Who Inspires You?

This prompt doesn't take much thinking on my part. I have three wonderful friends that bring such inspiration that lifts up my spirit just thinking about them.

Friend # 1 is just a bit older than I am and I have learned a great deal from her. She has shown me how to welcome all into a group. There is no one that remains a stranger when she is around. She also has shown me that just because we grow older doesn't mean that we have no usefulness any longer. She is a champion of people that have lost a spouse. She is the pioneer that is leading the way for those so overtaken by grief that it seems impossible to go on. She has first hand experience and hasn't let it overwhelm her but strengthen her to help others.

Friend #2 is a little younger than I am but so much wiser. She  has such a heart for the children others consider unteachable. We worked together for many years and she taught me not to be afraid of children with disabilities but to see their inner beauty. She is so in love with God that it draws you in and you have a new look at God through her eyes. She is a friend that I don't get to see very often but who I have shared my inner most thoughts, pains, and joys with. She always has a listening ear and a wonderful word of encouragement.

Friend #3 is about the same age as I am but has lived life in a very different place than  me. She has had more pain in her life than I think most of us will experience in 2 lifetimes. She has the knack of making you want to be better and to know God like she does. When asked how she is, she is always "blessed" even when things are closing in and life seems difficult. She is a person that is always ready to pray for and with me. When I am feeling like I want to pity myself for what is going on in my life I just have to get a text from her and I am reminded that God is in control and working all things for my good.

These 3 wonderful ladies are such an inspiration to me. They mean more than just the few words I have shared. I believe God always knows what we need and he gives us "skin" to help us see Him. That is what these three friends have done for me, help me see God with "skin" and help me want to come closer to Him. I pray he give you that same "skin".

Coffee For Your Heart



What Brings You Joy?

As I write this my life is in such upheaval that sometimes it is difficult to breath. So when I read the prompt for this week it made me sit and think, really think.

I know happiness. That seems to be something that I can laugh with or when a friend calls or greets me with a hug. But too soon that passes and I am left to my thoughts or myself.

No the prompt was what brings me joy? I think that what brings me joy is when a friend reminds me that God is working all things for good in my life even though I can't see it right now. This fans the coals that are just embers in my heart. It brings that joy back to me that I belong to a God that NEVER fails in anything He does. {another puff to those embers that are now starting to burn within me}

I am reading a wonderful book that was a present for my birthday called, His Princess, Letters from Her King and it takes the words that are written in the Bible and states them from God to me in such a way that if feels as if God just wrote them and they are to me personally. They set the embers into a full out fire. They bring rapturous joy flooding me.

It seems that when I focus on me and what makes me happy isn't the same thing that makes me joyful. It is when I am focusing on what God has said to me and about His love for me that fills me with a joy that even the hard times I am going through right now can't seem to steal away. There are always those embers that will not die because of the truth that lives in me. The truth that God is working all things for my good, that He NEVER fails, and that His steadfast love endures forever!

Yes that is what brings me joy. A never ending joy even when it seems there are just embers, can so easily be fanned into a brilliant flame just remembering whose I am. 

Thanks Holley for helping me remember this!

 

 



Encouraging Word

What encouraging word or words do you want to hear when you are having a bad day? I have thought about this prompt for the entire week. I came up with a few observations.

1. It depends on who is doing the talking.
1. If you are having a bad day and a well meaning friend quickly says its going to be OK or
2. God says: "I will act on your behalf as you wait for Me." Isaiah 64:4
2. How much does the person know about you?
1. Your friend, that you share MOST of your ups and downs with or
2. God who reminds you: "I will NEVER abandon you." Hebrews 13:5
3. How the words are spoken.
1. You are in great need and you can hear the quiet sighs of impatience on the other end of the phone or
2. God listen with such patience and love telling you, "I will restore and refresh your weary soul" Psalm 23:3

I can remember feeling like the world was on my shoulders and a friend listened,  I mean really listened and when I could finally be still enough to listen to her she offered her love and then pointed me to God and shared the most appropriate verses from the Bible. I can not tell you how that refreshed my spirit and gave me the courage to walk through another day. Words like, forgiven, grace, love {this one is a bit overused such as "I love that spaghetti."}, understand, been there, you can do it, I am here for you are all helpful. But to hear your Father in heaven tell you things like; "I will keep you safe because no one can snatch you out of My hand." {John 10:29} when things around you feel like they are closing in for the kill, are like a breath of fresh air in a stale room.

