And then there are other seasons.

You know how you go through seasons when it seems and feels like God is really, REALLY close to you?  Like you are in constant communion with Him...praying without ceasing...continually amazed at every little bit He seems to reveal and speak directly into your heart?

And then there are other seasons.

Seasons when you have to remind yourself to pray...when you stumble across that scripture verse instead of eagerly seeking it out...when you struggle with doubt that seems to come at you from left field?  One of my spiritual gifts is faith (which means I have an easier time than most when it comes to belief, trust, and assurance of the loving plan of a supernatural God), but even still, I sometimes get attacked by stabs of insecurity, fear, and doubt....about God's plan, God's goodness, God's presence.

Here are three things I remember to help me through these seasons:

1.  Remember that the enemy is "a prowling lion seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8).  I have to guard my heart and mind because when I am walking in spirit and truth, Satan sees a target!  And he has many customized methods he uses to attack.

2.  Remember that God loves me and is not withdrawing from me.  On the contrary, I can almost always look at my life and thoughts and see that it was ME who has pulled away.  UNintentionally, I let my business and human ways of thinking take priority over seeking Him.  I think I'm seeking Him because I keep praying for Him to draw close and I open my Bible now and then.  But it has become secondary to my daily thoughts about home, work, ministry, people, and my own affairs in this life.

3.  Remember that season of special closeness.  Let me clearly state that I do not believe faith is or should be based on an emotion one feels.  But I do believe that sometimes that emotion I felt so strongly is a gift to help sustain me in the season of drought.  Remembering what I felt can give my mind clarity at a time when the looking glass seems blurry and dark.  When God renews my faith, the "things of earth grow strangely DIM" as the song says.  And that was probably the cause of the drought to begin with!

I don't know what season you're in right now.  But I know you're human and probably have gone through, are going through, or will go through a season of distance--drought--at some point.  Remember to be on guard against spiritual attack and your own fleshly mindsets, and remember the conviction of your faith to keep you grounded.  I hope the skies open up in refreshing rains for you!

Grace and peace.

Time for a Change

I'm tired of Windows Live.  Actually frustrated is more like it.  I am not a technology-savvy person, but I think they are trying too much to become a social network like Facebook and they just will never be able to compete.  There.  I said it.

So, short of copying all of those blogs here on Blogspot, I will simply give you the link to where you can find all my old stuff.  I cannot promise you the link will work (thank you, Windows Live).  But here it is: http://beckythorn.spaces.live.com/  Good luck!:-)

I also maintain a blog for my singing group, Evidence.  And you can find those posts at:  www.evidencesings.com and click on Blog.  I may also re-post those entries here from time to time.

My previous blog was titled, "Waiting for the Pot to Boil," because I have always had this feeling that I was waiting for something.  That God was preparing me for something more, something bigger, or at least something different.  Well, I think the waters are finally bubbling.  I think I'm doing exactly what God created me to do.  Instead of waiting for Him to show me what it is, I've decided to jump in and join Him where He is.  And that's a pot that boils over!  I am happy to share it with you.  Stay tuned.

...literally and figuratively. 

Ha!  Get it?  Yeah, you'll get used to it.

Grace and peace.