Comfort verses 24….mentoring…

 Comfort verses 24….mentoring….

The other day I had breakfast with a couple who are returning to the States to retire…they have spent all of their career life teaching, living, mentoring in another country…and they are free to   Let the next generation take over…their job is done in that area…they left the work in good hands with trusted friends and colleagues…what a good  feeling…passing the baton….

We all get to do that at some point…do we pass it well or do we hold on tight, reluctantly….

I thought of more comfort verses…as they came along…a way of mentoring….freely sharing passing them on….

Thank YOU….

Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? (Isaiah 43:18-19a MSG)

He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber (Psalm 121:3 NIV). 

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24

Hope delayed makes the heart sick; longing fulfilled is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12 CEB).

But I cry to you for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before you (Psalm 88:13 NIV).

[God] alone is my safe place. His wraparound presence always protects me as my champion defender. There’s no risk of failure with God! So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me? (Psalm 62:5-6 TPT)

Now when he was in affliction, he sought the face of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him. And the Lord received his entreaty, heard his cry, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his Kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God (2 Chronicles 33:12-13 OSB).

For you are great and do marvelous deeds, you alone are God. Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever (Psalm 86:10-12

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand (Proverbs 19:21 ESV).

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45 NIV) 

 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!

O Lord, make haste to help me! 

But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you;may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!” 

As for me, I am poor and needy,but the Lord takes thought for me.

You are my help and my deliverer;do not delay, O my God!

Ps.40.13,Ps.40.16-17 

He raised me up….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR7aLsMTE3U&list=RDSR7aLsMTE3U&start_radio=1

Great congregation….

 Great congregation….

Almost two years ago the doctors found ovarian cancer when they did a complete hysterectomy…it was a surprise finding the cancer….so began the cancer journey with chemo…it went away and came back…I now have 9 more weeks of treatments, then reevaluation…with scans, more blood tests…not sure what will happen after those at this point…

When I was so  sick last year, I didn’t write much as I was so foggy minded from the meds…but I was so eager to write again…was learning so many lessons…so as soon I got off one particular med, I could think more clearly…I remember the day that God said…”this is the day to start writing again…” I was sitting in bed at the rehabilitation facility ready to go to breakfast and I was so thrilled to be thinking clearly and I began to write again…I didn’t know if I ever would again ….or if anyone really wanted to read it or I was writing for myself…

God is so good…I don’t know what his plan is, but I am along for the ride…

His blessings to all who read this…whether here in the states or to the far corners of the world…he is faithful, truthful, and has the way to salvation…

Thank YOU….

9. I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation;behold, I have not restrained my lips,as you know, O Lord. 

10. I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;

        I have not concealed your steadfast love and your       faithfulness from the great congregation. 

Psalm 40:9-10

People need the Lord…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uZcGaixMhg&list=RD1uZcGaixMhg&start_radio=1

Psalm 40:6-8

 Psalm 40:6-8…….

Karen Kingsbury has a new book out, good, a quick read, great lessons…”The Christmas Ring”…one quote hit me as I was about done …

“ reading the verses in the Bible meant having a meeting with God…He was truly alive and active in the pages of Scripture…” Karen Kingsbury…the Christmas Ring…2025…

What a treasure we have, being able to hold a personal letter from the Almighty God in our hands, His Word to us….

Thank YOU….

 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,but you have given me an open ear.Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. 

Then I said, “Behold, I have come;in the scroll of the book it is written of me: 

I delight to do your will, O my God;your law is within my heart.”

Ps.40.6-8

 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. 

For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Josh.1.8

 Blessed are you, O Lord;teach me your statutes! 

I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. 

I will delight in your statutes;

I will not forget your word. 

Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes;and I will keep it to the end. 

Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. 

Lead me in the path of your commandments,for I delight in it.

Ps.119.12,Ps.119.15,Ps.119.16,Ps.119.33,Ps.119.34,Ps.119.35

 Every word of God proves true;he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Prov.30.5

 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2Tim.3.16-17

Ancient Words…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcSAdzLXKVE&list=RDNcSAdzLXKVE&start_radio=1

Psalm 40:4-5… thoughts

 

Psalm 40:4-5….thoughts….

 4.  Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust,who does not turn to the proud,to those who go astray after a lie! 

         

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Ps.34.8

 O Lord of hosts,blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Ps.84.12

 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,but with the humble is wisdom.

Prov.11.2

 Pride goes before destruction,and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Prov.16.18,Prov.16.19

 One's pride will bring him low,but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

Prov.29.23

 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Eccl.7.8

 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear.

Rom.11.20

 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

2Tim.3.1-5

 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Jas.4.6

5. You have multiplied, O Lord my God,your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;none can compare with you!

I will proclaim and tell of them,yet they are more than can be told.

Ps.40.4-5

 to him who alone does great wonders,for his steadfast love endures forever;

Ps.136.4

 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth,so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isa.55.8-9

There are a lot of thoughts I need to check at the door…pride being a huge one…it does no one any good…God wants a humble heart…his thoughts/ways are so much higher than anything, anyone….

Thank YOU….

Humble yourself….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAnjQ7kyAVk&list=RDSAnjQ7kyAVk&start_radio=1

Patiently?

 Patiently?

Every week is the trial of waiting with cancer chemo treatments…

My regimen is arriving 15 minutes early, waiting,  blood tests, waiting  an hour, seeing the PA or doctor for results, waiting, going to infusion area, waiting, infusions, waiting as chemicals slowly drip into body-1 to 4 hours, released to go home and crash…repeat…

You can be patient or not with each step…being impatient does not decrease the waiting time, nor does it it help your blood pressure or make the PAs or doctor more available…so you might as well be patient….the same with waiting on God…he has his own  time frame…

I thought of this reading these three verses in 

Psalm 40…..

 I waited patiently for the Lord;

he inclined to me and heard my cry. 

He drew me up from the pit of destruction,

out of the miry bog,

and set my feet upon a rock,making my steps secure. 

He put a new song in my mouth,a song of praise to our God.

Psalm 40:1-3

Wait patiently…then….

1. God acknowledged me and heard my cry…

2. He drew me up…from the pit, miry bog…

3. He set my feet upon a rock…

4. He made my steps secure…

5. He put a new song in my mouth, a praise song…

What promises for waiting….much better than being anxious…

Thank YOU…

 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Ps.19.14

 You gave a wide place for my steps under me,and my feet did not slip.

Ps.18.36

 Oh sing to the Lord a new song;sing to the Lord, all the earth! 

Oh sing to the Lord a new song,for he has done marvelous things!His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.

Ps.96.1,Ps.98.1

In the waiting….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5Y6K_IUfAc&list=RDD5Y6K_IUfAc&start_radio=1

Depression…

 Depression…

I was reading Psalm 31, gray day, cold outside, dreary, my body is tired and desperately fighting this cancer,  listening to various news selections, hearing various reports….a bit depressing….

The first few verses didn’t exactly help…but, proved that people from all time periods have experienced similar distresses….they have been depressed or heading that way just as their modern day counterparts do…

 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;my eye is wasted from grief;my soul and my body also. 

For my life is spent with sorrow,and my years with sighing;my strength fails because of my iniquity,and my bones waste away. Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,especially to my neighbors,and an object of dread to my acquaintances;those who see me in the street flee from me. 

I have been forgotten like one who is dead;I have become like a broken vessel. 

For I hear the whispering of many—terror on every side!—as they scheme together against me,as they plot to take my life. 

But, just as we can , they put their trust in 

God’s amazing love and care…goodness…He has hasn’t changed over millennia…He is still here…he hears our pleas….

But I trust in you, O Lord;I say, “You are my God.” 

My times are in your hand;rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! 

Make your face shine on your servant;save me in your steadfast love! 

O Lord, let me not be put to shame,for I call upon you;

let the wicked be put to shame;

let them go silently to Sheol. 

Let the lying lips be mute,which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt. 

Oh, how abundant is your goodness,which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you,in the sight of the children of mankind! 

Blessed be the Lord,for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. 

I had said in my alarm,“I am cut off from your sight.”

But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help. 

Love the Lord, all you his saints!

The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. 

Be strong, and let your heart take courage,all you who wait for the Lord!

Ps.31.9-19,Ps.31.21-24

Thank YOU….

God will make a way….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XlEX36KYdc&list=RD-XlEX36KYdc&start_radio=1

Life is short…

 

Life is short….

When you get a diagnosis you don’t really want to hear, life gets shorter quickly…

Yesterday was the anniversary of meeting my husband for the first time…we married a year later, expecting a lifetime together…

God’s plan for us was 43 years which was amazing…not all good, not all bad…ups and downs, but for the most part great….faith building, learning…

I opened my Bible this morning and the note written in the column was…”Don, 67 years…April 16, 2012…”

 “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days;

let me know how fleeting I am! 

Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,and my lifetime is as nothing before you.

Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah     

Surely a man goes about as a shadow!

Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;

man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?My hope is in you. “

Hear my prayer, O Lord,and give ear to my cry;hold not your peace at my tears!For I am a sojourner with you,a guest, like all my fathers. Look away from me, that I may smile again,before I depart and am no more!”

 Ps.39.4-7Ps.39.12-13

Bible study notes…

“Life is short no matter how long we live…if there is something important we want to do, we must not put it offforma better day…ask yourself, “if I had only six months to live, what would I do?” Feel someone you love him or her? Deal with an undisciplined area in my life? Tell someone about Jesus? Because life is short, don’t neglect what is truly important….”

Thank YOU….

Psalm 39 song…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBhqdGEpW1k&list=RDDBhqdGEpW1k&start_radio=1