own personal love on me, a dumb sheep!! I am dancing! I walk in the Spirit and know His glory in and through me, that others may be drawn to my Savior. As I surrender, the Holy Spirit conforms me to the image of Christ. How can we not bring Him glory as we are transformed into His likeness? I need to remember I bring Christ with me everywhere I go and the look on my face expresses attitude even before I speak 


My Sisters, to know about Truth is a blessing. But there is much more... I want to challenge you to take it a step farther, study and memorize God's word. He will infuse Truth anew, warming your heart and fueling your soul with His strength and wisdom. Paraphrase His word by putting your name it and let it fill you for His word lives.


Abba, Daddy... I pray to You glorious One, holder of all hearts. You see our desire to please You. You share our tears and laughter and understand our disappointments.  It is You, the shepherding One, who calls us by name. You, our Need-meeter, satisfy the hunger we have to be loved and counted precious. You alone complete us, Completer of our hearts.  It is so easy to slide into the ways of the world and away from faith. Let me act, obey, speak out or be silent, help or refrain from helping, as Love would dictate. Our deepest desire is to believe Your word, embracing the truth, of our absolute acceptance in Christ, before you holy Father. Thank You for knowing us intimately and allowing us to know You the glorious One and thank You for faithfully transforming us into the likeness of Your Son, Jesus, in whose name I pray. amen.

Glory!

 

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. II cor 4:17

Dear Sisters, who live in in the promise of His glory,                                        Sept 1, 2010

Faith stands on the Word of God apart from everyone and everything. When I am Spirit filled and walking by faith, my life is centered on the Lord Jesus as the Holy Spirit always draws the focus to Christ Jesus. 


when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth; "He will glorify Me,"
John 16:13-14


In an instant my heart can be detained by something here and my faith has an object to conquer. Is not the visible antagonistic to the invisible? I Thought of Eve in the garden... detained by food.... and she lost faith. I found how easily I am distracted as I 'defend myself' instead of trusting the LORD to be my defense or I allow the attitude or actions of another, determine my response. He has promised me strength to bring Him glory; instead I react in the flesh and occupied with the visible. Yet, He is the glory of my strength! Psalm 89:17 nas


Glory: sum total of all God is and does. Glory is not a separate attribute or characteristic such as holiness, wisdom or mercy.  Everything God is and does is characterized by glory. God's glory is eternal and without measure and He reveals His glory through creation.  


I was told to put the words "character and likeness of God" in place of the word "glory" in a verse, to better understand the meaning. I tried it in Romans 8:18 and have never forgotten the blessing of it.  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the character and likeness of God which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18


Wow! and there is more!  Also wondrous is the meaning of the word 'foreknow'! Listen to what set my heart dancing my sisters! 


Foreknow, foreknew, known, know: To set one's love on a person or persons in a personal way. 

For those whom He foreknew, (us) He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; Roman 8:29

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:14-15

I AM the good Shepherd; I have set My love on My own Arlene and she knows Me! I am always near protecting and providing for her.


The eternal God, the great 'I AM', the God of all glory and power has set His own personal love on me, a dumb sheep!! I am dancing! I walk in the Spirit and know His glory in and through me, that others may be drawn to my Savior. As I surrender, the Holy Spirit conforms me to the image of Christ. How can we not bring Him glory as we are transformed into His likeness? I need to remember I bring Christ with me everywhere I go and the look on my face expresses attitude even before I speak 


My Sisters, to know about Truth is a blessing. But there is much more... I want to challenge you to take it a step farther, study and memorize God's word. He will infuse Truth anew, warming your heart and fueling your soul with His strength and wisdom. Paraphrase His word by putting your name it and let it fill you for His word lives.


Abba, Daddy... I pray to You glorious One, holder of all hearts. You see our desire to please You. You share our tears and laughter and understand our disappointments.  It is You, the shepherding One, who calls us by name. You, our Need-meeter, satisfy the hunger we have to be loved and counted precious. You alone complete us, Completer of our hearts.  It is so easy to slide into the ways of the world and away from faith. Let me act, obey, speak out or be silent, help or refrain from helping, as Love would dictate. Our deepest desire is to believe Your word, embracing the truth, of our absolute acceptance in Christ, before you holy Father. Thank You for knowing us intimately and allowing us to know You the glorious One and thank You for faithfully transforming us into the likeness of Your Son, Jesus, in whose name I pray. amen.

Besetting Sins

Criticize:  judge with severity; find fault with. -To act as a critic.


critic: one who forms and expresses judgments of the merits, faults, value or truth of a matter. A person who finds fault; a severe judge (of others). From Greek: 'able to discern'


... if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. I Cor 13:2

My dearest Sisters who love our Lord,
Is there a certain struggle in your life that you continue to trip over? One thing you would like to boot out of your life 'never to return' ? A besetting sin? Then you can relate to my struggle.


Besetting: Surrounding; besieging; waylaying. Habitually attending, or pressing; as a besetting sin.

I want to love Him so perfectly! The difficulty is loving others. The enemy is very successful in tripping me up through my pride which is readily revealed in a critical spirit. Instead, I should be growing in an ability to judge my heart- weighing my motives warily, as I allow God to search and know me. A critical spirit is birthed in insecurity. Spurred on by a desire to look better than I am.  

This is a relentless and flagrant battle with the flesh. Truthfully I wonder... "Who do I think I am?" 

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor? James 4:12

My critical spirit was revealed recently where I teach. There is a student who claims Christ as Savior. I discern a spirit of sensuality in her (dress and attitude) a subtle manner of manipulation in her need to get attention of male students. I have prayed much about this. It really bothers me that she, a Christian, pursues a godly, married man, as she goes through divorce.  It also affects others I love, whom I have prayed for many years. My co-teacher (not a believer) has seen her behavior and mentioned it to me. Biting my tongue to keep from gossiping isn't always effective and it doesn't quench a critical spirit. I began resenting this woman who was in my opinion, a blatantly poor testimony to a friend I want to see come to Christ. I was frustrated! A critical spirit crouched, at the door of my heart, ready to spring. God spoke specifically to my heart revealing a sinful attitude and pride. Ouch!

'When we judge other, our efforts are totally in vain. Why? Because we are not God, and so we cannot really know the heart of another. Nor do we know how God plans to work in that person's life, possibly even using their weakness or sin to break them and turn them to Himself. We judge foolishly, because we do not see the end of God's dealings yet."  TaK

These words hit the mark. Weeping, I saw the ugliness of 'judging' in the Light of Him. Judging others closes me off from being 'fit for the Master's use' and from being His vessel of grace to the one I am judging. God's judgement will not fail to come in His time. I have heard it said "Our judgment is full of the worm holes of self love! His is pure. We judge by ourselves. He judges by love."            

Often I think we judge because we didn't get our own way, some one has crossed our will or violated our standards! Judgment belongs to God. Whatever my reason 'I have circled this mountain (of a critical spirit) long enough and need to move on.'

You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north, Deut 2:3

High and lifted up One,

You, who are holy and pure, You, who judge righteously, change me, enable me to live the crucified life. Free of judging others. You have given me a discerning spirit that I might pray, not criticize. The next time I begin to criticize drive me to my knees instead. Purge me that I might be fruitful. The fruit of your Holy Spirit, not my effort to live to please You. Thank You for allowing me to feel my need, keep me from trying to supply it by my own means. Thank You that Your love for me is unaffected by what I find in my flesh. This prideful self-discovery causes Your sweet Person to be more necessary to my heart. And I rejoice in You, your perfection and beauty and power and love. Oh, how I praise You for grace that is sufficient. Not 'was' or 'will be someday', but 'is' sufficient. Ever present grace for every second. May this grace touch each sister that she will know Your love and awesome Presence today.

Prayerfully lifting you up my Sister, 

AZ