Have you ever been shown something by God that just instantly knocked the breath out of you?
David was desperate. He had come to the realization that Saul wasn't going to give up until he was dead. So he decided to run. And where do so many desperate people run to?
Church. God's house. -- Seeking hope. Seeking comfort. Seeking safety from a cruel judgmental world.
David came to the church looking for two things.
Food and a sword.
The priest Ahimelech had to reach deep into his spirit to come to the conclusion that it was ok to give these things to David even though it didn't exactly comply with the law. Ahimelech went with his gut. And years later, Jesus himself used that very instinct as an example to teach the Pharisees that sometimes we should go with our gut instead of the law of the land, so to speak.
So many times, desperate people walk into our lives looking for sanctuary within us because they know that we call ourselves sons and daughters of Christ but we choose not to help and say that we can't because it would involve us stepping out of our comfort zones. --(A lot of times I think we use the standard that the world set for us as "Law" when it's really just the standard of what people will think of you.)
-What if someone is reaching out to you? Desperate for God.
-----------------------------------------------
"David teaches the desperate to seek help amidst God's people. David stumbles in this story. Desperate souls always do. But at least he stumbles into the right place-- into God's sanctuary, where God meets and ministers to hopeless hearts."
When I read this short passage, I had one of those spiritual experiences that only happen every so often. When you just know that God is speaking straight to you. It literally knocked the breath out of me. I cried. I felt God's spirit telling me exactly what I needed to hear.
So what if someone stumbles. Even if they stumble big. As long as they stumble into the arms of Christ, He will be there to set them back on the right path. Because God's there to minister to the hopeless heart.
Recently I learned the hard way that never giving up takes serious courage and strength. Someone said to me that God chooses to give heavy burdens to people who He knows are strong enough to carry the load. Sometimes God needs us to carry the burden of not giving up on someone who most people would call hopeless. But I know for a fact that there is no such thing as hopeless in the eyes of my God.
So what if I had given up? Where would I be now? I wouldn't care to imagine. Glory be to my God for the strength and courage that saw me through to victory. To Him be ALL the glory, every single bit.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Facing my Giants
For those of you who know me well, you know that I recently experienced a pretty tough trial in my life. It was a time when my faith in God was truly tested. I certainly won't go into any detail but I will say that I have been facing some pretty scary giants in my life since then. Although I didn't know it at the time, what I was experiencing at the height of my situation was only the beginning of the struggle I would face in rebuilding myself as a person through learning to truly let go of my control over my own life and allow God to completely and totally overwhelm me. It has been a real test in my ability to completely surrender to God.
Some days I pass. Some days I fail. Which, I believe, has prompted God to lead me David.
Much like me, sometimes David passed. Sometimes he failed.
David was a real person. God didn't perform any great miracles through David. He allowed David to be ordinary in the most extraordinary way.
God himself called David a man after His own heart. He never made another statement like that about anyone else in the Bible. Not Moses. not Paul. Just David. God saw something extraordinary in David's ability to completely surrender.
David did one particularly extraordinary thing. He faced a giant and was victorious. When no one else would stand against Goliath, David picked up a flat stone and with nothing more than a sling and his sincere and unwavering faith in God, he became a conqueror.
I am reading a book by Max Lucado that I would sincerely recommend to anyone who has a giant to face. Its appropriately titled Facing Your Giants.
In this book, Max compares Goliath to the giant that you are facing in your own life, whatever that may be.
"Your Goliath dominates your day and infiltrates your joy. He awaits you in the morning, torments you at night."
Then he shows how David, in his short battle with Goliath, never gave much thought to Goliath. He, instead, "discussed no one else but God. More than David versus Goliath, this is God-focus versus giant focus." Max reveals how David was able to zone in his focus on God and allow his faith in God to attack the giant for him. He spoke of God's ability to win the battle, not his own.
"The people knew his taunts, size, and strut. They have majored in Goliath. David majors in God. He sees the giant, mind you; he just seeds God more so."
"Giants. We must face them. Yet we need not face them alone. Focus first, and most on God. The times David did, giants fell. The days he didn't, David did." --How powerful is that? God is really speaking to me here. He knew exactly what I needed to hear. His love amazes me.
