Abide in Me...

God is beginning to nudge me in a new direction and even though I don't know what the trip will look like, I know the feeling. It's that feeling that I have become nestled down in my comfort zone too long and He is ready to stir things up! So after some much needed encouragement from a sweet friend, I decided to get a jump start on what God might be doing in my life. At the first sign of tackling a new assignment, I typically start studying, researching, surfing the net...thinking that I might be able to "train myself" so I can be ready for the task. (I love this, by the way.) But in my time with the Lord this morning, He showed me very specifically: "I want to train your heart, not your hands." This was not a surprise to me. God began speaking this to me at the beginning of the year that my focus right now is to "know Him more deeply and intimately, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person." (Phil. 3:10) But this morning, He reminded me that this is still my assignment for right now and it has not changed. So I thought I'd read to you some really cool stuff that He pointed out to me today.

Right off the bat, I opened up "My Utmost for His Highest". It is my favorite devotional by Oswald Chambers. It says, "The great enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ today is the idea of practical work...that comes from the systems of the world. This work insists upon endless energy and activities, but no private life with God. The emphasis is put on the wrong thing." And he wrapped it all up by saying,"If you waste your time in over activity, instead of being immersed in the great fundamental truths of God's redemption, then you will snap when the stresses and strain do come. But if this time of soaking before God (I love that!)is being spent in getting rooted and grounded in Him, which may appear to be impractical, then you will remain true to Him whatever happens."

Then I opened up my 365 day Bible and read 1 Timothy 4:7: "Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives' tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly." At this point in my quiet time, I'm beginning to get the picture!

The New Testament verse went like this: "This is what the Lord says-the Lord who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the Lord: Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come." (Jeremiah 33:2-3) Did you see that? He's saying you can ask a lot of people how to do a lot of stuff, but what I want is for you to ASK ME. So, o.k. I started asking and then picked up Andrew Murray's book on Prayer. Oh, my!

Andrew Murray was a missionary to South Africa and died in 1917. And even though he hasn't been around in 91 years, his message is timeless. In the preface, before you even get into the book, he says, "It takes time to grow into Jesus the Vine; do not expect to abide in Him unless you will give Him that time...It requires day by day time with Jesus and God." Don't expect to know Him, DeeDee, if you don't sit down long enough to KNOW HIM. And then I loved this: He uses the scripture from Matthew 11:28 which says "Come unto me." And then he quotes John 15:4 that says, "Abide in me." So Andrew Murray says, "You did well to come; you do better to abide. Who would, after seeking the King's palace, be content to stand in the door, when he is invited in to dwell in the King's presence and share with Him in all the glory of His royal life?!!" Not me! I would not be content to only peek, but I want to be embraced. I want to run to Him! Who could possibly accept the invitation to come...and then refuse to stay? But in fact, I do. Oh sweet relief, here is the prayer that stole my heart from a man who walked with God and now dwells with Him:

"O My Savior, if ever my heart should doubt or fear again, as if the blessing were too great to expect, or too high to attain, let me hear your voice to quicken my faith and obedience: Abide in me."

And that's my prayer, too. When I get so wrapped up in what I'm doing for You, Lord, remind me that the invitation is to come...and to stay. One day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.

Say Hello to the Davila fam...

Hey Guys-

Joey, Gloria and Jaden have put together a really cool blog! Go here and check it out! And be sure to click on "older posts" to read Jaden's miraculous story. He's a trooper, for sure! Be sure to say hello and tell them I sent 'ya!

One Good Thing..

about being boarded up in a house all to myself for 3 days is I have had the opportunity to do some serious reading. I don't normally have more than one book going at a time, but Hurricane Ike changed that and I have been reading some amazing books! I've been trying to work my way through "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson and thanks to Ike, I have finished it! I am not a "warrior" type personality. I don't go after something with all my might and fight until I've conquered it. I'm more of a mouse...in a maze...not discouraged by the wall...very content to try the next set of twists and turns until I have arrived at my destination. Both personalities eventually meet their arrival, but after reading this book I realized that I may be playing it much too safe and missing out on God-sized opportunities. Mark says, "As I look back on my own life, I recognize this simple truth: The greatest opportunities were the scariest lions. Part of me has wanted to play it safe, but I’ve learned that taking no risks is the greatest risk of all. When we don’t have the guts to step out in faith and chase lions, then God is robbed of the glory that rightfully belongs to Him.” I like my peaceful life, so the thought of chasing a lion (you have to read the book) doesn't appeal to me. But the thought of missing out on God-ordained opportunities does. I want all that God has for me and I don't want to miss it because I'm content to be redirected. I think there's a balance, but I also think we have a responsibility to stand up for and go after those things that God calls us to. I love this quote from the book: "How you think about God will determine who you become. You are a byproduct of your God-picture. And that internal picture of God determines how you see everything else.” Isn't that cool? You are a byproduct of your God-picture!! What does that say about you...and me? And he goes on to say, "Our problems seem really big because our God seems really small. In fact, we reduce God to the size of our biggest problem. Maybe it’s time to stop creating God in your image and let Him create you in His.” Ouch!! I am going to get to work on this...trusting God for the big stuff...taking risks...seizing the opportunity. I am going to work on dreaming bigger because Mark says, “A request can never be too ridiculous when you’re asking the One who knows no limits.” Don't you love it? Don't you love Him? I'll be back to give you more book reviews soon! In the meantime, chase the lion!! 2 Samuel 23:20-23

A Few Wedding Pics...

Meg with the Guys

Brennan with the Jr. Bridesmaids

Byron and I with the happy couple

Wedding Party!

The Sweetest Jr. Bridesmaids and Flower Girls!

The Awesome Groom's Cake made by my Wonderful friend, Shanda!

I Have a New Look!

My sweet friend Crissy pulled off an amazing redesign for my blog and I am so diggin' it! Thank you Crissy for making my page so much more fun. And thanks for being patient with a girl who can't make decisions. You are a jewel!

We Made It!

Byron and Megan are officially husband and wife! The wedding was absolutely beautiful and thanks to many of you praying fiercely on our behalf, it went off without a hitch. Once the father of the bride gave her away, Byron, Sr. and I joined Meg's mom and dad at the altar for a family prayer that was so moving. We huddled around our sweet couple and Meg's dad led us in a prayer for the two of them. I can't think of a better way for Byron and Meg to have started their new life together.

The reception was one big celebration, but the most memorable moment was when our Brennan, younger brother/best man, toasted the bride and groom with the sweetest speech. Byron & Brennan cried, Meg cried, and the rest of us didn't stand a chance! And I was a very proud mom watching this amazing exchange between our boys & now, our girl. We are incredibly blessed!

Wedding pics to come soon!

It's Almost Here...

The wedding countdown has begun! And there has not been one dull moment! I am SO grateful for my friends who have encouraged me, blessed me, prayed for me and saved my life. Well...maybe not my life, but definitely my reputation! The groom-to-be has thrown me a few curve balls this week and the ONLY reason that I am bailing him out at this point...honestly...is so that I don't look bad! Really, if this wasn't a public affair, he'd be toast!

Oh, I'm going to miss that boy. I'm going to miss hearing him sing and play his guitar in his room when he thinks no one is listening. Many times have I stood outside his door and soaked it all in.

I'm going to miss coming home and finding a mound of clothes neatly folded on my bed because the laundry room was overflowing!

I'm going to miss turning on the surround sound, popping in the latest worship DVD and critiquing it together.

...and the list could go on and on.

This is going to be an amazing weekend and hopefully I'll have pictures to share with you soon. I can't wait! The next time we talk, I will be a mother-in-law!!!!

BAF 5 Points

Bay Area Fellowship has opened up a new campus in the 5 Points area and even though I am very excited about that, I am especially excited about this...
And this...

And this...

Yes, that's my Byron helping out with the worship and I am so proud! He is so much more talented than I ever was and I love to see him using his gifts to serve the Lord. To read more about their launch, check out Pastor Jason's blog and get the full scoop. I totally stole these pics from him!

Pandora's Box

There is a closet in my house that I never open because if I did, everything would fall out. It's a closet in our study that served as the catch-all when we moved in 4 years...yes, 4 YEARS ago. But after reading Alene's post here, I was inspired to tackle what I have come to call "Pandora's Box". Because I have not seen any of this stuff in so long, I realized that each pile of clutter needed organizing in itself. For example, piles and piles of pictures have lived in this closet. Now they need their own space. And tax returns from the last several years really should be in a file of their own. And office supplies that I did not know I had...and the list could go on and on. It was pretty overwhelming because each item I "discovered" started a chain reaction on what to do with it. But I made it through and finished my weekend project with time to spare. So thanks, Alene, for the inspiration! I feel so much better now!

Before..........



After..........

Only Three Weeks Away...

It's hard to believe, but we are just three short weeks away from Byron and Meg's wedding! It just doesn't seem possible. I have to say that Meg is everything that I have ever prayed for in a daughter-in-law and I can't wait until she is officially mine. Having two boys has been the sweetest blessing, but for years I have longed for a girl of my own and I'm about to get her!

Most of my wedding to-do list is marked off except one thing. Byron and I can't seem to come up with a song for the mother-son dance. Meg and her dad are dancing to "Cinderella" by Stephen Curtis Chapman and I haven't made it through that song once without crying. So by the time their dance is over, I'll be a mess. I was really hoping to find a song for B and I that won't leave me in a heap!

This is the happy couple in New Mexico this past Christmas. Precious to me!!!