Category: Our Exceptional God

Bloom Where You Are Planted

Embracing Opportunities: Bloom Where You Are Planted 

Bloom where you are plantedHave you ever heard the expression, “Bloom where you are planted”?

While this phrase is not in the Bible, from a Christian perspective, it means to make the best of the opportunities that we’re given to “give God the glory.”

Does it mean you have to be a missionary to a foreign country? No.

A Bible Study teacher? No.

You can bloom where you are planted right there in your own neighborhood.

I’ve seen this grace in action, and it’s a touching thing.

A few years ago, a woman in our neighborhood had breast cancer surgery. She had five young kids. The call went out, neighbors banded together, and we were able to present this young mother with meals and a gift basket full of encouraging notes and gift cards to help lift her up during her recovery.

But, what if your talents lie in other areas?

Consider What Talents you Have

Are you good at public speaking? Share your testimony with others. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an auditorium full of listeners or just one, the Lord is honored when you praise His name before others. Pray for the Lord to open those doors.

If you hear about a friend going through financial difficulties, you could surprise him or her with an anonymous gift card. We’ve done that in the past and it’s extremely rewarding, especially using the “anonymous” feature.  The whole purpose is to honor the ultimate Giver of All Things with what He has blessed us with. 

For years, I’ve handed out business cards to thank military veterans (and also police officers) for their service. Whether I see an officer in a restaurant or just walking along a sidewalk, it’s a blast to brighten up their day with a permanent keepsake they can keep in their wallets.

For first responders

Sometimes small things like this can bring big smiles.

Another Great Idea to Bloom Where You Are Planted

Recently, a friend of mine showed me a business card that she made to hand out to exceptional people in the service industry. (Waiters, contractors, etc.)

I loved the idea so asked her permission to make my own.

With a little tweaking to the design and wording, I made my own new card. It’s colorful, and, besides the encouraging words, Matthew 5:16 is referenced on it as well.

Awesome service today

When we took our recent trip to Alaska, I got to hand out my first card.

You may be surprised as to whom I gave it to.

We went to the Beatles show on the ship. The venue was crowded and, by the time we got there, there was absolutely no place to sit. We waited a bit and tried to decide if we could stand for over an hour in that crowded room.

It was then when a sweet mom who was sitting nearby tapped me on the shoulder and said, “my son wants to give you his seat.”

What a sweetheart! I handed her my card to give to him. She was beaming as both our friends and I complimented her on raising her young son to be a perfect gentleman. She added, “He’s going to love this!”

Giving Joy To Others

Suffice it to say giving joy to others is a blessing for the intended and also for the giver.

We were created in God’s image. Sin marred that image. When God bought us back for Himself, it was to restore His image in us and free us to become all we were created to be. When the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us, He prompts us to do things that glorify God (John 14:26). Our desire to please God grows as our understanding of Him grows. That desire to please God results in good works. – gotquestions.org.1

Let your light shine, friends, and bloom where you are planted!

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1 Quotation from gotquestions.org from “What does it mean that good works are the result of salvation”? n.d., para. 4. Web. Accessed September 5, 2024. Retrieved from Good works.

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An Unforgettable Alaskan Adventure

Treasuring An Unforgettable Alaskan Adventure

If your “bucket list” is anything like mine, then a trip to Alaska is right there near the top.

I’m happy and grateful to say that my wish finally came true.

Photo ops everywhere!

My husband and I and some dear friends just got back from an unforgettable Alaskan adventure that we’re still raving about.

I can’t begin to tell you how amazing and beautiful it all was.

Aboard the “Norwegian Bliss” cruise ship, my husband and I felt blessed to immerse ourselves in God’s creation for a “blissful” (couldn’t resist!) seven days.

When did they start making cruise ships this big?

An unforgettable Alaskan adventure

Each day brought exciting new discoveries:

Towering, snow-capped mountains . . .

Majestic mountains

Icy cold waters reflecting the sunlight above and sparkling with brilliant shades of sapphire to turquoise blue . . . 

Alaska's towering snow-capped mountains

Glaciers that glistened like diamonds in the sunlight.

Majestic whales and charming coastal towns like Sitka, Juneau, and Ketchikan where we checked out the many shops and chatted with some of the locals.

Charming shops and restaurants

Our dear friends Lisa and Charlie were with us as we explored these fascinating ports of call.

Fellow adventurers Lisa and Charlie

One of my favorite memories was sitting on their balcony next door, drinking hot chocolate and wearing our cozy jackets while the Bliss floated by icebergs, varying in size from tiny to large enough to stand on.

I know what you’re thinking. Yes, we thought about the Titanic.

Check out the icy blue color of the iceberg in this photo.

Icebergs!

August is a good time to go.

The weather was perfect, just slightly cool.

God let us experience all of His workmanship and all the beauty in the areas that we went to. It’s just phenomenal, meeting people that you’re almost drawn to (like our driver that had the same beliefs that we had) that made me feel encouraged. Even in other areas of the world, there are still people touched by God, and being with friends that you don’t get to see very often and have such a good time with – I just enjoyed it so much! – Lisa P.

We didn’t see the Northern Lights this trip, but that’s okay. What we did get to witness was humbling enough.

We were all awestruck and so grateful to our Heavenly Father who created this for His pleasure. He loves us so much that we get to share in His delightful creation.

It was absolutely amazing. We had the opportunity to see an area of our country that we’d never been to before, but heard a lot about. Getting out and seeing the whales and seals and the little sea otters was an experience. Watching the mountains and the glaciers in all their majesty, we were awestruck by God’s ability to put those things there for us to see and enjoy. Kind of like a birthday and Christmas present all wrapped into one. – Charlie P.

If you ever decide to take an Alaskan cruise, I highly recommend getting a room with a balcony.

A balcony room is a must!

Waking up each morning and opening the shades was a delight to the senses.

I’m happy to say that I didn’t get seasick once! The ship gently glided through the open seas. I could barely feel a rocking motion, even at bedtime when all is quiet except the calming waves lapping against the ship’s hull. 

Just about every direction you looked was a new photo op. On land, we saw eagles perched on the trees in town, and at sea we marveled at the backs of whales as they surfaced.

Bald eagles

No bears spotted on this trip, but that’s probably a good thing because we forgot to bring bear spray. Lol.

At last count, I believe we took about 400 pictures plus!

Exciting ports of call

You do a lot of walking in those ports of call, but it is so worth it! And, when you’re ready for a break, you can hang out on the upper deck or in the observation lounge on the Bliss.

The ship’s observation deck was the perfect vantage point for stargazing and appreciating God’s creation in all of its splendor.

It was a fun place to people watch and, as always, there was plenty of food and drink to satisfy hungry tummies after a day of sightseeing.

We met so many genuinely wonderful people on this cruise – Tom and Melissa, Jenny and John, and more.

The food, both on board the Bliss and also in the ports of call was, out of this world.

How about some Alaskan King crab – as fresh as it could be. I did let my husband have a bite or two even though crabmeat is one of my favorite foods in the whole wide world.

Delicious Alaskan King Crab

There were so many excursions to choose from. We loved the Gold Creek Wild Salmon Bake in Juneau.

This was no ordinary buffet. We joined other hungry diners on picnic tables which were set up under a jacket-worthy rainforest canopy.

The peaceful sounds of a waterfall beckoned nearby. I could have sat there for hours.

Waterfall at the salmon bake

I’ve never been a huge fan of salmon. However, this salmon, I am not kidding, was the best, most mouthwatering, salmon I have ever tasted in my life. Fresh caught and grilled over an alderwood fire right in front of you – I couldn’t believe how great it tasted. (We may have to move here just for the salmon 😉

Alaska's beautiful flowers and plants - Delight in God

Such pristine beauty all around us.

The landscapes, the adventures, and the friendships forged on that unforgettable journey to Alaska will forever hold a special place in our hearts.Alaskan adventure

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Jesus Walked Among Us

Yes, It’s Real: Jesus Walked Among Us

If you want to think about something truly amazing, how about the fact that Jesus walked among us?

That is, in earlier Biblical times, God’s only Son walked along the same ground as humanity.

It’s almost incomprehensible.

Jesus walked among us

A view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives

Here, from the book of John, is perhaps the most well-known verse from Scripture.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. – John 3:16, (NASB).1

Jesus, both God and man, is the ultimate expression of the depths of God’s love for us.

Who are we to deserve such a gift?

His sacrifice on the cross exemplifies the ultimate act of love.

Through no works of our own, He offers believers a path of free grace which leads to our salvation.

He didn’t die for Himself. He took sin upon Himself. He died for those who did not deserve it. When we put our faith into who He is, Jesus Christ, the God-man, and we put our faith into what He did for us, then righteousness, His righteousness, is now written to our account. You cannot be righteous in yourself. To think that you can earn your way into heaven is to put yourself on equality with God, and you cannot do it. The only man who ever did it was the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, putting our faith into Him. Then His righteousness and His life come to live in us. Now He can produce through us what we could have never done ourselves. – Precept Austin commentary.2

Jesus Walked Among Us: He is Real

We know from the Bible that when Jesus walked among the people, He showed them great love and compassion.

He comforted the brokenhearted.

Why would we think He would be any different today?

He hears your prayers and mine.

As of this writing, Jesus has not yet returned, but He is coming!

In the meantime, set your sights on His victorious return.

I hope the following poem will encourage you as it did me.

Look To The Cross
By Catherine Pulsifer

In the stillness of the night, you hear the call,
Jesus beckons, He invites one and all.
Up high in heaven, God’s Son does reside,
Yet on earth, His love for you does abide.

Look up to the cross, where Jesus bled,
For you, for me, His precious blood shed.
In simple faith, just believe and see,
The saving grace He offers for free.

