300 Posts and Goodbye

by Missy Grant

300 posts today! That is a lot of words - a lot of encouragement - a lot of joy - a lot of tears - a lot of Him. This 300^th post comes with sadness as well. After much thought and prayer we are suspending the Sojourner Blog. We have had a really wonderful year with this project. I’m not sure the gals knew exactly what they were getting into when they signed on. I do know that I personally have been blessed by their words, their encouragement, their conviction, their humor, their hearts so much like His. I know many of you have been blessed as well as you have expressed to me many times how these women have encouraged you.

I want you to know they are not going away altogether. If you look down the list on the right hand side of the blog, you will see that several of them have personal blogs. Make sure to stop by and read them. You will continue to be blessed.

For those on the Central Coast, there is a new Community Wide Women’s ministry kicking off. It is called Drawing Near Ministries and is committed to providing opportunities for ladies to come together under God’s word through teaching, worship and evangelizing the lost. They are hosting a summer series starting on Monday June 22 and will be utilizing Beth Moore’s study Stepping Up – A Journey through the Psalms of Ascent.

A few of the gals from Sojourner’s will also be blogging regularly at the Drawing Near Blog. You can find it by clicking here…

As a group we want to thank you for your daily commitment to reading Sojourner’s Journal and encouraging us with your kind words. We pray you have been blessed as readers as we have been as contributors.

“Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, And His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate…my mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.” Psalm 145:3-5,21

Amen.

Prepared By Grace

by Sue Donaldson

I’ve been lifted by grace this past week. I guess I always am, but some weeks I call out for it more, need it more, and rest in it more. (And, my friends hear about it more!) My year’s verse—John 15:5 – is all about abiding. And, through prayers of friends, I’ve been riding the grace-wave, learning to abide even while anxious and a bit trembly at times.

On Sunday last, Dad, at 92, broke the inevitable hip. He got the titanium ball replacement the very next evening, and is walking slow paces down hospital halls a bit more every day. I went down to LA to stay with mom a few days. I wondered more than once, “Will daddy die this week? He’s certainly old enough. And, how will mom endure his death?”

My college friend, Lizzie, had asked me a few months back: “Are you prepared for your folks’ deaths?” “No,” I replied, “I don’t think I am – even tho they are long past due at their age!”

How does one “prepare?” I don’t know. Maybe you do. I knew I was lifted by grace this week because the trip went well, I was able to encourage and serve mom gracefully, and the kids and Mark survived my being gone. Dad, the incredible optimist, is anxious to get home. His main concern was mom – he kept calling his friends: “Don’t forget Betty.” Sweet.

My main preparation for any day – since we don’t know what any day will hold – is learning to abide in Jesus. Psalm 73:23 states: “I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” Sounds like abiding to me. And, it sounds mutual: I’m with Him, and He holds onto me – tight. I’m grateful and still growing. Should be a great year.

Father God,

Thank You for friends who lift me to You when I’m weak and trembly. Your counsel is what I need. Thank You for strengthening weak hearts and hips. Help me to abide day in and day out – preparing me as You see fit.

Amen.

by Peggy Brown

Dear Blog Readers,

I have decided that since we have a very hectic and “unplannable” summer coming up I am going to take the summer off from writing for Sojourner's Journal.

I have been enjoying putting my thoughts on “paper” for you each week but for it to be useful, like most things, it takes time. It takes time to sit down and collect sometimes-errant thoughts and get them captured in a coherant manner and it takes time to get said thoughts down in writing.

Let’s make a plan, you and I. I will pray for you over the summer and I will come back to blogging in September. In return will you pray for me as we travel, visit kids (and grandbaby), possibly relocate my mother-in-law here from Sacramento (anyone have an inexpensive apartment to rent in SLO?) just to name a few.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to encourage me with feedback, both written and verbal.

What you might not realize is that the goal we have as writers is to encourage and bless you with the thoughts that God puts in our minds and hearts. Feedback lets us know that we are meeting that goal.

So, until September, I will leave you with this:

Eph 3:14-21 (the Message) My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit - not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength - that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!

