Tag: thankful in all things

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What is true friendship?

What makes someone your true friend? What gives them that honor in your life? Do you have that honor in someone else’s life? I have been reading through 1 Samuel this month which has once again reminded me of the friendship between Jonathan and David. Read the verses below and then write down all that it teaches your about what it means to be a friend or to have a friend like Jonathan. (my italics and bold font will give you a hint)

1 Samuel 18: 3,4 “Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt. 1 Samuel 20:13-15 He blessed him saying, “May the Lord be with you as he has been with my father.  But show me unfailing kindness like the Lord’s kindness for as long as I live, so that I may not be killed,  and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family—not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”

In a group discussion I lead each week, my friend Julio Soto shared this link with us regarding the characteristics of true friendship. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/true-friends-are-hard-to-find The points made in this article substantiate what made the friendship of Jonathan and David so special. 1) They each heightened their own joy in God. 2) They helped each other to see their own blind spots and imperfections (sin) that kept them from the life God wanted them to live. 3) Jonathan especially spurred David up in his love for God and wanting to do good works. (Hebrews 10:24) I am guessing knowing Jonathan was Saul’s son helped David not kill Saul when he had the chance. 4) A true friend is there when we feel alone. “Walking through life in a God-belittling world, with our sin-ridden flesh, against a hell-bent enemy, is too hard to be attempted alone.” Jonathan continually reminded David he was there for him no matter what. His taking off the robe and giving it to David, along with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt symbolized David was truly a member of his family and that he would be there for him no matter what. 5) Friends will be drawn closer together as they grow in their faith in God. “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Another friend shared his personal manta, #TWS. It stands for “Two Way Street”. The power of true friendship is when people are committed to each other in the same way. It results in being the recipient of someone else’s unconditional love while desiring to return it in the same way. It personalizes in a positive way, “what goes around comes around” Like #2 notes above, one must remember each person has their own faults and therefore, their first commit must be to the Lord who is always present and will never disappoint. When we love the Lord with all our heart first and THEN love others as God loves us, we can trust that the outcome will be friendships that heighten our own joy. https://biblehub.com/matthew/22-37.htm We can move forward boldly in life never feeling alone in our quest to be the people for which we were created. That is the power of true friendships. We experience humility when we realize someone loves us just because and out of it flows gratitude that allows us to live out being thankful in all things.  

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Life lessons from golf (Part 2)

Many of you know I started a golf fellowship group earlier this year. I wanted to being people together who loved Golf and wanted to learn more about life with God. We call it FORE! It stands for Focused on Reconciliation for Everyone. This week was my turn to share what it means to walk with God using golf analogies. My blog post this week summarizes what I shared that led to a great discussion. My thoughts came from reading a chapter in the In His Grip https://www.inhisgripgolf.com/ devotional book, More than a Game.

The golf scorecard and the yardage book brought some ideas to mind. Every time to go out and play, you get a new one. No matter how you played the last time out, you get a chance to learn from the past round so you can improve on the upcoming one. God gives us the same opportunity. The bible in 1 John 1:9 https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1-john/1/9 reminds us when we make mistakes one day, we can start the next day with a fresh slate. As I wrote a few months back https://thankfulinallthings.com/what-golf-teaches-us-about-life/ God’s Word like a golf course yardage book instructs us where to and where not to hit the ball so we stay out of trouble. We get into trouble when we don’t pay attention to the book or think we can do it a different way then how God design life to be lived.

Another golf thought is how crazy is it the a 6 inch putt counts the same as a 300 yard drive. Interestingly, our sinful nature is judged the same way by God. Big or small, A sin is a sin and creates imperfection that only God’s grace and Mercy can redeem. https://biblehub.com/romans/3-23.htm

The third parallel thought is everyone has a different golf swing. The challenge of being a good golfer is learning to be your best with your natural swing. In our faith journey, we are called to be the best person we can be versus trying to be someone else. This is where a golf instructor can be so important.

