On the outside, most of us look pretty normal, but once we get to know each other, the flaws jump out at us like a frog sitting on a hot frying pan. We can make ourselves look good by taking off some weight, by doing something that will benefit another, or by living frivolously. Most people are fooled by that disguise, but God can look right into our very souls to determine what’s motivating our behavior. How comforting to know that despite all the yuck going on inside us, He still loves us. He doesn’t want us to suffer. He doesn’t want us to be depressed or unhappy. We are His creation and He loves us more than we can possibly imagine.
There is no escaping Him, His direction of our lives or His amazing forgiveness.
Once in while I think we can become our own worst enemy. We try to accomplish too much, we work harder than we should, we struggle to make payments, we try to be the perfect parent, we set our goals too high, we forget what is really meaningful in our lives.
It all depends on how we look at things. If we realize that with God all things are possible, the stumbling blocks of life are merely bumps in the road. If we trust that God has a plan for everything that happens to us, we can be confident that nothing can stop us.
Lord. You have permitted me to live a long life and it’s taken me all of that time to understand that I have put way too much pressure on myself. Help me to turn things over to you. You have kept your promise to keep me safe in all my endeavors – to be with those I love – to comfort the hurting and to lean on you. You love me, even though I’m often unlovable. Be with me again today. Amen!
Six inches of snow isn’t unusual in my neck of the woods. We’ve had a steady stream of the white stuff over these past few months. We no longer go to regular jobs each day, so it’s just a slight inconvenience when we have a snowstorm. We also have the luxury of having kids that live nearby and come and plow us out when necessary.
You can imagine my surprise when our daughter in South Carolina texted me that they were having a winter storm in her town. This is really a rarity in the south – especially because they don’t have the necessary equipment to clear roads and being without electricity can also be a problem. I asked if they even owned a shovel. She responded that they didn’t, but the snow would probably melt in a day or two. They both work from home so they can wait it out.
On the same day, there was a report of an underwater volcanic eruption that might cause Tsunami winds to attack the west coast. The weather can create all sorts of havoc in our world. Since we live right in the middle of the country, we might become the new garden spot of America. (I’m kidding of course.) Our weather is changing. Our climate is in a constant state of flux. God never changes,
Change comes in the form of weather, environmental, industrial and population growth, but we are a unique species. We may not always like it. We may even blame God for our circumstances, but we eventually adapt to change. Yet God never changes.
God controls our world. He is in charge of the direction of the wind, the elements of snow and frost, cold and heat, He churns the seas and stirs the lakes with one breath. The storms that destroy and damage are not because God is mad at us or frustrated with us. He only cares about us. Even in those difficult storms He is there to provide help, love, encouragement, strength to get through them and a way out. He will be with us no matter what, because He never changes.
Psalm 146:16-17 He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold?
As the world changes, we change – we find different ways of dealing with things – we use our intellect to find solutions – we adapt. We can never outdo the Creator of the Universe. We cannot outthink Him or find solutions without Him. He’s in every area of our lives. He will be with us through all Eternity, His love endures forever and we can count on that because God is the same today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow. He never changes.
Job 36:27-28 For he draws up the drops of water; they distill his mist in rain, which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly.
We go through many changes in our short existence. When we’re born, we struggle from the safety of our mom’s womb into an unknown and difficult world. We take our first steps as a leap of faith. We grow into our teens thinking we are prepared for everything life has to give us and take chances that we maybe shouldn’t. We make amendments to our lives when we get married and soon learn that we are no longer one person anymore. We vow to put our mate first in our lives. As years pass, we become involved in careers and that opens new doors and new opportunities for alteration to our future. We grow old and think that there is nothing more to change – NOT TRUE!
It seems that God has taken us through all these highways in life to prepare us for our final and complete change. Old age is the portal to that place – but it doesn’t mean the end of our metamorphosis. He still has a purpose for us, even though we think things should finally be settling down.
