Love Letter-Part 1

Isaiah 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name;

thou art mine.

A dear friend shared the above verse with me yesterday. "You are Mine." What a powerful statement from the LORD. I ended up rereading the whole chapter this morning. I am hoping in this post to

express to you all that the LORD shared with me. He personalized it to me. Like a lover letter straight to my heart. For time sake, I might have to type this in parts. Let's just focus on the first verse for now. I highlighted five things the Lord spoke to me about.

• I created you.
• I formed you.
• I redeemed you.
• I called you.
• You are Mine.

The LORD created me. He oversaw my growth within my mother's womb. Every birthmark and personality quirk were created by Him. They are His signature marks on me.

The LORD formed me. Not just in the womb, but my molding since then. Every childhood experience, the struggles of youth, the person I am today. All of it was formed and molded by a master potter.

The LORD redeemed me. Not just from my past sins before salvation, but the besetting sins that still make me fall on my face. I am forgiven and redeemed! Oh, what sweet peace and freedom in being redeemed. In my sin and shame, He saw something priceless. He believed I was worth dying for, that I was worth saving.

The LORD called me. He has called me to be His daughter and friend, to work with Him, to walk by His side and be used of Him. Specifically, He has called me to be a single mom, a homeschool parent, a Sunday School teacher, and a witnesses of His love and majesty.

I am His. He reminds me that I am not my own. I am not to be someone or something else's. I belong to the LORD. When the world tries to tell me I am someone else. When the enemy tells me another lie. When I feel like I am being crucified. When I feel misunderstood. When I feel like a stranger in this place. When I stray my eyes from His face. When I feel incomplete and unloved. He calls to my heart, "You are mine. I have chosen you."

I am His. What a beautiful beginning to a love letter. I encourage you to read all of Isaiah 43. Read it carefully. Read it with a prayerful heart. The LORD has much to share with you. Linger over the words. Go back and reread it several times in one day. Let His words touch your heart and draw you deeper in love with the Lover of your soul.

Newest Fingerprint

As I finished my transaction at the store, the Lord prompted me to get a certain amount of cash also. I tucked it away. Later that afternoon, I was alerted to a situation that needed prayer. I wasn't too far away so we headed over there. It was a very tense and stressful situation. It surrounded a financial loss. The little cash I had wasn't going to solve the problem, but I felt like it might be encouraging anyway. I gave it. Later that night, I realized I hadn't gotten the mail since Tuesday. We zoomed up to the P.O. As I opened the mail, there was a refund check from my insurance company. It was for the same amount I had given away, with .01 extra just to remind me God's shovel is bigger! It had been mailed long before the day's current situation. That is the LORD, folks. This is how He works in my life. How is He working in yours?  What fingerprints of God are you seeing in your situation?

A Muzzle & A Bulletproof Vest

So lately I have been feeling the need for a muzzle and a bulletproof vest.

A special muzzle for my own mouth. It seems to open and say the wrong things or in the wrong tone or to the wrong person or just at the wrong time.  I keep running back to the Lord for this spiritual muzzle:

• Psalm 141:3  Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
• Psalm 19:14  Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
• Ephesians 4:29  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
• Ecclesiastes 5:2  Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
• James 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

Another desired item is a bulletproof vest. My heart seems vulnerable to attacks this month. Words from within and words from without seem to make me bleed quickly. The bulletproof vest I need is again a spiritual one:

• Exo 28:29  And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually.
• Isa 59:17  For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
• Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
• 1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

And the heart of the issue is really my heart:

• Psalm 61:2  From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
• Psalm 109:22  For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
• Psalm 62:8  Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
• Psalm 73:26  My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
• Psalm 147:3  He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

And the Lord tells me to do several things with my heart. Here are a few:

• Proverbs 4:23  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
• Proverbs 23:17  Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
• Proverbs 23:19  Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.