The snow is falling.
The sky chasing gray.
The pines are dressed in white,
bowing their branches in worship.
All is silent, as creation rejoices.
Snow Is Falling
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Tag Archives: winter
Scaling the Mountains
It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me Your shield of victory, and Your right hand sustains me; You stoop down to make me great. Psalms 18:32-35
I struggle with writing. Even basic grammar is hard for me. Sometimes I get discouraged and want to give up. That is where Psalm 18 helps. God stoops down to enable me to stand on the heights to serve Him.
If any good comes from my writing and photography, it is by the grace of God. That same grace and strength is there for all who will humbly ask.
Hope of Glory
When death comes to make its claim,
to judge what I’ve become.
I’ll point to Him who took my shame.
Oh the mystery—
no longer two but one.
Christ in me the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27
Delightful Inheritance
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance. Psalm 16:5-6
“I have a delightful inheritance.”
One guaranteed by God’s strength,
not mine.
In that assurance,
I rejoice.
Through His grace I know I’ll partake in it.
By His grace I am brought close to Him.
Jesus will never leave me.
This knowledge is too wonderful for me.
From His grace God fills my day with His goodness.
The promise of His grace imbues my tomorrows,
with His love and mercy.
The joy of my salvation spreads out to eternity.
I rest in His peace.
What a delightful inheritance.
A Winter Reflection
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16
Truth and assurance for the past year and for this coming New Year. Coupled with “Give thanks to the LORD for He is good and His love endures forever.” My heart rejoices in God my savior and the days He has given me.
Hope Ahead
Spring is just around the bend.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
During the current COVID-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty this verse gives us hope and reassurance. It all turns on love. We can love God because He first loved us. We can trust Him because He is faithful, even when we have been faithless. We can put our hope in Jesus, because His name means God saves (Matt1:21).
I realize that some hurts run very deep (like death in the family), and I don’t expect this verse to miraculously change your tears to joy, but loving God will plant the seeds of hope, and trust… and just knowing there is purpose… helps.
Praying Through the Pain
Hope in the dead of Winter
I find it hard to pray without my mind wandering in the best of times. But, when I am hurting and in pain, then I find it difficult to put two words together in prayer. So what are we to do when our prayers are moans and groans… rasping laments beginning and ending with two feeble words—O God!
How does God expect us to pray in pain?
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:23-24
I have attended many deliveries in my career and for most anesthesia was not available. I would often hear screams during labor—“O God help me!” or “Lordy, Lordy!” Were these words of anguish really prayers? The one thing that kept these mothers praying through the pain was the thought of new life coming.
Pain, or grief, or a deep hurt from our point of view seems to interfere with our prayers to God. But like a woman in labor who cries out to God—keep praying for our groans are not lost upon God. There is new life coming.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. Romans 8:26-27
Christmas Anticipation
The heavens and earth await His coming.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:13-14
Drop by Drop Beauty Forms
A beautiful ice chandelier
Just like this ice sculpture is being formed drop by drop, layer upon layer into something beautiful, we too are being carefully molded by the Holy Spirit into the likeness of Christ.
For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. John 1:16 NAS
Undeserved grace upon grace,
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 4:17
Unnoticed blessing upon blessing
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18
So take heart God is not done yet, but know this He is faithful to carry us onto completion.
…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6
White-Gloved Hands of Praise
Ponderosa Pines lifting white-gloved hands in praise.
I can read Isaiah 12 over and over and it never loses its power, or joy, or wonder. I can dwell on each verse and my song of praise and thanksgiving keeps building with in me for I know it is just the beginning.
Stephen L Hufman 