During a lesson, the pro can figure out the flaws in your swing which allows you to improve. It doesn’t make sense to practice if we are just going out and continue to do the wrong things. In life, we need friends that, like a golf pro, can point out our blind spots. We need folks we can trust to share when we can’t see what we are saying or doing is wrong.

Finally, Golf is both a mental and a physical game. You need to study the course and improve your swing to have a successful round. Life is the same. I believe God’s Word teaches us how to best live our lives. Someone can know the bible backward and forward but if you don’t practice what it teaches, you never know all the Lord has in store for your life. John 10:10 says God wants us to experience an abundant life filled with peace and joy not a mediocre one where we wonder shouldn’t there be more. Read the scriptures and find someone who can guide you along the way. Give them permission to be honest with you. I am confident that only good will result when you do.

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The impact of your own safe harbor or fort

I spent a couple days this week travelling to Hampton, Va. for a company event. I lucked out with my travel plans finding a hotel looking out on the Hampton Marina. While driving down here I saw signs for Jamestown, Fort Monroe, and Fort Story. It got me thinking about what it must have been like to literally live in a fort or the relief felt after crossing the Atlantic especially when facing a storm to find a safe harbor like the one pictured here.

Scripture uses both of these locations to describe how we need a place of retreat allowing us to be refreshed, nourished and encouraged for whatever might come our way. Isaiah 25:4 – “You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall.” David writes in Psalms 91:1,2 “Whoever dwells in the shelter (fort, city) of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

When we come to God, it is like sailing into a harbor where the water is calm and away from the wind and waves that been battled out in the open sea. For us land lubbers, a fort provides that same kind of feeling. We are relieved to see gates open as we return tired and hungry and feel even better as they close behind us so we feel safe and protected. Psalms 91: 5,6 Where “you will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.”

Forts and Harbors are places people go to seek refuge from danger. The Bible time and time again tells us we are to do the same with our spiritual lives. In fact, just in the book of Psalms, its noun and verb forms occur again and again—more than 40 times in all, as in “take refuge in him,” “the LORD is his refuge,” “he is the saving refuge of his anointed,” “be a rock of refuge for me,” https://biblemesh.com/blog/refuge-in-the-psalms/ Our Lord want us to come to Him just like a child comes to a parent when they need to be comforted or feel safe from when in danger. Even yesterday I watched my granddaughter run and hide behind her mom when I entered the room. Uh Oh, here comes that big, scary, MRG 🙂 When we do seek refuge in God, He promises to provide peace that is beyond human comprehension. https://www.bible.com/bible/116/PHP.4.6-7.NLT

I went to a friend’s funeral yesterday. It was a service that left everyone with such hope. Why? Because he and his family had no doubt Lee had gone to the ultimate safe harbor. To a place described in 1 Corinthians 2:9 “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him—”

The service ended with this quote. “And as He spoke, He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle

May this blog help you understand that God is your mighty fortress. Not matter what challenges you face, may you seek your refuge in Him. Please subscribe to this blog so you can receive email notifications when new content is posted. I can be reached by email at [email protected]

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Don’t we all wish we could be more like Peter?

I just love Peter and what his life teaches me about what it means to be a follower of Christ. He was so strong in His faith and had such a love for Jesus and yet, he failed Him in such significant ways. In a weird way, it encourages me in my own failings or falling short in my own faith walk. Paul, in Romans 7:18,19 writes, “I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” Peter went through the same dilemmas throughout his life.

Even though he saw Jesus perform miracles, He doubted when Christ told him there were fish to be caught. Luke 5:5 “Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Kind of like a sassy “OK, if you tell me to”

He was bold enough to get out of the boat and walk on water toward Jesus but when he remembered the wind and waves, He splashed down like an anchor. Mark 14:22-33. He realized that his lack of faith was because he took his eyes off Jesus and instead focused on the storm. Jesus was teaching him that He will help navigate whatever comes our way if we stay focused on Him.

