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Posts Tagged ‘Where did you find God today’

Let It Rain

Posted in Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , , , , on September 23, 2013| Leave a Comment »

We’ve been parched. Bubbling creeks had become sandy dry beds. Once green, grassy hills appeared straw-colored. The lake and river levels were dangerously low. A friend commented her back yard looked like the San Andreas fault in an earthquake movie – the cracks were huge, and growing.

dreamstimefree_127674For several days the skies taunted us with building clouds and overcast shadows. Then it came.  The sweet smell of moistened dirt. Soft, pelting rain pounded the landscape, filling the furrows and crevices…for hours and hours. 

People’s spirits lifted. The temperatures dropped from scorching nineties into  pleasant seventies.  Birds splashed in the puddles, fluffing their feathers and dipping their beaks.  Windshield wipers danced back and forth like concert attendees waving their hands in joy. Gutters drummed softly with the splatters from Heaven. Blessed relief. 

I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. Ezekiel 34:26

Have you experienced a drought? Not the physical kind Texas has been having, but the spiritual kind. Most likely you have. It may have been a time of depression, of doubts, a string of bad luck we call a “Job-like season”, or the agonizing limbo feeling after at tragedy. It felt as if God had stopped blessing you. You thirsted for His presence. Your life cracked open. Your brow was furrowed and your eyes downcast.  But, deep inside you clung to the hope He was there, just as Job did.

Then it came.  Your prayers were finally answered. Your heart was drenched in peace.  His mercies rained down and your doubts and shame were sloughed down the gutter. Your spirit was bathed in His grace. You lifted your hands in relief.

The Newsboys wrote a song over twenty years ago called Let it Rain, from their “Going Public” album. It is Peter’s final prayer before being crucified upside down.  An ancient legend says the Heavens burst open when this apostle, Jesus called the Rock, took his final breath.  In their song, Peter prays, “Lord we’re waiting for Your rain to fall- bringing back the wonder of it all. I can see Your face again when You let it rain.”

Listen to the lyrics. Pray for His blessings.  Let His spirit fall afresh on you today. Be refreshed in the Power of His love.

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All the Lost and Lonely People…

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , on September 17, 2013| 2 Comments »

He was wandering the pet store, peering into the cages, strolling the aisles. He was dirty, tattooed and skinny with disheveled hair and unshaven chin. A  little girl crouched as she watched a white mouse on a wheel. When he stopped near her, I sucked in my breath. She stood up and ran down the aisle to her mom. He turned and went down another aisle. Then he meandered down another, with his hands laced behind his back. No cart, no basket.

Should I notify the clerks? Was he a pedophile, or just a hobo seeking the air-conditioned relief on a hot and humid Texas day?question

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Last Sunday, I stopped for gas on the way back from a workshop 5 hours away. The convenience store was busy – the kind with gas pumps, a fast food restaurant, rows upon rows of food and drink choices, and of course, clean restrooms.  It was a buzzing hive of people dashing in and out.

He sat in a wheel chair with one leg amputated above the knee. His beard was yellowish white and scrawny. He had a big plastic cup of soda.  Someone had given it to him or he had bought it.  Yet he sat with his chin in hs hand, watching everyone else scurrying in and out. I tried to catch his eye to smile, but he looked down and away.  Was he waiting for someone? He looked so despondent. Should I have done more?

As a single woman – do I trust God to protect me as I reach out to minister to these lost men? How would I do that? Do I just walk away and mind my own business like everyone else- how can I do that? These invisible people were no longer invisible to me.

Instead, both times, I got in my car and bowed my head. I prayed for God to send someone to touch their hearts and meet their needs. I prayed for them to believe in Christ and for Him to give them a sense of worth and belonging. I prayed for them to be loved. Was that enough? Did I wimp out of doing God’s will? I wasn’t sure.

They both came to mind this morning. So I prayed again. But I also prayed for myself- and the guilt I felt for not having done something. So many lost and hurting people out there… what can I do about it?

But wait- I did do something. I lifted them up to my Father in Heaven who loves them. It’s a start- a good start.

Who will God place in your path who needs your prayer today?  Will that be enough?

I’d like your comments and thoughts.

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Walking in the Fire

Posted in Biblical, Christian, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 15, 2013| Leave a Comment »

When the fires of life’s demands are blazing around you, and the corruption of the world is lapping at your hands and feet and threatening to suffocate you – how do you react?

© Sergiu Bacioiu Dreamstime.com

© Sergiu Bacioiu Dreamstime.com

Recall the three young men – Shadrack, Meshach and Abdenego ? Their story is found in the third chapter of the Book of Daniel. They refused to denounce their faith so the king threw then into the fiery furnace. At first they crouched down. But, instead of the fires consuming them, the Lord came and protected them from the flames. Together, they walked in it and through it.

The Lord promised He would never forsake us (Psalm 37;28), and that He is with us until the end of the ages. (Matthew 28:20). Even when we feel the heat of evil and worldliness flickering around us, He is always present.

We just need to seek Him.  If we cry, “Daddy!?,” He will come. He will take our hand, and walk us through the situation, or if we are too weak to walk, like a heroic fireman, He will carry us out.

As Natalie Grant, and others, sing in the song, In Christ Alone, there is no power of hell nor scheme off man that will ever pluck us from God’s mighty and loving hands.  But even more than that, His holy fire protects us.

In the Texas Hill Country, when a brush fire forms, the volunteers often start a barrier fire in it’s path to thwart it’s  spread.

The fire of the Holy Spirit is stronger than any other fire. He will thwart any scorches of hell or schemes of the secular world from consuming our souls once we ask Him into our hearts. We may feel the heat, but we won’t be eternally singed.  So walk- heh, why not dance?  You have a covering of holy asbestos.

In the midst of the flames, let people know you are “on fire” for Jesus.

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Squeeze God In

Posted in Books, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , on September 12, 2013| 3 Comments »

MP900444553[1]If your day is like most of us, you barely have time to breathe, much less find time to spend with God. Right?

Wrong –

Even though technology is sucking time away from us by making us available 24/7, ( how many of you have been awakened in the middle of the night by that text “bling” on your phone and wondered if you should get up and check it or roll back over?) we can find time for God if we realize that God is always present- in the present.

He is the great IAM, not the I was a second ago, or I will be in a moment.

Brother Lawrence, a Medieval monk who penned Practicing the Presence of God had it right – My set times for prayer are exactly like the rest of the day to me. They are but a continuation of the same exercise of being in God’s presence.

So, to squeeze more God-tIme into our day , maybe we should think about how to squeeze more of our day into our time with God.

He will help you with that.  Just ask Him to show you how.

Our Lord wants to hang out with you so much, He hung on the cross so He could.

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for more thoughts on how to squeeze more God-Time Into Your day, click on the picture below

Squeeze cover

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Will You?

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , on September 10, 2013| 1 Comment »

from Tx Hill Country

courtesy of Texas Hill Country-facebook photo

Praise the LORD, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom. Let all that I am praise the LORD. Psalm 103:22

All of creation praises the Lord – won’t you today?

Drop the load you are bearing.

Lift up your hands and lift your spirits.

You’ve carried it enough- time to give it to God.

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Words of Wisdom

Posted in Christian, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , on September 9, 2013| Leave a Comment »

this is a partial reblog from Guy Saffold, a Canadian pastor:

“That’s it!” I said, “I can’t do this anymore!”

God spoke to me clearly through 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Words that struck like a hammer blow confronted my sour attitude:

  • “Rejoice always!“ Yes – at all times.
  • “Pray continually!” Yes – without stopping.
  • “Give thanks in all circumstances!” Yes – even through these excruciating circumstances.

These verses made no room for my bitterness.

What was an even bigger breakthrough for me was the realization that this change in attitude is “God’s will for me in Christ Jesus.” For all the times I wondered about God’s will, here it was: rejoice, pray, and give thanks. Always. Continually. In all circumstances. I was faced with an inescapable choice between my negative outlook and God’s will for my life.”

Please read it in entirety at  http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2013/09/08/always/

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River Rain

Posted in Nature, tagged , , , , , , , on September 5, 2013| 1 Comment »

Our riverI’m a river rat – born and raised. Last weekend I was blessed to have time off so I could head back to my river, the Guadalupe, which meanders through the Texas Hill Country like an emerald-green ribbon. Quiet ripples coax you along its path, splattered by occasional shallows and rapids which are tame by most standards, but great for novice kayakers like me. I’d never been in one until my sister persuaded me to give it a try.

