The Great I Am

I know this is an overused, even corny phrase, but God is doing a new thing.  His Word says "...we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,^[b] for those who are called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:28  I know this to be true; He's always working on our hearts {working all things together for good}.  Lately, every where we turn, we're running into the same message:  give thanks, praise God in everything, regardless of your circumstances. 

In Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts, she shares, "Eucharisteo {thanksgiving} always, always precedes the miracle... The real problem of life-- in my life-- is lack of thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving creates abundance; and the miracle of multiplying happens when I give thanks- take the just one loaf, say it is enough, and give thanks- and He miraculously makes it more than enough." {pg. 72} 

A speaker at our church Sunday night stated, "The problem is not your problem, it is your perspective on your problem."  We can't change our perspective with willpower or positive thinking {"The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”}, but the Holy Spirit can!  A few weeks back David and I were prayed for, and our outlook changed.  The Holy Spirit did that! 

I don't think we can truly delight in God's innumerable gifts or even notice them if we are always going at a breakneck speed.  I am guilty!  To be fully present, you have to slow so you can see.  I think taking pictures helps me do that.   God's beauty abounds everywhere you look!  I love this {Ann again}:  "This is where God is.  In the present.  I AM-- His very name." {pg. 69} 

I recently saved this to my desktop as a reminder to be fully present, eyes/heart wide open.

Again, I think God has had a theme for me.  We've been singing this song at church a lot. 

Hallelujah Holy Holy

God almighty Great I am

Who is worthy

None beside Thee

God Almighty

Great I Am

The mountains shake before Him

The demons run and flee

At the mention of the name

King of Majesty

There is no power in hell

Or any who can stand

Before the power and the presence of the Great I am

The Great I am The Great I am

The Great I am The Great I am The Great I am 

May we press into God, praise Him for His goodness, and know He is always more than enough!

Some final quotes:

• If God didn't withhold from us His very own Son, will God withhold anything we need? 154
• This is the crux of Christianity: to remember and give thanks, eucharisteo.153
• Remembering frames up gratitude.  Gratitude lays out the planks of trust.  I can walk the planks- from known to unknown- and know: He holds.  I could walk unafraid... Remembering is an act of thanksgiving.152
• Every time fear freezes and worry writhes, every time I surrender to stress, aren't I advertising the unreliability of God?  That I really don't believe?  But if I'm grateful to the Bridge Builder for the crossing of a million strong bridges, thankful for a million faithful moments, my life speaks my beliefs and I trust Him again. 151
• The Lord has to break us down at the strongest part of our self-life before He can have His own way of blessing with us. 138
• The only way to fight a feeling is with a feeling... feel thanks and it's absolutely impossible to feel angry.  We can only experience one emotion at a time.  And we get to choose- which emotion do we want to feel? 136
• Whenever I am blind to joy's well, isn't it because I don't believe in God's care?  That God cares enough about me to always offer me joy's water, wherever I am, regardless of circumstance. 130

I could keep going, but will cut myself off there!:)