****UPDATE: Hey Siestas! Our blog maintenance has been moved and will actually happen tomorrow, Friday, March 25 at 8:30AM. Thank you for your patience!
****QUICK HEADS UP: Thursday AM, March 24 (tomorrow) at 8:30, our LPM blog will be shut down for what we anticipate being only a couple of hours. (Hopefully at most.) We are remaining right here on WordPress and right here at exactly this same address but we are switching servers to better accommodate our high volume of activity and comments. SO, if you try to get on after 8:30 AM Thursday morning and can’t connect to the page, you’ll know why. Sometimes the transition can take even a day or two but they are not anticipating that length of time. One thing is for sure, we’ll be back the moment we’re up. Until then and after then, go right ahead with your rich comments to this post!
OK, Siestas! It’s time for a pop quiz! We haven’t had one in a while. This quiz is for those of you who read many of the comments from our previous post about the moment or season of your life when you had your biggest “HE IS REAL” revelation. (The post is named “For Real” just so you can be sure you’re reading the comments to the right one.) The question conveyed on the post was about the time when you moved from believing God exists (Hebrews 11:6) to knowing (2 Timothy 1:12).
Here are the instructions for the comments to this post for those who want to participate in our pop quiz: (No other comments besides these please on this one post. This is a test. Grin.)
Write 2 observations you find yourself making based on all the testimonies you read under the post called “For Real.” There is no right or wrong answer. No pass or fail. You’re just simply saying, after reading so many of those comments, these two things seem clear to me. I’m asking for 2 observations. Not 1. Not 3. But 2. (Can you hear the classroom teacher in me coming out to play?) Testimonies are powerful things. We’re meant to be effected by what we read. So, how were you effected?
NOW, here is the very important catch: YOU MAY NOT READ ANYBODY ELSE’S OBSERVATIONS BEFORE YOU WRITE YOURS. In other words, don’t look at the comments to this post until after you’ve written your own answers. These are meant to be your observations and no one else’s. Your reflections. Your take on those testimonies. Not another Siesta’s. You are all great thinkers. Think for yourself.
I absolutely love this community. Go at it, Girls! Students, come forth!
Beth, please make an announcement about the new app for Praying God’s Word Prayer Cards. I just found it and what a blessing to be able to have these cards on my ipod so I can carry them with me. I love the fact that I can email my favorites to myself. This is just wonderful!
1. God is INTENTIONAL about revealing Himself to us.
2. The light of His Presence shines brightest in the darkest of times.
1. A time of crisis.
2. At the end of ourselves, we see Him more clearly, and He does what only He can do.
1) We don’t have to fear…God will be with us with the full measure we need when we need it
2) Everything has a purpose
Amen.
For me, 2004. I had given up on the idea that someone/something could love me unconditionally. I still attended church…only for my family, but I didn’t worship. I saw no need to waste HIS time. I saw no need to listen to Christian music any longer (music has been my life support, sang in the choir @ that point since 1993), no need to bother HIM with requests or praise. Why would He even listen to praise from ME. One Sunday night Pastor said “you’ll never get it right”. He went into more depth, but it clicked that night, I had been trying to get it right and failed so many times that I just quit. I quit everything pertaining to Him and church. I had never let HIM get it right in me. Since then, He has disclosed Himself to me in more ways than I can remember. HE is getting it right for me. Do I still mess up? Of course I do!! BUT GOD………..He is in control now. You see, I’m a 57 year old “preacher’s kid” who had been in full-time ministry for years. My testimony is much longer that this paragraph, BUT GOD can minister to someone today through these few words! PLEASE, DON’T ANYONE EVER GIVE UP ON HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mrs. Moore, I pray for you. I am currently conducting two Bible studies in my home using “Here and Now, There and Then”. This is the third of your studies I have done in the past two years. I have already purchased “A Beautiful Mind” to use next. You have been such a blessing to me and pray for God’s continued annointing on your life!!
Treva Cox
The first observation that I make is that God frequently becomes more “real” to us in the dark times in our lives. The second observation is that the realization comes as a change in perspective. As we turn our focus from ourselves and look to him, he “shows up big” in our lives.
1) God is PERSONAL: He is Deliberate in everything he does in our lives and calls us by name for our intended purpose. He declares everything about us, decides what is best for us, and desires to meet intimately with us.
