March 13, 2026

He Lives (I Serve A Risen Savior)

March 23, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today
I know that He is living whatever men may say
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer
And just the time I need Him, He’s always near

He lives, He lives
Christ Jesus lives today
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life’s narrow way
He lives, He lives
Salvation to impart
You ask me how I know He lives
He lives within my heart

In all the world around me I see His loving care
And tho’ my heart grows weary I never will despair
I know that He is leading thro’ all the stormy blast
The day of His appearing will come at last

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King
The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find
None other is so loving, so good and kind

Alan Jackson
Words and Music – Alfred Ackley, 1933

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

One morning I was feeling a bit sad…life wasn’t going as I had envisioned.  And I was wondering why God wasn’t answering my requests and my desperate pleas.  Then, in the mail, I received a beautiful card with some much-needed reminders.  In it was this Scripture:

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.
Zephaniah 3:17 NLT

As I walked up the stairs to enjoy my quiet time, I was thinking about that verse, and this song sprang into my mind.  Christ lives!  He lives in me.  He walks with me and talks with me.  He is my Hope and my Help.  No one loves me like He does.  Whenever I need Him, He is always near.  Christ is my Savior and He takes great delight in me.  He actually rejoices over me with singing!  (If that doesn’t lift your mood, honey, you DO have problems!)  In a matter of moments my whole perspective had shifted.

All of this reminded me of another card I had received earlier in the week that contained this Scripture:

Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you;
do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen…yes, I will help you;
yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 AMP

Another card I received reminded me that God is with me ALL the time and that ‘God is my Strength and Power, and He makes my way perfect’ (2 Samuel 22:33 NKJV).  God reminded me through these ladies and these cards that I have no reason to be dismayed or discouraged.  I have nothing to fear.  Christ lives and He holds me in His VICTORIOUS right hand.  (I just love that phrase!)  Christ alone is my Strength and my Power.  He loves me and ‘makes my way perfect.’  Who am I to question His plan?

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Lord Jesus, thank You for the much needed reminder that You are alive and live within my heart.  Thank You for walking with me daily, talking with me, and calming my fears.  I am so very blessed that You take great delight in me and rejoice over me with joyful songs.  Thank You for the lesson I learned through all of this and giving me the words to share it with others.  In Your holy name, Amen – So Be It!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

(When You) Abide In Me

March 22, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Recorded in the Gospel of John, our Lord made seven statements referring to Himself as I AM…

I AM The Light of the World
I AM The Bread of Life
I AM The Door
I AM The Good Shepherd
I AM The True Vine
I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life
I AM The Resurrection and The Life

Each week during this season of Lent, here on the Seeking Him blog, we will be focusing our devotionals on a different aspect of Jesus’ revelation of Himself as I AM.  The aim of Lent should be to prepare our hearts for the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice—His trial and torture, the Crucifixion and His death…and above all, the celebration of His Resurrection from the dead.  We pray that this will be a great encouragement to each of you who read them.  And that all of us will consider the significance of Jesus’ words and, through them, be helped as we remember and are thankful for all Jesus went through during the last few weeks of His life on this earth.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away;
and every branch that bears fruit,
He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
Abide in Me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine,
so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
I AM the Vine, you are the branches;
he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit,
for apart from Me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up;
and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,
ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit,
and so prove to be My disciples.
Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you;
abide in My love.
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 so that My joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be made full.

When you abide in me
Then I’ll abide in you
My words in your heart
Child, believe
That when you seek My face
And make Me your first love
Then all of the rest
Will be taken care of

Don’t worry what the future may hold
For I have overcome the world
And all these things I speak
Our solemn joy may be complete
When you abide

Kristen Chenoweth
songwriter unknown

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

This Week…I AM The Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18)

March 21, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Recorded in the Gospel of John, our Lord made seven statements referring to Himself as I AM…

I AM The Light of the World
I AM The Bread of Life
I AM The Door
I AM The Good Shepherd
I AM The True Vine
I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life
I AM The Resurrection and The Life

