Weekend Worship — A Story of God's Faithfulness

Mr. and Mrs. Keith Silva

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. — Psalm 17:6

My friends, this is a special day for me and my family. It's my oldest daughter's wedding day. For me it's also a testimony to God's faithfulness.

For years as I prayed over my girls, I have also prayed for the future men in their lives—for their future husbands. I prayed for men of integrity—godly men who knew Jesus and lived it out in their lives. I also prayed that God would prepare my girls and help them to be godly wives and helpers to their future husbands.

Today my daughter, Rachel, will walk down the aisle with this young man, Keith, who started "courting" her six years ago and is more than I prayed for or imagined. God answered my prayers far beyond my expectations. He is so good to this praying mama.

I'm so excited to see these two start their lives together. Already they exhibit the love and respect for each other as God intends it to be. I am so very proud of both of them and will now continue to pray for them to be united in their marriage and to love and respect each other as Christ tells us in Ephesians 6. 

So, rejoice with me, my Sumite family. Besides seeing my daughter and son-in-law speak their love and unite as one in marriage before family and friends, nothing gives me more joy today than sharing it with you.

I treasure and love you all so very, very much. Thank you for sharing this special day with me!
Dineen

Beauty For Ashes

My friends, below is a precious letter from Rosheeda's parents. They have reached out to Lynn and I and have expressed their desire to be a part of this community. Even in their grief, God's love shines so profoundly through them. Such beauty rising up from ashes...

If you scroll down in the side bar, you'll now see "Rosheeda Lee Legacy Page." This is in memory of Rosheeda and all she gave to our community, including our name, Sumites. Our desire and prayer is to honor her and share her legacy with others who come to this site down the road.

Now it's my pleasure to introduct Sheila and Roderick Lee:

 

Hello. I sat a while ago and re-visited the comments from the SUM community and cried and smiled at the many statements from so many people God allowed to be loving, encouraging and inspirational to my daughter. Somehow in this life we become focused on what we receive and don't realize what we give in return when we acknowledge our recognition of God's personal attentiveness to us through whomever it might be at the time.

My wife and I were privileged to have 2 children—1 daughter and 1 son. Rosheeda was oldest. Over the years we chose to teach them what we believed to be Godly principles regarding your service to Lord. One of the most important things revolved around the personal relationship between you and The Living God and how your service to Him is private. No accolades unless He chooses to expose your submission to the gifts provided through His Spirit. In saying this I am saying that neither my wife nor myself knew of her choice to be involved in the SUM Ministry. We are however so humbled that she chose to submit to God's leading in such a necessary ministry.

I cannot claim to understand the grief and anguish Our God must have felt when Jesus prayed so fervently to Him in the garden. But I do know the scriptures said "an Angel from Heaven appeared to him and STRENGTHENED Him, and being in ANGUISH HE PRAYED MORE FERVENTLY AND HIS SWEAT BECAME LIKE DROPS OF BLOOD FALLING TO THE GROUND. Our God provided MORE for His own Son to fulfill His plan for our salvation. My wife and I daily seek him to provide for us the same strength to Glorify Him in our lives as our daughter did.

Rosheeda had such a commitment in everything she chose to do... She understood that ministry isn't an act it's what we live everyday. As necessary as breathing.

My daughter shared a bond with us as unique as men are from women. However, the bond between she and I can only be compared to the Love of Our Heavenly Father and the Son he gave for us. Rosheeda lived in a way that was a likeness to her mother and a jewel in the Crown of her grandmother's. As she did for the "SUMites" she also coined a phrase for her Niece regarding the conduct of a "Lee Woman".

I won't tell you Sheila and I are good, I will tell you that we LOVE the God we serve and we are prepared to wake up everyday and Glorify Him because he is WORTHY.

We are humbled to be recognized as the parents of such a wonderful, dignified young woman. As often as we think of her we will think of each of you by name or need because she loved you all so.

Under His grace

Sheila and Roderick Lee

902 Cambridge drive

Duncanville, Texas 75137

rslee@att.net

 

Mr. and Mrs. Lee included their contact information for you, my friends. Reach out them as you feel led either here in the comments or with the information they provided or both. 

Love you so very much!
Dineen 

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Weekend Worship — Overwhelmed by God

Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servants house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O Lord God. What more can David still say to You concerning the honor bestowed on Your servant? For You know Your servant. O Lord, for Your servants sake, and according to Your own heart, You have wrought all this greatness, to make known all these great things. O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. — 1 Chonicles 17:16-20

I love this part of David's story. He wanted to build a house of cedar for the ark of the covenant, to create a permanant home for the presence of God. But God totally turns it around and basically says He will establish David's kingdom through his family line and even speaks of His plans for David's descendants. God promises David He will never take His presence away from David and his family lineage.

Then David goes before the Lord and says, "Who am I, Oh Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far?"

As I read this I felt myself overwhelmed by God's goodness. Imagine how David felt in this moment? He desired to honor God in the best way he could think of and God takes his offering and turns it completely around and multiplies it back to David. Our Lord is that GOOD!

Wow. Now think of our offering of ourselves. We become the temple of God's Holy Spirit, not a home of cedar but a home of the heart. And God takes our humble offering and multiplies it over and over again. We are blessed to be this "temple" to His Holy Spirit in ways we will not completely understand until we are made complete in Christ and stand in His presence.

I am overwhelmed by God's grace, generosity and goodness. We can't outgive God. His delight in us exceeds perception and understanding. His faithfulness endures forever!

Oh Lord, who are we that You would give us Your very Spirit to live and dwell in us? We are Your children, Your chosen and loved ones whom You bless over and over again with Your very goodness. Thank You, Lord, for bringing us this far. Thank You, Lord, for regarding us and loving us in such high degree. Thank You, Lord, for Your greatness and all that You do in and through us. Abba, there is no one like You! We adore you, Jesus! Amen!

Love you, my friends, so very very much. We belong to the Most High God and we are His delight! 
Dineen 

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God is an Equipper

God is an Equipper

My friends, we are witness to amazing times right now. God is doing some really big stuff right now all over the world. First, I want to share some Bible verses that caught my attention years ago and now God has brought front and center again. Take a look at two often overlooked people in the Old Testament by the names of Bezalel and Oholiab.

Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, to make artistic designs for work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, that he may work in all kinds of craftsmanship. And behold, I Myself have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all who are skillful I have put skill, that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, and the ark of testimony, and the mercy seat upon it, and all the furniture of the tent, the table also and its utensils, and the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering also with all its utensils, and the laver and its stand, the woven garments as well, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, with which to carry on their priesthood; the anointing oil also, and the fragrant incense for the holy place, they are to make them according to all that I have commanded you. — Exodus 31:1-11

God literally put this ability into these two men and all who were considered skillful to create and build the Tabernacle as God designed it. We tend to think we are born with a skill set and it’s done. According to this, the specific skills and knowledge needed came at the time of need. Not only that, God called specific people forth, namely Bezalel and Oholiab.

Remember this is Old Testament times where God chose specific times to give His Spirit to specific men and women He called to specific tasks. And in each case God gave these people wisdom, understanding and knowledge and equipped them for their specified calling. (Consider David, Samuel and Esther to name a few.)

Now let’s jump to the New Testament, to another piece of Scripture that also captured my attention years ago and has intrigued me ever since. This one is about you and me.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. — Ephesians 1:18-21

Let me just interject here how amazing I find it that Jesus was also known as a carpenter. To think of His earthly profession in light of Him also being the One who created and all was created for (Col. 1:16-17), it makes perfect sense He would create with His hands as a man as well. Just a thought...

Now back to the equipping part. As I said, in Old Testament times God gave His Spirit according to a specific need or task or calling to specific people He chose to accomplish His purposes.

Then Jesus came to give all of us His Spirit, once and for all—not just a portion in accordance to a task or purpose here on earth but in the full sense of a heavenly calling.

According to Ephesians 1:18-21 God’s complete and great power is “toward us who believe” and is in accordance to the “strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead.”

In other words, the same power that resurrected Jesus—brought Him back to life—dwells in us who believe—God’s complete and Holy Spirit.

Let that sink in deep for a moment, my friends. If I were speaking, I would stop here for a “pregnant pause,” because I am absolutely desperate for you to understand this. We are not given just a portion to accomplish a momentary task. No, we have been given “the fullness of Him who fills all in all” for now and all time—eternity. God has given what He holds dear to whom He holds dear. We are His saints and Christ’s inheritance (vs. 18).

And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. —Ephesians 1:22-23

When I first stumbled upon this truth and spoke it out loud, I’m sorry to say my church family at the time thought I was a bit “over the top,” and me being so new to this walk of faith at that time thought I had overstepped my ability and knowledge to understand God’s Word. In truth it wasn’t me interpreting or understanding this truth, but the Holy Spirit—that same power that resurrected Christ, living in me and equipping me with the knowledge and wisdom to understand God’s Word.

When I first stumbled upon this truth and spoke it out loud, I’m sorry to say my church family at the time thought I was a bit “over the top,” and me being so new to this walk of faith at that time thought I had overstepped my ability and knowledge to understand God’s Word. In truth it wasn’t me interpreting or understanding this truth, but the Holy Spirit—that same power that resurrected Christ, living in me and equipping me with the knowledge and wisdom to understand God’s Word.

That same power lives in you, my friends. Why wouldn’t it? Ask yourself that. Why wouldn’t God equip you just as He equips all of us with the power and authority Jesus came and died for in order to give it to us? Will He give you less or more than anyone else? No, He came for all so that all would be filled and completely equipped!

My fellow Sumites, we are all part of the church, the body of Christ. The question is not whether the Holy Spirit lives in you but how much do you want Him to fill and empower and equip you on a day-to-day basis?

Ask for it, walk in it, live it. That’s what God is calling us to do right now—to ask for His Holy Spirit to fill and over flow in us, to walk in this place of boldness and reassurance of His presence in us in complete fullness, and to live as if we are seated in this power with Christ in the heavenly realms, looking down at our trials and challenges from a heavenly perspective instead of looking from the depths of our fear and wondering how God will show up.

God is already there. God is in every situation we face because He’s in you. In all of us. We are completely equipped.

So here’s a final question for you: If Jesus is seated in the heavenlies and also dwells in us, why do we think of heaven and earth as being so separate? What if the gap between heaven and earth is much smaller and thinner than we ever realized?

I'm pondering that one with you!
Love you!
Dineen

Weekend Worship — A New Twist on Loneliness

My firends, we've talked a lot about loneliness in our mismatched marriages over the years, but I heard a new twist on it while listening to a podcast by Pastor Nathan Edwardson. It's amazing. Are you ready? This is what he said:

"Loneliness is an invitation to know and pursue the One who will never abandon us."

Wow. Talk about flipping your thinking to a new dimension. It's turning a negative into a positive. What a stunning idea, to think of our lonely moments as an invitation to know and pursue our Lord! Let's do it!

And now for some weekend worship. Here are two songs by the group Salvador. (Joanne, this will get your feet moving in your kitchen!) Turn up the volume and get ready to dance, my friends, because it's time to worship Jesus with some foot action!

Have an amazing weekend seeking the One who absolutely adores you!
Dineen

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Trusting God is Like Building a Puzzle

My friends, I have to tell you I wrote this post partly on my iPhone as I did my walk and pray. I can only imagine that my fellow walkers and joggers thought I was a text addict, but when God has something to say, I’ve learned not to rely on my memory and write it down.

I went out on this walk with the goal to hear God on a particular issue. I needed answers, or at least an answer. I believed I’d received part of it during my quiet time, but I needed more.

You see, I’m in that place where you think you’ve heard what God is telling you to do but it’s pushing you to a whole new level of trust and dependence upon Him and you just want to be sure. As I prayed and sought God in this, He began to show me how trusting Him is like building a puzzle.

When God thought of us, created us and thinks of us, He sees a complete picture—who we are created to be and this reflects God’s heart for us. Yet we live in this world of brokenness and evil that has fractured our picture into pieces. Our faith walk is a journey to find those pieces and put them where they belong until we have the complete picture. I believe this is a life long journey and we see the full picture when we go home to heaven.

So in the meantime we have these puzzle pieces and each one represents an area of our life or situation that God asks us to trust and walk with Him. As we do, each piece goes into place and we begin to see more of the big picture and have a better understanding of God’s plan. This also gives us reference and inspiration for the next area or puzzle piece.

Sometimes the areas we work on start outside of the puzzle frame. You know, when you work on a section of the puzzle and build it part way until you see where it fits in the bigger picture.

Right now I’m in one of those areas. I can see only this small section that I’m working on and it’s a crucial area to the bigger picture. It involves not just me but my hubby as well. You see, there’s something I could do to help solve part of this problem but God is asking me to wait and let Him do this. I have no idea how, only that He’s asking me to trust Him in a whole new way.

As I walked and prayed God spoke to my heart and said, “We’re building the picture together, Dineen.”

It’s a big challenge to trust God in this, but I am willing. He’s proved Himself faithful over and over again. But I realized that staying this course of trust means I will have to explain to my husband why I’m waiting and not implementing this solution. The question then came, “do I fear my husband’s displeasure more than God’s?”

Yet another area and opportunity to trust God. I will have to wait to see how this plays out and trust God here as well. Get the picture?

Thankfully, God already knows the big picture. After all, He created it and everything He does in our lives is intended to add to this picture to bring it to completion, because everything He starts He finishes (Phil. 1:6). He could do it all Himself but then where would that leave us? Mere spectators? A flat picture on a table with no substance or depth?

