Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

  Day 4 of playing/practicing through my song catalog. They say parents are not supposed to have a favorite child.  But we all know they do!  This song that I wrote, one of my "babies," is one of my favorites. I wish I would have kept a better record of how I was inspired to write my songs.  I wrote this one so long ago that I honestly don't remember.  But from my sentiment, I will venture to guess that I was seeking God more, wanting God more, needing God more, wanting Him to capture my heart with Himself and His love. Some things never change. I am still seeking God, wanting God, needing God, and desperately want Him to capture my heart with His love. He has done this work in my heart through the years.  But because our relationship with Christ is inexhaustible, there is always more intimacy with Him to seek.  More of our hearts that we let Him into. And though His Holy Spirit filled me the day I was born again, it is a process to allow  Him to fully invade and live in

I am learning that everything that threatens to derail us, get us out of the Spirit and walking in the flesh, we can use it instead of lose it! We don't have to lose our cool, our composure, or our self-control. I know how fierece some battles can be, friends.  But the Lord of our souls has promised to always lead us in triumph!  Always!!  This is an astouding promise from our God! When I see troubles and problems and upsets from a fleshly perspective, I lose.  Every time. I am asking the Lord for His perspective on everything.  And though evil still comes at me and tries to get to me, I want to truly watch the Lord Romans 8:28 (used as a verb) every single attack that is aimed at me.  In the moment.   If I use the "heat of the battle" as an opportunity to let Christ lead me in triumph, then the enemy will back off!  Why?  Because his schemes are not working.  Oh, he will keep trying, devil that he is.  But we can keep winning, too!   Please remember this:  the enemy is a

  Day 3!  So I sat down at my Yamaha P250 today to sing this song and memories started flooding back to me.  Memories of the time we went to a professional recording studio outside of DC with hopes of recording my first full-length album. God had other plans. So we were able to lay down some of the tracks.  But after the first day of recording, my husband and I went out to dinner.  It was a nice restaurant and I ordered the veal.  I never order veal.  Whatever possessed me to order veal that night, the Lord only knows! I ended up getting food poisoning. I was unable to go back to the studio to record.  Instead, I spent the next day crawling to the bathroom to vomit my guts out.  It was a nightmare.  I couldn't even walk, I was that weakened by it.  It was the first time in my life when I actually thought that I might die. I remember thinking, ok, Lord - if You're ready for me, if today's my day to die, I'm ok with that!   I didn't read too much into at the time - wh

I know that God has a sense of humor.  Or the ironic.  Or both. The song on my list to practice today on Day 2 of this journey, was "All is Well."  I needed my own song today to convince me of this.  I wasn't feeling that "all is well."  At all. The a/c is broken and it isn't getting fixed until tomorrow (hopefully - of course, the fix-it place made no promises!).  This has been causing me great anxiety, even though we're managing to stay comfortable because we're still getting cool air blowing out of the vents, if not reconditioned air.   Anyway, I sat down and sang, There's a state of mind Where all is well All is well I wanted to get into that state of mind but it was a battle.  I was focused on the problem instead of Jesus, in whose Presence all is always well. But I practiced nonetheless!  It's good for my self-discipline muscles. Tomorrow, "Always You" is on the docket!

Maybe you are familiar with this precious Scripture.  This is true of anyone who has been born again into new life in Christ.  This is our identity in Him.  Hidden in Christ with God. I am praying that He shows me exactly what this is in the days and weeks ahead.  For it seems that things still get to me and have a way of "knocking me off my perch," so to speak.  They bring out not the hidden life of Christ in me, but the old nature. But technically speaking, our old sin nature is dead!  It was crucified with Christ on the cross, alleluia!   So how can it still rear its ugly head now and then? It's a battle because although the sin nature has died, we are still in this flesh.  So our flesh battles against our spirit. Who will win? Good question! I believe it is up to us at any given moment who will win the battle.  We have the power to overcome our flesh, but will we take up that power and use it?   It takes effort.  It is much easier to give in to our petulant, demanding

Day 1 of practicing my songs in obedience to the Lord. I ended up having fun!  This is one that I wrote for the kiddies.  It's chock full of Scriptural truths and Bible characters in a catchy melody. So what I'm re-learning about obedience is this: when I obey God, though what He tells me to do may seem daunting or make no sense, I end up enjoying myself.  There may still be hard work involved, but it becomes filled with God's Presence, which equals joy, because obedience is a form of worship. The minimum time slot I have alloted to practice my song-per-day is 10 minutes.  Since most songs are around three minutes long, that's running through them approximately three times.  I set this time for myself knowing that some days are busier than others, and I may only have ten minutes on a given day. But today is Saturday!  I started practing around 9:30 in the morning.  I played from memory and also checked myself against my sheet music that I self-published.  In this case,

