Growing Pains

Do you remember singing this song in Sunday School when you were little?

Read your Bible
Pray every day
And you'll grow
grow
grow

Funny, I was really excited for this topic. Lot's of ideas have been running through my head all month, and now it's my turn, and I haven't had a single minute until just now to write. And the things keeping me busy and overwhelmed are all due to growth. Baby is teething; those little teeth are trying to break through keeping her up at night and crabby-clingy during the day. Daughter is in physical therapy; 1+ year of constant tiptoe walking is affecting her musculature, skelecature, and posture. or are those things why she toewalks? Son is picking up concepts so quickly that I'm afraid I'm holding him back because I'm not organized yet to fully take the homeschooling plunge and concentrate on that right now.
And that's just the mothering aspect of my life...

I guess every phase of life is a growing phase. Sometimes it's a calm steady rate, sometimes it's exhilarating and flourishing, and sometimes it's stretching, overwhelming, and painful. That's the phase I'm currently in. I would prefer to be in the blossoming phase where beauty and fruit are evident, soaking up that sunshine. But right now I feel like I'm just slowly starting to move through the soil, trying to dig out from under the earth pushing down on me. Right now the comforting thought is that, unlike that seed out there that is growing up, reaching for the light, I don't have to wait to break through the soil. Even in my darkest moments, I have Light. I would like to share some of the things that have come up in my reading this month that have been particularly helpful and encouraging during this growth cycle.

March 8th Evening Reading

I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able. 2 Timothy 1:12
* Able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. Eph. 3:20
* Able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work 2 Corinthians 9:8
* Able to aid those who are tempted Hebrews 2:18
* Able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25
* Able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. Jude 24
* Able to keep that which I've committed to Him until that Day 2 Timothy 1:12
* [Christ] will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. Phil. 3:21
* Jesus said to [the blind man], "Do you believe that I am able to do this?...According to your faith let it be to you" Mat. 9:28-29

March 10th Morning Reading

The-Lord-Will-Provide Genesis 22:14
God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering. Genesis 22:8 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save: nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. Isaiah 59:1 The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn ungodliness from Jacob. Romans 11:26 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God. Psalm 146:5 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their sou from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Psalm 33:18-19 My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Phillipians 4:19 He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:5-6 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him. Psalm 28:7

March 13th Evening Reading

O my God, my soul is cast down within me. Psalm 42:6
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength. Isaiah 26:3-4 Cast you burdens on the Lord, and He shall sustain you. Psalm 55:22 For He has not despised nor abhorred the the afflictions of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from Him; but when He cried to Him, He heard. Psalm 22:24 Is anyone among you suffering? Let Him pray. James 5:13 Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid John 14:27 Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, hat you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:25-26 (this verse keeps popping up on this blog!) Do not be unbelieving, but believing. John 20:27 Lo, I am with you always Matthew 28:20

- excerpts copied from Daily Light on the Daily Path, as compiled by the Samuel Bagster Family
This book has been a great blessing to me, as it gives me a directed reading to share with the kids after breakfast, and the cohesive manner of it gives me one thought to meditate on throughout the day. And then there times like this when I am amazed how something compiled in the 1800's can speak directly to my need today. But when it's God's Word, it's always timely! He is so amazing.

Between the old English syntax and style, I've had to read the following poem several times to fully get it. Doing so has been well worth the effort, and one of the better payouts of my time investments.

Thou sayest, "fit me, fashion me for Thee."
Stretch forth thine empty hands, and be thou still:
O restless soul, thou dost but hinder Me
By valiant purpose and by steadfast will.
Behold the summer flowers beneath the sun,
In stillness his great glory they behold;
And sweetly thus his mighty work is done,
And resting in his gladness they unfold.
So are the sweetness and the joy divine
Thine, O beloved, and the work is Mine.

- Ter Steegen, as quoted in Principles of Spiritual Growth by Miles J. Stanford

A plant naturally grows upwards towards the light and warmth above. But I have it even better. I don't have to break through the soil; I have the Light with me always, for He promised to never leave me, nor forsake me. Instead of struggling to cast off the dirt pressing down around me, all I have to do rest in Him, and HE pulls me up.

As I was writing this down and thinking about verses I was typing, the Lord Spirit brought the following hymn to mind/heart.

Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power,
Thou hast made me whole.

Refrain

Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.

O, how great Thy loving kindness,
Vaster, broader than the sea!
O, how marvelous Thy goodness,
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Belovèd,
Know what wealth of grace is Thine,
Know Thy certainty of promise,
And have made it mine.

Refrain

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings:
Thine is love indeed!

Refrain

Ever lift Thy face upon me
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory,
Sunshine of my Father’s face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with Thy grace.

Refrain

- Jean S. Pigott, 1876



Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction,
For Your word has given me life.