Peter loved the Lord and said he would never deny Him and even fight for him but not too long afterward it says in Mark 14: 75 “And immediately the cock crew and Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said to him, Before the cock crow, you shall deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.”

and finally, when the same thing occurs after Christ’s resurrection in John 21, Peter doesn’t have to be taught twice. “Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”“No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.

The final lesson Peter teaches us if that when we have failed God wants us to humble ourselves so that we can admit our wrong doings. Oswald Chambers writes, This is the entrance, and it does take us a long while to believe we are poor. The knowledge of our own poverty brings us to the moral frontier where Jesus works best” John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from unrighteousness”

Peter, Do you love me?

Jesus does the same with Peter after he swims to shore and serves him and the others breakfast. Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times so makes him answer the question “Do you Love me three times”. Peter is hurt but responds, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times so makes him answer the question “Do you Love Me” three times as well. The Lord then challenges Peter to “Feed my sheep” which meant be the leader of the church. No matter how many times we fall short, Jesus is there to forgive and challenge us forward. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2021&version=NIV

The moral of this blog is like Peter, Love the Lord with all your heart! Be passionate in your desire to honor Him and bring Glory to His name. And when you fail at it, know that Jesus through the Holy Spirit will be there to hear your simple prayer, Help Me! As He did with the one He called the Rock, He will lift and carry you back to the boat so that you can rest up and be ready “Feed His sheep or go through whatever storms (adversities) He has for you next.

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog. My hope is it will encourage you and others who read it to remain Thankful in all Things. If you haven’t already, please subscribe so you can receive email notifications when new content is written. I can be reached by email at [email protected]

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The importance of having routine in your life

I met with a young friend last week who asked me about the intentionality he saw in my life. He wanted to hear how I went about living a life of faith in God which led to this blog post. Two things came to mind.

1) When Guillain Barre Syndrome https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/guillain-barre-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20362793 left me paralyzed, God made Himself present in so many ways. I shared how my illness and subsequent recovery deepened my faith by making it so much more real for me. If you haven’t already, you can read my GBS story at www.caringbridge.org/visit/michaelguthrie

2) I also explained having a routine was instrumental in my recovery. I have pretty much followed that routine for the last three plus years with my morning routine being most important. My friend asked me what a morning routine looks like. For me to make the most of each day, I need to get it started out right. I try not to schedule early morning meetings because it leaves me feeling rushed into what is almost always a crazy, jam packed day. Heather Riggleman writes about routines using Mark 1:35 “One of the reasons Jesus got up early was to be alone with God. If nothing else, choosing this step is vital. It is so worthwhile to seek first the Kingdom of God. God wants to meet with us. He has so many things he wants to share. He’s waiting to commune and communicate. He’s waiting to fill our souls before we race through the day.” Glenn Lundy writes about his proper morning routine in https://themorning5.com/ebook

My morning routine starts the night before. For me to get up at least an hour and a half before the day’s activities begin, I have to go to bed at a regular time. That way, my body is ready to wake up between 5:30 and 6am every day. If I am honest, there are nights where I go to sleep looking forward to my coffee in the AM. I set it up the night before so all I have to do is push the button when I wake up. My devotionals start before the coffee is ready. It consists of reading scripture and other devotional books and blogs. I pray and journal asking the Lord for guidance on things I know will be happening throughout the day. As people come to mind, I text and email them to let them know I am thinking about them. I then create and send out via social media and text a motivational thought for the day and for fun, post a recently taken picture with a personal haiku. Knowing I am going to do that keeps me focused during the day on something I will want to post the next day which I hope will help people be thankful in all things. Another way of walking in faith throughout my day is what I call the 6-9-12-3-6-9 BSKHIG smart phone reminder. On those hours of the day, my phone reminds me to Be Still and Know He is God no matter how the day has gone so far. It makes me stop and do a reset. Often times I recite my own paraphrased versions of The Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23.

This type of routine might not be for you but I encourage you to find one that fits your schedule. This anonymous quote sums it up. “If every day while waking up, you put yourself at the top of your to-do list and take care of your needs first, then everything else will fall into place.” Michael Hyatt shares, “Like the air bags in the airplane, If you don’t take care of yourself first, you won’t have the ability to help others”

Over the last three years, my routine has reinforced Ms Riggleman’s thoughts on having an established schedule. “We were created to work in rhythm with the world around us through rest, work, and play. This includes how we start our days, what we put into our bodies, being nourished by God’s word, and how we move our bodies.” We do this by remembering John 15’s teaching “that we are the branches and God is the vine. Only by being attached to Him can we be nourished to produce the fruit so that others can be nourished too. Each morning and throughout the day, I remember Oswald Chambers charge. ”Ask yourself, who am I to serve. ”I cannot give up my will, I must exercise it. I must will to obey so it is never a question of what He will do, but of what I will do to serve and honor Him.” Answering like Isaiah did, ”Here I am Lord send me”

Thanks for reading this week’s blog. Please share it with others if you think they would be encouraged by it. If you haven’t already, please subscribe so you can receive email notifications when new content is posted. I can be reached by email at [email protected]

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Taking time to rest

Dan Allender “The leader who doesn’t feel pressed to the wall often is not involved in the work that is advancing sufficiently against the forces of darkness. But the burned out leader has allowed the intensity and exhaustion of his calling to take away the pleasure of hope.” http://leadwithyourlife.com/blog/leading-with-a-limp

I talk to so many people these days who say they have never been more tired and are on the verge of burn out. I feel it as well and it gets compounded by seeing others lose their hope and joy for life. I have spent time thinking about this phenomenom for awhile now which caused this blog post to come out a bit late. I hope you won’t lower my grade because of being tardy with the assignment ?

Jesus says in Matthew, ”Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2011:28-29&version=KJV Oswald Chambers breaks these verses down this way. “Come unto me. If I will come to Jesus my actual life will be brought into accordance with my real desires; I will actually cease from sin and actually find the song of the Lord placed in my heart. Let go of everything and deliberately commit all to him. He will imbue you with the spirit of life, and you will be stayed by the perfection of vital activity” Do you catch it? We are to rest so we can then go back in the world with a desire to make a positive difference.

Max Lucado in Traveling Light, https://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Light-Releasing-Burdens-Intended/dp/0849912970 Sheds new light on an old favorite, Psalm 23, asking us to consider the baggage we all carry. He how we need to release these burdens to a God who is ready and willing to be our everything.

My analogy is we all try so hard to hold on to and control everything. A closed fist cannot be open handed. If we aren’t open handed, God cannot put into our lives what He wants for us or take away the things that hinder us. If we allow ourselves to be hindered, we will not have the strength for the vital activity God wants from us.

John Ortberg asked his mentor, Dallas Willard, “What do I need to do to be healthy spiritually? What do I need to do to guard my heart?” After a long pause, Dallas said, “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” Though our spiritual life has had other enemies in other eras, hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life today. When you hurry, you can hardly do anything the way God wants your to do it.”

Links Players, Randy Wolff, summarizes it well. “Lives are changed in quiet, reflective moments. Step out of the traffic, and look to God for your answer. The traffic and speed will kill you.” God promises us when we come unto Him, He will refresh and nourish you. That way you will have less chance of experiencing burn out and more opportunities help others do the same. As Matt Redmond sings, Where we no longer labor but instead find life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Al37huqFfg

Go now in peace…never be afraid. God will go with you each hour of every day. Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true. Know He will guide you in all you do. (Benediction)

Thanks for reading. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to this blog so you can receive email notifications when new content is posted. You can reach me at [email protected]

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To be a great Father, one needs to have great Friends

I had the opportunity to preach at Belmont Baptist here in Charlottesville. I so appreciated my friend Jim Carpenter asking me to share a Father’s Day message with his church.

 I was asked to do 2 things. 1) Provide a little bit about my story and 2) Share my thoughts about Father’s Day. I tried to do it in a concise manner as I knew I was between the Fathers enjoying their day at brunch, Bar B Que or getting out to fish or play golf. 

The story Jim asked me to share was about my Guillain Barre Syndrome health challenge I experienced in 2019. It left me paralyzed from the neck down for 17 days. Before I explain what I learned, I need to share with you the process that God used to prepare me for that adversity. As Oswald Chambers writes, “no man is born either naturally or supernaturally with character he has to make character. Nor are we born with habits we have to form habits on the basis of the new life God has put into us so that we may face whatever adversity comes our way.  As I look back on my life the, the significant moments have occurred absolutely formed the character that helped me face and persevere through GBS. Those times helped me trust that God would get me through what, without question, was the toughest time in my life

For over 50 years, I have lived my life striving to love the Lord with all my heart, Love others as God loves me, and then trust Him with the outcome. Seeing God’s presence in each previous challenge solidified my faith so that I would be ready for the adversity I would face.

For those who read my weekly blog. www.thankfulinallthings.com, I recently wrote about how Psalms 23 outlines this sanctification process I am talking about so well.

https://www.biblestudytools.com/psalms/23.html Look how One verse leads us into the next. Each one prepares us for what is to come. First, we are to acknowledge that the Lord is our Shepherd who will provide all that we need. Secondly, He does not ask us to lie down in green pastures, He make us do it. He knows we need rest even when we might not think it is necessary. Once we have rested, he gives us the opportunity to experience the peace that comes from being led to still quiet, waters. There is nothing more peaceful for me than being at the ocean when there are no waves and the sun is yet to rise. It does indeed “restoreth my soul” He has created us. He leads us. He calls us to rest so that we can be restored. Why? So that when adversity comes our way as it does each and every day, we will not fear because He promises to be with us. May this thought process cause you to “go out knowing that goodness and love will follow you all the days of your life, knowing you will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6

There are many things I learned as I recovered from GBS. First and foremost was the fact that when everything was stripped away, God was there to comfort me and lift me up. Right up there though was the realization that Dottie and couldn’t have made it through the way we did without the encouragement of so many. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:11. “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. This verse commands Christians to continue to encourage and lift up those around us. So many people came to Dottie and my aid while I was sick and in my recovery.  

So what does this have to do with being a Father? There are so many things to master as a parent but one of the highest is the duty of encouragement. … If we aren’t careful, we can laugh and make fun of our children’s ideals and dreams. Without meaning to we can pour cold water on their enthusiasm. We can discourage vs uplift them. We have a Christian and a fatherly duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer can keep our children moving forward providing a bit of wind beneath their wings. 

Let me share three examples from scripture to make my point. 

Mark 2:1-12 Paralyzed man  https://www.bible.com/bible/111/MRK.12.1-12.NIV

The key verse is “When Jesus saw THEIR faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

John 11: 1-44 Lazarus https://www.bible.com/bible/114/JHN.11.NKJV

V43 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to THEM Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” and finally, 

Mark 6:7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

Parenthood is such an honor but as we all know, it can be hard.  

  1. Like the paralyzed man, Lazarus and me, learn that You cannot do it on your own. 
  2. To do it right, We need to be dependent on God understanding we were not meant or were created to do parenting or for that matter life alone. 
  3. Be willing to experience humility. Allow yourself to be dependent on others.  There was a reason Jesus sent the disciples out in twos. We need someone to have our backs and lift us up when we are down.  as 1 Thessalonians exhorts, whether it is a child, family member, or friend be an encourager of one another. 

In closing, let me encourage you by saying, “In the darkest of times God met me in that place. It is not the valley I would have chosen to walk through but I am a better man with a deeper faith because of it.” If you are in the midst of challenging circumstances or should they come your way in the future, be assured He promises to do the same for you. 

Today is a day, that’s not so bad. We celebrate being a Dad 

We look at them and are filled with joy, it doesn’t matter whether a girl or boy.

Let them love you today and say you’re the best

Always be there for them knowing you’re blessed.  

Hug and encourage them make them feel great

Cheer them on in whatever they participate.

I’ve had some success, yup not so bad; But nothing compares to the title of Dad. 

Thanks be to God. 

I hope you enjoyed the blog this week. If so, please share it with others who you think it might encourage. If you haven’t already, please subscribe so you can receive notifications when new content is posted. I can be reached by email at [email protected]

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What is it about the Ocean?

I spent this past week at the beach. We were with dear friends and the weather couldn’t have been better. I tried to read but quickly realized this was a week for pondering and waiting on the the Lord. Before you read further, I encourage you to listen to this song as it will provide the back drop for what I want to share. https://youtu.be/dy9nwe9_xzw

Just like Peter, the Lord does indeed call us out upon the water. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2014:22-33&version=NIV A metaphor for letting ourselves go to a place where we realize we are no longer in control. Walk with me from the beach into the ocean where with every step the water gets deeper until you are standing on your tippy toes and all you can see is the water swirling around you. That is what God wants from us. To be totally immersed in His Love that we can’t see anything else and therefore all we can do is trust in Him. Francois Fenelon in the book Let Go says, “Be careful of distractions and the desire to do too many things at once. Above all things, be faithful in the present moment and you will receive all the grace you need.”

Here are some other vignettes that came to my mind as I sat in solitude letting the waves carry me from one analogy to another. My hope is it will cause you to close your eyes and think about these things as if you were in a chair with the water from the waves washing over your feet.

  1. No matter how long it has been, the ocean is still there when I return. When you walk up to the beach, you know the ocean is there. If you are quiet, you can hear the waves from far away. Isn’t that just like God. No matter how long it has been since you last sat in His presence, He is there welcoming you back with delight. If we are still, we can hear Him and know that He is God, our Creator.
  2. I watched an accomplished surfer riding waves while someone else was getting their first lesson. Just like our faith journey, the veteran was able to stand up and navigate the power of the waves giving him a smooth ride toward shore. The beginner however, had a hard time getting up on the board. She fell off time and time again because she couldn’t find her balance as she was pushed forward by the force of the sea. Her persistence paid off in the end. She learned from her failures and eventually she caught a wave and to her surprise, was surfing in toward those who had been encouraging her after every wipeout.
  3. In the early mornings as I sit on the beach awaiting the sunrise, there are folks out looking for pretty rocks and shells that the recent high tide has brought in overnight. Isn’t it interesting that you can tell which ones have been in the ocean the longest. They have been smoothed out and sometimes even made shiny by the constant churning of the waves crashing along the shore. The same can be said for us. Our lives become more beautiful as we age because we have been refined by trials and circumstances we have encountered along the way. Just like that pretty shell or rock, people can pick out that beauty out of a crowd.
  4. The last lesson I will share comes from my love of boogie boarding. Waves can be powerful and when they are, handled properly, they can provide quite a ride toward shore. God is like a powerful wave. You have to choose the right one, sit back, and catch it just right. If you get ahead of yourself, it can lead to a nose dive and you being thrown off the board. Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death or a wipeout 🙂 If you sit and wait too long, the swell will pass and leave you behind.” Oswald Chambers says it this way: “Launch all on God, go out on the great swelling tide of His purpose.” Psalm 27;14 https://www.gotquestions.org/wait-on-the-Lord.html But when you time it correctly, the momentum of the wave lifts you up and sends you forward in such an exhilarating sort of way. God wants us to live life in the same way: Respecting His power and waiting Him. He does not want us to be out in front of Him nor does He want us to hang back when He is ready for us to be used by Him. So, as Hillsong sung in the song I suggested, “Will you call upon the Lord? He wants us to submit to his power and live life immersed in His desire to push us forward so that we can accomplish all He has in store for us.

Thanks for reading my blog. If you found it helpful, please forward it to other who might be encourage by it. If you haven’t already, I would love for you to subscribe so you can receive email notifications when new content is posted. I can be reached via email at [email protected]

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What can we learn from our times on vacation?

I have been sharing my thoughts with you recently about Psalm 23. https://thankfulinallthings.com/musings-on-psalms-23/ Well this week I get to experience where God “leads me by still waters so He can restoreth my soul”

The beach is my favorite vacation location and the Outer Banks of North Carolina has been a destination spot for our family. We came down with friends 35 years ago and have been coming back ever since. This week we are here with two other couples who have been friends for almost 50 years which leads me to what the ocean can teach us. Where there is an ocean there is a beach and the beach is a place where friends and family can gather to rest and enjoy a time away together away from the regular day to day constraints. This type of time teaches us that we need to get away so we can return ready to deal with our normal day to day responsibilities. Hopefully it is a time where we can be encouraged by those with us and that we can do the same for them as well. The goal is to find depth in our conversations and to laugh a lot.

The best type of vacation is when everyone has a willingness to pitch in so there is time for each person to recharge knowing there is someone taking care of what needs to be done. Here are a few examples that have worked for us in the past. 1) An agreement to share equally in the expenses and the opportunity to pay a little more for someone who needs the financial help. 2) There are nights you cook and clean up so you know you can relax with no responsibilities the other nights. 3) Noone has to do anything except for the family photo 🙂 Games can be played and movies can be watched but there is freedom to not participate. 4) You commit to help everyone find the time to have personal down time and take a nap or two and others do the same for you.

As I thought about these vacation guidelines, I wondered why we don’t implement them into our every day lives as well. Think about it….1) Why not share equally in chores or financial matters more? Hebrews 13:16 says, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” Acts 4:32 “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.” 2) Think of the times where others do the chores so you can rest as your Sabbath. “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” – Genesis 2:2 We all need to find down time where we can truly rest and not feel bad about not pitching in. Follow God’s example and take a full day each week for Sabbath rest – a time to focus on God and His goodness, and allow Him to refresh you for the next week’s work. 3) As far as the family photo. Seek Unity in all you do and honor your mother 🙂 “God calls his people to live in unity with one another, so it is important to make every effort to live together in harmony with everyone.” Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” 4) Help those around you to find rest and restoration. Ephesians 4:2,3 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Can we turn vacations into our every day lives? Why not give it a try. Maybe soon no matter where you are, you can say when asked how are you doing, “it is just another day in paradise.” 🙂 Why not just Let Go!

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Musings on Psalms 23

I have been reciting Psalm 23 several times a day over the last couple years. Sometimes I just say it from start to finish. Other times I personalize it adding prayers for me and for others. Sometimes I fall asleep before finishing it at bedtime. And then there are the times when I’m in the middle of it and can’t remember the rest ? As many times as I have read it or set it out loud, I came across something this week that I’ve never thought about before.  This post will be my thoughts on the first three verses and how God prepares us for when adversity comes our way.

“The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Do you see it now? One verse leads us into the next. Each one prepares us for what is to come. First, we are to acknowledge that the Lord is our Shepherd who will provide all that we need. Secondly, He does not ask us to lie down in green pastures, He make us do it. He knows we need rest even when we might not think it is necessary. Once we have rested, he gives us the opportunity to experience the peace that comes from being led to still quiet, waters. There is nothing more peaceful for me than being at the ocean when there are no waves and the sun is yet to rise. It does indeed “restoreth my soul”

He has created us. He leads us. He calls us to rest so that we can be restored. Why? So that when adversity comes our way as it does each and every day, we will not fear because He promises to be with us. May this thought process cause you to “go out knowing that goodness and love will follow you all the days of your life, knowing you will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6

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