2015 - The Seasons of Life

(source)

Another year has begun and I find myself reading many posts of other bloggers who have chosen different ways to prepare their hearts for the new year. Some used the same old plan..choose a word...set goals...plan to make certain changes. Others have been quite unique and different. I personally have found it a challenge to do any specific planning or goal-setting. I think that may have to do with how things went for me in 2014. Nothing seemed to go as hoped or planned. Even the word I chose for the year, "fervent" seemed to fade from my focus about halfway through the year. If I learned anything last year, it was that God is in control and He will take us where He wants to take us. I learned that prayer is vital, but not to just get what I want or ask for, but more to help me grow in my relationship with Him. I learned that life is really a journey and as long as we let the Lord be our Navigator, we will be o.k., even along the bumpy, curved, chuck-hole paths. I learned that there is  joy in the journey, but we have to be aware of and not miss those "joy" moments....being grateful for the small things, instead of just waiting for the big things to happen. Each season of our lives takes us down different roads...some are much more difficult than others, and sometimes we make unwise choices, because of our own selfish desires. But God is faithful and true! We can always trust in His promises to us. 

This year, I'm not choosing just "one word" for the whole year! I'm choosing many words (and verses) that will help navigate me where I am able to focus during different seasons of my life (not literal seasons of the year.)

Winter - A time to rest and wait and listen
Contemplate; ponder; treasure up

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)

Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord. (Psalm 107:43)

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.(Matt. 11:28)

Spring - A time to start fresh and anew
Renewed; 
in attitude of mind (Eph. 4:23; Ro 12:1-3); 
as a new creation, in knowledge (Galatians 6:15); 
renewed like an eagle (Psa. 103:5); 
in strength (Is. 40:31);  
day by day...

 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.(2 Corinthians 4:16)

Summer - A time of hardship, loss, lonliness, and drought
Thirst; 
In soul/spirit (to thirst after God.) 

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.(Matthew 5:6)

Isaiah 26:9; Psalm 73:25 Psalm 63:1, Psalm 107:9,  Revelation 22:17

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Psalm 42:2)

Autumn - A time to seek after Him 
A time to seek;

But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.(Deuteronomy 4:29)

1 Chronicles 16:11, Psalm 14:2, Psalm 34:14, Psalm 63:1. Lamentations 3:25, Matthew 6:33

May the Lord also guide you and be your purpose in each and every season of this year and all of your life!!

Linking over to these blog hops:

Sunday Stillness (He Cares For You)

Weekend Brew (My Freshly Brewed Life) 

Still Saturday (Sandra Heska King)

Recommendation Saturday (Renewed Daily) 

Monday's Musings (What Joy is Mine)

Mama Moments Monday (Mama's Story)

Soli Deo Gloria Gathering (Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood)
 

Sharing His Beauty (Beauty In His Grip)

Titus 2 Tuesday (Cornerstone Confessions)

Tell Me a True Story Blog Hop

Coffee For Your Heart (Holly Gerth)

UNITE (Rich Faith Rising)

Titus 2sdays (Time Warp Wife)
 

Winsome Wednesday(My Daily Walk in His Grace) 

Wednesdays (A Little R & R)

WFMW (We Are That Family)

Thriving Thursday (Swerving Joyfull

Front Porch Inspired

"If You Have..." Makes One Think!

I love finding different quotes and Bible verses on Pinterest. Some are quite thought-provoking! As I was reading some quotes on giving thanks, since this time of year often promotes the thought, I came across this quote. I'm not sure who wrote it or where the statistics came from, but I believe them to be true. This really does put things in perspective and reminds me how truly blessed I am. I've known people and myself have NOT had 1 or 2 of these things in our lifetime, but more people have at least one of these things. Is there anything in the list that you are blessed to have today? God provides!!

Source: eclecticemily.com via Tyler on Pinterest

May you have a blessed and thankful Thanksgiving Week!

Linking up at these Blog Hops:

 Fresh Brewed Sunday (My Freshly Brewed Life)

Spiritual Sundays 

Peace

Wishing you all the peace of God on this, the Lord's day!!

linking up at these blog hops:

  Scripture and a Snapshot (Katie Lloyd Photography )

 Fresh Brewed Sunday (My Freshly Brewed Life)

 Jumping Tandem Sunday

Amazed!!

Source: newcreationperson.wordpress.com via Ann on Pinterest

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
 ⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
 ⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

Mark 16:1-7 (NIV)

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I'm not a morning person, so getting up before sunrise would not be my favorite thing to do, especially if I was mourning the loss of my Savior, Jesus. I'm sure, in those early hours the atmosphere was solemn and quiet on the way to the tomb. I can only imagine the surprise the women felt when they arrived at the empty tomb, the amazement when they saw and heard the angel speak, and the excitement to know they were soon going the see Jesus again!! Oh, it makes my heart want to jump for joy, too!!! What a different atmosphere there had to be, as they ran back to town to tell everyone the good news!!
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I don't know about you, but this video says it all for me... I'm so amazed at the love of Jesus!

Linking over to these blog hops:

Fresh Brewed Sundays

Hear It on Sunday/Use it on Monday

Jumping Tandem Sunday

Preparing for Palm Sunday

                                                                                     Source: catholicsupply.com via Ann on Pinterest

In ancient times, palm branches symbolized goodness and victory. They were often depicted on coins and important buildings. Solomon had palm branches carved into the walls and doors of the temple (1 Kings 6:29). Again at the end of the Bible, people from every nation raise palm branches to honor Jesus (Revelation 7:9).  
The Bible tells us that a week before his death, people cut branches from palm trees, laid them across Jesus' path and waved them in the air. They greeted Jesus not as the spiritual Messiah who would take away the sins of the world, but as a potential political leader who would overthrow the Romans.

 Listen to this touching video clip, comparing what they were looking for to what He came for.

(Sources: The New Compact Bible Dictionary, edited by T. Alton Bryant; New Bible Commentary, edited by G.J. Wenham, J.A. Motyer, D.A. Carson, and R.T. France; and the ESV Study Bible, Crossway Bibles.) 
The crowds refused to see Jesus as He truly was, placing their personal desires on him instead. We all have to decide who Jesus is for us. Is he someone whom we want to satisfy our selfish wants and goals, or is he Lord and Master who gave up his life to save us from your sins? I prefer the latter!

The people's cries of 'Hosanna' came from Psalm 118:25-26. Hosanna means "save now." Despite what Jesus had foretold about his mission, the people were looking for a military Messiah who would overthrow the Romans and restore Israel's independence.
Today, we sing "Hosanna" to praise and thank the Lord, who saved us from our sins!
 Listen the song and raise up your praises to HIM!
Hillsong Uniited - Hosanna

They waved palm branches as He passed
And hailed Him as their King;
Yet, they knew not of the sorrow
The coming week would bring.

The glad acclaim would soon give way
To jeers and mockery;
In Pilate's court He'd be condemned
To a cross on Calvary.

But Jesus knew He was the price
In God's redemptive plan,
The Sacrificial Lamb come down
To die for sins of man.

The centuries have passed and still
He seeks those lost in sin,
Pleading with unyielding hearts
To repent and follow Him.

On this day we shout our praise,
O, let us not delay;
The palm-strewn path of long ago
Still leads to Him today.

(poem written by Kay Hoffman)
  

May you celebrate and remember Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem,

and His TRUE place as KING OF GLORY!!

And King of our lives!!

 Linking over to these beautiful blog hops:

 Winsome Wednesday(My Daily Walk)

Walk With Him Wednesday(A Holy Experience) 

Heartprint Hallelujahs(Heartprints of God)

Faith Filled FridayFriday(Beholding Glory)

 Fresh Brewed Sundays(My Freshly Brewed Life)

Consider the Lilies

                                                                                              Source: google.com via Ann on Pinterest

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Luke 12:27 

                                                                                       Source: dreamstime.com via Ann on Pinterest

Easter Lily History

The Easter Lily is the traditional flower of Easter and is highly regarded as a joyful symbol of elegance, beauty, spirituality, hope, and life.

The popular Easter lily we use today to celebrate the holiday is referred to as ‘the white-robed apostles of hope.’ These beautiful trumpet shaped white flowers were brought to the United States in 1875 from Japan by an American tourist and named after the florist who made it popular. The flower retells the resurrection story with its life cycle. These snow white flowers symbolize new life and hope. 

