Stephanie Shott

Yesterday, I told a good friend that I'm beginning to feel a lot like jelly. Spread way too thin.

Maybe you've been there too. Maybe you're there now.

And then I read a quote by Michelle Sarabia on Facebook that echoed my own heart - "Tired but trusting God."

All I could think of was, "That's exactly how I feel!"

And then the Lord led me to pick up the phone and call someone I had been meaning to call for about a week. It was a beautifully transparent conversation with a young woman who knew it was time to mean business with God...and right there on the phone, I had the privilege of leading that sweet young lady to the Lord.

Isaiah 40:31 says, "but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary;they shall walk and not faint."

There ain't nothing more mounting on eagles wings than getting to introduce someone to Jesus. Oh yeah, I may have been feeling faint, but I didn't faint. I may have been weary, but I'm still in the race and like my friend Michelle said... I still trust God.

How about you? Are you weary? Are you ready to do some mounting up on eagles wings of your own? What are you struggling with today that might be making you weary?

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Before I close this post, I wanted to give you a little update on a couple of things.

1) I made the prayer list of those who requested prayer for their loved ones who are serving in the armed forces. What an honor to lift them up in prayer.

I wanted to ask those of you who subscribe to this blog if you might just take a few minutes and lift them up as well. Some of you may even add their names to your own personal prayer list. That would be awesome!

Here's the list of names:
Brandon Presnell
Captain Thomas Stengl
Connie's Nephew
Kimberly Jean Hoisington
Mike Ard
Sean McGrane

2) The Scripture Dig team is sharing favorite posts from each other's site. This week they're sharing their favorite www.stephanieshott.com post. I'd love for you to pop over and say hi! Let me know if it's one of your favorites too. :-)

Love ya, girls! Now go mount up with wings of eagles!

In a world that seems to be falling apart at the seams, I can't help but wonder why I'm not praying for it as I should. Oh, I pray - but why does my intercession frequently begin and end with my family and friends? Am I so busy or blinded that I only care enough to pray for those in my own little world?

How about you? Do you pray for national and international needs? Does your intercession extend beyond your own family-and-friends borders?

I used to have a prayer book dedicated not only to those I know and love, but also to people groups, nations, world events and the persecuted church.

I haven't done that in a while.

But there's been a stirring in my heart to return to the place of prayer - the place where my quiet time was more focused and intentional. A place that takes me back to that sweet list of people, places and circumstances that I prayed through daily, weekly and monthly. And what better time to become more intentional about prayer than Memorial Day Weekend!

In fact I'd like to begin by praying for our troops...in general, yes...but if you know someone who is serving in the military I would count it an honor to list them in my personal prayer journal as well as on my site.

I can't help but reflect on the fact that each one of our troops is someone's son or daughter, someone's dad or mom, someone's brother or sister, someone's grandchild. They are serving our country. They are fighting for our freedom. They are heroes.

If they are willing to risk their lives for us, couldn't we at least be willing to pray for them?

Some have given the ultimate sacrifice so the United States can remain the home of the free. It was a price their family shared. How many hearts are hurting because they are mourning the loss of their loved ones! For some, this will be the first Memorial Day their son or daughter won't be here to celebrate it with them. For others, the years have passed, but the pain has not.

Along with the list of those who are serving, I'd also be highly honored to pray for those who will have an empty chair at the table this year.

You can leave their names (you can just leave their first names if you're more comfortable with that) in the comment section and Monday evening, I'll compile the names of those who are serving now or have lost loved ones in battle.

Perhaps others who subscribe to this post will add them to their prayer list, as well. I sure do hope so!

How about you? How do you continue to pray for those beyond the four walls of your world? Do you struggle with your prayer life? Do you have someone you want to put on the prayer list?

Have you ever felt like what you had to offer to God was completely insignificant in comparison to the grandness of who He is? I know I have.

But I remember when I was in Costa Rica speaking at a conference to the pastors' wives and a sweet young lady came up to me with tears in her eyes as she gently took the earrings out of her ears and placed them in my hand and then closed my fingers over them. They were just costume jewelry, but they were all she had.

And although they had little value, they became a priceless treasure to me the moment she placed them in my hands.

My heart overflowed with emotions. I didn't need the earrings. But she was showing her love and appreciation by that humble offering - and in so doing, she found a special place in my heart.

As we look at Solomon's Prayer of Dedication, I'm reminded of how small and insignificant what I have to offer is. Solomon built a house for the Lord - but not even the grandest of houses, mansions or temples can contain an omnipotent God.

Oh how I find it amazing that our hearts can contain what the whole world cannot!

So what do we do when all we have to offer is so much less than He deserves?

We do like Solomon did - we give it anyway.

"But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O LORD my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive." 2 Chronicles 6:18-21

Solomon's temple may have seemed small and insignificant when compared to the magnificence of God, but it emerged from a heart of love and devotion - it was the result of a lot of planning, preparation, resources and work.

Solomon gave the best he had and the best he could knowing it was nothing compared to God. It was an act of worship.

When I think about Solomon's offering, I couldn't help but parallel his great gift of significant insignificance with the little boy who offered Jesus two fish and five loaves.

"And he said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish." And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied." Luke 6:38,41-42

When our offering seems so small for such a Big God, we do like the little boy who gave Jesus two loaves and five fish did - we give it anyway.

Today, you may not feel as though what you have to offer the Lord is worthy of such an awesome God. Solomon felt the same way. But like Solomon and the boy with the fish and the loaves - give it anyway! It's an act of worship.

Sweet friends, we give all we are to God - we give all we have to the Almighty. It's an act of worship in which our Heavenly Father delights.There are no such things as small offerings when they come from a heart overflowing with love.

The offering of ourselves is a priceless treasure in our Heavenly Father's hands.

When give ourselves to the One who gave Himself for us, our lives become an offering - and as Romans 12:1 says, it is your spiritual worship.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship." Romans 12:1

Are you holding back any part of yourself today? Do you struggle with worshipping God by being fully surrendered to Him? What has been the most difficult part of "you" that you've had to hand over to Him lately?

Before you get started, I want to invite you to pop over to my friend, Angela Mackey's site where I wrote a guest post for her about a wrestling match of the Divine kind that recently gripped my heart. If you've ever wrestled with God about anything or if you're in the ring with Him now, I hope the Lord will use that post to bring comfort, encouragement and clarity. So, please pop over there and leave a comment.

Angela's offering a $50 Amazon Gift certificate to some blessed winner too!

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Have you ever had one of those weeks where life was just hectic and hard? I'm in one.

In fact, you were supposed to find this in your inbox yesterday, but the events of life didn't go according to plan and here it is a day late - but perhaps just in time!

You see, although I can't go into details, not only was writing that post for Angela difficult, but I just went through a very hard personal place in my family. Life sure ain't always easy, is it girls!

Yet, in the midst of the mire, God spoke peace to my heart and whispered joy to my world... peace and joy in the truth that He is a covenant keeping God - that everything was going to be alright. And while I'm waiting to see something desperately specific come to pass, My God has called me to trust Him.

And so I do - Sometimes by dragging my heart to the altar of trust - other times I just supernaturally rest in the reality of who He is - a covenant keeping God who is true to His Word.

This week I'm doing a little of both.

And then I realized that sprinkled throughout Solomon's Prayer of Dedication was his own reflections of God's faithfulness and his freedom to ask God to fulfill future promises.

Take a look at this segment of Solomon's prayer...

"He prayed, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion. You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father. You made that promise with your own mouth, and with your own hands you have fulfilled it today. “And now, O Lord, God of Israel, carry out the additional promise you made to your servant David, my father. For you said to him, ‘If your descendants guard their behavior and faithfully follow my Law as you have done, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’ Now, O Lord, God of Israel, fulfill this promise to your servant David." 2 Chronicles 6:14-17

Did you see what I saw?!

Solomon began with praise and progressed to the promise. So, check out the verbs he uses...

You keep your covenant...

You have kept your promise...

You made that promise...

You have fulfilled it today...

Carry out the additional promise...

Now, O Lord, God of Israel, fulfill this promise..

Sweet friends, God keeps His promises. He has kept His promises in the past. He will keep them in the future. He will fulfill every promise He has made. He will carry out His covenant. Not just because He can, but because He is not a man that He should lie - because He is God and His character assures us of it.

I'm HOLDING ON to God with all I've got right now. He promised something to me that I have yet to see fulfilled. But I trust Him.

And trust, my friend, is an intrinsic part of worship.

Are you desperate to see the Lord fulfill a promise too? Do you trust Him? How can I pray for you?

Happy Monday ladies! I hope your weekend was uber fantastic!

This week I want to share with you something I came across in my daily reading. It's Solomon's prayer of dedication found in 2 Chronicles 6:12-42. And since six years of my life were sprinkled with the study Solomon's life as I wrote my Bible study on Ecclesiastes, I couldn't help but want to share this with you!

To set the stage - Solomon had assumed his rightful role as king and had fulfilled his father's dream of building a temple for God. Solomon made it his first crowning achievement and as he stood before the children of Israel, he prayed a prayer of dedication.

This week, allow yourself to sit at the feet of Solomon - to learn from the wisest man on the planet - and to apply the precepts of prayer you'll learn along the way.