At this point in life, changes are still being made – some of them with the influence of those who love us – some because change is required for our benefit – some due to financial burden – others because of our changing, tired and worn out bodies. Whatever the change – whatever the struggle – whatever new thing that comes along and drastically amends our lives – we still have the faithfulness of a God who will remain with us through all of it. He will never leave us. He will provide for all our needs – physical, emotional and spiritual. He will give us the strength and courage to move into uncharted areas, even in our old age.
Lord, I praise you for all you have done for me. You have offered me your consistency in an ever-changing world. Whatever has happened in the past – no matter how difficult – you have sustained me. You continue to lead me in the paths of righteousness and provide all that I need for my life. You teach me daily to lean on you and promise to be with me and those I love throughout eternity. I pray that you will continue to hold my hand through the remainder of my years and finally lead me to paradise with you – where there will be no more changes. In Jesus name I pray. Amen!
Some folks think that becoming a Christian means gaining complete freedom from all our troubles. Not true. In fact, God never promised any of us a rose garden. Well, He gave us a perfect garden, but that was quickly lost when man thought He was smarter than God. We’re going to have difficulty in our lives until we pass into eternity. However, our troubles here on earth don’t have to overwhelm us or send us into a deep depression.
Some “Christians” believe that if you have trouble in your life it is because of something you’ve done to put yourself out of favor with God. God’s mercy is beyond our wisdom. He has placed these trials in our lives to make us stronger and yet completely dependent on Him for help.
Thank you, Lord, for daily strengthening me with your truth. May your gift of peace give me hope to endure each day. I am confident that you are at my side in all the storms of life as a captain piloting a ship through troubled waters. You are in control and have the ability to conquer the waves that cover me from time to time. You alone are my source of life and my guide through all of it. Jesus, Savior, pilot me.
JESUS, SAVIOR, PILOT ME
Lyrics by Edward Hopper
Jesus, Savior, pilot me Over life’s tempestuous sea; Unknown waves before me roll, Hiding rock and treach’rous shoal; Chart and compass come from Thee; Jesus, Savior, pilot me.
As a mother stills her child, Thou canst hush the ocean wild; Boist’rous waves obey Thy will When Thou say’st to them, “Be still.” Wondrous Sov’reign of the sea, Jesus, Savior, pilot me.
Though death’s valley I may pass, Still Thy grace will fear surpass; In Thy presence I will rest, And, while leaning on Thy breast, I will hear Thee say to me, “Fear not, I will pilot thee.”
Disclaimer – This post is not intended to offend anyone – only to illustrate.
There are days in my life when worry overtakes me. I often wonder why it’s so much a part of who I am. It might be said that I’m the typical Jewish mother – even though I’m not Jewish. Jesus was, however, and so was His mom, so this may be why He spent a lot of time talking to His people about the dreadful trait of worrying. By the way, Jewish mothers do not have a corner on worry. We gentiles are just as likely to be concerned for our kids. I believe it’s actually a part of a woman’s DNA to fret about things over which she has no control.
It’s easy to tell someone not to worry, but that isn’t going to stop them from doing it. In fact, it might even lead to more worry just thinking about it. Besides, we may not have experienced what the worrier is going through. When you don’t have personal knowledge of something, it’s difficult to advise someone else. Your credibility will definitely come into question.
Jesus walked in our shoes. He knows all our frailties and shortcomings. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus invites us to,“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He isn’t just talking about physical rest. He’s telling us that He gives comfort for our souls as well. He actually allows us to lay our burdens on His large shoulders and He will carry them for us.
I will undoubtedly continue to worry until I die, but my worries don’t have to depress me or dominate my thinking. Thank you, Lord, for giving rest to my weary mind and body, but mostly for relieving the doubts, worries and fears of my soul. Remind me that you are in control of all things and let me rest in that knowledge. Amen!
