Poetic Inspirations and Practical Applications for Blissful Living
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Embracing the Challenge

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Embracing the Challenge

One of the most powerful methods for purposeful living is embracing each challenge as both blessing and opportunity. Power lies not in simply accepting or resigning to challenges – but in fully and gratefully embracing them.

As we journey upon our purposeful pathways, we discover that challenges and obstacles exist to strengthen us and to mold us more like Christ. If we encounter a pattern of similar trials, we find that it is in this area of challenge that we have not yet yielded fully to God. Our Lord speaks through these challenges and calls us to transform ourselves by abiding in Him. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4) 

God desires to have a relationship with each of one of us, and He desires for us to grow more like Christ. The more faithfully we abide in Christ, the more we live for God’s glory. The more we resemble Christ, the more we live as our authentic selves – selves untainted by the anxieties, the deceptions and the sinfulness of the world.

Trials, therefore, provide incredible opportunity to examine ourselves, to grow more like Christ and to know Him and love Him more deeply. When we yield to God, we are aligned with His Will. His power is able to flow through us and transform us. “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (1 Thessalonians 2:9)

Submitting to God and allowing Him to work in our weakness manifests a compelling testimony to others. The secret is to embrace rather than resist or simply resign to the challenges. For the more you gratefully accept the challenges, the more His power can work through you to fulfill His loving plan.

Walking upon your purposeful pathway today, I encourage you to embrace the obstacles which lie before you. A stronger, more loving, more Christ-like you lies on the other side of the challenge…

© 2011 Caroline Gavin

How will you practice embracing the challenge today?

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Jul 23, 2011 By Spiritual Growth 8 Comments

Nature: God’s Word and Works

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Nature: God’s Word and Works

As we journey upon our purposeful pathways, we are able to commune with God in various ways.

One way we experience God’s Word and Way is through Nature. One can hear His voice in the birds, in the gentle rustling of the trees…and one can feel His light and warmth through the rays of sunlight.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1)

The better we understand Nature, the more we appreciate how natural patterns reveal the wisdom and love of God’s Laws. Nature is God’s creation, and nature therefore exudes God’s glory. Natural laws and patterns display the laws and patterns of human existence. For example, the thoughts, words and actions of man are akin to seeds which are sown. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”(Galations 6:7) The results made manifest in one’s life bear witness to the nature of one’s heart, such as fruit mirrors the health of a tree. “Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.”( Matthew 7:17-18)

It is exciting to draw parallels between natural patterns and life patterns. We find deeper meaning in the seasons, in the animal habits and habitats, in the designs and colors…and in the order. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities‑ His eternal power and divine nature‑ have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)

One theme in Nature is God’s abundance. Reflecting upon Nature, we can release ideas of scarcity and instead embrace the eternal Source of good things: “How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number‑ living things both large and small.” (Psalm 104:24‑25)

Yes, we can take comfort that God provides – and provides abundantly – when we trust in Him. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)

Traveling upon your purposeful pathway today, I encourage you to spend quality time in Nature. Reflect upon natural ways. What metaphors do you see? What laws are evident? What comfort lies therein? What praise flows forth? Rejoice in God’s creation, for He beautifully demonstrates His Word through His Works…

Copyright 2011 Caroline Gavin

How do you see the Creator in His creation? How do you see God’s Nature in the natural world?

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Jul 18, 2011 By Spiritual Growth 7 Comments

Flowing with Time

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 Flowing with Time

Any motivated individual can find herself in a state overwhelm. We can strongly sense having too much to do and not enough time to do it. This perception, however, is an illusion. Such an idea is not rooted in truth. God does provide enough time in which to do the work He gives us. Additionally, He allots specific times in which to do each thing, as “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

If we feel we have too much to do, we likely do not see in which “season” we stand. Is it a time to work? Or is a time to play? Conflicts arise with competing obligations. If we feel that we must complete work-related tasks but also fulfill family commitments, for example, the sense of time scarcity arises. We want to spend time with our families, but we also know the importance of completing our work. At such a point we should seek God for clarity regarding the proper use of our time.

