As you sit down for your Thanksgiving dinner, do you spend time reflecting over things that the Lord has done for you? Remember to give Him thanks.
Read over the following verses. Reflect on the part where the Lord had each tribe gather a stone. These stones were to be reminders of all that the Lord had done for them, so they could share the story with their children.
Joshua 4:1-9 NIV
When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.” So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord . When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.
I went a bit further and took 12 stones. You can see, below, the things that the Lord has brought me through. I am so thankful, as I look back on these moments in time, to see how He was there with me.
Stone 1 Rescue ---- Tim came to my rescue. He carried me away from a bad homelife.
Stone 2 Wedding --- Tim and I were married on May 20th, 1988
Stone 3 Phillip --- I was in labor for 23 3/4 hours before he made his arrival. The first few doses of the epidural did not last longer than 15 minutes. He weighed 7 lbs 11 oz
Stone 4 Taylor --- It took 4 1/2 years of trying, crying, and praying before I finally got pregnant with him. I was in labor for 15 hours. He weighed 7 lbs 13 oz
Stone 5 Jacob --- I was in labor for 8 hours with him. He weighed 7 lbs 9 oz
Stone 6 Affair --- Tim had an affair and wanted out of our marriage. I spent a lot of time crying and praying. With the Lord's help, I decided to fight for my marriage even though I was told that I was taking the easy way out
Stone 7 Motorcycle --- Tim decided, without my input, to buy a motorcycle. I did not want to be left behind, so when he went riding, I went with him. One day, we had an accident
Stone 8 House --- We bought a house. After living for 18 years in a condo, we finally bought a house and moved
Stone 9 Cancer --- Tim was diagnosed with burkitt's lymphoma. It was the scariest time of my life
Stone 10 Cured --- Tim was cured
Stone 11 Addison's Disease --- I was diagnosed with Addison's Disease
Stone 12 Joshua --- My grandson was born
I would like to encourage you, as you sit with your family, this Thanksgiving, to try this stone of remembrance. Of course, it does not have to be stones at all. It could be as simple as passing around index cards and pencils to each person at your table. Have them think over the things in their lives that the Lord helped them through and write it on the card. It is amazing to look back on certain moments in our lives and see how the Lord was there and how He worked everything out for our best interests.
Prayer:
Dear Father,
As I sit, with my family, this Thanksgiving, I pray that you will bring to mind those times that you have helped through. Help me to see your hand throughout my past and to give you thanks, on this day, and every day. Help me, also, to share these stories with my children so they can witness your love. In Jesus' name, Amen.
As you sit down for your Thanksgiving dinner, do you spend time reflecting over things that the Lord has done for you?
Remember to give Him thanks.
How can I pray for you today?
If you will allow it, I will be happy to help carry your load.
Photo credit: sarajuggnaut of pixabay.com
Read over the following verses. Reflect on the part where the Lord had each tribe gather a stone. These stones were to be reminders of all that the Lord had done for them, so they could share the story with their children.
Joshua 4:1-9 NIV
When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.” So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord . When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.
I went a bit further and took 12 stones. You can see, below, the things that the Lord has brought me through. I am so thankful, as I look back on these moments in time, to see how He was there with me.
12 Stones Of Remembrance
Stone 1 Rescue ---- Tim came to my rescue. He carried me away from a bad homelife.
Stone 2 Wedding --- Tim and I were married on May 20th, 1988
Stone 3 Phillip --- I was in labor for 23 3/4 hours before he made his arrival. The first few doses of the epidural did not last longer than 15 minutes. He weighed 7 lbs 11 oz
Stone 4 Taylor --- It took 4 1/2 years of trying, crying, and praying before I finally got pregnant with him. I was in labor for 15 hours. He weighed 7 lbs 13 oz
Stone 5 Jacob --- I was in labor for 8 hours with him. He weighed 7 lbs 9 oz
Stone 6 Affair --- Tim had an affair and wanted out of our marriage. I spent a lot of time crying and praying. With the Lord's help, I decided to fight for my marriage even though I was told that I was taking the easy way out
Stone 7 Motorcycle --- Tim decided, without my input, to buy a motorcycle. I did not want to be left behind, so when he went riding, I went with him. One day, we had an accident
Stone 8 House --- We bought a house. After living for 18 years in a condo, we finally bought a house and moved
Stone 9 Cancer --- Tim was diagnosed with burkitt's lymphoma. It was the scariest time of my life
Stone 10 Cured --- Tim was cured
Stone 11 Addison's Disease --- I was diagnosed with Addison's Disease
Stone 12 Joshua --- My grandson was born
I would like to encourage you, as you sit with your family, this Thanksgiving, to try this stone of remembrance. Of course, it does not have to be stones at all. It could be as simple as passing around index cards and pencils to each person at your table. Have them think over the things in their lives that the Lord helped them through and write it on the card. It is amazing to look back on certain moments in our lives and see how the Lord was there and how He worked everything out for our best interests.
Prayer:
Dear Father,
As I sit, with my family, this Thanksgiving, I pray that you will bring to mind those times that you have helped through. Help me to see your hand throughout my past and to give you thanks, on this day, and every day. Help me, also, to share these stories with my children so they can witness your love. In Jesus' name, Amen.
As you sit down for your Thanksgiving dinner, do you spend time reflecting over things that the Lord has done for you?
Remember to give Him thanks.
How can I pray for you today?
If you will allow it, I will be happy to help carry your load.
Photo credit: sarajuggnaut of pixabay.com
No comments:
Post a Comment