Category: Proverbs

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Silent Night

Yesterday was a busy day – I’m sure it was for you too. We left our sticks and bricks house, loaded up our older camp trailer and headed to Mesa to drop it off and make arrangements for picking up our new toy hauler this morning.

We were blessed with each mile we traveled and spent the night at our oldest daughter’s and son-in-love. Their house is festive – the tree, the decorations, my old nativity and the outdoor inflatables. Yes, there’s Christmas all around and my heart is full.

As I sit here this morning, I have time to reflect. I’m remembering our Christmases in Idaho. We always had lots of snow. Out in our yard were three blue spruce trees and their boughs would be flocked with white, much like a Currier and Ives card. Each year the trees would grow, and we would purchase more strings of lights.

With the additional lights came a need to find additional outlets to handle the electricity. Not quite the Clark Griswold electricity demand but after the first two years it was more than the outlet on the front porch could handle.

Our living room southern exposure was all glass. I would sit on the sofa, in front of the wood burning stove, watch the flames, hear the crackling of the logs, see the lighted trees, sip my coffee and know my world was at peace. My soul embraced the silence!

That’s where my heart went this morning. After the hustle and bustle of the last weeks, I am wrapping myself in the peaceful silence and letting my heart worship the Lord for all His goodness, His love and His sacrifice.

Maybe you woke up this morning with your mind spinning and there doesn’t seem to be much peace. So much to do and so little time – still need to complete a dozen projects, a few more presents to buy, cards need to get in the mail, cookies and candies to make, family dinners, parties with friends, traveling to relatives and then of course, there are all the chores that come from daily life – what to do – what to do?!

Take time this morning, before you hurry off, to have one more cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, whatever it is you drink in the morning and tell the Lord all about your list of things to do. Let Him help you prioritize and then before you head out take time to thank Him for coming to earth and know this, He did it just for you.

“People might plan what they want to say, but it is the Lord who gives them the right words. 2 People think that whatever they do is right, but the Lord judges their reason for doing it. 3 Turn to the Lord for help in everything you do, and you will be successful.” Proverbs 16:1-3 ERV

When we trust our plans to the Lord, He takes the stress and replaces it with joy. He came that we might have life to the full and overflowing. Give Him your plans and let Him direct your steps.

Take time to sit with Him and enjoy the “silent night”.

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Thankful for Wisdom

I have to share with you briefly this morning. Yesterday morning, as I sat here in my chair talking to the Father about some things that had been keeping my mind in a spin I received the clarity I needed to make what I know is a right decision.

Here’s how it happened: I was talking to the Father. We’ve been praying over some real decisions for the past four months. Each step we have taken, we have taken with peace. However, in the last few weeks Dave and I have had multiple situations coming in from all sides. There are times when one or the other of us has been overwhelmed.

We know that’s not God, that’s not His peace. Friday night was like that, so much so that I couldn’t sleep. I asked for wisdom…

“If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking.” James 1:5 CEV

So I was laying everything out to the Father. I knew He knows the details but it helps me to speak it out or write it down so I can see my thoughts clearly. I had a peace that everything would work out right but I still didn’t have the way to do it.

I began to write to a friend. I was emailing her and began telling her the same thing I asked the Lord about. As I was putting it down on the page the answer came to my heart. I told her thank you for listening and helping me see the right path. But more than her, for she had said nothing, it was the Lord directing my path.

I am so thankful for God’s wisdom!

“Share your plans with the Lord, and you will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 CEV

God is faithful. We can never take Him anything that He has to stop and say, “Wow, that’s a big one Kris. I’m not sure what you should do”. No, He has infinite wisdom. He is wisdom! If you’re struggling today with decisions bring them to the Father. Lay them before Him and ask for wisdom and then thank Him for the answers.

“The angels who stood around the throne knelt in front of it with their faces to the ground. The elders and the four living creatures knelt there with them. Then they all worshiped God 12 and said,

“Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom,
    thanks, honor, power,
and strength belong to our God
    forever and ever! Amen!” Revelation 7:11-12 CEV

All of heaven praises the Father for His wisdom, power, glory and strength – we should too!

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Roll Your Works

Oh my goodness, this morning has been filled with prayer and searching! I woke up with so many things on my mind – things that need to be done once we get home – and the list seems endless.

But more than that, my list needs organizing. You know – which comes first – I don’t have the time or the energy for wasted steps. Nor do I believe that the Lord wants me to waste my time and energy. Things need to be done in order.

As I sat down with my thoughts and made them my prayers, I felt the enormity of what lays ahead. Have you ever been there? Certain in your heart that your decision is the right one but also being overwhelmed with all the details. Do you have the strength and the wisdom to do things correctly?

The picture that came to mind this morning was one of pushing a large boulder across a field.

