Good Morning Bloggy Friends,
Welcome to those of you stopping by after reading the Proverbs 31 on-line devotional today.
http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/
From my last post you know that we have been through several fiery trials in the last week.
From a kitchen fire to a disturbing diagnosis for our youngest son Joseph.
Friends, my spiritual roots have been on display big time!
I can't nor will I say that fear and anxiety never entered my mind, attitude or behavior during all of this but I will let you in on one truth. When these did make an appearance, the Lord was right there whispering His sweet words of comfort and presence to my heart and I was able to experience His goodness in such a sweet way through all of this.
While the fire was extinguished quickly without any damage to the kitchen and Joseph's tumor diagnosis has been revised to something easily managed all of this did give me pause to check the health of my spiritual roots. I discovered a few things; some are healthy while others are in need of some extra time with our “root specialist” Jesus.
Perhaps you find yourself in a difficult or stressful situation at this very moment.
Let me encourage you to take a deep breath and listen to the quiet whispers of our sweet Jesus.
He is here for each of us all the time,especially during these difficult and stressful situations.
He is here to provide exactly what we need to maintain a strong and fruitful spiritual life.
I hope you will share your story with us and allow us the joy of encouraging you.
17 Comments:
Hey, Zoe!
I loved this post--via the devotional! God is tapping me on the shoulder this morning. The scripture that you used from Jeremiah is the same one that I read an hour ago in my quiet time! Hmmm....need to ponder and pray a bit more with Him!!
The analogy of the hair dresser was perfect! Thank you so much for blessing me today!
Hope that y'all have a great weekend!
Blessings,
Susan
Thank you for reminding me to listen to the whispers of Jesus this morning :)
I am going next week to get a test done - in hopes that it will show a recent health issue to be resolved. It has me a little anxious but I am believing for the best :)
Have a lovely weekend :)
"It does not fear....It has no worries..."
Can I admit, that sometimes the thought of no fear and no worries seems so far out there, I wonder if it will ever happen for me this side of heaven. Oh to have that much security in knowing that God has everything under His control. Sometimes I think that things are going better and the Lord is giving me faith to trust Him more, and then a new 'fiery trial' arises and I find I'm right back to being little "Much Afraid".
Needing to take that deep breath today and listen to the quiet whispers of my sweet Jesus.
Sheltered in Him,
Joy
Zoe,
I enjoyed your devotional on P31, especially in light of what I just studied this morning! In Ephesians 4, Paul urges the Ephesians to "be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self," (4:23)which took me back to Romans 12:2, which reads "be transformed by the renewing of your mind." In both verses, there is a change which occurs (renewing). But I was interested to see that in both cases a passive verb was used (be transformed, be renewed). When we place ourselves in a position to be changed, God does the work of renewal within us.
How do we put ourselves in that position? By presenting our bodies as living sacrifices (Rom 12), or laying aside our old selves (Eph 4). It is when we die to self that spiritual growth and renewal take place.
It was interesting to compare these two texts, since they both express the same truth.
Thanks for the analogy-- I related--speaking as a woman with much gray root experience!!
Sincerely,
Julie Coleman
Zoe
Praise The Lord everything has turned out fine with both situations.
As I sit here this morning I am in the midst of literally touching up my roots.
After reading your post I am touching up my spiritual roots as well.
Thank you for bringing this message to us today!
Taking Deep Breaths...
Vern
Zoe, I came over from the P31 devotional. How thankful I am for the deep, deep roots we can have in Jesus. He truly is our strength and anchor!
Hi Zoe,
Great, great devotional I just finished trying to encourage my granddaughter, by email, not to worry nd while writing, the cd was saying the same thing. I turn to your devotional aand here it is again. Is the Lord trying to speak to me, instead of, or along with her.
Thank you for the great encouragement. I really need to spend more time with and listening to my sweet Jesus.
Good morning--I also once let my roots get away from me due to other things going on--and ended with a white stripe down the middle--my husband said I looked like a skunk! I got in my car, went to a quick cut and chopped my hair to the grey! It's taken a year for it to grow back to a decent length, and yes, it does take time and commitment. Thankfully, we don't need to wait a year to connect with our Lord.
Wonderful analogy in today's P31 e-mail devotion, Zoe! I do continue to pray that all of His children will continue to root deeply in Him, drinking His Living Water and eating His Living Word.
As we seek His face and grow in His glory, may we remain tightly entwined in our True Vine. May the Master Gardener prune us of all the "dead wood" in our lives, in order that we may bear good and everlasting fruit in His name and for His honor. (Reference John 15)
Friday blessings!
I loved your devotional and am thankful I stopped by to read some of your recent posts. All of your words about trials made me think of our MOPS talk this week. A lady shared of her last year, a year of trials - her husband of 24 years was diagnosed with cancer and two weeks later her son, a high school senior suffered a major football injury. He's endured a $125,000 surgury and still has no use of his arm, but yet Monica's message was He is Faithful!! How true!! Must be a message I need to hear because it keeps coming up. You mention the possibility of encouraging one another and if you feel led I'm looking for some thoughts with my recent post, so if you have a minute stop by. Thanks again, Jill
Thanks for letting your roots show....it encourages us all. :)
Thank you for your devotional today, Zoe.
As a fellow hair colorer, I couldn't help but ponder your analogy. I know that when my hair roots start showing a little too much, that my whole opinion of how I look changes. I become negative and critical of my appearance. This attitude continues until the new color is applied.
This is exactly what I do when I don't place my roots deep in Jesus. I become negative and critical of circumstances and others. Not until I sit with his compassionate love letter and get a redo, does my attitude change here either.
Thank you for a wonderful word picture that I will remember and ponder for weeks to come.
Blessings on your weekend.
Zoe, Thank you for your devotional today. It was so fitting. I have three children of which 2 have autism. Yesterday my root showed miserably so I appreciated your challenge.I am so thankful that God is so gracious and forgiving. He is beckoning us to come and abide with Him so that He can be an integral part of our day as He empowers, gives grace, strength, joy, peace and His unconditional love. Thanks again for your challenge to prioritize that time with God. Blessings to you.
Shelly
Thank you for your encouraging words. God led me here to hear what I needed to. Blessings!
Hi, Zoe! :)
That verse from Jeremiah is one of my favorites! Thanks for the great encouragement in your devotion and blog post.
Just for the record, you are gorgeous even if you have roots showing! Inside and out!
well I just got my roots done and your post made me think of my life lately and I have realized that my chaotic life lately has been without any quiet time with Jesus...my goodness I haven't taken the time to hear his whispers and I think oh this is a lesson I can't seem to learn and that is to be disciplined in being with Him. My days are so much better when I do...but I do well for a while and then I let the busyness of life take over...but I have learned God is persistant and He wants to dwell in me and I must learn the lesson of discipline...I obviously have not learned that part yet...so well I am going down the road again...you would think I would learn...Lol
Zoe,
I had to laugh as I read your devo, because just today my daughter "freaked out" in the van after church when the light hit my "roots" just right! She said, "Mom, look at your hair......it's gray!!!!!!" Guess that was a good clue that it's time to do come touching up!!! Couldn't help but think about the reality that when the "Son" shines on us our roots can be seen more evidently by those around us! I know that in my life, personally, I would be a tree "afloat on the open water" if I didn't have my roots firmly planted in His Word and in prayer. Life is tough. As I face an ongoing battle for my son's life, I realize more and more each and every day just how deep my roots have to be! Thanks for making me laugh and think at the same time! Love, tammy
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