And a Mountain Arises, A Prayer from Psalm 125

And a Mountain Arises

A Prayer from Psalm 125

Lay it down, surrender.

Melt away the fear, the anxiety of it all.

Move me out of the way,

Yet surround me in grace.

Show me who I am not

And I shall abide in who You are.

And a mountain arises.

Even through the storm clouds;

And the wind carries its name,

Trust in Me.

Hiking, trekking, resting at times;

The leaves of the forest, even the rocks cry out,

A viewpoint to Your love. 

Eyes capture the beauty of the journey,

A travelog testimony.

From this time forth and forever.

Walk away iniquity! Go around this mountain.

Lose your way, wickedness!

Up here, streams pool Living water.

Evil, your well is rancid.

The unjust writhe in the darkness.

Clean our hands Lord, of depravity.

Bless the effort, for the mountain…

 It longs to do good.

A heart beats deep within the core,

Purposed to bring You Glory.

May the ridges of Faith

Outline Your Majesty,

Silhouette Your sovereignty.

Some fling themselves off your cliffs,

Slide quickly down a slippery slope,
No hiking Boots, no traction.

Walking the crooked paths of their own way,

Continuing to linger in the parched land,

They wander with the dead and

The doers of gross injustice.

Peace shall be.

The mountain called Trust

Will rise through the sky in Hope

And our righteousness will become His Righteousness

Renewed and upright,

Eternal and true.

Our strength is in you Lord,

From this time forth and forever. Amen.

Thoughfully yours, Coleene  

Triple Scoop of God

Welcome to followers of Momentous Monday and anyone else glancing through today.  It's been birthday week around here.  My husbands was first last Monday and now mine today.  Another year...moving on, closer to God ,  and closer to Home!

 There are  many thoughts from this previous week I am sharing  with you today.  So,  let's see if I can just give you some highlights, without too much detail on our amazing God and His invaluable lessons in life.

Seeing Red

I work at a high school.  I continue to be shocked and saddened by today's youth.  While I know there are many amazing and God fearing kids out there, they do not seem to be in my classes. One particular fiery red- headed young man seemed to make it his duty to verbally abuse and disrespect me when ever the opportunity arose. He eventually stopped coming to class all together.  I heard he was being home schooled.  I was thankful  God had given me more than just grace for the moment, but had removed at least one source of anxiety at work.  Last Sunday in between services at church, I look across the cafe' and see this young man's silhouette shrouded behind his hoody,  his bright red hair sticking out.   "Hi Eddy...."  (I have changed the name) I say.  He looks up, quickly drops his head and barely mumbles what I think is a greeting.  So...God, you remove  him from my classroom only to  bring him to my church, my peaceful sanctuary?  You are so funny God....Ha ha ha ha.... I am reminded that God has a plan in everything.  I need to be a part of it.  This skateboarding,  vulgar-mouthed kid could be the next Billy Graham. My prayer for this young man now takes a different shift.  So do  I...again.


Testing the Waters.  
Like for  many, the economy is difficult right now and some bills are not being paid in a timely matter. There are many things on hold and sacrifice is being made.  God knows my prayers.  This month has especially been rough,  for Ted had to take several days off for two injuries and we now have to pay 100% of his health insurance since his job no longer pays. Furlough days at my job added in,  results in a steady loss of income.
Instead of  trusting God, I tested Him by making a phone call to the credit union which I already knew the answer to. Suddenly, the lady on the other end of the phone asked me if I have read "The Secret".  (One of Oprah's New Age wisdom books).  I had to laugh (at myself)...it was a  duh!  moment.  "No", I said, "I read scripture everyday, the Bible."  God screamed in my ear in his loving voice,  "You said it, you read scripture...Do I not give you wisdom and a promise that I will take care of you right there in my Word?"  I had to immediately confess my stupidity and lack of trust...The tough thing is,  I'll probably do this again, and that is why God makes us wait.

II Corinthians 1:6

"But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort, and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same suffering which we also suffer."

This has become one of my life verses.  Suffering  the loss of a child, just what do I do with that other than offer my own personal insight and experience and  try and give back what God has given to me, a peace that surpasses understanding.   Last Saturday in our local paper, I see an obituary of a young man, a classmate of our son Tim. I recognized the name immediately, for he had sent me an on-line message on Tim's obit. page during the time of his passing.  Now, here was his own obit three years later.  I never met the young man, but through Tim's life and death we made brief contact.  Friday, I purchased a card to send to his mom. Saturday, I sat down and filled up the card with words I asked God to give me. I spent the next hour trying to find an address or someone on-line who could give me the address to mail it.  It didn't happen, so I set the card aside ready to try again later.  That evening, my husband and I went to a school function and I saw a teacher I normally only see a few times a year.  She came over to me said Hi and quickly asked me if I knew this young man's mother.  I couldn't believe it,  for just an hour or so earlier, I had written this note to a stranger and God was now providing me with an address to mail the card.  Did I pray about this? I don't remember asking God...?  My teacher friend had a considerable thought,  that her friend's son and my son might have known each other...and she was right.   This morning as I was reading my weekend devotion from Pastor Greg Laurie, you guessed it,  his devotion was centered around this exact verse.  Sometimes we go through what we go through so that we can give comfort to others.  Greg Laurie would know, for he too, has lost a son.  (GregLaurie@harvestdirect.org.    Devotional for May 1st, "Why Does God Allow Trials in our Lives?").

