Friday February 12 2016  GO WITH A BRAVE HEART

Tomorrow I will be speaking for a few moments at church at the ladies monthly Saturday brunch.  I have been working on the words I will share.  I was encouraged to tell a little something about the trip I took last year.  I had two very different stories that I was vacillating between and finally settled on the one I am going to share here.  If you have been a long time blog reader I may have touched on this last year.  I truly can’t remember.  I know the information I share today is from a different perspective because it is the actual writings from my journal for those two days.  Some of the grammar will not be correct because I sometime do not write in complete sentences when writing in my journal, nor in a logical sequence.  I’ll try to correct all the misspellings.  I’m sure there will be a few.

To set the stage:  I am at my cousin’s house in Euless Texas and planning to drive to San Antonio Texas.  Perhaps you remember the torrential rains and flooding that Texas experience last year when their drought was broken.  Well, that was when I was there.  The weather channel was warning drivers to stay in and some of the interstates were actually closed and there were quite a few fatal accidents taking place due to flooding and traffic accidents.  Even in good weather Texas is a dangerous place to drive.  Boy, could I tell you about some traffic in Dallas and Fort Worth.  Unbelievable.  They drive like rude maniacs going way over the posted 80 miles per hours on the highways.  Just think what the roads must have been like after a drought, no rain for months and then bam,  slick roads, maniac drivers, and millions of HUGE pickup trucks zooming past you on all sides.  I never could figure out those Texans and their infatuation with trucks, WHITE TRUCKS!  For some reason they like the white ones.  The truck in my story was grey.  So here is the story. 

Journal entry:

Friday March 20 2015 9:30 a.m.  Overcast Euless Texas

Storm warnings of flash flood where I am going.  On the phone with emergency road services to talk about road conditions. 

God, I hope my phone line to You is open for an emergency call.  I need an emergency answer.  Should I go, should I stay?  The man says I’ll hit some rain but if I go the back ways and stay off the interstate the roads should not be prone to flooding?

Oh God, what should I do? 

So I called Dave and asked him if he thought it a good idea for me to drive five or six hours in pouring rain and floods?  He told me to pray and see if God would give me peace to go.  If He did, then go.  If He didn’t, then don’t go.

The following is what God impressed upon my heart:

“You can do all things through me for you have my strength.  Trust Me—allow peace to reign in your heart.  Use wisdom and continually ask for more wisdom.  The more you give to others and do My work, the more the Devil will fight to stop You.  I call my angels to do my bidding—fear not the wars that rage around you. Your strength is in Me and My blood covers you.  Speak in authority and the evil one flees.  Trust!  Stand firm!  It is going through the perils of life that make you stronger.  Fear not, for I am with you.  My rod and My staff will comfort you.  Go with a brave heart.  You are My beloved and I am with you!”

I sat in the driveway of my cousin’s house and prayed and prayed.  I asked God to send His biggest and best angels to surround my car.  I prayed for his continual protection.  I prayed for wisdom.  I prayed that I would stay alert and be ready.   I was still vacillating as to whether or not I should go.  I just kept praying.  Then when I was finally quiet so God could get another word in edgewise, I distinctly heard the question, “DO YOU TRUST ME”?

Yes Lord, I responded.  I trust you.  My confidence was in Him and I was no longer afraid.  I wrote the following poem.  Closed my journal and drove out of the driveway, confident that I was in His care.

OR JUST TAKE THE HAND

By Kathleen Martens

March 20, 2015

 

When storms come

Do I bow?

Am I discouraged?

Or take action now?

 

When the rain falls

Do I give up?

Or lean on God,

And on His word sup?

 

When the wind blows

Do I take cover and run

Even though my race

Has barely begun?

 

When it seems hopeless

Do I cave in?

Or just take the hand

Of Jesus, my friend?

 

Isaiah 41:10

“Fear not for I am with you.  Be not dismayed for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, yes I will help you.  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

 

Little did I know what was to come.

 

I will give you the rest of my speech tomorrow.  It is the journal entry for March 21, 2015. 

 

NO TIME TO JUST BE FREE

By Kathleen Martens

February 12, 2016

 

So tonight I bid farewell

As my night is already here.

A long day it has been

And my sleep is very dear.

 

Tomorrow comes quite early,

And a long day planned for me.

As well as is the day after.

No time to just be free.

 

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU!