Come, prized pearls of purpose, who Jesus adores! Dance free with your Lover who wins all your wars. The Bright Star of Heaven came perfect and weak. He died this way too, that His face you might seek. Come praise and proclaim Him who pardons your soul. Who heals and delivers each part of you, whole! Leap high like a child who your Savior pursues. Come boldly embrace Him who walks in your shoes. The Lord seeks and sees you. Find purpose and rest. His Presence proves perfect, amidst every test. poem by Cheryl Ricker Dwight and I began our …
Kingdom Rush
“Kingdom rush!” That’s what came to mind yesterday during and after the Masterpiece Bible book launch party with Brian Simmons and Ron DiCianni! Talk about feeling a strong sense of God’s presence in the (Zoom) room! What a joy and honor to gather with these humble servants of the Lord for a powerful time in the Spirit, now captured on video (below). Their love for Jesus, his people, and the Word set many a heart on fire as they shared about how God uses their unique gifts to reach and save others – some even on the brink of suicide. …
Panic Unbuttoned
Fear and panic are two kissing cousins I’ve wrestled with long and hard. But God. Jesus whispers… I’m with you as you turn your back on fear and panic. I know the junk that flies your way. Nothing slips by me. That’s why I’m here to settle you as you turn from life’s heart-racing pace that fires up raw emotions in you. Let’s catch those joy-thieves and stop fear in its tracks! Let my Holy Spirit envelop you and replace the raging tide with my peace that passes understanding. Watch me settle over your soul and bring rest like I’ve …
Storm-stepping
I’m now home from our 25th anniversary celebration in Clearwater Beach. Pondering storms and focus. Three of us four Rickers have been long-battling a fairly serious physical storm, even as we intentionally focus on the Son. Storms feel confusing. They don’t make sense. They’re a test. How do we get to the other side? What should we do? What now, what next? The list goes on. Here are a few short lessons I’ve learned from our storms. As always, I pray you’re somehow encouraged and blessed. When you start to feel overwhelmed, meditate on the Word and the good that …
Sore Spot
The Lord gives me tons of these phrases which I promptly post on Facebook to encourage people. Every now and again, it does the opposite and hits a sore spot. After a positive outpouring, I read this comment a woman named Angela posted: Why do I doubt this? 2 guys tried to break into my home 7 times… I chased after them once, they continued to harass me, I couldn’t sleep for a year and my nerves took years to recoup and only now do I feel a little better. Tonight I spend the night alone and ain’t going to lie, …
Personal Powerful Love
As I lay in bed with my iPhone, I asked the Lord what He wanted to say through me today, and this is what rolled in and out of my spirit: Rest in My unconditional love that speaks louder than your grief and trials. My love for you is personal, endued with power, lacking nothing. I pursued you from your youth, even before you chose to look My way. Make Me number one today. Taste and see that I, your Redeemer, am good, and My faithfulness and mercies shall endure forever.
Unity
Unity is as important to God as ever, but often a downer when we stare at the church’s apparent lack of it. Even the word “unity” strikes a barrage of thoughts and questions. What does it mean? What does God want? After all, He made us all different, right? Let’s cut to the chase. He wants us all to seek His face. The more we spend time with Him, the more we become like Him. The more we become like Him, the more we become unified in our hearts. Dwight and I have matching wedding rings to signify this. The …
Seeing and Hearing
Hey everybody. I’m back!! I’ve decided not to let the spasms in my back, neck, arms, and shoulders keep me from talking to you here anymore. Sound good? Yeah, I’ll take it slow; but the blogosphere is calling me. Plus God and I had a little talk this morning, and I trust Him to lead the way. Sometimes obstacles look like giants obstructing our vision. But God says, “I am the way.” Next to the One who is inside us, what really is a giant anyway? God has been challenging me to keep my Jesus-lenses on. This is where we …
Missing Peace?
