Today I am participating in the Five Minute Friday with Kate Motaung and her crew of brilliant writers. The word this Friday is {follow}. I’m setting my timer for 5 minutes and below we’ll see what words follow. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ We, my dear man and I, are getting close to a year living in a new … Continue reading Follow
Today I am participating in the Five Minute Friday with Kate Motaung and her crew of brilliant writers. The word this Friday is {choose}. Setting my timer for 5 minutes and go… ***** This is the day that the Lord has made I will {choose} to rejoice and be glad in it. Choose. I wonder… … Continue reading Choose
Today I am participating in the Five Minute Friday with Kate Motaung and her crew of brilliant writers. The word this Friday is {reach}. Setting my timer for 5 minutes… and go! ***** Photo credit: Lisa Brittain Thomas had great difficulty believing that Jesus was alive and had visited with the other disciples. Could life … Continue reading Reach Out
Day 27. One-word. Favorite. Favorite is probably my favorite word. When discussing a particular Bible verse, I’m prone to say, “Oh, this is one of my favorites!”My dear man chuckles and says, “You have a lot of favorites!” And it’s true. I have a lot of favorites. It’s not true that I’m overusing the word … Continue reading Favorite
These words from Matthew 12 are the words of Jesus. And they cause me to get quiet in a hurry. ““Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can … Continue reading Stewardship
I am really enjoying this book. Thank you, friend for sending it & suggesting we read it together! Uugghh, I am such a slow reader. I get so tangled in pondering a particular idea on a page and can’t make myself move on to the next ideas on subsequent pages. It’s a reading problem I’ve … Continue reading Danger, problem & threat
One-word. Saver. “Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.””Luke 19:9-10 NIV I think of a saver as kind of an old fashioned lifestyle word. It used to be that … Continue reading Saver
Today I am participating in the Five Minute Friday with Kate Motaung and her crew of brilliant writers. The word this Friday is {assume}. Setting my timer for 5 minutes… and go! ***** Photo credit: Lisa Brittain ASSUME. One of my favorite accounting professors taught a class on auditing. His opening line for the semester … Continue reading Assume
write28days #adore #eyesonjesusandshine #writingchallenge #writeyourstory Before you get turned off thinking I am portraying my thought life as super spiritual, please pause… take a deep breath. There are only a few reasons my thoughts are consistently flowing upward to Jesus in this current writing season. And I emphasize season! I read, ponder and write first … Continue reading Adore
A straight line on an EKG means you have no heartbeat. It’s called a flatline. Without a heartbeat we cannot live. A flatline means death. This visual aid encourages my simple pondering thoughts as I look at the one-word {changes}. It’s true. It’s science. A healthy heartbeat on an EKG looks like a lot of … Continue reading Changes
It’s a feeling. And lonesome can be quite a difficult intruder. Interestingly, feelings of loneliness are not necessarily coincidental to being physically alone. Many people surrounded by family or peers or coworkers experience heartache due to lonely feelings. Photo by Lisa Brittain The lie that I am all alone and the lie that no one … Continue reading Lonesome
Pondering the one-word tiny today and it takes me less than a second for a connecting thought. Her name is Rebecca, and she’s two weeks old today. We received a picture yesterday from our daughter-in-love that caused me to oooh and aaah and whisper with fascination, “She’s so tiny!” Photo by Team Brittain To describe … Continue reading Tiny
Today I am participating in the Five Minute Friday with Kate Motaung and her crew of brilliant writers, as well as incorporating the one-word from #write28days in my daily writing adventure. Setting the timer for 5 short minutes. And go… ~~~~~~~~~ Reflections photo by Lisa Brittain Now into my 60th year of life on planet … Continue reading Many reflections
Can a dry and weary land be called beautiful? Beautiful is the one-word in which I’m pondering this day. Photo by Lisa Brittain The Living Zoo - giraffe Palm Desert, CA The answer to this question, I’m learning, is perspective. If you’re reading you probably already know this. I do too, but I forget sometimes … Continue reading Beautiful
1: to move in a stealthy or furtive manner 2: to hide or conceal something (such as oneself) often out of cowardice or fear or with sinister intent Definition from Merriam-Webster: As I expected, a quick search for Bible references containing the word {skulk} turned up no results. Is there a Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic … Continue reading Skulk
Decline. This was yesterday’s word. It’s been an excellent word to ponder through the filter of scripture and my personal experiences of life on planet earth. The very first memory that popped to the top of my brain’s search engine was a time in college when I regretfully declined an invitation to go and hear … Continue reading Decline
I read this one word this morning and so many thoughts popped like popcorn. Thoughts of Moses asking Almighty God to show him God’s glory. And a hymn The Cleft of The Rock - Oh, soul, thou who now art weary,To the Rock do come for rest;Come to Him who only can cheer thee,To the … Continue reading Crevice
Shock! Is Jesus ever shocked by us? My initial response is that Jesus is God so He could not possibly be shocked by anyone or anything. But honestly, as I have read the Mark 6 passage a number of times today in various translations, I just don't know. Let's read the full passage to create … Continue reading Shock
In pondering this one word {ease} I wander back and remember this beautifully romantic exchange between Boaz, the landowner, and Ruth, the new girl in Bethlehem. Boaz saw her, introduced himself and blessed her for her reputation. “May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, … Continue reading Ease
I’m a recent convert to the latest obsession called pickleball. Do you know of this? Whether you are completely engrossed in this game or dabbling in it, no doubt you’ve heard of pickleball. It’s everywhere! There are huge tournaments now and championships. Some would say that it’s gaining momentum and will soon take over tennis. … Continue reading Beliefs
I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Prayer of Jesus, John 17:15-17
Father~Son~Holy Spirit Community is God's idea. Community is Who He is. And that makes {community} good. 26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us..." Genesis 1:26 NLT Pondering the word {community} brings a potpourri of beautiful thoughts about my current phase of life, which is full of change in … Continue reading Community
And so today, I’m a bit more challenged by my goal of allowing each of these 28 words to point me toward the character of Jesus. Read more…
As I read the word {broken} my mind whispers that His body was broken for me. Jesus gave Himself as a sacrifice. His desire as God come in the flesh was that none should perish. His desire as a man full to overflowing with Deity was that He, Jesus, fulfill the mission for which Father … Continue reading Broken
The psalms are so chock full of emotionally charged thoughts. I love them! The psalms mirror my own frail humanity, and as I read each one I feel so normal. So human. I am again reminded today to give thanks to God that He cares for our entire being. He knows how we are formed for He intricately designed us. Read More....
