Boojoyful

I came across this photo from two years ago when four of our sons were home and gathered around the kitchen table with my husband. The laughter brought back such fond memories of their growing up days. Ah, the way things used to be.  Momentarily, I longed to have them all living close together again and not MN, UT, LA, FL, and VA, but then I praised God for where He has led them. May they stand strong and may none of us stay the way we used to be, but constantly be changing to be more like Christ. What's holding you back from being all God purposed you to be? "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. "  Ephesians 6:12-13

April 29 Facebook Post from a friend. Yesterday on my beach walk I found these 2 sand dollars. The larger one at one time had some edges broken off, and yet the broken places had been been smoothed and repaired by continuing to be tumbled in the daily life of the ocean. It was still beautiful... although not perfect. It reminded me that during the courses of our lives we will all experience broken places...God will allow our rough edges to be broken away... and then He will lovingly restore us. Let’s not be afraid of our imperfections...God is always working to make us more like Him but it does not happen over night...life is a process of being slowly turned and tumbled so our rough edges are smoothed and repaired.

At the Cross, at the Cross... " As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." Romans 14:11  April 27-28 This was the prayer my husband prayed over me last week from Stormie Omartian's " book, The Power of a Praying Husband. "Lord, release my wife from the guilt that can weigh her down when things get out of balance. In the midst of all that she does, I pray that she will take time for me without feeling she is neglecting other things.  Give her the energy and the ability to accomplish all she needs to do, and may she have joy in the process.  Give my wife the grace to handle the challenges she faces each day, and the wisdom to not try to do more than she can.  Teach her to clearly recognize what her priorities should be, and enable her to balance them well.  In Jesus' name I pray." "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you....

Easter with two of my favs! Sometimes in life we get stuck in a pit. What a blessing it is to have good friends there with us! April 26 " Our time on earth is brief; the number of our days is already decided by you." Job 14:5 Do you ever think..."If I knew God was calling me home today, what would I do?" The obsessive tendencies in me would want to get my house in order, so my husband and kids wouldn't have so much to sort out.  The "Boojoyful" in me would want to treasure the last moment with people I love and make one last joyous memory to cling to.  So, I guess I'd ask everyone to come to Shiloh for a praise party! Time-"An indefinite continued progress of existence." My BFF in the first photo fought a valiant battle against breast cancer last year.  Now her 86 year old mother is enduring chemo in a cancer battle.  My friend and her daughter were here Easter and it was so good to worship the Lord together and then come...

This little pea pod is getting bigger and full of personality! Can't wait for her to make her Virginia appearance this summer! April 25 The path of my life is nearing home and I'm certainly okay with that.  Holding these newborn babies and contemplating all that lies before them is of such larger magnitude.  There is no way to even imagine what the world will be like by the time they reach adulthood.  I pray everyday they all walk through life with Jesus. " You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."   Psalm 16:11

April 24 April 17th was a beautiful day here at Shiloh and I had invited the middle school girls I mentor to come over to kayak.  As we were putting the last kayak up on the top shelf, it slipped and knocked me off the boathouse platform, three feet down into shallow water.  Fortunately, the kayak did not fall on top of me, nor did I fall in the rip rap or hit my head on the dock. Angels watching over me! The next morning in my "Write the Word" journal here was the verse waiting for me. " You are better off to have a friend than to be all alone, because then you will get more enjoyment out of what you earn.  If you fall, your friend can help you up. But if you fall without having a friend nearly, you are really in trouble."   Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 I thank God for the five younger friends who were with me.

This cross was given to me by a student at a time I was facing a painful health issue. I've passed it on to share with a friend who is in a tough battle. It is made to fit right into the contour of your hand. April 23 Our pastor gave an excellent sermon on the crucifixion of Christ. Reading Matthew 27:18... " For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up..."  he preached,  "Envy is a poison to your soul." James 3:15 says, "For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there." He laid out three areas where envy can creep in leading us to be discontent and want what others have. Materialism, relationships and circumstances. The world and particularly social media toss out traps sending the "I wish I hads"....flying into our minds and often out of our mouths. The antidote for envy...a thankful heart! I wish I had those amazing shoes.   Lord, thank you I am ab...