To get started, I'd like to recommend that you read 2 Chronicles 6 in its entirety.

"Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven, and said, "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him." 2 Chronicles 6:13b-14 (ESV)

I realize many people have their own ideas of what worship should look like...especially public worship. Much of what we think has been derived from what we have been taught throughout the years. Although my Christian life has been filled with many godly examples and a great group of people who have poured themselves and the Word of God into my life, I don't think anyone has ever taught me what worship looks like.

I only remember a couple of comments about public worship...

"Don't draw attention to yourself."

"Don't get too excited and begin moving to the music. It's too much like dancing."

"Don't raise your hands or clap too loud. It's distracting.

ARE YOU KIDDING! Doesn't God deserve more than starched worship! It doesn't even make sense to refrain from publicly praising the One who is the Great I AM! I realize the Bible talks about doing things decently and in order - so I'm not talking about some frantic, crazy, fleshly led attempt at worship. I'm talking about sincere, face down, it's-all-about God kind of worship.

You see, Solomon wasn't concerned about whether or not he was drawing attention to himself. In fact, he even made a platform so everyone could see that he was not ashamed to bend a knee or raise his hands.

I realize that as the King, he needed a platform to deliver his speech. But his first call of business wasn't a speech. It was public prayer. And so he hit the deck - knees down and hands up.

I did that yesterday at church. I hit the floor - knees downs and hands up. Up as high as I could get them. Reaching for Heaven. Reaching for God. Surrendered. Abandoned. Humbled. Thankful. Praising, worshipping and loving my God and King.

As King, Solomon lead the way in what worship looks like. No...it doesn't always have to look like that. You can stand still with your head and heart bowed to God. You can sit in a chair with your hands down and your eyes lifted to heaven.

Your posture doesn't matter. Your heart does.

Could it be that we are robbing God of the worship He is due by our traditions and our own preconceived ideas of what worship looks like? Could we be hindering a brother or sister in Christ by conveying our personal preferences about worship rather than taking a biblical approach to patterns of worship presented in Scripture?

Today, take some time to just worship God. Don't worry about what others think...don't be concerned about drawing attention to yourself. Just worship the One who is worthy of all praise. In private - in public...just worship God.

He is the LORD God of Israel. There is no God in heaven or on earth like Him. He keeps His covenant and mercy with His servants who walk before Him with all their hearts!

What does worship look like to you? Have you ever been allowed the preconceived ideas of others to prevent you from worshipping God as He deserves and desires?

Good Friday morning! Today I come to you with mixed emotions. It's going to be my last post about grief, but I don't want you ladies to stop emailing me and letting me know how your doing. I'm humbled that you would confide in me as you have. I'm honored to continue to pray for you as you walk through these difficult days.

Today, we're going to cover a lot of territory, so I'm going to try to be concise. (You girls know how hard that is going to be for me!) So, for the sake of making it easier to read, I'm going to segment this post using three specific subtitles.

I want to recommend that you read it through the weekend in segments.

Our journey will cover...

1. Good Grief - the benefit of grieving
2. Practical Healing - practical ways to find healing
3. Grieving the Lost - when you're not sure if your loved one knew Christ

GOOD GRIEF

I'm not sure if you've ever been told this, but grieving is good for you. It's part of what you need to go through to bring healing to your hurting heart. It's not a sign of weakness; it doesn't mean you've gone over the deep end; and it certainly doesn't mean you're wallowing in self-pity. It's a natural and normal part of the healing process.

So, let's look at the benefits of grieving and find out why grieving is good -

1. It helps you work through all the emotions specific to your relationship with your loved one and deal with unresolved issues and threading unseen connections with them on your way to closure.

2. It makes you cry - you know - cry like you can't breathe or swallow and like you're gonna throw up kind of cry. Believe it or not, crying like that can bring a cleansing release that is necessary if you're going to move on successfully. It's as if crying from the deep place in your heart is intrinsic to letting go.

3. It gives you hope, confidence and perspective. When you know your loved one was a Christian, you know you will see them again. It helps you see with new eyes what cannot be seen at all. It changes your perspective about life, death and everything in between. It gives you the confidence to face a new day knowing you've cried and grieved and you're still alive to talk about it. There's something very sobering about knowing you're without your loved one on this planet - but that God still has a purpose for you.

4. It helps you see your current relationships with new eyes and new appreciation. You are reminded to cherish each moment with the ones you love. To savor each circumstance. To treasure each tic of the clock with family and friends with a better understanding of how priceless each second is.

I realize there are a host of other benefits to the grieving process, but these are some of the most significant. Yet, as I share with you that grieving is good, I must be sure to remind you that while it's okay to go there, you can't allow yourself to stay there.

Grieving is good - depression is not. So, may I gently remind you that your destination is healing for your heart, not plunging into your pain.

PRACTICAL HEALING

Grief is often what your heart feels when your mind won't quit racing. It's an ache that can't be eased with a few kind words or even a heartfelt hug. It's a personal place that only you can go and only you can leave. But you can't be like Asaph who refused to be comforted. Look at what Psalms 77:1-2 says...

"I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted."

You can't allow yourself to refuse to be comforted.

When you see through the eyes of grief, nothing else matters and your view of life and reality can often be skewed. It's important to grieve, but you must know how to grieve well. That means you must know how to tame the thoughts that taunt your heart and weary your mind.

Your heart may be grieving, but the battle to leave where your heart wants to stay begins and ends in the mind. So, that's where you fight to inch your way out of the grave of grief one thought at a time.

Below is part of a workshop I recently did at a speaking engagement. I hope it will help you in your journey to take every thought captive.

THE BATTLE BEGINS AND ENDS IN THE MIND

2 Cor 10:3-6, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”

Name Some Obstacles That Prevent Us From Moving On in the Journey to Healing -

CHOOSING PAIN - hold us captive (when we choose to stay where we should only visit, it holds us captive)

BELIEVING LIES - distorts our perspective (don't believe the lies of the enemy - you can keep going - you will smile again)

DISTRACTIONS - divert our focus (you can't keep looking back forever - don't allow yesterday's pain to steal today's reality)

COMPARING - makes us feel less than (don't look at relationships that others have and wonder why your loved one is gone)

FEAR - displays doubt / lack of faith (fear will paralyze you and prevent progress in your journey to healing)

YOU WILL HAVE TO FIGHT TO PREVENT THE GRIP OF GRIEF. YOU'RE WEAPON IS GOD’S WORD

Ephesians 6:17, “and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God...”

Offensive weapons are used intentionally. To intentionally use the Word of God as a filter, I must first KNOW THE WORD OF GOD.

TOOLS TO FIGHT THE BATTLE OF THE MIND

Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

What we think about God, ourselves, our circumstances and others should BE FILTERED THROUGH GOD’S WORD.

How to use God’s Word as our ‘Thought Filter ‘ -

TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE

Philippians 4:8-9, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Make a “Whatever” List - (Make a list of those things that used to make you smile. It's okay to include some of the things about your loved one, but keep it to a minimum. List things that are lovely, virtuous, good, praiseworthy, ect... and then...THINK ON THESE THINGS)

ESTABLISH PRAYER TARGETS

Every time grieving thoughts try to bombard your heart begin to pray for your lost family and friends, pray for people you know and people you don't; pray for your neighborhood and your nation, for pastors and missionaries; pray for the sick; pray for our soldiers; pray for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done.

Just pray. And when waves of grief begin to threaten your heart...pray again - and again - and again!

Psalm 55:15-16, “As for me, I will call upon God, And the LORD shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, 
And He shall hear my voice.”

Ephesians 4:23, “And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind[having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude]”

Psalm 94:19
, “When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,Your consolations delight my soul.”

Sweet friend, grieving can be good - for a season. Go there. Benefit from this place of pain. But don't allow yourself stay there. Remember, the destination is healing. The goal is to come to the place where your heart lets you off of the grief train. And each step of the way, you're going to have to take your thoughts captive. So, wallow in the Word of God, make yourself a "Whatever List" and begin to establish prayer targets.

And then you find yourself coming up for air one breath at a time until you finally find yourself living again.

GRIEVING THE LOST

Okay, dear ones - I'm going to address something that must be addressed - like it or not. This is real life and not all dogs go to heaven - and neither do all people. It's a painful truth that breaks the heart of everyone who has lost someone that may have been lost.

It happened when my husband lost his dad and it was an incomprehensible place of pain for both of us. But something just as incomprehensible happened in the midst of it all. Peace. God gave us both peace.

The truth is, we don't know what his eternal destiny is. We don't hold the keys to heaven and hell. We aren't able to truly judge the heart. Only God can do that!

I know that sometimes people live as if they don't know Christ, but if David would have died somewhere between his adulterous affair and his murderous coverup, we would have wondered whether or not he really knew God.

For those of you who are grappling with the eternity of your loved one, I want to encourage your heart with the fact that we just don't know. We aren't the judge, God is - and God is always good and always just - regardless of the circumstances.

We don't know the condition of the heart of the ones we loved. Perhaps they didn't profess Christ throughout their whole life, yet, we're comforted to know the thief on the cross entered into eternal life with his dying cry for Christ. (Luke 23:42)

When you aren't sure about your loved one's eternal existence, trust the eternal God whose character assures us that He is righteous, good, holy and true.

Your need, sweet friend, is to grieve well - to go through the steps we discussed earlier in this post and to look at your own life through the lens of eternity. While your loved one may have left you wondering whether or not they are in heaven...we should never live a life that causes others to wonder where we are after we die.

As I close out our series on grief, I want you to know I am praying for you! You have a special place in my heart and I hope I have encouraged you to see with new eyes. Eyes that see Christ beyond the pain, beyond the funeral fog and beyond the wake of emotions that have been left by your loss.

Please continue to email me and let me know how you're doing. We're in this journey together and I count it a privilege to pray with you and for you!

Good morning, sweet friends! I want you to know I have been thinking about y'all SO much this weekend! Those of you who have suffered the loss of a loved one have been the object of many a prayer and today I desperately want to encourage your heart!

I couldn't help but think about how hard our days can be when we are surround by the dark, gloomy cloud of grief. It presses in. It threatens to crush us. Like a ceaseless wave...it pelts us and leaves us feeling weary, worn out and like we'll never be able to get our heads above water again.

And while I long to help your heart find healing, I'm very aware that your pain is personal. The dynamics of each death is very different. Our personalities are very different. Therefore, our grieving process will look very different.

But, regardless of how different the the dynamics and the process are for each of us, there should be one foundational truth blazing each step of our painful path to healing - And that truth is HOPE.

Today, I want to encourage you with the reality that this isn't it. What we see with our eyes, what we hear with our ears, what we touch with our hands, even what we feel with our hearts...all of it is temporal. I know we know that - but when a loved one dies, our faith is put to the test. And through the fiery trial of grief, we find that our Heavenly Father remains true to His Word. He gives us an unexplainable peace and assurance that eternity is just as real as He is...and so we hope again.

You see, knowing that what God says about eternity is true is where hope takes root in the soil of a broken heart.

Hope-full grieving doesn't mean our hearts don't ache with a longing to see their face, to hear their voice, to hold their hands and to share a smile. It just means we filter our pain through the truth of God's promise of eternal life. It means we grieve...but we grieve as one who has hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 says...

"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep." (ESV)

Today, I know your heart may be hurting. Today, you may feel as though you can't even catch your breath. Right now, it may all seem so surreal to you. But you have not escaped the view of your Heavenly Father for one second, sweet friend. He loves you with a love that is as eternal as He is - and He still has a plan for your life.

There will be a day when He will replace the ashes of your grief with beauty; your mourning heart will one day be able to smile again; the weakness you feel today will become your strength tomorrow. (Isaiah 61:3)

Allow yourself time to grieve, but never allow yourself to grieve as one who has no hope...because you, my sister, have an unmistakeable, unshakeable hope!

The Word of God is brimming with precious promises about our eternal existence, our hope in this life and our future hope of heaven. So, please take a few minutes and encourage your heart with the Word, my friend. Nothing can speak more gently to your heart than the powerful Word of God.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.' 1 Peter 1:3-4

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." John 5:24

"For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." John 6:40

"so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:7

"And this is the promise that he made to us — eternal life." 1 John 2:25

"Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,even as we hope in you." Psalm 33:22

"Why are you cast down, O my soul,and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,my salvation and my God." Psalm 43:5

"You are my hiding place and my shield;I hope in your word." Psalm 119:14

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13

"in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began" Titus 1:2

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God" Revelation 21:1-3

There are a plethora of other verses that speak of the hope we have in Christ. Verses that I pray your heart will wallow in when you feel like you can't go on.

Today, if you're grieving, sweet sister...go ahead and grieve...you're heart needs to mourn its loss - but grieve as a woman who has hope - because that's what the resurrection is all about!

And remember - it's okay to go there...just don't allow yourself to stay there!

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For those of you who follow our Scripture Dig posts, I think you'll enjoy the next several weeks as we pick our favorite posts from each other's personal blogs. Today, I've listed my favorite "Terilynnu.com" post! Click here for a treat from Scripture Dig's fearless leader! I know you'll love her as much as we do!

Today we're going to begin a journey that must be taken by all who have lost a loved one. It's like boarding a train for a really bumpy ride that you never wanted to take in the first place.

You can't get off and it doesn't even seem real. But you're stuck there...riding the grief train with no other option but to ride it out until your own heart releases you.

So, sweet friends, let's talk about what happens when we lose a loved one. It's a heart wrenching, aching loss, that takes the wind our of our sails and often leaves us feeling numb.

When our hearts are hurting we often can't see clearly. In fact, I remember that about three weeks after my mom died and I finally began to come out of the funeral fog, I felt as though I had just stepped out of the fog and into the haze.

