Category: Sister Judy (Page 115 of 277)

Dear Ones,

 Happy day as the sun is shining again and hoping you are enjoying the day. This morning I made a veggie stir fry, went to Aldi’s and my exercise class. This afternoon is crafts and tonight is Bible study with video from Max Lacado. 

Devotions from Judy’s heart

   Where do we seek encouragement and hope when things seem to be falling apart? Do we find it in confiding in a friend? Or calling our pastor? Or reading a self-help book? Yes, it is good to get empathy and words of encouragement from others but if we don’t go to the Lord, we can still be left feeling lost and alone when they are not around.

   In one of our previous churches, we had a young mother who would come to Ladies class and take up group time sharing alot about things she was worried about, especially in her family. She got encouragement from others but it never seemed to stick. So I asked her to come early each week and then just spent a few minutes praying for her and pointing her to the Lord for His help. It makes such a difference when we go to the Source. He stands beside us always and our hope is in Him.

   Mark Roberts from Fuller Seminary has been writing about Lamentations which is a book of sorrow and laments of all that is happening around Jeremiah. He was called the weeping prophet and wept as he saw how God’s people had turned away from God and rejected Him. Jeremiah says he feels attacked and homeless; his soul is bowed down and he lacks peace and hope. Doesn’t sound like a good place to be and maybe you have felt like that at times when life seems to be caving in and you have lost your hope and strength.

   But then Jeremiah calls to mind God’s steadfast love and becomes a man of hope. He says in Lam 3:21-23 (God’s Word), “The reason I can still find hope is that I keep this one thing in mind: the Lord’s mercy. We are not completely wiped out. His compassion is never limited. It is new every morning. His faithfulness is great. My soul can say, “The Lord is my lot in life. That is why I find hope in Him.”

   Whenever we may feel hopeless and sad, let us remember God’s mercy and hope in Him!

Dear Ones,

A blessed Memorial Day as we remember those who have fought and given their lives for our country! 

We enjoyed the weekend with family at the lake, except for the mosquitoes! Today I am doing food prep, studying, and stripping down our bed to the mattress and washing everything.  

Devotions from Judy’s heart

  The enemy is always trying to trip us up and cancel out what God has for us and we need to be alert to his tactics and not let him win in our lives.

   When we were at the lake to celebrate Memorial weekend with family on Saturday we had an enemy who tried to sabotage our time together. It was an army of mosquitoes and they were fierce. We had no idea when going to the lake what we were going to encounter but we still pursued the agenda, though we had to modify it a bit.

   The first awareness of our problem was when we got to my brother’s cabin to have a time of sharing with my niece’s daughter Taylor and her boyfriend. We were stopped at the door with the warning that when they opened the door we needed to just rush in and they would quickly shut the door again, so as not to let in the hungry mosquitoes. Now even though we did that our whole time of sharing and praying together was necessitated with slapping mosquitoes that managed to sneak in, but it didn’t shorten our time together.

   When we went to our daughter’s we stayed inside and listened to our grandson’s concerns before going down the hill to our son’s cabin. We had a time to catch up inside when I was told I had company waiting for me up the hill. There was a friend whom I haven’t seen for so long and she was swatting mosquitoes as she patiently waited for me to climb the hill. We couldn’t stand to be outside for long and took refuge in our car. Some managed to sneak in the car too, but we didn’t let it detour us.

   Next, we went to the gathering at the Point where other family members were enjoying the sauna and running quickly into the cold lake while trying to fend off mosquitoes. Having our wiener roast was more of a challenge as the mosquitoes were hungry too, but we persevered and all ate and visited before taking leave. Now would we have gathered if we had known ahead of time of the army of mosquitoes waiting for us? Yes, it was still worth it even though we had a battle on our hands.

   I also believe in the days to come that it is going to cost us more to meet together as the Body of Christ. The enemy is going to do all he can to detour us and keep us from praying and seeking the Lord together. There is great power as Christians gather together and it says in Matt 18:20(NRSV), “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” We are not meant to go alone but to gather in His name to pray, worship and be encouraged. Prayers by 2 or 3 in agreement with the Spirit have great power so let us not be detoured!

  Challenge for today: Use the opportunities God sends to gather with others in His name. 

Dear Ones,

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! We are going to the lake this morining and stopping to see a friend at Birchview on the way. We look forward to having time with Taylor ( my niece’s daughter who you prayed for when she was on her 9 month mission trip) and her boyfriend. Later we will see Ann’s family and Kurt’s family and then more relatives for a picnic at the Point. 

Devotions from Judy’s heart

 Sometimes we just need to take a break! Maybe we have had a heavy schedule and we feel weary; rather than try to fit more in, we need to take a nap, go for a walk and enjoy nature, strum some strings on the guitar, or just spend some quiet time with God. We all get worn down at times and we need to listen to our body for it is saying, “Give me a break!” That doesn’t mean just seniors but young people also may need time to regroup. People in their prime can get tired and stumble and fall.

  In Isaiah 40:30-31 (Message) it says, “Even youths grow weary and tired and vigorous young men stumble badly, but those who wait for the Lord (who expect, look for, and hope in Him) will gain new strength and renew their power.” We all have times of weariness and it may not be physically so much as emotionally, It is wise to pay attention when that happens and to wait on the Lord to renew us. We can be honest with Him and tell Him how weary we are and in need of His strength and vitality. If we are married, we may tell our mate that we are spent and just need a little time to be restored. Spending time with the Lord can restore us and strengthen us and bring us encouragement. Some come away feeling like they had a new battery put in!

   It reminds me of my plants that are on a tea cart by a window. I can tell when they start looking droopy and am reminded to water them and open the blinds to let in the sunrays. In the same way we are told to “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek is face continually. (Psalm 105:4 (NASB)

  God’s strength is our source of strength and it never runs out. We all get tried and we will find that as we wait on the Lord we will be renewed and lifted above the stresses in life. When we start thanking Him and praising Him, it is like the cool water that is poured on my plants. We perk up and are refreshed. Let us take a refreshing break with the Lord!

Challenge for today: Listen to your body and give it refreshing breaks when needed.

Dear Ones,

 Happy weekend to you! Hoping for good weather for all the picnics and gatherings. This morning I cleaned the apartment and soon  Al and I are going to Costco to pick up the birthday cake for our annual Birthday party here this afternoon… celebrating  only 4 birthdays this month. Tomorrow we head to the Lake!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

  God’s presence with us changes everything. The darkest days and most difficult circumstances are somehow changed when we really know that the God of the universe is with us and He has not forgotten us.

  One day Al and I were going down the hall to get to our apartment and outside the door of our neighbor, was a card with a simple phrase, “God Has Not Forgotten You!” Both Al and I commented on how important that is for all of us to really know that God is with us, and we are not an afterthought. He remembers us and we are engraved on the palm of His hands, never to be forgotten.

   But also, let us not forget Him but open our eyes to see all the ways the Lord comes to us. It says in Psalm 105:3-4 (NIV), “Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.”

   One way to seek His face is to spend some time in what is called soaking prayer. It is something I learned about many years ago but recently read an article by Steve Porter who founded Refuge Ministries. He talks about taking time to just sit in silence before the Lord and soak in the Spirit. He puts on praise music in the background and then just quietly sits and lets the Lord love on him. Often it brings him to tears. He does not sit there with a list of wants and requests but just seeks the Lord.

   Something happens to us when we do that for our weariness disappears and as it says in Isaiah 40:31 that our strength is renewed and we feel like we are soaring like an eagle.

   Even though Al and I have been married 56 years, we don’t need to talk all the time to express our love for each other. Sometimes it is enough to be in each other’s presence without words and soak in that love. 

   May we take time to linger in the Lod’s presence and come to know in a deeper way His love for us.

  Challenge for today: Take 10 minutes today to sit quietly before the Lord without words and soak in His love.

Dear Ones,

Hope you wake up to a day of flourishing. I plan to study, do some food prep and to go down downstairs for coffee and choc covered raspberries! 

Devotions from Judy’s heart

   Would we say our life is overflowing with hope and flourishing, even though there is so much chaos around us? I read what Dr. Rev. Mark Roberts from Fuller seminary had to say about such a life that is spoken of in Psalm 92:12 (ESV), “The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.”

   I read that the palm trees are known for their long life and cedars grow up to 120 feet high and 30 feet in circumference. They are durable and solid and not going to be blown away by the winds of adversity. In other words, those who know the Lord will be strong and able to stand in His strength.

   I love the word flourish and to me a flourishing life would be one that is blossoming and fruitful, has purpose and full of peace and hope; it would be more than a satisfying life as it would be abundant and purposeful until our last breath.

   Who wouldn’t want a life like that? But so many look in the wrong places and come up empty and disappointed. No, it won’t be found in the abundance of things, or exotic experiences, or numerous accolades given us; it comes rather from a close relationship with the One who is Life, gives us life and sustains our life.

   Verse 13-14 (Amplified) says, “Planted in the house of the Lord they shall flourish in the courts of our God. (Growing in grace) they shall be full of sap (of spiritual vitality) and (rich in the) verdure (of trust, love and contentment).”

   As we get older, we can still have a fresh outlook and flourish. It is not an age factor but of trusting the One who gives us strength and vitality. Actually, I read that Palm trees don’t yield a lot of fruit until about 30 years of age and the older they get the more fruitful they become; they can bear up to 300 to 400 pounds of dates each year!

   Let us not be like potted plants that have shallow roots but let us be planted by streams of water with deep roots and using the gifts God has given us to bless others. As we do this, we will find our lives will flourish and fruitful!

  Challenge for today: Write down what  flourishing life would be for you and what areas need help?