Saturday, February 16, 2008

Lifting Up Our Eyes for Mercy on Us All

I lift up my eyes... where does our help come from?

Exactly three weeks ago today, my precious friend Cyd was kidnapped by gunpoint in Afghanistan. She is a humanitarian aid worker among the poorest of poor giving her life away. Lifting our eyes, holding hope that Cyd will be released by her abductors. Day #21.


My close friend, Rebekah, has a cousin who was kidnapped in Mexico and released for ransom this week after being held for six weeks, malnourished and blindfolded the entire time. Unbelievable story. With our eyes lifted, we are praising God for his safe harrowing release.
On July 16th, I lost my eyeglasses. This week, thanks to a secret agent in Houston, I was able to order prescription glasses again. I am so grateful to be able to see like this. So very grateful for literal eyes lifted
Basketball ended this week. The whole season came down to one play that could send us into the playoffs or send us home. Down by one point, two seconds left to play and our coach calls a time out. They set up a play to my son, Britt. Ball is thrown in to Britt, who forcefully drives to the goal and goes up for an uncontested routine lay-up. He is fouled in the back knocking him off balance a teeny bit but it's an effortless play. He's up in the air, the ball heads toward the hoop, rolls around the rim, and pops right back out. He has made that play a thousand times. We lost the game by one point. We lost the season by one play and we're home for another year. No, one play doesn't lose a game or even a season, but one play does win a game.

A seminar I went to asks you: What was "life" to you as a child? What was "death" to you as a child? What do we walk away thinking about the plays of life that mark us? A friend of mine says that children are great observers of life but lousy interpreters. So how will Britt process the whole season on his back? What did I do with it? How will we lift our eyes in this little loss that looms so big in the eyes of a child. My husband always says that we learn more about life from our failures than we could learn from any victory.

I worked full-time this past week substitute teaching. I don't have anything lined up yet for this coming week. My husband is in the process of looking for another job as well. His job building a Christian school has come to an end and there are no contracts on the table. Is this the time to go back into ministry or what does our God want us to do? It is the reality of where we are and whatever our beautiful God wants us to do, wherever He wants us to go...we will. What do we do? Our eyes are lifted to HIM.

The winner of the Love & Lagniappe post is . . .
This morning when I awakened, I lay in bed pondering the events of this week while reading a disturbingly good book called Mere Christianity and the #7 kept popping in my head. So, there. Whoever is #7, send me your address and I'll send you the beautiful prayer journal.
It's lovely Laura, a new friend to me.

Some things have shaken my soul a little this week and this morning as I awakened, God brought to my mind Psalm123:2
I lift my eyes to you.
As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
so our eyes look to the Lord, our God,
till He shows us His Mercy.
till He shows us His Mercy on us all.
Have mercy on me, O God.
May He have mercy on you!

10 comments:

Denise 2/16/2008  

you so bless me........... !!!!!!!

Happy Sunday

annette 2/16/2008  

Still holding on to hope in our Merciful Savior for Cyd and may He have mercy on us all. Amen. Keep looking up. Love, Annette

Mary Lou 2/17/2008  

The only direction to really look is to look up. He spoke to me yesterday and told me I had no one to turn to but Him and to look to Him and within a short period of time He answered me...When we get our eyes off of Him and on our circumstances and/or people that is when we falter. Been there/done that...So, may He be the Lifter of your head today and a shield about you.....Praying a breakthrough for you and your jobs situation.

Patty 2/17/2008  

In my 1st weeks homework in Stepping Up this was one of the 1st verses we looked at. I have been thinking a lot about you and your husband. I am praying for a job for him. I wouldn't be surprised to see you back in the ministry. :o)
May God brinng Cyd home this week!
Have a blessed Monday!
Love,
Patty

Thru Pink Curtains 2/17/2008  

Our Daily Bread says--
He’s been faithful, faithful to me;
Looking back, His love and mercy I see.
Though in my heart I’ve questioned, even failed to believe,
He’s been faithful, faithful to me. —Cymbala
Praise flows freely from the choir of the redeemed.
as he recalls the 'saved' actions of others and himself. Each of us have been given a measure of endurance and we can hang on to the hope that Jesus is with us. I too am out of a job and cannot pay bills this month and stand to lose everything and what do i do. He has always come thru at the last moment. God bless you today. amen

Alana 2/17/2008  

I'm praying for the day Cyd is released. My heart is heavy for her.

Fran 2/17/2008  

Oh dear Bev,
My heart is full of anxiousness and hope all at the same time. I KNOW that our merciful God is busy doing His glorious thing in all our lives and in all the things going on with you and your family......its the uncertainty that can cause us to shrink back, doubt, or fear.

So, I sit here Sunday night and just give every ounce of every thing that you have in your heart to God. I ask Him to simply provide the manna for today and today only. I ask Him to give you such peace that not one bit of fear will overcome you.

Bev....He is working in your beautiful life. He is up there saying..."Just hang on Bev....just hang on....I've almost got it ready. Just hang on sweet child."

I love you dearly.

jennyhope 2/17/2008  

oh I am so about to go pray for you right now. I just love you and thank God for you. You have no idea.

Also, I am still praying for Cyd. Love you Mrs. Bev

BethAnne 2/19/2008  

I cannot imagine what your friend must be going through. I am praying!

valerie 2/22/2008  

Bev,
I came across your blog and wanted to let you know it has blessed me this morning. I haven't had a chance to read everything, but the most recent post with the verse in Exodus "My Presence will go with you.." was a verse that was on my calendar in Aug. '06 the month and year my daughter was getting married. I held so tight to that verse the entire 7 months of planning the wedding and could feel His presence.
The following post where you added Psalm 123:2 is the chapter in the Beth Moore Bible study "Stepping Up" that I'm doing right now.
I've just done my homework with those verses from Ps. 123.
I love when God does that!
Sorry about your son's bball game. It's so hard.
My church has a Christian school and our high school boys have gone to the playoffs several times but never won. Last Sat. they won!
They had trailed the whole game and it came down to the final second of the game and one of our boys shot a 3 pointer and it hit the backboard and rolled and rolled and went in. They won by one point. There are several senior boys that have gone to school together there since kindergarten. It was a blessing that their season ended like that.
God bless you and I'll be checking in on your blog again soon.
Valerie

Praying for Our Friend Joanne Psalm 131:3 Waiting on God. Hope Now. Hope Always.

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"Whoever welcomes a little child in My Name, welcomes Me." Matthew 18:5 We have posted pictures of the orphans receiving their gifts from you. Scroll down to the post entitled "Today Was the Big Day." Many orphans didn't own anything of their own, but now do, because of you.

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I've met some amazing women through blogging. I would love to hear from you. My personal e-mail is:
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I have another blog where I blog daily as a small group of us read through the New Testament this year. It's called A String of Pearls. We carry each other on mats (when we just can't walk anymore) to Jesus and sweet things like that.

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