Each day as I read my Daily Guideposts and reflect on what the message means to me, I create a “Take-Away.” I have a page or two on which I record them. Here are the take-aways from July. Which one or two resonates with you as a “Take-away” for the month that you can carry with you into August?
July Take-Aways
Be an investor in prople
Be grateful for daily love, joy, and peace
Celebrate the peace of Christ
Freedom isn’t free!
Treasure your friends; tell ’em so
Happy Birthday, Mary Grace Reynolds (my pastor)
Thank God for our loving children
Celebrate the birthdays of friends
Enjoy every day the Lord gives us
Share freely and generously with others
Spend quality time with our God/Creator
Take refuge in the familiar
Thank God for free will
As God for direction; then Trust the Journey
Care for the vulnerable
Celebrate milestones with friends
Keep an “I’m good” attitude
Share the humor and laughter of others
Slow down and watch where you’re walkin’
Be forever grateful for God’s miracles
Home is where angels live to guard us
His grace is sufficient
Praise God, friends & family for love
Love your spouse, church family & kids extravagantly
Love and appreciate the color in your life
Git Movin’
Praise God for His love, mercy, and guardian angels
Be sure to exercise daily
Thank God for giving you momentum
Thank Jesus for His companionship
I read both Mornings with Jesus and Daily Guideposts each morning up in my sanctuary. Been doing it for over a decade now.
They help me plan my day and start off on the right foot.
With the “Take-Away” tucked in my heart, I head down the circle staircase with this 12 step prayer spoken to God on my way:
Dear God, Thank you for the 1. love, 2. joy, and 3. peace (that are mine) – Help me with: 4. patience, 5. kindness, 6. goodness, and 7. faithfulness (which brings blessings). Help me with 8. gentleness, and 9. self-control. 10. Help me live humbly with an attitude of gratitude, and a response of 11. generosity, forgiveness, 12. obedience and integrity. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.
And at that point, I am at the bottom… ready to start my day.
Here are half of the June Take-Aways
Which of the Take-Aways from June or July will you carry into August with you?
Have an Awesome month! See ya tomorrow (God willing) Love, JanBeek
Do you take time each morning to read your Bible, pray, and study at least one devotional? It is such a powerful way to start each day.
Let God help you begin your day with your heart focusing on a message you receive during the time you begin with Him. I’ve been using Guideposts’ devotionals for over a decade now. I find it to be constantly spirit-lifting!
Daily Guideposts’ format includes a selected Bible verse, a reflection on that scripture, a prayer, and a couple of related scriptures in a section called Digging Deeper.
Before leaving the daily page, I write my “Take Away” on the page. It’s a message I carry with me that day – a lens through which I encounter what the day brings. Here are the daily take-aways from this month of March 2022:
Daily Take-Aways in March 2022
Trust God’s Perfect Timing
Wear Your Faith
Enjoy a Grace-Filled Perspective
Forgive Always
Seek His Help First
Where He Leads Me,
I Will Follow
Seek God’s Wisdom
For Everything – A Season
“Bee” Compassionate and Patient
“Bee” a Servant Leader
“Bee” Not Dismayed
Stay the Course
Pray for our Troubled World
Give Cheerfully
Trust His Perfect Timing
Pray for World Peace
Take Delight in Others
Life is An Adventure
Jesus Never Leaves Us
Show Agape Love
Believe: I Am Fearfully & Wonderfully Made
Avoid Procrastination
The Spirit Flies
God Supplies Our Needs
Focus and “Bee” Clear
Adopt the Courage of the Cross
He Equips Me
Wake Up Eager
Share Your Smiling Face
Enjoy the Unexpected
If you follow my blog and have a read a few of my posts this past month, you recognize that many of those take-aways were the inspiration for JanBeek’s posts. Which of those topics resonated with you the most?
Will you consider creating a “take-away” from your Bible or devotional reading each day? Try it! See if it helps you focus in a new and different way.
Before I leave you this evening, I need to wish you a Happy April, my friends. Tomorrow’s a new day. It’s a new month. And as I write this my youngest granddaughter, Faith, is in labor – expecting my #4 great-grandchild. We are expecting a beautiful little girl. I am praying she is born quickly, as painlessly as possible, and as perfect as God creations can be. Won’t you pray with me? I’ll keep you posted.
Faith’s older sister, Hope, has given us two great-grandchildren:
Here is Xander Great-grandchild #1
Here’s Sienna, Great-grandchild #2
Faith’s brother, Jordan, has gifted us with great-grandchild #3 :
Here’s Cosette! Look at the RunAway Bunny – Too cute, huh?
I can hardly wait to meet Great-grandchild #4. Here is her mommy, our granddaughter, Faith, when she was a baby:
Aren’t I a blessed lady?
What’s your take-away today? Happy April 1st, dear ones. No fools among us!!
See ya later today with my good news, OK?
Love, JanBeek
Don’t take-away love! Give it generously instead! Good night!!
You know where I am going with this. You know that I begin each morning in my sanctuary where I focus on scripture, devotionals, and my angels.
I have a collection of these wonderful angels. Most were given to me as gifts from dear friends. Each has a story to tell – each reminds me of someone special. Some have wings, others do not. I focus on their message. “Lift someone up today.” “Let the Chains of Love bind you to others.”
It was my first devo today that caused me to choose the word FOCUS as my focus.
Then each scripture I read – and each of the other devotionals seemed to reinforce those thoughts until I got to the last one for the morning. It was in a book titled, “Ever Faithful” by David Jeremiah.
And what do you think the title for today is? “Clouded Vision”
And the scripture for today?
1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, be of one mind, having compassion for one another, love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.”
The story accompanying the title and scripture could not have been more perfect! (Thank you, David Jeremiah, for this!)
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of Heart! Music that calms the soul…
Have a great weekend, my friends. I am off to clean my windows. I need to see the world around me more clearly. How about you?
To what or to whom do you remain “ever faithful”?
For Christmas this year our son, Ty, and his wife, Monika, gave me this book.
The back cover has a an explanation of the author’s purpose.
Each day David Jeremiah, (the author of Turning Point another devotional I have been following for years), selects a scripture, and reflects on it.
Today’s reflection was especially meaningful to me:
It is trusting the Lord’s direction day by day in our lives together that has allowed Bob & me to remain ever faithful to one another for these 60 years!
This Friday we will celebrate our 60th anniversary.
This was last year on our 59th.
Here we are 60 years ago!
Yesterday we celebrated my granddaughter, Faith’s baby girl – due April 3rd – with a virtual baby shower. It was attended by about 20 friends from all over this part of our world – from Alaska and Hawaii to NY and across to CA – and states like ours (Montana) in between.
Our daughter-in-law, Monika (Faith’s mom) did a wonderful job researching ahead of time, planning, inviting, and coordinating the event. She linked in to an app that invited her to post a baby picture of the prospective mom as a baby and the prospective dad as a baby at the same age. Then the app blended the two parents and showed what the baby might look like if she favored the mom more. Another picture showed what she’ll look like if she favors dad’s side more.
Because Faith and Kyle actually resembled one another as babies, the two renditions were quite similar. That was fun!
Another activity had all the participants answering questions about the honored couple. The running scores were exhibited and the “winners” were awarded Amazon gift certificates. I didn’t participate in that… couldn’t figure out how to access the game screen! So much for technological prowess!! But folks who engaged had a lot of fun with it.
We were able see Faith & Kyle virtually unwrap each of their gifts, as each told us a little about the gift-giver… and because we were all on a ZOOM share screen, we could see each other. I was terribly impressed with Monika who was able to put all this together and move the activities along at a good pace.
My blog yesterday, “A Virtual Baby Shower,” showed you this expectant mom & dad. Here’s another photo of them:
Faith & Kyle McSparron
I know you join me in wishing them a happy, healthy pregnancy. Of course, I will share pictures of their baby girl with you when she is born in April.
Meantime, my prayer for them is that they remain “ever faithful” to one another – and are loving, devoted parents when their new little bundle arrives. God bless Faith & Kyle!!
Bee well my friends. Thanks for visiting JanBeek. I’ll see you tomorrow (God willing) What are your Tuesday plans?
Hugs to you!
Oh, before I say good-bye, Here’s a tribute to this age-old tradition: marriage!!
I am unable to sleep tonight. Part of it is restless leg syndrome. Do you ever suffer from that? If so, what do you do about it?
Part of it is the burden of unfinished business. I FAXed a request to Pfizer for financial assistance in order to get Bob’s medication for his heart trouble, but I am not sure the company received my FAX. I received no verification. I need to follow up. Can’t do it at 2: in the morning, but it weighs on my heart and I am restless. The heavy burden of unfinished business is weighing me down.
So, I got up and decided to read a few devotionals, check out some Bible verses that might help me, and see if I can get back to sleep. I prayed for God’s help, and of course (as always) He delivered. Right in my e-mail box, here was just the message I needed from:
The Tired Elk
I relieved his shoulder from the burden. Psalm 81:6, CSB
Are you carrying around a heavy burden?
So was a bull elk in Colorado who somehow stuck his head into an abandoned car tire and got it caught around his neck. As his antlers grew, the tire was impossible to shake off. He was tracked for two years as he wandered around “tired.” His heavy rubber necklace weighed him down day and night. Finally, wildlife officials were able to find and tranquilize him. They removed the heavy weight from his neck before releasing him back into the wild.
The Lord knows how much we can carry, and He knows how to lift the burdens from our shoulders at the right time. We can cast all our cares on Him, knowing He will care for us in His timing, in His will, and in His way.
Like that elk and this poor soul with head in hand, feeling overwhelmed, I realized I need the abandoned car tire removed from around my neck! I can’t do it alone. So, go to the Word, Jan. Take Dr. Jeremiah’s advice and go to your Bible and then go to God in prayer. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30
“28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Do you suppose Jesus is laughing at me right now?
“Silly Jan!” He may be saying. “Why are you trying to carry this burden alone? You know I am with you. Hand it over… I got this!”
“OK, Lord. Take this tire off my neck and shoulders. Take the heat and flutters from my legs. I will rest in you. Tomorrow I can do what I cannot do in the middle of the night. Tomorrow I’ll call Pfizer and see about Bob’s medicine. Thank You for being here for me.”
Go to sleep!
Good night! Peace be with you. See ya tomorrow (for sure!)
Every morning I begin my day with a cup of coffee and a climb up the stairs to my sanctuary where I spend time with my Bible, devotionals, prayers, and Jesus.
One of my devotionals is “These Days,” a daily devotion for living by faith, published by the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. Its format is scripture, devotional, prayer.
Today’s scripture was:
Isaiah 40:11
He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.”
In the devotional, the author, Hope Douglas Harle-Mould, wrote about the comfort Jesus provides. She included a poem she wrote to Our God of all Faithfulness:
“We pray for a cure; God sends us healing. We pray for continued life; God gives us new life. We pray death will not come; God overcomes death. We pray in anguish; God weeps with us. We pray in fear; God teaches us to laugh. We pray for ourselves; God gives us each other. We pray for miracles; God fills us with love. We pray for the future; God showers us with blessedness. God, help me trust the voices heralding your hope.”
I am assured as I read and pray and study God’s word, that just as he carries the lamb in his arms, he will be faithful to carry me.
As I descend the twelve stairs at the end of my devotional time, I recite my personal TWELVE STEP PROGRAM Thank You, Jesus, for the:
Love,
Joy, and
Peace (that are mine). Help me with
Patience,
Kindness
Goodness, and
Faithfulness (which brings blessings),
Gentleness, and
Self-control.
Help me live humbly with an attitude of gratitude, and
A response of generosity, forgiveness,
Obedience, and integrity. In Jesus name, Amen!
When I get to the 7th step, I see the metal sculpture that says, “Blessings” above my door. It was a gift from our dear friends, Jim & Terry, so I pause to thank God for their faithful friendship. When I get to the bottom of the stairs, I see this cross on the wall:
It was made by Native Americans. I pause to pray for them and their peace and prosperity. I send occasional gifts to schools for Native American children – – places like St. Labre’ and St. Joseph’s – and they faithfully write back acknowledging my small donation.
A student at St. Labre’ School for Native American children
Faithfulness is a two-way street. We pray to God faithfully; God answers. We give to people who touch our hearts; they give back with gratitude & smiles. We read God’s Word faithfully each day; He gives us wisdom and discernment, understanding and blessings.
“When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.”
Who is “they” who saw? It was Jesus’ disciples. What does “doubted” mean?
In my devotional time this morning, Daily Guideposts explained that the original text was in Greek. The word “doubted” in Greek is “distazo.” That does not mean unbelief. It is more accurately translated as “hesitation or uncertainty about how to respond.”
In today’s world, as the cartoon shows, the disciples would not have to think twice about how to respond. They would simply get out their cell phones and record this momentous reappearance of their Savior!!
But in the world of Jesus’ time, how would you respond when someone you watched die on the cross suddenly walked out of the tomb? “Distazo” seems appropriate to me. Whoa!! I’d be pretty unsure about how to respond, wouldn’t you?
Sometimes I am quite unsure about how to respond to situations in today’s world. How about you?
Our test kits came today for the COVID-19 test we have to self-administer and then mail FedEx in the envelope provided so it can go overnight to the place where the results are determined and then sent to me before our flight out of Chicago to London on Sunday night. (Whoa… that’s a long, complex sentence – did you grasp it?)
I am doubting … I am unsure about how to respond to the instructions.
Unfortunately, my test results won’t come in a fortune cookie. They will be sent to an app on my iPhone. Problem: my iPhone is 8 years old and it won’t upgrade to an IOS high enough to download the app. I am feeling doubtful. Very uncertain about how to respond. The new iPhone 12 and last year’s version (iPhone11) are not available here in Ennis. Checking with our nearest city, Bozeman, I discovered we don’t have an Apple store… and the Verizon Wireless store doesn’t have the phone I want in stock. I have to order it on-line from Apple. Will it arrive in time for our departure? What will I do if it isn’t here in time?
In this COVID-19 world, “distazo” is a natural response. We are unsure of how to respond in so many ways. Get the vaccine or not? Wear a mask or not? Get a booster or not? Join friends for a dinner out or not? Worship in church with others sitting close by or not? Travel or not? Get a new phone or not? Forget the whole thing?
I pray to God for help with decision-making, but I am not sure I am hearing His response. Should I keep asking? Should I reword my questions? Am I missing His answers?
As Daily Guideposts has written in today’s devotional, “Doubt, distazo, is part of our faith journey.” It’s OK to question how to respond when we’re baffled by the challenges we face. Like the disciples, we are faced with some unbelievable situations. These are unprecedented times!
In these troublesome times, we are encouraged to Stretch!!
Embrace Doubting!
Let your hesitation and your uncertainty cause you to question more, research more, and pray more.
Let your hesitancy and your uncertainty cause you to trust more, experience more, and increase your humility as you allow yourself to admit
“Crap! I don’t have all the answers after all!”
Get in touch with the Tiger in you!
Do you find yourself doubting about anything? What causes you to experience “distazo“?
In today’s These Days, Daily Devotions for Living by Faith, the message resonated with me as I contemplate my purpose:
“I pray and ask God to give me the words I need. The time to share is now so that everyone will know the Love of God.
By speaking and writing about God’s love and glory, we are passing this knowledge on to future generations.
Whether singing worship music, reading devotionals aloud, or writing about God, I am given opportunities to help the whole world know and develop a closer relationship with God.”
That’s my purpose! Share the love, joy and peace that are mine through Christ.
I want everyone to feel it!!
Father, please give me the words to share so everyone will know you.
I LOVE this series of pencil drawings of Jesus with the children!
In my Mornings with Jesus devotional today, the message fit this topic perfectly. Cynthia Ruchti, wrote
“A recent project at our house has tested our mettle as a couple…”
She went on to explain how their old 1913 house is crooked. Trying to “install straight, factory-squared windows into an opening that is anything but perfectly square has been cause for… discussion.”
“What a telling picture of the reasons Jesus was so adamant that … the foundational layer of our souls has to be built plumb and true, more meticulously than anything that will come after.”
“Jesus said that JOY is foundational to our lives as Christ followers. If joy is solid, anchored well, and secure because of our trust in His promises, anything else we build on top of that will have much greater chance of aligning with His purpose for us.
We won’t be ‘half a bubble off’ if His joy bubbles inside us.”
I aim to be inspired by His Word, His Life, His Love, His Gift of Grace, and His Purpose for my life.
(That’s the internal purpose)
Externally, my purpose is to share that love, joy, peace, faith and unity that are mine… with the hope that you are inspired to share it, too!
Keep looking up!
Is anything in your house noticeably crooked? When you pass that spot, don’t straighten it! Look up!
Use it as a reminder of the importance of building your life of faith on Jesus and the meaning of the cross. Jesus is plumb and true, and by His death on the cross, you are, too!!
What is your purpose? What inspires you to live according to your purpose?
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today. See ya tomorrow (God willing)
These two little darlings exude happiness, confidence, pure joy… I can’t help but smile when I look at them. (I bet you’re smiling, too) I’ve been saving this photo for just the right time. Today is it!
In my devotionals this morning, I read an article by Brenda Wade, Ph.D. Brenda is based in San Francisco. She hosts a radio talk show, “Modern Love” and she facilitates trainings on relationships. Her article in the Jan.-Feb. Unity magazine, Daily Word, is titled, “Overcoming Racism, Healing from Shame, Opening to Love.”
“The love and peace we want to know in our lives begins inside of us,” Dr. Wade wrote. “This has been on my mind lately as I’ve dug deeply into … my work, leading anti-racism trainings.”
In her article, she went on to describe an incident in her life that deeply affected her self-image. She was only 6-years-old.
“One day at school, my classmates and I were told to line up two by two and hold hands. I extended my hand, but the girl standing next to me refused to take it. ‘I can’t hold your hand,’ she said matter-of-factly. ‘My mother told me your skin is brown because it’s dirty.’ I was confused. My skin was brown, but it certainly was not dirty.”
It took years for that little 6-year-old to deal with the hurt. Her young brain just didn’t understand. She felt immediate rejection, pain, and the sting of shame. The notion that there was something wrong with her kept her from telling the teacher or her parents. She just carried that message of inferiority with her and it was reinforced by a high school principal who ignorantly expressed surprise that someone of her color could score so high on her tests.
It was further reinforced in graduate school when a department chair “was more interested in my race than my qualifications” – and as an adult when “a landlord candidly admitted he was denying me housing because I am African American.”
How does someone overcome such prejudicial treatment and regain the confidence that ALL PEOPLE deserve?
That is the question Dr. Walker deals with in her profession. She conquered it in her own life with “years of psychological work, spiritual practice, self-care, and healing.”
Dr. Brenda Wade wrote, “When we feel too hurt or afraid to let ourselves out, it becomes impossible to let others in.”
Embrace the confidence that there is hope and a future and a return of self-confidence when self-insight and self-love can be applied.
The pain of those early wounds go deep.
We know that we ALL have a responsibility to respond to one another in love, with compassion and respect, and to stand together hand-in-hand to obliterate oppression and prejudice.
Embrace that future with confidence and determination!
Yesterday during our ZOOM church service, our pastor, Steve Hundley, offered the following prayer. It is just what I needed to hear as I embrace with confidence the power of prayer and the belief that God hears, God cares, and God answers us when we cry out to Him:
“How many times in Your earthly ministry, O Lord, did You touch the fevered brows of those who were ill; or, the trembling hands of those who were afraid; or, the sagging shoulders of those bowed down in grief?
Walk among us now, we pray, and touch us for the same reasons… * Let those who are ill in body or in spirit feel the power of Your presence, and sense that healing is taking place. * We pray for all those sick with COVID throughout our nation and world… * Give those who are constricted by fears and anxieties a feeling of relaxation in Your grace. * Let peace flow over them like a river, carrying them away from self-preoccupation and into the openness of love and sharing… * Pour out the hope of Your resurrection upon those who are grieving the loss of loved ones… * May they walk the Emmaus Road with You and feel their hearts strangely and wonderfully warmed… * In the chaos and uncertainty of the coming weeks and months, give us confidence of faith in knowing that You are Lord of our lives and Lord of this world, and that You are working Your purpose out… * As Your children, O Lord, You know how often we recoil from those things that should not frighten or upset us in this world. Comfort us with Your presence, and teach us so to live within the disciplines of faith, so that, we are never without You.”
Amen                       Â
Embrace with Confidence, my friends, the knowledge that you regard all God’s Children as equals… and determine never to inflict on anyone the pain of rejection or the sting of shame.
As God’s children… Let us live as One. Let’s just walk around makng the world a better place! Embrace Confidence!
