Light of Hope



Light of Hope

Walking through the shadows of the Olympic Peninsula Rain Forest I marveled at the three hundred foot Sitka spruce trees. I felt as if I stepped into God’s cathedral. The trees were so tall sun light struggled to touch the bottom of the forest floor. All was silent, we whispered rather than spoke aloud. We felt as if something significant was about to happen― and then it did.

The clouds parted and the weak stream of light transitioned to brilliant golden rays bringing new sights and delights to our eyes that had been hidden in the shadows.

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world.

 If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness,

because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12 NLT

 

The moss hanging from the trees sparkled with droplets of sunshine looking every bit like a string of Christmas tree lights. Looking beneath the tree I saw a thin pathetic looking wild flower. Oh how it needed and depended on the power of the sunlight to survive and live.

Jesus calls himself the Light of the world. He is the Light that shines faithfully to guide us and strengthen us with hope through our darkest hours.

He is our pillar of Light to shield us from our enemies and lead us to victories when we turn and lift our hearts to Him― our Light of hope.

Like the weak stemmed flower

I have  hidden in the shadows

Of my sadness and sorrows

But Jesus came in my crisis hour

Bringing His love Light in sunlit showers

Filling my heart with hope by His power

His love lights my day and all my tomorrows.

 

“Light of Hope” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© January 31, 2014

 

The God Can List

 

The God Can List

I’m making a new list. It has a rather long title: Things I Can’t Do Anything about― but God Can!

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart;

 do not depend on your own understanding.”

 Proverbs 3:5 NLT

When cares and concerns flood our heart it’s the right time to pray and perhaps write them down on the God Can List.

 It’s wise to commit all our cares and concerns to the Lord. When they cross our mind from time to time let us think about them with faith and enthusiasm. Let us thank God in our prayers for His way of making those things on our list come true.

If we try to do and work out things out on our own we’ll be blocking the Lord’s blessings. Blessings He wants to give to us and to those who are on our heart. Our God is to work all things out for the good.

So let’s create our list of “I Can’t but God Can” and send it off to Him with a sigh of relief. In trusting God we can be assured He is working on them all, in His perfect timing, in His perfect way according to His perfect plan for our lives.

“The God Can List” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© January 30, 2014

Trust Courage and Snakes

 

 

Trust Courage and Snakes

It was my turn now. My turn, as a fifteen year old student, to climb the steps up to the podium at the state capitol in our state. It was my turn to give my speech to the other students in the mock government voting assembly. I was running for Sergeant at Arms and all I could think of was how my  arms and legs were shaking so hard I could barely walk. As I approached the microphone I stumbled and dropped my notes all over the floor!

  Oh, I thought I’d die right there on the spot of embarrassment. But then an odd thought came into my mind. That’s when I recalled, of all things, Moses and the snake.

“But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me?

 What if they say, ‘The LORD never appeared to you?

Then the LORD asked him, “What is that in your hand?”

“A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied.

“Throw it down on the ground,” the LORD told him.

So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back.

Then the LORD told him, “Reach out and grab its tail.”

So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd’s staff in his hand.”
 Exodus 4:1-4 NLT

 

Just like me, Moses had a fear of speaking in public, and it also was evident how much he feared snakes. But when God asked him to go back and pick it up, Moses didn’t hesitate. Sometimes, I realized, God will ask us to do a hard thing and go back to pick up the snake. We must trust in Him beyond our fears.  

We often worry about how events will unfold in our minds and then we panic over what might go wrong. But God doesn’t ask us to go where He has not provided for our means, where He will meet us there and give us the strength and the courage to complete it.

I didn’t win the election but I walked away with a happy heart that I completed the speech.  God had given me courage to pick myself up and carry on.

 Sometimes, at just the exact moment, God will bring us a memory of snakes to give us courage to let us know we can trust and depend on Him in the things He asks us to do.

 “When we try to do something on our own, fail and then realize that we must wait on Him, our hearts overflow with thanksgiving and praise as He rises up and does what we cannot do ourselves.”― Joyce Meyer, from Battlefield of the Mind”

 

“Trust Courage and Snakes” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© January 27, 2014

 

 

His Tracking Never Fails





Pelican in flight by Dee Kamp

His Tracking Never Fails

Watching the nature channels these days is seeing more than the fascinating lives of birds and animals but the amazing leaps and bounds in tracking technology. Now they can put a tracking device on everything from badgers to butterflies, whales to wolves, peregrine falcons to prairie dogs.

