So much happened on Thursday of Holy Week. Jesus washed His apostles’ feet. He celebrated a Passover meal with them. He walked with them and taught them about faith and faithfulness. He warned them of the world’s hatred and promised them the presence of the Holy Spirit.
And He prayed.
Today, I’m praying and asking the Father to work in me and make me like Jesus.
Father, Help Me to be Humble and Kind Make Me Like Jesus
Father, I want to be humble and kind. I want to be like Jesus … to live for Your glory and love as He loved. But I fall so far short. I can be self-focused and selfish. I can get so busy doing I fall short of loving.
I’m sorry! Please forgive me and help me.
I want to be willing to humbly wash feet … to take the role of a servant. Make me willing to serve You by loving Your people.
Father, make me…
strong … willing to work enthusiastically for You remembering Your promise that nothing I do for You is ever useless. 1 Corinthians 15:58
obedient … willing to follow Your will and keep Your commands. John 14:15
a living sacrifice … serving as an act of worship. Romans 12:1
humble and gentle … willing to love and forgive for Your glory. Ephesians 4:2
It’s hard to be a servant sometimes; especially when people are demanding and greedy.
May Jesus be my example…
Help me take time to get away with You so that I might have patience and strength to serve. Help me rest when I need to so that I might have the energy I need to love like Jesus.
Make me wise and discerning that I might follow where You lead and serve as You want.
Keep me faithful to the study of Your Word that I might know Your truth and follow Your will.
And Father, I ask that You will protect Your children. Jesus said…
I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.
John 15:19
And…
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.
John 16:33a
This is hard, Father. It’s hard to be hated and persecuted. It’s hard to face trials and sorrows.
When I’m afraid. When I’m dealing with loss, pain, or prejudice. When my health fails and my heart hurts. Please help me remember that Jesus also said…
Take heart, because I have overcome the world.
John 16:33b
And He promised…
I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.
John 15:26
With Your help, I will surrender this day to Your Spirit’s guidance and I will do my best to love like Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.
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On Tuesday of Holy Week, Jesus spent one last day teaching in the Temple Courtyard and the leading priests and elders came to Him with a challenge…
“By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”
Matthew 21:23
After answering their question with a question … He began teaching some very important lessons about obedience, love, patience, and faithfulness.
So today, we’re going to pray and ask the Lord to help us sit with Him and learn the important truths we need to love and obey His commands and patiently wait with unwavering faith.
Jesus, Help Me Obey and Love with Faith and Patience
Jesus, I am overwhelmed that even though You had cleared the Temple courtyard the day before and You knew the very leaders of that Temple would succeed in their efforts to have You tortured and killed … You returned yet again to teach them the truth. To give them one more opportunity to change their hearts and minds and believe.
Your love amazes me. You continue to pursue each one of us … offering Yourself, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Offering the transforming power of faith.
Please forgive me for the hurriedness that prevents me from sitting with You — listening and learning. Please forgive me for the times I’ve believed lies without examining them against the truths that You taught. Forgive me the many times I’ve failed to love the way You want and wait the way You ask. I’m so sorry.
I’m asking You to help me sit with Your Word today and hold the truths You taught in my heart praying…
Please Lord Jesus, help me…
Obey when You ask me to go and work. Matthew 21:28–32
Surrender my heart, my life, my all to You, the Cornerstone of our faith. Matthew 21:33–44
Prepare my heart and mind for heaven knowing that to enter, I am completely dependent upon You, my Lord and Savior. Matthew 22:1–14
Trust and obey Your commands to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. And love your neighbor as you love yourself. Matthew 22:34–40
Sit and learn both the Old and New Testaments that I might know and understand the way every account and testimony points to You. Matthew 22:41–45
Help me to test the teachings of people against the teachings of Scripture that I might know the Truth that gives me forgiveness and freedom. Matthew 23:2–12
Surrender my life completely to You that I might reject hypocrisy and be clean inside and out. Matthew 23:23:13–36
Give You my all. Luke 21:1–4
Faithfully wait and watch … always prepared and ready for You to come for me personally or for Your triumphant return for us all. Matthew 25:1–13
Invest in things that matter. Make me a faithful servant. Matthew 25:14–30
Do for others in love as if I were doing for You … for this is your will for me. Matthew 25:31–46
Lord, thank you for seeing to it that Your teachings were written for us. Thank you for being the Way for us to be forgiven and restored to the Father. Thank you for being the Truth that gives us freedom today and hope for tomorrow. Thank you for being the Life we need … life that lasts forever and always.
Thank you for being all we need to heal our past, to live in the present, and to face the future with anticipation and joy.
Thanks and praise forever and always. Amen.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
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I was supposed to read the Bible from cover to cover in college while taking the required Old Testament 1 & 2 and New Testament … I have to be honest with you and say it was a daunting task I never quite accomplished.
I’ve spent most of my adult life attending church and participating in Bible Study. Of course I have … I’m a preacher’s wife.
And I have to admit that during those busiest years most of my personal time spent in the Bible happened on the nights when stress and anxiety kept me awake in the middle of the night. During the day … it felt impossible to find time for personal anything.
But a little over a dozen years ago, a series of hard years culminated with a devastating loss and as I cried out to God … He drew me to His Word.
So I grabbed hold and read every verse from Genesis to Revelation in just three months. God used His Word to soothe my soul and heal my heart.
And I fell in love with the Bible.
So, I thought I’d share some of the ways I’ve read the Bible that have blessed me most.
5 Simple Ways to Read the Bible that will Bless You
1. Choose an understandable translation.
One that you will actually read!
Over the past 15 years, I’ve read the New International Version, the Amplified Bible, God’s Word Translation, the Holman Christian Standard Bible, The Message, the Chronological Bible, and the New Living Translation.
I believe the two Bibles that have blessed me most are the Chronological Bible and The Life Application Bible – New Living Translation.
I really liked the Chronological Bible as it helped me understand the Old Testament better by putting the words of the prophets into the appropriate times in history.
But I love the LAB – NLT! Last year, I read the text and all the notes. The translation is easier to understand (it’s the one I use most often in posts) and the notes help me think about the ways God wants me to apply all what I’m learning to my life.
2. Pray for the Spirit’s help to understand.
Proverbs 2 says…
Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:3–6
And Jesus’ brother, James wrote…
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
James 1:5
I truly believe that when you and I sincerely ask God to give us the wisdom to understand the truths found in His Word … that is a prayer He is happy to answer positively!
3. Start where you’ll read.
If you’ve never read the Bible before, I don’t recommend you begin in Genesis and read through the Old Testament. I know too many of us have gotten discouraged in Numbers, Leviticus, 1 and 2 Chronicles, and Lamentations.
My favorite book is the Book of John.
The Life Application Notes include the following words in the introduction to John…
Eternal, infinite, unlimited—He was, is and always will be the Maker and Lord of all that exists.
He is the Word; HE is Jesus, the Messiah.
John loved Jesus and describes himself as the “disciple Jesus loved.” His words are about relationship … the love relationship you and I can have with the Heavenly Father through His Son, the Messiah … Jesus!
After John, I recommend reading Romans, 1,2,3 John, and Proverbs. Then go to Genesis and read. Or if you prefer … there is a very easy to follow Bible Reading Plan at the Back of the LAB – NLT just before the indexes.
4. Look for Jesus in both the Old and New Testatments.
Billy Graham wrote…
The message of Jesus Christ, our Savior, is the story of the Bible … it is the story of salvation, it tis the story of the Gospel, it is the story of life, peace, eternity, and heaven.
Although, I believe there is value in beginning with the books of John and Romans if you have never read the Bible before. I also believe we need to read it all from creation through Revelation’s promise.
There is a powerful quote from Roy Gustafson in this month’s Decision Magazine…
The New Testament is contained in the Old Testament.
The Old Testament is explained in the New Testament.
The New Testament is concealed in the Old Testament.
The Old Testament is revealed in the New Testament.
The Old Testament anticipates the New Testament.
The New Testament authenticates the Old Testament.
In the Old Testament the New Testament lies hidden.
In the New Testament the Old Testament lies open.
The Old Testament predicts a Person.
The New Testament presents that Person.
God promised Jesus in the Garden immediately after sin entered the world.
“I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike His heel.”
Genesis 3:15
And throughout the pages of the Old Testament prophets, priest, and kings repeated the promise that God would send a Messiah to save us.
5. Ask questions and take notes.
I keep a highlighter, pen, and notebook with my Bible. I write verses and notes that speak to my heart and I write prayers inspired by the words I’ve read.
You can also ask the following questions:
What does this teach me about God?
What does it teach me about life?
What does it teach me about other people?
Is there a command to obey or an example to follow?
Is this a promise I can claim?
How can I apply this to my life?
