Strength Renewed

The care the eagle gives her young,
safe in her lofty nest,
is like the tender love of God
for us made manifest.

As when the time to venture comes,
she stirs them out to flight,
so we are pressed to boldly try,
to strive for daring height.

And if we flutter helplessly,
as fledgling eagles fall,
beneath us lift God's mighty wings
to bear us, one and all.
~ Deane Postlethwaite ~

Compliments of A Haven for Vee

Have you ever longed to be recharged?  I sure have!  We’re promised in God’s word if we're waiting, and trusting in Him; He will renew our strength.  In Isaiah 40:31, God compares the renewed strength  to wings of eagles. 

Compliments of A Haven for Vee

The Eagle is one of the strongest birds in the world. They have a wingspan of 5-7 feet, can expand and contract their wings and appear to be flying effortlessly, even in hurricane force winds.

But they that wait upon the LORD
shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

We all in one way or another can relate to this verse; when you feel like you’re running on empty, when the storms of life hit you and you just can’t go on.

God can become your power to renew, refresh, and recharge you.  I have clung to this verse many times throughout my life and am so thankful for this promise. I encourage you to memorize it, hide God’s word in your heart and you’ll take it with you wherever you go.

My friend Vee, who blogs at A Haven For Vee had the opportunity to photograph a bald eagle.  You can read about her experience in two of her posts.

Bald Eagle ~ A Haven for Vee

Isaiah 40 ~ A Haven for Vee

Thank you Vee for letting me use your amazing photos in today's Scripture Thursday.  A perfect fit.

Thanks for stopping by today dear ones.  I hope this post has been an encouragement to you. 

Scripture Thursday ~ God Will Take Care of You

Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you
with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

Around the year 1904, a woman named Civilla D. Martin was at home confined to bed due to illness.  While her husband was away one day preaching, she wrote the hymn God Will Take Care of You.  When he returned home, she gave the words to him.  He sat down at his organ and wrote the music. 

click for larger size

I’m sure this hymn has impacted many lives, and to this day still does, including my own.  One man in particular, about 25 years or so after this was written (1930), was hospitalized with a severe case of shingles.   Prior business deals had failed, he was in physical pain as well as emotional pain, filled with despair and little hope. One morning while in his hospital bed, he heard this hymn coming from the hospital chapel.

Be not dismayed whate’er betide,
God will take care of you;
Beneath His wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.

God will take care of you,
Through every day, over all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.

The man followed the music into the chapel and as he listened, he felt his burdens lift.  All worries left him, as he realized just how much God loved him.  He later recalled those moments in the chapel as the most dramatic and glorious twenty minutes of my life. 

Who is this man who was so filled with despair?  Mr. James C. Penney, founder of the American Department store chain, J.C. Penney. 

free for personal use or sharing

Thanks for visiting today.  Whatever your circumstances, know that you can look to God for your strength and help.  I'm happy that I can say:

My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.   Psalm 121:2

This post is linked to:  Pink Saturday,  The Graphics Fairy,

Independence Day Pictures

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord;
and the people whom he hath chosen
for his own inheritance.
Psalm 33:12

The photo above was made using WORDart from Karen at Papercraft Memories.  You can find it **here** 

I've put together some of my patriotic photography.  I hope you enjoy them.  I'll be back next Thursday with another Scripture Thursday devotion.  If you'd like to read any of the previous devotions, they are in one convenient location **here** also located at the "Scripture Thursday" tab at the top of this blog. 

patriotic window

My grandsons watching last year's parade

Flags

My hubby's favorite foods

 

flowers for sale at the market

If you'd like some patriotic vintage images you can find more on this blog **here**

 

Have a wonderful day.  ~ ABBY ~

Monday's This and That

I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,
therewith to be content.
Philippians 4:11

I stumbled on the contentment verse this morning and remembered the graphic I'd previously made.  When I add scripture to a vintage graphic or photo, it's not done randomly.  I usually chose the scripture first and then search for something in my collection of images that would match it.  The woman in this vintage image reflects this verse to me.  She seems to be pondering her circumstances, perhaps praying.  Not fretting, crying, or stamping her feet. 

