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I am so excited about everything we are working on at Quiet Time Ministries. I feel as though many projects are nearing completion. And I have to say that not one of these things would be possible apart from the power of God. There are times along the way when I have said, “I can’t but He can!” That’s my own paraphrase of Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” It’s my battle cry in the heat of ministry and I love to say it because then I know the Lord is going to do things only He can do. We just completed the Hope For My Hurting Heart pilot and our major final edit. The picture I’ve included here shows some of those who were involved in the pilot. How I thank the Lord for those who took this first journey with me in this book. These pilots make an incredible difference in the final result of the books I write. Hope For My Hurting Heart is almost ready to go to Harvest House and oh, I am so excited about this book. I cannot wait for it to get to print. That’s probably why my word is “wait” this year - Watching Always I Trust. I am waiting on the Lord and watching eagerly to see what He will do.

Then, we just this weekend completed the filming of the nine messages for Pilgrimage Of The Heart. It was a powerful experience for me. I absolutely love video production and so love speaking into the camera - the Lord gives me such a sense that the message is for someone He has in mind. Again, I thank the Lord for His power and enablement to do what He has called me to do. It was A LOT of work and I am tired today. But it is well worth it to me. Now all the messages for every book of quiet times in the Quiet Times For The Heart series (a total of 47 messages) are available on DVD - Pilgrimage Of The Heart, Revive My Heart, A Heart That Dances, A Heart On Fire, A Heart To See Forever.

Now, it’s onward and upward. I am writing lots of new messages, preparing for speaking engagements, and doing preparatory work for the next book I’ll write in December/January entitled Set My Heart On Fire all about the Holy Spirit. This morning in my quiet time I read the words that the Lord said to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” That word for sufficient in the Greek means “enough.” God’s grace is ALWAYS enough - enough for anything that comes our way. I rejoice in the grace and power of God today.

Yesterday I read something in Oswald Chamber’s My Utmost For His Highest that I haven’t been able to get out of my mind. His comments were in response to the words of Jesus to His disciples: “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26). OC says, “What a pang must have shot through the disciples–Missed it again! And what a pang will go through us when we suddenly realize that we might have produced downright joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, no matter what was ahead.” He goes on to explain that our sanctification will result in making us a deep joy to our Lord. I wrote in my journal, “I love this thought—giving the Lord joy by trusting Him in the darkness.” That is what I have written about in Hope For My Hurting Heart – grabbing on to the promises of God and walking and living by them in the midst of the adverse circumstances of life.

Then, today I read Lamentations in The Daily Walk Bible. Jeremiah must have brought great joy to the heart of the Lord for he was able to have hope in the midst of his own brokenness and wounded heart at the destruction of Jerusalem. Here is his shout of triumph, “The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” (Lamentations 3:21-25 NLT). Oh may I bring joy to the Lord with a shout of faith, hope, and triumph like Jeremiah even in the adversities, challenges, and trials of life. “So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him” (2 Corinthians 5:9 ESV).