Tag: nature

ORCHESTRATION OF OUR STEPS

 

Another sunny Sunday was forecast, so that meant another perfect day for a road trip to a park.  A Sunday earlier on our travels, we saw a sign for a new to us park.  We added it to our possible park list.  When Saturday night rolled around, we were thinking of going in a different direction but finally decided to go to the new park. Continue reading “ORCHESTRATION OF OUR STEPS”

SIGNS OF HIS LOVE

It seems hard to believe it was about 25 years ago when I was standing in a cemetery, at the graves of my grandparents and great-aunt, and couldn’t help but be engulfed in the Lord’s presence— Continue reading “SIGNS OF HIS LOVE”

ENCOUNTERING GOD

What are some different ways that you encounter God’s presence on a daily basis?
Is it sometimes in the beauty of nature?
Is it sometimes in the people you interact with daily….like your family, coworkers, people from church?
Is it sometimes in the people you don’t know personally….like a cashier at the supermarket, waitress at the restaurant?

Is it in inspiring music or books?

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So often, I encounter God’s presence in some form of nature while soaking up the beauty of this world that God has created.  One of the most powerful ways I encounter God is in beholding the glorious sunsets or sunrises. Seeing the many changes in the sun illuminating the sky brings me such peace and awe.

 

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Sunrise at Virginia Beach, VA
It could be the big, puffy clouds making cool formations against the bright blue sky or the beauty of a hike leading to some waterfalls and amazing rock formations.  Gazing at the mountains are a way to encounter God, as well as in the fall, walking down a trail where the leaves are all different shades of yellow, red or orange.

 

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Chenango Valley State Park
When I was a child I remember the place I always encountered God’s presence was when I was at the ocean.  Looking out at the vastness of the ocean waters, listening to the rhythm of the waves crashing back and forth, and seeing miles and miles of the seashore would just be so soothing to my soul.  I remember praying to God seeking a oneness with Him at the ocean. It was always heartbreaking when it was time to leave and return home.

 

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Marco Island, FL
Almost three years ago I was very blessed to encounter God in nature and do something I’ve never done before.  The encounter with God unfolded this way:
A friend and I were spending one night at Virginia Beach while it was off season (thanks to Third Day for having a concert near there!) It was the first time either of us experienced the beauty of Virginia Beach.
Our hotel was right on the beach. Directly to the right of our hotel on the beach was a horse corral where you could ride a horse right along the beach. Now, I have never ridden a horse before, and was definitely scared to attempt it, but I thought since I sky dived before and survived to tell about it, then certainly I could ride a horse!  Thankfully, my friend volunteered to go too because she knew I would want to!
It was also interesting to learn that this corral had actually just moved recently to this location!  It was just too “coincidental” to find that out….kind of like God working it all out for us!  And, they were only providing this entertainment for another few weeks.
Thankfully, the people gave us the two oldest horses….mine was 28 years old and I noticed his gray hair mixed in with his mane. I thought we were a perfect match!  Thankfully, we didn’t really have to do much and we had a lead horse go with us….just in case!
I encountered God in nature on the return trip ride on my horse.  My horse was going so slow on the way back that the others were a ways up ahead, but it was really the part where I encountered God in nature the most.

 

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Horseback riding at Virginia Beach
There my horse and I were just trodding along, next to the ocean water. Though a little cool, the sun was high in the sky, beating down with its rays piercing my arm. Listening to the waves of the ocean beat back and forth were soothing, and seeing the seagulls fly around, some with their snack in tow, just made me encounter God.
I always have felt God’s presence whenever I’m at the ocean.  My mind was thinking about what it must have been like in Jesus’ day, where they spent most of their time fishing for their food. I envisioned Jesus in a boat, calling His disciples to leave everything right there and follow Him.

 

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Sunset at Marco Island, FL
It was a wonderful encounter with God reflecting on the beauty of nature and the power of Him in our lives. I was so thankful for the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and trust that I could ride a horse on the beach! I ended up encountering God!
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In what ways do you encounter God in your family, friends, coworkers, church friends?
For me, one way I encounter God in the people I know is when they ask me how they can pray for me. Truly praying for others and their needs is a blessing.
I remember encountering God in others when I had surgery or after having my children. People would bring food to our family since it was difficult to do those things at first.
Does a coworker ever offer to help you do a task that you don’t quite have time to finish?
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What about people that you observe in your daily life that maybe you don’t know personally who lead you to encounter God?
Recently a sister-in-law of mine posted a few examples of how she encountered God while running some errands….
…That cashier at Walmart that took time to mourn with a family who was on their way to their young nephew’s funeral.
…Some Target employees who noticed and helped a woman who was not coherent inside her running car.
…How about that car ahead of you who come to find out paid for your cup of coffee?
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Is there certain music you listen to or books that you read that lead you to encounter God?
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 Some members of Third Day whose music helps me encounter God
I know the last few years in my life that Christian music definitely leads me to encounter God. It is just so peaceful listening to certain songs especially while driving around or getting some exercise.  For me, it can be great times of worship and singing to the Lord.
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It is always a blessing in my life to encounter God….even in the simple, little things! He is a great God and truly dwells in each of us and in all of nature. Seek Him and you will find Him!
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  –Psalm 139:7-10  (NIV)

FAITH & TRUST

Fall time in the northeast USA is always a breath-taking blessing to experience. I find it a beautiful season where you can see God’s hand working to make such a beautiful masterpiece which we get to  behold with our eyes.  The green leaves on the trees start to turn to different hues of yellow, orange, or red. It is quite a sight to view. For those that have never experienced the fall time colors, I do hope someday you will be able to! Seeing the rolling hills and mountains, especially in the beautiful fall array of colors that God provides, brings me into a closer relationship with the Creator.
I recently had the privilege of going on a short day trip in fall time where, as is typical, I just felt enveloped in the Lord’s presence. It was as if His majestic power and beauty was all around me as I looked upon the “Grand Canyon of PA” in Wellsboro, PA.
There are different stopping points where you can view nature all around you.  It was actually quite a trek to go from one scenic part to another. For me, it was a trek that exercised my faith and trust in God. It made me think about that in my life, especially since I was alone at this point in the trip.
The other factor was that this whole trek was basically with no cell service..no way to contact anyone if something happened.
What if I had a flat tire? What if the car broke down? What if something happened? I tried to put those thoughts out of my head and trust the Lord just like we must continually do everyday of our lives. Listening to some Mac Powell country music also seemed fitting to help me relax.
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Things didn’t get off to a great start. As I was leaving stop 1, there seemed to be this dirt road that was quite narrow. I thought it seemed more like a walking path but it seemed to be where the GPS was taking me. Thankfully it wasn’t too long before a closed gate was my clue that indeed it was just a walking path! I had to back up the car until I came to a parking lot to turn around, as the road was too narrow to do anything else.
Stop 2 is where there was a gorgeous view, though the trees were mostly just green and yellow, not so colorful on this particular day. Getting to Stop 2 took faith & trust in God and the GPS, that I’m never quite sure of! I still find it strange that one day the GPS can take you one way and another day it will take you a different path! My husband always says is a very complicated algorithm and wonders if I’m up to perfecting it!
At one point, I crossed over a paved road and end up on this dirt road that had a big incline and seemed only big enough for one car! I sure prayed a car wouldn’t be coming the other way!! At first I was doubting the GPS, but I figured at least the time was counting down to my arrival time so I had no choice but to trust it.  Sure enough I made it to stop 2!!
Stop 2 is where, looking all around, I definitely felt God’s majesty envelope me–the huge, massive hills–and I don’t know if you can see it, but to me, it looks like a giant heart carved in the scenery that only the Creator could do! I love the pictures that also have bodies of water in them.
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I couldn’t decide whether to venture down one of the trails but finally settled on going down this one. Once again, those “What If” thoughts would go through my head. In case you don’t know, I’m not really the mountain climber type, and I was all alone….What if I fell?  What if I got lost?  What if…  But, again, I tried to put those thoughts out of my head and decided to trust and have faith.
The view was awesome from this one outlook so I ended up being thankful that I did venture down the path. It was a closer up view of some of the water. I am always blessed reflecting on the beauty of the water.
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Stop 3 was actually a good 50 minute ride; once again with intense curves, narrow roads, some one lane bridges where you prayed no one was coming and you just went for it, and roads that required me to step out in faith. I was very thankful there wasn’t too much traffic going my way so I could go slower when I felt the need especially being on such unfamiliar roads.  The drive was kind of cool because at points you were close to the water and the sides of the massive mountains. It was like you were right at the base and could see how massive and majestic they were. These hills were covered with a beautiful array of yellow trees.
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I enjoyed Stop 3 where I pulled out my chair, journal, and started to pen my adventure. This stop was the perfect spot…located near the water where a few people were even fishing. I, in my typical fashion, sat to soak up the “Son’s” presence. At times you could only hear the wind blow, at other times the bird’s echoing squawks could be heard. When I’m near bodies of water and feel the Lord’s presence, I think about how often Jesus was near the water, calling the disciples, calming the water, etc.
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I knew I was definitely in the Lord’s presence when I looked up in the sky. What first caught my eye were three “different” looking clouds; the only ones gracing the clear blue sky. And right among those three clouds was a lone bird. Now, I always love to see the birds flying in the air near the water and want to capture the moment with a photograph. Unfortunately, I was unable to capture a good, clear enough picture of the three birds this time. There appeared this one bird who then left this cloud area, and was quickly joined by a second bird,  and just like I’ve experienced before, a third finally appeared…always reminding me of God the Father, Jesus His Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Three in one in ME!
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God is big and sure makes His Presence known to us in the beauty of nature. Take a  moment and enjoy His presence today!
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  –Psalm 139:7-10 (NIV)
And, continue to trust God to help you through your struggles and have faith that His Presence, the Holy Spirit, is with you always!
Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding.  –Proverbs 3:5  (NIV)

