Name your battle

A few days ago a precious friend wrote out a passionate letter to the Lord and shared it with several of her closest friends.  I so wish I could share it with you here because I think you would get it.  I think you would feel her mamma's heart.   I think you would link arms with her and say several, "I understand." or "I'm so with you on that one", a "Don't feel bad.  I was right there this morning or two days ago" or  a quiet "Amen!" or a silent prayer of thanksgiving for not being the only one.   But I will share with you my response to her... 

I read this just 24 hours ago, I cried.  I got angry and then I cried and repented once again.  This spoke so eloquently to my situations. There are many and yet I have kept them to myself.  The battle is wearing me down.  I am tired more often than not.  I keep blaming it on my age and yet, I know down deep in my spirit that it's not my age.  It's the battle to rise above.  The battle to scream from the mountain tops that I am His and he is mine.  Its the battle to drown out the lies of he doesn't care.  He doesn't worry about (you fill in the blank).  And yet, he has given us enough grace for today.  He has given us new mercies each morning.  He has given us the authority to cast that mountain, to us but a mole hill to him, into the sea.  I have a choice. Praise Him. Or sulk and listen to the lies.  Like you, we can speak his truths over our weariness.  Speak the name of Jesus over that name - tired. Sadness. Debt. Illness. You name it.  And say it needs to bow down to the one we are made in.  The one who chose us to walk and live with him. The one who spread his arms and hands to the east and to the west.  He sacrificed his blood for me.  For you.  Today, I choose life.  Each breath I take is for him.  For the love of a Saviour who chose to die for me so that I could live and love.  I choose to pray to El Shaddai, my impossible is made possible because of him.  I choose to praise his name for who he is to me and not what he can do for me.  You see my mountains are big, but he is bigger.  I don't know if I have faith the size of a mustard seed to cast them into the sea, but I will make a conscience decision to believe that he will.  

Thank you for sharing your heart and his with me, with us.  I don't think we can walk away after reading this and not ponder his goodness.  

 So who is I AM?

Comforter when I'm scared

Protector from all things

The shield when arrows are flying in all directions

Mercy when you show none

forgiveness then forgetful even when you don't want to be

Strength when you don't think one more step can be taken

Peace to walk in my love when the battle rages on - remember he has gone before you

 the light that points the way

the warmth on a chilly night

The banner that flies over you to say you are his

the love that flows like rivers out of you

 the goodness that's in you, your children
The rest when you climb into his lap and hand everything to him
The joy when there seems to be no joy

I know there are tons more we can add to this list.  But for now, I'm going to go ponder these things some more.  God can be found when we seek him with all our hearts.  So I must do that.  I must seek.  I must find him while he can be found.  I need him to fight my battles.  To squash the lies of the enemy. To rest in his goodness.  To remember his promises.  Again, I choose to praise his name today because of WHO he is to me.  Not what he's done.  He is my ABBA and he cares about the details.

STWTHE,
Laurie