Whispers of God: Creative Lover

By Mary Lou Tutt

This book is comprised of short devotionals. taken from sermons she has written through the years. Included are Psalms and Scriptures that were helpful in her journey. There are also viignettes written by fellow Bible study students.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 5, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456760168

Mary Lou Tutt

She is an assistant pastor at Satellite Beach United Methodist Church.  She has held many positions in the church over the last nearly 30 years: choir, Director of Christian Education, Evangelism, Family Ministries, before becoming an ordained clergy person in her sixties. She is currently responsible for pastoral care formation and expedition, plus small group and Sunday School.’

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© 2011 Mary Lou Tutt. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 6/28/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4567-6016-8 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4567-6017-5 (dj)

ISBN: 978-1-4567-6018-2 (sc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011908078

Printed in the United States of America

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

DEDICATION

LENT

MEMORIES

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD

TAKING THE HIGH ROAD

THANKSGIVING

AT GROUP

SIMPLE-STUPID

GUARD YOUR HEART

THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

WOMAN YOU ARE AMAZING

YOU ARE W0MAN

WOMAN, YOU ARE LOVED

EARTHQUAKES AND TSUNAMIS

WHERE IS THE WISEMAN?

WHY DO I DO WHAT I DO?

GOD SEES EVERYTHING

HALLOWEEN

CHRISTIANS AND HALLOWEEN

WAS JESUS A LUNATIC?

ABIGAIL

A PRAYER FOR EASTER

AN AWESOME GOD

WISDOM, WHAT ABOUT IT?

Camel Evangelism

EXPERIENCES

I’M THINKING

ALLELUIA, AMEN

BABIES, CHILDREN, ETC.

DO PEOPLE SEE GOD THROUGH YOUR SMILE?

AH, THE MOON

VIOLENCE

CHRISTMAS

CAMARADERIE

DISTRACTION OR EXCUSE

EMBARRASSEMENT

EVERYDAY AND EVERYDAY

FAMILY - WONDERFUL

FIREPROOF

A PURE HEART

GOD IN THE DAILINESS

GOD IS EVERYWHERE

I’M IN A MUDDLE

IS JESUS REALLY THE ONLY WAY?

CHRIST, THE WISDOM AND POWER OF GOD

GOOD MORNING PRAYER

HANDLING LIFE

HAPPY DAYS

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

IS JESUS A LIAR?

JESUS INSTRUCTS US

LOVE COMES DOWN AT CHRISTMAS

LOVE TELLS A STORY

LOVE YOU, LORD

MERCY

NEW LIFE

PATCHES

TEARS

REALIGN YOUR PRIORITIES

REMEMBER GOD’S RESOURCES

WONDER

PSALMS, POEMS,

PRAYERS AND

WORDS FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT

PRAYER

THE LONELY ROAD

YARDSALE TREASURE

Poem by Mary Mutter

A NEW DAWN

IN MEMORIUM

A Walk to Remember

TEMPTATION

TEMPTATION, A SLIPPERY SLOPE

Philippians 4:8

THE BIRDS

THE STRENGTH OF GOD’S LOVE

TIS THE SEASON

TO LIFE

TRUST GOD’S TIMING

I WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

WHAT DOES THE WORLD SEE IN YOU?

WHAT SHOULD WE FEAR?

IS THERE A TREND?

LAUGHTER AND TEARS

LIFE SIGNS

WONDERS & FUNNY THINGS

PLEASE, WITH A SIDE ORDER OF… .

TRUST EVEN WHEN ????????

PAIN – WHERE IS GOD?

ENTITLEMENT – WHO ME?

JONAH, YOU WANT WHAT?

A NEW YEAR

UNANSWERED PRAYER?

GOD CAN TAKE IT

KEEPING IN THE PRESENCE

PICTURES OF INTIMACY

PRACTICE THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST

ARE YOU LISTENING?

DON’T WAIT UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE

ATTITUDES AND CHOICES

HEARTBEAT

JESUS AS MENTOR

CHRISTIAN RETIREMENT?

PARENT AS MENTOR – MODEL

I WONDER

THE BIG FANCY WORD – SANCTIFIED

FROM THE INSIDE OUT

HELP

REST IN HIS PEACE

UNBELIEVABLE TRUST

KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS

GOD TO THE RESCUE!

TRUSTWORTHY, ME?

MAKE US MAGNETS

THE HEART OF A SERVANT: CRAZY FOR GOD

HE CALLS US TO WORSHIP

BE TRANSFORMED

KNOW AND DO GOD’S WILL

LORD I PRAISE YOU

WHERE ARE WE?

HAGAR

WHY WAS HE BORN?

STANDING STONES

THANK YOU, LORD, FOR YOUR LOVE

ARM IN ARM

IN HIS PRESENCE, ALWAYS

JESUS AS GOD’S TRANSLATOR

WORD PICTURES

LIGHT OF OUR LIFE

LORD OF SPLENDOR

LOVE

MOTHERS

OFF THE MOUNTAIN TOP

NO PROBS IN CHRISTIAN LIFE?

PASS IT ON!

