Thank You for being Persistent in Prayer!

To all my praying friends ...
Thank You for your prayers! I had a much better night last night and actually got some much needed rest and sleep. Bless you all!

I had something almost completed to post on Facebook and just lost it! Go figure! So here I go again in this forum instead!

Every year for probably the past 8 or so I have "chosen a word" to live out in that year; Rather than setting new resolutions that will most likely fall by the wayside in a month or so! The Word that kept niggling at my mind for 2015 was / is HOSPITALITY. The definition for hospitality is "the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers." Some synonyms are - friendliness, welcome, helpful, warmth, kindness, congeniality, courtesy, generosity, food. The scripture that kept finding its way into my readings and devotions was Romans 12:13 ... "Share with the saints in their need; pursue hospitality." This was going to be a year of action for me as I shared and pursued!

Most mornings I get up later than hubby - he is a farmer and he is usually up before the birds! One particular morning I came downstairs to find he had left me an encouraging note and a scripture reference from his morning reading of Gods Word. The reference ...Romans 12:12 & 13. Verse 12 states - "rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer." Ummmmmmm ...
Within these 2 verses there is a lot of action going on!

Rejoice in hope
Be Patient in affliction
Be Persistent in prayer
Share....
Pursue hospitality

I quickly came to the realization that God was telling me that until I rejoiced, was patient, and persistent I would not be able to share and pursue. Whoa! I had no idea how I was going to learn these lessons - I thought I pretty much had them, however it seems that God thought differently. In the past 2 months I believe He has "set me aside" to REST, BE STILL, SEEK HIM, and to reaffirm for me once again that until I make HIM the center of it all I can do nothing. I have been afflicted with much pain from a number of different physical things these past couple months and currently feel I am "no good for nothing!"Please know I don't say that in a self-pity way. I am basically a DO-ER... like Martha; Not a SITTER at Jesus feet - like Mary!

Just yesterday someone said to me, "I know you are not feeling good but I want you to know Jesus is shining thru all your work, discipline, and the hurts. When we feel we are down to nothing, God is up to something."
I believe this wholeheartedly. I know He is up to something. And I am excited to see what He is about to do!

So - dear sweet, faithful, praying friends -
I am on a journey with HIM ... and I just want to thank you for journeying this path with me! Hospitality for me has become so much more than fun, food, fellowship..... MY definition is that hospitality is being joyful in all things; enduring affliction with patience because we know that He wastes nothing and that all things work to good for those who love Him; praying continually in all things, thru all things; and He will empower the sharing and pursuing that needs to be done in His Name.

Praying a blessing upon you this morning!
HUGS
Ruthie

2 Timothy 1:12 - ...for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day. (KJV)

HIS Creation

Psalm 104 is called a WISDOM Psalm as well as a CREATION Psalm ... the author expresses joy in the world as a creation of God.

Here are just a few of my photos expressing the beauty I see in His creation. And I sing praise with the Psalmist - "Bless the LORD, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty."

"O LORD, how manifold are Your works!

"May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in His works..."

"I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
May my meditation be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the LORD."

Dear Friends,

I pray you will meditate on Psalm 104 in the coming days; 

give Him Praise;

Live with  a heart filled with gratitude and thanksgiving.

May He fill you with wonder at His marvelous works....

May He fill you with His Spirit as

 you love and serve Him.

Blessings, sweet ones!

"Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Praise the LORD!

In HIS Mighty and Marvelous name,

Ruthie 

The Apostles' Creed

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, 

Creator of heaven and earth; 

and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord;

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the virgin Mary; 

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead, and buried.

He descended into hell; 

the third day he rose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,

and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

From there he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church,

the communion of saints;

the forgiveness of sins; 

the resurrection of the body; 

and the life everlasting.

AMEN

How SWEET Is HIS Presence!

Oh the sweetness of resting in HIm!
                      ... of letting everything go and sitting at HIS feet!
                      ... of leaning on HIM!
                      ... of soaking up HIS Love, HIS Peace, HIS Grace
                             AND - HIS JOY!!!!!

Simple Praise fills my heart and my soul -

Thank you, Jesus, for my life in YOU!!!

The "Wheeler Saga"!

Ephesians 3:20
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think ..."

What a week this has been at Thousand Hills Farm! Hubby went out to jump on the 4-wheeler Monday morning to find that it was GONE! STOLEN! Sometime Sunday evening - when he used it last - and Monday morn it "disappeared". Actually it probably happened within a short period of time on Sunday evening - but that is another story for another time!

He was discouraged to say the least! This wheeler is his life-line to the rest of the farm... carrying feed etc. to the pigs and chicks, and closing the birds up at night and ... everything else he has to do around here! Immediately I began to pray - quoting the above Scripture to God - telling Him that I KNOW He is so much more than we even think or know about Him! Telling Him that I KNOW He can do amazing things - asking Him to create a miracle in this situation. For me, that miracle would be returning the wheeler unharmed so that hubby could use it. For GOD - that MIRACLE / MIRACLES was/were soooooo much more!

I have a group of praying women around me that I can call on at any time and I immediately sent out emails to them asking for their prayers. I was gently reminded by a couple of them to pray for the person / persons who had stolen it. Many times each day I would praise God and thank Him for what He was going to do - and told Him I was believing for a miracle! And asking Him, thru His Holy Spirit, to speak to those lost individuals.

Hubby told a friend that he "counted it all joy" - he gave it all to God to work out - and he continued on with his work with a joyful attitude. I don't think he even knows how much that means to me. I could see in his face and in his speech that he was "resting in God's Provision". What a blessing!

When hearing of this dilemma a gal who has a wheeler sitting in her barn - not being used - offered it to hubby until he could get another one! No questions asked - just "I know you guys are my sister and brother in the Lord - so what's mine is yours". How I thank God for her!

Already here were some miracles:
- My "KNOWING God is able" was settled even deeper into my heart!
- Hubby's "dependence on God" was deepened!
- God speaking to people to be the hands and feet of Jesus has been so evident in our lives!

But WAIT - another miracle is on its way!
- This afternoon around 5 p.m. we were "gifted" - anonymously - with a bigger, newer, better wheeler than he had! How awesome is the hand of God in the lives of those people who are obedient to His Voice! Oh My! Tears come to my eyes thinking of the blessing He has bestowed on us!

WAIT! - Another One!
- Less than 2 hours later the RCMP called and said they found his wheeler, abandoned on the old track, close to the next community down from us! Found it! Unharmed! How can that be? it can only be because God is at work! Hubby told our story to the Officer and he was amazed! You can be sure he will retell this story! Use it Lord, I pray!

Oh My ... And Yet Another One!
- We will "pay it forward" - hubby told the RCMP officer

that if he knew of anyone needing a wheeler for work around their property that we would give the lost/found one to them!

Are you sitting with your mouths open? I am! How amazing is this! It is like something you read in a book - not in our lives! OH! I am sooooo excited! God has plans - He will use this situation to speak to many lives - our family; friends - and others!

I Praise Him and I humbly Thank Him!
"... for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep What I have committed to Him until that Day." 2 Timothy 1:12

Dear Sweet readers -
I cannot put to paper the joy and praise and the full heart I have at this moment in time! I hope and pray you will get a sense of how magnificent our God is! That He does care about all the things in our lives - even such things as a 4-wheeler! I pray that this situation in our lives will help your faith to grow; that you will see the awesomeness of our Lord! And - that you will "LISTEN" for His Voice; that you will be obedient in prayer and praise!

I can hardly stand it - I just want to shout HIS Name from the rooftops!!! I so want "people" to get it"!

Holy Spirit - Minister to people - show people Who You are! Convince them of their need of You! Bring them to their knees in submission to You!

Blessings on you -
Ruthie

Long Time - Still So Thankful!

It has been such a long time since I posted on this blog.... but my heart remains ever thankful and filled with gratitude to my Heavenly Father!

So much has transpired in the past month and a half in my life... I have been given a new lease on Life - I had an angioplasty done on June 1 and even today am feeling so like a new creation physically! Thank You, Jesus!!! At one point - when the back pain I was experiencing was excruciating I remember saying to Him .... "oh Lord, help me to bear this for 3 more hours until I can get up; this is so minimal compared to what you bore for me - how can I complain..." He was there - in the midst of it all and I give Him all the glory for coming thru as I have!

I am adding to my "One Thousand Gifts" -

527. Awesome Praise and Worship time!

528. Wonderful Easter meal with family.

529. Hubby - 15 years of marriage

530. I'm so thankful for His Word - filled with His Thoughts towards me - telling me "who I am" because of Him! Hallelujah!

531. The pleasing sound of rain pelting down on us!

532. Indescribable Peace during the angioplasty!

533. Indescribable Joy in my recovery!

534. Indescribable Love for my Faithful Abba-Father!

535. Hubby and daughter - I love you both so much!

536. My friends - who carried me thru!

537. Psalm 36:5 - Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens and your faithfulness to the skies.

538. Psalm 23:1 - The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.....

May today be a wonderful day for you as you relfect on the goodness and gifts He has bestowed upon you! May you take some time to meditate on Him and give Him praise.

Blessings and Hugs!

Ruthie

JOY!

Singing this morning....
"I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart..
where?
down in my heart
where?
down in my heart!"......

You get the picture...Right?

JOY - keen pleasure or delight; calm delight.

I am soooo thankful today for the calm delight I have in my Lord and Savior!
In the midst of all the "stuff" He has given me His Joy!
Praise His Name!

Determined to keep my focus on all those things that are true and noble and pure and lovely -
(Phil. 4:8) ...
The "joy stealer" isn't havin' any of me today!
Hallelujah!

May your day be filled with peace and joy in the Lord.
May the SON be in your heart!
Blessings sweet ones!
Resting in HIM,
Ruthie

Monday - again!

Here it is Monday again... where does the time go?
This past week has flown by for me -
I am so thankful that God shows Himself to me - over and over again - in the midst of it all!

Numbers 297 - 305 in my One Thousand Gifts list...

• Fresh strawberries
• Sausage burgers
• Strawberry shortcake with friends
• Watching Teddie (our Yorkie) run on the deck - thinking he's chasing the birds ... looking up into the air ... (I'm sure he's wondering why he can't get up there! :)
• Accomplishing a task
• The smell of freshly mown grass
• A new kitten
• Crossing things off my "to-do" list
• Hubby's smile

Father God,

I thank You today for the joy you give me everyday. I thank You for the good things around me, for the people I love, and for those who love me. I give You praise for the freedom You have given to me - to every one - to choose my thoughts and thus influence my mind and my actions of the day! Praise You, Lord!

Help me to be aware of my thinking and to take responsiblilty for it. Guide me today into a place of joyful thinking - help me to live today in the moment and to keep my eyes focused on You! In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Finally, brethern, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever thigns are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.

Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)

Resting in Him * Ruthie*

REJOICE - in Your salvation!

I am rejoicing this morning....

I can say with Hannah:
My heart exults and triumphs in the LORD; my horn (my strength) is lifted up in the Lord. My mouth is no loner silent, for it is opened wide over my enemies, because I rejoice in Your slavation. 1 Samuel 2:1

So much to praise Him for! So much to thank Him for!
In the midst ..... of life!
How thankful I am that He has taught me how to do this!
To give praise and thanks - in the midst!

These past 6 weeks have been extremly busy for me - today is the very first day that I will be alone in this house which God provided for us; by myself, (Hubby works all day); with all my housework done.

I plan on turning on "The Light" - Christian music on cable - filling the house with song!
Praises to Him!

I plan on spending quality time with HIM! Getting into the Word!

I plan on finding my craft table and making a few cards!

I have been so blessed by HIS plan over these past weeks - by HIS hand in my life these past weeks.... it's time to sit and reflect and write and sing!

I rejoice today in HIS salvation!
Can't imagine - don't want to imagine - what life would be like without HIM!
Thank You, Jesus!

I realize this is Monday - the day when most of the world returns to work and so on. The day when things start moving for a lot of people, at a faster pace than they did on the weekend. However, I pray that this day will be one of prasie and reflection and thanksgiving for you!

May you too, say
"My heart exults & triumphs in the LORD!"

Blessings dear ones!
Ruthie

Forget Not His Benefits

Psalm 103:2-6
Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits –
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

Whoa!
These words from the Word were part of my study this morning and they really hit me anew.
My heart is filled with thanksgiving to my Heavenly Father who has bestowed His benefits on me – such an undeserving one!
How I praise Him for His grace and mercy to me.
As you read these words and think on the message here I pray that your heart, too, will be filled with thanks and praise to HIM.

