Month: May 2022

I Heard Him Say…

This morning as I was sitting outside on the patio, I felt led to be still and hear from God before starting any activities of the day. I had already said my morning prayers, but I was wanting more time with my Father. It had rained some yesterday and it is expected to rain some more today, so I knew I would not be outside for very long. I have mentioned in a previous post that I enjoy my time on the patio. A portion of the patio is open and another small portion is covered. Due to the dampness from the rain, I had to sit in the covered portion this morning. My view is pretty much the same no matter where I choose to sit.

It was so very quiet and peaceful. Maybe because it was so early. I didn’t hear any birds chirping; I didn’t hear any noise from lawn mowers and, I didn’t hear any cars driving on the streets nearby. I said God, I am listening for You. As I sat there, I heard a noise coming from the left of me and I saw a squirrel. Because of how quiet it was, I could hear the squirrel climbing a pine tree on the property next to my house. I could actually hear the sound its little paws made as they tapped on the bark of the tree for it to climb to the nearest branch. Then a male cardinal landed on my fence and it rested there for a minute or so before flying away. It is not unusual for me to see cardinals in my backyard, but each time, I feel so blessed to see such a beautiful bird. After the cardinal flew away, something caught my attention to the right of my yard. It was a small rabbit and as it hopped closer to the fence, I noticed how much its color blended in with the color of the wooden fence. I must have made a noise or movement, because this little creature appeared to freeze in that spot for the longest time. It was still for so long I was beginning to wonder if I really saw it. As I stood up just to make sure I wasn’t imagining that it was there, the little rabbit dashed off between the fence posts and was no longer in my yard.

As I sat there listening for God, it started to rain. It was a light rain. I noticed the rain drops as they landed on the patio table. I noticed the rain drops as they landed on the potted plants and the plants in my garden area. I could hear the rain drops fall. It was then that I thanked God for talking with me and blessing me to hear Him. I heard Him in the steps of the squirrel climbing the tree. I heard Him in the landing of the cardinal on the fence and I heard Him with the rabbit being still in the grass. And, I heard Him in the rain drops!

I heard Him say I Am your Creator, I Am your Protector and I Am your Provider. I heard Him say I will never leave you or forsake you. I heard Him say be still and know that I AM God!

It is so amazing what we hear from God when we actually take the time to be still and listen.

****************************

Father, thank You for waking me up to see this new day. I thank You for allowing me to hear how You care for me in so many ways. Thank You for being mindful of me. If you take care of the squirrel climbing the tree, the cardinal landing on the fence and the rabbit being still in the yard, why would You not take care of me? If you send the rain to water the plants, why would You not take care of me? Thank You for blessing me with food, shelter and clothing. I thank You for Your constant watch and care over me, my family and my friends. I thank You for keeping me safe from dangers seen and unseen. I praise You for being my Creator, my Protector and my Provider. I thank You for being all I need! In Jesus’ name, amen!

*****************************

Psalm 111:4-5(GNT): “The LORD does not let us forget his wonderful actions; he is kind and merciful. He provides food for those who honor him; he never forgets his covenant.”

Psalm 8:3-4(GNT): “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”

Psalm 139:14(NIV): “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Psalm 46:10(NIV): “He says be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

John 10:27-28(NIV): “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one shall snatch them out of my hand.”

Posted on in Encouragement

You Are Loved!

Happy Mother’s Day!

This morning as I was finishing up my prayer time, I heard the LORD say be still a minute. As I stayed on my knees, what I heard in my spirit was these 3 words, “You are loved.” This brought tears to my eyes because as Mother’s Day approaches, for some of us, it is not always a day of joyous celebrations. A feeling of heaviness has been tugging on my heart most of this week, because I’ve been through some disappointments or known others dealing with so many different emotions that try to hinder us from celebrating this particular holiday.

As the day approaches and plans are being made for Mother’s Day, some are dealing with the loss of a mother or the loss of a child, whether it is a recent loss or years ago. This past week I’ve seen numerous social media posts of friends wishing their mothers or children were still here with them to celebrate Mother’s Day. There are some women who are dealing with not being able to conceive a child or not being able to carry a child full term. Others are dealing with growing older and not being able to start a family. Some are dealing with children who have distanced themselves from their families. Some are dealing with children who constantly get into trouble. Some mothers are wondering, if they will receive a call or text just to acknowledge it is Mother’s Day! And, some are even dealing with broken relationships with their own mothers.

So many different emotions can be triggered on Mother’s Day, and as with any holiday, this day can be a bittersweet day. So if you are struggling with any sadness or disappointment on this Mother’s Day, be encouraged. Be encouraged, because God wants you to know that “you are loved!” On this day and every day, He blesses us with His love because He is love. He loves us in spite of our circumstances and He loves us in the midst of our sadness and disappointments.

You are loved by your Father in heaven and He celebrates you and comforts you on this Mother’s Day.

*****************

Father, we thank You. We thank You for protecting us through the night and waking us up to see a new day. We thank You for this Mother’s Day and we trust You to guide us through the day. We thank you for mothers who are joyously celebrating this day and we pray for those who are dealing with bittersweet emotions. We thank You for all mothers. Father, we look to You to comfort our hearts and give us peace. Heal our hearts and help us to forgive; wipe away every tear that falls. Father, we look to You to protect our families and to restore relationships. We can’t thank You enough for your precious thoughts towards us. Father, thank You for reminding us that we are loved and most importantly that no matter the circumstances, we are loved by You! In Jesus’ precious name, Amen!

John 4:16 NIV: “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

Psalm 136:26 NIV: “Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.”

Zephaniah 3:17 GNT: “For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

Psalm 139: 17-18 NLT: “How precious are your thoughts about me, God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!”

“You Are Loved”