Yep, I'm alive. Pretty cool huh? It's been nice to take a break from blogging, feeling like one less thing is on my plate to think about and feel guilty and not doing. Well, it's my Monday off, the kids are back to school (I'm speaking in a more global term, we don't have kids, yet) and I'm feeling inspired. The sun is out this morning as it finally rained over night after 49 days of NO rain here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, yes that is possible. And it's starting to feel like fall, which I absolutely love, love, love. If the rest of the world knew what the weather is like here in September, the warm days, 60-70 degrees, some rain here and there, almost cool enough to start to wear jeans and long sleeves, they don't know what they're missing. And I get very reminiscent of the time when I met my husband almost 7 years ago Sept 18th, 2005, on our first/blind date for dinner at Le Pichet in Seattle. It's fabulous.
Now thinking and dwelling (my mother's blog), on these verses since last night as I read them to my husband while lying in bed, as we talked through all the hardships and 'sufferings' we have endured this last year. Nothing major, but just the every day grind of responsibilities, projects, work, our health, marriage, finances, the future, our spiritual walk...well I guess it is major. We've just needed some hope, some inspiration, some motivation to continue to do what we're doing and knowing and having some FAITH that God WILL do what He has set out for us in our lives and we cannot forget that. These verses sum it up completely, be encouraged if you are struggling through things too:
Romans 4:20-25 NIV
"(speaking of Abraham) Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."
I love how there is emphasis on what Jesus did for US, that he died for OUR sins and OUR justification, not for any of his own glory or gain. This shows how much HE TRULY LOVES US!
And my favorite verses, Romans 5:1-5
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
Dwell on these words and don't take them for granted, they are God's inspired words and they have some serious power. Be blessed!
Now thinking and dwelling (my mother's blog), on these verses since last night as I read them to my husband while lying in bed, as we talked through all the hardships and 'sufferings' we have endured this last year. Nothing major, but just the every day grind of responsibilities, projects, work, our health, marriage, finances, the future, our spiritual walk...well I guess it is major. We've just needed some hope, some inspiration, some motivation to continue to do what we're doing and knowing and having some FAITH that God WILL do what He has set out for us in our lives and we cannot forget that. These verses sum it up completely, be encouraged if you are struggling through things too:
Romans 4:20-25 NIV
"(speaking of Abraham) Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."
I love how there is emphasis on what Jesus did for US, that he died for OUR sins and OUR justification, not for any of his own glory or gain. This shows how much HE TRULY LOVES US!
And my favorite verses, Romans 5:1-5
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
Dwell on these words and don't take them for granted, they are God's inspired words and they have some serious power. Be blessed!
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| Homemade delicious Peach, Apple (from our backyard), and Plum crisp I made last Sunday |
2 comments:
beautiful, true words from the heart. Romans is so chock full of life. Thanks for this great post.
(and the food photo--yum!)
Love this! Welcome to a new season in your life!
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