A twiG journal share



"I am the vine;
you are the branches.
Whoever abides in Me and I in him,
he it is that bears much fruit,
for apart from Me you can do nothing."
John 15:5 ESV

I love beginning a new journal – all those crisp white or cream lined pages to fill up with new thoughts and prayers and scripture!! I call it a twiG journal because that is my shortened version of “time with God” which also reminds me that He is the vine and I am a branch or twig and I must remain in Him to bear much fruit. To remain in Him I must spend time with Him in His word and in prayer.

A couple of weeks ago, while it was yet November, I wrote the last word in the last page of my twiG journal. On Friday November 25, 2016 I began my new journal with this prayer:

“Abba, thank You for this new day – for this new journal. O may the words I put down on these pages be honoring unto You. Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit please open Your word to me – show me Yourself – Your glory. Help me to get a firmer grasp on who You are and Your love towards me that I might love You in return with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and love my neighbor as myself – beginning with Cary and then Kayla, Katina, Keanan, and Kenton and on out from there.”

I shared in an Instagram post (@cb4krh)that I was going to read passages pertaining to the Christmas story and ask the Lord to show me new things. I have been doing that though I haven't done it everyday as was my goal. So thankful for His mercy and grace!! Today as I was reading in Luke 1-2 several things struck me, not all of them new but I wanted to share a couple with you.

The opening paragraph was something that I just paused to thank the Lord for:
"Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.” Luke 1:1-4 ESV

“Thank You Lord that You gave Luke the ability to write this account so that not only Theophilus but also others as well would have certainty concerning what they have been taught”

Then the Lord put on my heart one of these “others” to pray for and so I wrote an intercessory prayer in my journal for him and also for some of my family -
ending with: “Help them all to trust You and pursue You with all their hearts.”

Back to more of Luke:
“In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.” Luke 1:5-7 ESV

“Father, I'm sure they must have felt cursed or punished – not having children – being barren was such a stigma. And yet, it seems that You do leave holes to fill with Yourself. You would not have gained near the glory if John had been the 13th child. People would not have been looking on with such great anticipation with what You were going to do in and through him. Sometimes, many times, the unusual path – the different path is the anointed path.
O Lord, glorify Yourself in our holes. Help us to see that we are holy – set apart – for Your use – totally loved and honored – for Your great purposes.”

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