Continuing my reading in Luke, another verse that I really found as who I need to be willing to be is Anna. (Luke 2:36-38) One simple verse that struck me about Anna, as a woman, what she did is this…

“And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all who looked for redemption…”

This verse reminded me quite a bit about what Blake Whitcombe was talking about yesterday in church too. His message really encouraged me right now with the thoughts and internal struggle I am having as well. I was reminded of my job to plant seeds continually and to water the believers and to leave the increase completely to God.

Anyway, but really, though this is a short little post here, I’m just encouraged and reminded once again to be willing, to obey, to be faithful, to give thanks, and to be so consumed with God that He is what I speak about!

I know I have not written in a crazy number of days, but I have been reminded of so many things these past few weeks.

Recently I have been taking my time going through the book of Luke. The came out of no where but by God’s guidance. Honestly I was feeling really sorry for myself for several days about my lack of wisdom simply from being young and silly and also that I am a woman. Silly I know, especially that I would even feel sorry for myself about it, but I have been struggling with wanting to make a “difference” to minister, to help and I have been literally keeping myself in a lie that is saying “Megan, no one cares what you have to say! You are young, inexperienced, foolish, equally sinful and on top of that you are just a girl!” I have struggled with some of my past and the thoughts and reminders of when I was a teen, how I really felt like I was seeking God and His truth, and looking back on it, while I was trying to do that, I was TOTALLY wrong in my approach, and honestly I have been scared of doing that again. I don’t want to be wrong, though I know I am imperfect and sinful, I don’t want to look back in 20 years and say, look how dumb I was being and ignorant I was towards God and His children! I don’t know if that is a bad thing, but I suppose it is a part of life to learn from and to grow from, which I do believe God wants us to do. It’s a scary realization to go from feeling like you are figuring things out to realizing you don’t have a clue at all…one of the reasons why now I know we all need to stay in close fellowship with God and not just do the “best we can”, but earnestly ask and seek Him….and learning that when I am ignorant to Him, I can ask forgiveness and He is faithful regardless of my anythings. I have come to realize that even my greatest intentions on things I want from life are so stained with sin and with selfish motives deep down…even wanting to raise a godly child has some level of pride behind it, though it’s my responsibility to do!

Well I “stumbled”upon Luke these past few weeks, and I’m hanging out a lot in the first 3 chapters….

A few things that God has used to really stand out to me is the story of Zacharias and of Mary…one a man, the other a woman. One is older, more mature, wiser, a believer. The other is young, innocent, probably not super experienced in much of anything and yet she is a believer. Now I know I have heard this story a million times before about the angel of God coming to Mary and telling her she is going to be the mother of Jesus though she has never known a man….but I guess what has caught my attention for the first time in this story is that while she was in her young, immature state, she was faithful and she was “regarded in lowly state”. (Luke 1:46) Mary still believed, was faithful and magnified and rejoiced in the Lord. I am sure she didn’t really have the words, and she was never a mother before, how must have she really felt? (Just being a new Mom myself, I never thought too much about that side of the coin. I had always sorta thought, she was the mother of Jesus! Her job was easy! He never sinned, He never disobeyed…etc… but she was still a sinner, still human and I am SURE she had those thoughts now!) Anyway, the point is Mary didn’t question God in disbelief of what He was telling her He was going to do.

Now to go back to the beginning….Zacharias, “righteous before God, walking in all commandments…blameless” (Luke 1:6) what happened when the angel came to him and told him that Elizabeth, his wife that was considered barren, would be with child (John)? That this child would be “filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mothers womb” (1:15)…Zacharias did not believe, and God caused him to become a mute at the time of Elizabeth’s pregnancy because of his disbelief to the Words of Gabriel through God the Father.

