7 Verses that will Help You Pray with a Grateful Heart

Meister Eckhardt, a German theologian from the 13th Century once said,

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”

If you’re like me, your thank you prayers are less frequent than your “please fix, heal, help, and provide, etc.” prayers.

It’s so easy to set aside all God has done in the past when I’m facing the needs in front of me.

But thank God, His future love, grace, mercy, and care do not depend on my gratitude for His past love, grace, mercy, and care.

Today…

I want to take Meister Eckhardt’s words to heart and simply say, “thank you” with a grateful heart!

And I thought you might want to do some grateful heart praying with me.

7 Verses that will Help You Pray with a Grateful Heart

1 Corinthians 15:56–57

For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Father, thank you for Jesus! Thank you for the victory I have in Him. His death and resurrection defeated sin, death, and Satan. They have no power of me. They have NO power over me. I am forgiven. I am Yours. I have a hope and a future. I have life full and abundant. I have so many reasons to live today with a grateful heart! Thank you!

1 Thessalonians 5:18

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

Father, thank you for the gift of Your Spirit who guides me to know Your will and gives me the courage and strength I need to be thankful in all circumstances. Honestly, it seems impossible to be thankful in the middle of the struggle but Your Word says that with You, everything is possible … even a grateful heart in trying times. And even when it’s impossible to be thankful for the circumstances Your Spirit gives me all I need to be thankful for the courage and strength that will see me through. Thank you!

Psalm 95:1–3

Come, let us sing to the Lord!
    Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come to Him with thanksgiving.
    Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
For the Lord is a great God,
    a great King above all gods.

Father God, You are King of kings and Lord of lords. You are my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Advocate. You hear my prayers and praises. Please Lord, by the power of Your Spirit, help me keep my focus on You … on your grace and mercy. You are love. You are all I need! Thank you, Father.

James 1:17

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

Father, as You created this world, You declared it good! You made people in Your image and declared them very good and even when we made a mess of Your world and our lives, You stayed the same. You loved us and sent Jesus as the best gift of all.

Thank you for Your unchanging promises that give me hope and for Your Spirit who gives me all I need to live with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Thank you for Your unchanging grace, mercy, and constant love.

Colossians 4:2

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

Father, by Your grace, prompt me to pray with thanksgiving. May I be devoted to spending time with You in prayer. The desire of my heart is to be faithfully mindful of Your perfect presence and remember that in all circumstances I can turn to You with the praises and the pleas of a surrendered heart.

Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust Him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Father, I trust You! What an amazing blessing! I believe Your grace is sufficient in all circumstances. Because of the ways You have worked in my life … I know You will give me courage and strength when I need it! What joy to realize that You are always with me giving me everything I need to live one day at a time. Thank you!

Romans 11:36

For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen.

Father, You are King of kings and Lord of lords. Everything I have comes from Your hand. The world and all that is in it exist by Your power and all creation of proclaims Your glory. May I join in the song of praise that will last eternally, for You alone are worthy and from a grateful heart, I give You my thanks!

As I’ve written these prayers, I’ve realized that I want to make thanking and praising God for who He is a regular part of my prayer life. Although, I may remember to thank Him for what He does … who He is, changes every part of my life.

God is Creator. – Genesis 1:1, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Revelation 4:11.
God is Redeemer – Job 19:25, Psalm 19:14, Psalm, 103:4, Luke 1:68
God is Advocate/Helper – John 14:26, John 15:26, 1 John 2:1

He is Provider:

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Just because He loves.

And that’s reason enough to pray without ceasing with a grateful heart!

This Week’s Friday Favorites

Highlights from the Week!

How to Improve Your Legacy

by Alyson
@ Write Them on My Heart

Are You a Chocolate Soldier?

by Jen Avellaneda
@ Rich Faith Rising

My Story of Depression and Hope

by April Knapp
@ Experiencing Extraordinary Truth
in the Grind of the Ordinary

AND the…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

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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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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!

The Wonderful Truth about Who You are in Jesus

10 / 18 / 18

I don’t know about you, but I can be my own worst enemy.

Why is it so much easier to think about what I’m not rather remembering who I am?

And you’d think after years of experience with this bad habit, I’d have learned a thing or two about consistently taking negative thoughts captive and replacing them with God’s truth.

That I’d be better at thinking less about who I am and more about whose I am!

So, I’m making a list. One I can grab any time I need a truth pep talk.

Seriously, I don’t believe God wants me to sit around dwelling on who I’m not when He has given me all I need to remember who I am in Him.

Maybe you struggle too! Maybe you, like me, need a regular reminder that…

We have the presence of His Spirit.

Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16

Think about that for a minute. You and I have the Spirit of the Living God dwelling within us! And I for one, am ready to quit pushing His voice to the background while I waste time listening to the lies that defeat and discourage me.

It’s time to make a more permanent change. So, I’m making a list of God’s promises to help me. I hope it helps you too!

And as you read through the list of verses, put your name or a personal pronoun in each blank…

The Wonderful Truth about Who You are in Jesus

Who You are in Jesus:

♥ You are Known – God Thinks about You

How precious are your thoughts about ________, O God. They cannot be numbered! Psalm 139:17

♥ You are Loved

I am writing to ________, who has been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ. Jude 1:1

♥ You are a Child of God

But to _________, who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become a child of God. You are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. John 1:12–13

♥ You are a Friend of Jesus

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command … Now ________ is my friend, since I have told you everything the Father told me. John 15:13–15

♥ You are a New Creation

If _________ belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old things have gone; everything is made new! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NCV)

__________ has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

♥ You are Chosen and Holy

Even before He made the world, God loved ________ and chose _________ in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. Ephesians 1:4

♥ You are Chosen and Loved

God loves _________ and has chosen you to be His own people. 1 Thessalonians 1:4

♥ You are Dead to Sin and Alive in Christ

When He died, He died once to break the power of sin. But now that He lives, He lives for the glory of God. So ________ also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Romans 6:10–11

♥ You are a Citizen of Heaven

________ is a citizen of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior. Philippians 3:20

♥ You are God’s Masterpiece

For ________ is God’s masterpiece. He has created ________ anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10

♥ You have God’s Peace to Guard Your Heart and Mind

Then ________ will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

♥ You have Strength for Life

________ can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

♥ You are Victorious

Can anything ever separate ________ from Christ’s love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ________ through Christ, who loved us. Romans 8:35, 37

♥ You are Forever Safe in God’s Love

I am convinced that nothing can ever separate ________ from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither ________ fears for today nor _______ worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate ________ from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate _________ from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38–39

You know it’s funny…

When you and I focus on ourselves, on our faults and failures, it’s easy to get lost in the negatives … in what we’re not. But when we take those heart and mind discouraging thoughts captive and replace them with the truth…

The truth of who you are in Jesus.
The truth of who I am in Jesus.

Then and only then do we have everything we need.

Because we are known and loved, a child of God, a friend of Jesus, a new creation, chosen, loved, and holy, a citizen of heaven, and God’s masterpiece. And we have everything we need to live fully alive in His presence. We have strength, peace, victory, and we are forever safe!

Forever!

Whew! I need to keep this close and change my thoughts more quickly because in Jesus … it is well with my soul. And it’s well with my heart and mind, too!

This Week’s Friday Favorites

Highlights from the Week!

What Side are You On? The Great Divide

by Lisa Burgess
@ Lisa Notes…

How to Keep a Strong Faith When Disappointed

by Maree Dee
@ Embracing Life in the Midst of the Unexpected

Lessons I’ve Learned in the Space
Between Family Photos

by Michelle Skillern
@ Mrs. Designs

AND the…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

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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.

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!

Things You Need to Know When You Don’t Feel God’s Love

8 / 6 / 188 / 13 / 18

Earlier this summer I received the following email from a reader…

I’ve had a problem all of my adult years. I’ve been unable to feel God’s love. He is always very remote for me. I have almost constant feelings of guilt. I try to be a Christ-like person, but too often fall short in my thoughts. I have a very difficult time getting rid of unChirstlike thoughts, When someone hurts me, I try to forgive, yet I ruminate on the injury. I just can’t stop the thoughts so I feel like I’m displeasing God. I feel his disapproval. I read scriptures to help me. I have many memorized. I have whole chapters of scriptures memorized. I pray and read the scriptures daily. I do good things, yet those feelings remain. I attend church every Sunday.

I just wondered if you had any suggestions. Maybe it’s lack of faith on my part and I just need to accept that God loves me as I am.

I replied to her email with the following…

I’m so often humbled by God’s timing as He works in our lives. I found myself nodding as I read through your words because I can so relate to times when I long for an extra measure of the feeling of God’s love and He seems silent.

One thing I know for sure – God loves you and He is with you! You are seeking Him and He promises that He will be found by those who seek Him. And that He is with them.

I know what I am planning for you,” says the Lord. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future. Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will search for me. And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me! Jeremiah 29:11–13

“Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

These are the verses I hold close when I don’t feel God’s love or His closeness in my life.

I’m certain of this as well. It is Satan, the enemy of our souls, who wants you to doubt God’s love and presence; he is the one who wants you to doubt God’s forgiveness and continue to struggle with guilt.

God promises that if you and I repent … He forgives us. He promises His love and presence. I remind myself that even when I don’t feel Him with me. He is.

A Scripture I turn to and trust is Psalm 139.

O Lord, You have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!

I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from Your presence!

You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in Your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered
I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
You are still with me!
v. 1–7, 16–18

You are are seeking Him and doing all the things you should be doing to grow closer to Him. You are doing the things that honor Him and please Him. Try not to let your feelings get in the way – He is pleased with you and He loves you! You can trust His promises.

Thank you so much for reaching out! It is always a blessing to hear from one of my readers.

God bless you! Deb

I’ve thought about this email exchange often since and wondered if you might also have times when God seems silent … when you don’t feel His love. So, I made a list of things I want to do when my feelings and faith fall flat.

Things to Do When You Don’t Feel God’s Love

1. Be Honest with Yourself and with God

I love that you and I can turn to the pages of Scripture and find many examples of men and women who honestly struggled as they walked with God. Even David, the “man after God’s own heart” honestly voiced His feelings of emptiness and longing.

O Lord, how long will You forget me? Forever?
How long will You look the other way?
How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
Psalm 13:1–2

2. Take it to God in Prayer

And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him. 1 John 5:14

You and I can be confident that God wants us to seek Him, to grow in faith, to trust His love, and to experience His loving presence. When we pray to know and love Him more, we can be assured that He will not only hear our prayers … He will work in our lives to grant our request.

3. Live Your Faith Until You Feel God’s Love

When you and I can’t feel God’s loving presence – it’s important to remember feelings are just that … they’re feelings. They are not necessarily the truth.

God is always with us. So, even when our faith feels small—God is near.

I love the account in Mark 9:17–29 – Jesus’ disciples had been trying unsuccessfully to deliver a boy from an evil spirit.

As Jesus approached them, the father of the boy pleads, “Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

Jesus answered, “What do you mean, ‘If I can’? Anything is possible if a person believes.”

And then my favorite part…

The father instantly cried out, “Lord, I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

Jesus responded by healing his son.

I believe the most important thing you and I need to remember is…

God’s love is a fact not a feeling!

God is love! 1 John 4:8

Our feelings don’t, they won’t, they can’t, change God’s love.

While you and I were still sinners – God sent Jesus!

God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:9–10

He promises His love is never-ending.

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. Lamentations 3:22–23

And that nothing can separate us from His love.

I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. Romans 8:38

So, where does that leave you and me?

Thanking and praising God – for His faithful forever love!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:1

That’s a prayer and a promise to hold close to our hearts each and every day!

Leave your prayer requests…

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

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5 Verses to Pray that will Help You Have Joy One Day at a Time

8 / 2 / 188 / 2 / 18

I want to live one day at a time! Really, I do!

Jesus said, “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.” Matthew 6:34

He also said, “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” John 15:11

I want that too! The overflowing joy of remaining in the love of Jesus.

But life distracts and details discourage and my joy heads south as my heart and mind fill with the regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow.

So, I’m going to the Lord in prayer and thought you might want to join me…

5 Verses to Pray that will Help You Have Joy
One Day at a Time

Psalm 32:5

I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

Father, thank you! I have confessed and repented and You have forgiven me. My sin is gone and by Your grace, my guilt and regret can be gone too. I know I may have to live through some difficult things because of my failures but I trust that You will be with me and give me everything I need to live joyfully knowing I am redeemed and forgiven. All because of Jesus. Thanks and praise forever. Amen.

Psalm 103:11–13

For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him.

Father, You love me! You really love me. So much that through Jesus I am washed clean. My sins are completely gone. Your forgiveness is complete. I am Your child and I can rest in Your tender, compassionate embrace. Whatever today brings … You hold me close. That alone is a reason to celebrate with joy! Thank you, Father. Amen.

Philippians 4:6–7

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Father, You tell me to bring every worry and trouble to You. You want me to tell you what I need because You care for me. Because You love me. You also invite me to thank you for past blessings. And as I remember with gratitude all You’ve carried me through … You fill me with that hard to understand peace; You fill my heart and mind with confident faith, knowing You are able to carry me through whatever tomorrow brings. I have You to help me face today and You are all I need. Amen.

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, I surrender my heart, my mind, my life … my all to you today. Please guide me and show me the path You have prepared for me. By the power of Your Spirit, please help me focus on You when life tries to distract me. When guilt and regret taunt me and worries tempt me, call me back to Your Word of truth. Lead me. Fill me with Your Spirit. Show me Your will. I will seek to know Your will and by the power and with the help of Your Holy Spirit — I will follow where You lead. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Revelation 22:13

^“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,
the Beginning and the End.”

Jesus, You are the Beginning and the End, the Word Made Flesh, the Author and Perfector of my faith, my Redeemer, my Good Shepherd, the Kind of kings, my Hope for the future, my Defender … You are the Great I AM, and Lord of all. You are my Lord and Savior.

Because You know the end from the beginning I can have peace when I think about the future. Nothing in my life comes as a surprise to You. You are with me, always. (Matthew 28:20) Your Spirit never leaves me. (John 14:16) You give me joy. (John 15:11) Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

It’s not easy to have joy one day at a time!

We’re busy and everything from stacked up little annoyances to great big joy-busting problems are trying to pull our attention in a million different directions.

It’s crazy how quickly I can obsess over something that happened yesterday and find myself anxious about something that may or may not happen tomorrow.

And the truth is … that ain’t no way to live!

Regret, guilt, worry, and anxiety are all tools the enemy uses to keep you and me from living with joy.

But God… (Oh, how I love those two words.)

But God is willing and able to give us everything we need to live today in His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Everything we need to live with joy one day at a time!

So, just for today, I will prayerfully carry these words in my heart…

This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:25

Without a doubt … that is the way to live!

This Week’s Friday Favorites

Highlights from the Week!

5 Ways to Get an Infusion of Hope

by Dianne Thornton
@ Sweeter Than Honey

Zip Your Lips (And 15 Other Ways to be a Better Wife)

by Sheila Qualls
@ The Not So Excellent Wife

Are You Following a Bootstrap Gospel?

by Rebecca Hastings
@ My Ink Dance

AND the…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

<div align="center"><a href="https://countingmyblessings.com/" rel="nofollow" title="Counting My Blessings"><img src="https://countingmyblessings.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Link-Party-Button-Pic.jpg" alt="Counting My Blessings" style="border: none; height: auto; width: 200px;" /></a></div>

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.

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 You Reject Negative Thoughts

7 / 23 / 187 / 23 / 18

Welcome to the Final Week of The Summer Sizzle Blog Hop Series. Wow, it’s been fun! I hope you’ve enjoyed it, too!

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

How to Get Back in the Boat of Your Shipwrecked Dreams
by Marva Smith

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 my friend, Diana, from Diana’s Diaries — where she writes with the wisdom that comes from a deep love for the One who delivered from the “nagging baggage” of a painful childhood. She loves to tell her readers about Jesus, who sees, who cares … who loves and heals.

Take a few minutes to soak in this encouragement that will help you when painful memories or present problems have you stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts. And remember to stop and make her feel welcome before you head over to follow her on social media.

5 Verses that will Help You Reject Negative Thoughts

Watch out for Negative Thoughts :

An incident which occurred a while ago has left me on a sad note. It has been many weeks since the incident, but those negative thoughts haven’t left my mind.

I wish I could turn back on time and plan that day differently. I wonder if I should have restrained my thoughts? Should I have not stood up for my loved one? Should I still be feeling so low? Maybe now everyone dislikes me and is gossiping behind my back.

Then, this morning those negative thoughts flooded back again. I grabbed the Word of God -the black leather Book filled with encouraging words written personally for you and me in our lowest state.

Isn’t it amazing how God speaks to us right when we are willing to listen to HIM speak to us?

Until we don’t stop thinking and start reading the Word, negativity can entrap our minds. It can consume us and ruin our fellowship with God and man.

Negative thoughts can drag us into this wallowing pit of anguish and worthlessness where only Christ can bring us back on the top of a joyful mountain.

As I was meditating on the Word of God, the Spirit of the Lord led me to this particular verse that I am so familiar with yet forgot to ponder upon these days.

Let us look at Philippians 4:8 (AMP)

Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].

This is what the first part of the verse said:

Whatever is Honorable- that which deserves respect,
Whatever is Right -in words and dealings,
Whatsoever is Lovely- that which deserves love,
Whatever is pure in relation with others,
Whatsoever is True- nothing but the truth,
Whatever is admirable or of good report or commendable.

