From Frazzled to Fun

“They say Aslan is on the move— perhaps has already landed.” Yes, I do believe He has.

In July, as I took long walks in the Eleven Mile Canyon while my husband fly fished, I spent hours in prayer. I rarely encountered people, so it worked really well to just go ahead and talk out loud to God.

Over and over again I heard out of my mouth “Roar, Lion of Judah” and I imagined that great lion Aslan, from the Chronicles of Narnia series, standing boldly up on the high cliffs.

When I came home and told a friend about all the “Roar, Lion of Judah” proclamations, she asked what that meant. I told her I was not exactly sure.

All of 2020 I had my phone screen saver set to a Lion and Lamb in the clouds picture, and I had been reflecting much on Jesus, the Lion of Judah.

I was captured years before by the lion Aslan, the central figure of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and the other Chronicles of Narnia books.

He shows up in chapter twelve as Narnia had come under a spell from the Whi...

2020...BEST YEAR EVER...period.

This past year goes down as my most ironic calendar ever. 

Every day in the midst of "one more" unprecedented and unexpected change, I kept seeing...

BEST YEAR EVER. Haha.

On New Year's Eve my family and I lingered around the table and I was blown away as we recounted how many great things actually DID happen in our lives in the midst of all of 2020's twists and turns.

I am grateful the first week of January 2020 I felt the Lord whisper to my heart Redeem the time on your knees. 

As I sought to honor that directive and carved out more time than usual to pray and be in the Word, I saw Him multiply my time in unexpected ways and was reminded of Matthew 6:33, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

If I had known in January all the challenges that the next 12 months would hold, it would have been too heavy a burden to bear.

But day by day the Lord met me as I bent my knee to Him and sought...

I pray a blessed Thanksgiving for you and your family this year.

I would guess your kids aren't being taught the strong Christian origins of not only Thanksgiving, but the founding of America itself?

I know I never heard it in school, and much of it I only learned this year after doing some digging.

Hear my short teaching on what I discovered.

A few things included in that teaching:

• The first landing of America in 1607 included a group that erected a 7-foot oak cross and prayed (after they had spent 3 days ashore on the ship in repentance and prayer to embark as "right" with the Lord)
• At that first landing, Rev. Robert Hunt consecrated the continent to the glory of God. In covenantal language he declared, “…from these very shores the Gospel shall go forth to not only this New World, but the entire world.”
• Thirteen years later in 1620, the Pilgrims came to America in pursuit of holiness and the building of an ideal Christian Commonwealth
• First Thanksgiving - Three-day feast in
...

Weary? Not surprised.

I'm praying for you.

And I have a special song for you.

Listen here and really take it all in.

You will keep in perfect peace

those whose minds are steadfast, 

because they trust in you. 

Isaiah 26:3

Dear sister, let's look to the Lord's strength and keep our minds steadfast on Him. He is the Ancient of Days, the One who parted the Red Sea, the One who is Always True and Always Able. 

We are living in exciting times -- we must make sure we get right before the Lord and then stay in constant prayer as we go through our days in such a time as this. 

I believe we are about to see the Glory of the Lord like we have not seen in our lifetime.

I also believe God is looking for faithful servants who are willing to walk forward in courage and accept His power from on high to be used in great ways for His Kingdom's purposes.

I'm raising my hand. Will you join me?

If stress, anxiety and overwhelm seem to be getting the best of you these days, you are not alone. It seems every day there is news to deal with emotionally, and it's a lot.

Yesterday I was discouraged...

It's so hard to see so many in our nation suffering, 

I have a child who is struggling with online school at home,

People are divided on so many issues,

We are experiencing the hottest summer in Phoenix's history,

and I'm concerned our freedoms and Republic could slip away.

A dear friend reminded me of this precious, tender hymn last night and it soothed my soul. Now I want to share it with you.

I encourage you to click on the link below to hear it, but come back to these lyrics, breathe, and take every word in.

Like a River Glorious, by Frances R. Havergal, 1876

1. Like a river glorious is God’s perfect peace,
   Over all victorious, in its bright increase;
   Perfect, yet it floweth fuller every day,
   Perfect, yet it groweth deeper all the way.
   • Refrain:
     Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts
   ...

We must be diligent in discernment these days, momma. Things that look good from their titles aren't necessarily what they seem.

We could talk about current organizations, movements and governmental committees with names that make them seem right and good even when they have an evil agenda.

But for today, I'd just like to look at two seemingly "Christian" books. 

The two books are called Conversations with God and Conversations with God for Teens, by Neal D. Walsch, and are being promoted by Oprah. 

The books' titles make them seem Christian, but their messages go against the Word of God. They not only contain false doctrine, they sometimes quote (in error) the Word of God.

They have been on the New York Times best sellers list and are made available to our kids through the Scholastic Book Club.

The author purports to answer various questions asked by kids using the "voice of God". For example, one question asked about God's forgiveness of sin. The reply is, "I do not forgive any...

Dear Father,

Thank you that you make all things new.

Thank you for the victory and power in your Name and that you hold the keys over death. By Your might, Jesus was raised from the grave, making the way for us to have new life with you today and for all eternity. 

God, I surrender all to you and trust you with every part of my life. Resurrect the parts of my faith squelched by fear in these days.

We need you. Renew and refresh our hearts, minds, and lives, to walk in victory for such a time as this. 

Keep your words of truth planted firm within us, help us to stay focused on what is pure and right, give us the power to be obedient to your Word, and remind us of who we are in Christ.

Make our ears deaf to the lies of the enemy and open to your truths.

Help me to remember the Holy Spirit lives in me. Show me how to walk in your Resurrection Power each and every day.

Help me to be your light in a dark world.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.