Category: Sister Judy (Page 204 of 271)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

I don’t like good-byes as it is hard to let go of what was and yet to savor it. We had to say good-by to the dear congregation in Nevis and our hearts were filled with gratitude for the 15 months the Lord gave us with them.

It was a special day with Al’s sermon preparing them for the next pastor, a pot luck, beautiful cake, cards and a special number dedicated to us by the choir.( I almost lost it then).  Afterwards we began the first leg our journey  to South Carolina and we saw a few leaves on the trees that refused to let go. It was a reminder for us to move on into the next chapter of our lives.  We must let go of the wonderful past and float to the ground like the leaves, letting the Spirit carry us where He wills. “One thing I do: forgetting what was behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” ( Phil 3:13-14)  We want to let go and press on for the new things He has for us, with hearts full of thanks. We feel so richly blessed.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

When Al was gone on Saturday to St. Scholastica, I decided to have my devotional time with the Lord by the wood stove.  As I looked up while sitting in the recliner, I was aghast at how dirty the vaulted ceiling was and the ceiling fan. I don’t know how it escaped my notice but as I reflected, it had been a while since I had tried to clean there. I thought of how we need to deal with the sinful things the Lord reveals to us in our lives. We can’t deal with everything all at once or it would be too much for us. But when we see what needs changing, God’s grace is already there to meet us and we need to act on it. I remember once a friend asked me to pray for her as she wanted to get rid of a bad habit. She had lived with it for some time and wanted to be set free in that area. We prayed and God’s grace was upon her and she said she never had the desire for that bad habit again. Now it is not always that easy, but grace was there and we need to receive that grace when God is putting His finger on things in our lives. Maybe others can see what needs changing even before we do,( like people who may have seen my dirty ceiling)  but when we see we need to act. I went out to the garage and got the long extension pole and cleaned away and afterwards I had to vacuum again. Sometimes our messes affect others too, but how wonderful when we get clean and are freed. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”…..”Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit.”  Ps. 51:10 & 12

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Life is not always comfortable and pain free, but our struggles can teach us so much about…..endurance, faith, trust, perseverance etc. We can become stronger through our trials if we get our eyes fixed on Him. IN Heb. 11;27 it says of Moses, “He endured because he saw Him  who is invisible.” When we lived in Brunswick my favorite thing was to walk the long winding prayer trail through the woods to the river. Often I would stop at a deer stand and sit high in the tree where I got a far reaching view. It is amazing how much our perspective can change when viewed from above.  Things look so different when we ask to see more from His high perspective. Let us lift our eyes above our daily struggles to see Him who always has his eye on us and worthy of our trust. PS. 141:8 “My eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord.”

Devotions from Judy’s heart

This week I have made 5 trips to our church in Hackensack, and as I traveled, I noticed the power line poles along the road are in the shape of a cross. What a wonderful reminder of the power of the cross as it says in I Cor. 1:18 “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”  We need to be connected to the power line of the cross.  I can think of so many hymns about the cross as well and how important it is to embrace the cross. I have many crosses in my jewelry box and one lady from our church wears 3 of them all at once. Can we fully comprehend what it cost the Lord to die for us and to think He would have done it just for one of us? Let us ask Him to keep us connected to the cross and let His healing power and love flow into us. As it says in one hymn, “My past with its sin and stain; My guilt and despair, Jesus took on Him there, and Calvary covers it all.”

Devotions from Judy’s heart

 I have been helping to make Lefse lately and last time I did the grilling and turning of them. I had 2 griddles going at once and 2 or 3 people rolling and giving me their Lefse to brown and turn. I had to keep a close watch on each of them or they could get too done and not be good for the sale.  I thought of the balance of giving and receiving….both are important but they have to even out. Someone who only receives,can soon become a self-centered person. On the other hand, one that only gives may become proud and self sufficient. Each one of us may tend to go off balance in one of these areas more than the other. I think I have more trouble receiving.  There are many scriptures on giving and we are to do it without reluctance or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver. (II Cor. 9:7) But what if we did not receive God’s grace, God’s mercy, and all of His good gifts to us through others too?  We would be off balance and burned out. So let us be good givers and receivers.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

On my prayer walk I often walk by a new cabin that has a rusted metal wild boar at the entrance to their road. To me it seems very unwelcoming and rather startling each time I pass. It caused me to think of what it means to be a welcoming presence in the Body of Christ. Are people “put off” ( startled)  or welcomed by our presence?  In our present church we had a Meet and Greet time for a new prospective pastor that will be voted on soon. Al is also preparing the congregation where he is interim, to welcome their new pastor coming soon. I know it made such a difference when we moved to a new congregation when they welcomed us with open arms. Some were waiting at the parsonage to unload our van, even set up our appliances and arrange our furniture. It helped knit our hearts to theirs right away. It is important to ask the Lord how we can be there for another.  How can we go out of our way to make someone else feel comfortable and to think of their needs above our own?  How can we best show His love to those He has placed in our lives?  I think Rom. 15:7 says it perfectly, “Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Who are you?  I am a child of God, Al’s wife, our kid’s mom, a grandma, friend, “nun”, contemplative, etc etc.  When I was together with my childhood friends on Saturday, one of them remarked how nice it was to be able to say whatever we think, and not feel judged or that we have to agree. I’m sure we probably don’t see eye to eye on everything but that is alright. One issue doesn’t define who we are. I notice today, that people can be labeled over one issue. But with my old time friends, they know me through the years and one issue doesn’t define who I am. I think it is important to let others be who they are also, and not label or define them or judge them. It’s important to know the whole person and be accepting.  If we are only with those whom we agree with on everything ( probably impossible), we may not grow balanced but can get off. So let us have big windows through which we view others and receive the whole person …… “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Devotions from Judy’s heart for 10-30

In Jer. 29:11 it says, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Yesterday I was together with friends from my grade school days as we have remained friends all these years. We were in youth group together, went to Bible camp together, had slumber parties etc.  We all know the Lord but we did not know back then, what plans the Lord had for each of us. It was so neat to spend almost 7 hours catching up and seeing how God has directed each of our journeys.  This morning I read a prayer from a devotional book from Mt. Carmel ministries and it is my prayer also.  “Lord God, my spirit rejoices that my path and journey are already known by you. Help me to recognize and understand your messages for me so that I can cooperate with your Spirit to fulfill your purposes for my life. Today, help me to “see” where and how your kingdom expands my life within the lives of others. Amen.

Friendships in the Lord are truly a gift from above and has enriched and expanded my life.

Devotions from Judy’s heart.

All of us have experienced disappointments…sometimes things that were done to us and other times when we have disappointed others as well. On Wed. it was our friend Tom’s birthday and his wife said she had hidden the gift from us for him until that day. I was going over in my mind, what gift? I remember giving him a polo shirt when we were out there last month, but I couldn’t remember leaving behind a gift. So when she gave him the gift on Wed. it was a big disappointment, for it was actually her Christmas gift from us. It was a hot pink sweater that was of no use to him. He even had a picture taken of himself wearing it with a puzzled expression. ( in jest). But how many times are we disappointed and we wonder why someone else gets what we think we deserve? Can we trust that God knows what we need and will give us exactly that in his timing?  James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”  Don’t you just love when the Father gives you something unexpectedly and it is just perfect for you?!!  Let us not be disappointed in the meantime but grateful and trustful. (Actually, Tom’s family is giving him a party on Saturday and he will have many gifts, I’m sure.)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

This morning I got up earlier than usual to get a fire going in our wood stove. I used a starter and soon the fire was going great. But while I was making blueberry pancakes, I happened to look over at the stove and the fire was almost out. What happened? I opened the damper again and let in the air and soon the fire was going again. In a spiritual sense, so quickly the fire of our love for the Lord can go out and we hardly know when it happened. We need to be watchful and aware so that our love does not go dim as we get caught up in other things… Even good things!  We need to open our hearts continually and let the wind of His Spirit blow fresh air upon us to keep the flame going. Sometimes God uses others in our lives to bring us encouragement so that our flame burns brightly. Other times He may use us to help another be open to the Spirit’s fresh breeze. Paul told Timothy in II Tim 1:6 to “Fan into flame the gift of God which is in you”.

May we not grow cold in our love for Him but give off the warmth of His love to others. Today I sang songs to the Lord all the way to town and I think He smiled even if I don’t have a solo voice.