I don't know about you but when someone speaks words of life to me that is when I am most encouraged and lifted up. I think this song says it all!

 

Let your words be life and truth and you will never go wrong!

 

 

You Are Not Alone

I have a sweet granddaughter that is growing up too fast. She is going through a time when the dark frightens her. Guess we have all been there. I remember the basement in our house being the most frightening place on the planet. It was ok during the day, but night was a whole different story. I could have been in the Olympics track and field with the speed I was able to achieve getting down the stairs and back up them at night when I was asked to retrieve something from the basement!

My granddaughter has a new game she likes to play, called Hide and Scare. {when I played the game it was called hide and seek} We went to visit this past weekend and she asked me if I wanted to play said game. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my daughter shaking her head no. I changed the subject and we did something else. Later I asked my daughter why I didn't want to play Hide and Scare. She informed me that every time my granddaughter tries to play the game she ends up crying. What! Why would anyone want to play a game that made them cry or scare them? Sure enough her cousin arrived later and we heard her ask her cousin if she wanted to play Hide and Scare. {she wasn't close enough to my daughter to see  her shake her head no}The game began and it lasted a total of 1 minute before we heard her scream out and begin to cry.{well, check that off the list of games to play with her!}

It got me thinking about today's prompt of not being alone. Have you ever felt so alone that it was scary? Have you gone through a time when you were sure that no one on the planet has felt like you were feeling at that moment? Have you been in a place filled with people and felt invisible?

I want you to know that God has promised you that he will never leave you or forsake you! I also want you to know that the things you are going through, that you feel like no one else has ever gone through, is more than likely not true. You can reach out to God and He will calm your frayed nerves, or comfort the aching in your heart. He has also placed others in your life that are waiting to be asked to come alongside you {as they have been in your shoes}. Sometimes we need to have someone give us a hug or tell us that God has this in hand. He even tells us in His love letters to us:

Deuteronomy 31:8

 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

If  the Lord goes before you and he is with you, that means you ARE NEVER ALONE! Think on this and keep it in your heart.



You are Beautiful!

If I had would have had to write this post a few years ago I would have been speechless. I was the "girl with the great personality" and you know what that means! I was the girl that didn't have a date {nope not even one} in high school. Not because I didn't want a date, but because I was the "girl with the great personality". I even had to ask someone to take me to the senior prom! Not feeling too beautiful here. My fiancé even decided that we should see other people and broke off our engagement. Now the word ugly is looming large.

I went on to college where I met Jesus face to face. I began to read the Bible and some words started to leap from the page like the ones from Psalm 139:14 telling me that God made me and His works are wonderful! Hmmm, God only makes wonderful things! Something to think on. Then I learned that the more we learned about Jesus and the closer we grow to Him we start to think, and act in the way that will please God. He is living in me helping me to become the woman he created me to be, beautiful inside and out.

Have you ever noticed when you meet someone that is a Christian they seem to glow and you can tell right away without saying a word that they are a fellow believer? Are they not beautiful? Don't you want to be around them? That is what Jesus does to each of us as He lives inside of us.

The word ugly has been removed from my vocabulary. Genesis 1:27 says that God created us {you and me} in His image. I don't think of God as anything but beautiful, glorious, wonderful. That means so are you!

