I wasn’t going to write today. No matter how much I love to do so.
My mind and body are weary beyond measure and M.E symptoms are more manifest.
Life has been surprisingly busy over the last few days and I’m suffering accordingly.
An inevitable consequence of being adrenaline-wired after having more to do and think about lately.
I need rest from life’s busyness and I need it now. Maybe you do too?
But God… (oh how I love those life changing words!)…
God always gives us refreshment when we are weary and come to Him for refuelling.
He alone can touch soul-deep and bring the healing we need.
[bctt tweet=”God renews us as we sit in His Presence. He restores us by His grace.”]
And as I sat before Him this morning with tears of overwhelm and exhaustion running down my face, He spoke words to refresh this weary child.
My hope and prayer is that you too will be blessed in the reading of them.
Refreshing the weary
I asked the Lord for a word to refresh the weary,
a cheery thought to soothe a sinking soul and lift
it up toward the brightness of His light.
I asked the Lord for strength to write and words to share.
My heart desires so much to bless
and encourage others here.
God spoke tenderly to this oh so weary child
and reminded her that she is empty, drained and dry.
This is a time to sit, to rest, abide,
to wait, to come beside and to receive.
This is a time to pause, not press,
to relax and just believe.
I sat still before the Lord as
tears ran down my face.
He held me close and whispered of the way
He had already poured His manifest
grace into my days.
He reminded me that all givers, all those
who want to be able to spread hope
and encouragement to others,
must come often to His table
and receive their manna bread.
We can’t go on without this sustenance
or we too will grow weary in
the offering and utterance.
©JoyLenton2015
“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint” ~ Jeremiah 31:25
This is my five-minute-friday offering on the word: ‘weary’ – a word in due season for many – with fellow wordsmiths at Kate Motaung’s site. You’re very welcome to join in or just hop over here and enjoy a rich variety of reading material.
Dear readers, followers and friends, I am delighted to share some good news with you. Words of Joy has been selected as ‘Best Blog’ in the Network Norfolk Christian Digital Media Awards! Thank you all so much for your interest and involvement here. It is definitely a team effort and celebration. You refresh this weary woman’s soul more than you know. 🙂
Words of Joy 
Joy, this is beautifully refreshing! I’m impressed of where God took you in five minutes! Especially this truth: “He reminded me that all givers, all those who want to be able to spread hope and encouragement to others, must come often to His table and receive their manna bread.” Amen. I’m blessed to be following you at FMF this week. Thank you for the gift of your words. Praising God for them today. Bless you!
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Hi Julie. God gave me the poem in five minutes and the rest is a border to it. I can’t type fast at all but I can scribble pretty quickly (often illegibly) into a notepad! Thanks for stopping by and for letting me know how these words have refreshed you. I’m blessed by your visit. May you have a restful week ahead as you seek time in God’s presence.
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Oh so refreshing! Thank you for these words. They are gift to me today! I’m visiting from FMF where I’m parked in the #6 spot.
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Hi Tara. It’s always good to see you here! And even better when you can leave this place having found some soul refreshment. Bless you.
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I’m so sorry it has been too busy for you lately and you are suffering for it, Joy. But what refreshing words God gives to your heart to share with us. He truly does use you to spread hope. I am crying to the Lord this week for refueling and giving me words to write, but I feel so empty, dry, and stuck. Thank you for reminding me that God has already poured grace into our days. Blessings and hugs to you, my friend.
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Trudy, you speak such hope and encouragement to me with these words: “He truly uses you to spread hope.” That is very much my prayer and heart’s desire. I see the spreading of hope so much on your own site too. You have a real gift, a ministry to encourage others in a beautiful way. May you be refreshed and restored during this season as you seek hard after God’s heart and He pours the oil of joy into yours. Blessings and hugs to you, my friend.
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Beautiful post. So needed to hear your words today (and His last night, after He woke me up at 2.30am suggesting I read His words)…..and am so pleased for you, that you won Best Blog!!!!! So happy for you!! SO well deserved!!!!!
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Thank you so much for your kindness and sweet words of congratulations here, Helen! I’m still reeling from it all, truth be told, and trying to recover some needful energy again. I know how those late night/early morning calls from the Lord interrupt our sleep, but I’ve been learning to listen and pay them heed. The more sensitive we are to hearing from Holy Spirit, the more He can work within with our willing cooperation. Hope you can get some good rest soon, my friend. Xx
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“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint” <–YES!! Oh what a wonderful thing we have in our Lord!
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Isn’t that such a beautifully encouraging verse, Kadie? Thanks very much for stopping by. It’s lovely to meet you! Have a blessed week ahead.
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Congratulations, JOY! A well-deserved recognition, my friend! Your words whisper of calming things today. Thankful you are pausing to be filled, so that you may continue to pour out blessing here. Be well, and at peace, dear one.
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Oh thank you, June! I still shy away from the ‘deserve’ part because it’s very much God at work in and through me. But He’s teaching me to be gracious and learn how to better receive good gifts at His hands. My life has prepared me to see worth in trials during dark and challenging circumstances, so this unexpected gift of grace feels rather overwhelming. Yes, I definitely do need to pause to be filled and refuelled for the journey! As I rest in God’s presence He helps me stay at peace in the midst of this extra (exciting) busyness. Maybe it’s time to take my own God-given words here to heart?! Bless you, lovely friend. Xx
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Beautiful words Joy and what a blessing that God gave you the words so quickly. I don’t think most realize what hard and time consuming work it is to write (at least for me). God knew just what you needed.
Congratulations on winning the digital media award for your blog too!
Blessings,
Patti
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Hi Patricia. It is a huge blessing and gift of grace the way God works in and through me as a writer. He knows my weaknesses and limitations and finds ways to inspire without tiring me! If I didn’t receive words in this way then writing would be almost impossible for me. It is time consuming but also one of my greatest joys. I view it more as a ministry and opportunity to reach out to others than a burden. Thanks very much for stopping by. It’s a pleasure to see you here and receive your sweet congratulations. Blessings.
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I hope that by the time you were finished, that you found the writing of this ode to bring you refreshment and joy.
Simply looking at your first picture was a blessing! And congrats on your award. What sheer delight.
Blessings …
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Yes, in the release of writing I found some needful soul solace and refreshment. It never ceases to amaze me how God gifts us with words to share, even when we feel spent, weak and weary. And the award? Such a surprising gift of grace to me! Thank you so much for stopping by, Linda, and for your lovely comment. Blessings..
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There is such beauty in your words which reflects your heart. You share honesty with how you are feeling but you turn it all back to God. This is encouraging and uplifting because it is written from a very real place. I appreciate you and your willingness to write even when you are weary. Thank you for being faithful. Hugs!
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As people of faith, we need to be honest about our struggles, just as you are too, Mary, in your beautiful blog. But it doesn’t end with our feelings, flaws and failures. They become the starting point where grace seeps in, the cracks in our facade where God meets with us just as we are. When we turn to Him, it becomes a turning away from those things and a welcoming in of His goodness and grace, His joy and peace in the midst of our pain and problems. I appreciate so much God’s work in me and the refreshing He offers when we are weary. And I appreciate your words here, dear friend, and your sweet company on the journey! Blessings and hugs. Xx
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