Prayer

Yesterday I ordered a new book for SAMBS (Saturday A.M. Bible Study) for the summer. Having had this workbook in my library since 2007, after flipping through it I ordered more copies from Amazon so that I/we could finally work through it. Often we study the Bible itself in the fall, winter and spring, and a more topical book during the summer.  Prayer is an often repeated topic - has anyone ever actually scaled the heights of prayer's potential?  With all my good intentions, and smatterings of success, my prayer practice continues to be an area of needed growth...

Separately, this morning's reading is from Acts 4. The new church gathered to hear of Peter and John's bold healing and preaching and their resulting overnight arrest by the Jewish leaders.  The verse that popped out for me was verse 31:

"And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."  Acts 4:13 ESV

Now THAT's a prayer meeting!

When's the last time God shook you up after your prayer time?

Our new study describes ..."calling upon the name of the Lord as an adventure - the ultimate adventure in following God."

Do you have any God adventures planned for the summer?  Please leave a comment! 💗

God and Gardens

As I prepare for teaching 1st to 4th grade Sunday School on Easter Sunday, I am rereading familiar texts.

John 18:2 ESV states, "Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, [the garden of Gethsemane] for Jesus often met there with his disciples."

Have never noticed that before - that this garden was one of their regular meeting places. In nature with Jesus. In the quiet and the still.

Reminds me of Genesis 3:8 where Adam and Eve "...heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day..."

God placed mankind in a garden upon their creation.  And Jesus, when confronting his arrest and execution (John 18:4 tells us that Jesus knew all that would happen to Him) took his disciples to a beloved garden.  The beginning of mankind and the end of God's incarnation.

Matthew 26:36-46 is another account of Jesus' time in the garden at Gethsemane... a much more detailed account. Read it and weep. Jesus' two closest friends failed Him in his last hours of freedom.  He simply wanted them to be present for Him, and to pray...for their own frailty.   He took them to a peaceful spot...a known spot... their garden of choice.

Gardens.  Spring is barely here, and our garden is still brown and sad.  But soon!  A goldfinch just landed on our feeder as I'm writing - the first I've seen this year.  HOPE!  Can't wait to be out there in our own little patch of Eden, digging and assisting to create order and beauty.
Come watch and pray with me.  💚

our backyard bliss - summer 2017

Bleeding hearts in our front walkway - spring 2016

It's the Relationship

As I've been reading on healing, whether that be emotional or physical, it's been emphasized that the process is to produce a relationship with the Healer. This viewpoint does put our struggles into perspective. The result is relationship, not just healing, and is helpful in understanding James 1.

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete,

lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4 NASB

I'm pretty sure I don't yet consider it all joy. But I do realize that who I am today is a result of everything that has happened to me, along with the choices I've made. If I hadn't struggled in certain areas, I would not have compassion. I see people all around me who do not have compassion, and it is very unattractive. I'm thankful for my compassion which has been earned the hard way: I've been there. And even if my "there" is not the same as your "there," I know pain, and can relate to your pain. It is a beautiful thing if we'll let each other get close enough to know about the pain.

God is working on this very slow learner. It's not about me. It's about Him. And whatever it takes to get me to shift my focus from me to Him... it's worth it. Through it all, I've gained a really close relationship with my Healer. While I'm still in process, I'm seeing progress. When I think of my trials and think they were worth it... that will be progress indeed.

Breezy Sunny Perfection

I've been on the screen porch for the better part of three hours, working through Ephesians 1, word by word with my Greek lexicon. Such rich stuff. Having taken the day off spur of the moment this morning, I'm feeling foot loose and fancy free. Well, there is laundry drying, and I made French toast for the kids, and the garden needed watering...but...footloose and fancy free is a relative term.

Today's weather is sublime. The breeze is just cool enough, and the scattered clouds provide occasional relief from the sunny blue. This spot is close to perfection - birds singing, sprinkler tinkling, Boomer snoring at my feet...ah, summer.

Sharing from Ephesians, here's the definition of grace, according to Zodhiates:

5485 in Strong’s. Charis: joy, favor, acceptance, a kindness granted or desired, a benefit, thanks, gratitude, grace; A favor done without expectation of return; absolute freeness of the loving-kindness of God to men, finding its only motive in the bounty and freeheartedness of the Giver; unearned and unmerited favor. God’s grace affects man’s sinfulness and not only forgives the repentant sinner, but brings joy and thankfulness to him. Eleos, [1656] mercy, is concerned not with the sin itself, but with the misery brought upon the sinner as a consequence of that sin.

It's hard to not celebrate the day when you think about God's grace.

Friendship

Two of my SAMBS (Saturday a.m. Bible Study) gals just left. At 12:15 pm. We begin at 7:30 each Saturday, and usually end about 9 am. But today these two lingered, so I made some bacon, toast and eggs, and we sat eating, laughing, sharing, crying, griping, and laughing some more.

Part of me is thinking I HAVE SO STINKING MUCH TO DO TODAY...THERE IS NOT TIME FOR THIS. And part of me is feeling like they blessed my socks off.

These 6 gals are my sisters. We truly love each other warts and all. In fact I have not brushed my hair or changed out of my jammies yet...I do brush my teeth for study...

What a gift. To heck with the schedule. We need each other.