Each week during this season of Lent, here on the Seeking Him blog, we will be focusing our devotionals on a different aspect of Jesus’ revelation of Himself as I AM.  The aim of Lent should be to prepare our hearts for the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice—His trial and torture, the Crucifixion and His death…and above all, the celebration of His Resurrection from the dead.  We pray that this will be a great encouragement to each of you who read them.  And that all of us will consider the significance of Jesus’ words and, through them, be helped as we remember and are thankful for all Jesus went through during the last few weeks of His life on this earth.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

I AM the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep.
So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.
Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
I AM the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me—
just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—
and I lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen.
I must bring them also.
They too will listen to My voice and there shall be one flock and one Shepherd.
The reason My Father loves Me
is that I lay down My life—only to take it up again.
No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.
I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.
This command I received from My Father.
John 10:11-18

This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, our sisters have shared some insight on these words spoken by our Lord.  What love and sacrifice Jesus has proven as He laid down His life for us, His people…the sheep of His flock.  Here are a few highlights from the devotionals that Tina, Laura, Cynda, Ann, and Ahmee wrote to encourage us.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

In Surrender, Cynda brought our attention to Jesus’ example of choice.

 2 Timothy 1:9 (NIV) tells us, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.”

“Christ led by example.  He became our example.  He is our Good Shepherd—the one who cares for us and leads us to safety.  He has called us.  Yet the choice is ours.  No one else will make the decision for us.  No one is going to snatch our struggles from us.  We must willingly…voluntarily…surrender our will to His and allow Him to lead us.

For me, the surrender is daily; sometimes minute-by-minute.  But when I do and I trust my Good Shepherd following His lead, well, therein lies the victory!”

❦

In The Good Shepherd is Selfless, Tina shared the record of Jacob and his tireless efforts as the shepherd, as well as God’s love.

“If God cares enough for the sheep to have those kind of shepherds like Jacob, how much more will He care for us…?  God’s love is so immense.  It is so full of goodness, and will help us overcome our feelings of inadequacy. As long as we lay our feelings down at His feet, we will be able to overcome them.  God loves us so much.  The fact that He sent His Son to die on the Cross is evidence of His great love.”

❦

In Dedicated to You, Ahmee reminded us of how much the Lord loves us and is always there to be our Good Shepherd by leading and guiding and watching over us.  She also asked an important question.

“God cares for us. He sent us Jesus. Jesus cares for us, and because He does, He has chosen to be our everything.

  • Are you hungry…physically or spiritually? He will lead you to the food you need.
  • Are you tired? He will give you a safe place to rest.
  • Are you lost? He will guide you.
  • Are you scared? He will shelter you.

He is our EVERYthing. There is nothing in this world that you can experience that He Himself cannot help you with. The real question is…

Will you let Him be your Good Shepherd?”

❦

In The Good Shepherd Cares for His Sheep, Ann also encouraged us to follow Jesus’ example and to be shepherds. 

“Christ was mentioned as Good Shepherd in John 10:11-14; Great Shepherd in Hebrews 13:20; and the Chief Shepherd in 1 Peter 5:4.

We also, as His followers and believers, are shepherds.  We win souls, we are shepherds of His sheep also.  Others (pastors/evangelists) also shepherd the flock.  Do we sacrifice ourselves for our sheep or we leave them to die of thirst?  We are to take our sheep to the river banks where they can get water (the Word of God).  As true believers we are to care for the sheep, and are to think about the sheep first and then ourselves.

Let us truly take care of the sheep—pray with them, feed them with the Word every day, and follow up with them—so that they should not be in any want.”

❦

In The True Shepherd, Laura made the comparison between how Jesus has shepherded our lives, and how parents are to shepherd their children.

“When I see that sheep, I think about how my children are my sheep. They are mine to lead and take care of until they are grown.  It is my job to help them learn right from wrong.  It is my job to help start their spiritual foundation.  I am supposed to nurture them and help them.  They listen to my voice and look to me for security and love.

Just as my children are my sheep, we are the sheep of God.  We are His children.  When we listen to His voice and accept Him as our Savior, we become part of His flock.  Jesus laid down His life so that we may be reconciled to God and return from sin.  He went to the Cross to bring us home.  He is the Good Shepherd.”

❦

Have you had the opportunity to read through these blogposts this week?  If not, I would encourage you to do so!  Our bloggers have made these as well as some other wonderful points to direct us towards Jesus, Who IS The Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Bacon B.O.M.B. Jam

March 20, 2015 by

Bacon BOMB Jam

You read that correctly:  B.O.M.B.  This stuff will blow you away!  Bacon Onion Maple Bourbon Jam is an out of this world condiment you will want to smear on everything!

