Frost at Midnight

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1798)

The Frost performs its secret ministry, Unhelped by any wind. The owlet’s cry Came loud--and hark, again! loud as before. The inmates of my cottage, all at rest, Have left me to that solitude, which suits Abstruser musings: save that at my side My cradled infant slumbers peacefully. ’Tis calm indeed! so calm, that it disturbs And vexes meditation with its strange And extreme silentness. Sea, hill, and wood, This populous village! Sea, and hill, and wood, With all the numberless goings-on of life, Inaudible as dreams! the thin blue flame Lies on my low-burnt fire, and quivers not; Only that film, which fluttered on the grate, Still flutters there, the sole unquiet thing. Methinks, its motion in this hush of nature Gives it dim sympathies with me who live, Making it a companionable form, Whose puny flaps and freaks the idling Spirit By its own moods interprets, every where Echo or mirror seeking of itself, And makes a toy of Thought. But O! how oft, How oft, at school, with most believing mind, Presageful, have I gazed upon the bars, To watch that fluttering stranger! and as oft With unclosed lids, already had I dreamt Of my sweet birth-place, and the old church-tower, Whose bells, the poor man’s only music, rang From morn to evening, all the hot Fair-day, So sweetly, that they stirred and haunted me With a wild pleasure, falling on mine ear Most like articulate sounds of things to come! So gazed I, till the soothing things, I dreamt, Lulled me to sleep, and sleep prolonged my dreams! And so I brooded all the following morn, Awed by the stern preceptor’s face, mine eye Fixed with mock study on my swimming book: Save if the door half opened, and I snatched A hasty glance, and still my heart leaped up, For still I hoped to see the stranger’s face, Townsman, or aunt, or sister more beloved, My play-mate when we both were clothed alike!     Dear Babe, that sleepest cradled by my side, Whose gentle breathings, heard in this deep calm, Fill up the intersperséd vacancies And momentary pauses of the thought! My babe so beautiful! it thrills my heart With tender gladness, thus to look at thee, And think that thou shalt learn far other lore, And in far other scenes! For I was reared In the great city, pent ’mid cloisters dim, And saw nought lovely but the sky and stars. But thou, my babe! shalt wander like a breeze By lakes and sandy shores, beneath the crags Of ancient mountain, and beneath the clouds, Which image in their bulk both lakes and shores And mountain crags: so shalt thou see and hear The lovely shapes and sounds intelligible Of that eternal language, which thy God Utters, who from eternity doth teach Himself in all, and all things in himself. Great universal Teacher! he shall mould Thy spirit, and by giving make it ask.     Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee, Whether the summer clothe the general earth With greenness, or the redbreast sit and sing Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch Of mossy apple-tree, while the nigh thatch Smokes in the sun-thaw; whether the eave-drops fall Heard only in the trances of the blast, Or if the secret ministry of frost Shall hang them up in silent icicles, Quietly shining to the quiet Moon.

Sometimes You Have to Make Your Own Party

Mary Anne Morgan

When it comes to grief, some days are just more difficult to navigate. I woke up with a heaviness draped around me like a blanket. I wasn’t feeling well anyway and frankly, I wanted my mama.

I miss her chirpy voice. I miss how glad she always was to hear mine. I don’t think I will ever delete the icon on my favorites list that says mom’s cell. I want so badly for her to be on the other end of the line. I can still hear the way she would enter my home. “Mary? Are you here?” Yes mom, I am here. I wish you were. But I don’t. I get it and I am so grateful- she is with the Lord. She is free from pain. I wouldn’t take those things from her now. . . .Read Her Story . . .

2016 Focus - Living In Light of Eternity

2016 I have chosen to live in light of ETERNITY. "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." Matthew 10:39 KJV I want my little life that I have been given to be a testimony for the blood that was shed for me on Calvary's cross. 

This year and for the years to come, it is about surrendering to God and giving my family and those I meet along the way, JESUS! I am going to let my light shine. LIFE is SHORT! We do not know when we will die. Each day we need to make the most of the time that we have, for it may be our last. AS FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST, all of us should live each moment in light of eternity. 

The decisions we make in this life determine where and how we will spend the next. We should, therefore, make certain that the right decisions are made. 

The final states are fixed, there is no second chance. Finally, we should have heaven constantly on our mind so as to have an impact in this world. (Especially our family)

I want to leave an Eternal Legacy. Living in light of Eternity causes us to focus on what is truly important. It is not about the furniture we own, the clothes we wear, the places we want to travel or even the church we attend. IT IS ALL ABOUT SOULS and if they KNOW JESUS PERSONALLY. 

Lord, remind us just how brief our time here on earth will be. Our days are numbered, our life is fleeting. Each of us is just a vapor, a breath. Are we living in light of ETERNITY? Are we ready to meet our maker?

God Within Us

In the center of us all, guiding and calling, prodding and poking at the lassitude in our souls, the fear in our hearts, the frettings at the bottom of our minds, lies the spark of life that we recognize most clearly as “my-self.” This is the “me” that is always there in its rawest form. The “me” of all my distant hopes and all my controlling feelings. This is the “person” that I know myself to be—whether anyone else knows that part of me or not.

The recognition of this self in me is the beginning of the spiritual life. With it comes the awareness of what we call the “true” self. This is the me, the one who is the vessel of both my inmost feelings, positive and negative, and my most illuminating, most uncensored insights into my reason for being, my place in the universe, my relationship with God.

This innermost self is the raw material of our spirituality. It signals the demons with which we struggle our way through life and it identifies the angels of our better nature who carry us from one level of the self to the next. In our “deepest” we know the best and the weakest of our spiritual selves. In this place we can see where our heart really lies in life and we can name the demons with which we wage our daily wars: to be better, to do good, to live with clay feet on a divine path.

Our “deepest” is clearly where the real me drives me on from desire to desire. Our inner talk there is about ourselves. Our concerns, down deep, are too commonly only for ourselves. Our struggles emerge there out of the dreams and disappointments, the demands and the denials we breed with ourselves in mind. But not Catherine of Genoa’s. Her “deepest” is God. Her center of life is God. Her awareness of her basic self is her understanding of Emmanuel, God with us, always, in her.

The thought stuns us into a new awareness of the nature of our own lives. Here is a woman who knew without doubt that the God she sought was the God who was her very breath itself. When she turned to the “self” within she discovered the God who had created her, sustained her and drew her on through life.

Unusual? Not really.

The fact is that our “deepest” is God, too. Only it takes most of us years to discover that. The process is a profound one.

You can find more articles @ The Monastic Way by Joan Chittister

January's "Book of the Month" Selection

Your personal rule of life is a holistic description of the Spirit - empowered rhythms and relationships that create, redeem, sustain, and transform the life God invites you to humbly fulfill for Christ's glory. 

  All of us have an unwritten personal rule of life. We wake at certain times, get ready for our days in particular ways, use our free time for assorted purposes and practice rhythms of work, hobbies, and worship. There is already a rule in place that you are following.  Isn't it time to give up your unwritten rule and prayerfully write one that more closely matches the heartbeat of God? 
In this practical workbook Stephen A. Macchiato looks to St. Benedict as a guide for discovering your own rule of life in community. It is a process that takes time and concerted effort; you must listen to God and discern what he wants you to be and do for his glory. But through the basic disciplines of Scripture, prayer and reflection in a small group context you will be lead forward in a  journey.  
The invitation is transformational, so brace yourself for sweet release. By letting go and trusting God, you will receive the gift of life in its fullest and richest form. 
I am so excited about the book this month.   This Year I am focusing my 365 days on creating a Rule of Life. 
Let's get started together!

In 2016 may you . . .

