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July 6, 2023

July 6, 2023 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Hope you are having a sunny day! Our house is filled with aroma as a pot of stew is simmering.

Al is back from Men’s group and this afternoon we have Bible Study here.
Devotions from Judy’s heart

While coming back from our walk on the Paul Bunyan trail yesterday, we noticed our elderly neighbor from next door pulling up part of her garden. I have written of her before as she has amazed us with her persistence when she tilled the soil and planted flowers that are in the middle of a service road adjacent to our courtyard. When we moved here that space was full of weeds and occasionally wacked when the lawn crew mowed the yard. But a couple from our apartment complex and one from the adjacent complex started planting flowers and changing the terrain to look beautiful rather than an eyesore. There were 2 plots left for quite some time until this neighbor next door from Assisted Living chose to make a difference. She is so persevering and went out each morning to till the soil and later to plant. On occasion, Al has had to rescue her when she was not able to get up from her sitting position but that does not detour her. Her work has paid off as there are beautiful flowers of all colors blooming and transforming the roadway.

But sadly, yesterday she was tearing up part of the garden and we wondered why. All along we have been trying to guess what some tall green plants were going to produce, and kept waiting for cucumbers, or zucchini or anything. But we just found out it is called Velvetleaf and is a noxious an invasive species that is very hard to get rid of; it only grows in a few states, Minnesota being one of them. What a bummer! It is important to remove it or it will take over, and for farmers it can cause millions of dollars in damage. But this morning as I look out our window, I see she has already cut down all the weeds and disposed of them. She must have been out there until dark!

I was reminded of my own life and how there are times I am not sure if something is good or if it is something I need to cut out of my life. Things that compete with the Lord may be subtle at first but before long our spiritual life can be taken over by weeds of evil. We must be always alert, and watchful to not let that happen. What better herbicide than the Word, that will help us quickly get rid of anything the enemy is using to invade our souls. Let us be alert and quick to be done with all that diminishes our life in the Lord.

Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to make you alert to weeds in your spiritual garden and root them out quickly.

Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

July 5, 2023

July 5, 2023 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Hope you had a wonderful time celebrating yesterday and maybe capped it off with Fireworks too. The house is full of aroma as I just baked choc chip cookies on a stick and sampled one of them. Soon I am going to my exercise class and errands and later walk on the trail.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We have just celebrated Independence Day and many of us have sung our national anthem and said the pledge of allegiance as we honor our country as one nation under God. But it is sad that many Americans no longer believe in our country’s godly beginnings. They choose to believe that America was not established for religious freedom, and challenge that Christianity had anything to do with establishing our country.

Lynette Kittle writes about how in England in 1606 the Pilgrims sought to worship Jesus in the purity of the gospel. They fled to Holland and 3 years later got permission to take the Mayflower to the New world so they could worship Jesus in peace. She said because America’s foundation was laid in Biblical truth by the Pilgrims, our Founding Fathers based our Declaration of Independence on godly principles. These truths gave us the right to worship God freely and now it seems in our day that they are for grabs and many of our freedoms are now being denied.

I pray each day for our country to come back to God and to be humble and seek the Lord. Kittle wrote a prayer that may be saying what is also on your heart, as it is on mine.

“Dear Father, we come now to humble ourselves before You, asking you to move upon our nation and lead Americans to hold fast to our godly heritage, a legacy of religious freedom to openly worship and serve You in our land. As II Chron. 7:14 assures us, ’If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.’ Forgive us, Father, for the ways our nation has drifted and turned away from You. Remind Americans how Christians were led by You to sail and settle this land for Your glory. Restore America’s godly foundation and heritage. Let our leaders return to Your Word and Truth in writing laws, handing down judicial decisions and ruling over the people. Help Americans to understand that true freedom is a gift from you. Like John 8:36 assures us, ‘So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’ Let our nation look to You as our hope and Salvation, and put all our trust in You.’ In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Challenge for today: Spend some time praying for America and for the Lord to have mercy on us.

Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

July 4, 2023

July 4, 2023 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Happy Fourth of July! May freedom reign in our hearts for when we know the Lord, we can walk each day in grace because we are pardoned and set free.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Are we living our life with purpose and passion for God or are we living our life for ourselves and our own comfort and pleasure? If it is for God, each day will be exciting and meaningful but if it is for ourselves, we will soon get aimless and bored.

Those who know the Lord and live for Him experience great joy as life has eternal purpose and meaning. One morning as I was reading from scripture, from Crosswalk.com and from a devotional book, they all spoke of a life of grace and how it can transform our lives. But of course, we have to receive grace, for it is a gift and we know that we didn’t earn it, or it wouldn’t be a gift.

I love the word grace and I love singing about grace for deep down I know how imperfect I am and how needy I am for His grace. Like the song goes, “Grace, Grace, God’s grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God’s grace that is greater than all our sin.” Our own efforts are fruitless for we can’t earn forgiveness, but it is only by grace through faith. The apostle Paul was very learned and steeped in the scriptures and the law, but he said in II Tim. 1:9, “He saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” When we receive this gift of grace, the power of the Holy Spirit is given us to change and to do the works that He has purposed for us all along. His plan for our life is exciting and like no other but we must choose if we will live for Him and accept His free gift to us.

We see people around us striving so hard to live a good life, to earn the respect of others, but none of us can measure up and we are in need His grace. We were meant to live for the Lord, to love Him and to enjoy Him and bring glory to Him. Yes, we fail every day and that is why we need grace.

Let us live for the Lord and do the works that He has planned for us each day. And for those times we fail, let us receive His grace and forgiveness and ask Him to transform our lives that we might live passionately for Him.

Challenge for today: When you sense you are striving, thank the Lord for His grace and live in new freedom.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

A Call to Persevere

July 3, 2023 / Alan Hendrickson / 0 Comments

I lead a Bible study in our apartment building. We all have gray hair. I encourage us to visualize the effects of our prayers for our loved ones as we experience “the rising up of the gray hairs.” We read in Ps. 20:7-8, “Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God. Those nations will fall down and collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm.” Instead of lamenting about the state of the world, we will boast in the Lord. We choose to see ourselves rising up and standing on solid ground.

We realize the culture is embracing a post-Christian narrative, putting the Good News in a negative light. As seniors, we grew up in a fairly positive environment. We know the difference. Our prayer concerns can be expressed well in the words of the Psalmist in 71:17-18: “O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.”

Recently I was sharing our Bible study’s corporate concern for our children and grandchildren with my son Kurt. Seeing him as a good father, I asked what Judy and I as parents imparted to him that would encourage a group of gray hairs concerned for their families. I have summarized what I gleaned from Kurt’s reflection in three principles noted below.

Sowing the word of God as a seed that will grow and have its effect is a helpful image. In Mark 4:26-27, Jesus tells us, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.” Our task is to sow the “living and enduring word of God” (I Peter 1:23). Remember it is more than a memory. It is living and enduring.

Instill – As believing grandparents, we cling to the Word of God that was sown in the lives of our loved ones. Isaiah 55:11 is a wonderful promise for parents and grandparents who have done this: “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Our confidence is in Jesus, the light of the world, who is the Word incarnate (John 1:14). John assures us, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).

Enhance – This implies daily prayer and remembrance of our loved ones. Pray believing the seeds that were sown will bear fruit through the life of Jesus, as His Spirit bears witness to the heart and mind of a loved one. Don’t give up: carry your loved ones in your heart. “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you” (Matt. 7:7 NLT).

Trust – Believe in God’s sovereignty, knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God: “Indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:39). God can at any time intervene with his presence in the life of a loved one through an event, a person, a still, small voice, etc.

July 2, 2023

July 3, 2023 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Hope you are having a wonderful holiday time and keeping cool. Al and I went to the lake yesterday afternoon and joined over 2 dozen of the relatives for a picnic, swim, games etc. Loved seeing everyone and was a fun time. I just finished making Al’s cookies and soon going to Aldi’s and my exercise class.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Sometimes people seem like angels in disguise. They are right there when we need them and make a difference in the outcome. God often uses others to meet a particular need we may have, and in our eyes, they seem to shine forth like angels. Such was the case for me recently. I was having a problem on my new computer, and it seemed like it should be so simple to solve and I tried but wasn’t able to do so. We called in for tech support and we got first tech who couldn’t solve it and then he gave our case to another tech who was more advanced, and he couldn’t solve the problem either. We were told to call Yahoo as it must be a result from their upgrade. So, we prayed, and Al felt like we should just go over to Best Buy and see if the Geek on hand for the weekend could solve it. We told him the same thing we told the other two techs, but he said, “I think I can solve it!” That was music to our ears, and he didn’t work long at all and he had my computer running the way it should. He also added some other things on my computer that will make life easier for me. We thanked him profusely and told him he was an angel. Al said a prayer of blessing for him, and it may be that it was the first time such a response was given the geek by a customer. I went home smiling and happy and thankful, and the Geek must have felt good that he brought so much happiness!

There are times we have no idea what some action we may do for someone else may just be an answer to their prayers. God wants our ear tuned to hear Him so if he gives us a directive, we obey and do it in His timing. Paul said in Eph. 2:10(God’s Word), “God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that He has prepared for us to do.” When we know the Lord, He gives us joy in doing good works that will bless others. We have received so much from Him, and it is natural that we want to reach out and touch others with His love and deeds of kindness. The Lord prepares us to do whatever it is that He has planned, and let us respond!

Challenge for today: When feeling prompted by the Holy Spirit, follow His leading in obedience.

Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy

July 1, 2023

July 1, 2023 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones

Hope you are having a great Holiday weekend. I just finished doing food prep and cleaning and Kurt’s family is due here shortly on their way to the lake. Lots of relatives will be gathering this weekend and a picnic is being planned. We may get more family here tonight too.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

I have written before of the gift of God’s grace, but do we notice how subtly we slip out of grace and start striving to earn that which is freely ours. We forget that it is by grace we are saved through faith, and it is not our own doing, but the gift of God, lest any man should boast. (Eph. 2:8-9) A gift is a gift, not something we work hard to earn but simply receive. In fact, we can strive all we want but we will get worn out and discouraged for we keep sinning and are in need of grace.

I was reading a devotional by Joyce Meyer today and she also writes about grace as God’s power flowing into our lives, freely helping us to do what need to do. God’s grace never runs out and it is always available but we need to receive it by faith. She describes it as the Holy Spirit’s power flowing out from the throne of God toward people to not only save them but enable us to live holy lives and do His will. Each day is a day of grace and brings us into close fellowship with Him. It allows us to cease from working up a sweat in an attempt to be worthy of salvation but rather to be joyful and live in ease as we receive His gift of grace.

We may realize all the more that we need His grace when we get stressed and disappointed with ourselves for some failure. We are not perfect but the Lord loves us just as we are right now! He wants us to be willing to receive His gift of grace and then to follow with a willingness to do His will and walk with Him. And when someone does something hurtful to us, it is a chance for us to extend that same grace to them as well. As we have freely received, we can give to others.

I remember a specific time in my life when I was so grateful to Al when He showed me grace in an area that I had no control over and just had to walk through it. But down the line, I was able to show him grace in a similar area, remembering his kindness to me. If we think of all the grace that the Lord has poured out on us, there should be no hesitation when we are called to extend grace to others.

Challenge for today: Think of a time someone showed you grace and thank that person in some way.

Have a wonderful weekend and prayers and love, Judy

June 30, 2023

June 30, 2023 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Happy Weekend! Hope you have time to enjoy this holiday weekend and have time to relax and be with family and friends. Today is party day here so we will be going to Costco to get the Birthday cake and then setting up for the party. Devotions from Judy’s heart When we come to know the Lord, that is just the beginning of our journey, for just like a baby we need to be nurtured and to grow. Too many Christians stay in the baby stage and don’t go on to become mature in the Lord. It is as we spend time with the Lord and in His word, that we will recognize His voice and be able to follow Him in obedience. But there is more! We are not to stop there but also to share our faith in the Lord with others and be witnesses and lights. There are so many broken and lonely people today that need someone to point them to the Lord. Jesus told His disciples, “Look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting.” (John 4:35) We have a whole mission field right around us every day! We see so many hurting people, going about aimlessly and lonely, and in need of a the One who can give their life purpose. Before the Lord left this earth, He gave us a final charge and He said in Matt. 28:19-20, “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” What if the disciples had kept the message to themselves, where would we be today? The Lord means for all of us to not just know Him but to share Him with those in our lives and then nurture them so that they can in turn win others. We can be used to help them know how to listen to the Lord, let the Word speak to them and to become mature. Don’t you love to see new believers sharing their faith as there is an excitement, a freshness, a boldness that we all need. We are all called to be His witnesses, His lights and to share Him until our last day of our journey when we are ushered into glory with Him.

Challenge for today: Pray that the Lord will give you love and boldness to share Him with someone today.

Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

June 29, 2023

June 29, 2023 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Hope you are having a sunny day. The rain is over, and the sun is trying to peek out. I just finished making Gluten free cookies, having donuts and coffee with Al, and cleaning the blinds in the living room. We have Bible Study this afternoon and a party tomorrow and then the Holiday weekend begins.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Are we known for having a Grumbling heart or a Grateful heart? Would others around us call us complainers or would they say we have a gracious grateful spirit? Big difference and I would rather be around someone who is the latter.

We are told to be thankful and grateful for as I read today in Psalm 136:1-2, Let everyone thank God, for He is good, and He is easy to please! His tender love for us continues on forever! Give thanks to God, our King over all gods! His tender love for us continues on forever!” God’s love for us never quits. If our hearts are full of gratitude to the Lord, it affects all aspects of our lives. We will come to have a contented spirit that is selfless and sets us free to express His love to others. Don’t you love to be around people that are focused on the Lord, and also other centered? It isn’t all about them, but they genuinely want to know about others.

If I had been Moses, I would have gotten exasperated with all the complaining he had to listen to during those years in the wilderness. “This water doesn’t taste good! I am tired of manna! I don’t want to move on just yet. Can’t we stay in this place a few more days!” But the people were given a vivid awareness of the Lord with them in the cloud by day and the pillar of fire at night. But before we judge them, let us examine our own hearts and ask the Holy Spirit to show us our own ingratitude and times we complain. We may not be so overt about our complaining but may say we are thankful for a particular item and then add that we were hoping for more or a better updated model. If we are focused on a comfortable life without any problems or accumulating wealth, we will be disappointed as the Lord never promised that. God is good whether or not He answers our prayers in the way we want or whether a problem is something we have to go through because He has a higher purpose in mind.

Let us trust that He is faithful, and He knows what is best for our lives instead of complaining. May we welcome all the opportunities He sends to draw us ever closer to Him.

Challenge for today: Ask the Lord for a grateful heart and to change you rather than your circumstances.

Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

June 28, 2023

June 28, 2023 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Hope your day is full of sunshine even though it is raining outside. I just finished doing some food prep as Ann is coming for lunch when I get home from my exercise class. We also have Bible Study tonight.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

It is so important to tend our souls each day and that means dealing with our sin. Every day it is a battle to die to self which is not reforming of our sinful patterns, but rather a death of those things that hinder our relationship to the Lord. The more we die to sin, the more we come alive to God through faith. When we come to know the Lord, we are justified, which means we are made right with God and He looks on us as if we have never sinned. But then comes the sanctification process which is an ongoing process as we grow to be more like the Lord. That is a life long process and He gives us rules to live by that will help guide us, and show us when we go astray. The rules are not bad; they are really a guide and like a mirror to help us see where we go off on our own. In some ways it is like a protecting wall against doing evil and perverse things. As children we probably thought teachers that had few rules were the best ones, but when the room was full of chaos and was hard to hear and study, we may have wished for a stricter teacher. We are in a culture now that seems to think that rules don’t apply, or at least only to certain people and we see what results. It is no longer safe on the streets, and innocent people are suffering. We need laws because we have a sinful nature. Each one of us is accountable to the Lord. It is against Him that we sin and do evil. He gives us rules to help us know how to live and show us when we go astray. But He also gives us Gospel to motivate and empower us to follow Him. We need both. When we throw off restraints and choose to live any way we choose, we can end up like the prodigal son… far from home and wondering if his father would hire him even as a servant. God is a loving Father but we are not to live according to our flesh nature that does not submit to God’s laws, but rather live according to the Spirit which is llfe and peace. (Romans 8:6-8) May we choose not to neglect our souls but choose to deal with our sin and grow in grace.

Challenge for today: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas you have compromised and to walk instead by the Spirit.

Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

June 27, 2023

June 27, 2023 / Judy Hendrickson / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Hope your day is full of sunshine! The house is full of aroma as I made a new chicken dish and also egg dishes. Al is such a willing and good taster for when I try new things! This afternoon we are going to friends for coffee and fellowship.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Are there times we can’t make sense of God’s ways? We may question why the bad guys get by and seem to prosper and the good guys suffer? Or maybe we pray for a wayward child that seems to get only worse? There are many things that we don’t understand as we only see dimly but one day we shall fully see. But for now, we are to trust the Lord and one day our eyes may be opened to see more what He is doing behind the scenes.

I am reading Larry Crabb’s book, When God’s Ways Make No Sense, and he gives the example of how Habakkuk responded when God did some shocking things. God told the prophet he was going to use an evil people to punish His people, who were not nearly as bad as the Babylonians were. I’m sure Habakkuk wondered what is God doing and it didn’t seem to go along with who he knew God to be. But he didn’t run away or try to change the message, he submitted to God’s way and recalled God’s character and that He would keep His covenant with Israel. Instead of complaining Habakkuk was open and waited to see and hear from God. He climbed up a tower to sit and listen to what the Lord would say.

If we are wise like Habakkuk, we will be quiet and wait for God’s timing and see how He will unfold the things we question, Even when He uses evil people to accomplish His will, He is writing the story, and we are not. He knows how it will end and we do not! The Lord works for the ultimate good and even if it makes no sense to us, God is faithful and holy and mighty and love. We can make the application today that even if the Lord doesn’t heal our sick body or bring our loved one to repentance during our life time, may we say as Habakkuk in Hab. 3:18-19, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.”

The Lord has promised us grace to go through whatever happens to us in this life, and we cannot even imagine all that He has waiting for us in glory. So let us trust, even when we don’t understand.

Challenge for today: When you question what is happening, wait on the Lord in faith and trust in His ways.

Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

Canaan's Rest

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