Dear Father, thank you for the opportunity to give words to your work in my life. I ask that as I step away for this time that eah reader will be blessed with the encouragement of the other writers. I ask that you would bless our summers with rest, recuperation and renewal. Help us to have eyes to see the “extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love”. Amen

Listening for His Voice

by Cindy Frauenheim

“…so David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, "Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army." 2 Samuel 5:23-24

When I read this passage recently, I was just blown away by how specific the answer was to David’s question! I immediately thought how lucky David was to be able to have clear and specific answers when he had big decisions to make. Wouldn’t that be nice? But as I gave it more thought, I realized that I often don’t acknowledge just how fortunate I am to have the very Spirit of God residing in me. After Jesus was resurrected and ascended to be with God, God gave us the person of the Holy Spirit. This is an amazing privilege, and access to the very mind of Christ. We also have the completed scriptures. David did not have this. And God even helps me to understand the Word through his spirit:

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. John 16:13a

When I have a decision to make, this is what I usually do:

• I inquire of God through prayer, then
• I often tend to seek out the advice of others I trust
• I go to my Bible to find out how to act in accordance with his will
• I look at circumstances (probably way too much), and use reason and common sense

These are all good, and I believe it’s wise to use all of them together. But I admit that I need more practice in really listening for the voice of the Holy Spirit as I do all these things. It’s almost as if I don’t really believe that God will speak to me this way. It’s not as tangible. I am hesitant because I don’t trust myself or my feelings. But in numerous scriptures he has promised to guide us with his spirit. I need to take him at his word and expect him to speak to me this way. Of course I also need to check what I think I hear from God against his Word and in light of godly counsel. But sometimes I will pray for direction and then try to figure out what to do on my own. I’m sure many of you have much better practice with this, and have learned to discern how God speaks to you. I am convicted that I need to mature in this way. I am resolved to be a better listener, and with God’s help, to come to recognize and trust his voice completely. I love how the Message puts it, from one of my favorite passages of scripture:

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Proverbs 3:5-7 (The Message)

Lord, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. Forgive me for not believing that you can clearly communicate to me through your spirit. Please teach me how to discern your voice. Help me to be quiet and still enough to allow you room to speak. Please give me wisdom to rightly hear you, and the patience to wait for you. Keep me diligently in your Word, and give me willingness to seek and learn from godly counsel. Thank you that you don’t leave me to flounder on my own, but you care intimately about every decision I make and desire to lead me into your perfect will.

The Vinedresser

by Missy Grant

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.” John 15:1-2

“Taking courage one hot summer day, the young branch looked up at the old branch and said in its squeaky voice, ‘It must be great to have people travel from miles around just to taste the sweetness of your fruit.’ The old branch nodded. Feeling encouraged, the young branch continued, ‘I have been talking with the other branches in the garden, and they say yours is the sweetest fruit.’ The old branch smiled. ‘When I grow up, I want to be just like you! How can I have sweet fruit like yours? I’ll do anything you say.’ As the old branch looked down on the young branch, he remembered the day when, as a young branch himself, he asked an old branch the same question. In his baritone voice, he gave the young branch the same answer he had received years earlier: ‘Be willing’.”

When advice is given to you to ‘Be willing’, what is your response? Is it a bowed heart or a canned response? Do you respond out of your poverty of spirit or your abundance of affluence? Do you examine your intentions or are you intent on examining the requestor? Do you seek His glory or glorify your complaints? Do you gratefully receive or receive without gratitude?

What does willingness look like, anyway? Have you ever given thought to that? What compass or barometer or yard stick or measuring tape are you using to determine your level of willingness? The definition of ‘willing’ is...prompt to act or respond.

All of us respond – you do realize that, yes? No matter what action or circumstance just played out, whether you take action or not, speak or not, we all respond at some level internally or externally. What drives your response? Is it a willing spirit? Is it directed by the Lord? The above scripture speaks to where our response should come from, what happens with responses not of Him, and what takes place when a willing heart allows for the pain of pruning to produce fruit of His desire – to His glory.

“Just then the gardener stopped by the old branch, and the young branch saw the old branch raise his leaves high in the air. He heard a snip, and the old branch lay on the ground except for the nub. Then the gardener turned to the young branch. His leaves were shaking, and tears rolled down his side, but with every ounce of strength he raised his leaves high in the air. He looked up into the gardener’s face and said, “Kind and gentle gardener, I’m willing.”

