Dear Ones,
Happy Weekend. Hope you have a peaceful day. There is so much beauty around us as we walk the trail and see the brilliant colors of the changing leaves. Today I am going to make pumpkin pancakes and bacon as it seems perfect for this fall season. Yesterday I used the zucchini from the church garden to make zucchini chocolate cake and salmon patties.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
There is always room to grow in the Lord and hopefully we desire to be more at one with Him.
It’s not important to impress others, but to please the Lord and follow after Him. If we are willing to spend time in the Word and prayer, we will find we become more sensitive to the Spirit’s promptings and also sensitive to the needs of others. Rom.13:8 says, “Owe no one anything except to love one another.” As we walk in love for the Lord, we will express that love by showing compassion for others.

We also grow through trials and suffering. God uses trials to humble us and allow us to share in His sufferings. I Peter 4:13-14 tells us to rejoice in so far as you share Christ’s sufferings because the spirit of glory and of God rests on you. I doubt that most of us welcome suffering at first, but gradually, as we mature in our faith, we aren’t so afraid of it and can even get to the place where we rejoice and thank the Lord. Underneath whatever we are going through, it is possible to experience deep joy when we offer up our suffering out of love for Him.

Hopefully, we can get to the place where we prefer God’s will to everything else, even when it involves hard things. Some go through a dark night of the soul and a purifying time to discover there is always more… more of Jesus, more love, more joy. No matter what we go through, it is nothing compared to heaven and seeing the Lord face to face. Let us not get sidetracked on our journey in life, but remember our goal.
Challenge for today: Whatever happens in your life, may you respond as Mary who was told she would bear the Son of God, “May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy