WHAT IF . . . "

{"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."} Jeremiah 29:11

"But, I can’t do anything special." A young woman complained. "Some people can sing in the choir and some can talk or pray in front of others. I can’t do anything."

Have you ever felt inadequate? Perhaps your cousin can dance or write poetry and you believe you have no talents at all. Many abilities are not overtly visible. The power to encourage a wounded spirit or the ability to teach the resistant learner are just two talents that come to mind that are not flamboyant or create a huge following or fan base.

Viewed from another perspective, what if you had never been born? Who would not be here? Who would have failed in school? Who would have gone untouched or unloved? What if you had not been there to share a word of hope or a witness to the work of God in your life? Would it have mattered to anyone around you, if you had not said, "Blessings my friend. The Lord be with you today."

The Lord God has plans for you, and those plans will make you prosper and bring hope to your days and a purpose to your future. Do you have to know what that is before God reveals it to you along your way? Must you direct God in his choosing and plans? Must it be so grand that others can see his hand on your life and praise YOU rather than HIM? Take courage today and pray the secret prayer that God will use you to complete HIS plan in your life - a plan of good and hope, so that you might give hope to others. "Not knowing" has more power and adventure and surrender than "knowing" ever can. Start the greatest adventure of your life today. Let us pray:

"Holy Father, Love divine, rest upon this heart of mine. If it is your will, may this be the dawning of a new day in my life, a day when your plans outshine my own. May this be the day when all I have and all I am is far more valuable than it could have been if I were to live life on my own. I pray that I no longer say, ‘What if?’ I know that you will take care of all the ‘If only’s’ and turn them into blessings for others. I do not want to know when I have brought healing to another, for it isn’t anything I have done. It is you working blessings through me not for me to boast about. Forgive me when I have needed to have my talents shine in order to bring praise to myself. You are worthy of praise, Father. I give all recognition to you and I choose not to call it back. I give it back to you freely. In the name of Jesus, your son and my savior I pray. Amen"

Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine."
Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp

Smoke from Distant Fires and Length of Days - The Age of Silence are available at www.cokesbury.com, www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com or order from a bookstore

Website: www.dorisgainesrapp.com

Facebook: Doris Gaines Rapp - Author Page

A TIME AWAY

"Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." (Mark 3:31 NIV)





It’s funny how different each one of us is, a small piece of God’s heart that, when joined together, creates the presence of the Lord on earth. For Jesus and his friends, they needed to get away from the crowds that mobbed him. For me, I needed to connect with people, since I spend so much of my time away from others while writing. Jesus needed a "quiet place." I needed a "people place." Jesus went off with his friends. Bill and I set sail with six-hundred like-minded, spirit-loving readers of Richard Paul Evans’ series - The Walk. We sailed to the Bahamas, then to Key West where we had a celebration of "Alan Christofferson’s" arrival at Key West. Pictures with Richard, Kailamai, and Richard’s wife and family filled our day. You can see the photos on my Facebook page when I return to my home and printer/scanner.




Search your own heart and see what type of respite you need. Then come away, my friends and dear readers, to a place where the Lord God can renew your spirit and nourish your soul. Sometimes, we think we can’t find time for God because we are too busy doing "God’s work." If that is the case, we are doing our own ego’s bidding, not God’s. We cannot do a day’s work without a guideline for the tasks and joy ahead - and that comes from God, not from our own plans and aspirations. Let us pray:





"Dear Lord and Father of us all, we bow before your Holy name. With the sound of the name - God - comes healing, pardon, salvation, grace, love, and peace. Please forgive us when we use your name in a way that is not healing, or a blessing to another. May I dwell within your holiness as the angels in heaven do, so that your will may be done within me. For this very day I have been born, though I may not know what it is. You know and that is enough for me. Use me this day to be a blessing to others, that they may see the fellowship of believers within my outstretched hand. Forgive me when I try to do your work, without stopping to find out what that is.. May "my kingdom," my neighborhood, my life, be ruled by you, Father God. In the name of, and by the power of your Son and my savior, Jesus, the Christ I pray. Amen"

Doris

Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp

"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine."

