Category: Sister Judy (Page 179 of 277)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Last night Al and I watched part of the life story of a Carmelite nun and I was so touched by her devotion to the Lord. She suffered so much physically and yet she spent so much of her day in prayer and encouraging others. In many ways I felt like she was experiencing heaven, even before she died. Today I read in Sarah Young’s book, “ I created you with the capacity to experience foretastes of heaven. When you shut out the world and focus on My Presence, you can enjoy sitting with Me in heavenly realms”.  I think it is so easy to let the world influence us and pull us down. As we give in to worries and stresses, we miss the awareness of His presence and that He is in control.  I agree with Sarah as she said, “Your greatest strength is your desire to spend time communing with Me.”  Let us not get so caught up with worldly pursuits that we miss the most important. In I John 2 it says that when we love the world’s ways or goods, it squeezes out love for the Father. “ The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out-but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. “ ( Message translation)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

God has given us a beautiful blueprint in His word for living our lives. As we follow His way we can walk in freedom and hope. But in our world today, God’s word is not only neglected but disputed that God actually means what He says.  Lately I have meditated on Ps. 119 and was reminded (verse 89), “Your Word, O Lord is eternal:  it stands firm in the heavens.” The unfolding of His Word gives, light ( verse 130).  When the Word gets into us it releases God’s power to change us.  Over and over again the Psalmist says he loves the word and that it shapes his life and directs his steps. ( Verse 133). It is to be our nourishment and strength and from it we receive knowledge and good judgment. But we are also warned not to add or take away from it and to hate every wrong path.  Do we neglect the Word or become so busy serving Him that we don’t take time for it.  May we open ourselves to receive the wonderful things He has waiting for us to discover in His Word.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Our posture as Christians should be as humble and dependant children of a loving, yet powerful, Father.  Why do we lose our peace by thinking we have to be in control and figure out the future?  Planning is good to a point, but we can make excessive plans to attempt to be in control of what will happen. Right now we are packing and making plans for our trip south that we will begin on Monday. But we can only plan so much as we can’t predict the weather or what will happen along the way. Last year when we went to South Carolina, I got pneumonia as we started our trip home, and we had to skip seeing friends along the way. That wasn’t in our plans at all! I read from Sarah Young’s book today, “I did not design the human mind to figure out the future. That is beyond your capability. I crafted your mind for continual communication with Me.  Bring Me all your needs, your hopes and fears. Commit everything into My care. Turn from the path of planning to the path of Peace.”  As the Message translation says in I Peter 5:7, “Live carefree before God, He is most careful with you.”

Devotions from Judy’s heart

One day when Al and I were going to church we drove through a blind zone where the speed limit is only about 35 mph.  Al was going just a tad above that but there was a car behind that wanted us to go faster and was right on our tail. Al didn’t speed up as he respects the people that live on that curvy section of road but it was irritating to have someone right on our bumper. He didn’t give in to the pressure though and maintained  his lower speed.  Sometimes people in our lives want to push their agendas on us ( especially in this political time) and it doesn’t really change us but almost makes us firmer in what we believe. We must be careful in dealing with others also, that we don’t push our views on them but give them space to wrestle out the issues.  We won’t all agree on things but we need to respect others and be open and willing to change if we feel led after giving it time and space. Let us not pressure but remember when we differ on things that each one of us is responsible for ourselves before God.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

When we babysat recently for Kurt’s family, Grant was sick the whole time. He and I had a great deal of playing time together as he was too sick to go outside. My knees were rather sore from all the time spent down on the floor racing trucks and playing twister etc!  Our time together was like the sewing of seeds in his young life. On Friday night after I talked to Lily on the phone about her oral surgery, she said that Grant wanted to talk to me too. He had so much to share and talked for a long time of what was happening there, choosing his Halloween costume etc.  When he said good-bye his parents said, “You have no idea how unbelievable that was that he even talked to you on the phone. He doesn’t talk at all on the phone– ever!!!”   I felt very privileged! It reminded me that whenever we sow seeds, we must be patient and not expect instant results. Some may take a long time and we may never even see the fruit in our life time. But we don’t sow only to get back, but sow out of love for Him. It says in Ps. 128:2 “ You shall eat the fruit of the  labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.”  Let us not regard the wind but sow seeds each day!!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

“Jesus Christ is in you, the hope of glory.” Col 1:27 

Over the weekend I was reminded of how God’s presence within us is more powerful than our words. This was so evident when Al and I were at the monastery.  We attended Vespers and were able to sing the Psalms with the nuns.  The Prioress led the service and God’s love radiated from her countenance and she wouldn’t have had to say a word. She honored the 4 nuns who had died this past year, with appreciation for each one’s contribution to the Kingdom. She was aware of their individual giftings and gave praise to the Lord. I’m sure the monastery is not a utopia of perfect living but I felt I was on holy ground. The scripture came to mind from Gal 2:20, “Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not ‘mine,’ but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” ( Message translation)  What a blessing it was to see His presence so evident in the Prioress’s life and so many other nuns. It was a very rich time there and I went home more aware of His presence.

Devotions from Judy’s  heart

Yesterday a crew of us lefse makers got to church before 9, full of energy and eager to get started. We looked fresh, energetic, and ready to meet the challenge. But 6 hours later this same crew was dragging as we tried to clean up the floury mess in the kitchen and fellowship hall after making 70 dozen lefse. You might say we looked rather haggard…like coming through a war. I think sometimes in the Body of Christ, there are those that are presently going through a spiritual war and are worn down. It’s so easy to give them a quick word to “Hang in there!” …”Things will get better!”….Rejoice in the Lord always!” . We are not understanding where they are coming from as we may be fresh on the scene just like the fresh lefse makers. But when we have come through a war ourselves, we can relate and be there for them.  We know what it is like to feel worn down and attacked so can give words that will bring them comfort, strength and courage. Like it says in Prov. 15:11, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.”

 Devotions from Judy’s heart Today I got the picture of Kurt’s family going out for Trick and Treating each dressed in the jersey of their favorite player in Basketball, soccer, volleyball and football. We all have favorite teams and players and that may differ even in the same family. I remember Al’s mom was a big Lion fan and his dad was a Packer fan so some game days it could get intense. But I thought about the Lord and how He loves us all equally and each of us is #No.1 with Him. A relative once told me how she always thought her mom favored her and she was No.#1. When she got together with her sisters, each one felt the same, that they were their mom’s favorite child. I applauded their mom that she made each one of them feel so special and loved and favored. Let us remember that we are loved with the same love that the Father has for His Son. ( John 15:9), which can’t get any better than that. Sometimes it may appear that He favors another more than us when we feel things are not going well and we being exercised in our faith….but the truth is that He loves us All with an everlasting love. ( Jer. 31:3) Let us live in the awareness of being so loved!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

I have had a virus this week and am trying to be so careful not to share the bug with Al. He needs to be in Duluth at Shalom this weekend so we are trying to keep some distance between us. I don’t like this and am reminded of what a blessing it is to be in close relationship. But in a spiritual sense, when we become frustrated, afraid, disillusioned, or confused we may put distance between us and the Lord and even blame him at times?  That is the opposite of what we need to do, for He is the very one who wants to help us through each situation and give us the power to overcome.  Instead of running away from Him, we need to run to Him. Even as I look forward to closeness with Al again, I believe the Lord is always waiting for us to come to Him and to seek Him and to find rest, comfort and healing. He tells us to come in Matt. 11, “Come to me. Get away with me and you will recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest….Keep company with me and you will learn to live freely and lightly.”  I won’t forget the time  Al was preaching and was saying, “The Lord says, ‘Come to me! Come to me!!’”  As he did this a little boy ran up the aisle and stood there with his hands raised until Al took him up in his arms and held him. What a living demonstration of what He wants to do with us!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Last Saturday we stopped at Sam’s Club in St. Cloud on our way home to stock up. We went to get in a line and the cashier was casually visiting with a friend who she had just checked out. I asked if the line was open and she said “Yes”, but she continued to just visit with her friend. So we moved to a different line and watched as the cashier continued to talk and the line at her register grew long. She was so unaware and unconcerned for others. I thought of the contrast of little grandson Grant. He was sick with 103.6 fever but told his mom he would be just fine and she should go to Colorado and enjoy herself. So unselfish and not thinking of himself. I’m sure we are not always aware when we are self concerned and cause others great frustration. The more we are filled with Jesus though the more we can think of others and not ourselves. “But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matt. 20:26-28. As we put others before ourselves we will find we are truly happy too.