Treasure's from the Secret Place

Hi Everyone,

Hope you have had a really good week.

Today is a special day.  Nicole & Nigel's wedding anniversary. 6 years!  I quick think back to when Jeff & I were married 6 years helps me to realise that in spite of their youth and the big load they carry, they are well and truly up to it.  When we were in our sixth year we felt quite relaxed and experienced, certainly not young novices. We also had three children and at the end of that year took on the responsibility of a church.  Why is it that as parents, we constantly have to remind ourselves that our children are actually no longer children! :) - Anyway ... CONGRATULATIONS NIGEL & NICOLE!! You are a constant delight to us xx

Now for the Treasures....
Over the last few months I find myself in a change in season. This has been both in my personal life and ministry.  While it is wonderful, it is also uncertain.  At times I feel like I could lose my way.  One of the things that has been an enourmous help has been the habit of regular personal devotional time.  Sticking to a Bible reading plan, praying... and journalling.

1. Bible Reading Plan  This may sound a little mechanical and to be honest at times I come to it thinking, "I don't really want to read this boring bit".  However, the benefits of sticking to the plan are this.  Firstly, it takes me through the whole of Scripture giving me the Whole Counsel of God, not just the bits that make me feel good.  Secondly, I don't have to think about where to read, I just follow the plan. Finally, it has amazed me time and time again how The Lord has used some seemingly obscure and 'boring' passage to bring just the Word I needed! When we follow the plan IN FAITH & OBEDIENCE it is amazing how God blesses it. 

2. Prayer   What a privilege and delight to have the safe place of prayer. To wake up every morning KNOWING that we have our Father in heaven who really does love us. Who really does care.  Who really does GET IT. Christian, do you realise what a gift that is?  So many people wake up feeling that there is no God and if there is, that He just doesn't care. I can't imagine what that would feel like, and I am constantly grateful.  So my prayer time is an honest expression of my heart, whether it's good or bad.  Psalm 62:8 says, "Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us"  What an invitation!

3.  Journalling  The picture to the left was taken in the Blue Mountains.  If I remember correctly, this hole in the rock was a place that early pioneers dug so that cool clean water could be stored.  It was there for when they came past that spot again in their travels, or for others following on afterwards.  How essential to their survival these little water caves were! 
Journalling is like one of those water caves. 
Remember, I talked about the uncertainty of my changing world?  Well, a few weeks ago I went through last years journalling and summarised it.  It gave me the most wonderful overview of consistent guidance and instruction.  I could see how God has been speaking to me and in these times of change, it helps to keep me focused and on track.  It answers my doubts with faith and gives me courage. I just read that snapshot a few minutes ago and what a blessing it is!

Please let me encourage you to make your devotional time a priority and perhaps include journalling. I promise you that you will NOT REGRET IT, not even once.

Hope this is an encouragement,
With love,
Lynda

OUT OF TREASURES, NEW & OLD!

Hi everyone,
     I was looking for something I need for work and happened to stumble across a pile of old notes/journal entries.  Thought I would put this one here... its a real blast from the past... a very old treasure as its dated 23/8/1980 !

THOUGH HE SLAY ME - YET WILL I HOPE IN HIM! - Job 13:15

     "When can we say the above? When we are truly convinced of His love for us. When we are convinced that 'all things work together'. Then we can really say this and know that He is lovingly working out His will in our life.

     Jesus said, "verily verily I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone, but if it dies it bringeth forth much fruit." (John 12:24).  When that corn falls to the ground it would probably get trodden underfoot - no-one would see it. It would seem so insignificant - that is except to God, who is watching everything and everybody.  But in the end it is worth it because "it bears much fruit"! 

     When we feel that we are a tiny insignificent seed that has been dropped to the ground - when we feel that no-one sees us and even worse - they walk all over us, we should look up to the "Lord of the Harvest" and take root in the good soil and be fed by His Word and ask for the rain of His Spirit to refresh us.  Then wait patiently for Him to lift us up at the right time!

     He is watching and waiting lovingly for that fruit to be evident in our lives.

Psalm 37 & 1 Peter 5:5

Thanks for your time in reading this - I hope it's an encouragement :)

Till next time,

Love, Lynda

SHUTTING ONE DOOR TO OPEN ANOTHER...

Hi everyone,

This is the last day of quite a challenging week.  Jeff has been away visiting his family in Victoria since last weekend, so of course I have been alone.  I quite enjoy 'alone time' but by now I am well and truly over it!  I'm looking forward to have Jeff's very comfortable company around again. :)

What made this week interesting was my decision to not watch TV.  Tragic I know that this was such a challenge....It was also rash and stupid that I announced to the Church last Sunday night that I would do this. That was not done to boast, but to be accountable.

