Category: Psalms

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Making Time – Taking Time

A while back Dave asked me a question. “Do you have time for me?”

He was being silly and teasing me because he knew I was busy making him breakfast. I think it surprised him when I answered “Sure babe, I always have time for you.”

Time is the only commodity that we are limited in receiving. Every one of us has the same 24 hours, the same 7 days, the same 12 months. It amazes me how some seem to get so much done while others waste what can’t be replaced. Some are more productive at night while others rise early and seem to get their best inspiration during the early morning.

Taking time – making time for the things that are important sometimes makes me feel like a juggler with one too many balls in the air.

When the kids were little it was important to “take time” to help them grow. When they became teenagers it seemed even more important; now that they are grown and have homes of their own I fondly remember those days,  they are cherished memories. It delights me now to take time – undistracted time, to visit with them and be invited to share their time.

Everyone of us write appointments in our day planners, put them in our phone scheduler or write them on the calendar; the important things, things we don’t want to forget. Is our daily time with the Lord written there? Is it written on the schedule we keep in your heart?

One reoccurring question I have been asked over the years is “how long should my quiet time be”. My answer, “as long as you need”. It’s not important that we read multiple chapters in the Bible if we don’t remember what we’ve read when we’re done.  It’s better to take one verse and apply it to our lives that day.

“ ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you. And I will show you great and wonderful things which you do not know.’ ” Jeremiah 33:3 NLV

The same holds true with our prayer time. Praying is simply talking to the Father heart to heart. It shouldn’t be a religious exercise. No, instead we need to make it a conversation with our dearest friend. Prayer isn’t us doing all the talking; we need to be still and listen to that voice in our hearts, giving us instruction. That’s the Father talking back to us.

Start with a few undistracted minutes. I guarantee it will increase naturally. Spending time with the Father creates a desire and a hunger for more.

“Even before sunrise, I pray for your help, and I put my hope in what you have said. 148 I lie awake at night, thinking of your promises.” Psalm 119:147-148

Early or late, it’s one of those appointments we don’t want to miss! I was surprised to see how many times the Scripture records “early in the morning they went out to worship the Lord”. Early morning is my time but for you it may be the watches of the night, whenever it is, we can be certain that the Father will be there to meet us!

“God, hear my cry for help. Listen to my prayer. 2 From a faraway land I call to you for help. I feel so weak and helpless! Carry me to a high rock where no one can reach me. 3 You are my place of safety, a strong tower that protects me from my enemies.” Psalm 61:1-3 ERV

“I will answer them before they call for help. I will help them before they finish asking.” Isaiah 65.24 ERV

Take time to make time with the Lord. It is the best part of the day.

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On the Road Again

This morning Dave and I will be on the road once again.

When the kids were little and we traveled from Junior Rodeo to High School Rodeo and ranches we would get in the Jeep and began each journey singing “On the Road Again”.  We were thankful the Lord had opened doors for ministry and off we’d go.

Looking back now I should have kept track of the miles we have traveled, not just when the kids were little but all through our marriage. There have been thousands upon thousands of miles. On each and every trip the Lord has kept us safe. What a miracle!

“For He will tell His angels to care for you and keep you in all your ways. 12 They will hold you up in their hands. So your foot will not hit against a stone. 13 You will walk upon the lion and the snake. You will crush under your feet the young lion and the snake.

14 Because he has loved Me, I will bring him out of trouble. I will set him in a safe place on high, because he has known My name. 15 He will call upon Me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will take him out of trouble and honor him. 16 I will please him with a long life. And I will show him My saving power.” Psalm 91:11-16 NLV

As long as I can remember, we have started every trip with prayer. Asking for safety in our travels and for those in the vehicles traveling around us.

God has been faithful!

We don’t pray because it’s a habit, ritual, tradition or good luck charm. We pray because we believe God and know He is faithful to His word.

