The Rhythms of His Heart

Tonight there are these God-breathed Words going through my mind as I sit and write this post: My soul waits only upon God, for my expectation (my longing,hope) is from Him.   I breathe in and think about the events of last week...I think about my restless heart, my tired moments & the moments of joy. It has been a week since I sat in our staff meeting and prayed with excitement, but also with some fear of what is ahead of us in the New Year.  The Words "Be strong & courageous, fear not for I AM WITH YOU" filled my  lips and heart as we prayed for my brother/Executive Director as he announced to us that it is time for him to transition out of this role at YFC Portage in the coming year.  Initially, my heart sank & tears filled my eyes as again I face the thing the brings fear--CHANGE!   You see, this man is a man I hold in high honor...1 1/2 years ago he was JUST the man behind e-mails, and phone calls.  He now is a man that called out ...

It was late on a Thursday Night and I had just returned home after a day of High School Visits, coffee chats and small group.  I turned the corner after getting off the elevator and there on my doorknob was a fancy little card with a ribbon on it that said, "With God all things are possible!" I sat there for a minute and smiled as I thought one of my neighbors must have left it for me. I grabbed my keys unlocked my door and scootered in...something was different...the dirt and grit where I usually parked "Blue" was gone!!  I looked down and all my floors had been swept and mopped.  I just sat on my scooter for awhile and a lump formed in my throat as I looked around.  On my table were paper flowers with a verse card by them.  I walked in my kitchen and saw notes that said You are loved, cherished and amazing ....and by then tears began to start filling my eyes.  Even my fridge was totally cleaned and on a carton of sour milk (used for baking cause yes I a...

Hey blog browsers!  Lately I have been incredibly encouraged by the following people that you will see in these two videos!  They are mighty warriors whose stories God has used on many occasions to bring joy and strength to my tired heart!  So if you have time like 1 hr or more...sit back with your favorite cup of warm tea, ( I recommend Chai Tea or a cup of some strong java), maybe a box of tissue (if you are like me) and ask yourself the question , " If God can use them what could HE do with me?" The first video is of Gianna Jessen & then the last two clips are of a preacher named David Ring.  I have never met these two people, but they are definitely some people who I would LOVE to have dinner with someday...even if I have to wait til Heaven.  HE IS ABLE!

Yesterday I got word that a dear man of God & one of my supporters went to heaven on Saturday.  He went to sleep only to open his eyes and see the face of Jesus.  So this blog will not be my usual stories about life with my Youth, or something God has been teaching me, but rather a tribute to a quiet, gentle white haired lover of Jesus who is now in heaven.  Though I am sad, I have hope that I will see him again. I Remember  . . . him pronouncing my name wrong There were many days I would walk in my church back home in New Glasgow and he would be there with the biggest smile ever saying, "Hi Dana!" Hi Dianne" " Hi Deana" & though he could not always get my name right there was never a time when I didn't feel welcome  in his home or did not feel the warm, kind heart behind that smile.  Pat knew that God knew his name and mine-- that is all that mattered. I Remember ...his singing I remember when they first started coming to our church and t...

I sit looking at her and inwardly praying for God to take the conversation deep. I sit and listen to your favorite song as you scream the lyrics at the top of your lungs. I sit and  be interested in your video game, your next crush and all your family drama. I sit in my kitchen and figure out how to make your favorite Birthday treat and all the while there is that word going through my mind this week: "JEALOUS" I am not jealous of you, but for you.  Like Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:2, " I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy." This is the kind of jealous that burns straight from the heart of God into my heart.  God is jealous for my attention, my love, my heart & though I cannot perfectly exemplify this jealousy that is Him, I do know that He  has been and is stirring up in my heart a jealousy for the hearts of girls (youth) in Portage to be His.  I desire with every fiber of my being that they will turn to Him.  He has loved me with a lov...

Today I felt like I was running!  How can you run, Dee, you may ask?  Well, let me tell you....even a crippled girl can feel like she's running sometimes.  I love, love that I get to visit schools, prepare talks, small groups, and programs and meet kids for a meal or coffee, but there are days when I feel like I run from the moment my feet hit the floor and I don't stop until my head hits the pillow (Can I get an "Amen!") On days like this, I often feel like David in I Samuel 21 when he was running from Saul. He went to the priest and asked for some bread & a weapon.  I love the picture here because it says that the priest gave him 'the bread of the Presence' and he gave the sword that he killed Goliath with.  If David would have stopped running from village to village for a second and realized what these things represented in his life (the bread representing Christ --the bread of God's presence to us & the sword reminding David that with God...