Be Still

These days, we're all in motion...

I wonder how Abba Father sees us. What do we look like from His perspective? We, like ants, are busy, working, gathering food, provisions. Forever moving... Like an aerial view of Atlanta during during rush hour, streaks of lights, representing countless souls transitioning from work to home. From busyness to connecting with family and friends and where is God in the midst of all of this motion? 

Be still...

Life is filled with moments. 

So often the moments blend as we spin out of control. 

We must somehow find our own way to slow. 

To breathe. To be still. To mingle with people close to us. To wrap our hearts around souls. To be still and know God. To be aware of His presence. His gifts that glow in shimmering sunrise and sunset sparkling on waters, in blankets of fog and gentle rain. God's presents given in moments unfolding.

Be still...

Our minds process and analyze life's struggles. We try to grasp truth and purpose. We suffer and such wrenching pain shoots through every soul's veins. Aaah we long for peace, yet it evades us. Hope deferred makes our hearts sick. May our dreams be fulfilled, like a tree of life, budding fresh, as we practice being still and know He is God. May joy come in the morning and in the mourning...

May we stop striving and know You Abba Father.

May we recognize You. 

May we be in awe of Your ways.

May we let go of our concerns and see your solutions.

May we not be fearful, fretful or impatient, restless or focus on tumultuous seas. 

May we be quiet and easy, resigned to Your will, oh Father. 

May we live in an assured expectation of Your divine providence. You know us. You know our weaknesses, what scares us, what brings us to tears. You know where to hide us until the storm is over. May we learn how to fully relax, be still and know and understand with a certainty, that You are God. That You are much much much bigger than we can ever imagine. You set the stars in their place and put them into motion. You are able to still us. 

 © 2014 Marie Nease

Ancient Paths

This is what the LORD says: "Stand beside the roads and watch. Ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is. Walk in it and find rest for yourselves. 

But they said, 'We won't walk in it!' Jeremiah 6:16 

I pray I listen and find rest. 

I pray you listen and find rest. 

We have the tendency to be rebellious, 

to walk in our own ways.  

We are prone to wander...

The ancient paths speak to me of the tried and true ways.

Ancient paths that those before us 

have traversed where they found rest for their souls.

I long for rest for my soul. Most of us crave rest in this world filled with bad news, challenges, cancer and losing loved ones, ISIS and other tremendous evils. Often we feel blinded and confused when we grope to find the good way, the ancient paths to walk on. 

May we clearly see the ancient paths and walk in them. 

©  2014 Marie Nease

Beauty in Dying?

I find it almost impossible

to see beauty in dying.

Over the past several years,
precious friends lives were snatched away
by cancer's unmerciful grasp.

I find no beauty in that!

Yet, somehow, 

God is able to see beauty

in everything. To cause beauty

to bloom from the unlikely.

To even burst forth beauty

from the grave!

Autumn reminds of beauty in dying...

leaves glowing,

showing off,
dazzling us
with their blazing colors,

during their last days
before they let go,
twirling, gently to the ground.

© Copyright 2014 Marie Nease

Trees

The trees of the field clap their hands!

Nature praises her Creator!

May we join nature

 in extravagant praise 

of our Creator!

   You will go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
    will clap their hands.

Isaiah 55:12 New International Version (NIV)

Exquisite Beauty, Horrible Pain...

I see such exquisite beauty expressed in creation, music that moves me, heart and soul, smiles that light up faces, blue skies, blue eyes, brown and green, babies being born, sunrises painted across blue, sunsets aflame, petals in hundreds of hues, raindrops, lightening flashing, the moon, slivered or full, stars sparkling, the Milky Way glowing, autumn leaves showing their vivid colors, happy people laughing and couples still in love and in the gentle, yet powerful touch of God in our frailty...

I see such heartbreaking, intense pain, tearstained faces, hearts bent over with weights, heavy with this world and it's cares...I see limping, wounded souls, broken, grieving, beyond imagination...I see diseases, cancers, conditions and disorders that eat at our bodies and minds, doing their best to cause discouragement, depression and even death...


I see incredible evils, lustful, devious and murderous acts. I hear stories of devastation that are so horrible I weep... Most leaders of countries are not leading in a righteous way.

The world quakes and shakes, whirls and spins, smokes and spews gases and lava, the earth cracks and it floods, experiencing birth pangs...




Yet, THIS I CHOOSE TO REMEMBER, to sing out, that He, our God, has seen the end and He has come back dancing!! 

He is aquainted with our grief and pain! 

He is with us in it and through it. 

He is with us in the midst of the exquisitely beautiful moments and the horribly painful moments too.

My prayer is that we may really KNOW Jesus intimately in the midst of these days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGhmvNGFENE 

I need to know you are holding the whole world in your hands... ♥ ♥ ♥  Love this song!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr15pYT_RXM ♥ ♥ ♥  Love this song!

My humble apologies.... Blogger is suffering tonight with some issues so the blog formatting etc is off..... oh well, we live in an imperfect world, right? :-)

© 2014 Marie Nease 

Wingdreamer

Kiss the Shoreline

This quote by Sarah Kay spoke straight to my heart today. It speaks to me of perseverance, of not giving up, though with everything within us, at times we feel like giving up. There is something spiritual, something real and just downright gutsy that I experience as I stand on a beach and feel the sand between my toes, the tremendous power of the waves pounding on the shore, a coastal breeze tousling my hair and God's Spirit reaching out and touching my spirit. I am most alive in these moments. As I go through continuing challenges, I will persevere. I will feel that coastal, spiritual breeze and I will press on. I will look up, into the face of my Creator and continue to hope. Will you continue to hope with me? I hope so.... I pray your heart is lifted. Feel the coastal breeze...feel God's comforting Spirit gently, wrapping 'round you.

Signing off for tonight, Wingdreamer 

Know Him

 

Navigating trails

that wind and turn,

God cares about details,

He'll help us discern

which way to go

as we learn His ways

and yearn to know Him.

Not leaning on our own understanding,

but trusting in Him with our whole heart

we're standing, then landing 

on His grace, we're His work of art

painted with strokes of brilliant light

in darkness and wanderings,

no longer lost, hope in sight,

clear voice saying, come,

I've made this path smooth and straight,

peace and rest will become

a way of life, as you drop worry's weight,

then you'll rest in a verdant field

and I'll guide you by a quiet river

as you relax, trust and yield,

knowing, loving Me, your life giver,

direction finder, guide and compass

to lead you through uncertainty

and fears, to receive My promises,

then, we'll celebrate eternally!

© 2014 Wingdreamer

 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,

"This is the way; walk in it."