Leah Richardson

So… I am standing at the sink pouring a big glass of water, but instead, water pours all over the counter, me and the floor! The glass was already full, but I didn’t notice. I didn’t pay attention. Laughingly, I said out loud…Oh Lord, there are some good lessons here!!

Empty me of me

and fill me with you.

1.  If I am full of me, I can’t receive what you are pouring into me.  Regardless of how much I hunger and thirst for your presence in my life, I must make room.

Jesus said…Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness , for they will be filled.

Matthew 5:6

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2.  A big glass of water was there all along waiting for me to take a drink.  Regardless of how thirsty I may be, satisfaction comes only when I stop and drink the water.

Jesus said…whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.  The water that I will give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

John 4:14

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3. Once filled with fresh water, living water, the Holy Spirit, I remember I am a mere broken earthen vessel that leaks.  I need to drink liberally and daily to stay filled.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:23

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Make room for God this weekend… then go ahead, satisfy your thirst.  Take a big drink of living water!  Put a squeeze of lemon in it too…for God is oh so good!

Pouring out to you sweet brothers and sisters to be filled once again…

xoxo   leah

Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

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One of my favorite verses in the Bible!

A promise that changed my life!

Jesus simply says…

COME!

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He says, “Come to me” if you are

WEARY

OVER-BURDENED

WORN OUT

TIRED OF FIGHTING

CONFUSED

OPPRESSED

WRESTING WITH LIFE

SUFFERING

OVERWHELMED

and I will give you

REST

PEACE

A REFRESHING BREAK

TIME TO TAKE IT EASY

A PLACE TO RECLINE

TIME TO REGROUP

RESTORATION

RECOVERY

FREEDOM

IS THE FIRST LIST WEIGHING YOU DOWN LIKE A CRUSHING YOKE?

JESUS SIMPLY SAYS, “COME”.

JUST COME.

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C.S. Lewis says it this way…

The great solution is a simple one- “Come unto me”.

The depth of our reality-

INTELLECTUALLY, MORALLY AND SPIRITUALLY is tested by these words.

In every degree in which we are NOT REAL, we will

DISPUTE RATHER THAN COME.

Father God, help us to stop disputing and relying on our “Grown-Up” common sense as to why such a simple thing brings everlasting peace.  Give us the countenance of a wide-eyed, open-hearted, trusting-mind little child this weekend!  For we desire REST!!

We exchange our pumps for bare feet, our ties for an open collar.  We will laugh, out loud and loudly.  We will breathe, deeply.  We will find rest and recreation, actual delight, in simple obedience-  we come.

xoxo

leah

HAPPY MONDAY!!  Yesterday, I hopped on this…

and rode around while Jim enjoyed the PGA Golf tournament on TV.  I took my camera so you could enjoy my journey too!

Come along…

I started noticing garage doors-  really liked these!

this should be a “before I changed my garage door” picture!

The garage doors are tucked neatly behind the low left wall.  A great way to disguise garage doors on the front of a home.

Ponder the path of your feet;

then all your ways will be sure.

Proverbs 4:26

Although I was unsure of my route…just riding an exploring…I found that most paths lead to water.

There is a good mix of architecture in the area, but I love, love, love the Spanish Colonial style architecture that is so prevalent in Florida.

White exteriors, clay tile roofs, arched courtyard entrances and the wrought iron ornamentation…

such as the grill work over the small windows.

I wonder if the ones with the cross are a statement by

the owner-  I am a Christ-follower!

In keeping with the architecture, there is something quite charming about

the open carport to house the car instead of a more modern-day garage.

The house and garage here is under major renovation.  Can you see the charming garage doors under the open carport?  Maybe the garage will turn into a carriage house and the car will be housed in the open area?…

I found myself at the beautiful Rollins College nearby.

Everywhere I turned there was a “vista” or opening that enticed my eye to

“come see more”!

Come see the focal point.

And arches that led your eye down a path…

Look at this beautiful hexagon terra cotta tile porch floor.

I wonder if the grills were for security, and they found a way to make the practical beautiful too!

These little openings in the stucco wall entice my eye too.

Let’s peak inside…

WOW!  What a vista!

