The Potter's Hand

We sang this praise song this past Sunday as a part of our Palm Sunday worship. I love the chorus. It is my desire that God will complete the actions in the verse for myself and for all who follow Him.



The Potter's Hand


Beautiful Lord, Wonderful Saviour
I know for sure, all of my days are held in your hands, crafted
into your perfect plan
You gently call me into your presence guiding me by Your Holy Spirit
Teach me, dear Lord, to live all of my life through Your eyes
I'm captured by Your holy calling
Set me apart, I know you're drawing me to yourself
Lead me, Lord, I pray

Chorus:
Take me, Mould me, use me, fill me
I give my life to the Potter's hand
Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me
I give my life to the Potter's hand

you gently call me into your presence guidin me by your holy spirit
teach me, dear Lord, to live through your eyes
I'm captured by you holy calling
set me apart, I know you're drawing me to yourself
lead me, Lord, I pray

Repeat Chorus

http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/d/darlene_zschech/the_potters_hand.html

RJD Reunion, Where I Am in Writing

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Several years ago, I happened on to a blog site belonging to a woman who later became known as Enthusiastically Dawn. She had an event  called Random Journal Day.  We  pulled out our old or our current journals and shared with the others and whoever else read our blogs. By participating, I got to know other bloggers and what they wrote about.

Lately, I haven’t been journaling on a regular basis (I know, shame on me.) I did decide after reading another RJD person about her activities to at least open my most recent journal book and see what I could find that might be of interest to patricipate in this reunion.

Journal Entry Dated 2/16-17-2017

2/16

I received a phone call from my dear friend Martha. She was uncharacteristically upset. Her sister-in-law, Wilma, was unexpectantly taken to a nursing home on Tuesday night. Martha was visiting her at the facility. As she left, she ran into her brother and one of their daughters.

Her brother was going to see his doctor. He was severely dehydrated. His daughter was told he’d have to drink 64 ounces of water to get hydrated. That day he was going to the ER for a related circumstance.

Martha asked me to pray over the phone for her and her kin. We prayed and then we talked for a bit. I told her, “I wish I could say everything was going to be all right, but, I can’t. She understood what I meant. At our age we know things can “go south” quickly. We both know our lives are in God’s hands.

When she went to see Wilma, she read today’s devotion from Jesus Calling. It was perfect for where Wilma was. She also took a book by my friend Jeanette Levellie and read some of the stories to her. (Martha said she took Jeanette. The way she said it made me laugh.)

2/17

I e-mailed Jeanette and shared with her about Martha “taking Jeanette with her.” I also shared with her that Wilma enjoyed the stories .Jeanette thanked me for passing the story on to her. She told me she had become discouraged about her writing. I felt I had been used by God.

Present day Things

Both Hubby and I were down with the Influenza A. I had to go to the ER with him one Sunday in February. They admitted him due to another issue that was going on. I realized the next day that I might have caught it also. After getting into our doctor on the next day (Tuesday,) I had to go to the hospital to bring Hubby home. He walked out of the hospital and I got to ride in a wheelchair.

I was down for about 3 ½ weeks. I did not writing. I did no research on my new book. I did no investigating of where I could try to do book signings for my published book. I am still in a quandary what to do with promoting it. I really need some people to pray about this for me.

I am just getting back to wanting to write again. I have several letters of encouragement to write and I have three more to write.  I hope to review two books I have read. These are written by authors I personally know. I also am awaiting a book to come from a publishing company that I will be reading and reviewing.

Light

Godsongs.net

Again, Jesus spoke, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 (NRSV)

In our lives, due to our humanity, we, as well as others, have times of experiencing darkness. Uncertain times can bring times of fear. Financial difficulties, health crises, unemployment and marital problems all have caused people to begin to doubt themselves.

Some of these issues can cause people to sink into depression. However, there are remedies to looking at things cheerily while others might have a bleak attitude.  I just got off the phone from talking to my Sunday school teacher’s wife. She works in our church office. We go to talking about the weather. She told me our pastor came in today wearing his snowman tie and then went into the kitchen and found his snowman mug for his coffee. His answer to all this is, “You just have to embrace the weather.”

When one is faced with seemingly insurmountable issues in his or her life, we can turn them over to Jesus and let Him smooth out the problems.

I remember in some old movies when a family was facing hard financial times their neighbors would have a ‘rent party.’ At a church we were in, the congregation would hold a ‘pound party’ where the people would each bring a pound of some food item and give the items to the new preacher or do one for pastor appreciation month. Some places call it ‘pounding the preacher.’

Once, when I was a child, we went up to see my great-uncle while my dad was laid-off from his job. As we were getting ready to leave, here came Uncle Charlie carrying an armload of fresh vegetables for us. I didn’t understand why he did this until I was older. He wanted to help us out.

When I was in college, a fraternity house caught fire. That fire was a total loss of the house and all its contents. All the women in my residence hall started donating things-blankets, pillows shampoo, toothpaste, soap, anything that they thought could help those displaced men.

Sometimes, we get to extend Jesus’ light to others. A get-well card, a condolence card, a phone call, or a cheery note just to tell a person we are praying for them will take away the feelings of gloom and sadness. We have times where someone needs to hear a special compliment from us. That thought might lighten their load and brighten their day.

Jesus calls Himself the light of the world because His Father sent Him to cast light into our world and to lead us out of the dark places into which it can lead us.

Praise the LORD for the light Jesus brings to us.

______________

If this looks and sound familiar to you, it's my mistake. I was trying something different and wasn't sure if it would work and I deleted this entry instead of the one I was working on. Please for give me for this error.

World

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For God so loved the world that he gave his only son. John 3:16a (NRSV)

We learned this verse when we were very young. Have we ever fully understood the ramifications of the message the Apostle John gave us?

What constitutes ‘the world’ for us? For some of us who spend our days at home, the world begins just outside our front doors.  Having recently been ill for right at three weeks, the first day I exited our enclosed front porch the world seemed bright with sunshine.

Some of my friends are employed and their days are spent serving others. One young man is employed at the grocery store where we trade. I sometimes see him there.  Another friend is a certified nursing assistant at a local healthcare facility. She devotes her working hours caring for infirm people. A grandmother I know works as an office worker for a heating and cooling company. All three of these friends have the ability to show God’s love to those whom they serve.

John didn’t say, “For God so loved the rich. . .”

Or, “For God so loved those who are talented. . .” He didn’t say, “For God so loved those who are law-abiding. . .”

John said For God loved (everyone in) the world. . .” That means He loves those in jail or prison, those who are marginally employed, those who are unemployed, those who are homeless, those who are hungry.

I feel the need to expand my world. I also need to listen more to discover what God wants from me.

Pray

daytonafaith.com

She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” Hannah was speaking in her heart” “I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD.” 1 Samuel 1: 10-11, 13, 15 (ESV)

This is one of the passages included in my prayer folder for Lent. As I read it, I realized a connection between how Hannah prayed and what God told the people at the dedication of the Temple. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Hannah humbled herself. She was not afraid to shed tears. (v.10) She sought God’s face. She prayed from her heart. (v. 13) She more than likely confessed what was on her heart what she felt about the way Peninnah treated her. She poured her soul before the LORD. (v. 15)

God answered her prayer. Hannah kept her vow. The LORD then rewarded her by giving her three sons and two daughters. (1 Samuel 2; 21)

Since I made this discovery, I have thought about my prayer habits. I sometimes do what some people call, “pray on the run.” When I have something I think more pressing going on. But, I realize my need to focus on God and let the other activity wait a bit. Sentence prayers are nice but there are times when I need to spend quantity time with God. I am not looking for the same kind of reward from God. I want what God has in mind for me, nothing more, and nothing less.

Listen

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Let everyone be quick to listen and slow to speak. James 1:9 (NRSV)

The Apostle James gives us wise advice. We need to learn to listen to those in our lives who have greater knowledge about certain issues with which we deal in life.

As a young adult, I heard the adage, “God gave us two ears and one mouth. We are to use them accordingly.” When I felt God had led me to make the decision that I needed to learn to be a good listener, I realized I had to truly listen and not talk as much.

I sometimes hear stories that I believe should not be shared. I have to listen but I also know that I should not talk about these circumstances.

Because of the lessons I learned when I applied this scripture to my life when I held a sensitive position in our former church, I became privy to a lot of personal issues different people had in their lives. All I could do was listen and pray for them and the needs they had.

I sometimes hear stories that I believe, due to their sensitive nature, should not be shared. I have to listen but I also know that I should not talk about these circumstances. I sometimes fail in this area of listening and have to tell God I am sorry for my behavior.

I have read where our prayer time should be a conversation between us and the LORD. In our daily conversations, we talk and we listen. When we spend time with Him, shouldn’t we listen to what God wants us to hear?

Praise

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About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25 (ESV)

Paul and Silas had been thrown into prison because they had an evil spirit leave a young servant girl. Her master depended on the income she brought to his coffers.

Other prisoners may have been trying to sleep. Paul and Silas were in stocks and, still, they decided to pray and sing hymns to God. His word tells us the other prisoners listened to them.

As I read this passage recently, I wondered what I would do if I were in their place. I texted a couple of friends and asked them the question.

One responded with, “I read in Jesus Calling that we are supposed to thank God for our problems because they are there to make us grow and for God’s purpose.”

The other friend pointed out that praise verses “are not especially for those who are experiencing good times but for those who are downcast and feeling the burden of life on their shoulders.”

 Paul and Silas were unsure of what lay ahead for them. They probably felt discouraged; I know I would have. They may have wanted to feel God’s presence in a special way.

I believe God took control of the circumstance by causing:

·         a great earthquake and opening the doors,

·          the jailer and his household to seek salvation,

·          the jailer’s household to be baptized.

All these events happened as a result of two men praying and singing hymns to God in a time when most would have been fretful and stressed. I see a great lesson here.