I love how the Father intervenes in my thinking and provides me with the answers I need in each situation. As I saw myself trying to move the impossible this is the verse that came to mind:

“The plans of the mind and orderly thinking belong to man, but from the Lord comes the [wise] answer of the tongue. 2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits (the thoughts and intents of the heart). 3 Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.” Proverbs 16:1-3 AMPC

Rolling that big rock seemed impossible at first but then the Lord reminded me that I am not alone in this endeavor. He is the one who put this dream in my heart and I can trust Him with every detail, no matter how many there are.

“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.” I Peter 5:7 AMPC

I so enjoy reading these verses in the Amplified Version of the Bible. It certainly elaborates the meaning and intent of the verse. Casting the whole of my care – once and for all on Him!

That big boulder of decisions that I was trying to organize and put in proper order I have now rolled over on Him. I can trust Him to direct my steps and He will see that I succeed.

Thank you Father! Burden lifted and now I can go back to sleep!!

May you, too, roll your care over on the Father and rest in His loving arms!

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Learning to Lean

When I got up this morning, those three words were going through my mind. Learning to Lean…

The first thing I thought of were the times I have been on boats. “Getting your sea legs” is what it’s called. My dad took me deep sea fishing when I was a girl – I got seasick. Really seasick. But later that same day I learned to shift my weight with the rolling of the waves and it wasn’t so bad.

I’ve seen those movies and documentaries where the beautiful couple stands posing on the bow of the boat, and they seem to stand effortlessly, but that’s Hollywood and the stabilizing effect of a large cruise type ship.

We all need to learn to lean.

In the forest around us, there are many trees that are leaning. They have grown that way after being shaped by the wind. Sunflowers lean to face the sun, palm trees lean in the direction of water.

We need to learn to lean also.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV

“With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. 6 Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.” Proverbs 3:5-6 CEV

We often think we can handle things on our own. However, our own thinking is finite and subject to error and misconception. When we learn to lean on the Lord and trust His direction our steps will be sure and our decisions will be right.

May I encourage you to lean back in the arms of Jesus – He will not fail to hold us steady!

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Preparing for the Future

Fall has come. The leaves are turning and the gardens which were planted in the Spring and Summer have been harvested. Now, the soil is being turned over and will lay dormant over the winter. But a good farmer or good gardener is already preparing for the future.

We should be of that same mindset.

This morning while reading in Proverbs I saw the instruction to the farmer who was tending his goats and his sheep.

“ …the harvest is over, 26 you can sell lambs and goats to buy clothes and land. 27 From the milk of the goats, you can make enough cheese  to feed your family and all your servants.” Proverbs 27:25-17 CEV

His diligence during the summer provided for his family later in the season. From there, I began reading in the book of James and the words jumped from the page as I read about our uncontrolled conversations and critical words.

“My dear friends, with our tongues we speak both praises and curses. We praise our Lord and Father, and we curse people who were created to be like God, and this isn’t right…”

We should be preparing for the future by the words we speak. Critical words, harsh words, words spoken in jealousy have no place in the life of a believer. In fact, these very words can and will destroy the crop of God’s blessings in our life.

“Whenever people are jealous or selfish, they cause trouble and do all sorts of cruel things. 17 But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. 18 When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice.” James 3:16-18 CEV

The words we sow in our lives can bring life or death. The power rests in our tongues.

“Words can bring death or life! Talk too much, and you will eat everything you say.” Proverbs 18:21 CEV

We should be like a farmer – plow up the field of harmful words and begin sowing seeds of kindness, life, encouragement.

“Again Jesus said: God’s kingdom is like what happens when a farmer scatters seed in a field. 27 The farmer sleeps at night and is up and around during the day. Yet the seeds keep sprouting and growing, and he doesn’t understand how. 28 It is the ground that makes the seeds sprout and grow into plants that produce grain. 29 Then when harvest season comes and the grain is ripe, the farmer cuts it with a sickle.” Mark 4:26-29 CEV

We will eat well when we sow words of life. Start now preparing for the future!

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Unseen Changes

I guess the Holy Spirit was giving me a head’s up yesterday morning when I shared with you about “order up” because our day went nothing as we had planned.

“We make our own plans, but the Lord decides where we will go.” Provers 16:9 CEV

Shortly after I posted my morning blog, Dave and I were sitting in our living area, looking out our big window and having coffee. We saw one of our campers come up to the check in area. He went towards the neighboring camp hosts RV and then walked back to his truck. He was on his phone. I walked out in my robe and slippers to see what he needed. He was talking to a 911 operator.

He told me one of our campers had tripped and fallen and his leg or hip appeared to be broken. I let him finish giving the 911 operator our location. I told him we’d be at the site as soon as we dressed. When I got back to the 5th wheel Dave was dressed. I told him what was going on and he left. I text our managers to tell them what had occurred, dressed, grabbed an extra blanket and headed to the site.

I met Dave coming back. He was going to wait for the ambulance and direct them to the site. He told me who the camper was, it was a man I had been talking with the last few days. I was concerned it was him – we had been sharing the Lord and having good conversations. He was camping alone. I got to the site and covered him with the heavier blanket and then knelt beside him. I told him I needed to leave the medical treatment to the professionals but if it was ok I would pray with him and for him.

We prayed.

The course of his day had been drastically changed and my morning events were altered too. I was where I needed to be. I sat on the ground beside him, holding his hand, talking when him as he grimaced through the pain. He spoke of the goodness of God that he tripped at the campsite because he could have had an accident out on the highway where he would have been alone.

He talked about his belongings, would we gather things up for him, and his wife driving up from Tucson by herself. He asked if I would call her once the ambulance had taken him to the hospital to let her know he was ok and where they would take him. All of this we did!

Friends, we can’t be fearful of situations outside of our comfort zones. We can only do what we know to do – we can bring encouragement and comfort to the heart of those the Lord brings by our paths. Last I heard from his wife, they were waiting for the surgeon’s consult and surgery would have been done last night or today. She thanked us again for being there – she called us a “God-send”. I believe we were.

“With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. 6 Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.” Proverbs 3:5-6 CEV

When we get up each morning, we prayed “Lord, direct my steps today”. When He does we must be obedient to follow.

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Order Up!

Have you ever been to one of those coffee shops or diners where the cook in the kitchen sets the food in the window and hollers out “order up”?  We had several places like that in Idaho and Montana. They were some of our favorite places to go!

But I want to talk with you this morning about a different kind of order.

The kind of order I’m going to talk with you about is the absence of confusion, order.  I woke from a dream this morning that was filled with confusion and disorder.  Saturday, I will be speaking at a women’s advance, not a retreat mind you, but an advance. In my dream I was trying to get myself and some others to church.

I wasn’t ready but grabbed what I would need to finish getting ready there. We started for the car and I realized I didn’t have the car keys, sent the others on a head and went back for the keys. Got delayed again to answer a question and so it went through out the dream.  I ended up getting to the church just as I was being introduced – I was late, unkept and harried.

The first thing I did when I woke was thank the Father that He is a God of order, not disorder; the Father who brings peace and not confusion.

“ God wants everything to be done peacefully and in order.” I Corinthians 14:33 CEV

Take a look at the Earth, it is in an orbit that is structured and methodical. Rotating around the sun, tilted on its axis so that just the right amount of sunlight hits its surface at the correct time. If we were any closer to the sun we would burn, any further away and we would freeze.

Animals live an orderly life. Right now, the animals in the mountains are preparing for hibernation or the cold of winter. Finding more food to eat or to store, coats are growing heavier and colors changing for better camouflage .

“You lazy people can learn by watching an anthill. 7 Ants don’t have leaders, 8  but they store up food during harvest season.” Proverbs 6: 6-8 CEV

I was just reading about the Israelites and their journey through the wilderness this morning. The Lord ordered the way the camp would be set up. Three tribes each set up on the north, south, east and west of the Tabernacle. They were to protect the holy place of God. They marched out in the same order.

Then the members of the tribe of Levi, the priests, all had particular duties when it came to moving and setting up the tabernacle. Each family group had different responsibilities for the items in the Tabernacle. Some carried the curtains, while others carried the lamp oil and incense. Still others were given the responsibility for the candle stands, the tables and the Ark of God’s covenant.

By no means, am I implying that we can’t be spontaneous or act in an impromptu way. The Bible teaches us to be prepared for the unexpected. Jesus was always being interrupted. He ministered to people and never made them feel as if they were ruining His plans or roadblocking His day.

Nicodemus came to him at night, Zacchaeus waited in a tree. He went to a wedding feast and ended up providing the wine.

“The Lord shows us how we should live,
    and he is pleased when he sees people living that way.
24 If they stumble, they will not fall,
    because the Lord reaches out to steady them.” Psalm 37:23-24 ERV

Start your day asking the Lord to guide your steps, to direct your way. It may surprise you to see how He takes your plans and make them “order up”.

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Gilded Skies

I am far from a song writer, but I certainly appreciate the way they put words together to paint a picture.

Where is an old hymn, “May Jesus Christ Be Praised”, that often fills my heart and sets my mind singing.

When morning gilds the skies

My heart, awakening, cries

May Jesus Christ be praised.

A like at work and prayer,

To Jesus I repair

May Jesus Christ be praised.

There is no better way to start the day than with praise!

Before we are tainted with the news, emails and text messages; before we see our daily schedule or pay the bills, first and foremost we should set our days on a course of gratitude.

On mornings’ like today, it would be real easy for me to start my day complaining. The internet signal has been so weak that each time I try to connect to a different app the connection drops and I have to wait minutes, yes minutes, to reestablish the connection. 

Somehow, I don’t think the Lord’s wants me to get frustrated when telling you about His love and goodness. 

“I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

Let delays be an anthem of praise.  If you’re stuck in traffic, praise the Lord for keeping you safe on the highways. If you are waiting for an appointment praise God that your situation isn’t life threatening and you can afford to wait.

Look for opportunities to bless those around you who are also feeling the pressure and frustration of waiting. Praise God for His blessings, seen and unseen. His hand of protection is on you and He is directing the path before you.

“In their hearts humans plan their course,
    but the Lord establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9 NIV

Look to the skies and praise God that He has blessed you with another day!

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Oops!

This morning is a time of confession. I hope you don’t mind that I share.

Yesterday, I didn’t stop myself from doing something I know is wrong. I allowed myself to gossip! And yes, I have repented. It was wrong and ungodly.

There are so many more things we can fill our mouths with, without filling them with words that are derogatory. My actions made my heart hurt and I also know that the Holy Spirit was grieved.

Why am I sharing this with you?

I felt it was important to let you know what the Lord is ministering to me this morning. Our words have creative power – they can give life but they can also bring about death. Maybe not physical death but they can bring death to a relationship, to someone’s character, to a good testimony.

“Words can bring death or life! Talk too much, and you will eat everything you say.” Proverbs 18:21 CEV

James, the apostle, tells us that a mature persons learns to bridle their tongue. Jesus’ example is always the one we should follow. I’m sure He had numerous occasions to gossip but He didn’t. He didn’t because He knew it wouldn’t please the Father. Proverbs tells us that gossip is one of the seven things God hates. Now that’s strong!

The question then comes, how do I keep from it. This was King David’s prayer:

“Help me to guard my words whenever I say something.” Psalm 141:3 CEV

“Let my words and my thoughts  be pleasing to you, Lord, because you are my mighty rock and my protector.” Psalm 19:14 CEV

And these words come from King Solomon:

“Watching what you say can save you a lot of trouble.” Proverbs 21:23 CEV

If you find yourself in a situation where you are gossiping or saying something unkind, stop and repent. The best way I have found to control my tongue is to keep quiet – learn the vocabulary of silence.

“But the words that come out of your mouth come from your heart. And they are what make you unfit to worship God.” Matthew 15:18 CEV

Lord, help us all to honor You with our heart’s attitude and our words! Amen!!

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Smile & Wave

Yesterday I was able to speak with our youngest daughter via FaceTime. I know, I’ve told you before but this brings such joy to my heart. Seeing and talking to my kids is heartwarming.

Our daughter was sitting in the parking area of her daughter’s school waiting for the after school pickup. Our youngest granddaughter was in her car seat and occasionally her mom would put her on camera. Each time she would smile and wave and throw kisses. That’s how it is almost every time we see her. Dave used to remark that she never cried and she rarely did.

Her joy is contagious.

“If you are cheerful, you feel good; if you are sad, you hurt all over.” Proverbs 17:22 CEV

Another translation says “a merry heart is good like a medicine but a broken spirit dries up the bones”.

Take that verse to heart, literally. When we have a joyful heart we are healthier emotionally and physically. There’s another verse that says “the joy of the Lord is our strength”. When we are filled with joy we are more energetic, more motivated.

We’ve all been around people who have a negative, gloomy outlook. Their shoulders slump, their head is down, they walk slower, like they are just plodding along and before long, if we’re not careful, their attitude will effect us and we begin to notice all the negatives and our attitude begins to sink as well.

But, when we are filled with joy we not only strengthen our own hearts we impact those around us. I don’t know how many people I’ve met this summer that have remarked about my smile and my cheerful greeting. They stop at the check-in just to hear me say hello and give them a smile.

Oral Roberts, an evangelist in the 1940’s and 50’s, was known for saying “something good is going to happen to you today”. Some people criticized him for this, I guess they wanted him to proclaim gloom and doom, hell fire and brimestone but he wanted people to know that God is good and He wants to bring His goodness to our lives.

That’s what grace is; it’s God’s goodness in action. Grace is God freely giving us what we don’t deserve. We all deserve to be punished for our sins but God gives us forgiveness through Christ and fills our lives with blessings.

“Praise the Lord! He is good. God’s love never fails. 2 Praise the God of all gods. God’s love never fails. 3 Praise the Lord of lords. God’s love never fails.” Psalm 136:1-3 CEV

Experiencing God’s love and forgiveness should fill our hearts with a never-ending supply of joy and praise!

When God’s love fills our hearts, gratitude will too. Our joy will become contagious – just smile and wave!

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