The Power of Encouragement

Good morning, dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! There is a definite touch of fall in the air these days, The morning temp. is down in the seventies although it's expected to zoom to the nineties this afternoon, but the cool morning air feel wonderful. Also the acorns are falling and that is not so wonderful. Good for the squirrels, bad for stepping on, on the porch and sidewalk. A small price to pay for cooler weather.

Yesterday, I had a long walk in Walmart. I don't go out there very often these days, but when I really want to save money, that is definitely the place to go. Surprisingly, it was not crowded, and except for a small child who had an ear-piercing scream and seemed to be screaming for the sheer joy of it, it was pleasant shopping. Not a pleasure like Publix, but pleasant. I got my Dan-Active yogurt there for 3.83 and it is 4.89 at Publix. So that's a savings!

Then I went to the park, and enjoyed the peace and quiet there, after the screaming. Nothing but the trees and moss swaying in the breeze and squirrels scampering, and the flock of ibis gathered on the hills, pecking away. God is good!

From the devotional book Knowing God:

Patience and encouragement come from God. And I pray that God will help you all agree with each other the way Christ Jesus wants. Romans 15:5 NCV

Here's a question only you can answer. During a typical day, how many opportunities will you have to encourage other human beings? Unless you're living on a deserted island, the answer is "a lot!" and here's a follow-up question; How often do you take advantage of those opportunities? Hopefully, the answer is "more often than not."

Romans 14:19 advises us to "Pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another" (HCSB) And whenever we do, God smiles.

Whether you realize it or not, you're surrounded by people who need an encouraging word, a helping hand, or a pat on the back. And every time you encourage one of these folks, you'll be doing God's will by obeying God's word. So, without further ado, let the encouragement begin.

I can usually sense that a leading is from the Holy Spirit when it calls me to humble myself, to serve somebody, to encourage somebody or to give something away. Very rarely will the evil one lead us to do those kind of things
-Bill Hybels

Todays Prayer-
Lord, make us mindful of our words. This world can be a difficult place and many of Your children are discouraged and afraid.
Make each member of our family a powerful source of encouragement to those in need, and let our words and deeds be worthy of Your Son, the One who gives us courage and strength, this day and for all eternity.

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm138

Good morning, dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! What a beautiful morning, with a light breeze blowing and cooler air. Still hot in the daytime, though and I am still wearing # 49 sunblock!

I hope some of you saw the beautiful moon and star last night. When I came out of our Faith Group meeting, there it was almost full shining in the clear sky. Just amazing! It will be full on Thursday, so I will try to remember to go out and look at it.

Yesterday, I saw the old gopher tortoise in the park moving at warp speed up the slight hill to his home, munching on grass along the way. He has been around a long time. Two snapping turtles were sunning on the bank of the weir and an egret was posed next to the shrubbery, peering down into the lake. If I were an artist, it would be a typical Florida scene to paint. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart.
I will sing your praises before the gods.
I bow before your holy Temple as i worship.
I will give thanks to your name
for your unfailing love and faithfulness,
because your promises are backed
by all the honor of your name.
When I pray you answer me;
you encourage me by giving me the strength I need.

Every king in all the earth will give you
thanks, O Lord,
for all of them will hear your words.
Yes, they will sing about the Lord's ways, for the glory
of the Lord is very great.

Though the Lord is great he cares for the humble;
but he keeps his distance from the proud.

Though I am surrounded by troubles,
you will preserve me against the anger
of my enemies!
You will clench your fist against my
angry enemies!
Your power will save me.
The Lord will work out his plans for my life--
For your faithful love, O Lord, endures
forever,
Don't abandon me, for you made me.

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Learn to trust God

Good morning, Dear friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! It is definitely cooler this morning! I was tempted to go for a walk before breakfast or praying, but knew that I would be much later getting things done that need to be done, so...maybe later!

There are such strange geckos, or lizards, critters, anyway, hanging around my front door. A tiny flat one with a striped tail was plastered against the wall right beside the door one morning, and I also found a dried one on my floor. IT had been in the house too long. They are always running in and out of the mailbox, so getting the mail is always an adventure!

I went to the park yesterday After a wonderful worship service yesterday. Several ibises were gathered in a tree, which is unusual for them, but they were just looking down into the canal, resting their beaks I guess. The nice wind was blowing and several people were walking with their camera and binoculars ready. God is good!

From the Knowing God devotional:

Lord, I give myself to you; my God, I trust you. Psalm 25:1-2 NCV

If you want to know God, then you must learn to trust God. Yet sometimes, when you feel overwhelmed by fears and doubts, you'll find that trusting God is difficult. So here's a question for you to ponder. Are you willing to trust God completely or are you still sitting squarely on the spiritual fence? The answer to this question will determine the tone, the quality and the direction of your life.

Trusting God means trusting Him with every aspect of your life. You must trust Him with your relationships, your dreams, your finances, and your career. You must follow His commandments, and you must pray for His g

When you trust your Heavenly Father without reservation, you can be sure that, in His own fashion and in His own time, God will reveal Himself to you in ways that you could never have imagined. So trust Him. And then prepare yourself for the abundance and the joy that will most certainly be yours when you do.

"As God's children, we are the recipients of lavish love-a love that motivates us to keep trusting even when we have no idea what God is doing."
-Beth Moore

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, with thanksgiving, joy and love!!

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Worry Less

Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! Once again , one of those beautiful, breezy, but not so cool days that make us appreciate living here. I saw contrails this morning early when I stepped out, which makes me think of people on the go or perhaps coming home that early.

My friend, Terry, called, since he is home from a six week vacation in MI, working on his brother's farm. Since Terry retired from the county as supervisor of Sawgrass Park, seems like he's working harder than ever. He's a great friend.

Yesterday, I saw a flock of almost 24 ibis pecking away in my yard, I just stood and watched them for a while because they are so intent on what they are doing, they seem to pay very little attention to anything around them. Then, all at once, they fluidly moved across the street, like a smooth, white blanket. Very Beautiful! I didn't see any ibis in the park, just a lot of squirrels, because a man was feeding them from his car. There was some work going on some place, because the trucks were in the park, but I couldn't see anything. But God is good!

From the devotional book Knowing God:

Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks.
Philippians 4:6 NCV

In the game of life, you win some, and you lose some. Live is a risky business; you live in an uncertain world, a world in which trouble may come calling at any moment. No wonder you may find yourself feeling a little panicky at times.

Do you sometimes spend more time worrying about a problem than you spend solving it? If so, here's a strategy for dealing with your worries. Take them to God. Take your troubles to Him, take your fears to Him...and leave them all there. God is the Rock that cannot be moved. When you build your life upon that Rock, you have absolutely no need to worry...not now, not ever.
Walk by faith!
Stop the plague of worry. Relax!
Learn to say," Lord, this is your battle."
Charles Swindoll.

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Get Beyond the Distractions

Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! Lots of sunshine and breezes this morning, but not as cool as yesterday. Oh, well, October is on they way and we will soon have all the cool weather we can handle. The grass has slowed its growing, so I told the friend who cuts my grass, he could skip this week.

I was amazed to see how tall the weeds are across the canal at the park, They haven't been mowed all summer and it is really overgrown. Large gators used to like to lie in the sun on the bank, but the weeds would cut out the sun now, if they tried it. Some of the "regulars" that have been walking there for years, are still walking and enjoying their workouts, I talked to one lady yesterday who has been coming for about fifteen years. I need to go out and see where the gator nest is that two men asked me about. I could see a trail, but could not see a nest at the end of it and the nests are built up really high. Well, maybe this evening now that the Rays and Yankees are over.

God is good!

From Knowing God devotional:

If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body.
Matthew 6:25 MSG

All of us must live through those days when the traffic jams, the computer crashes, and the dog makes a main course out of our favorite slippers. But, when we find ourselves distracted by the minor frustrations of life, we must catch ourselves, take a deep breath, and lift our thoughts upward.

Although we may, at times, struggle mightily to rise above the distractions of everyday living, we need never struggle alone. God is here-eternal and faithful, with infinite patience and love-and, if we reach out to him, He will restore our sense of perspective and give peace to our souls.

Among the enemies to devotion, none is so harmful as distractions. Whatever excites the curiosity, scatters the thoughts, disquiets the heart, absorbs the interests, or shifts our life focus from the kingdom of God within us to the world around us--that is a distraction, and the world is full of them.
---A. W. Tozer

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, help me to face this day with a spirit of optimism and thanksgiving. And let me focus my thoughts on You and Your incomparable gifts. Amen

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love.

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

The advantages of companionship

Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! The sun is shining and the breeze is blowing drier air, (yay) so I couldn't resist and had to go for a walk in the park. I walked out to the first shelter, unknowing that it was supposed to be closed off for work further along the way. Someone had taken the sign down and hung it on the other side, so, anyway, I got to see gator tracks.

A couple guys from out of town asked me where the nest was that they heard about, but all I saw was a path that looked like it led to a nest, but I couldn't see a nest because the weeds are so high. They also asked me what the gray stuff was hanging from the trees. Well, I guess to someone new to Florida they were ignorant of what hangs from trees all over the south.
But I enjoyed the walk, and especially, the breeze! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Ecclesiastes 4:9
Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. IF one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much, but the rich are always worrying and seldom get a good night's sleep.

I always thank God for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

2 Chronicles 15:2

Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! After a few sprinkles of rain last night, it has turned into a beautiful day...still warm, Okay, hot, but clear skies so far. I really enjoy looking at the billowing clouds during the hot afternoons. They look so white against the pure blue of the sky. When I was a teenager we used to lie on the grass and look for different faces and shapes in the clouds. Of course, they didn't last long, because the wind was always changing the shapes. Ah, those were the days!

The park seldom changes, either. Always peaceful and fairly quiet except for the roar of the interstate close by, but still peaceful. The water looked still yesterday, but always has a current. Lots of lilies still floating, because the canal does not get cleaned like it used to, but the fish and anhingas don't seem to mind. God is good!

The Lord is with you when you are with Him.
If you seek HIm, He will be found by you. 2 Chronicles 15:2 HCSB

Do you ever wonder if God is really "right here, right now?" Do you wonder if God hears your prayers, if He understands your feelings, or if He really knows your heart? If so, you're not alone: lots of very faithful Christians have experienced periods of doubt. In fact, some of the biggest heroes in the Bible had plenty of doubts--and so, perhaps will you. But when you have doubts, remember this: God isn't on a coffee break,and He hasn't moved out of town. He's right here, right now, listening to your thoughts and prayers, watching over your every move.

If you'd like to get to know God a little bit better, He's always available--always ready to listen to your prayers, and always ready to speak to your heart. Are you ready to talk to Him? If so, congratulations. If not, what are you waiting for?

"God's presence is with you, but you have to make a choice to believe--and I mean really believe --that this is true. This conscious decision is yours alone.
-Bill Hybels

From the devotional book, Knowing God.

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!

Love and hugs,
amaryllis