Digital Scrapbooking: October 2017

My monthly digital scrapbook post is going up at the last minute, for these pages are just freshly done! It's been a full month, filled with two trips, another busy season of Cru work, some special family times, and sweet times with friends.

These four pages that I was able to finally finish up earlier tonight capture memories from a trip that we took at the beginning of October. Our little weekend getaway to Branson, MO, was just what we needed and wished for after the two very full months of starting up Cru again for another school year.

- - - - - - -

Note: Most of the page templates and digital products that I use are purchased from Digital Project Life. About six years ago I switched from paper scrapbooking, and took some online lessons from Digital Scrapper to learn how to digital scrapbook using Photoshop Elements. (You can also click here for some great tutorials on the Digital Project Life website - maybe a quicker way to learn than the site that I used six years ago.) Also, besides being able to share my completed pages online, I also print them out at home in 8x8 inch size to fit in the albums that I purchase from Michael's.

Quieting My Heart: Our Most Essential Work

What is it in our lives,

in our daily work,

in the things that we give

our time and our best efforts to ...

what is of most significance?

Surely there is a long list

of what we focus on,

and spend our best time on.

Things that we consider

essential, important.

And along with my list of things,

is prayer, talking with God.

For it is of great importance,

and all I do needs to be

covered in prayer. 

Of course.

But what if the praying - 

the bringing of my daily tasks,

my deepest longings,

my highest goals and desires ...

what if the talking with Him

about everything -

what if this is my most critical work?

What if entering into His heart

for the world, for those I love,

and all He longs to do,

becomes my highest goal?

"Our Lord put all the emphasis on prayer,

and He made prayer

not preparation for the work,

not a sentiment nor a devotion,

but the work."

(Oswald Chambers)

Lord, if we are looking for the significant,

may we keep our best efforts for the best work.

And then we will see You -

"through Your mighty power at work within us,

accomplish infinitely more than 

we might ask or think."

(Ephesians 4:20)

Quieting My Heart: The Work Has Been Done

The work has already been done;

the hard work of prayer

has already been accomplished 

on the Cross where Jesus

sacrificed His life, for us.

And because of what He did,

of all that He went through,

our prayers - In His Name -

reach the Father,

and are heard by Him.

Who am I to hesitate

and to hold back,

to even neglect and refrain

from asking, and from

sharing my deepest

requests and needs

with the Father.

“I tell you the truth,

you will ask the Father directly

and He will grant your request

because you use My Name …

Ask, using My Name,

and you will receive, and you

will have abundant joy.”

(John 16:23b-24)

How can we even grasp

this greatest privilege

that we have.

And how can we thank You

for the hard work of 

Your sacrifice for us, 

and for the unbelievable

privilege of asking.

(Photo: our Autumn Blaze maple tree, fall 2016)

Quieting My Heart: Searching for the Gold

This practice we call prayer

is really quite illusive …

we long to be faithful in prayer,

and we often struggle with prayer.

The short, desperate prayers come easy;

asking for things, for help,

but the prayer for others, 

the real travailing in prayer - 

for things of eternal significance;

well, why is it often so hard?

Could it be that the most important

actually can become the hardest;

for the gold is often hidden,

kept for those who search the longest

and with the greatest effort.

And so taking time to pray,

to faithfully intercede

on the behalf of others -

maybe it is of deeper significance

than we even realize.

For in travailing in prayer

we enter into the very center

of God's heart -

and in entering,

we become one with Him,

with His plan and purpose

for all to come to know Him. 

And maybe if we neglect

this most high calling -

“What will suffer is the 

life of God in him,

which is nourished

not by food,

but by prayer.”

(Oswald Chambers

in “If You Will Ask”)

Lord, will you teach me,

will you teach us,

to pray?

Lead us to the gold,

the place where 

we are nourished

by You.

(Photo: our crabapple tree)

Quieting My Heart: Just Come

"I am

the Bread of Life;

whoever comes to Me

shall not hunger,

and whoever believes in Me

shall never thirst."

(John 6:35)

It's as simple

as pausing,

taking a moment, 

lifting our eyes to Him,

quieting our hurried pace,

coming close to listen

to Him.

"Why would we abandon

what is simple, available,

and sustaining

for what is cumbersome,

hard, and heavy?

Why do we try to fill 

our need with what is

ultimately empty?"

(Shelly Miller)

Lord, may today

be a day of pausing,

of quieting our hearts

even amidst our work,

and of coming close

to listen and learn,

to be loved by You.

Quieting My Heart: Completely Abandoned to You

Lord, at the start of this new month,

I long for quiet amidst the noise,

for paying attention to the

small and the ordinary things,

for spending quiet moments with You

listening, learning, and following.

“Hear me as I pray, Lord.

Be merciful and answer me!

My heart has heard You say,

‘Come and talk with Me.’

And my heart responds,

‘Lord, I am coming.’” 
(Psalm 27:7-8)

“Only when we give all of

ourselves to God -

unedited, abandoned,

even wastefully

by the world’s standards -

can we live out who

God created us to be.”

(Sara Hagerty, in Unseen)

May all of my days -

my quiet moments

and my work hours

flow from within -

a heart full of You,

completely abandoned 

to You.

(Photo: from our weekend getaway at a Branson condo -

Fall 2017)