Now we are going to look at the different version of the Bible translation of the second part :

Think about these things (KJV)
Dwell on these things (New American Standard Bible)
Let your mind think of these things (New American standard 1977)
Meditate on these things (Aramaic Bible)
Exercise your thoughts on these things (Jubilee bible 2000)
Think of these things continually (AMP)

Dear friend, has your mind dwelled on your past for too long? Is it filled with negative thoughts about yourself and others lately?

Have you been dragging your mind to focus on the bad of every situation rather than focusing on the Goodness of God and His power to rescue us?

Then, let us fill our mind with whatever is true, lovely, honest, praiseworthy and honor instead of hatred, jealousy, scorn, impurity, sadness, and dishonesty.

Don’t merely think about them, but focus and dwell on them today. Truth is real and Jesus is the truth. We may not be able to change our past incidents, but we can meditate on the ONLY ONE who is true, honest, admirable, and lovely in our life today and that is our Christ Jesus Himself.

The next time negative thoughts fill your mind, cancel them out with the very loving words of our Lord God.

Let us, in fact, memorize them and seal them in our hearts so that the next time negative thoughts pop up we can recite these 5 assuring verses aloud.

Philippians 4:7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 10: 30–31 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

Psalm 94:19 When doubts filled my mind, Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Always be joyful. Never stop praying.Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

REFLECTION :

How did this blog post resonate with you?

What verse did you find comfort in when you dealt with negativity yourself?

Is there something you are dealing with lately that I could pray for right now?

Fixing my thoughts on everything admirable today!

About Diana :

Diana is married to her loving husband and privileged to be called mama by her triplets.

She proudly calls herself a stay-at-home missionary mom whose prayer is to raise godly arrows and remain a pen in the Hand of God.

Visit her over at Diana’s Diaries , where she pens Biblical insights about growing spiritually deep and being fully armored against the invisible enemy.

You will find her active on these platforms as well:

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7 Verses that will Give You Perspective When You Need It

7 / 9 / 187 / 9 / 18

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

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:

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!

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!

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:

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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.

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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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5 Verses that will Help When You Worry about Your Kids

6 / 25 / 187 / 7 / 18

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

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.

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!

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.) 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:

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10 of the Best Verses to Know God’s Will for Life

2 / 9 / 182 / 11 / 18

How can you and I know God’s will?

I mean, what is His will exactly?

Even when you and I want to follow God’s will for us … the world gives us mixed messages. Goodness, I think even the different church denominations and non-denominations send out mixed messages when it comes to God’s will.

So, what now? Do we just give up? Guess? Follow the teachings of the church in which we were raised or move on to a new one?

It’s hard to know where to start.

Peter wrote…

From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God’s will and not by human desires. 1 Peter 4:2

If it’s important that you and I know God’s will and follow it, I don’t think God wants it to be complicated. I think He wants us to know His will so much that He left us a letter full of detailed guidance.

The Bible clearly communicates God’s will for those who want to follow Him through faith in Jesus.

So, let’s start there…

10 of the Best Verses to Know God’s Will for Life

1. LOVE God and your neighbor.

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:27–40

Jesus summed up God’s will given in the Ten Commandments in two sentences.

Love God.
Love your neighbor.

If you’d like to read the details of the Ten Commandments click here.

2. SEEK to know God’s will.

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. Proverbs 3:5–6

3. Be JOYFUL, THANKFUL, and faithful in PRAYER.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

4. Honor God with your BODY.

God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 1 Thessalonians 4:3

5. Do what’s RIGHT, love MERCY, and walk HUMBLY.

The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

6. Approach Him in humble REPENTANCE.

The sacrifice You desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Psalm 51:17

7. Live for His GLORY.

It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. 1 Peter 2:15

8. Believe in Jesus for salvation!

“For it is my Father’s will that all who see His Son and believe in Him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:40

This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3–4

9. Read and study God’s Word, the Bible.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16–17

10. Allow the Holy Spirit to TRANSFORM you.

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. Romans 12:2

God so clearly wants us to know His will, He had it written for us and gave us His Spirit to help us understand it.

It’s a blessing to know God doesn’t leave us to wonder about His will. He invites us to ask, seek, and knock.

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

God’s will for you and me is that we would SEEK Him, KNOW Him, TRUST Him, FOLLOW Him … that we would LOVE HIM!

In the weeks ahead we’re going to flesh out some of these verses, asking questions like:

How is heart, soul, mind, and strength love?
What does loving our neighbor look like?
In an age of “sexual freedom” what does it mean to honor God with our bodies?
How can we live for God’s glory and how are we failing to glorify Him?

There are so many confusing opinions shouting for us to affirm them. I’m tired of the noise and I’m hoping you’ll join me as I pray and seek God’s specific will for these world issues.

God’s will is for us to commit our lives to Christ and follow Him. God’s will also is that we avoid sin.” ~ Billy Graham

One more thing, and it’s really important…

You and I will never know God’s will perfectly this side of heaven. I believe it’s important to make it our heart’s desire but I also know that we live by grace. It is God’s grace in and through Jesus that forgives our failures and transforms our hearts and minds.

This Week’s Friday Favorites

Highlights from the Week!

How to Guard Your Heart in a Difficult Marriage

by Sarah Geringer

@ Finding Peace in God’s Word

10 Tips to Study Your Bible

by Lauren

@ Grace Unmerited

It’s Time to Recover the Dream of You

by Marva Smith

@ Sun Sparkle Shine

Favorite Pins of the Week

By Alyson @ Write Them on My Heart

by Alisa Nicaud @ Flourishing Today

By Dani Munoz @ Free Indeed

Friends, this is important…

If you like any of the pins or want to save any of the posts I share here, PLEASE click over to the sites and Pin the originals. Why not share them on Twitter and FB, too. My friends and fellow bloggers have worked hard on these posts and graphics. Every link back needs to come from their sites.

Why?

My heart’s desire is to bless bloggers by helping new bloggers get their name out there and help veteran bloggers get to know each other better.

Now it’s time for…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

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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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20 Quotes that Celebrate Jesus, the Gift of Hope

12 / 22 / 1712 / 20 / 17

Jesus – Hope of the World.

For just a moment, join me as I focus on God’s amazing gift whom we celebrate. Then, as you finish errand running, wrapping, baking, cooking, traveling, etc…

Turn on some music and praise God for His indescribable gift.

20 Quotes that Celebrate Jesus, the Gift of Hope

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15

“The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity–hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory–because at the Father’s will Jesus became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross.” ~ J.I. Packer

For a child is born to us, a Son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

“Christmas gift suggestions: to your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.” ~ Oren Arnold

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger because there was no lodging available for them. Luke 2:6–7

“Our righteousness is in Him, and our hope depends, not upon the exercise of grace in us, but upon the fullness of grace and love in Him, and upon His obedience unto death.” ~ John Newton

“Christmas celebrates the awesome and amazing fact that God is grander, wiser and more mysterious than we could have ever imagined.” ~ Dan Schaeffer

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

“Christmas is based on an exchange of gifts: the gift of God to man – His unspeakable gift of His son Jesus; and the gift of man to God – when we present our bodies as a living sacrifice and, like the Macedonians (2 Corinthians 8:5), first give ourselves to God. No one has kept or can keep Christmas until he has had a part in this two-way transaction.” ~ Vance Havner

And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 1 John 5:11

“What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.” ~ Agnes M. Pharo

But when the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law so that He could adopt us as His very own children. Galatians 4:4–5

“Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world – stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas.” ~ Henry Van Dyke

Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life.” ~ Corrie Ten Boom

But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! Luke 2:10–11

Christmas is a gift of love wrapped in human flesh and tied securely with the strong promises of God.
It is more than words can tell, for it is a matter for the heart to receive, believe and understand.”
[Unknown]

So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John 1:14

“If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: “God with us.” We tend to focus our attention at Christmas on the infancy of Christ. The greater truth of the holiday is His deity. More astonishing than a baby in the manger is the truth that this promised baby is the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth!” ~ John F. MacArthur, Jr.

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” Matthew 1:23

My prayer for you…

“God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith; the warmth of Christmas, which is love; the radiance of Christmas, which is purity; the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice; the belief in Christmas, which is truth; the all of Christmas, which is Christ.” ~ Wilda English

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16–17)

Amen.

Now it’s time for…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

<div align="center"><a href="https://countingmyblessings.com" rel="nofollow" title="Counting My Blessings" target="_blank"><img src="https://countingmyblessings.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/FaithnFriends-RB.jpg" alt="Counting My Blessings" style="border: none;" /></a></div>

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

I’m excited to share the following posts with you this week.

When You Want More Than the Muddle
of Motherhood (But, Really, Life is a Muddle)

by Sarah Behan

@ The Wholehearted Home

A Joy-filled Woman: Birthday Party for Jesus

by Sue Donaldson

@ Welcome Heart

Thank you, Sarah and Sue, for partying with us!

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 ...

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.

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!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

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

12 / 15 / 177 / 8 / 18

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 at this busiest times of the year, when I can so easily get caught up in all the doing that I fail to focus on the reason for all 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 these last days of 2017.

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.

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 listen and follow. 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.

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 listen as You lovingly call me back into Your sweet presence … where we can sit and talk or maybe for a few moments, just be still 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.

Now it’s time for…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

<div align="center"><a href="https://countingmyblessings.com" rel="nofollow" title="Counting My Blessings" target="_blank"><img src="https://countingmyblessings.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/FaithnFriends-RB.jpg" alt="Counting My Blessings" style="border: none;" /></a></div>

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

I’m excited to share the following posts with you this week.

Does This Story Ever End?

by Lisa Burgess

@ Lisa notes…

Called to Wait

by Laura Rath

@ Journey in Faith

Advents Task – Preparing Room in Our Hearts for Jesus

by Susan J.

@ This Day God’s Way

HOW TO RECOVER FROM THE WORST. GIFT. EVER.
(AND LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER)

by Sheila Qualls

@ Choose Confidence, Choose Healing, Choose Freedom

Thank you, Lisa, Laura, Susan, and Sheila for partying with us!

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 ...

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.

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!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

5 Prayers that Thank God for His Amazing Grace

12 / 1 / 1711 / 30 / 17

I can’t say it’s necessarily the way I was taught as a child … it just seemed to evolve over time.

I knew God had fully taken care of my salvation through Jesus sacrifice and that through faith in His amazing gift my eternal future was secure…

But my here and now — that was influenced by God’s favor given in response to my behavior.

I had childish faith!

Faith that believed God loved me more when I was “good” and less when I wasn’t.

Which is one of the reasons why I love the following quotes so much:

“Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not!” ~ C. S. Lewis

“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

It took a lot of bumps in the road that send me deep into His Word before I finally believed I could completely trust God’s awesome amazing grace and love! Grace that covers my past and yours. Grace that forgives without any help from you or me. Grace that is undeserved and simply to be received with gratitude and joy.

It’s grace that changes our behavior, not our behavior that gains grace.

So, I’m hoping you’ll join me as I turn to God’s Word for a daily dose of grace — praying and praising Him for this awesome and amazing gift.

5 Prayers that Thank God for His Amazing Grace

Ephesians 2:8–9

God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

Father, thank you for Jesus, Your perfect gift of grace. I know my eternal future is secure because all You have done for me through Jesus. You have made me yours forever. Nothing can remove me from Your hand. (John 10:29) I am safe and secure in Your unchanging love. How can I begin to thank You?! With my life. I give You my all. I love You, Lord. Amen.

