I have this person in my life who never fails to challenge me! He always makes me stop and think about myself, my attitude, my relationship with my Creator. He usually only gets about 5 minutes of my time but that is all he needs to get right to the heart of the matter. And, he always leaves me with the realization that I can do NOTHING on my own!
His name is Oswald Chambers and this is how he speaks to me...
Can you tell by it's dog-eared appearance how much this little book means to me? I'm pretty sure I received this copy in college and it has stayed on my bedside table ever since, right on top of my journal. It is intended to be a daily devotional with a new passage for each day of the year, but when the rascals came into my life (God bless 'em!), I gave up trying to stay on track and now just randomly go where the Spirit leads!
This particular passage is what has stayed in my mind since I read it last week.
This particular passage is what has stayed in my mind since I read it last week.
From September 6, "The Far-reaching Rivers of Life".
"A river is victoriously persistent, overcoming all barriers. For a while it goes steadily on its course, but then comes to an obstacle. And for a while it is blocked, yet it soon makes a pathway around the obstacle. Or a river will drop out of sight for miles, only later to emerge again even broader and greater than ever. Do you see God using the lives of others, but an obstacle has come into your life and you do not seem to be of any use to God? Then keep paying attention to the Source, and God will either take you around the obstacle or remove it. The river of the Spirit of God overcomes all obstacles. Never focus your eyes on the obstacle or the difficulty. The obstacle will be a matter of total indifference to the river that will flow steadily through you if you will simply remember to stay focused on the Source....
Think of the healing and far-reaching rivers developing and nourishing themselves in our souls! God has been opening up wonderful truths to our minds, and every point
He has opened up is another indication of the wider power of the
river that He will flow through us!"
You know what I realized as I read this? How many times I am MY OWN obstacle! Oh sure, I have had obstacles in the form of things that were beyond my control and issues and people in my life that made it hard for me to feel like I would ever find another route for my river to flow. But, more often than not, I am the one keeping things from flowing downstream towards abundant blessing! I am finally at a point, where I feel that I can recognize these truths in my life and ask God to weed them right on out of me! I want to be of GREAT USE to Him and therefore I need to recognize those obstacles that are
hindering my ability to be a blessing to others.
It usually ain't pretty but it certainly is moving me forward on down that river!
Anywho...I went into this whole Blogging thing knowing that I desired for it to be more than just sharing things from my home. I wanted to also share from my heart.
Thanks for indulging me today!
Now, what on earth do Buttons have to do with this?
Well... I FINALLY HAVE ONE!
It is for my Inspiration Friday Party and I just have to tell you that I felt like I had split the atom,
solved world peace and invented the wheel all at once
when I taught myself how to make this!
Now, some of you may notice that I already had a Sister Saturday button on the side of my blog.
But that one was made by the other half of the Sister Saturday gang. My SISTER! And, I was determined not to go pestering my big sister to teach me something like I did when we were kids.
"Hey Heather! Can you teach me how to feather my hair like yours? Can you show me how to play this '45 of
Men at Work on your record player?"
I was going to do it all by myself. Now granted, the hardest part was actually finding a photo I liked that looked good when I shrunk it down and then publishing and copying the code in HTML, etc., etc. But, I felt like that Bachelor's Degree in Business finally came in handy for more than just wiping bottoms and noses. Not at the same time of course!
So, come on back and grab my BUTTON and join us for
INSPIRATION FRIDAY this week!
INSPIRATION FRIDAY this week!
Now I just have to decide on what I want the Button to look like for my Main Blog Page!
My head hurts.
Blessings to you from this
Southern Girl at Heart,
Vanessa
17 comments:
Good morning! What a wonderful post, filled with inspiration! Girl, I, too sometimes feel as though I am my own obstacle! Love your new button, too.
And, thanks for your kind note about my recent flying adventure! I like how you said that your fears became more fleeting than paralyzing. I can't wait to get to that place, too! Thanks for the inspiration. Take care, Becca
I need to pull my Oswald back out of the bookshelf and read it again..it's been too long.
Thanks for visiting my at Stuff and Nonsense and becoming a follower! I am now following you too. Always a joy to meet another kindred spirit in blogland.
Blessings,
Alison
I have never seen this devotional. It sounds like one I would really enjoy and could definately use! I know I am my own obstacle way too often. Congrats on your new button, it is beautiful!
How wonderful, Vanessa! The buttons are lovely, and though I've never seen Oswald Chambers' book, it looks very worth picking up.
Perfect post today. This is something to stop and really reflect on. I think the Lord is trying to speak to all of us. I need to stop and listen more. Your button is wonderful too. Hugs, Marty
Trust me, I'm the queen of weeds and very often, I'm my own obstacle. God knows my heart. I often try to hide behind Hubby when I feel God is stretching me. And we all know we can't hide.....
Love your button...love your post even more....adore Oswald Chambers, but you already know that! I like when you share from your heart as well as your home. :o)
Love, Heather...your sis with the awesome feathered hair and the dusty Men at Work 45 still in storage somewhere.
Thanks for your inspiring words:-) I have this devotional somewhere, but it's been a while! I'm using "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young which has just been incredible. Thanks for the reminder about Inspiration Friday, too. I was so busy last week with 4 worship services, that I didn't get time to do anything. YOU are an inspiration!!
Oh, I have this same book and have given to almost every high school graduate I know!! What a wonderful post. I know I'm always running around doing busy stuff that I needed to hear this.
Thank you so much for popping in to see me and I'm so glad you'll be coming to my Heart of the Home Party next month.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia :)
I love this! I am definitely my worst obstacle at times! I have tried to do daily devotions and just find I won't stay with it and then I always feel guilty. So now I do it randomly too. Whenever God pops into my mind during the day, I take a second to thank him and say a quick prayer for someone and then move on. This seems to work better and eliminated the guilt.
I thought I was a super star when I made my own button! Pretty cool isn't it???? Thanks for your sweet comments.
Such a great message and you are too funny about the button. At least you figured it out. It is over my head and it will give me a headache for sure.
What a wonderful and inspirational blog! I am so proud of you for making a button...that would be like ME figuring out how to put a new serpentine belt in my car...yeah...a lot like that!
Oswald Chambers is my husband's very favorite author to read...his book is dog eared and well loved! Diana
Your blog is really inspirational I see you live in the Northwest. I grew up in Eugene, Oregon! Anyway, you mentioned that you would love to get your hands on those placemats. Here is a link to their website, even though I found them at NapaStyle. www.cakevintage.com. I'm off to check out more of your blog...
Hi Vanessa! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! I love your house..it's gorgeous! That storage closet in your dining room where you keep extra dishes it TDF!! I wish I had something like that!
I forgot to mention that I am your newest follower too! Angie xo
Vanessa! Thank you so much for sharing this today. I need to go find my Oswald. He's here somewhere and I haven't read him in a while. (btw my church home is River of Life! How cool is that!) Thank you for your sweet comments on my home! You made my day!
I love Oswald Chambers, and his words and those he inspired in YOU are timely and excellent. I feel like a big old self blocking obstacle lately.
Now the button? Love it! I'm so techno lame that I can't even make my header picture be centered in new blogger templates. So what do I do with that technobstacle? I plop down and quit. Great job overcoming the button obstacle!
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