On How God Can Use an M-16.

Say what?

Yes, I actually said that God can use an M-16!

I recently had a milit*ry friend who just left for training before being depl*yed. Somehow when he went to retrieve his gun it was lost. It took over an hour to find it and he was late too the airport. My friend was strangely calm during the chaos of his last hour with his wife, which she assures me is not normal for him!

When they finally arrived at the airport to check in there was a female s*ldier there, who was also having last minute problems getting her weapon checked in. My friend made his flight, but just barely. The other s*ldier missed hers.

Arriving at his destination for training, he found that his M-16 was once again MIA. He tried to track it down, but no one could "confirm or deny" that his weapon ever existed. So he sat down at the airport to wait.

Several hours later another flight arrived, and so did the missing M-16, and the other s*ldier, and her weapon. As she walked off the plane my friend noticed that she was covered in blood from her waist to her boots, and she was very unsteady, so he reached out to steady her. My friend loaded up all of their gear into a cab and took her to the ER. He spent the night and most of the next day in the hospital waiting for his fellow s*ldier, and when she was finally released they headed on to their training site.

On the surface you may think, "So what?" But if you think about it you start to realize that IF my friend's weapon hadn't been lost and caused a delay he would never have met the female s*ldier who missed her flight, much less known of her existence. And IF his weapon had not gotten lost a second time he would have gone on to training without ever seeing the female s*ldier arrive, much less being there to care for her. And then there's this itty bitty thing, IF the peace of God had not been present, my friend would have been uptight and irritated about the whole situation.

I just had to marvel that God can lose an M-16 to bring a situation together for the good of one of his children. And that His presence, in the midst of what would normally cause anxiety, can bring peace and patience. I have to marvel that God cares about each one of us so specifically to provide what each person needs.

It's incredible to me how God can use an M-16!

Righteousness Comes by Faith.

Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:6

And interesting statement considering that there was no Jesus, no Savior at that time to bring about righteousness. But, consider this: Abram believed the words that God spoke to him. The spoken Word of God.

We now have the written Word of God, the Bible. The Bible is also known as the Truth. Truth with a capital T, meaning that it is the absolutely Truth, that there is no authority or truth greater than it.

We also understand that Jesus called himself the Truth (John 14:6). And, we understand that Jesus was the living Word of God (John 1:1)

So, whether we believe the spoken Word of God, the written Word of God or the living Word of God, if we believe, God credits it to us as righteousness.

Why?

Because, that is what God promised us. When you have faith to believe what God says, whether or not you can see it, touch it, or understand it, it restores your relationship with God. Because Jesus Christ is the Word of God and if we believe in him we will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

I Was Given a Vision

A couple of weeks ago I had a conversation with a man about how he was struggling and angry at God, to the point where he was having trouble talking to God. I have been there. While it's not the most productive place to be, it's a real, honest place to be. I told this man I would pray for him.

I try never to tell someone I will pray for them unless I actually intend to pray for them. And so, in that moment I began to pray for him. I didn't really know what to pray because I don't know specifically with what he is struggling. The next day he was still on my mind, so I prayed the only thing I could think to pray, "Lord, how can I pray for him? I don't know what to pray, show me."

I was flat on my face in worship.

I was given a vision.

Karina, this is how I want you to pray...
I saw myself in the Throne Room of God, flat on my face before the Lord. Just me and God. He told me not to pray about this man. He told me not to pray for this man. He told me to pray AS this man. Pray the things that he cannot pray for himself. Worship me in his place. Praise me for him.

How can I, Lord? I do not know what is in his heart.

I will show you daughter. I will tell you what to pray. Listen to Me. And then, the words began to flow. The words from the Psalm that I am memorizing. Words I can only assume were needed by the man for whom I was attempting to pray.

I was given a vision.

I saw myself in the Throne Room of God, flat on my face before the Lord. The man stood behind me, unable to speak, and I prayed in his place. And this, the Lord said to me, this is intercession.

I was given a vision.

As I prayed I saw my Jesus standing before me. He was interceding for me. Praying what I could not pray. Speaking the words I didn't know to speak on behalf of my brother. Jesus, our intercessor.

I have prayed about hundreds of people. I have prayed for hundreds of people. But that day, on my face before God I learned what it means to intercede for someone. I learned how to be more like my Jesus. I cannot describe what God did in my heart over those couple of days. His presence was overwhelming. His mercy, boundless. His grace, fierce. His love, fathomless.

I was given a vision and I will never be the same.

Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day

Remembering today not only my own 3 babies in heaven, Trista, Sam and David, but also remembering all the other mothers who have said goodbye to their babies sooner than expected.

Just to name a few:
Jami {Eisley}, Amber {Mason}, Laura {Pearl}, Angie {Audrey}, Kelly {Brooklyn}, Penny {Makenzie}, Nancy F. {Lucy & Georgia}, Amy, Jutta, Kimber, Barbara {Ali & Alana}, Nancy S. {Rylan's twin}, Laura {Sprout}, Lisa, CiJa {Carina, Noah}, Caley, Teresa {Noah}, and PamAg's neighbor.

Remembering that God had each day of the lives represented here numbered before the beginning of time. Each life had a purpose. Each life mattered. May God's purpose be accomplished through each life, and may we celebrate each day that the Lord gives us to live and breathe, worshiping and serving Him.

Blessings,