by Cathy Baker | Faith |
by Cathy Baker
There is nothing we can do to make God love us more.
and
There is nothing we can do to make God love us less.
He loves us, we love Him, and so it’s only natural to want to spend time together.
Ready to try something new? Me too!
{Be still and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10}
Practice Psalm 46:10: Pour a steamy cup of coffee, bundle up, and head outside just as the sun begins to peek over the horizon. If you’re not up for a morning time of worship, practice the same at sunset. It’s simply about remaining still, soaking in God’s magnificent creative power, and recognizing Him for He truly is…and who we are in Him.
{C. S. Lewis writes, “My own eyes are not enough for me,
I will see through those of others.”}
See art as an act of worship. Visit a local museum, go to a poetry reading, watch a potter at work. See through their eyes. Then set aside some time to create your own art as an act of worship. Sing, write, color, paint, take photographs, try your hand at poetry. It’s just you and your Father. Enjoy!
{“The
King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the
least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40}
Donate hours and/or clothes. I need to do more of this but no doubt, when I do, I sense God’s presence in very real ways and perhaps that’s no coincidence when we consider Matt. 25:40. One idea that came to mind while gathering goods for a local missions group recently was to pray for those who will receive the items. We don’t know who that person will be, but obviously God does.
Your turn! I would love to hear from you. Is there one idea that was shared today that you would consider trying, or would you consider sharing one of your own ideas with us in the comment section? Thank you!
You’ll not want to miss next Monday’s post as Lori Roeleveld will be guest posting. She’ll share some of her journey, including a peek into her one-on-one time with the Lord. It’s sure to be a tremendous blessing.
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
by Cathy Baker
I
don’t know about you, but when I’m struggling to grow in a
particular area of my life I consider scripture first, and then, if
needed, I also seek out wisdom from those whom I observe have a godly
grasp on that particular struggle.
It’s
for this reason I’ve asked three such women to share their personal
experiences with us this month in relation to their time with God because I always consider myself a WIP (work in progress)…maybe you do as well.
Today I’m delighted to share with you the thoughts of Marcia Moston, a woman whom I respect immensely. I met Marcia years ago at our local writer’s group. Her vibrant relationship with the Lord is evident, and it’s a privilege to call her friend.
Thank you, Marcia, for graciously allowing us a glimpse into your quiet time with the Lord.
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
I would love to
hear from you! Is there one particular way from those mentioned above that you struggle with the most? If so, please share. You never know who you might encourage.
by Cathy Baker | Faith, Prayer |
by Cathy Baker
It is of no use for you to attempt to sow out of an empty basket, for that would be sowing nothing but the wind. -Spurgeon
I’ve attempted to sow from an empty basket for longer than I ever imagined possible. One day turned into two, and those melted into three, then four.
Maybe you can relate?
His voice slips into the background of our days. That is, until we need to hear from Him the most, and it’s then, in that quiet moment, we realize just how empty our basket really is—void of His power, strength, and wisdom.
|
| “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.” |
Perhaps I’m not the only one in need of a fresh start when it comes to spending time with God.
If not, I invite you to join me in asking God for a teachable spirit as we spend this month immersing ourselves in learning (or re-learning?) what it means to be still and know that He is God.
After all, if we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to keep getting what we’re getting.
Not sure about you, but I don’t want to settle for anything less than God’s best for me. Too often in 2015 I went to gather encouragement, soul-keeping rest, and love for the unlovely from my basket only to come up empty. I was spent, discouraged, and distracted.
While we can’t do anything to make God love us more (or less), we can draw near to Him through His Word, in prayer, and simply being still in recognition of who He is.
His nearness fills the emptiest of baskets.
Hope you’ll join me this month as we’ll peek into the quiet times of some of my dearest and most Father-loving friends every Monday. On Wednesdays, we’ll consider additional ideas to spur on our time with the Father.
Welcome to the January series, Drawing Near to God. It is a blessing to have you here.
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
As I bring this month of gratitude to a close, I want to share one final act of thankfulness. It will also explain why I’ll be taking a break from blogging during the month of December.
In September, I had a CT scan. It was to be a straight-forward procedure to help the surgeon who performed my gall bladder surgery earlier this year view the scar tissue, as the site was giving me some pain.
The site turned out fine but the scan did reveal a mass, which turned out to be multiple fibroid tumors. The surgeon remarked on how, if it had not discovered, it would’ve more than likely become cancerous. While not excited about what was found, I couldn’t help but thank God all the way home, confident He orchestrated the unfolding of circumstances.
As I write this (early November) I’m scheduled for surgery on November 19th. If I’ve not replied to comments as quickly as normal, this is why. I’m recuperating on my comfy couch with my spoiled rotten pup and a hard-to-put-down book nearby, Lord willing.
Blogging in December is one of my favorite things to do. I will miss it — I will miss you — terribly. I thank God for the friendships He has allowed me to forge through this ministry, and for those He has deepened.
I pray you and your family will be richly blessed as you celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
I look forward to returning in January! In the meantime, feel free to stay in touch as I would love to hear from you. I especially thank you for your prayers.
I thank my God every time I remember you. Philippians 1:3
Every single time, my friends.
