Spirit Wind: His Love In Motion
Dear Friends,
The cold winter wind has blown the leaves around the yard and some are pressed against the fence. In the spring I'll rake and clean up the dried, wind blown leaves, but for now I see a message in the leaves against the fence.
I don't want to be like the leaves being blown around without purpose or like the dried leaves against the fence. Each day we have an opportunity to pray that God give us a vision for Him. Where can we spread His love today? Who can we touch with kindness?
We are near the end of a year, about to begin a new year. Many people use this time to make changes in routine and lifestyle improvement. Spending time in the Word and prayer can help us focus each day renewed and ready to see the opportunities that He has planned for us. Small acts of kindness can do a lot to brighten the life of someone who is having a hard time.
The Spirit wind is love in motion.
Hebrews 10:24
"Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works."
Sheep, a Star and a Stone
Dear Friends,
Just as parents today are excited to announce the birth of a new baby, our Heavenly Father celebrated the birth of His only Son! He was so excited to announce this miracle to the world! The fulfillment of His ancient prophecies was coming! Angels filled the sky announcing His birth and the shepherds went to the stable and worshipped the newborn Messiah! Wise men saw a bright star then went to Jerusalem and followed that star to where they found Jesus. They brought special gifts and worshipped Him. They knew of Herod's plan and returned home by a different way. A dream warned Joseph of the evil plan and Jesus was taken to safety.
The Father had planned each detail to bring redemption to this world.
I find it interesting that a lovely flower called 'Star of Bethlehem' is used as a health remedy for trauma injuries and anxiety situations to bring calm and healing to the body and mind. Jesus was a healer of broken bodies, minds and hearts. His touch and His words brought peace, comfort and redemption to the world.
When His time for death had come and His body was sealed behind a large stone the earth quaked and that stone rolled away! An angel announced His Ressurection to the women who had come to the grave. The announcements of His birth and His Ressurection were followed by amazement! Shepherds, wise men, and fishermen fell to their knees and worshipped Him! Those who heard the Good News had a burning desire to spread the message. Our Messiah, the Star of Bethlehem lives!
Mark 16:15
"And then He told them, " Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone."
Crazy Quilts, Wrens and Gardens
Dear Friends,
In the middle of December I really start to miss my time outside in my little cottage garden. I miss my little wren friends who brighten my days and I even miss the physical work involved in growing my flowers. Today I was out there in the cold filling the bird feeders and putting some pots in the shed. I noticed some curly parsley and feathery fennel still growing in the midst of dried morning glory vines, leaves and twigs. My garden is a bit like a crazy quilt.
Crazy quilts are an arrangement of multicolored fabrics of different textures and shapes, often with bits of scrap material from discarded items. After the scraps are sewn together decorative embroidery, lace, buttons and beads are added giving the piece beautiful detail interest.
In Genesis chapter one we read about the creation. Our God is the amazing Creator of this world of details. These details are the basis for human creativity. His details give our minds food to fuel our imaginations and we make pictures with pencil, paint, fabric and words. What a beautiful world He made.
Genesis 1:31
"Then God looked over all He had made, and He saw that it was very good!"
Drought In The Garden: Mary's Song
Dear Friends,
Just the other day a friend said that for her at this particular time it is a time of drought.
December may seem like an inappropriate time to talk about a drought but this is what I have on my heart today.
A place that is experiencing a drought is different from a desert place. Unique plants and wildlife live in the harsh climate of deserts. Desert winters are times when rain falls and cisterns are filled. We know that desert animals like camels can live without water for much longer than animals in non desert places.
A drought can bring the climate of a desert to an area that isn't used to those conditions making it potentially destructive to the plant and wildlife there. Because of the harsh conditions activity needs to cease for a time. The drought my friend was speaking of is a temporary time that is different from the usual. It's a quiet, sort of alone time.
