EMBRACING Spiritual Discernment and Being Still

#5 today also is not in the You Version reading plan

{but click on the title below and be linked to read it in full}

#5 "Is This The Right Decision?" Philippians 1:9-10

How many times have I asked this? or worse, how many times did I fail to even ask, and just decided or acted? Embarassing. Shameful. Sinful. Impulsive behavior of my younger life. Just for failing to ask is this right? Should I give more time to processing this decision or choice before acting? My, oh, my ... if I had gone to God first and foremost. If only the Godly principles I believed, I lived and acted by, decided by ...
Lysa states:

"... Find that courageous yes. Fight for that confident no"... and move on. "Know it. State it. Own it."Lysa TerKeurst

What Lysa writes about knowledge, insight and discernment is worth its weight in gold! (page 17)
Trusting the Holy Spirit to do what Jesus promised in John 14:26
As I mature and develop spiritually, I've come to realize the importance of what Lysa ends this devotion with:

"... When we've done what we need to do to acquire knowledge and insight of truth, then the discernment of that truth is there. We must learn to trust and use that discernment because the more we do this, the more wisdom we acquire to make God-honoring decisions." Lysa TerKeurst

This is exactly what I hope to do, as well as those I know & love will do. I desire to make decisions that honor Our Lord Jesus Christ more and more every day. I ask Him not only for Godly wisdom and choices but that I develop spiritual discernment ... oh Lysa, you get me so well
I  EMBRACE Spiritual Discernment and being Spirit-led I pray

I've been saving emails that contain "EMBRACE" from Bible Gateway or any place. I think what Sheri Rose Shepherd wrote in the following certainly applies to this and sense God whispering this today:
EMBRACE BEING STILL

Beloved Princess,

I long to be closer to you. I’m never too busy for you, My beloved. If you will turn off the things around you that drown Me out of your daily life, you will begin to hear Me in your spirit. When you don’t know where to go, you will hear Me give you divine direction. When you are in need of a friend, you will hear Me whisper, “I am here.” When you need comfort, you will hear Me call to you, “Come to Me.” Don’t let your agenda distract you from time with Me. Quiet your spirit. Know that I am your heavenly Father and you are My precious daughter, and I love when you crave time to be still with Me.

Love,
Your King & The Voice Of Heaven

Today's Treasure of Truth
When you are still, I am closest to you. Draw close to me and I will draw close to you.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him. 
Psalm 37:7 (NIV)

For more about Sheri Rose’s visit HisRoyalFamily.com

Continuing EMBRACED ...

[I'm trying to respect and be a little cautious regarding copyright and what I share on here (not being aware or knowing is not an excuse), however I truly wanted to share this 100 day journey - EMBRACED - with you all (it'd be better if you actually had Lysa's book or at least the YouVersion plan). I'm not even sure how much Lysa has on her own website, because it's the publisher's, not the author (I think].


Anyways, today is the first day that the YouVersion 5 day sample plan does not have, and the next one they do have is #6. So, first I'm going to list the ones covered in days 1 -3, in Part 1: EMBRACING the Pursuit of Him and His Direction, then I will share #4.

#1 "Giving My First Moments to God" Psalm 86:11 (Key verse),  Psalm 81:10; Psalm 84:1 and Psalm 86:13

#2 "The Pineapple Principle" James 1:21-22

#3 "Stop Reading Your Bible" Psalm 119:34; Jeremiah 29:11

In Lysa's book

#4 "Great Sermons aren't Preached, They're Lived"  2 Timothy 3:16-17

Now, you may be thinking or reading this to see what these devotions have to say and that I am sharing my EMBRACED journey here to stay accountable (which in part is true) but it's always best to go to the source, in this case, the devotion Lysa wrote -  and as usual, each one so far, is like her other books and writings for me, true to my heart, as if I had written or said this, although so much better from Lysa - trust me (here's one of her paragraphs that stood out in this short 3 page devotion, after the Scripture verse of 2 Timothy 3:16-17, yet every single sentence rings true to this soul) "... essential that I view my time with God each morning as a preparation and an invitation":

"... Every verse I read is part of God's preparation for me that day. So, instead of just rushing to check off my to-do list that I spent a few minutes with God, I must allow His teachings to seep into my heart and mind. Then I can prayerfully ask God to interrupt my natural flesh response and remind me throughout the day of the truths He taught me that morning." ...

