Jesus Calling - Day 31 - January 31, 2014

I woke up this morning and I began to praise the Lord by listening to music.  

I put on the song, “Everything to Me” by Avalon.  

“But I'll never be the same because He changed my life when He became...  

Everything to me.  He's more than a story.  More than words on a page of history

He is the air that I breathe, the water I thirst for and the ground beneath my feet

Oh He's everything, everything to me”

Then I listened to the song, “Everything” by Andy Chrisman...

“Everyday there's something more to discover about You

Every time my eyes are uncovered I see more of You

Taken back by the depth of love and the echo of Your name

And the way that You never change  

And there's more, and more, and more and more.”  

I was filled with so much joy as I look to this new day that He has planned for me.  Then I read today’s devotion.  I was reminded of the day that I woke up after I had quit my job. I remember all of the mornings that I woke up that led up to that decision.  Mornings that I had that deep pit anxious feeling in the stomach not knowing what to do.  I woke up worrying, scared, sad and discouraged.  Today the contrast between waking up and worrying about the day or trusting that “He has planned out each day and has it ready for me long before I rise out of bed” is life changing!   When we put the Shield of Faith on each day from Ephesians 6, it is not an inanimate piece of armor.  He is always alert and active.   Put the armor on today then march into battle praising the Lord! 

Psalm 28:7 “the Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.”  

Waking up singing songs of Praise!  

mama eydie! 

Jesus Calling - Day 30 - January 30, 2014

Once I recognized that His daily Presence was the key to His peace, everything around me began to fall into place.  The more that I keep my focus on Him, the more the things that used to occupy my mind would fade away.  It truly was as if I was living in bondage...and I didn’t even know it.  Not until I broke free and gave it all over to Him did I truly experience His Peace.  The day I left my job and all the junk behind, I experienced the “peace that passes all understanding.”  To this day, that Peace occupies my day to day life.  It truly is how we can walk through the challenges of this life. 

Think on this phrase, “Whatever occupies your mind the most becomes your god.”  This became so true of my job at the church.  It occupied so much of my time and energy.  I made the church my god rather than focusing on my relationship with the true God.  I didn’t realize how much bondage I was in.  It became easier than I thought because full-time Christian work is suppose to be a good thing, right?  Yet I allowed the “gods” of church to occupy more of my mind than my giving God that time He alone deserved. That is where I found myself in trouble and didn’t know why.

What is it that occupies your mind the most?   Refresh yourself in HIs Presence alone today!  It truly will make a difference! 

Keeping My Eyes on Him! 

mama eydie 

Jesus Calling - Day 29 - January 29, 2014

In the movie, “Finding Nemo,” my favorite character is Dory.  I think it is because I relate to her so well.  Her “short term memory” and how she can so easily be distracted is so me!   I saw a cute photo with Dory at the top and the phrase, “Keep Calm & Nope...Lost It!”  I can do the same thing so often.  I can get so sidetracked that I forget what I was talking about...or I am talking and then all of a sudden I say, “Oh look, there’s a fish!”  

Sometimes I just have to say to myself, FOCUS!  I have experienced this when it comes to my daily life.  When I “bring every captive thought to Him” it truly can change the way I live out my day.  Any time I can become anxious, if I bring it to Him in prayer I will experience His peace.  When traffic on the way to Riverside gets crazy, instead of getting upset at the other drivers, I pray for them.  When I can remember to focus on Him , “confused ideas are untangled while I rest in the simplicity of His Peace.”  When I act like Dory and get distracted by the things that come my way, I take my eyes off Jesus.  Usually this does not work out too well.   The key to His Peace is to keep our FOCUS on Him! 

Dory would say, “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”  

Keep calm & keep your focus on Him!   Keep calm & keep your focus on Him! 

Smiling! 
mama eydie!

 

Jesus Calling - Day 28 - January 28, 2014

“People respond to My continual Presence in various ways.  Most Christians accept this teaching as truth but ignore it in their daily living.”  This was true of my own life.  When I accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, I understood that I now have a personal relationship with Him.  His Presence should have made all the difference in the world.  Yet because it is unseen, there were times I lived my life forgetting that He is right there with me in everything that I say or do.  

Then six years ago, I had that “ah ha” moment.   Little did I know that I was lacking in truly having a DAILY RELATIONSHIP with Him.   As I watched the children in Uganda display this authentic faith in Jesus, I realized something was missing in my walk.  The simplicity of it all was that I just was not spending enough time in daily communication with Him.  The Word began to come alive in my hands!  I started spending more time daily reading and studying His Word.  I spent time talking to Him each day .  Amazing how a relationship can grow when you invest in the relationship! 

The move that Carol made back East has taught us both many valuable lessons.  Living with Carol for 7 weeks while I helped her through the packing and moving process caused us to spend quality time together.  We were given a gift by being able to have so much time daily together.  In the 17 years since I’ve known Carol, this process of her moving has caused us to be closer than ever!  Why?  Because we value our relationship and do everything we can to invest in it.  The more time we spend together, the deeper the friendship becomes.  The time I just spent in Maryland on my way home was precious because we actually had a couple of days to be in each other’s presence. 

How much more exciting is it that Jesus’ Presence is ALWAYS with us!!   He is just waiting to spend that quality time with Him!  Why not spend time with Him today and see for yourself!  I am not sure why I waited so long! 

Experiencing His Peace,

mama eydie 

Jesus Calling - Day 27 - January 27, 2014

Proverbs 3:5-6 is definitely a life verse for me.  I have depended on this promise from the Lord time and time again.  The words of this verse say it all, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”  

I am learning on this trip to Uganda that He has everything in control.  As I lean on Him and ask Him to guide and direct me, He will show me the path that He has carved out for me.  As I pray for wisdom and discernment, I pray that I do not go ahead of Him in any decision.  I look back on last year of Raining Hope.  There were many things that I was faced with at this time last year.  If I would have acted on my own understanding of what I thought we should do, we would be digging ourselves out of a hole right now.  But trusting in His direction sometimes takes time to understand.  We have heard many say that it is not the destination but the journey that is important.  Both are important, but we want to make sure we arrive at the destination that He has planned for us.  

On one of the homeschool field trips that we took to Washington DC for Kiana, the Smithsonian cleverly used the movie, “Night at the Museum” to create a “treasure hunt” to walk through their various museums.  I am not a museum person as Carol and Kiana know!  But because they gave me a fun tool to use, I was the one leading them from place to place to find the answers to the questions!  I was enjoying the journey so much more because at each stop, it was exciting to find the answers!  

We are given the right tools to walk through this life.  His Word is our guide book to find great treasures in this world.  He is willing to be our Guide if we just trust in Him with our whole heart.  Each experience will guide us to the next clue to find the treasures He has in store.  Pull out your Treasure Map today!  His Word will guide & direct you on THE right path.  This is a much better way to walk through life! 

Finding His Peace,

mama eydie 

Jesus Calling - Day 26 - January 26, 2014

We can so easily get tangled up in needless worry.  I wish that I could have learned this lesson earlier in my life.  One of the reasons that the problems I encountered over 6 years ago when I was walking through that difficult period was because I was trying to solve the problems that were bombarding me.  If only I could have “poured my energy into seeking Him, the Perfect One...what a difference that would have made.  I would have worried less and probably suffered less heartache to my heart.  

Once I learned to let go and put my trust in Him not man, that is when He began to teach me how to truly walk through my troubles.  Through that dark time in my life, it wasn’t until I gave up all control to Him did I begin to experience true peace.  I picture those “trust walks” that we have done as exercises to learn to trust the one that is leading you by the hand.  This is the picture I have of that time in my life.  I basically blindfolded myself so that I could not see what was up ahead.  I followed the wrong leader.  But then I grabbed Jesus’ hand and let Him lead.  In the midst of that His peace overwhelmed my heart.   I want to believe that others see “His Light shining brightly through me rather than chaos, control and worry.  

He knows the way.  Let’s follow Him with confidence and peace.  There is no other way. 

This Little Light of Mine, I’m gonna Let it Shine! 

mama eydie 

Jesus Calling - Day 25 - January 25, 2014

“Let my Love enfold you in the radiance of My Glory.  Sit still in the Light of My Presence, and receive my Peace.”  As I read this in Uganda, I embraced the whole devotion as such a gift from the Lord.  God sent me to Uganda 6 years ago to experience this very truth.  I have learned by experience that “these quiet moments with Him do transcend time.”   There is such a peace about being at the Nile River.  It is as if time just stops and it is just God and me.  

So many of you know that my life was transformed when I traveled to Uganda for the first time.  But it is not only that I have a wonderful group of children at Raining Hope as my extended family.  It is not because of the work we do taking care of needs of those in Uganda.  It is because in Uganda is where I learned how to truly focus on Him.  I learned the value of a daily, intimate relationship with Jesus.  It was in Uganda that the Lord began that transformation process from the inside out.  

The more that give Him the sacrifice of my time, He truly is abundantly blessing me and my loved ones...in the US and in Africa!   

Be still,

mama eydie kisakye! 

Jesus Calling - Day 24 - January 24, 2014

This is one of my greatest treasures that I have received, the gift of His Peace.  I think that it is interesting that the devotion today calls it “a pearl of great price.”  The fact that I am in Jinja, Uganda the place they call “The Pearl of Africa‘ is amazing timing.  Someone from South Africa I know sent me a message on Facebook and said, “Welcome back home to the Pearl of Africa!”  

I have related to the parable in Matthew 13 about the Hidden Treasure.  “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field.” (Matthew 13:44)  I received the gift of His peace when I came here to Uganda during a very difficult time in my life.  Just like the parable, I seemed to stumble onto His Peace in a place I wasn’t anticipating finding it.  This place is priceless.  Those who have come with me to Uganda know what I am talking about.  Peace abounds here.  Specifically when we stay at the Hotel Paradise, it is as if the buried treasure is all over these grounds!  That is why I continue to invest in the lives of others to bring them here to this place.  My life was transformed here as I dug for buried treasures!  

The parable of the Pearl Merchant is about the merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. “When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!”  God paid a huge price in order to redeem us.  He sees value in us!  This was a new revelation for me that these two parables are back to back in the gospels.  It  shows the value of the treasures He has hidden for us to find...but that He values us as His treasure!   Wow! 

Look for hidden treasures today that are all around you! 

I am still finding them here in Uganda! 

mama eydie! 

Jesus Calling - Day 23 - January 23, 2014

As I sit here at the River Nile, there is a peace that flows throughout my soul.  The Lord brought me here 6 years ago to teach me how to “be still and know that He is God.”  I have learned to “intersperse these peaceful interludes abundantly throughout my day.  It has enabled me to attain a quiet & gentle spirit, which is pleasing to Him.”  

I Peter 3:4 has been one of my life verses.  You know that I don’t have a very loud voice & I am not the crazy one at a party!  But this verse took on a deeper meaning the past 6 years.  God had to bring me half way across the world to get me out of my busy life in order to hear from Him.  Because of my wounded soul, I spent much time alone trying to make sense of a senseless situation.  I gained a new strength in the meaning of a 
“gentle and quiet spirit.”  His power can speak loud even if no words are said.   The kind of gentle & quiet spirit 1 Peter 3:4 is talking about is not weak.  On the contrary, it is strong & powerful because it is a spirit that desires to please Him above man.  (Romans 2:29) 

I pray others would be able to see Him in me whether I say one word or not.  Coming back to the Nile is always my reminder of how His Peace speaks loud and clear! 

Quiet Before Him, 
mama eydie