Our Great Burden Bearer

Basket full of flowers by Dee Kamp

Our Great Burden Bearer

The Autumn L.L. Bean catalogue arrived the other day. Several pages have a bold promise of backpacks that will ease away one’s heavy burden by its new ergonomic designs. This new back pack doesn’t take way the burden, it just shifts the load a bit.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone would come up to you, lift and carry away what is burdening not what’s on your back, but your heart? Well Good News! There is One who is able and desires more than anything to be our burden bearer!

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I a humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28 NLT

Young or old, we still carry around too much stuff, too many burdens weighing us down. Burdens that can’t be stuffed in a backpack, but we over pack into our heart.

When anxieties and cares about ourselves and our dear loved ones weigh us down.

When the cares of our body and soul are on heavy on our heart.

When those things in this world bring anxiety and rob us of peace and strength, that’s when it’s time to not just shift the load but hand it all over to Jesus.

When Jesus takes the load from our shoulders and onto His we do not face one trial or trouble alone. That’s His guarantee, that’s His supreme heavenly design for our lives.

Jesus is our great burden-bearer.

I love to dwell upon the thought

How Jesus cares for me

It matters not what burdens I bring

He carries them all and loves me tenderly.

 

 

“Our Great Burden Bearer” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 30, 2014

Cheerfulness Plants Seeds of Hope

 

 

Cheerfulness Plants Seeds of Hope

 

The little girl held closely in the arms of the social case worker was being delivered to her first ever foster home which happened to be my neighbors. The shouts and laughter of the children playing in the front yard of the big yellow farm house caught her attention and she slowly tried to turn her body to get a better look. Try as she may, she was unable to even lift her head up, though she would soon be turning one year old.

 This poor child had lived in disastrous circumstances from birth where her mother left her for days on end in her crib. This left her with no muscle strength to lift her head, sit up, or even crawl as children should naturally do.

 

When they were discouraged, I smiled at them.

My look of approval was precious to them.

Job 29:24 NLT

 I watched as my neighbor smiled through her tears and reached out to take the child into her loving arms. God was giving this precious child a second chance coming into a home filled with unconditional love. Where smiley faces were not just painted on the play room walls, but were naturally displayed on the faces of the whole family every day.

 

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart...

Proverbs 15; 30 NIV

 The little girl lifted up her head quicker than was predicted. Soon she was crawling, smiling and thriving much faster than the doctors expected.

 

The case worker was incredulous and called it a miracle. It wasn’t an easy road to success, but it was paved with love and cheerfulness. Medicine is good but cheerfulness from a godly heart will plant seeds of hope in every weary heart.

 That was five years ago now, and the little girl is no longer a foster child. My neighbors adopted her as quickly as they could. She is in kindergarten, smart as can be and her teacher says, “This child never quits smiling, she lights up the whole room!”  

 

“A smile is rest to the weary, daylight to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and an antidote for trouble.” Author Unknown, from Angel Kisses by Sandra Kuck

 

Through the Eyes of a Stranger

Mt Rainier by Dee Kamp

 

 

Through the Eyes of a Stranger

 “You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”” Isaiah 40:9 NIV

 

The bus tour for seniors was on a short break from the journey to Crystal Mountain. As the others climbed off the bus enthusiastically heading to a local Starbucks I noticed one woman I thought to be in her mid-eighties, stayed behind watching as the others dashed across the road for their refreshment.

We visited a bit and then she said shyly, “I really can’t walk that far very well on my own and I’d sure like to go there too. But I’m worried about crossing the street as I walk a bit uneven these days.”

I smiled at her and said, “Let’s go together!” She graciously accepted my arm and we crossed the street and then back again chatting merrily like old friends.  

The next time I saw her was when we were directed to stand in line for the gondola ride up the highest slope used for skiing at Crystal Mountain ski area. There we stood stunned, with our jaws hanging open gaping at the gondolas climbing up an extraordinary mountain! “I had no idea it was going to be that high up,” I said.

 My new friend exclaimed, “Am I going way up there?”

“Not only that,” I said, “but the gondola is in constant motion when we are to get on aboard!”

I knew that would be a challenge for her with her unstable condition. But before I could utter another word she grabbed my arm and said, “Well then, let’s get on with it.”

We made it onto the ever moving gondola safely and off again too. When we turned to look around us at the view we both just stood in silence. There to our surprise was Mt Rainier― all 14, 411 feet of it, feeling as if it were only feet away!

For a moment I thought my new friend would tumble over as her legs began to wobble and her cane hit the ground. I grabbed hold of her just in time and asked, “Are you all right?”

She turned to look at me and to my surprise tears were streaming down her face.

“It’s the mountain of God, its God in the mountain,” she said softly. “I just want to sing to God right now, right here, a great old hymn of praise to His Majesty!”

I was delighted at her unabashed expression of joy and love for the Lord. It just made the experience a heavenly one. My heart was overflowing with the joy of the Lord.

This day I didn’t just go for a ride up a mountain and see a tall snowcapped mountain. No, God surprised me to see His majesty glorified through the eyes of a stranger.  For everyone who truly sees nature as God’s creation, sees God in it.

“Through the Eyes of a Stranger” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 21, 2014

Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

 

 

Fixing our Eyes on Jesus

We were traveling the back roads of open farm lands the other day. I had my camera ready looking out the window and watching for wildlife or any life in action. I have learned to watch animals in their home fields and if a horse, cow or even llamas are all looking in one direction I might spot a coyote, deer or even a bear wandering there.

 Just as we were passing by a large ranch style home with a fenced arena by the road side I saw a lineup of animals all eyes ahead. There were a two stubby legged burros, two stately long eared mules, and a small Billy goat standing shoulder to shoulder with huge shaggy dog. Not an ear twitched or tail switched-all eyes were straight ahead.

….fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 NIV

As the car slowed down I could see in the shadows of the arena a petite woman standing with one arm raised and the other held at her side observing two beautiful horses in the far side of corral. Next I witnessed the horses run at full speed around the corral area and come to a sudden halt turning to stare back at her for what to do next. She had no whip, no ropes, no whistle or a shout to command these handsome animals.

It was the beautiful sight to see how every animal adored this woman. It was love, respect, and adoration that fixed all eyes on her.

Oh, I thought, how wonderful it would be to stand in a crowd of witnesses and have all eyes fixed on Jesus like this!  For we know we can trust Jesus faithful love even more than farm animals trust one small woman. When Jesus rules our heart, peace rules our lives.

“Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 16, 2014

 

A Friend Just in Time

 

A Friend Just in Time

He’s insecure, unsure and often in a muddle of what to do.  His name is Charlie Brown.
Most of us can relate to the situations of Charles Schultz’s Charlie Brown. He is portrayed as a little guy with too much worry, too indecisive, and too big a burden on his little kid shoulders. Charlie is often portrayed with a little storm cloud hanging over his head.

 But that’s just when you see Snoopy do a happy dance and Charlie’s friends come around him in support and encouragement.  It is a truism, that a friend is someone who loves you in spite of your dispositions.

“So now I am giving you a new commandment:

Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34 NLT

The times Jesus calls us to give a hand, an ear, or a hug are often the time when it’s neither convenient or expected. When others choose to stay far away and we step up, that’s exactly when Christ will be revealed in us to others.

 It’s the Charlie Browns around us who need some love today.  Love is more than a warm feeling, its compassion pressed into action.  A friend just in time can make a cloudy day shine.

 "Life is a chronicle of friendship. Friends create the world anew each day. Without their loving care, courage would not suffice to keep hearts strong for life.” Helen Keller

 

“A Friend Just in Time” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 15, 2014

 

The Sweet or Sour Test



The Sweet or Sour Test

As my husband and I visited the local berry fields the other day it brought memories of making jams and jellies with my grandmother and mother. Canning and preparing the jars of raspberry, strawberry and grape jellies took hours of work in our very hot kitchen.

When as a young girl I would whimper at the end of  the day and say how tired I was next I would hear grandma say in her Norwegian accent, “Ya sure, but dis is a sweet tired you have, not the kind from sour thinking.”

“Do you now know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.” Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV

We have a choice of where our weariness comes from. Is it from hard work, or from negative thinking? It’s not a matter of weary muscles and bones but a matter of the heart and a battle in our minds.

It’s not by our own strength, but by perseverance to stay the course with our eyes on Jesus that we are strengthened by God alone in our moments of our greatest weariness.

God anticipates our tiredness and like food and water that we need every day He is faithful to bring us a fresh helping of new strength. But there are times we may need to take the sweet and sour test. Are we tired from sweet hard work or from some sour thinking?

In my own life I have suffered bouts of exhaustion from letting my mind stray to what grandma called sour thoughts. But all praise to God, when I give myself the tired test of sweet or sour, the sour ones do not dominate me when I lay them down and trust them

 

 “The Sweet or Sour Test” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 14, 2014

 

Was it Really at Random?

 

 

 

Was it Really at Random?

 

Sorting through my stack of old journals I found one I had not seen in years. The journal was dated 1995 to 1997 and filled with prayers quoted from saints of long ago, along with a Bible verse. The journal was titled, “Special Perfect Prayers Discovered at Random”

They were written down during a crucially difficult time for me and my family and each one gave me so much hope, peace and joy. But were these perfectly timed prayers really discovered at random?

“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.” Philippians 3:10 NLT

I am convinced those perfect prayers and verses were not at random at all but by the grace of our Lord made visible and available to me when I needed them most. Each time I read them my heart yearned to know Jesus more.

 Those Bible verses and sweet prayers sustained, encouraged and picked me up when I was knocked down hard.

 A great truth was learned back then blessing me and now for years have been blessing others too when I share what God has done for me.

Was it really at random? No, not at all. The truth is, we are never alone, the Lord knows what we need to help us up and on. What He hopes will want us to get to know Him more. God isn’t up there somewhere, He’s right here in our heart and in every situation and circumstance we face every day.

“A saint is not to take the initiative toward self-realization, but toward knowing Jesus Christ… He sees every situation in which he finds himself as the means of obtaining a greater knowledge of Jesus Christ and has an attitude of restrained abandon and total surrender about him.” ―Oswald Chambers Utmost for His Highest July 11

“Was It Really At Random?” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 11, 2014

Hope First and Foremost



Mount Rainier by Dee Kamp

Hope First and Foremost

 A new bird has appeared in our yard this year. He’s a perky and oddly friendly. It called an Olive Catcher. He isn’t shy and catches my attention constantly as he saunters across the deck or stares at me from the railing. We’ve simply named him New Bird.

For some time now whenever I would see New Bird I felt the Lord whisper in my heart to pray in a new way.  

 Well, what is the new way? I wondered to myself. Then the answer came when I least expected it, in that sweet hour of prayer He led me to Romans 15.

 “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled….I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:4, 13 NLT

The Lord wants us to pray for ourselves and others, not just for things, but that first we pray they have hope in Christ Jesus.

God, our Abba Father always has our best interest on His heart and He knows it is hope in Him that will give us the courage we need to face life today.

There is more to hope than good wishes and optimistic points of view. Faith in the Lord Jesus is the anchor of our hope. We have the confidence that He loves us, and He always keeps His promises. His hope is greater than any of the challenges or disappointments we face.

Hope comforts our souls. Hope is the key to key to endurance, to encouragement. Hope produces peace that passes all understanding and hope fills our hearts with love and joy.

Pray yes indeed, but in a new way, pray for hope first and foremost.

“Hope First and Foremost” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 9, 2014

 

 

No River Alone

 

No River Alone

 It was 5 AM in mid-July at a camp ground in the far most eastern part of Washington State. I’d slipped out of bed quietly so as not to waken husband Bill. With great anticipation I grabbed my camera to catch the sunrise over the beautiful Pend Oreille River.

 I wondered as I made my way to the edge of the cliff overlooking the river, what message the Lord would have for me. So often I have discovered He has a lesson for me in the parables of His creation.  

 I looked up into the sky for the fish diving Osprey or the local Bald Eagle, and none was there. I gazed down upon the river and smiled in delight―for coming out of the reeds along the river were eight little goslings hesitantly wading into the shallows of the river. But they weren’t alone, of course. In front of the flock of these beautiful Canadian Geese is mother goose and behind them is father goose giving the last little hesitant gosling a nudge into the water.

 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;I will counsel you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8 NIV

 The goslings instinctively gathered close together as they dipped one by one into the quiet river’s edge. Like feathered body guards, the parents act as a shield from predators as they swim before and behind their young. The goslings can swim in confidence, they know they never face the river alone.  

 Sometimes life is smooth paddling in safe, familiar waters for us and our families and friends; but quite often we find ourselves trying to swim in unfamiliar and challenging rivers of unexpected circumstances. In those times it’s good to remember Who is watching over us too.

 Parents of the goslings know strength and knowledge isn’t built in the shallows and safe harbors of the rivers. And it’s so true for us too. If we put our trust in the promises of the Lord we are assured He’ll provide for us the best river guide we’ll ever need, a heavenly wise and able Teacher― His Holy Spirit.  

 In the glow of the sunrise, in the whisper of the winds in the reeds along the river where little goslings adventure for the first time, is God’s magnificent promise, His lesson for the day ―we will never face our rivers alone.

 

 

“No River Alone” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 4, 2014