Finding Life.
March 10, 2010
The sun was shining and the day looked promising. A little girl was gladdened to find that the weather had warmed. The earth seemed refreshed to see the sun’s shining face again, in hopes that new life would begin springing from it’s soil.
A bright and cheery day it was, and so out the little girl went in search of something very, very special.
It was a bit like an adventure, searching here and there for the treasure. A treasure that when found, would bring a bright smile to her face. A treasure that gave hope for a lovelier tomorrow.
Exploring she went, looking high and low. But she could not find what she so eagerly sought.
Just as she began to think that she just might have to wait another day before finding what she sought, out of the corner of her eye she spotted a tiny patch of green.
She hurried over to where the long-searched for treasure was. That little patch of green brought a bright and beautiful smile to her face.
The happy beam of sunshine that shone through those little green stubs made her think about the flowers that would one day bloom, giving her happiness in knowing that Spring was truly on its way.
Nothing said Spring quite as well as the little green knobs which peaked up from the leaf-covered soil.
Finding that little bit of new life was worth the searching and worth the wait . . .
. . . and because of all the waiting and searching, the finding was all the more sweet.
Passion and Preparation
March 8, 2010
The Lord brought these verses at a most timely moment:
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” —Hebrews 13:5-6
Daddy read aloud Hebrews 13 during family worship, and it was a wonderful reminder that God gives us exactly what we need at the exact time we’re in need of it! (Proverbs 15:23.)
Before this was read, we had been discussing the future – including marriage and children and the generations to come. Breezy and I are eagerly looking forward to having families of our own and implementing into the lives of our children the many wonderful things our parents have taught us.
Yet, in the Lord’s good timing, He has not given us our families yet. We must wait patiently on God, and serve Him in where He has placed us.
We are passionate about the future, but are we passionate about today?
It is easy to look at the future and imagine how wonderful it will be, because “the grass is always greener on the other side,” right? Right?
We may imagine that it is so, but that doesn’t make it true.
We know not what the Lord’s plan is, but we do know that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28) and that “He will never forsake [us]” (Hebrews 13:5).
The future is the future for a reason – it is not today.
Let us be content in today. Content in where the Lord has placed us. Content in what the Lord has blessed us with. As Corrie Ten Boom said, “Every experience God gives us, every person he puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.”
Today we can prepare for the future and become better equipped for the Lord’s will. Right now we can be living each and every day for the glory of God and faithfully serve Him where He has placed us and with what He has blessed us with.
“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” —Luke 12:48b
Let us be passionate about today, glorify our Savior in devoting every minute to obeying Him, building His Kingdom and preparing for His will in His timing!
Delightful Evenings with Victoria Botkin!
February 26, 2010
The dear wife of Geoffrey Botkin, Mrs. Victoria Botkin, has been a sweet encouragement to me and I have loved every moment that I have spent with her. She is a godly woman who spills over with gracious encouragement, a truly edifying woman to be around.
Now, you have the opportunity to spend time gleaning from her wisdom online! Mrs. Botkin will be sharing with other ladies via the internet:
- All about Eve
- All about Sarah
- About the Proverbs 31 wife
- About love
- How to help your husband love you
- How to become a wise woman
I do hope you will join us in learning from this wonderful Titus 2 example, by registering here! You can read more about these nine delightfully encouraging evenings here, which will begin this coming Monday.
(There are a couple giveaways right now for a free registration here {ends tonight} and here {ends this Lord’s Day}.)
“Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior,
not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,
so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands,
to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind,
being subject to their own husbands,
so that the word of God will not be dishonored.”
—Titus 2:3-5
Lead me, O Lord!
February 20, 2010
“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.”
Psalm 139:23-24
An afternoon of reading with a cup of tea . . .
February 9, 2010
“In the same way that God designed all of creation in its undeniable perfection and beauty, He handcrafted each girl’s situation with exquisite precision. He chose the exact parents, position, and opportunities that would best fulfill His purposes for her life and bring Him glory. . . continue reading.”
—Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin at Visionary Daughters
“I don’t think that any woman could prepare long enough to perfectly execute this list [in Titus 2:3-5]. But it is my duty to aim to follow this standard that God has set. . . . And what better way to practice being a keeper at home than to learn the ins and outs from my mother, who has wells of wisdom on the subject! And who could think of a better way to prepare to submit to a husband, whether he’s right or wrong, than to practice in a daughters relationship to her father? . . . continue reading.”
—Stephanie at In His Time
“It is when we create things for God’s sake that our work most clearly promotes His glory, rather than threatening to compete with it. Thus the true purpose of art is the same as the true purpose of anything: it is not for ourselves or for our own self-expression, but for the service of others and the glory of God.”
—Philip Graham Ryken in Art for God’s Sake
There’s a little bit of Spring.
February 2, 2010
It is cold and gray outside. The sun can barely show its face. My thoughts are heavy.
The recent earthquake has left the nation of Haiti devastated. There are many children who are homeless and are in need of families. They have nothing aside from the clothes on their backs . . . and not all of them have even that.
But there is hope in the God that created them, in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The people of Haiti are in need. There is a strong team of men down there helping the orphans and people of Haiti. You can follow their trip to Rescue Haiti’s Children on Mr. Phillip’s Blog, Twitter, and Facebook. You can help them by giving a donation.
The world outside may seem bleak, but inside there are flowers blooming. A beautiful reminder that there is always hope in difficult times.
There is always hope in Christ.
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant:
if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
—Anne Bradstreet
A world covered with ice.
January 27, 2010
“Out of the south comes the storm,
And out of the north the cold.
From the breath of God ice is made,
And the expanse of the waters is frozen.”
Job 37:9-10
Time.
January 26, 2010
Where has the bird of time flown off to? Why does it seem that whenever we look for it, we find that it has fluttered off into the distance? One moment it is here right beside us, and the next it is flying off into the horizon never to return again.
Time fades more quickly than we would like it to. We would love to stop time and savor the special moments when the joy around us seems as though it can be no happier.
It seems as though every day there is something that we wish could last longer.
Yet time cannot be stopped, it keeps on going. Life is a gift from our Lord. It is as a vapor that lasts only for a moment (James 4:14). We are given only a time, only a season on this earth in which things come and go.
That is why every moment is important: it is a gift of God. Every hour is important. Every day is important. We are responsible for how we use our time. Are we using these blessed moments in a fruitful way?
I can always see areas in which I can and need to improve the way I spend my time. I am far from perfect. But I do know the One who is perfect, and in Him, with His strength, I can do all things (Philippians 4:13).
At all times our focus must be on our Creator. God is in control, and it is because of Him that we must be faithful with the time He has given us on this beautiful earth. We must use our time wisely.
In this culture fascinated with entertainment, it is easy to become distracted. That is where regret may come into play. We can find ourselves caught up in the moment and forget the most important things around us when we loose our focus and misplace our priorities.
Looking back we see how the Lord has worked in our lives. We can see the many changes in our lives and in the lives of those around us. We may miss those past days, but hopefully we will not look back with regrets. That would be a terrible end of the story.
It is up to us how we use our time and, by God’s grace, we can use it for His honor and glory.
Will we waste it or spend it wisely with no regrets?
While living the life my Lord has blessed me with, I am at home with my family enjoying being a daughter, homemaker and artist. My highest goal is to give glory to God and enjoy Him forever. It is He that has saved me with His amazing grace and is continually molding me; to Him I owe everything. Read more . . .
