Commit Your Works to the LORD
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Passing the Baton
What a nice surprise when I received an email from Wanda at The Watered Soul passing the baton of the Liebster Award to four other bloggers and me.
Every week, Wanda takes the time to highlight and direct her readers to other bloggers who have posts that are encouraging, introspective, honest and challenging. Through her blog I have found many treasures. Wanda is a very thoughtful, giving, caring and encouraging woman of God. Thank you Wanda! I so enjoyed reading your responses to Denise’s questions at Refine Me Lord.
Below are my responses to Wanda’s questions:
1. If you could rent a time machine for a day would you like to revisit the past or be catapulted into the future? The day I long for most is the rapture, so perhaps to go forward and see that day and moment when the Lord Jesus Christ will call His church home. But since no man knows the day or the hour of the rapture that may be a little tough.
2. What is one of the best pieces of advice you ever received? From my dear friend Margaret James who knew of my heart’s desire to be married, “Don’t settle!”. Thank You Lord…I didn’t settle and He gave me the man who is just right for me.
3. Which color would best describe your personality? Green, in its many different shades, is my favorite color. Not sure if that describes my personality? But it reflects so much of what I love and appreciate.
4. What is one thing you would include on your bucket list if you had one? I would love to go on a cruise to Alaska and Hawaii too.
5. What is something you once believed was truth but no longer do? Before I repented and received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I was caught up and believed the lies of the new age movement. In hindsight, I recognize it was a bunch of lies and garbage from the pit of hell. I can’t take any credit for my salvation because I was blind to the truth revealed in God’s Word about Who He is and how I could be saved through the atoning death of His Son Jesus Christ. God alone opened my eye and turned my heart of stone into a heart of flesh.
6. If you were to write a book telling your life’s story what would you title the book? Amazing Grace
7. What is something you would like to change on your blog but not quite sure how? I would like to know how to respond via email to the people who leave comments on my blog so that it shows their comments and my response. Not sure if there is a simple way to do that?
8. When it comes to blogging do you have specific schedule or do you write when you feel inspired? I write when I feel inspired and when I have time. Now that I’m a homemaker, I hope to be able to write more often.
9. What is your favorite way to spend a Saturday? Golly…I’m not sure. Until recently my Saturdays were filled with cleaning and errands. I guess I’ll be finding out.
10. What color are the walls in your favorite room of your home? Gold is the color in my favorite room, our den. We have two beautiful chairs which we acquired when we moved into our home and one has beautiful gold threads in the design. It’s a peaceful and quiet room. It’s the place where Chris and I will watch old movies or some PBS dramas or I might knit dishrags or crochet doilies.
11. If you had to pass along one word of wisdom to next generation, what would it be? Read God’s Word daily, know it well and obey Him in all things. You will never regret it.
In receiving this award I’m supposed to pass the baton along to 5 other bloggers with a new list of 11 questions. I’m passing the Liebster Award to 5 godly beloved bloggers:
Jim at Jim Allis
Michelle at A Heart Surrendered
Debbie at Make It Delightful
David at Pilgrim Scribblings
Ken at Following Jesus
I’d also love to hear from any of my readers answering the questions below.
1. Who has been the most influential person in your life?
2. Where would you like to go on your dream vacation?
3. How old were you when you received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?
4. What do you want to achieve through your blog?
5. What is your favorite book of the Bible?
6. Who is your favorite artist?
7. What new skill, talent or hobby would you want to learn if you had the time?
8. Do you like to read fiction or non-fiction books?
9. What is your favorite time of day?
10. Do you like to sleep in or rise early?
11. What is your favorite animal?
A New Chapter
I have now officially begun a new chapter in my life…that of homemaker. To be honest with you, I’m not even sure what that will look like as I ease into this role.
Yesterday was my first day at home. It’s a different pace than my work-a-day world, but at first I have much I need to accomplish. A good and thorough cleaning of our home is top on the list.
