by Dona Hake

For the last two days I have shared about that which can proceed from our hearts.  Our hearts can be saturated with the life giving qualities that the Lord supplies us with.  He promises to fill us us as we look to Him as our source.  These things should be so dear to our hearts because our heart is the treasure box of the Lord.  He dwells within us if we know Him, and because of the He desires that we keep our hearts guarded with all vigilance.

Vigilance is one of those words you to not hear so much today.  It is the state of being extremely watchful over something.  We well know that the devil tries to be sly and trick us, therefore we must be watchful.  Today I am sharing a devotional that is an archived devotional from earlier in the year.  If flows perfectly with the thought of being watchful.

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It was a nightmare scenario that became all too real in West Virginia : a chemical seeped into the water supply and threatened to sicken hundreds of thousands of people. Officials found out about the spill when people started calling in complaints about a strong licorice-type smell in the air.

I found it interesting that this potentially harmful chemical seeping into the water had a sweet smell of licorice. Some said it smelled like cough syrup, and the smell puzzled them. I am sure they will figure out how this happened but what matters is that it rendered over 300,000 people no drinking, no bathing, and no cooking with the water. One chemical literally zapped the pureness of their water to poisonous and harmful, and brought a huge amount of people helpless without pure water.

God’s Word speaks to us through Proverbs 4:23 and warns us as well to be careful and be vigilant to watch over our hearts. This scripture warns us to guard the purity of your heart and all that flows from it. Our heart is as a wellspring from where all issues flow. A wellspring is a source or supply of anything, especially when considered inexhaustible.

Proverbs 4:23 (AMP)

“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance

and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.”

Let us be careful to never leave down our guard over our hearts. There are so many “sweet smelling” temptations in this world that could taint and poison our hearts in which the life of God desires to flow. Oh that we will take it seriously to guard our hearts with all vigilance for this is where life begins and flows from.

by Dona Hake

Yesterday I shared about being saturated with the fullness of God.    In the midst of dry land, He promises to satisfy our every need.  He said we would be like a garden that has plenty of water, like a spring that never goes dry.”Today I want to share about God being our source of hope.  Sometimes in the midst of barren or difficult places, hope can seem impossible to our hearts.  As He is truly our source we will turn to Him and Him alone for all that we need.   He IS the stream that never runs dry and He promised to be a river of life within us.  One translation brings us Romans 15:13 like this:

“May God,

THE SOURCE OF ALL HOPE

fill you with joy and

peace through your faith in him. Then you will overflow

with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Today let us think about Him being our hope.  People will say, “I hope everything works out for you.” or “I am hoping God does this or that…”  May I declare to you that God desires that you see Him as a sure and living hope. He can show Himself to you as that rock in  your dry place where hope and life-giving water gushes from.  What are you believing for today?  If you are praying about something that seems impossible, know that the God of hope will fill you with HIS joy and peace as you place your trust in Him.  Imagine yourself today saturated and overflowing all of God’s life.    Remember it is only as you draw upon Him that you will experience this!

by Dona Hake

Isaiah 58:11 (ERV)

“The Lord will always lead you and satisfy your needs in dry lands.

He will give strength to your bones.

You will be like a garden that has plenty of water, like a spring that never goes dry.”

There is such beauty in this scripture.  Just think about the times in which you feel as if life has made you feel like you are in a dry land and your bones are weary.  If you have lived on this earth for much time at all you well know and understand what I am referring to.  The trials and tests of this life can drain us but bless God!!!….He has promised we can remain as a garden that has plenty of water.  We can be as a spring that never runs dry!

As I was creating this devotional today I began to think about the word SATURATED.    The origin of the word *saturate* is  to be full or  well-fed.     One of it’s definitions is to soak, impregnate, or imbue thoroughly or completely.  I am thinking how one could saturate a sponge with water and just lay it down.  If one returns and squeezes it, the water will begin to fall.    That which was within the depths of the sponge is now seen through the pressure of the squeeze.

Today I encourage you to dwell upon the fact that the Lord desires to lead you and satisfy your needs if you are walking through “dry times.”  It is as life puts the squeeze on us that the Lord can release His living water from deep within our souls.    He has promised to us that He would give us a river that was incapable of running dry.  I would like you to also see yourself as a refreshment to those around you that may be walking through times of need and weariness.  Let us be used as a blessing of the Lord where ever we can!

by Dona Hake

Sometimes it really is the little things that may count to be something really big in another’s life. It is also true that sometimes the things we are called upon to do may even be inconvenient, yet if God is asking us to do it, we need to be obedient.

I shared yesterday about acts of kindness that have come my direction and what a blessing they have been. The other day I began to take a trip down “memory lane” and was thinking about some dear friends that have gone to be with Jesus. Both of these precious women laid beside each other in a nursing home. I can remember that time and how the Lord had instructed me to visit them on a regular basis. It did not seem to be a big thing to me yet when I would walk into their room their eyes would light up like the lighting of the White House Christmas tree.

One of their favorite things is when I would bring them fresh coffee and a cheeseburger from McDonald’s. I can also remember reading to them from a devotional of  Corrie ten boom. They would lay in their beds like two little girls at a PJ party and grin from ear to ear as I would read to them. There were some days that I was so tired and did not always feel like going yet I knew I was supposed to go. My heart was saddened at times seeing their confinement yet it was where they needed to be for proper and adequate care.

As seasons would change I would decorate their room for the holiday, and one of their favorite things was when I put a bird feeder right outside their window. All these special touches seemed to be no big deal to me yet I knew it was bringing joy to their hearts. I was always trying to think of ways to bring the outside world to them.

Today I encourage you to find ways to bring joy to those that cannot repay you. As I drive by the street on which this nursing home is I often think that I would give anything to pick up some cheeseburgers and hot coffee, and walk through those doors and see their precious faces. That time is gone and precious memories of their love for me is all I have to remember.

“Never get tired of doing little things for others.

Sometimes those little things occupy the biggest

parts of their hearts.” Author unknown

by Dona Hake

I am thinking today about the kindness of the Lord flowing through us. Over the past day or two I have been on the receiving end of people showing me exceptional, sweet deeds of kindness. These kindnesses have come in the midst of some obstacles. Life is full of things that can serve to distract us or they can make us stronger. So let us face them with determination, knowing it is all going to work out. Jesus said that in this life there would be different things for us to walk through yet He said He would be there.

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by Dona Hake

God desires that we ask of Him that which we need.  Today I have been meditating on how valuable it is to have God’s wisdom.  It is rich and full as it unfolds to us the direction of what to do in troubling situations.  All we have to do is ask.

James 1:5  (AMP)
“If any of you is deficient in wisdom,

let him ask of the giving God [Who gives]

to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without

reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.”

I praise God that He so willingly opens His gracious hand and touches my heart and mind with the direction that I need.  I love this translation and how it says “If any of you is deficient in wisdom…”  I recently had been out of a particular vitamin that I know is important for me.   Time did not permit me to get to the health food store to purchase them.  After about two weeks of being without them, I could feel that there was a deficiency going on in my body.

There are times we may get along for so long doing things out of our own ability, but the time will come that you will recognize that there is a deficiency of  God’s wisdom at work in us.  It is in those times that He simply says, “Ask!!”  He will not fault find but instead he will liberally give us all the wisdom we need. 

His wisdom is more precious and valuable than we will ever know.  I leave you with this scripture from Job that beautifully speaks of the value of God’s wisdom.

Job 28:13-18
 “Job: No human perceives wisdom’s true value,
nor has she been found in the land of the living.
The deep says, “She is not to be seen within me.”
“Nor within me,” says the voice of the raging sea.
 No gold can be given in trade for wisdom,
nor a sum of silver weighed out as her price.
 She cannot be bought with all the gold of Ophir,
neither with onyx nor sapphire.
The shimmer of gold and brightness of glass cannot compare,
and no refined gold jewelry is worth her in trade.
Perish the mention of coral and crystal;
even more than pearls is the value of wisdom.”

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by Dona Hake

As I am composing this devotional it is very late in the evening, and I am looking forward to a new fresh day in the Lord.  Even though my body is tired right now, I look forward to awaking and meeting up with His new mercies.    Mornings causes me to think of new beginnings.  I encourage you today to face your day knowing there are fresh new mercies from Him just for you! I am sharing with you today a revised  archived devotional from December of 2013 and I hope it blesses your heart.

At the end of many days I may look back on my day and wished that I would have said or done things differently but praise God He faithfully forgives and He promises to help me do better as I lean upon Him for all wisdom and strength. One of the first things I try to do each morning as I greet Him is remind myself and thank Him that His mercies are new every morning. My day is a fresh canvas and I am hoping I will do His will with His help.

I have a decorative slate in my kitchen. Every so often I will write a thought or scripture on it and it reminds me of something I am meditating on. The other evening I was trying to do some different cursive handwriting with the chalk and I kept messing up. I was glad I could just erase it and start over and work at it till I had it exactly the way I wanted it. So it is with the Lord’s mercies, they are new and fresh each morning. Thank God we have fresh starts each day and we can learn from our yesterdays. He is there to help us to keep working out those things that we are trying to get right in our lives. Thank God that our mess ups are forgiven and wiped away with the blood of Jesus!

Psalm 34:8
“Oh, put God to the test and see how kind he is! See for yourself the way his mercies shower down on all who trust in him.”

Psalm 143:8
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”

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by Dona Hake

“Be Patient With Yourself”  (a shared archive of December 13, 2013)

It is vital that we continue to walk patiently with those we live with and work with. There is also the whole realm of patiently waiting for circumstances to change in our life, but how many times do you think about being patient with ourselves?

As we pursue to grow in God’s love and in His Word sometimes we focus too much on what we are NOT rather that how far He has brought us. With any work that needs done in us there needs to be a time of waiting for His loving hand to work. I guess there are all times we wished He would work a bit faster, but His wisdom encompasses more than we will ever understand. As He works, He promises that the transformation will indeed happen, but remember sometimes we can tend to be impatient in that which we have to wait for.

Be encouraged today that as you are applying yourself to do that which is right and good in His sight that His loving hand is at work in your life. Guard yourself from focusing on your weaknesses but rather the gifts, the strengths and abilities He has blessed you with. As we keep our hearts humble and open to Him, He will be faithful to show us the areas in which we need to give attention. He leads and guides us into ALL truth in every area of our lives! God bless you.

by Dona Hake

No matter how old you are you will always have those “Remember when?…” moments. The other day my husband and I were talking about how prices are so different from when we were little. I was sharing special memories of a little corner store down the street from me. It was owned by this sweet old Jewish man, and I just loved him and he would always make me giggle! I would buy three TastyKake Cupcakes that were wrapped in a wax wrap and they were less than fifteen cents. May I add that TastyKakes today are no where near as delicious as they used to be? Two mint juleps for one penny and all kinds of other yummy candy for a penny a piece. Up the street from me, I can still recall the the gas station that we would walk to on hot summer days to buy a popsicle and the price per gallon at this gas station was 25 cents a gallon. Amazing how things have changed.

We could play out in the dark at night and we enjoyed ourselves with simple, fun and creative things. I could go on and on and I am sure you could share some memories as well. Today I want to share a scripture that I never knew was in the book of Ecclesiastes. I found it quite interesting and it caused my heart to ponder.

Ecclesiastes 7:10  (NIV)

Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?”

For it is not wise to ask such questions.

We can all reach into our past of sweet memories and enjoy them but we need to be careful to remember that things are continually changing around us. No matter how hard we try it would be impossible for us to freeze our past. If people do this, they will become very unhappy and possibly bitter people. They will find themselves lacking strength and vision because they dwell too much on how things used to be. As the popular saying goes, “It is what it is!” God desires that we look forward, have goals and give it our all to achieve them. With His courage, grace and strength we can run the race set before us and know in our hearts that we can enjoy the day in which we live and in the end, we win!!!!

“…but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—

to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. ”

Philippians 3:13 The Message

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by Dona Hake

I can still remember the day I stood at my deck door watching my two little next door neighbor girls playing in their backyard. A few tears streamed down my face as I began to reminisce when my sons were that little. The “empty nest” thing was trying to get me down. One of my sons was now married and the other was serving our country. It seemed like yesterday that they were only little boys and people would walk up to me in a store and say “Enjoy them, because they grow up all too fast!” Wow! was that ever true.

I can also remember the day that God helped me see that we all have chapters in our life, and as one chapter ends another exciting one begins if we dare walk into it with joy in our hearts. The joy that filled my heart once I realized this made me determined that the “empty nest” syndrome was having no place in my heart or mind! As for myself I can say life is about first of all loving and serving God. He desires that we enjoy each moment, love those around us, and also release them to be all that God wants them to be. I am so thankful for the young men that I proudly call my sons!

When we realize that God has a plan for us and all those that we love, we can rest and enjoy our lives as He intended. It is so awesome to know that God has a special and unique plan for each of us. He is not finished until we take our last breath either. Yes, life has it’s pain that we all have to walk through, yet He has promised to be there and keep us strong if we trust in Him. Let us think about how we can love, grow and continue to release in this life. God is ever preparing us for growth and new chapters.

Philippians 1:6 (TLB)
“And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will

keep right on helping you grow in his grace until his task within

you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns.”

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