As some of you know, I am in the midst of writing a devotional prayer book in which all prayers begin with "God, You are…". Today, here is a prayer for those of you who are in a waiting period: 

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

O God, You are the God of those who Wait.  Abraham waited for 25 years to receive his promised son… Joseph waited in Potiphar’s house and then in prison for a total of 11 years before he became the promised leader… Moses waited 40 years in the dessert before he went back to rescue his people from slavery…David waited at least 15 years before he was finally reigning as the king of Israel… And God, You waited patiently for the exact and appropriate hour to send the Savior of the world...Dear Lord, I confess, I hate to wait; I feel so useless and misplaced at times. Help me to learn from your servants of old. Give me a steadfast heart even in the midst of silence or suffering. Remind me that You are at work even in what seems like the darkest, loneliest hour. You promise that tribulations bring about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character hope, and hope does not disappoint. Yes God, I do know, You are in the midst of my waiting. And I do know that during this time You are refining me for the purpose of Your kingdom. You see my potential, and in the quiet, You are building new and beautiful things into me. So therefore I will say again to myself,“My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken.” And while I am waiting, I will praise You. And while I am waiting, I will trust You. And while I am waiting, I will serve You. And while I am waiting, I will pray to You. And while I am waiting, I will love well. And while I am waiting, I will declare Your name to the world.

see Gen. 18:10-14; Gen. 41:39-41; see Ex. 3: 7-10; see II Sam. 5:1-4; John 17:1-3; Rom. 5:4-6; Ps 62:5-6

How fitting for the doorknocker to reverberate and my dog to go wild with barking as I sit down to write this post. Over the past two weeks, we have had continual workmen coming in and out of the house due to water damage from the recent ice storm here in middle Tennessee. The first day, a strip of the hardwood floor was pulled up in our den; the second day, more was removed; the third day the kitchen bar and counter top was disassembled; the next and the next day, the kitchen hardwood and the baseboards disappeared. Today it's part of a wall.Early on in this venture, I kindly asked a workman where my bread/toaster drawer might be located so that I could make my daughter a quick sandwich. He said, "Oh, I took that drawer down to your basement. It's sitting on the floor behind the couch." At this moment, I decided that I had one of two options in handling this whole ordeal: either laugh or cry. I looked at the workman and smiled; down the stairs I went... hahahahahaha.Meanwhile, as the workman are ripping apart the kitchen and den, I am trying to write a devotional book. Hahahahahaha. And I'm a stickler for uninterrupted silence when I write. Hahahahaha.This morning, as I was getting ready for the unfolding of the day, the words persevere with pleasure kept rolling through my mind. I am already learning to live this phrase out through the daily "sweet and happy chaos" that involves the diverse people who currently reside here: Mac and me, our grad-student daughter, our high school daughter, our French exchange student, a PA graduate student, and a an amazing budding artist. (We also have an inside-dog that always wants out, and an outside-cat that always wants in.) This variety is all good, and I love it. However, it's these additional bodies showing up ALL THE TIME with hammers and drills and electric saws who are testing my tolerance level. Right now, I never really know who I'm going to meet in my hallway. Hahahahaha.So, can I persevere with pleasure, as I feel the Lord is asking me to do? Yes, but only with Him. Only He can give me a joyful attitude. And only He can change my perspective. Through all of this, He is refining me. Crazily, I am actually learning how to "pretend I am alone", drowning out all noice and choas as I write this assigned 365 day devotional book--241 devotional prayers down, 124 to go. Persevere with pleasure. Yes, Lord, I will.Reader, I am very aware that my current ordeal may be nothing compared to what you may be facing in your world right now. The things happening in my den may accurately represent the turmoil inside your own heart. Life is hard, and deep suffering is not laughable. Your situtation may be worthy of many long blubbering cries. Please weep, but weep with the Lord. He cares for you. Ask Him to come into your midst. Allow Him to fill You with His peace, and yes, even His joy, as you slowly rise up and press on. Know that He is with you right now and that He will see you through to the end. Only He can change your life's perspective, bringing beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3). Hear His words:Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Phil. 2:13Persevere with pleasure, my friend. Jesus is faithful to walk with you every step.Now I have to go….the roofers are here (what?????)….the dog just got out, and the cat just got in….hahahaha.

I have been studying Acts this year in my women's Bible Study group at my church. To say that this has been a fascinating book would be an understatement. I am inspired by the apostles' Spirit-led boldness, power, and grace as I have witnessed them spread the good news of Jesus Christ in spite of the persecution that they faced at every turn.In Acts 16, Paul and Silas are in prison, having been beaten with rods for their faith. Their feet were in stocks in the inner cell. Bloody, weary, cold, and with darkness surrounding them, they chose to do something quite amazing:About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God...They were doing what? Shouldn't they be groaning in pain, or grumbling with anger, or trembling with fear, or sinking in despair, or all of these at once? But, they chose to pray and sing. The rest of the verse is as follows:...and the prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25Ahhh, they had an audience (a "captive" audience at that!) Can you imagine the soothing sound of these hymns and the words of hope that traveled peacefully through the iron bars, reaching the ears, and then the hearts, of different prisoners who were also experiencing their own personal despair?After reading this verse, I think the question I must ask myself is this, "What will I choose to do in my darkest hour?" Will I sing as Paul and Silas did? Hmmm, I hope so. The passage unfolds:And suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened , and everyone's chains were unfastened. And when the jailer had been roused out of sleep and had seen the prison doors opened he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. Acts 16:26-27This heaven-sent miracle had just enforced the jailer's darkest hour upon him. He had most likely fallen asleep to the peaceful hymns of the apostles, only to be awakened by absolute chaos of his personal world. The escape of the prisoners meant his certain death, so he chose to go ahead and end his life himself. But Paul and Silas intervened. In the chaos, the desperate jailer cried out to none other than the men who were singing songs of hope in the night. The jailer asked them the greatest question that any man could ask this side of heaven, and the apostles answered it with certainty:"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved, you and your household." Acts 16:30-31And the jailer believed, as well as his household, and they rejoiced greatly. Acts 16:34Friends, I encourage you to sing in your darkest hour. I know it won't be easy, but it will be good--good for you in the midst of your chaos, and good for others who are in the midst of theirs. You have an audience, and they are listenting. So choose to sing...sing of His love, His faithfulness, His forgiveness, and His grace. Mighty things will happen as a result...chains will break, rocks will move, questions will be asked, hearts will be softened, and lives will be saved.For your sake and for the sake your audience, God Himself urges you to sing. Will you?The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; and His song will be with me in the night. Psalm 42:8

A couple of weeks ago, I joined my sister Peggy in Pheonix, Arizona for our 8th marathon in our 8th state. Lord willing, we hope to do 50 marathons in all 50 states… taking one marathon at a time, one step at a time. Peggy and I have a ministry called Hope Walking aCross America. Our purpose is to pray for each state we walk in, present His word while there, as well as provide a financial donation to a local ministry.

Why marathons? Both Peggy and I feel that running/walking 26.2 miles is something we do that really is "bigger than ourselves." We do it together, encouraging one another along the way, trusting the Lord to get us to the finish line. In a sense, a marathon is an ideal representation of our life's journey: we need God, and we need each other--in the highs and the lows, in the joys and the struggles. Sometimes in marathons, and in life, the struggle is almost too much to bear. Again, that's why we need God and His provision of a like-minded friend(s) to get us through to the end! 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. Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Heb. 12:11-13

