66 Books - 30, January 2012

My devotional today comes from Genesis & Matthew. There are two types of landowners: one who will cheat and seek to destroy and one who will deal in a just and true way. Each day we have a choice of which one to work for. 

As a believer, I make an active choice to work for the landowner who gives the best wage - His own life to pay for my sins. But even when I do the work of the other landowner through my sin, God still seeks to provide for my needs and bless me abundantly.

I am so grateful for having the opportunity to choose my 'employer' and I am grateful that He pays me a wage that cannot be matched by anyone.

66 Books - 16, January 2012

My devotional today comes from the book of Matthew. I know that God is trying to tell me that I need to rest, not just to get more sleep or to take a break now and then, but to learn how to truly rest in Him regardless of what is happening in my life.

Whenever I am really struggling to carve time in my schedule for my relationship with God, I remember that His grace is always there for me. Even when the laundry takes over or the baby is teething and I didn't get a chance to read my Bible or have an official time of prayer and devotions, He loves me with an everlasting love.

How do you rest in Him? What do you do to enter into His presence? What do you set aside/lay down in order to spend time with God? How do you make time in your schedule?

Take a minute and soak in God's message to us by Jenn Johnson (Bethel Church, Redding, CA) in her song "A Little Longer":

 

List of 1000 Gratefuls (91-100)

91. Having my husband home and willing to help.
92. Realizing my daughter has disappeared and it is because Daddo is putting her to bed!
93. Hearing my husband singing our daughter Tamil worship songs to put her to sleep.
94. Watching my husband feeding our daughter her morning food.
95. Hearing my husband say in a sing-songy voice, "It's time to change your dia - -per!" to our daughter and realizing he is going to change it and I don't have to; ESPECIALLY, when it is a poopy diaper.
96. Witnessing Daddo/daughter play time.
97. Hearing my husband's version of a bedtime story, which usually involves getting our daughter all wound up before expecting her to settle down to sleep.
98. Waking up in the morning and realizing that my daughter has slept through the night.
99. Watching my daughter toddle around trying to catch her toy train.
100.Watching my daughter 'play' with the 3 1/2 week old puppies we are caring for (because their mother was murdered by one of our neighbors).

List of 1000 Gratefuls (81-90)

81. Being able to connect and reconnect with God at any time of the day or night.
82. God always being there waiting with his arms stretched open ready for a great big hug.
83. Wonderful worship leaders who usher me into God's presence.
84. Awesome worship songs that speak to my heart in the moment...two that are really speaking now..."Praise the Lord" by Kristene Mueller and "Desert Song" by Brooke Fraser.
85. Structured time for studying the Word and accountability to see it through.
86. Parallel Bibles...it is great to be able to see the different words used in different translations.
87. Rhema Word...God giving life to the words that were written down by men centuries before.
88. Great teachers of the Word...a few of my favorites...Pastor Richard Joseph-Compassion Prayer House, India (yeah, I am partial, he's my husband), Pastor Eric Smith & Pastor Charles Stock (LCMI), Pastor Doug Johnson (Harvest Church)...
89. Good spiritual-help books that give new perspective to 'old' teachings.
90. The time to experience times of worship, devotion, prayer...no matter how limited that time is.

66 Books - 2, January 2012

God connects people in such interesting ways and uses unusual methods to answer prayers. I had a wonderful opportunity come up to be a contributor on another blog called "66 Books in a Year" throughout 2012. It is an online book club created for ordinary Christians to get closer to God by reading the Bible in a year. My first post was today.

Please, take a minute to check out this blog: 

List of 1000 Gratefuls (71-80)

71. Hearing the words "Amma/Mama" coming from my nearly one-year-old's mouth.
72. Watching her learn new tricks.
73. Watching her toddle around, and remembering the day that she was born.
74. Playing games with my little girl.
75. Being able to pray over my daughter and my family.
76. That even though our living space is small, at least we are not homeless.
77. The stage that my daughter is in where she is actually handing me the things I ask for (things she isn't supposed to be playing with).
78. Having a keyboard that she (and I) can play. It is great to hear her clanking on the keys knowing that it is just the beginning of her really learning how to play.
79. Watching her participate in singing worship songs and Psalms reading in church.
80. The game of Peek-A-Boo which has evolved from just simply covering the face to looking around the corner.