All Creation Groans
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Hello Fellow Sojourners!
Last Friday morning we left for a get-away and returned Sunday night. We had a grand time. Although the trip was scheduled for business, we had plenty of time to enjoy the natural wonders around the Norfolk area of Virginia while the weather was in the 70's. Those warm days are again gone for awhile as we experience a bit of winter. I'm glad we took the opportunity to "enjoy the moment" while we had it.
The highlights of our trip were captured in photographs and the albums are on the website gallery. View all of the getaway albums here or view individual ones from these links:
Grandview Preserve - Hampton, VA
Sandy Bottom Nature Park and Nature Center - Hampton, VA
Chrysler Museum of Art - Norfolk, VA
I was amazed that they allowed non-flash photography.
Virginia Living Museum - Newport News, VA
The Virginia Living Museum brought mixed emotions. It was wonderful to see the non-releaseable animals being cared for and knowing they would live out a longer life than they would've in the wild, but I also had that agony in my heart for them. To have once been wild and free, and now to be "trapped" in a body and environment that no longer was what it was created to be.
All of those with health challenges that change your world around can relate to that, but being sad is not what God wanted for us in any circumstance. Paul said he learned to be content in every state of life. We must do the same with a bigger view than what we can see with our human eyes.
Hugs and Blessings!
Donna
Today's Featured Article
All Creation Groans
by Donna L. Watkins
I asked the Lord one morning, and certainly many mornings over the years of my life, how people can find joy and peace in this world full of suffering and grief. Anybody with a tiny ounce of compassion is moved to tears at the thought of how much pain there is in the world. The children that die every hour from starvation alone grieves my heart with any passing thought of the matter.
When I ask, I seem to hear, "It is in knowing that My plan is complete and perfect. You do not see the entire plan."
Dying is not the ultimate sorrow for the one departing to heavenly realms and we also know that those left behind with the sorrow of loss can use that loss for great and excellent things, even if it's only to draw nearer our Lord and Savior who was very familiar with suffering.
What we see here on this earth in this spiritual realm of reality .... as they call it these days .... is not the majestic tapestry of life that God has made for mankind. Eternal life begins the day one accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior. We can experience His joy and peace in the midst of all things. "For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ." (2 Cor 1:5)
Have you ever done embroidery? What a beautiful scene the front of the fabric shows, but what about the back? All those knots and crossed threads provide no hint at all of what the real picture is. It just looks a mess. We live in the midst of that mess here on this Earth's "tapestry" but we can see beyond with our spiritual eyes to better places and better purpose in all of the evil around us.
God promises us to use ALL for our good if we love Him. Isn't that an awesome thing? To know that no matter how much evil the devil dumps into our lives, we can be assured it will be used for our good, if we but love the Lord. Loving the Lord includes trusting in Him for all things. We know in our hearts that no matter how bad things look in the reality realm, there is a greater tapestry being wrought in the spiritual realm.
We need our Faith eyes to see beyond the evil to the beautiful that comes from suffering. We share in Christ's sufferings here on earth. Our pain shapes who we are for the better or the worse. Paul counted all things loss in order to know Christ and the fellowship of His sufferings. (Phillipians 3:8-11)
Pain shapes who we are. Happiness is but a fleeting emotion, a momentary happening to enjoy. Joy comes from knowing Him, intimately. Knowing that the providential will of God (that which He allows to flow into our life for a good purpose) is shaping us for the real life that is beyond.
Consider Romans 8
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.
23 Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.
24 For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees?
25 But if we hope for that which we don't see, we wait for it with patience.
26 In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don't know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered.
Keep your perspective amidst the trials of life. Don't let the devil steal your peace and joy that can found in the midst of any storm. Please view this online video and story entitled, "When Doctors Say Your Child Will Be a Vegetable." It's about Dick and Rick Hoyt, a father-and-son team who compete just about continuously in marathon races -- a remarkable record of exertion, but all the more so when you consider that Rick can't walk or talk. Go here and imagine the lives that have been touched and changed by this "groaning situation." Your life will be changed too if you fix a visual image of this in your mind to overcome the junk the devil throws your way. View here: www.goodnewsnetwork.org/content/blogcategory/24/84/
Prayer
Father, give us insight into another realm of this world. We seek to know Christ and who He is and who we shall become through Him. Forgive my weak soul that expects daily pleasure and allow my faith to see into the realm of goodness that you surround me with. Thank you for directing my steps. Help me to daily surrender my will and control to your providential protection. Thank you for being a perfect Papa. Amen.
Forward To A Friend
Forward this article to a friend by email or by sending them a link to the blog:
www.theherbsplace.com/AHMblog/ahm.html
More Spiritual Articles
You can view previous articles that have been sent in "A Healing Moment" on our website. Find More Articles Here
Complimentary Email Newsletters
The Herbs Place offers several newsletters with topics such as natural health, essential oils, pets, nature, and frugal living. Read more about these newsletters.
Copyright and Reprint Information
© 2007 Donna L. Watkins
All photos remain the property of Donna L. Watkins. You may forward or use this copyrighted article on a website if you include the following credit and link:
This article originally published in "A Healing Moment" was reprinted with permission. The Herbs Place provides a free email subscription to "A Healing Moment." Visit the author's website for more articles and other free newsletters available: www.theherbsplace.com/ahm.html
Hello Fellow Sojourners!
Last Friday morning we left for a get-away and returned Sunday night. We had a grand time. Although the trip was scheduled for business, we had plenty of time to enjoy the natural wonders around the Norfolk area of Virginia while the weather was in the 70's. Those warm days are again gone for awhile as we experience a bit of winter. I'm glad we took the opportunity to "enjoy the moment" while we had it.
The highlights of our trip were captured in photographs and the albums are on the website gallery. View all of the getaway albums here or view individual ones from these links:
Grandview Preserve - Hampton, VA
Sandy Bottom Nature Park and Nature Center - Hampton, VA
Chrysler Museum of Art - Norfolk, VA
I was amazed that they allowed non-flash photography.
Virginia Living Museum - Newport News, VA
The Virginia Living Museum brought mixed emotions. It was wonderful to see the non-releaseable animals being cared for and knowing they would live out a longer life than they would've in the wild, but I also had that agony in my heart for them. To have once been wild and free, and now to be "trapped" in a body and environment that no longer was what it was created to be.
All of those with health challenges that change your world around can relate to that, but being sad is not what God wanted for us in any circumstance. Paul said he learned to be content in every state of life. We must do the same with a bigger view than what we can see with our human eyes.
Hugs and Blessings!
Donna
Today's Featured Article
All Creation Groans
by Donna L. Watkins
I asked the Lord one morning, and certainly many mornings over the years of my life, how people can find joy and peace in this world full of suffering and grief. Anybody with a tiny ounce of compassion is moved to tears at the thought of how much pain there is in the world. The children that die every hour from starvation alone grieves my heart with any passing thought of the matter.
When I ask, I seem to hear, "It is in knowing that My plan is complete and perfect. You do not see the entire plan."
Dying is not the ultimate sorrow for the one departing to heavenly realms and we also know that those left behind with the sorrow of loss can use that loss for great and excellent things, even if it's only to draw nearer our Lord and Savior who was very familiar with suffering.
What we see here on this earth in this spiritual realm of reality .... as they call it these days .... is not the majestic tapestry of life that God has made for mankind. Eternal life begins the day one accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior. We can experience His joy and peace in the midst of all things. "For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ." (2 Cor 1:5)
Have you ever done embroidery? What a beautiful scene the front of the fabric shows, but what about the back? All those knots and crossed threads provide no hint at all of what the real picture is. It just looks a mess. We live in the midst of that mess here on this Earth's "tapestry" but we can see beyond with our spiritual eyes to better places and better purpose in all of the evil around us.
God promises us to use ALL for our good if we love Him. Isn't that an awesome thing? To know that no matter how much evil the devil dumps into our lives, we can be assured it will be used for our good, if we but love the Lord. Loving the Lord includes trusting in Him for all things. We know in our hearts that no matter how bad things look in the reality realm, there is a greater tapestry being wrought in the spiritual realm.
We need our Faith eyes to see beyond the evil to the beautiful that comes from suffering. We share in Christ's sufferings here on earth. Our pain shapes who we are for the better or the worse. Paul counted all things loss in order to know Christ and the fellowship of His sufferings. (Phillipians 3:8-11)
Pain shapes who we are. Happiness is but a fleeting emotion, a momentary happening to enjoy. Joy comes from knowing Him, intimately. Knowing that the providential will of God (that which He allows to flow into our life for a good purpose) is shaping us for the real life that is beyond.
Consider Romans 8
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.
23 Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.
24 For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees?
25 But if we hope for that which we don't see, we wait for it with patience.
26 In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don't know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered.
Keep your perspective amidst the trials of life. Don't let the devil steal your peace and joy that can found in the midst of any storm. Please view this online video and story entitled, "When Doctors Say Your Child Will Be a Vegetable." It's about Dick and Rick Hoyt, a father-and-son team who compete just about continuously in marathon races -- a remarkable record of exertion, but all the more so when you consider that Rick can't walk or talk. Go here and imagine the lives that have been touched and changed by this "groaning situation." Your life will be changed too if you fix a visual image of this in your mind to overcome the junk the devil throws your way. View here: www.goodnewsnetwork.org/content/blogcategory/24/84/
Prayer
Father, give us insight into another realm of this world. We seek to know Christ and who He is and who we shall become through Him. Forgive my weak soul that expects daily pleasure and allow my faith to see into the realm of goodness that you surround me with. Thank you for directing my steps. Help me to daily surrender my will and control to your providential protection. Thank you for being a perfect Papa. Amen.
Forward To A Friend
Forward this article to a friend by email or by sending them a link to the blog:
www.theherbsplace.com/AHMblog/ahm.html
More Spiritual Articles
You can view previous articles that have been sent in "A Healing Moment" on our website. Find More Articles Here
Complimentary Email Newsletters
The Herbs Place offers several newsletters with topics such as natural health, essential oils, pets, nature, and frugal living. Read more about these newsletters.
Copyright and Reprint Information
© 2007 Donna L. Watkins
All photos remain the property of Donna L. Watkins. You may forward or use this copyrighted article on a website if you include the following credit and link:
This article originally published in "A Healing Moment" was reprinted with permission. The Herbs Place provides a free email subscription to "A Healing Moment." Visit the author's website for more articles and other free newsletters available: www.theherbsplace.com/ahm.html
posted by Donna at 10:36 AM
1 Comments:
Okay, Okay. I cannot ignore God's message coming through multiple avenues. My bible study just studied "All Creation Groans" last week. (We are studying Romans for the school year time span) I am not suffering terribly compared to others. However it is a suffering designed to mature me. My husband's job closed down and he had to take a job out of state. So he can't come home often. It is a learning curve for us and our three children. I don't know how this will all work out, but I bet when I stop 'bucking' the situation with my attitude, I will find out. :-) I need to retire my usual whines of: Why, I don't understand, I don't like this one bit, I'm doing all the hard work by myself, and on and on.
I love your pictures as they feed my love of nature and the whimsical animal moments captured.
I need your articles that speak and confirm God's workings along with our cooperation.
I appreciate your time, effort and dedication to do what God asks of you.
I thank you,
Suzanne
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