April 26 - Philippians 3:8

Wow! It's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry about that! Sometimes life catches up with me and I just can't get away! Well, I hope all of you have been doing well and enjoying some nice weather, hopefully. I know it's gorgeous here! My computer is telling me that it's 84 degrees today and sunny! It was the same yesterday too. I think today my sister-in-law and I are going to work in her flower beds, which is exciting! I am really beginning to love this time of year!

So, let's see what Streams in the Desert has to say for us today, shall we?

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April 26th, 2009
Book: Philippians
Chapter and Verse: 3:8


"I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." - Philippians 3:8

Light is always costly and comes at the expense of that which produces it. An unlit candle does not shine, for burning must come before the light. And we can be of little use to others without a cost to ourselves. Burning suggests suffering, and we try to avoid pain.

We tend to feel we are doing the greatest good in the world when we are strong and fit for active duty and when our hearts and hands are busy with the kind acts of service. Therefore when we are set aside to suffer, when we are sick, when we are consumed with pain, and when all our activities have been stopped, we feel we are no longer of any use and are accomplishing nothing.

Yet if we will be patient and submissive, it is almost certain we will be a greater blessing to the world around us during our time of suffering and pain than we were when we thought we were doing our greatest work. Then we are burning, and shining brightly as a result of the fire. - from Evening Thoughts

The glory of tomorrow us rooted in the drudgery of today.

Many people want the glory without the cross, and the shining light without the burning fire, but crucifixion comes before coronation.

Have you heard the tale of the aloe plant,

Away in the sunny clime?

By humble growth of a hundred years

It reaches its blooming time;

And then a wondrous bud at its crown

Breaks into a thousand flowers;

This floral queen, in its blooming seen,

Is the pride of the tropical bowers,

But the flower to the plant is sacrifice,

For it blooms but once, and it dies.

Have you further heard of the aloe plant,

That grows in the sunny clime;

How every one of its thousand flowers,

As they drop in the blooming time,

Is an infant plant that fastens its roots

In the place where it falls on the ground,

And as fast as they drop from the dying stem,

Grow lively and lovely all 'round?

By dying, it liveth a thousandfold

In the young that spring from the death of the old.

Have you heard the tale of the pelican,

The Arabs' Gimel el Bahr,

That lives in the African solitudes,

Where the birds that live lonely are?

Have you heard how it loves its tender young,

And cares and toils for their good,

It brings them water from mountains far,

And fishes the seas for their food.

In famine it feeds them-what love can devise!

The blood of its bosom-and, feeding them, dies.

Have you heard this tale-the best of them all-

The tale of the Holy and True,

He dies, but His life, in untold souls

Lives on in the world anew;

His seed prevails, and is filling the earth,

As the stars fill the sky above.

He taught us to yield up the love of life,

For the sake of the life of love.

His death is our life, His loss is our gain;

The joy for the tear, the peace for the pain.

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My, my. What a poem! I especially love this devotion, because I so rarely have time to do much of anything for anyone! And I know that sounds sad, what with me being just 20! But honestly, since I work full-time, I have absolutely no time! I truly feel useless sometimes, since there are so many people that could use my help, but I really have no time. So, you know what I do instead?

I pray.

I pray for everyone that I could not help, so that perhaps someone else would help them. So, even if I am down and out about not being able to help out, tomorrow will perhaps be better. Sometimes all I can do is stand still, even in the toughest of times, and then go forward with God.

Before I go, I want to share something amazing with you! My inspiring quote(s) that I found today! (I actually saw them on a poster at IWU!)

"God is dead." - Nietzsche, 1882
"Nietzsche is dead." - God, 1900

Isn't that wonderful?! I believe so! So, take that little piece of inspiration and go with God this week, my friends!

Palm Sunday - Mind checks.

"My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."


It is really important to realize that even though we don't always see the Lord walking beside us, He is there.

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be able do anything without God. He is my strength, the constant guidance I need because I am weak. I don't think I could even get up and face the day without Him there holding my spirit up.

I chose Footprints in the Sand because it was a very important milestone for me in my faith. I actually received a bookmark with the poem on it, and it was my first time actually reading it and understanding the meaning. It still brings me to tears every time.

So! Now that you know the reason why I picked the name, let me tell you a bit about myself. My name is Stephanie, I am 20 years old. I am going to Indiana Wesleyan University this fall (in fact I'm going to visit this week!). I work at a call center for Verizon FIOS tech support, and it's not really the best job in the world, but it pays the bills. I have two brothers, one with whom I live. His name is Chris and he has a wife named Melody. They are mainly to thank for my growing faith. My other brother is Cody and he needs a lot of prayer; he's in a lot of trouble and has been for a while. I pray every day that God will come into his life and put his feet on the right path. I also have three dogs :) The only one that lives with me though is our Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Tasha. I also have a Chihuahua named Trixie. She lives in Tennessee with my mother. And our last dog lives with my sister-in-law's parents. His name is Darby and he's a monstrous-sized, but completely lovable, English Shepard. And now, on to today's devotional. I am going to be doing devotions from one of my favorite inspirational devotionals, Streams in the Desert. I'm going to be getting it online for today, since I actually can't find the book (spring cleaning!), but that's okay, right? :)

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April 5th, 2009 - Mind the Checks
Book: 1 Kings
Chapter and Verse: 19:22

"And after the earthquake a fire; and after the fire a sound of gentle stillness" (1 Kings 19:12, RV margin.)

A soul, who made rapid progress in her understanding of the Lord, was once asked the secret of her easy advancement. She replied tersely, "Mind the checks." And the reason that many of us do not know and better understand Him is, we do not give heed to His gentle checks, His delicate restraints and constraints. His is a still, small voice. A still voice can hardly be heard. It must be felt. A steady, gentle pressure upon the heart and mind like the touch of a morning zephyr to your face. A small voice, quietly, almost timidly spoken in your heart, but if heeded growing noiselessly clearer to your inner ear. His voice is for the ear of love, and love is intent upon hearing even faintest whispers. There comes a time also when love ceases to speak if not responded to, or believed in. He is love, and if you would know Him and His voice, give constant ear to His gentle touches. In conversation, when about to utter some word, give heed to that gentle voice, mind the check and refrain from speech. When about to pursue some course that seems all clear and right and there comes quietly to your spirit a suggestion that has in it the force almost of a conviction, give heed, even if changed plans seem highest folly from standpoint of human wisdom. Learn also to wait on God for the unfolding of His will. Let God form your plans about everything in your mind and heart and then let Him execute them. Do not possess any wisdom of your own. For many times His execution will seem so contradictory to the plan He gave. He will seem to work against Himself. Simply listen, obey and trust God even when it seems highest folly so to do. He will in the end make "all things work together," but so many times in the first appearance of the outworking of His plans,

"In His own world He is content
To play a losing game."

So if you would know His voice, never consider results or possible effects. Obey even when He asks you to move in the dark. He Himself will be gloriously light in you. And there will spring up rapidly in your heart an acquaintanceship and a fellowship with God which will be overpowering in itself to hold you and Him together, even in severest testings and under most terrible pressures.

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So, what do you think the message is here? What is right? Your way? Or God's way? And I'll tell you now, there is no good way except God's way. If I have learned anything from my leap into faith, it is that God has a plan for you. You may not always know what it is--I sure don't--but you must trust that He knows what is right. It's not always easy and it's not always how you planned, believe me, but in the end...God takes care of you. And the only thing he asks? Just listen. Listen to him and his "checks". Like I said at the beginning of this post, I couldn't do anything without the Lord. I would be lost on a path without a light. And it's not always fun and sunshine and rainbows. It hurts sometimes and sometimes you wonder if you'll make it out in one piece. But God always, always takes care of you. He is always with you, whether He is walking with you or He is carrying you.

"God does not give me things I can handle. He helps me handle things I am given."

Life is a trial, but with God, all things are possible. I am sure you've heard that one before, right? And it's true! I never thought I would be where I am today, even if I know I still have a long way to go. At least I made it this far and it's just that much further that I don't have to go! I know God has a plan for me, even though all I can see are the strings that hold the bigger picture together. I hope you know as well that God has a plan for you! So, mind the checks and go where the Holy Spirit is guiding you.

In what ways have you sometimes been lead astray in your life because you didn't listen to the "checks"?


Well, that's all for today I suppose! I have choir practice and evening service soon. My sister-in-law's father is giving a special talk on Passover for Palm Sunday! I'm actually quite excited about it! All of your comments/answers/responses would be really appreciated! Thanks and may the Lord bless you and the special path He has for you.