believe – GREENLiGHT

Journey Of Discovery…

When we step out in obedience, we can bask in the confidence that God’s got our back. He is in control. There are no surprises with Him. The surprises are for us.
-Dr Shelly Cameron, GreenLight

Journey of Discovery. Discovering the Lord’s will. Discovering new places – just wandering the unknown. Discovering his purpose for the rest of my life

For over two decades the Lord laid on my heart to visit Italy. Go figure. I have consistently misread thinking I’ll go at some point.

Then five years ago my eldest surprised me with a birthday trip to Paris. As I landed, I retorted … omgee it’s not Paris but Italy I am to go!

Last year, I decided to start a few things after I received news from the doctor that my cholesterol was a little high. Figured I had to do something to not be added to a growing list of medications Soooo … I started ballroom dancing. Yep. Loved it! But it didn’t let me lose too many pounds fast enough, so I ‘accepted’ a 6-week challenge from a gym I had ignored when I moved to the new area. The challenge was to lose 20lbs. At the end of the challenge, I had lost over 13lbs – a little shy of my goal but boy was I encouraged to continue.

Italian Itch

Afresh, there was a very strong urge again to go to Italy. I know the best time to go is April or October since it’s cold at year-end and not the best time. But the strongest urge was there to not let the new year go by without being obedient to his leading. So, I made plans to go end December which was pushed forward to January. I didn’t have a clue where I was going. But when he said go, I finally got moving.

I followed the lord’s leading. I was going alone. Yep, alone. Yikes! It was a solo retreat with me and him only. Asked the Lord to pave the way for flights, accommodation and everything else. Maybe I would finish up the book RedLight when God says No. Hmmm I really didn’t know.

I didn’t tell anyone except hinting to my girls who are strong supporters of their mom and understand her ‘madness’.

I began thinking deeply of the possibility in the fall. A few weeks later my hotel association colleague offered me to stay at her apartment in Milan. Only problem, its night life is ‘amazing’ so not much sleep or a place to write I was told.

Points Considered

It would be cold
Don’t know where I’m going
Need for adequate funds
Obedience to his leading

I shared with two prayer partners to keep me in prayers as I journeyed. Partial funds came through a project I had been working on which coincidentally ended immediately before I was scheduled to leave. Godwink? Like Mary Magdalene I kept all these things in my heart.

The solo retreat touched hearts with inspiration even before it began. Before it was even paid for or properly planned.

I was going on a one-way ticket initially without a rush while asking the lord to route my way. I was following his lead for flights, accommodation, location of where to stay, what food to eat (I’m not a foodie) and when to return. Crazy going so far without a plan. To a planner, it was a quiet nightmare. I said, “really Lord?” People will think I’m crazy.

Vatican Trek

Purpose…

God has a purpose for everything.

My daughter’s little 8-year old son prays that a cure will be found for the Corona Virus. But each time he prays he ends with words “unless you have a purpose”.

With mouth aghast when I heard it the first time, I asked him to clarify. He said maybe God wants to bring us together or something. I now know he does understand.

I pray that we too will be like him. Simply trusting God for His sole Purpose and plan.

Keep the faith. This too shall pass.

Blessings overflow

Our Guide…

God doesn’t stand at a juncture and point the way: He’s a guide, not a signpost. He walks with us, leading us down paths we never envisioned. All we have to do is walk alongside Him. ~ODB

Encourage Yourself…

When the going gets rough you have to encourage yourself. You have to sing to yourself. You have to talk to yourself. You have to do whatever it takes to encourage yourself.

Excerpts of things to do extracted from the Lion of Judah’s video. Here I share:

TELL YOURSELF

•Tell Yourself No weapon formed against me shall prosper

•Tell Yourself I am the Head and Not the Tail

•Tell Yourself The lord is my rock, my fortress & my deliverer

•Tell Yourself Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God

•Tell Yourself We are more than conquerors through Him that loves us

• Tell Yourself I can do all things through him who strengthens me

•Tell Yourself Though He slay me yet will I trust Him

•Tell Yourself the Lord is my Light and my salvation, whom shall I fear

•Tell Yourself The lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid?

•Tell Yourself Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even Then I will be confident.

•Encourage yourself

•Talk to yourself

•Sing to yourself

Do whatever you have to do to Encourage yourself.

Be blessed.

God Has A 360 Degree View Of Your Life…

The Lord has a 360 degree view of your life. He can see the past. He can see the present and he can see the future.

So when he gives you the quiet nudge to go… obey. Follow him. Hard as it may be, you won’t regret it.

My Safe Place Is With You…

MY SAFE PLACE IS WITH YOU

My safe place is with you

My safe place is with you Lord

When I’m with you I know all will be well

But though my human heart cries out in pain

Showering the agony & pangs of defeat

I’ll cry out to you because you’re the God that brings comfort

You bring peace

You bring solace

My safe place is with you Lord

My safe place is with you

I See Walls…

I see walls

I see walls on every side of me.

Dark walls.

Brick walls.

Walls that seem to be made out of steel and the toughest stone.

I can’t see my way through.

I’m overwhelmed

But then I am comforted in the knowledge that you can see for me.

As I hold onto you,

You embrace me Lord and hold me firm,

You comfort with the words,

All will be well

Everything is going to be alright.

But Still my heart longs for those days when I don’t have to worry.

Lord, you are in control and I long for quiet peace.

A peace that passes all understanding.

Unto you I lift up my praise.

My heart yearns for you in a dry and thirsty land.

For with Christ in the vessel I know I can smile at the storm

We Thank You…

All things are working for our good

We give you thanks for all you’ve done

Lord, thank you for all that is happening in our lives right now.

All things are working for our Good

And for that we thank you.

For making us strong when weakness is all we have, we thank you.
For Green Lights, we thank you

For mortgage and car payments, we thank you.

For the satisfactory purpose and the immediate job and/or contract placement that you will provide, we thank you.

For the bills it will pay, we thank you.
For being able to give back to you and to help others, we thank you
For the peace that only you can give and will continue to provide, we thank you.
For resilience, we thank.
For sustenance when all We want to do is to give up, we thank you
For manipulators and the conniving schemes that they try to use to break us but we are made stronger, we thank you.
For being our stronghold in times of trouble, we thank you.
For tears we shed as we hold on to you, we thank you.
For shelter, food, and clothing that you provide and we so often take for granted, we thank you
For learning your purpose in all situations we thank you.
For you never giving up on us we thank you
For taking care of our family and children as only you can when we are not around physically and you’re the only one there, we thank you.
For spiritual growth, we thank you
For the pillow that we lay our heads on at nights, we thank you
For not giving up on us when we falter and go astray, we thank you
For using us to take care of the sick we thank you
For your never ending love we thank you