I’ve recently been trying to hide from the events of the world by not tuning in the news. My thinking is that if I don’t have that extra weight hanging on my shoulders, it will free me from the burden. The truth is, we can’t hide from the world no matter how hard we try. Even if we were to bury our heads in the sand, someone would come along and kick the sand, causing us to take notice. We can try to run away to a different place. We can seek greener pastures. We can flee the city streets, the guns, the drugs and crime, but we are not going to eliminate those things by running from them.
We do have a means whereby we can escape without ever leaving the comfort of our own space. Instead of burying our heads, we should look up and reach out to the One who has already carried our load of sin to the cross. He died for us. He paid the price. He redeemed us with His blood and purchased our freedom from death by returning to life and ascending into heaven. We can look forward to the same after our own death.
God made a promise to His people, right after they fell into sin. He kept His promise. He never fails to do so. We can take that truth to the bank and count on it. Jesus told His followers to be in the world, but not of it. That means, we shouldn’t hide from things that occur around us. We need to be aware, so we can become active in the solving of some of its problems. It also means that we should not become part of the problem, by participating in the ugliness the world offers. We can’t escape the news. It’s part of our world today. It’s available 24/7 with commentaries and opinions nonstop. We don’t need to be glued to it every second of that time. We should remain informed. We should also be looking for ways to fix it. We can do that by searching God’s Word for the answers. He has also promised to be with us in all that we do. We can be assured of that.
So get your head out of the sand, open your eyes and look up instead of down. The real joy in this life is waiting up there.
Majestically standing in rows just like soldiers,
With arms reaching up to great heights of the sky,
The trees tower over the rocks and the boulders,
They almost touch heaven and don’t even try,
What if we would turn our heads and our eyes,
To the mighty Creator with voices and cries,
Would He heed to our voices and answer our prayers,
Would He take away all of our fears and our cares,
Sometimes it may seem that He’s too far away,
That He’s too much to do than to hear what we pray,
Prayers don’t go unanswered when we ask from within,
He listens to us and forgives all our sin,
So lift up your eyes, to the sky up above,
God knows what you need and He’ll answer with love.
Are you trapped in a life that seems to be stuck? I woke up this morning feeling that way. The sun was streaming through the window and I felt that I must’ve overslept. I woke up wondering what would be my plan for the day? I thought about it for about two seconds and realized I haven’t really had a plan for a long time. I get up every morning about the same time. I brush my teeth (those I have left,) I take my pills and wash my face. I then spend devotion time with my husband. After that I take an hour or more working on my blog. I may or may not have breakfast. By the time I’ve cleaned up the kitchen from the breakfast I did or did not have, it’s time to throw a load of wash in the machine. By then it’s almost time for lunch. That’s my morning. In the afternoons, I will work for an hour or so on my writing, scheduling appointments for myself or my husband and reading. I then watch some old television show and think about what to prepare for supper. Once a week I change things up a bit and go grocery shopping. As for housecleaning, I have a whole different attitude about that now. This is the life of a retired woman nearing 80.
We never know for sure what each day will bring. It could provide good news that might affect our financial situation, or it could mean a test result you hadn’t planned on from your doctor’s office. There will always be interruptions in our same old, same old. I’ve actually learned that more about that since retiring. Each day will be filled with some kind of surprise or another.
We could take that information and live like Eeyore, from Winnie the Pooh. We could walk around with the proverbial cloud hanging over our heads, expecting only the worst or we could plan for those hiccups as turning points in our lives that lead us back to God in prayer. I, for one, dont like Eeryore’s attitude. He’s stuck in a rut that has no rescue, because he feels safe there. There are lots of Eeyore’s in the world right now. The negative naysayers – the politicians who are trying to control our lives – those who don’t care about laws and order – those who think only of themselves – those who sit in judgment of others – those who feel things will never change – those living in fear of the next pandemic.
On the other hand, we have those who trust in the future and God’s plan for it – who look forward to how they can make a difference in an evil world – who push forward with confidence and hope – those who want to bring joy to a stressed, depressed and hopeless place.