Romans 6:13b–14

So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

Father, how I have struggled to understand the freedom You give. Forgive me for believing I live under the Law’s requirements. Thank you for Your patience in teaching me Your truth. When my heart and mind are set on You — when I am fully surrendered and living for Your glory, then and only then can I know true freedom. By the power of Your Spirit help me keep me surrendered and grateful … and fully alive to serve and glorify You. Amen.

Hebrews 4:16

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.

Father, it overwhelms me that You want me to enter throne room in prayer. It is in that holy place where I have learned to “be still and know You.” (Psalm 46:10) It is there I have found Your mercy that forgives my foolish selfishness and Your grace that saves me. Thank you for Jesus, our example … who understands who I am, loves me, and helps me. Amen.

Romans 5:6

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For, in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.

Father, You are kind and good. It is impossible for anyone to deserve what Jesus has done. Your grace is free, undeserved, and unconditional. There is nothing I can ever do to repay You for all You’ve done and all You continue to do in my life. I am saved by Your grace alone and in humble response I humbly thank you and offer myself to You. With Your Spirit’s help, may I live this day for Your glory. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:14

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Father, Jesus is Your grace with flesh on. He revealed your love to us and Your Spirit reveals Your mercy, grace, and love in countless ways every day. Thank you for Your presence in my life. Your grace is truly amazing! In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Make an intentional effort as you go throughout the day to stop and celebrate God’s amazing gift of grace. Praise Him for the fact that there is nothing you can do to earn or deserve it.

God gives His grace simply because He loves you that much.

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

<div align="center"><a href="https://countingmyblessings.com" rel="nofollow" title="Counting My Blessings" target="_blank"><img src="https://countingmyblessings.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/FaithnFriends-RB.jpg" alt="Counting My Blessings" style="border: none;" /></a></div>

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

I’m excited to share the following posts with you this week.

When Fear and Worry Steal Your Joy

by and @ Latoya Edwards

Understanding the Role of the Holy Spirit as Our Helper

by Chizobam Idahosa

@ Beautiful in Jesus

When You’re A Low-Energy, Easily Tired Wife and Mother

by Sarah Behan

@ The Wholehearted Home

Thank you, Latoya, Chizobam, and Sarah for partying with us!

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 ...

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.

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!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

A Psalm to Pray that will Bless Your Thanksgiving

11 / 22 / 1711 / 22 / 17

Do you ever need to stop for a moment and remind yourself — it’s not about me?

Yeah, me too!

Today was one of those days.

I have to admit as I prepared to write this all I could think was, “I got nothin’!”

I can’t tell you how many words have been typed and deleted in this space.

And then I remembered — it’s not about me!

It’s about praising and thanking God. It’s about blessing counting.

If you live in the states and you’re busily preparing for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving celebration or even if it’s just another day on the calendar, I pray this Psalm speaks to your heart and mind. Let it sink in – through your thoughts and feelings.

The Life Application Bible says the following about the theme of Psalm 145:

A time will come when all people will join together in recognizing and worshiping God. Because God is full of love, He satisfies all who trust in Him.

Can you imagine that Thanksgiving celebration?!?!

Whether you can easily list hundred plus reasons to be thankful today or you have one or two things looming large that seem to overshadow whatever is good and feel like burdens too difficult to bear, stop for a moment and pray these words of David with me.

Because, well, it’s not about me and it’s not about you either.

Our thanks-giving is about God, who is:

Burden bearer – He will carry this burden with you and lighten its weight if you allow Him to do so.
Great – His goodness is beyond measure.
Mighty and powerful throughout time and eternity.
Glorious, majestic, and He is able to accomplish the miraculous.
Righteous, kind, merciful, patient, loving, and compassionate.
King – who reigns over all He has made now and for all eternity.
Present – always near and able to hear every prayer.
Provider – giving satisfaction today and hope for tomorrow.
Forgiver – able to remove the burden of our sins.
Promise Keeper – God keeps His promises — ALWAYS!

When I change my perspective and keep my focus on who God is and all He does there are countless reasons to be thankful whether it’s Thanksgiving or just another Thursday.

So stop – and pray Psalm 145 out loud. Absorb its words. Let it sink down deep and fill you with gratitude for the many blessings you and I enjoy as children of God.

Psalm 145

A Psalm to Pray that will Bless Your Thanksgiving

I will exalt you, my God and King,
and praise Your name forever and ever.

²I will praise You every day;
yes, I will praise You forever.
³Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure His greatness.

⁴Let each generation tell its children of Your mighty acts;
    let them proclaim Your power.
⁵I will meditate on Your majestic, glorious splendor
    and Your wonderful miracles.
⁶Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
    I will proclaim Your greatness.
⁷Everyone will share the story of Your wonderful goodness;
    they will sing with joy about Your righteousness.

⁸The Lord is merciful and compassionate,
    slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
⁹The Lord is good to everyone.
    He showers compassion on all His creation.
¹⁰All of your works will thank you, Lord,
    and Your faithful followers will praise You.
¹¹They will speak of the glory of Your kingdom;
    they will give examples of Your power.
¹²They will tell about Your mighty deeds
    and about the majesty and glory of Your reign.
¹³For Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
    You rule throughout all generations.

The Lord always keeps His promises;
He is gracious in all He does.
¹⁴The Lord helps the fallen
    and lifts those bent beneath their loads.
¹⁵The eyes of all look to You in hope;
You give them their food as they need it.
¹⁶When You open Your hand,
You satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
¹⁷The Lord is righteous in everything He does;
He is filled with kindness.
¹⁸The Lord is close to all who call on Him,
    yes, to all who call on Him in truth.
¹⁹He grants the desires of those who fear Him;
He hears their cries for help and rescues them.
²⁰The Lord protects all those who love Him,
    but He destroys the wicked.

²¹I will praise the Lord,
and may everyone on earth bless
His holy name forever and ever.
Psalm 145

Amen! And Amen!

May every day be full of gratitude and thanks-giving!

I’m going to take the rest of the week to enjoy time with my family … so, the Link Party will run for 10 days this time!

