Trekking with Me

Praise Him for His  mighty deeds;   Praise Him according to His excellent  greatness.  Psalm 150:2 What a Year!  2012 has been one of the fullest years I have ever experienced.  It's been a year of going deep with God, Him peeling back layer upon layer, and with each layer, bringing insight, healing, growth, renewal, joy and hope.   From the very beginning to this day, PEACE has been felt on the soles of my feet.  "  ...S hod   YOUR FEET   WITH   THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF   PEACE..." This has been HIS work, His preparation: He help me grasp and practice what it means to put on peace, to follow peace... to Let Peace rule .  It's a wonderful, wonderful place to live!  Early in the year, Matthew 6:33 was spoken to me through my sister in love, Melanie.  "Seek first the Kingdom..." It's a piece of Scripture I have known since my youth, a familiar song sung around many a campfires.  Th...

Woke to a beautiful Spring morning, curled under a refreshing coolness blanketing a soft wet dewy dawn; I relished in the moment, rejoicing in the treat of having my windows open and it being cool enough to need my heavy comforter to keep me warm.  Ah, Spring in South Carolina! It's simply delicious with beauty for all the senses! As I stirred, not wanting to miss the wonder of the morning hours, it dawned on me it was Good Friday. Sad, sober day: I put myself in the shoes of Jesus' disciples... what a night they had had.  And Now Jesus was in the hands of the authorities, on His way to the Cross.  I am sure they were a mess of panic, of disbelief, maybe a tinge of hope that something awesome would happen and He would show the same power that had quieted the demon-possessed, raised Lazarus from the dead... maybe He would call down a host of Angels and bring in the Kingdom... maybe? But it did not go down like that in the Garden, in fact they had witnessed Jesus in an od...

So Summer Begins. About an hour ago I opened my front door and it felt like a furnace outside.  It's hot. I am very thankful for air conditioning.  This summer I won't be sailing two days a week as I did two summers ago.  I won't be catching every random babysitting opportunity.  I won't be sweating under a canopy at the Sand Hills Farmers Market selling beautiful veggies and fruit.  I won't be renovating anything in my house, no summer projects this year. This summer I will be... ... working in an office, being part of a healing process to young and old, men and women, people of all sorts.  It fills me with a deep level of satisfaction.  I come home quite tired, ready to embrace an evening on my couch and a hot meal.  I totally embrace that when it happens! ... involved in other's lives, with a desire to spur them on in Christ Jesus. What a JOY... ...enjoying Sunday afternoons on the sail boat, contra dancing, baking, reading, resting, ...

How He Delights My Soul! Last night a dear friend and I went for a walk down on the Riverwalk.  It is one of my favorite places here in Columbia.  If I have not said it already, Spring is beautiful here!!  This Spring seems to be extra beautiful for the Lord has been pouring His Love over me in such a tangible way.  Truly Joy inexpressible! So much joyful juice is upon me that when I spill it over on a status quote on Facebook I am receiving funny questioning comments such as, "are you getting married?" or "Tammie, do we need to talk??" I love my friends.   No I am not getting married; I am simply growing into deeper Delight of My Husband for 34 years.  Jesus Christ has faithfully loved me through valleys and seasons and depths.  He has been tenderly showing me this walk truly has been a living relationship, a marriage, in spite of my complaining, my lack of understanding and seeing(believing!) or mis-belief, my stubborn dig-my-heels in moments, po...

Ever play that hide-and-seek game as a child, or with your children?  Something is hidden, as they search for it, you gently give them hints: "you are close, getting warmer, warmer... you are getting HOT..."  which means, "you are RIGHT THERE! OPEN YOUR EYES!" I think that God does that in the Word. God has given me a few wonderful life-giving Words, some "rhema" over the past few year.  He is always speaking if we listen.  Last weekend, as I said, He tied a few strings together that connected several concepts I was getting close to: He Lit it Up for me! One concept He opened was how He has revealed Himself in Scripture. This actually started several weeks ago.  This little house I live in is the home of two very early risers.  My roommate gets up in the wee hours of the morning, sprawls our her Bible, her notes, her pens and pours over His Word.  By the time I fall out of bed, she has been up at least half an hour or so... and this is all before...

I had a little revelation this week.  A whisper from the Spirit, from the Father, and it delighted my heart: Yes, my soul, find rest in God: My hope comes from him. Truly He is my rock and my salvation He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all time, you people; Pour out your hearts to him, For God is our refuge. Psalm 62:5-8 Christ is both a Person AND a Place.  See!?  "He is my fortress... He is ... my refuge." You see, sometimes we don't have a peaceful haven to escape to - a physical place.  I think of the story of The Hiding Place when they were taken prisoners into the Nazi prisons, or if you are a young mother who can't even take a shower without a little one calling or crying your name.  (yes, i know those are two extremes) Your quiet times are few and far between.  Even when there is no earthly, physical place we can go and shut the door, He i...

"Tis the Season to be Jolly...." I have rolled into this season with mixed emotions.  I am facing saying "goodbye" to my brother and his family in a few days.... the semester is closing fast and i am not sure what is happening next.  It is haunting me like an invisible ghost - something is there i just don't know what. These unknowns, and closings and changes... ugh, i can't really say i am all that jolly. YET, in the last few months I have sensed in my being a gentle settling... i love my new church, i love the potential ministry opportunities... I am hopeful for what is ahead and God keeps reminding me His heart is worth Trusting even when I can't see: He fills me with inexpressible joy and peace. So today... I decorated the house a little tiny bit.  I don't want the neighbors to think I am a heathen.  I have to admit Christmas decorations are beautiful and make me feel so at home and loved.  On the other hand, I am kind of lazy in that I run...

