Boojoyful

As I find innovative ways to help rehabilitate my knee, I try to surrender to the Holy Spirit and stay attuned to what God is desiring to rehabilitate in me spiritually. The final "heaven" verse is below at the end of this post. Today, I want to share a song that was sung at church yesterday challenged my outlook on how I live.  Our daughter was playing the harp with this particular arrangement and I had chill bumps from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. I knew God was working on my heart. Please listen to either arrangement below. Find a quiet place and after you have listened, take the lyrics you find here and sing it with all your heart to the Lord. The Song "Make Room" Meredith Andrews-Sarah Reeves & Chris McClarney https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk-ReRHb_2s Make Room Kim Walker Smith https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNf2Ye_mduY Lyrics Here is where I lay it down  Every burden, every crown This is my surrender  This is my surrender Here is where I l...

My sweet gardening friend posted photos of several flowers from her garden. I "hearted" this one and she replied,  "Isn't it amazing? Not even close to being ready, but so pretty in the process." Excitedly I responded,   "Ohhhh, that describes how God sees us this side of Heaven!"  Even though the truth of the matter is we are often a hot mess, to Him we are pretty and He has a purpose for us.  That's my happy thought for today. Lays Potato Chips has a slogan, "I betcha can't eat just one."  Similarly, related to the passages below I feel like...you can't just read them one time.  They are so exciting!  They remind us that the best (what is beyond our capacity to comprehend) is yet to come! God has given us ears to hear, eyes to see and a spirit to communicate with him.  Hallelujah! Heaven Day 29 At the sound of the seventh trumpet, loud voices were heard in heaven. They said,  “Now the kingdom  of this worl...

  Heaven Day 28   But God has promised us a new heaven and a new earth, where justice will rule. We are really looking forward to this!    2 Peter 3:13 The line above "where justice will rule" made me think of a cartoon series three of our grandsons have turned us onto called "The Tuttle Twins." It is shown on the Angel network.   The story line is of a time traveling, Cuban, grandmother who teachers her grandchildren about freedom and economics!  It's amazing!  Our grandsons from ages 5-12 count the days until a new episode comes out. Her space ship is fueled by "knowledge" because knowledge is power. I know Jesus is power, but we need the knowledge of sound economic and the freedom this country was founded on to be able to keep teaching Jesus. https://www.angel.com/watch/tuttle-twins/episode/2f3d0382-ea82-4cdc-958e-84fbadadc710/season-1/episode-1/when-laws-give-you-lemons The Song "As It Is in Heaven" Hillsong Worship https://www.youtube....

  Our youngest and his beautiful wife are headed to the hospital to have their 3rd child today.  A little girl!  Can grandmother's get baby brain?  I totally forgot to post yesterday. Forgive me Lord. Had some cute grandsons here for a sleepover and often I find grandchildren trump quiet time. Here's a powerful thought....God never gets distracted.  We may think He's not present but He is.  Only God! Heaven Day 26 For Christ has entered, not into holy places  made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God  on our behalf.   Hebrews 9:24 Heaven Day 27   For Christ also suffered  once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,   in which  he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,   because  they formerly did not obey,...

Our prayer group was talking about spiritual warfare and how we might as well expect attacks when we are seeking or serving the Lord.  The other day I opened the Moses book by Charles Swindoll and want to share from this chapter. “One of the greatest mysteries is the perilous nature of godliness. All who pursue a close walk with God move into dangerous territory.  We learned in the previous chapter how crucial it is to spend time with the Lord.  Did you know you make yourself vulnerable by doing so?  If you determine to invest your life in God and cultivate an intimacy with the Almighty, you’re asking for it.  You’re marching directly into a minefield.  It won’t be long before you begin to experience what we could call “The Peril Principle.” Webster defines ‘peril’ as ‘exposure to the risk of being injured; danger.’ Peril speaks of the threat of injury, not its certainty….Those who determine to walk with God become a target of the enemy. It may be that you ...

  Breakfast with a princess! We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. This is why we must hold on to what we have said about him. Hebrews 4:14 What I mean is we have a high priest who sits at the right side  of God's great throne in heaven.  He also serves as the priest in the most holy place inside the real tent there in heaven. This tent of worship was set up by the Lord, not by humans.  Hebrews 8:1-2 This high priest..... He knows my name. He hears my prayers. He loves me with an ever lasting love. He forgives my sins. He has plans and a purpose for me. It just doesn’t get any better than that kind of relationship. Our countenance should reflect our love for the Lord and joy of being in relationship with him. Hallelujah the joy of the Lord is our strength.  Oh come, let us sing to  the   Lord ; let us make a  joy ful noise to  the  rock  of  our salvation!  Psalm 95:1 ...

After picking up a couple granddaughters I let them ride with heads popping out the sun roof so they could give their Papa a hearty hello when we reached the house.  Think of the hearty hellos we will get when we arrive in heaven! With a loud command and with the shout of the chief angel and a blast of God's trumpet, the Lord will return from heaven. Then those who had faith in Christ before they died will be raised to life.  Next, all of us who are still alive will be taken up into the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the sky. From that time on we will all be with the Lord forever.    Encourage each other with these words.    1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 The Song "Jesus is Coming Again" (A piano instrumental version with lyrics) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z0vd4kRpXU

This old family photo from 2013 showed up in an old email draft.  The caption in the email said, "This photo was taken the night before my father's funeral. The children had come from Washington, Minnesota, Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina and VA Beach to be together. The glorious thing was that we knew where my father was! Oh, my goodness! My husband and I were so much younger.  My father is the one who started us living the lake life when he built a little cabin on top of our boat house when this lake was created in the 1960's.  He truly loved being at the lake and was so elated after he sold his home to be able to make it financially possible for our family to have a home of our own. Yesterday morning I awakened to a beautiful lake day and thought...Daddy, I wish you could see how happy we still are here, plus all the grandchildren.  Then the message in my mind came back..."And I wish you knew how happy I am here in heaven with your mama. It's beyond b...

 Somehow I didn't hit the button to post this one.  Sorry. The passage for Day 17 is from Acts chapter 7. That chapters holds the story about the stoning of Stephen after he had been boldly preaching as a new disciple.  Read chapters 6-7. The Proverbs 31 heaven focus verses for today are: 55-56 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.     And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”   Take time today to read more of this story and how Stephen stood strong til the end of his earthly  journey. Calling out people as "stiff-necked" might rile your foes. Yet, truth is truth and he was already on the outs with them.  Just think, one day we will converse with Stephen about this experience. Beginning with verse 51   “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, ...

  The bounty from a friend's garden. Heaven Day 21 verse is Philippians 2:9-11 Then God gave Christ the highest place and honored his name above all others. So at the name of Jesus everyone will bow down, those in heaven, on earth and under the earth.  And to the glory of God the Father everyone will openly agree, "Jesus Christ is Lord!" May we remember who He is today. I'm going to use that to segue into what God highlighted for me today.  I think I've shared I currently have the privilege of mentoring a young woman who just came to know Christ after the devastating loss of a three month old daughter.   This young woman is a gifted gardener and as I read today's promise from 365promises.com I emailed her and wanted to share what God was stirring in me. Dear Friend , I’ve read the verse below many, many, times in my life, probably mostly when I was in deep grief. Each time it was a message of hope and deliverance from the grief.  As I read it in today’s dev...

Heaven Day 19 Just as we have borne the image of he man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.  I tell you this, brothers; flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.  Behold!  I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall all be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:49-52 Oh, it's a mystery! Because we are born in sin and the wages of sin is death and flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven there has to be better way right.  Jesus was dead, buried and raised from the dead. But not every Christian will experience death to the grave.  There is a generation of Christians who will see Jesus coming in the clouds and be caught up in heave with His resurrected saints and what a mighty "hallelujah" day it will be for th...

  The beach at Shiloh Heaven-Day 18 This God made the world and everything in it. He is Lord of heaven and earth, and he doesn't live in temples built by human hands.   He doesn't need help from anyone. He gives life, breath, and everything else to all people.   Acts 17:24-25 What jumps out at me is "He doesn't need help from anyone."  Some prideful people feel that way about themselves, but they are wrong.  Whether it is for food, housing, mechanical needs, to lift a heavy load, or love at some point even the most self-sufficient person needs support. But not God.  He made it all and sustains it all. The Song God of Wonders Chris Tomlin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8mpGJ5FwfU “Lord of Heaven and Earth” Third Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SemrvXk9WXg

  Love how the adults partook of the daily competition at Shiloh.  The children were very proud of their parents. We have a heavenly Father, who is proud of the way we compete in the game of life...obeying the rules. The eternal rewards will come in Heaven. 2 Timothy 2:4-6  says: Soldiers on duty don't work at outside jobs. They try only to please their commanding officer.  No one wins an athletic contest without obeying the rules.   Heaven Day 16  John 3:31      God's Son comes from heaven and is above all others. Everyone who comes from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all others. Hope today found you praising the Lord!

  The Song " Build a Boat" Colton Dixon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uYiHiJTN6Y Heaven Day 15 Thought John 3:13       No one has gone up to heaven except the Son of Man, who came down from there.

These gorgeous flowers are from the garden of the young woman I'm referencing.   Heaven - Day 14  Luke 15:7, 10           Jesus said, “In the same way there is more happiness in heaven because of one sinner who turns to God than over 99 good people who don't need to.”…Jesus said, “In the same way God's angels are happy when even one person turns to him.” On June 1st I had the privilege of praying with a beautiful young woman to receive Christ and I have been meeting with her weekly to disciple her.  The evening she was at our home for an outdoor harp concert the Spirit moved me to invite her inside to chat.  We were sitting on our couch and I said "Where are you in your faith journey?" With the sweetest sincerity she replied, "I don't know what that means." That night I had one of the most exciting opportunities ever. I was able to pray with her when she asked Jesus to be Lord of her life. I actually think there are angels enc...

  Our oldest grandson is 14. Love this photo of him flying high.  Thankful he loves the Lord. Heaven Day 13  Matthew 19:23-24                                    Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you, it's terribly hard for rich people to get into the kingdom of heaven!   In fact, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God's kingdom.” So why is that? Material wealth can be an intoxicating temptation that gives the false pretense of self-sufficiency.  An, "I can fulfill all my needs attitude."  Jesus, not money, is the solution to our spiritual poverty. One time a man told me that he gave so much money to the church Jesus will have to let him in.  Yikes. He's in for a rude awakening. Proverbs 30:8-9 has a warming concerning both material prosperity and mater...

One of the things I love most about children is how the simple things in life thrill them! Spotting a bunny in the yard, catching a fish, blowing a bubble or scooping up ice cream. The moments captured in these photos all were all based on the hope of catching the first ever crawdad at Shiloh! Oh that we would all thrill to look at God's Word and seek Him the way this gang was enthralled with a crawdad. Jesus taught on the value of child like faith! Heaven Day 12                                          About this time the disciples came to Jesus and asked him who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.   Jesus called for a child to come over and stand near him. Then he said: I promise you this. If you don't change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.   But if you are as humble as this child, you are the grea...