Benched Player

I started reading through Acts recently and in the first chapter something stuck out and I haven't been able to shake it. In Verse 12 it tells the story of finding a replacement for Judas. Verse 21 is where it gets interesting

I had to read it a few times to sink in. But what they are doing is looking for someone to replace Judas that has been with them the whole time. The WHOLE time. From the time John was baptised to the time Jesus ascended back into heaven. They ended up picking Matthias.... He was a benched player! Matthias was there the whole time, he saw all the miracles Jesus performed. He heard all of Jesus' teachings! But he was never one of "The 12". Then, after all that time of following Jesus and seeing all those signs and wonders Matthias gets called up into the Big Leagues!! He is one of "The 12"! So here is the thing, Matthias put in the work. He put in the time. The discipline of following someone he believed in without receiving anything in return! He went to every "practice" and sat on the bench handing the team water, hoping that there would be a time he could get in the game. Then his time came. He was ready to be called into the Big leagues because he put in the time needed before hand. 

Conviction hit. Lord, how often am I upset because I feel like I didn't get the recognition I deserved. Or how often do I feel entitled to something just because I have served in the past? God, fix my heart! Help me to learn that without spending time seeking you and preparing my heart I will never be ready to do big things for you! 

It's a scary thing to ask God to teach me something. I never know how that's going to play out... But I know God is showing me this because it is something he needs to teach me. So Lord, prepare my heart for the lesson you need to teach. Help me be ready to receive it and put it into action in my faith.


Grace & Peace

He Fills Heaven and Earth

   Over the past several months, 7 to be exact, we have been lifting up Daniel's younger cousin in prayer. She was first admitted into the hospital in May due to severe headaches, where they found some serious things going on. All of this leading into multiple brain surgeries and a lot of nights in the Hospital. She is only 17, this was supposed to be her Senior Year of High School. She had already began looking at Colleges, envisioning her future, thinking of majors, and all of that has been put on hold. There was a point at which they diagnosed her and began treatments, only to leave her back in the Hospital again with the Doctors at a loss.
   As we have been praying for her I have really struggled with God. She is totally in love with God and pursues Him daily, she is a great daughter, and incredible student, and overall just a joy to be around. And I can't understand why God would let this happen to her. Why He would let it last for so long and not give any answers or Hope that it will ever come to an end. I found myself saying, "God where are you? Why aren't you with her?" And this is what He showed me,

"Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away? 

Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” 

declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” 

declares the LORD." - Jeremiah 23:23-24

 He is with her. He is all around her. Even though we may not understand why He is letting this happen, we can rest assure knowing that He will always be by her side. I will continue to pray for her and pray for Gods miraculous healing over her body, but until that happens I know she will never be alone. Please join our family in praying for this Beautiful girl. Strength for the fight ahead of her and for Gods hand of restoration on her body.

Grace & Peace






**** Photo Courtesy of wallpapers.pixxp.com

A neck in Irons

"His neck was put in Irons" Psalm 105:18

I read a devotion the other day centered around this verse. It was exactly what I needed. The funny thing is it was for the 27th but the day I was reading was actually the 29th. It's like God wanted me to get my dates mixed up so He could speak so profoundly. Thanks Lord. 

  This is what it said, " Never run from suffering, but bear it silently, patiently, and submissively, with the assurance that it is Gods way of instilling iron into your spiritual life. The world is looking for iron leaders, iron armies, iron tendons, and muscles of steel. But God is looking for iron saints, and since there is no way to impart iron into his peoples moral nature except by letting them suffer, He allows them to suffer." - Streams in the Desert

  And early this morning, I received a phone call with devastating news. My nephews mom who had just had an emergency C-section called to say that her brand new baby boy didn't make it. Jesus called him home. There were health problems along the way and he was born 11 weeks early, but we were really feeling optimistic that he was going to pull through. And now we are left with broken hearts and no words to say to comfort a grieving mother. I turned back to this verse in Psalms and just prayed. Sometimes not saying anything, sometimes saying everything I could think of. But I am realizing that in the midst of this heart break, God is doing something greater. God is preparing a family for something. And my new prayer is that they can find that purpose and run towards it. Lord, give them the goal so they can focus on it.