What a peace. Immersed in beauty, I floated along, the kayak barely making a sound as it skimmed the waters.  There I was, home! with the sun on my back and with someone I dearly love right beside me, telling me what to do and encouraging me to keep trying.  It reminded me of what it must have been like for Eve and Adam to walk in the Garden with God – before the Fall.

Then, the sky opened up and peltered soft rain, popping the water with thousands of diamonds. Through the sun’s rays we could see the rain making a thin, veil-like waterfall as it cascaded down onto the shore.  What an image of God’s mercies – after the Fall. Because His Son, our Lord went to the Cross, we are washed anew in the outpouring of His love.

I always find God on the Guadalupe. Where do you find Him?

Will you share that in the comments?

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In a Dung Beetle

Posted in Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , , on September 3, 2013| 3 Comments »

I had to laugh. There beneath my feet was a tiny black beetle rolling a piece of deer dropping. It was easily two times larger than he (or she – how do you tell?).  I thought, I’ve felt like that bug —

There have been times I have felt I had too much to bear, and wondered why.

There have been times I wanted to quit because I was tired of doing what I was doing and it wasn’t fun or fulfilling.

There have been times I felt like my life was full of…well you get the idea.

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Yet,  with diligent determination, the little bug used its legs and body to push, roll and move this piece of dung over pebbles, leaves, twigs and dirt. Nothing was going to deter that little creature of God from doing what he was doing.

You may say, “Okay. I get it. But, this is a bug. It’s working on instinct only. It can’t think. It doesn’t make decisions.”

True. But what if we accepted what God has given us at the moment and just plugged along anyway? Even if it seemed like something we’d rather not shove along at the moment, if we realize all has purpose in God’s kingdom, it would help us labor on by spiritual instinct — keep doing what God has given us to do until He says do something else, assured it is all in His plan.

Perhaps, we think too much. Perhaps we should just “do” and not over think it. That takes faith.

But, if we can realize that God put us here to go through the things in our lives for a purpose, that good can come out of bad, and that He is always right beside us through the process, we’ll be able to push through life with a better attitude.

…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:13

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

If I had the ear and bent close enough, I may have even heard that little beetle humming or whistling as it worked.

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PUDDLES OF JOY

Posted in Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , on August 30, 2013| Leave a Comment »

A good read from DiAne Gates- PUDDLES OF JOY.

DiAne looks at the bird’s splashing in a puddle on a hot August day, and it reminds her of God’s blessings.

“Did you know God provides puddles of refreshment for His kids too? Puddles of encouragement. Puddles of invigoration. Puddles of comfort. These oasis moments appear like the spontaneity of a summer shower…”

Today – Where will you find your puddles of joy to splash in God’s grace?

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Lesson from a Bird Feeder

Posted in Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , on August 28, 2013| 2 Comments »

dreamstimefree_97858I have a little bird feeder hanging on the tree outside of my balcony.  I fill it with a cup of seed each morning on the way to work. When I wake up in the morning, it is empty, ready for another cup.

Some of the birds perch on the feeder and eat. When they do, inevitably seeds scatter to the ground. The ground birds, doves, pigeons and the like, waddle in to eat the seeds that have fallen into the grass.  Everyone is happy.  Then it’s all used up.

The next morning, it seems as if they are lined up in the trees, waiting for me to come with my cup of seed. 

Can’t we relate this to God’s mercy and blessings which are new every morning? He presents us each day with a full cup. In fact, in Psalm 23 it says that cup runs over. How abundant are the blessings and mercies of the Lord.

It is up to us to receive those mercies and blessings as seeds of His love that can nourish us.  But do we, or do we flit by in search of what we think we are hungry for? What will fill us up – fame, promotions, accolades from our peers?

As we peck into our daily allotment of blessings and mercies, some will inevitably spread to others who need the love of Christ as well. That’s okay.  As followers of Jesus we are supposed to do that. There is more than enough for us, and whoever GOd brings to us during our day. Spread the love. Be merciful,  and bless others with your talents.

In the morning when you rise, anticipate (with humble thankfulness) God’s overflowing cup once again. It will be there.

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