Marydean Draws: joy

Showing posts with label joy. Show all posts

When you think of God, do you think of His infinite joy, and the delight he takes in his good creation, including you?

I'm slowly reading through Dallas Willard's The Divine Conspiracy.** You'll probably be hearing a lot about it here as I work through it.

I was reading this week about how God is characterized by joy. Willard writes,

"Undoubtedly, [God] is the most joyous being in the universe. The abundance of his love and generosity is inseparable from his infinite joy. All of the good and beautiful things from which we occasionally drink tiny droplets of soul-exhilarating joy, God continuously experiences in all their breadth and depth and richness."

Imagine the way your heart swells at the sight of some beautiful created thing--your child's laugh, a starry night, the profile of your loved one, or just a tiny brilliant blue wildflower. That's just a taste of the joy our all-seeing Creator God experiences continually (and our delight reflects how we are made in his image, right?).

I was illustrating this verse yesterday for a new set of Advent coloring pages:

"He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:15-17, ESV)

Now imagine the joy of the Trinity, the Son holding all things together, all things made through Him and for Him. The Father delighting in the Son and His Creation. The Spirit pouring out God's love into our hearts, taking what is Jesus' and declaring it to us (see Romans 5:5 and John 16:14).

The Trinity is not stingy with its joy. Father, Son, and Spirit invite us in:

"If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." (John 15:10-11 ESV)

I know this all might sound "up in the clouds," but Willard argues that what and how we think about God is essential for life right now. He writes, "To trust in God, we need a rich and accurate way of thinking and speaking about him to guide and support our life vision and our will."

I'm praying we understand Him better today and in Him, find great joy and purpose.

Today's screensaver is from a little square painting I did for an Instagram challenge last month and the words of Psalm 16:11 (I've illustrated a Scripture card freebie of this verse before here). You can download your screensaver by saving the image below.*

p.s. I'm listening to Lauren Daigle's new album, are you?

PRAYING the Word

Father, help me see you clearly. Help me look up when life is overwhelming and dark. Spirit, reveal the riches of the Father to me and the "inexpressible gift" of God's grace that gives me "all sufficiency in all things at all times" so that I can "abound in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8).

QUESTIONS to consider:

1. Do you think of God as being filled with joy?

2. What does God take joy in? (see also Psalm 18:19; Zephaniah 3:17)

3. How does the truth about God's joy and delight affect you today?

*I'm so happy for you to enjoy my coloring pages and printables for your personal (not commercial) use! Use for Bible studies, church groups or events, and Sunday school classes are all fine! If you're in doubt, I'm happy to answer any questions. All artwork and photos are copyright Marydean Draws. If you share this, you're awesome (!), and as a courtesy, please link back to this post and not the PDF file. Thank you!!

**affiliate link. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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October 3, 2018

The joy of God + a Psalm 16:11 Screensaver

I typically take December off from blogging, but before I do, I wanted to share this December screensaver and printable Christmas coloring page with you!

This image is also available in the shop as a printable 8 x 10" print and Christmas card set (along with other fun new designs)!

You can download your coloring page HERE or by clicking on the image below! You can get your screensaver by right-clicking on the second image below, saving to your phone, and then setting it as your screensaver.*

Joy to the World Christmas Carol coloring page

I'm praying we find joy in what is truly valuable this advent!

Here are a few Christmas posts from the past you might want to check out:
MERRY (EARLY) CHRISTMAS + THE GREATEST GIFTS TREASURE BOX PRINTABLE
ARTISTS I ADMIRE + MY FAVORITE FREE ART YOU CAN GIFT THIS CHRISTMAS
SIMPLE AND FUN THINGS I WANT TO TRY WITH MY KIDS THIS ADVENT
ON MY CHRISTMAS WISH LIST: BOOKS!
THE LONGING HEART

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December 5, 2017

Joy to the World Christmas Coloring Page and Screensaver

I can't think on much of anything more astounding than the sovereignty and patience of God in completing His plan for us.

"It is finished" was the final cry of Jesus on the cross as He surrendered up His human spirit.

Every prophecy was fulfilled.

A perfectly righteous life lived.

Every sin paid for.

The great enemies (Satan, death, and sin) defeated.

The veil (symbolic and physical) separating God and man torn (Matthew 27:50-51).

If "it is finished," where does that leave you and me?

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Rom 8:1 ESV)

"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." (Colossians 2:13-15 ESV)

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:19-23 ESV)

"But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code." (Rom 7:6 ESV)

I could go on and on, recounting all that is ours in Christ.

"For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:16-17 ESV)

Today's printable Bible verse coloring page is from John 19:30. You can download your page HERE in English or HERE in Spanish or by clicking on the image below!*

PRAYING the Word

Jesus, I want to grab hold of the joy that is mine in the work you finished on the cross. My heart can be so cold to glorious things. Forgive me. Thank you that I can draw near to you in full assurance of faith. Help me to serve you in the "new way of the Spirit," because you met the law's demands for me.

QUESTIONS to consider:

1. What did Jesus purchase on the cross for you that you find most comforting today?
2. What did Jesus purchase on the cross for us that might be good news for someone else today?

Scripture is from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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April 12, 2017

It is finished + John 19:30 Easter Bible Verse Coloring Page (English + Spanish)

My son, who is now one, is beginning to love little hiding places. When I take him into the bathroom with me (because that's what moms of curious walking one-year-olds must do, right?), he crawls into the empty cabinet under the sink and shuts the doors. Another favorite place is the space in the corner of our living room behind our Ikea lounge chair.

There's something comforting about being tucked into a secret place, unless you are claustrophobic like me, and start to hyperventilate if I have to crawl under a bed . . . but I digress.

I find there's a theme running through the Bible of the secret place where God delights to meet us. Yes, knowing God and worshipping God is a communal thing. I know God so much more as I experience Him with my community of people. But God is also intensely personal and longs to meet us, not a closet or a cupboard, but a space in our souls.

Here are some Scripture I think about:

Psalm 63:7 "Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings."

Psalm 27:5 "For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock."

Psalm 31:20 "In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues."
Matthew 6:6 "But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

And isn't that the point of our devotional life, to shut the door on everything going on around us, and meet with our loving and generous Father in the place where we are tucked up under His wings?

Don't you long for that? It's not an obligation or an item to be checked off. And I don't think it's something God shakes His head over if we miss (like I often imagine). He loves us. He longs to bring us in out of the harsh world for rest, to speak sweet truth and comfort to us.

Isaiah 30:15 "For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling,"

So many times I have been "unwilling," but still He invites me in by His grace. And by His grace, He does the same for you, friend.

Here's today's printable coloring page (usage below*)! You can download it HERE or by clicking on the image below. This verse is one of a new set of "dark days" printable Scripture cards just added to my shop (see below).

Psalm 63:7 Printable coloring page "Because you have been my help, therefore in the shadow of your wings I will rejoice."

"Dark Days" Printable Scripture Cards + Greeting Card

"Character" Printable Scripture Cards + Coloring Pages

*I'm so happy for you to enjoy my coloring pages and printables for your personal (not commercial) use! All artwork and photos are copyright Marydean Draws. If you share this, you're awesome (!), and as a courtesy, please link back to this post and not the PDF file. Thank you!!

If you like this, you can get these posts in your inbox by signing up HERE! You'll also receive occasional news from my Etsy shop.

February 25, 2016

The secret place + Printable Shadow of your wings coloring page

I have been crucified with Christ Galatians 2:20 printable bible verse coloring page

God is up to something in me. I feel a particular strain of truth hitting me from several directions and I'm wading in the deep of it. We have just started a study of Galatians in our community group. I'm reading Elyse Fitzpatrick's "Good News for Weary Women: escaping the bondage of to-do lists, steps, and bad advice," I had a conversation about judging and grace with my friend Katie over lunch leftovers last week while the kids ran amok.

My heart if yearning for freedom, but sometimes it seems just out of reach. I told my husband the other day that often when I finally get the kids to bed, I feel a wave of guilt--guilt that I didn't love them enough or enjoy them enough or cherish them enough that day.

And isn't that what everyone is telling me I should do--cherish every moment because babies don't keep and one day I'll miss them? It's true, I know it, but I just can't do . . . enough.

The "not enoughs" hit me from many different directions--mostly springing from my own heart, but sometimes from the "shoulds" I pick up all around me.

Have you seen the phrase "you are enough" lately? I keep seeing it. I'm sure it's meant with with the sweetest of intentions of encouraging weary women, but is there real freedom found in just telling yourself that no matter how you feel, you really are enough of whatever you're striving for?

"You're enough, you're awesome, you're the best," That's what I want to hear when I complain to my husband about my feelings of failure, but what amount of affirmation will convince me that it's true? (By the way, I thrive on encouragement and am not saying we shouldn't encourage each other).

I'm digging deep here because I think there's a greater freedom that Jesus is calling us to than mere self-affirmation--a bigger, wide open space of grace than the cozy, but smothering, dens we dig for ourselves.

G.K. Chesterton argued that Christians are the only ones that can be both ultimate pessimists and ultimate optimists at the same time. I'm going to be a bit of both here, so please stick with me.

I think the truth is that "enough" is a myth. It's a fuzzy standard that we constantly strive for, but never quite arrive at. We want to be . . .
Attractive enough.
Wife enough.
Healthy enough.
Mama enough.
Friend enough.
Business-savvy enough.
Ambitious enough.
Humble enough.
Christian enough.

I know painful things come to mind when I think of my not-enoughs, but here's where we get optimistic!

God created you and shaped you in His image, made to worship, work, and glorify Him. But you are broken, never enough, never able to be justified or okay in His eyes. So He sent His perfect Son, who lived a perfect life, and died to take the penalty of our lifetime of not-enoughs. Elyse Fitzpatrick defines justification as "just as if I had never sinned," but also "just as if I had always obeyed."

Jesus met all the demands of the perfect Father. He was the "enough-est" anyone will ever be or ever has to be, so that you would be accepted into His presence by GRACE ALONE through FAITH ALONE.

When you put your faith in Him, He transforms you by His Spirit into a new creation who can now live by faith in Him.

Maybe you know all these things. Maybe you know them like you know other planets way beyond our own exist. But when was the last time you stared into a telescope and caught your breath at the sight of tiny Saturn and its icy rings, not just flattened in a science book, but curved and round, existing in real time? Are you a believer in your head, but a functional atheist?

God does not demand that you be enough, and He doesn't tell you that you are enough. He gives the gift of "enough" in His Son. All that remains is that you believe it.

"You are enough" says "Look at how wonderful you are and be satisfied."

"He is enough" says "Look how wonderful Jesus is and be satisfied." See the subtle difference that actually makes all the difference?

Drink that, that pure water of the Gospel, and you're free. Dilute it just a little bit with trying to be "enough" by any means except the perfect life and sacrifice of Jesus, and it's like drinking salt water.

But where does this leave us? Slavery to rules wasn't fun, but at least we knew what to do! How do we function as free people? We shift uncomfortably at the thought of living without our enoughs. Will be get spiritually lazy? Will we become self-absorbed and uncaring?

God's grace places us squarely on a launch pad to serve Jesus from a grateful, joyful heart, in Spirit-powered ways that He has ordained for us to walk in.

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

We are set free, not to be domineered by our our own flesh-hampered spirits, but by the sweet Spirit of God, which is true freedom! We can submit our spirits to happy slavery to His. We can shake off all excess expectations, and walk in the new way of the Spirit, dead to ourselves, alive in Christ.

"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." Galatians 5:13

What if we stopped carrying around the burden and unnecessary pain of our "not enoughs"? Life is hard enough without that extra weight. We were called to freedom.

"If it for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

I love how the Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, was so passionate that his people stand firm in grace and resist those who would lay extra laws on them. He writes, "to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you." (Galatians 2:5).

What if we did not for one moment give into the burden of living up to "enoughs"? What if we stood stubbornly in the truth of the Gospel, refusing any ground? I think we could turn the world upside-down!

I know this will be a struggle for us until we get to heaven, friends. But even in our struggles, there is grace. We can always restart at grace with Jesus. Isn't that beautiful?

Today, I'm sharing a printable Bible verse coloring page from Galatians. It's so deep, I don't think I understand it all, so it's one to meditate on. Here are some questions we can ask about it:

What does it mean to be crucified with Christ?
What is different about someone who has been "crucified with Christ"?
What does it mean to "live by faith"?
Jesus "loved you" and "gave Himself for you." How does that make you feel?

You can download the file HERE or click on the image above (usage below*).

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January 28, 2016

My not enough manifesto + Crucified with Christ Printable Coloring Page

The Greatest Gifts Already Given Christmas Box Printable Marydean Draws

I know it looks like I've gotten my blog posts all mixed up and have skipped Thanksgiving, but I promise this is right on time!

I have a very vivid memory of one Christmas as a child. I must have been in about third grade. It was evening on Christmas day and I was curled up in the corner of my bedroom feeling completely deflated. It hadn't been magical. The gifts I got were nice, but maybe slightly disappointing (I don't remember them). I hadn't fully celebrated this day and now I'd have to wait a whole year to try again!

Then a song came over the radio, something about Jesus. A spark of joy returned. A truth to set my emotions on began to take root: Jesus is always something to celebrate.

With all the hype and build-up swirling around us this next month, how can we slow down our hearts and fix our eyes on the One who never disappoints?

In Jesus, we have great joy.
In Jesus, we have purpose (to know Him and make Him known).
In Jesus, we have peace (through His Spirit: John 14:27).
In Jesus, we have rest (Matthew 11:28-30).
In Jesus, we have comfort and help (John 14:26).
In Jesus, we have hope.
In Jesus, we have love.
In Jesus, we have unending grace and forgiveness.

Instead of gifts under our Christmas tree, a few years ago we started putting a little box that says "the greatest gift has already been given." That's all we put under the tree until Christmas morning when we put the kids' actual presents out. They love stuff (any stuff really), and presents are the topic of conversation basically all year, so this has helped to not feed that obsession. It was a really simple physical reminder for us.

This year, I made a printable "greatest gifts" treasure box for you to print already colored or to color yourself. The box shows the the Trinity, a symbol for the new heart and new Spirit (Ezekiel 36:26) God gives, and a symbol for the gift of being made part of God's family and the Church (Romans 12:4-5; John 1:12).

I've been thinking about how God, in His triune self, has always given us . . . Himself. He gives Himself as our Father and King. He gives Himself as the Son, the sacrifice and Redeemer. And He gives His Holy Spirit to dwell in us, to teach, and to comfort us (John 14:26).

There's something so beautiful about the doctrine of the Trinity, and all three Persons at work as One for our good that astounds me in a way I didn't understand in earlier years.

By the way, I don't think we should shy away from talking about the Trinity with our kids just because it's hard to grasp. The element of faith has to come in (a God-given element). Rather than delve into complicated analogies, I like to explain the doctrine of the trinity in simple terms ("God is One God in three persons. He's not three gods, but three persons, each with a different job or role, but all one or unified. God in three Persons is how He has always existed."). Then I like to point out any time we see the "persons" of God in Scripture working together. I even make a little trinity mark (like a triangle) next to any such reference in my Bible. We use the Good News Story cards from my Etsy shop for Bible memory and many of those verses show the persons of the Trinity at work (such as John 1:1,3-4; John 1:14; John 14:6; John 14:26; Matthew 28:19-20).

I'll post some photos on my Instagram account of our boxes in action after my kiddos do theirs in the next week or so! I printed mine on white cardstock. The box folds together simply and only requires a few pieces of tape (or can be glued together).

You can download the black and white box template HERE.

You can download the full-color box template HERE. (usage below*)

One last thing!

I feel like it's so hard to get to know someone over the internet, so I decided to make a completely awkward and unedited video just for you to close out my blogging year. (By the way, I do wear make-up and wash my hair occasionally, but today wasn't one of the days). So, just pretend you're sitting cross-legged on the carpet with me in my living room while the baby blasts his toy truck, and we'll chat over a cup of coffee . . .

Oh, and happy thanksgiving too! I'm thankful for you.

*I'm so happy for you to enjoy my coloring pages and printables for your personal (not commercial) use! All artwork and photos are ã Marydean Draws. Please share freely by posting a link back to this blog post. Please don't repost the actual file. If you share this, you're awesome (!), and as a courtesy, please link back to this post and not the PDF file. Thank you!!

If you like this, you can get these posts in your inbox by signing up HERE! You'll also receive occasional news from my Etsy shop.

Christmas printables in the shop:

November 24, 2015

Merry (early) Christmas + The Greatest Gifts Treasure Box Printable

Marydean Draws Printable Joy Scripture Cards

My mother-in-law asked me to create this joy Scripture card set for a church event recently. We love how they turned out, so we're sharing them with you today!

I love these verses because they remind me of our joy source:

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit." Psalm 51:12

"Let all who take refuge in you be glad, Let them ever sing for joy." Psalm 5:11

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; in your right hand there are pleasures forever." Psalm 16:11

"With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." Isaiah 12:3

Did you catch that? Joy is found in God's presence and His salvation. What reliable sources!

Enjoy these cards! They're great for posting on the refrigerator, slipping in a card to a friend, taping on a mirror, or putting in a frame. To cut in fours, make cuts at the 4.25 and 5.5 inch marks.

You can download the file HERE! All my printables are free for your personal use. Please don't re-post the actual file without my permission (but please feel free to link to this post)!

I also have other card sets just like this available in my Etsy shop! You can check out more free printables here. What Scripture sets or printables would be helpful for you to have?

If you like this, you can get these posts in your inbox by signing up HERE! You'll also receive occasional news from my Etsy shop.

September 17, 2015

The JOY source + FREE printable Scripture cards

We just returned from vacation happy, but exhausted. As I walked around the house, I saw the many chores filling up the days ahead--the vacuuming, the dishes, the homeschool room that needs to be set up, the laundry, and the poop incident in the tub.

And inside I complained.

As I sat and watched the baby in his high chair after dinner, I felt God gently prompt me to thank Him. Here in front of me was the child I dearly wanted and was graciously given! Here was the child whose birth I worried over--alive and well!

And here I sat in my air-conditioned house that we also prayed for over two years ago--and were graciously given.

The sounds of my TWO other healthy children filled the house. And then there's my husband, a gift given at age 28 when I longed to be married. Almost eight years later, here we are, still married and still growing in grace.

Those are things I can see. What of the huge rescue plan God set forth before creation to make us His own? What of God becoming flesh, giving His blood to make us fit for Him? What of the gift of the Spirit's continual presence and comfort? What of the miracles God is working in my heart as He changes me "from glory to glory"?

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18

I'm in need of a workout in thankfulness! I'm out of shape and suffering for it. Why is it such a battle to be thankful?

I'm reminded of this verse from Romans 1, the chapter that describes our human descent into sin as we push away God's reign:

"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened." Romans 1:21

Did you catch the part about thankfulness? Our rebellious nature does not want to honor God or give thanks to Him. And even though I love God and He has redeemed me from slavery to sin, my flesh remains, needing to be put to death over and over (Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5).