Just like when we sit down to actually build a puzzle, we know the end will result in a complete picture. We study each piece and come to appreciate its detail and significance to the completed image. All the pieces are there and Abba is working right there with us to put it all together. He’s asking us not only to trust Him for each piece but for the whole picture as well.

This is the adventure of faith and trust and belief. We don’t know how all the pieces fit together but God does and the picture is vast because it’s not just our own picture we’re working with God to create but also the areas of overlap where our lives intersect with the lives of those we love, those we pray for, those we care about and those He calls us to serve.

It’s about building the picture of a lifetime.

Walk in trust, my friends. God won’t let you down and He is by far the best puzzle master I know. Share in the comments what your “puzzle piece” is right now and let’s pray for each other.

Love you with the passion Jesus!
Dineen

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Chronicles of the Donovan Clan

Hi My Friends, 

It’s been a long, long time since we have had a Donovan Clan update. And that is likely because I haven’t anything remarkable to report on my husband’s faith journey. But yesterday, the Holy Spirit came near and flooded my mind with a thousand memories of God’s faithfulness to this 5 foot 4, blond-brained, messed up but utterly thankful woman. It was as if I had a moment where a lifetime flashed before my eyes.

It wasn’t my lifetime but my daughters. You see on Saturday night my daughter participated in a Rite of Passage.

Senior Prom.

This is exceptional for me for several reasons. And it was for my daughter as well. Let me explain. My daughter hasn’t been one to attend school dances. But after much convincing by me and her friends, she agreed to attend this last dance of her high school years.

We spent the day along with her BFF doing the thing that girls around here do the day of prom. Hair. Makeup. Dress, shoes. We went all out. My husband is convinced we will need to take a second mortgage to afford this "Princess Experience." Yikes!  *grin*

 

Thanks Shawna for the personal touch.

Fun at the makeup counter - Macy's

Expenses aside. It turned out to be amazing. A day and evening filled with memories built to last for a lifetime. But on Sunday all of those memories filled my heart and I heard God whisper to me, “Lynn, you have been faithful. And Lynn, I have been faithful.”

 

In an instant I knew the Holy Spirit was revealing to me the truth  of living out my faith in front of my child for all of her 18 years. She has grown up to be an amazing kid. She’s far from perfect and she will tell you that she doesn’t have this faith thing figured out for herself yet. But, she is a good kid who made it through the struggles of a large Southern California High School with integrity and hope.

She is so much like me in many ways. And vastly different in many more. She has a sarcastic wit I can’t begin to understand. She is a self-starter and highly organized (She organized the prom activities, from early in the day, through the parents photos all the way to the transportation to and from). I think she got that from me *wink.*

So, I’m at a place now where my many, many years of parenting a child under my roof are nearing an end. In four short months she will begin her orientation at the college she selected. And my friends, this is where I just cry and thank God for all of His faithfulness. For the years of my prayers for this child are answered. For the times He walked with her in the halls of her school when she was sad or scared. He held her hand. Listened to my words of pleading for her and HE WAS ALWAYS FAITHFUL.

So today this Donovan Clan update is to share my love for God. To encourage you that God hears the prayers of a mother’s (and a father's) heart and to renew your hope that the years, tears and prayers you are pouring into your children are WORTH IT!

It’s one of my proudest days to share with my SUMite family that in the fall, my daughter Caitie will be attending a Christian College. She came to this choice after much discussion, college visits, debate between her parents (typical) and prayer. She will be a student of the Torrey Honors Institute at BIOLA University (Bible Institute of Los Angeles).

The Faithfulness of my God continues to astound me.

I will tell you that this decision was a point of great contention in the Donovan home. As you might guess my husband wanted my daughter to attend his alma mater, UC Berkeley. Typical in our home, these universities are polar opposites in perspectives and ideals.  I write a lot more about this in our new book that releases in October. That book is filled with stories of God’s faithfulness to ordinary mothers. I can’t wait to share it with all of you.

Anyhoo, in a few weeks Caitie will graduate from High School. Dineen’s eldest daughter will marry her prince charming. And us two women, -- we are just ordinary wives and moms who stand in the lavish grace and love of a God who takes our breath away….. every….. single….. day……

Please press through your disappointments, your struggles and surrender to the God who adores you. Living on the other side of surrender is where the miracles lie. And it’s so very, very worth it.

I love you. Thank you for sharing this time in my life with me. And thank you for allowing me to share my daughter with you as well.

Here are a few of my photos from the day. Have a great week my friend. I love you. Lynn

Classic Mike Donovan says to this young man, "Hey, if you take that hat off will a rabbit pop out?"

He cackled up a storm. I whacked my husband on the arm and gave him "the look."

Poor kid, he may never visit the Donovan home again. Sheesh! Personally, I LOVED the hat. So did Caitie.

 

My favorite photo of the evening

Weekend Worship — Lord, I Need You!

Happy weekend, my precious friends! This song by Matt Maher is getting a lot of play time on the airwaves and on my playlist. The words Maher croons out, "Lord, I need you" is the common cry and song of our hearts, isn't it?

What's so profound is what happens when we tell Jesus, "I need You." He swoops in like the hero that He is and saves us. We are forever transformed and changed. And He doesn't stop there. He continually responds to our needs, doesn't He? He is our friend and comforter. 

He is our very righteousness and right-ness with God. Amen?

Lord Jesus, we need you. We need you every hour of every day. Every moment of our lives. And we are so very, very grateful that You hear and answer our cry—each and every one of them. Every time. In Your precious and awe-inspiring name, amen!

Have an amazing and love-filled weekend, my friends! I love you!
Dineen 

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Do You Really Believe God is Good?

As I prayed and asked God what He wanted me to share with you today He kept bringing me back to His goodness. And not just His goodness but BELEIVING He is truly good and desires only good for our lives.

As I listened to His heart and I listen to the hearts of so many others (even my own at times), I sense it is an area that needs more exploration and explanation.

Because if you don’t truly BELIEVE God is good and that He is ALWAYS good, you can’t trust Him.

I mentioned in my last post about God’s motivation being pure—that one thing that God is not capable of is having an impure, selfish, or ulterior motive in anything and everything He does. It’s completely out of His character!

I’ve shared in the past that Romans 8:28 is my life verse. I’ve lived and breathed this verse since I was a young child—before I ever read it. For whatever reason God deemed it GOOD, to placethis truth deep within my heart.

And yet I still am learning the full truth of this amazing piece of Scripture!

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

The phrase “all things” caught my eye this time. As I looked up the Greek words, I discovered something breathtakingly all-encompassing. Though the NASB translation uses two words, the original Greek translation uses just one—something that’s fairly common actually.

The Greek for this phrase, all things, is pas and means all, every, all the things, all kinds, all men, all people, all respects, always, any, anyone, anything, continually, entire, every kind, every respect, everyone and the list goes on and on. I’m just highlighting a few here.

We tend to think of “things” only in the tangible sense, but the Greek word alludes to far more. God works in every area of our lives for our good. In the people we love, all the situations we’re in and in us. Continually. The scope is huge!

My friends, I so want to impart this truth to you because the more we embrace that God is truly working for our good, totally and completely in all ways and always, and that He is completely and totally trustworthy, we walk through life a mere fraction of who God intends us to be. We don’t embrace the power and authority we have through our salvation in Christ (Luke 9:1-2, Eph. 1:19-20) because we think we can’t, we shouldn’t, we’re afraid, or we don’t even realize what’s available to us.

Now let’s take a look at one more word in this priceless biblical gem. That word is “purpose.” The Greek word is prothesis and means a setting forth, sacred, consecrated, purpose and resolute. It’s derived from the Greek word protithemi, which means to set before, displayed publicly, planned and purposed.

Now put that together with what comes before this word, purpose: “to those who are called...”

We are not just saved by grace, my precious friends, we are called to join our Lord in His good works, in His sacred and consecrated plans and purposes! And not just for ourselves but for others too, like our pre-believers! God just doesn’t give us the necessary, He gives us His very best. And He entrusts it to us. You better believe He has a special plan and purpose for you in your marriage, as a mother, at your job. Even at the grocery store! (Don’t forget those divine appointments.)

God trusts us enough to entrust His love and purposes in us. Can you trust Him?

Let’s shout a holy YES from our rooftops!

Love you so very much!
Dineen

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Weekend Worship - I Surrender!

Weekend Worship — Lay Me Down!

My precious Sumites, I love this song by Chris Tomlin because it's about the surrendered life and the JOY of living like we belong to Jesus. Because we do! We are His and He is ours. This is also what Scripture means when it says, "the joy of the Lord is our strength" (Neh. 8:10.)

When we walk in this place of surrender and obedience, we know freedom, joy and peace. To the world it makes no sense, but we know better, don't we? And oh, my spirit longs to share this with everyone! We want everyone to know our amazing healer and comforter, Jesus. Especially in light of the horrible events this past week.

We have the Holy Spirit and God is calling us to share Him! Have an amazing weekend, my dear sisters and brothers in Jesus. May His presence fill and rest upon you, may His blessings rain down over you and your family and may His strength, courage, love, power and authority reign supreme in your life!

We adore You, Jesus! Amen!

Love you so much, my friends!
Dineen