The Light

Jesus is the light by which we see the Father, our guide out of darkness, into righteousness and peace.

He gives light for the way...maybe just enough to see the next step, but that's enough for now.

He has made our hearts to burn within, guiding us into the full knowledge of the Father. 

Cherish the flame...

guard the flame...

share the flame...

enjoy the flame!

Out of all God’s creatures, he made us with the particular ability to laugh.

 I’ve been thinking about laughter; not the outside expression of it but the quiet inside kind that isn’t always seen.

This kind of laughter was in the heart of the Proverbs 31 woman when she thought about the future.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” Prov 31:25

How could she laugh not knowing what was to come? 

She didn't need to know... she just needed to trust.

Does your heart break forth in joyous laughter when considering the coming days?

You can’t laugh when fear is there

Your heart must be at rest, completely contented knowing He holds all your tomorrows and will make each one good to you. 

Only at this place called surrender can one lift their head and express rejoicing, inward though it may be but oh, how strengthening to the soul!

Waiting Expectantly

The rain today reminded me of this post... with our Father in control of our lives we can always expect GREAT things! 

As soon as Elisha and Naomi heard of the possibility of rain they were ready-long before it even began.

They weren’t just ready, they were waiting expectantly for it! 

When the soft drops began to fall we ran to find cover while they watched in wonder and listened to the drops hit the umbrella. 

We were designed by God to wait, and watch, and long for His goodness.

It doesn’t always need to catch us by surprise. 

A Dandy Day

“Today must be a dandy day” PJ informed me as the children and I were outside. Her little hand was overflowing with bright yellow dandelions for her momma. 

 A weed and inconvenience to most , this little flower was being prized by these little girls.

Our trials are a lot like dandelions. To some, they are gifts from God; who wouldn’t trade them for anything knowing they are an evidence of His Love.

To others, a bother; something to hurry  up and get rid of because it’s spoiling their neatly manicured lives. 

I want to see the BEAUTY...

In every test may I see clearly His love and rejoice in Hope.

His Perspective

A little ant hill of a problem can turn into Mount Everest; it all depends on how you look at it. 


 

There are two ways to perceive things; earthly and eternal.

I am given so many opportunities to look through one or the other.

Eternal perspective looks past the present difficulty and sees the great opportunity to conform me into the image of my Father. 

But sometimes things don’t diminish…

They grow bigger and more dangerous when looked at through His perspective. 

When we are more concerned with the things of heaven we become less entangled with the things of this earth. 

To give a flower

Nathaniel wanted to give Bo a flower…

Bo stepped close to see if it was good to eat. He stood quietly. Then let him place it just above his ear. 

“Now I’ll give one to Teddy”

But he didn’t want it. He stepped away when Nathaniel come close to reached out his hand. 

Today God picked something special for me.

Will I come close and stand quietly so He can give it to me?

It will make me beautiful…it will make Him rejoice.

Maturity

 Maturity… it’s a relatively small word for such a big process.

We all start out as infants and many of us end the same way. The greater blessings are for those mature seasoned saints that are able to stand in the end. 

Maturity comes at a price. You must decide to put away childish things, not so much physical (although that’s part of the process), but put away fleshly impulses and vain thinking-which goes against your very nature as a child. It’s no longer about thrills, or constant stimulation.

 "Character is not built by battling and excitement alone. The harvest is not ripened by the thunderous forces of nature, but by the secret silent invisible forces. So the best qualities of our spiritual lives are matured by quietness, silence and commonplace.

~A. P. Gouthey 

Yes, it’s dieing, but also a glorious awakening to a fuller Life, in which our  God is not just our Father…He’s our Friend and Brother.

The gift of trials

In each trial sent from God’s hand there is a gift at the center. In order to experience that gift and the joy that it brings we must entirely commit ourselves to it, or really… to Him.

Trials come to visit very often in this life. They come and go, and sometimes… they stay a while, a very long while. 

It’s easy to consider them unwelcome guests; that life is paused, that joy is muffled until they take their leave.

But that’s not the way of our Lord. Jesus had more trials, more sorrows than us all, yet He also had more joy than we can imagine.

He committed himself to the Father. And the Father gave Him joy unspeakable.  

 

We NEED His joy; it is our strength for tomorrow.

 “For just as Christ’s (own) sufferings fall to our lot [as they overflow on His disciples, and we share and experience them] abundantly, so through Christ comfort and consolation and encouragement are also [shared and experienced] abundantly by us.” Amplified

"If any sincere Christian cast himself with his whole will upon the Divine Presence which dwells within him, he shall be kept safe unto the end.  What is it that makes us unable to persevere?  Is it want of strength?  By no means.  We have with us the strength of the Holy Spirit.  When did we ever set ourselves sincerely to any work according to the will of God, and fail for want of strength?  It was not that strength failed the will, but that the will failed first.  If we could but embrace the Divine will with the whole love of ours, cleaving to it and holding fast by it, we should be borne along as upon 'the river of the water of life.'  We open only certain chambers of our will to the influence of the Divine will.  We are afraid of being wholly absorbed into it.  And yet, if we would have peace, we must be altogether united to Him."       ~H.E. Manning

simple gifts

Sometimes we take for granted the simple pleasures God has given us.

Take for example, grass…

When’s the last time you walked barefoot in the grass? 

Only God almighty could think up such a practical, beautiful, nourishing carpet to soften the hard dirt we walk on.

He put it there for us.

Don’t allow busyness to blind you of His simple gifts. They were meant to be enjoyed, so enjoy them and give Him praise.

Note from Mom:  Seeing our Father's gifts means taking the time to look.  We miss many ways He is seeking to show His love to us, by not stoping to look.  Father, help us to slow down and see.

Walk by Faith

I went out this morning to do my simple routine with the donkeys; basic groundwork. While leading Teddy around the yard with a feed sack on his back we came to the trench which runs across our yard. Most of it is recovered, but there is a small section that remains open near the edge of the yard. I guess on times before I hadn't taken him this way, because when we got close he refused to go the way I wanted. It wasn't even over the trench that I led him, just beside it.

 

 

 I tried everything to get him to walk across. (I’ve been told the importance of training horse/donkey to obey, even if the command seems scary to them.) An hour later I was at the end of ideas and physical strength but I could see he was just beginning. He was never going to cross anywhere near that trench.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a white shirt lying on the ground…that’s it! 

I grabbed it and wrapped it over his eyes, he couldn’t see a thing. Turning him around I began to lead him through the path, near the trench… past his fears. Victory!!!

When I uncovered his eyes, he looked back towards where we’d come.

Tomorrow I’m heading straight for that trench. He’ll cross where I want him to. The children who will ride on his back one day will be safe and secure even when a trench comes into view.

I have a new appreciation for the times when I am required to walk by faith not sight. I look forward to the day when He can take off my blinds and I will willingly run beside Him near the trenches or right over them if He wants me too. That’s the kind of faith I want...that's the kind of faith I choose. 

"But the question to precede all others, which finally determines the course of our lives is What do I really want? Was it to love what God commands, in the words of the collect, and to desire what He promises? Did I want what I wanted, or did I want what He wanted, no matter what it might cost?"~ Elisabeth Elliot (Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ Control