EVERYDAY MIRACLES

Do you ever stop and wonder why we don’t see the many and great miracles that were done back in Jesus’ day?  Maybe we need to reflect on our current lifestyles and the “little” miracles that occur every day in order to gain a better perspective on this question.

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Photo credit by Danielle Lynn under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

 

Our lifestyles these days are rather “instant” and technically advanced, compared to Jesus’ day.  We rush and run from one place to another, merely “doing” our routine.  All this advancement is great, as long as we keep the proper perspective on life.

 Amidst the hustle and bustle of each day, we need to take time to see the “little” miracles God sends our way.

The miracle of nature…..

–how the sun and moon appear each day

–the seasons that come year after year

–the birds flying south to keep warm

–the trees changing with the seasons.

The miracle of your body….

–how you were formed in your mother’s womb

–how you were part of the miracle of the child birth process

–the blood pumping through your body performing so many functions

–the hairs on your body growing when you don’t even notice

–how your eyes provide you with beautiful sights

-your ears can hear all kinds of sounds

–how your heart beats continually as you progress through this life.

The miracle of circumstances in your life….

–the relationship that was restored

–the people that offered to pray for you when you were having a health test

–how you found strength to make it through a long, rough day at work

–the “chance” meeting you encountered at the store

–how you quit smoking after so many years.

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Photo credit by  Scott Costello under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

This thought of everyday miracles seems to resonate in my life lately.

I was talking on the phone to a co-worker whom I’ve never met, and I was in awe of listening to him tell the story of how another co-worker was on his way walking to his car when someone stopped him to help with a problem. Thankfully, this occurred at just the “right” time! If he had not been stopped, he would have been getting in his car at the time that the parking ramp collapsed where his car was.  That gave me goosebumps and made me stop and thank the Lord for an everyday miracle right there!

Recently I was at a minor baseball league game with my youngest son. I happened to run into a co-worker who works on my floor, but not in my department. For some reason at the game, we hugged each other and I noticed a cross necklace she was wearing. I went to her at work the next day, felt led to share my blog site with her, and we talked about God and my favorite band, Third Day. It was just what she needed that day to help her through a rough time. I consider that baseball game encounter, along with our follow up discussion, an everyday miracle!

This blog (#55!) happens to be at the one year mark of when I started this blog site! I consider this site an everyday miracle in my life! I am truly in awe of how God, through a series of circumstances, worked every thing out which led me to write again….just trying to share the things that are in my heart about our great God.  God also used His ordinary circumstances to provide an “editor” for me…using a simple comment via Facebook on a mutual friend’s post. I’ve never met my editor in person yet, but ironically we grew up in the same hometown! I am so blessed to have an editor who I can run things by and who encourages me along this path. You are such a blessing in my life, and I am so blessed by your sharing of your faith with me, Jenny! She always reminds me that “God never works in a vacuum…not ever!”

Can you think of some everyday miracles you have experienced in your life? Feel free to share them in the comment section below.

It is so refreshing to see God at work in the “little” details of life performing His everyday miracles!

If we recognize God’s little miracles every day, our faith in Him is going to grow and grow—and, as our faith increases, we will learn to trust Him more.  We might even see the Lord perform even greater miracles!  Keep your eyes and heart open to His everyday miracles!

You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.  –Psalm 77:14 (NIV)