Living Waters From God

When God sends me a Bible verse more than twice I pay attention, because this an important way God communicates with me.  If you are a follower of my blog you may recall that last fall I received Matthew 11:28-30 around 26 times from many different sources.   God was hitting me over the head with the living Word from Matthew~~ It truly held a message I needed to hear.  I.m.p.o.r.t.a.n.t.  I am still learning about resting in and trusting God from that time. 

Since July 31st I have received verses and writings on "living waters" nine times from nine different sources.  God is speaking loudly to me once again.  The first 4 times I was given John 7:38 through different devotionals and a book of scriptures.

"Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink. 

For the scriptures declare,

Rivers of Living Water shall flow from the heart

of anyone who believes in Me."

 

Then as Joel and I were reading aloud the book, "Healing For Today" by Pastor Paul Teske, I turned to the next chapter to read and it was titled, "Rivers of Living Water"!!! 

 

Tuesday I read two separate blogs that spoke of living waters and streams of waters.   One written by Heather Lewis Powell over at InCourage had a quote that resonated for me. 

 

 

"If I believe and trust in Him, streams of living waters will flow from me

and I will not fear the heat or worry

because I will be firmly rooted in Him."

 

 A second post by Lisa over at Lisa Buffaloe's site spoke of  "letting God's living waters flow in and through you.  Of us needing to put down deep roots in the Word."
 

I also came across a scripture that Linny over at A Place Called Simplicity shared personally with me over a year ago from Job 11:16...

"You will forget your misery.....it will be like waters flowing away!"

Number nine came yesterday morning in the Daily Light, a scripture where Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well:

"If you only knew who you were speaking to

 you would ask me and I would give you living water." 

John 4:10 

 

 Couple all this with my visit to the garden of my heart in meditation, and I cannot nor would I deny that God is in the midst of this.  In the garden I walked with Joel and Jesus to a pool.  Surrounding it on three sides were high rocks with waterfalls cascading down into the pool.  Jesus and Joel took my hands and I went into the pool with them.  I need to be honest here, during the meditation I saw myself somewhat resistant to Jesus wanting me to go into pool, but I cautiously went in at the encouragement of both, and Jesus poured water over me with His hands.

Yes, God is at work. 

How does God work in your lives?  Through His Word, devotionals, the voice of others you are connected to?  For Joel he is often through nature.  And one friend of ours says that whenever she sees or hears a cardinal she knows God is speaking to her that all is well.  However He comes to you, we can rest assured He comes in love.

Do I understand all that is being shown me? Absolutely not.  I do see some direction, though.  Words like roots, living water, flowing, and the Word are coming up with frequency, and I have heard whisperings from Holy Spirit. For now I am trusting God to reveal to me at the right time just what I need to learn.

It is an adventure in faithful living to walk with Jesus through this life!  Don't you agree?   

 



MBM: A Friend, A Book, and God

Today is Memorial Box Monday, which Linny over at A Place Called Simplicity created.  In the Old Testament God commanded the Israelites to build a memorial of stones as a constant reminder of
God's faithfulness and provision for His people over the years.  Linny has done the same by keeping a Memorial Box filled with reminders of all the times in their lives of God's faithfulness and provision.  All the times He answered their prayers.   She invites us to do the same.  Stop over and read her story for today~ Remember your own stories too....and be doubly blessed.

My story today brings together a friend, a book, and God's timing.  Just over a year ago I read a book by Pastor Paul Teske, entitled "Healing For Today."  In the book he shares his own story of healing from a stroke and how God guided him to move from being healed to praying for others to be healed.  The uniqueness of this particular story lies in the fact that this man is a Lutheran pastor.  Just like my husband Joel.  He was healed, just like Joel. And he speaks in tongues, just like Joel.  Being a Lutheran pastor and believing in physical healing as more than a rare occurrence, and speaking in tongues?  Very unusual.  It can be a lonely road.

As soon as I read the book I knew Joel needed to read it.  It was a gift from God for us.  I told him about the book, but he was into something else at the time, and he never got around to reading it.  A few weeks later I mentioned it again.  Nothing.  Then again.....at which time he picked up the book to read, but after two chapters put it aside due to the many distractions of working as an Interim.  I prayed about it but knew if I kept bugging him it would only cause an irritation so I let it go.  I recommended the book to three friends and decided to re-read it myself, sharing bits and pieces periodically with Joel.

Then my friend Katherine told me she had purchased the book.  She found it very powerful and we were able to share a bit on our insights while reading it.  Yesterday she wrote me an email sharing a paragraph from one chapter that mentioned expectancy.  Since God has been speaking to Joel and me on that very topic this past week I shared it with him.  He asked me to send a copy of the quote up to his office and I said, "Better yet, why don't we read it out of the book."  It was sitting right next to me!  Then I said, "Better than that, why don't we read the book aloud to each other?"  He liked the idea and ....................

That is how it began..............and last night we read five chapters out loud to each other.  Joel was so excited he could hardly put it down.  Today we have read two more chapters and plan to continue tonight.  At this rate we should be able to finish the book this week!

Katherine had mentioned to me awhile back that Pastor Teske was going to have his first healing conference this fall.  I mentioned this to Joel and we are now spending time in prayer to decide on whether this is in God's plan for us.  Either way, I know that this book is going to bring about change in our lives.  I just know that I know that I know.

All in God's timing.  In His faithfulness, when things came together at just the right time with Katherine's email, the book sitting on our end table, and the words on expectancy that spoke so loudly to us both? ~~we are right where God wants us to be.  He has answered my prayers and the deep conviction that I felt about this Pastor's story being so important to our lives, to Joel's ministry.

God provides for us in the small things and the big.  He works it out according to His timing and gently guides us along the way until we are in a place of surrender and readiness.  Even with something as small as reading a book.  A book that I just "happened to come across in a google search.  A book He put on my heart for my husband Joel and me to read. 

Only God.



I am linking up to Linny over at A Place Called Simplicity.

Saturday's Scribbles

Good morning to you from our corner of the world.  Iowa has been experiencing some unusually dry and cool weather and I, for one, like it!  It has made for some pleasant walks this past week.  We actually went to the city park and walked a couple of times.  So beautiful there!

Crossing a rock bridge at the park

Joel next......

Beautiful cascading waterfalls at the park

Speaking of walking, we were delighted to have a very small fawn scamper ahead of us leading the way  early one morning as we walked along the river.  The fawn went quite a distance with us following behind.  We expect mom was near by, but never saw her. We also had two doe with fawns come through our yard.  We had to put fencing around the small hydrangea in the back as the deer ate up two while on their way to the river.  We have had a lot of deer in the yard this year.  The neighbors had two fawns resting in their yard most of one day.  Don't know where the moms were!

We finally received notice to pick up Levi's ashes and on the day we did we had to chuckle.  Levi never liked the fire alarms when they would go off while broiling, or the chirping when one needed a new battery.  The day we brought home his ashes the alarm went off while broiling burgers,  AND another alarm kept chirping.  This had not happened since he died, so I am thinking Levi was at work letting us know he was home! Ha!

Last Saturday we headed up to the Twin Cities to celebrate my older sister's 80th birthday.  It was a fun day with people flying in from as far away as Texas!  I had not seen some family members for up to nine years. We did a lot of visiting and Joel and I both entered a bean bag toss tourney.  I was paired with my niece's husband, Jeff.   I think most people felt I would be an easy out and I am sure Jeff thought so to.  He is quite athletic and into sports, being his dad is a retired Viking player!  He was very gracious with this ol' gray haired lady~ once chronically ill......now slowly healing.....overweight and out of shape......dealing with glaucoma and cataracts.....never having played before.  Ever.  Guess what?  We won!  Not to brag, but I did surprisingly well, putting many in the hole and most on the board.  I had great fun surprising all the competitive ones as we played game after game.  In the final game I had to play against our daughter Beth and son Mark!  Three of our family in the finale.   Way to go!!!  My teammate, Jeff and I took home the trophy and I was given the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award!  What a hoot! 

Of course after driving 5 hours round trip in one day, playing five games while using muscles long dormant, and spending several hours visiting, I have had to rest more this week for sure.  We won't talk about the foot and leg cramps after the games were over.  Embarrassing.  Joel enjoyed watching me in the tournament so much he laughed until his sides hurt.  I am so blessed to have this man in my life!

Speaking of, Joel has been busy this week emptying the "half-down" room of storage and making it into a guest room.  We seldom have guests but now have a room if we do.  It is nice to have it so organized instead of piled with 33 years of Joel's office stuff and other stuff we needed to purge. Now we need to sort through all of that and purge and store.  That will be challenging.  Joel also ordered a new mechanism for our grandmother clock we had made while living in the Philippines in 76'.  We ordered in from Clockworks and it came without instructions!  He was able to get it mostly put back together but finally had to go online to find the instructions on how to set the chimes, etc.  No instructions?  What is up with that?!!

We have an oat field at the end of our block right in the middle of our association.  Joel has enjoyed watching the oats grow and change color.  They are swathing the oats today and he is delighted!!  You can take the boy out of the country but you cannot take the country out of the boy. 

I finished a Lauraine Snelling book and have been reading a true story of a missionary to Dutch New Guinea, Darlene Rose, who was in a Japanese internment camp during World War II.  It is pretty interesting.  Not much on TV and no movies this week.  What have you been up to?

Until next time..................

Count The Fish

I have been reading a book by Darlene Deibler Rose entitled "Evidence Not Seen".  She writes about her internment as a prisoner of war when the Japanese invaded New Guinea after bombing Pearl Harbor.  Newly married, and new to the mission field, they were eager to begin the work they felt God had for them.  World War II  brought a swift end to those plans and it also brought with it the death of her husband and four long years of suffering in an internment camp.  I have been humbled by the faith of these missionaries and more, who stood on God's promises in unbelievable tough times. 

I also watched  by video as Rick and Kay Warren spoke about how they are getting through the tough times since the death by suicide of their son Matthew four months ago.  Last Sunday they shard their pain and deep sorrow and what they are doing to walk through this tragedy.  They spoke about God  always loving us.  How God weeps with them, and how it is the enemy that took Matt from them, NOT God.  They are walking in hope, standing on God's promises and His love for them during extremely difficult times.

Today I read Monday's post at Ann Voskamp's Blog, A Holy Experience.  Another powerful writing on how we manage the pain, the struggles, the unwanted circumstances that we face in a broken world.  She shared the story of when Jesus told Peter and the others to go out in their boat again and throw their net down on the right side this time.  How their net was FULL but did not break when they obeyed Him and they came back with 153 fish. 

They counted the fish.  They counted the BLESSINGS that God had given them.  Just Like Ann invites all of us to do on a daily basis by keeping a list of the small, seemingly unimportant and the big things we can be grateful for.  How "counting the fish" keeps our focus on God and reminds us that we can trust Him every single day no matter what we face. 

In more ways than I realize , I expect these encounters today are speaking to me deep in my soul. God is gently reminding me to count the fish.  It seems too simple to be affective.  Just write down throughout the day all you observe and see them for what they are~ gifts from a loving God.  The Bible tells us over and over to praise Him.  Give thanks.  Keep your eyes upon Jesus.  Trust and obey.  

Count the fish.

It is all about perspective, and we have so much to be grateful for.  So. very. much.  And God in His infinite wisdom knows that as we praise and give thanks we are doubly blessed.  I am going to make a sign to frame and hang on our wall as a daily reminder from our loving G.od.

Count the fish.

Just Another Day

"It is for freedom that Christ set us free. 

Stand firm, therefore, and never again be burdened

by a yoke of bondage (slavery)."

Galatians 5:1

I have this verse printed on paper in large letters and taped up around the house.  It is a reminder of the freedom that is ours because of Jesus.  We feel such joy at seeing this promise come to fruition in our lives!  It is a promise we can stand on as we walk in the Spirit.

On Sunday morning Joel and I got up, had breakfast, dressed, and headed to a small tourist town 15 miles away from our home.  We parked and walked about 1 1/2 blocks to the city park for an outdoor church service.  Sitting at a picnic table we worshiped with the praise band and listened to a sermon while  breezes blew and rain threatened.   After services we walked downtown to Cabin Coffee.  It was crowded with morning coffee lovers, but we managed to order a cinnamon latte for Joel and a "Just Fruit" smoothie for myself.  Joel splurged on a big cinnamon roll with icing and we sat at a table enjoying the atmosphere and our goodies. We then walked another block back to the van before driving home. 

For most people this would be just another day.  For us it was a delightful adventure filled with blessings we could not have imagined 18 months ago.  I told Joel the past few weeks I feel like I am waking up from a deep sleep.  I still feel like a refugee from a foreign land as I learn to navigate being out in the world after years of isolation.