I believe right now God is teaching me how to take my focus off of my giant. I know that it will still be there. There is no magic spell to make it go away. Only time will heal the wounds that are left in my heart and my spirit. But I can't allow that giant to rule my life. I have been allowing the giant in my life to win. I have been living in the shadow of doubt. I have been slowly allowing Satan to defeat me with fear.
Not anymore.
"Focus on giants--You stumble.
Focus on God--Your giants tumble."
"Lift your eyes, giant-slayer. The God who made a miracle out of David stands ready to make one out of you."
Some days I pass. Some days I fail. Which, I believe, has prompted God to lead me David.
Much like me, sometimes David passed. Sometimes he failed.
David was a real person. God didn't perform any great miracles through David. He allowed David to be ordinary in the most extraordinary way.
God himself called David a man after His own heart. He never made another statement like that about anyone else in the Bible. Not Moses. not Paul. Just David. God saw something extraordinary in David's ability to completely surrender.
David did one particularly extraordinary thing. He faced a giant and was victorious. When no one else would stand against Goliath, David picked up a flat stone and with nothing more than a sling and his sincere and unwavering faith in God, he became a conqueror.
I am reading a book by Max Lucado that I would sincerely recommend to anyone who has a giant to face. Its appropriately titled Facing Your Giants.
In this book, Max compares Goliath to the giant that you are facing in your own life, whatever that may be.
"Your Goliath dominates your day and infiltrates your joy. He awaits you in the morning, torments you at night."
Then he shows how David, in his short battle with Goliath, never gave much thought to Goliath. He, instead, "discussed no one else but God. More than David versus Goliath, this is God-focus versus giant focus." Max reveals how David was able to zone in his focus on God and allow his faith in God to attack the giant for him. He spoke of God's ability to win the battle, not his own.
"The people knew his taunts, size, and strut. They have majored in Goliath. David majors in God. He sees the giant, mind you; he just seeds God more so."
"Giants. We must face them. Yet we need not face them alone. Focus first, and most on God. The times David did, giants fell. The days he didn't, David did." --How powerful is that? God is really speaking to me here. He knew exactly what I needed to hear. His love amazes me.
I believe right now God is teaching me how to take my focus off of my giant. I know that it will still be there. There is no magic spell to make it go away. Only time will heal the wounds that are left in my heart and my spirit. But I can't allow that giant to rule my life. I have been allowing the giant in my life to win. I have been living in the shadow of doubt. I have been slowly allowing Satan to defeat me with fear.
Not anymore.
"Focus on giants--You stumble.
Focus on God--Your giants tumble."
"Lift your eyes, giant-slayer. The God who made a miracle out of David stands ready to make one out of you."
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Baby Odom
I had been having some weird feeling stomach cramps. I just thought I was going to start my period soon.
After a couple of weeks with no change, I got curious. I stopped at Dollar General on the way to work and picked up a generic pregnancy test. I didn't even give it much thought. I knew it would be negative and I didn't want to get my hopes up. I had taken so many pregnancy tests since we decided to start trying to get pregnant and I was always disappointed when they were negative.
I threw the test in my purse and went to work.
That night when I got home from work at around 10:30, I told Josh how I had been feeling. I assured him that I was sure I wasn't pregnant. Then I told him I knew how we could know for sure. I told him about the test in my purse and he told me to take it right then. I could tell he got excited but I was just sure it would be negative. I had done this a thousand times before.
I took the test and left it laying on the bathroom counter. I went back a few minutes later to look at the test and it was a very faded plus sign. I was more confused than anything. I mean, after all, it did come from Dollar General. I told Josh to come look. We just looked at each other for a while. He asked me if it had ever looked like that before. I said nope.
We jumped up right then and ran to Walmart. Full of potential excitement. We were trying not to get our hopes up. We were really nervous. Josh drove like a maniac. We talked the entire way there... "What if?"
When we got there, it was around midnight and there was another couple standing in front of the section. We were looking at pregnancy tests and they were buying preventative products. We found that to be funny. We chose the tests that were in a plastic box that would have to be removed at the register. They were the most expensive but we wanted to be sure.
When we got to the register there was only one aisle open and a couple of people behind us. As the checkout lady tried to open the plastic box, she got frustrated and then called over the loudspeaker for someone to help her with the pregnancy tests. We laughed as the older ladies behind us looked us up and down. We joked that it didn't help that we both look like we're about 17. Josh even joked that he should pretend to call his mom and tell her we were ready to be picked up from Walmart.
We rushed home and I went straight to the bathroom. I had bought a bottle of water at Walmart and Josh forced me to drink some of it so that I would have to pee when I got home. I took both tests at one time and was really pretty sure that I didn't pee enough on either for them to work.
I left the tests on the counter in the bathroom and sat on the edge of our bed with Josh. We closed our eyes, bowed our heads, held hands, and prayed for God's will. If it was time for us to have a baby, we wanted it to be positive. We wanted whatever He had in store for us. We both prayed so hard for His will. Nothing more. Nothing less.
When a few minutes had passed and we were done praying, I asked Josh to let me look. He waited on the bed. I stood at the bathroom counter in total shock when I walked in and saw TWO words. PREGNANT. PREGNANT.
I didn't say anything. I didn't move. I always knew it would happen someday but I had dreamed of that moment for years. How we would react. How we would celebrate. It was so surreal.
I stepped out of the bathroom and just looked at Josh. I didn't say anything. He asked, "Well?" I didn't say anything.
I shook my head. He was shocked too. Had to see it for himself. He came into the bathroom. We both just stared at the tests like we were expecting them to change.
After a few moments, we started to laugh together. Then cry together. Josh took me in his arms. We hugged for the longest time. He held onto me so tight. He was crying. I was overwhelmed with emotion. We laughed and cried together in the bathroom. It was the most glorious moment.
We instantly started to celebrate, talk, and plan together. We couldn't believe it was real. We couldn't wait to tell our families.
The next day, we both went to work. We couldn't wait to tell someone. I told a girl from work who I didn't even know. Josh told a few people from work that day too. We were most excited to tell our parents and Tiffany and Jake.
We left that evening as soon as Josh got home and went to Target. We got a set of onezies made for a boy. Sports themed. They were so tiny. We put them in plain colored gift bags and started with Tiffany on our way out of town. She opened her little bag and pulled out that baby outfit. She couldn't believe it. She cried and we hugged. She was so happy. Then we went to Jasper and stopped at my mom's house first. We gave the bag to her and Olivia helped her open it. She was so happy she couldn't stand it. She cried and laughed and screamed. We explained it to Olivia and she was really happy too. Billy didn't say much. He never does. As we left their house and closed the door behind us, we could hear mom and Olivia screaming from inside. It was an awesome moment. My mom was going to be a grandma for the first time ever. Next we stopped at Jack and Wendy's. It was almost Jack's birthday so we gave the gift to him. As he was opening it, he just knew what it was going to be. He whispered something to Wendy and they both laughed. When he pulled out that green baby onezie, they were so happy. They hugged and Wendy cried. Jackson was thrilled too. He was going to be an Uncle. We celebrated with them for a few minutes and then we moved onto my Aunt Tina's house. She opened her bag and was also in shock. She said "No way!" After we told them, they called Jaxon and Gracie downstairs and we told them too. They were excited too. Gracie said she couldn't wait to hold the baby but only after they clean all the gook off of it. I laughed and agreed. Next we went to my dad's house. He was nervous but excited. We stopped last at Mallory's house. We told her and her mom and laughed and celebrated with them. It was the most amazing day. We talked the whole way home. Everyone was so thrilled. It was amazing. It was really happening.
After a couple of weeks with no change, I got curious. I stopped at Dollar General on the way to work and picked up a generic pregnancy test. I didn't even give it much thought. I knew it would be negative and I didn't want to get my hopes up. I had taken so many pregnancy tests since we decided to start trying to get pregnant and I was always disappointed when they were negative.
I threw the test in my purse and went to work.
That night when I got home from work at around 10:30, I told Josh how I had been feeling. I assured him that I was sure I wasn't pregnant. Then I told him I knew how we could know for sure. I told him about the test in my purse and he told me to take it right then. I could tell he got excited but I was just sure it would be negative. I had done this a thousand times before.
I took the test and left it laying on the bathroom counter. I went back a few minutes later to look at the test and it was a very faded plus sign. I was more confused than anything. I mean, after all, it did come from Dollar General. I told Josh to come look. We just looked at each other for a while. He asked me if it had ever looked like that before. I said nope.
We jumped up right then and ran to Walmart. Full of potential excitement. We were trying not to get our hopes up. We were really nervous. Josh drove like a maniac. We talked the entire way there... "What if?"
When we got there, it was around midnight and there was another couple standing in front of the section. We were looking at pregnancy tests and they were buying preventative products. We found that to be funny. We chose the tests that were in a plastic box that would have to be removed at the register. They were the most expensive but we wanted to be sure.
When we got to the register there was only one aisle open and a couple of people behind us. As the checkout lady tried to open the plastic box, she got frustrated and then called over the loudspeaker for someone to help her with the pregnancy tests. We laughed as the older ladies behind us looked us up and down. We joked that it didn't help that we both look like we're about 17. Josh even joked that he should pretend to call his mom and tell her we were ready to be picked up from Walmart.
We rushed home and I went straight to the bathroom. I had bought a bottle of water at Walmart and Josh forced me to drink some of it so that I would have to pee when I got home. I took both tests at one time and was really pretty sure that I didn't pee enough on either for them to work.
I left the tests on the counter in the bathroom and sat on the edge of our bed with Josh. We closed our eyes, bowed our heads, held hands, and prayed for God's will. If it was time for us to have a baby, we wanted it to be positive. We wanted whatever He had in store for us. We both prayed so hard for His will. Nothing more. Nothing less.
When a few minutes had passed and we were done praying, I asked Josh to let me look. He waited on the bed. I stood at the bathroom counter in total shock when I walked in and saw TWO words. PREGNANT. PREGNANT.
I didn't say anything. I didn't move. I always knew it would happen someday but I had dreamed of that moment for years. How we would react. How we would celebrate. It was so surreal.
I stepped out of the bathroom and just looked at Josh. I didn't say anything. He asked, "Well?" I didn't say anything.
I shook my head. He was shocked too. Had to see it for himself. He came into the bathroom. We both just stared at the tests like we were expecting them to change.
After a few moments, we started to laugh together. Then cry together. Josh took me in his arms. We hugged for the longest time. He held onto me so tight. He was crying. I was overwhelmed with emotion. We laughed and cried together in the bathroom. It was the most glorious moment.
We instantly started to celebrate, talk, and plan together. We couldn't believe it was real. We couldn't wait to tell our families.
The next day, we both went to work. We couldn't wait to tell someone. I told a girl from work who I didn't even know. Josh told a few people from work that day too. We were most excited to tell our parents and Tiffany and Jake.
We left that evening as soon as Josh got home and went to Target. We got a set of onezies made for a boy. Sports themed. They were so tiny. We put them in plain colored gift bags and started with Tiffany on our way out of town. She opened her little bag and pulled out that baby outfit. She couldn't believe it. She cried and we hugged. She was so happy. Then we went to Jasper and stopped at my mom's house first. We gave the bag to her and Olivia helped her open it. She was so happy she couldn't stand it. She cried and laughed and screamed. We explained it to Olivia and she was really happy too. Billy didn't say much. He never does. As we left their house and closed the door behind us, we could hear mom and Olivia screaming from inside. It was an awesome moment. My mom was going to be a grandma for the first time ever. Next we stopped at Jack and Wendy's. It was almost Jack's birthday so we gave the gift to him. As he was opening it, he just knew what it was going to be. He whispered something to Wendy and they both laughed. When he pulled out that green baby onezie, they were so happy. They hugged and Wendy cried. Jackson was thrilled too. He was going to be an Uncle. We celebrated with them for a few minutes and then we moved onto my Aunt Tina's house. She opened her bag and was also in shock. She said "No way!" After we told them, they called Jaxon and Gracie downstairs and we told them too. They were excited too. Gracie said she couldn't wait to hold the baby but only after they clean all the gook off of it. I laughed and agreed. Next we went to my dad's house. He was nervous but excited. We stopped last at Mallory's house. We told her and her mom and laughed and celebrated with them. It was the most amazing day. We talked the whole way home. Everyone was so thrilled. It was amazing. It was really happening.
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