Shirlee Abbott

Me? Giving Blogging Advice?

Posted on May 23, 2023 by Shirlee Abbott

Yep.

Compel Training posted a blog post from me about blogging. It’s directed to writers, not readers. To my reader friends, thank you for reading what I write.

Posted in other | Tagged blogging, COMPEL Training | 2 Comments

The Spirit Inspires Me

Posted on May 23, 2023 by Shirlee Abbott

I agree with these words from Job’s friend, Elihu.

Job 33:4 (AMP)
The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty gives me life
[which inspires me].

The Spirit of God inspires me — inspires my best thoughts, my best words, my best actions.

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Holy Spirit, Dwell with Me

Posted on May 22, 2023 by Shirlee Abbott

“Truthful Spirit, dwell with me,
I myself would truthful be;
and with wisdom kind and clear
let thy life in mine appear.”
Thomas T. Lynch, 1855

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Breath and Fire

Posted on May 19, 2023 by Shirlee Abbott

“We beseech you, O Lord, to ignite our souls with love, faith and hope by the fire of your Holy Spirit. And may the wind of your Spirit so inspire our minds, that we may proclaim your gospel to others in words which they can understand.”
The Gelasian Sacramentary, 500
(the oldest prayerbook of the Western Church)

The fire and wind of the Holy Spirit — power we too often take for granted.

Thank You, Spirit of God, for Your power at work in and through me. May I put it to good use for Your glory.

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Breath of Creation

Posted on May 18, 2023 by Shirlee Abbott

Put Genesis and Isaiah together and learn how the Spirit is the Breath of creation.

From Genesis:

Genesis 1:1-2 (NIV)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

From Isaiah:

Isaiah 42:5
This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it.

Posted in Constructive Thought | Tagged Breath of God, creation, Genesis 1:1-2, Holy Spirit, Isaiah 42:5 | Comments Off

Breath of Life

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Shirlee Abbott

“Holy Spirt, the life that gives life.
You are the cause of all movement;
You are the breath of all creatures . . .
Let all the world praise you.”
Hildegard of Bingen, (1098-1179)

God’s Spirit breathes life into all of us.

Hildegard was a remarkable woman. Some consider her the founder of scientific natural history in Germany. She was a medical practitioner, writer and composer. Her spirituality was rooted in umbra viventis lucis, reflection of the living Light.

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God-Breathed

Posted on May 16, 2023 by Shirlee Abbott

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed . . .

The Power that inspired God’s written Word breathes in me (and you).

Amazing!

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God’s Breath

Posted on May 15, 2023 by Shirlee Abbott

The word “spirit” is tied to “breath.” The Old Testament Hebrew word ruach is translated breath, wind or spirit. The New Testament Greek pneuma also means wind or spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s breath in me.

It’s been that way from the beginning:

Genesis 2:7 (NIV)
Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

No Spirit, no breath, no life.

Thank You, Spirit of God, for Your breath in me.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Pentecost | Tagged Breath of God, Genesis 2:7, Holy Spirit, pneuma, ruach | Comments Off

Come, Blessed Gift

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Shirlee Abbott

This week’s survey of Pentecost hymns led me to one I’ve never seen or heard before. It looks to be from an old hymnbook, just the words, no tune.

“Come, holy Spirit! now descend;
Most blessed gift which God can send;
Thou Fire of Love, and Fount of Life!
Consume our sin, and calm our strife.”
Unknown, 1864

What a gift!

“Calm our strife.” Please do, Lord!
Sooner rather than later.

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Come, Voice of God

Posted on May 11, 2023 by Shirlee Abbott

Samuel Longfellow, younger brother to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, wrote a few poems himself. This is one of them.

“Holy Spirit, Truth divine,
dawn upon this soul of mine.
Voice of God, and inward Light,
wake my spirit, clear my sight.”
Samuel Longfellow, 1864

Come, Voice of God! Teach me what I need to know.

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