His benefits:
· Forgiveness
· Healing
· Redemption
· Crowns of love and compassion
· Satisfaction of our desires
· Renewal
· Righteousness
· Justice

Does that not thrill your soul?
Dear one, I pray it does!

Ask yourself these questions....
What does this mean for my life?
Do I reflect the glory of His benefits in my life?
How can I do a better job of doing this?

Be intentional - Make a decision to reflect on this portion of Scripture throughout the day; write these verses on a file card; carry them with you; read them often; make them a part of who you are! Fill your heart with His message to you! How blessed you will be!

Dear Abba - Father,
I give you thanks and praise for your benefits to us. May we never for a moment take You for granted. May we stand in awe of what You have sacrificed for us. May we realize how much You love us. And may we bask in YOU every moment of every day!
I thank You for Your forgiveness and redemption; for the renewal that You bring into our lives; for the healing, love and compassion that You bestow on us; for Your justice and Your righteousness. Praise You, Lord.
In Jesus Name,
Amen

Resting in HIM,

Ruthie

They Sang A New Song ...

Are you singing a "new song" today?
Or has it been a while since you've felt able to do that?
Revelation 5:9 ... "then they sang a new song."

I don't want to take this one verse out of context but I just have to say that its words thrill me!
A NEW SONG!
In GLORY!
With our SAVIOR!
Can you picture it?

The One who was slain for our iniquities [Isaiah 4:6]; the One who purchased our redemption with His blood; the One who loved the world so much that He went to the cross for the world - IS WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE!
HALLELUJAH!!!

In Chapter 5 of the Book of Revelation we are told how John saw the angels encircling the throne the elders and living creatures singing:
V. 12 "Worthy is the Lamb , who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"
V. 13 .... every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them singing:
"to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"

Dear ones,
O, my prayer for you today is that you are singing the redemption song here on earth today! And that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that someday you'll be in glory singing around the throne!

As I sit here writing this and contemplating His Word and what HE means to my life, I receive a phone call that another saint has gone to be with the Lord! How sad I am for family and friends - but how my heart sings for him! He is now in the heavenly realms - no more pain, no more confusion, no more suffering! Singing a new song! Praise the LORD!

Blessings sweet ones,
Resting in Him,
Ruthie

Amazement

To be amazed is to be overwhelmed with surprise or wonder.
What does it take to "amaze" you?

• a newborn baby
• a toddler playing
• a mom breastfeeding her babe
• a lovenote from my grandchild
• seeing loved ones exhibit HIS peace in the midst of trials
• experiencing His joy in the life of a new Christian
• witnessing the strength of God in the life of one who has lost a spouse
• new flowers peeking out of the gorund
• beautiful sights of nature
• witnessing someone walk after being in a wheelchair for 4 years!
• my husband asking me to pray with him!

These are just a few of the things that amaze me! Each one of these is because of God and His work in my world. Hallelujah! Praise His Name!

Luke 5:26 - Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today."

Can you say these words today? I pray that you can; that you will stop, take a moment or two, look around you and be filled with awe. Don't let the trials and hardships, or busy-ness steal your joy in the Lord; or steal the peace that only He can give.

Blessings on you today sweet ones!

Ruthie

Praise!

PSALM 63:4-8

I will praise you as long as I live,

and in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;

with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;

I think of you through the watches of the night.

Because you are my help,

I sing in the shadow of your wings.

My soul clings to you;

your right hand upholds me.

May HIS WORD fill your hearts today!

May you experience HIS PRESENCE as never before!

May HE touch your life and speak into your heart!

Blessings, dear ones!

Ruthie

Mary Praises God!

Spend some time today reflecting on Mary's hymn found in Luke 1:46-55...

46) My soul praises the Lord's greatness!

47) My spirit finds its joy in God, my Savior,

48) because he has looked favorably on me, his humble servant.

I say Hallelujah! May these words be my words today!

Lord, I give you praise!

May they be YOUR words today to your faithful Father and Friend!

Blessings sweet ones!

Merry CHRIST-mas!

Ruthie