Falling Leaf

In the early hours of this morning I was thinking about the falling leaves of this changing Autumn season. As the weather gets colder and the snow has come early - which by the way, seeing snow on green, gold and red leaves is a breathtaking sight... that's not something that you get to see everyday - beautiful! - the leaves are now falling. It's a very exciting yet somewhat sad event, since as the beauty of the different colors leave the trees and fall to the ground, there becomes bare branches and a vast amout of damp, golden brown, yellow and red to rake up from your yard. And yet without them falling from the trees, there would be no new growth or life in the spring. I remember as a girl we had about 3 acres to rake in the fall. It was a lot of work, but in the middle of the work, we always had a lot of fun jumping into the pile of leaves we'd worked so hard to rake, always to find leaves in our hair and jacket sleves or collars... it was like the leaves were falling from us! This is Josiah having a great time in our leaves!!

It makes me wonder... what needs to fall from my life? Or from yours in order for new growth to occur. Is there discontent that needs to fall off? Or maybe unforgiveness? Does business need to fall off the "tree" of your life? What is in your life that has bound you? (Judges 15:12) Sampson's enemies said they had come to bind him and give him into the hands of the Philistines - Or as Colossians 3:8-9 put it, what about... putting them all aside: (let them fall off your tree), anger, wrath, malice, slander and abusive speech from your mouth. Without letting these types of things fall off our hearts, minds, attitudes, and emotions, there will never be room for the new things that God want's to do in our lives. That's not something we can do on our own, but as Samson found out in vs 14, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily so that his bonds dropped from his hands .... The Holy Spirit will cause the bonds to fall and the new things listed in Colossians 3:10-15... true knowledge as ones chosen of God, holy, beloved, putting on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiving each other, love, unity, peace, and being thankful to grow in your life.

The new can not come unless the old falls off - that's the wonder and creation of the seasons! Ask God today, what needs to fall from your life so that He can grow in you the beauty of new life - new leaves!

Writings from Life Through...To A Shout of Joy

Casting off Wrong/Negative Thougts

When I first began this book I called this chapter "Exfoliating Wrong/Negative Thoughts" It's a little comical, but I knew that at least the women readers would understand exactly what I was getting at. Think about your skin for just a moment. It is the dead, dry skin or oil and dirt that clogs your pores and causes blemishes. So you take a product that has little exfoliating beads in it, gently rub them on your skin, rinse it off, and all the dead, dry skin, oil and dirt have been exfoliated - cast off - and your face is clean.

This is the same thing that happens in our minds. Before we come to Christ (and even afterward, throughout our lives) our minds are saturated with worldly thoughts, pictures, experiences, communications, concepts, philosophies and teachings. All we hear or experience is recorded in our minds, and much of that information is "dead and dry" or "oily" full of gunk and dirt for it does not bring life, and can't, because those worldly things are not grounded in Christ. We need to learn how to exfoliate, or cast off, all those things...."

Have a wonderful week - enjoying the beautiful colors - fun of raking leaves - and allowing God to change you! I'd love to hear comments from you about what God may have shown you that needs to fall off. Be watching for our Life in Freedom e-newsletter. They come out every other month unless there's a new event to inform and invite you to .... I'll be starting the give-a-ways in the newsletters from now on.

See you next week

Living in His Joy and Strength!!