#noticinggod

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EXPECT THE GOOD Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit. —Romans 15:13 MSG Some thoughts are stirring within me this morning.... What am I expecting as a new week begins? What am I hoping for? HOPE — the secret to freedom. Trusting in God’s promises. HOPE IS EXPECTING GOD TO DO SOMETHING GOOD IN OUR LIFE BECAUSE HE IS GOOD! FEAR on the other hand steals hope. Fear lives waiting for the next bad thing to happen. Who really wants to live like that?! So how do we get an attitude of hope? The God of unlimited hope is our Source. He FILLS us up with joy and peace as we shift our confidence to trusting in Him. Not worrying about something bad happening — but in child-like trust anticipating good gifts from the Father — designed for us personally. What are you expecting this week? Be on the watch for God’s goodness! May your believing be filled with the life giving energy of the Holy Spirit. What a hopeful way to start a new week. PRAYER: I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13) Carry this prayer in your heart this week and pray it for someone else too. 😇 #hope #freedom #noticingGod #trust #fearnot #summerforthesoul #thedailystill

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SANCTUARIES Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. Psalm 48:9 Sanctuary - a sacred place; haven; a place of refuge and protection; a place where worship services are held; a retreat ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Sanctuary. The word itself brings peace to my soul. As a nature lover, it’s wonderfully nurturing to wander in the artistry of God's creation. In nature I feel close to my Creator. HOLY SPACE. In the Sanctuary of God's Presence is where I want to reside. Continually. And the beauty is — we are the temple that carries His Presence. So wherever we go, a worship service can take place as we remain mindful of “God within us!” ~ Where is your sanctuary? DAILY STILL MOMENT: Step into your place of sanctuary and meditate upon “the unfailing love of God” with you. PRAYER: You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands. Psalm 63 #noticingGod #Godsglory #thedailystill #radnorlake #devotional #sanctuary #worship

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SUNSET GLORY And they will come and see my glory. Isaiah 66:18 Every sunset points to God, when with upturned faces we lift our hearts toward heaven. Where did you see God’s glory today? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Who has not marked even here the glory of God as seen in the great sunset. Rivers of glory wind through meadows of gold. Lakes of glory lie embedded in the evening sky. Seas of glory lap eternal shores with their shimmering waves. Mountains of glory rear themselves to the heavens. Earth too is flooded with the glory. It bathes in light the upturned faces of those who watch and worship as the climaxing splendor of earth, sea, and sky turns the heart to God our Father, who is Himself the glory of all creation. James McConkey (1853-1937) #thedailystill #stillness #devotional #sunset #glory #Godsglory #brentwoodtn #nashville #noticingGod

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THINGS THAT MATTER 

Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, and keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest. Jeremiah 5:24 

There's a chill in the air right on cue as October arrives - a shifting in the atmosphere. 

Something feels right at home in my autumn soul this divine time of year, when nature flaunts its colors and demonstrates God’s glory. 

A beautiful orange and purple sunrise paints the sky. 

God transforms nature and He transforms us too - season by season. His power and majesty brings beauty and purpose to all seasons of life. 

And He has appointed a time for His harvest in all of our lives.

Let us stand in reverent awe of the Lord! 

Making space to draw near to God matters. 

I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. -Jeremiah 31:3 

Prayer: Thank you for Your everlasting love and harvest seasons. You are always faithful. Restore us again, O God our Savior. (Psalm 85:4) 

*Join me this month in contemplating - "Things that Matter" 

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NATURES GIFTS 

Take only pictures; leave only footprints.

As September comes to an end, my heart is full. Celebrating a new decade of life - while savoring a week at the beach with those I love - is a priceless treasure.

I find a perfect rhythm of family and ocean and prayer.

With a humble heart, I give thanks for the many blessings as I reflect on my life.

There are rare gifts to be found only at the seashore. Simplification of the outer life happens quite naturally as we mindlessly stroll. 

Peace begins to invade the inner being. 

Time slows down. 

Wandering becomes a treasure. 

Noticing every sunrise and sunset a delight. 

Solitary walks restore the soul - just God and me and the vast blue sea. 

Solitude - in some form - is a necessity for a healthy soul. One begins to shed the baggage and urgency of life, as freedom envelops us and we become in tune with our Creator.

And I know this is how I want to live.

Simply. Unencumbered. Grateful. 

Noticing God's amazing creation - with awareness, I too, am part of His glorious plan - is humbling.

To pause and stand in awe of God's majesty is a prayer in itself. 

As I take pictures in my soul, I pray my life will leave footprints of faith for those who follow.

Prayer of Praise: Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. I Chronicles 29:11-13 

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SEASONS As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night. Genesis 8:22 The pace of life can spin out of control at times. The days quickly turn to weeks and months -- seasons come and go. We plan. We strive. And we long to live in a rhythm of savoring the days and the moments before they slip away. Sometimes we need to STOP right where we are - in the middle of the messiness and busyness - and notice there is ONE who brings order to the chaos and rhythm to the seasons. I want to be in the moment. Right where I am. Right now. Enjoying the sunsets and slow days and firefly nights and grand-babies growing. I want to live in slow time. God's time. Happy summer! PRAYER: Slow me down Lord. Help me hear heaven's sounds and savor the beauty of every season. "My times are in Your hand." Psalm 31:15 #thedailystill #devotional #Summertime #hellosummer #slowtime #summer #sunset #fireflies #seasons #noticingGod

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DECLARATION OF PRAISE 

Hallelujah!
 You who serve God, praise God! 
Just to speak his name is praise!
Just to remember God is a blessing— now and tomorrow and always.
 From east to west, from dawn to dusk, keep lifting all your praise to God! Psalm 113:1-3 

I pulled the car over as quick as I could to take in this spectacular view. The sky and air were crystal clear, freshly cleansed by the rain. And the lights below sparkled like an enchanted city. 

Surely it would be an insult to the Creator not to notice and breathe in the moment. So I stepped out into the crisp night air and gazed from east to west as spontaneous praise bubbled up in my spirit. 

And I read these words from the Psalm - 

"Just to speak His name is praise! Just to remember God is a blessing." 

It's in the noticing and giving thanks and praise that we are blessed... and God is blessed too. 

#thedailystill #devotional #31DaysofFaithDeclarations #praise #noticingGod #noticinggodspresence #lakearrowheadmoment

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VIEWPOINT

Rise up and shine, for your light has come. Lift up your eyes and look around you, and see. Then you will see and shine with joy. Your heart will be glad and full of joy. Isaiah 60:1,4-5 

Yesterday's song continued singing in my spirit throughout the night and was on my heart as I woke this morning...

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face.

I know to pay attention when a verse or song keeps coming to mind. A little nudging of the Holy Spirit. And I'm reminded of the sweetness of the dwelling Presence of God. 

What would it look look like if I lived intentionally gazing into the eyes of Jesus?

I love this lake view. Everything sparkles in a delightfully clear way from the mountain top. I see things differently from this vantage point. 

Perhaps that's why we are encouraged to look up at Jesus. The Light of His Presence provides a wise point of view as we walk through our days. 

The things of earth grow strangely dim when we turn our eyes upon Jesus and see things from His heart's position. 

DAILY FAITH DECLARATION: 

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way walk in it. Isaiah 30:21

#thedailystill #GodsWhispers #Light #lakearrowhead #Shine #NoticingGodsPresence #devotional #NoticingGod #31daysoffaithdeclarations