: 360° panorama from the summit of Mount St. Helens as seen on an early-October afternoon. In the foreground is the ice-covered crater rim. Visible in the lower center is the lava dome. Steam rises from several dome vents. Above the dome, in the upper center, lies Mount Rainier and Spirit Lake. Mount Adams appears to the right of Rainier on the horizon as well as Mount Hood and Mount Jefferson on the far right. Also on the far right are glimpses of the Swift Reservoir, Yale Lake, Lake Merwin and the Lewis River. Climbers stand on the crater rim and are visible along the Monitor Ridge climbing route. Photo by Gregg M. Erickson
Good morning, beloved,
The Son ·reflects [or radiates; shines forth] the glory of God [John 1:14] and ·shows exactly what God is like [L is the exact representation/imprint/stamp of his being/essence/nature]. He ·holds everything together[sustains/upholds all things] with his powerful word. When the Son ·made people clean from their [L provided purification/cleansing for] sins [9:14], he sat down at the right ·side [L hand; C the most honored position beside a king; Ps. 110:1] of ·God, the Great One in heaven [L the Majesty/Preeminence in the highest places; C a Jewish way to avoid saying the divine name of God]. Hebrews 1:3EX
These last few days have found me staring at my computer to start a new addition to my blog. I will be honest, I have struggled to find words. To bring a voice to my heart’s cry, I have found that writing brings me to cope and understand. My brain has not seemed to be able to connect. Yet, here I am, trying. I need to try.
What do you do when you feel like your world is crumbling? Where do you go when frustration mounts? When do you call in for help?
Can I be honest? I have found such hope in talking through the Word with my kids. We start our morning with our declarations. So far we have memorized 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostles Creed, Psalm 15, and Exodus 20:1-17. All done with Sing the Word, I will say we can’t do it as well without the music but hey, it’s not bad for the group. I am quite proud of us! So now we begin John 1 and everyone, for AWANA, has already memorized the first couple of verses and so, now to understand.
Here’s the deal. It’s been great for them to memorize this many verses. It’s not what makes them Christians and it most certainly needs work to translate into their/my actions. It starts with me. If you read this and compare then I’ve lost my point. My point is, and it is so very hard for me to keep my eyes here, we cannot spend our time comparing each other’s lives. That leads to desperation and hopelessness. My family can attest that this has been a hard victory. I am desperately clinging to routine and schedule and I know that for me to begin my day well, it begins with the Word. And if we stop reviewing what we’ve memorizing, it will fall away.
So, when my world is crumbling, frustration is mounting, it is so good for me to teach my kids, it starts with the Word of God. We begin each day, no matter what we’ve faced, with what we believe. Blessing to remember what we believe. Blessing to keep His Word close to our hearts and minds. Blessing!
We have to! We have to start with Him. He is the one who, “·holds everything together[sustains/upholds all things] with his powerful word.” It is His word that began this day. It is His word that keeps me breathing.
His Word. His life.
My thankfuls:
260. When His Word is repeated during my day and it mixes beautifully in with what we studied earlier.
261. For the beloved who say, I was just thinking about you…
262. For advice and the grace to listen and put it into action into my own life.
John 4:31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
John 6: 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
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