Good morning! It's the last day of September. How are you today? Are you an Autumn person? Do you love to get out your warmer clothes, like the sweaters and hoodies? Oh, and drink all the pumpkin spice things? Ha! I'm not a pumpkin spice coffee girl (why mess with something that's perfect the way it is??), but I still love the pumpkin desserts...pie, bread, muffins, cake...... I also love this season, and for someone's who is hot ALL the time, the crisp air feels SO refreshing to me! Yay! When I ask people if they like the change in season, I almost always get the answer, "Yes, but I don't like what's coming next (Winter)." I always think to myself, "but that's not what I asked you!" I know that Winter is coming, and it's l o n g, but oh, how much I enjoy the colors, the vibrancy of the sun, and the lovely breeze!

It's been a good week so far. As I mentioned, I got my hair cut on Monday and I love it and I like the salon and got to know the owner a bit. I will definitely go back! How nice is it that I had success on my first try? Yesterday was a little different. I went to get my massage and something happened that I didn't expect. Let me say first that I really like the massage therapist and she did a great job, but my body reacted in a way that wasn't so good. I got extremely sick the minute I sat up and got off the table. I mean, I could hardly walk, let alone drive. I made it to the church just a block down and my husband drove me home. I was lightheaded and nauseous, and I spent the rest of the day in bed. I've had several massages before this, and I always know that I can expect soreness and a little headache afterwards. The only difference this time was that it was the longest one I've had (an hour) and she focused on just my neck and shoulders for the whole time (per my request). The only reason I brought this up is to see if any of you ever had similar experiences. My sister is also a licensed massage therapist so maybe I'll hear from her. I did drink plenty of water, before and after, but I hadn't had anything to eat before I went. I just don't eat that early, so it didn't occur to me to do so. Anyway, I feel much better today, and I have relief from what was done, so that's good.

On to a new day! I plan to get out for a walk, try to finally get things set up in my craft room (an ongoing thing), and hopefully make an apple pie. We were given a lot of apples and I need to use them! How about you? What's your day like?

Devotion

I really like how the author of today's devotion breaks down this wonderful passage about God's love! I have to confess that I never really thought about it this way before. What an encouragement! Have a WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAY ladies!

"How Would You Describe God's Love?"
CBN Ministries, Shadia Hrichi

Have you ever felt as if a sermon or Bible passage had been aimed directly at you? Imagine that you I really like how the author and a friend read or hear the same message. Almost without exception, each of you will be personally impacted by God’s love and truth in profoundly unique ways. It is no coincidence that the Bible describes the Word of God as, “alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12).

The Dimensions of God’s Love

In Ephesians chapter three, we are challenged to try to grasp the “width, length, height, and depth” of God’s love. Sometimes when I read this illustration, I picture Christ as the carpenter. Carefully constructing His Church, He positions each person in their proper place, at the proper time, in the proper order. He does this so that together, we support and strengthen each other as we become vessels of God’s love in a hurting world.

But at other times, my heart and mind may gravitate to one particular aspect. Over the years, each one has seemed to jump off the page at one time or another. They serve to remind me of a specific attribute of God that speaks to my heart in my current situation. How about you?

How Do You Envision God’s Love?
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• Consider length. It may remind us of God’s faithfulness. It is an awesome and humbling joy to realize that God has been, and will continue, watching over the full length of each of our lives, beginning from before we were conceived, through birth, life, death, and even beyond the grave!
• Width serves to remind us of God’s omnipresence: at any given moment, God is involved with every detail of our lives. Carefully orchestrating each one with perfect precision so that despite the difficulties, we might draw closer to the One who has loved us since before time began.
• The depth of God’s love may cause us to reflect on the fact that God knows us fully and completely, even better than we know ourselves. It may bring to mind the fact that Jesus was willing to leave His heavenly throne, suffer death on a cross, and be raised to life. As a result, He is able to meet us even in the darkest corners of our hearts.
• And lastly, height lovingly lures the mind and spirit of each one of us to bask in God’s holiness and sovereignty. To be reminded that He is above all things and yet, though He created the entire universe and everything in it, the greatest object of His affection is us.

“And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is." Ephesians 3:18 NLT

“For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 1:9 NLT

Good morning ladies and welcome to a new week! I hope you all had a great weekend! It's FALL!! Temps are crisp and leaves are changing color and falling. Love it! We are planning to take a short trip out to Minneopa State Park sometime this week to take in all the colors. I can't wait! I've never been there but have been looking up pictures. It's only about an hour away.

After almost a year, today is haircut day for me. Yay! Last time I got it cut we were in Arizona starting our sabbatical. It was so short, I couldn't even pull it back into a ponytail and now it's so long that the ponytail hangs down and swings in my face and annoys me.  So, I'm excited to get a few inches cut off. And tomorrow I'm getting a massage! I really can't wait for that.  I was 'gifted' this from a friend here. It's going to be a great week! What are you ladies planning for this week?

Devotion

Great perspective today! We have a big God and He is in control. Have a MEANINGFUL MONDAY ladies! 

"Your Plans May Change but God Never Will"
CBN Ministries, Shadia Hrichi
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​Ever been here: you have a major event coming up. So you plan. You prepare. You make your list and check it twice. No detail is left undone. Then, in a moment’s notice, everything changes. Circumstances force a change of schedule. Suddenly, it makes no difference how hard you worked. Everything is on hold.
For the past two and a half weeks, I’ve been hard at work preparing to begin videotaping my Legion Bible study teaching series. The open door to begin filming was a huge answer to a long-awaited prayer. Production was scheduled to begin tomorrow. Then ... lightning struck. Literally. Overnight, hundreds of fires broke out from one end of the state to the other. Between the smoke and risk of evacuation and/or power outage, the video producer and I realized we had no choice but to nix the scheduled video shoot.

As difficult as the decision was, I knew there were people dealing with far worse: homes threatened by fires, first responders battling the blaze. As I was praying today for protection over the homes in harm’s way, the firefighters—and for rain (it seems impossible to see rain in the middle of a heatwave, but I am asking anyway because God is the God of the impossible)–as I was praying, I lamented over all of the devastation: the homes in danger; the lives at risk. Then my mind went to all of the people suffering because of the pandemic—this, on top of the economy being hammered by lockdowns. It all seems so overwhelming.

But then I remember: we have a big God. We can trust He is working—even in the midst of all the chaos that is swirling around us. Jesus said,

“My Father is working until now, and I am working.” (John 5:17 ESV)

And so I found myself praying for revival—for hearts to turn back to God in the midst of all the chaos. To seek Him when all seems lost.

If we put our hope in this world: whether in our health, or home, or a 401k, things can change in a moment’s notice. It is times like these when we are reminded that there is only one true, everlasting hope–and it can only be found beyond this world. In this life, nothing is guaranteed, but God is the “same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” When we put our hope in Him, we will never be disappointed.

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” (Psalm 39:7 ESV)

If you are facing a difficulty, here are some favorite passages I turn to in difficult times:

• Psalm 91 (when in need of comfort or reminder of God’s protection)
• Romans 8:31-39 (when in need of courage or perseverance)
• Ephesians 1:3-14 (when in need of an eternal perspective)

​What are some of your favorite ‘go to’ Bible passages?

Good morning ladies. Happy Friday to you! And.....only 3 months until Christmas! Whaaaaat??? It's sneaking up on us. I would MUCH rather think about the holiday season than focus on the craziness going on right now. Considering the weather here today, you wouldn't even know that Christmas is so close. It's going to be in the 80's with humidity. Maybe even calling for the A/C. Probably our last day of summer-like weather. So, what will you be doing this weekend? Not too much for me until Sunday and we have a special "Family Chat" time after church. I'm looking forward to that and to seeing our church family again. We were away last Sunday.

Worship

I heard this song earlier this morning. I hope it ministers to you as it did for me. Have a great weekend and a FUN FRIDAY ladies!

"Gracefully Broken" Matt Redman with Tasha Cobbs Leonard

Good morning sweet ladies! It's been a few days. How are you holding up? I'm doing well. We are finally done with all of the weddings! This last one was a challenge in many ways, but we also had some great moments. We were able to reunite with family members we haven't seen in years and that was a lot of fun. Another good thing was that the weather was beautiful, even a bit cool, but I loved that. Everything was outside, of course. The food idea they had for the reception was also very creative. They had a food truck and each person ordered off the menu what they wanted and they called your name when it was ready. There were tacos, Cuban sandwiches, pulled pork, and a few others and it was AMAZING! I thought that was a great idea, given the circumstances.

On the way to Ohio, we had planned to surprise my Mom for her birthday, but our older son was diagnosed with Covid and we had been around him the day before he was told that he started being contagious. We decided we didn't want to take the chance of bringing it into my parent's home, so we changed our plans. My husband made a new plan to stop in Shipshewana, Indiana....Amish country! We haven't been there in about 30 years, at least, and it was SO MUCH FUN!!! I could live there. The weather was perfect too. Our son is still in isolation for one more day, but is doing much better. Tomorrow he can get out of the bedroom, and the next day he can go out in public. What a haul for both of our boys. 

Today, I have a bunch of little things to do to get caught up on life around here. How about you? What's happening in your life?

Devotion

Do you want to feel closer to God? To experience peace and joy every day, no matter what is going on around you? Today's devotion gives us a few tips on how we can do this. Have a WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY ladies!

"You Can Be as Close to God as You Want to Be"
CBN Ministries, Debbie W. Wilson

"I believe, but I don’t feel close to God like some of you. Not sure why. I’d like to.” My friend’s words caused me to remember my own faith journey.

