Showing posts with label devotion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label devotion. Show all posts
From DoodleGraphics


If you asked me for a list of 1,000 things that I love, or even like, spiders would not appear.  Not even at 998 or 999.  I really dislike spiders.  However, this past Sunday morning a spider taught me a lesson that I won't soon forget.  You see there is a spider that lives in our driver's side mirror.  I had observed it in days prior but it wasn't bothering me directly so I left it alone.  However, as we pulled out of the driveway on Sunday I realized that it hadn't had time to get from its web to the mirror for a comfortable ride down the road.  Instead it was swinging back and forth like the most crazy amusement park ride you could imagine.  The spider was curled up in a ball and holding on for dear life.

Warren and I were quite amused and he insisted that it was not going to fall.  I was not so sure.  But he ended up being right.  The little critter made it all the way to our destination, which happened to be a restaurant where we were going to grab a quick breakfast on the way to church.  Now normally we don't go in to eat because we don't have enough time on a Sunday morning but yesterday we were a bit earlier than usual and so it worked out.  Warren had assured me that if the spider was still attached when we got there that he would set it free in the parking lot.  We figured that it would just move on and set up house on another car or on a nearby fence post.  We were actually quite pleased at the expected outcome.

He followed through on his promise and I felt much better knowing that we were going to be rid of that pest. While it had been interesting and amusing I maintain my dislike of spiders.

We ate our eggs and toast, paid the bill and returned to the car.  Warren burst out laughing.  The spider was back.  Curled up on the mirror as if it had never been removed.  What could I do but laugh as well.  The attachment of the web had apparently not been broken.  What was the little thing to do but return home?
And so it did.

Of course my mind turned this into a lesson for myself.  A reminder to build my priorities and my home to such a strength and priority that I could not easily be removed and resettled.  How often do we seek to find our happiness and reward outside of the simple things that are most important?  Our faith, our family and our home?

How many times do I disdain the routines of cleaning my house in favor of the more glamorous thrill of ....well...just about anything else!  Or how often do I take a pass on a quiet time in favor of more time on Facebook?  Often, it is true.

Every time we transfer our allegiance to something outside of these basic priorities we are missing opportunities to strengthen our connection to the things that should be our home base.  Those things that when our world gets shaken allow us to find our way home.

Just like the little guy we are now calling Brandon.  Hey, don't blame me.  Chelsea gave him the name.  :-)

Thanks for reading....Becky at Good Neighbors Candles


A Perfect Peace

After hearing a relative talking about her family heritage and a father who had taught her what it meant to be a Christian I could tell that she was leaning hard on her own efforts for salvation.  This was not a surprise to me, given the background of our family's spiritual roots.  Even so, when it was said in the way that it was said it struck me to the core that this dear woman may not have the assurance of salvation that is so readily available to those who believe.  That breaks my heart.

The gift of salvation is a just that...a gift.  Not something we earn or strive to accomplish.  The work of salvation was done on a rugged cross about two thousand years ago by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  It was finished when having defeated Satan and Death He rose again declaring permanent victory and the elimination of sin's curse to all who believe in Him.  Our belief that on the day of judgement we will not get to heaven by declaring that we were a good person, that we did more good than evil or that we tried as hard as we could.  Our only acceptable answer on that day will be that we are hiding in Christ.  He paid the price for our salvation.  In Him our sins were dealt with and we are clean.  That is it.  There is no more.

But lets talk about the works that are so often confused for salvation, shall we?  These works are also gifts.  Given to us through the Holy Spirit as our hearts are changed.  We are told that we will bear fruit that will show ourselves and others that we are changed.  We are His.  I love that God grants us a visible turning from death to life.  That He molds our hearts to do His will.  The process of being sanctified is not always easy but it is so good for us.  In that process we become able to share with others and help them along the way.

Grace...unmerited favor.  

We do nothing to earn it.
We don't deserve it.

And yet...it is granted to those who believe...those He calls...those He justifies...those he glorifies.   We find this in Romans 8:30.  What an awesome chain of events.  It is ALL Him.  Not of us ....no cause for pride or boasting in ourselves.

How blessed are we?

In praise for His Grace in my life....Becky - Good Neighbors Candle Co.

by Yolanda of SilverCloudDelights

Glorify Him 8x10 Scripture Bible Verse Acrylic Painting Art Print

"Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness" (Psalm 29:2 KJV).

It’s so important to have a heart of worship, and it takes action to get into that worship mode. One of my prayers this past year was “Lord, give me that heart of worship.” It’s so easy to go to church and sit receiving, but is that enough? I decided that it wasn’t. After all, scripture does say that "…It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35 KJV). When I made the conscious decision to give myself more to worship, I found that I received more from the service. Not only was I there to receive a blessing, but I did my part to add to the service.

I’m not going to say that it was easy, and I’m not going to say that there aren’t days when I go to church and just sit there absorbing. Sometimes it does take effort, and it did feel odd at first, but when I thought of the goodness of the Lord, I knew that if I worshiped Him the length of my days I never could repay Him for all He’s done for me. That is the basis of my worship. So now I take the life He gave and live it back in love; with gratitude, just calling it my reasonable service; the least that I can do.

How I worship may differ entirely from the next person, but that doesn’t make either of our worship modes the “right way” or better than the other’s. What matters is that the worship comes from the heart – a heart filled with love and gratitude to the Lord our God. Let it be about Him and you can’t go wrong.

Happy Moments - Praise God Quote Vinyl Wall Art Decal


Woman in Worship


Born to Worship Guitar Red and Navy Christian Tshirt 12M Upcycled

by Yolanda of SilverCloudDelights

Thanks so much to Yolanda for being a Guest Blogger today.  We love Guest Bloggers.

We had friends over last night for game and dessert. We had a blast! One of the games we played was CatchPhrase. If you've never played before, it's a MUST next time you're with friends!

Did you know that God teaches His Truth through anything and everything...even CatchPhrase? During the game, one of my friends says, "I know the answer isn't right, but I keep yelling it louder.  Why do I think that yelling it louder will make it right?"

Absurd, isn't it? Don't you hear the media...the more wrong they are, the louder and more obnoxious they get in their "reporting." But I can't really pick on them. I've even found myself doing that...and not just in games. What about when I choose to go my own way, knowing I'm wrong but fighting that I'm right? The more I know I'm wrong, the louder I get and harder I fight. Absurd, isn't it?

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." God knows that, and that is why He says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." ~ Proverbs 14:12 and 3:5-6 

From the Heart,
Emily of Redeeming Beauty
p.s. all eyeshadows are all sale right now :)
by Anna of UnexpectedTreasure

But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV)

In the book of 1 Kings Chapter 22, when King Ahab assembled his four hundred prophets and asked their opinions as to whether or not he should go to war against Ramothgilead, the prophets were all in agreement and said yes, even predicting victory. But Ahab's ally, King Jehoshaphat, desired a second opinion, and he called for Micaiah, prophet of the Lord.

The messenger who summoned Micaiah urged him to agree with the other prophets, but Micaiah responded, "As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.” 1 Kings 22:14 (KJV). When Micaiah prophesied defeat and ruin for Israel, he was hit in the face and ridiculed by the other prophets, then sent to prison with nothing to eat except bread and water. But lo and behold, his prophecy came true, and King Ahab was killed in battle.

This passage presents a powerful challenge in this day and age of almost non-existent ethics and morals. How will we respond when everyone else around us is saying something's right when we know good and well it's not? Will we take a stand for what we believe, even when it risks ridicule or personal loss?

As disciples of God, there are times when we must step out from the crowd and take a stand for the truth of God. Everybody else may be doing it; everybody else may be saying it; everybody else (even other Christians) may be calling it right, but if the Word of God says otherwise, you and I must not be swayed by the foolishness of this world.

Food for Thought:
God calls us to live on the basis of conviction, not convenience.

By Anna M. Costa

Thanks so much to Anna for being our Guest Blogger today!



I am delighted to introduce you to Kelly of KellyBermudez. Kelly will be joining me as a volunteer blogger for the CAST Team working on this very Shop of the Week feature.  Thanks so much, Kelly! Her lovely watercolors will surely delight you.  My favorite is the fawn. The tagline in her shop is "Gentle Whispers Visual Devotions." Please take a moment to browse her shop and see for yourself what that means.

Fawn Original



Please note that the only way to be featured as the CAST Shop of the Week is to tag your shop items "castteam" on Etsy and to not hide your teams in your Etsy profile. You will also have to have at least 12 items to feature. Those are the ways that I find great CAST shops to feature each week. 

CAST Members: If you have a minute or two, please feel free to favorite this shop or promote it on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or other social media.  Thanks!


Judy of AngelsNEverlastings started a new discussion thread for our team this past week that all team members should know about.

The Daily Devotions Thread is for any team member who wishes to drop by and share what they have been studying or to become inspired to begin a Daily Devotion of their own. I took a look and so much scripture is being shared that to read through the thread is to get a good dose of inspiration.

If you are having trouble finding a way to set aside daily time with the Lord, please drop in for some great advice and encouragement. If you are successfully spending time with the Lord most days, stop by and share your experience.

Trust in the Lord Typography - Black and White Print with Mat

by Sue of SueRunyonDesigns
by Phyllis Ducey
pfdoriginalartworks


Soul mate pendant by pureoxfaith
"this sweet sterling heart is stamped "soul mate" . ..there is a tiny sterling cross that hangs with it representing the owner of the soul."

(I don't normally include what the seller writes about their item but this was so beautiful I wanted to make sure you understood the meaning of the pendant.)


Oh my! It is 10:00 pm Sunday night and I just realized a little bit ago that it is the 2nd Monday of the month which means I need to do my monthly blog post. I have not been online hardly at all this week but all week I have been itching to write. I just did not know what to write about. Even this afternoon I was restless but still could not think of what to write. But I have been praying about it.

The day you will be reading this is Valentines day and I know many singles are cringing inside at the loneliness that they are feeling. Personally, I think it is all a bunch of unimportant hype (and I am married 39 years to an awesome man but the V-day has no significance to that love). Love is either there or not. For us who know Christ personally, it is always there! He is our Lord, lover, confidant, rock, salvation... the beginning and end of all we are and all we need.

This week I turned 60! Who would have ever thought I could get that old? The strange thing (I know many of you my age and older would agree) that inside I feel much younger. I remember when I first started to get to know my Lord. Some people have a sudden life changing experience but I did not. My Lord was patient and courted me. He allowed me the grace to slowly discover the wonder of who He is and how He could become a part of me. I was particularly slow and it took almost 13 years to fully grasp that my life was all about Him... but He was patient and waited.

I was so afraid that over the years I would drift away never to return but I learned how to draw closer. When I drifted I found myself restless but when I worked to be closer to Him, I found peace. He taught me to count the victories and forgive myself the failures. That was big for me. Every time I stumbled I would tell myself that I was not a true Christian and could never be after all I kept messing up!
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.
1 John 4:16-18
Jesus taught me to look at the times I did right. Once I began focusing on my victories and forgiving my failures I began growing by leaps and bounds in my faith. I understood grace and God's great love. Truly as much as I love my husband, children and grandchildren... none of that would have any value without my love for my God.

So if you are a person who cringes over the dreaded V-day... ignore the advertisements of worldly love.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.
1 John 4:4-5
Take a few minutes to enjoy the greatest gift you could receive for any day. Enjoy the love of Christ and allow His grace to seep deep into the depth of who you are so that you may realize how special you are to Him. He created you for a reason and He knows your struggles and will guide you through them. He wants you to be who you are because He created you to be His.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
Psalm 139:13-18

WOW... what a great gift of Love! And that Love message is not just for one day a year but for every minute of every day!

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When I started writing all I knew was I was itching to write... So I scratched that itch and hope it blesses you as much as it did me!
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I am blessed to be a part of the CAST Team and always in awe of the wonderful talent that each one of us possesses. Please take a minute to check out these great shops!















Giant paper clip by SomCreations


















Pendant by GBMBdesigns










by Phyllis Ducey
pfdoriginalartworks


In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:1-5



One of my delights in living in Minnesota is the beauty of the snow. Now don't get me wrong, I do not like shoveling (my husband is kind enough to handle that), I do not like skiing, I do not like building snowmen ... there is little if anything I like to do outside when the weather is cold enough for snow. But I love the snow here! It sparkles all the time, day or night! In Illinois it only occasionally sparkled if it was very fresh.

My understanding is the reason it sparkles is that it is so cold up here that each tiny miniature snowflake is crystallized and becomes a mirror to reflect the light. To be able to see the sparkle, it depends on the reflection of the light, the position of the snowflake (mirror) and the angle we are viewing it from. All has to be just right. What amazes me is how it continues to sparkles even at night!

God's creation is awesome. Not unlike sand on the shores of the oceans, the quantity of snowflakes in a snowfall is unmeasurable. God makes each one different... how amazing is that? Millions upon millions of snowflakes here for a short transient period of time and yet each is uniquely capable of reflecting the light if given the right angle and conditions.

“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. Luke 11:33,34

Each of us is created uniquely and amazingly different. If God was willing to make each snowflake different, think of how much more He must have created people to be since He so valued us that He gave His Son to die for each of one of us. Once we have accepted His love, forgiveness for our sins and His gift of eternal life we become like those snowflakes. We absorb His light, it becomes a part of us as we grow in our relationship with Him.

When we choose to draw closer to Him (actually living our lives for Him) we reflect His light because the light in our eyes is His light being reflected like the tiny mirrors of the snowflakes.

So next time you see a beautiful snowfall glistening in your yard or across a field think of how beautiful us Christians must look to God from heaven's view as we sparkle from His light being reflected to others! And wouldn't it be so awesome to have a world where everyone sparkled?
(Kind of gives you goose bumps thinking about it, doesn't it?)

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Matt 5:14

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Please take a few minutes to check out these great shops! Several are fairly new to our team and could use some love... give them your hearts!!



The beautiful photo of the snow branches (above) is from artbylisak





Hairpins by jenlucasdesigns
















Necklace
by JKistlerStudios















Earrings by FoxyMomma
by Phyllis Ducey
pfdoriginalartworks



Christmas is now come and gone. We have a little over 360 days until it returns. Whew! Just enough time to prepare for next year's round! But first time to start thinking about my new year’s goals. Do you do them? “They” say that if you write down your goals, you are 90% likely to accomplish them.

I actually have found that true though I do not write them down each year. For the past 25 plus years my number one goal is to become closer to God. The years I have actually written that down, I have achieved it. I am not a big goal setter so I do not have huge lists. They stay focused around God, marriage and family for the most part. It seems, as I get older, one year blurs into another with very little to distinguish one from the other so my memory of each year’s goals are also a blur.

I don’t know if you are a TV watcher or maybe I should say are you an “end of the world predictor watcher”? I’m not but I am aware that there are numerous shows and movies focused on the end of the world being eminent. Is it possible? Yes, it has been possible for the last 1, 960 or so years. Biblically is it likely? I have no idea. Does it matter? Only to the extent that if you knew it was coming in 2012 (as the media seems to want to exploit) then would it change how you live your life next year?

I have been thinking about that lately and as I consider this year what my goals will be I plan to make them as if it is the last year prior to the start of the end of the world. I do not truly think that 2012 will be the end, however, I want to make this year count.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. Mark 13:31-33
My first goals will be to draw closer to God.
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:7-9
If there was only a year left, I would want to make sure everyone I loved, everyone I knew and everyone possible would come to understand that Christ died for their sins and that they could have eternal life through Him. I was not given the gift of evangelism and I have tried my hardest to share with those in my family who think I am well intentioned but foolish in my beliefs. There is only one way to be effective that is through prayer. I don’t change hearts that is God’s job. Which leads me to this year’s primary goal for me: to become a woman of diligent prayer.

I pray. I pray frequently during the day but I want to pray with mighty diligence.

Mighty (per Dictionary.com)
great in amount, extent, degree, or importance; exceptional

Diligence (per Dictionary.com)
constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind.

Can you imagine what type of year it could be if we each mightily and diligently prayed for everyone we know, for the rulers of the world, for the countries we live in, for those who suffer for Christ's sake? What a powerfully spiritual year this could be!

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel Ephesians 6:18-19


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Personal note:
As I noted last week (A Wonder), I have completed my year's commitment to weekly posts. I now will post once a month on the second Monday of the month. It really has been a joy to me.

Have a blessed New Year filled with Christ's love and peace!
Your sister in Christ,
Phyllis

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Below are some shops that are new to our CAST Team... please check out their great talent and give them a heart!














Vintage cross by hummingbirdministry



















Earrings by pearlatplay

















Print - Light of the World by tiffysart
by Phyllis Ducey
pfdoriginalartworks



Recently my husband and I traveled back to visit my family and helped my mother-in-law clean out closets in preparation for scaling down their household. While there, at the spur of the moment my 18 year old niece, Rachel decided to drive back with us and her grandma said she would pay to fly her back. Cool beans! We always have a great time.

She got here and decided to fly back on Sunday. I was bummed I hoped she would stay another day. We were booking her flight (she was flying back standby) and called my mother-in-law who informed us that major snow/rain storms were heading our way and would impair travel in Chicagoland area.

Rachel was in a quandary as to whether or not to leave. Being 18 she has not a lot of life experience in traveling on her own. To make a good decision she needed someone to guide her through the possibilities of what would happen. So we discussed what could happen if she left on Sunday. The possibilities were: she could get on the plane and arrive there in an hour; she could get on the plane and the weather could be so bad in Chicago that the plane would be diverted to another state; she may never get on the plane and have to sit in the Duluth airport for 6 to 8 hours until the next flight was able to head out; or she could wait a day until the weather cleared. She thought through her options and I feel she made the good decision to stay another day (which meant we’d have more time together so I was happy).

The decision was hers and whichever one she made, she eventually would have gotten home but the journey could have changed depending on the circumstances. If a blizzard caused big delays, she could have uncomfortably spent a day in the airport or worse yet her flight might have been diverted to somewhere unknown to her. Without a lot of life experience to know how to transfer around an unknown airport or book alternative flights the simple one hour trip could turn into a nightmare.

Our journeys through life are much the same. We are bombarded with decisions daily and most aren’t wrong or right but can alter our journey from a pleasant one into a nightmare. How do we make informed decisions if we have not had the life experiences to understand the consequences? The only way I know is through prayer and reading God’s word.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7
(for more on this verse see my blog post Heavy Heart)
The Bible (that 2,000+ year old book) has something for every situation to guide us. No, it does not tell us how to load software but it does give us principals to decide what software to use. Is it legal? The Bible tells us to give to Caesar what is Caesars or in other words pay for what is due to the person it is due to.
(Jesus said) Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Matt 22:19-21
It does not tell us whether to go on the internet or not but once again gives us principals to guide our usage of it such as staying away from pornography.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Col 3:5
If you do a study in the book of Proverbs you can write down what a wise man does and what a fool does. Follow the wise man’s ways and your journeys will be much more pleasant and successful. Though God has never promised us an easy journey but He has promised that He will be there for us.
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
A poor decision may mean a difficult journey but He has promised that He will help carry our burdens if we come to Him with them.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30
(for more on this verse see my post Easy Burdens)
Because after all He came to give us both a rich life here on earth and a rich eternal life.
Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. "I'll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn't listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. John 10:6-10 (The Message)
And when all is said and done isn't this why we celebrate Christmas?

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Below are some wonderful Etsy shops for you to browse in. Rachel did the picks for them so if you are wondering what a 18 year old would like for Christmas, here are some great ideas!!






Messenger bag
by BizzieLizzie
















Mini Composition book by UnexpectedTreasure


















Dragonfly necklace by jensjewelry








by Phyllis Ducey
pfdoriginalartworks


In the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving this week. I like this holiday because it is not weeks of preparation and if you take the time, it is a wonderful time to reflect on all that you have. I like the idea of having a day to stimulate thought, though quite honestly in the U.S. I think most of us dwell on the menu and less on what we have to be thankful for. God commands us many times to be thankful or to have a sense of thanksgiving in everything... good or bad. He tells us that we will receive peace when we are thankful!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7
This verse comforts me because it reminds me that God commands us not to be anxious. He is big enough to handle it all! But the reality is that I am a control freak and want to have it handled my way so instead of trusting God, I hold tight telling Him how it should be resolved. When I do this I begin stressing and becoming overwhelmed with life. Is that sin? I don't know but I do know it is not how God wants us to live.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Col 3:15
Trusting God, letting His peace rule within and letting go is what I am constantly striving to do. I found that at night as I start to fall asleep I can visualize in my mind taking the issue and handing it over to Christ. I state what it is and lay it as a package for Him to deliver the results. When I am done, I fall asleep... more and more I drift off prior to finishing my prayer list because I know He can handle it better than I can. And I know He knows what is weighing on my heart and those I pray for.

In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Col 4:2
I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. Psalm 40:1
Waiting expectantly. I find that when I choose to do that - to be patient and watch and wait - the Lord answers my prayer in ways I could never imagine. So much better than what I would have told Him to do. This is always a work in progress for me. I still find myself explaining a situation (like He did not know all its details?) and stating what I think may work the best... then oops, I realize that is not what I should do so I quickly add "but Your will be done." Like that last tag along line is me giving it all over to Him?

It is the times when I am in prayer and dwell on who and how great our God really is rather than how big my problems really are that I truly am permeated with that peace. It is such a sweet peace... it truly is the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe Heb 12:28

If you have not felt that peace or if you haven't felt it recently, I challenge you to minimize your requests and maximize your God. Take your prayer time and spend a minimum of the first half of it dwelling on the greatness of your God and thanking Him for everything in your life and the world He created for us. Then wrap the rest of the requests in a package and lay it at His feet... trust... wait and watch. God is faithful and answers prayer!

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Col 2:6-8

Have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving!

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Here are some ways to express your thankfulness to others. Please take some time to check out these shops and how about making it an Etsy Christmas giving time?




Thank you cards by eyeletsagestudio












Season of love small ornament
by elenaseasel















Family tree pendant by SissyPretties
















He says, “Be still, and know that I am God
Psalm 46:10


The storms of life come and go. We can sit in fear huddled in a corner as when a tornado or hurricane is on its way or we can trust that our God will carry us through even though we think there will never be an end. While sitting in a hospital on a dark stormy night I was reminded of all the storms that the Lord has brought me through and wrote the following.

The wind hollers, the windows shudder
Even the curtains begin to sway
The temperature is dipping, the air makes me shiver
As the cold of winter demands its time

There was a season in my life
When the wind’s voice could make me quake
I dreaded the drama of lightning and thunder
And bitter cold permeated deep into my being

But I learned to be quiet, to sit, to listen
To my God’s calm reassuring whisper
Relaxing in His words echoed in the wind,
In His might and power on dark stormy nights.

Somehow in the unsurety of
This chaotic, crazy stressful world
What once created a heart full of fear
Now brings a sense of comfort and peace

It now reminds me that God controls
The heavens and the earth, the winds and the rains.
And at long last I can sleep restfully and be still
Being fully assured that He is God

Fill my heart with joy
when their grain and new wine abound.
In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, LORD,
make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:7-8

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Once again here are some wonderful Etsy shops... please check them out!




Rainy day in New York
by MYSAVIOR


















London/France necklace
by wearableartbypixie

















The Wind and The Rain by Wenchie
















Midnight rain earrings by RainDropNotions