April 22 "Are you going to mind me?" Probably a phrase all parents have uttered at one time or another. How often does our heavenly Father probe this question into our minds. " For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."    Ephesians 2:10 Did I mind You today, Lord? Did I carry out the good works You had prepared in advance for me to do? Daniel truly sought the Lord.  " Then he continued, 'Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them."   Daniel 10:12 Today, steal away with the Lord. Set self aside and activate the Holy Spirit. Be intentional to " Set your mind  on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:2

This is one of my very favorite crosses. A friend added the wedding ring, of her young daughter in law who died, to her cross. It is such a statement of faith and love. April 20-21 This is our faith: " So, you will be saved, if you honestly say, 'Jesus is Lord," and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from dead. God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this and tell it to others."  Romans 10:9-10 What have you told others about this month? An Easter recipe, a new baby that was born, a health update on a friend, the good news of a new job, a joke, where your graduate is heading to college, where you are going on summer vacation...? People love to say we can live out of faith without words. While this is true and people certainly do this, God's Word tells us to go and "TELL" others about Jesus.  Yes, we face ridicule, rejection and judgment with this sort of boldness, but Jesus faced it all for us. ...

April 19 "Pilate ordered the charge against Jesus to be written on a board and put above the cross.   It read, 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.'" John 19:19 " Jesus' mother stood beside the cross with her sister and Mary the wife of Clopas. Mary Magdalene was standing there too."   John 19:25 While an innocent man was dying, soldiers were gambling for his clothes. And what about the disciples?  Jesus' best friends.  John, in his gospel makes reference that he was there.   Billy Graham has some good insight. Yes, on several occasions Jesus taught His disciples what would happen to Him as His ministry drew to its close. He told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise” (Mark 9:31). Why, then, did they flee and act so frightened when He was arrested? One reason is because they didn’t understand what He was saying—but didn’t want to embarrass themselv...

". ..and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' " Matthew 27:29 April 18 Oh, how I hate this part of The Story.  Is it because my heartaches to see anyone suffer or because I know deep down inside it is my sin that placed Jesus on the cross? He suffered and died for me. Does the way I live my life reflect the depth of my appreciation for that undeserved gift? Jesus, the Prince of Peace, yet He died in such a violent manner. Colossians 3:15 is a reminder of who we are..."Part of the Body of Christ."  Whenever I've used that term it was referencing the church . Reading this passage today it takes on a more personal, intimate persona as I reflect on "Christ in us." "Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Chri...

April 17 Monday I just had to sneak away alone and ponder this Holy Week.  I read this in a She Reads Truth post by an unknown author. "Luke also records that as Jesus rode on toward the gates of Jerusalem that day-toward the death due every single human but Him-He also wept for its brokenness. He cried for those who did not recognize the Messiah in their midst (Luke 19:44)" "The Savior had come, but they did not know Him ." Who are you weeping for today, because they do not really know who Jesus is? Who are you weeping for today, because they don't know the joy that comes from the obedience of opening God's Word each day and being filled? Who can you pray for right now and then text, email or mail them a piece of God's Word that brings encouragement? To know Jesus is to love Him with the deepest gratitude we can imagine. A gratitude that makes us want to serve Him whole heartedly.

The cross collection from a cherished encourager. April 16 "Jesus then told the crowd and the disciples to come closer, and he said, 'If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself.  You must take up your cross and follow me. " Luke 9:23 Billy Graham had the simplest answers to some of the toughest questions.  Check out to what he says about Luke 9:23 " In Jesus' day, a cross wasn't just a symbol of pain and suffering; it was mainly a symbol of death. What Jesus was telling them is that they needed to put to death their own plans and desires, and then turn their lives over to Him and do His will every day.  You see, Jesus doesn't simply call us to believe that He existed, or even to believe that He can save us. He calls on us to commit our whole lives to Him-to trust Him alone for our salvation, and then to follow Him as disciples.  He said, 'Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple....

