Restoration happens here
A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.” — Malachi 4:2 (NIV)
My mother-in-law, June, celebrated her 81st birthday on the summer solstice, June 20, 2020, the longest day of the year. We gathered her children and grandchildren at her home in celebration of her life. Continue reading “Summer Solstice Sunrise”
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.
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”
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 guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
Circling the hospital parking lot I realized I was going to have to park far from the front door. My mother-in-law was already exhausted. She had not eaten or had coffee that morning in preparation for a procedure. Weak from cancer treatments, this strong and independent woman of 80 years agreed our best option was to drop her off at the front door and she would wait for me to park.
Suddenly a parking spot opened up right by the front entrance. We both exhaled in relief, thanking God for this small comfort He provided even when we didn’t think to ask. That was the beginning of a very long, tortuous day filled with God showing up unexpectedly around every corner.
A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
Bible Verse
Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. — Jeremiah 33:6 (ESV)
Reflection
During a sudden winter snowstorm, my pansies got buried under the snow. Delicate flowers frozen, it looked like they would not survive. This is how I feel during life’s sudden snowstorms, when I get buried under burdens, freezing my ability to move.
A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
Dear God, Jehovah Rapha, my healer,
Teach me what winter rest is, so I can renew my body, soul, and spirit in You, Lord. Show Yourself to me in the stillness of Your creation in the winter landscape, from the lacy branches of a majestic tree against a colorful sunrise to the hushed silence of a snowy road.
A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
“So God blessed the seventh day and made it Holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” — Genesis 2:3 (ESV)
Morning dawned on the 7th day, and God rested. He ceased from His labor, celebrating all that He had created. On man’s first full day on earth, God called us to rest, celebrate, and recharge. One of the Hebrew words for “rest” is shabbat, שַׁבָּת. On the Sabbath, we strengthen ourselves in God by ceasing from our ordinary tasks. We meet with Him and celebrate our relationship with YHWH Shalom, the God of Peace.
A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
Bible Verse
“When you sit enthroned under the shadow of Shaddai, you are hidden in the strength of God Most High. He’s the hope that holds me and the Stronghold to shelter me, the only God for me, and my great confidence. He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy, and he will protect you from false accusation and any deadly curse. His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you. You can run under his covering of majesty and hide. His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.” — Psalm 91:1-4 TPT
Reflection
Spring of 2020 will be remembered as the season of the COVID-19 pandemic. The world was filled with fear. New to this generation, the definition of global quarantine and shelter in place became a reality. Continue reading “Choices”
A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused some strange behavior. At first I couldn’t grasp the magnitude of what was coming and how our world changed seemingly overnight. On March 12, 2020, Georgia’s 83rd governor, Brian Kemp, made a request of all schools in Georgia to suspend all activities in an effort to stop the spreading of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. New words and phrases like social distancing came into existence, and schools like the one where I work ventured into distance learning. Teachers, students, and employees had to learn new technologies and techniques for practicing social distancing by working from home. Continue reading “Panic over Toilet Paper”