If we feel tension and unease, both which are symptomatic of fear, we lose touch with His love and with our full trust in Him. We are encouraged to “not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6) With a grateful and humble heart, let us seek God for direction and answers. Let us believe He will guide and then gratefully follow His lead.

The following are practical steps for embracing each “season” of time:

– Begin each day by asking God to make clear the priorities for the day. Setting the proper tone for the day brings focus. As we fulfill the priorities He has set upon our hearts, the sense of time scarcity diminishes. We begin to step into the flow of time. List clearly the must-do items of the day and order the according to importance.

– Trust in God’s providence, as “my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 4:19) Yes, this includes providing enough time. Fully trust that God provides enough time for the things which need our attention (which may not be all things which want or demand our attention).

– Learn to say “no” with purpose to those things which pull you away from your goals and purposes…in order to say “yes” with power to those things which brings you closer to them.

– Take time to be present and fully aware of the moment. Feel the sensations, hear the sounds, smell the scents…experience the moment with all your senses. Remember that ultimately all is eternal now. It is therefore important to embrace the present, as doing so connects you with the flow of time.

– When sensing overwhelm, take some time to step back before stepping forward with tasks. Overwhelm often results from the lack of larger perspective. When stepping back and viewing the variety of tasks from a broader standpoint, you can appreciate the importance (or lack thereof) for each of the individual tasks at hand.

As we travel purposefully upon our personal pathways, let us wholeheartedly seek God’s guidance regarding the use of time. Let us embrace each moment, discern our “season” and begin to flow with rather than resist the movement of time. Let us remember also to live each moment in a state of love, for this truly is living on and with purpose.

Copyright 2011 Caroline Gavin

How do you find yourself flowing with time?

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Jul 13, 2011 By Spiritual Growth 4 Comments

High Wire

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High Wire

One of my mantras is “Look neither to the left nor the right: simply write.”

It is easy to get distracted with concerns about what others want to hear or what others will think. But how can I share what I know if I censor what I know? How can I share who I am if I hide who I am? How can I give freely if my heart hesitates? How can I? And how can you?

Proverbs 4:25-27

““Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.”

 

Walking with God is akin to walking a high wire. One rises above impossible situations, sees everything from a new and broad perspective and experiences the beauty of moving forward as in flight. As a high wire artist does, we must ponder the ways which we walk. Looking to the audience on the left and the right for approval distracts and causes stumbling. Stopping out of fear interrupts the graceful momentum of moving forward. Walking too quickly certainly makes one subject to fall. Looking down creates the fear of height. Looking behind one’s self triggers imbalance. Looking forward “straight before thee” – yes, this is the key. Keeping our eyes fixed on the destination and making purposeful, intentional steps, one by one, allows the completion of seemingly impossible feats.

As we travel upon our purposeful pathways, I encourage you to “ponder the path of thy feet.” Let us make each decision, each step, based upon God’s Will for us and by fixing our eyes straight upon His Kingdom. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)  As we seek His Kingdom, our ways will be established on the solid rock of Truth.

© COPYRIGHT 2011 Caroline Gavin

What can you do today, traveling on your purposeful pathway, to more firmly fix your eyes upon God and His Kingdom?

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Jul 9, 2011 By Spiritual Growth 8 Comments

Step Back…to Step Forward

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 Step Back to Step Forward

I have noticed in life that it often helps to step back before stepping forward. Stepping back allows us to gain clarity and perspective about situations, people and our own selves.

So how do we step back to step forward? We tend to see ourselves as the center of the situations (whether we realize this or not). Love diminishes this self-centered view. A parent, with love for her child, places the child’s needs before her own. God, being love (1 John 4:8), is the utmost example of giving and looking beyond self. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

As we grow in love and in faith, we are able to step back and gain perspective more quickly and readily. For example, an individual may find himself in recurring unhealthy relationships. Growing in his relationship with God, however, he can begin to step back and discern his own relationship patterns and cycles. He may recognize codependent tendencies and thereafter seek God (rather than a partner) to fill his every need – for love, security, significance. Only God can fill these needs adequately. With God’s grace, the process of stepping back will enable this individual to discover the beauty of moving forward into a relationship as whole and complete.