I pray and worry over things, and as soon as God comes through, I go on to the next worry. Now that I have a healthy baby, I worry about keeping him alive. Now that we've returned safely from our road trip, I'm onto the next fear.

When will my heart ever be grateful to my Provider if I keep this up?

When will I finally rest in the knowledge of His goodness?

For He is good after all. And He promises that He works all things for the good of those who love Him. But do we have eyes to see this good?

Consider this verse:

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." Romans 8:28-29

Could it be that if we loved God more and embraced what He calls "good" and HIS purposes for us--being conformed to the image of Jesus--"all things" in life would be fodder for thanksgiving?

What if God's "good" for us involves a certain amount of pressure, for what thing is "conformed" to another image without pressure? Can we be thankful even under pressure today knowing that it makes us more like the Son?

When we let God define our good, and give Him thanks, our hearts become positioned to see EVERY BLESSING.

God, forgive me for missing the beautiful view of your faithful love, your faithful conforming, your faithful provisions, and your gracious gift of salvation. God, help me hold dearly to the greatest gift you've given me--YOURSELF. Help me give thanks in it all today, because You are always up to something good!

We've been singing "Ever Be" around the house and at church lately (or as Anna calls it "Never Be"). Let's sing it out to our faithful God today!

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July 29, 2015

The Thankful View

I was out this past Saturday for my baby shower and my oldest daughter asked my husband what he planned to do that day. "I don't have any plans really," he said.

"Mommy always has a plan," she replied.

She knows her mama well. I'm a task person. I make lists. I keep a detailed planner. I like thinking up projects around the house. Sometimes this is a benefit to my family, and sometimes it's a strain.

But God is slowing me down these days. At 36 weeks pregnant, my ankles swell when I'm on my feet for long. I get tired by lunchtime. I have limited patience, limited energy. I know the challenges will only change with life with a newborn.

But I think this is a gift, these limitations.

You see, I think God is showing me that my busyness is often running ahead of the pace of the Holy Spirit. I can't BE like Jesus because I'm so busy DOING things, trying to solve problems, thinking too much, attempting too much.

Galatians 5:25 says, "If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit." I have always pictured this verse as me running and scrambling to try to keep up with the swiftly moving Spirit. Have you? "Catch up slow poke! Get in the game!" And maybe this is the case at times. But what if keeping up with the Spirit can also mean slowing my steps to match His?

Joni Eareckson Tada, a woman intimately familiar with a forced slow-down (a quadriplegic since a teenager), says about this verse in a post here:

"The meaning here is not about keeping pace, as if the Spirit were racing ahead and we'd better hurry up and keep up with him; rather, it has to do with measuring one's moments in a circumspect way.... the implication here is lining ourselves up with the Spirit day by day, hour by hour. Keeping life on a short leash ... step by step, Lamentations Chapter 3 says that God's strength, his mercy is available one day at a time . . . . The environment in which to learn how to be content is a world of minutes and moments and very small steps. As someone once said, "When life isn't the way you like it, like it the way it is" - one day, one hour at a time... with Christ. And you will be blessed."

I'm reading Unbroken and in it, Louie Zamperini is stranded at sea for 47 days after his bomber crashes. He discovers that for the first time in life, he's able to think and carry out thoughts for hours at a time. For the first time He is impressed with the knowledge of a Creator as he stares up at the stars from his life raft. He begins to see this terrible time as a strange gift. (I'm completely fascinated by this book, by the way).

I'm catching a small glimpse of this in the gift of my current limitations. And I suspect that God will be using various circumstances my whole life to "hem me in" (Psalm 139:5) in this way. Will I fight against this hemming or learn from it?

What limitations are slowing you down today so you can "keep in step with the Spirit"?

December 9, 2014