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
1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his
height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things
people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks
at the heart.”
Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from
it.
I experienced joy in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
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Have you ever experienced something or attended a gathering
where you tasted a hint of heaven? That’s what I experienced at the Blue Ridge
Mountains Christian Writers Conference.
I spent a week at the Ridgecrest Conference Center immersed
in fellowship, worship, and education. More than knowledge, wisdom swirled in
those mountains. Every day we spent two sessions listening to encouraging and hope-filled
messages from the keynote speakers. We were led in worship by a young couple
who blessed us with their love of Jesus. We attended classes led by amazing
authors and folks in the publishing industry, and I met fellow writers who,
like me, needed encouragement to stay obedient to the call to write.
The experience as a whole filled me with hope and
anticipation, but I knew when I went home to my family (who I longed to see) and every day life, I’d
need to ease back into life. I say this because I know the Devil and his wily
ways. He can’t wait to suck the joy out of me, but Kia Stephens, the final
keynote speaker, reminded me to guard my heart from the one who wants to
inflict doubt.
God told Samuel He looks at the heart, and Proverbs reminds
me to guard my heart because everything flows from it.
One way to keep my heart safe from attack is to praise God, lift
my face to Jesus, and allow the Holy Spirit to fill me with peace.
When the devil attacks—fight back—lift your voice and sing. It doesn’t matter if it’s off key or not, just praise the Father and ask Him to fill your heart with His hope and peace.
John 12:3
Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it
on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with
the fragrance of the perfume.
The essence of lavender hung in the air.
I’ve grown lavender in my flower garden for years. One of the plants I have has moved with me three times. Usually lavender doesn’t transplant well, but this particular plant has endured. Many types of lavender don’t like rich loamy soil but want an alkaline base, instead. When I discovered how well the plant thrived in the dirt at our condo, I added two more plants, a French lavender and another English lavender. Both produce lovely purple blooms and a fragrance I love.
As long as I water the plant (they don’t need an abundance) put it in a sunny spot, and prune it when it’s time, I enjoy the fragrant smell of it all summer. I can keep the smell around longer if I gather the stems and blooms and tie them in bundles to dry for winter. Some people press the blooms and draw out the oil to use in soaps and other products.
The oil Mary used to anoint Jesus’ feet may have come from the Nardostachys jatamansi, a flowering plant in the honeysuckle family. It produces an expensive thick golden oil used sparingly. Mary understood how precious her friendship with Jesus was, and that His purpose on earth would change the world. She chose to honor His life as many would honor His death.
I’ve read that the sense of smell is the sense that brings back the most memories. The smell of lavender will always remind me of the peace and calm I feel when I’m working in my plants. For Mary, I’m sure every time she smelled the fragrance of nard, she remembered Jesus and His sacrifice.
I’ve been to the church camp a few times in the last few weeks and the smell of the woods and the dorms never changes. I’m reminded of some of my best days as a kid, when I learned how much Jesus loved me.
I hope something reminds you of Jesus every single day. Whether the smell of a flower, a picture, a kindness shown to you or that you show to others.
Jesus loves you, every day.
Hebrews 11:1-3
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do
not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we
understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is
seen was not made out of what was visible.
Hebrews 11:39-40
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what
had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that
only together with us would they be made perfect.
I’d wanted to see the northern lights/aroura borealis, but I
missed it. Sara had posted her photos from her yard and said, “Go outside.” So,
we did. We drove out to an area with fewer lights to see if we could see it,
but they never materialized. If we’d driven farther east, we may have had a
chance, but we were both tired and decided to go home. We tried again the next
night, but nothing materialized. But that’s okay. I enjoyed all the photos of
our grandkids seeing them and all the Facebook posts.
A week later, Tim and I stopped at the local Dollar General and when we went outside, the sunset was stunning. Orange, lavender, and purple painted the sky. God put on a beautiful show of color. The amazing sky reminded me of a truth our pastor spoke of recently.
God has a better plan. I might be disappointed or devastated
because my plans didn’t work out. But God had something better for me. I may
not have gotten the writing opportunity I wanted, but God had a greater plan
for my work.
I didn’t see the northern lights, but I did witness a
glorious sunset that reminded me God is with me.
No matter the circumstances, God is faithful, and Jesus loves
you. He’s always with us if we invite Him on our journey.
Ask Jesus to join you on your everyday walk.
