Boojoyful

September 30 Well, the first surprise is that September has come and gone. Whether that is a good surprise or one that possibly brings devastation depends on the individual. Everyday we deal with the unexpected, sometimes from coincidence or the forces of nature, other times from the nature (both ends of the spectrum) of people. There are those who spread joy through the unexpected surprise of a helping hand or much needed gift that brings a lift. Opposite end...the grumble, bumble who sets out to steal joy, toss out a stumbling block and purposely inflict pain on another. Air travel is such a set up for surprise through the suspense it holds! Putting ourselves at the mercy and expertise of others, plus the forces of random choice we have no idea what lies ahead. We could be on time,late or never leave. The people we sit next to at the gate area and on the plane could be kind, chatty, sick, miserable or a NFL (Nut for the Lord) who wants you to know Jesus loves you! :) Wondering where ...

Rarely do we think about breathing until it becomes difficult. Rarely do the majority of people think about God until life becomes difficult. Researching verses with the word "breathe," I found most were related to our first breaths when God breathed into us, or our last ones pending death. Another breathy moment is the time in which God breathes the Holy Spirit into us. 2 Timothy 3:16 refers to the scriptures, which since from God are awesome for us to inhale and exhale unto a needy world. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, This week as we plug into the Word let's feel God breathing His wisdom and love upon us.

September 28 Yesterday my word from the Lord was order. In a rush to get to church I didn't have time to linger and listen. Arriving at church I noticed on the order of service that it was Deacon Ordination Sunday. Hmmm, Order in our Nation! The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.- 1 Corinthians 2:14 Most of the world does not get Jesus. Typing in "order" on Bible Gateway in the NIV brought up 291 verses containing "order". I chose this one for us to feed upon today. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. Ephesians 1:18

September 26-27 For the believer there is no need to fear the unknown, for you never go there alone. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 Again and again I see answers to prayer and have learned it is much better for God to fight my battles. Mighty is He! For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.- Hebrews 10:30-31

September 25 Today I'm beginning a 30 day devotional with a couple friends called One Month to Live . Day One begins with a quote by Alan Sachs, "Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives." While I think the study will be very thought provoking, day one is void of scripture. Each chapter begins with a wonderful quote, but reading the Word of God always seems to have more sustenance. Challenging myself, I am going to try to dig deeper and apply a verse to each day. Colossians 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity . Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today. I know for certain whether I have 30 days remaining or 13,000 I want to be with Jesus each day!

September 24 This morning I received a devotional from a friend on how there are periods in our lives where we are just to love God. We don't always have to be ministering. Feeling good about that I switched to the blog and began to pray for the message God wanted me to share today. (The Holy Spirit does the work here, so I count this as my therapy time, not hard core ministry.) Not hearing any immediate message I opened one of my devotionals and found this verse staring at me on today's date. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 So how do we know which way to go? We start by sitting at Christ's feet, loving Him and listening for what He has for us. We stay attentive and compassionate, ready for action prompted by the Spirit and trust we will be equipped by the Spirit for the job. Jesus took time off and God will grant us reprieves as well! Let's Pray: Lord, we love th...

September 23 Ephesians 3:17-19 ...so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Today is my 31st wedding anniversary. The love required for a marriage to survive has to stretch wide and long and be willing to journey to the highs of life and hold on to survive the depths of disappointment and pain which come. Talking with friends yesterday we all agreed that life dishes out some painful experiences, but for the person who loves the Lord those times allow us to know the love of the Lord to a depth we probably never would have, unless the disappointments in life not led us there. Like the verse explains, it is in those places that God's fullness takes over and we realize there is no other p...