Glorify — My Word for 2023

Doctors had me dead 

— twice — 

yet, here I am!

God says in Psalm 139:16 (NIV)

". . . all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." 

Wow! 

Whether days are good or difficult,

 God knows. 

He ordained them. 

God has each day of my life set apart for a purpose.  

Each moment is orchestrated by God 

for my good, 

to teach me lessons, 

to use my trial to encourage others, 

and any other way God wants to use me

 to glorify Himself.  

 Doctors had me dead, 

but God granted me life. 

 God had more days planned for me. 

As 2023 dawns, I am thankful for His healing and my life as I ask Him 

How then shall I live? 

What do You want me to do in 2023?  

His response:

Glorify God —

with your physical body. 

My life and my health are a gift from God.

 My body is a temple of The Holy Spirit. 

I need to glorify God by caring for this temple by 

eating healthy foods,

 exercising daily, 

sleeping well. 

   For the glory of God, I will strive to take better care of my body in 2023. 

Not so I look good or fit in clothes I wore long ago, or just plain vain conceit.

 No! 

I want energy. 

Energy to do what I wrote on the back cover of Praise the Lord and Pass the Chemo:

 

to love deeper,

 live fuller, 

laugh louder, 

sing sweeter, and

 shine brighter. 

God granted me more years and 

I desire to live life to the full or as He said,

 "Abundantly!"

Glorify God —

with your spirit.

My greatest desire is to glorify God with 

the words I speak, 

the actions I take, 

the thoughts I think, 

the time I spend.

 Living in worldly pursuits,

 disobeying and displeasing God is 

time God never ordained for me, or 

time I will never get back. 

 In my quest to glorify God and rid myself of all that displeases God, 

may I find no pleasure in sin. 

I will start this 2023 journey towards holiness by seeking God's guidance and power to 

    

Rejoice always!

 In the movie Pollyanna, the orphan Pollyanna played the Glad Game. 

Whatever happened in her day, Pollyanna turned it around to find some reason to be glad. 

God commands me to rejoice always whether days are good or difficult  

 for this is the will of God concerning me. 

The definition of Pollyanna is "an excessively cheerful or optimistic person."

 The definition of rejoicing is "feel or show great joy or delight."

 I will glorify the Lord with rejoicing always! 

I'll play the glad game and be a Pollyanna!

.   

 Judge never! 

Judgment is not my job and not my call.

 It's not! 

I'm called to love, not judge.

 I'll leave the judging to the only righteous One who judges justly. 

Stop worrying! 

What a waste of time is worry! 

How many hours and days have I worried about situations that never happened? 

God is in control of whatever occupies my mind with worry. 

He doesn't need me fretting about anything.

Be content! 

The life, the family, the job, the home, the finances God provides me is all I need. 

 Being discontent robs me of time wishing for something God didn't plan for me. 

Stop doubting! 

His Presence, 

His Power,

 His Provision.

 His Promise.

 

 He is with me always. 

God doesn't lie. 

When I was at my lowest in covid ICU,

 God's presence was so powerful and profound.

He held me. 

He comforted me.

 He covered me with His peace and His presence.

 Why would I ever doubt He is with me always, for He surely is.

    

Believe!

 Nothing is impossible with God.

 I can't solve the world's or my loved one's problems, 

but God can and He will. 

Nothing is impossible with God. 

He doesn't need me to interfere with His plan and His sovereignty. 

Practice patience! 

Why would I ever think my timeline is better than God's? 

He has every day (and moment) planned before my birth. 

What peace there is in patience. 

Please give me patience, Lord.

Be filled with God's Holy Spirit!

None of the above is possible

 without a daily cleansing of sin and 

filling with the Holy Spirit which is 

love, 

joy, 

peace, 

patience, 

kindness, 

self-control,

 faithfulness, 

goodness,

 gentleness.

 Wow!

  Look at those wonderful attributes God promises us as the Holy Spirit lives in us.

 I'm ready for a powerful journey through 2023 

living in His fullness and 

glorifying God! 

Won't you join me?

My word for 2023 — Glorify!  

Glorify God by all I 

say, do, think, act, and consume as I

 become more Holy and more healthy. 

Happy 2023! 

May you spend it glorifying God in all you do. 

Splashes of Serenity for the glory of God!

Holiness and Humor Belong Together

"You made the paper today. A half page ad!" my husband handed me the newspaper.

A sweet surprise, indeed! Right in the middle among articles on holiness written by Tozer, Simpson, and Fenelon is a photo and beautiful write-up on my book We All Married Idiots: Three Things You Will Never Change About Your Marriage and Ten Things You Can. 

Wow! Thank you Rev. James Snyder, publisher of The Fourfold Gospel Witness. Rev. Snyder and I met last spring when our book tables abutted at the Christian and Missionary Alliance General Council. He is passionate to keep the classics written by A.W. Tozer  in print.

He sells holiness and I sell Idiots.

Do holiness and humor belong together? Rev. Snyder believes so. He is passionate about holiness and he loves to laugh. He realized We All Married Idiots incorporated both.

Check out www.awtozerclassics.com for more information on the classics every Christian should read to grow up in their faith. Rev. Snyder also publishes a free publication The Fourfold Gospel Witness with articles written by Keith Bailey, A.B. Simpson, A.W. Tozer, and Elaine W. Miller and others.

Snyder made my day today. I know this is not the New York Times, but The Fourfold Gospel Witness really does have the news that's fit to print. You can email for more information at fourfoldgospel@att.net. Subscribing to this free publication will be a splash of serenity to your day. I promise.

From the website, www.awtozerclassics.com:

The Reverend James L. Snyder is an award winning author whose writings have appeared in more than eighty periodicals including GUIDEPOSTS. In Pursuit of God: The Life of A. W. Tozer, Snyder’s first book, won the Reader’s Choice Award in 1992 by Christianity Today. Snyder has authored 15 books altogether.

Rev. James L. Snyder has a knack for making fun of daily frustrations and will increase the humor aptitude of your readers so they too can discover that life is less stressful when you’re laughing. Through these essays, your readers will realize that humor and religion belong together and can keep them from taking themselves and others too seriously.

Through thirty-five years of ministry, he and his wife Martha have been involved in three church-planting projects prior to their current ministry at the Family of God Fellowship in Ocala, Florida. The Snyders have three children and six grandchildren.

Thanks for the splash, Rev. Snyder!

Grandchildren Lessons

Dan and I adore and enjoy our eight grandchildren. They teach us much about Christ and living the Christian life.

Last week five-year-old Brenna and two-year-old Charlotte played in our backyard. Without warning, Charlotte stepped on a bees' nest setting off a flurry of bees stinging both of our sweet girls. As Dan ran to reach screaming Charlotte, he witnessed Brenna (ignoring her own bee stings) with her arms around Charlotte trying to protect and comfort while brushing bees from Charlotte's skin. Brenna never cried and never left Charlotte's side.

Jesus said we are to change and become like little children. 

How are we doing with that command?

 Our Christian homes and our Christian churches should be safe havens from the stings of the world. May we be like little Brenna who to me was a picture of Christ. She died to self and her own pain so she could soothe her sister. Jesus said "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."

I hope I never grow up!

A Splash That Won't Bring Serenity!

Would you jump in this lake? Nope!

Dan and I took a hike to Felix Lake in Florida with our son and his wife. Sam and Katie wanted to shock us, I think, and show us the dangers that await so close to their home.

Danger signs are to be obeyed. We wouldn't swim in this lake, but do we splash and play in other waters that cause death?

"Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires.... Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming." Colossians 3:5-6

Whoa! Everybody out of the pool! I don't want to tangle with an alligator or an angry God. Do you?

God says "Have NOTHING to do with sexual immorality..." What part of that verse do we not understand? It's a WARNING sign we need to obey, because that swim not only kills marriages, it chews on our children for dessert!

Want a splash of serenity? Obey Colossians 3.

Blessings as we swim around those thoughts!

Elaine

The Secret of Serenity--A Glimpse Into my Journal

For one who proclaims "Splashes of Serenity," I confess my life is not always serene. I don't like that, and so for the past two weeks I've been in the mountains seeking God. Hallelujah! I found Him!

The first and last days of my vacation journal tell the secret of serenity God revealed to me.

Day 1: I wrote, "I want all of God--all of Him. I don't want to die not becoming all He has for me--to know Him--to impact the world for Christ. What must I do to be all, to know all, to live all for Christ?

Why fill my mind with the mindless? He has given me a mind He wants to fill with Himself.

Clutter--I must rid myself of clutter--those Christ-less things that shoo God out of my heart and mind."

I sat in church the last Sunday away and sang, "Crown Him Lord of All." Tears dropped on my cheeks as I realized the answer to my seeking prayers. I wrote in my journal:

Day 17: "Crown Him Lord of ALL! What does that mean? Lord of my television. Lord of my time. Lord of my mind. Lord of my day. Lord of my money. Lord of my marriage. Lord of my pen. Lord of my tongue. Lord of my body. Lord of my thoughts. Lord of my heart. Lord of interruptions. Lord of my disappointments and Lord of my sorrows. Lord of ALL!

And then serenity won't be a splash, but a beautiful, sweet, and pure ever-flowing stream."

That's my secret to serenity. Crown Him Lord of ALL!

A funny thing happened while writing this post. A water pipe under my sink burst flooding my bathroom, the hall, and seeping an inch of water into my basement. I looked at that pipe gushing water and had no idea how to stop it. Fortunately, Dan was home for lunch. He turned off the water and is presently wet vacuuming our house.

Sometimes serenity comes quietly and sometimes it bursts the pipes. As I cleaned the mess under my sink, I realized how clean my cupboard was after being hosed down by a water pipe. It needed cleaning--just like I did two weeks ago. When God bursts our pipes, remember He's cleaning us out so He can fill us with Himself.

As for me, I want all of Him and pray I give all to Him. Bring on the water, Lord! Fill me! Clean Me! Wipe me up! Use me!

May your Splashes of Serenity be a never-ending flow of His grace!

Elaine

I Resolve Not to Make New Year's Resolutions

I resolve not to make New Year's resolutions. Instead, I begin each year asking God to give me a verse He knows I need to master in my life. Just one verse a year--I figure I can resolve to do that. Right? Not always.

God gave me my first verse years ago: "Fix your eyes on Jesus..." (Hebrews 12:2) What a great scripture. So good, that I've kept it as my life verse. I can be miserable fixing my eyes on people who disappoint and circumstances that frustrate. But Jesus, well, He's the Man. I'll keep my eyes fixed on Him.

Another year God gave me "Practice hospitality." (Romans 12:13) I'm not great at inviting everyone in the world into my home for a gourmet meal with napkin rings and fresh flowers from my garden. Martha Stewart I am not. So, I welcomed this verse because I really did need to practice my hospitality. God surprised me though. That year I broke my foot, was in a cast for three months, and watched as my amazing church practiced their hospitality on me by descending on my home each night for ninety days with a fresh cooked meal. I learned then that hospitality begins with the word, "hospital" and while I recuperated I swallowed my need to give and learned to receive with grace. Jesus gave me a daily illustration of what it means to practice hospitality when a hot meal arrived promptly at 6:00 p.m. What a blessing.

The year He gave me, "Examine yourself"(2 Corinthians 13:5) hurt more than my broken foot. Ouch! I was great at examining others and examining my sweet hubby, but not at examining myself. "Examine your spouse" is not in the Bible, by the way. I looked. Shame on me, I needed so much work in this area that "Examine yourself" was the scripture God gave me year after year after year after year. I finally stopped asking Him for a verse and I just kept examining myself.

I don't know if God gave up on me or figured I needed to move forward, but on January 1, 2010 He gave me a new verse. It is January 6. I've given God five days to change His mind, but He keeps pressing me with the same thought. Oh dear, here I go. God's project for me this year is to "...be holy...." (Hebrews 12:14). Whoa, I'm thrilled and a bit frightened at what God wants to teach me over the next months. I hope to blog about my quest for holiness and I welcome your comments, your keeping me accountable, and your teaching me how I can better live a holy life. Of course, I would love your companionship on this holiness journey. Come on along!

So, if you want a splash of serenity in your New Year, I suggest you ditch the resolutions and ask God how He wants to transform you over the next 12 months. I'm in for the challenge. Are you?

A Blessed and Holy New Year,

Elaine