The Brag Book



Mt Rainier by Dee Kamp

 

 

The Brag Book

On the internet social system these days we can brag without bringing out the well-worn brag book we once carried around in our wallets and purses. We can see photos and even videos now with all our friends and family clear across the country or continent.

We can brag about everything from personal achievements of our loved ones, our pets, and creative activities from knitting to knot tying, mountain climbing to muffin baking. But I wondered today, how often do we brag about God?

“From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth: and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being’…” Acts 17:26-28 NIV

Until others have their story to tell about God, they need to hear about ours. How God’s grace and faithfulness got us through life-the good and the hard times. For in God we truly do live and move and have our being.

When we look back, if we had from the beginning stuffed a brag book with God’s goodness and mercies, it would be too big to lug around and too long to post on Facebook! What a sweet reward it is to share God’s delightful surprises and those tender moments of mercy which has brought strength, hope and eternal peace.

“If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning…face it friend. He’s crazy about you.” Max Lucado

“The Brag Book?” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© May 28, 2015

Winners Every Time

Crater Lake Oregon by Dee Kamp

 



Winners Every Time 

“Another contest,” my husband grumbles as he sorts the daily mail. “There is a contest for everything you can imagine these days. And they always seem to promise you will be a winner for sure this time!”

We have all been drawn at one time or another to hopefully have the winning ticket, the winning number. And these days it seems people will even risk their lives to be a winner. I’m not a reality show television fan, but I’ve noticed it’s a fever pitched contest between others today from losing body weight to decorating a wedding cake. It seems so many people are in a frenzy to be a winner!

“So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord.

 Remember the great reward it brings you!

Patient endurance is what you need now,

so that you will continue to do God’s will.

They you will receive all that he has promised.”

 Hebrews 10:35:36 NLT

We are all winners when we chose to love Jesus and acclaim Him to our Lord and Savior. There is no competition for this between us, no waiting in line to be chosen, no works we must perform, talents to display, no raffle tickets to buy, or cakes to decorate or weight to gain or lose. He calls us His own where we are, just as we are.

We don’t need to be better looking, stronger, more intelligent, or as some would say-just lucky. When we give our heart to Jesus we are chosen winners every time. God does not promise us we will win every contest we enter, but He does promise us to win His forgiveness for our sins when we confess them and to be with us every step of the way in this journey of our lives.  

Winning as the world offers it up is only temporary, but we have won God’s heart forever when we confess Jesus as Lord. God’s love, compassion and mercies are new every day and leads us to His winner’s circle in heaven.  

“God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises…leading us along the best and straightest path to Himself.”-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Winners Every Time” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© May 27, 2015

The Eagle Flew By

The Eagle Flew By

With an automatic flick of my wrist the foot rest of my comfy leather recliner lifted my weary legs up, and I sighed in relief. The past few days had been well out of the ordinary for our family with a rush to the hospital and a few days stay there for my husband. I felt drained, and admittedly weak and tired.

 Home now meant we could get back to routine. Or so I thought when suddenly frantic barking and howling from somewhere outside split our peace like a sharp knife.

“But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 43:31 NLT     

“Something is wrong! There must be a dog up the road injured or in a fight― maybe with a coyote!” I announced to my husband as I fled out the door.

I dashed down our wooded driveway not able to see anything up or down the road until I would be able to stand in the middle of it. I looked up towards our neighbor’s house where I knew they had a mini farm with several animals which included three dogs.          

 Just as I was about to turn right and walk up the road something caught my eye to my left making me stop where I was. Something large and black zoomed just a few feet by me, and only inches off from the ground!

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! It was a bald eagle in full hunting pursuit flight with its huge black wings spread out across the narrow road and its talons spread out for attack! Then to my unbelieving eyes one second the eagle was here and the next it completely disappeared high into the evergreen trees above me.       

As I stood there caught up in the moment of this amazing sight, I felt something shift in the weariness of my soul as I heard that still small voice in my heart say, “It’s going to be all right, I’ll be all the strength you need.”

It took me a moment to realize the dog was still yelping and upon investigation it turned out to be a visiting pup tied up in the yard and very upset he couldn’t run free and play with the children.

When we least expect it, God will choose to shake up our world and shift our eyes off from ourselves and back on to Him, in the most unexpected ways. It may not be an eagle flying down the road, but there are those God Stops along the way in our lives to remind us, when we are weary He will provide all the strength we need, just when we need it the most.

“The Eagle Flew By” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© May 20, 2015

Undersized Lily Pads and Oversized Goldfish

Frogs and goldfish by Dee Kamp

 Undersized Lily Pads and Oversized Goldfish

When I least expect it, in places quite ordinary, the Lord will share with me a bit of His wisdom, a living parable.

It was barely dawn on this lovely May morning as I stepped through the soft dewy grass towards the little pond in our yard.  I tried not to startle the frogs and the goldfish and take their picture. But just then two tiny green frogs hopped off a lily pad and two very large goldfish streaked to hide underneath of it. But the sight of this made me laugh and I found myself saying:

 “Silly fish, only your heads fit under that little lily pad, you’re whole hind ends are sticking out!”

In that next moment I heard that gentle whisper in my heart, “You can never hide from Me.”

“If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.”

Psalm 139:9-10 NLT

Our amazing God is omnipresent, He is present everywhere. No matter what place we dash off to and whatever we try and hide under, God is always with us. Whether it’s from danger, from disturbing people, and troubling circumstances, we can breathe a sigh of relief knowing we are always in God’s comforting presence.

In His Word we gain wisdom and in real life situations that He will draw our attention to we learn it’s wiser to trust in Him than anything the world tries to offers.

 And the Lord’s lesson for me today was―do not be like those oversized goldfish trying to hide beneath undersized lily pads― trust in Him!

 “To flee unto God is the only stay which can support us in our afflictions, the only armor which renders us invisible.” John Calving

“Undersized Lily Pads and Oversized Goldfish” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© May 15, 2015

This Old Gray Fence



This Old Gray Fence

Its twenty years old now, weathered to a patina of soft gray. It’s our six foot cedar fence surrounding the half acre of our home. We didn’t put the fence up for privacy. We have plenty of that here,. No this fence was built to protect our flowers, trees and vegetable garden from the abundance of the Northwest’s wild vegetation. Without it ―our yard would be unprotected and totally overgrown.

“Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people now and forevermore.” Psalm 125:1-2 NIV

What a contrast it is to see how one side of the fence is towering with scotch broom, thistles and blackberry bushes all stealthily trying to creep over the top of the fence to our garden.

Like the old gray fence, God puts His arms around us, protecting us. His Word warns us against the weeds of the enemy which try to invade our peace of mind with confusions, untruths and fears. Satan’s weeds are like stinging needles and sticky blackberry vines wanting to weaken our faith, which is our strong shield against him.

God is our strong fortress and like the parable of one old weathered but sustainable fence, we are able to stand and grow strong in the power of God’s love.

“Under His wings I am safely abiding,

Tho the night deepens and tempests are wild;

Still I can trust Him, I know He will keep me,

He has redeemed me and I am His child…” William O Cushing

 

 “This Old Gray Fence” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© May 12, 2015

 

 

 

 

Great Things in Impossible Ways



Purple Phlox in mountain rocks by Dee Kamp

 



Great Things in Impossible Ways

I dig a little hole in the garden with hesitancy and hope patting the little seedling in the ground. I am hesitant because the prediction for the weather this summer in the Pacific Northwest is to be unusually dry and hot and I will not be home for some time to water and care for them. .

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope in salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:3-5 NLT.”

 Faith gives us this sweet delight in knowing there is still something in us which remains hopeful in life even when we can’t see if it’s possible.

As we continue on with perseverance we are strengthened by the increase of faith growing in the fertile soil of our hearts by the love of God and remembering His faithfulness and all His abilities go far beyond our imagination.

There comes a moment in the midst of our ordinary day in life, perhaps as simple as putting a seedling in the ground, when we recognize our limits of what is humanly possible and give it all to God allowing Him then to do the impossible.

 Today there is delight in the midst of despair in knowing there is something still in us which urges us to plant gardens in a draught. Its then we recall God is able to do great things in impossible ways.

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” Martin Luther

“Great Things in Impossible Ways” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© May 6, 2015