Continue reading →
Tag Archives: Encouragement
Don’t Look Back!
Is there a pillar of salt in your past?
In Genesis Chapters 18 and 19, we read about God’s appearance to Abraham in the form of a man, along with two other men who are actually two angels. They come to declare to Abraham and Sarah that in a year their son Isaac, the promised child, will be born.
Then God shares with Abraham that He is about to set judgment on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous” Genesis 18:20
Abraham, concerned for his nephew Lot and Lot’s family who live in Sodom, tries to bargain with God not to destroy the city if there are at least 10 righteous people there.
In God’s eyes, Sodom and Gomorrah’s wickedness is so vile there is no other option to do but destroy it. He cannot even find 10 righteous people in the entire city of Sodom. God is gracious with Lot’s family for Abraham’s sakes.
The two angels are sent to Sodom to rescue Lot, his wife, and two daughters from being destroyed along with the city. Continue reading
Valentine, Don’t Settle. Accept His Love
Here is a little YouTube history of Valentines Day. Enjoy!
If you are single, God knows you feel alone and left out and that Valentines Day is a painful day.
God also wants you to know that He genuinely loves you.
God wants you to be His and for you to accept Him as yours.
God created the original valentine. He gave Himself as a gift of love and redemption so that we could have a restored relationship with Him, and be partakers with Him in Heaven. Continue reading
Are We So Different From the Children of Israel?
In Exodus, God has shown the children of Israel that not only He’s there with them, but that He is a Mighty God. Because of Pharaoh’s rebellion, He has steadily pummeled Egypt with unbelievably supernatural plagues. Here are a few: all water is turned into blood, their homes and land are obscenely overrun with frogs, locusts devour their crops, boils afflict them, and finally the death of their first born sons.
Throughout the ten supernatural plagues that ravage Egypt, the children of Israel go untouched. And though some of Pharaoh’s magicians duplicate the first few plagues, they cannot remove them or duplicate the rest.
If all of their water is turned to blood and the place is overrun by frogs, why on earth would the magicians cause more grief upon themselves by adding to the problem? Hmmm. Just curious. Continue reading
Reap From His Strength
We have a very mild winter so far in the northwest. It seems all our snow and frigid weather has moved east. We have hardly had any snow at all in the month of January and that is quite rare. Some of our days this month have been spring-like, with only a bearable chill.
The leader at the Bible study I went to today was talking about some trees she noticed that were beginning to bud.
“Oh, no!” she said. “Don’t do that.” She got to talking about how this was the time the roots needed to grow deeper into the soil.
I got to thinking about how winter is a time for trees, shrubs, and most plants to recuperate from the hard work of bearing and growing fruit in the summer and fall months. Continue reading
God Is Working, Please Be Patient
I saw this image on Facebook today and was quite touched by it. I decided to share it not because I want people to Type Amen, but because I am hoping anyone who sees it will be encouraged by what it represents, like I was when I saw it.
So often we feel like God is slumbering on a tropical island somewhere sipping Mai Tais, and has just left us to struggle on our own. But what we don’t see is that God is working in our lives, He’s constantly laboring behind the scenes to bring out the best in us.
Sometimes, if feels like we are prodded, squeezed, shoved, kicked, knocked around, and fired up till we are about to dissolve into nothingness. At least I do.
But we really must keep in mind that because God is not finished with us yet, the work must go on and on. Continue reading
When it Comes to Meds, Study Suggests You Feel What You Believe
Knowing I suffer from chronic migraines, my neighbor dropped off a newspaper article on a recent study titled,
“Study: Thinking positive helps migraine drug work,” by Lauran Neergaard AP, a medical writer.
The article is about a study that proposes that what a patient expects out of a migraine medication will make a huge difference in the results that patient gets from their meds.
Sixty-six migraine patients were recruited for the study, some were given placebos (dummy meds) in an effort to measure the amount of real med related pain relief vs. the amount of relief from patient’s confidence because of their doctor’s positive comments about the meds.
In the article, Ted Kaptchuk, a Harvard professor, suggests that each word the patient is told about their medication is just as important as the actual prescription.
After over 450 headaches were analyzed, researchers concluded how essential it was for doctors to prudently select their words to their patients when subscribing a powerful drug; as the doctor’s message could make or break the medicine’s benefits. Continue reading
A Time To Be Deliberate
Did you make any new year’s resolutions? If so, how’s that working for you?
If you are like most people, right about now you’ll start floundering. Mid-January begins to feel like a heavy lunch on a warm day. Sluggish.
- We begin to lose fervor for our resolution.
- We begin to see our goals as illusions.
- Our good intentions grow thinner with each day.
Does that sound like you at all?
New Year resolutions go unresolved because we often don’t take them seriously enough. We then give up. Many times we try too hard to fulfill them on our own, and don’t ask God for help, or family and friends for support.
In Ecclesiastes 3:1, Solomon the wisest man ever, says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:”
This year, the Lord has been writing this in my heart’s wall:
“There is a time to turn bad habits into growth, and this is your time. Be deliberate.” Continue reading
Filed under Hope, Inner Sruggles and Heartache, Life Lessons, Seeds of Inspirations
Unwelcome Doggy Surprise
Oliver (white) and his sister Sofi
Oliver has been one of the best dogs I have ever had. I knew immediately he was the right one when I saw him.
If only finding a human life companion was that uncomplicated.
It was a terrible time of my life then, and I was desperate for a buddy. I knew a puppy would help chase the blues away. I drove—one hour, one way— for the puppy I wanted at a semi-affordable price. I wanted a girl puppy, and planned on naming her Olivia.
When I got to the pet shop, there was a litter of five white, adorable, eight week old Peekapoos.
The only girl was too yappy. She yapped in her high-pitch bark anytime anyone got near the kennel, and would not shut up until they walked away. Continue reading
Sometimes, We Just Need a Real Perspective
My friend Vern Westgate sent this email out just before Christmas. I found the pictures to be a fabulous glimpse of America’s not too distant past during the hardship of The Depression Era. Really worth seeing. It will open your eyes to how blessed we really are.
I thought Vern had a great idea in sharing this, and with his permission (thanks Vern), I am passing it on hoping you will get as much out of Vern’s perspective and the amazing pictures as I did.
America really does have an immense amount to be greatful for.
Thank You God!
——————————————————————-
Hi, Here’s my perspective for you having a Merry Christmas in spite of the current state of our country…and the attacks against my Christian faith…(and your Christian faith too, I hope…)
These stark pictures are from the Depression. They were taken 72 years ago, when I was a 7 year old kid in a great Christian family…We moved from Minnesota to California a few months ahead of Pearl Harbor. So we went from the tough Depression life to rationing…(5 gallons of gas per week, sugar and meat were rationed as were other things), no new cars were built for 4, 5 years…millions of men went to war and most stayed until it was over. My dad built B-25s and P-51s… Continue reading
HIS EYE IS ON THIS SPARROW TOO Still Learning to Lean on God 
