This week I've been thinking about how God told the apostle Paul, "My power is made perfect in weakness." Lately it seems that whatever I attempt to do in my own strength isn't successful. But, when I quit the striving, He moves. I'm not saying that God has been answering my prayers the way I would like. No. I'm just saying that I'm learning to get over the idea that it's me that needs to solve my situation. On January 2, I decided that I would put me aside and trust God totally for this leg of the great adventure. Do you realize that to consistently do that for four months is … [Read more...]
Filled with Joy.... Psalm 126 A song of ascents. 1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. 2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. 4 Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. 5 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with … [Read more...]
He is risen! He is risen indeed! This greeting is exchanged by Christians all over the world on Easter Sunday. And with good reason. Jesus had predicted his torturous death and resurrection to his disciples. Read about it here. Certainly it was unbelievable to them at that time. And then, what a turn of events. In one week, Jesus went from being heralded as a king, the Messiah who would save the people from their unfair rulers and bring about a just kingdom on earth....to an innocent man, tried, convicted, and crucified. Oh the grief. The disciples could not comprehend how … [Read more...]
Cry out with joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout jubilantly, O daughter of Jerusalem! Look—your King is coming; He is righteous and able to save. He comes seated humbly on a donkey, on a colt, a foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9 The Voice (VOICE) Palm Sunday.... a day when we wave palm branches and sing for JOY! What significance does Palm Sunday hold for you? It's Joy Day! Today is the day when we take time to look back over our week and count gifts/blessings. The good, and yes, the not so good things that happened in our lives. And we give thanks to God for … [Read more...]
Faith in tough times... Several years ago a co-worker gave me a copy of Streams in the Desert, a devotional with 365 daily readings. Over time I would pick it up and include it in my daily routine. And then it would set on my shelf, waiting as I enjoyed another more current devotional. The other devotionals might have been more contemporary, but not more current. At this time in my life, it seems that it was written just for me, right now. I am in the desert, again. Thirsty for God. It's as if I am walking through vast stretches of nothingness and yet, … [Read more...]
When I can't make sense of the world, or my little world comes crashing in, I find refuge in God's word and in His magnificent creation. Today I offer you a photo of a nearby pasture taken an hour before sunset when the light was pure gold. For me, as I gaze again with both the eye of the moment and my mind's eye, I sense peace. "The peace that passes understanding." I know that peace. It can be found in God and His everlasting Word. Today I really only have a few words of my own. Instead the words I share with you are His Words....Words that will bring each of us … [Read more...]
Day 2 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Psalm … [Read more...]
Day 7 Why be ordinary when you (we) can be extraordinary! What can make a day extraordinary? One way... is to have a heart of gratitude. Earlier this year I started counting gifts. It was an intentional discipline on my part. As I undertook the challenge my eyes opened to seeing both the good and the not-so-good occurrences in my life as gifts. There's a verse in the Bible that I love... You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their … [Read more...]
I had the most amazing week, Thursday afternoon. My week was so busy, it went by in a blur. But one moment of time stood out. Have you ever had a week like that? What was that ONE moment? For me... I had an important phone call to make....and I was dreading it. It was one of those times when I felt totally helpless, inadequate, and lost. The matter of concern had also been a matter of prayer...for some time. This day I needed to press the numbers on the keypad and connect with the unknown. I needed help. Just before making my phone call I asked my husband if he would … [Read more...]
Have you ever participated in a group event where there was a trust walk or a trust fall? Even if you know all the members of your party, and are fairly certain that they will look out for your best interest, do you find it difficult to trust that they will lead you, or catch you, or keep you safe? Trust. Just five letters. A small word filled with the potential power for goodness, tenderness, and love. A word that could be equated with safety. Today our relationships and authoritative entities are wrought with a lack of trust. We say trust must be earned. Many are … [Read more...]
It's Saturday night. Our time to worship HIM. Worship. It's about Him. It's not about me. The congregation sings a song I know so well. A song I sang with the kids' worship team at my old church. It seems that every other week lately we've been singing a song to which "my" kids and I made up motions and led a multitude of other children in singing worship to our great God. "My" kids because I loved them (still do). "My" kids, because we were a team. A family. We celebrated, cried, prayed, and had fun together. We had the best of times every Wednesday night and Sunday … [Read more...]
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4, from the NIV Bible Have you ever thought that your response to an unpleasant circumstance should be one of joy? This past week a "digging machine" along with a crew of men from a plumbing contracting firm in my little town arrived at our house. An extension was made … [Read more...]
