Growing Deeper

  "  I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.How precious are your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of  them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; "                                                                                                        Psalm 139:14, 17   In this world a woman's Beauty is a big factor. Weight... hair... makeup... clothes...    The magazines are full of ads depicting what the world calls beautiful.These days are not so different from centuries of determining what determines a woman's "worth"   What about the person who has done everything sh...

And you were dead in trespasses and sins... and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.  But GOD being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-- by grace you have been saved.                                                                                                  Ephesians 2:1,3;4      When I was first saved, Gods Word was so new to me. I had never read it before. It came alive in my heart as I read the gospel of John. I was intrigued by Jesus and his response to people and their needs. I ate it up. I was a new creature according to his Word. I believed God and became like a child when it came to...

"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man,Jesus Christ." Romans 5:17   We can live a life of Grace. Through faith and surrender to Jesus Christ.   Years ago, I saw the movie, " The Hiding Place". It was the true story of Corrie Ten Boom, and her   survival from  one of the concentration camps she was held in during World War 2.     I read her book with the same title years later.  What astounded me, more than Corrie's personal experience, was her sister, Betsy.   Betsy was a picture of Gods grace, before the war, and during her imprisonment at the death camp.   Corrie, learned a lot from Betsy, just by watching her response to situations in their lives. Betsy's one and only response to everything, was love.  The death camp was a very cruel place. Ma...

" I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all  Your wonderful deeds."                                                                                                            Psalm 9:1   I believe memories are a gift.  To recall things that have happened in my life, brings so many comforting things to me.   As I grow older, I find I am very sentimental. I am overcome at times with joy and tears as I recall times that have blest my life.  Memories are such a blessing!  Not all  memories are good ones. But I do love to think of the good ones more than not. Not so good memories can be good for me too! Learning a lesson from an experience can help me not t...

"In the day when I called, You answered me, and You strengthened me with the strength (might and inflexibility to temptation .")  Psalm 138:3  ( Amplified Bible)   On the day I was saved, God seemed to swoop down to where I was and answered my cries.  Now I know He was and is,  always here just waiting for me to recognize my need and His love.  Time and time again, God answers me and meets the need, works on me and even works in a situation I am praying about. " Call on Me, and I will answer..." Why is that so astounding to me even now when He does this for me?  Because He is so ,so good, over and over, time after time, year after year. He is not a quitter, He doesn't leave us to ourselves.  After 40 years of this, I am still catching on to God and His goodness,   I will never take His Love for granted. It is not deserved, but He still gives it.     In this life that  we share with others who are flawed; we get disappo...

" The generous will prosper. Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." Prov.11:25 "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit ,but in humility count others more significant than yourselves, let each of you look  not only to his own interests but to the interest of others."Philippians 2:3-4             Its the Christmas Season, and we as grandparents have been attending our grand children's holiday programs.  As always, it is a joy to see the little ones sing, or play an instrument and be a part of the yearly productions.       Last night we went to our grandson's program. Jack is autistic. He is 6 years old. He is at the high end of autism. He attends a school for special needs children. These children  are at all ends of the spectrum of Autism and other disabilities.    I was amazed at the number of children that are attending this school.  I was even more amazed at the staff that works with these c...

 " Blessed be God who has not rejected my prayer nor removed His mercy and loving kindness from being ( as it always is) with me."   Psalm 66:20 AMPB   Oh how full is my heart when I read this verse. Blessed be Our God for He is so good! Rejection leaves such a scarring.  To know that the Maker of the Universe and beyond, and yes even that little bird outside, and  the air we breathe somehow is attentively listening to my prayers, my thoughts and not rejecting them. God will correct me and straighten me out on things more than not, but never has he rejected me. Love tells the truth without rejection. I am grateful that God is perfect in his love. God never rejects us when we are looking for answers. When we have made mistakes and have come to our senses, and repent.   We can always count on God. And if we look to become like him, we can count on each other too!

" All the days of the desponding and the afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and foreboding]but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast. [regardless of the circumstances]                                                                                                                         Proverbs 15:15   Glad heart, continual feast! Connection there?   A glad heart is more than happiness; it's joy that brings a continual feast!!  Not even the best delicious food can do that!  How do we obtain a glad heart? One way is to think on good things. ( Phillipians 4:8)   Even when life is hard, there are things we can choose to think about that help us re...

"Through skillful and godly wisdom is a house (a life,  a  home, a family ) built, and by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation]  Proverbs 24:3  AMPC ( Amplified Bible)   Oh Wisdom from Gods Word!! What a precious, precious gift!!    It is full of grace, peace and solace! So many things Wisdom changes in our lives. God's Word sets forth infinite changes when applied in a persons life. Like a domino effect branching off in an array of areas, clicking off this problem and that problem by the shear genius of The One who "craftily assembled" it.   After years, or even months  of godly wisdom, life takes on a completely different shape; the road is more serene, less pensive.          God watches our lives, offers us answers that are so valuable in Wisdom.                                       ...

