We all have scars.
Some are obvious…
However many of our most painful wounds are suffered unseen by those around us.
Jesus however, sees all our scars…
Knows our hurt…
And feels our pain.
And in the midst of our struggles, our anguish and our uncertainties…
He bids us come to Him, that we may be comforted…
And healed…
And know His amazing love for us.
For in the tender presence of our Savior…
We don’t have to hide our scars.
Thank You Lord.
~Phather Phil
Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!
I think Lord, that what I struggle with the most on my walk with You is our conflicting schedules…
I want things to happen on “Phil time”, however quite often Your timing is a good bit different than mine.
And yet, as I was pondering it this morning on my drive into the office, I realized something I hadn’t before…
We create our schedules around what’s most important to us; base them on our priorities…
If our “schedules” are out of sync… Then maybe I’m not fully recognizing Your priorities for my life.
Ouch.
Therefore Father, as I continue counting my Blessings on this Thankful Thursday afternoon, I’m also going to try and focus on the timing of those divine gifts; actively seeking not only Your whispered presence in the chaos, but also examining the context in which You’ve delivered it. You truly do fill my life with love Lord, and this week I’m especially grateful for:
646. A relaxing Friday evening on the deck with friends.
647. Feeling Your peace come over me when I need it most.
648. The healing power in my puppy’s wet kisses after a long day.
649. Refreshing spring breezes.
650. The opportunity I’ve had to teach Sunday School class this past season at Ewell’s St. Paul UMC.
651. An inspiring discussion about Your love with a dear lady this afternoon.
652. Finding a new photo-sharing site where I can connect with other photographers.
653. The fellowship and discussions at our Tuesday night Faith Development Group, “Where Two or Three are Gathered”.
654. An “all good” checkup for Jonathan with the neurosurgeon at A.I. Dupont Children’s Hospital.
655. The wisdom I find when I not only seek Your presence, but also strive to recognize the context of those gifts.
656. The opportunity to spend lots of time with people I love over the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
657. Sunday evenings spent watching “Duck Dynasty” reruns with my family. J
658. A wonderful array of resources online to help me learn new techniques and become a better photographer.
659. Seeing my children give from the heart unexpectedly.
660. Your gentle reminder to stay my tongue when my emotions begin to overtake me.
And so very much more…
For it’s in Your precious name I pray,
Amen.
~Phather Phil
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Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!
For the last month or so Father, I’ve been having “rumblings” in my heart telling me that I’m not seeing You as completely as I should; that although in my joy-filled moments I sing to You in praise and in my times of trial I cry out to You for help, during those “in-between” periods I fail to recognize Your loving hand in my life more often than not…
My eyes see the world, but stare blindly past the “burning bushes” all around me.
And as I contemplated this the other night Lord, and prayed for Your guidance to help me see through clearer eyes, You laid it on my heart…
“Thankful Thursday…”
Ouch… It has been a while…
But I get it Father.
While I certainly try to remember to thank You when I recognize a Blessing in my life, the exercise of spending dedicated time thinking about the past week’s events and writing out some of the less “obvious” signs of Your presence is a powerful tool in my walk of faith.
It places my heart in a state of gratitude, and directs my mind to seek Your light in my daily life.
Therefore Father, I present You with this week’s contribution to my continuing “Thankful Thursday” list of Blessings. And while no list could ever adequately express the vast array of miracles you place in my path each day, today I am especially grateful for:
