Tags
dying to self, experience, faith, following Jesus, God's love, Jesus Christ, rest, the dark night of the soul, the dark night of the spirit
Gstad/Chiemsee (Upper Bavaria)
Having not much to say at the moment, I decided once again to simply publish some of my pictures and Scriptures in the hope that they might communicate that which I cannot share currently [Note: If you click on a pic, you will see it full screen].
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (Jn 12:24 ESV)
“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (Jn 12:25 ESV)
“If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also.” (Jn 12:26a ESV)
“If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” (Jn 12:26b ESV)
All images by Susanne Schuberth 2017
Entering the Promised Land 
Having a hard time to log in to comment and or like. But know that I did read and enjoy. Love you Susanne!
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Dear Stacey,
Glad you enjoyed the post! 🙂
I have had many problems with WordPress lately, too, and I cannot like other blog posts, either (not even mine, just tried it) unless I use the Reader function of WordPress. However, directly on the home page, no LIKE possible. 🙄 Some other blogging functions went down as well. Not sure what the reason is…
Love you, too, my sister! ❤
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I just tried to like as well and after making a comment I still have a hard time. But just needed you to know that you are very valued to me.
Always!!!
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Thank you, Stacey! 🙂 You are a treasure! ⭐
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Beautiful place, sis. I was recently at the mountains on a short vacation. It’s energizing to see such nice landscapes from time to time.
I hope you’ll experience resurrection soon, dearest. ❤
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Thank you so much for your encouraging words, dear Carina. ❤
You may know that the Lord spoke through you. As it is often the case, He is a man of few words. 😉
You are right about seeing these landscapes. Indeed, I took so many pictures lately that I could write countless blog posts and use these pictures to emphasize my messages. However, I have been running out of words recently, often times even completely. 😛
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Now you’ve encouraged me. ❤ To think that the Lord may still choose to use me when I feel so unspiritual is a comforting thought. The vessel is totally unglorious but God is merciful!
I totally love your pictures, so even if you write very short posts, I enjoy reading them and find them helpful. In fact, I don’t think either my mind or my heart could handle anything longer than twenty lines right now. So short sometimes is better. 😉
Love you!
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And that in return was encouraging for me, Carina! 🙂
Yup, same thing… big difficulties to read anything which is longer than one (short) paragraph. 😉
Love you, too! ❤
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There is a saying here in America, “Sometimes you feel like the windshield and some times you feel like the bug.” 🙂 Lately I have been feeling like the squashed bug on the windshield with not much life to share with anyone, so I know how it feels, Susanne. At least the fishing was good yesterday. Here is my favorite fishing passage:
When all else fails, go fishing. Thanks for sharing your life with us, Susanne. He will show up again even though we might be feeling spiritually naked for a season. I appreciate you much, dear sister. ⭐
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Michael, you wrote you had been “feeling like the squashed bug on the windshield with not much life to share with anyone…” Oh boy, I can relate so much!
Just today as Paul and I prayed again as my tooth and jaw pains tormented me while eating, I was wondering why some trials never seem to end. I do not like cooking anymore since I know eating causes me big pains. And you know, this is only one of several trials going on at the moment. But I also see that there are things that are worse than this. However, is that a real comfort to me? Or is it only HIS presence that provides all comfort we might need as I found in this reminder in one of my monthly calendars yesterday where Paul prayed,
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Rom 15:13 ESV)
…in believing… in faith…. IN Christ alone….. apart from Him we have nothing, right, my dear brother?
As for your encouraging fishing experience, it seems to me that it has to do with God’s timing. When the timing is right, all things fall into their place.
I highly appreciate you and your comments on here, Michael. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Blessings to you and yours,
Susanne
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P. S. These are great pictures you took! Thanks.
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You are very welcome, Michael. Thank you for the encouragement! 🙂
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My dear precious sister, Susanne. I got up this morning and read my daily TAS devotional and as usual it seemed to hit the nail on the head in our situations of chronic pains, people misunderstanding us and feeling like God has shut down on us and is ignoring our plight:
I wish I could encourage you more. Thanks for all you do and write for you are an encouragement to me. ⭐
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You have always been a great encouragement for me, Michael! ⭐ You are welcome as to the little I have been able to share. At the moment it is somehow ‘encouraging’ for me that we both find ourselves plunged into some strange situations of which we do not know the outcome as yet. Although I sense God has been speaking to me silently sometimes, I have been so cut off from good feelings that I can rarely smile, rather weep…. often.
As usual I read this devotional a few hours earlier than you and I was immediately reminded of some people who could not understand that I got mad at God and Jesus, not only once. Over the course of many years of being loved and chastened by God, I cannot remember how often I have been offended with one of them (with Jesus in particular). This fact has nothing to do with them doing something ‘wrong’, my anger only sprang from my old nature’s strong self-will which wants to have things done and provided its own way (without pains and numerous trials, for example).
