Thoughts from a Vacuum

As a cleaner at our local motel/campground, I end up vacuuming a lot of floors. No matter how many times you go over a floor, you can always count on another bit of fluff you missed. Woops, there’s another . . . and another . . . and another!

While I worked on finishing the last of the vacuuming in my room today, I realized this is a lot like life.

We think we’ve got everything sussed, and have everything “under our belt”, so to speak. But then there’s always more disorderly bits, ones that can be very discouraging to deal with. “Is this job ever going to be done—it seems like an endless task!”

Even Paul struggled with keeping everything under control. “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Romans 7:19)

No, in this life, it isn’t ever going to be totally done. There are always going to be stray pieces of fluff that no matter how many times you go over them, they’ll still be giving you trouble. Keep picking the bits up, one at a time.

We are never going to have everything perfect. Don’t let that stop you from following the Lord with your whole heart. Actively seek His face today, even if it’s just for a few moments.

Oops, there’s another piece of red lint to take care of . . . .

–Esther

The Lord is my...

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

~Psalm 18:2~

The other day, I read this verse in my devotions, and it was one of those verses that kind of leaps off the page at you. I decided to outline all that this verse said God was to me. As I meditated on each thing, I was overwhelmed by the attributes of my Father. I hope that by sharing these things with you, that you also will come away encouraged! ♥

-My Rock-

Many mountains have large rocks in them- can you move them very easily by pushing and shoving them? No, of course not. They are large and very heavy...very firm and stable. You can stand on it and it won't move. That's how our God is: He is unchanging and we can stand firmly on Him!

-My Fortress-

What is a fortress? It's a place that keeps you safe from outside enemies. That's what our God is. He is our refuge...our safety. His name is a strong tower, and if you run in, you'll be safe! He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. {Ps 91:1}

-My Deliverer- 

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. 

{Col 1:13-14} 

Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! {Ps 107:13-15}

-My God, My Strength, in Whom I will trust- 

Our God is the King of Kings. Our God is strong. Our God keeps His promises. Our God is unchanging. We can completely trust Him. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. {Ps 46:1-3}

-My Buckler-

I looked up the word "buckler" in the Hebrew, and it means "a shield; a protector; a defense." He is our shield! Our Protector! We only need to trust Him.  Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. {Proverbs 30:5}

-The Horn of my Salvation-

We were wretched sinners, heading for eternity in hell. But God, who is rich in mercy and loved us so much, sent His own Son to pay the price for our sins. He put our sin upon Jesus, the perfect and spotless one. He became sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. {2 Cor 5:21} From Him comes our salvation. Nothing else can save us. He is our salvation! 

-My High Tower-

What comes to your mind when you hear "high tower"? The Hebrew defines it as "a cliff (or other lofty or inaccessible place); altitude; refuge." Reminds me of when I have gone hiking and I'm standing on the big rock overlooks. I'm so high up, the breeze is blowing on my face, and I can look wayyy down into the valley and across the miles. Nothing down there can reach me while I'm way up here! He is my High Tower!

My friends, may you mediate upon the strength of our Lord! He is waiting for you with open arms- just trust Him and rely in His strength!!

In closing, here is a favorite passage of mine. Who is God, save the Lord? It is God that girds you with strength! Go in His name!

As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. {Psalm 18:30-35}

Jesus, I am Resting

The Wissmann Family are very gifted musicians and singers...this song by their family blessed me, so I thought I'd share it with you! :) 

Blessings!

12/1/2015

Image from Christian Quotes

A Lovely Calling

Good morning, ladies!

Today, instead of a post like I'd normally share, I'd like to share with you a wonderful blog I discovered. It's A Lovely Calling. It is an absolutely fantastic blog whose tagline is "Virtuous Women Desperately Passionate For God".

From their mission statement:

"The whole package is embracing God’s lovely calling for your life. As a woman we should pursue biblical femininity with all passion and put our whole hearts into discovering what God wants us to do in our brief time on this earth.

WHY WE HAVE “A LOVELY CALLING”

When you look at women in the world nowadays, what do you see? I see a world of women with their hearts dead set AGAINST God. Even Christian women don’t set a standard of Godly character. The way I see it there are three types of girls:
1. The girls who don’t know any better and slip easily into the worldliness of our day and age. They are young and have no biblical guidance in their lives. They, like many of us, follow the crowd (sometimes down the path of destruction)
2. Then there are the quiet girls, who still dream, who still want the life every girl wanted when they were little: to be a mommy and to raise a family, to have respect and be a beautiful woman of God without all the feminist arguments being pointed at them day and night. But the quiet girls don’t know how or when they should strive after their dream when so many other girls around them idolize celebrities, secular lifestyles and Victoria’s Secret.
3. Then there are the Christian girls whose moms have taught them Gods dreams and desires for women who seek Him wholeheartedly without restraint or stained vision of a biblical lifestyle. However, there are no girls their age encouraging that calling.  Only the older women tell them that this is right. The other girls run with the crowd, so why shouldn’t they?

BUT what if… what if there was a whole generation, a whole group of young girls (their age) girls who knew what true biblical femininity and virtuous womanhood really meant in the eyes of the Lord? What if all the girls around them went back to the days when being a godly woman was the most important, most honorable, most worthy job in the world, and actually encouraged them in it? What would happen?

 

Well I only pray and hope that that generation starts with me and you. God has given us girls (Lisa, Christy, Sarah and Anna) a “Lovely Calling” and ministry online and through writing to help girls and young women, the quiet ones, the girls who don’t know any better, the secular girls who need a new perspective, and the Christian girls who are scared to make an endeavor on their own.  We want to help them see that being a woman after God’s Heart is the highest calling anyone could ask for.  BUT WE CAN NOT DO IT ALONE.  We need help and words of wisdom from other girls with the same ambition."


Two of my personal favourite posts:
How to Be a Woman Worth Pursuing
Godly Womanhood in the 21st Century

Do check out their blog! It's fantastic!
- Bonnie

It's all Christ

Take advantage of every opportunity to 

...know Christ...

...think of Christ...

...speak of Christ... 

...and reflect Christ.

-Paul Washer-

In His Hand

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one."  

~ John 10:27-30 ~

This is just such a wonderful scripture. It's such a comfort. It gives us a glorious promise that we, believers in Jesus Christ, have eternal life and will never be snatched out of Christ’s hand that holds us. What a reassuring promise! What a beautiful picture! We are safe in the hand of the omnipotent God and nothing can remove us from His grasp! 

The Greek word in John 10:28 used for pluck means to take by force or seize. Thus the word snatch in this verse is an action done without the consent of the recipient. In other words we could say that no one will kidnap, take by force, or seize us out of Christ’s hand. This is the promise Jesus gives us. However, we don’t live in God’s hand by default; we must choose to come to Him. As the psalmist wrote in Psalm 91:9-10...

"Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling."

 Does this mean that bad things will never happen to us? No, Christians are persecuted, martyred, and afflicted all the time. So what is the promise then? It’s that no evil shall befall us without our Heavenly Father’s permission.

By making God our dwelling place, we trust in His supreme sovereignty. He is more than able to take care of us, and the painful things that do come into our lives are lovingly filtered through His gentle fingers.

So I ask you….are YOU dwelling in God’s hand? Have YOU made Him your home and place of permanent residence?


There is no safer place to be than in the hands of the Almighty, Omnipotent, and Sovereign God. God, who has called you by name, is now inviting you into His sanctuary. It is an open invitation, and the only thing that can stop us is ourselves. Therefore, let us live in the Palm of His Hand! And let us make it our permanent and everlasting abode.