Paw Prints On Our Hearts

August 18, 2023 Gracie

Paw Prints On Our Hearts

Sometimes blog posts are hard to write.

This will be one of those.

A few days ago, we had to say goodbye to our beautiful Siberian Husky, Ellie.

Every husky we’ve ever owned becomes a cherished family member.

And, when we’ve had to say goodbye to one, our hearts break into a million pieces.

Paw prints on our hearts that last forever.

A Day of Heartbreak

On Wednesday, we could tell something was wrong.

We had leashed both of our huskies, ready as usual to go for their morning walk. Usually at that time, Ellie is fussing at us.

Let’s go! Let’s go, people!

She could be quite exuberant at 6 a.m. in the morning.

Except that day, she wasn’t.

We walked a few paces and were alarmed at her demeanor.

Something was seriously wrong.

Our vet got us in that very same day. He took one look and, after some tests, told us to get her to the ER – NOW.

The ER vet performed X-Rays and other tests, and then we got the worst news.

A large tumor had developed quickly on her spleen. Ellie was severely bleeding on the inside and dangerously anemic.

The vet said she wouldn’t even last the night.

Through many tears, my husband and I sat on the floor with our girl, held and comforted her.

She knew we were there.

As the last shot took hold, her body relaxed in peace, and she went home.

Thank you God, for bringing her into our lives.

Paw Prints on our Hearts: A Tribute to Ellie

Like all of our huskies, we loved Ellie to a fault and were honored to give her a little piece of heaven at our house.

Even though all Sibes are beautiful, Ellie was an actual former beauty queen.

She came to us as a retired 7-year-old, after several years spent in the show ring.

It was here at our house though, that she realized she could just be a dog.

As our longtime vet liked to joke, “It’s a husky Shangri-La at your house!”

We have so many happy and hilarious memories of her (an endearing husky trait).

Memories to Last a Lifetime

One of our favorite Ellie memories was when we first got her.

She realized she wasn’t just visiting our house, but she had found her forever home.

My husband and I were sitting on the couch while she was sniffing around and exploring her new digs.

We watched as the realization finally hit her.

I get to stay here!!

She literally ran and jumped in between us on the couch – all 40 pounds of her!

We will miss that precious smile on her face every day as she romped around in our backyard and chased the cicadas on our oak tree.

I will miss her sneaking into my office every morning for an extra treat – our little secret.

Not one for subtlety, here she is reminding us it’s dinner time.

I will miss her play fighting with our male husky.

“Okay you two, break it up!”

He looks for her now . . . but she isn’t there.

We are forever grateful to God for letting us care for this magnificent creature on earth – from His blessed gallery of the extraordinary.

If love were enough,

Ellie, you would have lived forever.

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Our Exceptional God

Above Reproach in a Perverse Generation

May 2, 2023 Gracie

Living Above Reproach in a Perverse Generation

Have you ever seen those large domino displays where the builder purposely topples the first domino and the rest, sometimes thousands of them, fall over in a precise pattern?

Interestingly enough, it can take hours, even days, to build one of those displays.

I can see a correlation with today’s world.

Undeniably, we’re in a spiritual war between Good and Evil.

Attacks on our faith (once unheard of in America) are now becoming more commonplace.

There are so many examples of this – too numerous to list them all.

We are seeing man’s rebellion against God played out on the world stage.

Did you ever think our country would sink this far?

Man continues to try to elevate himself above God, following a secular humanist worldview.

People drift from generation to generation, and the morally unthinkable becomes thinkable as the years move on. – Francis Schaefer, theologian and apologist.¹

Christians are to be lights in the world, but how can we live for Him and glorify His name in a perverse generation such as this?

Is there any hope that we can help win souls for Christ while living in what amounts to a house of cards?

Courageous Faith Above Reproach

As the Bible clearly tells us, our hope and assurance is in our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. – 1 Peter 1:3-5, (NASB).²

We are at a pivotal point in human history.

This entire world, under divine judgment, will continue to fall into chaos.

