#godthoughts

[desire-mona]

a recycled thought from my priv twitter before i go back to sleep. im choosing to not acknowledge my newfound fear of the rapture in the hopes that it goes away on its own. im an atheist btw........ (uneasy)

[mcbex]

**Getting on your knees**

...The dark spots you see on the pavement are my tears. Tears of trust, of strength and of hope for things yet to come. How did I get here? Why now and why does it feel like He's giving me just the smallest taste of a life I truly want? Feels like another endeavor in patience but it also feels like answered prayers...

While waiting for my kids to finish having the time of their lives doing cart wheels and daring each other to dance at their end of the year gala I had some time to kill before emerging as a taxi driver for a few of the kids I lovingly consider my extended family. I took advantage of my time alone in the downtown street of Brunswick. I popped my shows off and walked in the grass, I people watched and generally enjoyed being outside, not alone and freezing at dawn for the first time in months. However it wasn't long before I found myself at the foot of church steps questioning God on His timing while I also complexly thanked him for showing up at all. I couldn't resist the urge to kneel down in front of the stone statue of Mary and bear my soul freely and out loud. Normally I'm shy about things like that. Public displays always feel showy or insincere. Realistically it might have been more garish had it not been 930pm, dark and otherwise a quiet corner I found myself in. Nevertheless an action in faith is an action no matter who's watching.

Honestly it's not the first time I've ended up here. 20 years ago I found myself in a similar situation. I had been driving around looking for a spot to stop and pray. I found a tiny church in the middle of nowhere. I pulled over, got out of my car and kneeled on the steps of the locked doors because I needed God, I needed His house and needed to remember exactly who I belong to and where I'm going. Time and time again I find myself here. Crying on the steps on my faith knowing He has it all worked out. Knowing the plan is not mine to see, only experience.

This night, kneeling there I felt overwhelmed by my love for God and the roots He's nestled in me while I have patiently waited these past years for some direction. Hoping for guidance more than just "be still". I mean He's never even said please be still. Yet against my better judgement I've somehow managed to make it this far riding on the coat tails of stillness in the face of silence... so much silence. Lately though the things I've been praying for seem to have become engaged. So much so that I begin to wonder if this is what all the waiting has been for. To grow my roots and allow absolute trust in whatever He's got up His robe sleeves. I knelt there and thanked him for the roots that are now grown so deep that it feels as though nothing could shake me because when I am stirred and rocked I send those issues to his feet instead of holding them close like I had been doing all those years before.

I think Robert Frost said it best, "two roads diverge in a yellow wood... and I took the one less traveled by". Except he misses the point because there are more than 2 roads. There is the obvious My will, and then there is Society's will. All the complicated things that ensue with following ourselves or following the world should be implied here. But what about the third road. Following God. Even when the darkness sets in all around you and consumes your exits. What about Him? What about the rest it takes to become a true warrior in the face of betrayal, denial, ignorance and pain. What about opening our Bibles to any page and becoming familiar with the promises and the character of our Lord.

It's a lot, I know. It's almost too much. When it seems like often we think we know the way but the path is blurry or we see the goal but the way is blocked. That's what our faith is for. To stand for us when our legs are weak, our brain wants the next new thing and our hearts yearn for fulfillment.

I kneel everyday now. I say my prayers out loud, in the corner of my room and the corridors of life. I'm not sure if this is a call to arms, or maybe just relief from a prayer repeated so many times that the ink would be rubbed away had it been written down. But I have realized the foundation laid here is solid. The core of my life has changed. Leaving me feeling like regardless of the answers I hope for the road is paved with tears of hope that lead to a life I will forever be proud to call my own because it is a gift from the one who loves me most.

Isaiah 12:2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”

1Thessalonians5: 16- 18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1Peter 4:7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.

2Samuel 22: 31This God—how perfect are his deeds, how dependable his words! He is like a shield for all who seek his protection.

[overelegantstranger]

foggy migraine godthoughts but do think gibbs ncis (in his better episodes) is similar to my mental conception of Eir

[embracemynow]

Keeping my head to the sky!🌫️ #encouragement #godthoughts #clouds #earthwindandfire #lookup #seasons #changes #royalcrownradio #thankyougod #imlovingthis https://www.instagram.com/p/B8ejkbPjeHg/?igshid=14h4y3pqjpfr4

[annaphamclouds]

my epiphanies.

i just had a whole epiphany. another one to say the least– my fourth one. my main epiphany was that i wanted to be myself and do me without depending on others.

my first was God. knowing that He exists and how He created everyone and everything, and knowing that He is love.

my second epiphany was that i needed the understanding of being patient and kind; slow to anger, rich in kindness. i have people that love me that deserve my whole bit of love and kindness.

my third epiphany is that i just realized that i love to learn. i didn’t realize that until after i’ve watch videos on what it is like to be a programmer. the mindset, the mentality, the skills– i want that; i need that. so i have decided that it is okay to fail. i had now just realized that it is okay to take an L in a class that i so enjoy in, but only cared so much about passing that i am not letting myself learn. i need to fail in order to learn, in order to gain the practice and knowledge i really need.

i’m also learning to self care, to take care of myself because there is only one me and my one me has one body. i need to take care of it. i’m also learning to trust Faith and let God take care of everything. His teachings are good and i benefit so much from it. i’m grateful.

[bellewest925]

#rewireyourbrain #happythoughts #positivethinking #keeponthesunnyside #neuroplasticity #asamanthinketh #castingdownimaginations #godthoughts #braindetox #allthingsarepossible #onlybelieve #newday #newway #newlife #thepowerofwords #callitforth 🍃💞🍃 https://www.instagram.com/p/B0_mbHyHJYE/?igshid=3xbv30kcf9ck

[lifecoachrabia]

"Acts of love can be spiritual; a physical act of worship of both the Creative Force and the Beloved. Spirituality, in return, can open your heart up to a Divine love that's more elating to the body than eroticism itself. Both were given by the Divine as fields in which to grow, to flourish and expand the Spirit and the Soul. Think Deeply, swim within the ocean of the Divine light, blessed by every atom of existance. For life lived as less than this falls short of one's calling. Without the Divine Source the body is just a shell clumsily moving.. Transcendence is a meeting of the soul and mind within the Divine. Blessed Rain.. Touching skin, bringing life, reviving souls. " - Rabia Carvalho #quotesaboutlife #joyoftheDivine #peaceandlight #completion #rainfall #sufism #thebelovedandI #Godthoughts #sensuality #RabiaCarvalho #RabiaCarvalhoquotes #healingenergy #raisethevibration https://www.instagram.com/p/BtFv80FDkg7/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=13hiqqz5c1zip

[itsbenedict]

Two-Faced Jewel: Session 14

A Ferry Good Experience

A half-elf conwoman (and the moth tasked with keeping her out of trouble) travel the Jewel in search of, uh, whatever a fashionable accessory is pointing them at. [Campaign log]

Last time, the party finally wrapped up their business in the small town of Barley, and headed back to Cauterdale to catch the ferry to Thunderbrush across the Bay of Uneasy Repose. In this session, they make a few more last-minute preparations, and embark on a nautical voyage!

Said nautical voyage is swiftly set upon by a few different kinds of trouble.

Before they leave for the docks, Looseleaf catches Orluthe alone while he's having some trouble with street food. There's some sort of tough overcooked octopus dish he can't quite figure out how to eat.

Looseleaf: "You could, maybe, use a knife?" "Or, I guess, maybe you're not supposed to because overcoming a challenge like extremely overcooked seafood is, like, a triumph or something and you're not supposed to back down from those?" "Is that how the cleric thing works?" Orluthe Chokorov: "Sorry, um..." He looks around nervously. "What, um, makes you say that?" Looseleaf: "Well, you know, the fact that, all your combat cantrips involve you declaring how victory is certain or whatever, the fact that after Oyobi dealt with that bobbledragon you channeled your divine avatar to heal Mr. Cutter and your god was all like 'ah, that great beast you have overcome and slain is a honorable offering and you're super cool for having overcome this challenge my man' or whatever..." "Like, I'm just, puttin' all my cards on the table here, it's pretty obvious?" Orluthe Chokorov: "..." "You, uh..." "That's not... something you can, um, prove," he says, unsure.

Looseleaf manages to talk Orluthe into putting his cards on the table, too. Apparently he's next in line to be the head of the Temple of Diamode in his hometown, and he's been sent to study at Blacksky to prepare. Only problem is- he's not a cleric of Diamode. Or even a cleric, for that matter- he's something else, instead. His disposition is noticeably non-Iska-Peakstrider-Goddess-of-Triumph-ish, you might've noticed.

Remember how Orluthe is a shifter? Apparently he thinks of his other form as a different person, and that person is way more in line with Iska and her obsession with victory and superiority. Iska chose his feral warball champion alter ego- the Alpha Doomhound- and has been helping his more mild-mannered side fake being a cleric of Diamode in order to help him attain the headship of the temple for some reason.

Looseleaf... attempts to pry a little more.

After asking a few more questions about how exactly channeling divinity works and feels (kind of incomprehensible sometimes, since godthoughts connect to godmemories you don't have when the channeling ends), Looseleaf reassures Orluthe she'll keep his secret, and the party sets off for the docks.

At the docks, they meet a few goblins from Cauterdale Harbor Management, who tell them all about the amazing deals! Ferry vouchers (like those provided by Blacksky) are four gold, good for any ferry at the harbor- but some ferries cost extra on top of the voucher. Their options are:

The Satellite Islands Transit Company is the budget option, which will get you across the bay for only the price of the voucher- if you're fine riding a crowded and dubiously-seaworthy old tub.

The Cauterdale Armored Navy operate a smaller and more secure ferry- an armored military vessel with advanced protection against sea monsters, for an extra two gold.

Cabana Jim's Pleasure Cruise is an enormous yacht with an onboard spa, for an extra ten gold on top of the voucher- and comes with a coupon for half-off at Cabana Jim's Luxury Resort and Spa.

Looseleaf sees no reason not to cheap out, so they pick the SITC- except Vayen, who goes for the Armored Navy so as not to be on a crowded boat with the rest of the party. Until... the surprise reveal that oops, they've got fantasy airport security, and in order to go on the SITC ferry, they need to submit to an inspection due to an "elevated maritime threat level".

The inspection is pretty thorough, and Saelhen's sleight-of-hand rolls to conceal her knives fail- which they apparently don't care about. What they care about are the party's magic items. The cloak, rug, and pillow all check out, apparently- too minor, not waterproof.

Unfortunately, Saelhen is unable to conceal her bracer, and as it's apparently an ancestral heirloom. They're going to need to put it in a lead carrying case, which costs extra- and also, oops, it doesn't come off Saelhen's arm, so it's going to cost extra extra to stow her entire body in a lead vault.

Why? Because Darkflame Retribution Everwatchful Black Sapphire, Mistress of Turbulent Waters might be out there, and she has a habit of attacking ships to steal powerful magic items. Unnessie just likes fish, and Krakalackie "plays with boats" but is harmless, but "Darkie" is a genuine threat if she senses a magic item.

So, the party instead springs for the Cauterdale Armored Navy ferry, since they have certain measures in case of dragon attack. They head to the boat and find it manned by Medd Cutter, the guardsman they rescued! Also, they find a rich dwarf, a family of gnomes, and Vayen, who is unpleasantly surprised that the party changed their minds and followed him.

Medd explains the security measures on the ship:

The mess hall inside the cabin, which locks with an airtight seal

The recessed seating area on the deck, featuring seatbelts

The diving-bell helmets under the seats, which have an air supply if they get pulled underwater

The magical water-repelling forcefield that holds out long enough to get everyone's helmets on

The levers on the helmets that switch on to make them soundproof in case of dragon

There's a cacophany of acknowledgment from the load of gnome children, and the ferry gets underway.

As they're traveling, Saelhen and Looseleaf ask Kensa why exactly she's so excited to get to Corolos.

They show Kensa the Anycloak, and she immediately loses her entire got damn mind. She offers to do ANYTHING, ANYTHING to have it! Saelhen... takes this as a teachable moment. Kensa needs to learn to haggle.

She doesn't do a particularly good job, and Saelhen gives her some pointers- and eventually agrees to four conjurations per fashion lesson. With that, she puts on the cloak... and makes the Wisdom save that using the cloak triggers.

She gets a 1.

And what happens is... the last thing the cloak transformed into, a super-opulent fancy armored winged battledress... bleeds into the sundress Kensa imagines up. And those elements of the design, leftover from Looseleaf's imagination, seem to Kensa to have been her idea, somehow.

That's... probably... safe??

And soon after Kensa revises her design again, she looks out at the sea, and points at something in the distance, and asks "What's that?"

It's some sort of huge mutant plesiosaur, sniffing at the SITC ferry.

Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Yamatake, I swear to heaven, if you try this again I will tell the dean that you tried to murder me in my sleep for my valuables." Oyobi Yamatake: "Gods, don't freak out. It's not like I could even fight it anyway! It's under the water!"

Then Unnessie cries out in pain and dives back below the water, leaving the SITC ferry alone. Just as a giant tentacle spears out of the water right next to the party.

Everyone scrambles to get on their seatbelts and helmets as the tentacles wrap around the ship and begin pulling it underwater. The gnome kids scream in terror and/or delight as the parents try to corral them, and the dwarf retreats into the cabin. The party stays out on the deck, and the layers of magic forcefield begin to fail as they're pulled underwater.

So, this incomprehensible warball-field-sized eldritch abomination pulls both the CAN and Cabana Jim ferries underwater, and starts swinging them around. Everyone but Saelhen passes their CON save against nausea!

Saelhen du Fishercrown: "I AM A DELICATE FLOWER AND DO NOT DESERVE THIS TREATMENT."

They both roll high on perception, though, and are able to notice...

Benedict I. (GM): After about ten minutes, as promised, the tentacles retract, and the boats begin their ascent back to the surface. The horror retreats back into the depths. Looseleaf: A very timely horror! Most children aren't so fastidious about keeping to their deadline promises. Benedict I. (GM): You break the surface, and after a minute of checks, the magic fields turn off. Water drains out the edges of the boat. Looseleaf: Is this not another example of the marvelous beauty inherent to this world? "That was... actually a lot more- a lot of fun!" "Nobody got hurt, right?" Orluthe Chokorov: "I'm all good!" Oyobi Yamatake: "Oh I have to kill one of those someday." Looseleaf: "Oyobi noooooo. It's just a little baby." Kensa Kanthalga: "That... was fun, right? That was fun? I'm not traumatized?" Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Well, I had a nice time."

And then, because two sea monsters wasn't enough, something huge and made of deep-blue crystal breaches the surface of the water right next to them, and lazily leans its upper body on the deck.

Everyone immediately switches on their soundproof helmets, and the dragon... pulls out from the water a terrified-looking sahuagin dressed in rags, holding a sign reading "Parley". The dragon performs a lip-zipping gesture, and points at the fishman.

Next time: oh my god a DRAGON in this DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS campaign

[txgrll]

“Even at the bottom of your worst fear you'll find a greater God.”

Steven Furtick

[omkariangel]

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#cosmicconsciousness#thewhiteangels#godthoughts#asabovesobelow

[mcbex]

All kinds of roulette

Forgive me for the immediate side story however it feels important to point out happenstance vs willful action. I've never played the game of roulette but I've heard there is a special skill involved that can actually lead to great success. To me however, it looks like winning might be the purest form of dumb luck, but what do I know? ...

