Step In

It had been a long day; however, she stayed to pray.  She explained to me that nothing was working and all she had left was prayer.  I understood what she was saying.  There are times when nothing seems right, safe, or possible.  The thing is . . .when we enter into prayer . . . we are no longer on our own, constrained by our limitations, mistakes, or wrongs.  When you get down to it, prayer is taking a step into God’s power and authority where all things are possible.    

Jesus demonstrated that life sustaining power comes from prayer . . . In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there Mark 1:35.

It really is staggering that it takes us so long to step in.  The people of God had wandered in the wilderness for forty years after refusing to step into the Promised Land, the place God had led them to go into.  Looking backwards allows us to see the missed opportunities of a whole generation because of the lack of faith.  It makes me wonder how many things I have missed because I have not stepped into the place of prayer . . . the place of power and authority.

But they finally stepped into the place God had ordained them to go.  So they, set up faith markers . . . to mark the beginning of living where God had asked them to go . . . Those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal  Joshua 4:20.

The  people marked the place they stepped into where they would experience a power beyond imagination.  

Step in.

Step  into the power and authority of God.

Pray.

Learning with you to KICK START the day stepping into prayer,

Pastor Kerrie

 (written by Kerrie Palmer © 2010 All Rights Reserved)
interactstudies/ ~ kpalmer@hillchurch.com ~Church on the Hill~700 N. Hill Rd.~McMinnville, OR 97128~503.472.8476 ~www.hillchurch.com~Archives & Daily Subscription: go to http://kickstarttoday.blogspot.com/

Anticipation

A place of anticipation . . . is a good place.  Anticipation is an expectation of what is to occur in the future. There is energy produced when we anticipate something or even more . . . someone.  We have been in the place of anticipation as we waited for little Madelyn to arrive from China.  

 A circle of friends and family invested their thoughts, hopes, and dreams for one little girl.  

In the end, our relationships strengthened and become more intimate as we anticipated Madelyn’s arrival together.    Now, we are in the place of helping her acclimate to us. And, we are anticipating the days ahead with her in our life and us in her life. 

Anticipation is a good place to be in.  The people of God crossed over the Jordan River to a place called Gilgal, a place of anticipation.  They stood on the edge of their future . . . a promised place . . .the Promised Land: Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho. Joshua 4:19

Enjoy the place of anticipation in your life.

Anticipate the future.

Celebrate what is to come.

Learning with you to KICK START the day in anticipation,

Pastor Kerrie

 (written by Kerrie Palmer © 2010 All Rights Reserved)
interactstudies/ ~ kpalmer@hillchurch.com ~Church on the Hill~700 N. Hill Rd.~McMinnville, OR 97128~503.472.8476 ~www.hillchurch.com~Archives & Daily Subscription: go to http://kickstarttoday.blogspot.com/

Storms Come

Storms come, creating obstacles that block the way and problems the size of mountains which hinder us from doing this thing we call life.  Regardless of the problems, at the end of the day, God shows us over and over, that He will not fail or leave us.  It is a matter of trust: “God, I trust you.  God, I trust you.” 

God will calm the storm, moving the mountains to provide a way through the things that limit the way we live.  Look at the people of God.  Unbelief had blocked their way.  Unbelief is a weapon that works against trust. 

The people aligned their actions with God’s Word through trust.  God told Joshua to go; so he did.  God told the priests to go; so they did:  And when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come up out of the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of their feet were lifted up to the dry land, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and flowed over all its banks as they had before. Joshua 4:18

Can you imagine being one of the last ones to cross over? Were they afraid that it was going to take too long of time and the walls of water would fall down and block their view?

Did they see that God is always faithful when the walls of water stayed strong and firm until the priests touched ground?

What causes our faith to grow and trust to build in God?

Trust is a choice.  Trust is tested in the storms of life.  Trust is a decisive action.

God will guide you and lead you through the storms. I

Learning with you to KICK START the day . . . trusting God . . . even in the storms,                                                               

Pastor Kerrie

 (written by Kerrie Palmer © 2010 All Rights Reserved)
interactstudies/ ~ kpalmer@hillchurch.com ~Church on the Hill~700 N. Hill Rd.~McMinnville, OR 97128~503.472.8476 ~www.hillchurch.com~Archives & Daily Subscription: go to http://kickstarttoday.blogspot.com/