No need to search in distant skies,
For Jesus is near, He hears your cries.
He walked amongst us, in human form,
To guide us through life’s tempest and storm.

God’s love is so deep, it knows no end,
His mercy and grace, they always mend.
So come to Jesus, with a heart open wide,
In Him, true peace and joy abide.

Through His word, a message so clear,
Jesus, our Savior, always near.
So heed the call, don’t hesitate,
In Jesus, find your eternal fate.

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 Dr. Wayne A. Barber quotation is from the Romans 10:1-10 Commentary, [2015] Courtesy of Precept Austin, Web. Accessed 9 August, 2024.

3 Poetry courtesy of Catherine Pulsifer. “Look To The Cross.” [online post]. From stresslesscountry.com, ©Catherine Pulsifer, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, n.d. Web. Accessed August 5, 2024. Look To The Cross

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Memorizing Scripture Like a Pro

Memorizing Scripture Like a Pro

How good are you at memorizing scripture?

Admittedly, I can’t remember where I leave my readers half the time.

However, I’m happy to say that I am getting better at memorizing God’s Word.

It takes commitment and a lot of repetition.

Friends – you can do this!

You might be asking what is so important about memorizing scripture like a pro?

It’s to know Him more.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. – Colossians 3:16, (NASB).1

Memorizing Scripture like a pro

The Bible is God’s Word, we can trust it.

The only way to replace the error of the world’s way of thinking is to replace it with God’s truth, and the only infallible source of God’s truth is His revealed Word, the Bible. Transformation through renewed minds comes as believers expose themselves to God’s Word through the faithful exposition of it each week in church, personal Bible study, and group Bible studies. – gotquestions.org.2

Did you know there are inspirational Christians on YouTube who have memorized entire books of the Bible?

There are several of note, but I wanted to give a special nod to Susan Heck.

She has memorized the entire New Testament and several books in the Old Testament.

How amazing is that?

This is a longer video, but it’s full of some of the helpful techniques that she uses.

Memorizing Scripture with Index Cards

My favorite way to memorize Scripture is by using index cards. I place the treasured verses in a card box labeled by the days of the week, then by odd and even dates and finally every day of the month. You can read more about that method here.

There’s another method where some people like to write out their verses to memorize and place them on index cards placed strategically throughout their home. 

You can check it out in the following short video.

Memorizing Scripture in the Right Context

One key point here is to always make sure, whether you’re memorizing an entire book of the Bible or just a few verses, when you recall these verses that they are used in the right context.

I hope the tips shared in this post are helpful to you in your quest to memorize God’s Word.

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2  Quotation from gotquestions.org from “What does it mean to be transformed by the renewing of the mind”? n.d., para. 6. Web. Accessed July 31, 2024. Retrieved from Renewing the mind

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God’s Rescue Mission

Joining God’s Rescue Mission

A few days ago, I had just gotten home when I received a text from our neighbor.

It wasn’t good news.

There’s a ranch located behind us and a coyote had gotten ahold of a newborn calf.

The baby’s hindquarters were clawed through. The calf was on the ground, defenseless and barely breathing.

The mama cow was standing over her baby making the most agonizing distress cry.

I felt sick to my stomach.

We all sprang into action making phone calls to our local game warden and the sheriff’s office.

If at all possible, we wanted to try to help save this calf.

The officers arrived and headed over to the pasture.

Sadly, it was too late, the injuries were life-threatening.

I couldn’t watch.

A loud gunshot rang out as an officer put the little one out of its misery.

Some might say it’s just the “circle of life”, and that’s true for the animal kingdom.

But, as far as human lives are concerned, as believers we can’t just sit back and watch a population of lost sinners lose their eternity because no one bothered to tell them about Jesus.

We are part of God’s rescue mission for mankind.

A Call To Harvest

In the following passage, Jesus was speaking directly to the disciples – a call for them to take the gospel message to the people.

As believers, we are to carry His life-saving message as well.

There’s still time.  

And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. – Luke 10:2, (NASB).1

God’s Rescue Mission

Only our Savior, Jesus Christ, can ultimately save lost sinners.

It is our responsibility as believers to take His life-saving message of salvation to our circle of influence.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you the right words to say when starting that all important conversation with an unbeliever.

God's rescue mission

Who is on your heart right now who needs to know Jesus?

Is it your husband or wife?

Your kids?

Another relative?

Your best friend?

If you don’t think it’s the right time to do that, pray for the right time. Ask our Heavenly Father for those open doors and opportunities!

He will hear you.

I see others online who continue to believe that, as long as a person is kind to others, God won’t send them to hell.

That’s not how it works.

From John 14:6:
Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.2

God didn’t send His only Son to the cross for us to simply be nice.

Follow Jesus

Consider the dear ones in your life.

Have you talked about Jesus in your home lately?

Do you know if your loved ones believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior?

Regarding their eternal life, it’s the most important question you could ask.

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

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