631. Your protection, comfort and strength given to Shannon as she underwent a surgical procedure last week.
632. Finding wonderful DIY patio furniture plans on Pinterest.
633. Seeing Your influence in the “Letters to God” written by the kids in my Sunday School Class.
634. Your comforting embrace when my world feels shaken, and I allow uncertainty to grip my heart.
635. The time spent with Shannon and Lisa redesigning and rebuilding our backyard space.
636. The persistence You have in getting Your messages through to my heart.
637. The opportunity to join two wonderful young people in the union of marriage last weekend.
638. A beautiful Mother’s Day spent with Shannon, Lisa and the boys.
639. The assistance of a close friend in getting lighting installed in our outdoor bar.
640. The opportunity to minister to a dear friend who’s going through a difficult time.
641. A fun-filled evening with good food and wonderful friends to open our newly-redone backyard deck and patio spaces.
642. The new contact lenses I’m wearing that allow me to keep them in for a whole month before changing them.
643. Evenings curled up on the couch watching TV with the people I love.
644. Having excellent auto insurance coverage which helps pay bills following Shannon’s accident.
645. All those “burning bushes” in my life which I fail to recognize.
And so very much more Lord…
For it’s in Your precious name I pray,
Amen.
~Phather Phil
Pin ItToday’s entry in the “Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life” devotional reading plan I’m following made a powerful point about finding meaning and fulfillment, and where we should really be seeking it…
“Love is the energy of life. It’s what motivates people to get up each day and keep going. It gives life purpose and meaning.People often have times in their lives when they believe they are unloved or have no one to love. They develop this mindset because they are looking for fulfillment in ways that seem good at first but often leave them feeling frustrated, disappointed and empty inside.Does this ever happen to you? Do you ever look for love and end up feeling unfulfilled? Let me ask you this: What kind of love are you pursuing? You may be looking for love, but really, you’re looking for God, because He is love. Any love you gain that is disconnected from God is not really love and will leave you feeling unfulfilled.…”
When we seek love, in effect we’re truly desiring the source of all love; God. When we keep Him at the center of our lives, that overwhelming love flows through us and allows our other relationships to truly be as He intends them to…
As extensions of His love for us.
~Phather Phil
Dear Lord; Happy Saturday Father!
Today Father, I choose.
I choose to embrace the day that You have given me;
To rebuke those voices that try to steal my peace,
And remind them that I’m Your Beloved Child.
To view the world through eyes of faith,
Eagerly seeking Your hand in everything around me.
To love with abandon,
And to allow myself to accept the love of others.
To revel in the beauty of this world You’ve made,
And to bring that sense of wonder to everything I do.
To be grateful for all You’ve blessed me with,
And to share those gifts with others.
To remind those close to me how very much I love them,
And to honor them through my actions.
Today Lord, I make a choice.
I choose peace.
I choose joy.
I choose You.
For it’s in Your name I pray,
Amen.
~Phather Phil
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Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!
Monday morning Father, I woke up to someone standing on my chest…
Or at least it felt that way.
No sleepy eyes calmly tip-toeing into the morning’s experience for me, but instead my heart raced; keeping time with my mind as it rushed frantically into the new week’s trials, struggles and fears…
The unknown had me firmly in it’s grip.
I tried to focus; to redirect my hectic mind and find Your peace, but those demons had caught me unaware as I slept and now were firmly entrenched within me…
So I went about my morning; moving from task to task in a determined effort to derail my inner turmoil, but in the dark recesses of my heart those taunting voices persisted…
Reminding me of my failures…
Seeding doubts about my choices…
Planting worries about those I love…
And introducing fears about the week that lie ahead…
“I’m already there Phil…” You whispered.
The voices calmed, finding diminished audience as Your truth set in, and the pressure in my breast began to ease…
The balance within had shifted… Your peace had won the day.
The assaults however, continue still Lord; timid declarations of dissent from the darkest corners of my mind, waiting once again to catch me off my guard…
Ever assailing me from the shadows… Seeking for an opportunity to regain that precious battleground.
It’s been said Father, that we can be our own worst enemy…
And in my case, I find this true far more often than I care to admit.
So thank You Lord.
Thank You for standing in that gap; aiding me in fighting back those unseen forces that threaten to pull me from Your peace.
For it’s in Your name I pray, and it’s bathed in Your grace I live…
Amen.
~Phather Phil
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Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day. 
