You hold me by my right hand.
You will guide me with Your counsel.
~Psalm 73:23-24~
"O My child, rest in Me.
Yes, quietly settle down in My care, as a bird settles in a nest. For I am watching over you, and in love I will care for you.
There is no danger with which I am unable to cope. There is no enemy too formidable for Me to handle.
I am able to carry out all My purposes,
and to keep you at the same time.
Be not afraid;
neither allow terroe to strike at your heart.
My power is at your disposal.
My presence stands around you,
and nothing can harm you so long as you are in My care,
and that is forever...."
He is the Lord our God! He knows no limitations. He knows no lack. The Mind of God is fathomless. His intelligence--who can ponder?
Oh, what I have learned on the travel base of life. Oh yes, and the actual traveling :)
It has taught me more than I ever imagined! I knew I wasn't coming here on a 'vacation'. But on a journey through a great transformation.
I have a little story to tell about what the Lord has been doing: A few weeks ago I read a post on blogger and I was convicted to put God the VERY first in my day. I'm sure some of you know that's hard to do when you wake up at 9:00am. You want to eat. You want to go to the bathroom. You really don't feel like grabbing your Bible and reading. Well at least I didn't. Something amazing and sweet happened one early morning. I was awoken.
Now, I knew this was from the Lord, and I'll tell you why. I awoke, for no apparent reason at 4 in the morning. Right then and there, I WANTED to read the Word; I wanted to give that time to Him, because no one was up, and I felt the Lord in the midst of me.
He reveals Himself to me through His creation. People always question my quietness; or why I am always outside reading. Well hey, if they were to take a deep breath at 5:30 am, and get a load of that sunrise, they'd have no more questions.
Anyway, ever since that morning, I'm telling you, I've been waking up around that time. One morning when we were in CA this week, the most beautiful thing happened. I woke up at like 5:30 am.. and read these words:
"Only in solitude can you begin to sift away the chaff and come at last to the golden grains of truth. The world will confuse you. Silence will speak more to you in a day, than the world of voices can teach you in a lifetime. Find silence. Find solitude--and having discovered her riches, bind her to your heart."
Literally minutes after reading that, I felt what I would call a "tug" to go outside and breath in the fresh Californian air. Despite the quick chillness of the early morning, I gazed upon a sunrise so vivid, so clear. Did not the Lord say that those who follow His voice--who find silence in Him will be blessed?
Here's the picture:
Of course NO picture can capture the real beauty behind the naked eye.
"I will pour out upon you such love as you have never known. Love that will flood your whole being with such satisfaction as you never dreamed possible."
The week spent in California was the time I think I got closest to God.
Here's a little run down of the trip:
Leaving from the train was wonderful! The landscapes were something to look at! But at night.....you couldn't pay me enough to do that again! The best part of that night was me and Grama laughing our heads off. It was so quiet in there, and she would fall, and I would fall (from the bumpy ride) and we'd laugh even more knowing people were trying to sleep. Those poor things.
The bathroom was a horrible experience! I couldn't "use it", you know why? The train was swerving like crazy, and if I was gonna be in there, I had to hang on for dear life. That night, this man put his dirty feet on my chair, and was cursing in his sleep. I never had to cover my ears for as long as I did!
It was freezing in that train. Let me warn you. BRING A BLANKET.
I wish we were smarter than that. 12 HOURS! I''d never been so restless.
Here are some photos from the train:
She was singing a song if you're wondering!
We were picked up; and off to her sisters house! Oh how I slept good!
That morning, Dorthy's (gramas sister) husband made us turtle for breakfast:
Well, okay, it might have been an omelet in the shape of one...but it was a turtle if you ask me.
The next 2 days, there I was,, meeting family I hadn't even known about. It was bliss. I really surprised myself--I talked! Not that I never do, but I mean I really talked and opened up.
See, if you were to ask- "Which of the seven dwarfs are you?"
"Bashful", I'd say.
I blush like a fool. Here, I did not, Praise the Lord!
The 3rd day we were in CA, we were on our way to the Aquarium and beach. On our way, we stopped at a gas station--we saw poppys!! If you've read this blog long, you'd know that I love those flowers!
I love this picture: anyone in our family who looks at this photo would know this is grama without a doubt because of what she's holding in her left hand: A Worther's Carmel candy. Haha, she's know for those candies! The Aquarium was amazing! But this next picture I took of Grama was my FAVORITE! She was gazing at the fish.
Isn't she a doll?
We then went to Hunnington Beach. Me and Grama walked along the shore. Pure bliss.
My cousin suggested this picture meant "When creation meets life." Good one right?!
This one guy offered on his own to take this photo!
And this one :)
We only stayed a while on the beach in the day because we had to get some stuff done. My uncle wanted to come back later that night though so we could watch the sunset on the ocean. Well------let me tell you: That night came. We were at the thrift store, and he noticed the sun getting ready for bed. So there I was in line with a book, and I had to drop it right there to run to the car. Well, we didn't make it in time to the beach, so he dropped me off right at the stop sign, I ran, and I mean ran out with camera in hand and snapped these babies:
If you look under the sun at the railing, you can see a guy leaning against it. It looks like he was gazing at this magnificent sight. I wonder what he was thinking. Does he know the Lord I wonder? Does he believe that the One true God created that?
Here I am in the car!!! Getting carsick, but oh well!
Then after I snapped the sunset shots, we were about to turn around. But you know me, I had to say ."I miss the beach already!"
And uncle Jimmy says, "Well, I can take you back."
"Really?" I go.
"Sure, lets go.''
Well, amazing things happen when you open your mouth to talk.
Such peace I felt walking by myself on the shore. Just me. No one else.
What an amazing God we serve.
Later that week, take a look at the sky I've been seeing:
"Sanctification is accomplished in no one by accident."
He brought us here. I know for fact this was His will.
"I am guiding you. You need not look to people for direction. You may learn much by fellowship with the saints, but never allow any to take the role that is rightfully Mine--to direct your steps. As it is written, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord"--not by preacher, not by some Christian worker, but by the Lord. Trust Me to do it, and give me the time and the opportunity to do it. Lean not upon your own intelligence. Rest in Me. I shall bring to pass My perfect will in your life as you believe in faith."
I feel like the time Jesus said in the Bible that there are many stories not included, but that if all were told, it'd take a lifetime to tell. There are so many things left out that I don't share with, you, but hey, I need to sleep! Otherwise, if I told you, I'm pretty sure I'd win the "Longest Blog Post in history" award. God is enough. If you participated in Bekah's blog parade, you remember that question: "Would you rather be 20 years in solitude, or never again have any time alone."
Without a doubt, as of this moment, I would choose the 20 yrs of pure solitude. That's were I find my rest. It's not just being alone, or never speaking to a human for 20 yrs, but it would be 20 yrs of being with the Lord! Yes, that's a long time! But like that quote said, "Silence will speak more to you in a day, than the world of voices can teach you in a lifetime."
The world of voices is corruption. The Voice of the Holy One, is sweet and healing.
"Move forward with courage and confidence; but always allow Me to walk ahead, to choose the right path."
So I put my hand in Yours O God.
