Flowers For YOU!

I found this bouquet at an flower site. Aren't they beautiful? I like to receive flowers all year long...not for any particular reason. As I was thinking of everyone who reads this or will read it...I wanted to give everyone flowers. Just because. Not for a special reason, but for a special person. YOU:)
Enjoy! Enjoy the flowers and enjoy the beginning of fall.

~Debbie

Prayer Encounters

It seems each day has a specific need to be met. I am grateful for prayer encounters. Prayer encounters are prayer requests, sometimes verbal beacons sending out an SOS to those who would seek God's heart.
We are to lift one another and our burdens through physical help as well as prayerful petition.
If you ask God what to pray for and whom to pray for you will amazed.
Sometimes the request comes from someone face to face. Sometimes it is a link from someone else.
There have been seasons that I knew I was to pray. Not just my everyday communication with the Lord, but specific requests that came in such odd ways.
The seemingly random conversation overheard in a line at a store check-out, getting gas, the post office line.
Usually, most of us are processing a lot of information just with our normal everyday life and yet... If the Holy Spirit awakens your prayer response..pay attention.

Pray then, pray every time He reminds you of that person or encounter.
Praying always. Not religiously, yet thoughtfully. That He who granted you the privilege of prayer will meet yours and their need.
He awaits. Our petition, our prayer, our thanksgiving that He is who He says He is, and He will do what He said He would. He changeth not...on this you can rely.
No magic formula. But a sovereign God and Savior who will accomplish what He has sent His word to accomplish. His word will not come back void.
Pray today. Pray His word. Thank Him for He careth for you.

~Debbie

Isaiah 55:11
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.


Ephesians 6:18
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;


1Titus 2:1
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

Jealousy

Jealousy is a little discussed subject, yet it is one that we all need to consider and repent of when we give in to its self destructive pattern. Have you ever had someone who rubbed you the wrong way. Thinking...I do not know why, but they aggravate me! Well! most of us have had this issue rise up within us and sometimes with very negative results.
So carefully think over your own heart. Is any of your behaviour caused by jealousy? Think about it and prayerfully consider what you should do about it.
Here is a brief prayer that I prayed.
Father, consider my ways and help me to choose your way. To love the unlovely, even if that is me at that time. Help me to forgive myself and others and value myself and others as you do.
In Jesus name, Amen.

~Debbie

Shine

Did you ever sing the song "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine. Not going to hide it under a bushel, NO, I am going to let it shine! Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."
I remember going to Sunday school a few times during my childhood and I left the class with this song. The song stayed with me through the years, although I did not understand its meaning, I knew I wanted to shine!

After becoming an adult, I chose to accept Jesus Christ as my Saviour and allow His light to shine in and through me. There are still many things that I do not understand. Yet, I do understand that I am to shine as a light in this dark world. You are to shine.

For years I walked in darkness and lived my life in darkness.
Nothing is clear in the dark. Only when the light is shown does the darkness recede.

Darkness does not disappear. It is still present, but is pushed aside by His light.
Jesus Christ in you is a light that can illuminate the darkness.

Today I want to encourage you to shine.
There are storms that would try to quench His light in you, yet shine.

God wants to use us to light the darkness around us.
~Debbie





Luke 11:33
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.

Philippians 2:15
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Daniel 12:3
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.


Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Walking Gracefully

Have you ever insisted on having your own way? Were you happy with the result?
Trusting God and walking peacefully in God's timing can be like wearing your first pair of high heels.
Wobbly, at best and practice is needed.
There are things that I have desired so greatly, that I would convince myself, I surely needed to help God on this one!
Wow! Wrong!! I have never been happy with the result. Sometimes it is a small mess to clean up and sometimes it takes a dump truck!
Forget high heels....think rubber boots.
If you find yourself at the wrong end of a good intention or an argument, repent as quickly as possible. The root of repent is to turn in the opposite direction.
After falling flat on my face and rear more times than necessary I have learned to step lightly and for balance at times I have needed to walk with the Bible on my head as well as in my heart.


Ephesians 6:15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;



Walking softly and carrying His word,
~Debbie

What Smell?

Recently, my kitchen disposal broke.
Needless, to say, an opening without a drain basket is an opportunity for a big mess.
After determining the problem, I commenced upon a solution.
A drain basket over the opening until a replacement could be arranged to be installed.

In the meantime, I had to clean out the hole, that had just received a large mess! EWW!!!
Well, I thought I had removed all of the mess from the drain. Rinse, repeat, rinse again.
It appeared clean to me.

That is, until my daughters came to visit and told me there was a slightly bad odor in the house.
What! EWW!
What smell?
After all, I had not noticed a bad smell.
My daughters laughed and told me there was definitely a bad smell which I could not smell because I had been exposed to it all day.

Hmm...that made me think.

How often does our attitude, or our outlook have a slightly bad odor? Stinky thinking

Sometimes others notice what we have not noticed and care enough to tell us.

So today, even if you think your attitude is great, careful consideration may be in order.
Spending time in God's word can be a drain basket for your less than lovely attitude.
Take a few moments and thoughtfully, stop and smell your attitude.
A lot of times upon closer inspection you will find that it is not as sweet as you once thought.
Removal of the junk and air freshener does wonders for your home.
Application of God's word and a fresh wind of God's Holy Spirit can clean up the most offensive things.


Cleaning house inside and out.
~Debbie


Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.