My Favorite Place

February 9th, 2012 dsisler

Do you have a favorite spot or location? One that warms your heart the moment you arrive? I have several “favorite” spots. So I guess I really don’t have a favorite! My newest favorite place is my new office. Within its walls, I am made comfortable by the décor, the paint colors, and the little items that make this room uniquely mine.

I painted a silhouette of a tree on one wall. I chose the color “chocolate brownie.” The gentleman who mixed the paint for me chuckled. He said he would be hungry for brownies all the time if he knew that was the name of the color. Well, that got me thinking! I began a search for a chocolate scented candle. It was actually more difficult than I would have thought, but finally, I found my candle and now the pleasant smell of brownies fills the air.
The sounds of my favorite artists fill the room with music. Depending upon my mood, gospel, pop, swing, classic country, contemporary praise, Christmas, or instrumental music can be heard. Each tune brings to mind something different. Perhaps a moment in time or a person.  Maybe a reminder to be thankful or get up and dance! Sometimes after several runs through an album, I’ll remember to switch it to something new. Regardless, the music that plays is inspirational for me.
I have a lovely ceiling fan with a light. It is pretty and functional. When it is turned on, the bulbs shed light on the work I do and the fan gives a breeze that could almost be called “hurricainal.” I know that isn’t a word, but this little fan can sure move some air! I have a desk lamp as well for when I’m reading my Bible or working on Bible studies. It too provides the light needed for all tasks at my desk.
Throughout my house, you’ll find joy. Not my granddaughter (well maybe on certain days you’ll find her here), but the word “joy.”I’ve lost count of the actual number of plaques, pictures, artwork, etc. with that on it, but each room has something with joy on it. My office is no different. Joy can be found in prominent places and there is even one that you’d need to search for. My coffee coaster has red poppies on it. In making Ukrainian Eggs, the red poppy is a symbol for joy. Joy abounds here!
Among the items on the walls are verses of Scripture that are meaningful to me. They are words directly from God for me to remember. “For the Lord is good. His love endures forever.” (Psalm 100:5) “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 40:10) “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”(Philippians 4:13)
As I sit at my desk the verse that I see directly in front of me is “Show me your ways, O Lord. Guide me in your truth and teach me.” (Psalm 25:4-5)For me, this is what it’s all about. As I study God’s Word, prepare to lead women in Bible study, or write, I’m always open to His teachings and guidance. I’m always searching for His truth.
In several ways, my office reminds me of heaven. It is a welcoming place. A comfortable place. And the reason? God has invited us. Invited us to join Him for eternity. It is where He dwells. And He has done His best work there.
  • God’s chosen décor for heaven is gems, pearls, and gold.
  • There is a tree…the tree of life.
  • Perhaps there will be glorious scents…we are invited to the wedding feast after all.
  • And music? Of course! Thousands and thousands of angels singing, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”(Revelation 5:13)
  • There will be no need of a light or a lamp, for God Himself will provide the Light.
  • And yes, there will even be joy! We will join with the angels in joyful assembly.
  • God’s Word will be there as well. Just as He spoke in the beginning, He will speak throughout eternity.
My office…a little bit like heaven. I will never sit here again without thinking of my future home. One that God has prepared for you and me. Come and join me in that ultimate “favorite” place. God will be waiting!
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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That Could Have Been a Bad Day!

February 8th, 2012 dsisler
The sun was shining brightly. The warmth of the sun could be felt on my skin. Not a cloud in the sky and, the sky? Of course it was a deep sky blue that we are so accustomed to. There was a slight breeze, just enough to give the flag a bit of a wave.  It was the perfect day on the Colorado prairie to take the convertible out for a spin with the top down.
And that is just what my husband and I did. We weren’t going anywhere in particular, simply enjoying the ride and the beauty of the Colorado Rockies. Not long into our drive, we approached a pick-up truck, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Then it happened. Out of nowhere, a door, yes a door, was sailing through the air directly toward us. Slow motion kicked in. It was almost as if the door was hovering. My husband who was driving had to make an instant decision. Speed up, stop, slow down, or continue on at the current speed. Which action would keep us from being hit by this runaway door?
As a NASCAR fan, I know the usual action when a driver is facing an accident. The general rule is to head straight for the wreck. Chances are very good that by the time the driver reaches that point, the cars involved in the accident will have already moved to a new location. I’m not sure what my husband was thinking at that moment, but he made the decision instantly. He didn’t swerve, he didn’t hesitate, he continued on without any change in our speed and we did not get hit by that flying door. I remember watching the door as it floated directly above our heads. Then as quickly as it came, it was gone. We both breathed a sigh of relief and my husband quipped, “That could have been a bad day!”
My husband’s decision to continue at the same speed and in the direction we were headed proved to be the best decision. He chose the steadfast route. The one that would keep us safe through that frightening experience. There is a lot to be said for being steadfast. Sticking to what you are doing and heading in your intended direction. Of course you have to know where you’re headed in order to be steadfast.
How can we be steadfast in our daily walk?
Ask for God’s help! Psalm 51:10 gives us David’s prayer. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” David realized that a steadfast spirit would wane with the situations of life and that only God could restore it within him.
Know that God will come to your aid. 1 Peter 5:10 says, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.” What a blessing to be able to approach God’s throne with this request.
What are the results of being steadfast? Psalm 112:6-8 assures us, “Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.”
Are you catching some of these phrases? “renew a steadfast spirit,” “restore and make you strong, firm, and steadfast,” “no fear of bad news,” “his heart is secure,” “trust,” “look in triumph on his foes.” What promises! And God can make these promises because He is steadfast in all His ways.
Psalm 111:7-8 tells us that our God is steadfast.“The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are steadfast forever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness.” I don’t know about you, but that spurs me on to “hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful!” (Hebrews 10:23)
By staying the course, sticking to the narrow path, we know we are heading in the right direction. I pray that these words would resonate in your mind when you are tempted to get off track. “That could have been a bad day!”
“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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Ironing Sheets

February 7th, 2012 dsisler

Ironing sheets is not common practice among folks today. However, in my grandmother’s era, sheets were ironed regularly. With the invention of permanent press, life became easier for the homemaker…all homemaker’s except my Grandmother. She continued to iron every sheet she put on a bed. Most thought it was a waste of time, but as my time with Grandma drew to a close, I understood how ironing sheets was a time of reflection and was even therapeutic. I was fortunate to be able to spend two weeks with Grandma just before she died. Each night as I crawled into the guest bed, I felt as if I were in another world. The sheets were crisp and inviting. I felt so special each evening because I knew Grandma had ironed those sheets.
As Grandma slept in her hospital bed at home, we felt it was important that Grandma always have ironed sheets. I ironed many sheets in those two weeks. At first I laughed with Grandma about wishing I had seen her “trick” for ironing a fitted sheet, but then it became an experience in which I could connect to Grandma’s life and world.
One evening, as Grandma, her three adult children and their spouses laughed and talked of memories, I was busy ironing sheets. I was thankful for the laughter; for I knew there wouldn’t be many more opportunities such as this. Then I began to drift off to Grandma’s life as she was ironing sheets. I wondered if she thought about her children during those times. Did she worry about where they were? Were they safe? Were they in trouble? I wondered if she thought about Grandpa while she ironed. He worked away from home early in their marriage and it had to have been a burden on her. Was he safe as he traveled? Did she wonder what he was doing so far away? Did he miss her as much as she missed him? I wondered if she spent time thinking about her own life. Was she living the life Jesus would have her live? Was she the best wife and mother she could be?
And as these thoughts spun in my mind, I realized how relevant each question was to my own life. How are my children? Do they need more of me? Do they need less of me? Are they really safe? Are they happy? Thoughts of my husband came to mind. He was 1,300 miles away…was he safe? Did he miss me as much as I missed him? And then my thoughts turned to me. Was I living the life that Jesus would have me live? Was I the best mother and wife that I could be? I felt too inadequate in comparison to Grandma. But I also knew that her example had been part of my life for 43 years and all I needed to do was search Grandma’s life for that example.
Ironing sheets has become part of my life now. I want each person that spends a night in one our beds to feel as special as I felt as I lay in Grandma’s guest bed. I also use that time to reflect on my life and remember my connection to Grandma. Ironing sheets may not be the most important thing that I do today, but it will keep Grandma closer to me.
It was so appropriate that Proverbs 31 was read at Grandma’s funeral. She fit the description closer than any person I’ve ever known. How I pray that can be said of me when my life has ended. Grandma’s life was inspiring. I strive each day to follow her example, for I know that Jesus was the center of her world. He was the light that guided her footsteps.
                                                                                
I wrote this story several years ago…it was the first attempt at writing a devotional and after several submissions and rejections, I quit writing for some time. I kept it just as it was when I wrote it in 2003.
I don’t iron sheets any more. Life has a way of keeping us from the things we want to do. But I still reflect on my life and how every day, ordinary circumstances and events can bring me right back to reflection. I pray that you find your own times of reflection and can say with me, that Jesus is the Center of your world and the Light that guides my footsteps.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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Or Something

February 6th, 2012 dsisler

Our granddaughter, Joy, is 5 years old. When she was around 2 ½, she was learning new vocabulary words and had learned to imitate those who were around her the most. When children repeat phrases, it’s easy to see how important it is that we watch our language, not just for inappropriate words, but for annoying phrases that we speak out of habit.
She had a slight cold around that same time. Her nose had been dripping all day long. We tried to get to her with a tissue to wipe her nose as needed, but most of the time she beat us to it with the back of her hand. Over and over we’d let her know that she needed to use a tissue. Our words never quite reached her little mind.
Then it happened. We were sitting at the dinner table and she said, “I think I need to blow my nose or something.” Or something? The phrase “or something” added to her statement really was quite comical. We laughed and thought she was very cute and so grown up. We wiped her nose with a tissue.
I can’t imagine how many times she had heard the phrase “or something” before speaking it herself. We then noticed how much that phrase was part of our vocabulary. The first time I was aware that I had said it, I laughed, realizing I had been an influence on her and that she was imitating what she was hearing. After a while, however, I understood that it was annoying. I worked to cut that phrase out of my vocabulary.
Joy knew she needed something. She even knew what “it” was that she needed. She wasn’t sure, however, that she was ready to yield to the one thing that would be best for her.
We are so much like Joy. We know we need something. We even know what that “something” is, but we want to hold out for other options. Perhaps even thinking they are better options. Satan keeps our minds going back to what we once held dear in our old way of thinking and we begin hearing ourselves say, “I think I need to spend some quality time in God’s Word…or something else.” “I think I need to go to church…or something else.” You see it’s very easy for us to justify our actions and thoughts once we allow those “somethings” to creep into our lives.
“Somethings”
God wants more for us, however. He wants us to have what’s best for us. And He has planned something better for us! “God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:40 NIV)
This is the final verse of the “faith” chapter in Hebrews. In the verses prior to verse 40, there are listed a group of people who had been faithful to God. “They were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.” (v. 39) They weren’t privy to the “something better” God had planned. We, however, have that “something better” available to us. Jesus Christ was and is that plan. And He wants to be all of our “somethings.” We can be made perfect, but only together with Him.
“Satisfy”
When we are looking for that “something,” we are really looking for “something” that will satisfy us. He wants to supply and satisfy every need that drives us. “The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”(Isaiah 58:11 NIV)
The word satisfy means “to fulfill the desires, expectations, needs, or demands; or give full contentment to.” Full contentment. When Isaiah wrote these words, he offered the idea that Jerusalem was like a garden without water. They had turned from their water source and Isaiah lets them know that if they were willing to turn from their former way of life, they would be like a well-watered garden. The “something” that God’s people were looking for was God. The “something” that would satisfy them was God. He was their water source. For us, Jesus offers living water. Living water that revives, refreshes, and satisfies. Living water that “wells up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)
We can only have full contentment and satisfaction in Jesus Christ. He will satisfy your needs. He’s just waiting for you to say, “I think I need God to fill me with…something.” He is that “something!”
“Everything”
When we come to the place that Jesus is that “something” in our lives, He then wants to give us “everything” we need. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3 NIV)
God has made available to us all that we need spiritually through our knowledge of him. “Everything” we need for life and godliness. Life that can be lived abundantly through Jesus. Jesus said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10b NLT) The Amplified version says it this way, “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”
The next time you hear the phrase, “or something,” you’ll be reminded who your something and everything is. Be reminded that you can have a full, rich life because of Jesus. He is all of that. That is His desire. He wants to be our “somethings” and our “everythings.” You don’t have to wonder if He can be these things for you. You simply need to ask Him to be your “somethings” and “everythings.” Oh, what a satisfying life is available to those who seek Him.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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99 Seconds with Michael

