Basking in His Presence

By Jill Novak

After a year-long internship, my son Eric came home to visit before planning to seek work in another state. I found myself wanting to spend as much time with him as possible because time was so short. I wanted every moment to count, and I didn’t want to forget them, so I kept a journal of the things we did together as a family.

One morning, when I came out on the front porch, Eric was already sitting there writing a letter to a friend. My husband was there also, enjoying the morning, and he and I began to talk.

It wasn’t long before Eric made some witty comment about his “chatty parents,” and I promised to be quiet. It was enough just to be in his presence.

His presence – suddenly tears came to my eyes. I thought of the Lord. Do I realize I’m always in his presence? He is always present but am I? It’s one thing to be in someone’s presence, and quite another to be fully present.

We’ve all experienced when the person we’re talking to is distracted. Their gaze may wander, they may look down at their watch, or they may text and try to listen at the same time. They are not fully engaged in the conversation. But this isn’t true of the Lord. He is always completely available – ever present. I am the one who is usually distracted. I have to work at quieting my heart to experience the fullness of His presence.

Basking in my son’s presence and savoring every moment together made me realize that basking isn’t a chore, it’s a delight – especially when you love someone.

To know the Lord is always present makes all the difference in the world. And in His presence, there is fullness of joy.

O Soul, Are You Weary and Troubled?

By Jill Novak

Have you had your spiritual breakfast this morning?  Did you come to God’s table with an appetite – for Him, for His word? 2 Corinthians:5 sets a banquet before us so we don’t have to go through the day malnourished.

I especially like verses 6 and 7: “Therefore we are always confident knowing that while we are at  home in the body [our mortal flesh], we are absent from the Lord, for we walk by faith and not by sight.”

Have you ever wondered what it means to walk by faith and not by sight? Does it only mean to ask God for what we need, and wait without wavering until He comes through or is there more to it than that?

In the Greek, the definition for ” faith” is (pistis): a persuasion and reliance upon God, especially a reliance upon Christ for salvation, – truth itself – a firm persuasion. The definition for ” sight” is the word (eidos): to see, the act of seeing, the act of looking upon external appearances.

What have you been looking at today? Your circumstances? Your children? Your spouse? Others? Have you set your eyes upon temporal values and forgot about the One True God who promises to supply all of our needs?

Have you been looking at you?

I encourage you to examine your heart. If you’re overwhelmed by life and all of its demands, shift your focus onto the Lord – His faithfulness, His strength, the truth of His word.

Psalm 25 says: “My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.”

Become firmly persuaded to look to the Lord. Walk by faith and not by sight.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Be Still My Soul

Beneath the snow, my garden lies waiting for the rebirth of spring. For months, there have been no visible signs of growth – no change, no movement, no life. Frigid and cold, the world outside my window appears locked in a state of suspended animation.

The sunflowers stoop low under heavy caps of crystallized snow. The bean trellises and toppled tomato cages take on magical forms as the flakes stack quietly, softening the rigid contours. The rest of the landscape is indiscernible. Boundaries between hedgerow and field have merged under an insulating blanket of white. From one storm to the next, the snow drifts deeper, accumulating, stretching far to the horizon.

Just as winter has gripped the landscape, I, too, have been gripped by life’s circumstances. In the call of duty, boundaries once clearly defined have become indistinct. My joy is gone, my cup half-empty. Hopelessness stretches far out before me. I fight the day-to-day sameness – despair over God ordained limitations. I cannot change my life’s circumstances any more than I can tell the southerly breeze to blow and melt the winter’s snow. But unlike my garden, I resist every effort to be still, to wait upon the Lord to provide what my thirsty soul longs for.

How long, oh, Lord, how long? How long will I have to endure this season Thou hast ordained for me?

To everything there is a season, but this season is particularly long. Will spring ever come? Will hope ever spring eternal?

Spring and autumn pass quickly, summer lingers, but winter is longer and harder to endure.

But then I am reminded of a passage of scripture from the book of James, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Let endurance have its perfect result.

There are two Greek words for the word endurance. The first is prosdechomai,  pros-dekh’-om-ahee which means to await (with confidence or patience): accept, allow, look (wait). The other is hupomone hoop-om-on-ay’ which means cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy: – enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting).

In order to find joy, I have to let endurance have its perfect result. I have to be still. And finally when I allow my soul to be laid bare and stripped of its defenses – its busyness, its escapes, its pleasures, finally when I cease to strive, the words of comfort come in the truth of the familiar hymn, given by a loving heavenly Father who knows, who cares about the minutest details of our lives.

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Even when it appears there are no solutions, in the stillness He speaks. And through the hymn writer, He reminds me to bear patiently my cross of grief and pain. Wanting so desperately to escape my circumstances, I fail to acknowledge all the grace-filled moments that exist within them.

Some spiritual seasons are longer than others.There must be a time of inactivity to experience growth. There must be time of near death, for life to teem again. I embrace the lessons my garden gifts me even in the dead of winter.

I choose to lie hidden in my Maker, awaiting rebirth – my heart dead to its own will, slumbering through a long cold winter of the soul. Grace is here, waiting to be received.

Take comfort my soul; the Lord is on thy side.

Copyright 2011 by Jill Novak

Preserve Your Spiritual Legacy

By Jill Novak

One day when I was reading my Bible, the Lord led me to find the Hebrew word Revach which means “to breathe freely, to revive, to have ample room, to be extended, to be refreshed.” It also means “deliverance and liberation from distress.” Over the last ten years the Lord has shown me that this word speaks figuratively of the pages of our journals. We are refreshed and renewed as we slow down to record our life stories. We are revived as we remember the hand of the Lord in our lives. There is ample room to express what’s on our hearts to Him. Our journal pages become a testimony of deliverance and answered prayers. We have liberation from distress as we see how God faithfully uses our trials, past and present, to conform us to the image of Christ. Often, we’re too busy trying to cope with everyday struggles and minor irritations to see the connections that God makes with us—the answers to our prayers.

A spiritual journal is a practical way of recording the good part of life; sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to His still, small voice. 1 Kings 19:7 (NASB) says: “And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him [Elijah], and said, ‘Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you…’ Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rock in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’”

Do you ever wonder what you’re doing here? I know I do! Sometimes the journey is too great. There are times of intense struggle when we feel our hearts will break in two, and we have no strength to take another step. It’s at times like these that nothing but the voice of God will do. A prayer journal is a place to hear God’s voice as you record your spiritual journey. Journaling gives you hindsight and vision, showing you where you have been, what you are doing here, and where you are going. A daily record of the Bible verses that you study, your struggles, your prayers, and the answers to your prayers will all be a legacy to your children of your relationship with the living God. Father, You are the Living Word. Help us to draw near to you in the pages of our journals and lead us to Revach.

“This morning I made the last entry in the journal that I’ve been keeping for over a year. It was a bitter sweet feeling to close those pages, but I eagerly anticipate starting another journal. What dialog will fill the new pages? The tears flowed freely this morning as I fought to quiet my heart, as I sought a connection with my Father. Finally, the words came rushing from His heart to mine, and from my heart to His. I am thankful for His faithfulness. He never turns a deaf ear.

Upon the White – By Jill Novak

I thank you Lord for this new day To write upon the white,
Words committed to the lines Broken and contrite.
In the morning when all is still My prayer shall rise to Thee,
Praises from a longing heart Thy hidden face to see.
In the morning when all is still My words shall then take flight,
Into Your presence – upward, rise Expectant, giving sight.
I thank you Lord for words of life To write upon the white,
Words committed to the lines, broken and contrite.

The Gift of Family Writing Bundle consists of the following products:

The Gift of Family Writing Book and Audio Workshop by Jill Novak – The Gift of Family Writing is a result of what I’ve discovered over the last ten years from teaching my four children (pre-school through high school) to journal their life stories. Just like your children, they are so unique, with different learning styles and temperaments. But I have learned that all children – not just the naturally gifted ones – can confidently express themselves if they are taught to value their life experiences and write from what they know. For parents and children. Book on CD with instructional audio workshop on CD. – $34.95

Letters to my Children CD Workshop by Jill Novak – We blog, instant message, and email our friends and associates on a regular basis, but sadly our own children get lost in the mix. It doesn’t have to be this way, though. See how to keep hearts connected by writing meaningful letters and spontaneous notes to your children. Jill Novak shares inspiring and practical tips for establishing a letter writing ministry that will strengthen your family relationships and become a testimony for generations to come. Learn how the written word has the power to change hearts, transform lives and give vision. Create a legacy of love for your children and grandchildren, one letter at a time with Letters to My Children –A Legacy of Love for all Generations. – 2 hours $12.95

Forget Me Not Faith CD Workshop by Jill Novak – God is writing “His” story every day, and its right at the end of your fingertips. This workshop will inspire you to record your family’s spiritual journey with purpose and clarity. Reflections, observations, prayers, testimonies, tributes, poetry, and letters can all be preserved in a Book of Remembrance (Malachi 3:16) that will strengthen your faith and make an eternal impact for generations to come. – $9.95

Remembering Grandma Abbott CD Workshop by Nancy Baetz – is a personal story of how the Lord blessed and brought a little girl to know Him through the care of a loving neighbor. Even when we donʹt see it or donʹt think it could be happening, the Lord orchestrates events and relationships that lead us to Him. Remembering Grandma Abbott is the story of how a little girl named Nancy Kay came to love her missionary neighbor, Shelley Abbott.You will learn about some of the life‐changing events in Nancyʹs life and how Shelley was there for her time after time. Most of all youʹll see how Shelley prayed for Nancy and told her about the Good News of Jesus Christ. Remembering Grandma Abbott is a ʺside note storyʺ that goes with ʺI Remember,ʺ a tribute written about Grandma Shelley Abbott which has been published in both The Girlhood Home Companion: Girlhoodʹs Most Cherished Lessons and The Gift of Family Writing, published by Remembrance Press. – $9.95

Total: $67.80  Sale Price: $44.07 (35% off)

http://www.remembrancepressbookstore.com/servlet/the-61/The-Gift-of-Family/Detail

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