Giving Thanks When Nothing Seems Right
Giving thanks when nothing seems right is the challenge we all face this Thanksgiving. Deep in the throes of the COVID-19 surge, we must choose to forego some traditions but our hearts are free.
Read MoreIn the Solitude, Jesus Makes Himself Known
In the solitude, Jesus makes Himself known to the deepest parts of my heart and spirit. I cannot hear Him in the crowded busyness of daily life.
2MefromHim Devotionals
In the Solitude, Jesus Makes Himself Known
After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Matthew 14:23
Our world clamors with chaos, the cacophony of voices vying for our attention. Just as in Jesus’ day, He had to escape the crowds.
News confronts us from phones, computers, and television. Advertisements call our attention to millions of products designed to meet our every need. The one thing no one offers us is solitude, the calm and quiet of peaceful, uninterrupted time.
My heart pleads for solitude. For it is in the quiet that I can hear Jesus speak.
In the Solitude, Jesus Can be Heard
Jesus often took His disciples away to lonely places where He could teach them. The demands of people and responsibility distract us from the call of our Lord.
Mark 4:4 reminds us that, “When he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.” Our deepest desires to draw near to the heart of God are only answered when we set aside the time to spend with Him alone.
In a place of solitude, away from the din of the world, our Savior can be heard like nowhere else. Just as we crave one on one time with those we love, so God desires to have our attention to Himself, to have us care enough to carve out space and time to spend with Him.
Just as we crave one on one time with those we love, so God desires to have our attention to Himself... #devotional #prayer #Godislove Click To TweetIn the Solitude, I Find Great Reward
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” – Matthew 6:6
If we seek Him with our whole heart, we will never be disappointed. He will grant us the riches of His glorious grace, open to us the secrets of His word, and give me of Himself.
Sometimes I need to be reminded that He speaks in the silence more than in the chaos. God longs for my time and attention, and if I offer it to Him, He will bless me abundantly. His treasures are best discovered when we are alone.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
Sometimes I need to be reminded that God speaks in the silence more than in the chaos. #chaos #silence #peace Click To Tweet© Norma Gail Holtman, October 26, 2020
About the author:
Norma Gail writes Fiction to Refresh Your Spirit. Her contemporary novels, Land of My Dreams, which won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award, and Within Golden Bands (released May 19, 2020), explore the theme of women whose faith triumphs over trials. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, Inspire a Fire, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 44 years. They have two adult children. To connect with her, you can follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, BookBub, or Amazon.
Children are a Heritage and Blessing from God: Champion Them
Children are a heritage and blessing. However, our society tends to view this gift of God as precious only if it suits convenience.
2MefromHim Devotionals
Children are a Heritage and Blessing from God: Champion Them
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him … Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. Psalm 127:3-5
Children are Heritage not to be Despised
Matthew 18:10 says, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” As a nation, the abortion rate proves that we despise our little ones. Only 1 in 6 voters in the United States makes pro-life issues central to their voting choice. To me, that is a crime.
As early as Leviticus, God warned Israel against offering their children to Molech, the Canaanite god associated with child sacrifice. Anyone doing so was to be stoned to death.
Only 1 in 6 voters in the United States makes pro-life issues central to their voting choice. #achildnotachoice #prolife #vote2020 Click To TweetChildren are a Heritage to Protect
I went through nursing school in the mid-70s, after Roe vs. Wade made abortion legal. As a student nurse, my class saw a baby, the victim of a saline-induced abortion, die on a towel in a cold, soiled-utility room. We could not offer it comfort or warmth.
Does it horrify you that I had to watch that? We should be horrified by the unspeakable cruelty that can be done to a child. This isn’t the 12th century. Science enables us to look into the womb of a pregnant woman and see her child moving, sucking its thumb, responding to touch and sound. We can see the miracle of life from conception to birth with special cameras. The heartbeat is detectible at around 6 weeks.
should be horrified by the unspeakable cruelty that can be done to a child. #prolife #hope #truth Click To TweetChildren are a Heritage from Conception
Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” God had a purpose and plan for Jeremiah before he was born. He has a plan for you too. According to Psalm 139:13, 16, God knits each of us together in our mother’s womb. He sees and knows each human being and has a plan for every day of our lives.
God created male and female in His own image. It is God’s breath that gives life to me and to you, whether or not you believe it. Isaiah calls man the work of God’s hands. He admonishes us not to neglect or forget the helpless, the poor, and the fatherless.
God admonishes us not to neglect or forget the helpless, the poor, and the fatherless. #prolife #children #Godislove Click To TweetWe Must Protect our Heritage
The Book of James says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
The God of heaven and earth asks us to make a choice. He says, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live….” (Deuteronomy 30:19)
Will you use your vote to champion life?
Will you use your vote to champion life? #vote2020 #prolife #truth Click To Tweet© Norma Gail Holtman, October 19, 2020
About the author:
Norma Gail writes Fiction to Refresh Your Spirit. Her contemporary novels, Land of My Dreams, which won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award, and Within Golden Bands (released May 19, 2020), explore the theme of women whose faith triumphs over trials. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, Inspire a Fire, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 44 years. They have two adult children. To connect with her, you can follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, BookBub, or Amazon.
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A Dwelling Place of Peace and Rest in Uncertain Times
I have a dwelling place of peace and rest in a world that often seems inside out and filled with uncertainty.
A Dwelling Place of Peace and Rest
A 2MefromHim Devotional
Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Psalm 90:1
I need a dwelling place of safety and peace through the troubled days of COVID and social unrest. It often seems our world has turned inside out, leaving us unprotected and filled with uncertainty.
Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Psalm 90:1 #safety #help #peace Click To TweetA Dwelling Place Safe from Evil
When the daily news brings only turmoil, I turn to the presence of my Savior and Lord. Prayer and God’s word fill me with hope and comfort. He does not leave me alone and without shelter. I have a place of rest.
Evil ran rampant in Noah’s day, yet God promised to save him. In Genesis 6, the Bible tells us: “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.”
When the daily news brings only turmoil, I turn to the presence of my Savior and Lord. #trouble #trials #Jesus Click To TweetA Dwelling Place for God’s Own
However, Noah was a righteous man, who walked faithfully with God. And when God told him to build an ark, he obeyed in everything he was commanded. God puts great store in obedience, in people who put Him first and walk according to the commands in His word. This relationship and careful obedience become my ark, my safe haven in a world gone mad. In Genesis 7, we read that Noah did everything the Lord commanded, and then he and his family, and all the animals, entered the ark, and “Then the Lord shut him in.”
When I stay close to the Lord, He becomes my place of refuge, my ark, safe though tossed on troubled seas. This doesn’t mean I will never experience hard times. However, I have the comfort that nothing can touch me without the express permission of God Himself.
The Lord is my place of refuge, my ark, safe though tossed on troubled seas. #trouble #refuge #peace Click To TweetWhere to Find a Place of Shelter
Jesus calls those who dwell in His word are His disciples.1 John 4:15 tells us, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” The thought of dwelling and abiding with the God of the universe wraps me in a warm blanket of peace and calm. Like the old hymn by George Robinson reminds me:
His forever, only His;
Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss
Christ can fill the loving heart!
Heav’n and earth may fade and flee,
Firstborn light in gloom decline,
But while God and I shall be,
I am His, and He is mine;
But while God and I shall be,
I am His, and He is mine.
God made it possible to find peace in a troubled world by sending His Son, Jesus, to dwell on earth. Revelation 3:20 says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” What a perfect picture of a God who longs to be known and to know me intimately!
God made it possible to find peace in a troubled world... #peace #safety #hope Click To TweetA Dwelling Place of Eternal Safety
In a world filled with disease, riots, fires, and hurricanes, I have a haven of safety for now and all eternity. Jesus, my friend, stands with outstretched arms, saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28)
I have a haven of safety for now and all eternity. #eternity #protection #rest Click To TweetWill you come?
“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36
© Norma Gail Holtman, September 21, 2020
I Am His and He is Mine by George Robinson, Public Domain
About the author:
Norma Gail writes Fiction to Refresh Your Spirit. Her contemporary novels, Land of My Dreams, which won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award, and Within Golden Bands (released May 19, 2020), explore the theme of women whose faith triumphs over trials. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, Inspire a Fire, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 44 years. They have two adult children. To connect with her, you can follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, BookBub, or Amazon.
Looking Back – Twenty-five Years Without My Dad
Looking back, on 25 years since my dad’s death, I wonder where the years have gone, marvel at how much I still miss him, and give thanks to God for carrying me through.
Looking Back – Twenty-five Years Without My Dad
2MefromHim
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge. Proverbs 14:26
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge. Proverbs 14:26 #Godislove #fortress #children Click To Tweet
When I was very little and afraid of the storm,
My father would hold me, so I felt safe and warm.
Silly songs, funny stories, and wild games we would play—
The fun and his love chased the bad things away.
The lightning and thunder were never so bad
When I was held safe in the arms of my dad.
As I grew older and the problems grew more large,
The gentle, patient answers still came straight from his heart.
There was no more important thing he ever had to do
Than take time to show— the important thing was you.
He never gave anyone less than his best,
No matter what the need was, his commitment stood the test.
No matter what the need was, his commitment stood the test. #memories #dad #Godisgood Click To Tweet
When lightning struck our house one night,
Shattering the darkness with its brilliant light—
Hobbling on crutches from a broken leg,
He soon had us laughing from the jokes that he made.
Once certain that all would soon be well—
He soon had another great story to tell.
Many things set my father apart,
Not the least of which was his great, loving heart.
People who came to my father in need
Always left knowing they had a friend indeed.
He did much to further the Father’s plan
By the generosity of his giant hands.
My father rose each morning to meet with his Lord.
He loved Him and served Him and cherished His word.
He was a man of great strength—yet gentle and kind
Because he loved the Lord Jesus with heart, soul, and mind.
He would say that if anything set him apart,
It was the presence of the Savior, who lived in his heart.
My father rose each morning to meet with his Lord. #dads #prayer #example Click To Tweet
Then the lightning once again appeared,
Something all in the family but my father feared.
He, rather than seeing something to fear—
Said it showed the protection of God very clear.
For all in the house were both safe and sound
And only slight damage to the house was found.
As the years passed by, the family grew,
The sons-in-law came, and the grandchildren, too.
Each one he loved in a unique special way,
And faithfully, for each one, he daily would pray—
Upon our family, God’s blessings were poured,
Because each day my father spent time with his Lord.
It could have been just a regular day,
But our heavenly Father didn’t see it that way.
A man going fishing—just and ordinary man—
But our heavenly Father had another plan.
Ordinary things, when you live for the Lord,
Can often have bearing on eternal reward.
Once more, God’s lightning entered our lives,
And on fiery wings, bore my father home, through the skies.
The look on his face showed amazement, they said,
And confirmed for us all that he was not really dead.
He had gotten his first glimpse of his heavenly home,
And he knew that our Lord would not leave us alone.
The lessons that he taught us through the life that he lived;
And the Lord that he gave all the love he could give;
Are still here inside us—though he’s gone from our sight
Across that wide river— the River of Life.
He’s sitting there watching—he knows we will come;
And from his side, it really won’t be very long.
If we could just see—each event in our lives—
Is meant just to show us, God is loving and wise.
The traits that I loved in my father, you see,
Are all of the things God will be—just for me.
And so when I long for Daddy’s face—just to see,
I’ll look up to heaven—where two fathers wait for me.
He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark. Job 36:32
God is loving and wise. #fathers #children #teachablemoments Click To Tweet
Written June 14, 1996. In loving memory of my daddy, Lyle E. Thurston, who died when he was struck by lightning while fly-fishing on the San Juan River, in the “Quality Waters” below Navajo Dam near Farmington, New Mexico on September 29, 1995.
© Copyright by Norma Gail Thurston Holtman. All Rights Reserved. Do not use without express written permission of the author.
About the author –
Norma Gail writes Fiction to Refresh Your Spirit. Her contemporary novels, Land of My Dreams, which won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award, and Within Golden Bands (released May 19, 2020), explore the theme of women whose faith triumphs over trials. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, Inspire a Fire, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 44 years. They have two adult children. To connect with her, you can follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, BookBub, or Amazon.
