Wild turkeys. A crazy dog. And not one single human.
Yes, this was my past weekend. And it was…glorious.
Not that I’ve got anything against humans, mind you. If I did, it’d make everyday life slightly unpleasant. But once in awhile, a little alone time does a body good, yeah?
Which is why I spent three days over the Labor Day holiday holed up in my parents’ house a few miles outside my hometown. They were out of town, so I played dog-sitter-slash-hermit-writer. I loved starting my mornings with coffee and my Bible out on their deck, then spending hours in their sunroom working on my new book. I just may have devoured three and a half novels plus a bag of mint M&Ms, too.
But my favorite moment of my extended weekend was Sunday morning. I was praying about my upcoming writing…praying for refreshment and energy. Even though this summer has been a-ma-zing, I’d been feeling somewhat spiritually dry and creatively dusty for couple weeks…and I felt like I just needed…something.
Ever felt that way? Like your faith or your creativity or even your physical health just needs a little extra “oomph?”
Well, I opened my Bible that morning to 2 Thessalonians. I’ve been working my way through the New Testament in The Message. And I’m telling you, God knew what I needed that morning. It’s like he saved this verse just for that moment:
Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time—pray that our God will make you fit for what he’s called you to be, pray that he’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you.
Fit for what he’s called me to be…good ideas and acts of faith filled with his energy…a life that honors the name of Jesus.
All I could think reading that was yes, yes, yes…I’ve heard people talk about life verses before…I think I may have finally found mine.
Or, rather, God dropped it in my lap.
So I thought I’d ask you…have you ever had a time when God pointed you to exactly what you needed to hear or read? What do you think about that verse in 2 Thess.? Do you have a “life verse?”
p.s. About the wild turkeys. I saw about 10-12 all running together next to the cornfield across from my parents’ house. I could not stop laughing. I have no idea why I found it so funny.
Comments 20
What a wonderful post! And a wonderful scripture 🙂
You probably haven’t read my posts from when I went away for a week – by myself! First time in about 20 years I had truly been on my own for an extended period of time. It is so fantastic, and so refreshing and soooooo worth it! Glad you got to have three days of rejuvenating.
My life verse is:
“Lord you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance…..
I have set the Lord always before. Because He is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16: 6&8
The Lord always brings me back to this promise, despite whatever circumstances I may be faced with at the time. And it always brings me comfort and peace.
🙂
Susannah, I’m going to go check out your blog in just a minute. 🙂 Glad you’ve been able to have your own time away too. And what good verses!!
God always gives me a verse when I need it! I scribble the date and a blurb about what’s going on so I can go back to it over time and see God was there. He was speaking. You can walk for miles on just one word from Him!
My life verse for this year is Psalm 84:5-7
“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
They make it a spring;
The rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
Each one appears before God in Zion.”
Hey, I should make a note in my Bible, too! I love the part of those verses where it says “whose heart is set…” There’s something about setting our hearts…and staying set.
Sounds like you had a blessed weekend. I love it when God speaks to our heart that way. In my writing journey, I’ve always found God brought along just the encouragement I needed at just the right time. The verse I have over my writing desk is Hebrews 10:35-36 “So do no throw away your confidence…You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
Oh yes, it was an awesome weekend! And what cool verses in Hebrews–perfect to have at your computer!
Love, love, love this!!!
I definitely have had that happen, when God just gives me the Scripture I need, right when I need it.
Probably my favorite verses are Phil. 4:6-7: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
It just reminds me that he really is in control, that I don’t need to worry, and that God wants me to come to Him. I love that, especially since my biggest struggle is definitely worry.
OH yes, Philippians is one of my favorite books in the Bible and those verses just rock. I love how straightforward it is. Don’t be anxious. Don’t worry. Pray. Be thankful. And peace will come…it doesn’t just show up, but actually guards our hearts and minds. That’s awesome!
Blogger ate my earlier comment.
Great post, Melissa. My life verse is John 15:16 “You did not choose Me, rather I chose you….
Mean Blogger!
How awesome that God chose us. 🙂
Words cannot express what it means when God gives me what I need to hear. It makes me feel so loved.
Me too. I love how He reaches out to us individually…knowing just what we need.
Melissa,
Yay for getaways!
One of my favorite Scriptures is a prayer for others: Colossians 1:9-12:
For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
It seems that when I lift up one other person with this Scripture, that I become a little more buoyed myself.
The WORD is truly a living, breathing Gift.
Blessings,
Becky
Sweet verses and I love what you said about how when you lift someone else up with those verses, you’re lifted up as well. Too cool!
How true, God does give us what we need when we need it. Just this Sunday God gave me a word. My husband and I have been going through som major adjustments with a job change that I wanted but has taken our income way down. I have been saying, “God will take care us, this is where God wants me, He has made it clear.” I have been SAYING the words, but I have struggled to truly believe them.
A friend called me Sunday afternoon to say she really needed to talk to my husband and me. I thought we would be counseling her, most people call us when they are having problems so I start preparing my mind to help her in any way I can.
No, she came to tell us she felt like God wanted us to know “He see’s you going through the motions and everything will be okay.”
Wow. I didn’t even know I needed to be ministered to but here she was. Yes, me speaking the words above have felt like going through the motions. But everything will be okay. I believe it, He will take care of us.
~Melissa
I love that God sent encouragement to you right when you needed it. That is awesome! And I agree with your friend–God is going to take care of you. 🙂
Love this, Melissa – I love how God meets us, every time:) Isaiah 61 is a calling for me…My mom actually painted me a picture that’s hung on my wall b/c God so imprinted that chapter on my heart. I also have to say when I sit down to write, Psalm 90:17 stays close to me too.
Have a great weekend!!
How neat to have an original painting from your mom with Scripture. Too cool!
Love this! I always go back to Romans 8:38-39. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Those verses totally rock!