Faith, Love, and Perfect Gifts

The Lord is so faithful to provide encouragement through His Word for every aspect of His children's lives.  As I have felt very needy of His presence and aid, He has blessed me with precious passages to meditate on, promises to hold on to, and verses to give me strength and courage.  I hope that these passages will be a blessing to some of you as well, in whatever the Lord is placing before you.

~Brittany

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

James 1:2-8,12

“Be not faithless, but believing.”

John 20:27

~Brittany

~Brittany

~Brittany

From Whence My Help Cometh

~Brittany

True Joy is Strength

~Brittany

God's Rock Flowers - His Best Soldiers

 Thou hast shewed thy people hard things (Ps. 60:3).
 
I have always been glad that the Psalmist said to God that some things were hard. There is no mistake about it; there are hard things in life.

Some beautiful pink flowers were given me this summer, and as I took them I said, "What are they?" And the answer came, "They are rock flowers; they grow and bloom only on rocks where you can see no soil." Then  I thought of God's flowers growing in hard places; and I feel, somehow, that He may have a peculiar tenderness for His "rock flowers" that He may not have for His lilies and roses. --Margaret Bottome 

The tests of life are to make, not break us. Trouble may demolish a man's business but build up his character. The blow at the outward man may be the greatest blessing to the inner man. If God, then, puts or permits anything hard in our lives, be sure that the real peril, the real trouble, is what we shall lose if we flinch or rebel. --Maltbie D. Babcock

Heroes are forged on anvils hot with pain,
And splendid courage comes but with the test.
Some natures ripen and some natures bloom
Only on blood-wet soil, some souls prove great
Only in moments dark with death or doom.
God gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.

 -- Streams in the Desert, for November 23rd
 
~Brittany

Rejoice Always

~Brittany

The Will of God ~ Give Thanks

~Brittany

~Brittany

Peace through Christ

~Brittany

~Brittany

This picture was done per special request by Mom.  When some dear friends came to visit, they brought us this apple tree to plant in our orchard.  Every time we see it, it makes us think of them.  One day last month we were amazed to discover that it had a blossom on it!  Incredible!  So, Mom asked if I would try to get a picture of it and asked if I could put a verse with it about God doing the impossible.  We never know how He is working, but we do know that He works all things for the good of His children and for His glory.  So we can rest assured that, however difficult or impossible it may seem to get to the point of good and glory, nothing is impossible for Him and He is doing His perfect work!

~Brittany

~Brittany

Patience Makes Perfect

"Possess your souls with patience.

Never complain.  Never murmur.

Never feel sorry for yourself."

- Brother Chris Pappas -

We were very blessed this past Lord's Day to make one of our semi-frequent visits to a church body we have come to love and appreciate very much.  Pastor Pappas's messages were such a blessing to our family that day, (as they always are!) and the fellowship was sweet and encouraging.  Towards the end of his message for second service he stated the above quote.  It really spoke to me as I feel the Lord has been teaching me much about patience (and many other things) over the past couple of years.  The Lord brought this message just when I needed it and I wrote it down in my journal so I wouldn't forget.  It brings to mind the following passages:

"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 unto us."

~  Romans 5:3-5 ~

"But let patience have her perfect work,

that ye may be perfect and entire,

wanting nothing."

~ James 1:4 ~

Patience is such an important lesson to learn.  We must have hope and be patient.  The Lord is doing His perfect work.  We must just simply, quietly trust and wait on Him.  I hope this is a blessing to some of you as well.  May the Lord bless and guide the rest of your week.

~Brittany

After I had finished writing this, I was trying to decide what to title the post when the thought struck me - patience makes perfect (from the above verse).  We've all heard the saying "Practice makes perfect", but what a neat spiritual thought that "patience makes perfect!"  Wow!  The Lord is so good!  His Word is always fresh and bringing new encouragement! :-)

~Brittany

Loving Truly

Roses are my favorite flower.  But one thing about them, as beautiful as they are, is that they always, without fail, have thorns.  I suppose they are kind of like us.  We all have a beautiful side, but also a side that is not beautiful at all.  But that ugly side is just as real as the beautiful.  Now, in Christ we are growing and being sanctified each day, thus we should see more holiness and love in each of our lives.  But that does not erase the fact that we are sinful, fallen creatures.  That is why we need the Savior.  We have a choice in dealing with each other.  Everyone likes to see the beautiful side of people, and that’s usually the side that we do see at first.  But at some point we’re going to see some not to pretty things in each other.  We will see inconsistency, lack of love, imperfect performance, sin.  Now here is where the choice comes.  We can choose to walk away because we don’t like to see those things in people.  After all, why would you put up with that when you could just go be with someone who always looks good, right?  We can just jump from one shallow relationship to another without ever having to learn to truly love people.  But that’s just not reality.  It’s not biblical.  It’s easy to love the lovely, but we all know that we aren’t always lovely.  We fail, sometimes badly.  It is in those moments when we must choose to love with Christ-like love.  Christ loved us while we were yet sinners, when we still hated Him and were completely walking in sin.  He saved us and continues to pour out His grace and love upon us, even as we fail.  If we cannot love each other like this, then what do we really know about the love of Christ?  He who has been forgiven much loves much.  If we aren’t very forgiving, maybe we should take a closer look at ourselves.  You can’t really love someone for who they are until you see their faults, their failures, their bad side.  It’s easy to love the lovely, but can we love truly?  Love is a powerful thing and can have a great influence over people.  But it is also sometimes not reciprocated.  In those times we must just continue to love as Christ loves us.  Ours is to obey, the results are up to God.  If we are to be representatives of Christ, then we must love as He loves.  We must love unconditionally.  We must love truly.  Because we are all equally in need of the unconditional, true love and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”  - 1 John 3:18

 ~Brittany

~Brittany

~Brittany