The Lord has been telling me for a while now to practice my songs.  And as much as I am in the habit of obeying the Lord no matter what - here comes my confession - I have not done as He said. Why? I figure, why bother?  Who's going to hear them anyway?  I feel like Demi Lovato from her song "Anyone." "I feel stupid when I sing Nobody's listening to me Nobody's listening" But I know that God is listening.  Is that enough for me?  Do I need an audience?  Can't I just sing for the joy of singing?  Especially songs that came from my heart, soul, and spirit? I've been through so much in the past - many negative experiences that have left their mark on me.  That is not an excuse.  Just how it is.  I really have to muster up the energy to sit down at the keyboard and sing any more.   As a child, I would sit at the piano for hours and just sing and play.  What fun I had!   Of course, that was eons ago, and in between then and now, well, life happened. I

There are all kinds of strength.  You can be physically strong, emotionally strong, mentally strong, and so on. But there is a strength that trumps all of these and that is spiritual strength. This is because when we are strong in the spirit - in the things of the Lord - then we have an inner strength that empowers us to do and face whatever life asks of us. Think of it as a tree where the roots are your spiritual strength and the tree, branches, and fruit are all possible because of the strength of the roots - how deep they go, how strong they are, etc. People can put on all kinds of "shows."  But only God knows each heart. Sometimes, those who "act" the strongest on the outside carry the most fears with them on the inside. Anyone placing all of their confidence in their physical strength, or any other strength, will deep down be insecure.  Why?  Because all other strengths, aside from spiritual, can be weakened and deteriorate.  Because we were not built to build

We all face hardships in our lives at one time or another.  But when they never seem to end, or when one ends only for another to come along soon after, we grow weary.  Worse, our faith may waver or weaken. But for the apostle Paul, as far as what I can see in the New Testament, his hardships never let up.  Ever.  They lasted right until his earthly end. So many Christians say they want to "finish well" or "finish strong" for God.  But what does that mean?  Did Paul finish well?  Did he finish strong? He was martyred.  He was beheaded for his faith.  Is that the sort of "finish" you want for yourself?  "Paul was different," you may assert.  How so?  Are we any less chosen than Paul?  Is God's call on us any less important just because we didn't write the New Testament? Each of us is called by God - to follow Him, know Him, trust Him, obey Him - wherever He may lead.  As long as we are staying close to Him and obeying Him, then He will use

Do you know who said this?  It was Job.  Do you know when he said it?  It wasn't after his torturous trials had ended.  It was during . Yep.  Job still believed in and trusted God during his horrendous season of suffering. Job still praised God while he was suffering. Job still praised God even when his friends let him down.  Big time. Job praised God after he lost everything and everyone that mattered to him. No need to belabor this, really.  You know exactly what I'm getting at. So let's continue to praise the Lord simply because He is Lord no matter what we are facing.  No matter how long it lasts. No matter what our friends say or don't say. For I know that my Redeemer lives.  Always.  Do you know Him this way?

I know this may sound cray cray, but I have not allowed myself to be joyful or happy for whatever reasons.   I could list a long list of problems, and seemingly neverending situations that I wish were different, but Jesus is showing me that His joy is in me 24/7!  Why haven't I allowed myself this treasure!  For the joy set before Him Jesus endured the worst imaginable.  He remembered the joy in His Father's Presence and He was going back to it!!!! Anyway, today is my birthday and I can't stop smiling! Nothing around me has changed much at all. But Jesus' joy inside me is bubbling over with gratitude for life!  This life He decided to create - my life - for His glory and His joy! I was in the habit of seeing only darkness - oy!  The enemy did a number on me. But I believe this will be my new way of operating in life.  JOY JOY JOY!!!! Thank You, sweet Jesus!  I cry once again (i am a cryer!) but now, tears of joy!!! No demon in hell, no circumstance in life, no person or

So why do I let my emotions take me for a roller coaster ride daily? I could blame hormones, circumstances, or any other matter or person.  Bottom line, I don't want to ride the ups and downs of my emotions any more. I don't need excitement, I need peace. I don't need entertainment, I need contentment. I have spoiled my emotions - letting them do and feel whatever they like.  Problem is, it is not a pretty sight sometimes. Oh yeah, I forgot the pandemic - I could blame it, too, for my tangled up emotions. But blaming anyone or anything gets me nowhere. Either I appropriate the peace of Christ in my heart, mind, and soul at any given moment, or I don't.  Yes.  It's that simple and that black and white. Think of it as being at the beach - my happy place.  All is calm, peaceful, relaxing and just right .   So why do I let my petulant emotions drag me away, far away, from my "beach?" Pride. Yep.  When I give in to changing emotions, I am calling them lord in t

God is love.  Everyone, including non-Christians, like to believe this.  And He is.  Pure, strong, enduring, everlasting love unlike any other. But. Sorry, but I need to obey the Lord in this, and He wants me to tell you, so here goes. There is a time when God judges the earth.  He did this radically the first time with the flood. We live in the age of grace, which means that we live after the time of Christ's resurrection from the dead. But the Bible is clear that one day, the earth will become unbearable to live in.  Not just because of "global warming," or something like that.  But because God's fury against sin will finally and fully be unleashed. If you're a parent, you love your children.  But you have also gotten angry with them.  You want their best and when they misbehave, if you're a good parent, there are consequences for their bad behavior. God is our Heavenly Father.  He loves us more than any human parent could ever love their children.  Imagine

The Lord showed me a vision the other day.  I have been wondering what His vision for my life is and asked Him to show it to me, for a fresh outlook and purpose. Now He did not give me the vision how I expected it - neither the contents or when He gave it to me.  He didn't show me right when I asked Him.  And it wasn't during my quiet time, either. I was just going about my day like any other day when He showed me, out of the blue. The Lord showed me, all of me, going through a birth canal toward a light. It looked sort of like a tunnel, but I knew in my spirit it was a birth canal. That's it. Now He has "birthed" things through me and for me in the past; not babies (I have no children), but projects, provisions, prophecies and such. This new vision was different.  He was not birthing someone or someplace or somthing else.  He was birthing me .  I was the vision being birthed. I had no idea what this meant until I recently read something in Beth Moore's book,

I once heard an interview with Mary Tyler Moore and something that she said stuck with me.  She said that in all her life, the only people who had really seen her were Frank Sinatra and the Pope.   What a combo! It made me wonder, what about her husband, family, or friends?  Didn't those closest to her see  her?   I think this reinforces what I have known all along.  Most people do not really see us.  What and whom do they see? 1.  Themselves 2.  Who they want to see 3.  A one-dimensional, caricature-type image 4.  Either a diminished or a larger-than-life version of you 5.  Who you were years ago, if they've known you for a long time People put you in a box of their own making, usually. You reveal yourself, but bottom line is most do not care enough to truly see you as you really are. Sad, I know.  But maybe it's a blessing in disguise!  After all, do we really want to be known by everyone ? I'm surpsied Mary didn't include Robert Redford in her list of people who

How many of us truly wait on God simply just to get closer to Him?  Usually, our daily to-do lists and other distractions tug so strongly on us that we can't sit still for anyone for too long - even God.  And everything claiming to make our lives easier - technology - has only complicated them and made for the most distracted people ever! What or who has a hold on us?  This is an important question to ask ourselves if we really want to know God more deeply and experientially. Waiting on God brings so many rewards.  We feel His peace.  We experience His love.  We can truly listen to what He is speaking to our hearts.  There is no other relationship like it! And yet when my concerns and worries crowd in, I find myself seeking Him more for His answers, His provision, His deliverance than I do for Him . This can happen when a long-unanswered prayer has been gnawing at us.  Oh we let it go as best we can.  And we persevere in prayer about the matter.  But even this kind of prayer can ca

First of all, it is not too late!  Though all hell will break loose because God's people will be removed and the Restrainer, or the Holy Spirit, in them will not be here inside them, you can still come to Christ!  That is what you should do!   You can still get saved and become born again.  You will need to get saved more than ever just to survive the horrendous hell that the world will be at that time.  You think it's bad now?  Just wait! You will need the indwelling Holy Spirit inside of you to face life at that time.  Don't think you can go it alone! As for all of your friends who were telling you about Christ all along, once they're Raptured out of here, that should be enough proof for you to realize that Jesus is real! Yet there will still be those stubborn fools who refuse to come to Christ!  Don't be one of them! God in His infinite grace and mercy will still be redeeming souls after the Rapture!  Alleluia! The Bible says that many of His chosen ones - the Je

We live in an age of followers.  Who are you "following" on social media?  Are you an "influencer" or a "follower?" Our culture talks about following so many different things and people.  Unless you're grounded in what really matters, it can get confusing out there. Here are just a few misleading suggestions: Follow your heart. Follow your passion. Follow your dreams. Follow only the hippest and coolest people on social media. Follow the stock market. Follow the trends. Follow success. But each and every one of these is precarious.  None of them are firm foundations.  How is this so?  Because each and every one of them is changeable.  They are not secure. So why are we told over and over to "follow" such shifting shadows? Because that's all the world has to offer.  Empty promises.  No-good claims.  Instability.  None of these have the power to really meet your deepest needs. None of us are meant to walk through life alone.  We were create

Dearest one, your purpose is to know Me.  All other accomplishments are temporary. Those who accomplish much without knowing Me are not fulfilling their true purpose.   Don't forget that I do not "keep score" as the world does.  I look at one thing and one thing only.  Your heart. I know what and who is on the throne of your heart every minute of every day. And when worries, cares, projects, idols, people, etc., take My place on the throne of your heart, you are not in your truest purpose. When you allow Me to rule completely - over your mind, will, emotions - and live in your heart fully, that is when you are fulfilling My great purpose for you. Out of that comes real and lasting fruit. It may not evolve into temporarl fruit, but that is not your aim anyway. Eternity.  Eternal rewards.  Lasting treasures.  These are yours when you keep Me as your Center. Plus, you have My peace as a sign of My approval of you, My Presence in and around you giving you all you need. Most a