2) God is POWERFUL: He is Able. “Now unto Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all we could ask or think according to the power that works within us.” Ephesians 2:20
1. It is good to know that God is REAL to so many people – what a blessing.
2. I am encouraged in the Lord to see what all He has brought us all through. SO many different needs, some small, some huge BUT all important to Jesus.
1. God reveals Himself in so many different ways. . . the way that each of us needs at the particular time.
2. Once you do realize God is real, you keep growing in your relationship with Him.
I think my 2 observations would have to be:
1.) Look for God in the small things in your life. (Almost every story I read was about small things God did, so don’t limit Him to the big things)
And
2.)God answers prayer. (It may be a still small voice or a quick reply, but God always answers prayer. But not always in the way we expect it. So watch for His answers not your answers in a “God Voice”.)
Okay, I’m following the rules, haven’t read anything by anyone else yet. My observation is that many of the stories seem like coincidences that could be explained a number of ways. But, the difference is that the person who it happened to “knew”, just “knew” it was God. Just as I absolutely, completely “know” that my “yes, he’s real and he heard me” moment was from God. I have absolutely no question in my mind. So, when you “know”, you just “know”. There is a difference.
My two observations are:
1. God is always there, always waiting.
2. His touch in our lives is always perfect for us, made just for us.
I am loved by the creator of the universe. Staggeringly unbelievable!
God shows Himself through His incredibly Amazing Love, via my Lord and Savior, Jesus
Through difficulties, great and small; God will bring us HIS Peace, but only when we ask Him for it . . .
In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer O.
Janesville, Wisconsin
P.s. Oh my, yes, my dear Miss Beth, you sure do sound like a teacher. 🙂 Ah, it is so hard not to post more than 2 thoughts . . .
Sparki… Did you frequent the Lifeway WOmen’s Forums back in the day… before we had this here blog to congregate on? Did you? Well, if you did – Howdy Cyber Sister… I remember you! 🙂
The two observations I made were…
1) God became real when we were in one of our greatest needs or most stressful times.
2) God proved Himself faithful through His Spirit or through some tangible way.
1. He is not always immediately evident when we think we need Him the most…but He always makes Himself known in just the right amount at just the right time. That meeting place between desperation and purposeful faith.
2. Sometimes our “God is Real” moment only comes after we’ve gone through something that on our own we would have merely survived, but in the Lord’s hands we blossomed.
Bare naked hope on “He is Real” post…
My Observations:
1. Genesis 41:52 – God showed up in suffering! HE made those who posted “fruitful in the land of their suffering.” He intervened just at the right moment, showing up not with sufficient blessings to get them through it and endure overwhelming pain, but with His All-Sufficient Self, the Messiah of their Dreams showed up! The Strong One ruined me, said Naomi, in Ruth 1:20-21, just as He ruined those who posted for their good, never for harm. Hope with no clothes on! He is on His way, always! Strong, Sufficient, Sinless Savior!
2. Jer. 33:20 – God changed the motives of those who posted from fear to love from anger to gratitude. He moved through their life experiences and never stopped doing them good but changing them. Controlled now by the Love of their God~2 Cor 5:14~Overmastered! No Condemnation. They are all living in joy OR waiting for that available joy—a new dream—they will recognize Him there and they are laying down their own doing. Shifts happened and they are no longer the same person~Titus 1:1 now they are servants of the Word of God for the faith of His people and knowledge of the truth that changes all of us!
Dear Teacher,
Do we get EXTRA CREDIT for following the rules?
My first observation is that God is faithful.
My second observation is that although I have had many, many times when I have felt God’s peace, love, and overwhelming joy, I am in a place right now where I am questioning Him. I just need to hear something from Him that tells me He hasn’t forgotten His promises to me. My heart aches with longing to be in that place where I know I am doing what God has called me to do. My heart is longing for more of Him and as I read all these testimonies I find myself crying out to God, “why not me?” It seems like I have to take the long way around everything in my life and I’m just asking for a break…
Cinnalyn your comments touched my heart. I know exactly where you are. I have been asking God for four years….when God…when? But there is a verse in the Bible that says: “It was good for me to be afflicted that I might learn your statutes(sp?)” I have clung to God’s word and have learned so many scriptures and truths because of the pain. God is using the pain to free me. 1 Peter 5:10-11 says “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever.Amen.” That’s what I’m holding on to and I am praying that you will find hope and encouragment in this season of your life….God Bless YOU!!
Observation #1
Though we come to faith (saved by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ) the same way, our faith journey’s are like our DNA in that each of us has a unique and different testimony with the circumstances and events in each story unfolding differently for each individual.
Observation #2
I had to remind myself that God, Perfect Parent that He is and the Author of love languages in the first place, fluently speaks all dialects of all five love languages. Because He speaks love to each of His children in His Own special way that is unique to the needs of each child, we each made the God-connection (knew that we knew that we knew He is real) in different ways. I highly reccommend “The Love Languages of God” by Dr. Gary Chapman.
1. God reveals himself and becomes real to us in an extraordinary way through the very things we are trying to avoid or fear most.
2. After he becomes real to us, we find the experience so unbelievably rich and precious that we become utterly grateful for the painful circumstances that made it possible and would not trade the pain for anything.
1. That God loves us and wants us to know who He is and the lengths He will go to for those He loves.
2. God proves His faithfulness to us over and over and over again.
As I read I was impressed by how our God answers our prayers so perfectly and personally. My second reaction was I want to know him more! A God who loves and cares for us in such a way is so wonderful.
First of all, God ALWAYS comes through!
Secondly, at what point do we seek to KNOW God is real? Usually when we are in distress. At the end of ourselves, God becomes very evident.
In my weakness, He is made strong!
After reading several of these testimonies I observe that 1. God likes to SHOW us how real He is by giving us that feeling of His presence when He is there.
2. God’s mighty power NEVER EVER stops revealing itself…He was, He is, He is to come..His love, power and fullness are ALWAYS there..but are we willing to let go and recgonize it? I think mostly only when we need HIm most do we tend to sense HIM. we need to realize it ALWAYS!
1-God works in as many ways as there are people who love Him.Hand-tailored exactly to what they need in that situation.
2-He is very timely.
All of our journeys are our own but there are similarities. One observation is that God seems to reveal Himself to us in our darkest hour when we need Him the most yet he is evident in some of the most mundane of events as well. Both seem to stay with us.
1. God hears us all the time, even when we aren’t sure He is listening.
2. God always has our best interest at heart, and He will work out things for good according to His purpose.
My 1st observation was one I’m ashamed of.. I was jealous why does GOD love some people way more then me 🙁 pathetic I know. After I gave it some thought I remember how richly blessed I have been.
My 2nd one was how creative is our LORD he blesses us it such unique ways everyone different!
Bye got to get dress for church:)
I so feel the same as you, Liz. I wonder if He has favorites. He sure spends alot of time growing me, though. I refuse to live without HIM!
There is nothing greater than God’s love for us. Even though life isn’t going quite the way we planned it, god is with us and usually developing skills and understanding that he will ask us to use later to help others going through a similar situation. As I move to new seasons in my life, I look back in amazement at the way previous experiences prepared me for what God wants me to do now. He has equipped me and put me in situations I would never have considered on my own and helped me bless others.
I submitted mine yesterday morning, but it’s not showing up.
1. God shows Himself in many different ways, just the way we each need it, at just the right time.
2. Once you do know that He is real, you continue to grow in your real relationship with Him.
1. Most of the women who responded walked with the Lord for a time before really being convinced that He is real. Faith isn’t something that is 100% from salvation, it starts as a mustard seed and grows over time with obedience and wisdom.
2. Most women had that ‘ah ha’ moment when their faith suddenly made more sense in a valley situation, not on a mountain top.
1)Our relationship and faith in God grows during trials.
2)Without trials many of us would not have experienced God in such impactful & powerful ways.
FOR REAL, when my marriage failed and he left I knew I was not alone and HE was with me calling me closer to HIS arms.
FOR REAL, on days when things have not gone well and I have every reason to be mad, depressed, upset I am over come with peace and happiness that can only be Explained by HIS love and presence in my heart.
Melissa, Houston
1) It is so often in the painful times, when we are so consumed with the pain in our lives, that Our wonderful Lord and Savior speaks.
2) He speaks in very personal ways for us…very individual….so we can then be consumed with Him.
1 We often look for a “real God” in our times of despair and deep heartache. He is just as real and just as present in our times of greatest joy and peace.
2. God is ready to make Himself known to us. If we are receptive to His ever-present Spirit, we can experience our Lord as He wishes us to — a real, loving,mighty,awesome God.
