There is no way this pitcher could ever be used to hold water again.

That's the point.

Where have you been? Where are you right now? Do you wish that you could have written the pages of your own story?

My story would have been written without goodbyes or loneliness, without a sick mother, without a broken family, without betrayal, without unmet needs, without poor choices and the consequences of those choices. If I sat here long enough I could probably continue for days, but I think you get the picture.

I am thankful that I am not the author of my days. What a boring life "my" story would be. What a boring person I would be. If it were not for my brokenness, I am convinced that I would not even know my Savior. Why would I have needed Him, or even wanted Him if there were not a thirst. If my pitcher could hold its own. The thought of it makes me cringe. Would I have dreaded those days if I knew that they were going to lead me to the Eternal One. The Only One who I will never have to say goodbye to because He will never leave me. He heals all my diseases, and brings wholeness to my family. He meets all my needs, and covers all of my poor choices with His grace and mercy. Oh, I would not change a single day. The pain is worth the gain that I have experienced. What an Awesome Author He is.

And get this. . .my life may look like this pitcher all broken and cracked. And it may seem useless. But it is filled with living water and even though is seeps out the cracks and can't hold it own, the source is eternal. I'll never run low or thirst. And maybe, just maybe some of that living water that is seeping out of my brokenness will seep into the cracks of another.

This post was inspired by a post on Bring the Rain titled The Past and The Pitcher. Please take the time to hop over there and read the story that goes with the picture of the pitcher. Also take the time to read the posts that follow that one that is dated May 23rd. This family has been through alot of brokenness recently and covets your prayers.

Kelly

I've known Kelly and her family for a long time now. She was just a tiny little girl when I met her. Now, she is a beautiful young lady who is on fire for God.

Kelly has been called by God to be a missionary. This Friday she leaves for a 2 month mission trip in Serbia. Please pray for her safe travel, and for God to do an eternal work through Kelly and the others that are going with her. Also remember her family (especially mom), they will miss her dearly.

If you would like to give Kelly a word of encouragement or keep up with her, and what God is doing you can visit her blog: Ichthus.

Be careful what you ask for. . .

When I look at my life, I have to say that I have been really blessed. For the most part. . . I've been able to get what I want out of life. God has blessed me with a wonderful husband, children to die for, good health, a good job, a beautiful home, 2 cars, and lots of extras. Life's been good. Dreams are coming true, and the future looks promising, even with a few uncertainties that are lingering over the horizon.

Why then, do I hunger for more? Why, when one dream is achieved, another one comes along to take its place? It never ends, and to be honest, I am growing weary of it. Round and round I go, never achieving true satisfaction. It always seems to be just around the corner.

We've all heard the old saying, be careful what you ask for. . . you might just get it. Well, last night as I did day 2 of our new Tuesday night bible study, Beth Moore said, "Isn't it frightening that we could finally talk God into giving us all we desire?" That statement alone without the light of God's word on it may sound absurd, because I would love to have ALL that I want, and as a matter of fact I want it RIGHT NOW. But let's shine God's light on it, shall we. . .

Psalm 106:15 And He [God] gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.

Here is what the Geneva Study Bible has to say about "leanness of the soul":
The abundance that God gave them did not profit, but made them pine away, because God cursed it.

Whoa! Did you get that. . .their dreams coming true only made them pine away, it did not satisfy them. Life has taught me that getting all that I want will never fill me to the measure, only Jesus can do that. I want to be fat, (never thought I'd say that, especially since I am currently on a diet and have lost 13lbs.), and full with all that God has to offer me. If I want something that is going to cause my soul to be lean, then I pray that God would quench that desire in me quickly. Life is too short to be filling it with things that do not satisfy. God is pursuing me, chasing me down to give me His best, and by His grace, I'm gonna turn and run to Him. I want it. . . all of it. . .everything He has to offer. This world has nothing for me. And He has everything. So let me just say be careful what you ask for. . . He might just give it to you.

Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

I am so full on this lesson I can hardly contain myself. God is so Good!

I Won The Prize

I won Beth Moore's book,
David: 90 Days With A Heart Like His
from Elaine's blog.


Thanks Elaine. I enjoyed your study of David, Fighting to Win.

I am more equipped to run the race and win because of your faithfulness
to share what God was teaching you.

The enemy will surely suffer loss now that we know his schemes.


Philippians 3:14

I press on toward the goal to win the prize
for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Beth Moore said "I was full of bull. . ."

