Praying for our nation

"We have grown in numbers, wealth and power

 as no other nation has grown,

 but we have forgotten God."

Abraham Lincoln

 National Day of Prayer, 1863

Springs of Living Water

Jesus said,
 Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. 

But the water that I shall give him will become in him

 a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 4:14

It Matters to Him

I can remember a friend who, whenever a problem arose, would always say: "Oh, I can't pray about that. God has bigger issues to worry about than my problems."

Now that I have gotten older, I find myself praying about everyday decisions, and I am amazed at how God answers.

As I was thumbing through my hymnbook this morning, I found this song that I'd never heard before.

Although He has millions of souls to see about,

Although the sun, the moon and the stars are in His care,

How wonderful to know

Wherever you may go,

He can be reached just by a whispered prayer.

It matters to Him about you,

Your heartaches, your sorrow He shares,

Regardless of what you may do,

He wants you, He loves you, He cares.

Audrey Mieir

FREE

It was the Fourth of July, and the nursery school teacher was trying to tell her class about patriotism.

"We live in a great country," she said. "One of the things we are celebrating today is that we are all free."

One little boy marched up to her with his hands on his hips and said, "I not free. I four!"

The Lord Is My Shepherd

He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
Psalm 23

God's Love is Flowing

It's funny how I forget things, and then something triggers a memory and a scene comes flooding back. I was listening to a woman talk about the joy of the Lord being her strength. She said, "When we begin to just enjoy His presence, we become more aware of His love flowing over us."

I suddenly remembered that my youngest, Caleb, would look at me and chuckle when he wanted to breastfeed.  He would lie in my arms, snug and secure, and look into my eyes. Soon he would start grinning and milk would flow out the corners of his mouth and all over us!

My doctor had told me I would not be able to breastfeed Caleb because of some surgery I'd had, and Caleb's doctor said he could not breastfeed because of Down syndrome....but God made a way! I was able to nurse him until he could sit alone at age 23 months.

I like this quote by George Muller

JOY AHEAD

God has reserved for his children the priceless gift of eternal life; it is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.  And God, in his mighty power, will make sure that you get there safely to receive it because you are trusting him. It will be yours in that coming last day for all to see. So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here. 
1 Peter 1:4-6

Like a Lion

The Word of God is like a lion;

You don't have to defend a lion.

All you have to do is let the lion loose,

and the lion will defend itself.

Charles Spurgeon

 “Do not weep. Behold, 
the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, 
has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

Rev. 5:5

Shine On Us

Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.

Psalm 31:16

Small Prayers

The small prayers of weak and broken people
move the heart of God.

Mike Bickle

The Lord On High Is Mighty

Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Katharina von Schlegel

More than the sounds of many waters,
Than the mighty breakers of the sea,
The Lord on high is mighty.
Psalm 93:4

The Mighty Hand of God

Therefore humble yourselves

under the mighty hand of God, 
that in due time He may exalt you, 

casting the whole of your care

all your anxieties, 
all your worries, 
all your concerns, 
once and for all

on JESUS

 for He cares for you affectionately 
and cares about you watchfully.

1 Peter 5:6-7 Amplified

In the Morning When I Rise

Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,

For in You do I trust;

Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,

For I lift up my soul to You.

Psalm 143:8

Hydrangeas

The flowers appear on the earth 

The time of singing has come

Song of Solomon 2:12

I have enjoyed walking in the local gardens since the weather has been so nice. Today I found this lovely spot with dozens of hydrangeas and rose bushes. The wind was sighing in the pines and I could hear church chimes in the distance.

This is a new addition to the cemetery where my son is buried. Etched into the stone wall nearby is the comforting verse from Revelation:
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

In the Garden

My son Cameron sent this photo from Kansas.

A hymn that he and I liked to sing together in the evening when he was a child was
In the Garden

He walks with me and He talks with me

And tells me I am His own.

And the joy we share as we tarry there

None other has ever known.

Simply Trusting

credit

Do but stand still in the hour of trial,
and you will see the help of God,
if you trust in Him,
But there is so often a forsaking
the ways of the Lord
in the hour of trial,
and thus the food of faith,
the means whereby
our faith may be increased,
is lost.
George Mueller

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

And lean not on you own understanding.

In all you ways acknowledge Him

And He will direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 

Little Ones

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. 
Deuteronomy 4:9 NIV
I saw a goose yesterday with 13 goslings trailing behind her, and I have a robin on my window ledge sitting on a nest with four blue eggs.  I am always amazed at the patience of these Mommas.