Stepping out

A friend sent  me the card above this week.

 Curious photo maybe -

 until you read the devotion she enclosed with it. 

She must save things like I do. 

It was dated Feb. 27, 1987. 

Thinking of many friends looking at 

"tent stretching."

Here is the devotion-

Changes   

"Enlarge the place of your tent,

 stretch your tent curtains wide, 

do not hold back; lengthen your cords, 

strengthen your stakes." Isaiah 54:2

"I had come to the last week of college, 

after four years of study. 

Now I had to move from the top of one pile 

to the bottom of the next one. 

It was a time of apprehension. 

What would the next stage be like?

For the last time, I went to the church

I had become familiar with. 

Other students were there,

 many of them my friends. I felt a tug at the heart.

 This would be the last time

 I would see some of them.

The minister announces his text:

 Isaiah 54:2. 

It was for me! 

The time had come to expand. 

Peace filled my heart when I realized

 that God was encouraging me.

 Then came a second thought. 

A bigger tent needs stronger stakes,

 and that would mean digging deeper

 into God's Word and spending more time in prayer.

 I walked out of that church 

with a warm glow in my heart. 

Amid all the changes that were in front of me,

 one thing remained the same: 

the Lord would always be with me, 

in every circumstance."

Prayer-

 Living God, 

we thank You that at every stage 

of our lives You are with us, 

encouraging us and strengthening us.

 What privileged people we are! Amen."

 Thought for the Day-

 I many not know what the future holds, 

but I can trust God to be there.

  Robert Caswell   - Coleraine, Northern Ireland

Prayer Focus:

 Those about to enter

 a new stage of life's journey.

Gentle heart encouragement for your every day

I have been through so much in the last two years. 

Many times I found myself wondering

 if God was listening. 

I thought He should be answering my prayers,

and life would be put back the way

 I had it all planned out. 

Did you catch that?

 I wanted God to keep my life

 the way I envisioned it. 

The way I wanted it to be. 

It has been a struggle for me 

to give up my need for control. 

Having dreams and goals is not wrong. 

Not being willing to let go

 is where I have been wrong.

Forgetting that God has even bigger dreams

 and plans for me,

 is where I have been wrong. 

When I have trouble giving up control,

 I try to remember Jesus words

 when he went to His father in prayer.

 He said, 

“My father if it be possible, 

let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, 

not as I will, but as thy will.”

 I remember that Jesus said that prayer 

even when he knew he would have to die for me. 

What I didn’t realize is how much

 of God’s peace and joy I had been missing out on,

 when I don’t let God’s will prevail. 

I am trying to stop focusing on

 what is not going the way I had planned. 

 Instead, I try to see what better plan

 God has for me.

 I am seeing how very blessed I am.

 I have seen God send a friend

 to give me a hug and encouraging words.

 I have noticed a rainbow He has placed

 in the sky to remind me-

 He always keeps His promises.

 I have been touched by a

 caring husband and children. 

 If I am worried about making 

my day go "my way,"

  life is filled with stress,

 and I miss out on the peace and joy

 my Savior has for me. 

You will have many trials, 

struggles and joys in your life.

 As you make plans for your day, 

the month, and years of your life- 

let God’s will prevail. 

May you see everyone and everything

 He gives you.

   He is with you.

  His will for your life is better

 than any of your dreams.

submitted with a heart for encouraging

 by Denise Johnson- 

 Contributing writer for Journeys of Faith