Category: Sister Judy (Page 207 of 271)

Devotions from Judy’s heart,
Today I went for a prayer walk and the road was brilliant with color. Some of the leaves have turned golden, others bright red, and some orange etc. They are preparing to let go and fall to the ground as the wind blows upon them. I thought of how we are all in process of “shriveling” too and one day will die and be put into the ground.  But even though we may get wrinkled, we can still shine forth with His presence that lives within us. This was so evident when Grace and I visited her friend Helen who is in her 80’s and getting wrinkled, but is so aglow with the love of the Lord. One glorious day, in God’s perfect timing, the wind of the Spirit will usher each of us who know Him, to our real home in glory.  May the last of our days show forth the beauty and glory of the Lord in our lives!  And even as the fallen leaves provide compost for the soil, the memory of the lives of the saints that have gone before us enrich our lives even now.

 Devotions from Judy’s heart

“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Ps. 127:1
One thing we have noticed on our trip was the variety of homes and their locations. We saw some lovely mansions built on high bluffs without a single tree near. Being from MN I can hardly imagine doing that as we love being surrounded by a forest of trees. In fact we like it that our house cannot be seen by people from the lake who are fishing.  But those who stand out on the cliffs for all to see would probably feel “suffocated” if they lived where we do!  There was a time in ministry when we were more up front and seen, but now the Lord has us more hidden and it feels right. Al calls us a monk and a nun in the woods. People who come to Canaan are often those whom God is bringing into a more quiet contemplative time alone with Him.  We’re not all alike or serve in the same place but we need to pay attention to where the Lord would have us dwell in each season of our lives.  But may our homes be filled with the fragrance of Christ just as “Mary poured perfume on Jesus feet and the house was filled with the fragrance.” John 12:3

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We are told to seek the Lord while he may be found and to call on Him while He is near. “Is. 55:6.  Have you sensed the Holy Spirit prompting you to do something, respond in a certain way, or say something to someone you had not planned? How good it feels when we obey promptly and feel the Lord’s smile on us. We need to respond at the very time when the Holy Spirit moves upon us. When we don’t act on His prompting the moment passes and we may no longer sense that same leading. The moment is gone! I notice with our little grandson, John Mark, how he readily responds to his mom or dad when they tell him to put away his toys etc. It gives his parents pleasure when they don’t have to coerce him but he obeys right away. I think the Lord gets pleasure when we are quick to obey too!  I wish that were always true in my life but so many times I question etc.
In the prayer from Daily texts from Mount Carmel Ministries I read this prayer that I want to be my prayer: “Gentle Spirit, your love moves us in directions of your choosing. Sometimes I feel the movement and sometimes I don’t. Give me a sense of awareness so that I can seek to move as you would have me move, to live as you would have me live. Open my life to the riches of your treasure today.”

Devotions from Judy’s heart

“From the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, ’”says the Lord.

As we watch sunrises over the mountains it is a reminder of the end of night and hope bursting into being. If we have lost our hope in what seems like an impossible situation, we may feel daybreak will never come. But in the Lord, no situation is hopeless, for we can cast every care on our all-powerful God who will sustain us and never let us fall.( Ps. 55:22).  We can have hope ( not merely wishful thinking) but deep down trust in Him who will hold us fast in what may seem to the world to be hopeless. “The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. (Mal 4:2). With healing comes hope bursting with peace, knowing all is well with our souls.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

On our trip we have seen such beautiful scenery each day and sometimes it is just breath taking. But most of the time we are not looking out our rear view mirror but straight ahead out our spacious windshield. We will miss all that God has for us if we keep looking back. There is a song that goes something like this: “I look not back, God knows the fruitless efforts, the wasted hours, the sinning, the regrets. I leave them all with Him who blots the record, and graciously forgives and then forgets.”  If we keep looking back through our rear view mirror, just think of how much we miss.  It says in Isaiah 43:1 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing!”  It is good to reflect on our past, just as it is good sometimes to use that rear view mirror. But let us not dwell there and open our eyes to the new.