This is easy and amazing.  I ate some of this bacon jam on my baked salmon.  Next I’m going to try it on a cracker, maybe with a little goat cheese, or as part of an olive and cheese tray.  And I may just go off the rails and slather it on bread with cheddar and sliced apple and make the best grilled cheese sandwich I’ve ever had!  This recipe yields a cup and a half of jam.  Let’s see how long it lasts!

Bacon B.O.M.B. Jam

Ingredients

  • 3/4 pound bacon (I used 7 slices), diced
  • 2 large onions (try sweet onions, if you have them), sliced
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon
  • 1/4 cup coffee (or use water if you like)

Directions:

  1. In a heavy pot with a lid, cook the bacon over medium heat.  You want all the fat to render, but you don’t want the bacon to get really crisp.  Remove the bacon from the pan, and pour out all but one tablespoon of bacon fat.  (I keep mine in a jar in the refrigerator, and use it to pan fry.)
  2. Add the sliced onions to the bacon fat in the pan.  Cover and cook on medium low for 15 minutes.  Stir, making sure nothing is burning, and cook another 10 minutes.
  3. Add the bacon, maple syrup, bourbon, and coffee; stir, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan (use a wooden spoon).  Cover with the lid, cook another 10 minutes.
  4. Remove the lid and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.  I sort of mashed the jam with my wooden spoon to get a smoother consistency.  You can do that or you can leave it chunky.  You could even put it in a food processor and pulse a few times to get it even smoother.  Taste it and see how you like it.
  5. Refrigerate the leftovers and eat within a week.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipes, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The True Shepherd

March 20, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Recorded in the Gospel of John, our Lord made seven statements referring to Himself as I AM…

I AM The Light of the World
I AM The Bread of Life
I AM The Door
I AM The Good Shepherd
I AM The True Vine
I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life
I AM The Resurrection and The Life

Each week during this season of Lent, here on the Seeking Him blog, we will be focusing our devotionals on a different aspect of Jesus’ revelation of Himself as I AM.  The aim of Lent should be to prepare our hearts for the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice—His trial and torture, the Crucifixion and His death…and above all, the celebration of His Resurrection from the dead.  We pray that this will be a great encouragement to each of you who read them.  And that all of us will consider the significance of Jesus’ words and, through them, be helped as we remember and are thankful for all Jesus went through during the last few weeks of His life on this earth.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

I AM the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep,
sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees,
and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I lay down My life for the sheep.
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold.
I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice.
So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
For this reason the Father loves me,
because I lay down My life that I may take it up again.
No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.
I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.
This charge I have received from my Father.
John 10:11-18 ESV

Everyone knows about the window clings that you can get cheaply at Wal-Mart and dollar stores during the holidays.  I recently hung one of a cross and a sheep with flowers on our front door.  Our children saw it this morning.  Our daughter, who is four, says proudly that it is for Jesus. I smiled…at least for now she knows what the Cross stands for. Hopefully in the next 5-10 years, I can get her to understand the meaning.  The sheep, however, catches my eyes every time I look at that window cling.

When I see that sheep, I think about how my children are my sheep. They are mine to lead and take care of until they are grown.  It is my job to help them learn right from wrong.  It is my job to help start their spiritual foundation.  I am supposed to nurture them and help them.  They listen to my voice and look to me for security and love.

Just as my children are my sheep, we are the sheep of God.  We are His children.  When we listen to His voice and accept Him as our Savior, we become part of His flock.  Jesus laid down His life so that we may be reconciled to God and return from sin.  He went to the Cross to bring us home.  He is the Good Shepherd.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being our Shepherd.  Thank You for protecting us as a shepherd does the sheep.  Without that protection, we would fall to our sin.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Surrender

March 19, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Recorded in the Gospel of John, our Lord made seven statements referring to Himself as I AM…

I AM The Light of the World
I AM The Bread of Life
I AM The Door
I AM The Good Shepherd
I AM The True Vine
I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life
I AM The Resurrection and The Life