“ Be faithful in obeying the Lord your God. Be careful to keep all His Laws which I tell you today. And the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 All these good things will come upon you if you will obey the Lord your God. 3 Good will come to you in the city, and good will come to you in the country. 4 Good will come to your children, and the fruit of your ground, and the young of your animals. Your cattle and flock will have many young ones. 5 Good will come to your basket and your bread pan. 6 Good will come to you when you come in, and when you go out.” Deuteronomy 14:1-5 NLV

We trust God that we are blessed in our comings and goings, when we’re in the city and in the country. We know His hand of blessing is upon us wherever we go!

The road you travel each day may be a dusty path from the farm to the field or it may be paved with asphalt and take you down the Interstate. Wherever it is, God is there.

His promises are true. He is faithful to HIs word!

“ My son, do not allow them (God’s Word) to leave your eyes. Keep perfect wisdom and careful thinking. 22 And they will be life to your soul and a chain of beauty to your neck. 23 Then you will be safe as you walk on your way, and your foot will not trip. 24 You will not be afraid when you lie down. When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.” Proverbs 4:21-24 NLV

Make these promises your own.

Now it’s time for us to get “on the road again”. Blessings to you this day.

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Heart Filled With Love

No it’s not Valentine’s Day.

I woke up this morning and like every morning I asked the Lord what He wanted me to share. The Lord was quiet and so was I. Then I knew He wanted me to be still and  share my morning quiet time with Him alone.

The words of gratitude and love began to pour out of my heart as easily as the coffee from the pot filled my cup. I started telling Him how thankful I am that He found me, saved me and made me His own.

I’m still not finished with what I want to say to the Lord and I know He still has more to say to me so I will share these verses from Psalm 16 with you and encourage you to take time with Jesus this morning.

He wants you to know of His vast love. He wants you to know that His thoughts are of you. He has your picture on His mantle and in His wallet. He has your drawings on His refrigerator and He’s brought His cup to share your morning coffee time.

“You, Lord, are all I want!
You are my choice,
and you keep me safe.

6 You make my life pleasant,
and my future is bright.

7 I praise you, Lord,
for being my guide.
Even in the darkest night,
your teachings fill my mind.

8 I will always look to you,
as you stand beside me
and protect me from fear.

9 With all my heart,
I will celebrate,
and I can safely rest.

10 I am your chosen one.
You won’t leave me in the grave
or let my body decay.

11 You have shown me
the path to life,
and you make me glad
by being near to me.
Sitting at your right side,
I will always be joyful.” Psalm 16:5-11 CEV

Share your heart filled with love with Jesus! It’s the best way to wake up.

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Who Knows My Name

Remember the sitcom from the 80’s, Cheers?

The theme song said “Sometimes you want to go Where everybody knows your name And they’re always glad you came”. Then Norm would walk in and the whole bar would call out “Norm” as he walked to the end of the bar and sat down.

This was a popular show for 11 years. People identified with the characters, they became friends to many. I think what probably resonated the most with the viewing audience is that so many people just want someone to recognize that they are here.

They want to be known! We all do.

I heard a pastor say two things impacted him greatly when he was an 18 year old. It was then, for the first time, he heard that God knew who he was and that God loved him unconditionally. He said that was all it took for him to give his life to the Lord.

The reality of knowing that God Almighty knows me – He knows everything about me and loves me anyway, is pretty overwhelming.

“You, Lord, brought me safely through birth, and you protected me when I was a baby at my mother’s breast. 10 From the day I was born, I have been in your care, and from the time of my birth, you have been my God.” Psalm 22:9-10 CEV

“You are the one who put me together inside my mother’s body, 14 and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me. Everything you do is marvelous! Of this I have no doubt.” Psalm 139:13-14 CEV

God, the Father, knew us as we were growing in our mothers’ womb. He knows every detail, He knows every bump and bruise, every hurt and disappoint, every failure and bad thought and He loves us unconditionally.

Each of us knows what it’s like to face rejection; having people we  call friends  learn something about us that reveals our actions in our darkest moments and they turn and walk away.

It’s not that way with God the Father. He knows every sin and shortcoming; He knows our past and our future. He loves us still. He loves us unconditionally.

“Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. 7 No one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. 8 But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.

9 But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life’s blood, we will also be kept safe from God’s anger. 10 Even when we were God’s enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by his Son’s life. 11 And in addition to everything else, we are happy because God sent our Lord Jesus Christ to make peace with us.” Romans 5:6-11 CEV

King David had great victories but he also had some real failures of character. He defeated Goliath, became Israel’s king, led armies to victory but he also committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband murdered.

He’s the one who wrote the verses about God knowing us even while we are in our mother’s womb. He was well aware that God is always with us. He knew first hand that God’s love is unconditional. This is what he recorded  the Lord saying to us in Psalm 91.

“Because you love me, I will rescue you. I will protect you because you know my name. 15 When you call to me, I will answer you. I will be with you when you are in trouble. I will save you and honor you.” Psalm 91:14-15 GW

Thank you Father for knowing me, loving me, making peace with me and saving me!  Thank you for knowing my name!

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The Sounds of Joy

Can you hear it…the giggles, the laughter, the squeals?

Do you remember being like these kids? What fun it was to run through the sprinkler and play with such abandon. I love it.

So does the Lord.

“Shout praises to the Lord, everyone on this earth. 2 Be joyful and sing as you come in to worship the Lord. 3 You know the Lord is God! He created us, and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep in his pasture.” Psalm 100:1-3 CEV

There are so many verses written about joy. I can find 187 verses in the King James Bible with 34 of those being in the Book of Psalms. King David knew a thing about joy – he lead a procession, dancing with joy for all the Lord had done.

Another verse from Psalms that means a lot to me is this:

“You make the path of life known to me. Complete joy is in your presence. Pleasures are by your side forever.” Psalm 16:11 GW

Complete joy, that’s what I see in those kids playing in the sprinkler. Not a care in the world, absolute joy in the moment. God wants us to find that type of complete joy in Him. I don’t know where people got the idea that God’s wants us to be unhappy, scowling and miserable. Far from it!

Paul told the Christians at the church in Philippi to rejoice always. Get that, ALWAYS! How is that even possible? Look at his explanation.

“Always be joyful in the Lord! I’ll say it again: Be joyful! 5 Let everyone know how considerate you are. The Lord is near. 6 Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. 7 Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable.” Philippians 4:4-8 GW

Always joyful, never worry. God is working on our behalf. He can handle the needs and requests we bring to Him. When we keep thinking about things that are good, honorable and true we are focusing on the Lord. We have placed ourselves in His presence because we are allowing Him to occupy our thoughts.

When things go wrong we can still have joy.

“ My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. 3 You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. 4 But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.” James 1:2-4 CEV

In the King James version, it says “Count it all joy”. Really, count it joy when you fall into temptations – really? Yes, because the joy comes from knowing that you’re not in this alone! God has promised to never leave us or abandon us. He is constantly with us so that means we are in His presence and in His presence there is fullness of joy!

Joy in knowing we are not alone, joy in knowing that we aren’t operating under our own power or our own wisdom, joy to know that He has created us to be victorious! And when we realize all of that, we are growing and maturing, becoming more Christ-like .

In John 16, Jesus was talking with his disciples the night before His crucifixion. He was giving them last minute instructions. He told them that they would all abandon Him and that He would be alone but He quickly added that the Father would be with Him so He wouldn’t really be alone. (In His presence is fullness of joy)!

He then told the disciples that they would have troubles in this world. Not as big as the crucifixion but troubles all the same. His next words may have seemed strange to them.

He said “Be of good cheer (find joy), for I have overcome the world”.

“ The time is coming, and is already here, when all of you will be scattered. Each of you will go your own way and leave me all alone. Yet, I’m not all alone, because the Father is with me. 33 I’ve told you this so that my peace will be with you. In the world you’ll have trouble. But cheer up! I have overcome the world.” John 16:32-33 GW

Jesus had just told them how he was overcoming the trials in His life – He wasn’t looking for the support of friends and followers but He was simply looking to the One who would never leave Him, the Father, and in the Father’s presence is victory and fullness of joy.

Search for your joy today. It’s not in things, it’s not in people and it’s not based on circumstances. Fullness of joy comes from spending time in the Father’s presence.

As we give Him our time He will fill us joy. Take a run through the sprinklers, laugh, giggle, be joy-filled!

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What’s on Your Menu

Used to be that Saturday mornings were a time we went out for breakfast. It was nice to get up at a leisurely pace, have some coffee and then head to the café.

In my book, there is nothing better than buttermilk biscuits and sausage gravy!  That’s almost heaven for sure.

I imagine you are probably wondering why I focusing on food today. It has to do with the Scriptures I was reading this morning.

“Make your words good—you will be glad you did. 21 Words can bring death or life! Talk too much, and you will eat  everything you say.” Proverbs 18:20-21 CEV

Think about yesterday and the words spoken, were they sweet and light or were they bitter and tart?  David and Solomon both tell us that God’s words are sweet as honey.  There are times that our words need to bring discipline and correction but even then they can taste good if we speak the truth in love.

“It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.” Hebrews 12:11 CEV

Words are the food that feed our soul.

We’ve all had those times when we’ve been telling a story, relating an experience and we could feel the anger rising up inside, just like it did when we lived through it the first time. And then there are those that fill our hearts with joy and laughter. It goes without saying, it’s better to focus on the good.

“My son, pay attention to what I say. Listen closely to my words. 21 Don’t let them out of your sight. Never stop thinking about them. 22 These words are the secret of life and health to all who discover them. 23 Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life.” Proverbs 4:20-23 ERV

Words bring health and life and they build the thoughts that control our life.

I find it very interesting that Jesus referred to himself both as the Word and the bread of life. The Word becomes our bread and bread gives life.

“The Word (Christ) was in the beginning. The Word was with God. The Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 He made all things. Nothing was made without Him making it. ” John 1:1-3 NLV

“Jesus replied: I am the bread that gives life! No one who comes to me will ever be hungry. No one who has faith in me will ever be thirsty.” John 6:35 CEV

It’s His Word that brings us a banquet of blessings to enjoy.

Before I draw this to a conclusion I want to share with you a few verses from Psalms.

“Our Lord, you keep your word  and do everything you say. 14 When someone stumbles or falls, you give a helping hand. 15 Everyone depends on you, and when the time is right,  you provide them with food. 16 By your own hand you satisfy the desires of all who live. 17 Our Lord, everything you do is kind and thoughtful, 18 and you are near to everyone whose prayers are sincere.” Psalm 145:13-18 CEV

God’s Word provides us with the food we need, He desires to satisfy our lives. His Words are the food that will feed us in every circumstance. We will be strengthened by them.

Let’s feast on God’s word today. It’s ok to pig out. It’s low carb, low calorie and delicious!

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Wonderful Works of God

Yesterday after telling you about our travels and the roads we take I began to reflect on the beautiful scenery we have seen over the years.

There is a single verse in the Psalm 40 that I want us to look at this morning.

“Many, O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us; no one can compare with You! If I should declare and speak of them, they are too many to be numbered.” Psalm 40:5 NKJV

Look at this phrase “many are the wonderful works which You have done”. Think about that for a moment – what WONDERFUL works do you see that He has done? Was it last night’s sunset or this morning’s sunrise? Was it the love and compassion you felt for a stranger who was in need? Or was it the unpretentious love and acceptance of a child? What did you experience just yesterday that you could see was a wonderful work of God in your life?

As I said, I spent time reflecting on the beauty we see on each of our travels, some of the sun rises and mountain ranges are breath taking. To me, they are an example of God’s greatness.

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!” Psalm 107:8 NJKV

“He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.” Psalm 111:4 NJKV

“O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.” Isaiah 25:1 NKJV

God is always reaching out to show off for us. He has given us the beauty of creation to display His power and also given us the miracles of life to reveal His character.

I like the verses above because they move our focus from God’s creation to His character. God says His counsellors are faithfulness and truth. The things that are “wonder-full” are the things that have the character of God woven through them; faithfulness, truth, love, forgiveness, peace, gentleness, patience, joy.

As surely as the sun shines each day and the tides roll in at their appointed times God’s love reaches out to us. Each day the faithfulness of God can be seen in the way a hawk soars above and the fish thrive in the waters beneath. The course of nature allows them to break the hold of gravity and the fish to extract oxygen from the water in ways we can’t. It’s been happening that way since the beginning of creation. That’s faithfulness!

