A Weekly Walk in the Word

Jeremiah 17:7-8 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

South Texas is where we traveled last week to buy antiques, relax and explore. My favorite part of our trip were the people. Every shop we visited and every person we met left us with the same saying… “you all have a blessed day”.

We were able to accomplish all the items on our trip itinerary even with a heat index of over 100 degrees every day we were there. I usually melt in the extreme heat, but in Texas the people thrive. We met such amazing friendly people who were not afraid to share their faith.

We now have new friends who are planning trips to visit us in Minnesota and we will return to our new friends in Texas. You all have a blessed day!

Psalm 8:1-4  O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man, that you care for him?

God’s handiwork is incredible. We took a road trip this weekend from Minnesota to Texas – 17 hours in the truck. I was in awe of the beauty of our land. We passed fields of cotton, red rivers and magnificent trees. But the skylines were breathtaking. The creator shares a piece of heaven in the landscapes of our world if we only slow down enough to notice.

Romans 1:11-12  I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong – that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 

How do you encourage the faith in others?

The Minnesota Writer’s Guild has begun their 2019-2020 year. We meet once a month in Hopkins, which is over an hour drive from my house. It would be easy to stay home instead of making the effort every month to attend the meeting. But, every time I go, I am blessed to be surrounded by other Christian writers.  Their text messages, emails and phone calls mean so much to me. My faith has increased because of the the love I receive from these writers encouragement. And the beautiful thing is that when I show up, God is always there to meet me in that place!

May God Bless you and may you find a group where you feel welcome to encourage each other’s faith.

Matthew 26:36-39  Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Where do you go when you become overwhelmed?

We had a crazy week last week that landed us on an antique buying trip near the St. Paul Cathedral. As we walked by, we decided to go in because neither of us had been this close to the cathedral. As we walked through the massive doors a sense of peace came over me. God was in that place. Even though outside St. Paul experienced 3 homicides in 9 hours and it was the week of 9/11, inside the St. Paul Cathedral, there was peace.

Instead of being overwhelmed by life, be overwhelmed by God’s love.

Isaiah 40:6-8  “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”

The landscape seems to change daily. My flowers wilt a little every day as they reach the end of their growing season. Soon the bright blooms will fall as the early morning frost covers the ground. I anticipate the season change by adding an extra blanket to our bed and becoming reunited with my favorite sweater.

We experience many seasons of change in our lives. I think that is why I am so comforted by the verses in Isaiah. No matter how much things change, God’s word remains the same FOREVER! He is the rock when life gets moving too fast.

Enjoy autumn and the season of life you are in today. God was with you yesterday, he is with you today, and he will be with you tomorrow.

Psalm 29:3-10  The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. he makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forest bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the lord is enthroned as King forever. The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.

Where do you hear the voice of the Lord?

Where do you see the hand of God?

He is everywhere.

Seek Him

Ephesians 1:13  And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.

The project for this week was to seal our front patio and sidewalk. It began with a thorough cleaning of sweeping, scrubbing and rinsing. It is amazing the amount of dirt that builds up in the corners over a year. The sealing process is so rewarding as the chalky concrete turns to a sparkling golden color, highlighting the exposed aggregate.

You my friend have been sealed by the unconditional love of Jesus Christ, who has given you the gift of the Holy Spirit. He has cleaned away all the dirt in the corners of your life. You are protected by his seal to live in his glory forever!

Shine as you move through life, knowing that you have been sealed in Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 

Downtown Oronoco Gold Rush Flea Market is this weekend, and we are having a blast set up as vendors. If you live close, stop by this morning. If you do not live close, mark your calendar for next August.

Preparations began weeks ago as we scoured barns, auctions and estate sales for pieces we could give a new life. This work is not for the faint of heart. We scrubbed, glued, sanded, painted and stained. But, all the work is worth the effort when we see the customer’s eyes sparkle as they find the perfect table and explain how their daughter will use it as a writing desk to do her homework. It is so rewarding to be a part of the process of connecting people with just the right table to make their house a home!

If I am able to take an old worn out table and turn it into a new writing desk for a 12 year old girl, just think of what Christ is able to do with your tired life? He is able to give your life new purpose!

Exodus 26:1  “Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen add blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim worked into them by a skilled craftsman.

A friend from Minnesota traveled to Indonesia where she learned the art of batik. She explained in detail how the women began the process with a simple piece of fabric. They then use a template to stamp scalding wax onto the fabric, which is then soaked in a dye bath. This process is repeated several times until the desired depth and color are achieved. The beauty of batik is in the wax which is the first thing applied to the fabric. You can not see the wax on the fabric until the dye is applied. The darker the dye, the more beautiful the fabric.

God has been with you from before you were born. He is always with you, shining through our simple lives. The darker life becomes, the brighter Christ shines. He created each of us a special, unique work of art.  You, my friend, are beautiful and loved by Jesus!

Matthew 6:5-13  “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This then, is how you should pray:

” ‘ Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

One of the greatest gifts we have been given is the ability to communicate with our Lord, the creator of the universe! How mind blowing is that? The one who breathed life into all of creation takes the time to not only listen, but respond to your requests.

May you find peace as you travel down your Prayer Avenue!