 " The Lord places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy." Psalm 68:6      The holiday season is a glorious time! Such wonder, such anticipation for those little ones in our lives, plays, shopping, seeing friends for festivities. Families getting together to open gifts.    For some, it is a very difficult time.  They might have their first Christmas alone after a death of a spouse, or they are ill, or not able to get out like they use to. Not everyone is happy at this time of year.   Seven years ago, I was widowed. It was the first time I was alone in my whole life. It was quite devastating to me.  The holiday season was approaching  and I was quite out of sorts. I really didn't want to put out the decorations or put up a tree. I was alone. Why bother.  I just wasn't up to it. Even though I had faith in God, I felt all alone.   But God had a different plan for me that Christmas...  ...

" Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him,  talk ye of all his wondrous works. " Psalms 105:2     I love music! Don't we all?! It is such a wonderful creation! It can change a mood with a happy tune, and  get our feet moving, while snapping our fingers or even bring tears of sadness.     What a magnificent gift!! Music is God's idea. It has been with us from the beginning of time.    Music, songs, instruments, melodies, these are true treasures. What would life be like without music? I cannot not imagine.    From the sound of a bird singing, to a magnificent symphony in an amphitheater, music of all kinds touches our emotions. God knew that.  This is just another reason to praise Him. He thought of everything, for His enjoyment and for our enjoyment too!    It is the Christmas Season, with music playing songs of Christ's Birth, and  the glorious plan of salvation. And there are other  songs for children to be...

  It's amazing to me that God does things the way he does.  The Christmas Story is fascinating! In all the religions of the world, man tries his best to reach up to God. Christianity is the only religion where God came down to us. He knows us and desires US. His love is so astounding and all  encompassing, that he brought it to us in a baby.   Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. Precious baby, in a hard cold world. God had the answer to our sin, and still has the Answer for us today. Jesus is his name.    Christmas is a wonderful reminder of that first best gift. We love to give gifts and receive them and we love the festivities and the looks our children have when they see that lighted tree with a gift under it for them. We love this season! Gifts and giving. We look and look for that perfect gift for our loved ones.    God gave  each of us the perfect Gift in Jesus. And because of his love ,Christmas came to us.  God continues to give ...

In putting together a quiet time, there are a few tools I use to help me remember prayer requests.  I use a prayer journal. That is a notebook that I divide up into 2 sections. The notebook is just a medium spiral notebook that fits in the inside flap of my Bible Cover.  I have a prayer list I keep in the front section. Over the years, I have used different lists and different ways of implementing them.  The list I use now is simple:  I have certain people that I pray for on certain days. I usually pray for my husband along with the other prayers  Sundays- Youth Group kids, and my church family's prayer requests. Mondays- My 1st daughters family Tuesday-My 1st sons family Wednesday= my 2nd sons family Thursday -my 2nd daughters family Friday- my 3rd daughters family Saturday- my husbands son and daughters families. These are stationary, meaning I keep this list before I start on other lists. If I hear of another prayer request, I pray for those to...

"Contend not with a man for no reason- when he has done you no wrong.                                                                                      Proverbs 3:30    No picking fights!!  No taking out your tiredness on some unsuspecting person ( or dog!) It is interesting what the spirit of strife does. It looks for reasons" to pick a fight."  But God's Word tells us not to do that and furthermore, "If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18    Some people just walk around angry and spill their anger on whoever happens to be in their path. A ...

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, Maker of heaven and earth.   Psalm 121:1-2  In the words of that 1960's song .."What the world needs now is love, sweet, love....no not just for some but for everyone"...  To love unconditionally as God does, that's a mountain!!  But nothing is impossible with God. How can we love:                                  the unlovable                                  the ungodly                                  the atheist                                  the criminal  an...

"Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not (merely) his own interests, but also each for the interests of others."  Philippians 2:4  AMPC      Many years ago on Thanksgiving Day, I was in a  fix.  I had a large turkey to roast, and to my dismay, that morning, my oven quit working. The turkey was thawed, and  I had just  finished stuffing it when I discovered the oven wasn't getting hot. I didn't know what to do. I only had a few hours to go before my husband would be home from working of the farm. He would be thinking about that turkey dinner all day, I would have hated to disappoint him.    We weren't having any company, but we were a family of 5 and everyone was expecting a nice turkey dinner.  I had baked the pumpkin and apple pies the night before. And the potatoes and green beans could cook on top of the stove.  I was pretty desperate so I  called a close neighbor, a dear friend, who ...

Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is to his glory to overlook an transgression or an offense.  Proverbs 19:11    It's the holiday season. Many of us will be quite busy; shopping, cooking, having lots of good times with people in our families that  we may not see much at any other time of the year.  Theres alot of good things to share in these holidays. It's good to remember that any time there are people together for any length of time, situations may arise. We all are a bit different in how we manage our lives and our family dynamics, with parents and children.  There are also  other situations causing higher stress in your life, especially on the cherished Black Friday!  The cashier looks really tired from that Black Friday swarm of lined up patrons. She's slower than you think she should be, and she snaps at you when you give her  that look. Your feet are killing you from running all over town to get all those great deal...