I need this verse today as a reminder to be content in my own circumstances.  It's been four months since I fell and injured my ankle.  A bad sprain turned out to actually be a fracture, which was healing and now the bone has re-fractured.   It's interesting the things we take for granted until we don't have use of them anymore, like walking or any other physical problem we face.   I'm writing about this today hoping to encourage someone else, while at the same time reminding myself to be patient.   I am in the hands of the Great Physician, and He is in control.  He will give me the strength I need to get through each day.

You may have noticed a new look here on my blog.  If you're getting this via email, you can see it **here**.   Since I am pretty much immobile, I have time to spend designing a new look.  I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.  I designed it myself using some graphics from my online friend Su at Starsunflower Studio.  Su designed the previous layout of my blog and is a graphics guru.  There are many free things she offers on her blog.  You should check it out if you enjoy digital images. 

Thanks to Dawn at The Feathered Nest who provides so many great freebie vintage images on her blog.  The little birdies in the blog header came from her.   There are still some finishing touches I want to make here on this new design, but for the most part it's how it will be for awhile.  Notice the tabs at the top of the blog, Scripture Thursday posts are in one convenient place for you to peruse as you'd like.  Here's a link to that page:  SCRIPTURE THURSDAY DEVOTIONS.

In the works is a new blog button with code, it's all designed, and will be sharing that this week. 

Happy 7th Anniversary to my daughter and her husband.  Seems hard to believe that 7 years have gone by since the day they were married.  They have been blessed with two sweet little boys who not only enrich their lives but all of our family. 

Happy 7th Anniversary to my daughter and husband

As you may know Google reader is going away as of today July 1st.  You can follow my blog with "Bloglovin" which I have used to follow blogs I enjoy.  It seems to be quite popular and is taking off.   To follow this blog, you can click on the bloglovin link in the upper left corner of this blog, or click here:  BLOGLOVIN

If you prefer to follow by getting an email when I post, you can sign up here: 
Little Birdie Blessings by Email

Thanks for visiting today.  I enjoy reading your comments and emails so feel free to respond.   I hope you have a wonderful week 

This post is linked with:  Monday's Musings,  Word Art Wednesday,

~ ABBY ~

Scripture Thursday ~ Remedy for Distraction, Discouragement, Depression

My friend Natalie, is a guest here today with a devotion on what she calls the 3 D’s.  She shares with us, a biblical perspective on Distractions, Discouragement and Depression.  Natalie lives in California with her husband who is a pastor, is active in women’s ministry, an avid papercrafter, and loves spending time with her grandchildren.   She has been a guest here before.  Thanks Natalie, for sharing with us again.

In her words:

Distractions, which are often times disappointments and frustrations….
can lead to discouragement….which can lead to depression.

Sometimes the skirmishes with the “3-D’s” come frequently, which is exactly why it’s important to stay focused on Jesus.  Stand guard!

1 Peter 5:8 says Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Dwelling on the past can be a distraction, as can destructive habits such as:

Negative thinking (of ourselves and others)
pride
dependence on – pills, food, alcohol, people, anything other than God
No stick-to-it-ism

Sometimes we get so distracted with disappointments we look right past God’s grace. Some of God’s answers are no, but there is always a reason.  Don’t be distracted by the no, but rejoice in God’s grace!

I think we are all guilty of NEGATIVE THINKING from time to time and this leads to DEPRESSION. The battle ground is in the mind and so we must be “mind-ful” of that.

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.  Isaiah 26:3

Pride is ugly!!  C.S. Lewis wrote (Mere Christianity) There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which everyone in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine they are guilty themselves.

Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.  Romans 12:16

We have a constant choice as to whom we “yield our members.” Will we yield them to God and His Will or will we yield them to “self” to do our own will? It’s our willpower – moment by moment – that determines whose life will be lived in our souls.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.  Romans 6:12-13

We are called to “endure hardships as a good soldier”, we truly are in a battle, a spiritual warfare that rages on during our life. Whoever said the Christian life was an easy one was living in another dimension! The difference is that we have Christ at the center of our battle.  If He is in the center of our lives, he will be giving us peace, joy and His overwhelming love in the midst of that warfare.

