Isaiah 40:31

Hi everyone,

Sorry that it has been a while since i've posted. Busy, busy around here. However, last night I was at Bible Study and really learned a lot from Beth Moore's study on Esther. It was one of those bible study nights where I felt God was talking directly to me- it was so energizing and freeing- one of those audible type sighs coming out of me afterward because I feel renewed, taught and loved.

Anyhow, last night the topic was God's timing. She went over a lot of different things that have to do with Esther also. One of which Moore hit on was when she talked about holding grudges. She said that when we hold grudges we are holding ourselves in bondage to that person that we have a grudge against. AH- *sigh*- profound moment for me! I tend to hold on to things that I probably shouldn't- no, that I shouldn't (period)! This also spoke to me directly with the way that Satan continues to attack my family (remember my prayer requests from Here? Well, please keep praying, 'cause it keeps getting a little worse!) It would be so easy to hold a grudge with what's going on- it's totally a human response- but you know what? God tells us not to and I learned that it's really worse for me to do so, so I'm not going to do it. Don't get me wrong, this WILL NOT be easy because humanly, I wish this group of people bodily harm, but I do feel that after last night God is calming my heart and spirit and reminding me to lean on him. Moore went on to use the verse 16:18 from proverbs that says "Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling." Again, ah-hem, talking to me about things going on in life. She then said that God is NEVER inactive and that he wants to fight our battles for us- we just have to allow him to do so! So profound...


And at the end of the study session, Beth Moore quoted Isaiah 40:31 (King James Version). It says " But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength." (I have never heard this verse with the word "wait" before... I've heard it with the word "hope" in it's place- but this version speaks so much more directly to me!) Beth Moore then went on to explain that when we wait for an event to happen our strength is depleated, but when we Wait on the Lord instead, our strength is renewed because we are no longer focusing on the event but on God instead. Again, this speaks to me with our family situation, but it also directly spoke to me about adoption. We are "waiting" for the right time to adopt again, but we need to be waiting in the LORD first! Not to mention, during the adoption process I was always waiting for the next event- not the Lord. So, this is my new verse that I am keeping close to my heart. It speaks volumes to me about so many things in life...

Sorry, if I am rambling- I just learned so much last night. I am so grateful for people like Beth Moore whom God has clearly given a gift of teaching to- I can't believe it has taken me this long to do one of her Bible Studies!

On a wonderfully light note, C has begun to tell us that he loves us. It isn't clear English yet ;-) but we know what he is saying and it melts my heart each and every time he says it! Look forward to a video of Booger dancing on here in the next few days.

~M~