COMFORT IN THE VALLEY written by Donna (Ensign) Woods

So many times in our earthly walk

God comes close to comfort and talk.

Feeling His presence, ever so near,

When we're consumed with pain and fear.

Lost in the valley of fear and doubt,

We often shiver and cry out.

In the darkness, lonely and cold,

Satan can whisper uncontrolled.

But we are protected from the evil liar

Angel wings shield us from his fire.

God walks along side to comfort,

To strengthen and support.

Providing light for each step

.....Unlocking doors, where treasures are kept.

He will lead you beside cool streams

Sharing in all your hopes and dreams.

Protecting us from the evil night,

Keeping us within His sight.

Holding us, when we've no strength to stand,

Reassuring us, when flames are fanned.

Nourishing body and soul,

When darkness takes it's tole.

We are never alone in the valley of fear

Father God is always near.

When this world is icy and cold

He's there with love to warm and hold.

Working ALL things together for good

...Even when trials cannot be understood

Finding peace as we trust God's will

.....Courage as we climb each hill.

Great mercies flow over you and me

To continually bless....and set us free.

Praying for His hedge of protection

As we journey to our destination.

Remember....."The battle belongs to the Lord"

Because YOU are so treasured and adored!!

I pray you feel His awesome touch

He loves you.....so very much !!

SAD SOUL written by Jerry Woods

This post is also by a guest writer - Jerry Woods!

When your heart aches

and sadness fills your soul

Is there anything in life

that can lift this heavy tole ?

There must be something in life

to brighten this dark soul.

Oh yes, my brother and sister dear...

A pretty smile, a kind word

a pause of time by someone near

To hear the cry of a sad soul

Even a stranger can send a message loud and clear

Fear not oh my sad friend

Because every dream and hope

has an angel near to touch your heart

and catch every fallen tear......

My Dirty Window by Jennifer Marshall

Welcome new contributor Jennifer Marshall!! We look forward to sharing more of your work.

I've been washing windows today and this has given me a lot of time to think and pray to God.

While doing so I'm thinking to myself how we are like the window (the dirty window). What does your window look like when looking through it, when others do, but more importantly what does God see?

I think about the water stains and wonder, are they like tears of others whom we have hurt and we need to go to and ask for forgiveness. Are they tears from God for our sins?

What about the bug poop? I wonder if they are spots of mud that we have slung at others in our thoughts or words of hurt, guilt, shame, jealousy? Could any of those spots be at God, when things didn't go our way, or when things have happened and we thought we could handle it without Him?

And the smudges, OH the dreaded smudges? Where we tried to wipe it clean once before and failed. Are these things we've asked God for forgiveness but haven't really repented? Or could it be where we have said we have forgiven someone or even God for something that has went wrong but we know down deep that we really haven't.

Through all of those spots and smudges, God's window to our soul is wiped clean every time we truly ask for His forgiveness. How amazing is His Love!!!

I hope you can clean your window today not for yourself but for the Lord. So the light that is within will shine through.

A Mother’s Prayer by Joyce Schafer

It is sometimes hard for younger brothers and sisters when they have a “perfect” older sibling. Can you imagine how hard it was for Jesus’ younger siblings to grow up with an older brother who was PERFECT. Not only was he PERFECT but he could walk on water and perform miracles. Were they resentful of Jesus? Did they feel that their mother loved their older brother more? Were they embarrassed by the way he hung out with sinners and did they consider him “odd” when he was doing these miracles? John 7:5 talks about how “even his own brothers did not believe in him”. Their family was spiritually divided. I can only imagine how Mary must have felt by having her beloved family torn apart by different religious beliefs. I am sure her heart was broken and I am also sure that she devoted much time praying that her family would be united.

We know that Mary was a very strong lady. Can you imagine watching your son die on the cross? She was there. I cannot imagine the pain she must have felt nor the Joy she felt when she saw Jesus when he arose. Her other children did come to believe but only after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Did they regret the time they had wasted while he was with them? They had the opportunity to ask and receive the answers to all of life’s questions and they did not take advantage of it.

We know that Jesus’ half-brother, James, did become a leader of the church in Jerusalem and even wrote a book in the New Testament. The book of James is one of the easiest books in the bible to understand and one of the hardest to apply in our lives. I think James wrote such practical advice because he had lived it first hand. He knew what it was like to go from a non-believer to a believer. He not only knew what to do but he also knew how to apply it to his life.

Acts 1:14 reads "They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers." Mary’s prayers were finally answered.

Surrounded by Beauty by Tana LeMay

I love pretty things – clothing, jewelry, furniture, flowers, pictures….the list goes on and on. I believe God gives each of us an appreciation for beauty, whether it be manmade or crafted by God’s own hands. To some, myself not included, He gives the ability to create beauty in stories, songs, poetry, and art. To all He gives the ability to enjoy His creation and created things through our senses. With our eyes we gaze in wonder as a rainbow fills the horizon. The sweet aroma of lilacs on a summer breeze tickles our nose. A child’s giggle is sweet music to a mother’s ear. And does anything taste better than warm apple pie? Or feel softer than a baby’s skin? We don’t have to run to the nearest mall or museum to find beauty. If we look hard enough, we can find it in each moment.

