The Whole Cookie

I was preparing for Sunday School, when I discovered a Lesson Plan for an important learning opportunity. It was designed to teach young children how we should love God, serve Him with a whole heart, and offer Him more than mere morsels of moments from our lives. It suggested using cookies at Snack Time, to demonstrate how we don’t always offer God all that He deserves.

On Sunday, I greeted the children for class. There was a delicious plate of chocolate chip cookies waiting for them. Everyone was anxious for Snack Time to arrive. When we were ready to taste the delicious treats, I told the children they were only allowed to eat the crumbs. They were frustrated, and asked why I was not offering them a whole cookie.

We discussed how it felt to receive a little, when we wanted to enjoy so much more. I reminded them how God must feel, when we don’t give all that we have, and offer Him only small pieces of our hearts.

God knows how it feels to hunger for our love. He longs for us to give ourselves completely. But, sometimes we contribute only the crumbs, small fragments of time with Him. We forget He desires so much more…  .

God deserves more than what we offer, only when it’s convenient. He needs us to serve Him every day, every moment of our lives, with a heart of wholeness, as He lovingly allows us to be filled in the fullness of his love.

Five little children learned an important lesson that day…One little girl said it best…“God really does deserve the whole cookie.”

Sandcastles of Strength

I love visiting Florida and spending time at the beach. It’s fun to walk in the sand, and listen to the sound of the waves. When rushing water surrounds my feet and pulls me toward the warm sand, I become aware of God‘s awesome power, and witness the flowing strength of His mighty creation.

I enjoy watching young children build sand castles. They work for many hours constructing a foundation that will hold the love of their labor. Unfortunately, they often build where the tide soon arrives, and destroys what they have worked hard to create.

Waves are a powerful force. They capture our undisturbed thoughts which carry us to places unknown. We cannot always predict how hard the waves will crash and impact us. In one swift moment of time, life can forever change where we stand.  

As I reflect on this, I am reminded there is purpose in considering how we choose to build our lives. God supplies what we need to create a standing tower of strength. He desires us to form a foundation we can build upon. But, often we don't make good choices when we consider how to build. We do not follow God‘s lead, as He shows us where to place the love of our labor.

But, God can direct us…He can show us how to build our lives on solid ground. God can guide us toward safety and help us ride out the mighty waves of worry, which try to knock us down. He can help us rebuild sandcastles of strength in our lives, if we will only trust in Him, and allow Him to show us how…

“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.” – Psalm 31:24

God is near,
Nan

My grandmother use to say, "All good things must come to an end." It made me sad to hear those words, as we would prepare to leave Kentucky, and travel back home each summer.

As I wake with the realization I am leaving Ohio today, I find myself experiencing the same sadness, knowing it’s time to go home.

God knows our sadness, but He provides all we need to discover opportunities to embrace a grateful heart. Sometimes we struggle when joy has gone. We say goodbye to happy thoughts of content, and allow ourselves to experience weakness, when our hearts are lonely and bruised.

But, God knows our needs. He helps us maintain a heart of content, as we place our trust in Him. We never have to say goodbye to God. He surrounds us with His loving arms and reminds us we do not travel alone. God deserves to see a grateful heart reflected in us. He deserves to see a faithful spirit of trust in Him, as He continues to provide.

The joy of the Lord is my strength. (Nehemiah 8 NIV) I am going to think about this as I fly home, and allow those words to bring peace to my heart. When tears come, I will ask God to fill my soul with His presence and remind me He is near. Then I will wait upon the Lord to once again fill me with his greatness, remind me how much I am loved, and allow me to find joy, when my heart needs to be reminded it is there.

I pray you will recognize God can do all things. He can prepare your heart to embrace a grateful spirit of thanks, and allow you to faithfully expect there will be many more blessings to come.

God is near,

NAN

Note...When I flew home, I met a sweet woman named Mickey and her daughter, Kelsey. Mickey had also just said "goodbye" to her sister. When we got on the plane, we realized we were seated together. God is gracious and good. He allowed us time to talk about our families and share our faith in Him. God is so great and faithful to provide for us.

