Saturday, November 2, 2024

I Believe


This morning I was listening to a song by Lauren Daigle entitled You Say. Today it really spoke to my spirit. Do you know the song? if not, here are the words:

I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I'm not enough
Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up
Am I more than just the sum of every high and every lowRemind me once again just who I am because I need to knowOoh-oh
You say I am loved when I can't feel a thingYou say I am strong when I think I am weakAnd you say I am held when I am falling shortAnd when I don't belong, oh You say I am YoursAnd I believe (I)Oh, I believe (I)What You say of me (I)I believe
The only thing that matters now is everything You think of meIn You I find my worth, in You I find my identityOoh-oh
You say I am loved when I can't feel a thingYou say I am strong when I think I am weakAnd you say I am held when I am falling shortWhen I don't belong, oh You say I am YoursAnd I believe (I)Oh, I believe (I)What You say of me (I)Oh, I believe
Taking all I have, and now I'm laying it at Your feetYou have every failure, God, You have every victoryOoh-oh
You say I am loved when I can't feel a thingYou say I am strong when I think I am weakYou say I am held when I am falling shortWhen I don't belong, oh You say I am YoursAnd I believe (I)Oh, I believe (I)What You say of me (I)I believe
Oh, I believe (I)Yes, I believe (I)What You say of me (I)I believe

One of the reasons this spoke to me so strongly was that I have applied for a part time job and I have an interview next week. It's been ages since I have gone through this. The job is one in which I'm quite familiar. I have been doing a lot of what the job requires for quite a while. It is through a different agency and my allotted time is coming to an end. I find myself questioning if I will be able to do the job proficiently. And then I remind myself to trust God. I seem to have to be reminded of that a lot. Trust. Believe. So, when I hear the voices in my mind that say I'm not enough or when I hear the lie that tells me I will never measure up, I remember, or try to rmember to trust God. I need to believe I am who He says I am. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else matters. 

I believe. I believe what He says of me. I believe.


 

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Trust in the Lord

 


This morning I was reading in Isaiah12. Verse 2 says, “I will trust Him and not be afraid, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation. 

In whatever situation I am in - the good, the bad, or the ugly - I need to trust in the Lord. Trust in the Lord. Worried about finances? Trust in the Lord.  Concerned about what the future may bring? Trust in the Lord. Bothered about health issues? Trust in the Lord. I need to trust Him (and do my part, too) when things are good and also when they go haywire. He IS my strength , my song, my salvation. 

Saturday, October 26, 2024

An October Fun Day


This past week, I had a fun day with a friend. We went to the Doe Run Sunflower Maze in Arrarat, VA. I had been there a couple of times in years past, so I knew what to expect. That didn't matter. As soon as we drove onto the property and I saw the acres and acres of sunflowers, my eyes lit up. I got a big smile on my face and once we got out of the car, there was a spring in my step. There was a whole acre of "cut your own" sunflowers to take home and brighten up your living space. There were pumpkins and mums for purchase. But, my favorite two things to do were a bit in the distance.

I had never gone to the sunflower maze on a week day. I was wondering if the hay ride would be available. After all, it was late afternoon and the school field trip crowd had already left. Sure enough, the wagon came around to drop off a group of riders that had enjoyed their trip. So, we went on the hayride first. I didn't want to miss it. We rode along the boundries of the sunflower maze. Oh, to see all those faces of various shades of yellow turned toward the sun...it made me feel so warm and joyful inside. After all, how can anyone be sad or grumpy when among acres of sunflowers? 


Affter our hayride, we walked past the apple launching site towards the sunflower maze. We were given a clipboard with a list of 13 trivia questions all relating to the presidents and their faith. In the maze, the answers to those questions acted as a guide through the maze. We got 1 out of 13 correct on our own! And, we were grateful that we didn't get too lost in the maze. Yes, we had to backtrack a few times. But, it was a glorious day and the sun was shining. I love being out among all of those sunflowers!

There's so much to do at Doe Run Farm besides the sunflower maze and the hay ride. There's swings, a jump pad, pumpkin bowling, corn hole, barrel of laughs, double slides, and an apple launcher. You can buy snacks, hotdogs, homemade jelly, apple pies, apples and t-shirts. The hosts of the sunflower maze are so pleasant and helpful. We had such a good time, we hated to leave. We'll be back next year!

I am so grateful that our God made sunflowers. As their faces move and follow the sun each and every day, they remind me that I need to do that, too. I need to turn my face towards the Son, God's Son and follow Him throughout the day. When I do this, I have a smile on my face, a spring in my step and joy in my heart.