You’ve heard it…
You’ve read it…
God cares for you.
But does he really?
Have you heard a little voice in your head ask that question with an affected tone, “Does he really?”
When you’re in the mud of life, sometimes barely able to lift one foot up and move it forward, struggling to stand in the slipperiness of that greasy water-logged and endless swarm of clay, does God care?
I think that when Peter penned this…
Since God cares for you, let Him carry all your burdens and worries. 1 Peter 5:7 Voice
He believed it.
I do too.
Do you know why?
God has done some amazing things the past several months to show me that he really, really, does care for me.
You know how I keep telling you that I’ve been doing my little decorating projects and makeovers on a zero budget? There isn’t any money for anything except the very basic essentials of life. Yet, I was missing having my back porch filled with flowering pots and hanging baskets. So, on the day we went to purchase the paint for the house (my husband painted our house in exchange for two months rent) I prayed and asked God if he would see a way for me to pick up a few flowers. I might not have done that, except a reader left a comment back in May, telling me about how she picked up plants from the ‘hospital zone’ at her local garden center for her plantings. So, yes, I talked to God about that, even though the end of June is a little late for flowers.
Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 1 Peter 5:7 Amplified Bible
Do you know why I could make such an ask?
Because it says in this verse that God cares for me affectionately and watchfully.
Who in your life do you care for affectionately and watchfully?
Are you not always looking out for that one? Attempting to bless and make good things happen as you are able?
That’s the same way God cares for us. (Only better!)
So, after we picked up the paint, I asked my husband if we could go to the garden center to look around. I spied a cart of discounted hanging baskets way in the back. Would you guess that those hanging baskets of Begonias were just $1 each? That almost free! I looked them all over and picked out one. And then, I splurged and picked another.
Will you believe me now when I tell you that God cares for you….affectionately and watchfully?
See the beautiful scripture photo above? That blossom is one of many cascading from the hanging basket on my back porch. What a sweet reminder of God’s love and care.
God provided a lovely hanging basket of flowers for me…perfect for my shady spot….he doesn’t miss a detail. Yes, they needed a little extra love and fertilizer, but I had that and they are blooming beautifully now.
I think God blesses us in these ways because he loves us and wants to give good gifts to his children.
But, he also does it so that we have small tangible reminders that we can trust him for the really big stuff.
And, to make it easier for us to cast all our cares on him.
Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries,
all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 1 Peter 5:7 Amplified Bible
This verse tell us to cast ALL our care, worry, anxiety, and concern – once and for all — on God.
Once and for all!
What’s gnawing away at you? What’s keeping you awake at night? What’s making your stomach hurt?
Give it to God. Once and for all.
And then leave it with him. Don’t do what Corrie TenBoom said we are all so guilty of doing….”Going fishing.”
If we cast our worries and burdens on God we need to let him deal with it however he sees fit. And whatever we do…we must not stop by the sporting goods store to pick up bait and a pole and drive to the fishing hole to attempt to catch our anxieties again.
You are probably thinking this is such a silly word picture. But, have you had a conversation with a friend who asks how you are and you tell your friend about this and that and pretty soon, you’re baiting your worries, and before you know it, you’ve caught them and you’re lugging them around with you again. Uh huh.
When we give our stuff to God…we are careful about how we talk about our situations. We speak knowing that our Trustworthy Creator God affectionately cares and watches over us. He is making provisions for us, though we may not yet see it. Our role is to simply, trust and obey. And yes, I know, oh do I ever, that trusting and obeying are true challenges. But, our part in this is really small. God’s the one who does all the work. He only asks us to follow him in obedience.
Oh how God cares for you….and me.
I don’t know about you. But this verse greatly encourages my heart.
I am so very grateful that I know God and that I know he loves me and demonstrates his care even in the smallest things of life.
Today is Joy Day!
The day when we take a few moments to look back over our past week and count gifts.
Please join me in counting seven blessings…
I’ll start!
I’m grateful for…
- God’s love and kindness
- beautiful baskets of Begonias
- cooler weather
- an opportunity to guest post
- my cat feeling better
- obedient hearts
- the opportunity to trust God for something really big
Now it’s your turn!
Please tap your ‘seven’ into the ‘share your extraordinary thoughts’ section below. I guarantee, you’ll be glad you did! Giving thanks is the best way to get JOY!! Want even more joy? Take the Joy Dare here.
Thank you for stopping by today. I appreciate you and your sweet comments make my day.
May you know God really really does care for YOU! And may you be filled with JOY!
Trusting God to carry it all,
Diane
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1. a lovely cool morning
2. fields full of dewy grass.
3. the warming sun peeking over the trees
4. puppies chasing butterflies
5. teenage sons who still like to share with their Mom. :O)
6. that what we need tends to show up when we need it most
7. a day of rest.
Yay! It’s JOY Day!
I rejoice with you LuAnn for God’s beauty gracing your world, his goodness in your relationships, and his very real presence in your life. May your joy cup overflow with his love and grace today and in your week ahead! Hugs!
~Diane
1. My husband’s health improving.
2. Restoration of my marriage.
3. More work this week.
4. Three sons who I LOVE so much and who I know love me.
5. My husband’s new grill (I had prayed to be able to get him one but God had other plans and provided an even better one that was a gift ~ HE is so good).
6. Restoration of my husband’s relationship with his father.
7. My sister-in-law going to church with us last week.
I could GO ON and ON Diane ~ such a beautiful post ~ God is so abundantly good and cares for us in ways we couldn’t even imagine when we let go and let Him.
Hugs and blessings to you,
Mary Beth
Yay! God!!!
I love it Mary Beth to see God’s hand at work redeeming and restoring and loving and providing and blessing. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your ‘seven’ with such a joyful heart. God has been so good to you. 🙂
May your grateful heart bless everyone around you…as you’ve blessed me.
~Diane
Wonderful thoughts…..wonderful God.
Thanks my friend!
Hanging on to all we know about his goodness and mercy.
[hugs]
~Diane
1. Knowing that God is on the throne and that he never changes and never fails
2. Attending church with my son, dil and baby granddaughter.
3. A beautiful day.
4. Praying friends.
5. A God loving family.
6. Our upcoming visit from family
7. Meeting Christian friends thru blogging.
Please come by and leave a message for my friend and her son who has been diagnosed with cancer. they need our prayer and support.
Blessing, Ginger
I love your ‘seven’ Ginger! You are a very blessed woman!
May your week overflow with HIS JOY!!!
[hugs]
~Diabe
I loved the post-I know how you feel and how the little things mean so much-those answered prayers, when my husband lost his job a few yrs ago I had a similiar experience and God provides for our wants as well as our needs according to his plan.
1. Grammie time with Jordan these last few days.
2. My cousin went home to be w/the lord and is not hurting any longer.
3. My husband grilled porkchops for dinner and they were wonderful.
4 Quiet Sundays!
5. My daughter brought home Chipotle for me!
6 .Found some good bargains at JoAnn’s.
7. My flowers are looking great….makes me smile!
Thank you!!
Isn’t there so much to rejoice about in a week, Renee? I’m sorry for the emptiness you must have in the passing of your cousin, but grateful to know there’s joy in it too.
Thank you, too, for taking time to share your ‘seven.’
May your joy cup splash all over everyone around you this week!
[hugs] ~Diane
I look forward to Joy Day
1. Much outpouring of prayers for Mom and me ( thank you for the encouragement. Too)
2. A sis I can call
3. A protective and helpful husband
4. Sharing daughters joy in their first new to them vehicle–paid for too!
5. My step grandson a Christian!!!
6, flowers bring joy. Large blooms reseed themselves and I get the show
7. Time for rest to heal
Ahh…”Count it all joy!” I hear that in your tapped in words, Gwen.
Thank you for celebrating with me the good things God has done this past week.
And, I’m trusting with you for God’s healing touch for you and your mom. 🙂
May you know God’s love and peace and be filled with his joy this week!
[hugs]
~Diane
The story is incredible, the photos amazing, and your ability to hang on to that truth is encouraging. I know I can look up and pop off with “really?….seriously?!”.
I’m still very much the child in the relationship…or at best, a demanding adolescent … good thing I’m not done growing yet, huh?
Finding joy in
* the flutterbys that find their way into the garden
* the joy in the girl and small child as they discover their new home
* the cicada’s song
* the willingness of others to look at my needs
* the smell of freshly popped corn
* choosing my attitude
* meteor showers
Hanging on to the Truth is what gets me through a day, Mel. The only thing…except a bit of denial and burying myself in something.
Ah…the cicada’s song. Have you noticed that the Robins’ evensong has ended. Oh that makes me sad….that really is the kiss goodbye of summer. 🙁
So many lovely blessings! And a big sky to see those meteor showers. That wouldn’t be something we would see here with mountains and trees…sorta closes one in.
Keep choosing joy my friend!! God is good!
[hugs]
Diane,
Yeh, I go to the plant sale (what I call Death row) and see what they have. Sometimes I can save some and other times they don’t make it, but at least i gave it a try. Plants are my weakness, but I love seeing them in my house and on my porch. My 7 joys would be:
surprising my mom and stepdad with a 35th year anniversary party and they were really surprised
all the family that came that day and the time spent with them
a few months off from work ( i work at a school)
all 9 of my grandkids
God helping me with some little things that only mattered to ME
celebrating my husband’s birthday today
close family and church family
Awww…I love that you are a rescuer of plants, Ruth!
Thank you for taking time to share your ‘seven.’ What a week of JOY to celebrate! 🙂
May your joy cup overflow this week!
~Diane