March 16, 2026

Oceans

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvYou call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise my soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

Performed by Hillsong United
Songwriters: Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Salomon Lighthelm

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In Matthew 14:25-32, Peter walked on the water with Jesus.  Just imagine seeing Jesus out on the water and crying out to Him and asking to walk as He was on the water….  Then imagine being told by Jesus to come and walk on the water with Him! I would imagine that Peter was intrigued and excited to experience walking on water. Once out of the boat and walking with Jesus, Peter, felt and tasted the salt spray, smelled more intently the water, and I would imagine the waves picking up and moving greatly would make him afraid.

Then I think of how this account can be applied to mine or anyone’s life. As we go through life, we will have moments where we are so excited that we will jump in and not think of consequences. And, sometimes, God wants us to take those risks and to trust Him fully. I pray that this song will speak to you, encouraging you to follow God more fully.

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Father, help me become a more fully devoted follower.  Help me to seek You even when I doubt. You are there for us—just waiting for opportunities to show us how to push through and to show off Your awesome power. I pray for those who are hurting. I pray for those who are happy. I pray that they are all seeking Your Will for their life in all that they do.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Arugula, Peach, Quinoa Salad

Recently a friend told me about this delicious ‘rice’ salad that she and her family were enjoying that she purchased at her favorite grocery store from the fresh salad bar. 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

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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; season well with additional s&p to taste
  • top with sliced peaches, nuts, and cheese

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

♥  coleen

Glory! Glory be to…Wait, Who is glory for?

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Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness.

Psalm 115:1

A few days ago, I finally re-enrolled in college. I came up with quite a few reasons why I couldn’t go back; but overall, every one of my excuses were fear based. Even now, some of the logistics of this new endeavor have yet to be worked out. But (as I had to remind myself going in)—trust God and He will guide you.

Now, that I’m re-enrolled, I’m kind of excited! I’ve told the news to many of the closest people in my life, and heard plenty of “I’m proud of you!” Which, of course, is easy for me to soak up. Yes, I do feel good about accomplishing something that I’ve said I was going to do and, oh, how easy it would be for me to feel self-accomplished. But without the Lord’s favor I wouldn’t be going back to school at all…so glory be to Him!

For years I’ve been denied free financial aid. This year out, of the blue and at the very last minute, I received a grant…finally. I practically talked myself out of taking the grant, until a random comment to the most unlikely person turned into a handshake and a promise that I’d at least go to the school and talk with an advisor. So first I had to wait for a letter that came 3 days before I had to have everything done. Then I was told I had to take a 3 hour-long test (3 hours before I had to be to work), and then I was sent on a scavenger hunt all around campus trying to finish things up.

Every bit of the way, I had a voice in my head trying to give me excuse after excuse for why I should not be doing this. But, with every excuse, that little voice gave, I heard a louder voice give me reason after reason to trust in God. And thank God for that! All I did was take the steps the Lord placed before me and for that He deserves all the glory.

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Thank You, Lord, for being glorious beyond all measure.  Amen.

All The People Said Amen

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

You are not alone if you are lonely
When you’re feeling afraid you’re not the only
We are all the same in need of mercy
To be forgiven and be free
It’s all you got to lean on
But thank God it’s all you need

And all the people said Amen
And all the people said Amen
Give thanks to the Lord for His love never ends
And all the people said Amen

If you’re rich or poor well it don’t matter
Weak or Strong, you know love is what we’re after
We’re all broken but we’re all in this together
God knows we stumble and we fall
And He so loved the world He sent His son to save us all

Blessed are the poor in spirit who are torn apart;
Blessed are the persecuted and the pure in heart;
Blessed are the people hungry for another start,
for this is the kingdom, the kingdom of God

Singer/Songwriter: Matt Maher along with Paul Moak, Trevor Morgan

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I have had this song stuck in my head for days, y’all! I decided to find out what was the story behind the song. This is what I found:

“One of the things Maher says he loves doing as a songwriter is to look at phrases that have become clichés among church folk. ‘I think that a lot of Millennials, they would hear a pastor say, And all God’s people said amen, and they would just kind of maybe roll their eyes a little bit at that. Well, first of all, that’s Scripture. So, please don’t roll your eyes at Scripture.’ ”

We tend to do that, don’t we? Maybe not roll our eyes but we tend to brush it off because we have ‘heard it all before.’ So, I did some research on the word “Amen.”

May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised from everlasting to everlasting.”
Then all the people said, “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”
I Chronicles 16:36 HCSB

May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised from everlasting to everlasting? Let all the people say, “Amen!” Hallelujah!
Psalm 106:48 HCSB

definitions and usages:

  • Wikipedia – a declaration of affirmation
  • Merriam Webster – used to express agreement or approval
  • Greek Old Testament – so be it
  • Dictionary.com – it is so
  • It can also be used in place of “truly” or “verily”

The one that caught my attention was “it is so,” used as an expression of belief. It reminded me of a verse I had recently seen:

But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak,
2 Corinthians 4:13 NASB

I believe therefore I speak. Beth Moore says, “God’s words are omnipotent. Our words are potent.” When we speak Scripture aloud we are externalizing our internal passion. We are in agreement with God; we are sharing the mind of Christ. When we speak Scripture, we are accepting it, receiving it into our lives.

Now go back to this song…

  • “We are all the same in need of mercy to be forgiven and be free. It’s all you got to lean on but thank God it’s all you need”
  • “His love never ends”
  • “God knows we stumble and we fall and He so loved the world He sent His son to save us all”

These are all things I agree with—things I believe—therefore I can say “Amen!”

What are you willing to say AMEN to?

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Father, thank You for a love that never ends. Help me speak what I believe. Remind me why we say “amen.” Make me aware of what I am saying “amen” to. Thank You for being all I ever need. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN – so be it!

Who Is Your God?

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Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory,
for the sake of Your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens;
He does all that He pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
Psalms 115:1-11

As I was reading this passage and the related commentaries, my mind kept circling back to one thought: we all worship something.  Every one has a “god”—a guiding principle, a passion that is master of their life.   As I continued reading, I realized that verses 1-3 and 9-11 reveal a lot about the One True God.   Verses 4-8 illuminate the contrast of idols.  So I created a chart for comparison.

One True God                              idols

Loving & merciful                                           hard & unfeeling
Reigns in Heaven                                            resides on earth
Sovereign, has dominion                            controls nothing
Always has been, is & will be                      man-made
Holy                                                                     dirty from ore dug from earth
Alive & powerful                                             dead
All-seeing                                                           blind
Always hears our prayers                           deaf
All-knowing                                                       dumb
Transforms man into His Image               made in the image of man
Has done everything for us                        can do nothing for us

This passage begins and ends with God.  Ironic, isn’t it?  Verses 1-3 remind us everything is for His glory and not our own.  His mercy is freely given and cannot be earned.  Therefore we boast in Him alone.

Look at these two verses:

You will show loyalty to Jacob and faithful love to Abraham,
as You swore to our fathers from days long ago
Micah 7:20 HCSB

He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for His mercies to them.
Romans 15:9a NLT

God made plans long ago to be faithful and merciful to us. Verses 10–11 sum the passage up by reminding us wherein our strength and protection lie. The Lord is our “help and our shield” if we only will trust Him.

Acts 10:35 (NASB) tells us: “…but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.”  And not only are we welcomed but Psalm 147:11 (AMP) says our reverent fear delights Him:  “The Lord takes pleasure in those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy and loving-kindness.”

“God is seeking to make us like Himself” – Chuck Smith

Either we are making a “god” like ourselves and indulging in self-idolatry OR God is transforming us daily into His image.  Our actions reveal our “god.”

What are your actions saying?

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Lord, we just want to thank You for all You have done for us.  We treasure Your faithfulness and mercy towards us.  Show us if we are allowing another “god” to become our passion.  Stop us before it happens.  We boast in You alone.  May our actions and our lives bring You glory.  In Your Holy name we pray, Amen – so be it!

Your Love Never Fails

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvNothing can separate
Even if I run away
Your love never fails

I know I still make mistakes
You have new mercy for me everyday
Cause Your love never fails
Oh No No No

You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning

The wind is strong and the water’s deep
But I’m not alone here in these open seas
Cause Your love never fails

The chasm is far too wide
I never thought I’d reach the other side
But Your love never fails
Oh No Oh No…Yeah

And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails

You make all things work together for my good
(God, You never fail me)
You make all things work together for my good
(No, You never fail me)
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes

There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails
Cause Your love never fails 

Sung by Newsboys  /  Song written by Anthony Skinner, Chris McClarney

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I led the community group that I am a member of this past week. My pastor’s wife had something for her kids so she asked me to do a devotional that would encourage the women. I based the lesson on Romans 8:38 and 39, “…nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.”  Sometimes our human minds cannot comprehend just how much He loves us and that there is nothing that we can do to make Him love us more or less.  We are just His and He loves us.

Nothing can separate, even if I run away..Your love never fails….”  Just think about that.  I know I have run my own way before and I have felt so far from God. I remember thinking that there was no way that He wanted to hear from me. Guess what..He does want to hear from you and me!  Always, every day, non-stop talking to Him.