Heavenly Gardener full of grace, help us to have willing hearts – hearts accepting the pain of pruning for Your glory. May we seek your barometer – your word - with passion that permits the pain of pruning for fruit fit for a heavenly kingdom. Your Son modeled just that for us. In your Son’s blessed name, we praise you. Amen.

Story excerpts from Becoming God’s True Woman

The Unfolding of Your Words

by Sue Donaldson

Since I am the last person in SLO to have finally read Safely Home by Randy Alcorn, perhaps you need to be reminded of what the Chinese Christian, Li Quan thought while suffering alone in his prison cell:

“In this cell, stripped of comfort and ease, unable to do what he would like, he was free from distraction. He had only his mind, and what he had put into it. Quan thanked God every hour spent meditating on his Word, which constituted the reservoir from which he now drew daily.”

If I found myself in his place – having only my mind, and what I had put into it—would I find such an overflowing reservoir? I think not. As much as I love and depend on and read God’s river Word, my reservoir is not near full enough. Perhaps Americans are flabby Christians – not “needing” to exercise our minds so much in Scripture since it is so readily available to us. I can pick up a different version of my host of Bibles in every room of our home. But that doesn’t mean it readily flows through my heart at any given moment.

Summer can bring more flab than usual. Our usual study is “on break” for the summer. That’s not a bad thing, but it can mean we are not automatically studying as much. Does that mean less of the Word in our reservoir?

I hope not. You can always check with your local Christian bookstore for some short-term Bible study books that you can do with a friend or neighbor. (A friend helps keep us accountable, you know.)

One study I did years ago (which bears repeating) was to study Psalm 119 – it’s all about the Word. I listed all of the effects of Scripture, all my responsibilities, and all of God’s responsibilities. It made a neat study – all those columns. Time to pour it back into my reservoir, I think.

Here’s a taste: “Your statutes are wonderful; therefore, I obey them. The unfolding of Your Words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119: 129,130)

We need light, don’t you think? Let His Words unfold all the more as the summer approaches.

Lord,

Thank You for your Word that never comes to an end. Help us soak it up this summer.

Love, Sue

The Majesty of God

by Peggy Brown

Well, a week in Yosemite can really focus your thoughts on the majesty of God! Close your eyes and picture the majestic granite rock walls towering high above you. Hear the sounds of the gentle breeze rustling the leaves on the trees, the river, swollen from melted snow, rushing through the valley, the squirrels scolding one another as they protect a bit of food and the birds chirping and squawking in the sky overhead. God seems so big and mighty in this place.

We were blessed with two new, amazing sights while we were there this year. One night we hiked up to the base of Yosemite falls where we saw a “moonbow”. The full moon shining on the mist, rising as the raging fall plunged into the pool below, created a bow (like a rainbow). It was ever so slightly rainbow colored, but mainly it was a silvery arch rising up over the pool. We were cold and wet from the mist, but we were awestruck!

The second sight was an actual rainbow. While we stood looking at Bridalveil Fall from across the valley, the sinking afternoon sun struck the mist at the bottom of the fall. There, where it looked like the trees were sitting at the bottom of the fall, color spread in the mist over the tops of the trees. Orange began to rise up the waterfall bringing behind it yellow, then green, followed by blue and finally purple. The colors kept rising fluidly up the fall as the mists were blown side to side by the wind, until finally it disappeared. It disolved, one color following the other until only purple remained momentarily and then faded away.

Every now and then it is good to take time to contemplate our God in ways that take our breath away. I could not see this wonder without thanking God for being bigger than I am, for knowing more than I do and for being in charge of my life, my family’s life, and even our world. The reminder that nothing comes to us without first coming through His loving, all-powerful hand is a comfort and a reassurance.

Isaiah 55:8-11 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Dear Father, You are a mighty God. You rule over all the earth in ways I cannot even imagine. Thank you. Increase my faith as I see You in new ways. Help me to trust You more with every detail of my life.

Amen

"Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy house of worship,
praise him under the open skies;
Praise him for his acts of power,
praise him for his magnificent greatness;
Praise with a blast on the trumpet,
praise by strumming soft strings;
Praise him with castanets and dance,
praise him with banjo and flute;
Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum,
praise him with fiddles and mandolin.
Let every living, breathing creature praise God!
Hallelujah!"
Psalm 150

Much-Afraid

by Missy Grant

“As she looked down into the depths of the valley, the heart of Much-Afraid went numb. For the first time on the journey she actually asked herself if she ought not have attempted to follow the Shepherd. How could one follow a person who asked so much, who demanded such impossible things, who took everything?”

I had two families I love experience tragedy this past week. Actually, it was the same night and the calls came minutes apart. My normal mode is to run to the scriptures – which I did – and pray – which I did, but I also read through the book Hinds’ Feet on High Places over the weekend. I first read this book in high school and have pulled it out fairly regularly over the ensuing years.

I was struck with the above quote. I have had many moments in my life where I have stood looking down into the depths of the valley and gone numb. Where I prayed with everything I had for the path to go up to the high places – only to discover the path wound down into the depths. How about you? Are you doing any valley gazing?

I was recently asked by someone to define faith…many scriptures come to mind, but I think faith is best defined this way, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Your will be done….And being in agony He was praying fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. When He rose from prayer…” (Luke 22:42,44-45)

Faith is the action of our heart to allow for the painful journey to unfold. To be in agony – yet pray fervently, “Not My will, but Your will…” – to allow the blood to flow freely, and to know we will arise.

“How little she had imagined when first she set out on that strange journey, what lay ahead of her and the things which she would be called upon to pass through. So for a long time she sat silent-remembering, wondering and thankful. At last she put her hand in his and said softly, “My Lord, I will tell you what I learned…”

Heavenly Father…you broke my heart this past week, but because of the blood of your Son, I can say those words to you and know your heart broke as well. May we pray like your Son! May we have faith that takes action in our hearts. May we take hold of your hand and share our heart with you. Amen

Out Of The Blue

by Sue Donaldson

How great that we have the advantage to communicate quickly and immediately to people all over the world. Last night Bethany was bantering back and forth on email with Jeff D’Jernes – the Wycliffe translator she will be working with in Papua New Guinea this summer. How great that it’s so fast and free!

However, there’s still nothing like the spot of encouragement sent through the old-fashioned US Post Office. Isn’t it amazing when we open the snail- mail box, and in the midst of bills and ads, we come across a handwritten note. A little archaic, I realize, but a lovely piece of stationery – handmade or otherwise – can make someone’s day.

Paul wrote a lot in his day, and one encouraging note he sent to his buddy, Philemon, was a case in point:

“Every time your name comes up in my prayers, I say, ‘Oh, thank You, God!’ I keep hearing of the love and faith you have for the master Jesus, which brims over to other Christians. And I keep praying that this faith we hold in common keeps showing up in the good things we do, and that people recognize Christ in all of it. Friend, you have no idea how good your love makes me feel…” (Philemon 4-7 The Message)

I don’t say this to add guilt to your already full file of guilt – better known as your “good intentions file.” (We all have one – and sometimes I can even find it…) But, my wonderful sister-in-law, Anne, showed me her new filing system and first on the list was her: OOTB file – “Out of the Blue.”

In this file she keeps her note cards, stickers, and ideas to send to a friend and relative – so that they will be blessed with a note– right “out of the blue.” Isn’t that a great idea? And, I know it works because I received a handmade note from Anne which included 3 of her favorite teabags – plus, loving, encouraging words (“Friend, you have no idea how good your love makes me feel…”)

Part of every day needs to include good works and words that refresh the hearts of the saints. Let’s get that OOTB file started – I’ll see you at Staples.

Father,

Help us not to forget to build up each other – get us organized – for Your sake and each others’. May we recognize You in all of it.

Amen.

by Peggy Brown

If you are reading this on Monday, I am on my way home from a week camping in Yosemite. I am sure I will have a lot to tell you when I get home, since as I write this, the rain is falling and the snow is melting. That bodes well for some wonderful waterfall action!!

Here are some verses to ponder.....until next week.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day" and the darkness "night." And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day. Then God said, “Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth.” And that is what happened. God made this space to separate the waters of the earth from the waters of the heavens. God called the space “sky.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day.” Genesis 1

God's Breath

by Cindy Frauenheim

At the Women’s Salad Supper this week, I was really blessed by singing the hymn Breathe on Me, Breath of God. I have sung it many times before, but this time I almost felt His breath as I took in those simple yet profound words. The words became my prayer. This morning I dug out the words again to sing it in the privacy of my kitchen, alone. I cannot sing well at all, and am not given to breaking out in song, so this is really a rare thing for me to do! Later I sang it as I drove to and from errands.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

Fill me with life anew,

That I may love what Thou dost love,

And do what Thou wouldst do.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

Until my heart is pure,

Until my will is one with Thine,

To do and to endure.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

Till I am wholly Thine,

Until this earthly part of me

Glows with Thy fire divine.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

So shall I never die,

But live with Thee the perfect life

Of Thine eternity.

I especially want to meditate on the first two verses and how the hymn points me to the enabling breath of God. If I am to love, act, will, and endure in ways pleasing to God – in His ways – then I must have His breath upon me. I cannot just decide that I want to love others and be Christ-like out of my own strength and initiative.

^“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” Philippians 2:13

God working in me is his Holy Spirit – breath has long been associated with the concept of the Holy Spirit. I love the promise that God is even shaping my desires. I just need to yield to his life-giving breath. His spirit also enables me to endure – both in the sense of enduring hard things, and in the sense of persevering and standing firm in the truth. So I am encouraged to ask daily for a fresh breath from the Lord. I need to be filled with His Spirit to be about His business.

Lord, thank you for your breath that creates and fills with life. Thank you that your breath in me gives me the desire and ability to love and live according to your will. May I daily yield to your Spirit, from my first moments of consciousness each morning. And may you fill me more and more so that I end up “glowing with your fire” to those around me.

"I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from God,
who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

He won't let you stumble,
your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
Not on your life! Israel's
Guardian will never doze or sleep.

God's your Guardian,
right at your side to protect you—
Shielding you from sunstroke,
sheltering you from moonstroke.

God guards you from every evil,
he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
he guards you now, he guards you always."

psalm 121 (The Message)

The Queen and Her Court

by Missy Grant

“Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to look at the lion's carcass. In it was a swarm of bees and some honey” Judges 14:8

Ok, I admit, that is an odd scripture to open a devotional with, but lets see where the Lord takes us.

I like bees (as long as they don’t sting me). I do not like wasps, or yellow jackets or hornets, but bees….they hold a different spot in my heart. I think it has much to do with Winnie The Pooh and his ongoing desire to meet his hunger needs with pots (or paws full) of the golden syrup. Winnie….he has had many adventures in his pursuit of the sticky, flower scented drippings from the bees. I have not given much thought to bees lately. As a matter of fact, I have not given them any thought until last evening. Why this evening you ask? Well, all the bees in the universe descended onto the trampoline in my backyard. I do not exaggerate. Apparently the queen decided to take an afternoon siesta on our springy, black mat of fun and every bee within shouting distance came to party.

There have been several suggestions made on how to break up the party of fun taking place in the backyard – everything from call your local exterminator (you do not want to know the cost…), to “Let’s blast them with the hose”, to the calmer…”leave them be (no pun intended). They will swarm again and leave”. Seriously, if the queen doesn’t take her royal backside to a castle fit for her majesty, I may just be the one with the water hose.

As I was having a brief meltdown, the Lord reminded me of the story of Samson and the bees which took up residence in a lion carcass. A carcass that was created when Samson killed the lion as it attacked him in a vineyard. There was a slight problem with Samson and this lion. Samson had taken the vow of a Nazirite and was forbidden to touch the carcass of this animal. He not only touched it, but ate sweet honey from the hive of bees which had taken up residence in the carcass. Then to make matters worse, he withheld this information from his parents and shared the honey with them.

It made me ask the question, what in your life are you “hiding”? What seemingly inconsequential act, word, or behavior has you eating honey out of a forbidden container? What are the results of your eating out of the forbidden container? Hmmnn…now we are hitting the heart. You know the expression, “confession is good for the soul.” Well, confession is necessary soul food - confession between you and the Lord that is. He desires for you to walk in His ways, but when we stumble, he has provided the path back to Him…also known as the blood of Christ. It is time to stop hiding.

Try this… “Lord, you know my heart, you know my contrary ways, you know my ‘hiding’ place. Help me this day Lord, to not hide from you. Let me taste the fruits of Your Spirit – the fruits that set me free. Thank you Lord. For how your creation reminds us that there is only one way to the hive…and that is through the blood of your precious Son. Amen.”