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ALWAYS BLESSINGS AROUND

14 Nov

Today’s guest writer is from Sunflower Faith. You can find more encouragement from her over at her personal blog…. http://sunflowerfaith.com/ .

***

As I read, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, it is such a reminder, that its not just once a year, or around the family table, but at all times of our lives that we are to be thankful. It’s hard though, admittedly.

We read,  Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing,  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
But truthfully, there are times, when we must feel less than glowing. The tears flow, the heart aches, we seek for answers to questions that sometimes never answer, but as the night slowly falls, and we feel the night wrap around us, not with coldness, but a steady warmth, of our hearts are beating, God is with us, we are not alone. He is seeing us through, its a powerful reminder how good God can be, will be and will always be. no matter what.
Don’t give up.
Seek our Father and let Him hold you close.
We do have so much to be thankful of, even on the days when we may feel like we are at the end of the ropes and our hearts are bursting with ache. As Colossians 3:15-17, steadily reminds us,  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:15-17
Whether we are sitting around the table, basking in the light of the full moon, or watching the sun rise on a new day, God has never left us, He is always by our side.
Each day is a gift, a promise that tomorrow brings with it, new hope, new promise, and truly that is something to be grateful for…even starting small and working on to God’s greater promises.
As 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 reminds all of us: Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing,  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
There is so much to be thankful for, be it one month out of the year, or every day of the year.
Look around.
Hold on tight to our Father, reach for His word, we are never alone.
He is there and God WILL see us through.
((Sunflower Faith))

God’s limitless love…and Joy!

29 Sep

In so many areas we have limits.  Speed limits…for how fast we can drive; limits to the quantities we can purchase of certain sale items; limits on our credit cards (which can be REALLY good for some of us!).  I don’t know about you, but my knowledge and skills are limited in countless areas!

But there is one place that we find NO LIMITS…the heart of God.  His love
is limitless! The passage in Ephesians 3:17-19 so beautifully expresses this truth:

“…and I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

“FILLED TO THE MEASURE OF ALL FULLNESS”…..

God’s love is unlimited, immeasurable, indescribable, unconditional.  I’m not sure we will ever truly grasp how wide and long and high and deep is our Savior’s love.  He willingly gave His life of you and me….sinners!  That’s supreme, sacrificial love!

UNDERSTAND IT?

I don’t! The older I get (I’m a grandma now), the more things I add to my “Don’t Understand” list:

  • Technology and social media
  • How the human body works
  • The miracle of a new baby
  • How an ugly caterpillar becomes a beautiful butterfly
  • Why people mistreat helpless children

No, I don’t understand many things…but the beauty of growing older is that I am learning I don’t have to understand all things—because I have a God Who does!

Psalm 147:5 says it best: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has NO LIMITS!” (emphasis mine)

 NO LIMITS!!!

While we are humanly limited in countless ways, we can depend on our God whose understanding of ALL things is limitless.  Isn’t that a secure feeling?  We don’t have to worry or fret; we don’t have to “be anxious” about anything, because our God is great and mighty.  HE
understands it all. Oh, what JOY comes from that knowledge and truth!

***

Joyce Ashley has been our guest writer today. Ashley is the founder of JoyJoy Ministries, speaker and author.  You may find her on facebook, read her blog at http://aservingofjoyjuice.blogspot.com
and visit her website: http://joyjoyministries.vpweb.com/

You can look for more devotionals on joy in her book Joy Juice: Delightful Flavors of JOY in the Lord.

The Couch

8 Sep

Today’s devotion is written by Jenny Smith from ‘Keeping it Real, Keeping in Stride‘. Jenny will be joining our team in the 4th quarter of 2011 as a permanent contributor. We are very excited that Jenny is joining the team – God is Good!!!

My living room is making me sigh. Do you know that sound you make when you feel a bit sad, tired, on the verge of aggravation and it escapes? Well that’s my feeling when I walk in the living room. Sitting on the couch I started wondering what I could do, and then I remembered the last time I sighed over the same room.

A couple of years ago my mom called to tell me she was getting new living room furniture. My first instinct was to tell her we would take her old one. Chad was less than thrilled to hear we were going to be getting a new (old) couch from my mom. Now the couch is very comfy, but the color at one time had been white. My walls happen to be a neutral light grey. The couch blends into the wall looking almost ugly.

Not quite, but you know where you shake your head, wondering is this a lousy decorating decision??

The only reason I even considered putting it in my living room was for Bible Study. Our group had grown, and the kitchen chairs were hard. So, in my mind I was thinking well at least it is comfy. I was always happy with the couch on Wednesday when someone was sitting on it, but Thursday mornings I would shake my head and sigh.

Chad went fishing that next weekend after we got the couch, and I ended up at TJMax. I found some cute things for the living room coffee table with a yellowy gold pattern. Not my normal decorating color, but they were in my price range. I got home and cleaned the living room, added the new items and basked in the difference they made.

Until I looked at the love seat which looked decidedly sad on the wall. A few minutes later Chad called from the Walmart, he had noticed some slip covers marked “clearance”. From $79 to $20…only two colors brown or GOLD! I couldn’t believe it, I wish I had taken a picture of the couch before but here is the new couch!

You just can’t even imagine the smile this brought into my heart! First, that Chad even noticed slipcovers. Second, that God was putting my living room together!

As I sat looking around remembering how God had put my living room together, I realized instead of fretting over what I was going to do, I needed to remember what I learned last time. God knows what we are sighing over, and even in the little, daily things God is able to show up! My part is to rest in the knowledge that He cares for every aspect of my life. Keeping my eyes open to see what God will do!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phil 4:6

 

Blessings,

Jenny

 

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