But God Knew...

But God knew... 

          I didn't know I would have child with a label called autism...

I didn't know mothering a special needs child was part of God's plan for me... 

But God knew ...

I thought I knew what it meant to "Lean Not on my own understanding ..."

I thought the world was pretty black and white with God in the center

But God knew 

I thought I knew what a spectrum was....but I didn't know 

When I was little I felt God tug at my heart telling me I had a lot of love to give...but I didn't know He would choose me to raise Isaac

I didn't know... But God knew

I didn't know my dream of becoming a lawyer would make a way so I could stay home and be there for my special needs child... I didn't know 

I didn't know I would marry a man with strength and integrity and devotion to Jesus and our family and that devotion would get our marriage through anything... Even autism 

I didn't know but God knew... 

I didn't know what pain really was... 

            But God knew ...He pinned it to the cross

           I didn't know what fervent prayer and fasting was

          I didn't really know...until the journey with Isaac

          

          I didn't know what it was like to have strangers stare at you.....

to have strangers look and glare at your child... I didn't know

          But God knew

          

         God knew perfectly well Isaac would be different when he was forming him in my womb.. God knew            perfectly well when I prayed and I cried "Use me Lord. Use me. I'll go where you call me to. I'll do what you ask" He would answer and say, "You don't have to go any where or do anything... Just be            Isaac's mom and use your son to point the world to mine...point to My Son Jesus."

          

         I didn't know but God knew. He always does 

Throw Away the Balance- It's all Mine

The Lord speaks during worship.
Whether you are asleep and wake up at night thinking of the Lord.
Whether you are reading your Bible and meditating on Him.
Whether you are lifting your hands in praise singing in church...
We should always be ready to hear from the LORD.
Like little Samuel heard his voice "Samuel, Samuel..." "Speak Lord your servant is listening"
(1 Samuel 3:10).

A few weeks ago I was having a sweet time of worship...
I sang and poured out my hearing..
I prayed a familiar "Laura" prayer...(you know those personal prayers we all have...where we ask God to help in an area of our life we are lacking)
"Lord, please help me have balance. Please help me"
I felt the LORD respond.
Stop.
Stop asking me for balance...IT'S ALL MINE.

I wasn't quite sure what this meant...so I waited on Him to reveal it and explain it to me.

For years (I do mean YEARS) I have been praying and asking the LORD to help me have balance.
I have my family, home/house responsibilities, work part time, love to pray with people in need, Bible studies, Isaac's ABA Autism therapy, time with my daughter (she needs it...she endures a lot as the big sister of a special needs child), writing encouragement, grocery shopping, take out the papers and the trash (ha, ha, ha....remember that 50s song) etc.

My list.... your list is unending...There is so much to do and only one me.

I am not organized so I constantly give it to the LORD. Help me with balance and help me get organized LORD.

But on that evening in March, God said STOP. Stop asking for balance, it's all mine.
If the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. I can do the same. When God through His Holy Spirit is leading me to pray a different prayer..I should want to listen and obey. (Luke 11:1)

When the Holy Spirit leads you...the directive may often seem strange...
Like God asking ...well NO He was not asking....He was instructing Jonah to go to Ninevah...it seemed strange to Jonah (as some of us are learning in the Jonah Bible Study at CCCV) Jonah 3:2

So the LORD directing me to throw away the balance seemed strange to me...but I want to obey His instructions even when I don't fully get it...

Throw away the balance....It's All Mine...

It's all mine. What are you trying to say LORD?
The LORD is El Kanna- a jealous God. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Deut 4:24 (NIV)

God wants to invade and permeate ALL areas of our life.
He wants ALL of it.
Like we may have learned as a child "He's got the whole world in His hands"
The earth is the Lord's and everything in it. 1 Corinthians 10:26 (NIV)
The earth is the LORD's and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. (KJV)

So when God says "It's all mine" he's not being rude or demanding...He's just speaking Truth to my heart, He speaks Truth to yours too.

