The Abundant Life Center

by Dona Hake

I can remember several years ago my husband and our son and I took a trip out west.  I could not get over the magnificence of the great mountains.  Their beauty was like none other I have ever seen.   I anticipated knowing we were going to also visit the Grand Canyon.  I had seen many images before yet I can honestly say that I have never seen one image that does it any justice.  There is nothing like the experience of the human eye.  I can remember stepping up to the edge of the canyon and it literally took my breath away.  My eyes welled up with tears and my first thought was how could anyone see this and question that there is a God of this Universe.  What I saw totally exceeded any expectation in my mind.

I think the Lord is quite the Master of doing things greater than we think or dare to dream.  I believe it is His desire to surpass our highest expectation and He dares us to dream.  He dares us to dream about our future, and all of the plans He has for us.  God is great and God is so good.

Ephesians 3:20   (AMP)

” Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]”

Today let us be thankful for a God that is great and a God that is so good.  Thank Him for His provision in your life and the many blessings that continue to flow your way.  God bless you and Happy Thanksgiving Day!

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by Dona Hake

Earlier this month I was able to capture this shot from my kitchen window.  Oh how I love watching my feathered friends of the outdoors!  It almost looks like he is saying a prayer as he sits on the ground feeder.  I am amazed at how trusting they are of my presence because they can see me watching them.  Even though there seems to be a one to two day time for them to acclimate to any changes I impose, they quickly adjust.  They adjust simply because I have been faithful to feed them winter, spring, summer and fall.

This past week I was dealing with a very hectic schedule and my routine of feeding them got a little off schedule.  The one morning I woke up and noticed how strange it was that not one of them was on the deck eating.  No…there was one Mourning Dove sitting patiently just waiting.  These are the characters that will actually sit lined up and glare into the window at me if the right “stuff” isn’t there for them.  The night before it was windy and almost all the feeders were empty because seed was blown away.  I quickly went out and fed them and within a matter of  minutes there was a Tufted Titmouse, Nuthatch, Chickadee, and a Red Finch dining on the deck.  I have read where they will actually sit and watch in the trees and wait till you fill the feeders.

This all reminded me of how God is so faithful as He daily provides for us.  He notices us and observes whether we are waiting for Him.   As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week let us be mindful that our eyes on looking to Him for His provision in our lives.  Let us wait patiently for Him especially on those days where the “winds” of this life throw things out of kilter.  God is good, God is faithful, and blessed are those that trust in Him!

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by Dona Hake

Something that bothers my heart is seeing people get so stressed over the holidays.  Yesterday I had to go to the grocery store to purchase some things for Thanksgiving Day.  On top of the high volume of shoppers, there was threat of bad weather which added a whole other element to the “air”.  I purposed to hold fast to peace as I went up one aisle and down the other.    Because the aisles were so full I tried to back up and there was a woman that I almost bumped into.  I  excused myself and apologized.  We passed each other again in the next aisle and she seemed to want to be where I was and sarcastically said, “Well I can see we will probably be doing this throughout the whole store.”  She abruptly pulled her cart away. , I thought to myself how sad it is that people just do not care how they handle themselves in public. They allow their impatience to justify rudeness.

Throughout my time in the store I had engaged in conversation with some other ladies that noticed the same thing that I was noticing.  The stress level was high and people did not care how they were acting.  I have been thinking about how important it is to guard your heart when you have more demands going on in your life.  If you do not, even those things that you desire to celebrate will become a burden and they will wear you out and wear you down.  Unguarded hearts and minds result in saying and doing things you wish you wouldn’t have.

Colossians 3:15  (AMP)

” And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].”

I just want to encourage you to hold fast to peace over the holidays that you may enjoy every minute you spend with family and friends.  Remember the reason for what you are doing whatever you are doing and do not allow yourself to be robbed by the stress of all the extra demands.  God bless you with His peace.♥

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by Dona Hake

Today I am thinking about how thankful I am for the wisdom of God.  One of His priceless treasures available to us as we ask Him.  Wisdom is found only on one road and that is for those who desire for God and only God to direct their hearts.  Let us value it and be ever so thankful that He said in His Word that it is there for us…all we have to do is ask Him.

Job 28:13-18

” No human perceives wisdom’s true value,

        nor has she been found in the land of the living.

    The deep says, “She is not to be seen within me.”

        “Nor within me,” says the voice of the raging sea.

    No gold can be given in trade for wisdom,

        nor a sum of silver weighed out as her price.

     She cannot be bought with all the gold of Ophir,

        neither with onyx nor sapphire.

   The shimmer of gold and brightness of glass cannot compare,

        and no refined gold jewelry is worth her in trade.

     Perish the mention of coral and crystal;

        even more than pearls is the value of wisdom.”

God’s wisdom is a treasure and it can only be found in Him   It is  another one of His gifts that we should be so thankful for.  God bless you.

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by Dona Hake

“Thank you! I appreciate what you did.”  

“Thank you, I could not have done this without your help.”  

“That was the hardest thing I have ever walked through in my life, thank you for being there for me.”

I could list more because there are many ways to express a thankful heart to God and to those that He has put into your life.  I think the one thing we need to always guard against is taking God, people and things in our life for granted.  We just can simply forget about how valuable and precious our Lord and His blessings are.  

“Thanksgiving is possible only for those who take time to remember;

no one can give thanks who has a short memory.”

Anonymous

We not only need to remember what we are thankful for but make it a habit to think it and speak it.  Let us purpose to remember and give thanks for all the blessings around us each and everyday.    We all have so much to be thankful for.   God bless you!

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by Dona Hake

By the end of this summer I can say I have never seen my front garden ever look so beautiful.  Every week I would pull up in front of my house with our granddaughters the four year old would exclaim, “Grandma, your flowers!!!! They are so awesome!”    About five weeks ago one flower after another began to fade and die.  Little by little I was uprooting them to prepare the garden for its winter sleep.

I can remember thinking and pondering how am I was going to explain to her the day we pull up in front of the house and the will all be  gone.  Every opportunity I had I would bring up the subject on a positive note.  I would tell her that flowers just cannot stand the “shivery brrrrrrrrrrrrrr”cold but when spring comes we will plant more.  I would remind her that the winter will soon come which brings a whole different beauty and fun.  Snowmen, snow angels and sledding.  This always brought a delightful smile to her face.

I can still remember the morning she saw that all my flowers were gone.  Her eyes so sad yet she seem accepting and now we look forward to the new season of winter.  I have shared with her how God has blessed us with so much beauty in His seasons and we have to accept their change and leaving us.

One thing we can be assured of is that even though things change here on earth during our stay, God’s Word never changes.

Isaiah 40:8  (The Message)

“True, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade,

    but our God’s Word stands firm and forever.”

I am thinking and thanking God that He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever and His Word stands firm and forever.  What an assurance this brings to my heart!  God is so good.

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by Dona Hake

You can eat the healthiest of foods to keep your body strong.  You can buy the most expensive clothing from top clothing lines.  Ladies can put on makeup till they miraculously transform the outward.  Gold and silver jewelry can be worn.   All these things can be done and one can look so fashionable and beautiful yet one’s soul could possibly be mean and hateful.  From the inside out an individual may be  thinking  thoughts that are not worthy and then they speak those words  and hurt those around them.  Yet, all the while they look at ease and perfect on the outside.  Yes, this is the world in which we live.

Proverbs 11:17  (TLB)

“Your own soul is nourished when

you are kind, it is destroyed when you are cruel.”

Another translation puts it this way “… but the man without pity hurts himself.”   I could not help but think of times we see images of starving children and adults.   Hunger is so sad, and starvation will kill, yet there are people dying from the inside out because they do not understand how to love.

I believe the Lord really wants us not only to show kindness but we need to truly see the root cause of one’s desire to be unkind.   The Word says that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.  I pray that it never cease in me.  It is only as we look to Him that we can do His kindnesses to others.    Today, I want to think about how powerful one simple act of kindness can be.  Your simple act of kindness may be exactly what someone may  need to get through another day.  God is good and He is kind.  Let us  live by His example.

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by Dona Hake

I have always heard that if you need someone to help you get something done, you should ask a busy person.  I love the people in my life that are there to help me.  These people are faithful and dependable…they keep their word. Nothing is more disheartening than someone not following through with something.   A faithful friend is a valuable friend.  A friend that can be trusted is such a wonderful possession.  Isn’t it wonderful that we can have a friend like this in Jesus?  He is faithful and He will always keep His Word.

Psalm 27:14(KJV)

“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage,

and he shall

strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”

When I was pondering this scripture to share today the emphasis I want to make is on three words and they are AND HE SHALL.    The scripture does not say “wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and it is likely he will strengthen your heart.”  Nor did it say “wait on the the Lord: be of good courage and perhaps he will strengthen your heart.”  NO!  it says, “He shall.”  If He said He shall, then He will!

Thank God today that all that God promises to do in His Word, He shall do it!  God is good, He is faithful, and He always keeps His Word!

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by Dona Hake

I can remember as a little girl the first time I saw “The Wizard of Oz.”  My imagination  put me in Dorothy’s slippers and anticipated the direction of the  Yellow Brick Road .  Yet at  the cornfield where Dorothy met the Scarecrow, there was a fork in the Yellow Brick Road. They decided which of the three branches to take, and eventually found themselves at the Emerald City.  If you know the story you well know that there was much trouble and confusion along the way, but in the end there were lessons learned.

I am so thankful that God’s direction in our lives need not be vague but rather clear and decisive.  When we come to “forks” in the road, we need to simply be ever conscious that He desires to point us in the exact direction that we are to go.  He does not want to see any time wasted in our lives so He promises to stay with us, leading and guiding us to our destinations.

Isaiah 30:21 (Douay-Rheims American translation)

“And thy ears shall hear the word of one admonishing thee behind thy back:

This is the way, walk ye in it: and go not aside neither to the right hand, nor to the left.”

I was drawn to this translations over all the others simply because it used the word *admonishing*.  He understands how our human nature can many times make decisions based on the “easy way” rather than His way.  Today I encourage you to listen for that quiet voice that desires to be your Compass in life!  God bless you.

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