FLOURISHING FAITH!

How does one recognize "flourishing faith" these days? 

Flourishing like a palm tree....flourishing in the courts of our God. 

(Psalm 92:12-13)

Think thrive.

Delighting in the LORD. 

Yielding fruit. (Psalm 1:3) Even in old age. (Psalm 92:14)

Think Biblical optimism. Living your best life regardless of circumstances.

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD (Jeremiah 17:7, NKJV) 

Trusting God at all times is a base camp for a flourishing faith!

Never be lulled into self-sufficiency.

Exercise daily "trust-steps" to the straight path. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Make the LORD your trust. (Psalm 40:4)

Many will see the LORD in your flourishing and put their trust in the LORD.

SPRING JOY!

One of my NC neighbors is an amazing gardener----from tropical greenhouse gardens and herbs to scatterings of jonquils/daffodils of many varieties; a husband willing to plant them...and both wiling to share them!

Spring Joy

 Maybe it was Spring Hope! She was't sure. I wouldn't know.

If I chose a name, it would be Spring Peace. Their garden is so serene---it calls for one to come and "sit a spell."

Since we moved here 6 months ago, I have had a constant need for peace.

Today's Jesus Calling DAYBRIGHTENER, reminded me "peace is one of our deepest needs."

God  planted that peace in the garden of our heart. Sarah Young also pointed out weeds can also grow there as well---pride, worry, selfishness. God, who is the Gardener of our heart works to rid our hearts of weeds. He uses times when we sit still in the light os His Presence. In His heavenly light flowers flourish and  weeds of troubling can shrivel up and die away or at least become bearable as we face them with Him!

His joyful Presence brings Spring Joy, Spring Hope or Spring Peace.

Take your pick!

HAIR-RAISING EXPERIENCES : A COMPARISON

Hair Raising Experiences! We've all had them! Some more pleasant than others.

How different my hair-raising experiences were years ago---rafting "Olympic" size rapids, zip-lining in the mountains and tent camping in the snow. Now keeping up with what day it is and taking all required meds and supplement--- when either my eensy blood pressure pill doesn't quite make it to my mouth or my almost daily "on hands and knees" occurrence of  trying to find my Vitamin D which "rolled" somewhere. The hair-raising part is when I try to get-up again!

A recent hair-raising occurred---on my day out with a two-year old.

His hair-raising experiences become a little hair-raising for me as I try to keep up. For him, it's all about running and exploring, resulting in lots of physical exercise. 

Lately, for me it's been about a sedentary exercise of "one-anothering" (1 Thessalonians 5:11) from my computer or through a phone text or USPS card to another who needs a little encouragement or extra measure of love. (Hebrews10:24) 

And that's okay....if the inevitable outward effects of aging are evident, I'll need to accept "inner aliveness" (DayBrightener, 10/20) as a result of His Presence. 

Inner aliveness.

Inner hair-raising experiences. I'll settle for that. 

T.T.T.T. Revisited

3/25/11

T.T.T.T.---That acronym is part of the marginalia I had added to 3/22 entry of my Jesus Calling. Sarah Young’s entry for that day reminded me to ”be thankful!”….. ”practice trusting,” ”practice thanking.” 

My practicing skills seem to be a little rusty lately. I know that thankfulness to the One who is the “lifter up of my head” (Psalm 3:3) can lift me above my circumstances. Needed----a “paradigm shift” from planner to truster.

That day I chose to quit worrying about the “beating” of my heart and concentrate on the grateful shaping of my heart.

T.T.T.T. is my separated and simplified reminder.

Thankfully Trusting Thee Today

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. (Psalm 9:10)