Tuesday night at bible study we watched Beth Moore's study on "Who do you Trust?" My friend, the Beth Moore junkie has the listening CD's AND the Video DVD's of this. Since I am being groomed by my friend to be yet another BM junkie I had listened to this lesson before. But Tuesday night I learned something new and I wanted to share. Here are the main scriptures that Beth shared for the foundation of this lesson:

Isaiah 26:3-4 (NKJV)
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.

AND

Deuteronomy 1:28-33 (KJV)

Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there. Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them. The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes; And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place. Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God, Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.

There are 2 evidences of distrust or unbelief in God. They are an ailing heart and a spewing mind. Beth asked us to take an evaluation of ourselves and identify where our hearts are ailing and our minds are spewing. She said that usually our ailing heart comes from a "secret pain". And examples of a spewing mind are: worry, fear, vain imaginations, anger, and so on. I am sure that there are more ways to spew than that, but these were the few that she named.

Beth asked us to answer some True/False statements. Here they are:

T or F Deep down I don't trust anyone.
T or F I tend to trust anybody.
T or F There is only one person on earth that I really trust.
T or F I don't trust God.
T or F I only trust God.
T or F I trust God in most things.

Then Beth began to comment on each statement. I'm just gonna be real with you here because that's my new thing that I think God has been telling me He wants me do.

I answered True to the first statement. "Deep down I don't trust anyone!" I'm sorry if that offends anyone, especially my friends, but it's true. For many reasons that I won't go into, I approach all relationships with some amount of distrust. That's just me, who I am (at this moment, but God is still working on me). Beth said that, because I answered true, I needed to let God heal me here, or I will develop a cold heart in order to cope with a cold world. Because, lets face it, some people are just not trustworthy, and when you have been betrayed or let down. . .IT HURTS!

I have to ask myself, can God really do a work in and through my life if I have this constant wall built around myself, refuse to trust people, and be real with them? Besides, am I trusting "the wall I built" to keep me protected? It is a wall built by me. . .and if I'm not mistaken the word of God says that my only refuge is in Him. So I definitely have some healing that needs to take place concerning trusting others.

At this point in the lesson I'm thinking. . . I'm with ya, Beth. . . been there, done that. . . I need to let God heal me. . . He is healing me. . . slowly but surely. . . I see Him working.

Then. . . she got down to "true or false, I only trust God." And Beth said, "If your answer was true to I don't trust anyone. . . AND true to I only trust God. . . You are Full of BULL."

And I thought, "Whoa! What did she say??!! She just said, I am Full of BULL!" Now at this point I was shocked and ready to do what Beth tells us to do sometimes. . .Go home and tell God on her. . .

"God, did you hear what she just said to me!! God, can you believe what she just said?"

And in my spirit, before I could even get off that couch and go home, I heard my Lord say, "Yep, I heard her. Did you hear her, Regina? It's true. . .you need to think about it and talk with Me about it. I have some new things to teach you, about yourself, and about Me."

Wow! That is scary, because anytime God speaks He calls me to a crisis of belief, where He expects me to adjust my belief, and OBEY Him. So that I can experience Him.

(learned from Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby)

Today, in my journey of faith, this is where I am. I am experiencing a crisis of belief and I am adjusting my thoughts and beliefs to line up with what God says is really true. I'm not sure yet what it is He is calling me to obey. But I am sure that as I make these adjustements, He will show me where I need to obey Him.

Remember our main scripture Isaiah 26:3-4, and Deuteronomy 1:28-23.

I've got my "secret pain" held out before my Lord, and he is saying, "after all I've done for you. . .you can't trust me with "this THING?" And I am saying, "I want to Lord, oh please help me with my unbelief!"

Blog readers, we've gotta be real. First with God, and then with others. Otherwise the pain that we go through in this life is all in vain. And I just really do not want to go through "this thing" for nothing! Do you? God can turn our ashes into beauty. A beauty far beyond our imagination.

If we are going to trust God like we say we do then there are only two kinds of situations that we can find ourselves in:

1. Situations in which we will see God's goodness immediately. OR

2. Situations in which we will see God's goodness eventually.

Now, sitting here healthy and happy while all is going well in our lives this makes perfect sense and is easy to remember.

So here's the challenge: Remember it when you are in the storm of that secret pain and your heart is broken. Or when God has asked you to just trust him with "that thing" that you just can't figure out how to fix. Or when he has asked you to be real with others about "that thing" that you've been going through so that others may be healed like you have been healed.

At this moment. . .this is where I am. Trying to keep my mind stayed on Him. How about you? Are we up to the challenge?

The Angel's Hushed Their Singing Tonight

Several weeks ago during AWANA at our church the pastor came and shared a story with the children. He gave an invitation to accept Jesus as their Savior and several children including my beautiful, spunky Sara Bug went forward to do so. When the night was over Sara's leader brought her to the car and told us what she had done. My husband and I talked with Sara and decided that she really did not know what she was doing because she could not even remember what she prayed nor did she know what sin was. Sara has always admitted to loving Jesus and wanting him to live in her heart, but understanding our need (her need) for a Savior had just not come yet. So my husband and I decided to wait and pray.

Well. . . tonight let me just say that the Angel's in heaven hushed their singing to listen to the most precious conversation I have ever had. My spunky little girl told me that she was afraid and when I asked why she began to remind me of things that she has done that she knew was wrong. She was afraid that she could not be good enough to go to heaven. And I got the privilege of sharing Jesus with my daughter. She got it! She understands now that no one is good enough that is why Jesus had to die. She prayed the sweetest prayer asking Jesus to forgive her, and thanking Him for going to the cross for her. And then ran to the living room to tell her daddy what she did. In the morning she wants to tell her big brother, and on Sunday she wants to tell the pastor. And I'm just praising God for letting me be there when she did the most important thing she will ever do. It was precious. . . and like I said I'm sure the angel's hushed their singing because. . .

He loves to hear the angels as they sing

"Holy, holy is the Lamb"

(Holy, holy, holy is the Lamb)

Heaven's choirs sing in harmony

Lift up praises to the great "I Am"

(Hallelujah, Hallelujah)

But He lifts His hands for silence

When the weakest saved by grace begins to sing

And a million angels listen as a newborn soul sings

"I have been redeemed"

The Girl I Used To Be

She came tonight as I sat alone,
The girl I used to be…
And she gazed at me with her
earnest eye and questioned reproachfully:

Have you forgotten the many plans
And hopes I had for you?

The great career, the splendid fame,
All the wonderful things to do?

Where is the mansion of stately height
With all its gardens rare?

The silken robes that I dreamed for you
And the jewels in your hair?

And as she spoke, I was very sad
For I wanted her pleased with me…

This slender girl from the shadowy past
The girl that I used to be.

So gently rising, I took her hand
And guided her up the stairs

Where peacefully sleeping, my babies lay
Innocent, sweet, and fair.

And I told her that these are my only gems,
And precious they are to me;

That silken robe is my motherhood
Of costly simplicity.

And my mansion of stately height is love,
And the only career I know is serving
each day in these sheltered walls
For the dear ones who come and go

And as I spoke to my shadowy guest,
She smiled through her tears at me.

And I saw the woman I am now
Pleased the girl I used to be.


Author Unknown

He's the LILY of the valley. . .

Song of Solomon 2:2-3

Like a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.
Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, So is my beloved among the sons.

I sat down in his shade with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.

• There is always a "lily" in the valley.
• I need to focus on the "lily" and not the valley.
• Discouragement comes from focusing on the past or future and not the present.

2 Corinthians 4:8-10
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

• I am blessed if I can turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones.
• The cross was a triumph! Not a tragedy.
• Victory comes through defeat.
• Healing comes through brokenness.

Jesus is the LILY of the valley.

2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

• There are no disappointments if my will is buried in God's will.
• A no to my request, is a big YES from Him to His best for me.

Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

• God's power is at work IN me. Even though my circumstances may not change. He is changing me from the inside out, so the way that I look at my circumstances is different.

Father, tough times are coming. I see them on the horizon. Please help me be prepared to fight the enemy. Help me keep my focus on You, the Lily of my valley. Bury my will in yours. Whatever happens ~ use it to do a work in me and in my family. An eternal work. A work that brings glory and honor to You. I have to admit I'm afraid looking at that "giant". He is dressed for the fight. Help me to remember that I am yours and that you will fight my battles if I will just let you. You have been faithful to me thus far. Thank you, Lord. I love you!

Garden of My Heart

The garden of my heart. . . was weary. . . and in need of refreshment.

I let Jesus the Master Gardener revive me.

The Master Gardener brings to every garden. . .beauty and joy!

Even the threat of winter. . .

cannot dispel the promise of His coming spring!

He asked me, "Are you ready to get real. . . and get healed?"

"Are you ready to be pruned?" And I said, "Let the work begin! Work in me. . .Your will. . ."

"Pruned for Your Glory!"

He asked, "Is your garden gate open to receive Me?"

"Are you finally ready to tear down the walls that you've put up. . . to keep others out. . . but yourself locked in?"

"Are you willing to let Me plow up the hard ground of your heart. . .

and plant Myself in you. . . so that you can thrive?"

And I said, "YES!"