Author: Deb

Verses that will Help When You Need to Know God’s Will

In case you missed any of the first six posts from the Countdown to #1 Series – you can check them out here:

7 of the Best Verses to Inspire Your Worship of God

25 of the Best Ways to Love Yourself the Way God Wants

The Best Ways to Teach Your Child Humble Confidence

12 Things You Need to Know About God that Will Make You Humble

How to Trust God’s NO When You are Suffering

5 Verses that will Help When You Need to Be Still and Listen

Here’s the 2nd most popular post here at CMB…

Verses that will Help When You Need to Know God’s Will

When you don't know what to do and you want to know God's will - these verses and prayer will help you move forward in faith.

Do you ever just want to know God’s will?

Do you lie awake at night thinking, if I just knew what God wants me to do?

You have a decision to make, a problem to solve, or a path to pursue … you’ve prayed, oh how you’ve prayed but you don’t feel like God is giving you the clear direction you need.

So, you stare at the ceiling, weigh your options, plan to do more research in the morning, and pray some more…

Father, I love you and I want to glorify you with my life. This choice is hard. There are so many possibilities and I have no idea what Your will for me is in this. Please help me. Guide me by Your Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen. 

And you roll over and try yet again, to get some rest.

I’ve been there. I’m guessing you’ve been there, too.

Although, it may not be easy to know God’s will in some specific situations … there are verses that will help you and me know God’s “always” will. Verses we can turn to when choices are hard and life is confusing.

When you don't know what to do and you want to know God's will - these verses and prayer will help you move forward in faith.

5 Verses to Pray when You Need to Know God’s Will

Proverbs 3:5–6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek His will in all you do,
    and He will show you which path to take.

Father, forgive me. I’m quick to ask my friends for advice and quicker to worry; yet, I can be slow to come to You in prayer or turn to Your Word for wisdom and understanding. Maybe trusting with all my heart is the problem. I’m sorry. I want to surrender myself completely and trust that Your will for me always comes from Your love. Thank you for using this time to remind me just how very much I need You. And I do need You, Lord. Help me, by the power of Your Spirit. Amen.

1 Timothy 2:3–4

This is good and pleases God our Savior,
who wants everyone to be saved and
to understand the truth.

Father, Your will for me is that I would know and love Your Son, Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Giver of Life eternal . . . Your gift so awesome and wonderful. I’m humbled that Your greatest desire is that I will cherish Your gift of an eternity with You through Jesus. In light of forever, my current circumstances seem less monumental. Please by Your grace, help me keep an eternal perspective as I trust You with the details of my life. In Jesus name, Amen.

Romans 12:1–2

And so, dear brothers and sisters,
I plead with you to give your bodies to God
because of all He has done for you.
Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—
the kind He will find acceptable.
This is truly the way to worship Him.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world,
but let God transform you into a new
person by changing the way you think.
Then you will learn to know God’s will for you,
which is good and pleasing and perfect.

This is hard, Father. The world is always in my face and it’s tempting to just want to fit in. You tell me not to follow the behavior and customs of this world. It’s tough. I see friendships end and people hurt because they choose to stand on the truth of Your Word. Father, I need Your transforming power to change the way I think and act. Your Word says You will show me Your good, pleasing, and perfect will that You can change my heart and mind and make me a new person. I love that! Please continue to work in me and draw me close. I love You, Lord and want to honor You with my life. Amen.

Verses that will Help When You Need to Know God's Will by Deb Wolf @ Counting My Blessings

Hebrews 10:10

For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the
sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.

Father, You make me holy through Jesus, setting me apart and showing me Your truth. Thank you! I am overwhelmed by Your grace, mercy, and love. Humbled that You care so much about Your children that You willingly sacrificed Yourself for us. Forgive me, Father, for ever foolishly believing I’m doing a good job … doing enough to be declared righteous on my own. I can’t. I need You. I need Jesus. I need Your Spirit. Help me surrender to You and live under the glorious grace You so generously pour into my life. Thank you, Father. Amen.

Romans 8:27

And the Father who knows all hearts
knows what the Spirit is saying,
for the Spirit pleads for us believers
in harmony with God’s own will.

And Father, when I get it wrong . . . which I do way too often, I’m so thankful for Your Spirit who pleads for me. Who knows Your will and knows exactly what I need. Thank you! You never leave me alone to wander in the dark. By Your grace poured out through Your Spirit, You fill me, provide for me, care for me, comfort me, and guide me. Thank you, Lord. Your loving presence meets my every need and with Your help, I surrender to Your will for me. In Jesus name. Amen.

May you and I prayerfully approach each day humbly surrendering to God’s will. May we, even when life is hard and confusing, trust and know God’s will is best for not only for today but for always!

What’s your favorite verse to pray when you need to know God’s will?

This Week’s Friday Favorites

Highlights from the Week!


Mental Health and Christianity by Melissa Gendreau @ Humble Faith Family WellnessMental Health and Christianity

by Melissa Gendreau
@ Humble Faith Family Wellness

 

Pruning by Laura Rath Pruning – The Unpleasant Truth

by Laura Rath
@ Journey in Faith

 

God is Never Done with His Children by Debbie Putman @ Uncharted WatersGod is Never Done with His Children

by Debbie Putman
@ Uncharted Waters


AND the…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

Counting My Blessings

I’m so glad you’re here!

This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.

I’d love to connect with you on social media!

I’m finding #Friendship and #Inspiration at #Faith ‘n Friends #LinkUp Come join the fun!

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Deb Wolf
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No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.
You know they love it when you stop by and say “hello.”

I would really appreciate it if you would
Grab my Link Party Button above and link back to CMB.

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Thank you so much for partying with us!
May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship! 

Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…

and pray over the list left by our friends.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Have you visited the Faith ‘n Friends Link Party Board on Pinterest? It’s a great place to catch up with past posts you may have missed here at the party and/or save them for a future read! If you’d like to become a contributor to my Pinterest Group Boards – email me at deb@debwolf.com with a link to your Pinterest home page.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Thank you and God bless!

How to Get Back in the Boat of Your Shipwrecked Dreams

Welcome to Week #7 of The Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series.

If you’ve missed any of the earlier posts here, check out:

6 of the Best Ways to Fight Distraction and Listen to God
by Dawn Klinge

Amazing Worship Songs that will Make Your Day Better
by Carmen Brown

How to be Blessed with the Powerful Wisdom of God
by Valerie Murray

5 Verses that will Help When You Worry About Your Kids
by Ruthie Gray

How to Thrive When You Need a Spiritual Pep Talk
by Nicki Schroeder

7 Verses that will Give You Perspective When You Need It
by Melanie Redd

AND…

To find more posts from my awesome friends, visit The Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series Board on Pinterest! 

Now, for today’s post…

Please welcome another precious friend, Marva Smith from Sun Sparkle Shine, one of those people who really does scatter sparkles over those blessed to know her.

Visiting Marva at Sun Sparkle Shine is like sitting on the seashore watching the sunshine as it dances along the waves.

Read the first line of her about me page:

SunSparkleShine is your space to simply…slow…down. As you do, I hope you will breathe easy and give yourself permission to enjoy life to the full. It’s okay, go ahead, escape the busyness of life and truly sparkle in the light of God’s goodness.

So, sit back, relax, and breathe in the beauty of goodness and hope that only God can give … and of course, don’t forget to stop and say hello to make Marva feel at home!

How to Get Back in the Boat of Your Shipwrecked Dreams

It's so very hard when life's storm cause shipwrecked dreams. With God's help, you and I can get back in the boat with hope and sail with hope.

Talk to me about shipwrecked dreams and I’ll quickly tell you I can relate.

I’m not going to pretend that I’d win a competition if there was one, but I can assure you that I have some stories of my own. I can think of a time or two (too many) when life has knocked my dreams about.

Not too long ago my dreams were left by the wayside, put on hold in the face of survival.

We don’t like to talk about our dashed dreams, do we? It’s messy, uncomfortable and yes, downright painful.

We start to associate our broken dreams with pain, loss and suffering. And the truth is they often are.

But, friend, what if we looked at our lost and shipwrecked dreams in a different way?

Think about how Paul suggested we should approach our sufferings:

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. Romans 5:1-5 

Are you rejoicing over your lost dreams?

It almost seems insulting to suggest it.

I have to tell you, rejoicing isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when I think about my broken, my shipwrecked dreams. Far from it.

But what about this one in Isaiah 61:1-3?

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
    for the Lord has anointed me
    to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
    and to proclaim that captives will be released and
prisoners will be freed.
He has sent me to tell those who mourn
    that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,
    and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
To all who mourn in Israel,
    He will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
    festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
    that the Lord has planted for His own glory.

 Many of those words resonated with me.

Brokenhearted. Mourning. Faint spirit. Ruins.

It's so very hard when life's storm cause shipwrecked dreams. With God's help, you and I can get back in the boat with hope and sail with hope.

But friend, this is what God wants to offer us instead:

Good news.

Liberty.

Favor.

Beauty

A garment of praise.

Those are the words I’m holding on to.

A few months ago, I lost the life I knew. With it went a few goals and dreams. My home, my country, my family, my job, my life, have all been turned upside down.

But you know one thing I haven’t lost?

My purpose.

Having my faith anchored in Christ makes all the difference. Even with my goals and dreams shipwrecked, my purpose remains.

Now more than ever, God has stirred up a fire within me to live life on purpose. A life of meaning, a life of value and a life of hope. A life that makes a difference.

I am on a mission to spread this hope to you too. If you’ve lost sight of your goals and dreams, don’t lose sight of your purpose.

Your purpose is still there, settled deep within your soul.

It might need to be stirred, but it’s still there.

God has something better in store for you. In place of your old goals and dreams, God wants to give you something better.

Rather than mourn the dreams I lost, I’m dreaming again and embracing new possibilities.

How to Get Back in the Boat of Your Shipwrecked Dreams by Marva Smith for Counting My Blessings - Deb Wolf

If you’re passionate about rekindling your purpose too, let’s make a commitment to do just that. Let’s stay close to our Father, the giver of dreams and the creator of purpose. Let’s seek His plan for our lives. Let’s turn to Him and humbly submit our future to Him. 

God wants you to dream even bigger than before. And I can’t wait to see the amazing things He’ll do in you and through you.

I know that my old dreams will be nothing compared to my new ones.

Remember what the Scripture said?

Beauty for ashes.

All so that God can be glorified. How exciting is that?

Let’s decide to dream big and walk in purpose, together!

Wishing you blessings!

Marva

Marva Smith | SunSparkleShine.com

Marva is an island-living, sun-loving Christian wife and mother. As a business owner, management consultant, trainer and coach, she’s no stranger to busy but chooses the full life Christ offers instead (John 10:10). She finds joy in encouraging women to slow down and shine in the light of God’s goodness. You can find her writing about her life and faith on her website SunSparkleShine.com as well as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram. Get a free copy of her e-book You Were Made to Sparkle here.

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5 Verses that will Help When You Need to Be Still and Listen

In case you’ve missed the first five from the Countdown to #1 Series – you can check them out here:

How to Trust God’s NO When You are Suffering

12 Things You Need to Know About God that Will Make You Humble

The Best Ways to Teach Your Child Humble Confidence

25 of the Best Ways to Love Yourself the Way God Wants

7 of the Best Verses to Inspire Your Worship of God

Here’s the 3rd most popular post here at CMB…

5 Verses that will Help When You Need to Be Still and Listen

Verses to pray when you need to be still and listen for God's small whisper to guide and encourage you.

I’ve had a few times in my life when I’ve felt God’s voice loud and clear.

Like the time He challenged my grumbling or the time He gave me a word of love for a specific person as I was driving to a speaking engagement.

There was also the time that completely changed my view of things — all I could think about was the pain and loss when His tender Spirit whispered, “You have no idea what I’ve spared you from!”

But oh, how I would love to listen better. Kira’s post, from the other day, made me think about my need to do a better job of listening. Especially when life gets crazy and busyness takes over. When you and I can get caught up in all the doing and forget to focus on the reasons for the doing.

So today, I’d like you to join me to stop for just a moment and listen. To pray with me and wait quietly for His voice to fill us with all we need to live each day.

5 Verses to Pray that will Help You Be Still and Listen

Psalm 62:5–6

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
    for my hope is in Him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress where I will not be shaken. 

Father, it’s so hard to wait and even harder to wait quietly. I want to complain. I want what I want and I want it now! Forgive me. I’m behind with all the things I need to do but right now at this moment what I need more than anything is time with You. I need Your promises of hope. I need to remember who You are and all You’ve done. You are my Savior, my place of safety, my unshakable foundation. Thank you! Please guide me this day and where You lead with Your Spirit’s help, I will follow. Amen.

Verses to pray when you need to be still and listen for God's small whisper to guide and encourage you.

John 10:27

My sheep listen to my voice;
I know them, and they follow me. 

Lord, forgive me for the ways I let other voices distract me. The truth is … my own voice distracts me. My thoughts run in circles making deepening ruts as they tread the same ground again and again. Here I am, Lord. I need Your voice to help me quiet the craziness. I need Your truth and wisdom. Thank you for the many ways You assure me that I am Yours. You know me … nothing can change that. My heart’s desire is to obediently follow wherever You lead. Speak to me, Lord. I will be still and listen that I may follow where you lead. Amen.

Psalm 37:7a, 23–24

Be still in the presence of the Lord,
    and wait patiently for Him to act.
The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
    He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
    for the Lord holds them by the hand. 

Father, here I am — quiet and still in Your presence. Watching and waiting for Your direction. I love this promise … You “delight in every detail of my life.” You know everything about me. You know my weaknesses and You are aware of every stumble. Yet, by Your grace, You will not let me fall. Your hand is always there to help me and hold me. You faithfully forgive my foolish and distracted busyness and consistently call me back into Your holy presence where Your love surrounds me. Oh, how I thank and praise You! Amen.

John 14:26

But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. 

Oh, Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Spirit, thank you! Father, I am awed by the love You showed us in Your plan to redeem us. Jesus, I am overwhelmed that You would willingly sacrifice everything for me. Spirit, I am so thankful for the ways You draw these truths to my mind each day. My God how I love you and thank you for Your blessings. Amen.

5 Verses to Pray that will Help You When You Need to be Still and Listen by Deb Wolf @ Counting My Blessings

Psalm 25:4–5

Show me the right path, O Lord;
    point out the road for me to follow.
Lead me by Your truth and teach me,
    for You are the God who saves me.
    All day long I put my hope in You. 

Father, I may not finish my to-do list today but by Your grace, may I accomplish Your list. May I follow Your path and fulfill each task You assign. By the power of Your Spirit, teach me. Lead me. Help me to be still and listen as You lovingly call me back into Your sweet presence … where we can sit and talk or maybe for a few moments, just rest in each other’s presence. I love You, my hope, my Redeemer, my all. In Jesus name, Amen.

Praying you find peace in the busyness as you stop for a moment to just be still and listen.

This Week’s Friday Favorites

Highlights from the Week!


How to Live Without Fearing Eternity

by Stacey Pardoe
@ Encountering God in the Ordinary

 

Relationship Advice from Colossians 3:18–25 by George & EuniceRelationships Advice from Colossians 3:18–25

by George & Eunice
@ G & E – Adventures in Faith | Love | Parenthood

 

When You're Unsure and Overwhelmed, Remember This... by Kaitlyn BouchillonWhen You’re Unsure and Overwhelmed, Remember This…

by Kaitlyn Bouchillon
@ It Just Takes One


AND the…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

Counting My Blessings

I’m so glad you’re here!

This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.

I’d love to connect with you on social media!

I’m finding #Friendship and #Inspiration at #Faith ‘n Friends #LinkUp Come join the fun!

Click To Tweet

Deb Wolf
Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.
You know they love it when you stop by and say “hello.”

I would really appreciate it if you would
Grab my Link Party Button above and link back to CMB.

 Loading InLinkz ...

Thank you so much for partying with us!
May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship! 

Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…

and pray over the list left by our friends.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Have you visited the Faith ‘n Friends Link Party Board on Pinterest? It’s a great place to catch up with past posts you may have missed here at the party and/or save them for a future read! If you’d like to become a contributor to my Pinterest Group Boards – email me at deb@debwolf.com with a link to your Pinterest home page.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Thank you and God bless!

7 Verses that will Give You Perspective When You Need It

Welcome to Week #6 of The Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series.

If you’ve missed any of the earlier posts here, check out:

6 of the Best Ways to Fight Distraction and Listen to God
by Dawn Klinge

Amazing Worship Songs that will Make Your Day Better
by Carmen Brown

How to be Blessed with the Powerful Wisdom of God
by Valerie Murray

5 Verses that will Help When You Worry About Your Kids
by Ruthie Gray

How to Thrive When You Need a Spiritual Pep Talk
by Nicki Schroeder

AND…

To find more posts from my awesome friends, visit The Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series Board on Pinterest! 

Now, for today’s post…

I am so excited to share a post from one of my favorite bloggers and my dear friend, Melanie Redd.

Melanie’s tagline on her site is…

Inspiring Your Success in Ministry & in Life

And she will! She does!

One of my favorite things about Melanie is that she will not only give you tips and advice that will make success possible … she will bless you with her encouragement and prayers.

I know you will be blessed by the wisdom she shares. So, as always, please make Melanie feel welcome here by stopping to say “hello” in the comments. And please head over to visit her at MelanieRedd.com to enjoy even more of her practical application of Scripture shared with “a little wit and a whole lotta common sense.”

7 Verses that will Give You Perspective When You Need It

Your perspective influences everything - it's the way you look at and live your life. These 7 Bible verses will help you have the right perspective for life.

Perspective.

It’s the way we look at things… our frame of reference.

Perspective is the broad grid through which we look at life.

Perspective is much like a camera with a panoramic viewer.

As you look through the lens, you see a wide landscape – from the far left angle to the far right angle.

Our perspectives influence everything – our attitudes, our mindset, our viewpoint, our outlook, and our beliefs.

Today’s scriptures encourage us to look at life from heaven’s perspective – from God’s point of view.

“Wisdom is looking at life from God’s point of view.”
Adrian Rogers.

So, as you read each verse and consider the message… why not invite the Lord to give you His perspective on life?

Here are 7 Bible Verses That Will Give You Perspective:

our perspective influences everything - it's the way you look at and live your life. These 7 Bible verses will help you have the right perspective for life.

Verse One – Psalm 9:7-8

The Lord reigns forever;
He has established His throne for judgment.
He rules the world in righteousness
and judges the peoples with equity.

No matter who is in leadership in our governments, in our cities, in our schools, or in our churches; God ALWAYS reigns from heaven. He rules in righteousness and judges with equity.

When David wrote this Psalm, he was dealing with the Philistines. David’s battles took place thousands of years ago.  He knew that God reigned supremely and had everything under control.

Perspective: God reigns supreme over our world today. He knows exactly what is going on!

7 Verses that will Give You Perspective When You Need It by Melanie Redd for the Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series at Counting My Blessings by Deb Wolf

Verse Two – Psalm 73:26

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
He is mine forever.

Psalm 73 is one of my favorites!

And, these verses are a wonderful reminder that God is always our strength. No matter what we lose, how we feel, or what is going on in our lives, God is with us. He is the strength of our hearts. 

He is mine, and He is yours!

Perspective: Our God is very personally interested in us and able to support us through every season of our lives.

Verse Three – Psalm 100:5

For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and His faithfulness continues to each generation.

Like me, you likely memorized at least part of Psalm 100 at some point along the way.

It is one of the most beloved and quoted Psalms.

Perspective: The Lord is good, His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation. What sweet promises!

Verse Four – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

I love the perspective in these verses!

Our troubles won’t last very long. Yet, they produce for us incredible, long-lasting glory.

Perspective: We don’t have to fix our eyes on our current troubles. Instead, we can focus on all that is coming – all that God has ahead for us.

Verse Five – 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

Then we will be with the Lord forever.

When Christ returns, it’s going to be an amazing day.

And, we will be with the Lord forever!

Perspective: Nothing will be able to separate us from Him. We will always be in His presence. Forever, He is and will be ours!

Verse Six – Hebrews 9:12

With His own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—He entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

The Lord Jesus entered the Holy place and secured our redemption forever.

This means that nothing can take our redemption from us. We cannot lose our salvation once we have placed our trust in Jesus.

Perspective: We are secure in Him because of what Jesus has done for us, and we are forever redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!

7 Verses that will Give You Perspective When You Need It by Melanie Redd for the Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series at Counting My Blessings by Deb Wolf

Verse Seven – Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

We can take this promise to heart!

