Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘God’

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Sermon notes on Sunday is a regular habit of mine.
I used to share them here every week.
I don’t know why I got out of the habit.
Time to start doing that again.
I hope you find them enlightening and inspiring.

Sermon by Brian Conklin at Madison Valley Presbyterian Church

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Lamentations is a beautiful book
Each of the five chapters is a poem
It’s a reflection of encouragement and hope
Written out of the pain of total loss

Rubble, grief, and despair are the topics
But in the middle of the book is a word of hope
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
Great is Thy faithfulness; it is new every morning

But we can feel letdown in the midst of hope
And God would rather have our honest tears
Than fake smiles. We live in times of pain…
The things we see in the news weighs us down.

We’re allowed to walk through pain and share
We can walk with empathy and compassion
See the loss and pain in others and empathize
Acknowledge your own – and remember God’s promises.

God is consistent and unchanging. He said
His mercies are new every morning, and so
We have fresh grace again and again and again
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.

This week, keep track; look for moments
When you can see God’s grace at work.
Praise God! Thank God! Accept your inheritance.
The Lord is my portion. Take hope. Have faith.

Amen?

Lotsa Love,
JanBeek

Here’s Brian,
the dear interim pastor
who delivered the message today.

(I hope my notes did it justice)
God bless him!

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Life's Challenges, Poetry, sermon notes, writing

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I Can Let Joy In

I can let joy in
Joy doesn’t cancel out pain
It gives strength pockets

Little joy pockets
Give us strength to carry on
Regardless of pain

Make room in your heart
For joy whenever you can
Let your joy expand

Let joy consume you
Let it lighten heavy heart
Smile at what joy brings

Not PollyAnna
Not ignoring life’s struggles
Just rising above

Looking down on pain
From a higher perspective
Puts it in its place

Fill your strength pockets
With the perseverance gained
By letting joy in

Smile!
God loves you
And so do I!

Hugs & Joy to you,
JanBeek

Category:

blessings, Haiku, happiness, Love, Poetry

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I Can TRUST

Three out of four of the devotionals I read yesterday and today had the word TRUST as one of the main topics. Everytime I see the word trust, I draw a rectangle around it and affirm, “I Can Trust.” Today I decided to write about TRUST in my journal, “I Can and I Will, Watch Me.” My mind just thought about it in a Haiku format. Here’s what the result was:

I CAN Trust

I know I can trust –
The world may feel chaotic,
But I reclaim peace.

Unsettling events,
An unknown future,
Don’t define my mood.

I am claiming peace.
I see where my power lies:
It’s trusting in God.

What I want in life,
Peace, love, joy, kindness and faith,
Are mine when I trust.

I know I can trust
In the Ruler of my heart
To heal what’s broken.

Heal the world’s chaos,
Bring back Unity for all.
I can trust my God!

Thinking of you and sending love your way.
Trusting Him to guide you and me through the storms of life.
What storms are you facing?

Thanks for visiting…
JanBeek

Category:

Faith, God, Haiku, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, optimism, Poetry, truth

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I Can Sit Quietly

I can sit quietly and wallow in this life called retirement.
Like a child wallowing gleefully in a mud puddle,
bouncing, splashing,
and a puppy rolling in it,
I can roll through my days,
bounce from one activity to the next,
and make a splash
as I enter my 14th year of blogging.

Once upon a time my blog had hundreds of followers
but as time went by, things changed,
I changed,
and priorities changed.
Life is like that.
But I still maintained my connection
with a small group of blogging friends.
We have sent sunshine into each other’s lives.
Come join us today!

After a few years of dwindling posts,
I have decided to return to my quest
to encourage love, joy, peace, faith and unity
through daily blog posts.
Thank you for joining me.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Waking each morning from a restful night’s sleep
I can make myself a cup of coffee,
climb the circle staircase to my sanctuary,
and sit quietly in my rocker.
I can (with the help of my hearing aids)
hear the ticking of the clock.

I can sync my breathing to the clock’s rhythm.
Try it.. You can do it, too. Slow down. Breathe

I can listen for the voice of the Almighty
as I rock gently to the rhythm.
I can read my daily devotionals
and meditate on God’s Word.
I can plan my day as I tune in to
God’s will for me today.

Praise God!
Count my blessings.
Pray for my family, friends,
country, and this world.
Confess my shortcomings,
and ask for forgiveness.
I CAN live each day with purpose.
You can, too.
Let’s do!

Let’s sit quietly and ask God for guidance.
You with me?

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, blogging, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, peace, prayer

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Tears of Joy

Daily writing prompt
What brings a tear of joy to your eye?
View all responses

Tears of joy come easily
When someone approaches me breezily
To say my lost puppy is found
And they have him right there on the ground

Tears of joy come spilling
When someone says they are willing
To do some yard work for my Bob
Whose limited body makes me sob

Tears of joy are a blessing
When troubles overflow and I’m stressing
And then miraculous help arrives
Fixing the problem … giving high-fives

What brings tears of joy to your eyes?
Crying is a gift to the wise
Who turn to others and prayer
Knowing that needed help is there.

Where do you turn so that you can have
Tears of joy and turn sadness to glad?
Know that the Lord always is there
You can count on Him everywhere!

Happy Labor-less Day, my friends!

Love,
JanBeek & Bob

(and our friends, the Vasches, too… we have
tears of joy when friends like them come to visit!)

Category:

blessings, friendship, God, Gratitude, Jesus, Life's Challenges, peace, Poetry

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Come, Have a Drink

Inspired by today’s sermon
by Brian Conklin
at our Madison Valley Presbyterian Church
in Ennis, Montana

Come and have a drink with me
The water’s fresh and the drink is free.
No, huh? Water from a broken cistern
Doesn’t quite look like something you yearn?

Well, Jeremiah recognized the problem, too.
He spoke to the children of Israel and to you
About the broken cistern and polluted water.
He told ’em about a better source – come and listen, daughter.

Drink from this pure, flowing, everlasting spring.
Let go of the water that’s full of things to which you cling.
You think refreshment comes from money or possessions.
You trade pure water for power and other obsessions.

Come and have a drink with me
The water’s fresh and the drink is free.
If you hope to satisfy your heart’s desires,
Tune in to the Living Waters, not the liars!

God is the source of all Living Water for us.
He wants to refresh us purely without much fuss.
He says “Drink with me; fulfill your needs.
Grow in love and faith; let’s remove the weeds.”

Isaiah speaks in Jeremiah 2:1-13 clearly
About God’s grief as people turn away and nearly
Break His heart as they rely on themselves with greed,
Trying to go through life alone satisfying every need.

It’s not possible… we fool ourselves when we take control.
Accept God’s invitation, refresh in Him. Make that your goal!
Carve out time each day to drink deeply; refresh with Him
From His Living Water – fill your cup to the brim!

Come, have a drink with me!

Filled with His Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, Poetry, sermon notes

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Positive Emotion?

Today’s Prompt was:
What positive emotion do you feel most often?

My Response:
Gratitude

I’m grateful for the neighbors who came immediately last night when I called them. I was frantic! Kenny, our pup, was crying. We could hear his barks and his whining, but we couldn’t find him. It sounded like it was coming from under the house. Maybe he went under the deck and got stuck on something. Maybe a rattlesnake bit him (years ago we had that happen to our Boston named Angela). We searched high and low for Kenny. No luck!
We were frantic!
So we called our friends.
They came. Four of them!
We all searched.
Still no luck.
So, we went into the house
(we’d already searched there thoroughly).
When we walked in through the back door,
there was a black and white nose
sticking out from under Bob’s chair!!
Kenny had squeezed under to fetch a toy –
and he got stuck!!
Whew!!!😥
We lifted the chair to release him.
Gratitude?
Ah yes!! 👏🏽
Thank You, Jesus!

Thank You, God,
Thank You, Jesus!
Thank You for neighbors,
for answered prayers,
for the safety of our pup!
Whew!!

Remember that first picture up there of Kenny lying on a quilt?
I’m grateful for it, too.
Do you have a memory quilt?
I love mine!
And no, Kenny doesn’t usually get to lie on it!
It was a retirement gift from my teaching colleagues
when I retired back in 1999.
The sentiments on it
and the remembrances
are so precious!

Marta Garcia did the stitching
and each of my colleagues at school
added a piece with their name
and sometimes a sentiment.
“Stitched with dreams of traveling forever,”
Marta wrote.

If you live in Ennis, Montana
with the Madison River running through it
and the spectacular Rocky Mountains as your backdrop,
and people from all over the world coming here to fish
and to just relax and enjoy the peace, the open spaces,
the wild animals, and the proximity to Yellowstone,
then you live daily with an attitude of gratitude,
and guess what?
Traveling forever is not a daily prayer.
We are grateful that you come to us!
Keep doing it!

What positive emotion do you feel most often?

Cheers from JanBeek

Category:

Animals, blessings, contentment, friendship, God, Gratitude, happiness, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, Montana, pets

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Faith for the Journey

As usual, I took notes during the sermon at church this morning. Brian Conklin’s message about faith spoke to me. I hope you find encouragement here, too.

Faith is assurance and conviction

Faith is a settled confidence

Faith is conviction – a deep certainty

Faith is grounded in reality

Faith is evidence of things not seen

Change is hard – Uncertainty is difficult

What will come next? We wonder.

We trust the Lord who knows the future.

Living in the present as if God’s future

Is already here… we can trust Him

Step into the light of God’s promises

Faith gives us the courage to obey when the road ahead is unclear

Faith is a journey. Set out into the unknown

It’s a direction without an itinerary

The road is not easy; it’s tough!

But faith helps us find God’s Way

We are at an in-between place

But God is walking beside us

He has never left His people in transition

He is in you as you move forward

Faith is about the assurance

That God has your back!

Stay rooted in Trust; step out in confidence.

Support and encourage one another.

Keep showing up!
God is with you.

Amen?

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, Faith, God, life, Living in Harmony, Love, Poetry, sermon notes

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Mary or Martha?

The topic of the sermon at church this morning was Mary & Martha… Luke 10:38-42

At the Home of Martha and Mary

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Join me with the sermon notes I took in church this morning.

Our church has a new paint color
Here’s the old paint color

That’s our Madison Valley Presbyterian Church in Ennis, MT.
I love the new paint color.
What do you think?
I like to think of it as
“Green and Growing.”

The mint green is soothing, don’t you think?

Today’s sermon examined Mary & Martha’s story. Mary’s soothing choice compared to Martha’s busyness. Which choice do you relate to?

Our interim pastor, Brian Conklin, shed interesting light on the age-old story. Here are my sermon notes from this lovely Sunday morning.

Martha is active and faithful
She’s committed and frustrated
We’ve been in her shoes
Sometimes we’re annoyed, too

Jesus, in gentleness, corrected
Martha, telling her that Mary
Is doing what is right for her
But He doesn’t rebuke Martha

Martha’s resentment is clear
And it’s easy to understand
She’s worried and distracted
We are like her all too often

In our culture we celebrate
Productivity, and forget to be
Present to the importance of today
Our stress pulls us apart

Our presence is what’s needed
Be present for each other
Be fully present in God’s presence
Listen to Jesus. Sit at His feet

The posture of your heart:
sitting, listening, being attentive
Is worship… Stillness reduces stress
Christ tells us to pause. Peace! Be still!

Sit in His presence
Luke 12:25 reminds us
“Don’t worry!” TRUST
God is with you. God bless you

Turn your anxiety into prayer
Find rest for your soul
Anchor your heart at Jesus’ feet
Be present with Christ.

Amen?

My peace I give to you.

But Jesus didn’t scold Martha
or tell her what she was doing is wrong.
Someone has to prepare
if you’re going to share a meal, right?

Who do you relate to?
Mary or Martha?
Why?

My birthday’s this Thursday.
No one mentioned it in church this morning.
No one sang to me.
I want to be Mary, sitting with Jesus.
He would sing to me!
It’s my week.

Jesus would say,
“…few things are needed—or indeed only one…”

And He would probably scold me.
“Get your mind off of yourself.
Reach out to others.
Did you remember to
wish Debbie & Steve
a Happy Anniversary?
It’s their week, too!”

Ah, my friends,
Life is Good!
Count your blessings…
and remember,
“…Mary has chosen what is better…”
Be still… and listen!

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, Poetry, relationships, sermon notes, Serving One Another, writing

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Throw Gifts in the Pot

What are your gifts?

Unwrap Your Gifts

1 Cor. 12:7

“Each person is given something to do
that shows who God is:
Everyone gets in on it,
everyone benefits.“

What were you given?
Wouldn’t it be fun to have your family and friends
tell you what gifts they see working in you?
I had that unique experience yesterday
at a meeting of our church’s elder board
(The Session).

Look up for your purpose!

The “gift” I most align myself with is:
“Intercessor.”
My daily prayer time and the lists of people
I pray for daily are an integral part of my life.
I am grateful God gave me the gift of praying for others.

In today’s devotional by Bob Goff,
he dealt with this subject.
Quoting 1Cor. 12:7, he went on to say,

” God has created us ro come together
and form a beautiful community
that highlights what we each
have been given and can contribute.”

Using the familiar story of Stone Soup,
Bob Goff wrote,
“You know where this story ends already:
the soup becomes a delicious simmering pot
made up of everyone’s contributions…
We all need to throw in what we’ve got
and it will be enough.”

Photo by Ella Olsson on Pexels.com

What other gift attributes did my friends identify for me?
writing
bedrock
firecracker
cooking
music
(and as mentioned:)
prayer warrior

Of course, the one that surprised me the most
was “Firecracker.”
Is that a gift?
Should I associate that with
being explosive
or
being a sparkler?
There are many ways to define our gifts,
aren’t there?
What’s yours?
Ask a friend. Bob Goff ended his
devotional in “Catching Whimsy”
with this faith step:

Ask the people around you.
“What are you good at?
What lights you up
and makes you spring out of bed?”

boy wearing orange shirt blowing on dandelion

Here are the gifts my friends identified
in each of my fellow church elders’ lives.
For privacy’s sake,
I will identify them only by their initials

  • PC
    patience, music, steadiness, kindness, calmness, humor
  • CD
    steadfastness, empathy, compassion, devotion, humor, determination
  • BM
    infectiousness, enthusiasm, teaching, discernment, tolerance, creativity
  • BK
    creativity, enthusiasm, caring, loving, growing, willingness
  • RE
    cheerfulness, steadfastness, deep faith, evenness
  • MK
    dependability, thoughtfulness, initiative, wisdom, calmness, humor
  • SH
    faithfulness, dependability, devotion. willingness, generosity, commitment, obedience

We began our Session meeting in prayer
with this scripture as our guiding principle:
1 Cor. 12:1 paraphrased
“Don’t be ignorant friends.
A variety of gifts are given-
We all are made to drink in One Spirit.”

We can (or can we?)
control how others see us.
Would I have liked others to see in me
dependability, thoughtfulness, initiative, wisdom?
Of course!
Those weren’t mentioned.
What can I do about it?

Live mindfully.
Love outlandishly.
Purpose my life to
“Show who God is.”

Are you with me?
Throw your gifts in the pot,
and let’s make Stone Soup
into God’s Love Soup.

Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, friendship, God, learning, Living in Christ's Family, Love, music, relationships, Serving One Another, writing

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