I know I still make mistakes, You have new mercies for me everyday….”  One of my favorite hope verses is Lamentations 3:23.

“Great is HIs faithfulness, His mercies begin afresh each morning.” (NLT)

To me, this means that today we may not be equipped for tomorrow’s problems but He will give us what we need when the time comes.  It also means that if today was just awful and you are at the end of your rope, He will refresh you and give you the grace and mercy you need to start again.  Don’t you just love how He loves?

You stay the same through the ages, Your love never changes.  There may be pain in the night, but joy comes in the morning….

You know the verse—

For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lets a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:5

To me,’ night’ can mean a hard season in life.   For my family, the ‘night’ was about seven years of hard.  But God is so good and He sustains us even in the dark places and when the ‘morning’ comes, we are strengthened and ready for whatever His plan may be.

There are so many good phrases in this song; so, I will let you listen and take notes on the ones that really hit home with you.  Maybe there are some Bible verses that come to mind when you are sitting still. I challenge you to journal them and to memorize them. His Word is a lifeline for you…it is His love letter to you.

There is no space between us and Him.  You can go to Him whenever and wherever.  Let us go to Him today in prayer and praise Him for Who He is.

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Dear God, We praise You for Who You are. You are all-knowing, all-loving, full of mercy and grace, close to us always, and faithful to answer us when we call. Thank You for new mercies and joys in the morning. You sustain us through the hard, dark times and bring us out refreshed and stronger than before and ready to share how You came through.  We love You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Praise Him

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Praise the Lord!  Hallelujah!  Praise the Lord, O my soul!

While I live will I praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have any being.

Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help.

When his breath leaves him, he returns to his earth; in that very day his thoughts, plans, and purposes perish.

Happy (blessed, fortunate, enviable) is he who has the God of  Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God,

Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, Who keeps truth and is faithful forever,

Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets free the prisoners,

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the [uncompromisingly] righteous.

The Lord protects and preserves the strangers and temporary residents, He upholds the fatherless and the widow and sets them upright, but the way of the wicked He makes crooked.

 The Lord shall reign forever, even Your God, O Zion, from generation to generation. Praise the Lord!  Hallelujah!

Psalm 146

As Long As I Live

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Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) Praise the Lord, O my soul!
While I live will I praise the Lord;
I will sing praises to my God while I have any being.
Psalm 146:1 and 2

Haven’t we each uttered words similar to these!  I know for myself that there are times when my heart is just so full of praise and I profess that I will always be found praising Him…my whole life-long!  And, by God’s grace, we each will continue to praise our God for as long as we are alive!   ‘Cause, truly, is there anything better?

Throughout the psalms, we read of David’s (and the other psalmists’) dedication and commitment to praise the Most High God.  Verse after verse, chapter after chapter, contain beautiful words of praise and worship!  And it is such a joyful thing to do when days are easy, and trials are few, and our minds and hearts are not stressed and overwhelmed.

But we each know that, at times, days like those are a distant memory…. We each have experienced seasons of our lives where the pressures and stresses are so burdensome. And our relationships with friends and loved ones seem filled with contention. Times when the cares of this world—finances, and health issues, and rumors of wars, and threaten to overshadow the praises we have committed to bring to our God.

These are the very times…the situations and circumstances…when our praises should be more constant.  It takes a concerted effort and a willful choice sometimes to sing out our HalleluJAHs! And yet we must! We are not yet in the grave. Our lives are not over. We do still have voices and strength to lift our hands in praise to the One Who deserves every praise!

Here are a few expressions of one who is praising God ‘as long as I live!’ Perhaps you might write them down…and tuck them away for encouragement when the times come that the praises of your own heart are not spilling over. Our God does not change. He is faithful. He always brings to pass what He has promised to do. So let’s purpose to do as we so want to do—praise Him as long as we live!

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips will praise You.
So I will bless You as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
Psalms 63:3 and 4

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I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live.
Psalms 116:1-2

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Let my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your word!
My lips shall pour forth praise [with thanksgiving and renewed trust] when You teach me Your statutes.
My tongue shall sing [praise for the fulfillment] of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteous.
Let Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.
I have longed for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight.
Let me live that I may praise You, and let Your decrees help me.
Psalms 119:170-175

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I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God while I live. *
May my meditation be pleasing to Him;
I will rejoice in the Lord.
Psalms104:33 and 34

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(* some other versions translate this phrase: while I have my being, to my last breath, while I exist)

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Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
Psalm 150:6

My prayer today is that we will praise God—from morning when we get up ‘til night when we lay our heads down—we will sing our praises to the One Who deserves all the praise and glory!  May we recognize the privilege of praising our great God!  As long as we have breath, may our lives and hearts and everything within us PRAISE THE LORD!

 

So, check right now…are you breathing?  Is blood flowing through your veins?  Is your heart pumping?  Can you wiggle your toes?  Well, GOOD!  Now get busy praising Him!

Fruity Energy Bars

Fruity Energy Bars resize

I’ve got a lot of hoops to jump through when it comes to making snacks for my girls.  I try to eat Paleo myself, and while I do serve my girls grains and legumes, I am always searching for recipes that rely on Paleo ingredients first.  Next, my older daughter is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts.  That eliminates a giant swath of choices in the Paleo category, which excludes grains in favor of nuts.  So for baking, that leaves me either coconut products (which we love and use often), or seeds, like pepitas or sunflower seeds.  I found a recipe that sounded good, reconfigured it for our needs, and now I proudly present:  Fruity Energy Bars!

In the grocery store, you’ll find half an aisle dedicated to energy and granola bars.  I love them and I love that, for the most part, they’re healthy and nutritious.  They are, however, kind of pricy – sometimes two or three dollars a bar!  And it seems like the ones with the fewer ingredients are even more expensive!  (I’m looking at you, Larabar!)  Now, these Fruity Energy Bars couldn’t be quicker – just three minutes in the food processor, and about half an hour to chill and firm up.  I think you could easily exchange the dried cranberries for another dried fruit – apples, apricots, raisins, prunes, or cherries would all work.  If you want to use nuts instead of sunflower seeds, try almonds or walnuts.  They do warm up very quickly and get soft, so keep them in the fridge until ready to eat.  Ready?  Get energized!

Fruity Energy Bars

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup pitted dates
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup sunflower seeds (I used roasted and salted)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Pour all the ingredients into the bowl of  your food processor.  Pulse to blend, then mix for about 3 minutes.  You can blend it all the way together and it will form a ball, but I took mine out before that so I could still have a little texture to the bars – kind of like the consistency of sticky sand.
  2. Line an 8×8 pan with plastic wrap, or grease with a little coconut oil.  Press the mixture into the pan and press down with the back of a big spoon.  Refrigerate for at least half an hour.  Cut into 1″x4″ bars.  Get energized and go be productive!

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

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

Eve: The Life-Giver

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As Eve opens her eyes, she hears a voice echoing an elated response. “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called ‘woman’ for she was taken out of man.”  Her strong husband took hold of her and their laughter could be heard all throughout the garden. (Can’t you just hear it?)

They took walks together and had many long talks and they were naked and unashamed. They were in paradise and they were in fellowship with the Creator, their God. There were no shadows in Eden, no disorder and no discord or fear. Until the day that changed it all.

Enters the serpent, the enemy.  He said to Eve,”Did God really say that you can’t eat from any tree in the garden?”  He goes on to say,”You won’t die. God knows that your eyes will be opened and you will be like Him, knowing good and evil.” Eve listened closely. She remembered how God’s voice brought her joy. Could she possibly be like Him? It didn’t take her long to challenge what the serpent said. She took a bite of the apple and then shared with her husband. Darkness filled their souls and order was now disorder and trust was now fear. This was not what she expected.

Then they hear the voice of their Creator. They ran and hid. “Where are you?” God called. “I heard You and I was afraid, and so I hid from you because I was naked.” Sin had formed a separation between them and God.  And God, with a heavy heart, had to banish them from the garden.

But God is still a loving God and, even in the punishment, He promises Eve children! I can only imagine that Eve was at her lowest point…the life she had known was totally gone—they were now having to toil land and look for food instead of the fresh fruits of the garden. But God is a God of grace. He is now and He was then. He never stopped loving them. Yes He judged them but His grace was abundant.

Where are you today? Maybe you are at your lowest. You’re in a great position to get on your knees before God and soak in His love for you. Maybe you are in the garden with Him right now. Your relationship with Him has never been better and you are walking so close with the Creator. Relish this time. Listen to Him. You’re in a great position to hear from His heart. Maybe you don’t know Him and He is not Lord of your life. Would you like to? If so, then I invite you to pray with me at the end.  I want to close with His Word.

From the fullness of grace we have all received one blessing after another.

John 1:16

But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:20-21

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And now, if you are one of those who do not know this Lord and Savior, I invite you to pray this prayer with me:  Dear God, I know that my life isn’t what it should be and I know it is because You are not in it. I know I am a sinner and I need Jesus. I believe Jesus is Your son and He died to save me from my sins. I ask forgiveness. I want to know You more. Come into my heart and be my Savior. Thank You for what You are about to do in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.