That's My Daddy

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. (Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT)

Sunday, after church, Mike and I went about our normal routine. After church service, he went to the parking lot to get the car while I checked our girls out of children's church. Every week, I get our girls while he drives the car near the entrance to pick us up.

Sunday, our girls and I were walking down the sidewalk when Mike pulled up next to us. When my youngest saw him pulling up and said, "Let's act like we don't see him!" I played along. He pulled up further. She giggled and said, "Let's walk away and keep pretending we don't see him." I continued to play along. We walked. He continued to drive right alongside us. Gracie kept pretending she didn't see him. He slowly drove alongside her the whole time, just watching and waiting for her to respond to him.

 After several minutes I said, "What if he just gives up on you and drives away?" She looked at me with the most shocked look I have ever seen on her face and said, "Oh he would NEVER do that, that's MY Daddy! MY Daddy would NEVER give up on me!" He kept slowly driving beside her and she kept playing the game. She continued ignoring him when he suddenly honked the horn. When he honked the horn, she answered and happily jumped in the car. Game over. 

In an instant, the Holy Spirit showed me how I had played the same game with my Heavenly Father. I pretended I "didn't see Him", I walked away so many times. I ignored Him for years and I surrounded myself with people who played along. Somehow I always knew in my spirit that He was always there, and would always be there right alongside me. 

One day, my Father "honked the horn", I finally answered, and life has never been the same. I don't play games anymore, I try to always be ready and willing to jump in when He "honks"! 

Join me today, let's answer Him by making the following confession out loud: 

Father, in the name of Jesus, we position ourselves to hear You. We declare no games, no pretending, and no ignoring. Please teach us how to be one with Your Spirit on a deeper level! Thank You for speaking to us through Your Word. Thank You for calling us and thank You for moving on our hearts to answer! You and Your love is beyond description. Thank You for You, thank You for Your Son, thank You for Your Holy Spirit, and thank You for Your live giving, life changing Word!

 

Foot Ride!

The LORD is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trust in Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. (Psalm 28:7, NLT)

Yesterday, a friend and I were discussing the wonderful greatness and awesomeness of God. We talked about how no matter what we had dealt with in the past, or how instrumental people in our lives had hurt us, God always takes our circumstances and works everything out for our good…way beyond anything we could ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20)

As we were discussing tests that are now testimonies we use to help others, I started to laugh. I laughed and laughed…a silly little girl laugh that just wouldn't stop, which reminded me of when my girls were toddlers. 

Every day when Mike came home from work, my girls ran to him. They never hesitated. They screamed, "Foot ride! Foot ride!" Mikea picked one foot, Gracie picked the other foot and they would sit on his feet and hang on for the ride! He walked around the house, dragging them on his feet as they screamed and squealed!

On that memory, I had a vision of our Father. He screamed, "Foot ride! Foot ride!" He is beckoning us to sit with Him and scream and squeal and be strengthened by His joy! (Nehemiah 8:10)

I just had my first "Foot ride" and I can fully exclaim with a newly illuminated heart, "The LORD is my Strength and my Shield! I trust Him with all my heart! He helps me and my heart is filled with joy! I burst out in songs of thanksgiving!" (Psalm 28:7)

He is screaming to us, "I am your Father, don't hesitate! Come my child! Scream and squeal and be strengthened! My joy is your strength! See what great love I want to lavish on you!" (1 John 3:1) 

Take time right now and go on a foot ride with your Father!

The Tiny Lightsaber

I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours. (Matthew 11:24, NLT)

We are currently renovating a rooftop apartment. Last night, we were at Lowes picking out tile, doors, windows, paint, etc.

Our youngest, Gracie, saw a light wand of some sort. A little trinket flash light that looks a lot like a tiny lightsaber. Gracie is a huge Star Wars fan. I saw her face as she inspected it. She turned it on. She turned it off. She turned it over. She turned it around. She inspected every aspect of the trinket.

I don't buy trinkets. She knew not to come to me. I have a rule. We don't buy something every time we go to the store.

But Daddy, Daddy blesses his baby girls! She said, "Poppa, can I please have this light? It's like a tiny light saber!" Daddy is also a Star Wars fan. He "gets" Gracie.

As we were walking out of Lowes, she was skipping across the parking lot (tiny lightsaber in tow) and grabbed my hand. She said, "When I saw the lightsaber, I prayed and asked God for it. I believed I would get it. And now I have it! Thank you Mommy!"

The tiny Lightsaber life lesson:

Pray
Believe
Receive

Key point:

She knew to ask her Father.

Since her father provided her with something as seemingly insignificant as a trinket, how much more does a perfect Father provide what we need! (Luke 11:13)

I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours. (Matthew 11:24, NLT) Even tiny light sabers.