A New Thing

One thing I love about God is that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He never changes.

But He is a creative God. New Things are created every day. Ideas are birthed. Thoughts are formed. And in our world, things change.

Not God's standards. Not His ways. Not His morality. Not His ideals.

But my blog...

It has been on my heart for many years now to encourage women through my writing. I hope I've done that through The Thoughtful Spot over the past few years. Sometime around the beginning of 2014 (hopefully), I will be presenting a new place for women to come and find fellowship, encouragement, and hope.

God has given me the title, "Uncommon Daughters" for this new site. I am praying it will be a ministry that reaches thousands...millions...of women. So often in life, I find myself lost in the "commonness" of it all. Even as a wife and a mother, there are days I don't feel anything over average. I'm certain there are a lot of women out there (maybe even some of you) who get lost in the humdrum of everyday life. Yet, that's not God's plan for us, nor is it how He sees us. There is nothing common about a Daughter of the King of Kings. We are not a common people. And that is the message I want to share with you.

I am busy planning, praying, pulling together my thoughts, and hoping to pull together a team of writers for the blog - women I've met virtually and in "real life." Women who I know share a common vision and can communicate it in their own unique voice. Strong women of God who recognize our worth in this world.

I'd love to hear what you thing about this New Thing.

For awhile, I will share the posts from Uncommon Women here at The Thoughtful Spot with a link for you to follow to the new blog. I hope that you will follow me over there and join the fellowship. Again, this will happen around the start of 2014.

The Thoughtful Spot will not be going away.

I will continue to post here on a regular basis, as well, but the posting schedule will change a bit:

Mondays - By January, I will begin using Mondays to share posts from Uncommon Women. I'll do this until I know you've had a chance to follow us over there, if you'd like to.

Tuesdays - No posts.

Wednesdays - Book Reviews, Author Interviews, Things I've discovered I would love to share with you. Think of Wednesdays as Pot Luck. You never know what you're going to get, but chances are, it'll be great!

Thursdays - No posts.

Fridays - Friday {in focus} - I will continue to share one of my photos with a brief post that relates the photo to an encouraging thought.

Saturdays - An editing/writing-related post. This is something new I've started doing, because I know a lot of my readers are writers. Since I write and edit, I'd like to make that a larger focus of The Thoughtful Spot once Uncommon Women is up and running.

Please Note: This change will be gradual. I hope you'll continue being thoughtful with me!

Please feel free to let me know what you think. I'd love to hear about it in the comments.

My One Word for 2013

For the past few years, I've prayed as the New Year approached. I've asked God to give me One Word for the year; one that I would focus on and center my life around. Every year He's been faithful.

In 2012, that word was multiply. In 2012, I have seen an increase in my work as an editor. I have had more successes as a writer. My husband received his first raise in four years. My teenager is maturing in various areas of his life. God's abundance has manifested in our lives. He has multiplied.

My One Word for 2013 is EVERYTHING.

 As I make Jesus the center of Everything in my life, I will see the goodness of the Lord. I am expecting amazing things this new year. As Jesus becomes the center of my marriage, I anticipate a growth in our ministry (Together Ministries). As Jesus becomes the center of my parenting, I anticipate a spiritual growth in our children--a deepening in their relationships with Jesus. As Jesus becomes the center of my career, I anticipate an expansion, an increase, and an outreach to many. As Jesus becomes the center of my health, I anticipate an increase in energy, a decrease in my waistline, and a decrease in headaches and sickness.

As I allow Jesus to be my FOCUS, I look forward to ORDER in my life and the lives of my family members. As order falls into place, I anticipate and am pregnant with expectations that God is going to be PREPARING us for a new season in our lives. That season may be ten years from now, but I know it's out there, waiting on God's perfect timing.

What is your One Word for 2013? I can't wait to hear what God is saying to His children!

Stand

Have you ever tried to do something apart from God and His will? I have. Either I get antsy and run ahead of God or I get fearful and take matters into my own hands.

Just as God promised Abram that he would be the father of nations, God promised me that my children would be all right. I wasn't to worry about them.

