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Hearing God speak one Bible verse at a time.

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The Incredible Handmade You

January 9, 2018 By Sandra Sheridan Leave a Comment

Photo by Catherine Meekins

Psalm 139:13-14 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (NIV)

We live in an age of mass production. Just about anything you find on the shelves of a store has been through an assembly line in one way or another. Products are pumped through factories at incredible speeds in order to reach the paying customers faster and make the supplier more money. That’s why when you come upon something handmade it is so special!

In the past few weeks the temperature in Ohio has dropped into the single and negative digits. Some have found this frigid weather frustrating, but in our family this is when we hunker down in front of the fire and pull out our cold weather projects. Yes, just about everyone in our family knows and enjoys the art of knitting. I have fond memories of when you children were little sitting in a circle in the living room each with needles and a colorful ball of yarn in hand. I am not sure how many dishcloths, hats, scarves, and even mittens have been created on those cold days. So when the thermometer dipped a couple weeks ago Nathan, Abigail, and I found ourselves pulling out the supplies and going at our new projects with a vengeance.

As I have been steadily working on my new hat pattern a thought occurred to me. Knitting is one of the few crafts that requires a person to touch every stitch of the creation. In sewing you cut the material and sew around the edges, but in knitting you insert the needle, wrap the yarn, bring it around, and slip it over for each and every stitch. Your fingers are involved in forming every part of the final product.

What a wonderful example of how God lovingly created us. Psalm 139 says that God knitted us together in our mother’s womb. We were not all mass manufactured, but instead the God of the universe touched every inch of our frame, inside and out. We are unique in our looks, personalities, likes, dislikes, abilities, and more. Each one formed, stitch by stitch, with patience and love.

Not only that, but our heavenly Father created us with a plan in mind. Ephesians 2:10 says we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which were planned out before our birth. The master knitter had the perfect pattern for each person and brought us into being with all wisdom and skill, one stitch at a time.

When you look around at the masses of people populating the earth and are tempted to feel small and insignificant, take another look in the mirror. You are one in a million created for good works in Christ Jesus because you are not part of a mass production. You have been incredibly handmade, stitch on stitch, by the greatest knitter of all time. His product? The incredible handmade you!

Love,

Mama

Learning from the Woodpecker

June 22, 2016 By Sandra Sheridan 1 Comment

Ephesians 2:10 “For God has made us what we are, created in Christ Jesus to do those good deeds which he planned for us to do.” (Phillips translation)

woodpecker-wallpaper-3The air was damp and sticky as I began the final stretch of my early morning walk. The warmth of the bedroom had wakened me in the wee hours, and after tossing and turning for what seemed like an eternity, I had ventured out to greet the day. Lost in thought I rounded the curve and headed back towards the house. Suddenly, a rapid, hollow tapping broke the stillness of the morning. The sound reverberated through the air like a popgun firing in close proximity.

Jarred from my reverie, I searched the surrounding area for the origin of the sound. Finally I saw him. Perched near the top of a tall telephone pole clung the tiniest woodpecker. He was banging his beak against the wood in search of his breakfast. I could hardly believe the powerful sound that his diligent pecking made.

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Look closely and you can see the tiniest of woodpeckers near the top of the pole.

God made these tiny birds with adaptations for their drumming. Their brain is small and tightly encased in an extremely strong skull made of sponge-like bone to protect them from brain damage. Their eyes contain a thick membrane that creates a cover as they strike to eliminate injury from flying debris. Their feet are strong and their bills sharp with a sticky tongue for grabbing moving insects. He created them and equipped them to do exactly what He planned. And even though they are small, the sound of their tapping fills the air.

Just recently I was reading about Charles H. Spurgeon, a famous preacher from the 1800s. God used this man to reach many for Christ before the days of television, internet, and radio. One day he preached a message on heaven and hell to an audience of 12,000 seated in an open field. Can you imagine how loud his voice must have been to reach that many people without an electric sound system? God adapted this godly man to the ministry he had for him and the settings in which he would preach. Though just one small man amongst thousands, like the woodpecker his voice boomed out, reaching many with the gospel.

You have also been equipped for a special service. God has made you exactly as He desired so that you can fulfill His plans. Maybe you have physical characteristics that will allow you to fit into a foreign culture where you can share the gospel message. Maybe you have a tender heart that can patiently work with children or the elderly. Maybe you have a booming voice that will captivate large crowds.

Do not look at others and consider yourself insignificant. Even the tiny woodpecker on top of a tall telephone pole can startle a passerby on an early summer morning. Allow God full control of your life and His message will sound forth from you to reach your world.

Love,

Mama

I’m Sandy! Welcome to Verses From  Mama. Follow me to read letters I write to my children. Hear God speak in the daily walk of life – one Bible verse at a time.

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THE SHERIDAN FAMILY

Psalm 127:3 "Children are a gift of the Lord."

Sheridan Farm House

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Joshua 24:15b "...but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

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Psalm 113:3 "From the rising of the sun to its setting, let the name of Yahweh be blessed."
Psalm 113:3 "From the rising of the sun to its setting, let the name of Yahweh be blessed."
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