Four months ago when I had left my job of 29 years, I brought home boxes of things I had at work including pictures and decorations, cards and notes that I had saved. Where I left them is where they remained until yesterday when I finally had the time to go through the boxes and decide what to keep or get rid of.
As I read the cards and notes, they brought back a lot of memories, some good and some painful.
It got me to thinking, how much do I do that emotionally and mentally. How often do I hold on to thoughts and feelings from the past and not let them go? In doing that, don’t I have less room for the present and what’s going on in my life today? Are my thoughts and feelings colored by what I’ve held on to from the past? Do I fail to see people and circumstances through fresh eyes? Is my holding on to things and memories, in part, not fully trusting God?
Perhaps with some peace and quiet in my days, I will be learning a lot. May I have the ears to hear what the Lord Jesus is teaching me through His Word and prayer and the Holy Spirit within me. May I commit each day to the Lord and be about my Father’s business.
Far Beyond
When my circumstances are far beyond me
I acknowledge Your ways are not my ways
Far beyond my understanding
When I’m in the dark place
You are my ray of light
Guiding my next step on the path before me
Father, when I am inconsolable
It’s in Your presence I find peace
It’s You alone Who can comfort me
When grief and tears consume me
You whisper hope in my ear
Jesus, my confidence is in You alone
When words fail me
Your Holy Spirit perfectly translates my groans
Into prayers before Your throne of grace
When my world crumbles around me
You take up the dark and jagged pieces
Work them perfectly into Your sovereign plan
But LORD, right now
I just need You to hold me
Be here with me in my grief
by Susan Wachtel
March 23, 2014
Five Minute Friday – God’s Blessings in Strange Packages
Sometimes God’s blessings come in some mighty strange packages.
If you had asked me a few months ago what my plans would be for the coming year, I would have guessed that our lives would continue to go on pretty much as they always have, including working during the week and occasional vacations a few times a year.
Never would I have guessed the sudden turn our lives would take. Sometimes God allows those clarifying times in our lives to help us to see what’s most important. In the last few months, God has done just that in my life.
He has helped me to see that other things had usurped what should be first in my life…God, His Word, my husband Chris and our marriage, the church and our family and friends.
As a Christian, I think of course God is first in my life. After all the years I’ve wait to find my husband of course Chris is a priority in my life. But when I started to see how I’ve been investing my time and attention in the last few months…I didn’t see God, my husband, friends, our church and our home as my top priorities. Instead I saw work at the top of this list. As a result of how I’ve invested my time and attention, everything else, including that which should be my top priorities had been put on the back burner and fallen short.
After seeing our lives with new clarity and the toll misplaced priorities have taken, my husband and I decided that it is time to have me quit work and stay at home. To take care of my husband and our home that God has blessed us with. To restore order and put a stop to the chaos of our lives. To put God first…to take the time to study and read His word. Not just go through the motions and forget what I’ve just read when I close my Bible.
I’m doing the countdown now…just 6 more working days and then I will be a homemaker. Not sure what all that means or looks like…but I’m relieved and excited. I’m prayerful that the Lord will bless us as we seek to put first that which He has revealed as most important. I’m looking forward to the love, joy and peace that will fill our lives and our home.
It’s another Saturday morn and I wanted to participate in Lisa-Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday writing challenge. Head over to “Lisa Jo Baker”, and take some time to read some of the entries from other writers. I can promise you that you will be blessed.
Living Brave – Five Minute Friday 02/07/14
It’s hard to focus my thoughts these days because I’m weary in many respects and my mind is preoccupied by things of precious little consequence, especially in light of eternity.
What does it mean to live brave…what does that look like in my everyday life?
First and foremost it means having my heart and mind focused on God. To read His word daily, to know what He reveals about Himself, about me, about this fallen and broken world in which I live. About seeing the beauty that’s here even in the midst of sin and brokenness.
It’s about worshiping God everyday…really every moment…in thought, word and deed. Singing songs of praise, worship and adoration. Praising God even when things are amiss…praising Him for who He is. Praising Christ and remembering what He has done for me and all those whom He has called.
