"7" Minutes Alone with God

We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair (2 Corinthians 4:8) A carpet of colorful leaves lay under the trees in my backyard.  Autumn winds had strewn them there.  Against a backdrop of still-green grass, they made a beautiful picture.  I gazed at it for a long time, trying to fix in my mind a memory for the winter days ahead.  Realizing it was impossible to fully capture and replay the scene, I decided to gather a few of the leaves and press them to enjoy later. Walking around the yard, I stooped and gathered those suitable for my purpose; not too large, and pliable enough to be pressed without crumbling.  As I continued picking them up, the stack in my hand grew and I began wondering what special thing I could do with them.  It was then I thought of friends who live in other parts of the country where autumn is not a happening as it is in the Ozarks.   I decided to share some of the beauty wit...

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place and there He prayed  (Mark 1:35) Mid-November until the beginning of the new year is sometimes referred to as the holiday season. It is my favorite time of the year because of gatherings with family and friends, holiday meals, shopping, caroling, special worship services, and many other traditional activities.  But while it is my favorite time of the year, it is also my busiest.  A sentiment echoed by many, I am sure. The problem is that we try to cram too many activities into too little time.  We rush from one thing to the next, meeting ourselves coming and going, arriving at the end of the day overwhelmed, frustrated and exhausted.  We simply cannot do it all. Something has to go. Unless we are watchful, one thing likely to get sidelined during busy times is our daily time with God. We don’t intend for it to happen; it just does.  Communica...

Every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit (Matthew 12:6) Until health prevented his doing so himself, one of the things my husband enjoyed was working in the garden and caring for the lawn.  The Japanese Yew bushes that he planted under our bay window 25 years ago grow rapidly and need attention from time to time. With the use of electric shears, they can be pruned to the desired shape and appropriate height for the area.  One day as I watched this process I got to thinking how God uses the same method to direct the development of His children.  Tenderly, lovingly He shapes us to fit the surroundings into which He has planted us.  The trimming is not to punish us or discourage growth.  Rather it is to encourage growth in areas that are lacking or falling behind, causing us to become misshapen. The yews cannot know how Bob wants our lawn to look. Neither can we see life from God’s viewpoint, nor can we understand all He has pla...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6) There hangs in our home a picture that holds a great deal of meaning for me for it takes me back to a special part of my childhood.  On first glance it appears to be a rather simple picture, but on closer inspection, it speaks volumes. Done in soft pastels of blue, gray and cream, it features a little girl in a rope swing, sailing through the air with total abandonment.  She appears not to have a care in the world.  That’s all I noticed the first time I saw it.  I loved it immediately because it took me back to the many hours, as a little girl, I spent in just such a swing. I loved to pump until I was going as high as possible, then lean back in a reclining position, and gaze up into the vastness of the sky.  It was the closest thing I knew to flying.  There I was just me and the sk...

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name (Hebrews 13:15) Mrs. Charles Spurgeon, who for more than 25 years suffered from a physical condition which caused excruciating pain, wrote: “when the fire of affliction draws songs of praise from us, then indeed we are purified, and our God is glorified!” I don’t know about you, but generally speaking the fire of affliction of any sort, seldom draws songs of praise from me. More often than not, I can be heard whining and complaining, expressing doubts and discouragement. Singing the blues rather than His praise. Instead of allowing His light to shine out through my attitude, it is more natural to go in search of a dark corner and solitude. God wants everything that touches the lives of His children to serve as evidence of His goodness. Our songs of praise, especially in difficult times, enhance His reputation as a loving, generous Father who car...