Scriptures of Encouragement ~ The Lesson of Black Walnuts

Dotting the country roadside were little holes dug in the carpet of pine needles. Curiosity struck. Ya never know what kind of critters Blue and I might come across on our daily walks. These landscape dimples were like pockets - dark and contained with fairly neat edges. About the size of an egg. I asked Blue if he knew what they were and, of course, he cocked his head and gave me that look that clearly says, "You're weird, momma." But he did wag his tail as he communicated my weirdness. **wink**

I heard some scratching noises just ahead of us. Something gray flittered in the pine carpet, then darted across the mountain lane. A bushy tail exploded with excitement. Wide eyes and plump cheeks told the rest of the story.

It was a squirrel harvesting his stash of black walnuts.

How did he know where each walnut lay? Certainly, he stored these life-sustaining nuggets for the long winter ahead, but, on this day did he know an unexpected winter storm was on the horizon because of the roller-coaster called March?

Lately, many of us in the Body of Christ have been on a roller-coaster called life. Life is always filled with ups and downs, for sure, but anybody out there think it's been a bit extreme lately? I know, right? There's a whole lot of shaking going on and a whole lot of lessons being learned.

I'm learning a lesson of black walnuts. Sortof.

I'm learning to stash scriptures in my heart and mind so that when the days of reckoning come (and the days of wrecking) I'm prepared. I know where they're hid and I'm disciplining myself to fetch them long before the storm hits.

Some of my favorite hiding places are: 

Psalm 91:1-2 ~ "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust."

Psalm 91:14-15 (insert your name here) ~ "Because [Nan] has set her love upon Me, therefore I will deliver her; I will set her on high, because she has known My name. [Nan] shall call upon Me, and I will answer her; I will be with her in trouble; I will deliver [Nan] and honor her."

2 Chronicles 16:9 ~ "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him."

Isaiah 30:21 ~ "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left."

Romans 8:38-39 ~ "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which in in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:31 ~ "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

Daniel 10:12 ~ "Then he [the Angel of the Lord] said to me, 'Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.'"

The squirrel raced up a tree to hunker down with his treasure. Safe. Secure. Well fed.

That's my plan the next time a storm hits. I'm gonna hunker down with my treasure.

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Tweetables to Encourage Others

Are you trying to survive a storm? @NanJonesAuthor offers some insight. (Click to Tweet)

"I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge & my fortress...~ Psalm 91:2 God is a sure place in the storm. (Click to Tweet)



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If you received Morning Glory via email, please visit the Morning Glory  page. I found a really cool song by Sara Groves titled, "The Word". I had never heard it before. I think you'll enjoy it. Bless you my precious friend.