Focus on His Eyes

“Why have we fasted,” they say, “and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?” ~ Isaiah 58:3

A relationship is based upon “knowing” a person; knowing their personality, likes, dislikes, what they stand for, and what they don’t.  It’s considered to be “using” someone when you only hang around them because of what they are doing for you.  As a society, we frown upon that and are disgusted when we see it happening.

I’m saddened to say that when I read this scripture, I realized that’s where my motives were with God…I had shifted my gaze from His loving eyes to His hand, just waiting for it to open in my direction.  Now I know that He is a merciful and loving Father and has forgiven me, but I’m sad about the intimacy I missed out on.  I was more concerned about what He could do for me than what He wanted to do in me.

Father, you deserve my true worship.  Thank you for opening my eyes to my motives and actions.  I pray that I would keep my eyes stayed on you, trusting you to know exactly what I need, when I need it.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. ~ Isaiah 58:11

You Will Find Me

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ~ Jeremiah 29:13

Every evening, during Savannah’s bedtime feeding, Brad and I pray that God will give us the tools we need and teach us how to be good parents to our daughter. 

In the last two weeks, our daughter’s behavior has changed.  Almost overnight she decided that she didn’t want to take her naps and she wanted to eat a bit more often than what was normal for her.  She was fussy more often than she’d been in recent weeks.  After four days straight of this new behavior, we reached out for help—both with medical professionals and with our friends. 

After another several days without improvement, we decided it was time to reach out again to medical professionals.  I don’t know what made that day different, but I remember I was feeding Savannah before getting ready for work and I just prayed—almost in tears—“God, teach me to be a good mommy.  Help me to know how to help my daughter.”  I got to work and made some phone calls and set up an appointment for Brad to take Savannah in to be seen and hopefully get to the bottom of this, or at least get steered in the right direction.  Before the appointment time, I remember having the Holy Spirit whisper to my heart, “I will be found by those who seek me with their whole heart.”

Brad called me after the appointment to let me know the good news: Our daughter is going through normal changes.  She’s healthy.  We are good parents.  We are all going to be OK.  I needed to hear that.  I needed to hear that I hadn’t done something to “mess up” my child, and that she’s not the only one going through this.  We were given information that explained what was going on and the approximate length we can expect that she’ll be out of her “normal” routine.  It also reinforced all the things we were already doing.  We were already doing the “right” things and we didn’t even know it.

Thank you God, that when I need you, I can call upon you and you will answer me and come to me in my time of need.