In 2016 may you…

Dream more

Complain less

Listen more

Talk less

Love more

Argue less

Hope more

Fear less

Relax more

Worry less

Believe more

Doubt less

Play more

Work less

Pray more

Fret less

Sing more

Shout less

Be more

Strive less

Give more

Take less

Live more

Stress less

Rest more

Busy less

Read more

Noisy less

Trust more

Control less

May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and grant you his peace, and may you open-heartedly receive and offer these loving gifts of grace from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in 2016 and forevermore. Amen.

Leadership Transformations

Christina 

What About You?

AMEN!! I am calling all CHILDREN of the MOST HIGH GOD! Let us take 2016 and live it for ETERNITY's purposes. Living as a witness to Jesus Christ!  SPREADING THE GOSPEL, HEALING THE SICK, CASTING OUT DEMONS, RAISING THE DEAD, SAVING SOULS. I WANT THE POWER OF GOD ON MY LIFE . . . BUT some things WE HAVE to let go. I am willing to do whatever it takes to see the TRUE POWER of the WORD of GOD in my life.  What about you? Are you willing to live your life for God, sacrificed unto Him for ETERNITY? 

LIVING FOR ETERNITY'S PURPOSES

New Beginnings of Hope

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. — John 3:16 (NIV).

What makes this the most sought-after verse in the Bible? Perhaps we fear that Job was right? (See verse below (Job 7:6)

The John 3:16 passage gives people a ray of hope that there is certainly more to life than what Job (7:6) saw. This longing for hope is why the Jeremiah passage is so important to people: 

My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and they come to an end without hope. -   Job 7:6    

For I know the plans I have for you. declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. — Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV).

We want to know that God has a plan for us, and that there is hope for a hopeless world. What people need to know is what Paul Harvey referred to as “the rest of the story.” John 3:17 offers a glimpse:

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. — John 3:17 (NIV)

Hope comes, not as a blanket promise, but under a condition. We must come to Jesus and find salvation through him.

The Jeremiah passage also offers conditions for the hope people seek:

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek  me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. —  Jeremiah 29:12-13 (NIV)

HOPE comes when we find our salvation in Jesus, when we call on him, when we come to him, and pray in his name. When these things happen we will have the hope that we seek. Having established this, we can now add depth and flavor to the hope we have in him by observing other Hope Bible verses.  You can find the rest of this article on Hope at Faith Gateway . . .

As believers we are called to put our hope in Jesus Christ; knowing that His love will rest upon us.  Toda, it seems we live in a world where it is very easy sometimes to forget the hope that we have in Him.  We look around and we are always hearing about wars and rumors of wars, violence, street shootings, abortion . . .  Disappointment can strike at anytime.

A mother excited, is about to give birth to her beautiful little girl, quickly turns to heartache and disappointment. Now she is mourning her baby, delivered still born. . . . But HOPE, hope says - "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4  

A couple happily in love, or so she thought until she finds out her husband has been having an affair for months . . . But HOPE, hope says -  "What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."      Mark 10:9

Someone has lost their job, a child has lost their parent, a family has no food to eat . . . And the list goes on and on.  Disappointments everywhere and they have made many people too afraid to risk being let down.  Look around; people are living like robots. I go to a restaurant and families are sitting together but starring at electronic devices. NO ONE IS COMMUNICATING anymore.

Oh I know, people say they have hope. But do they have real and lasting hope? Just because people  put their hope in their job, a relationship, medicine, drugs, alcohol, the stock market, the lottery and so on and so forth . . . this is not real everlasting hope.

HOPE says - "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope and overflow with confidence in His promises."  Romans 15:13 AMP

I challenge you this new year, (2016) put your HOPE in Jesus.

No matter what you are facing and no matter what is happening in your life this very moment, with Christ, your current story has an amazing ending.  Even though your valley may seem very dark and you have no answers; there is always HOPE at the end of your journey here on earth.  

Jesus paid it ALL.  The cross of Christ is our HOPE.  His finishing work on the cross has given us a steadfast assurance that we have a HOPE and a future with Him.  No matter what you are going through, the end of the story is . . . HE WINS.

So lift your head up high, you are a daughter of the most HIGH GOD!  People can either celebrate you or criticize you, be for you or against you . . . But HOPE says - YOU ARE ROYALTY - "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9 

You see His marvelous light will shine upon you and show you the way out of your dark valley.  He is with you always and He will never leave you. He is YOUR HOPE.

I leave you will one of my favorite Chapters in Psalms (23:1-6)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 
 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.   3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.   4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.   5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.   6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Examining the Realities of Heaven & Hell

I will be adding this book to my reading basket. I am so excited to get started on it! 

An examination of the realities of heaven and hell, as well as the frailty of earthly life. Believers will be encouraged to understand what comes next as we put to rest many of the popular caricatures of eternal life. Will we have bodies? Will we recognize one another? Will we retain our individuality and personalities? These are questions clearly answered in Scripture. Not only will the fear of death dissipate, but this brings a freedom to live unencumbered by the anxiety and worry of this life.    

Jason Velotta is a Chaplain at Jackson Madison County General Hospital as well as the Associate Pastor of Christ Church in Brownsville, TN. He holds an Mdiv, an MABS, and an MM from Temple Baptist Seminary in Chattanooga, TN, as well as a BA from Luther Rice University. 

 Jason currently lives in Brownsville, TN with his wife Dana and their three children Jacob, Jesse, and Sophie. 

Awesome Book!!

Click here to purchase your book: Gospel for Asia

Time is Running Out !!

 Hell is Real. Heaven is Real.

This quote from Living in the Light of Eternity is a challenge to me as a Christian, a challenge and a wake-up call to evaluate what I truly consider to be important in my life. Too often we get caught up in living our own happy lives, because that’s all we can see, but in this book Dr. K.P. Yohannan reminds us of the Biblically supported reality that this life is not what we are living for. This book is for anyone who is seeking to get past the lethargy of an “easy Christian life” and dive into taking up the cross daily and following Him.

Dr. K.P. Yohannan has been crisscrossing the globe for the last 40 years, challenging the body of Christ to discipleship. His call to a radical lifestyle with an all-out commitment to Jesus has left its impact on nearly every continent. To the Church caught up by the tidal waves of compromise and self-preservation, Yohannan's life message is as fresh as today's podcast yet as time

Yohannan is the founder and international director of Gospel for Asia, a Christian mission organization that has brought the Good News of Christ to millions in South Asia over the last three decades.

Born in India, Dr. Yohannan, at the age of 16, responded to the Lord s call to serve Him in North India. In 1974, he came to the United States, where he received his theological training and pastored a church for four years.

When the Lord reminded Yohannan of the countless millions in Asia still waiting to learn of His love, he resigned his pastorate, and he and his wife, Gisela, started Gospel for Asia. Today, the ministry supports thousands of national workers and vibrant congregations throughout South Asia. Additionally, Gospel for Asia s Bridge of Hope program cares for tens of thousands of children, helping them break out of the generational curses of poverty and hopelessness. 

Refugee or Immigrant?

Context

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
…17And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 18"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, 19TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."…

Cross References

Isaiah 42:1
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.
Isaiah 49:9
to say to the captives, 'Come out,' and to those in darkness, 'Be free!' "They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill.
Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
Matthew 11:5
The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
Matthew 12:18
"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
Luke 4:17
and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
John 3:34
For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
John 9:39
Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."
Acts 4:26
The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.'

Treasury of Scripture

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Spirit.

Psalm 45:7 You love righteousness, and hate wickedness: therefore God, your …

Isaiah 11:2-5 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom …

Isaiah 42:1-4 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; my elect, in whom my soul delights; …

Isaiah 50:4 The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should …

Isaiah 59:21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, said the LORD; My spirit …

anointed.

