​With the many events that have taken place over the course of the past few months, I find that my time there has been limited and moments few.  My soul yearns for quiet extended time to soak in all that God has to offer me there, for it is my sacred place.
 
My sweet friend in Franklin, TN knows me well and we have spent many moments together on my porch.  She knows too of its importance in my life and how God uses this space to minister into the hearts of others.  Recently, I was blessed by a visit from her!  From her creative hands, she gifted me with a priceless treasure and capturing all things important.  They are rules.  Porch Rules!

​As I read each rule, memories raced through the pages of my mind.  Memories of occurrences for each one and time spent alone and with others.  What an amazing gift.  This picture does not show it’s final resting place on my wall by the giant dragonfly, but it greets me daily as I have temporarily placed it by my front door.  Along with gentle reminders to keep my attitude in check, these rules call to me and summon me to partake for I have neglected far too long.

​​Though I am not a taker of naps, there have been many times I have stretched out and my legs have dangled over the arm of the loveseat.  I have felt the breeze as it blows from the northeast.  Coffee is my choice beverage as I converse with friends or have a conversation with the Lord.  I always listen to the birds.  Their sweet songs lure me into a contemplative state.  Yes, I read books…occasionally…but I’d rather write than read.  I have found that the best book is The Words for Life authored by God Himself.  When I relax, it’s always on a porch!

​The word for you today is to create a space for yourself to meet with God, minister to others, or simply reflect on His beauty.  Ask the Lord to bless your space.  If you already have a place set aside, have you visited it lately?  Make space in your day or week to allow your soul to breathe, relax.  Soul restoration is vital!  Take time.  Make time!  I’m leaving you today with one of my favorite songs by Larnelle Harris; I Miss My Time With You.  I pray your heart will be pricked and then encouraged.

This is my last blog to you for a while.  I am taking a break to nourish my body, mind, and spirit as Kathy and I have many (click) upcoming Restore events and hope you will join us!

For now, my soul needs space to breathe and you will find me on the porch, following the rules!
Renewing for His Glory,
Sherry

​In my guitar-strumming days, I used to enjoy playing and singing a Twila Paris song entitled “The Joy of the Lord is My Strength.”  It was an upbeat song with a catchy tune, performed with lots of country music-style twang. The lyrics had something to do with walking by faith and not being afraid, but I always found the title perplexing. To me, joy and strength were two totally different characteristics. I could understand how a person could be joyful AND strong, but I couldn’t quite grasp how joy could BE strength. 

Fast forward a couple of decades to a time in my life when I really needed strength…..a time when I was weak from battling health problems. I needed emotional and spiritual strength to fight the fear that comes with illness, and I needed physical strength to overcome the nausea and pain brought on by my illness. At the time, the pastor of my church was preaching from the book of Philippians, which teaches us that we can have joy in all circumstances. My circumstances were certainly not joyful, but I learned that I could still find joy in my relationship with the Lord.
​

My illness required major surgery, and for a couple of weeks after I was discharged, I was housebound. On Sundays I grieved because I couldn’t go to church.  Since I couldn’t attend church, I watched the service on line. Sitting on my sofa, I sang the worship songs along with the choir, and for a few brief moments, I forgot that I was hurting and simply praised.

When I was able to return to church and choir practice, I did so with a renewed appreciation of the privilege of corporate worship. There is something special about joining with other like-minded believers, enjoying their fellowship, hearing God’s word and singing His praises.
​
I was uplifted. My spirit soared as I sang each chorus as loudly and clearly as I could. I delighted in hearing my voice blend with the voices around me. I was thrilled to be among God’s people once again.  These were the people who prayed for me, sat in the waiting room of the hospital, brought me meals, texted and emailed to check on me. It was a joy to be with them in person again. It was a joy to be in the Father’s presence, to feel His Holy Spirit in that room. I completely forgot my aches and pains.  I laid aside every fear or worry and instead focused on our awesome God.   I felt strong. The joy of the Lord was my strength. 

​Nehemiah Chapter 8 tells about a gathering of God’s people, too. God’s people were returning from exile, and under Nehemiah’s leadership, (despite opposition), they had rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. The people gathered into the square to listen Ezra and Nehemiah read from the Book of the Law of Moses.  The people listened attentively as the Scriptures were read and explained, and then they prayed and worshiped.  The people wept as they heard the words of the Law.

 Perhaps they wept because they recognized how often they had failed to keep God’s commandments.  But Nehemiah and Ezra entreated them not to weep but to celebrate, to focus not on their sins but on the greatness of God. They were to rejoice, and in rejoicing, they would find strength to complete their task. Sometimes it is appropriate to grieve and to mourn our sins, but for the Jews this was to be a time of rejoicing.

                                 When we’re joyful,
                                                  our difficulties don’t seem so insurmountable.  
                                                                                    Our work doesn’t feel like drudgery.
                                                                                                                     Merriment lightens our load.

​Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” It’s good to laugh. Laughter has therapeutic value. 

When I was sick, I found it was important to keep things in perspective and look for the humor in my circumstances. A good laugh would cheer me up. Well, actually, right after having abdominal surgery, I found that a hearty belly laugh was painful, but even then my husband and I could make a joke out of the pain.  “Hey, did you hear the one about….,” and he’d begin to tell a joke.  “Don’t make me laugh! It hurts to laugh!” I’d say. I couldn’t help smiling, but I did try to repress that belly laugh. 

​I tend to be serious-minded.  For a long time, the concept of rejoicing in all circumstance was an idea that I couldn’t quite grasp. I think I confused it with stoicism; that is, when life was tough, I thought God meant for me to steel myself and say through gritted teeth, “I’m rejoicing.”  But I’m learning that God actually does want us to laugh and celebrate, even when trials come our way. That doesn’t mean we have to be happy ABOUT our trials. (As in, “Oh, great! More pain! Bring it on!) But in the middle of our pain, we can still find reasons to celebrate, while we trust that God will use our pain for greater good. 

​So I’m learning to lighten up and rejoice. Here are a few things that helped me find that Happy Place:

Habakkuk said,
“Though the fig tree does not bud
And there are no grapes on the vine,
Though the olive crop fails
And the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen
And no cattle in the stalls
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
 
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
He enables me to go on the heights.”  Hab. 3:17-19

​Could Habakkuk really rejoice if everything around him were to come crashing down, if he lost his livelihood, if he had no food on his table? How could he endure it? Would there be a smile on his face--a genuine, spontaneous smile? Would he still laugh and joke and sing?  Would he be partying?

​Now that I’ve experienced firsthand the joy of the Lord, I believe I know what Habakkuk meant when the said, “I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength.” He could look at his circumstances and say, “It’s all OK.  I have a relationship with the God of the universe, and He is in control of everything that is happening.  My troubles are only temporary. One day, God is going to make everything right. He gives me strength for whatever comes my way. He enables me to rise above my circumstances.”   And that’s a happy thought. The joy of the Lord is my strength. When I am joyful, I feel strong. 
Rejoicing in Him,
​Margaret

Don't miss our Women's Tea/Luncheon, Saturday, July 16th at the Country Club of Louisiana 11:00am - 1:00pm
Reserve your place TODAY!   

​It was a morning when everything would go smoothly and at my pace! I have completed almost all of my requirements and commitments.  Whew! Summer has just begun as Brian and I retreated for our 22nd wedding anniversary weekend and the end of school and programming is a mere memory!  Hallelujah! 
​                                       I gaze into the early morning, step confidently into it, and take a breath.

​Ah, finally!  A slow morning…sipping strong Italian roasted coffee on the veranda from my favorite thin-lipped bone china mug…the sound and sight of aqua-marine, translucent liquid and sand-dollar white sea foam waves crash in on the bronzing and bubbling shore…morning sun rays, yellow and softly stroked, displayed against a coral pink canvas, vastly stretched overhead and as far as the eye can see…just enough breeze to make me wipe the strands of long loosely graying locks from my eyes, from across my face, and from coffee moistened lips ...an ever so slight roar races by the dangling artisan metal hanging from my earlobes and makes its way into the open canal of sound waves, sensitive to my surroundings…seagulls chanting their melodious freedom squawks as they soar overhead with each downy grey feather tailored for flight!  I take in the salty air, slowly, yet strongly and deep through my nostrils and hold!  As I exhale, my shoulders lower, my brow and jaw relax. The tension my body has held for months finally dissipates and relieves my frame from tightly infused muscles. My soul has found space beneath my closed eyelids as they exhibit a black velvet curtain while UV rays reflect from the darkened lens that rest atop my nose and cheekbones.  Nature.  The shore.  It’s the place where it seems everyone wants to escape to rejuvenate. There, is where you find time …take time…to rest and breathe. ​A peaceful place.  A peaceful moment.

​Abruptly, my eyes open.  I rouse from this “if only” dream!  It was a place I wish I had been but instead, I have been sitting at dining room table working on my laptop for hours, with shoulders slumped and the right leg tingling with sleep.  Cords are tangled and plugged in from every angle.  The colored “spinning wheel of waiting” displays again and again trying to convince me that waiting is a fun playful game.  I feel it’s a game of patience.  But I cannot wait!  Command, option, escape…Force quit!  And for the fifth or sixth time!  I will loose what I have begun if not saved…it’s a chance I will take….again…and again!  I stop and laugh.  I laugh aloud in an empty house and ask myself, “How many times will I restart my laptop?!”   In fact, waiting throughout the entire day (scratch that…it’s been a week now!) I’ve “re-” many things!  That’s how it began to grab my attention.  The world of “re-” flooded my thoughts and activity.  I had to re-boot technology and re-start what I was working on.  I made an appointment to the chiropractor to re-align my spine and hip, only to have to re-schedule it.  My cup was empty and I needed to re-fill it.  The project I was working on had to be re-worked and I had to re-consider options.  I was playing phone tag with a friend and of course, they had to be re-called.  I had to re-fuel my car.  Re-wash clothes. Re-everything!  Throughout the week, re- words kept appearing.  The more they re-showed their face, the more I laughed.  How could this possibly be happening?  Surely God was getting my attention.  Even when I re-opened my email, A Holy Experience blog from Ann Voskamp stared me in the face... “how can you do a reset in the middle of the year: June’s the new January.”  I nearly fell on the floor!  I had just re-committed myself to starting over in June.

​Now, I’ve heard that you can really tell what is important to someone because it continues to pop up in conversations or actions become a habit.  I apologize that I have already written about pushing the Reset Button and It’s a New Day!  This theme is so ever present in my life.  My mode of life seems to be placed on looping!  Come to think of it, it was in David’s life, too! Many of the Old Testament patriarchs (and women) of faith struggled with the same thing.  And what about Paul?  The good that he wanted to do, he didn’t; and that which he did, he didn’t want to do.  Often that’s me!  Are you tracking with me?!  Why, just this weekend I heard another comment from someone who was blowing their plan…again.  “Oh well!  There’s always tomorrow!”  We all have been guilty of moving forward… even in sin…knowingly…but also thinking that tomorrow we can start afresh.  We say, “Grace covers a multitude of sin” and…there IS something to be said for grace, but let’s not abuse it for liberty and an occasion for the flesh.  (Galatians 5)  Let’s remember our heart attitude and come before Jesus with a true repentant spirit.  Repenting is turning completely around and going the opposite direction! We need to get the idea of “Oh well!” out of our minds and start pursuing diligence.  I’m preaching to myself, here!  [ok, off of my soapbox, I’m sure we’ve gotten the message!]

​We all want our life to look a certain way.  We dream of what could be. We want our time spent well, our relationships meaningful and running smoothly, and all of our bills paid…ahead of time!  We dream for well-behaved children, family members keeping their opinions to themselves, jobs free of stress and that are fulfilling.  We wish we could memorize scripture with ease, love without hurting, and engage in conversations that are rich and uplifting.  We want to weigh less… or weigh more.  We see ourselves investing into the lives of others but we find that we are more comfortable with our own click and are not eager to remove ourselves from our comfort zone.  We want rest and a place for our soul to breathe, but we take on one more thing!  We want bodies that are healthy, in shape, and free of pain.  We look at Facebook see all of the pics of happy families, travel, and vacations of leisure filled days on the beach!  Our soul burns with envy.  I’ve seen your posts!  We are all seeking, and at the core of everything, what we truly seek is peace.  Sweet friends, peace is not found in re-setting, re-starting, or re-dedicating.  Peace is not found in trying to better ourselves.  Peace is not a setting on our emotional dial or the empty square on our calendar.  Peace can only be found in Jesus, the Prince of Peace himself. (Is. 9:6)  He is our peace. (Eph. 2:14)  His peace He left for us. His peace He gives to us. (John 14:27)

​Emily Freeman states, “Sometimes the start of a new season brings fresh perspective.  But other times, the bursting forth of newness around us serves only as a painful reminder of dryness within us.” 

​Restoration is needed when something is overly used, misused, broken and tired out.  June always seems to be a month that I cry out for restoration and newness! I have spent much time giving to others and get so wrapped up (tied up) that I neglect the importance of re-filling.  I KNOW the importance and the benefit, but I always choose to neglect it.  It’s a stronghold that runs deep.  This is something that you can join me in praying over.

​I can’t believe that the first week of June is already here!  If I’m not careful, I could quickly sink into a panic of summer is already here and I haven’t done anything yet!  Or…I have so much to do to get ready for August!  Time is too short!
 
Yes, I keep reminding myself to stop.  Breathe.  Relax.  Re-generate.  With God’s help and your prayers, I will honestly try.  And in doing so, I will seek peace only in Jesus.  I will receive the peace He gives.  I will embrace the peace He has left me.  I will seek it eagerly.  ​I will look for peaceful and still moments for my soul to breathe and the Father time to speak words of life and rest into my weary mind and depleted spirit.  

​"Let him search for peace…and seek it eagerly.
[Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God,
with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!]" 
​1 Peter 3:11 Amp.

​“Pursue” is a pretty strong word that calls us to action.  I pursue a lot of things but honestly, pursuing Peace always seems to fall toward the bottom of my list.  So for June, I will put one “re-“ word at the forefront of my thinking.  REGENERATE!  Which defined means to bring into a new existence.  My heart desires to renew and enrich my journey with Jesus.  One day long ago, He pursued me relentlessly.  He gave me new life!  He is bigger than the heavens.  He’s the lover of my soul!  I am but a speck, but He has chosen to call me His very own.  When I think about His wondrous love, I am humbled.  I am moved.  I am convicted over my lack of pursuing Him as my first love. 
And the question runs deep:  Do you love to love me?
             Within this love a sure trust is found... 
                                       ....And therein is peace.