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Sunday's Encouraging Word

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits; and in His word I put my hope."

Psalm 130:5

Tuesday Tastiness #15 - A Word from God

Today will be an unusual Tuesday Tastiness. We are going to Taste and See that the Lord is GOOD!

I want to encourage you today with an entry from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. It is a wonderful devotional that I love to read and gain beautiful encouragement from. It is written as if God is speaking directly to the reader. Although I got to spend an enjoyable hour and a half or so today in the car with a good friend, my nerves have been on edge and feel a bit frayed this evening. As I was reading through the devotional to catch up on a few entries to help calm those frayed nerves, I came across the February 27 entry that says:

Keep your eyes on Me! Waves of adversity are washing over you, and you feel tempted to give up. As your circumstances consume more and more of your attention, you are losing sight of Me. Yet I am with you always, holding you by your right hand. I am fully aware of your situation, and I will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear.

Your gravest danger is worrying about tomorrow. If you try to carry tomorrow's burdens today, you will stagger under the load and eventually fall flat. You must discipline yourself to live within the boundaries of today. It is in the present moment that I walk close to you, helping you carry your burdens. Keep your focus on My Presence in the present.

Isn't that just awesome!!!! It has really helped me put circumstances back into proper focus and place my attention on the Source tonight. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you.

This post linked to:

Works For Me Wednesday at Rocks in My Dryer

Jesus Calling Devotional

For those of you who have never seen or read the Jesus Calling devotional by Sarah Young, let me just say you are really missing out on a blessing.

I was gifted the book a little over a year ago and it has seen me through many a dark day and night since that time. Short daily devotionals are spoken to you as if they are straight from the mouth of God. Sarah Young knows the voice of God and knows how to convey His words back to her reader in a most beautiful way.

I would never want to infringe on copyright matters, but I will post today's devotional word here simply to let you in on the sweetness that is Jesus Calling...

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January 13

Try to view each day as an adventure, carefully planned out by your Guide. Instead of staring into the day that is ahead of you, attempting to program it according to your will, be attentive to Me and to all that I have prepared for you. Thank Me for this day of life, recognizing that it is a precious, unrepeatable gift. Trust that I am with you each moment, whether you sense My Presence or not. A thankful, trusting attitude helps you to see events in your life from My perspective.

A life lived close to Me will never be dull or predictable. Expect each day to contain surprises! Resist your tendency to search for the easiest route through the day. Be willing to follow wherever I lead. No matter how steep or treacherous the path before you, the safest place to be is by My side.

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Isn't that just beautifully comforting?

And the beauty of the book doesn't stop with the words. The book itself is a treasure and a pleasure to the senses. It feels nice and is soothing to hold and look at and read through.

It is on my amazon sidebar and if you are so inclined to purchase a copy or four, I would be pleased as punch for you to order through my blog. But my main purpose today is not to sell a book but to bless a soul! I hope yours has been blessed today!

This post linked to Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family

Finding Joy in the Christmas Season

For many people, Christmas is their favorite time of year. It pleases all five of the senses - the sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and many new things to hold and touch.

But when the main focus for the season is the "many new things to hold and touch", Christmas joy can be replaced by sadness and depression and anxiety when funds are limited or even non-existent for exchanging gifts. The gift-giving ritual of Christmas has become paramount. The other enjoyments of the holiday season seem to be secondary.

It has been said that when one of the senses is lost, others heighten and make up for the loss. For instance, a blind person has increased ability to rely on hearing and touch more so than those of us with eyesight. I believe that for those of us with limited ability to purchase gifts during the Christmas season, we have been given an immeasurable gift - the ability to increase our senses of sight, sound, taste, and smell. And with this gift can come abundant joy as expectations lessen, hustle and bustle slows down, trips to the mall (for just one more thing) cease, and the peace of the real reason for the season begins to envelop and calm us.

For me, I look forward to putting on some Christmas music, watching the lights twinkle on our (free) Christmas tree, enjoying the decorations throughout the house that Rachel loves to put up every year, driving through the park to see the Christmas lights, taking pictures to post on Facebook (lol), hearing Ryan play Christmas music on his guitar and listening to Rachel as she learns to do the same, smelling and drinking up some Christmas wassail, and baking up as many goodies as the budget will allow this year.

I do enjoy gifts and, when monetary constraints lessen one of these years, you can be sure there will be more of them under our tree. But for now, my choices (sometimes difficult ones) are JOY in the midst of struggle, PEACE in the midst of turmoil, and an awareness of JESUS in the midst of it all, choosing my sense of touch to be satisfied by hugging and holding onto my family and friends.

If these things sound difficult to you, please know that you are not alone. They are difficult. Yet I pray that you are able to find JOY, with ALL of your senses, during this Christmas season.

Thursday Thankfulness

Each Thursday in November I am going to post something I am thankful for in celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday. I would love for you to do the same!

Today I am thankful for the gift of rest in the midst of turmoil.

Up until a few years ago, I worried over everything. My husband told me that if I didn't have something to worry about, I'd make something up. And he was right. I had no peace. I did not know how to truly trust. I could not rest.

And then for some crazy reason about 8 years ago, I decided to make my Scripture goal - "I have learned to be content in whatever situation I find myself in" (my paraphrase).  Little did I know at the time that the Lord had that goal for me also. 

Shortly after that declaration of my new Scripture goal, my husband was laid off from his job of over 20 years. Stress! Maximum stress! Now 7 1/2 years and much turmoil later, I understand trust. And I know how to go to sleep at night and truly rest. Our struggles are not over. My husband has had to start over in a new career when many are beginning to count down the years to retirement. But we have lost our retirement savings and live day-to-day, not knowing what the next month's commissions are going to be or how the bills will be paid. There is a song that says He gives "just enough light for the step I'm on." That's where we are.

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My journal notes in December, 2003:

"I try so hard to lay it at the feet of Jesus, but fear gets the best of me.  I live in a constant state of fear these days...Why can't I trust??  Why can't I shake this fear that controls my life??  I'm so tired and weary.  It's taking too long...I know deep in my soul that the Lord is there and with us and will carry us through - is carrying us through.  But I'm just so tired."

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My journal notes a few months later in August, 2004:

"Thank You, Father, that I am reaching the point of thankfulness to You for Your teaching, for growing me deeper and deeper in Your love.  Thank You, Father, for being more concerned with my character than my comfort.  Thank You, Father, for taking my control from me.  Through this I've learned to hand control over to You.  Thank You, Father, for helping me to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself in ~ because You are there in the midst ~ in control.  Thank You, Father, for helping me see that I have never had reason to fear, for You have always been my Provider, my Peace, my Comforter, even when I've not been so sure of it.  Thank You, Father, because it's finally getting from my head to my heart.  This could not have happened without trials to the point of despair, without learning to give up control, without learning to be content no matter the circumstance, without learning, through trials, to rest in You.  It's all about You, Lord, it's all about You.

More of You, more of You.  I've had it all, but what I need is more of You.

We have lost all monetary crutches, and have gained ~ You!  We have no resources left to rely on ~ but we have You!  Our assets have been cut in half, and we are left with You!  You are truly all we need.  Your faithfulness endures forever!"

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How does one rest in the midst of difficult circumstances? I believe it it simply something that must be learned. (Remember my Scripture goal? I have learned to be content...) It is not something that can be conjured up or willed into existence through clenched teeth and fists. Our trials help us grow. I wouldn't trade the past few years for anything. What a wonderful thing to finally be able to trust my Heavenly Father and rest in Him.

(And FYI - I still have my moments!  Human!)

I hope this has not been too depressing as a Thanksgiving post! But I know that many are hurting during the holiday seasons each year and pray that the Lord will give His rest to each and every one. I would love to read your Thankfulness posts! Leave a comment and link to your blog if you have one.

Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  Deuteronomy 31:8

"Father I pray for my dear sisters who are fearful and distressed during this Thanksgiving season. Show them Your peace...and teach them Your rest. Amen"

This post linked to Heavenly Homemakers Gratituesday