Ken Lovelace Ministries


EVENTUALLY? WHY NOT NOW? by Lygia Lovelace Ken and I have been married for almost 21 years! Where has the time gone? As I look back, I am amazed at the speed of time. Oh, there were slow years...our first years in seminary and ministry, the many months we thought we might not be able to have children, and even Bracken's 1st year! That first little preschooler totally changed our lives! I thought he would never get old enough to play with us, and to talk to! (And then, when he learned to talk, I thought he would never stop talking!) Bracken grew so fast. Since then, I have learned to enjoy my babies more, basking in each day of their little lives! The time of our wedding engagement was a special time for Ken and me. We had been dating a few months, and were both convinced that God had placed us together. While at Silver Dollar City one summer day, Ken was praying for the right time for us to become engaged. Thinking it might be that day, he had wrapped my engagement ring in toilet tissue and placed it in his sock! We rode many rides, and had a fun time. All the while, Ken was praying for just the right time. "When do I do this Lord?" he had asked the Lord repeatedly that day. "Should it be today? Please give me a sign!" We were walking along a beautiful wooden-latticed bridge after lunch. He looked up at a huge sign that had been posted on the side of a building beside the bridge. There, in big bold letters were the questions... "EVENTUALLY? WHY NOT NOW?" God had indeed given Ken a sign! While I was looking down from the bridge at the big fish in the water, I noticed he was fumbling with something. He appeared to be peeling something..." "What are you doing?" I asked, and strained to see what he was doing. He was peeling wet tissue paper from my engagement ring! We had ridden many water rides that day, and we were both soaked. Then, he got down on one knee... Sigh... That was such a treasured moment, toilet tissue and all. But I wouldn't go back for the world. I love having been married for almost 21 years. I love knowing my husband 21 years more deeply now than I knew him then. I look forward to 21 more years (and then some!) of deepening our relationship. What about deepening our relationship with the Father? I once heard someone say, "Application is the most important reason for God's Word. God gave us His Word for the purpose of living it out before others." OK...but what about reading God's Word, just for the purpose of getting to know God better? What about deepening that relationship? All throughout God's Word, there are clues to the nature and character of God. I used to think that the Old Testament showed the harsh, judgmental side of God, while the New Testament showed God's love and mercy through His Son, Jesus Christ. Now I know better. God's grace and deep love for His people, and even for pagan nations, like in Isaiah 19:25, show distinctly on page after page of all of His Word. Tears filled my eyes this morning, during my quiet time, as I read Jacob's words in Genesis. Do you know the story of Jacob and Joseph? Jacob the deceiver had made so many mistakes! In my chapter this morning, elderly Jacob (re-named Israel) was speaking to Joseph, his long-lost son -- the cherished son that Jacob had given up for dead! Through the shaky utterances of an old man, wrinkled by sin, sorrow, and time, he held his 2 grandsons, Joseph's boys, and said... "I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!" (Genesis 48:11) Oh, what a gracious, merciful, loving, forgiving, long-suffering God we have! Don't you want to know Him deeper? Several years ago, I decided that for my Bible study time, I would find all the names for God that I could find. In the concordance of my Bible, at the back, I looked up all the names for God that I could think of. Also, I looked through on-line references (see On-line Bibles and references on our website) and book commentaries for "different names for God." I read the Scriptures and situations in the Bible where each name was used. Perhaps this would be a good study for you. Knowing the many different names penned for our Father throughout Scripture has caused me to know Him deeper. I made a list of all of these precious names. Each day, I chose a different name to call my Father during my prayer time. Each day, I praised Him for being my Provider, or the God who sees me, or my Protector. My all-time favorite name for our Heavenly Father is Abba. He is my Daddy. Do you want to know Him deeper? Yes! Apply God's Word to your life! Do it! Live it! But also seek to know God deeper. He loves you so. Pick up His Word. Seek Him in the many pages... EVENTUALLY? WHY NOT NOW? I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in Your Word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night; That I may meditate on Your promises. Psalm 119:147-148

EVENTUALLY? WHY NOT NOW?
by Lygia Lovelace

Ken and I have been married for almost 21 years! Where has the time gone? As I look back, I am amazed at the speed of time. Oh, there were slow years...our first years in seminary and ministry, the many months we thought we might not be able to have children, and even Bracken's 1st year! That first little preschooler totally changed our lives! I thought he would never get old enough to play with us, and to talk to! (And then, when he learned to talk, I thought he would never stop talking!) Bracken grew so fast. Since then, I have learned to enjoy my babies more, basking in each day of their little lives!