Woo Hoo! That will give you a couple of extra days to come back and share the blog love.

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

<div align="center"><a href="https://countingmyblessings.com" rel="nofollow" title="Counting My Blessings" target="_blank"><img src="https://countingmyblessings.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/FaithnFriends-RB.jpg" alt="Counting My Blessings" style="border: none;" /></a></div>

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

I’m excited to share the following posts with you this week.

Empower Your Life with Praise and Thanksgiving

by Leslie Newman

@ Journey to Imperfect

A Simple Tradition of Remembering

Plus a Holiday Gift Exchange
(Building Community Beyond the blog)

by Crystal Twaddell

@ Cultivating a Life of Intention and a Legacy of Hope

God’s Powerful Grace and How it Benefits All People

by Dawn Klinge

@ Above the Waves

Please Excuse My Christmas Joy in November

by Debbie Putnam

@ Uncharted Water

Thank you, Leslie, Crystal, Dawn, and Debbie for partying with us!

No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.

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

Loading InLinkz ...

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 Pary Board! 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!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

5 Verses to Pray When You Don’t Know What to Pray

11 / 10 / 178 / 29 / 18

I can still remember the feeling like it happened yesterday. I desperately needed to pray but the cries of my heart were making it impossible for me to put my needs into words.

I called Rev and sobbed, “I need you to come and pray with me.” And my partner in prayer as well as life came and put words to our pleas.

Whether your problems are personal, national, or global … sometimes it’s hard to know what to pray. And I have to admit, almost every time I watch the news or scroll through my social media feeds it feels like the enemy of our souls is on an evil rampage.

We shouldn’t be surprised we feel helpless and maybe even a little hopeless at times; when we can’t find the words and don’t know what to pray.

Maybe this is one of those times for you.

If so, join me … I’m praying God’s Word of hope and promise.

5 Verses to Pray When You Don’t Know What to Pray

Psalm 143:1

Hear my prayer, O Lord;
listen to my plea!
Answer me because You are faithful and righteous.

Father, Your Word tells me You are love. It tells me You want me to come to You with my prayers. So, I come to You offering my tears and wordless pleas. I need You! I believe You are faithful and righteous, just and true. I give this to You, Lord. Give me courage and strength. Help me. Help us. Amen.

Psalm 3:3–4

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;
You are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the Lord,
and He answered me from His holy mountain.

Father, I trust You are with me. I believe You guard and protect me. Even when life feels fragile and I’m frightened, I count on You to shield me. When I cry out to You repentant of the many ways we have failed You, ways I have failed You … Lord, You gently lift my face and turn my eyes toward You. You are the Rock, who gives me courage. Thank you. Amen.

Romans 8:26

Also, the Spirit helps us with our weakness. We do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit Himself speaks to God for us, even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain.

Father, I love this verse. I am weak. My heart is heavy and I don’t know what or how to pray. But Your Spirit helps me. He comes to You and speaks my needs even when they are unclear to me.

Spirit, pray for me. You know my yesterday, my today, and my tomorrow. You know what’s best for me. You know the anxious thoughts behind my wordless prayer. Nothing is new to You. Nothing too difficult. Thank you for praying for me. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for the beyond understanding peace You give. Amen.

Ephesians 1:19–20

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty powerthat raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

Father, nothing is impossible to You. Power for life is in and with You. You raised Jesus from the dead. My current circumstances, though difficult, are not beyond Your power and love. So, I come to You praying Jesus’ Garden prayer, “Abba, Father,” He cried out, “everything is possible for You. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Mark 14:36) I trust Your will for me. Thanks and praise. Amen.

Jude 1:24

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault.

Father, I praise You. When things appear frail and uncertain. When the enemy tries to fill my mind with doubts I come to You. Take my doubts and fears from me. Gather my tears and hold them close. Fill my heart and mind with hope and joy as I look toward the future You promised long ago. This is just a moment on the journey to my forever in Your presence. You are my promise now and forever. Thank you. In Jesus name, Amen.

Never stop praying. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

When you have words and even when you don’t … pray. Your Father loves you. He hears you. He will answer the cries of your heart.

Now it’s time to share your links and visit your friends…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

<div align="center"><a href="https://countingmyblessings.com" rel="nofollow" title="Counting My Blessings" target="_blank"><img src="https://countingmyblessings.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/FaithnFriends-RB.jpg" alt="Counting My Blessings" style="border: none;" /></a></div>

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

I’m excited to share the following posts with you this week.

What to Do When Your Emotions are Raw

by Dr. Michelle Bengtson

@ Hope Prevails

3 Ways I Respond to Feeling Blah

by Gretchen Fleming

@ Following Hard

What if Praying is Like Breathing

by Nylse Esahc

@ Life Notes

How to Say Thanks When Words Don’t Cut It

by Marva Smith

@ Sun Sparkle Shine

Thank you, Michelle, Gretchen, Nylse, and Marva for partying with us!

No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.

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

Loading InLinkz ...

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.

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!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

25 Inspiring Quotes that will Bless Your Friendships

10 / 23 / 1710 / 24 / 17

It’s been said that friends know the “real” you. They love you in spite of your past and walk with you as you grow into your future.

They’re honest with you when you need it and able to sit saying nothing at all when words won’t help.

Friends are precious gifts that make life better.

