Pages

Friday, October 30, 2009

A Revival and Tears


We had an unbelievably awesome time in Fayetteville, Arkansas! My husband has had the privilege of preaching a revival there each year for the past 6 years. This is the first year that I have been able to go because I am not working anymore! Yay! Thank you God for that wonderful freedom!

The revival was just what that church needed. They experienced an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a renewal of their love for Jesus. People's hearts were changed. People's outlook on life was altered. People's bodies were healed.

It was just a fabulous time in the Lord. God used that time to speak to MY heart as well. He revealed himself to me in a new and a powerful way. I am so thankful for such a loving God. Such an understanding and compassionate Savior. I am truly blessed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I cry out with my whole heart;
Hear me, O LORD!
I will keep Your statutes"
(Psalm 119:145)


Lately I have been experiencing a real downpour of tears in my life. Crying has become part of my daily life. Tears are always just brimming beneath the surface, ready to spill out at the slightest provacation.

Anything that touches the inner recesses of my heart starts the overflow of moisture. A powerful Word. A worship song. A scripture that just ministers to me. When I look at a cross. When I pray...

It doesn't matter where I am - when the Lord touches my heart, the tears just slowly cascade down my cheeks. Good tears. Tears that are healing. Cleansing. Restoring. Tears of brokenness and surrender.

God has been keeping me and my heart in a state of brokenness. He is keeping me in a place of being humble and denying self.

Piece by piece, He is circumcising my heart. Exchanging bad for good. Old for new.

He is swapping pride for humility.

My will for His.
Doubt for Faith.
Self for surrender.
Me for Him.

He is taking those hidden areas of my life that have been needing to be dealt with and bringing them to the surface. He is opening my eyes. He is rending my heart. He is shaking my spirit.

He waters my soul with my tears. Quenches my thirsty spirit with rain from my eyes. Floods me with His Holy Presence to overflowing. Saturates me with much needed moisture to give life to those dry places.

Oh, Lord, let me wade in the streams of Joy that flow from the abundant rivers of my tears.

Thank you Lord for your patience and your loving kindness. Thank you for the tears of broken surrender that draw me closer to You. Drench me with the reality of who You are and soak me with an unending hunger for more of You.

I love you sweet Jesus. You are my Lord. You are my King. You are my all in all.

Beth

14 comments:

Jackie said...

Oh, Beth..........Amen! As I read your post I felt as if I was writing the same about this season of my life - so similar. Tears bubbling and welling from within, a quietness and a searching of the depths of my heart! Searching, seeking, pursuing the depths of His heart! I've walked with Him for many years and haven't felt such a closeness and overshadowing by His Spirit. I am humbled, emptied out, filled up and overflowing all at the same time. What a magnificent, glorious, powerful, loving God we serve!

Thanks so much for sharing!

Sweet Blessings,
Jackie

Lauren said...

This is a wonderful post Beth! Thank you for sharing your heart. It's so wonderful that you were able to accompany your husband on this trip! God is good! :)

Unknown said...

Another wonderful post, Beth...I, too, am overwhelmingly emotional as of late. God is teaching me in ways that I could never imagine where to find my strength, my guidance and my hope. I have spent a few minutes each day in the Bible and I am loving it. I hope to increase my time in his Word as I make it a habit of coming to Him each day. I really lack in this area, so even the few minutes I am giving my Bible is a huge improvement for me. My eyes and my heart are opening and my mind is becoming evermore aware - glory hallelujah! He is good!

petrii said...

Beth,
God helps us through all the seasons of our lives and helps us to see Him more clearly through each season as long as we stay close to Him.

Love you sweet friend,
Dawn

Nancy said...

Revivals are so wonderful. I'm glad you got to experience one and that it caused such an outpouring of emotion for you.

christy rose said...

What a moving post Beth! God is moving you in the very core of your being!

Amy said...

I love Fayetteville, AR. I am formerly from AR.

Thank you for sharing your heart.
Blessings,
Amy

Heidi said...

Wonderful description of the work that the Lord is doing in your heart right now. Thank you for sharing that. Also beautiful is the revival of God's people and the vessel He used to teach- that being your husband. Wonderful and Mighty.

Thank you for your comment today- I treasured it up.
Heidi

Nancy M. said...

I'm glad y'all had a wonderful trip! It's awesome that you're being filled up with much better stuff than was there before!

Every Day Blessings said...

You have such a beautiful way with words. I have been feeling near tears lately too. I am so glad that God knows and cares about all the details of our lives.
I am from Arkansas and love it. I am glad to see that you had an awesome time with your husband.

Loren said...

Beth,

I am soo glad you were able to go and be by your husbands side ministering. I have no doubt you were such a blessing to all those precious people!!

Beth, it is so moving to hear your heart and to see Gods hand on you. It is SO clear that HE is ministering mightily to YOU and when HE does that it is only natural that it would pour out of you into others. That is one of the reasons I love you so much :) You are such a godly example and the "real" thing. This church body and your own church body is so blessed to have the two of you. To have pastors that are so intimate with the Lord is a gift and one that I am sure they are praising God for. I just thank you that your heart doesn't go just to your own body but we get to be a part of the precious time as well!!

I love you so very much. Bless you my friend

Yolanda said...

Beth,

What joy the Lord pours forth and I'm grateful for this tender reminders as some may be in the wildnerness, but I pray that we may persevere and found being faithful and clinging. The JOY of the Lord is our strength.

Lovingly,
Yolanda

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Tears are wetness God uses to strengthen the soil of our hearts for further work! Sounds like he's up to something with your heart, Beth. So glad for your continuing refreshment as you endeavor to serve him with all of your life!

peace~elaine

Edie said...

Oh Beth I so relate to this. Thank you.