it was the 2nd day of the Hillsong Colour Conference for women in March ‘07. the Acer Arena was packed to capacity each day, with thousands of women from all over the world. it was during a mid-day break that a torrential thunderstorm caught many of us by surprise, as it was just the beginning of autumn in Sydney, Australia.

two enterprising young girls, attending the conference with their mother, grabbed a big red and white umbrella ran into the rain and began escorting women in. those who received their services were dry, and very grateful.
undaunted by the rain, the girls played…and danced…in the rain.

i’m reminded of this today as it’s raining in California. but it’s not just the physical rain i’m thinking of. with the current global state of affairs, there is a rainstorm of fear, uncertainty, gloom, and loss. and I wonder…even in the midst of this gloomy atmosphere, who can i reach out to with an umbrella of hope? to whom can I give an encouraging word, even though i, too, am in the midst of, and feeling the effects of it?

and though it is raining, make the choice to dance in spite of it.

i do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

it is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord.

- Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation October 3, 1863

but uppermost in our conscious minds is our final destination–for at a certain hour and on a given day, our train will finally pull into the station with bells ringing, flags waving, and bands playing. And once that day comes, so many wonderful dreams will come true. so restlessly, we pace the aisles and count the miles, peering ahead, waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.

“yes, when we reach the station, that will be it!” we promise ourselves. “when we’re eighteen . . .win that promotion . . . put the last kid through college . . . buy that 450 SL Mercedes Benz . . . pay off the mortgage . . . have a nest egg for retirement.”
from that day on we will all live happily every after.

sooner or later, however, we must realize there is no station in this life, no one earthly place to arrive at once and for all. the journey is the joy.the station is an illusion–it constantly outdistances us. Yesterday’s a memory, tomorrow’s a dream. yesterday belongs to a history, tomorrow belongs to God. yesterday’s a fading sunset, tomorrow’s a faint sunrise. only today is there light enough to love and live.

so gently close the door on yesterday and throw the key away.it isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad, but rather the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow.
“relish the moment” is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24, “this is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

so stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles.instead, swim more rivers, climb more mountains, kiss more babies, count more stars. Laugh more and cry less. go barefoot oftener. Eat more ice cream. Ride more merry-go-rounds. Watch more sunsets. life must be lived as we go along.

Used by permission. All Rights Reserved/Robertjhastings.com

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Enjoy the Journey! copyright 2007 Joan Rudder-Ward

don’t give up and don’t let go on your God-given dreams! though they may seem to be long in coming, it’s usually a matter of the timing being right.

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i will lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from?
my help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1

last summer, I spent some ‘working vacation’ time at Rocky Mountain National Park, and we traveled the “highest continuous motorway in the United States”– the Trail Ridge Road, which peaks at an elevation of 12,183. admittedly, i am a chicken when it comes to winding, on-the-edge roads that climb mountains, but the breath-taking views of the majestic scenery were worth my breath-holding moments.

i believe one of the purposes of mountains is to give us something that takes our gaze skyward. they speak of the awesomeness of God, the spectacular- ness of His creation, and they cause us to lift our eyes upward. for me, they remind me that there is God who is above and larger than any obstacles i may be facing. they remind me, as the psalmist said, of where my help comes from. my help comes from the Lord!

you may be going through some difficult times where you feel you are between a mountain and the Red Sea, and there seems to be no way out. look up! your help comes from the Lord. he is faithful to hear you and make a way!

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A View from the Top – Rocky Mountain National Park Collection
copyright 2007 Joan Rudder-Ward

You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures for evermore Ps 16:11

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the heavens tell of the glory of God,
the skies display His marvelous craftsmanship.
day after day, they continue to speak;
night after night they make Him known.
they speak without a sound or word;
their voice is silent in the skies;
yet their message has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to all the world.