Life passes from one moment to the next. When God is ready to move us ahead, He lays His gift of hope securely in our hearts, where it can be found when we feel hopeless. As we put our trust in Him, He lovingly shows what needs to be discovered, and teaches us to expect there will be blessings to follow. Quiet Hour Devotions for the Wakeful Soul Nan © 2010

Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”(NIV) I appreciate scripture to remind us there is strength for our needs. I often tend to consider my physical needs and forget to remember God is also the provider of the needs of our hearts.

As we embrace an awareness of purpose in remembering we can do all things through Christ, we can find hope as we realize He wants us to find strength for our attitudes, as well.

Sometimes our situations appear hopeless. We become unfocused and have difficulty finding peace. But, God knows what we feel in our hearts. He lovingly watches over us and helps us respond to the burdens of life which cause us to forget we are not alone in our struggles.

Peace comes when we begin to understand God can allow us to find patience as we wait, and find hope in what is to come. When we are ready to follow His lead, God can bring hope to our weary hearts of wonder, and offer reassurance that we can discover a heart of content.

God has plans for our future. There is reward waiting for those who know where to find what God will lovingly provide, if we put our hope in Him, and trust He will lead us toward our reward.

"But,those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

God is near and He loves YOU,

Nan

I'm thankful to live in a place where I am free

To choose who I will serve and worship faithfully

I'm proud of what I feel as I look across this land

And see the heart of good in those who understand

One nation under God is what we need

So I pledge to you America, you mean so much to me

One nation under God is what we need

United we stand in a world that's gone to war

Our loved ones have left and gone to distant shores

Our prayer now will be that God will heal our land

And He will bring His peace to those who understand

One nation under God is what we need

So I pledge to you America

You mean so much to me

One nation under God is what we need

Oh, God bless America...

nan 2007

The Ending Chapter of Reward…


Books…I love them, but seldom find moments to read. When I do relax and absorb a favorite novel, I’m often amazed at my determination to keep reading. Oh, how I enjoy discovering what will happen next! It’s hard to put  down a book, when it has captured my attention and drawn me toward the ending chapter of reward.

God fills us with a desire to know what will happen next in our lives. He lovingly allows opportunities for us to write pages of our own. He speaks through our words and provides what will be written, as we learn to trust in Him, and anticipate the plans He has for our future.

God prepares us to do His will, in His time and for His purpose. He inspires us, as we become available to receive His gifts of love. How great it is to serve Him with a heart that is determined to lovingly follow His lead.

There are chapters of determination in each one of us… pages of written experiences which have prepared us to succeed. They provide us with a desire to understand where we will arrive, and how we will choose to get there.

We cannot worry about the pages which wait to be written. God already knows exactly how they will be filled. He wants us to be persistent and determined, as we learn to serve Him with a grateful heart.

As God allows us to be drawn toward His will, remember He sees us as an open book. God knows everything about us, and He knows what we need to complete His work in us.

If we seek Him with all of our hearts and faithfully serve Him, God will show us His loving reward. He will read between the lines, and find favor in how we have chosen to fill the pages of our lives. Then we will know we have arrived, when joy comes, and the final chapter unfolds.

God is near,

Nan

Will you please pray for me as I work hard to complete “Quiet Hour Devotions for the Wakeful Soul‘, and prepare it for publication in July?

    Take Time to Trust…

I talk with many people, and often hear discussions about challenge and conflict in their lives. We can all relate to burdens which lay heavy in our hearts, and remind us we cannot handle life’s difficulties on our own.

There is something I’ve noticed about those who share a troubled heart.
They long for someone to encourage them and give hope to their situations of despair. They long to find peace and rid themselves of the burdens they carry.

We all have burdens in our lives… stresses which cause us to feel overwhelmed and inadequate to handle our sufferings. When we least expect it,sometimes the rug is pulled from under us, and we are faced with great challenge and pain.

It is during these times, we need to remember there is one who can help. God wants to take the burdens of our hearts, and allow us to learn to trust in Him. There are scriptures which remind us we are not alone in our sufferings. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5

We can find hope in God. He can show us how to release what we cannot handle on our own. He can lovingly prepare us to understand when He has taken our burdens, and He can replace them with His loving peace.

God can allow us to embrace what He wants us to receive, as we open our hearts to His will and find strength through His loving grace. But, we must believe He can do all things to fulfill His plan in us. God offers hope to our saddened hearts of despair. He wants us to see Him as the loving God who saves, and acknowledge Him as Lord of our lives.

It’s easy to move ahead on our own, and worry about where we will arrive. But, when we take time to trust in God, and surrender everything to Him, we can be reassured He will take our burdens, and help us clearly see He is in control of our lives.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but her leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.”  Jeremiah 17:7-8

 
God knows what you are going through… He is near and he loves you.
Take time to trust in Him,

Nan

Steps…We all take them as we walk along in life. They propel us and move us where we want to arrive. Steps can also describe mental goals we choose to consider, as we navigate thoughts and work toward our goals…

Steps are purposeful opportunities to walk and not run. They allow us to carefully support what we choose to embrace in our lives. Stepping is a process. It is built on a foundation of hope in what is yet to be discovered.

Have you ever heard someone say, "Take it one step at a time?" I never use to like that phrase and couldn’t understand why one step at a time could make a difference. But, life often creates situations which make us slow down.

Sometimes we must take baby steps as we learn to walk in the world. Often, we are not ready to walk alone. We simply do not know where to go, and we cannot see what is ahead. But, there is benefit of moving in God’s time, in His will, and for His purpose.  

God holds us when we need to be held… He lifts us to His arms and lovingly prepares our hearts to understand how to walk with Him. These are moments when God strengthens us, and helps us realize there is purpose in learning to take the needed steps to see what He will provide.

God can remind us He is in control of our lives. He can help us realize why we need to go slowly, and learn to walk on our own, step by step.

As you step today, I pray you will remember God wants to walk with you. He does not intend for you to walk alone. There is joy in knowing you will arrive where He leads you, even if you have to slow down and learn to take baby steps once again…

God is near,

Nan

Hold me in your arms Lord; Lift me so I will see what I cannot be on my own...

I trust you to raise me high, so I will know what is ahead in this place I call my life...

I cling to you in faith, understanding I am who I am becoming...

Because of you Lord, because of you in my life... Nan © 2008      

It will storm soon.The sky is getting darker.I can hear thunder in the distance,warning me of impending rain which will soon drown all hopes of being outside.

Rain will come,but it’s frustrating when we aren’t prepared to welcome its arrival.We make plans to embrace days of sunshine,and refuse to consider there is purpose in dark clouds which gather, especially on Saturdays!

God has a plan for each one of us, even when we wonder what gloomy days of doubt will bring.We wait for the right conditions to help us predict good moments in our lives,but often forget to realize each day already has great purpose of its own.

God is in charge of the weather and we are in charge of accepting what He purposefully creates.Sometimes He creates days which seem perfect… blue sky days of sunshine good and sometimes He creates dark sky days of clouded gray. Sadly,these often become days which consume us, and fill us with weathered thoughts of frustration and despair.

But,God sees each day as perfect…He shows us there is benefit in the storms which undoubtedly come,and He gives strength to help us find peace in Him,as we wait for the weather to clear.

God reminds us to persevere and call upon Him in our weakness. He gives hope when we need to be reminded to trust in His will, and He allows us to prepare our hearts to understand the purpose He has for each one of His children.

The rain has slowed to a gentle tapping on my roof. As I patiently wait for it to stop, I realize in my moments of frustration, God has reminded me of something I need to remember…

Weather does not prepare our hearts to embrace what we need to discover. God prepares us to choose how we will find purpose in our day…rain or shine as we walk with Him.

God gives hope to our dark days… He wants us to understand that He will reward us with everything we need, even on rainy Saturdays when we would rather be outside…

Each day of waking is a gift... God is near,                                           

Nan

Cancer is consuming. It strikes suddenly, quickly making an appearance, and forever changing lives of those afflicted. My mother was only sixty two when we were told colon cancer had invaded her body. She lived in Florida, far from the Midwest town where I reside. After her diagnosis, trips were planned so we could be together. Opportunities to be with her were precious and few…

On one visit with my mother, I decided to take a break and visit a book store in town. On that day, I found many books and gifts which were displayed throughout the store. I was grateful for time to browse and escape the reality of my mother’s illness.

The store was not crowded. I thanked God for an opportunity to search for something to read. Overwhelming thoughts consumed me, as I tried to find a book which might provide answers to my prayers, and rid my mother of cancer which would inevitably end her life.

I sat on a soft chair, reading for a long while… Sadly, in that hour of hope, I realized I would never find a book which would heal the devastating disease inside my mother. Tears fell down my face as I sat quietly for the first time, understanding the reality…My mother would not survive.

I noticed a shelf with many large plaques of inspirational quotes. As I composed myself, I could clearly see each one. I read messages which were placed in front of me.They were colorful and bright,but much too bold for the sadness that filled my soul.

As tears began to fall again, I reached for tissue in my purse. There, close to me on the floor, was a small shiny rock.Words were painted on a smooth edge which read, “Love Bears All Things”. This simple treasure had fallen off the shelf, and I knew God had placed it there for me…

I was grateful to be in the private area I had chosen. I bowed my head and thanked God for those four little words I desperately needed to read. I held that rock and knew I had found an answer to my prayers… It was not found in a book from the shelf, but in a precious gem God had purposely chosen to heal the burdens of my heart. 

God lovingly showed me I was not alone. He reminded me of His presence, and allowed me to consider the reality of my mother’s situation. And as quickly as the tears of sadness had come, they were replaced with love from God in those four little words which brought me peace.

No matter what we are going through, God’s love can sustain and strengthen us. When we draw close to Him, especially in moments of despair, He shows us He can help us bear all things.

I still look at that rock and remember the day God touched my heart and brought peace to my troubled heart. I am certain there will be many moments in my life when I will need to hold it again and find strength in those words...

I hope you will remember there is treasure waiting to be found in your heart… If you are available to God, He will show you what He wants you to see…He will answer your prayers in the most unique way. He will bless you, and carry you through moments of life which burden your spirit. As you put your trust in Him, remember God is love and “love bears all things”.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, you know our hearts…You know when we are seeking answers to our prayers. Lord, help us find you and understand you are love…You can help us bear things in life which we cannot handle on our own… You are holy and mighty and true… You God, are the provider of written words which remind us of your love as you reveal it to us…We thank you for loving us, oh Lord. We continue to seek your treasure which is waiting for us, as we believe and put our trust in you. AMEN

Soon it will be time for my annual Yard Sale... I have begun to sort through junk I have stored for the past year. As I wait for the opportunity to rid myself of items which are no longer valuable to me, I remember something my grandmother use to say… “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.”  I hope this is true. I wonder if it’s possible for others to find value in my old, worthless junk which has been packed away in dusty boxes of rummage. 

Life accumulates treasures which sometimes lose their value of purpose in our lives… We need to understand that what we see as junk may actually be seen as treasure to someone who appreciates the value of its worth...  

I admit, I sometimes feel like rummage, waiting to be discovered at the bottom of the box. I see physical changes, and wrinkles which seem to appear overnight. I become aware I am tattered and worn, as I notice my reflection in the mirror. I consider I am not able to do some of the things I use to enjoy, and realize I need God to remind me of my worth. I need Him to help me understand the purpose He has for my life, as I prepare my heart to see what He has created in me…

God wants us to see that we are special to Him. He pulls us out of our dusty box of doubt, and reminds us we are worthy of His love. He allows us to see what He has created within us, and He shows us the promise of understanding His purpose for our lives.

