Pass Around the Grace, Please

We’re sitting around the table with heaping servings of homemade mac and cheese and a garden salad spilling over the porcelain white serving bowl. I just “banned” ketchup as the side dish because it contains one teaspoon of sugar for every tablespoon they squeeze out. It doesn’t go over very well and grumbles become the dominant table talk.

It’s been said that we have never consumed so much sugar and we’re addicted.

Tears start flowing from the youngest. The oldest says she wishes I’d quit reading about health stuff and all the labels. The son says he wants his ketchup. The husband raises his one eyebrow at me from across the table like a question mark at the health kick I might be on and swallows it all quietly just to keep the peace.

I suggest what about a thank you for supper, Mama and the point is duly taken.

A hush falls.



We’re sitting around the world wide web with heaping servings of homespun words and a whole buffet of blogs and social media. We stuff ourselves on opinions, other’s online lives, and open letters. Grumbles become the dominant table talk.

It’s been said that we have never consumed so much technology and we’re addicted.

To read more…

I'm honoured to be guest hosting The Weekend Brew at My Freshly Brewed Life today. I'd love to see you over there. Be sure to link-up your post, check out some other links over the weekend, and leave a comment.

Take a Break From Your Plans and Know His Presence

There's that saying that you can't see the forest for the trees. Well, I could barely see the trees.

So, I took a break. Kinda like when someone tells you to 'take a hike'.

It was a much needed break. I thought it would last a week. However, when the week had wrapped itself up, I found myself lost. I wasn't exactly sure how to find my voice back in this place.

I wanted to lose it altogether and, I think, maybe I did.

I got lost in a forest and couldn't find my own way out. I fainted and couldn't pick my own self up. I couldn't see clearly and I wanted the eyes of my heart to be enlightened that I could cling to living hope. To see the trees before me and know there is a greater plan. To remember hope remains even when I don't know the way winding through the woods.

I had to quiet everything down and focus on what was right in front of me. I had to stop to look deep into the ones that I could reach out and touch to know that I was really alive. I had to fall down to be able to walk on in faith.

What I thought would be a break, ended up breaking me.

I had to lose myself all over again to know that I really had been found.

I shut myself off from the noisy clamour all around me to pay attention to the soft gentle Voice of Truth and wait for Him to whisper.

What came loud and clear in the deafening silence was the truth that good things can take the place of God. Oh, the ugly reality that once that happens is they are no longer good things, but gods.

When you wake up to that you are forced to weigh in on some soul-searching questions.

Am I worshiping good things rather than God who has made all things?

Am I filling the longing for God's eternal presence with good and beautiful things that are meant to only point to God, not be gods?

Am I concerned more about my power, my plan, my purpose?

I thought I was discouraged from pouring out my life, but am I just desperate to be free from self-centred living?

I thought I would hush the distractions, but I was silenced and I saw idols.

I didn't just lose my voice, I lost my life all over again.

When I stopped to be quiet and I stilled to know God, my hands reached out to touch His mercy and my heart was assured of His presence.

Like the bleeding woman who touched the hem of His garment, she had to lay down low, reach out in simple faith and wait to filled to be able to stand up in His strength. His power went out into her. She was empowered to do the next thing.

One step at a time.

In my brokenness He gently embraced.

In my weakness He gave His power.

In my fainting He promised His presence.

In my lostness He found me and leads me home.

He never lets go and when I was trying walk by sight and lost my foothold, He was gently leading me on to higher places.

With Him.

Gathered in His arms, carried close to his heart.

{email subscribers can listen to 'Clear the Stage" by following this link} 

"Take a break from all the plans that you have made.

And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper.


Beg Him please to open up His mouth and speak.


And pray for real upon your knees until they blister . . . "




"Anything I put before my God is an idol.

Anything I want with all my heart is an idol. 

And anything I can't stop thinking of is an idol. 

And anything that I give all my love is an idol."

{lyrics from the song "Clear the Stage"}

When the Little Teapot Is All Poured Out and Needs to Be Refilled

"So we do not lose heart. 

Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an

eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. 

For the things that are seen are transient,

but the things that are unseen are eternal."

{2 Corinthians 16-18}

You see her sitting up there on the shelf. She's all out of steam. She's wasting away.

That shelf is perhaps just what she needed.

She had felt the heat so often, reached the boiling point, and she couldn't keep convincing herself she just had to keep going when really she needed to stop.

She had been poured out, burnt out, and almost rusted out.

That's when someone rescued her and put her up on a shelf.

It was time to take a break.

The noise in the world around her was too loud, too intruding, disrupting the peace, and making her fail to see she still had a purpose.

It's scary to be shelved. It's a vulnerable place to sit there and be still and quiet.

She wasn't sure she be able to fulfil her purpose up there.

She wanted to be useful.

She wanted to be beautiful.

She wanted to be fruitful.

She wanted to be graceful.

But she was empty.

It was time to put away distractions and pay attention to the dearest things in life.

It was time to be filled up before she could pour out any more.

It was time to come away from the noise and listen more closely to the Soft Gentle Voice of God.

Taking time out to be refreshed, renewed, restored.

Will return to pouring out my heart here when I've been refilled.

Words of Wisdom for the Weekend: Reading The Word {and other links on words from around the web}

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true

 and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. 

It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right."

