God Stops

I'm doing a Beth Moore Bible study right now called Believing God. At the end of each lesson there is a section called God Stops, where she encourages you to record how you see God at work each day. She predicted that as we go throughout the study, and we are learning about faith, we will see God intervene and step into our daily lives more often. The question up for debate is whether he actually intervenes more or we just notice it more, I don't know - maybe both. But as I've been spending more time in prayer and in His word, I can sense the Spirit's presence more often and feel Him working in me. It's awesome! In the past 2 days, I have seen God so much, I'd like to share with you some of my God stops:

1. Two nights ago I was up almost all night with coughing fits, so that when I "woke up" to go to work, I felt as if I'd been up all night and had gotten no rest at all. Going to take care of three busy kids was the last thing I wanted to do. Often times when I walk into the Periard home, the children are screaming, running, and/or crying and at 7:45 am, I am tempted to turn back around and go back home most mornings. I sat in my car outside the house and prayed just that it would be a peaceful morning, that the kids wouldn't ambush me as I walked in the door, or start shooting at me as they often do. God is so good! I walk in the door, and all three of them are sitting on the couch watching Patrick play his leapster game, completely quiet and even ready for the day! Then, God threw in an extra bonus, Barb (the mom) told me she had the day off and told me it would be a short day today. I got to go home at 4 and take a much needed nap!

2. So last night, I was worried that the coughing would keep me awake again and that I would wake up feeling exhausted again this morning. So I prayed last night before I went to bed, that I would just get a good night sleep and feel rested in the morning. I woke up this morning, after a little bit of coughing but feeling like I had a good night's rest! What a blessing!

3. This is a little one, but Come Thou Fount came on the radio this morning and I've been craving to listen and sing that song for awhile, so it made me so happy when it came on this morning, i started off my day worshiping God and singing his praises!

4. I got to work this morning and the boys were watching Mickey Mouse, I had this unusual stirring in my spirit, that I should do something, and I didn't know what. So I pulled out my computer to check my e-mail and there was an e-mail from my cousin in South Africa asking for prayer in a huge way. I knew that God had me to pray for her this quiet morning. So I stepped out onto their deck to pray in the quiet stillness of the morning. Their deck overlooks the woods and everything was icy, and blue and so peaceful. I felt as though I was standing among a symphony of birds and His presence was unmistakable! So I stood, praying for my cousin and her ministry there and there was a movement in the woods about 50 feet out. A lone doe was standing there, staring right up at me and I just stood and watched her for a moment.

The sun is rising now and melting away all the frost from the trees, branches, and grass. God is so evident and it's amazing how He will reveal Himself if we just slow down and look for Him.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."Ps. 19:1-4