A Miracle Over Time

My children, 1986

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. 

To Him be the glory forever. Amen!”

(Romans 11:33-36)

 We have evolved into a microwave society. If we’re not watchful, when God doesn’t answer our cries for help instantly, we may disregard or totally miss the answers that He works out over time.

      In the 1980s, my husband owned a land and timber business in south Louisiana during a past U.S. economic crunch. When gasoline prices plummeted, land and timber values bottomed out. Therefore, despite his sweat, tears, and valiant efforts, that company imploded, leaving a bottomless pit of unpaid taxes and disgruntled investors.

SO…

I prayed a microwave prayer: “O Lord, please help us win the Clearing House Sweepstakes!” In my shallow thinking, only a miraculous, instantaneous answer could propel us out of that very, deep hole.

God’s answer…

“Do not trust in oppression and do not vainly hope in robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.” Once God has spoken; twice I have heard this: that power

belongs to God; and lovingkindness is Yours, O Lord, for You

 recompense a man according to his work."

(Psalm 62: 10-12)

With three little mouths to feed…

my remarkable mate did any and every form of work he could find – from plowing fields on a tractor, to working as a temporary secretary.

In a few months…

a door opened for a job in a well-established land and timber company based out of Birmingham, Alabama: our home state.

5 years later…

all the back taxes had been paid.

In 10 more years…

all his investors had been reimbursed.

And now, 24 years later…

my extraordinary husband is part-owner of that well-established land and timber company, living out his dreams - truly

God’s miracle over time!

Are you in a deep hole? Cry out to the Most High God and follow Him out of that pit, one step at a time, for as long as it takes!

“Now unto Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 

to Him be the glory in the church and 

in Christ Jesus to all generations 

forever and ever. Amen.”

(Eph. 3:20-21)

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The Story of a King

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.” 
(Daniel 4:37)

King Nebuchadnezzar ruled over the great empire of Babylon from 605-562 B.C. Classical writers eulogized about the grand capital city (in modern day Iraq) fortified by high hundred-gated walls and the king's elaborate construction of majestic monuments and impressive canals.

“Because of the grandeur which (God) bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations and men of every language feared and trembled before (King Nebuchadnezzar); whomever he wished he killed and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated and whomever he wished he humbled.

But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was disposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. He was driven away from the mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven
UNTIL
he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes!" (Daniel 5:19-21)

"At the end of that period (of humiliation), I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever;

For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,

And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,

But He does according to His will in the host of heaven

And among the inhabitants of the earth..."

(Daniel 4:34-35)

And the moral of his story is:

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” (Prov. 16:18)

“Therefore…

humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you!” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

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Smile for the Day

That's my girl!

Today, my sweet, 5-year-old granddaughter read a Scripture verse hanging on a doorknob in their home: "Let your 'yes' be yes, and your 'no' be no." (Matt. 5:37)

She paused, reflected, and then declared, "Sometimes I just have to do eenie meenie miney mo."

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Wonderful Stories

Grandbabies and me, 2007

“You will be able to tell wonderful stories to your children and grandchildren about the marvelous things I am doing.”  (Ex. 10:2 NLT)

This New Living Translation rendition of Exodus 10:2 is the verse God used to inspire the first storybook, The Schoolhouse, in the Wonderful Stories series. I’ve now completed the manuscript for storybook #2 and an extremely gifted artist, Donny Finley, is painting the illustrations, which I hope to share with you soon.

Preview:

After her beloved friend, Col. James, passed away, life seemed bleak and hopeless for teenager Rachel Grant. Watching her mother struggle to make the ends meet between substantial bills and a meager income caused the teen’s aspirations for college to fade into an aimless destination called “nowhere”.

Tears trickled down Rachel’s cheeks and dripped onto her threadbare cardigan as she read for the hundredth time the mysterious letter the old World War II veteran left for her:

Dear Rachel,

Don't be afraid, Little Lamb, for the Lord has seen your SOS and is chasing after you with His goodness. The answer to all your troubles rests at Shiloh. I promise!

                                                           With love from your friend,

                                                                              Col. James  

       When Rachel finally musters the courage to return to Shiloh, the pre-Civil War plantation home owned by Col. James Beauregard Hamilton, her childhood playmate partners with her to help decipher the hidden meaning of the encrypted letter. Together, Rachel and Martin journey through a labyrinth of encoded clues to unlock the Secrets of Shiloh.

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The Battle is the Lord's

Friends and me, 1999

“O our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we

know what to do but our eyes are on You.”

“Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude,

 for the battle is not yours but the Lords!”

(2 Chron. 20:12,15)

The account of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chron. 20:1-30 is one of my favorite Old Testament Bible stories. Because not one, not two, but three bloodthirsty armies were on the march to attack Jerusalem, King Jehoshaphat resolved to seek the face of God! He called all Judah: men, women, children, and even infants to stand before the Lord and pray.

 In Jehoshaphat’s prayer, he asked, “Are You not the God in heaven (acknowledging God’s position)? Have You not driven out our enemies in the past (acknowledging God’s power)? Will you not judge our enemies now (petitioning God’s purpose)?”

God answered His people through the prophet, Jahaziel, declaring that they need not fear because He would fight the battle for them. In faith, King Jehoshaphat sent singers out ahead of Judah’s troops. When the choir began to belt out praises to the Lord, He set an ambush against their foes. Judah looked on from the sidelines as their adversaries attacked and destroyed each other, then waltzed onto the battlefield to collect the spoils!

What's coming against you today? Seek the face of your Most High God. Call upon Him in prayer, and do everything He tells you to do! Fear not, precious one, for the Lord, Most High and Powerful, is with you!

My  prayer for you today:

O Father, I pray in Jesus’ name that _____________ (your name) will keep his/her eyes on you in all circumstances and fear not. I pray he/she will seek You, listen to Your instructions, obey You, trust You, and worship You while You win the victory! In Jesus’ name. Amen and Amen.

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