Sheltered Shadow

Psalm 91 - if you haven't read it in a while, go to it again, read it now (then come back and finish the blog).

When our family lived in Florida and Georgia, there were times when the heat of the day was so intense - sweltering! Oppressive! And often you just couldn't get away from it. It made doing anything difficult - even breathing at times. Sometimes life can be like that. Intense, sweltering, oppressive - hot! And a cool refreshing shelter is so needed, yet seems to allude you and you feel like you can't breath! Maybe you're there right now....

God has promised a sheltered shadow - a place of refuge and safety - from every trap and fatal plague. He has promised to shield you with His wings! And you can hold on to that promise because (vs4) "His faithful promises are your armor and protection." As for you.... just abide in there - in Him, and declare... (vs2) "He is my God, and I am trusting Him." Read Psalm 91 again, even if you did a few minutes ago... And declare His promises all throughout the chapter! You will find that cool refreshing shelter you need! Breath His Word and LIVE!!

Writings from Life Through...To A Shout of Joy

The Promise of Joy (ch 1)

In Psalm 91:1-2 we see that dwelling in God's presence will provide a place for us to abide under the shadow of the Almighty. That's where I'm learning to live, every moment of every day.

As I was thinking about abiding under the shadow of the Almighty and what that's like, the Lord reminded me of what it's like on a hot day, when the sun is blazing and you have to be out in it for a while. You can feel your skin begin to burn, the heat saps your energy and if you're out in it too long it can become dangerous. Now, think about how much of a relief it is to step into a shadow. Being under a huge tree with the breeze blowing over you, cooling your hot sticky skin, is such a relief. That's what it is like when we are dwelling under His wings. It is there that we are shadowed (sheltered and relieved) from the fires of life burning us.

In John 15:9 Jesus says, "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you: abide in My love." The Father and the Son are eternal, and their love is eternal. Yet their love for us is so intense that both gave up a portion of being one in order for Jesus to come to earth and bring us back into covenant with God, back into intimate fellowship through the shedding of His blood, just for our redemption, for our relief from the fires of hell. He loves us, and is calling for us to live in His love, under the shadow of His wings and in His joy.

If God has touched you and you found the place under the shadow of His wings, please share it with someone going through the fire that they may find relief.

Living in His Joy and Strength!!

See you next week!

Rehearsing Hope and Joy

In the last few weeks the subject of hope has peaked it's way into my life quite often. I have been led to scriptures about hope, hear conversations that go like, "I need hope in my life!" and have felt my own hope in some areas floundering a bit. Last week I talked some about rehearsing - re-hear-ing and re-see-ing what we think about and what we say. And I have to admit, I've been in a bit of a funk with my walk of hope and how I'm processing circumstances in my life right now. And I have felt myself slipping into a sea of muck instead of a sea of life and hope. But this morning I awoke - well, the Holy Spirit woke me up (it's 4:40am), with the messages I'm to do at a conference coming up in Georgia with my friend Tammy - Equipped for Joy - (you can go to her web site to see more information or register www.legacyministries.info It's going to be powerful!!) But in the midst of hearing from Him for this conference - I was reminded.... Doreen, this is what you need to be doing right now too! I need to allow hope to rise up in me. I need to re-see hope and joy in my own life, so... I need to re-hear myself saying the right things! Not, "I can't..." or "I don't..." or "I'm feeling..." or "I'm stuck in..." NO! But rather re-hear myself saying things like... "Holy Spirit, rise up in me and stir up life in me!" or "I speak life - Holy Spirit filled, power packed life!" "Rise Up old dead dry bones - come alive!!" (Ezekiel 37) "But as for me, I will hope continually and I will praise You more and more!" (Psalm 71:14) "Mortal body...you are quickened and filled with life by the power of the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead!!" (Romans 8:11)

What do you need to re-hear so that you can re-see hope and joy in your life?

I'm so thankful the Holy Spirit is our helper! I needed this word today! This reminder. Here is a little "rehearsal" I do often (although, for too long now, I have missed rehearsals) and hopefully it will help you too... When I'm down or blue in my mind or spirit, this is something the Lord has taught me to do - to say...

"This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it! For the Joy of the Lord is my strength and He is the glory and the lifter of my head, a shield about me, my Rock and my fortress, my hiding place. Therefore I will not fear for He has upheld me with His righteous right hand and Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world! So I will stand in faith in the power of His might for if my God be for me...who can be against me!!" Amen!! This always brings life and joy to me - always rises me up!

Here are some scriptures that I have put in my book Life Through...To A Shout of Joy (pg 174) that you can look up and will help you put together for yourself something like that ...
Nehemiah 8:10, 1 John 4:4, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 71:5, Romans 5:5, Isaiah 41:10, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 27:1-3, Acts 16:31, Psalm 118:24, Ephesians 6:10, 1 Corinthians 2:16, Romans 8:31, 1 John 4:9, Isaiah 26:3, Hebrews 4:14-16

Writings from Life Through...To A Shout of Joy

The Walk of Joy

Ch 9 - Speak

Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer."

The spirit realm is released when we speak out loud, whether it's positive or negative, life or death. I know it seems far fetched, but I have experienced it and know from scripture that what we say can determine what happens in our future. Our words can determine how we feel, good or bad, and how we live. There is power in words! God said, "Let there be," and there was! Scripture tells us that there is life and death in the power of the tongue. Jesus taught that it wasn't what went into the body that defiled a man, but the things that proceeded out of his mouth.

Changing the way you speak is something you will need the Holy Spirit to help you with. I know I do. It's not anything I can do all by myself, but I can make the choice to speak in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. I can choose to say "God has good plans for me" or "nothing good will happen to me." "This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice" or "I'll never be happy." If we don't change the way we talk (and think) then we limit God in our lives, or in the lives of others, and Satan will drag us further and further away from the victory that Jesus died to give us.... We need to do what we know is right to do even if we don't feel like it. That's faith, living a supernatural life. Once we do our part and put into practice the Word of God, speaking it out loud, we invite God to bring His blessings, promises, deliverance, healing and provision into our lives.

Living in His joy and strength!!

See you next week

The Habit of Thanks

Last night a group of ladies gathered together during our monthly women's ministry night, and we had a wonderful time of worship - a sweet aroma of adoration, soaking in the precious love of the Lord, sharing our heart of thanks to Him and praying for others. I sat there wishing more would have experienced His arms of love that were so tangible to each one of us there!
One of the things I shared with these women as be gathered was the importance of nurturing a habit of thanksgiving - a heart of gratitude. So often we very quickly and easily can rehearse - which by the way, when you dissect this word you get - re...hear...se - what we rehearse, we re hear and re see in our lives, minds and emotions....but that's another whole story, sermon, teaching, maybe even book.... But instead of declaring the good things that God has done, often we get caught in the cycle of rehearsing and talking about the hard places, difficulties, test, trials, hurts etc., and we then walk in the habit of negativity, complaining, depression, which all feed hopelessness. This aught not to be - yet I myself have lived many years just like that. But no more! God has transformed my mind and heart to one that practices the habit of thanksgiving - a heart of gratitude! And everything - I mean everything is different in my life now!
Ephesians 5:20 says always (and I'll repeat - make the habit of - always...) give thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God.
Colossians 3:17 says Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
What does that mean for us when things are painful - destruction is at your doorstep - and everything seems to be pushing you down? It means...we turn our eyes and hearts to Jesus and worship Him with a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
In my early 20's my life was so hard! Trauma, pain, heartache, brokenness, fear, were my constant companions. I was so tired, worn out and overwhelmed. I remember one day all this came to a head and as I was standing in the shower crying, sobbing really, angry that all this was going on in my life. But as I was standing there, water pouring over me, the Holy Spirit nudged my heart to give thanks. "Give thanks - for what!" My mind kind of rebelled at that thought. But, with tears and a clenched jaw, I began... "God, I don't want to, I don't feel like it, I don't know how I can, but You said to give thanks so...thank you for these stinking tears! Thank you for this miserable stuffed nose and headache! Thank you for this terrible day"..... that's how it began, not very pretty, but it began - and before long..."Thank you for this shower, this warm water to wash over me! Thank you for this home! Thank you God that I can be real with You!".... and with each voiced thanks, my heart changed, thank by thank that was spoken out....and eventually, with calmness and tears of hope, "God, thank you for Your help! Thank you for healing my heart! Thank you for these difficult times! Thank you that You are always with me! Thank you for Your goodness and faithfulness! Thank you for loving me!" And I was completely bathed in comfort and peace, washed in in the Living Water flowing over me - transformed...all because of giving thanks! Since that time, I have made thanksgiving a habit in my life.
Will you thank Him today - no matter what you're experiencing? If that's a struggle for you, the Holy Spirit is right there to help - ask Him! It will change your life!

Writings from Life Through...To A Shout of Joy

The Walk of Joy

DO...

As Zechariah 4:6 says, it's "Not by might nor by power but by My Spirit..." We need Jesus! When we feel down or become agitated and angry, how does our flesh want to react? We automatically act out what we feel. But with the help of the Holy Spirit we can step back, allow Him to work in us and respond the way He would. We need the help and power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives, but we also need to "do" our part. We need to choose to respond with the Lord's help instead of choosing to react in our flesh. This may take some work, but as Paul says in Colossians 1:29, "I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me."

Living in His Joy and Strength - with a heart of gratitude!!

See you next week!

I'd love to hear from you... how the habit of giving thanks has help or changed your life!

But As For Me...

We're in the thick of the change of seasons, from summer into autumn and soon winter will be upon us. Often change is difficult and people dread it (like winter coming on up here in Minnesota) - and we find ourselves reluctant to follow that change, wanting to stay where we've been. We get so used to, and caught up in the comfort of the same things that we tend to miss the movement the Lord want's to bring into our lives. Sometimes those changes that are the most difficult to allow aren't the new job or home, they're not a new baby or marriage, or not even a different boss or pastor that we have to deal with - but rather the changes within.


I have found myself at times feeling like I'm locked in a room, unable to free myself from this place of lonliness and withdrawing. A room that is comfortable, yet empty. And I long for the closeness I once had with the Lord and friends. Have you ever felt just kind of stuck? And to be honest, I know what it will take to be released from that room - but find myself often shying away from making that move - the change needed. And then I think - what's wrong with you girl - you really want to stay in there!! No, I don't, but in my weakness, I need God!


He is so good! As I was crying out this week about the things deep in my heart... He responded (as He always does) and the door was flung open!!


Psalm 71 - (1) O Lord, I have taken refuge...(2) deliver me and rescue me...(3) Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come...(5) For You are my hope O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth. (12) Oh God, do not be far from me; hasten to my help!


As I read this - the door swung open - my God who has delivered me became my room - "my rock of habitation" - and I have the freedom to continually come there! The door changed from one I thought was locked to one that was open - open to a room full of love and light. The door to this room is never locked - it's His habitation - His presence! And it brought me great hope once again to remember how God had been my refuge since I was a child!


(14) But as for me...I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more... (20) You...will revive me again, and will bring me up again... (8) My mouth is filled with Your praise and with Your glory all day long... (6) My praise is continually of You!


Do you need hope, freedom from something holding you back? Do you need a refuge from change - or the confidence to walk through that change? Do you need to be living in a different room - one unlocked? Then determine in your heart and step up and say - "But as for me...I will - hope and praise my God more and more!!" That's where your heart will be revived! Fill your mouth with His praise and His glory all day long! I stood this morning in His presence - almost immovable, plastered to the floor - in His presence and it was amazing! Not, bound or lock in a room - but held in His glory!

Writings from Life Through...To A Shout of Joy

The Walk of Joy

Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

BE...God's Friend

In a time of prayer and fasting, I was really struggling with the prayer part. I would set aside time to pray, yet so often I struggled with even starting. I asked the Holy Spirit to help me, saying there were so many pressing things I needed to pray about: family, finances, relationships, our marriage, our children, friends, upcoming mission trips, etc. - yet nothing. As I waited, the Holy Spirit said to me, "This is not a time for you to be doing; I want you to just be with me." I was kind of baffled; here the God of the universe just wanted me to be with Him. I didn't have to do all the things we Christians learn we are supposed to do. I just needed to "be" with Him as a friend. So, I gratefully sat there in His presence, with a full heart, crying and worshiping, loving Him. It wasn't long before my mind began to wrestle with the idea of not praying things through.

"Lord, You said we have not because we ask not. I'm supposed to use this time to pray. Everything I've ever been taught says I need to be praying for..."

"Doreen," (often when something is important and the Lord wants to get my attention He uses my name) "don't you trust Me to take care of all that is in your heart? I already know what you need, now please, just be with Me."

"Yes, Lord," I cried, overwhelmed. It was a wonderful time, Creator to created, Father to daughter, Lord to servant and Friend to friend. Spend time with Him. One of the greatest things you will ever "be" is His friend. There is no place like being in His presence, just being with the One who gave everything for you!

Living in His joy and strength!!

See you next week.