It's my favorite time... this week is one I enjoy spending time reflecting on Passion week. A few years ago It became SO much more precious after doing a special teaching on it to my Bible students. After studying over it for my lesson I was praying about how to present it to my students in a way that would be different. I taught at a Christian school and most of my students were from christian homes who could have taught the material themselves. How could I make it different, real and personal to them? As I was praying over this God gave me a brilliant idea; a monologue began to form in my head, as if an eye witness were sharing about the week... the eye witness came out of the story... she was a servant girl, who worked for the man who owned the Upper Room. It was a Powerful presentation; one that God birthed in my mind and heart and He help me pull it off! I was blown away with how it came together and my students gleaned truth in a fresh way... i even heard about it from...

Waiting for the coffee to brew. I opened up a "New Post" window a few minutes ago, wanting to post about the amazing reflections from finishing Watchman Nee's book, "The Normal Christian Life" but the ground is still trembling in my heart. God has profoundly used this book to meet me - Specifically, personally, powerfully. The words of reflection haven't completely formed. For right now, the phrase, "Jesus Only Jesus" comes to mind. The conclusion of the book met me with something I had been somewhat wrestling with just in the last few days. Seriously, I love how intimate God is. His words circled around one of my very favorite Bible stories... the Alabaster Box; pouring out our best on the Lord. Wasting ourselves on Him. That is where true satisfaction comes from. Time to quote.... Have our eyes been open to see the preciousness of the one whom we are serving? Have we come to see that nothing less than the dearest, the costliest, the mo...

I have so many thoughts I have been wanting to piece together and write. The Lord has been moving in a few different areas; as usual they are all intersecting with each other, building truth and understanding. Here are a few of those pieces: I have been praying for some dear friends of mine who are walking through dark and testing trials. My classes are deep and challenging as we look at some not so great realities about this world we live in, the mess people are in because of sin and our sin nature. AND, the reading of Nee's book, as well as my real life interactions at work and with the Body of believers have all been contributing factors. So bare with me a little, this may be longer than normal. My heart and mind have been grieved over the hurt, trials, and sin, that touches all of our lives; more so being magnified through the pieces I shared in the latter paragraph. A few days ago God spoke to me as I read this passage in Corinthians in my quiet time: (NASV)For though ...

Today is my brithday :-) Yes, I am 36 and have enjoyed a wonderful birthday with my family. I have received many birthday wishes on Facebook... and even a few presents! God is so good to me. One verse comes to mind... "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day!" Proverbs 4:18 This morning I was up trying to catch the sunrise and found this in the sky.... yes, the sun was blocked by a HUGE Stormy cloud; there was lightening flashing in the cloud ... the water rolling up on shore was silky smooth... the storm was WAY out over the water. Still, it was blocking my perfect sunrise picture... yet it was beautiful in its own way. Beautiful and soothing... I went back up to my room and watched as the sun worked it's way up over the cloud... and something amazing happened. As soon as the sun shone over the rim of that huge cloud, it was as if the cloud disappeared! I could NOT see the cloud at all! Isn't t...

Some friends of mine lent me a video series called "the Stranger" - 6-7 mini-video's; each is one of Jesus' most well known scenes or parables. Stories such as The Prodigal son, Mary and Martha, the woman at the well; each of these are portrayed in a modernized way. Jesus "shows up" as a Stranger, meeting the person, speaking into their world Truth, Grace, Hope and Love. Each story illustrates powerful Truth in a fresh, very personal way. As I watched them, an ache in my heart rose. How wonderful it would be to meet Jesus; to interact with Him as this video portrays. He simplifies the mess, pulls out the real issue and reminds us that though details change, Truth does not. Several years ago there was a tv show called, "Touched by an Angel" - there was some controversy over that show - was it sound? But, you know what, it too brought SUCH encouragement to weary, hungry hearts reminding us: God LOVES You! We search and search for signi...

I want to love Jesus More.

You know that song, "I am a friend of God"...i use to really not like it. Not sure why, it just was one of those songs that rubbed the wrong way. Maybe it was that very part, saying, " I am a friend of God,"...I know Christ calls us 'Friends" but can i say I am a friend of God? A few days ago I saw a skit. A Man was sitting on a bench and several "friends" came by. He looked forward to each friend but each one came by either unfocused, busy, not engaging with their "Friend" on the bench, until the last one who actually sat down and had a real conversation with the Man. It was a simple skit but God grabbed my attention. He wants me to talk to Him as a Friend. He longs for me to talk to Him about my day, my concerns, my thoughts, my joys, my struggles - He wants to go with me through my lonely times, through my fear that I will be alone forever on this earth, that i may never know a man's love or marriage or children - He w...

One of the blessings i enjoy about living here in NE FL is the proximity of the beach - it is less than an hour to St. Augustine! Yesterday was a beautiful day, clear blue skies and the temps were in the upper 70's...okay, you northerners, a day like yesterday is why you live in FL in February! Being single offers many blessings too - the ability to be spontaneous! So, after spending a day working at school and the wonderful fact that the school day ends before 2p.m....i was off to the beach with a blueberry/mango/banana smoothie, my bible, journal, beach chair, and a good book! God and i were off on a date! 2 an a half hours to read, breath in the salt air, listen to the roar of the waves and a sparcely populated beach to enjoy all to myself. I enjoyed a short run too - wish i could do that everyday but a 25-30 minute run does not warrant a 50 minute drive but once in a while it is so worth it! Our date on the beach closed with a ceasar salad topped with blackened chicke...