This beautiful cross made by the Navajo Indians in Taos, NM was created from pearl, ivory and turquoise and belongs to a friend of mine. April 15 "Pilate asked them, 'What am I to do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah?' They all yelled, 'Nail him to a cross!'  Pilate answered, 'But what crime has he done?'  'Nail him to a cross!' they yelled even louder."  Matthew 27:22-23 Oh, this passage disturbs me on various levels. #1 Whenever I read "What am I to do with Jesus?" I stop in my tracks and personally ponder and ponder my response. #2 "Nail him to a cross!"  Am I swayed by the emotions of a crowd?  Negativity and complaining are contagious. Maybe I'm not yelling, but my silence can speak volumes. "Stand up, stand up for Jesus!"

I'm straying from my crosses this weekend to share a story about a young man and these feet. April 13-14 The day had been long and varied in activities. Counseling, Bible Study, errand running with my mother in law, a meeting with a nursing home director to resolve conflict,  helping my husband who hates to shop find a suit, church preparation for a wedding, and a major tree sawing project on the water waited ahead. It was five o'clock, my car was full of groceries and I realized I was wearing open toed shoes to a wedding the next day and my toenails looked terrible. I called a nail salon to see if I could run in for a pedicure. Plopping down in the chair I said to the gentleman attending me, "I'm glad to have a place to hide out for a while."  A younger man who worked in the shop said, "Are you hiding from God?" My reply, "No, just a lot of church members. I'm a new pastor's wife."  Clicking off my phone I realized, "The...

April 12 This passage in the Song of Songs, goes along with a "What's to Come" theme God is teaching me. Waiting encompasses so much of life and there's so much to learn in the waiting. My husband and I have had the privilege of walking along side a friend and her fiancé during their engagement period the past few months. Tomorrow they will be married. The planning, the questions/decisions, the anticipation, the prayers, the waiting for those "I do's" to be said! Ah, so much to think about to make the day special and honoring to God. At least my girlfriend knows when her groom is coming for her.  In the Old Testament days the bride had to keep the lamp post burning awaiting the groom's surprise arrival. That's a picture of what it is like for us as we await Christ's return for us.  It will be a surprise. I can't remember where I found this quote, but in a journal I had it jotted down. "...like the night before the daw...

April 11 I'm thankful I don't worship a god that promotes human sacrifice.  Y'all there is so much that goes on around the world to which we are clueless. The story of Abraham and Isaac is one that makes me so uncomfortable.  She Reads Truth ministry posted a lesson yesterday that gave historical background to child sacrifices in the cultures of that day and helps us grasp our need for a sacrifice.  Animal sacrifices were a ritual Abraham was accustomed to.  Still, I do not think I could have bound my child and lifted that knife.   shereadstruth.com From She Reads Truth: "For both these reasons, we find Abraham shuddering with a knife raised over that which is most precious to Him.  And we find ourselves standing right beside him, surveying the hopelessness of our station. We are dead in our trespasses, we live under a curse, and we have no hope of satisfying the chasm of debt that we owe. Indeed, the consequences of our sin is dea...

April 10 " Your love means more than life to me, and I praise you.  As longs I live, I will pray to you. I will sing joyful praises and be filled with excitement like a guest at a banquet. I think about you before I go to sleep, and my thoughts turn to you during the night.  You have helped me, and I sing happy songs in the shadow of your wings. I stay close to you, and your powerful arm supports me. " Psalm 63:3-8 Check list for someone loved by Jesus and actively loving him back. I will praise You. I will pray to You. I will sing joyful praises. I will be filled with excitement. I will think about you before I go to sleep. I will turn my thoughts to you during the night. I will sing happy songs. I will stay close to you and recognize your powerful arm supporting me. May we be found faithful to live this way today.