That's what this journey is about ... EMBRACE all God has for me that will help me throughout the day so that I may LIVE what iBelieve and read in God's Word, that I would be the "greatest sermon" ... the only Bible page some may read; 

'Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.'

and not live by my natural flesh and react in the flesh to so much that is part of my every day encounters

"For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ." 2 Corinthians 2:15-17

After I read today's devotion, I changed what I was planning to share here, hopefully led by the Holy Spirit. I've been thinking since I began and shared that this Part 1 is about EMBRACING ... God's Pursuit and all that means, which is what I thought I'd write about today ... and then God's Direction. Clearly, this devotion today is about God's Direction; "not my will, God, but Yours be done" (Lysa covers this in her last page of this devotion, in her 'invitation' part of "recognizing I've just invited Jesus to do life with me" and that phrase"...minute by minute becomes" the theme ... in my thoughts, reactions, words and actions. My, how I desire to live like this and pray I will. Not a sermon preached but lived.

Yes! 

This is what each and every Christian should be doing and wouldn't this world and its darkness be much better if and when we do ... instead we disagree and judge others rather than addressing our own behavior and words. With God's Direction, we can live a message that speaks loud and clear "Jesus is true and the principles found in His teachings work." Well said/written, Lysa.

However, I really was thinking more about writing of God's Pursuit and what EMBRACING this ... looks like to me. By the end of these first 26 devotions, I'm sure to have a better grasp of how EMBRACING God's Pursuit draws me closer ... to know Him is to love Him. Today, I just need His EMBRACE ... and to know He is holding me closer (until I step out and am awakened to the reality of the world outside or around me, which for years I was away from and now have returned to the heartache and the unresolved conflicts that I left behind some 20some years ago, believing that with Christ and in Christ, "all things are possible" still ... at least tolerable. Some days are good and some days I want to runaway again, so I try to avoid or isolate, which isn't always possible - hoping to lower my high blood pressure and spend time with the Healer, His Embrace brings the healing and this is why I choose to spend Fridays with Him. He builds me up and gives me strength to meet another day, so I think ... until it happens ... 

Knowing that so many others face even more difficult days and situations, circumstances far beyond mine ... I feel trivial ever writing anything about my days and pray that God is near to all the broken hearted and the struggles that others face that He cares and is there.

Thankful for His everlasting EMBRACE - hoping I remember the lesson from today's devo.

DIRECTION for my next 100 days EMBRACED

Since I finally got around to officially declaring the 2019 One Word as 

EMBRACE

{and its other forms of past and present participles (or gerund)}

Embraced/Embracing

I decided June 1st would be a good time to begin 

Lysa TerKeurst's book*

{that I mentioned back here}

and a

100 day journey

*EMBRACED* 

I began with the YouVersion (sample) 5 day plan, but only for the first three days, then the last two on the appropriate day of her book. I am so blessed to have received the beautiful, hard bound version on Fri. and so glad that I ordered it because it's such a keepsake and as I mentioned so lovely from cover to cover - really a wonderful gift for yourself or someone special {plus I was able to get it under my set limit of $10 and did not have to pay shipping, which is sometimes more than the bargain}. 

