In the darkness, this beautiful flower on the syringa remained unseen. A little fill flash made it visible. Christ Jesus our Lord was unseen and unrecognized by those closest to His heart (the Jewish nation). He ranked before John the Baptist because He was here from the beginning, creating the heavens and earth by His powerful word. “Before Abraham was, I Am” is a powerful testimony of His deity. -Teresa #shineonus

 John 1: 9-18 (ESV)

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own,[b] and his own people[c] did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son[d] from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.[e] 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God,[f] who is at the Father’s side,[g] he has made him known.

When the cares of our heart are many, He gives consolation that cheers the soul. Just as the judges of old brought rest to the land by taking down arrogant evildoers, God almighty is our righteous judge. Not only does He bring rest but through discipline, He develops us as precious sons and daughters.- Teresa #restinHissteadfastlove 

Psalm 94 (ESV)

94 O Lord, God of vengeance,

    O God of vengeance, shine forth!

2 Rise up, O judge of the earth;

    repay to the proud what they deserve!

3 O Lord, how long shall the wicked,

    how long shall the wicked exult?

4 They pour out their arrogant words;

    all the evildoers boast.

5 They crush your people, O Lord,

    and afflict your heritage.

6 They kill the widow and the sojourner,

    and murder the fatherless;

7 and they say, “The Lord does not see;

    the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

8 Understand, O dullest of the people!

    Fools, when will you be wise?

9 He who planted the ear, does he not hear?

He who formed the eye, does he not see?

10 He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?

He who teaches man knowledge—

11 the Lord—knows the thoughts of man,

    that they are but a breath.[a]

12 Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord,

    and whom you teach out of your law,

13 to give him rest from days of trouble,

    until a pit is dug for the wicked.

14 For the Lord will not forsake his people;

    he will not abandon his heritage;

15 for justice will return to the righteous,

    and all the upright in heart will follow it.

16 Who rises up for me against the wicked?

    Who stands up for me against evildoers?

17 If the Lord had not been my help,

    my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.

18 When I thought, “My foot slips,”

    your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.

19 When the cares of my heart are many,

    your consolations cheer my soul.

20 Can wicked rulers be allied with you,

    those who frame[b] injustice by statute?

21 They band together against the life of the righteous

    and condemn the innocent to death.[c]

22 But the Lord has become my stronghold,

    and my God the rock of my refuge.

23 He will bring back on them their iniquity

    and wipe them out for their wickedness;

    the Lord our God will wipe them out.

This doe may have wondered why I made such a big fuss over something she does every day as she nibbled on the Morro Bay Forest Ranger’s garden. All good things come to pass daily for those in love with the LORD and maker of the New Covenant. Having begun this relationship in the Spirit why would we turn to the flesh to complete it. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.- Teresa #satedwithlovefortheSavior#fresheyefornature

Joshua 23: 14-16 (ESV)

14 “And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things[a] that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. 15 But just as all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the Lord your God has given you, 16 if you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you.”

Because of faith, the spies were delivered safely by the hand of a prostitute. Because of their oath, they delivered her and her family to safety when God’s word came to pass. We may not always approve of the political climate around us but trusting God and acting on it brings us safely “home”. – Teresa #faithisunseen

Joshua 6:22-25 (ESV)

22 But to the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.” 23 So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel. 24 And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. 25 But Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

A mustard seed is very small but it can spread like no other plant into a huge expanse!! If we take time every day to relax in Christ’s love for us and the Father’s affection, then faith will influence every area of our lives. Start each day or every challenging endeavor with four words…”I trust You, Lord”! It may not appear stately or pious but it will always produce good. -Teresa #littleyetpowerful

 Luke 13:22-30 (ESV)

22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. 29 And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

​At Morro Bay State Park, we were strolling amongst the eucalyptus trees at dusk. There we heard many unexpectedly strange voices. We discovered that being a protected nesting area for large birds (Egrets, Blue Herons and Cormorants to name a few), this estuary provides safe haven for an intriguing number of native species. Listen to their voices and praise the Creator of such diverse beauty. – Teresa #theoriginalJurassicPark

Psalm 103: 1-5 (NIV)

Praise the Lord, my soul;

  all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the Lord, my soul,

  and forget not all his benefits-

3 who forgives all your sins

  and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your lifefrom the pit

  and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things

  so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.