Tag: TrustInTheLord

Posted on

Big Smile

Can you believe it? January is over and tomorrow is February. The first month of the year is in the books!

Good, bad or indifferent those days are gone. I hope they were successful and you accomplished what you had planned. My goal was to have everything in place in our new home. I’ve fallen short but 90% complete is better than 50%, so I am satisfied. I know it will only be a few more days and things will be the way I want them.

The thing we haven’t done is stress out over what’s undone; we are enjoying each day in our new home. The perfectionist in me is slowly taking a back seat to the practical me. Dave too. We are allowing ourselves to rest in between projects and not be so driven that we don’t enjoy the process.

That’s why verses like the ones I’m going to share with you today ring so loudly in my heart.

“I will praise the Lord at all times.
    I will never stop singing his praises.
2 Humble people, listen and be happy,
    while I brag about the Lord.
3 Praise the Lord with me.
    Let us honor his name.
4 I went to the Lord for help, and he listened.
    He saved me from all that I fear.
5 If you look to him for help,
    he will put a smile on your face.
    You will have no need to be ashamed.
6 As a poor, helpless man I prayed to the Lord,
    and he heard me.
    He saved me from all my troubles.
7 The Lord’s angel builds a camp around his followers,
    and he protects them.
8 Give the Lord a chance to show you how good he is.
    Great blessings belong to those who depend on him!” Psalm 34:1-8 ERV

He will put a smile on your face! I like that, and this too – give the Lord a chance to show you how good he is. Just give Him a chance…

We don’t often think about it but we can limit God. We can! When Jesus went from town to town healing the sick and taking care of people’s needs the Bible tells us that when He came to his own hometown He couldn’t do any mighty works because of their unbelief.

“Don’t his sisters still live here in our town? How can he do all this?” 57 So the people were very unhappy because of what he was doing. But Jesus said, “Prophets are honored by everyone, except the people of their hometown and their own family.” 58 And because the people did not have any faith, Jesus did not work many miracles there.” Matthew 13:56-58 CEV

We need to be willing to give God a chance; let’s let Him be God and do what God does. Things get all confused when we try to set ourselves up in His place of authority! Letting God be God brings a peace and contentment.

Start February with a big smile instead of a frown. God’s got this!

Posted on

Stay Anchored

A few weeks back we were at our oldest daughter, and I shared with her and Dave something I had written in my prayer journal early in 2020.

Plans for 2020/2021: Sell house, sell 5th wheel, sell Cadillac. Buy newer 5th wheel, pay off any bills, find a place to live full time.

Now here we are just a few days from the end of 2021 and each of those things has come to pass. WOW!!

However, there were times over the past two years that we waivered and even doubted that this would be possible. But we had our hope!

The longest we had ever lived in an RV was 10 weeks in the summer and we had been busy working so had very little extended time in our small place. Could we do it? Well, this last summer our 2-week camping trip turned into four months of camp hosting – yes, we could do it.

What about selling our home and most of our earthly possessions? Could we do it? The kids were great in encouraging us to “go for it” and they took many of the things we didn’t want to lose. Two huge garage sales and yes, we were ready for a minimalist lifestyle.

We spent two years researching RV’s on the internet. Which one would work best for us? We settled in on one brand but were divided between two different models. The Lord worked all that out – amazing! (but that will be a whole story all of its own)

The house sold six days after listing it and while we thought we needed to sell the Cadillac the Lord had other plans. He had us give it to a wonderful young couple – a blessing to them and to us.

But you may be wondering why I used a picture of a harbor and lighted boats and titled the blog this morning “Stay Anchored”. Glad you asked.

“God cannot tell lies! And so his promises and vows are two things that can never be changed. We have run to God for safety. Now his promises should greatly encourage us to take hold of the hope that is right in front of us. 19 This hope is like a firm and steady anchor for our souls. In fact, hope reaches behind the curtain and into the most holy place. 20 Jesus has gone there ahead of us, and he is our high priest forever…”Hebrews 6:18-20 CEV

When you know that the Lord has put a dream in your heart storms of doubt, fear and circumstances will come to try and shipwreck you and your dream. That’s when you drop anchor and hold fast to the promises of God!

“Do what the Lord wants, and he will give you your heart’s desire.” Psalm 37:4 CEV

We gave the Lord our dream. We asked Him to change it, if needed, to mold it and to refine it so that we could give Him all the glory. He did just that. The way He refined it is so much greater than what we dreamed possible.

Maybe you’re wondering if your dream will ever come to pass. Let God’s promises be the anchor that holds your soul secure. When waves of doubt and fear come, being anchored to the solid rock of God’s word will keep us from being capsized or blown off course.

My advice for upcoming 2022, “Stay Anchored”! God is bigger than the waves.

Posted on

The Gift of Trust

Up earlier than usual this morning. Couldn’t sleep, lots on my mind. Made my way to the sofa to read and pray…for family, friends, our nation, personal circumstances and things that had to be prayed through by the Holy Spirit.

As I read, the word “trust” repeatedly came from the pages and from my heart. Really, that’s what Christmas is all about – trusting that the gift of His Son would bring us all the salvation that the Father had planned. Trusting in His goodness and love; his mercy and grace.

Trusting that the Father is always faithful!

“ Then the Lord came down to him in a cloud, stood there with Moses, and spoke his own name. 6 That is, the Lord passed in front of Moses and said, “Yahweh, the Lord, is a kind and merciful God. He is slow to become angry. He is full of great love. He can be trusted.” Exodus 34:5-6 ERV

“So remember that the Lord your God is the only God, and you can trust him! He keeps his agreement. He shows his love and kindness to all people who love him and obey his commands. He continues to show his love and kindness through a thousand generations,” Deuteronomy 7:9 ERV

The Father knows we have a tendency to forget things and He never wants us to forget His love and faithfulness so He repeatedly reminds of it through His word.

“God’s way is perfect. The Lord’s promise always proves to be true. He protects those who trust in him. 32 There is no God except the Lord. There is no Rock except our God.” II Samuel 20:31-32 ERV

What a precious gift we have been given! We have the Father’s promise and He is completely worthy of trust – there is no God except our Lord.

“So come near to God with a sincere heart, full of confidence because of our faith in Christ. 23 We must hold on to the hope we have, never hesitating to tell people about it. We can trust God to do what he promised.” Hebrews 10:22b-23 ERV

This morning I needed to be reminded to trust! I found myself wavering, on the verge of worry and that’s when I heard in my heart “I trust You”. May you need to hear those same words today – “I trust You”. The Lord is faithful; His word never fails, He always keeps His promises.

A few days back I told you about my favorite Christmas CD, The Gift, by Kenny Rogers. I want to share just a few lyrics from one of the songs on that album.

“God said, Mary pure and holy
With this baby, I trust you
She said, surely I’m not worthy
And it scares me, but I trust you.

Underneith a shining star
In a manger stall
Mary held the gift of love
God gave to us all.

Precious baby pure and holy
I’m not worthy, but I trust you

Precious baby pure and holy
Will you save me, I trust you
Son of Mary, I trust you…*

Receive this wonderful gift that the Father has given us – open your heart and say “Son of Mary, Son of God, I trust you”!

*I Trust You written by Skip Ewing and Don Schlitz

Posted on

His Eye Is on The Sparrow

Are you ever in awe of the finite limitations of your own thinking? I am!

I am pretty savvy in some areas; common sense provides good direction but there are areas way beyond my expertise and I get baffled. What to do and how to gain more insight? I shake my head. I am so glad that I don’t have to depend on my knowledge alone.

“ I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth more than birds?” Matthew 6:25-26 CEV

If we ask, the Lord will direct our steps to the right people and the right places. We need to be honest and ask for advice; seek understanding from those who know more. The Father is so faithful to provide the answers that we need if we are willing to ask.

“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.” Matthew 7:7-11 CEV

Our Father loves it when we ask for His assistance. He never expected us to live life on our own. I love how the verses above describe us as “bad parents”. That could be offensive but I believe what Jesus was trying to get us to see is that as good as we think we are as parents, providing for our children – protecting them and nurturing them – when we compare our goodness to the goodness of God, we are severely lacking. God’s goodness far outshines ours.

“Lord God All-Powerful, my King and my God, sparrows find a home near your altars; swallows build nests there to raise their young. 4 You bless everyone who lives in your house, and they sing your praises. 5 You bless all who depend on you for their strength
and all who deeply desire to visit your temple..11 Our Lord and our God, you are like the sun
and also like a shield. You treat us with kindness and with honor, never denying any good thing to those who live right. 12 Lord God All-Powerful, you bless everyone who trusts you.” Psalm 84:3-5,11-12 CEV

You, Lord God, are my God and my King!

