All in Holy Spirit
That’s exactly what Jesus calls us to do. This is our assignment as His followers: to join Him in bringing healing and restoration to a world fractured by sin. When sin entered the garden, our perfect relationship with God was broken. But God sent Jesus to repair that relationship, and now we are called to reflect His image, to share the story of salvation, and to bring hope to the lost and hurting.
By the end of May the Covid threat was lessening, so when aunt ‘Chelle called to recruit blueberry pickers, grandson #3 and I jumped at the chance. It was a gorgeous day. Didn’t matter that we had to drive twenty minutes. Didn’t matter that they had to take our temperature. We were free, our masks were off, and the blueberries were plentiful. Armed with the secret to efficiency—attach your pail to your belt so you can use both hands—we found a row to ourselves.
My girls love to eat blueberries. Once we get our delicious batch of this fruit we are to wash and look through them to pick out all the shriveled up blueberries. Sometimes there are bad blueberries mixed in with the good ones. The bad blueberries get tossed and the juicy and plump ones get to be enjoyed as a wonderful snack or dessert for the whole family to share.
Paul encourages me day by day… to go through my life, focusing on my relationship with the Lord and the supernatural power of God’s presence within. This is the treasure! My strength will be renewed by His Holy Spirit. I am to trust Him to fill me with His amazing love, strength, and peace. He will help me live the worthy and called life.
I have learned there is a difference in knowing God’s truth in my head versus accepting God’s truth in my heart. When God’s truth moves beyond my head, fills my heart and touches my soul – at this point – I change and become more like Jesus. God’s truth becomes such a part of me, that obedience follows my heart change.
Adoption stories can be very sweet, emotional, and inspiring to hear and share. These stories often involve unexpected twists and incredible bond-forming in families. They can highlight love, resilience, and connection so that instant families turn into forever families.
Jesus explains that if I keep on asking, seeking and knocking for things from a worldly perspective that I think have purpose or that I think are wise, I will probably be disappointed.
While traveling, I once walked into a cute honey shop. Everything honey related seemed to be in there!
In the past, it seems honey was quite important. The psalmist, David, recognized the value of honey too and he aligned it with gold. He even compared it to his relationship with the Lord and His word to show, as important or valued as honey or gold was, David’s relationship with the Lord and His Word was even more important!
Do you ever have trouble hearing the voice of the Spirit? If you're anything like me, then your answer is a resounding, Yes!
I have a treasure, and so does every other person who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Paul addresses this treasure in 2 Corinthians. He calls it God’s light! He further explains that it’s the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
We talk about having our “buttons” pushed when someone says or does something that ignites powerful emotions. An array of ugly feelings burst forth when a sensitive spot in our souls is suddenly triggered. We all know at least one difficult person who provides opportunities for us to do the things we don’t want to do (Romans 7:15).
Our young family moved twelve times. Each move felt more chaotic and unceremonious than the last. In comparison, move-in day for Solomon’s Temple must have transpired very differently! Enormous crowds, prayers, and a fourteen-day celebration marked the occasion. On the first day, Solomon asked an interesting question during his prayer of dedication: “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens even the highest heaven cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built” (1 Kings 8:27).
I enjoy going shopping with my oldest daughter. She has a fun sense of style, and she encourages me to bring color into my wardrobe which gives me a “new look.” Without her encouragement, and sometimes honesty, my closet would be a color range of grays and blacks.
My university library holds a special place in my memory. I often sought refuge there from dorm life for studying. One day, however, instead of studying, a question about the Holy Spirit distracted me.
We spent the day in lawn chairs watching my brother, his grandsons, and a “windmill expert” assemble a 100-year-old windmill in our pasture. By the evening, the seemingly random pile of metal transformed into a functioning mechanism for pumping water from a hundred feet below the ground’s surface.
“Mommie, my heart hurts. I think it’s Jesus kicking it because He wants in!” my granddaughter announced on the way to school. Did she feel preschool anxiety or had God created an opportunity for a spiritual conversation?
I scampered for shelter from tending the burn pile. The rumbling thunder signaled the arrival of yet another Spring storm. From my porch perch, I gazed at the darkened sky and marveled at what I saw—birds barely in view calmly soaring in and out of the clouds.
Have you had that deep night of the soul experience when no words would come as you tried to present Jesus your need? I have. Those are times I’ve experienced that peace that makes no sense (Philippians 4:6-7). I can’t explain it, only experience the truth.
Rhetoric: “the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech” (online Oxford Languages). Amos is variously praised in the commentaries for his gifted writing. I was intrigued.
Confronted with examples and a clearer understanding of patience, I am challenged to grow beyond my adult version of patience—biting my tongue and deep breathing.
