For His Service

Why are we surprised by troubles? John 16:33 tells us, These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have troubles, but be of Good cheer, i have overcome the world. It reminds me of something that happened to Noah when he was 2 years old.... He was pushing a bubble mower behind his dad who was cutting the grass with a real push mower. All was well until it wasn't. His dad ran over a yellow jacket's nest in the ground. His dad quickly yelled to Noah, ''Run, Noah, run.''. Even though Noah didn't see the danger, Noah knew he has a good daddy, so Noah ran. His dad got stung several times, but Noah obeyed even though he didn't understand why his daddy told him to run. Noah didn't get hurt because he heard his loving father's voice and trusted and obeyed. I want to be more like Noah. https://youtu.be/KB4KcleYiWM?si=cJ_-U4U2e0gL-GVF

I have been working on a Bible study by Beth Moore called Breaking Free.  It is a Bible study similar to Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Lies Women Believe.  It is focused on using Scripture to combat the lies of our own minds or the lies of the enemy.  We are breaking free of bad habits, false beliefs, and bad attitudes.    I think I have completed most of Beth Moore's Bible Studies and she does an excellent job of helping you fall in  love with God's word.  She does an excellent job of showing you the power of His word to break strongholds.   Her studies are hard and require a lot of homework, but when you fall in love with His word, you don't mind that so much. Yesterday she had us read a familiar story, the Samaritan woman at the well. John 4:1-18)/ 9  The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. [ a ] ) 10  Jesus a...

I have been asking God to SHOW me that He loves ME.....and He will take care of ME!  I know these things intellectually, but life circumstances can keep me from feeling these truths.  So I prayed "God, show me you love me and will take care of me". I waited..... Nothing!  The next day, I prayed, "God show me that you love me and will take care of me." Again, nothing!  There were things that happened.. things that reminded me of how He loved me and cared for me.    God reminded me how He cared for me and took care of me and held my marriage together when it should have fallen apart.  He reminded me that HE has caused my husband to have a good job in a terrible economy.   But I still felt that wasn't the "showing" of the answers to my prayer.  On day 9, I had a dream.  I dreamt that I was on a roller coaster with some of my friends...traveling to see a house she was building....

Are you feeding a thorny plant when you think you are feeding a real fruit tree? I was.  8 years ago, a sweet old lady shared several plants with me... for free.   She gave me a few butterfly bushes, monkey grass, a couple of apple trees, ..etc.   I was especially excited to have the apple trees.  I planted them in full sun, fertilized them each spring, watered them during drought, ... I was just sure that I would have apples in a couple of years.   I trusted what this little old lady said.... I trusted  that those trees were apple trees.   Surprise!  When I went to prune some lower branches of those two apple trees yesterday, I realized they had HUGE thorns on them.  I knew of no apple tree with thorns... so I went to trusty Google.. News?  No apple tree.   They were   Callery trees.  Callery pear, Pyrus calleryana , is an ornamental pear with wicked thorns.... a FALSE apple tree!    (It is the large ...

Do you see it?  Do you see the bird FEEDER that a bird thought would be a perfect spot for a nest?  A pair of house finches worked for a few days as they quickly assembled their nest.  We were delighted to watch, but if the birds caught sight of us, they quickly flew away.  My sweet husband taped a piece of paper on the window so the birds couldn't see us and  would stop being afraid.    We meant them no harm, but to the birds we had to look like big, scary predators.  The birds couldn't comprehend that we were nothing to be fearful of.  God spoke to my heart and said, "That lump in your breast, the one that is hard, doesn't move.. the lump that the doctor said you have to have more tests done, more scans, ultrasounds to determine if it is breast cancer... that lump.. it is nothing to be fearful of,,  Just like you look scary to the birds, this lump looks scary to your regular doctor and you, but it is nothing.".   ...

Casting Nets.  I rarely paint anything for myself.  I too often paint for friends or clients  (www.scripturepainting.com).   But, this theme/ this story has been one I have been dwelling on for the last several weeks. ...so I have tried here and there...to paint. I think this painting, "Casting nets", sums up one of my overriding life issues..... trust.  Do I trust a carpenter...to tell me, a professional fisherman, how to fish?   Read Luke 5: 1-11 and you will see what I am talking about. 5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, [ a ] with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.  4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into...

Ok.... the 2nd part of the Simulcast was equally as good as the first.  Remember, it was about 2 women: 1. One who KNEW she had a huge need  2. One who did NOT know she had a huge need. You can read part 1 here. http://inhonoroftheking.blogspot.com/2012/09/grounded-literally-and-spiritually.html Part 2 focused on 2 Kings 4 The Shunammite’s Son Restored to Life  (Red is scripture/ black is Beth Moore's notes). 8 One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. 9 She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” 11 One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. 12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood b...

I am grounded.  Grounded because I can not run... maybe for as long as 6 months.  I saw an orthopedist and she stated that the fracture in my leg is much worse than the ER doctor thought.  I now have a boot I have to wear... all the time except when I am asleep.    I have to wear this boot and I was told to use crutches, but I was getting bruised ribs from using those. So, my husband rented a scooter that  saves my ribs and is just easier to get around.   That makes life so much easier... cooking, cleaning, living.... I went from this... (below)...    To this (scooter).... I have been able to use it to attend church, to go shopping, and even work in the horse-barn.   One of my friends has threatened to get me a teletubby horn. :)    I knew I couldn't do the crutches for 5 more weeks...or more.     So I am grounded... no running until the doctor tells me I can.   All I can ...