Category: Sister Judy (Page 199 of 279)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

I just took a rhubarb cake out of the oven and the whole house is full of the wonderful aroma. Al and I are fasting today in preparation for his retreat with the men in Iowa this weekend…. and fact that we are denying ourselves today makes the aroma even sweeter.  Yesterday we ate out at a Mexican restaurant and came home so full that I wouldn’t have even cared for a piece of cake. But today is different!  Sometimes when things are withdrawn from us for a time or we deny ourselves, it makes something even more appreciated and special. I’m sure we have all been disappointed when something we care for is withdrawn, but also remember the joy of when it is returned…it means even more!  I know that is true concerning my health when I was sick in the hospital. Getting home and feeling good again was heavenly. I was more appreciative of everything. Let us be thankful in all circumstances like Paul: “I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances.  I’m just as happy with little as with much, whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”  From  Eph 4

Devotions from Judy’s heart

You may have heard of an oldie song, “Why worry when you can pray. Trust Jesus He will show you the way.”  I learned that as a child but it is not always easy to refrain from worries. It can be over big things or just small things….like I heard a few faint noises in our bedroom the other night and wondered if it could be a little mousey creature or just the furnace! And then there are big things like worrying about my cousin Mary’ and her mom’s recovery etc. There are many things to worry about but as we walk closely with the Lord the worrisome thoughts won’t have room to grow in our minds. He has given us many promises of how He is with us and how we can share all our concerns, leaving them in His hand. We need to keep from viewing our problems from our small perspective and look instead from His vantage point.  As we look at our problems through His lens of love, we will realize they are a gift to teach us deep things and make us a better person. May we have grace to let go of our worries and rest in His peace.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

I have always thought that hospitality was important as I saw it being practiced in my own home growing up. There was hardly a Sunday mom didn’t have company for dinner, and often during the week. At one time we had missionaries stay with us for 6 months in our 2 bedroom home. Mom invited people on the spur of the moment if she thought there was a need, and didn’t stop to think if the house was perfect etc. She wasn’t out to impress.

The new issue of Conversations Magazine is all on Welcoming the stranger and it opened my heart more to what that really means.   Jesus gave us such a wonderful example as He welcomed and identified with all sorts of people that others avoided. How do we cultivate a welcoming spirit and openness to other’s needs and to give them a sense of “Home” ?  We have only to think of how Jesus welcomes us and to give up our self-absorption so we can receive others, who may be not like us. I think we will find that we are the ones that are changed and transformed, for “those that we are caring for become our teachers”. As we do it for the least of these … we do it for Him. ( Matt 25:35 and 40)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday morning I woke again to the moon streaming across the lake and beaming into the windows of our house.  It was like the Lord turned on the lights!. Then as I had my devotions, I was in Ps. 65 which seemed to express the coming forth of nature into Spring- time. It was evident when I walked the road that the buds are coming out now and all of nature is singing praise. “Those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe of your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy…….the pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together with joy.”  What an awesome picture and reminds me of the bursting forth of resurrection power. May we join all of creation in praise to our resurrected Lord who brought us into the Light and gives unspeakable joy!!!
Blessings on your Easter!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

So often here at Canaan we spend time around the table sharing. Sometimes so long that it is time for the next meal to be served.  In Derek Maal’s book, Reaching Towards Easter, he talks about Jesus meal with his friends just before His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It was a time of reclining around the table with good friends, including Lazarus who was joyous in being alive.  “Sometimes we find ourselves in such a hurry to extract all the meaning possible from this time of the year that we forget to sit at the table with Jesus and to just be.  Jesus and his friends simply enjoyed the meal in Bethany… So I’m interested in a Lenten experience that for today at least puts “being” ahead of “doing”.  Many of us frantically “do” faith, showing up for every event at church, throwing ourselves into service and mission, tuning into Christian radio in our cars. We try hard to live the practical expression of a holy life. That’s fine. But what are we doing about being holy?”  Sometimes we just need to sit there and to be still and tune in to God’s voice. “Such a vital experience of being propels us into action, action grounded in a more vital connection to ‘the source of all being.’… Being moves us into Doing.!”  May He help us to prioritize and schedule more time to be at table with Him and then it will be an impetus for our doing!.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

“Before they call, I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.” Isaiah 65:24   I was on my prayer walk a couple days ago and remembered I had forgotten to call in my order to my Schwan’s man. I was disappointed thinking we would run out of frozen yogurt long before he was scheduled to come again.( Al and I have frozen yogurt sundaes every evening!)   I thought I had missed him since our previous Schwan’s man only stopped when I called in ahead. But much to my surprise, I heard his truck stop out front and he asked what I might want. I was so delighted and he had exactly what I needed on his truck. I thought of how the Lord knows all of our needs and loves when we call upon Him. He is so ready to hear and His answers are on the way before we even verbalize them. But perhaps sometimes we can be like little children who say, “ I don’t need your help, I will do it myself!” So the parent has to wait until help is asked for and then answer and give  what is needed. Let us not hold back from calling out to the Lord and then remember to thank Him for the little and big things He sends…..Frozen yogurt is small compared to the wonderful things that He is waiting to give to us!!

 Devotions from Judy’s heart

On the way home from church today I noticed the lakes all have open water now and the waves have white caps. Just a short time ago the lakes were frozen solid but with the warm weather and windy days, everything is early this year.
As I took note of the change it made me think of our hearts, how often they are cold and frozen as the lake. We may get hurt from something that was said or done to us and our heart puts up walls. Soon we are cold inside and may not realize the gradual hardening. But when we come into the presence of love, our heart starts to melt. Sometimes it may take the winds of adversity to blow on us before we acknowledge how needy we are, in need of the Lord’s warming love.  The Lord searches our hearts. ( Rom. 8:27) and tells us not to harden them, (Ps. 95:8).  Also in Prov. 4:23 He tells us “Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.”
Let us be more alert that our hearts not turn cold and that the Lord can use us to share His warming love with others.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

This morning was foggy and we couldn’t see across the lake like we usually do. We were wishing the sun could break through and clear up the fog, as drove to church. Sometimes I think life is like that as the things we are going through are like a thick fog.we may not understand or see the purpose in the difficult circumstances. We know in our heads that the Lord is there in our midst but we may not sense His presence. Even though we hear that we should welcome problems and challenges, it is not easy to do. Just think of our own children when they were young. We could have tried to protect them from anything difficult but then how would they handle the big things in life later on? Jim Stovall writes, “Any problem that doesn’t defeat us, ultimately strengthens us.” We can often look back and see how things we went through that were so hard and challenging were actually a blessing in disguise. They strengthened our faith and helped us grow. As James 1 says, “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” But I must confess when the fog lifted, I am rejoicing in the sunshine now!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

I think we might all confess that at times we have “jumped the gun”. We don’t always think though things through enough or act before we have gotten specific instructions. I have done that as I play Scrabble on line with friends and relatives. I see a good move but don’t look over the board when there could be a super move somewhere else. I am learning to wait and look over the whole situation first.  One time I was excited to get 40 points but when I looked closer I was able to get 84 points!   There are times we may miss the best the Lord has for us because we think we know His will and rush to do it.  He would have us wait until it is “ripe and ready”. We settle for less because we are impatient and want to act. I read today from Ps 40, “I waited patiently for the Lord, He inclined to me and heard my cry. …set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.”  The Bible is so full of verses on waiting. One time David was instructed to wait until he heard the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees before striking down the Philistines, for the Lord was going to go before him.  ( II Sam 5:24)  Let us not jump the gun but wait until His ripe timing.  Then we will be in a secure place, upon a rock!