On July 22, 2017 at 5:30 pm, Maggie Marie Baxter became Maggie Marie Gilmer. Her utmost heart’s desire at her wedding was for all those attending to understand and know that the ceremony that they were witnessing was an acting visual of God and His great love for each one of them.

In Scripture we are called “the bride of Christ.” Here are some of His beautiful promises straight from His longing heart. Allow them to wash over you today. Become His bride all over again. Live in His love.

For your Maker is your husband–the Lord Almighty is His name–the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth. Isaiah 54:5

photo by Marissa Roberts

As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you. Isaiah 61:10

I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord. Hosea 2:19-20

…Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her… Ephesians 5:25

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Isaiah 1:18

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Revelation 21:2

From the beginning of time and then for all eternity, God has picked His bride, His people. He pursues in steadfast love.

He asks, “Will you say, ‘I do’?”

If so, He changes your name and gives you a new identity, in Christ. You wear His white, His purity. He is faithful and true…forever. Today, let us each rejoice and live securely in the strong arms of our Perfect Husband.

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A bible verse that I revisit over and over again is this one:
...casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. (I Peter 5:7)And this one:
Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you... (Psalm 55:22)The word "cast" means to throw forcefully in a specified direction. In these two verses, we are given the simple instruction to throw all our anxieties and burdens off of our hearts and minds, into the direction of the Lord, who will then take them upon Himself. I wish this straightforward instruction was as simple to obey. Why do I hold onto things I cannnot control?
For example, I have four children in their twenties, each with their own set of predicaments, large and small. As their mother, I have a tendency to take on the dangerous attitude of ownership, making their problems, my problems. I then can add my husband's "stuff", as well as both of our aging parents, not to mention my own personal struggles. If I'm not careful, in a matter of only minutes, I've gathered in my arms stressful stones, burdensome bricks, and worrisome rocks. Oh how they weigh me down! In this condition, I'm not only useless to my kids, my husband, my parents, myself, but also to others in my path who may need a helping hand.Therefore, I must continue to develop and strengthen the healthy habit of casting. I must name each worry that I naturally accumulate, and then hurl it in the direction of the One who can not only catch it (He never misses), but also can do something about it (He's always productive). In His hands, each troublesome pebble has the opportunity to become a precious stone, but I must choose to let it go.

So friend, if you are holding a heap of havoc, start hurling it with hope. Throw it forcefully into the direction of your Savior. Your healthy habit of casting is His earnest heart's desire.
Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. (Psalm 68:19)

Have you ever felt like you have obeyed the Lord by taking a giant leap of faith, and now you're just waiting to land on solid ground? You know you have been called to do something but you just don't know the details of that call; so, you... just... wait... on the Lord... and His... perfect... timing.

Waiting is beautiful to the Lord. It puts us in a place of complete dependence on Him, which pleases Him, because He can then do His work in us.  Yes, while we humanly wait, He supernaturally works.  Hear His promise:

Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not become tired, they will walk and not become weary.  Isaiah 40:31

Because I appreciate any kind of athlete in action, these pictures speak to me about the concept of beauty in the waiting. Observe the strength and grace in the mid-routines of the gymnasts. Now take note of your current situation that may be "up in the air." Remember, you may feel completely out of control, but He never is! So in the midst of your waiting, hold on to your invisible God who is beautifully present... in your... present... and... in your... future.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.   Psalm 27:14

July's intense heat made me think about many many years ago (maybe about 15 years ago), when I took my young kids to a water park with a friend and her kids. First, let me tell you, I have an aversion to water parks, so this was definitely an act of sacrificial love on my part! My friend Sharon and I put our kids on the buddy system and off they went to conquer the slides in the refreshing water. There was one particular water attraction in which a HUGE bucket filled up with water and then eventually poured out all over those who were waiting in anticipation underneath. When this powerful diluge finally happened, the whole group of both young and even older people squealed with delight!

Meanwhile, because of my waterpark phobia, I was sweltering in the wretched heat of mid-July. I was miserable... but my childern were free!

Today, I aiso read these particular verses that spoke extra loud to me due to our hot summer days: When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer (Psalm 32:3-4). This verse makes me feel sweaty and miserable just reading it. I don't want to be in this place physically OR spiritually. Thankfully, there's a remedy!

My friend, let us realize that just like the refreshing water poured out all over my own kids and provided immediate relief and joy physically, we too have an outpouring of forgiveness waiting for us every single day spiritually. We have been invited to the waters to confess our sins before the One who can wipe us completely clean! He delights to see us standing at the foot of the cross, waiting to be covered with His unfailing love. No sin is too great for Him to wash away! What freedom! What redemption! What revival!

May His delighted children shout, How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How joyful is the man the Lord does not charge with sin and in whose spirit is no deceit! (Psalm 32:1-2)

No need to be miserable…stand under the Living Water…and join in the joy of forgiveness.

In Scripture, God uses so many beautiful analogies to encourage His children. I recently read this verse which compares an eagle and its young to God and his own children:

(He cared for them)...like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions. Deut. 32:11


The eagle is a magnificent bird. Its hollow lightweight frame is covered with 7000 feathers that allows it to soar as high as 2 miles above the ground. But the eagle doesn't start with knowing how to fly; it has to be taught in its early stages of life. Once the eaglet loses all its baby feathers, the parent eagle begins to teach the young bird to flap its wings; the adult bird does this by hovering over them and flapping its own wings. The little bird then mimics the parent inside the comfort of the nest; the airflow of the flapping wings causes the little one to rise ever so slightly above the base of the nest. Then, over time, the adult eagle coaxes its hungry young by holding captured-prey in its beak a short distance from the nest. And thus, the growing bird flaps... and follows... and flies...

God is prodding you to fly. He never meant you to stay in the comfort of His "nest." In this place of safety, you learn from Him, and you begin to mimic Him; but He means for you to soar.

You may be at a crossroads of life, having to step out of your comfort zone into the unknown; trust Him. Or, you may be in a new place of growth in your walk with the Lord and He's asking you to share your faith, or to give up a habitual sin, or forgive someone that you vowed never to forgive; again, mimic Him, and trust Him as he strengthens your wings. Then, start flapping, and following... and then... fly. Remember, He's watching over you. If you begin to falter, He will be there to catch and comfort and carry you. Under His care, you will learn to soar into new heights.

Will you respond to His prodding? Or is it too risky? If you choose to take this new leap in your faith, God promises this:

But those that hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

What can I give my President? What can I give my country?

Prayer.

I sit with a group of women once a month who have committed to pray for the President, Vice President and their wives. This group, formed by Lori Rydberg and April Eshleman, called the Glove Club (representing Melania’s glove underneath the Bible during the inauguration ceremony), has opened my eyes to the powerful gift that each one of us can give Donald and Melania Trump and Mike and Karen Pence on a daily basis.

I’m humbled and excited to say that we are using my devotional book,The Heartbeat of God, as the daily guide for our prayers. For example, today’s devotional is entitled, “God, You are the Author of Faith.“ Particular scripture pertaining to faith is claimed throughout this prayer. This name of God and these scriptures are what we are giving our President, Vice President and their wives… today. Tomorrow we will pray a new name, Perfecter of Faith, and we will claim new scriptures for them. And the next day will be another new name, the One Who Prevails, and more scriptures to pray on these leader’s behalf. The prayers go on and on, and they are new every morning!

Prayer. A powerful gift.

There is nothing we can give our country’s leaders that is better than the gift of His name and His word. God is the One who can transform hearts and minds. Our passionate words spewing back and forth to each other do very little other than add to our ongoing chaos. Our prayers to God will actually get things done because we are talking to the One who is REALLY in control!

God promises to answer prayer concerning His name and His word.

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If you want to join in this simple yet monumental growing movement, please do! Every day, pray. Many of you already have a copy of The Heartbeat of God and are currently using it in your daily devotional time. (These books can be purchased on Amazon). Let’s truly become one nation under God by uniting together in prayer.

Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.  Hebrews 11:6

The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God–it is dynamic and can have tremendous power]. James 5:16 AMP

Prayer. A powerful gift that brings great reward.

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