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Solid Ground

Where are you standing today? Is your footing sure?

Hiking the hills around our home, it’s imperative that you know where your next step needs to be. The terrain is covered with cactus, sage brush, an occasional rattler and the  ground can cause your foot to give way without any notice.

The same holds true in life. If we aren’t standing on a sure foundation undoubtedly we will slip and fall. But when the foundation is sure, we are secure.

“Turn Your ear to me, and be quick to save me. Be my rock of strength, a strong place to keep me safe. 3 For You are my rock and my safe place. For the honor of Your name, lead me and show me the way. ” Psalm 31:2-3 NLV

Jesus taught about  a house on a solid rock foundation  in a parable and then went on to say that the rock was the Word of God.

“Anyone who comes and listens to me and obeys me is like someone who dug down deep and built a house on solid rock. When the flood came and the river rushed against the house, it was built so well that it didn’t even shake.  But anyone who hears what I say and doesn’t obey me is like someone whose house wasn’t built on solid rock. As soon as the river rushed against that house, it was smashed to pieces!” Luke 6:47-49 CEV

There’s an old hymn that says the same. It was written by a man named Edward Mote in the 1800’s – it has a true message for today.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

There are so many things that could to shake us to the core. The political  climate, actual storms like those we’ve seen hit our country recently, health issues, stormy relationships can all be devastating if we aren’t securely anchored to our sure foundation.

“Turn Your ear to me, and be quick to save me. Be my rock of strength, a strong place to keep me safe. 3 For You are my rock and my safe place. For the honor of Your name, lead me and show me the way.” Psalm 18:1-3 NLV

Thank you Lord for giving me a secure place to stand. In You I am safe!

 

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Growing With Time

Four years ago I remember how excited I was to be planting our front courtyard.

I had envisioned what I wanted it to look like; there would be an agave, hibiscus, bougainvillea, cactus, a lime tree, Mexican bird of paradise and tecoma.  Spaced throughout the yard would be potted plants, bird baths and rock rivers.

I remember wondering what it would look like when given the chance to grow. How would it have matured and changed in 5 years. This is but year 4 and it has truly changed.

The agave bloomed and died. The hibiscus has been replaced with a rose bush, more pots have been added and we have cleared a spot for hollyhocks. The bougainvillea, bird of paradise and tecoma still bring beautiful color and the mums bloom all year long.

I love it!  It’s a visible change.

And then as it is with most things in life, this growth has caused me to look at my life in Christ. Have I matured and grown? Is that growth visible? Do I look and act more like Jesus than I did 4 years ago?

In the past years of my adult life I have sown seeds that have produced a wonderful marriage (although we had to pull up some weeds along the way), 3 children and their mates, 4 grandchildren, and numerous friends who have been apart of our lives for so many years.

I have planted seeds of encouragement, of faith in God’s word and confidence in His unfailing, unconditional love.

Then there are the plants that had to be rooted out; things like bitterness, anger, selfishness and discontentment. These had to be dug up and pulled out by the roots so that the other seeds could grow and produce fruit.

So this morning as I marvel at the growth of the  lime tree, fire bells, and bougainvillea, I pray that there has been as much growth to the shoots of hospitality, acceptance, forgiveness, peace, joy, healing and restoration.

“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12 KJV

It is my desire that all who come to our courtyard  will know God’s goodness and the abundant life that He has given us in Christ Jesus.

“The earth causes plants to grow, and a garden makes the seeds planted there rise up. In the same way, the Lord God will make goodness and praise grow throughout the nations.” Isaiah 61:11 ERV

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Mother’s Sleep

Ladies who are reading this will understand this term, “mother’s sleep”.

It’s not really sleep; it’s that stage when you are half awake, half asleep, listening for your little one, waiting for that cry or even waiting to hear them take their next breath.

I had a Mom ask me once when I got my first real night’s sleep as a mother. My answer: I still haven’t! You see it stays with you as your children grow. When they’re teens you have “mother’s sleep” until they get in from the game or a date, you have “mother’s sleep” until their car pulls in the drive. And now, even though my kids live hundreds of miles of away, most nights I still experience “mother’s sleep” and grandmother’s sleep, if that is a thing.

