NorMel House Devotions

  How easy it is to see our own knots and messes and think others have it perfect. We all have something going on in our lives, noone is perfect. And yet we tend to think others have it so much easier or better. I love analogies like this, they give such a visual picture of things in our lives. I know I am definitely like the back of that embroidery, but because of Christ Jesus God sees the beautiful picture on the front; oh how blessed I am! From the Mel in The NorMel House  Life is easier when you can change your perspective to see the beautiful picture God creates.

"The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat." Mark 6:30‭-‬31 ESV God is omnipotent and yet He still cares for all our needs. I cannot grasp how omnipotent and powerful God is.  He intimately knows every single person, throughout all times, at every moment.  Not just your thoughts or your soul, but every hair, every freckle, every part of you! He knows every beat of your heart,  every teardrop you cry,  every single breath you take. There's not a single part of you He doesn't know. There's not a thing about you that He doesn't take care for. He wisely created us with bodies that tell us things constantly, to help us take care for our bodies too. Jesus told the disciples to rest and take time for to take care of themselves. Its easy to brush aside your own bodily needs when th...

 Have you ever gone through something and felt alone?  Maybe you lost a loved one, or had a serious illness. Maybe you live with chronic pain, or had a battle with cancer. Whatever it is that you have gone through, you may have felt that no one could possibly understand how hard it was or how broken you felt. I know I have. I've felt the crushing weight of grief, I've been misunderstood and felt the judgements of others, I've sat alone pouring my soul out to our Saviour. I felt alone. I didn't think anyone could possibly understand how it felt, but I was wrong. We only have to open our Bible to see how we are never alone! Our Saviour's love is so great and our God is so powerful that He is with us at all times! But that's not all! All throughout scripture we are told that God is not only with us, but He hears us, He heals us and He understands our pain. Zephaniah 3:17 He is in our midst! Psalm 56:8 He cares so much He even counts our tears! Psalm 18:6 He hears o...

 Ever had a best friend that just gets you. Someone you tell anything and everything because you can trust them. The kind of friend you can always depend upon. The problem is, we're just humans. We make mistakes, screw up and hurt the people we love. The truth is, there's only one perfect friend. He's the only one that loves with perfect love. He wants us to come to Him with everything, He wants us to trust in Him. Pour out your heart to the one who is our Refuge the only one we can truly trust; our Heavenly Father hears you and loves you. No matter what's going on in your life or happening in this world you can find true comfort in Him alone. Selah. Mel of the NorMel House. Reminding myself once again to put my trust in our perfect friend, our Refuge and our God.

 A year ago my sister told the family that she was expecting. Almost 9 weeks! Which put her 9 weeks behind my pregnancy with Izzy. Most people would be so excited by this but my reality tends to differ from most. Instead of excitement I was struck with a heartbreaking thought. I was going to lose my child and watch hers grow up instead. I'd see her child taking its first steps, hear it say its first words and watch it grow healthy and strong. It was at that moment that the tiny flicker of hope, I'd just started having, died.  I cried. I cried for the child in my womb. I cried for her eight siblings that have gone to heaven before her. I cried for myself. For all the firsts I'll never see. For all the little hands I never got to hold. And I cried for all the firsts I had that I'd never wish on anyone. I dont know why I knew I was going to lose this child too, but I did. In bitterness I thought it would probably happen on the anniversary of Denver's death. It was clos...

Reading the book Unshakable Hope by Max Lucado and in the back there are study questions, one which asked "Which of these (God's) promises could combat the problem you're pondering today?" It led me to look up Rev 21:4 ("He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”) as this is one of God's promises that I cling to the most. I then wanted to look up the reference texts as I thought it was a quote from a different part of the Bible. I ended up looking up Isaiah 65:19, 20 and came across something I dont remember ever reading before and I just bawled. "I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress. No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred y...

  I love flowers. My body doesn't, but my brain and heart sure do. They remind me of so many things.  There is beauty in this world; God's creation is filled with beautiful things despite all the ugliness we've brought to the world.  God is the author of life. He gives life to all things and sustains it despite our neglect.  God is faithful; year after year I see the delicate beauty in the flowers that keep coming back. These tiny little flowers may seem delicate but God gives them all they need to get through the harsh seasons. So even though they make me sick lol I'm thankful for them. Mel of the NorMel House