What Would You Have Me Learn from This, Lord?

                             The sky is gray.  Is a storm brewing? 
                     What am I facing?  What's going to happen to me? 
                                         Why is this happening?

Why did that happen?
Why are You allowing this to happen to me, Lord?

I ask and sometimes He lets me see that this world is not my home. I have not arrived home yet. I’m in school, in training. Each experience is a learning event. I am being evaluated by how I react, how I treat others as I would have them treat me. I am being evaluated on my attitude, how hard I try – even when I fail.  Am I learning?

God knows I am weak, but He cares when I keep trying, when I turn to Him for strength. He always knew I couldn’t make it on my own. He has been waiting for me to learn and accept the fact. He’s been waiting for me to turn to Him and make Him my strength. 

My flesh...may fail but God is the strength of my heart.   Psalm 73:26

He’s been waiting for my heart to soften from a heart of stone into a heart of flesh and to forgive as He has forgiven me my many sins – just because I ask, not because I could ever earn His forgiveness and will never deserve His forgiveness. 

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 
  Ezekiel 36:26

God has plans for me, plans to help and not to hurt. He as a job for me to do and I will be here until I complete that job.

He is molding me into the child He knows I can be and really am, deep down inside. I can stop Him with my willfulness. I can choose not to allow.  He did give me free will, but do I really want to use it to oppose Him?  Do I trust Him completely with my life and my future?  Do I trust the Creator of all that exists to make good plans for me?  I’d be a fool not to.

So, I put myself in His hands and when stuff comes up in my life that is difficult, that I may not want to do, I ask “What would you have me learn from this, Lord? and listen for His answers.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.    Jeremiah 29:11

                           God can change gray skies to blue.  

            There may still be clouds but the outlook is much brighter.  

               The scenery changes from gloom to brilliant beauty.  

            This is what happens to my life when I trust in the Lord, 

      when I trust that He has a plan for me and it involves teaching me, 

                               molding me into His child.

                      View is near ski jump at Lake Placid, NY.

Prayer Request:

There is so much turmoil in our country right now.  Please pray for everyone.  Please sew the seeds of kindness every chance you get.  We can only fight the darkness with God's light.  We can only fight evil with God's goodness.  And guess what?  God has already won the final battle for us. 

                          In the midst of darkness, 

                                 God brings His light and His love.  

                                 We only need to walk to the light 

                                   and to His outstretched hands.

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 usually post every other Saturday.

Lately I have been very busy with Grandma duties on weekends 
    so I may try to post during the week.

As we live our lives and trudge through the problems and heartbreaks and JOYS that life brings, we need to remember that there is a heavenly reward waiting for us when we choose to follow God's way.  God is the golden light waiting for us on the other side. His eternal reward is beyond anything we can imagine.

And the Clouds Parted

The clouds are gray and threatening.
It’s been raining.
The wind blows leaves hither and yon.

My mood is down-cast.
So much is happening
So many problems at home and in the world
So many issues to deal with.
Sometimes it’s over-whelming.

And the clouds parted.
The sun shone through.
The sky is still gray with patches of blue

But the day brightens
My mood brightens

My father is telling me that regardless of how dark my life becomes, He is with me always, beside me, helping with all my problems, with all life’s issues.

He says “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5
He never has and never will.

I am never alone.

He has a plan for me, a plan to help and not to hurt me – or you.

Be blessed, my friend.

This is the day the Lord had made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11

                        God gives us rainbows to remind us 
               that He walks with us through each of life's trials.

Happy New Year dear friend.
It's the time to reflect on what happened in 2018 and think about what we would like to accomplish in 2019.  I would encourage you to pray and ask God what He would like you to accomplish in 2019.
Your true happiness and fulfillment will come when you are working with your Father and living the life that He has planned for you.  I wish that happiness and fulfillment for you and that 2019 is your best year yet.

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 usually post every other Saturday.

Lately I have been very busy with Grandma duties on weekends 
    so I may try to post during the week.

The next post should be in about 2 weeks.

                               I'll close with a beautiful sunset.  

             I am so blessed that God has planted me in a beautiful area 

             and that He sets up wonderful scenery for me to photograph.

                            When I look at His wonderful sunsets, 

                 God seems to be saying "See you in the morning, child.

                                         Tomorrow is a new day, 

                             wait till you see the plans I have for you.

                      "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 

                           plans to give you hope and a future. "  

What is God’s Plan for You?

                            Lake Clear, NY in February
                     All nature sleeps awaiting the coming of Spring.
       Is your life on hold awaiting God letting you know His plan for you?

Did you know that God has a plan just for you?

Did you know that He formulated that plan
   long before you were born?

Pretty amazing, isn’t it?

At least I was amazed when I was told that.

I had no idea that I was so important
   that He thought about me
   from the beginning of time,
   that He decided that the world
   isn’t complete without me
   and my little part of His “big picture.”

                                 Brook near Nicholville, NY
                         Each little brook is an important part
                              of the complete ecosystem.
                     Each of us is an important part of God's plan.
 

You know of course, that the same applies to you
   as well.

Each of us is irreplaceable in God’s plan.

Now, how do we find out what that plan is?

I’ve been taking a bible study at Knapps Station Church about “Listening for the Voice of God
and Discerning the Voice of God.”

Our lesson for this week discusses that God’s voice reveals His plan for each for us and to each of us.

How can that be, you ask?

He speaks to each of us in a way
   special to each of us.

It really helps if you know some about the Bible
   and then know a little about God’s character
   so you can judge if the message you receive
   is from God or from Satan.

I have heard messages from God that came
   through other people, through something I read
   or even from TV.

What I mean is that I prayed or asked a question
    and I heard or read something that addressed
   or answered exactly what I was asking.

So how does God let you know what His plan is
   just for you?

                            Church near Paul Smith's College, NY
                       Worshipping and fellowship at a good church
                             will help put you on the right path.

You have to give Him a chance.

Pray about it and wait patiently.

Look for the unexpected.

I’ve found that He often has already started equipping or even fully equipping people for the plan or job He has for that person.  

        Chimney? Silo? Or what?  At Lake Placid, NY
             What was the plan for this structure?
                What is God's plan for your life?

I write a blog post and got lots of experience 

   writing on my job for many years.
   Actually, my family has told me that I wrote
   from the time I was a child. 
   Now I write for Him.  

Is this the extent of what He has in mind for me? 
   I have no idea but I know He will let me know.

You may already be engaged in His plan for you
   and not realize it yet.

  Because you were made to do that job,
   you probably gravitate to it somehow. 

               This little stream on Outer Main St. Potsdam, NY 
               wanders hither and yon toward its destination.
                     Is your life doing the same thing? 
                     Do you realize that your destination is VITAL
                        and your part in getting there 
                    can be accomplished by no one but YOU!

Remember that you are very important to God and    He wants to spend eternity with you in paradise.

Remember that you have a job to do now
   to prepare you for paradise.

Wait patiently for God to let you know what it is
   and then trust that He will make sure
   you can do it well.

 

When He lets you know His plan for you,

   jump in with both feet and don’t look back.  

You are in for the time of your life.

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
   Ephesians 1:4

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."      Jeremiah 29:11

                      This ice castle at Lake Placid, NY 
              was constructed to celebrate the winter of 2017.
               You were made to celebrate our mighty Creator
                 and to spend eternity with Him in paradise.
                 Please remember how important you are.
                You play a vital part in God's mighty plan!

Commentary:

Spring is now officially upon us and it's often the time to plan for our gardens, our vacations and whatever for the upcoming summer.

       In the midst of all the snow and cold we keep getting,
                         even the lowly dandelion
               would be a welcome sight to me right now.

We are all in different seasons of our lives. Some of us are in the Spring, some in the summer and some of us are in the Fall or even Winter of our lives.

Wherever you are, my friend, what are your plans for the time after your Winter.  The end of this life may be in sight. None of us knows the day or the hour when the end may come.  Do you know where you will go next?  Are you looking forward to that?  The next step is forever without end.  Plan carefully. After you die, there are no second chances.  God gives those unlimited second chances now.  Use them wisely.

Choose carefully and be delighted with your planning for eternity.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
   Romans 6:23

                  God will make your soul bloom for eternity
                        - if you only accept His gift of love.

Book Reviews:

    A Voice in the Wind

An Echo in the Darkness



As Sure as the Dawn

This trilogy was written by Francine Rivers who weaves strong stories that give us page turners that are hard to put down.
These interlocking stories take place in the days of the early church and describe what life was like for those learning about Christ and struggling for their faith despite living in extremely evil times. There is a strong thread of love interwoven throughout.  I found them a very satisfying read.



The Case For Easter by Lee Strobel

Do you wonder why we celebrate Easter?  Is all that talk about Jesus rising from the dead for real?  Lee Strobel goes to the historical experts to explore if the Christian belief has validity.  I recommend this little book filled with facts to answer just those questions.

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Knapps Station Community Church

If you have children and live in the area, or even just like to work with kids, keep the evenings of the second week of July open.  Knapps Station Church will have their annual Vacation Bible School or VBS for short. 
This year the theme will be Operation Arctic and promises to be lots of fun for all those involved.  
Stay tuned in for more information and pictures of last year's event.

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Giving God the Time of Day is today's blog post by my friend Jean Oathout.  Do you take time to spend with Him?  Do you drink in His presence and feel the JOY and peace that only He can bring?

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What Children Can Teach Us  is a recent blog post by my friend Jane Ault.  We may think that children have little idea of what life is about but, given a chance, they will surprise, enlighten and delight us with their understandings.

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Voice of the Martyrs 

Please pray for our brothers and sisters who do not have the freedom to worship as they choose.
Many suffer and die for their faith.
We are so blessed to worship as we choose.
Many died to give us this freedom
May we never lose this freedom.
And may we never take it for granted. 

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Blessing:

May you be blessed by discovering
   our Loving Father's plan for your life.
May you find great fulfillment
   in living out that plan.
May our Creator bless you daily
   with His mighty love, His forgiving grace
   and His unending JOY.

                    And may your heart soar
     and fly into the arms of He who loves you.

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All photos taken by Debbie and Tim McEwen 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 April 8, 2017

May God bless you greatly until we meet again.

                       A "snow dog" from this winter.

                  God gives us rainbows and promises
                          all throughout our lives
                       regardless of what is going on.

                Just as the sun goes down in a blaze of glory,
                      may your life shine now and forever
                        with the brilliance of God's love.