Gratitude

Happy May and Monday!! 

It’s a new month and a new week! Everything that happened yesterday is left in April and last week. April for me was a lot. I felt like I was driving fast through life, and I just need to slow to neutral. April 14th, put the gas in my tank. I went to a Brandon Lake concert; if you don’t know who Brandon Lake is, I recommend getting acquainted. YouTube search Gratitude, Brandon Lake and that can be your introduction. Any of his songs are great, you can’t go wrong with anything he sings. 

Do it right now, I’ll wait. 

Good right? 

That’s Brandon Lake. I saw him perform Gratitude live and it was the fuel I needed for the rest of the month. I didn’t know what the rest of that month held, but God knew. He knew that I needed to start there. To start by remembering how good He is. The faithfulness of the Father. 

 “The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh every morning.”-Lamentations 2:22-23 NLT 

I was high on the mountain of God. I felt the Spirit move in me during the concert and was a complete mess during the concert. A snotty, blubbery, mess, but one that feels like she’s living free. I heard a friend say, “The closer we get to Jesus the more we cry.”  I love that quote, because when the Spirit moves in me, I ALWAYS get emotional. Tears are not a sign of weakness, but tears show that something is going on in you and you don’t know how to express it. When I got home from that amazing, God-centered weekend, I got the upsetting news that a friend wasn’t doing well. She did end up passing away. It hit me harder than I was expecting. 

For a girl, who doesn’t cry often. 

I wept. 

But you know when Jesus lost someone close to Him, He also wept. It shows us His humanity and His divinity. After He weeps, He raises His bud from the dead. Lazarus was name, and all we know about him is that He was Jesus’ friend. I’m guessing a close friend. When death finds us, it’s our fleshly impulse to cast the blame on someone else. It’s hard for us to wrap our mind around that God might have had them go to Him for a reason. Martha, one of Lazarus’ sisters, cast the blame on Jesus, 

“Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”-John 11:20 NLT 

For the first time in my life, I wasn’t mad at God for taking Ms. Julia. 

Ms. Julia was an older lady, who I sat with on an as needed basis. A native of Puerto Rico, she had broken English and was 95 years old, but despite our differences we had fun together. I know that God needed her up in Heaven for a reason.  

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose.”-Romans 8:28 NIV 

It may hurt right now, but I have confidence that she is in Heaven. The last thing, I heard her say was “I just want to die.” I believe she knew the promise made in Revelations, 

“And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.”- Revelations 21:5a ESV.

She would be made new. 

She would be walking freely. 

Dementia wouldn’t be a hinderance. 

And back at her best self. Made wholly new, without flaw. 

Ms. Julia’s passing hasn’t left me feeling down, instead I am filled with hope and gratitude. Hope that I will see here again and gratitude for the times we shared. 

The time she grabbed my hand and told me, “You’re so nice.” And the time I had to look for her dentures to eat supper! The things I did for this job! My time in Ms. Julia land (as my dad called my time over there) is something I will cherish in my heart. 

Right after her funeral, I went to my first housesitting job of this year, and I feel like I have been driving high since then. When, I haven’t, but I feel like I need to slow down to at least 60, before I am forced to come to a complete stop. My word for this nextmonth, is rest. I just need to take a step back and look at the blessings God has given me in April and to just breathe. I have jobs lined up this month and it could be stressful to some, but for me it is a chance to breathe in a new place. This weekend, I will be working, (watching a dog and a cat) and I hope that I will be able to rest.

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”-Psalm 23 ESV

He will restore my soul and not leave me wanting but satisfy every need I have. He’s a good, good, Father. 

“If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.”-Matthew 7:11 CEB 

The opener from Brandon Lake was Benjamin William Hastings and he sang a song titled, The Thing About Praise and the chorus says,

The only way through it is a hallelujah.

Sometimes the only thing to do is give it to You.

That has become the motto of this past season. I need to give it to the Lord and let him handle the issue. He is big enough to handle everything I don’t know how to. 

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened (by religious rituals that provide no peace) and I will give you rest (refreshing your souls with salvation).”-Matthew 11:28 AMP

That is my prayer for my weekend. I challenge you if you are feeling overwhelmed or just that you are running on empty, get away, go outside, take a walk. Fresh air is some of the best medicine. 

Until next time, 

Stay strong,

MH