Each week during this season of Lent, here on the Seeking Him blog, we will be focusing our devotionals on a different aspect of Jesus’ revelation of Himself as I AM.  The aim of Lent should be to prepare our hearts for the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice—His trial and torture, the Crucifixion and His death…and above all, the celebration of His Resurrection from the dead.  We pray that this will be a great encouragement to each of you who read them.  And that all of us will consider the significance of Jesus’ words and, through them, be helped as we remember and are thankful for all Jesus went through during the last few weeks of His life on this earth.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

As I was reading John 10:11-18, I kept going back to these two verses:

This is why the Father loves Me,
because I am laying down My life so I may take it up again.
No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own.
I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again.
I have received this command from My Father.
John 10:17-18 HCSB

I love the way verse 18 reads in NLT:

“No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily.”

Did you catch that?—Jesus chose to surrender Himself to God’s plan voluntarily.  He chose to become our Good Shepherd.  In John 6:38 (HCSB) Jesus says, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”  Christ had the ability, the authority to say NO.  Instead, He chose to lay down His life for us in accordance to His Father’s will.

We face the same choice.  We can either go it on our own or we can voluntarily submit ourselves to God’s plan.  Titus 2:14 reminds us that Christ “…gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works.”  2 Timothy 1:9 (NIV) tells us, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.”

Christ led by example.  He became our example.  He is our Good Shepherd—the one who cares for us and leads us to safety.  He has called us.  Yet the choice is ours.  No one else will make the decision for us.  No one is going to snatch our struggles from us.  We must willingly…voluntarily…surrender our will to His and allow Him to lead us.

For me, the surrender is daily; sometimes minute-by-minute.  But when I do and I trust my Good Shepherd following His lead, well, therein lies the victory!

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~  

Jesus, I am so glad You willingly chose to follow God’s plan. I am thankful You know me. I am grateful I can listen to Your voice and follow where You lead. But most of all, I am thankful You laid Your life down for me. In Your precious name I pray, Amen – it is so!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Compassion Hymn

March 19, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

There is an everlasting kindness
You lavished on us
When the Radiance of heaven Came to rescue the lost;
You called the sheep without a shepherd
To leave their distress
For your streams of forgiveness
And the shade of Your rest.

And with compassion for the hurting,
You reached out Your hand
As the lame ran to meet You
And the dead breathed again
You saw behind the eyes of sorrow
And shared in our tears
Heard the sigh of the weary
Let the children draw near

What boundless love, what fathomless grace
You have shown us, O God of compassion
Each day we live an offering of praise
As we show to the world Your compassion

We stood beneath the cross of Calvary
And gazed on Your face
At the thorns of oppression
And the wounds of disgrace
For surely You have borne our suffering
And carried our grief
As You pardoned the scoffer
And showed grace to the thief

How beautiful the feet that carry
This gospel of peace
To the fields of injustice
And the valleys of need
To be a voice of hope and healing
To answer the cries
Of the hungry and helpless
With the mercy of Christ.

Keith and Kristyn Getty
written along with Stuart Townend

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

The meaning of compassion is to recognize the suffering of others,
then take action to help.
-from the mission statement of Compassion International

“If you would sum up the whole character of Christ in reference to ourselves,
it might be gathered into this one sentence:
He was moved with compassion.”
– Charles Haddon Spurgeon

The Strong’s Concordance defines compassion in this way:

  • to have compassion
  • to have the bowels yearn, i.e., (figuratively) feel sympathy, to pity
  • have (be moved with) compassion

How about you…when you hear the word, compassion, what does it make you think of?  Surely amongst the first things that spring to mind would be how very compassionate is our loving Heavenly Father.  The Scriptures tell us in many places about His compassion toward mankind.  In fact, as part of a word study in the Bible on this attribute of God’s nature—compassion—I found (literally) over 125 individual Scriptures that talk about God’s compassion…His being compassionate and His having compassion.

Compassion is a defining characteristic of Who Almighty God is!  For example, in this record (Nehemiah 9), God’s compassion is spoken of seven separate times.