In the gospel of Luke we see a time like this for Mary right after the angel came to her the first time. He told her that she was highly favored and she responded with a desire to be a vessel for His purpose to bring forth the Messiah. Then the time of drought took place. She quickly left the town where Joseph and her family lived. She traveled to the hill country of Juda to be with her aunt and uncle. No phones or Internet or quick visits back for weekends, only miles of silent separation. God met her in that place and ministered to her through her aunt Elisabeth. He confirmed His message to her and gave her a song.
Drought is a time to expect a miracle.
With less activity and less noise it can be lonely and sad. Come and sit in the shade with your prayers. Sit and wait with a song of hope in your heart. We can be thankful for this time of drought. Our Savior is near in this quiet time.
Luke 1:46-47
"And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour."
Fill My Cup
Dear Friends,
I have this song going through my mind.
"Fill my cup, Lord.
I lift it up, Lord.
Come and fill this thirsting of my soul."
When I was a little girl we had an old hand pump in the back yard next to the grape vine. A tin cup was hanging on the faucet by a small chain and would clink against the pump like a wind chime. The handle would make a loud squeak as I pumped it up and down while holding the cup under the spout. Then the water would gurgle and gush out overflowing the cup and splashing my bare feet with the cool water! Psalm 23:5 has the phrase, "my cup runneth over."
Jesus sat at a table with the one who would betray Him and the one who would deny Him three times. This was the table where He broke bread and shared it with His friends. He took the cup and shared it also with them. Later that evening while in the garden He prayed to his Father while they slept. "...except I drink it, Thy will be done." His cup of suffering was full.
While on The Cross He cried out! He was lifting His cup! Our forsaken, thirsty Savior. His cup overflowed. The veil was torn, the earth quaked, rocks were broken.
Then on the third day He rose!
Dear friends it's okay to cry out in your pain and thirst when your cup is overflowing. Fill my cup, Lord!
He said in Matthew 20:23 "Ye shall drink indeed of my cup."
Sweetness From Rocky Soil
Dear Friends,
Miles of rows of grape vines fill the hills of Samaria near Jerusalem. Large white rocks have been used to terrace the hills, creating little walls making the land useful for the vineyard and olive grove owners.
Each day the grape harvest starts early before the morning dew has evaporated. The sun rises higher in the sky. The scorching heat is perfect for ripening the grapes. The last clusters of royal purple grapes need to be picked before the cooler weather along with daily, heavy rainfall begins. The vineyard owner wants every grape picked to make his prize-winning wine. The ground is dry and dusty and the grapes are beginning to shrivel on the vines. These are the last and the sweetest grapes from ancient vines that will be pressed into the sweetest wine. The sweetness attracts the honey bees which will make golden, sticky sweetness.
The roots of these vines are strong. They have worked hard to push through the rocks to reach the deep water source down below the surface to feed the vines.
Once the work of the harvest is finished the heavy rains come. The dry, thirsty soil is thankful and the leaves on the vines become beautiful red and dry as they fall from the vines. The roots grow deeper as they find that the Source is now filled with life giving water.
Colossians 2:7
"Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness."
A Fragrance Remembered: Reyhaneh
Dear Friends,
Flower petals are blowing in the breeze and cover the ground in silky softness. Happy children play in the blossoms tossing the tiny bits of color into the air. Little girls are dancing and twirling under the Magnolia tree. The fragrance fills the air of Heaven.
In Iran a young woman named Reyhaneh is known for her courage and her truthfulness and her merciful attitude. Reyhaneh was broken by cruel acts of injustice and wicked lies.
When I heard about Reyhaneh I thought of the woman who overcame many fears and came to Jesus. The room was crowded with many strange men. Cruel words were spoken against her as she approached the Master. She knew her calling and closed her ears to the accusations against her. She had walked carefully and deliberately with the fragile alabaster jar. Brave and confidently she came to Him and broke the jar of perfume. The ointment flowed over the head of Messiah. The accusations got louder and every eye was on her as the scent filled the air. She was blessed by Jesus and she is remembered today. This woman isn't named in the Bible. They said it was a waste of precious perfume. Jesus said she would be remembered.
Those who meant for Reyhaneh's death to be the end don't know Jesus. He can make something beautiful out of the injustice of her death. When Reyhaneh forgave her accusers the scent of perfume filled the air. When she wrote of her desire for her death to be used for good that others could live a more full life the scent of the perfume filled the air. The alabaster jar was broken and Reyhaneh will be remembered.
I pray that God will comfort those who knew and miss her and that they will know the One who died for us so that we can live with Him.
First John 4:10
"This is real love -- not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice for our sins."
Finding Sunshine: A Garden Surprise
Dear Friends,
Gardens are so much like life. Several years ago I started referring to my children as "my garden". People say that children grow like weeds, but I always thought of them as flowers. I am always seeing relationships between my garden and faith and life. Today I want to tell you about my unpredictable garden and how life can be that way.
Last spring I bought a packet of Cosmos seeds that had a picture of a vase with multi-colored blooms on the front. Some of the flowers were pastel and some brightly colored. The thin stems with fern-like leaves holding the flowers was what I could imagine growing here. This combination was just right for my cottage garden!
I planted them in the perfect sunny place and waited. The delicate stems grew and buds formed and started to bloom. White ..... white ..... white .... no blushing pink with yellow centers, no velvety scarlet, no royal purple, only white. It didn't take long until I had to admit that they really are pretty in a tall, feathery white sort of way. When the wind blows a gentle breeze the delicate stems dance and the blossoms wave back and forth like small, white-gloved hands! This is very different from the picture on the packet. The place where they are growing would be empty if I pulled them out and it's too late in the season to plant more, so I water them, take pictures of them and add them to bouquets. It's okay if they are all white. They look nice with the other flowers in the garden.
On October 24, 2000 our daughter Autumn Sunshine was born. When I held her for the first time she had the same fresh-from-God scent that all new babies do. She was small and fragile and different than I had expected. They whisked her away and came back and told us that she has Down Syndrome and that they had detected a heart defect. This was the first of many health challenges that we have faced with Autumn. Nobody plans to have a child who needs special care. I have times that I don't know if I can do life another day. But God gives me what I need. My garden was given a special surprise. The place where she grows in my heart is full of Sunshine.
Psalms 139: 14
"I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works..."
Linen Stitches: Finding Butterfly Wings
Dear Friends,
God calls all of us to love our neighbors and to lay down our lives for one another. Loving our neighbors not only ministers to that individual but also is a reflection of Jesus to others around us while building up the Body.
I have been thinking about the different ways God uses our unique gifts, talents and personalities. Searching God's Word and allowing Him to guide our steps will bring us to the opportunities He has planned for us. We have a choice to step into that place or not. When we do take the step He will equip us for the task and provide what we need to accomplish the job for His glory.
I have wondered why Simon was the one chosen to carry the Cross for Jesus. He had a choice to bolt from the scene to escape the task pressing on him. I imagine him looking into the eyes of Jesus and welcoming the opportunity to use his strength. Did he whisper a kind word to Jesus as he lifted the Cross onto his own shoulder? Did he sweat and bleed under the weight of the Cross? Simon's encounter with Jesus involved pain and suffering.
When we enter into the work that we are called to do and are accompanied by the gifts and talents of others the weight of the task is lightened. Unity and community is loving our neighbor and carrying the cross.
I've met people who have a special love for children with special needs. They opened their hearts and homes to several of these children who didn't have family to love and care for them. They made a choice and stepped into the hard place where God wanted them to minister in. It isn't a job that can be done alone. It takes unity and community, the Church loving one another. I've met a family who laid down their life and moved to another state to care for an elderly parent (grandpa) so that his quality of life would improve. The family works together in his care, strong and determined to do the task God has burned into their hearts. It takes unity and community to do this work. These are examples of loving your neighbor, of laying down your life for another. Maybe when we see a brother or a sister who is carrying a cross we will actively welcome an opportunity to help. A cup of water, a hug and a prayer can go a long way sometimes.
Finding butterfly wings is a way to describe finding your path, or your calling and then trusting and taking flight into the area He is leading.
Matthew 25: 40
"....Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
Mark 8:34
".... He said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
Lessons From Wrens
Dear Friends,
God can show us truths about His character even when we look out our windows.
I have a couple of wren families who come to my garden to nest every year. They know it's a safe place for them and it is filled with nesting materials and food and shelter that they need. In the spring when the first one returns she perches on a branch and sings for her mate to come. When he arrives they spend a few days going house hunting for the perfect home for their babies. They poke their heads into the different little houses, hopping in and out. When a decision is made they sit on the top of the house and sing their shrill wren song to each other.
Just the other day I was surprised to see a group of baby wrens playing together in my garden. It appeared to be a game of hide and seek! I watched three tiny babies flying from flower to flower and then to a branch looking for just the right place to hide. Then they found a little birdhouse that has the roof missing. It's like a little box hanging in the midst of Sunflowers and tangles of Morning Glories in my garden. One by one they perched on the edge of the house and hopped inside. They were being very still as if they were hiding in the little broken house. Then another tiny wren flew to the edge of the hiding place and they all flew out and repeated the game again a couple of times!
The wrens were not bothered by the brokenness of the little house. They were able to see past that flaw and find a purpose for it!
I have written about brokenness before and God brings me back to this message to continue to show me and to help me to paint the picture for you. God can use and make beauty from broken lives and from the ashes. He has many ways to show us His love: a broken alabaster box, pottery mended with gold, and a little broken bird house. Jesus is always ready to mend and heal us and to use us for His glory. When we go to the safe place of His presence in prayer and receive His forgiveness and His nourishment we can find this blessing.
Isaiah 61:3
"To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for His own glory."
Feathers, Petals and Songs
Dear Friends,
This summer has been so unusually rainy and when I go to the garden my flowers are covered with raindrops. The sunlight is coming out from behind the clouds and glistening on the delicate petals of the Hibiscus. The sun shines through the petals like a sunbeam shines through a curtain made of lace. The intricate details of the life sustaining veins inside each petal is visible. Yesterday the flower was still curled tightly like an unborn baby is curled inside a womb. The birth happened unseen by my eyes. The rain and the sunlight provided the life giving nutrients bringing birth to the flower. I saw the bud yesterday and I see the blossom today. Beautiful!
So often I am reminded of Naghmeh Abedini who is the wife of Saeed. He is in prison in Iran for his faith in Jesus. She asks for prayers as she goes before officials, or when she is being interviewed on news programs. She has shared how she is naturally a very quiet person and is very nervous to be in the public eye. I heard it said that courage is doing what you know that you should do, something good and right, even though you are afraid. Even through the pain she speaks out and shares the Gospel.
God sees the tears on her pillow, and He hears her trembling heart when she gets behind a microphone. He know the sorrows that she faces each day when her children cry for their daddy. When she has the opportunity to tell people about Saeed she also tells them about God's love and about her faith and how God is sustaining them through this time of extreme pain.
I see Naghmeh blooming as this flower is now. Prayers can be life giving much like rain and sunshine are to a garden. Let us remember to pray for them. God is working and will be glorified!
Psalms 34:18
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed."
Hebrews 11:30
"It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down."
Gardens and Harps:
Finding Healing In The Willow Tree
Dear Friends,
These words comes to my mind as I consider the recent horrific event that happened in Charleston, S.C. this past week.
I remember as a small child how I enjoyed playing under the swaying, leafy branches of the willow tree in the back yard. The branches were like flowing hair on a beautiful princess who was dancing in the breeze. Children love playing and having picnics under the canopy of the willow.
Psalms 137 says that "they hanged their harps on the willow." They were in captivity. A place of no joy. The joy that had flowed from the music of the harps and the dancing branches of the willow tree before the invasion had turned to desolation and despair.
When evil touched the community in Charleston they responded in their overwhelming grief with a message of forgiveness and compassion for the one who hurt them. The sorrow and pain of loss of lives will remain, but Jesus is the victor in this situation. Prayers and God's Word will continue to go forth from that place. They made a choice to NOT hang their harps on the willow!
Some different forms of captivity include physical, emotional and spiritual. Bitterness and unforgiving attitudes can lead to addictions and emotional or mental problems that keep people in bondage. When someone hangs their harp on the willow it's a sign of a need to turn to Jesus.
Willow bark is called "Nature's Aspirin" because of the pain relieving benefits. The Willow cannot remove the pain associated with a crime like the people of Charleston experienced nor can it remove the pain caused by a bitter heart.
My picture of a Passion flower represents the pain that Jesus endured for us on the Cross. He made the choice to die for us so that we can be freed from captivity. Listen to the message of the people of Charleston, the message of forgiveness, of turning to Jesus with our pain! He is the wonderful healer! He wants us to come to Him like children. Come under the canopy of the Willow! Jesus wants us to play the harp and be joyful in freedom from the chains that hold us captive.
Matthew 11:28-30
"Then Jesus said, Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
Conversations and Violets
Dear Friends,
Not long ago someone asked me what my thoughts were about prayer.
I keep thinking about that conversation and I realize that when someone asks me for prayer it's one of the most special things to have someone ask. It is an honor to be asked to pray for someone. Praying for someone else takes you into the other person's situation and the focus off of yourself. God meets with me when I lift the needs of others up to Him. Prayer is a conversation with Jesus. Sharing and listening in His presence.
When I visited a friend who lived in a different state she shared some flower plants from her yard with me. She had violets popping up on the edge of the yard and under a big tree. The little purple blooms and heart shaped leaves were so pretty, so simple and delicate.When I got home I planted them along the walkway in the front yard where they made a nice border and along the fence in the back yard. They soon filled in the areas around them and I had extra violets to share with friends.
Violets are like prayers in some ways. When you give them away they are blessings and they grow, dropping seeds, filling the empty, desolate place in your heart that was meant for prayers. Violets can pop up in unexpected places like in the cracks between rocks or in the dark, shady area under the ferns. Prayers bring a brightness into a hurting heart like the tiny bits of color of the violets can light up a dim, wooded forest. Simple prayers that are from your heart will bring light to any situation.
A friend from out of state called with a request for prayer while I was writing this. At first I was surprised that I would get a call for prayer at this time. Then I thought that it really isn't surprising. God does things that confirm to us that He is here and desires conversation with us. I shared with my friend what I was writing about and she said some of the same things that I have written here. It's an honor to have someone trust you enough to ask for prayers and it's a privilege to have conversations with our God who loves us.
John 16:24
"....Ask, using my name, and you will receive , and you will have abundant joy."
1 Timothy 2:1
"I urge you, first of all to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them."
It Can Bloom Again
Dear Friends,
Have you ever had a pot of flowers blooming in you house before spring is here? You might see them in florist shops when you are aching to be in the garden and the snow is still on the ground. The bright colors of tulips and daffodils can warm up a room and brighten an early spring day that has the lingering chill of winter clinging to it. The bulbs of those flowers have gone through a special process to bring them to bloom indoors before the normal blooming season. The sad thing is that once a bulb has been "forced" it most likely won't bloom again. The "forcing" zaps most of the strength from the bulbs. Sometimes if it has great care along with the right conditions this flower may bloom again.
It's amazing that some of the care and conditions that these bulbs need are like what we need to grow in our faith, especially during a time of difficulty.
I heard a song about a rose that was crushed, walked upon, and appeared dead. The scent of the rose escaped the crushing and lingered for a while leaving a sweet memory of the lovely rose. In time and with the right conditions it will bloom again!
