For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—
his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen Romans 1:20
The word seek appears 244 times in the Bible.
Bible Meaning: Two different Hebrew words are used to express the idea of seeking. The first word is darash, which means to inquire or search carefully, and the second is bakash, which means to request something desired.
Why are we driven to seek?? What are our passions?? What are our desires? We all seek something or someone in this life??? How do we ensure what we chase, once we capture it.? Is it even worth the chase?? I find the key question is? What does it bring to your life? Does it fill your need? Does it show you kindness? Does it show you compassion? Does it heal your wounds? Does it hold your heart when needed? Does it love you unconditionally? Does it give you unimaginable joy? Does it give you peace?
If you say yes to all the above that is probably a good start. However, if I ask you does it promise and deliver eternal life? I know of no other something or someone that can deliver this claim ...
He also is seeking our hearts and will chase us to the ends of the universe! He has a magnetic pull on our souls... I have felt what His seeking can bring. It’s beyond words? He has captured my heart and whispers to my soul. I can only pray that I can live up to His desire for my life and that my actions make it worth His chase.
As I have stated I am a work in progress. And look to Him for guidance daily. For those seeking answers to life’s questions, seek Him and you shall find him, and he will fill your life with abundance more than you can ever imagine.
He warms our hearts with an unexplainable LOVE. It is a “soulful” experience with an eternal life impact!!
“And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 KJV
“I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me.” Proverbs 8:17 KJV
“But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 KJV
With a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever.
Psalm 136:12-13
God apparently thinks hands are pretty important as the word hand appears 1466 times in the Bible and the plural word hands appears 462 times.
Hand the part of the body at the end of the arm that is used for holding, moving, touching.
I thought this word would be pretty straight forward. Butas I began to study the word. I found that there is more... there is always more in this fascinating book we know as the Bible.
Hands, If we are lucky we are blessed with two that are very functional. I do believe we take them for granted unless they fail us in some way... The hands can show the scars of life. They can be as gentle as a raindrop falling from the sky. They can hold a newborn child with such care and grace. Hands can softly touch a life.
The hands do so much! Did you know that the human hand has only 27 bones? I personally found this surprising. I thought our hand had many more...
But then my thoughts drifted to the Bible and the significance of hands. My mind could only think of Jesus. As a young carpenter, He used His hands to build, repair, and carve intricate wood pieces into beautiful masterpieces.
I envision His hands to be strong, gentle, loving. So, when I think about how His beautiful hands and the scars, He received because of a great love..breaks my heart.
All I can say is why? Why Him?Why couldn't we stop it?I don’t understand how He still loves us enough to hold us so tenderly in His scarred hands? It's a love that boggles the mind and surpasses all human understanding. Can we love Him enough to soothe not just the scars in His hands but also the scars He carries within His heart? How can we convey the grief we feel for what He endured? He was such a precious life and such an amazing soul. Such a gift to all humanity...
His hands hold our hearts and protect us from pain even today. His hands can and do facilitate miracles and they can offer His healing touch.
If I could just be in His presence. I would need no words.I would just caress and softly kiss His hands. His beautiful caring hands.
His hands have held my heart and soothed my soul. When no one could understand my pain. He was there.His LOVE has never failed me.
It’s Him, it’s always Him.
"Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of [my] hands; thy walls [are] continually before me." Isaiah 49:16
“And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.” Luke 24:50 KJV
Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until
it becomes a memory. Dr. Suess
There are 30 verses referencing memories in the Bible.
Meaning of memories is something remembered from the past; a recollection:
Our memories can hold so many hidden secrets of the heart. They can bring joy. They can bring sadness, some cause anxiety, and some can be the most amazing heartfelt times of our lives. We share these precious moments with the people that God places in our path.
Some people will not remember what you wore, the car you drove, or the card you gave. They will however remember the time, care, and love you gave them. They will remember how you made them feel... So, never waste a moment to share love and life. Make memories, capture photos, write down your inner most thoughts. I promise one day they will be cherished.
To further dive into this word and how this word relates to the Bible, a book that until recently, I thought happened to be old news and difficult to understand. However, I have discovered it truly is a masterpiece of the love of monumental proportions.
When I search for answers, I always look to Jesus. Today is no different. I began by questioning my memories of Him? And then I realized that I can only remember Him through the memories of others. We are so blessed that God instructed His followers to write and paint us a beautiful picture of His Life, His Love, His Kindness, and Wisdom. These amazing souls poured out their hearts into every page of this amazing book.
Jesus is quoted in saying “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19 He is asking us to never forget this beautiful memory and the promise He has given us all, of eternal life.
