Tag: autumn

Good Eats!

Apples and pears have never been my favorites. I eat them because they are good for me. They are hardly as sweet as my summertime berries, yet they fill me up and keep those hunger pains at bay. Fall fruits also last longer, aren’t nearly as fragile and help scrape out the yuck in our gut!

There comes a time to push aside those sweet things that are tasty for those heartier things that will sustain.

I love devotionals and encouraging words but we must diligently seek God and study His Word. We need all of it and not just those verses we pick and choose. It is comforting to know better days lie ahead but we must prepare as best we can to stand strong against dark days and disappointments as well.

DSC_2709 (2)  Spiritual fruit takes time to grow and develop. Many people are led to Christ in a moment. Yet, it often takes years to transform us from who we are into who we can become.

Love, joy and peace are sweet fruits for me.

Long suffering?  Not so tasty.

Faithfulness and gentleness require a bit more from me as well.  It is often our trying experiences that cultivate the characteristics we lack and allow us to produce good fruit.

If we are to mature and fulfill our purpose, we must partake of some things that aren’t so sweet.

Forgiveness. Obedience. Submission.

We grow when we choose to partake of things that are good for us and not merely those things that taste good.

What are you hungry for?

“For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil,” Hebrews 5:13-14 NKJV

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV

Turning Points…

We all have times in our lives when we can look back and reflect on events or places where our lives took a turn in a singular direction. For some people this turning point is a positive. Perhaps a birth, a marriage or a graduation. For others, pivotal moments are directly related to a person who was influential in good choices made such as coach, a teacher or even a spouse.

Then there are other turning points that seemingly crush us under their weight.

Death. Failed relationships. Financial difficulties.

Our experiences, whatever they are, help mold us into the people we become. Hopefully, we learn to appreciate the good, endure the bad and gain wisdom from the lessons life has to offer.

Thankfully, we aren’t relegated to circumstances dictating our destination. Our experiences do indeed impact the people we become, but they don’t have to define us.

blsd lvs abg God allows us to decide if the experiences we are forced to endure will build us up or tear us down.

Our lives have many paths that lead to the same destination. Sometimes we take the scenic route.  At others, there are painful detours.  A few people actually do reach their goals with a straight sprint from point A to Z.

Yet, most of us are more likely to walk and even crawl along our way. The fact that we keep moving is all that really counts.

I am reminded, as we transition from one season to another, to allow my turning points to turn me in the right direction.

Sometimes we need to turn away from people, places and even our own negative thoughts. At others, we may need to turn toward God when we find ourselves lost, disoriented and lacking the direction we need to fulfill our purpose.

Take some time to look back on the good and give thanks. Reflect on the negatives and know that they too can serve a purpose.

Make the choice to reassess who you are and what you choose to do.

Turning Point b is for blessed devotional 10-2015 The change you seek begins with you.

If you’ve made mistakes along the way that’s fine too. Simply acknowledge them and learn from them. It is often the worst of times that eventually allow us to receive God’s very best.

It is faith that enables us to turn away from what was and look toward what can be. Turn toward the Light.

For He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.  Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. 1 Peter 3:10-11 NKJV