But despite all this new advanced technology the tracking devices fail. Craw, swim or fly, they still lose track of them or their equipment fails to function.  It’s so good to know that God, who cares for us more than all of these― never, not ever for a moment ― loses track of us.

“You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.

 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.

You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.

You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!” Psalm 139:2-6 NLT

 

We need never fear in any difficult circumstance we face to wonder if God is aware of our situation. No matter where on earth that may be, God will be right there beside us. God’s tracking of our life is guaranteed ―He will never fail us.

 

I will tell the Lord my longings and all my fears

I’ll roll out before Him my every care;

I cast upon Him all my burdens

And never will I doubt that He is always near.

 

“His Tracking Never Fails” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© January 23, 2014

Live Grow Thrive

 

 

Live Grow Thrive

I can still remember the first time I stood over my newly rototilled garden as a young bride and opened up that first seed packet. I was certain they had made a mistake because those celery and carrot seeds were ridiculously tiny!

 “Surely there’s been a mistake,” I exclaimed in amazement, “How can anything so small grow and become much at all?”

“Then Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?

 How can I illustrate it? It’ is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden;

 it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.”

Luke 13:18-19 NLT

 

I should have remembered Jesus’ parable about the mustard seed. But the point of His story was not about how to grow a mustard plant. Rather it’s all about our faith in God. Though our faith may feel too small to account for much with God it is guaranteed to sprout up, grow up strong and reach higher than we can ever imagine.  

 

Just like any garden there too is a weed that will come into the garden of our heart if we don’t watch out. It’s capable smothering our little seed of faith to become frail rather stronger every day to thrive and grow.

 

That weed is called doubt. But just as I was taught to put down newspapers and mulch to cover the weeds and smother the weeds, so too we must cover our doubts faithfully with the Word of God.

 

For a seed to grow still requires us to fulfill our responsibility to nourish it, water it and weed it every day. God can work miracles with our little seeds of faith to create much more than we can imagine for us to live, grow and thrive in His Kingdom forever.  

 

“Did you ever see a man sitting in his own orchard with the trees (which he planted with his own hand) pouring down their ripened fruit upon him, and he and his children and his grandchildren rejoicing in its beauty? That is the picture of a man who took the truth and planted it, and now he is sitting under the boughs that overarch him. His days are happy and his life is full of joy and usefulness.” Author Unknown

 

“Live Grow Thrive” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© January 20, 2014

Take the Long Way Home

Teal Lake by Dee Kamp

 

 

Take the Long Way Home

The other morning was one of those times I was struggling to find peace with the things that were heavy on my heart.  I spent a precious time with the Lord reading His Word and I felt a heavenly nudge to read Psalm 23. This Psalm always quiets my anxious heart. But on this day I only sighed as I read it. For the first time I just couldn’t see the beautiful word picture of this Psalm in the way it has always comforted me in the past. Little did I know then that the Lord was going to lead me to the real thing!

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

 he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.”

Psalm 23:1-3 NIV

I had an errand to run to the local post office in the village about five miles away. I drove my normal route down the highway and quickly finished the task. But when I got into the car to return home I heard in my heart, “Take the long way home”.

Why not? I thought, I am not in any hurry.

This longer way home winds its way up a little two lane road between the tall firs, hemlock and cedar trees. At the top of the hill is a little lake called Teal Lake. There are no houses or summer cabins around the lake and seldom visited in the winter.

 I forgot how I use to enjoy coming here years ago.  Without thinking twice I turned my car into the deserted parking lot, grabbed my camera and headed down to the little fishing dock. There wasn’t a sound, there was not a breeze and what I saw next made me catch my breath.

The lake was a beautiful mirror reflecting all the trees and the sky in picture-perfect splendor. I had been led to find rest by the still waters by my Shepherd.  Alone with God I sang to Him the 23^rd Psalm and laughed in delight at this unexpected encounter.

Sometimes it’s good to take the long way home and listen to one’s heart for that is where He lives. God knows our heart and He is faithful to provide just what we need to lift up our spirits, to increase our faith and to surprise us with His love in the most unexpected ways.

 “Take the Long Way Home” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© January 16, 2014

 

 

Safety of His Harbor

New Port Harbor  by Dee

Safety of His Harbor

A harbor full of tiny fishing boats , a huge man-made rock jetty and the Pacific Ocean in the distance was my privileged view while we visiting the Oregon Coast recently.

Storms on the Oregon Coast in the winter are of hurricane proportion. On this January day a huge storm was building up fast. With interest I observed the fishermen securing their boats to the docks in the little harbor. 

What a contrasting sight I was able to see from my window! The waves from the stormy sea were crashing over the rock jetty, but here in the little harbor all was calm as if by the hand of God.

”LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

 He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves.

What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor!”

 Psalm 107:28-30 NLT

 

God provides protection for all who seek Him for help. When we open our heart and cling to His promises we are brought into the safe harbor of His unfailing love.

He may not calm the storm right away, but He will tie us securely to Him and give us the strength to ride it out until all is calm once again.

 God stands as an ever-present, never-failing fortress, high above the swirling waves that threaten to dash our hopes and dreams. When we trust in Him, He will lead us into the safety of His harbor.

 

“Safety of His Harbor” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© January 14, 2014

Too Marvelous to Be Ignored

Photo by Dee Kamp

 

Too Marvelous To Be Ignored

Years ago my neighbor was always searching for ways to unwind, relax, and relieve herself of anxiety and tension. She tried many different things that were popular at the time from self-help books, to eventually taking a class on meditation.

“The problem is,” she bemoaned, “It doesn’t last. Soon I find myself in the same crazy, anxious state of mind, something is missing.”

 “The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul.

The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy making wise the simple.

The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD are clear giving insight for living.

Psalm 19:7-8 NLT

Recent scientific studies reveal that those who took the time to meditate showed a surprising and positive effect in their brain-even when they were no longer actively doing it! Further on in the study when they took images of the brain in a region linked to anxiety they discovered that meditation and prayer had actually shrunk the region of the brain linked to anxiety!

There is power in prayer and meditation in God’s Word. Prayer is too great to be a last resort and to marvelous to be ignored.

Prayer and meditation of the Bible is able to change more than circumstances― it’s able to transform the human mind, mend a broken heart, heal the body, and revive the soul.

The power of prayer and meditation brings us long lasting peace well into our day, and on through our nights. They will sustain us through all the days we journey while here on earth.

Time alone with God in prayer and meditation will shrink those anxieties, expand our faith and give us the strength we need for today and bright hope for all our tomorrows.  

 

“Too Marvelous to Be Ignored” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© January 13, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hidden Lakes

Mountain Lake by Dee Kamp

 

Hidden Lakes

How do I describe the first moment of surprise when coming around the bend on the high mountain trail to see the hidden lake in its pure untouched beauty?

“Tears of joy will stream down their faces, and I will lead them home with great care.

They will walk beside quiet streams and on smooth paths where they will not stumble…

They will come home and sing songs of joy on the heights of Jerusalem.

They will be radiant because of the LORD’s good gifts―”

Jeremiah 31:9, 12 NLT

 

I had been afraid for a long time about heights. But that summer as a teenager I had the opportunity to climb with a small group in the Olympic Mountains. Though we would be led by a professional guide for the overnight trip― I was still very afraid.

            I was young and healthy and prepared physically for the hike. But not prepared at all for how my heart would leap for joy and tears would spill from my eyes at the sight of such pristine splendor. It was one of God’s most memorable lessons for me.

Let us aspire to go higher, upward and beyond. Let the Lord lead us to higher ground to live at our best and know we never go it alone.  

Though steepness and ruggedness may discourage us, the Lord does not want us to stay in the valley but walk on, walk up the mountains we face in life. He never asks us to take giant leaps but one baby step at a time with Him.  

If we stay in the mists of the valley we’ll never discover the mystery and beauty of hidden lakes and more of what God is eager for us to discover with faith in Him.

“Hidden Lakes” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© January 2, 2014