If there is one thing I know, then it is the observation that someone who never got offended with Jesus has certainly never had an intimate relationship with Him, either. People who ‘know’ (love) Him, will get offended with His (in our view) sometimes strange ways of guiding us. If someone gets offended by preachers and pastors, they might be mad at them. If some Bible verses seem to be offensive to them, some people might throw in the towel and never read the Bible again. But we cannot do so with God Who is the Creator of everything, even of our own person! We can only let Him do His painful heart surgery and trust that He alone can give us a new heart that truly loves HIM for Who He really is, not only His blessings or what He can do for us.
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What a perfect way of putting that Michael. A squashed bug! I feel as though something is going on within me and makes me very tired. And Susanne you are not alone in your trials.
I pray for the strength to endure all things. Having to make some changes and no energy to do so. Little history fact…..I never knew what Pisgah was. See the name everywhere around here. So on my birthday 3/21, I drove to the top of Mount Pisgah, NC. I see this sign that explains that Mount Pisgah was named after Moses for the Promised Land. I do intend to go back up there, this time walking the trail a little bit.
Anyways, my thinking was that I have entered into the promised land in the physical which in turn makes me realize that my whole life has felt like an Exodus Walk. Still not done with that Walk in the physical. I pray to enter into The Promised Land.
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Indeed, we are pilgrims on this earth, dear Stacey. I can also say that I do not really feel at home here since I sense that I can neither seize hold of anyone nor possess anything I could not lose in this life. Everything we can perceive with our five senses will perish one day. Our only hope must be found in the unseen, spiritual realm. Don’t you agree?
Happy Birthday belatedly, dear sister! 🙂 Your story of Mount Pisgah was surely a BD gift from God for you! He sometimes shows us something in the physical realm which is somehow prophetic for our spiritual life. But oh, how long we often need to wait for the fulfillment of these promises!! Nonetheless, God is faithful!
I pray that prayer with you, Stacey, since I also want to enter there.
PS
I am tired and exhausted, too. Thanks for your encouraging words, Stacey! ❤
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Interesting! According to a Wikipedia article, in the Bible mount Pisgah, equivalent to mount Nebo, appears in Deuteronomy 34:1–4. This is the passage where God shows Moses the land. He’s not going to be able to enter in his lifetime, but God allows him a clear vision of the promise.
Isn’t that much like our lives? There’s lots of promises we are not quite seeing fulfilled, but still, we know “the best is yet to come”, things that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and we know “all things work out for our good”. We know that God has good plans for us, even though we experience situations where we feel like the captives in Babylon. Sometimes that hope of a brighter day is the only thing that keeps us in those dark, dark moments.
Happy birthday, Stacey! For some reason, the Lord has reminded me of Psalms 121 and 137. I hope you both will be blessed and encouraged by reading them.
The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
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Yes, Carina, Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. And we are only able to see and enter it when we we have become like little children who trust in God more than in anyone or anything else. Impossible for my old nature, I know it!
It seems to me that God speaks to us individually since I have been clinging to Psalm 91, esp. verses 4 – 12. God pointed me to this Psalm in a dream years ago and lately God spoke through Michael when He fulfilled the first part of this dream, so to speak, as our daughter was closer to suicide than ever before (cf. https://enteringthepromisedland.wordpress.com/2017/01/26/susanne-schuberths-spiritual-diary-part-4-a-dream-come-true/). Since I do not know whether Stacey has access to a Bible on her phone, I paste this Scripture here (Emphasis in italics refers to the family, not only to ourselves).
4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place — the Most High, who is my refuge —
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
It appears to me that we can trust God’s promise to not only protect us, but our family as well, as we seek our refuge in Him. In order to get there He brings us into situations where we cannot but run to Him as we realize that no human being is able to help us anymore.
Every blessing to you both, my sisters, to yours, and to Isaiah, Stacey! 🐱
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Thank you Carina! Amen and amen! We are almost home!!!!
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Even these lovely photos are not as lovely as your spirit, Susanne. By the way, I relied heavily on Ps. 91 after 9/11. Much love, A. ❤
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Oh, what a sweet and touching response, dear Anna! ❤ Thank you so much!! 🙂 Although I need to admit that I do not see myself as lovely, neither my spirit nor anything else, esp. whem I see myself in His light…. 🙄
Thanks a bunch for confirmation regarding Psalm 91! I am glad you have found its verses helpful for you in the past as well.
Much love to you, too!
Susanne ❤
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It feels so good sometimes just to reconnect again! My sister in Christ used to drill Psalm 91 into me! Until I finally got it. You are so correct Susanne! I so appreciate your words of encouragement as well. And hello to you Anna! I sense the Tabernacle upon us.
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Psalm 91 was drilled into you, Stacey? Does not sound that funny to me… 🙄
But I am glad you have been encouraged, my sister. 🙂
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