The time of our wedding engagement was a special time for Ken and me. We had been dating a few months, and were both convinced that God had placed us together. While at Silver Dollar City one summer day, Ken was praying for the right time for us to become engaged. Thinking it might be that day, he had wrapped my engagement ring in toilet tissue and placed it in his sock!

We rode many rides, and had a fun time. All the while, Ken was praying for just the right time.

"When do I do this Lord?" he had asked the Lord repeatedly that day. "Should it be today? Please give me a sign!"

We were walking along a beautiful wooden-latticed bridge after lunch. He looked up at a huge sign that had been posted on the side of a building beside the bridge. There, in big bold letters were the questions...

"EVENTUALLY? WHY NOT NOW?"

God had indeed given Ken a sign!

While I was looking down from the bridge at the big fish in the water, I noticed he was fumbling with something. He appeared to be peeling something..."

"What are you doing?" I asked, and strained to see what he was doing. He was peeling wet tissue paper from my engagement ring! We had ridden many water rides that day, and we were both soaked.

Then, he got down on one knee...

Sigh...

That was such a treasured moment, toilet tissue and all. But I wouldn't go back for the world. I love having been married for almost 21 years. I love knowing my husband 21 years more deeply now than I knew him then. I look forward to 21 more years (and then some!) of deepening our relationship.

What about deepening our relationship with the Father?

I once heard someone say, "Application is the most important reason for God's Word. God gave us His Word for the purpose of living it out before others."

OK...but what about reading God's Word, just for the purpose of getting to know God better? What about deepening that relationship?

All throughout God's Word, there are clues to the nature and character of God. I used to think that the Old Testament showed the harsh, judgmental side of God, while the New Testament showed God's love and mercy through His Son, Jesus Christ. Now I know better.

God's grace and deep love for His people, and even for pagan nations, like in Isaiah 19:25, show distinctly on page after page of all of His Word.

Tears filled my eyes this morning, during my quiet time, as I read Jacob's words in Genesis. Do you know the story of Jacob and Joseph? Jacob the deceiver had made so many mistakes! In my chapter this morning, elderly Jacob (re-named Israel) was speaking to Joseph, his long-lost son -- the cherished son that Jacob had given up for dead! Through the shaky utterances of an old man, wrinkled by sin, sorrow, and time, he held his 2 grandsons, Joseph's boys, and said...

"I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!" (Genesis 48:11)

Oh, what a gracious, merciful, loving, forgiving, long-suffering God we have! Don't you want to know Him deeper?

Several years ago, I decided that for my Bible study time, I would find all the names for God that I could find. In the concordance of my Bible, at the back, I looked up all the names for God that I could think of. Also, I looked through on-line references (see On-line Bibles and references on our website) and book commentaries for "different names for God." I read the Scriptures and situations in the Bible where each name was used. Perhaps this would be a good study for you. Knowing the many different names penned for our Father throughout Scripture has caused me to know Him deeper.

I made a list of all of these precious names. Each day, I chose a different name to call my Father during my prayer time. Each day, I praised Him for being my Provider, or the God who sees me, or my Protector. My all-time favorite name for our Heavenly Father is Abba. He is my Daddy.

Do you want to know Him deeper?

Yes! Apply God's Word to your life! Do it! Live it! But also seek to know God deeper. He loves you so. Pick up His Word. Seek Him in the many pages...

EVENTUALLY? WHY NOT NOW?

I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in Your Word.
My eyes stay open through the watches of the night;
That I may meditate on Your promises.
Psalm 119:147-148