Month: August 2022 (Page 3 of 4)

August 11, 2022

August 11, 2022 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful day. Thankful for the gorgeous days for Mark’s family at the cabin. This morning I made Oh Henry bars and had Donut Day here. This afternoon we have Bible Study and tonight the Women’s Bible Study.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Let’s not waste away our lives but let them count for the Lord and leave a mark behind for those who come after us. We are all on a spiritual journey and we are to honor the Lord in how we live that one day He will say to us, “Well done!”

All who know Him are called to be a salt and light in our dark world. We are to be His witnesses and to point others to Him. It’s important to live by His word and lead by example. That means standing in truth with integrity and being a mouth piece for Him. It’s not about us, for it is all about relying on Him and letting Him use us. In fact, when we follow Him closely, others may make fun of us, and speak evil of us, but they did the same when Jesus walked this earth, for they didn’t want their deeds of darkness to be exposed.

But we are called to be His witnesses and to do deeds of kindness; the Lord takes notice of, even a cup of cold water given in His name. That is something to remember when we bring a meal to someone who is sick, or help find work for one whose job has been eliminated. Mother Teresa was one that expressed her love for the Lord in acts of mercy. She said, “Little things with great love impact God more than big things with little love.” Are we doing acts of kindness because of our love for the Lord, or for others to see and make mention of it?

I think of a couple we know who don’t toot their horns but volunteer when needs come to their attention. It could be teaching VBS and S.S., ushering, helping clean up trees by the church after a storm, fixing things for those who are housebound, serving in the kitchen and always quick to make coffee etc. They don’t make a big splash of what they are doing so others will see, but God notices even the littlest things.

As Jesus said in Matt. 10:42 (Amplified), “And whoever gives to one of these little ones (these who are humble in rank or influence) even a cup of cold water to drink because he is my disciple, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.”

Challenge for today: Do a small deed of kindness today with much love.

Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

August 10, 2022

August 10, 2022 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Hope you are having a great day. This morning I made bars and went to Aldi’s and to my exercise class. Today is Al’s birthday and he preached this morning and has Bible Study tonight.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

When we know the Lord, there is always more…He has more love to give us than we can possibly receive, more promises from His word that we can ever claim, more wisdom than we can put to practice etc. He is infinite while we are finite and we will never run out of all that He has waiting for us. Our hearts need to be open and receptive and ready for all that He has.

Yesterday the Lord certainly put the icing on the cake for Al’s special day! Al and I went to Duluth to celebrate his birthday a day early. The weather was perfect as it was sunny and warm when we arrived at 9 am and walked the waterfront of Lake Superior. (No need for even a jacket) We browsed in the many shops, and chose a Mexican restaurant for lunch where we had a good conversation with a lovely waitress who we encouraged as she is preparing to be a RN. Then off to Barnes and Noble where Al had time to browse some more and actually spent some time reading his book while I shopped at the mall for his gift. On the way home we were remarking what a wonderful time we had when all of a sudden, while going through Crosby, Al’s eyes spotted a small Bible Bookstore on Main Street called Restoration; he quickly parked the car and in we went with just enough time to shop before closing time. He was amazed at all the books, even some used ones and free ones. Al found a book by an author he likes and we got some gifts for others, and encouraged and prayed for the owner. When we left, I thought, Lord you certainly know what will make Al happy on his birthday and the timing was perfect.

When we got home there was a message on our answering machine to meet a friend here in our library and she had a gift waiting for me too. It seems God always has more to give.

But more important than the tangible gifts are the gifts of His love and His mercy and grace. They never, ever, run out and there is always more to cover us when we mess up. As Paul said in II Cor. 9:8 (Message), “God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done.” He goes on to write of God’s extravagance with us for He always has more so we can not only praise Him, but also that we can share with others.

Challenge for today: Spend some time thanking the Lord for His generosity with you and pass on to with others.

Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

August 9, 2022

August 9, 2022 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Hope you wake to a glorious day. You are getting this early today as we are going to Duluth to spend some time by the water front and I’m quite sure a trip to Barnes and Noble and other shopping. It is Al’s birthday tomorrow and we are celebrating today since he will be doing a service tomorrow at Assisted Living. We also did some celebrating with the couple we walk with yesterday!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Jesus is to be our first love and we are not to give priority to other things before Him. If that is the desire of our hearts, we will want to live in awareness of His presence each day, pray, read the Word, and seek to serve him and others. And when His love is our priority, it will help us when we face difficult situations and enable us to respond in love to others.

Every day we get tested in our love for other people and especially those that differ from us and seem to irritate us. Anger may surge between us and it blocks His love from being expressed. But what do we do with our anger?

I am reading Michael Casey’s take on that, and he warns us not to go all the way with anger. When someone does something hurtful to us, we may want to reciprocate and inflict pain on them but it is best to recognize the feeling, and build a wall around that impulse until we have calmed down. Then we can deal with it and determine if we have over reacted or if we feel like a victim as old memories are dredged up.

But we are not to prolong our anger and store it up, or it becomes like cancer. It eats away at us and even surfaces when we are in our prayer times. If we choose to rehearse what they did to us over and over again, we become resentful and robbed of our peace. Some can remember even minor things done to them 30 years ago. We must make the choice to forgive and put the memory away. That begins in our will and is not always easy. Sometimes we may also need to give them breathing room for a while.

Casey says that whether we are the giver of the hurt or the receiver of someone else’s anger, we should resolve to do our best to restore the relationship. We need to be humble and accept our part and to ask forgiveness of the other, not give the silent treatment or a storm of our anger. It doesn’t matter who is mostly wrong but only that we own our part and ask forgiveness. Jesus gives us the command in Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” That’s right, we actually pray for them and then leave it with the Lord as to how to settle things. If there is no love, then there is a blockage in us and we are failing to put the Lord first in our lives. He wants us to love all people for He is love.

Challenge for today: Be aware when you become selective with His love and exclude others, and seek instead to love all.

Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

August 8, 2022

August 8, 2022 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones

Hope you had a wonderful weekend. We enjoyed having Mark’s family here and now they are enjoying time at the Silver Chateau! This morning I did food prep and made a casserole and went to my exercise class. We are meeting our walking friends this afternoon. Tomorrow we plan to go to Duluth, as Al wants to celebrate his birthday a day early, since he is preaching on his birthday.
Devotions from Judy’s heart

Sometimes it pays to wait! It’s hard to be patient but there are rewards if we learn endurance and wait in trust that the Lord has things under His control. Sometimes we need to just be still and quiet our souls to become aware of what God is saying or teaching us in times of waiting.

Recently Al and I went to Culvers one hot afternoon for ice cream. There were a lot of young people working and after we gave our order and were given an order number. we waited for our waffle cones filled with red raspberry frozen custard. Al and I conversed for a while and after about 20 minutes we asked one of the young workers to check on our order. Nothing happened and we waited some more. An older worker came by and we told her we still hadn’t gotten our cones and she asked if we had ordered a meal. No just cones. She said a blue order number was given us which meant we ordered a meal; Since we had not ordered that, our frozen custard would never have made it to our table as the order went to the cook; it rather needed to be a white order number, so she corrected the mistake of the young man who took our order. In no time at all after that we got our cones, but not only that, she gave us a pint of red raspberry custard to take home with us because of our wait. Was the wait worth it? You bet!

There are times in our lives that we can’t figure out what the holdup is as we pray and wait and wait some more. It could be that the Lord wants to straighten some things out in our own lives and it is a wakeup call. Just like when we finally asked a seasoned worker, she was able to tell us right away what the problem was. God puts others in our lives, mentors and pastors etc., that can help us when we feel stuck and so we can move on.

But let us not get impatient or anxious in our waiting times, but seek to slow down our minds and remove distractions and focus on the Lord. David said in Psalm 37:7 (ESV), “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.”

Challenge for today: Be open to the Holy Spirit to teach you in the waiting times and keep your focus on the Lord.

Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy

Gravity

August 8, 2022 / Alan Hendrickson / 0 Comments

New songs by Spirit-led artists can speak to my soul. Kristene DiMarco’s latest song “Gravity” is such a song. It is a searching song that subtly probes the hidden life of the soul. It will make men (if they’re open to it) ask questions regarding their hidden, inner life. The chorus speaks to the gravity of our condition: “Positivity can’t split these seas/And all my optimism won’t set this captive free/I need a King who hung on Calvary/I’ll always need a God who feels deeply/I need a God who knows the gravity.“

Paul describes the gravity of our struggle in Gal. 5:16-18 (NLT): “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.”

Earlier in Romans, Paul laments, “I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong, it is the sin living in me that does it” (Romans 7:19-20 – NLT). Men, that is a pull of gravity in each of us, the pull of our flesh in conflict with the Spirit.

Each man reading this blog knows of the gravitational pull of the “sinful nature.” All our positivity and optimism will not release us from this pull. The singer refers to “This innocent idolatry/Not letting You in too deep/Because who knows if You can handle me.” In our pride (innocent idolatry), we think we can handle what goes on inside. We prefer to manage our spiritual life, not realizing we can’t do it without the Lord (John 15:5; Psalm 16:1-2).

“This innocent idolatry” creates an image of God being “proud of me [when I] keep my tears back behind my eyes.” Men, we can too easily project the image of a “strong, spiritual man” to hide our real pain. It’s okay to cry. The song asks, “When did I decide/I’m not allowed to cry?” My advice: spend time before God allowing yourself to feel and express your deep, hidden pains.

The singer laments that her “innocent idolatry” causes her to “make You somehow just like me/Unable to sit in the suffering.” Then “movin’ too fast past my grief/When you are acquainted with what I’m carrying.” At the end the singer asks, “Don’t let this truth be lost on me/My God, He feels the gravity of everything.”

Men, it an absolute, wonderful truth to know that Jesus suffered for you. Allow yourself to feel your emptiness, nothingness, and hidden shame. Then look up and out of your pit, into the eyes of love. See the suffering, wounded heart of God bleeding on the cross for you. Trust Him to take your pain. Confess: “This innocent idolatry/I make you somehow just like me/Unable to sit in the suffering.”

Men, you can break the pull of gravity? Humble yourself as a child before the Father and let him carry you as you find your way home together. Claim this promise for yourself: “At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home” (Zeph. 3: 20).

August 6, 2022

August 6, 2022 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Hope you are enjoying the weekend. We woke to rain today and we hope it will clear as Mark’s family from North Carolina is coming here for lunch and to see our place and go to the Silver Chateau, which has been radically changed since the storm nearly demolished it a few years ago. Can’t wait to see famiily!!!!!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

A question we might ask ourselves each day is: Have we grown lax in pursuing the Lord?

Jesus wants us to live in closeness to Him and be teachable and to listen for His voice. He tells us to be on guard against the enemy who will throw lies at us to keep us off balance and to trip us up. He may do this subtly by telling us we are worthless, that God won’t love us if we mess up, or that He can’t forgive us for something from our past. But if we place those whispers against scripture, we will know for certain that those are lies.

Recently I wore a white capris to our monthly Birthday party here at Northern Living. The thought ran through my mind that I hope I wouldn’t spill on them but since it was not choc cake this month, I should be fine. But I was not fine. While hurrying to put on another big pot of coffee, I took the hot grounds out and some dripped right down my capris. I didn’t see it at first as it was congested by the counter, but someone pointed out that I had coffee drips all down my pants. Nothing I could do then and they all wondered, as I did, if my capris were ruined. Later as I followed directions for stain removal that I found online, I also wondered if it was fruitless but kept on in faith. Much to my surprise the spots all came out and it was like my capris were brand new again. I was left feeling so grateful and praised the Lord.

To me it was a visual picture of the enemy telling lies that we have done something so horrible that we are ruined for life and that there is no fix. But of course, that is not true. The Lord knows we are going to mess up plenty but He has given us the way to be forgiven and made new. We are to confess our sins and He is faithful and will forgive us and cleanse us. As it says in Isaiah 1:18 (Amplified), “Though your sins are like scarlet they shall be white as snow; thought they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.” Just like my white capris, we are restored and made new, as if we had never sinned.

