Living Habakkuk 2:3

Everything in me wishes we were sitting across a table from each other. I with my grande white chocolate mocha and you with your favorite coffee or tea.

I would ask you if you were waiting on anything. Specifically, are you waiting on God to complete anything in your life....

Why THAT question? I'm glad you asked. :)

Last week THIS verse popped up in my daily reading and I absolutely loved the timing of it.

For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. Habakkuk 2:3 (ESV)

God is so faithful. This week I will live this verse. A desire and dream has come to its appointed time. It has been four years since this was placed on my heart.

Four years. Not a long time in the big picture, but at times it seemed like it would never happen. It did seem slow, and honestly last fall, I felt like God forgot.

But He didn't. God does not forget anyone and He definitely doesn't forget when He places a calling on your life. He used a difficult time to remind me that when we are completely surrendered to Him, He will use each and every piece of our life for His glory.

So here I sit, a few days from this vision coming to life. And I am in awe of my God. Here are a few things He has put in my face over the last few days.

2 Peter 3:9a says, The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise


When He starts something, He finishes it. (Phil. 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion...)


Finally, this verse. This verse jumped out of my daily reading two weeks ago and I could not get away from it. God kept giving me confirmations, encouragement that YES, this was the time to do this thing..but yet I was still battling some fear about the whole thing. This is what He gave me.

1 Samuel 10:7 Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you.

God is with you. What else can a girl ask for.

So, I'll ask you...

What are you waiting on? It would be an honor to pray with you during the wait. And an even bigger honor to rejoice with you when the appointed time comes! :)

Life Lessons - Psalm 19:14

Because I spent many years using my words and mouth in an ungodly way, I am super sensitive to what I call "mouth issues". Psalm 19:14 is a daily prayer for me. It's a power verse that I MUST pray each morning. It simply says,

"May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."

Part of my past mouth issue had to do with a lack of a filter. It wasn't that I was cursing or speaking inappropriately. I was just being "in your face", often times with scripture to back up what I would say. I could speak the truth, it was the "in love" part I struggled with.

In love. God began to show me that I was wrong. My in your face, outspoken harshness was wrong. It caused hurt feelings and instead of showing people to Him, it repulsed them and pushed them away from God. He gave me a list of names and I had to go apologize for my words. One occurrence had taken place several years before and I wasn't even sure the person would remember who I was. But, I did it. It was the hardest e-mail I have ever typed. (The offense had been in a letter, so God gave me permission to apologize in the same manner.)

Another issue with my mouth was the amount of time it was engaged. :) You can ask my Mom and she will testify to the fact that I love to talk. Non-stop. My poor sister had to endure it while we shared a bedroom. Talk. Talk. Talk. And really, a lot of what I talked about was...nothing. I wasted so much air! :)

But God's word. I began to fall in love with His word like never before and as Psalm 119:130 says it brought light to what needed to change and gave understanding to this simple mind.

I love what verses 130-133 say.

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant because I long for your commandments. Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name. Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.

Verse 131 says I open my mouth and pant. If my mouth is open and panting...I can't talk. My mouth, going non-stop (even about good things) kept me from hearing those around me. My mind was so focused on what I was going to say next that I didn't give those around me an opportunity to speak and even worse....it kept me from hearing God. Being quiet was a foreign concept and my listening skills were seriously poor.

Then came Ecclesiastes 5. Lord have mercy it just about did me in. I'll just share it from the Message because, well...it's the translation that stung the most.

Verses 2-5a say,

Don't shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think. Don't be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God's in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better. Overwork makes for restless sleep. Overtalk shows you up as a fool. When you tell God you'll do something, do it—now. God takes no pleasure in foolish gabble.

Why am I sharing this with you? Because last week, I had an opportunity to discuss this very personal lesson with one of my children. Not because of something they had done, but because of something they were dealing with. I could see myself in the offender. It was an opportunity to talk about holy words and using our mouths to bring glory to God. And that was what we did.

And then I blew it. In an attempt to be funny, I tweeted/Facebooked something I should not have. I knew as soon as I had hit "send" on my phone I shouldn't have. But I did not immediately remove it. The longer I sat there,and watched the comments the sicker I became. I could feel the Holy Spirit stirring in me, reminding me of the conversation I had with my child just a few hours before. Conviction.

