and seemingly broken ones because PSALM 34:18 reminds us of something truly beautiful, "The Lord is NEAR TO THE BROKENHEARTED and saves the crushed in spirit."
2 CORINTHIANS 12:9 is an acknowledgement of the chips and the beauty and power that comes from it. "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Yes, I am thankful for those beautiful chipped, damaged, and imperfect seashells. They provide such beautiful life lessons when we put on our perspective glasses and view them through a heavenly lens.
Thankful Thursday #5
While it may sound bizarre, today I am thankful for TREE TRUNKS.
Most of their lives they are responsible for holding the weight of the branches and taking whatever nutrients they can get from the ground to help serve that purpose.
But if one day, that tree should fall or get knocked down, it doesn’t just vanish, it just changes its purpose a bit.
The new purpose may include being a home to the many critters that need a safe habitat, while also offering a weary traveler a place to rest.
I am struck with how similar this is with our own lives.
For a time we were young and needed support. Then as we grow stronger and more able, we stand on our own and eventually support others.
What happens if life takes a crazy turn and knocks us down?
We find another way to serve…that's what we do.
God didn’t design our lives to look like one stage our entire life. Think of the knocked down stage as a place to seek others to offer comfort to as they need a safe place.
Thankful for tree trunks and the life lessons they offer us.
Thankful for the God who made the trees and made us to seek Him out in every detail of life.
SCRIPTURES FOR THE DAY
PSALM 96:12 tells us, “Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; LET ALL THE TREES OF THE FOREST SING FOR JOY.”
When life has taken a turn and you aren't sure what to do next, PSALM 32:8 reminds us,
“I WILL INSTRUCT YOU and teach you
IN THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”
Thankful Thursday #6
Today I am thankful for the “BLUR AND FADE LENS” that God uses when He looks at me.
Much like this picture where the focus is on the very blossom right in front of you and not the rest that it’s connected to is how God sees
me and you.
It’s so hard to wrap my mind around that so often when I am tempted to think that I am just a big compilation of my history and past.
That’s NOT how God sees us friend!
He looks at us through the lens of His perfect Son who He willingly gave up FOR YOU AND ME!
I have made so many mistakes: some small, some big, and some hurtful. I tend to self loathe and want to crawl out of my own skin at times, BUT GOD.
His vantage point and lens brings me back reminding me He sees me through Jesus and has the strongest blur and fade effect we could hope for!
Today, put away the self doubt, negativity, frustrations, and pain and be reminded that God doesn’t connect you to your past or mistakes when He looks at you.
Our history is part of His Story and that is right and true, and we have it to remind us how far we have come and to mold and shape us.
Be so encouraged today friend that God puts on the Jesus level fade lens when He looks at you!
He doesn’t see a nasty disgusting mess that is unsaveable or beyond repair.
He sees a highly treasured, one-of-a-kind, beautiful human being that He loves and gave up everything for!
SCRIPTURES to prove this lens is accurate!
PSALM 36:1 tells us what happens with our mistakes, "Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, WHOSE SINS ARE COVERED."
ISAIAH 43:25 is a beautiful picture of the blur and fade lens, “I, even I, am He who BLOTS OUT YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS, for my own sake, and REMEMBERS YOUR SINS NO MORE."
ROMANS 8:1 reminds us of this promise, “There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Thankful Thursday #7
I could jump out of my skin for what I am thankful for today!
It’s AIR! Today I am crazy thankful for AIR!
So very thankful for something I cannot see, but can see what it does. I cannot touch it, but can feel it when it moves.
I need it every minute of every hour of every day and without it I would die.
Oh my AIR! How wonderful and beautiful and special and unappreciated it is until we are so desperate for it, it’s the only thing we can think about.
When we first moved to Texas, I had major breathing problems every fall. They were so severe, I would land in urgent care getting emergency breathing treatments. I became the owner of an inhaler and an Epi Pen. In those moments of desperation, I guarantee you I was solely focused on breathing and how I would give up everything I had, except my family, just for the next breath.
Isn’t AIR so much like THE HOLY SPIRIT?!
We can’t see Him, but can see the effects when He moves.
We can’t touch Him but we can surely feel Him and His presence.
And we surely need Him every moment of every hour of every day!
We are definitely hyper aware of our need for Him when desperation kicks in and we are needing emergency treatments and help from Him!
In