Exposure to full sun would be time spent in prayer. Plentiful food and water would be like time in God's Word. A time of rest would be like waiting on The Lord. A time without plant food or water would be like a time of fasting and prayer. A time under a special fluorescent light would be the pouring out of the Holy Spirit during this time. A time in the dry and darkness is like more waiting on Him, maybe in sorrow and loneliness. Then comes the special day of planting in a sunny location and more waiting. This is a time of growing again, now in the perfect location and right conditions. The blooming will be spectacular, as if the "forcing" had never happened.
Our springtime nights are still chilly and daytime temperatures are unpredictable. I've been working to clear the flower garden of twigs, and dead leaves and those crazy little helicopters that flew around in the wind and are trying to sprout into Maple trees all over the garden. While clearing these things out I uncover little treasures that survived our freezing winter! I am finding tiny sprouts of green that will be bloom again during the months to come.
If you need encouragement remember that you can bloom again.
2 Thessalonians 3:5
"May The Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ."
Bread, Ducks and Angels:
How Jesus Meets Our Needs
Dear Friends,
This story has to do with ducks, angels and bread. Jesus fed the people with bread, miracle bread, broken bread, the bread that gives life.
Children love ducks. A friend recently showed me pictures of her children playing with a cute yellow duck that came up to them for attention and it reminded me of a special story. Sometimes God allows things to happen that give a glimmer of hope and confirmation of His presence. These glimmers are like the 5 loaves of bread that Jesus blessed and broke in Matthew 14. He then fed the multitude with that bread. Loaves of bread can feed the hungry and also nourish the soul. He provided the bread for both reasons.
When our daughter Autumn Sunshine, who has disabilities, was less than 3 years old she would look at the ceiling and seem to follow something with her eyes and she would say "duck". Once when we were at a large meeting with lots of people and noise she was very upset and suffering from sensory overload. She looked up at the ceiling, calmed down and said "duck". I was glad she settled down but was confused about the duck that she saw.
I took her to enroll in a private Christian preschool and she walked over to a book rack, picked up a story book that had a picture on the cover of a dove flying upward with its wings looking almost like angel's wings. She said "duck"! Now I understood! She could see something that I couldn't see. Shortly after this she was at a point that she wanted to go up and down stairs without help. I was hesitant to walk away from her because she was on a flight of steep, wide stairs, not near the railing. She was so insistent and she did need to learn so I took a breath, let go of her hand and took a few steps away from her. She started to fall! I was terrified that she would be badly injured. She went down one step then stopped falling and looked up at the wall and said, "duck". I understood God's provision of protection!
In Matthew 14:30-31 shortly after Jesus fed the multitude with the five broken, blessed loaves of bread the disciples were fishing and a storm started. Jesus went out on the water toward the boat and Peter left the boat to meet Jesus. The wind and waves frightened him, "... and he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him..."
When we are hungry He provides the bread we need. In John 6:48 Jesus said, "I am that bread of life." Autumn's ducks were a sign of His protection and His Presence. They filled a need that I as a parent couldn't provide. When we are falling or sinking He stretches out His hand to help us. I'm so thankful for those glimmers of His Presence.
Hear The Bells Ringing
Dear Friends,
Today I heard the Easter Song and actually listened to it several times soaking in the beautiful melody! I could imagine the angels singing and bells ringing to tell the world that Jesus was risen. The garden must have been radiant in the light of the new day when the women found the stone rolled away! The scent of the blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle vines was probably drifting in the soft breeze throughout the garden. The Lilies must have been perfuming the pathway as they hurried to tell the disciples that He had risen.
So much had happened during those past few days and so many emotional scenes had past before the eyes of these women who loved Him so much that they wanted to anoint Him with sweet spices. Verse 8 of Matthew 28 says that "they departed quickly with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word." He had told them that He would be killed and then rise the third day. In the rush to spread the good news they may have left the jar of spices. Jesus had already been anointed with very precious perfume when the woman came to Him in Bethany and broke her alabaster jar and poured it over His head. He had told them then that she had come to anoint Him for His burial.
Now they would remember His words that they didn't fully understand at the time He spoke them. He had given them the hope filled promise that they could have new life just as He had new life. We can go to the garden to find a loving, living Savior!
