Of Winds Tides and Prayer



Astoria Bridge -Oregon- on a calm day by Dee Kamp

 

Of Winds Tides and Prayer

We hadn’t really planned to spend our winter by the Pacific Ocean in Washington and Oregon, but we are glad in many ways we did. Life here is different than inland and you find you plan your day quite often by weather, winds and tides.

This morning we woke to a surprise storm with strong gale winds. Normally that wouldn’t be a problem. But today we had planned to cross the bridge in Astoria Oregon to the Washington side and those high winds could be a real problem for big trucks and motor homes.

Where can one go to find assurance of God’s love and understanding when we face the unknown winds? Without fail, our Bible. We prayed and asked the Lord to give us a word of assurance and wisdom. Now this doesn’t happen often, but oh my, what a delight when it does― for when I opened my Bible it fell open to Isaiah 43.  
“But now, this is what the LORD says- He who created you, O Jacob, he who formed, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you….For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;…Isaiah 43:1-2 NIV
And that’s all we needed for perfect peace knowing God was watching over us. But we also sensed that we were not to rush but wait a day.

A bit later as I was reading a favorite old devotional, Springs in the Desert, I came across this poem. Coincidence? I don’t call them that, I call them God’s wonderful surprises! I laughed out loud as I imagined God whispering in my heart- “After all, you aren’t an albatross!

“Far out at sea, at close of day,
A lovely albatross flew by.
We watched him as he soared away-
A speck against the glowing sky!
Thought I: Tis lordly feathered one
Is trusting I the faithfulness
Of wind and tide, of star and sun;
And shall I trust the Maker less?
O soul of mine, spread wide thy wings:
Mount up; push out with courage strong
Let heaven vibrate with thy song!
SPEREAD WIDE THY WINGS, O SOUL OF MINE…
From: Springs in the Valley by Mrs. Charles E Cowman

 

“Of Winds Tides and Prayer” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© March 16, 2017 Photo by: Dee Kamp

Worshiping Down by the Sea



Worshiping Down by the Sea

It had been an exhausting day and the rain just wouldn’t quit pouring down. I had my camera ready for every stop my husband was making so I could hopefully catch some good pictures of the ocean, surf and even people that day at Long Beach, WA.  I was about to quit as I was sure this dull gray day and pouring rain could only get worse. But, my dear husband, Bill, the constant encourager, said we were to make one last stop at the famous board walk in town.

When we arrived I was pleased to see the clouds were parting and the shy winter sun was changing the scenery all around from the ocean to the dune grasses from dull to dazzling!

People came out from everywhere eager to get outside and for a jaunt down the boardwalk too. My goodness they were happy! Everyone smiled at you, waved and the place came alive.

I walked alone further ahead of Bill to try and get a good picture of just the boardwalk without the crowds. As I looked in the lens of my camera to the far end I was surprised to see one lone figure there. It was a woman leaning on her elbows and her bent down resting on them.

Oh dear, I thought , I’ll just have to keep going a bit further for this picture.  Just as I was about to pass by her head popped up and I found her smiling brilliantly right at me as if she expected I’d be there. I was curious as to what she held there in hand that she waving enthusiastically my way. Why it was a little Bible!

“Oh, I see you are reading God’s Word today,” I said smiling back.

“Yes. And I just found the verse I was looking for. Do you see it? We are here as far west as you can go, right? And if you look over that way it’s the east, isn’t it? Just imagine that’s how far God’s love reaches out to forgive us. It says so right here in Psalm 103:11-12. I’ll read it for you.

And without waiting for my response she began to read in an excitable voice.

“For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is a great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”

I smiled back and said, “That’s so true! Thanks for sharing with me. I’m glad I met you just now.”

“You my dear,” she said looking directly into my eyes, “Have the joy of the Lord all over you! Have a truly wonderful day, and a blessed life.”

Amazing how God will place people, in your path when you least expect it, but always it seems ,just when you need it the most.  So for now on, whenever I gaze to the west and off to the east, I'll recall Psalm 103 and the joy of meeting this special woman as she worshiped the Lord down by the sea.

Hebrews 13:1-2 “Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done tis have entertained angels without realizing it.

 

“Worshiping Down by the Sea” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© March 9, 2017

Turn From the Path of Planning to the Path of Peace

 

Turn From the Path of Planning to the Path of Peace



You will show me the way of life,

 granting me the joy of your presence

and the pleasure of living with you forever.

Psalm 16:11

 

 

“I did not design the human mind to figure out the future. That is beyond your capability. I crafted you mind to continual communications with Me. Bring Me all your needs, your hopes and fears. Commit everything into My care. Turn from the path of planning to the path of Peace.” Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Turn from the Path of Planning to the Path of Peace” His Word, by Dee Kamp, March 8, 2017

 

 

Praise!

Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.

Psalm 103:1

The wilderness proclaims to our senses the splendor of God. How can we not offer praise to the One who dreamed up such beauty as drab rocks in daytime turned into splendors of color at sunset? Of an elk grazing nearby, of the bird singing by the waters, of the trees in full bloom in spring’s finery?

And just as to the psalmist’s eyes the sights of nature inspired him to delight and write his praises to God, so too can we.

Still today as in ancient times, praise is the gate to God’s own heart. As soon as praise leaps from our lips we discover our spirits lifted high once again to soar as we sing with joy knowing our God reigns!  

 

“Faith can never reach its consummation,

Till the victor’s thankful song we raise;

In the glorious city of salvation,

God has told us the gates are praise.

By: Hannah Whitall Smith

 

“The Gate is Praise”, Grace Every Day Ministries© March 2, 2017 Photo: High bluffs at Sunset on the Columbia River, WA

Keepers of the Word

 

Photo by Dee Kamp

 

 

 

Whoever keeps His Word, truly the love of God is perfected in him.

By this we know that we are in Him. 1 John 2:5

 

“The older we get, the less we are inclined to be keepers of things,” my kindly neighbor here at this RV park said the other day.

 

Boy, that’s the truth for us these days too. We are now living full time in our motor home. We’ve learned to live much leaner, more simply, and with less “stuff”. Something new comes into the motor home, something old must go out. But there is one thing that is paramount to hold on to for us is God’s Word. We find more and more it’s what we need every day in the uncertainty of this world.

 So if we are asked, “what are you keeping these days? “We can say honestly say, what we keep takes no space in the place where we live, but fills our hearts up significantly. We are keepers of God’s Word.”

 

“Let us remember that no earthly circumstances can hinder the fulfillment of God’s Word. We must look steadfastly at His immutable Word and not at the uncertainty of this ever-changing world. God desires for us to believe His Word without other evidence, and then He is ready to do for us “according to (our) faith.” From: Streams in the Desert

 

“Keepers of the Word” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© March 1, 2017

Streams of Living Waters

 

 

 

Photo by Dee Kamp

 

 

 

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O’ God.

 My soul thirsts for the living God. Psalm 42:1

 

 

Let our goal be in God Himself

Not joy, nor peace, not even His sweet blessings

But seeking, searching for God Himself.

Let our faith bound forward to its goal of God alone

Where our thirst will be quenched by His unfailing love.

For its faith and love which will lead us there,

Upheld and encouraged by Him our soul to follow hard. Press on, press on

And in that secret place alone with Him, our deepest thirst be quenched in peace-we rest

One thing is sure, one thing we can do step by step is press onward always thirsty still

Joyfully giving God our glory here and there as along we go in life’s journey

Knowing it is heaven where we will reap our great reward in streams of Living Water.

 

 

 

“Streams of Living Water” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© February 28, 2017

 

Fresh Every Day the Sign Declared

 

 

 

 

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;

it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.”

 Lamentations 3:22-26

 

Fresh Every Day the Sign Declared

Fresh every day! This was the sign in the widow of the little bakery in my old neighborhood declared when I was a little girl. And no every questioned the freshness. For they all knew the baker was there every single morning. Walking or driving by you could see him busily putting his freshly baked goods out on the counter. And oh my, those heavenly fragrances which poured out through the doors was the best evidence ever!

There isn’t much we can depend on every day to there for us fresh and new. But we can all depend God’s promise of His compassions no matter what, where, or how often we need Him.  Like the little bakery back home, God’s love comes fresh for our needs single day. One day at a time, with promises of bright hope for it to continue to eternity. When we come and pray and sense His presence around us we discover it comes as an aroma sweet and refreshing to our souls.

And we can today still enjoy singing with joy, this great old hymn:

 “Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, and ten thousand beside!”

 

 

 

“Fresh Every Day” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© February 27, 2017 Photo Colorado Sunrise by Dee,