Waiting on Uncle Sam...

If you are like me, once your W2 form came in, you got right on to turbo tax to file your taxes. I put in all of my information, and anxiously waited for my calculations for my tax return. My worst nightmare would be to owe the IRS money...thankfully, Uncle Sam owes me this year. However, my money still has not come in, and Uncle Sam is taking his sweet time, however, I have some bills that are desperately waiting to be paid, and won't be until Uncle Sam has made his delivery to my chekcing account!

Matter of fact, I need to pay the rest of my Spring tuition by April 1 with that money. I felt like breaking out into hives earlier today because that is in a couple of days! But then I remembered something...I am not waiting on Uncle Sam,

I am waiting on the Lord...

You see, everything is spiritual. We should strive to look at all things from a spiritual perspective rather than an earthly one. I believe this is an opportunity for the Lord to teach me many spiritual lessons regarding His character...and maybe even a couple of things about my own character too! (Like how I can be impatient.)

Throughout all of Scripture, especially in the Old Testament, God's lessons to the Israelites were centered around one thing: trust. God repeatedly proved His trustworthiness to them, providing for their every need, even when they did not trust Him. We serve the same God today who is begging for us to do one thing: trust.

So, I'm not waiting on Uncle Sam to deliver my tax refund...

I'm not waiting on some man to declare his undying
love for me and want me to be his wife...

I'm not waiting on someone to hire me and give me the career of my dreams...

I am waiting on the Lord, while He is waiting on me to trust Him.

It's my Birthday!

March 7, 1980 at 3p.m. my mom gave birth to me in Albequerque, New Mexico. So, today that makes me 26 years old! I can hardly believe it, I am now officially in my late 20s. Time sure does fly by, and it seems just like yesterday I was celebrating my sweet 16. Much has happened, and much has changed in my life, but through it all, I look back on this day and see how God's right hand has kept me...for such a time as this. I am truly excited to see what God has in store for me, and I humbly am ready for the work He has set before me this 26th year of my life.

The other day driving home I saw a bumper sticker on the car in front of me that read,

"Don't need to be born again...my first birth was good enough."

I couldn't believe how cynical and mean-spirited that message was. In reality though, we live in a society that is very hardened against the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many today do not recognize the depravity of their souls and desperate need for a Savior.

So while I am thankful for this day, March 7th, I am even more thankful for January 18, 1994. That was the day God wooed me into His presence and welcomed me into His family by giving me eternal life. I praise God for being born again because now He not only calls me His own, but He has a purpose and a plan for my life that will be used all for His glory!

Amen.

A Psalm of Lament

On Monday I was having a horrible day! I was just down, sad, and not understanding some things in my life. That night I was doing an assignment for school. Of all things, our professor asked us to write an original psalm of lament. Initially I thought to myself, "Ok, I'm not David...how can I write a psalm?" Well, I after studying a few of the lament psalms before writing my own, a common theme I found in the lament psalms were: honesty, transperancy with God, and ultimately a cofession of trust in the Lord. I have such a greater appreciation for the lament psalms now, and I am so grateful that our Lord invites us to be honest with Him just like David! I hope you will enjoy my original Psalm of Lament and that God would minister to you through it!


A Psalm of Lament

O God, how long must I wait?
Lord, how long until I see a change?

Be gracious Father, my heart aches;
Come near me for I am lonely;
But You, O Lord, You are silent.

Hear me, O Lord, hear my silent cries.
Comfort me in my longing, for Your name’s sake.
Restore me, I need Your mercy.

My hope fades even in the day light;
I am blinded by my circumstances;
I cry out for You to move;
But You, O Lord, You are silent.

Be lifted up, O God!
For You have already crushed the enemy.
The Lord is Sovereign in all His ways.
My tears have not escaped You;
Your loyal love is a banner over me.
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“There are times when our hope despairs;
those are times when our despair must learn to hope.”
Martin Luther