Girlfriends, don't you just love Sunday School? I'm telling you it is just like being in Church to me and for me. I get fed, I get encouraged, I get a cool drink of LIVING WATER when I come in prepared to meet My Jesus.

We talked yesterday morning about the seed of promise through Abraham, we talked about the Law being given to the children of Israel, and we just got to touch on the gift of grace through Jesus Christ as our hour was up.

The reason why I'm so excited yet this morning is I have moved into the book of John and chapter 1 verse 17 just leapt of the page this morning with new meaning and FRESHNESS. "For the law was given through Moses; God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ." Then chapter 3 verse 36, "And all who believe in God's Son have eternal life."

For any of us that attended the LPM Live event or Simulcast this past weekend were encouraged to sip with a straw The Living Water. Hang with me as I've sipped with my straw this morning and I just about can't contain myself to stay seated, chapter 4 of John vs 34, "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work." The very words of Jesus in this verse, and yet I truly believe that our nourishment as we are found sipping through the straw is doing the will of God.

Father, Thank You for freshness, for new mornings, for Sunday School, for Your WORD. Thank You Father for confirmation, for the Holy Spirit, and for the beautiful gift of grace. Grace that rewards like we never could have hoped, dreamed or imagined. Father I love how Your Word is a perpetual spring, always giving to me as I come with a parched soul in need of nourishment. Praise You Father, Praise You. In the MIGHTY Saving Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lovingly,
Yolanda at Higher Grounds

**Scriptures are from New Living Translation**

Does God's word seem more alive to you in your current season, or is it just me? Is it due to being in His word more and more all the time? Is it from choosing a different translation to do so for my daily bible reading? Is it from walking with God almost 10 years and surrendering with out walking away from Him? I really don't know the answer, but the beauty part is that I am so hungry for God's word and what He has to tell me THIS day.



If you've been following me for any length of time then you know I'm currently in Luke. Luke 9:45 New Living Translation just blew me away this week and I really can't get it off of my mind. Jesus in verses 43b through 45 is predicting his death to his disciples when all of a sudden God shares with us that the disciples didn't understand what Jesus had told them. But they left it at that, they never asked Jesus to explain in further detail, they didn't tell Jesus that they were confused, they didn't tell Jesus to wait a minute and tell them again. WHY? The answer is in verse 45b "they were afraid to ask him about it."



Father, there are so many things that we all are working through and are finding ourselves in the midst of not understanding. I know that there are items You desire for us to not know, perhaps simply because we don't need to know. YET, LORD, may today You find us not afraid to ask You about any given situation. May our fear of You be a righteous and holy fear. But not the fear that causes us to sit back and be afraid to ask. Lord, thank You for speaking to me through Your precious and LIVING Word. In Your Son's Name, Jesus Christ. Amen.



Lovingly at Higher Grounds,

Yolanda

Have you ever thought, "Lord, why am I doing this?" Or perhaps, "Again?" Or even "Why do I feel like I'm not supposed to let go of this?"

I most certainly have and I saw something beautiful and felt like God gave me an answer for those very questions that I've been asking. You must know that in the midst of my asking I know He always has you and I doing "what-ever" to simply bring GLORY AND HONOR TO HIS NAME. But this afternoon I wasn't looking for an answer to my questions, I was simply reading along in Luke when...there was my answer.

"Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, we'll try again." Luke 5:5 NLT

BUT IF YOU SAY SO, MASTER, I'LL TRY AGAIN.

Later Jesus tells Simon to not be afraid as well as from now on you'll be fishing for people.

Father, MASTER, LORD OF MY LIFE, I will get up, grab Your life-line and try again. I know that You do not want me being afraid. I also know that I am compassionate and that further gives me reason to try again. Thank You Lord, for speaking to me and giving me the ears to hear and eyes to see. Thank You for not being finished with me....yet. In Christ's Name, Amen.

Lovingly clinging to my Lord and Savior as He calls me to Higher Grounds,
Yolanda

This morning I awoke not really with a heaviness but more like an awareness of my surroundings and the hearts of my family/friends/acquaintances. There is so much need in our world today, and my world seems to have gotten bigger with being retired as well as where Higher Grounds has taken me. I've met some of you literally and others I hope for the chance to sit over coffee or tea this side of heaven sharing our lives. The word that just kept rolling around in my mind and in my heart for the past couple of hours is: comfort.

