Sunday Psalms

 

Hear my prayer, Righteous God, and have mercy on me.

There are so many who want to turn away, who love lies and worship what the world has to offer.

LORD, You have set me apart for Yourself.  I know You hear when I call out.

In your prayers search your inner self and be still.

Trust God!

Shine Your light on us!

When others are finding joy in shopping sprees and worldly gain give me joy.

As the day ends let me sleep in the safety of You.

 

This is Psalm 4 in my own words.  Psalm 1, 2, and 3 are also finished.  Check them out by clicking on the number.

Blessings to you and Yours!

Marie

Brick Builders Illustrated Bible For Children – Review

I have just spent a delightful two hours reading through God’s story.  As the Word always has and always will, this version of the Bible speaks the simple, yet profound, truth in the language of children.

Storytelling is the favored method of Bible writers to point the way to the truth, particularly in the New Testament in the many parables used by Jesus.  In this collection of Old and New Testament stories, by Emily Dammer, the same thing is accomplished in the language of children.

I’m sure young children will love this ‘Bible’.  The illustrations, by Antony Evans, use brick-like figures to illustrate each story.  Each page colorful and eye-catching.

The building blocks at the end of each chapter give life applications in children’s language.  For instance, in the story of Moses God keeps His promises and He will keep you safe are the takeaways.

All in all, I enjoyed reading Brick Builders and can imagine parents and children reading the stories to one another over and over.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Hope Your Heart Needs – Book Review

I am a total fan of Holley Gerth’s work.  Her writing is always spot on for what I need.  Her new devotional is no exception.  There are 52 delightful and encouraging short stories about life and one of God’s many names with a verse and prayer to match.

This small sized book (It fits in my purse!) is jam-packed with just enough theology, just enough humanness, just enough transparency, and just enough of life’s joy, triumph, sorrow, and pain.

5 Favorite Quotes from Hope Your Heart Needs:

  • …rest is not simply the lack of activity but the presence of trust, because trust is a kind of inner leaning, an intentional reliance on someone else. pp. 209
  • Bread of Life, You are the only one who can satisfy the hunger in our lives. pp. 23
  • …He has specific assignments for us during our time on earth… They are original and only for us. pp. 71
  • Faith is not about what we want to happen; it’s about Who we’re trusting in no matter what the future holds. pp. 85
  • When we find our refuge in God, we can be who we are, do what we’re called to do, live without shame and guilt and fear.

And now,  I will go back and read the whole book again.  This time, one day at a time, savoring, sharing, and sensing the life-giving words on these pages.

Thank-you, Holley Gerth!  What a blessing this has been!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell/Baker Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Jesse Tree

The Jesse Tree – Day 1 – The Creation

Look at God’s Work!

In the beginning, there was nothing but water and God.

Then, God said, let there be light.  He knew the light meant nothing without darkness.  So he created that, too.  He separated the two and called them day and night, evening and morning.  The first day.

On the second day, God separated the water.  Some on the earth and some in the sky. He also determined there to be dry ground and separated it from the water.  Now, we have land and sea.  A place ready for the next day of work.

Here we are at the morning of the third day.  God tells the land to produce plants and trees that bear seeds and fruit.  And so it is.

God, on the fourth day, puts the sun, moon, and stars in the heavens and sets them in motion.  He knows the plants will need sunshine to produce as He intended.

Now, He creates birds and fish, in the sea and on the land.  He looks out over it all and says, “It is good!”  It’s the end of day 5.

Day 6 is going to be a busy one.  It’s all about creating livestock and animals that move along the ground.  Then He creates mankind.  Man and woman.  He makes them look just like Him.  He tells them to rule and subdue the earth.  He tells them what they can eat.  He looks around and says,  “It is good.”

Then God rests.

The Jesse Tree is all about knowing the genealogy of Jesus.  The people God put in place to point to the birth of the one who would save us all.  Adam and Eve were the first with many more to follow.

The Jesse Tree is a set of posts for the Days of Advent.  I am writing them for the Write 31 Days Challenge.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Wordless Wednesday

Yes, it’s Thursday…  I’m a day late and always a dollar short.

Feel free to caption this in the comments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie