Dear Ones, Hope your day is full of wisdom. We have Bible study here today and it is also Donut Day. I hope to get some food prep done and catching up. I had a good report yesterday from the wound specialist and am so grateful!
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Haven’t we all wanted to be a person of wisdom, knowing what to do in situations and responding in the right ways? King Solomon had a dream and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” He asked God for wisdom to govern the people and was given great wisdom. God was very pleased with his request and he became the wisest man ever. He applied that wisdom during most of his reign, but sadly in his last years his heart was not fully given to the Lord. Something we all need to guard against for we can start out well, but then give out.
There are those that have a lot of knowledge, but wisdom is putting that knowledge into practice and doing the right thing. What good is it if we have knowledge, but don’t follow through and act in the right way? It is easier said than done! Most of the time we don’t actually lack the knowledge of the truth of what we know we should do, but we fail to live it out. What good is that? James said in James 1:22, “But be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” The Message translation says, “Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!”
Of course, there may be times we aren’t sure what to do, and it may help to think of what you would tell someone else if they were in your situation. It may become clearer to us, and we see our need to do the very thing that is hard but right. It has helped me to be accountable to a friend about my desire to spend quiet time in stillness before the Lord each morning before I get into my work routine. Since I have done that, it has helped me to be faithful daily. Do whatever works for you, but don’t stop part way in just knowing what you should do, but actually do it.
Challenge for today: Ask the Lord for wisdom to know what is the right thing, and then follow through by doing it.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy
Dear Ones,
Hope you have a blessed day. Al will be off to men’s group and in home in time to go with me to the wound specialist. My wound feels better so am hoping the infection is taken care of.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Haven’t we all been guilty of presumption? We presume to know what is best, what God may do next, what puts us in the limelight, etc. Sometimes it is in jest, but sometimes it is a matter of putting ourselves first. I read today from Mark 10:35-45, where James and John presumptuously asked Jesus to sit on his right and left hand in glory. Jesus answers cuts through their less-than-humble question saying, “But whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” That was not the response they were expecting or wanting.
I have a humorous example to share as our son’s family was recently here for ten days, and we had games and fun family times. At the beginning of their stay at a rental on the lake, I told them there would be a cash prize for the one who caught the biggest fish. That got their attention, and each day they spent time out on a huge pontoon boat catching fish. When the first large fish was caught, it caused some hope to fade that others would be able to top it. For a while our grandson was leading, but then our son got a bigger one, and in a jesting pompous way bragged that he would get the prize. He teased and walked around like a king pin and as if he had already won it, but I reminded the rest that they still all had a chance to win. Well, early on the final morning I got picture on my phone of our youngest grandson, A.J., with a big smile on his face and holding up his huge northern. On his second cast he thought his lure was caught in the weeds, but instead he hooked the giant fish. I couldn’t believe it. He beat his dad and was the winner and awarded $50. The rest got smaller prizes for participating, but presumption did not win.
Pride and presumption will not win in our lives either, for Jesus calls us to a life of humility and self-sacrifice, seeking the good of others.
Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to help you put Him first, others second, and yourself last.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy
Dear Ones, Hope you have a wonderful day. Last night was our last night to see Mark’s family before they go back home to N.C. We have had a wonderful 10 days with them and lots of sharing, games, meals together and we will miss them. I do already! Today we are invited to friends for coffee and fellowship!
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Friendships are important in our lives, and if we have all the money in the world but have no friends, we are poor. Since our family has moved around as a clergy family, we have friends in different parts of the country who remain good friends for life. I am always excited when we go to see Kurt’s family, as we also stop on our way to Kansas so I can have lunch with a friend that I see only a couple times a year. I look forward to those times, counting the days and always go away from time together with a full heart.
Recently, I read what Jamon Guinasso had to say about friendship with the Lord. He doesn’t mean calling on the Lord only when we have a crisis or some specific need when we want His help, but treasuring His friendship all the time. In other words, we want His friendship more than the outcome for us. We know Moses spoke with God face to face, and Abraham was called a friend of God three times in the Bible. In James 2:23 it says,” And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; And he was called the friend of God.” Jesus had many names given him: He is our Savior, Lord, Prince of peace, Wonderful, Counselor, etc. We have a wall hanging given us by our congregation in Brunswick on our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. Since then, it has accompanied us on all of our moves and hangs in our living room now. I often look at it as Al and I meet together for prayer on the sofa each morning. I am reminded of the Lord’s greatness, and yet He desires friendship with us.
Abraham built altars in pivotal places where God spoke to him as a mark of God’s nearness and friendship. We most likely will not make an altar, but Guinasso suggests recording in a journal the times God has met with us. If asked who we are, may we say with deep conviction, “I am a friend of God!!”
Challenge for today: Spend time with the Lord talking to Him throughout your day as your best friend.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy
As a senior man, I do not pay much attention to fashion trends among men. My wife can attest to the fact that my church wardrobe is out of style. However, I was struck by an article at Breakpoint that got my attention. I felt like it was worthy of a blog. The “quarter-zip” pullover seems to be a popular choice for young men these days. Its popularity is a surprise happening. “This preppy compromise between a hoody and a sportscoat has swept across social, racial, and cultural spectrums, from urban epicenters to college campuses. It has even generated an unusual amount of media coverage and analysis.”
USA Today is quoted as saying, “[P]eople engaged with the quarter-zip’s popularity say it goes beyond just trends and clothes – it’s a lifestyle that reflects a commitment to sophistication.” I thought it was interesting how the authors, John Stonestreet and Timothy Padgett, see in this popularity pointing to a trend of young men coming back to the church. “It is as if they want something to challenge them,” note the authors.
The article goes on to say, “It seems as if a significant number of young men, sick of the meaninglessness of low expectations and infinite distraction, are looking for something else……Having been told for so long that they are what’s wrong with the world, that all masculinity is “toxic” and the “future is female,” they’re looking for answers in not all the wrong places.”
While rejecting the shallowness found in our culture, many young men are turning to modern forms of “Nietzschean nihilism,” found especially in the growth of “white supremacist groyper influencers,” along with radical Islam and various expressions of woman-hating misogyny. The article encourages us to celebrate quarter-zips as possible evidence of new counterculture. “It would be strange,” observes the article, “if the icon of the cultural rebel went from white t-shirts with cigarettes in rolled-up sleeves to sagging, baggy pants to quarter zips.” I especially appreciate the authors hopeful observation regarding the trend. “But for young men recovering from “Peter Pan Syndrome” – who are done with being the “lost boys of the West” – a new kind of rebellion is overdue.”
I for one, know very little about trends in men’s apparel. But the fact that Breakpoint has now alerted me to the possible correlation of a fashion trend and young men being open to the gospel, I will be alert to this possibility. As an “old timer” I can bring a longer view on clothing trends. As a teenager in the 50’s I was a full blown Elvis Presley fan. I had to white suede shoes and bright colored pants, along with the proper hairstyle. I want to be “in.” I attempting to made a statement. I had no identity or purpose in my life. Being self conscious, to dress in the latest fad was important to me. Then after high school I found the Lord Jesus out in California. It totally reorientated my life at 18 years of age.
I slowly came to know my identity was in Christ. “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). Being a “people-pleasing” person I have had many struggles being a faithful follower of Jesus. I am eternally grateful, knowing in my heart, that God loves me in “my stink” and that he delights in me as his son. After over 60 years of following Jesus, along with Peter, I can say, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God” ( John 6:68).
Dear Ones,
Hope you had a good weekend, especially you fathers. Kurt and Brenda stopped by Saturday night to wish Al a happy Father’s Day and yesterday we went with Mark’s family to church and then to their bnb for steak dinner and afternoon. Today I see the Paramedic and later going to Mark and Andrea’s for our final time together. It has been a wonderful time to see them nearly every day before they go back to N.C.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Every child needs secure attachment and to know they are safe because they are seen by someone who will respond if they are in distress. Such children are resilient. Those that pray experience God’s love even when things are not as they would wish them to be. They know someone cares for them. Somehow in my childhood, I felt like my dad would always be there, rescue me if needed and make things right. It left me feeling secure even when we were poor when Al was in seminary, going through challenging times, and yet feeling God would take us through.
Professor Justin Bailey writes that there is a connection between attachment and how we approach prayer, experience joy, hope, forgiveness, etc. When we know a God who sees us and loves us, we feel secure and can trust His promises. We can’t secure ourselves in the fallen world that is full of evil and violence. If we try to find security in the world, we will find there are no safe places. We all have different responses because of our early childhood experiences. Bailey writes that if we were blessed with secure attachment, we develop a positive image of ourselves and others. We can solve problems and know that we have support from others when needed. If we have a preoccupied or anxious attachment, we may look at others positively but have a negative image of ourselves. We will be fearful others won’t be there for us. If we have a dismissing or avoidant attachment, we have a positive image of ourself but negative view of others and don’t feel a need for them. If we have a fearful attachment, we avoid close relationships and have a negative image of others as uncaring and ourselves as unlovable.
