Tag Archives: waterfall

Deep Calls to Deep

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My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me. (Psalm 42:6-7 NIV)

Sometimes I miss a beautiful scene,
because I see superficially.
Sometimes I miss God’s voice,
because I listen half heartedly.

Stop! Listen and understand.

Let the roar of God’s waterfall of love
sweep into your deep places
God’s deep mercy and grace
calling to your deep need.

Love Poured Out

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Water pouring out from Colchuck Lake.

Because of God’s love, I have life.
Because of His love, I am forgiven.
Because of His love, I can forgive others and be free to love.
Because of His love, I can lay my past at the alter and leave it there.
Because of His love, when I am lost, He comes to find me.
Because of His love, I know I will never be forgotten.
Because of His love, I know He has ordered all my days.
Because of His love, I know He will give me strength for all I face.
Because of His love, I have a future filled with goodness.
Because of His love, I can pray blessings upon my family, and know Jesus loves them more than me.
Because of His love, I can pray for those I have hurt and know Jesus loves them and will bring about goodness.
Because His love is poured out upon me, I will joyfully worship Him.

Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. Psalm 63:3

Multnomah Falls

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Multnomah Falls and the celebration of Pentecost

Certain elements of this picture transform it for me from nondescript picture into wonder to behold. The elements are the water cascading down, and the rock balancing the picture in the foreground. Without them I would have tossed it away.

This is the same for my life certain elements make it so worthwhile. The Rock of my salvation, Jesus, who anchors my life in his forgiveness and love.

“The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!
2 Samuel 22:47

The second element is the Holy Spirit cascading down, refreshing and anointing my life with God’s goodness.

“ ‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams. Acts 2:17

Multnomah Falls a celebration of Pentecost.

Deception Falls

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Deception Falls

The lower portion of Deception Falls, WA

If you have never stopped at Deception Falls, while traversing Stevens Pass, you are missing a beautiful spot. Now about my personal deception falls.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

When I make a sinful choice, I often place the blame on someone else, or point to the circumstances of life as the reason for my relapse into wrong (I can always find an excuse). This lets me think of myself as the victim and not the perpetrator. Unfortunately, this rationalization only takes me further from what I really need––forgiveness and the Holy Spirit’s help. So, I mope around enslaved to this subtle self-deception missing out on God’s joy. The good news is I am just a humble confession away from a pure heart and a renewed spirit. God’s grace to wash away my deception and renew the joy of my salvation

Let Goodness Flow

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Along the trail to Colchuck

Water flows from on high

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

Medical genetics has discovered epigenomes that turn on/off the expression of genes. Thus in identical twins one may get cancer where the other is spared.  When the genes of identical twins are tagged for activity they show nearly identical activity as babies, but later in life they show marked divergence in activity. This change is from epigenes, but what cause epigenes to do this? There are environmental factors that have an effect, but what is surprising is that emotions also produce changes in epigenes. This explains why when a person loses their spouse there is a higher than expected incidence of cancer in the following year. I wonder if this helps explain the placebo effect, associated with any treatment, if one expects a positive out come our emotions cause the production of epigenes that produce the change. Thus the proverb about a cheerful heart is more than a nice statement, it speaks to an underlying biologic mechanism. The opposite emotions also take on new significance in that anger, stress, spite, and hate become avenues for destructive change in our genetics.

All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.        Proverbs 15:15

So let your mind dwell upon the good things God has given and give thanks.