As we think things out in His presence, God guides our minds.
“As we think things out in His PRESENCE, God guides our minds.” – J.I. Packer
As we think things out in His presence, God guides our minds.
“As we think things out in His PRESENCE, God guides our minds.” – J.I. Packer
As soon as my mind gets snagged on a difficulty, bring it to God with thanksgiving.
“As soon as my mind gets snagged on a difficulty, bring it to God with thanksgiving. Then ask God to show me HIS way to handle the situation. The very act of thanksgiving releases my mind from its negative focus.
Most of the situations that entangle my mind are not today’s concerns; I have borrowed them from tomorrow. In this case, I lift the problem out of today and deposit it in the future, where it is veiled from my eyes. In its place, God gives me His PEACE, which flows freely from His PRESENCE.” – taken from Sarah Young’s small devotional book, “Jesus Calling”, May 11 entry, pronouns changed.
As we think things out in His presence, God guides our minds.
“As we think things out in His PRESENCE, God guides our minds.” – J.I. Packer
Contentment, for me a huge Key to Joy
By that I’m not saying that I think this woman should be content necessarily with having to wash clothes in such labor-intensive fashion. I’m just using the photo as a general, over-arching illustration of the value of contentment in allowing peace and joy to come in, sit down, and make itself at home in a person’s life. The concept’s related to the oft-repeated phrase, these days, of “being mindful”, “being intentional”, and “being in the moment”.
As we think things out in His presence, God guides our minds.
“As we think things out in His PRESENCE, God guides our minds.” – J.I. Packer
Becoming Quiet
The quieter you become, the more you can hear and the more you can heal…
Rich Mullins, Being Different and James 5:16
James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other, so that you may be healed.
I don’t enjoy reading the little parts in the Bible that make me distinctly uncomfortable because I KNOW I’m not even trying to apply their principles in my life. That’s partly because, many times, I don’t percieve of many other people around me trying to apply their principles in their lives either; I think we humans, womankind and mankind, tend strongly to manifest a herd mentality. I’ll be the first to admit, I’m a people-pleaser.
This above verse, for example. Confess our sins to each other? Who really does that? Wouldn’t it encourage overly amounts of introspection, even self-centeredness and morbidity? Besides, it’s embarassing! And perhaps many would argue that nowadays there is not enough trust and community in society to warrant such a practice. But I’m not sure there was even back years ago.
A few years back there was a top-notch young North American First Nations musician who was willing to be a little different, FOR JESUS. His name was Rich Mullins and here’s a bit about him TAKEN FROM FRANCIS CHAN’s RECENT BESTSELLER, “CRAZY LOVE”.
“(Rich Mullins) got his start writing songs for big-name recording artists, but in 1985 he recorded his debut album. For the next 12 years he made music, toured, and ministered to thousands of people through his simple yet weighty lyrics. His two most well-known songs are “Awesome God” and “Step by Step”.His songs have been covered by artists and bands like John Tesh, Rebecca St. James, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Third Day, Caedmons’ Call, and Jars of Clay.
Despite his success in the music industry, Rich often ruffled the feathers of Christian music culture. He didn’t consider music to be his primary purpose in life; to him, it simply enabled him to pursue the higher calling of loving people: children, his neighbors, enemies, and non-Christians. Sometimes he showed up to his concerts unshaven and barefoot. To keep others from putting him on a pedestal, he often confessed his sins and failures in public.” – Francis Chan in “Crazy Love”, last chapter.
How much might we all be helped if we were brave enough, willing enough, to take a few tiny steps toward increased transparency in relationship, one with another, in obedience to JESUS. Trusting each other a little more, not indiscriminately, not unwisely, not selfishly, but yes, TRUSTING each other a little more to “hold each other’s hearts”, to be real with each other.
James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
Exciting Developments!
In one community, children are malnourished and live in areas remote to any town or city. They are riddled with anaemia, worms and tuberculosis. Their moms and dads don’t seem to cook much healthy food or regular meals for the children. My medical doctor friend and missionary colleague began a nutrition center/Christian program for these children, taught by a 19-year-old married Christian woman of the community. Though until a year ago, but no longer, there was a longstanding Christian educational support and nutrition outreach TO ONLY SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN in the community (not for pre-school age children), sadly, that had been discontinued.
P. and I had been paying part of the small monthly salary, for this teacher/cook to be trained on the job and teach and serve the children through this past Christmas. But money had run out for us to continue to be a part of this team effort on behalf of the children.