PEOPLE OF ACTION

PERSPECTIVE

PRAYER TO BE A GOOD DISCIPLE

PRAISE THE LORD

RANDOM THOUGHTS

SIGNS OF LIFE

SOMETIMES WE ARE LONELY

SPECTACULAR LORD OF ALL

THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL

THIS AND THAT

WHAT YOU GIVE TO ME

WOMAN, YOU ARE NEEDED

WOMAN, YOU ARE CREATIVE

DEDICATION

This book of devotions is dedicated to my son and daughter,

Claire Richter

Bob Tutt,

who encouraged, prodded, and loved me through the process.

All 13 pastors I have worked with over the last 30 years have been instrumental in my spiritual growth and extended their hand of fellowship:

Ken Blitch,

Bob Titus,

Dennis Redstone,

Bob Way,

Mike Shirley,

Jeff Henderson,

Walt Weber,

Mike Shirley,

Nancy Mc Coy,

Jeff Peppers,

Wayne Speakman,

Larry Cook,

Dr. Joe Jursa.

To them I give my gratitude.

Satellite United Methodist Church has been my family, accountability group; they have molded me and taught me how to live a Christian life. Thank you! Thank you!

Special thanks to my grandson Nathan Tutt who did the Creation pages. Much appreciated are the pictures supplied by Audrey Tomchik. More special thanks to Marj Green and Claire Richter for correcting my many errors. And even more special thanks to the Bible students who wrote psalms, poems, letters including my grandson Aaron Richter. They are really special, both people and the writings!

"Come Eat and Drink from God’s Word

That You May Be Refreshed."

Day1.tif

… God spoke, Light! and light appeared.

Day2.tif

… God spoke, Sky, separate water from water.

Day3.tif

God spoke, Land appear and there it was.

Day4.tif

God spoke, Swarm, ocean, with fish & sea life

Day5.tif

God created all the animals and …..

Day6.tif

God spoke, Let us make human beings

Day7.tif

The 7th day is a holy day. God rested.

Psalm 104:1-3 (NASB)

Bless the Lord, O my soul.

O Lord my God, You are very great;

You are clothed with splendor and majesty

Covering Yourself in light as with a cloak.

You stretch out the heavens like a tent curtain.

He set the beams of His upper chambers on the water

He made the clouds His chariot .He walks on the wings of the wind.

Psalm 139:1-6 (NIV)

O, Lord, You have searched me and you known me

You know when I sit and when I rise.

You perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

You are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue

You know it completely, O Lord.

You hem me in behind and before;

You have laid Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful, too lofty for me to attain.

LENT

Lord, here we are traveling thru the Lenten Season. We’re reading Your Word; we’ve put ashes on our forehead to remember our call to repentance; to remember we are mortal and our bodies return to ashes. But, You, O God, have taken the fear out of death because Jesus came to save all, but we get it by our belief in Jesus. Lord, you raise us from death to eternal life.

How can we thank you enough? We can’t, of course, but it doesn’t matter does it? Because of You, we are safe. We need You, Lord, and we praise You and we repent and we lean on You.. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we will travel through this life with Your strength.

We give You credit for our successful Spring Festival. We thank You for being with each of us as we behaved well in Christian fellowship, working united, loving one another, and letting that spill over to our community.

The weather has been pretty severe in the northland, be with those people and ease their discomfort. Spring is coming and we will soon be complaining about the heat! You are such a creative God, You have made a world of change and yet with continuous predictability. Spring comes with spring flowers, and summer, fall and winter all have their own beauty. We praise You and appreciate You, loving Lord. Amen.

MEMORIES

Lord, today I am feeling reminiscent. Nine years ago, Bob died on our anniversary and Christmas Eve. It took me nearly 3 years to do Christmas again. The memories of his smiling face as we’d decorate the tree and the house would twist my heart. Tears would well up and I did not want to hear Your words of comfort. However, eventually You did get through to me and taught me a new perspective. Memories are a gift from you to be enjoyed throughout our lives. Now when I see his smiling face, I remember how good it was. I remember the tobogganing down the neighbor’s yard, laughing and falling off, giggling like children. We would go inside and sit before a roaring fireplace and a warm drink. Such wonderful friendships we enjoyed. I remember when we had 45 at our Christmas table. Both sides of the house were there and there was much love to share. We watched our children grow up. Sometimes it was scary, but each Christmas we were glad to be together even as the numbers began to shrink.

When we put aside bad memories remembering you allowed them for a reason and season and allow you to lift our hearts with precious memories, we will shout, "We praise You, O God, and bow before Your Son singing carols with exuberance, joy to the world, the Lord is come! Thanks for the memories!

We fall at Your feet this morning asking you to protect our families far away, to show mercy to missionaries, and build up the churches that Your glory will shine to all the earth as that star did so many years ago. Amen

Psalm 9:9-10 (NCV)

The Lord defends those that suffer;

He defends them in time of trouble.

Those who know the Lord, trust Him,

because He will not leave those who come to Him.

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD

What do you worry about the most, finances, job, school, kids, weight, schedule, and everything?

