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Posts Tagged ‘Julie Cosgrove’

Count on It

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , on June 28, 2016| Leave a Comment »

In a devotional get in my email box, was this from Rick Warren:

Remember this:

•    God’s goodness will provide and protect.
•    God’s mercy (unfailing love) will pardon and forgive.
•    God’s goodness will supply.
•    God’s mercy will soothe.
•    God’s goodness will help.
•    God’s mercy and love will heal.

You can count on it!

When I read it, an image of a small child learning to count on their fingers and toes came to mind.??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

When asked how old you  are, the tike holds up the number of fingers. The child starts with it’s dominant hand and counts up to five.

If asked how many eggs are in the carton, then calculating the answer becomes a bit more complex. The wee one starts with the dominate hand, discovers that is not enough, and proceeds to start counting the fingers other hand and continues to ten. If more is required, the small toes begin to wiggle. 

As children of God, perhaps we should do the same in our prayer time.  Let’s start off on our dominant hand and recite the first five on Rick’s list,  then add a thumb on the other hand. Whoa- plenty of digits left!

Psalm 23 tells us that His goodness and merciful love will follow us all our lives. Use the rest of your digits for your specific “remembrances” of God’s attributes that He has lovingly showed to you. Fill in the blanks. God’s goodness will________________. God’s mercy will______________________.

Bet pretty soon you will start wiggling those toes! I imagine your mood will lift and your mouth will curve into a soft smile.  Count on it. Mine did.

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A Steady Diet of M&M…and M

Posted in Biblical, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , , on May 24, 2016| 2 Comments »

When I went through catechism, to discern if I would claim IMG_20131030_075636_787my parent’s faith as my own before God and the congregation, they taught us that Scripture should be read, marked and inwardly digested.

Jesus, according to John’s Gospel, is the Word, and He said He is the Bread of Life. We need a steady diet of the Bible in our lives. We need M&M, and M.

Mark – not just underline verses in different colored highlighters, but memorize them. Make them an important part of your thought process so at a moment’s notice if the devil is tapping on your shoulder you can respond by praying with Scripture. Let it leave a mark on your life.

Meditate – think on that verse and what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you through it. What lesson is there in it for you, or an answer to prayer, or perhaps a head-thunk revelation? Truly learn it.

When we combine the two, then an amazing, positive, calming power envelops us and seeps through us, does it not?  Scripture comes alive, and we feel God’s hand gently upon our shoulder. The words are now personalized. We smile and whisper, “That is my verse. God wrote it for me.”

The final “M”? Masticate.  It means to chew. Chew on what has occurred, or continues to happen, in your life because of that verse. What has impacted you? How? Is there an action you should now take? Or maybe one you should not?

Mull it over for several days in prayer until you totally digest it inwardly. Let it flow through your system giving your spiritual nourishment. Feel God’s grace as it courses through your life.

MP900443254[1]_cropA steady diet of M&M, and M when it comes to God’s Word can do wonders for your health, your faith, and your attitude.  Try it.

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Hit the Ceiling

Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , , on April 6, 2016| 6 Comments »

Have you watched a loved one or friend go round and round in circles? You want to help, but they won’t respond. In their anxiousness they keep circling over and over, making the same mistakes and trapped with no way out in sight.

courtesy of Church of the Holy Apostles

courtesy of Church of the Holy Apostles

In the church where I work, there is a meditation garden, called a Garth,  surrounded by a covered breezeway.  My office window looks out onto it. Yesterday, a chimney sweep flew into the breezeway. It circled around and around, flying up to the ceiling and back down over and over. After about three passes, I tried to swing my arms to get it to divert to the left and out into the garden’s open sky. But it just continued on it’s frantic course.  I realized, even  though my efforts were noble and kind, I made things worse.

I worried the thing might die from exhaustion or break a wing as it kept banging against the ceiling looking for freedom from it’s plight. But my presence made it panic even more. My good attempts futile.

Discouraged,  I went back to my desk. And yes, I prayed for the little guy.  Within a few minutes, a juicy bug or perhaps the spring-flower filled breeze coaxed the swift into the garden. It lifted its wings and soared to freedom.

Lesson learned. Sometimes the best we can do is pray and let God coax them out of their circumstances. He knows what will get their attention even when we do not.

And the coolest thing? God made those fragrant flowers or tasty bug long before the swift became trapped.  He knew when they would come in handy to entice the little bird at just the right time. Will he not do even more for those for whom we pray?

