Where Is God? Sunday Glimpses

by Nan Jones

Father, how magnificent is Your love, how calming is Your faithfulness. Thank You for being my constant in an ever changing world. My world may crumble or my world may abound, but You, Lord are my sure place. Thank You for being a place of refuge for me. Thank You for being my comfort, my peace, and my joy. I appreciate You so very much. I ask that for those who are reaching out to You, grasping for hope, grasping for security - I ask that You would open their eyes to see You. Awaken their hearts to know You. You are an amazing God - the great I AM. You are all that we need and You stand ready to meet our needs. Thank You for Your love. Encourage my friends. Stir within them the sound of Your Living Water flowing deep in their spirits bringing life and refreshment. Let them know that You are near. Thank You Lord. We bless Your holy Name!

Tweetables to Encourage Others

Are you discouraged, asking where God is? @NanJonesAuthor will lead you there. (Click to Tweet)

My world may crumble, my world may abound, but You, Lord, are my sure place. (Click to Tweet)

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Please don't carry your burden alone. I would be honored to pray for you. You may contact me at nan@jubilantlight.com

Scriptures of Encouragement ~ Daddy, I Love You

by Nan Jones

The pitter-patter of tiny feet echoed through the hallway, running gleefully towards his dad.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

Photo Credit: miriadna.com

Daddy sat his briefcase by the door just in time to receive a leaping toddler into his strong arms. Father and son hugged, exchanging glances that reflected their adoration of one another. Hearts raced. Faces smiled. Eyes gleamed.

The child relaxed in his daddy's arms. He placed his chubby little cheek next to his father's and quietly whispered, "Daddy ... I love you, daddy."

Similarly, Psalm 27 offers a declaration of David's faith. David says, "When You said, 'Seek My face,' my heart said to You, 'Your face, Lord, I will seek.'"

To seek in Hebrew is baqash (bah-kahsh) meaning to look with diligence, to search earnestly until the object of the search is located. It requires action. It requires intention.

At the sound of his father's voice, the toddler ran through the house searching, anticipating his father's love. I want to be like that. I want to listen for my Father's voice with anticipation. I want to keep my eyes open so I won't miss the Lord when He's passing by.

When I hear the Lord's sweet whisper, when I know He's near, I want to race towards His love, leap into His arms and cry, "Abba, Father ... Daddy, I love You."

"But from there you will seek the Lord your God, 

and you will find Him 

if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul." 

~ Deuteronomy 4:29

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Tweetables to Encourage Others

How do I seek God? @NanJonesAuthor may have your answer. (Click to Tweet)

I want to listen for my Father's voice with anticipation. (Click to Tweet)



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If you received Morning Glory via email, please visit the Morning Glory  page. I'm featuring a powerful song by Kari Jobe titled, "The More I Seek You". This quiet prayer will provide a sweet respite from your busyness. I hope you enjoy.

Scriptures of Encouragement ~ Be Still

by Nan Jones

I rocked back and forth on the porch swing, the simple rhythm soothing my spirit, refreshing my tired body. I closed my eyes and thought about the Lord.

Photo Credit: www.houzz.com

You are wonderful, Lord. Your love embraces me with a comforting warmth. I'm so thankful for You.

I sat quietly, closed my eyes, and steadied my heart. A sweet breeze kicked up, rustling the wind chimes, sending them into song. A celestial melody filled the air. The cardinal chirping in a wild cherry across the way joined in. Out back a woodpecker drummed on our apple tree, adding percussion to the symphony. I'm certain the strings section buzzed in and out of my irises. Oh my! What a heavenly chorus of praise to the Creator.

I could sense His lovely Presence surrounding me.

Because of Jesus, we can know our God. We can know His voice and His love. Isn't that amazing? What love is this that we can walk with the Creator of the Universe? What love, indeed!

I kept my eyes closed and listened to nature's song of praise. In the quiet of the moment I heard Him whisper, "Be still and know that I am God."*

Be still. Cease striving. Rest in His lovely Presence.

*Psalm 46:10

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Tweetables to Encourage Others

Are you striving? @NanJonesAuthor offers help in being still. (Click to Tweet)

In the quiet of the moment I heard him whisper, "Be still and know that I am God." (Click to Tweet)



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If you received Morning Glory via email, please visit the Morning Glory  page to receive the blessing of Alan Jackson singing, "In the Garden". This is one of my favorites. The video shows his audience singing along, focusing on the Lord. I'm sure it will bless you.

Where is God? Sunday Glimpses

by Nan Jones

Photo Credit: livingbetter50.com

Lord, Thank You for calling to me from the deep recesses of my spirit. Thank You for teaching me to listen and to recognize Your sweet whispers. You are an amazing God. I'm so honored and thankful to belong to You. I pray for my readers who desire to know You more. Awaken their hearts to adore You. Stir within their spirits a hunger and thirst to devour Your Word. You, alone, satisfy the longing soul - nothing compares to Your love. You are high and lifted up! You are the King of Glory, the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace. You, Lord, have called us friends. Thank You. Thank You from the bottom of our hearts. We love You and we give You praise.

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Tweetables to Encourage Others

Do you long to know Him more? @NanJonesAuthor offers this prayer for you. (Click to Tweet)

You, Lord, have called us friends. Thank You. (Click to Tweet)

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Please don't carry your burdens alone. I would be honored to pray with you. You may contact me at nan@jubilantlight.com

Scriptures of Encouragement ~ Listen to the Silence

by Nan Jones

The gnarled vine, thick as a young tree, ribboned its way to the trellis. Disease was showing in some of the broken places. Grapes born in previous years had cluttered the vine and then died before reaching maturity. The fruit was inedible. Lots of leaves had given the appearance of vitality and purpose, but the fruit was pointless.

