Thoughts and rambles from my devotions

 

"When I have not been sitting at the feet of Jesus, when I have not been in His Word, when I have not gone to Him to refuel and refresh me, I have literally nothing to offer. Jn 15:4 "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."

 

The best thing-or make that the only thing- I have going for me is God. Time with Him. The relationship with Him. A love for Him. When He slips out of the picture(because I am running to fast or have failed to priorize my time with Him) or when He diminishes in my life (because I have cut my quiet time with Him down to a mere few minutes a day or nothing at all), I am nothing. And I have nothing to offer anyone else. (Just ask my family!)" Cindi  McMenamin 

 

How often do I do this! My heart aches when I realize how often I fail the Lord in my faithless and selfish actions. It is all to often I am "doing" things, (supposedly for His glory) like home-schooling, cleaning, talking with others about Him, that I notice that I am spinning my spiritual wheels and not really resting or growing in Him.

 

Jan Meyers, "The fruit of our love affair [with God] is our beauty, it is not something we can manufacture, manipulate, or control."

 

Cindi  McMenamin, " How can I, too, be a woman who grows closer to God through the years and not more haggard and tired from all the things I do? ......... It is a matter of inner beauty and deep soul work - the kind that comes from sitting at God's feet depending on Him and not my own efforts, to be a woman who is rested, rejuvenated and refreshing to all around her."

 

So, I said to myself after reading this. So you want to be beautiful Brandy?!?! You have a job to do. It is not external beauty, but the deep inner workings and growth that comes from a RIGHT relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

How I LONG to be a refreshing breeze to those around me. Especially my family!!! Father I long for this. I know it is Your will for me to be so. Help me to overcome my selfishness and bitterness and be like a tree planted by streams of water! Whose leaves do not whither! That I may be shade for others who need to find Your rest as well! Lord may it be so in my life!

 

Thank you Father for Your Word. Thank you for others who have walked the path before me! That I am not alone in this walk! Shoulder my burdens for me so that I may walk unhindered by the trivial and TRUST You for all my NEEDS!