Category: Sister Judy (Page 200 of 279)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Have you noticed how so often that people who have so little are the most thankful?   Some who have so much are often the least thankful. A grateful spirit is not based on what we have. In fact it isn’t having more that makes us happy. Sometimes we just need to dwell on the things we already have, and we will find our lives are already so full and overflowing. Paul said, ” In whatever condition I find myself, therein will I be content.”  If we just have food and clothes, we can be content!   When I was reading the “Ultimate Gift,” the character Jason, was to think of 10 things he was thankful for each day before he got out of bed. What a good exercise to practice! When we are full of gratitude it keeps negative thinking and bad attitudes far away and helps us to see the abundance that our Father showers on us.  ( Ps. 95:2 “Let us come before Him with thanksgiving.”)   Why not start tomorrow morning with  5 things that we are grateful for, and just maybe we won’t  be able to quit!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Have you had the experience of going downstairs for something and forgetting what you went for? Memory lapses are not unusual especially the older we get or the more stressed we get. Many of these forgotten things are not highly important but as I was reading today from Deuteronomy 6, there are things we are to hold on to tightly. We are not to forget God’s rules and regulations and to love God with all our hearts and all our souls and all our strength. As we live in reverence before Him, we are to remember to teach our children and grandchildren how we were taken out of bondage into freedom. We are to talk about His commands from the time we get up in the morning until we go to bed at night. Over and over again we are reminded not to forget and to do what ever it takes to remember. Verse 9 says to inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates. (Today that may mean putting up meaningful pictures on our walls, scriptures where they are clearly visible, spiritual sayings on our computers etc.)  He has promised us a life of abundance, and let us not forget how He delivered us from bondage into the land flowing with milk and honey. We may forget why we went into the closet for something, but let us remember the really important things of all that He has done for us!!!!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Each of us has a path designed by God, and we are never alone for He walks with us. How comforting that is as we go through hard times of struggles, grief, and challenges. Sometimes we wish we could see way ahead, and at other times we are glad we didn’t know what was coming.  But whatever we go through, it is a time to learn to trust in a deeper way. It is so easy to say we trust the Lord, and yet when we go through difficult times we are so full of “whys”.   I like what Sarah Young says in Jesus Calling,” I have promised to keep you in perfect Peace to the extent that you trust Me…My Peace, however, is such an all-encompassing gift that it is independent of all circumstance. Through you have everything else, if you gain My Peace you are rich indeed.”  Everything we go through is preparatory for what lies ahead.  We have had several friends who have gone home to be with the Lord just this past week, and it is comforting to know they are forever with Him. “And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:7

Devotions from Judy’s heart

When I go for prayer walks, I try to slow down and take in all that the Lord has created for our enjoyment . Yesterday as I walked, I thought of how the land is just teaming with activity of little creatures, many of whom are hidden from my sight. Then I just happened to read later from Psalms 50:11 where it says, “I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.” Just think that if He knows every one of the millions of birds and every creature that moves, then He knows us better than we know ourselves. God is so awesome!  Sometimes He surprises us, like today, as a deer just pranced out of the woods right in front of me on the road. It made me think of how sometimes the Lord reveals Himself in surprising ways. Just this morning as I was singing on my way to church, I just felt His presence splash all over me. I wasn’t expecting it, but just enjoyed the special time with Him.   Is not He who created us and knows us inside and out, worthy of our trust?  May He guide our walk with Him and surprise us along the way!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday I went up town to do many errands and I had to time it just right. The post office was only open for 1 ½ hours; the bank only for part of the morning, as well as, the Co-op; and the Dollar Store didn’t open until 9.  I was able to get to each store while it was open because of my timing. But if I had gone in the afternoon, I would have missed out on most all of them. God’s timing is perfect and although we say we want to do His will first, are we really on His time schedule? Some of us may jump ahead of his timing in eagerness or impatience. Others of us may lag behind as we need to decide if we are really going to do it His way. But when we are willful, our timing is not in sync with His, and we miss out.  Jesus was very aware of His Father’s timing and did not jump ahead as his disciples often wanted Him to do. And He didn’t lag behind but willingly went to the cross.  Let us do the will of God from our hearts ( Eph 6: 6) and we will be on His time table and bring delight to Him.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Often when I go walking with Linnea, I may have on a hooded jacket and long pants while she may have on shorts and a short sleeved shirt. I am always cold and she is not, but we have to be who we are. She would not want to be all wrapped up in my clothes and I would freeze if I dressed in hers. One isn’t better than the other but we are all distinct individuals. We do not need to be just like someone else for each of us is unique with specialized gifts. Just like playing in an orchestra, we need to play our notes clearly that the song may be the masterpiece God has planned and not all bleeding into one another. Let us be exactly who God has created us to be and appreciate our differences and distinctions.  Then much glory will go the “Conductor”, for we will play in harmony and unity.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

While in Sanibel we heard Dr. Daryl Donavon preach, and since we were visitors we also got a gift bag with his book in it. ( “Able to Stand”). I liked what he had to say on faith as we hear so much that causes us to wonder if we have lost our faith. His definition of faith is: “Faith is hearing God and responding accordingly”. So simple! It is more than believing the right things and saying the right words.   It is not  something we produce to get God to do what we want. Sometimes our mountains aren’t moved because God might have those mountains to teach us how to climb. WE may not get a Jaguar from lack of belief but God said a Ford would do. Joni Erickson may still be in her wheelchair if God can receive greater glory with her in that position than on her feet.
Faith is something real and tangible. Through prayer we line up to God’s heart and become sensitive to what is on His heart.  As we spend time with Him and listen we will discover His will in our lives and we can walk in confidence.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

It’s important to live one day at a time and to live each moment to the fullest. We often try to live the future ahead of time because we want to get ready for what is to come.  But we can’t live beyond the moment and we need to savor each day as a gift. Recently when I was reading, The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall, the character Jason had to spend a day like he would if it were his last day on this earth. I wondered how I would spend it. I don’t think it would be spent cleaning  etc but rather wrapped in relationships, letting others know how much they mean to me etc. What would it be for you?  We can only live one day at a time and as we live it to the fullest our lives will be rich and meaningful. Let us anticipate each day trusting in Him, one moment at a time, and we will experience great peace and rich blessings.

 Devotions from Judy’s heart

Things change and we change. Lately when I get up in the morning to fix breakfast, I no longer have to deal with our wood stove.  Just a short time ago when I awakened, I cleared out the ashes and started a fire in the stove before calling Al for breakfast. But with this nice weather, I no longer have to do that. A nice change! Change is happening all the time and all around us. We have to be flexible and flow with the changes. Some things we wish would stay the same and never change, but we are not in control. Other times we wish change would come rapidly but circumstances remain the same. The important thing is to live from our Center, Christ in us, and not from the periphery.

We can trust Him and let Him be central in our lives, even when we can not make sense of what is going on.  Sometimes we may brace ourselves thinking the worse may happen.  But why not live in openness and trust, surrendering ourselves into His care, even when change comes?  It is the most secure place to be. Like the song goes, “I trust in you, O Lord. I say you are my God. My times are in your hands, my times are in your hands.”

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Devotions from Judy’s heart

More thoughts from Conversation Magazine…If we were asked about a time we felt close to God, for most of us it would be a time of pain or difficulty. Pain contains within it many spiritual invitations. The choice is ours if we want to seek God in our pain or if we try to exert more control and avoid intimacy with God.  I think pain makes us become more aware:   aware of our attachments and ways in which we cling to things that are not of God:  aware of where we may be stuck or closed to His presence.

Letting go may be painful in itself, but we can sense it is right and good and will bring freedom. Actually there is more pain as we try to hang on or grab onto something else. “True letting go requires us to face into the emptiness for a time, rather than give into the temptation to try to fill the emptiness with something new.”  But as we quiet ourselves and stop struggling against the pain, we will find God holding us in our pain until your brokenness is healed by His love. God is bigger than us and with us and in us, even in our pain!