Tag: #christianblog

LOINCLOTH LESSONS

This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it on, but do not wash it.” So I bought the loincloth as the Lord directed me, and I put it on. 

 Then the Lord gave me another message: “Take the linen loincloth you are wearing, and go to the Euphrates River. Hide it there in a hole in the rocks.” So I went and hid it by the Euphrates as the Lord had instructed me. 

A long time afterward the Lord said to me, “Go back to the Euphrates and get the loincloth I told you to hide there.” So I went to the Euphrates and dug it out of the hole where I had hidden it. But now it was rotting and falling apart. The loincloth was good for nothing.  Continue reading “LOINCLOTH LESSONS”

VERBAL SUNSHINE

This quote from social media caught my eye:

“Encouragement is like verbal sunshine. It costs nothing and warms people’s hearts.”  ~ Nicky Gumbel

 

Upon researching the quote more, I saw this expanded version of it. Let’s delve deeper into its meaning and how we can apply it to our lives.

 

 

 

Continue reading “VERBAL SUNSHINE”

THE GIFT OF PEOPLE

“Pay attention to the people
God puts in your path
if you want to discern
what God is up to in your life.” 
~ Henri Nouwen 

 

What a perfect quote for me to hear at church one day that I know was a God-orchestrated moment for me. Do you take time to reflect on the people God puts in your path and how everyone in our lives is there to help us grow into the people God intends us to be? I believe we can learn lessons on this journey of life from every person we share life with. Maybe the person teaches us something to help us grow spiritually or personally, but it is also possible that the person teaches us patience or how to love our enemies. What a privilege it is to encourage one another, be there to listen and help others through the good and the bad, and to just have fun being together.

A wonderful by-product of publishing three books in three years has been meeting people who have become spiritual family to me that I otherwise would not know. God has helped me experience much growth spiritually, socially, and personally because of this ministry He has led me to. I am less of an introvert and experience the Spirit’s peace and joy while doing some speaking engagements that God has opened up the door for.

Continue reading “THE GIFT OF PEOPLE”

ADVICE FROM A TREE

Isn’t it incredible to reflect on the fact that God has made everything and orchestrated the working together of it all in this world? God is truly so amazing! Isn’t it also inspiring to see how, as human beings, we can learn lessons from everything God created, including both nature and people?

It is especially appropriate to share this reflection today, as living in the northeast part of the USA, we are experiencing the beauty of the colorful trees during this season of fall.

 

Continue reading “ADVICE FROM A TREE”

ONE

 

Isn’t it beautiful to see the Divine, God’s hand, in our lives using one person, one life, one heart at a time to change one person, one life, one heart at a time? If we think about it, we all experience this in our lives. What a blessing to behold every day. Sometimes we are the one person, one life, one heart at a time that God uses to bless others, and sometimes our lives are the receivers of the special ways God uses one person, one life, one heart at a time. Continue reading “ONE”

CELEBRATING THE GIFT OF LIFE

As I get older (though I’m still 23!), I have grown to appreciate the once-a-year day we get to celebrate our birth.

I believe our lives are a gift
from and to God and to one another, whom 
we have the privilege of sharing
this journey of life with
through God’s perfect orchestrations.

 

More recently, for me, it is most meaningful to spend a little time celebrating my life with those who have impacted my faith journey through “Celebrate Christine” gatherings. The greatest gift for me personally is hearing how my simple, ordinary life has touched others and maybe encouraged them in some way. Since this year was a milestone birthday, it was the second time I held a local “Celebrate Christine” event as well as with a group of people further away who are ‘family’ to me. Continue reading “CELEBRATING THE GIFT OF LIFE”

UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS

Isn’t it wonderful to see how God can order our footsteps to experience His unexpected blessings? God delights in the little details of our lives that reveal His presence and great love for us.

My husband and I decided to enjoy the last few days of summer with a trip to Rochester, NY. We randomly picked out two parks where he could bike and I could enjoy nature. The day before, I was visiting a friend whose one son happened to also be there. He mentioned a place I had never heard about before. Much to my surprise, I discovered it was only an hour from where we were planning to go in Rochester, so we decided to go there too. Continue reading “UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS”

EMBRACED IN LOVE

I have a praise report to share with you! Last week’s reflection, DEEP CALLS TO DEEP,  is hopetoinspireyou.com’s 438th post that was published exactly NINE years to the date of the first reflection entitled AN EXPECTED PHONE CALL! I give God glory for providing weekly inspiration that started back on 9/5/2014 as a “test.” God is good and faithful in providing! I thank each of you for taking  time to read the reflections and for all your support and encouragement throughout the years that has led to three books to date. You are a gift in my life!

 

 

My last two visits of ministry time in the NICU have been graced with special blessings. It has been a dry spell of four months of not being needed. For those who know me personally or are faithful readers of this website, you probably know I thoroughly enjoy loving the littlest ones. The NICU is one of my holy places, where I encounter God’s presence, peace, and joy while snuggling, soothing, and loving the babies. As often happens in our ministries, I believe we receive much more than we give, which is what I experience in the NICU.

 

This verse describes what the first time back reminded me of and what I experienced starting in 2017 until the beginning of the pandemic.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. –Romans 15:5-7 (NIV) Continue reading “EMBRACED IN LOVE”

DEEP CALLS TO DEEP

A kind of continuing thought from last week’s reflection, ENGULFED IN DEEP WATERS, that speaks to my heart is the phrase “deep calls to deep.” As I soaked up the beauty of the deep waves at Lake Ontario, with the forceful wind making the waves deeper at the lake, I was reminded of that phrase. “Deep calls to deep” is something my publisher shared with me a year ago while I was also at Lake Ontario working on my last book, God’s Compassion Illuminated. It comforts and encourages my faith journey.

The phrase comes from Psalm 42, which I encourage you to read in its entirety by clicking the hyperlink. Here is part of it: Continue reading “DEEP CALLS TO DEEP”

ENGULFED IN DEEP WATERS

How I relish being engulfed in God’s presence and love while vacationing at a lake-front cottage on Lake Ontario, where the beauty of God’s creation is endless. My spirit was filled with oneness and unity with God while spending a week there in the quietness. Well, actually, it wasn’t quite so quiet this time. Most of the days, Lake Ontario sounded like a mighty ocean as the wind made the waves the highest and most violent I’ve seen there. It never ceases to amaze me how God made this lake to sometimes be as still and calm as a sheet of glass and other times a sea of endless, tumultuous waves. It is beautiful to experience both and see how God is present in both. Isn’t that the perfect parallel with our lives? God is present with us each moment, in both the difficult storms of life and in the peaceful, calm times of our lives too! Continue reading “ENGULFED IN DEEP WATERS”