Am I crazy or was there a serious lesson for me to learn in there? Of course then the questions and excuses can start in my mind, well I’m no Mary! I mean come on, it’s not like I am going to do anything THAT great for God like Mary did! I mean what on earth am I suppose…. NO MEGAN! The point still is, faithfullness and obedience and belief in the Lord wholly and completely! I am pretty sure Mary was not the perfect woman, having all the answers and wisdom, always having the right way to pursue her daily living…but she was faithful! Even thinking upon all of this and even writing it out, I honestly am still saying to myself “but Megan, even if I’m faithful and I’m trying to be obedient, what if I am still wrong?” (call me crazy, it’s ok! )

All of this is to basically say, no matter what, I am really striving to continue to have a willing and a faithfully obedient heart!  I pray that you may do the same!

I was reading 1 Samuel 1 & 2 today and I started really thinking about Hannah’s prayer for Samuel, and how she dedicated him to God.  She gave him COMPLETELY to the Lord, so far as to not even being able to raise him after practically begging God for a baby.  Hannah came to the point when Samuel was born that she kept him until he was weaned from nursing (1Sam. 1:22 & 1:24) and she gave him unto the Lord forever to be of His service.  (1Sam. 1:28)

I was also thinking about Abraham and Isak too, and how God asked Abraham to surrender Isak to God.

I pray for Ben everyday and I also thank God for him.  I ask God to really help me to be the mother He would want me to be as well as the wife, friend, daughter, etc…. but what has REALLY blown me away now that I am an actual mother, the total submission and surrenderance of life to God by these examples.   I’ve realized how seriously weak in faith and in obedience to God I can be.

I feel as though I love Ben so much, and I want him to live for God and I want to obey God, but…if God ever asked me to give him away…..oh my goodness!!!!  I am really learning or being hit by the lesson of what God really does ask me as a parent to do.  God really does want me to love Him more than my son, who I never thought I could love so very much.  I feel so low because of my unworthiness to my Heavenly Father, yet He has blessed me so richly anyway.  I know that He is teaching me and bringing me closer to Him through Bensen too!

I really just pray that I now can give my life, my heart and my love fully to God in surrendering obedience to His will for my family and my very own life.  Beyond that is the prayer for Ben to come to that same place of obedience and accepting God into his heart and life for eternity.

The really amazing thing about Hannah and Samuel, is that it TRULY was Hannah’s prayer for Samuel to live for and be used by God.  She only had such a short time to be with him, to cuddle-love him, to train and teach him…yet God took that and used Samuel in ministering at a very young age.  And the Lord blessed Hannah for what she had done with Samuel and gave her other children as well.   (1Sam. 2:18-21)

I am overwhelmed with emotions of this precious baby! He is so good, I can hardly believe it sometimes.

He is practically sleeping through the night already!  He is on a really good schedule overall, we’re still working on making sure he doesn’t need to be “held” to fall asleep, though I absolutely LOVE rocking him to sleep and holding him!

And he is becoming SO animated and Expressive!  I absolutely love the smiles he’s been giving me.  He’ll sit on my lap,  and just stare at me now…and he’ll smile at faces and noises too.

Sean and I are just starting to work on baby sign language with him and it’s so much fun!  (I mean he isn’t fully aware of what’s going on yet, but…)  I’m really praying that will help later on too.  I’m so excited to work on training him and teaching him more about Jesus.  That’s mine favorite sign to work on with Ben too, (Thank-you Jesus).  I’ve also been playing Bible verse songs for him too during the day.  I don’t want to be a “pushy” training Mother, but I really want to start as early as possible for the habit of it if nothing else!

I’m so thankful for Sean because he really wants to work on the same areas I do.  We know we are going to be far from perfect parents, but we are so thankful to God for some eye opening experiences that have allowed us to research and talk about situations and pray for wisdom and discernment in making choices in parenting for Ben.

Ben is starting to get very used to having to have his binky to go to sleep, which really isn’t what Sean and I want to have happen, so it’s a hard choice as to if we just let him cry a little bit and settle himself, or to just give it to him when he crys.

Wow, I read today Deuteronomy 28….

God really spoke to me about His blessings on our lives through obedience to Him.  Reading the whole chapter really is amazing so I would encourage you to do so, but verse 2 says

“And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you because you obey the voice of the Lord your God”

What a profound thought to think that if we simply obey God, listen to His voice, we will be overtaken by His blessings!  Sometimes I think and feel I get really caught up in pursuing a life that God will give blessings to, but int he sense of just pursuing the blessings…when you really think about it, God will OVERTAKE you with blessings when you aren’t pursuing them, when you are simply set on Him and not anything else around it.

God is so good to us even when we have not deserved His fullest blessing!  He has given us trials and He has given us abundantly from His riches, and we ask still that He does continue to bless us, spiritually,  physicall, financially, etc… we want God’s fullness of blessings and joys on our lives.  And while God does chasten the child that does not obey Him to bring Him back, God is faithful and just to forgive us and bless us in every stage of life!

His love for us is so great, I can’t comprehend what He was thinking when He chose me and loved me and now calls me His own.

Ben’s first Christmas this year!  Wow was that AWESOME for me!!!  What a GIFT!!!!  I couldn’t help but sit and stare at him and think of what Mary must have been thinking when she gave birth to baby Jesus and knowing that He would be the Saviour of the world!  What a precious baby and an AMAZING thing!  I’m so thankful for the birth of Jesus and the birth of my own son Ben.  I pray that I will be the mother that can raise him to KNOW the baby Jesus who grew up into a man to die for the sins of this world.

I can look around and see how quickly many people (including myself at times) get so sucked into the rush and the fuss of the season, that we really don’t take the time to truly be thankful for what happened and enjoy the special time with family.

Christmas Eve was so much fun spending time with family and playing games, also spending the night with at my parents house and waking up really early to open gifts.

It’s so hard because I LOVE making a big deal about giving gifts and the FUN of Christmas, but I want sooo badly to keep the right perspective for my children.  I’m so very thrilled about starting my very own family traditions as well.  All growing up, every Christmas Eve my parents would give us kids new pjs to wear for Christmas morning.  It was always a lot of fun, but I think I really want my tradition to be a new book for the kids every year….I’ve been buying a book for Sean every year for a while, and I think it’d be really cool to continue in a very special way…include a note to them and something special that way.

Anyway, I just had to share a little bit about the first Christmas, I want to spend so much more time writing and reading.  I’m really praying I can get into a schedule better, yet it hasn’t been bad for just starting.

I have so much to write about.  Such a story in how God brought Bensen Kyle Gravener to us…on Thanksgiving Day no less!  Bensen was born November 22, 2007 at 4:57pm weighing 7lbs. 2.9oz and 20in. long!  He is such a miracle and a blessing, my words can not even begin to express it!

There have been so many lessons learned along these past 9+ Months and I know so many more to come over the life of this little man.  My hearts desire to raise Ben to love and serve God is not going to be an easy task, and certainly not one that Sean or I are taking lightly at all.  It’s amazing the rush and the overwhelming love and sense of a different kind of responsibility God fills you with as a parent.  It’s nothing you can realize or even explain until you actually experience it for yourself!  I mean, I loved this little guy long before he was born.  I spent hours during my pregnancy rubbing my belly, praying for him and even talking “to him”.  I felt like there was such a bond there already, how could I possibly love this little person any more?  Well nothing could express the way I felt the moment I heard him cry for the first time.  Ben was born by c-section after a very very long labor (4 days as a matter of fact), and it was sorta scary feeling the doctors tug and pull and really cut me open to get this baby out, but the second I heard that first whimper of Ben, my heart totally melted and I cried such a mixed emotion of tears myself.

It wasn’t long after he was delivered that I had him in my arms and was really just praising God for this miracle of life that He gave Sean and I to raise.  This baby is so beautiful and precious.  He’s been so good too.  I can hardly believe that tomorrow he will be 2 weeks old.  This time is going by too fast already!!!  I want so bad to capture every single moment with him and share it with the world (though the World is probably not quite ready for that haha!)  In any case, my desire to still blog at least 3 times a week about my devotions and everything is still a goal, one that I am falling very short of at the moment, but still recovering from the c-section and taking care of the newborn is a little bit more than I thought it would be…so much better, but more than I thought it would be.

Sean and I both really have our hearts set on wanting to do so many things, and it’s really hard some days.  Trying to find the balance, the discipline and the consistency, really isn’t an easy job either.  We want our relationship to grow in so many ways, then to also think of what we have to do personally for our own relationships with God to grow, and then raise a child to have a relationship too, it’s overwhelming to think of the proactive steps we have to take to draw closer to God, but the rewards of how He draws closer to us is so worth every step when we take it.

Sean and I were talking this morning, and it is so neat to see how much closer God is drawing us to Him.  How much we do not want to become stagnant in Him, even when it is the easy thing to just read the Bible once in a while, go to church and pray before we eat…that’s not a real relationship with God at all, and I am so thankful to be married to a man who actually sees it that way too!

My hearts plea is just for God to continue to draw us, teach us and convict us.  That we would just stay humble before Him and before each other as a couple.  I know that may sound a little cliche, but it really is how I feel.

I am so thankful for EVERYTHING God has done for us, right now I just praise Him for this beautiful family, a wonderful husband and an extremely good baby!  For this warm and safe home He had for us, for the car that we can drive, for the Doctors that are taking care of us.  For the exciting time of year to celebrate His birth and spend time with family and traditions, for the snow fall that is so neat to watch out my living room window this great afternoon.  I’m thankful for God’s word and for His gracious mercy toward us!  I’m so thankful for Sean’s job and for the provisions it allows us!  There are so many things that I really could just list on and on this afternoon…but I’m sure you get the idea.

In any case, I am really going to commit myself to writing as much as I can, to continue to read His word and to Rejoice Always!

I was just reading Psalms this morning and came across chapter 77 again. It sorta hit me in a different way today and I wanted to share it with you because I think it really does apply and is something to remember constantly as we go about our lives, prayers and praises! I’ll give you the whole chapter here…and I’ll let you know my thoughts at the very end

Psalms 77

1 I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.

2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?

8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?

9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.

10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.

11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.

15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

16 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.

17 The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.

18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.

19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.

20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

I think we sometimes really question what God is doing…is He blessing us? Is He punishing us when things aren’t as we picture? Is He just testing? What is God really doing???? Anyway, this Psalm kinda stood out to me as I was reading 5 different chapters and when I read verses 77:3-4 when the psalmist talks about he complained in his spirit and was overwhelmed to the point of not being able to sleep, I was thinking haha, that’s me!!! Then when I continued reading verses 77:6-9 and Asaph started searching in his heart and starting asking a lot of questions that I think we ask ourselves….is the Lord there? Is He done showing us mercy and grace? Have we angered God too much to be blessed??? But then he continues on and he starts to remember God’s works and he commits himself to meditate and talk about God’s workings ALWAYS!!! I love verse 77:13 that says who is so great a God as our God? That’s the question we need to ask ourselves when we feel down or in trouble of sorts! How GREAT is HE!?!? Why would God do little things for us and then let the big things go? He’s NOT going to do that! Our God is a just God who is slow to wrath and quick to bless, (actually let’s go to Psalm 103 next that is one of my favorite if not favorite of all the Psalms) The psalm finishes with a reminder that God does lead His people…that stands just as true today as it will forever! He is going to lead us, He may give us more than we ask for (we still have to ask remember) He may only give us just as He sees we need (not what we think), He may have us struggle day to day to increase our faith and trust to see Him continue to preform miracles constantly, or He may give to us abudantly beyond all we can ask or think right now! It’s all in God’s hands, but one thing is true, as long as we draw near to God He will be near to us…that is a PROMISE no matter how you look at it. So really it just involves humbling ourselves in His arms and mercies everyday. Praying, spending time in fellowship with Him and with each other in Him, doing exactly what He asks us to do even when we don’t have all the details of what does God want me to do? He has given us a “list” so to say of exactly what He wants us to do, He’ll fill in the details later.

Anyway, real quick, here is Psalm 103 - I ABSOLUTELY LOVE VERSES 8-12!!!! This is such a great picture of God’s mercy written by David who experienced SO much more than we have in sin and in blessings!

Psalms 103

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;

18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

22 Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

***

I was listening to Suze Orman on public television today and she went through a list of 8 Qualities for a Wealthy Woman. I got really excited listening to this because much of what she was saying is so much of what I believe that God wants women to be applying to their lives in an honorable and desirable way. The main thing missing in her seminar today was the message of God’s word and truths. I’m going to share really quick the 8 Qualities that she talked on today and then I want to show what I’ve learned from Proverbs 31 and how they compare!