1. GOD is the answer.
2. it so often takes us humans a while to “get it” (to pause and notice, make the connection, to try other ways first, to learn the hard way) He knows each individual “disconnect”…..but that doesn’t change the FACT, actually it magnifies – that God is super-super above-all-else A W E S O M E !!! all glory worthy.
My two observations:
1) God answers when you sincerely cry out to Him
2) He is specific, showing us that each one of us is so special and important to Him. Seems he is delighted by all our different ways of thinking, (one Siesta asking for a sign in the form of an Owl, another receiving Cornish Hens from Him). So cool!
I have to add, Beth, because I respect you so much, I followed your directions exactly and didn’t peek at the other Siesta’s comments first. If you knew me well, you’d know that is a huge compliment! :}
psalm 62:1 NIV
My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.
Isaiah 54:10 NIV
Though the mountians be shaken and the hills be removed,yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who had compassion on you.
1) Despite whatever mess we come from God is with us. He doesn’t leave us alone in the mess.
2) God uses us…no matter where we came from!
1) God shows himself to each and everyone of us in his unique, perfectly scripted way.
2) God can use every single one of these circumstances to draw you closer to Him.
We are used to save HIS people.
Don’t let your dreams die! (Hebrews 11:1)
Trust God to direct the circumstances of your life even if you don’t know what He’s doing.
Fantasy land is found at Disneyland. HEaven is Real.
2 observations:
1. God is Jehovah Raphe, Healer of spirit, soul and BODY. (Exodus 15:26)
2. He works all things for good in the lives of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)
I know God is real, because He healed me from cancer at age 39
One of the comments was about God “whacking us between the eyes with a two-by-four” when we are searching for Scripture…I’ve definitely had those God is real moments.
The other-the concept that strong believers have doubts is a comfort to me as I feel like I am alone in my questions and my “everyone else seems to be getting this but me God” moments.
Thank you Mama Beth for posting the questions and the supportive reminders of what faith can look like on so many levels.
Leslie in Utah
1. He is always there to hold us and reveal his presence weather through others or his wonderful, beautiful creation!
2. He is our personal “tour guide” through life if we let him lead and direct our path rather then trying to do everything on our own we should and need to listen to him first and he will open doors.
1. God hears us when we ask him to make himself known to us and he cares and wants to give us the help that we are desperate for.
2. God really does speak to us in so many wonderful and unmistakeable ways that the world would try to pass off as coincidence.
1. God loves each of us so much that he shows it to us in personal, individual ways. Moments made just for me.
2. Once you have experienced His love in these ways, you KNOW how genuine He is, and it opens your eyes to see Him in everything. And you want everyone you know to know Him too!
The two things that stood out to me about the testimonies I read were:
1. God’s “real-ness” was most often discovered in the stressful, lonely, and most traumatic circumstances ever experienced by the women. Even for women who claimed they had been walking with the Lord for many years, it wasn’t until times got really tough that they became convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that He was real.
2. God reveals Himself in very unique, personal, and intimate ways to each person. He is not a cookie-cutter God. He doesn’t simply act one way, or say one thing, or do one certain thing. He is as unique as everyone He has created.
Observation #1: I noticed that God shows up. I know He never leaves us or forsakes us but there’s something undeniable in these stories that God makes Himself known to us very specifically. We each remember that specific moment – something different from our day to day walk with Him. And doesn’t it make us yearn to see Him like that all the time? I wonder why I can’t have moments of His realness all the time. Lord, show up again. I need to see you.
Observation #2: No formula to it. He weaves His way in and through our lives touching so many as He goes…
I was very young, probably shortly after I was saved, it was the difference between professing belief, I don’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t believe that God was real. He has always been a part of my life, but after I was saved He became my life,”my sin, not in part but the whole, was nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more…” Oh, God just gave me the coolest observation!!!! The word “whole” before I gave my life over to God for His purpose, it really was wholly sin, even though I believed I didn’t know how to follow or more importantly be led. After I accepted Christ, I didn’t just know about Him, I could hear His direction in my spirit, that’s not to say that I always followed that direction, especially in my younger years (teens-late twenties)but the more I trust Him, the more I trust Him!!!!So, in a nutshell, first I turned to Him, then He leadeth me. (what is with these song references)