It’s about persevering in prayer no matter what. Especially when it seems like God is not answering my prayers and no solution or help is in sight.
It’s about taking the time each day to write about what I’m learning in this thing called life, so I don’t forget it.
Lord…help me to keep my focus on You. To be willing to praise and worship You at all times. To trust You in the dark and when it feels You are far away. To bring to mind Your perfect and true Word and to choose to believe You and walk by faith, not by sight.
It’s another Saturday morn and I wanted to participate in Lisa-Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday writing challenge. Head over to “Lisa Jo Baker”, and take some time to read some of the entries from other writers. I can promise you that you will be blessed.
Alone Yet Not Alone – Performed by Joni Eareckson Tada
1/11/14 Five Minute Friday – This Tapestry Called Life
Thank You Lord
For helping me to see
That I’m viewing this tapestry called life
From the back side
That which appears
Nothing more than a tangled mess of threads
Ugly, random and without purpose
Looks much different from the other side
There is a day coming
When I will view this tapestry
From Your side
From God’s perspective
It is then I will see purpose and meaning
In trials and tribulation
I will comprehend that which I could not see
This side of heaven
What seems like justice delayed
Is not justice denied
All Your accounts are not settled
Here on earth
You are patient, merciful and compassionate
To the ungodly and unrighteous
You desire for all to come to repentance
That no one would perish
Those who have been declared righteous
Through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross
One day their pain will cease
Their suffering will be redeemed
It is not so with the ungodly and unrighteous
Those who reject Christ’s perfect sacrifice for sin
For they will give an account to God
To the One who is holy, righteous and just
One day I will see
How You perfectly wove the dark threads
Along with the bright and beautiful colors
In this tapestry called life
By Susan Wachtel
January 11, 2014
Yesterday morning I wanted to participate in Lisa-Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday writing challenge. After writing, I had to head out the door for a busy day after a long week. But I still wanted to post something for this week’s submission. If you would like to try your hand at the five minute challenge, head over to her website “Lisa Jo Baker Tales from a Gypsy Mama”. Be sure to read some of the entries from other writers. I can promise you that you will be blessed.
Overshadow
While ironing this evening I realized I continue to think about and focus on a difficult person in my life. I’ve been more focused on the person than on God.
I’ve let this person eclipse and overshadow and what God is able to do in my situation, including dealing with people who are too difficult for me to handle. They are not too much for Him.
If perchance God continues to allow this person to misbehave, He will give me the wisdom on how to respond, the grace to respond with grace, even when it’s undeserved, just like He does with me.
More than anything, I need to be fully focused on the Lord, not my circumstances or people…but God. May God overshadow all that concerns me today.
2014 One Word…Trust
Last year I participated in choosing one word to focus on for the New Year. That word was Worship. For 2014, I considered keeping my one word the same since I didn’t really make worship of God my main focus as much as I should have and wanted to.
After prayer and thinking about what I should focus on this year…I do believe my focus will be on Trust. If there is one area I struggle with more than anything, its trust. Trust of God and trusting people.
In Hebrew the word is batach and means to trust, trust in, to have confidence in, to be bold, to be secure. To cause to trust, make secure. To feel safe and be careless.
In the Greek the word is elpizō and means to hope and to hopefully trust in.
If I can learn to trust God more this year that will be a huge and I think it will have a trickle over effect in trusting people.
Perhaps part of trusting God is knowing that He is worthy and I can reinforce that through worship.
What would the Lord have you focus on this year?
A Good Word on Prayer
Prayer is the struggling speech of the believer infant, the war cry of the fighting believer, and the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in the arms of Jesus. It is the breath, the password, the comfort, the strength, and the privilege of a Christian. So if you are a child of God, you will seek your Father’s face and live in your Father’s love.
Charles H. Spurgeon
Sin’s Dark Shadow Cast Upon the New Year
I awaken to see the sun rise
On the dawning of a new year
Instead of celebrating
My heart is grieved
For sin will be politicized
Celebrated and glorified today
That which God has declared sinful
Will be paraded as something acceptable and good
That which You foretold in Your Word
Will be on display
For today I am living in
A Romans 1 kind of world
That which You have declared evil
Man has declared good
That which is good in Your sight
Has been perverted and called evil
Lord, even some in Your church
May not speak up and stand for the truth
For they fear being branded
As narrow minded, intolerant or bigoted
May I not mistake Your patience
And desire for all to come to repentance
As approval of sin
Or believe that You will not punish un-repented sin
God, You are still upon Your throne
Sovereign, Holy and Righteous
I don’t get to decide for myself what is sin
For You have clearly spoken in Your Word
When I look back and see Christ on the cross
I know what You think of sin
The sinless Son of God was crucified
As He bore my sin and the sin of all mankind
May I remember the punishment and wrath
You poured out upon Your only begotten Son
Because of His sacrifice
I have been forgiven
I have been fitted for heaven
Clothed in the righteousness of Christ
Christ paid my ransom and I have been bought back
From the slave master called sin
Lord give me a heart of compassion
For those still held captive by sin
May I warn the sinner on the broad path
That leads to destruction
Salvation is found in no other name under heaven or earth
By which man can be saved
May I remember that You stand ready to forgive
A repentant sinner who proclaims Christ as Lord
By Susan Wachtel
January 1, 2014
Romans 1:16-32
God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
Just Thinking
What does the victorious life in Christ look like?
How does that effect
What I do
Say
Think
Feel
Respond
When dealing with challenging people and circumstances how does the Lord want me to respond? I’m not sure I know the answer…but I do know that I sure don’t feel like I’m handling it like I should.
Lord…I need Your wisdom to guide me. Your Holy Spirit to put a guard over my mouth. Draw me to You, to bring everything to you in prayer so I can receive wise counsel, comfort, strengthening, encouragement or woodshed time when needed.
Help me to keep my eyes and focus on You and Your Word. May I be sensitive to Your Holy Spirit. Thank You Lord for always hearing me and being my ever present help in times of trouble.
Sunday Morn Take Away 12/29/13
When going to church on Sunday morning, I bring my Bible and a notebook to jot down things that our Pastor Philip De Courcy says during his sermon. When the notebook is filled it goes on the shelf, seldom to be opened again.
For a while now…I’ve been thinking that perhaps I need to have a more record of what I’m taking away from our Sunday morning service. This won’t be a recap…more likely bullet points. A place for me to record what the Lord is saying through the study of His Word.
Today we studied Psalm 46.
God the Refuge of His People and Conqueror of the Nations
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth.
46 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Noah Webster Quote…God can save by many or by few… Their greatest weapon was their faith in God.
Psalm 46 is a celebration for what God does for those who trust Him.
Even in the face of monumental trouble.
Will we continue to trust Him?
God is our help in the midst of trouble
Not a bubble or protected from all trouble
God does promise to meet us in the midst of the trouble.
Sometimes God calms the storm.
Sometimes He calms us in the midst of the storm.
Our trust is in God Who is sure in the midst of trouble.
Martin Luther Quote…my conscience is bound by the Word of God.
Faith in God delivers security
A sense of well-being
Not an absence of trouble.
Security is the ever present presence of God
From Vs 1 – Trouble = a tight spot…painted into a corner
This was a time of great shaking for Israel…a time of upheaval.
No sense of security…nothing firm beneath your feet.
What are we going to do?
Trust in God
Deuteronomy 33:27
God was their greatest stronghold
Tucked under the shelter of God Himself
Our Shelter, our Safe Tower
Where will my shelter be this coming year?
Quote – Frederick Nolan…where God is, a spider’s web is like a wall. Where God is not, a wall is like a spider’s web.
Our God is inexhaustible…an able supply of resources.
A Strong Refuge
Invincible, inexhaustible
He will supply the necessary strength equal to the trial.
God’s help is timely…in the nick of time…2 Kings 19:35
The strength of God that is our help when we need it.
There will be grace when we need it and for what we need it for.
God’s strength is timeless
He is our Help from of old.
His strength has always been present
Psalm 90:1-2 – our Refuge in every generation.
God is immutable…He does not change.
There is help from of old.
God has unlimited resources. Faith in God provides sufficiency…waters that refresh.
2 Chronicles 32:30 Hezakah redirected the waters to come into the city of Jerusalem.
Rivers of Living Water
Peace, joy, comfort, righteousness
A living well and living water within you…the Holy Spirit
A fount of every blessing…calls for songs of loudest praise.
Story…Amazon River…pushes itself out to sea 90 miles. Surrounded by salt water, underneath the boat was fresh water…but they didn’t know it. They were asking for fresh water, but they already had an abundant supply.
Judgment is the process…peace is the outcome.
God of the armies of heaven
God will trouble those who are troubling you.
This and That
No Five Minute Friday to prompt me. No hustle and bustle of the holidays to distract me and keep me going like the Energizer bunny.
It’s seems this is the first quiet Saturday morn in weeks. I have time to think and reflect on all that’s gone on in the last few weeks and months. To quiet my heart and mind and listen to the Lord.
Lessons I’ve had in the past, some of which I’ve failed at miserably, are coming around again. This time I’m facing those lessons with the Lord Jesus Christ, with my heavenly Father to give me wisdom and the Holy Spirit residing within me. May I incline my ear to the Lord, listen carefully and follow His leading and guidance as I navigate these waters afresh.
May I have the mind of Christ and the love of God. May I be obedient and honor God with all I do, say, think and feel.
May I stay in close communication with God, not forsake time in prayer and listening to Him through His Word, which is perfect, inerrant and complete. May I boast in nothing except for Jesus Christ and Him crucified. May my heart be sensitive to the Holy Spirit when He nudges me or corrects me or convicts me of sin. Help me to be mindful of my absolute need and dependence upon You Lord and please keep me close.
As of late, I’ve been feeling empty, spent and depleted with nothing left to give. Even the simplest task seems like more than I can handle. I need to be fed and replenished spiritually from God’s Word and through worship and praise of my great God and Savior. I need the physical rest and sleep so that I’m no operating on empty. I need to renew my mind through the washing of the Word.
I can scarcely believe that Christmas has already come and gone. Not only that…but we are on the edge of a New Year. I would never have guessed all the changes that happened in 2013, how it’s ending. What will the new year hold? Only the Lord knows and I need to stay close to Him each day. Keep my eyes on Him, not my circumstances or other people.
God Is Able – A Well-timed Message
It was my pleasure to read Priscilla Shirer’s newest book God Is Able and it was a well-timed message that I need to be reminded about.
In God Is Able, Priscilla camps on two of the most powerful verses of scripture in the New Testament, Ephesians 3:20-21. “Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”
Those are two life change verses if we can really grab a hold of what those verses are saying and apply them to our lives. Priscilla digs in and shares what she learned by studying each word in those verses and applying them to her life.
Why a whole chapter devoted to “Now”? When you think about it, do you really get that the Lord God Almighty loves you, is there and available to be at work in your life in that impossible situation you are dealing with right now? He is well able to work exceedingly abundantly in those circumstances that are beyond you. Our circumstances are never beyond God.
One of the things I appreciate about Priscilla’s writing is that she has a high and holy view of God. She does not downplay the sovereignty of God. Sometimes God’s work that is beyond what we can imagine is when God in His sovereignty says “No”. He is doing a work in us and through us that may impact others. He desires to grow us and transform us into the image of Christ.
I enjoy Priscilla’s style of writing. I feel like I’m sitting across the table from a friend, who is being open, honest, real and transparent.
