In the Garden

Good morning Abba, Good morning Jesus, Good morning Holy Spirit,

"Don't be afraid, because I'm with you;

 don't be anxious, because I am your God.

 I keep on strengthening you;

 I'm truly helping you.

 I'm surely upholding you with my victorious right hand."

Isaiah 41:10

Oh the joy of being cleansed! That sense that all things have been made right. A clarity that makes everything look unbelievably clean, crisp, and crystal clear. When no negative can touch the joy that is flowing within. The anticipation that He has you covered!

Sometimes when life slows down, there seems to be a distancing... a "what now" void. That's when I realize that it is time for me to "run" back into a mindset, a choice to get closer to our Lord through discussions with the Holy Spirit. A time spent just "being still" in my surroundings. Seeing without contemplating... Listening without asking... Sensing without acting...

What is it our Lord wishes to express and imprint upon my heart, spirit, and soul? Could it be an overflow of His love? Could He be tenderly touching me with His hands of healing? Is there an area that needs weeding from my harvest that He is asking me to surrender and be made new? What if He just wants to spend time with me and just "be" together?

On my patio, walking in my garden, I will visit with him... I will let His presence renew and refresh all of me.

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known. (Refrain)

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

(Refrain)

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

(Refrain)

Words & Music: C. Aus­tin Miles, March 1912:
I read…the sto­ry of the great­est morn in his­to­ry: “The first day of the week com­eth Ma­ry Mag­da­lene ear­ly, while it was yet ve­ry dark, unto the se­pul­cher.” In­stant­ly, com­plet­ely, there un­fold­ed in my mind the scenes of the gar­den of Jo­seph….Out of the mists of the gar­den comes a form, halt­ing, he­si­tat­ing, tear­ful, seek­ing, turn­ing from side to side in be­wil­der­ing amaze­ment. Fal­ter­ing­ly, bear­ing grief in ev­e­ry ac­cent, with tear-dimmed eyes, she whis­pers, “If thou hast borne him hence”… “He speaks, and the sound of His voice is so sweet the birds hush their sing­ing.” Je­sus said to her, “Mary!” Just one word from his lips, and for­got­ten the heart­aches, the long drea­ry hours….all the past blot­ted out in the pre­sence of the Liv­ing Pre­sent and the Eter­nal Fu­ture.

Genisis 1:31 His pleasure in us

Good morning Abba, Good morning Jesus, Good morning Holy Spirit,

 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, [it was] very good...

 Genisis 1:31

When we stop long enough to look at the glorious sunrises or sunsets, we marvel at the colors. When springtime emerges, we feel excitement as each plant is awakened and begins to bloom. When fall begins, oh the thrill of colors and crispness in the air. Just about every young animal causes us to smile. Each newborn begs us to embrace its new life.

 The LORD your God is in your midst, 

a mighty one who will save; 

he will rejoice over you with gladness; 

he will quiet you by his love; 

he will exult over you with loud singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

When our heart resonates with His love, we know it. We feel it. We smile, sing, or share the overflow because it is too much for us to hold inside. So why is it that in a heart beat we can be consumed with doubt about our self worth? Those moments when a look of disappointment causes us to stumble. Sharp edged words can cut through us as if we are unworthy or less than the group. A coworker can create chaos with a few well placed words. A loved one can cast us aside.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,

 plans for welfare and not for evil,

 to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11  

God promises to take our broken moments, our rough edges and beginning creating us into the image of His beloved son... Jesus. His passionate love is so perfect that His will is to create in us His masterpiece of perfected love. With all of my heart I have ventured forth into His pruning, re-shaping, and polishing. My goodness, this is not always a comfortable place to be. Allowing His will for my life to be my everything instead of my will for myself. Just the word "my" screams that I want control. It is an ongoing determination to stay put in His will. How much I long for the simpleness of a bird who has no concern about leaping into flight. The joy of a flower as it opens and reaches out to the morning's light. The happiness of a seal tumbling playfully in the surf.

 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! 

1 Chronicles 16:34

His passionate love for each of us is meant to fill us to overflowing... let us brighten someone's day with a touch of His love...

Just for today...

Just for today...

With so many challenges and opportunities to feel weak, I wanted to post an inspiring word that brought me through these past few days:

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 © 1991 Eagle Mountain International Church, Inc. aka: Kenneth Copeland Publications All rights reserved.

Trust Him to Deliver You

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.... There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. – Psalm 91:7,10

Naturally speaking, this is a terrifying world we’re living in today. A world that staggers from one disaster to another. Almost daily we hear about wars, about the dangers of nuclear weapons and chemical warfare, about oil spills and earthquakes and floods, about diseases on the rise and crime sweeping through our cities. But in the midst of it all, God is promising to be a refuge and a fortress to those who will trust and dwell in Him. “But, Gloria,” you might say, “He made that promise thousands of years ago when things weren’t in as desperate shape as they are today!” That may be so, but you know what? That promise is right up-to-date. It was made for our generation. Just think about it. Back when Psalm 91 was written, man hadn’t even invented weapons that could destroy 10,000 people at once. We’re the generation that did that. So when He said, “No evil will befall you,” He was including us. No evil will befall you. My, what a statement! You need to catch hold of it and believe it today. Believe that God wants to be God in your life. He wants to be your protection. He wants to be your security. He wants to be the first Name you call when trouble comes your way. He wants to be the One you trust in and look to, to keep you safe. And if you’ll do that, He’ll never, never let you down. He can handle all the dangers that surround you. I don’t care how bad they are, He can handle them! He proved that with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They were bound and thrown into a fiery furnace that was so hot that the men who threw them in were killed by the heat. Now you can’t get in any more trouble than that. But God brought them through and when they came out, they didn’t even smell like smoke. Hallelujah! So, no matter how terrifying things around you seem to get, trust God. He’ll always be faithful. He’ll never be out doing something else when you need help. He’ll be right there to deliver you from any problem, any catastrophe, any kind of devastation. Let Him prove in your life what He proved in the lives of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego: No other can deliver like He can!