Annie's Winter Page

Annie's Thoughts about Winter:

"For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. He sealeth up the hand of every man;
that all men may know his work."
~Job 37:6-7~

Of all the seasons that we have, the spring, the summer the fall and the winter, my favorite would be a tie between fall and winter. I can wear my favorite big sweaters and sweat suits. Yes we really do have "winter" here in the sunshine state. The leaves are off trees, and you even see people wearing winter coats. We do turn on the "heat" and some people even have "fire places". We have a "damp" cold winter in Florida. We wear sweat suits, hats, gloves and even winter coats. But we don't get snow.

Winter has a different effect on all of us.

One of the definitions of WINTER from the dictionary is this:
"A period of time characterized by coldness, misery, barrenness, or death."

The definition kind of sounds like a "wilderness" experience. In our own lives it is not the wilderness experience that we should focus on. We should put our attention and focus on walking "through" the wilderness not on the wilderness itself. We can look ahead to where our walk will take us. We can look to the "Promised Land".

Moses led his people through the wilderness for 40 years and they eventually did make it to the "Promised Land", all except for Moses. Don't be like Moses. You too can make it through the wilderness and reach the Promised Land. But you need to TRUST the Lord by FAITH and then be OBEDIENT to His Word. Be obedient to His call upon your life.

Does the winter describe the point in your life that you are at? Have you been living in the "wilderness"? Are you looking for the "promised land"? Does happiness elude you? Do you ever wish that you could wake up and all the bad parts of your life would be a dream?

The winter can be the loneliest time of the year for many people. Are you feeling lonely? Does your life feel cold and difficult? You don't have to be alone anymore. You can have someone who will be closer then a friend or brother yet with you all the time. You don't have to be lonely anymore. You can have a peace that passeth all understanding.

"And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
Believest thou this?"
John 11:26

You don't have to be alone to feel lonely and you don't have to feel lonely if you are alone. You can be right in the middle of a room full of people and still feel all alone.

As Christian's we are NEVER alone. Jesus tells us that He "will never leave us or foresake us". "I go to prepare a place for you and if I go I will return and take you with me......"

Winter is also a time of reflection, of hibernation and death. When I think of winter I think of the COLD weather. Warm sweaters and sweat suits. Hot chocolate and flannel nightgowns. A time to cuddle up on the couch and read a good book. All the birds leave for the winter and the flowers die. The weather is dark, damp, cold and overcast. The bears hibrinate. People can be depressed and blue from seasonal depression or from the Holidays.

But there is another kind of "winter". A time when things seem to be going wrong and a time of almost spiritual coldness. An emptiness. A sense that something it lacking in your life.

We have all been lonely before, but for some people loneliness can lead to depression and even suicide. Many people just can't cope with the holidays. Often it reminds them of a lost loved one. We as Christian's need to reach out to others. Pray for those who are dealing with difficult times this holiday season. When we feel bad ourselves then that is the time when we need to help someone else. Often our own problems don't look as bad when you see someone elses problems.

Winter is also a time when the plants die and the cycles of life that God created continue to do their work. Of course, if the plants didn't die then they wouldn't bloom again. The caterpillar is cute and fuzzy. But it has to go through the expected stages of its life. It makes a cocoon and then during the dormant time it "appears" to have died. Instead of dying a wonderful transformation has occured. It has gone from a caterpillar to become a beautiful butterfly.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."
John 12:24

We all go through "winter" times in our life. Our changes occur on the inside. Change is inevitable and even to be expected. When we are going through tough times and tragedies it is really hard to "SEE" any benefit or positive outcome. We may not see the change in our lives but our heart is changing. Remember that it takes "courage" to endure and continue the race. Don't give up. Keep walking the path in front of you but don't do it all by yourself.

The Lord wants to help you. He wants to "guide you with His eye". He wants to direct your paths and steps. Every detail and every step He will be with you. Guiding and leading you in a straight path. When you are on the road it is hard to have perspective but the Lord sees all that you have gone through and He knows what is ahead.

