Jesus Calling - Day 7 - January 7, 2015

Today’s message seems to overflow from yesterday’s pages.  Giving God thanks and praise at all times seems to be the common theme that He wants us to learn. 

Last Christmas (2013) as the year was coming to and end, I met one of the clerks in a store that I frequent.  When I asked her about her holidays, her response gave way to deeper feelings of sadness.  She mentioned that the end of 2013 was difficult.  I tried to give her some sense of hope and said I would pray that 2014 was a better year.  The next time I saw her and asked if she was doing better,  she seemed surprised that I remembered her.  Her comment was that things were still difficult, but that she was trying to not be bitter because that is no way to live. In the midst of the difficulty, she said she is trying to stay focused on positive things.  In seeing her resolve to not be bitter, I saw a glimpse of hope in her eyes. 

Haven’t we all found ourselves in this situation before?  There are times that our praises have to be more “disciplined & measured” because we just don’t feel like it.  Easy to praise and thank God when it is in response to “radiant beauty or rich blessings.”   This past year has been a difficult one with Raining Hope.  There were times people told me that I couldn’t do it.  There were times that I felt all alone.  We had moments that money was coming in so slowly that the kids did go without food.  Yet we continued to believe, “when adversity strikes and you thank Him anyway, watch your trust in His sovereignty become a showpiece of the invisible realms.”  In the midst of it all, I watch the Raining Hope children live out the joy of the Lord shouting, “We are going to be strong and courageous!”  It did cause us to live in the “intimacy of His Presence.”  

“I pray that God the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him.  Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 15:13

That is where I want to live this year! 

Thanking God today for you! 

mama eydie 

Jesus Calling - Day 6 - January 6, 2015

“Time is a trainer, teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust Me in the dark.  The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power and Glory at work in the situation.”  Amen! 

As I get older, I am thankful for all of the lessons that I have learned through the years.  It is true, the older you are the wiser you become.  I hope to think so.  Some of those lessons have been very difficult.  Sometimes the dark times are overwhelming.  But one of the most profound lessons I learned from Pastor Cliff Howery was “To praise God in ALL circumstances.”  Sometimes that was a very hard lesson to follow through with.  But I did discover that when I praised Him during times that I wanted to just give up, my focused turned to the God who loves me and “whose plans are to prosper me and not to harm me, plans for a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11).  1 Corinthians 10:13 also comes to mind, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”  

Time has also trained me to learn the lesson that “He is able to do far beyond all that I ask or imagine.”  With “The Ugandan Dream” I truly have had “positive expectations knowing there is no limit to what He can accomplish.”  The past couple of months I have learned valuable lessons about letting go of expectations and control.  It has taken a long time for me to understand this basic truth.  What is happening right now with our raising the money to buy the house for the children in Ugandan is far beyond all we could have asked for!   

What would happen if we didn’t listen to a personal trainer who was trying to get us into shape?  We wouldn’t achieve the goals that we have set for ourselves. Time truly is a trainer...and we have the best Personal Trainer anyone could ever ask for!  We just need to follow His instructions!

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to an all-knowing God.”  Corrie Ten Boom.  

Let’s continue to trust Him at all times! 

Love you, 

mama eydie

Jesus Calling - Day 5 - January 5, 2015

I love the first line in the devotion today, “You can achieve the victorious life through living in deep dependence on Me.”  That is what it is all about.  It ends by repeating this truth, “Enjoy the blessedness of a victorious life, through deepening your dependence on Me.”  It reminds me of Psalm 37:4-5  “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.” 

Take delight in Him. It is all about daily deepening your relationship with Him.  This goes hand in hand with yesterday’s devotion about trust.  No matter what the circumstances are, we need to trust Him and rely on Him alone.  

I am thankful for those dark times of failure and disappointment because it drew me closer to my Savior.  I had no where or no one else to turn to but God.  That is what He wants is for us to depend on Him alone.  “It is a faith walk, taken one step at a time, leaning on Him as much as we need.”  

This year, with the launch of “The Ugandan Dream,” this phrase has become alive... “I may infuse within you a dream that seems far beyond your reach.  You know that in yourself you cannot achieve such a goal.  Thus begins your journey of profound reliance on Me.”  The dream of raising $120,000 to buy a house for the children seemed out of reach.  But He has done the miraculous.  We are currently at $91,699 after only 2 months of the launch!  All the credit goes to God.  Once I let go of trying to figure things out myself and do things on my own, He must have said, “finally!”  I let go and He took over.  Victory truly comes when we live in deep dependance on Him alone! 

Love walking this journey with you! 

mama eydie

Jesus Calling - Day 4 - January 4, 2015

“You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.  To great to understand.”  Psalm 139:3-5

In the movie, “Titanic” there were multiple times that Jack asked Rose to trust him.   When they are at the front of the ship and he asks Rose to climb up on the bow and close her eyes...

Jack Dawson: Do you trust me? Rose: I trust you. Jack Dawson: All right, open your eyes. Rose: I'm flying!

Rose: [to Jack] When the ship docks, I'm getting off with you.
Jack: This is crazy.
Rose: I know. It doesn't make any sense. That's why I trust it

As the boat is quickly sinking into the ocean, Jack takes Rose’s hand and once again says to her,  “Do not let go of my hand.  We’re going to make it Rose.  Trust me.”  Her answer, “I trust you” as they face the inevitable sinking of the “unsinkable boat.”

Here is a man that she basically just met.   Yet, within days she trusts him with her life.  Why?  Because she loves him.  She trusted him to not jump off the ship.  She blindly trusted him to close her eyes.  In the face of fear and danger of the sinking of the ship, she trusts him once again.  Because of love, she simply trusts.

Do we have the same kind of trust in our Savior?  Do we trust Him when things don’t make sense?  Do we trust Him when we are afraid of the unknown?  Do we trust Him with His plans for the future?  Do you love Him?  He died on the cross because of His love for us.   If we learn to trust Him because of True love, we will find ourselves flying with a sense of freedom no matter the circumstances.

Today’s devotion, “I have conquered the world and deprived it of power to harm you.”
Jesus is the true “King of our World!”   Do you trust Him today?

love you,
mama eydie

Jesus Calling - Day 3 - January 3, 2015

As most of you know, at the end of 2013, for 7 weeks I came alongside my friend, Carol John to help her with her move to Maryland.  Unexpectedly, I ended up basically living at Carol’s house for the majority of the 7 weeks.   We were given a gift in those 7 weeks of being “constant companions.”  In the 18 years that we have been friends, we have never had this long of a period together.  Each day we walked through life together.   Not only was I helping with packing, cleaning, and preparation for moving, but we also had daily time to just talk and enjoy each other’s company.  We laughed, we cried, we grew closer together and deepened our friendship.  Because of being “constant companions” for 7 weeks, our relationship became strengthened.  It has now been a year since her move to Maryland.  Even distance has not changed the relationship.  We have become very intentional about making our friendship a priority. 

The 7 weeks with Carol helped me to understand what it truly means to be a “constant companion.”  I learned the meaning of true friendship, sacrifice & commitment.   It challenges me to evaluate whether I am as devoted to my “companionship” with Jesus as I am to those around me.  He truly is with me and within me.  He goes before me to open up the way and walks alongside me.  There will never be another companion who is as devoted as Jesus is to me.  Isn’t that amazing?!    As I “learn to hide in the secret of His Presence” I walk with an overwhelming sense of His Peace!  All He wants is to be our “constant companion.”  The more time we spend with Him, the closer we get drawn into the BEST friendship we could ever ask for!   

mama eydie 

Jesus Calling - Day 2 - January 2, 2015

I love the statement, “Let the Light of My Presence soak into you, as you focus your thoughts on Me.”  We have all at one point or another been in the summer sun, soaking in the sun’s rays to get that sun tan!  Right?!   What if we were to SOAK in the SON’s rays of Light?  Instead of a sun tan we would have a SON tan!  People can sense when we have been in the Presence of our Savior!   

Last month was VERY BUSY for me, more than usual.  These words today soothed my soul, “Relax in MY HEALING PRESENCE.”  Spending time with Him this morning is bringing a wave of healing peace!   I found myself being more like Martha last month.  Luke 10:39-42 is a good reminder to choose to be Mary, “who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.”   I am amazed at the moment I am writing this, the sun's morning rays are STREAMING in the window!  As I close my eyes I receive the Light of His Presence and it just warms my whole soul!  

I have regularly used the “40 Days with Jesus” devotional booklet when traveling with my ISP & Raining Hope teams.  A common theme that was shared was the struggle to have daily time with the Lord because of all of the tasks that loomed ahead in our day.  Today’s devotion is a goal that we should set for the whole year, “Do not skimp on our time together.”  Soak in His Presence daily.  What a glorious SON tan we will have at the end of the year if we will commit to this simple truth!  

Love you all! 

mama eydie!

Jesus Calling - Day 1 - January 1, 2015

“I know the plans I have for you; plans to prosper you not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11 

As we begin a new year,  I love how Sarah Young states, “Give yourself fully to this adventure of increasing attentiveness to My Presence.”  We have all been on an adventure together whether Uganda or London, CBU or Ventura.   The year 2014 brought great adventure to Raining Hope with the launch of “The Ugandan Dream!”  Just this week we experienced a miracle!  God miraculous provided a gift of $50,000 to add to the $40,000 we had already raised towards buying a permanent home for the children of Raining Hope.  Jeremiah 29:11 has been a very important Scripture in the lives of the children of Raining Hope.  They know that even when times have been tough, God’s plans will bring HOPE and PEACE.    This verse has become so alive in my life in 2014.  I can’t wait to see what God does in 2015!  

Love you all! 

mama eydie!