I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. Psalm 130:5 (KJV)
Photo courtesy of jonathansautter on Pixabay
Hope
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrew 12:1-2 (KJV)
In John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, our hero, Christian, seeks to rid himself of his burden of sin. Though Worldly Wiseman’s suggestions are wrong, his statements about the effects of a burden are true.
Worldly Wiseman: “I would urge you then, with all speed, to get rid of your burden; for your mind will not be at rest till then.”
Christian: “That is just what I seek to do. But there is no man in our land who can take it from me.” Pilgrim’s Progress Simplified Reading Series
When we accumulate troubles amid our daily routines, we may overlook their impact on our hearts and minds. But the longer we carry the weight, the more we feel the effects. In times like these, it is easy to become burdened with the cares of this life. But there is a solution: prayer.
Prayer is crucial in the lives of God’s people. I know I said it in my last devotional, but it is worth repeating. If our minds are to be at rest, we must unburden ourselves in prayer. For no man can soothe a troubled soul like Jesus!
If the cares of this life are weighing down your heart and mind, I hope you will take time to turn off the screen, shut out the noise, and get away with the Lord. I promise you will come away with a different mindset.
I’ll see you back here in a few weeks. Meanwhile, let’s pray for each other.
The Song
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
Thro’ death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion:
For more than conqu’rors we are!
His Word shall not fail you: He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well;
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
Helen Howarth Lemmel Public Domain
If you’d like to learn more about Helen Lemmel and Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, visit Luke Powell’s YouTube channel here.
Facts, Fiction, and Friends ~ Karen H. Richardson
Good morning!
I want to introduce you to Karen H. Richardson. Karen and I met while writing for Betty Thomason Owens’ and Jennifer Hallmark’s blog Writing Prompts, Thoughts, and Ideas. If she is a new author to you, I hope you’ll check out her books. Let’s get started.
Facts
Tell us about yourself.
Summer or winter?
Summer
Log cabin or castle
Log cabin
Sunflowers or roses
Sunflowers
Mornings or nights?
Night
Cats or dogs?
Dogs
Share your favorite book facts.
Historical or contemporary?
Historical
Are your books shelved or scattered?
Shelved
Novel or novella?
Novel
Do you prefer to keep or gift books after reading them?
Keep
Bookstore or online?
Bookstore
Share your writing secrets.
Writing or editing?
Writing
Pantser or plotter?
Pantser
Music or silence?
Music
Office or everywhere?
Everywhere
Fiction or nonfiction
Fiction
Fiction
Maggie Nelson lost her identity. Nora St. Claire lost her husband. And Jen Stephens changed jobs. The three friends from college, now in their forties, rediscover a special part of themselves that time and relationships have stolen.
To rediscover who she is, Maggie revisits a passion from her past. Something that was her own—acting. With this, her family begins a season of their orderly, planned, and scheduled lives becoming not so orderly. How can Maggie regain her identity without losing her husband?
Nora is an interior designer whose husband was killed in the line of duty. After years of mourning, she is ready to rebuild her life. Her career launches when she wins over a difficult client for the firm. And in her social life, she finds herself volunteering alongside a man who sparks her interest. Work, friends, dating—what will the design of her new life be?
Jen is a free-spirited personal trainer who never expected to find herself as an assistant manager at the gym. The role is a stretch, but it includes all the components of healthy living that she believes in. The rest she can learn. The transition has a few twists and turns Jen navigates well with the full support of her husband, and her two friends. And yet … is it the best fit for Jen?
Their path is a messy one, but isn’t that true about life? Along the way, each woman discovers that she is more precious than rubies. Even in her imperfection.
Friend
Karen H. Richardson is a life-long learner. During the pandemic, through YouTube videos and reading, she learned how to propagate plants. Like her mother and grandmother, Karen loves time in her garden. It’s a peaceful place that draws her close to the Creator. To continue the generational green thumb, Karen took clippings from her mother’s garden to add the plant in her own garden. Her mother has gone to be with the Lord, but the flowers continue to spread and bloom.
She sees the world and her interactions with others as fodder for building her stories. She is a graduate of Western Kentucky University and has several certifications in project management. In addition to her novel, she has had several magazine articles published. Her blog, KK’s Candor, boasts slice of life posts meant to encourage the reader. Karen and her family live in Louisville, Kentucky.
Online: www.KHRAuthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/khrauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khrauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/khrauthor
Thank you for joining us today!
Gail Johnson 