The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18:2
The Lord just is. I need him to be. He is my source of joy. In all things.
He travels with me down unknown paths. He restores. He is the joy bringer. He just is.
Trusting in Grace,
Teresa
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy. Psalm 96: 11-12
This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forgetThat though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.
This is my Father’s world, dreaming, I see His face.I ope’ my eyes, and in glad surprise cry, “The Lord is in this place.”This is my Father’s world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Came—a pledge of deathless love.
We recently had the privilege of driving around the back roads of Southern Virginia with a dear friend we met in Florida years ago. She is originally from Virginia and we spent a few days in her neck of the woods. She took us around the surrounding area, down lanes and across creeks and up wooded roads. We saw barns, cattle, fence posts, cemeteries, abandoned houses and mountains rising majestically in the near distance. It was a gloriously clear, blue sky day. We stopped for lots of pictures.
I shared a few pictures with you earlier in the week, but wanted to share some more. In thinking of the beauty captured in the photos, I was reminded of one of my favorite songs based on words written by Maltbie Davenport Babcock, This Is My Father’s World . You can go here to listen to a video production of this song by Fountainview Academy in British Columbia, Canada. 
It is so easy to become focused on the negative and all the ills of this world, but truly, this is our Father’s world and beauty abounds if we just open our eyes. He has promised to be faithful to us even to the end of the age. Instead of focusing on the evil and all that is wrong in the world, I want to focus on God and how he makes all things right in his time. I want to see the good, the beautiful. I want to “be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)
As Christians, I believe we have to accept that there is evil, we have to abhor it and shun it. We need to pray for good to win. We don’t need to live in denial, but, we don’t need to wallow in the gutter of despair as if we have lost all hope either. We need to see with eyes that see Jesus, hearts that love others, arms that reach out to help, feet that walk alongside. We must delight in the beauty in our Father’s world.
“Though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.” That gives me great comfort and hope. Let us open our eyes and see.
Seeing in grace,
Teresa
Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. Ecclesiastes 9:7
Yesterday I was holding on to hope and trying my best to be joyful about my colonoscopy. I determined to practice thanksgiving with every drop of that gutter swill I had to drink.
I was doing my best to put it all in God’s hands and trust that all would be well. So, I chose to trust in the face of my fear. Praying about it, clinging to a scripture and writing about it helped. It enabled me to focus on the big picture instead of worrying about a minor glitch in the road.
If you have ever had any kind of invasive procedure, then I’m sure you well know, that a certain amount of anxiety goes with. I’m learning that it is not always about getting rid of the anxiety, but harnessing it and allowing God to be in control. Even if you want to freak out and run the other way choosing to let God handle the situation builds your faith in him. And, he is faithful.
I’m happy to report that I managed to drink all the nastiness in that jug (minus a few drops here and there). I managed to keep my spirits up by practicing thanksgiving for the little things such as the pink ladies blooming in my yard, or how wonderful White grape juice tastes. I reminded myself with every drop that I could do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
I’m further happy to report with joy that even though they found a polyp, it was non-cancerous. It is being biopsied to find out exactly what kind of polyp it is as that will determine if I go back in three years, or five. Apparently, some polyps are pre-cancerous and some are not. Not, would get me five years, so that is my hope.
Even with that looming large in five (or three), I still am joyful because basically I received a clean bill of health and the meds didn’t seem to make me goofy and I know that God was with me. After some initial nervousness and high blood pressure I calmed down and all was well.
Further, it was with great joy that I came home and ate my food with gladness, and drank my wine (ginger ale) with a joyful heart. Thankful that God found favor with me and answered my prayers. He is always faithful.
He is always faithful in good times and bad. Even if my outcome today had been different, I would still rejoice in the goodness of a loving God. He is always working on our behalf in all situations and if we ask he enables us to find joy in all things.
How are you finding joy today? Whether it be choosing joy in the midst of a trial, or finding joy in such an everyday occurrence as a cheeseburger and ginger ale just know that the giver of our joy is always with us and he will always lead us right.
I would be remiss if I did not thank all of you that were faithful to pray for me. That too is part of our joy. Praying for and encouraging one another. God Bless!
Joy in grace,
Teresa
The pictures included with today’s post and yesterday’s were taken in Virginia back in June when we took a little trip. Such beautiful countryside where we were. I have more pictures I’ll try to post soon. My favorite way to travel is on the back roads looking for bits of beauty. Isn’t Mrs. Cow lovely, with her babe?
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access through faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5 NIV
May we find God’s peace today for all our needs. The world may be swirling around us in all directions, but he is still our hope and his grace is sufficient for all that we need. He stands ready to pour all his love into our hearts.
Thank You, Heavenly Father, for Your Grace. We rely on you today to meet our needs and to sustain us. You are our hope of glory.
Standing in Grace,
Teresa
Teresa L Hardymon 