With wings as Eagles...

Today started at 3:30 am! It's just amazing to me how God works and how He keeps supplying divine strength. I've been sick for awhile with a terrible cough…still am actually. However, every time I allow God to wake me up early (rather than lazily sleeping in so that I can take care of my body), I really do feel like I am physically strengthened and enabled. Today was one of those days that Isaiah 40:31 really did come true.


"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isa. 40:31

There's a lot I could share from this morning's 3 hours that I had with my Heavenly Sonshine, but I'd like to reflect on the Eagle for a moment. Why? Because not only did God give me eagle's strength today…but He allowed me to see not just one, but FOUR eagles close up not far from where we live - a RARE TREAT! (You can see one of those pictures to the left, taken just a few miles from our home!)

There is so much that we can learn from the eagle. One thing of significance is that it seeks to fly above the storms. We've all heard this, but let's pause and consider again.

"The eagle of the Alps is sometimes beaten down by the tempest into the narrow defiles of the mountains. Storm clouds shut in this mighty bird of the forest, their dark masses separating her from the sunny heights where she has made her home. Her efforts to escape seem fruitless. She dashes to and fro, beating the air with her strong wings, and waking the mountain echoes with her cries. At length, with a note of triumph, she darts upward, and, piercing the clouds, is once more in the clear sunlight, with the darkness and tempest far beneath. So we may be surrounded with difficulties, discouragement, and darkness. Falsehood, calamity, injustice, shut us in. There are clouds that we cannot dispel. We battle with circumstances in vain. There is one, and but one, way of escape. The mists and fogs cling to the earth; beyond the clouds God’s light is shining. Into the sunlight of His presence we may rise on the wings of faith." Education, p. 118

"God, I'm asking today that you'd take me above the storms of life with wings of faith! Help me continue to rise up with wings as eagles, looking to you for my strength!"

Day 23 - Vit. B-3 Challenge

• Bible Thought: Praying for wings like Eagles to rise above the storms in faith!
• Blessing: Mom is doing better after treatments
• Battle: To "watch and wait" and not run ahead of God's plans!

NOTE: For those interested, here's an EXTRA blurb and INSIDE PEEK into my devotional routine. Thought this might help explain why I do some things the way I do! :-)

How Could I possibly manage 3:30am???

I have a pretty strict policy about using my alarm clock. (Except when I have to be up for the airport!) I never set it as I want God to wake me up in the morning when He wants me to get up…so every night I go to sleep I pray that He will wake me up when He wants me up. Sometimes it's 3am, sometimes it's 4am, and sometimes He knows I need the extra sleep, which is a blessing, and He allows me to sleep in…which may mean 6am! However, when He gives me the extra sleep I know that it means He's wanting me to spend more time with Him during the day. So…if I sleep in (after I've taken care of my grandma and family needs) usually all morning will be spent having my devotions and time with Him…which will mean I may have less time for work, but I will end up being twice as productive with the afternoon. I just keep asking Him to direct my schedule, and whatever He asks me to do, He always gives me strength for! Supernaturally amazing!!!! ;-) 

Secondly, there's not really rhythm or reason to what I choose to share here!

My daily devotional thoughts may appear a bit random…and I guess they are to a certain extent. The reason is, I am doing a number of things all at once in my studies. I'm seeking to read thru the Bible along with the Revived By His Word initiative. (This is giving me great historical review of the Bible, and also bringing old stories from the Bible back to new life, and all the commentary that everyone shares is sooo enlightening and encouraging! If you need a daily Bible reading plan, try the "Revived By His Word" plan!!!!! It's awesome!) I'm also in the process of studying out different topics for different ministry purposes. So one day I'll be researching this topic, or another day, that topic. (And most of this work is not necessarily in my morning devotions, but just throughout the day as I work on projects, articles, e-mails, or more. But sometimes I do share "Morning Sonshine" devotional thoughts from these studies.) However, my first focus in my daily devotions is not for some new knowledge or insight, but that I may KNOW HIM! This is my prayer each morning… "God, please help me to get to know YOU better today!"As I do this, He brings different topics to my mind each day that I need to focus on…(like the "Cross" "His Glory" "Servanthood" "Forgiveness" "Wisdom" "Baptism by Fire" "End Time Preparation" etc) so I'll be jumping around in the Bible as He inspires me, doing cross-referencing, looking up quotes in inspired authors, and on. Usually I will spend hours in my devotions (both prayer and study), and as a result, I feel like I'm pulling up gold reservoirs quicker than I can share them. In fact, I've realized I can't possibly share everything that inspires me, so I've been picking and choosing here and there…and sometimes I'll have a whole week's worth of thoughts I want to share, just from one day's study. (That's kinda how the "Walking" series came about in the beginning - they were basically thoughts that God gave me during one days worth of study.) Anyway…while I do plan ahead a little here and there when I'm traveling and I know that I wont have good Internet access, or I plan ahead when I need a "God & I vacation time AWAY from my computer," most of my thoughts are just a few tidbits from different aspects of my studies as I go along day by day. I have no idea what I'll be sharing tomorrow… and I have no idea what will be next month. But that's the exciting adventure of it all! My Vit. B-3 challenge is to just keep sharing…CONSISTENTLY! 

And last…well, I guess I already told you…but whatever you are reading right now today probably happened yesterday! So don't get confused by my posting times! ;-) 

Hopefully this inside peek helps whoever is reading understanding these posts better, and also encourages you to keep digging for that gold that only God can bring!! It's worth it, even if you loose a little extra sleep and let Him get you up at 3am!!!! ;-)