A Shepherd and the Sheep

Psalm 78:72 "So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them with his skillful hands." 


I wouldn't be where I am in my journey with the Lord without people in my life who have shepherded me. I am truly humbled and in awe of the many strong mentors whose transparency and giftedness are used of the Lord to strengthen others. Their faithfulness and leadership move obstacles of uncertainty out of the way so others can get a vision of their own potential the Lord has destined. In their pursuit of the lost, the weak and wandering caught in traps, those in the wrong pastures, hungry but not feeding properly, scared...love surfaces and draws the sheep together. I for one, have been drawn back to the fold after stumbles and wanderings by the direction of the Holy Spirit through these earthly shepherds. When we know our gift and use it for His glory, many are nurtured into a greater faith. This becomes a domino-like effect. God smiles on his shepherds. 

Shepherds search and find, strengthen, guide, rescue, speak wisdom and redirect, nourish, and encourage. Little wayward sheep begin to grow, begin to trust and believe in the good of being a part of something bigger. 

As a child of God, The Good Shepherd is our example. He offered up His very life, conquered death and gave us that same power, to overcome! 

Over the last, almost 10 years, I've seen my own role gradually change to one constantly in need of shepherding by the saints, to one who shepherds, taking on a few leaderships roles amongst my own flock of fellow sheep. God is good and what I continue to learn about myself, what God is capable of changing in someone and building up in someone is truly an amazing transformation. The tangible application of serving in leadership roles guided by skilled shepherds within the Body of Christ has blessed my soul and filled me with purpose. 

I can trust in Him, that He sees the bigger picture even when we can't see to tomorrow, next week, next month or next season. 

As a "sheep," I've hung on that cliff of doubt and fear, trampled through the tumbleweeds of disappointment, "bleated"out to a point where God's voice disappeared because of my own agenda and needs. Shepherded by many skilled hands and tender hearts, given a chance by a shepherd to lead, God has shone Himself in many amazing grace moments and built-up a confidence in me, not of myself, but all that God can and has done through me. 

We come to rely on these shepherds in our life; their wisdom and strength, passion and stability, skillful hands and hearts beating to the same beat. 

Sometimes things happen. Life is fluid, moving and rushing ahead. Change is inevitable and when it is hard for both the shepherd and the sheep, we are reminded that our strength and hope is found in the Lord, our Eternal Shepherd. 

Sometimes the adjusting and change may take an earthly shepherd to a different pasture.  We have to remember always, THE SHEPHERD and that His plans are not ours. His plans are always, always good. This is a time when the enemy, like wolves on a bluff, can sneak in and ravage the flock. Our job as His sheep, is to continue to lead the lost towards His Light, to love and support each other and PRAY, for the integrity of our hearts and the use of our own skillful hands God has so richly blessed us with. Let us pray for those who so generously and faithfully have shepherded us and continue to do that in and through the things God has set before us. We are His Church, His hands and feet and I believe we are more than conquerors. 

God is our God through all of it and He remains the same. 

Lord, I write this for a burden on my heart, one You know Lord. Please guide me in Your ways, praying ever more diligently for those in leadership-shepherding places, to be encouraging and  accountable and filled with integrity. Keep the wolves at bay and the sheep from harm. May our skillful and willing hands be more than able and adaptable. We pray for all the shepherds in our lives who have guided and believed in us, sometimes when we didn't believe ourselves. Give them Your peace Lord that surpasses all understanding. We give You praise for allowing us to grow through change and serve You because of strong leadership in our lives. I pray for Your sovereign will through our efforts of leading and shepherding to make You known. We are not limited, but limitless through You Lord! Be near us Lord Jesus, our Lord and our Shepherd, Amen. 

Crowned in Grace

Isaiah 61:1 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me, to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners."

 June bursts into July like a firecracker.  An explosion of  pictures with  rainbow filters, commentary, debate, and questions permeate our social media and conversations. 

Amongst my circle of close friends, we dialogue.

How can we be more like Christ? How do we do this?  Our own God-filter doesn't screen the darkness perceived;  it lets the light in, giving us a correct focus.  Light scatters the darkness.  

We live and breathe the Good News.  God is the Doer. 

So, we step ahead, continuing to soak in the Light and give off the Light. 

I took a small day-trip this week, going with another friend to visit a very sick young lady. As moms, we both can relate to  "the living in a hospital" situation, tucked away in the lonely, fearful sections of our memories.  This young girl suffers with a genetic affliction, a life-long chronic disease.  She is a miracle girl really, holding on with all her strength. Her hope, to once again hold a camera to her eye and capture God's miracles in her photography.  Her Facebook page holds a last attempt before this ground-breaking surgery 5 months earlier, a  most courageous step. As we visit, dialysis filters her blood because her kidneys sleep;  her two new lungs, new liver, her new pancreas fight to be accepted. She is our brave hero. 

Her heart,  bound up tight by the love and sacrifice of her family and her knowledge and love of the Lord from an early age, beats with a passion to live. At three years old, she sat in her car seat on a long trip and told the story of the Savior from His birth to Revelation, amazing her parents. Her dad shared that story with us. 

Now in her early 30's, to us,  she is held captive by her disease, yet her joy is a smile from her dad and a promise he'll return with a little chili from the cafeteria. I wish I could open the windows so she could breathe in the smell of the ocean which is not too far away or hear the booming fireworks as Freedom is celebrated tomorrow night.   

While walking back from lunch with her dad, planters in front of a bungalow held a certain plant, four of them.  I stopped to take a picture of the Crown of Thorns also known as a Crucifixion plant. 

 I know the Truth as the blood of the Lamb of God trickled down, our sin filtered out by our own belief in the Miracle,  through Grace and Perfect Love so that we can be free to resume a relationship with the Father.  How many stopped to notice the four pots of thorns as we walked along the broken up sidewalk, notice the hospital rising up from the everyday lives of people out strolling the beach town and making a living, a place where the afflicted hope to be healed?  The captive sit at their bedside, pace the halls, and press into their own crown of thorns circling their heart.  

We are all afflicted. We all fight to be accepted. We're held captive by our opinions, our politics, and even our religion. We're imprisoned by our anger, our fear, our weak faith.  

The Crown of Thorns, it flowers.  In it, there blooms Life. 

The red flower bursts forth through the thorns to capture our attention. 

In our freedom,  may hope be found in our thanksgiving, in our humble awareness of grace.  We are capable of great love in our freedom to choose His Great Love. God sets us free to be a Light among the crumbling sidewalks of this great nation and beyond. 


Plant it Lord, deep into my own affliction, bloom in me the grace I need for the moment, for the day, for change and culture. You Lord, are the King of Kings, Giver of Life, crowned in Eternal Glory. Make me into a healer, not a wound-maker. Make me a locksmith, ready and equipped to provide a key for the captive. Holy Spirit, be upon me, prompting and urging me to pray for our nation, our leaders, our children, speaking words of hope, forgiveness and truth in love. Lead me into obedience in Your Word and in my actions. I  ask Lord for healing, for Grace upon amazing Grace to trickle down, for compassion and wisdom to walk this busted up path, knowing where it leads. Help me to lift open windows for others to    see Your power and to listen with an open heart, the boom of Your hope, an eternal fireworks show of Your sovereignty. 

Be near our dear girl Lord, her family and her doctors. In Jesus Name, Amen.