Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘grace’

Reblog #12 – Grace Alone


This post was titled God’s Grace – first posted in November of 2018… Reblogged today for your pleasure and reassurance.

green trees

Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com


“I am under the canopy of God’s Grace,”
the story in my Guideposts devotional assured me.


portrait of teenage girl playing outdoors


I know it without a doubt. I am guided by the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures.

“Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.
Each day has enough troubles of its own.”
Matthew 6:34


pexels-photo-6972241-e1543599183578.jpeg


Accept each day as a gift.
The present is a present.
Open it – and live in the NOW!

I am sure you know:

God’s grace is sufficient
when you believe
and
live intentionally
in FAITH.

belief bible book business

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,
we have peace with God
through whom we have gained access by faith
into this grace in which we now stand.”
Romans 5:1-2

Grace alone which God supplies;
Strength unknown He will provide…
Every soul we long to reach
Every heart we hope to teach
Everywhere we share…
It’s only by His Grace.

Do take time to hear Scott Wesley Brown sing this for us:

God’s grace – and peace to you – dear friends,

PEACE now and forever!

Bee well.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
See ya tomorrow.

Peace Like a River


I’ve got peace like a river
I’ve got joy like a fountain
I’ve got love like the ocean
I will share from my mountain

Click on the link above
to hear the wonderful Tabernacle Choir
sing “Peace Like a River.”

I’ve got peace like a river
I’ve got love like a river in my soul
I’ve got joy like a fountain
Shared joy makes me whole

Let us share Living Water
Let us share with one another
Let us share from the depths
Of our soul with sister and brother

Do you have time for
another beautiful, peaceful piece of music?
Click on the arrow above.
Be Still My Soul – – enjoy!!

Be still my soul and let
My God bring His peace
May the waves & winds be calm
In this world – and all strife decrease

Photo by Paweu0142 Fijau0142kowski on Pexels.com
Where Can I Turn for Peace?
Listen and Believe!

God promises us His peace
A peace that passes understanding
It comes to us by His grace
Not by our demanding

So, do not be afraid, my friends
To show your weakness anytime
In this world of chaos and turmoil
We need a place sublime

That place is in our Lord’s presence
His Holy Spirit is here to guide
So take His peace and share it
Your sparkle cannot be denied

Let your sparkle of peace
Shine like a river
Peace be with you!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek on this lovely Sunday.
Be at peace, my friends.
I’ll see you tomorrow.
God bless you!

Finding Grace


What is grace?

There are several meanings.
One is the unmerited gift from God – referenced above.

Another is:

“disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency” …

Each of us has the capacity to act with grace.

When we respond to others with kindness, we are passing along the grace we are given.

Where do we find grace?

  1. Grace is a gift from God
  2. Grace is inside you
  3. Grace is all around you
  4. Grace multiplies when you give it

You have grace in abundance to give.
When you reach out in love
you are giving grace upon grace
.

2 Corinthians 9:8

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you,
that you, always having all sufficiency in all things,
may have an abundance for every good work.”

(NKJV)

One of the definitions of grace
involved the word “clemency.”

It is the willingness or ability to moderate the severity of a punishment
or
an act or instance of mercy, compassion, or forgiveness.

We all know that a life lived well
is a life lived with compassion,
a life filled with forgiveness of others
as well as of ourselves.

We all need to practice clemency!

Find grace in your heart.
Let forgiveness and compassion be your first response!
When we are merciful, we receive mercy in return.

Today’s post was inspired by today’s devotional in Mornings with Jesus.
Gwen Faulkenberry wrote a creative take on Hebrews 4:16,
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”


She imagined a beggar approaching a palace,
being turned away by the butler,
but welcomed with open arms by the prince
who brings the starving man to the queen.
When she sees him approaching,
she jumps from her throne,
runs to him, and says,
“Come in! Come in! How can I help you today?”

Gwen invites us in the “Faith Step” at the bottom of the page
to imagine ourselves as the man
and imagine the queen as God.
What would you ask if you weren’t afraid?

God of grace gives us all the grace we need…
and continues to gift us with the compassion,
kindness, and courtesy we need in order
to pass it on to others freely.

Knowing you have received grace upon grace,
approaching the throne of God,
what would you ask Him for?

I asked for healing of this broken finger,
(it was in there under all that wrapping),
renewed strength in this left hand,
renewed balance so I could stop falling,
and a healing of my head’s 8 stitches
before we head for our daughter’s
in Switzerland later this month.
God is answering my prayers…
in His perfect timing (as always).

What will you ask for?

See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Love to you,
from JanBeek

Enough!


The poem above is an edited version of an original by Bob Perks. I first read his poem about two decades ago. It spoke to me. Like the one above, it did not give credit to the poet, so I credited “Anonymous.” I posted it on my FaceBook page or somewhere (I wasn’t on WP yet at that time).

I heard from Bob Perks. He was irate! People were posting his poem, tweaking it, and not giving him credit. I had done so innocently. Maybe others were as unknowing as I.

Is it OK to use someone else’s words without acknowledging them? Bob Perks said, “No, that’s plagiarism!”

But if you saw the poem posted as I did, without an author’s name, how would you go about researching who wrote it?

In today’s world, I just “Googled it!” I found this version:

Is that really Bob Perks’ original version? How can I tell? And is it ok for some company to put it on a plaque and sell it for profit without the poet getting some kind of royalty? Did Bob Perks copyright it? I don’t know.

I have mixed feelings on this subject – because I have always believed that when someone steals your idea it is a form of flattery. After all, they liked it that much, right?

People have been doing that with Jesus’ words and ideas for centuries.

Did Nancy DeMoss really create that idea?

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

People always are rephrasing Jesus’ words.
There are countless translations of the Bible
and dozens of books that paraphrase it.
But, they do not take the ideas
without giving credit to the creator,
do they?

So, is it OK to be a copycat
without acknowledgement?

Depends… depends on who you’re copying and why!
Sometimes copying is considered a cheap form of imitation.

As an elementary school principal, I used encourage my teachers to share their good ideas with others – and be happy if someone copied their method, stole their lesson plan, or imitated their teaching style. It’s OK to go beyond admiring an idea. It’s OK to use it, embellish it, improve upon it, personalize it. Is it enough to just recognize the other for their inspiration? If you copy, do you need permission?

In our WordPress world, we try to ask permission before reposting someone’s idea. If we don’t get an answer, is it enough to just acknowledge the source?

Lee Ann Womack advocates originality.

I believe Bob Perk’s poem is a beautiful original.
He deserves to receive credit for it.
I wish him ENOUGH accolades
to satisfy his heart’s content.
I love following his ideas
even today on FaceBook.
https://www.facebook.com/bob.perks

His website is about
Starting Over…
New Beginnings

I bet Bob Perks has had ENOUGH of this rewriting of his poem and people copying and tweaking it. I bet he is ready to move on… start over … reinvent his image. As a writer, he now says he is a “Speaker” and a “Vocalist.” He’s said ENOUGH of that old life. Let’s begin again. His website says, “Starting Over Again” at the top of it.

I am an orginal.
You are an original.
There is no one else on earth like you.
Your eyes are only yours.
Your fingerprints are only yours.
Your voice is an original – only yours!
Celebrate your originality!

Cheers!

Loved having you visit today.
Come back again tomorrow
and celebrate my birthday with me, OK?

I wish you enough!

Hugs,
JanBeek

Embrace Amazing Grace


Choked up with emotion,
Speechless, but obligated
To say something meaningful,
Barack Obama sang!

Now he won’t get any awards
For his pitch or tone,
But for his bravery,
A gold medal, indeed!

For his faith and love,
And for his ability
To inspire the crowd,
A blue ribbon!

