Category: Whispers (Page 118 of 164)

Dear Ones,

Hope you awaken today with a fresh outlook. After you read the devotion for today, can you think of a false narrative you have  told yourself about the Lord and need to eliminate? 

Devotions from Judy’s heart

How many times do we spread false narratives or tell ourselves false narratives, while not taking the time to investigate if they are true? There are some things we can just eliminate right off the bat when it does not line up with scripture and so we can just dismiss it. There are also questionable things that we need to try to go to the source and see if things line up as truth.

While at coffee one day, one of the residents shared how she was awakened at 3 a.m. by a loud T.V. blaring. On other nights if she heard a loud TV she assumed it was her next door neighbor, and for a few minutes she thought so again. But there was one problem; her neighbor was in the hospital many miles away and no one was in her apartment; That meant that all of this time she made the wrong assumption. If she had chosen to, she could have spread a false narrative about how noisy her neighbor was, but she didn’t. She is still trying to figure out if it is coming from the floor below or just where but she no longer blames her next-door neighbor.

I thought of this in relationship to the Lord and how we blame Him for things that give others a false narrative. Some say He is a cruel judge who is waiting to punish us. But the truth is He is our loving Father that went to great lengths to show His love for us. It says in I John 4:10 (God’s word). “This is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be payment for our sins.” Others may paint a false picture by saying that being a Christian is a joy-spoiler and a dull life of rules. But the true narrative is that Jesus came to give us a full abundant life and free us from the law, and to love Him from our hearts. Some falsely say that God is illusive and distant and yet we are told He is closer than a brother for He lives in us. In fact, we are promised that if we seek Him we will find Him and if we call to Him, He is always ready to answer. Some claim God doesn’t hear our prayers unless we pray in a certain way or simply doesn’t answer when we pray. But Jesus said, we don’t have to be wordy, but just tell Him our needs and He will answer according to His perfect will… and that doesn’t mean all our preferences.

Let us be done with false narratives, even those secret things we tell ourselves; instead, may we be truthtellers and live in freedom and love.

Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to correct you when you give a false narrative and become a truth seeker.

Dear Ones,

Hope you are having a relaxing warm weekend. It is snowing and cold and so nice to be inside. This morning I studied and cleaned, and made a meat loaf dinner; the aroma still fills the apartment!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

How do we view ourselves? Do we love ourselves out of who we are in Christ?  Accepting who God made us to be is important but that doesn’t mean we become narcissistic and so focused on ourselves that we have little thought for others. It is not easy to be around people who think only of themselves but on the other hand, we also all need to have a healthy view of ourselves. Jesus said in Matt 22:39, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself (that is, unselfishly seek the best of higher good for others).”This verse is repeated 8 times in scripture so it must be important.

Some feel they are worthy and loved only if they have a title or degree by their name. Sometimes Al gets mail addressed to him as Alan Hendrickson, other times as Pastor Alan Hendrickson, or could be Doctor Alan Hendrickson, but it makes no difference for he is the same person inside.

So how is our relationship with ourselves? Sometimes we may be impatient and harder on ourselves than we are with others, and we need to just accept that we are not perfect. God is still working on us and we need to have patience and admit when we are wrong, and let Him smooth down our rough edges.

The big question to ask ourselves is how does God see us? It’s His perspective that carries the full weight of how we see ourselves and not our twisted unhealthy views. We have so many scriptures telling us we are precious, we are valued, we are the crown of His creation, we are loved. We need to see ourselves as God sees us and receive His love before we can love others.

It helps to spend some time alone with the Lord and let His words of love touch our hearts. He knew us when we were knit together in our mother’s womb and His work was wonderful. We need to let go of any negative thought patterns about ourselves and let His positive affirmations flood our souls. If you have trouble seeing positive things, it might be helpful to ask your spouse or a close friend what things they see in you. Al uses different words to describe me, and although we often jest about them, I keep a list on the counter of the new words he comes up with. I love his latest…”You are a natural, total, authentic woman!” And then we laugh.

Yes, we sin daily but God doesn’t love us less. We only see how much He loves us even in our stink, and we rely on His grace and mercy. Let us receive His love deep into our hearts and then love others in the same way.

Challenge for today: Write down some positive affirming words that God and others see in you.

Dear Ones,

Burr it is cold. It was -26 when Al went to Men’s Group this morning! We will definitely be walking inside today. I made a veggie stir fry and other food prep, studied and went downstairs for coffee and donuts this morning. We have Bible Study this afternoon but we may have smaller attendance due to someone here having covid. We pray noone else will get it.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We are told to be loving to one another and we need to ask ourselves if we have compassion and seek to be used in sharing God’s love with others. In Eph 4:32 (ESV) Paul says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you”…. But how does that look in our everyday lives?

Perhaps you also saw on Facebook the story of a man in Jasper, Alabama, who was at a lavish coffee bar. As he steps up to order a milkshake, he asks what flavors they have and the cashier told him to just read the list and decide what he wants, showing her impatience. He confessed that he didn’t know how to read and she responded by humiliating the man telling him to go to the back of the line while she waited on educated customers. But the customer behind him quickly stepped up and started reading the long list to him. She knew of someone who couldn’t read and showed empathy to this man. This whole scenario was really staged and John Quiones from the TV show, (What Would You Do?), steps out of hiding and commends her for helping this man. They reset the scene again and another gal quickly stepped up to also help read the menu as she had a grandpa who she loved that couldn’t read and wanted to save this man from humiliation. Another gal who was an educator had tears as she saw how this illiterate man was treated and came to his rescue as well. But there were also those that seemed outraged and even left the coffee bar and showed no empathy for this illiterate man.

How quick are we as followers of Christ to stand up for those who struggle in life or are we like those who join the crowd that snickers and judges without knowing the whole story? Are we willing to be inconvenienced to help others and show them love?God often uses His children to be those living illustrations of His love that others may come to know Him. When Jesus was preparing to leave this world, he told His disciples to love one another just as much as He loved them. (John 13:34-35) That is radical love! May we not hold back but love, love, love!

Challenge for today: Show love to someone today who needs uplifting. 

Dear Ones,

Hope you are having a great day and keeping warm. I made Chocolate Peanutty Bars, studied, and went to my exercise class this morning. We have crafts today and Bible study tonight.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Often in scripture we are told to love others and walk in the way of love. We can’t do that in our own strength but we need God’s love to flow through us to others, especially prickly ones, that we find hard to love. We have to first experience God’s love in the depths of our being, in order to have love flow out of us.

Today I read from Ephesians 3:17 (Amplified), “May Christ through your faith (actually) dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in our hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love.” What spoke to me was the importance that God’s love be the ground into which we sink our roots into and then to let it expand in our hearts.

Sometime ago I had a neglected ivy plant that looked dry and sickly and nearly dead when we came home from a trip. I almost threw it out, but I decided to put it in a new container that was a bit larger, with rich soil, water it and wait to see what would happen. I rested it on my tea cart by the window that let in the sunshine and it wasn’t long before it perked up and was thriving. In fact, it grew so quickly I soon had to trim it as it was branching out all over. I even saved some slips for our daughter to have her own ivy plant.

Perhaps there are times we are spiritually neglectful and not taking time to nourish our souls. We begin to have doubts and wonder if the Lord really loves us. We want to be like a well-watered plant or like the firm foundation of a house that Paul describes, but our faith wavers and we feel dry. We need the Holy Spirit to strengthen us in our faith!  At such times it is good to get back into the Word, to find fellowship, to pray, to worship and to and spend time with the Lord. Sometimes we need a little “fertilizer” too and when added it will help promote growth.

Dear Ones,

Hope you wake today to sense the closeness of the Lord and how much he loves you. Are there special ways you seem to sense His love for you? 
Devotions from Judy’s heart

If we were honest with ourself we would all admit that we need healing in our lives. Everyone has some hurts from our past that still affects us now, even if we are not aware. Some Doctors are finding out that many of our physical diseases are traced back to pain early in our lives, often hurts done to us, and they need to be addressed. When inner healing comes, they have seen the physical sickness healed.

Of course, Jesus is our healer and he is our wounded healer for it says in I Peter 2:24 (Message), “He used His servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing.” Jesus knew what it was to suffer so He is able to sympathize with us as we go through trials and pains.

When I was reading Bill and Kristi Gaultiere’s book, “Journey of the Soul”, they write that our wounds actually help to qualify us for ministry. Really, we may say, God can use all my brokenness for His glory? Yes! Henri Nouwen taught about how wounded Jesus healers don’t give advice, analysis, or try to fix others. Instead, they listen well and give empathy. Sometimes they also share their own weaknesses and brokenness in order to help others to have words to give to their hurts and to seek God’s grace and comfort. It is sharing of our pain with one another and giving it to the Lord that our lives can be healed and transformed.

There is a time to feel the pain of something we went through rather than deny it, but then we need to forgive and release it to the Lord. I heard one woman tell the story of when she was a little girl, that her dad told her mom and her to get to the car as they were going someplace. He said he was going to get his jacket in the trunk but instead he got out a rifle and shot her mom twice. He pointed the gun at her and she thought her life was over. But after hesitating, he turned the gun on himself and killed himself. For years and years, she felt guilty that she didn’t take the bullet rather than her mom and she had physical symptoms in her body of stress. But as she was able to share and get healing. she is now able to help others going through painful things.

Nothing is wasted in our lives if we give it to the Lord. He puts His shepherd’s oil in our wounds and healing comes.

Dear Ones,

Hope you are having a great weekend. I think it is going to be warm enough to finally walk outside today. We had a well attended party yesterday for the January Birthdays and only a few pieces of cake left. This morning I did food prep and cleaned the apt. and started going to work on my closet! 

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Isn’t refreshing to be in the presence of those who pursue God— who seek truth and submit to God’s ways?  It would seem that love just flows through them and can’t help but positively affect the people around them.

Such people seem to have a sensitive spirit and radiate an inner beauty. It’s one thing to have outward beauty but inner wealth is far more important. We know that outward beauty will eventually fade with age but inward beauty will reflect God’s love more and more.

As Psalm 90:17 (King James version) says, “Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us. And establish the work of our hands for us; yes, Establish the work of our hands.”.

Truly beautiful people set their priority to spend time in God’s presence and put Him first in their lives.

Of course, that means stubborn pride has to go as they humbly accept God’s correction or refining fire when needed.

They don’t have to be first or take credit for things but take the lowest place.

We also notice that they seem dead to self and want to live for God without bending their conscience to fit into the culture. It’s how God sees them that counts.

They also seek truth and are willing to stand for what corresponds with scripture.

When God sends a prickly person into their lives to prune them, they don’t complain or quickly remove themselves but seek to know how God wants to refine them.

These beautiful people love to spend time with the Lord and want to bring glory to Him.

They also give of themselves to others, not to get credit, but to be a servant of His love.

They seem free from attachments and give of themselves to the Lord. Their desire is that found in Albert Osborn’s song:

“Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,

All his wonderful passion and purity,

O thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine,

Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.”

Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to do what is necessary in your life, that His beauty and nature  will be seen in you.

Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy