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Watching a leaf fall (season’s change)

With no one but God there with me, I walked deeper into the woods.  Watching the leaves fall, one particular leaf caught my eye. It was floating every so gently down from the very tops of these trees.  Swaying back and forth, with a slow tumble, a dance was taking place that happens over and over.  I actually got a picture as it is dancing to the ground.

season's change

season’s change

What are you telling me God?  What are you showing me this time?  Does God speak to me every time I take a walk?  Honestly no, but I want to make sure that I am paying attention every time so that when he does shows me something, I won’t miss it.

This one leaf landed on the path I hike on.  Three days ago the trees you see in the picture were still holding their leaves.  Now a carpet of thick leaves are on the woods’ floor.  This leaf is reminding me of the dear friend who is being buried today.  But also of someone who is changing careers.  Now I have a thought of my own child recovering from surgery.  Now my thoughts are on my own life and the changes that are taking place.  There are always changes, good and bad.

Obviously, there’s way too much thinking going on in my head. It’s best that I continue to walk. The steady rhythm of my stride gives a calming effect. The smell of these leaves I’m  stomping through, feeling this crisp autumn air, hearing the creatures of the forest (I hear geese!) are all making my senses come alive.

My walks and hikes take me literally down streets, up mountains, through forests, across rivers.  Most of the time I am in secluded quiet areas, occasionally time is spent on “walks” that are filled with people.I take walks to clear my mind and hear from God.  Sometimes it’s a long hike, Sometimes it’s just a few minutes.  Other activities may be involved; hunting, fishing, walking the dog with Staci.  I’ll park farther away from the door at Walmart, just so I can walk.  It’s therapy for me.  I say I’m doing it for the exercise, but I’m clearing my mind… and listening…..

Is God talking to me on this trip?  Actually, He is. He says, “Keep walking son.  Lots of leaves to fall on this path. Lots of changes will always be taking place.  You just keep walking, I’ll be there with you.  That will never change.”

Whatever changes are going on in your life, this poem is for you:

You can shed tears that she is gone, or you can smile because she has lived. You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back, or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.  Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her, or you can be full of the love you shared. You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday, or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.  You can remember her only that she is gone, or you can cherish her memory and let it live on. You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back.  Or you can do what she’d want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.            David Harkin

 

My walks and hikes in this spiritual journey are taken with Jesus.  I love and live this following verse: John 14:6The Voice (VOICE)Jesus: 6 I am the path, the truth, and the energy of life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

If you’re stuck behind a desk, you need to “take a hike”, literally.  If you’re stuck in a rut spiritually, “take a hike” on the path called Jesus.

I seem to get pulled into nature to hear from God.  Where do you go to hear from your Lord and Saviour? click here to comment or share.

 

 

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We can pray as they soar

I was making a video of a nasty storm when I spotted these 2 birds of prey.  You know, birds like hawks and eagles, etc.  Within minutes, the bottom would be falling out from this storm.  But there they were, soaring through and above the storm.

Iwe pray while they soar

Soaring is when you use the wings God gave you to glide along your journey.  These birds didn’t flap their wings a single time as I watched them.  Instead of using their own power by flapping their wings, they just soared.  God’s power from winds and thermal drafts allow these beautiful creatures to soar.

Seeing these birds reminded me of my dear friend (and her family) who are all having to face a nasty storm in life.  This family has been lifted up in prayer.  God is definitely lifting them higher spiritually.  Higher, so that they will be using the wings of Eagles to navigate through and over this storm.

I wish I had answers to life’s questions.  God, why is this happening?  Why them?  What will happen next?  On and on.  It’s  my weak human nature showing through that makes me crave these answers.  I want to do all the flapping myself.  I can fly under my own power.  I’ve got my own “wings”.

But, somewhere in the journey we begin to trust in God’s power.  We “spread our wings”, not to flap in busyness. But, our wings are now spread so that we can use God’s power and His Glory to “lift” us up and along on our journey.  It’s no more the tireless flapping (which looks busy), but now it’s the reaching out for God and His power (sorta looks like we’re not doing anything).  But a valuable move has been made.  The faith and trust required to depend solely on God can only come from……. well, God himself.

My dear friend and family,  I hurt for you.  We love you so much.  You are being such an inspiration, spiritually, to all of us who are walking around looking skyward.

There you are soaring high up in the sky.  Soaring with the help from an Almighty God.  I’m sure the view is different from on Eagle’s wings you are now soaring with.  All we see from this view below is a nasty storm.  You are living life from day to day, “one day at a time” as you say.  The faith and trust to travel hour by hour, day by day, depending on God alone is nothing short of living the miracle.  What miracle?  Having a living relationship with a living God.  He is there “lifting you up on Eagles wings”.  We lift you up in prayer.  God is lifting you even further, closer to Him.  Soar my friend!  We hurt and fret for you from below.  God is lovingly and powerfully guiding you closer to Him from above. Soar, fly higher my friend.

eaglesoar

But they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles…….  Isaiah 40:31
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Failure brings Success

Counting all the good things I do makes me a successful Christian right?
I used to think so.   Until the realization that it is God’s Love, Mercy, Grace, and Forgiveness that makes me a “Successful” Christian.
It takes “Failures” in our work, relationships, “religious activities”, even sometimes our health to help us focus on Being a True Christian.

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

So instead of counting all the good things I do, what’s important is what I am being.  The list above in the scripture, (weakness, distress, difficulties, on and on) sounds like failures to the world.  Yet that is when God’s power takes over .  Failures bring a  success.  The success of Christ dwelling in you.

Here is a “Cowboy poem” concerning how success made me a failure, but the failures made me  truly successful.

Failures bring Success by Dan Ainsworth

I sit on a tree stump, a primitive church pew

I just got my butt wet, it was covered with dew

But with pen and paper, I’m compelled to not delay

That I share from within, what my heart’s burstin’ to say

Success has caused failure in my journey to see

The True God I long for, and where’s the True me?

 

I’m reading a book “A Praying Life” by Paul Miller

It’s no epic or saga, nor comedy, nor thriller

But it’s words have hit home, they’ve cut to the quick

A book of spiritual food, this one does the trick

The author shares in his book, a new plan for success,

It’s authenticity, God’s plan all along.

A big word that is,(I had to find how to spell it),

Pains me deeply to realize, I’ve been wrong.

I thought to be successful in this Christian way of life,

Was to count things I do right and do good.

Just keep up with the number of good words and deeds,

and live like ‘man’ thinks that I should.

But God’s plan is simple, “son, just be authentic”

To me what is said is, “Be real!”

And Lo and behold, through a book and men’s prayers,

God’s direction to me is revealed.

 

Wow! God wants it real!  Hey! I want it real!!

What a RUSH! To be on the same page!!!

He’s taken success, AND taken my failures,

Authenticity…. we are now to engage!!

His healing of my wounds, “open sores” and afflictions,

have left scars that look really gory.

But these brand new tattoos don’t remind me of pains,

but of God’s healing and my Saviour’s own Glory!!

The words, God has changed, He has them reversed,

my story now has a new part,

Reversed words and meanings now come into play,

God is cleansing and mending my heart.

 

Failures brought success in my journey to see,

The true God I long for, and the true me I’m to BE!

click here to comment or share.   If you have had failure bring you closer to God, then share this with others.  See Ya!!