Jesus NEVER changes.

Perspective: No matter how crazy things get around us, we can rest in the fact that Jesus Christ is completely faithful and dependable.

So, what do you think?

What verses give you perspective on life and on your life?

Melanie is a Christian blogger, Motivational Speaker, Author, and Marketing and Social Media Consultant. She’s married to Randy and mom to two awesome college students. God’s grace never ceases to amaze her.

You can find out more about Melanie & her ministry at www.melanieredd.com.

You can connect with Melanie here:

Facebook  –  Instagram  –  Pinterest  –  Twitter

Ministry Synopsis:

The Ministry of Hope is all about helping others to succeed in ministry and in life. All of our messages, written materials, blog posts, and resources are designed to offer hope and encouragement.

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

I LOVE hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

How to Trust God’s NO When You are Suffering

It’s week #5 of the Countdown to #1 Blog Post Series.

In case you’ve missed the first four – you can check them out here:

12 Things You Need to Know About God that Will Make You Humble

The Best Ways to Teach Your Child Humble Confidence

25 of the Best Ways to Love Yourself the Way God Wants

7 of the Best Verses to Inspire Your Worship of God

Here’s the 4th most popular post here at CMB…

How to Trust God’s NO When You are Suffering

God allowed your broken heart. You've prayed and you're still suffering. Here are 5 ways to trust God's NO and allow Him to heal your broken heart.

What are you supposed to do when you feel like God is the One who allowed your broken heart?

It’s your heart’s desire.

And the Bible says, “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires.” Psalm 37:4

But for reasons beyond your ability to understand . . . God said ‘no!’

You’ve been good. You’ve tried to obey His commands. Maybe you’ve even dedicated your life to serving Him in ministry. But He still says ‘no.’

And one thought keeps repeating . . . it’s not fair!

So you pray pleading prays over and over again.

You may even find yourself whining and complaining like a child trying to get a parent to soften and give in.

But nothing changes…

You’re still waiting. You’re still sick. Still single. Still longing for a child, a job, a home, a _________.

And then like salt in a wound, everywhere you look, people who don’t even seem appreciative, have that something your heart aches for and you find yourself giving in to jealousy, tantrums, and self-pity.

This may sound familiar.

I’m ashamed to say, it’s my story.

I wanted what I wanted when I wanted it and God’s ‘no’ was simply unacceptable. I refused to trust that God had a better plan for me. And without giving you all the ugly details, I’ll tell you I learned a big lesson the hard way.

And by God’s grace, I’ve since learned a better way to trust God’s “no” even when you don’t want to.

God allowed your broken heart. You've prayed and you're still suffering. Here are 5 ways to trust God's NO and allow Him to heal your broken heart.

5 Ways to Trust God’s NO 

1. You can trust God’s NO because EVERYthing God allows is filtered through His love.

Love is God’s character and He cannot do anything that is outside of who He is. He always knows and does what is best for your eternal future even though it may not feel like it at the time.

“Real satisfaction comes not in understanding God’s motives, but in understanding His character, in trusting in His promises, and in leaning on Him and resting in Him as the Sovereign who knows what He is doing and does all things well.” ~ Joni Eareckson Tada

2. You can trust God’s NO because His goodness covers EVERYthing He allows.

God is good! Everything He does is good! You and I live in a sinful broken world and often have to live the consequences of that basic fact. But God is always at work for our good in ways that will give Him glory.

All He does is just and good, and all His commandments are trustworthy. Psalm 111:17

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. Romans 8:28

3. You can trust God’s NO because He sees the beginning from the end and He may be saying “no” to protect you. 

You and I make God too small. He is everlasting. He knows your past and your future. He knows the lives you will touch and knows how best to bless you keeping your eternal future in mind.

But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 2 Peter 3:8

4. You can trust God’s NO while you do what you can and leave the rest to Him.

Get up and focus on what you can to do today. Occupy your mind with what you have not what’s lacking. Live today embracing God’s plans and purposes which always include love . . . very big love.

“Harness the power of today. Seize the blessings of today! Make something happen, enhance your life, make someone laugh, help a friend, love, love, love!”  ~Steve Maraboli

5. You can trust God’s NO as you lean deep into His love through prayer and study of His Word.

Turn to Him! Rest in His love for you. Pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Read His Word and hold His promises close. Lean in and trust, trust, trust.

The Lord also keeps safe those who suffer. He is a safe place in times of trouble. Those who know Your name will put their trust in You. For You, O Lord, have never left alone those who look for You. Psalm 9:9–10 (NLV)

“I won’t tell you it will be easy. It won’t.”

Walking through a valley of grief and heartache is an arduous journey but it is not one we have to take alone.

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Psalm 23:4

How to Trust God's NO When You are Suffering by Deb Wolf at Counting My Blessings

Satan will consistently use your pain, your broken heart to tempt you to doubt God’s love, give up, and take care of things on your own.

Martin Luther said that his tactics have never changed … the lie is still the same as it was in the Garden…

“The sin underneath all our sins is to trust the lie of the serpent that we cannot trust the love and grace of Christ and must take matters into our own hands” ~Martin Luther

I have learned the hard way – that God’s ways are best. I’ve lived out the consequences of falling for the enemy’s lies, and I’ve come to believe with all my heart that God’s grace saturates everything He allows and His protecting hand of mercy surrounds anything He denies.

This isn’t fatalism.

It’s faith!

Whatever you are facing today, remember…

God will walk with you through this valley. You can trust His goodness and love … He has proven just how much through His Son, Jesus. You are not alone!

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don’t understand
When don’t see His plan
When you can’t trace His hand
Trust His Heart
~Babbie Mason, Trust His Heart

This Week’s Friday Favorites

Highlights from the Week!


Maintaining Joy and Patience in Affliction by Chizobam IdahosaMaintaining Joy and Patience in Affliction

by Chizobam Idahosa
@ Beautiful in Jesus

 

Father's Day Hope for Daddyless Daughters by Pam BlosserFather’s Day Hope for Daddyless Daughters

by Pam Blosser
@ Journey to Him

 

When We Need to Believe in a Greater Purpose by Crystal TwaddellWhen We Need to Believe in a Greater Purpose

by Crystal Twaddell
@ Cultivating a Life of Intention and a Legacy of Hope


AND the…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

Counting My Blessings

I’m so glad you’re here!

This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.

I’d love to connect with you on social media!

I’m finding #Friendship and #Inspiration at #Faith ‘n Friends #LinkUp Come join the fun!

Click To Tweet

Deb Wolf
Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.
You know they love it when you stop by and say “hello.”

I would really appreciate it if you would
Grab my Link Party Button above and link back to CMB.

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Thank you so much for partying with us!
May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship! 

Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…

and pray over the list left by our friends.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Have you visited the Faith ‘n Friends Link Party Board on Pinterest? It’s a great place to catch up with past posts you may have missed here at the party and/or save them for a future read! If you’d like to become a contributor to my Pinterest Group Boards – email me at deb@debwolf.com with a link to your Pinterest home page.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Thank you and God bless!

How to Thrive When You Need A Spiritual Pep Talk

Welcome to Week #5 of The Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series.

If you’ve missed any of the earlier posts here, check out:

6 of the Best Ways to Fight Distraction and Listen to God
by Dawn Klinge

Amazing Worship Songs that will Make Your Day Better
by Carmen Brown

How to be Blessed with the Powerful Wisdom of God
by Valerie Murray

5 Verses that will Help When You Worry About Your Kids
by Ruthie Gray

AND…

To find more posts from my awesome friends, visit The Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series Board on Pinterest! 

It’s time for this week’s guest post…

Please welcome my friend, Nicki Schroeder from Showered in Grace.

Nicki is a speaker and writer who loves to share the “joy found in ordinary moments and the beauty of grace.” She loves to tell people that her heart’s desire is to encourage her readers to grow deeper in their daily relationship with the Lord.

I love how she does it with a self-effacing sense of humor wonderfully combined with gentle reminders from God’s truth.

So, sit back, relax, and enjoy a word of encouragement from my friend, Nicki! AND don’t forget to stop and make her feel welcome by leaving a comment!

When you're the queen of cranky and need a spiritual pep talk ... rest, relax, zip it, and Praise GOD!

How to Thrive When You Need A Spiritual Pep Talk

Ever have one of those days where you just want to smack the happy out of someone?

What do you do when that someone is you? You aren’t equipped mentally to tackle the mountains of laundry, patient enough to run errands, or smiley enough for humans to venture near you.

That was me last week. In a BIG way. If they had been handing out the “Queen of Cranky Pants” award, I would have won it hands down.

God loves us just as we are, cranky pants and all.

I’m a fairly nice person, I’m pretty sure you are too.

In fact, most days, when people meet us, they probably think “hey, she’s pretty neat.” But let’s be honest, there are days and whole weeks of the month, where we are anything but likeable, even to the people closest to us.

It’s like we visit this land called crazy town and go a little bananas on everyone that crosses our path. It’s not a pretty site. The train to crazy town happens when we’re overwhelmed, exhausted, hormonal and/or just plain overextended.

The good news is that we are all a work in progress.

It puts my mind at ease knowing that on even the crankiest of days, God loves us just as we are, cranky pants and all. But it’s even cooler knowing that He loves us WAY TOO MUCH to leave us in our cranky, sad, annoyed or enter your cranky day word here ways.

God’s in control, even when we feel totally out of control.

Some days our glass is half empty, despite our best efforts. But even in our toughest moments, we are never alone.

Everyday can be abundantly overflowing with His grace, mercy, love, joy and redemption.

It’s a choice. We need to take a deep breathe and remind ourselves that even when the cranky moments arrive, we don’t have to say everything that comes to mind, nor do wehave to act on every emotion that starts bubbling underneath the surface.<

When you're the queen of cranky and need a spiritual pep talk ... rest, relax, zip it, and Praise GOD!

HELP FOR THOSE DAYS WHEN YOU NEED A SPIRITUAL PEP TALK

Breathe  Psalm 46:10 

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Relax. 

“Don’t worry about tomorrow!“ Matthew 6:34

Zip it. 

Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. Proverbs 29:11

Praise Him!

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Did you catch that? All things. 

Including the cranky days.

If you feel like you could win the “Queen of Cranky Pants” award today and you need a spiritual pep talk, just remember tomorrow is another day – your do-over day.

