Tag: cross

March Hope Whispers

Trudy Den Hoed20 Comments

God Promises Us

“For God so loved the world
that He gave His one and only Son, 
that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish but have eternal life. 
For God did not send His Son
into the world to condemn the world,
but to save the world through Him.”
John 3:16-17

“And if the Spirit of Him who raised
Jesus from the dead lives in you,
He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead
will also give life to your mortal bodies
through His Spirit, who lives in you.”
Romans 8:11

Hope Quotes

“God doesn’t sweep the broken up into a dustpan and discard it. In order to reach the broken in our world, God Himself broke, allowing His own Son to die a broken death on a cross for us. God brings beauty in the broken. God loves the broken. God uses the broken.” – Elisa Morgan

“We can trust that our Painter is exposing us, lifting us onto His brush, placing us in the intense pressure between the bristles and the canvas for something more beautiful that we can imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21).” – Becky Elie

“Your Heavenly Daddy loves to be with you. Not because you are doing anything for Him, but simply because you are His.” – Renee Swope

Nature Retreat

“Stop every now and then.
Just stop and enjoy.
Take a deep breath.
Relax and take in
the abundance of life.”
~ Anonymous ~

Thank you to my brother John
for these stunning photos.
🙂 Please respect copyright laws. 🙂

Hummingbird Nest in My Brother’s Backyard
The eggs are as small as coffee beans.
You can see how small the nest is compared to the thorns. An average nest is only 1.5 inches, about the size of a large walnut.
Las Cienegas National Conservation Area
Did you know a Pronghorn can run up to 60 mph?
Black-Tailed Prairie Dog
Old Historic Ranch also at Las Cienegas NCA

Soul Longings to Know Jesus More

Trudy Den Hoed26 Comments

“My goal is to know Him
and the power of His resurrection
and the fellowship of His sufferings,
being conformed to His death.”
Philippians 3:10 HCSB

Lord Jesus Christ,
I Want to Know You

I want to really, truly know You. Deeply, personally, intimately. In the depths of my soul. To believe in You, not just about You. I want Your desires and Your passions to become mine. I want to “know” You so well that I will live and breathe You with every step I take in this life.

I Want to Know the Power of Your Resurrection

I want to not only believe You rose from the dead, but that it was personally for me. That You left my sins buried there in the grave, and now I am truly free. I don’t want to live weighed down with a heavy burden of my own sins and the sins against me. I want to be freed from the chains of shame. I want to inwardly experience that same power that rose You from the dead, to be saturated in and fired up with Your resurrection power in me that I will live for You with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind. That I will live in and through You and Your power with every fiber of my being. That I will fly freely for You.

I Want to Know the Fellowship of Your Sufferings

I want to grasp more deeply how much You suffered for me. How You suffered such excruciating pain out of Your deep love for me. But Lord, sometimes it’s so hard to ask to know more of the fellowship of Your sufferings, because I know that means I, too, must learn what it is to suffer. But You have said that if I want to share in Your glory, I must also share in Your suffering. And Lord, I know You have taught me more about You and the bottomless depths of Your love through sufferings. It is through sufferings that I learn to be more like You. It is through sufferings that I experience more of the power of Your resurrection. But oh, Lord, no matter what kind of sufferings I go through in this life, it will never, ever be even a speck of what You have suffered for me. What body, mind, and soul anguish You endured! Thank You, Jesus, for Your unconditional, fathomless, faithful love!

I Want to Become More Like You in Your Death

I want to continually be conformed to Your likeness. In the inward depths of my soul. I want to die to myself and live for You. I want my selfish desires to fall away. I want You to increase and me to decrease. I want to be so planted into the likeness of Your death that I will willingly take up my cross and follow You, no matter what the cost. I want to be ready to suffer for Your sake. Please, Lord, make me strong in You and for You.

“Jesus Is Alive”
by Fellowship Creative

“Captured By Your Love
That You Would Give Your Life
Oh I Stand Amazed that
Jesus Is Alive”

 

Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

Trudy Den Hoed16 Comments

Jesus

A Troubled Heart Cries

My body aches and is so weary, Lord

Coughing wracks my ribs

Waking me in the night

Brain fog muffles my thinking

I’m so tired of being tired, Lord

My heart is discouraged

Because of unanswered prayers

For those I hold dear

Unmet longings

Leave empty aches

And my heart is sad

Because of my doubting

Your mercy and faithfulness

I’m weary in body and soul

I want to go to You forever

But it isn’t yet Your time for me

My story is not yet finished

I want to trust You, Lord

I know I can pour out my heart to You always

But please help me to focus my eyes

On what You have suffered for me, Lord

Oh, so incomprehensibly more

Than anyone else has ever suffered

What humiliation and degradation

What rejection and abandonment

What pain as the whip lashed Your back

And the reed slammed the thorns into Your head

What agony as Your flesh stretched

From the nails of the cross

So alone and forsaken

Angry, accusing, mocking words

Pierced the heart of Your soul

Yet no matter how filled You were

With inexpressible anguish

And extreme fatigue

You suffered with joy

Of what You would gain for us

Your heart overflowing with love

For sinners like me

Thank You, Precious Jesus!

Godwhispers

Yes, My precious child

Pour out your troubled heart

But fix your eyes upon Me

For the joy set before Me

I endured the cross

Scorning its shame

Out of love for your soul

Consider Me who endured

Such opposition

From evil men

So that You will not

Grow weary

And lose heart

Do not be discouraged

Because of grief here on earth

Trials are meant to mold You

More into My image

So that you also can

Love others as I love you

Fix your eyes upon Me

My precious child

As I hold your hand

and lead you in this life

And when you are too weary to walk

I will carry you

Gently and lovingly

Be strong and courageous

Your story here is

Not yet finished

I am writing it

So be assured

All that’s broken

Will surely become beautiful

And will glorify Me

Your ever-faithful

Your deeply loving

Savior and Friend.

Can We Give Up All for Jesus?

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,
the Author and Finisher of our faith,
who for the joy set before Him endured the cross,
scorning its shame, and sat down
at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider Him who endured
such opposition from sinful men,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

~ Hebrews 12:2-3

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“Blessings” by Laura Story

May we fix our eyes on Jesus
and His suffering for us!
Oh, how He loves us!

Signature

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Linking up with: 

Holley – Coffee For Your Heart 

Jennifer – Tell His Story 

Kelly – Cheerleaders of Faith

Bonnie – Faith Barista’s Beloved Brews