IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2009

It’s been a few hours now since Tuesday’s IDOK about HOPE was written and delivered. And thus far this has been a pleasing day. I think some things have been accomplished and I am feeling good about it. I’ve walked for my health; I am in the process of handling some domestic pleasures, even got some lima beans cooking for supper; got some laundry going; have enjoyed some reading and some writing; some praying and experienced some answering of prayer. Risking that some will think I am totally deranged, which by the world’s standards I totally am, here is an excerpt from my Daily Writing Journal, which by the way is FAR from being daily, but it makes a good folder title for my computer desktop. And yet I have hope it will become more daily, starting today.

I wonder if I really will write that book about Rehab that I just today made more notes on. I am afraid to even think about it. I am afraid to even think that tomorrow can be like today. I have failed so many times . . . And I want another day tomorrow like today but I am already afraid of not having it because I have started this so many times. So many times I have started out thinking this is it I really am going to get this time management thing settled once and for all and I will be successful! Oh LORD help me be not afraid, help me love today and leave tomorrow in tomorrow; tomorrow will be today soon enough. Today there is Hope. Today I am glad. Today I am rejoicing. Today I feel good about thus far. So lets not mess up today thinking about tomorrow or mess up tomorrow thinking about it today, because one day affects another.

So what do I mean by that? One day affects another. What I do today just may enable me to do tomorrow what I need to do, what I want to do. Let me get practical with you here. If I arise as early as I should and get the day underway, if early I take a walk for my spirit, soul and body, if I pray and study early, if I write Wednesday’s IDOK on Tuesday (during normal work hours), if I do my household pleasures steadily, if I resist non-redemptive television, if I go to bed on time, all this affects not just today but tomorrow. It gives me a today I feel good about but it also enables me to wake up on time tomorrow and not be behind before I ever set foot out of the bed. Don’t you just hate being behind before you even get out of bed? Now, I have come to this conclusion before and I am pretty certain at that time it was the subject for an IDOK devotion too which means there are grounds for my fear of failure.

And you may have grounds for fear of failure too. And you may have dreams and hopes and goals that you have started again and again, to only drop again and again. You owe it to Jesus and to yourself to stop fretting over that. Let me share with you a line or two from a book I have been reading today. “It took Sharon a long time to finally answer the call to write, but God used everything in the meantime to bring her to the place of effectiveness she is at now.” (page 25 of Behind the Stories by Diane Eble, published by Bethany House Publishers. Bloomington, Minnesota.) You know what that means to me? All my starts and stops, all your starts and stops, God is using to make us ready for not just tomorrow but ETERNITY. We are going to succeed! The very fact that we keep coming back to the same conclusion, that familiar place of starting over means we have not given up on ourselves and HE certainly has not!!

I Peter 5:

10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you.

11 To Him be the dominion (power, authority, rule) forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

And reading over this again before putting it away till mailing time I have a revelation I think. I said: So many times I have started out thinking this is it I really am going to get this time management thing settled once and for all and I will be successful! A once and for all may not be in my best interest here. Maybe I need to struggle, maybe I need to ‘suffer a little while’ longer to ensure that I don’t get uppity, thinking I figured this out and that I am responsible for the success that is surely coming to us in HIS TIME.

DADDY GOD, I am enjoying this day, thank You. To You be all the glory and praise. You are the Worthy One. And I pray You will take this offering of words and somehow use it to help another. Thank You for life here, for work, for failures that lead to success, real success that comes only from You.

And LORD I pray for a successful surgery for Tim. Thank You for the many people who have written to say they are praying for him and for Andria and the family. That is such a sweet and special gift to me. Thank You. You know their needs and there is no doubt You will meet them. Thank You.

And not just for Tim and Andria but all these others named here too. You are meeting their needs too and we are praising You now in advance for each provision.

We dare not forget our IDOK Troops. We are delighted to pray for them each day. We are delighted that You look upon each one of them every day, continually, and You love them and care for them. Thank You. So we entrust their safety, their protection of spirit, soul and body to You again today.

We know from Your Word that we are commanded to pray for the Peace of Israel and we do that willingly and feel honored to do so. We thank You for those precious people and we pray for their Peace as a nation and individually to know You as their Messiah.

And we pray to not grow weary praying for America. ABBA, I am sorry for the sin and corruption, the hatred and idolatry that is filling this place. I am sorry for the murder of babies and the flaunting of reprobate minds that goes on daily in the streets of cities and towns all over America. I am sorry for the politicians and others who have sold their souls to the god of greed and power. I feel helpless to help. Let me not give into that. You are still God and You are still rescuing souls one by one. Let me work with You in that. Let IDOK work with You in this. Train us. You have already commissioned us and we accept Your Call. We are available to You, to work with You to deliver Your Message of forgiveness and Eternal Life. Amen and amen.

A SPECIFIC UNSPOKEN. Unspoken Requests – situations so close you can only speak to Father about. Cathie R’s Family. Tamra and Family. Rachel and family. Joe and Rose. Emily. Stellan. Chandler. Mrs. Walker. Christopher H and his family. Darlene’s Sister. Mr. Matthews. Tammy B and Family. Jackie K. Brian T. Ricky M. Chloe Melissa. Linda and Family. Joe. Michael H. Linda W. Debbie W. Mike and Vickie. Natalie. Kathy and family. Tommy and Raye. Doug. Frank. Jeanette. Francis T. Cathy T. Jacqueline and Sons (River and Jackson). Emily. Walt. Phillip. Margie and Craig. Sandra. Terry and family. Dot B. Julia O. Ann C. Stan and Jowanna and Family. Carolyn. Mary. Mabel. Amy, Kevin and Girls. Joan. Kimberly. Shay and Emma’s Kids (orphanage in Zambia) Ministry. Susan D. Melissa and daughters. Jason A and his mother. Wayne B. Melinda H. Trisha. Brennan and his family. Joshua. Branson. The O’Brien family. Kim and her Fiancee. Jonathan. Mabel’s Aunt Lou. Heather and Brandon. Darlene and Torkel. W C and family. Maggie and Family. Joseph Toomey and Family. DeLois. Katelyn (B). Janie B. Vickie. J Lloyd and family. Janet and Steve. Cathy. Bay and family. John and Carolyn and Family. Larry and Claudia and family. Jeanette and Earl and family. Callie. Ruth. Cynthia. Martha F and Bob. Allyson and Glyn and family. Brittney and Kersten and family. Sheila and Andy. Carrie and Rachel and Jacob and family. Billy and Gina and boys. Lance and family. Grace and family. Tressa. Brad, Lindsay, Karah and Haley. Chuck. Windy and Jared and families. Helen and Dan and family. Jen and Larry and family. Mollie and family. Julia. Bobbie. Erin. Alan. Tj. Zack. Phillip. Jessica. Larry. Lance. Candance and Family. Laura and family. John and Sandy. Bill and Judy. Andrew and Daughters. Lee. Sharron and family, Linda and family, Bev and Family, Mollie B. Friends at work.

Public and Private School Teachers.

Every IDOK and every IDOK son and daughter and grandchild.

Every IDOK Pastor and Family. Every IDOK church.

The Peace of Israel.

Revival in America.

IDOKs Military Families.

IDOKs Troops (foreign soil) – Ethan. Christopher. Raul. Robert. Billy. Buddy. Mark. Josh W. James. Bryan. Nick. Brant W. Christopher R. Joshua M. Brent. Drew. Justin G. Michael K. Sgt. Bozicevich. Bay N. T. Palin. Richard M. Bobby G. (added 12/16/08) Tommy T. Chad B (3/2009) Kyle N. (3/26)

IDOK Troops leaving shortly for foreign soil: Brandon B.

Serving Stateside: Jonathan. Jasmine B. Shaun. Bay. Danny. Lee. George. Travis N. Hawk. Justin G.

Injured: Lukas S. (11/30/08) http://www.strafford1st.com/page25/page26/page26.html

Military at home, specifically those emotional/spirit wounds that only God and Time can heal – Adam M. (great news, not only is Adam at home he is getting married!!!) Captain Tran. Josh. John L.

As I post this it is 70°F and haze and smoke in Baghdad, IQ (Airport) and the time there is 4:03 AM AST on April 22, 2009.