SHEPHERD'S WALK at Sweetbriar: LIVING SACRIFICES

Saturday, July 18, 2009

LIVING SACRIFICES

Wild huckleberries bushes carpet the woods of SHEPHERD'S WALK right now. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Several guests were visiting this weekend. I suggested they might like me to make huckleberry pancakes for breakfast this morning. They loved the idea but only one soul was willing to pick the harvest [with me] so we could make them. The berries are in abundance but some are not easy to get to - they are small - and it takes TIME to pick them - especially enough for a batch of pancakes. But the two of us persevered. And the result... was a delicious breakfast of scrumptious huckleberry pancakes!

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Matthew 9:36-39

When [Jesus] saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Then He said to His disciples,

"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest , therefore; to send out workers into His harvest field." [emphasis added]

Those huckleberries reminded me of the 'living sacrifices" that God asks us to be. They gave their lives to be made into pancakes for others to eat and enjoy. Are we as willing?

Lord Jesus ---

Make us willing LIVING SACRIFICES - a people of prayer - a people of giving - a people ready to lay down our lives for the sake of another. May others "taste and see that the LORD is good". And Lord, when the harvest is ripe and plentiful - give us willing hearts to participate in Your kingdom purposes to bring in that harvest so that none are lost!

4 comments:

YolandaJuly 19, 2009 at 11:13 AM
AMEN, AMEN Stephanie. I loved this visual, as well as the drawing that was left in your journal, how cool!

This makes me think of my yesterday.....while I did it by myself, and thoroughly enjoyed doing so.....a sacrifice now to be enjoyed later.

I posted on Joy Comes In The Morning....YOU ARE A JOY TO ME!!

Lovingly,
Yolanda
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Saleslady371July 19, 2009 at 7:54 PM
It always amazes me how much God accomplishes with few harvesters. Guess that's why He's God. Those pancakes look delicious.
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EdieJuly 21, 2009 at 12:05 PM
What a great message Stephanie! And I can smell those pancakes over here. :)
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AlleluiabelleJuly 22, 2009 at 8:52 PM
Dear Friend,

I'm always in awe at what He shows you, how He fills you and uses you. Yes, Yes, Yes, I am willing to be His "living sacrifice" at all times...at all times.

Your prayer, it touches my heart deeply as I prayed it along with you here...very deeply my friend.

Love you,
Alleluiabelle
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THE PRAYER WALK and SANCTUARY CIRCLE

What is SHEPHERD’S WALK, you ask?

In the summer of 2008 the Lord placed upon my heart a tiny seed to re-cut the trails in the woods here at Sweetbriar Farm. A Treehouse [built around 1980-81] marks the entrance to the path.

My only thought was just to have a place to go outside on a nice day and "Be still before the Lord". Through His Spirit’s leading the Lord showed me that He had many more plans for the trails. In October of 2008 the paving was completed and God named the Prayer Path – SHEPHERD’S WALK.

God has shared with me that anyone who walks the path with a sincere heart – He will meet in the Sanctuary Circle – heart to HEART!

There are now 4 Prayer Stations with benches along the path. At each station are laminated Scriptures and Prayer Cards to read, ponder, and meditate upon. So for now – as I allow God to do His work in this place, I simply ask, "What next, LORD?" This entire path of forming SHEPHERD'S WALK has been a special journey.

The 4 stations now represent the acrostic ACTS

ADORATION
CONFESSION
THANKSGIVING
SUPPLICATION

PRAYER is the focus.
May God do all that He intends to do through the prayers of His people and all those from all walks of life and perhaps from every tribe and tongue who come to pray here.

The Prayer Path also stemmed from something I said to the LORD last [2008] summer. I asked the Lord this: "What offering can I bring You, Lord, to say 'thank You' for holding my life in Your Hands?" It wasn't long after that - He showed me SHEPHERD'S WALK - when He actually named it that.

I was reading a book at the time [that someone else gave me as a gift] called: A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller. It was such a reminder of the 3 sheep that I raised here at Sweetbriar [Suzie, Cotton and Lace] who have long passed. It was a reminder that "all we like sheep have gone astray, each to his own way..." Yet the GOOD SHEPHERD will stop at nothing to find the one who is lost - to give His own life to save that very one!

Psalm 20:1-6
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the Name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2 May He send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.
3 May He remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. Selah
4 May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the Name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests.
6 Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He answers him from His holy heaven with the saving power of His Right Hand.

SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM

Be sure to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page to read the Scripture that began SHEPHERD'S WALK.

The LORD used a book called:
A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23
by Philip Keller, to begin the journey for the prayer path. It is amazing to me that God prepared me as a 'shepherdess' - even if it was only because I am such an animal lover. I even learned how to spin their wool. God knew that the day would come when He would teach me His ways through the knowledge of owning sheep. I fed them and cared for them and they knew me.

God feeds me daily from His Word. He cares for me and does what is best for me - and I know Him. And He knows me by name because "His sheep am I".

The 23rd PSALM

Psalm 23 [KJV]
1 The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

On The OAK Tree at the Entrance to the Sanctuary Circle

Isaiah 61:1-4 [NIV]
The Year of the LORD's Favor
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on Me [Christ], because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor. [that's us]
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

SHEPHERD'S WALK at Sweetbriar

Saturday, July 18, 2009

LIVING SACRIFICES

4 comments:

Join the Birds Here and Take a Stroll on THE PRAYER PATH

My Heart's Desire

PRAYER PARTNER'S for SHEPHERD'S WALK

THE PRAYER WALK and SANCTUARY CIRCLE

WALK ALONG THE PRAYER PATH

TRUTHSHARER

PRAYER for ISRAEL

PRAYER BUTTON for ELAINE

Please Pray for KRISHANA

Please Pray for John

Prayer for Alleluiabelle's Husband

Praise God -- Doug came to Christ just days before his death!

ANDREW in Heaven with JESUS - December 15th 2009

In Memory of Louie 1997-2008

*** WILL YOU PRAY? *

An Alternative to Abortion

From: Not Mine But God's Story = * HOPE and HEALING * For Abortion Recovery

SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM

Blog Archive

WE STAND IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL

The 23rd PSALM

On The OAK Tree at the Entrance to the Sanctuary Circle

SHEPHERD'S WALK at Sweetbriar

Saturday, July 18, 2009

LIVING SACRIFICES

4 comments:

Subscribe To

Join the Birds Here and Take a Stroll on THE PRAYER PATH

My Heart's Desire

PRAYER PARTNER'S for SHEPHERD'S WALK

THE PRAYER WALK and SANCTUARY CIRCLE

WALK ALONG THE PRAYER PATH

TRUTHSHARER

PRAYER for ISRAEL

PRAYER BUTTON for ELAINE

Please Pray for KRISHANA

Please Pray for John

Prayer for Alleluiabelle's Husband

Praise God -- Doug came to Christ just days before his death!

ANDREW in Heaven with JESUS - December 15th 2009

In Memory of Louie 1997-2008

********* WILL YOU PRAY? *******

An Alternative to Abortion

From: Not Mine But God's Story = ******* HOPE and HEALING ******* For Abortion Recovery

SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM

Blog Archive

WE STAND IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL

The 23rd PSALM

On The OAK Tree at the Entrance to the Sanctuary Circle

*** WILL YOU PRAY? *

From: Not Mine But God's Story = * HOPE and HEALING * For Abortion Recovery