"The light in the eyes [of him whose heart is joyful] rejoices the hearts of others, and good news nourishes the bones."  Proverbs 16:30   You can always tell a happy soul, when they look at you, their eyes are smiling,and everything is upbeat, you can feel their positive energy!    They are like a battery charger, filling you up and making you smile and full of hope that, yes, life IS good! and yes GOD is good!!!   For believers,that light is from deep within. Jesus lives in the heart of the believer and His light shines through the eyes of those who really do believe in all His precious promises.     Yes, life is hard at times, but even truer is that Jesus promises to always be with us and lead us and keep us hoping for His best plan for our lives!!

  " If it had not been for the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say, if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us, then they would quickly swallow us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us."   Psalm 124:1-2     A person at work didn't like me. I had just been hired at a new job. I later learned that her attitude toward me was because she had been hoping to receive  the position that I had been granted. She was a very hard worker. Even so, the owner of the company stuck to his decision for me to have that position,   For many weeks she was rude and talking about me behind my back to my coworkers. I had no idea why she was so nasty. I was very disheartened by her innuendos toward me. I prayed about it and grieved over it. I really felt this was my calling and I loved my job, but she was making it miserable.   I finally asked her what is the problem. She came out with her explanation, about her beef wit...

                  "The Lord is close to all who call upon Him"  Psalm 145:18 When we pray, God is listening . This is really a blessing to contemplate. Wow! Lets think about this. Little old me, talking to God, sharing my feelings, and concerns. Who better to bring them to, than the One who knows all the ins and outs of  EVERYTHING!! Who better than the One who can orchestrate things in our lives that will bless others and us, all for His glory!   How precious to realize that our prayers are not just going nowhere, or are something we have conjured up to make us feel better. They are communion with the Maker of all that is seen and unseen and all that is and ever shall be!   I am so glad that prayer was God's idea! He wants us to come to Him and stay awhile!          

Over the years, I have come to realize that quiet time is very important for the christian growth. I remember when I was first saved, my really good friend told me that this is very important.  She was discipling me, and this was the first thing she drove home to me. You need  to block out time in  your day to spend with God. Its imperative for growth and a relationship with God.  Ideally, everyday would be great, and is MOST effective, and a great goal, especially for new believers; but don't let it discourage you if you aren't able to have alot of time, just do what you can to begin with; and over time, the quiet time will have different looks. Some days quite awhile, some, not much time at all. God knows our hearts and our schedules. But knowing that He wants this time with you, will help you to try harder for that time with him!   In this busy world, it might seem impossible. But priorities take pre-eminence in our lives. If its important to us, we will m...

"Roll your works upon the Lord [ commit and trust them wholly to Him. He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.                                                                                                                         Proverbs 16:3 AMPC   God so much  wants us to know His will, He will cause our thoughts to...

 " I the Lord, will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will counsel you with My eye upon you."  Psalm 32:8   What a precious promise! We don't have to wander through our lives wondering what we should be doing.  We can go to the Father, and ask for direction, seek His face and know that He has all the answers for our individual lives.   We can know His will through prayer and from reading His Word. Should we work here, live there,buy this house, marry that person? How do we answer that person who is not so pleasant to us?   How can we be the best Mom, wife, coworker, and friend?   God DOES know all the best answers. He is desiring that we would just seek Him and trust Him, and His plan. He sees all things that our finite eyes cannot see, from beginning to end.   I am so glad He included prayer and His Word to bring us our best life! And ultimately, GLORY to His name!

"A word fitly spoken and in due season,is like apples of gold in settings of silver" Prov. 25:11 Oh, words!! They can bless can't they.  The right words at the right time. Not too many so they run on with no one really listening- and not too few so ones point is not lost.   Oh to be wise enough to say things appropriately and lovingly. To tell someone when you think they need to look again at a situation, maybe from a different"angle". To assure someone,when they have experienced tragedy, or great disappointment.   How to speak to that lost one who you greatly respect, but they have no idea about Jesus' love, and their need of Him.    God help us to be Your mouthpiece- justice, mercy and love compiled in our conversation - to reflect You, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

I am starting this blog to share insights and short devotions that I have put together to hopefully encourage others to grow in their walk with the Lord..   I believe that quiet time is of utmost importance to grow "deep roots" And I'm hoping this blog will: 1) in small effective ways,help others to develop a transformed life by the "renewing of our minds". (Romans 12:2) 2) encourage other women to make time in their busy lives for quiet time,that ultimately  will make them strong 3) share my testimony at different stages of my walk with the Lord In good times and in times we find we will need to withstand the storms of life, growing deep roots in Gods love  (Ephesians3:17) will sustain us.  Among the things I will suggest are some ways to start a "quiet time" and tools that I have used in times past and some I use now.   Bear with me on this, it's all new to me, but I am hoping it will become something to be helpful and encouraging to tho...