Devotions from Judy’s heart,
Yesterday when we were traveling on mountain roads, a big logging truck was right on our tail. He was so close to our back end and started to make us nervous. The speed limit for trucks was set slower than that of cars but he was reckless and going way over the speed limit. All of a sudden he passed us and we felt very relieved to not have him breathing down on us. I thought of how uncomfortable it is when we feel pushed by others on our spiritual journey? Maybe they expect so much out of us before we were ready?  Or maybe we recall pushing someone else in their Christian walk to be in the same place we are or to see things our way?  I know pastors are vulnerable to parishioners pushing something they want for the whole church.  Maybe it is a concern to them but they think the whole church should move that way. We must guard against pressuring others rather than letting the Holy Spirit do the wooing and prompting. He is gentle and guides us, but doesn’t push us. He also knows when we are ready for His next move in our lives.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

I thought of this verse many times today…“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills will burst into song before you, and the trees of the field will clap their hands.” Isaiah 55:12. As we have been traveling we have seen many different kinds of mountains and I just happen to love the ones covered with many trees and lots of green. The mountains by Edmonds are gorgeous with so many tall trees but when we went over the pass it was like huge sand dunes with very little vegetation.  I thought of how we all have preferences and especially in spiritual rituals and traditions.  When we were at the Vineyard, it was very casual and yet we received lots from the service. But my preference is a little more formality. I like some liturgy, especially before communion etc but that doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with the Vineyard service. It is just my preference.  Sometimes we miss what God has for us as we are so stuck in our traditions and miss the richness of other ways. We loved the people at the Vineyard and the pastors and felt richer because of being there. Next Sunday we will be at a Covenant church and we love going there as well. Let us not stay in our small boxes but let the Lord expand us!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

When we were at Grace and Tom’s house, I got up at 5 a.m. and went to the kitchen where I found a note saying the coffee was already to go. What a welcome sight!  All I had to do was push a button and it was exactly what I was hungering for. It just hit the spot!  I was reminded of how the Lord is waiting for us with just what we need for the day. All we have to do is connect. “Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.”  ( Matt,5:6)  I love having my devotional time when it is still and quiet for it is just what my soul is hungering for. It is my jump start for the day!   Later when everyone got up we had devotions together as there is also a need to gather with the Body of Christ . As we shared from the scriptures, we got more viewpoints and new ways of seeing things. It was a great way to start the day and my taste buds were satisfied.  “Taste and see that the Lord is good!….Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”. Ps. 34:8 & 10

May we take time each day  to receive what the Lord is waiting to give us!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

On our trip here,when I was swimming in the hotel pool, there was no one else there so I just prayed as I swam and enjoyed the freedom. I thought I was alone but I looked up and there was a security camera. I thought of the verse from Luke 8, “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.”  Little did I know that someone was indeed watching me.  I thought of times when we feel like we are going through things alone and wonder where God is in all of it. The words of a song came to mind …” Why should I be discouraged, why should the shadows fall, why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home. Since Jesus is my portion, my constant friend is He. His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me!

He has promised to always be with us, for “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer.” ( I Peter 3:12)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” Ecc 3:1.   Are we in the season God would have us in?  Living up north, it seems the weather can change drastically from one day to the next. Just recently I was home and down on the dock in my bathing suit and water bottle near by, with my feet dangling in the water. It was hot!  The next day it turned cold and windy and we were in danger of frost.  It was hard to switch over but things had changed. I had to put on warm clothes and cover the garden as well. Are we paying attention when the seasons change and we are in a new one spiritually, or do we hang on to what once was?  We can miss what the Lord has for us in the present if we are not willing to change and move into the new. Let us not be dressed for summer when winter has come and refuse to welcome the new season the Lord has for us.  Daniel says in Daniel 2:20 -21 “Blessed be the name of the God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons…”  It’s all up to Him and we need to make the adjustments and not hang on to what was!