Facebook: Doris Gaines Rapp - Author Page

www.dorisgainesrapp.com

Scattered but Gathered Up

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." Isaiah 26:3

I am so excited, so overwhelmed and so scattered, all at the same time. Excited because I have been able to contract with an artist for the cover of my next book, Hiawassee - Child of the Meadow. Excited because we leave on a wonderful vacation on Saturday - sailing with six-hundred other readers of The Walk series by Richard Paul Evans, along with the author and his wife. Excited because I will be signing my newest book, Smoke from Distant Fires, at Barnes and Noble in Sarasota, June 21, the day after we return to the port of Miami. Excited because our daughter Donna and her husband Mark will arrive from Texas as soon as we return home.

I’m overwhelmed because I still need to clean this house, wash the clothes, pack and gather the details of our cruise - all within the next few days. Scattered because I’m focused on two other new books right now as well. Scattered like a juggler with thirty-five balls in the air!

Amidst all the silliness of life, we will also attend the funeral of a dear brother-in-law on Thursday. Loss of a loved one, no matter how expected, is always hard.

I know I’m too busy when I seek the Lord AFTER I become buried in detail. I have lived long enough to know how I react when deluged with a tsunami of knit-picky details. It is never too late to call upon the Lord but also remember the words from Isaiah. Perfect peace comes to those whose mind is steadfast. I know steadfastness is an old fashioned concept. But, it is a truth that never dies in the junk of pop-culture. Rise each morning with an awareness of the presence of the Lord and retire each night knowing he will continue to bless you all the night long. Stay steadfast in your trust and focus on the Lord. Let us pray:

"Holy Father, you are pure peace and love, your presence of life is all around me. Forgive me when I focus on the trivial things of life. Your children are experiencing loss and I am focused on dirty socks. Gather me up in your loving arms and fill my whole being with your peace, oh God, so that where I go, your peace can be shared with those around me. I choose this day to be steadfastly stayed on you. Stayed with my heart and stayed or supported by your love. I will walk within your peace each day. In the name of Jesus, your son, my savior, I pray. Amen"

Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine."Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp

I will be signing Smoke from Distant Fires at Barnes and Noble, Sarasota, FL, Saturday, June 21 from 1-3 pm

Smoke from Distant Fires and Length of Days - The Age of Silence are available at www.cokesbury.com, www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com or order from a bookstore

Website: www.dorisgainesrapp.com

Facebook: Doris Gaines Rapp - Author Page

Another Pentecost?

"When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance." Acts 2: 1-4

God announced the birth of His new church, Christianity, and bathed the people with the Holy Spirit, like the sound of a mighty wind. The people heard the message in their own native language. That was two thousand years ago. Then I wondered, why doesn’t God blow in with another great wind and bless his people once again? If we refuse to believe it happened in the first place, why would we believe it was happening again? Then it came to me: Maybe God doesn’t need to repeat Himself. We can read the blessing of Pentecost over and over; we have only to believe to make it for us as well. Through reading His word and burying it in our heart by faith, we can experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit too.

Once said, thrice read, forever fed. Let us pray:

"Holy Father, Abba to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to us, I praise your holy name. Father, let this be the day when you bathe me with your Holy Spirit. I have not earned the blessing and can never do anything to live up to that privilege. I will walk on my way home to you with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit blessing all those I encounter. Like a holy, sweet incense, I will serve you. Within the perfume of your presence, there will no longer be, "I want." There will only be "I am. I am yours." I surrender to your service, oh Lord. Blow in like a mighty wind and bless all your children once again. In the name of your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen"

Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine."Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp

I will be signing Smoke from Distant Fires at Barnes and Noble, Sarasota, FL, Saturday, June 21 from 1-3 pm

Website: www.dorisgainesrapp.com
Facebook: Doris Gaines Rapp - Author Page