The True Christian

"A true Christian is not a mere baptized man or woman.

He is something more.  He is not a person who only goes,

as a matter of form, to a church or chapel on Sundays,

and lives all the rest of the week as if there was no God.

Formality is not Christianity.

Ignorant lip worship is not true religion.

The Scripture speaketh expressly: 'They are not all Israel

which are of Israel' (Romans 9:6).  The practical lesson of those

words is clear and plain.  All are not true Christians

who are members of the visible church of Christ.

The true Christian is one whose religion is in his heart and life.

It is felt by himself in his heart.  It is seen by others in his conduct and life.

He feels his sinfulness, guilt and badness, and repents.

He sees Jesus Christ to be that divine Saviour whom his soul needs,

and commits himself to Him.

He puts off the old man with his corrupt and carnal habits,

and puts on the new man.  He lives a new and holy life,

fighting habitually against the world, the flesh and the devil.

Christ Himself is the corner-stone of his Christianity.

Ask him what he trusts for the forgiveness of his many sins,

and he will tell you, in the death of Christ.

Ask him in what righteousness he hopes to stand innocent at the

judgement day, and he will tell you it is the righteousness of Christ.

Ask him by what pattern he tries to frame his life, and he will tell you

that it is the example of Christ.

But, beside all this, there is one thing in a true Christian which is

eminently peculiar to him.  That thing is love to Christ.

Knowledge, faith, hope, reverence, obedience are all marked features

in a true Christian's character.  But his picture would be very

imperfect if you omitted his 'love' to his divine Master.

He not only knows, trusts and obeys.

He goes further than this -- he loves...

...Great as the danger is of him 'that believeth not',

the danger of him 'that loveth not' is equally great.

Not believing and not loving are both steps to everlasting ruin... 

...A man may lack clear head knowledge, and yet be saved.

He may fail in courage, and be overcome by the fear of man, like Peter.

He may fall tremendously, like David, and yet rise again.

But, if a man does not love Christ, he is not in the way of life.

The curse is yet upon him.  He is on the broad road that leadeth to destruction...

...If a man truly loves Christ, all is right;

if not, all is wrong...

...A true Christian loves Christ for all He has done for him.  

He has suffered in his stead, and died for him on the cross.

He has redeemed him from the guilt, the power and the consequences

of sin by His blood.  He has called him by His Spirit to self-knowledge,

repentance, faith, hope and holiness.

He has forgiven his many sins and blotted them out.

He has freed him from the captivity of the world, the flesh and the devil.

He has taken him from the brink of hell, placed him in the narrow way,

and set his face towards heaven.  He has given him light instead of darkness,

peace of conscience instead of uneasiness, hope instead of uncertainty,

life instead of death.  

Can you wonder that the true Christian loves Christ?

And he loves Him besides, for all that He is still doing.

He feels that He is daily washing away his many shortcomings and infirmities,

and pleading his soul's cause before God.  He is daily supplying all the needs

of his soul, and providing him with an hourly provision of mercy and grace.

He is daily leading him by His Spirit to a city of habitation,

bearing with him when he is weak and ignorant, raising him up 

when he stumbles and falls, protecting him against his many enemies,

preparing an eternal home for him in heaven.

Can you wonder that the true Christian loves Christ?...

...where there is real justifying faith in Christ,

there will always be heart love to Christ.  He that is really forgiven

is the man who will really love (Luke 7:47).

If a man has no love to Christ, you may be sure he has no faith."

**Quoted from "Holiness" by J. C. Ryle pages 234-237

With Love,
Camille

**Images in this post courtesy of Calvin ~ thank you my love. xoxo
(Image #1 ~ Anglesey, Wales; #2 ~ Mojave Desert, CA; #3 ~ Fairmont, BC)

A Heart Issue

There are times when words come too quickly and without much thought.
It ought not to be this way, but, too often it is.  At least, it is for me.

We are exhorted in God's Word to think before we speak.
To use our words to encourage, exhort, and point others to the Truth.

"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt,
that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."  Colossians 4:6

We are in this battle with sin and will be until the day we die.
It's a heart issue.  The only remedy for it is found in the Saviour.

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing...
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do...
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord."  Romans 7:18a, 19, 24, and 25a

What a precious blessing it is to know that we can run to

the Lord with all our failings and He will pick us up and mend us.

His blood cleanses.  He heals our imperfect-ness with His sinless-ness.
The only way to be made clean and right and pure is by coming to Him.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."  John 14:6

I rejoice in the Lord Jesus' cleansing power.  His perfect life.

His payment for my sin.  His living and dying and rising again.
I rejoice in the fact that He is all sufficient.  And, that He forgives.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  1 John 1:9

How wonderful it is to rest our hearts in our Saviour's
finished work on the Cross.  His perfect and complete sacrifice.
May we live our lives to bring glory to His Name.
He is worthy of all our praise.  Now and forever.

Happy Thursday!
With Love, Camille

Temporary and Eternal

We had an opportunity to chat with one of our neighbours.
He lives up the road and around the corner.
We'd never met before.  So, we introduced ourselves.

The house right next to us was in the process of being destroyed.

At that moment, he came riding up the street on his bike.

He was angry that he had not been allowed to salvage

parts of the house.  And, he wasn't shy about saying so.

We watched the demolition.  Together.
Within an hour, the house was a pile of rubble.
It was shocking how quickly what seemed solid and stable wasn't.

A visual illustration of redemption was unfolding right before us.
This whole thing has played in our minds and hearts ever since.
Two extremes.  Two outcomes.  This analogy can be applied to any of us.
Into which camp do we fall?  Whose side are we on?

None of us deserves to be saved.  We are corrupt.
We cannot do anything to save ourselves.  We need rescuing.

The hedge tree on the far right
in the photo above was dying.

With no effort at all, that tree was removed.
Subsequently, two trees from the neighbour's yard were dug up
and laid on the grass in front of our home.
All it took was an effortless few seconds.

For Howie and the boys, it would have meant hard work.
But, it was done quickly and easily as we stood by and watched.
Those trees were saved and ready for transplanting.
The dead tree would be replaced with the living one.

What a picture of mercy!

 

The house was destroyed from the top down and the outside in.
That powerful machine collapsed it all in a matter of minutes.
While we watched, our neighbour expressed his anger over
the destruction of the things that could have been sold or salvaged.

He was outraged.

Within my mind an eternal picture was forming.
What was happening right before our eyes
was a natural spring board into talking about the real things.
The eternal things.  The things that matter most.

It was such a vivid picture of this verse:

 "While we look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen:
for the things which are seen are temporal;
but the things which are not seen are eternal."
I Corinthians 4:18

 
 This is the lot of this world.  This universe.
Certain destruction.  We are not told when.
But, we are told that it is coming.
 However, there is hope.  Certain Hope.

The Lord Jesus Christ said this:
"...I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh to the Father, but by me."  John 14:6

The time to consider these things is now.
The time to set our house in order is today.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow.
We depend on Another for our very next breath.

And, it is to Him that we owe everything.
It is to Him that we must run for everything.

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
 and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation.  For the Scripture saith,
Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek:
for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved."  Romans 10:9-13

The Lord promises that if we will come to Him, 

He will not turn us away.  We cannot come in our own merit.  

We only bring our brokenness.  The Lord Jesus Christ

is our only Hope.  The only Way.
 

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;

and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."  John 6:37 

"And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one

which seeth the Son and believeth on him,

may have everlasting life: and I will raise him

up at the last day."  John 6:40

The living tree was placed in the dead tree's spot.
What a beautiful picture of redemption.

So, in the tearing down of a house, and the replanting of trees,
there is an analogy of something much greater.
Something much more permanent.

We are living souls.  Though this world will perish,
our souls will live on forever.
Where will we stand on that final day?
Whose are we and where will we find ourselves?

These are questions that must be answered.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow.  It is not ours to hold.
We can, however, trust in the One Who holds the future.
There is no better place to rest our hearts.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest for your souls.
 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  Matt. 11:28-30

Run to the Lord Jesus Christ.
True and lasting peace is found in Him.
He is the Answer we need.  The Answer we seek.

With Love,
Camille

True Security

If we have the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour,
we can hold fast to all the promises given to His people in His Word.
Only when we are in Him is true security to be found.

Spurgeon always encourages my heart.
This particular quote comes from a reading that ministered
comfort on a day when comfort was needed.
It's always a good thing to redirect our gaze on those things
that are true.  On those things that are stabilizing and do not move.

Our Great God never changes.
How often we must remind ourselves of this!

* "All things are safe in Jehovah's hands; what we entrust to the Lord will be secure, 

both now and in that day of days towards which we are hastening.

It is peaceful living, and glorious dying, to repose in the care of heaven.

At all times we should commit our all to Jesus' faithful hand;

then, though life may hang on a thread,
and adversities may multiply as the sands of the sea,

our soul shall dwell at ease, and delight itself in quiet resting places....

...Past deliverances are strong pleas for present assistance.

What the Lord has done He will do again,

for He changes not.  He is faithful to His promises,

and gracious to his saints; He will not turn away from His people." *

May the Lord be your everything.
Whatever it is that you may be facing...HE is bigger.

Happy Wednesday!
With Love, Camille

*Quoted from Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening" ~

August 27 Evening Reading.

**Image in this post courtesy of Calvin ~
Thank you my love xo

Cross-Purposes

C.H. Spurgeon has long been a cherished pastor to our hearts.

He comes to us via sermons recorded in books as well as in his 

devotional writings, mainly, Morning and Evening.

Recently, the following excerpt from this devotional book brought me to tears.

It is has been a precious thing to ponder and wrap my heart and head around.

Perhaps it will be a source of encouragement to any who may be 

wrestling through these things as well?  How good it is to fill our minds with truth.

** "...death smites the goodliest of our friends; the most generous, the most prayerful,

the most holy, the most devoted must die.  And why? 

It is through Jesus' prevailing prayer -- 'Father, I will that they also, 

whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.'

It is that which bears them on eagle's wings to heaven.

Every time a believer mounts from this earth to paradise,

it is an answer to Christ's prayer."

"A good old divine remarks, " 'Many times Jesus and His people

pull against one another in prayer.  You bend your knee in prayer and say, 

'Father, I will that Thy saints be with me where I am;'

Christ says, 'Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, 

be with Me where I am.' " 

Thus the disciple is at cross-purposes

with his Lord.  The soul cannot be in both places:

the beloved one cannot be with Christ and with you too."

"Now, which pleader shall win the day?

If you had your choice; if the King should step from His throne,

and say, 'Here are two supplicants praying in opposition to one another,

which shall be answered?'  Oh!  I am sure, though it were agony,

you would start from your feet, and say, 'Jesus, not my will, but Thine be done.'

You would give up your prayer for your loved one's life,

if you could realise the thought that Christ is praying in the opposite direction --

'Father, I will that they also, whom Thou has given Me, be with Me where I am.'

Lord, Thou shalt have them.

By faith we let them go." **

May the Lord truly give the grace to submit to His perfect and loving
plan for His people as He gently leads each one Home.
May He help those of us still on this earthly journey to remain
faithful and follow Him wherever He leads with joyful hearts.

At the end of it all, eternity is all that really matters.
May we be found living out the reality of this truth day by day.
By His grace and in His strength.  For His glory alone.

With Love, Camille


**Quoted from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening
March 22  ~ Evening reading.

Liberties and Heresies

Our pastor has been preaching through Matthew.

We are currently in chapter eighteen.  In a recent sermon he expounded

on liberties and heresies and what we are to do with them.

It made and impression on me.  Clarity came through the insights he shared.

Very often, liberties are made law.  A list of rules to follow.

The problem is, however, the list is different for everyone.

What's on it, and what isn't, varies from person to person.

We so frequently are guilty of adding to Scripture with these lists

of ours, and then, we try to impose them on others.

It's wrong.  Plain and simple.

There are many grey areas that Scripture doesn't deal with specifically.

Conversely, there are many areas that it does address.  Emphatically.

We can infer things from God's Word and apply that wisdom to the grey
areas we encounter.  The black and white areas, however, remain just that.

Black and white.

There is no room for heresy to be embraced for the sake of peace
or in the name of love.  It's not loving to accept the unacceptable.
Peace is not truly peace when it is based on a false premise.

There are non-negotiables in Scripture.  We must stand firm on those.

There is no leeway when it comes to the Deity of Christ, the Trinity,

or the Gospel and how a person is saved.  We cannot make these areas grey.

These are the things we must be willing to die for.

But, the grey areas?  Ought we to stand to the utmost on those?
We all have convictions.  And, very often, they are different from our brother's.
Differences are not a bad thing.  There is such a thing as embracing those things
for your family that the Lord has called you to.  It is actually right and good to do so.

But, we must not impose those things on others.

We also are to be sensitive to those who land in a different camp than we find ourselves in.
Some may have liberty in one area that we are not free to embrace.
We might have liberty where another would falter.
It's in cases like these that we are to forgo our rights in order not to wound
another brother's (or sister's) conscience.  We are called to sacrifice.

We must not parade our liberties like badges of honour.

How much wisdom we need to navigate this life!
Thankfully, the Lord promises to give wisdom to His people
as they seek Him for it.  What a blessing it is to have His Word to turn to.
What a blessing it is to have one another to glean from.

What a blessing it is that we are not in this alone.

May the Lord help us to extend grace to those around us
in those areas in which we have liberty.
May He also give us a loving disposition one toward another
as we hold fast to those non-negotiables.
And, may He give us the wisdom to know the difference.

With Love, Camille

Too Many Words

Words.  It seems very often that I have many.  Too many.

How do I use my words?  Biblically?  Wisely?  Or...destructively?

I must confess that this can be a tricky one to navigate at times.

God's Word says much on the subject.  Not surprisingly.

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the 

use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers."  Ephesians 4:29

Edification.  What does that really mean?  To build up.  Encourage.  Instruct.

What do words sometimes do?  Tear down.  Discourage.  Confuse.

So, how is it possible to avoid the negative impact of our words?
For that, wisdom is required.

Thankfully, the Lord promises it to His people when they ask.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally,

and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."  James 1:5

And, then, verses like these give the guidance required ~

"Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt,

that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."  Colossians 4:6

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;

teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, 

singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, 

giving thanks to God and the Father by him."  Colossians 3:16-17

The book of Proverbs is full of wonderful instruction to us regarding these things as well.

One of my favourite verses found within that book is this ~ "In the multitude of words there 

wanteth not sin; but, he that refraineth his lips is wise."  Proverbs 10:19

May the Lord help us to live according to His Word in these matters.

May He give the enabling to keep our words uplifting and encouraging,

and to refrain from speaking unless it brings blessing to those around us.
Even instruction, when given in the correct manner, will be a blessing.

May we have wisdom to know how to navigate these waters.

May we know His hand upon us this day and for all those that follow.

And, may all who interact with us know that He is the One we seek to serve.
By His grace and in His strength.  For His glory alone.

With Love, Camille

**Images in this post courtesy of Emma ~ thank you my love!  xo

Hearts on Sleeves

We all like to think we aren't the only ones.

That we are not in this race alone or that someone understands.

In the attempt at being real we sometimes wear hearts on sleeves.

It's easy to do in this online world.  Too easy at times.

Keeping it real is a good thing.  
Revealing everything isn't. 

It's a fine line we walk with our words.  Pixelled or otherwise.

Keeping in mind that all that is on our minds or in our hearts

ought not to be fair game for the world of onlookers.

I have read some things that I could relate to ~ absolutely.

But, I would hesitate to write them, or even speak them out loud.

Maybe just in prayer.  Alone.  

In an effort to gain ratings and readers,

it can be all too easy to throw caution to the wind.

But, is it for the best?  Is it wise?  Is it godly?

"In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin:
but he that refraineth his lips is wise."  Proverbs 10:19

"He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour:
but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a
faithful spirit concealeth the matter."  Proverbs 11:12-13

"Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that 
shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding."  Proverbs 17:28

Wisdom is often accompanied by silence.

There are things that might be an encouragement to others,

but, they may hurt the ones nearest and dearest to my heart.

Do I "share" in order to be "real", or do I keep silent in order to be honourable?

Good food for thought.  Yes?

May the Lord give wisdom and insight to know
how much to say and when to say it.  How much I need Him!
May He give the wisdom to know when silence is best.
Ultimately, He is the One we aim to please.
At the end of it all, we only answer to Him.