So today, we’re celebrating friendship with…

25 Inspiring Quotes that will Bless Your Friendships

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” ~ Albert Schweitzer

“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.” ~ C. S. Lewis

Do to others as you would like them to do to you. Luke 6:31 (NLT)

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” ~ Helen Keller

“I’m a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn’t have the heart to let him down.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

Love each other like brothers and sisters. Give each other more honor than you want for yourselves. Romans 12:10 (NCV)

“[Spiritual friendship] is eagerly helping one another know, serve, love, and resemble God in deeper and deeper ways.” ~ Tim Keller

“A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, one human soul whom we can trust utterly, who knows the best and worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults.” ~ Charles Kingsley

Most importantly, love each other deeply, because love will cause people to forgive each other for many sins. 1 Peter 4:8

“A true friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you just the same.” ~ Elbert Hubbard

“A friend is one who strengthens you with prayers, blesses you with love and encourages you with hope.” ~ Author Unknown

Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds. Hebrews 10:24

“It is one of the severest tests of friendship to tell your friend his faults. So to love a man that you cannot bear to see a stain upon him, and to speak painful truth through loving words, that is friendship.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher

“It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his own beauty or perceive a sense of his own worth until it has been reflected back to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being.”
~ John Joseph Powell

Whoever forgives someone’s sin makes a friend, but gossiping about the sin breaks up friendships. Proverbs 17:9

“There is a brotherhood within the body of believers, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the common denominator. Friendship and fellowship are the legal tender among believers.” ~ J. Vernon McGee

And as ridiculous as it may sound, sometimes all any of us needs in life is for someone to hold our hand and walk next to us.” ~ James Frey

So encourage each other and help each other grow stronger in faith, just as you are already doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ERV)

“We shall never have friends if we expect to find them without fault.” ~ Thomas Fuller

“Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow
Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead
Walk beside me… just be my friend” ~ Albert Camus

As one piece of iron sharpens another, so friends keep each other sharp. Proverbs 27:17 (ERV)

“A faithful friend is a truthful friend.” ~Woodrow Kroll

“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.”
~ Henri J.M. Nouwen

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings. ~ Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Very few things in life have a greater impact on our happiness than our friendships.

Take a few minutes today to celebrate your friends. Send them the link to this post or copy a quote and pass it along – tell them how they encourage, inspire, and bless you.

Seriously, where would we be without the people who make us smile just by being in our lives?

Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…

and pray over the list left by our friends.

Remember – I always enjoy 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…;

5 Helpful Verses to Pray for Your Broken Relationship

10 / 20 / 1710 / 23 / 17

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if people were easier?

If every parent, child, sibling, spouse, neighbor, and friend could get along blissfully?

But we don’t. Relationships are messy!

And unfortunately, some end in brokenness.

Everyone I know has had at least one relationship end unpleasantly and many that had ended painfully leaving heart scars behind.

Because…

The closer the relationship the deeper the wound when it ends.

I’m guessing you have someone who came to mind … some strained or broken relationship that causes you sadness or heartache.

So, today I’m going to the Lord to pray for my broken relationships and I’d like to invite you to join me and pray for yours as well.

5 Helpful Verses to Pray for Your Broken Relationships

Romans 15:5–6

May the patience and encouragement that come from God allow you to live in harmony with each other the way Christ Jesus wants. Then you will all be joined together, and you will give glory to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NCV)

Father, Your Word tells me you want us to “live in harmony” with each other. What a good word. We don’t have to “sing in unison” we just need to blend well — not always agreeing but listening to understand and work together. Help me! I can be so stubborn. Please forgive me. I often think of how much better life could be if everyone just agreed with me. But You made us each unique and wonderful. Help me listen. Help me love like Jesus. Please work in my heart and the hearts of those who have grown distant and heal what is broken for our good and Your glory. Amen.

James 3:2

We all make many mistakes. If people never said anything wrong, they would be perfect and able to control their entire selves, too. (NCV)

Father, Your word says, “everyone sins.” It also says, our tongues “are wild and evil and full of deadly poison.” It shouldn’t surprise us when we hurt each other with words and actions. Please forgive me for the thoughtless and unkind word I’ve said or thing I’ve done. And help me forgive _________ for the things he/she did that hurt me. We need You. Amen.

Ephesians 4:32

Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ. (NCV)

Father, forgiveness is hard, especially when I’m hurt and angry. I want to be kind and loving consistently but oh my, I fail. And when I come to You sorry for the things I’ve said and done, I trust Your faithful love and amazing grace to forgive me. I need Your help to forgive _________. Please fill me with Your Spirit. Remind me of the countless times You have forgiven me and tender my heart to be more forgiving.

Father, I also ask that you would help _________ forgive me. Give me the courage I need to humble myself and repent of any pain I’ve caused. Restore what is broken by Your grace. Amen.

Psalm 27:14

Wait for the Lord’s help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s help. (NCV)

Father, this is hard. I don’t wait well. I want to do or say something that will magically fix this. Help me remember that You may be using this time to work on me and to work on ___________. I don’t want to get in the way of what you’re doing but I get so impatient. It sometimes takes more courage and strength to wait than it does to act. So, I will come to You today and every day asking for Your guidance. Help me wait when that is Your will and then, help me know when and how to act when the time is right. I need Your help. Amen.

Colossians 3:12

God has chosen you and made you His holy people. He loves you. So you should always clothe yourselves with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (NCV)

Father, I need a wardrobe adjustment. When I think about how often I fail to wear mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience … I’m ashamed! And You love me even with my tattered attire. With Your help, I believe _________ and I can do a better job of loving each other. So, today I’m asking You to show me where I need to do better and love well. Heal our hearts, Father. Help us forgive. Help us to love like Jesus and by Your grace, heal our relationship. In Jesus name, Amen.

I would love to pray for your broken relationships. Please leave a prayer request in the comments or if you don’t want to leave your name you can go to our Blessing Counters Pray Page and leave one there.

God bless you, my friends, and encourage you with His grace, mercy, and love.

Now it’s time to share your links and visit your friends…

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

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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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I’m excited to share the following posts with you this week.

He’s Waiting for You…

by Martha J. Orlando

@ Meditations of My Heart

How God Worked on Me While Fasting

by Kelly R. Baker

@ Helping You Seek God Daily and Thrive

Sharing Hope

by Carlie Lake

@ From Dust Towards the Heavens

7 Admirable Qualities Every Christian
Must Choose to Embody

by Diana

@ Diana’s Diaries

Thank you, Martha, Kelly, Carlie, and Diana for partying with us!

No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.

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

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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.

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…