
Hello Everyone and God bless you all! Christmas break ended for us yesterday and my wife and kids are back to school this week. It was a very blessed 18 days off and we are very thankful for the time we had together. I didn’t write yesterday due to issues with Celiac. I didn’t think I was going to write today either, but the Lord has been giving me strength and helping me through the pain. Like I said in my last post regarding my 8 year anniversary with Celiac, sometimes I still have hard days as I fight this disease. The Lord is blessing me with some much needed rest, so I would just like to share a few photos and a few verses from God’s Word today. Enjoy!
That photo above is what I saw when I looked through our kitchen window this morning. It was encouraging to see the whole family of deer out there. I decided to go down into the backyard and say hello, which they didn’t seem to mind. The open space behind our house is pretty big and they feel safe out there. We live within city limits, so there is no hunting out here and the deer have become very comfortable around people.
Now you can see how long and wide the open space is. If you read my post regarding the amazing experience with the F-22 Raptor, now you can see how he flew from the top of the open space down to right behind our house. He was hovering just on the other side of the sidewalk about 15 feet up. It was awesome!
The deer left this morning, but they came back this afternoon. I stepped out on the deck to take these photos around 12:30 p.m. Mountain Time. It is a gorgeous 60 degrees today and we are all loving it, me and the deer! The photo below shows the view I had when I saw the F-22. It was hovering in the spot right between our big pine tree on the left and the maple tree to its right, just on the other side of the sidewalk. If you look in the distance at the rim of the big gulch we are in, you can see the wide open flying space that pilots have up here. He just swooped around and came right into our open space like it was nothing.
As I sat in the sun and enjoyed the peaceful presence of the deer, I thought of Psalm 23 and how the Lord gives us rest. He takes care of us and restores us daily. We all need that! We all need the goodness and love of the Lord to lift us up and sustain us through our trials. I am so thankful that He sees our pain and He takes time to comfort us. He truly makes us lie down in green pastures and His love restores our souls!
“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be
in want.
He makes me lie down in green
pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of
death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the
LORD
forever.”
Psalm 23:1-6
No matter what suffering we are fighting down here in the valley of the shadow of death, we have everything we need in Jesus! He will lead us and guide us and our cups will overflow out of His abundant grace and love! His comfort gives us strength and we press on with our Lord and Savior knowing we will be with Him forever! May His loving comfort be with all who are suffering today! Jesus loves you and you are not alone!
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus speaking in John 3:16
Grace and peace to you all!
Love this story of healing and restoration , peace and comfort. Thank you for allowing us to be part of this amazing grace.
Jesus be with you
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Thank you brother! God bless you!
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I also think of Psalm 42: As the deer longs for streams of water so my soul longs after You 🙂 Bless you brother and your family too 🙂
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Amen! Thanks brother, blessings to you and your fam as well!
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Beautiful pictures. God’s creation is so astounding. I often wonder how I could ever have been agnostic!
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Thanks Linda, amen! Blessings!
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Beautiful photographs, Ryan. I cannot believe how comfortable the deers are in the yard 🙂
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Thanks Brenda! Yeah, sometimes they even sleep in our back yard. Cool animals. 🦌😊 God bless!
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Thank you, Ryan, for your encouraging message. We all need to stop more and take in the day God gives us and thank Him. I’m sorry you aren’t feeling well today! I hope the rest you had, in what looks like a serene one with the deer family and a beautiful, warm day, helped to make you feel better as the day went on. I pray you are feeling no pain by now, and will have pain-free days starting tomorrow, Ry. Your photos are so much fun to look at. Thanks for sharing them!
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Thanks Mom! I’m still in pain, but I’ll be alright. Should be better by tomorrow. Love you!
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Thank you for this post! I needed that today! The pics are so comforting, too. Splendid beauty and open space!
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Thanks Renee!🦌😊 Blessings!
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Amazing pics!
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Thanks Lydia! Blessings!
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You’re welcome! 🙂
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Hiya Ryan, thanks for those great pics! I love watching deers but I would need to go to a park! Blessings
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Yeah, it’s always fun to watch them. They do pretty well despite the mountain lions, bears, bobcats, and coyotes. All those critters are roaming around out here too. 🙂 God bless!
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So peaceful to see how the deer are resting. So fitting that as we rest in Him, He does the restoring. ❤️
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Amen Sharon! Blessings!
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Wonderful that you can sit on your deck and see deer nearby
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Thanks! Yeah, it is a real blessing to have all the wildlife out here. Just have to watch out for the mountain lions. 🙂 Blessings!
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Amen!
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Amen brother, blessings! Are you guys being affected by the fires? I have been praying for rain for Australia.
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We can do with all the prayer we can get! I’m not affected by the fires, although there’s a smoke haze from a fire not too far away.
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I will definitely be praying! So sad about all the koalas and other animals.
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Yes, it is. And apparently the fires could last for another 7 or 8 weeks! Easily the worst Australian bushfire season – if not our worst natural disaster – in living memory.
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That is incredible! Please Lord, pour rain all over the fires, amen! I remember the mountain fires we had here several years ago and we had smoke and even ash falling on our home. It was awful.
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Double amen!
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It’s a beautiful view where you live that’s for sure! Beautiful photos and words!
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Thanks Lisa! God bless!
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That’s amazing how they all came back to rest right there! God is so amazing!! Praying for you!!
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Yeah, so cool! Thanks Michelle, God bless!
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Amen! And beautiful pictures! I wish deer didn’t fear us in Ohio but basically everyone hunts here 😬
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Thanks! There is land east of here and in the mountains where people can hunt, but the deer in the burbs live long lives. Some of the bucks get real big too. God bless!
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You have awesome burdens, and awesome blessings too. May God continue to bless you abundantly!
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Thank you Sarah! God bless you!
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Psalm 23 is one of my favourite bible passages. Thanks for sharing
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Amen, mine too! God bless!
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Ryan, thanks for the photos and the encouragement! We journey in a fallen world in tents of fleshly weakness, but our Shepherd walks right beside us!
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Amen Tom, well said! God bless!
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I hope you feel better soon, Ryan, though I know it’s an ongoing condition. The photos are fabulous. You have a beautiful outlook from your home, especially to be in such close contact with the deer. Animals and nature is so uplifting.
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Thank you Lesley! I am feeling better today, praise God! Yes, I always love seeing the wildlife out here. Very peaceful. 🙂 God bless!
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God Bless you, Ryan.
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Wonderful pictures of peace. Love in Christ.
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Thank you Bonnie! Blessings!😊
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To you also.
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What a beautiful view to witness from your home. And Amen! I heard this week the idea that God is in the “present” moment – not that He isn’t in all things, but that when we can get out of our heads, our worries, and our regrets and just be – that He is found in the quiet. Your post reminds me of this ❤️
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Amen to that! Thanks Jenny, God bless!
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From deers to F22s, God is amazing
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Amen! Blessings!
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=)
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Amen! God’s love truly restores each soul. Psalm 23 is a great place to find the peace to restore ourselves.
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Amen sir! Blessings!
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