1 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus,
Isaiah 35:1
1 Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone.
Zechariah 10:1
2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.
Deuteronomy 32:2
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
Matthew 6:28-29
May we all take time this spring; to rejoice and blossom in His love. 🌺
14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14 King James Version (KJV)
Lord, my strength and redeemer, let my words and actions praise you. Through Your grace, teach me to guide my lips, so I utter no evil. Let my actions be blameless, and my words pleasing to You. Help me to embrace Your Word and rest in Your strength. Lord, guide me, so the meditations of my heart, my thoughts are righteous and pure in Your sight. Lord, you are my rock, my redeemer. You deliver me from evil.
When you are unsure, confused, and afraid, what does your heart meditate on?
Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, let our words and actions praise and glorify You. Lead us on Your path of righteousness. Lord, like the petals of the phlox radiate from the center of the flower, let us radiate Your love in our words and in the meditation of our hearts. Guide us to be righteous and glorify Your name. Lord, you are our strength and our redeemer. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”
C.S. Lewis
When we have been wronged, when others have hurt us it is difficult to forgive. Why should we be kind, tender-hearted to someone cruel who has made our life miserable? Why, because Jesus forgives our sins, our inexcusable wrongs. Harboring anger, searching for revenge, is bad for our health and bad for our souls. Try to let go of anger, try to be kind and forgive, act like Jesus.
Where is anger, or hurt holding you back from forgiveness?
Prayer: Our Father, we thank you for forgiving us and loving us with unconditional love. Teach us to be kind and compassionate to each other. Like the leaves of the croton plant, spread upward illuminated by the sun, help us to reach upward to You, Your truth, Your light, Your love. Let Your face shine, upon us, and teach us to forgive, give us peace. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:2 (NIV)
David wrote this after God rescued him from his many enemies. The Lord is our rock He protects and shelters us. He is our fortress, a place of protection, and a refuge from the storms of life. He is our strong tower of strength, hope, and stability. His salvation is like a bright shield that protects us from evil.
We can face unknown situations with confidence because God is with us. When has God been your rock, a refuge?
Prayer: Our Father, our refuge in the storms of life, we thank you for your protection. Teach us to call on you when we feel overwhelmed. Like the open cactus flower leaning against the stones, Lord, help us to lean on you. You are our rock when we are lost, afraid, and confused. We praise and worship You. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51: 9-10 New American Standard Bible
God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Psalm 51:10 The Message
When we make ourselves available to God’s direction, and start afresh, with a renewed spirit and open hearts. Then God will blot out our iniquities and create in us a pure heart. God is waiting to build us anew have a Genesis (creation) week to transform our lives. So we are a new creation transformed by God.
Where do you need to start fresh, with a pure heart and be renewed with God’s steadfast spirit?
Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank you for your grace and forgiveness help us to make a fresh start create in us a pure heart. Like the Montauk daisy reaches toward the sun, let us reach out to You and be renewed with a steadfast spirit and shine in Your love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And Your gentleness makes me great.
Psalm 18:35 New American Standard Bible (NASB) You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your gentleness made me great. 2 Samuel 22:36 (ESV)
Psalm 18 (a Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord) David was grateful to the Lord for deliverance from his enemies. God, our shield of salvation, by His right hand, we are protected and strengthened by His power. God is mighty, but He is also gentle, as is exemplified in Jesus. Jesus felt the suffering around Him and was compassionate and caring. When we follow Jesus’ compassion it deepens our soul in love, kindling gentleness in us toward others.
Where can you share God’s shield of salvation, kindness, and gentleness with others?