Time does age us…We become overly aware of our imperfections. But, God uses them to make us aware that He can transform us, and allow us to discover what He wants us to see. God gives hope to our lives. He leads us, and helps us realize we are loved.

God does love us…I pray we will begin to see ourselves the way God sees us, as He looks deep into our hearts. I pray we will understand what He wants us to discover about ourselves, as we learn to trust in Him, and remember He has created us in His image.

“God does not make junk.” I hope we will remember this, the next time we forget we are special to the one who created us…God wants us to honor Him with a grateful heart of thanks, as he pulls us from our box of junk, and reminds us we are beautiful treasures…valuable, and oh, so worthy of His precious love.

God is near,

Nan

Have you ever spent time looking for something you couldn’t find? It’s frustrating! I’m not always organized when it comes to storing things where they belong. I have a habit of not keeping my receipts in the right place. They often get thrown away, as I try to rid myself of clutter.       

I consider we all have clutter in our lives…”a confused multitude of things” which gather and prevent us from finding what we need. We become weary when we cannot sort through all that accumulates around us.

But, God can sort through clutter which prevents us from discovering what He wants us to find. In His presence, He can help us understand what should be kept, and stored in our hearts, as we learn to allow Him to guide us.

God provides a place for us to store what we need… He gives opportunities for us to know where to find what He lovingly prepares for us to discover…

When we call on God, he helps us learn to trust in Him. He removes those things which won’t allow us to find what has been missing all along.

Is there something missing in your life? Have you become frustrated in your search?

God lovingly reaches down and shows us how to organize our thoughts. He brings us peace in what He can provide. God’s love can never be misplaced, when we ask Him to draw near to us. He stores His gift of grace, deep in the hearts of those who choose to understand His purpose in their lives.

I pray you will allow God to help you get rid of the burdens of your heart which are not allowing you to have a relationship with Him. He wants to help you remove the things which fill you with fear, anxiety, worry, doubt and sin. He wants to replace them with hope, as you surrender those things to the one who can help you...

God has placed His receipt of love in the place where you will always know where to find it. But, you must remember where to look. His loving gift of grace has already been paid in full and He wants to give you peace.

I hope it won’t take long for you to find what you have been missing… God will fill you with everything you need, when you pray and faithfully BELIEVE he will take care of you.

It has been many years since I have flown a kite, or stood in a grassy green meadow to enjoy shades of spring with my sons…
 
Recently, we spent a weekend together in Wisconsin. One day, the wind was incredibly breezy. We hiked to a meadow and released three kites, holding tight to their strings, as they began their incredible flights.

The sky was perfect! We stood in awe of the color blue, and embraced the change from dreary grays of winter, which had robbed us of moments like these.

One kite had no problem rising…It flew quickly. As the string released faster and faster, we had difficulty knowing where it was headed. Soon, it was certain we had lost sight of the kite and the string broke.

It’s disappointing to work hard to achieve a goal, and lose sight of where we are going. I consider how we navigate our lives, and realize we often try to fly on our own. We hold tight to the string which holds us together, but sometimes we release too quickly, and are not prepared to know where we are going. Sometimes the string breaks, or we become lost in all that surrounds us, and we cannot return to the place where we belong…

God gives us opportunities to fly when we are ready. He lovingly holds on tight and helps us navigate, as we learn how to soar toward Him. He allows us to reach higher and higher, but we cannot get there on our own.

One of my favorite scriptures reminds me of hope that is found in God…”but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

I pray you will understand God wants you to experience His presence. I pray you will seek Him, and know Him as Lord of your life. He will help you soar on wings like the eagles, if you will trust in Him and not be afraid to let go…

Do You Know How I Feel?


Suffering is defined as “the bearing of pain or distress.” People suffer from poor health, unemployment, lack of finances, hurting relationships, and the list goes on and on. Suffering makes us feel anxious and depressed.

Depression and anxiety are the weakened threads which unravel our blanket of wholeness, and do not allow us to feel the warmth of well being.  We long to feel well, and rid ourselves of the load we carry, but often we don’t know how…

Sadly, at one time or another, we will suffer… When we do, we need to be reminded there is one who knows what we feel.

