A Promise

Take heart and know that you do not have to be alone.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,”

John 14:16 ESV

http://bible.com/59/jhn.14.16.esv

Wind and the Waves

“He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?””

Luke 8:25 ESV

http://bible.com/59/luk.8.25.esv

Lead me to the Rock

Tiny dots...............

As we walk through life we can at times feel alone, lost, or disconnected.  During these times it can start to feel a bit overwhelming.  God reminded me this week that I am part of a much larger plan.  If you zoom into this drawing you will notice that it is entirely made up of tiny dots.  Alone each dot is just a single mark on a page, but when put together with many others, it helps to create a very complex image.  God reminded me that he wants to use me in his master plan.  He reminded me that it is his plan and he is in full control of lining up all the tiny dots.  My job is simple; serve God right where I am, and love those he places in front of me.  

Questions to ponder:  

Where has God placed your dot?  

What other dots are around you that God is asking you to partner with?  

Who has God placed in front of you that He is asking you to Love? 

 John 15:1-12

I Am the True Vine

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Revelation

Psalm 34

Psalm 34 (ESV)

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

34 I will bless the Lord at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
² My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and be glad.
³ Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
    and let us exalt his name together!

⁴ I sought the Lord, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears.
⁵ Those who look to him are radiant,
    and their faces shall never be ashamed.
⁶ This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
    and saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷ The angel of the Lord encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them.

⁸ Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
⁹ Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
    for those who fear him have no lack!
¹⁰ The young lions suffer want and hunger;
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

¹¹ Come, O children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
¹² What man is there who desires life
    and loves many days, that he may see good?
¹³ Keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from speaking deceit.
¹⁴ Turn away from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
    and his ears toward their cry.
¹⁶ The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
    to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
¹⁷ When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
²⁰ He keeps all his bones;
    not one of them is broken.
²¹ Affliction will slay the wicked,
    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
²² The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Peace in Him

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.””

John 16:33 ESV

http://bible.com/59/jhn.16.33.esv

Slowing down

I have taken a few months off from technology to live life in the moment rather than through the cropped and filtered digital memory of my iPhone.  I downshifted a bit and looked at life through my own eyes, attempting to capture mental images as I walked out my day.   I have enjoyed slowing down and living a bit closer to the present.  




 
During this time I purchased a new  ESV journal bible with high quality paper and plenty of room for drawing in the margins. 

I find my time in the word is enhanced by simply slowing down and sketching through what God is revealing on each page. 



How is God asking you to slow down?

Ask

Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.

Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. (James 1:2-6