Come, Loving Father

        I took the photo of this magnificent sunset about a week ago.
            As you will see in the pictures that follow the prayer, 
                           the more I zoomed in on the sun, 
   the more beauty and intense color that the camera was able to pick up.
        In our prayer lives, the more we "zoom in" on God, 
                      the more JOY we find in our lives
                         and the happier we become.

I sit here and wait for You to come
I welcome You into my heart and soul
I ask You to fill my being
I long for Your heavenly presence

I am empty
And You fill me up

I am insignificant
You are my everything

For many years, my heart had longed for You
I didn't know what I was seeking until I found You

Now my whole being knows that I need Your presence every day

I need Your wisdom
I need Your love
I need Your grace, Your mercy

I have humbly repented my many sins
and asked Your forgiveness
As my loving Father, my Abba,
I know that You have forgiven me
And welcomed me back into Your loving arms

I need Your essence to be complete

With You, I am as I was meant to be

My whole being rejoices when You are with me
You are the lover of my soul who makes me whole

Thank You, loving Father
for always being so accessible
Always being so present in my life

You have all of creation to attend to
And yet I matter, everything about me
is important to You

You are too wonderful for words

You dearly love all Your children
You made all of us in Your image and likeness
And we are all so precious to You

You are always present and available
for each of Your children
We only have to ask You, Our Loving Father
and You come to us

Blessed, blessed be Your most holy name

...that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:20

     This is what I saw with my eyes without benefit of a zoom lens.

            Just starting to zoom in and getting prettier.

           The sunset also gets more beautiful as it progresses.

     Never underestimate the power of prayer to affect our lives for the better.

Prayer Request:
There is so much going on in our world.  There are almost daily tragedies with shootings, crashes and so much more.  Never forget that God is in charge and will make all this right.  Please pray for the victims.  Please pray for the perpetrators.  Please pray that God will touch these people in a mighty way and prevent further tragedies.  Please pray for unity under God in our country.  Whatever you choose, please pray.  Pray for God to make all the wrongs right and know that He will in His time, His will and His way.  He does all things for our good and this too will turn out right.  Please, just pray at all times.

May God bless you greatly, my friend.

All  photos taken by Debbie McEwen

All bible reference from the NIV
     unless otherwise noted.

If you are interested,
    you can click on the Blog Archive
    dates on the top right side of this post
    to connect to previous blog posts.

I would love to hear from you either 

    on the comment section of this blog post
    or through my email.
    debbieamcewen@gmail.com
I post every other Saturday.

The next post will be on September 1, 2018.

                  This is a moon shot that I took about a month ago.

             This world where God has placed us is absolutely amazing 

      from the sun, moon and stars down to the tiniest molecules in our bodies.

                   Everything is a testimony to God's infinite power 

                          and the incredible love He has for us.

                and God

Are You Ever Overwhelmed?

              Do you ever feel like you are at the end of your rope
                           and hanging on for dear life ?

Do you ever feel like you have too many obligations?

No time for yourself?

Thoughts swirling in your head?

Do you ever feel like there's just too much to do?

Do you ever have people coming at you from all directions with requests and demands?

Do you ever feel like there just isn’t enough of you to go around?

Do you ever feel totally depleted, empty, like there is nothing left of you and your essence?

Is that how Jesus felt when the crowds followed him?

Pleading, yelling, demanding, requiring, “heal me!” “help me!” “save me!” “speak to me!” “give me what you’ve got, all you’ve got!” “I’m needy” “feed me” “It’s all about me!”

Did anyone have a care if Jesus ate, if he slept, if he had any comfort, any peace?

Did He complain?

Did He send the crowds away?
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 9:35-36

Or send the children away?

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14 


Was He ever sick?

Was Jesus ever exhausted?

Did He ever have a bad day and just not feel like “doing all that?”

Although fully God, Jesus was fully human so He must have felt that way at times.

The time He spent in prayer with His Father kept Him going.

He knew He was opening the door, paving the way for all of us to spend eternity with Him and His Father.

He knew He was paying a terrible price to atone for all the sins of humanity.

When Jesus was overwhelmed, He thought about the end game and how precious we are to Him.

When you feel overwhelmed, turn to Him, reach out to Him and He will give you eternal peace and never-ending JOY!

                              This was my yard just a month ago.

                        This is my yard today.  The snow is gone.  
                                 New growth is everywhere.  
                  I have heard the peepers and Spring is here.  Yeah!!
          When I turn to God, He takes away the cold in my heart and soul. 
                                   He gives me new growth.  
                          He warms me and makes me come alive.  
                    I may still need a lot of cleaning up like my yard
                              but He puts me on the right path. 
                            And He puts JOY in my heart and soul!

Blessing:

My friend:  I wish you the peace of knowing that when you are troubled, when your life is in turmoil, that our Brother and Savior, Jesus is only a heartbeat away, waiting anxiously for you to call out.  When you do, He always answers.

All photos taken by Debbie unless otherwise noted.

All bible reference from the NIV
     unless otherwise noted.

If you are interested,
    you can click on the Blog Archive
    dates on the top right side of this post
    to connect to previous blog posts.

I would love to hear from you either 

    on the comment section of this blog post
    or through my email.
    debbieamcewen@gmail.com
I post every other Saturday.

The next post will be on May 19, 2018.

              2 pictures of a beautiful sunset this past Monday night.
             No matter how bleak and foreboding your life may seem,
                   God can take you and your life and make you
                                 absolutely beautiful! 

Does Your Heart Ever Ache, Lord?

                                        Sunrise at Black Lake, NY.
                    (Photo taken by Sandi Farina, used with permission.)
                      No matter how much pain we cause Our Father, 
                                        He loves us dearly.
                               The sun comes up every morning 
                      along with His JOY that is fresh each morning.

Do You ever weep when Your children ignore You?

Are You ever down-heartened 
     when some even deny You exist?

Do You ever regret that You created all of us
    when we let You down so completely at times?

    -especially when we are so mean to each other?

Fortunately, You are Faithfulness
     from forever to forever.

No matter what we do or don’t do 
     You forgive us when we tell You we are sorry.

You love us that much.

You desperately want to spend eternity with us 
     so You put aside all Your feelings to nudge 
     and coax us back to You.

All regrets and heartaches are gone.

All sins are forgotten forever.

There is only JOY when we turn back to You.

Please help me Lord, to do my part to bring You JOY.

Please help me, Your prodigal daughter,  
     to stop causing pain
     to Your wonderful, loving heart.

Please help me to live Your way from now on.

I really want to spend eternity with You.

It’s a tall order, but with God, all things are possible.

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

                   (Photo by David Sanford - used with permission)

                                  What will heaven look like?

     Rainbow at Black Lake, NY.  Photo by Sandi Farina.  Used with permission.

                                                   Boat launch at Santa Clara, NY

     I took this photo in PA on a side road on the way home from Montrose, PA.  

                                   A golf course in Montrose, PA

               I'd like to think that when we see the beauty of nature, 
                      that we catch glimpses of what we will see 
                            when we get to our eternal home 
                                  - if we choose Jesus.

Blessing:
May you be blessed each day 
    knowing that you have a Loving Father 
    who is always on your side, 
    who does all things for your betterment.
May you always realize 
    that you can simply trust Him 
    and He will always come through for you.

Hope to see you all in heaven someday!!!
May God bless you greatly, my friend.

All photos taken by Debbie and Tim McEwen unless otherwise noted-          used with permission.
All bible reference from the NIV
     unless otherwise noted.

If you are interested,
    you can click on the Blog Archive
    dates on the top right side of this post
    to connect to previous blog posts.

I would love to hear from you either 

    on the comment section of this blog post
    or through my email.
    debbieamcewen@gmail.com
I post every Wednesday and Saturday.
The next post will be August 9, 2017.

                             We are all traveling on the road of life 
                              headed toward our final destination.  
                                      Our choices along the way 
                       determine where we end up for all of eternity.  
                  Where do you want to spend your forever and forever?
                                           Choose wisely.
                         I'd love to spend eternity with you in paradise.
                   (photo taken on the way home from Saranac Lake, NY)

The Fragrance of the Lord

                            Lilies at Knapps Station Church

Please change me Lord from the sinful person I am
Help me to learn and live Your way

Lord, please make me fragrant with You 

   and Your love
Let me spread Your fragrance with everyone I meet
Let those I meet know that sweet scent is You
Let me spread You, Your love, grace and JOY by my actions and life

Please make my life one of spreading Your fragrance to all I meet

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

The following lilies were all photographed at Montrose Christian Conference Center.  I was told that a caretaker had planted over 100 varieties of lilies.

                           Love is patient, love is kind.  
            It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
                                 1 Corinthians 13:4

       Love is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it keeps no records of wrongs. 
                                                            1 Corinthians 13:5 

Learning to Love in Simple Ways is a blog post by my friend Jane Ault discussing ways to love and spread the Fragrance of the Lord.

          Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
                               1 Corinthians 13:6

             Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, 
                    always perseveres.  1 Corinthians 13:7

              How do we spread the fragrance of the Lord?  Through love.

                                          Through simple acts of kindness.

          By forgiving even when it isn't deserved - just as God forgives us.

                                By lending a helping hand and a willing ear 

         By using the gifts God gave you, like your sense of humor.

                   By being the unique person that God made 
                 and giving others the freedom to do the same.

                                                           Through respect

                      Through friendship and true concern for others

May you be blessed greatly, my friend 

    by the Lord's incredible lovingkindness 

         that absolutely never fails!

Please note:  New format:  I will publish my blog every Wednesday and Saturday. 

I plan to post shorter posts than those previous to this one.

This was suggested at the Montrose Christian Writer's Conference.

Please let me know what you think.

I would like to write the best blog I can 

to benefit you, my readers 

and give glory to the Father.

All photos taken by Debbie and Tim McEwen unless otherwise noted- used with permission

All bible reference from the NIV
unless otherwise noted

If you are interested,
you can click on the Blog Archive
dates on the top right side of this post
to connect to previous blog posts

I would love to hear from you either on the
comment section of this blog post
or through my email
debbieamcewen@gmail.com

I post every Wednesday and Saturday
The next post will be July 29, 2017

                    Two bee or not to be.  That is the question.
              Will we choose to be His child and drink His lovingkindness 
                                  or will we go without?

Are You Wounded?

Is your heart empty of JOY and life like this deserted house?
Do you have trouble and pain in your life?

Is your heart hurting?

Is there trouble and strife, stress, sickness, tragedy, sadness and turmoil in your life?

Look up.

Look to the One who is weeping for you
    and with you.

When the storm clouds are at their worst, Jesus will break through.

He cares

He will hold your heart in His loving hands
    and give you peace

Jesus leads us to the magnificent sunset at the end of a terrible day
          and gives peace to the soul.

Cry to Him

He is listening

He too suffered from the evils of the world

His heart was stomped into the ground

He was left raw and bleeding to death

His heart was pierced for us

Do you ever feel that life is beating you down?
The world closed in around Jesus and beat Him down the way nature is deteriorating this old house. 
Go to Jesus and He will help you through whatever life gives you. 

And He is God

He didn’t have to do this for us

But He loves us so much, He did it anyhow

And He would do it again – just for you

Hold out your hand to Him

He is there waiting for you

Run to the light that is Jesus and know that you will find your peace.

He will hold you and cry with you

He will dry your eyes and give you peace

He will help you through the worst

When you are wounded, go to Jesus

And know that you are loved!

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

   Psalm 23:1-4

A beautiful sunset on the St. Lawrence River from Ogdensburg, NY. 
 

I Give It All To You

I'm running on empty
The gage is getting low
My reserve has been depleted
My heart is full of woe

I'm turning to You, Lord
You will know just what to do
I cannot manage on my own
I give it all to You

I Know that You are with me
You've been here every day
You've known me from conception
Your love is here to stay

I only have to call out
And lift my hand to You
You will come to my rescue
You will always see me through

My heart is filled with joy now
You filled it with Your love
You always come to help me
You lift me from above

I put my self in Your hands
I give it all to You
I give You all my problems
You always see me through


So we say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid
What can mere mortals do to me?"