Tom and Doreen Strohm--Life changers!Why did we choose Arizona this go round? Well interestingly, about a year ago, a woman, Doreen Strohm, who is from a city near Pheonix, happened to come across my website and was intrigued with HopeWalking (*see below). Out of Doreen's kindness, she offered Peggy and me a place to stay whenever we came her direction. We took the offer with gratitude, and the pieces of our trip to AZ were slowly being put together. From this sweet encounter, my sister and I felt the Lord's leading to raise support in our marathon for their ministry called Jesus Cares, which is an amazing outreach for families in crisis. Their "marathon ministry" has been changing lives for more than three decades. Indeed, through them, Jesus Cares. I love how the Lord created this divine appointment between us. We now have dear friends in Arizona! Therefore, encourage one another and build up one another, just as you are doing. I Thess. 5:11My prayer for you, reader, is that you would be encouraged today in your walk of life. You may be struggling on an uphill climb, feeling like you're on mile 23 and the end is nowhere in sight. (I'm referring to this mile because it was mine and Peggy's almost breaking point this time…"ugh! help!") If you are at this desperate place right now, hear these words in response to your weary cries: Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. Is 40:31Trust in the Lord and press on, preferably with a friend who knows and loves you. It makes the struggle a little lighter and the enduring journey more beautiful. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for (sisters) to dwell togehter in unity! Ps. 133:1

Sister fun at the Pheonix Suns game

Grand Canyon--An Amazing Master-piece*If you are interested in what intrigued Doreen, see my website at www.respitefortheweary.com and search the sidebar for the post label: "From Passerby to Crossing the Street".

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14

O God, You are Supernatural. It is the eleventh hour, so I am asking for Your abundant grace and Your mighty power to intervene this very minute. I am pleading for something heavenly to happen in this very human situation. I cling to this story of old, and ask for the same supernatural power today: So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God. And on the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains; and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and roused him saying “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him,“Gird yourself and put on you sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap you cloak around you and follow me.” …and when they passed through the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out along one street; and immediately the angel departed from him.” O Lord, my God, I ask You to do this very same work today. There are so many hearts that are locked in a prison of lies and deceit. Come into their darkness and shed Your light. Awaken their souls to Your freeing truth. Cause Your wonder-working power to strike hardened hearts with Your tender mercy and Your gentle love. Remove chains of deception and addiction that bind them to this world; by Your grace, help each one of them to get dressed with Your garments of salvation and Your robes of righteousness. Open the gates to the One way that brings complete freedom, which is Jesus, only Jesus. O God, I ask for You to show up in this mighty way right now. I believe in You, Father, I believe in Your Son, I believe in Your Spirit. I am tired, I am weary, and I have no fight left in me. Yet because of You, I am not without hope. So I will continue my rock solid stance; and in this place, I will lift up my fervent and faith-filled prayers to You, without ceasing. Please do Your supernatural work in the hearts and in the lives of the ones I love. For I cling to the promise that You have come to proclaim liberty to captives, and to set prisoners free.

Acts 12:5-8; Acts 12:10; Is. 61:10; I Thess. 5:17; Is. 61:1

Every year at Christmas time I look forward to a few of my favorite things. It's what makes Christmas, Christmas. Here are three (of many) traditions that I cherish over the holiday season: love exchanged through Christmas cards, joy shared at family get-togethers, and peace given in quiet moments with my Savior. I think each of you can relate to one or all of these Christmas traditions.

I John 1:7

But have you ever thought why certain things are our favorites? What is the deeper root, or the  foundational rock of the different traditions at Christmas? Could it be that we are made in the image of God and that He is the originator of the beautiful things that we habitually do this time of year? I believe so… A long, long, long time ago, God spoke to the Israelites: These are the appointed feast of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies (Lev. 23:1). These feasts were to be celebrated every year, generation after generation. And all these feasts pointed to…Jesus. So, we humans are not the originator of traditions, or the author of Christmas for that matter! Perpetual acts of celebrating are a God-designed decree; and it pleases Him. He is the author of love and joy and peace and fellowship and family and faith.

    So over this next week, invite Him into a few of HIS favorite things. Dig deeper into these traditions and stretch your arms wider with His love that is ever present and that conquers all; then, hear Him rejoice over you with singing (Zeph 3:17).

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