Stepping back even further, this individual can view not only the patterns of his relationships but also the context of these relationships within his entire life. Why did these relationship patterns continually surface? What life lessons lie in these patterns? What beliefs are not rooted in truth? What sinful patterns exist? Stepping back to view patterns in his life, he is able to dislodge false beliefs and instill truth. The Lord promises that the truth will set us free when we obey His teachings (John 8:31-32). Additionally, as we delight in God, He grants us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4). Yes, He literally gives us desires that are aligned to His will.

In stepping back even further, each of us is able to view not only relationships and situations from the context of our entire lives but also our lives within the larger contexts of our families, our communities, our nation, our world today and all eternity. It is humbling to view ourselves in the grand tapestry of life and eternity. Yet doing so inspires us to bring value and light and love. As we step back, we long to weave our lives beautifully into this eternal tapestry.

Stepping back is therefore a powerful process. We gain perspective, humility, healing and wholeness when righteously responding to the discoveries. God sees everything in eternity (Hebrews 4:12); yet He also sees each one of us in an intimate manner. He knows the number of hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30), and He knit us fearfully in our mother’s wombs (Psalm 139:13). In stepping back and seeing ourselves as God does, as a part of the world and eternity, we gain the proper perspective by which to move more deeply into our own selves. Seeing ourselves from the eternal scale, we can then ask pervasive questions. In what areas can I grow? How can I improve my relationship with God and with others? How can I bring more value? Am I seeking first God’s Kingdom? How can I love more freely and generously? How can I better use my talents and experiences for God and others? How can I live in better alignment to God’s will?

Often when I sense confusion or lack of clarity, I step back and view my life from the eternal standpoint. I then step forward and inward to ensure my mind, body and spirit are in harmony with God’s Will. From what situations can you step back today before stepping forward?

Stepping back, and now I see

My very life with clarity

Blurry confusion at once clears

Seeing minutes, hours, days, years

Stepping back, and now I know

In which direction I must go

Farther from self, yet closer still

Aligning my all with God’s Will

Copyright © 2011 Caroline Gavin

What examples can you give of this? How do  you step back to step forward?

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Jul 8, 2011 By Spiritual Growth 5 Comments

Time

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Time Change

Forward and backward
The clocks do go
In turn the sunlight seems
To ebb or grow

Time is so precious
To all it seems
Each moment, each second
With opportunity teems

Use it wisely, yes,
And use it very well
Of a good day spent
Each does wish to tell

Marvel how our God
Is limited not by time
Marvel how He surpasses this
A thought truly sublime

Humbling that the Infinite One
Sets His affection upon me
Who can explain this?
Address this adequately?

There is no explanation
But love, yes, love true
Love infinite and endless
Timeless through and through

We can chase the minutes
And count the days
But forget not our Lord
Amidst the clock-wary craze

Our world so limited
By time and space confined
Cannot in the least
Compare to the endless divine

Praise to the Eternal One
The King, the Master of all
Praise to Him who loves
Me, a finite being so small

© COPYRIGHT 2011 Caroline Gavin

God is in control over time and seasons; how do you celebrate the God who changes not when there is a time change?

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Jun 22, 2011 By Christian Poetry, God's Character, Inspiration, Praise, Spiritual Growth, Thanksgiving Leave a Comment

Raindrops

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Raindrops

Each drop, each drop

A creation of God

So many, so many

Together they applaud

 

To think, to think

That He knows each drop

Each petal of rain

He sees from atop

 

And so are His thoughts

So many, so vast

So are His thoughts

Present, future, past

 

Eternal is He

And all-knowing too

Knowing all about me

And every detail of you

 

Omniscient, omnipotent

Incredible indeed

Try to imagine

But I can’t, and I plead

 

That my thoughts be closer

To Yours in every way

That my words be closer

To Yours in all I say

 

He knows me so well

And the raindrops too

Dripping and dropping

They sing for Him true

 

Let us like the multitude

Of raindrops sing

Let us like the raindrops

Proclaim our King

© COPYRIGHT 2011 Caroline Gavin

How do you see Nature celebrating God’s glory? What do you hear in the raindrops?

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Jun 21, 2011 By Christian Poetry, God's Character, Inspiration, Nature, Praise, Thanksgiving 4 Comments

Begin where you are…

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Begin Where You Are…

 (Send as an Inspirational Christian Lighthouse e-card!)

Looking at Jesus

All He is, All He does

I strive to imitate

His grace, His mercy, His love

 

So far from His perfection

So far from it I stand

So how can I move forward?

And approach the Holy Land?

 

The Lord reaches my hand

And gently reminds me

“Begin where you are…

From right here, you see”

 

He knows we are weak

Only dust after all

He knows our frailty

That we are subject to fall

 

Yet encourage us He does

To walk in His ways

To disentangle us all

From the world’s miry maze

 

“Move forward,” He says

“And stay by My side

Start from where you are

And in My Love abide”

 

He is the Compass, the Map

And the Eternal Guide

Each of us must choose

To beside Him daily stride

 

Praise to my Father

The God who rules the earth

Praise to Him who loved me

Well before my birth

 

Lead us He will

And meet us where we are

He is the Light to our paths

Our shining Morning Star

 

Let us take the first step

And many, many more

And walk with our Lord

To heavenly treasures in store

© COPYRIGHT 2011 Caroline Gavin

Share how you find encouragement and inspiration in the ability to, time and time again, begin where you are:

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Jun 20, 2011 By Christian Poetry, Inspiration, Praise, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Growth, Thanksgiving Leave a Comment

Dawn

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Dawn

Rising early
Soft cool air
Peace and stillness
I feel You here

As others do sleep
Now in the morn
I bask in You alone
As a day is born

Gradually the skies
Grow lighter, then bright
Beautiful entrance of dawn
After darkness of night

Such is the pattern
Of life here on earth
One must experience death
Before tasting birth

We die to ourselves
Each moment, each hour
In so we have full life
Abounding in God’s power

A single grain must die
For a multitude to live
Jesus did so for us
His life He did give

In turn we give too
And we gladly sacrifice
For eternal peace and joy
These are a small price

Just as the dark
Gives way to the day
Let us die to ourselves
To live the fullest way

The paradox beautiful
Both simple and true
God gives life through death
To me and to you

Rising early reminds me
Of God and His plan
His loving sacrifice and
Eternal life for man

© COPYRIGHT 2011 Caroline Gavin

Share your reflections about the early morning hours, the delightful moments of dawn:
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Jun 20, 2011 By Christian Poetry, Inspiration, Praise, Thanksgiving Leave a Comment

Spirit in the Spring

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 Spring

Blissfully the breeze
Dances through my hair
The smell of flowers
Fills the warm air

Leaves do sway
And sunshine streams
A spring day unfolds
As in radiant dreams

Such a gift from God
To see this Spring day
To experience the beauty
Of the world at play

The winter can be
Bitter and cold
Enthusiasm dwindles
Visions grow old

But then a taste
Of Spring appears
To renew our hopes
And allay our fears

Sweeter Spring is
Because winter came first
Water is sweeter
When in parched thirst

So too is salvation
When this we embrace
Sweet and triumphant
After all we did face

The contrast of Spring
With Winter before
Enhances its beauty
Yes, all the more

Spiritual birth glories
Beyond radiant Spring
Communing with God
Of this we do sing

As the breezes caress
And the sunlight warms
We celebrate God’s gifts
In all their forms

Most beautiful of all
Is the gift of His Son
The gift of true Life
For us He has won

Sing now the bird
And dance now the flower
I join God’s creation
Praising His power

So blessed am I
And you, sister and brother
Let’s praise our God
And uplift one another

Let Spring remind us
Of God’s Light and Love
Fixing our eyes on Him
And on His throne Above

© COPYRIGHT 2011 Caroline Gavin

How do you savor the sweet season of Spring?

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Jun 20, 2011 By Christian Poetry, Divine Comfort, God's Character, Inspiration, Nature, Praise, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Growth, Thanksgiving Leave a Comment

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