To Our Grandchildren...With Love

You are not yet here.  In fact, our children (your parents) are still teenagers.  
I am thinking ahead to the day when you might read this.

Perhaps you never will.  But, if you do, these are some of the things
I would want to say to you if I could.

First and foremost, the Lord Jesus Christ is everything.

Eternity is what really matters.  Temporal things are temporary.

And, what you put your faith in here will affect your life forever.

Our prayer has always been that all those who are born into,

or marry into, or by any other means become a part of our family

until the day when the Lord returns would belong to Him.

It is our greatest desire.  Nothing else is more important.  Absolutely nothing.


L to R ~ Fraser, Howie, Camille, Emma, and Calvin (2016)

So, though I might tell you that manners count for something
(and they do), or that saving up and being wise with your money matters
(and it does), or to wait and be patient will pay off in the long run
(and it likely will), and to work hard and be faithful in the small things
is important (and it is), I am going to leave you with a few verses to ponder.

Because at the end of it all,  God's Word will remain.  
It is unchangeable and true.  It is infallible and inerrant.
It is lasting and eternal.  It is the foundation upon which we stand.

The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is found throughout Scripture,
however, it is spelled out very clearly in the following verses.
Each one of us is sinful and separated from God by our sin.  
We cannot bridge the chasm between us and God.  We need a Saviour.  

The Lord Jesus came to earth, fully God and fully man,
to live perfectly so He could die to pay the penalty due for the sin of His people.
He absorbed all the wrath of God for that sin on the cross, 
rose victorious over death and sin and Satan, and is now seated at the right hand 
of the Throne of God making intercession for all those who belong to Him.

Those who come to Him in faith and repentance will live eternally
with Him, and those who don't will be cast away forever.
It is not popular to proclaim these things in this day and age,
however, it must be said.  Look to Him and live!



"...all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."  Romans 3:23

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one."  Romans 3:10

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  Romans 6:23

"But God commendeth His love toward us, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

"For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast."  Ephesians 2:8-9

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life;
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."  John 14:6

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  Matthew 11:28-30

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;
 and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."  John 6:37

"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become
the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name."  John 1:12

"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is none else."  Isaiah 45:22

"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 
or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"  Matthew 16:26

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
Philippians 1:21



On Austin's grave marker we have the words "...with Christ which is far better"
from Philippians 1:23 etched into the granite.  We believe that phrase
with all of our hearts.  One day, we hope the same words will be etched onto ours.
Until that day, however, we are called to live here.


Our Austin (2011)

So we carry on with an eye on the eternal.
We go forward step by step seeking to keep
our hearts fixed on those things that will last forever.

L to R ~ Fraser, Emma, and Calvin (2016)

We are about to launch into another year, and as we do, we say farewell to the current one.
I am sure it will be this way until the Lord returns.  Seasons change, years come and go, 
and time marches on.  It is a lovely thing to reflect on all that the Lord has done

and look forward to all that He will do.

What a precious thing it is to rest our hearts there.

When we are the Lord's, we have nothing to fear and everything to hope.

This life is not all there is.  Eternal things are what truly matter.

In light of that, we are seeking to follow our Saviour wherever He may lead 
and to trust Him with our future.  To trust Him with all who come after us.

He is the One Who holds everything in His hands.

We are His slaves.  We live and we die for Him.

There truly is nothing else.  From first to last, it's all about Him.
What a freeing and liberating thing to ponder.
However, it is a sobering thought as well.

It ought to make a difference in how we live.

So, as we embark on another new year, I reflect and I rejoice.
In all that has been and all that will be.  All because of Him.
And, because we know that our Saviour is in control of it all,
we can confidently face the future.  By His grace and for His glory.

With So Much Love,
Your Nana (Camille) 
xoxo

**Ocean image courtesy of Emma ~
Thank you my love XO

Books I Love

Many people make it practice to record a reading list for the year.

Some make their lists prior to reading, while others make theirs after.

What follows is my reading list for life...so far.

I expect there will be more to come since I am still in my forties (for a little longer).

 The purpose of this post is to record my favourites all in one place.
It is not an exhaustive list, but, these are the books that I have returned
to, or expect to return to, for more than one read-through.

"Trusting God Even When Life Hurts" by Jerry Bridges 
is a book I cannot recommend highly enough.
It's full of Scripture and sound theology and offers
solid answers to life's toughest questions.

"Grieving Hope and Solace" by Albert Martin
was given to us when our Austin was called home to heaven.
It is a treasure that can be read and pondered and used to
encourage over and over again.  Full of truth and hope,
it was used by the Lord to heal our broken hearts.

"Holiness" by J. C. Ryle
sat on our bookshelf for many years before I picked it up.
I cannot believe I waited so long to soak in the wise words of
this godly man.  He had the ability to take deep truths
and make them understandable for all his readers.
It has become of my all-time favourite books.



"Little Pilgrim's Progress" by Helen Taylor
is a faithful rendering of the original work by Bunyan.
It is not watered down or minimized, yet, it is simplified
in its language so that even young children will understand the story.
It is a wonderful read-aloud which will spark conversations
with your children of those real and eternal things that truly matter.
It does have frightening parts, so perhaps it would be best to pre-read
to discover the appropriate time to introduce it to your children.

"Morning and Evening" by Charles Spurgeon
is my all-time favourite devotional book.
There are readings for each morning and evening of the year.
We like to think of Spurgeon as our own pastor from the past.
He had a beautiful way of conveying truths of Scripture with word
pictures and illustrations.  His writings are always so encouraging
and challenging.  Year after year, this work never gets old.

"The Glory of Heaven" by John MacArthur
was such an encouragement to our hearts after our Austin
was called to live in heaven instead of here.
Pastor MacArthur is faithful to the Scriptures and doesn't
introduce any fanciful ideas into his solid teaching.
He refutes anything that is extra-biblical in nature 
as it pertains to the subject of heaven.

"The Gospel According to Jesus" by John MacArthur
is a book we are currently reading through together with Howie's parents.
Once again, Pastor MacArthur doesn't leave any room for error
in the presentation of the Gospel.  He faithfully expounds Scripture
and teaches directly from its pages in order to expose false teachings.
It is so important for us to know what we believe and why.
This is a treasure that is worthy of sharing.

"The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment" by Jeremiah Burroughs
was a book I was introduced to in my Bible School years,
and then again by my Mum-in-Love when Howie and I were engaged.
Regrettably, I have let it languish on the shelf for far too long.
Jeremiah Burroughs was a Puritan who lived in England in the 1600's.
However, his subject is just as pertinent today as it would have
been four hundred years ago.  It's a timeless classic.

It should go without saying that the Bible is the greatest book of all.
Soaking our hearts and minds in its truth 
is a necessary practice.  A vital one, in fact.



"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to
make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, 
throughly furnished unto all good works."  2 Timothy 3:15-17   

If you are not a reader and opt for just one book in your library, the Bible would top my list.
The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are all that are needed to know God.
It is the only book of its kind because it is God's infallible and inerrant Word.
It is living and powerful and has the wonderful ability to change lives.

Whatever you read in 2017, may you find it to be a blessing
to your heart, lead you closer to the Saviour,
and encourage you in your walk with Him.

With Love, Camille

The Reason

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Reason we celebrate.
He is God incarnate.  Fully God and fully man.
We reflect on His first advent while anticipating His second coming.
 
"Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall call His name Immanuel."  Isaiah 7:14
 
"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS:

for He shall save His people from their sins."  Matthew 1:21

Our Saviour came to live perfectly to fulfill the law of God
in the place of all those who would trust in Him.
He went willingly to the cross to lay down His life for His people.

"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;
that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."
2 Corinthians 5:21

The Lord Jesus took upon Himself all the sins of all those
that the Father would give Him, and consumed the wrath of God for those sins.
He rose victorious over death and sin and Satan and is now seated
at the right hand of God in heaven, interceding for His own.

At Christmas, we ought to look beyond
the manger and consider the cross.

One day, Jesus Christ will return to gather His people to Himself.
All those who have not put their trust in Him will be cast away forever.
It is a sobering thing to ponder.  Where do you stand?
This Christmas, are you trusting in the Christ of Christmas?

