The Resting Place

He Cares

“Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow or reap nor gather into barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Matthew 6:25-26

I have always known that God cares not only about the big things in our lives, but the little things that concern us, as well. I’ve experienced it over and over in my own life.

When we were on lockdown due to the pandemic, I saw God’s provision and love first hand as the recipient of kindness and generosity through perfect strangers. Actually, it was not a dire need or even a real concern, rather one day, Ray mentioned that he wished we had cilantro for a recipe he wanted to make. Being the sweet wife that I am (hmmm) and trying to keep him out of the grocery store, I told him it would just have to wait. He was just wishing, I guess, because nothing else was said. Later that day, a lady made a post on our FB neighborhood site offering free cilantro and other organic herbs from her backyard garden. I jumped on that quickly and expressed an interest. Several had also done the same. Another lady who had asked for some cilantro told the one who was offering the cilantro to give it to me. I was appreciative and then able to pick it up from her porch the next morning. I did ask both ladies if there was anything they needed that I could bring to them, but they were not needing anything at that time.

God never ceases to amaze me with His goodness and love. He’s full of wonderful surprises like we experienced that day, and I think it’s just to say, “Hey, I’m always here. I care, so keep giving me all of yours.”

Friends, the Lord does indeed provide for our needs, and sometimes our wants. On that particular day, He cared enough to send Ray some cilantro from an unexpected source. The Mexican dish he made, using our gifted cilantro was so good!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, You are the giver of all good things! You cared enough to grant my husband’s wish for a simple herb so he could make a familiar dish that would give him enjoyment and comfort. I praise You and thank You for being in the small things of our lives. It shows how much You care about every detail. Most of all, thank You for giving us Jesus Christ as the way to gain eternal life. I pray that many will believe in Him and find peace and rest in their souls. Even today, break the chains that hold them in bondage to the world. We love You and exalt Your name above all names. I pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Faith Alone

Poems seem to be few and far between for me, but I do like them. Just when I think I’ll never write another one, well, I do. As I lay in bed this morning, recovering from a nasty stomach bug, these thoughts came in the form of a poem. Today, I’m thankful for a personal relationship with Jesus and for faith alone that always sees me through.

Faith Alone

Life is filled with ups and downs
Sometimes peace just can’t be found

We search for what we cannot find
Things of this world, oft’ come to mind

We find that things don’t satisfy
They leave us feeling drained and dry

And still, we thirst for something more
We wonder what is next in store

When empty hearts cannot be filled
It’s God alone, our minds will still

He sent His Son to save from sin
All who believe, He’ll take us in

He brings us what we’re searching for
And gives new life, sent from afar

Opens our eyes so we can see
And helps us be all we can be

He fills our hearts with His great love
And gives us peace from Heaven above

This world alone will leave us weak
We’ll never find that which we seek

Our trust and hope must always rest
In Christ alone; He gives His best

It is His strength that sees us through
He brings sweet peace and life anew.

So if you’re searching and do not know
What to do, which way to go,

It’s faith alone that will fill your heart
With love and peace right from the start.

Written by Carolyn McDaniel Canizales
3-19-23

We Need a Savior

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 ESV

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” Romans 3:23-24 ESV

“Have you ever thought about what a Christian is? Christians are people who have shuddered at the awfulness of their sin. They have seen sin for what it is: willful rebellion against the rulership of God in their lives. And in turning from their sin, they have embraced God’s only means of dealing with sin: Jesus.” Kay Arthur

Even as a 12-year-old child, I knew I needed a Savior. I will never forget that Sunday night when my friend, Charlotte, and I walked the aisle of our little country church and asked Jesus to come into our hearts. I felt the change immediately. Since then, I’ve had a lifetime of growing and learning to lean more and more on Him; of trusting that He works out all things for my good and His glory; and of coming to truly believe beyond a doubt that despite my faults and failures, He loves me more than I can comprehend.

Had I been spiritually mature at a young age, perhaps I would have avoided some of life’s pitfalls and hard knocks. But really, I’ve been drawn closer to Jesus through those tough times, so I can only thank Him for never letting go of me.

All I know now is that God is good; He has a plan for each of us; He is with us if we seek Him; it’s up to us to choose to follow Him; and it’s in His loving care that we will find unexplainable peace. I am eternally thankful for His goodness.

Prayer: Dear God, we give thanks today for Your never-ending love and patience. Thank You for guiding our footsteps as we walk this journey called life. Most of all we thank You for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. Help us to pass our faith along to those around us and lead us to be Your witnesses everywhere we go. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Heart of Love

“It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother….was lost and is found.” Luke 15:32

The story of the prodigal son illustrates how excited the young man’s father was that he was coming home. The father was not concerned that his son had wasted his life on foolish things. All he knew is that his son was once lost, but had now found his way home.

God watches and waits for each of His children who have strayed from His presence. He longs for us to come home; to find the rest for our souls that He intended all along. He is there to bathe us with His unconditional love. Can’t you just see His face when one of His lost ones makes their way toward home? It is the face of a proud father who loves that child so deeply and longs for the closeness they once had.

God’s heart for us is pure and His love is unending. Therefore, He will never reject us and will always be waiting for us with outstretched arms when we run to Him. What wonderful promises He has given us throughout His Word of that very thing.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, You are mighty and worthy of all our praise! We can never thank You enough for loving us as You do. Thank You for rescuing us when we were astray. Thank You for the good plan You have for us; a plan that was created in Your heart when You created us. To know that we are loved so deeply by the Master of the Universe brings us to a place of humility and gratefulness. Help us to always bring pride to Your heart by the way we live out our lives here on earth. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

God’s Word

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 ESV

I LOVE God’s Word! When I don’t spend time in the Word, I feel as though something is missing–and it is. One cannot expect to really get to know another or maintain a relationship unless they spend time with that person. So it is with God’s Word.

How can we really know Him unless we spend time reading life’s instruction book–God’s story–the Bible?

How can we know the wonderful promises contained in His Word if we don’t first find out what they are?

How can we have peace that passes all understanding and joy unspeakable unless we know Him in a personal way?

Many people say they don’t believe in God, but I wonder if they have truly searched for Him through His Word and the many promises contained therein. If you seek Him, you will find Him. That I know with certainty.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, I pray that your heart will seek Him while He may be found.

Prayer: Dear Father, Your Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. It never changes or goes out of style. While today’s culture may indicate otherwise, Your children know Your voice and follow You instead of the world. Help us to live in such a way that others will see Jesus in us and that they will seek You with all of their heart. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, and Lord. Amen.

Rusty Nails

Photo Courtesy of Christopher Sardegna, Unsplash

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”” Isaiah 52:7

When I was growing up, there were seldom shoes on my feet. I just loved going barefoot!

During the summer months when my brothers and I were out of school, we never wore shoes. I cannot tell you how many rusty nails and grass burrs (stickers) we stepped on during that time. Oh, my! Those were some painful experiences, physically speaking! However, I was never deterred from repeating my country-girl habits. To this day, I still go barefoot in the house and am very thankful there are no rusty nails or grass burrs to dodge!

This morning I was thinking about our feet from a spiritual angle. Do we have compassionate, kind, tender-hearted, loving feet that carry us to places where we can serve the Lord? How are we to put our feet into action during these unprecedented times? There are lots of things that could hinder us—our modern-day rusty nails and stickers. However, it comes as no surprise that God always has a plan and is ready to make a way for us to serve Him passionately as His Spirit directs.

May God use each of us to tell the old, old story in some way today. If we are willing, He is able. May we always steer clear of paths that will only distract and hinder us in our walk with Him. When we trade the rusty nails and stickers of life for an abiding peace that is only found in Jesus, we will avoid places that are not found in God’s best plan for our lives.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for leading us through this journey called life. We are more than grateful that You come alongside and help us to use the gifts You’ve given us so generously. Please keep our spiritual feet strong, steady, and without the distraction of rusty nails and stickers. Help us to honor You with each breath we take. I pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, and Lord. Amen.

Anything Will Help

“so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11 ESV

As I approached a red light on my way home from running errands, my attention was turned to a man sitting on the corner. Indeed, not an unusual sight, but something caused me to focus on this man. His face was weathered and thin, his long hair needed cutting, and he held a sign that read, “Anything will help. God bless.”

I only had a split second to decide if I was going to ignore or do something about the compassion I felt for this stranger. I knew the light would soon turn green, so I grabbed a New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs and slipped some money between the pages. Then, as I rolled the car window down, I quickly said, “Sir, this is God’s Word, and I just want you to know He loves you very much.” Taking the Testament in his hand, he smiled and said, “I know He does.” That was all the time I had to interact with the man before the light turned green.

I don’t often feel compelled to help these downtrodden folks financially, but this time I did. As I’ve said before, everyone you see on the street corner has a story. That person is someone’s son, daughter, father, mother, brother, or sister. Surely, once they were loved by someone, and perhaps they still are. Thinking about that aspect of their situation breaks my heart. But I know what I told the man is 100% true–God loves him. Rich or poor, saint or sinner, God loves those He created. And He desires a personal relationship with them through His Son, Jesus Christ. Because of that knowledge, I knew I couldn’t go wrong by giving one of God’s creations His Word, which was the real motive for what I did.

Many would say that all I did was waste my money. After all, don’t we mostly have preconceived notions about these street folks using the money to buy alcohol, drugs, etc.? Yes, we do. And we’re probably right in most cases. But I don’t want to feel that way because if I do the spiritual aspects of how I view others become jaded. And besides, the money was secondary to that of giving God’s Word to this man. Isaiah 55:11 shown above gives a promise that God will accomplish His purpose when His Word goes forth.

As the light turned green, I prayed that the New Testament would be used to bring a lost soul to Jesus, whether it was the man who received it from me or someone else down the line. And I thought about the untold mercy, forgiveness, and grace my loving Heavenly Father has given me all of my life. As I glanced at the man one last time through the rearview mirror, all I could think of was, “But for the grace of God, there go I.”

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me this divine appointment with a man who needs your grace and help. Thank you for holding the light red while I conducted Your business of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. Father, I know that even a brief moment such as the one I experienced is never wasted. Help us to be more sensitive to all people around us and to do what we can to encourage them in the ways You lead us. Thank You for the many blessings that continually pour into our lives. We love You and praise You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Signs of Spring

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

This week, we here in Central Texas have only to look around and we will see many signs that Spring is here. Our neighborhood trees are really beginning to show off!

I’m always ready for Spring! Seeing trees and plants begin to leaf and bloom is always a welcome sight. Yes, I live in Texas. And no, we don’t have severe winters that last for months or even weeks on end, but warmer weather has always been my friend.

As I was on my way to an early morning appointment, I stopped to snap the above picture as well as some pictures of fully loaded redbud trees. In addition, my sister sent pictures of the bridal wreaths blooming at our lake place in East Texas. We usually miss seeing them in person, but I’m so glad others are there to enjoy them as they awaken from their winter’s sleep.

Very soon I’ll be sitting outside in my swing listening to our city birds as they announce a new season that God has brought forth. I will definitely welcome their song.

While I do love this time of year, even better is the new life in Christ we are able to experience every day. His mercies are new every morning. He walks with us, leads us, and makes our way safe and secure. Great is His faithfulness! What hope that brings on this beautiful day.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I love how You show us what new life looks like through the season of Spring. Thank You for your faithfulness not only in bringing forth new seasons but for being close beside us through every season of our lives. You are the One we worship, honor, and adore. Help us to move steadily along each day serving You in all the ways that are important to You. Direct our steps to places where You are working. Give us Your heart for others who need to know Your love. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Forever Ours

“You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.” Psalm 59:17

How uplifting and encouraging it is to see those who have been tested in the crucible of crisis going forward in faith. I can think of many who have served, or currently serve as role models for me in this area of my faith walk. Their experiences serve to teach that God will ALWAYS provide the strength and encouragement needed when facing life’s battles or during times of uncertainty.

