Rest is Profitable

 This afternoon my children and I were busy setting up for preschool. All except for Esther. She has a cold and ongoing problems with tiredness. So she lay on a beanbag while we set up. She said, “I wish I could do something profitable.” I know exactly how she feels and I felt bad for her. But I told her, “You are. You are resting and that’s what you need right now.”

Rest can feel like a waste of time. It can feel like we aren’t doing anything profitable. But that is not the truth. Rest is what gives us the strength to get up and keep going. Rest is difference than laziness.

And taking the time to pray and read God’s Word may also feel like a waste of time sometimes. But that is where we find rest for our souls. Giving our burdens to God, thanking Him, and listening to Him speak through His Word is the most profitable thing we can do.

It’s hard to rest when there’s so much we could be doing. But wearing ourselves out is also not profitable. We need to take time to rest both physically and spiritually. That’s profitable!

“Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

When We Don't Stay Closely Connected....

 Last Friday a man gave us some beautiful flowers from his garden. But a week later, they’re all dried up and rather ugly. That’s what happens when they’re disconnected from their roots.

The same goes for us. When don’t constantly stay closely connected to God through prayer and His Word, we’ll start to wither and lose the beauty of Christ.

Stay close to God and God’s glory and beauty will shine through you. 

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

Vlog, Bible Lesson & Memory Verse Songs

 

A Bible lesson for the kids about the Bible

 

A vlog about the wonder of seeds in the garden and how God's Word is also seed.

                        A memory verse song. Psalm 145:1-2

            "Man shall not live by bread alone" Memory Verse Song

What Did Mummy Say?

 One thing I find difficult with Lydia sometimes is her questions. I’m not sure if she actually forgets that she has already asked the question five times in the last five minutes, or if it’s more of a habit. 

I get tired of the same question over and over again. So when I have already answered, I say, “What did Mummy say?” She usually knows the answer. If I ignore her, she will sometimes answer herself. She needs to remind herself of what I have said.

While I am writing this, Lydia has just asked me for the fourth time about swimming. I said, “What did Mummy say?” “Tomorrow!” she answered.

Thankfully God has far more patience than I have, and He doesn’t tire of sincere prayers. But like Lydia, we need to remind ourselves, “What has God said?”

When Jesus was tempted in the desert, He answered Satan 3 times by saying, “It is written…” He is our example. He remembered what God has said.

When we are tempted to worry, doubt, be discontent, afraid, and so on, we need to remind ourselves, “What has God said?” We need to remind ourselves constantly of the promises and commands of God. Because like Lydia, we need them over and over again!

Be a Speedy Prayer

 If you could get tickets for being a speedy prayer, how many times would you have been pulled over? How quick are you to pray? Do you pray about everything?

Or would you more be someone with a long line of cars behind you because you are so slow? Is prayer your last resort? Your steering wheel or your spare tire?

We save ourselves so much worry, trouble and grief when we are speedy prayers and speedy seekers!

3 Videos

A vlog with some thoughts about being refreshed as a Christian.

A little video for children about what Jesus was like when He was a child.

A Bible verse song to go with the video above.

 

Hard but Wonderful!

 I heard a preacher say this when he was talking about serving God. “It’s hard but it’s wonderful!” It’s so true and it applies to many things in life.

Having a child with special needs is hard, but it’s also wonderful. Being a Christian is hard, but it is truly wonderful! Living by faith, doing right, sharing the gospel with others, teaching the Bible, reading the Bible, being a parent, being married, and so on is hard but it’s WONDERFUL!

Trials are hard, but what we learn and become through them with Gods grace is wonderful!

There is a similar quote on our school staff room wall. “It’s hard, but it’s worth it!”

If what we are doing is good and right and in Gods will for us, it will be well worth the hardness.

It’s easy to be focused on the hardness. But it’s good to remind ourselves that it is wonderful and worth it! Don’t try to do it in your own strength. Trust God to help you and stay close to Him.

“Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9