The Lord Jesus said, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;
and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."  John 6:37

If you wish to read more, click here for a wonderful
article explaining the Gospel and the Reason we have hope.

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!
With Love, Camille

As They Come

The days run together in one long line-up of ordinary things

and before we can catch up with it all, it changes.  We change.

It was like this when the children were small and there were

four precious little ones around our table.

It is still like this, even though the three who remain here

with us are no longer little.  And, Austin's chair sits empty.

We somehow think that things will go on as they always do.

And when they don't, we are caught by surprise.

But, it's all good.  Life is good.  As long as we remember

that this is not all there is.  Something better is coming.

We need to prepare our hearts for change

while living out the moments as they come.

Our Austin has been in heaven for over three years.

Fraser just caught up to Calvin's six-foot-two height.

Emma is becoming a woman right before our eyes.

These days do not look like those of ten, or even five, years ago.

I like to fill my heart with the idea that each season is precious.

That all seasons of life are gifts to be embraced and enjoyed.

So, we seek to live in this moment, this day, and in this season

with all that we have and all that we are.  By God's abundant grace.

 And, we seek to remember that in the midst of it all,

we are to bring glory to our Saviour's great Name.

After all, He is the Reason we live.

He is the Reason we have hope.

What season do you find yourself in?
Are you finding that there is grace and strength to
accomplish all that is set before you?  Are you weary?
If so, don't despair, the Lord is faithful to see His people through.

"And He (Jesus Christ) said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee;
for my strength is made perfect in weakness..."  II Corinthians 12:9

We must keep our hearts fixed on those lasting and eternal things,
and refocus our attentions to the tasks of the day in which we find ourselves.
How good and gracious the Lord is to give all we stand in need of.
Moment by moment.  Step by step.  Until the day He calls us Home.

"Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work
in you all perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."  Philippians 1:6

With Love,

Camille

**Image in this post courtesy of Calvin ~
Thank you so much my love. xoxo

In the Moment

By God's grace and enabling, we are to
to live in the moment...not for it.

What a freeing, liberating, truly wonderful thing to ponder.
May the Lord give us the grace and strength required to live this out.
And, may He be glorified in all that we do.  Moment by moment.  Day after day.

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you;
that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things,
may abound to every good work."  2 Corinthians 9:8



Just wanted to let y'all know that I'm
 taking a little break from all things bloggy.
I hope to be back in the swing of things here in a week or two.

Happy Thursday!
With Love, Camille

A Heart Issue

There are times when words come too quickly and without much thought.
It ought not to be this way, but, too often it is.  At least, it is for me.

We are exhorted in God's Word to think before we speak.
To use our words to encourage, exhort, and point others to the Truth.

"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt,
that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."  Colossians 4:6

We are in this battle with sin and will be until the day we die.
It's a heart issue.  The only remedy for it is found in the Saviour.

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing...
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do...
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord."  Romans 7:18a, 19, 24, and 25a

What a precious blessing it is to know that we can run to

the Lord with all our failings and He will pick us up and mend us.

His blood cleanses.  He heals our imperfect-ness with His sinless-ness.
The only way to be made clean and right and pure is by coming to Him.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."  John 14:6

I rejoice in the Lord Jesus' cleansing power.  His perfect life.

His payment for my sin.  His living and dying and rising again.
I rejoice in the fact that He is all sufficient.  And, that He forgives.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  1 John 1:9

How wonderful it is to rest our hearts in our Saviour's
finished work on the Cross.  His perfect and complete sacrifice.
May we live our lives to bring glory to His Name.
He is worthy of all our praise.  Now and forever.

Happy Thursday!
With Love, Camille

Utterly and Completely

Imperfect.  That's me.  That's us.
Utterly and completely.

We all miss the mark and need saving.  Every last one of us.

But, all is not hopelessness and despair.  The Perfect One came,

and took on flesh, and lived the life we could never live.
He took all the sins of all of His people upon Himself.

And then, He paid the penalty for all that sin.

He died that all who come to Him in faith and repentance might live.

