A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
Bible Verse
“Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of your life, and he will provide for you what you desire the most.” — Psalm 37:4 TPT
Reflection
God sent me flowers.
God Sent Me Flowers
God, You Are So Good
A guest post by Janet Eriksson . . .
God, You are so good.
You are always here for us. You never leave us. You delight to be with us.
You are the source of everything we could ever need. You know what we need before we do. If we will trust You, we will discover You have already provided in ways beyond what we could ever imagine. Continue reading “God, You Are So Good”
God’s Beauty in May
A guest post by Janet Eriksson . . .
God, how I love Your beautiful creation in the month of May.
As I watch the orchard trees come alive with their leaves in infinite shades of green, I think of what a creative artist You are. Continue reading “God’s Beauty in May”
Blanket in the Shade
A guest post by Janet Eriksson . . .
Bible Verse
“The LORD your God in your midst, the Mighty One will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” — Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV)
Reflection
I was exhausted and couldn’t rest. Too much work, too little time. Though I tried to deny it I could feel it: the flame of passion I felt toward my ministry work had grown to a wildfire that threatened to burn me out. I needed to rest. But how?
I took a day off but I was restless. A friend told me, “Take a blanket outside in the shade.” Continue reading “Blanket in the Shade”
The Potter’s Hand
A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
Bible Verse
“This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.’ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, ‘Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.'” — Jeremiah 18:1-6 NIV
Reflection
On the beautiful Soque river in the Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia sits an old grist mill that has been turned into a store that creates and sells pottery. Entering Mark of the Potter with a group of friends, I was greeted with an amazing assortment of art from the potter’s wheel. Most of the pottery was functional, some was ornamental, and other pieces were just downright fun to gaze upon. Potters used their hands to create each unique piece of art. Continue reading “The Potter’s Hand”
Lord, I Give You My Day
A guest post by Janet Eriksson . . .
Lord Jesus, I give you my day.
Help me to live in the “unforced rhythms of grace,” as You teach me in Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG).
Transformation Begins Now
A guest post by Janet Eriksson . . .
The Lord never tells us things are going to be easy. When we choose to walk with Him, we begin a journey of dying to ourselves.
But He does tell us He is with us every step of the way. Continue reading “Transformation Begins Now”
An Allergy Sufferer’s Prayer
A guest post by Janet Eriksson . . .
Lord, thank You for Your blessings of good health. Even though I’ve struggled with allergies, and springtime is sometimes hard, I want to thank You and praise You for the good health You have given me. I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and I don’t want allergies to distract me from the incredible blessings you have given me.
The Gift of Pause
A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
Bible Verse
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
Reflection
June, my mother-in-law, was a fiercely independent, hard-working woman. She worked into her 80s, running a business her father started in the 1950s. Her whole life revolved around The Shop. Rest was not part of her life.
A Springtime Prayer
A guest post by Janet Eriksson . . .
Lord Jesus,
You know I didn’t appreciate spring until I moved up north where the seasons changed.
I remember seeing those first delicate flowers on a tree branch that assured me the difficult winter would soon be over.