“I
believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I
see it, but because by it I see everything else.” -C.S.
Lewis
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king. -JRR Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
Thank you, Lord, for 2013.
For a year full of adversity. For
deeper sorrows than I’ve ever known. Where security was exposed for the lie it is. Where the illusion of control was unveiled as
the great betrayer.
Thank you for breaking me to pieces. And taking away so many comforts and freedoms
and things I hold dearer than You. For
opening up my eyes to dark places in the world longing for Hope and a Savior…and
the dark places in my own heart in need of a Healer and Redeemer.
It has been a year with more prayer…which means more of You. And a year with more wanting of Who you Are…because a withered soul thrives in the places and truths of its Creator. With deep thoughts and earnest seeking and humble revelation. And tears weeping from open wounds…caught in a precious bottle…held by a loving Father…who is FOR us and not against us.
Thank you for showing me that all my nagging fears are just
that…fear…and that True Love and fear do not mingle or mix…as one repels the
other…they are oil and water. That there
is One greater than all fear and pain and He has used my circumstances as a
beautiful place to reveal His goodness and grace.
And most of all…thank you for loving me in the ugly messes
that I always make…for the sinner I continue to be…and for bleeding red mercy death
on a cross so I may live eternally in Glory with You.
You have lavished riches beyond measure upon us this
year. Ones that are eternal and
beautiful and everything I never wanted but all I could ever hope for in procuring
the One true treasure … the Spring of Living Water…the Vine of vitality…and the
Bread of Life. Your faithfulness is
unwavering and your gentleness bestows peace.
And last of all…that covers all…that mends all…that saves
all…thank you for Sweet…Precious…Amazing Grace.
I experienced more of It’s treasures this last year than I ever
have. Suffering for You has been an
honor and a privilege. Thank you for trusting
me with it and in it…and for new mercies every morning when I have not suffered
well. I pray our story…Your story…will
bring others Hope and You Glory. And
may we all know even more of Your Grace in 2014.
“O righteous Father,
even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you
have sent me. I made known to them your
name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have
loved me may be in them, and I in them.” –John 17:25-26 …thank
you Jesus that you love us so…
What is on the horizon for 2014…
Monday morning I will be flying out to Midland to pick up
Rick and bring him back to Dallas where I will drop him off at the new place he
will reside for the next couple of months and hopefully not more. We are so excited!!! Apparently this halfway house has more “scary”
type offenders…and is not in the best part of town…so please keep us in your
prayers and the souls who we will be encountering during this time.
Rick will be able to work and has been working on many new
business endeavors and looking to start back on his title business with his
loyal clients and growing that business again and all kind of other things that
he is excited to put into place. Please
pray for God’s hand in this and direction and that it will not take him long to
ramp up cash flow as his sister and family will be moving out in February.
Please keep them in your prayers as well. They have persevered with us thru this
difficult journey and I would love prayers asking that the Lord would bless
them for their sacrifice and in their new home and wherever and to whatever He calls
them next. Both of our families have
many transitions this next year and would love prayers of Grace and peace
throughout these.
As for me…I will continue writing and blogging. But I also have an exciting new venture on the horizon. I have been working on a new ministry that
the Lord has put heavy on my heart. I’m
hoping to unveil a rough draft of it in the next couple of months. I would love your prayers and help if you can.
I need someone who can video and edit interview style. It would be pro bono for the first pilot. rachpayne@verizon.net
if you have a contact.
And stories. I need
stories of survivors who have become thrivers…stories around a certain event in
their life…
An example I heard recently was of the story of a man who
lost his wife and child in a car crash and one child survived. His journey thru the pain to joy was compelling
and beautiful. We need more of these
stories. I need more of these
stories. God is good even in the worst
circumstances. His-Story will always end
in redemption and restoration…but it doesn’t mean that there still isn’t a
great sense of loss and pain…and it’s those who have not only learned…but
breathed in the truth that His Grace is sufficient…that go from survivor to
thriver. This is what Hope is all about.
If you know someone who has survived a harrowing ordeal and
the Lord has redeemed their pain and they might want to share their story or
you have and want to share your own story…I would love to hear it. I am looking for 3 for our first pilot and
more after that. This would be recorded
and put up in various media outlets and possibly some other venues. rachpayne@verizon.net
Some of the scripture
woven throughout my life and my heart this last year…
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and
of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. -Hebrews 4:12
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
sick; who can understand it? –Jeremiah 17:9
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the
healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners." -Mark 2:17
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field,
which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he
has and buys that field.” -Matthew 13:44
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed
in spirit. –Psalm 34:18
Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one
who helps you, declares the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. –Isaiah 41:14
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you,
and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls.” -Matthew 11:28-29
“but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will
never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a
spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
-John 4:14
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me
and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do
nothing.” -John 15:5
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes
to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” -John 6:35
Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus
answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this
purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who
is of the truth listens to my voice.” - John
18:37
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my
tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. - Psalm 56:8
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us,
who can be against us? - Romans 8:31
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in
love. -1 John 4:18
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. -Lamentations 3:22-23
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. -Romans 5:8
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