After reading about attachments, I see the importance of accepting and loving my self, but also having loving relationships with others where we feel safe. Maybe as you read this you didn’t have loving parents, but the Lord can be our attachment figure and heal our sense of insecurity. He is a father to the fatherless. Even if our parents forsake us, we can say as David did in Psalm 27:10, “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.” As we draw close to the Lord in prayer, we may begin to be seen and can trust. It is a gift when the Lord also gives us persons who listen to us and see us for who we are.
Challenge for today: Pray that the Lord will help you feel safe, and thank Him that He sees you and loves you unconditionally.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy
Dear Ones,
Hope you are enjoying the weekend! We had a delightful time with Mark’s family last night and Andrea cooked another great meal. This afternoon Al is taking out A.J. for their grandpa/grandson time. Tomorrow, I plan to go to church and then we will be celebrating Father’s Day at Mark’s afterwards. My wound is infected so keep the prayers going. I will see the wound specialist again on Wednesday.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Maybe some of us got the message when we came to the Lord that if we were faithful to the Lord, all would go well in our life. So, when trials began coming our way, we started to wonder what was wrong with us that these things were happening. Jesus never promised us a pain-free life, but actually the opposite, for he said we would suffer and have trials and testing because we know Him. So how are we to handle those times we prayed and trusted the Lord to heal us and He didn’t, or when the job that seemed perfect for us went to someone else? Where was the Lord in all of this?
I was reading an article put out by Fuller Seminary, and it was about what John the Baptist’s wondered as he was in prison. He was expecting something far different from the Messiah that he preached about, who was not doing what He thought He would do. Jesus tells him not to take offense at Him, for He was doing His Father’s will. Perhaps John thought Jesus would free them from Roman rule, but Jesus says, “Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
Jesus’ reply is a word to all of us, to not get offended when He doesn’t do things as we want or expect Him to do. Jesus word back to John was that the lame walk, the blind are healed, etc. He was doing what His Father sent Him to do, which later meant giving His life.
What about us? Do we get offended when Jesus works in a completely different way than we envisioned or prayed for? We can either complain or put our eyes on the Lord in trust. Like it says in Prov. 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” Let us choose to go God’s way in God’s timing, and know He is doing a deep work that we may not yet see with our own eyes.
Challenge for today: Have faith in the Lord, even when He is not doing things your way, and trust Him fully.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy
Dear Ones, Hope you enjoy the weekend. I have the Paramedic coming this morning and later will find out if my wound is infected. Hoping not but they already started me on an antibiotic. Al is taking John Mark out today and then Al and I are going over to their bnb to enjoy the lake and have games and supper.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Maybe when you were a child you also learned the song with the words, “Why worry, when you can pray. Trust Jesus, He will show you the way. Don’t be a doubting Thomas, put your faith and trust in Jesus. Why worry, worry, worry, worry, when you can pray?” The second verse goes on to say that we should trust Jesus as our stay, and rest fully on His promise.
The Lord is so faithful, and we have no cause to worry, fret or be anxious about our lives. We have a loving Father who wants us to give Him all our anxieties and cares. We are told not to worry about anything. (Phil 4:6) That means with every need we have, we go to Him first, pray, and let Him handle things. If we do that, we are promised peace that stands guard over our hearts and minds. We will never be free of problems in life, for they come to all of us, but we can have peace in the midst of whatever concerns us if we give it to the Lord.
There are times God answers in surprising ways. After giving Him some concerns I have had on something that is coming up on the schedule, there are times he has canceled them, much to my astonishment! I didn’t have to deal with it at all. Other times, He gives the grace for us to go through the difficult things, and we have a real sense that He is right beside us through it all. It helps to slow down, be still, and just focus on Him and His mighty power. We might find a scripture that speaks to our worry and we carry it in our heart. After going through a trying experience, we can recognize His hand was with us and we are full of gratitude. Let us not worry, but pray and trust!
Challenge for today: Place all your concerns this day into the Lord’s hands, and then thank Him as you see Him work them all out for His glory.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy
Dear Ones,
Hope you have a blessed day. Al will be off to Men’s group and then teaching Bible Study later here. Afterwards we are taking Mark’s family to Pizza Ranch so will be saving our appetites until then. My appointment with the wound specialist wasn’t as I had hoped, and she thinks I may have infection in my wound. We will know on Friday after the results of the culture.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
We might ask ourselves the question, “Is our life a message of the Lord to others?” In other words, can they see Jesus in us? When we think about it, the best sermons are those without words, but preached through our lives each day. What do others see?
I was reading a devotional by Demontae Edmonds, a writer and preacher, who shares about the holiness of a life lived from a heart given to God. It may be seen in our very countenance as it shines with His love. Demontae was once asked by a relative what he had been doing for his skin, as it was glowing. At first he was puzzled, for he had done nothing for his skin. But then he realized she was seeing in a spiritual sense. He responded by saying, “I’ve been with Jesus. I’ve been in a lot of prayer.” It was evident just like it says in Isaiah 60:2, “But the Lord shall arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you.” Wow!
Do others see Jesus when they look at us and observe our actions? I am reminded of the song I learned very young in my life but is like a prayer:
“Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me
All His wondrous compassion and purity;
O Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine
‘Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.
Let the fruit of the Spirit be seen in me
Grant me grace all sufficient that I may be,
True and faithful each day, every step of the way
Pointing souls to the Savior on Calvary.”
If we are parents, do our children sense God’s love in our care for them? Or if we are a boss, do our employees sense we are a person of integrity and truth? In our friendship with others, do our responses show compassion and God’s unconditional love? Let us love not just in words, but deeds and truth.
Challenge for today: Spend some time with the Lord and ask Him to help you live your life in such a way that it points others to Him.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy
Dear Ones, Hope you have a blessed day. Today I have an appointment with the wound specialist as I think my progress is being checked. Then Al and I have haircuts and crafts and later go to Mark and Andrea’s for pie, games, and family fun!
Devotions from Judy’s heart,
Today’s devotional is rather personal, but I am trying to be real with you as to all I am learning during this time of transition. The Lord is teaching me lessons, and one that is rather hard for me is to receive and let myself be waited on. It has been frustrating, especially for Al, when I try to do things myself that he offered to do for me. But it goes deeper.
When I was having my devotions reading in Ephesians, I came to a familiar portion that I have even taught on many times in chapter five. “Wives submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is head of the church, His body and is Himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.” My heart was convicted, for I can see where I have not been submissive and as anyone knows, you can’t have two heads. Normally in our married life, Al takes care of the outdoor things of lawn and trees, etc. and I do the indoor cooking, cleaning, etc. Only now he doesn’t have outdoor work and until my leg heals, it is harder to be on it very long to do the indoor tasks. So Al offers to do things he has never done before and I tell him, I will do it. You can see the scenario, I’m sure. But in my heart, I was not submitting to him and letting him be in the place God has put him. When I was reading in Ephesians, it really hit me and I made my confession to the Lord, but then to Al and asked forgiveness. I was not in my rightful place and did not leave room for Al to be in his place.
It also says in the chapter, “However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see she respects her husband.” When each of us is doing our part and what God is asking of us, life is full and rich and wonderful. But when we fail to be in the place God has put us, it makes life complicated and frustrating. I am relearning what I learned years ago, and there is forgiveness. I woke with the song playing in my mind: “Change my heart, O Lord make it ever true, change my heart O Lord may I be like you.”
Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to show you any area in your life that needs attention and then surrender to Him.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy
Dear Ones,
Hope you have a great day. Al is meeting with Mark and going out for an early breakfast and Andrea is coming here for our time together.
My wound is beginning to heal and looking so much better so thank you all for your prayers.
My wound is beginning to heal and looking so much better so thank you all for your prayers.Devotions from Judy’s heart
How much time do we waste every day? Do we live aimlessly and lose track of time as we scroll on our devices and play endless games? There is a better way! We can live with purpose, make good choices, and live a fruitful life. I read from Ephesians 5 today where Paul says to figure out what will please God and do it. He goes on to say, “Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people).”
Why do we waste time on useless things that leave us empty when we can do things that have purpose or meaningful things for others? Maybe we have areas in our lives that we need to renounce, and the Holy Spirit is only too willing to reveal these areas so we might ask the Lord to cleanse us. Strongholds may need to be broken, so we don’t keep repeating sinful behavior. In John Eldredge’s book, The Utter Relief of Holiness, he shares prayers that you may want to pray if you are battling things in your life and want to get set free.
“Lord, forgive me for giving place in my heart to resentment, to lust, to alcohol…..(whatever it is for you) Forgive me for giving place in my life to resignation and self-reproach and shame, to fear and doubt and control. I renounce it now. Come, Jesus Christ, and take your rightful place in my heart and in my life here. Come and set me free here, in these very places. I plead your blood over these sins and I break every hold I gave my enemy here, in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Then comes the healing. Jesus can heal any wound we have, restore our soul and even heal the memory of what has happened in the past. Invite the Lord to come heal you and comfort you, as you open up your heart to His love. He will give you “beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61:3)
Challenge for today: Make Psalm 143:10 your prayer, “Teach me how to live to please you, because you are my God. Lead me by your blessed Spirit into cleared and level pastureland.”
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy
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