I read that cinnamon is an excellent antioxidant and great for your joints. You should research it because it's useful to your body for a melange of reasons. This tropical tree bark is so good for you that I've begun to look at it as if it were a delicious wonder drug. Thus, a few months back I started playing a sort of roulette of my own with it. The game was to see if I could possibly use so much in my food that I might find this delectable spice overwhelming and cut back. In the mean time I figured I would gain all the health properties with zero guilt. As the months have passed I started adding it to everything. To include ordering fancy drinks just for the cinnamon stick, so I could chew on it while I sipped. While on vacation away, I even found a lavish tea called Red Hot Toddy and only purchased it because the label claimed it had an "unapologetic amount of cinnamon". Suspiciously enough it was also a 2 for 1 special, so it seems like maybe even the universe was in on my silly sport and was encouraging me to continue playing the game. I'm still trying to find the sweet spot. So far it's just been satisfying and delicious.

I find myself playing the same game only for higher stakes in other areas of life too. In this arena it's with the Holy Spirit. The gridlock of life is not private. We all seem to feel it. The unexpected changes can be frustrating. Yet, I keep reading that stillness is a way to follow God's plan and grow our roots. Along with patience and love we serve God while we spend time in the waiting places and tiny rooms of our individual lives. Thankfully He also says that while we wait He will turn sadness into joy. Which I'm finding is true but only because I put my trust solely on the back of his promises. But I ask myself- is there more I can do? When I ask God to lead me, I understand that I have to be willing to act. It all seems so simple although it also feels like its own intense game of roulette. Once I've set the little swirly ball in motion I can't second guess my choices. When it lands I need to listen, and move.

Last summer I read about a woman who was sitting in her car praying to God for 1 small sign that he could use her. She heard the Holy Spirit tell her to go stand on her head outside a convenient store right away. Confused she waited a moment but then acted fast. What harm would it cause to make a fool of herself for her faith. She did it feeling foolish and exposed. Minutes later a person came out, laughed, and thanked her for answering their prayer which was darker. That prayer was, if something didn't make them laugh today they would go home and end it all, and they were just headed home from that store. So very sad. A life was saved by the courage it took to let others think she was crazy. This story has stuck with me in a chilling and serious way. I mean, I never considered the unpredictable and strange courage you'd need or even think about using when trying to live your truest life. That grit comes to mind now as a question what can I do for God? It's not enough to listen and obey during my season of growth. I know that. The fabric of our existence is intricate and wild. The barriers people erect are steep and treacherous. No wonder we need stupid courage to do such small things. Thankfully the ears of God hear all.

I've been praying more than normal as of late. Trying to maintain my outlook that God is in control, remembering that what is for me, is for me regardless of when it arrives. The verse 1Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬ keeps coming up as I work through these platitudes. "Never stop praying.” Suddenly it feels like the light in my head has turned on and I am seeing things from 30,000 feet. I've begun reaching for the courage to stand on my head in public. The fear it brings to the surface is a constant prayer to my creator to follow this elusive path.

To that end I ended up hugging a stranger on the street last week. I ran by her, but she looked off. I found myself remembering the story of that woman, and the conversations I've been having with God. I felt compelled need to talk to her. To check on her. To make sure she had what she needed in that moment. It took convincing for my feet to do what my heart wanted. I thought I don't know her, she'll think I'm crazy, who in their right mind talks to strangers on the street, who checks on people they've never met? I've watched people, they just don't do that. They keep their heads down looking at their phones or staring off into the distance. They don't want to connect. Well... most of them don't

Finally, I turned around and closed the distance that had come between us. I asked, "are you ok, do you need anything, can I give you a hug?" She opened her arms before I had finished asking and held me like we might have been sisters. So tight. I think I might have needed it as much as she did. Then I think, isn't that how He grows us. While we give to others he fills our hearts with goodness and grace. I'm pretty sure it's one of the boldest things I've ever done. But I'm going to keep doing things like that. Offering to share whatever piece of myself I can. I'm chucking the swirly ball right into the roulette of God's will and we'll just see where it lands. I'm excited to see the sort of things that will happen when I allow the Holy Spirit direct access. I'm sure strange and curious stories are in my future because we never know where He'll pull us or who has a need. It's wild uncharted territory. More instances have followed since and I find that where there was a void I was waiting for him to fill there is some kind of peace in knowing that people need a bit of crazy, they need love. Often it doesn't matter where it comes from as long as they're seen.

Jeremiah‬ ‭33‬:‭3‬ ‭ “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.”

Ephesians 5:14-17 'This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. '

1 Thessalonians 5:12-14 'Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. '

[catrieseinspires]

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. ~ 3 John 2 #GodThoughts

[kmac4him1st]

#GodThoughts: It only takes a day! #Jesus could say the Word today, He could say “enough” to the enemies of #God and everything would change up at His Word. #Believe #Jesus can. #WaitForIt 🙏 Activate #Faith

Luke 7:7-10 ICB

https://bible.com/bible/1359/luk.7.7-10.ICB

[mama-t-world]

Do You See What I See Skype #1

[ascbh13prayerdiary]

March 2017 Prayer Diary

PRAYING TOGETHER

Lent 2017

Lent is a tree without blossom, without leaf,

Barer than blackthorn in its winter sleep,

All unadorned. Unlike Christmas which decrees

The setting up, the dressing-up of trees,

Lent is a taking down, a stripping bare,

A starkness after all has been withdrawn

Of surplus and superfluous,

Leaving no hiding-place, only an emptiness

Between black branches, a most precious space

Before the leaf, before the time of flowers;

Lest we should see only the leaf, the flower,

Lest we should miss the stars.

- Jean M. Watt

Reflections and Prayers

Bishop Nicholas requests for us to unite in daily prayers during the Lenten period, and beyond. Pick up a copy of Praying Together or download from: www.salisbury.anglican.org

 PLEASE PRAY FOR:

LENT PROJECT 2017

Beautiful Gate Lesotho serves our Lord by lovingly caring for desolate children waiting to be adopted by their forever family. Until such time arrives, Beautiful Gate Lesotho is their Christian family.

In a country where extreme poverty (2 in 5 people live on less than $1 a day) and extreme disease (over 1 in 4 people are HIV positive), it is the children who can be treated with no more respect or worth than a discarded candy wrapper. Children who were found in a trash dumpster, a toilet pit or alone in a forest are given opportunities to simply be children. www.beautifulgatelesotho.org

Therefore I command you,

You shall open wide your hand to

your brother, to the needy and to the poor. (Deut 15:11)

 1st Ash Wednesday, the Eucharist, 12.15pm.

2nd Charlie to help steer us through Lent.

3rd Mother’s Union Women’s Day of Prayer.

4th Salisbury Diocese Sudan Link.

5th Beautiful Gate, Lesotho.

6th Stepping Stones walk: Godlingston Heath.

7th Praise and thank our perfect Father.

8thThe Tea Party for retired people, 3pm.

9th Pray for Fairtrade Fortnight.

10thAll servers at our weekly Lent lunches.

11th Pray for people you judge and don’t like.

12th Healing Service, 6pm.

13th Teddies group, 2.30pm.

14th Pray for people suffering loneliness.

15th Marriage Preparation session, 7pm.

16th The Brain Tumour Charity concert 7pm.

17th Time Out @ The Vicarage, 9-11am.

18th Pray to lessen pride and arrogance.

19th Parade Service 9.30am.

20th Home Groups and “40acts” challenge.

21st Stepping Stones walk: Morden.

22nd Bereavement Support Group 2.30pm.

23rd Be still and know God’s grace.

24th Knit & Knatter 1.30pm.

25th Attune to Jesus, in silent prayer.

26th Mothering Sunday Services.

27th Pray for all to spread the Gospel.

28th Faithworks Wessex Coffee Morning.

29th Faith & Fellowship 10.30am.

30th The work of Scripture Union.

31st …And lead us not into temptation…                                  

As the days lengthen and the earth spends longer in the light of day, grant that I may spend longer in the light of your presence, O Lord. And may those seeds of your Word, which have been long buried within me, grow, like everything around us, into love for you and love for people; to become a visible declaration of your Lordship in my life. Grant, Father, that this Lent may be a springtime for my life in Christ, Amen.

- Dick Williams, Godthoughts 

[christlifebiz]

Note to Self. #getgivegrow #ashnotestoself #GodThoughts