“We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal!” Lamentations 3:22-23 ERV

The daily miracles we experience are constant reminders that He is there and He loves us.  As we grow confident in the love that God has for us we begin to reflect His character in the same way that the moon reflects the light of the sun. The moon has no light of its own but it does shine brightly in the night.

As we reflect the Father’s love and His wonderful works, we will begin to shine brightly and bring the joy to others.

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Life’s Lessons Lived Well

Kids all across the country are getting ready to return to school and some already have.

Over 30 years ago, a book written by Robert Fulgham brought attention to the simplicity of doing things right. It was called “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten“.

We did learn some very important lessons in our early years of education. The importance of listening, sharing, co-operating, washing our hands, saying please and thank you, were just some of these valuable lessons.

Our parents taught us other truths in our early years that molded us and were very beneficial. It’s amazing how many things we do as adults that we were taught as children. We no longer do them because we fear that we may get a whippin’ or because “mom” is still standing there telling us every time but we do them because we know their right.

Look both ways before crossing a street
Brush your teeth before going to bed
Don’t run with scissors
Don’t talk with your mouth full
Chew with your mouth closed
Don’t tattle
Wash your hands after you’ve gone to the bathroom
Say, “Yes Ma’am” “Yes, Sir”
Don’t punch your sister
Pick up your clothes
Feed the dog

All of these things are simple and right but we had to be taught them and now that we do them we are better for it.

You know the same is true with Scripture.

“But you must be strong and brave about obeying the commands my servant Moses gave you. If you follow his teachings exactly, you will be successful in everything you do. 8Always remember what is written in that book of law. Speak about that book and study it day and night. Then you can be sure to obey what is written there. If you do this, you will be wise and successful in everything you do. 9Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”Joshua 1:7-9 ERV

Joshua was taking over for Moses, leading over a million Israelites into the Promised Land. Big shoes to fill – he needed wisdom and courage. This was his instruction from the Lord…remember what you were taught, you will be successful!

Jesus said the core teaching of the Bible, all that Moses and the other prophets said, was found in this instruction.

“36 “Teacher, what is the most important commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus answered:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. 38 This is the first and most important commandment. 39 The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, “Love others as much as you love yourself.” 40 All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 23:36-40 CEV

When we love the Lord with all our heart we will naturally and supernaturally love others as well. We learn from His example of love, unconditional love, and we give. We give our time, our possessions, our acceptance, we give our very lives if necessary.

A little nugget that jumped off the page of my Bible this morning was from Psalms.

“Help me to guard my words whenever I say something.” Psalm 141:3 CEV

One of the most loving things we can do is to watch our words. Words can encourage or they can destroy. They can compliment or  criticize. Remember the little childhood chant, “sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me”?

But words can hurt – they can devastate. Another one of Mother’s Rules was “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t saying anything at all”. I know that’s what this verse it is telling me.  My words should be kind and loving.

I don’t know which teaching from God’s Word  you’ll be living today but whatever it is, love well!

 

 

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His Love Never Fails

Were you able to enjoy a harvest meal of love, patience and joy yesterday? I hope you found a bounty of good things in your garden and we able to feast well.

I have to be honest and tell you that I had a few struggles in the peace and patience categories. Life threw me a few curve balls and I missed with my swing.

No, I’m not going to get into a baseball analogy but I think you know what I mean. I thought things were going along well, I was being loving the way the Lord wanted me to when something unexpected happened and I reacted from my emotions and not from my spirit. I had to be patient and regain my peace. It took a while…a long while.

Then this morning I read these words:

“I am surrounded by trouble, but you protect me against my angry enemies. With your own powerful arm you keep me safe. 8 You, Lord, will always treat me with kindness. Your love never fails. You have made us what we are. Don’t give up on us now!” Psalm 138:7-8 CEV

I needed that reminder. His love never fails and He always treats me with kindness.  One translation of this verse says “He perfects that which concerns me”. Thank you Lord.

Our Father knows when we are concerned about things and He goes to work perfecting them. Maybe not the way we would but His ways are perfect and He treats us with kindness.

