Tuesday, October 5, 2010


It is a great day to be alive!!
We are in the middle of a beautiful storm, here in southern Arizona. I am reminded, that even in our lives in the desert, our storms of life are beautiful.

I attended a woman's retreat with my church, Calvary Chapel, at Huachuca Oaks Camp, my stomping grounds as a kid.
When I came home, I wanted so bad to jump on the computer and write a blog about our retreat. Instead I knew I needed to hit the Word at my most vulnerable time, after being FILLED again with the Holy Spirit. 
It is no secret that these are the times when Satan works hardest on re-claiming our footsteps.

I'm really so over whelmed with good news, I can hardly think of what to write.
God is so good, all the time. I feel that the phrase is just so minimal, God is AWESOME, AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL, MAGNIFICENT, SO LOVING .... oh the list goes on and on.

On my drive out to Hereford, I was listening to one of my favorite bands, and one of my favorite songs they play. The title is "What do I know of Holy?" (I'm trying to figure out how to play it on here) This song, being one of my faves, I have played a thousand times in my truck, and sang along a thousand times. I always knew the words to be so true. 
Anyway, during the retreat many women from our church shared, and taught. Every woman offered a beautiful message from the word. One woman, who was a "surprise speaker" gave a great message, and in that message she referred to that song, and a line of the lyrics.... Here's the whole song...take a few minutes to listen to, read the lyrics, and let the words touch  your heart



"What do I know of wounds that will heal my SHAME, and a God that gave LIFE it's NAME?"
God's grace, I mean the WHOLENESS and HOLINESS of it is just beyond me. It's so hard for my human brain to really GET IT. What I do know, and what I do get, is that His grace is SUFFICIENT for me!!!!

EVERY PRAYER IS EFFECTIVE!!!
God is a God of "free refills", feeling low? He will NEVER keep himself from you, just ASK for more :)
YES, my God is jealous, he is JEALOUS FOR ME, for my heart, for my life. He is jealous for you too, WE are his HEART'S DESIRE!!!!!  Phenomenal.....absolutely! We have only stood on the shore of his OCEAN.... 

Another thing I have come to understand is the very popular reminder "God only gives us what we can handle, and will ALWAYS use it for his glory"

Oh.... I cannot tell you how many times in my troubled life I have heard this. I can't! Did I really believe it? No... I just thought of it as a "hallmark" phrase. something to make me feel better.
God has opened my eyes to this. He has SHOWN me his truth. I KNOW God will never give me more than I can handle, and I KNOW he will use it to further his kingdom, and what is greater than that? Nothing. 

I walked around the camp...reminiscing. I sat, and then laid on the foundation of where our house used to be. My mind flooded with childhood memories, and memories of my beautiful mother. Memories that were tucked deep away in my mind. All wonderful, peaceful....but painful.
I miss my mom, more than you can imagine. I can say with confidence, God has used it for his glory. I know my mom touched many lives, and so did the story of her unexpected departure from this world. I can praise God with my heart, because I know he didn't let my mom's death go in vain...
He took what Satan destroyed, turned it around. Lives were changed, eternally. While he carried me through it,  I kicked, screamed, punched and whined..... but I look back and see ONE set of footprints, they were not mine, but HIS. THIS TOO, is God's Grace. Like stated above, our storms are made beautiful...
No matter what, I'm gonna love and need my savior!!!!!!!

No matter What  (another song to listen to)

I doubt that what I took away from the woman's retreat was what anyone else took away, but it was just for me, from my loving Father....

I cannot put into words, what happens when the Holy Spirit consumes us, and makes his presence felt in the physical sense, but I know I want more of it, more of Jesus, more of his love, grace, joy, faith....all of it Lord, hold nothing of YOU back from  ME!!!

Our Father wants nothing more than to have a relationship with you. Maker of you, heaven and earth....THE CREATOR wants to have a relationship with you..... oh, someone shout HALLELUJAH :) God is good!!!
Worthy of our praise!!!!





HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR ME!!!


God Bless You, my friends and family