Month: September 2015

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PWTE Daily Devotion

The Great “WOW Factor” of Life

Triple Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon Copyright Douglas P Brauner

Though God declared his creation good, he delights most in his human creatures.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Heaven and earth and everything in them were finished.
By the seventh day God had finished work he had been doing.
On the seventh day he stopped the work he had been doing.” 
Genesis 2:1-2 God’s Word to the Nations.
Triple Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon Copyright Douglas P Brauner
Triple Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
Copyright Douglas P Brauner

So…guess what the name of this waterfall is?

If you guessed anything other than Triple Falls you’re looking at a different picture.

Traveling the Columbia River Gorge is one of the most beautiful drives you will take. However the most spectacular scenes are found deeper up the steep hills, far away from the noise of I-84.

I could expound some theological picture with this waterfall. It is tempting to talk about the Trinity; one creek, three falls returning to one creek.

My seminary soccer coach told me, “You think too much.”  Sometimes you need to stop and marvel at what God has made instead of thinking too much.

I want to add, “And he said, WOW!” to the end of God’s act of creation.

As beautiful as this waterfall is, God takes the greatest delight in us, the crown of his creation. God forming his human creatures is the WOW factor of creation.

God takes great delight in you. In fact, God has big a WOW to speak over you today. God declares his love for you in a cross and an empty tomb. That’s how much you mean to God.

So don’t think too hard today. Instead, enjoy God’s WOW!

Copyright Douglas P Brauner

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PWTE Daily Devotion

Enjoying the Ride (Special Third Anniversary Blog)

Ucayali River, Peru Copyright Douglas P Brauner

Though we don’t always know where God is leading us, we can still enjoy the ride.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters–
a pathway no one knew was there!” 
Psalm 77:19 New Living Translation

Today marks the third anniversary of the Praying With The Eyes ministry. What was only a thought on September 6, 2012 has now grown into a website and podcast. All I was looking for was a way to share my pictures. I didn’t know God’s pathway would lead to the growth of this ministry.

Ucayali River, Peru Copyright Douglas P Brauner
Ucayali River, Peru
Copyright Douglas P Brauner

This picture depicts how God leads us in a pathway that we didn’t know was there. You might think that the sun is setting behind these clouds, but the sun was setting behind me. I don’t know the atmospheric conditions that caused this optical illusion, but I enjoyed it.

Though I didn’t have a plan for anything else than writing a year’s worth of blogs, I have enjoyed the journey. I still love the pathway on which God has placed the Praying With The Eyes ministry.

Do I know where this ministry will be in a year? Absolutely not. Could this be the last year? Maybe. Could the Praying With The Eyes ministry go until I die? I guess. It all depends on God’s leading.

For now, I’m grateful that he has sustained this ministry and blessed it. I’m grateful for all of you who continue to read the daily devotions. I love the growing community of people who follow the Praying With The Eyes podcast. I’m thankful for those who share their heart in writing blogs for the website.

God’s way isn’t always easy. There have been times that his road has “led through the sea.” There have been times that I’ve wondered if I can keep going, yet I wouldn’t change a thing.

I’m not alone. God has also placed you on a road that “no one knew was there.” Is it always fun to walk this road? Absolutely not. Having fun isn’t the ultimate goal of life. Yet it is God’s road, and his road always leads to his heart. So, let’s enjoy the journey!

Copyright Douglas P Brauner

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PWTE Daily Devotion

Thriving in the Midst of Life’s Droughts

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado Copyright Douglas P Brauner

Cacti teach us that growth happens even when we experiences pain.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
Revelation 2:10 English Standard Version
Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado Copyright Douglas P Brauner
Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Copyright Douglas P Brauner

I didn’t grow up with cacti. I grew up with sky-scraping Douglas Firs, and ground hugging ferns. Moving to the desert of Colorado, cacti were a new experience for me. What I didn’t know about cacti is how beautiful they are when they bloom.

Cacti are a good picture of what it means to remain faithful to death.  They live much of their lives in drought. I have a Christmas cactus in my home. I neglected it for many years going months (literally) without watering it. After so much neglect I decided to pay attention to it, and as soon as I gave it water it sprang to life with beautiful flowers.

We will not get rid of droughts that invade our lives, yet in the midst of these droughts (and dare I say because of these droughts) we blossom in this world.

Christ planted his cross, a dead piece of wood, firmly in the soil of our sin. It is through his experience of the cross that we receive the nourishment to bloom, even when we experience the struggles of life.

Copyright Douglas P Brauner