Psalm 2:2,6 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel …

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined on your people and on your holy city, …

John 1:41 He first finds his own brother Simon, and said to him, We have found …

Acts 4:27 For of a truth against your holy child Jesus, whom you have anointed, …

Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: …

to preach.

Luke 6:20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be …

Luke 7:22 Then Jesus answering said to them, Go your way, and tell John what …

Isaiah 29:19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor …

Zephaniah 3:12 I will also leave in the middle of you an afflicted and poor people, …

Zechariah 11:11 And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that …

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are …

James 2:5 Listen, my beloved brothers, Has not God chosen the poor of this …

to heal.

2 Chronicles 34:27 Because your heart was tender, and you did humble yourself before …

Psalm 34:18 The LORD is near to them that are of a broken heart; and saves such …

Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite …

Psalm 147:3 He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.

Isaiah 57:15 For thus said the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose …

Isaiah 66:2 For all those things has my hand made, and all those things have …

Ezekiel 9:4 And the LORD said to him, Go through the middle of the city, through …

to preach deliverance.

Psalm 102:20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed …

Psalm 107:10-16 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in …

Psalm 146:7 Which executes judgment for the oppressed: which gives food to the …

Isaiah 42:7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, …

Isaiah 45:13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his …

Isaiah 49:9,24,25 That you may say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in …

Isaiah 52:2,3 Shake yourself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose …

Zechariah 9:11,12 As for you also, by the blood of your covenant I have sent forth …

Colossians 1:13 Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated …

and.

Psalm 146:8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind: the LORD raises them that are …

Isaiah 29:18,19 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the …

Isaiah 32:3 And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them …

Isaiah 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf …

Isaiah 42:16-18 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead …

Isaiah 60:1,2 Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the LORD is …

Malachi 4:2 But to you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise …

Matthew 4:16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which …

Matthew 9:27-30 And when Jesus departed there, two blind men followed him, crying, …

Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are …

John 9:39-41 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they …

John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whoever believes on me should …

Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and …

Ephesians 5:8-14 For you were sometimes darkness, but now are you light in the Lord: …

1 Thessalonians 5:5,6 You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we …

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, …

1 John 2:8-10 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in him …

bruised.

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your …

Isaiah 42:3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he …

Matthew 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not …

The Sin of Worry

Trusting God Like the Birds Do

by Sarah L. Bryant

“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life,
what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body,
what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap,
nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.
Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought
can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed
like one of these…But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow:
for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.” 
-From Matthew Chapter Six

My Dear Sisters,


Do you worry? What do you worry about? Why do you worry? Have you ever thought of worry as a sin against the Lord, your Maker?


Let’s consider this passage, where Jesus speaks of His Father’s care and provision for every bird of the air. This is amazing to ponder, for there are about 100 billion birds alive in the world today. God gives them life and also provides for their every meal. And have you ever noticed how often a bird eats? They eat constantly—probably one hundred meals a day. They do not plan where they will harvest their next meal, nor do they store food for the next day. Have you ever spotted a refrigerator in a bird’s nest?! Birds simply do not worry about their next meal; they know that their Creator can provide for them. If you do the math, you will discover that our magnificent God serves about ten trillion bird meals on a daily basis. That is a lot of meals over the course of a year to plan out!
Matthew 10:29-30 comments, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”


Our Savior and Lord continually amazes and humbles me! Not only does He care about feeding every bird in the air—but He also cares about the very minutest things about me and my life. He cares about me—just one human living in one of the galaxies He created! My God never misses anything that is going on in my heart or life. He knows every last corner of my thoughts and has a plan for my future. “Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me” (Psalm 139:5).


My God is not an absent-minded Father. For example, do you know those times when you are concentrating really hard on something, and then you look up to realize that the phone was ringing, a sibling was talking to you, and you let dinner burn all at the same time?! I know I do this often. However, our God never lets anything get out of control for one millisecond. If He did, this world would vanish, for He is its only sustaining hand (Colossians 1:16). The Lord is more aware of what is going on in our lives than we even are ourselves. That is pretty amazing (and comforting!) to think about. “Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off” (Psalm 139:2).

