Draw Me Close

On a morning when I'm feeling distant, the only thing I can sing is "Draw Me Close To You" by Michael W. Smith.  When this song came out over 10 years ago, it was on constant repeat in my car.  I couldn't get enough of singing that to Jesus.  Just help me know you are near, Lord.

Isn't that what our hearts desire the most?  To know He is close.  To know He is near.  An ever-present help in times of need, and close when the seas are calm, too.  Some scriptures to help us remember that God is close to us today, and always:

James 4:8 (AMP)  "Come close to God, and He will come close to you..."    

Isaiah 55:6 (MSG)  "Seek God while he’s here to be found, pray to him while he’s close at hand."

Psalm 145:18 (NLT) "The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth."

Psalm 34:18 (NIV) "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Hebrews 10:22 (ESV) "let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

These are just a handful of examples of God wanting to be close to us.  He promises to come close to us if we will come close to Him.  He's near to us when we seek Him.  He's close to us when we call on His name.  He's close to us when we are crushed and broken.  And, we can be confident in drawing close to Him because our hearts have been washed with the blood of Jesus, we are made new.

So, when we sing or pray "Draw Me Close To You", we can sing or pray it in full confidence that He hears us, is close, and ready to answer that prayer.  It's my prayer this morning as I think about where I am in my walk, in my heart, and even in my head.  It's my prayer for you, too.  Let's draw close to Him together, friend.

Linking up with Lisa Jo Baker today for FMF,  The word prompt is "close".  Will you take a chance and join us today?  You will be so encouraged by the beautiful words of others, I promise!

Bring Back Our Girls

I'm a mom of boys.  I prayed for boys from the time I started desiring a family.  Before I was even married, I would write out boy names that I liked.  But, there is a longing in me for a little girl.  We've talked about the possibility of adopting a little girl some day, but nothing on the horizon.  I've really been wanting a girl lately, and there is no way I'm having another baby.  I think sometimes God puts a longing in you for a reason all His own.  

I can't stop thinking about girls I've never met.  Girls half a world away.  Girls who have been stolen, and possibly put "on the market" for sale.  My heart breaks for them, and it breaks for their mothers.  With our American Mother's Day coming up in a few days, I can only think about how these mother's in Nigeria would give anything to have their girls back.

Tears flow as I begin to pray for the girls, and specifically over one girl named Saraya Samuel.  I pray for the Lord to be near her, where ever she is.  I ask that He would give her wisdom and peace, the peace that passes all understanding to guard her heart and her mind in Christ.  I ask the Holy Spirit to comfort her and calm her while she is away from her family.  I pray that she would be filled with peace and hope would abound in her.  In Jesus' name, amen!

I will continue to lift her up until she is found.  Will you join me in praying for these precious girls?  You can find the names listed here.  These are only 180 of the names.  There are over 230 girls missing.  Pray for the nameless girls, too.  They need to be found safe and delivered back home to their families.  

My tears dry up, and I'm trying to work through the anger I feel about this whole situation.  How evil one person, or group could be.  How they could just rip innocent girls out of school and sell them off like heads of cattle.  It makes me sick that this was not a major news story until this week.  How could this have happened a month ago, and we are just now getting the news?  

But God.  He's so good at reminding me that He is always working.  Even now, in this tragedy, He's working.  He's calling us to prayer, and maybe some of us have laid down our prayer warrior hats.  He's calling us to action, and maybe some of us have given up on working in missions.  Will you commit with me, and a whole lot of other people, to pray for these girls until they are found? 

Trading Mess for a Message

"Mess creates stress."  That's what my mom used to tell me when my apartment had the appearance of being broken into and ransacked.  Coming from my mom, that's the truth.  She and my sister have the gene to have a place for everything and everything in it's place.  Somehow, that part of her DNA was not passed on to me.  It intimidated me to the point of never wanting anyone over for fear of my mess being looked down upon.

However, I look at mess differently now.  While I like to have things neat and tidy, it rarely happens in a house with two boys, a husband, a dog and a fish, and my own "green" personality.  I've learned to appreciate the art of what happens in my mess.  You see, my mess is mostly internal.  Working through years of self-doubt, self-esteem issues and depression.  I've found that internal mess creates just as much stress as the external stuff.  

The thing is, God has used all of it.  He has used every single mess I've ever gotten myself into, or made out of something, and turned into something beautiful, meaningful, and valuable.  Without experiencing depression on a personal level, I would not be able to love hurting people.  Without going through self-doubt, I would not be a big cheerleader for people who follow their dreams.  Self-esteem issues pushed me to become the encourager I am today.  

I'm thankful for this promise from God to us:  Romans 8:28 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."  It's because of the mess in our life that God can shine through and make something of each one of us.  There is freedom in admitting we don't have it all together and that sometimes our lives can be a hot mess.  Our mess is meant to be a testimony to someone else of the goodness and faithfulness of God.  Our mess is our message that shouts to the world that God can turn ashes into something beautiful.  He is always at work in us, friend.  Always, even in our biggest mess.