What The Lord
Showed Me In 2023
1. What The Lord Showed Me In 2023
2. God Can Give Us A Vision
3. God Gave Me A Purpose
4. The Lord Is Always With Me
5. There Is An Enemy
6. Sometimes The Heartache Doesn’t Show
7. Do What You Can
8. Encouragement
9. Compassion
10. Waiting
11. We Walk With The Lord Day By Day
12. Overcoming Discouragement 
13. Counting Our Days And Making Our Days Count
14. God Gives Us A Song


1.  What The Lord Showed Me In 2023

We completed our devotionals through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.  To begin 2024, I want to share some of the things that the Lord showed me in 2023.  I remarked several times to my family during the year that it was the hardest year I had ever been through, but sometime in December I admitted that it was a good year.  God has been with me through some tough battles, and given me help and strength along the way.  Maybe some of the lessons He showed me, can encourage someone who is struggling.

2.  God Can Give Us A Vision

There is a Proverb that means just as much to us today, as it did to the people it was written to those many years ago.  Actually, there are many… but the one I am looking at today is, Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”  As I was writing out the notes of my yearly Bible studies, to combine them in Biblical order, I kept thinking that maybe I could spend a year of the devotions going through the Bible.  Michael encouraged me, and on January 1, 2023, I began with the first verse of the Bible, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”  (Genesis 1:1) For the next 12 months, my vision was to share scriptures and thoughts from the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.  As we begin another New Year, think about your vision for 2024.  Ask the Lord to put in your heart what He would have you do for Him.  Some people choose a word to carry with them through the year.  It could be “love”, or “praise”, or “gratitude”.  Oh, there are so many words that you could focus on to bring you closer to the Lord.  Or maybe you would like to be a better Christian example to others, with “compassion” or “witness”.  Ask the Lord to give you a vision for the New Year.  “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”  (Matthew 7:7-8)

3.  God Gave Me A Purpose

I enjoy reading the little book of Ruth.  When Naomi felt empty and alone, Ruth had a purpose to go back to Bethlehem-Judah, and that was to care for her.  “And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:”  (Ruth 1:16)  Ruth went to glean in the fields, which meant that she went behind the reapers and picked up pieces that they left behind.  Boaz knew how she had taken care of her mother-in-law, and told his reapers, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.”  (Ruth 2:15-16)  There have been many times in my life when I felt that the Lord had let “handfuls of purpose” fall for me.  He has supplied my needs in giving me things on purpose, but today I am talking about handfuls “of purpose”.  When God saves us He has a purpose for our lives.  We don’t have to wander about aimlessly as the Children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.  I am much happier and content when I have a purpose.  I believe that there are many who are seeking for a reason to live and a purpose in life.  In my younger years my purpose was to care for my children and bring them up in the ways of the Lord.  Since the children are grown and have their own families, I often ask the Lord to show me His will and lead me to do what He has for me to do.  When God gave me a vision about sending the devotions from Genesis to Revelation, He gave me a purpose.  This gave me a reason to get up each morning, even if only long enough to send the devotions.  I typically write the devotions each day as I ask the Lord to give me thoughts which may encourage others.  There were many days that my eyes and mind were not clear enough to do the devotions while taking chemotherapy.  In planning to go through the Bible, I could write some of them ahead, to send day by day, using the notes that I had written from several years of personal Bible study.  On the good days I typed them ahead so I could send them on the right day.  It also encouraged me to begin and complete each new book, one by one.  I felt like I was making progress in my purpose even though I didn’t feel progress in anything else.  I stopped breathing after the last two chemotherapy treatments and this purpose gave me hope that God would bring me through.   I strongly felt that He led me to go through the Bible and I believed that He would go with me through the Bible, all the way, to the last chapter in Revelation.  My Oncologist had told me not to be around people because my immunity would be low, so I didn’t go to church, and this purpose kept me in fellowship with the Lord when I was not able to fellowship with others.  If you feel like you are wandering aimlessly or  feel like you have already fulfilled your purpose in life, ask the Lord to let “handfuls of purpose” fall in your life.  He can give you a reason to live, and shower His blessings on you.

4.  The Lord Is Always With Me

Less than three weeks into the New Year in 2023 I was in the hospital with cancer surgery.  Here is a portion of what the Lord showed me during those long days and nights.

“As I sit in the hospital waiting for my scheduled surgery, I am writing out the upcoming devotionals and I just have to share some verses from Exodus 33.

“14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.”

I know that God is with me! Christ is my hope, my help, and my Rock of salvation! I am safe and secure in His hand.

“21 And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:”  

I am so thankful that the Lord was with me and gave me peace, and comfort, and strength to stand.  And even more, He is the Rock on which I stand!

5.  There Is An Enemy

I missed four days of the devotionals while I was in the hospital with my cancer surgery.  I was happy to begin them again when I came back home.  Not all of my problems were health related.  I often had problems with my computer program and would lose devotions that I had prepared, creating the need to begin again.  Then, at the end of August I was in the hospital with a pulse rate over 190.  I had never had AFIB, but the Lord was with me and helped me get through this also.  During these times I kept wondering if the trials were because of my commitment to go completely through the Bible.  I thought of Peter’s warning in I Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”  I believe that when we commit to do something for the Lord it makes the devil attack us more, or it may even come as something just to distract us, to keep us from following through.  These struggles made me even more determined to make up for the four days I got behind and keep going through, day by day, week after week, month by month.  During times when the enemy attacks, we can look to the Lord, remembering another verse from Peter.  “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”  (I Peter 5:7)  

6.  Sometimes The Heartache Doesn’t Show

One day I went to pour Lici a cup of juice and set the carton from the refrigerator on the counter beside the empty carton.  As I reached for a cup, Elsa said, “I know which one has juice in it.”  I asked her how she knew and she pointed to the newer one and replied, “It’s the heavy one.”  She was right.  Both juice cartons looked the same, but only the heavy one had juice in it, and you could only tell by lifting it.  We can’t always tell how heavy a burden someone is carrying.  We can’t look at someone and know how great their troubles and trials are.  Friends that you know at church, or at work, may look like everything is okay, even though their hearts are heavy from the load they bear.  We can get dressed up and fix our hair to go to church and nobody knows how much we are hurting.  My thoughts today are simple.  First of all, be kind.  You can’t see what load someone is struggling to carry, and you don’t know how heavy the heart is of others.  They may be carrying burdens too personal to share.  Or, maybe they have carried the burden so long they now feel empty and worthless, or useless.  Be kind.  “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”  (Ephesians 4:32)  The second thought is for those who are carrying those heavy burdens.  You can go to Jesus with your burdens.  “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”  (I Peter 5:7)  “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”  (Psalm 147:3)  If you feel empty, and you are searching for hope and a meaning for life, turn to Jesus.  “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”  (Luke 19:10)  “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  (Romans 10:9-10)  Jesus knows your heart, and He sees the load you bear.

7.  Do What You Can

There is a beautiful spiritual story when Mary of Bethany broke her alabaster box of spikenard and anointed the head and feet of Jesus.  To those who complained that the ointment had been wasted because it could have been sold for more than three hundred pence and given to the poor, Jesus said, “She hath done what she could…”  I want to use those small words and talk about doing what we can.

“6  And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7  For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
8  She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.”  (Mark 14:6-8)

As I was going through chemo there were many days when I could not do the things I wanted to do.  Michael took care of the meals and laundry.  Some days I could hardly eat, much less prepare my meals.  He decided to retire during his 46th year of teaching so that he could be with me as the sickness grew worse.  The chemo was two weeks on, and one week off.  Towards the end of the week off I would do what I could.  I tried to pick up what I could and put it where it should be, and sweep the floors.  I still couldn’t do much, but I did what I could.  We use a wood stove in the winter and it makes things dusty.  After the weather turns warm I like to do a thorough spring cleaning.  I like to sit and make a list of all the things that need to be cleaned, and then I work through the list until everything has been done.  Well, I didn’t get to do my spring cleaning, but it didn’t seem to matter much when weighed with the burden of chemo.  Cancer changed my views of what was important.  Little things that once were a high priority on my list of things to do, no longer mattered.  I got up in the mornings, thanking God for a new day, and asked Him to help me through another day.  And at the end of the day, I thanked Him again.  I couldn’t go to church, but I could pray, and I tried to keep the devotions posted each day.  It took months before I felt like doing much, but that was okay.  Cancer changed my priorities and now I am satisfied with just doing what I can… and letting the other stuff go, until another day.

8.  Encouragement

After the Children of Israel left Egypt, they were surprised in battle.  “Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;  How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.”  (Deuteronomy 25:17-18)  Amalek was Esau’s grandson, so the Israelites were probably surprised when these descendants of Esau came behind them and killed the feeble and weary.  Moses told Joshua to choose men to fight against them and Moses went to the top of the hill.  The men in battle could see him, as he held up the rod of God, and it was an encouragement to them.  The rod held high reminded them that God was on their side.  Sometimes we know the battles that are in front of us and we can be prepared, but there are other times when battles sneak up behind us and catch us off guard when we are weak and weary.  My battle of cancer began in January, and it was followed by many other battles throughout the year.  I was not prepared for the fight.  But, just as Moses encouraged the Children of Israel, there were those who encouraged me.  Some family and friends prepared meals for us which helped so much.  Many sent cards and others sent texts to encourage me that they were praying for me.  Because my immunity was low the doctor told me not to be around people, and it was nice when people called me on the phone to talk, or sent messages in other ways.  Many are facing battles.  Some are in storms and trials that we can’t see.  We need to be an encouragement to them.  We need to lift up our voices in prayer for others.  The battle against evil is real.  The fight is painful and we get weak and weary.  Be strong in the Lord.  Be faithful in the battle.  And be an encouragement to others.  

“8  Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
9  And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
10  So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
12  But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
13  And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
14  And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”  (Exodus 17:8-14)

9.  Compassion

One thing that I notice when reading through the gospels is how much compassion Jesus had.  “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”  (Matthew 9:36)  He had compassion on the multitudes and fed them with loaves and fish.  He had compassion on the blind and lame and healed them.  He had compassion on me, and died on the cross so that I could be saved.  As I was going through cancer, and then chemo, it gave me more compassion.  I would pray for people before, and try to encourage them, but when I experienced the sickness that came with the chemo, it touched me deeply and engraved in me a greater understanding.  Since chemo, when I hear of someone going through cancer and chemo, or some other sickness, my heart is more burdened for them.  My prayers are more earnest.  And, not that I wasn’t sincere before, but there is a greater sincerity and truth in my words of encouragement.  The Lord gave me more compassion for others.  We need compassion for those who are hurting and going through trials.  We need compassion for those who are lonely and seeking for someone to listen and be a friend.  And we need compassion for the lost.  “And of some have compassion, making a difference:  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”  (Jude 22-23)

10.  Waiting

It is hard for children to wait for Christmas.  It can be hard waiting for birthdays, and vacation time.  We look ahead to things we enjoy with eager anticipation.  During times of sickness it is hard to wait for appointments, tests and procedures, and results.  Some of the hardest waits I had experienced were in hospitals waiting for loved ones.  I waited in the hospital about 14 hours while Michael had his heart surgery three years ago.  Then, going through chemo I found out how hard the wait was, when I was the one that was waiting for help, waiting for relief from pain, waiting and praying for God to answer my prayers and give me strength.  I was thankful for every answered prayer and knew He was with me.  “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”  (Psalm 27:14)  I knew my strength came from the Lord.  “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”  (Isaiah 40:31)  And, can I say that waiting through our trials and tribulation brings patience?  “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.”  (II Thessalonians 3:5)  And the patience we learn through experience brings hope.  I learned more patience and gained more hope in the love of my Savior during the hard times I experienced.

“1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”  (Romans 5:1-5)

Now, I wait with hope, looking for the coming of my Lord.  “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”  (Titus 2:13)  “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”  (Revelations 22:20)

11.  We Walk With The Lord Day By Day

I was so glad to begin the New Testament in October.  It was good to feel like we were starting a new chapter in our year-long commitment.  A little later, as I was proofreading the book of Romans, which ended on December 1st, I wanted to rush through and get to the end of Revelation.  I had more health issues and I was weary and tired.  My mind was telling me that if I could get through the year, I could find a new beginning with the New Year.  But life isn’t like that.  There have been many wonderful days that I wished could have lasted longer, and there have been some hard days that I would have liked to skip over.  But, our life on this earth is one day at a time.  I really didn’t want to skip part of the scriptures, and I couldn’t squish them all up together, no more than I could live that way.  Jesus taught the disciples to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”  (Matthew 6:11)  Jesus is the Bread of Life, and our walk with Him is day by day.  I tried to keep in mind Psalm 118:24, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”  

12.  Overcoming Discouragement 

Many times during the year I would be in the midst of a storm and get discouraged.  Just as I would start feeling like it was getting easier, the next wave would almost knock me down.  Michael would try to encourage me and tell me to think on the good things.  That was hard for me.  I would often go to bed at night and not be able to sleep because I was thinking about my problems.  After the hospital visit with AFIB (which they told me was not caused by stress, but I believe it was), I tried to pray more, and worry less.  I tried to listen more when Michael encouraged me to move forward and not dwell on the past.  I tried to press on forward as Paul encourages in Philippians 3:13-14. “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  I tried to think on the good things and remember Philippians 4:8.  “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”  The thing that helped me most was to thank God for what He had done for me.  The more that I remembered to thank Him for, the more blessed I felt, and it took away the discouragement and sadness.  Being thankful gave me peace.  Being thankful reminded me of all my Lord had done for me, and I knew that He was faithful and would never leave me.  There were days that I still struggled, but when I remembered to thank Him, He gave me a sweet calm, even in the storms.

13.  Counting Our Days And Making Our Days Count

When I was in the hospital, before and after my cancer surgery, I counted down the days.  Sometimes we even find ourselves counting down the hours.  During chemo I had so many meds I was taking I wrote each dose on a calendar set aside for that purpose.  I had to count how many pills I took each day, and count the days that I took the chemo meds, and the days that I rested from the meds.  After my bout with AFIB I was ready to try to build strength back into my body and heart and I started counting my steps.  As I began the devotions from the New Testament I started counting books, and chapters, and days left in the year so that I would be able to finish the book of Revelation by the end of the year.  One day I was thinking about all the things I counted and I thought about Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”  I like verse 9 of that same chapter, “we spend our years as a tale that is told.”  Many Bible verses remind us how short our life on earth is.  “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.”  (Psalm 90:4)  “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”  (James 4:13-14)  We are not only to count our days, but we are also to make our days count.  We can begin by following the two greatest commandments.  “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.   And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”  (Matthew 22:37-39)  As we read and study the Bible we find more ways to make our days count, such as the ones which the Apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to the Thessalonians.  While going through storms, it can be discouraging counting the days, but when we live for the Lord it is wonderful and fulfilling to make our days count!

“16  Rejoice evermore.
17  Pray without ceasing.
18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19  Quench not the Spirit.
20  Despise not prophesyings.
21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22  Abstain from all appearance of evil.“  (I Thessalonians 5:16-22)

14.  God Gives Us A Song

Preacher Arthur F. Blackburn was my pastor through most of my teen years and I learned a lot under his preaching.  Each time I read Psalm 137 I am reminded of a sermon he preached.  We can feel the sadness of the Israelites as they were carried into captivity.

“1  By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2  We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
3  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
4  How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?”  (Psalm 137:1-4)

I enjoy singing, but sometimes I feel too burdened to sing, like I hung my song in a weeping willow.  But, God always gives me back my song.  It is such a blessing to wake in the morning with a song of praise going through my head.  Sometimes it speaks to me so wonderfully that I sing the song over and over for days. One morning I woke up singing, “Somebody Touched Me” by Savana Foust. I felt in my heart like the Lord had touched me and brought me healing.  It is a great joy when the Lord places a song in my heart.  During troubled times it may be hard to sing, and “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”  (Psalm 30:5)

“ Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.”  (Psalm 42:8)

“I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.”  (Psalm 77:6)

“O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.”  (Psalm 95:1)

“ While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.”  (Psalm 146:2)