I had yet another “Super” Tuesday…but, yet again, not as I planned. I hit a glitch with my first priority, so I moved on down to knock out the list. And I got the quilt hung in my bedroom…so my heart was smiling when I left to go to my networking luncheon. I absolutely adore how God has placed me in a wonderful group of women who are dedicated to what they do and helping others.

Afterwards, I was visiting with one gal about some things I need and she mentioned how she reads my fb and that she understands my Faith. Then she looked at me and said, “You have a different energy about you…” She just met me in the Spring, but she could see it…and the fact that she cared enough to mention it made my heart smile. There is something amazingly different about living this kind of Faith walk. I can feel it on the inside, but it blesses me that others have begun to see it on the outside.

I thanked her and told her that God has been showing me some things that I should change…let go of….in order to receive all that He has for me. And I have taken it to heart. And as I have been Faithful, He has been Faithful to provide exactly what I need…exactly when I need it. Of course, that doesn’t mean everything goes “right”; but whatever the circumstances, there is a Peace that passes understanding and an inner Joy that I’ve never known….and, to be honest, I don’t ever want to live without again. My Bible study leader calls it “living in the sweet spot”…and, man oh man, is it sweet.

Then I ran some more errands; and soon after I got home, the doorbell rang. It was my friend I called the day before when I was beginning to feel slightly overwhelmed in the yard. He has a chainsaw that he doesn’t loan out because it’s 20” long and could easily cut off an arm…so he swung by on his way home to see what I needed done. Getting back out in the yard, I worked some more on the back porch. And when Brandt got home, he joined me to help bag up the debris; and he mentioned with pride, “Wow, it’s amazing what can happen in just two days–how things can change.” I smiled as a grabbed a “teachable moment”.

Then I ran to Bunco and enjoyed visiting with precious friends who have seen me through so much and have watched this most recent inner transformation and celebrate with me. And when I got home, I jumped on fb to wish someone happy birthday….it’s the second birthday in two days for someone who is winning a battle with cancer…and I have been thrilled to have the privilege of wishing them blessings for a new year. After I posted my “birthday song”, I quickly scanned my homepage to see what I missed for the day…and was stunned to read about the loss to cancer of one of my grade school friends.

I knew she had battled cancer a few years back and she had just posted at the end of last month about a praise that she didn’t have a brain tumor…but I had no idea she was as ill as she was…so her passing shook me. I jumped onto her page while it’s still up and looked through her pics….praying over her husband, all three of her children and the extended family.

And as I was browsing through pictures of her past few years, my eye caught one comment. It was a picture of only my friend, but she had tagged someone with an Italian name. My friend traveled the world singing with her brother’s Christian band, so I wasn’t surprised…what surprised me was that the date of the pic was in 2009…but the tagged friend replied yesterday…”You are with God!!!!!” and then added something in Italian….and as her words sunk in, I was gently reminded…deep in my soul…:

That is why it is so important to me to actively pursue all that God has for me…because I am not promised “tomorrow”. And I’ve learned that it’s not about my “achieving”…because that implies that I am responsible for the results. No….I am only responsible for making a DECISION to step out in FAITH and RECEIVE what He has in store for me…for I simply can’t receive more of HIM until my hands are free of what I cling to and my heart is open, rather than afraid. And living a life that actively CHOOSES to follow Him in FAITH…is when HE walks with you. It’s the kind of life that finds rest and peace from what lies behind you; protection from what surrounds beside you; and victory in what lies ahead…as He goes before you to prepare the way.

And it’s far greater than any of your favorite books…there is adventure in the battles knowing you serve the victorious King; more mystery discovering all that He has in store; and romance beyond all that you can imagine because your heart is free to truly LOVE…because the Author and Creator of ALL that is….IS …WITH you… And just as my friend now knows in FULL…Our God is an AWEsome God. 🙂

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But 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 diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:1, 6 NKJV)

“Therefore My people shall know My name; Therefore they shall know in that day That I am He who speaks: ‘Behold, it is I.’ ” How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Break forth into joy, sing together, You waste places of Jerusalem! For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has made bare His holy arm In the eyes of all the nations; And all the ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God. Depart! Depart! Go out from there, Touch no unclean thing; Go out from the midst of her, Be clean, You who bear the vessels of the Lord. For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the Lord will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.” (Isaiah 52:6, 7, 9-12 NKJV)