We have the power to see temptation as false advertising. Most of us have already been suckered in at least once. We’ve already proven the claims to be false. Keep reading…
This scenario, along with a number of others in my life, has taught me to embrace my humanity. I can embrace that I sometimes have doubts. Many times my doubts are for good reasons. And most frequently, my doubts cause me to look up and ask Jesus for help.
“So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin.”Hebrews 4:14-15 NLT As I sit in … Continue reading Receive Rest
I’ll admit it. I’m selfish. I need a commandment from Jesus that tells me to love. When I recognize my own pride and fleshly desires… read more at lisabrittain.com
““I’m telling you these things while I’m still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. … Continue reading The Peace of This Season
bible.com/bible/111/isa.9.6.NIV
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him … Continue reading The Joy of This Season
“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust … Continue reading The Love of This Season
Dear sister, Put on the full armor of God. And pray. Our battle in this broken and corrupted world is not against flesh and blood. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”Ephesians 6:10-11 … Continue reading Dear sister, get dressed & pray
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you… Ephesians 1:18 And how can we see hope, feel hope - grasp hope - in the hubbub of life? He, The Christ. Jesus. He is THE HOPE of this season. … Continue reading The Hope of This Season
A new day. New mercies. What I am loving about sunrise near the mountains is that the mountains look different every morning. Every sunrise paints a different palette of colors and those colors are splashed with ever changing beauty onto the mountains right outside our windows. Today I am reminded that no matter the circumstances … Continue reading The Colors of Mercy
He is here. Even if I forget He is here. If I don’t move toward Him, if I can’t remember what I’m supposed to do in the midst of trouble, I believe Jesus wants to catch my attention. He’s trying always to catch my eye. As I hear a whisper in my heart or feel … Continue reading It’s not you, it’s Him.
These summer days I am practicing my balance. I am developing strength in my core.Hmmmm. You might wonder, “What does that mean?” Well, honestly, the activity of walking the curb started out as a physical challenge and game we play while walking our dogs. You see, we’ve moved from a rather hilly geographical location and … Continue reading Practicing balance.
A number of years ago as painful upheaval seemed to become the overarching theme of our lives, I cried out to Jesus for an anchor. I was emotionally reeling - seasick on the storm tossed waves of normal life. God heard my cries for help. Jesus appeared walking on the waves reaching out to take … Continue reading Anchors up!
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. Psalm 118:8-9 ~~~ Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses and all the king's men Could not put Humpty together again. ~~~ … Continue reading It is Better
But those who are hurting tug at my heart in a deep way. Often they come to mind. And I find myself asking God “to do something”. At some point in my pleading, I hear myself asking God to be who He already is in His sovereign nature. Sometimes I recognize that I am asking God to do what He naturally does because He is who He is.
Rarely does a new thing develop overnight. In 2014, my dear man who had already been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease sorrowfully broke the news to me that he was about to be unemployed. It was July, and on one particular day, the new buyers of my dear man’s employer arrived at the office and took … Continue reading It didn’t happen overnight
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”Jeremiah 29:11 NIV God’s promises are true. And it’s important to remember that this was the promise God made through His prophet Jeremiah to the remnant of … Continue reading Context Matters.
Renew.That’s my job.I renew chairs.The work of removing the old and applying the new is for me very rewarding. I enjoy the challenges, and the variety of materials chosen to complete each transformation. However, it’s the stories - the family history - behind the furniture that is my absolute favorite. It’s such an honor to … Continue reading The process of renewal
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.Ephesians 4:2 34 years ago I chose this scripture to be engraved on my husband's wedding ring. I chose it for us and he agreed. We naively chose it for our scriptural marital mantra. And we didn't have a clue of the depth … Continue reading We didn’t know…
By Gary Milford Lessons Learned. Lessons re-learned. Do your best, forget the rest! You know there is a lot of potentially depressing stuff in the news now days. Of course you know that. It’s like the Bible verses in Isaiah were faxed to the news rooms around the country and then reported word for word … Continue reading Lessons Re- learned
And then there were just two.There's always a dull ache in my heart. A small lump in my throat. A stinging behind my eyes...When it's time to say goodbye to the seeds and their families. My hugs are tighter than necessary because I am trying to make an imprint of them on my heart. The … Continue reading And then…
One of the things I appreciate most in life is an honest conversation. Unfortunately, these are rare in today's world. Rare things only increase in value, so there's the silver lining, I guess.
As you gathered water from the well, pounded out the grain, and prepared meals together, what did you tell the young women of your country, your people, and your God?
bible.com/bible/111/deu.6.5.NIV
Eyes on Jesus and Shine 
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