For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.     Psalm 48:14

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From Salvage…

Posted in Devotional, tagged , , , , , , on March 15, 2016| 4 Comments »

I’ve been watching a show on Netflix- Salvage Dawgs. They take old things and re-purpose them. What others see as trash, worn-out or useless, they see of value. One of the workers said they take a piece from salvage to salvation. Aren’t we the same way?

Kerrville, Tx cross made out of re-bar iron

Most of Lent is a pensive time. We examine our walk and see where we come up short. What sins have we harbored? What bad habits have we taken up and what things should we release? All this introspection could be a downer, except for one thing. We know Our Lord is in the salvage to salvation business.

Without Easter, there would never have been Lent. Living this side of the Resurrection, we know the Good News that is coming as we weave through the Gospels and journey from Nazareth to Galilee to Jerusalem to Calgary. Sunday will come. We are not lost causes. God sees us not as the junk we’ve made ourselves but as what we can potentially become – a re-purposed work, restored to our originally intended glory through the efforts of the Son.

Guess that old saying is true. God doesn’t make junk. He re-purposes it to His glory into something desired and valuable.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Salvage to Salvation. Praise God!

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Umbrella

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 10, 2016| 7 Comments »

courtesy of faithshare.com

courtesy of faithshare.com

For the past several days we have had waves of rain in North Texas. Thus, I have been carrying a pop-out umbrella in my purse…just in case.  It caused me to ponder… how’s my spiritual umbrella?

Umbrellas do not stop the rain or even slow it down, they divert it.  They act as a circular barrier. They move with you so, as you go, the rain drenches the umbrella instead of on you.

Now, some  people find it a hassle to carry an umbrella. They dash through the rain trying to stay as dry as possible. Others stroll along as they get soaking wet as if accepting that as their fate.  Not me. I want protection.

Scripture is our umbrella. It will not stop the stormy days in our lives, but it will shield and protect us when they rumble through. God’s Word covers us in a peace that isn’t affected by circumstances. But we have to be prepared. It is up to us to carry it with us. We can choose to dodge the rainstorms of this life on our own, or resolved that we are inevitably doomed to get soaked. Or, we can open up God’s Word and seek shelter underneath it’s Truth.

Look at an umbrella. It is cloth covering spikes that start in the center and branch out. Christ is our center and branching out of Him are peace, trust, assurance, mercy, grace, everlasting life – all the reminders we need when we are faced with a sudden downpour of negativity, hurt, tragedy or despair. His love is our refuge, our shield, our strong cover against trouble (to paraphrase Psalm 46:1).

The next time your life darkens and thunder rumbles, what will you do? Dash to find shelter on your own, trudge through it with a frown, or  pop open the Word of God and be sheltered?

 

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Walking right through

Posted in Biblical, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , , on February 2, 2016| 3 Comments »

Jesus rejected at Nazareth by Alexandre Bida

Jesus rejected at Nazareth by Alexandre Bida

As I sat in church and listened to the Gospel lesson, one verse jumped out at me. It was the passage about Jesus being rejected in his own hometown. He angered them so much the mob dragged him to the edge of the cliff to throw him off….But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. (Luke 4:30)

That is the verse which grabbed my heart. Can you picture it? These men all yelling at once, turning to each other, egging the others on. The voices escalate. A few curse words and shoves ensue. Their angst brewed to a tempest in a teapot and hey were so caught up in their anger and hurt they didn’t notice him pass through them, calm, quiet, unscathed.  Reminds me of those old Westerns barroom brawls.  The two cowboys who started it shakes hands, shrug  and walk out, leaving the others in the midst of their ruckus.

I wonder how many times I’ve gotten so caught up in the moment that I fail to recognize Jesus standing there.  Do I let my anxiety, anger, hurt or frustrations consume my attention to the point  that I not only do not hear the message He has for me but perhaps turn my anger towards Him?  Like the men in Nazareth, do I want Jesus to do things my way more than I want to listen to His wisdom?

.Jesus backs off.  Not out of fear for His well being, but because He knows, as any of us do, when someone is riled up they lose any ability to think rationally. No use trying to talk any sense into them. He lets lets me stew in my juices a while.

Emotions are not bad in and of themselves. But when we simmer  on issues and stir them into swirls of bubbling gripes, do we not lose perspective? We cannot think clearly through the problem because our brain is clouded. Worry, frustration, anger fogs the reality. Molehills loom into mountains.

If only we can take a slow, deep inhale and exhale, perhaps we can simmer down and then open our faith ears to His message, learn the lesson, feel His healing power. The difference between the men at Nazareth and those at Capernaum was one simple thing- reception.

The next time, I hope I remember this Gospel lesson, stop and say, “Wait Lord. Come back. Sorry. I’ll listen to you now.”

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New-trients

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , , on January 21, 2016| 2 Comments »

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.  Romans 8:11 NIV

germs-no-noLately, I have read a lot about nutrients, or actually the lack of them in our modern American diets. Chemicals, preservatives and soil depletion play havoc with our digestive track, leaving it sluggish and prone to store fat. We need probiotics to supplement our diet and boost the little nutrients we are digesting. Otherwise nasty bacteria build up that actually makes us crave carbs and sugars,  leave us bloated and produce irregularity. The problem seems to be that these bad bacteria gobble up the good bacteria God placed in our bodies to help breakdown the foods for proper absorption.  And these bad bacteria trick us into thinking we are not full and persuade us to eat even more unhealthily.

More and more nutritionists are stating that our lack of willpower is due to these messages the bad bacteria are sending to our brains, and the addiction to sweets and carbs can become ten times stronger that that of heroine. We need help in the form of supplements. Trouble is, commercialism has boarded the bandwagon and there are some pro-biotic supplements being sold that are not as nutritious. The ingredients are watered down, and some things like sugars and carbs are added in to make them cheaper and more palatable.

Today’s society can act similarly on our souls. Secular appetites are craving more and more diversity and immorality. One you give in to a little, it is difficult not to give into a lot.  Click on one provocative email “just to see” and you inbox blossoms with them.  View one show on TV with bedroom scenes, and you trick your mind into thinking, well it’s airing on prime time so it must not be that bad. Let a few colorful adjectives slip from your tongue while around the guys, and your vocabulary begins to deteriorate little by little.

Eventually these bits of unhealthy living invade your life and your mind begins craving more. You become sluggish and fattened by the fast-food, instant -gratification desires instead of waiting on the Lord’s timing and being satisfied. Your willpower weakens.  Looser morals become more tolerated and in the back of your brain the voice whispers, “Everyone else is watching it, doing it, liking it. That’s our world now. No big deal.”

As our bodies need pro-biotics to combat the effects of modern living,  our spirits need pro-soulotics: new-trients offered by the Holy Spirit for our new spiritual bodies. We need doses of good  each and every day to help combat the bad that seems to be growing around us in massive numbers. Trouble is, some new-age religious practices are not providing the correct dosage. They offer a watered-down version of the Truth to make it more appealing.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  2 Corinthians 5:17

 

Daily amounts of Scripture, prayer-time and fellowship with other Christians can help restore the balance in our lives. Have you had you daily dose of the real Truth?

 

 

 

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Waiting for the Word

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , , on January 5, 2016| 1 Comment »

Today I found God’s message on my computer screen. I play Words with Friends©, an interactive computer game where you place tiles on the board and build

words off each other. Some tiles are worth more than others. Often times, I find myself waiting several rounds for the right letter so I can complete a word and score big points. If only I had another e, then I could spell “quieter”, hit the triple word square, and score 63 points. I discovered when I do, I settle for making less valuable words in the interim and may miss an opportunity to use the ones I have to the best advantage.

God whispered to my soul as I pondered my next move on the game with one friend, “Are you doing the same with my blessings?”

Oh.

I had decided my word for 2016 would be “Rejoice”–in all things. To be thankful for what I have and look for the positive spin, no matter the circumstances, trusting God knows best. Part of that rejoicing is to accept what God has already given me and using it to His glory, and the best of my ability, instead of praying for what I think would be best. To eliminate the “if only- then” thoughts.

If only I had more income, then…

If only I could lose weight quicker like other people do, then…

If only just one book would sell enough copies to break through and become a best seller for more than two days on Amazon, then…

If only my back didn’t ache every day, then…

If only (family member or friend) could (whatever), then…

If I rejoice, and give thanks in all things, then I won’t be focused on the “e” I don’t have–waiting for God tot give me what I think I need, or want, or desire. Perhaps, this year I will “see” the great “words” I can make if I concentrate on the “letters” He has placed in front of me now.

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Leveled

Posted in Christian, Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , , , on December 1, 2015| 3 Comments »

 For God has ordered that every high mountain and the everlasting hills be made low and the valleys filled up, to make level ground, so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God. Baruch 5 :7

ID-10082551This passage in my daily reading hit me in the way a punch in the gut snatches your breath. Scripture talks of making paths straight. What does that mean? I am learning.

Earlier this week as I headed for my apartment complex just south of one of the busiest malls, the traffic mimicked rush hour in Los Angeles. Trying to merge into the mess,  after waiting for several minutes my foot slipped off the brakes and my car edged forward to “kiss” the back bumper of the one in front of me. A very belligerent young woman jumped out and began to confront me.

I hate confrontation. Being raised in a family of perfectionist lawyers, I used to be the first to jump to defend myself. Then I’d stew for days over the injustice of being confronted. No, make that months, sometimes years.

But this time I profusely apologized and suggested we move to the parking lot to exchange information. She agreed, but as soon as I put my car in “P” she started in on me again.  The more angry and cutting she became the quieter and more calm I  became. She refused to tell me her name or give me her info, so I quietly took my phone to the back of her car and snapped a few shots of it, showing proof that no damage had occurred. Then I took some of her to record her ranting movements in case she claimed whiplash. The whole time she  scolded me to put it away and challenged why I  wouldn’t obey her.

I quietly and sweetly replied I did it to record everything for my insurance agent. Finally, I guess because I wouldn’t confront her or escalate the nasty mood she tossed in my face, and because I wouldn’t hop on her roller coaster ride of  anger and bullying,  she finally shut her mouth. She glanced at the cross around my neck, scoffed, and peeled out into the parking lot back into the snail-paced traffic. I bowed my head and prayed for her, my heart hurting that such a young person could already be so soured and skeptical, bitter and unforgiving. I asked God to touch her.

A whisper responded, “I just did, through you.”  I realized how the Holy Spirit had guided me into a peaceful state despite her emotional tirade. In the midst of biting verbal abuse, I remained like the old deodorant slogan- calm, cool and collected. No mountainous surges of  hurt and anger at her stabbing words. No blood pressure rises and plummets at her derogatory name calling. Over the past month I had begun to steadily read, study and pray more in the morning before starting my day. I guess it has altered my perspective.

God worked in me to level my emotions.  I walked safely that day, strong and upright, and gave God the glory.

ID-10056738We are entering what many consider one of the most stressful times of the year. Funny, how it began as a way to celebrate” Peace on Earth and Goodwill Towards Mankind”, isn’t it?  Yet with the holidays come  not only joy and frivolity, but economic worry, the unrealistic expectations of a greeting card time with family, and an onset of blues over the ones who are not here to join us this year.  Couple that with not eating right, over-partying, and dashing around to find the perfect gift for everyone, and it can become a time bomb waiting to explode.

Or not.

I hope you recall my tale when your day threatens to roller coaster. I pray you will take time out to let God level your emotions so you can reflect His loving light this season. Let Him lower your hills and fill your valleys with His mercy and grace so that no matter what, you walk confidently in a quietly in His shadow. May He make your paths straight and envelop you in His peace, despite the chaos swirling around you. And may that leveled attitude draw others to realize you have something they want. That is the perfect gift you can give this year.

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Rejoice in the Rest

Posted in Biblical, Christian, tagged , , , , , on October 31, 2015| Leave a Comment »

November 1st we celebrate all the saints, the faithful believers,  who have come before us. On November 2nd, the Day of the Dead, or All Souls’ Day is celebrated. Like other originally religious feasts, it has also taken on secular, macabre meanings.  It has become Halloween, Part Two in some cultures.

For the Christian, All Souls’ Day is all about remembering our loved ones who have passed before us and entered the eternal realm–we pray that is Heaven. If they confessed Jesus as Lord, then it is a day of celebration and rejoicing because they have crossed over into a life without pain, suffering, disease and death. They are in paradise forever.

We, who are not yet there, can rejoice in the rest – the rest of our lives knowing we, too, will one day be in Heaven with them and our Lord. We can also rejoice in the eternal rest our loved ones now bask in, and be thankful their earthly battle, no mater how brief or long, is over.

Not sure where they are now? I asked God that about a relative who I wasn’t sure ever crossed the threshold into accepting Jesus as her Savior before she took her final ???????????????????????????????????????gasp of breath on earth. As if He sat next to me, I heard the Lord whisper, “She saw my light, believed, and fell into my arms.”   In that immeasurable minute between temporal and eternity, I truly know our Lord, who Scriptures states does not want one soul to be lost, will try one last time to convince His creation that he or she is His child. Yes, some will deny Him even then. But seeds of faith, planted decades ago, can suddenly become beanstalks in the rays of His glory.

O ETERNAL Lord God, who holdest all souls in life; Vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to thy whole Church in paradise and on earth, thy light and thy peace; and grant that we, following the good examples of those who have served thee here and are now at rest, may at the last enter with them into thine unending joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   BCP 1928

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