Saturday, March 21, 2020

May We Be Found Faithful ~ Guest Post by Debbie Harris

"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful."
I Corinthians 4:2


There is much uncertainty out there over this current Coronavirus. With each new day we are learning new things, but we must remain optimistic and stay positive.

The world around us is in such fear, worry and panic - yet - the Bible tells us to ~
~Fear not ~
" Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not." Isaiah 35:4a
~Cast our cares upon God~ 
 " Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you" 1Peter 5:7
~Be anxious for nothing~ 
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6
~Fret not yourselves~ 
"Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil." Psalm 37:8

God cares for us...let us never forget.
Christ warns against earthly anxiety  ~ Matthew 12:22-34 ~ Excellent reading material! Too long to type.
With the way people are stockpiling and we are finding empty shelves at the stores, may we be reminded of the Scriptures ~ 
"And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of a doubtful mind." Matthew 12:29 
God will provide for our every need, even when it looks bleak.

And finally,
  ~Be careful for nothing ~ 
"Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things."  Philippians 4:4-8

Keeping our minds on Christ...these Scriptures alone should keep us on the right track and positive.

We all certainly have extra time on our hands right now, so why not meditate on God's Word so that we will be prepared and ready to share with those who are lost and hurting. May we be ready at any given moment to reach out and encourage the souls God brings across our paths.
I believe our opportunities are great!
Jesus was compassionate and reached down to touch even the unlovely. Shall we not do the same for our fellow men?

During this time I have found myself looking for my daily dose of laughter with all the silly "toilet paper" jokes. There is certainly humor to be found. I believe God wants us to laugh and find joy in our circumstances. Laughter is healing and it does the heart good. Laughter weaves its carefree way through all those joy-filled, purpose-filled, spirit-filled blessings that God has for us. Only God, who knows us and loves us completely, has the power to meet our needs and bless our lives in so personal a way that we feel He is ministering to us alone.

Yes, even as I laugh a good belly laugh, God is meeting me right where I am!

A classic treatment for the prevention and treatment of viral disease is open air therapy.
There is an immune benefit to being outdoors and the worst thing for us is to actually stay indoors with our dry, circulating heat systems. For us, it's the dry wood burner stove.
There are studies to show that both sunlight and outdoors kills the virus.
So...get outside, open up your windows if you can and let the fresh air work in your favor.

Friend, find what makes you happy, what brings you joy, peace, comfort and bring out the best in yourself and in your home.

"Dear Lord ~ 
May we be found faithful during these trying times as we strive to live our lives for Your glory. Keep us focused on You and strong in our faith. Heal those who are suffering and heal our land. We give You all the praise and glory!"

Bio:  Debbie was born in Denver Colorado moving to the Vail area at the age of 10. She met her husband Randy while working as a ski chair lift operator while he was vacationing in the winter of 1977. They fell in love, married in April of 1979 and moved to Canada beginning their lives together. This April marks 41 years together.
Debbie is a retired health-care giver (retired due to health issues) and enjoys life at home while reaching out to senior citizens, mostly widowed women. Hospice is her passion, but she loves to show compassion and  spread love to others.
She has 2 beautiful daughters and 4 handsome grandsons.
Debbie gave her life to Christ 37 years ago and claims Mark 12:30 as her life verse. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. For this is the first commandment." 
Please visit Debbie's blog at She Graces Her Home, where you will find a wealth of encouragement, joy, and comfort in her heartfelt posts!
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Keep the faith, dear friends.  Keep pressing on!  God is with us.  
"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward."
Hebrews 10:35

25 comments:

  1. Such great inspiration and advice, Debbie! Yes, laughter, fresh air and sunshine do go far in boosting our immune systems and healing our flagging spirits at this time. May God see us through this time of crisis and strengthen us in our commitment to love Him and love others.
    Thanks, Cheryl, for sharing Debbie with us!

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    1. Thank you, dear Martha, for your sweet visit and kind words! Yes, may God see all of us through. SO many heartaches and trials, but so thankful we have our dear Lord and each other to lean on and pray one another through!

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  2. "The Lord is at hand"

    Made my heart jump a little!

    God is with us.

    🙂

    This summer there will be huge sales on toilet paper because no one will be buying it! Ha ha

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    1. YES, I agree! He is at hand, and soon He will carry us away to glory where we will be forever at peace! That is hilarious about the huge sales on toilet paper! Ha! It is good to look forward to happier days.

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  3. Thank you for the words from Scripture and the encouragement. We have had such a wonderful spring week with sunshine and highs all the way into the 50's I have actually been able to open a few windows for an hour or two and immediately could feel an uplift in spirit. May God bless you and thank you for the post today.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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    1. Oh, wow, that is wonderful! I opened a window the other day, too, and just relished in the fresh air streaming in. OH, spring is an amazing time, isn't it? It is a promise of better days to come. One day, these trials will be behind us. Many blessings to you, sweet friend!

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  4. It was so nice to read Debbie’s post and her encouraging scripture that she shared. Yes, I agree with Debbie, and we must find joy and laughter amidst all this coronavirus talk. Thank you, Debbie! I’ve missed you! Much love , hugs and blessings are sent to you.
    Thank you, Cheryl, for having Debbie share with us.

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    1. I miss sweet Debbie, too. I was happy she was willing to step out of blog retirement to share her heart with us here! What a precious gem she is and such a blessing to us all! Maybe the writing bug bit her, and she will start blogging again. HINT - Debbie! Thank you, Kitty for reading and supporting and being such an encourager to us all. Much love to both of you sweet sisters!

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  5. Oh such encouraging words and oh so needed right now. Thank you Debbie (I miss your regular blog posts.) and thank you Cheryl for sharing!

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    1. YES, so very encouraging, and yes, I miss her. Let's keep letting her know, so she will reconsider and come back to join us! Thank you for reading, dear Regina. God bless you, my friend.

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  6. Cheryl, thank you for this opportunity to share on your beautiful space and for such a time as this.
    May we all be found faithful during these days as we keep our focus on Christ, the One who holds the world in His hands.
    Thank you to those readers who have left such sweet and kind comments, my heart is blessed.
    Who knows...my blog may call my name again one day, but for now, I'm right where God wants me. ;)

    Love to you all~
    Debbie

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    1. Thank you so much for sharing with us, sweet friend! YES, may God find us all faithful at our posts of duty carrying on His work even in these dark days! Much love back to you and much gratitude, too!

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  7. I love the laughter more than ever right now. Dancing is good too! My favorite is the Bee Gee's; they always get me moving! I like the idea of open airways and getting exercise outdoors. Our gym is closed like most! Great reading, Debbie. Thank you!

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    1. It is so funny that you mentioned this, Mary. Zach made me a playlist to exercise to, and it is just wonderful to move and do it in a way that is so joyful! The Bee Gees! Ah!! Now, you are taking me WAY back. When I was growing up, there was a little girl named, Teena, who lived across the street from us. She would invite me over to her house and she had a disco ball in her room and we would blast the Bee Gees and have our own little disco!! "Stayin' Alive" was my favorite, and we would listen to it over and over. That song brings up the fondest memories, and I have often wondered what happened to my little childhood friend. We moved away, and we lost touch. Thank you for taking me on such a pleasant walk down memory lane tonight, sweet friend. :) We have to do what we can to keep smiling!

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  8. Love this post and sure have missed Debbie posting on the blog. YES....LORD...may we be found faithful! Hugs and blessings to you dear Cheryl.
    Cindy

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    1. Hello Cindy~ thank you for that lovely comment. I think about the blog at times, but I know I'm right where God wants me for now.
      Stay well and keep looking to Jesus~

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    2. So thankful for your sweet comment, Cindy! Many hugs and blessings to you, too, my friend! Stay well, in Jesus' name.

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  9. Such a beautifully crafted inspirational message shared from your heart Debbie! Thank you for the wonderful scriptures and reminders of how we can find encouragement in the scriptures in these unprecedented times. Getting outside, getting lots of vitamin D, and sunshine is also healing for our bodies. I just read an article today where there is more and more scientific evidence that vitamin D is the best vitamin to combat this C-virus. Isn't it amazing how the Lord makes sure we have provision for all our needs, even in the world around us. Many blessings to you sweet Debbie, so wonderful to read your words, and to be encouraged through the scriptures you shared. Sure appreciate your precious heart, dear Cheryl and for making this series available to encourage all of us! Much love to you sweet friends!

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    1. Thank you Marilyn for your beautiful comment.
      I think if you often and know that you are likely outdoors enjoying the fresh air.

      Keep looking to Jesus~

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    2. And, I surely appreciate your dear heart. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement and faithful friendship. Much love is being sent back to you today, sweet friend.

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  10. Dearest Debbie, enjoyed immensely your verses, how precious a comfort is in the word of God, and loved your thoughts about the Lord Jesus loving the unlovely!
    Your encouraging words are very timely as feeling a little overwhelmed. We are blessed in Oz though, only 8 deaths so far, and we are able to have fresh air being in autumn. Had house all open today...Also things are shut down etc.
    Miss your messages on your blog.

    Lovely encouraging share and so sorry I’m so late!
    Thanks for being a blessing, and may God bless you too, especially in these troubled times, may we look up in faith! Praying you’re all kept well too!
    Hugs, Shaz in Oz.x 😊

    {Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
    {Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}

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    1. Thank you sweet Shaz for your beautiful comment, I appreciate your inspiration.
      Here in our county we are considered a red hot zone, so going out we must be so very careful.
      My heart goes out to those elderly who need to stay in.
      It's beautiful how so many are reaching out to others, for such a time as this.

      Keep looking to Jesus~

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    2. Thank you for your visit and kind words, Shaz! Many blessings to you.

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  11. Debbie, Thank you for your words of encouragement and all of the calming Scripture verses that remind us where our hope comes from.

    I wholeheartedly agree that a sense of humor is a must through all of this. lol. I think I've laughed harder since this all began watching some of these funny parodies than I have at any other time.

    Thank you for reminding us to be faithful for our God is faithful.

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    1. Thank you so much for your sweet words of encouragment, my friend! May the Lord richly bless you and keep you and your loved ones healthy and safe!

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