Category: Whispers (Page 94 of 164)

Dear Ones,

Hope you are having a great day. This morning I made egg dishes and got out our decorations for Christmas, since we are going to be gone for Thanksgiving. This afternoon we are going to have a Praise and Thanksgiving sing-along instead of our regular Bible Study. Afterwards I am going to take a friend shopping. The sun is out today and so beautiful with the snow out my window as I write. 

Devotions from Judy’s heart

  God uses each of our lives to help make known something about His nature. Because we are each unique and not like anyone else in the world, we carry within us something that will display a part of Him to others around us. We are all given particular gifts and talents that he uses to also point others to Him. We don’t need to compare our gifts with others or belittle our gifts for each of us have unique qualities that He can use; it is important that we play our part, which really matters.

    Through us the Lord can bring healing to others. Perhaps we are one who carefully listens to others and takes their needs, together with them, to the cross. Maybe we are usually upbeat and can bring a ray of sunshine to lighten the darkness of one who is depressed. Or we are a truth-teller that speaks out what is wrong that it can be delt with.

   It says in I Peter 2:9-10 that we are chosen instruments to do His work and speak out for Him. God works through us to bless others, and often we are not even aware of it

   Have you noticed that the more you give out to others, the more joy you have? Those that hide their candle under a bushel or neglect to do the works of love, miss out. Jesus died so we would no longer live for ourselves bur for Him. II Cor.5:15

    It’s important to listen to the Lord so we can be doing His works in His timing and set aside our own self-will. Jesus wants to shine through us and as the children’s song goes, “Jesus wants me for a sunbeam to shine for Him each day. In every way try to please Him, at home, at school, at play…I will ask Jesus to help me, to keep my heart from sin. Ever reflecting His goodness and always shine for Him.” May others know Jesus better because we beam a part of His loving nature to those around us.

   Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to use you in new ways to help others know Him and love Him.

Dear Ones,

 Hope that you have a peaceful day. There is more snow falling today and winter is really here. This morning I did food prep and made Al’s favorite cookies and soon going to my exercise class. Then Craft time and tonight is Bible study and maybe a walk inbetween on the trail. 

Devotions from Judy’s heart

  When Al and I travel we like to go to monasteries and to spend time in the quietness there. We have also done personal retreats in the past and taken time to enjoy silence with those who have left the noise of the world to draw closer to Christ. They have renounced possessions, relationships, and even themselves to be possessed by the Lord. We found no TV’s blaring or cell phones going off, but a holy atmosphere where Jesus is the focus and hearts are seeking to hear Him. 

  I read an article recently by Andrew Arndt about the desert fathers and mothers who left their comfortable confines to discover how to live for the love of God and neighbor, and to renounce those things that come against God’s kingdom. We have much to learn from their example. What is so evident first of all is the emphasis on a clean heart and to rid ourselves of everything that comes contrary to love for God and others. Love is God’s way and it takes shape in Christian community. Even those in the dessert lived under a common discipline with a superior and often met on Sundays for common worship. Abba Anthony the Great said, “Our life and our death is with our neighbor. If we gain our brother, we have gained God, but if we scandalize our brother, we have sinned against Christ.” We may think we are so loving but avoid getting close to others, even in our churches. We can’t keep people at arm’s length if we are to be known and also to express His love to others. John says in I John 4:12, 16, “But if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us, for God is Love and whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

   Desert fathers also teach us that love must be willing to lose. They choose poverty which is voluntary and means letting go of all that we possess. I use to give gifts at Christmas to three nuns we knew at the monastery but I also realized they wouldn’t keep it to themselves that it would be shared and given to others. We must all let go of what we possess and give what we cannot keep to gain that which we cannot lose.”.

   Challenge for today: Express God’s love in a new way today.

Dear Ones,

Happy weekend to you! During the night we had a bit of snow and just a little remained this morning, but we know more is coming soon.  I made Pork chops and Spanish rice this morning  and cleaned the apt and the last of the blinds. This afternoon both Al and I are getting our haircuts and we have only to walk to the building next door. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart

  The Lord is sovereign and wants to be the center of our lives, not the periphery. Too often we go about our busy work day and time spent with family, and then try to fit God in: but instead, we should be the ones fitting into Him. It is the Lord that really matters and there is nothing more important than knowing Him in a deep way. If we give Him our best, then everything else falls into proper place and our work becomes ministry and our family becomes a place of opportunity to put into practice God’s love.

    Life on earth is short and one day we will be ushered into heaven and as it says in Psalm 16:11 (NRSV), “You show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” So much awaits us one day but for now we will find joy as we live in faith and for what really counts. We can’t begin to fathom the joy that will be ours one day to actually live in the fullness of His presence and see His glory.

   If we think about it, we can’t possibly separate the secular from the sacred, that is our everyday life from spiritual things: it is one and the same for all of our life is sacred. We can’t compartmentalize our lives and reserve only part of it for the Lord for He wants all of it. That includes what we do with our time, how we spend our money, for it is all for His glory. One day we will live in a perfect place and experience a perfect life with the One who is perfect. No more sorrow, no more pain, for we will be forever in His presence and experience the fullness of joy.

   Challenge for today: Invite the Lord to be the center of your life and let your life revolve around him.

Dear Ones,

It is a cool day and dark and raining out my window. Predictions are for rain the rest of the week and maybe snow too! Today I hope to get to Aldi’s and then to my exercise class and this afternoon to Crafts and tonight to Bible Study. Al is preaching this morning next door at Assisted Living.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

  How can we improve in our relationships with others? Even when we have a quite a good relationship with our friend or spouse, there is always room for improvement and growth to bond us even closer. Jennifer Waddle writes about ways of serving our spouse but I think it applies to everyone around us as well. I will share some of her thoughts along with my own.

   Sometimes we minister to others by just a smile or an understanding look that we give our loved one. It can say more than words and lets them know we understand and are on the same team. Al and I pick up each other’s cues across the room and usually know what we mean without words.

   Jennifer suggests giving to other what we’d like to receive. If we feel like we are lacking for attention and affection give that to them. We might be surprised by the fallout from that! Like Jesus said in Matt. 7:12 (ESV), “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.”

   We can also be quick to think of ways to bless others and be a helper in areas of need. Sometimes we can relieve the pressure they are under by simply listening to them well and giving encouragement and affirmation. But as we listen, let us not have one eye on our phones but rather give eye contact and ask questions etc.

   Togetherness is so good but we also need to give one another space and breathing room. Most every day Al and I share as we walk on the trail but there are some days he needs to walk alone and comes back with new insights.

   We also need to notice one another and give compliments and acknowledge how they are a blessing to us. It is helpful to know their love language to discover how they receive love and it is not likely to be the same as ours. If theirs is words of affirmation then it is important to give compliments and words that build up. If their love language is gifts then look for tangible gifts to give spontaneously. Or if it is acts of service than do physical helps that take thought and energy. Perhaps it is quality time, then schedule dates, and meaningful times to be together. Or if it is physical touch, then give lots of hugs, hold hands etc.

  With all our loved ones let us take time to grow closer in our relationship with them and the Lord.

Challenge for today: Serve a loved one today in a special way that would be meaningful to them. 

Dear Ones,

  Hope you have a wonderful day. It is quite cool and windy out today  but hope everyone gets out to vote. Al and I are going shortly! Not sure if I will get downstairs for coffee and choc covered raspberries today as we don’t know if there will be long lines of voters. 

Devotions from Judy’s heart

  Prayer is so powerful and sometimes we just have to persist in prayer as we don’t yet see the answer. It is easier to give up after spending some time to pray about a particular concern of our hearts, but we are never to give up. I distinctly remember the last month of each pregnancy and how long it seemed before each baby was birthed. I felt like it was never going to happen!  Maybe we feel that way about certain prayers we have prayed for months and even years and we begin to doubt.

  But be encouraged the Lord hears every one of our prayers and we are to persistent in expectant faith. Like the woman who wore out the judge as she kept coming to him about her case, the judge finally gave her justice simply because he was tired of her pleas.  Unlike the judge, the Lord is quick to hear our heart’s cry the first time and ready to answer.

   I must confess there have been times I thought God had forgotten about my prayer concern since I saw nothing outwardly happening. That is not a good way to determine His actions though, as He begins His work in the heart, where only He truly sees. For example, when someone comes to the Lord, it didn’t just all happen that moment but it might have begun long ago with someone’s prayers for him. Then it could have continued when a remark was made by a friend sharing about God’s intervention in his life.  What followed might have been a sense of the Holy Spirit convicting him and finally He is ready to make a decision to follow the Lord. Everyone God uses to plant seeds is important.

   I especially love when I hear those instances when God uses even a little child to bring his daddy or mommy to the Lord. It is all a work of the Holy Spirit.

   May we not give up too soon but persist and have expectant faith for what God can do. Let us heed Jesus’ word to the persistent widow in Luke 18:1, to always pray and not lose heart.

Challenge for today: Confess any lack of faith for a concern that you have, and renew your trust in the Lord to answer in His timing and His way. 

Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy