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DiVoran Lites
Tag Archives: #Inspiration
Trial to Triumph
7 AugOn the Porch
Onisha Ellis
I enjoy the photography of Annie Spratt at Unsplash.com When I saw this photo, I knew I wanted to create something inspiring with it and Janet’s quote seems a perfect fit.
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Heart Cleaning
11 MayOn the Porch
Onisha Ellis
It is good to daily ask God to examine our hearts so we can realign ourselves with His will- Wordsnackers
I have to admit that by day’s end, I often feel as if my heart is clouded and grungy like the canister of my vacuum cleaner.
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31 Days of God’s Comfort~ Day 18
20 Mar
Paintings and Paraphrase by DiVoran Lites
Day 18,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Psalm 103
Beloved,
We forgive all your sins.
We heal all your diseases.
We redeem your daily.
We crown you with love and mercy.
We wrap you in goodness.
We make everything come out all right for you.
We put you back on your feet.
We reveal our plans one step at a time.
We are rich in love.
We are sheer mercy and grace.
We don’t nag and scold.
We don’t hold grudges.
As high as heaven is above the earth so great is our love for you.
We have separated you from your sins.
We threw them in the deepest ocean.
We never go fishing for them.
We don’t want you to go fishing for them either.
We know you inside and out.
Our love is eternal.
We will always be together.
Let your soul rejoice in us.
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31 Days of God’s Comfort Day 3
5 Dec
Picture and paraphrase by DiVoran Lites
Day Three
God’s Glory
Philippians 1:9
Beloved,
Immerse yourself in My glory.
Love others as you love yourself,
Even better, love them as I love you:
Unconditionally.
I give you Godly discernment to love wisely.
That is how to make love last.
Let Me into your thoughts so I may guide you.
Let Me show you how to live
A clean and organized life.
When you spend time with Me,
You continually reap bountiful fruits from your soul.
That’s when your Savior is most likely to become
Savior of the people you know.
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Thirty One Days of God’s Comfort Day 1
21 Nov
Painting and Paraphrase by DiVoran Lites
Day One
Trees of the Hills
Isaiah 55:8-13
Beloved,
My thoughts are not your thoughts,
You receive my thoughts to replace your thoughts,
You follow My ways which are not your ways.
Now the mountains and the hills sing.
The trees of the fields clap their hands.
You are led forth in light and joy.
You are filled with truth, grace, and peace.
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Did you know these seven truths about your religion? | Janet Perez Eckles
22 OctWalking by Faith, Not by Sight
Janet Perez Eckles
The best part of speaking before any group is what happens afterwards. Often folks stop and chat with me. This past week, that very thing happened.
A man shook my hand. “I was touched by your message,” he said, “and I just want to know how you deal with the fact that the disease with your eyes is hereditary?”
“What do you mean?” I said.
“Well, I have a disease. It’s hereditary, and I can’t let go the worry and total fear my child will inherit it. I’m afraid of the future.”
He paused. “And I don’t have any religion…don’t believe in much of anything.”
I wanted to give him a huge hug and whisper in his ear, “You don’t need a religion, you need a relationship with Jesus to set you free from that worry and fear.”
Forgive me for being presumptuous. But if you are one of those who believe that religion is the answer, here are seven truths to ponder upon:
- Religion offers rituals, Jesus offers a personal relationship.
- Religions can change; Jesus is the same today, tomorrow and forever.
- Religion works to win grace, Jesus becomes the grace we can work under.
- Religion doesn’t offer forgiveness; Jesus became the forgiveness for our sin.
- Religion offers no miracle; Jesus delights in performing them.
- Religion doesn’t take you to heaven; Jesus took the blame so we could enter it.
- Religions bind us; Jesus sets us free.
When we spend sleepless nights, we wring our hands about the uncertainty of tomorrow, and mistakenly, we go by the way of religion, that’s why Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
What rules your life these days—nothing in particular or a religion or a relationship with Christ, the Savior?
Source: Did you know these seven truths about your religion? | Janet Perez Eckles
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The Wonders of Nature
8 AprFrom the Heart
Louise Gibson
I look through my kitchen window each day,
seeking, as I always do-
All the signs of God’s presence
in the soul-stirring scene that I view.
seeking, as I always do-
All the signs of God’s presence
in the soul-stirring scene that I view.
It never ceases to amaze me
that His presence is everywhere.
The Easter Lilies are radiant
Postural, as though in prayer.
They are programmed to bloom at Easter,
then close for another year.
Their role is to glorify the Savior-
then silently disappear.
Springtime is a season
of new life with a goal.
New leaves are forming, flowers are budding-
there is a stirring in my soul.
I read an interesting quote this week by Max Lucado that I
would love to share with you.
“Next time a sunrise steals your breath, or a meadow of flowers
leaves you speechless, remain that way and say nothing- and listen
as Heaven whispers, “Do you like it? I did it just for You.”
Source: Reflections of the Heart: April 2007
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How to fight fear, three steps.
19 MarWalking by Faith, Not by Sight
Janet Perez Eckles
Sometimes the biggest obstacle is the fear we pack in our suitcase when we travel through life.
We stood at the doorway of the hotel room. “Is there anything I can do for you?” the lady who picked me up from the airport asked.
“Well…thanks,” I said, “only one thing…can you go in the bathroom and tell me which is the shampoo and which is the body lotion?”
Strange question, isn’t it? Well, when you are blind and the hotel room is a foreign place, a bit of navigating is needed to get familiar. But the tough part, the really tough part is determining which is which among those little containers lined up on the bathroom counter.
I learned the hard way. I’ve shampooed with body lotion. And yuck, I have spread shampoo on my body, assuming it was body lotion. I’m okay with that because all that’s part of the adventure when I travel to speaking engagements.
But, this true story made me think twice about staying in a hotel room alone:
Some years ago my husband was traveling in Europe, and he would leave me alone with only my maid in a large house, far from neighbors. One night, after my habitual reading of the Bible and prayers, I went to bed. As soon as I entered our room, I saw, in the mirror, the reflection of a man hiding behind the wardrobe. I was terrified and thought of screaming for help, but I knew it would be useless.
Determined to trust in God, I walked with trembling legs, and with as brave a heart as possible, took my Bible that was on top of a small table and sat in the chair nearby. I started to read in a loud voice chapter 53 of Isaiah, and then knelt down and started to pray asking God for His protection against thieves and every kind of evil.
Then I got up and sat in the chair again. I felt a hand touch my shoulder and a voice saying: “Don’t be afraid. You are safe. I came here to rob this house, but this chapter is the one my mother used to read to me, and your prayer reminded me of her prayers. I am going away now. You don’t need to be afraid of anything.
She saw the shadow, but being blind, I’d never see one. But know what? Fear never moves in with me in any hotel room or anywhere. And it won’t with you either if you believe in these three promises in Isaiah 41:10.
- God’s presence is with us: “Fear not; for I am with you…”
- No intruder is a match to His power because He says, “…be not dismayed; for I am your God…”
- He will come to our aid when fear tries to make us weak. He said, “I will strengthen you…”
- He will come to our aid when fear attacks our thoughts. He says, “I will help you…”
- His protection is stronger than any outside force. He promises, “Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.”
No matter where you travel, I invite you to make a reservation in the hotel of His grace. That’s where fear dies and faith grows.
Visit Janet’s website and sign up for a free gift: How to fight fear, three steps. | Janet Perez Eckles
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