This brings us to the question—why do we ever worry? Why are we ever anxious? Jesus has told us, “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” (Matthew 6:27) We have a tendency to worry about the thousands of things that could happen to us tomorrow. We worry about the troubles that could befall us or the things we “need,” but does one minute of worry ever change or help anything? Do we ever wake up one morning and think, “I’m so glad I worried all day yesterday about today’s problems! That will help me so much today!”


Someone once told me to imagine this scenario—a little girl worrying constantly about whether her dad will provide breakfast the next morning. Her loving and faithful dad has always provided every meal for her, yet she sits on the couch and frets. She doesn’t get up to wash the dishes, wash the laundry, or her schoolwork—she just worries about tomorrow! This sounds funny, because of course we know this girl has no reason to be worrying—yet in a much similar way, don’t we find ourselves worrying unnecessarily about tomorrow, while neglecting our duties today? I was humbled as I realized my own sin in often doing this very thing.


Our Lord and Master has promised us, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). God’s promises stand true throughout eternity. There is never any reason for us as believers to ever worry or wonder if God can/will provide for us. How old are you? Has God ever neglected to provide a meal or true need in the past years of your life? I can say that my God has provided for the past twenty-one years of my life perfectly. Never has He forgotten anything that I truly needed! Why do I ever worry then about whether He will provide in the future? And if He does withhold something from me, isn’t it because He truly loves me and has something better in store? Because He wants to sanctify me and work all things together for good? I am so grateful for my heavenly Father that cares for the very numbers of hair on our heads, and cares about working through us His perfect will. Dear sister, isn’t it incredible to think about how the God of the universe provides for us—His wee little daughters?!

To doubt and worry is essentially to tell the Lord that we do not believe He is able to do us good. After all He has done on our behalf—we still doubt Him?! What sin! Our God has not only provided us with life and breath, but He has also covered us in the blood of His own Son. If our God chose to give us the most costly clothing ever imagined—His own Son’s blood of righteousness! (Isaiah 61:10)—can’t He provide for our earthly needs? Doesn’t He have the funds and all the world besides (Psalm 50:10)? It is sin for us to doubt the Lord when He has given us so many eternal blessings (Psalm 103).


Let us be obedient to God’s Word, which commands us to “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” For, “His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him” (2 Samuel 22:31). May we be obedient, faithful stewards of the gifts God has given us today, while trusting Him to provide for tomorrow’s needs far above what we ever asked or thought. Let us seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness—today.

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,
my soul shall be joyful in my God;
for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
(Isaiah 61:10)

Humbled by His Incredible Goodness,
Sarah Lee Bryant
{Editor of The King’s Blooming Rose Magazine}

Praising the Lord

I wanted to share a beYOUtiful post found on the KBR website. I use this site a lot with my girls.

Enjoy!!

October marks the month that we begin reading Ann Voskamp's book - One Thousand Gifts. This year I believe we will practice the 365 days of thanksgiving.

by Beth Thompson

“Give thanks unto the LORD; call upon His Name;
make known His Deeds among the people.”
{Psalm 105:1}

One of my dear friends and I were once discussing our plans for the Thanksgiving holiday, and she remarked that, instead of only having one day set aside for giving thanks, we ought to celebrate 364 days of thanksgiving, and only one day of complaining every year. A thankful spirit is so important to the Lord! Over and over again, in GOD’s Word, the anthem rings true and clear:

“O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good,
because His mercy endures forever.”
{Psalm 118:1}

“I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation;
I will praise Thee among the people.”
{Psalm 35:18}

Give thanks – why is it of such importance?

The LORD has commanded us to give thanks in all that we do. Paul exhorts the Colossians, “and whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks unto GOD, and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). Is obedience only the outward, the flesh routinely doing the good works or is it more than that? The LORD cares greatly about the attitude with which we are serving Him. Are we serving our Master grudgingly or with thankful hearts, praising GOD for all that He has done? Numbering the gifts, and offering praise to our LORD is an act of obedience.