I removed the post and if I had not been in a public place (in a dress) I would have been flat on my face. In my mind I was. I thanked God that it was his kindness that led me to repentance. And then I came home and looked up the passage that phrase is found in. Once again, here it is in the message.

Romans 2:2-4

Those people are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on the high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn't so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you've done.

You didn't think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he's such a nice God, he'd let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he's not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.

Tonight, I am so sad that I grieved the heart of God. Mad that I fell into that old trap. At the same time, I'm overwhelmed at the kindness and forgiveness of my Savior.

If anything good came of last weeks situation, it was the reminder that we are all in process. The minute I think I would "never" slip into an old habit, is the minute I'm probably going to trip. But His kindness...

Always leads us to repentance. Repentance to restoration.

And restoration? That is what I am after.

Processing the Last Week

Life changes so fast sometimes. One week ago today, Dad called to tell me my Mamaw had fallen at the assisted living home. He was on his way to pick up my Grandfather and head to the hospital.

I went on to karate, stamped the student cards and loved on my little girlfriend, Faith. (Her dad and big brother take class and this little baby girl is my buddy during that hour.)

Dad didn't call back so I called him on the way home. He was waiting with her for a room to be ready. She had broken her ankle. At 93 years old, after two broken hips and other minor health issues, she had a broken ankle. Something didn't settle with me.

I've shared in the past that my Mamaw and I share a stronghold of fear. I guess my unsettled feeling was a little fear for her. I know she is scared of being alone and quite frankly, I was concerned for my Dad. All night sleepovers at the hospital just about do him in. I prayed for his strength and endurance and that God would give him a holy nudge to go home. He did and wound up back at the hospital early Wednesday morning.

Wednesday morning, he walked into her room early. Before 6:00 early. Her nurse for the evening, who by the way is related to us...AND was not supposed to be working that night, had been assigned to my Mamaw. She told my dad that Mamaw had a good night. Nothing crazy with her vitals, she rested...and WAS PLEASANT. In the words of sweet Nurse J. she had a good night for a 93 year old woman!

That is not like her. I'm not being disrespectful, it's just the truth. Mamaw met Jesus as Savior at the age of 90, and she had spent 90 years fighting this fear on her own. Normally a hospital stay for her meant nights of fighting sleep and whimpering and just plain hard work for my Dad. (I can testify to this as I spent a few nights with her over the last few years...Mamaw and I had a come to Jesus meeting at 2:30 one morning, I'm sure she is laughing about it now! But neither one of us were laughing then!)

I share that with you not to disrespect her, but to try and make you understand she was not herself that night. I believe that God was allowing her to see a glimpse of Heaven. There was about 15 minutes in the ER that she seemed to be somewhere else. With all my heart, I believe she knew what was happening.

When Dad came back that Wednesday morning, she introduced him to the staff coming on and was still quite pleasant. She asked the Nurses and my Dad to help her sit up and was still talking..then she was gone. That quick.

No warning.

No pain.

Just closed her eyes and entered glory. Dad said he he felt like she had just seen the face of Jesus because she was smiling and her countenance was glowing.

No fear.

Hebrews 11:1 says Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

I believe that God had given her a glimpse of the unseen. Her last night on this earth was so peaceful because she was finally free of that fear and confident that death is really the beginning.

As much as I love my Mamaw and miss her...I'm thrilled for her! She is in the presence of Almighty God! She would not trade His presence for anything!!! So, I will do as Hebrews 10:23 says and

hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

God was so faithful to her. He is so faithful to us when we are far from faithful to Him.

I shared this verse at the funeral. It's my life verse and one that I had read over Mamaw during that long night I talked about earlier. :) It's Deut. 33:12

Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long,and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.

So thankful that she is worshipping and literally resting between His shoulders tonight.



My grandparents the Christmas after Mamaw accepted Christ as Savior.

Simple, Pure, Devotion

I watch her. Brush, pat, talk to and even attempt to listen to the horse she will ride. She, to the best of her 10 year old ability, saddles her horse and waits for her teacher to give her a leg up. She soaks up every word of her instructor and wants to be just like her when she's older. I smile because my child is happy and confident. Eager to learn the next thing and even more eager to apply it. She is in love with that hour each week and longs for it to come. It's during that hour that she thrives doing something she loves.




