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A Revisited Devotional from March 29, 1999
1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (NIV)
It didn't look like a tree, more like a giant white thimble that had been abandoned by some fantasy giant in the forest where I was skiing. All the other trees had shed their covering of snow and were standing upright and strong in the winter sunlight. This one was so deeply encrusted that it had become a hump of impenetrable layers of heavy snow.
What had caused this tree, out of all the others, to become bowed over, buried, and unrecognizable? How had it lost its natural appearance and the ability to shed a heavy accumulation of snow?
Was it some deformity of the branches? Some quirk of chance that had allowed a drift of snow to pile up against it? A gust of wind that had caused the other trees to shake off their burden, but somehow missed this one tree?
Whatever the reason, it was going to be some time before it was freed of its load to join its neighbours in the warmth of the early spring sunlight.
That can happen in our own lives. We allow guilt to deform us, circumstances to embitter us, regrets about the past to take away the enjoyment of the present. We encrust ourselves with grudges, jealousy, and defeat, missing the blessings of a loving God Who eagerly desires to touch the very centre of our lives with His warmth.
We can break free by aligning ourselves each day with God's Word and thanking Him for the way He has given us victory over "the sin that so easily entangles".
Prayer: Thank You, God, for the full and final cost of our sin being paid by Your Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. Thank You for forgiveness for past, present, and future sin. Help us to keep short accounts with You and to bask in the sunlight of Your eternal love. Amen.
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Monday, March 24, 2025 – In the Middle East — We recently received a message telling us that one of our dear local friends has passed away. This was so hard, as we are on home assignment which makes it even harder. Please pray with us that the Lord will comfort his family and children and that Christ's name will be glorified. Help them to stay strong in their faith in the face of opposition..
friend: "Update March 21, 2025; Please continue to pray for Hilde who has had dizziness for many months..." 
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A great analogy, Liz.
Thank you, Liz. I especially like this sentence: We encrust ourselves with grudges, jealousy, and defeat, missing the blessings of a loving God Who eagerly desires to touch the very centre of our lives with His warmth.
Dear Liz,
Thank you so much for this beautifully written, inspiring devotional.
It has touched my heart!
Blessings, Gratitude, Joy, Laughter.
Thank you Liz for this message today. I cannot help also to be curious about the “white thimble”, I think my curiosity would get me and I would have to try to see what was going on. But it is like what happens when Christ removes the heaviness we get to stand up strong in Him.
God bless.
Hi Liz
Good morning it’s a very nice day
Thank you for writing this devotional
A white thimble
Out of millions of people
God picks us for his blessings
Blessings.
Greetings Liz & thank you for this devotional you had previously presented. Your words still hold full meaning today as we need be ever mindful of our daily actions and refrain from anything sinful. It is so easy for us to get on the wrong track and do things that are sinful and not at all pleasing to our Lord. We must confess our bad doings and be so thankful that our Saviour is ever ready to forgive us and guide us in the right direction.
Being faithful to His ways will give us the greatest happiness in life.
Blessings for your writing.
Good morning, Liz,
I am sure it is interesting for you to read something you wrote over 25 years ago. The revisiting of devotionals from the past are very fascinating to me. It is like time stands still and the new generations have similar feelings to the ones that are in the older devotionals. Definitely being bitter, resentful, and holding on to grudges bring us all to a place we do not want to be. Focusing on all that God provides us each and every day and gain that grateful heart moves us all to a place of joy which we can then share with others. Being forgiven by God helps us to let go and be thankful. Thanks for sharing over the years. Blessings.