From Beside the Still Waters (a devotional) ...

 

Fullness of Joy - Read: Psalm 16

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." - Psalm 16:11

We all want to experience joy, especially the true joy that comes from God.  There are times in our lives when it's easy to be joyful - we have plenty, we are in good health, and few things interrupt our comfortable lives.  But that is not always a reality.  Sometimes we face difficult situations, and then it's hard to be joyful.  So what can we do if we are going through a trial and our joy fades in the midst of it?

Today's key verse says, "In thy presence is fulness of joy."  From this we understand that joy comes from being in the presence of God.  But how can we be in God's presence?  One of the best ways is to come to the Lord in prayer.  We need to bring our troubles before God and lay them at His feet.  We must let Him carry our burdens.  Reading the Word of God is another important step for being in God's presence.  Prayer is the way that we can talk to God, and reading the Bible is one way that God talks to us.

We must also be surrendered to what God allows to come into our lives.  When we say, "Lord, You know what's best; I'm willing to do whatever you ask of me," then God will be with us and His joy will fill our hearts.  This joy is so great that even in the midst of extreme difficulty, we can have peace because we know that all will be well.  Our hearts may still be burdened, but we are at rest.  In this condition we can experience the true joy that comes only from God.  Let us take courage and press on toward Heaven, the place of perfect joy.

 Daniel Hulbert - Deer Lodge, TN

Jesus, joy of living, Jesus, joy the best!

In our sorrows giving comfort. peace, and rest.

- Gotthold Schmid

From Streams in the Desert (a devotional) ...

 

It may seem an easy thing to wait, but it is one of the postures which a Christian soldier learns not without years of teaching.  Marching and quick-marching are much easier to God's warriors than standing still.

There are hours of perplexity when the most willing spirit, anxiously desirous to serve the Lord, knows not what part to take.  Then what shall it do?  Vex itself by despair?  Fly back in cowardice, turn to the right hand in fear, or rush forward in presumption?

No, but simply wait.  Wait in prayer, however.  Call upon God and spread the case before Him; tell Him your difficulty, and plead His promise of aid.

Wait in faith.  Express your unstaggering confidence in Him.  Believe that if He keeps you tarrying even till midnight, yet He will come at the right time; the vision shall come, and shall not tarry ...

Charles H Spurgeon

Finally finished!

The blanket for the fistula hospital in Ethiopia.  Their website is here ...

I enjoyed making the blanket, but I'm glad it's finished!  It went in the mail to Sydney yesterday, and they will send it on to Ethiopia.

Now I'm back to knitting beanies for Knit4Charities.  They don't have a website, but they are on Instagram and Facebook if you are interested...

And making bookmarks from the covers of some writing pads I have, for Christmas gifts ...

Are you making any Christmas gifts?

Keeping this post short, so I can hopefully get back more often :)

Have a happy day!

xx

Through the garden gate ...

 Come in ...

the 'grass' (actually it's more weeds that grass) had just been mowed

lavender

pink 'pig face' and white daisies

apple blossoms

the crab apple tree outside my front fence is about to burst in to full bloom

camellias

the 'grass' needs mowing again

but the little weed flowers are so pretty

We've put some vegies in too, but I'll show you those next time.

 

And I'm reading Miss Read books again.  Spring is such a busy time in the garden that I like something relaxing to read when I take a break.

I've just finished reading Summer at Fairacre for the third time. (October 2022, December 2023, October 2026) I write in the back of my books when I read them. Village School and Village Diary were the first two books she wrote, back in 1955, which I'm reading now, for the first time.

They are semi-autobiographical, about a schoolteacher in a small English village.  There are two series.  The Fairacre ones, and the Thrush Green ones.  I prefer Fairacre, but all my books have been picked up secondhand over the years, so I have some of both.

And around Christmas time I should be ready for this one (previously read November 2021).  It's from the other series, but as the villages are near each other, some of the characters overlap.  And by Christmas I'll be needing some 'cool' reading as we will be in the heat of summer here.

I've picked up some great op shop book bargains recently, but that will have to wait till next post too.

Need to go do the ironing now.  I hope I can get back again sooner rather than later.

Have a lovely week!

xx

From a Lamp Unto My Feet (a devotional) ...

First Be Quiet

Out hectic lives involve many changes, and changes require decisions, and decisions must often be made in the midst of a multitude of confusions.  We run here and there asking advice.  Often we make decisions without sufficient deliberation because we simply haven't time - or so we tell ourselves.

There is a marvelously helpful practice that we usually overlook.  It is quietness.  Notice how often in the Gospels we find Jesus going away alone, even when people needed Him.  He deliberately chose solitude.  The more hectic our lives become, the more necessary is this quietness.  When it is impossible to break away physically to a place of solitude for a day or so in order to think and pray over a hard decision, there is one thing that I think helps - do not speak about the decision to anyone but God for 48 hours at least.  Just hold it before Him alone.  Keep your mouth shut for two days. Pray. Listen. Seek His counsel.

Try this too - sit before Him for 15 consecutive minutes in silence, focus your mind on the words of Psalm 86:11: "Guide me, O Lord, that I may be true to thee and follow thy path."

- Elisabeth Elliot

From Our Daily Bread (a devotional) ...

 The Church

God's People and Possession

When we hear the word church, it's common to have an image of a physical structure.  From what we read in Scripture, however, we're compelled to think "people" over "place," "believers" instead of "buildings."  Indeed, the Greek word ekklesia, translated "church," means "assembly," and in most cases in the New Testament it refers to a gathering of believers in Jesus in a specific location.

God's special relationship with and plans for the church are reflected in the words used to describe it.  "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).  Peter's language is reminiscent of the way God has spoken of His covenant people in the Old Testament (see Exodus 19:5-6).  Furthermore, believers in Christ are welcomed into a family of people who are crowned with mercy and dubbed as "beloved" (1 Peter 2:10-11 ESV).

Those who are precious to God are to value and care for each other.  Peter uses "one another" phrases to emphasis how we should relate to each other.  First Peter 4:8-11 states that those who belong to the family of God should "love each other deeply" (v.8), "offer hospitality to one another without grumbling" (v.9), and use their gifts to serve each other so that God is honored in everything (vv. 10-11).

- Arthur Jackson, Our Daily Bread author

A church service in Ukraine

"And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayer.

Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,

and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

Acts 2:40-47

fellowship over food at a church community in Chile

From Oasis of Hope (a devotional) ...

 Finding Hope in the Silence

"My soul. wait in silence for God only. For my hope is from Him." - Psalm 62:5

When Jesus was on earth, multitudes of people often cried out to Him for healing or for other requests.  He frequently left His trusted disciples to seek out a place where He could be alone to talk with God.  If Jesus needed to get away from the noise, how much more do we?

Sometimes we need to find a place to be still and quiet.  We don't need a cacophony of voices.  We only need God's, and we often hear Him best when we are silent and alone.

The last part of today's verse tells us where we can find hope.  It isn't the type of hope a friend might say, such as, "I hope you feel better."  But rather, this hope is a deep, calm assurance God gives us.  It comes from knowing He has everything under control and we don't need to worry.  All other voices are quieted when we place our hope in Him.

What noise is causing you distress?  Are there too many tasks you're trying to accomplish?  Are there too many voices clamoring for your attention?

Do you have a special place you like to go to find quiet and peace?  Get away with God in prayer.  He will give your heart and mind peace.

-Julie Wilson Smith

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness;

no merit of my own I claim, but wholly trust in Jesus' name.

When weary in this earthy race, I rest on His unchanging grace;

in every wild and stormy gale my anchor holds and will not fail.

His vow, His covenant and blood are my defense against the flood;

when earthly hopes are swept away He will uphold me on that day.

When the last trumpet's voice shall sound, O may I then in Him be found!

clothed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand -

all other ground is sinking sand,

all other ground is sinking sand.

- Edward Mote (1797-1874)