I recently heard of a pastor who went to visit the mother of a young man who had been killed in a car accident. She told the pastor she was upset with God, and said, ”He can’t begin to know how I feel…He has never had a son that died…” and then stopped, realizing what she had said.

We tend to forget God sent His Son to the world, knowing He would die a horrible death. Jesus suffered more pain than we will ever experience, and He felt many forms of suffering.

Jesus knew He would die on the cross. He felt emotional pain as He prayed to His Father and lay on the ground, asking God to allow the cup to pass Him, if that was His will. But we know, that was not the will of God and Jesus faithfully accepted His fate.

Jesus experienced relational pain. He asked His disciples to be near Him. Faithful followers of Jesus could not even stay awake and pray with Him! One named Judas, betrayed Him and helped the soldiers identify Him, as he kissed his face and greeted Jesus before He was arrested.  


Jesus experienced physical pain. When we look at pictures of Him on the cross, we typically see only a small wound on His side, but we know we should see much more! It’s hard to think about the horrible beating he sustained. He was beaten bloody and spit upon. He was mocked and forced to wear a crown of thorns upon His head…

When I watch video clips which portray this event, I want to turn my head away…I see images of Christ, suffering in a way that makes me feel guilty, unworthy of His lovingly sacrifice and grace…

I often wonder why Jesus had to endure so much suffering…I have heard it was typical to receive thirty nine lashes with a whip, but Jesus was beaten near death! As I consider this, I begin to understand …

God allowed His son to suffer horrible pain, so Jesus would know our pain as His. He suffered because He loves us. We are saved by His blood, and can find comfort in remembering He knows how we feel.

God knows our sufferings. He needs for us to realize He will hold us, as we learn to find peace in His presence. God wants to cover us with the warmth of His well being. He wants to take our worries, and weave new life through His blanket of strength.

God will lace stronger threads of peace and strength, and replace the weakened threads of depression and anxiety. We can begin to find hope through our sufferings, when we trust in Him, understanding He suffered because He loves us.

May God bless you during this Easter season and remind you, we do not suffer alone. God really does know how we feel.

God is near,
Nan

 

 
I often think about the expression “hitting rock bottom” and wonder what it means…How does one come to realize they have hit the bottom of the rocks? How do we know when we have fallen too far, or sank too deep in despair? When do we begin to realize there is hope…opportunity to climb up and out?

There will always be weights of worry, which will load us with thoughts of despair. There will be times we feel alone, and stuck in confusion of how to move ahead.

I believe many of us have fallen at some time in our lives…We fall hard, and need help to once again stand on our own. Perhaps these are times we cry to God with the loudest voice of our hearts. Perhaps these are the hopeful moments we begin to realize we need help, and finally begin to pull ourselves from where we don’t belong.

Often we don’t believe there is one who can save us. We assume we can move ahead on our own. But, what happens when we can’t? What happens when we realize we need help from God? Maybe this is the moment we “hit rock bottom” and begin to finally consider the only way up is through God’s loving grace…

Maybe God needs us to sit on the rocks for awhile, to  remind us we are not alone. Where are you right now? If you are sitting at the rock’s bottom of your life, consider if you are ready to begin to climb out. God is waiting for you to call upon Him. He can place you back where you belong, if you will seek Him, and believe He has purpose for your life.

I hope you will see what God can do, when we pray and ask Him to lift us. He already knows our needs. God sees where we are right now. He is preparing us to learn to trust in Him, so we can begin to see what is ahead.

It will take strength to climb, but God can move us. He can prepare our hearts to understand there is hope, and He can give strength to move us toward a better place.

God can help us climb up and out, and allow us to finally feel His peace, as we enter in His presence. He can pull us from the rock bottom places of our lives, where we have  been sitting much too long.

God will prepare us to discover all we have been missing in His care. Then, He will lovingly lift us, and return us to the place He knows we belong…  
 
God is near and He loves you,
Nan