Friday Slowdown

I'm inviting all of you to join me in a "Friday Slowdown" today. In the world we live in, there are constant demands on our time and our emotions. Sometimes it seems we can't catch our breath!

There are so many things to occupy our attention --- and most all of them are good things. Things which are worthy of our time and our involvement. But life can certainly get frenzied, can't it?

Some of us are dealing with thorny issues; some of us are anguishing about situations in the lives of our family members, or in our own lives. All of these are issues which we should bring to the throne of our Father, and "cast our cares upon Him, for He cares" for us. Careful, now. Don't reach back up and pull those things back into your own care. Leave them there for Him.

Some of us are dealing with things that make us wonder, "why, Lord?" We may struggle and wriggle and cry out to Him, both in prayer, and aloud. I was having a time like that, this past week, when I heard this song. It was so meaningful for me, that I wanted to share it with you. You may click on the link if you would like to hear the music, or if you prefer, you can scroll down to simply read the lyrics.

I hope that this blesses your heart, and that you will find time for your own Friday Slowdown, when you can spend time with Him. Let Him heal and repair the things that need mending in your life.



"Blessings" by Laura Story

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not our home

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

Proverbs 3: 32-35

Read Proverbs 3: 32-35.

These verses warm my heart. I surely want:

* to be intimate with God (vs 32)

*my home to be blessed (vs33)

*grace (vs 34)

*honor (vs 35)

They were very encouraging to me today. I haven't given you my Verse of the Day for awhile. Just as a reminder, daily I pick a verse from the passage that we are reading to be my Verse for that day. I write it on a sticky note and put it somewhere that I will glance at it over and over. Today's verse is Verse 33. I think every woman desires that her home be blessed. This verse is a great reminder to try to stay pure so that my home will receive this blessing.