A Big Question

I am back from my time alone with Jesus at a cabin in the Piney woods. Such a gorgeous day yesterday and it seemed as if there were no people around for miles. Lovely day with my Lord. I am so blessed.

During our time together, I asked God what He wanted me to do with my writing.

Let me back up and tell you that although I have enjoyed some publishing success that I am very grateful for, the two times I've tried to get a book published I was only met with rejection. Over and over. It is discouraging and it makes me wonder if I am doing what I am supposed to do.

Every writer will tell you that they face this same dilemna. Is this worth it? Should I go get a job and earn extra money for great vacations or a bigger home?

So I took my sincere question to God.

But He didn't answer at first. All I heard was Him asking me another question.

A big one.

"Robbie, would you still write if you knew that you would never have a book published?"

Yikes. Immediately I countered with "Does that mean I'll never get a book published, God?"

Again a soft whisper in my heart. "Robbie, would you still write if you knew that you would never have a book published?"

I answered quickly. "Of course. I have to write."

And the Spirit of God overwhelmed me with "Then write. Wait on Me for accomplishment. Get busy on serving Me with your words."

So there it is. I still hope to have a book published. It's my dream. But I don't have any control over whether an editor and a publisher like my work. What I can do is discipline myself to work on my craft, write every day and leave the rest to Jesus.

Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do in word or in deed, do it with all your heart as to the Lord and not for publication." Wait. Sorry. The last part is supposed to say "not for men."

But you get my drift.

Off to 24 hours with Jesus in the Woods!

It is so important to hang out with Jesus. It is so wonderful to just be in His presence with no other distractions.

So I am off. In a few minutes, I am out the door and in my car headed for a cabin in the woods. I go to a place called Benet Pines Retreat Center. It's in the middle of tall pines and it's run by the sweetest nuns you've ever met.

I'll get there this morning and spend 24 hours with no phone, internet or TV. Just me and my precious Lord. If you've never done this, you should try it. Nothing, nothing, nothing replaces time alone with God. Takes practice to enjoy Him and hear Him. First time I did this I spent a couple of hours walking around and praying and reading my Bible and then I was like, "Okay. Done. What now?"

But after a few of these excursions, some good books on how to sit at the Father's feet and great advice from my brother Phil, I know each time I go will be different and wonderful and fulfilling. Especially since I don't go with expectations. I don't make an agenda that says I have to pray this long or read the Word this long. I just go and rest in His arms. The time goes by sweetly.

So pray for me that I will hear the Lord. I have questions for Him and I have a deep need to sit on His lap and feel His love engulf me.

Please pray....

My writer friend Cheryl Barker writes a wonderful blog called Refreshing Spirits, Nourishing Souls. You can find it at http://www.cherylbarker.blogspot.com

On Mothers Day, Cheryl's friend Amy Blagg was killed in a car crash along with her son. The funeral for Amy and Kyler is this morning. Amy was a loving woman who spent a lot of time serving Christ.

My heart breaks for Cheryl and for Amy's husband and remaining kids. Please say a prayer for them and go over to Cheryl's blog and leave her a note if you feel led.

Only our Father knows why. But He is faithful. He can't help but be faithful.

Me and My Man - A Typical Conversation! :0)

Me: John, tonight you take Noah to Cub Scouts.

John: Will you tape Heroes for me?

Me: Isn't it over for this season?

John: Oh, that's right. (Fake moaning) WHY?

Me: It's just a show, John.

John: WHY?

Me: Don't you think you're being a little dramatic?

John: WHY?

Me: All shows end, honey. In a couple weeks, Dancing with the Stars will end too.

John: That's because there is a God.

God at the Movies - Part 2 - "Frost Nixon"

As the movie began, memory whisked me away to an elementary playground. My fellow conservative 10-year-olds marched with me, proud signs reading ‘Nixon for President.’ My first foray into politics included kicking sand on the shoes of the lowly 4th grade McGovern supporters.

I no longer march or kick sand. But I sat ready to enter the world of politics again. It didn’t take long for me to realize that “Frost Nixon” did not center on politics, but rather on a battle of wits between two men. The movie was interesting, but I am glad I didn’t spend money at a movie theater. Just rented it.

So was God in this film? Absolutely. Frost and Nixon, for all their differences dealt with the same issue many of us Christians deal with: Pride.

Nixon resigned from office but never admitted wrongdoing. Pride.

Frost interviewed Nixon to get a confession for ratings. This consumed him. Pride.

Neither were sympathetic characters to me. Pride is simply not attractive. It isn’t attractive to my Father in heaven when I am consumed with it either.

But then Frost asked the right questions with the right timing. Nixon humbled himself and admitted he had let everyone down. He confessed to his wrong doing.

For the first time since I was in 4th grade, Nixon appealed to me. Humility has a quality that draws us like a moth to a flame or a bee to honey. Humility smells sweet whereas Pride walks into a room with too much cologne, wanting to impress. Humility has the self control to sit quietly and listen, whereas Pride can’t wait to add his/her two cents to every conversation.

At the end of the movie, I didn’t care about Frost. He got what he wanted. So what? But I empathized with Nixon, a man who admitted that “My political career is over.”

Pride is sneaky and ubiquitous. Humility is to be sought and savored.

Yep, great lesson. In a movie, too.

God's Healing! Warning - Wound Pictures! :0)

My husband John suffered a serious head injury due to a motorcycle accident on December 28th - four and a half months ago. He spent 27 days in the hospital during which he develped a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs). He had a wound on his leg after accident that never really healed and instead got infected, so he had surgery on it, spending two more days in the hospital.

But the wound surgeon has officially declared John almost healed! Woo-hoo! God heals!

Here are two pictures - The wound then and the wound now.

Blessed be the name of the Lord for His goodness to us...Always!

The Before Picture:




This Morning:

Happy Mothers Day!

This morning I asked Noah to go get something for me.

"Okay." He didn't move.

John spoke up. "Noah, you need to obey your mother immediately. Today is the one day out of the year that she could take you out and no court in the land would convict her."

:0)

Happy Mothers Day!!!