This sets the stage for the Antichrist to establish his deceptive peace plan.

In the meantime, never lose hope.

We are to be shining lights to a dark world.

The beginning signs of Christ’s return are all around us, as prophesied.

But, we can take heart.

God has not forgotten us.

At God’s appointed time, we will be removed during the Rapture of the Church to be with Him forever.

Christian – Your Name is in His Book

In the Book of Malachi, we see an example of God’s provision for His people who were living in perilous times.

The prophet assured the Israelites that the Lord had not forgotten them.

¹⁶Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened attentively and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and esteem His name. ¹⁷“And they will be Mine,” says the Lord of armies, “on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will have compassion for them just as a man has compassion for his own son who serves him.” ¹⁸So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. – Malachi 3:16-18, (NASB).³

By extension of His love and grace, our unchangeable God has also not forgotten you and me.

God has a Book and in that Book are the people who belong to Him and none of them are going to get washed up in the Judgment. This is important because we have to understand that we are living in a Romans 1 world of judgment. This is how it is, but we are His. We are His own possession. – Pastor John MacArthur, Pastor and Bible teacher from Grace To You.⁴

In these difficult times that we’re living in, we’re to encourage each other.

Everything is falling exactly into place.

As God’s Word tells us, we are to “live above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world . . . ” (Philippians 2:14-17)

No politician or religious figurehead can fix the world’s problems.

Jesus . . . only Jesus.

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¹ Francis August Schaeffer, (1912-1984), evangelical Christian and theologian. Courtesy of azquotes.com. Accessed April 25, 2023.

⁴From MacArthur, Pastor John, “Living In A Perverse World (Philippians 2:12-16)” Courtesy of Grace to You. YouTube Podcast, [14:18- 14:45]. July 14, 2022. Web. Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/eSXzUDh7o60

Our Exceptional God

“God Is Sovereign” Meaning

April 4, 2023 Gracie

What Does It Mean to Say That God is Sovereign?

A Bible teacher I am not, but to answer the question of God’s Sovereignty, we can first take a look at its definition.

According to dictionary.com, the word “Sovereign” means “supreme power or authority.” (Dictionary.com, n.d.)¹

I believe that secular definition is a pretty good description, but our ultimate authority on this is the Word of God.

Let’s take a look. This is from a Psalm of David.

²⁴ The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains,
The world, and those who live in it.
²For He has founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
³Who may ascend onto the hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy place? – Psalm 24:1-3, (NASB).²

The first line of Psalm 24 is pretty clear, isn’t it?

The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains . . .

God is Sovereign and Controls Everything

God is in control of everything. As a divine attribute of His Sovereignty, nothing can stop Him from His intended purposes.

As sinful humans, we don’t like not being in control.

It’s interesting that when God does not “intervene” (by human standards) in a crisis situation, some will question His power and majesty.

Do you remember that outrageous 2015 headline, “God isn’t fixing this” which also referenced prayer as “meaningless platitudes”?

How sad is it that people actually still think that way.

Here’s the truth:

God has the ability to do anything, to take action and intervene in any situation, but He often chooses to act indirectly or to allow certain things for reasons of His own. His will is furthered in any case. God’s “sovereignty” means that He is absolute in authority and unrestricted in His supremacy. Everything that happens is, at the very least, the result of God’s permissive will. This holds true even if certain specific things are not what He would prefer. The right of God to allow mankind’s free choices is just as necessary for true sovereignty as His ability to enact His will, wherever and however He chooses. – Got Questions website.³

The fact is we live in a sinful world, and we will suffer.

Whether it’s illness, or persecution, or anything else.

The Bible warns us about the sufferings we will experience in this life.

If God is Sovereign, Then Why Won’t He Stop Evil?

God’s sovereignty in a sinful world is a tough topic for many people.

The importance of God “allowing” actions as part of His sovereignty cannot be overstated. God’s causing the basis for an act to occur does not mean He is a responsible moral agent for the act. The moral responsibility for intentionally evil acts falls on those who commit the acts themselves. – Got Questions website.⁴

We won’t understand the concept of sovereignty perfectly. As the Bible says, His ways are not our ways.

Simply put, as our Creator, the world belongs to God so it’s His to do with as He wishes.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

If God is Sovereign, Then Why Pray?

God’s Sovereignty is exactly the reason we should pray. He sees and hears our every cry.

We are talking to the One who created the heavens and the earth and the One who created you and me.

We should be falling on our knees in reverence and praise.

Trusting in God’s Sovereignty helps give us more peace about a situation.

Why?

Because it takes the pressure off of us in a lot of ways.

We can rest in the peace that God is in control no matter what is going on.

And, as Christians, we have nothing to fear.

He loves us in every sense of the word.

We were created by Him and for Him and God wants us with Him for eternity.

Our modern day sufferings are just for a little while.

Because we know the end of “His Story” (the Bible) we have all the reason to praise Him, to have great faith through the storm.

This is one of the many reasons that we can delight in God.

As prophesied in the Bible, we will have tough days ahead, but stay strong.

Dear friends in Christ, Jesus our Lord and Savior is coming back someday!

# # #

¹ Sovereign. (n.d.). In Dictionary.com. Retrieved from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sovereign

³Quotation from gotquestions.org, from “What does it mean that God is sovereign? n.d., para. 6. Web. Accessed March 31, 2023. God’s Sovereignty.

⁴Quotation from go Sovereigntytions.org, from “Is God sovereign over death? n.d., para. 7. Web. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://www.gotquestions.org/is-God-sovereign-over-death.html

Our Exceptional God

Don’t Worry About The Future

January 3, 2023 Gracie

Why You Don’t Need to Worry About the Future

Have you ever heard a friend say, “I’m scared about the future.”

Personally, and from conversations I’ve recently had, I can answer “Yes.”

I get where they’re coming from.

Sometimes the mainstream news just gets to be too much to take in.

Bad things do happen to good people

. . . to people we know

. . . to us

Likewise, bad things also happen in the great big world around us.

Even so, God’s Word tells us to be anxious about nothing.

That can be hard sometimes.

Let’s look at God’s Word.

What does the Bible say about anxiety and fear?

In this well-known verse, Paul teaches the Philippians about letting go of fear.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. – Philippians 4:6, (NASB).¹

Anxiety and fear are just as prevalent in our present day.

Is it possible to have a sense of peace when life throws us a curveball?

Don’t Worry About the Future

What is the source of our strength and peace when these bad things come at us, seemingly out of left field?

Actually, it’s not a “What,” but a “Who”!Jesus is our strength when unexpected challenges send our world into a tailspin.

We’re now in the year 2023.

Does the new year seem just a little bit daunting?

An unknown future

Mounting pressures at work

A progressive illness

Challenges in relationships

When life is hard, then it can be hard to feel encouraged about anything.

Does God know what I am going through?

Does He care?

Let me assure you that God absolutely does care.

Please allow me to share a beautiful verse from the Bible that offers us much hope.

It’s found in the Book of Jeremiah and I’m sure that you’ve heard it many times. In fact, a dear friend shared with me recently that it’s her favorite verse.

From Deb. S. :

“It was hard to choose one scripture as so many have given me hope and strength thru my darkest moments. But, Jeremiah 29:11 is one that always comes back to me no matter the situation. When I face anything whether small or enormous, there’s a sense of peace knowing that the Lord knows all, He’s got the plan, and He wants my future to be good.”

From our small frustrations, all the way to the big trials we sometimes face, God is in control.

Combatting Fear With Trust In Him

What can we do when fear overtakes our thought life?

We can pray, and we can ask for prayer and support from our loved ones and friends.

Instead of dwelling in the frustration, we can also reach out to others who might be going through the same struggles.

In other words, don’t dwell.

Learn to excel in turning our need to control a situation over to God.

Through prayer and mutual support from our Christian loved ones, we can use life’s challenges to not only strengthen our own faith, but to encourage others who are losing hope.