Today, there is a calm assurance that God will never abandon His people. He will forever be our Hope, our stronghold, our refuge, and our strength. He will give us the desire to continue living out our lives for Him. We don’t deserve such love, but this is the nature of who He is because He loves us more than we could ever imagine. Through His Word, we are able to consistently draw from the well containing His never-ending supply of living water.

Enjoy this day you’ve been given. Pray for those around you who are currently facing their own personal crisis. Ask the Lord to make you a channel of blessing to someone today. My prayer is that out of your life, Jesus will shine.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for this beautiful day, created by You, for our pleasure and Your good purposes. Help us to make a difference in someone’s life as we go through the traffic lanes of our life today. Give us an abundance of Your love, joy, peace, compassion, and kindness—enough to share with others. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Power Source

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

It’s been pretty cold these last few weeks here in our little corner of the world. Beginning with January, Mother Nature almost fooled us into thinking we’d have a couple of mild months before Spring comes. Almost!!

Ice accumulation on trees caused more destruction and damage than I remember ever seeing. To an extent, our neighborhood resembled a war zone. We had a lot of cleanups and no one escaped the damage to trees. Many friends were without power for days, and for some over a week.

During these times, I am reminded of those who don’t have a roof over their head or the warmth of shelter. That’s when I realize I have absolutely nothing to complain about. EVER!

Cold weather is not my favorite! On those days, I just can’t seem to get warm. You know when you are chilled by cold, plus dampness and you shiver down to your bones? A long time ago I developed a solution to that problem. I throw a blanket into the clothes dryer, warm it up for a few minutes, then wrap it around myself until I am snuggly warm. It works!

In February of last year, 2022, we also had ice/snow. To top it off, one of our AC units went out during that particular cold snap. Thankfully, we managed to stay warm by another fully functioning unit until repairs were completed.

Even though there are physical strategies that help us make it through uncertain situations, like staying warm, we cannot afford to place our full trust in an unreliable power source. Our AC unit became unreliable and it was necessary to take action to correct the problem.

I thought about another power source—a spiritual one in nature and asked myself these questions: How can we best stay plugged into God’s power source? How can we avoid costly repairs to our faith walk?

God has already given us the necessary tools for a life of power through Jesus Christ. We can take the truth of His Word and never doubt it because we’ve been given such glorious gifts!

As Christians, we’ve been given the Holy Spirit who works to renew our minds so that we might be more like Jesus. The comfort He brings gives us hope and peace. He even intercedes on our behalf when we don’t have the words (Romans 8:26-27). I love that! His convicting power is essential in the daily lives of all believers. I could not do without it!

Reading and studying God’s Word are great ways to stay plugged into our spiritual source of power. As we focus on His Word, we are given the ability to better maneuver life’s twists and turns from a Biblical vantage point. The Bible is such a great road map for living the Christian life. Because there are many distractions, staying in the Word daily takes discipline. I sometimes struggle with this very thing, even though I know what needs to be done—that which I truly desire to do. I pray to do better.

By using God’s arsenal of spiritual tools, we are also able to have the much-needed maintenance checks on our spiritual life. Being regularly plugged into the power source of our faith will help prevent us from many of the pitfalls in life. Even if we’ve experienced some of those pitfalls, we’ll rest more comfortably and confidently as we walk forward trusting God in every area of our life.

When we fix our eyes and hearts on the One who is always with us, we will experience peace not found elsewhere. God, who holds the keys to everlasting life is so good.

Today, I pray that you are plugged into the ultimate and everlasting spiritual power source—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God in three persons, blessed Trinity.

Praise: Dear God, we love You and thank You for Your 100% reliability as the greatest Power Source ever known. We take comfort in knowing that You are with us in all situations and that we need not fear or grow anxious whatever our station in life. Help us to trust You more and more as we maneuver the traffic lanes of our life, and lead us to tell others what You’ve done for us through our relationship with Jesus Christ. It is in His name that I pray. Amen.

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