PERMISSION GRANTED!

"Adulting" is a fairly new phrase many young people use to describe meeting all the responsibilities that come with being an adult. I doubt Peter Pan would have ever allowed anyone in Never Never Land to use that phrase. No matter what your age sometimes you just need a break from being grown up! And you know what else? I feel like God is saying permission granted!

 

It reminded me that Jesus said in order to inherit the kingdom of God we must all become like children. (Matthew 18) Simply put, I believe God is telling us to keep it simple. Things in our world are pretty complicated right now yet children are still being children. I love the laughter of my grandchildren when their dads tickle them. It's pure joy. Children are not worried that their needs will be met. They are trusting their parents will do whatever it takes to meet those needs. They know who to look to when there is something they don't yet know how to do and never hesitate to ask for help. They have faith in the ability of their parents. They lay down and sleep peacefully without a care in this world knowing they are safe and secure. They aren't worried about the future. They just enjoy today. Is God giving us permission to stop adulting? Not at all, but he given us permission to be his child. We can live our lives with joy and expectancy, faith that he will meet our needs, freedom from worry and fear and most of all with the security of knowing it's all in his hands. Have a wonderful day friends! Permission granted! You are greatly loved!

HE REALLY LOVES YOU!

Our family didn't attend church when I was a child. We didn't say the blessing before meals or bedtime prayers at night. There was no Bible in our home except the little New Testaments that they gave out at the end of the school year. Yes, they used to do that. No one talked about God in my house except when my dad who was a sailor used him name sometimes. However growing up I did hear things about God. They weren't things that would really make you want to know him. As a matter of fact they made me want to stay as far away from him as I could. Once, when I was hit by a train and miraculously lived through it, a nice Christian lady told me, "well you know bad things happen to you when you aren't living right." I remember thinking wow, I'm so bad God sent a train to run over me. What I can't remember anyone telling me was that God loved me. No one ever explained that Jesus died for my sins, not because I was so bad, but because he loved me so much. Yes, I know the Bible clearly tells us that but I'm not so sure it's always clearly communicated. One of my favorite prayers for someone is that God reveals his love to them. The Bible tells us that we love him because he first loved us. It's a love story y'all! When you realize how much you are loved by God you can't help but fall in love with him. No one and I mean no one loves you like Jesus does! That's my prayer for you today. That you will know, really know and be reminded how much God loves you! You are greatly loved! ❤️

SET THOSE SPRINKLERS

I was excited to see a wet lawn this morning. Did it rain? No, that would be nice but it was the next best thing. My sprinklers are working again! I have to admit when we built our house I did not understand why my husband was so adamant that we include a sprinkler system in the plans. I really thought it was an unneeded expense when we could just buy a garden hose. He actually asked the builder to take it out of the plans and God gave us a miracle but that's another story for another day. My hubby thought he needed a sprinkler system but God knew I would need it. Keeping flowers and grass alive in this Texas heat is a challenge and those sprinklers have been a blessing. I've always thought it was interesting that Jesus called himself living water. The Bible has a lot to say about the subject of water, spiritual living water, bringing life. I know my little flowers are so happy to get a drink after a 100 degree day and it amazes me how they just spring back to life. Even our physical bodies need to stay hydrated to function properly. How much more does our spirit need the living water that only comes from Jesus? Just as I had to learn to set times for the sprinklers to water my yard we have to set times so God can water our soul. We need time in his word that will wash over and cleanse us from the heat and dust that drains us and clouds our minds. We need times to rest and enjoy the fountain of living water that springs forth from our Lord. We need times of refreshing and filling in the deepest part of who we are. I pray you will remember to set your spiritual sprinklers today! It's hot out there! You are greatly loved. ❤️

HIGH HOPES

  

Anyone remember this song? 🎼Just what makes that little old ant think he can move that rubber tree plant? Anyone knows an ant can't move a rubber tree plant. But he's got high hopes, high in the sky apple pie hopes. 🎼This morning I believe the Lord is reminding us not to give up hope! Given what's going on it can be hard not to allow hopelessness to creep in. But we have something that little old ant didn't have. His hope was in what he could do. Our hope is in what God can do! Hope is a powerful force!. It gives purpose to our faith. Hope dares to believe the impossible! God tells us to be overflowing with hope. One version says, overflowing in confidence in God's promises. We don't have a high in the sky apple pie hope. No, we have a living hope because it's in a living God! That ant might move a rubber tree plant but we can move mountains! I pray your hope will remain strong and will overflow. You are greatly loved! ❤️

FEAR VS WISDOM

 

I believe wisdom (God's wisdom) is a precious gift from God. While having a conversation with a friend recently I said there is a difference in fear and wisdom. As believers sometimes we get caught up in in the faith vs fear mindset and forget that there is also wisdom. We know fear isn't from God. He makes that very clear. We know that we are to live by faith and God even tells us he is pleased when we do. His word instructs us to ask for wisdom and promises he will give it to us in abundance. I believe more than ever we need God's wisdom. These are very difficult days. It's almost as if a virus of insanity has been unleashed on our world in addition to the unseen Covid19. It's not a time to be fearful. It is a time to remain strong in our faith. But it is also a time to ask God for wisdom. God knows and has the answers. He doesn't give us a spirit of fear but he doesn't just stop there. He gives us love and power and a SOUND MIND! If ever we needed a sound mind it's now. I pray you have a blessed week and are filled with the wisdom of God! You are greatly loved! ❤️

Flowers in the Covid Dessert

Lately are you feeling a little like you're stranded in the middle of some kind of lonely Covid dessert? You can see people in the distance but you can't get too close to them. For me it seems like I'm caught up in some kind of dust cloud that has blanketed the entire world. No one has a clear picture of the what, the how and the when it will lift. It would be enough to make one lose hope except of course, you guessed it, God! Never underestimate our great God and the human spirit. God has placed survival in the heart of man and one of the ways some of us have survived being stranded at home is working the land. Well, maybe that's a stretch but we've spent time in our yards growing and planting beautiful flowers and plants. I've enjoyed seeing posts with pictures of everyone's beautiful gardens. It seems that the flowers are just showing off this year. And we shouldn't be surprised. God's word tells us that he will make the dessert and the wilderness sing and burst forth in blooms. Isaiah 35:1 He goes on to say, take courage, he is on his way to make things right and to save us! And in the meantime he makes this dessert place we find ourselves in break forth with his beauty. I hope you have a chance today to enjoy it and when you do I pray every flower reminds you he is at work! You are greatly loved!

The Parts Are All There

I couldn't help but chuckle a little this morning when I read this verse. I certainly don't feel very complete or "put together." Immediately the Lord said, "Sherry, all the parts may not be put together yet, but they are all there." My mind flashed to a DIY video I had just watched a day or so ago. It was a video of a table a couple purchased at IKEA and were going to makeover. On the outside of the box was a picture of the table but when they opened it what came out resembled nothing like that picture. Their purchase was in what seemed like a hundred different pieces. It was a table alright but just not put together yet. Did you know when God sees you he sees the picture on the outside of the box? He doesn't see all the pieces scattered all over floor of you life. He's not concerned that they won't fit into his plan. He designed you so that they will. And if you let him, he will put you together perfectly. His word says he is the author and finisher of our faith and that he makes everything beautiful in it's time. You may feel like a jumbled mess today but God sees a masterpiece. I can see God now, putting this part of your life in place and just maybe giving a little chuckle. You are greatly loved!