Are you thinking you are not beautiful? You were made in the image of God, how can you not be the most beautiful woman. If God created you and you have Jesus living on the inside GORGEOUS is the word for you . Trust me on this I know first hand that you have never looked more beautiful! God only makes wonderfully beautiful things. He even declares us "Very good!" So take Him at His word, believe what He tells you is true, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

 

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John 15:4

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

Psalm 139:14

 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well 

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Love

When I saw Holley's topic for this post I thought about it, prayed about it, agonized over it for the entire week. How do you tell someone they are loved and have them do more than smile, nod their heads and say "Yeah, I know." I thought of my own life and the love I know from my childhood, to my husband, then to my own children, but not everyone had a wonderful childhood, is married to a wonderful spouse, or for that matter has children. So how to tell someone else they are loved beyond measure and have them KNOW they are exactly that, loved beyond measure.

I went to the "love letters" I received and thought I would share them with you. Know why? They are love letters to you as well as to me. No not the letters from that cutie puttootie that married me but from the wonderful Creator of all things.

He has sent each of us love letters that light our way. { “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12}


He knows every step we take. { ^"You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn through the sleepless nights, Each tear entered in your ledger, each ache written in your book." Psalm 56:8} He guides our every step. {"And the Lord shall guide you continuously" Isaiah 58:11}

He, the God of the Universe, delights in me {not just me but you too!} {"He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delights in me." 2 Samuel 22:20} 

I am not some unknown person to the Creator of all things He knows me by name! {Just as he knows you by name} "do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name: YOU ARE MINE." Isaiah 43:1

I am not making this up! These are actual love letters from God! He even wants to take all my worries and cares and take them over. {"Cast your burdens upon the Lord and He will sustain you, He will NEVER allow the righteous to be shaken." Psalm 18:35}

How great is His love you want to know? He tells you and I this; "The mountains may depart and the hills may be removed but the covenant {promise} of MY LOVE shall not depart from you." How great is that love huh?

If you haven't read the love letters that are for you in the Bible you need to check it out because God adores you! He thinks you are the greatest thing since sliced bread. He calls you His Beloved. Really! If you don't believe me just check it out for yourself. You will be thrilled to be loved so much!

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Encourage- You Have Got to be Kidding

I got an email last week from Holley about starting up a new series on Encouragement. I thought piece of cake so I decided to join with these women to be an encourager. Well, that was before my world fell apart!

I got a phone call that rocked my world and not in a good way. It was all I could do to breath let alone talk. Once we {my husband and I} hung up we cried on each others shoulders. I was so busy running scenarios through  my mind that I didn't or couldn't even pray. How can we fix this? Who will be hurt the least? Perhaps this, no that won't work. What about this, no silly that isn't even in the realm of possibilities.

With all of this happening other things had already taken place, like finding out a loved one is very ill and on top of that a terrible flu has overtaken the family, and my sweet husband and I are struggling with bodies that are not cooperating with our minds. So encourage others, you have got to be kidding me!

Have you ever felt like this? I know at the time if surely feels as if you are the only one with such overwhelming struggles, at least it felt that way to me.

We put on our church masks and went to church not wanting to share all the heartache because if we opened our mouths to share tears would flow and no breath would come. I had begged God to speak and comfort my heart. {Seemed He was out of encouragement also.} For two long days I wasn't even able to pray just running ideas through my head why this was all happening and what I could do to solve these problems. God wasn't speaking and time was slipping away. However, {aren't you glad there is a however?} during the church service I was able to still my mind enough to listen to the words the Pastor was saying. He had printed the words to the scripture on the screen for us and right there in such bold print {perhaps it was regular print but to me it stood out with bells ringing and lights flashing} DON'T WORRY! The first time I saw it I was taken by surprise. But God knew I hadn't heard Him so the second scripture had those same words, DON'T WORRY! I sucked in my breath, God was speaking to my broken heart! He slowly lifted the burden I was carrying with his wonderful words bringing me back to trust that He is still, and always in control.

My situations haven't changed but I have! I know that God is working things out so that He will be glorified! What more can I ask? I am trusting Him to work this all out because He has promised in Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
{God NEVER breaks a promise He has made!}

Maybe I can encourage! If you have ever felt like  your world is imploding you have a God that is able to see "over the fence" into tomorrow and He will never leave you or forsake you {another one of those promises}and He just loves to solve your problems. Trust Him, He never fails!

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