¹³ For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. ¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139: 13-14.

Pasta Does Not Equal Peace by Susan Shull

A couple of weeks ago, I drug my poor husband to see the new Julia Roberts movie, Eat, Pray, Love, based on a book by the same name. Since I had read the book and like Julia Roberts, I really wanted to see the movie. I knew Brad was in trouble when we entered the theater and we were surrounded by lots of sweet white haired ladies and one or two of their husbands. He was a good sport, as usual, and we settled in. After watching Julia look for happiness and peace by eating her way through Italy and worshiping her guru in India, Brad poked me and asked if it was ever going to end. Meanwhile, I was squirming around in my seat trying to get comfortable on my bad hip, wondering the same!

The movie did come to a conclusion, Julia found love in Bali, and I have been thinking about it off and on ever since. I won’t bore you with all the details, but, in my opinion, it all boiled down to the struggle between earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom. Mark has been preaching a series in the book of James and a couple of weeks ago spoke about just that struggle. Why do we listen to man trying to tell the world the right way to do things? It only takes a nanosecond to look around and see the emotional and physical results of trying to do things man’s way. The whole notion of political correctness is the perfect example of the mess we can get ourselves into when we do things man’s way. Addictions to drugs, food, sex, video games, pornography, the internet. Dead-beat dads, moms who don’t put their kids first, abortions, stressed out families, financial burdens, me-first thinking. Feelings of unhappiness, being unfulfilled, worshipping created things instead of the Creator. What has happened to us?

Job 28: 12-28 has advice about wisdom….true wisdom. I implore you to read the whole thing, but verses 12, 13, and 28 sum it up pretty well.

“But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? Man does not comprehend its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living. T he fear of the Lord-that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”

Hmmmm……I hope one day I get to travel to Italy and feast on authentic Italian food. I would like to go to India on a mission trip, and Bali would be a delightful destination, but I don’t need to go to these places in search of the meaning of life. I can find that in the pages of my Bible, in conversations with my heavenly Father, and in living in community with my other brothers and sisters in Christ at Scott Avenue Christian Church.

Are both your oars in the water? By Theresa Zuber

One of the first sermons that our son, Andy preached was on “Faith and Deeds.” He had an illustration that I have never forgotten. A man was trying to explain how faith and deeds work together. He got into a small boat and rowed out a ways from the shore. “Pretend that this oar is faith” he said as he used just one of the oars to paddle. The boat turned in a clockwise circle. “This is the progress a man makes when he lives on faith alone.” As he put down the first oar, he picked up the second. He began to row on the opposite side of the boat. “This is what it looks like when a man lives on deeds alone.” The boat began to turn in counter-clockwise circles on the water. “But” the man said, as he picked up both oars, “When you use the two together, they complement one another.” As the man rowed the boat back to shore he stated, “With both faith and deeds working together, you can accomplish something for God.”

James 2:¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? ¹⁵Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”

The footnote for James 2:14 in my Life Application Bible says, “True faith transforms our conduct as well as our thoughts. If our lives remain unchanged, we don’t truly believe the truths we claim to believe.”

In Philippians 3:2,3 the early Christians were having a hard time getting past the old law and the mentality of earning a place with God. My footnote there says, “What believers do is a result of faith, not a prerequisite to faith… God values the attitude of our hearts above all else…God notices all you do for him and will reward you for it, but ONLY if it comes as a loving response to his free gift of salvation.”

Ephesians 2 ^{8 ”}For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

God’s wants us to be so blown away by our salvation that we feel compelled to do good in His name. Our normal response should be an outpouring of gratitude to God that manifests itself in such works as serving others, showering love on others, sharing the gospel with those who don’t understand, encouraging fellow Christians & building his kingdom.

When my children were small, they argued with each other. Sometimes if it got loud enough, or rough enough, I would step in and calm things down. Usually I would demand that they apologize to each other. You’ve heard it before. “SORRY!”-- Said with feeling (except that the feeling is “I don’t want to be apologizing to you, YOU JERK!”) I repeatedly told them that an apology is not enough, there has to be actions to match the words. The apology was worthless unless it was meaningful. It is the same with our faith. Deeds give truth and fullness to our words of faith in God and Christ Jesus.

And like all great scriptures, it ties in with others and bleeds over into other areas. Paul instructs us that faith also works hand in hand with love; that even the greatest, mountain-moving faith is worthless without love. “1 Corinthians 13 ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”

God, I am so blown away by you. Completely in awe that you would choose me. Me. Why – I don’t know, but I’m SO thankful that you did. And now, I can’t do enough for you. Not to try to pay you back, for there’s NO PRICE I could pay that would match the price your son paid for me. I do what I can because I love you. And just maybe, the “things” I do will draw others to you, also. And that would be a gift I would be honored to lay at your feet.

Late Summer Rain by Donna (Ensign) Woods

A sweet, soothing late Summer rain...

To caress and ease your pain.

Renews your strength to cope

Refreshes your sense of hope.

Washing away stressful care,

As it cleanses mind and air.

Sweet, soothing late Summer rain....

Hypnotic with it's gentle refrain

The treasured scent it brings

...As all nature sings

Hearts slowly beat with ease

While rain drops cool and tease.

It gently washes away....

The dust of a tiring day.

Blessings fall from the sky

...Tears of joy the angels cry...

Oh such sweet delight

...A lullaby for the night.

Music to my ear

...As Father God stands near.

Washing the remnant of Summer away

....And ushers in a blessed Fall day.

God---Like a Grandparent? By Joyce Schafer

Are you like me and find it easy to pray for the BIG stuff but forget to pray for the LITTLE problems you experience every day? I have no trouble thanking God for the big miracles he performs but forget to show my gratitude for the multitude of small blessings I receive on a daily basis. I have to keep reminding myself that God wants to be a part of my life everyday and he wants to give me blessings all the time.
I have finally come to realize that God‘s feelings for me are a lot like my feelings for my grandchildren. I want to be a part of their lives in all things that they do whether it is ball games, band concerts, or any of their other interests and not just at birthdays or Christmas. I want to be in the stands cheering them on just like God is in heaven cheering us on. All my grandkids have to do is give me a call and they know that I will try to be there. All we have to do with God is just let him know we want and need him to be a part of our lives every day and in every way and he WILL be there.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

SNAKES, SIN, AND SATAN (ssss…..) by Dena Wilkinson

In May on Memorial Day weekend, Mark, Scott and I traveled to Missouri to spend time with my mother-in-law Grace. It was a "working weekend" with Mark, Scott and Uncle "Chops" putting in a 16' cattle gate. I had made plans to walk down to the creek and lounge in the sun most of the weekend. That was BEFORE Mark told me about the snakes Grace had killed prior to our arrival.
I've been going to the cabin with Mark for the past 26 years, but this year was the first time I felt so skittish about the snakes. Besides the snakes being on my mind, it seemed that every bug known to Missouri was residing in the 83-year-old cabin. Mark thought it was funny, but I wasn't laughing and Scott wasn't laughing (I love that boy!) because, as he put it, "I'm really not that much into nature this time."
Despite my fears that I was going to step on a copperhead, I really did want to see one – from a distance, of course. Sunday after church, we headed to the cemetery to place flowers at the gravesites of Mark's dad and other family members. Then we headed to Potosi to visit the Old Mines Baptist Cemetery, where Mark's great-grandparents are buried. But due to the high grass, even Mark wouldn't venture into the potential snake haven. I wanted to get as close as I could in order to read the inscriptions, so I stepped out of the truck and put my foot down and immediately screamed, only to realize the "snake" that I stepped on was merely a large seed pod that happened to wiggle when I placed my foot on it. After Scott and I positioned our hearts back in their appropriate places, we had a good chuckle over it. But, the damage was done; we both were quite unnerved by that time.
On Monday, Mark and Grace cleared a path to the natural spring. I tried to convince Scott to walk down with me, but lucky for him Grace came out of the cabin just then and asked if he wanted to go with her to get some gas for the mowers. He grinned at me and quickly said yes to her. (My love for him was quickly waning!)
So I bit the bullet and headed down to the spring by myself, cautiously watching for any snakes. Naturally, every twig and branch looked like a poisonous reptile. As I made my way through the woods, I was suddenly struck by a profound thought, which literally stopped me in my tracks: Snakes=Satan=Sin. Here I had spent the whole weekend on the lookout for snakes, trying to avoid any areas where they might be hiding, but in my own personal life I could not remember trying to avoid sin quite as diligently! The thought of stepping on a snake or even getting within inches of one had me feeling uncomfortable and unnerved. Yet, I had to question the last time I purposely went out of my way to avoid a confrontation or temptation with sin. It's not that I look for ways to sin; I am just not on the lookout for them as I was with the snakes. I felt ashamed of that fact, and I resolved to be more aware of my day-to-day surroundings where temptation might strike when I least suspect it. Paul, in an almost amusing verbiage, described his attempt to avoid sin this way in Romans 7:
16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Above The Clouds by Vaneta Andrews

In the darkest corner of my life, I keep believing because … without belief there is no hope, there is no light!

It seems as if there has been a dark cloud hanging over our family this summer … following us around. Yet there is hope! God made these promises:
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9.
“For the Lord your God is a merciful God – he will not abandon or destroy you …” Deuteronomy 4:31 “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

As I sat in a hotel in Springfield on July 31 I started my journal with “Here I sit alone.” But God was quick to remind me that I was not truly alone. God has been with me (us) every step of the way! From wise doctors, to amazing nurses, to quick answers from disability, to generous family and friends.

I will admit … it hasn’t always been easy to see God in our circumstances but as I look back He has been there! He always is!! We just have to open ourselves up to Him; to see Him and feel Him!

They say that every cloud has a silver lining. Well I don’t know about your clouds but mine are paved with gold!

“It’s hard to see the light in the midst of the storm. But remember, just beyond the cloud cover is an amazing sight. Today allow God to show you life from His perspective.” (Quiet Moments with God Devotional Journal for Women, Feb 28)
I pray you will always see and feel God in all your circumstances!