The NorMel House

I'm broken. My body is broken. My mind is broken. And my heart's been broken many times. Sometimes my brokenness is obvious. Sometimes its only obvious to the people closest to me. Sometimes I hide my brokenness from everyone and pretend I'm fixed. It doesn't work. I'm still broken. In truth, we all are. Some are obviously broken by cancer or disease or illness. Some are broken by alcoholism or addictions. Some think they're not broken but their brokenness comes out in gossip, slander, lies, pride or deceit. We're all broken. We live in a broken world and not one of us escapes it. But don't give up. If you take anything from me let it be this: though we broke our relationship with God He didn't break His promise to us. He sent His only Son to die for us that our brokenness will one day be fixed; our wounds will one day be healed; our tears turned into joy. Give your brokenness to Him and trust in His saving grace and almighty power. I look fo...

Reading : James 4:4           You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.           Romans 12:17-21           Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this , you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.           It seems that these two scripture passages conflict with one anothe...

#2 Friendship With Christ Read :      John 15:9-17          As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you what you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. ...

     What a beautiful thing friendship can be. We all experience friendship through out our lives and can relate to it. Have you ever considered your relationship with God to be a friendship? God has things to tell us about friendship in His word. We can use His amazing wisdom to make our friendships good and long lasting ones.  I'll be working through a 5-part devotional series on friendships my wonderful mother wrote (and passing on my two cents as well); hope you enjoy this series! Friendship with God Read :      Exodus 33: 7, 9-11           Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch is outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting”. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshipped eac...

 “Be Still and Know That I am God” Read:        Psalm 46             God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the most high dwells. God is within her, she will not fail; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts up his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields wit fire. “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted...