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August 14, 2015
by autumn macarthur
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The work of His hand

Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8

Help me to be willing to be shaped by You Lord. Help me to be like clay beneath Your hands. Help me to be willing to be broken and reformed, if that’s what it takes. Thank You that You never abandon any pot or leave it unfinished, You work on us until we are perfectly as You designed us to be. You have a unique shape and purpose for us all.

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August 10, 2015
by autumn macarthur
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Give thanks

Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord! How good you are! Your love for us continues on forever. Who can ever list the glorious miracles of God? Who can ever praise him half enough? Psalm 106:1-2 Living Bible

Help me to remember this Lord, when things seem tough, when I forget all You’ve done for me, when I whinge and complain instead of praising You. Help me to know that You are always there, ready to lovingly support me. Your will for me is only good.

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August 9, 2015
by autumn macarthur
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God is ready to help

God is our shelter and our strength.
When troubles seem near, God is nearer, and He’s ready to help.
So why run and hide?
No fear, no pacing, no biting fingernails.
When the earth spins out of control, we are sure and fearless.
When mountains crumble and the waters run wild, we are sure and fearless.
Even in heavy winds and huge waves, or as mountains shake, we are sure and fearless.
Psalm 46:1-3

Lord, every day seems to bring new challenges. Help me to trust in You, no matter what’s happening. You are our hope, You are our help. Forgive me all the times I have paced and bitten my fingernails in fear! Teach me to be sure and fearless in You.

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August 8, 2015
by autumn macarthur
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God is always enough

So I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,
My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size — abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Lord, help me to stop complaining about the seeming limitations You’ve placed in my life and the lives of those nearest me. Help me to accept Your will and look to You. Help me to rely on Your grace, and know that’s enough. You are always enough.

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August 7, 2015
by autumn macarthur
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God’s foolishness

What is true wisdom and strength?

This so-called “foolish” plan of God is far wiser than the wisest plan of the wisest man, and God in his weakness — Christ dying on the cross — is far stronger than any man.
1 Corinthians 1:25 The Living Bible

Lord, I try so hard some days to look wise and strong and like I have it all together, even when I feel like I’m falling apart. But You weren’t afraid to look foolish, or to appear to be weak, when You died for us. Help me to stop feeling I’ve failed to measure up to our human ideas of strength and weakness, and to look to You instead. I don’t need to pretend to be stronger or smarter or more organised than I am. Even in my most messy days, when it all seems to be going wrong, I just need to lean on You. Your wisdom. Your Strength. Your plan. In You, all will be well.

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[Tweet “Let’s stop pretending we have it all together, and live our truths in God instead”]

August 6, 2015
by autumn macarthur
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Nourished

Grow strong in Him

Let your roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all He has done.
Colossians 2:7 The Living Bible

Days like today, Lord, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the to-do’s and the busy-ness of life and the needs of others. Help me to remember to slow down, stop, and sink myself into Your rich soil, instead of uprooting myself a dozen times a day as I run from one task to the next to the next, or seeking false nourishment in less-than-healthy eating. When I look to You, You are always there, waiting, ready to supply all I need. Only when I am nourished by You am I strong. Only when I’m nourished by You am I joyful. Only when I’m nourished by You can I do the work You’ve given me to do.

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August 5, 2015
by autumn macarthur
Comments Off on Love is the law that matters

Love is the law that matters

When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don’t sleep with another person’s spouse, don’t take someone’s life, don’t take what isn’t yours, don’t always be wanting what you don’t have, and any other “don’t” you can think of — finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can’t go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love.
But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing!
(Romans 13:8-12, The Message)

Lord, please help me to live your law of love in my life! When I’m feeling overwhelmed by the needs of those you have asked me to care for or support, help me to know that the most loving way to behave is always the best way and Your will. Please help me not to get so caught up in all the busy-ness of doing that I forget about being, being still with You. Thank You!

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August 4, 2015
by autumn macarthur
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God is with us!

Joshua 1:9 – God is with you

“Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Lord, it seems that every day I have more and more added to my to do list! It’s not easy juggling all I need to do, all I want to do, and all You ask me to do. Help me to trust that You are with me, always. Help me to remember, my strength and courage comes from You. Whatever You ask me to do, You will also support me with.

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August 3, 2015
by autumn macarthur
Comments Off on The Lord looks at the heart

The Lord looks at the heart

God sees who we really are

The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

Lord, I’m so grateful that You see who we really are, yet You still choose us and love us. We don’t have to be perfect, beautiful, popular, or fit society’s expectations of who we should be, as long as we have a heart for You. Please, help me to see past external appearances to see the truth in others, and love them as You do.

I’m glad God gave me this verse today!

I feel so blessed that He sees past my unfashionable, overweight, middle-aged exterior and finds something to love in me. It reminds me to look deeper at the people in my life, and try to see them with His eyes.

It will work well as the theme verse for a story I hope to be writing later in the year, too, Book #6 in the Love in Store series. A famous actress on the run from a broken engagement to a rock star sees that the good and loving heart of the homely man who helps her is worth far more than fame, looks, or money.

I realised as I wrote that, it’s also perfect for the story I’m writing now, about a divorced couple rediscovering their love at Christmas. Married after a whirlwind romance, they separated because neither saw or appreciated their deeper qualities or true selves, and instead believed they’d fallen out of love. Now, they need to learn how to see each other as God does – looking at the heart, from the heart.

I hope God also blesses you with some lovely serendipity today!

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August 2, 2015
by autumn macarthur
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New every day!

God makes us new

How enduring is God’s loyal love; the Eternal has inexhaustible compassion.
Here they are, every morning, new! Your faithfulness, God, is as broad as the day.
Lamentations 3:22-23The Voice

Thank You Lord for Your endless love and compassion.
Some days, I mess up so badly. On those dark days, I rebel against You. I make the wrong choices. I do the wrong things. I choose anger, not love. I need so much to be renewed in You.
You always are there for me. You always keep Your promises.
Every day, I start again, a new creation in You, filled with Your Love and Your Spirit, redeemed and forgiven.

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Autumn Macarthur

Real romance, real faith!