Just as new life rises up from the earth in the spring time, and fills the garden path with sweetness, we can have new life and have His aroma as we live each day. That aroma can reach into the darkest places and bring hope and freedom to those in need. In the Gospel of John, chapter 17, Jesus prays to the Father "...Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them."
Dew Drops and Morning Prayers
Dear Friends,
While we sleep, delicate dew drops quietly form on each tiny flower petal. Slowly the morning sun rises and each fragile strand of a spider web glistens. Tiny, drop shaped prisms make the rays dance through the windows.
God paints such a majestic picture for us with whispering strokes of His brush. The night dew clings like teardrops, then evaporates as the sun rises and warms the earth. The tears of sorrow that fell on a pillow are dry and the misty veil is lifted as the new day begins with prayer.
Each day is a gift from God, something to celebrate in praise and thanksgiving. The sleeping flower beds toss their colorful quilts in the breeze as they wake up to a beautiful day. As the sun moves higher in the sky, the flower buds unfurl colorful petals and their scent fills the air with blessings of a new day. God has been faithful while we slept. A new day has begun with the dew drops and sweet wren songs giving the day hope filled tender mercies of our God.
Lamentations 3:22-23
"The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.
Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning."
Tapestry Threads Make A Garden
Dear Friends,
The wrens were done with the little rustic house that I had hung for them last spring. The tiny birds that fill the garden with their melodies flew to warmer climates to escape the winter harshness. I opened the back door on the tiny house to clean it up for them to make it ready for a new nest in the spring. I found a tapestry inside the house. Packed tight inside was an assortment of twigs, leaves, grass, dry flower petals, bits of paper, hair and fur, tinsel and yarn and threads. Tiny baby wren feathers were at the top of the nest.
I see a cocoon that is now empty, clinging to a dry branch. A tiny hole at the end where the butterfly had emerged. The process of transformation was complete.
He takes His paintbrush and paints the clouds, then blows His wind making the clouds transform into dragons then into horses and finally ribbons flying across the sky.
He is the One who is the Great Master Weaver.
I'm so thankful for the way that he made us unique.
I recently came across something from ancient Chinese history call the Terra-Cotta Army that was discovered by accident in 1974. It is an army of several thousand life-size figures of soldiers, horses and chariots that were buried with an emperor. The faces of the soldiers are all unique, and took three decades to make by over 700,000 laborers of that day. A river of mercury flows through the underground tomb which is the reason that it remains mostly unexcavated today. Emperor Qin wanted to be remembered as triumphant and glorious. He was also wicked and would have his workers killed if he suspected that they would reveal the location of the work.
I'm thankful for my Savior, the One who shed His blood for me, the God of all creation!
Psalms 139:14
"Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous, how well I know it."
At The City Gate
Dear Friends,
The Beautiful Gate at the entrance to the Temple was possibly the most heavily traveled place in the city. People were streaming into the gateway with their burdens weighing heavily on their backs and in their hearts. All of the people have something in common....... a desire to meet with God in prayer.
Others were exiting through the same gate with their hearts lighter and their burdens lifted.
In Acts chapter three we read about a man who was brought to this Beautiful gate every day but he remained outside. He was unable to enter because he was a prisoner of lameness. The lame man had a life-long need to be carried about and tended to. He was dependent on others for his most basic needs. He sat at the gate every day. He was obviously loved because they tended to him and granted his request to be brought to the Beautiful Gate. This was the place of anticipation, the place of drawing close to God. Peter and John were entering into the gateway and they noticed the lame man.
Jesus had been crucified and was risen but His name held the power to heal. God moved when the name of Jesus was spoken. The compassion of Jesus poured from the mouth of Peter giving the gift of wellness to the lame man. The man went leaping about, praising God!
The Gate of Prayer is like the Beautiful gate. At times our burdens can cause lameness. At times we need others to carry us to this place in prayer. I want to encourage you to seek after compassion and pray for others. Be a friend to someone in need, bring them to the Beautiful Gate.
Acts 3:6-8
"Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God."
The Sky Sings Praise
Dear Friends,
I took this picture last fall on the first night of a three week visit to Israel. Every night the sky was a brilliant riot of color. She (the sky) was singing praises to the Lord. The clouds glided in dance across the sky in their own worship to the King.
All of Creation is an expression of God's glory. The God who made the universe also made the blades of grass. Within the tiny blade of grass is a detailed construction project. How does the grass grow? Why is it green? How does it take up nourishment from the ground? How does it make seeds? God thought of all the details during the days of creation.
Even now during the winter we don't need to look far before we can see the majesty of God in nature. When the snow falls and covers the cold, brown winter earth with a glistening blanket we can see God's handiwork! Millions of intricately formed snowflakes make up the glittering landscape.
On the bare patches of ground under a tree you can find small,velvety moss growing. A rainbow is reflected onto the wall when the sunlight streams through the sun catcher hanging in the window. Blessings. Things to be thankful for.
He gives gifts of beauty, expressions of His love for us. Each sparkle of a snowflake is a song of praise!
Psalms 148:5
"Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for He issued His command and they came into being."
Beauty In The Thorns
Dear Friends,
An olive grove was planted on a steep, rocky hillside in Samaria. The rocks and boulders were left where they were and the trees were planted in the midst of them. Over the years the trees grew and were at last ready for harvest. Sharp, thorny bushes had grown among the rocks and boulders and under all the trees.
The olives needed to be harvested. Fallen branches became strong staffs for the climb up the hill. Nets were placed on top of the thorny bushes under the trees with rocks to hold them in place. The olives were pulled from the branches and rained down on the heads of the harvesters.
The nets became torn and damaged from the rocks and thorns. Olives would roll down the slope of the hill on the nets then gathered into buckets. Ankles were torn by the thorns. Rocks caused falls into the thorns. These olives would be crushed into healing oil. Praise songs rose to heaven.
In the thorns were small round berries like drops of our Savior's blood. The small, sharp spears pierced His brow while the soldiers mocked. Cruel thorns from rocky ground became the crown of the King of Kings who remained silent while bearing the thorns.
The loss of blood, the loss of comfort, the loss of earthly pleasure can draw us into fellowship with Christ.
John 19: 2-3
"The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. "Hail! king of the Jews!" they mocked, as they slapped him across the face."
Fragrance From The Garden
Dear Friends,
Years ago we had an old fashioned lilac bush in our yard and in the springtime when it bloomed the whole neighborhood was filled with the sweet fragrance of the lovely lavender colored blossoms.
When the woman came to Jesus and broke the alabaster box the aroma from the perfume filled the room. Every crack and crevice of the room was scented with the perfume and every person in the room noticed the sweet smell.
People experience sorrows and their situations can have an effect on lives outside of the immediate situation, sometimes with great impact.
The Abedini family is touching lives all around the world as a result of Saeed's imprisonment in Iran for his faith in Jesus. From inside the cold, dark prison walls Saeed has sent messages of encouragement and love. In a recent letter he told of the loneliness and struggles he faces and then went on to preach to us who are free. From inside those walls, in the midst of threats and pain and persecution his letter tells us of the "...life-giving fire of God's love."
His wife is being transformed like a butterfly emerging from her cocoon. She has told of the changes that God is bringing about in her life as she yields herself to Him. She was fearful of traveling and of speaking to crowds. Now she is a strong voice for Saeed and the persecuted church. She is finding joy in proclaiming the Good News that Jesus is the giver of life.
Like the fragrance of a beautiful lilac bush can't be contained behind a fence or within a walled courtyard, the message of the persecuted changes lives around the world. Believers join in prayer and intercession that Saeed will be released. Saeed's prayer is that the Word of God will saturate the world with "... the lava-like love of Christ."
Unite in prayer for Saeed and for the persecuted church. Pray for those who persecute, that their eyes will be opened to His life changing love.
Hebrews 13: 3
"Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies."