April 9 While I’m up for Jesus coming back today, in the meantime, I’m stepping out in faith believing God has a plan and a purpose for each of us who love Him. There is that word...the mean time.   The in-between, waiting time. We all face it and usually hate it.  As I looked at the word the  mean   part jumped out at me. A s an adjective the word is defined as unkind, spiteful, unfair. That very well might be how we view the lulls in life that keep us from instant gratification.  We want our answers now!  We want our answers to conform to our desires. We need to be covered in prayer and armed with the Sword of the Spirit, so when the mean times come we  remember whose we are and how deeply we are loved and protected.  God is up to good and training us in the meantime.    Joseph had some tough, meantimes, that were woven together for good. His brothers threw him in a pit and then sold him into slavery.  He...

April 8 You can look at in several different translations and come up with the same synopsis...hatred should be stopped. Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs." "Hatred stirs up trouble; love overlooks the wrong that others do." "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses." Hatred starts fights, but love pulls a quilt over bickering." Ask God to search your heart and see if hatred is hidden anywhere within. Then lay those feelings at the feet of Jesus and ask him to take it away. I started to say, this newborn granddaughter of ours probably has no hatred in her. Then I looked at the photo below I took of her big brother coming from a cold baby pool and dripping cold water all over her. I just had to wonder if she hates cold water.

April 6-7 "Remember, anyone can love you when the sun is shining,   In the storms is were you learn who truly cares for you." Author Unknown " You were in serious trouble, but you prayed to the Lord, and he rescued you.    By the power of his own  word, he healed you and saved you from destruction." Psalm 107:19-20

April 5 In Bible Study Fellowship we recently studied the heart wrenching story of David and Bathsheba. How discouraging to watch the "man after God's own heart" sin in such a destructive way.  Oh, that we must stand watch over our own hearts asking God to give us hearts that love what He loves and hate what He hates. "Be sincere in you love for others.  Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good."   Romans 12:9 Living a life pleasing to God requires a daily process of praising, repenting (recognizing the slippery slopes we are on) and pouring God's Word and wisdom into our lives so we know His ways. Then we pray without ceasing. "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

April 4 After taking a young couple to lunch following church, the husband said, "You all have blessed us, I'd like to pray a blessing over you." It was precious! The warmth of Christ just poured over us as this younger brother in the faith prayed for us. What a gift! While God's blessings pour forth day after the day, they are not something we need to strive to receive. God pours them forth, but the ultimate blessing, the only one we really need, was given to us by Christ on the cross. God's grace, mercy, forgiveness and redemption, the best blessings, are available to us, because they were poured out for us on the cross. The She Reads Truth ministry has a study on the Beatitudes. I'm not sure who the writer was this particular day, but I liked the message. "No matter how comfortable the house, we'll never feel fully at home in this world; we were made for the coming one.  But while we're here, we have a job to do. Our job is not to ear...

Made by a girlfriend who lives in Charleston, SC April 3 This was a prayer from the Stormie Omatian book  The Power of a Praying Wife. It’s a great one for your pastor. “Lord, I pray that _____will clearly hear the call You have on his life.  Help him to realize who he is in Christ and give him certainty  he was created for a high purpose. Enable him to walk worthy of his calling and remind him of what You’ve called him to be. Don’t let him get sidetracked with things that are unessential to Your purpose. Strike down discouragement so that it will not defeat him. Lift his eyes above the circumstances of the moment so he can see the purpose for which You created him.  Give him patience to wait for Your perfect timing. I pray that the desires of his heart will not be in conflict with the desires of Yours.  May he seek You for direction and hear when  You speak to his soul.   In Jesus’ name, I pray." "The glory of our Lord Jes...

April 2 Last week the Lord had me up for my 2:30AM prayer time. I was praying away for two friends whose husbands are critically ill and the couples in a parenting class we are leading. I felt the Lord say, "Open up Biblegateway.com and Jesus Calling .  Being slow to obey once again I thought, "I think I'll just try to get back to sleep."  "OPEN them up!" the Spirit prompted a bit more sternly and I am so thankful I did.  There on my phone were perfect words to share with these woman and comforting verses for them to pray over their husbands. "We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him.   They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose. "                  Romans 8:28   Jesus Calling By Sarah Young    For March 13 LEARN TO LIVE  above your circumstances. This requires focused time with Me, the  One   who   overcame   the   wor...