How to Thrive When You Need A Spiritual Pep Talk by Nicki Schroeder for Dab Wolf at Counting My Blessings

Hang in there! And cling to His grace.

Nicki Schroeder is a Christian radio personality in the Midwest. She is the creator of “The Grace Challenge,” Bible encouragement to help you glorify Jesus in the middle of your busy, beautiful life. Nicki is a writer and speaker who strives for authenticity in her relationship with Jesus and others. She is a soul encourager who loves coffee, cupcakes and Jesus, just not in that order.  Visit her for weekly encouragement at www.nickischroeder.com.

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12 Things You Need to Know about God that will Make You Humble

Welcome to week four in the Countdown to #1 Summer Series here at CMB.

Before we get to the post, I want to share with you something that hit me this week about God’s awesome timing.

You see…

I’ve struggled with insecurity big time the past couple of weeks and as I’ve read many of your posts I’ve realized, I’m not alone!

Friends the enemy is working overtime on God’s people in an effort to discourage and defeat them. And I’m guilty of falling for his tactics.

But, I realized something this week while studying Paul’s words to the Romans.

I’m discouraged and insecure because I’ve taken my focus off Jesus and spent waaaay toooo much time thinking about me. (That never works very well, does it?)

Paul wrote in Romans…

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? No! Despite all these things, [ troubles, calamity, persecution, hunger, poverty, danger, or even death] overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loves us! Romans 8:35, 37 (paraphrase mine)

You and I are the victorious children of the God of the universe who loves us so much He gave His only Son to die for us.

I need to keep my focus on Him!

So, I’m laying my insecurity at the feet of Jesus and asking Him to help me keep my focus on my Father – the one who is able to turn a shepherd boy into a giant slayer and a brother sold into slavery into a national leader.

Friend, our Father is able, and when you and I focus on who He is we can humbly surrender our insecurities and failures trusting Him to replace them with all we need to live in victory.

Countdown to #1 – Post #5!

You and I can not only know about God we can know Him and the more we know Him the more humble we are and the more victorious we become. That's Good News!

The measure of humility in your life and mine will always be in direct proportion to what we believe to be the truths about God.

Did you know that every time someone came in direct contact with God in His glory as it’s recorded in Scripture they were flattened? Flattened!

In God’s presence, humility happens naturally! Can you imagine?!

So, for a few minutes, I want to take my focus off myself and take a closer look at Him. I want to not only know about God, I want to know Him! I believe I’ll come away with some much needed natural humility and knowing my heavenly Father … I’ll be blessed with several other things He knows I need, too.

12 Things You Need to Know about God
that will Make You Humble

God is…

Creator – Maker of the vast universe and the tiniest microorganism. Creator of plants and animals. Everything demonstrating His incomprehensible imagination and yet He is personal enough to create one of a kind individuals like you and me.

From the very beginning, the Word was with God. Through Him God made all things; not one thing in all creation was made without Him. John 1:2–3

O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by Your hand. Isaiah 64:8

Redeemer – His love for each of the people He created is so immense He would rather die for you and me than live separated from us.

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23–24

Spirit – He is truth and wisdom, helper and comforter, given to you to show His immeasurable love.

And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. Romans 5:5

 

You and I can not only know about God we can know Him and the more we know Him the more humble we are and the more victorious we become.

All-knowing – He is big enough to make it all. Redeem it all. Guide it all. And He understands it all. Yet, He is personal enough to know the number of hairs on your head.

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13

All-powerful – He is big enough to care for everything through His protective power and personal enough to care for and about you.

But God made the earth by His power; He founded the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. Jeremiah 10:12

Ever Present – He is big enough to cover the vast reaches of space and personal enough to know each heartfelt prayer.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from Your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, You are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there Your hand will guide me,
    Your right hand will hold me fast.
Psalm 139:7–10

Eternal – He is without beginning and will have no end – and through Jesus, He has made it possible for us to spend an unending future in His presence.

To the King that rules forever, who will never die, who cannot be seen, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17

Just – He is fair and unbiased. All His ways are perfect. He is the Way, Truth, and Life!

“Great and marvelous are Your works,
    O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are Your ways,
    O King of the nations.
Who will not fear You, Lord,
    and glorify Your name?
    For You alone are holy.”
Revelation 15:3–4a

Merciful – Though He is just He is forgiving. His love is perfect and personal as He, through Jesus, removes the punishment our sins deserve.

The Lord is kind and does what is right; our God is merciful. Psalm 116:5

Gracious – He provides. He protects. He meets every need and gives us blessings we could never deserve.

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16

12 Things You Need to Know about God that will Make You Humble by Deb Wolf @ Counting My Blessings

The Way, The Truth, The Life – Jesus, the Son of God, our Redeemer, is the way of salvation, absolute truth, and the promise of life.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Love – Perfect unimaginable love. Poured out for you and me. He alone is worthy of our worship, praise, and complete love forever and always.

God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:9–10

I’ve only touched the surface. There is no way to completely know about God … to describe, explain, or understand Him.

John said:

Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written. John 21:25

And Jesus said:

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!  John 14:9

He’s given us what we need to know and love Him.

Although, He is greater than our minds can comprehend … He is personal, caring, and loving enough to provide for even our deepest needs.

So, good-bye insecurity! Through Jesus, you and I are perfectly secure.

Even more than secure … we have overwhelming victory over anything the enemy throws at us.

Now that’s humbling!

This Week’s Friday Favorites

Highlights from the Week!


Finding Inner Strength from the Pain of Yesterday by Lori SchumakerFinding Inner Strength from the Pain of Yesterday

by and @ Lori Schumaker

 

When God Gave Me More than I Could Handle by Dr. Michelle Bengston @ Hope PrevailsWhen God Gave Me More than I Could Handle

by Dr. Michelle Bengston
@ Hope Prevails

 

When You Want to be Someone You're Not by Rebecca Hastings @ My Ink DanceWhen You Want to be Someone You’re Not

by Rebecca Hastings
@ My Ink Dance


AND the…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

Counting My Blessings

I’m so glad you’re here!

This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.

I’d love to connect with you on social media!

I’m finding #Friendship and #Inspiration at #Faith ‘n Friends #LinkUp Come join the fun!

Click To Tweet

Deb Wolf
Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.
You know they love it when you stop by and say “hello.”

I would really appreciate it if you would
Grab my Link Party Button above and link back to CMB.

 Loading InLinkz ...

Thank you so much for partying with us!
May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship! 

Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…

and pray over the list left by our friends.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Have you visited the Faith ‘n Friends Link Party Board on Pinterest? It’s a great place to catch up with past posts you may have missed here at the party and/or save them for a future read! If you’d like to become a contributor to my Pinterest Group Boards – email me at deb@debwolf.com with a link to your Pinterest home page.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Thank you and God bless!

5 Verses that will Help When You Worry about Your Kids

Welcome to Week #4 of The Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series.

If you’ve missed any of the earlier posts here, check out:

6 of the Best Ways to Fight Distraction and Listen to God
by Dawn Klinge

Amazing Worship Songs that will Make Your Day Better
by Carmen Brown

How to be Blessed with the Powerful Wisdom of God
by Valerie Murray

AND…

To find more posts from my awesome friends, visit The Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series Board on Pinterest!

NOW, for today’s post…

I want to introduce you to someone I wish I’d know when my kiddos were growing up. Seriously, if you have children in your home, at college, or grown … okay, if you have children, you need to know Ruthie Gray!

She is supportive, encouraging and shares time-tested advice for moms. AND… she does it all with honesty, humor, and a big love for Jesus.

I love her tagline:

Mentoring moms to capture joy in Christ’s strength! 

Being a mom being is exhausting … having someone who’s been there cheering you on and leading the way is essential!

So, sit back, relax, and enjoy some of Ruthie’s godly wisdom for moms. Then leave her some love in the comments…

5 Verses that will Help When You Worry about Your Kids

 

You'd like to keep them safely protected in their rooms. It's hard when you worry about your kids. We all do it! These verses and promises will help... A Post by Ruthie Gray Part of the Summer Sizzle Blog Hop

Do you worry about your kids having freak accidents or getting in with the wrong crowd? When illness creeps up, do you conjure up worse case scenarios?

Of course you do – you’re a mom.  The first time you snuggle a newborn to your breast, the weight of responsibility wraps around your shoulders like a heavy cloak.  Your child becomes the last thought on your mind at night and the first thought when you rise.

Last January I jotted down my dream list of goals for the coming year.

At the top?

Weight loss.

(Big surprise.)

At the bottom?

Banish fear of the future.

With the entrance of empty nest, fear has full-on threatened to strangle me in its clutches nearly every sleepless night.

For this reason, I claimed Proverbs 31:25b as my blog foundation verse.

“She laughs at the future” 

I was hoping if I said it enough, it would stick.

Only a mother experiences the irrational fear of an adult child’s home going up in flames due to a carelessly microwaved fork.

Will he remember to lock his doors?  Does she carry mace in her purse?  Are they cracking their windows when using the gas fireplace?

All manner of fear drives a mama to the brink of insanity.  If you’re reading this, you know what it means to worry about your kids.

After I jotted down that fear, (almost as an afterthought, probably because I act like it’s a normal setting on my dryer), I picked up my devotional tools.

You'd like to keep them safely protected in their rooms. It's hard when you worry about your kids. We all do it!

And here is what I read: 

1.)  God is love, and perfect love casts out fear

Those were the first words I read in The Attributes of God Vol. 2, by A.W. Tozer

I sat stunned, knowing God designed and foreordained this passage for this morning and this day down to my writing out that wish.

God reveals to me more and more how personal He is when I pay attention!

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.  I John 4:18  

When you worry – God’s love is perfect and personal! 

5 Verses that will Help When You Worry about Your Kids by Ruthie Gray for the Summer Sizzle Blog Hop - Counting My Blessings

2.)  God pursues those He loves

Jonah, 1-4.

This Jonah man was selfish.  He did not want to do what God asked.  He ran the complete opposite way and God pursued him with a vengeance.

Even into the sea

Even in the belly of the whale

Even after Jonah said yes, went to Ninevah, and got mad because God forgave the people

Even after Jonah made a shelter just outside the city so he could sit and mope

Even after Jonah got mad at God because a worm ate his shade tree

God still does this for us.  He’s done it for me when I’ve strayed, thinking I knew best. 

When you worry – God pursues you! 

3.)  God loves each of us personally

It was no coincidence that my rustling pages fell to Psalm 144, my Scripture reading for December 18.

Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?

Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?

Man is like a breath

His days are like a passing shadow.  Psalm 144:3-4

I think if we’re honest, all of us wonder deep down at times.

Years ago, when Joni Erikson recorded her first album, her song, Journey’s End, stopped me in my tracks with this line:

And for the faith to doubt, and yet believe. 

That line followed me for years.

So if I’m being honest, yes, I doubt sometimes.

And yet, I always come back to my faith in Christ, because He proves Himself faithful time and time again. 

When you worry – God’s love is faithful!

4.)  God loves every prayer of His saints

Revelation 8:3

And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne.

God hears every prayer of every person on this earth that believes in Him.

That means every prayer I’ve ever prayed, He has heard.  Every prayer you’ve ever prayed, he heard.

When you worry – God hears every.prayer.everwhere.
 5 Verses that will Help When You Worry about Your Kids by Ruthie Gray for the Summer Sizzle Blog Hop - Counting My Blessings

5.)  God loves the lowly

Because it was around Christmastime, I read through The Women of Christmas by Liz Curtis Higgs.

Jesus was born homeless

Jesus was homeless during His ministry

Jesus was born into poverty

“His earthly parents had nothing the world counts as valuable.  Had they been rich, room would have been made for them.  Instead, they were poor, yet they made room in their hearts for God.” 

Shepherds were lowly, despised, and often regarded as thieves.  And yet, Christ called Himself a Shepherd. The Bible refers to David as a shepherd.

When you worry – The Lord is my Shepherd.

 Peace, when you worry about your kids, is a daily growth process

Halfway through this year, I’ve not completely succeeded at either of my main goals.  But the good news?  God is not done with me yet.  He will teach me, lead me, and encourage me in His time.  It has been said that time heals all wounds.  But time also grows maturity.

Next time you sense that familiar icy fear prick up the back of your neck, remember, we serve a personal God.  He pursues and loves us beyond comprehension.  He cares not about stature or status; our neediness brings His presence nearer.

He hears every prayer we breathe – however brief or harried.  And if you are struggling to believe God cares that you worry about your kids, here’s my parenting post over at Arabah Joy called,  To the mom who feels invisible. Pop on over and read how Christ reached out to a desperate woman who thought she was invisible.

You’ll be encouraged –  I was!

Ruthie Gray is a wife, Gigi, and mom of four (who lived to tell about it).  Ruthie’s passion is mentoring moms to capture joy with humor, advice, and practical application of Scripture at Ruthie Gray.Mom.  Ruthie is a contributor of the free mom devotional app, TruthBytes, and the author of Count to Nine; 9 Liberating Steps for Mom Frustration and Anger.  Click to download her Wife and Mommy Survival Kit here.

Connect with Ruthie on:

Pinterest  :  Instagram  :  Facebook

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

I LOVE hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

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The Best Ways to Teach Your Child Humble Confidence

I’m so glad you’re here for week three of The Countdown to #1 Series.

This is post #6 among my most popular posts.

Humble confidence is knowing every strength, talent, and ability is a gift to be used for God's glory and every weakness is an opportunity to show God's power to help us change.

You want your children to be confident and successful.  You want them to go into the world and fulfill their God-given purpose with passion and enthusiasm.

You do all you can to help them fulfill their hopes and dreams because you want great things for them.

Where does humility fall on your list of things you want for them? And if it’s on the list, how in the world are you supposed to help them not become prideful while still encouraging them to be confident?

That’s the goal, isn’t it? A holy tension.

Humble confidence.

The very struggle you and I face every day in ourselves.

Humble confidence is knowing that every strength, talent, and ability is a gift to be used for God’s glory and every weakness is an opportunity to show God’s power to help us change.

So, how do you and I help our children in an area that we struggle with ourselves?

10 Ways to Teach Your Children Humble Confidence

1. Pray – ask God to help you and your children live with both confidence and humility. 

“Do not strive in your own strength; cast yourself at the feet of the Lord Jesus, and wait upon Him in the sure confidence that He is with you, and works in you. Strive in prayer; let faith fill your heart–so will you be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” ~Andrew Murray

2. Teach them to show respect to everyone with a zero-tolerance for rudeness.

Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Live as servants of God. Show respect for all people: Love the brothers and sisters of God’s family, respect God, honor the king. 1 Peter 2:16–17

3. Teach them to listen with a goal of learning and understanding other people’s perspectives and feelings. 

My mom always asked me two questions after I had a disagreement with a friend.

1. Why do you think they were upset, said what they did, or acted that way?
2. How might you have handled it better?

“Every person that you meet knows something you don’t; learn from them.” ~H. Jackson Brown Jr.

4. Teach them to admit their mistakes and apologize; forgive them and teach them to forgive others. 

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so God can heal you. When a believing person prays, great things happen. James 5:16

Any good apology has 3 parts: 1) I’m sorry. 2) It’s my fault. 3) What can I do to make it right?” ~Unknown

5. Teach them to serve others by serving with them. 

Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others. Be good servants of God’s various gifts of grace. 1 Peter 4:10

6. Teach them to be kind, have a zero-tolerance for cruelty and bullying. 

When you talk, you should always be kind and pleasant so you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should. Colossians 4:6

“Kindness is more than deeds. It is an attitude, an expression, a look, a touch. It is anything that lifts another person.” ~Unknown

7. Teach them to ALWAYS do their best . . . whether they win or lose to do everything to glorify God. 

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

The Best Ways to Teach Your Child Humble Confidence by Deb Wolf @ Counting My Blessings

8. Teach them to try, allow them to fail and encourage them to try again . . . life itself is often the best teacher of humility. 

“Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities — always see them, for they’re always there.” ~Norman Vincent Peale

9. Teach them about strengths and weaknesses . . . talk about yours (they see them anyway) and help them identify theirs. 

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10

10. Model humble confidence for them. 

Show them humility. Show them confidence. Show them how to respect everyone no matter who they are or what they do. Show them the importance of kindness and listening to others. Show them the blessing of service. Show them the importance of trying when it would be easier to quit. Show them your faith and love for the One who made them for His plans and purposes.

Finally, remember…

You are not doing this humble confidence thing perfectly and your children are not going to get it right all the time either. It is something they, like you, will have to work at for the rest of their lives.

But…

You can teach them.

And the best part, you can’t teach them without learning and growing yourself. God will use this in your life.

Don’t give up. Teaching your children to live humble confidence is one of many important ways you will them well.

“I find the best way to love someone is not to change them, but instead, help them reveal the greatest version of themselves.” ~Steve Maraboli

This Week’s Friday Favorites

Highlights from the Week!


7 Lessons Learned by Being Invited to Speak Internationally by Susan B. Mead7 Lessons Learned by Being Invited to Speak Internationally

by Susan B. Mead
@ Helping Others Find Calm in the Chaos of Life

 

Why I Need to Stop Measuring the Negatives by Gretchen FlemingWhy I Need to Stop Measuring the Negatives

by and @ Gretchen Fleming

 

When You're Disappointed with God by Esther DorotikWhen You’re Disappointed with God

by Esther Dorotik
@ Chosen and Cherished


AND the…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

Counting My Blessings

I’m so glad you’re here!

This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.

I’d love to connect with you on social media!

I’m finding #Friendship and #Inspiration at #Faith ‘n Friends #LinkUp Come join the fun!

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Deb Wolf
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No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.
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May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship! 

Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…

and pray over the list left by our friends.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Have you visited the Faith ‘n Friends Link Party Board on Pinterest? It’s a great place to catch up with past posts you may have missed here at the party and/or save them for a future read! If you’d like to become a contributor to my Pinterest Group Boards – email me at deb@debwolf.com with a link to your Pinterest home page.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Thank you and God bless!

How to be Blessed with the Powerful Wisdom of God

Welcome to Week #3 of The Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series.

If you’ve missed any of the earlier posts here, check out:

6 of the Best Ways to Fight Distraction and Listen to God
by Dawn Klinge

Amazing Worship Songs that will Make Your Day Better
by Carmen Brown

AND…

To find more posts from my awesome friends, visit The Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series Board on Pinterest!

NOW, for this week…

I am so excited to welcome my friend, Valerie Murray, from Cord of 6, to the blog today!

Valerie and I connected the moment we met and realized we have both struggled with the challenge of living overwhelmed by fear.

Valerie draws her readers in by asking…

“Are you a woman who struggles with fear and longs to live with confidence in God’s purpose for you? Then you’re in the right place!  I hope to offer encouragement and support for overwhelmed moms, hurting wives and fellow fear fighters.” 

I’m so thankful God brought us together because Valerie’s right … well, she’s really quoting a truth God gave Solomon:

“Two are better than one” and “a cord of three strands is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4

With God’s help, no struggle can defeat nor fear overpower us!

Please welcome my friend, Valerie, and make her feel at home…

What do you do when you don't know what to do? When you need the wisdom of God to guide you? You ask..!

How to be Blessed with the Powerful Wisdom of God

Have you wondered how to receive the wisdom of God in your life?

What do you do when you don’t know what God wants you to do?

The topic of the wisdom of God is as vast as the sea. Diving into the Bible, I find an ocean of discoveries I never knew existed. Common stand-alone verses explored further by their surrounding context advance a deeper understanding and even more sunken vessels and hidden treasures.

James tells us that God’s wisdom will enable us to endure trials joyfully. My search to know the wisdom of God in my life intensifies when hard times hit.

Usually, I see/hear James 1:5 quoted as a stand-alone verse. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

However, reading the full context of this passage (the verses before and after) gives insight into who/how we can receive the wisdom of God.

James 1:2-6 says:

(2) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (3) because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (4) Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (5) If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (6) But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (7) That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

James is writing to Jewish Christians who had been scattered throughout the Mediterranean world due to persecution. James wanted to encourage them to live out their faith in a genuine way.

What do you do when you don't know what to do? When you need the wisdom of God to guide you? You ask..!

How do we receive the wisdom of God when life is hard?

We must know Christ to know God’s Divine Wisdom

Since Christ is the source of all wisdom (Colossians 2:3) it makes sense that in order to gain divine wisdom we need to know the author from whom all wisdom originates.

Proverbs 2:3-5 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Those who have reverential awe for the majesty of God will trust and turn away from their sins.

