Denise's Dailys

What a few weeks we've had at Higher Ground central (aka our home office and garage :). We've had several CDs going out and are already receiving encouraging words about how God is using these songs in people's lives. We're so thankful for the privilege to share these songs and know each CD is in God's hands, and He carries it to each recipient and allows them to hear what they need to hear. Wow.

We're also going crazy (good crazy though) getting ready for the Family Fun Fest where we invite our community to join us in celebrating this really amazing God we love and serve. This God who gave us our families and wants to be at the enter of our homes. He has answered every one of our prayers for this event and is blessing abundantly. We're still waiting on all of the volunteers to step forward, but we know He's not going to leave us now.

With all of that's going on, I've been seeking time to be still with God. To be candid, often it's in the bathroom where I can actually be alone...sometimes. But there are times when I need to be with my friends, you know? My favorite song to sing on the new project is "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." This song does something for me as a woman that I don't think men necessarily get. I think we ladies need friendships. Sometimes I get to the point where I tell Robbie I am starving for time with friends. He doesn't really get it, but he supports that need in me. I need to have that time just hanging out and feeling supported by my friends. So when I think about this song, I'm thinking of filling that craving with Him. "May we ever Lord be bringing ALL to You in earnest prayer." That's what I need in my alone time to fill me up. To bring it all to Him and dump it earnestly on my best friend's lap. He will bear the whole load for me. All of it. No one else will agree to that. Even my very dearest friend on earth doesn't want me to dump all of it on him. He can't handle that load. But my best friend Jesus can.

My very favorite part of the song is the last verse. It says "Soon in glory bright unclouded, there will be no need for prayer. Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there." Never again will I need to be filled up or to dump my burdens on anyone else. I will remain eternally full with Him.

Easter with kids

I can't believe Easter is in just 3 days. We've been spending time this year preparing our hearts for Easter morning and focusing on the cross. Sometimes Easter is tough for parents with kids. You want to do the basket and the egg hunt and have fun, but it's easy for kids to get too caught up in those things because let's face it, they're selfish beings. It's our job as parents to work hard at keeping Jesus as the main thing at this holiday especially. This is the greatest day of all for Christians. Easter shows us not only the greatest sacrifice, but it is also the greatest demonstration of power over the evil one. The resurrection is mind-boggling to me, so I can only imagine what it does to my kids' brains as they try to wrap their minds around that great day.

So I showed my girls a 5 minute trailer from Passion of the Christ this morning as a part of our devotion time. Not sure if it was time yet, but they handled it well. They asked several questions, and it got our discussion going. I pray it sticks with them today as they go through their day and that they talk to other kids about what they saw and heard as we read the crucifixion story from Mark. I'm certainly not saying I've got it all right, but I know it takes time to develop a relationship with Christ. And I know it's my job to foster that in them. Allow them opportunities to see Him in a new light, give them the time they need for prayer and private devotion time, and live it out in my own life.

I want Easter to be the holiday my kids look forward to the most, because they know their Savior died and rose again for their sins and that He's coming back for them someday. Now that's something to celebrate!