Livin' Hope for Every Life and Spiritual Season ~ Inspirations and Devotional: Live Hopefully, Joyfully Through Every Season of Life: Volume 1

By Linda G Ramsey

Every person has spiritual life seasons!

We all face different natural and spiritual seasons in our lives, some uplifting, some challenging, and some life changing. Through these seasons, we find ourselves in different mental and emotional states of mind or physical wellness. Trust God with your whole life in every natural and spiritual season to increase your hope and give you the radical strength, exceptional confidence, and crazy joy to outlast your circumstances!
It is my prayer that the inspirations and devotionals of this book will encourage and inspire you to pursue the gift of life and eternal life that God has promised and called you into—peace, prosperity, abundance, health, and wholeness in Christ Jesus, hopefully and joyfully! No matter your state of existence in all seasons, you are never alone. God’s grace and mercy are with you as constant companions. My prayer for you is that you have enduring faith and increased desire with the purpose toward a fulfilling and more rewarding life in your higher calling in Christ Jesus.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886857184

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Livin' Hope for Every Life and Spiritual Season ~ Inspirations and Devotional

Live Hopefully, Joyfully Through Every Season of Life: Volume 1

Linda G Ramsey

ISBN 979-8-88685-717-7 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88832-276-5 (hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-88685-718-4 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Linda G Ramsey

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

(Unless otherwise specified, all scripture references are taken from New King James Version: Bible Gateway Online Bible 2020. Other scripture references are taken from New Spirit Filled Life Bible New King James Version 1982; and King James Version Large Print Compact Bible 2000)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

In loving memory to my maternal grandmother, the late Mary Bell Daniel Thornton; my mother, the late Barbara L. Thornton Ramsey, pastor/evangelist; my son, the late Terry B. Smith Jr.; and to my nieces, the late Dieon and ShaQuira McMullin. Few people have had the impact on my life that these beloved ones have had.

My mom and son never failed to demonstrate their unconditional love and support for me as I pursued my personal ambitions and career obligations. Through the years, as I traveled for work, I'd often be gone overnight or even longer. The two of them always had an expression of their love for me to share—simple words like, I miss you, or Let me pray for you, which meant so much and inspired me to hurry home.

Much of the literary work in this book carries the influence of my life experiences with and without them. I have a living hope of seeing all my loved ones again when we meet Christ Jesus at the great banquet of all saints. How we will rejoice in our family reunion! Until then, my loves.

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Winter (Testing) Season

Winter Freeze

Heaven

Memories of You

Daddy's Home

Obedient Response

Overcome

The Witnesses

Adversities Come

Dad's Life between 14 and 27

I Met a Man

Beloved Wife and Mother

I Met a Lady Yesterday

Not Perfect, Just Purposed

The Great Shifting

The Fullness of Time

Letter to My Beloved Son

Why Do You Doubt? He Is Faithful

You Can't Touch This

Farewell, Farewell, Fare-Thee-Well

Midnight

Blinded by Deception

Release

Contemplation

Spring (New Beginnings) Season

Spring Flowers and Showers

Fruitopia

Boy-Friends

Girl-Friends

Welcome and Occasion

Seven Cs

She Soars

Joyful

The Sun and the Son of God

Livin' Hope

I Am Influence

Praise Him

The Light

The Fountain

Strong Prayer, Strong Faith

The 4 Ps of Christianity

The Refreshing Bay

The Gardens

The ABCs of My Characteristics

Shine

Siblings

Karson, Lively and Loving

Summer (Sowing and Planting) Season

Summer Cheer and Treasures

Single Mom

Single Dad

Breathe on Me

Life Within and Without

Go Fish

Truth Holds

Not Enough

Whose Business Is It Anyway?

Self-Positive Affirmation

God's Timing, Perfect Every Time

I Gave God a Deadline, What Did He Do?

What Is Your Life Source?

Power Lifts

Tiles and Smiles

This Is Our Family

Rebellious Spirit

The Living Dead

Humility

Superstitions

Bird's Songs

Justice

Fall (Harvest) Season

Autumn Breeze

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Freedom

Moonlight of Fate

The Bliss of Intimacy

Someday

Rain

Faith

Encourage Yourself

Forgiving and Forgetting

Grow and Glow

Bridges and Fences

I Got My Joy Back

The World Turns

Soulest Food for the Journey

Wheat and Tares

Fully Loaded and Lightweight

Gentle Breeze

Right-Sized

Vindicated

Due (Jubilee) Season

In Due Season

I Am Man

I Am Woman

Little Boy

Little Girl

Created Like Me

A Girl Is Every Woman

Paid in Full

The Servant

The Linen Cloths

Open Doors, Closed Doors

Manifest Favor

Breakouts and Breakthroughs

Weight and Strength Training

The Virtuous Woman Essence

Dance with Me

Waiting

Beloved Husband and Father

Closeness

Laboring for Love

Epilogue

About the Author

In loving memory to my maternal grandmother, the late Mary Bell Daniel Thornton; my mother, the late Barbara L. Thornton Ramsey, pastor/evangelist; my son, the late Terry B. Smith Jr.; and to my nieces, the late Dieon and ShaQuira McMullin. Few people have had the impact on my life that these beloved ones have had.

My mom and son never failed to demonstrate their unconditional love and support for me as I pursued my personal ambitions and career obligations. Through the years, as I traveled for work, I'd often be gone overnight or even longer. The two of them always had an expression of their love for me to share—simple words like, I miss you, or Let me pray for you, which meant so much and inspired me to hurry home.

Much of the literary work in this book carries the influence of my life experiences with and without them. I have a living hope of seeing all my loved ones again when we meet Christ Jesus at the great banquet of all saints. How we will rejoice in our family reunion! Until then, my loves.

Preface

Our physical bodies exist in a natural world created by God, our supernatural designer. By His design, we experience each season of the earth in the course of twelve months: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Each season has unique characteristics. Each has a different feel, a distinct way of entering and exiting this natural world.

Similarly, our mental and emotional states ebb and flow, and we often describe them in terms of the seasons. Even Shakespeare noted in his popular play Richard III, Now is the winter of our discontent/Made glorious summer by this son of York. We're reminded of the great vision and value that God placed on mankind, His creation, in 1 Peter 2:5 (NSFLBNKJV), You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Winter brings cold, frost, snow, and sunshine which appears almost too bright at times. In winter, we celebrate Christ's birth and the fresh start of a new year. Spring brings warmth, new birth, new shoots of grass; blooming flowers and trees emerge as we experience a renewed sense of joy and hope for our futures.

Summer, or the middle season, is full of exploration, adventures, vacations, weddings, and looking forward to cooler weather. Fall brings cooler temperatures and a briskness with colorful foliage and scenic views across valleys, mountains, hills, plains, and flatlands. Like the animals, we enjoy our harvest with tremendous gratitude and begin to hunker down as the weather shifts back to winter, bringing everything full circle.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to family members and friends for their willingness to review content, provide feedback, and offer topical suggestions for this book. I am also grateful for the talented professionals who helped to edit the content and provide the cover and artwork designs to make this book a realization:

Tiffany Anderson, Editor, Tiffany Writes, LLC

Amy Benton Garvey, Editor, AG Copywrite

Grethe Rosseaux, Illustrator/Photographer, Grethe Photo

Introduction

As spiritual beings, we have seasons in our lives, mirroring the natural seasons of the year: winter, spring, summer, and fall. We can reflect on our spiritual experiences through these seasons and one other, which we will refer to as due season. 1 Peter 5:6–7 reminds us, Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

In Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, we learn that,

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

God is orderly and precise in His design for our lives. While we may sometimes find ourselves on display with what seems dismal outcomes in man's eyes, it's all working for our good and in our favor as God prepares us for our next blessing and our spiritual makeover. We will not completely understand God's mysteries in this life, so we must have faith and trust in this gifted relationship with Jesus Christ.

God, in His infinite wisdom and good pleasure, established perfect timing in our lives in order to accomplish His will for us. In my research for this book, I found some slight variations in seasons descriptions but solid theological agreement with this general concept. Yes, that means that we won't always be in the springtime of our lives. God also has a sense of humor, so you may look through your lens at life situations and laugh or express quick wits about those events. You may glean some of the spiritual lighter sides of inspiration in this book as well.

Through each of our individual seasons, God has been and will continue to be our present help—before, during, and even after the storm! Bringing the seasons into focus will aid in your understanding of how the literature is organized in this book. Below are general descriptions of spiritual seasons along with how they fit into the seasons of the natural world:

Winter (testing) season

This is a weathered period in our lives with life transitions and changes. This season finds us deep in soul-searching mode, learning to face the truth of what's in our hearts and minds: what motivates our thoughts, behaviors, or actions that challenge our outward appearances. This is also a time when we're placed in unplanned, undesirable, and unchangeable positions.

These major life event moments often result from personal challenges and changes in lifestyle, accountability, or responsibility. Loss (of family, finances, friends, business, health, reputation, and so forth) often precedes our spiritual winters. With prayerful effort, we can grow through the changes in our lives, becoming stronger and more durable in our faith.

Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4:7–9, But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

Spring (new beginnings) season

Here, we rejoice and celebrate overcoming difficulties; hardships; family, health, or legal issues; economic crises; and so on. This is a time of abundant blessings and tender mercies, of miracles, and of healings. In the spring, we're filled with an exuberance that allows the Holy Spirit to work in and through us, defending us and maturing us in our faith walk as we're developed as disciples, learning to extend the grace of God to others with newfound passion and zeal.

This is a time for celebrating new life, shedding the old, and pruning along the way to remake and mold us to be better and wiser, with stronger character, so that we're fit for kingdom living. Psalm 5:11 remarks, But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.

Summer (sowing or planting) season

This is a period of searching, rediscovering, experimenting, wandering, or planning for changes. During this season, we may feel that we are no longer connected to God—He doesn't hear us or is not nearby. Perhaps we are in the valley of dry bones? But why? Maybe we've lost our joy in our relationship with God; we are no longer in fellowship in a church or are not rooted in a church family. Maybe we're oppressed by the conflict of the inner man and the spirit because they are at enmity with each other in born-again Christians.

We lack the hunger and thirst for God's Word. We resist the urging of the Holy Spirit, telling us to be holy and righteous in every aspect of our lives. We fail the temptation tests time after time, regardless of the physical and spiritual consequences we face. 1 Corinthians 1:20–21 asks, Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

Fall (harvest) season

Now we move on to the time of harvest, of resetting the clock or landscape for rest through the winter season. Christians should be bearing fruit as in Fruitopia, discussed later in the book. The fruit of the Spirit should not be hidden.

Like the tree yields fruit with the support of the trunk, leaves, and branches, the Christian's spiritual state requires counsel, correction, and perpetual reshaping by God. Proverbs 25:13 teaches us, Like the cold of snow in time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the soul of his masters.

Due (jubilee) season

This is the extra season for overflowing blessings. God has not forgotten your works or your sacrifices. Continue serving others in the ways you are called to by the mercies of God. He will reward you openly in the appointed time of His choosing. This is the due season. God doesn't need our help or advice to accelerate His plans or blessings—He will answer our questions and bring deliverance in His timing. Isaiah 55:8–9 notes, For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. "For