"Are you weary, weary of the soul?"....then remember....

We have storms brewing, tornado sightings and people 15 miles from here had a rough storm situation early this morning by one of our lakes. A gal came into the antique store and shared about it shortly after I opened. She was weary as she shared about the damage from the storm and how others fared worse and some were lucky they were alive. In town, it was minimal compared to out there in the open. I sat down with her while she shared her frustration about the damage done and being thankful, yes, that no one was hurt. Then the conversation turned to her mother who is wasting away from a complicated disease and tears came to her eyes. Her father is having a difficult time with this and we talk of how fragile life is with our physical beings as well as with the physical storms regarding the weather. I listened and brought her some kleenex. I listened some more and then others came in and she started to look around and do some shopping....."therapy" for the woman's soul at times. She left feeling grateful for someone listening and even getting her some kleenex. I told her I would keep her and her family in my prayers. Looking at a daily devotion that I get, well, it seems appropriate to share with anyone who will read or listen......for we all get weary......

I wake weary...
I reach reluctantly for my Bible wishing I could reach for covers to pull over my head instead.

It turns out I'm not the only one who has ever felt this way.

I read of Gideon and how he is hiding (sounds a bit like pulling the covers) grain from the enemies of the Israelites.

Right there in the middle of that unlikely moment God sends a message to Gideon.

It's about fighting, victory, how everything will be different from now on.

It's these six words I love most:
"Go in the strength you have..." (Judges 6:14)

That phrase follows me out of bed and into the car. I think of it as miles whiz by on the way to work. What strength do I have?

Slowly I realize I don't have much at all (especially today). But I do have His strength.

And what kind of strength is that?

The kind that is made perfect in weakness. (2 Cor 12:9)

That's great news for the broken, messy, and worn out (and aren't we all?).

And even if we were as strong as we'd like to be, it would still pale in comparison...

God's weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength. (1 Cor 1:25)

So here's truth worth getting out of bed for, the kind that's like coffee for our hearts. God served it up to Gideon first and He still offers it to us every morning (especially on the ones when we feel weary)--

Go in the strength you have...
and I will be the strength you need.

~Holly Gerth

So, remember.......Matthew 6:26

If the Creator of the universe cares enough about the humble birds to care for them, why would He care any less about us? God provides for the birds' needs; as He loves us even more, we can count on Him to provide for us as well. (Matthew 6:26)

Sharing with you this day from my garden areas...know that God cares for you.....

~debbie

God is in the stuff.....all of it!!!!

Well, that about says it all!!!!

Thank you, God!!!!

Hope this finds you all having a good week.....so far! It always seems a trial is never far away....but remember, if we let God in on it, we can have victory over it!!!! ~deb

Faith "with" Truth brings Beauty.....

"Faith fills a man with love for the beauty of its truth, with faith in the truth of its beauty."
~Francis de Sales

Sometimes I learn this the hard way.....like today. I can say I have the faith, but not be looking at the truth....which usually involves looking in the mirror and seeing what I don't want to see. But, if I am willing to have faith and look at the Truth of it all....well, I can't help but wonder that it can be beautiful, like a sweet aroma to the Lord.....even though it may still hurt. Going then to a quote I have heard over and over but do not know who wrote it....."God doesn't expect me to live this life comfortable, but obedient."

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Want to watch an inspiring movie......."Blindsight" was great. No, I am not talking about "Blindside." Here is the synopsis....

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"Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Himalayas, BLINDSIGHT follows the gripping adventure of six Tibetan teenagers who set out to climb the 23,000-foot Lhakpa Ri on the north side of Mount Everest. The dangerous journey soon becomes a seemingly impossible challenge -- made all the more remarkable by the fact that the teenagers are blind.

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Believed by many Tibetans to be possessed by demons, the children are shunned by their parents, scorned by their villages and rejected by society. Rescued by Sabriye Tenberken, a blind educator and adventurer who established the first and only school for the blind in Tibet, the students invite the famous blind mountain climber Erik Weihenmayer to visit their school after learning about his conquest of Everest. Erik arrives in Lhasa and inspires Sabriye and her students Kyila, Sonam Bhumtso, Tashi, Gyenshen, Dachung and Tenzin to let him lead them higher than they have ever been before. The resulting 3-week journey is beyond anything any of them could have predicted."

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If you get Netflix, it is an instant play.....just to let you know.....debbie

The angels and their music....

And the angels bring forth their beautiful song as another comes to the Lord!!!!

"Manhattan Declaration"!!!

I am a supporter of the Manhattan Declaration! Here is a link if you are not familiar with this.

http://manhattandeclaration.org

PREAMBLE:

Christians are heirs of a 2,000-year tradition of proclaiming God's word, seeking justice in our societies, resisting tyranny, and reaching out with compassion to the poor, oppressed and suffering....

and it continues....please consider looking at this site.

Thanks, debbie

"God's Glory"!!!

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell. ~C.S. Lewis