"King Nebuchadnezzar took all of Jerusalem captive, including all the commanders and the best of the soldiers, craftsmen, and artisans-10,000 in all.
2 Kings 24:14
2 Kings 24:14
My heart was so sad as I read these words. I knew what was going to happen. I read the prophecy that had been foretold. My mind was prepared but my heart was not. Along the way, I have felt many different emotions for the Israelites but my emotional response to today's event caught me off guard. I was filled with sorrow.
Life changed for the Israelites that day. I wonder if they we surprised. They had been warned. They had been given many opportunities to repent and not repeat their sin. But down deep inside did they really believe God would go the distance, that He would do exactly what He said He would do without giving another chance for repentance. They had to have been in utter shock and terror as Nebuchadnezzar rode into town with His army to usher them into 70 years of captivity.
Many would never return to City of David, they would die in captivity. Perhaps families were separated in the chaos. Can you hear the cries of the little ones holding tight to their momma's hand in fear? Maybe you can see the dust from the road as the horses trampled through the town. Yes, life can change in a day.
Has your life changed in day? Maybe your life unlike the Israelites changed for the good. In a day the Lord answered a prayer, fulfilled a dream, or brought an end to a period of waiting. My life was changed in day...Saturday morning August 1, 2009 as I stood to speak to crowd of women in the Concord Ball room at the Embassy Suites. For me a period of waiting was over.
You see nine years ago, at the first She Speaks conference God tucked a dream in my heart to stand on the stage of the main ballroom and teach His Word. On Saturday August 1 my wait was over and my dream was fulfilled. Yes indeed, life can change in a day.
Many would never return to City of David, they would die in captivity. Perhaps families were separated in the chaos. Can you hear the cries of the little ones holding tight to their momma's hand in fear? Maybe you can see the dust from the road as the horses trampled through the town. Yes, life can change in a day.
Has your life changed in day? Maybe your life unlike the Israelites changed for the good. In a day the Lord answered a prayer, fulfilled a dream, or brought an end to a period of waiting. My life was changed in day...Saturday morning August 1, 2009 as I stood to speak to crowd of women in the Concord Ball room at the Embassy Suites. For me a period of waiting was over.
You see nine years ago, at the first She Speaks conference God tucked a dream in my heart to stand on the stage of the main ballroom and teach His Word. On Saturday August 1 my wait was over and my dream was fulfilled. Yes indeed, life can change in a day.
11 Comments:
Ah Wendy, my heart is overflowing with joy as I read this post. I am so thrilled for you how the Lord brought about His dream in your life. The delight of a desire fulfilled. Tears fill my eyes. God is sooooo good! I wish I had been there to see His dream unfolding in your life.
You're right...life can change in a day. There also was a life that changed my day. I'm so thankful for Jesus, and His life that has given each day new meaning.
Today my heart rejoiced in Jeremiah 51:19, "But the God of Israel is no idol! He is the Creator of everything that exists, including his people, his own special possession. The LORD of Heaven's Armies is his name!"
He is the Creator of everything and 47 years ago today He created me! :) Born a twin, at 25 weeks, Dr's never expected either of us to live...but God! (I share pics and my birth story on my blog today http://ponderinginhispresence.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-creator.html
Today I am thankful for each breath and pray that my life has been worth the gift bestowed on me by my Creator, Lord and Saviour. Celebrating and rejoicing in the blessings that surround and fill my life.
Because of Him,
Joy
Oh, Wendy, what a great post. I too have experienced life to change in one day...for the good and for the worst. But in both GOD IS GOOD!!!! Sometimes it is hard to see His good, and I am sure it was as they were led off to captivity. But God gives us the "rest of the story" to show us it was for His good and ours they were taken into captivity.
You are such a GREAT teacher!!
I am so thankful I was present when your dream came true!!!! :0)
Love,
Wendy
Wendy,
What a pleasure it was be there to share in your dream! God is so faithful! You chase hard after him in your life and it radiates in all you live and breathe.
I too had a life change in one day. October 27, 2001, what happened in a blink of an eye seemed to be the beginning of the end for me. But God knew it was only a NEW BEGINNING for me.
I am so thankful for the lessons learned because of that one moment in time.
Sometimes when I feel held so captive, is when I am the most free.
Loved the post friend,
Happy Birthday Joy, do something fun and just for you. :-0
Waiting on baby news!
Did everyone hear that Renee got approved for Aster, she is theirs! What a praise.
Diane
Oh, Wendy...I have tears in my eyes rejoicing at God's dream tucked into your heart...now fulfilled. Wowzie. Wish I was there. You love God's Word. OK...I am going to order the She Speaks CDs today! Can't wait to hear your teaching.
Wendy, I have to tell you this. God has planted a dream in my heart. Honestly, sometimes I am afraid to "dream" because I don't want it to be me....I want it to be Him. Just the last few days, this "dream" has been stirring in my heart. Almost afraid to let it stir....I sometimes try to hush it. JUST THIS MORNING in my quiet time, I went to the scripture verse on which my "dream" is based...and I uttered the words "Lord, I want this dream for You, from You". Hear, I come to your post....and I think He is whispering His love to me! I am overwhelmed.
The dream has been there for a few years, and I am not sure what the "gestational" period will be, but I will be praying now and asking Him to bring it together. I only want to follow.
Thank you Wendy!!!!!!! Oh how I am smiling picturing you in the main ballroom teaching His Word. And how many women you have put into His Word daily through this study. :)
For any gals reading the NIV version...I found this interesting. Today 8/14/09 has us in Ezekial 20. In my NIV study Bible notes (I always read them along with my Chrono Bible each morning), it says that Ez. 20:1 "In the seventh yer, in the fifth month on the tenth day"...the notes say that day is 8/14!!!!! I found that amazing. It "just happened" to be the day of the reading of that scripture in the NIV Chrono Bible. 8/14!
Love you, Wendy!
Sharon :)
Wendy, I too, like Joy wish I could have been there on Saturday, August 1st. Thank you for sharing!
I too, have a day that I will never forget; a day that changed my life forever. Several things happened at the same time to make this all come about and I wish I could write all the details, but space won't allow it. Part of the equation was that we, after 14 years finally got a dog. -This is another story :) But, right after this I went, April 16, 2008, to my last session of the Bible Study I was taking at the time, (Beth Moore, Fruit of the Spirit), and we were watching her video for the very last time. She stated a comment in her Viewer Guide, and discussed it on her tape. She said, "See Romans 12:1-2. The most transforming and freeing way we can approach the care of our physical bodies is making fitness one way we worship God." Beth talked about her daily walks with her dogs and how she incorporates Worship with this exercise. As she was talking you could see her face light up. She talked about walking and praying. Walking and listening to Worship songs. How sweet this time was for her everyday...
Sister's this comment of hers changed my day and everyday since then. I began walking our new dog after my quiet time every morning. I began by simply praying to God. At the beginning it was for my immediate family. Then, I'd turn on my ipod and enjoy Worship time. I WAS BLOWN AWAY! Never before had I experienced God whispering to me, but never before had I ever experienced any "length" in praying. My prayers had always been at the end of the day before bed. Usually, I was so tired, I'd fall asleep before I even finished!
Over time, I added my extended family to my prayer list, going down the list,from one person to the next...then, I began to add friends and neighbors that had prayer requests...throughout this year, I've added church leaders, and World leaders, and missionaries in Africa. I cannot tell you how much this time has blessed me. What I've found:
***My walks keep getting longer :)
***Physically, I've never felt better! God has made it very clear to me that my body is not my own. By honoring God and giving Him the Glory,and by living in moderation, He has blessed me in ways I wish I had time to write about...
***As I pray, praise, and thank him everyday, and lift up my requests...and as I see so very often prayers being answered, I am drawn so close to God, like I never have been before!!!
***I see God Moments in my day every day, I anticipate Him daily--I never did this before I began having a special prayer time.
***After praying and then turning on my ipod, I am blown away how a song I'm listening to, will be a song, God is whispering to me! Sometimes, He tells me to send it to a friend...which is a song God wanted them to hear too!
***My relationship with God has never been this close. Reading God's Word daily & praying and Worshiping Him daily has drawn me so close to Him.
***By doing this in the morning, I'm encouraged to pray to him often throughout my day; He is on my mind as I go through my day; I never experienced this before.
I can't imagine now what my day would be like without my prayer-walk. Definitely, it was my most life-changing moment, as I listened to Beth, and as I saw Jesus coming out of her as she spoke about this special time she shared with God--- I knew, that moment, I'd be trying it out the very next day. I was blessed twice...the dog was an answer to my prayers, but combining the two, oh, I can't tell you how thankful I have been ever since that day. I had know idea what I was missing out on.
FRIDAY...where did this week go?
:) Love you, dear sisters!
Lori - AZ
PS JOY...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!
Sharon, "WOWZIE," love that word!
:) I'm excited for you...you keep praying because I know God will allow your dream to come about. That is just how He is! When we seek to give Him the Glory, He blows us away, by what he allows us to do!
Jodie, I'm praying for you and baby too. What a special time; ENJOY! I can't wait to hear the news!
Jan, I want to encourage you also. I'm always blessed by your comments. Daily, I ask God to give me a "nugget." I ask Him to make my mind smart so that I can understand the parts that He wants me to understand. I ask Him to continue giving me a desire and longing to read His Word. I ask Him to speak to me while reading His Word. I can't tell you how many times, prior to this year, that I would begin reading the Bible...and have good intentions, but just get "nothing" out of it.
Many times when I go to my NIV Study Bible, He opens up something to me.
And, of course, I'm blessed beyond measure by the sisters on this blog. They always give me a nugget that brings the verses alive to me, that I read right over!
Also, I've never done a Kay Study...many of you on this blog have talked about how blessed you've been with her studies. I'm was excited to say the least, when I found out it was a Kay A. study.
I drove across town, a couple of days ago to p/u my book! :) And, I could not help taking an early peak...and oh...it's going to be GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Jesus!
Wendy, Daily, I pray that God will fill you up with His Spirit, and that He will flow out of you. He's answering this prayer request! You, my friend, are blessing all of us every single day. I'm also praying daily, that each one of us seeks Him out every single day by reading our daily chapters. The enemy will come in and try to discourage us. He will try to tell us that we don't get it. That others' seem to get more out of the readings...don't listen to HIM! Just keep reading. God will bless you. He will also try to get you distracted so that you don't have the time. Ask God to allow time in the day for scriptures. He answers our prayers when he go to Him.
okay, time for my walk! :) :) :)
Love you guys to pieces! Lori -AZ
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Joooooy, Happy Birthday to you! What a "joy" and a blessing you are! Thinking of you today and asking God for a special Birthday blessing He has just for you from His rich store house of blessings. Looking forward to reading your story. My neice experienced losing a twin at 20 wks (Dec. 08) and delivering the other twin at 25 wks @ 2 lbs. 14 oz. (Jan.09) and he, Brody, is thriving! (They were due in the beginning of May) Praise God! Your story must give so much hope to others and I judge a strong sense of purpose for your life! I will share your story with them as well.
Wendy I too had a similar desire in my heart to get up in front of people and talk. Perhaps that is a seed of purpose God plants in our heart from conception.
I use to envy people who were able to do that. I remember standing up in church from where I was sitting and making an announcement about something just shaking in my boots, knees knocking, quivery voice n all! So I asked God for the ability to do so. Well, Let me tell you...it didn't happen in a day or overnight. But did he ever give me the opportunities to speak in front of groups of people especially in church and my early childhood profession!
It's like patience, I learned never again pray for patience...because I was given things in my life to learn/earn patience. LOL Yet the fruit of the Spirit is a gift that does not have to be earned...but perhaps experienced to be developed is a better way to say it.
Now I can speak with a bit more confidence. The butterflies may come and go. I know I need to ask God to be his vessel and to share what he wants shared. That it be to his glory and not my own. There have been times when I have spoken at a meeting e.g.that I wonder afterwards where did that (boldness) come from? I also have done so with enthusiasm and excitement that to me can only be the stirring of the Holy Spirit within.
Sharing in your joy today that the seed of purpose God planted within your heart has grown and blossomed for others to witness!
We are all enjoying the fruits and flowers of the insights God has given you in this study! Amen!
Psalm 19:14
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen!
Love from Debbie in Illinois
Sharon, the "God-incidence" that you shared about what we read on 8/14 totally reaffirmed for me that God is with us on this journey and He loves us so.
Morgen - MN
Change is evitable, misery is an option! I opt to rejoice in the Lord always and again regardless of the situation to REJOICE.
Happy Birthday Joy!
Blessings Everyone,
Debbie - North Carolina
Joy, I tried to go to your site and could not get there from here or when I copy and pasted. Any ideas anyone how to do so. Deb
debndave71577@aol.com
My life changes every day I say "Yes" to God! He does amazing things in/to/through me, whether it is to bless me, teach me or even rebuke me. I could never turn back to my old life... even my worst day with God is better than my best day without Him! Now... if I would just say "Yes!" even when I don't want to (still working on that one!!!!)
When thinking upon dreams fulfilled, I realize it is my shattered dreams that have impacted my life most. It is when I lay in my brokeness that God picks up the pieces and gives my life new meaning (or change.) Only by giving up my dreams can I embrace all that God desires of me. "...how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts..." Matt 7:9-11
Sisters, I have spent the week doing some catch up. I know I don't have to, but I truly want to know what's been happening in your lives when I'm away! I've not forsaken my Bible study time, but it's sure sweeter when it's shared with friends :)
As executor of my dad's estate there has been alot to take care of - makes me think about doing some serious de-cluttering and organizing of my own things! (For being content with little, why do I have so much?!?) We closed on the sale of his house this week - it was not as hard because it was not the house I grew up in, but nonetheless it is another tangible piece of Dad that we are letting go.
So good to be in your sweet fellowship once again...
Susan
PS Happy birthday, Joy!
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