Tag Archives: Second Epistle to the Corinthians

It’s A Choice

Being thankful is a choice.

Country Farm

Country Farm (Photo credit: Nature Pictures by ForestWander)

In choosing to be thankful for all things, a person can experience joy.

Not because life is always simple and easy, as anyone that has lived for any amount of time can attest.

But, because God has provided the greatest gift of all, in His son Jesus, and He alone is enough…

And yet, God chooses to gift us with so much more, abundantly, lavishly.

Live life with your eyes wide open. Open to all His great and wonderful gifts.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all
times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV

Today I am thankful for:

* getting ready for the trip

* anticipation for what is ahead

* making memories with my husband

* healthy children

* hugs and I love you

* playing with the dogs

* early morning, feeding the animals

* rainy Monday

* shopping

* a clean house

* sunflowers

* a beautifully mowed lawn

* the back property fenced in

* taking beautiful pictures of the country

* sleeping in late






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I Am Loved

“How is God calling you to become the Beloved?”

 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12  NIV

The God of the universe calls me His. One of His chosen. That knowledge still leaves me breathless. Not only did He choose me, but He loves me…dearly.

Even though I have been a follower of Christ for decades, I still in my more contemplative and quiet moments, shyly ask Him, “Why”?

Why me? Why now? Why do you call me Your beloved?

“I fail You, all the time,” I mutter. This spoken from a heart that knows.

And His reply comes to me from The Word.

Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:3 NIV

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 NIV

I will not even try to understand an infinite God. His ways are not my ways.

But, He answers the why question by His actions.

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 NIV

Grace was given.

Grace being the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not because of anything we have done to deserve it.

I am quiet. I ponder these verses.

I am loved.

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It Hurts

U Anáše chapel in Římov, passion tour depictin...

U Anáše chapel in Římov, passion tour depicting suffering of Jesus Christ. South Bohemian region, CZ help (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today at A Holy Experience, Ann asked each of her readers to write on:  The Practice of Suffering…. What does it mean to pick up a cross? How do we walk through hard times? How do we participate in the sufferings of Christ?

Suffering…pain…heartache…devastation.  Never an easy topic to discuss. I, like many, don’t enjoy spending a lot of time thinking about suffering, much less enduring it. It hurts too much.

But, I live in a world that knows suffering. It groans under the weight of it. There are so many times when I am silent in the presence of others pain…because I don’t have the words. I can’t answer the why questions. I don’t know why. When the heart aches, the answers aren’t always going to make sense anyway. Just emptiness.

Sometimes, during times of suffering, all I can do, is be present. Be there. Hold a hand. Calm a spirit. Love a person.

To this very day, I still cry when I hear of someone losing a loved one, to death. I don’t even have to know the person, and it still makes me cry. I know that particular suffering from personal experience…..and it changed me. My heart aches for the widow and the fatherless. The tears flow as a parent’s heart breaks, knowing that their child won’t be coming home. A child, no matter how old, feels empty when their parent is no longer there.

Suffering is hard. It hurts. It changes people.

I do know that if I had not been widowed at a young age, if my father had not died, if all my family members were still here….I would not feel the same way that I do now. I would not be able to share in the suffering. I would not be able to comfort others, like I can now, because of what I have been through.

Because of Christ‘s comfort given to me, I can comfort others. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT

I believe, as a follower of Christ, I am called to be His “hands and feet” to others who are hurting. To be honest, it isn’t really what I would have picked for myself, had I had opportunity to decide. I mean, would any of us choose suffering? Ever? If there were any other way?

I am so eternally grateful that even though Jesus knew the suffering that was ahead for him, he said, ” “Abba,Father everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”  Mark 14:36 NIV   It is because He chose the cross, that I know suffering will not be forever. It will one day cease to be.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18 NIV

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Measuring Strength

I know…I know…I said that I would start doing the travel blog on Tuesdays. I will. I promise. Just not today. The reason, not today, is because I wanted to write about something that I read yesterday.

English: i think no need words

For Christmas, my mom gave me a Sarah Young daily, flip, calendar/devotion book. Sarah’s words struck me yesterday. You know how on some days you will be be bopping along and BLAM! You see something or hear something or read something and feel like it was meant just for you.

“Welcome challenging times as opportunities to trust Me……..When the path before you is dotted with difficulties, beware of measuring your strength against those challenges.” –Sarah Young

Um…..I don’t know about you, but I have a bad habit of doing just that. I am so busted. I’m trying to change. In the past I’ve had a tendency to look at all the things I need to do, all the mountains I have to climb, all the valleys I have to walk. I would look…..and get overwhelmed.

That is just exactly what I was doing. Measuring my obstacles by my own strength…instead of by the strength of the One who knows no limits.

This is what the Lord says…. When I came why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to ransom you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you?  (Isaiah 50:2)  The Lord said something similar to Moses in Numbers 11:23. The Lord answered Moses ” Is the Lord’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”   In both of these verses, God seems put out by his people. They whined to God, and yet did not trust Him.  He questions them. Don’t you think I can do this? Don’t you think I am strong enough to handle all things?

