A Spirit of Unity

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May the God

who gives endurance and encouragement

give you a spirit of unity among yourselves

as you follow Christ Jesus,

Roman 15:5

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A team functions fully when the members are of one mind.

This is especially true in marriages and church fellowships.

The best way to be unified is for each person to be following the Leader

and keeping his/her eyes focused on the Leader at all times.

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The Lord grants us endurance

to walk by faith each day

and fills our hearts with love

for each other along the way.

Wendy/2015

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I love my husband, family and church best by loving God with all my heart, mind, and soul first.

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Blessings as you follow Christ first and foremost ~ Wendy

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Can you think of another verse or quote that promotes unity in a family or other group setting?

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Be at Rest

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Be at Rest

Because our God is good

my soul can be at rest

for God is in control

and works all things for best

Wendy/ 2015

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Each day I pick out a Bible verse from my morning reading and write it down in my journal. Then I pen out my thoughts and prayers. Most quiet times I’m also able to write a short poem in response to what I’ve read. Later I find one of my own pictures from my files to share with the verse and poem. My Facebook page features these on most days between Mon-Fri.

If you enjoyed today’s post, I’d love it invite you to follow my Facebook page.

You can view my Facebook feed below at the bottom of this blog page or click on the link below that opens a new page.

http://facebook.com/greenlightlady

Take a peek and see if it’s for you or not.

My main blog is at http://www.wendylmacdonald.com

At Rest Blessings ~ Wendy

New Blog Announcement and Invitation

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Trust in the Lord’s power

to provide a way

for we’re at our strongest

when we kneel down to pray

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Wendy/2015

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My main blog has moved to http://www.wendylmacdonald.com

It’s a big scary step for me,

but my blog was running out of space,

and I know there’s so much more I’d like to do.

The new blog looks much like my old one,

and I’ve moved all my old posts over to it.

I’d love it if you came and checked it out.

Leave a comment so I know you were there and can visit you back.

Blessings ~ Wendy

˙·٠•●♥ Do I Love My Neighbor? ♥●•٠·˙

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Do I Love My Neighbor?

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Do I love my neighbor

the one who can’t give back

or only greet my special friends

and not the ones who lack?

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Do I love the outcast

the one who sits alone

or do I cast a stone-faced glance

that cuts right to the bone?

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Do I love the sinner

who acknowledges her need of grace

or do I deny my own deeds of shame

and promptly turn away?

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Do I love Jesus

the One who saves repentant lambs?

Then I must also love

all the sons and daughters of man.

~ 

Wendy ❀ 2015

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But I tell you:

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,

and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

If you love those who love you,

what reward will you get?

And if you greet only your brothers,

what are you doing more than others?

Do not even the pagans do that?

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 Matthew 5:44-48   

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I recently heard of a young lady

who refused to hang out with friends

unless they were dolled-up with makeup (like she was).

Wow.

Just wow.

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But then I remembered the time I shunned someone

because she wasn’t dolled-up with soap and a shower.

And I didn’t like the farm odors

emanating from her clothing.

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And I was so wrong to do that.

Thankfully, I got with God’s program shortly after,

and I warmly welcomed her

the next time we ran into each other.

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She’s a beautiful mother of a large family.

When you live on a dairy farm,

you’re bound to occasionally carry a fragrance

like that of a barn or a  manger.

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If it was good enough for the King,

then it’s more than good enough for me.

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I didn’t deserve a second chance.

But our God is the God of second chances,

while we’re still on this pasture.

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Do you love your neighbor?

I’m asking God to fill me with His Love

so that it overflows

with the good deeds of His choosing.

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I want to be dolled-up with God’s unconditional love.

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Blessings of Love ~ Wendy ❀

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Wrapped with Love ❤

On Christmas Day

God sent us

a gift swaddled with Love

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Wrapped with Love

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What’s this new present under the tree?

It wasn’t there on Christmas Eve

And what’s inside doesn’t matter to me

It’s about the love of our family

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So many prayers have been said

each night as I laid upon my bed

and each need of grace now in my head

inspires my words now written instead

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Only a parent could understand

the love for a child now a man

and how this bond continues its plan

until time’s final grain of sand

~

Wendy ❀ 2014

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Your gift reminds me

of the One God gave

wrapped with love on Christmas Day.

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Our treasured gifts have been the time we’ve spent with our teenagers.

We were so proud of them as they sat in front of us at The Hobbit movie.

They were more considerate and quiet than a myriad of adults

whose mobile devices were interrupting the show

with flashes, ring-a-lings, and other silliness.

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We were so proud of our teenagers when they were willing to go for a walk

with us on Christmas Eve to view

our neighborhood lights that are the talk of the town.

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 We were touched when all of them sat and watched

It’s a Wonderful Life

with us,

instead of chatting with their online friends.

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They reminded us of what God cares about.

A personal relationship.

~ Love ~

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Blessings of Christmas Love ~ Wendy ❀

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But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

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Fair Skies

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In this you greatly rejoice,

though now for a little while

you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

These have come so that your faith–

of greater worth than gold,

which perishes even though refined by fire–

may be proved genuine and may result in praise,

 glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1:6-7

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Fair Skies

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When skies are fair

It’s easy to believe

that goodness will prevail

and all is well with me

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When skies are gray

It’s faith I need to see

beyond pewter clouds

to the God of Peace

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Wendy ❀ 2014

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Recently my husband, Ian, and I walked through one of our favorite parks.

Paradise Meadow is pristine.

We had a small lunch and coffee by a lake… heavenly.

I enjoyed a refreshing swim while Ian cooled off his feet.

God knew we needed this little respite,

 and we thanked Him for it–profusely.

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We’d just come through  the gray clouds of uncertainty that we’d been under for over a year.

We knew Ian’s job was coming to an end,

 since the company was closing its doors this month.

But we chose not to panic–we prayed and waited

and worried  (Christians aren’t supposed to worry).

My husband ended up having a choice between three good options.

He chose the one that brought peace and provision.

Now we’re praising God for leading us back under clear skies.

There will be more clouds to walk under in this life…

but God…

will be there too .

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Fair Sky Blessings ~ Wendy ❀

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(Seeing God work in this part of our life

 gives me hope to keep trusting

 regarding our parenting prayers.)

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You Know Best

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You Know Best

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My heart  faints in this desert land

where water’s needed from your Word

I see the fruit of wicked thoughts

and wonder how you bear what’s heard

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The raucous songs of sinful tongues

are sung along this earthly road

where victims of the lyrics lie

without a peaceful place to go

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Even within the rooms of homes

others can harm those in their care

 again I wonder how You stand

to see such hurting everywhere

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Yet I still hope upon your grace

that You know best and see it all

For not one hair of your servant’s head

goes unnoticed when it falls.

~

Wendy ❀ 2014

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At night,

when I rest my head on my pillow,

 my thoughts usually turn to the news and events of the day.

Recently I asked God how He can stand it all.

How can He bear the sounds of crying mothers,

and how does He cope with the broken hearts of fathers

who struggle to protect their families?

The morning after asking God these questions,

I found today’s verses and posted them on these pictures.

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Old pains

won’t come to mind

on the new earth.

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Joyful Heart Blessings ~ Wendy ❀

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A Gentle Whisper

He reached down from on high

and took hold of me;

 he drew me out of deep waters.

He rescued me from my powerful enemy,

from my foes,

who were too strong for me.

They confronted me in the day of my disaster,

but the Lord was my support.

He brought me out into a spacious place;

 he rescued me because he delighted in me.

Psalm 18:16-19

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A Gentle Whisper

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It was a gentle whisper

that turned my heart to Him

I was alone and starving

my tears unshed within

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There seemed no hope for my life

although I strived in vain

I sought for worldly pleasures

but they only brought me pain

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It was a gentle whisper

that caused my heart to turn

For Christ was gently knocking

as I was soon to learn

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There are so many starving

and may we always pray

Lord, give us a gentle voice

that we might feed a heart today.

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Wendy/1984

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My Twitter profile says,

My faith is not shallow,

because I’ve been rescued from the deep.

Each time someone notices it and comments,

I tell them that maybe one day

 I’ll write a book about that rescue.

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I was rescued over three decades ago from eating disorders.

It’s not something I talk about much.

But I know that I was not healed to keep it all to myself.

I wrote the above poem a few months after my healing in 1984.

Do you have a story that you’re supposed to tell?

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Healing Blessings ~ Wendy

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I love you, O Lord, my strength.

Psalm 18:1 

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Worry Not

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Who of you by worrying

can add a single hour to his life?

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,

and all these things will be given you as well.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

 Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:27 & 33-34

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What is Worry?

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What is worry?

Is it the wish for life to hurry

to the happy ending part

the page that doesn’t stress our heart?

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What is worry?

Is it an irritating fury

that things again have gone awry

and not according to our pride?

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What is worry?

Is it our vision going blurry

when our eyes are off the ball

and we forget Christ sees it all? 

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Wendy ❀ 2014

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 I’ve been tempted to worry more than usual lately…

so this post is for me.

But I thought I’d share just in case you need it too.

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Worry Free Blessings †

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Established in Love ✟

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So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,

continue to live in him,

rooted and built up in him,

strengthened in faith as you were taught,

and overflowing with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:6-7

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Why do lambs always make me think of my Lord?

Is it because I’m prone to wander?

Is it because the world sometimes seems

 more like a pig pen than a green pasture

and I long for heaven?

Or is it because I have a Good Shepherd watching out for me?

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It’s all of the above and more.

Once upon a time

way back in the New Testament days

a pure, holy, and spotless Lamb was sacrificed for me

and for  you.

Christ paid my sin debt—and yours.

He rose from the dead

 and one day He’s coming back for me 

and you (if you’re one of his sheep).  

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As always—it’s all about Jesus.

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so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

 And I pray that you,

being rooted and established in love,

may have power,

together with all the saints,

to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,

and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—

that you may be filled

to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:17-19

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Here’s the ABC’s of the gospel (How I became one of God’s sheep). 

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 A- I admitted that I was a sinner. 

 B- I believed(trusted) that Jesus died for me.

 C- I confessed that Jesus is my Lord and Savior.

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Sheep Fold Blessings ❀ Wendy

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