Questions and answers

Do you ever feel like the girl in the picture?  Surrounded with questions, but where are the answers?

We demand answers almost like, when we pull up to the drive through at McDonald's or Starbucks...whatever your choice might be just give us what we want.  We want to know right now not tomorrow, not next week and certainly not when God decides to tell us.  No, we want it right now.  Give it to us right now!  Did you hear us?  Demanding answers for questions that honestly we don't know.  Some people may give you an answer, but they may not  know.  Honestly they will try their best, but they aren't God, so quit asking the questions that some people might step off  in and decide to give you an answer, but how do they know?  They don't...they might give you their very best answer...but it's their answer!  Go to God's Word and wait for Him to provide for your need and it might not be the answer you thought you were looking for...  I want to sidestep here and say yes sometimes God speaks through other people, but we must be very careful and know God's Word to see if the two are in step together.

Remember, when you were a little girl?  I know sometimes it's difficult, but remember being carefree swinging on the swing trusting that everything was going to be okay?  Well, it truly is to me something like that with our faith.  We must trust God that He knows the answers and HE does! Trust things are truly okay and that we don't have to have the answers!  Believe in Him!

Recently, I had a very profound dream.  A dream that woke me up and made me get up out of bed get my Bible and research for some answers.  One of those dreams that you know God provided because I promise where He lead me is not a book that I read all the time.  The book reminded me of we are all broken people, but when we are looking for answers come to Him.  It reminded to cry for all of us and to look to Him for hope and that He is able to rebuild, but we must realize we are broken first.

His timing is amazing!  The Word He sends that I need to hear and most of all the reassurance and love that always comes with the Word!  I find hope, peace, and joy in the reminder of who God truly is...not who we are but who He IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE...once again He surprised me yesterday with an awesome reminder of He was here long before the world, He was and always will be and it boggles my little mind and maybe yours, but it brings such peace to me because I believe all of this about God and so much more!  He gave me the following verses to ponder yesterday of a beautiful reminder of who He truly is...

1 John 1 - 2

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.  The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

John, the loved disciple wrote these words.  He knew Jesus.  He walked with Jesus. He saw Jesus on the cross and He saw Him return and these words truly touch my heart knowing indeed He was here on earth walking among people just like you and me.  Questions surrounding him and He provided and provides all the answers we need!  He is love!

I went on reading throughout the chapters of 1 John and came to one of my favorite verses found in chapter 4 and in verse 10 ~ This is love:  not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 

None of us were an after thought...we are all loved! God sent His Son for you and for me and it's all about Him.  He provided for us long before we were even here...

We can debate.  We can argue.  We can provide answers, but Jesus is the only answer that any of us truly need!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Do you know?

Do you know that over 1 billion people are still Bible less?

I found this shocking considering all the technology that surrounds all of us today.

I received an email from Dayspring this morning with a devotion about a woman named Esther that traveled to Botswana to watch as people are told the stories orally from the Bible.  Yes, orally.  I was curious, so I clicked the link to find out more and here is the link for all of you to go find out more too...

https://theseedcompany.org/

Amazing work and stories.

Thanks Dayspring and Esther for planting seeds about this awesome ministry, so that I could share it with my friends and loved ones.  Help plant seeds today!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

My little shadow...

My little brown and white shadow above is surely missed!  A little over a week ago my little guy JJ passed away and well it's been tough!

He was the one that never missed any step I took to the point he tripped me half the time.  This past week I can't tell you the times I've turned to call him, thinking where is he and what's he getting into...when we loose a loved one  - 4 legged too...it's very hard, but it's amazing at the same time how God shows up to hold you and remind you of HIS amazing love.

I ran just as fast as I could to my favorite spot...Colorado.  I knew that my mom would take the quick trip with me and we took off.  God continually throughout the trip provided the needed word, the sunrise, the sunset, the rainbow, the animal, the devotion that just touched the spot in my hurting heart.

One morning I was reading God's Word and He provided exactly what I've needed for the journey so far...these amazing words that also used the word that I use to describe JJ in my life...

Psalms 36:7

How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

I am definitely finding refuge in the shadow of God's protective wing the same way that JJ found it in me...forever I will miss him, but once again through a difficult time God provides some pretty amazing experiences with Him.  Thank you LORD!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

"The Sacred Year" by Michael Yankoski

Are you perhaps having moments that you are asking deep questions about why or how?  Is your soul longing for something more?  Well, if you answered yes to either of these this book might be the one for you to read right now.

I was given this book to read to review by Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson Publishers to give my honest thoughts about and I loved it!  I loved the honesty, the rawness of his questions and the steps he made to find answers were at times funny, at times heart wrenching, and others I was asking really?  did he really do that?

My book is dog eared on so many pages for me to go back and remember the times that spoke to my soul.  The time he wrote about dumpster diving brought laughter to my mind picturing this man reclaiming some of his things or someone else's.  Freeing is the word he used to describe the experience.

Another of the processes that Michael undertook was to actually dig a grave - (yes you read it right).  It took 1405 shovelfuls to dig the grave.  It was about trying to come to terms with his own mortality.  I think we all struggle with this, but how many of us went out to the grave yard to face it by digging a grave?  His words describing the whole process touched my heart in some weird way almost like his weird idea of doing it, but I think it brought both us both a peace.  Odd has that may sound.  Michael perhaps dug for many of us!

The Confession chapter was another one that just really grasp my attention in a whole new way of thinking.  I would not want to spoil any of this chapter for anyone other than to say comparing our sin to cancer and the way it eats away at us, but that God indeed loves us through it all.  

Michael took a journey that many of us would never be brave enough to take the steps for ourselves.  We are able to learn from his experiences and his honesty things about our own spiritual journey.  A reminder of to continually be in awe of God in the little things of life as well as the big things.  To always look for Him in each moment and perhaps to really look at an apple, or place a hazelnut in your pocket to be a reminder for you about God's amazing love!

I want to encourage you to purchase this wonderful book filled with honesty, boldness, creativity, questions, reality, and truth.  You may purchase this book at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, any place you purchase books it is available and it is worth the time and the money!  I don't think you would ever be disappointed you spent either one on this book.

Blessings,

Debbie