I'm Still Walking

Forgive my absence, dear friends. It has been an interesting time for me. I am absolutely awestruck by the way in which my faith has continued to be tried, stretched, knocked down, internally and externally tested over and over again, but here I am. I am still walking.

In the midst of it all, I have learned to praise God for all things. All good gifts around us are sent from Heaven above. If you woke up this morning, Praise God. If you were able to accomplish even one load of laundry, Praise God. If you ate at least one meal, Praise God. The list can go on and on and on, and will forever in my life.

While I haven't been writing my blog, I have been writing a book. It is entitled, "As I Wait Upon the Lord." When I haven't been working on my book, I have been crafting "Stonez of Remembrance," my new line of prayer beads that I will be exhibiting and selling on consignment. When I haven't been beading, I've been sculpting "Soul Sisterz," my new line of hand-felted dolls. I have also been moving my Theatre Company forward with some performances, illustrating a children's book, helping to manage the creation of my husband's Graphic Novel, and working with three groups of musicians in the composing of the 22 songs that Derek, our friend Lisa Rae and I wrote for next fall's play, "The Rhythm and the Blues." I've also been coaching Ellen's "Odyssey of the Mind" team and being lastly, but never least - a wife and mother.

So, you might say I've been busy. I've been busy searching for what God will have me do for the sole purpose of bringing Him glory, and He has definitely filled my cup. In all of my "busy-ness," God is there. He never leaves my thoughts. I have reached a place in my life that I've longed for - a measure of faith that is tangible and visible. It's even audible when I'm singing His praises while I'm cleaning my kitchen. It is far too easy in this fast-paced, chaotic world to forget to "squeeze God in" somewhere. And so, I rejoice in letting you know that I'm still walking.

So why am I telling you this? Why do I keep this blog? Why do I feel compelled in such a busy schedule and life that I lead, to come here in front of my dinosaur computer and write a message to you? I could just as easily write this as a chapter in my book. Why did Paul write letters to the church of Corinth and places beyond?

I can tell you that I feel God calls me to do this, to write this. But why? I can tell you. There is one simple thing that every human being needs in this world. It's a form of love, but not just love. It's not food. It's not water. It's something beyond that.

It's Encouragement.

I write this blog - one of my too many ministries - to encourage you. Because I know that God wants more of you and He wants to provide more for you. He wants more of your life and He wants more for your life. He wants more of your time and He wants you to have more for your time. He wants to bless you daily. He wants you to love Him. He wants to love you.

When we draw nearer to God, He draws nearer to us. God wants to live in our working and playing, in our lying down and in our rising up.

I have learned this. It has been a long, hard road. For the most part, I've made it harder for myself as I did more ignoring God than hearing Him over the years. But now that I'm walking, it is part of my walk to tell you. It is now my journey to "Go Tell It on the Mountain" what God has done in my life.

I regret the fact that it has taken eight weeks to sit down and do this. I have so much more to tell you - miracles that were performed right in front of my eyes:
- walking away from a thunderous crash of my car and another colliding, without a scratch on either vehicle
- after living six months without a dryer to aid my laundry for a household of six, looking at my dryer and saying, "Lord, I really need a miracle right now," plugging the thing in and it starting
-waking up last Saturday, crippled with pain - for those of you who don't know, I have Fibromyalgia - and just praying and feeling this... healing, there is no other word for it, moving through my body, releasing muscle fiber after muscle fiber
-and there's more.

God is REAL, people. He is the Healer, the Deliver, the Mighty God, the Alpha, the Omega. He knows you, He wants you and He loves you. Why are we so afraid to be loved sometimes? God is perfect. His love His perfect. His love will never hurt you and it will never let you down.

I plead for your forgiveness for not being faithful to you, dear friends. I know how badly we all need encouragement. I, myself, tend to get bogged down in self-doubt and second-guessing. I need encouragement and lots of it. I praise God for the husband that I have, because he actually provokes me to be encouraged. I know some of you actually look for my blog posting for this needed encouragement, and I failed you, if only momentarily.

This morning, I woke up to take Derek to work. It takes me five minutes to go up the hill and down the hill, but I woke up thinking, "Ugh. I have to get up seven days a week. He gets to sleep in two days a week. That's not fair." I put it in my head that when I came back down that hill, I was heading right to my bed, and I didn't care when I got up. Then something changed in my spirit. God stepped in. I walked into the house. I made a pot of coffee. I put a load of laundry in the washer. I sat down to say my prayers. While I was praying, God said, "You have a blog to write." I thought to myself, "okay... on what subject?" God said, "Well, you're still walking."

That's right - I am still walking. I don't think I've ever walked this long before. I've given into more temptations, fallen off the straight and narrow way, ignored God for weeks on end, run from God more times than I can count, but I - Danielle Renee Murphy Scott - I... am STILL... WALKING.

WOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH. - Did I ever tell you this keyboard doesn't have an exclamation point? Yeah - I'm really missing that right now.

Praise God if you know what a miracle it is to be still walking today.

I'm walking. But today, Lord, I feel like running.