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All Things New: Our First Week in Arkansas

8/19/2014

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I remember one morning, about two years ago, I had taken our car for an oil change.  It was very early, and I was the first and only customer at the car shop.  Now, our mechanic and his wife happen to be very good friends of ours, but on this particular day,  I was sitting outside at the picnic table, alone.  The sun was coming up over the horizon, the grass was swaying as if it were the only one who happened to feel the Spirit that morning.  I was so dry and so weary.  So dry and so weary that I don't even think I realized the depth of the sand in my desert land.  Parched.  And as the golden rays seemed to take over the darkness of the shadows of the trees, I heard:

I make all things new. 

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And with a word, He sent a spark of joy to my soul.  A spark I had not felt in a long time.

Lord, you do make all things new. 

And I clung to that promise for two more years as God began to unfold His plans for our lives. 















I still have so much of the story to tell!  I stopped with telling you all about my near-death experience in my driveway, and I am going to finish that story and move forward.  But, I had to fill you in on the move, the house, etc. 

And today, I wanted to share this with you.

As I was thinking, the Lord showed me that He said He makes all things new, not different, new. 

What is the difference?

I looked up the words. 

Different: not the same as another, unlike in nature, form or quality. 

New: not existing before, made, introduced or discovered recently or now for the first time.

Then, the verses flood my mind:  "Therefore, if anyone be in Christ, He is a new creation, the old is gone, the new has come." (II Cor. 5:17), "I make all things new."  (Rev. 21:5), and "Look! I am doing a new thing!  Do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and a stream in the desert." (Is. 43:19).

I make all things new. 

For now, God has provided a different home, a different church, different friends, a different theater, a different job. . .a different view:

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But what does He really make new?  He makes you new.  He makes me new.  When we ask Him to come into our lives, He makes it all new.  And he doesn't stop there.  He makes our circumstances new.  He gives us a garment of praise for our heaviness and beauty for our ashes (Is. 61:3).  Yes, it is different for us.  But, it is also new.  A new church, new friends, a new job.  New.  Just like He said it would be.    

So, as I rise up from washing my face, and I grab the towel off the rack, I look at it, it's new.  
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Yes, new.  A reminder that He keeps His promises.  He makes all things new. 
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Moving Forward, Pressing On

8/1/2014

14 Comments

 
This will be short and sweet,  because we have PACKING to do! 

We are moving forward, we are pressing on!  Arkansas bound!  Theater bound!  Here we come! 

We are so excited.  I was going to go on and on with the story (what happened after we came back home, etc.), but I have changed my mind. Because the enemy has tried to get us down the last two weeks, and he is not going to win.  As my friend said to me last night, "No weapon formed against you will prosper," (Is. 54:17).  Then she proceeded to look me in the eye and say, "The Bible does not say, no weapon will be formed, the weapons WILL be formed, BUT THEY WILL NOT PROSPER!  That is the difference.  It cannot and will not prosper against you." 

Wow!  That is powerful! 

The thoughts that were swarming our minds involved fear, doubt, shrinking back, leaning on human understanding. . .

But if God is for me, who can be against me?  (Romans 8:31)  NO ONE!

Will God provide?  Is anything to difficult for God? NO!  (Jeremiah 32:27)

So, I tell you that news today with great joy!  We have a lot of work to do today and tomorrow, but if you want to come load up a box in the U Haul or squeeze our neck before we go, we will be having a little Packing Party tomorrow (Saturday) at 5:00 p.m., here at our house (obviously!  LOL). 

Oh, and one more thing, God has loved on me in an amazing way this week, through YOU!  The phone calls, texts, devotionals, prayers, taking care of our kids. . .it has been overwhelming and awesome!  Your friendships are the light of Christ, no doubt! 
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Michael and I at our new theater home in Mountain View, AR.
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