Those people of ancient times really weren’t all that different than us. How many times have I uttered, “This is impossible” ,”I can’t do this, God!” ,”I’m scared”, or a plethora of other similar statements?

God wants me to trust Him. He wants me to walk closely with Him. Rely on Him. Believe Him. And to understand this…

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”  2 Corinthians 13:4 NIV

Amen.

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Availability Is The Qualification

Beauty of stained glass

A former pastor once said, “Availability is the qualification one needs in order to be used by the Lord.”

I saw that quote in the margin of my Bible today. I had written those words back in 2006. (Yes, I write in my Bible!)

The note was written next to Ephesians 3:20.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us… NIV

I want you to read that again, slowly. Take it in. Read it once more.

The Lord is able to do immeasurably more than I can even imagine…all because of HIS power within me.

Not anything that I am capable of, that is for sure. Do you feel the same way?

On days when I wonder what in the world is going on…

When my vision is blurred by the expected…

When I am available, but feel very insignificant…

He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ‘s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9  NIV

Thanking God today, that He sees beyond the ordinary of me… to more than I can imagine.

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On this day I am thankful for:

* an extra half hour of sleep

* a lunch date with a friend

* the smell of perking coffee

* oldest son in a good mood

* my new flip calendar

* rumpled bed linens

* pets that want my attention

* clear, cold skies

* morning sunlight

* a completely new week

* warm pajamas

* He who knows the plans He has for me.

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God Is In The Storms


He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.  Psalm 147:8  NIV

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A New Creation

Alphaomega

Image via Wikipedia

This is the third post I’ve attempted this morning. The other two posts I saved for another day.

Over at A Holy Experience we are talking about new life. What does this mean to me?

I thought I might write something bookish or scholarly…but, it fell flat.

So, I’ve decided to just be blunt. Plain. Open my heart. Tell about new life, in the only way I know how.

Living a new life in Christ…as a follower of Jesus.

Jesus. The name above all names.

“Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 NIV

The Jewish people called him, Yeshua. As a Christian, I call Him God’s Son. King of kings. Lord of lords. The Light of the world. Messiah. Passover lamb. Rock of ages. Shepherd. The Alpha and the Omega. The Way. The Truth. The Life. The living Word. Wonderful Counselor. The Prince of Peace.

He came to this earth as a baby. He walked this earth as a Jewish man. Began His ministry. Boldly proclaimed that He is the Son of the living God. He spoke wisdom, performed miracles, and changed people’s lives. Yahweh. God in the flesh. Sacrificed for me. For you. For us all. There is nothing I could have done to save myself. I was unworthy. I needed a Savior. A Redeemer. And yet, His love for me, for us, was so great that ….. He died in my place. He rose again. Is living today, and will one day return.

It is because of Jesus’ sacrifice, the fact that He took my place, that I have new life. It is because of Him that I have hope. It is because of Him that I have peace. It is because of Him that I have assurance. There is nothing else in this world that can take His place. Everything else falls flat and empty. It is only through Him that I do not just survive, but truly live.

My life is changed… all because of Him.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Do you know Jesus? Not just as a historical character. Not just as a Jewish carpenter. Not just as a character in the Bible. But, as Jesus, the Son of the living God. He wants to know you.

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in…”  Revelation 3:20 NIV

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God, Are You There?

sunrise on a beautiful morning

Image via Wikipedia

A decade has come and gone, and yet I still remember those early days…

God, are you there?

A whisper in the darkness… my voice deep with emotion.

Do you hear me?

Heart heavy with the grieving

My emotions bleeding out all over the floor.

Too exhausted to even raise my head,

I lay prostrate-

the scratch of the carpet against my face.

Whispers to The One who promises me He will never leave me

I am humbled and broken.

The living room becomes a most holy place

as I quietly worship, through tears, the One who I know is a defender of widows

and a father to the fatherless.

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”  Psalm 68:5 NIV

The loss of my first husband and my journey through the valley of the shadow of death is just part of my story.

All glory be to God, that it was not the end of my story!

He takes the broken. The bruised. The hurt. The sad. The angry. The bitter.

The Great Physician performs surgery on the heart,

and breathes new life into a grieving soul.

After stumbling in the darkness of grief, I know that joy comes in the morning.

I also know that joy comes after the mourning.

Joy does come again.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  Psalm 34:18 NIV

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The She Speaks conference is about women connecting to the hearts of  other women, and more importantly connecting to the heart of God. If you might be interested in going to this conference, please visit Ann Voskamp’s blog at A Holy Experience, where she is offering a scholarship opportunity for the conference.

My name is Dawn. The name means “sunrise” and is often used to signify new beginnings.  That is what God did for me. I am a new beginning through Him.

I am living, breathing proof of God’s tender love and mercy.

When the pain is so great that words are not enough…

God will meet you there.

It is because of this, that my heart’s desire is to help others who are suffering through the loss of a loved one.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”  2 Corinthians 1:3-5  NIV

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