God Holds the Future in His Hands ~ Hymn

God Holds the Future in His Hands

Dread not the things that are ahead,
The burdens great, the sinking sands,
The thorns that o’er the path are spread,
God holds the future in His hands.

Refrain

God holds the future in His hands
And every heart He understands.
On Him depend,
He is your Friend,
He holds the future in His hands.

We know not what tomorrow hides,
Of sun or storm or good or ill;
We only know His dear hand guides,
And He will be our Father still.

Refrain

His hand created earth and sky,
The zephyrs and the storms that rage,
And years to come and years gone by
To Him are but an open page.

Refrain

Live close to Him and trust His love,
Assured that while on earth we roam,
Whate’er may come, He bends above
To guide His children safely home.

Refrain

Words by James Rowe, 1922.

Zephyrs are west winds in case you were wondering…

Truth for Today #107

Thursday June 27th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

There will not be a Truth for Today post next Thursday, the 4th of July. 

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:1-10‬ ‭ESV‬

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

From Maristella:

” Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything . Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace , which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7.

From Leonard:

Psalm 39:7

“And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.”

‭‭

Awe Inspiring Hodgepodge

Joyce has posted the questions for Wednesday Hodgepodge, some thought provoking and some easier.

1. What do you think has remained the same about you your whole life?

Being in church on Sundays was ingrained early and is a constant in my life. Having my Spiritual life nourished is a deep and consistent need that I have. This involves much more than just Sundays in Church. On many of our out of town weekends we end up in a local church and meeting Christians from around the U.S. and the U.K. has been a rich experience.

How has your perception of yourself changed over time? 

The more I know about myself the more I know about why I needed to be saved and why I need my Savior, Jesus Christ every day.

2. What was the first thing you learned how to cook?

This is a hard one for my memory bank. I didn’t cook with our mom in the kitchen. I’m guessing it was something in my Home Economics class in Junior High in the kitchen at school like biscuits or cookies or eggs. Later in my life our family started getting together to learn to make some ‘heritage’ foods with our mom. A cooking day with our mom, my sisters, sister in laws, and nieces was always such a fun event!

Do you prefer to cook or bake? 

I enjoy both. Cooking is always faster and something I do more of these days. Baking is something for special occasions.

3. What are some of your current priorities in this season of life? Elaborate. 

Spending time with our children and Grandchildren is a huge priority.

4. How much time do you spend on your hair each day or, put another way, what’s your hair care routine? Do you get it cut regularly or just whenever the mood strikes? Do you go to the same stylist every time? Do you tell your stylist everything? Any other beauty treatments you indulge in throughout the year? 

A visit to my hair stylist happens about every 6 weeks. She works out of her shop on her home property so yes, it’s the same gal every time. I do not tell her everything because she’s a stylist to several other gals and guys from our church. LOL! I’m not a fan of beauty treatments. I do love a good massage and it’s been ages since I’ve had one of those. I spend about 1 minute on my hair everyday. If it’s freshly washed I spend under 10 minutes drying and shaping it into my same old hairdo, a ‘Bob’.

5. What is the most awe-inspiring place you’ve visited? 

I have been privileged to be in many awe-inspiring places in my life. Cathedrals always have the ‘wow’ factor. The Ark Encounter in Kentucky was awe-inspiring.

Last September when we walked around Fountains Abbey in the Yorkshires, the four of us just kept saying, ‘Wow!’. It was so awe-inspiring.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Truth for Today #106

Thursday June 20th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Hebrews 3:12-14:

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today”, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

From Maristella:

You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.
Psalm 18:35-36.

From Maria:

It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it. My own hands stretched out heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts. Isaiah 45:12

From Vera:

“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭62‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Karen:

Zephaniah 3:17

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

 

Truth for Today #105

Thursday June 13th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Romans 15:5-7

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

From Vera:

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭62‬:‭5‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Willow:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

From Karen:

Psalms 16:11
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Truth for Today #104

Thursday June 6th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Romans 10:8-10

But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

From Willow:

He has shown you, oh man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8

From Vera:

“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭143‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Susan:

Psalm 27:4

“One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple.”

From Karen:

Psalm 133:1

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.

Truth for Today #103

Thursday May 30th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Romans 6:16-18

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once  slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

From Vera:

“For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.”
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭22‬:‭32‬-‭34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God’s Amazing Handiwork

On May 10th I stayed up late to see if I could see the Northern Lights which were predicted to be visible in our area and many other areas around the world. I looked up and could tell there was something different happening but no color was visible to the naked eye. When I saw other people posting on Facebook the pinks and greens in color I was confused as to why I couldn’t see the same thing. When I looked at the image of the sky I just had snapped on my phone I could see the colors in the sky. How odd that was. I just kept snapping away and here is what my phone captured.

 

At the end of my time on our deck taking photos, these lights below which were more on the horizon and not looking straight up, were visible to my naked eye.

It was amazing to witness and a bucket list item that I could check off my list.

In the stars His handiwork I see…

“The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to Day pours forth speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.”

Psalm 19:1,2

We are running out of May days. Over the weekend some of our kids and nieces and nephews were together in Arizona for their annual ‘Cousins Memorial Day Weekend’. On Monday our flag pole was taken out of it’s Winter storage and back in it’s worthy spot in our front acres. Long may the Red, White and Blue wave!

We have lots of pretty color popping up along with so many weeds that we have not kept at bay. I’ll share some of those colors, soon. What’s popping up at your place?

Stand by the Bible ~ Hymn

Stand by the Bible

We’ll stand by the Bi­ble,
God’s mes­sage to man,
Revealing His love in
Redemption’s great plan;
It tells how death en­tered
With sin and the fall,
Of life free­ly of­fered
Through Je­sus to all.

Refrain

Stand by the Bi­ble,
Walk by the Bi­ble,
Teach by the Bi­ble,
Revealing God’s plan;
Stand by the Bi­ble,
Study the Bi­ble,
Live by the Bi­ble,
God’s mes­sage to man.

No book so abound­ing
In won­der­ful truth,
No guide so un­err­ing
For child­hood and youth,
No coun­sel so need­ed
By man in his bloom,
No com­fort so sweet
On the verge of the tomb.

Refrain

Through ag­es when faith spurned
The fet­ters of might,
It shone like a star on
The bo­som of night;
Its word was the rule of
The mill­ions who bled,
Its hope was their stay when
The last pray­er was said.

Refrain

We’ll fol­low thy teach­ings,
Blest word from above,
We’ll live by thy pat­tern
Of in­fi­nite love,
Believing, ob­ey­ing,
And watch­ing with pray­er,
Till grace shall for Hea­ven
Our spir­its pre­pare.

Refrain

Words: Franklin E. Belden, 1894.

Truth for Today #102

Thursday May 23rd

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

1 Corinthians 1:18

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Revelation 3:1-6 To the Church in Sardis

…I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

From Vera:

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭143‬:‭5‬, ‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Karen:

II Chronicles 16:31

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth.

From Willow:

Proverbs 14:15. The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.

Proverbs 16:16. How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight than silver.