This morning, the sermon starts out with these words:  "God has a plan and the power to complete it."
 He doesn't need us to complete His plan.  He is after all, God.  Yet, if we let go and trust Him, we will have the privilege to partake in  the incredible opportunity; a team player in His plan,  and recipient of the  blessings that come from obedience.  Are you fighting His plan?  Are you ignoring it?  Is that  working for you?
Today my friends, think on this,  "Do not let your faith rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God." I Cor. 2:5

Contemplating Content

Hi everyone.  I took a few days off from my blog.  I posted quite a bit in December and now just sort of being a sponge, contemplating my content for this New Year.  Faithwriters also started back up again last week.  I did write a story for the new category which was titled OW!  (Some people thought this said owl, so we had a few bird stories.  What a hoot!....sorry....had to....)  Unfortunately, because of some new prerequisites, I was not able to post it on time.  So, I guess that leaves my blog as a place to post my story.


While talking to my neighbor the other day, we were both  sort of whining... which we both hate...both feeling a little frustrated, but we know we are both blessed...Then after we both got it out of our system, we shared praises how the Lord has done so much and how he continues to bless us both.  As our  little "funk" started to dissipate,  that word...the one God's been thumping in my head since Christmas came tromping back into my thoughts.  TRUST.  

Trust, a small but powerful word.  God has been teaching me mightily as I have been considering many new ventures in certain areas  which require of me, nothing but Trust...As I am contemplating my content for my Faithwriter  "Ow!" story,  I came across a chapter in Psalm 73 about a guy named Asaph.  He was upset about why the wicked people of his day,  those who mocked God in all their behaviors,  just seemed to continue to prosper while the  good, God fearing guy like him, just couldn't get a break. He was pretty busy being envious. He knew this was not right and went to God and confessed his thoughts and God revealed to him a lot of wisdom.  Our Christian walk is not easy and God holds back for a reason.  He is sovereign and His ways are best.  After we've tried to figure things out our way and relied on our own resources and put  our trust in everyone and everything except God, He patiently waits for our humbleness to return.  I am thankful that God wants to teach me this lesson(s).  I know this is a year that I will be trusting Him for many things and learning how to keep that trust front and center.  Last week while walking across campus from one class to my next, my thoughts and conversation with God was just that..."God, help me to trust you today with all that I have been worrying about."  As that last word whispered silently within, a bright shiny "heads-up" penny met my path with the words stamped on it...In God We Trust!  I have had this happen before when I am walking and praying and God just sort of puts that penny in my path.  This particular penny was really shiny.

So here is my take on Asaph in 2010. Next time you see a penny in the road, it just may be a reminder from Heaven to trust God to see you through. He knows the ending for the righteous so let's get that same eternal perspective going, for we are not citizens of this world.   CV.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (New International Version)

 ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
       and lean not on your own understanding;
 ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
       and he will make your paths straight.

Revelation Roads

Psalm 73

Oooow! Stubbed that same toe again.  If I could just concentrate on my own walk here instead of gazing over there at the other side...

I know I believe in a good God.  He must see my good intentions.  I know He knows that I love Him.  This path I have walked most of my life is full of slippery pebbles, uneven ground, and snakes hidden in the crevices.  I have fallen many times; scraped and bruised up, thus the scars. The last major fall had me hanging over a cliff, but through strength I did not know I had, I managed to hoist myself back up.  I touched my scraped hands and shredded skin wondering how long they would take to heal.  Now, I am distracted once again, looking across at the paved road where I see many travelers in nice vehicles zooming on towards their destinations.  Rising up in my heart, a curiosity like heartburn.  Ow!  The lump in my throat and the dryness in my mouth cause me to start to cough, almost gasp for relief. 

"Do they ever feel pain, God? They all look so happy and healthy. Do they have accidents; get stopped at roadblocks, run out of gas?"

I know I believe in a good God.  I can see light.  All along my path the obstacles are avoided when I am focused.  I gaze again across the road, shivering at the darkness and fog hovering all around the other side.   I engage closer and I see road rage, stolen vehicles, and everyone on cell phones.  Billboards scream out what they should wear, what they should eat, where they should go, what they should buy, who they should listen to.  They do not listen to you Lord.  They are wicked people yet their riches seem to multiply and their travels do not slow.  Mocking God, they continue on their way. 

Ow! I feel this pain.  "Why did I want to go over there?   God, you are good.  Bring to me understanding. I come to you on my scabbed knees."

Revelation comes into my heart.  I understand the destiny of the wicked.  That road over there...leads to eventual destruction, an eternal separation from God.  Lord, Your light shines into my own foolish thoughts.  A bitter taste is left in my mouth from the burn of ignorance, my envy.   I ask for your sweet taste of forgiveness. Lord, guide me to my glorious destiny.  Wisdom shows me the finality of wickedness. I choose this road Lord, I will continue this road.  I am sure more "ows" will come, but I will say instead, hallelujah! Pain brings awareness Lord, that you have something to teach me.  You are my sovereign shelter, the binder of my wounds, and the strength of my heart.

I know I believe in a good God and I will share to everyone about the wonderful things you do. 

Coleene VanTilburg

Jan. 12, 2010