Have you seen my charger??

I know it has been a while since I've blogged, but it's also been a while since I've taken time to really dig into my Bible. I know it sounds bad, but it's realistic and why lie about it? Snippets of time here and there just don't cut it when what I need is true revelation/renewal/revival. It's been a tough couple of months and busy, too. Robbie is still looking for full time work, my cat ran away, we got a new puppy who takes a LOT of attention, and my Granny died unexpectedly on the 15th of March. I feel like I'm spinning in circles most days, homesick, feeling guilty for not being home right now (I live 5 hours from my parents), catching up on work and life in general, so I was feeling some true disconnect from God. I pray a lot, especially in the car between work and home and vice versa, but somehow my Word time just got shorter and shorter.

One day I actually prayed jokingly to God and asked him for more time in the day so I could get a few real minutes with Him. Would you believe it if I told you he somehow made 1 1/2 hours of time in my schedule where I was ALONE in the house (no puppy and no husband) and my phone didn't even ring? It was that day that I realized, again, how amazing God can be. That he really does desire relationship with us. It's kinda like my cell phone. There's a big difference in the charge the phone can get from the car charger vs. the at home charger. If I plug in just going from point A to point B, I'll get enough boost to get through the day, the work at hand. But if I want enough power to get me through the really tough spots, the long haul, then I gotta go for the house charger, where I can plug in and stay connected for an extended time before I am fully recharged. He wants to come sit with us, hear our crap and advise us in how to make our next moves. If we only spend a blink with him daily, then we'll get to share snippets and we'll only hear tiny snippets in return... but if we take the time to spend with him in reflection (not just thrown up prayers or the Psalm I rushed through one morning) then we will reap the counsel of wisdom at it's best. Life is short, we never know when the end will come, we don't have time to play games with God. Take some time and get to know Him, it's totally worthwhile... I found so much peace and comfort in just that little bit of time.

During my time with him, I studied on revival, restoration and renewal. It's like I feel so "beat down" right now. I guess that is like opression or burdened. I feel tugged in every way. Here are some scriptures that have given me hope and some joy in this time of my life.

Psalm 80: 14-19
Return to us, O God Almighy! Look down from Heaven and see! Watch over this vine, the root your Right hand has planted, the son you have raised up for yourself. Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire; at your rebuke your people perish. Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself. Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name. Restore us O Lord God Almighty, make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Isaiah 40: 27-31
Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by God"? Do you not know? Have you not heard The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Psalm 51: 10-12
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Dear Lord, please help me to remember that you and you alone can renew my heart and give me the strength I need for the day. My Diet Mtn Dew won't do it, my husband can't pull me through it, going home and being close to my family won't do it... Lord, ONLY YOU can restore a heart or revive a soul. You alone are worthy of the praise for giving me renewed energy and the grace to move through this situation and into the next phase of life. Hosanna!! Praise the God who saves, who is merciful, the light and salvation of the world. Amen.