Taking a drink from the river of life.......

I am not much of a "flower" person.  Over the years, we have discovered that the less we do with flowers in our landscape, the better.  We used to have one giant planter that would hold flowers.  That went away and we went to a couple of smaller pots.  A few years ago we had a couple of hanging plants on metal plant crooks.  I saved those pots and the stands thinking maybe I would use them again.  And this year was the year.  We were on vacation during the typical planting times for us.  So somewhere around the first of July, we finally got a couple of plants.  It was certainly "clearance" time at the garden centers, so we took whatever we could find.  And honestly, they have looked really nice.....until the last week or so.

No matter how much water I pour on them, they are drooping by the end of the day.  I've had to begin watering them twice a day!  The amazing thing is that no matter how bad they look before the water, they seem to "come back to life" after a big drink from the hose.  I have to confess, I have been sort of aggravated at these plants this summer!  I much prefer flowers that I can just ignore and occasionally admire as I drive up to the house.  This morning as I was just about to leave the house, I noticed the sad, droopy flowers.  So I got out of the car and began the process of getting the hose out to water them.  I was not doing this with a good attitude!  As a matter of fact, it was garbage day today and I considered just dumping the pots into the trash!  Really!  

And then I heard that very small, still voice of the Holy Spirit saying "You need to stop and take a drink of the Living Water".  What!!!!!  So I stood there and watered those flowers for quite a bit longer than any other morning, thinking about what I had been seeing, right under my nose, all summer.  This is a perfect picture of what happens to us, out in the heat of the world.  We get dry and droopy and don't look so good.  As a matter of fact, we even look like we are totally dead!  What we need is a good drink of the living water of the Holy Spirit.   Without that water, we are not very pleasant to see or be around.  We lose everything that makes us appealing to the world.  WOW!

I have felt a bit "dry" lately.  I get those watering times, but I am not spending enough time taking a drink of Jesus.  It's pretty interesting how easy it is to forget to do that.  I have been so wanting some time away, by some large body of water.  For me, this is the way that I get recharged.  Part of that time away is spending lots of time drinking in all that Jesus is saying to me.  But I got the message today.  I need to be sure to take those daily....even twice daily breaks and spend time with Jesus.  That will water my spirit.  And I am sure that just like my flowers, I will be looking better AND feeling better!  

Jesus, thank you for this reminder of how important it is to stay well "hydrated" in the Living Water!  Help us all to take time out each day to be refreshed by you.  Holy Spirit, give us all those nudges when we start to fade and dry out.  Jesus, thank you for bring your life into us!  Amen

Thankful for water..........

This is my backyard this week.  The little creek behind our house is way beyond flooded.  As are all of the rivers and creeks around here.  And it poured rain this morning......again.  All of the ground is saturated, squishy, and waterlogged.  But, hey, look at how green the grass is!  Which brings me to what has been on my mind all day........water.

Early this morning I saw a post on Facebook from "Humans of New York".  I love this particular page.  They post interesting stories of random people that they meet on the streets of New York.  Here is the post from today.....

“I’m single, unemployed, and late middle-aged. But I don’t really get sad. I just don’t think sadness is in my brain chemistry. When I go home to my apartment, I’ve got a faucet that releases both hot and cold water. You know how many billions of people don’t even have clean drinking water? And I’ve got two types of clean water: hot and cold.”

I just could not get this off of my mind, all day today.  How powerful and thought provoking.  We are so blessed!  We have a solid roof over our heads, we have protection from the elements.  We have safe HOT and COLD water.  We have lights and power for appliances, we have computers and televisions and cellphones.  And so, so much more.  Isn't it amazing that it takes a single paragraph post on Facebook to cause me to stop short and really think about just how blessed I am?   So even though we have had a bit too much rain, and we have a bit of flooding, we are still so blessed.

I was remembering last January.  I was at a conference and Heidi Baker was speaking.  She is a missionary in Mozambique Africa.  Just before the conference there had been disastrous flooding in Mozambique.  I mean really devastating.  Their entire base had been wiped out.

