#christianblog Archives - Page 12 of 28

GOD’S ALWAYS GOT YOU

Think of the times when you prayed for others, whether they asked or not.

Were you able to pray in person with them?
Did you send them messages of encouragement every now and then?
How constant were you with your prayers?

Have you reached out to ask someone or a group of people for prayer? Was it through a Facebook group, a church, a website (even mine that has my email), or a friend?

Did anyone take the time to pray with you right then and there?
Did you get reminders every now and then that you were being prayed for?
Could you feel in your spirit the power of these prayers? Continue reading “GOD’S ALWAYS GOT YOU”

THE SIMPLE THINGS

I revel in the simple things we do that may seem insignificant that God uses for His glory. He uses everything for His glory! I pray these thoughts inspire you to see that happening in your life. Seeing this goodness, I believe, helps us to see our purpose of glorifying God with every activity and interaction we have.

I try to show my appreciation to people in my life who encourage my faith journey or maybe head up certain ministries that enrich me. Sometimes it’s just a feeling I should send a quick text to someone saying I’m praying for them or to send a picture of a meaningful screenshot. I had the pleasure of experiencing the effect of that this past week. Continue reading “THE SIMPLE THINGS”

JESUS’ PRESENCE

I hope you have had a rewarding week seeing the face of Jesus in others, even when dealing with difficult people. Last week’s reflection, “The Face of Jesus,” provided a nice segue to this week’s topic, Jesus’ presence, with me asking you the following.

It was the ripple effect of God’s goodness. I listened to a sermon online from a local church. The deacon’s message gave me knowledge about something I had not considered before, and I was able to relate to similar experiences he shared. It prompted me to text the deacon to let him know I appreciated his message. He responded by thanking me for sharing and said, “The next time we see each other, I will share with you a personal encounter I had with Jesus a few weeks ago.” I smiled with excitement and wonder. I was happy I only had to wait a day before we met. Continue reading “JESUS’ PRESENCE”

THE FACE OF JESUS

It was part of a text I received from a Deacon who ministers five days a week at a nursing home sharing Scripture, reflections, prayer, songs, and God’s love. The nursing home he goes to houses people who have either dementia or Alzheimer’s. I enjoy hearing the stories of God working through this Deacon to minister to these people. He shared how amazing it is when he starts to say the Our Father with them and they all join right in. The same is true with some songs he sings with them, like “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Isn’t it inspiring to know they can recall some of the most important things like God’s Word? Continue reading “THE FACE OF JESUS”

ROCK BOTTOM

A huge smile came over my face when I saw an email with the subject line of “Immediately thought of you and smiled!” Needless to say, I was excited to read it, which I did as soon as I saw it. It was from the woman in Tennessee that I wrote about when she sent me a heart rock she painted. She knows, as you may, how God sends me, pretty much daily, hearts in one form or another. They are reminders of His love for me and how I need to share that love with others.

I was on my way to bed and thinking about my next reflection options right before seeing the email. After I read it, I knew she provided the perfect basis for this week’s reflection.

Her email shared the following:

~She was moving some big stones to her flower bed.

~There were a total of eight stones, which were stacked four high by two across.

~The original stone pile was a perch for the watering cans she was using to draw rain water, which she hadn’t used in days.

~When she moved the seventh stone, this was what she saw on the lone, remaining stone. Continue reading “ROCK BOTTOM”

APPRECIATION

Three simple words, yet so powerful!

They were the parting words from the cashier, as I finished paying for my purchase at a local Dollar General store. Frankly, it surprised me. I don’t think a cashier has ever said that to me before. As I walked to my car and got inside, ready to start the engine, those three words echoed in my mind. They prompted me to go back into the store with one of my books in tow. Continue reading “APPRECIATION”

GOD’S BREATH

In last week’s reflection, I shared thoughts about seeing the wind’s effects on Lake Ontario. Though we can’t see the wind, we see its effects and how it is under God’s command. Biblically, the wind, when positively portrayed, is symbolic of the Holy Spirit.

While reflecting on the wind, I couldn’t help but think about two main Scripture references related to the word breath. Just like the wind, one cannot usually see breath, yet God used it powerfully for His purposes.

What does Scripture tell us about breath? Continue reading “GOD’S BREATH”

WINDY EFFECTS

It was intriguing to me, as I sat observing the water at Lake Ontario for a few days, to see how the wind affected the water. At the lake, I noticed some days the wind caused slight ripples on the water, which made it go to the right and other days it made the water go to the left.

The wind causing water to flow to the right

The wind causing water to flow to the left

Isn’t the wind interesting? We cannot see the wind, yet we can sometimes see, feel, or hear its effects. At times, the wind can produce negative effects like the devastation caused by hurricane winds. Other times, the wind can have a positive effect like a gentle breeze on a summer day that cools and refreshes our skin. Continue reading “WINDY EFFECTS”

CALM WATERS

In last week’s reflection, I shared about the rough waters I observed while enjoying quiet time at a cottage on Lake Ontario. This week I want to reflect on the calm waters that I observed on two of the days.

Besides taking lots of pictures of sunsets while at the lake, the other highlight was trying to get the “perfect” pictures of seagulls! I managed to get a few that I was pretty proud of.

I began to think about the parallels between the water, waves, wind, and God in our lives.

No matter if our life is stormy and tumultuous or calm,

no matter what way the wind is blowing,

the one constant is God,

the anchor to keep us grounded.

Calm Lake Ontario

What can we learn from some Bible verses referencing calm waters?

You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas. You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength. You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations. Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy. –Psalm 65:5-8 (NLT)

What a beautiful psalm of praise to God. The psalmist shares how God is the One who silences the raging waters both with waters figuratively in our lives. He calms the waters! How important it is to continually praise the Lord, be in awe of His wonders, and declare His Lordship with shouts of joy.

“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor! Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation and before the leaders of the nation. –Psalm 107:28-32 (NLT)

How do we get “calm waters” in our lives? By crying out to the Lord in times of trouble. Yes, He can turn the storm into a whisper, and still the waves. We can trust Him to bring us to a place of safety as He guides our footsteps, being with us always. The psalmist reminds us to see God’s great love and to exalt Him in all things, even if the storm isn’t calmed the way we think it should be.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. –Psalm 23:1-3 (ESV)

Where does the Lord lead us? The Lord, being our Good Shepherd, leads us to the calm, still waters of our lives. Even in the raging storms, He is the One who supplies moments of refreshment, peace, and even joy, as we know He provides what we need.

Photo courtesy of Sapphire Dream Photography under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND-2.0)

Even in calm waters, boats still need anchors to provide stability to help steady the boat and stop it from drifting. It is the same in the calm waters of our lives. We still need our anchor, Jesus, and the hope He provides.

We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone. I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. –Psalm 33:20-23, 34:1 (NLT)

Our hope, Jesus, is our help and shield. He is the One who calms the waters of our lives. When we embrace His unfailing love that is always with us, we are able to trust Him more and praise Him at all times. What a mighty Lord and Savior we have.

Sunset over the calm waters

This week, in the calm waters of life, be encouraged to…

…be in awe of God.

…remember God helps you in your distress.

…experience Him restoring your soul.

…remain attached to the anchor of your soul, Jesus, in the calm waters!

No matter if our life is stormy and tumultuous or calm,