Living on the edge

With summer fast approaching, many are dreaming of days when we head for the lake and sink our feet into the warm sand. But I also remember days when the sand was scorching hot and I wanted to run to the water’s edge. But each step went in deep and I found I couldn’t run at all. I had to really push off with every step in order to get anywhere. Hopping crazily from foot to foot. Miserable. It was hot. It was burning. It made me anxious to get somewhere else. I struggled and struggled to get to my desired destination.

Down by the water, the sand seemed much more supportive and certainly easier to stand on; remain on. And it was soothing cool. I felt stable and sure-footed and at peace.

Sinking sand. Some of you may know the song that talks about Jesus being a solid Rock and that hope in anyone else is like living on sinking sand. The sand  like I described above. Life without faith in the Almighty God will feel anxious, struggling, miserable… crazy. Whether your need is great or small, you can have a certain hope that stands strong on the promises of a faithful God. There IS a firm foundation you can run to; stand on. Solid. Strong. Capable.  Enduring.

His name is Jesus.

Got some serious stuff going on in your life right now? Don’t be hopping crazily from foot to foot. Struggling. Anxious. Fearful. Stand at the water’s edge. You can be confident in Jesus’ ability to uphold you and give you peace during the hot and sinking trials of this life.  Let His presence and His supportive hold on you soothe your weary mind.

This is what the Almighty Lord says: I am going to lay a rock in Zion, a rock that has been tested, a precious cornerstone, a solid foundation. Whoever believes in Him will not worry. - Isaiah 28: 16 GW

See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. NIV

If you do that, you’ll be like the man who wanted to build a sturdy house. He dug down deep and anchored his foundation to solid rock. During a violent storm, the floodwaters slammed against the house, but they couldn’t shake it because of solid craftsmanship. (It was built upon rock.) - Luke 6:48 VOICE

He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me. - Psalm 18:19

April is Card Writing Month

 I’m as surprised as you are! Who knew? Yet springtime is the perfect time to send a note of refreshment to someone. Is there anyone among you who needs support? Encouragement? Prayer? And the often overlooked affirmation and praise... Your kind words written once, bring an uplifting message of hope again and again. People keep these positive notes of yours, knowing it will bring strength and rejuvenating energy in the future. It’s true! As an avid note writer, I hear it over and over again.

So I challenge you, you who have had plans to purchase cards but never got around to it, to make it happen. Now. In this month of celebrating the handwritten word. I challenge you to order just 12 cards. Below you’ll find photos of recent designs as well as some old favorites. And the link to the cardshop. Need help with what to write? There are plenty of websites to get your desired sentiment said in just the right way. I’ll include a few of my own below too.

Join me in sharing the gift of God’s love in this way.

Thank you and God bless!

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition, or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves… - Philippians 2:1-3

#273 I will carry you
#259 New mercies
#269 Angel love
#250 Shoreline rocks
#272 May the grace
#210 Be still cross

#209 Faith cross
#233 Flower patch
#231 Lighthouse
#213 Confetti birds
#261 Send an Angel
#205 Somebody’s praying

#278 Christ’s light
#277 Angel light
#275 Blue sheep
#276 Vase blue flowers

Card Shop Link (with ordering instructions):

https://intermissionsforhope.blogspot.com/p/card-shop-2023.html

Suggested Messages Link:

https://intermissionsforhope.blogspot.com/p/suggested-messages.html

I can’t wait to see you

Friends. Regularly getting together, joy and laughter, shared interests like hobbies, sharing good news, sharing blessings,  time spent over cups of coffee, giving each other good gifts…

And that’s how God wants to relate to us.

Art is one way I am able to experience joy and thank God for it. I smile up at God with a grateful heart for what He has given me to experience. As well as the gifts from God of sharing stories over coffee with a good friend. Making a delicious meal everyone at the table appreciates. Time to enjoy a beautiful sunny day. Not just thanking God but sharing the experience with Him. Standing still for a moment, and in that moment, realize He is standing right there with you. And He is smiling too. Just like when you’re sharing a good happy time with your family or friends. 

Sure there are times we complain about the weather. Or share a concern that needs prayer. But mostly our time with good close friends are colored with love and laughter and on a regular basis. Life is shared and we can’t wait to be together again. 

Come and sit with me awhile. Let’s talk about the books we’ve read. Let’s talk and knit. Let’s celebrate some good news. Let’s make plans. Let’s smile and laugh and hug and …

God is wonderful and happy and smiling - laughing too. God is a real joy giver. Please see Him this way!

Like the Israelites needed manna every day,  so we need to taste and see God fresh and anew every day. Because the memory fades. That first taste of joy forgotten. Grant me again the joy of knowing You, Jesus. This morning. Today. Draw me near. I don’t want to forget the glory of Your felt presence. Feed me again with Your fulfilling manna presence. 

 

Giver of good gifts…

Does great, big, omnipotent, and almighty God - does He have a playful, joyful side too? Does God smile? Or is He all rules and seriousness?

I pray you see God smile today. I pray you see something funny together. Experience good things together. Slow down with a cup of coffee together. Delight together in the gift of extending love to someone. 

I hope and pray this happens often and regularly. As it ought. For God longs to have this kind of relationship with you.

Believe in this side of God. This God of love. It’s time for some sweet “taste and see” dessert in your life. Come and enjoy the goodness of the Lord. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 

I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them. - Hosea 11:4

Hey you! Yes, you.

 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow Me.” - John 21:22

Seeing a lone fig tree at the roadside, He went to it and found nothing but leaves on it; and He said to it, “Never again will fruit come from you.” And at once the fig tree withered. - Matthew 21:19

The fig tree appeared to be full and green, healthy and surely bearing good fruit. But upon closer inspection, it didn’t have fruit at all.

These two passages make me think. About how often I compare myself to others. How much I want to be as good as others whether in art or some other service. How often do you think, “I want to be like them”? Instead of realizing that God wants you to be you. Never mind what I AM calling them to do. You have your own uniquely-you calling. When you ignore God’s calling in order to be more like some other human being, you are like that fig tree. You certainly may appear to be fruitful and doing good things, but you are not in obedience to God. Success is obeying God. Success is fulfilling your own calling from God. The Bible says I will show you the way to go. 

 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” - Isaiah 30:21

God’s Word says each one of us has been assigned something to do (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). They may be similar, but there is still a special gift within each of us - and God has promised, promised… to give you the wisdom and power to do yours.  Please be assured and confident in His faithfulness. 

So I invite you to rejoice and be glad that God has personally gifted you with the ability to do something for Him. Don’t you just love giving to those you love? Especially when they tell you exactly what they want!

Serve the Lord with gladness - Psalm 100:2

 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you… - 2 Timothy 1:6

What a captivating fragrance!

The fragrance caught my attention before I looked up.

Just walking through my new neighborhood. Enjoying the beauty of the sunny day and the woods all around. The blue skies. The fresh air on my face. The crunch of gravel under my feet. A most pleasant passage of time. Then this most amazing, appealing fragrance! - caused me to look up. These gorgeous hanging clumps of purple petals, dancing in the gentle breeze. Their scent drew me in to their even greater beauty. All my senses engaged. I was transported to a most lovely place. In that moment all that existed - me and the pretty world surrounding me. Filling me. Certainly affecting the way I am experiencing life; how I’m seeing my life. Confirming to me that God is so good!

God calls us to be like a flower. Well, He calls it salt and light (Matthew 5:13-14). But it’s all the same. Being salt and light (or a flower) is a representation of the God we know and love. And is a fragrance of Him to all those we encounter. That’s why it is so important to be this, do this. Yes, it may uplift another by being good, kind, generous, patient - nice. But more importantly, it is a display of God’s nature, His character. It is your “fragrance” that may cause someone to “look up”. To see God in a new way, or re-experience Him afresh, or even experience Him for the first time.

I won’t be able to pass another fragrant flower without thinking about this. As spring approaches and flowers start blooming where you live, I hope you think about this too.

Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread everywhere. - Song of Songs 4:16

May the Holy Spirit breathe new energy into you, that your walk in this world be as appealing and as captivating as these flowers were to me.

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. - John 12:3

Be that flower. Be that fragrance.

God will surely empower you… for it is His heart’s desire that all may know Him.

Back to Life

Some Old Testament readings are, well, hard to read. Yet today I persevered and a light dawned on one particular verse.

In Numbers 17, the Lord orders Moses to collect a staff from each tribe and place them in the tabernacle in front of the ark of the covenant.

Then verse 8:

The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff - had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

The next day! From a severed stick! When placed at the feet of God; close to God. An undeniable sign of God’s power for them. Here we see God at work, the very next day, within hours! - a branch separated from the life-giving trunk of a tree, by God, has produced and behaving as though life is within it once again. We see something that was once away from God’s presence, brought into His presence - and given restored value by being returned to God. Could the same happen for us?

I don’t know how long those sticks pictured above were laying in the woods. Separated. Dead. Useless. But one day when my husband and I were walking, we sure needed something for support. Some help up a steep hill. And there they were. Useful once again.

Let me assure you, if you’re in a season of feeling lifeless or without a sense of usefulness, you haven’t strayed so far that God can’t reach you; it hasn’t been too long since you’ve been close to the Lord that He won’t welcome you right back in.

God is near. And He is smiling. And He is excited about you turning towards Him once again.

Just return to Me.

Joel 2:13 Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love…

Draw near to Me again

Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings…

Zephaniah 3: 17 He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

All you really need to know is that He is able…

He has experience in this life after death thing…