El Shaddai
The beginning word El means God of Eternity or Eternal One.

­­­El Shaddai is used 48 times in the Old Testament (31 times are in the book of Job, spoken by almost everyone in the story). Shaddai is translated as Almighty, All-powerful. Shaddai is a compound of she (meaning who) and day (meaning enough) which means The One Who is All-Sufficient.

Elohim
God the Creator

The Hebrew Name of God Elohim means God the Creator, Sovereign God, Majestic God, and God of Eternity. 

Elohim is a plural word used with singular verbs, adjectives, and pronouns conveying both one God and the unity of the one God in a plurality of persons. It is the first place we see the concept of the trinity and the confirmation of Colossian 1:16 about Jesus – “For by Him all things were created both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created by Him and for Him.” 

Redeemer
Gō’ēl

The Hebrew word for Redeemer, gō’ēl, is found most abundantly in the book of Isaiah. God’s redemption comes after a recounting of loss or waywardness. To redeem means to restore, to clear by payment, or to exchange something bad for something good.

Be patient in hope.
He will come!

Springs rains is from the Thy Faithfulness Collection at Flower Girl Greetings.com

Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; His going forth is sure as the dawn, He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth. (Hosea 6:3) 

Here is a little hymn that have so shaped my life...

O satisfy me...
in the morning with Thy lovingkindness

O satisfy me in the morning with Thy lovingkindness that I may sing for joy and be glad all my days. (Psalm 90:14)

The Psalmist encourages us that God is waiting to feed us with His presence. This morning, I read Psalm 84 that also encourages us to dwell in His love.

Yahweh Nissi
The Lord our Banner

­Moses called God Yahweh Nissi after their victory over a cruel enemy. Nissi is derived from the Hebrew nēs meaning signal pole, standard, banner or sail. Yahweh Nissi means The Lord our Banner.

Springs of joy!
Celebrate a new birth!

Psalm 87 is a beautiful gem of rejoicing!  It reflects with nuances of the joy of the Lord Most High, His city, His kingdom and His people. The sons of Korah sing of Adonai’s love for His people and the place of their birth. Verses 5-7 read:

Of Zion it shall be said,
“This one and that one were born in her,”
And the Lord Most High Himself will establish her.
He shall count and say, “This person and that person were born there.” Selah.
And the singers and musicians (dancers) shall sing:
All my springs of joy are in thee!

His presence
Our solution

Under His shadow is available as a 4-Pack at Flower Girl Greetings.com and in the Abide Collection.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High God
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God in Whom I trust.
(Psalm 91:1-2)

Shāmar
The fullness of God's protection

Shāmar is a Hebrew word that expresses the rich fullness of God’s protection. This card is available as a 4-Pack here at Flower Girl Greetings. A devotional word study is found on the back of this Art Card. Here are the words:

Shāmar is the detailed all-encompassing, constant, permanent protection of the Sovereign Creator God over His children. English translations use words such as keep, guard, watch over, and preserve to attempt to convey its meaning. God cares for us as a good shepherd cares for a flock or a gardener delicately tends the garden.  

Full earth!
O Lord, how many are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all;
The earth is full of Your riches.
Psalm 104

O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!
Psalm 8:9

Yahweh Raah
The Lord is my Shepherd

Isaiah 40:11
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs with His arm and carry them in His bosom and gently lead those that are with young.

Yahweh Rapha
I am the Lord Who heals you.

Healing is a restoration of something that has been damaged or is not functioning in its intended capacity resulting in pain. Although we don’t always experience God’s healing, we should not limit His desire or ability to heal, even when the damage is self-inflicted.

Yahweh Shalom
The Lord our Peace

Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” The Lord said, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The Lord is Peace. Judges 6:22-24

Yahweh Shammah
The Lord is there.

Yahweh Shammah means The Lord is there. It is the name of the Heavenly City of God and is found in the last verse of Ezekiel (48:35).

Yahweh Tsuri
The Lord is my Rock

Throughout the Psalms and the writings of the prophets, God is spoken of as our Rock – a reliable, sure source of strength; an enduring firm foundation; a strong refuge.

Paar's Story
Your words became my joy!
Free Downloadable PDF

In about AD 60 as recorded in Acts 8:26-40, Philip was told by an angel to go to the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza. There he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official for the queen of his country. Since we don’t know his name, I would like to call him Paar*. Paar was on his way home from Jerusalem where he had been worshipping.

Yahweh Yireh
The Lord will Provide

The Names of God were given by individuals when a characteristic of God became powerfully personal to them. Often they named the place where they were standing as a remembrance.

Genesis 22:14 says, “And Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Yireh, meaning In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. Abraham called God Yahweh Yireh when He provided the ram to replace the sacrifice of his son Isaac.

Yahweh Yireh means Yahweh will see, which translated means He will appear on the mountain. Yahweh Yireh has traditionally been translated The Lord Will Provide, because God powerfully appears in our lives when we are in need. His appearance is our provision.

Noah’s Calling and Rest

Contents

Noah's Calling and Ours

Our hearts, God's resting place

Noah's Rest and Ours

God's heart, our resting place

A Scripture Study in Luke 18:1-8
Free Downloadable PDF
To purchase the beautiful Devotion Insert, please click here.

The Bridegroom and the Sun
Psalm 19
March 2017, revised June 21, 2021
Free PDF Download (Printable format)

In the heavens God has placed a tent for the sun,
which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber.
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
Its rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them,
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
(Psalm 19:4b-6)

Abraham’s son, Isaac, entered his mother’s tent to consummate his marriage with Rebekah.
(Genesis 24:67)

Why I Married Dusty
A Letter

My letters are factual accounts. They were written to a specific recipient for a specific reason at a specific time. I am sharing them just in case they may encourage someone else.

I Am the Alpha and the Omega
The Beginning and the End
The First and the Last
The Author and Finisher of your faith

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. (John 1:1-4)

I Am the Anointed One
The Messiah
The Christ
Yeshua haMashiach

I Am the Bread of Life
He who comes to Me will not hunger,
and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

After God delivered His people from bondage in Egypt, He provided manna for them in the wilderness. “It was like coriander seed, white and tasted like wafers with honey.” Exodus 16:31

I Am the Door of the sheep
Whoever enters through Me shall be saved.

Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7)

“I am the door. Whoever enters through me shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9)

I Am the Good Shepherd
The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

I am the Good Shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one Shepherd. (John 10:14-16)

I Am the Light of the world
Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

I Am the Living Water
Whoever thirsts, come to Me and drink.

Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness and streams in the Arabah.

I Am the Resurrection and the Life
He who believes in Me will live even if He dies.

John 11:25 – Jesus said to Martha,
“I am the Resurrection and the Life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”

I Am the Root and the Offspring of David
The Bright Morning Star

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright Morning Star.” (Revelation 22:16)

I Am the Vine
You are the branches.

Jesus said, “Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life
No one comes to the Father but through Me.

And He said, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17)

I AM that I Am
Before Abraham was born, I Am.

While Moses was tending sheep, He came to Horeb, the mountain of God. God called to him from a burning bush appointing him to deliver His people from Egypt. Moses asked God to tell him His name. God said, “I AM THAT I AM.” (Exodus 3:14)

Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation
A Family Reading
Free Downloadable PDF

I divided the Proclamation into five parts with headings making it easy to read in a gathering. I then attempted to translate it into simpler language so that I could understand it. This simpler version is at the end of this document and may be helpful to read next in the gathering or to use for discussion and prayer. If you print off the PDF at the link above, it will be easy to cut the portions for each reader. 

For fun pictures of Abe, please read this post to the end!

Awareness = Belief
Practical steps to increase belief
Free Downloadable PDF

When we receive God’s gift of Jesus, Father gives us a new heart, and His Spirit comes to live within us - ALL of Him, not just a little bit at a time. We don’t get full and less-full of Him at different times. When I feel full, it’s because I am aware of His presence, not because I am more full. The obstacle to our awareness is unbelief.

We can increase our awareness of His presence by believing Him in all the little moments of the day. We can acknowledge Him for placing beautiful thoughts in our minds, for the unseasonably cool breeze on a morning in late July, for those still soft thoughts that come to us in the morning, and for His gentle kindnesses.

Governed Garden
Defending the Weak

Weeds are plants that grow in the wrong place. They are unwanted, because they are outside of order, harmony and beauty.

Queen Anne’s Lace and Thistles are beautiful along the bike path. Their blooms and stalks gracefully reach toward the sky and give off summer scents. But in my garden, they are dominant, intrusive and greedy. They take nourishment from the soil that is meant for other plants.

Signs for the Sincere and Insincere
Staying

Matthew 16:1-4
The Pharisees and Sadducees came up and testing Jesus, asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to discern the appearance of the sky but cannot discern the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away.

Heart Absorption
Luke 6:17-23   Hebrews 4:12    Luke 2:35
Free PDF Download

Jesus and His disciples came down into a plain in Judea and faced a mass of humanity gathered from the surrounding districts. This mixture of need and motive had one thing in common – their eagerness to be there.

The truth began to ring from Jesus’ lips penetrating through the maze of emotion, longing, and brokenness like a sharp, double-edged sword, alive and active with saturating life. The union of His words with each listening heart would tell a story as different as the features on their faces.