[Faith-talk] Fwd: Encouragement for Today - November 06, 2015

Mon Nov 9 16:00:01 UTC 2015

Happy it blessed someone.

Ericka Short
"Friends are like flowers in the garden of life"

Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 8, 2015, at 5:52 PM, Danielle Ledet via Faith-talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I enjoyed this one very much. It was timely thanks!
> 
>> On 11/7/15, Ericka via Faith-talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Ericka Short
>> "Friends are like flowers in the garden of life"
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>> Begin forwarded message:
>> 
>>> From: Bible Gateway <BibleGateway at e.BibleGateway.com>
>>> Date: November 6, 2015 at 4:03:40 AM CST
>>> To: ejshort3 at gmail.com
>>> Subject: Encouragement for Today - November 06, 2015
>>> Reply-To: Support at e.BibleGateway.com
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Encouragement for Today
>>> 
>>> NOVEMBER 6, 2015
>>> 
>>> When We Need to Listen With Our Eyes /
>>> ALICIA BRUXVOORT (
>>> http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=18&ms=NDk5NTMzNjES1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=ODAwODIyNjA5S0&mt=1&rt=0
>>> 
>>> 
>>> "The one who listens to me, who carefully seeks me in everyday things …
>>> that
>>> one will find true happiness." Proverbs 8:34
>>> (
>>> http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=32&ms=NDk5NTMzNjES1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=ODAwODIyNjA5S0&mt=1&rt=0
>>> 
>>> ols) (The Voice)
>>> 
>>> "I just need to know you’re here," I told God, as I mindlessly chopped
>>> carrots
>>> in preparation for dinner.
>>> 
>>> The baby whimpered in her bouncy seat, the toddler begged for a snack and
>>> I
>>> wished our meal would magically appear while I escaped to the bedroom for
>>> a
>>> nap.
>>> 
>>> My body was weary from the demands of a long day with little ones; my
>>> heart
>>> was weary from the weight of unanswered prayer. I was walking through a
>>> season
>>> of loneliness, and I desperately wanted to hear from God.
>>> 
>>> I’d never heard God speak audibly, but I’d experienced the Lord’s "still
>>> small
>>> voice" many times in my life. In the past, words of Scripture had often
>>> leapt
>>> off the pages of my Bible. I’d gleaned heavenly insight from the lyrics of
>>> a
>>> Christian song, a sermon that pierced my heart or the inspired words of a
>>> godly friend.
>>> 
>>> Why wasn’t I hearing anything now? I’d been begging the Lord for a word of
>>> encouragement for months. But it felt like my ears had grown deaf to the
>>> sound
>>> of my Savior’s voice. When I read my Bible, the words fell flat. When I
>>> tuned
>>> my ear to Heaven, I heard only silence.
>>> 
>>> Just then, my 8-year-old son skidded around the corner with a shiny blue
>>> ribbon pinned to his shirt. He hopscotched across the dingy floor,
>>> laughing as
>>> the ribbon caught air with every bounce and flapped like a baby bird
>>> trying
>>> out its wings.
>>> 
>>> Suddenly, my laments were trumped by my son’s noisy chatter about the
>>> track
>>> meet he’d enjoyed at school that afternoon.
>>> 
>>> "I can’t believe I won the race, Mom! I thought my legs were gonna give
>>> up,
>>> but I just kept moving my feet and suddenly I was at the finish line."
>>> 
>>> His happy prattle mingled with the rhythmic clank of my knife on the
>>> cutting
>>> board, and I looked up to acknowledge his words with a proud smile.
>>> 
>>> "Did you hear me cheering for you?" I asked.
>>> 
>>> I wasn’t sure if my little runner even realized I’d been in the bulging
>>> crowd
>>> of parents flanking the track that afternoon. Despite juggling the baby in
>>> one
>>> hand and the camera in another, I’d cheered as loudly as I could when my
>>> son
>>> sprinted past us toward the finish line.
>>> 
>>> "Yep," he said with a grateful grin. "I heard you."
>>> 
>>> "Oh, good," I replied. "I wasn’t sure if I was yelling loud enough."
>>> 
>>> My bouncing boy stopped hopping on one foot and shrugged his shoulders.
>>> Then
>>> he looked me in the eye and confessed, "Well, I couldn’t hear you with my
>>> ears, Mommy, but I knew you were there, ‘cause I was listening with my
>>> eyes."
>>> 
>>> My son wrapped his arms around my middle in a quick hug, then pointed
>>> those
>>> fast feet toward the back door and dashed outside to join his sister. I
>>> stood
>>> silent in the kitchen with the echo of those words in my head.
>>> 
>>> When my child couldn’t hear my voice, he’d sought my face.
>>> 
>>> When my cheers failed to echo in his ears, he’d let my presence encourage
>>> his
>>> heart.
>>> 
>>> My heart lurched with conviction. Maybe I hadn’t grown deaf. Maybe I’d
>>> grown
>>> blind. In my quest to hear God’s voice, I’d stopped seeking proof of His
>>> presence.
>>> 
>>> Today’s key verse reminds us God doesn’t just want us to seek His word
>>> with
>>> our ears. He wants us to listen with our eyes, as well.
>>> 
>>> This concept is woven throughout Scripture from the first page to the
>>> last.
>>> God’s people are often commanded both to listen and look, to hear and see.
>>> 
>>> Bending our ears to the promises of heaven involves tuning our eyes to
>>> God’s
>>> existence on earth. We can’t hearken His word without heeding His
>>> "with-ness."
>>> 
>>> I dumped the carrots into the simmering skillet and turned toward the
>>> window
>>> to watch my son chase his sister across the lawn. They blazed a trail of
>>> giggles across the emerald green, as the One who paints the sunset ignited
>>> the
>>> horizon with a blaze of orange glory.
>>> 
>>> I looked and listened while the day gave way to dusk. And as the sun sank
>>> low,
>>> I felt the weight on my heart soar high. Then, before I called the kids in
>>> for
>>> dinner, I changed my desperate prayer for an expectant plea: "Open my
>>> eyes,
>>> Father. I’m listening."
>>> 
>>> Dear Lord, teach me to listen to Your voice with my ears and my eyes and
>>> to
>>> seek You in everyday things. I want to know true happiness. In Jesus’
>>> Name,
>>> Amen.
>>> 
>>> TRUTH FOR TODAY: /
>>> Psalm 68:33
>>> (
>>> http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=31&ms=NDk5NTMzNjES1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=ODAwODIyNjA5S0&mt=1&rt=0
>>> 
>>> s), "To Him who rides high up beyond the heavens, which have been since
>>> ancient times, watch and listen. His voice speaks, and it is powerful and
>>> strong." (The Voice)
>>> 
>>> RELATED RESOURCES: /
>>> Develop the habit of looking for and listening to God each morning. The
>>> First
>>> 5 (
>>> http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=20&ms=NDk5NTMzNjES1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=ODAwODIyNjA5S0&mt=1&rt=0
>>> 
>>> app can help.
>>> 
>>> Visit Alicia Bruxvoort’s blog (
>>> http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=26&ms=NDk5NTMzNjES1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=ODAwODIyNjA5S0&mt=1&rt=0
>>> more
>>> encouragement and a special giveaway to help you look and listen.
>>> 
>>> REFLECT AND RESPOND: /
>>> Practice the habit of "listening with your eyes" this week. Keep a list of
>>> the
>>> ways you see God as you go about your everyday things.
>>> 
>>> Write an encouraging note or send a text to someone who may be lonely. Ask
>>> God
>>> to help that person "hear" His heart through your words.
>>> 
>>> © 2015 by Alicia Bruxvoort. All rights reserved.
>>> 
>>> Proverbs 31 Ministries /
>>> 630 Team Rd., Suite 100 /
>>> Matthews, NC 28105 /
>>> www.Proverbs31.org (
>>> http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=34&ms=NDk5NTMzNjES1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=ODAwODIyNjA5S0&mt=1&rt=0
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Proverbs 31 Ministries
>>> 630 Team Rd., Suite 100
>>> Matthews, NC 28105
>>> www.Proverbs31.org
>>> 
>>> 
>>> #################
>>> Subscription Info
>>> #################
>>> 
>>> This email was sent to ejshort3 at gmail.com by Bible Gateway, 3900 Sparks
>>> Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA. You received this newsletter because
>>> you signed for it on BibleGateway.com or one of its associated websites.
>>> If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, please contact us
>>> at support at biblegateway.com.
>>> 
>>> This newsletter is one of Bible Gateway's many devotional and other
>>> inspirational email newsletters. If you aren't subscribed but would like
>>> to receive it, please visit our newsletter sign-up page to do so:
>>> http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=28&ms=NDk5NTMzNjES1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=ODAwODIyNjA5S0&mt=1&rt=0
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Manage all Bible Gateway subscriptions:
>>> http://biblegateway.mkt4731.com/manage_subscriptions/manage_subscriptions?spMailingID=49953361&spUserID=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&spJobID=ODAwODIyNjA5S0&spReportId=ODAwODIyNjA5S0
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Opt Out of all Bible Gateway communication:
>>> http://biblegateway.mkt4731.com/optout_all_biblegateway/GlobalOpt-Out?spMailingID=49953361&spUserID=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&spJobID=ODAwODIyNjA5S0&spReportId=ODAwODIyNjA5S0
>> _______________________________________________
>> Faith-talk mailing list
>> Faith-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/faith-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Faith-talk:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/faith-talk_nfbnet.org/singingmywayin%40gmail.com
> 
> 
> -- 
> Danielle
> 
> Email: singingmywayin at gmail.com
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Faith-talk mailing list
> Faith-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/faith-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Faith-talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/faith-talk_nfbnet.org/dotwriter1%40gmail.com