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Listen while you read: "I Know Whom I Have Believed"1 (Lyrics) |
Now being 85, I have been busy writing my latest book on the story of my life. In so doing, I have recognized that the basic force that has guided me all my life is the love of God moving in my soul. John puts it clearly:
John 15:8-9 – This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. (NIV)
It is obvious to me that the love of God has filled me and kept me going all these years. I could not have done what I did without the support of His Holy Spirit. The Lord taught me how to write sermons and inspired my preaching. On those days when I felt sore and downtrodden, I prayed for comfort and always received it from the Lord. It is very humbling to recognize that God's love has been flowing through all that I have been called to do.
I give God the credit for all that, including the devotionals and books that I've written since retiring. I never felt that I was knowledgeable — it just seemed that the words came to me as I meditated. What I wrote depended on the Lord's guidance and the help of many friends. I enjoyed my life regardless of what I was trying to do. Everything needed the helping hands of others, and God supplied that through loving fellowship.
God's wonderful love has been with me, and I have never questioned that from childhood on. My life has taught me a lot about God's leading and how His love has enabled me to know which way to go with His help. I humbly thank Him for all that I have been able to accomplish in my life with His help and blessing.
The apostle John writes extensively about the love of God and how we need to be open to His love:
1 John 4:7,9-10 – Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (NIV)
The love of God is ours through the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. All we need to do is to open up to Him. When we open to Christ and accept His gift of eternal life through the Holy Spirit, the love of God fills us, and we grow in faith.
Romans 5:5 – And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (NIV)
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for guiding us through our lives and for sharing Your love with us. Your love fills us with peace, joy, and gratitude and makes life worth living each day, while we share Your love with others. Thank You, Lord! We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
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Best wishes, Iris.
Kelp it up Iris. Your efforts are meaningful and appreciated.
(TX)
Thank you once again Iris for your thoughts this morning. Wonderful love of our wonderful Lord!
(Ont)
Iris I am 85 also and had the same experiences even in my early years before I knew the Lord.
He certainly knew me!
Dear Iris,
Thank you for this most inspiring devotional. God’s love has turned you into a living blessing for others.
85!
Your message of love never grows old!
Another timely reminder, thanks.
Iris,
May God continue to guide and bless you, each and every day.
(CA)
I always enjoy these devotionals. Thank you so much for writing them. I too have ups and downs and its great to know that we have Christ with us day and night guiding us through everything. I do not know what I would do without Him.
Dear Iris, Thank you for your many meditations. I always enjoy them and remind me how much God has done in my life through faith. I will be looking forward to reading the book you are writing.
Blessings to you.
Thank you for the devotional, “The Love of God,” so straight-forward and profound, yet anyone can read it easily.
May God bless you in your writing and give you health so you can continue to witness to the love of God, and to many more facets of his relationship with ourselves.
Hi iris
In reading your devotional today it made me wonder about how God uses each one of us in different ways. He uses some to carry on and for reasons of His own He takes others to go in a different direction! Sometimes I personally wonder about this …. but God has His reasons and slowly I have learned how to accept them.
Thank you once again Iris for your devotion and the reminder of God’s love.
I often think I should sit down and write a book of my life. One thing I will always remember was CGIT camps.
We had such a good grounding in God’s love at those camps which has stayed with me all my life. I also recall all the deaconess’ that we had at the Kirk who helped guide us girls in God’s love.
My many Blessings on you and your good work.
My dear friend Iris, I treasure your writings. The last few weeks have been somewhat difficult as I’ve not been well and we don’t what’s wrong. It’s in the Lord’s hands. My general health is always so good that I don’t know how to not feel well. I’m blessed beyond to get to 93, and certainly don’t intend to complain as I have so much to be thankful for. I’ve been so independent for a lot of years so it’s not my choice to be dependent at all. The day of reality seems to be happening too fast. I am very ready to be with the Lord but I feel that there is something more for me to do.
I’m anticipating hearing more about your life now. I’m glad to know you’re continuing to write as that is a true gift.
Thank you once again, Iris. Your message resonated within my heart today and brought me peace and comfort. Thank you for that. It was timely, because I had just returned from dropping off a tenant agreement at a senior’s apartment complex, which is a required move, following a health reversal and forced retirement, and felt very upset. It means that I will soon leave my community and wonderful location, near my church and downtown. The perfect location. Of course, it is sad and not just a little scary to have to face the unknown… Teary, I listened to your message on podcast and was reminded of God’s love and guidance, and was calmed.
God is with us. We do not venture into these changes alone.
Recently I heard a message describing how to follow God’s will, saying we do this by doing the next thing God asks us to do. I find His Word gives us guidance, comfort and sustaining power, so I pray that you too go forward with confidence. Your words and thoughts always bring such timely comfort and supply the bolt of courage needed. Thanks.
Thank you, Iris, for sharing your faith journey with us today. You encouraged me. Blessings.
Hello Iris,
What a wonderful testimony your writing has been to God’s loving presence in your life! I feel very privileged to have been able to follow your devotions for many years and to have met you in person. May you be blessed with many ongoing opportunities to fill our hearts with your messages of love-filled learning.
Hi Iris,
It is amazing how God inspires us and saves us to do His work.
I had my aortic valve replaced in 1993 and again in 2012 and I am convinced that it all worked so well so that I can continue to do His work some more, still going strong, with certain limitations.
All the best to you.
Blessings.
Hello Iris,
How wonderful that you are still writing and sharing your personal story. Thank you.