A Whirlwind of Whispers

Remember those 'whispers' that were mentioned in my last post? Have you heard any?

I have. Let the series begin....

***Disclaimer: This post is all over the place, people. When I used the word 'whirlwind' in the title - I did it for a reason. Seriously. Pull your hair back in a pony and hang on, sister.***

A couple of weeks ago - I wrote a post about Psalm 27:8.

When you said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, Lord, I will seek."

For weeks prior to my writing that post - practically everything I read or heard pertained to the 'eyes and face' of Jesus. Weird, huh? It's kind of a random topic. Need some examples? I would too if I were you...

* Jesus Culture sings a song called 'King of Glory' that I had recently discovered.

"Your face outshines the brightest son. 

Jesus You're glorious. You are so glorious. 

With eyes that blaze like burning fire. 

You are so glorious."

* I watched a video of Geoffrey Cohen - a Messianic Jew - giving his testimony. 

Cohen grew up in a Jewish home, went to Jewish schools, and didn't think very highly of Christians. In other words....He wasn't looking for Jesus. One day, he and his friends were walking down a street in Jerusalem when Cohen actually had an amazing encounter with Christ. In his words, "When you see Jesus, you just know it's Him." His story and testimony are beyond powerful. It would take too long to recount it all here...but Jesus appeared to Cohen and the thing that struck him about Jesus - was His eyes. The absolute love and compassion in His gaze.

Smith Wigglesworth (1859-1947)

I had heard about this man and his ministry before - but I had never read any of his writings. I still haven't, really - I plan to. However, I picked up one of his books at a store one night and sat down to glance through it. I just happened to turn to the part of the book where Wigglesworth shares an encounter he had with Jesus. He had been praying over a very ill woman - and He appeared to them both - right as she was miraculously healed. He experienced this many times. What did Wigglesworth have to say about Jesus? He said that Christ looks nothing like our paintings of Him - that nothing could portray His beauty. And then..he talked about Jesus' eyes - and the unbelievable compassion in them.

*My post.

Psalm 27:8 has always been one of my favorite verses. But I had never read the NKJV of it - until I wrote my post. As you read above...it speaks of seeking the Lord's face. There it is a again. While I had been experiencing an uncanny number of things pointing to 'Jesus' face' - I kinda shrugged it all off as coincidence. Because unfortunately, that's usually how I roll. But right after I pushed the 'post' button on blogger - I went to Google Images to look for pictures of dandelions for my profile pic. When Images came up and I went to type 'dandelions' into the search bar - I almost fell out of my chair. You won't believe what was on my screen. Already typed into the search bar was: pictures of Jesus and below it was dozens and dozens of pictures of Jesus' face. His face. I've never googled that. My husband has never googled that. I don't think any cookies software could have done it. I think the Holy Spirit did. Even now when I go to Google Images...nothing automatically appears.
.

Here's the thing ....I was gonna end this post by saying that I wasn't sure what all of this meant. And that bothered me. I'm an all-or-nothing kind of girl. Before I write a blog post on something - I want the idea to be complete. So smack dab in the middle of writing I stopped and prayed that God would help me with it - that He would finish it out and show me what all this meant. 

And He did. HE DID! Read on...

While I was proofreading this post - I received an email from my precious friend Brooklyn. In it, she said that she was praying God would reveal Himself to me this week - and she also sent me a link to a blog she thought I would be interested in. When I checked out the blog - I almost fell out of my chair again. Click here. You just might fall out of yours, too.

Friends, right in the middle of writing a blog post on seeing Jesus' face - I get sent to this cool chick's blog post about seeing Jesus' face. And not only that - her post brought the whole thing full circle. You want to see Jesus' face? Look into the faces of the needy. The lost. The lonely. The desperate. The despaired. The orphaned. The widowed. The hungry. The homeless. Look into their eyes. You have something they need. Give it. You know Someone they may not. Introduce them. To Him. It's what we're called to, really.

So are you a little bit weird-ed out by all this? People seeing Jesus. This crazy woman saying the Holy Spirit Googled something on her computer. Yeah. I get that. I don't blame you. The people I come from don't really talk this way either. (Except for MeeMaw - she's a blog post all her own.) It freaks me out a little bit, too. But please hear this from a self-proclaimed skeptic.....

He's real. And He knows you. And He sees you. And He loves you. And He looks on you - and your past and your issues and all your junk - with crazy compassion...with the tender, mercy-filled affection only a sacrificial Savior can muster up. And while it sounds pretty out of this world to say that the Lord is in the face of the fallen...He is. And while it sounds over the top to say that He speaks to people today - He does.

But don't take my word for it - take His:

Jesus said....

for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' (Matthew 25: 35-40)

Wow.

How does your hair look after getting caught up in the eternal tornado that is this blog post? Whew. You should see mine.

Lord, we praise you for revealing Yourself to us. Help us all to position ourselves in Your Word and in Your work. Give us compassion and love and grace for those who need it so much. Move us. Stir us up. And let us recognize how real and intimate You are with us all.

In Jesus, Amen 

Look Around

I've been dealing with doubt. Just when I think I've got a firm foundation- I'm shaken. I've never cracked - but I've come close. Right before I rupture - I'm rescued. Every time.....

