May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Psalm 33:11
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.
In church Sunday, we sang My Testimony by Elevation Worship. One of the phrases in the song says something like this, "if I'm not dead, then you aren't done."
As songs often do, this one got me to thinking. I pondered about God's plan and how I fit in. I have a t-shirt that says, "He has a plan, and I have a purpose."
The phrases from the song and the shirt remind me that no matter how old I am, I
have a purpose in God's plan. That thought can be applied to how young, whether by age, or by new life in Christ, a person is. He wants us to be
part of His work in this world.
My mom lived to be ninety-five, my Grammy ninety-two,
and my dad eighty-seven. I remember talking to mom on visits
as she grew closer to the end of her life. Due to her arthritis, she couldn't
do as much as she used to, but she continued to address and send cards for her Sunday
school class even when she couldn't attend. The cards her hands touched and
prepared blessed the sick, elderly, shut-in and whoever the class reached out
to. Grammy taught piano to students until the day she passed, and she prayed.
She lifted every family member, friend, and acquaintance to the Lord in prayer
every day. Dad encouraged his grandkids and until he couldn't
anymore, he fixed everything for everybody. All three of them allowed God to
continue to work through their lives and touch others in His name.
I have been blessed by many children and young people who
love Jesus. I'm thankful for every one of them. Not to mention the folks who
are young in Christ and share an enthusiasm that reminds me not to take my
faith for granted.
No matter how long I live, I want to continue to follow God's plan for my life.
Don't give up, instead ask Jesus what you can do.
I remember, as a young person, helping Grammy snip peonies and irises.
Then we wrapped a glass jar in aluminum foil, filled it with water, and added the flowers. We placed the simple remembrance at the graves of my grandpa,
great-grandma, and my great-uncle, Walter Smith.
Walter died during the Great Influenza epidemic in 1918,
while he served at a camp in Chillicothe, during WW 1.
I don't visit the graves anymore, but I want to offer honor and thanks
to those who have served our country and lost their lives for our freedom.
Thank you to the families who have lost loved ones to war. May God bless you.
Psalm 128:1
Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
who walk
in obedience to him.
Obedience to God is an act of faith.
For as long as I’ve walked with God on my writing journey, He’s
only asked one thing of me—to be obedient. With every word I’ve typed, class I’ve
taken, conference I’ve attended, He has opened doors for me to walk through.
Mind you, I didn’t have to step through any of them. The free will He gives us
to choose our own adventure could have kept me from the journey He planned. And
at times, I know I stepped off the path, but He waited patiently for me to turn
around and seek Him again. You see, I had a dream to be a writer, and I prayed
about my desire. I had no idea where the journey would take me, but I knew God
walked with me.
He’s my writing partner. The One who knows my every thought
and prayer. He understands my heart’s desire and He’s given me the tools to follow
my dream. I know this because He’s the one who placed the dream on my heart
from the beginning.
Scott and Lori Conley had a dream to provide food to
children, offer scholarships for camp, and provide pillows to kindergartners.
They prayed about the possibility of beginning a ministry to empower children and
provide for their unmet needs. Lori and Scott got the program off the ground
with much prayer, and Empower Youth soared. Since then Lori has made her way to
heaven, Scott remarried, and the dream has continued. Even though Lori is in her
heavenly home, Scott has remained obedient to God’s call.
We don’t know where our passions might lead. I pray my words
encourage and bring hope. I know Empower Youth feeds the hungry both physically and
spiritually.
My question now is, do you have a dream, a desire, a passion
you want to pursue? Is it something God has placed on your heart? Pray, read
the Bible for guidance, and seek people who will encourage you and give you
wisdom, and be obedient.
Have faith in the One who created you for your adventure.
Are you gathering your beach reads? Maybe your sit by the pool reads? Or summer reads under a shade tree. I hope you'll consider Home Away from Home, set in the summer on an island.
Order:
Amazon
Romans 12:16-18
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to
associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone
evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If
it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (NIV)
When music sings in harmony it is sweet to the ears.
May is a busy month for end-of-year school activities. This week two of our grandsons participated in the Middle School’s band concert. Sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, along with high school jazz and concert bands performed instrumental renditions of a variety of songs. These kids are blessed with excellent teachers who create an atmosphere where the students want to learn. |
| I love this photo of our grands with their friends! |
With Eli on the trumpet and Zeke on the baritone the notes
of It’s Raining Tacos danced across the gym. The sixth-grade band played
a song they wrote themselves. Their band teacher, Mr. Glader, explained that
one student played a riff, a short, repeated phrase in music and jazz, then
another student on a different instrument played their version until the entire
band played a part. Their song was inspiring.
Listening to all the different instruments come together in
harmony and create excellent music reminded me of the church. Not the building
we meet in, but the people. The believers who meet together and then go into the
week with Jesus on our hearts. God wants us to be in harmony with Him and with
one another, which often means we aren’t harmonizing with the world. Instead,
we’re humbly serving others and attempting to live at peace.
As a believer and an instrument of God, I want to be in tune
with God’s word and His people. I love singing together with folks in church,
we raise our voices as the musicians on stage play their instruments. I try to
carry the joy I find in sharing music into my week.
It’s hard enough to live in this world without being in
discord with fellow believers. Instead of discord, let’s encourage and spread
God’s hope and love.
Be in harmony, serve others, and live in peace.
Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the one
who does
not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or
sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of
the Lord,
and who
meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by
streams of water,
which
yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever
they do prospers.
Do I thrive or survive?
Have you noticed spring’s signature color? The
bright one that signals an awakening of the trees. I’m not sure I can describe the
vibrant shade of green and do it justice., but I'll try. The bright, light yellow-green shimmered
in the spring breeze as if golden sunshine water colored the leaves. Can you picture it?
When I traveled with Maggie to South Carolina,
the mountains glowed with the green of spring, as the limbs reached to the sky
and invited sunlight into their veins. Even along the cuts in hills that lined
the roads, trees sprouted and waved as life flowed through their roots.
Those beautiful trees thrived.
Although many of the trees we witnessed with
their delicate pops of green were young, they have the opportunity to grow into
maturity. Which makes me wonder: Will they thrive or merely survive?
As a believer, Jesus gives me a choice. Will my
soul thrive or will I just survive? Casting Crowns sings a song and asks if we
want to live an ordinary life or thrive and live the life God intends for us. God
plants dreams in our hearts, He gives us the opportunity to make the world a
better place, and He offers salvation and a plan to live an amazing life in
eternity. Thrive or survive? I want to thrive.
Meditate on His word, seek His guidance and learn
to thrive.