When I meet my maker,
And you gather to cheer
My entry into Eternity,
Please sing Amazing Grace!

But, you might want to
Avoid the microphone
And let the Spirit lead
The others to drown you out!

Hah! God bless Barack –
I miss that guy in the White House.
I miss his family and
His Amazing Grace!!

There is something special
About that You.Tube
And its spontaneity.
Don’t you agree?

In contrast, this nearly lily white
Choir of perfect harmony,
Is beautiful for sure,
But somehow it seems stiff.

Or is that just me?

Maybe your taste for Amazing Grace
Turns more toward country.
There are as many versions
Of that song as you can imagine.

What’s your favorite?

The amazing story of the song
Is described beautifully in this video.
I totally enjoyed all 15 minutes of it.
I didn’t know what an influence he had
on the abolition of slavery!

I hope you will enjoy this video, too.

“The Lord gives us many blessings,
But unless we are grateful for them,
We lose much of the comfort from them.”


May God’s Amazing Grace
give you enormous comfort today
and always…

See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Love,
JanBeek

Embrace God’s Perfect Timing


Do you ever try to push things through and discover roadblocks?

That’s been my experience this week on more than one front.

Photo by Vlad Cheu021ban on Pexels.com

Trying to push my agenda is harder than rolling hay –
Especially when my agenda is not in sync with the Lord’s.

Photo by Ali Pazani on Pexels.com

Trying to push through an agenda is like filming –
Pointing the camera at the place you want to be
And discovering that you have no film to get there.
GO BACK AND RELOAD!! Take time to pray.

Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com

Life often puts us at crossroads where we choose –
Do we go right or left? Or do we turn around?
What did your script say? And who wrote it?
Are you finding your own way or letting God lead?

Are you on your own time schedule or are you listening?
Do you relinquish control and hear the Holy Spirit saying,
“God’s Perfect Timing is perfect. Let go! Let it flow.”
Stop pushing. Stop filming. Stop writing. Stop blogging.

Just stop!

Photo by Song kaiyue on Pexels.com

Then, when you start up again, be deliberate! Be intentional.
Be collaborative. Be teachable. Be flexible. Be patient.
God’s Perfect Timing is Perfect!

TRUST!

Use it wisely!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.

I’ve been living my passion this week…
Loving, learning, listening, sharing God’s grace.

Finding the pastor God has in mind for our church –
and trying to arrange the perfect timing for a visit.

I took a break from WordPress to focus.


It was good to take a break.


Please add our Pastor Nominating Committee to your prayer list…
and help us EMBRACE GOD’S PERFECT TIMING!

See ya tomorrow (God willing).
Bee well!!

Embrace Perseverance


This quote came in the mail today from Billy Mills, national spokesperson for “Running Strong for American Indian Youth” – a project associated with Christian Relief Service.

The synchronicity of the arrival of this in mailbox today was not lost on me. I already had spent my hour up in my sanctuary reading my Bible, devotionals, and praying for you – and other family and friends on my prayer list (yes, you are there!). Among the names on my list is “Native American Youth.” Lord knows their needs and yours.

The word that was my “Take-Away” from that time upstairs today was “Perseverance.” And that’s BEFORE the mail came with this gift! Go back up and read it again… “Collective Perseverance…” and HOPE …Resilience and Certainty in tomorrow – – – Tomorrow: a better day!

Persevere in those choices!!

It’s perseverance
That changes maybe’s to YES.
Chase the doubt away!

To make an impact
Just practice perseverance.
Keep your dreams alive.

God says you are Unique…
Designed for Greatness!!

Being persistent
As you work to problem solve:
The road to success!

Photo by Gerd Altmann on Pexels.com

I can’t just sit here
Expecting success to come.
Gotta go get it!

It’s perseverance –
Working to make it happen
That completes the goal.

What are you working
To complete with great success?
Live with that purpose.

