30 Day Proverbs and Photo Challenge :: Day 12

day 12 :: bokeh

"Every word of God is pure:

he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him."

// p r o v e r b s 30 : 5 //

to see more photos from the challenge click here

30 Day Proverbs and Photo Challenge :: Day 11

day 11 :: music

-- one of my favorite hymns --

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, 

and loving favour rather than silver and gold."

// p r o v e r b s 22 : 1 //

to see more photos from the challenge click on the picture below

30 Day Proverbs and Photo Challenge :: Day 10

day 10 :: a memory

My niece Elsie's first swing ride a couple years ago. 

She was delighted!

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"the eyes of the LORD are in every place,

beholding the evil and the good."

//proverbs 15:3//

to see more photos from the challenge click on the picture below

30 Day Proverbs and Photo Challenge :: Day 9

day 9 :: something blue

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The eyes of the LORD are in every place,

beholding the evil and the good.

//proverbs 15:3//

to see more photos from the challenge click on the picture below

30 Day Proverbs and Photo Challenge :: Day 8

day 8 :: what i wore

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"my son, keep thy father's commandment,

and forsake not the law of thy mother:

bind them continually upon thine heart,

and tie them about thy neck.

when thou goest, it shall lead thee;

when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee;

and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

for the commandment is a lamp;

and the law is light;

and reproof and instruction are the way of life."

// p r o v e r b s 6 : 20 - 23 //

to see more photos from the challenge click on the picture below

30 Day Proverb and Photo Challenge :: Day 7

day 7 :: shadows

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"Now therefore hearken unto me,

O ye children:

for BLESSED are they that keep my ways."

// p r o v e r b s 8 : 3 2 //

to see more photos from the challenge click on the picture below

30 Day Proverb and a Photo Challenge :: day 6

day 6 :: food

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Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, 

sweet to the soul,

and health to the bones.

//proverbs 16:24//

30 Day Proverb and Photo Challenge :: Day 5

day 5 :: from a low angle

"For the Lord giveth wisdom: 

out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding."

// p r o v e r b s 2 : 6 //

To see more photos from the challenge click on the picture below.

30 Day Proverb and Photo Challenge :: Day 3

day 3 :: hands

At the coffee shop :)

"A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth:

and the recompense of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him."

//p r o v e r b s 12 : 14// 

Click on the picture to see more photos from the challenge.

30 Day Proverb and Photo Challenge : Day 1

My dear friend, Hannah, has started a 30 day photo challenge. I'm a little behind on starting, but I look forward to trying all the photos that she has thought up prompts for and I hope you enjoy!

day 1 :: self-portrait

"Wisdom is the principal thing,

therefore get wisdom:

and with all thy getting

get understanding."

-p r o v e r b s 4 : 7-

Grace and Glory Photos

Last week I announced on Facebook the grand opening of Grace and Glory Photos. My friend, Sarah, and I have started this shop on Etsy and hope that you will find our photos with scripture a blessing. We are having a give away to start our little business! If you'd like to enter just check our shop out, then leave a comment here telling what your favorite picture is. We will draw a name on January 21, 2013, and the winner will receive an 8"x10" print of their choice!

A few of the photos you can choose from...but be sure to visit the shop because there are more there!

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield: 
the LORD will give grace and glory:
no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly."
Psalm 84:11

This Thing Is From Me

A very dear friend shared this on her blog this morning. It encouraged me so much that I decided to share it here in hopes that it may be a blessing to one of you as well!

Disappointments of Life

"This Thing is From Me"

..1 Kings 12:24

"The disappointments of life are in reality only the decrees of love. I have a message for thee today, My child.  I will whisper it softly in thine ear, in order that the stormclouds which appear may be gilt with glory, and that the thorns on which thou mayest have to walk be blunted.  The message is but short - a tiny sentence - but allow it to sink into the depths of thine heart, and be to thee as a cushion on which to rest thy weary head: 'This thing is from Me.'

Hast thou never thought that all which concerns  thee, concerns Me also?  He that toucheth thee toucheth the apple of Mine eye (Zech. 2:8).  Thou hast been precious in Mine eyes, that is why I take a special interest in thin upbringing.  When temptation assails thee, and the 'enemy comes in like a flood' I would wish thee to know that 'This thing is from Me.'  I am the God of circumstances.  Thou hast not been placed where thou art by chance, but because it is the place I have chosen for thee. Didst thou not ask to become humble?  Behold, I have placed thee in the very place where this lesson is to be learned.  It is by thy surroundings and thy companions that the working of My will is to come about.

Hast thou money difficulties?  Is it hard to keep within thine income?  'This thing is from Me.'  For I am He that possesseth all things.  I wish thee to draw everything from Me, and that thou depend entirely upon Me.  My riches are illimitable (Phil. 4:19).  Put My promise to the proof, so that it may not be said of thee, 'Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord thy God.'  

Art thou passing through a night of affliction?  'This thing is from Me.'  I am the Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isa. 53:3).  I have left thee without human support that in turning to Me thou mightest obtain eternal consolation (2 Thess. 2:16, 17).

Has some friend disappointed thee?  One to whom thou hast opened thine heart?  'This thing is from me.'  I have allowed this disappointment that thou mightest learn that the best Friend is Jesus.  I long to be thy Confidant.

Has someone said false things of thee?  Leave that, and come closer to Me, under My wings, away from the place of wordy dispute, for I will bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday (Psa. 37;6).  Have thy plans been all upset?  Art thou crushed and weary?  'This thing is from Me.'  Hast thou made plans and then coming, asked Me to bless them?  I wish to make thy plans for thee.  I will take the responsibility, for it is too heavy for thee, thou couldst not perform it alone (Exo. 18:18).  Thou art but and instrument and not an agent.

Hast thou desired fervently to do some great work for Me?  Instead of that thou hast been laid on one side, on a bed of sickness and suffering.  'This thing is from Me.'  I was unable to attract thine attention while thou wast so active.  I wish to teach thee some of My deep lessons.  It is only those who have learned to wait patiently who can serve Me.  My greatest workers are sometimes those who are laid aside from active service in order that they may learn to wield the weapon of prayer.

Art thou suddenly called to occupy a difficult position full of responsibilities?  Go forward, counting on Me.  I am giving thee the position full of difficulties for the reason that Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy works and in all the business of thy hands (Deut. 15:18).  This day I place in thy hand a pot of holy oil.  Draw from it freely, My child, that all the circumstances arising along the pathway, each word that gives thee pain, each manifestation of thy feebleness, may be anointed with this oil.  Remember that interruptions are divine instructions.  The sting will go in the measure in which thou seest Me in all things.  Therefore set your heart unto all the works that I testify among you this day.  For it is your life (Deut. 32:46, 47)."

-Found in J.N. Darby's Bible

(Translated from the French)

Be Still

Be still, my soul; The Lord is on thy side;

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; 

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In every change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly Friend,

Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as He has the past;

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul; when dearest friends depart,

And all is darkened in the vale of tears,

Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,

Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.

Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay

From His own fulness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Katharina A.D. vonSchlegel

The Lord spoke to me through this hymn in church this morning. I must, I must be still. If I only look, I can see God's hand in everything in and around my life. He is a good and glorious God! 

Our pastor is preaching through Isaiah and came to chapter 48 today. One thing he really brought out was that everything is for His glory. He says over and over in dealing with the Israelites "For my name's sake", "For mine own sake". I pray that the Lord will open our eyes to His glory and that in everything we do, we will "do all to the glory of God". (1 Cor. 10:31)

Motives to Self-Denial

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."

Luke 9:23

We are reading through a booklet on self-denial in our family devotions each evening. It is a compilation of sermons and/or articles written by men of God from long ago. 

This is one by George Whitefield that I found to be particularly helpful. 

Proceed we therefore now to...offer some considerations, which may serve as so many motives to reconcile us to, and quicken us in, the practice of this duty of self-denial.

1. The first means I shall recommend to you, in order to reconcile you to this doctrine, is to meditate frequently on the life of our blessed Lord and Master Jesus Christ. 

Follow Him from His cradle to the cross, and see what a self-denying life He led! Shall we not drink of the cup that He drank of and be baptized with the baptism that He was baptized with? Or think we that Jesus Christ did and suffered everything in order to have us excused and exempted from sufferings? No, far be it from any sincere Christian to judge after this manner: for St. Peter tells us, "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps" (1 Peter 2:21). Had Christ, indeed, like those that sat in Moses' chair, laid heavy burdens of self-denial upon us, (supposing they were heavy, which they are not) and refused to touch them Himself with one of His fingers, we might have had some pretense to complain. But since He has enjoined us nothing but what He first put in practice Himself, thou are inexcusable, O disciple, whoever thou art, who wouldst be above thy persecutes self-denying Master. And thou art no good and faithful servant, who art unwilling to suffer and sympathize with thy mortified, heavenly-minded Lord.

2. Next to the pattern of our blessed Master, think often on the lives of the glorious company of the apostles, the goodly fellowship of the prophets, and the noble army of martyrs.

[They,] by a constant looking to the Author and Finisher of our faith, have fought the good fight and are gone before us to inherit the promises. View again and again how holily, how self-denyingly, how unblameably they lived: if self-denial was necessary for them, why not for us also? Are we not men of like passions with them? Do we not live in the same wicked world as they did? Have we not the same good spirit to assist, support, and purify us as they had? Is not the same eternal inheritance [extended] to us as was to them? And if we have the same nature to change, the same wicked world to withstand, the same good Spirit to help, and the same eternal crown at the end, why should we not lead the same lives as they did?...

3. Thirdly, think often on the pains of hell.

Consider whether it is not better to cut off a right hand or foot and pull out a right eye if they offend us (or cause us to sin), rather than to be cast into hell, "where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:44). Think how many thousands there are now reserved with damned spirits in chains of darkness unto the judgement of the Great Day! Think withal that this, this must be our case shortly unless we are wise in time, deny ourselves, and follow Jesus Christ! Think you [that] they now imagine Jesus Christ to be a hard master; or rather think you not [that] they would give ten thousand times ten thousand worlds, could they but return to life again and take Christ's easy yoke upon them? And can we dwell with everlasting burnings more than they? No, if we cannot bear this precept - deny yourselves, take up your crosses - how shall we bear the irrevocable sentence, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41)? But I hope those, amongst whom I am now preaching the kingdom of God, are not so disingenuous as to need to be driven to their duty by the terrors of the Lord, but rather desire to be drawn by the cords of love.

4. Lastly, therefore, often meditate on the joys of heaven.

Think, think with what unspeakable glory those happy souls are now encircled, who when on earth were called to deny themselves as well as we, and were not disobedient to that call! Lift up your hearts frequently towards the mansions of eternal bliss, and with an eye of faith, like Stephen, see the heavens opened and the Son of man with His glorious retinue of departed saints, sitting and solacing themselves in eternal joys. Hark! Methinks I hear the chanting forth their everlasting Hallelujahs, and echoing triumphant songs of joy. And do you not long, my brethren, to join this heavenly choir? Do not you hearts burn within you? As the hart panteth after the water brooks, do not your souls so long after the blessed company of these sons of God? Behold, then, a heavenly ladder reached down to you by which you may climb to this holy hill. Let us believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and deny ourselves!

George Whitefield (1714-1770)

The Light of the Gospel

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, 

hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."  

2 Corinthians 4:6

I am starting a new blogging adventure, hoping to be a "ray of sunshine", or even ray of Son-shine in your day. My plan is to post things that I photograph, recipes that I have made, and anything else that I find to be interesting or helpful. My desire is to always glorify my Father in heaven, and to live (and write) in such a way that everyone I come in contact with will see Him in me. 

"Ye are the salt of the earth:...Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick;
and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:13a-16