When I know the kids are going to be on a road trip I get up to pray. They don’t get on a plane, go to a doctor’s appointment, start a new job, or have a challenge to conquer that I don’t give way to Mother’s Sleep! Then, there are just the normal days of getting up and going off to work or school, I pray. Forty plus years of being Momma to my great kids, their mates and my grandkids – very rarely has their been a time that I’ve had a full night’s sleep.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t begrudge a moment of it. I love my role of Mom and love that I have the privilege to pray for these wonderful people! And since I’m up  I never just pray for my family and quit. I have added all of you to the prayer list too. It’s a blessing to be able to pray.

This morning I realized that “mother’s sleep” is a gift from the Father. It’s what He does for us! He never slumbers nor sleeps. We will never call on Him and He won’t be there to answer. We don’t have to remind Him of what we are going through because He’s there each step of the way.

“I look to the hills! Where will I find help? 2 It will come from the Lord, who created the heavens and the earth. 3 The Lord is your protector, and he won’t go to sleep or let you stumble. 4 The protector of Israel doesn’t doze or ever get drowsy. 5 The Lord is your protector, there at your right side to shade you from the sun. 6 You won’t be harmed by the sun during the day or by the moon at night. 7 The Lord will protect you and keep you safe from all dangers. 8 The Lord will protect you now and always wherever you go.” Psalm 121 CEV

So as I prepare for my day, I thank the Lord for all of you and for keeping you safe during your day’s activities!

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Learning to Trust

This morning I’m talking to myself and you can listen in.

Trusting God is not something I do perfectly, that’s why I titled this “learning to trust”. I can go along real well for a long time, trusting God and standing strong on His promises and then – out of the blue, I get some news and my knees go weak, my eyes fill with tears and I find myself asking God why that just happened.

God doesn’t mind me asking why. He’s like any loving Father who when asked an honest question wants to help his children understand and increase in knowledge. He wants me to come to Him when I hurt, there’s no better place to find comfort and help than in His presence.

“Let us go with complete trust to the throne of God. We will receive His loving-kindness and have His loving-favor to help us whenever we need it.” Hebrews 4:16 NLV

I need to put more value and trust in God’s word  than I do in anyone else. His Word is the only thing that never changes. I will trust the one who knows the beginning from the end, who knows the number of hairs on my head and sees a sparrow when it falls.

Now I’ll talk to all of us.

Everyone of us have a Bible in our pocket or our purse; its small, round and shiny.  We need to take it out and read it – read it several times each day and remind ourselves “In God We Trust”.  I think it’s so interesting that those are the words on US currency. Many people put their trust in their financial holdings but I think our nation’s founders wanted us to always remember where we should always put our trust.

“If God is for us, no one can stand against us. And God is with us. 32 He even let his own Son suffer for us. God gave his Son for all of us. So now with Jesus, God will surely give us all things. 33 Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one! God is the one who makes them right. 34 Who can say that God’s people are guilty? No one! Christ Jesus died for us, but that is not all. He was also raised from death. And now he is at God’s right side, speaking to him for us. 35 Can anything separate us from Christ’s love? Can trouble or problems or persecution separate us from his love? If we have no food or clothes or face danger or even death, will that separate us from his love? 36 As the Scriptures say,

“For you we are in danger of death all the time.
People think we are worth no more than sheep to be killed.”

37 But in all these troubles we have complete victory through God, who has shown his love for us. 38-39 Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us—nothing in the whole created world—will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39 ERV

Thank you Lord for reminding me to trust you. Thank you for giving me comfort and for replacing fear with faith. Thank you for allowing me to help others who are learning to trust You.

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Dry & Thirsty

I have lived in the desert most of my life. I remember when I was a child and we would go out to a dry river bed, I was amazed by the parched ground.

I could pick up the chunks of dried earth and hold the pieces  in my hands. The soil of the fields around it were a different consistency. They were grainy and the particles were finer but the river bed was dried mud; it had once been moist.

When we farmed alfalfa in Arlington, AZ we were out in the middle of no where. There was a dried riverbed just on the edge of our fields. The contrast between the soil of the two areas was amazing. One was dried and cracked while the other was lush, green and productive.

Don’t our lives seem to be like that from time to time? One moment we feel well watered and refreshed and then something happens and we seem to dry up and crack.

God has never wanted that for us. He wants us to draw our life from Him. He promises to provide the water we need; He has a supply of life-giving water that never runs dry.

“For I will pour water on the thirsty land and rivers on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your children, and will bring good to your children’s children. 4 They will grow like grass in the fields, and like poplar trees by the rivers.” Isaiah 44:3-4 NLV

This is a promise the Lord gave to the nation of Israel. They realized that God was promising to be the very substance of life. They lived in an arid region and understood the importance of life-giving water so verses like these were very applicable to their lives.

“God, you are my God. I am searching so hard to find you. Body and soul, I thirst for you in this dry and weary land without water. 2 Yes, I have seen you in your Temple. I have seen your strength and glory. 3 Your faithful love is better than life, so my lips praise you.” Psalm 63:1-3 NLV

King David wrote the words above. As a young shepherd he knew it was vital for the well-being of his sheep to have a good source of water. He knew what it was like to search diligently for those ponds of water that would quench this tremendous thirst.

In light of that, the verses in Psalm 23 have a greater meaning. He knew how diligent he was to provide for the well-being of his sheep, searching out good pastures and clear water, and he saw the Lord provides for us in an even greater way.

“The Lord is my Shepherd. I will have everything I need. 2 He lets me rest in fields of green grass. He leads me beside the quiet waters. 3 He makes me strong again. He leads me in the way of living right with Himself which brings honor to His name.” Psalm 23:1-3 NLV

Jesus met a woman who came to the well to draw water. Her life was emotionally and relationally dry. She had been married and divorced five times and was living with another man. He told her this.

“Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. 14 But anyone who drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again. The water I give people will be like a spring flowing inside them. It will bring them eternal life.”

15 The woman said to Jesus, “Sir, give me this water. Then I will never be thirsty again and won’t have to come back here to get more water.” John 4:13-15 NLV

Jesus is our source of living water. What we receive from Him does more than nourish the flesh, it brings us life eternal.

Have you gotten off in a dry place? Do you feel parched and cracked like the ground in the picture above? Come back to the One who has promised to give you living water.

God promises an abundance – a river that never shall run dry.

“The Lord will always lead you. He will meet the needs of your soul in the dry times and give strength to your body. You will be like a garden that has enough water, like a well of water that never dries up.” Isaiah 58:11 NLV

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Angie’s List

This morning I would like to tell you about a lady named Angie.

She had a wonderful smile and a heart for God. She would get up each day and ask, “Lord, what do you want me to do today and whose life do you want me to touch?”

Then she’d get her husband off to work, her kids out the door to school and she would go about her day listening to the Lord and being obedient to what she felt he was leading her to do.

“When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, 36 and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”

37 Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? 38 When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear 39 or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”

40 The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.” Matthew 25:35-40 CEV

I remember one story in particular that she told me. She had gone to run an errand and on her way home she “just felt” like she needed to turn down a particular street, so she did. Down that street a ways  she felt she should stop, so she did. As she looked at all the houses that were on both sides of the street one of the houses drew her attention. She walked up to the front door, knocked and told the young mother who answered that she was there to help. And she did.

She helped with dishes, cleaning and told the young mother before she left that the Lord had brought her there because He loved her and wanted her to know she wasn’t alone.

Now that’s following the Lord’s leading and meeting the needs of others.

I must say that I have never been that “led”. Maybe I don’t listen as well but I have been able to help pay for someone’s groceries and taken a neighbor cinnamon rolls just after they found out a relative died. I have held a crying woman in my arms and prayed for her in the pharmacy.

I’m not bragging on Angie and I’m certainly not bragging on myself but what I am saying is there are times that God is giving us opportunity to follow His lead and reach out to help.

“ God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others. ” II Corinthians 9:8 CEV

Don’t think that “I can’t do something like that because I don’t have what it takes”. God is always faithful to supply what we need for every situation – the right words, the right talents, the right love.

God has used others to help when I was in need. Some of that help was financial, some was bags full of groceries. Others helped with the laundry and house cleaning, some provided meals. And still others provided a shoulder to lean  on and a prayer for comfort and direction. Each and everyone was used by the Lord to meet a need. I am so grateful.

Let these words burn into our hearts, Lord. “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”

 

 

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Mission Possible

Your mission today, should you decide to accept it…

“Let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ” Colossians 3:16 ERV

Letting God’s word live in you will revolutionize your life and the life of those around you!

The understood subject of that verse, “let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly”, is you.

When I woke at 1:30 this morning thoughts of fearful things filled my mind and I couldn’t fall back to sleep. I could have laid there fretting or complaining in my head or I could let thankfulness replace the fear and fill my heart. It was my choice to make; it wasn’t impossible.

“Let the name of the Lord be honored, now and forever. 3 The name of the Lord is to be praised from the time the sun rises to when it sets. 4 The Lord is high above all nations. His shining-greatness is above the heavens.” Psalm 113:2-4 NLV

There are so many things to be thankful each day; a bed to sleep in, food to eat, warmth and protection of a home, friends, good coffee, and beauty of nature.

Those are just the natural things, the things we can see. Then there are those things we can’t see like God’s love, his protection, mercy, grace, joy and peace. Those are the things that are eternal.

“With perfect peace you will protect those whose minds cannot be changed, because they trust you. 4 Trust the Lord always, because the Lord, the Lord alone, is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4 GW

We can choose to worry or be at peace; we can chose anger and resentment or forgiveness; we can choose to grumble and complain or to be thankful.

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 I trust God, so I am not afraid of what people can do to me! I praise God for his promise to me.” Psalm 56:3-4 ERV

The mission is possible. We need to be willing to accept it. I will put my trust in God.

“ Let us give thanks all the time to God through Jesus Christ. Our gift to Him is to give thanks. Our lips should always give thanks to His name. 16 Remember to do good and help each other. Gifts like this please God.” Hebrews 13:15-16 NLV

I hope you are willing to accept this mission today. It’s Mission Possible, giving thanks and praise to God.

 

 

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The Father’s Hands

Thinking this morning about my earthly father and my heavenly father. My dad was a burly guy – a real man’s man. He wasn’t tall, just under 6′ but his hands were huge!

There is an older country song “Daddy’s Hands”. That song pretty much described my dad. Hands that were soft and kind when I was hurting, hands that were hard as steel when I did wrong but there was always love in Daddy’s hands. Yep, that pretty well describes him!

My heavenly Father’s hands are big too. So big that He says my name is engraved in His hands. He says that he holds me in the palm of His hand and no one can pluck me out. His hands are my protection and my provision.

“My sheep hear My voice and I know them. They follow Me. 28 I give them life that lasts forever. They will never be punished. No one is able to take them out of My hand. 29 My Father Who gave them to Me is greater than all. No one is able to take them out of My Father’s hand. 30 My Father and I are one!” John 10:27-30 NLV

I think that is what Jesus was trying to teach to those who were there on the Mount of the Beatitudes.

“7 Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. 9 Would any of you give your hungry child a stone, if the child asked for some bread? 10 Would you give your child a snake if the child asked for a fish? 11 As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask.

12 Treat others as you want them to treat you. This is what the Law and the Prophets are all about.” Matthew 7:7-12 CEV

My earthly father loved me and provided for me the best he could. He never did anything to hurt me intentionally and with him as my example I can see now how much more my heavenly Father loves me and has provided for me throughout my life.

So many times people get the wrong idea about my heavenly Father. They think He is out to spoil their fun, treat them harshly, or rule with a heavy hand. No, that’s not Him; He reaches out in love! Oh yes, He corrects when I’ve done wrong but He’s never abusive.

Verse 12 seems a bit odd to be included in this context of the Father’s love but verses 1-6 of this chapter are telling us that we should not judge people for their actions or we will be judged. Jesus reminds us that we all have faults and imperfections. We have all done things that need to be forgiven. So we need to be mindful of correcting our own actions before we criticize and judge others.

Then Jesus sums it up with “treat others as you want them to treat you”. Forgiveness has as it root “give”. It’s not for-earness, meaning you have to earn it but giveness simply meaning it’s something we give as a gift.

Just as our Father provides for us, we need to be willing to provide for others. We can be an example of our Father to everyone we meet.

We need to reach out, extend our hands and touch them with the Father’s love.

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Don’t Get Stuck

Yesterday our friends told me that there was snow in Glacier. A few days before that I heard that there was already snow in Dillon, MT where we used to live.

I’m glad to live where we aren’t subject to cold and snowy winters but it did remind me of an “adventure” that Dave and I had a few years back.

We were spinning our wheels and going nowhere fast.

We went  to cut our Christmas tree on a hillside above our home. The snow was deep but the road we were on was packed down by the hunters who had gone in over the past several weeks. Besides, we were in our 4X4.

We traveled down that road looking for the perfect tree. Stopped several times thinking we had found it, only to discover it was flat on one side or missing branches on the other. As we continued down the road the snow had gotten deeper so we decided to turn around.

We backed off on a side road to turn around and slid 70 yards down the mountainside. Two hours later, we were finally back on the main road and heading home. Inch by inch we gained ground but we had to make sure we had good traction and that meant cutting pine boughs to put under the wheels. We needed a firm foundation.

I’ve had those times of being stuck emotionally, as well. A failure or hurt can be daunting. Friends leave, loved ones don’t understand and so we can get stuck in our failure and live in self-pity or even become suicidal. Or maybe it’s been a tremendous sin in our life that has held us back from serving God. We’re left with the thought that God couldn’t possibly love or forgive us after what we have done but He can, He does and He already has.

“So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall. 2 We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. 3 Think about Jesus. He patiently endured the angry insults that sinful people were shouting at him. Think about him so that you won’t get discouraged and stop trying.” Hebrews 12:1-3

Notice that it says we are to remove from our lives the things that slow us down. Moses said the same thing to the nation of Israel.

“Today I am giving you a choice of two ways. And I ask heaven and earth to be witnesses of your choice. You can choose life or death. The first choice will bring a blessing. The other choice will bring a curse. So choose life! Then you and your children will live. 20 You must love the LORD your God and obey him. Never leave him, because he is your life. And he will give you a long life in the land that he, the LORD, promised to give to your ancestors—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20

To go on with God we need a couple things; one,  look in the right direction – look forward and look up. Two, we need good traction – something solid beneath our feet.

“Jesus Christ did the things God wanted him to do. And because of that, we are made holy through the sacrifice of Christ’s body. Christ made that sacrifice one time—enough for all time. Jesus Christ did the things God wanted him to do. And because of that, we are made holy through the sacrifice of Christ’s body. Christ made that sacrifice one time—enough for all time.” Hebrews 10:10-14

The solid foundation we have from Christ is His sacrifice; it has provided us forgiveness and a right relationship with God (that’s our traction). It gets us out of the ditch of self-pity and unworthiness and the blood of Christ can and has cleansed us from a guilty conscience and put us on the right road with God.

When we’re wrapped up in guilt, and we all go there from time to time, we’re looking the wrong direction. (not choosing the right things) The victory comes in looking at Jesus – looking forward, not back. Looking back, we magnify our failures and sin; looking forward we magnify Jesus and what He did for us on the cross.

If you’ve been stuck in the past and are spinning your tires get some traction, make God’s word your solid foundation and go forward with Him.

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Push the Refresh Button

So much of our verbiage has changed since computer technology has become common place.

Download, hard drive, upload, Google search, the cloud, USB, thumb drives, memory, gigs…

Refresh.

Refresh the screen, refresh the document, refresh the file. When we do this, we find that some information may have been removed and in other cases, we find that information has been added. Just that simple.

I remember when I first started using email consistently. I would refresh the mailbox several times a day, wondering if anyone had sent something new . I loved finding emails from the kids or from friends. There were also responses to business dealings that I waited for. Refreshing became what I did.

But it wasn’t always so refreshing – sometimes it was just down right frustrating. Things I had been wanting to save would be gone and news I was waiting for hadn’t come.

And now things are so much faster. We live in a world of instant gratification, instant message, instant soup and waiting is not something we do well.

Is it any wonder  the Lord calls us aside to rest and be refreshed?

“With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way. 7 Don’t trust in your own wisdom, but fear and respect the Lord and stay away from evil. 8 If you do this, it will be like a refreshing drink and medicine for your body.” Proverbs 3:6-8 ERV

Hitting the refresh button spiritually is like wiping the slate clean. Deleting those things that cause worry, stress, undo concern. They are removed from the document of our lives and we can rest and regain health (emotional, physical & spiritual).

“Come to Me, all of you who work and have heavy loads. I will give you rest. 29 Follow My teachings and learn from Me. I am gentle and do not have pride. You will have rest for your souls. 30 For My way of carrying a load is easy and My load is not heavy.”  Matthew 11:28-30 NLV

When we come to Jesus with the loads that are weighing us down He gives us rest. He shoulders the burden and makes the load lighter.

Refreshing the screen not only deletes things are harmful and worrisome; it can bring the addition of new and helpful information.

“You, Lord, are my shepherd. I will never be in need. 2  You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, 3 and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths.” Psalm 23:1-3 CEV

Words of encouragement from the Lord are like peaceful streams and cool pastures. It’s refreshing to know that the Lord will lead us along a good path.

What’s on the screen of life’s computer? Are there things that need to be deleted? Any comments or directions that need to be added?

Refresh the screen and let the Lord bring you to a place of rest.

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