Lets start with getting up, and ready for morning church.  This summer I am going to church again after 9 years of Joel heading out the door alone while I stayed behind,  trapped in bondage by Lyme.
Going to church outside?  In the wind?  Granny Warrior, alias me,  has a tick phobia, but I have been attempting to walk in the grass and enjoy nature again.  For years I never set foot on grass.  Wind?  When you are fighting with all over neuropathy, being out in the wind can make you feel like pins are sticking you all over you body...even your scalp.  And once activated it does not like to go away.  In the past it kept me awake many nights and in constant prayer.  Lyme damage.  Like other symptoms, I have started speaking against this nerve pain and demanding it go in the name of Jesus......it has rebelled lately, but I am still not letting it control me.  It is leaving.

ONLY GOD!

Lately I have been walking a mile every day.  Just 15 months ago I could walk only 3 minutes.  I am not kidding.  And just 5 weeks ago, before being prayed over at the healing service,  I could walk 10 minutes.  Now, I am walking 30.  This is amazing.

ONLY GOD!

Then lets look at all of the chemical fragrances that comes from people who use shampoos, deodorants, body washes, hair spray and the like.  I needed to avoid it at all costs...or pay the consequences with 5 days of nauseating headaches and sinus issues along with brain fog and the like.  Now I go into stores for the first time in years and am able to handle fragrances, new clothing, cleaning smells, etc. with little or no reaction.

ONLY GOD!

Eventually that will cover gasoline and wood smoke, too, although I never plan to go back to using toxic chemicals in my home.  Why would we?

Joel and I both were gluten, sugar, and dairy intolerant from the Lyme causing our immune systems to overreact.  Yet Joel ate a delicious cinnamon roll of which I had a bite, and had a latte to wash it down.  He can eat anything he wants but regular ice cream do to the chemicals in that.  I will soon be following suite....

ONLY GOD!

Joel and I both have such a deep sense of gratitude for the healing that has and is taking place, and the freedom Jesus died for.  We can hardly wait for our next adventure....and healing.

 I expect we will never take it all completely for granted, but we look forward to the day when such events are "just another day" in the lives of the Dahlens,

Just..  Another.  Day.

Saturday's Scribbles

After a week of heat and high humidity and dew points, today we are enjoying 82 degrees and dryer air.  Yay!  Now this is more like it!! 

Speaking of dryer air, I have been researching where to find humidity at around 30-40 percent year round, as that seems to be close to ideal for Joel and myself.   So far I have come up with parts of Colorado, although I have only just begun. 

Speaking of Colorado, our son Kevin is buried there and we have a grandson who lives there with his family.  Speaking of family, after moving our kids around the country a few times and managing one move involving an 18 hour plane trip (The Philippines), most of our family as adults have settled with their own families in permanent places around the Midwest. They like traveling, just not moving so much.  Sometimes when my gypsy blood is stirred up, I long for far horizons and ponder aloud the need to get out of dodge (Iowa).  I expect I will always feel that way due to some kind of generational curse that seems to bring out the wanderer in me!  Must be due to the Irish in me, or maybe it is the French gypsy.....or the Viking blood?!?  Ha! Ha!

Speaking of generations, next weekend we will head up to Minnesota for my older sister's 80th birthday party. She is 15 years older than me and raised me from age 11 until I married, so she is grandma to my kids. It will be great fun to see everyone again.

Joel has been busy writing and biking this week. I have been busy walking, resting, and spending more time in my recliner than I would like.. We did get 50 pounds of blueberries into our freezer....and have been enjoying the other 10 pounds in muffins, on pancakes, and just eating them by the handful.  Yum!  I also have been shopping online and in stores for new sandals.  So far, Nada.  I think my criteria is hard to find.....firm, not spongy heel, low to ground, and supports the ankle without looking like it is for someone old.  Thankfully, I can still wear the ones I have had for 12 years!! 

Ever feel, well............restless?  Or like there is something missing in your life?  Like there are adventures out there that have your name on them, but they are just out of your reach?  Joel and I are both extroverts and now that I am so much better I feel once again like there are places to go and people to see!  I really hunger to do more for God.  And Joel?  Not working has left a void he is struggling to fill.  I truly feel like this restless feeling is part of God's plan for our future. A preparation for what is to come.

Last weekend we watched the movie, "Angel In The House".  It was slow and sweet.  We enjoyed it!  I plan to watch the new Hallmark series, Cedar Cove, based on Debbie Macomber books of that name.  Looks good...looks healthy...looks clean.  We are all for that!  We are still into the correspondence course on Healing and  I have been reading another Red River novel , the third in a series of homesteaders in North Dakota.  What have you been reading?

Until next time.......