Let us walk close to the Lord so we may hear His voice of mercy and grace, and give no heed to the enemy’s lies

Challenge for today: Pursue the Lord and ask for discernment to recognize the lies of the enemy.

Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

August 5, 2022

August 5, 2022 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Happy Weekend! Hope you have time for some rest and renewal. This morning I made some s.f. cinnamon raisen bread and cleaned the apartment. This afternoon I have an idea that we will be going to Culver’s for ice cream!

Tomorrow morning our son’s family from North Carolina is coming and we can hardly wait.
Devotions from Judy’s heart

If we are honest with ourselves, we probably all realize that there are things in our lives that need to go…get cut away! They may have been okay when we were baby Christians but now the Lord is seeking to mature us. The Holy Spirit will show us, in His timing, what we may not have been able to see before.

Recently we were with a friend who had just had cataract surgery the day before. He looked different that day as he no longer needed glasses. But he said that everything seemed so bright that he at times had to wear sunglasses in the house. That was a change from prior times of having to click on more lights when he spent time reading. Because he underwent surgery, he had a different outlook. I’m quite sure he now saw more clearly our wrinkles and imperfections, as well as his own, since he had sharper sight that he lacked before.

That’s how it is when the Holy Spirit touches our hearts and shows us our need to have sinful things removed from our lives. When we agree and give permission, the Great Physician removes those sinful reactions, prideful attitudes, etc. out of us, so they no longer hold any power over us. It results that we see things in a new way, and truth has such clarity that it is like a bright light.

In this day when everything around us is getting darker, the Lord is purifying His Bride. Paul says in Eph. 5:27 (KJV), “That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Since He is coming for a bride without spot and wrinkle, that means we all need to undergo the transformation process. Just as our friend, was willing to have the surgery, are we willing to let go of anything that stands between us and God?

Let us be quick to agree with the Spirit of truth when He shines His light in those hidden areas of our hearts, and let Him do the necessary surgery.

Challenge for today: Allow the Holy Spirit free reign to expose those things that need to come into the light and remove them.

Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

August 4, 2022

August 4, 2022 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Hope you are enjoying your day. This morning I went downstairs for donuts, made parfaits and took a friend to the Dollar store. This afternoon we have Bible Study and a walk and then a birthday celebration.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

It’s what is inside that counts not what is simply visible to our eyes! Our spirit within us is most important for it is through the Spirit that we are connect with the Lord, much like a branch is attached to the vine.

We love the couple we walk the trail with each day, but Vicky is gradually declining since she has Alzheimer’s. She was a wonderful Doctor but can no longer practice and is not able to carry on conversations. But she has a beautiful soul and continues to exude love with a radiant smile. Now it is hard to say good bye to our loved ones when they die, but it is also very difficult to lose them gradually as in the case of Alzheimer’s. Tomorrow is Vicky’s 67th birthday but today we are going to have a simple celebration in our courtyard with chocolate parfaits and chocolate chip cookies on a stick with coffee.

While shopping one day I came upon a figurine of a tall lovely woman dressed in blue and looking very regal. I was impressed to buy it as I thought of Vicky’s beautiful blue eyes, and her sweet smile. It was symbolic to me of what Vicky once was outwardly as dignified and queenly with a warm smile. We are to always remember her that way even on the days in the future when she may not be able to remember her name or can no longer dress herself. The true person seems hidden but she is there deep inside where only a few will find her.

I outwardly lost my mom the same way but I kept going back in my heart and mind to who she really was. We would visit her each week and pray for her and remember the person we loved was still there inside.

Some of us may be dealing with loved ones who are sick and not able to function as they use to. May we see the real person inside of them just as Jesus does and give them the love and respect and honor that they are so worthy of. Paul said in Rom 5:5, “For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.” Let us receive His self-giving love so that we can freely love others for who they are.

Challenge for today: Show love in a tangible way to someone who others may overlook.

Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

August 3, 2022

August 3, 2022 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Hope you are enjoying this lovely summer day! I just finished making 2 spaghetti pies and soon going to my exercise class; this evening we have Bible Studay. We PTL that our son Mark’s family made it from N.C to Kansas yesterday and are with Kurt’s family now. We look forward to their coming here on Monday!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

we say we are growing in our life with the Lord like seeds that have been planted in the ground and taken root? In Mark 4, we find the parable that Jesus shared about the Sower and the seeds that fell on the path, the rocky soil, the thorny soil and the good soil. We can ask ourselves if we are firmly planted in the good soil and growing in our spiritual lives and producing a good crop.

Outside my window as I write, there are many trees, the courtyard, and also two fire lanes with lovely colorful flowers planted between by volunteers. Next door to us is the Assisted Living complex, where there are no flowers planted in the space between the lanes; but one elderly woman has a determined mission. Amongst all the weeds and grass, she has cleared out two small spaces to plant cucumber seeds. This was no small task for her frail body, as one morning at 5 a.m. Al had to go help her up as she was sitting on the pavement by her plants and could not get up. Another day we came upon her as we were going for our walk and helped her as she had fallen and had gotten a goose egg on her forehead. That however, has not deterred her for she is faithful to water her two plants and tend them. One kind elderly man also helped her by cutting around the cucumber plants with a trimmer. These seeds have been well cared for and can you imagine the joy this woman is going to experience when she sees the first fruit of her labors and tastes the cucumbers!

How well do we tend the seeds that the Lord has planted in our hearts? Do we respond by spending time in the Word for our nurturance, and drink in the water of the Holy Spirit? Do we sit quietly in the sunshine of His presence and just bask in His love? Without tending and care we won’t grow, and the fruit the Lord would want to produce through us will be thwarted. How sad that is. I know I have missed opportunities to respond to the Holy Spirit and am regretful afterwards. Just recently I was asked to do something that I didn’t really want to do, but later confessed it to the Lord and did it…but the joy wasn’t the same if I had done it gladly the first time. Let us be mindful of the seed the Lord has planted in our hearts and as it says in Mark 4:20 may He say of us, “They hear the Word, accept it, and produce crops-thirty, sixty or one hundred times as much as was planted.”

Challenge for today: Tend the seed that is within you and let your roots go down deep into His love.

Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

August 2. 2022

August 2, 2022 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Hope you wake to a glorious day! I plan to go downstairs this morning for choc covered raspberries and then to friends this afternoon for fellowship and prayer. The question this week is: What prayer answer are you especially grateful for?

Devotions from Judy’/s heart

A few days ago, I read from Sarah Young’s book, Jesus Always, about how we need to remain for a while in an attitude of grateful joy after the Lord has blessed us in a special way or maybe granted us our request. Too often we move on so quickly to what is next rather than savoring and remembering what He has done for us.

That thought stayed with me and I feel I am guilty of that and need to recall and maybe even write down those prayer answers and surprising things He does when I just know it is Him. I may tell all of you about those special times when I write a devotion but then, I too quickly go on rather than lingering in gratitude?

I wondered about the Children of Israel who crossed the Red Sea on dry land when the Egyptians were breathing down on them; how long was it before they forgot that wondrous miracle? We read of their complaining about their same old, same old diet of manna or grumbling about their leadership. Did they quickly forget His miraculous intervention for them?

Something good happens deep inside of us when we remember and live in gratitude; we have a positive outlook on our day and expectation for whatever the Lord has for us in the now. It says in I Chron 16:12 (NKJV), “Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders and the judgments of His mouth.”

As we live in remembrance, even though hard things may hit us during the day, we will be able to endure and become stronger. We can pause and rehearse times of when God cared for us in supernatural ways and carried us through. That is especially good to do each night as we turn out the light and remember how He was present and involved in our day. May it cause us to give thanks with a grateful heart.

Challenge for today: Before going to sleep tonight, think of specific blessings that God has poured out on you today.

Bleesings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

Month: August 2022 (Page 3 of 4)

August 11, 2022

August 10, 2022

August 9, 2022

August 8, 2022

Gravity

August 6, 2022

August 5, 2022

August 4, 2022

August 3, 2022

August 2. 2022

Recent Posts

Meta

Recent Comments

Archives

Categories