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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The Devil in the Desert

Tonight is going to be full-on honesty time.


I've no doubt that I'll wake in the am and rush to my computer to re-read what I'm about to write, in fear that I've let myself go way too far...


But until the light of day shines, I'm going to write like a crazy woman.


I do hope you'll oblige me.


You know, writers who craft their prose in the dark of night, hunger for those comments to show up when the sun breaks over the horizon. :)  My fairly lame literary attempt to beg you to converse with me. 


So here's the truth of the matter. We know that the devil is alive and well, and on a rip-roar all the time. The Bible says that he comes to kill, steal, and destroy.


Period.


That's his mission. 


Kill.
Steal.
Destroy.


Hmm.....aren't we pretty stupid if we live thinking, "You know, I'm just not going to think about him."


Yeah. 


That terrifies him when we ignore him.


I don't think so.


I want you to know that I am just about convinced that he or one of his fallen angels, lives in the desert.


OK, so maybe I'm half kidding.


I tell you, we went to TN for a week, which turned into a week and 1/2 due to the snow that shut down the Atlanta airport. While we were there,  I felt SUPER! I mean....great! I had 2 days that were tough, but on scale of comparison to being in AZ, I really was wonderful.


We get back to AZ and we're here all of 12 hours, and I begin to T-A-N-K.


It's so hard, you know. I LOVE my friends here in AZ. They are the best I've ever had...truly, wonderful friends.


Yet, I know that if I don't get out of the desert, I'm not soon going to get better.


Crazy.


I love Tennessee. It's beautiful, and our new home is a dream come true. I'm blown away by it, and by God's grace to save it just for us.


My dream, my heart prayer for a home was to have space where guests could come to stay, and have their own private bath and personal area in the basement.


That's exactly what God gave us, too! It's perfect for friends, or Precept leaders who want to come in for an event but can't afford a hotel. It's just PERFECT!


I truly love the house. I pray it will be a great blessing to many.


I pray that Ms. Shelly will be my first guest! I need to give that girl a hug!


Love ya'll.


Thanks for listening. 


We'll be off of me tomorrow.


For today, I'm just struggling with my hatred of MS.


I do hate it, yet I gotta get past that, as God is using it to His glory....so I need to quit whining.


As I said, I'm ranting tonight....so I'm not going back to proof read, or I'll likely delete the whole post. 


Looking forward:
I'm going to learn to sew.
Brennan and Caedmon are going to take horseback riding lessons in TN.
We're joining the YMCA. Oh, to be able to swim in the cold months!
I'm going to write more often.


Immediately forward:
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


Love ya'll tonight!
Jes

6 comments:

Stephanie said...

Love you, girl! And if we can't be the first guests I hope we're the second. (wink, wink)

I say run from the desert with full abandon! I'm thrilled we'll be in driving distance and can't wait for you to meet Raelyn!! <3

Deb said...

Dearest Jesica,

I want to encourage you to continue to HATE MS and I believe God hates it too! **God good things**devil evil things**, but He does allow it.

The MAIN thing is that--whatever we are facing that we continually turn back -so to speak- while hating the evil and what the devil wants to STEAL through it. He can’t steal “God’s Glory” really, unless we give it to him.

It's like driving to a destination—at times we must stop (the devil wants our situation to stop us dead in our tracks/no Glory for God), turns (from our thinking about whatever it is and feel-to what God promises through it—leaning on those promises), sometimes we get lost (sometimes we stay longer in the negative place than we even want to), but we continue to our destination (Our Father God and the outlook He intends for us to choose). In terms of God that is GIVING HIM GLORY through it, and my dear Jes, I want to encourage YOU because you are doing just that!!

I must quite frequently remind myself that if I choose to act (stay) in a negative way because of reality and how I feel about it ---especially in a very hard thing, the devil has the opportunity to steal the GLORY that belongs to God. My desire is-as much as it is possible to give God ALL the GLORY HE DESERVES and He sure deserves it all! When I have been able to do this, it has been because of reminding myself of God’s many promises and leaning on those for my very life…and that would be His Life in me!

That to say, it helps me when I think about the devil stealing the Glory that belongs to our Glorious God in Christ Jesus.

God Bless, and I am so glad that you will be feeling better in TN.

God Love You Dear Jes

Love, Deb

Phostenix said...

Jes, not related to your post, but this was the quickest place to contact you. :) Here's a link to a great message from Matt Chandler that we listened to today on what a healthy church looks like (Jan 2009): http://snurl.com/uo7o4 [fm_thevillagechurch_net]
The website is kind of hard to navigate at first. You don't need to download the files to listen, just click on the audio icon next to the sermon title. The whole list of sermons is here: http://fm.thevillagechurch.net/sermons?type=sermons
Let us know if you need anything before you go.
Grace and peace,
Steve & Sharon

sharon brobst said...

You are such an encouragement to so many, how wonderful for our great God to move you to a place where you will feel better.

Anonymous said...

i absolutely enjoy your posting choice, very attractive,
don't give up as well as keep writing in all honesty , because it just simply worth to read it,
looking forward to browse more of your own articles, regards!

Solid Rock or Sinking Sand said...

Jesica, I will pray for our Lord to touch you with His healing hands. Thank you for your post. God bless, Lloyd