Night before last, God provided a sum of money, designated specifically for the “Word and Deed” outreaches, but the people who gave it didn’t know specifically about this prayer and need, of P. and me, WITHIN the context of “Word and Deed”. The sum is going to enable “Word and Deed” to continue to help teach the children God’s Word, present the Way of Salvation and Life to them, help feed their empty bellies with nutritious daily food, and help this young teacher and my friend to work with the parents. There is not yet an assembly in this community, and very few believers. Together in team with many brothers and sisters here in the city of Cochabamba, in two different assemblies of Cochabamba, we can all reach out to help meet needs and see God’s church established and HIS NAME glorified.
My name is “Ann”, without even the flourish of an “e”…
One of my favorite books is “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp. So much of her life journey so echoes my own, and she expresses things in words so very beautifully.
Here’s a cool quote from the first pages of “One Thousand Gifts” which additionally resonates with me since, like her, one of my names is “Ann”, WITHOUT the “e” which, as I think about it, is very fitting for me since, in all the decades past and even now, I have NOT lived up to the meaning of my name…..
” A glowing sun-orb fills an August sky the day this story begins, the day I am born, the day I begin to live.
And I fill my mother’s tearing ring of fire with my body emerging, virgin lungs searing with air of this earth and I enter the world like every person born enters the world – with clenched fists.
From the diameter of her fullness I empty her out, and she bleeds. Vernix-creased and squalling, I am held to the light.
Then they name me.
Could a name be any shorter? Three letters without even the flourish of an “e”. Ann, a trio of curves and lines.
It means “full of grace”.
I haven’t been!” – A Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, page nine….
Thank YOU, Lord!
I mean it, “Thank YOU, Lord!”
We’ve been having, for one month, an enjoyable, satisfying, almost a bit OVERLY stimulating little season of stuff which has involved daily constant travel and literally sleeping in different places every single night.
It’s truly been great, and I mean that, but it was punctuated by a minor accident I had where, because of jet lag and because of being in new surroundings one morning, I was not watching where I was going and, a widespread brick patio area had two irregular, shallow, unmarked steps in it.
I fell.
Somehow, (and it hurt like the dickens!) I managed to sprain both ankles and one knee, the toes on one foot, plus the top-right of one foot, plus scrape both knees and badly bruise one leg between knee and ankle.
I mean, this fall was spectacular! If one’s going to fall and hurt oneself, then might as well do it right, right?
Of course, we were really focussing on our THANKFULNESS that nothing was BROKEN, and of course we still are.
What I hadn’t counted on, was that relative immobility in cars, needing to be ON my “pins”quite a bit between car rides over this past week, and more limited opportunities to ice pack the legs, ankles and feet……would not be ideal.
Late last night we were able to stop our nomadic life and rest, for a good long period of time now. God has given us a resting place for these next weeks, from which we can continue our work but in which I can have my legs up as much as I need to, can have ice packs on them, and where I don’t have to be riding in cars for long periods of time.
God is taking care of us! He’s taking care of ME! He even cares about my fall, and my sore legs, knee, ankles and feet!
Please know that, today, in this moment, and ALWAYS (since God is UNCHANGEABLE) He loves you too. He’s taking care of you, also. He is the source of every good thing you have, and you are. It’s all a gift from God. He wants to, longs to, be in personal relationship with you. Will you let Him? If you want to, but you are not sure how to, you could read JOHN, the first section called that, in the New Testament. It’s a good place to start, for that.
Deuteronomy 33:12 “Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in HIM, for HE shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between HIS shoulders.”
For HE shields him all day long…
Deuteronomy 33:12 Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.
Eleanor Roosevelt said…
Eleanor Roosevelt said, ” Happiness is not a goal. It is a by-product of a life well lived.”
David Thoreau said, “I am a happy camper so I guess I’m doing something right. Happiness is like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.”
“If you want to be happy, be.” – Leo Tolstoy
“Those who are not looking for happiness are the most likely to find it, because those who are searching forget that the surest way to be happy is to seek the happiness of others.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Jesus said…
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13
As we think things out in His presence, God guides our minds.
“As we think things out in His PRESENCE, God guides our minds.” – J.I. Packer
As soon as my mind gets snagged on a difficulty, bring it to God with thanksgiving.
“As soon as my mind gets snagged on a difficulty, bring it to God with thanksgiving. Then ask God to show me HIS way to handle the situation. The very act of thanksgiving releases my mind from its negative focus.
Most of the situations that entangle my mind are not today’s concerns; I have borrowed them from tomorrow. In this case, I lift the problem out of today and deposit it in the future, where it is veiled from my eyes. In its place, God gives me His PEACE, which flows freely from His PRESENCE.” – taken from Sarah Young’s small devotional book, “Jesus Calling”, May 11 entry, pronouns changed.
GlobeRoamer 