When you feel that your life isn’t going anywhere – when you feel you’ve come to a dead end – when your career, your marriage, your faith is hanging in the balance – remember that God is the same today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow. He has a plan already designed for us. It’s a future filled with promise and hope for a life everlasting in paradise.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
Back in the ’80s, Mac Davis wrote a song called, “Lord, it’s hard to be humble.” Everyone thought the lyrics were nonsensical, because to be humble means putting yourself on the low end of the totem pole.
Being humble in the 21st century is old fashioned. We’re told to be proud of our accomplishments – to hold our heads high when we do something that isn’t really out of the ordinary. We should pat ourselves on the back for simply getting out of bed each day. Our kids are given awards just for participating in an activity. We receive bonuses at the end of a year for doing our job and nothing more. We are told to expect honor because we deserve it.
Humility is seen in someone who is willing to put others before himself – to even give up their lives for them – to do it without receiving acclaim. Jesus left His throne in heaven. He became a human being – with emotions and feelings, but without sin. He led a life of poverty. He was born of an unwed mother – lived in squalor – was rebuked by the church – mocked and spat upon – nailed to a cross as a common criminal – suffered and died – rose from death on the third day. He did this, not because He had to, but because of His great love for us.
Let’s start this year with hope for change in the ways of this world, by learning from our Savior. When He gave His followers the Beatitudes, the first blessing was to those who were poor in spirit. That doesn’t mean physically poor. It means those who show true humility. We need to tear away the pride that covers our hearts and think of others as He thought of us.
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”
We’re in a time in history when fear is probably our greatest enemy. The pandemic has placed most everyone in a bubble – in more ways than one. We fear being isolated from others. We fear getting a disease which might kill us. We’re afraid we may be carrying the germs to others. We’re afraid to eat out, go to church, be with anyone other than family. Many who have already given way to the fears of living are even thinking of ways to escape this world.
I’ve tried to hide from the outside world by turning off the news when it comes on. I’ve been doing this for about six months now and I actually feel better – even though I went through a bout of COVID myself between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Keeping ourselves clueless to the outside world isn’t really an answer though. Even our Lord and Savior, Jesus, had to work through His fears when He faced his execution. He knew He had to die. He knew it would be a horrific death. He knew He would suffer humiliation and the pain of the scourge. He knew all this, but He took the time to carry those fears in prayer to His Father in heaven on the night before His death. He prayed. Tears poured from His eyes as He anguished over the future – tears which became like drops of blood. Yet at the end of the prayer, He also accepted the mission He was about to fulfill. He trusted in His Father’s will. His death wasn’t the end of the story, as we know. He conquered the grave, assuring that we will also overcome death.
When we feel there is no hope for the future – when we feel overwhelmed by the pressures of daily living – when we need a friend, a counselor, a confidante – when relationships fall apart – when money runs out – when we become infected by a deadly virus – when grief overtakes us – it’s time to go to our compassionate Father in prayer. He wants to hear from us. He love us more than any earthly father could love His children. He spared us from the fear of death, by providing us with a future in paradise. He may not answer our prayers right away. He may answer immediately. He may never answer, but we do know that He is right there beside us through all our difficulties. He reaches His hand out to us and walks through each and every one by our side. He will walk with us right into eternity. Reach out to Him today in prayer.
I’m a lot like my mom when it comes to telling jokes. She’d often forget the punchline as do I, but she relayed a good one several years back, regarding the wise men of the Epiphany.
When on vacation in the south during the Christmas season, a young couple couldn’t help but notice the number of Nativity Sets displayed in front of the homes. It seemed strange to see them in a tropical place, but I guess that’s where this event occurred in the first place. As they continued driving, they saw something that puzzled them. Each of the wise men was wearing a fireman’s hat. Curiosity got the best of them so they finally stopped and went to one of the homes to ask about the hats. A kind woman answered the door and her reply in typical Southern drawl, was, “We’re just following what it says in the Good Book. It’s right there in black and white. Men from the East came from afar.”