There are two things I can tell you.  One that it actually was difficult.  I found that not having my usual comfort zone on the couch, I had to dig out another one with some worship music and my Bible or a good book.  Once I managed to push that door open I found it absolutely delightful!  So now I have made a couple of cozy comfort zones in my world ... but one thing is for sure; I have discovered that I can't be in both at the same time.

.........I have to shut one door in order to go through the other - Life certainly is a series of choices and we can't have it all after all.

With love,
Lynda

"Justify your existence...."

Hi everyone,

It's Friday and the end of a busy week.  It started off with a day in Toowoomba at our District Leaders Day which was great.  Lots of practical inspiration and instruction, and lots of catching up with some really great people, including Emma Rose and my Mum & Dad - Wonderful!!

"Busy" is been a word that has pretty much painted the picture of my life for many years. However, as some of you may know that has eased off somewhat. I had an interesting moment today.  There was some wonderful worship music on my CD player and I just wanted to kneel and spend some time waiting in the presence of the Lord. No agendas. No plans. No requests. No work.  Just enjoy, delight and worship Him.

This is something that I have done over the years, it has been a part of my walk with the Lord and something that I have encouraged others to do.  Yet today I found that so difficult.  I am so used to being 'useful' that to 'waste' time just enjoying God, simply waiting and worshipping felt awkward.  That gave me a bit of a jolt - have I really become that self-important that unless I'm planning, working, contributing or writing a 'to-do' list I feel like a 'waster'?

This is sad. 

The Westminster Shorter Catechism says that the chief reason for our existence is  to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
Do you see that? 
1.  Glorify God
2.  Enjoy God

We certainly do glorify Him by living well, working hard and serving Him.  But we also glorify Him by our worship and by enjoying Him.  Yet today I felt as if I was wasting time unless what I was doing was directly producing some result. 

                      "Trust in the Lord, and do good;
                      Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
                                Delight yourself also in the Lord,
                      And He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:3-4)

There isn't much work going on here. Its about trust, resting, feeding and delighting.  This is what God loves, our worship, our delight in Him. 

Years ago a word was spoken over me, that I was going to come into a time where I circled days on my calendar with this arrangement, "Time Wasted On Jesus"  How I love that thought.  Time is so precious, and I hate wasting it.  But when it comes down to it I would rather be like the woman who broke the precious bottle of perfume over Jesus feet than like the disciples who complained about the waste.

I intend to do go ahead and circle those days, or those hours.  I don't want to become so 'professional' about serving Him that
I forget how to simply love Him - Not ever. 

The picture to the side is of me delighting in the love of my Dad, and my Grandad. I know this picture delights my Dad as much as it does me.  

Never forget how much you are loved by God - Your Heavenly Dad. 

With love,
Lynda

Hi everyone,

I hope that your year has got off to a great start.  I know for some of you it hasn't, but I pray that you KNOW that you are in the hands of a Great God.

I remember Pastor Lloyd Averill telling us a story at Bible College once.  He said that he was going through an extremely difficult time and was out for a walk thinking about his troubles.  As he stood on the bridge over a river he threw a stick in.  It was quickly carried along and away out of sight and the Lord said to him something like, "things never stay the same for ever, this trouble too shall pass just like the stick has". 

That thought has always given me hope when times are dark.

Can I tell you about a lesson I got the other day?

I woke up a bit cranky and frustrated because the day in front was filled with things that had to be done that I didn't want to do.  It was one of those days when it seems everything I had felt was important for me were side-lined by things that were important to other people!

Anyway I was reminded of that verse that says, "This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it".  It's a verse I know well because Jeff often delights in reminding me of it ;)

I felt that the Lord was telling me that He had planned a great day for me, but with my foul attitude I would surely miss it.  I should start doing as Jeff said, and thank Him in faith for what HE had in store for me.

You know what?  I can't remember the details, but I do remember at the end of the day looking back and seeing that this was exactly the truth.  I had been blessed, even in amongst doing things that I had not planned on doing! I'm pretty certain that was the day Jodie brought me a random gift of biscuits in a beautiful tin as well!

I had a similar experience today as well ... no not a random gift of bikkies, but having to do things that weren't on my planned agenda.  I was reading Romans six, and twice in there it says to 'offer yourselves as instruments of righteousness to God'.  What a wonderful thought! Today as I set out to do these things that I wasn't keen on doing, I was going to offer myself as an instrument to Him, and do it cheerfully. 

I have been so blessed in doing it.

Not only that, I got a lot of other things that I was planning done as well!  I am discovering all the time that a good attitude makes all the difference in the world.  And I am happy to keep learning it afresh every day :)

Lots of love to you,
Lynda