The Weekend

We had such a great Going Beyond event in Troy, Michigan on Friday and Saturday. One of the highlights for me was that my dad's three sisters got to come to the conference. It was neat that they got to experience the event and also see what I get to do for a living. Worship was so great - Anthony Evans and his team lead along with Vicki Yohe. We were able to pray for lives to be changed, which is always my favorite part of the event. It's amazing once people open up about the things they are going through - you would never think that a group of women coming to a "womens conference" would be going through so much crap. But they really are - abusive relationship, no jobs, infertility, immorality, rebellious children, broken marriages, etc. We prayed and believe that God is going to do the unexpected in each of their lives.

On Saturday after the event was over, I went to Detroit to see my grandma. My grandma is one of the most amazing women I have ever known. I know no one else who literally walks with the Lord as much as she does. She is 94 years old! She is very ill, however, and on her way to be with the Lord. I am so grateful that I was able to be there and see her and read the Word with her. I know it is very hard for her to be in the stage that she is in, but I am asking that the Lord will give her peace in these last days. What a blessing it was to be with her this weekend.

Our time here is so short. It encourages me to give all that I have to the Lord today. To walk and rest in Him.

Psalm 27 says this:
The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I hear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid? One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling...My heart says of you "Seek his face!" Your face, Lord, I will seek. Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait fo the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

One thing I ask for today: that I may dwell/be/live in the house of the Lord and to gaze upon His beauty!

Answers or Intimacy

I've really been encouraged by John Eldredge over this past year as God has used his book Walking With God to draw me into a more intimate relationship with Him. I encourage you to read it if you haven't.

My main desire right now is to grow more in my intimacy with Him. I am a person who needs to spend time with people in order to feel loved by them - hands down, that's the most important thing to me- or the way I feel loved the most. And lately I've realized how much God feels the same way towards me. For me, I'm tired of coming to God with all the things I need. What I really want is just to know Him. I want more than this life has to offer. I want to spend time with Him and for Him to spend time with me. And for God, He is not primarily worried about my list of prayers that I need answers to right now - He's really not. I believe that He just wants me to carve out specific time where I am just sitting and listening to what He has to say - to what He wants to speak to. He already knows what I need. And, He will lead me. I know that. But there are some things he wants to speak to first before He leads me in my specific prayer requests.

I'd like to encourage you to listen to some podcasts on this subject. You can download their podcasts on iTunes. I have no idea how to link through iTunes, sorry. But you can search John Eldredge and Ransomed Heart and the series is called "Conversing with God". There are three different ones you can listen to. Let me know what you think. They are only about 20 minutes long and soooo good!

I'd love to know your thoughts on the first one..."Conversing With God: Answers or Intimacy"