Last night, I felt like I was suppose to pick up my Max Lucado Devotional Bible. I haven't read this particular version in a while. It's a cool Bible. The devotionals littered throughout it totally rock. This Bible usually hangs out on a lamp stand in our living room. I hardly ever use this version anymore. But nevertheless - I felt prompted to pick it up.

I took it back to our bedroom, climbed up on our bed, and just flipped it open. The pages fell to a devotional about God's Presence. Take a gander at the last few lines:

...because we look for the bonfire, we miss the candle. Because we listen for the shout, we miss the whisper. But it is in burnished candles that God comes, and through whispered promises He speaks: 'When you doubt, look around; I am closer than you think.'

Interesting. Coincidence? Maybe. God? Probably.

Isn't it so true? Even the prompting I had to pick up the Bible - was in the form of a still, small whisper. I only heard it because I was desperate. My heart and mind void of faith - yet yearning for it - seems to be perfect grounds for God encounters. I've experienced it time and time again. I'd love to share some of these stories with you. I think I'll make this into a little bit of a series. I like the sound of that. A 'series'. It makes me feel like one of those serious bloggers or something.

Until my next post, may the Lord reveal Himself to you in new and fresh ways. That is my prayer for all of us. Keep your eyes peeled and your hearts open. He's there....a whole lot 'closer than you think'.

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. - Jeremiah 29:13

Come Away

Psalm 27:8 has long been one of my favorite verses.

My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me." And my heart responds, "Lord, I am coming." That's the New Living Translation.

The New King James Version puts it this way: When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, Lord, I will seek."

I don't even know what to say about this verse. It just echos my heart's cry. And it makes me want to grab my Bible, my journal, my prayer list,some worship music....my weaknesses, worries, concerns, and sorrows...and take them all to a quiet corner somewhere and bask in the presence of the Lord. I'm beginning to understand that when I seek Him with my whole heart - I will find Him. You will, too.

Be encouraged and know that when I do finally find that quiet corner today - I'll be praying for you.

The Privilege of Prayer

People need prayer.

I'm just now beginning to understand this as a discipline. The bigness of it. The effects of it. The privilege of it.

There are so many awesome scriptures on prayer. So many quotes by really wonderful people on prayer. So many good pray-ers. No one really needs me to write a blog post on it.

But here lately, I have been finding so much joy in praying. Instead of it being a monotonous ritual or an anxiety filled plea - it's become more of a communing. It's something I crave. Something I need. Not something I dread. Not something I fear. It's also been more about intercession. That is, praying for other people - interceding for them. I have found so much satisfaction in this. Excitement, even! I've discovered that praying for another person's needs causes a fountain of love and contentment to well up inside - causing the tumult within my own heart to cease. Sounds cheesy but it's true.

Our whole family is experiencing the same thing. Right now, there is a light-up rotating globe sitting on my kitchen table - at the request of my husband. It has become our centerpiece, if you will. It serves as a reminder that there is a whole world of people who need the love and compassion of Jesus. And it reminds us to pray for them. It's powerful. It's even had an impact on our 4 year old. This week - he chose to pray for Portugal, Spain, France, and all of Africa. He gets it.

His Mommy is trying hard to get it, too. That's where you come in! What can I pray about for YOU? Please take me up on this. It would be my pleasure to lift you up in intercession. I'm setting aside some extra time just to pray for you. Take courage in that!

I'll leave you with some wisdom far richer than anything I could ever conjure up! Be blessed, friends - and know that you are loved....

Pray without ceasing. - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

"I am so grateful I did not wait until I was perfect or had everything straight before praying for others, otherwise I would never have begun." - Richard Foster

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. - Jeremiah 33:3

"Understand that praying is more than bowing your head and saying your prayers. Your whole life can be a prayer." - from Checklist for a Woman's Life

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He made abide with you forever. - John 14:16

 Lord, lead me in prayer. Meet me in prayer. Teach me how to pray. Let the Spirit pray through me. Bring people and things to my mind that you want prayed for. And let me heed the call. Please bless everyone who stops by my blog with a deep reassurance of Your goodness. We praise you. 

In Jesus, Amen.

Soup!

One of the things that gets me through winter... is food. When the weather is cold - I turn into a corny, June Cleaver-ish, cooking and baking freak.

I'm not a cold weather person. The chapped lips, cloudy skies, and freezing cold temperatures don't exactly do it for me. I need some sunshine. Some warmth. Some life, please.

While I'm cooped up inside with two antsy children all season - I turn to Jesus. And then I turn to my stove.

Throughout the winter months - I make my Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup at least once a week. It's a great way to get some veggies into our bellies. It's not loaded with junk. (Like bouillon cubes, for example. Those things might be totally safe - I have some sitting in my cupboard. But seriously, what's in those 'chicken flavored' little squares? Kinda scares me.) It's not super expensive. And I read somewhere that chicken soup really is good for your immune system. I'm up for anything that will fight off a virus or two. Sign me up, please!

You want to sign up, too? You got it. Here's the recipe:

Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup - from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook - 14th Edition

1 3-4 pound chicken, cut up, or 2.5 pounds meaty chicken pieces
8 cups water
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1.5 cups dried egg noodles
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley (I don't always add this.)


1) In a 6-8 quart Dutch oven combine chicken, water, onion, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 1.5 hours or until chicken is tender.


2) Remove chicken from broth. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones. Discard bones and skin. Cut meat into bite-size pieces; set aside. Discard bay leaf. Skim fat from broth. (I don't always skim the fat.)


3) Bring broth to boiling. Stir in carrot and celery. Simmer, covered, about 5 minutes. Stir in noodles. Simmer, covered, about 5 minutes more or until noodles are tender but still firm. Stir in chicken and parsley; heat through. (I let it simmer for a bit after I've added all the ingredients. Maybe 15-20 minutes.)

 It's so good. While it warms up our bellies - it warms up our hearts. I told you the cold makes me corny :)

They Bring Peace

I'm crazy about the book of Ephesians.

All of it - but particularly chapter 4. Will you dive into it with me for a moment? Just look at these nuggets of truth:

Verse 1 says: lead a life worthy of your calling
Verse 2 says: be humble and gentle...patient...making allowances for each other's faults
Verse 3 says: keep yourselves united in the Spirit...bind yourselves together with peace
Verses 5 and 6 say: there is one God who is over all and in all and living through all
Verse 14 says: we should no longer be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine
Verse 17 says: no longer walk in the futility of your mind
Verse 22 says: throw off your former way of life
Verse 23 says: be renewed in the Spirit of your mind
Verse 25 says: put away lying
Verse 26 says: do not let the sun go down on your wrath
Verse 28 says: use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to those in need
Verse 29 says: let everything you say be good and helpful...and an encouragement to those who hear them
Verse 30 says: do not grieve the Holy Spirit
Verse 31 says: get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander
Verse 32 says: be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another

And in between all of those words are more awesome words of truth. Go ahead and check them out. Dive in. Test the waters. It feels good.

When I first started getting serious about studying God's Word - I did a personal study of Ephesians. I didn't just read it - I relished it. Rolled around in it for a while. Chewed on it for a few days. Cross referenced it. Compared translations. And memorized a few verses, too. (Not because I'm super-duper righteous or anything.I'm not. - But because I couldn't help myself.) I also prayed that the Holy Spirit would speak to me through it. He did...still does....and He'll do the same for you.

The few phrases I listed above - and the other sweet words you'll find in this book - are not words of bondage. They are not regimented. Or haughty. Or even religious. They are life-giving. They bring freedom. They edify. They bring peace. To you - and to those in your sphere of influence.

Don't you just think that's beautiful?

Me too.

Let's Seek Him

Welcome to 2011! And welcome to JottinMama's new blog! It's high time I get my act together and do this blog thing the way it's meant to be done. Well. Weekly. Wonderfully. That's my intention... we will see how I do :)

2010 was life-changing. And awesome. The Lord was so up close and personal with us last year.... getting into our business and onto our cases like never before. I'm hoping and praying for more of the same in 2011.

And I think I'll get it because...

I had an interesting little exchange with the Lord one day a couple of month ago. I was driving down the road - praying. About my faith...about the doubts whirling around in my mind. And as I was praying and pondering - I had a tornado of quotes and thoughts filling my brain....from theologians, books, articles, and preachers that I had listened to recently.

"Well this pastor says....."

"But this theologian thinks that..."

"And this author believes....."

It was so noisy. And overwhelming. When all of the sudden I felt like the Lord said...


"But Kate, who do YOU say that I am?"

Immediate calm flooded my mind. And then I thought about the Bible passage where Jesus asked the disciples the very same thing. It's in Luke 9:18-20, if you're interested.

Ever since...I've been repeating the question over and over in my mind. Who do I say that Jesus is?

The only way to answer the question is to know Him personally. Through scripture. Through prayer. Through worship. Beth Moore can't do that for me. Ravi Zacharias can't do that for me. Max Lucado can't do that for me. My pastors can't do that for me. While they are all excellent Bible teachers and while I do learn from them and enjoy their teachings (and while I will probably quote them often this year here on my blog).... I have to find out who Jesus is my own self. I have to get my own nose into The Word. I have to get on my own knees and pray my own prayers. I have to lift my own hands in worship.  And friends, when I do those things, when I position myself at His feet (through serious Bible study, prayer, fasting, fellowship, quiet, stillness, service, obedience, etc...) I'm able to give Him an answer to the, "Who do YOU say that I am?" question that pierced my heart that day.

And that's important. For me. And for you.

So this year, please join me. In the Word. On your knees. In worship. Out in the world - serving and seeking. For I'm beginning to understand that in these things ...a person does a lot of finding. Revelation happens. Our eyes are opened. Our faith is strengthened. Our influence is lengthened. We are guided, girded, and hoisted up to catch His wind in our sails.

Oh friends. I'm thankful for you. And for this new year. And for a God who wants us to know Him. Really know Him. In 2011, may the Spirit break into our lives, homes, hearts, churches, and communities like never before.

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give to you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. - Ephesians 1:15-19 NKJV