The Bible uses the tiny sparrow as an example of God’s goodness. They are small and insignificant and yet the Lord provides for them daily. Jesus said if He provides for the sparrows just think of how much more He provides for us.

“Praise the Lord! He is good. God’s love never fails.” Psalm 136:1, 26 CEV

Maybe you’re in the same spot I am right now – feeling a bit “bird-brained”, in need of wise counsellors and godly advice. Ask the Lord for the right counsel and then trust Him to provide.

Posted on

Calling All Davids

You are needed for battle!!

There are many today who see a giant in the land and it is causing them to fear. It’s time for a few David’s to show up for the fight.

“The Philistine army had a hero named Goliath who was from the town of Gath and was over nine feet tall. 5-6 He wore a bronze helmet and had bronze armor to protect his chest and legs. The chest armor alone weighed about one hundred twenty-five pounds. He carried a bronze sword strapped on his back, 7 and his spear was so big that the iron spearhead alone weighed more than fifteen pounds…8 Goliath went out and shouted to the army of Israel:…’Choose your best soldier to come out and fight me! 9 If he can kill me, our people will be your slaves. But if I kill him, your people will be our slaves. 10 Here and now I challenge Israel’s whole army! Choose someone to fight me!’ 11 Saul and his men heard what Goliath said, but they were so frightened of Goliath that they couldn’t do a thing.” I Samuel 17:4-11 CEV

We have a few giants in our land that are causing the king and the fighting men to fear. COVID, political unrest in our nation and around the world, personal crises.

“David said to Saul, ‘People shouldn’t let Goliath discourage them. I am your servant. I will go fight this Philistine.’ 33 Saul answered, ‘You can’t go out and fight against this Philistine. You’re not even a soldier! Goliath has been fighting in wars since he was a boy.’ 34 But David said to Saul, ‘There were times when I was taking care of my father’s sheep that wild animals came to take some sheep from the flock. Once there was a lion and another time, a bear…36 I killed both a lion and a bear like that! And I will kill that foreigner, Goliath, just like them. Goliath will die because he made fun of the army of the living God. 37 The Lord saved me from the lion and the bear. He will also save me from this Philistine.’ Saul said to David, ‘Go and may the Lord be with you.’” I Samuel 17:31-37ERV

David knew God had made a promise to fight for the nation of Israel like He did with Joshua at Jericho. He told the king, Goliath is a foreigner – which meant he has no covenant with God – we do! David’s brothers thought he was being impudent, disrespectful and self-centered. The king thought David didn’t understand the gravity of the situation but David knew that they didn’t understand the scope and even the practicality of their covenant with God.

You know the story – David defeated Goliath with a rock and sling. He could have gone after him with a pea shooter because David wasn’t depending on his own strength and power to defeat Goliath, he was depending on the Lord.

“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me using sword, spear, and javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful, the God of the armies of Israel. You have said bad things about him. 46 Today the Lord will let me defeat you. I will kill you. I will cut off your head and feed your body to the birds and wild animals. And we will do the same thing to all the other Philistines too. Then all the world will know there is a God in Israel.'” I Samuel 17:45-46 ERV

God is looking for Davids today. Don’t let what people say or think about you keep you from being used. God isn’t looking for the qualified, He’s looking for the committed!

Posted on

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!

Posted on

Fare Well

Two phrases have been running through my mind – fare well (welfare) and well being. These two phrases are very much akin to each other.

Fare well: in the Old English meant to enjoy a life that was well provided for and later was shorten to become welfare. Fare well was used as you departed from someone, much like our word good-bye. I like that saying, it conveys a sentiment of concern for the other person’s good health and success.

Well being: is very similar to fare well. Again, it has to do with the condition of life. Well-being or being well implies more than just good health. It has to do with the whole man, spirit, soul and body.

When I pray for people I pray for the well-being and their welfare.

“I pray that God, who gives peace, will make you completely holy. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept healthy and faultless until our Lord Jesus Christ returns.” I Thessalonians 5:23 CEV

“With all my heart I praise the Lord! I will never forget how kind he has been. 3 The Lord forgives our sins, heals us when we are sick, 4 and protects us from death.
His kindness and love  are a crown on our heads. 5 Each day that we live, he provides for our needs and gives us the strength of a young eagle. 6 For all who are mistreated, the Lord brings justice.” Psalm 103:2-6 CEV

So many in the world think that God is wanting our lives to be filled with woe and agony, that is so far from the truth. From the time He chose Abraham to be the father of the nation and the people He called His own He has desired to bless us. He is our loving and gracious heavenly father.

If you have kids you understand that we give our children instruction and tell them to follow our words. They need to know not to touch a hot stove, to brush their teeth and wash their hands. We teach them to share and be kind and forgiving. We command them to rest, they may not want to take a nap but we know they must have good rest in order to be well and have a good temperament.

God has done the same for His children. He has given us instructions, commandments as it were, to follow. Each time He gave commandments He told his children to follow them and they would be blessed. They would fare well. He wanted them, and us, to walk in His blessings.

Part of my Bible reading took me to Leviticus 26 this morning. I won’t include all the verses here but may I encourage you to read it for yourself. Here’s an excerpt:

“ Faithfully obey my laws, 4 and I will send rain to make your crops grow… Your harvest…will be so abundant, that you won’t know what to do with it all. ..6 I will bless your country with peace, and you will rest without fear…9 I will treat you with such kindness that your nation will grow strong, and I will also keep my promises to you…11 I will live among you and never again look on you with disgust. 12 I will walk with you—I will be your God, and you will be my people. 13 I am the Lord your God,…I have set you free; now walk with your heads held high.” Leviticus 26:3-13 CEV

These are the words of our God and loving Father. It is His desire that we fare well and have a life of well-being.

Fare well dear friends!

Posted on

Rest for the Weary

This morning is one of those rare mornings when I would like to go back to bed. I didn’t sleep well, tossed and turned, and this morning as I sit here in my chair I am weary.

Not a good way to start the day.

I’m on my second cup of coffee and with each sip I close my eyes and inhale deeply. Each breath is a prayer for strength and direction. And then I wait, completely at peace, knowing I am in the Father’s presence and He will give me what I need for the day.

“Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The Lord is the eternal God, Creator of the earth. He never gets weary or tired; his wisdom cannot be measured. 29 The Lord gives strength to those who are weary. 30 Even young people get tired, then stumble and fall. 31 But those who trust the Lord will find new strength. They will be strong like eagles soaring upward on wings; they will walk and run without getting tired.” Isaiah 40:28-31 CEV

I don’t know what this day will have in store but He does and I can be confident in His strength. He will give me exactly what I need for the day ahead. The key point in these verses for me is this, “those who trust the Lord will find new strength”.

The thing I have learned in my sixty-eight years is the Lord is trust worthy. If He promises to give me strength, He will.

I just finished reading the story of Paul’s ship wreck on his way to Rome, again. They were in a terrible storm on the open sea for fourteen days. The Bible says they couldn’t see the sun – now, that’s a horrific storm. The crew and passengers were scared, they feared all was lost but the Lord gave Paul a message concerning their survival.

It could be that you feel you have been going through a fourteen day or a fourteen year storm. God has not and will not abandon you. He has a good plan for your life. Follow the advice that Paul gave.

“23 I belong to God, and I worship him. Last night he sent an angel 24 to tell me, “Paul, don’t be afraid! You will stand trial before the Emperor. And because of you, God will save the lives of everyone on the ship.” 25 Cheer up! I am sure that God will do exactly what he promised…33 Just before daylight Paul begged the people to eat something. He told them, “For fourteen days you have been so worried that you haven’t eaten a thing. 34 I beg you to eat something. Your lives depend on it. Do this and not one of you will be hurt.”

35 After Paul had said this, he took a piece of bread and gave thanks to God. Then in front of everyone, he broke the bread and ate some. 36 They all felt encouraged, and each of them ate something. 37 There were 276 people on the ship” Acts 27:23-27 CEV

Cheer up – have something to eat! God’s in control!

Renewed strength comes from trusting – trust Him to provide strength for our daily walk, then He gives us the energy to run with the day’s details and He also provides us with the strength, Isaiah says, to soar high above earth’s obstacles like an eagle.

“Lord, I came to you weary and I thank you that through Your word I have been strengthened and am at a place of rest. Today I will walk, run, and soar with You.”

Posted on

Change is Inevitable!

Change Is Inevitable!

Two months, just two months ago we came to the mountains.

There have been so many changes – changes in the beauty of nature, changes in our daily routine and mostly changes in our hearts.

When we first came to the mountain on June 4, the pasture grasses were yellow green from lack of water. The under growth was crunchy and dry. The fishing was poor, but I don’t know the reason for that. The rules of the campground were dictated by a Level 2 Red Fire alert so there were no fires, except for the ones of a propane stove.

We arrived needing rest. Our daily routine consisted of taking our coffee under the awning, walking through the campground several times a day but mostly we sat and rested, and we were content with that.  No TV, no internet and very little phone or text messaging.  We read, we talked, we prayed.

Our interaction with other campers was limited to a polite “hello” and “where do you come from”.

But two months have gone by, and we have changed and so have our surroundings.

Yesterday was day number thirty-two of rain. The rains began to lightly fall on July 1. They have continued to increase in the amount of daily rainfall. A normal, good shower would last an hour – soaking in and cooling the temperature but yesterday it was an all-day rain.

Oh, what a refreshing!

As we talk with campers who are heading home, they are sad to leave. “We can’t wait to come back. It’s beautiful here. We love the rain, the meadow grasses, the wildflowers, the mushrooms, the wildlife”. That’s not the reaction of one or two but it’s the sentiment of most.

“The land that you will get is not like the land of Egypt that you came from. In Egypt you planted your seeds and used your feet to pump water from the canals to water your fields like a vegetable garden. 11 But the land that you will soon get is not like that. In Israel there are mountains and valleys, and the land gets its water from the rain that falls from the sky. 12 The Lord your God cares for that land. The Lord your God watches over it, from the beginning to the end of the year.

13 “The Lord says, ‘You must listen carefully to the commands I give you today: You must love the Lord your God, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul. If you do that, 14 I will send rain for your land at the right time. I will send the autumn rain and the spring rain. Then you can gather your grain, your new wine, and your oil.” Deuteronomy 11:10-14 ERV

Not only has the land received rain, but our hearts have also been moistened with love and compassion. People we didn’t know two months ago have become friends that we know we will share a connection with for years to come.

Campers that we only see for a few days and are gone have filled us with meaningful conversation and opportunities for prayer.

Two months.  Two months of change. God appointed change!

When we open the doors of our heart, when we follow the Father’s lead, He sends “rain”, the rain of His love and compassion, and we go from dry to refreshed.

This refreshing doesn’t just come from being in the mountains and it isn’t exclusively for us. Not in the slightest! The Lord wants to shower all of our lives with His goodness.

The change He brings is wonderful and inevitable!

Posted on

Practical Christianity

I have a question for you today. How did your walk with the Lord impact your yesterday, how will it impact today?

Practical Christianity, a daily relationship with God, the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God’s word is today’s pondering.

Years ago, many years ago I was talking with some community college students about what it means to be a Christian. Most of them had encountered the hell fire and brimstone or turn-or-burn type of teaching. They posed a very interesting question to me, “What type of Christian are you”?

A practical one.

You see they thought Christianity was rule following, condemning and religious. Many people do. What they had not seen was the relationship that God desires to have with His children. His desire is to fulfill our lives, not condemn us. He is a good, good Father!

I then explained to them that I had a relationship with the Father that caused me to consult Him on every issue. I talked to Him about the best way to raise my kids, how to be a better wife and a supervisor to them. I talked to Him about helping me get better gas mileage so I wouldn’t be spending so much on fuel. I talked to Him when things got lost and I needed to know how to direct my search.

Practical Christianity.

After the gathering dispersed one the the students, Albert, told me he had a Geometry test the end of the week. This was his third time taking the course and he just wasn’t “getting” the concepts. He asked if God would help him understand it. I told him He sure would. We prayed right there. Friday afternoon Albert came in to my office with a big grin, he passed the test with a B-. He was thrilled. It was all beginning to make sense to him and he knew it was because we had prayed.

Practical.

The book of Daniel is the story of four young Hebrew men who had been taken captive and were being groomed for the king’s service, the practical things:

“King Nebuchadnezzar wanted only healthy boys who did not have any bruises, scars, or anything wrong with their bodies. He wanted handsome, smart young men who were able to learn things quickly and easily to serve in his palace. He told Ashpenaz to teach these young men the language and writings of the Chaldeans…17 God gave these four young men the wisdom and ability to learn many different kinds of writing and science. Daniel could also understand all kinds of visions and dreams…20 Every time the king asked them about something important, they showed great wisdom and understanding. The king found they were ten times better than all the magicians and wise men in his kingdom.” Daniel 1 ERV

Each day I run across situations where I lean on the Lord’s wisdom and not mine. He promises to direct our paths. Our heavenly Father is wise and He is practical.

Put Him to the test and begin living a life of practical Christianity!

Privacy Policy Proudly powered by WordPress