Surrender's Reward

 I am still a student of surrender's full fruit...the heart seems to be a stubborn leaner/learner...

With all the snow around here we begin feeling a sense of Christmas cheer!

Why not start early to celebrate mankind's joy to the world!

Choose joy; it makes life bearable

And wakes in us the miracle

That works in us a wonderful

Sustaining benefit

The wailing wind that rails and flails

And startles us with early gales

Inspires courage, fills hope's sails

With joy in spite of it

Choose joy; the kind that comes from trust

For what is man, but God-breathed dust

Dependent on His Perfect Must

From whence kind mercies brim

Then, come what may, of high or low

For all we cannot see or know

Joy grips the grace whereby we go

And leaves the rest to Him

Choose joy; for hearts are prone to fear

And though we groan with sorrow’s tear

Joy draws the God of Heaven near

And grants strength for the day

Where circumstance can be so mean

But God is bigger, though Unseen

And true joy is learning to lean

On He who knows/IS the way

© Janet Martin

  Though you have not seen him, you love him; 

and even though you do not see him now, 

you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 
for you are receiving the end result of your faith, 

the salvation of your souls. 

1 Pet.1:8-9

...and then surprise!
this little reminder from Ann Voskamp in her joy-quest!
 

 

Joy-fix

I started writing this poem yesterday morning when dawn burst into bloom like a coral flower!

This morning's 'flower' is wet and gray😀 

...but then Victoria and I decided it might be the last Monday of the season 

to get in a nice fall-colour hike, so off we went!

When we got back since it was election day in Canada we went to vote,

before Grand-sonny arrived to 'help' Grandma with some outdoor fall chores...

...by the time these were finished it was almost dark.

When I returned to the poem this morning I was thinking about how thankful I am that we can 

fix our hope and joy on more than election outcomes!

(we will continue to pray for our leaders in government...
and do our best to be up-building citizens!)

Beauty breaks yon bower

Black of night unfolds

Morning is a flower

Bursting ancient molds

As waking elation

Glimpses He who grants

A kind invitation

To The Cosmic Dance

…where we, when forgiven

Through Jesus, God’s Son

Will inherit Heaven

After earth is done

By no self-wrought merit

Salvation, a gift

Father, Son and Spirit

Bridge damnation’s rift

Beauty breaks yon bower

Grace ignites hope’s flare

None can thwart the power

Of penitent prayer

While the seasons sally

One above Time’s toll

Stays the Divine Rally

Twixt Godhead and soul

…where we with kind courage

Trek this fleck of sod

Not in feckless forage

But with trust in God

For our joy is Jesus

Through Him we proceed

Where Perfect Love bids us

To follow His lead

© Janet Martin

our call to endurance is found in Hebrews 2:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.…

Unbroken Hope

Now hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts
by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:5 NKJV

When trouble meets its mark like a gigantic wrecking ball

When sorrow sears the place from whence our tears like oceans fall

When answers are not able to allay want’s anguished tides

And our hearts are broken, Hope abides

When doubt flexes its muscles like a fighter in the ring

And we cringe in the corner like a frightened little thing

Then we would be defeated but for He whose grace sustains

For though our hearts are broken, Hope remains

When love that long had lavished us with tender happiness

Becomes a sword that pierces us where no kiss can caress

When we begin to wonder how in the world we will cope

Then, though our hearts are broken, never Hope

Hope whispers in our bearing though we cannot see His face

With God’s own arms it gathers us into His kind embrace

And though we stagger ‘neath the cross where loss its grief assures

And hearts are hurt and broken, hope endures

© Janet Martin

 I was going to share verses  7-8 from 2 Cor. 4 but the whole chapter is especially dear today...

...as our church-family mourns their loss 

2 Cor. 4

The Light of the Gospel

1Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.

 2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, 

nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, 

we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 

3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see 

 the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

 5For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, 

and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

 6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”a made His light shine in our hearts

 to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.b 

Treasures in Jars of Clay
(Romans 6:1-14)

7Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power 

is from God and not from us. 

8We are pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, 

so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 

11For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, 

so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal bodies.

 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

13And in keeping with what is written: “I believed, therefore I have spoken,”

c we who have the same spirit of faith also believe and therefore speak,

14knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus 

and present us with you in His presence.

 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people 

may overflow in thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, 

yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. 

17For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us 

an eternal glory that is far beyond comparison. 

18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. 

For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Jesus Makes All The Difference

Brandt Jean's Act Of Grace Toward His Brother's Killer

Brandt Jean's forgiveness gives us a small picture of what Jesus has or wants to do in every single life; forgive us...because as Brandt stated, we have all done something we should not do! 

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so,

 I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Jesus~

John 14:2

The window to the world flings wide with daybreak’s blush and gold

The life that we are lent extends Love’s promises once more

Where time, like a tugboat draws us; and whether young or old

We cannot tell how near or far we are to ‘yonder shore’

And who can bear to meet the One who wears redemption’s scars

And realize too late the awful state of Deathless Soul

Jesus and only Jesus breaks guilt’s hopeless prison bars

Jesus and only Jesus makes the broken sinner whole

Jesus makes all the diff’rence in the way we love and live

He wakes in us awareness of a fount where mercies brim

Then, because He forgave us we ought also to forgive

For He makes all things possible if we believe in Him

…and though we do not know as yet what battle we must fight

Jesus makes all the difference if we His Gift receive

Knowing the trying of our faith is but to prove His might

That indwells ev’ry one of us who repent and believe

© Janet Martin

Little did I dream that before this post is up...

how far more deeply relevant the above devotional would become!

(I wrote the poem early this morning but our internet is a little 

like a child playing with a light switch! blinks on and off non-stop)

...but oh, how little we know what a day will hold!

Our dearly beloved pastor Ron Seabrooke passed away suddenly this morning!

We are in heart-broken shock but

we do not mourn as those with no hope...

1 Thess. 3: 13-14

Please pray for comfort for his family
and our church family.
He touched lives world-wide and many mourn our loss and heaven's gain!