Learning

Take Refuge In Him

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The world is an attacking place filled with darkness, deceitfulness and evil.  The only place to seek refuge from the storms of life is in God.  There are several examples in the Bible of people who were under attack by others or by circumstances surrounding them…Abraham, Elijah, Job, the disciples, Jesus etc.  They all took refuge in God, through prayer and listening.  We don’t have to have all the answers and we never will…we just need the courage to seek our relationship with God everyday and be able to listen and understand where He is leading us.  May you experience the peace and joy of God today.

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“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.”

Psalm 18:30

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 at Kaanapali Beach on the island of Maui)

God’s Presence

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A relationship with God is like no other.  He can provide the greatest comfort in times of trouble, the greatest joy out of the worst of tragedy and He never will leave you or abandon you.  God wants you to engage in a covenant with Him.  An agreement that you will honor only Him as God and you will pursue to keep His commandments in your everyday life.  You will accept His Son, Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, believing that He died and has risen to save you from your sins.  If you strive to honor this covenant you will get a better sense of God’s presence in your life.  God does not play favorites like humans, His covenant is not a quid pro quo situation where you scratch His back and He will scratch yours.  God loves everyone and His forgiveness, His mercy and grace is available the same to anyone.  The only the difference is how we choose to engage in our relationship with Him.  May God’s peace and joy be with you.

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“All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.”

Psalm 25:10

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

The Love Of God

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It may be hard to believe sometimes…it seems unfathomable, an error in judgement or even misguided from our perspective.  However, it is true…God loves you, unconditionally.  There is nothing in all creation that can separate us from the love of God.  It has all been tried over and over again throughout the Old Testament, so God took things up a notch and sent His one and only Son to triumph over all, forever.  He had it written about before it occurred in the Old Testament and then again after it occurred in the New Testament.  God loves you and He is right there with you, He knows the struggles and the victory you experience in your life every day.  Talk with God, thank Him for His never-ending love and seek His will as you go forward in your faith and life journey.  May God’s peace and joy be with you.

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“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:37-39

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while driving through North Dakota)

Forgiveness

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This is something we all want and need and yet it is so hard to give to others.  The part to work on is remembering this is not saying what someone did or said is Ok…forgiveness is making a commitment to not hold on to bitterness and hardness in your heart over something that happened in the past and can’t be changed.  We all make mistakes and we all will be making more mistakes in life, forgiveness is about the courage to move forward and to find joy, it is about letting go of the things in the past.  The best place to start to forgive is to turn to God in prayer, as He has forgiven you already.  Look up the serenity prayer and use it to speak to God about the forgiveness needed in your life.  May God’s grace and mercy be with you.

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“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

Psalm 51:10-12

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 at Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

Learn To Listen

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The skill of listening is becoming less and less frequent in today’s world.  It seems people are so intent on speaking and spend more time preparing a response then seeking to understand others.  It is a form of selfishness.  All of us are cursed with some form of selfishness…it does not go away or become less present over time unless we are actively working on reducing its presence in our lives.  In order to strengthen our abilities to see things from the perspective of another person we can start by listening and seeking to understand them.  Listening does not mean you automatically agree with them rather it means you are willing to consider more than your own opinion.  We do not have all the answers, nobody on earth does…nobody.  The only one who knows is God…and if we can’t listen to Him we will struggle more than is necessary.  May God’s love and peace be with you.

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“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.”

Proverbs 19:20

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake place in northwestern Wisconsin)

Be Strong And Courageous

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Don’t give up, don’t stop trying…whatever it is the next attempt can be the one that gets the results you are hoping to see.  Be persistent and be creative.  When you have exhausted your approach to an issue or situation, be open and willing to change how you think about it and try again.  Pray about it as well, lift your worries and concerns up to Jesus in prayer.  Surrender your plans only to God and see what He has in store for you.  No matter what the circumstances God is with you and He can guide you.  May God’s peace and joy be with you.

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“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Patience

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When we believe and we trust in God we will be required to develop patience in this world.  Circumstances will often look hopeless and many people will despair and be engulfed in sadness and fear, that is the way of evil.  We must never give up hope, we must trust in God to continue working for the good for us and for everyone.  God does not make bad things happen, He is not tempting you with things that are not good…that is sin in the world and we humans invited that sin into this world.  God is at work in all the bad we have created to bring out goodness, kindness and love.  Believe in Him who created us, believe in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ and see the good things that can happen in your life in this world.  May God’s peace and joy be with you.

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“I am still confident of this:  I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 27:13-14

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

The Joy Of Faith

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The true form of joy comes from believing and knowing that the Lord your God created you out of love, knows the about the deepest part of you and will never leave you or abandon you.  Faith has been and is the only thing that can overcome sadness, darkness and sin.  Jesus came down from heaven and showed the power of faith by His actions and His sacrifice.  He defeated sickness and illness, He defeated the devil in the desert, and He defeated death.  He did it all for you and He did it out of His love…and that is why true joy is found only in Faith and nowhere else on earth.  May you find joy in God’s peace and love.

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“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

1 Peter 1:8-9

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Path To Joy

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It seems so often, we are trying to figure things out…why did this happen?  why didn’t it go the way we thought?  what went wrong?  how did I do that?  that is not what I planned?  These thoughts take us on a roller-coaster of a ride in our daily life and near the end of the day we are exhausted with few answers.  I believe we all need to simplify things a bit, narrow our focus and stay obedient to the way Jesus has taught us.  Start by committing our day to the Lord.  Spend time reading Scripture and praying that gives you a solid foundation to start on…then be present in the moments that are occurring in your life today.  Listen closely to what others are saying, offer encouragement and be of service to others.  If your current circumstances make this difficult or impossible in your mind then pray about that and ask God to help you find your way to a better situation.  The point is you don’t have to do this journey alone and frankly God did not intend you to be alone.  Reach out to the Lord and he will guide you to the right path.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

Proverbs 19:21

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake place in northwestern Wisconsin)

Mother’s Day – Cherish And Honor Your Mom

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Today is a day to give thanks, to reflect and remember how your Mom impacted your childhood and how she still impacts who you are today.  We all know no human is perfect and not all Mom to child relationships are filled with fond memories but we must remember that people no matter who they are, are doing the best they can.  Whatever your situation take some time today to give thanks for the good your Mom is or was and say a prayer to God about your Mom…whatever prayer is most appropriate for you and your Mom.  Cherish and honor your Mom.  May God’s love, joy and peace be with all Mom’s and with you today.

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“She is clothed with strength and dignity;  she can laugh at the days to come.  She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 

She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 

“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.  Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised”

Proverbs 31:25-30

(This photo was taken in March of 2013 in the Bontanical Gardens at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada)