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Tuesday, June 11^th Day 45

Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me:

for my soul trusteth in Thee:

yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge,

until these calamities be overpast.

I will cry unto God most high;

unto God that performeth all things for me.

He shall send from heaven,

and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up.

Selah

God shall send forth His mercy and His truth,

My soul is among lions:

And I lie even among them that are set on fire,

even the sons of men,

whose teeth are spears and arrows,

and their tongue a sharp sword.

Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let Thy glory be above all the earth.

They have prepared a net for my steps;

my soul is bowed down:

they have digged a pit before me,

into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves.

Selah

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed:

I will sing and give praise.

Awake up, my glory; awake psaltry and harp:

I myself will awake early.

I will praise Thee, O Lord, among the people:

I will sing unto Thee among the nations.

For Thy mercy is great unto the heavens,

and Thy truth unto the clouds.

Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens:

let Thy glory be above all the earth.

Psalm 57

The morning makes the entire day. To think of morning is to think of a bloom and fragrance which if missed, cannot be overtaken later in the day. The Lord stands upon the shore in the morning and reveals Himself to the weary, disillusioned men who had toiled all night and taken nothing. He ever stands upon life’s most dreary and time-worn shores, and as we gaze upon Him the shadows flee and it is morning. -Rev. Dr. Thomas Chalmers

Lord, how I love to see the dawning of a new day. Each one unique, as the darkness of the night recedes from the sky as the light gradually takes its place. Even on cloudy days the darkness is overcome by the light.

As the song says:

                                    Then came the morning

                                    Shadows vanished before the sun

Then Came The Morning written by Chris Christian and Bill & Gloria Gaither

Chris Christian and Bill & Gloria Gaither

Monday, June 10^th

Day 44

Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth:

and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt;

and serve the Lord.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord,

choose you this day whom you will serve;

whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood,

or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:

but as for me and my house,

we will serve the Lord.

Joshus 24:14-15

Lord, I choose YOU – or rather – I respond positively to Your choosing me – almost 60 years ago.

I have never regretted that choice.

You have brought me through some difficult days’

I trust that You will bring me through this.

You can never give another person that which you have found,

but you can make him homesick for what you have.

-Oswald Chambers

Lord, my prayer is that others would see Jesus in me.

I pray that they would experience the Shalom – Shalvah of a relationship with You.

May they read the words I write and have a hunger to know You and to serve You.

Use me Father God, for Your glory.

I did not choose this path but I accept this path knowing that You walk it with me.

Sunday June 9^th

Day 43

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Lord,

Today has been difficult.

I spent yesterday working in the garden.

There was a nice breeze and I did not take into account the power of the sun.

I forgot the sunscreen and I am paying the price with a bad sunburn.

My body is feeling the pain.

My spirit is feeling low since I missed the worship service this morning.

BUT:

I am reminded that my joy does not depend on my circumstances.

My joy is in YOU.

June 8^th

Day 42

Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand,

and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:

knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

and patience, experience;

and experience, hope;

and hope maketh not ashamed;

because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts

by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.

Romans 5:1-5

Life is a great mixture of happiness and tragic storm.

He who comes out of it rich in living,

is he who dares to accept it all,

face it all,

and let it blow its power, mystery and tragedy

into the inmost recesses of the soul.

A victory so won in this life will then be an eternal possession.

-Charles Lewis Stanley

Springs In The Valley

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:

And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

I John 5:4

Faith can change any situation.

No matter how dark it is,

no matter what the trouble may be,

a quick lifting of the heart to God in a moment of real, actual faith in Him,

will alter the situation in a moment.

God is still on His throne,

and He can turn defeat into victory in a second of time,

if we really trust Him.

-Streams In the Desert

Father God, I thank Thee for this day.

I thank You for the garden – for the opportunity to get my hands in the soil – to watch the plants grow and produce food for us to eat.

I thank You for the chickens – something to care for – a reason to get up and get on with the day.

I thank You for this job – it is from You – and it is what I need to make me leave the house and interact with people. When I’m reconciling a bank statement it takes all my concentration and I don’t think about my situation.

I thank You for friends and neighbors – people who care.

I thank You for this family that You gave me.

I am so blessed.

Yes – I hurt.

I opened myself up to the hurt when I chose to love.

It was worth it – for the good far outweighs the bad.

So I praise You, Lord!

Love is a risk I will take every time, for the rewards are great!

June 6th

Day 40

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing,

that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years,

and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness;

but is long-suffering  to us-ward, not willing that any should perish,

but that all should come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night;

in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise,

and the elements shall melt with fervent heat,

the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,

what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God,

wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved,

and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Nevertheless we, according to His promise,

look for new heavens and a new earth,

wherein dwelleth righteousness.

II Peter 3:8-13

I look to the day of Your returning, O Lord!

It has been 40 days learning to live on my own. Something I’ve never had to experience before. I graduated high school and we were married the following Saturday. I moved from my parents house into our home so living alone is new to me. I thank God for Ms. Pepper. She is a faithful companion.

The garden and the chickens also require my attention so I am required to get up and get moving everyday.

God Is Good!

All The Time!

Monday, June 3^rd

Day 37

Out into this same old life you must go today as ever,

but down underneath you can be nourished by the everlasting streams of God.

-Springs In The Valley

Thank You Lord, for this new day.

Thank You for the rain showers overnight.

I won’t need to water the garden this morning.

Thank You for Dianne, and for this job opportunity.

Another step on this new path I am on.

I made fried chicken and potato salad for my Sunday dinner – not an easy task – this cooking for one – but I can learn.

Or else I can invite others to share my Sunday dinner!

Show me how to serve in this different role.

Lord, lead me through this dark valley.

I find myself bewildered, uncertain.

Do I continue with the plans we had made together or are You sending me in different direction?

I am trusting that You will guide me.

When we find ourselves deficient in wisdom,

it is not because the Word of God has pages missing,

but because we have not seen all there is on the pages we already have.

It is not another book we need,

but better attention to the book we have;

it is not more knowledge we require,

but better vision to see what is already been revealed in Jesus Christ.

-Eugene H. Petersen