Wit's End Corner

'At their wit's end, then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He bringeth them out. " (Psalm 107:27-28)

"Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner,"

Christian, with troubled brow?

Are you thinking of what is before you,

and all you are bearing now?

Does all the world seem against you,

And you in the battle alone?

Remember-at 'Wit's End Corner"

is just where God's power is shown.

Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner,"

Blinded with wearying pain,

Feeling you cannot endure it,

You cannot bear the stain,

Bruised through the constant suffering,

Dizzy, and dazed, and numb?

Remember-at "Wit's End Corner"

is where Jesus loves to come.

Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner"?

Your work before you spread,

All laying begun, unfinished,

And pressing on heart and head,

Longing for strength to do it,

Stretching out trembled hands?

Remember-at "Wit's End Corner"

The Burden-bearer stands.

Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner"?

Then you're just in the very spot

To learn the wondrous resources

Of Him who faileth not:

No doubt to a brighter pathway

Your footsteps will soon be moved,

But only at "Wit's End Corner"

Is the "God who is able" proved.

(by Antoinette Wilson)

(From Streams in the Desert by Mrs.Charles Cowman)

Be In Courage!

No Signal

"No Signal" is what displayed on the TV in my hotel room yesterday. None of the channels, except the "Welcome to the Marriott - stay in your room and enjoy movies that in now in theaters" channel.

I didn't want to watch, and although the TV, this time, was not keeping me from any work I should have been doing, I knew that I should have been headed to bed and rest my body.

I forced the issue! After acknowledging the spiritual application, (No Signal: helping me to stay focused and away from the distraction of the TV) I put the remote down, but after a few minutes I picked it back up again, wondering why I wasn't getting a signal!!!
Was it just my room because it was situated in a corner portion of the hotel, or was it the entire floor not getting a signal???

God, being gracious, not to force any issue, but allowing free choice, gave me the "greatest" desire of my heart in that moment - to solve the "no signal" mystery. With the next click of the remote the channels appeared. The signal was restored.

But I wasn't!!

After catching a small portion of the nightly news about the tornadoes in one part of the country and snow and flooding in another part; passing by informericals and an empty 30 minute sitcom which I thought would make me laugh, I realized that it, that hour I had just spent, was as if I had just eaten something with empty calories and no nutritional value.

Picking up the signal was evidence that "no signal": silence and rest, was the best thing for me and my body at that time. It was the "recommended program"of the Holy Spirit.

I surrendered my will, turned off the TV, drew the drapes closed (because it was still light outside, and relatively early) and I went to sleep. I am rested enough to receive this message and to register it within my "data bank" and to share it as encouragement herein on this new morning.

Remember: "No signal" is a "signal". Take heed; REST.

"Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith.

Don't drift along taking everything for granted. Give

yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere

hearsay that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out.

Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up.

Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and

peace will be with you for sure. Greet one another with a holy embrace."

2 Cor 13 (The Message)

Be In Courage!!

Food for thought

I came across this today, by Os Hillman. It caught my attention and added "fuel" to my faith. I trust it will do the same for you.


"..... "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies" (Ps. 23:5a).

"The battle you are in will soon become a meal for you, an experience that will nourish and build you up spiritually. Only God's peace will quell your fleshly reactions in battle. The source of God's peace is God Himself. If fear has been knocking at your door, begin to face that fear with God's peace. It is God's secret weapon to destroy fear. "

Tea Time - Something to make you smile

In preparation for our upcoming Celebrate You! Celebration Workshop's "A Cup of Encouragement - TEA", I found this email sent to me to be cute. An example of the quick wisdom of a Mom, and the innocence of love - a child's and a dad's.

Note: our tea will be authentic. ENJOY!

Tea Time
=========

One day my mother was out and my dad was in charge of me and
my brother, who is four years older than I am. I was maybe one
and a half years old and had just recovered from an accident
in which my arm had been broken, among other injuries. Someone
had given me a little tea set as a get-well gift, and it was
one of my favorite toys.

Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news and
my brother was playing nearby in the living room when I
brought Daddy a little cup of "tea," which was just water.
After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy
tea, my mom came home. My dad made her wait in the living room
to watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was "just the
cutest thing!"


My mom waited, and sure enough, here I came down the hall with
a cup of tea for Daddy and she watched him drink it up.
She then asked, "Did it ever occur to you that the only place
that baby can reach to get water is the toilet?"

"A merry heart does good, like medicine..." Proverbs 17:22

Jesus Cares

This is a favorite poem of mine. Be encouraged as you read it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jesus Cares

When your heart is heavy and burdened

And you can't see your way through,

While you're going through trials and testings,

And you don't know what to do.

There's a friend above who watches

And He cares what happens to you;

This wonderful one is Jesus

And He will see you through.

He cares when your heart is troubled

And the tears come falling fast;

He will come and heal your broken heart

And make it a thing of the past.

When the battle seems too great to win

And hard the enemy's blast,

Remember the battle is not yours but the Lord's

And against Him Satan can't last.

So keep your eyes upon Jesus

And your troubles on Him roll;

He will fight your battles for you

And His love to you unfold.

He is a great and wonderful God

And His love as pure as gold;

Put your trust in Him today

And you will find rest for your soul.

(L. L. Lyle)

~~~~~~~~~~

Be IN Courage.

Rest

"For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength."Isaiah 30:15

A few weeks ago I took part in a 4 hour Sabbath Rest Silent Retreat, sponsored by Atlanta Community Ministries and hosted by Becky. This was my second experience and it was again, life enhancing.We were led into to write on a rock that which we desired to get from God's presence during our time of silence. I was led to write "Resting on your promises." The rock was meant to be carried with us and used as a reminder, a point of reference to bring our mind back if it started to wander from that place of rest in God's presence.

My body was so very tired and I was so looking forward to this time of relaxing and just "being" in a beautiful, safe surrounding. I was determined to head to see the waterfall that I could not find during my first visit. When I got turned around in the directions, even with the map in my hands, I knew that I was tired and remembered that I was in God's presence; He knew what I desired and what I needed the most. I surrendered my will and headed in the direction in front of me.

I ended up at the edge of a gentle river, with an empty bench, right in front of the water. God knows how much I love water and I felt this was His gift to me for this afternoon. I let me sore body sink into the bench and I drank in the beauty of the moment. I was prompted to put my feet up and really relax. As I did, I put my backpack in one corner of the bench and my feet over the railing of the other side. I laid my head down on my backpack after a while and just totally and completed allowed my body to "relax."

After just a few minutes of just laying there, my mind did start to wander: "I had to leave the retreat, pick my husband up from work and then have him drop me off at the airport (because his car was in the shop) - it would be rush hour by the time I pick him up! I had fly to New York and work a trip to somewhere on the west coast -where was I going tomorrow anyway - San Fran or LA?"

SHUT THE NOISE, LINDA MICHELLE! is what I told myself!!

I held my rock tighter in my hand and began concentrating on what I desired from God during that time - "Resting on His Promises." As I corralled my thoughts back to a place of peace, I asked, "OK God, what does it mean to rest on your promises anyway? What are your promises?" The thought rose in my spirit, "OK, your promises are Your Word. Your Word is scriptures in the Bible."

And just as gently as the water was flowing in the sun on that river, the sense of the Holy Spirit rose in my spirit - "what are you doing right now, Linda Michelle? I said inside of myself, "I'm laying my head on my backpack, resting." And I then heard "What is inside of your backpack that you are resting your head on?"

Tears started flowing down my face as I suddenly realized that I was resting my head on my Bible - God's Promises - literally!! The stress and tiredness and joy and thanksgiving for the revelation mixed in with my tears. I was learning, yet again, how to "Rest On God's Promises" - literally and spiritually.

My body melted into a comforting nap, right there beside that gentle river. More revelation came to me when I woke - ".. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads my besides the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake...."

On my way back to the main building, God led me right past the waterfall I wanted to see!!! And I was even able to take another short nap on another bench overlooking it!! How awe-inspiring is that?? How much of God's love is that???

I encourage you to take time to rest on God's promises. Whatever you may be going through right now, He has a promise that will meet that need. I also encourage you to take part in the next Sabbath Rest Silent Retreat. Contact Becky of Sabbath Rest Silent Retreats, at http://sabbath-rest.com/default.aspx. "A time to rest, pray, and listen for God." You will experience for yourself this precious time of renewal and revelation.

Read something that Joyce Meyer wrote that fits here too:

"If you are troubled and upset, worried and worn out about all the changes that need to be made in you, why not enter the rest of God? Struggling won't change you - neither will frustration or worry. The more you rest in God, the faster you will see change. If the canvas struggled under the artist's paint brush, the painting would never get finished. The canvas is perfectly still, totally submitted to the artist's wisdom and creativity. That is exactly the way we must be with God. He knows what He is doing and how to do it. We should believe in Him and enter His rest."

(Joyce Meyer - New Day New You!)

Rest now.

Be In Courage.

A Word of Encouragement

Do more than exist - live.

Do more than touch - feel.

Do more than look - observe.

Do more than read - absorb.

Do more than hear - listen.

Do more than listen - understand.

John H. Rhoades

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Linda Michelle:

Do more than pray - believe to receive.

Do more than trust - prepare to see.

Do more than love - allow yourself to be loved.

Do more than believe - position yourself with expectation, and step into the fullness of the blessing.

"For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you", says the Lord, "thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome."

Jeremiah 29:11 (amplified version)

Be In Courage.

Be Open to Surprises

"Accept surprises that upset your plans, shatter your dreams, give a completely different turn to your day, and who knows? - to your life. Leave the Father free Himself to weave the pattern of your days."
Dom Helder Camara

"You never know what a day will bring forth. You might receive good news in the mail. You might read a heart-stopping headline that turns your world upside down. You might get a call from a friend inviting you to a party. You might have a call from a family member about an emergency.

Life is unpredictable. Be open to surprises, for they can be the catalyst for your soul's growth. Good or bad, each experience offers lessons to be learned. Your openness makes it easier for God to work in your life. Have faith that surprises are opportunities for God to do something extraordinary for you."

"Take a walk in unfamiliar territory - a different neighborhood, street or park - and look for surprises and interesting sights."
(From 101 ways to Give Your Soul a Lift.
By Candy Paul - ISBN - 1-40372-014-2)

Be In Courage.

United with you in strength and victory,

Linda Michelle