We understand this in the area of giving. We give to the LORD because all we have belongs to Him and we thankfully and generously want to give back to His kingdom purposes....

But when it comes to time management....we forget (at least I do) this concept.
When God spoke to my heart telling me to throw away the balance...I felt freedom. Freedom to let go of my preconceived notion of what a "balanced life" means.
Think of it this way....
As a mom, is grocery shopping important? More important than doing devotions? Or taking your kids to the park on a nice day to get some energy out? Or is it more important to go on a date and let grandma watch the kids? How do we juggle all of this in one day?
Or maybe a person is a teacher. You have instruction time, then you want the students to have open discussion/dialogue and you also want them to be able to work in groups. Which is more important?

IT'S ALL IMPORTANT.

That's why God's Word so wonderfully tells us if we trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding in ALL our ways acknowledge Him, He will direct our paths. Prov 3:5-6.

"Mommy are you stressed?"

Olivia asks me this sometimes when we are running a little late on the way to her school.
I tell her no baby I'm not stressed, we just need to get passed this high school morning traffic and we are free. Who does't get a little stressed by traffic?

I used to get so upset driving 2 hours to work in LA court (not that often...maybe 1 time a month, but it still made me upset).

This is such a waste of time! I would think. All this traffic. I have laundry, I have client phone calls. I could be working on my Bible study and instead....sit...sit...crawl...crawl on the 10 freeway parking lot.

Then one day I felt so convicted. I always listen to KWVE 107.9 during my drive. The LORD reminded me...those 2 hours were not a waste! You were being fed the whole time....
This blessed my heart. When and where else would I sit for 2 hours without the children or other distractions during the morning and just soak in all of those teachings?

Another time..again...driving...KWVE was not coming on! (only static) Now what do I do? I am driving frustrated to begin with but I love listening to praise and teachings and now it's static? Ugh! The LORD said, why don't you turn off the radio and just pray....Oh what a joyous time I had talking to the LORD, sharing my heart and pouring out my thanks and my concerns and just talking to Jesus...

God is teaching me the life we live on this earth really is ALL His. We can't put this certain activity as more spiritual than another. Being a mom is just as important to God as finishing my Bible study. Going to the grocery store? I could run in and do my errands and never think about the LORD. Or, I could say Father help my attitude. Help me see all of these errands as important and you have a plan for me. Help me prioritize my to do list and if there is anything there that's not of you....help me let it go.

I have had moments when I have 300 hundred things to do and I get an interruption...a phone call or text someone needs prayer. (not literally 300....but you know that feeling!)

I could go about my day and ignore the phone call or text message...Or I can ask God through His Holy Spirit to lead me.

We pray something so beautiful in the women's prayer room. "LORD multiply their time"
What this means is this....the women that sacrifice their time to attend intercessory prayer have things to do as wives and mothers....We ask God to bless them for the sacrifice and for their willingness to come and pray for the church and for others in need. We ask God to multiply their time for the gift of time they have given to His kingdom. Guess what? He ALWAYS does. Always!

Not a balanced life...but a God directed life. That's what I am praying for now.

Pray with me!
Help me, lead me, guide me Holy Spirit to do what God would have me do for the day...direct me LORD teach me LORD because every minute of the day IS YOURS. You are right God when you say "It's all mine". You are so right! You are a jealous God and you desire not just my devotion and my heart, but you desire my surrender of my time and my agenda for the day...Your agenda is always better...Forgive me for trying to juggle everything in my own strength and neglecting your Holy Spirit as you guide my day here and there. I want to live the Spirit filled life and if that means throwing away my idea of what I think it means to have a balance...so be it! In Jesus Name Amen!

I don't want to talk about hypocrisy

"I bet you're going to lose your voice again." My husband tells me before I leave to the women's retreat. "No I'm not honey. I don't talk that much." I return with a raspy voice and he laughs at me. "You did it again, you lost your voice from talking." I always tell people " I'm a share-er" I love the Lord I love my family I love encouraging others and praying with others. What better way to share your thoughts than through the beautiful communication of speech that God has given us?