But You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness;
And You did not forsake them.
Nehemiah 9:17

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.
Psalm 116:5

The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made.
Psalm 145:9

Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
How blessed are all those who long for Him.
Isaiah 30:18

But this I recall and therefore have I hope and expectation:
It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed
because His [tender] compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being (my inner self);
therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him.
The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him,
to those who seek Him. It is good that one should hope in and wait
quietly for the salvation (the safety and ease) of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:21-26

 ~  ♥   ~

And, to be assured, there is record after record after record in the Gospel accounts of Jesus and the loving compassion He had for those around Him.

Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him,
and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”
Mark 1:41

When he went ashore He saw a great crowd,
and He had compassion on them,
because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
And He began to teach them many things.
Mark 6:34

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
Luke 7:13

 ~  ♥   ~

We, too, are to live the same.  As the words of this beautiful hymn express, “Each day we live an offering of praise as we show to the world Your compassion.”

Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience….
Colossians 3:12

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic,
love one another, be compassionate and humble.
1 Peter 3:8

But if anyone has this world’s goods
and sees his brother and fellow believer in need,
yet closes his heart of compassion against him,
how can the love of God live and remain in him?
1 John 3:17

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

May we each today reach out to those around us…our loved ones, strangers, the untouchable, the harsh and critical, those who persecute us, those who do not understand us, the hurting, and the hurters…with this compassion that is ours to freely give by God’s grace.  May we be Christ’s love to them…and show them the love, grace, mercy, compassion, forgiveness given at the Cross.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The Good Shepherd is Selfless

March 18, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Recorded in the Gospel of John, our Lord made seven statements referring to Himself as I AM…

I AM The Light of the World
I AM The Bread of Life
I AM The Door
I AM The Good Shepherd
I AM The True Vine
I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life
I AM The Resurrection and The Life

Each week during this season of Lent, here on the Seeking Him blog, we will be focusing our devotionals on a different aspect of Jesus’ revelation of Himself as I AM.  The aim of Lent should be to prepare our hearts for the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice—His trial and torture, the Crucifixion and His death…and above all, the celebration of His Resurrection from the dead.  We pray that this will be a great encouragement to each of you who read them.  And that all of us will consider the significance of Jesus’ words and, through them, be helped as we remember and are thankful for all Jesus went through during the last few weeks of His life on this earth.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

I AM the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep.
So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.
Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
I AM the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me—
just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—
and I lay down my life for the sheep.

John 10:11-14

From the beginning of time people have laid their lives down in order to protect the sheep.  When Jacob left Laban to go back home (taking his wives, servants, flocks and herds, and household goods), Laban became furious.  Not because Jacob left secretly, but because he had a good worker, someone who cared for the flocks, leaving:

Thus I was: by day the heat consumed me and the frost by night,
and my sleep fled from my eyes.
Genesis 31:40

Jacob lost many nights of sleep to make sure the sheep were well cared for.  Sheep have to be watched because they wander away.  They have to be sheared at the right time because of the closeness of their wool.  If it is not shaved at the right time or they can easily become infested with parasites and die.

If God cares enough for the sheep to have those kind of shepherds like Jacob, how much more will He care for us…?  God’s love is so immense.  It is so full of goodness, and will help us overcome our feelings of inadequacy. As long as we lay our feelings down at His feet, we will be able to overcome them.  God loves us so much.  The fact that He sent His Son to die on the Cross is evidence of His great love.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Father, help us to have faith in Your Word.  Forgive us when we doubt.  Help us build our faith and trust You will always be there even more than when Jacob was there for his sheep.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , ,

I Choose Jesus

March 18, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I have searched to find the meaning of this life
Something that would fill my empty soul
Some believe a lie, choose darkness over light
But I will stand and let the whole world know

I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
The One who first chose me

I stand unashamed trusting in one Name
‘Cause I have seen the Cross and I believe
This choice comes at cost, all other things are lost
No other love could mean so much to me

I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
The One who first chose me
I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
For now and eternity

He chose to love me when I felt unlovable
He chose to reach me when I felt unreachable
He carried me out of my fear and doubt
How I want the world to know—I choose Jesus

Moriah Peters
along with songwriters: Tony Wood, Chuck Butler, Ed Cash

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ * 

Have you searched to find meaning and SOMEthing that would fill the emptiness of your soul?  I have….  Oh, how I have yearned to KNOW I was l-o-v-e-d!  Probably for most of the first quarter century of my  life, I attempted to fill that void. But nothing…not accomplishments, not approval, not food, not inappropriate relationships…nothing was able to fill that hole in my heart.  And, assuredly, there is nothing which COULD fill that hole in my heart…only Jesus.  Perhaps you have heard this quote,

“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person,
and it can never be filled by any created thing.
It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.”

(Blaise Pascal)

I think that describes it so well—a ‘God-shaped vacuum in the heart.’  I believe God created man (and woman) with that need.  And I know He perfectly provided for the filling of that vacuum when He made Adam and Eve and gave them the opportunity to have perfect fellowship with Him every moment of every day.  And I trust He would have always supplied their need…but they were deceived.   They chose to think that something else—being equal and alike to God Almighty—was the true answer to their needs.

But the serpent said to the woman,
You shall not surely die, for God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing the difference between good and evil and blessing and calamity.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave some also to her husband, and he ate.
Genesis 3:4-6

And, because they chose the deception of the enemy of their souls and disobeyed the One Who truly DID love them, they lost that fellowship and perfect connection and the fulfillment that a relationship with their God gave them.

And mankind has suffered under the sin of Adam since.  But God would not allow His plan, His desire to fail.  And He provided so that all of humanity could have that ‘God-shaped vacuum’ filled in the way He has originally planned.

By this the love of God was manifested in us,
that God has sent His only begotten Son
into the world so that we might live through Him.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us
and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:9 and 10

Jesus IS the perfect and complete filling of that vacuum!  We do not need to search or attempt to fill the void inside…we need to accept God’s perfect provision making Jesus our Lord and Master and live our lives in obedience to Him.

In this beautiful song, Moriah Peters sings, “He chose to love me when I felt unlovable…He chose to reach me when I felt unreachable…He carried me out of my fear and doubt.”  No longer do I (nor you either!) have to search for something to fulfill the emptiness, the void.  We need to choose Jesus!  He has chosen me (you, too)!

Would you sing and praise along with me…

I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
The One who first chose me
I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus
For now and eternity

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Good-For-You Shamrock Shake

March 17, 2015 by

It is tradition to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day in our family…heritage and all, y’know!  (Your name can’t be coleen ann brigit mcelroy hayden…and not recognize your Irish background!)  So while we have a really nice gluten-free ‘almost’ rye bread, and some lovely oven-roasted cabbage steaks to serve with the corned beef and other veggies, this little healthy indulgence fits in perfectly, too!  We enjoyed it in the morning.

So, I have to admit to indulging <in the past!> in a Shamrock Shake or two 😉 from a certain fast food place…uh-huh…you know what i mean!  But that just does NOT fit into our healthier eating lifestyle now…by God’s grace!…and so I took a little peek ‘n see about the nutrition facts (from the manufacturer) for that minty shake of my past.  Can you say “Holy Saint Paddy!”  530 calories, 86 grams of carbs (of which 73 were sugar carbs, mostly corn syrup), and 15 grams of fat in a 16 ounce cup!   If you were here, I would share these healthy but-oh-so-yummy! green minty “shakes” with you!

I think you will find this version equally satisfying and delicious.  I would love to hear from you if you decide to try this recipe!  Enjoy!

Good-for-you Shamrock Shake

2015-03-16 23.09.40

ingredients:
1 scoop protein powder
2 cups almond milk (or sub some full-fat coconut milk)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (or 2 drops peppermint essential oil)
1 packet of stevia sweetener
1 cup greek yogurt (sweetened or unsweetened, your choice)
1 ripe avocado
2 handfuls of raw spinach
2 very ripe bananas, cut up and frozen
4 or 5 ice cubes

directions:

  • start off with the first six ingredients; blend for 10-15 seconds
  • pile in the balance of the ingredients and whirl away ‘til nicely blended!

This made more than enough for two big servings; the glasses pictured hold more than 14 ounces each.  You certainly can prepare this shake/smoothie in a standard blender, too. i would suggest doing it in two batches, however, using 1/2 of the ingredients at a time.

Also, check out this link…here are a few other options for making a healthier Shamrock Shake—one includes kale instead of spinach!— (note that some of these do include food coloring).

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

may the road rise up to meet you.
may the wind be always at your back.
may the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields
and, until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

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

♥  coleen

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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