Lysa has divided her book into 4 parts

"Part 1: Embracing the Pursuit of Him and His Direction"

devotions 1-26

"Part 2: Embracing the Fullness Found Only in Him"

devotions 27-48

"Part 3: Embracing Him in the Midst of Hurt & Heartache"

devotions 49-75

"Part 4: Embracing His Call to be Transformed"

devotions 76-100
Tempted to begin in Part 3
So, here I am, on June 1st, my mother's birthday, out at her gravesite, cleaning off the headstones of all my family and leaving lilacs from home with one teacup red rose, in remembrance of the dozen that my dad use to bring my mom regularly from her death in 1986 until his in 1998 and while I am able, I hope to at least bring one red rose. I'm accompanied by 1 of my 3 furry friends, who makes herself at home, lying on the grass, where I will be laid as I trim the grass around and clean off the stone. I take out this beautiful turquoise book and begin:

... "Giving My First Moments to God"...

not just reading again the devotion that I had already read  early this morning but allowing myself to actually feel God's EMBRACE meeting me right there, right then
with Psalm 86:11 and 13 then Psalm 84:1 {need to take out my cellphone to read this verse}
however Lysa starts each devotion with a Scripture, the first, and in her devotion, she beautifully pens what two Scriptures remind her of and then beautifully composes a prayer with all of these verses {plus an ending prayer} [you can read these in their entirety in the sample at YouVersion]
I single out this one line from the prayer:

... "Help me to EMBRACE what comes my way as an opportunity ... rather than a personal inconvenience" ...

I have a momentary pause remembering an 'embrace' sadly interrupted  - one my father attempted to give my mother with her final breath. It's been a lasting impression in my mind because of her struggle for air which was the reason for the rejection interruption (in my personal opinion) and until my youngest brother's more peaceful death, I swore I never wanted to be at anyone's death bed because of the fear of having that as the last remembrance of that person. Lament/grief - one lesson yet to be learned, my attitude has changed a little about this but clearly has not been erased. It's remarkable what your mind retains. As my furry friend, Lucky, snaps me back to the current reality ... I gaze up into a beautiful blue sky, as the tear that had welled up in the corner of my eyes disappears and I watch a plane prepare for its landing. Knowing that I, too, will have to prepare for my final landing and I'm so thankful for words like Lysa's that encourage me/you ...
"to know God is Holding You Close" (the rest of her title)
Yes, dear Lord, "teach me Your way ... that I may rely on Your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name." Psalm 86:11
as Lysa writes, through His Word, this time alone,  prepares me for what lies ahead, what I need throughout every day as God equips me to handle and strengthens me quietly yet boldly with His loving and aMazing Grace
I depend on this I rely on His EMBRACE I need to 'embrace' the past that prepares me for my future
Yes, Lord I need to EMBRACE Your Pursuit and Your Direction I'm ready to face the rest of today I'm armed with Your truth I'm surrounded by Your love I'm filled with so much gratitude for lessons learned and those I've yet to learn

I can't wait to read the next one:  The Pineapple Principle {I happen to love pineapple. In fact, I even bought a mango-pineapple slush drink  on my way home today}

TIME to EMBRACE

I cannot believe that it is already Memorial Day weekend 2019, and I never announced my One Word for 2019, nor have I written any posts, except for one book review (sadly, it may be my last, because of some new guidelines with them, and I've been inactive too long {again} so my account is expired). 

You may think by now, that I did not get a new One Word for 2019, or that I've given up on blogging, neither is true - I wasn't even waiting for confirmation of the Word I thought I heard. The only truth about it is that I was not sure what form that Word should have, whether it should end with -ing or -ed or just as it is, so I guess I settled on:

EMBRACE

{still leaving it open to be that or 'embracing or embraced'}

because it simply seems to be what I need in this season of my life. I just need to 'embrace more grace' and so much else about me: embrace myself, embrace my identity and my identity in Christ, embrace my failures, embrace my strengths, embrace my past and my future, embrace the highs and the lows, and there is so much that I still need to EMBRACE - {things that are that I cannot change} the unchanging, and the changeable; and deal with life as it is. Looking at the definition is important: 