"Very well; it is obviously important that we should approach [the Bible] in the right manner. We must start by agreeing that merely to read the Bible is not enough in and of itself. It is possible for us to read the Bible in such a mechanical manner that we derive no benefit from doing so. That is why I think we have to be careful with every kind of rule and regulation in the matter of discipline in the spiritual life. It is a good thing to read the Bible daily, but it can be quite profitless if we merely do it so for the sake of being able to say we read the Bible daily. I am a great advocate of schemes of Bible reading, but we have to be careful that in our use of such schemes we are not content just to read the portion for the day and then rush off without thought and meditation. That can be quite profitless. Our approach to the Bible is something which is of vital importance." ~D.M. Lloyd Jones, 'The Sermon on the Mount'

***

Some Thoughts on the Reading of Books Albert Mohler leaves us with some suggestions on reading books: "As Solomon warned, “Of making many books there is no end” (Ecc 12:12). There is no way to read everything, and not everything deserves to be read. I say that in order to confront the notion that anyone, anywhere, can master all that could be read with profit. I read a great deal, and a large portion of my waking hours are devoted to reading. Devotional reading for spiritual profit is an important part of the day, and that begins with the reading of Scripture."

14 Resolutions for Writers "It’s a new year, and aspiring writers world-wide are mentally gearing up for finally taking the plunge into Wonderland – being published. Here are some motivational ideas to jot down before you move ahead: "If nothing else in 2014, start journaling. It’s probably the best way to learn to write, because you start to think in terms of reality. You start to observe, and you learn what it means to be honest about yourself and life around you. That’s what writing is really about."

If Your Heart is Right, Ignore the Critics "We have no reason to apologize for using our gifts."  "We sit in the back like my friend Jamie, who aches to dream, but says, 'It always seems easier to sit on the back row and kill my dreams than to fight the sin that may be attached to those dreams.'  We are afraid of big dreams because we are afraid of ourselves.  We are afraid of greatness because we are afraid of our arrogance."

I've read through the Bible a number of  times, but I'm looking forward to this plan. So far, I'm enjoying it.  A Bible reading plan for the year:  Daily Light on the Daily Path   Daily Light on the Daily Path: The Classic Devotional Book For Every Morning and Evening in the Very Words of Scripture  Jonathan Bagster

If a picture is worth 1000 words then here is a whole series of beautiful novels.  Stunning nature photography by Patricia @ Pollywog Creek

Words of Life Wednesdays  I'm introducing a theme on here on Wednesdays called "Words of Life" in which I'll share life giving words of God's Word, helping us to listen more intently to the Soft Gentle Voice of the One who has called us to Himself. What Words of Life {God's Words that bring life} encourage you as we begin this new year?  {Watch for link-ups in the weeks to come.}

Do you name your years? Or choose one word to challenge or define your days?  I share my one word for 2014 here.

***

{Words for Wisdom for the Weekend: These are words that I have been challenged or encouraged by that I have read throughout my week that I kept pondering; words that I couldn't get off my mind and heart throughout my week. 

For other Words of Wisdom for the Weekend posts see here.}

The Dawn of a New Year & Introducing Words of Life Wednesdays

A fresh slate.

A crisp clean page to write another chapter of our lives.

Peering over the horizon with boundless possibilities.

It's the dawn of a new year.

The unknown ushers in excitement mixed with apprehension and perhaps even trepidation.

Beginnings.

Full of promise and anticipation and possibly even exhilaration.

I love beginnings.

I'm a great starter.

Ahh, but, I'm also a stellar staller—one that brings great laid plan to a standstill.

When I get to the end of the year and regret all that I failed to accomplish I love the fact that I get a fresh start every 365 days.

Another chance to refocus and reorient my dreams and aspirations for me and my children.

But with the resolving comes fear.

Fear that I'll let everyone down once again. A foreboding sense that I won't accomplish anything I set out to do or become.

A new year full of possibilities that will be sure to be pummelled and beaten to a pulp. 

Do I dare hope that this year will be any different?

Do I risk setting myself up for great things to take an even greater tumble?

Do I forge ahead into unknown lands or remain in my comfort zone from fear of failing?

The way I've come to see it, the only way I can advance forward is to be assured of the presence of the Lord.

Just as Joshua was reassured that the Lord would be with him as he entered the promised land, the Lord has promised to be with me as I continue on in this exciting adventure of faith.

"It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

There is no resolving until I am reassured of His presence.

I don't walk on this journey of faith alone.

I have step out into this broad new year with a leap of faith, but I put one foot in front of the other resting in the secure promise of God that He will be right there with me for every stumble and fall, and every triumph and victory.

It's not about me or what I accomplish it is all about who I am in Christ and the work He is doing that He has determined to do.

With that purpose I proceed.

A new resolution to refuse fear and rehash, "He will be with me."

"He will be with me."

I quietly began this little blog, A Soft Gentle Voice,  six years ago today, with the desire to listen to the Soft Gentle Voice of the Lord more faithfully. It is still my heart's desire to listen to God's Word and to share His love and faithfulness to others that may come by here for a brief visit or some that my decide to pull up a chair for awhile and pass along grace. 

I am excited for some changes to take place in the new year. I am introducing a theme on Wednesdays called "Words of Life" in which I'll share life giving words of God's Word, helping us to listen more intently to the Soft Gentle Voice of the One who has called us to Himself.

What Words of Life {God's Words that bring life} encourage you as we begin this new year?

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{Watch for link-ups in the weeks to come.}

Later this week, I hope to share my one word for 2014.

Brimful of God's Goodness {Year In Review in Photos}

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, 

plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

{Jeremiah 29:11}

Looking forward to more of 

God's Goodness in the year to come.

Happy New Years Eve!