Hebrews 13:6

Our goal is the far mountain.  We cannot make it on our own.  We don't have to. We have the Holy Spirit and we have the fellowship and support of our fellow travelers who are headed to the same destination.  Together, we will make it.
This is Whiteface Mountain Lake Placid, NY.

The sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.The LORD will guard your going out
and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.
Psalm 121:6-10

When times get very difficult to bear find a house of God to feed your soul and to lead you home to your Father who is waiting patiently and lovingly for you.   Find a church that will feed you with the Word of God. Become part of a church family who will help you on your walk with Jesus. 

Pray, pray, pray at all times.  Your Father is patiently waiting to hear from you.

He always listens and always answers.  It will be His will, His way and in His time.  And His answer will always be in your best interest - in the long run.

This church is near South Colton, NY.  

I attend Knapps Station Community Church in Knapps Station, NY.

Knapps Station Community Church 

Blessings From United Prayer  is a blog post from my friend Jean Oathout discussing the value of prayer.

Commentary

When I wrote "Are You Wounded?" I was crying. My heart and soul were hurting for some problems that I had and for all the problems around me.  

There is so much difficulty, sickness and tragedy in the world.

Satan has a firm grip on so many situations and so many people. 

However, Satan is NOT the one in control. 

God is firmly in control. 

When Jesus was born, Satan thought he would eliminate Him when Herod killed all the baby boys. Joseph has to flee with Mary and Jesus but Jesus was safe. 

Satan thought he won the final battle when Jesus died on the cross.  However, Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death and Satan for us.  

Jesus always wins in the end.  

And so will we - if we just hang in there and trust in the One who loves us more than earthly life itself.  

We can be assured that a life following Jesus won't be easy BUT Jesus will walk every step with us and will lead us to victory.  

Remember the saying, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." 

Every step of this blog post has been blocked and difficult.  The computer has been anything but cooperative.  This has been very busy this week.  

However, with God's help we can and will get through everything that Satan and the world throw at us.

With Jesus at our side we will always be overcomers. 

When we follow Jesus we will always win.

Jesus walks with us through the storm and gives us a rainbow.
He leads us to victory and to our heavenly reward.
We only have to hang in there.

He said, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 2Kings 6:16



Book Reviews



The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado  is a sweet Christmas story that could have come right out of Dickens.  We can never discount the power of a Christmas miracle. I borrowed this from the Knapps Station Library.  I recommend this.  

 

Why the Nativity? 25 Compelling Reasons We
Celebrate the Birth of Jesus by David Jeremiah
addresses 25 thought provoking questions surrounding the birth of Jesus.




Reaching for the Invisible God by Philip Yancey

is one of those gems to be read slowly and digested thoughtfully.  He gives so much meat to feed the soul.  If you let him, Mr Yancey will guide you to a deeper relationship with your Father.  I heartily recommend this book.




Basic Christianity by John Stott
discusses some basic Christian principles including was Jesus Christ the son of God? A good read for everyone.

The sun shining on the snow in my backyard.  

                              The Son is the light of our lives.

The Blessing

May the new year bring you 
   to the One who is seeking you
May you come to see that He truly loves you
   and will never lead you astray.
And may you find the peace
   that surpasses all understanding
   In our Loving Father

All photos taken by Debbie and Tim McEwen unless otherwise noted- 

  used with permission

All bible reference from the NIV unless otherwise noted

If you are interested, you can click on the Blog Archive 

  dates on the top right side of this post to connect 

  to previous blog posts

I would love to hear from you either on the      

  comment section of this blog post
  or through my email  

  debbieamcewen@gmail.com

I post every other Saturday 

The next post will be January 14, 2017

Happy New Year to you my friend and may God Bless you greatly!

This huge pile of logs was located near Santa Clara, NY.  We saw it last Spring.  I've seen lots of logging but never a pile this huge.