Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘joy’

Hear Our Prayers


What is on your prayer list?
Who are on your prayer list?
Do you pray daily – multiple times each day?
The Bible tells us,

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,
give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”

(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Prayer joyfully –
with confidence!

14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God:
that if we ask anything according to his will, He hears us.

John 5:14

The big question is –
How do we know if what we are praying is in God’s will?

Tune in to the Holy Spirit.
Jesus gave us the Spirit as a helper
when He left earth and ascended into heaven.
Take advantage of that gift! It is ours by God’s grace!

God’s Holy Spirit gives us
the Fruits of the Spirit –
and daily we must pray for
their presence to live in our lives.

I find the first three are mine…
I accept them with deep gratitude.
Not everyone has the LOVE, JOY, and PEACE
that are mine automatically. I know that!
I do not take them for granted.
And if you lack them, I pray
God will provide you today
with LOVE, JOY, and PEACE.

But, the other six? Oh Lord, I ask for help –
Help with them everyday so that I may show more
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
(which brings blessings)
gentleness
and
self-control.

Join us now as we come to God in prayer.
We pray humbly for all people to have:
Love
Food
Medical care
Shelter
Peace
Respect
Freedom
Unity
Faith
Healing
Hope
Comfort
and
Security.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen!

Amen!

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Gratitude, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, music, peace, prayer, Promises, Serving One Another

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Love, Joy & Peace


Do you ever doubt your niche?
Yesterday I posted excerpts from
Gottfried’s Banter, a blog whose niche
is humor. No, I wasn’t suggesting
that my blog should try to fit that niche.
Humor like Gottfried’s doesn’t come
naturally to me like it does to him.

Gottfried has an oversized funny bone!

No, it’s not numbers,
It’s my purpose that dictates
My niche and my style.

It’s my gifts that spell
The reason for my blogging.
How about your niche?

My niche is “Inspiration.”

What’s your intention?
Do you need one hundred one
Questions to find out?

The Art of Blogging,
Cristian Mihai, has questions
Yes, one hundred one!

Check it out
(if you doubt your intentions!!)

Cristian Mihai

Cristian Mihai, The Art of Blogging

marketingBlogblogging

My purpose focuses on positivity.

My by-line tells you
What my purposes here are:
Love, Joy, Peace and Faith

Add Unity, too
I aim to help us just love
Keep God’s love centered

I aim to inspire
Often I use poetry
As chosen genre

My mind seems to think
In this lovely Haiku form
Yes, five-seven-five

I love to share others’ poetry here, too.

Often my pictures
Feature our diversity:
Yesterday’s children

Not a melting pot
But a colorful salad
Each adds its color

Each adds the beauty
We’d miss if we’re all the same
Call it gratitude

In that attitude
Of gratitude I can find
The peace God gives us

It is peacefulness
That defies understanding
I pass it to you

My purpose is peace
My goal is spreading the joy
And love from Jesus

Some say religion
Is the main focus I have
But it’s more than that

Love, joy, peace, and faith
Are the stepping stones I climb
To find unity

Sometimes religion
Gets in the way of all that
Sometimes it divides

I’ve heard the saying,
“Sunday mornings are the most
Divided of times.”

Some use religion
To ensure their salvation
But Christ is much more

He is more than church
More than denominations
He’s universal

Luke 2:10
And the angel said to them,
“Fear not, for behold,
I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.”

My blog’s main purpose
Is to unite everyone
In a common love

I blog of respect
Blog of the Source of my joy
Blog to inspire you

Blog to encourage
Live in constant hope
Believing in God

There is just one God
You may see Him differently
But we all see Him

We know He’s in us
We know He created us
We see His great works

We know a Big Bang
Didn’t make a butterfly
Nor create the world

So, I aim to lift
All our eyes to see the Lord
As a part of God

Just as I see you
A child of the Creator
We’re born to inspire

That’s my sole purpose
That’s why I am blogging here
Why are you here, Friend?

You are given a purpose.
Can you define it?

Have a blessed day.
Stay warm! It’s 2 degrees, snowy and blowy here!
See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.

Bye for now!
Don’t forget to comment below…
Tell me, how do you define your purpose here?

Category:

Bible Lessons, blogging, Faith, God, Gratitude, Haiku, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, Poetry, Serving One Another, writing

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Secret Power


Bloganuary#17 – “What is a Secret Power You’d Like to Have?”

I want the secret power to have wisdom in all circumstances.
I want the secret power to turn all tears to laughter and joy.
I want the secret power to end all wars and create everlasting peace on earth.
I want the secret power to make Believers of all doubters so we all can meet in eternity someday.

What secret power do you want?

Category:

Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, optimism, peace

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Happy Wordless Wednesday


Wordless in Placerville

See ya tomorrow

Category:

contentment, Love, Montana

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Embrace Bible Study


Photo by nappy on Pexels.com

Tonight I enjoyed sharing the Bible
with friends at our local nursing center.
It’s a privilege to get to know these folks
whose hearts are soft and tender.

The Bible lesson tonight from Psalms
was about how to handle despair.
We all face such emotions at times –
especially during holidays everywhere.

When our families are far away
and we have no way of traveling,
it feels to some they are “trapped”
and their lives are unraveling.

But while Psalm 42 begins in sorrow,
expressing ways life is unfair,
the tone quickly changes to joy
when touting the wonders of prayer.

Psalm 42: 1-8

1 As the deerf pants for streams of water,g

so my soul pantsh for you, my God.

2 My soul thirstsi for God, for the living God.j

When can I gok and meet with God?

3 My tearsl have been my food

day and night,

while people say to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”m

4 These things I remember

as I pour out my soul:n

how I used to go to the house of Godo

under the protection of the Mighty Oned

with shouts of joyp and praiseq

among the festive throng.r

5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?s

Why so disturbedt within me?

Put your hope in God,u

for I will yet praisev him,

my Saviorw and my God.x

6 My soul is downcast within me;

therefore I will remembery you

from the land of the Jordan,z

the heights of Hermona—from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deepb

in the roar of your waterfalls;

all your waves and breakers

have swept over me.c

8 By day the Lord directs his love,d

at nighte his songf is with me—

a prayer to the God of my life.g

Photo by Oliver Sju00f6stru00f6m on Pexels.com

We talked about the way a waterfall
endlessly sends its spray below
and washes away all debris
in its consistent, cleansing flow.

God does that for each of us
when we turn to Him in prayer.
He washes away despair and
replaces it with love beyond compare.

At night God’s song reverberates
in our souls as we fall asleep.
“Joy to the World” we sang –
His peace is ours to keep.

May the peace of the Baby Jesus
be yours these precious holidays.
Live at peace with others –
and share Christ’s love always!

Tell others about the Good News
and let them know that God’s Word
is your ticket to peace and joy.
Let your actions be love that’s heard.

Lead or join a Bible Study
and let the message come alive
in the way you live each day.
Let’s all help the Good News to thrive.

Amen?

Merry Christmas season, my friends.
Be sure to take time for Bible Study each day…
It’ll brighten your path with the Lord’s Word as a lantern.

Do you have a favorite verse that speaks to you today?

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Christmas, Faith, Giving, Jesus, Love, music, Poetry, prayer, Serving One Another

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Embrace The Joy


Embrace the joy of the season

Even if you feel overwhelmed

Hah! Who are you kidding?

Ever have a day when positivity seems a distant dream and joy eludes you?

Join the party!

In fact, when you have that kind of a day, that’s exactly what you should do: 🎉 Party 🎈!!

Do you have a hug to share today? Pass it along. Share the joy. I need it. See ya tomorrow (God willing). Love ya … JanBeek

Category:

Love

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Embrace Great-Grandkids


Oh, the joy of being great-grandparents is a joy many never live long enough to experience. We do not take this for granted. An afternoon with our granddaughter, Hope, and her two children, Xander and Sienna, reinforced for us why God gives children to the young!!

In Genesis 17,
when God

himself appears to Abraham
and tells him that Sarah will bear a son,
Abraham falls on his face laughing
and exclaims,
“Can a child be born to a man
who is a hundred years old?
Can Sarah, who is ninety years old,
bear a child?”
(Genesis 17:17).

(Genesis 18:13-14)
After Sarah laughs,
God turns to Abraham, asking,
“Why did Sarah laugh, and say,
‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old? ‘
Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?”
Sarah has been caught
in the act of her private
laughter and mocking commentary,
a response which catches God off-guard.

We understand why when God granted Sarah the child she longed for all her life (she was in her 90s – so it was quite a miracle), she laughed (not believing God could really do that) and then she gave Isaac to the church. The priests there raised him!

Oh sure…. she gave her child to God in gratitude for God’s generosity. Suuure!!

I’ll bet she didn’t have the stamina to care for that lively little guy!

Hah! We loved visiting with our great grandkids, but we’re sure grateful it’s Hope who took them home – not us! Embrace those great-grandchildren… and then kiss ’em good-bye. You bet!!

I’m headed to bed. I’m exhausted!
See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love, JanBeek

I couldn’t lift her!!
Her mama had to help me
get her in my lap!

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Bible Lessons, children, Family, God, Gratitude, humor, Life's Challenges, Love, relationships

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Embrace Good Cheer


1 Thess. 5:16-18a

Let godly thinking shape your attitudes.

“16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances…”

With the right attitudes, we can be young at heart no matter what our chronological age may be.

No, we are still young…
Young at heart!
Can’t you see it?

Psalm 92:12-15

“12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
13 planted in the house of the Lord,
    they will flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They will still bear fruit in old age,
    they will stay fresh and green,
15 proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
    he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”

Psalm 70:4

Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You.
Let those who love Your salvation say evermore,
“God is great!”

Each day has its own personality.
There will be happy and sad days.
Some will be quiet and restful,
while others will be filled with activity.

Some will be brimming with health,
others will find you facing unexpected challenges.

But, whatever the circumstance,
you can find moments of delight –
and you can thrive as you see the
blessings hidden – even in the worst of times.

Photo by Khimish Sharma on Pexels.com

This week I learned that my friend, Paul,
who was scheduled to replace our wood floor
(while we are gone next month on a trip to Europe)
fell off a ladder and broke some ribs.
In addition to the body aches, he was suffering
massive headaches. So, the doctor took x-rays.

The x-rays revealed that Paul had a brain tumor!
If he had not fallen off that ladder, there might not
have been the x-rays to reveal the tumor.
He had brain surgery yesterday morning.
The report came that “all is well.”

I don’t know if that means the tumor was benign,
or if it means they got it all and he will be fine.
Maybe it means all three!
But, I know Who has the answers…
and I know He hears my prayers.

I know everything happens for a reason…
and I know God is in charge.
I am so grateful the tumor was discovered!
So, I can EMBRACE GOOD CHEER!

I am grateful for the faith I have that allows me to
behold life through the eyes of hope and positivity.

Colors are brighter,
laughter comes easier,
and the joy of simply being alive
sets the tone for daily celebration
of life’s infinite possibilities.

On this day of remembrance (9-11),
may you – with love and reverence –
embrace the good cheer of memories
that cherish the family members,
friends, co-workers, and tireless volunteers
who have made a mark upon your life.

May those memories inspire you
to live with such
integrity,
creativity,
faith,
and love,
that one day
the memory of you
will bring good cheer
to all who know you.

Be in prayer for those who are hurting.
Be in prayer for all who are in danger.
Be in prayer for all who live in fear.

Be in prayer for those who need
happiness to knock on their door today.

You’re in my prayers.
God bless you with good cheer!

Love and hugs,
JanBeek

See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, Gratitude, health, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, optimism, prayer, Serving One Another

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Embrace Stories


More on the saga of my bruised face!

A friend texted me and suggested,

“The fun part of getting
not one,
but
two black eyes,
is making up some wild,
harebrained event that caused them.

Sky diving accident?

Or when they turn yellow…
trying out for a clown part
in an adaptation of a Stephen King novel.”

I think I could pull off a clown part
in a Stephen King adaptation, don’t you?

I don’t need to wait til they turn yellow…
just match the magenta with my lipstick,
clothing, and earrings,
and (as Derrick suggested)
EMBRACE THE BRUISES!!

It’s getting better – don’t you think?

If you’re just tuning in to this messed up face saga,
I need you to know that I got into a wrestling match
with a tiger – and I won. The tiger
ran off into the woods, never to attack a human again!

And if you believe that, you need to buy my latest novel…
published by Porterhouse … available on your next steak.

If you can’t embrace sunglasses
and hide the damage,
then ya gotta smile and bare it,
right?

And while we’re at it, I have another story to tell you:

You know I’d not be likely to buy a case of beer –
but good wine, now that’s another story!

Now if you think I have any flawless dance moves left in me,
I have a glass of Kool-Aid to sell you.
I have waaaay too many birthday stories to tell –
and a whole lot of receipts for the Kool-Aid I’ve sold.

… especially the body parts around my knees and ankles!
I’ve had my right knee replaced.
How about you,
you got any artificial parts
so they make you go through
the metal scanner at the airport?
Bob & I both get the fun of being frisked
every time we take a trip!

But, we’ve decided flying is a better way to go
instead of driving these days.
Driving requires sitting next to one another
and trying to talk to each other.
After nearly 60 years of marriage,
what’s left to talk about?
On a plane, if you’re lucky,
you get the center aisle –
and somebody new to talk to.

Seeing better was a perk of younger years.
Hearing better is a perk of aging…
but it takes a set of $4000 aids to do it.

As the birthdays pile up,
we have to be sure we have our bifocals
and our hearing aids
before we leave home.

Next it’ll be our walking stick
or a walker!!

Try not to lose your glasses
or your car keys –
That’s one of the problems
we multi-birthday folks have.
But that’s not as bad a losing
your memory.

Did I tell you the story about
how I got these black eyes?
Oh, I did?
It was back on the blog called
EMBRACE HARD HEADS –


Remember?

You don’t?


Oh well…
That’s a story for another day.

Do you have a story to tell?
Come on, be a sport…
Entertain me!

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, happiness, humor, Life's Challenges, Love, Memories, mental health, optimism, self-acceptance

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Embrace Encouragement


Do you ever get into a funk?

Life can feel downright discouraging.
Life can feel out of control.
The world is burning up here in the western USA
And life is tenuous at best
In places like Afghanistan and Haiti.

Flames are uncontrolled
Smoke fills Madison Valley
Bless firefighters
As the red sun rose
through the smoke-filled, sad, gray sky
It cleared a little
Air quality sad
My response is funky mood
Looking for more rain
Sad Afghanistan
The loss of life and freedom
Brutalization
People desperate
To leave Kabul rapidly
Not a chance of that
The Haiti earthquake
It’s horrifying! to see
Worse yet to live it

In the midst of this
Devastation, what’s the word?
It’s ENCOURAGEMENT


How can that be true?
Where to find encouragement?
Get out of this funk!

In tragedy’s midst
Where can I find strength and hope?
Circumvent sadness?

How can anything
I do or say dent sorrow?
Search within myself?

I live in such peace
That I feel enormous guilt
For prosperity.

What strength is in me
To bring firefighters hope?
To save Haitian lives?

People who have lost
Their homes and their businesses
Still have lives to live.

Can they get through this
With their faith in God intact?
Where’s encouragement?

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

At Bible Study
We focused on Ephesians
6:10-20

The Whole Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”

Find hope biblically
Look for encouragement there
All is not hopeless

Don’t abandon faith.
Let it bolster your spirits
Encourage others

In our Bible Study, I was encouraged with this definition of joy:

“Joy is resistance to:

* hopelessness
* hatred
* divisiveness
* greed
* despair
* rigidity
* darkness
* complacency
* lies, and
* discouragement.”

I asked my Bible Study friends,
“In the midst of all this despair,
what can we really DO
to encourage others
and to avoid the pitfalls
of discouragement
and despair?”

They responded with these suggestions,
“Pray,
Write,
Block negativity
(especially on Social media),
Volunteer to help others,
and PLAY!”

There’s no better way
To trade your funk for pleasure
Than to learn to play!

Take a look within –
How do you avoid despair?
Click below and share!

Smile!
God loves you!
(And so do I!)

Category:

Bible Lessons, children, contentment, Faith, God, Haiku, Heartache, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, Poetry, prayer, relationships, writing

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