Category: Sister Judy (Page 194 of 279)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Sometimes things get worse before they get better. A couple weeks ago I did some deeper cleaning. I pulled out the screens, dusted the blinds and base boards, and washed the windows.  I was hoping no one would stop over as it was a mess with all the cleaning supplies, vacuum ete.  Even in the mess good things were in process. In fact one Pastor, when asked what he liked best about the church said, “The Mess!”  The church is messy and we are all messy and need constant cleansing. I was surprised at the cobwebs, dust and dirt that seemed to form so quickly. But oh it felt so good when they were all back in place and sparkling clean. Let us remember our need for cleansing and not just notice someone else’s “dirt”!  And we have the promise in Micah 7:19 that He will “cast all our ins into the depths of the sea.”  How great is that?!!!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday we were in the cities and after our dermatology appointments I had a chance to shop. I always ask the Lord to lead me as there is a whole mall full of sales and it is like a scavenger hunt to find where they are hiding! I had a list for the grandkids of things their moms said they needed but not a lot of time, as it took longer at the dermatologist. But it is so neat to see how the Lord just guides when we ask Him. I went to one store and one thing ($25) was marked down to $1 and others that were similar were marked $4…the clerk gave them all to me for $1!  Each thing on my list was on sale and I just kept thanking the Lord and trying to use my time wisely. I was about to leave Macy’s but decided to go over to the far end of the men’s dept and there were things for  $28 that were marked down to $1.74.  I bought half the rack as they were on my list! When Al came to pick me up, I was so excited to tell him. But we always have to be on the alert as in one store the clerk “cheated” me on 3 items and I had to go back and let another clerk make it right. We need to always be alert as when we are rejoicing in the Lord, the enemy wants to sabotage us. I was so happy over the good sales that I almost missed the error. So let us keep awake for the enemy is always lurking around seeking to rob us.  As is says in I Peter 5, “Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up.”

Devotions from Judy’s heart

On Al’s way to church for the Men’s group a couple days ago, two deer were ahead of him in the middle of our gravel road. He honked at them, but they just kept running in front of the car for about 200 yards, until they finally went into the woods. They were in danger and were warned by the horn, but didn’t take heed. I thought of how we may be doing things that we have been warned against and yet we can persist. As we think back over our lives, we may all have had times that we were given a warning signal but just kept on in our own way, only to suffer the consequences. Why didn’t we pay attention right away? It would have saved us a lot of grief. But hopefully we learn, and when those “warnings” and promptings of the Spirit come, that we pay attention to go His way. As the familiar song goes, “Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Hold o’er my being absolute sway! Fill with thy Spirit,” ‘Til all shall see Christ only, always, living in me!”

Devotions from Judy’s heart

While reading Steve Smith’s book, “The Jesus Life”, I was again reminded how important it is to take time to be quiet and go apart as Jesus did. He would engage the crowds but then He always made time to rejuvenate with time alone with his Father. Luke describes one day in Jesus life for us to follow that involved “ first solitude; then community, where we share what happens in our solitude, and then work where we give out of full hearts to a needy world.”  We can’t give without times to receive and we cannot give what we do not have. When we are quiet and still it is easier to hear Him and our souls are nourished. We need to pay attention to what is going on in our inner and outer world. So I just sat on the dock in quiet and took in my world around me and in me. For the first time, I noticed that the lilies that had been forming underwater the day before were now showing above the water. The Lady Slippers were blooming near by that I had also missed. As we see the need for quiet, I believe the Lord wants us to give us a healthy rhythm to our lives that is life giving …where we are not stressed out but life is abundant and full. As it says in Matt. 11: “Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show your how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace….and.you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Devotions from Judy’s heart

The other day I took a prayer walk to the Point and I was surrounded by dragonflies the whole time. I felt like “Pigpen” in the Peanuts column that had a film of dirt around him. But Dragonflies are not bad for they eat mosquitoes, and I didn’t have one bite the whole time I was at the Point. Instead of visualizing them as an irritation, I saw them as an army going before me and freeing the way. Sometimes there are“intrusions”  in our lives and we immediately think it is a bad thing. But if we look deeper, maybe they are really things God is using to do a work in our lives and give protection from other things. He has a plan and purpose for each of us and uses many things to get us where we need to be. As it says in Ps. 138:8: “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”   May God finish his work in each of our lives!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

On Friday I made a call to Linnea as I had wanted to bring over a meal after her surgery but got their answering machine. I thought she hadn’t come home from the hospital yet, so later in the day I walked over to her house to water her plants. And much to my surprise, there she was outside watering. She was not only home but had invited me over for coffee, but I had not gotten her message. Later I heard it on our answering machine, and had never checked it. It doesn’t have a beep like the old one, so we often miss a message at the time. But as it ended up she and I connected and had a time to catch up as we sat outside in the sun. I wonder how many messages we miss that God sends but we don’t check with Him as we are so busy.  Maybe we don’t want to hear what He has to tell us for we want to do our own thing. Sometimes we may just forget. But whatever the reason, we may be missing out on great things He has in store for us. I just happened to show up at the time Linnea had suggested, but if I had come sooner, I would have awakened her from a much needed nap.  It pays to “listen” to Him so we are in the right place at the right time.  As it says in Prov. 16 it says that “the Lord has made everything for its purpose,” and  we may have plans but the answer is from Him.

 Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday I took a prayer walk to the Point and sat on the dock. It was a beautiful sunny day and as I sat there with my feet in the water, I was reminded of how I use to do that as a child.  I could see the beginnings of the lilies forming in the water, ducks near by and even a baby Heron who looked at me for some time from a short distance away. I thought of the changes in me since then and for I am no longer  a child anymore but an adult….. hopefully, have grown spiritually since those days too. In Hebrews 12 the author tells his Christian brothers and sisters that they should be on solid food, not just milk. “for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”  Even though we are grown up, we still at times have childish responses and fleshly reactions…and maybe some “temper tantrums” too. But may we “grow up in every way into Him who is the head.” ( Eph. 4) and feed on solid food.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday the sun was shining as I took my prayer walk and decided to walk the labyrinth at my cousins. Since the snow has gone, I have not done that, and it felt right to slow down and just take some moments to be quiet and pray. As I walked the labyrinth I noticed again all the variety of stones: .all sizes, shapes and colors. It was a reminder to me of the many people that have had an impact on my life. They are so varied with many colored gifts.  I felt grateful as they are truly gifts from above and are sent into my life to keep me on the right path. As I walked slowly, I saw 2 green raspberry stalks growing in the middle of the path. They didn’t belong there and I pulled them out to clear the path. Sometimes there are even good things in our lives but they are not in the right place and timing, and tend to block what we are to do in the now.  We need to remove them so we are free to do what the Lord has for us in the present. When I got to the middle there was a large stone and I sat on it and spent some time in quiet. I thought of Jesus as my rock and I want to just rest in Him. “ The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge. Ps. 18:2  I leisurely walked back out from the center with all it’s turns.. into the world and hopefully to share what I received with others.  It is good to just slow down in our lives and take the time to enjoy the Lord and listen with our hearts.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday at our Renewal group we were in Romans 8 and talked about living the Spirit filled life.   “It is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God”.  We shared instances when we just knew that it was the Lord and felt led by the Spirit.  Later in the day Kurt called asking for wisdom and prayer to help someone who had was severely depressed. We talked about things that may help, including giving scriptures of hope and encouragement, starting a men’s group to have an “army of men” to stand with the troubled man etc.  When we got off the phone he asked the Lord what scriptures to give and just then a car passed him on I-435 in K.C. with a license plate that read Psalm 91.  Wow! That was also the very scripture that God used in my life when we were going through a difficult time in our church. I memorized it and would quote it over and over in my mind as I was driving places, swimming laps in the pool etc. It gave me strength and courage. When you think of it, we might say it is our 911 number. Ps. 91:1 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will abide in the shadow of the almighty.”   Later Kurt also shared that he is beginning a new men’s group that will start this Friday night!  The Spirit is at work and He wants to lead and guide us even in the smallest details, keeping us closely connected to Him.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

This morning I read from Ps. 112 about how the godly man who fears the Lord is generous, righteous, trusting, gracious, merciful, just, etc. It says that his offspring will be blessed and mighty in the land!  As I read this Psalm I thought of my dad and mom who have given us a wonderful godly inheritance. They have exemplified great generosity, integrity, faith, love etc, Over the weekend we have been discussing with our extended family, the future of the Point ( land with lake on 3 sides) that was given to us kids. How can we preserve it for our future generations?  But we were also reminded of not only our physical inheritance but the godly inheritance that is ours. Al wrote on our blog about it at www.canaansrest.net.   It has been entrusted to us at a cost and now our part is to pass it on to our children. This cannot be bought and we need to fight to maintain our heritage with weapons of love and humility. ( Ps. 37:11)  I am so grateful for what we have been given and think of our eternal inheritance “that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven” for us. I Peter 1:4-5