Then I wrote this in my journal, just letting my pen flow:


So I grabbed my Strongs Concordance and there wasn't anything in there for "comfortless". So I just typed those very words into the world wide webb and found that it is part of John 14:18 KJV. Oh I love how the Holy Spirit does that, don't you? I'm a NIV woman, I'm just sayin'.

John 14:18 KJV "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."


The Holy Spirit also brought to my mind a scripture I learned a few years back:

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."


Father, I ask that You would comfort my friends and family that are hurting right now. Hurting because of saying Good-bye to a spouse for a time period due to jobs. Hurting because of un-known test results. Hurting because of illness. Hurting because they have an empty home this week due to school being in session. Hurting because of loss, all kinds of loss. Thank You Lord that You do not leave us comfortless. You are our comforter. In the saving name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I truly pray that who-ever you are, that you are comforted today here at Higher Grounds.

Lovingly,

Yolanda

I awoke this morning to overcast skies and the opportunity awaits for perhaps a drink from the heaven-lies later today. OH YES LORD! But as I came for a drink from God's word I found myself soaking in Mark 4. Parables galore and many opportunities to ponder, to reflect upon what it was and still today is that Jesus desired to teach us.

This side of heaven, most of us face day to day storms in our lives. Some we know about, many we do not. Why? Often times simply because of how we choose to live out those storms, other times because we aren't secure in our relationship with our Abba due to a lacking on our part of the relationship. Trusting God or trusting in ourselves. Yet other times we do know about each others storms because we unite and ask one another for prayers.

Jesus spoke to his disciples in the boat something that this morning I found very profound. "And he asked the, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?' " Mark 4:40 NLT

Father God, Thank You that in Ecclesiastes You tell me that a three cord stand cannot be broken. Thank You for Matthew 15:25 "Lord, help me!". Thank You for Jeremiah 32:17 "O Sovereign Lord!" "Nothing is too hard for you!". And thank You Father for the one that said, help me with my unbelief. Lord, May today, in the midst of the storms of life may Your lips state, ah, she/he has faith in Me. Thank You Lord, for calming me (us) in the midst of the raging waters. In Jesus Christ's Name, Amen.

Lovingly at Higher Grounds with Jesus,
Yolanda

Do you have a particular word that just means so much to you? Mine is BELIEVE. The coolest thing is that God had already stirred me to write on hope when yesterday a lady crossed my path at a coffee shop. I was sharing with her about BELIEVE when she said her word is HOPE. How about a little confirmation???!!! A few of the words I have chosen from my pocket Thesaurus for HOPE reads: look, await, yearn, hunger, thirst, pine, trust, anticipate. HOPE. We all could use a little hope right about now.



Matthew 12:20-21 NLT



"He will not crush those who are weak, or quench the smallest hope, until he brings full justice with his final victory. And his name will be the hope of all the world."



JESUS is our hope! He does not quench the smallest hope meaning that He WILL NOT snuff out your hope or mine. If He doesn't, we shouldn't quench the hope of one another either. Perhaps we could offer another hope? I believe, YES, by not raining on their parade, by being salt and light, by allowing God to use us to be encouragement into each others days and hearts. Will you let God use you today?



Father, You continue to encourage me and open my eyes as I spend time with You. I'm eternally grateful for You. The hope that You have poured into me continues to blossom and grow. I thank You for those that allow themselves to be used by You to pour into my own heart. Father, thank You for the HOPE we have in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. In the saving name of Jesus Christ. Amen.



Lovingly,

Yolanda at Higher Grounds

Do you feel that the burden you are carrying is heavy? Do you feel overwhelmed and at a loss for answers? **Have you become this way due to excessive demands of religious leaders? (**Don't stone me, that came about due to a footnote in my Life Application Bible that left me pondering as well!) Has life lately taken its toll? If you've answered yes then I'd like to invite you to come...come.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." Matthew 11:28-30 The Message. (Paraphrase)

Verse 30 in other translations states that Jesus says His burden is light. And you know Girlfriends and Guy friends after walking with Jesus for almost 10 years, I see truth in that statement. When I let go of my self and allow myself to walk in obedience to God and His word and the promptings of the Holy Spirit....that burden of obedience becomes so very very light.

Father God, We desire to get away with you, to walk with You and to work with You. Father the burdens of this world cause us to become weary and heavy laden. We know first hand of sickness, unemployment, the welfare of our economy, death, abuses, divorce, rejection and betrayal. Father, teach us the unforced rhythms of grace. To lay these concerns at Your feet, to trust You with them, and to BELIEVE for Your very best. Your Will Father, Your Will not mine. We love You and ask this in Your Son's Name, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lovingly as I continue seeking Higher Grounds,
Yolanda

This morning as I closed the pages of the Old Testament and opened the pages of the New Testament in my reading through the bible this year, I have been left pondering. Pondering which will I choose? Pondering do I believe all of God's word, or bits and pieces? Pondering as I look out into our yard this morning watching the wind blow at our hide away causing the trees, of all sizes, to bend and sway, yet still rooted and grounded, am I like this?

Will I choose to stand for God and His Word or will I be swayed by the world? If I believe the entirety of God's Word, then I must believe what He says about me as well. Am I still rooted in God's TRUTHS when the winds of life assault me?

I thoroughly BELIEVE GOD'S WORD. I have days that I stand so strong for God and I have moments where I buckle and I become quiet especially when it concerns touchy subjects with our families. I have strong convictions but I honestly haven't learned how to become soft with my tone and yet strong with the underlying message. So I either CUT or I become passive on the outside. If I come across your mind in the days ahead, would you pray for me?

Here is where I rest this morning and what began the pondering in my mind and heart.

Malachi 3:16-18 NLT


Father, Thank You that I am Your special treasure. That I hunger to serve You, to be known by You and to know You. That I BELIEVE You, Father, help me when doubt and unbelief begin to creep in. When the storms of life beat against me, may I stay rooted in You. Cause my mind to think upon You all the day long. May I honor Your name, the saving Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lovingly as I hunger for the Higher Grounds of My Jesus,
Yolanda

PS: If you have the time, check this scripture from The Message!

It is a VERY good thing that I didn't take a picture! A VERY GOOD THING INDEED. When we built our home, I chose to not have window treatments. Our nearest neighbor is 1/2 mile away, and our windows have a lovely prism type pattern in-grained in each window pane. I enjoy looking out to see the wildlife, the sunrise and sunsets. Honestly that wasn't very feasible the past couple of months. While I love to look out and see the beauty that surrounds us, I DETEST WINDOW WASHING.

Now a little insight, my sweet and precious husband enjoys window washing. Yet he has been just a tad on the busy side of life here lately, so they were in much need of a good cleansing. He generally cleans the outside and I work on the inside. A great team accomplishment when all is said and done.

Aren't you and I like that from time to time? Perhaps you are like me and need a good cleaning daily? I am so thankful for the mornings that I don't have some place to be super early that I can have that much needed alone time with God. Time to dig in His word, time to be participating in an in-depth bible study, time to journal, time to work on scripture memorization, time to simply be still and wait on God.

So, I ask again, what are you looking through? Are the eyes of your heart and soul clean and open, or has a film been placed over them to where sin doesn't stir you up to repentance? Where a change in direction can't possibly begin to take place. May I encourage you today, to allow the windows of your soul, your very eyes, to be cleansed and washed so that the radiance of Christ is able to flood in as well as be seen from others on the outside.

Ephesians 5:25-27 NIV "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." Please look at verse 26 again: to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word. Matthew 6:22-23 Message: "Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!"

Father God, Thank You for cleansing us through allowing Your Word to take root into our very belief systems. That we come to trust You by allowing a scrubbing from time to time that opens our eyes to Your TRUTHS. This in turn changes us to become holy and blameless, a beautiful sanctification process. Father, We adore You. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lovingly through the fresh washed windows of my heart at Higher Grounds,
Yolanda