“Because thou servedst not the LORD thy GOD with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things….”
{Deuteronomy 28:47-48a}

More than just a commandment, thanksgiving is a open door for us to bless the heart of GOD, for He delights in the praises of His people. We all know the warm and wonderful feeling of being wholeheartedly thanked for a gift we have given or a service we have performed. Our LORD has given us innumerable gifts; how can we not turn to Him with full and grateful hearts and give Him praise? It is a custom among the Jewish people to say one hundred blessings every day! What if we stepped out of the busy whirlwind of life, noticed the gifts, and gave thanks to GOD one hundred times each day? This is an amazing opportunity; that we can minister to the King of the Universe!

Thanksgiving is one of the ways that we can dwell in the Presence of the LORD throughout the day. “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms” (Psalm 95:2). We give thanks for all those little things in life, and we acknowledge Him as the giver of all. Life becomes holy when we live it always seeking to see the gifts, searching for opportunities to bless our Heavenly Father. Through thanksgiving, we are choosing to see GOD’s Hand in our everyday life. The excited, upturned face of a child, the crunch of crimson and gold leaves under feet, the breaths we take each moment; all of these are windows to see the LORD. This is His Handiwork, His Creation. When we notice these things with thankful hearts, we are choosing to see Him.

When we are dwelling in the Presence of the LORD through giving of thanks, joy is ushered in. “In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy Right Hand there are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

Yet, how do we keep the flame of praise burning constantly, when papers must be finished for school, chores must be performed, and the house must be cleaned? Life doesn’t stop for us to catch up with it, and sometimes the whirlwind feels overwhelming. Life may not wait for us, but we can choose to pause in the middle of our day, breathe, and offer thanks. LORD, thank You, for schoolbooks, and the freedom to learn. Thank You for sisters to read stories to. Thank You for Your love always with us, even in the busyness.

Several years ago, in reading Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts, I was challenged to journal one thousand blessings that I already had. I found it helpful to actually write the thanksgivings down, for it solidifies them. The beauty of this is that we do not need to stop at one thousand, for the gifts do not end then, praise GOD! The thanksgiving, then, moves beyond the form of a list, and is voiced from the lips of the grateful worshiper.

Sometimes the praise flows onto the page, and sometimes the list is made doggedly, mechanically, on the days where discouragement is rampant and irritations rub hard. Give thanks we must, regardless of the feelings. As we obey the LORD and give thanks even when we do not feel like it, He softens our hearts hardened with complaints, and the feelings of gratefulness will come. Diligence is essential to keep the thanksgiving fire burning. “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord” (Psalm 116:17). Thanksgiving is a choice, just like every other spiritual fruit. It is a choice to give thanks, to live seeing the grace moments, and the beauty in the midst of the ashes, and choice to live the joy. Emotions may come or they may not. “My heart is fixed, O GOD, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise” (Psalm 57:7). It is the fixing, the choice to give thanks, that truly matters.

We must make the decision to thank the LORD in everything, not just for what seems sweet and beautiful, but also for the things that do not. Will we accept only that which feels good from the Hand of our LORD, and protest to that which hurts? GOD knows what is best for each of us, and we can thank Him for He is always Good. He sees where each path leads, and, it is because of this that we can trust. Thank You, LORD, that you are in control of all things.

Even when we sin, and fall short again and again, instead of slipping into discouragement, we can give thanks to the One Who Helps me up. “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank GOD through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24-25a). He is the one that delivers us from sin.

Choose with me this day, dear sisters, to offer up to GOD a sacrifice of thanksgiving, a blessing to our Loving Father, Who has given us so much. May His Great Name be exalted!

“By him therefore let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually,
that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
{Hebrews 13:15}

Beth Thompson