Psalm 19:1-4 (NLT)

Heavenly Declarations – Littleton, Colorado
Copyright 2007 Joan Rudder-Ward

i had this beautiful arrangement of Stargazer lilies, and over a period of several days, different buds would burst open with breathtaking beauty – vivid in color and fragrance. then, there was one bud left—waiting to bloom. and while I waited for that flower to blossom, it reminded me of areas in my own life that I’m waiting for to blossom.

you may still be waiting for certain areas in your life to come into fulfillment, even as it seems others around you have already bloomed. there may be certain dreams and aspirations that still have yet to manifest, or maybe certain areas that have been a constant struggle to overcome.

could be you were “almost there” and life threw you a curve. maybe the loss of a relationship, a job didn’t pan out, unexpected situations came along that made changes in your game plan, or even perhaps something as devastating as Hurricane Katrina came along and destroyed all you had and now you’re having to rebuild.

yet, while you’re waiting for areas of your life to “become” you can do different things to give you more joy in the present.

take a moment and step back –recall the successes that you have had and celebrate those!

keep moving forward!

find enjoyment where you are!

take time to nurture yourself!

where ever you are in life, with whatever challenges you may be facing, do things that add beauty to your life. do the little things that make you feel special.

continue to plant seeds in areas that you want a harvest in. reach out a little more to others, expecting nothing from them in return.

i find encouragement from the life of a woman named Anna Mary Moses. she lived from 1860-1961 and spent most of her life on a farm. she had 10 children, of which only 5 survived infancy. she loved to embroider but when in she was in her 70’s, her arthritis got so bad she couldn’t do it anymore. so where she could no longer hold a needle, she could hold a paintbrush, and therefore took up painting. this soon catapulted her into fame as Grandma Moses, and during the rest of her life, she created over 1000 paintings and became one of America’s best-known folk artists. she was 76 years old when she started. you’re never too old and it’s never too late to take your life to a higher level.

and, while you’re waiting for your bloom time, you can put your trust in God to bring things to fruition in your life. i like what David says in Psalms 31:14-15:

But for me, I trust in You, O Lord;
I say “You are my God;
My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies
And from those who persecute me.

sometimes we are our own worst enemy where we persecute ourselves for what we view as our shortcomings!

when you find yourself being anxious—about anything–make the commitment to remind God and yourself by saying “i choose to trust in you God. my times are in your hand.”

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Be still, and know that I am God – Psalm 46:10

must do’s, to-do’s
okay, what is next?
go here, go there
i need to take a rest

decisions that I have to make
lord will I ever get a break?
one thing done, two take its place
will I ever win this race?

bad reports on the news
crowding in my mind
add to things already there
competing for my time

peace on earth?
can it ever be?
but, what I need now
is peace for me.

stress. seems to be par for the course in the hectic, fast-paced world we live in. appointments. commitments. deadlines. most times – they rule

turmoil. it’s all around us. we don’t have to look further than our own neighborhoods, and in some cases, our own homes.

problems. seems we always have more than enough.

things to do. plates are full

Psalm 46:10 gives us an antidote “Be still and know that I am God”

can you hear God whispering to you…

be still and know that I am the God who gives grace and mercy to have a successful, productive day without unnecessary stress.

know that I am the God of peace, and will give you peace when you look to me to provide it. the outer circumstances may not change, but you can have peace within.

know that I am the God with the answers you need to your problems. seek me for them.

i am the God who will help you accomplish the things you need to do. i have, for you, the wisdom you need for what is important for now, and what can wait, or be put aside altogether.

take some time today. some quiet time reflecting on the ‘bigness’ of God—his majesty and greatness is more expansive than any thing you may be facing today. seek him even in the little things that we tend to consider too petty to bother him with, or we feel we can handle it alone. allow his presence to bring the refreshing that you need. in James 4:8, God promises that when you draw near to him, he draws near to you.

be still, and know that he is God.

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Curious Fawn- Rocky Mountain National Park Collection
Copyright 2007 Joan Rudder-Ward