Seasons Change

     A new season began today. Fall...my favorite of all seasons. I love it for so many reasons. The cool, crisp, fresh air. Rising early for my time with my Jesus and the hot coffee with flavored creamer. The beautiful leaf changes. Simmering stews and soups on the stove in my red dutch oven. Blankets and throws lovingly placed throughout my home for some great snuggle time. The fall garden full of lettuces, root crops, and herbs. The planting of so many various bulbs where the hope is found in waiting for life to spring and resurrect. In a home consisting of my 2 teen-aged sons and my husband, how could I not say football?

     I have been pondering lately on how quickly 'my' seasons in life can change too. What once was a home of 3 'treasures' now consists of only 2. Our oldest son will spread his wings in just a few short months to journey in the mighty plans His Lord has so lovingly laid out for him.


 Good plans. 

Plans that he can trust and believe in. Plans beyond his comprehension.

     I've pondered lately on this very thing. That even though their time with us is short, their time with the Lord is eternal. Every thing done as unto the Lord. I must continuously remember what is important. I must be thankful for each day with each of my treasures and my husband. And I must know that whatever season I am in, God will make everything beautiful in my life. Seasons certainly do change, but my Jesus never changes.

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. . . . He hath made everything beautiful in his time."  

Eccl. 3:1; 11

Who (or What) Has Your Attention?

   In a home full of teenagers I often step away from the action and watch from the sidelines... just to get a new perspective. One corner of our home echoes with loud bursts of gunfire from the 'black Babylonian box of death'  that pierce through the walls. Another glance finds tiny black headphones crammed in one son's ears with shrilling and even possibly deafening sounds. Still, one more glance spies a cell phone plastered to a pure and innocent ear as the voice on the other end continues to gab and yak. For a split second, my attention focuses on one teen fixated and glaring at a computer screen.... speakers blaring.Is your house consumed with other 'voices' demanding your family's attention too?

                                           Or am I the only one?  

            Who (or what?) has YOUR attention?

     Every year at Thanksgiving, our small hometown hosts a Thanksgiving Parade that slowly meanders by our historic Victorian home. My eyes always pan to find the meticulously dressed soldiers that march by in a uniform, perfect step constantly keeping their attention on the commander. The voice of that commander is extremely important. As soon as he shouts "ATTENTION" they immediately focus on the voice demanding that attention. They conform to that voice and it's instructions and commands.

                                Who (or what?) has your attention?

     Our oldest son recently obtained his driver's license. He gives a lot of 'attention' to the gas pedal. To his defense, I have come to the conclusion that most teenage boys do. It's something about the speed, skill, conquering and mastering that thing with four wheels. The warrior in them rises up to fight and defend. However, there are times I just want to nicely say to this charming and servant-hearted 17 year old driver..."It's obvious you are well acquainted with the gas pedal...NOW please make friends with (give attention to) the brake!!"

                                     For. crying. out. loud.

                            So, have I gotten your attention yet?

Please stay with me for just a moment. The Lord has given us ears to hear. Our devotion, time spent, spotlight should be on the Lord and His ways. The ears that He has given us to hear should be tuned in to that still small voice. But why, or why does every other voice and everything else seem to distract our attention from the One True Voice?

Proverbs 4 declares:  
Dear friend, listen well to my (emphasis mine) words;   
tune your ears to my voice.
Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart!Those who discover these words live, really live; 
body and soul, they're bursting with health. 

Attention:  care, aid, tending,regard, spotlight

Who (or what?) has my attention?

                                 Who (or what?) has your attention? 

                         

              What has caught the spotlight, the care, the attention of each of us?

I love the Truths in Proverbs 19:20 
'Take good counsel and accept correction— that's the way to live wisely and well.'

                                    WOW! did you just get that too?

                                    Attentively focused to that voice?

My desire for myself and those I hold dear is to possess and to develop an awareness of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives. That still. That small. That non-demanding voice. The only way that we can know His voice is by knowing His Word...the two always agree. Oh, to know him more! More intimately, more passionately.To be acquainted  with the only One who's got me covered and Who has His attention focused on me. And on you.

                                         His favorite ones! 

A voice crying out in the wilderness of my life for my life! To truly seek first the kingdom of God. May the voices (WHO?)  of others and the voices of other things (WHAT?)  that try to distort, delay, distract,deter, defeat the TRUE Voice be silenced in Jesus' Name. 

                                  He is the only True Voice. Amen? 

That is the cry of my heart today for myself, my husband, my three 'treasures', 

my family and friends.

I am determined to ignore the sideshow distractions. How about you?

Keep your eyes straight ahead; 

ignore all sideshow distractions.Watch your step,  
and the road will stretch out smooth before you.
Look neither right nor left;  leave evil in the dust. Proverbs 4:27

ATTENTION!

Broken

Broken

definition: ‘make whole into pieces’

This fallen world never stops shattering and we all break apart a bit more every day

 Falling and breaking apart over:

The house is a wreck, the boys bicker, research paper deadlines closing in, dog gets out of fence, dinner is not planned,trash is overflowing and we get  THAT  phone call…

 Feeling a bit ‘broken’ last week.We received a phone call no parent wants to ever receive. Our daughter who is in college was in an automobile accident and taken by ambulance to hospital

 An even in the lanquish, God whispers: Give thanks anyways — do this in' remembrance 'of Me.

(remembrance: something that serves to bring to mind or keep in mind someplace, person, event, etc.; memento.) 

 Why in the world give thanks?  Everything is not going my way…just got news that wasn’t expected or prepared for… I can’t even get my breath to utter a sound...

 "Just Breathe...." Kent positions himself as the natural born leader he is. Just breathe. With each exhale, all I could whisper was  "Jesus." "Jesus" "Jesus"

 IT is because when we remember how He blesses, loves us, when we recollect His goodnesses to us — our broken places re-collect. We  remember. We heal. Broken pieces brought together. A beautiful mosaic Hayley and I made years ago. 

Breathe....Exhale..."Jesus" "Jesus" "Jesus" a little louder this time

It is in the remembering to give thanks, to remember who we are in Christ and WHO He is that our broken places are recollected — they are made whole.

To remember the promise in the Word... “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that he pleases” – Psalm 115:3

… and may we please Him by giving thanks for His work alone, nothing at all to do with us,….

but us decreasing that He alone increase, all our lives magnifying the Giver of all, good and perfect…

He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30

 giving thanks to Him who let Himself be broken to make us whole.

Breathe...exhale.."Jesus." Even Louder...Peace begins to settle in.

Our Pastors call and proclaim His Word...His Truth..His Goodness..His Promises. Segmented Body of Christ coming together.

 ²⁶During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to his disciples:  Take, eat.  This is my body. Matt 26:26 MSG

¹⁷And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together) Colossians 1:17 

Breathe...exhale..."Jesus"..holding ALL things together...all things.

Jesus was broken to make ME whole. The broken, segmented, fragmented pieces of the Body of Christ were re-collected, came together, assembled to interecede for our daughter. He held our family together by the petitions and prayers of our friends, family and even strangers on behalf of Hayley. Jesus was broken to make us whole. The Body of Christ…a love body…held us together through the storm we walked through last week…in gentle strength. He loves us, he re-collected His goodness to us…our broken places…he remembered our family…He went before her (EMT/nurse/CFNI alum) and was her rear guard. He was broken..... FOR Hayley to be made whole!

Breathe...exhale..."Jesus" "Jesus" "Jesus" 

But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, maypitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! 2 Corinthians 12:9 Amp

A moment can be a miracle. Right where we are. We must dare to live FULLY. Before we are broken, we must be made whole in HIM. Made whole by His Word. Made whole by Who HE says we are through Him. He is before ALL things and in HIM all things hold together.

My prayer is that Jesus takesthe little I have to give…that HE blesses it and breaks me for others. Available to Him to minister to His body. Breathing, exhaling, "JESUS!"

Giving thanks right where I am in remembrance of Jesus whose body was broken for me. For you. For Hayley.

Breathe...exhale...."Jesus" Jesus" "Jesus" shouted with a mighty ROAR this time!

*One week after the head on collision, Hayley returned to CFNI classes and is continuing to walk in her healing. Jesus. There's just something about THAT Name....

Perseverance: Guest Post

“Because you have kept my commandment to persevere...” (Revelation 3:10)

One of my favorite scenes from the movie Facing the Giants is the death crawl. Do you remember that scene in the movie where the coach blindfolds Brock and makes him crawl across the entire football field with his teammate on his back? There were many times that Brock wanted to quit and give up; it was straining and he felt like he had nothing left. But, his coach kept encouraging him to keep going and persevere until the end.When Brock finally made it to the end and realized he had crossed the entire field without quitting, his belief in himself, his team and his coach completely changed. He conquered something he thought was impossible and came out stronger. He persevered.

Perseverance is more than just endurance- it’s more than holding on with everything you’ve got until the end. It’s endurance combined with the absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for and fighting for will happen. Perseverance is defined in Webster’s dictionary as, “the steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, in spite of difficulties, trials and obstacles.” Despite difficulties, we persevere. Despite trials, we persevere. Despite obstacles, we persevere. We persevere toward our calling. We persevere to the voice of God.We persevere to the end.

Here’s a cool analogy I heard a couple of years ago about perseverance . Our life is in God’s hands like a bow and arrow in the hand’s of an archer. The archer is aiming at something the arrow cannot see, but the archer continues to stretch and strain- aiming at the target, while the arrow says, “I can’t take it anymore!” The archer pays no attention; he goes on stretching until his eye is on the target and his purpose for the arrow is in sight. Then, he lets the arrow fly; aiming at the target.

We have to be like a bow and arrow in the hand’s of the Lord; entrusting ourself to God. Even when it’s dark and we can’t see the light and He’s stretching and straining us. Trust Him. Persevere! He has His eye on the prize. He can see the target ahead, even when we can’t. Keep going! The prize is ahead! If we could just grasp that, how much easier would it be to trust God in every situation and continue to persevere.

“Consider it pure joy my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

James explains that perseverance is the product of faith being tested. While nobody enjoys being tested and stretched in their faith, James says, “Consider it pure joy”, for perseverance makes the soul, “mature and complete.” But, we must finish. We have to complete the task ahead of us.

Is there something in your life right now where you need perseverance? We need to proclaim in confidence like Job did, “Though He slay me, yet I will trust Him.” (Job 13:15) There is a call to spiritual perseverance. A call not to hang on and do nothing, but to work steadfastly, knowing with certainty He will never be defeated and we will come out stronger.It’s going to take everything you’ve got to persevere, but know with perfect assurance that He has his eye on the prize and He aiming you towards it.

Perseverance is strong and confident, built on the knowledge that God is perfect love. Even though we can’t physically see Him right now and don’t understand what He’s doing, we know Him. We trust Him. It’s throwing yourself completely abandoned into the arms of Christ knowing that He is who He says He is. “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalms 46:10)

-Hayley Wilkinson

I Know the Plans I Have for You

My daughter, Hayley, is turning the page to the next chapter of the book the Lord is writing for her life. She starts college next week at Christ for the Nations (CFNI) in Dallas, Texas. We head out early tomorrow morning for the long drive south. It has been a busy time the past few weeks planning, purchasing, packing and praying. In all that she had to do to get ready for her trip, she graciously and creatively re-designed my entire blog..even with new music.... I love the crisp, clean, uncluttered design she implemented. It encourages me to not neglect writing daily nuggets and getting behind like I have. "Mom!" she exclaimed.."you haven't blogged since October 2009!"  Oops. Really???

It looks like I will have to give her my username and password so she can assist me along the way while she is in Dallas. 

We are all so excited for the plans and future the Creator of the universe has for Hayley. The steps He will continually direct her in as He orchestrates every minute detail second by second.

I am so thankful I serve a Lord who wants to be intimately involved in our family's life that He so precisely unveiled the plans for CFNI.

Someone asked me not too long ago how could we let her go so far to college? I simply replied, "Don't you know the center of the Lord's will is the safest place to be?" And it is.

Hayley is our treasure, and we are going to miss her like crazy..... but more importantly, she is HIS treasure.....was His first.... and He loves her with a crazy love! 

"I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. "When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen." 

Jeremiah 29:11-12

Come, Now is the Time to Worship

Happy Fall!

I love this time of year. Crisp and cool days, beautiful colors, pumpkins, harvest, caramel apples, stews and soups, football games and time with friends.
One of those friends, Brandon Crawford, aka 'Chief Musician' is a Worship Pastor here in NC.



Our family had the pleasure of meeting Brandon when he was in 7th grade. The Lord had already planted the annointed musical gift in him.... playing any type of keys and singing.He became a part of our family, and still is today. We never imagined the Lord one one day use our children to help him minister!


Our children are all true worshippers. Our daughter plays keyboard and sings and our sons play drums/bass and electric, acoustic and bass guitar. Pastor Brandon played a key role in the Lord's plan for their musical gifts to be used for His glory.

All 3 play for the church praise and worship team, Camp Quest and other ministries as they are needed. Our oldest son is the bass player in the band, Ecclesias.





Our daughter, is prayerfully considering becoming a Worship Leader as the Lord opens the doors and reveals His plans for her future.



All three will join Pastor Brandon at The "Fuel For The City" ministry outreach scheduled for Sunday, October 18th - Tuesday, October 20th in Durham, NC.

Come and worship with us if you are in the area.

More information can be found at:
www.churchatsouthpoint.blogspot.com

Harvest Time

I love harvest time. Those tiny plants and seeds put into the ground with faith have blossomed and become what the Lord intended.

I found this beautiful harvesting basket on a long prayer walk early one foggy morning. It was no longer wanted by it's previous owner and tossed to the curb with some other 'treasures.' Abandoned and needed a new home. Isn't it beautiful?

I harvested these glorious herbs the day after a much needed rainfall. Some of the treasures include: coneflower, yarrow, tansy, pineapple mint, lemon balm, comfrey, black-eyed susan, rosemary, and dill.

My grandmother, Angie Lee, was a renowned herbalist in her small mountain town. Much of my passion to learn more about the medicinal and culinary uses of the God-given herb has been inspired by her.

I dried all of these herbs by my kitchen fireplace and will transfer them to glass jars for future use. Check back in a couple of days to read my next post which will include many of the ways I plan to use each herb.

I truly serve an awesome Creator.