Don’t give up because you are in the midst of a heated battle, the Captain of the Lord’s army is standing with you. He has your back (He is the hedge/wall around you) ENDURE!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  Ephesians 6:10-11

God has all the love, all the wisdom and definitely all the power we need to live a life that is pleasing to Him. However to be cleansed and pleasing to Him we must make right choices to be a clean vessel so that we can live and glorify Him.

What is the remedy for the 3-D’s?

God’s Word & Promises (The Bible)

Prayer & Praise

Endurance  (Hebrews 10:23-25)

STAY FOCUSED & INFORMED (2 Corinthians 2:11, 10:3-6)

From remedy to the victory! The battle is the Lord’s and He never loses.

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
2 Corinthians 2:14




Thank you so much Natalie for guest posting here again at Little Birdie Blessings.  If you'd like to see her previous guest post, you can find it **here**.    If this has encouraged or helped you, please leave her a note here in the comments, visit her blog, or if you're receiving this via email you can reply to this message.  The scripture graphics in this post were photographed and designed by me, and are free for personal use or sharing.   Click on each for a larger size, right click and save to your computer.  Feel free to "pin".  ~ Abby

Scripture Thursday ~ God's Letters to Us

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete,
thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV

I’ve heard it said and I’m sure you have too, the key to any personal relationship is communication.    If my husband went away for a year and regularly sent me letters, I’d be excited to open them and see what he had to say.  I’d want to respond as soon as I could. 

However, if I received the letters and tied them up in a pretty bow without opening, I'd be missing the important things he had to tell me. 

We speak to God through prayer; God answers us through His word. The Bible is God’s letters to us. If we only pray, and never read the Bible, it’s as if we’re putting all of God’s personal letters to us inside a pretty ribbon.

For those who put their trust in God, reading His Word is essential to knowing God’s will for our lives.  The Holy Spirit speaks to us as we read, revealing new truths to us every time. 

The more we read, the more we retain.  Repetitiveness is key, and whether or not we realize it, information is being absorbed.  Stored away in our brain, like a library, that surprisingly is recalled when needed.

When we think there are times that we’re too busy to read the Bible, and spend time with God… look at the wise words of Missionary and author, Elisabeth Elliott:

One reason we are so harried and hurried is that we make yesterday and tomorrow our business, when all that legitimately concerns us is today. If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to Him and ask Him to indicate which items we must delete. There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy.

I’ll close today with the words of Evangelist D.L. Moody and his perspective on reading the Bible.  You can hear the enthusiasm for God’s word in Moody’s writing:

The Bible is one book  that you can never finish with. It is like a bottomless well; you can always find fresh truth gushing forth from its pages.  The flowers of God's garden bloom not only double, but sevenfold; they are continually pouring forth fresh fragrance.  I thank God there is a height in the Book that I have never been able to reach, a depth that I have never been able to fathom.
Evangelist D.L. Moody,   (1837-1899)

I’m going to be continuing this theme  for a bit as I feel it’s so important to all of us.   Thank you so much for all your comments and emails.  They all are read and treasured.  

Thanks to my dear friend Denise who allowed me to bring my camera into her lovely home for these pictures. 

Thanks Graphics Fairy for the bundle of letters used in this post. 

This post is linked to:  Make it Pretty Monday, Monday's Musings,

Waiting on the Lord

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage,
and he shall strengthen thine heart:
wait, I say, on the LORD.
Psalm 27:14

In my own circle of family, friends and community, there are more people struggling than those who are not.   The verse I’m featuring today gives us a way to meet these struggles on a day to day basis. 

It is the last verse in Psalm, chapter 27.  This chapter is referred to as an Exuberant Declaration of Faith.  I’d encourage you to read the entire chapter, it’s not long. 

You will find the word WAIT, twice in this verse.  The original Hebrew word for wait is gavah, pronounced Ka-va, and means to expect, to look patiently, to tarry, to wait for, wait on, or wait upon. 

The Biblical meaning of the word WAIT, seems to be more of an attitude than an action.  Waiting is an attitude of patience, which is waiting on the Lord and trusting in him to do what is best for you.     

We don’t know how our lives will unfold, but we can decide to trust our future to an all knowing God.  For those of us who WAIT on the Lord, our hearts will be strengthened. 

Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on Him who has all things safely in His hands.  ~ Elisabeth Elliot ~

Our Great Savior
J. Wilbur Chapman, 1920

As I so often like to do, I found a hymn that seems to go along with today’s verse.  What a Savior, written by J. Wilbur Chapman in 1910.  Here are some of the comforting lyrics. 

Jesus! what a Strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him.
Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my Strength, my victory wins.Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Jesus! what a Help in sorrow!
While the billows over me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my Comfort, helps my soul.

Jesus! what a Guide and Keeper!
While the tempest still is high,
Storms about me, night overtakes me,
He, my Pilot, hears my cry.

I hope you've been encouraged by today's Scripture Thursday.   Today's scripture graphic is free for personal use.  I combined one of my vintage images and WORDart by my friend Karen from Papercraft Memories.  She offers many free scriptures on her blog.  I recently won a set of digital scripture stamps from her etsy store.  This particular WORDart that she made comes from the set Strength and Courage, which you can find **here** or by clicking on the graphic below. 

 
If you are receiving this post via email, you can view my blog **here**.

This post is linked to: Monday's Musings, Word Art Wednesday, Hearts 4 Home, Encourage One Another,  Hope in Every Season, Free Pretty Things for You,

Scripture Thursday ~ Be Still

Be still, and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10a

I live in a beautiful coastal area of Maine, which provides me many opportunities to walk along the ocean, or in the woods and see the beautiful things God has provided for us.  I'm often reminded of Psalm 46:10 when I look around, breathe in fresh air, and hear nothing but the sounds of nature, the waves, trees rustling, or birds singing.

The images above are some scenes I've photographed over time, as I was still, and absorbed my beautiful and peaceful surroundings. 

We live in a fast paced, electronic society today with computers and Emails, cell phones and texting, social media, projects, deadlines, commitments, stress!!!    Responses are expected to be instant. 

When we spend time with the Lord, away from the busyness of life, we need to tune out or turn off these electronic distractions.  Some of us have more options for quiet time than others.

Regardless of our circumstances, God tells us in this scripture to:

BE STILL!

Stop!

Breathe!





Take a moment of quietness to:
reflect on Him;
to spend time with Him;
to hear His voice.

Even Jesus’ ministry here on earth, flowed out of quiet time with his Father. 

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight,
He went out and departed to a solitary place;
and there He prayed. 
Mark 1:35 (NKJV)

What defines being still?
Free from distractions
Free from a cluttered mind
Reading your Bible
Spending time in Prayer
Breathing in God’s Creation
Listening to calming worship music



Why should we be still?
We de-stress
We clear our mind of distractions
We draw peace and wisdom from God’s word
God desires us to spend time with Him
We get to know Him better
Our lives are fuller because of Him

This is a scrapbook page I made some time ago, which reflects this scripture to me.  The soft colors, the woman picking flowers in her garden, and all the little touches make me happy and content when I look at it. 

My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
Psalm 62:5

Still with Thee, O my God,
I would desire to be;
By day, by night, at home, abroad,
I would be still with Thee.With Thee when dawn comes in
And calls me back to care,
Each day returning to begin
With Thee, my God, in prayer.

With Thee when darkness brings
The signal of repose,
Calm in the shadow of Thy wings,
Mine eyelids I would close.

With Thee, in Thee, by faith
Abiding, I would be;
By day, by night, in life, in death,
I would be still with Thee.
James D. Burns, 1857






Blessings to you dear ones as you carry on through your week. 

This post is linked to: