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On Christmas Eve, my pastor, John W. Stevenson, shared a wonderful message entitled Just Say, "OKAY!"  It reminded me of something I'd  written a few years ago. I thought I'd share it as we prepare to enter a new year to encourage you to just say, "OKAY!" Great acts of God are often preceded by simple acts of obedience. —Steven Furtick I was minding my business, going about my merry way, singing a simple song when I heard the whisper. I knew it was God because the idea wasn’t remotely anything I had ever considered. It wasn’t anything I’d ever dreamed of, prayed for, wished upon on star for. I knew it was God because Deborah wasn’t trying to add one more thing to an already jam-packed life, wasn’t trying to add a morsel to her already full plate. Knew it was God because not only was this something I had never done before, I had no point of reference for it…at all! But I’d heard that still small voice. And once you’ve heard it, you can’t un-hear it. You can ignore it. You can choose to disobey it. You can try to flick it away like a fly. But you can’t un-hear it. And I’d heard. So instead of doing what I’ve done more often than I care to admit. Instead of dismissing it as a whim, instead of offering a litany of excuses why I couldn’t or why I shouldn’t, instead of disqualifying myself, instead of seeking…

This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked of him.  1 John 5:14,15 CSB One of my Christmas traditions is reading the accounts of Jesus' birth. I typically  read from the Narrated Bible because  I like the way it takes the accounts of Matthew and Luke and combines them into one seamless story. But, for some reason, this year I decided to read Luke's account from a different version. I've read Luke 1 more times than I can count. But this time as I read I was arrested by one phrase in verse 13. The angel Gabriel is speaking to Zacharias and tells him not to be afraid because "...your prayer is heard." Holy Spirit seemed highlighted those words.  …your prayer IS heard Then I heard Holy Spirit whisper, "Read the footnote." And the footnote indicated that these words could be more accurately translated "the prayer you no l0nger pray" or "the prayer you don't even pray anymore."  Holy Spirit whispered again, "Deborah, the prayer you no longer pray IS heard!" Tears pooled in my eyes.  I can only imagine the number of years Zacharias had prayed for an heir. I can only imagine how he must have felt as years past and he and his wife, Elizabeth, remained childless. Perhaps as they grew older, he remembered Abraham and Sarah. He may have thought and even encouraged Elizabeth with…

  “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 The Message Anyone who knows me knows that one of my happy places is the beach! The sand, the sun, and the waves revitalize me. I always feel such freedom and peace when I am able to just walk along the shore, feel the sun on my face, the sand between my toes and the waves dance around me as they ebb and flow. It settles me, centers me, and gives me a greater sense of God's love and grace. Yep, the beach is my happy place! I am grateful to once again have had the opportunity for some much-needed beach time. The day we arrived on Galveston Island, I must have walked a good 6 or 7 miles up and down the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, listening for the voice God in the waves, in the singing of the seagulls and egrets. It was pure joy to have Him kiss me with the sun and remind me that I need these Divine Pauses to be re-calibrated and strengthened for all He knows lies ahead for…