Monday, October 15, 2012

One Thing We Can Count On: A Promise of Many Blessings

People will always let us down. 
Money, things, jobs, and all this world offers us may fill a temporary need, but in an instant they can all be lost or taken from us.
Schedules, plans, goals, and dreams can even be changed or be out of reach for us.
Life isn't always a rose garden....There will be times of sickness, sadness, stress, and chaos.

When we are feeling like all is falling apart, what can we count on?
Not even our feelings are dependable. 
They change, day to day. Sometimes they will deceive us. 

In truth there is only One person and one thing we can depend on.
“For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. 
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.” (Lamentations 3:31-32 NIV)

I consider how the Lord has gotten me through many times of hardship, when I have had questions about why or how things could happen. When I've been at the end of my rope and had no strength left, He is here to pull me up out of the depths of despair.

 "Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me." (Psalm 54:4)

And when I wonder if joy can ever return to my life, He plants a seed of hope and gratitude within me for even the simplest blessings. Even the long, hard, tiring days are seen in a different light, for He sustains me!

There is one thing we can count on...but it's not anything that this world values. If we trust in our Savior's ways, we are promised many blessings from the Lord.


"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." Ephesians 1: 3(NKJV)

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Listing my gifts from the October Joy Dare list.
3 gifts orange:
1,001- Bright pumpkins, stacked and carved.
1,002- A beautiful autumn sunset.
1,003- The changing leaves, preparing to fall off their trees for winter.

3 gifts falling:
1,004- Many, many leaves.
1,005- Falling temperatures...even though I'm not a fan of the cold!
1,006- Jumping and falling into piles of leaves!

A gift caught, let go, mid-way:
1,007- caught: The sparkling of sunlight on the lake on a sunny afternoon. 
1,008- let go:  what is behind me.
Philippians 3:12 – 14 (NIV)
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
1,009- mid-way: Midway between this earthly life and heaven....caught in the middle...I hold on to God's Word!

3 gifts reaped:
1,010- fields reaping the harvest of corn...
1,011- and soybeans.
1,012- Galatians 6:7-8: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

3 gifts returned-
1,013- My wallet, when I left it at work and didn't know until the next day.
1,014- I returned home from a long trip with my son, who went to see a dental specialist...5 hour round trip.(so glad to be home!)
1,015- Having returned to the workforce, after 4 years of being a full-time mom/homemaker.

3 gifts redeemed:
1,016- "I thought I could have leaped from earth to heaven at one spring when I first saw my sins drowned in the Redeemer's blood."  Charles Spurgeon 
1,017 - "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace"  Ephesians 1:7  
1,018- - Beautiful song!!! "Redeemed"

A gift baked, stirred, eaten:
1,019- baked: fresh pumpkin rolls.
1,020- stirred:
1,021- eaten: homemade grape jelly, gifted to us from a friendly neighbor.

3 gifts prayed for:
1,022- a new job
1,023- my brother's healing/better health
1,024-my son to make wise choices and have more joy in his life.

3 gifts praised for:
1,025- my new job!
1,026- comfort and peace, in spite of not being healed immediately.
1,027- trusting God will answer my prayers, in His time.

3 hard eucharisteo:
1,028- Giving my son's future over to God (again, and again)
1,029- Trusting God to provide.
1,030- Praising God, when my family is feeling oppressed.

3 gifts of change:
1,031- Adjusting to a new schedule (working evenings)
1,032- The changing of seasons...
1,033-  The changing of how the lake looks, as summer turns into fall.

A gift small, smaller, smallest:
1,034- Small: My 4 pound Chihuahua, Jet...with his sweet temperament.
1,035- Smaller: My feisty 3 pound Chihuahua, Sophie, who waits impatiently to have her freedom...
wants to be out and about... 
and loves to investigate with her big "brother". 
but doesn't like the cold fall winds that blow off the lake...
1,036- Smallest: The unborn fetus (life)
Local pregnancy center,saving unborn babies every week.
(Annual fundraiser)


3 gifts of the promise of blessings:
1,037- Times of rest and relaxation. 


1,038- A rainbow of promise, after many showers! 


1,039- There is a day coming when Christ returns and takes us to live with Him in heaven!(What a wonderful promise and blessing!)


  Linking over at these blog parties:





Word Filled Wednesday(Internet Cafe') 

10 comments:

  1. Wonderful scriptures and beautiful images here, Ann!

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    1. Thanks, Connie! I'm just writing what God shows me and photographing all I see that blesses me! God is so good!

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  2. Thank you for sharing these beautiful promises.

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    1. Oh, you're welcome, Glenda. So glad you enjoyed reading!

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  3. Hi link-up neighobr~ beautiful list and pictures too. blessings~

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    1. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a sweet comment for me! It's truly a blessing to meet another follower of Christ who is counting His gifts!

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  4. Hi Ann. I've been seeing you on my blog but this is the first I've visited yours. Forgive me for this shortcoming. I'm grateful for your heartwarming messages for me every time you drop by.

    Here, you've written something that is so close to my heart. It is as if we've been through the same hard trials. There's nothing truer when you wrote that there is only One we can really hold on to. I had lived through that truth first-hand. I thank and praise God for your love. (Your 1000 gifts list is replete with beauty and blessings!).

    Rina @ Our Healing Moments

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    1. So glad you stopped over, Rina! I have always enjoyed reading your posts, too! I agree - God has touched us in many similar ways in our lives. You are also a blessing, friend and sister in Christ!

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  5. Hello Ann,

    Nice to meet you. I'm hopping over from Ann's link up. Fun to count gifts with you, to peak into your week, and to agree with you that Jesus is the only one who always keep his promises and will never fail. We humans strive so hard, and mean well, but fail at times.

    Thankful for a tender patient God,
    Jennifer Dougan
    www.jenniferdougan.com

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  6. Christin,
    Thank you so much for visiting Life Beyond the Picket Fence! I know Warsaw well - I recently received my Masters in Counseling from Grace in the last couple of years! You have a beautiful place here. May God multiply your ministry!

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