Updated on June 20, 2014
Sunday Scripture: 6/22/14
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Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
“But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”
Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
John 4:10-14
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on March 31, 2015
The Fragrant Field
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. – 2 Corinthians 2:14
Have you ever walked into the middle of a field of wildflowers in the glory of spring? Even if you close your eyes, it is a majestic assault on the senses. The smells, so deep and so complex, resting on every draft and changing subtly with each new breeze, are like nothing that can be replicated by humans. Only God…
I think that’s how God feels when He walks among His people. In fact, we are to be diffusing that fragrance through every place we visit. Did you know you were such a sweet perfume?
I’m sharing over at my sweet friend,
Kirra’s place today. I hope you’ll join me there to finish this post, and to meet her.
She is a dear Sister.
See you there…
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Shelly
Updated on June 16, 2014
Tell It To Jesus
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6
We sang this beautiful hymn in our worship service this past Sunday. I was blessed to be there, and I knew I wanted to share this hymn with you. It is such a heart-cry and it really touched me as I offered it back to Jesus.
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Are you weary, are you heavy hearted? (O, Lord, am I ever. Yes, to both.)
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus. (He already knows, doesn’t He?)
Are you grieving over joys departed? (I’m pretty sure this song was written for me.)
Tell it to Jesus alone. (Are you sure He needs to hear it?)
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a Friend that’s well known. (A friend… Jesus is my friend.)
You’ve no other such a friend or brother, (If that’s not the truth, I don’t know what is.)
Tell it to Jesus alone. (Ok… I’ll talk to Him about it.)
Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden? (Almost daily. But what can I do about it?)
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus. (And that will help?)
Have you sins that to men’s eyes are hidden? (Doesn’t everyone?)
Tell it to Jesus alone. (Oh, I get it… He wants us to hand it all to him.)
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a Friend that’s well known. (A friend… Jesus is my friend.)
You’ve no other such a friend or brother, (That truth gets more beautiful each time I sing it.)
Tell it to Jesus alone. (Is it weird that I feel lighter already?)
Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow? (Oh, yes. Fear and sorrow… I’m well-versed in both.)
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus. (I am, right this moment.)
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow? (Every day I am.)
Tell it to Jesus alone. (He can solve that, too, can’t He?)
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a Friend that’s well known. (A friend… Jesus is my friend.)
You’ve no other such a friend or brother, (Praise Jesus.)
Tell it to Jesus alone. (I’m running to Him now. Are you?)
Dear Lord, the fact that You… YOU… want a friendship, a relationship with me. It leaves me breathless. I give it all to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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Shelly
Updated on June 15, 2014
When I Say, “Jesus”
For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says,
‘The stone that you builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.’
There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” – Acts 4:11-12
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There are so many times when I don’t know what to do. There is not way to fix it. No relief in sight. How will I ever get through it? How?
Maybe you wonder, too?
When the world turns it’s back.
When the pain is too much.
When I feel invisible and useless.
When the results are not good.
When the money is never enough for the bills.
When someone I trusted hurts me.
When I really am alone.
When the silence is deafening.
When my pillow is soaked with tears.
When I’m too tired to keep trying.
There’s one thing I can do that always, always helps.
I just let it all fall apart. I stop trying to hold it together. Hold it in.
And I just say, “Jesus.”
With that one word, I am reminded.
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” – Jesus (John 16:33)
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Maybe you don’t know what to pray, either? I understand. I get it. Really, I do.
And there’s someone else who gets it.
Do you know Him?
His name itself is a prayer.
Jesus.
Dear God, help us to remember the only name that matters. Help us to remember that when we utter it, You listen and You know. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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Shelly
Updated on June 13, 2014
Sunday Scripture: 6/15/14
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Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy. – Matthew 6:9
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Shelly
Updated on June 14, 2014
Recommendation Saturday: Let It Go
Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!” – Matthew 18:21-22
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It’s messy, this community thing.
I mean, how many times… really…
I’m thinking today I might need a visual.
How about you?
We are best when we are community.
I would love to share in some of that community
right here from my website.
You can join in, too!
Share a post from your own blog
and then simply click on the
“Add your link” button below
and enter your blog information.
Then, please grab my Recommendation Saturday button
below, and place it on your website or post,
so that others can find their way to
our little Saturday community!
You can also Tweet your participation with the hashtag
#recommendsat
so that we can all find each other on Twitter!
You may also join in by leaving a comment.
The most important part of our community
is spreading our hope and love to others
by visiting some of the other inspirational sites
linked up and leaving comments there.
Heart Hugs, Shelly <3
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on June 13, 2014
God’s Statement of Ownership & Printable
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Who has given me anything that I need to pay back?
Everything under heaven is mine. – Job 41:11
“If I want it, it’s mine.
If I give it to you & I change my mind later, it’s mine.
If I can take it away from you, it’s mine.
If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine.
If it’s mine, it will never belong to anybody else, no matter what.
If we are building something together, all the pieces are mine.
If it looks like mine, it is mine.”
Have you ever seen this poem? It’s called “The Toddler’s Creed”. Today I was inspired to rewrite this as God’s Statement of Ownership. I hope this is a great reminder to you. I’ve made it into a printable that you can access and print by clicking here.
God’s Statement of Ownership
I want you. Call on Me and be Mine.
And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true childrenof Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. – Galatians 3:29
Once I have you, I will never give you up. As long as you are willing, you will always be Mine.
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. – John 15:4
I have taken your sins away, once for all time. You are Mine.
And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.
– Hebrews 9:27-28
While you were still sinners, even then I knew you would be Mine.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8
I have adopted you, so you will never belong to any other family but Mine.
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. – John 8:34-36
I have built every cell, every fiber, every soul. Everything about you is completely Mine.
For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God. – Hebrews 3:4
I see your heart. If there, you look like mine, you are Mine.
But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes. – 1 Corinthians 8:3
Holy God, thank You for the gift of being fully Yours. Keep me close to You, Father. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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Shelly
Updated on June 9, 2014
Making That Turn
Blessed are those who fear to do wrong, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble. – Proverbs 28:14
Long ago, when I was learning to drive, my Dad thought it would be a great idea to take me out in the jeep, so I could learn on a stick shift.
On one hand, taking the jeep was a stroke of brilliance, since I could… well, you’ll see why soon enough.
On the other hand, apparently the man had never met me, known me, or spent any time in my presence. I mean who would expect ME to be multi-tasking and coordinated? Really, people. I just have to shake my head.
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Ok, so we’re out on a series of country dirt roads that have zero traffic. Check. I’m in the driver’s seat, and have received both proper instruction and perfect examples of driving technique and skill. Check. Seat belts buckled, mirrors and seat adjusted. Check.
Off we go. I must brag about the straight shots. I was awesome. Flawless. Ok, maybe there was a hint of grindage when switching gears, and we might or might not have lurched with each release of the clutch. But, hey, I’m feeling good, wind in my hair, loving the control I have over this exotic vehicle on this unknown road.
Then it happened. I had to make a turn.
Internally, I have a running commentary. “Foot on clutch. Slow vehicle. Shift gears. Shift gears again because I missed the right gear. Foot off clutch. Turn wheel. Foot on gas.”
Did you see what I missed there? I forgot to release from the wheel turn. The sharp pull of the wheel required to get us around the corner just kept going and we ended up nosediving into the ditch that ran along the roadside.
Apparently I had too much on my multi-task list.
It happened again and again. And again. Now do you see why using the jeep was such a brilliant idea? 4-wheel drive got a work-out that day.
I kept trying to make that turn. If I straightened the wheel out, I forgot a step and ended up stalling out. If I remembered the rest, I always forgot to let the wheel go back to straight.
Do you know what my problem was? The problem was that I kept trying to make that turn! You see, all I had to do to get it right was to simply let go of the wheel once the corner was rounded. Let. Go.
Those two words are what kept Dad and I in the ditch that day.
It’s what keeps me in the ditch most days even now.
When I’m loving the feel of the control over where I’m going, how fast I’ll get there, and when and where to stop, it can feel an awful lot like failure to release that grip. Feeling that steering wheel slide back into place in my open hands can feel even scarier than ending up in the ditch over my own stubborn will.
I so badly want it all to be under my own power, when that power is actually a mirage. I pray that today I can remember to let go.
Mighty God, whisper it to me when I forget. Thank you for your infinite patience and grace for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on June 9, 2014
Friend of God
As iron sharpens iron,
so a friend sharpens a friend. – Proverbs 27:17
I’m molten
and laid on the anvil.
Each hammer strike
breaks me down.
Each dip into the waters
created by my sadness
adds a layer of strength.
Slowly
I am being honed.
Bent beneath the blows,
but shaped into something
of great use and value.
Maker’s sweat
sizzles as it meets my submissive places.
The message
of my undoing
rings with each swing.
Joyful dirges.
Sorrow that creates.
This sharpening
that proves
You call me “friend”.
God in Heaven, thank You for this beautiful pain that draws me closer to You. Thank You for making me new. Keep pounding, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
Updated on June 5, 2014
Are You Homebound, or Bound for Home?
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3).
Over the past year or so I’ve had to deal, once again, with the fact that I am pretty much homebound. In fact, I think I am more homebound at this point than ever before.
I’m learning to think of this in a whole new way . . . another lesson on perspective from my Father. I’d like to share it with you, if I may?
Speaking of home….
won’t you join me at my second home, Rest Ministries, today?
You can finish reading this post
and then check out all of the fabulous fellowship there.
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May God Bless You,
Shelly
