Everyone is going through something. It may seem like the hardest thing you have ever faced. No matter the age it’s big for you! A different season a different time.To Every Thing there is a season - a time for every purpose under the Heaven. What will you do with your Season?
Read MoreRecently, my thinking was adjusted. MY PLAN, ideas, event, or schedule may have be altered- but I realized it was changed to line up with GOD’S PLAN A. Now when there is a snafu, my heart is joyful and excited that NOW the day is going as HE PLANNED. I can embrace the reconfigurations of my life because my great God is constantly revealing His Plan A. No longer do I drudge through Plan C,D, or E. With thankfulness, contentment and peacea, I choose to dwell on Plan A.
Read MoreWe watched from the deck of the house until the storm got a little too close for comfort, then retreated inside. It was a night filled with thunder, lightning and lots of rain, but we were warm and safe inside the house. The next morning, I didn’t get up early to go out and get my sunrise shot, since I knew it wouldn’t be there. Instead, slept in a bit until my daughter came in, begging to go out to the water. She pulled back the curtain, and WOOSH, there it was! The SUNLIGHT I had been wishing for!
Read MoreWhen Mary said to the angel, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word,” do you think she really knew what she was getting herself into? I’m sure she grew up learning that a virgin would bring forth the Messiah, but do you really think she realized what was ahead for her? Afterall, she was facing ridicule, false accusation, and the possibility of being stoned to death. Not to mention the ultimate sacrifice…. the Son she would carry in her body would be crucified for sins He never committed. If you ask me, Mary was just being USED.
Read MoreHere is when the “thirst” really began. They gave me a “green lollipop”, (that is what I called it.) A green sponge on a stick that I could dip in a glass of water and then just wet my lips. The doctor wanted to wait a couple of days to see if I could hold anything down. On Monday they started giving me some soft foods, but I was throwing up again. My doctor said I needed to have surgery, so they scheduled it for Tuesday. After surgery I could have some ice chips with my “green lollipop”. By this time the ice chips were GREAT! But still barely quenching my “thirst”.
Read MoreWhat do you believe? Not just what you think you believe or what you say you believe. What do you believe in your heart about Christ?
Read MoreWhat a wonderful account of faith and dedication here in this passage. This could be so applicable to we as women today. Think about it. It appears that this woman is hurrying along with a crowd of people who were also trying to see this One called Jesus. It spoke of the multitudes and of a whole city coming out to see Him just a few verses earlier.
Read MoreParts of me want to scream and say No! You can't leave me, but then God reminds me she has a whole life that she needs to live. I think, what if something happens to her, but then God reminds me, nothing happens without his approval, and He loves her more than I do. I think what if people are mean to her, but then God reminds me, they WILL be mean to her! There will be people all throughout her life that will be mean to her, They were mean to the nicest person to walk this earth! (Jesus) but He will comfort her and get her through it all. I think, but I will miss her, but then God reminds me, she was never mine to keep! I think, did I prepare her enough, but then God reminds me, you've done all that you can, it's between Me and her now. I think, then what should i do, but then God reminds me just pray for her and trust Me! So, that's what I'm doing! When I start to worry or get sad about my daughters all growing up and hitting these new chapters in their lives, I will just stay focused on the Lord and remember all the things God reminds me of!
Read MoreAs I prayerfully considered what direction the Lord would have me go with this devotional the Lord gently led me to the subject of ‘Change’. I sweetly told the Lord that the subject of change was good, but I was thinking about doing something else. After going back and forth with the Lord a few times and suggesting a few other topics, I decided to settle on the subject of ‘Change.’ Isn’t it amazing how God works!
Read MoreOne of my biggest struggles was when I was a senior in high school. I had the privilege of being born into a Christian home, went to a great church my entire life and had wonderful Christian parents, preachers, and teachers that taught me the Bible and how God wanted me to live. In spite of church 4 times a week, Christian education, chapel services, family devotion, etc., I still wasn't really sold out on this whole living for Jesus thing. I had watched several people graduate from our Christian school and immediately begin doing the complete opposite of what we had been taught our entire lives.
Read MoreI'm a planner! I want my day planned out, my week planned out, the next month planned out, even this year! So, not knowing what may get thrown into my lap tomorrow strikes a tinge of anxiety in my heart. I guess I want a crystal ball I can rub every morning that flashes what will happen in my day before it comes. God's GPS doesn't work like that. Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Read MoreThroughout my life, I have recognized that this wisdom can be used over and over again, not just on ornery brothers, but other prickly people.
- You can use it when it comes to the church lady who has to let everyone know ALL the gossip.
- Use it on the fella who cut you off in traffic.
- Use it when dealing with people who are unkind to your children.
- You can even use it on your willful child who seems to know just the right buttons to push to send you into “Crazy Mommy” mode.
No matter who the person is, they should NOT get to decide what kind of day you are going to have or what kind of person you are going to be. Only GOD should have that power.
Read MoreI have seen friendships, marriages, and even whole families torn apart from quarrels. People can sometimes disagree over the silliest little things, sometimes bigger things. It is part of our human nature. We need the Lord’s help in our relationships! The letter of Philippians is loaded with verses that can help us deal with disagreements.
Read MoreThe anchor is viewed as a symbol that represents "safety"... The anchor holds the ship in place, representing strength and security. The anchor is a symbol of our hope in Jesus!
Read MoreCall on your Heavenly Defender and Deliverer. (v1) It’s ok to tell the Lord that you’re
tempted and weak and need his strength to overcome temptation or discouragement! He should
be our first resource and not a last resort. Often times when we are feeling overwhelmed, we
want a distraction. Most of us are drawn to our phones where our minds can aimlessly roam and
scroll through meaningless nonsense that takes our mind off of issues we want to forget about.
But there’s no lasting peace there. Real rest only comes from communion with the Peace
Speaker. No wonder the psalmist cried “when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that
is higher than I”! We need Somebody higher than us to pull us up and there’s nobody higher than
Him!
Read MoreI believe bitterness is something that most of us will deal with multiple times in our lives. Bitterness
always begins with unforgiveness. I have learned bitterness can be like a cancer if we do not deal with
it. It will eat away at our spirit and slowly decay your joy and happiness. Bitterness has a deep root and
many fruits. Its fruits may be anger, hate, disgust, sadness, loss of joy, and many other traits. What
generally happens is, we focus on cutting back these fruits, but never get rid of the root. Over time,
these fruits grow back and are often much stronger.
Read MoreUsually when someone speaks those words it’s regarding a conversation about someone being upset or accused of something of that nature and they lash out and say…. I DON’T CARE I’M NOT CHANGING!!
2020 has been quite a year! We have seen fear quickly spread across the whole world causing churches, businesses , and schools to shut their doors. Cancellations of weddings, graduations, parties, vacations, family gatherings, funerals, and sporting events have become the “new normal.” Mandates, masks, gloves, sanitizing, and social distancing are overwhelming. Then throw into the mix savage fires, deadly hurricanes, mass rioting, and destruction of cities, statues, properties, and lives. Racial tension has soared. Political differences have been magnified. National dissension and unrest has accelerated. Fear and terror have swept the nation with a vengeance.
Read MoreHaving a thankful and grateful demeanor is not always an easy thing to maintain, especially in 2020 😊 . While we have many things to be thankful for, we are constantly reminded by the world of all we are “missing”. We begin to focus on the material and temporal, and our immediate needs come to live at the forefront of our minds and hearts. This begins to strip us of our grateful spirit and the peace that comes from giving thanks. But lets be honest, the circumstances we often face are not always easy for our human hearts to find the good in, are they? Finding the parts to complain about is much easier, and friends may even seem to listen more intently when we are going through tragedy. However, if we are not careful, we will find that going to that friend, or creating that social media post with all our woes and heartaches,(serious though they may be), becomes our first line of defense over stopping to take anything to our Savior.
Read MoreThere are times in our lives when God purposely sends us trials that will ultimately change our lives and the way we think forever. These trials are not sent to be malicious but rather to grow our faith and increase our influence for Him.
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