Two stockbrokers were discussing their situation as a result of the stock market crash. The first said, I’ve been thinking of jumping off a bridge. The second said, I am really feeling fine. I don’t worry anymore; you see, I’ve hired a professional worrier and have turned over all my worries to him. The other broker said, Wow that really sounds great. What does someone like that cost? He costs $100,000 a year. That’s really expensive, how can you afford it? That’s his worry."

The Bible says in Proverbs that anxiety of the heart brings a man down (a woman too). In Old English, the word means chokes. This is a good description isn’t it? Chokes! Worry doesn’t work. It is like a rocking chair going back and forth and back and forth, expending a lot of energy, but going nowhere.

Did you know that only 8% of our worries are legitimate? Only 8%, what a waste! There is an antidote for worry. Read Philippians 4:6 Don’t worry about anything instead pray about everything, tell God your needs. Don’t worry pray. Read Matthew 6:11, This is how you should pray – give us today our daily bread ….

There are several ways to keep anxiety down.

Ask God for assistance TODAY! When we feel helpless, we try to control the uncontrollable and that is worry.

Request help. James 4:2 says, You do not have because you do not ask. If we prayed as much as we worry, we would have less to worry about.

A woman died and went to heaven wearing a shop til’ you drop T-shirt. She was astounded to see warehouses all over the place. Of course, she asked what was in them. There were washers, driers, houses, PCs, vacations, everything imaginable. Why are they all stored here and what is on the tags? She asked with a gleam in her eye. God said, Each of the items in the warehouse has the same tag. The woman went over and looked at one of the tags. It said, Never asked for.

How much would you have if you had only asked for it? Numbers 16:32 (GN) says, God is the source of all life.

• When I don’t know what to do, God is my wisdom.

• When I am out of energy, God is my strength.

• When I feel everything is caving in and depression overcomes me, God is my happiness.

• God is my source of hope when things appear hopeless.

• God is my source of peace.

• When I am irritated, God is my source of patience.

• When I am overwhelmed with guilt, God is the source of my salvation.

• When I feel like giving up, God is my source of encouragement.

Don’t we have a great God?

TAKING THE HIGH ROAD

Watching television this past Christmas showed me two things:

1. Advertising that was convincing us we deserved everything. Each product was a necessary part of life and anything less was unfair to us.

2. Many people bought into this notion. That could be seen in the nightly news when people were willing to kill one another for an electronic marvel or game!

Compare that to this young woman when confronted with the choice between integrity and our culture. I did a little modeling in my freshman year of college with a few of my friends. We were to model some costumes for a group of women having a costume party. I put on the first costume and showed it off. When I went to put on the second costume, I knew I could not wear it. It was inappropriate. I looked at the third and fourth and could not wear them either. I told the man in charge I couldn’t wear them and he became angry as did my friends. It was, after all, just modeling and to quit would ruin the show. I told him I knew I would be making things rough for him and apologized, but I could not wear them. I am through. That was the end of my modeling career.

Wow! I have never been in such a situation where I had to put my beliefs on the line like that! All of us face these trials perhaps in lesser ways, but nonetheless just as important so the world will see what we are made of.

Andy Stanley says we must become people of conviction not preferences in moral purity, ethics It’s only bad if you get caught, and spiritual disciplines. How many times a day do you see the word preference used to replace conviction? Being a committed, convicted Christian can be costly. How do we make it through?

Paul has some good material about spiritual warfare weapons! You might look them up. (Ephesians 6:10-18 )

Those whom the Holy Spirit of God touches and convicts regardless of station or ethnicity will find in the cross both godly wisdom and power to transform their lives.

For the journey and the battles try journaling, get a Bible, Through the Year pamphlets, the Upper Room to name a few. Do Something, something for God.

Psalm 18:1-3 (NCV)

I love You, Lord, You are my strength.

The Lord is my rock, my protection, my Savior.

My God is my rock.

I can run to him for safety.

He is my shield and my saving strength, my defender.

I will call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,

and I will be saved from my enemies.

THANKSGIVING

Sick, sick, sick, I don’t do sick very well do I, Lord? It was over two weeks and two Sundays. I was not in church for two Sundays. television evangelists don’t do the trick. Just reading the Bible and studying doesn’t do the trick either. Not that that isn’t good; it just isn’t good enough. Standing in the congregation and worshipping with the saints is what fills my heart and soul. With the psalmist, I say, One day in Your courts is worth more than a thousand elsewhere! (Psalm 84:10)

You know all those people who brought me flowers, food, and prayers? Bless them with Your mighty power and grace as they blessed me. They brought me such goodness and with You, recovery. My heart is full of Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving for You and Thanksgiving for the people of the church!

Speaking of Thanksgiving, that special day when we remember all our blessings, take us on a little trip through our lives, showing us how You have been with us throughout our lives blessing us, walking close to us, carrying us, our children and other family members; even those who are testy and on and on it goes, you and us, together. Thanks seems so little to give in return, so inspire us to use what we have to honor You, to glorify You and to be a blessing. Thanks be to God!

All around our Melbourne area are people who will have a hard time over this holiday. Times are tough and the weather is cold. Families are separated by time and distance. Put into our minds people to whom we might bring comfort. Not just material things, although that is important, but love and our presence. Whom would You have us invite to