No Fear

Had a friend last week who rhetorically asked 'So where do you think this week's quake will hit?' Yikes. It seems to be a wobbly world we're inhabiting of late, but perhaps it seems so because we have such unprecedented communication access - researching online I see there were 10 quakes yesterday, from northern Alaska to Chile (and L.A.) Having experienced SoCal quakes, I know the fear that strikes when the earth moves, but today's Encouraging Word from Psalm 46 is a fear salve - "GOD is our refuge and our strength a very present help in trouble." That's verse 1; verse 2 reads "Therefore we will not fear though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the sea."
Whether we experience a physical earthquake, emotional or spiritual one, know that HE is your strength and refuge to which you can flee for safety.
Photo is of a favorite church of mine on the island of K'auai where my adopted children and two Godchildren live. On the island, not in the church!

Does He Hear? Does He Help?

Back to the Psalms, and one I find very dear. Also one I know to be so true.

"I love The Lord because He hath heard my voice and my supplications; Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live." Psalam 116:1

And further down in verse 6 and 7 , two verses that mean a great deal to me, the first one, for reasons I'll share with your personally sometime, always makes me smile. The second ends up on my chalkboard perennially.

"The Lord preserveth the simple; I was brought low and he helped me."

"Return unto thy rest, O my Soul; for The Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee!"

Photo here is of a spectacular February sunset on the Bradshaw Mountains, taken from my bedroom window.

Comfort and Beauty

Been traveling, thus my lack of 'Encouraging Words' posts. Back and ready to go!
This past weekend, I noted a note (among many) in the front of my Bible that said 'Two Favorite Pages: 648, 649'. As I looked for them, curious, I assumed they would be in the Psalms as you all know how I love the Psalms. To my surprise, it was four Old Testament books further in Isaiah. Indeed, two well-marked pages with hearts in the margins (indicating favorites). Chapters 54 from verse 10 onward over to verse 19 in Chapter 57 (your Bible will probably have different page numbers.) This week I'd like to share a few with you starting with the first onces I had marked: "Oh thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates and thy gates of carbuncles (a red garnet cut with facets), and all thy borders with precious stones." (Note here - isn't this a beautiful symbolism? Especially for rock and gem lovers like me.) And THEN: "And all thy children shall be taught of The Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children." As the Psalmist David would say, "Selah": or 'think on these things'.
Photo herein was taken last week, south of Tucson looking from the desert to the snowdusted Catalinas.