Digging deep....

I delight in You, Lord. I let my longing dig deep this morning. Digging a deeper well into my soul, desiring more than I’ve known before of You, even though I am fully aware of the risk involved. My heart will break again. I know this. Yet I would rather live with a broken heart, than be cut off from the full experience and expression it was created to know. I want to know again, and in a brand new way, the depths of desire we’re designed to experience with You. I want my soul to be fully acquainted with its natural longing, and receive the full satisfaction it desires. I love my longing for You, Lord. I love the desire my heart has for You. I love the love I feel for You. Let my heart break wide open with the joy of loving You. This is my longing. This is my longing fulfilled! (recorded in the journal of Julie Engler Miles on Sunday, June 10, 2012 All rights reserved)

A cry in the night....

Jesus, let the light of Your face shine on me!

Thank You, Lord, that You hear my prayer,

that You listen to my cry for mercy;

and that in Your faithfulness and righteousness and love,

You come to my relief.

The enemy pursues me, but he will not crush me.

He tries to overtake me with darkness, but he will not succeed.

My spirit is stirred within me by Your everlasting love,

and I am not ignorant of the enemy’s tactics.

I think of You.

I meditate on You.

I remember You…Your promises… all You have done for me.

And I lift my hands in thanks for Your goodness and loving kindness.*

My soul longs for You, thirsts for You…

and does not faint under the weight of its longing – or under the assault of its enemy. 

Instead, it is stirred, as You come quickly to the sound of my cries.

Sweet Lord! My soul delights in You.

Even as weeping endures for the night,

joy will come in the morning.

Your promises will be fulfilled. 

My hope in You will not be disappointed. 

And my soul will continue to rejoice in You, 

for You do not hide Your face from me

as the cry of my heart reaches Yours in the darkness.

*Psalm 143

Julie Engler Miles

February.9, 2010

All rights reserved, 2012

It all comes down to this....

Blessed are those who come into the knowledge that it is by

setting our hearts on blessing the Lord that we ourselves will be blessed.

Out of my desire to bless You this morning, Jesus, I find myself blessed as I sit in the sweet realization, once  again, that You are my heart’s truest desire and my soul’s greatest delight.

Sweet, sweet is the love of my God and the love we share with each other.

* * *

You hear the cry of my heart, Lord.

More than ever, my desire is for You.

I want You…and I want You to have me.

More and more of me, all of me...

for whatever purpose You desire,

that Your great heart will be blessed.

I have no other desire, no other goal.

It all comes down to this.

Julie Engler Miles

Monday, Oct. 3, 2011

All rights reserved, 2012

What every soul knows....

Bless the Lord, O my soul.

My soul bows before its Maker...
still and solemn,
quiet and undisturbed...
knowing what every soul knows
when we let the knowledge of God rise up within us.

We are created to know Him.
He is the desire of every longing heart.

Wake up, dear souls.
Don't be robbed of this wonderful truth.
Be still... and know your God.


Julie Engler Miles, all rights reserved, 2012

Quieted by Truth

Be still and know that I am God.  (Ps. 46:10)

I lift up my soul to the Lord. I lift my heart, my eyes, my countenance for the Lord is near.

The Lord is near to all who call on His Name.

You have drawn near to me, O Lord, in answer to my cries in the night.

You do not leave the afflicted unnoticed or unattended. 

You are kind and loving and caring ~ moved with compassion for those in need ~ gracious toward all You have made.  

Oh, how these truths comfort me! 

My heart is comforted as I recall Your lovingkindness. 

My soul is quieted within by Truth.

Gladdened once again as peace and serenity settle into my soul,

a smile of sweet assurance comes with them....

For You make me glad, O Lord… (Ps. 92:4)

Julie Engler Miles, all rights reserved.

I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore, my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure because You will not abandon me.... You have made known the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.  Psalm 16:8-11

* * *
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
My heart is glad at the thought of you, Lord.
You make my heart glad.

Once again the power of the Word accomplishes its purpose.
You are the Living Word ~ and You gladden my heart.

* * *

This is no small thing if you know me well… and I share this today so you will know that God provides a rescue for the oppressed, the afflicted, and the broken-hearted.

Despair and depression and hopelessness have tried to take my life for as far back as I can remember and as recently as yesterday.

I bless the Lord for giving me life and sustaining my life ~ even when I didn’t want Him to ~ even when I would have preferred to give up ~ when the enemy’s torment and lies have come frighteningly close to convincing me to give in to death.

Like yesterday….

Just yesterday, it all felt too hard and I felt too tired to want to keep going.
Just yesterday, I dragged myself through another lifeless day.
Just yesterday, I felt the despair of living the rest of my life in this torment.
Just yesterday, I felt like blowing my brains out.

* * *

But, today….

Today, my heart is glad in Your presence, Lord.
Today, You make my heart glad as I think of You.
Today, word of Your unfailing love sustains me.
Today, I choose Life... because Love makes me want to live.

* * *

I will be glad and rejoice in Your love, for You [see] my affliction and [know] the anguish of my soul.
Psalm 31:7


Julie Engler Miles
journal entry dated Nov. 25, 2009

I will wait....

I will wait for You, Lord.

I want You to be the One
to touch the deep, deep place
in me that longs to be satisfied.

Only You can satisfy this ache.
Anything, or anyone else,
I believed could satisfy it
is an empty counterfeit.

I look to You, Lord.
Satisfy and be the answer
to the deep desires of my very being.

I will wait....


Copyright 2011, Julie Engler Miles.