I have two happy places, the beach or the mountains. Because I live close enough to the beach to enjoy it regularly, the mountains have become our favorite place to vacation. The beach is my regular recharge, while the mountains are my escape. I love to sit on the balcony of where we stay and watch the mountains as I drink my coffee. Something about it grounds me and brings me peace. The Bible frequently mentions mountains. There are 130 verses in the King James Version Bible that mention the word mountain. Many sermons have been preached concerning mountaintop experiences. Personally I feel we see the mountaintop through rose colored glasses. Commonly we see it as times of victory and triumph, whereas the valley represents our low points in life.
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The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. - Matthew 13:1 KJV There is something about the beach that is good for my soul. Now I am not talking about beaches like most people think about. I live in Florida but not “that” Florida. We live in the area that is referred to as The Forgotten Coast. If you don’t want tourist traps or crowds, this area is where you go. Sometimes I can take my kids to the beach and there may be only two or three other families. Last year I was unable to go to the beach due to health issues. Since God is restoring my health, I have decided to go every chance I can. Recently my husband and I took our date night to the coast. We ate dinner by the water and walked the beach as the sun set. The salty breeze was blowing. The waves were crashing against the shore. The sand was squishing between my toes. In these moments it felt like all the world was brought back to the basics. The earth beneath my feet, wind blowing in my face and the sound of water in my ears. I was reminded of my foundation. It is the most peculiar phenomenon. Usually after church service everyone stands around visiting. I will be in a group chatting and hear my name spoken on the other side of the room. In the midst of all those voices I hear my name. I am not having a Samual moment. My husband is talking about me to someone. Honestly, our friends think it is quite funny. The thing is we have been married for eighteen years, I know when he says my name. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. - John 10:2-4 KJV I love how the Bible paints word pictures for us. It takes concepts that are hard for the human mind to process and relates them to things we understand. This is a pattern you see used all through the Bible. One of my favorites is God sitting as the refiner of silver. And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. - Malachi 3:3 KJV I am not a baker. I like to cook. Give me a recipe and I can give you a similar meal. I like to tweak things and measure with my heart instead of measuring with a cup. I cringe at potlucks when someone asks for the recipe of the dish I made. I have actually told people I can send you what I started with but I have no clue what the actual recipe is. My husband likes to bake. He finds it relaxing. I think one of the reasons is if you follow the steps you will get a consistent and good product. I don’t have patience for some of the steps. Especially if the recipe calls for sifting. I have done sifting when baking with my grandmothers. It just feels so tedious. The sifting, though, leads to a much better consistency and product. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Luke 22:31-32 KJV I was born with a keen sense of smell. My poor mother. As a child, I embarrassed her so many times in public restrooms. I had no problem informing her when the bathroom had unpleasant aromas. My son has paid me back thoroughly. His nose is even more sensitive than mine. One good thing is I am usually the one to smell something burning. My husband appreciates this as he has had very few burnt meals in our marriage. Now I am very quick to find the source of unpleasant smells. I can’t stand it when something stinks or has a stale smell. I will clean, light candles and spray odor neutralizers. I will do what it takes to have a pleasant aroma around me. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it. - Isaiah 55:11 KJV We are blessed in this day and age to have the Bible at our fingertips. I have multiple physical copies of the Bible; plus every smart device I have has a Bible app. We have God’s Word with us wherever we go. The word of God is not just scripture but our weapon. It is what God has given us to guide us, protect us, and for us to defend ourselves against the principalities and powers of this world. Jesus himself used the word of God against Satan when he was tempted in the wilderness. (Matthew 4:1-11) One of the things I love to do when visiting family in Michigan is drive around and look at all the farm fields. We don’t have fields in Florida like they do in Michigan. In the fall the farmers set up stalls in their front yards and you can buy the best produce. One of our last visits was in August before the farmers started harvesting. Periodically, I saw something that puzzled me. I would see a field of soybeans. Nothing strange about soybeans, but it was the random stalks of corn that would be growing in the midst of them. It wasn’t every field, but randomly fields. I asked my brother-in-law what that was about. He said it was called “volunteer” corn. The harvest the year before had been corn and during harvesting some had fallen. Unbeknown to the farmer, it would grow alongside the soybeans. This struck my heart. And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that [Jesus] sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind [him] weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe [them] with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed [them] with the ointment. - Luke 7:36-38 KJV She came that day with every intention of anointing Jesus. She was prepared. The ointment she carried was probably one of her most precious possessions. Alabaster was used to store expensive perfume, some costing a year's living expenses. Alabaster kept the ointment pure from contamination. Many times the vessels were even sealed with wax. But something happened when she walked into that room behind Jesus. An old hymn goes through my head. “All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live. I surrender all, I surrender all. All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all. All to Jesus I surrender, Humbly at His feet I bow, Worldly pleasures all forsaken; Take me, Jesus, take me now.” All. Three little letters. Such a deceptively small word. I wonder if because it is so small that we rarely feel that it truly encompasses everything. |
AuthorHi! My name's Audra Place. I am a homeschool mom and minister's wife. My husband Charles and I have been married 19 years, we're just two college sweethearts working together for the Lord! Archives
April 2024
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