Last February my son and neighbor took shears to the ancient vine. They cut and pruned and tossed gorgeous grapevine down the hill.

They broke my heart.

I loved the grapevine and its tenacity to keep on keeping on.

And now it lay in a broken mess, stripped to the bare bones.

As spring arrived, I had my doubts. Trees budded. Grass greened. Flowers burst with color. But my grapevine clung to the trellis. Bare. Silent.

I thought of my own season of pruning. Unemployment. Fibromyalgia. False accusations destroying ministry. I thought of how I lay sheared, clinging to the cross. Bare. Silent. I wondered if my life would ever produce abundant fruit for God's Kingdom again.

My doubts troubled me like my beautiful grapevine lying silent against the trellis.

March came and went.
April came and went.
May is almost over and now...now...shiny, new leaves of chartreuse and dusty rose are popping out along the graceful tendrils of the vine. Beneath clusters of leaves are teeny clusters of newborn grapes basking in the sunlight, breathing the abundant air that circulates around them. They appear strong. Healthy. Determined.

I'm reminded of Isaiah 61:10-11,

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; 

for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, 

He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, 

as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, 

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

"For as [surely as] the earth brings forth its shoots, 
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring forth, 
so [surely] the Lord God will cause 
rightness and justice and praise to spring forth 
before all the nations 
[through the self-fulfilling power of His word]" (AMP). 

As surely as the earth brings forth its shoots and the grapevine releases new growth, the Lord, through the power of His Word, will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth in my life, regardless of the present silence. He is faithful. He is good. His Word that goes forth will not return void.

And what He does for me, He will do for you, for the Lord our God is no respecter of persons. 

You are His special treasure, His fruit-bearer. He will take away the excess to create stronger and more vibrant fruit because you have been faithful in your devotion to Him.

Listen to the silence. In the silence of waiting He speaks. 

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Tweetables to Encourage Others

Are you in a season of waiting? @NanJonesAuthor encourages you to listen to the silence. (Click to Tweet)

Listen to the silence. In the silence of waiting He speaks. (Click to Tweet)

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If you received Morning Glory via email, please visit the Morning Glory  page for an opportunity to worship with Shawn McDonald as he sing, "Here I Am."

Scriptures of Encouragement ~ Where Love Grows

by Nan Jones

Pops of canary yellow scattered across the yard. The dandelions were random in location, cheerful in demeanor. Just over the knoll an older dandelion sprouted a tall stalk topped by a globe of wispy, white seeds.

Photo Credit: wildblessings.com

A breeze kicked up. The air became filled with dozens of potential dandelions riding on the wings of the wind. They danced, twirled, and floated to new destinations across the yard, across the street. Some sailed all the way to our neighbor's yard. Where each seed landed, a dandelion grew.

Such is the scattering of God's love.

Where each seed of compassion lands, Love grows. New life begins. Hope is restored, joy revisited.

Does my life scatter God's love? Am I conscious of planting seeds of Life in the hearts of others, intentionally being a sower of the Word?

"By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. 

And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 

But whoever has this world's goods, 

and sees his brother in need,

 and shuts up his heart from him, 

how does the love of God abide in him? 

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, 

but in deed and in truth. 

And by this we know that we are of the truth, 

and shall assure our hearts before Him." 

~ 1 John 3:16-19

The tenacity of the dandelion speaks to me.

If only I can learn to yield to the Spirit of God as the tiny wispy seeds yield to the wind. 

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Tweetables to Encourage Others

Do you want to make a difference? @NanJonesAuthor offers insight. (Click to Tweet)

Such is the scattering of God's love. (Click to Tweet)



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If you received Morning Glory via email, please visit the Morning Glory page. I'm featuring 8 year old singer, Rhema Marvanne singing, "Note to God." This is a powerful song! You will be blessed by the voice that comes out of this tiny wisp of a girl.

Where Is God? Sunday Glimpses

by Nan Jones

Lord, You are more precious than silver, more costly than gold. Nothing I desire compares with You, for You are my Lord, my Redeemer and friend. You are my Prince of Peace, my Mighty God and the joy of my heart. Thank You for Your love. Thank You for sheltering me in the storm. I know that I can run to You and be safe from the enemy that assails me. You are wonderful, Lord. I pray for my friends who, like me, battle the demon of anxiety, and feelings of being overwhelmed. Please remind them, as You have me, that You are greater than anything they may face. When we are weak and frail and exhausted, You, O Lord, are strong. You are strong in us and for us. You give us joy for sorrow, peace for despair, and courage for fear. Thank You Lord. I ask that You show Yourself mighty on their behalf. Open doors that no man can shut. Move mountains for my friends  - mountains that stand in their way as they try to obey You in all things. Fill them with the peace that passes all understanding. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus' Name I pray, amen.

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Tweetables to Encourage Others

Are you looking for God in your chaos? @NanJonesAuthor offers you a glimpse of Him. (Click to Tweet)

Nothing I desire compares with You, for You are my Lord, my Redeemer, & friend. (Click to Tweet)

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Please don't carry your burdens alone. I'd be honored to pray with you. You may contact me at nan@jubilantlight.com