"For I know the plans that I have for you. Plans to prosper you and give you HOPE." ???

We know that quilts keep us warm but they are also a beautiful example of how our lifes can be viewed. To make a quilt you need different pieces of fabric in all different sizes. You need to measure them and pin them together. Next you sew them all together either by hand or by sewing machine. That is followed by putting the quilting material between the fabric. Then it is all sewn together and the finishing touches are added to it.

If you looked at the pile of fabric and quilt pieces it would be hard to imagine that it could ever be a beautiful treasure to cherish. Our lives are alot like the process of making a quilt. The quilt is also like a puzzle with many pieces put together to make a perfect picture. All the pieces are needed and will eventually fit together to make the puzzle complete.

I love the analogy that I often use about "needlepoint". From the top it is so detailed and an intricate design shows forth after more and more stitches are made. It is so beautiful to look at yet hard to imagine that one stich at a time we are making a lovely design. If you look at the bottom of the needlepoint you have strings and knots hanging down. Sometimes in our lives we only see the "knots" and "strings" and never get to see the whole picture or the final design.

But we don't have to see the whole picture of our life to TRUST that the Lord has everything under control. He is the "ALPHA and OMEGA" the beginning and the end. He knew us when we were in our mother's womb and He knows all our secrets YET He loves us inspite of them. Sometimes we are blessed to be able to "see" and "understand" why we have to go through what we do. Sometimes we don't get to see or understand, but we don't have to worry. God can do all the the worrying for you. He knows all about you and all the mistakes you have made. Yet He still loves you "UNCONDITIONALLY"! He hears your cries of dispare and your discontentment. He listens to your prayers and He always answers them. It may not be the answer that you want but there is an answer. Sometimes the answer is NO and sometimes YES and sometimes WAIT.

We all have made mistakes in our lives. Most of us have a pretty "checkered" past, but we don't have to dwell on the past. We can leave our past and presents mistakes daily at the foot of the Cross. In John 1:9 which is written to believers we read "if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to clense us from all unrighteousness".

This winter let's give our past and our problems over to the Lord. He tells us that we need not carry our burdens alone. He promises us a PEACE that passeth ALL understanding. Remember that our God is the God of second chances. He loves us unconditionally. We don't have to deal with death and winter the same way. Knowing that anything we have to endure is only for "a season" we can endure it with the Lord's help. Once you have gone through your "wilderness" experience then you can encourage others through the same thing. That way you actually:

"Comforting those wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God."

Dictionary.com defines "WINTER" this way:

win·ter
noun:

1. The usually coldest season of the year, occurring between autumn and spring, extending in the Northern Hemisphere from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox, and popularly considered to be constituted by December, January, and February.
2. A year as expressed through the recurrence of the winter season.
3. A period of time characterized by coldness, misery, barrenness, or death.

adjective:

1. Of, relating to, occurring in, or appropriate to the season of winter: winter blizzards; winter attire.
2. Grown during the season of winter: winter herbs.

Daily Bible Reading Suggestions:

I strongly recommend that you read the Bible every day and that you memorize scriptures. In my
own life when things were the worst and when I was not even able to hold my Bible it was the
verses that I had memorized and hidden in my heart that sustained me and brought me through.

Devotionals: A "devotional book" is a day by day reading that usually has a Bible verse or verses,
a few paragraphs on a topic, a prayer and sometimes a memory verse. They are really helpful
in keeping you in the word of God each day.

Some that have influenced my life: There is a devotional book that I have always enjoyed called
"Streams in the Desert" by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman. I kind of felt that my life was stuck in the
desert. It seemed that whatever would go wrong could go wrong. I can really understand exactly
what you are going through in the "winter" of your life. I finally after many years of reading
her "desert" devotionals found another one that she had wrote called: "Springs in the Valley".
What a big difference. Another devotional that helped me through some very difficult times
with my Chronic Pain & Illness was: "Strength for Today - Daily Devotions for the Chronically
Ill" be Sharon Broyles which I believe is out of print.

God's word has so many wonderful promises for us. All we have to do is read it. David and Job
endured more then any of us could probably imagine. Reading one Psalm a day will comfort
you if you are hurting.

Remember that "You can't have a testimony without a TEST".
Related Pages: Annie's Devotional Page, Annie's Begin the Day with Me Page
& Annie's Bible Study Resources Page

Winter is mentioned 15 times in the Bible.

"While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer
and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
~Genesis 8:22~

Find the verses you want to look up. Then just copy and paste them here.

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Nave's Topical Bible:
Seasons

General scriptures concerning - Genesis 1:14; Genesis 8:22; Psalms 104:19; Jeremiah 33:20; Daniel 2:21; Matthew 21:41; Matthew 24:32; Mark 12:2; Acts 1:7 & 1 Thessalonians 5:1

Winter

Annual return of, will never cease - Genesis 8:22
Plowing in, in Canaan, (margin) - Proverbs 20:4
Rainy season in, in Canaan - Solomon 2:11
Shipping suspended in, on the Mediterranean Sea - Acts 27:12 & Acts 28:11
Paul remains for one, at Nicopolis - Titus 3:12
Summer and winter houses - Jeremiah 36:22 & Amos 3:15

Torrey's Topical Textbook says:
Winter

God makes - Psalms 74:17
Yearly return of, secured by covenant - Genesis 8:22
Coldness and inclemency of, noticed - Proverbs 20:4 & John 10:22
UNSUITED FOR
Travelling - Matthew 24:20 & 2 Timothy 4:21
Navigation - Acts 27:9
Ships were laid up in port during - Acts 27:12 & Acts 28:11
The Jews frequently had special houses for - Jeremiah 36:22 & Amos 3:15
Illustrative of seasons of spiritual adversity - Solomon 2:11

A season is one of the four periods of the year. Each season -- (spring, summer, autumn, and
winter) --lasts about three months and brings changes in temperature, weather,
and the length of daylight.

About Winter
Winter is an old Germanic word meaning "time of water"--of rain and snow.

Winter begins in the Northern Hemisphere on December 21 or 22, when the North Pole has its
greatest slant away from the sun. The moment at which the pole has this slant is known in the
Northern Hemisphere as the winter solstice. On the first day of winter, the sun is low in the sky,
and there are fewer minutes of daylight than on any other day.

Winter is the coldest season of the year. The Northern Hemisphere, the northern half of the
earth, has winter weather during December, January, February, and early March. In the Southern
Hemisphere, winter weather begins in late June and lasts until early September.

During winter, the polar region is especially cold because the sun does not rise there for weeks or
months at a time. Cold, dry air moves south from this region, bringing cold weather. Storms move
from west to east along the southern edge of the cold air. In the United States, winter storms
produce large snowfalls in some areas. The most snow falls in the western mountains and in much of
the northern region east of the Rocky Mountains. Many winter storms bring rain to warmer
southern areas. The lowest winter temperatures usually occur in the middle of all continents.
~Above from Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia~

The Seasons; Winter & Seasons Quiz by The World Book Encyclopedia Online

Do you have the Winter Blues?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), seasonally recurring depression, usually appearing in November and
lasting until April; caused by lack of sunlight; symptoms include feelings of sadness, anxiety, lethargy,
difficulties awakening in morning, daytime drowsiness, social withdrawal, cravings for sweet or starchy
foods, extreme weight gain; treated by having patient sit facing banks of artificially bright lights for
several hours each day for about two weeks; usually first occurs in people in their early 20s; occurs in
1 to 10 percent of population, depending on location away from equator (those in areas with shorter
daylight hours have more severe cases). ~From Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia~

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