"The Battle is Mine, saith the Lord"

Beware blogger friends. I was so excited to announce that I had a comment from someone in China, written in the lovely Chinese letters which, of course, I cannot read. Hoping to gain understanding and maybe see"love your blog", I showed it to Phil, and I clicked on the message--no, not "love your blog!" Up popped a PORNO KITTEN from China!!! So much for my ego!

Life so far this year has been a case study in "not what one plans" for the new year, or any old year for that matter. However, because of the serious illness of a beloved family member, I have had the privilege of going to the battlefield, serving the troops, and hunkering down in little foxholes with Jesus, our Commander and Chief. He is teaching all of us how to trust him, actually, that He IS our trust.
One of the most valuable lessons thus far is finally sinking in with this training--you do NOT run, there is no peace, no comfort, and no provision for a soldier on the run from the battle God has you in. On the contrary, protection and peace come from meeting your enemy head on, with the knowledge that, unlike normal warfare,we are strengthened by the surrender of our wills to the will of our Lord, and triumphant in the knowledge that God, our Sword and Shield, goes before us in every skirmish.
One thing for certain, in this battle with fear and "what-if", there is an amazing power available to battle weary soldiers. That power comes from trusting in the NAME, the name above all names, the name that has the power to become its name for you in time of need. A name that beckons us to look not at the circumstances of the battle, but look the character of our Leader. Let us learn to trust that name, Jesus, our Advocate, Jesus, our Hiding Place, Jesus, Our Chief Shepherd, Jesus, our deliverer, Jesus, our Shelter, Jesus, the Lover of our Souls.
We will have battles to fight all the rest of our lives. Let us never lose sight of the precious and life altering fact that God Himself, our Redeemer, has already won the War! In every grip of fear the enemy tries to hold you in, look up--God's banner over you is love.
-ever grateful for that!