Martha Munizzi - Your Latter Will Be Greater

First time I have heard this song. It is a powerful song and just what I needed this morning! We have some exciting things taking place and when I am free to share I will. I may not share it here but on my other Family Blog. It concerns our son Kristofer who is autistic and what we believe God is about to do for him. When we see it happen I will then share. We would ask that you pray that God's favor be upon him and that in this opportunity come about.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Make Your Petitions Know

ok Lord I have been taught to "make my petitions known" to You. So here goes...Lord I am asking you to provide our basic needs; shelter, food and clothing for each of our children and for Sean and I. I praise You for doing so and I trust You to continue. Lord let our lives glorify You. Let this season we are walking THROUGH glorify you. Despite the storms that blow...like Sean's car needing a repair that we can not afford...we shall praise YOU! Despite the storms that rage...like the bill collectors wanting paid and we have no resources...still we will praise You. Despite the thunder of the storms we are facing YOU SHALL FOREVER receive our praise. Lord as you have promised and we stand upon Your word, we ask that provide for our needs and cover the rest with your grace. As you provide we will give You praise...and should You chose to refrain we will still praise You!

Waiting! Patiently Waiting!

This poem was with my devotional today. It truly speaks to the heart of this season in my life, our family's life. Thankful to day for all He has done and all He will do on my behalf!

Waiting! Yes, patiently waiting!

Till next steps made plain shall be;
To hear, with the inner hearing,
The Voice that will call for me.

Waiting! Yes, hopefully waiting!
With hope that need not grow dim;
The Master is pledged to guide me,
And my eyes are unto Him.

Waiting! Expectantly waiting!
Perhaps it may be today
The Master will quickly open
The gate to my future way.

Waiting! Yes, waiting! still waiting!
I know, though I've waited long,
That, while He withholds His purpose,
His waiting cannot be wrong.

Waiting! Yes, waiting! still waiting!
The Master will not be late:
He knoweth that I am waiting
For Him to unlatch the gate.
--J. D. Smith

Not here today

So I was going to post something here to day but decided I really wanted to post it over here instead. So if you want to go to Pastoring Partners Network you can read up on Christmas Messes there.

Friends

I have the BEST friends in the world. Oh I have quite a few that are close friends, in which I have shared many of the best and worst life experiences. This week has been such a long week filled with disappointments left and right. In fact there have been times this week that I have wanted to find a hole and bury myself in. Oh I know you can't run from the problems in your life. In fact the best things to do is to place it in His hands and let Him deal with it. But this week was just filled with lots of sickness, closed doors, financial attacks (yes attacks because it is satan's way of distracting us the fastest!) and just sadness and not just from my own feelings. It seems as though our oldest has been dealing with sadness of missing his friends as well.
So today was a breath of fresh air for me. I spent a few hours with one of my best friends from college and her kids. It is always nice to just sit and talk. We always enjoy each others company and the kids all love each other greatly! Then later this afternoon, my other best friend came over with her son and we had a great time working on a project together for my parents and Sean's mom. I would share what I am up to but I am unsure if my parents read this blog or not. I will share in a few weeks. It's something for Christmas.
Anyway I am thankful for my friends today. They have been a true blessing through the last few months...year. Never take your real friends for granted!

Hold Me Jesus!

Well, sometimes my life just don't make sense at all
When the mountains look so big
And my faith just seems so small
So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace
And I wake up in the night and feel the dark
It's so hot inside my soul
I swear there must be blisters on my heart
So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace
Surrender don't come natural to me
I'd rather fight You for something I don't really want
Than to take what You give that I need
And I've beat my head against so many walls
Now I'm falling down, I'm falling on my knees
And this Salvation Army band is playing this hymn
And Your grace rings out so deep
It makes my resistance seem so thin
I'm singing hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

by Rich Mullins

Sigh....

Lord come to my rescue...come to our rescue!
We need you more than ever before!
We need you!!

Another Closed

Ok so the theme of this weekend besides sickness (since Friday I have had 3 kids get the stomach flu including myself and this bug is terrible!!!) has been closed doors. Not only did we receive a letter Sat about a church we had applied to ending the candidating process with us, but we received another word last night of the same nature. Just being honest here, a year of rejection when it comes to sending out resumes, answering a billion questions ~ some extremely personal, moving in faith believing God to open up doors to ministry here in KY and now being in a financial storm what seems to be full of hurricane winds is becoming draining. Despite all that we have endured the last year; the hurtful words and actions of other against our family, the transitions, changes, hard decisions ect... moving here was the best decision and we have a peace that passes all understanding. We know that we know we are to be in KY and that has not changed and will not change unless it is a God changed desire.
As for what is next...WHO KNOWS! Only God does. I only know that I will stand on this scripture for now...

“But as for me, I will look to the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch; I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me." Micah 7: 7

As well as:

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans for a future filled with hope!” Jer 29:11

Closed Doors

This is my status on Facebook today..."Despite another closed door I will praise you Lord for keeping us under Your wing of protection and for having something much greater for us to do!" Yes I do mean it but honestly another closed door to ministry ~ REALLY?!? Seriously, what is it that these church pulpit committees are not seeing in all of his answers and resume? I just don't get it. Seriously I just don't get it. My husband is a great pastor, preaches the Word of God and doesn't stray from what it says. He doesn't twist the word, he is a man of integrity and he loves the Lord and his congregations with everything he has. I just don't get it.
I will praise the Lord, for this does not warrant anything else as a response except that. This disappointment is just another disappointment it's not death and it's not that He has forsaken us. He has protected us from something and apparently God has other plans for us. I just wish I knew what they were. I wish I knew how to encourage my husband because he is feeling very defeated right now. :(
Lord open the doors that only you can open and shut the doors only you can shut and in the mean time help me to help my husband!

Shawn McDonald - Open Me

So last night was a special night for one of my best friends, Marty. The ladies of her church which is becoming our church for now, threw her a surprise birthday party. I was so neat to see how much she is loved and supported, something I would have loved to of had in our previous ministries. It was just such a blessed night. One of her long time friends played the following song and said as she has watch Marty's life over the years this song is a a perfect life song for her. It really ministered to me and I wanted to share it with you. I have never heard it before but I can tell you it is definitely worth the time to listen to and let it sink deep into your soul.



Shawn McDonald - Open Me

Would You open up eyes, so I can see
Would You open up my ears, so I can hear
Would You open up my mind, so I can know
Would You open up my heart, so I could love You more

I want to serve You, my God
I want to give All of Me,
I want to serve You, my King, yeah
I want to serve You, my Lord
I want to give You everything, yeah

Would You open up eyes, so I can see
Would You open up my ears, so I can hear
Would You open up my mind, so I can know
Would You open up my heart, so I could love You more

I want to serve You, my God
I want to give You everything
I want to serve You, my King, yeah
I want to serve You, my LOrd
I want to give You everything, Yeah

Here I am with my arms open wide
Asking for You to come up, up inside
Won't You make me new, won't You make me true?
Jesus, won't You make me like You?

Would You touch my eyes, so I can see
Would You touch my ears, so I can hear
Would You touch my mind, so I can know
Would You touch my heart, so I could love You more

Won't You open me
Won't You open me, open me
Won't You open me, open me
Won't You open me