While reading in Nehemiah today my heart was smitten, and I actually felt as though I was Nehemiah in the night riding his donkey amongst the ruins and rubble of the devastation that was once Israel. Dear Father, I have allowed the Enemy to devastate me in every way during this illness of 8 long weary years...breaking down the walls that You have built for my protection. With weakness and trembling I am crying out, "Oh, God, let me rise up and build! Strengthen my hands for Your good work! Father, I pray for a personal spiritual REVIVAL in my life."

To lay aside this painful garment of flesh and grant me a hearty resolve to PRESS onward with joyful steps and a buoyant heart today ever mindful of the Blessed Master I serve Who pulled me up out of that horrible miry pit of sin and placed my feet upon the saving work of the Solid Rock...Jesus Christ, my blessed and only Saviour.

"But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." (1 Peter 4:7)

"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light." (Romans 13:11-12)

"And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of those things that are made,that those things which cannot be shaken may remain."--Hebrews 12:27

"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ." --Philippians 3:11

The farther Jesus takes us into the depths alone with Him, the darker it becomes--the more His glory is revealed. There is nothing that can compare with the presence of Jesus in the valley in times of heartbreak.

As long as He gives me breath, even though my weak flesh rebels, I want nothing less than to go into the depths with Jesus. Jesus will give us the privilege of going on a little farther with Him as He did the three dearest disciples to His heart when they had crossed the brook Cedron and entered into the Garden. The time has come for our own personal Gethsemane and Calvary.

In this valley, alone with Him there is simply no one to lean upon, only Jesus. Here in this sacred place there are no broken idols, no confidences broken, no broken trusts. And there is the conscious flow of the Spirit...His unending and overflowing supply.

"On Jordan's stormy banks I stand, and cast a wistful eye to Canaan's fair and happy land where my possessions lie."

"Blessed are those servants whom their LORD, when He cometh shall find watching..." Luke 12:37..."to catch the first streak of that coming brightness...the first murmur of His chariot wheels." --MacDuff

"O LORD God of hosts, Who is a strong LORD like unto Thee? or to Thy faithfulness round about Thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, Thou stillest them."--Psalm 89:8-9

The "stormy sea" is fulfilling His Word, teaching us that ALL we need is His CALM. Riding the turbulent waves, mounting up to heaven and going down again into the depths with brief glimpses of His radiant light shining from the shores of Glory. He is sitting at the helm guiding our tempest-tossed bark, and guiding it WELL in the midnight hour when all seems lost.

Every wave rolls at His bidding and every trial is His appointment wafting us nearer to heaven.

LORD, help us to keep our frail ships moving and "sea worthy". Take heart fellow sailors! Man the vessel! We are quickly nearing the port of HOME. Our Master & Commander says to "beat to quarters!" an urgent drum beat on deck calling all hands to battle stations. Always looking to our Omnipotent Captain for our supply of strength & wisdom in the day of adversity.

"He sent from above. He took me, He drew me out of many waters."--Ps.18:16

There is a bird of the Thrush family, found in the south of Ireland, called "The Storm Thrush", from its peculiar love of storms. In the wildest storms of rain and wind it betakes itself to the very topmost twig of the highest tree and there pours out its beautiful song--its frail perch swaying in the wind.

THE STORM THRUSH

There's a sweet little bird in a far-off isle--
The isle where the shamrocks grow;
And of all the birds in that dear old land,
He's the dearest that I know;
He is dressed in a suit of sober brown,
And a speckled breast has he;
But his eye is bright and his voice is tuned
To heaven's own mistrelsy.
He sits and sings when the sun shines fair
To his mate in her downy nest,
But the topmost twig of the tallest tree
Is the place where he sings best!
When the rain pours down and the floods are out,
And the wild winds rage and roar,
Then, clear and high, o'er the shrieking gale,
The storm thrush sings the more.

That frail little bird on the swaying twig,
As his clear voice pierced the gales,
Dropped a message sweet at my faltering feet,
of a Love that never fails:
Though many a storm has crossed my life,
And many a grief and fear;
Yet with heart and voice did my soul rejoice,
For my Lord was always near.
So when dark clouds are about YOUR path,
Like the storm thrush, learn to sing;
For from topmost height of a lofty faith
You can always see the King!
And with eyes that gaze on His blessed face,
You never need fear or fail.
The gales may PROVE, but they CANNOT MOVE,
The anchor 'within the vail'.
--Mrs.C.L.deCheney

Work, for the night is coming. Work through the morning hours.
Work while the dew is sparkling. Work, 'mid springing flowers.
Work, when the day grows brighter. Work in the glowing sun.
Work, for the night is coming when all man's work is done.

Work, for the night is coming. Work through the sunny noon.
Fill brightest hours with labor. Rest comes sure and soon.
Give every flying minute something to keep in store.
Work, for the night is coming when man shall work no more.

Work, for the night is coming. Under the sunset skies.
While their bright tints are glowing. Work, for daylight flies.
Work till the last beam fadeth...fadeth to shine no more.
Work, while the night is dark'ning. When man's work shall be finally o'er.

--Anna L. Walker

"I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." John 9:4

"So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared." Nehemiah 4:21

Remembering my kindred friend & sister Pat with a thankful, indebted heart for her constant support and love every single day that I needed her so desperately. Thank You, dear Lord, for knitting our hearts so closely together.

Although the sorrow is still very heavy on her "anniversary" days...Jesus Christ has put a crown on my sad earthly loss with own His blessed peace, quietness and assurance of a sweet reunion one day.

"I have wrestled on towards Heaven,
'Gainst storm, and wind, and tide:
Now, like a weary traveller,
That leaneth on his guide,
Amid the shades of evening,
While sinks life's ling'ring sand,
I hail the glory dawning
From Immanuel's land."
--Samuel Rutherford

The dews of kindly sleep and all the influences of the moon are in Thy hand, and the alarms and solemnities of night are equally with Thee. This is very sweet to me when watching through the midnight hours, or tossing to and fro in anguish. There are precious fruits put forth by the moon as well as by the sun: may my Lord make me to be a favoured partaker in them.

The night of affliction is as much under the arrangement and control of the Lord of Love as the bright summer days when all is bliss. Jesus is in the tempest. His love wraps the night about itself as a mantle, but to the eye of faith the sable robe is scarce a disguise.

From the first watch of the night even unto the break of day the eternal Watcher observes His saints, and overrules the shades and dews of midnight for His people's highest good. We believe in no rival deities of good and evil contending for the mastery, but we hear the voice of Jehovah saying,"I create light and I create darkness; I, the Lord, do all these things."

Gloomy seasons of religious indifference and social sin are not exempted from the divine purpose. When the altars of truth are defiled, and the ways of God forsaken, the Lord's servants weep with bitter sorrow, but they may not despair, for the darkest eras are governed by the Lord, and shall come to their end at His bidding. What may seem defeat to us may be victory to Him."

"Though enwrapt in gloomy night,
We perceive no ray of light;
Since the Lord Himself is here,
'Tis not meet that we should fear."

--C.H.Spurgeon

How our thoughts howl in our ears, "Where is now thy God?" How voracious and greedy they are, swallowing up all suggestions of comfort, and remaining as hungry as before. Great Shepherd, slay these evening wolves, and bid Thy sheep lie down in green pastures, undisturbed by insatiable unbelief.

How like are the fiends of hell to evening wolves, for when the flock of Christ are in a cloudy and dark day, and their sun seems going down, they hasten to tear and to devour. They will scarcely attack the Christian in the daylight of faith, but in the gloom of soul conflict they fall upon him. Oh Thou Who hast laid down Thy life for the sheep, preserve them from the fangs of the wolf.

False teachers who craftily and industriously hunt for the precious life, devouring men by their false-hoods, are as dangerous and detestable as evening wolves. Darkness is their element, deceit is their character, destruction is their end. We are most in danger from them when they wear the sheep's skin. Blessed is he who is kept from them, for thousands are made the prey of grievous wolves that enter within the fold of the church. --Charles Haddon SPURGEON

"Go your ways, behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves."--Luke 10:3

"Blow upon my garden that the spices may thereof flow out."--Song of Solomon 2:16

"And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour."--Ephesians 5:2

A Persian fable says: One day
A wanderer found a lump of clay
So redolent of sweet perfume
Its odors scented all the room.
"What are thou?" was his quick demand,
"Art thou some gem from Samarcand,
Or spikenard in this rude disguise,
Or other costly merchandise?"
"Nay: I am but a lump of clay."

"Then whence this wondrous perfume--say!"
"Friend, if the secret I disclose,
I have been dwelling with the rose."
Sweet parable! and will not those
Who love to dwell with Sharon's rose,
Distill sweet odors all around,
Though love and mean themselves are found?
Dear Lord, abide with us that we
May draw our perfume fresh from Thee.

The word trust here means "to hasten for refuge, to put confidence in". The Hebrew word, found 117 times in the Old Testament, carries the idea of "lying helplessly, facedown", like an infant at its mother's breast (Psalm 22:9 - the word "hope"). That is such a sweet precious picture of trust to me.

When everywhere people including Christians are living in panic and bemoaning the circumstances of life, I want to be like that guileless babe at rest, facedown, in my Father's arms of love...completely trusting His care and provision for my every need.

Sir Walter Scott

Looking out of my kitchen window I observed at least six bright, happy cardinals flying back and forth with an assortment of other merry feathered friends flitting and perching all about on the trees and fences. It was just an incredible sight to me seeing these birds in the heat of summer. It looked like a bird santuary or wildlife preserve.

A timid, thirsty squirrel approached the water buckets for a drink and indulged in a good refreshing draught while washing his paws and face. Do squirrels have paws? Never mind...he was doing what squirrels do after scampering tree limbs and seeing the coast is clear with no dogs or cats around.

I also have a beautiful "pet" orange butterfly that favors my little green herb garden above all other place she could freely visit. Part of one of her wings is clipped a bit, but she is not daunted in the least. Many other varieties flutter about with her spiraling and doing fancy patterns, but she just stand out as my very favorite and trusted "regular".

The hummingbirds are also starting to sip the nectar out of some lovely flowers that I rescued that were near death from Woodson's one day. They are really blossoming out, and I am so happy that I splurged a whole quarter a piece for them.

Of course, there are all sorts of frogs and toadies amongst the cool clay pots. Perhaps at night some copperheads may venture forth from their dens to have a slither about looking for snacks.

The whole of it is this...the good Lord delights to cheer our weary souls in the dry and barren desert. This little visual oasis is so cheering to me...it is yet another one of His songs in the night.
Thank You, dear gracious Lord for the beauty all around me and giving me eyes to see the deeper blessings.

"Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept: and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD to the mighty One of Israel." --Isaiah 30:29

First priority was to call Grant and to enlist him in immediate,earnest prayer for wisdom and help. After asking him to pray, I was able to get a "Yes, ma'am, I can be right out there this afternoon." response on my first call to a well repair man. This is just incredible in the middle of a Texas heat wave drought with the water table low and many people calling for service.

The news that we had been dreading to hear for so many years was that indeed our poor well had served us "well", but could do it no longer. This meant a major re-do with "pulling" all the pipe, wiring, motor, and old pump out of the ground. In order for them to get their big pump truck into the yard they had to cut my beautiful vintage fencing with wirecutters. They don't make this kind of wire anymore you understand. It is rather beautiful and antiquey. It had to be done.

They had the new well completely in place, and up and running perfectly by the afternoon. We had been only one day without our blessed well water. Many hallelujahs! and thanks to our gracious Heavenly Father for His wonderful, incredible provision for our need of water. Not just any water, but absolutely the clearest, freshest, coldest, tastest water you have ever tasted! I'm thirsty..gonna go get a drink and thank the good Lord for every blessed drop!

"Thou hast dealt well with Thy servant, O Lord, according unto Thy Word." Psalm 119:65