Suze Orman - Qualities for a Wealthy Woman

• Harmony
• Balance
• Courage
• Generosity
• Happiness
• Cleanliness
• Beauty
• Wisdom

Suze said so many great things about these qualities today I don’t want to take away from that, but I want to add to what I’ve really come to understand through Proverbs 31 on the virtuous woman. You can read the entire passage and I would recommend reading it every day for next two weeks as we go through these qualities that I’ve come to understand. Here is the list I started to work on and developed…

• Trusted
• Does good all the days of her life
• Willingly works
• Provides Food
• Rises early
• Good Business Woman
• Strong
• Perceives her merchandise is good
• Generous
• Her Family is well clothed
• Her clothing is respectable and rich
• She Makes and She Sells
• Full of Strength and Honor
• Full of Wisdom
• Kind
• Watchful of her family
• Is not idle or a gossip
• Fears the Lord

I am going to break down my thoughts on each one of the qualities I’ve listed out. You can really see in the lists, Suze’s list is really a summary of what Proverbs 31 already calls a virtuous and really a wealthy and blessed woman. The passage starts out by saying this virtuous woman’s worth is far above rubies, which is so precious and rare.I am so excited to be sharing the truths that I have learned and what I have seen demonstrated through other great women who seek true Wealth and Beauty.

We’ll take this one quality at a time and really break down verse by verse Proverbs 31….as soon as possible.

Philippians 4:4-13

4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

As I read this passage I get so filled with excitement and conviction all at the same time! This has become one of my favorite passages in scripture simply because Paul is reminding us of the gift we have from God, and to choose the thoughts and the attitudes we are going to take on.

He says to always rejoice in the Lord, and that right there is one basic theme of what “The Secret” talks about, it’s a state, it’s a mindset that you choose, no matter what is, right now in everything Rejoice in the Lord! Paul goes onto say to me in my own words, “Have no worries friend! Anything and EVERYTHING give it over to God in CONSTANT prayer, with THANKSGIVING in YOUR Heart, Mind, Body and Soul!” It gets me excited when I realize that I’ve only been able to experience a little tiny bit of the peace God is providing and promising me!

Paul then goes on to not only tell you to be thankful, he tells you right away what to focus on! How great is that, our God knows we need that direction and nudge to help us out?! He reminds us to monitor our thoughts to think on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, anything of virtue or praise - these are the thoughts God wants us to focus on because from this place is where we can best be used by Him! God is with you my friend! He is there to bless you and to bring about exactly your hearts desires, but I believe fully that it comes deeply from where you mind is focused. Much like the laws of attraction states what you think about you bring about, and though God is with you, He is asking you to think on the good things to be thankful for to give you more of what it is you are seeking! (My prayer is that we are all seeking Him and not turning from Him)
One of the thing I feel we tend to be missing is what Paul says next in verse 11 when he talks about contentment. It’s a place God needs us to be surrendered to Him, to “give up ourselves” to GAIN His fullest most joyful life He wants to give us! Paul has experienced abundance and he’s also been in low places, he knows what it means to be full and what it means to be wanting, yet learned what it meant to be Thankful and Content in Christ! To simply be thankful and to desire Him is the greatest place to be! Once grasping this in day to day life, I can’t even begin to explain how God works! He brings about the person you need, the desires you ask for, the actions or ideas that have to happen, whatever it is…
And I believe it is shown through this…

I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me! ALL THINGS!!! Christ is working in and through us to bring about all the things we need in our lives, we can do anything in Him! He is giving us His fullest strength, and we can claim that as His children, but what we can’t forget is all the verses prior that tell us what we need to be doing while He is strengthening us!

There is so many great passages in the book of Philippians and I don’t wish to leave any of them out…however this little section here is something that has been on my heart for a while, especially after researching the Laws of Attraction and how God can use that in our lives. To me, this is the first big thing of how God wants us to think, and that is what we should be after!