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Philippians 4:18-20

I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Fragrant – to have a sweet and pleasing smell. (ambrosial, aromatic, perfumed, redolent, savory, scented, sweet)

My husband recently bought a charcoal grill. We have a gas grill, but there is just something about that charcoal smell. Oh, and the fragrance of something cooked low and slow with the applewood chips. My mouth is watering! I am not sure what a fragrant offering smells like to God, but it has got to be pretty close to that! Whenever we reach out to help someone, we are offering ourselves to God. We become that sacrifice that is pleasing to Him. We have no worries of what we sacrifice, time, money, outselves, God will fill the need left behind. You are how God is filling the need in someone else. He won’t run out of charcoal. He is grilling up a special gift to fill your need also.

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Psalms 91:1-4

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

‘High Hopes’

Just what makes that little old ant

Think he’ll move that rubber tree plant

Anyone knows an ant, can’t

Move a rubber tree plant

But he’s got high hopes

He’s got high hopes

He’s got high apple pie

In the sky hopes

Ants are fascinnating. They work in groups, helping each other. They may be tiny but they can lift something 20 times their own size. They find refuge deep in the ground or burrowed in wood with their queen, who tries to keep them together and safe and sound. God is our refuge. The place we can run and get rest. Like ants, we go out in the world and do our job, and get to return to our shelter when we need. Unlike ants, we travel with our refuge everywhere we go. We‘ve got high hopes, in God.

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Psalms 143:8-10

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Rescue me from my enemies, LORD, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Life is like a roller coaster. You can scream every time there is a bump, or you can throw your hands up and enjoy the ride. ~unknown

Life can be like a roller coaster. It has ups and downs with some crazy turns. By putting our trust in God our life doesn’t have to be turned upside down though. He truly loves us. Sometimes what seems like a really big hill to climb is necessary to cruise through another part of life. Those racing turns just might be curving you around danger. God holds the controls; we just need to sit back, throw our hands in the air, and enjoy the ride.

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Proverbs 16:2-4

All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. The LORD works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster.

motives – a reason for doing something, especially one that is hidden or not obvious.

Dolphins are very loyal to the members of their pods. Did you also know they are extremely friendly and are often seen playing with, defending and coming to the aid of other animals including humans? There paths are not all about themselves. We could learn a lot from them. When we commit our way to the Lord, we are saying we will do whatever it takes. We will follow what God says. This verse goes a step further though. We have to do it with the right attitude. Doing the right thing doesn’t measure up when it is done with the wrong attitude. Today whatever you do be a dolphin, and do it out of love!

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Psalms 118:8-9, 13-14

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. I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me.The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.

A beach ball can be tossed to and fro, but in skilled hands it can go up and land exactly where it is destined.   Our lives are like that beach ball. We can try and control it but it ends up flying everywhere. We can put our lives in the hands of others, only to feel like a ball caught in a wind storm. However, if we place our lives in God’s hands we will always land exactly where He wants. We just have to give up our control and trust Him. He is also pretty good and spiking an enemy or two😉

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Psalms 112:6-8

Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

FEAR

Face Everything and Rejoice

Just because there are bears in the woods, you don’t have to invite them into your tent. Just because you are faced with uncertainty and frightening things, you don’t have to invite the fear to rule your life. God never said we would not face fear in our life. He knows we are surrounded by fear every day. What He has promised us is security and peace when we face the fear. All we have to do is choose to trust Him. If your eyes are focussed on God you aren’t focussed on the fear. So bring on the bears! I am staying in my tent!

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Joshua 1:7-9

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing.” ― August Wilson

Courageous people aren’t fearless They just learn to walk through the fear. Joshua is asking us to be courageous. There will be ups and downs, good and bad, but we need to just keep walking. Life is very much like a bowl of cherries. You are going to deal with pits, but oh how sweet the rewards! God has laid the path before us, and yes, sometimes it looks rocky and scary. We will be asked to do things we really don’t want to do. That is reality. So, chin up, be strong and courageous and march on my friend. I promise the rewards are worth it!

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Psalms 20:6-8

Now this I know: The LORD gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.

10 Odd but real flavors of ice cream: Pickled Mango, Corn on the Cob, Foie Gras, Pear and Blue Cheese, Ghost Pepper, Bourbon and Corn Flake, Fig and Fresh Brown Turkey, Lobster, Creole Tomato, and Cheetos.

Hundreds of flavors, with millions of combinations, what is my favorite ice cream? Vanilla! Why? The answer is simple. It is the base of all the rest. I can do whatever, I want with my vanilla.  Have you ever tried taking the Tutti Frutti out of ice cream? God is my vanilla. He is the base. He holds everything else together. When everything is falling apart around us, we can not only stand firm, we can also rise up! We will not fall or be destroyed. We can stay cool and smooth!

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

1 John 5:13-15

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

According to…

compliance with, in conformity with, in keeping with, in line with, accordant with, commensurate with, conforming to, consistent with, following, heeding honoring, honoring, in agreement with, in congruence with, in consonance with, in fulfilment of, in harmony with, in obedience to, true to, in the manner of pursuant to, along with in, compatible with, befitting, in character with, as befits, suited to

I can ask for fresh strawberries in the winter and I may get some, but I guarantee they won’t be as good. God is not a genie in a lamp. He is not a greenhouse that produces things when they are out of season. No, He knows what we ask for and He knows what we need. These verses are not saying you get fresh strawberries in the winter just because you asked for them. There is a small phrase in there we skip, ‘according to His will’. ‘According to His will’ means getting what we need, getting what will help us, and yes, sometimes just getting something we really desire. The key is being so close to God that we have confidence our desires already link up to what God wants for us, even the occassional fresh strawberries in winter.

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Psalms 62:5-8

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Refuge is a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble.

A refuge doesn’t have to look like a castle with armed guards. My refuge is a simple quiet place, like my front porch, with a cup of tea, a good book, or my art supplies. Your refuge might be a beach with some flip flops on your feet and a fruity drink with an umbrella in your hand. Refuge simply means a place you feel safe and at peace. When I was a child, I would run to my dad and he would put me on his lap and hold me tight. I can imagine God doing the same. He is there on the porch with me and you on the beach. Take a moment to seek refuge and rest in Him

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved