The faulty wheel on my shopping cart pulled hard to the left as if it had a mind of its own. I determined I was too far into my shopping experience to walk all the way back to the cart corral for a replacement so I struggled my way through the entire store. It is nothing short of a miracle I made it out without causing bodily harm to another patron or without knocking over a store display.
If you could remove one thing from your life what would you choose? A pain or struggle, negativity, bad habit, a certain person, health ailment, heartache. I have begged God to remove a certain something from my life for years.
Weeds love to take root in the sandy foundation of our brick sidewalk. They are almost impossible to pull. After a heavy downpour I was walking down the sidewalk. Irritated by the weeds, I reached down to pull on it and it eased right out with little resistance. Next thing I knew I had weeded the entire walkway.
Here’s how God spoke to my heart through that experience.
We relived our ride on the chair lift but mom wouldn’t let me sit on her lap!
My family traveled to town to join me in celebrating my 50th birthday. Yes, I’m 50! We visited the Natural Bridge State Park and enjoyed the beautiful views of the Red River Gorge and embraced the sandstone rock bridge called the Natural Bridge.
Are you a list maker? Do you ever add something to your list just so you can mark it off the list? I love the feeling of accomplishment!
As part of our Sunday morning Life Group lesson, we were asked to make a “TO DO LIST” for the week. We then numbered our list in order of importance. Then we renumbered the list in order of reality.
It has been fun to watch the week progress to see how I responded. Guess what? It was an ambitious list and I still haven’t even started several items. But I did finally get my windows washed!!
What is your favorite thing to do on Saturday morning?
I was excited to have the morning to sit in a favored chair – the aroma of coffee laced with caramel macchiato at my side. The soft leather of my Bible snug in my lap. As the morning light filled the room, I soaked up God’s Word. I had no commitments to rush off to and was fully anticipating God to speak to me!
I received great encouragement from the following :
Have you ever felt like you’re not as talented or gifted as those around you? Do you ever compare yourself to others?
I attended a women’s conference this past weekend to help a friend in her booth. I was handing out free samples of lubricant and asking married ladies to sign up for a dare of the month to initiate a creative sexual encounter with their husband and that was a little awkward for me.
To say I’ve had a challenging few weeks would be an understatement. Can you agree, life can be quite challenging?
If you look closely at my life from the outside you may see joys, delights and the many blessings God has provided beyond measure. I am humbled to experience rich genuine relationships. Yet right in the midst, deep inside my heart lives an unmet desire that burns so hot the passion at times feels unbearable. My recent challenges have kindled the fire within.
Upon reading the words of Exodus 2 I wept bitterly.
“23 During those many days…the people of Israel groaned…and cried out for help…24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant… 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.” (Emphasis added)
The words offered incredible hope for a heart filled with unmet desire. God reminded me not only does He hear my groaning, He is the fire keeper! He has not forgotten the fire he kindled deep in my heart so many years ago. He sees me and He knows.
Friend, if you too are longing for an unmet desire deep in your own heart you are not alone! God remembers. God sees. God knows.
If you value prayer and would like me to say a prayer specifically for you feel free to leave a comment: “I have a desire” (or any comment) and I will commit to pray for you and appreciate your prayers over my desire!
Copyright©2017, Gloria Stucky
Photo by Mayur Gala: Unsplash.com
While cleaning out a desk I came across an old Sudoku book. Years ago, I had become a little obsessed with the puzzles so I threw it into the outside trash bin only to go back later and retrieve it and tuck it into the desk where it sat undisturbed.
I wondered if could remember how to solve the puzzles. Before I knew it, I had completed several. I heard my husband arrive home and quickly put it aside only to think about when I would pick it back up. When he commented on the book I tossed it across the room as if it was not important to me but inside I wanted to grab it and master the next puzzle. I was quickly reminded of why I had attempted to remove this object from my life years ago.
In my morning quiet time, when I read Lot’s response to God’s warning I was a bit shocked. God sent angels to urge Lot to flee from Sodom:
“Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” Genesis 19:15b
God was about to destroy the entire wicked city and everything in it and Lot’s response in verse 16 fully grabbed my attention. “But he lingered.”
Instead of quickly fleeing from utter destruction “he lingered.” Thanks to God’s mercy, the angels “seized him…by the hand and brought him out…” vs. 16b
The passage caused me to ask God, “Is there any area in my own life where you have called me to flee yet I linger?” I sensed God’s response in calling me to flee from a very specific behavior. Since this was not the first time He had challenged me to give up this specific behavior I realized I too had LINGERED! I had chosen gratification of the flesh over immediate obedience.
Has God ever asked you to flee from anything and instead of instant obedience you linger? Perhaps, a bad attitude, foul language, bitterness, anger, worry, lack of forgiveness, an obsessive behavior like Sudoku (or other)…
Let’s grab the hand of God and flee!
Copyright©2017, Gloria Stucky
My husband’s unconditional love (most of the time) and his servants’ heart are incredible gifts. And I could fill your ears with the things I love about my children. Don’t even get me started about my adorable grandchildren, Naomi & Titus. Can this grandmother show you some pictures!
It is true, I am blessed and many of you could agree God has blessed you beyond measure. The Giver is greater than the gift! God’s blessings were never meant to fill the role of god in our lives. Only God Himself can fill that role!
Most of us have experienced a ringing phone at an awkward moment. We usually scramble to silence the ring as quickly as possible.
As I was speaking at a Women’s Retreat a phone went off in the auditorium. I continued speaking assuming it would quickly be silenced. Then I realized it wasn’t just one phone, it was multiple phones throughout the room.