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!

Denise's Dailys

I realize this should say "Denise's every other weeks", but that doesn't sound very good and I'm committed to this not becoming another thing I 'have' to do. I love sharing my thoughts with you and don't want it to be a burden on me or on you to have to come back every day. We have too many of those already in today's world. How many jobs do you have besides the one that may (or may not) bring in a paycheck? I think I could probably list at least 5 or 6, and that doesn't count all the mommy jobs. Why do we continue to do this? Afraid of failure? Afraid of not living up to a standard set by our culture? Or set by ourselves? We hear Satan telling us that we are not a good mom if we don't have the house clean all the time and fresh-baked cookies on the table when they come home from school. We're not a good wife if we don't look perfect when our husband comes home. We're not a good employee if we don't do everything to perfection at work and receive the highest honors and praise.

Let's get rid of Satan's lies here and now. Here's the simple truth. We can not be everything to everyone at all times. We are not God. Ahhh, the truth does set us free. Then get back to what God desires from us-to bring Him glory and to worship Him in our daily lives. That's it. Don't complicate it by putting tasks with that. It's less about doing and more about being. Kind of like me at my favorite kind of Spring Break-sitting on the beach with a great book or just watching people pass. Just being. As we approach Spring Break, think less about what you need to do in your life and more about who you are in Him. Focus on just being with Him and getting to know Him more. That would be a truly successful day.

Denise's Dailys

Hi ya'll! It's been a while since I've been on. Sorry. Does time ever seem to just disappear for you? Listen to my great idea. I'm not into this Daylight Savings Time thing. I'm from Indiana, so we've only been doing it a couple of years. I think it would be a lot better if we just added an hour to the day instead of moving it. Wouldn't that be awesome? And we could keep that all year long. But I know there's only One who has control of the days and nights, and we all have the same 24 hours. So I am responsible for making the most of those hours. That's why Robbie and I pray every morning together that God would help us see what it is He wants us to get accomplished today. My list is meaningless if any of the things aren't on His list for me. Sometimes my "best" days or biggest "accomplishments" for glory are when I get nothing done that I had planned. It's all for His glory and praise and for His purpose. Have a great day in the Lord today!!

Denise's Dailys

I've come to find this sort of like my personal journal, except instead of being able to close the book and hide the thoughts from everyone I have you to hold me accountable for them.

I've been studying James and several themes are emerging. 1. Truly living what I believe in the Bible, because if I don't live it I don't really believe it and 2. Mercy not judgment. I always get a little scared when I start studying something new, because I know my generous God is going to give me many opportunities to practice. And boy, he sure has. I can't tell you the number of times I have been presented with the decision to show mercy or judge in the past week. The choice is mine. Do I really believe what I'm saying I believe in the Bible, or is it just talk? If I believe it, I will live it. I'm not going to lie and say I have made the right choice every time, but the Holy Spirit is definitely working on me right where I am, in every situation in my life. Some are very simple situations and some are as complex at it gets, but the decision is the same-mercy or judgment, believe and live it out or don't.

Take a breath and be thankful

Did you ever have one of those days where you are made aware once again of the blessing it is just to be alive? Last night, a dear friend had a tree fall on her car and was trapped inside the car. Miraculously, she survived with no serious injury to her body. In another part of Indianapolis, another friend had a generator running through the night and her baby boy woke up screaming with a very high fever. They called 9-1-1, and now the entire family has been admitted to the hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning. The baby's cries saved all of their lives.

Both of these incidences could have easily produced far more devastating results, but for reasons we don't understand, God spared them. I'm thankful this morning for His provision and care over them, but I'm also reminded how short our time on earth is and that we don't know when we will take our last breath. It has reinvigorated me not only to be right with God and seeking His will for my life, but also to share with others while I can.

If there's someone you're supposed to talk to about Christ and what He's done for you, don't wait until tomorrow. If the Holy Spirit has been tugging at your heart and telling you to say something, don't put it off another day. As we tell our kids, obey immediately and with an attitude of joy. Maybe the tugging at your heart has been to surrender your life to Christ. Don't wait. You really just don't know about tomorrow.

Denise's Dailys

Energy suckers-sometimes that's what my kids are. They can suck all of the energy out of me, so I have none left for my husband. Don't get me wrong. I love doing things for them, loving on them, taking care of them, but sometimes as mothers AND wives it comes at the expense of our husbands. Sometimes I just have no energy left at the end of the day and just collapse into bed. God made me to be a nurturing caretaker, but not just for my children. He made me to care for my husband and his needs as well. One mom said, "It's ironic. Romance gave us our children, and our children took away the romance."

I need to make sure he's my priority, because let's face it, he's going to be around long after the kids are gone. Song of Solomon talks about saving up all the choice fruits for our beloved. Not the leftovers? Oh.

God, help me today to make Robbie a priority, so he knows how much I love him.