While Jim and I were in Santiago de Compostela in Spain, we asked the locals the meaning of the Scallop Shell we saw in numerous places.

They said it was considered the symbol or emblem of James, son of Zebedee and was popular with pilgrims on the Way of James in Spain.

Medieval Christians making the pilgrimage to the shrine often wore a scallop shell symbol on their hat or clothes.  The pilgrim also carried a scallop shell with him, and would present himself at churches, castles, abbeys and homes, where he could expect to be given as much sustenance as he could pick up with one scoop. So even the poorest household could give charity without being overburdened.  The alternate version of the legend holds that while St. James’ remains were being transported to Spain from Jerusalem, the horse of the knight fell into water, and emerged covered in these shells!!   We saw an entire house made of scallop shells in Northwest Spain…it was quite amazing and I just love the idea… but I love shells.

Look at the library.

I could read a book here, while looking at

this!

As I rode back to our apartment, I began to appreciate the architecture even more.

At every turn, I felt like a young girl with my first Cracker Jack box!  Remember how you found that surprise inside.  Well, if you made it this far in my blog

I have a surprise for you!!

my first GIVEAWAY!!

If you will post a comment (go to the top of this post), your name will be entered into

my first GIVEAWAY!!

3 readers will be randomly selected to receive a pair of pillowcases (F/Q or K)

monogramed with Scripture.

You can enter 4 times.

1.  Post a comment here on my blog

2.  Post a comment on Facebook

3.  Share this post with a friend and comment again here to let me know that you did.

(see button at bottom)

4.  Tweet it and comment again here to let me know that you did.

I am excited…hope you are too!

My prayer for you this week…

Hopeful expectation of an Ephesian 3:20 kind of a week!

(do look it up)  (:

xoxo   leah

But you have exhalted (lifted up)

my horn (symbol of power, strength and victory)

like that of a wild ox (not a timid creature!)

Psalm 92:10

Although not a pretty picture in the natural, in the Spiritual, we are men and women with horns on our heads!!  And when we lift up our horn, we lift up our God!  Like the wild ox, we are not to shy away from or be afraid to lift up our horn. We lift our heads in faith, and our horns follow… goring our enemy and bringing our victory.

Are you at your wit’s end doing this thing called “daily life”?

Don’t panic

Don’t give up

don’t fret

don’t despair

don’t hide your horns!!!

stand firm and

LIFT UP YOUR HORN!

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The Bible says you are victorious, more than a conqueror,

the son and daughter of the

MOST HIGH KING!

LIFT UP YOUR HORN!

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The angels in Heaven are cheering you on…

LIFT UP YOUR HORN!

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Where are you longing for victory today?

say it out loud…

I LIFT UP MY HORN!

Psalm 75 ends with a sure promise from our God…

All the horns of the wicked

I will cut off,

but the horns of the righteous

shall be lifted up.

Lord, by your Power and Presence in our lives, give us the strength today to raise our heads and lift up our horns, for we need a victory like only you can bring.

Praying for us to grow Rhinoceros-size horns!

xoxo   leah

Yesterday I experienced what I call a “life hiccup”!  It comes from out of nowhere- BAM!  And suddenly you are dealing with something unexpected, irritating and time consuming before you can catch your breath.  Those are the times that we should run, not walk, but run to God.  That is what I would encourage you to do…BUT, I, unfortunately, threw a mini pity party instead.  It all centered around not getting one iota of sleep the night before.  In my compete exhaustion, I did, thankfully, recognize my state of mind and emailed a couple of good friends to PRAY.  In a dazed, blurry-eyed stupor, all I could do was mutter his name…JESUS, over and over again.

Have you ever heard a sermon and it just stuck.  Years ago I was listening to a CD teaching by Dr. Charles Stanley and he used the acronym HALT when the devil, world or your new upstairs neighbor, who tromped around like a small herd of elephants ALL NIGHT LONG, causes you to stumble and fall.

Just say HALT! I am not going down this path.

Just say HALT when you are HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY OR TIRED!

That was me, the last one!  I really wanted to confront the guy, but I knew that the Holy Spirit did not want me to do that.   But what if the same thing happens tonight, I pondered.  But God had another way.  BUT GOD.  About that time, the dear friend I emailed called with good Godly advice and prayers.  She also reminded me of THE HIGH CALLING, which is something we used in a Bible study we taught together in the past.  I think about  THE HIGH CALLING periodically and, like me, you might see yourself and situations you are facing in it.  The author is unknown, but it is rich with wisdom.  I hope you will take time to read it.  Maybe print it off.

Marcy had me read it out loud.  It was healing.  It HALTED the chaos in my head and brought me peace.  I was still exhausted, but it reminded me of what I know and gave me strength to open my mouth and start quoting Scriptures which build me up and encourage me.  Funny, but that was going to be the subject of today’s blog…BUT GOD.

The High Calling….

If God has called you to be really like Jesus in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility and put on you such demands of obedience, that He will not allow you to follow other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.

Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it; and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others can brag on themselves; on their work, on their success, on their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others will be allowed to succeed in making great sums of money, or having a legacy left to him or in having luxuries, but God may supply you daily, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, and that is a helpless dependence on Him, that He may have the privilege of providing your needs day by day out of the unseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored, and put forward and keep you hid away in obscurity, because He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade.

God will let others be great, but keep you small.  He will let others do a work for Him, and get the credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work which you have done, and this will make your reward ten times greater when Jesus comes.  The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feeling or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.  So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own, and He will not explain to you a thousand things that may puzzle your reasoning His dealings with you.  God will take you at your word; and if you absolutely sell yourself to be His slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and let other people say and do many things that you cannot do or say.  Settle it forever, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes; in ways that others are not dealt with.  Now when you are so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven.

- Author Unknown

Have you had a case of Life Hiccups lately?  Stop and find the vestibule of heaven…

xoxo   leah

Your life is a journey you must travel

with a deep consciousness

of God.

1Peter 1:18  Message Bible

This weekend let’s swap “self”-consciousness

for

“God”-consciousness!

ENJOY ALL YOUR BLESSINGS !!

xoxo   leah

So… I am surrounded by a literal sea of boxes as I pack to move back to Florida.  And you can well imagine, I am experiencing the gamut of emotions with my thoughts pinging to and fro. So…I do what every organized, meticulous, responsible woman with an imminent deadline looming overhead does.  I grab my handbag and keys, walk out the front door and catch the Street Car to the Creole Creamery and order an ice cream cone for lunch!!

And then back to packing!  During these seemingly ceaseless hours of wrapping, packing, taping and labeling, God and I have been doing some major conversing!  Please Lord, I pray…

SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME…

Tuesday I drive away.  And as I look back over my time here in New Orleans, I muse on what I leave behind.  A hurricane, tornado or oil spill leave behind a wake of destruction and chaos, I pray I look back to see only an unending trail of GOODNESS AND MERCY.  Not mine, but the GOODNESS AND MERCY OF GOD that so punctuated and penetrated my life while living here in the Big Easy that it spilled over, filled up and flooded every square inch where my little sandal-feet stood.

SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME…

Have you ever thought about what you leave behind? You may not be moving to another city this summer, but what about when you walk out of a meeting?  your child’s bedroom?  or away from a co-worker’s desk?

What tone of voice was left hanging in the airwaves?

SURELY GOODNESS & MERCY…

How about the actual words…were they words of love and encouragement,

fear and discouragement or critical gossipy superiority?

SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY…

Did you stop and really listen silently praying for God to use you right then and there, or were you counting the minutes wondering when chatty-Kathy would take a breath?

SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY…

Jesus taught to the crowds who gathered to hear his sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy.”  We reap what we sow.  Our words and actions are like throwing out a boomerang…they eventually come back to bite or bless!  Oh how I pray that I have goodness and mercy trailing and circling my life!

At times living in New Orleans has been difficult for me. But the GOODNESS AND MERCY OF GOD undergirded and kept me upright and walking even when I grew weary and thought I might faint under unexpected pressures.  With His track record in my life, I go forward believing the GOODNESS AND MERCY OF GOD go before me to Florida preparing the way, making the crooked straight, sure and clear.

I also pray that as I step out in faith, once again swinging my legs over the side of the boat desirous to walk on water, that the carbon footprint I leave behind here in New Orleans is surely this…

THE GOODNESS AND MERCY OF GOD!

I doubt my life will ever say “goodbye” to this city, at least not as long as there is Magazine Street and clients who need the “good stuff” I find there!  So I shall say, “see you later.”  But I will miss you!

SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,

AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER.

PSALM 23:6

overwhelmed with the GOODNESS AND MERCY OF GOD today!  I Love Ya’ll…  leah

PS…If you have any prayers, prophetic words or words of encouragement for me, please leave a comment.

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

Psalm 46:10

BE STILL…BEE STILL

One day a little buzzing creature, called the bee,

buzzed and buzzed about my head like a race car to quick to catch or see.

“Leave me alone,” I strongly stated,

but the little bee just keep circling me.

I turned and swatted and ducked and dodged,

but then I began to realize

the more I turned and swatted and ducked and dodged,

unwittingly went this little bee, unfazed by the likes of me!

So still I stood and tightly closed my eyes,

in hopes the little bee’s activities would soon subside.

No noise!  So was he gone?

Nope, just resting on the window sill beside my arm.

“Little buzzing bee”, I said, “why your relentless pursuit?

What are you accomplishing at that pace and speed?

Can’t you, little bee, just be?”

“I’ve been waiting for you to just be,” said the little bee with a smile.

“Be still, and come rest with me on the window sill a while.”

This little bee’s last words to me as he buzzed away…

“Look, look out new friend, what do you see?

A world whirling and buzzing and swatting and turning…

just like you used to be!”

I drew a deep breath, the first in a long while,

now being still to watch this little bee buzz off to go encourage

someone else in a trial.

Thank you little buzzing bee for gently reminding me…

Learning to be…

have a bee still weekend!

xo    leah

This morning I am thinking about my little family in Georgia.  Everyone is getting together to celebrate the 4th of July with a big picnic lunch, games, homemade ice cream, fireworks…I miss them!  A holiday with family and friends is the perfect opportunity for this prayer-

Lord Jesus, Let my thoughts, actions and words reflect my deep FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE for my Savior.  So much so, that all those around witness the presence of God in my life. For it is

THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN OUR LIVES ALTERS THE LANDSCAPE AROUND US!

It’s true!  Just like the decisions made and actions taken to alter the landscape of America to freedom, liberty and independence, we too can alter the landscape around us by our

FAITH.   HOPE.   &    LOVE.

It it when we take these words from the conceptual ideas in our head

to allowing the PRESENCE OF GOD to manifest them in our lives in real and tangible ways.

FAITH.  HOPE.  &   LOVE.

The wonderful love story by my bed tells of true stories of FAITH, HOPE & LOVE, which strengthen my faith, swell my hope like the rising tide and fill me with love like one giddy school girl.   The people in these stories chose to alter the landscape around them by their…

FAITH.

There was a certain man who was very ill, his name was Lazarus of Bethany.  He died .  Lazarus was greatly loved by his sisters, Mary and Martha, and his neighbors.  Jesus decided to alter the landscape “awakening” Lazarus four days after his buriel, by raising him from death to life again. All who witnessed were astounded, needless to say!

Jesus’ said to Martha,

“Did I not tell you that if you believed (had faith) you would see the glory of God?”

John 11:40

Jesus said to Lazarus’ friends,

“Take off his grave clothes.”  In other words, unbind him and let him go.

verse 44

The PRESENCE OF GOD IN OUR LIVES ALTERS THE LANDSCAPE AROUND US. Can others see the glory of God on your life?  Do you open your mouth and share how Jesus has unbound you, healed you physically, mentally, emotionally.

FAITH…”Awaken” us oh Lord.  Awaken our FAITH to the supernatural ways and things of God so YOUR PRESENCE in our lives will ALTER, show your restoration and life-giving power, to THE LANDSCAPE AROUND US.

HOPE.

On Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem he rode on a little colt, a donkey.  The humility of our Savior.  Although he did not look like the Savior or demand the pomp and celebration of the Savior, all those around him HOPED he was the One.  This is the same crowd that was with Jesus when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead.

So they took palm branches and went out to meet him, crying out,

“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,even the King of Israel!”

Jesus’ disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified,

then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.

John 12:13,16

When we have rock solid HOPE in Jesus, it creates such joy in our lives that it becomes difficult not to wave palm branches in celebration!   This story goes on to tell us that all those there continued to bear witness to what they had personally seen and heard. THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN OUR LIVES ALTERS THE LANDSCAPE AROUND US.

HOPE… As we HOPE in you Lord Jesus, let our lives wave palm branches and ALTER THE LANDSCAPE AROUND US while celebrating a relationship of joy in your presence for all to witness and see.  Our HOPE is Jesus in us…the HOPE of the glory to come!

LOVE.

Mary, Lazarus’ sister, witnessed Jesus’ love for her brother, and this is how she responded.

Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard,

and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair.

The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

John 12:3

Mary took all that she had, her most valuable possession on earth, and poured it out in love on Jesus.  Her act of devotion caused a fragrance of love to permeate her surroundings…THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN OUR LIVES ALTERS THE LANDSCAPE AROUND US.   There is a beauty that fills our lives when we pour our completely.

LOVE... Lord, help us to demonstrate our LOVE and devotion for you without concern for what others think.  We want the fragrant PRESENCE OF OF GOD IN OUR LIVES TO ALTER THE LANDSCAPE AROUND US.  Holy Spirit remind us that the fragrant scent of LOVE flows from open, humble worship at the feet of Jesus.

FAITH.  HOPE.  &   LOVE. The presence of these, which is the presence of God, in our lives will alter, change, restore, renew and bring joy to the landscapes around us.

So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13: 13

fill this 4th of July with FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE altering the landscape around you!

x0    leah

Last Sunday morning before church, I found myself reading the book of James.  It was not planned, and truly, I did not think of this until I started praying for my sweet hubby Jim…James.  I was praying that he would know deep within how much he is loved, especially on that Father’s Day!

James 1:27 says this…

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Since last Sunday, the command to keep oneself unstained has left an indelible impression on my mind!

Unstained

Unspotted

Unpolluted

Uncorrupted

Undefiled…like a lamb without blemish…

from the world around us and the culture of “self” that engulfs us at times.

I love to pray.  I love to teach on prayer.  And I count on promises like Jeremiah 33:3 where the Lord tells us to

Call to me and I will answer you and show you great and hidden things you have not known. As I was praying intently for Jim, the Holy Spirit led me to the book of Job. Appropriately, Job is one of Jim’s favorite books in the Bible.

I began thinking about how Job ended up with a double blessing because of God’s grace and mercy.  God’s Word tells us that Job’s end was greater than his beginning.  How?  God restored Job’s fortunes when HE PRAYED FOR HIS FRIENDS.

I wonder if James, Jesus’ brother and author of the book of James, after reading the book of Job, was inspired by the themes of

Affliction, patience, waiting, praying and restoration…

James starts…Count it all joy, my brother, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

Then he reminds us to Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.  See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains.  You also, be patient.

He asks, Is anyone among you suffering?  Let him pray…the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.  Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

Affliction, patience, waiting, praying, and restoration…

The primary theme of James is about living out one’s faith…regardless! The primary theme of Job concerns itself with a question of faith- can God be trusted?…regardless! Both challenged me with some overwhelming questions about prayer.

I picture Job, literally languishing in pain and turmoil, being asked by God to pray for his friends, who have wagged their tongues at him for 37 chapters!  God doesn’t tell Job to pray for himself, He says pray for the restoration of your friends!

And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends.  And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Are you just praying for your own needs?

Has the selfishness of the world stained your prayer life?

Do you have a prayer life?

I want to challenge you, and challenge myself, to spend more time in intercessory prayer- Praying for others.  The Word encourages us to pray for our enemies, and those in government and authority.  That may very well be one in the same!  But our restoration comes when we care about and pray about what God cares about!  We must pray for President Obama. Pray for the Congress.  Pray for the Church.  Pray for your Pastors.  Pray for the lost.  And by all means,

Please Pray for the people of the Gulf Coast who are suffering in a myriad of ways from the oil spill.  Pray…Pray…PRAY!

Regardless…PRAY!

Because as we unselfishly pray, keeping ourselves unstained by the ways of this world, God selflessly restores us to Him…PRAY!

Oh forgive us Lord.

I pray, you pray, we pray…PRAY!

xo   leah