Hope and glory

Isaiah 1:21 - 5

Isaiah 4:2

But in that day, the branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious;

the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of all who survive in Israel.

God prevails!

The branch which means a spout of the House of David which is referencing Jehovah...which means Messiah!

Original Hebrew word for glory above means delightful, wonderful, honour, dignity, reverence.

Indeed it will be wonderful!

Today and everyday, keep your eyes on the LORD!  In return, you will be filled with hope!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Lamp for my feet

Today, I am writing from my heart.  I am off the year long posting today on chronological bible and will get back to it tomorrow.

Today, it's all about the words that I used yesterday about God speaking to me about division and the starting of JOS.  My first question to you is how does God speak to you?  Is He speaking to you?  I haven't heard the audible voice of God, but He does indeed speak to me from His Word, through people, through nature.  God directs my path.  I don't react after one instance thinking it's a God thing.  It is usually something I've prayed about for awhile and I wait for at last three reassurances from God's Word, someone, or again through nature or prayer.  Sometimes, I continually wait and He continues to speak until I respond.

Today, what's on my heart is the lack of actually picking up the bible and then actually reading it.  The bible is not a pretty coffee table book.  I believe it is the inspired Word of God.  I know and believe it is living, because when I left it on my coffee table without opening it....well my life was not all it could be!  I'm not just saying it. This is truth and not a difficult one to attain, if we choose to open it up.

When things happen in the world, how do you decide what you believe?  Is it what the television tells you, is it what your parents or loved ones tell you, is it what your peers tell you, is it what your pastor tells you on Sunday?  Well, how's that working for you deep down in your soul?  I encourage you to pick it up, read it, place yourself in the story and let it come to life and let God speak into your life!

Here are a few statistics for you:  80% of people according to a survey from 2014 do not own a bible, only 26% read a bible regularly, only 19% are considered engaged in reading the bible 4 times a week and consider it the inspired word of God.  Well, according to these statistics things might not be going well in your journey.  Try opening up God's Word and allowing Him to help you along daily.

In Psalm 119:105 these words are given ~

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Reading God's word is a habit just like eating your breakfast or brushing your teeth.  Try it.  Make it part of your preparing daily, so that God is able to speak into your life.  I say all of this with the upmost love for each of you.  NO judgment only love.  I know what a difference it makes, because it made a huge one in my journey.  Don't allow others to take bits and pieces and then make up a whole new version....(ME INCLUDED).  Read it and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you.  I promise you that it will make a huge difference daily.  Does it take away your problems?  No, but it allows you to trust and believe that God is way bigger than anything we face here on earth.  It also allows you to see that God is the only constant.  God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow and HE is eternal.  Absolutely nothing else is and His Word gives you amazing peace only found through Him.

Do you want a Word from God?  Open your hearts, open your ears, pray, read His Words and expect Him to show up.  He will, but it will be in His Timing not ours!

I love each of you and just want to encourage you to give yourself a gift!  Open God's Word and allow Him in!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Roar like a lion

Hosea 9 - 13

So many beautiful scriptures in today's reading from Hosea.  God's timing is always one of the things I love so about His amazing love.  All the things happening in the world and at this moment He places me in the book of Hosea.  Thank you Lord for your amazing love and for your perfect timing!

I am reminded of God's love that knows no boundaries.  He is able to love us in spite of us...ALL of us!  

Divisions surround us right now.  Whether you are conservative or liberal, black or white, male or female, southern or other, private vs. public...the list just go on and on and the media just continues to divide and separate all of us.  No longer is it okay to believe different from anyone else or you are separated out and I don't care which side you fall on or on any subject.  It's divide and conquer! Division.  Division.  It's everywhere.   Sadness overwhelms me, but then I pick up God's amazing Words and I'm reminded HE wins, but most of all HE LOVES ALL OF US!

Hosea 11:10 - 11

For someday the people will follow me.  I, the LORD, will roar like a lion.  And when I roar, my people will return trembling from the west.  Like a flock of birds, they will come from Egypt.  Trembling like doves, they will return from Assyria,  And I will bring them home again." says the LORD.

God is in control!  He knows all the answers, none of us do.  Trust and believe in Him!  Keep your eyes on Him.  He doesn't care, if you are conservative or liberal, or any of the  other stuff; He cares because we are all HIS CHILDREN.

Listen to this from Hosea 14: 4

The LORD says, Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever.  I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven.  Israel will blossom like the lily; it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon.

8...I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you.  I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruits come from me.  Let those who are wise understand these things.  Let those with discernment listen carefully.  The paths of the LORD are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them.  But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.

We are all sinners!  Whatever words you use to describe yourself sinner should be among them.  WE all need to recognize that only because of God's amazing love are any of us saved.  

Several years ago now, I know the Lord spoke to me about the divisions in this world.  All the walls we the people were and are building and how they needed to come down.  Journey of Sisters started because of these words from the Lord.  I still believe with all my heart the message is still the same.  We are each unique.  We are each special.  We are each loved.  We are all children of God, but He made each of us to think and make choices for ourselves.  We must all choose Him.  We must all make choices that we believe are following His instructions.  We may interpret them differently, but each of us are to still love each other.  Political correctness is destroying our country.  We are suppose to love in spite of whether we believe the same way or not.  Walls are suppose to come down...

I may not believe the way you believe, but it doesn't mean that I have no compassion.  It doesn't mean that I can't still love you and I pray that the same is true towards me.  Let's practice showing love, understanding, and compassion in spite of what the world is teaching!  Let's follow Jesus by loving, reaching out to all people, and believing that indeed He provides the Way.

The last verse was so meaningful to me this morning that I shared above...we are all sinners, so we all stumble and fall.  The only way to accept others is to know in your heart that indeed we all fit in the same category together!

Father, please be with us as we stumble and open our hearts to show kindness, love, and understanding.  We love you and because of your amazing love all of this can indeed happen.  Amen

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

But...she gave

Hosea 2 - 8

My scripture actually came from the end of yesterday's reading in chapter 2, because it speaks to the whole book and to all of us as well.  (I think and you know what they say everybody's got an opinion so that is part of my opinion)

Hosea 2:8

She doesn't realize it was I who gave her everything she has-

the grain, the new wine, the olive oil;

I even gave her silver and gold.

But she gave all my gifts to Baal.

God's grace is so amazing!  Over and over we act like Gomer continually going back to our old loves.  Whether that is a man, woman, things, tv, food, the list could go on and on as to the things we make number one in our life.  Anything that we place before God could be an idol to us.  Anything...where does He fall on your list?  It would be a good thing (again my opinion) if we checked the list daily to be sure HE is number one.

The story of Gomer always bothers me.  I think how could she continually go back and then I begin to ponder it and then the Holy Spirit speaks to my soul about stuff and it really really bothers me!  

I try to be real with all of you and that is what we each must be with God. Be real after all He already knows and wants us to acknowledge our shortcomings.  (Our sin)  Yes, sin.  We all have it.  Allow God to show your stuff to you.  It's not pretty, but it is healing.

Let the verses above sink in.  God gives us everything...yes everything comes from God, but do we realize it?  Do we give thanks?  

Sorry if I stepped on any one's toes other than my own, but...we must realize our sins!  We are really good at pointing out other people's sins.  Another thought is if we focus on working on our own problems and getting them situated, then the world will clean up from the inside out...Now that is a thought!  Point the finger towards ourselves and let's go from there...

Give thanks to God today for everything and at the top of the list be sure to mention HIS AMAZING GRACE!  Let's give God all of ourselves.

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Completely in the dark

Isaiah 8 - 11

Please read chapter 8 of Isaiah today!

So many people in today's world don't know God's word for themselves.  They don't read it.  They trust others to spoon feed them either in church, bible study, or other medias.  Don't!  Yes, God places people in your journey to help, but He wants a relationship with YOU!  He wants you to read the Word and grow closer to Him.  Yes, He will use others, but we must be very careful. 

Today, in chapter 8 it so spoke to my soul about what is happening with our world.  Over and over God instructs us to look to Him.  Darkness surrounds us listen to some of these verses from Isaiah 8...

With their whisperings and mutterings, they will tell us what to do. But shouldn't people ask God for guidance?  Seems simple enough.  When you have a problem, who do you call?  Ghostbusters?  Seriously, is God on the other end of the line or someone else?

Look to God's instructions and teachings!  People who contradict his work are completely in the dark.  They will go from one place to another, weary and hungry.  If you hear something that doesn't sound right, search God's Word for the correct answer.  Don't listen to anyone even friends that might lead you wrong and believe me all of us are human.  We mess up!  Even the most educated don't have all the answers only God does.  Pray, talk to Him and search HIS WORDS FOR ANSWERS.  He will supply.  It will be with His timing, so don't expect it to come like a fast food drive through.  God does not make mistakes, so please search His Word, listen for His answers and believe!

God provides all we need through His Amazing Ways.  He provides people to help, but He gave us His Word to make this journey all it should be.  We must open it up, so that HIS LIGHT guides our feet along the path!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Immanuel

The picture uses words in the New Testament that say who Jesus is ...

Today, we are given these words in Isaiah 7:14 ~

All right then, the LORD himself will give you a sign.  Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means God is with us).  

Indeed, He goes before us, He is with us, and He will be always and forever!

Claim these words!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Here I am. Send me

Amos 7 9, 2 Kings 14:28 - 2 Kings 15:7

Isaiah 6: 1-13

Isaiah son of Amoz, a simple man yet God sent him to the people.

How do you describe yourself?

Whatever words you used to describe yourself, God will use to build His Kingdom.  Listen to these words from Isaiah 6 ~

Then I heard the LORD asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to the people?  Who will go for us?" I said, "Here I am. Send me."  And he said, "Yes, go, and say to this people, Listen carefully, but do not understand.  Watch closely, but learn nothing.' Harden the hearts of these people. Plug their ears and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts and turn to me for healing."

Not exactly a message that anyone would want to deliver is it?  Sometimes we must respond that we are willing to go even when it's not the message we desire to give, because it's not about us! It's about Him listen to these amazing words also from today's reading in Isaiah ~

It was in the year King Ussiah died that I saw the Lord.  He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple.  Attending him were mighty seraphim each having six wings.  With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.  They were calling out to each other,

"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven's Armies!  The whole earth is filled with his glory!"

Yes, indeed it's about Him.  Imagine this scene God is Mighty and He is to be held with the uppermost of everything.  His robe alone filled the Temple.  Yes, LORD indeed your glory does fill the earth.  

Do you need reminding today of God's glory?  Get up early watch the sunrise or watch it sunset!  Watch the hummingbirds, watch your children play, listen to the birds chirp, watch the hawks soar all of this is a gift from Our Father  ~ give thanks!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Come back to me and live!

Amos 1 - 5:17

Reading this morning, I was reminded how important relationship with Our Father truly is...

It doesn't take a lot for all of us or any of us to get off course.  Terrible things happening, terrible diseases, terrible choices and it looks bad, but what do you do?

Well, it  may sound corny, but it is truth!  Come back to me and live!  Amos was sharing about all the terrible things happening around him and what was happening and then in chapter 5 he sang what he called a funeral song, but it was to remind the people of who God truly is ~

It is the LORD who created the stars, the Pleiades and Orion.

He turns darkness into morning and day into night.

He draws water up from the oceans and pours it down as rain on the land.

The LORD is his name!

Take the time to read this for yourself.  I know this is true.  I share my own journey examples in hopes it helps you. When I keep my eyes focused on things of this world my world looses a little bit of the sparkle. Darkness is able to come in, which means the devil gets busy.  He works crouching in darkness to pounce on us.  The moment I turn my eyes back to the Lord the sparkles are back!  God didn't go anywhere, but I did.  The world is filled with darkness, but God is light.  Cling to the light.

I know a lot of folks, don't like to think of the devil.  We must know he is working.  We don't have to be afraid.  We have to be aware and know in Our Hearts, in Our Lives, in Our Heads who truly wins this battle and it IS OUR SAVIOR.  We must claim it and believe it without a doubt!  It kills the darkness!

