ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD

"Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, 
but he laughed to himself in disbelief. 
'How could I become a father at the age of
100?' he thought. 'And how can Sarah have 
a baby when she is ninety years old?'"
(Genesis 17:17 NLT)

Many years ago, a friend at work was getting rid of a small, scrawny looking umbrella plant that had sat on her desk without sign of growth for so long it had become the butt of many a joke.  I asked if I could have it, and took it home to a sunny spot on the carpet next to a floor-to-ceiling window in my living room.  

 

It soon started to thrive and grow, and by the time I was ready to move, it was taller than the bookcase.  A friend whose car had a sunroof helped transport it to my new apartment. 

Once there, I put it in a bigger pot which I sat in the corner of my dining area, right under a little still life hanging on the wall.  It fit perfectly, and gave the room a designer look. 

As you can see, though, it eventually grew so tall, I had to tack it to the wall to keep the pot from tipping over as the branches stretched out to greet the morning sun.  One of them covered the painting, and when a neighbor asked for a cutting, I lopped it off for her. 





A few months later a tiny stub appeared, and I wondered if it would grow into another branch.  It hasn't so far.  Though I've followed its progress with curious anticipation, it's only gotten a couple of inches longer in all the years since.

But then suddenly, when I least expected it, something amazing happened.   Something I've never seen before.  A tiny bud breaking through the bark of this old tree--and soon after that, a second one, further along the same branch.

What a great reminder that it's never too late for new beginnings, or for things to be turned around.  What may seem like an impossibility in our natural realm, is never impossible with God. 

YOU ARE A MASTERPIECE!

Years ago, a friend gave me a DaySpring perpetual calendar inspired by the motion picture, Letters to God.  It sits on my desk, and every morning I look forward to reading the message of hope and encouragement for the day ahead.

Today's words are words I've been giving a lot of thought to lately.  I'd like to share them with you.  May they bless you and brighten your day as they have mine.

"FEBRUARY 24
Dear one,
      When I created you, I did not make any mistakes.  I fashioned you just the way you are in order to fulfill my perfect plan.  You are a masterpiece!
                              - God"

YOU'RE BOTH WINNERS!

Since only two of you actually entered the giveaway, I declare you both winners.
Please e-mail me (sksteinde at yahoo dot com) your mailing address and choice of book, and I'll get it right out to you.

AN ANNIVERSARY GIVEAWAY

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the man who trusts in Him!"
(Psalm 34:8)

Today I celebrated the sixth anniversary of this blog by taking a trip down memory lane.  I was trying to recapture the feelings that had motivated me to start it in the first place.  In the process, an ebbing flame was fanned back to life.

So here it is, the post that started it all--WHY THIS BLOG.

Good news is for sharing, not for keeping to one's self, and my heart is full of things I would like to share about God's goodness, how He has worked in my life, and most of all, His great love for you and me.

At first I wanted to call this blog Streams of Living Water, and even had a great graphic picked out. I wanted to jump right in and share some things I've been learning that have brought the Scriptures alive in a way I'd never experienced before, but it seems the Lord had different plans, and if I've learned anything on this journey through life, it's been that even when His way is not my way, it always turns out to be the best way.

The streams of living water may be where the action takes place, but before we can jump in, we need to be transformed, and that all starts at the foot of the cross when you lay your burdens down.

At the foot of the cross there is mercy and grace. There is forgiveness, healing, and deliverance. This is the place where the slate gets wiped clean and you can have a fresh start. All you have to do is believe it, and receive it.

Thank you so much for stopping by. May you be richly blessed, encouraged, and filled with hope as you stay and visit for a while.

And now for the giveaway:  You have a choice of either of the two books on my sidebar--Sincerely Wrong: An Improbable Journey, or It Is Written.

Sincerely Wrong is a memoire of the search for roots, purpose, and significance that led me to embrace New Age and occult doctrines, and of the improbable journey that led me from the occult to Christianity at a time when I was convinced I had all the answers and was no longer seeking.

It Is Written, is an invaluable resource that can help point you to passages you don't know where to find when you need them the most.  Crucial Scriptures are topically organized according to everyday issues, so as to provide immediate guidance and support in the midst of whatever situation you may be facing.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment and an e-mail so I can contact you if you are the winner.  The drawing will end at Noon (EST) on Wednesday, February 18th, and the winner will be selected by Random Integer.

WHEN YOUR HAIR IS WHITE WITH AGE...

"...I have created you and cared for you since you
were born.  I will be your God through all your
lifetime, yes, even when your hair is white with 
age.  I made you and I will care for you.  I will 
carry you along and be your Savior."
(Isaiah 46:3b-4, TLB)

Ever since I found this verse it has been a great comfort to me.  It reminds me that the God who created me loves me just the way I am (Romans 8:38-39).  He does not get impatient or angry with me when my mind can't process things as quickly as it once did, and He never misconstrues the things I say, because He knows the thoughts and intents of my heart (1 Samuel 16:7).  However the world may look upon me at this stage of my life, I am still the apple of His eye, and never too old to crawl into His lap for comfort (Matthew 11:28). When I start indulging in "what ifs" and become fearful of facing the future alone, He reminds me that He is always there with me, caring for me and carrying me along (Psalm 139:3-6).  It makes me want to fall on my knees and thank Him for all that He is, and all that He has done.

THE GOD WHO CARES

"Your value does not decrease based on
someone's inability to see your worth."
(Unknown)

The above quote was taken from a friend's Facebook wall.  I saw it during a dark moment of questioning my self worth.  I know that God loves me, and that I am special in His sight, a Divine original created for a special purpose that no one else can fulfill, and yet I sill sometimes allow my focus to wander into that pit.

How grateful I am that my God is a God of mercy and grace.  Instead of getting angry or impatient with me for not following His instructions, He is the lifter of my head.  Whether it's an e-mail from an old friend telling me how much she enjoys my photos, what a blessing my book has been, how much she treasures our friendship; or a work-related conference call that turns out, instead, to be a surprise announcement that I've received a special award; the timing is always perfect, and a gentle reminder to look up instead of around. Things aren't always the way they seem.

WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE NOBODY CARES

"Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every
respect like us...so that he could be our merciful and 
faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a 
sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.  
Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, 
he is able to help us when we are being tested."
(Hebrews 2:17-18, NLT)

If you've ever felt forgotten, ignored, rejected, insignificant, worthless, overlooked, passed by, devalued, left out, you may know how easy it is for discouragement, envy, and/or hopelessness to set in.  Maybe even anger, resentment, thoughts of revenge?  Focusing on ourselves and our circumstances can lead to a pit of despair.

This came up in a conversation with a friend, and when I added my own disappointment and frustration over people who make promises they fail to keep, and things that don't move when and how I think they should, it segued right into the story of Joseph (chapters 39 and 40 of the Book of Genesis in the Bible).

In brief, for anyone unfamiliar with the story, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers,  falsely accused of attempted rape, and imprisoned as a result.  Not long after,  two of Pharaoh's most trusted servants--his baker and his butler--were also thrown into prison.  While there, they both had disturbing dreams which Joseph interpreted for them.  In three days the baker would be executed; the butler would be restored to his job.  And three days later, so it came to pass.  Joseph asked the butler to remember him when he was set free, but the butler forgot about the promise until two years later when Pharaoh needed a dream interpreted.

Where was God, you might ask, or where is He now?  Does He see what's happening?  Does He even care?  Yes, yes, yes!

Each one of us is a Divine original, created for a special purpose that no one else can fulfill (Psalm 139:13, 16; Ephesians 2:10).  God reigns over every single detail of our life, and even before the beginning of time, it was He who decided where we would be born, the parents we would have, what events we would experience.  It's all part of our training program here on earth.  What may seem to us like trials and tribulations, are more likely part of God's blueprint that He is using to mold and shape us into instruments He can use.

People may let us down, but God never will.  Joseph seems to have known this, for instead of becoming bitter or disillusioned by his circumstances, he stayed focused on the goodness and faithfulness of God.  He performed every task assigned to him with excellence, giving God the glory, and all the while, unbeknownst to him, God was using these years in bondage to train Joseph for the important position of ruler of Egypt.   When the time was right, God turned things around, and used Joseph to save many lives during the seven years of famine prophesied in Pharaoh's dream (Genesis 50:20).

So whatever situation you're in today, no matter how hopeless or undesirable it may seem, know that you have not been forgotten.  God knows exactly where you are, and He cares, and if you have any doubts about that, just think of the cross.

John 3:16 tells us that "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."  This gift of salvation can only be received by grace, through faith. It cannot be earned by good works (Ephesians 2:8-9). And as much as it is not God's will for anyone to perish, He will not impose His will on us or force us to accept it. The choice is ours.

Jesus stands at the door of your heart, knocking and waiting for you to let Him in (Revelation 3:20). If you have not already done so, I pray you would open the door now and accept His invitation to enter your life, forgive your sins, and make you a new creation.

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD

"Ah, Lord God!  Behold, You have made
the heavens and the earth by Your great
power and outstretched arm.  There is
nothing too hard for You."
(Jeremiah 32:17)

Last summer (2013), a friend gave me a beautiful geranium plant that I put out on my balcony.  It flourished for a while and had many beautiful flowers, but then the stinkbugs got to it (as you can see in the two pictures on your left in the collage--or by clicking here or here.)

The infestation was so bad I had to throw the plant out, but before doing so, I saved one small green stem with a couple of unaffected leaves on it. The cutting sat in a pot on my windowsill all winter long, neither dying nor showing signs of growth, but then one day it started to bud, and now is full of flowers again.

Whenever I look at it, I am reminded to keep my eyes on the Lord and to never give up, because nothing is impossible with God.

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE LIES

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully
made; ...All the days ordained for me were written
in your book before one of them came to be."
(Psalm 139:14a,16b)

Even though I know I am a Divine original created for a special purpose that no one else can fulfill (Ephesians 2:10), you never would have guessed it had you heard the negativity spewing out of my mouth as I addressed fellow writers around the table last night.  Sure I was smiling and joking, but every other word was a put down of myself and my abilities.  Wow!  How dishonoring to my Creator.

The truth behind the lies is that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).  I am the child of the King of Kings, and I'm special in His sight (Romans 8:38-39; 1 John 3:1).  I am who He says I am, and my identity lies in Him alone--not in how I feel I measure up to others, or in what other might think of me.  It's time for me to stop labeling myself, and refresh my memory by re-reading The Father's Love Letter, which you can read too by clicking on the link.

WHEN DOUBT CREEPS IN

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not
on your own understanding; in all your ways submit
to him, and he will make your path straight."
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

To trust means to walk by faith not by sight, to follow directions regardless of whether they seem to make sense or not, but how easy it is to be swayed by our intellect or our senses when we take our eyes off our source.

This truth was driven home to me not long ago when I had an errand to run, and consulted MapQuest for directions on how to get there. The instructions were simple and clear.  A long straight stretch of highway, with a left turn at the end.  So off I set, fully confident that this trip would be a breeze.

MapQuest is a source I trust, they have never steered me wrong, and yet when I reached the intersection and made the turn, doubt started creeping in.  Instead of keeping on keeping on, I let my mind convince me this couldn't possibly be right, as I was now on a gravel road leading to a large vegetable farm.  MapQuest must have made a mistake. They must have meant a right turn at the intersection, not a left.

There was a complex of lovely homes to the right, so I turned around and drove towards them.  Confident this was the right thing to have done, I started looking for the address but couldn't find it.  The name of the road was correct, but there was no such number on it.  I drove up that road, and I drove down it, and finally went into the sales office for help.  They consulted a map and told me the address I was looking for was indeed on the other side of the highway, the side I was so sure couldn't possibly be the right one.

And so I turned around again, but made a wrong turn out of the parking lot and managed to get lost trying to find my way back to the intersection.  More time wasted before I got back to the gravel road, and all this notwithstanding, my mind continued to rebel.  It can't possibly be this vegetable farm, it can't be that other farm, it's definitely not that mansion, and on and on and on.  I was so busy listening to these thoughts, I couldn't find the number I was looking for on this side of the road either.

A trip that should have taken no more than 15 minutes or so, had now stretched to an hour, all because I had chosen to listen to my senses instead of my source.  Frustrated, close to tears, and not knowing what else to do, I started praying in earnest for the Lord to help me find my way.  And he did.  A mail delivery truck appeared out of nowhere.  The mailman had me follow him to the address I was looking for, which turned out to be the very mansion my intellect had dismissed, and that I had driven past several times without even noticing the number. 

ON TAKING A BREATH AND LETTING GO

"You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You."
(Isaiah 26:3)

Sometimes I feel so frustrated I could scream.  What at first looks so promising falls through; I take two steps forward, only to take three back; situations that need straightening out can't be because my hands are tied and I can't get through to the people who might be able to help me.  I don't even know who could help me.  Obstacles, obstacles, and more obstacles at every turn.  Sometimes I get so tired of being alone and trying to fight my own battles, I find myself wishing for a husband, or a best friend, or just anyone who would be my champion and go to bat for me, at least some of the time.

And then this morning I opened an e-mail with the above verse (Isaiah 26:3) in it.  That was all, but it did get my attention and cause me to take a deep breath.  I started reading through the promises in my It Is Written book, and found many gentle reminders of His love for me, reminders that I am not alone, reminders that He is my champion, and that when I relinquish control and place my cares at the foot of the Cross, I can trust that He will work things out for my good and His glory.

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE

The last few days have been full of reminders that things can change in the blink of an eye.  From news of a friend's husband in hospital with multiple injuries and amnesia after setting out for a bike ride on a beautiful morning; to sad tidings of a former pastor's untimely demise as the result of a fall from a cliff while climbing a Himalayan mountain.

None of us is promised tomorrow.  Even our next breath cannot be taken for granted.  So don't wait until it's too late to tell the people you love that you love them.  Be willing to say you're sorry rather than allow foolish things to tear a relationship apart.  And, most important of all, if you have yet to accept God's gift of salvation, don't put it off a moment longer.

John 3:16 tells us that "God so loved the world (you and me included) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  However, as much as it is not God's will for anyone to perish, He will not impose His will on you or force you to accept it.  The choice is yours.

Jesus stands at the door of your heart, knocking and waiting for you to answer (Revelation 3:20).  I pray that you would open the door before it is too late, and accept His invitation to enter your life, forgive your sins, and make you a new creation.