God came to Abram and spoke. "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father to many nations (Gen. 17:1-4)."

God speaks to us through His word. One morning, before school ended last spring, God revealed this verse to me during my time in His Word: "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth (John 17:15-17)."

I heard that my children should not be taken out of the world, but that God would continue to protect them from the evil one. I should have started praying that God would sanctify my children by His truth. I should have started covering them in His Word.

Instead, like Abram, I took matters into my own hands. I figured I could protect them by bringing them home for school. Like Abram, I found that my plan wasn't better than God's plan for my children.

I have faced failure this past quarter of the school year. I have faced a pouting, whiny face every morning. I have faced the fact that I am not equipped to teach my seventh grader. The math he's doing is the math I failed at doing when I was in school. And I still don't get it. I have battled within myself as I've considered if my protection is preventing them from dealing with issues they will face into adulthood. And I've remembered God's promise to me through a prophet so many years ago, when my oldest was only a toddler: "Don't worry about your children. They will be fine."

In my desire to bootstrap, to stubbornly do it my way, I've avoided that Holy Ground. And I've lived frustrated in every minute of it. When I release my will and my need to be in control, I walk that holy ground, and I live free in the abundance of life Jesus promises His children.

Humbly, I am turning my children's protection back over to God. I will let Him do His job and I will fulfill my responsibility to trust Him with everything He owns, especially my children. They will return to a school building, where teachers will teach them math, history, language arts, and science. And I will provide that safe, secure place for them to come home to where they will be loved unconditionally, taught the Word of the Lord, and directed down the path God will take them as they journey through this thing called Life.

To purchase a copy of Mary DeMuth's latest release, Everything, please visit one of the following retailers:
amazon
Parable
Barnes and Noble

What Does God Have in Store for You?

Photo Courtesy of Microsoft

As I read Isaiah 61 on Friday morning, a list developed before my eyes. A list of how I am blessed by God. A list of promises for my life. I thought you may be blessed with this encouragement, as well, so I share it with you.

What God has for my life and says about me:

•  The Spirit of God is upon me, just as He was upon Jesus.
• I am anointed.
• I can preach good tidings to the poor.
• I can bring healing to the brokenhearted through my relationship with Jesus.
• I can proclaim liberty to the captives.
• I can open the prison of those who are bound through my testimony and the blood of the Lamb.
• I can proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
• I can proclaim the day of God's vengeance.
• I can comfort those who mourn.
• I can console those who mourn.
• I have beauty from ashes.
• I have the oil of joy for mourning.
• I have a garment of praise I can put on for a spirit of heaviness.
• I am a tree of righteousness, the planting of the Lord.
• I glorify the Lord.
• I can rebuild the ruined cities.
• I can raise up the former desolation (restoration).
• I can repair the ruined cities.
• I am a priest(ess) of the Lord.
• I am a servant of God.
• I eat riches in His kingdom.
• I have double honor instead of shame.
• I rejoice in my portion, rather than dwell in confusion.
• I possess double in my land.
• I have everlasting joy.
• God will direct my work in truth.
• I have an everlasting covenant with the Lord.
• My descendents shall be known. 
• All who see my descendants will acknowledge them.
• My descendants are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed.
• I greatly rejoice in the Lord.
• My soul is joyful in my God.
• I am clothed with the garments of salvation.
• God has covered me with the robe of righteousness. I am a bridegroom bedecked with ornaments, a bride adorned with jewels.

Cultivate Your Garden

I recently returned from a women's conference, where the theme was "Walking in the Garden in the Cool of the Day."

One thing I considered is what my garden looks like. I'd never thought of a garden as my place to get alone with God to pray. I'd always imagined going to a quiet place of solitude, like a closet (or a shower).

Another think I've been considering since returning is Isaiah 61:11. It jumped off the page when I read it the other night.

The garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth. When I am in my garden, praying, spending time with Jesus, I am sowing life with my prayers. I am rooting out all those pesky weeds of life and making room for new life to grow. I am planting those things I dream of, those things I know I'm called to do in life, those things I want to see in my husband's or my children's lives. God will cause His righteousness to spring forth in those things in the right season. And I will sing His praises to the nations.

What do you see in this verse? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments.

My Way for a Day

Some days I find myself bemoaning my to-do list, wishing I could shred it into a thousand pieces and watch it fall into the trash like fairy dust. Fairy dust that gives me the right to do as I please for one day. To have things my way. To have my husband and children serve me. To have the house to myself. To be left alone. Because sometimes being a wife and a mom is just plain exhausting.

Artwork Copyright Karla Dornacher

Alas, this is not the life I have chosen. Nor will it ever be. When I face those days, I must turn to the following verses:

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

Psalm 51:10-12

Lord, remove my will and replace it with Yours. May I love my husband and children the way that You do; may I see them with Your eyes. May I love them with Your heart.

Renew my strength to endure, Lord. Give me a fresh breath of life. Blow Your Spirit deep into my own. May I stand firm in my confession of Your goodness and mercy. Let me not grow weary in doing good.

Lord, draw me near to You. Hold me in Your embrace. Hide me under the shadow of Your mighty wing. Don't allow me to stray from Your path. Help me to hear Your still small voice amidst the winds, the fires, and the earthquakes of life.

Restore the joy of Your salvation. Let me never forget the moment I came to know my First Love. Let Your Word jump off the page at me just as it did in that first moment of purity in my life as a new woman. Blot out the world in my life and purify my heart. Bring Your refreshing. Uphold me in the generosity of Your Love. Fill my heart and mind with the joy of knowing You.

Tell me, dear reader, what words you would use to pray this verse in your life. How do you handle those days when you wish  you could have it all your way and not have to do anything for another, out of desire or desperation?

Please Note: For the next few months, as I post these devotion-type encouragements on Mondays, I will be featuring artwork and photographs and such that I've discovered around the web. I pray you find these inspiring, as well. I will link to the website of the artist/photographer/etc. underneath the photo. Watch below the posts for more information, such as where to purchase the designs if you wish. For example:

Today's artwork is by Karla Dornacher. She has a shop over at Etsy, where she sells copies of this print. While visiting, check out her other designs. They're so precious!
 



 

Inspiring Encouragement - Greener Grass

Mary DeMuth has written an incredible book entitled Everything. Within the pages of this challenging read, she has several quotes worthy of sharing. You can find some of them on this Pinterest board. Here's one I created:

So often, we think our neighbor has it so much better. They can afford the two ATVs and the snowmobile. Their paint isn't peeling off their home. Their kids are involved in every activity under the sun. And they've always got a smile on their faces.

What we don't see are the credit cards piled up and the debt load they live under. We don't see the stress they feel with every new commitment. We don't hear the argument they had last night over the bill that didn't get paid. We don't see their despair.

The grass is greener where we water it. If we ponder the world and all of its supposed blessings for too long, we lose sight of the spiritual aspects of our life. The world will drag us down when Jesus will lift us up. We need to nurture that spiritual part of our being with the water of the Word. Then life will be full of growth and those things that keep us going forward in the kingdom of God, and our grass will be plenty green enough. (And our neighbors will wonder why we can't stop smiling.)

Mary's book will release on October 16th. You can pre-order it now at the following retailers:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Autumn Update

As autumn rolls in and the holidays near, I understand that schedules (including mine) get busy with school and sporting events, family gatherings, outreach ministries and so much more. It's also a season where bloggers take breaks and readers read less. 

Knowing such, I am choosing to back down my posts for the months of October through December. Rather than work on new posts for these few months, I am going to do a few different things.

1. On Mondays, I will take a scripture God has brought to the forefront and use it in a devotion format to encourage us at the beginning of the week.
2. On Wednesdays, I would like to get to know you better. You, my readers, are important to me. I'm thrilled to see some new faces and hear some new voices leaving comments. Thank you for joining us! I will post a brief "Getting to Know You" post in which I will tell you a little bit about me. I would then love it if you would share your thoughts about you. Hopefully, this will be a lot of fun!
3. On Fridays, I will share a photograph I've taken or a graphic I've created. I hope these will inspire and encourage you, as well. They may or may not be attached to a brief post.
4. I will still continue posting book reviews on Thursdays. I have a lot of books I'm loving reading and/or promoting and will continue to share these finds with you. Please watch for posts concerning Mary DeMuth's October 16th release Everything. I will most likely continue blogging through this book and share the review with you on the 16th. I am hosting a blog tour for the release on October 30th. Please stop by and leave some comment love for Mary. She's an amazing woman of God.
5. Please be sure to visit my website, Inspire a Fire, for more encouragement to ignite that flame for God in your spheres of influence.

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey we call life. I appreciate you and hope my words continue to reflect God's heart and bring encouragement to your hearts. 

When the Wind is Loud and the Land is Dry

My apologies. This was supposed to post on Friday. I found it in draft mode today.  Go figure...

On Wednesday, I mentioned the dry spot I find myself in. Like standing in the desert, waiting for rain. How convenient (I don't believe in coincidences, or luck. I believe in divine appointments.) that I came across this song on Pandora last night:
 

 

"Desert Song" starts out with a verse about God bringing Moses and the Egyptians out from under Pharaoh's rule, walking them through the sea as it moves aside.

I immediately thought of how living in the bondage of our sins, whether they are perceived or presumptuous, is like living in bondage under a mighty ruler. We so desperately are driven by that sin day-by-day as we toil and sweat under the weight of the guilt it brings to our hearts and minds. We crave a drink of life. We starve, looking to the heavens for nourishment and finding none. We walk on blistered feet down paths never intended for man to travel. We buckle under the weight of it all and finally fall to our knees, exhausted, unable to go any further.

Until Moses (fill in Jesus) comes with a message from God and commands the sin in our life to let go. Because under the blood of God's precious Son, darkness must flee. The clouds of life part and the tunnel has light at the end and the seas rear up and move out of our way. Because God calls us out into His glorious presence. He calls us forth to a new life with Him.

And then we have a choice. Will we worship Him in spirit and in truth? Or will we find our way to the wilderness? I choose worship. I choose freedom. I choose life.

How do I avoid the wilderness and enter into a heart of worship?

1. I turn on the praise. I have a "Jesus Radio" station on Pandora. I've listened to three hours of Jesus music--mostly worship songs--tonight as I've worked and typed and worshiped. My heart has lifted the name of God high. As a result, my spirit has lifted, as well. The frustration has released its grip. The overwhelming weight has dissipated. I smile instead of scowl.

2. I pray. I pray when I open my eyes. I pray while I pack my husband's lunch. I pray while I yell at the kids (that I would have more patience). I pray before I read the Word. I pray while I shower. I pray before I turn out the light. Is it always out loud? No. Is it always for an hour straight? Hardly. Is it long-winded? Not a chance. Is it always a request? Nope. My prayers are in the moment. They are short, brief, to-the-point. Once in awhile they are written or whispered or hollered from the top of my lungs.

3. I read the Word. No matter how dry I feel, the Word is always living water. I may be so parched I can't recognize its life-giving power, but with every drop I remain alive. I may be scorched in my sin and floundering like a fish out of water, but I will not wait for someone to pick me up off my bed of life and drop me into the pool as the angels come to stir it. No, I will inch closer and closer to re-hydration with every line of Scripture.

4. I give thanks. God deserves my thanks regardless of how I feel in this moment of life. He doesn't put me into my sin. I do. Why bemoan Him when He is my Refuge and my Strength? No. I will not complain. I will thank Him for my salvation. I will thank Him for the victory already won. I will thank Him for the storehouse of blessings coming my way. I will thank Him for just being the One Who Sees Me. 

5. I press on in the midst of adversity. I wait on the Lord. I still my thoughts and listen for the still-small voice. I wait as the wind, the earthquake, and the fire pass by. I look for the seas to part and the Promised Land to come into view. Because I know it will. God called me out of the darkness into His marvelous light. His word over my life never comes back void. I stand on the promise of the joy of salvation. And I wave my hands heavenward.

What do you do to make it through the dry places? What facet of faith do you cling to? What Scripture brings life into your heart?