“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.”
Thus we can sing: What a friend we have in Jesus” We all have a friend in Jesus when we met Him we knew He would be our friend for all eternity. He never tires of our constantly talking to Him throughout the day. This morning as I was dragged myself out of bed to a new day by a persistent barking dog, I thought does Jesus get tired of us with all our issues we verbally deluge Him with day after day? Does it sound like my barking dog does to me?
Just like our furry pets whom we love regardless of their barking, I know Jesus loves us more, so much that He laid down His life for each one of us. He calls us friends. He loves to talk with us, he loves us just the way we our, and walks through both our challenges and joys of each day. Hold fast to Him!!!. He has already lifted us up at Calvary, and He is there to see us through the gates, and talk to us on the right side of heaven!
So hit the trial everyday with the enthusiastic, playful dog who is excited to be walking with you. Link arms and hold fast to Jesus as you talk and share how much you love Him, how much He has done in your and others lives, and your prayers and concerns you would like to put in His lap for the day. Listen as He speaks to you and shares something from His textbook for our lives with Him.
What a friend who always keeps His promises. Hold tightly, stay on your walking path of life with Him. Hold fast!
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Rena, sounds like you are swinging in your sweet spot. Teaching the little children in yout SS class as you enjoy your home, JD, your pug, and show light with your gardening skills and art. ☀️
I’v always heard when we are in our garden spot other garden spots will bloom. One thought you gave I’m dubious of, you drag yourself out of bed 😮🤦♀️😱💃
That’s funny! At four in the morning you drag! I
4am is really early😴💤… Wonder if Jesus was up at 4am praying? 🙏 (NIV)”Mark 1: 35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
Sara wrote in, “The Four Bees” book on page 7: ” The fruit of the Spirit is self-discipline. Begin today. It’s your responsibility to discipline yourself. It’s your responsibility to RSVP to the Lord’s invitation. ‘Come away by yourselves to secluded place and rest a while.’ (Mark6:31). You must specify a time to get up in the morning, or stay up late, or take your lunch break, coffee break, or whatever it takes. Whatever quiet place you have found to create a ‘My space’ or a ‘face book’ space to write in your journal, to pray, think and meditate. Invite divine order in your life.”
Tammy, I still struggle at times to find “my Space”. But, through the art of finding gratitude it has become easier by the day. Self-discipline works for me as it truly has “Developed Divine Order in my life in many ways.”
I’m so glad you used that orderly mind of yours to teach me from the 4-bees. I have found a few “beauty spots” to pause on the Bee Journey/journal.
“Gratitude” giving thanks for what I have been given and not nagging my own inner being with what I haven’t been given. Not studying me but studying Him and you and others so I live in a circle of gratitude with great compassionate friends that are steady and faithful as Jesus Himself.
Today is a beautiful gift to me. Being able to talk to you via the Lily is a cherished gift. Having food that I love and choose from among the best of best is so special and life giving. Clean water to drink. My list is very long so I will pause because I know others want to add their song of praise for the many things to be grateful for.
Thanks Tammy to you and Debi for tracking my slowness and getting me on page 7 of The Four Bees work book. Hope I never, ever forget again that it’s my place to open my mind and heart and really my soul my whole being and shout with great enthusiasm come on in “Divine Order.” Whoa! Hooray! Now that is divine revelation! I love it, I feel it, I want that friend, Divine Order, in my life at all times. Yay, page 7…
I want that “divine order” in my life too, Sara. Thank you, Sara, for your prayers, diligence, hard work, steadfastness, willingness to teach God’s Word, and numerous other things you did, to put this book and the retreat together. Without it, Debi and I wouldn’t be able to reiterate it now.🙏💕
On sweet spot, I felt like this story was like when I first became a teacher. I began Reading / Writing Workshop and I got so excited by what my students potentially could write about I was like a little girl in a candy store seeing all the sweet stories they could write. When we were going down the halls or on the playground I’d say, “That would be a great book.” Just about everything to me seemed to be a story to be written. As I look now I see stories all around me that speak and tell a God story of encouragement.
Reflecting on what Sara wrote above and the scripture Rena posted from Hebrews 10:23 along with her thoughts on ‘walking the path of life with Him’, I then went on to read the scripture that followed and I thought tied in: “24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.”
Both reminded me of insights from Sara’s book, The Four Bees – Finding Your Spiritual Gifts”. In the chapter, “Bee of Burgeoning – Meditative Writing”, Sara writes, “Burgeoning your gift(s) is to grow and flourish in your Gifts” and she quotes Hebrews 10:24, 25. She also says regarding using your gift: “I’m going to journey in my terrain, and create a beautiful, active, productive apiary…I’m going to use them for edifying and building up of one another, the other family members of the Bee colony, the Body of Christ.”
Thanks Debi, love reading Sara’s 4️⃣ Bees! It’s warm glows with flickering sparks when another like unto yourself give the read and show and share the seasonal honey. As I follow thru on the writing of Hebrews you mentioned the writer makes clear building up of one another. That takes skill! But, so does producing a productive apiary. A porcelain or straw apiary sitting on my desk doesn’t give much sweet honey. I think of that as encouragement from the mind and not the heart.
Just what I want to do, edify and build up believers and those who are looking for something to fill a hole in their heart and perhaps reading they will say, “I want this Jesus she’s talking about.”
Go for it Rena! 🐣🐥
Answering what Sara wrote above, “I know others want to add their song of praise for the many things to be grateful for.”. I am grateful for how Tammy and Sara seemed to link arms to provide insights for encouraging growth. Tammy searched and found on “The Four Bees” book on page 7:” and then pointed out the importance of ‘divine order’, while Sara skillfully “Developed Divine Order” for us by explaining its dependence on the right understanding of gratitude!
Very encouraging to read and think on.
Thank you all for your insights which help me, you, and others who have not studied the 4 bees 🐝 who might someday to do the study! Didn’t realize the scripture God gave me in the early morning was also in the 4 Bees. God is so good!!!! His Word is good for all of us to hold onto. Sara’s writing are powerful and God always gives her the perfect words from Him which always help us to grow.