November 23, 2024

A Living Prayer

July 8, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

In this world I walk alone
With no place to call my home
But there’s one who holds my hand
Through rugged roads, through barren lands

The way is dark, the road is steep
But He’s become my eyes to see
The strength to climb, my griefs to bear
The Savior lives inside me there

In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God, to Thee

In these trials of life I find
Another Voice inside my mind
He comforts me and bids me live
Inside the love the Father gives

Take my life and let me be a living prayer, my God, to Thee

Alison Krauss and Union Station
written by Ron Block

  *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

This beautiful bluegrass ballad is an affirmation…a declaration…a commitment.  It is the heart-cry of the songwriter to his God.  I love that he wrote, ‘take my life and let me be a living prayer…’ .  He recognized that, even though he had so much in his heart he wanted to commit to God Almighty, he still needed God’s involvement.  He knew he needed God.

The writers of the Psalms often communicated very similar thoughts.

Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning.
Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God,
for to You do I pray.
O Lord, in the morning You hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for You and watch.

But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever sing for joy,
And spread your protection over them,
that those who love Your name may exult in You.
For You bless the righteous, O Lord;
You cover him with favor as with a shield.
Psalms 5:1-3, 11 and 12 ESV

Let me hear in the morning of Your steadfast love,
    for in You I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to You I lift up my soul.
Psalm 143:8

Keep and protect me, O God, for in You I have found refuge,
and in You do I put my trust and hide myself.
I say to the Lord, You are my Lord;
I have no good beside or beyond You.

I have set the Lord continually before me;
because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my inner self] rejoices;
my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety…
Psalms 16:1-2, 8-9

And as such it is with us, too. We cry out to our heavenly Father with our own words of commitment and declaration. Voicing the affirmation of our faith in Him…our trust and belief that He is faithful…our acknowledgment of our great need for our El Shaddai.

At the very end of the video clip above, is a quote from C. S. Lewis about prayer…

I pray because I can’t help myself.
I pray because I’m helpless.
I pray because the need flows out of me
     all the time, waking and sleeping.
It doesn’t change God, it changes me.

Take my life and let me be a living prayer, my God, to Thee!

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Peach-Quinoa Salad

July 7, 2015 by

Recently a friend told me about this delicious ‘rice’ salad that she and her family were enjoying that she purchased from the fresh salad bar at her favorite grocery store.  Well, as it turns out it wasn’t rice (when I questioned her thoroughly) but red quinoa!  Oh, I do love quinoa…so I was quite interested!  Here is my variation on this salad.  You can surely make this ‘your own’ by varying the fresh veggies added, what type of fruit you put in (berries would also be lovely!), the kind of vinaigrette you use (perhaps use your family’s favorite bottled vinaigrette!), and what variety of nuts you sprinkle across the top!  I would love to hear how you changed it up; leave a comment below!

Quinoa <kEEn-wah> is a grain but it is the seed that we eat! (Good news for those who eat low-carb, right?)  And it is jam-packed full of protein.  Have you and your family enjoyed quinoa before?  To find quinoa in your grocery store, check the natural food section, or the rice/pasta aisle.  Usually when I prepare a pot of quinoa, I make extra to use for another meal. Our favorite is ‘red’ quinoa although it also comes in white (or golden), and black variations. Check out these nutritional facts.  This light salad fits well into our ‘healthy but oh-so-yummy’ POV since it has a great vegetable protein base, and lots of fresh veggies and fruit!  Serve it alongside something yummy from the grill—chicken, shrimp, or salmon, for example.  Oh, and if you DO grill…throw the peaches on the grill for 5 minutes or so, too!  Enjoy!

Quinoa, Peach and Arugula Salad

2014-08-17 19.34.04

ingredients:
1 cup red quinoa
1+3/4 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup mango (or orange) juice
1 tablespoon honey, agave, or maple syrup (optional)
2-3 splashes of white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic (I use jarred)
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
3 cups arugula
2 ripe peaches (or mango), chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 cup cucumber, small dice
handful of sugar snap peas (defrosted from frozen OR fresh)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup nuts (pistachios, pignoli, chopped almonds)
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

directions:

  • prepare quinoa: bring water to a boil in a small saucepan; add the quinoa, bring back to boil, stir, cover, and then reduce heat to very low and simmer until the water is absorbed (10-15 minutes).  remove from the heat, keep covered, and let sit for 5 minutes.  fluff up with a fork and transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool2014-08-17 18.59.45 HDR
  • make vinaigrette:  whisk together the juice, garlic, sweetener (if using), balsamic, and s&p; slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to whisk away ‘til thoroughly emulsified. (this can be done in your food processor or using an immersion blender)
  • assemble:  add the veggies, arugula and herbs to the quinoa already in the large mixing bowl; toss together
  • pour 3/4 of the vinaigrette evenly over the mixed salad; toss gently
  • season well with additional s&p to taste
  • top with sliced peaches, nuts, and cheese

♥    ♥    ♥    ♥    ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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Forever

July 5, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God.
He is the faithful God Who keeps His covenant
for a thousand generations
and lavishes His unfailing love
on those who love Him and obey His commands.
Deuteronomy 7:9 NLT

Give thanks to the Lord
Our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise

With a mighty hand
and outstretched arm
His love endures forever
For the life that’s been reborn
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise

Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever, forever

Harvest Church
written by Chris Tomlin

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This Week…Hebrews 10:23

July 2, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

So let us seize and hold fast
and retain without wavering
the hope we cherish
and confess and our acknowledgement of it,
for He Who promised is reliable
(sure) and faithful to His Word.
Hebrews 10:23 AMP

This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we are finishing a mini-series on the subject of HOPE.  Our devotional writers have shared the Truth given us in this week’s passage reminding us that ‘we boast in the hope of the glory of God’!  Here are a few of their thoughts….

In Hope (A Profession), Ann encouraged us with these words…

In the KJV the same verse says, ‘Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for He is faithful that promised).’

What are we seeing here?  Hope is the profession of our faith.  What is  ‘profession’ then?  In biblical terms, this is a calling.  It is ‘an occupation, practice, or vocation requiring mastery of a complex set of knowledge and skills through formal education and/or practical…’.

So if we take the AMP version that we should hold fast…without wavering…the hope, we are saying we should take the profession of our faith without wavering.

❦

In Unswerving Hope, Ahmee shared her own testimony and reminded us of Abraham and Sarah and their hope….

When I first got saved this verse held me up through many storms and confused nights.  I’d cry from feeling so close to defeat, but would cling to knowing that “He who promised is faithful.”  Written in my Bible I have a note next to this verse that says “regardless of how things seem!” How true?!

God promises us things that seem so impossible sometimes.  We know that His promises are true.  We know He cannot tell a lie and we know He is faithful.  And yet, what our eyes see and our minds perceive is something totally different.  The question remains: “Which do you believe?” We rely on our eyes daily to show us the world around us. Our eyes are tangible. However, we KNOW that God is to be trusted. Both seem right.

A prime example of this type of situation is that of the story of Abraham….

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We Praise You for You are Faithful

July 1, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter
the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
By a new and living way opened for us
through the curtain, that is, His body,
And since we have a great priest over the house of God,
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart
and with the full assurance that faith brings,
Having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience
and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,
for He who promised is faithful.|
Hebrews 10:19-23

We praise You and we thank You for Your faithfulness, Almighty God!  We thank You, dear Lord, for Your faithfulness in all things…what You have promised, You will provide.  We rest in Your faithfulness, Your goodness, Your love. we praise You for You are our faithful Father, always providing what is good, what is needful, what is best for us!
O Lord! how thankful, how grateful we are to utter such confessions as ‘confidence to enter the Most Holy Place’ and ‘full assurance that faith brings,’ and ‘hold unswervingly to the hope.’  None of this is of our own doing…but simply because we know to Whom we belong and we know Your heart for us!  It is by Your doing—we have confidence to enter by the blood of Jesus.  It is because of Your faithfulness—we hold to the Hope.
Grant us today, Father, the peace that is beyond our understanding so that we are not anxious about anything, but with prayer and with thanksgiving we let our requests be made known to You as we draw near to You.  We thank You for Your faithfulness…we rest in Your faithfulness.  We praise You for Your  faithfulness!  We come before You praying these things in Jesus, our Lord’s name, amen.

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Holding Nothing Back

July 1, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I am chosen, I am free,
I am living for eternity…free now forever

You picked me up, turned me around
You set my feet on solid ground
I’m Yours now forever

And nothing’s gonna hold me back
No, nothing’s gonna hold me back
Nothing’s gonna hold me back

My chains fell off, my heart was free
I’m alive to live for You, I’m alive to live for You
Amazing love, how can it be
You gave everything for me
You gave everything for me

You washed my sin and shame away
The slate is clean—a brand new day; free now forever
Now boldly I approach Your throne to claim this crown
Through Christ my own
I’m Yours now forever

I’m free to live…free to give…free to be…I’m free to love You

Beth Croft w/ Jesus Culture
Songwriters: Tim Hughes and Martin Smith

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Are you dancing around your living room, hands raised, singing ‘Nothing’s gonna hold me back…You gave everything for me-e-e-e!’  You (me, too!) have much to be dancing about…so much to be praising our Lord and thanking Him for!  We are chosen…free…and living for eternity!  We are alive because of His amazing Love! Our sin and shame has been washed away…and the slate was made clean!  AND, we ARE now His FOREVER!

Only through mercy and the accomplishments of the Messiah have we been given access to God’s throne.  Amazing, isn’t it?  And to think—this had been Almighty God’s intention all along!

This is according to the purpose of the ages,
which He made in the Messiah, Jesus our Lord,
in whom we have boldness, access, and confidence through faith in Him.
Ephesians 3:11 and 12

We are free—totally, completely, not of our own works—by grace.  We have been set free from the sin of Adam that besets all mankind; free from a life of slavery to sin; free from condemnation; free from the Law; free from judgment; free to be all that God intends us to be!  We should live like it!

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life
set me free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1 and 2

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him,
“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.
So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”
John 8:31 and 32, 36

For freedom Christ has set us free;
stand firm therefore,
and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1

So throw your hands up in praise and adoration of the One Who loves you so!  Sing your little heart out…hold nothing back.  ‘Cause you ARE free!  ♥

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Cauliflower-Cheeseburger Mac ‘n Cheese

June 30, 2015 by

So perhaps you did a double take when you read the title of this recipe in our At Home with GCH blog today.  I totally get it!  When I originally saw a similar recipe that inspired this one, I thought, ‘ummm, yeah, right! I am NOT going to be able to ‘sneak’ this one in!’  But, I did…and he thoroughly enjoyed it!

And since then, we have had different versions of this…it is such an adaptable recipe!  Maybe you also include some pasta (traditional or gluten free).  Or make this ‘chili mac-style’ by adding some finely diced hot peppers or chilis. This is really good with a tomato base, too: add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste and a can of Rotel-type tomatoes.  But my favorite version is this simple one.  I would love to hear back from you if you adapt it and make it your own!  Oh…and just a bit of finely chopped, cooked bacon finishes this off amazingly; just saying!  Enjoy!

Cauliflower-Cheeseburger Mac ‘n Cheese

2015-06-05 19.43.56

1+1/2 pounds ground beef (or turkey)
1-2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (I use jarred)
1 medium-sized cauliflower
handful grape tomatoes, halved
2 teaspoons dried parsley (or oregano)
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
1 teaspoon or so sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup (or more) coarsely shredded cheese (sharp cheddar, colby jack, spicy monterey jack)
chopped avocado, optional

  • remove the thickest part of the cauliflower stem (freeze to add to veggie soup); coarsely chop the rest of the head of cauliflower keeping your pieces in similar sizes
  • steam or boil cauliflower ‘til just al dente (about 12-15 minutes); drain completely
  • while the cauliflower is cooking, in a large pan, saute the ground meat ‘til almost done adding the minced garlic and the tomatoes in the final minute; reduce heat to low
  • stir in the seasonings and then add the cooked cauliflower to the cooked ground meat, folding together gently
  • scatter all the shredded cheese across the top and stir in
  • optional: top each serving with a little chopped avocado

♥    ♥    ♥    ♥    ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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The Promise

June 28, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

So let us seize and hold fast
and retain without wavering
the hope we cherish
and confess and our acknowledgement of it,
for He Who promised is reliable
(sure) and faithful to His Word.
Hebrews 10:23 AMP

I never said that I would give you silver or gold
Or that you would never feel the fire or shiver in the cold
But I did say you’d never walk through this world alone
And I did say, don’t make this world your home

I never said that fear wouldn’t find you in the night
Or that loneliness was something you’d never have to fight
But I did say I’d be right there by your side
And I did say I’ll always help you fight