My mom died on November 6th after a long battle with cancer and I miss her every day. For the first couple of months I seemed to see life through that haze. I just hurt inside and nothing anyone said could change that.

People mean well, but comments like, "Well, at least you were expecting it." don't really help. If your heart is hurting because you've lost a loved one, you know the best thing someone can say is simply, "I'm so sorry for your loss!"

But God is real and His presence during those difficult days has been an assuring reality that this life is not all there is. If it were, we would be most miserable. (1 Corinthians 15:19)

The other day I wanted to go to the cemetery and just sit by her grave and cry...for hours. I just wanted to spend the day thinking about her and crying. But I knew I couldn't. I had to chose to say no to my own need to grieve. Not because I shouldn't grieve, but because I knew it would throw me into days of depression if I did.

You're going to have to make choices like that too. Choosing to not let your heart linger in the place of pain.

So, instead, I chose to busy myself with the dailies of life and seek God's face in the midst of the pain. I'm so thankful He speaks peace to our hearts in the midst of our storms and He carries us when we feel the weight of the loss is pressing us down.

Today, sweet sister, please know that it's okay to cry. I'm crying with you. I'm crying for you. Your emails and comments have brought tears to my eyes and I'm walking with you through this thing. Somehow the Lord is allowing me the privilege of bearing your burden with you and I am honored.

But I also want to encourage your heart to healing. Healing doesn't mean forgetting. It doesn't mean living as though they never existed or as if their death had no affect on us. It means seeing the death of your loved one through eternal eyes and knowing that, while they are no longer with us - you are...and God still has a plan for your life.

Some people say there are 5 stages to the grief process, others say 7, but whichever is true, it is a process of emotional healing that you must walk through to some degree or another. Some go through each step; others skip a couple steps on their way to acceptance. Some linger in one stage longer than another.

Look at the grief stages below and try to evaluate where you are in the process:

5 Stages of Grief

1. Denial and Isolation
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance

7 Stages of Grief

1. SHOCK & DENIAL
2. PAIN & GUILT
3. ANGER & BARGAINING
4. "DEPRESSION", REFLECTION, LONELINESS
5. THE UPWARD TURN
6. RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH
7. ACCEPTANCE & HOPE

Everyone is different and I don't know what stage you are in, but the ultimate end of the process is hope. Acceptance and hope.

When you lose a loved one it hurts. It hurts so much. And while the process of grief is necessary, you must enter it knowing there will be light at the end of this dark and painful tunnel. You may not see it now...but it's coming...one day you will laugh again.

Before I close today, I must say this... in fact, it's something I will say with every post in this series on grief... "I know your heart is hurting and I know you feel depressed. That's a normal reaction to life altering events. And while it's okay to go there - it's not okay to stay there." And that means this ride is going to be tougher than you think because you're the one that has to chose when it's time to get off.

One day, death will be no more and sorrow will cease. So hang on, sweet one and let God wipe away your tears.

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." Revelation 21:4

Sweet friend, do you know someone who may need this series? Do you? You can subscribe and receive these posts in your inbox by clicking here, or you can click on the Google or Networkedblog feeders to the right of the page.

Good Monday morning, sweet friends! I hope you all had an UBER WONDER-ful Mother's Day weekend!

Mine was quite different! The empty chair where my mother once sat was purposefully not at the table, but its absence just reminded me of her absence.

I also noted that this weekend, my blog got more hits than it has ever received in a three day period! People were googling things like, "First Mother's Day without my mom" and "Missing my mom on Mother's Day."

And my heart broke for each one of them!

The emails and comments I received were all very real reminders of how many hearts are hurting during a time when so many others are celebrating.

Thank you all for your willingness to comment about the cherished memories of your own mothers. You have honored me by sharing such a personal and painful place in your heart. Your words have encouraged my heart and I want you to know that I have prayed for you.

It's seems that so many are hurting in the wake of a recent loss. Others hearts are aching because their loved ones suffer from Alzheimer, dementia or some other terrible disease.

Let's face it... sometimes life is just hard. So for the next week or so, I'd like to use my little space in cyberspace as a place where we can walk through these tough times together.

I really hope these posts will encourage your heart, strengthen your faith and help you press on beyond the pain. I'll be writing a post on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the next two weeks that I hope will help us get through this thing together...posts that I hope will encourage you to know that your God has not forsaken you, that He is with you, that He still wants to make beauty out of the ashes of your hurting heart, that there is light at the end of this painful tunnel and that you can move forward by the grace of God.

My prayer is that we will all see with new eyes - eyes that view eternity more clearly and help those who mourn find hope again!

As we go through this together, I'd be honored for you to share where you are and what you're going through so that it might help others in the journey. Some of you have already done that, but I want to encourage you to continue. Some of you have emailed me because you weren't comfortable with sharing so publicly or because you had a specific prayer request or question. Please know that if you are more comfortable doing that, than that's fine too.

2 Corinthian 1:3-4 says... "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."

Wednesday, I'll begin by sharing where I am in this journey of grief and tell you what I recently did to avoid days of depression. I realize that sometimes we have to cry and mourn the loss of those we love - and it's okay to go there... it's just not okay to stay there.

So join me Wednesday and let's walk through this together. I pray I'll be able to sincerely comfort you with the comfort our God has given me. I pray we will see with new eyes and trust in the truth that God truly is the source of all comfort and we can trust Him.

Sweet friend, you can subscribe and receive these posts in your inbox by clicking here, or you can click on the Google or Networkedblog feeders to the right of the page.

"For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well." 1 Timothy 1:5

As I prepare to speak at a Mother/Daughter banquet tomorrow on a talk entitled, "Leaving a Legacy", I couldn't help but wonder how much of our legacy is intentional and how much of it is overflow.

Perhaps it's much of both.

What appears to be overflow is often a result of what we've done intentionally.

So, I decided to make an "Intentional List". A list of those things that I should be doing in order to make the overflow of my life a legacy worth leaving - a trail that will point others to Jesus.

So, here I go...

1. I must intentionally spend time with Jesus each day in prayer and in the Word -

It is a discipline of the heart and mind that must take precedence over all other priorities. Time with Christ in prayer and the Word is absolutely necessary if I'm going to hear His voice say, "This is the way...walk in it." If I'm going to learn to live out loud for Christ, it will be primarily in response to what I learn in His Word.

2. I must intentionally die to self -

If my children and those around me are ever going to see the reality of a "born again life" than I must choose to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. That means I must make a choice to reflect attitudes and behaviors that Christ desires to live out in and through me. I am crucified with Christ and it is Him living in and through me that will cause others to want to follow the pattern of the legacy I leave.

3. I must intentionally be who I was created to be -

If I'm going to leave a legacy worth following I need to fully and intentionally step into the roles God has given me. If I'm a wife, then I need to be a wife that is willing to be the best help mate I can be for my husband - that I must manage my home well and love my man well. If I'm a mother, then that means I need to be fully present and put their needs before my own - to be consistent and to be an example they can follow. If I'm called to be a speaker or Bible teacher, then I need to study, to prepare, to hone my skills and walk worthy of the calling He has placed on my life. I need to be intentional or I won't be able to fully be who I was created to be.

I realize there are a host of other things we could add to this list that will help us be women who leave a legacy worth following... but if I can focus on these three then I believe the unintentional overflow of my life will leave a path worth following because it will lead others straight to the feet of Jesus.

So, I have three questions for us to consider as we seek to leave a legacy worth following:

1. What three things should you be focusing on that will help you leave a legacy worth following?

2. Who are the ones that will be impacted most by the overflow of your life and are they worth the effort it will take to leave an intentionally godly legacy?

3. If you continue living like you are now, will you leave the legacy you hope to leave?

Sweet friends, legacies are so valuable. They truly impact the lives of those who will follow our path. The choices we are making today will become pebbles along that path that others will follow.

So be intentional, my friend! And let your life overflow into a legacy worth following?

I'd love to hear from you. What are you doing to assure that your legacy will be one worth following? Do you know someone who left a legacy that impacted your life?

You can receive a semi-daily devo in your inbox by clicking this link. Or you can click on the Google or Networkedblog link to receive it in your feeder.

OH...By the way...SHARLA FRITZ IS THE WINNER OF PENNY ZELLER'S NEW BOOK, KAYDIE! Congratulations SHARLA! And a big THANK YOU to Penny for sharing her heart here in this little space in cyberspace!

Good morning, sweet friends! I've just gotta tell you that you all bless me more than words can say! The way you encourage me and one another is a beautiful thing and I'm so thankful to know you, even if it is only through cyberspace. :-)

Today and tomorrow, I'd love for you to pop over to Scripture Dig and visit us there. We are all sharing a little bit about our mothers and I know you'll love how different our mothers are. Yet, as I read over the other's mothers, I saw a little of mine in each - I think you will too.

I also want to apologize for running behind in announcing the winner of Penny Zeller's new book, Kaydie. She'll be doing the drawing, so as soon as I know, I'll be sure to announce it! That means, until I do announce it...you can still leave a comment about her interview for a chance to win!

So today, I just want to leave you with something to consider as we approach Mother's Day -

What kind of legacy are you leaving?

Since I've been preparing to speak about it at an event this coming weekend, I can't help but think about how we don't think about the legacy we leave behind with each choice we make along the way.

Look at what Proverbs 4:25-26 says in the Amplified:

"Let your eyes look right on [with fixed purpose], and let your gaze be straight before you. Consider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and ordered aright."

Fix your purpose, dear one! Every step you take leads others somewhere. So, let the footsteps you take today be made with a fixed purpose to leave a legacy that will point others to the Savior's feet!

Love y'all!

Hi sweet friends! I'm trying to come to grips with the fact that Mother's Day is just a few days away! It will be my first Mother's Day without my mom and I have to confess, I've been a bit weepy lately.

How on earth can a girl do Mother's Day without her mom? I mean, I know that I'm very blessed to have two moms, but the one who loved me and raised me as her own is gone...and all I can say is, "I'm sad."

But Mother's Day isn't supposed to be sad!

So, for everyone who has lost her mother this past year...this post is for you! I'm going to post a little poem I very unskillfully embroidered for my mom when I was a teenager. And then i'll list 10 things I miss most about my mom.

I'd love for you to comment with the ten things you miss most about your mom. It's just a way to spend time thinking of the legacy she has left behind and honoring her even though her chair will be empty.

Mother

Who gave me love and held my hand
And caught me when I fell
Who never slept to comfort me
When I was scared or ill
Who praised me when I did my best
And wept when I did wrong
Who smiled at silly things I did
And taught me to be strong
Who gave and shared and cheered and cared
With her heart and hands
Who will always be a part of me
My mother, my best friend

The 10 things I miss most about my mom:

1. Her hands
2. Her voice
3. Her smile
4. Her strength
5. Her wisdom
6. Her conversations
7. Her correction
8. Her laugh
9. Her presence
10. Her love

This Mother's Day is going to be hard. My heart aches for her. I know this sounds pitiful, but I really want my mommy!

But she's with Jesus now and I'm thankful God gave me the gift of a conversation with her that confirmed that she knew Him. And, so I rest in knowing that she knew Him and that her faith has now been made sight!

Now it's your turn, sweet friend. Share the 10 things you miss about your mom; add a little poem or a message of hope to those who have lost their moms.

And please know that I will be lifting you up in prayer this week as you, like me, will be without your mom on Mother's Day.

Hey y'all! I'm back from Texas and I think my twang got a little bit twangier! Thanks so much for standing in the gap for me in prayer! I felt it and it made a difference! I'll share more later, but since you gals prayed for me and it certainly made a difference, I thought I'd write a bit about prayer today.

It really does matter, ya know! :-)

So, let's get a word from the Word!

"Therefore He said that He would destroy them, Had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him, To turn away His wrath from destroying them." Psalm 106:23

"Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds, And the plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and interposed, And so the plague was stayed." Psalm 106:29-30

Yesterday, I was reading Psalm 106 and I noticed that twice within the context of this chapter, God responded to the prayers of His people and showed mercy when judgment was due.

The children of Israel had been delivered. They had walked across the Red Sea on dry ground as the waves billowed on either side of them. God had set them free, but they quickly turned from Him and began to serve idols.

How short their memory was!

Did they not remember the plagues God sent to Egypt? Did they not remember how God had protected them in the midst of His strong hand against their oppressors? How could they forget the Passover and how God spared those whose homes were marked with the blood of a lamb?

Our faith is often like that. We see God move in a big way and we quickly forget the God who has shown Himself strong on our behalf time and time again.

You do that. I do that. We all do that.

We're all in need of consistent intercessory prayer for those times when we aren't seeing things clearly. Times when we let our circumstances skew our view and distract us from the magnificence of who He is.

In Psalm 106:23,29-30, we find that God listens to those who stand in the gap for those who are blinded to His goodness and greatness.

So, today, I want to encourage you to find someone who will consistently pray for you! Someone who will intercede on your behalf. Not because you can't get ahold of God on your own. We know the viel was torn from top to the bottom and you now have access through the blood of Christ, if indeed, you have received Him as your Lord and Savior.

But for those times when you can't see clearly, may you know someone who will pray you through.

May you be someone who prays others through.

Does intercessory prayer make a difference? Of course it does! Just ask the children of Israel how God used the intercessory prayer of others to make a difference in their lives!

So pray for others incessently...and find someone who will do the same for you!

Do you have a friend who stands in the gap for you? If you're in ministry, do you have a prayer team that intercedes for you and the ministry God has entrusted to you? Are you standing in the gap for your husband, your children, your family, your friends, your church and this nation?

Don't forget - we're announcing the winner of Penny Zeller's new book tomorrow! If you haven't commented on her post for a chance to win, you can still do so today!