Category: Sister Judy (Page 146 of 277)

Dear Ones,

Hope you are enjoying this day. I cleaned the apt. and went down for donuts and soon Al will lead the Bible Study here. Then we are looking forward to his sister arriving from Michigan. Please pray for Jodi’s family as the funeral is today in CA and her dad will be doing the service. The sudden death of Jodi’s husband is hard and they all need prayers. Thank you!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We all need rest for our souls and the Lord invites us to come away with Him and to get refreshed. Doesn’t that sound wonderful to our ears? Maybe we have just finished a project at work that took untold hours of our time; or maybe we have been entertaining guest for many days, along with our other duties and we are tired. Perhaps the disciples felt a little that way as they returned from a time of ministry and reported all the things that they had done and taught. They were excited to share the results of their mission with Jesus and probably exhausted as it said they didn’t even have time to eat. Jesus’ response to them was the invitation in Mark 6:31, “Come away with me to a quiet place and rest a while.” Yes, we might even call it a holy rest and we all have times when we need to cease working and doing, and just spend some restful time with the Lord.  Jesus has given us a special day to do that for and He initiated the Sabbath day as a day of rest; after 6 days of creating, He rested on the 7^th day. In Exodus 20:8-9 (God’s Word) He says, “Remember the day of worship by observing it as a holy day. You have six days to do all your work.”  There is a time to quit working and to we can keep the Sabbath Day as we spend time in worship, meeting with others who know Him, reflecting, meditating, and maybe just having a silent time. If we did that regularly I think we would find rest for our souls. Perhaps we will even find more joy in our work, more creativity and motivation to do our best. I grew up in a home where Sunday was all about going to church, not working, relaxing and getting refueled for the week.  We often had company for dinner and mom prepared all she could the day before so we could just enjoy  fellowshipping with the guests. Then after the company left there was likely a nap. Too often today, we try to squeeze in as much work as we can on Sunday and never find that place of rest. The Lord wants relationship with us more than He wants our work. As we spend time with Him, we will find the work flows with greater ease and our hearts get lighter. If Jesus rested, why not us?!

Challenge for today: Take a holy rest and spend time letting the Lord refresh you. 

Dear Ones,

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful sunny weather. Later this week  it is going to get very hot with 96 degrees here. This morning I made Starch free cookies, a veggie dish, egg dishes and got the rest of the blinds dusted. My face continues to look worse from the ointment I have to put on so I am looking rather scary these days! 

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We all carry memories in our hearts! When we ponder and remember things in our past, it often breathes new life into our present. Such was the case over the weekend when we are at our family gathering around the campfire. After we roasted hot dogs and marsh mellows, my cousin Terry lead us in a time of remembering her mom (and my favorite aunt) who went home to the Lord in November. We all shared favorite memories of her of how she touched our lives and expressed God’s love.  There was much laughter at the gutsy things she did in raising her 8 children and fun times and parties! Her daughter also shared how her mom had called her in the middle of the night and was hemorrhaging. She rushed to her Assisted Living apartment and discovered her mom was in big trouble. Her son who is a doctor got on the phone and asked her if she was willing to go to the hospital as she had expressed before that she wanted to die at home and not be hospitalized. But since it was Covid time and she had not seen her 8 kids and many grandkids for some time, her mind was changed and she consented to go. She was rushed there and in ICU for some time while she recovered; when she was discharged, she was not up to living alone. That’s when Terry, who had just quit her job the day before offered to take her mom to her apartment and give her care for several months until her death. God provided a way for all of her children and grandchildren and other relatives and friends to spend time with her and say their good-byes. Her memory lives on in all of us as she shared God’s love and helped us to feel valued and cherished. In the Bible we are often told to remember, just like the children of Israel who God brought out of Egypt and through the Red Sea etc. They were to tell their children of God’s marvelous acts on their behalf. We also have Mary’s example of pondering the angel’s words in her heart. Each one of us have stories to rehearse with our children and others, just as we did around the campfire. We all have a sacred journey to share as we remember the many circumstances God has brought us through, times when His presence was so real. Of course, no day is without His presence and at night before going to sleep, it is a good practice to review our day of how we experienced Him. Let us not forget but remember and share as David said in Psalm 143:5 (Amplified), “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I ponder the work of Your hands.”

Challenge for today: “Spend some time remembering the good things God has done and thank Him; share with others when given an opportunity. 

Dear Ones,

Hope you are enjoying this holiday weekend!  We had a wonderful time with relatives at the lake and enjoyed staying at the cabin. Lots of sharing and catching up; swimming, fishing, sauna and tubing for whoever wanted, wiener roast, and coffee times. We also enjoyed going to The Lighthouse yesterday with some of the family. Catching up today and just got back from Aldi’s. 

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Today we celebrate Memorial Day and remember all those who have fought for our freedom and sacrificed so much. “Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13. I would like to share a prayer by Debbie McDaniel expressing our gratitude for those who have so bravely served our nation.

“Dear God,

We thank you for the freedom you have given to us, and for the price that was paid by Christ so that we could live free. We remember today. The cost of it all. The great sacrifice for freedom. We thank you for the brave men and women who have fought, and continue to fight, so courageously for our nation. We ask for your covering and blessing over them and their families. We pray that you would be gracious and encircle them with your peace. We pray for your great favor and goodness to be evident in their lives. Please be with all those who wear the uniform, who serve our communities and nation every single day. We ask that you provide your protection, that you would be their guiding force who leads the way, and their rear guard who keeps them safe from behind. We ask that you would draw them to yourself amidst the dangers they face in a dark world, for you are the Truth, you are the Way, you are the Light. Help them to walk wisely. To stay covered in your armor. Give them godly discernment. Make them constantly aware of what lurks close by. Help them to be men and women of prayer, realizing that this is where their greatest help comes from. Help them to stay united and strong, bold and resolute, determined and unwavering. Bless their families. Bless those they love. Give them your great favor, this day, and every day. Thank you that in our nation today, we are free to worship. We are free to pray. We are free to read your Word.  We are free to speak.  We are free to share. For this, we are incredibly grateful. Yet, we understand how quickly these freedoms can be taken away. Give us an increased awareness of the spiritual battle we’re in. Help us to stand strong in you and for your purposes. Thank you that as believers, we can be assured, you will never leave us, and are with us always, in this life, and the next. Thank you for your truth that says, who the Son sets free is free indeed! We know that in you alone, true freedom is found.     In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen”

Dear Ones,

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. We will be leaving this morning for the Silver Chateau and staying overnight. We are having a family gathering for a wiener roast tonight at the Point and tomorrow we plan to go to the Lighthouse for church and to Ann’s for dinner. In between we hope to see friends and coffee with family. Keep praying for Jodi whose husband suddenly died; she has twins, Sean and Chris, who are only 13 years old who all need prayers.  

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Where is our treasure found? So many today are making wealth their God and wanting more and more; yet we are the richest country in the world with the highest standard of living. We are warned about not laying up treasure on earth for one day we leave it all behind and it doesn’t live up to the promise of bringing happiness.  In fact, it often brings more worries and pressures as it steals our peace with concerns of how we are going to protect all of it. None of us got to choose if we would be born into a family of means or a poor family just barely getting along. God gave us our station in life as He knew what was the best soil for our spiritual growth. When Al was in seminary, we were poor and had to watch every penny as we lived on Al’s part time salary but we were happy. In fact, we saw God’s hand provide for us in miraculous ways that brought so much gratitude to our hearts. But all of us have to guard our hearts for if we are wealthy, we can spend our time, trying to get only more and it will never be enough; or when we are poor our thoughts can primarily be focused on trying to get rich. But Jesus said in Matt. 19-20 (The Message), “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or –worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.” Our focus should be on the Lord with the desire to know Him better, and who better knows our needs than the Lord? It’s in His presence that we find fullness of joy.  When Covid first hit, I think it taught us a few things about what is really important. We may be sitting with a fat bank account but yet we longed rather to just see our family and hug them again; or instead of going to a fancy restaurant, wished we could go to a praise gathering and be united with the Body of Christ. Now that things are more relaxed we are especially appreciative of these times. Money can’t buy what we are looking for; only in God can we experience peace and all that our heart longs for.

Challenge for today: Rejoice in the place God has put you and treasure His presence.

Dear Ones,

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We need to be alert and on guard for things can change in a moment when we are not expecting. Just this past weekend we were visiting friends and the weather was in the 80’s as predicted, so we dressed in summery clothes. Then it seemed in a matter of minutes it suddenly dipped down to 59 degrees about the time we were to eat outside on a beautifully set table. That morning I had slipped a sweater in the car before we left, even though I never thought I would need it. I was thankful that I was prepared for cooler weather, even though I had no idea it would happen. There are many changes taking place today as we can all attest to, and more to come, but are we prepared? We don’t know how the future is going to unfold but now is the time of preparation. Do we know the Lord ourselves and have received Him into our lives? “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12) And when we know Him, are we prepared to tell others about Him? Paul writes about how people are going to turn away from God and the truth but he said to Timothy in II Tim. 4:2 (ESV), “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” When things get worse, others are going to be looking for answers and more open to receive the Lord. We need to be ready to share our faith with them. We also prepare by putting on the armor of God each day so that we can stand in the difficult days and not fold. We need the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit. (Eph 6:13-17). We must also prepare our minds for action (I Peter 1:13) and feed on His word and promises. You can add many more things as you seek to get prepared but don’t wait! We don’t want to be like the 5 foolish virgins who were not ready and missed out on the wedding banquet. (Matt. 25:1-13) But rather let us be like the 5 wise ones who had their lamps trimmed and burning and were ushered into the marriage feast when the Lord appeared. Now is the time to get ready!

Challenge for today: Ask the Lord how you should be preparing for dark days ahead and follow through. 

Dear Ones,

Hope you are enjoying this day. This morning I made egg dishes and a zucchini cake and went to my exercise class, and this afternoon is creative crafts. The weather has certainly changed and  is only going to be in the 50’s today…going from sweating to sweaters!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

I think we are all aware that church attendance is declining more each year; even before Covid the number of those who have no religious affiliation has continued to increase. Particularly large numbers of young adults are dropping out for a variety of reasons; 73% because of feelings that church members are judgmental and hypocritical, and 76% because they disagree on political or social issues. But the bottom line is America is becoming less Christian and does not see the need for the Lord and fellowship of the Body that was to be a place of refuge and healing.  How sad that we neglect the very One who gave everything for us. It says in Isaiah 53:5 (The Word), “He was wounded for our rebellious acts.  He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so that we could have peace, and we received healing from His wounds.” The Lord has given us Himself and also the gift of Christian community. No, the church is not perfect, for we are all imperfect people who make up the church. I was recently reading Al’s thesis and he talks about how we are meant to belong and not to have the “Lone Ranger” mentality; we are to be participants in this community of faith. Bonhoeffer writes about how it is not just a purely spiritual relationship but has a human element as well, for we are sinners gathered together and saved only by grace. Yes, we have this wonderful ideal of what Christian community should be like, but we also have to live in the real. We need to acknowledge our own sins and judgments and how it hinders spiritual growth in the church. Bonhoeffer said, “He who loves his dream of a community more than the Christian community itself becomes a destroyer of the latter even though his personal intentions may be ever so honest and earnest and sacrificial.” Christian community is a reality, not an ideal and we have to live in the actual. We have to give up our high expectations and face our own sinfulness, rather than accuse others. Then we can enter into fellowship, not as a demander but as a thankful participant, receiving God’s love through others. Let us not neglect the church, but love the church as God does and join together with fellow believers.

Challenge for today: Meet others in the church where they are at, and purpose to grow along side of them.

Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

Dear Ones,

Hope you are enjoying a nice sunny day. This morning I did lots of food prep and took a friend with me to the Dollar Store. I tried a new chicken recipe for lunch and my chief-taster liked it.  

Devotions from Judy’s heart

God delights when we gather together with His children to praise Him and recognize His presence, power and love. We most likely come away feeling encouraged and lifted in our faith, knowing that God is at work in our midst. Al and I have been blessed in deep ways lately as we see how He has brought people into our lives to share and fellowship together. We are especially grateful for the couple we met on the Paul Bunyan trail and daily walk with them as we talk about the Lord together. We pray for one another’s needs and it is exciting as we see how God answers. Some can be very practical needs and when the answers come, we all rejoice. Others are long term more hidden needs that we continue in prayer daily. Sometimes the Lord surprises us as things we have prayed for a very long time are now answered. We were with a pastor and wife over the weekend who have been seeking God’s will about going to Africa as missionaries. We have prayed daily they would know His will and now rejoice with them as they are preparing to leave and go. The Lord has added another blessing as his dad, who was in his 90’s, recently came to know complete forgiveness and restoration with family before he died. That concern was all taken care of before they even depart. We are told in Romans 12: 15-16 (ESV), “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another.” When we know the Lord, we are part of the Body of Christ and care for one another. When one hurts, we all hurt and when one is full of joy, we rejoice with him. But we have a choice if we will join with our spiritual family, and if we don’t, we miss out on a huge blessing and the support God has in His plan for us. Two are better than one and as it says in Ecclesiastes 4.10, “For if one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.” When we join with the Body of Christ, God can provide for us what we lack. Some of us may need parenting because of what was missing in our own family, and others may need to be healed to trust again.  The Lord uses others in the Body to fill the needs that we have. Together we can be strong!

Challenge for today: Join together with others who know the Lord and grow strong together.