‘Cause you know I made a promise that I intend to keep
My grace will be sufficient in every time of need
my love will be the anchor that you can hold onto
This is the promise, this is the promise I’ve made to you

I never said that friends would never turn their backs on you
Or that the world around you wouldn’t see you as a fool
But I did say like Me you’ll surely be despised
And I did say My ways confound the wise

I didn’t say you’d never taste the bitter kiss of death
Or have to walk through chilly Jordan to enter into rest
But I did say I’d be waiting right on the other side
And I did say I’ll dry every tear you cry

‘Cause you know I made a promise that I’ve prepared a place
And some day sooner than you think you’ll see Me face to face
And you’ll sing with the angels and a countless multitude
This is the promise, this is the promise I’ve made to you

So just keep on walkin’, don’t turn to the left or right
And in the midst of darkness, let this be your light
That hell can’t separate us and you’re gonna make it through
This is the promise, this is the promise I made to you

Half A Mile
written by Don Poythress and Brian White

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This Week…Romans 5:1-2

June 26, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through Whom we have gained access by faith
into this grace in which we now stand.
And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:1-2

This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we are continuing a mini-series on the subject of HOPE.  Our devotional writers have shared the Truth given us in this week’s passage reminding us that ‘we boast in the hope of the glory of God’!  Here are a few of their thoughts….

In Spiritual Hope (2), Ann reminds us to trust, and not doubt, God….

Whatsoever God spoke concerning our lives shall come to pass. Let us not doubt God.  We will be rewarded as we believe Him.

For in this hope we were saved.
But hope that is seen is no hope at all.
Who hopes for what he already has?
Romans 8:24

Hope is ‘…expecting something you are visualizing but it is not there yet.’  Brethren, when hoping for something, let us put ourselves in totally trusting God; do not have something in mind already…That is why in Romans 15:4 the Word says “…for everything that was written in the past was written to teach us so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

❦

In Hope in the Glory of God, Ahmee writes about our amazing God….

God is amazing in so many different ways!  I looked up the definition of the word glory.  It means “…high renown or honor won by notable achievements.”  To say that we have hope in the glory of God is very true. God has done many amazing things.  Some we have seen ourselves and others we have heard from other people and, some even, we have read in the Bible. God is amazing!

To speak up and say “This is possible all by the grace of God!” is an enormous thing to do.  It points to the glory of God – the same glory that is our hope.  So, point to it…continue to point it…and don’t ever stop pointing to it so that others can find the hope that we have. So, that others can hope in the glory of God.

❦

In Helmet of Hope, Tina shares an encouraging quote with us….

I am currently re-reading Derek Prince’s book Faith to Live By. In his book, there is a chapter Faith versus Hope in which he states,  “Hope, in the biblical sense, is a confident expectation of good – a steady, persistent optimism. Hope protects our minds. Every Christian should wear a helmet of hope twenty-four hours a day. If we lay aside the helmet and begin to dwell on negative thoughts and gloomy forebodings, our minds are vulnerable to Satan’s subtle attacks.”

Our thoughts need to be focused on what is positive, good and worthy. Prayer—along with becoming aware of what we are thinking, watching, and listening to—will begin to change our thoughts and behavior patterns.  It will not be given to us.  We will have to focus on what is right.

❦

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By Thee, O God, Invited

June 25, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy], peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God’s favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand.  And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.

Romans 5:1 and 2

(click here to listen…and sing along…to this beautiful old hymn)

By Thee, O God, invited
We look unto the Son
In whom Thy soul delighted
Who all Thy will hath done
And by the one chief treasure
Thy bosom freely gave
Thine own pure love we measure
Thy willing mind to save
O God of mercy—Father
The one unchanging claim
The brightest hopes we gather
From Christ’s most precious name
What always sounds so sweetly
In Thine unwearied ear
Has freed our souls completely
From all our sinful fear
The trembling sinner feareth
That God can ne’er forget
But one full payment cleareth
His memory of all debt
When naught beside could free us
Or set our souls at large
Thy holy work, Lord Jesus
Secured a full discharge
No wrath God’s heart retaineth
To us-ward who believe
No dread in ours remaineth
As we His love receive
Returning sons He kisses
And with His robe invests
His perfect love dismisses
All terror from our breasts
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