Still in One Peace

"By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.” Psalm 42:8

Are you living in the midst of a storm? A storm that makes you feel powerless, or that maybe God has left you alone? Has the wind knocked you down and are the waters crashing around your life? Are you feeling oppressed by the world, by your family, by your friends, by your job, by your boss, by trying to please others, by trying to keep control of your relationships, by trying to keep control of your money and finances? Are you full of worry about the future or doubt about your abilities in life? Are you ill and crying out to God or feeling depressed and lonely?

If your contentment is based on your circumstances you will never find peace. If you are waiting for someone or something else to make you happy you will never find peace. If your life is on hold until you feel better or get well you will never find peace.

In King Henry VI Shakespeare poetically described internal contentment. A king is wandering in the country and meets two gamekeepers. He informs them that he is a king. One of them asks, “But, if thou be a king, where is thy crown?” He replies:

My crown is in my heart, not on my head;
Not decked with diamonds and Indian stones,
Nor to be seen; my crown is called content
A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy.

A pearl to string: As I look around I see those who are content in their daily life share God’s vision of eternity. Contentment is a soul sufficiency, a peace separate from your circumstances. From the book ‘Calm My Anxious Heart’ I found a lovely prescription for contentment by a lady missionary with great peace in her soul:

~Never allow yourself to complain about anything — not even the weather.
~Never picture yourself in any other circumstances or someplace else.
~Never compare your lot with another’s.
~Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise.
~Never dwell on tomorrow — remember that [tomorrow] is God’s, not ours.

“God is the blessed controller of all things, the king over all kings and the master of all masters.” 1 Timothy 6:15/Phillips

Knowing our eternal destiny keeps us Still in One Peace,
You are loved,
Lyndi

YOU ARE MINE

I will come to you in the silence,
I will lift you from all your fear.
You will hear my voice,
I claim you as my choice,
Be still and know I am here.
Do not be afraid, I am with you.
I have called you each by name.
Come and follow me
I will bring you home;
I love you and you are mine.

I am hope for all who are hopeless,
I am eyes for all who long to see.
In the shadows of the night,
I will be your light,
Come and rest in me. Do not be afraid, I am with you.
I have called you each by name.
Come and follow me
I will bring you home;
I love you and you are mine.

I am strength for all the despairing,
Healing for the ones who dwell in shame
All the blind will see,
The lame will run free,
And all will know my name.
Do not be afraid, I am with you.
I have called you each by name.
Come and follow me
I will bring you home;
I love you and you are mine.

I am the Word that leads all to freedom,
I am the peace the world cannot give.
I will call your name,
Embracing all your pain,
Stand up, now walk, and live!
Do not be afraid, I am with you.
I have called you each by name.
Come and follow me
I will bring you home;
I love you and you are mine.

"I will never forget you.
See, upon the palms of my hands I have written your name."
Is 49:15-16

"I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me."
Jn 10:14

PLEASE OPEN

Thank you, I cannot express to you how much this means to me. These devotionals come right out of my prayer time. Many times I am praying for you specifically and I am speaking into your heart to bless you. The devotionals are my love letters to you. These days are flipping by at a furious pace and I know you don’t have time to listen. I keep these short just for you. I know they are not deep spiritual messages – just a thought or two that hopefully take you to the Lord where His love abounds for you. I’ve just recently switched over to a mail service thinking it would be a nicer format for you to read. I also wanted to avoid you getting bounced off the String A Pearl list. Imagine my excitement when I discovered that this mail service provides a report to show how many people open the devotionals, forward them or click through to a web site that was suggested. How very cool is that I thought until I opened the first report. Wow, nearly 40% of the people on the list didn’t even open the devotional. Only one passed it on and 3 clicked through to the suggested web site. Who is on my list? Family, friends, special personal requests - all people I would die for I love them so much. I know - I know it’s not about me. I’m fighting the emotionalism that I was not able to bless you when you were hurting. Bitter sweet! I’m also experiencing great joy knowing 60% were blessed right where you were hurting – oh I thank God for that opportunity to bless you. God? Oh no, it’s much worse for God. We’re on His list. Oh Father God how Your heart breaks for all those who never open Your love letters and You did die for us!

A pearl to string: John 17:8--Jesus said to the Father, "I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me." In the Old Testament phrases such as "thus saith the Lord," "the word of the Lord came," and "God said" are repeated over 3800 times. Clearly God communicates His love by words. Second Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God". God breathes His love into us through His Word, YES HE loves us, and the Bible tells me so. Honestly the answer to every problem you have, every decision you need to make, what direction you need to turn can be found in God’s Word, His love letters to you. By the Holy Spirit He will empower you, bless you and direct you

PLEASE OPEN




You are His beloved,
Lyndi

Great Wealth

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. (1 Timothy 6:7-8)

Wow, I read that scripture this morning and my mind went back, way back in time to a discussion with a girl friend who was frustrated with me and my new found relationship with Jesus. I was actually commenting on the above verse and how content I was to be where the Lord had me and ever ready to follow His lead when she erupted. Big eyed I leaned back as her hot air filled the room. She was observing every modest aspect of my surroundings including my fragrant ‘essence of baby urp’ sweatshirt. The core of her tirade was people like me were lazy losers waiting around for some fictitious hero to save them and that I should never be satisfied with where I am. I thought: “Lord I think we both just got our butts kicked, what are You going to do?” I waited for His wisdom just didn’t realize I had received it. You know that’s true when you answer smarter than you are. Do you know words won’t change a cold, stone heart? I told her she had made some valid points that line up Biblically but I doubted that I would change her mind and she wouldn’t change my heart. I offered her pop corn & lemonade & we played with our kids. We didn’t get together much after that day. We’ve lived life in different directions but love is the only way to warm a cold heart – I’ve kept in touch for 35 years and now she lives in Colorado. Isn’t God amazing?

A pearl to string: Godliness with contentment is great wealth! (1 Timothy 6:6)
The world has moved away from modest living, contentment with little. The weight of performance, possessions and money has choked off blessings to the majority. We’re suffering a great spiritual drought. I’m not referring to healthy competition in the market place or earning a wage to provide for one’s family. Godless excess & turning away from our Creator has weakened our foundation in America. It is funny how we spend the first part of our adult life gathering and collecting and building our estates. Then a reality sets in that all our belongings are weighing us down and we begin to downsize our lives. The purging of the unnecessary creates a peaceful surrounding and fills a need for others. Those who have gone without reaching the quintessential earthly measuring stick of success and kept their eyes and hearts on Jesus may well be the wealthiest people on earth.

In His measure of goodness,
You are loved,
Lyndi

Rocky Mountain High

Son Mike, daughter Kristy, son Marc
friend Lizza Baro surround me in prayer

Grand daughter Grace, Grandson Brandon,
friend Louise Christopher lay hands on me.
Only four members of our 19 strong family
were unable to share in this prayer time. Perhaps
not pictured but all children, their mates and
grandchildren and beloved friends were with us.

There are moments of time in your walk with the Lord that you are completely enveloped in His presence. For me personally those have been moments of great pain and sorrow when there was nothing left but the Lord. I call those my Adonai moments when I ran out of courage, strength or grit to withstand the great wave of pain that life offered up to find the Lord waiting right there at the end of me. OK, here’s where it’s going to sound really strange if you have not ever experienced those moments. Those Adonai moments of time are my most treasured experiences in life. To be enveloped in the presence of the Lord is such an incredibly safe place, warmed by His love and surrounded in peace. It’s not a place you want to leave. Truly, I am not fond of the anguishing pain or the gravity of illness that seem to escort me to my Adonai moments so imagine my surprise to discover a new path. A rocky mountain high!

My family and friends made our way to the stadium floor at the Promise Keeper’s event this past week end to receive a yellow star signifying our heart to heart pledge to stand with our Messianic Jewish brothers and sisters. My husband was waiting for us there as prayer broke out all around us. Shofars were blowing and it felt as if the beautiful mountains that surrounded us in Boulder Colorado were shaking inside of me. And then ….. the Kavod fell, my Adonai moment without pain or suffering I was in my incredibly safe place, warmed by His love and surrounded in peace. Indescribable joy!

"Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone and ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" Isaiah 6:5 (Amplified Bible)

A pearl to string: When you come to the end of yourself, the end of your right, the end of your knowledge ….. You will find a ‘peace that surpasses all human understanding’ (Philippians 4:7). It is there you will find a guard for your hearts and minds in Jesus.

In His Shekinah glory,
You are loved,
Lyndi