"To embrace something is to welcome it with open arms, hold, hug, accept completely." "Embrace is from the French verb embrasser, which started out meaning "to clasp in the arms" (but now includes kissing). You embrace someone by giving her a giant hug, and when you embrace a new idea, it's like your brain gives it a hug. The noun and verb form are similar: If you embrace someone who isn't your sweetheart, you might get caught in an embrace. ..." Primary Meaning of  'embrace': 1 squeeze (someone) tightly in your arms, usually with fondness (verb or noun) 2 take up the cause, ideology, practice, method, of someone and use it as one's own (verb or noun) 3 include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory (verb) From: Vocabulary (dot) com dictionary

My primary reason for choosing this is because I want to EMBRACE whatever God has for me. I really like what I read, in a sample copy of a *book by Lysa TerKeurst that I received at a conference last year, and just found out that it's the 2019 Christian Book of the Year, because the book description and title confirm my choice of One Word:  

"... A real embrace indicates an intimate level of closeness. It’s not a high five or a casual handshake. The best kind of embrace is when someone we know deeply loves us flings their arms wide open and pulls us in close. Our hearts were made for this kind of love and security but for many of us, we know more about the pain of heartbreak and fear than the unconditional love for which we were created." EMBRACED..." by Lysa TerKeurst

Yes, that's what I need in 2019 and forward in my life, an 'intimate level of closeness' with Our Lord ... "the Ultimate Embrace"

"God opening His arms wide on Calvary through Jesus so that He could pull us close for all of eternity. Welcoming us into the safety and hope of His grace and His love." Lysa TerKeurst, Embraced: 100 Devotions ...

As my One Word for 2018 was BELIEVE ... iBelieve this with all my heart and I look forward with hope that others will soon be able to EMBRACE the Jesus that I know, love and serve as best I can, and long for an eternity like this, for me and them! Yes, my deepest desire is to EMBRACE His Love, His Word and His plan! {even the parts that I don't like or understand} ... and hold on to each of His Promises!

Time to EMBRACE fully who I am and all God is in me and all God has for me

   *I never even made the connection to Lysa's book with my choice of EMBRACE until I received a promotion to get her book now with the announcement that it's the Christian Book of the Year. It certainly deserves it, as Lysa herself does also ... Bravo Lysa! Sending a warm 'embrace' of congratulations your way!
However, there was a book by another author that was at that same conference that I did think of after I chose 'EMBRACE' because I have wanted to get it and read, "Embrace Grace..." by Liz Curtis Higgs. I just felt that "EMBRACE" and His "Grace" belong on a blog called "aMazing Grace ..." 
So now I have two books plus another 40 day devotional 'to embrace your inner healing' (I thought this was a good place to start).  

"The Golden Thread: Experiencing God's Presence in Every Season of Life"

"The Golden Thread: 
[in fine print] Experiencing God's Presence in Every Season of Life" by Darlene Zschech

"Do you feel like you are barely holding on?   Let the golden thread of God's Presence be the calm on the other side of chaos. It could be that He is weaving a brilliant new beginning in the middle of your mess."

