Dear Ones,
May you enjoy some time to be refreshed this weekend. We will be leaving to go to Mora to gather with friends that were on our Board at Canaan’s Rest. It’s one of my favorite times of the summer as we fellowship and pray together…and eat too!
I would also ask for prayers for Melissa, a mom from our former church. She is very sick and has viral meningitis and her MRI showed lesions of M.S. and also thyroid cancer. Besides their own son, Melissa and her husband adopted 3 children and also care for a foster child. Please pray!
 Devotions from Judy’s heart
Wouldn’t we all like to live a life of simplicity and joy and be true to who God made us to be. Not trying to be important or famous or powerful but free to be ourselves and love the One who made us. That means we will have to let go of some things that are not true about ourselves, like many who think that they are what they have, which may be riches and sadly they will always want more. But how much better to live in the reality of who God made us.                                                   I have been reading a book by Psychologist, Dr. Robert Wicks who writes about how to let go, see clearly, and live simply. Doesn’t the sound like a recipe for living well. He quotes Thomas Merton who said, “Happiness consists in finding out precisely what the ‘one thing necessary’ may be in our lives, and gladly relinquishing all the rest. For then, by a divine paradox, we find everything else is given us, together with the one thing we needed.” When we live for the Lord and His kingdom, we have found the treasure of the One thing that is most important and everything else seems to fall into place. But we must also let go of all that is unnecessary and incomplete like pride, self-interest, anxiety, and our insecurities so we can be single-hearted and discover who we are and live in freedom. It takes humility and courage as we see ourselves and let go of those things that hinder a full true life. We must ask ourselves often if we’re open and willing to be transparent and be emptied of self so there is more space for the Lord.                                      God uses different people in our lives to help us. He may send a prophetic type person who challenges us to look honestly at ourselves and to ask us important questions. He may also send us someone who is more playful to help us not take ourselves too seriously. He may send another who cheers us on.  God could also send us a soul friend who helps us to see our value and brings encouragement and leaves us with gratitude for the life the Lord gave us. Let us want to know our true selves and be grateful for all those He uses to help us be humble and to see ourselves as we really are.
Challenge for today: Live simply in the joy of who God made you to be!
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy