Dwelling and Feeding

~ Barbara ~ 1 Comment

I can’t move on to my next blog post until I share part of a verse that gripped me the other night. It is the last phrase in Psalm 37:3: “Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.”

I laid in bed and turned the words over and over. How does one “feed on” God’s faithfulness? Does it mean think about it? Or thank Him for it? When I feed on food I don’t just think about eating—I’d still be hungry. I thank Him before my meals, but I’m not full until I actually ingest food. How do I “feed on” God’s faithfulness?

You probably see the answer quicker than I did, but just before dozing off a picture flashed in my mind—the picture I posted last week. I saw the birds feeding on my husband’s faithfulness.

They were not deterred by the storm. They were not hiding in their safe places or huddled in a feathered conference. They were freely, innocently enjoying the food faithfully supplied for them.

Lord, let us be that simple. Guard us from the worries and fears that complicate our lives. Give us hearts that readily accept the gifts you freely give, the supply you never fail to provide. We are grateful. Thank you, Lord.

Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Psalm 37:3 NKJV

Finding Hope, 65 Meditations for a Broken Heart

Bird Food

~ Barbara ~ 2 Comments

In anticipation of Tuesday night’s snow storm, my husband took steps to assure the birds would be fed. In the dark, before a flake fell, he filled our feeders with seed and hung a second peanut butter log.

The following morning the predicted snow was falling and, though it came down in heavy flakes, the birds were more active than usual. Cardinals, juncos, and sparrows swooped and flitted in a symphony of activity, picking up seeds and pecking at the peanut butter. It was a show to behold—and we pulled up chairs to watch.

As I reflected on my husband’s forethought to provide for our feathered friends, Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:26 came to mind:

“Look at the birds of the air;
they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”

Just as we noted last week that God is present when all looks gray, He is also present when storms come and He lovingly provides for us. We need not be anxious.

After He points out God’s care in feeding the birds, Jesus asks the disciples—and us—a question,

“Are you not much more valuable than they?”

He invites us to trust our heavenly Father.

Finding Hope, 65 Meditations for a Broken Heart.

We All Need Light

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

About eight months ago we had solar panels* installed. It’s been great—crank up the air, turn on the space heater, flip on the lights—it’s free! Until last month.

It was a gray, gray January. I searched my weather app for any hint of sunshine, but the only consistent prediction I saw was rain. We did not receive the power of the sun’s rays—we received an electric bill instead. Yes, there’s a point to this story but, first, let me digress.

I was disappointed in the book cover I chose for Finding Hope—it was not as sharp as I imagined it to be. I had polled friends and family for their choice out of six possibilities. Few chose the one I used. However, I noticed that each one hovered there first, then reason took over and moved them on to a brighter cover. I realized that what initially drew them was the light—glowing from the windows and shining in the sky. They saw light in the darkness and it attracted them. Since that is the point of my book, I opted for the lights and their promise of hope.

Dark circumstances and gray Januarys affect us beyond reason. We know there is a sun behind the clouds, but it’s depressing to not see it. We know there is a God of love behind our situations, but we despair when we can’t sense His presence. When we don’t absorb His light, we pay the consequences.

It is critical for us to position our sensors above the clouds and focus our faith on the Light we cannot see. The clouds will break, hope will come, and we will be found faithful because we believed despite the dreariness of our current view.

The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1

*A shout-out to Henry at Trinity Solar.

Finding Hope, 65 Meditations for a Broken Heart.

I Need Your Help!

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

Dear friends & strangers, your responses have blessed my heart. Thank you! Will you help me by leaving a review on Amazon? When I consider buying a book, reviews are the first thing I check—you probably do, too. If you have read enough of Finding Hope to have an opinion, would post a brief review? If you don’t yet have a copy, you can purchase it here: Finding Hope, 65 Meditations for a Broken Heart.

Today I offer a final sample, one with a perspective we all need – DAY 31.

Lord, Remind Me this is Temporary

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
Psalm 84:5

When my pain was most acute, I couldn’t imagine recovery or an end to suffering. The future mocked me, scoffing at any hint of purpose. My strength was gone, my vision dim, and my fortitude frail. At one time today’s verse was a favorite—now it challenged me with the reminder that life is a pilgrimage.

A pilgrim is someone who journeys in foreign lands. I was in a foreign land. This place of loss was untraveled territory that felt strange and threatening. The assurance that I was “passing through” was a glorious truth that prodded hope. My suffering was temporary—this was not my home, not my destiny. I was “passing through.” I was enroute to an eternal home and this valley of weeping was not my journey’s end. As I meditated on this, God gave me strength to face the days ahead.

Fellow pilgrim,  we are on a mission and the path we walk has purpose, bringing us to our final destination. When we reach our road’s end we will be free of sorrow, pain, and regret. These painful valleys are not home, not the end of our story. Our valley of tears can become a place of springs, allowing us to grow from strength to strength, not from weakness to weakness.

Holy Spirit, remind us! Keep us from pitching our tents in the valley. Help us refuse the lies of the enemy that emphasize our weakness. Protect us from the trap of fear. You are our strength and will guide us through our pilgrimage to our final destiny—and it will be glorious!

Finding Hope, 65 Meditations for a Broken Heart, page 101-102