Please know that these are some of the things I mull over in my brain
because I am one of many words.  I often need to stop and consider.
Posts like this are the result of the self-talk I'm prone to.
A good thing?  I really do think so.  :)

With Love, Camille

How is it Possible?

Joy in sorrow.  Sustained through intense grief.
Walking the path the LORD calls His people to with
grace and strength and courage.

How is it possible?  

How many times have we wondered at this?

When we think of the martyrs who were tied to the stake

and burned there for their faith, we wonder ~ How?

How could they do it?  How was it that they did not crumble?

Where did their courage and strength come from?
How were they able to sing in the midst of the flames?

The answer?  Supernatural Power.

Given by the God of Heaven and Earth.

From the One who created all things from nothing.
From the One who gives life and sustains it.

He is the One from whom their strength came.
He is the One who gave the grace.

They were bolstered up from within.

By God's Grace.  For His glory.

They were carried.  Met in their need.  

They were given all they required in that moment of time.

And for all the events that followed.
They were sustained by Him ~ just as He promised.

Remember what Stephen saw when he was taken to be stoned?

The LORD allowed him a glimpse into Heaven.

He declared it and boldly proclaimed what he saw. 
How powerful his testimony was ~ how precious!
(See Acts 7:54-60)

I cannot compare the bravery of these ones

with our recent experience of burying our precious son, Austin.
But, I can say that throughout these days and weeks
the LORD has not forsaken us ~ He has carried us.
He has provided much grace and strength and peace in the midst of it all.

There is nothing to compare with the comfort He gives.

It is with bold confidence that I can say ~
He will be Faithful to give grace for the journey.
Whatever it is that He calls His people to ~
 He will meet them in it with all that they will need.

It's only possible with Him.
Anything is possible with Him.

We must not rely on ourselves.
We draw strength from His Word and prayer.
We must continually redirect our attention to His Truth.
We comfort ourselves with the doctrine of His Sovereignty.
And, we look to Him each step of the journey He calls us to.
It really is the only way.  HE is the only Way.

May He grant to you His grace and strength and peace
in whatever He calls you to ~ He is Faithful.

Much Love,
Camille

**Photo in this post courtesy of Emma ~
Thank you my love.  XO

Overwhelmed and Sinking?

Trials and troubles in this life can weigh us down.

Our focus can become blurred when we find ourselves 

overwhelmed with sorrows and difficult circumstances.

This ought not to be.

If we belong to the LORD, we have no reason for despair.

We have every reason to hope and to rejoice.  In Him.

But, how is it possible?  How can this rejoicing be ours?

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;

who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,

despising the shame, and is set down 

at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners

against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."

~ Hebrews 12:2-3 ~

Remember the time when Peter walked on the water to the Lord?

He was able to do it, as long as his eyes were fixed on his Saviour.

However, when he became distracted by the waves 

and his surroundings, he sank.

There are times when we find ourselves sinking, too.

How does it happen?

Most often, it's when we fail to look to our Saviour in all things.

We must battle to get our eyes off of self and circumstances,

and fill our minds with Truth ~ His Truth.

Fill our minds with our Lord Jesus Christ ~ Him alone.

We must remember where we are headed and remind ourselves

that this world, along with its sufferings, is only temporary.  

When things seem to be falling apart all around us, where do we turn?

How do we find peace in the midst of our trials?  

How is it possible to find peace at all?

Only by His strength and grace ~ 

Only in and through Him is any of it possible.

The God who calls provides.

The means are His provision.

What are those means?  Where do we begin?

We first must be sure that the Lord Jesus Christ is our Saviour.

When we are truly His, we are able to

fortify ourselves with the Word of God and Prayer ~ 

It's so simple, yet, so vitally important!

Simply reading Scripture and praying through it changes our outlook.

Our Precious Saviour meets us there and renews our vision.

Our perspective shifts from the temporal to the eternal.

Our minds fill with His greatness and all-sufficiency.

We become less.  He becomes more.

Listening to good sermons and attending services with other believers

is another means of grace that is a blessing in our Christian walk.

It's easy to neglect these most basic of practices,

but, if we do, we most surely will suffer in our souls.

It's the way we were made.  We need Him.

May God, by His grace, continually give eyes to see

and ears to hear.  May we follow Him and keep our eyes fixed.

Especially when the waves are high and the wind is fierce.

May we know without a doubt ~ He is in the storm.

May He cause us to worship Him in the midst of it all.

Much love,
Camille

**These thoughts are a result of the sermon our pastor preached this morning ~
Thank you Pastor B for faithfully expounding God's Word to us.
We are thankful to the Lord for you!  

**Photo courtesy of Emma ~ Thank you my little love!  XO

The Compare Snare

It's a trap we often fall into ~

the compare snare.

Why don't I have it as easy as they do?

Why is my child rebellious while their's is obedient?

Why is there sickness in our home and not in their's?

Why do they get to go away somewhere tropical year after year,

while we stay home and never go away at all?

Why do I drive an old, broken-down vehicle while 
others have not only one, but, two new ones?
Why have we been given such a small home
while family so-and-so has a much larger one with less children?
Why don't I have a home, or husband, or children at all?

It's easy to do, isn't it?  
Constantly asking ~ Why?  Why?  Why?

Really, what we are saying is that God's plan

for us is not as good as His plan for someone else.

They get all the roses while we get all the thorns.

The grass is always greener.  

It's a fact. Right?  Wrong!

The Lord, when dealing with His disciples, addressed this very thing.

And, you know what He did?  He discouraged the practice.  

We are not to compare!  It's none of our business

how He deals with someone else.  
(See John 21:21-23)

None at all.



If you look closely, you will see the bird ~
safe among the thorns.

How amazing it is to think that we are
exactly where our Loving Heavenly Father means for us to be.
Recently, I read something from Spurgeon in which he
stated that whatever happens in our lives is a prescription.
It, whatever "it" is, has been prescribed for us.

Directly from HIS Loving hand.

We are not to run from whatever He gives.
We are to ask for grace in it.
And, ask for His strength to deal with it.
We are to seek Him for the faith to see His hand
in every situation and circumstance.
And, ask for wisdom to know the way forward.

He promises to lead.

We are not to run, but, to yield.  
His ways truly are best.
Comparing our lives with others is never wise.
It's never productive.  It only hurts and destroys.

It turns our eyes inward rather than upward.

We cannot do this in our own strength.
We need Him each step of the way.
May HE continually give us eyes to see.
And, hearts to believe.
That we might bring praise to HIS Holy Name.
(See Philippians 4:8-20)

With love,
Camille

Chitter Chatter

Chitter Chatter.

Verses like the following provide wonderful

*food for thought* ~

"In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin:

but he that refraineth his lips is wise."

~ Proverbs 10:19 ~

Remember that little childhood song ~

"Oh Be Careful Little Eyes"?

Remember one of the other verses contained within it?

"Oh be careful little mouth what you say!"

"And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity:

so is the tongue among our members,

that it defileth the whole body,

and setteth on fire the course of nature;

and it is set on fire of hell."

~ James 3:6 ~

How much of my speech is edifying?

How much of it is uplifting?

Joy-filled? Encouraging?

Not everything I think needs to be said.

Not everything I think ought to be said!

"Let no corrupt communication proceed

out of your mouth,

but that which is good to the use of edifying,

that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

~ Ephesians 4:29 ~

May the LORD be glorified in all we do and say.

May we minister grace and Truth to

all those we meet along the way.

Many Blessings,

Camille

**Photo in this post courtesy of my precious Emma ~

Thank you my love! XO

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Drip. Drip. Drip.
Yup.  That's me.  Sometimes.
Not good.  Not good at all!

My friend just blessed another friend's daughter with a wedding shower.
She gave a devotional talk to the bride-to-be.
But, we were all there to listen in.  And it *hit home*.

The verse?
"A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a
contentious woman are alike."
~ Proverbs 27:15 ~


The examples she gave were real and true.  Sadly.

She said that if we treated co-workers like
we sometimes treat our husbands those co-workers would avoid us.
Yup. Indeedy.

Again, we must all sit up and take notice.
Why would God's Word address this if it were
not true?  And true often.

It is a universal vice.
We all, at one time or another, will struggle with it.
And it is sin.  And where ought we to run with our sin?
That's right ~ to the Cross.

The LORD died for this.
HE will give strength and grace to live for HIM.
He enables us to do as we ought to.  And, HE forgives.

How wonderful it is!
One day at a time.  Moment by moment.  With HIM.

"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, 
sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."
~ Proverbs 16:24 ~

On this journey too.
Many Blessings, Camille

Let it Roll

Ever observe a duck?
He dives under the surface ~
Bobs up ~
And all the water
just rolls off his back.

It's amazing.

We are to be like this
when it comes to some
things in life.
Let things roll off of
us without sinking in.
The negative stuff, that is.

The nasty words of others.
The hurtful actions.
Especially those things
that were unintentionally hurtful.

Thoughtless.

We are not to absorb those things.
Doing so can lead to bitterness.


I speak from experience.

It's never a good thing
to harbour nasty stuff in our hearts.
To replay it over and over
in our minds.
To share the hurt around
in the form of gossip.
To lash out and bite back.

Not a good thing at all.

Only by the Grace of God are we
able to let things go.
Turn the other cheek.
Pray for those who mistreat us.
Show love in the face of hatred.
Only by HIS grace are we
able to move on.
In HIS Strength.


Forgiveness.
Grace.
Mercy.

Breathe deep.
These are the *real* things.
And HE alone is able.
Look to HIM.
Draw strength from HIM.
HE will meet us in our need.

For HIS glory.

May HE give us all
daily the grace and strength
we need to follow HIM
in these ways.

Many Blessings,
Camille

**Photo in this post
courtesy of our precious Calvin ~
Thank you so much! XO

In Pursuit of J.O.Y.

J.O.Y.

Not *happiness*.
It is not guaranteed.
It does not last.

True joy does.

In the midst of trials.
In the midst of sorrows
and difficulties.

In the midst of happiness.
In the midst of triumphs
and victories.

Joy is abiding.
Because HE is abiding.

"Underneath are the Everlasting Arms..."
~ Deuteronomy 33:27a ~

We have had trials.
Struggles.
Sorrows.

We've also had many
happy times.
Triumphs.

And through it all...

God's peace and joy
sustain.
HE sustains.

We have nothing to fear.
Everything to hope.

It is foolish to
worry about the future.
The future is not ours to hold.
Ours to keep.

"Suffcient unto the day..."
~ Matthew 6:34 ~

Only this day.
Only this moment.

And HE will meet us
in our need.
HE is Faithful.
In that is J.O.Y.

Rest in HIM my friend.
Trust in HIM.
Find joy in HIM.
Only in HIM will
lasting joy be found.

If you do not have the LORD
as your own Saviour,
Please Click Here to learn how
you can belong to HIM too!

Many Blessings,
Camille

**Photos in this post courtesy
of our Emma ~
Taken on a recent Beach Walk.
Thank you my little love! XO

A Life Imperfect

Escape.

We all, it seems,

at one time or another,
want to escape.

Get away from it all.

Leave behind all our responsibilities ~
For a month, a week, a day.

But, will that really fulfill?
Will that really be enough?
More importantly, is it godly?

We ought to go about living our lives ~
In the Moment. In the Midst of it all.
The Trials. The Chaos.
The Noise. The Mess.

Is it possible to glorify
God with a Life Imperfect?

YES!

By HIS Grace. With HIS Mercy.
In HIS Strength. For HIS Glory.
Look to HIM.
HE has all the answers.
HE is not a difficult task-master.
HE delights to give us all we need.

Moment by moment.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,
that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given him."
~ James 1:5 ~

When I assess my life, more often than not ~
I find that I am the one who is
the difficult one.
I expect too much. Demand too much.
For my own glory.

Pride.

Ultimately, that is the reason!
Ugly as it is.
How wonderful that our
Precious Saviour forgives.
And forgives.
And forgives again.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness."
~ I John 1:9 ~

Look to HIM. He never will fail you.
And take life one step at a time.
In His strength. For His Glory.
That is where true fulfillment
and joy are to be found.

Only in HIM. He alone is Perfect.
And one day, if we are HIS,
we will be eternally perfect too!

What a thought!

"I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me."

~ Philippians 4:13 ~

Many Blessings to
each one of you, kind friends.
In His Love,
Camille

**All photos in this post courtesy
of our little Emma ~
Thank you Sweetie Pie! XO