A thousand tears

A thousand screams
come ripping through the clouds
Why so many
that don’t understand what it’s about
Night after night
on top of their thrones
Searching and searching
for the one way home
For a limited time
they fulfill their need
Only to realize
the lust, the greed
I cry out to God
to show them His Son
That they would listen
and hear all He has done
That one Roman nail
would soften their hearts
Showing them home
and where love gets its start
I continue to pray
as I feel their pain
A thousand tears
come rolling down my face
-Tammy Carter

Good Samaritan and no good sinners!

"love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." - Luke 10:27

In a Lectio Divina study recently, our leader asked us to read this passage, Luke 10:25-37, and then jot down all the words that "stuck out". The crazy thing, here's what I wrote down: fallen, robbed, stripped, beaten, abandoned, left, half-dead & avoided! After a crazy year, which most of us have had, I assume that was just the place I was at in dealing with an overwhelming valley. But, then I got to thinking...that is actually ALL of us! I mean, think about it...all of us have fallen, we are sinners at our best! Sinners that walk through life being robbed, stripped, beaten, abandoned, left, half-dead and avoided! In SOME way we've all been there...and in some way we have actually wounded others with these things! Yes, it is true, "we all fall short"(Rom. 3:23). :-/

Hope I didn't burst anyone's bubble there! But no matter how much we try to think we are not to blame, that other's sin is worse than ours or that others have deep wounds to work on and we don't, etc...well, we will just never ever be right on any of these statements. Truth is, we all suffer and struggle with the SAME issues! So, instead of avoiding or abandoning "our neighbor", we need to do the best we can to help them!

Grace, mercy, forgiveness, love, acceptance, prayer...wish these would've been the words that stuck out as I read that passage! But, just as I have been wounded, I have wounded others by these things and so, I need a Savior to help me! I need a Savior to give me give the grace, the forgiveness, the mercy, the love and the compassion for the wounded! My brothers and sisters need these things from me...from Jesus! Let's just face it, we all need Jesus' eyes for everyone...including ourselves!

"The more you share My(Jesus) life with Me, the less you will choose to judge and condemn, and the more you will desire to reach out and rescue."- John Sielski

"However, don't become emittered by the men and women who took advantage of you. Remember that you and they share many of the same struggles." - Mike Klassen

"But if we are the Body Why aren't His arms reaching Why aren't His hands healing Why aren't His words teaching? And if we are the Body Why aren't His feet going Why is His love not showing them there is a way There is a way?" - Casting Crowns

"But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds" -Luke 10:33-34

So, as "no good" sinners, I pray He would give us all the grace, mercy, compassion, strength, knowledge and wisdom to BE good Samaritans...in His Name! May we bind up wounds, love each other and "go and do likewise"(Luke 10:37)

Triune Comfort

Holy Spirit, Comforter
It is You I breathe
In my sorrow and despair
Deep calls to deep.

Jesus my Savior
It is You I need
In the Garden, with Your Father
My shame at Your feet.

Oh Lord, my helper
It is You I seek
In my coming and going
You neither slumber nor sleep.

Spirit intercede
Bring Your Garment of Praise
As I grow Faint
And call out Your Name.

Jesus, Maranatha
Today for me
A faintly burning wick
And a bruised reed.

Lord be with me
Your promise I read
Neither leaving nor forsaking
In days of grief.

Indwelling Holy Spirit
Rejoicing in me
During my struggles
In flesh that’s weak.

Jesus, Prince of Peace
Bringing good cheer
Overcoming the world
Overcoming my fear.

God of Compassion
Source of my Strength
Mourning to Dancing
Declaring Your Praise.
-Tammy Carter

Dance Beloved, Dance!

I love my Father in Heaven. However, I periodically forget how much He loves me and that He SO wants to romance my heart AND have ALL of it. Have I given Him ALL of my heart? Well, sadly no. I WANT to, I sit before Him and TRY to. But, how do we really surrender ALL of our heart to Him? And, how do we GUARD our hearts(Proverbs 4:23)? If you're anything like me, you're somewhat too quick to give it to just anyone almost?! I'm not proud of this, but in my past I would say this is true. But, I believe in the trials and errors I've learned a few things a long the way! Valuable life-long lessons that have taught me to pray blessings on everyone...and, I mean EVERYONE...even my "enemies", those who have hurt me, those I have hurt, etc. After all, we all have been hurt, wounded and cursed. We all could use blessings...His blessings! It is these very blessings that change us and change who we are in our Spirit and this I believe CAN flow into the soul AND the body! Yes, even the body...the temporal temple CAN be healed! What an amazing thing to think about! His healing flowing into our bodies and allowing us to move paralyzed arms, arthritic joints or broken bones!
"Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice." -Psalm 51:8(NIV)
"Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing." -Psalm 51:8(The Message)
Wow! Don't you just love The Message version...'dancing'! Can I dance before Him and give Him all of my heart? I don't know. I CAN dance. I CAN dance before Him! And in that dancing, I can only hope and pray that He would give me the strength and the courage to surrender...surrendering all of my heart to Him. And, in that surrendering, I pray that He would hold my heart and guard it. So many times I have failed to guard it...so, I NEED Him. I need Him to take my heart and hold it, protect it, fill it and keep it...all the days of my life! That is my prayer. Not only for me, but for you, my brothers and sisters. May we all surrender our heart and dance before Him. And, in that dancing, He WILL bless the Beloved! For YOU are His Beloved!