These are indeed beautiful memories of our Savior.
However, we are also taught that memories do not end in the last chapter. The revelation truly comes when we realize that our Savior is still alive making new memories with us each and every day !!
To embrace and make these memories become a reality. We just need to invite Him into our hearts and watch your soul dance the dance of life.
Write your story and paint your life with the most amazing colors they will be your testimony and you will live in the hearts of other generations.
He still WOWs me!!
It's Him. It’s always Him!!
You will find it difficult to not fall in LOVE...
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. Isaiah 65:17
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life. KJV
Photography, Design & Written by Lori Garner Bible Verses From KJV, Easy / Sinner's Prayer
Every second of every day is the opportunity for a new beautiful beginning. Embrace it, Love it! Own it! (LG)
The word "beginning" occurs 107 times in the King James Version of the Bible.
Meaning of beginning a point in time or space at which something starts:
Sometimes the scariest thing is the beginning. The uncertainties. The expectations, The unknown?? It can bring a rush of emotions excitement, joy, fear, and anxiety just to name a few??
Somehow, we all have faced the beginning of something new ... New locations, new friends, new job, new school, newfound loves, new passions, and the list goes on. There are times when we feel we are in control and then there are the times we are on a journey that seems to have a life of its own. Are we on autopilot ? or is there a Godly presence that has our destiny in His control?
As I pondered this and looked at scriptures for answers? I found a scripture that states “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Hmm crazy as this sounds, I love thinking about this verse as we think of life... Knowing God was there at the beginning of life, and He has held us in his loving hands and loved us through this amazing journey. He makes me smile.
This verse also gives us comfort knowing He will be there at the end of this life as we know it... But wait!! He has also promised us life for eternity in exchange for loving Him above all else.
So, let’s put the two together and see this as an amazing LOVE Story! His love for us started at the beginning of life and He has loved us through our entire journey. He has loved us through all of life's trials. The happy..the sad..the wins.. the losses..and all the victories small and large. The beauty of His promise of love is it will continue until we take our last breath.
But if we believe Him and His word it’s not the end, it is a beautiful new beginning with God for eternity... He chose each of us before the world began ...It's what we do with this gift of life that will determine how and with whom we will spend eternity. What type of impact and memories we leave and intrust with others on this earth will determine our soul's future residence.
I would pray that when that time comes we can raise our hands and say I am present God count me in! I am ready for the beginning of this new adventure. Let's do it!
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."John 3:16
“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:26-27 NIV
“A long time ago, the Lord had me. He had me before he created anything. The Lord chose me in the beginning before the world began.”Proverbs 8:22-23 EASY
Photography, Design & Written by Lori Garner Bible Verses From KJV, NIV, Easy / Sinner's Prayer
The dance of the jellyfish. Beauty, grace and a peaceful a moment in time can set your mood for the entire day.
Meditate is found in the King James Version 14 times.
Meditation is a practice of concentrated focus to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and enhance personal and spiritual growth.
The Bible often speaks about the value of meditation in the Spirit. It places the focus of meditation on the word of God before the act of prayer.
In my journey meditation just happened. It was something that was not planned. Because truly I had no former knowledge on the subject. Or why this practice was even something people even enjoyed. It’s a practice that just evolved into a place where I could go to God with no preconception or judgment. I could discuss anything that was transpiring in my life. However, I can say the time spent in prayer with Him has been nothing short of amazing. I have found peace, I have found love and I have found answers to many of my questions.
In my search to know more about this path, God had placed me on. And also having a desire to ensure that everything I did, was in-line with His teachings. I questioned and researched everything and meditation was no different. This was indeed a challenging time, as I knew very little about God, and this spiritual walk I was now on. I would say, I was getting my information in bits and pieces and doing my best to put things together in my own head.
I found many mixed opinions on mediation. Some love it, some are skeptical, some merely do not understand. Some have pointed out it is not a Christian practice, and maybe I should talk to my pastor. And that's ok.
I can only speak from my heart and my experience. I have researched and found many scriptures in the Bible that support meditation. The only significant point is that you start your meditation in God’s word. Meditation has broadened my prayer life and has helped me grow spiritually. I have been asked what steps I take when I meditate.
First, let me set the stage for my meditation escape. I do not sit in any pretzel position nor do I chant any rituals. I sit in a comfortable lazy boy chair. Kick it back. Use a warm blanket. Burn frankincense incense. I use earbuds and listen to music that speaks to my soul...
Once I am ready, I start by praying, breathing, and relaxing. I soon find that sweet spot before I drift into a deep sleep. There is where a story seems to unfold ... These stories have actually fed my heart and soul. Once the story finishes unfolding, I immediately sit up and write down my experience.
Here is one example of one of my many meditations.
Meditation 8:45
I stumbled across a meditation for healing the body. My thought, "I have no complaints" But then I thought my heart❣still carries a scar.
So, I settled in made myself comfortable, and listened to the narrator. And my mind’s eye brought me here.
I was laying down on a soft comfortable bed. My arms were stretched out as wide as they would allow. My palms were open facing upward. My feet were crossed at the ankle.
I was drifting into a subconscious peaceful state of mind. When my chest began to open slowly. A radiating light began to illuminate softly from my chest. The light carried flecks of sparkles that began to float upward. I could see my heart.
It was not my human heart, but it appeared to look like an artist's rendition of a 3-dimensional deep red heart. My heart started to open as well, allowing light and flecks to join the existing light. They seemed to join this illuminating dance upward. When my heart opened fully a white dove appeared and in slow motion began to fly upward within this amazing light.
There was peaceful freedom felt. This vision lasted for a short while. I felt a peace in my heart and love in my soul, and the mediation ended.
Lesson: The Holy Spirit will free your soul. Thus, giving you an indescribable Peace in your heart. Knowing that God is now holding the cause of your heartache in his hands and will handle it from here.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law doth he meditate day and night." ... "Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word." Psalms 119:148, KJV.
And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare, and two cubits were the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same. Ex 37:25 KJV
I will meditate on all Your work And muse on Your deeds. Psalms 77:12
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law, he meditates day and night.". Psalms 1:2
Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31 – (NIV)
Character is it inherited? Or is it molded by life? We can only build our character daily by the way we think and conduct our behavior, thought by thought, action by action.
We are all a work in progress and can miss the mark at any given moment. We are human. But there is always room for improvement no matter what stage of life we are presently in... However, in order to improve we need to identify the character traits we want to emulate.
So, I decided to use Jesus as my role model. here are a few descriptive words I have put together to describe our perfect Savior.
I am sure this list only scratches the surface. However, as I constructed my list my thoughts went here ... Wow, He truly is perfect!!! I can only pray that I take each word into my heart and try each day to make them a way of life. I know It’s impossible to fill his shoes but if we follow in His footsteps it can only improve our own character thought by thought, action by action. one year, one month, one week, one day at a time...
Join me in my quest ... Let His light shine through our imperfections as we hone in on building our own character. You may even be amazed that the changes in you will unfold a beautiful life that has just been waiting to bloom.
He still WOWs me.
“Do what I teach you to do. Listen to my message and learn from me what is true. I am very kind, and I do not make myself important. I will help you. Then you will have peace in your mind. I will not tell you to do things that are too difficult. I will not tell you to carry anything that is too heavy for you." Matthew 11:29-30 ️
“The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.” Matthew 12:35
Photography, Design & Written by Lori Garner
Bible Collaboration - Joann Turnbull
Bible Verses From KJV, / Sinner's Prayer Inspiring Music: YouTube
To the person who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness. 2. Ecclesiastes 2:
The Hebrew word Sadeh meaning field is applied to any cultivated ground, and in some instances in marked opposition to the neighboring wilderness. There are 7 Bible verses that mention the word field.
A field such an innocuous yet strange, simplistic word to study? However, this study found a depth that explains why it even appeared before me. When we think of a field, we see land for as far as the eye can see. We can see where the sky meets the earth.
When this field is rich it produces a harvest that can sustain life. So, when we look at its beauty, do we wonder did God create the field? Or did He create the land for a man to cultivate and harvest? I do believe God could have created either one, the land, or the field. As he is in control of everything.
However, He loved us so much he created man with the ability, to have dreams and visions enough to create amazing things. Thus, giving us a feeling of purpose, and accomplishment in life. It truly is an amazing gift from His heart. He has always shared the best of Himself with us. He shared His beautiful story of how he created wonders from nothing and man from simple dust. His creativity amazes me at every turn.
How do His creations differ from ours? When we take the time to truly look at the things that we have created. We must stop and realize... We can only create because He has given us life, He has given us the tools and He has given us all unique gifts. For without Him, nothing is possible. So, when you find yourself in a field of doubt? Find Him! Plant the seeds! Look to the horizon! And give Him thanks for the harvest!! 🌱
Remember no one said, the road of life would be easy. However, God has promised us to stand beside us and guide us. He will hold us when we have doubts. He will celebrate our victories. So, keep Him as close as the breath He gave you at birth. Feel Him in your soul. He will be your strength, He will be your refuge, He will be your peace, He will become the vision for our future. Take his hand and walk with Him. Go now and create a life that will lead Him to say, my child with you I am well pleased.
It’s Him it’s always Him!!
“Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.” Psalms 96:12-13 KJV
Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. John 4:35
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalms 51:10
Circumcision is mentioned nearly 100 times in the Bible. It is a central focus for the Old Testament and New Testament theology.The meaning of Circumcision: The action or practice of circumcising a young boy or man.
It’s a procedure that has been used for centuries. There are many who see this subject as one that needs special care to execute and or even discuss.
Circumcisions are normally done for medical or religious reasons. And this type of circumcision can be studied by individuals at another time and place.
As my curiosity wanted to know more about this word and why in the early part of my journey. I prayed multiply times and stated that God circumcised my heart? But why would I use this word to describe this light-hearted feeling? As many of you know I journal my prayers so I can revisit them and know where this incredible walk with God has taken me. So, I will share a peek into my heart where I actually used this curious word.
Teach me how to touch hearts in my world. Help me understand my past hurts. I know they have helped you mold my heart. You have circumcised the layers of my heart. And made me truly FEEL... The rawness is beautifully painful but necessary for growth. I understand this, but it does not diminish the pain that I have felt. But on the flip side, I have also felt your great LOVE. It’s like no other.
You are an amazing teacher of LOVE and LIFE. I am grateful for you!!!”
A circumcised heart is an amazing cleansing and freedom of the heart! Many of you have witnessed these changes in me over the course of two years. Now you know what you were witnessing was an outward view of God's beautiful work from within... I won't lie, It has had some low, sad times, but it has had some of the most amazing high times of my life. I am a work in progress, and I feel He is not finished with me yet. Every day is quite a spiritual adventure.
To further help me understand the meaning of a circumcised heart. I will share the scripture I found in the Bible.
“Also, because you are united with Christ, you truly belong to God's people. No person has circumcised you to show this. It is like Christ himself has circumcised you, to show that you belong to God. It is like he has cut off your old nature which made you do bad things.” Colossians 2:11 EASY
Are you surprised that this is in the Bible? I am not. It’s been an amazing eye and heart-opening experience.
It’s His Fault!!! And I love Him for it!
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”
Ezekiel 36:26 KJV
“Not everyone who seems to be a Jew is really a Jew who belongs to God. God does not accept a man just because someone has circumcised that man's body. No! A true Jew is someone who belongs to God in his spirit. He belongs to God because God's Spirit has changed his life. It is like God has circumcised him in his spirit, not in his body. The rules in God's Law cannot do that work in a person. Other people may not praise a person like that, but God will praise him.”
You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.
Psalms 119:114
The idea of hiding is not foreign to the Bible, as the Old Testament mentions it over 200 times, and the New Testament, 35 times.The meaning of hide put or keep out of sight; conceal from the view or notice of others:
Hide me from harm, hide me from persecution as my soul weeps from scars that I have felt deep within my soul. Because I was not equipped to know the beauty of your LOVE. I was bewildered by the vastness of this LOVE. I did not have the foundation and knowledge of how to contain this gift. So, my actions may have caused questions in the minds of others. Sad that some did not take the time to understand the magnitude of this precious gift.
However, you had other plans for me. You hid me, you held me in your loving arms. You gave me refuge. You strengthen me each day. You walked with me, you have held my hand and have shown me the way. You have lifted me when I was down. You have protected me, you are my fortress in the darkness of night. You have taught me your ways. You have placed loving souls in my path to support this journey of Life. You have poured this LOVE into my soul. You have been my hiding place when I have felt confused. You have been my hiding place when I have felt a sadness for the loss of love. You were my hiding place when I did not know what tomorrow would bring. You loved me through the night and brought me to see each new sunrise and the true beauty of your face.
Your love has soothed my heart, it has given me peace in my soul. My trust in you has grown far beyond words. My love for you has become ingrained in the very essence of who I am. Hide me, stay with me, guide me. Show me your heart. Show me your soul, let me feel this beauty you possess. Let me hear the music of life that you sing. Take me to places I have yet to see...
It’s you! It has always been you. Since the beginning of time, you have opened your heart to anyone who is willing to listen to the sweet whisper of your voice.
I AM... Him!! Today, tomorrow and yours until the end of time.
Isaiah 4:6 It will be a shelter from daytime heat and a hiding place from storms and rain.
Psalm 119:113-17 I hate those who are double-minded, But I love Your law. You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word. Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God. Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope! Hold me up, that I may be safe, and have regard for your statutes continually!