The Lord Jesus Christ conquered death and hell and sin and Satan.

He rose up from the grave victorious.  He is Risen and He lives!

In order that we might be victorious as well.  He is The Way.

If we cast ourselves on Him, we will live.  Truly live!

 It's only and all because of Him.  Utterly and completely.

We must come to Him for mercy and grace.  He is the One Who can give it.

He is the only way we can ever hope to stand before the Throne of God.

Clothed in His perfection.  Alone.

I am not perfect.  But, my Saviour is.

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy
He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost,
which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified
by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."  Titus 3:5-7

Because of Him, we can rejoice.  Because of Him, there is hope.

Forever and for always.  Throughout all eternity to come.  Are you rejoicing?

Do you have this hope?  Lasting hope and peace are only found in Christ.
Come to the Saviour while there is still time; He is faithful to do just as He promised.

He is mighty and powerful to save.
We all stand in need of the Salvation He brings.

In John 6:37, the Lord Jesus said ~
"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me,
and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out."

Cast yourself upon Him and live.
Outside of the perfect living and dying and rising again
of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no hope.  Absolutely none at all.
All the hope we will ever need is found in Him.

"Jesus said unto him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.' "  John 14:6
And, if we come, He will receive us.  Utterly and completely.

This is the most wonderful news of all.  It's the message of Easter.
May our hearts be found rejoicing in the Saviour now and forever!

With Love,
Camille

**Image in this post courtesy of Calvin from long ago ~
Thank you, my love XO

Hope and Where to Find It

Nearly three years ago, our Austin was unexpectedly called home to heaven.

It was a shock to us all.  Perhaps most of all, to Austin.

Just imagine asking for a little more rest, and waking up in heaven!

We have found ourselves contemplating what his reaction was.

It makes us smile to think of it.

It truly is a wonderful thing to consider.  Amazing, really.
But, for those of us left behind, it can be difficult to navigate.
The waters of grief can threaten to overflow and pull us under.
We must fight to keep our heads above water.

Not easy to do.  But, definitely worth the fight.

So, how do we carry on?  Where do we go for comfort?
What keeps us grounded and sane in the midst of grief?
Who is our greatest support throughout it all?
What do we fill our hearts and minds with when we feel overwhelmed?

The way to navigate these waters is with the Lord.  With His Word and with His people.
We seek to soak our hearts in passages of Scripture that fortify our souls.
We love I Thessalonians 4:13-18 and I Corinthians 15, in particular.
Psalm 139 reveals that even before we were born, all our days were fashioned for us.

Isn't that the most incredible thing to ponder?

It is a discipline to constantly redirect our gaze on eternal things.
To fill our hearts with Truth is necessary and good.
It doesn't come easy.  But, it is a battle which must be fought.
By God's great grace, it is a battle we keep on fighting.

Whatever it is you may be facing, may you be found filling up your
hearts and minds with Truth.  It truly is the only way forward.
The only way to keep from sinking in despair.  The only way to survive.
One step at a time.  With eyes firmly fixed on the eternal.

After all is said and done, the eternal things
will be seen for what they really are.  The real things, after all.

With Love, Camille

*Image in this post courtesy of Emma ~
Thank you my love XO

Grace Laced

The walls in our recently re-decorated bedroom have remained

mostly bare for the better part of the past year.

Howie and I both had ideas about what we wanted to do,

but, it was tricky to pull it all together.

 I couldn't have told you exactly what I was looking for.
But, I was quite sure I would know it when I saw it.

A little over a week ago, I landed on a blog I'd never been to before.

Beautiful artwork was featured across the header of her blog.

I noticed a *Shoppe* button, and clicked through to find

the perfect solution for our walls. 

I love how Scripture is incorporated into each piece.
And, the colour scheme perfectly complements our room's decor. 

We are both incredibly pleased with the results.

It all came together too easily for words.

In these, and a myriad of other ways, we see the goodness
 of the Lord.  His loving hand is evident in every detail of life.

May you know His loving care over you as well.
And, may you see His hand in every little thing.
 
