A Little Bit Of Rain

Rain can be a depressing time for some people.  The darkness, the constant damp, and the overcast skies, keep their spirits dampened and oppressed.  There is another aspect of rain that is forgotten in this type of mood.  Rain nourishes and feeds the plants the ground, animals, and mankind.  Rain brings help to areas that have been in a season of drought and can bring hope to hurting hearts.

Which way do you see the rain?  Could you turn to look at it with a good heart?  Could you see that the end result of the rain will be life and abundance?  Don't let the negative aspects of the weather get you down.  There will always be problems while we live on this earth, but God wants us to look to Him for our supply.  He wants us to believe Him for our protection and help in times of need.

We need to remember that the Holy Spirit is also seen as a type of Raingiver.  The Giver of Healing Water.  The River of Life, the Well of Hope, The One Who Stirs the Air, The Wind of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.  So many names we could give to our Helper.  Our Nourisher.  Do we see the rain of the spirit?  Do we let God take us through the situations we are in with thanksgiving and praise in our hearts, due to the knowledge of Him working through us with the Holy Spirits help?

Let us not give up hope, when our circumstances look dark, but let us look to the Source of our Supply.  The One Who makes a way where there seems to be no way.  He is the Strong Tower, our Shield, our Help in times of trouble.  Let us praise Him, and see the good in our situations, through His Eyes showing us the way.  Dear Ones, don't let the negative reports be the ones you believe.  Take hold of God's Hand, and let Him show you the way through the mist and the gray, to that nourishing place He wants you to be in.  God bless you all.

Dreaming Of The Future

I love magnolia trees, especially these purple and white ones.  They have a wonderful fragrance as well.  Ever since I found out about magnolia trees, I have been a bit in love with them, and wanting them for myself, in my own yard.  This weekend, on our road trip, I saw so many gorgeous magnolia trees, and this one, that I took a picture of, was one that Isolino stopped especially for me to capture.  Thank you, honey.

My kids were sick of hearing me say, "There's a magnolia tree", and at the end of the trip, I told them I wouldn't talk about the magnolia trees for the rest of the trip.  I think I failed at that, as I did mention about one tree I saw, but it was a gorgeous tree with a full bouquet of magnolias on its limbs.  But that is what our dreams should be for us.  We should be talking about them, dreaming about them, and praying about them.  If God has given you a dream, a promise, or a Word to hold onto, you should be holding on to that with all you have, and meditating on what God is doing.  It is like what I sense with the magnolia tree.  I may not have one now, but someday, I am dreaming that I will have a garden full of the plants and flowers and trees that I love, that will be a blessing to all who come and visit there.  It is like what I get to do, when I go to my good friend Cindy Winn's house.  She has a garden that is tended with such loving care.  She has plants that she has tended for years, and is now seeing the fruit of her labors, and she shares this delight with her friends and church family.

This garden is full of whimsical designs and plans, and she has given lots of thought and care to how and where things are planted, to give them the best chance of survival and the most delight to her garden.  She has water features all over the garden, as well, and to hear the soft movement of water while you walk in the shady places, is like a chorus for your soul to burst out singing psalms to God in.  Each time I have visited her lovely garden, I find new delights to flood my senses with.  Each season has been planned for, so each season you visit will have its own treasure to take home with you.  This is how we should tend the dreams, promises, and Words that God has given us.  We should plan for each season of their lives, before they come to fruition.  Plant that seed deep in your heart.  Water it, tend it, prune it, love on it, with the words God gives to you to hold you to the vision.  Watch it grow.  In God's Word we read that "My people perish for lack of vision".    Where there is no vision to implant God's plans, we will die spiritually.  If we do not have something to work towards, we lose hope in a good future.

God has given me some big dreams to hold onto.  I don't know how He would do what He says He is going to do, but my job isn't to worry about how all of it will come about, but to believe Him.  To trust Him to work the details out, while I work on keeping close to Him.  I know many of you have been given dreams to hang onto.  Things you can't share, but that God has placed in your hearts to believe for.  Hold onto Him.  He is Faithful and True.  He will hold you to the course, as long as you don't give up.  Believe me, you don't want to miss out on what He will do.  His plans are always more than we can imagine.  Whatever He has placed in your heart to believe for, it will be more than you were told to believe for, because that is how God is.  He is BIG.  I am sure you've heard the term, "You can't out give God"?  Well, I believe that is true.  He is always giving more than we can even dream of expecting.

My dear ones, may you be blessed with your dreams exploding within you.  May you have hope flooding you, even during this time of economic upheaval.  Let God restore your dreams to your heart.  Let your task be to open yourself up to having dreams again.  My dear ones, without hope, our hearts and minds get heavy with all the distractions around us.  We lose heart to believe for a better future.  Don't let that happen.  Tend to those dreams with the love of God in your heart.  Let Him guide you on the journey of making those dreams come true.  God bless you tonight.