February 5th, 2012 dsisler

As a NASCAR fan, it was thrilling to find out that one lucky fan was going to be chosen to have a 99 second conversation with my favorite NASCAR driver, Michael Waltrip. My mind began to wonder about what I might talk to Michael about. 99 seconds isn’t a long time and if I were to win, I was worried that I’d ramble and miss the opportunity to have a real conversation with him. My decision was that I’d introduce myself and tell him why I was his fan and let him know what a privilege it was to be talking to him. Then I’d let him talk. He is so witty and his southern drawl is a pleasure to listen to. I knew it would go quickly, so I’d make the most of the time and simply enjoy the moment.
I didn’t win that contest and was saddened that I wouldn’t be able to have a conversation with him, but in the whole scheme of things, it really is okay. I’ve been able to enjoy Michael on many occasions in his role as a NASCAR driver, owner, and commentator. I’ve been able to go to a few races at Daytona International Speedway and enjoy the thrill of seeing my favorite driver win a race. My dream of speaking with him directly will probably never come true, but there was an opportunity and I certainly did my best to make it happen.
99 seconds. That hardly seems like any time at all. What if I only had 99 seconds to speak to my husband or my children or to God? What meaningful conversation could be had in that short time? We know that it would be impossible for anything to really come of a 99 second conversation. We’d never have the opportunity to share in deep, meaningful dialogue. We’d never have a chance to give friendship to the lonely, comfort to the grieving, and love to the untrusting. It might even be a challenge to sum up God’s grace and forgiveness in 99 seconds!
So why is it that that is exactly what we do with God? Quickie prayers, maybe lasting 99 seconds. And what do those prayers consist of? Probably requests that we’d like answered. And probably one-sided. Our side. I don’t know about you, but my desire is to have meaningful conversations with my God. Conversations where I can praise Him for who He is and for what He has done in my life. A channel of communication where I can tell Him all of my worries and troubles. A dialogue where He can assure me that everything will be alright because He is with me.
I’ve come up with my own acronym for prayer. You’ve seen them out there, but I wanted one that would fit into this writing. WORTH. What is our time with God worth? How can I make this time with Him meaningful? By following this plan, you’ll spend quality time with God and enjoy the blessings.
W – worship God for who He is and what He’s done in your life
O – observe what God is teaching you in the moment
R – repent of the times you’ve ignored God or spent little time with Him
T – tell Him what is on your mind…share your requests
H – humble yourself to His leading
My dear friend, God desires a real relationship with you. His desire is for you to approach His Throne, sit a while, and have a chat. A meaningful conversation. Don’t rush it. He has all the time in the world for you!
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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  • About Me

  • "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19

  • I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in Jacksonville, Florida.

  • I am passionate about helping women find their way to Jesus through Bible study, teaching, speaking, inspirational writing and creative Bible journaling.

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