God is ALL Around

Several verses in the Bible talks about God going BEFORE us...BESIDE us...and BEHIND us...

I've been praying those for months now...Mostly I’ve been focused on the 1st two – Before & Beside me...

When I pray, I picture those being true - He is already there & He is going with me...

By going before me, I’m asking Him to: prepare the way...to be there when I get there...to make the difficult doable...impossible possible...to take the secular and make it spiritual...In essence, I'm believing that as He goes before me - He is literally preparing the way for me/us in all areas of our life. As we move forward...as we deal with the past...as we just live again...I need to know & believe that in all areas of my life...

By going WITH me, I'm seeing Him as Immanuel - the God that goes with me/us. It seems easier to deal with things, easier to live again, easier to do anything - when someone is with you - or when you are not alone. So, I put than into my faith - God is WITH me right now...He is BESIDE me...The Bible says that He is so close that He is in my Shadow.  There are times I can really sense Him being iwth me - His strength...peace...calm..etc...There are other times - it's just in my faith - I know He is with me, because He said He would be...

Then - the one that really has hit me lately - that He goes BEHIND me. The way that has become a faith thing for me is - that when I leave from somewhere...God is still there! He is there still at work. Taking all my inability & making something out of it His way...Taking my feeble efforts & placing his touch on them...When I leave - it might not be done...might not have been enough...it might not have been exactly the right words...or whatever...But God - stays there & keeps working for me/us...It's by His Spirit only that anything happens anyway...So, I've learned to just trust that as I/we walk forward in life - God takes our best efforts & works in & through them as only He can...

The same passages also mean that as He goes Before...Beside...Behind....He is not only preparing, He is protecting...I've needed His protection in many many ways...He is Faithful...

God is ALL Around - Pray It...Believe it...Practice It...

Peace

Comments - FYI

We get many more comments than we post.

We don't publish any of them that mention other people or seem to be more for us than for the world.

So, if you don't see your comment posted - that's normally why.

So, thanks for sending them - they mean alot to both of us...

Bob & Shawn

Loving Your Enemies & Praying for the Cursers

Jesus instructs us to "pray for our enemies" & "pray blessings on those that curse you."

A couple months ago - I began to do exactly that...Calling out in prayer people that either were my enemies or that I had developed strong negative feelings toward.

When I first tried this - just saying their name was about all I could get out...But, over a period of a few weeks - after calling their name out every day in prayer; I honestly got to where I was (and still am) wanting God to truly bless them. And, through that - I was able to process anger...bitterness...hurt...revenge...sorrow...and probably a few other feelings within. A process of personal healing really took place - I became totally free of their impact on my life.

Part of the trick is to that when you pray blessings on them - you leave it at that - no more & no less. Leaving the interpretation of that up to God - you realize that if God blesses them - He will do what's right in their life - just as you trust He is doing in your own.

So, now daily - I call out people's names & have even wept over them as I truly want God to bless them...When Jesus taught us how to live & how to treat each other - though he placed a greater standard on each of us - he was teaching us how to obtain the abundant life He came to give.

Lord - bless my enemies...

Crazy thing - another scripture says "that when OUR ways please the Lord - HE will make even our enemies at peace with us!"

Lord - Help my life be pleasing to you...

Peace

Update

Hey all

We get asked quite often some form of the question - what are you up to/how are you all doing...

So - I'll start with an update of things in the Groves Home.

Shawn & I are doing great. We have been going to marital counseling for about 8 months now. Until mid December - we went every Thursday. Now we go every other. To say that our counselor (a Christ follower) has been a God send would be an understatement - for both our marriage & myself. My past keeps trying to show up via people that "just won't let it go" or that don't want me or others to forget about it - but we are doing well in spite of all that.

For about 3 months now - we get up each weekday at 6:15 to pray together. This one spiritual discipline has provided some serious healing for each of us & our marriage.

I have been meeting with a Sr Pastor of a local church, every Tuesday, for about 5 or 6 months. Again - a God send into my life. He offers some great friendship as well as Godly wisdom. Our meetings have gone to every other week now too.

My kids - are all doing well. Cosmetology school...Baseball...an 8 year old Sweetheart...

We have still not found a church to call home. Fact is we haven't even come close yet. We have only been to church a few times in the last 9 months. Sundays are still a tough reminder of my sin(s).

We have been surrounded by some great friends through out the last several months. It would be true to say - that without them we would not be close to where we are today. They know who they are & we are eternally grateful for those that have been there for & with us.

A Couple local pastors have reached out to me/us during this extremely difficult time in my/our life. They have exemplified the ability to still offer grace & forgiveness - which - for some reason - is not as readily offered when you fall as a Pastor. Not that we shouldn't have a higher accountability & all that...but when ya fall - your titles are all gone & you are then just a regular ole sinner that has to still make it...

I still hear often of my past from someone that "follows Christ". Interestingly enough - that's the only group that still does that? They still are calling people...talking about the latest rumor...making sure all the people in my life have all the latest...etc...Truth is - repairing a marriage is tough enough...having to do so in the spot light that people keep shining on us is quite another...whoops - I'm sorry - I didn't mean to get off on that...but if you want to know what a day is like in our life - that would still be what it's like...

Well, there's more - but for now this will do...

Peace

Bob

Hey

Good morning...

I haven't been in here for quite a while - but will start sharing some on a more regular basis...

If you are still following this blog - send Shawn & me a comment saying hi...

Some good news for now - the Bible says that we are fearfully & wonderfully made! Think about that! You are unique & there is not another on this earth that can take your place...

Don't allow you not being like someone else hold you back from being you!

Peace