Month: March 2014

  • It Ain't Always Easy!

    memorial stones

    “Choose 12 men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight…to serve as a sign among you…These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”  Joshua 4:2-3,6,7
    A counselor I saw one time said “If God asks you to cross the road, you can bet there’ll be a parade on the street”.  God’s plan is often simple, but it ain’t always easy!
    not easy, AINT ALWAYS EASY           The Israelites didn’t know easy!
    This request from God was to me the most difficult in the desert exodus to the Promise Land.  At first all they had to do was dip their toes in the Jordan River and then God parted the waters for them to walk across on dry ground with a strong wind.  Scripture tells us that the river was at flood stage.   A rushing river and strong winds would make for a scary crossing over!  I would think the Priests first thought would be to get to the other side and away from the danger, but twelve men had to go back into the middle of the parted river and pick out twelve stones.  Research suggests that where they crossed the river would have been about 360 feet at that time.  To give you perspective, that’s the distance of an NFL Football field with raging water heaped up on either side of you!  Gulp.  Take a deep breath, and go back in there boys!  Imagine the faith they had to muster up to fulfill the task God called them to?  They probably were thinking, “This is stupid.  It doesn’t make sense.  What difference is it going to make if I get a stone and we pile them up?  Why is God making me do this?”
    They had no way of knowing how many sermons and books would be written about their heroic task.  No idea that their seemingly unimportant step of faith would motivate others for centuries!  Take a step of faith, no matter how difficult and follow God today!  You’ll never know how many people’s lives you will inspire!
    Prayer
    Father…I thank-you for all the examples you give in your Word that let me see real people, living out real faith.  Help me to go beyond the easy and press forward to what you’ve called me to do.  Let me not shrink back when things get difficult but accomplish what you’ve called me to do so that others will be inspired.  In Jesus name…Amen.

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  • Winston Churchill

    Last Monday’s Devotional ended with a quote from Winston Churchill.  It is one of his most quoted quotes: “Never, never, never give up!”  As I was looking for the quote I found so many of Churchill’s other quotes that are equally amazing!  I never realized how many of the famous saying or quotes you hear orignally come from him.

    My husband Todd read a book called THE WICKED WIT OF WINSTON CHURCHILL.  This book made it onto Oprah’s Booklist!   Author Dominique Enright tells about Churchill’s great love for his wife and her struggles with depression.  Churchill loved his wife deeply and spent much of his energy to help her break free from the bondage in her mind.  It’s no wonder that so many of his quotes were inspiring and challenging people to not give up hope.  This Monday my devotional was about staying confident in hard times.  I told how Churchill spoke this with visual confidence in Vitory to the people of England with his hand sign.  I would even venture to guess that Winston’s use of the “V” hand sign was to signigy Victory over their nation’s enemy and Victory over the enemy of depression.

    winston churchill Vwinston churchill deserve victory

    Even his quotes show his optomistic trait:

    A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

    Below are some more quotes by Winston Churchill that I’m sure you’ll love.  Some inspiring and some hilarious!

    winston churchill Enemies-stood up for something

    We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

    A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.

    winston churchill going through hell

    If you are going to go through hell, keep going.

    Nancy Astor: “Sir, if you were my husband, I would give you poison.”
    Churchill: “If I were your husband I would take it.”

    An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile—hoping it will eat him last.

    winston churchill-failure

    Enright, Dominique.  THE WICKED WIT OF WINSTON CHURCHILL.  London, England: Michael O’Mara Books Limited, 2001

     

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  • VICTORY

    This devotion ‘VICTORY’ was originally published on my blog (March 14, 2014):  
 It was later published in Soul H2O: 40 Thirst Quenching Devotions For Women:
                             (c) 2016 Word Alive Press Winnipeg, MB
The devotion was also featured on Danielle Macauley's Blog (January 9, 2016)  
www.frommilktomeat.com
    Watch my spontaneous Facebook Live “ON THE WAY TO VICTORY” where I read through this devotion and share what the Lord spoke to me as I read it for my devotions when the book published.   Not my professional best work, but from the heart <3 and encouraged so many. Praying it encourages you!  (November 2, 2016)

    VICTORY

    “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.  You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”                                               Hebrews 10:35-36 NIV

    The previous Soul H2O devotion; Obedient Faith…Brings Rest ended with today’s verse, some encouragement and a quote from Winston Churchill.

    “To keep your promise, you need to live out the words of Winston Churchill and
    “Never, never, never give up!”

    Reading the quote by Churchill led me to research his life. He was such an inspiring man in a potentially depressing time.
    In 1941, while World War II was raging and Europe was being held captive by a murderous madman, “Victor de Laveleye, former Belgian Minister of Justice and director of the Belgian French-speaking broadcasts on the BBC”7 encouraged Belgians to form their hands into the V shape to represent victory. Months later, Winston Churchill began using the V sign in a speech.
    For four more years, through great tribulation and much defeat, Churchill continued to use this hand sign to address the people of England.1 This was a visual sign of his confidence in their victory. To their enemy, it was also a visual defiance and a clear message of their perseverance as a nation.  The character trait that most impressed me about Churchill was his optimism.

    [tweetthis remove_url=”true”]Churchill impacted a nation to not throw away their confidence and persevere ON THEIR WAY to victory.[/tweetthis]

    Let this same mindset be yours. Signal to your enemy that you will endure until victory is achieved and you receive all that God has promised!

    PRAYER:

    Father,  May a spirit of confidence in Your promises sweep over my spirit so I can persevere through anything the enemy throws my way. Help me to signal confidence and victory that will inspire others around me to great faith! In Jesus’ name, amen.

    If you liked the refreshing in this #SoulH2O devotion, you love my latest Soul H2O Devotional book: 40 Thirst Quenching Devotions for Women.

    DRAWING FROM THE WELL
    • Hebrews 10:35–36
    • Genesis 17:5
    • Romans 4:17-18
    • Ephesians 3:12

    1  Wikipedia, “V Sign.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign Date of access: March 23, 2014

    Watch my spontaneous Facebook Live “ON THE WAY TO VICTORY” where I read through this devotion and share what the Lord spoke to me as I read it for my devotions when the book published.   Not my professional best work, but from the heart <3 and encouraged so many. Praying it encourages you!  (November 2, 2016)

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  • Keeping The Promise

    “By the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you.  Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places.  Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess.” (Numbers 33:50-53 NIV) 
    “I HAVE TO DO WHAT???”  I’m trying to imagine how the Israelites felt when they heard this direction from the Lord.  I can see them saying, “I have to do what?  Don’t you know we just got out of the dry, difficult desert?  Shouldn’t we be on easy street now?”  The Israelites once in the Promised Land had to continue battling nations that opposed them.  We have to stop being shocked that once we get our promise it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.  The battle we had to fight to get our promise is sometimes easier than the battle to keep our promise, but there will be blessings to balance out the hardship.
    Think of David’s life and the progression of enemies he had to face—Lion…Bear….Goliath…Saul….ABSOLOM.   At first you would think that the biggest battle he had to face was Goliath, but I think having to stand up against the leader he served and then having his son as an enemy would be far worse than a 9 foot giant he never knew.  His last battles were closest to his heart.
    The bigger the battle won, the bigger the reward.  “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.  You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” (Hebrews 10:35-36)  Live out the words of Winston Churchill and “Never, Never, Never Give Up!”
    Prayer:
    Father…I thank-you that you are with me.  You give me what I need to face every enemy that comes against me.  Help me to push forward and take hold of and keep the promise you have for me.   In Jesus name, Amen

    winston churchill never give up KEEPING THE PROMISE

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  • Lent

    StJamesSlider
    St. James in Waterdown, Ontario is using my book, WATER IN THE DESERT  to go through for Lent.   What an amazing endeavor this has turned out to be!  People young and well, “not-so-young” are journeying  through the desert to find water!  Adults are working through the books in Bible Study groups throughout the week.
    Screen Shot 2014-03-13 at 9.33.05 PMChildren and Jr. Youth in the Blast Kids Program are following along with Sunday School Curriculum pages that Todd and I are making up.  Even our kids are getting involved and giving us ideas to make up these fun pages, but Todd’s artistic abilities are the key!  I attached pictures of some curriculum pages below, but they’re not very good quality scans.
    For months I have been connecting with Lillian Young of St. James to organize the event.  She has been amazing to work with.  She is passionate about Bible Study and helping others focus on what Christ did for us.  I think I’ve found a friend for life!  Minister Cathy Dilts is another passionate follower of Christ!  She leads this amazing body of believers with tenderness and care.  Her daily inspiration on the church blog  during the Lent season is reinforcing the messages from the book.  Minister Bob Johnson was such a pleasure to meet!  So many wonderful people and I was so grateful to have my Aunt Marg join me.   There’s something for everyone at this church and their worship team is amazing!  The church website says it all, “A Caring Community Sharing Faith”.  It’s exciting to hear the updates of how God is using WATER IN THE DESERT hydrate one thirsty church!


