Little Sparrows

Yesterday I was having a quiet moment with God as I washed dishes and looked through the window at the crisp morning. I saw the fat squirrel the boys dubbed "Nutter Butter" scrambling up a tree and for some reason Jesus' words about sparrows went through my mind.

"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?" (Matt. 6:26) And, "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows." (Matt. 10:29-31)

Suddenly, two or three dozen little birds landed right in my backyard and started eating. One flew up on our deck, looked straight at me for a long moment and then flew up to the roof above me. Coincidence? There are none with God. Every moment of your life is a gift from Him. He wants you to know that He dearly loves you and you are of much worth to Him. Be quiet and listen to Him speak.

"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

Your Hands

A new favorite. ♥

CLICK HERE to see JJ Heller and her husband, Dave, play "Your Hands" LIVE for K-LOVE. Such a beautiful song and such a beautiful voice. What a gift!

O-o-h Child, Things are Gonna Get Easier...

A little while ago I plopped down on my bed to have some quiet time, a bit discouraged and overwhelmed with all of the complex life stuff going on right now. When I opened my Bible this is the first verse I read:

"You were tired out by the length of your road,
yet you did not say, 'It is hopeless.'
You found renewed strength,
therefore you did not faint."
-Isaiah 57:10

That encouraged me so much, I just had to share.

I love how God speaks to us and reminds us of times past when we were in a situation and He saw us through. Just when we feel like things are hopeless, He gives us hope! He is so amazing, and I can't imagine life without His love and comfort.

Last March I was pacing my bedroom, trying not to worry about a new financial mess we were in and I was just in a funk. I was praying my heart out and on impulse I turned the radio on while I was still talking to the Lord. The first lyrics to drift out of the speakers were, "O-o-h, child, things are gonna get easier... o-o-h things'll get brighter..."* It made me cry. Our God sees us and He cares. He is SO good!

* Song originally by The Five Stairsteps, 1970.

She Looks to the Sky

Sherri Youngward lead worship at our women's retreat last year and when she sang this song I instantly fell in love with it. There are two versions of "She Looks to the Sky" available on these CDs and on iTunes:

She Looks to the Sky - 2009 CD by Sherri Youngward
No More Good-Byes - 1998 CD by Sherri Youngward

We Aren't the World

...For Jesus Followers
A modified version of a familiar chorus.

We aren't the world.
This isn't our future.
He is the One Who makes a brighter day,
so let's remember...
There's a choice we're making
in giving Him our lives.
It's true,
He'll make a brighter day
for you and me.

by Kim U.

Loving a Person

My prayer for all of us is that we let go of any bitterness that can creep oh so subtly into our hearts. There is such sweet JOY and FREEDOM in real forgiveness. Jesus said that the world will know us by our love for one another. If we want to reach the world by the power of His Holy Spirit, we must be free of bitterness. "Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?" ~James 3:11

Now is the time to get on our knees and beg God to give us His forgiveness and unconditional love for one another--even those we feel have wronged us. I know it seems so basic and simple, but it can be more challenging than it appears. Remember, "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me!" Phil. 4:13. If there is someone you are holding bitterness in your heart over, ask the Lord to change your heart and He will. ♥

Loving a Person by Sara Groves is one of my favorite songs. I have it in playlist at the bottom of this blog but I'd thought I'd share it here, too.

Loving a Person (link to song) by Sara Groves
Lyrics:

Loving a person just the way they are, it's no small thing
It takes some time to see things through
Sometimes things change, sometimes we're waiting
We need grace either way

Hold on to me
I'll hold on to you
Let's find out the beauty of seeing things through

There's a lot of pain in reaching out and trying
It's a vulnerable place to be
Love and pride can't occupy the same spaces baby
Only one makes you free

Hold on to me
I'll hold on to you
Let's find out the beauty of seeing things through

If we go looking for offense
We're going to find it
If we go looking for real love
We're going to find it
~~♥~~

Still Here!

It has been so long sing I've posted that I just wanted to let you know that I'm still around and I do plan to come back and post more sometime soon. Thanks for stopping by! :)

Jesus is Lord

Hi everyone! I'm posted over at Joyful Life today. If your heart is heavy or you just need to be lifted up, please be sure to check out the posts under the "Encouragement" link. God bless!

Are You Right or Left Brained?

You Are 40% Left Brained, 60% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others.If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Here's a fun little quiz I found through Shannon's blog. Mike took the quiz and his results were 50% left, 50% right. :)