Gratitude: God Given Peace

8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

Isaiah 58: 8~12

I praise God that He lifts darkness that hinders me.

My battle against depression has laid me low at times but always at the feet of Jesus.

He lifts my darkness

and gives a peace that passes understanding.

Sweet relief that comes from fully trusting Him.

751. Psalm 55:18 “He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.”

752. Psalm 55:22 “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

753. Psalm 56:9 “When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.”

754. Psalm 61:2 “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

755. freshly picked strawberries, delivered to my door

756. him sitting on the deck with the dogs in the early morning, leaning on Mango for support

757. florescent red sun peaking through the pine trees at sunrise

758. two goldens waiting and watching eagerly and yet, patiently, for me to return

759. the lesson God spoke to my heart that we are to be the same, while looking for His return

760. fresh cut flowers, delivered from garden to door

761. God is in control, even as the enemy rages, He is still at the helm

762. He is so trustworthy, my God that never fails me

763. they are so loving and supportive

764.a playground full of children…

765. teenagers shooting baskets…

766. while parents fellowship and enjoy each other’s company…

767. a family of sisters and brothers, united through the blood of Christ, they are His body

768. out running the storm

769. enjoying time out with my kids, it was worth the weight gain from cheating while we were out

770. breakfast table surrounded by old friends

771.cotton-candy clouds above a red sun rising

772. early morning cooing of a dove

773. the pungent fragrance of honeysuckle filling the air

774. the confirmation of God’s will, and knowing we are in it

775. the intercessory prayer of so many praying, literally, around the world, in our behalf

Linked up at Ann’s today.

Don’t forget to continue praying for and following the Compassion Bloggers as they are blogging from the Philippines this week.

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Following Along: Compassion Bloggers In The Philippines

Compassion Bloggers: Philippines 2011

I have gained a few people I choose to call friends here in the world of blogging.

One of them is sweet Emily, of Chatting at the Sky. I am looking forward to meeting her in real life at this year’s Relevant 11 conference. Hers is one of the first blogs I ever began reading. Wanting to join up in her link up, she used to host Tuesdays Unwrapped, inspired me to start a blog and jump into the world of blogging. Here I am two years later, still banging away on the keyboard.

When I began reading Emily’s blog, I was living in the Philippines. We were there planting a church, laboring for Christ. The church is still going forward for Christ, fulfilling the great commission. Please continue to pray for the work there as they labor on for Christ with very little financially.

While we lived in Davao City, on the southern island of Mindanao, we had a national pastor’s wife help us in our home. She was such a good godly example to our family while she was with us. Her daughter is a Compassion Sponsored child.

I was always a bit doubtful of ‘charity’ organizations but I have seen Compassion from the other end of the chain. I have seen the difference it made in her life to be a Compassion Sponsored child.

Emily has embarked on a trip sure to change her life and the lives of those who are on this journey with her. She has just left for the Philippines along with a group of bloggers to see Compassion International’s work there and to blog about what she learns and sees.

Please join with me in praying for them on this journey and follow along by reading about their trip and what they learn. They will be blogging daily from Manila, Philippines, throughout the week.

Guest Post: Kristen Strong

I’d like to introduce Kristen Strong. I had the privilege of meeting Kristen at Relevant ’10. She is such a ray of sunshine and lights up the room with her smile. Not long ago she created a new home on the web called Chasing Blue Skies where she writes about family, life, and faith. She is such a breath of fresh air.

Please welcome, Kristen!

For When You Don’t Believe Your Assignment Is Enough

I pass our office where my blonde boy is sitting at the computer, talking to himself.

Why did I agree to take on so much?” he says with head in hands.

I backup, walk in the room and ask,

Baby, what did you agree to take on?”

He looks up with red eyes.

Well,” he begins, “Ya see, our literature small groups each have to act out a chapter of Tom Sawyer, and some people in my group don’t understand the book’s country way of talking. I do, ya know, cuz you kinda talk that way and I’m your kid. So, I talk that way sometimes, too.”

I smile wide and encourage him to continue.

Anyway, I told my group I would type out the whole chapter in more normal speech, but I didn’t know it would take me so long!”

I answer, “Oh, I see. So, you volunteered to type out a script of sorts that everyone can easily understand?”

Uh huh.”

And the teacher isn’t making you do it, you just wanted to do it to help out your group?”

Uh huh.”

His head goes back in his hands and my head shakes back and forth. He is my child, this one who is always too eager to be too helpful and then frustrated because he’s taken on too much.

Well, why don’t you read to me what you’d like the lines to say and I’ll type them out?”

His head jerks up, face brightens.

Really? You really don’t mind doing that?”

I smile and assure him I don’t.

That’d be so great, Mama!”

So he reads and I peck. In a little while, the script looks good and my boy looks inches taller as he tosses back,“Thanks, Mom!” before heading back to his room.

I’m left looking at words from Tom Sawyer’s Chapter 10, but I’m thinking about words God speaks to my soul. He says,

You know, my girl, there is a lesson here. You will enthusiastically volunteer yourself to take on too much responsibility in an effort to please others. Remember to look to Me first for what to do and what not to do, and I’ll tell you what to do for whom. Believe me when I say you have enough to do what I’ve assigned.

Yep, when I volunteer myself for extra assignments, that’s when I get tired.

The next morning, I see a familiar verse with fresh eyes:

Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

When I put my faith and efforts into pleasing others, I’m crossing my arms and saying, “No!” to His invitation that His assignment for me is enough. But when I open my arms and hands and say, “Yes, I know and believe You!” God skyrockets to the top of my people pleasing list and my faith flies.

This very wise friend has said,

Love everyone, please One.”

I will rest knowing it pleases the Teacher when I do the homework He’s assigned and leave the extras alone.

In your own life, what does looking to Him for your assignments look like?

~~~~~

Kristen is an Air Force wife, enthusiastic mama and country girl writer. She is a joy hunter-downer who writes of looking upward for fresh-air encouragement at Chasing Blue Skies. She and her husband David have 3 precious young’uns, twin sons (age 11) and a daughter (age 7). Kristen and her family enjoy their home under the wide-blue-skies of glorious Colorado.

Please hike on over to Chasing Blue Skies where you can read more of Kristen’s encouraging words.

 

Gratitude: Making Lasting Changes and Habits

At the first of the year, my 2011 resolution was to blog more consistently and every Monday at the very least.

I fell off the Gratitude boat, here on the blog, two weeks ago.

So here I am, trying to catch up and keep my head above water and climb back aboard.

Really, I didn’t do too bad with keeping that New Year’s Resolution. I made it to mid-April. If my Resolution was to exercise or loose weight I would not have made it a week! This is the longest I have kept up with one.

It is all about setting firm new habits isn’t it? (See #739 below.) New habits take more than just thinking warm fuzzy thoughts about the change desired.

Isn’t it funny that one misses a habit twice and all of a sudden it is like you feel like you are starting all over at the beginning again?

So here I go again… Linking up with Ann Voskamp’s Multitudes on Mondays

 

721. tulips

722. a husband who doesn’t mow down the meadow while it is blooming

723. the backyard meadow, strewn with color; yellow, violet, and pink

724. the scent of wisteria and boxwood

725. being told to take my time coming home

726. the freedom to double dip in the ranch-salsa dip

727. spicy-lime grilled shrimp

728. children who hold and hug while tears spill all ugly

729. they are loving and compassionate and sensitive when hearts break and hurt disables

730. the realization that they didn’t get that way all on their own…

731. “I must have done something good, nothing comes from nothing, nothing ever could…”

732. I grew up with Julia as Maria

733. God brings things to mind as you need them

734. “Gifts he bestows. This writing it down- it is sort of like… unwrapping love.” ~Page 45, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

735. Emily Freeman of Chatting at the Sky, the reason I began blogging… “Tuesdays Unwrapped” To learn to focus on the positive… God has been showing this to me over and over for several years now… and it still is not an automatic response or habit. Must keep practicing. Must keep practicing.

736. “I see again frames of the day, a life album in miniature.” ~Page 46, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. Oh yes, another great reason for my Gratitude list and this blog.

737. foxglove

738. “a medicinal bloom for heart failure. I remember reading that of foxgloves, a heart strengthener.” ~Page 42 One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

739. “I may have always known that change takes real intentionality, like a woman bent over her garden beds everyday with a spade and the determined will to grow up something good to strengthen the heart. I may even have known that change requires more than warm fuzzy thoughts…” ~Page 43 One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

740. curled little toes slipping into pink crops

741. the softness of organic cotton

742. she requested her own copy of One Thousand Gifts

743. to see the Holy Spirit work through her

744. James 1:2-5

745. She signed it with “count it all joy”

746. His mercies are new every morning, Praise the Lord

747. He forgives the messy, fall apart, lost it ugly… instantly.

748. He walks with you right through all that ugly,

749. and still loves you and holds you close,

750. and never forsakes you.


Light Within

 

I heart this flower.

It looks like it is glowing from within.

* * * * * * * * *

As God’s children, we are to be glowing within.

Shining the Light to all those around us.

No matter who they are.

Your children.

Your family.

Those you meet through out your day,

at the grocery store, where the checker never makes eye contact with you as she takes your money,

at the gas station, where the guy at the next pump has a vocabulary consisting

of words limited to the four-letter variety,

at the library, where the sweet lady checks out your books,

at that fast food restaurant that served you cold fries,

The ones on your facebook friends list that you haven’t actually seen or talked to in over 20 years.

And those that only “friend you” to be nosey,

or to be seen as popular,

and those who genuinely want to interact with you and not loose touch with you.

The ones who send you sweet messages of support.

And those who don’t.

Those who profess to be your friends,

and even…

Those who proclaim to be your enemies.

Every last one of them is to see the Light of Christ within you,

It shines brightest when your actions and words are filled with

kindness,

grace,

peace,

hope,

love,

&

joy.

 

 

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