(I just took a deep breath and exhaled.) Can you feel the comfort in those words – you ALWAYS treat me with kindness! (Another deep breath). Peace, sweet peace, from the Father.

But my reading didn’t stop there. I continued on to Psalm 139. It was amazing how the Lord kept talking to me.

“You have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know all about me. 2 You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven you discover my thoughts.

3 You notice everything I do and everywhere I go. 4 Before I even speak a word, you know what I will say, 5 and with your powerful arm  you protect me from every side. 6 I can’t understand all of this!  Such wonderful knowledge is far above me.

7 Where could I go to escape from your Spirit or from your sight? 8 If I were to climb up to the highest heavens, you would be there. If I were to dig down to the world of the dead you would also be there. 9 Suppose I had wings like the dawning day and flew across the ocean. 10 Even then your powerful arm would guide and protect me. 11 Or suppose I said, “I’ll hide in the dark  until night comes to cover me over.” 12 But you see in the dark because daylight and dark are all the same to you.

13 You are the one who put me together inside my mother’s body, 14 and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me. Everything you do is marvelous! Of this I have no doubt.

15 Nothing about me is hidden from you! I was secretly woven together deep in the earth below, 16 but with your own eyes you saw my body being formed.
Even before I was born, you had written in your book everything I would do.

17 Your thoughts are far beyond my understanding, much more than I could ever imagine. 18 I try to count your thoughts, but they outnumber the grains of sand on the beach. And when I awake, I will find you nearby.” Psalm 139:1-18 CEV

“Everything you do is marvelous!”  Everything…everything God does is marvelous! He was there yesterday when I became impatient and lost my peace. He was there, speaking to my heart. He was there with His powerful arm to protect and guide. 

He was there!

And He’ll be here today too!!  His love never fails! Amen.

 

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Watching Them Grow

Yesterday we were at our grandson’s wedding but of course you knew that.

What a beautiful day!

I know it’s cliché, but they grow up so fast. Sitting there on the patio of the wedding venue Dave and I were recalling the times that he had come to visit, fishing trips, Christmases, making jam in the kitchen – the things that make memories for us as grandparents.

Of course we want to see them grow, mature and have many more exciting moments and make lasting memories.

Isn’t that just like our heavenly Father? His desire is to see us grow up and experience the life that He has designed for us. He wants us to dream big and achieve those dreams.

“Let’s pray that our young sons will grow like strong plants and that our daughters will be as lovely as columns in the corner of a palace. 13 May our barns be filled with all kinds of crops. May our fields be covered with sheep by the thousands, 14  and every cow have calves.

Don’t let our city be captured or any of us be taken away, and don’t let cries of sorrow be heard in our streets. 15 Our Lord and our God, you give these blessings to all who worship you.” Psalm 144: 12-15 CEV

The Lord gives blessings to all of us who worship Him. I know I’ve said it before but God is more desirous of our success than we are. He has given us all the resources we need to grow in Him.

“Let the wonderful kindness and the understanding that come from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help you to keep on growing. Praise Jesus now and forever! Amen.” II Peter 3:18 CEV

Do you see what these verses say? It’s by the kindness and understanding that we receive from the Lord that we grow. Yes, it’s possible to learn from trial and error but God’s plan is that we mature and develop by the good things He provides.

“Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head 16 of the body. Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love.” Ephesians 4:15-16 CEV

It’s by love that we grow perfectly and become stronger.

I can just hear our heavenly Father say, “I remember when you were little and you came to me wanting to share all of your life’s experiences with me. I’m so glad that you’ve grown up and still want to do that.”

At every stage of life God’s word has a message for us.

“I write to you, dear children, because your sins are forgiven through Christ.
13 I write to you, fathers, because you know the one who existed from the beginning. I write to you, young people, because you have defeated the Evil One.
14 I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers,
 because you know the one who existed from the beginning. I write to you, young people, because you are strong. The word of God lives in you, and you have defeated the Evil One.” I John 2:12-14 ERV

Thank you Father for all you have done and are still doing to see that I grow up and become like You.

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