[My hope was to have reviewed this back in December 2018 so- Let me preface this delayed review with a brief explanation for my procrastination to be fair in my review of "The Golden Thread..." from Darlene Zschech, by saying this: I chose this selection after reading other great books that I love by this wonderful worship leader, amazing person, mum, wife, minister, author ... exceptional person in so many areas, but I began reading with an entirely different expectation of what it was about, than what I found in 'The Golden Thread..." (my error). I thought that this was going to be more of a 'golden thread' running through her devastating journey and experience with cancer. It is NOT. Although there are references throughout to her cancer, it is not at all about this. With this in mind however, as I read, I dragged through many of her 17 chapters, hoping to find more details of how she fared through this struggle and battle with cancer, hoping to encounter that 'golden thread'. So I carried on, a bit disappointed. Instead, I would agree that the second part of her well-chosen phrase in her title fits perfectly, " ... Experiencing God's Presence in Every Season of Life" because this it does show. As is her gift, Darlene has written powerfully and with much encouragement for us ... and my high expectations left me with an unfair critique at first, of a very good book, and with somewhat mixed feelings about reviewing it. Thus, my procrastination and delay are due to wanting to give a praise worthy review of the book and author but needed to be honest also.] I love Darlene Zschech and felt this review should be higher since I am a passionate fan of hers.
With that being said, I found myself looking for a connection through her 17 chapters, of a beautiful weaving of her words and her concept of a 'golden thread'. I kept track of the pages where Darlene mentions 'the golden thread' so I might be able to better understand and appreciate her collection of highly positive, uplifting threads like: "In your current circumstances, this may seem like a sacrifice, but on the other side of your obedience to this hope that He asks you to maintain are the rewards of God's promises, His unexpected Holy showing up to thread the golden strand of mercy and love in every season of your life. The glory of God is drawing close."  See how beautifully eloquent she writes and touches on relevant situations that we all might face and apply various biblical Scriptures. I noticed that Darlene was sharing various versions but particularly enjoyed reading the Scriptures from The Message and The Passion Translation. 
Darlene does a 'marvelous job of sharing how we can see the continual thread of God's love, mercy, and goodness all throughout our lives, both in good times and hard ones', using the backdrop of her own personal experiences so we can apply and connect to our own. Darlene weaves us through such chapter content as: God's presence in everything, forgiveness, seeking God first, strength in weakness, the wilderness, holy discontent, walking in the spirit, one with Him, His strength, my courage, power of the table, checks and balances, transformed by hope, thankfulness, lift up your hands, soar, adventure - and send me. There - I covered all of the chapters in these but personally I needed the ones on strength. Darlene writes books with the same passion that she does songs! I hold on to these words written on page 150 after describing her trust in God to give her the best medical care as the best reminder: "... it is God's Word that carries life: the miraculous is woven within every conversation, every declaration I make, and every belief I adhere to." following with the finished work of Christ and His truth. 
Both Darlene's husband, Mark, and Joyce Meyer share in a Note and in the Forward, Darlene's beautiful spirit and passion, which will inspire us to go deeper in our faith, grow a greater intimacy with God, strengthen our faith, and equip us to face whatever we need to do in our life, as she blesses us with her story, her adventure with Mark and family, doing and living life to the full. It is her husband, Mark, who gives the explanation or connection of the 'golden thread' with the Japanese art of Kintsugi. Fascinating! It's a method used to repair broken historic pottery pieces with threads of real gold. 'The golden thread has given broken pieces ... new life', which certainly is what God does with our messes, we are God's handiwork, "no matter what's broken or cracked, God gives us beauty for ashes and it becomes our golden thread." Darlene starts out in the Introduction 'wonderfully and radically' that she can look back over her "life and see the faithfulness of God woven throughout every day - like a pure golden thread of His love and His nature." We all hope and look for this thread in our stories, our journeys in faith (wouldn't you agree?) and reading Darlene's book, we hope we'll be"...Experiencing God's Presence in every season of life" in one glorious golden opportunity to weave or see this woven tapestry wrapped around us, with all her personal uplifting encouragement and God's Word by reading Darlene Zschech's new book "The Golden Thread" ... 
"Take hold of The Golden Thread of His Presence, His loving kindness, His goodness, His power and His grace as you read ..." 
"The Golden Thread: Experiencing God's Presence in Every Season of Life" by Darlene Zschech





{I still recommend this with 4 stars and also that you read Psalm 16, in The Passion Translation, from where Darlene begins her book with "The Golden Secret", perhaps you might find a connecting golden thread between this charismatic, passionate author and yourself. This book is a treasure to behold!} The book description's opening statement was enough to help me choose to read this. (so maybe I should have held off my preface to an after thought so as not to discourage you, but I just have to keep my reviews honest. My err and wrong expectation was not the author's problem.)

Disclosure: I received this book free through BookLook Bloggers, from the publisher, in return for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTCs 16 CFR, Part 255