We’re in this together!

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Our Exceptional God

Three Encouraging Bible Verses

June 14, 2022 Gracie

Finding Hope in Three Encouraging Bible Verses

Do you have a special time of day when you read your Bible?

For me, the best time is right when I wake up.

I love the peace and quiet of the morning.

Often, I’m up between the hours of 4:30 and 5:00 a.m.

Granted, my PJ’s are still on and my bed hair could frighten children, but God doesn’t care.

He delights when we study His Word and worship Him.

There are so many passages in Scripture to treasure, but I wanted to share three encouraging Bible verses that speak to my heart.

Finding Hope in Three Encouraging Bible Verses

When I came to a saving faith in Christ and started reading my Bible at age 30, my whole perspective on life changed.

No longer did my faith take a backseat and I earnestly sought how I could use my God-given skills to glorify Him.

In this often dangerous world that we live in, His Word is the shining light that cuts through this present darkness and lights the way to our eternal victory through Jesus.

This universal calamity we’re all witnessing is temporary.

Delight in God Because He Delights in Us

Psalm 18 is a Psalm of David.

From what we read in the pages of this amazing scripture, God brought David out of the depths of despair into a life marked by humility and gratitude.

The verses end with “. . . because He delighted in me.”

¹⁸They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
But the Lord was my support.
¹⁹He also brought me out into an open place;
He rescued me, because He delighted in me. – Psalm 18:18-19, (NASB).

Today’s world is consumed with distractions, temptations of the flesh, and fear.

It’s enough to grieve the heart of every Christian.

But, God hasn’t gone anywhere.

He loves us and delights in us as our Heavenly Father. That is the beauty of His character – we are still His children.

We fail Him daily and yet He still loves and delights in us. Someday we will be with Him in Heaven.

Talk about encouragement!

One of the reasons I named this blog “Delight-in-God” in the first place is because, as Christians, we know that He delights in us and wants us all to come to repentance in Him.

God Is Our Strength

The following verse in 2 Corinthians is a great example for us of the Apostle Paul’s complete trust in God, no matter how challenging and dangerous his daily circumstances were.

Remember that Paul was beaten, stoned, and thrown in prison several times for preaching the gospel.

2 Corinthians 12:10

I have to admit when I first became a Christian and read those words from Paul, it was a shocker.

How can anyone “delight” in persecutions? Is this for real?

Of course when you’re being persecuted, your first reaction might be sadness or anger . . . but delight?

I once read that sometimes God has to bring us to our knees for us to realize our need to trust Him, no matter what.

This is a constant lesson I need to remind myself in my very human desire to make a bad situation better quickly.

Jesus is the perfect divine example of endurance through suffering.

It may feel like we’re struggling with a mountain of issues, but we are not alone.

As I grow older and look back on the past challenging circumstances in my own life, I realize that my prayers for perseverance to cope with those situations and move forward were answered.

He Knows You and Me By Name

He knows our names

Our God – God of the entire universe knows you and me by name.

He knew you before you were even born . . . He saw you being born!

He sees you in a crowd, standing in line, sleeping . . . everywhere.

And, He looks upon you as His child, worthy of redemption and salvation through His Son – that blessed gift of grace when what we really deserve is death for our sins.)

Jesus wants to have a relationship with us.

What do you do when you love someone?

You think about them – a lot and all the time.

Lord, You have searched me and known me.
²You know when I sit down and when I get up;
You understand my thought from far away.
³You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways. – Psalm 139:1-3, (NASB).

He knows us better than we know ourselves and, for that, we should be grateful.

Better Place, Divine Grace

I hope you’ve enjoyed these three encouraging Bible verses that I’ve shared.

There are many more that capture my heart that I’ll share at another time.

I’m grateful that God chose me and I rejoice with you that He chose you – my brother and sister in Christ.

As much as I love the many wonderful things that have happened (and will happen) in the rest of this life, I know that Heaven is going to be so much better.

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Our Exceptional God

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