Streams Of Mercy, Never Ceasing, Call For Songs Of Loudest Praise!

God is good! Every day He speaks, and while I may not always be tuned to listen, He is patient and faithful to teach. I never thought I would have joy about God breaking what I have built so He may build instead. But as He reveals the steps to me of what He has in store, I cannot help but be full of excitement and anticipation despite the pain of losing so much.

This is happening with my horse training. From the beginning He made sure I had a teacher and a mentor who was faithful in Christ and knew how to teach through the Lord. And even though I wandered from what I first knew, He is drawing me back and teaching me so much about how wrong I was doing things.

You see, horse training is so fascinating because it so resembles how people are taught. It is a tool the Lord has used to give me vision. It is a never ending process and every individual reacts differently and needs different tools to grow. Where I went wrong was with tools. Just as we stand on a foundation, a rock, of Jesus Christ who has saved us by grace and love, so does horse training stand. Once this foundation is recognized, it can then begin its work.

Nothing can escape grace and love. It does not have to say you are wrong, it leaves it out in the open, exposed to light, and leaves no hole for sin to hide in. These are the most difficult stages.

In these stages (for people and horse alike) you will see many behaviors that are shocking, hurtful, full of fear and even defiance. The consequences of these actions will come and many times are met with discipline. But somewhere along this path we will realize how futile it is. This opens the door for growth and learning. Here training begins. Here are our first steps of faith.

At this time our leader is accepted. There will be bumps along the way, as none are perfect, but we begin with small steps. As confidence builds in the one who leads us we do not just become more trusting, we become more eager. Thus, we mature. Daily being taught, daily doing what we know pleases the one in leadership.

In this process most (including myself) get lost in the second stage. It is easy to see a problem exposed to the light, but how to handle it? It is not by force we change these things. Only grace and love, the kind found in The Father, can bring us to understand the truth of the greatness of following and being changed. The tools used are little. Small tugs, light taps, a still, quiet voice.

My favorite thing when training is to see an eager horse. Recently I began teaching my gelding to bow. It took him quite a while to figure it out, but when he did, he bowed twice as low as the times before, knowing it pleased me for him to do so. He learned a glimpse in that moment of how our entire relationship will eventually be.

To know in something so relatively insignificant joy can be found, how much more should there and will their be in God! In looking to the future, I cannot wait to be closer to my God. And as He transforms my training, he transforms my sight not just to solve the problem, but to understand it and let Him transform the heart. He guides every piece, down to my fingers and toes, and forever may He do so!


Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise his Name, I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

The Spirit Of Truth And The Spirit Of Pride

"And now I will show you the most excellent way." - 1 Corinthians 12:13

God you are good! No matter where I look, even as I am in the darkest corridor, the light of Your Son Jesus Christ shines greater than the pitch-est black. Thank you God for your goodness and thank you for Your Mercy. You are great and deserve all praise forever and ever Amen!

Persecution is becoming stronger. It stalks in the night, plotting its vengeful strikes. Murder infects all its thoughts and for many even a scratch is fatal. But woe to it that it would strike one protected in Christ. Its black blood stands naught in comparison to the grace and love flowing from the Savior's wounds. We will not be shaken. We will not be moved. For God is greater than any man, greater than any spirit, greater than any temptation, greater than any trouble, and greater than the death Persecution itself carries. Praise God, for He will always prevail.


For as long as I can remember people have hated me. It never bothered me, but I did always wonder why. Now I believe God was and still is preparing me for more. Just as Master Yoda says, "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to the dark side". The true nature of people really is to follow this path. It may not land us on the dark side, but it can take us some place worse. Seeing with eyes of hatred is always a clouded view. And those who wish to see clearly from it, while try they may, create and open wounds on themselves and others tearing at the way out. Destruction follows quickly after people who invite these things and there is only one way to escape its path.

Love.

And not just any love, mind you. This love surpasses all. It only comes from knowing the True God and the grace He gave through His Son Jesus Christ. This love says even though we are persecuted, even to the death, we will still be humble servants to the very hands that are killing us. We will still offer them everything we are in hope they and others might see.

So no matter how much you think I am wrong, how many times you make my words bitter in your mouth, or how much you think you know. No matter what you feel about me, how much pain you are in, or what you think you see clearly through your eyes of hatred. I know the truth. And even such, I choose to serve you by the power of the Holy Spirit. Through grace and love are the most intimidating walls broken down. Pride is no exception. I do not think I am better than you, I do not separate myself from you. Any of these things you have been told by your emotions or by others is a lie. If God truly is the center of both of us, there will be no dissension between us. So tell me, if God is breaking down walls and barriers that have been built for years between myself and others who are in Christ, why is one being built between us? When those who are truly bitter toward the Lord are coming against me and persecute me for my faith, why do you do the same? I am no better than you. You are no better than I. I have done wrong and struggle with my flesh daily. But the Lord is God, everything will be accomplished for His Glory.

Come at me with your hatred. It does not matter who is right. The Lord has spoken. None who do not dwell in Him will survive.

The Apology And The Plan

Bitterness. It is my struggle. It is one rooted in fear and absolute, rigid, lack of grace. Before it was just my struggle. But this faith... the one God is revealing, He says this struggle has no place. Before I would have questioned and tried with all my will to stop my thoughts. Instead, because of the incredible love and saving grace of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, this self-indulgence will be fed no longer. By Him I am saved, by Him I have faith, and by Him I am healed. No longer do I have to walk in the ways of myself! I can hardly sit still thinking about it. Talking about it, well, laughter is all that can suffice.

Excitedly I walk as God points me to the future. In fact, each day, it becomes more difficult to contain myself. Praise God for being God!

Then comes the apology, the seeking out of forgiveness for the bitterness that was harbored. Some forgive... and some will not, but just the same God's grace is overflowing. And God's everlasting handiwork becomes more obvious. I see it when I look into the eyes of another believer and I know that they know and they know that I know and God is present and His Spirit overflows and somehow it becomes apparent that somehow you were prepared for that moment even when you have never even heard their name.

I have faith in God's plan. By Jesus Christ I am saved and made whole. Despite all of the sorrow and pain and fear in this world, my place of peace and rest will remain the Lord forever and ever. As he breaks me to become more like Him, the more His will shall be done in my life.

Thank you God for all you have done! Glory and honor and power and praise be to you forever and ever amen!