I’m coming to the end of my devotional book, Praying the Names of God by Ann Spangler. Last week, there were several names I learned about, all having to do with God being our Dwelling Place (Moan (ma-OHN)), our Refuge (Machseh (mach-SEH)), our Shield (Magen (ma-GAIN)), our Fortress (Metsuda (me-tsu-DAH)) and our Strong Tower (Migdal-Oz (mig-dahl OHZ).
This week, I’m focusing on the verses that discuss God as my Dwelling Place. I’m still continuing on through the book (this week is Judge, but I really want to keep my focus on what God is to me. To really make it personal. I looked up the verses and copied them into a document in several different versions/translations. The collection of verses are all in Psalms (my all time favorite book in the Bible!) All are linked in the English Standard Version, but you can search them in the version you prefer on Bible Gateway.
I’m not sure how to start this off. It can be a touchy topic.
Recently I’ve been a little “not myself,” and in talking about it with my small group, one of them said to me, “It’s really okay not to be okay. You know that, right?”
I know that friends have said that to me numerous times since my daughter went to heaven in 2018, but I think that’s the first time I HEARD it. I shared in a post here about all of the happenings since then. In another, similar conversation with a few other wonderful women in my circle, one of them mentioned that it sounded like I was dealing with some mild depression.
Um. YA THINK? *imagine me slapping my forehead*
It’s really amazing when you can see something for the first time and say, “Wow, yeah. That is the issue.” It’s not a first for me, either. I had very bad Post Partum Depression after one of my kids. This is different, though. Lingering, stealing my energy, like a malaise over everything. In all of this new enlightenment I was having, a few questions came to mind.
“Why have I, and I think many Godly, believing, Jesus-loving women, reject and fight the possibility that depression will touch me? My world has been severely rocked since October of 2018. Why wouldn’t I be depressed, and why is it not okay to see and admit it?”
Our mental and emotional health is as vital as our spiritual and physical health. As always, I look to the Bible to get answers, and here are a few verses about the heart and mind:
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life, Proverbs 4:23 (Here’s a geeky fact about this verse: it’s written on the sundial in the garden at Ashley Wilke’s plantation in the movie Gone With The Wind.)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your heart and mind… Romans 12:2a
Cast your anxieties on Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
We need to keep our hearts focused on God, His good works in our lives and the hope of heaven. This is a terribly fallen world, and it’s hard sometimes to manage it, even with faith. Having good friends and a solid church should help with that. However, there is a stigma that goes along with saying, “Hey, I’m felling depressed.” Even as those verses, and many others, are familiar, when you’re in a state of emotional fatigue, they can feel foreign.
So, we pray. Even when we don’t feel like it.
We talk to others, even if it’s uncomfortable.
We seek professional help. Pastoral counsel, physicians, etc.
This article on gotquestions is a good source. I have also begun to read this book, Breath as Prayer, and it has been very good. You can get it free on Kindle Unlimited. (I am not an affiliate)
Friends, I pray that this touches someone today. If you know someone who is struggling, reach out. Even if you have before, do so again. It may be the time that they really hear it.
My beloved hubby has amassed quite the watch collection over the last 2 years. It all started with the smallest watch, next to last in line. It belonged to his father (Pops!) and he received it when he retired. Hubby has had it for years, but due to his very hands-on jobs, he rarely wore it. Now he rotates between all of these and the latest one that arrived yesterday (G-Shock Rangeman, in case you are wondering).
Time. We are obsessed with time; we live in less than 700 square feet and between our watches (yes, I have a few, too), phones, clocks and other appliances, we have TWENTY time telling pieces.
I spend a lot of my time creating cards…and I finally got around to mailing a few out! 😉If I don’t take some time to write out a card, why make them, right? We spend time in church; do we take the time to serve in church? To show God’s love to others? I spend time cooking; do I take time to make extra to bless someone?
There’s a lot in Scripture about time, and how we choose to spend it. Time, for us, passes quickly and seems so short. It was only yesterday that I was 20…30…you get the idea. I can’t believe I can say, “I remember in 1975…” and it was decades ago! My oldest would have just turned 40 a few weeks ago, and my oldest grandkid is almost 17. What?
I mentioned above that my oldest would have been 40 years old…I never imagined that I would celebrate that day without her. We don’t know how much time we have with our loved ones. It is precisely the nature of our fleeting time that Jesus is concerned with. In many places in Scripture we’re told TODAY is the day of salvation. Take the time to listen to Him today. 💛
Happy Wednesday, friends! I’m so glad you came for a visit. Pour some tea or coffee, pull out your faith journal/planner and some supplies and let’s get creative!
Wait a second…what does stamping have to do with worship?
We worship the CREATOR of the universe; the sun, moon and stars, mountains, valleys, birds, butterflies, rivers, lakes, oceans, you get the picture. Why not incorporate creativity into your journaling?
I don’t always “feel” like it; sometimes I just want to write, write, write. But there are times when some pretty stamps or washi tape (and let’s not forget stickers…but that’s a whole different rabbit hole!) inspire some praise, or worship can inspire the decor!
You don’t need to run out and buy anything; chances are if you read this blog, you already have stamps, ink and paper. 😀 Why not use them for more than card making?
I wanted something a bit different this year for my planner, and I decided to once again try out a disc-bound system. My friend Kristi of LifeinLine123 creates really nice, functional pages that you can print and use in your planners or journal. All her info is in the link, she’s passionate about incorporating faith into planning, wellness, and all of life! Here are a few shots of my February spread and weekly pages. Nothing too fancy, just reminders to trust God as I make plans, write appointments, etc.I also have a spiral notebook that I use for worship and prayer.
Who doesn’t love Washi tape? I’m pretty low on it, but I’m NOT low on ink and stamps!
I used the Easter Lilies and Courage and Faith stamp sets on the February monthly spread. 🠞
I love me a good Bible verse set! Encouraging words for the month are always good to review. I love the background stamps, too, to add just a bit of interest to the pages. If you use Kristi’s or any printable pages, you don’t have to disc-bind your journals. You can 3 hole punch, put them in plastic sleeves, the sky is the limit! If you have a comb-binder, you can do that, too. I may splurge on some better quality printer paper as I go forward.
🠜Here I’ll use the tiny heart from the Sending Love set to mark off my daily goal boxes..SO CUTE!!! 💛 I think that tiny heart is my very favorite stamp. Do you have a favorite stamp or set? Break it out and use it for more than cards!
I’ll share my March spread at the end of February…it’s birthday month 🎆and I’ll try adding some fun papers to my monthly and weekly spreads, as well as some hand made dividers using a retired color card stock and some overstock of Sale-A-Bration DSP.
I hope this inspires you to get out some ink and stamps (and, maybe some washi 😉 ) and do a little creative stamping in your journals or planners.
Till next week, stay creative and prayerful! Blessings
I know last week I said I was going to go back to a different devotional, but…this one popped off my bookshelf instead. I started it a while back, and didn’t finish (well, I selectively went through it, haha).
This features 26 weeks of study of names of God in the Bible. There’s an introduction, then 4 days of further questions and prayer. I might go through it twice or, maybe take 2 weeks to really soak in the text.
Do you have some devotionals on your bookshelf that you haven’t finished or maybe used years ago? Revisit your own books! They want to be read 😀
I did start reading Proverbs again. I’m reading it in the King James Version, the version I used when I first began my journey. I’m very glad that I have this classic foundation. The KJV is so beautiful with the poetic books (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon). It took some years for me to switch over to another version for regular reading and study, but I like to go back to the KJV for these books. What’s your go-to Bible version? Let me know, and please keep it polite. I know it can be a controversial topic, and that’s not what we’re about here.
Whatever you choose, I pray that it brings you refreshment and joy as you grow closer to God this year!
Good afternoon, friends! It’s been a bit, and I hope you all had a great Christmas. Ours was quiet, and that was fine. Some of the kids and grands came by on Christmas Eve, and I showed my granddaughter how to make a card. She did get her hand pinched by the punch, so I consider her an experienced stamper now!
I have a short video coming up on You Tube in a bit (2:30 PM, MST) Please come join me over there and excuse my wonky internet 🙂
Daily Bible Chapter You Tube channel, Monday-Friday, with Amy Maryon. She offers a free Bible study to go along with the readings.
Here is the devotional I mentioned, by Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies. (I am not an Amazon affiliate, just offering you a link!)
As I mentioned in the video, prayerfully consider what you can do to be in the word daily. You won’t regret spending that time with God.
In other news, I’ll be hopping on Facebook for lives, once I figure out my camera situation. Sheesh! All this technology should make it easy, right? Hahaha. Nope! Please join me there, also!
I’m also on Instagram and I just started a Pinterest page. Just search “stampinopolous” and you’ll find me!
I appreciate you taking some time out of your day to join me for Bible discussions, or card creating, or whatever else comes along. Maybe in February I’ll start a NASCAR Monday series! Leave a comment with your favorite driver if you follow NASCAR!
I’ll keep posting, and have a great afternoon! Blessings, Barb
There are times in this life when you are just plain tired.
The holiday season, a group of family birthdays, work responsibilities, care giving stressors, the list can go on and on. Maybe you’re facing a health issue, loss of income, family tensions. Let’s face it, life isn’t always kittens and rainbows.
But, here is where a perspective check may be in order; were we promised “easy”? Have you read through the book of Psalms? Lamentations? Ecclesiastes?
Those are perhaps my favorite portions of Scripture. The authors are real, raw and oh, so very in need…
~ in need of God’s comfort
~ in need of God’s hand to move on their behalf
~ in need of GOD
And, you know? GOD always shows up.
I won’t lie; I was tired today. I woke up later than I usually do. I had plans to do XYZ, and those went by the wayside. We had to get to the grocery store. Hubby isn’t feeling great. And, I had blog posts to catch up on, I still need to practice with my tripod to start making video tutorials, dishes were in the sink, you get the point. All I wanted to do was go back to bed.
But…I put on worship music.
But…I took out my prayer journals.
But…I took a breath, opened my Bible and read His word.
Yes. I am still a bit tired; but I filled my tank and moved on.
I encourage you, right now, to put the phone down, get off the devices, put on some praise music and open your Bible. You don’t need to carve out 2 hours. If you can only read 2 verses, DO. God is waiting for you. He meets you where you are, and will lift your spirit.
I think this is especially important when you feel tired, when you feel like life is not being fair. Spend some time in the Word. God does not disappoint. 💛
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
The word of the Lord. Blessed be His Name.
I hope you all have fabulous holidays. I will be taking a break next week, and will be back on December 27 for In the Word Wednesday.
I’m so very sorry that I did not get a post up last week. Life caught up, and, well..
In my Advent scripture writing today, this was the beginning of the passage to copy. It’s a beautiful passage, full of hope and promise.
Hope: that Messiah is coming. That He brings peace and happiness. That God reigns.
Promise: those who publish this Good News are beautiful in the sight of God.
I got to thinking on this. Who do I publish this Good News to in my life? Yes, I write a lot of social media posts about the things God is doing in my life, Bible verses, etc. But, in that face-to-face time…at the store, on a walk with my hubby, do I reach out and tell others?
I confess, I am not as faithfully bold in living color as I am online. I’m more prone to blabbing about weather, getting sucked into uncomfortable conversations about how terrible other people’s kids have turned out, the latest NASCAR drama or, quite possibly a Harry Potter reference will pop up. Yeah. That’s probably what you get up close.
I love Jesus. God saved me out of the mirey muck I had made of my youth and restored my soul. THAT isn’t even the Good News! The Good News is that HE WILL DO IT FOR YOU, TOO!
I prayed this morning to be more faithfully bold. And, I pray I am obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit when He whispers the words, “Tell others.” in my ear.
I am so grateful that you spend some of your precious time here reading my posts.
Every few days, I incorporate Martin Luther’s prayer “formula,” for lack of a better phrase. His barber, Peter, asked Luther how he should pray, and after prayer and thought, he came back with a 40 page document on personal prayer! Whoa!
Don’t be alarmed! I am only giving you the highlights!
The acronym is ITCP: Instruction, Thanksgiving, Confession, Praise. It has been a good way of keeping my mind focused on what I am doing. If you’re anything like me, your mind can wander even at the most sacred of times. I cannot numerate the amount of times, in church, my brain begins to think about what I’m making for dinner rather than what the pastor is speaking about. Sad, but true.
So, as you prepare for the holiday, no matter if you are hosting, traveling, going out to dinner or staying home quiet, spend some of your time in prayer, asking Gid what He is showing you (Instruction), thanking Him for insights (Thanksgiving), repenting and keeping a short account with God and seek what He is showing you (Confession), and praise Him for everything, even the stuff that’s not so much fun (Praise).
I hope everyone who reads this has a wonderful and blessed holiday weekend.
I love reflecting on all to be thankful for, and it’s a wonderful practice all year long, not just in November. There are many verses in Scripture that tell us to be thankful always, in all circumstances.
I’d like to share with you a recent restoration that I am most thankful for. The restoration of my creativity.
Last week I shared what the last 5 years have been like for our family. It has been a season of amazing growth in my faith. Something, however, had gone missing.
Since childhood, I’ve been telling stories (no, not lying, lol). To my toys, friends, in school…I’ve always loved to read and tell stories. I’ve been known to stay up all night long reading books or writing. About 12 years ago I was able to fulfill a dream and publish my first book. See, I even have an Amazon author page! My only classes in high school that I aced were writing and art. (I was a solid low B in all my others except math, but this post is not about my math deficiencies.) Creating, be it in writing or other forms, has been with me my whole life.
When our daughter stepped into eternity, the gift of writing left. I have tried, over the past 5 years, to reclaim that somehow. I forced myself to finish the fifth book in my Lakeville series, and couldn’t do the work of formatting it for print, so that one is only available on Kindle. I lost my passion for sitting, creating, doing the work to get it done.
I was dry.
I was still journaling, but nothing creative; lots of “Help me, Lord” and lists. I tried coloring books, and other things. I was working as a teacher’s assistant and that gave me some creativity is working on bulletin boards and classroom decor.
I found You Tube videos about book binding, and from there, card making. That really caught my attention, and strangely enough, rubber stamping has never been one of the artsy things I’ve ever done, outside of the required making rubber stamps from erasers in school. In His graciousness, He restored creativity in my life. I am so very thankful.
What are you thankful that the Lord has restored in your life? I would love to hear about it.
Stampinopolous 