Inspire…
Officially spring is only nine days away. March winds are blowing, Easter dresses are showing up in stores. Its awakening time…
Butterflies are flitting in and out, around here things are yellow with pollen, and you can feel the earth waking up once again. New life.
The Giver of life is inspiring creation once again to renew. As His beloved it is always spring in our hearts. New life ours each day – now and forever. “The days of the blameless are known to the Lord, and their inheritance will endure forever.” (Psalm 37:18 NIV)
Blameless? Only because of a Savior who took all my blame. Now I can dance free as though every day were the first day of spring. Good news.
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth…For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.” (Psalm 57:5, 10 NIV) As spring’s green leaves form on the trees and soft flowers wave in the wind look to the heavens, give thanks for great is His love for those who love Him.
All inspiration for our art, music, words rises out of creation.
The hope of spring is not in what we can see, it is in the faithfulness of the one who is the Maker of the fertile ground and fresh air. Yet in this world we see the hard as well – illness, broken hearts, death. But it won’t always be so. Next time a day seems overwhelming or even just ordinary – look at the intricacy of an insect, feel the wonder of warm sunshine, touch the hand of loved one.
The one who cares enough to give wings to a dragonfly, a purr to a kitten, and down to ducklings – cares even more for each of your moments. And so we have endurance for the hard days and the easy ones “inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thessalonians 1:3 NIV)
Inspired…by hope…in the One who is true and faithful.
Wild & Precious…
We all want to be the just blossomed rose. Petals fresh, soft, full of promise, fragrance beckoning all to notice.
But life has a way of shaking our just blossomed awe and we find ourselves instead hesitant, doubting the promise, and wanting anything but to be noticed.
Because…we take our eyes off the Maker. The One who knit us together and likes us just the way we are. The One who doesn’t see our outward shell. The One that plants all our desires deep in our hearts – because He has a great purpose for us.
But we forget and begin to think all this living stuff is about us. Notice the ones who seem to have a special something? Not the celebrities, not the famous, the rich, or the talented. No, the ones who light up a room because they light up our soul. This is our calling – not self-promotion but soul-promotion.
This One Wild & Precious Life – what is His plan for it? Our plans center around self, His plans center around eternity.
When He tells us in Jeremiah He knows the plans He has for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us – that’s because the victory is already His. He knows that we are conquerors – when we choose to live as such we are useful for Him, His plans can be worked through us. “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37 NIV)
It is a wild and precious life full of opportunity to make a difference – but not the difference the world says matters. Instead of saying to the hurting ‘I’ll pray about that’ – take that shaking hand and call on the King of Kings right then and there. Instead of worrying about what others think, light up the room with the love He’s filled you with brimming over to all not just the easy.
Soul promotion says ‘I’ve got one wild and precious life I choose to pour into you’ – because we know that we can never empty ourselves when it’s the Holy Spirit moving through us. We are convinced “that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)
One Wild & Precious Life – are we planning it, or are we walking in the lighted path of the One who can make a wild difference?
Bad Weld…
As I drove home a loud noise started and I could hear a scraping sound. I pulled over and looked under, sure enough there was this long assembly hanging down – turned out to be a bad weld.
Normally if something goes wrong with my car I pout, I cry, I have a little fit. It’s always been my pet peeve, translated security blanket, I have to feel safe in my car.
This time I calmly called the tow company, noticed I had pulled off into an ideal spot for the tow truck to hitch up, the weather was gorgeous, and my husband was on his way to help me unload my stuff.
I actually enjoyed the serenity of watching the breeze stir the leaves overhead, feel the warm sun, and acknowledge that I am safest when I am trusting God – not when I have a perfect running car.
“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8 NIV)
A bad weld at manufacture had finally given way. A weld connects two parts so they can function as one piece and do their job. That’s supposed to be us with Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is our weld. “Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 1:13b NIV) When we allow Him to be our conduit to God, then the weld is good. But what about those times we try and go it on our own? Though His Spirit never leaves us we are acting as if we don’t need to be welded to Him. That would have been like me continuing to drive my car because it wasn’t really important those parts were welded on securely anyway.
I want more times when I calmly look and see that God is good – even when the world’s welds give way. “But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” (Proverbs 1:33 NIV)
Grace Spread…
If life is brief and time something we cannot bottle and save up, then I want to spread a blanket of grace over all those who come my way.
Whether I have you in my life always because you’re my child or husband or I have you only once because you happened onto my blog, I want to spread grace like a large soft blanket – to lay on and look up at the blue sky full of hope or to curl up in and know you are safe.
Because in God there is always hope and in Him we are always safe.
The grace I want to spread doesn’t come from me. But it can come through me. What if the simple answer to all the complicated questions is this: spread grace.
Grace for the times we disappoint, anger, mess up, come up short. Grace for those who make it easy for us to love them and more grace for those we can’t imagine loving. I don’t have this kind of grace for you. I, like you, have an agenda, or a to-do list to check, or expectations. But He does have this grace and He invites us to just…accept.
Nothing to do to get it, just open our hands and more than we can hold is ours. Like a blanket of love to ward off the cold of the world or to spread beneath to soften the hard spots.
I want to be Grace-Full and truly that’s what I am, but I guess I forget and don’t spread it out for those right in front of me like I should.
Not everyone will accept grace when offered. It is foreign to us. We are suspicious. But like a field blanketed in wintry snow that bursts into a covering of green grass and wildflowers – so grace can spread through us. Melting away the harsh walls built for protection.
Grace spread – when we are covered in it, it’s like He’s pulling us closer that we can know His heart. Why would He do that? So we can make His heart known and spread His grace that all the world may know: From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:16 NIV
His Girl…
You know those moments where your heart swells? Those times when your doggy looks at you with soulful eyes. Those times a toddler’s sweet voice undoes you. The times a strong hand with a wedding band covers yours in assurance.
What treasure there is in these earthly loves. They are what memories are made of and what make the days worth all the toil. Those times we wish wouldn’t end, where time would stop, and all our days would be held captive in those moments.
But that’s not how it is. Those love moments are the exception to most of our days.
Yet there is one whose heart swells because of us day in and day out. Our voices, our glances His way, our heart longings – these are His delight. “For the Lord takes delight in His people.” (Psalm 149:4 NIV)
This Valentines’ Day I want to remember that I am His girl first. “We love because He first loved us.” (1John 4:19 NIV) It is only because of His great love, that I – created in His image – have the capacity to love. All other loves in my life are secondary to committing my heart to my first Love.
How valuable we are to Him. With all our flaws and fears, so great is our worth, He paid the highest price. The life of His Son. He sends us not a bouquet of flowers, but a whole field of them. Not a box of chocolates, but all the ingredients to make them. Not a once a year card, but a daily book telling of His great love for His girl.
Are you His girl? He is our one true love…
(This is the two year anniversary of Paris Renae, thank you for reading, commenting, rejoicing, reflecting all that is so extraordinary about our lives. May the coming year for you be one filled with awe in the wonder He surrounds you with and His great love and peace. Happy Valentines’ Day!)
If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME! So glad you are here!
Hope Story…
Hope story – God is ever present…
Once there was a girl and her mom – just the two of them. Tomy was mom’s name, and her always smiling daughter was Jody.
Tomy always looked for love in men who loved her for a while – then betrayed her. She fiercely protected Jody and raised her to be different.
Fast forward many years to a time when Jody married and also found Jesus and fell into His caring arms. At the same time Tomy was misled into a cult thinking she was being taught truth.
Mother and daughter grew closer with each passing year. Tomy loving Jody’s children, making sure Jody had everything she needed, kindly loving Jody’s husband too. A week never went by where they didn’t spend time on the phone, so many miles separating them.
Then one day Tomy was old – and a diagnosis of an aneurysm was given. It rested on the optic nerve of her right eye and her sight and ability to read diminished. Add to it a botched back surgery and the next couple of years were very hard. But Jody’s words and prayers began to be answered. It seemed Tomy was pulling away from the cult.
Jody visited as often as she could never knowing one grey day when she drove away would be the last visit. The call came as Jody drove to work ‘Your mom’s in the hospital having emergency brain surgery, it doesn’t look good’.
Hospital and burial behind her, mementos packed in her car, Jody once again drove away. On the outskirts of town clouds gave way to blue skies. Flipping on the radio a song came on, an old song ‘I Can See Clearly Now’. For over four years Jody thought that was a nice song, a bit of hope that her beloved mother had indeed passed away knowing Jesus as Savior.
Then one day there was no one left of Jody’s family from the small town she had been born in. Taking a few days to herself she explored the beaches of her childhood, walked around the lake of her hometown, and finally, read the song’s words. This song wasn’t just about her mother, it was clearly about a mom and a daughter, just the two of them – and a God who loves them so much…
Tomy & Jody: ‘I can see clearly now, the rain is gone’ Jody ‘I can see all obstacles (worries and fears) in my way’. Tomy ‘Gone are the dark clouds (false religion) that had me blind’. Tomy & Jody ‘It’s gonna be a bright sunshiny day’. Tomy ‘Oh, yes, I can make it now the pain is gone, all of the bad feelings have disappeared’. Jody ‘Here is the rainbow I’ve been praying for’. Tomy & Jody ‘It’s gonna be a bright, bright, bright sunshiny day’!
The point of my story, dear reader, is two-fold – time spent on those you love is never wasted – and, never doubt our great God, He works out all things: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him…” (Romans 8:28 NIV)
If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME! So glad you are here!
Enjoy the Adventure…
I have a new notebook I adore. The cover is a bicycle with flowers flying every which way from it’s basket – but the inside is the best. The pages are not white lined boring, they are blues, and purples, and pinks with flowers everywhere – I can hardly wait to write on each page.
Something so simple can bring such joy.
Life is our adventure – it won’t all be rosy, it will have it’s troubled times. But each morning is a chance. A chance to say ‘Hello, God, what adventure is today?’ Because even if there is only one adventurous moment – like a Caramel Frappuccino or an Oreo cookie white center first then the chocolate outsides – it’s still an adventure.
I have ‘happy things’ lining my window. When I write I see them as I gaze out. Each from someone who loved me enough to think of me when they saw it. Each reminding me of their love when I see them. They are life’s adventure too – people. Some will grace our life like a butterfly seeking the next perfect flower, some will weigh heavy. Each a part of the adventure making us who we are.
I have been guilty of living life to check things off the list, practical and efficient seemed to be part of my make-up. But I adored those I knew who lived more spontaneous. I think I’ve learned it’s ok to be both.
God has created each of us so uniquely. No one with our fingerprints, no one with even the exact same blood flowing through their veins, no one with the same spirit only He put there.
While we can’t live without a care, we can live caring. While everyday may not be sunny, we can shine His light. “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts” (2Corinthians 4:6 NIV)
I love the song ‘Touch the Sky’ by Hillsong. It describes the adventure of life while assigning perfect meaning to all the ups and downs. A few of my favorite lines from it are: “What fortune lies beyond the stars, Those dazzling heights too vast to climb….What treasure waits within Your scars, This gift of freedom gold can’t buy…Here is the link: https://youtu.be/y1RQciil7B0
Rain Walk
On a recent trip I couldn’t resist a bright peach rain jacket – of course, once I got home the skies were not rainy.
It didn’t take long, one day the skies got dark and fat drops began to splatter all around. At first I went about my business working away. Then I happened to spot my new jacket… Putting on comfy tennys and grabbing an umbrella I set out.
I figured the neighbors couldn’t miss me in this bright jacket and probably would think I had lost it. With each step worries faded away and excitement built.
At first all I could hear were the drops hitting the umbrella, then I noticed the wind whooshing the trees. A rain walk is strangely filled with more to notice. The hawk settled under an umbrella of leaves, the kitten huddled by the front door, down by the river the fish jump.
When my mind left behind the noise of all that demands attention I was able to see all that deserves attention. Put here for my enjoyment, my wonder, my instruction.
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20 NIV)
The wonder of all around us leaves us without excuse – no excuse for unbelief, no excuse to be without hope. “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” (Luke 12:27 NIV) (not even my bright peach jacket) “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” (Luke 12:24 NIV)
Throughout His Word He reminds us of how creation instructs us “Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!” (Proverbs 6:6 NLT)
A rain walk washes clean our vision. To see anew the glistening leaves, the ripple of water rings, the wonder always around us – made for us – by a Love so great, so wide, so deep – the love of the Savior!
Surrounded…
A nine hour drive to the hospital. Anxious thoughts surrounded the miles. The sky was already dark pulling into the parking lot even though it was only 5:30. Bitter cold surrounded me as I stepped out.
How does one say goodbye while still showing joy, hope, peace?
Surrounding him were a wife of only two years (even though he was 79), sons who knew they hadn’t made enough efforts over the years, friends who longed for more time.
Yet as we entered fear was dispelled and Comfort and Love showed up – not because of me but because of the One who is Comfort, who is Love. Pulling up a chair hands clasped hard, long eye contact, and murmured words of assurance from both the one dying and the one being left behind now surrounded all in the room.
Over the next couple of days as a heart grew weaker, witness grew stronger. Prayers were shared, the Word of life was read – loudly. Fear was dispelled, soon quiet surrounded – no more monitors, just the hushed waiting.
We all must say goodbye – it never gets easier. Each time carries its own weights, its own memories. But how will we be surrounded?
Surrounded by the Light, the Everlasting – or by fear, by helplessness… “Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him.” (Psalm 32:10 NIV)
Finally a couple last breaths were taken, eyes fluttered briefly open, and then a soul passed on. Only the Lord knows the heart but it would seem this soul found his way. In times of great joy or deep sorrow – how will we be surrounded? It’s not if we will find ourselves in these times, it’s when. Prepared to offer perfect peace, indescribable joy – or at a loss for words, longing for comfort.
“You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” (Psalm 32:7 NIV)
Surrendered and surrounded by a good, good God. Loved and led by the Light of our soul. Our time here is a dash between two dates, but eternity with Him will not be numbered – endless, the way life was truly intended to be. Someday the song of deliverance, ours always…
If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME! So glad you are here!
Sweeping…
For me January is that time I want to clean everything, get rid of ‘stuff’, have a place for everything…sweeping away the cobwebs and dust of what was to prepare for what will be.
Sweeping the driveway is this kind of useless effort that looks good while the broom is moving but when I get back up to the front door and look back, I wonder if I was dreaming for the last fifteen minutes. Some relationships are like that, time can be poured into them and still things don’t change – not that we can perceive.
Sometimes we want to give up, stop investing precious time, move on. But then I’m reminded it took twenty-five years for God to get through to me (and I am still growing and learning). Those were years of seeds being planted, heart being softened, eyes being opened. So it is with the people we invest in. Time poured into another life, is never time lost or wasted. In our fast food, instant messaging world we expect immediate results, but a soul is not on our schedule, it is in His timing.
There’s always that chance that we will not see any fruit from our efforts to help another – whether it’s to help them get on their feet financially, overcome an addiction, relationship problems, or salvation for eternity. Our mistake is when we think it’s up to us. Our part is in the pouring in, the transformation is in better Hands, and it may take a lifetime.
We are called to invest in others – yes, even when we’re busy. Thank goodness over all the years the many people who touched me in one way or another didn’t say ‘she’ll never change’, ‘she’s too stubborn’, ‘it’s a waste of time’. Instead from a vacation Bible school teacher, to classroom teachers, to friends, to family, to strangers I was poured into without even knowing and at just the right time when someone shared the good news, my heart was ready.
This year it’s time to sweep away our excuses and be prepared to speak love, or truth, or comfort, or just sit and hold a hand and listen. This year can truly be prosperous if it’s spent completely on the hearts of those who need to know their value…
If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME! So glad you are here!
parisrenae 