    Screen Shot 2014-03-13 at 11.14.43 PM Screen Shot 2014-03-13 at 11.14.33 PM Screen Shot 2014-03-13 at 11.14.05 PM Screen Shot 2014-03-13 at 11.13.50 PM

     www.stjameswaterdown.com

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  • Obedient Faith…Brings Rest

    “…since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful…”
                                            Hebrews 4:1  NIV
    Why is it so funny when others wipe-out?  I love the TV show where everyone is on a competition to finish the race without wiping out but, it’s inevitable!  You can see the fall coming before they do!

    The Israelites are always an example to us.  We can either learn by our mistakes or theirs!  Disobedience and lack of faith in God took their rest away.  Obedience and faith are the keys that will open the door to your rest.  No more striving to do enough, have enough or be good enough.  A simple obedience in faith is what it takes to enter into rest.
    When I hear the word obedience, I immediately think of a set of rules.  It seems to me in this passage from Hebrews 3 & 4 that God is not describing rules.  He’s talking about living in obedience to who He’s designed you to be, and following where he’s destined you to go.  To live that out—you need faith.  Faith to believe in who God says you are and faith to believe that He will accomplish it through you!
    When we are being obedient to God’s calling on our lives that’s when we’re most at rest.   No more striving to do enough, have enough or be good enough.  A simple obedient faith that believes in what He says over every circumstance we face…that my friend brings rest!
    Prayer: 
    Father…Help me to see the difference between striving and, being at rest to follow You in obedient faith.  Help me to believe in Your Word above all my thoughts, experiences and circumstances.  I declare my obedient faith to Your call.  May I live in the rest you promise!   In Jesus name, Amen

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  • Ayiesha Woods

    ayiesha woods

    Ayiesha Woods is a singer I love to listen too.  She was born on Long Island, NY, but moved to Bermuda as a child and then back to the US.  Her music definitely has a Carribean Influence.  It’s very soulful.  So, it’s not surprising that her music was produced by Toby Mac’s music label Gotee Records.  She has two amazing albums.  I have her “Love Like This” CD on my itunes and I LOVE it!  Ayiesha is a beautiful girl on the outside and has such an incredible voice.  One day I would be really, really “Happy” to see her in concert (Pun intended! “Happy” is one of her hit songs).  Ayiesha travelled with the Women of Faith —Revolve Tour for teen girls. 1
    Her music makes my heart soar, especially when I listen to her song, “Love Like This”!  The line “Lord, I’ve never known love like this before” just gets me.  This picture seems to sum up what I think of when I hear this song.
    child-hand-absolute dependence

    So, do yourself a favor and click on the picture of her CD cover below to hear her song…so you know what CD to buy next 🙂

    ayiesha woods cd cover
     
    1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayiesha_Woods

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  • Absolute Dependence

    “There remains, then a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.”                                                                    Hebrews 4:10-11 NIV
    Why is striking a balance between work and rest hard to do?  It seems there are so few people who can master this balance well.   One person who nailed it, and has helped countless others do the same was Mary Kay Ash.

    mary kay success story title

    Our society calls people like her “self-made”, but I don’t think that’s how she would describe herself.  Mary Kay’s life motto was ‘God First, Family Second and Career Third’.  It remains the motto of her abundantly successful cosmetic company to this day.

    mary kay motto

    When discussing the verse above, The Voice Bible Translation notes that, “By letting go of daily work, they declared their absolute dependence on God to meet their needs.”1  May Kay Ash was a single mom by divorce and widowhood when she started her company.  Instead of trying to do it all on her own, she emphatically stated her absolute dependence on God.
    Last week we talked about living a life that’s worth following and Mary Kay fits the bill!   Let’s follow her lead and let the verses below strengthen our resolve for complete dependence on God to meet ALL of our needs.
    Philippians 4:19  “And this same God who takes care of me will supply ALL your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus”  NLT
    2 Corinthians 9:8  “And God is ABLE to bless you abundantly, so that in ALL things at all times, having ALL that you need, you will abound in EVERY good work.”  NIV 
    Prayer:
     Father…I thank-you that I can rest because You will take care of me!  Help me to live in absolute dependence on Your provision.  In Jesus name, Amen
    1 The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
    http://www.marykay.com

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