Persevere with Purpose

But tenacity
Ain’t easy when we don’t see
The results we need.

Positivity
Is hard to always maintain
When we keep failing.

But unless we fail,
We’re not trying hard enough!
Gotta fail to learn.

3 “Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings,
because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5And hope does not disappoint us,
because God has poured out His love
into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,
whom He has given us.…”

Romans 5:3-4

Don’t let the fact that
There’s certain failure keep you
From taking chances!

Folks who developed
The vaccines we are using
Failed many times.

Before succeeding,
They conjured up their courage
And kept on trying.

That’s the way it is!
So Embrace Perseverance
And live your purpose.

1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded
by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance
the race marked out for us,”
Hebrews 12:1

Photo by nappy on Pexels.com

Look at that runner;
He did not win his first race!
But perseverance paid off.

What race are you in?
What’s marked out for you to do?
Step out and do it!

Embrace Perseverance!

59 years and still counting

Long term marriages like ours don’t happen accidentally.
Takes lots of perseverance.
Believe me!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.

Before you click out,
leave a comment below, will you?

What is the “race marked out for you” today?

Embrace Grace


Photo by Jacob Kelvin.J on Pexels.com

My hands are dirty –
And my heart is soiled, too.
Time for spring cleaning!

This season of Lent is a time for cleaning –
Cleaning out our hearts in preparation
For the arrival of Easter when we can
Embrace God’s grace through Jesus’ sacrifice.

Today’s sermon on our ZOOM worship service
Was titled, “Holy Ground” as our pastor,
Steve Hundley, recounted his trip to
The Holy Land back about 20 years ago.

My feet are dirty –
And my heart is soiled, too.
Time for spring cleaning!

Holy Ground

What was it like to be able
To walk in the footsteps of Jesus?
What was it like to stand
On Holy Ground? Spiritually renewing?

I was expecting each site to be charged
With such power that holy goose bumps
Popped up all over my body.
But I was a bit disappointed.

It was hard to feel the grace of the risen Christ
In this historically preserved place.
How do you feel Jesus breaking bread
When all you’re seeing is the top of a rock?

It’s important to protect these sites,
But looking through plexiglass makes it
Hard to feel the reality of Jesus.
The garden tomb remains open, though.

It’s helpful to see without obstacles
That distort the original places.
We have our own expectations of
What we’ll feel imagining holy faces.

Jesus and the money changers
Were there on the temple floor
Where I stood on that visit.
But I couldn’t feel Jesus’ anger.

I wondered if maybe those men
Were in fact offering a service.
He told them they could tear it down
And He’d rebuild it in three days.

They didn’t know He was referring
To His body, not the building.
Buildings are not what we worship.
We worship God’s nature in spirit and in Truth.

We are often tied to the
Rites and rituals to define us.
But our traditions must not
Rise above the Christ we adore.

It is not the place that matters.
It is the love in our hearts
That counts when we join together
In worship… thanking God for His grace.

Thank You, God, for Jesus, for Easter,
For the meaning of the cross,
And for the sacrifice of Your Son’s life
So we might EMBRACE GRACE.

The HOPE of EASTER
Is in the grace of the cross.
Let’s engage in some spring cleaning
In preparation to stand on that Holy Ground…
At the threshold of our eternal cleansing.

Embrace Grace.

AMEN

Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
See ya tomorrow.
I’m headed to do some spring cleaning!

Embrace His Mercy


So, what is mercy?
Is it something that you need?
No?! So you’re perfect?

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Well dear, guess again!
We’re all in need of mercy.
It’s undeserved grace.

You ask, what is grace?
Well, it’s undeserved mercy!
Don’t you just love it?

Definitions are
Often so convoluted.
Good thing for mercy!

Mercy me! Oh my!
I sure need grace and mercy.
Both are found in prayer.

Prayer for Help, Mercy and Grace

Prayer from Rev. Steve Hundley
PASTORAL PRAYER
prayed at
Madison Valley Presbyterian Church
ZOOM service
2-7-2021

“Loving God, we thank You that You treat us as if all were one; and each one as if there were only one.  We thank You that we are all held together in Your love; and none are beyond Your caring reach.  Thank You that You hear our prayers:

  • the prayers we feel awkward about;
  • the prayers we are hesitant to pray;
  • and, the prayers we feel that we do not know the right words to pray.

Thank You that You know us well enough to hear our thoughts, our yearnings, our stumblings, our grumblings, our secret hopes and fears, even when we dare not, or cannot put them into words.  We are eternally grateful that anytime we turn toward you, the arms of Your grace and love are there to enfold us with Your love that cannot be bought, earned, or bargained for.  Since it is the gift which You give and which we can only receive, give us wisdom to joyfully receive it.

O Lord, this past year has reminded us just how fearful and fragile; yet, precious and wonderful life can be.  We need Your help. So Jesus, grant us this: the ability to as easily recognize and celebrate the beautiful as we are able to itemize the ugly.  Grant us the ability to as easily praise as we are to condemn.  Grant us the ability to as easily unite as we are to divide.  Grant us the ability to as easily support and help one another as we are to ignore.  And, grant us the ability to as easily express joy as we are to display our disappointment.

Grant us some sense of worth and accomplishment which places the mark of meaning to our days.  In spite of the many limitations this pandemic has placed on our daily lives, grant us some sense of purpose, that tomorrow is something to look forward to, rather than to dread.  Encourage us to reach outside of ourselves, and find ways to express our faith and love in ways that would benefit this world and its people whom You love. 

Jesus grant us this: though life tumbles in, and almost everything seems to crumble around us; when the simple things we took for granted seem a distant memory; when hope frays and a simple touch, or a caring hug is something we remember we used to do; O Lord, find some special way to hold us in the palm of Your hand.

We pray for this wonderful yet sometimes unhappy…this divided yet dependent…this brave but fearful, mixed-up world we live in.  We have created enemies by the misuse of its power; and, what could have been a blessing for all has become a curse to many by our misuse of its abundance.  O Lord, give us and the leaders of this great nation the will to break out of destructive patterns, and grant us peace in our time. “

Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we pray this prayer in the name of Our Father Who art in Heaven… Amen!

So, what is mercy?
Is it something that we need?
You bet! Every day!!

Have a wonderful week.
I pray for your health, happiness, and safety –
every day!
Thanks for visiting.
See ya later,
Love, JanBeek

Before you leave, take a few minutes to treat yourself to the story behind “The Prayer” and hear the most beautiful voices (my bias) in the world. Where do you see God’s mercy at work in this duet??

Live Life Forward


I CAN …

If you’ve followed my blog for a week or so, you already know that I journal most days in this little book that is dedicated to my dear and daring daughter, DeAna. I don’t write in it EVERY day, but often I do, when I am up in my sanctuary, motivated by my devotionals. Today was such a day.

Look ahead, my friend
Live Life Forward
Stare out the windshield
Not the rear view mirror

Look toward the future
Find the unexpected gifts
Share the love and grace
You find at every turn

Share the laughter
Share uninhibited joy
Share compassion
Ease each others pain

Find the hidden treasures
‘Neath the tears of sorrow
Let them wash you clean
Ready for tomorrow

Look ahead, my friend
Don’t let the past upset
Live life forward
And bury all regret

Photo by Binti Malu on Pexels.com

I have positive thoughts about today.
It’s snowing here…
and it is beautiful outside.
It’s warm and cozy inside.
I pray you are cozy, too.



Thanks for visiting JanBeek
And thank you to all my faithful followers –
Your comments make my day!
See ya tomorrow.

A photo taken from a drone by my friend, Whooter,
showing you how pretty it is
when the snow is beginning to turn things white.
Happy Christmas Weekend!

Tag Cloud

%d bloggers like this: