Rain arrived during the night and scrubbed the smoke off our skies. The forest fires ravaging BC forests and communities had spread their lung harming stench across the province, reminding people to pray for those who are threatened by it.
I opened the door and drank deep. My lungs welcomed the fresh fragrance of morning rain.
Whether the weather brings rain or not, I spend time each morning allowing God to rain down grace on me so it will overflow onto others as I go about my day. I have no rain of my own to refresh the spirits of others. I rely on my daily portion from God to extinguish smoldering discouragement and lingering sins I’ve allowed to spark into flame.
God doesn’t shame us into obedience. He showers us with His loving Spirit of conviction and correction. We are welcomed to open the doors and windows and partake of His restorative showers of blessing.
Sad are they who close their shutters to grace and stay in the stale air of their old ways.
P.S. I’m adding the following poem that I happened to write the rough draft for during my rain showers of blessing quiet time. This post was inspired by the Five Minute Friday Prompt: Rain. You are invited to join in here: Rain #FMF
When fear threatens my peace
I must heed the Divine
For perfect Love overcomes
And makes serenity mine
When dark powers rise up
I must press into Christ
For perfect Love overcomes
And rains down abundant life.
~ wlm
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
You’re invited to listen to my 99th podcast on HopeStreamRadio here: Walking with Hope
I’m nosy-to-know which Bible verse has showered you with blessings this week?
Rain Showers of Blessings ~ Wendy Mac
Oh this is so excellent! I feel refreshed just reading it! Thank you thank you! Sorry, no special verse this week! I am in the start of Ezekiel and it has been challenging me! :). Blessings and showers of grace!
The Old Testament tends to be challenging. But I love how the Holy Spirit helps us find new nuggets of God’s gold in them. Blessings as you pan for wisdom, dear Deb. <3
Visiting as your FMF neighbor. Nice segue from the physical (scrubbed the smoke off our skies) to the Divine (Whether the weather brings rain or not, I spend time each morning allowing God to rain down grace on me so it will overflow onto others…). Also loved the poem. Seems like the words came at just the right time. May you have a blessed week!
Thank you for stopping by, dear neighbor. I have to confess that I tend to participate in FMF when the word prompt is spot-on-perfect for what’s going on in my life at the moment. I woke to rain–so rain reigned in my writing schedule for the day.
Blessings on your week. And thank you for your kind words.
I loved all of this, but I really loved the following: God doesn’t shame us into obedience. He showers us with His loving Spirit of conviction and correction. We are welcomed to open the doors and windows and partake of His restorative showers of blessing.
Sad are they who close their shutters to grace and stay in the stale air of their old ways.
So true. So glad I opened the shutters of my heart. Blessing, dear friend. 💕
Thank you, dear Gail. I’m grateful for a girlfriend who showered me with the love and joy of Jesus. She prayed I would open my shutters to saving grace. Blessings as you share His grace through your wonderful memoir. <3
So glad you opened your heart, Wendy! Just look what the world would have missed! You share His love in every word. Thank you for that sweet blessing.
Wendy, I truly enjoy your messages. Thank you for brightening my day.
Thank you for your encouragement, dear Melissa. Our skies are brighter now that they’ve had a proper washing. 🙂
Dear Wendy,
These are such precious words that the Lord gave you in the midst of the fresh rain there! I love this part of your poem especially:
“When dark powers rise up
I must press into Christ
For perfect Love overcomes
And rains down abundant life.”
He does rain down that sweet life for us! And, I so agree with you–I need that fresh living water drink every day too. His Well is what keeps me going! Blessings to you!
Thank you, dear Bettie. His well is deep and delicious. I prefer well water to tap water too. Yes, the older I get, the easier it gets to “take time to be holy.” I need Him every second of every day. <3
Love the poem, WendyMac, and heading over to the podcast now!
#1 at FMFthis week.
https://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2018/09/your-dying-spouse-513-road-and-reward.html
Thanks, dear Andrew. I’m going to head over and read your post when I’ve got my bowl of cereal ready. I’m catching up after taking a break from social media. Blessings to you and Barb.
How sweet the air must feel ! So glad there has been rain.
Thank you, dear friend. It’s a sweet relief. It’s wonderful to spend more time outside again.
Wendy, aside from the fact that this was a beautiful piece, I just wanted to breathe a joint sigh of relief with you. We are also getting much-needed rain. Two days straight now. Loving it. Yesterday, Alean and I opened the windows for the first time in about eight weeks! It was so awesome!!!!
Thank you, Damon. Yes, what a relief to be able to go outside without getting stinging eyes. The hardest part for me was not being able to take my grandson into the garden–we missed it. Blessings to you and Alean.
Philippians 4:8-9 has frequently come to my mind, helping me to refocus my thoughts during a difficult time.
Thank you, Kim. Amen to thinking about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy. It’s a recipe for peace–for sure.
2 Timothy 1:7 is one of my favorite verses. Glad to hear the rain has brought cleaner air to your area.
Our community has never been so happy to have rain. It’s a shower of blessing–for sure. 🙂
Beautiful post!
Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth. – Hosea 6:3
What a perfect verse. Thank you.
Thank you for the link. Blessings. 🙂