I have fallen for fall!  This weekend in the “land of pine trees and lakes” is really our first weekend of cool, crisp temperatures.  I cooked chili last night and my dear husband was baking his famous pumpkin bread this morning.  Pumpkin bread in our house is the sign that fall has arrived.  Forget about turning leaves, pumpkins, festivals and candy corn, at our house, it’s pumpkin bread. 
It smells heavenly about now!  I should have taken a picture of his loaf before he had it all wrapped up to give away.  Take my word for it, it looked as pretty as it smelled! 

Life has slowed a bit for me and I have some time to write.  I love to write.  I wonder if that’s because I love to talk.  The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 5:3 “…If you talk too much, you will say the wrong thing”.  (CEV)  The truth in this verse has certainly shown itself many times :)  Yet, here I am, talking!  Oh  Lord, guard my tongue!

Our small group at church has been studying together Margaret Feinberg’s book “The Sacred Echo”.  What a wonderful read.  The videos that accompany the workbook are also so full of truths.  In studying the repetitive nature of God, I have experienced Him echoing a lot lately.  Just this morning I was listening to an online devotional and the speaker said this, “Restating – something God has already said but needs for me to remember”.    She went on to say, “take notice when He makes a big deal of restating something to you.  When He times it perfectly.  God is using time and space to get a word across to us.”  Love it!  Now get your toes tucked in, she also said,  “when we say something is a coincidence, it is an insult to God”.  Psalm 37:23 (NLT) says, “The Lord directs the steps of the godly.  He delights in every detail of their lives.”  All good things come from God and thank goodness, He takes all the not so good and uses it for good for me.  I don’t always understand how, when and why but I believe it because I have seen it in my own life.  Joseph reminds us of this when he said, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.” Genesis 50:20. (NLT) 

Hearing what God has to say can sometimes take a little time. Recently a friend and I were discussing the upcoming lesson for Sunday School and I said, “If we didn’t wait to the last minute when studying, we might have time for God to speak to us”. Often we have a questions, an issue, something we need to hear God about and we stop for a couple of minutes and say “OK God, I’m listening. Come on, speak up and speak quickly!” Maybe we should develop the practice of pondering. Webster defines pondering: A verb. To think about something carefully. 

Has God been “restating” or “echoing” in your life lately?  Have you noticed that your Pastor’s sermons or your daily devotionals have been saying some of the same things?  Did you come across an old note, highlight in your Bible, letter or email that you received earlier and now what that thing contains is something you can use today?  It appears God may be speaking to you.  Pay attention!  Listen up!  Take some time and ask, “Lord, what are you saying to me?”  “What do You want me to remember?” 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Until we meet again…

Live blessed
Carmen

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