                                                                                                 Source: vernabob.com via Ann on Pinterest

The bulb of these flowers buried in the ground represents the tomb of Jesus and the glorious white trumpet-like fragrant flowers which grow from the bulbs symbolize His life after death. The snowy white color stands for the purity of the Divine Savior and the joy of the resurrection while the trumpet shape signifies Gabriel's trumpet call to rebirth and new life.

                                                                                    Source: colorsofthegarden.blogspot.com via Ann on Pinterest

Of all the flowers God made,  lilies are my all-time favorite!!! During the Easter season, I am reminded of all that He has done to give me new life!!!

Linking over at these Blog Hops

Say G'Day Saturday (Natasha In Oz)

Fresh Brewed Sundays(My Freshly Brewed Life)

Jumping Tandem Sunday

Rivers of Living Water

Source: kitchenappliancespackages.blogspot.com

       

exerpted from a sermon written at the following site 
Oh, to be like a deep mountain spring overflowing in rivers of living water! In this verse "rivers of living water" implies fullness and completeness to the point of overflowing; sweet coolness and refreshment.   

Everything in the Old Testament had pointed forward to a time of fulfillment. Jesus is that fulfillment. When we hear Jesus cry out at the feast of booths "If any one thirsts let him come to me and drink," we understand him to mean, if you are eagerly looking for the Kingdom of God (Luke 23:51), for deliverance from sin and oppression, then; no longer look back to the days of old and don't look forward to the future, look to me. In me all the past is summed up and in me the future hope has arrived. "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink."

(Now pay really close attention here. I LOVE this part!!)

The invitation goes out to all. Everyone has a personal invitation from Jesus to come to him and drink. There is only one condition: you have to be thirsty.(earnestly desire for what Jesus has to give.)  All men thirst. But not all thirst for God. We are the only species of God's creation afflicted and blessed with chronic longing. Dolphins are content to frolic in the sea, dogs are content to lie in the sun; frogs are content to bump their bellies from pond to pond. But man is not content. He is afflicted with chronic restlessness. Everything we set our hand to gets old. We fight without success against an epidemic of boredom. Fad after fad, fashion after fashion, challenge after challenge leave us thirsty in the end. Why? It's a hidden blessing.

We are afflicted and blessed with a chronic restlessness, an insatiable soul-thirst for this reason: that we might keep looking until we find Christ. And that having found him we might be turned back to him again and again when we taste of other springs and find them bitter. 

We were made for God!!

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I continue to share my blessings through the Joy Dare!

 3 Gifts, bent, broken, beautiful

      518. A tree in the neighborhood - it actually is bent in
   the middle of the trunk at a 45 degree angle.(vertical to
   horizontal)
   519. My heart - hearing a story on TV (60 Minutes) of 
   children who suffer from a disease that causes them to
   age prematurely.
   520. The view out the back window on a country house
   we are looking at to buy

       
3 gifts in the kitchen

521. My hubby's pot of apple tree seedlings, sprouting up green (I call my hubs my ‘Johnny Appleseed’, as he hopes to plant them in the ground eventually).

522. A place to gather family, when we have the opportunity to all be together to cook a meal!

523. My dishwasher! Oh, what a blessing!!

      
 3 gifts loud

524. My son’s band….music

525. My barking dog….sometimes frustrating, when he doesn’t stop, but still a gift to have him.

526. Singing loud in church!!

       
3 gifts carved

527. A  gift  from a friend given to me - small wooden box brought from Africa.

528. My uncles carvings…he is SO gifted!

                                                                      Source: google.com via Ann on Pinterest

529. Time carved out of the day for God, for family, for friends.

3 gifts in Christ

530. Salvation

531. Peace

532. Joy 

A gift in wind, in water, in white

533. Wind –(hard gift) Loss from tornados in southern Indiana, yet the love of mankind, reaching out to those who have lost.

534. water -  - John 7:37, 38: On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, 'If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, "Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water."'  
535. white - Easter Lilies

linking over at these blog hops:

Fresh Brewed Sundays ( My Freshly Brewed Life)

Hear It on Sunday/Use It on Monday (Graceful)

 Multitude on Mondays (A Holy Experience)

Sharing His Beauty (Beauty in His Grip)  
A Pause in the Path (On Your Heart Tuesday)