A few good quotes from the notes and then just one random thought from me….
I am S.T.I.L.L. looking over my notes…and may I say that I took a LOT of them…but I decided you all might be getting bored…
so here are some highlights from the conference I attended….
and can I say it would be just very fun if I could mess with different fonts and colors for this part to make it catchier….but hopefully the thoughts themselves will speak into where you are today….
“Jesus does not consider us a bother or an inconvenience.”
“The enemy weaves just enough truth into a lie to pull us in.”
Lisa Harper on Blind Bartimaeus receiving his sight as Jesus passed through Jericho; Mark 10:46-52
“You can have a life full of things you want and still not have an abundant life. The difference between a full life and and abundant life is only Jesus. The flip side…in our lack/the things we don’t have that we wish we did…we can still have an abundant life.”
“We don’t dismiss hurt, sorrow and pain but we acknowledge and then choose to look for the Abundant Life in the midst of it. Call the pain ‘Pain’ and experience loss yet notice the opportunities IN THIS SEASON – look for the things you can do NOW…in this season.”
“Most of life is really a mix of too much and some lack and in that mixture we need to connect with Jesus –
to make space for Him in our busy-ness and let Him fill our emptiness”
Annie F. Downs on Lydia welcoming Jesus into the fullness of her life ; Acts 16:13-15
“Whatever our mind focuses on, it will feast on and will consume our identity.”
Lysa Terkeurst on Nabal and Abigail as they responded to David; 1 Samuel 25:2-44
I know those are pulled out of context, but I hope you find a word of encouragement there somewhere today.
It is amazing to hear these young women speak from the Word of God after opening it up and studying it.
Such rich teachings to help us understand and apply scripture to our everyday life.
And now here is my own little random thought.
Tonight Russ and I took a long walk around the lake. The sun was setting by the time we walked along the part of the basin where the boat docks start.
There is one dock that serves as a kind of fueling station and in the lights from the shore I could see a black dog crouching next to the fuel shed. It appeared to be straining at its leash.
I mentioned it to Russ and he saw it too, but then he commented that it had to be a statue because there were ducks settling in for the night all around it. He said if it were a real dog, the ducks wouldn’t be hanging around.
Sure enough as we continued closer, the dog literally disappeared for a moment and then quickly reappeared in the exact same crouching stance.
It was a one-dimensional weather vane….not even a 3D fake dog.
As we passed, the ducks continued their activity while this flat black image moved only at the whim of the wind.
And the Lord whispered into my heart…
how like the enemy, dear child…
he is one-dimensional phony.
He can only imitate…not create…
He works in illusions and deceptions…
and even at his worst….I am still in control.
He makes dogs out of paper cut-outs…I make dogs out of flesh and bone
So there you go darlings…
be encouraged today…
He is Lord of all .
There is no other God besides Him and He not only rules over all of heaven and earth…He graciously calls us His children and lavishes His love on us.
Don’t be fooled by imitations…deceptions…illusions…
He is the real deal and there is no other <3