Smiling on this Monday..

My weekend was rushed, hectic, long, exhausting, emotional, and WONDERFUL! (all except for that tiny bit of road rage we received from an angry and unruly Birmingham man:)

An answer to prayer and my question from my last blog entry.

I (along with 14,000 other women) left my family and obligations behind for 2 days and 1 night to travel to Birmingham, Alabama to drink from the HUGE cup of blessing and renewal that God Almighty had prepared for me.

I knew I was ready for this.

I was dried up. Sitting on empty. My tank needed filling in a bad way.

Little did I know that tucked into my trip would be sweet surprises that God held in store. We got to shop a little, eat deliciously bad-for-you food, and we got to sit under the kind of praise and worship that takes you to the very throne room of God.

Then...... there was the teaching. The Word of God was opened and read and it did what it does best.

It spoke to us. It challenged us. It's truth clearly dividing truth from darkness.

3 different women. 3 different topics. 3 specific messages from God to my very aching soul.

I don't have time to write everything down that God said to me. Suffice it to say that hopefully you will see it coming through as I blog. Isn't that what the Word is supposed to do?

Come out of us.

God intended for us to KNOW His Word. He wants it to sustain us just like our next meal. He wants it to come alive in our hearts, mind, and being. So, when life becomes hard or we have an unexpected trial....the Word will already be there. Ready to tackle the doubt, discouragement, fear, anger, anxiety, or resentment that tries to set in and take over.

He hasn't failed us.

His Word is available, active and just waiting to be used and believed!

He answered my last blog question.

How is He sufficient? Why does He give us "just enough" of Himself to get us through?

So our fight will mean more.

We remember what we have to fight through and engage in.

He knows that if He completely paved the way or made it too easy for us...then we would also forget easily.

All in all...I am smiling big and bright on this cold Monday morning. My God had a ready Word waiting on me this morning. It was on my scripture flip card right next to my bathroom sink. As I brushed my teeth, fixed my hair, and made up my face... I also strengthened my resolve. God had given me a very specific verse to reflect on and believe in for something we have going on this week. It was a great way to start the day.

The hard part is actually believing it. Trusting it. Abiding in it.

That is my assignment for the rest of today. BELIEVE! TRUST! ABIDE!

It certainly beats the alternative of living defeated, deflated, and depressed!

Thank you Lord for meeting me this weekend. Thank you for the treasures that I have in this season on my life. Thank you for letting me see and touch someone that You knew would instill fresh hope and faith in me. Thank you for letting me rest on her strong shoulders for a few moments. Thank you for her prayers (many at 2 a.m.) and her unrelenting faith. You know I love surprises and You wanted to give that to me. I am so grateful. Thank you for my amazing friends who surround me with love, support, steadfast hope, and flaming fired-up faith. Thank you for my husband who champions me and loves me like crazy. He is truly a gift.