Even before the floods, they didn't have much.  But just like this man in New York, Heidi Baker was just so grateful for what they did have.  And how very blessed they are...because they have Jesus.  

I have not been very much like that man in New York or Heidi Baker.  As a matter of fact, I would have to say honestly that I have not been very thankful for these little things (which are really BIG things).  After reading that post this morning, every time I went to the sink, I thought about that clean water pouring out.  And I remembered all of the people around the world, who don't have a sink or clean water anywhere.  Those that have to walk miles and miles for dirty and contaminated water.  Or those that simply don't have any water.  Would you join me tonight in praying for all of those people?  And would you also pray that those of us with access to clean water, would not take it for granted.  Most of all, would you join me in prayer for them to know Jesus, the living water!   I can't help but think of  John 4:13-14....

Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life".

Jesus, thank you for this reminder today of all of the great blessings you have poured out on us. Holy Spirit, help us to see all that you have provided for us.  What a gift water is to us.  Thank you for missionaries who give their life to bring the Good News to other nations.  Jesus, you are the Living Water!  Amen

Welcome to the river, come drink, come wade......

Today Gwen told me to listen to this song,  The River by Meredith Andrews.  The song is really good (you can click on the link above to listen to it), but take a moment and also focus on the lyrics.....

Everyone is broken  And in need of a Saviour

So He came and was broken For the mocker, for the shamed

Still our eyes are blinded By the culture, by the lies

We can’t see that we’re filthy We’re fallen and so dry

But He invites us Can you hear Him say?

He invites us  Hear Him call your name

Welcome to the river Come drink, come wade

Come find your very life Welcome to the river of God

Where your brokenness Is washed away

Everywhere is the sorrow And the pain of empty living

You can see it; look in their eyes.All the hopelessness of the world

But look closer, He is right there In the midst of every fear

Living water is the offer Restoration is the call

And He invites us Can you hear Him say?

He invites us Hear Him call your name

Welcome to the river Come drink, come wade

Come find your very life Welcome to the river of God

Where your brokenness Is washed away

Find your healing Find your freedom

In the river of God Your healing here

Your freedom there In the river of God

Welcome to the river Come drink, come wade

Come find your very life Welcome to the river of God

Where your brokenness Is washed away

Welcome to the river Come drink, come wade

Come find your very life Welcome to the river of God

Where your brokenness Is washed away

Yes, WOW!  There is so much in this song....I think I just got kind of stuck on the third line.. still our eyes are blinded by the culture, by the lies.    I sort of flashed back on so many ways that I was blinded at different times.  Sometimes the lies that I believed were just small things, but some times it was really big stuff.  Lets face it, our culture is STRONG and it is oh so easy to get blinded and miss just how wrong and unGodly something might be.  And sometimes we are blinded by thinking that "tolerance" is the answer.  Whatever someone wants to believe is okay.  When we think this way we miss the chance to share this invitation with others.  Jesus is calling ALL to come and drink and wade in that river of His life.  There are so many living with sorrow and hopelessness. There is so much brokenness.  And there is so much fear.  The answer is right here in this song....Welcome to the river of God!  Living water is the offer..Restoration is the call!  Isn't that amazing?  

I just love how Jesus leads you along, step by step.  Even when you feel like you have no idea where your are going!  I felt like I was just wandering and wondering where I was headed.  And then there was the tunnel.  Suddenly I knew that I was exactly where Jesus wanted me to be and more than that He was making sure that I get to that destination.... the destiny he has for me.  Today he is reminding me that there is a very fast flowing river in that tunnel.....a river of living water.  I have been invited to jump into that river and take a long drink.  A few weeks ago I was riding the "lazy river" at the waterpark with my family.  Today I know that I am on a totally different kind of trip.  I am sailing along on the river of living water, enclosed in my tunnel, headed in exactly the right direction.  It is quite the trip!  Welcome to the river of God!  Come on in, the water is fine!

Jesus, thank you so much for music that speaks so clearly and helps us to hear exactly what you are saying to us.  Thank you for reminding us all that there is total healing and restoration in the flow of that living water.  Jesus help us to boldly share your invitation and the great news of freedom and healing with our hurting world.  Holy Spirit, give us grace and courage as we ride your river.  Amen

What's in a name.....

Last night I had a dream about a very high waterfall.  It wasn't big - like Niagra Fall, It was really narrow, but flowing very fast.

 

 

This is a picture of a small waterfall in Rockford.  But I did think of this picture when I woke up this morning.  I know that Yahweh is speaking to me whenever there is water included in the picture.  Okay -  here is more truth telling!   One of the first times that I heard Jesus speak clearly to me, I heard John 7:38 -  "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him".  The Holy Spirit wrote that verse into me, and I knew that verse was significant for me.   Imagine my surprise, when months later, I discovered that my name -Lynnette-actually means "streams of living water" and the verse associated with my name is John 7:38!  To me this was confirmation that Yahweh named me.  He cares for me and he has a unique plan and purpose for my life. 

Back to the dream from last night...  I was standing at the top of the waterfall and the water looked so inviting.  I remember thinking about jumping in!  And just as I thought about jumping, I was sailing down the waterfall.  It was amazing!  I wasn't afraid and it was a wonderful ride.  Along the way, I was noticing that there were people all along the sides of the waterfall.  Some were standing and some were sitting on the grass.  It was such a pleasent scene.  And it felt like exactly where I was supposed to be. 

So today, I am much more confident that writing this blog, is exactly what I am supposed to be doing.  It is through this blog that I am able to let those streams of living water flow out from me.  I can write about the things that Yahweh is speaking to me.  And I can share with all of you, how great the plans and purposes of Jesus are for you.  He has a destiny for you and He wants to speak to you. So tonight I am celebrating "Taking the plunge" down that waterfall.  Because I know that Yahweh is in charge of this ride. 

Yahweh, thank you for speaking to me in dreams.  Thank you for your plans and purposes and destiny.  Jesus, you are speaking from heaven and we just need to be still and listen.  Thank you for my name.  You work in some of the most amazing ways.  Yahweh, work in the lives of the people reading this blog.  Help them to hear your voice and come into a better understanding of all that you have for them.  Amen

Feeling stuffed..... and it's not Thanksgiving!

Last year around this time, I noticed that I was feeling "stuffed"!  You know that feeling, when you have eaten much more than you should have.  Yes, I was overweight.  Over the last few years my weight had just crept up and up.   And it wasn't just physically that I was feeling stuffed - it was Spiritually.   I was hearing and taking in lots of good teaching.  I was soaking in new revelations and excited about the things that were beginning to make sense to me.  But, there was also an increasing feeling that I could not hear ONE MORE THING! 

That was when I realized the connection between feeling full Spiritually and my weight!  One of the most amazing testimonies of Yahweh's unique plan for me is my name.  My first powerful encounter with Jesus included the Bible verse - John 7:38 -  "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him".  That verse became my "life verse"!    Imagine my surprise and delight when years later, I discovered that my name means "streams of water" and the Bible verse associated with my name is that exact verse.

 I had been drinking from that river of living water, pouring down from the throne.  But there was a dam preventing that flow out of me.  And I believed that there was a connection between this and my weight! 

So I committed to Yahweh to be more aware of ways that I could allow the many good words I had heard to flow out of me.  I watched for opportunities to share and focused on some projects that had been sitting on the back burner for some time.  I even agreed to take on a project that I knew I was not "qualified" to do in the natural.  And I made a decision to make better choices about my food intake and exercise.  Over the next 6 months I lost 30 pounds.   So I have lost that "stuffed" feeling in my body. I still have a bit more to go, but I am on the way. 

 I am still feeling somewhat stuffed Spiritually.  So I am trusting that this blog will be part of breaking down that dam that may still be holding back the flow of living water that is in me. 

I am on the way to living in that MAY place.