My life changed when my relationship with the LORD grew closer to Him!  I grew stronger because of Him.  I was afraid, because I wasn't where I needed to be with Him.  Our journey is so much better when we Hold His Hand to get through each day!  I share this because I know it to be true!  I've lived it and still do!

Terrible things surround us, but we are challenged in this book to Come back to me and live!  Indeed, come back and get your sparkle on!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

I don't want to

2 Kings 14 - 15, 2 Chronicles 25 - 26, Jonah 1 -4

Distasteful!  You just don't want to do it!  You refuse!  Ever been there?  I know giving medicine to my puppies is just like this picture...no I'm not doing it!  I don't care, it's just not happening mom!

Okay, how many times have you known in your life that you were suppose to do something and didn't?  You acted a little bit like Jonah and ran the opposite direction just as fast as your two feet would take you?  I admit it, I've done it.  I also admit that I wasn't tossed overboard into the belly of a whale, but I could have been.  It doesn't work out so well when we don't obey, does it?  

Think about your own experiences.  Did it work out well?  I know God uses those experiences as well, but did it really work as well as if we had just done what God desired in the beginning?

Does it make you mad like it did Jonah?  I mean seriously sometimes God calls us to serve in a place or area that well we don't really want to.  We are a little bit like Jonah and we take our judgments with us and think we know best...that's where we get into a trouble.  We think we know best.  

I loved God's words in Jonah 4:11 - But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals.  Shouldn't I feel sorry for such a great city?  God cares for all the people that are in darkness and so should we!  God's ways are not our ways!

Jonah knew who God was!  He knew God would save these people he blamed for terrible things in his own journey, but God knew the whole story!  He knew the whole picture and we must trust and believe in God's ways!  

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

More not just enough to get by...

Elisha's final prophecy is found in 2 Kings 13:14-23 and it struck a chord with me.  Some of us seem to do just enough to get by, when if we truly follow instructions we get it all.

Elisha told the King of Israel to strike the ground with the arrows.  He only struck the ground 3 times.  He didn't go crazy and strike it 30 or something or just once, but 3 times.  The king learns that only striking the ground 3 times meant that he would beat the enemy 3 times and where if he had struck the ground more he would have beaten them until they were entirely gone.  How do we know when enough is enough?

It struck me that perhaps we only ask for enough to get by and we don't expect God to truly give us all we desire.  We are limiting God by not trusting Him with it all.  Everything totally given to God and we believe it's all in His hands.

Today and everyday let's trust and believe!  Let's give it all to Him.  He is Our Savior, He is Our Creator, He is our Father, He is the Beginning and the End, He is the Great Physician and the list could go on and on, but do we truly believe HE is indeed all of these and so much more?

Believing in Him,

Debbie

Hidden

Hidden for 7 years in the Lord's temple.  Imagine it.  Well, the queen was pure evil so trips to the temple weren't going to be happening.  Pretty good place to hide.

The story found in 2 Kings 11 and 2 Chronicles 22: 10-12 always gets my attention.  First the aunt that took such a huge step by running to grab the king's son from all the other children that were murdered.  If she or the son would have been found they would have also been murdered.  Yet she took the brave steps to save her nephew from being murdered.

Brave is a word that describes this aunt.  God had a plan and He used the willing Jehosheba.

Are you willing?

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Open the door and run for your life!

Tickled is the only word for my reaction to the beginning of the reading this morning in 2 Kings 9.  I mean Elisha the prophet calls in a  prophet tells him to get ready for a trip.  While you are packing take a flask of oil and go find Jehu.  Go into a private room and tell him that the LORD says he is anointed king of Israel and then these words "open the door and run for your life!"  

Now don't you know this prophet was wondering really do I look like I"m a good runner? Do you think he was eager to pack on up and head out?  You know that you are in danger because immediately you are given the words and "run for it!"

Come on and laugh with me.  It's okay.  After all, I know a lot people (myself included ) at the beginning of our walk with the LORD thinks I'm following the LORD things are gonna be great and easy...well the great part is definitely a yes, but the easy well not so much!  The devil gets busy when we choose to follow the LORD and when we begin to say YES to God's instructions well it's  far from easy at times.  I'm sorry this just struck a chord with me that life isn't easy and the picture of these man's big eyes wanting to be obedient, but really me?? Do you think he wondered do you have another job opening for me?  Do you think he worried about being a slow runner and his robe getting caught on something in the room?  Did he look like he was capable of handling this assignment?  He had to wonder why me.  After all, don't you ever have those same thoughts "why me"?  Well, we probably all do at times, but we need to follow this man's example and do as we are told. 

The prophet did exactly as he was told.  He annointed Jehu told him the prophesy opened the door and ran!  Immediately the people that surrounded Jehu said these words "What did that madman want?"  Jehu replied, "You know how a man like that babbles on."  Well, we may be called names like this man was, but he was obedient.  He did exactly what he was suppose to do.  He isn't named.  He isn't talked about any more, but he followed through on his instructions from God.

Today, follow through with God's instructions.  You might even giggle thinking of the big eyes this prophet had to have when he was given his instructions to open the door and run for your life!  Today, open the door and run for your life giggling as you go!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Go wash yourself

2 Kings 5 -8

Reading this morning, I was reminded we must humble ourselves to ever be healed!  We, humans struggle with thinking we are pretty special.  Today, Naaman in chapter 5 is a very good example of being proud even when he needed help.

Naaman goes to Elisha for healing of leprosy.  A terrible disease that causes people to be separated and alone most of the time.   Naaman heard of the possibility of Elisha being able to heal him, he travels for healing and Elisha sends word of what to do to be healed and what happens?  Naaman gets angry because Elisha didn't come out to meet him and it was something pretty simple.  He sent word of what Naaman needed to do and it wasn't the message he expected to receive.  You would think he would be happy, but he wasn't.  It was different, unexpected, or something out of the ordinary to what Naaman thought would happen, so he was angry!

How often because of our own pride to we miss out on our healing?  All Naaman had to do was go to the river and wash himself seven times.  Naaman was so angry, if his officers had not reasoned with him; he would have missed his healing!  Naaman had to go down in the water to rise up and be healed!  

How often do we need to get down on our knees in prayer and look up to the Savior for healing?  How often do we let our pride get in the way of being healed?

We may not understand God's ways of healing, but He knows the big picture!  We must trust Him and believe.  Do we need to get on our knees today?  Do we need to encourage someone else, so that they might be healed?

Remember, Naaman today.  He didn't hear Elisha at first, but his friends cared enough to ask the question he needed to hear.  Do we care enough to ask the question?

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

I don't have

1 Kings 17:8 - 20:22

Today, so much got my attention in the reading shown above, but was the story of the widow and her son.  No food left but a handful of flour and a little oil and yet she trusted the words of Elijah that God gave him and gives what she does have first to Elijah and then her son and herself.  Amazing trust!

Put yourself in her shoes.  Perhaps all you have left are what's shown in the photo above someone rings your doorbell and the person gives you a similar story that she received.  What would you do?  

Also, the false gods...over and over.  Listen to these words Elijah spoke in 1 Kings 18:  "How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions?  If the LORD is God, follow him!  But if Baal is God, then follow him!

We should all be listening closely and asking ourselves the same questions.  Are we wavering?  Are we hobbling between two opinions?  Do we realize that God's opinion is the only one that truly matters?  Do we have the faith of the widow to trust and believe?

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Handed them over to you...

So many people struggling right now and the reading today reminded me of who are you counting on to help you?  In our times of needs whose name are we calling?

2 Chronicles 16: 1-10 tells the story of a King Asa read it for yourself, but this verse got my attention

Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the LORD your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram.  Don't you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and charioteers?  At that time you relied on the LORD, and he handed them over to you.  The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.  What a fool you have been.!  From now on you will be at war.

Again, the question bears repeating who are you depending on?  

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

What are you seeking?

Do you remember playing hiding and seek?  I do.  I remember that if it took to long I would peek out and be sure they were still looking for me!  I didn't want to stay lost.  What about you?

Conversation after conversation right now talks about all the terrible things happening around us.  Nobody seems to understand and yet deep down I think we do.  God is talking and He is seeking, but are we hiding?  

Reading this morning from 2 Chronicles 15: 1-19 these verses struck a chord with things happening right now.  

Listen all you people of Judah and Benjamin!  The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him!  Whenever you seek him, you will find him.  But if you abandon him, he will abandon you.

As long as we stay with Him, He is with us.  Look around do you think we are staying with Him?  Are we staying with His teachings?  Are we staying with His desires or is it more about our own desires?  I'm not pointing fingers I'm as guilty as the next, but we as a whole are all about me, me, and more me.  Think about it don't you think as a whole ME is the key word?

Today, let's turn this around and Seek the LORD.  Let's don't hide from the LORD and do our own thing.  Let's stay with the LORD.  We will find HIM and all we have to do is be secure and know that this is true.

Let's don't stay lost ~ let's peek out and look for the LORD today and always!

Let's play a little hide and seek and stay in the LORD today and forever!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Remember him

Isn't it sometimes funny the things we remember and the things we forget?  Seriously,  sometimes I walk into a room now and don't remember why I went there to start with....oh well...not a big deal, but forgetting HIM is!

How do we not remember to give thanks and talk to Our Savior?  We get busy with our everyday life and before we know it the day is gone.  Did we remember to say thank you Lord for the sunshine?  for our health?  for the love of our mate?  for the friendship we count on?  for the flowers?  the list is so long for the things we need to say "thank you" for and also mention our love for Him and all that He is, but did we remember?

My favorite from the reading today was from Ecclesiastes 12 beginning in verse 6 ~

Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken.  Don't wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well.  For then the dust will return to the earth and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Today, remember!  Tomorrow, remember!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Everything God is doing under the sun

Ecclesiastes 7:15 - 11:6

Where do you find comfort?  Is it food?  Sometimes... Is it stuff? Is it people?  Is it God?  Well, at times it might be any of the above, but we all need to find it in God!  Being the humans that we are, it might take us a little while of doing this and falling back, doing this and falling back until we finally get it....Well, we might be a little slow in accepting it.

Reading this morning I was reminded of this several times with several of the scriptures.  I've realized over the years that  I find great comfort in the fact that I just can't understand nor do I want to everything about God and His Ways.  It gives me comfort to realize HE is soooooooooooooo much bigger than my little brain is able to comprehend that this gives me a great peace and comfort!  I love that I serve a MIGHTY GOD that I just simply can't get it all and you know what I trust HIM!  I don't have to get it and this morning these scriptures reminded me of this big fact.  Yes, it's big to realize that I don't have to get it and neither do you, because GOD DOES!  Trust and believe HIS Words!

Ecclesiastes 8:17

I realized that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun.  Not even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim.

and again in Ecclesiastes 11:5

Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother's womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.

Believe and trust and enjoy walking in the sun with the Son!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Chasing the wind?

Ecclesiastes 1:12 - 6:12

The phrase "like chasing the wind" caught my eye this morning.  8 times to be exact!  Yes, 8 times Solomon felt like telling each of us it is all meaningless-like chasing the wind.  What does that mean to you?

Well, to me it means that we are not going to catch what we desire by running after it.  Here is the wisest man, the wealthiest man, the most desired man (1000 women), the king, and so much more, but nothing is making him happy.  Ever been there?  Well probably not the king, or the wealthiest, or the wisest, but running to be happy with where you are at the moment?  

Are you content?  How do you define content?  Well here are a few of my thoughts - satisfied, happy, gratified, at ease, pleased, pleased as punch...Are you any of these?  We need to find our happy place and keep our focus on Him.  Yes, Him and by Him I mean the LORD.  Once we place our focus on Him the rest seems to fall into place otherwise we constantly are chasing the wind...never to find that satisfied spot.  Think about it without Him doesn't that hole inside of you just get bigger and bigger?  Stuff that you think will make you happy?  Nope.  People that will make you happy?  Nope.  Places?  Nope.  Only God will satisfy that spot, because He designed us to want Him for that empty spot deep inside and only God will make us happy and content where we stop chasing the wind!

I love the little girl chasing the birds.  Don't stop having fun - God desires to run with us chasing the birds, but we don't have to search for answers in the run.  God is the answer!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Even the butterflies turn away

1 Kings 11, 2 Chronicles 9:29-31, Ecclesiastes 1: 1-11

These words grasp my attention this morning ~ for his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.

Not once, but twice God appeared to Solomon and yet he turned away.  Wisdom, but he still turned to other gods...notice the little g, because he (Solomon) had turned away from God with a big G.  Yes, wisdom and over a 1000 women, riches beyond words and yet he still wasn't wise enough to realize what mattered.

I can only imagine the chaos in that house.  1000 women with all that implies!!!!  I'm a woman, so I can say that knowing in my heart that "chaos" is the only word that fits the back stabbing, the insults, the unworthiness, the shyness, the sadness, the do I matter, will Solomon pick me today...you imagine it!  It would have been awful, but what did Solomon expect.  Absolutely not God's plan, but Solomon brought in all these foreign woman and being so wise Solomon had to try out all the foreign pleasures even foreign little "g" gods.

Well, enough about Solomon and his story.  What about us?  What do we turn away from God for a little "g" god?  Is it television, computer, shopping, beauty treatments, friends, eating, trips, anything that we put before God.  What's your pleasure?  

We are so weak without God.  Solomon is a perfect example of someone that allowed pride and luxury to take away his attention from what mattered to all of these others things that are temporary fixes...the fix was in on Solomon, but is it on us?

Let's get our focus back to God and His desires for our journeys!  A life not so full of chaos...I tell you picturing the palace filled with a 1000 women and all that picture brings to mind, brings me to giggles, because as wise as Solomon was he wasn't too smart at all and neither are we at times!  

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

The flowers are springing up!

Song of Songs 1 - 8:14

I love Song of Songs or Song of Solomon because it is an allegorical form about our relationship with God.

I loved these verses from today's reading 2:12-13

The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come, the cooing of turtledoves fills the air.  The fig trees are forming young fruit, and the fragrant grapevines are blossoming.  Rise up, my darling!  Come away with me, my fair one!

God is gentle and allows each of us to choose to follow Him.  It is a beautiful time in each of our lives when we realize how much God loves us and will pursue us to have a relationship with us.  It's bright, it's beautiful, and it's freedom.

Thank you Lord for pursuing each of us for the mighty love that you have for each and every one of us.  Let us have ears to hear and hearts open for your desires.  Thank you Father for loving each of us and continuing to care while we grow closer to you.  Amen

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Sweet to your soul

Proverbs 22: 17-24:22

Some of the touching verses to my soul this morning were found in Proverbs 24:13-14

My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.  In the same way,

wisdom is sweet to your soul.  If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short.

Hope is what gets me through each day and my hope is found in the LORD.  I am going to share with you today something that goes back quite a few years now to a time when my hope was gone and how the LORD provided the wisdom to sweeten my soul.

I've shared with those of you close to me that I was unable to have children.  I took the meds, I tried everything imaginable and it wasn't to be.  I was in total despair.  Many times I wondered why I was even here on this earth.  People would say things that would cut to the core about why aren't you having kids.  When are you going to give up the good life of travel and it being just you and Kenny and I would think do you even see the woman standing before you?  I was broken.  I felt less than I was suppose to be after all having babies is what women are suppose to do or so the world tells you.  I was sinking so deep in my despair that I went searching in God's Word and He began to speak to me through His Words.  He began to heal my broken heart, my broken body, and my broken mind!  I found my hope again and it was found in the LORD.

It's scary to me in our world today that everyone thinks the next purchase, the next new surgery, the next new man made law will change things.  These things will heal our problems or even the next politician or entertainer will provided the needed cure!  The only thing that heals us is the LORD.  God provides the hope and the future ~ YES HE PROVIDES OUR ETERNAL FUTURE!  Please don't let the world convince you that it is able to heal you.  It's short term.  I promise I tried some of the world cures and my heart, soul, and body were not healed until I turned to the LORD!

I pray that each of us will turn back to God and allow Him to provide the most beautiful hope!  He will provide the wisdom that is indeed pure sweetness!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie