Wait on the Lord

This semester I have been hosting a ladies bible study on Wednesday nights. There are about 18 girls that come each week to study the book of Esther. I love my girls, we have a blast together. Some nights we are just rolling on the floor laughing and others we are left in awe of how relevant the book of Esther is to our lives.

This week we look at chapter 5 of Esther. Now, I have to be honest. The part of the story where Esther has her 1st dinner party with the King and Haman has never made sense to me. You can almost feel the build up in the story. Esther has just survived the first hurdle without loosing her head...literally. She manages to charm the king into coming to dinner and bringing Haman along. The Lord has paved the way and she is skating right on through.

I can even imagine the amount of self control she has to muster just being in the same room with the man who is trying to wipe out her entire race. Then...the time comes. The king asks her about her request. HELLO...open door, why not just walk right through?

It was not time. Instead she asked them both to come back the next night.

I wish we could know what was going through Esther's head right then! Did she chicken out and not go through with it, did she feel in her spirit that something was off and decided to wait? Either way, the Lord's purposes were accomplished. A lot is going to happen in the next 24 hours for the King and Haman that will change their lives forever.

That is where out lesson left off. Esther making the decision that the time was not right, and waiting on the Lord.

Our time ended concentrating on Isaiah 40:31. We talked about how waiting on something is exhausting. We go through all the possible outcomes in our head until we are just emotionally and physically spent. BUT look at Isaiah 40:31.

31 but those who wait on the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

There it is! I can't believe this has never "clicked" for me. Waiting on "something" (a boyfriend, a job, someone to change) IS exhausting.

BUT

Waiting on the Lord renews our strength!

I don't know about you but I could use some renewed strength. And soaring like an eagle? Yes please!

Hardly Time to Breath!

STOP...Take a BREATH with me.

Whew...that felt good. I needed that. As I write this I am listening to a mixture of laughter from the guys having their "Man Night" on one end of the hall and a symphony of coughing coming from Caed and Abby's room at the other end. Just when I think we are in the clear and all healthy, another one bites the dust.

I am so grateful that the Lord meets us where we are.

I just began a new bible study by Priscilla Shirer called "He Speaks to Me". It is just what the the Lord knew I needed this semester. In order to keep up with this crazy pace of life and to bear fruit in this place he has planted us I HAVE to stay connected to that vine and hear from the Lord.

This week something that David wrote in Psalm 131:2 caught my attention.

But I have calmed and quieted myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.

Did you catch the words CALMED and QUIETED....where can I get me some of that??
I am so glad David helped us with HOW this calm and quiet can be attained.

Psalm 42:6 (I like how the Aplified Bible puts this one)
O my God, my life is cast down upon me [and I find the burden more than I can bear]; therefore will I [earnestly] remember You...

How did David quiet his soul? By remembering all that the Lord has done.

When was the last time you sat back and just reflected on God's goodness, on the ways He has shown up in your life and worked things out just perfectly?

When I step back and take my eyes off the distractions of every day life and focus on my GREAT and FAITHFUL God...the chaos of my life gets smaller as my God gets bigger.

I am in a season of craziness. It is pretty easy to get overwhelmed and take my eyes off of Jesus and start looking only at the "waves" swelling up around me.
I am thankful for this reminder to stop...and remember.

Psalm 42:5
Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my Help and my God.


So here I sit...calmed, quieted...and waiting expectantly for Him.

Thankful

A few years ago one of the hot topics in Christian culture was Glory. There were books, albums, devotionals, and speakers all over concentrating on the concept of God's Glory.

I have to admit, it all went right over my head. Recently however, I have been connecting a few dots.

The thing that gets me most excited...even giddy...is seeing the Lord alive and active in the lives of those around me. THAT my friends, IS God's Glory! To quote Beth Moore, "God's Glory is the way He makes himself recognizable."

Today, on Thanksgiving I am thankful for God's Glory! He has been showing up big time around here!

The most recent example was on Sunday night (well, technically Monday morning. Gotta love the hours of campus ministry!).

Around midnight Greg got a text from a couple students asking if we were still awake and available to talk. When these two sweet girls walked into our apartment that night, it was evident that one of them had been crying.

As is so often the case...when we get to the point when we know that we cannot handle life on our own, we can see our need for the Savior the clearest.

"Cindy" described how lost she felt. She realized that the friends that she partied with were not really friends, that the guys she used to date really did not love or care about her. She recognized her need for the Lord, but at the same time she was scared that she was just beyond saving.

Doesn't your heart just break when you hear something like that?

That night Greg, Candace and I were able to tell "Cindy" about Grace. Unmerited favor. That we come to the Lord with nothing but brokenness, and in return the Lord does not give us what we deserve, but he gives us Jesus. To quote Candace accepting Grace "is the easiest and hardest thing to do".

Eph 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Candace (a month-old believer)led her friend to the Lord that night.

GLORY!

Could you not do the "happy dance" in your chair right now?

No...strike that...I am going to change the name of that dance to the "Glory dance"!

The Lord is showing up...making himself know...and changing lives.

Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

I Know That I Know!

Let me start by saying that Christian schools are not for everyone. That being said, I cannot tell you how much of an impact that my teachers in middle/high school had on my spiritual life. One of the many teachers that stand out in my memory is Mr. MacMillan, my bible teacher at Providence Christian Academy. I can remember one class like it was yesterday. Mr. MacMillan was talking to us about the importance of knowing without a doubt that there was a moment in time that you realized your own sinfulness, and confessed your need for a Savior. If you do not KNOW for sure, there is a wide open door for doubt and then comes the slippery slope of questioning anything and everything that you thought you knew for sure. Mr. MacMillan suggested thinking about that moment you accepted Christ as your Savior and then nailing a figurative stake in the ground. That is a solid reminder that nothing can pluck you from the Hand of God from now on.



I have passed on those same powerful words to many students over the past few years in ministry. Don't lose the battle in your head before it has even begun, you CAN know for sure.

Thanks Mr Mac.

Taking A Little Walk

Have you ever though of life as a little stroll?

For some reason, I have found this to be a theme of my life. I can look back and see that the Lord has orchestrated seasons in my life where He allows company along this walk. I am thinking of:

*My Parents who were/are a true example of giving.
*My english teacher/drama coach in high school that loved the Lord and poured into me love and confidence.
*Precious friends from college, where we all walked with each other towards Christ through everything from silliness to huge life decisions.
*A dear, DEAR friend in South Carolina who shared my excitement for getting into the Lord's word even when we had toddlers running around and Barney blasting from the TV in the background!
*Most of all The Lord has given me a leader, partner, and best friend in my husband.

There are many more examples. Some that lead me on a little trail away from the Lord, but many more (Praise God!) that lead me towards Him.


Imagine how my heart jumped when I saw a picture of this walk/relationship in the life of the Patriarch Abraham! But it was the Lord Himself who was walking with Abraham!

In Gen 18 the Lord appeared (in flesh and blood!) with 2 other heavenly visitors to Abraham. I LOVE it that we are allowed to eve's drop on this conversation. After they have had a good meal and a little conversation where the Lord reiterated His promise to bless Abraham, 2 of the visitors left to make their way to Sodom to check out the situation there. The Lord stayed with Abraham to take a little walk and work through some things.

I love that the Lord walked with Abraham as he interceded from Sodom. The God of the universe was patient as Abraham as he ASKED questions. As I read it, I kind of got a little embarrassed FOR Abraham. I was thinking "really Abraham, you are pushing it a bit!"

But then I realized that the Lord not only allowed those questions he INVITED them. The fact that God was willing to be there, to share a meal, and to engage in a personal and tangible relationship INVITED Abraham to ask questions. God created an atmosphere where Abraham could approach Him and work some things through. That is a conversation, a relationship. That is God meeting Abraham where he is and taking a few steps with him.

Isn't that what we are all called to do as Christians?

The Lord has put us on this earth for a short time. We are trying to walk the path that the Lord has set out for us. There are times when the Lord blesses us with others to walk alongside. These relationships are the whole reason for the path, it is not to get to the destination!

I can see this theme of "life as a little walk" continuing in our ministry. It is actually at the heart of what Greg and I do everyday. We have the honor to walk alongside students for a short time. We get to spend time, share a meal, play a few games, and share a few laughs. All of this relationship building leads to the real purpose of life, to point each other towards Christ.

Sacrifice?

I have a friend named Heather. I have never met her face to face. We have many of the same friends, are the same age, got married around the same time, and she has three little ones also.

Heather recently blogged about something that spoke to me. Feel free to check it out, I am sure many of you moms will relate.

It was all about perspective. I am the first to admit that my life can get very small. I do what I have to do to get from day to day. There is a never ending list of things to do, and not a whole lot of time for anything else. BUT when I do stop, my mind invariably goes to the pile of laundry that never got folded, or I start worrying about bills, or I wish I had more girlfriends I could call to have a coffee date. The more I think about those things the more I become dissatisfied with my life.

Heather challenged herself to make a new list. One with a change in perspective.

I love that idea.

There are many times when I miss our life in SC. We had a sweet little house with a great little back yard. We had a group of friends with young kids that did things together. I had girlfriends to have bible study and coffee with.

This morning I read another blog that gave me a NEW perspective.

John Piper's blog today was on David Livingstone.

Here is what Livingstone said to the Cambridge students about his “leaving” the benefits of England:

For my own part, I have never ceased to rejoice that God has appointed me to such an office. People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. . . . Is that a sacrifice which brings its own blest reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away with the word in such a view, and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger, now and then, with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice.

I know that it is just plain silly to compare being in Africa in the 1800's to being in Philly in 2010, but bear with me.

When I adjust my point of view and look at all that the Lord has done (and is still doing) here in Philly, I can honestly say that all the things I wish for are NOTHING in comparison. Sacrifice? What sacrifice??

I am blessed beyond belief.

Freedom

I just finished the bible study I have been doing on the Fruit of the Spirit.
P-O-W-E-R-F-U-L, let me just tell you!

Part of today's lesson centered on Gal 5:1


Gal 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Consider this verse in light of the fruit of the Spirit. Are you choosing to be chained rather than choosing to be free?

That's right, we have a choice. If you have become a new creation in Christ, he has broken the chains and we are free to live lives full of the Holy Spirit.

Full of:

Love that never fails, Joy the comes new every morning, Peace that rules, Kindness that tenders, Goodness that does, Faith that fights, Gentleness that bows, and Self Control that stops.

Did you notice how all of this fruit is active? It is not there just to look and smell pretty. Neither are you!

Choose Freedom.

Self-Control

UGH

Can we PLEASE skip this aspect of the fruit of the Spirit?

No...OK.

I have been learning about self control this week in my bible study.

I read this last night:

"Self control enhances effectiveness; self indulgence limits effectiveness. Many of us will never fully affect this planet in the ways God planned because of our sheer lack of self-control and discipline. Any effectiveness may seen random and accidental."

Beth Moore- Living Beyond Yourself

OUCH, that hurt.

My heart's desire is to be a tool in the Lord's hands as He accomplishes His plan on this earth. Does this mean my lack of self-control has a direct effect on the Lord's plan for my life?

You betcha.

I went on to study two people in the bible. One had little to no self control: Samson. The other was an example of spiritual discipline that led to blessing: Daniel.

Samson was set apart from birth to serve the Lord, but threw it all away for self indulgence.

Daniel's discipline in everything from the way he chose to eat to the the way he worshiped God led many to believe in the One True God.

*One man assumed the power of God and ultimately lost it. One asked for the power of God and ultimately found it.

*One man was victorious in his death, the other was victorious in his life.

Yeah...so...There are some changes I need to make in my life.

YOU?

Spending

No, this is not a post about money.

A recurring theme in my life of late has been doing...more specifically doing good.

In the past week I have read:

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Titus 3:8
This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I could add more, but I think you get the picture.

Sunday morning I was challenged by a sermon on Revelation 3. I felt like the pastor was talking to me when he said...you can't just sit there, being lukewarm is NOT an option. DO something.

MAYBE the Lord is trying to tell me something...YA THINK??

I had an awesome time in the word yesterday that centered around Isaiah 58:10

If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.

I don't blame you if it doesn't jump off the page and hit you smack dab between the eyes upon first inspection. It took me a while too. ;)

But look at the words...spend yourselves...UM...there it is again...DOING.

Up until yesterday my response to the Lord's command to DO was to come back to the Lord and say...What about ME. How is spending myself going to take care of ME? Aren't I DOING enough?

The Lord answered those questions with this passage.

In Isaiah 58:6-11 the Lord promises if you spend yourselves he will

* Be your light in the darkness
* He will guide you
* He will satisfy your needs
* He will strengthen your frame
* You will be like well watered gardens

There He goes, taking away all my excuses again! ;)

No, really. I have been struggling with a decision for a week and the Lord used these verses and many other circumstances in my life to point me in the right direction. Specifically.

What is the Lord calling you to DO? How are you going to spend your life? I don't know about you, but the thought of being like a well-watered garden sounds good to me.

Zeph 3:17

We have been blessed to have a couple weeks to ease back into the swing of life post-holidays since students do not return until this weekend. Even though we spent one of those weeks taking turns being sick, it was a much needed respite.

Life is now beginning to pick up speed again. A few students in our leadership team attended Urbana and are ready to hit the ground running! Our minds are churning with planning, praying and preparing for spring semester. (alliteration not intended ;)

The verse I read in Zephaniah comforted my whirling mind this afternoon.

Who reads Zephaniah, really?

Well I did this afternoon! What a jewel I found.

Zeph 3:17
The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

When was the last time you let the Lord quiet you with His love?

Joy in Suffering

I continue to be amazed at how the Lord works in my life "according to His good purpose" (Phil 2:13) In my own study time I have been studying the fruit of the spirit. This week I am learning about Joy.

One of the concepts I am learning is that Joy is "the supernatural result which flows from the glorious discovery of our Lord and Savior in every circumstance where we wish to find him."

Did you catch the word EVERY?

In prep for my Tuesday night study with the girls (as I like to call them)I have been looking at Acts 16:16-40. This passage describes the beating and imprisonment of Paul and Silas. This is a very familiar passage. I can still remember Sunday school lessons with the flannel board cut outs of Paul and Silas in prison praising the Lord.

Paul and Silas discovered the power of God through difficulty. How encouraging to recognize the strength to stay! Because he did the Jailer and his entire family have their names written in the Lamb's book of life!

Here is a video I am going to show tonight about one woman's story of suffering.



Jer 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Seek and find the Lord...discover Joy.

Idolatry

Tuesday nights I (Ashley) lead a small group bible study for 10-12 students. This semester we have been going through Acts. This week we are looking at Acts 14. In this chapter Paul and Barnabas perform miraculous "signs and wonders" in the name of the Lord. The people in Lystra misinterpret these acts and start to worship them as gods. Paul and Barnabas were so distraught at idea of taking the place of God, and being worshiped that they tore their clothes. They tried to explain the good news of Christ with the people, but the they would not listen.

This got me thinking about idolatry in our culture. On the surface this commandment seems a bit outdated. People are not making golden calves to bow down to....are they?

I ran across this video in my research for small group tonight.



I like what Mark Driscoll says at the end of the video. The commandment that seems to be the least relevant "may be the most relevant commandment of all."

Pride

My bible study time this morning centered on 1 Corinthians 13 and the meaning of Agape love. This is a familiar passage to many. The phrase that stuck out to me was "Love is not proud". I looked up several passages about pride and one that hit me between the eyes was Psalm 10:4

In his pride the wicked does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God

Did that take the wind out of you too? Yesterday from the time my alarm went off until I fell asleep putting Abby to bed I was busy. I went from one thing to the next without one thought turning to the Lord. I was frustrated with all I had to do, and then pride reared it's ugly head. That led to quarrels and me being short with the kids. Sound familiar?

I read this poem this morning.

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
I cheat you of your God-given destiny...because
you demand your own way.
I cheat you of contentment...because you
"deserve better than this."
I cheat you of knowledge...because you already
know it all.
I cheat you of healing...because you're too full of
me to forgive.
I cheat you of holiness...because you refuse to
admit when you're wrong.
I cheat you of vision...because you'd rather look
in the mirror than out a window.
I cheat you of genuine friendship...because
nobody's going to know the real you.
I cheat you of love...because real romance
demands sacrifice.
I cheat you of greatness in heaven...because you
refuse to wash another's feet on earth.
I cheat you of God's glory...because I convince
you to seek your own.

I am Pride. I am a cheater.
You like me because you think I'm always looking
out for you. Untrue.
I'm looking to make a fool of you.
God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry...
If you stick with me
You'll never know.

Beth Moore-Praying God's Word

Father, please help me to always make room in my thoughts for you, God. Don't allow me to continue on in pride that stops me from seeking you. Amen.

Resisting the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit has been on my mind a lot lately. I am currently doing the Beth Moore study on the fruit of the spirit in my own study time and the small group bible study that I have been leading for a few students is going through the book of Acts. It is a neat combination. I can read about the fruit and then see it in action in the lives of the apostles in the early church.

Last week in small group we talked about the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7. One verse from that passage has been resonating with me this week.

Acts 7:51- You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!

These are pretty tough words Stephen hurdles at the Sanhedrin.

I have to be honest, they pierced me as well. I know full well that I can slip into being stiff-necked almost without realizing it. You know the hard-hearted feeling I am talking about. It happens most often when I am tired, overwhelmed, and too busy to find time to spend with the Lord. I choose to resist the Holy Spirit instead of being filled with it.

It reminds me of something Caed told me when he was 4. He has always had impulse control issues. Controlling his body when he is angry is hard, especially when he was younger. We were talking about it one time after an episode and he told me "Mommy, it is like there is a different, ugly Caed that comes out and I don't like it"

I know exactly how he felt.

Take a few minutes with me this Monday morning to bow your heart to the Lord and ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Rest in this today...

Before the Throne

This morning I read Rev 4. In this chapter John describes what he saw when his spirit was ushered unto the throne room of God.
This is what Beth Moore had to say on the subject...

"John had the perspective-changing opportunity to do something all of us secretly wish we could do. For a little while recorded in Rev 4 and onward, he got to see life from heaven's perspective. His description implies something tremendously profound: everything else in existence is most accurately described only in its relationship to the throne of God."

How would our view of the world, our lives and struggles change if we viewed life as it stands in relation to the throne of God? Do we believe that the King of Kings can manage our life and problems?

I have been singing this song all morning since I read about the the throne of God...

Collected Thoughts

There has been a recurring theme in my life the past 2 weeks. You know the kind...when it starts as a whisper of an idea, then it comes up in your day to day life, then it comes around again and you get blindsided and it nearly knocks you off your feet!

Here is the concept.

The Lord uses the circumstances in your life to help you more fully understand His Word.

Illustration:
The apostle John was sent to the island of Patmos to work until he died of exhaustion, starvation, or exposure, whichever came first. I can imagine his aged, wrinkled skin hanging from his bones as he worked on that rocky island while He wondered why the Lord had not yet chosen to take him home to heaven. Then the Lord blessed him with this revelation from heaven. John saw many wondrous things, but what I read in chapter 7:15-17 brought me to tears. Read it like you were John on that Island...

15b He who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
¹⁶Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat upon them,
nor any scorching heat.
¹⁷For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

I love that the Lord gave John this promise right when it would mean the most to him.

The same God uses his same words to reach us right where we are.
READ and LISTEN!

Choices

Thanks for coming back. I have had a few health problems that have kept me away from y'all but I am back now. Obviously ;). But I have to be completely honest. While I was down physically I was also down spiritually. Why does it always happen like that?

I am so grateful that the Lord has my heart no matter what. He never lets me wander far, and there is always a lesson learned in the journey. As a matter of fact I am still learning the lesson. Here is the idea I am working through:


What type of woman do I want to be?
God created women with influence. How are we going to use that influence?

I am not in any position to expound on the right and wrong ways to influence. But I can point you to an interesting contrast in scripture. This contrast starts with the picture of Thyatira in Rev. 2. Stick with me here.

Under Roman rule Thyatira was a thriving commercial center in Asia. We have 2 portraits of 2 different women from this city and they could not be more different.

Jezebel was a powerful woman. She was controlling and used her influence to lead people into sin.

In contrast Acts 16 describes a woman named Lydia. She was a successful business woman, but she saw her need for the Lord and led her whole household to be baptized.

These two women have given me a lot to think about. Do I want to use my influence to control and manipulate to get what I want? It sounds like a silly question but we do it without thinking about it!

NO I want to be the type of woman the Lord created me to be. Influential and Powerful...not to get what I want, but to accomplish what the Lord has for me to do.

Definitely something to think about.

Summer Storms and Life Lessons

As we sat down to dinner tonight a summer storm started brewing. It got ugly fast. There was intense thunder and the RAIN came down hard. It was the kind of storm you feel in your gut. It effects your mood for the rest of the day.

In this dreary haze I got up to do the dishes and realized something odd. It was still raining but I could see sunshine clear as day. HOPE. Gradually the rain stopped. I looked out the window to survey the damage but all I saw was vibrant and refreshed vegetation.

Do you see the spiritual lesson played out in a summer storm?

Thunder out of no where.

Torrential rain.

Clouds break but the rain continues.

Rain slowly ends.

New, more vibrant life.

We are in a bit of a downpour in our lives right now. I cannot tell you how encouraged I felt watching the summer storm run it's course in our back yard. I am looking forward to the vibrant life this storm is going to produce in our lives.

The Holy Spirit

I just finished reading a little bit about the Holy Spirit and it has let me absolutely giddy! Before you call the loony bin... let me share a few verses with you.

Luke 11:11-13

¹¹"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹²Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Romans 8:9

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

John 3:34

For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

Ephesians 1:13-14

¹³And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

For those of you who don't know...June is a month of birthdays for our family. Mine (Ashley) is the 13th, and Caed and Greg share the 2oth for their big day. The passage in Luke got me thinking this morning. I love coming up with presents for friends and family. Especially my children. The gift I got for Caed this year will knock his socks off. I am smiling right now just thinking about how excited he is going to be when he opens it.

In the words of Luke "how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him"! In the words of my native vernacular NOW DON'T THAT BEAT ALL!

(Insert giddy laughter and slap of the knee here!)

Talk about the PERFECT gift.