With Love, Camille
 
**I am not compensated in any way for my opinions.
I'm just thrilled that I stumbled across this lovely artist's blog. 
Perhaps you will be, too?

Just This

The opening of a new year offers a fresh start.  A new beginning.

Resolutions are made, words are chosen, and reading lists are drawn up.

All good things, as long as they are kept in their proper place.

But, even good things can turn bad if allowed to overtake us.

Anything can become an idol of the heart.

So, as this new year begins, I'm taking stock.
Stepping back and looking closely at the things that matter most.
And, what is being impressed on my heart is this.  Just this.
To live simply and walk humbly with my God.

That is all.  And, it is enough.

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good;
and what doth the LORD require of thee,
but to do justly, and to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with thy God?"  Micah 6:8

Happy New Year to each one of you!

With Love,
Camille

**Photo of a Christmas card
from a precious Auntie.

Especially at Christmas

Christmas ought to be a time of peace.  A time of quiet reflection.
However, it often isn't.  In fact, just the opposite can be true.
As Christians, we are called to live in the moment.
Even at Christmas.  Perhaps especially then.

To focus our attention on what is right before us.  And, give ourselves to it.

Just this day.  Not yesterday.  Not tomorrow.

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow
shall take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."  Matthew 6:34

It's so easy to borrow trouble from the past or from the future.

We don't have grace for the worries of either.  We are promised grace for now.

"...but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,
and reaching forth to those things that are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 3:13b-14

We aren't guaranteed a tomorrow.  Today is all we are given.
And, by God's grace, we can live fully present in it.

We can trust our Great God for His provisions for this day.

He promises that He will supply all the needs of His people.

For today.  For always.  Forever.

As I've pondered these things in recent days, some things have become more clear.
We each have enough on our plates to deal with in the day in which we
find ourselves without looking too deeply into the past or the future.
We ought not to dwell in either of those places for long.

We have grace for today.  For this moment.
And, really, what more do we need?

Not that grace isn't available for the past or the future.  It is.
But, grace and strength are given by our gracious Heavenly Father
exactly when they are needed.  He is faithful to provide them to His children.
Not a moment too late.  Rarely early.  Always on time.

"My grace is sufficient for thee;
for my strength is made perfect in weakness."  I Corinthians 12:9a

We can trust our Great God to meet us where we are.  If we belong to Him.
We are called to seek Him for wisdom to know what it is we ought to do.
And, we are able to request His strength to accomplish the task.

And, that is it.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.

What a liberating and freeing way to live!  Simply wonderful.
By His grace and in His strength.  Day by day.
Moment by moment.  All for His glory.  Alone.

So, this Christmas, may we find the peace that only
the Saviour can give.  And, may we follow Him wherever He leads.
May the Manger lead to the Cross in our hearts as we worship Him.

Now and throughout the coming year.

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!  I'm taking a little blogging break
and hope to catch up with you all early in the New Year.
Sending you big hugs and warm wishes for all things wonderful!

With Love,
Camille

Temporary and Eternal

We had an opportunity to chat with one of our neighbours.
He lives up the road and around the corner.
We'd never met before.  So, we introduced ourselves.

The house right next to us was in the process of being destroyed.

At that moment, he came riding up the street on his bike.

He was angry that he had not been allowed to salvage

parts of the house.  And, he wasn't shy about saying so.

We watched the demolition.  Together.
Within an hour, the house was a pile of rubble.
It was shocking how quickly what seemed solid and stable wasn't.

A visual illustration of redemption was unfolding right before us.
This whole thing has played in our minds and hearts ever since.
Two extremes.  Two outcomes.  This analogy can be applied to any of us.
Into which camp do we fall?  Whose side are we on?

None of us deserves to be saved.  We are corrupt.
We cannot do anything to save ourselves.  We need rescuing.

The hedge tree on the far right
in the photo above was dying.

With no effort at all, that tree was removed.
Subsequently, two trees from the neighbour's yard were dug up
and laid on the grass in front of our home.
All it took was an effortless few seconds.

For Howie and the boys, it would have meant hard work.
But, it was done quickly and easily as we stood by and watched.
Those trees were saved and ready for transplanting.
The dead tree would be replaced with the living one.

What a picture of mercy!

 

The house was destroyed from the top down and the outside in.
That powerful machine collapsed it all in a matter of minutes.
While we watched, our neighbour expressed his anger over
the destruction of the things that could have been sold or salvaged.

He was outraged.

Within my mind an eternal picture was forming.
What was happening right before our eyes
was a natural spring board into talking about the real things.
The eternal things.  The things that matter most.

It was such a vivid picture of this verse:

 "While we look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen:
for the things which are seen are temporal;
but the things which are not seen are eternal."
I Corinthians 4:18

 
 This is the lot of this world.  This universe.
Certain destruction.  We are not told when.
But, we are told that it is coming.
 However, there is hope.  Certain Hope.

The Lord Jesus Christ said this:
"...I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh to the Father, but by me."  John 14:6

The time to consider these things is now.
The time to set our house in order is today.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow.
We depend on Another for our very next breath.

And, it is to Him that we owe everything.
It is to Him that we must run for everything.

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
 and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation.  For the Scripture saith,
Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek:
for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved."  Romans 10:9-13

The Lord promises that if we will come to Him, 

He will not turn us away.  We cannot come in our own merit.  

We only bring our brokenness.  The Lord Jesus Christ

is our only Hope.  The only Way.
 

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;

and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."  John 6:37 

"And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one

which seeth the Son and believeth on him,

may have everlasting life: and I will raise him

up at the last day."  John 6:40

The living tree was placed in the dead tree's spot.
What a beautiful picture of redemption.

So, in the tearing down of a house, and the replanting of trees,
there is an analogy of something much greater.
Something much more permanent.

We are living souls.  Though this world will perish,
our souls will live on forever.
Where will we stand on that final day?
Whose are we and where will we find ourselves?

These are questions that must be answered.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow.  It is not ours to hold.
We can, however, trust in the One Who holds the future.
There is no better place to rest our hearts.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest for your souls.
 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  Matt. 11:28-30

Run to the Lord Jesus Christ.
True and lasting peace is found in Him.
He is the Answer we need.  The Answer we seek.

With Love,
Camille

Downright Scary

I randomly read something on a blog I'd never been to.

What the blog author had written was shocking.  Frightening, actually.

The writer of that post professes to be a Christian and to believe the Bible.

Yet, she flew in its face and tore apart its meaning to serve her own purposes.

She embraces what the Lord abhors.

And, she blatantly declares that we've misinterpreted His Words

for all these years (thousands) and proclaims that now the true light has come.

We cannot cherry-pick and choose the parts we like and leave the rest.

Or, reinterpret the things we find within its pages that don't appeal to us.
It's not godly or forward thinking or progressive at all.

It's downright scary.

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;
that put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
Isaiah 5:20

It's frightening to think that some who call themselves Christians embrace the idea that
we can dictate to God what we know He meant.  Even if it's contrary to all He says.

Scary to consider that this line of thought is even encouraged in some Christian circles.

Sobering to think that more people don't see it as scary.

But, it is.  And, we must be careful what we embrace.

God's Word is not to be tampered with.

We don't pick and choose.  We follow.  Wherever He leads.

And, we obey.  We repent.  We turn.  We look to Him for the next step.

We must do things His way.  Or, we cannot call ourselves His.

It really is as simple as that.  His Word shapes us.

We don't shape it.

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you
an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day;
lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."
Hebrews 3:12-13

May the Lord give us discerning hearts and wisdom for this life He calls us to.

It's not all up to us at all.  It's all up to Him.  How wonderful!

We are called to surrender.  Called to submit.

These are truly liberating things.  Freeing things.

And, through it all, we learn more of
Who our Great God really is.

It's only then that can we see who we really are.
And, where we fit into His great plan.

We must hold fast to the Truth.  No matter what.

It's the only way forward.  Absolutely the only way.

"Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me,
and I will hearken unto you.  And ye shall seek me, and find me,
when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
And I will be found of you, saith the Lord..."
Jeremiah 29:12-14a

With Love, Camille

**Photos in this post courtesy of Calvin ~
Thank you my love.  XO