Well at the women's retreat I learned there's something I don't really want to talk about but needs to be discussed.

It's hypocrisy.

This subject came up many times both in the teachings and also in casual conversation in the rooms. There's one thing we can all agree on. No Bible reading-Jesus loving-Christian wants to be called a hypocrite. However hypocrisy can easily creep in the church. There are too many examples that we see and it breaks my heart. There are far too many people saying "I am a Christian" and their behavior completely contradicts all that Christ taught. Stop!! We need to ask ourselves am I really a Christian?

Jesus said you will know them by their fruit. (You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Matt 7:16 NLT) 
We all know this scripture you will know them by their fruit or by their love.

So what's going on?

Many people go to church and publicly identify themselves with the Christian faith only in the level of community. They may pray in Jesus name or go to a Christian church once in a while but the reality is --- they are not in love with Jesus.

One of my favorite musicians is Keith Green. He said going to church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger. He goes on to say a Christian is defined as "someone who is bananas for Jesus." Someone who loves God with all his heart all his soul and all his mind. That's not the end. The Christian loves his neighbor as himself. (Luke 10:27)

Yes it's a tall order ...but it's what Jesus said. Jesus said love God and love people those are the greatest two commandments.

So what's up?

I see people all the time contemplate divorce and then follow through with divorce (some have Biblical grounds others might not...that's another blog for another day) just the other day I was in family law court and I saw a man with a large NOTW "not of this world" tattoo. It was so large and cool. I thought wow this man must be a Christian and look how bold he is with that tattoo. Then the next moment I remembered "hey wait a minute...I'm in court! This man should not be in a conflict with his ex wife in court! These two people standing up there couldn't make it as a married couple....and in fact they probably hate each other."

Maybe they were nice to each other during the break up. Maybe the divorce went smoothly and there was a valid biblical reason for the breakup.. I don't know.

But what I do know is seeing that tattoo made me sad.

So many people are concentrating on the outside and neglecting the inside. Jesus called the Pharisees whitewashed tombs. Why? He called them this because they looked clean, white and shiny and holy on the outside but in the inside there was death. There was decay. (Matt 23:27)

In the book of Ezekiel the prophet says that there are dead bones that God can make alive again. He can take a heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh. What is lacking?? Why is there so much hypocrisy? Why are there so many people that say they are Christian but are not living the Christian life.
(18"When they come there, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations from it. 19"And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.…Ezekiel 11:18-20)

The reading of the Word and obedience to the Spirit are lacking in many believers' lives.

Here's another word I don't like to talk about- Discipline.

Many people want to have a fit body. People want to look good in their clothing. But they don't want to diet and exercise. We all know the way to a healthy lifestyle is to eat right and get exercise. Nobody wants that. Everybody wants a quick fix a diet pill an injection a surgery. People want the easy way out. Results without effort. This idealogy has creeped into the walk with Jesus. We desire instant holiness. Instant answers to prayer. Instant maturity. God does not work this way! He works on His timing not ours!

During the women's retreat I heard a recurring theme. I heard a word I do like to talk about - Devotion. We need to have our devotion time with God. We need to guard it. We need to have morning devotions. We need to have devotions in the car. We need to have devotions with our kids. We need to have devotions with our spouses. We need to pray and we need to seek the Lord...and results will not happen instantaneously....but they will happen. God is not into quick fix (as Inga-Lill Guzik shared) He is into digging deeper.

I've been reading a book that's called " What happens when Women pray." In fact there's a whole chapter or section dealing with the trials and testing's and difficulties that often come when we put these type of disciplines into action. When we start praying for people (intercession) when we start putting God first we will be attacked. We will experience deep deep difficult things. But the trials deepen our faith, not lessen it. That is we can CHOOSE to let trials rob us of joy, or we can CHOOSE to praise God in spite of the trials.

