Peace I Give To You

Day 110 of Photo Inspirations -- Safe Harbor
By tonight, we will have been travelling on the Atlantic Ocean 7 days.  We were detoured from Halifax, Nova Scotia because of the low pressure system, but tomorrow we'll be docking in the Azores, Portugal.  It's okay with most all of us, because Nova Scotia has 3 feet of snow and the Azores will be in the 70s.  We welcome that climate.  Then we'll be heading on to Ireland.  I'm really look forward to being there.  My grandparents were Irish, so maybe you could say I'm heading toward my family "roots".  These are a few pics of my friends and I enjoying this beautiful ship.  By no means is anyone complaining about being aboard this little city.  The food, the entertainment, the activities, and the comfortable areas all over make for a beautiful and restful experience.  We've had four time zone changes and will have others before getting to Denmark on May 2nd.

I've been talking a lot about staying in peace.   I've loved water skiing -- I could do some pretty awesome moves as a slalom water skier, but as I look out the windows of this ship, I see some pretty rough waters -- white capping.    I would have never attempted skiing on waters like these.   But inside this ship -- we don't even notice the rough waters.  It is stable.  I'm sitting at the table in the dining room as I type this.  I just finished my breakfast and the glasses and the dishes on the table weren't moving a bit -- even my coffee and orange juice aren't moving inside the glasses and cups.   It is a stable place of comfort and peace.

And, in the matters of life, as long as I fix my thoughts on my Prince of Peace, I'm stable and at peace.  I know the world's peace depends on calm seas, favorable circumstances, getting our way, things going as expected, with very few manageable challenges.  That sounds all sweet and nice, but as soon as our "apple cart gets turned over", the world's peace tends to dissipate and we are left with anxiety and concern.  But here's the peace I know well -- the peace Jesus gives.  That peace helps me face circustances with a quiet confidence that guides me -- not contingent on what's going on around me, but what's inside me -- better yet, WHO'S inside me. Jesus said, "Peace, I give you -- my peace I give you -- not as the world gives I you!  Let not your heart be troubled."   John 14:27

Little is Much When God is in It

God is the Master Multiplier

Day 106 of Photo Inspirations -- Little is much when God is in it!
Our course was altered -- instead of to Nova Scotia, our voyage has detoured to Portugal because of the rough waters. Going further north, then east wasn't going to work. So we're going East-North Easterly heading toward Ponta Delgada -- the largest municipality of the Azores in Portugal. What a great adventure!

This morning my devotion was about the story where Jesus told the disciples to find food to feed the crowd of over 5,000 and all they could come up with was a little boy's lunch of two loaves and five fish. Co-partnering with the disciples and a little boy, Jesus was able to feed the masses by multiplying what they had on hand.

He is the Master multiplier. We are the chosen partners He uses. Imagine that little boy's story the rest of his life? Jesus used ME! He takes little and makes BIG out of it. "Little is much when God is in it!"

What if, today, we present Him with what we have? There was an individual on our ship that was having such physical issues that they had to turn the ship around to take him back to port. The medical team deemed it crucial to get him emergency assistance on land as soon as possible. So what "little" did I have to help him? My prayers And that's what I did. I met a lovely lady on this ship who very obviously had gone through tremendous physical challenges. What could I do for her? Stop to speak to her, to engage her in conversation, to applaud her courage and tenacity.

Not a big deal at all. But, if I"m one of God's partners, my little just might be the BIG God uses to multiply blessings to them. How about you? Maybe inviting someone to dinner today or giving items you no longer need away, or taking a meal to someone. It may seem little to you, but BIG to them. Yes, little becomes BIG when we accept our partnership with THE MULTIPLIER!

Trust in the Lord With All Your Heart

Day 105 of Photo Inspirations -- Trust in the Lord With All Your Heart
"Trust in the Lord with all heart, and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  Proverbs 3:5-6
I read this scripture in my devotion this morning and I knew it should be my post for this day.  This are two friends I"m travelling with on this amazing journey, Nancy Crow​ and Marilynn Hays (and Nancy's husband, Don Crow​).  This is because of those "acknowledging Him and He shall direct your paths" special times in my life.

It's a gorgeous day voyaging in the Atlantic Ocean.  We're headed to Halifax, Nova Scotia enroute to Ireland.  Seems like an off-the-beaten path way to go -- but it's trusting the Captain.  He knows what He's doing and why.  And isn't that the way it is with trusting in our CAPTAIN, as this scripture states.

Going to Canada holds special significance for me.  Our beloved Canada gave me my sweetheart, and the sweet memories of living there, takes me back to this great country.  Funny how I ate with a couple this morning from Toronto and we had such a great talk.  I was singing "Oh Canada, our home and native land" to them.  I recalled to them about our time in Toronto with relatives that lived there, 100 Huntley Street TV Show where my daughter, Staci, was a guest speaker and singer, and about her special time representing Manitoba in the Miss Canada Pageant in Toronto.

I read this scripture -- about living in all out abandonment of total trust in God and letting what seems logical get in the way of His guidance which may take us in such illogical directions.  God took the Israelites into the wilderness to get them to their Promised Land, but because of their grumbling at God's ideas, they ended up taking 40 years instead of the 15 days journey He could have given them.  Yes, trusting in Him may just give us exciting trips like this one I'm on by voyaging to Ireland by way of Canada!  I am SO NOT grumbling or complaining -- just enjoying the journey.