I'm Thankful for.............Hope.
Once again I didn't wake up with an Attitude of Gratitude, actually I woke up crying. I didn't want to get out of bed, I wanted to pull the covers over my head and wish the daylight away. Darkness brings night, blissful sleep and an empty mind. Daylight brings day, things to do and thoughts of fear. But I got up anyway, I knew my problems were not going to go away if I stayed in bed, plus they are building a house behind me and the noise was driving me crazy!
I made the coffee and sat down to do my quiet time just as I do everyday. Let me tell you I didn't start with a pure heart, I was doing it more out of habit than because I wanted too. I have a book that sits on my end table, Grace For the Moment - Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year, by Max Lucado. It is just a quick couple of paragraphs of inspiration for each day. This is what today’s said:
January 5
Don't Miss God's Answer
Is anything too hard for the Lord? ..... (Genesis 18:14)
The God of surprises strikes again...God does that for the faithful. Just when the womb gets too old for babies, Sarai gets pregnant. Just when the failure is too great for grace, David is pardoned.....
The lesson? Three words. Don't give up...
Is the road long? Don't stop.
Is the night black? Don't quit.
God is watching. For all you know right at this moment....the check may be in the mail.
The apology may be in the making.
The job contract may be on the desk.
Don't quit. For if you do, you may miss the answer to your prayers.
Okay, I started crying when I read this, gave into it for a couple of minutes and then picked up my Bible. I sat it in my lap and it opened on it's own to Psalms. I had quite a few scriptures underlined where it opened, and this is what I read:
Psalm 66:8-12
(8) - Bless our God, O peoples, and sound his praise abroad,
(9 ) Who keeps us in life and does not allow our feet to slip.
(10 ) For you have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined.
(11) You brought us into the net; You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins.
(12 ) You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water, yet you brought us out into a place of abundance.
Psalm 66:19-20
(19) But certainly God has heard: He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.
(20) Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, Nor his lovingkindness from me.
Okay, something was starting to stir inside me, dawning was happening. I then picked up a book I am reading titled: It's Not About Me, by Max Lucado. I am on page 35 but when I picked it up it opened to a page I have already read and this is what I had underlined:
I could look around and find fear, or look at my father and find faith.
I choose my father's face.
Okay, I think this is what my wonderful friend Amanda calls a "God Stop" moment. A little ray of hope started to shine through my spirit, my heart, my thoughts. What is hope? Hope is expectation, hope brings faith and faith turns around and brings hope. Hope is my only hope of finding the answer, of finding understanding. I hope everything I am feeling makes me stronger. I hope the changes I am experiencing are for the better. I sure hope God knows what he is doing!
Hope is all I have. I'm not saying the fear is not still there, believe me it is. But my hope in God is replacing some of that fear and I hope before long it replaces it completely.
And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.
Psalm 39:7
Note: Read on to find another thankful post, I wrote two today to make up for the depressing one from yesterday.
I made the coffee and sat down to do my quiet time just as I do everyday. Let me tell you I didn't start with a pure heart, I was doing it more out of habit than because I wanted too. I have a book that sits on my end table, Grace For the Moment - Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year, by Max Lucado. It is just a quick couple of paragraphs of inspiration for each day. This is what today’s said:
January 5
Don't Miss God's Answer
Is anything too hard for the Lord? ..... (Genesis 18:14)
The God of surprises strikes again...God does that for the faithful. Just when the womb gets too old for babies, Sarai gets pregnant. Just when the failure is too great for grace, David is pardoned.....
The lesson? Three words. Don't give up...
Is the road long? Don't stop.
Is the night black? Don't quit.
God is watching. For all you know right at this moment....the check may be in the mail.
The apology may be in the making.
The job contract may be on the desk.
Don't quit. For if you do, you may miss the answer to your prayers.
Okay, I started crying when I read this, gave into it for a couple of minutes and then picked up my Bible. I sat it in my lap and it opened on it's own to Psalms. I had quite a few scriptures underlined where it opened, and this is what I read:
Psalm 66:8-12
(8) - Bless our God, O peoples, and sound his praise abroad,
(9 ) Who keeps us in life and does not allow our feet to slip.
(10 ) For you have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined.
(11) You brought us into the net; You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins.
(12 ) You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water, yet you brought us out into a place of abundance.
Psalm 66:19-20
(19) But certainly God has heard: He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.
(20) Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, Nor his lovingkindness from me.
Okay, something was starting to stir inside me, dawning was happening. I then picked up a book I am reading titled: It's Not About Me, by Max Lucado. I am on page 35 but when I picked it up it opened to a page I have already read and this is what I had underlined:
I could look around and find fear, or look at my father and find faith.
I choose my father's face.
Okay, I think this is what my wonderful friend Amanda calls a "God Stop" moment. A little ray of hope started to shine through my spirit, my heart, my thoughts. What is hope? Hope is expectation, hope brings faith and faith turns around and brings hope. Hope is my only hope of finding the answer, of finding understanding. I hope everything I am feeling makes me stronger. I hope the changes I am experiencing are for the better. I sure hope God knows what he is doing!
Hope is all I have. I'm not saying the fear is not still there, believe me it is. But my hope in God is replacing some of that fear and I hope before long it replaces it completely.
And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.
Psalm 39:7
Note: Read on to find another thankful post, I wrote two today to make up for the depressing one from yesterday.
posted by Sonya Terrell at
11:55 AM
5 Comments:
Sonya, you are a woman of faith alright! The prayers of a righteous man avails much! That, my dear friend, is a quote from the Word. You will get through this, one step of faith at a time.
I love you....
I guess I do not have to pull you out of the closet any more. Once again, you made it out all by yourself! I love your hope and I know it does not always seem evident, but God is always there..looking out for us! You have told me not to give up may times, that I will get pregnant..you spoke hope to me and I will now do the same. As uncertain as this world is HE is our constant. He has put trials before us, and he has sent us friends to hold our hand through them. I am here and I always will be. Love You.
Kelly, I was thinking to myself after I wrote this, hmmm...Kelly only gave me 24hrs to wallow, was there some connection between her and God that I read the things I read. Are you and him in cahoots together? I wonder..........
Well, Beth Moore refers to them as "God Stops" and I like to refer to her a lot! I wish I could come up with stuff like her, I could be rich! HA! Sonya, thanks for always be real. Your greatest gift is your ability to be YOU. All women need to just be themselves and you are a good one to learn from.
I love it when the Lord speaks at just the right moment...when all hope seems lost, he comes shining through.
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