She sits this way for what seems like forever. Sword at her side, deep breathing, quiet, focused and you better believe serious. Then, she moves. She goes over each of the twelve forms three times each. Her mind is focused on perfecting each step of the form. When she is focused, there is no distracting her. Her eyes and heart are fixed on the task at hand, but September is on her mind. September is when she will test for her black belt in her sword class. She is devoted to martial arts. It's her gifting, her calling and she is happiest when she is in "karate world".




Two different girls with two very different callings. One important thing in common. Devotion.

Devotion to what they love and what God has called them to.

Devoted to studying this thing they are so passionate about.

Devoted to applying what their teachers show them.

Devoted to finishing well.


Their example challenges me to be completely devoted and diligent to the things God has called me to. As our ladies group finishes our study on busyness, I've been challenged to do two things as we prepare for another school year.

1. Seek the Lord. Does He really want me "doing" everything I've been doing. Does anything need to stop for a season.

2. Be diligent and devoted in the areas He has called me to. (and as He spoke so tenderly to this heart last week...be confident when you are told to say no. It really is an okay answer.)

“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever." 1 Chronicles 28:9 NIV

Check out how the Message words this verse...


"And you, Solomon my son, get to know well your father's God; serve him with a whole heart and eager mind, for God examines every heart and sees through every motive. If you seek him, he'll make sure you find him, but if you abandon him, he'll leave you for good. Look sharp now! God has chosen you to build his holy house. Be brave, determined! And do it!" 1 Chronicles 28:9 The Message


Lord, help me to be brave, determined and devoted to the things you have called me to do. I want to hear you say well done.

I Peter 5:6 - SSMT #14

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” I Peter 5:6

These 16 words wrecked me. I had been trying so hard to make something happen. Something really good, something positive. It was a holy desire, an idea or dream that only God Himself could plant in this heart. How do I know this? Because this insecure, scaredy cat would NEVER have put herself in this position. NEVER EVER would I have come up with this one.

Things were not progressing like I thought they would or should. I felt like my life was a giant 5,000 piece puzzle. While I had an idea of what the puzzle was supposed to look like, I didn't have a detailed picture to show me the end product. My heart's desire was to do what God had called me to do, but I was frustrated. That frustration led to many questions. My journal became a list of questions and I sounded like a spoiled brat. Pages full of me, me, me, I, I, I...my plan, my desire, my ability....get the picture? Selfish, self-centered, self-promoting bologna.


I'm so thankful that I can look back and say that during that time God was gracious, merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love. (Psalm 103:8) He was tender and gentle, placing godly Bible teachers in my daily life that encouraged me to not walk away from that calling, but to stop trying to work the puzzle. To do exactly what this verse in I Peter says to do.

1. Humble yourself. Yes, we all have gifts/abilities. I was challenged to evaluate my motives to make sure they were to glorify God, not me. What is the root of my "want to". God promotion or Stephanie promotion.

2. Under God's mighty hand. Properly positioned. Safe under the protective hand of Almighty God. THE giver of the ability. He gave it for a reason, but until He says "it's time", the best place to be is under His hand. This is where He continues to shape us and prepare us for the task He has planned.


3. That He may lift you up. I can't speak for you, but I would much rather God do the heavy lifting. Mercy, I'm heavy! Speaking from past experience, any attempt on my part to lift myself up just ends up with a nasty fall.

4. In due time. What else can be said. God's time isn't always my time, but God's time? God's time is best. Rushing to be "lifted up" is so dangerous. In the rush we miss lessons that are vital to accomplishing what God has called us to do. His timing is perfect.

I have to say, the way The Message words this verse made the sting a little stronger.

So be content with who you are, and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; he'll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.

I'm so thankful that He is careful with us. As hard as this lesson can be, God is faithful. He doesn't just leave us out there to figure it all out on our own. No. I believe that He delights in seeing us through this process. I believe He smiles as He places each puzzle piece of our life into place. He already sees the finished product, He was the designer. And our God...He has some incredible designs.

Lord, help me to be content and to stay under your strong and mighty hand until you are ready to move me.

Pleasing and Acceptable

Pleasing and acceptable.

In my home, my thought life, my worship...It's how I want to be found in the eyes of God.

But my heart still fights the desire to hear, "well done" from my peers, my family, you know "man". It doesn't raise it's head often, but when this old stronghold comes up, I know I can either go straight to God's word, OR I can self-destruct. The choice is mine.

For three weeks now, God has been placing scripture in front of me. Each verse connected to the previous, expanding on a theme that I began to have a burden for five years ago.

Worship. Pure, pleasing, and acceptable worship.

Last week as I was preparing for Sunday,(I was covering piano for my vacationing friend.) God continue to remind me just how serious He is about our hearts being clean when we come to worship.

I was, dealing with some frustration, hurt and just plain anger towards a specific situation. All that junk was distracting me and I kept going back to the verse God was using to reignite this passion for properly positioned worship.

It's in Amos 5. I know, Amos?. Yes. Amos. In verses 18-27 God is reminding his people that all their religious behavior does nothing to bring them closer to him. He LONGS for and desires their total devotion. AND, he wants that devotion to be evident by their character. HIS character lived out in their daily lives. With that short explanation, here are the verses that jumped off the page to me.

I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them.
Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. (Verses 21-23 ESV)

Kind of cuts deep doesn't it.

If my heart is not completely devoted to Christ...

If my character does not point others straight to Him....

If my daily actions are no different than those that do not know Jesus Christ....

My worship is noise.

That was a wake up call for me. What came next was work. Lots of time working through that frustration and hurt and anger. Confession of sin that I had not been quick to confess. (Why? Because that would mean I had to admit I was wrong. See that pride?)

Romans 12:1-2 seem to keep coming to mind. Here it is from the Message.

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

As hard as that was, I had to grin at the very first song we sang on Sunday. "Sold Out".

My favorite line in the song is this.

My heart is fixed, my mind's made up
No room, no vacancies, I'm all filled up
His Spirit lives in me and that's the reason - I'm Souled Out.


I've been challenged to start each day with a Sold Out mentality. A fixed heart and a made up mind to worship my Savior each day. In the daily chores as well as my spot in the alto section on Sunday morning. To live confidently that His approval is all that matters.

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Gal. 1:10

(If you need a little jumpstart go here and listen to the first song from Sunday morning. Just hit play. It's right after the video. I promise it will encourage you.)

Friday Night Deeper Still June 2011

I have sat with this computer on my lap and stared at the blank screen several times over the last week, trying my best to share what all God showed me at Deeper Still, but nothing.

Don't misunderstand, God spoke. He seared some things into my heart. But the road to Deeper Still was a hard one.

The Sunday before, Chad and Chloe along with a large portion of our Karate Demo team headed to Alaska for a week of sharing Jesus through backyard Bible schools during the day and karate demonstrations during the evening. It was exciting to hear what God was doing. Several came to know Jesus as Savior that week. I can't tell you how excited I was to get the nightly text with words like "27 for Jesus tonight". It was worth that "ding" at 3:30 A.M. :)




Emma and I enjoyed our week with some family and Friday morning, we headed to Louisville for Deeper Still. We had a great trip up, met up with Rachel and headed to eat lunch. We were enjoying lunch and being together, but each one (Emma included) eager for the Friday night session to begin. That was when Chad texted me to say please pray. It was the first of a few texts that were short and to the point. One of the team members "H.", a retired man who lived to go on mission trips and serve Jesus, had died early that morning.

The team was not aware of this yet and I knew my husband was doing his best to hold it together. I was thankful for the ladies at lunch who began to pray.




As the Friday night session began, my body was in Freedom Hall, but my thoughts and heart were in Anchorage, Alaska wanting to comfort my family. As Kay Arthur opened the Word of God (and taught HARD) God reminded me that I was there to meet with Him. I asked Him to help me focus and He did.

If I had to give you a "One Thing" from Friday evening's session it would be that we don't have time to just play at studying God's Word. It's time to get serious and KNOW it, and then LIVE it. Thank you, Mrs. Kay, for pushing me to go deeper and to love God with all my heart, soul and mind.

On Saturday, during the panel discussion, Mrs. Kay made the comment that "There is no retirement in time of war." God had given us an example of that. "H's" life was an example of that. He served Jesus up until the moment of his last breath. I pray that the day I take my last breath, it will be while I am serving Jesus.




Chloe, H. and W. sharing Jesus with some beautiful children.

This photo is a more accurate portrayal of our team. :) I think H. would love for you to see them like this.