VICTORY – the theme God gave me for 2014! Psalm 98:1 – the verse: “O sing to the Lord a new song for He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.”
I’m prompted to pay close attention to victories this year, big ones and small ones. I’m going to be on the lookout daily for God’s right hand and holy arm to be at work in my life. Maybe you’d like to join me? This is the way I’m going to do it: every day in my journal I’ll record the victory of the day. For example, today I walked all the way to the bathroom by myself with only my cane! That’s a big one today. My lower back pain has been making it very difficult to walk at all, but today as I cried out to the Lord, He heard my desperate plea. He stretched out His hand. He moved His holy arm and gained the victory for Him and for me.
It’s simple really. God works every day all around us, but like Israel of old we have a tendency to take His work for granted, to overlook His victorious acts on our behalf. You know I really want to be numbered among those who remember. I want to be one who sings a new song to the Lord . . . every day. In addition, by writing daily in my journal, I’ll have a record of all He’s done. When the enemy whispers his almost believable lies, when he sets out to destroy my cheer and my courage, when he accuses my God of being cruel, unfair, unloving or whatever trash talk he employs to try to get me to side with evil, I’ll have black-and-white, hard-and-fast evidence to boost my faith as I look back over daily victories gained for me by God’s right hand and holy arm.
Life is hard and the world gets ugly. We all know that. We hear discouraging reports daily, but what of God’s victories? What of the miracles of our Mighty, Mighty Deity? As children proud of our Abba Daddy it’s time to get loud. It’s time to make sure we’re paying attention, praising and thanking, talking and telling of His wonders, His victories in our lives!
As I focus on Psalm 98:1 this year, I’m beginning a study on the right hand and the holy arm of God. I want to compare the victories wrought throughout Scripture with what God is doing in my own life today and in the lives of you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, around the globe. So, feel free to reply on this blog anytime with a God at work story. Revelation reminds us that we overcome the accuser of the brethren by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. Testify Bride! Spread the word, Church. You have no idea the encouragement your story gives to me, especially during these fighting times. When you experience God’s excellent things, when you find yourself smack dab in the middle of one of His victories, large or small, don’t keep it to yourself. Let it be known so we can celebrate and adore our great, victorious God together!
Revelation 12:10-11
“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.
And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”
Kristen,
Thank you for the challenge which should be a way of life for all believers. Dave and I have both been sick sense returning from Israel with absolutely miserable chest colds. We continue to remind each other, when we are struggling to get through each day, to not let Satan still our joy. We were just on a beautiful journey walking with Jesus through Israel and Satan would love to steal our joy and turn it into something ugly. I’m so thankful that God gave Dave and me one another to lift each other up and remind each other not to let the evil steal our joy, as these miserable colds, even though they don’t seem like it, will one day pass. And then we can share so many memories and things God taught us as we walked in His Steps and encourage others to visit our homeland if the opportunity arises.
I’m praising God for holding you up, and letting you see the small accomplishments as well as the big. They are all big to Him as His ways and thoughts are not the ways and thoughts of this world. Is 55:8-9
Kristen, I thank God for your faith, courage and “fight”.
My scripture for you is 2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.”
I hope this encourages you as it does me. It is comforting to know that He has heard your praises and that He cares.
Kristen, you are such an inspiration to me. This year on January 1, I told myself that I would look for a positive each and everyday in my life no matter how big or how small. What an attitude change that gives me. As for you sweet Lady, you need to know that you are being plagued with this “Adventure in your life”, I call it an adventure because I know what you are going through, I’m a 7 year cancer survivor and have been in your shoes. Anyway, you are a VICTORIOUS LADY! The work you do, the joy you share, the hurts you’ve had and the way you handle them has just put Mr. Satan on such a tailspin that he had to try and slow you down. I am praying this, starting today, that you continue to be a VICTORIOUS LADY against old Mr. Satan. The more you go forth and claim the name of the Lord the more upset Satan becomes. You are in pain, sick and struggle with the simple things in life, yet you continue to amaze me/those that follow your blog, with your words of wisdom and the love you share through this blog. What does Satan do, he just tries to keep you down. It reminds me of the Adventures of Gulliver where he is on the beach and the Lilliputians have tied him down with ropes. In there eyes these ropes are big and strong but when he opens his eyes he sees that they have used nothing more than string and Gulliver quickly breaks the binds that are trying to tie him down and he is free. This is what Satan is trying to do to you, but OUR God is much bigger than Satan and you continue to break the ties that he is trying to bind you with (cancer). I admire you and your courage but most of all I admire the LOVE that you share to all. Blessings Kristen, you are loved!
Kristen,
You shine like the Son! Thank you for sharing..we are all better for soaking in the light you reflect. May God give you strength for every task and joy in seeking and finding Him with you in all things.
Praying for you,
Susan
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:1-3
I am starting my praise journal tonight because of you. Thank you for your posts, your incredible witness and your faithfulness!!
The great victory and praise in my life tonight is my 20 year old daughter who has grown leaps and bounds in the grace and knowledge of our Savior this year. Her love and desire to follow Jesus makes this daddy so very proud. I’m smiling now! I praise you Father!!
Kristen- I can only imagine the smile your putting on our Lord’s face!! Prayers of healing, strength, protection and comfort are being daily sent up for you and your family. Love you sister.
Kristen,
On New Year’s Day, my husband had each one of us in our family choose one word to write down to focus on for the year, to pray about, etc. The word God brought to mind for me was ‘Focus’. It seems the Lord gave you ‘Victory’ for 2014! I love that and will be praying for you with that word at the center of my prayers.
You asked to share a daily victory and ours is this: A few days ago our pipe in our bathroom completely froze. Since then we’ve been putting a space heater near the pipes and doing all the things they say you should do… And we were praying it wouldn’t burst, although we were told that because of the type of pipes we have, the chances were it would burst. This pipe was a concern to us because of the cost involved with getting it fixed if it did indeed burst. The thought that came to my mind as I prayed was ‘Probability doesn’t include the God factor’. Indeed, it does not, because our pipe unfroze in the middle of the night and did not burst and hot and cold water is working perfectly this morning! Thanks be to God for little victories like pipes not bursting! 🙂
The other two victories I wanted to share is something a good friend of mine shared with me a few days ago. They are in a tight financial situation right now. Her husband needed a car and so she had been praying for quite a while that God would provide one–free. They received a call a few weeks ago that her aunt and uncle were buying a new car because a tree had fallen on their current one. And they wanted to give them the old car! The second thing that happened was her in-laws normally spend about $50 on her at Christmas and always ask her what she’d like for them to get her. This year–while desiring some new clothes–she felt compelled to ask them to buy an animal for someone in need through Compassion International. A week after Christmas, some friends were over for dinner. Her friend said she had gotten a lot of clothes for Christmas and she was getting rid of some of her older things (which were still very cute, I might add). She asked if my friend would like them? She brought over several things–and they were super cute, the exact size and even exactly like what she had desired to buy for herself!
Whether it is through fallen trees or clothing–we can never out give God!
I thought of you this morning twice during my Bible reading: Genesis 18:14–‘Is anything impossible for the Lord?’ and Psalm 6:6-10–the word ‘suddenly’ especially jumped out to me as I think I’ve heard you say on here before that it is never too late for ‘God’s suddenly!’ I hope these verses are encouraging to you today. Thank you, Kristen, for how you encourage me to walk ‘further still’ and look for the victories in every day.
PS–sorry this was so long 🙂
I wanted to thank you for recommending the daily devotional “Streams in the Desert.” I received it for Christmas and am so encouraged by it! It has brought me to tears a few times already this year. Thank you for always sharing what He gives you….You are such a blessing to me 🙂
Kristen
You don’t know me but I have grown to know you as you touch me while you go through this journey. Each time I read your blog something speaks to me. I lost my Dad the first of December and around that time your wrote about heaven and made me feel so much better. And then as you wrote about going to the Holy Land if felt as though I had been there with you. Thank you for sharing you insight and the Word of our Lord.
As I read your blog today, to chart our victories large and small you touched my heart again. My victory today was to fight through fear. I lost my job and am
trying to stay positive as I look for another position. Some times satin sneaks in and tries to take my positive outlook away from me and feel me with fear of the future. Today I said NO – Away from me. That was my victory.
I will keep you and your family in my prayers as I have from the beginning of this journey.
So many days I get tired of hurting. Your strength makes me stronger. Thank you!
What a blessing!!!! I’ve sneaked an idea and started a “Count My Blessings” jar. I’m filling it with blessings as they come. Then, when I think about complaining or murmuring, I have a place to reach into and read some blessings. Oh how easy it is to complain. May the Lord help me. Your test has turned into a testimony, and we are reaping the benefits. God is Good ALL THE TIME!!! You have filled my cup. Thank you, Kristen.
Blessings to you.
kristen thank you thank you for the way, in spite of your own severe pain, you continue to encourage all of us. in just your few short years, you have and continue to spread the Light of Jesus to a hurting world that is in desperate need of God’s eternal promises. We love you and continue to pray daily for all of you. marge
Hi Kristen, If you should read this, if you could please contact me, I have something to share with you. Thanks Sherry Hilpp