Prayer: Our loving Father, our shield of salvation and strength. We are blessed by your gentleness, care, and protection. The Bougainvillea tiny white flowers glow in the showy bracts surrounding them, let us likewise be humble and glow with Your compassion and gentleness. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:12-13 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; Joel 2:32a
Many undertakings have difficult and complicated steps to achieve approval. The Lord, however, doesn’t require difficult and complicated procedures from us to be saved. Paul states in Romans and Luke states in Acts, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” In Luke 23:42-43, a criminal on the cross beside Jesus calls to Him, “… “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
To call on the name of the Lord means to reach out to Christ, in faith seeking salvation. God, our Father, richly blesses all who call upon Him. Today, take time to thankfully praise God, our Father, for His grace, compassion, and love. For, we are truly loved and blessed.
When in distress, who do you call out to for help?
Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank you for richly blessing us and answering our calls for help, protection, direction, and strength. Let our faith grow and blossom like the African violet’s numerous blooms. Help us to turn away from sin, call on Your name, and embrace Your gift of salvation. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to carry out justice, to love faithfulness, and to live obediently before your God.
Micah 6:8 (NET)
8 He has made it clear to you, mortal man, what is good and what the Lord is requiring from you—to act with justice, to treasure the Lord’s gracious love, and to walk humbly in the company of your God.
Micah 6:8 (ISV)
We often have a list of wants we want from the Lord, and we ask Him in prayer to help us. This scripture instead speaks to what God wants from us. Our Lord wants us to carry out justice, be faithful in love, and live obediently to His word. Some versions say to act with justice, to treasure the Lord’s gracious love, and to walk humbly with your God. What a wonderful synopsis of how to live.
What actions demonstrate carrying out justice to you?
Prayer: Dear Lord, our loving Father, we thank you for your forgiveness and grace to us. Like succulent leaves are known for their ability to hold water, let us be known for acting with justice and treasuring Your gracious love toward us. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
Psalm 103:8-9
With the start of the new decade, much has been written about change. However, with God, there is a constancy he is unchanging. Our Father has been and is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger. As David said, “He is abounding in love.” The best change for us this new year is to follow God’s wisdom and be abounding in love.
Where could you share God’s love today?
Prayer: Our Father, we thank you for your many blessings and your abounding love toward us. Like waterlilies flourish in the water, help us to flourish by being compassionate and spread Your love. May we also learn to be slow to anger and accepting of others. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
1 Clap your hands, all you nations. Shout to God with cries of joy.
Psalm 47:1
Thanks to Matt at jesusluvsall.wordpress.com for tagging me for the decade tag. The tag is a look back at what the Lord has done in my life the past ten years. I am going to look back at my spiritual journey, my spiritual awakening.
Growing up, Sundays always included church and Sunday school. Then things started distracting me worldly things like pride, my things, me first, my schedule.
Happily, this decade God became my focus, my joy, and my path. People with kind words and caring hearts helped me find His way. My church community opened my eyes to opportunities to learn and grow.
Pastor Kay, my mentor, and friend and prayer warrior taught me many ways to pray and opened the door to healing prayer. All my fellow healing prayer warriors who accepted my quiet listening for years, until faith allowed me to step out of my fear and insecurity and reach out to others in healing prayer. Life-changing for me. As my Spiritual Director, Pastor Kay encouraged me to take my flower photographs to tie them with scripture to share them. The push needed to start this blog in June to share His word and joy.
Fran, another friend, encouraged me and showed me ways to be God’s hands and feet. Her guidance has opened my eyes and heart to local needs through the church’s soup kitchen. She also directed me into church-based fundraising projects and other local opportunities to spread God’s love.
This decade I have grown in faith found that I could escape my shyness with God at my side, that I could encourage others by Listening, Praying, and Loving.
I am leaving this tag opened ended for anyone who wants to look back and write about the changes the Lord has made in their lives, just leave a comment on this post.
Rules: To play along: 1- Please share a link to the creator of the tag- jesusluvsall.wordpress.com 2- Share some highlights for you over the past decade and if you want a few low points 3- Tag whoever you wish to. 4- Ask them some questions 5- Use any picture appropriate for such a tag. (As usual, I didn’t follow all the rules, sorry Matt.)
My question: Where have you seen God in the past decade?
Remember this new year to shout to God with cries of joy!
Garden Faith 