* "WITH my blessing" ! *

Balance is an important part of life.  It is the recognition that every challenge contains a blessing and every blessing contains a challenge.  What we need to do is to embrace the whole of life. 

Focus on any area in your life which seems out of balance.  If there was something that you could learn from it, what would it be?

Create balance and receive blessings into your life from the Violet gift box! 

[Close your eyes and imagine a Violet gift box floating toward you.  When it comes closer unwrap it and receive the gift (into your heart).  Then allow a Violet ray of light to penetrate into your body, relaxing and energising it, as you let go of any fear, stress or worry and bring balance back into your life.]

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" Dear Heavenly Father, please allow me to create a balanced and harmonious life, full of blessings and joy."


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Inna Segal

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* We all need colours/colors in our life. *

 

* BEING Blessed In His Image !!

"Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,"
. . . in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (GENESIS 1:26-27)."

We are blessed, are we not, to be created in God's image? Sometimes, though, when we look into a mirror, we might wonder! My nine-year old daughter spends more time than I care to relate in front of the mirror, curling iron and brush in hand. This bathroom clog-up usually takes place on Sunday morning when we are all scrambling to get ready for Sunday school and church. What will it be like when she is a teenager!

This crazy world in which we live overemphazises the outward beauty of face and figure. We are trying to teach our children to give God His rightful glory as the Creator of all things. In Psalm 139:13 and 14 we are told, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that full well." Our precious little girl who gazes into that mirror is one of those fearfully and wonderfully made works of God!

Imagine, before he or she is born, each tiny infant has been shaped and molded by the mighty hand of God." ...
* have misplaced THIS Devotion so am not able to finish it. This Devotion was specifically named In His Image. I remember that title and have looked everywhere here for it. I will continue with that theme as I have found another Devotion also called In His Image. Perhaps you will notice some similarities. Apologies.k.

In His Image

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps (1 PETER 2:21)."

While living in Nagoya, Japan, I met a lady who taught shuji (Japanese calligraphy). She wanted to improve her English and I wanted to learn how to write Japanese characters with a brush, so we made the happy exchange. Every week she came to my house and taught me shuji, and after the lesson she practiced conversational English with me.

The first step in each lesson was to watch her draw the Japanese character with a special brush. Since she was making the example for me to follow, she used bright vermilion ink. The next step was to mix the sumi with a small amount of water in the well to form jet black ink for my writing practice.

When her beautiful example was prepared, my teacher placed it in front of me. I tried to copy her work, but in spite of my efforts I could not match her artistic brush strokes. Her Japanese character was beautiful. Mine looked like the work of a six-year-old with a shaky hand!

One day the teacher took her red example and carefully laid it underneath my practice paper. With confidence, I traced the clearly visible strokes with my brush. After doing this on several practice sheets, the teacher removed her example and I was "on my own." The result was amazing. By tracing over her Japanese character, I had learned the correct pattern.

Through this experience, the meaning of Christ, our example, was indelibly inscribed on my heart. As I study God's Word, I see Jesus as my example. I trace my life over His life so that I can follow in His steps! E.J. PEASE

~ Contentment ! ~

* "Godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into this world,
and it is certain we can carry nothing out."
- 1 Timothy 6:6-7

* You promise that all bad things come to an end!
Until then, Father, give me contentment with the
blessings I have and faith in tomorrow.
In Jesus name. Amen.

* I know You want the best for me, Lord, and You
will provide it. My job is to live my life in a
way that glorifies You. That is a blessing because You
have given me application to good purpose.
I choose to be content. In Jesus name. Amen.

* "Having food and raiment (clothing) let us be therewith content." - 1 Timothy 6:8

** YOU, Lord !!! **

"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure" (Psalm 16:5).

"You, Lord. Do we fully comprehend the beauty of this relationship? Almighty God, Creator, Alpha and Omega, is our Lord. "You have assigned me" This great God has taken our position in life as a serious matter of concern! He has gone so far as to assign our cup. God's beautiful plan for our lives is completely known to Him.

"But," we complain, "my cup is not as glamorous as another's. My portion is bitter." Remember, God assigned that which comes to us. If He assigns, then He also equips!

For 12 years, I have been a missionary to Japan - a culture far different from that of the West. Although outwardly Western, Japan is inwardly very Eastern. Life here for me has been a perfecting process. I have cried more, hurt more and been more burdened during this missionary journey than in any other time of my transient life. My portion and my cup have been assigned. I know beyond any doubting that the perfecting process, though often slow, is taking place.

The psalmist goes on, "You have made my lot secure." Since our Lord has assigned us, we may rest perfectly secure. Whatever is poured into our cup comes from His boundless love's supply. What a source of comfort, healing and strength this knowledge gives.

Neither shrink in the face of trial or suffering nor be carefree in the face of blessing. Your cup and portion have been assigned, All has come to you from your Father's loving hand." JANICE KROPP

** THE Oyster !! **

"WHEN seemingly needless suffering invades our lives, we often ask ourselves, "Who needs all this grief?" But consider, for a moment, the origin of pearls!

EACH Pearl is formed by an Oyster's internal response to a wound caused by an irritant, such as a grain of sand. Resources of repair rush to the injured area. The final result is a lustrous Pearl. Something beautiful is created that would have been impossible without the wound.

IN today's Bible reading ("God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction" - GENESIS 41:52.), we see Joseph IN a position of influence, a position God soon used to feed surrounding Nations and Joseph's family during famine. But, how did he become influential? It began with a wound - being sold into slavery (Genesis 39) - which produced a pearl of usefulness. BECAUSE Joseph drew on God's resources when humiliated, he became better, NOT bitter. He named his second son Ephraim, which means "twice fruitful", and he said, "God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction" (Genesis 41:52).

Author Paul E. Billheimer says of Joseph, "If human pity could have rescued him from the sad part of his life, the glorious part that followed would have been lost". So, if your'e suffering, remember: No wounds, no pearls"! - JEY.

If we accept adversity,
Enduring every pain,
Then we will learn what we should know;
Our grief will turn to gain. - Sper