From the Blogger...

Dear readers,

I'm sorry about the lack of posting regularity that has plagued my blog of late. And I am sorry to say that it will only get worse for the month of January. I will be out of town most of the time, and when I'm not, I'll be trying not to get too far behind in my studies. When things get tough and busy, the busy get tough, and extra things get dropped. I'm afraid blogging will be one of the dropped "extras" for while.

I plan to be back on to my blog, and more regularly, come late February at the latest. Thank you for your patience.

Before I bid you adieu for a time, however, I'd like to leave you with a couple of thoughts that have helped me through my busy and wearying times, and hopefully will help you through yours.

1) God is in control... even when we are not.
Suggested reading: Proverbs 16
There are many encouraging verses in this chapter, including:
16:9 "A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps."
and
16:33 "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD."
Our lives may seem to be spinning out of control, but we can rest assured that it is only spinning out of our control, not God's. He knows what He is doing, and He's got us covered.

2) Continue to seek God's plan when things are rough
Suggested Reading: Jeremiah 29:11-13
The first part of this passage, verse 11, is probably very familiar:
"For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
These are very comforting words when things start getting difficult. But verses 12 and 13 show us what we are to do.
"Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."
Call upon God when life gets tough! If we are willing to seek Him with all our hearts, God has guaranteed that we will find Him, and He will answer us when we call on Him.

3) Don't Fear
Suggested Reading: Psalm 27
This is one of my favorite Psalms. The first verse is amazing, and the theme of not being afraid continues to the end.
Verse 1, "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
Later on, in verse 13 says, "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living."
Because we know that God is in control and has a plan, we can face difficult times without fear, because we believe that we not only have hope for Heaven, but strength for this life as well.

4) Wait on the Lord
Suggested Reading: Isaiah 40
"But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up on wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
Wow! Even when we are exhausted, if we wait on the Lord, He will renew our strength. He will give us the energy we need to do what He has put in front of us to do.

And finally...

5) Keep moving forward
Suggested Reading: Hebrews 11 and 12
What an inspiring passage! Just reading through the 'Hall of Faith' puts my trials in perspective. And chapter 12 begins with, "Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..."
We are to keep running the race, even while we are in difficult times and striving to wait upon the Lord. So let us keep running, striving, pressing on.

I'm going to leave you with one of my favorite songs, and I'll see you again in February!
Press on friends!

~Rachel Lynn

"Way I Was Made"
Chris Tomlin