I recommend God Is Able by Priscilla Shirer. This book would be excellent for someone who wants to better understand God’s love and His power at work in the lives of His people. Perhaps for a person who is going through difficult circumstances and needs some hope. Or maybe if you just want to sit down and meditate on the awesome and amazing God we serve.
I would like to thank B&H Publishing Group for providing me a copy of God Is Able to read in exchange for an honest review.
I am pleased to announce that B&H Publishing Group has provided me with an extra copy to give away. If you would like to read God Is Able please leave a comment or send me an email at susanwalkergirl@gmail.com. On Saturday, November 30th, I’ll will select a winner and notify you via email to get your mailing address.
Evangelize to Me by Ceil
It was a Five Minute Friday post that led me to blogger Ceil’s website Evangelize to Me. After reading her post, I signed up to follow her blog. On those busy days when I feel spent and need some encouragement or correction, it’s good to drop by Ceil’s blog and read about what she’s learning from the Lord.
Earlier this week, I dropped by and read her post, “A Parable and a Pruning”. In this post she shares about how she pruned a bush that was overgrown but had bare branches on the inside and she applied that to how the Lord sometime prunes us when our inner life is barren.
I would encourage you to drop by Evangelize to Me and be encouraged and challenged in your faith by this precious sister in Christ.
Thank you to Wanda at the Well Watered Soul for an opportunity to join with you and others in highlighting posts by fellow bloggers.
Five Minute Friday – Fly Out the Window
In the middle of a busy and somewhat chaotic week, the Lord was there to meet me and had some lessons for me.
I was feeling quite overwhelmed by the amount of things I had to accomplish, requests coming in right and left and I was seeing the stress on others too. I was overwhelmed and felt unable to do what I needed to or be of help to anyone.
When I stepped away for while I felt like the Holy Spirit was nudging me and asking me, “Susan, where’s your focus? It’s not on God, but it’s on your circumstances and people. You need to get your focus back on Me.”
In my own strength and power I would be unable to accomplish what I needed to. My peace would fly out the window. I wouldn’t be living in a manner that glorifies God. I would be of no help to others or be able to encourage and strengthen others.
Instead I need to see my circumstance through my God who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, more than I can ask or imagine. I need to be going to my Heavenly Father in prayer, with thanksgiving and present my requests to Him.
I need to be prayed up and taking my every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Let God overwhelm my impossible circumstances with His overcoming power.
Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.” 2 Chronicles 14:11
It’s another Saturday morn and I wanted to participate in Lisa-Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday writing challenge. Head over to her website “Lisa Jo Baker Tales from a Gypsy Mama”. Be sure to read some of the entries from other writers. I can promise you that you will be blessed.
A Sailor’s Dying Wish
On my drive home tonight I listened to the Hugh Hewitt show and was greatly moved by an article that Hugh read. I encourage you to click on the link and read about “A Sailor’s Dying Wish” by Jennie Haskamp.
It’s the kind of article that make you proud to be an American and grateful for the sacrifice of servicemen and women who protect and defect our nation, both in the past and present.
Beware…
“Beware of the Bareness of Busyness”
When I heard that quote, my ears perked up…that’s it! That describes my life the last few months. It’s getting busier and busier and I feel emptier and emptier.
I’m busy at work, I’m busy at home…and there is very little downtime. The pace is too much! There’s no let up.
I spend time in Word of God in the morning and at night. I pray. When I go to lunch or on my drive home, I listen to Bible studies or worship music…but there’s something still missing.
My life feels lifeless.
I think it’s because during my day, I’m not taking the time to listen to that still small voice. I’m not hearing God’s gentle whisper or even His shouting to get my attention. My attention is elsewhere.
I don’t take the time to write it down and think about it. To see where it applies to my life. I’m not taking time to enjoy the gifts that God has given me. Nor taking the time to say thank You.
When people aren’t listening to me…I stop talking to them. I don’t want to waste my time.
Does God ever feel like that?
Perhaps God’s silence, His deafening silence, is finally getting my attention. Oh Lord…help me to hear You, to really listen and obey.
Susan's Blog 