Outward Christians are really modern day hypocrites. As those in the skateboard community would say they are "posers" and they hurt people. I'm not hyper spiritual or claiming perfection. I have been a hypocrite too! A hypocrite simply means one who wears a mask- acting one way but professing belief in something else.

One woman shared with me how she encouraged another woman to get in the Word to help her through life. "Meh" was the response. In other words, I don't need to read the Bible. I just need to look like, talk like, walk like a Christian...but I don't need to really, really be one. I started crying. How can we be Christian if we don't read Christ's love letter? When we read the Gospels over and over again is it boring? Is it a chore? Is it a routine? If it is to you...PRAY and ask God to revive your heart. Debby Bryson says we should eat, sleep, drink, the Gospels and I couldn't agree more.

Many of these people (let's call them outward professing Christians) sadly are not reading their Bibles and they aren't taking time to pray. They have exchanged love for duty. This is not a judgment ...this is just a sad reality. In fact, the Bible even speaks about this....

You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. Yet you have forsaken the love you had at first. Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don't repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. Rev. 2:3-5 (NLT)

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved Matt 24:12-13 (NKJV)

Marie Rosales shared on Love at the 2015 women's retreat. She said very clearly and simply for us to be careful. She said, "ACTIVITY CAN REPLACE DEVOTION."

Wow. This summed up what I had been pondering. These people that are breaking the hearts of God and hurting other Christians and not being a good witness to non-believers. They are choosing to be  Christian "outwardly" in activity, but they are NOT Christian in devotion. Activity has replaced Devotion. We must be careful too lest we should fall. This is a warning to all of us!

Even Andy Mineo says in one of his songs (on the Neverland LP) that he goes all around the world singing about Jesus and talking about Jesus but he must not neglect to talk "TO JESUS." Did you catch that? We can get caught up in "Jesus activity" that we forget about Jesus. Activity can replace devotion and that's when we become- GULP hypocrites or have a hypocritical spirit.

These are heavy duty lessons. But before we walk around looking at people squinting in our mind thinking "Is that person really a Christian? REALLY a Christian in their heart?" that's not our job. Our job is to LOVE. Jesus told Peter You follow me. (John 21:22) Get your eyes of "that person" or "that girl" or "that marriage" that might be struggling and plain and simply follow Jesus. Like Keith Green said, just going to church doesn't make you a Christian....we need to guard our hearts against activity that replaces devotion.

Help us LORD to not be so busy doing your work we forget YOU are the reason for the work, the reason we live and move and have our being. Help me LORD to recognize when I am so caught up in activity that I neglect devotion and intimacy with you.

Breathe! (sigh of relief)
I did it. I blogged about hypocrisy...I didn't want to touch this touchy subject...but only by Christ's strength He led me to write this... But in reality...this blog is really about love. Keeping our love for the LORD first always. (Matt 6:33) That's the best way to guard against having a hypocritical spirit or hypocritical actions.
Love.
Love God, love people and we can only do this with the Word, prayer and the Spirit's help. Period.

Not Ruled by Emotions

Not Ruled by Emotions- Isaac's 7th birthday

I remember my son's 5th birthday so vividly. I was excited for his party but extremely sad about this reality-- he'll start kindergarten this year and he's still not speaking sentences. He is still noticeably behind in many areas. He still has autism. I remember crying and crying...sobbing and praying. I let it all out. Then wiped my tears and begin the party prep. I got through the day and although I knew I was blessed ....I had a lump in my throat all day and all year. Fast forward to year 7. Jan 2 2015 Isaac turns 7. We had a great day! At the end of the day I gasped. Lord thank you I wasn't sad today! We got through his birthday and I felt fine. My boy is 7 years old and I couldn't be more thankful. You have done miracles in him. He has autism but that's ok. I was content. "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances" God got me through another birthday and I didn't get sad, cry and weep about autism. In fact this was the first year we sang happy birthday and he didn't cover his ears (because of overstimulation, sensory overload) He smiled as we sang and he blew out the candle.

