Devotions from Annie #3

I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here…

"Get me now!  Holy Cow!  Would someone pinch me please?"

How many of you have plans for your Spring Break?  Are you going somewhere fun?  Isn’t it fun to anticipate those fun things you’ll be doing?  Grace called her Grandma to ask what we’ll be doing while we’re at her house and she got off the phone SO EXCITED!!! J

Yesterday was 3.16 and it got me thinking about John 3:16…For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have...

….Everlasting Life!!

How much do we really think and anticipate how exciting heaven will be?!  It’s going to be so awesome, that we can’t even imagine. 

I want you to think of your favorite things right now.  When I say go…tell your buddy your 3 favorite things in the whole world….your phone, your bedroom, DisneyWorld, the beach, your dog, a hot fudge sundae or your mom’s chocolate chip cookies warm out of the oven, CYT, your best friend, your Mom. J Go!

Heaven will be like all of your favorite things times a million!  Randy Alcorn wrote a book all about his study of heaven and he said…For those who have a relationship with Jesus, this life on earth is the closest we’ll ever get to hell but for those who don’t accept Jesus as their Savior, this earth is the closest they’ll ever get to heaven.

God lives there and we know He is good and the book of I John says He is love…HE IS LOVE.  And since God hates sin we know that no sin will be there, the Bible also says there will be no more pain and no more sadness.  I'm looking forward to my "happily ever after" with my Father and getting to see Jesus face to face....how about you?   

In My Father’s house are many mansions; (Better than Daddy Warbuck's mansion) if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.  John 14:2

Devotions from Annie #2

The sun'll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be sun...

 Have you ever tried to stay up as late as you could?  Eventually your body is made to shut down and go to sleep.  God created us to live and work in the light of day, and to sleep at night while it's dark.  [God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. Genesis 1:5]  I think it's an interesting fact, that before He created us, His people or even animals, He created all that we would need to live an abundant life.  He knew what we'd need and provided it, before we even came to be.  I can just see God's planner now: "Project Creation of the World:  Day 1 Day & Night".  I for one am glad our God is so good to know that we'd need to sleep....every. night.

 If you know me, you know that I LOVE me some sleep. *sigh* Sleep is one of my favorite things God provides.  I love love love my bed, my squishy pillow and my red blanket.  It's so comforting to be all tucked in, which reminds me that I'm being held in the palm of God's hand. [You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Psalm 139:5]  When you're going through a rough time, or even just a rough day, isn't it so nice to know that bed is waiting at the end of it?!  Not only does sleep give us comfort, it also gives us strength to go on and make it through the next day.  Annie was not just singing an optimistic little song to encourage people.  She was actually singing a biblical truth that even if today you messed up BIG, made a lot of little mistakes, or just felt like it was one of "those" days (that's gray and lonely)...His mercies are new every morning and Tomorrow is only a day away.  He is faithful to provide the sunrise every morning that tells us we have a clean slate to start over.  I'm so thankful for His mercy and forgiveness in my life that take my sin as far as the east is from the west and lets me begin anew each and every day.

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

So, ya gotta hang on 'til tomorrow...come what may. It's only a day away!

Maybe...

So maybe now it's time, and maybe when I wake; They'll be there calling me "Baby"...Maybe.

This song is about a little girl who doesn't feel like the orphanage is where she belongs.  She pictures herself in a house all hidden by a hill with a mom that plays the piano and a dad that plays the bills.  

Annie was dreaming of what life would be like if she wasn’t right where she was.  Have you ever been in a place in life where you didn't feel you belong?   Maybe it was a place of pain or a place of hardship or a place you just didn’t plan on ending up.   Maybe it was a job that you didn’t get, or that part in the musical that had to have been written just for you…but then you saw the cast list.  Life is full of disappointments, but the good news is…that disappointment can actually be part of God’s plan in moving you to the next step of His best for your life and future.  (Jeremiah 29:11)

What we don’t see is what God sees.  He loves us so much and as our "Daddy", He wants the very best for us.  (Romans 8:15) He holds us in the palm of His hand and even though it wouldn’t seem that the orphanage was the best place for Annie at that time in her life… it was.  It was also good for the orphans around her that she was there.  She was a natural nurturer.  Who would comfort Molly if she hadn’t been there?  Maybe it’s more about how God can use us right where we are, while we are dreaming of belonging somewhere else.  Maybe it's more about how He's stretching our faith.  Maybe it's more about His will, than ours.  Maybe He allows you to go through the orphanage, so you'll come running into His arms, right where you've belonged all along. 

Maybe…

And [Jesus] withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. Luke 22:41-43


Added later:  Here is something that might put our disappointments into perspective: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mcraekate    
Please hold this family up in your prayers.