Renewal

I am still a bit amazed at how God showed up this morning during my quiet time.  I am not sure why.  I am not sure why I allow myself to forget in order to be amazed over and over.

The last 2 weeks I have virtually played hooky from my morning quiet time.  I was getting to bed late, rushing through a few quiet moments before the crowd assembled (my kids) and it was anything but intimate and precious.

This morning I woke up at 5:30 on my own, sans alarm clock or showering husband.  I love when that happens!!  I love when he gently prods me to open those eyes and get out of my bed.

And after 2 days of getting back into the groove, I hit my stride this morning.  God was there.  He was waiting for me to show up, to leave my agenda behind, to really allow him to lead my moments.  So I did.

I turned to Psalms to pray through a Psalm – I wanted to change things up a bit from my note cards, and just pray through words he penned in the book.  I ended up in Psalm 77.

(First, let me tell you how Jen Hatmaker wrote yesterday (well I read it yesterday) the value of writing our prayers – keeping a log.  How those who have gone before us logged their prayers throughout the pages of our Bible and who are we to not!?)

I prayed through many verses, but

verse 11 : I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes I will remember your miracles of long ago

That hit me right between the eyes.

You see, yesterday morning I was questioning why I write my prayers down each morning, for the same people, many the same prayers.  Why do I log them?  Why?  Then Jen told me what she thought, why I should.  Then God told me. 

But, it does not stop there.  As I am praying, studying, etc.  I get a message from Kristen, telling me she prayed this morning too.  She prayed

Psalm 68:9 – you gave abundant showers O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance. 

That’s right, the same Psalm 68 Jen Hatmaker took us through 3 weeks ago.  Yes, that is my God – he is BIG and he knits things together perfectly.

You see, God “gave” – he did it in the past, they were reflecting on what he did in the past, they wrote about it.  They logged all God’s goodness of what he has DONE.  And as they logged, they provided a record for you and me.  And we need to do the same.

Why?  Because this road we travel is long.  It is hard.  And it is with MANY bumps along the way.  When we hit those bumps we need the log to look back on and remember.  Remember when he refreshed their (our) weary souls.  We remember his faithfulness, his love for us, his mercy.  We remember all he has done and trust that he is not done doing for us.

I love it when God – I mean I show up .  Really, was God there on the couch at 5:30 yesterday?  Last week?  you bet.  He is always there.  He is waiting for me to show up with a humble heart, with an open agenda to let him lead me.  The habit of prayer is wonderful, but we need to be open enough in carrying out our habits to listen to the still small voice – as it calls us to follow him.  Sometimes it looks different, and we wonder, but oh, it can be so precious when we do!

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Today was a much needed morning of renewal.  So thankful!!

Constantly offering up thanks…

#376 ~ #385 {Gratitude Journal}

– friends who text at 6am – accountability!!

- Friends who inspire : Flo

- Friends who love & dig deeper : Julie

- Friends who say what I need to hear : Kristen

- Friends who push : Jenna

- a quiet house at 5:30, other than Louie waking up the world

- a pull back to my blog

- laying down health concerns of my boy, trusting God can sort it out

- truth of resting in who I am and knowing that is good enough

- finding God on the couch, waiting for me to offer my heart.