Until we recognize the holiness of God, we will not understand the depravity of our sin and our great need for a Savior. His saving grace naturally produces a heart in the believer that seeks to know our loving God.

“God whispers wisdom to the humble in heart. He whispers and pours out His secrets upon the person who hates sin, turns away from iniquity and puts his trust in God his Savior.”  ~ A.W. Tozer

What do you do when you don’t know what God wants you to do? How do we receive the wisdom of God when life is hard?

We must ask God for wisdom.

James encourages believers to ask God for wisdom.

Have you ever prayed earnestly for God to grant you wisdom to know how to apply Biblical truth to particular situations in your life? God is not hiding His wisdom from you. He gives it generously to those who seek Him with a true desire to know His will.

When we ask we must believe and not doubt.

Do you doubt that God will give you wisdom after you ask? Sometimes God’s word reveals wisdom to us right away. God’s wisdom will never go against what scripture says.

Other times, when we’re not quite sure how to respond or act or what to do in a particular situation, gaining God’s wisdom is a process.  Sometimes it takes time. The fact that God doesn’t want me to doubt, gives me such reassurance because it means I can expect Him to answer my prayers!

I don’t have to stress about my desire to do the right thing or be afraid that I will do the wrong thing when I know I am praying for God’s divine direction.

Enduring Trials Produces Wisdom

James tells us that enduring trials will test our faith and produce perseverance and maturity in us.

As much as I hate going through hard times, when I earnestly seek God for guidance, I learn about who God is. The process refines me and I come out having greater wisdom about how God wants me to act and respond.

God reveals His divine wisdom to us through the Holy Spirit, His word, and through prayer.

How to be Blessed with the Powerful Wisdom of God by Valerie Murray for the Summer Sizzle Blog Hope Series

A.W. Tozer’s book, The Wisdom of God, says divine wisdom will help us to recognize God’s hand leading us providentially. His wisdom enables us to recognize His presence in our lives as well as his correction.

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting, get understanding.” Proverbs 4:7

Are you seeking the Lord’s wisdom in a certain area in your life? I would love for you to share so we can support you in prayer. Let’s encourage one another as we endure difficult circumstances and find joy in the hope of our salvation.


Valerie Murray is a wife of 21 years and a busy mom to 4 energetic children. She writes at ValerieMurray.com about keeping faith and family strong through Christ. Her heart’s desire is to offer hope to others and declare the glory of God in her life through her writing. Her mission is to offer encouragement to struggling marriages, overwhelmed moms and people striving to face their fears and know their worth. Coffee, chocolate and a good movie always make her happy! You can find her on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Instagram & Google+.

 

 

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25 of the Best Ways to Love Yourself the Way God Wants

Welcome to week two of my Countdown to #1 Series!

This post is #7 among my most popular posts…

The Bible says you should love your neighbor as you love yourself. But what exactly is Biblical self-love? 25 ways to Love Yourself God's Way!

I don’t know about you, but I struggle with the idea of self-love. If you Google “love yourself” you’ll find a plethora of thoughts on the subject . . . some good, some not.

So I went to the Bible and searched for “love yourself” there, and…

10 places in the Bible it says, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

But what does love yourself mean exactly based on God’s Word?

What if self-love is supposed to look child-like?

And Jesus said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

You don’t have to tell little children to love themselves. They are comfortable in their own skin. They know when they’re hungry, tired, and when they need comfort and nurturing. But even more important for our discussion today little children are humble, sincere, trusting, and dependent.

But wait . . . that’s counterintuitive isn’t it? We probably wouldn’t think of self-love as humble, sincere, trusting, or dependent.

Stay with me for just a moment.

What if self-love is supposed to look like humility?

Warren Wiersbe defines true humility as:

  1. Knowing yourself.
  2. Accepting yourself.
  3. Being yourself.

He adds . . . “Humility begins with self-examination and continues with self-denial.”

Self-examination and self-denial—again not what we think of when we think self-love. But what if…

To love yourself God’s way … always begin with humility.

Because humble self-love is best able to love others.

Let’s take a closer look at Wiersbe’s definition of true humility.

  1. Knowing yourself means getting to know your personality, your values, your gifts and abilities, and your hopes and dreams . . . the you God created.
  2. Accepting yourself comes from having and keeping a vertical perspective. Fixing your eyes on Jesus. NOT COMPARING yourself to others.
  3. Being yourself means living obediently as the one of a kind, God designed person you are. Being yourself means allowing God to use you to fulfill His plans and purposes. It is allowing Him to use you to love others in ways only you are able.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. Psalm 139:13–14

The Bible says you should love your neighbor as you love yourself. But what exactly is Biblical self-love? 25 ways to Love Yourself God's Way!
I’m not very good at “loving myself” when it comes to giving myself regular “atta girl” pats on the back. I’m not great at self-pampering and I’m definitely not good at getting all warm and fuzzy when I look in the mirror.

But maybe that’s okay.

Because I know my:

  1. Personality – I’m a Phlegmatic/Sanguine which means I just want everyone to get along and have fun doing it.
  2. Values – My core values are grounded in my love for Jesus. Values that make me want to follow Jesus’ example of loving God and others.
  3. Gifts and Abilities – I’m a student who loves to teach. I have the gift of gab and I’m getting better at the gift of listening. And I love writing. If you’ve never read my About Deb Page you’ll learn more about me than you care to know.
  4. Hopes and Dreams – My greatest desire is to stay focused on eternal things – loving and obeying God and loving well the people He puts around me. (I probably would have answered something about my kids 20 years ago. So, don’t put too much holiness on this. I’m at my stage of life. You’re at yours.)

For the most part, I know the girl God created. Oh, I’m a work in progress when it comes to the accepting part, but I’m confident if I stay focused on Jesus and stop comparing myself to others I will do a better job there. And I will always try to do better while trusting that I am loved and accepted just the way I am.

As far as being myself . . . I think I’m okay there. Honestly, if I can’t be myself in my sixties when in the world will I start.

So, how does God want you to love yourself?

Here’s what I think.

The Best Ways to Love Yourself the Way God Wants - Click through to find even more ways to love yourself the way God wants.

25 Ways to Love Yourself the Way God Wants

  1. Remember you are valued and precious to God.
  2. Know, accept, and be yourself.
  3. Forgive yourself like God forgives you.
  4. Treat yourself with care and compassion.
  5. Care for your physical needs . . . diet, move and rest.
  6. Refuse to waste time on stinkin’ thinkin’.
  7. Ask for help when you need it.
  8. Sing, dance, and laugh more.
  9. Refuse to speak unkind words to yourself.
  10. Say ‘no’ when you need to.
  11. Do something you were created to do every day.
  12. Pursue your hopes and dreams.
  13. Be honest with yourself and others.
  14. Pray – ask God to help you know your strengths.
  15. Pray – ask God to show you your weaknesses.
  16. Pray – ask God for His guidance and help. 
  17. Stop and give thanks for your life every day.
  18. Spend time with people you love.
  19. Accept what you can’t change.
  20. Forgive others. 
  21. Be bold and try something new.
  22. Believe God has a plan and purpose for you.
  23. Live engaged in every moment.
  24. Be patient with yourself.
  25. Be still – know and love God.

What do you think? Are you ready to love yourself God’s way?

And remember, loving yourself God’s way equips you to love others His way too.

Blessings to you my loved friends!

This Week’s Friday Favorites

Highlights from the Week!



Opening Our Hearts is Just as Important as Opening Our Homes by Stacey PardoeOpening Our Hearts is Just as Important
as Opening Our Homes

by Stacey Pardoe
@ Encountering God in the Ordinary

 

5 Reasons to Pray for Your Grandchildren by Deborah Haddix5 Reasons to Pray for Your Grandchildren

by and @ Deborah Haddix

 

Heading in the Right Direction by Martha Orlando @ Meditations of My HeartHeading in the Right Direction

by Martha Orlando
@ Meditations of My Heart


AND the…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

Counting My Blessings

I’m so glad you’re here!

This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.

I’d love to connect with you on social media!

I’m finding #Friendship and #Inspiration at #Faith ‘n Friends #LinkUp Come join the fun!

Click To Tweet

Deb Wolf
Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.
You know they love it when you stop by and say “hello.”

I would really appreciate it if you would
Grab my Link Party Button above and link back to CMB.

 Loading InLinkz ...

Thank you so much for partying with us!
May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship! 

Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…

and pray over the list left by our friends.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Have you visited the Faith ‘n Friends Link Party Board on Pinterest? It’s a great place to catch up with past posts you may have missed here at the party and/or save them for a future read! If you’d like to become a contributor to my Pinterest Group Boards – email me at deb@debwolf.com with a link to your Pinterest home page.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Thank you and God bless!

Amazing Worship Songs that will Make Your Day Better

Welcome to Week #2 of The Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series.

If you missed last week’s post, you can find it here…

6 of the Best Ways to Fight Distraction and Listen to God
by Dawn Klinge

AND…

To find more posts from my awesome friends, visit The Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series Board on Pinterest! 

NOW…

I am so excited to share a post by my friend, Carmen Brown, with you this week.

I was blessed to meet Carmen in person a little over a year ago. She writes to encourage wives and mothers to build their homes on a foundation of Christ. She says it’s her “desire to express understanding, compassion, and love to all the beautiful, strong, graceful wives and mothers who visit her at Married by His Grace. 

Oh, and she’s also great at helping new bloggers with tips, ideas, and lots of encouragement.

Please welcome, Carmen! I KNOW you’re going to love her! She’s kind, caring, and she makes me laugh!

Amazing Worship Songs that will Make Your Day Better

There is nothing better than listening to one of your favorite worship songs to get your mind off your problems and make your day better. #SummerSizzleBlogHop #Worship

I get hooked on worship songs. Once I fall in love with a song, I add it to a playlist and will play the list over and over. In the morning when I wake up, during breakfast time with my children, while working out, and most definitely in my prayer room as I am seeking after the Lord, my playlist will play.

I love finding songs that will lift me up to His presence, bring peace to my worship time, and even clarity to how good God truly is to us.

All of this helps me have a good day as a wifey, with my children, as a full-time Blogger at home, and especially within myself. Worship music builds an intimate connection with God.

Listening to music is a form of worship that I can be on the go with. I love that I am either praying continuously throughout the day or I am singing praises unto Him. I do it so much that I even catch my children starting to sing when there is complete silence longer than a minute.

