Easy and Light

“Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too much for me to understand.” Psalm 139:6

What knowledge? That the world is a mess with more crisis and war-talk every day in every country? Or that humans are fallen and desperately need a Savior? Or that time is running out and still so many refuse to listen? 

No… what’s actually beyond my comprehension is God’s love and the fact that He stays so very aware! Like the Psalm reveals, He knows everything about everyone. Our Sovereign Creator, has eyes searching for any seeking Him.

Yes, there are endless problems too big for me, that’s why, thankfully, I’m not in charge! So what is my job? Easy: look to my Father, trust Him, and serve Him. Jesus made it simple: “I give you a new commandment— to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you, love one another.“ John 13:34

Wonder who’s on today’s schedule to love with His love? I can’t wait to see! Jesus never wastes hands and feet and a mouth, offered to Him…

28 “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I Am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11

ForGlorySake!Anna

Artist:Bethany
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“Complements”

Complementsomething that fills up, completes, making better or perfect. 

I wake up early, you stay up late.

I’m whimsical, you’re practical.

You love to cook, I enjoy cleaning.

You enjoy time inside, I love being outside.

I attack lists, you procrastinate.

I talk & talk, you listen.

You are a perfectionist, I just get it done

You like fiction, I like nonfiction.

I wreck my napkin, yours is always neat.

I love color, you’re conservative.

You observe, I participate.

You’re an introvert, I’m an extrovert.

I expect the best, you plan for the worst.

But… we both love Jesus and each other and our kids and coffee and dark chocolate and the beach! And we appreciate the differences because they enrich our lives. 

The promise remains “to love and obey, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health until… we are on the other side… together… forever, Amen ❤️

ForGlorySake! -Anna

Differences are good.
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44 Years…

Many summers ago in July, I met the Messiah and connected with His Father personally…verbally. He gave me a 24/7 companion that rocked my world. I’d been unconditionally forgiven, and forever accepted as His own. 

Life before seems a blur. In those 11 years I remember daily anger, desperately wanting to be heard in a family of 6. I wanted “my way” and “my turn.” I was also confused and frustrated with reading, writing, spelling. Why did it come so easy to everyone else? 

Then God made Himself known to me and out went paralyzing fear of the dark, storms, -ugly tantrums, migraines and my struggle with dyslexia. The Holy Spirit was working in my life and Jesus was ready to listen any time. Could it get any better?

God’s Word began to reveal mysteries that enlightened, emboldened, and equipped me for whatever came up. I loved every verse recorded about His faithfulness and unfailing love. The more I read, the more peace flooded in.

All these years later, I can hardly list a greater gift He’s given than Himself! Yet His daily blessings are more than can be counted. Sigh – This IS “abundant life” in the “land of the living.” I would choose Him 1000 times again! 

Happy birth-day to me ❤️❤️❤️ 

ForGlorySake! – Anna

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Standing alone

I love my flowers. Ever since my husband and and I bought our first home in VA beach, I began an appreciation these little gifts from God. It was an older house with a well established yard. So many beautiful blossoms… that a desire grew to care for them.

After 33 years of marriage I’ve completely taken over our yard maintenance. Planting, trimming, mowing, cultivating – this is my happy place and each flower is precious. I learn new lessons every season. God speaks to me through His nature.

He reminds me: He’s the Ultimate Creator… there’s a time for everything under heaven… harsh pruning is sometimes necessary… there IS life after death… God is faithful… and like my mom always said, ”bloom where you’re planted”…

This morning as my last iris stood brightly by itself, God encouraged me that even when it feels like I am standing alone for godly principles – I have a great cloud of witnesses watching me, there are many Saints world-wide also taking a stand, and of course God is close upholding us.

“Look at the lilies and how they grow… if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, He will certainly care for you.” Luke 12:28

Saints, we are not alone in this crazy time. We stand together as the Bride, and as heaven cheers us on. Be brave, be strong, be true. Let us glorify His Name- in Jesus!

ForGlorySake! -Anna

Song of Songs 2:2 – Like a lily among the thorns,
so is my darling among the maidens.


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Plot Twist

Last weekend Death came to our family… again. Not our immediate family, but close. It’s hard to watch even from states away. It’s hard to know what to say. It’s death after all and up close it’s ugly. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. Death is our enemy and Jesus defeated it! Just think of it – Death and the place of the dead will be done away with someday:

John saw that, “…Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:14

Jesus, what a gift God. Assurance of Eternal Life. Simply by believing in Him and His sacrifice on the cross for my sin, I was adopted as God’s child and forever protected from the clutches of Death. I’m immune!! It’s better than any vaccine or insurance policy.

My Father, who has given (each believer) to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.– Jesus. John 10:29

Someday Death will come for me, just like it did for my Dad and my Mom and now my brother-in-law… but it can NOT hold me. I was bought with a most precious price; the blood of God’s Son, my Savior. It covers all my sins and frees me from the clutches of evil Death. It’s the Good News! I am His and He is mine.

Death is awful… but it’s not the end. Creator God gets the last say. In the end Death will be swallowed up in victory as God’s children are resurrected and brought into His Kingdom for all Eternity with Him.

Now when this the perishable (body) shall have put on the imperishable, and this, the mortal, shall have put on immortality, then the word having been written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where O death, is your victory? Where O death is your sting?” 1Corinthians 15: 55-56

Hallelujah, Come Lord Jesus!

ForGlorySake! -Anna

ARISE!
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Attitude Matters

In my current wise mid-life stage, I’ve begun to realize how often we said no to our children, or disciplined them with a spank or gave them time-out. Although helpful, this was NOT the key to their training. It was actually the example we lived daily. I know I read this before, it just didn’t quite sink in.

Every single moment seemed sooo important to me to teach a lesson… 🤔 I may have taught my kids to death! Yet even in that mild insanity they picked up that I took parenting seriously. It was my 24/7 job and I did not want to fail.

In reality, everything we did was being watched. Our habits imprinted on our children’s hearts and became like a code. They were gleaning from our repetitive attitudes and actions. We can see it play-out on repeat as they begin to parent their own babies.

Of course there’s plenty of room for their own life experience and natural bent, but David and I see the gist of what we did with them… from years long ago. Funny and cool and mystifying.

Training up a child is so much more about attitude than I imagined.

My attitude toward their dad mattered. His attitude toward me mattered. Our attitude about having all of them close together. How we reacted to the mess and happy chaos that came… the sometimes lack of funds, old car/new car, shared rooms, hard work, illness, even death of loved ones. Our overall attitude made a difference.

Why should I be surprised that The Creator of everything Who never wastes anything, didn’t waste this either! He has used our hearts desire for Him more than any individual teaching. Oh, it just makes me love God more through the whole process – with each passing year and each new person that comes into our mix. God is good!

ForGlorySake! -Anna

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. Proverbs 22:6


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Eating My Words

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it- will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.” Proverbs 18:21 amp

I have a lot of favorite chapters, aha scriptures and life-verses, but this one rather owns me. Eye-roll emoji here. I am by nature a babbler. There I admitted it. Actually I have written several blogs on “my mouth” and my “gift of gab.” It’s a daily battle, a constant wrestling… even at 55. My sister reminds me, “the filter slips with age.” She’s talking about that filter to guard one’s thoughts expressed in words. I agree.

Looking up Proverbs 18:21 word-for-word in Biblehub.com under “interlin” will show this verse in Hebrew from Right to left, and each word’s definition is also available in their “Strong’s” link. Using this wonderful Bible study exercise, the verse literally reads: Death and Life are in the power of the babbler. Those that befriend (babbling) will devour and consume its fruit (reaping the outcome).

I have reaped both extremes… life given to a complete stranger and death dumped on a family member all in a matter of seconds. Quick words without much thought. Sigh. All I can think now is, ‘”Blessed is the one who keeps their big mouth shut!” How wonderful it would be, instead, to always say the right thing at the right time.

Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken at the right time. Proverbs 25:11 amp

Lord, I seem to get tangled in the same messes again and again. Help me to think carefully before responding. staying conscious of Who is listening… You! Oh, how I long for Your sanctification to maturity. Guard this mouth.

ForGlorySake! – Anna

blah blah blah

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Open Wide

I Am the LORD, your God, the One who brought you out of the land of distress, Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. Psalms 81:10 

In 1447 BC, God miraculously delivered the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt.  He called them “His children” and then told them to trust Him completely, only. He told them to look to Him and He would fill their mouth. He knew what each person needed.

This verse reminds me of baby birds waiting in the nest with mouths wide open… looking for mom and dad to bring food. Birds work tirelessly feeding their babies every 10-20 minutes, 12-14 hours a day! That’s a lot of attention.

If bird-parents, created by God, are that dedicated to providing for their kids… how much more does God care for me? Anything needed throughout the day: provision, direction, wisdom, protection, training, endurance, peace, words of encouragement, a thankful attitude… 

When God gave me salvation at 11, forever delivering me from sin and death, so much more came in the package: adoption, inheritance and the power of His Holy Spirit! He gave me the right to open wide my mouth to Him for every possible need. “Yes, child, I will fill it.”

ForGlorySake! Anna

And my God will supply your every need according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

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Life

Life is relationships, one at a time.

Life is listening and learning, then assessing what to do with all the information,

It’s the opportunity to feel and empathize.

Life is sunrises and sunsets,

It’s taking the the time to see and create and recreate.

Life is loving:

Loving my husband and children and grandchildren and if God tarries… my great grandchildren.

Life is seeing through their eyes.

It’s the willingness to understand and offer help or just be-near.

Life is eating together, planning together, laughing, singing, praying, and crying together.

Life is to know God and allow Him full access.

Life is Hope in Jesus.

Jesus answered, “I am The Way and The Truth and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

ForGlorySake! – Anna 4/10/2022

“In Him was Life and that Life was the light of all men.” John 1:4

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That’s Life

Up around 7am, only the dog is waiting on me these days. She gets 30 minutes of ball throwing after I make coffee. The grand-babies arrive by 8:30. 3 days week our house is fun and loud, what a blessing! In between playtimes, I answer the office line, cut out shirts and sew quilts. My other 2 weekdays are solely for David and meetings. Its become a busy but very fulfilling schedule. “Controlled-chaos,” my mom called it, “like herding cats.”

That’s life…

So many prayers go up throughout my day: a relative suffering from esophageal cancer… a daughter entering late pregnancy while her husband serves in the Marines… loss of contact with a “God-child” in Russia… Protection, equipping, and guidance for all the Bride of Christ (around the world)… and other daily issues that pop up from friends, clients and family. I love that God is near me wherever I am.

Life is so much about the necessities that keep us alive: food, clothing, shelter, sleep, plumbing/diapers (!) Listening to the stories of refugees fleeing Ukraine emphasizes the things that we truly need. It makes me thankful for my safety, and horrified for their situation all at the same time. I know God is watching over anyone who is looking for Him, and so I keep praying that every soul finds Jesus.

As I listen to news and podcasts, check emails and updates via texts, I am reminded again and again – All my peace is found in HimAll my Hope is anchored in HimAll my joy comes from Him. He will supply my needs. His love is worth more to me than life itself. Life may be full of unknowns, but I know the Author of life and He knows me. And that’s life’s most precious gift.

ForGlorySake! – Anna

“Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” 2 Cor. 13:11
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