Dear Ones,
Happy 4th of July weekend and hope you have a time of refreshment and fun. We plan to go to the lake for a picnic with a gathering of relatives. This morning I studied and made a veggie stir fry and did food prep and later we plan to walk the trail as it is a beautiful day. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
    Yesterday about a dozen-and-a-half residents where we live, gathered in the community room for Bible Study. We had quite a variety of churches represented and also a big age span. But the Lord unites our hearts as one and we have the desire for others to also enter into a personal relationship with the Lord. There is especially a concern for our children and grandchildren and even great grandchildren to know Him. As we become more cognizant that our time on this earth will one day be over, it seems to become a burning desire that our loved ones become part of the family of God. So, do we then try to help God in that pursuit and actually get in the way or do we pray much and ask the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts?
  I was sitting near Al during the Bible Study and all of a sudden, I noticed that one of gals had dropped her keys on the floor; when I bent over to pick them up it was if the Lord spoke to me and said that He only has the key to the hearts of all. In our zealousness for others to know the Lord, at times we may come across to them very strong and turn them off. Or maybe we pray at others in the sense of telling God what He needs to do to change them. We may try to pressure them into reading the Bible or certain books that we just happen to leave out on the bedside table…  but it often causes them to go farther the other direction.
   But God knows the key to each one’s heart and we need not try every key we can think of to coerce them; it is not only a waste time but can result in harm as the door is more tightly shut. God loves them even more than we do and it is important to listen to the Holy Spirit’s promptings if he wants us to be part of their journey into the Kingdom.  A song that can be our prayer:
“Holy Spirit Come,
Make My Ears To Hear,
Make My Eyes To See,
Make My Mouth To Speak,
My Heart To Seek.
And My Hands To Reach Out,
And Touch The World,With Your Love”
Challenge for today: Pray much for others to know the Lord but make room for the Holy Spirit to work in His way.
Blessings on your Holiday weekend and prayers and love, Judy