This is IT!

Isaiah 43:16-19 (NLT), "I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick. “But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."

Oh how I love that God is the creator. He who creates can change and can do something new. Knowing that he has the ability to create every thing that I see. From these mountains to the ocean of my youth. I have faith in him and all of his provision for my life.

2007 has been a challenge for so many people that I know. People are hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Their finances, their family, their health. I know that personally it's been a really rough few months. Where we had security before we don't have now. Where we had savings before we don't have now. Where we had a plan for a future, a bright future we are going to bed at night crying out to God for mercy and for wisdom. I have cried more tears in the last few weeks than I can remember in years. It all seems so overwhelming, it all seems like it's just too much and I cry out like David. Psalm 22:14, "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me."

As my husband and I laid in bed last night discussing our business, discussing our finances, going over where we are at....I just wanted to crawl up in a ball and die. Nothing short of that. Not just find temporary relief, but go home to Jesus kind of relief. I know what the numbers are, I know that the possibility of he and I pulling this off without God is impossible. I told him that we are very successful at failure. We have been here before. We know what worked last time to bring relief and that just isn't an option for us any more. Right now we don't have a choice but to put our nose to the grind and keep moving forward. No matter how scary or overwhelming it may appear.

Acts 10:40,"but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen."

Acts 13:30, "But God raised him from the dead,"

Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Hebrews 3:4, "For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything."

Jeremiah 10:12, "But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding."

Psalm 73:26, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Psalm 66:19, "but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer."

Acts 2:24, "But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him."

I love that we have a But God. There are times that we have nothing but God. But God is merciful, God is the creator of all things, the builder of all things, the redeemer sender, the fail safe provider. Psalm 139:16, "your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." He knows where we are. He knows what we are going through. He has promised us Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Yes he knows it all however, he is a But God.

Just when you think it's all over, just when you think you have breathed your last breathe, God is a God of resurrection power. He is a God of breathing life. He has the ability to bring back the dead...oh how I love But God.

Genesis 2:7, "the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."

Ezekiel 37:4-6, "Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!"This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "

Lord as we go through this I pray for your protection. Lord, I give you my life, I give you my home, I give you my heart and everything that you have created for me. Lord, I pray that you send your breathe in 2008, not just for me Lord but for all of those that are suffering. For all of those that you are drawing to yourself. Lord, you are all we have, our only hope. We have tried to do it on our own and Lord we are not capable of anything more than what we have done. Lord, we repent of our lackadaisical ways. Lord, your word says faith without works is dead. Lord, I ask for an exponential outpouring of faith on us right now. I pray Lord that we will take that faith and work it in ways that change us, our church, our communities, our country and our world. Lord, I take the cap off of our ability to receive from you. You have such a desire to bless us and Lord all we have been able to do is choke on it or waste it. Lord, I pray for your wisdom, that you would send others into our lives that can teach us. People that have breathed onto dead bones before and seen them live. Lord, be with us as we leave the past, as we leave 2007 and move forward into 2008. You are our strength, our joy and our provision. You will net let us die, and for that I praise you in advance for the new rivers that you are going to bring to this dry land. Lord, I long to swim in the river of your presence and I call out to you today and say YOU ARE MY GOD, YOU ARE MY SALVATION, MY REDEEMER AND MY PROVIDER. I bless you Lord, I bless you with everything I am, with every breath that enters my body. I am done, this is it, I am moving forward in you, with you. I know where I came from but God is with me. Thank you, I love you, I worship you with all of myself. In Jesus Precious Holy Name. Amen.