This blog is designed to create community for believers and provide support for seekers. I encourage all readers to share their faith in an effort to lift and encourage one another.
Happy Independence Day!
As we remember the birth of our country, it’s good to contemplate where we put our trust.
Psalm 20: 6-7
“Now this I know:
The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary,
With the victorious power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
But we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
Have a joyful Thursday, my friends! Rejoice, for God is our salvation.
Happy Wednesday, y’all! I wrote this devotion after a trip to Hawaii to visit with family. I hope you enjoy, and it inspires you.
Footprints in the Sand
We walk along the water’s edge, watching the foam from the waves rush up, attempting to capture the sand, then fall back to join the blue ocean water. Our heads down, we look in the sand for shells or coral unbroken by the battering waves. I stoop to examine a piece of elkhorn coral broken from the reef 200 yards offshore.
Scott has continued walking and I observe his footprints. Here at the water’s edge his foot sinks several inches into the soft, wet sand, leaving a deep impression. But only for a moment.
Then the hungry waves rush onto the beach, carrying sand back with it into the waves. The deep imprints of his footprints instantly fade to a small indentation in the beach. Another wave sweeps ashore, totally obliterating his footprints. It’s as if he had never walked along this beach. Here for only a moment, his footprints are totally erased from the sandy beach.
The Bible reminds us that we are on this earth for but a moment, like flowers that wither and grass that fades away. I Peter 1:24 and 25 come to mind as I watch the waves erase his footprints in the sand. Once we’ve gone from this earth our memories last for a time, but then are slowly washed away until new generations walk the sands of life, leaving their own brief footprints.
I think about how I’ve spent my short time on this earth. Have I done anything of lasting significance? Have I lived my life so that it affects someone else for eternity? My time is fleeting. I must keep my eyes on the eternal, for the footprints quickly wash away.
I Peter 1:24, 25 “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field, the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
Oh God, keep my eyes on the spiritual, eternal things of life. May the path I walk leave footprints to help others to know your eternal power, loving-kindness, and saving grace.
Happy Tuesday, everyone! I hope you have a beautiful day and take some time to consider the following quote!
“You can see God from anywhere if your mind is set to love and obey Him.”
― A.W. Tozer
Good Monday morning, everyone!
When you are experiencing times of trouble, here is a voice to cling to.
Happy Friday everyone! I hope you find time this weekend to look at the skies and see the work of God’s hands.
Through the Psalms
Psalm 19: 1-4
“ The heavens declare the glory of God;
The skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
Night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
No sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
Their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.”
All we ever have to do to see God’s glory is look to the skies and see the work of his hands.
Good morning! Have you ever thought about what good works God has prepared for you to do?
Happy Wednesday, my friends! Here’s a little devotion to help you get over the hump.
As I walked the nature trails, I wandered off the beaten path. Large toadstools nestled under a grove of blue spruce trees attracted my attention.
Pushing aside branches, I walked fifteen feet, entering a small clearing. The ground, carpeted with years of accumulated needles, felt soft beneath my feet. A chorus of crickets broke the silence. In the distance a woodpecker drilled, searching for insects. Inside my clearing, all was shadow, quiet and still; it became a sanctuary that soothed my soul. A smattering of bright red sumac leaves provided stained-glass windows. I sat on the carpet of spruce needles, gazing at the beauty all around me, and I felt the presence of God. Strains of “This Is Holy Ground” ran through my head.
Looking through an opening between the horizontal branches, I observed the golden radiance of the late afternoon sun. Outside my sanctuary, the seed heads of the natural prairie grasses glowed transparently in the sun’s light, creating a stunning contrast to the shadowy grove. I had to capture the breath-taking scene on film. When I put the camera to my eye, I focused on the branches in the foreground. They seemed large and dark, like horizontal prison bars, and the golden glow of the grasses in the background was barely noticeable. I refocused the camera. Then the tall, dried grass, shot through with light, became the focus of my picture; the branches in the foreground almost disappeared.
As I took my picture, I thought: how often do I focus on the branches in front of me that impede my spiritual way, and thus fail to see God’s light just beyond? How often do I become discouraged over minor problems instead of focusing my thoughts on the brilliance of God’s majesty or the comforting glow of his love? It’s all a matter of focus.
Remembering the lesson of the camera’s focus enables me to thank God in all situations and focus on His spiritual light shining beyond my earthly troubles.
Father let my eyes see beyond the earthly; let me steadfastly watch your spiritual light. May I always focus on the wonders you have created, on the wonder of you. Hebrews 12:2-3 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”
I’m back! Last week was rough, but I am feeling better and getting energy back. Nasty food poisoning had an ugly hold on me.
Happy Tuesday! Have a wonderful day!
Here’s some food for thought for today.
“Each day holds a surprise. But only if we expect it can we see, hear, or feel it when it comes to us. Let’s not be afraid to receive each day’s surprise, whether it comes to us as sorrow or joy. It will open a new place in our hearts, a place where we can welcome new friends and celebrate more fully our shared humanity.”
~Henri Nouwen~
Happy Friday, everyone! We serve an awesome God!
Through the Psalms
Psalm 18: 30-31
“As for God, his way is perfect;
The Lord’s way is flawless;
He shields all who take refuge in him.
For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock besides our God?”
Growing Our Faith Together 