Oh, my goodness…it just melts my heart. Vision it….worshiping with your children through music. To me(deep sigh)…..Nothing beats that!

Worship music is seriously one of the best ways to shift the atmosphere. The Bible tells us, “Submit yourself unto God, Resist the Devil, and he shall flee.” (James 4:7)

Worshiping the Lord our God is the best way to completely submit yourself unto God, by doing so you will resist anything that is not of God, which then does not allow the devil to be around. 1,2,3, take the fact as it is and enjoy the worship music!

Right now my top song to play about ten times a day is, ‘Reckless Love’. I mean who doesn’t love that song? It completely describes the “overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.”  Like how I added that?!!

I love the Reckless Love song because after hearing Cory Asbury live performance to this song, I received a great understanding as to what this song meant to him. He read the scriptures when Jesus spoke the parable of leaving the ninety-nine to save the one (Luke 15:4). This song is anointed and driven with a passion for the love of Christ which is all I ask for in a worship song!

There is just something about worship music; whether it’s with a slow soothing repetitive beat or a powerful anointing drumming sound to fire you up with a massive amount of energy for the day or not. Any song that represents the Lord’s love for us is an anthem to any day we have.

I encourage you to lay before Him for five minutes to just think upon the words we are listening to. Let it take you to complete solitude with Him, our Father. Let it enrich every thought you have about Him. Allow yourself to grow deeper in His magnificent love for us.

There is nothing better than listening to one of your favorite worship songs to get your mind off your problems and make your day better. #SummerSizzleBlogHop #Worship

Worship Songs to add to your Playlist:

 

Reckless Love – Cory Asbury

The version by Steffany Gretzinger ….. is also full of absolute beauty!

Amazing Worship Songs that will Make Your Day Better by Carmen Brown and Deb Wolf @ Counting My Blessings

What a Beautiful Name – Hillsong

Come to the Alter – Elevation Music

Break Every Chain – Jesus Culture

Amazing Worship Songs that will Make Your Day Better by Carmen Brown and Deb Wolf @ Counting My Blessings

Good Good Father – Chris Tomlin

Oceans – Hillsong United

How Great is our God (World Edition) – Featuring Chris Tomlin

Chain Breaker – Zach Williams

Forever – Kari Jobe

Great are You Lord – All Sons and Daughters

Amazing Worship Songs that will Make Your Day Better by Carmen Brown and Deb Wolf @ Counting My Blessings

Holy Spirit You are Welcome Here – Jesus Culture, Kim Walker – Smith

War – Pastor Charles Jenkins

Fill me up – Tasha Cobbs

Resurrecting – Elevation Worship

You paid it all – Wess Morgan

Trust in You – Lauren Daigle

 

Honestly….this is not even close to ALLLL my favorites but I hope you get the point: Worship music is AWESOME!

Seriously though …..Worship music is extraordinary songs sung by ordinary people just like you and me. Just people loving to praise Him with all our heart and might through expressions of words.

I am a writer and knowing the power of words is something I take very literally; especially when it comes to glorifying God.

Just for you…. I have created a Playlist of all the mentioned songs to a playlist. Click here to check it out.

Go about doing what you do…..just add some amazing music as you do it today!

Don’t forget to tell me your favorite worship song that I must have on my playlist, if not already mentioned.


Carmen Brown is the creator of Married by His Grace blog. Through her walk with Christ as a wife and mom of five, she actively writes to women who are desiring to build their home with the word of God. Her passions involve staying connected with her family, drinking an immense amount of coffee daily, and developing content that will help and encourage new Christian Bloggers. You can connect with Carmen on her blog, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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I LOVE hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

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7 of the Best Verses To Inspire Your Worship of God

 

Welcome to Summer at Counting My Blessings!

I’m taking a bit of a writing break so I can fill this space with fresh new content beginning in August. So, for the next eight weeks, I’ll be sharing the Summer Sizzle Blog Hop 2018 each Monday.

Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series - Some of your favorite bloggers share their most popular posts.

And…

A Countdown of my most popular posts here at Counting My Blessings each Friday.

The most popular and most visited posts on Counting My Blessings.

Of course, I’m looking forward to welcoming you here each Friday for the Faith ‘n Friends Link Party!

Today – I’m starting with the 8th most visited and most popular post here at CMB.

7 of the Best Verses To Inspire Your Worship of God

 

Are you going through a storm? If fear or worry making it hard to worship? These 7 verses promise to inspire your worship of God. I walk outside in the morning and lift my eyes. Trees blow in the breeze as clouds drift across the sky. Birds sing as squirrels and chipmunks scurry and I stop for just a moment to watch my little world and worship the Creator.

The One who alone is worthy of my praise.

Then I start my day and busyness creeps in and my thoughts wander (not always in a good or worshipful way) and I fail again to give Him my all.

Like Paul, the good I want to do, well . . . I just don’t do it.

I know there is nothing good in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do good but I do not. Romans 7:18

I want to be completely surrendered to God’s love . . . to give Him my heart, mind, soul, and strength. But in the daily, in the living, I fail to worship Him fully and faithfully.

Look at this quote from Brother Lawrence…

“To worship God is to admit that we are entirely contrary to Him and that He is willing to make us like Himself.”

Don’t you love that?

God already knows you and I are contrary. He knows we’re not going to do life “right”not any part of it—even worship.

So, He’s given us what we need. Examples. Words of worship in the Scriptures to get us started.

Because…

“Worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father.” ~Richard J. Foster
Are you going through a storm? If fear or worry making it hard to worship? These 7 verses promise to inspire your worship of God.

Psalm 103:1-4

Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart,
I will praise His holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things He does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death and crowns me with
love and tender mercies.

Many believe David wrote Psalm 103 later in life because it is written with such humble awareness of God’s amazing grace and tender mercy.

You and I can know, like David, that no sin is too great and no sinner too flawed. God redeems broken people and that alone is an awesome reason to worship Him.

Isaiah 25:1

I honor you and praise You because
You have done amazing things.
You have always done what You said You would do;
You have done what You planned long ago. 

God always keeps His promises. He always has and He always will!

You and I can count on His promises in a world where we can’t count on much.

What promise are you holding close today? You can count on God! You can trust Him!

Psalm 63:3–4, 7–8

Because Your love is better than life, I will praise You.
I will praise You as long as I live.
I will lift up my hands in prayer to Your name. 

Because You are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.
I cling to You;
Your strong right-hand holds me securely. 

Scholars believe David wrote Psalm 63 while he was in the wilderness running from his son, Absalom, and those who were attempting to dethrone him.

Can you imagine? Stopping and writing a song of praise while you’re running for your life from your own child.

No matter what is going on in your life . . . God is there. He loves you. His mighty strong right-hand is holding you securely and He will not let go of you.

Ephesians 3:20–21

Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. 

Paul wrote this from a Roman prison. Why was he imprisoned? For preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

When you are discouraged or afraid because of the way Christians are being persecuted around the world remember, God is on the throne. He is at work and able to accomplish far more than you could ever ask or imagine.

Exodus 15:1-3

“I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously;
He has hurled both horse and rider into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my song;
He has given me victory.
This is my God,
and I will praise Him—my father’s God,
and I will exalt Him!
The Lord is a warrior; Yahweh is His name!

Imagine yourself trapped next to a sea … your enemy is coming for you and getting closer. Suddenly the waters part and you cross safely to the other side on dry ground and as you look back from safety those chasing you drown when the sea returns to normal.

Exodus 15 is Moses’ “Song of Deliverance.”

Are you going through a storm? Do you feel like your enemies are gaining on you? Is fear distracting you and making it hard to worship?

God is with you. He is the God of miracles. He is able to deliver you to safety.

7 of the Best Verses To Inspire Your Worship of God by Deb Wolf @ Counting My Blessings

Psalm 100

Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before Him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are His.
We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving;
go into His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and His faithfulness continues to each generation.  

Any collection of worship verses must include Psalm 100. It’s my favorite.

We don’t know who wrote it but historians believe it was written as a call to worship when the Temple was restored and the exiles returned to Israel.

God made you. He claims you as His own. He is good and His love is unfailing. This is a great Word to write in your prayer journal so you have it close when life’s problems make it hard to worship.

Whatever our circumstances … God is worthy of our worship and praise!

Revelation 4:11

“You are worthy, O Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power.
For You created all things, and they exist
because You created what You pleased.”

And the song of worship and praise will continue for all eternity.

You were created because it pleased God to create you. He wants a relationship with you.

Imagine that . . . the God of the universe loves you and wants a relationship with you.

I can’t think of a better reason to praise and worship Him today, tomorrow and forever.

Finally, a quote to inspire you…

“Many Spirit-filled authors have exhausted the thesaurus in order to describe God with the glory He deserves. His perfect holiness, by definition, assures us that our words can’t contain Him. Isn’t it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate?” ~Francis Chan

I pray these verses bless your worship of God! 

This Week’s Friday Favorites

Highlights from the Week!



It's O.K. if You're a Dandelion by Jen Avellaneda @ Rich Faith RisingIt’s O.K. if You’re a Dandelion

by Jen Avellaneda
@ Rich Faith Rising

 

When the Lies You Believe Beat You Down by Mari Hernandez-Tuten @ Inspired by FamilyWhen the Lies You Believe Beat You Down

by Mari Hernandez-Tuten
@ Inspired by Family

 

Learning: Six Things for Spring by Rebecca Hasting @ My Ink DanceLearning: Six Things for Spring

by Rebecca Hastings
@ My Ink Dance


AND the…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

Counting My Blessings

I’m so glad you’re here!

This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.

I’d love to connect with you on social media!

I’m finding #Friendship and #Inspiration at #Faith ‘n Friends #LinkUp Come join the fun!

Click To Tweet

Deb Wolf
Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.
You know they love it when you stop by and say “hello.”

I would really appreciate it if you would
Grab my Link Party Button above and link back to CMB.

 Loading InLinkz ...

Thank you so much for partying with us!
May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship! 

Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…

and pray over the list left by our friends.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Have you visited the Faith ‘n Friends Link Party Board on Pinterest? It’s a great place to catch up with past posts you may have missed here at the party and/or save them for a future read! If you’d like to become a contributor to my Pinterest Group Boards – email me at deb@debwolf.com with a link to your Pinterest home page.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Thank you and God bless!

6 of the Best Ways to Fight Distraction and Listen to God

Welcome to Week #1 of the Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series! Woo Hoo! I am so excited to share some of my favorite people with you!

This week’s guest is Dawn Klinge from Above the Waves. Dawn named her blog Above the Waves because she wants to always focus on “letting go of worry and keeping my eyes on Jesus instead of the storms.”

I love that!

Dawn always inspires me. She is kind, caring, and her love for Jesus is evident in every word she writes.  I know you’re going to love her just as much as I do!

6 of the Best Ways to Fight Distraction and Listen to God

Distractions are constant in our overly busy lives. You and I need help to quiet our hearts and minds to listen to God and know His will.

“If destruction fails to entangle us, distraction will do its best.” – Beth Moore

As I sit here at my desk preparing to write, to share something that I hope ministers to you, dear readers, I find myself needing to practice first, the very thing I want to share with you today.  I need to stop and listen. I need to quiet my mind and listen for God to speak.

How do I do that?

It’s a discipline that I’m still working on (and probably always will be). My mind is not, naturally, a quiet place.  Yours probably isn’t either.  Am I right?

Distractions are everywhere, but there are steps we can take to minimize those distractions and quiet our thoughts, even in the midst of our busy lives.  We need quiet pauses in our day.  We need to make space for listening to the most important voice of all- the voice of God.

When we listen to God, we might consider the following verse,

“Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.” 1 Kings 19:11-13 (NIV)

Notice that God’s voice came to Elijah as a gentle whisper.  We have to be quiet to hear a whisper.

I think, too, of how Jesus went away to “lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16).

My own experiences in hearing God speak to me seem to come during the quiet times as well.

Do I hear an audible voice? 

I haven’t, personally (but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen).  It would be interesting to search for all the instances where God speaks to people in an audible voice throughout the Bible.  There are plenty of examples to be found.

For me, I hear God when I’m reading the Bible.  The meaning of a certain verse, maybe something I’ve read many times before, will suddenly become more clear, often speaking to an area of my life that I have questions about.

There are other times when I read the Bible; I might not feel like I received a whole lot from that time.  But later, sometimes much later, when I need it, a verse will come back to me- and it’s like a light bulb comes on.  A fresh perspective, a thought that I know wasn’t from me…these are some of the ways I hear God speaking to me.

God speaks to us through the Bible and it’s the Holy Spirit that illuminates His Word, speaking to us so that we can better understand it and how it relates to our lives.

If we’re wondering whether the voice we’re hearing is the voice of God, there’s an easy test.  God won’t contradict himself.  We can measure everything against his Word in the Bible.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)

We can, and should, test everything we hear against the Scriptures.

“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” Acts 17:11 (ESV)

I believe that God speaks to us but we miss out on what he’s saying because we’re not listening.

How can we quiet our minds and minimize the distractions that get in the way of hearing from God?

6 of the Best Ways to Fight Distraction and Listen to God by Dawn Klinge @ Counting My Blessings by Deb Wolf

HERE ARE 6 TIPS FOR QUIETING YOUR MIND SO YOU CAN LISTEN TO GOD:

1. Place yourself in an environment that helps you concentrate.  Find a quiet corner or room that is away from distractions.  I live in small house with my husband and two teens, so sometimes, the only place I can find is the bathroom!  I like to fill up the bathtub with hot water, lock the door, and read my Bible while I soak.

2. Talk to God about what you’re reading in the Bible when you pray.  Treat it like a conversation.  Leave space and quiet for him to respond.

3. Don’t fight distracting thoughts by trying to avoid them altogether.  The more you focus on what you don’t want to think about, the more you’ll think about it!  Instead, think of those distracting thoughts as if you’re sitting by the side of a busy freeway.  The thoughts are like cars speeding by.  Acknowledge that they’re there, watch them go by, and let go.

4.  Choose a short phrase or sentence from the Bible.  Meditate on it, reading and re-reading it until it really sinks in.

5. Find a time to pray and meditate that works for you and stay consistent with that time. First thing in the morning works for a lot of people.

Distractions are constant in our overly busy lives. You and I need help to quiet our hearts and minds to listen to God and know His will.

6. Start small. Baby steps.  If you aren’t used to sitting quietly, try 5 minutes until that gets easier, then work your way up to longer periods.

The habit of listening is something that you can improve upon and develop.  It doesn’t always come easily.  With a little practice and intention, you can strengthen your ability to quiet your mind and meditate.

Listen to God’s voice.  He’s has something to say to you.

Dawn is a freelance writer and Christian blogger who loves encouraging women to keep their focus on Jesus. She’s the author of Look to Jesus: How to Let Go of Worry and Trust God. She’s a wife and mom to two teens. A Seattle girl, she loves books and coffee. You can find her at www.dawnklinge.com

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5 Verses to Pray that will Bless Your Friendships

Friendships can be hard and complicated but the Bible gives us verses to pray and advice that will help.

Have you read Marva’s post – Why is Friendship Important in a Disconnected World, yet?

No!

Well, you need to…

I absolutely love the way she starts:

“Friends. Can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em.

Is that your view of friendship?

Many times we want the benefit of friendships but don’t want the hassle of making them work.”

It’s so true, isn’t it?

My brother visited from Michigan this week and we had a couple of conversations about the challenges of maintaining friendships in a social media world.

Sites like Facebook and Instagram make it easy for us to share the parts of our lives we’re willing to expose and leave the real story locked hidden away.

And friends everyone has a story. Everyone!

When it comes to social media, too often I’m comparing my hidden mess with your carefully edited.

It’s been more than a year and I can still picture all of us around the table like it happened a week or two ago. Seriously, I can remember where each person was sitting.

But more than our location at the table, I remember the question that invited us to share our stories…

” I want to know more, tell me your testimony.” 

In other words, I want to know YOU – not just the pretty but the real.

That’s hard for us, isn’t it?

Especially with people we don’t know well … making ourselves vulnerable is hard. We can’t help but wonder if we can trust this person, this friend, with our pain?

I still get emotional whenever I think about it … that night and yes, even now, a whole year later … those girls are Romans 12 to me.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Romans 12:9–10, 15

I believe we all want Romans 12 friendships but it’s hard, isn’t it?

We’re afraid.

Somewhere in our story someone has rejected or betrayed us and we wonder … will this person judge me? Will they use my story against me? Will they..?

And if we were stuck trying to figure it out on our own, we’d probably be tempted to give up.

But, we don’t…

Scripture has plenty of advice to bless our friendships:

Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32

Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.  Colossians 3:12–14

They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone. Titus 3:2

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:3–4

Don’t you wish it was easier?

Sometimes our messy stories get in the way and bump up against each other and we fall far short of God’s ideal for our friendships and family relationships.

Our nation is becoming more and more divided as people become more and more judgmental and closed off but you and I have the perfect opportunity to listen to each other’s stories with care and compassion. We can love like Jesus.

So, I’m going to mark those verses in my Bible so I can refer to them often.

And I’m going to the Lord in prayer.

Friendships can be hard and complicated but the Bible gives us verses to pray and advice that will help.

I’d love it if you’d join me.

Father, Thank you for creating friendship!

You made us for relationships with you and with our families and our friends. I believe it all comes from You because You summed all your commands for getting along with others into one simple sentence.

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

Please forgive me, Father! I don’t love myself very well. And I definitely don’t love my neighbor, my friends, or my family the way you want me to.

Past hurts and failures, my own and those done by others, have left me wounded and defensive. It’s hard to put myself out there … it’s hard to trust.

Please help me let go. Help me forgive those who have caused me pain and KNOW down to the depths of my soul, how very much You have forgiven in me.

Your grace and mercy cover me and I believe they cover my friendships as well.

Your Word says:

Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

Father, Your love covers me. May it cover my friendships. Bless my friends through me and help me to love like Jesus. In whose precious name, I pray. Amen.

Friendships are messy because every friend has a messy story but with God’s help, I believe we can be Romans 12 friends and love like Jesus.

5 Verses to Pray that will Bless Your Friendships by Deb Wolf @ Counting My Blessings

If you’re struggling in a friendship, please know I’m praying for you! If you have a specific need that comes from your messy story please know I would love to pray about it for you. You can leave a request on the Blessing Counters Pray Page or email me at deb@debwolf.com

And if you’d like to make some new blogging friends and haven’t joined the Blessing Bloggers Facebook Group – click on the link, answer a couple of easy questions, and I’ll be happy to add you!  

One more thing before we get to the Link Party…

Next week we’re starting the Summer Sizzle Blog Hop! Throughout the months of June and July, a group of us will be featuring our favorite, top-rated posts on each other’s sites.

Each Monday morning, I will be sharing a post by one of the awesome ladies below…

And every Friday, my Link Party post will be a countdown of my top posts — all different than the ones you’ll find at Marva’s, Nicki’s, Diana’s, Ruthie’s, Melanie’s, Carmen’s, Valerie’s, and Dawn’s.

So much fun stuff to share with you in the weeks ahead! Yay, for summer!!

This Week’s Friday Favorites

Highlights from the Week!



Summer Reset – Six Weeks to a Better You

by and @ Crystal Twaddell

 

The Unfair Task of Being Transparent in Marriage No Matter What by Beth Steffaniak @ Messy MarriageThe Unfair Task of Being Transparent in Marriage
No Matter What

by Beth Steffaniak

@ Messy Marriage

 

Writers Can Pause Certain Projects to Pivot by Meghan Weyerbacher @ Refreshing the WritersWriters Can Pause Certain Projects to Pivot

by Meghan Weyerbacher

@ Refreshing the Writer


AND the…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

Counting My Blessings

I’m so glad you’re here!

This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.

I’d love to connect with you on social media!

I’m finding #Friendship and #Inspiration at #Faith ‘n Friends #LinkUp Come join the fun!

Click To Tweet

Deb Wolf
Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.
You know they love it when you stop by and say “hello.”

I would really appreciate it if you would
Grab my Link Party Button above and link back to CMB.

 Loading InLinkz ...

Thank you so much for partying with us!
May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship! 

Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…

and pray over the list left by our friends.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Have you visited the Faith ‘n Friends Link Party Board on Pinterest? It’s a great place to catch up with past posts you may have missed here at the party and/or save them for a future read! If you’d like to become a contributor to my Pinterest Group Boards – email me at deb@debwolf.com with a link to your Pinterest home page.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Thank you and God bless!