Tagged: hope

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Prayer / Teaching

THE POSTURE OF POSITION

Image by StarFlames from Pixabay Position.  What comes to your mind when you read the word—position?  Does a station in life, place of employment, or personal ownership of a company capture your thoughts? Perhaps your standing with a particular association or birth order in your family registered. Position for a pilot, surgeon, and yoga instructor will probably resonate differently. Your almost-numb foot may have you changing your position.  God has much to say about position. Most importantly, about our position in Christ. A glorious location so incredible that when it is understood in the smallest degree, a posture of humility emerges. Meek...

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Comfort and Hope / Encouragement

The Middle of the Story

PART THREE of the Following Jesus Birthday Trip. You can read PART TWO here. Sheri heard weeping the moment she stepped outside, beyond the smokey fire-charred remains of her store. It sounded like a child. Following the wailing to the garden, she discovered a little girl under the canopy of prayer requests. This precious one, unable to find the card she had written during a previous visit to the purple shop, was distraught. Sheri assured her not to worry, “Your prayer is safe with God.” Fire may have destroyed the building and its contents, but the real treasure—the prayers offered...

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Advent / Comfort and Hope

ADVENT PEACE

ADVENT DEFINED The Advent season is a four week period before Christmas that celebrates the anticipation and coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. The origin of “advent” is from the Latin word adventus which simply translates “coming” or “arrival”. Not only is the Christian meaning for preparation and celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ, his birth at Christmas, but also to celebrate the new life when someone accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, and lastly, the anticipation of Jesus returning again.  From Crosswalk.com “The Beautiful and Meaningful Purpose of Advent” peace noun 1: a state of tranquility or quiet: such as a: freedom...

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Comfort and Hope

ADVENT HOPE

ADVENT DEFINED AD’VENT, noun [Latin adventus, from advenio, of ad and venio, to come. See Find.] A coming; appropriately the coming of our Savior, and in the calendar, it includes four sabbaths before Christmas, beginning of St. Andrew’s Day, or on the sabbath next before or after it. Webster’s Dictionary 1828 ADVENT HOPE THROUGH PRAYER The Valley of Vision – “The spring of my hope” Glorious Jehovah, my Covenant God, All Thy promises in Christ Jesus are yea and amen,and all shall be fulfilled.Thou hast spoken them, and they shall be done,commanded, and they shall come to pass. Yet I have...

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Encouragement / Prayer

LUCK OF THE DRAW—NOT

The things that happen do not happen by chance, they happen entirely in the decree of God. God is working out His purposes. OSWALD CHAMBERS NOTHING HAPPENS BY ACCIDENT This past weekend a group of friends, old and new, pushed the pause button on life. We fled to our favorite fall retreat spot–a tranquil location we have visited for the last fifteen years. Every retreat is different in theme, message, and the silly antics of our annual Friday night game. But one thing is constant–God’s presence. What I never imagined was God surprising me with a special gift. Several months...

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Poetry

CALM COLLECTED FAITH

ASSURANCE Not one “Oops!”, “Uh-oh”, or “Sorry!” but perfection in all His ways No mistakes, sovereign ruling throughout our fleeting days What seems mistake or worse, an “accident” of chance Is well within His grasp, not dicey happenstance. But evil and injustice—how can these things occur Without Him moving quickly and justice to secure? Higher, more profound, far beyond our grasp The Master works His wonders, and one day we will gasp When dimly becomes clearly, and all is fully seen Worship, adoration, repentance in between Humbled, staggered knowing—wise beyond belief Beholding Sovereign Wisdom, the fullness of relief When Cross...

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Encouragement

SHADE OF GRACE — AS A LIFESTYLE

GOD’S INVITATION TO SHADE Life is hard. We are all damaged—ravaged by the sins of others and the consequences of our own sinful choices, a broken world, and the enemy’s schemes. Things break—glasses, cars, hearts, all the things. The heat is on. Challenging circumstances, pressure, disappointments, relationship struggles, unexpected diagnoses, anything, and everything threatens to zap our strength, steal our joy, and distract us from knowing and enjoying God.  All of it—the hard, broken, difficult things in life can be redeemed if we will do one thing—come to Jesus.  Come out from the oppressive heat into the shade of God’s...

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Exhortation

SHADE OF GRACE—PART THREE There Is A Plan

There Is A Plan HOPE My soul was shriveled. It had been a long, hard, 4-year cancer journey with my husband.  While God had proven exceedingly faithful and I was surrounded by friends who shared my burdens, the desire to process life with a therapist surfaced again. I had reached out to a counselor I respected months before, but his waiting list was over the one-year mark at that point. Watching our cancer journey unfold, I knew I could no longer wait to sit with someone to process my heart. I prayed, then checked out several websites for counseling agencies...

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Comfort and Hope

SHADE OF GRACE — PART ONE It’s Hot Out Here

It’s Hot Out Here Think Hot Texas summers can be brutal. By August the monotonous stretches of 90-plus-degree temperatures leave you desperate for relief. The afternoon sun was high and so was the grass. Mowing earlier in the day would have been wise, but schedules and life often require flexibility. A couple of passes in the front yard and my pores were leaking. Rivulets of sweat ran down my face and back while flecks of grass and dust kicked up by the mower plastered my clammy legs. Wiping my eyes while trudging across the too-tall turf, I vowed I would...