This morning while reading an email from a friend, the Lord distinctly dropped these words into my heart. I believe they’re also for you. “When I say ‘do not be anxious about anything,’ I mean anything. You need to cast aside regret about things you wish you had done differently. To regret something in the past is to be anxious about it. Instead, you need to commit those unnecessary burdens to Me so I can take care of them. As you pray and petition Me with thanksgiving, fully entrusting your burdens and requests to Me, I will establish peace in …
Swing Wide
We look for God to open doors for us, and so we should, but let’s not forget how God wants us to open each door of our heart to Him! What door does He want you to swing open today? Listen and discern the knocks. Open wider and wider to His Kingdom ways. [box] Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Revelation 3:20[/box] [box] Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient …
Happy Thanksgiving
Shining Among Christians
Today I read an awesome and vulnerable blog post by author and speaker, Michele Cushatt, who shares about shining her faith to those who don’t yet believe. Yesterday, my husband told me he heard Dave Ramsey shine on his radio show that reaches a large secular audience. Ramsey recently interviewed an actor friend who played in the new box office hit, War Room. (Awesome movie, by the way. It shines!) [box] Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. Daniel 12:3[/box] Christians …
He Knows Better
Ask “I LOVE when you ask me questions.” God slips this in my spirit like sweet chocolate; and for a second, I wish my husband would say this too, but oh well. He isn’t God, my first love, and I’m glad. “Asking questions shows you trust Me with answers. It keeps us close.” Father, you’re as refreshing as a glass of ice water. You know I want to be close. “Drink deep of My wisdom. It’s your open invitation.” Lord, I love Your wisdom. May my family and I never be like Eve who saw the dangling fruit as a …
Spiritual Caulking
Ooo… Ahh… We have a brand spanking new bathroom. After gutting our old one, we put in a new one with the most beautiful floor to ceiling tiles and clean white vanity. That’s probably why our hearts hit the floor this morning when our son took a shower, went downstairs, and discovered a major leak from the new bathroom above. “No!!!” Morning Surprise We opened the closet, shone a flashlight on and around the pipes behind the new tub, and everything was drenched, especially our new so-called “drywall.” How could this be, Lord? Don’t we have enough fires to put …
Reconciled
Isn’t that what it’s all about—being reconciled to God and living as if we truly are? Jesus is all about reconciliation. Bridging the gap between the Father and us. “It is finished.” The curtain tore in two. We can enter a meaningful life of intimacy with Jesus. Christ the King lives within! The same Spirit that raised Christ from the death lives in us! [box] “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7[/box] Merry Christmas! In the comment section, name one thing you …
Losing My Mind
I am sick. I am tired. I am addicted. But God calls Himself the Great I AM. And “I AM” is bigger than our problems. When God told Moses to confront Pharaoh about letting the Israelites go, Moses became nervous and said, “What do I tell them when they ask who sent me?” [box] God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” Genesis 3:14[/box] And that’s exactly what Moses did. He held God’s Name up high. Likewise, we can hold the great …
Cumulus Glory
Seeing this wild cloud formation yesterday afternoon reminded me how we’re constantly in a battle between light and darkness. Will we say “yes” to the dark sweeping clouds of sin and let them swoop down and threaten our sky, or will we learn to hate what is evil and cling to what is good? A big white cloud of witnesses watches. Our ever-present Savior eagerly waits to help us deal with enemy darkness in its various changing forms. God gives us the gift of choice. So what will we do? [box] Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come …
He is Here
[box] Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked. “About …
Closer Than You Think
I’m as close as the mention of My name. Not even an inch can separate us. I blanket you with everything in Me and all I want is your love. You don’t have to jump high hoops to reach My approval. I approved you the moment I made you, and I don’t make mistakes. Here’s what I do with mistakes when you slip them in my hand: I turn them into dazzling diamonds—God-glorifying gems in the crown of your tested testimony. The more you see how much I treasure our closeness, the more you’ll treasure Me and rise to the …
The Ugly Wife
When I hear Jacob tell my father how much he loves my sister, my heart sinks. I’m second place because of my sister’s good looks. Passing by, I can’t help but notice the twinkle in their eyes as they hold each other in their gaze. Him, tall and ruddy; her, bright and curvy. I couldn’t possibly feel any more plain or invisible. I almost choke when my father wants me to slip me into Jacob’s tent and marry him secretly. What a horrible trick. Am I that ugly that I need to lower myself like this? I do as he …