abundant life – The Thinking Christian Woman

Goldilocks and the four bookcases

abundant life, answers to prayer, God's love, power of God, praise, prayer, stewardship Comments Off

Sep 102014

Pictured two bookcases for the newly-finished attic to hold journals and such. Not important enough to spend money on, but a want none-the-less, so I asked the Lord to provide them in a way that would glorify and please Him, if it was His will for me to have them. (remembering back to things like the gardening table in Convicting Blessings – a webfession)

Within a week, I was driving down the alley and saw one perfect bookcase in one block, then two more about a half block on down, and finally a fourth! Came back later with the wagon and picked up the best two. “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

The thinking Christian woman knows that the Lord doesn’t always answer with a “Yes.” He always answers, but sometimes the answer is “No,” and sometimes “Not now.”

This time, it was as if He was saying, “Take your pick my love, or take all of them! I came to give you abundant life!”

I am giving Him glory for being such a sweet, attentive, and faithful friend, and for giving me more-than-enough (abundant) bookcases!

There’s NO God like Jehova!

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Stop…Sigh

abundant life, God's love, victory 1 Response »

Jul 182014

By guest blogger Sara Clarke

Yes, I texted at a stop sign, letting family know I was heading home.

“Driving. Stop sigh. Home soon.”

Autocorrect pointed the way to a godly pause built into every commute. I don’t have to continually carry cares. Every red octagon can be a reminder to stop, sigh, and cast all of my cares on Him because He cares for me (1 Peter 5:7).

The Thinking Christian Woman can use these common visuals as opportunities to breathe (sigh) her cares to her Lord, who loves her so!

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Bonus Deo

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Feb 292012

What would you do with one more day?

For the first time in history, both Disneyland and Walt Disney World are open 24 hours today in celebration of Leap Day. Event promoters posed the delightful question, “What would you do with One More Disney Day?”

Have you ever felt like you’ve been given bonus time?

If you’ve read the last few blog posts, you know about my dog Max. He really lived up to his name by achieving a maximum life. First thought he was near death around this time last year, so, as a temporary fix until I could get back home, put him on heart medicines. He faltered a couple times after that, and it could have been the end. Then, last fall he was bitten several times by a loose dog, but again, rebounded.

Every day with this maximum dog seemed like a bonus, and I was transformed living with this reality. I became more aware of him, spent more time with him and gave him more attention and affection. Over time, I became more habitually grateful.

Maybe you, like my sister, are a cancer survivor. Or maybe, like most of us, you’ve been involved in a near-miss on the highway.

One year ago this month, a giant eucalyptus crushed my best friend’s parked car. Just 2 minutes later and she would not have survived. In these past 365 days I have thanked God for her more than ever.

A few years ago I was visiting my mother. For various reasons, it had been very difficult to pack and say goodbye. I wanted to stay longer. At the last minute, weather cancelled hundreds of flights, and I was blessed with 3 more days in my beloved home town. I really made hay with that extra time, accomplishing many things important to me.

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

God is an abundant God – our “Bonus” Deo!

Since we never know which day may be our last, how are you, as a Thinking Christian Woman, making the most of each of your “bonus days” until you go to Him, or He comes for you…one of these days?!

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Unlock that mighty power

abundant life, freedom, power of God, spiritual journey, spiritual warfare 2 Responses »

Dec 252011

Yesterday morning after stretching class, my combination lock somehow reset itself (I could feel tumbler resistance when it happened) and I couldn’t open it.

Since lockers (what a fitting name!) at this all-women gym are day use only, bolt cutters are kept handy, but none of the all-women staff had the strength to vanquish my resolute padlock. At one point, me and two staffers ganged up on it, but to no avail. What a pitiful sight – all the grimacing and grunting – as we put no more than a small dent in the shackle.

The Master Lock website aptly describes its shackle: “Made from hardened steel for maximum resistance to cutting and sawing.”

Women-only gym; absolutely no men around; car keys securely in the locker; – a desperate need for some muscle! I could picture one of my brothers, or just about any guy for that matter, grabbing those cutters and, snap, the lock would be off.

My best friend and I were just about to give up and call for a ride, when we decided to try the cutters ourselves, with quiet faith in the power of two believers united in heart and purpose.

“Two are better than one,

because they have a good reward for their labor.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9

Our daily reading recently brought us to Judges 6 and the Gideon story. God’s people had fallen under Midianite oppression after turning away from the Lord and worshiping other, so-called, gods. Things got so bad, the Israelites were hiding in caves and dens.

^“Now the Angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!” Gideon said to Him, “O my lord,if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” Then the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” So he said to Him, “O my Lord,how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”

Faced with an unyielding obstacle, I, like Gideon, initially doubted the power available to me. God reminds us in Zechariah 4:6, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit…” God also encourages us at the beginning of that great spiritual armor passage in Ephesians 6, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”

So it is never my might, and yet, sometimes, God “might” ask me to exercise His power within me, as He did Gideon.

Well, I’ve kept you waiting long enough, yes, you guessed it; the two of us, with focused intent and a unity of spirit forged over years of mutual submission and focus on God’s truths, were able to pool our might (and perhaps our ministering spirit angels pitched in too!) and snap! the stubborn shackle yielded; it was glorious!

I cleared my locker and walked away with a fresh sense of victory and power.

Who might you partner with, as a Thinking Christian Woman, to unlock the mighty power of God and break some shackles for His kingdom?

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C-ya later, alley ‘mater

abundant life 1 Response »

Aug 062011

A few years ago I moved into a house with a fence abutting an alley where the light is mostly indirect and about the only things that grow well are weeds.

Before leaving to visit Mom for two weeks, I weeded along that fence and discovered a volunteer tomato. About a year ago I’d planted aloe on the yard side and amended the soil with homemade compost that must have contained tomato seeds. Volunteer ‘maters often spring up in unlikely places where compost has been applied, but I’ve never seen one grow under the fence and out the other side!

There are few things as inspiring as the heart of a volunteer!

Psalm 110:3 says, “Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power.” And Isaiah 1:19 promises, “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.”

Watered before I left, but no time to prune or stake. Upon return it had grown considerably and flopped over, one whole branch flattened by some passing vehicle. Pruned it, staked it to the fence, watered again, and recently tasted the first fruit – sweet like little candies.

Isaiah 27:6 says, “Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.” When believers read ‘Israel’ in the bible, context often supports claiming the promises; as ones having been grafted (Romans 11:17-24) and adopted (Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 4:4-7; Ephesians 1:3-5) into Israel, taking part in the promises as Abraham’s believing seed (Romans 9:6-8).

Besides representing Jesus’ promise, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10), this plucky plant proclaims God’s nature which is to give and give and give, despite the odds. As His beloved child, the Thinking Christian Woman has the privilege of imitating Him in this regard; voluntarily and wholeheartedly giving when and where least expected, and bearing sweet fruit against all odds.

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