In Sunday School, my young heart warmed toward God when I heard the stories of David and Goliath and Zacchaeus, the wee little man. My grandmother made sure I treated God with respect. No food in my mouth when we blessed our meal.

But I didn’t understand the part about being a sinner who needed saving. I wasn’t sure what people were saved from. That changed when a youth leader explained John 3:16 at a weekend youth camp and the Holy Spirit cut through my blameless veneer. I’d wronged God. Jesus had gone to the cross for my sin.

The realization broke—and healed—my heart. The gospel became personal. Jesus didn’t just love the world. He loved me!

I returned from camp on top of the world—a citizen of heaven—a child of God. Could anything be better?

But the glow faded. Instead of sprouting wings, I bristled when Mama said, “Clean your room.” I fussed when my little sister got into my stuff. Knowing Jesus assured me of heaven when I died, but it didn’t seem to make much difference now. Even reading the Bible raised more questions than it answered.

My Journey

In college, I spent a weekend with some vibrant Christians. Their lives created a thirst to know God better. At a friend’s Bible study, we listened to Bible teaching audios. This group treated the Bible as if it meant what it said.

I’d filtered the Bible through my own understanding. What agreed with my world view I kept and dismissed the parts that didn’t. No wonder it didn’t make sense.

A Turning Point

I wanted the peace my friends who simply trusted the Scriptures shared. But could I let go of relying on my own understanding and fully trust the Scriptures?

God tenderly wooed me to trust Him. I exchanged my know-it-all approach for childlike faith. The Scriptures came to life. Questions, I thought would never be answered in this life, became clear. Scales fell off of my eyes.

“I feel I’ve been living blindfolded all my life, and now I see,” I told my friend. “I even view the evening news differently.” Life brimmed with the presence of God.

Perhaps like me and my friend, you want to feel closer to God. You can! Here are some tips to help you get started.

3 Tips to Grow Closer to God
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1. Ask your heavenly Father for a closer relationship.
   “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8 NIV).
2. Read the Bible with childlike wonder.
   “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do’" (Luke 10:21 NIV)
3. Invite Jesus to be your life, not just a part of life.
   I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20 NIV).

Good morning ladies! How are you doing on this Wacky Wednesday? Haha, I've been wanting to use that one! Honestly, I've had three nights in a row now that my sleeping pattern has been pretty awful. I'm not sure what's causing that, because the conditions are perfect. Clean sheets, cool breeze coming in the window, and our heavy duvet cover....hmm.... Anyway, it's a new day and today I need to pack for our trip. Molly, our dog, had a bath yesterday and my husband is taking her to Grandma and Grandpa today in the cities. I know she'll be SO excited to see them! He needs to go up there for an assessment on our car (from the accident), and a few other errands. I still need to figure out what I'm wearing for the wedding. It is forecasted to be in the mid-60's and it's an outdoor wedding. Sounds perfect to me! Compared to the last two extremely hot outdoor weddings we went to. I'm thinking about going with a short-sleeved dress with a light sweater.

I decorated the apartment for Fall the other day,which makes me very happy. I probably only used about 1/3 of our decorations because our place is so small and because we didn't put any of our shelves up, which is usually where many of the decorations go. It still looks very nice. How about you? Do you like changing your house a bit when the seasons change? By the way, if you'd like a crochet pumpkin, let me know! They're very cute. I enjoy crocheting for others.​

Devotion

I got goosebumps reading this devotion today, as we're reminded about the greatness of our God! If you're discouraged, worried, or feeling a bit down today, be assured that God provides for us each and every moment. "Greater is He that is within us..." (1 John 4:4). Have a WINNING WEDNESDAY ladies!

"What If...?"
CBN Ministries, Glenda Durano

Opening our mailbox, I held my breath and prayed, Please God, not today. No bills today.  

After months of unemployment, our bank account had dwindled to nothing. We’d survived by living on a shoestring while my husband worked a series of odd jobs — positions well below his qualifications. Recently, he’d faced a dozen refusals, and now our situation was dire. What if we lose our home? I thought. What if he can’t find a job? What if…? 

My mind wandered to several years earlier when my husband ventured into business for himself. He traded the security of a dull but lucrative government job for the opportunity to do what he’d always wanted — build energy-efficient luxury homes. I supported him in his decision. We knew it was risky, but we had plenty of savings — or so we thought — and we knew he would be successful. And he was until the economy turned. Now, my mind bent backward. What if he hadn’t gone out on his own?  What if we still had the safety net of his retirement? What if…?

What if…? Two words that throw you fearfully into the future or imprison you with regret. Two words that fit nowhere within the framework of faith. Two words that deny God’s sovereignty, goodness, and love. 

In Exodus 3, when Moses encounters God in the burning bush, Moses asks the Lord, “What is [your] name?”  The Lord replies,

“I AM who I AM." Exodus 3:14 (NIV)

The Oxford Dictionary defines the word “am” as “the first person singular present of be.” Present. Not future. Not past.

Theologically, we know God is not defined by time. He is eternal, with no beginning or end.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 (NIV), and He is “from everlasting to everlasting ..." Psalm 90:2 (NIV).

And yet we, His children, are constrained by time. The enemy of our souls knows that and tries to use the burden of time against us as he tempts us to focus on a future filled with fear or a past ruined by regret. What if…?

In Hebrews 13:5, God promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (ESV)

When our minds drift ahead toward worry and fear or behind to shame or regret, we forget God’s eternal faithfulness. Satan wants to get our minds off God and onto our circumstances. He strives to steal the stability we have in Jesus Christ. 

This is why we must refuse to follow the enemy’s leading into an imaginary future or an unfortunate past. When we find ourselves being lured into Satan’s lies, we need to stop and “take our thoughts captive" (2 Corinthians 10:5) by confessing the truth of God’s Word.

Living in the present — focusing on the here and now — doesn’t mean you don’t set goals or you ignore your mistakes. Knowing God is the great I AM means you rest in His eternal sovereignty, goodness, and love, and you trust that ...

“... in all things at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV)

My husband didn’t have a steady job for three long years. It was a difficult season, but God was faithful. When the enemy deceives you into focusing on what if, give him the what for. Take your thoughts captive, and remind yourself that God is the great I AM. He is always in the present. And that’s where He wants you. Because, simply put, God is not the God of what if. God is the God of what is.

Good morning ladies! How are you doing today? I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. It was still a bit cooler and rainy here, but we did manage to get out to the 'whole town' garage sales for a bit on Saturday. We didn't find anything, but it was good to get out for awhile. We also found some nice walking streets near us. I really like this little town!

This week, we leave for our last family wedding of this year (that we know about). Actually, there is another one in September, but we haven't heard anything about it yet, so we're assuming it's rather small and isn't including all of the extended family. And, that's okay. It's been a LOT of traveling for us! We will leave on Thursday. This wedding is in Ohio, and it's our niece on my husband's side of the family.

Today, I am fighting a sore throat and not feeling well. I would appreciate your prayers for healing so I'm set to travel this week, and also to get the things done that I need to before we leave. Thank you! What have you been up to lately?

Devotion
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The devotion gives us a good reminder that God wants our obedience, even before our sacrifices. When we obey Him, He is pleased with us. Have a MONUMENTAL MONDAY ladies!

"Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice"
CBN Ministries, Linda Lyle

When I was growing up, my sisters and I had to take turns washing the dishes. When it was my turn, I always tried to get the dishes washed as soon as the meal was over, since dishes are easier to wash if you don’t let the food dry on the plates. The sooner I finished, the sooner I was free to do as I pleased. I had hours of freedom to enjoy whatever I wanted to do, instead of having the chore hanging over my head or suffering punishment such as loss of freedoms, because I failed to obey my parents.

Our spiritual life is not that different. According to Proverbs 21:3 (KJV),

“To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.”

Obedience brings peace, joy, and satisfaction because God’s commands are meant for our good. When we are quick to obey, we reap the benefits, but when we are disobedient, we have to endure the consequences of our behavior.

For example, God commanded King Saul to utterly destroy everything that belonged to the kingdom of Amalek, but Saul disobeyed, keeping the best of the flocks for himself and sparing King Agag (1 Samuel 15). Taking the enemy king and the flocks as spoils of war were common, but God had specifically ordered the destruction of everything. Saul knew what was expected of him, but he didn’t obey God. When Samuel confronted him about his disobedience, Saul claimed the animals were spared to be used as a sacrifice to God.

Samuel quickly countered Saul’s excuse with a question:

“Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22 KJV, emphasis mine).

God wanted obedience, not sacrifice. This wasn’t Saul’s first act of disobedience; it had become a pattern. Disobedience has consequences, and in Saul’s case it cost him his place as king. God told Samuel to anoint David as Saul’s replacement.

In King Saul we have an example of the negative consequences of disobedience, but in King David we have an example of a man after God’s own heart. David was not perfect, but when he failed, he was quick to repent and return to God. Like David, we should be quick to be obedient to God’s commands out of love and gratitude for all He has done for us. Then we can have peace because we are in a right relationship with God and others. We can have joy because we have done what God asked and we don’t have to dread the consequences of disobedience.

Obedience has rewards that we can receive on a daily basis, not the least of which is pleasing our heavenly Father. That alone is worth every effort on our part. With that in mind, let’s strive to be obedient in each moment so that we can enjoy the benefits of peace, joy, and satisfaction. Then the only sacrifice we need offer is the sacrifice of praise.