The story of the Epiphany is a little deeper than that. We’re not told how many men came. We assume it to be three. We know they carried treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts held significance. Gold was a gift suitable for Kings and Jesus surely was a King. Frankincense was the aromatic spice used in the temple to worship God. Jesus was not only man, but God. Myrrh, was used in the burial process and we know that expensive spices were used to bury the body of Jesus after His vicious crucifixion.
The Magi were men of science who studied the stars. They’d seen the star of Bethlehem and it indicated to them that a king had been born. They also knew the ancient prophesies concerning the King who would be born from the lineage of David – the promised Messiah – the divine King who would save His people.
It took some time to get there – maybe as long as two years. When they arrived in Jerusalem they went straight to Herod and asked where they could find this new King. Herod set the next events into motion by asking for directions to see the child, so he could worship Him too. What this evil man was mulling over in his mind was the elimination of all firstborn sons in Jerusalem who were two years old or less. He wasn’t about to let another king take away what he’d worked so hard to establish. That and the fact that he had no qualms about destroying innocent lives.
We know that the wise men journeyed to a house where they found Jesus with His mother, Mary and step dad, Joseph. The child, born in poverty, came to the world for the poor. Now it’s revealed that He was born for the very rich too – for all people. He was born to save everyone. I think we sometimes forget that.
God isn’t selective in His forgiveness. It’s available to all. His requirements for obeying His law are great – too great for us to handle. Everyone needs a redeemer and Jesus was sent for that very purpose. The poor shepherds in the field knew that as well as the wealthy men who brought their precious gifts to Him. He also came for you and me. He loves each and every one of His creatures and was willing to sacrifice His own life for us. Now that’s enough to light any fire – and it did!
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the gift of your precious Son. Thank you also for showing us through the visit of the Magi, that you came for all people – rich and poor. The true gift was given to us when you came to earth as a man. Now, by faith – that gift can be opened by all who ask for it. Amen!
I must admit – I have a face that can be more like a mask than reality. I have a number of different profile pictures on my facebook page. Many look like a normal, ordinary old lady. Some are filled with toothy smiles (minus a few teeth.) There are pictures that show my comedic side, my confident self, my unsure self and someone entirely not myself. Facebook is not a true picture of who we are.
Just as drama isn’t reality for most of us, we lean towards putting our best foot forward on social media, in our daily work and dealings and anything that we do. The true “us” is often just like everyone else – with scars, imperfections, wounds, emotional ups and downs and insecurities. There’s even a commercial out there that shows people hiding behind a smiley face because they don’t want to expose their true inner self. Why do we place so much value on creating a facade for other people?
When it comes to reality, God knows what’s actually going on within us. He knows our fears and desires. When He took on human flesh, He experienced sadness, pain, loss, grief, hunger, poverty – all the big problems we face on a daily basis, yet He did not give in to any of them. We cannot hide what’s going on in our hearts when it comes to our Father, God. He created us before the seed was ever planted. He knows all of our failures and shortcomngs. He realizes that we cannot save ourselves from any of those failings, so He provided an answer. It’s an eternal answer that has taken away all the darkness of our souls and forgiven every one of our sins – past, present and future.
I will probably continue making different faces through the rest of my days. It’s part of who I am and what I do. My grandmother once told me that my face was going to stay that way if I continued to stretch it in all directions. Maybe she was right. The fact is that God knows who we really are and He loves us anyway. That’s great news for those who think they have to be someone they aren’t to gain approval.
Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Just as I am, though tossed about With many a conflict, many a doubt; Fightings and fears within without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot, to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; Sight, riches, healing of the mind; Yea, all I need, in Thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Wow – there are only 361 days left until I get to start all over again. A new year is a great time to start anew, but it doesn’t take us long to revert to our old ways. We promise to be more patient. We pledge to stay on a diet. We make public the fact that we are‘nt going to complain or be dissatisfied. We vow to be more loving and caring. We assure others that we are going to look outside ourselves and help others more.
These are all very noble ideas, but it doesn’t take long to realize that we aren’t very noble. It might be a good idea to start each day with a list of resolutions and see if we can keep them to the end of the day. Or maybe we should start each hour with that list. God has an abundance of forgiveness and He gives it freely to those who ask for it. Starting over is easy when you have Him as your partner.
Thank you, Lord, God, for looking beyond my imperfections and seeing only what Jesus did for me. May I trust in you always and thank you by praising your name. Amen!
“Life is a culmination of the past, an awareness of the present, an indication of a future beyond knowledge, the quality that gives a touch of divinity to matter.” Charles Lindbergh
There is nothing wrong with setting goals. By planning our futures we’re being wise stewards of our time and talents. We start at an early age, learning to tie our shoes or ride a bike. When we begin school, we soon discover that we don’t achieve without knowledge. Our parents often remind us that we aren’t working up to our potential. As we become teens we start thinking about relationships and where they will go. Young adulthood sets our minds on college and future plans.
Once we leave the educational system, reality sets in – and I’m not talking about the kind you see on many of today’s television shows. We find that the goals we’re setting may be unattainable. We run into roadblocks that slow down the race. We get beat up by disappointment, failure, desperation, hopelessness.
As we run through our middle ages, we find that we may never achieve the goals we originally set. We eventually give up even trying. By the time we reach the senior years it doesn’t really seem important to set goals anymore. We may wonder. “What’s the use?” The main achievement on any given day for some is to merely get out of bed.
When we run a race alone it can be extremely difficult. That may be why marathons are so popular. “Misery likes company,” they say. During the training process however, we’re often on our own. Running on a daily basis, watching our diet, training our minds to focus on the goal – are all things we must do alone, our focus cann turn inward and we often lose sight of the final destination. We may become obsessed with getting physically ready and train for weeks or months in advance. We put all of our attention into what WE can accomplish by our own actions, rather than asking for help.
Look forward to the final destination, while keeping these things in mind:
The race is being run daily. Look at each day as an opportunity.
We are not alone.
Plan each step for the future with the knowledge that there will be road blocks.
The Word of God, the Bible is our manual for how to live.
We can do all things with God’s intervention.
The prize has already been won.
Our victory is assured through Jesus, Christ.
Dear Father in heaven, I’ve already won the prize through your forgiveness. As I run through the rest of the race continue to nourish me through your Holy Word. Help me realize that you are right there beside me – encouraging, lifting me up, supporting me and giving me the final victory. Keep my vision focused on you and your amazing grace and use me to share that wonderful message with others. Amen!
“Old long ago” is the literal meaning of this phrase which usually shows up once a year. We hear it sung as a huge crystal ball is lowered in Times Square. The title could be loosely interpreted as “in days gone by, days of yore, or even, once upon a time.” I prefer the latter. When we have a Once Upon a Time, we are almost always assured of a Happily Ever After.
Robert Burns, the Scottish poet, is usually attributed with writing the words to this poem, but Burns didn’t take credit for it. Apparently he was a historian of sorts and would keep track of old sayings and stories which had been passed down from generation to generation. The words are designed to have us say goodbye to the past and look forward to the future.
For most of us, we look at this special ending as a new starting point. It would be nice to start with a clean slate, but history shows that we will continue to make mistakes, fall victim to lies or slander, botch up a relationship, have no control over our finances, and set unattainable goals which often fail shortly after we make them.
If there was no hate across the globe – if we could experience peace instead of war – if we could agree or at least make concessions – if would could look at our fellow man as our friend – if we could truly be like Jesus and have a complete servant attitude – if we could set aside our differences and try to see the other person’s point – if we could learn to share each others’ burdens – Wouldn’t it be nice?
It will be that way when we reach heaven. God promised to take away all the negatives from our lives. He says there will be no more sorrow, no tears, no pain. Those words are not empty, but while we wait for that day, we can learn mend some of our differences by returning to some of our basic values.
It starts with thinking outside of ourselves. One of the greatest faults of humanity is that we can’t see beyond our own needs and wants. The lack of patriotism, the selfishness we see in marriage, the disrespect for authority, the lack of two parent families, the faltering value placed on life and death -the dying off of the physical church – all attribute to our decline.
This year end will be like all the others we’ve experienced. We may begin with optimism, but soon our dreams are dashed and we fall into old ways. One piece of literature has survived the centuries and will continue to touch lives. The Bible is our great heritage. Like Robert Burns, we can keep it alive by passing it from one generation to another. Of course, since it is the true Word of God, it will survive for eternity, just as we will when we believe that Jesus has a room waiting for us in heaven.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! MAY GOD BE YOUR PARTNER IN LIFE AND MAY YOU BE BLESSED WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE!
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” James 4:13-17 ESV
The saying, “out with the old and in with the new” has taken on a whole new meaning for me this year. Hopefully they aren’t referring to the elderly when they say this. It does get me thinking though. Maybe the end of the year is the perfect time to get rid of all the garbage we’ve been collecting over the past twelve months – all the anger, fear, indignation, impatience, pessimism, discouragement, loneliness, etc. Cleaning out all that serves no real purpose in our life, rquires leaving it behind and replacing all with things like encouragement, peace, love, service, optimism, involvement, kindness.
It’s a great time to actually do something about the things that troubled us this past year. The best place to start is to hear what God says about our future. Jesus told his disciples what to expect at the final judgment. He told them to be on guard at every turn and ready, because we don’t know when that time will come. Only His passion for us will redeem us, but He also tells us that what we do here on earth is as if we were doing it for Him. To truly follow Christ, we must stop thinking about ourselves and place others first. Not an easy task at any time of the year. Espcially when someone has done you a disservice or caused you pain, but compeletely possible with God’s help.
Dear Father, God, as we approach a new year, show us how you would have us live through your Holy Word, the Bible. May each day bring a new beginning for us in our attitudes, our appreciation for all you’ve done, and for all your creation. Help us to set aside the things that get in the way by placing our complete trust in you and your guidance. Allow us to forget those things that drag us down and help us to focus on the things that you want for us. With that in place, we should all have a very happy new year. Amen!
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY BLOGGING COMMUNITY. MAY THE PEACE OF THE LORD LIVE IN YOUR HEARTS TODAY AND ALWAYS!
As I reach the end of my years, I find I have a lot of good information stored up in this old decrepit mind of mine. If I don't write it all down, it may vanish and no one will have the advantage of my thoughts. This is why this blog exists. I love the Lord, Jesus with all my heart and soul. I know I'm undeserving of all He's done for me, but I also know that His love is beyond my comprehension.
I've always wanted to write. I never kept diaries, but tucked my thoughts in my head for future reference. I use them now in creating stories, plays, poetry and my blog.
I continue to learn every day. I believe the compilation of our time spent with God will have huge affect on the way we live. I know I'm a sinner and I need a Savior. I have One through Jesus, Christ.
My book, "Stages - a memoir," is about the seven stages of life from the perspective of a woman. It addresses all the things girls and women go through in life as they travel it with Jesus, and it is available on Amazon.com.
Life is a patchwork of moments — laughter, solitude, everyday joys, and quiet aches. Through scribbled stories, I explore travels both far and inward, from sunrise over unfamiliar streets to the comfort of home. This is life as I see it, captured in ink and memory. Stick around; let's wander together.
God's amazing grace removes walls and replaces those barriers with Jesus, freedom from sin's consequences, freedom to forgive, and freedom to love unconditionally.
atimetoshare.me 
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