Part of the journey of autism is the parent's journey. God wants my joy to be constant not circumstantial. In His presence is fullness of joy. Psalm 16:11

So whether Isaac is having a good day or bad day a good week or bad week I must choose to not let my emotions rule me.

Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (NLT)

This 7th birthday was a victory. Jesus (not autism and not my emotions) was winning! Jesus was giving me the hope I needed for the day. "It's ok God that Isaac is a year older and is still behind in many areas, I'm going to focus on Your goodness on your steadfast love on your Arms that carry me through, I'm not going to let my emotions take me to the island of sadness I'm going to dive in the ocean of grace ...I'm going to stand with my arms lifted high and my battle armor on! I'm a wounded warrior but today I can have some rest because God helped me through another year and God chose me to raise Isaac so instead of a pity party I will rejoice!" This is the day The Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it! Psalm 118:24 He turned my mourning into dancing! Psalm 30:11 I will praise Him for Isaac is fearfully and wonderfully made! Psalm 139:14

Don't discount these days of victory. Write it down, tell a friend, blog about it, deflect the glory back to God because He's working and that's victorious!

Don't Pray Safe

This year I spent one evening at a women's retreat sitting at Jesus' feet. What is it you want me to hear LORD? I heard the sweet, still small voice of the LORD say "Don't pray safe."

"Don't pray safe"

I was not sure what that meant so I just let it soak in.

For several weeks I asked the LORD what do you mean, "Don't pray safe."

Over weeks and months the LORD peeled back the layers of my heart and mind and I gave me clarity through His Word, the Spirit and through prayer.

I had a safety net. I could pray "safe prayers". LORD if you want to heal this person, I know you can, but if not that's OK too. Where is the faith in that? Instead of praying what I thought I should pray over myself, my children, my spouse, or others, why not pray in the Spirit, out of the box prayers? Why not LET THE SPIRIT LEAD ME how to pray. What a concept. I know this truth and many who read this know it too. But out of the abundance of caution I pray safe. I pray sterilized prayers that cost me little and keep me feeling cozy and comfortable.

But what if God wants us to pray in faith? (James 5:15) What if God is waiting for a woman, a man, a young girl, a young boy to step out in faith, to walk on the water to Jesus and pray something totally outside of the comfort zone?

For example, maybe you have been praying for a loved one to get saved and as you are praying, the LORD leads you pray that he would be broken TODAY and today would be the day of salvation . (2 Corinthians 6:2) Oh no LORD! I can't pray that! "pray he would be broken?" What if he gets into a car accident? What if he loses his job? What if.... what if ....what if.
God is not pleased with our mentally exhausting imaginary "what ifs." I believe when our eyes our on ourselves and on our own ways, Satan can use those words "what if."

But God who delights to work all things together for Good (Romans 8:28) can change my what if into something beautiful when I let go and pray Spirit filled prayers. God desires our loved one to be broken so He can then build them up. It's ok to pray "Break him LORD until he has nothing left but to look up to you for salvation" Psalm 51:17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart.

But we often neglect this prayer. It's scary and it's not safe. So we pray safe. LORD reach him however you want to AMEN. That's not specific. Pray UNSAFE. Pray Spirit filled Spirit led prayers that may feel uncomfortable. It's a challenge. The LORD challenged me and He is challenging you. I recall several times when someone prayed an unsafe prayer over me, my child, or my circumstance and it built up my faith so much I still feel the radiance of joy.

Just a few weeks ago my husband prayed that the LORD would use me. It was 4:30am the Friday after Thanksgiving. I was heading out to do some shopping. I laughed in my spirit. How can God use me today? In my shopping? I was blessed by my husband asking God to use me but it just didn't make sense. I went to Target and then left and went to Kohl's. While in Kohl's I began sharing with a clerk, a young salesman about marriage and the blessings of how it works so well when Jesus is in the center. "That's not for me he said" "My parents have a blessed marriage but I can't seem to find anyone" I encouraged the man to trust in the LORD and went my way. What got into me I thought. Where did that boldness come from?

Then I remembered my husband's prayer. I smiled ear to ear!!

God did use me! Little me...on the Friday after Thanksgiving in Kohl's...

My husband could have simply prayed "God keep my wife safe and bring her home safe." But that's it. He went beyond. He prayed God would use me and God did. A total out of the box prayer.

The LORD loves when we pray specific prayers for specific needs. Not a genie in a bottle or santa claus request (please don't misunderstand) but think of Abraham's servant. He asked God to show him in a specific way for the LORD to show him and clearly reveal who Isaac's wife was. He said LORD I don't know this land and I don't know these people. Please LORD may Isaac's future wife show me kindness by giving me water to drink, and not just me, but my camels also.
Genesis 24:15 "Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out"
 I love it! This is an unsafe prayer asking a Giving God for an answer to a specific need and asking IN FAITH for a specific answer. God is a personal God is He not???

This is just a glimpse of what the LORD is teaching me about not praying safe. Pray Big because God is big. Pray in faith which = unsafe prayers. Uncomfortable prayers bless His heart. If we just pray what "we think" is right how is that inviting God to do a miracle? May the LORD teach us to pray prayers that go beyond what we can ask or think. Eph 3:20

Don't pray safe friends.

Pray as the Spirit leads!

May the LORD help me pray unsafe in 2015.
LORD Jesus, more of you and less of me in 2015. Jesus I don't want to pray safe. I confess to you that this is the easy way to pray. When I pray safe I am depending on my own wisdom and looking through eyes of the flesh instead of letting your Spirit lead me. Help me Holy Spirit to pray specific prayers and to take note as you answer and work mightily in the lives of friends and family. Asking all in the mightiest name of Jesus. Amen

"Call Me Dad"

Growing up as a little girl I felt blessed to have “two dads.” I had my blood father who was a loving man and I had my step-father who I adored and who taught me about Jesus and sacrificial love. However…it wasn’t always easy to have these two relationships and as a little child sometimes I was confused.

My mom met my step-father when I was 3 or 4. They married when I believe I was 5. My older siblings called him “Ruben” but I was encouraged to call him Daddy Ruben. I called him Ruben and sometimes called him “Daddy Ruben.”

We were a blessed blended family. We were not poor but we did not have extras. We never ate out unless it was a special occasion and even then it was In N Out or pizza not a restaurant. We did not purchase clothes unless it was back to school time. Toys were only purchased for birthdays or Christmas. I can recall my older siblings requesting to be involved in expensive extra-curricular activities and many times we could not afford it.

The LORD reminded me last year of one special time I had with my step dad. I know it was Jesus prompting my memory because I had forgotten about this for over 25 years.

My step-dad was constantly full of joy. He exuded joy. He was so friendly out going and others centered. Constantly smiling and striking up a conversation with a clerk or stranger. Everyone loved him…

As a child, I loved to go with him on errands! Even boring errands like the recycling place or home depot.

One day we went to the store arm in arm as usual…I saw a beautiful Barbie I adored. He saw me admiring it and said, “Mija do you want me to buy that for you”? I knew I couldn’t have it. I would have to wait until my birthday or Christmas and neither one were close by….Maybe he is asking so he can tell my mom to get it for me for my next birthday.

“Yes I want it.” I answered. “Ok mija. Let’s get it”

I truly remember this being one of the first times I received an extra special costly gift and it wasn’t my birthday or Christmas. I was so happy. I hugged the doll in the car. “I’ll do anything for this. I said. Thank you! Thank you! Do you want me to do chores for it? I’ll even pull weeds in the garden”

He told me I didn’t have to do anything. He simply wanted to buy it for me. I insisted, isn’t there something I can do to earn it? It’s expensive!

“Well…” he said. “There is one thing you can do for me. Can you call me Dad?”

 I can still to this day, so many years later, hear the softness in his voice when he asked me this.

“Yes Dad! Of course!” As a little girl, I remember thinking this is great! I don’t have to do chores! This is not payment. Of course I will call him dad, he is my dad, he’s my step-dad, but he’s my dad! I just got confused as others in the home called him by first name.

So fast forward almost 30 years later. It’s Christmas time and my dad is in heaven. I remembered this moment and began to cry. He was such a wonderful dad.

God spoke to my heart and said, “You see. I don’t want anything from you Laura. I just want to hear you call me dad”

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 (NKJV)

I love studying and learning the names of God. He is Immanuel God with us. He is our prince of peace, the Great I AM, the Alpha and Omega and so much more.

But there is just something so very special about our being able to call God “Father”  Abba means literally “Daddy.”

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God. 1 John 3:1 (NKJV)

Jesus called the LORD “His Father” many many times (some say over 100 times). In John 5:16-18 the leaders wanted to arrest Him because he called God his Father.

And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." Galatians 4:6 (NLT)

Jesus prayed "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." Mark 14:36

The names Father, Abba, or Daddy all imply relationship. A stranger could not walk up to my dad and call him “dad” he would not respond to them. But when I call out “Dad” my father will respond because we have a relationship.

This illustration with me and my step-father is so special to me because it’s the same as the spiritual relationship I have with God. I have been adopted in to God’s family. We were separated from our Heavenly Father because of sin. Jesus bridged the gaping hole of sin and united us again so by the Spirit of adoption we cry out Abba Father.

What does a baby do when she is in need? She cries. We are encouraged to daily, moment by moment call on our Father, our Dad, for our need. Not just physical need, but emotional need, spiritual need, ALL our needs are met in Jesus- the Great I AM.

Our Father wants one thing from you this Christmas JUST CALL HIM DAD. Just call Him Abba Father. Talk to Him, be close to Him and see that He daily wants to give you presents “just because.”

If you don’t know God as your Abba Father, ask Jesus into your heart! He is waiting for you to call! 

it's Spring and another time of year....Autism awareness

I haven't blogged in so long....I had a moment and am back at the blog....God's voice is so clear sometimes.  I was reading to Olivia about how Jacob wrestled with God. Gen 32. (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2032:22-32)

I felt the Lord remind me about all the wrestling Chuck and I have done in praying for Isaac. As I looked at my old blogs Jan 2013 I wrote about wrestling with God. So very cool. As April 1 approaches I've been praying about what to share for April Autism awareness month. I'm still not 100% certain but  the Lord will confirm. Here are some things I have been pondering. #1 Autism is hard.  I pray God would use Isaac's life to move compassion in others --- those who raise special needs children need prayer. When I am weak He is strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10) #2 Acceptance not Conformity is needed. I used to think the most important thing for Isaac would be to blend in....get mainstreamed...be somewhat "normal". Now I realize...Isaac is made by God for God and to accomplish God's purposes. If I had one prayer for Autism awareness month it woild be this---Learn about autism, love and respect people with autism and be understanding that these kids and adults ARE DIFFERENT. They are different and that's OK.... Yes we can help with early intervention, etc, but God made them unique (and us too)...let's explore this uniqueness !! Isaac hss obsessions with certain toys. I used to think maybe one day he'll grow out of this or overcome this. Maybe yes, maybe not. Why not just focus on today???? Enjoy Gods blessings TODAY just as it is. Don't put so much emphasis on kids with autism "blending in" ...Isaac may never blend in...God might (and often does) use weak things to blow minds and confound the wise. (1 Cor 1:27)

May God use Isaac for His glory. May God teach us that different is not less. May God teach us to help kids with autism overcome hurdles but may we also see that the unique behaviors and characteristics of people with autism and other disorders/special needs/disabilities are made in the image of God. Remember, God made YOU special and loves you very much.