Friend, I believe…
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword,it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
If you were sitting across the table from me right now, I would tell you with tears in eyes how I have fallen in love with the Triune God of the universe through the pages of Scripture. I can’t wait for Him to speak to me each day through His Story.
His promises have transformed my life.
Oh, how He loves you. Read His love letter to you and find out just how much!
Thank you so much for joining me today.
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I’ve said often that the one thing I wish I had done more often when my children were growing up is PRAY for them!
Not just for their success and happiness but for their spiritual growth.
The quote Melanie shared is so insightful…
“Most of us spend all of our time praying our kids onto the soccer team, into the club, into the school, into the sorority, into the job, and into the friend group.
But, are we really taking time each day to pray our children INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD?’’
There is nothing more important … not just for their eternal future although there truly is nothing I want more as a parent than to spend eternity with my loved ones in heaven. But the Kingdom of God is not just about their eternal future…
The degree to which our sons and daughters seek the Kingdom of God will have an impact on their lives every day from the moment they believe.
It’s why my tagline here at Counting My Blessings is “At the Intersection of Faith and Life.”
Kingdom citizenship and our relationship with God affects everything … every day!
So I’m thankful it’s not too late. I pray regularly for our children and grandchildren to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and I ask God to give them an ever growing desire to “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else.”
And that’s where I’m starting today as I pray for my son, son-in-love, and grandsons. I’d love for you to join me.
5 Verses to Pray for Your Son to be Strong, Courageous, and Wise
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:33
Father, Please give ________ a deep desire to seek a relationship with You above everything else this life has to offer. I pray that he will search the Scriptures so he might know Your heart and Your promises. Please help __________ know and follow Your will.
Make this promise true in __________’s life. Enable him by the power of Your Spirit and graciously give him everything he needs to live for You. Amen.
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.
Proverbs 9:10
Father, Please give __________ godly wisdom. The world will confront him with lies about what is wise. But Father, Your Word says that true wisdom and good judgment come to those who fear You.
Please help __________ to know and understand what it means to fear You … to have awe and respect for who You are and obey Your commands. Protect __________ and give him good judgment. Amen.
So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Father, Please give __________ the strength and courage he needs to live obedient to Your Word and Your will. There will always be people who will try to dissuade and discourage him. He will be challenged by thoughts and ideas that stand against Your truth. Father, please make __________ strong … willing to take a stand against the crowd, always willing to trust and follow Your will. Assure him of Your constant presence and give him peace knowing that wherever the road before him leads … You are already there.
Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32
Father, just as I ask for __________ to be strong and courageous in a world that will try to weaken him; please help him to see the strength that comes in being kind, caring and forgiving. May __________ realize the blessings of loving like Jesus. Amen.
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
Father, this is hard. I’ve heard it said often, “God whispers and the world is loud.” It is so very true. In fact, lately, it seems like the world is getting even louder and more frantic. So, Father, I ask that You will work in __________’s heart and mind. Transform him through Your Spirit. Give him an overwhelming desire to know and follow Your good, pleasing, and perfect will. In Jesus name. Amen.
Remember … Melanie has written a new book titled – Live in Light – 5-Minute Devotions for Teen Girls … you can preorder your copy here.
And there is a partner book by Andy Dooley titled – Walk in Faith – 5-Minute Devotions for Teen Guys … you can find it here.
Of all the things you and I do for our children, there is nothing more important than praying for and with them everyday.
Thank you so much for partying with us! May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship!
Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…
and pray over the list left by our friends.
I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Have you visited the Faith ‘n Friends Link Party Board on Pinterest? It’s a great place to catch up with past posts you may have missed here at the party and/or save them for a future read! If you’d like to become a contributor to my Pinterest Group Boards – email me at deb@debwolf.com with a link to your Pinterest home page.
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Something the dictionary defines as a state of well-being or contentment.
Yet, I’m not sure that’s the definition most of us are trying to attain.
Why?
Because then happiness wouldn’t be something to be attained in the next big thing…
The next vacation, purchase, or relationship.
If happiness is simply a state of well-being and contentment we should be happier, shouldn’t we?
Paul wrote to Timothy…
If we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.
1 Timothy 6:8
Something to eat and something to wear is not typically the measure by which we weigh our level of happiness, is it?
Yet, I’ve seen people who seem to have everything life has to offer and they’re miserable; and I’ve seen people who barely have enough to get by each day who exude happiness.
What’s the difference?
I believe there are a few things people who are happy do differently than those who are not.
They don’t play the comparison game.
They have an eternal perspective.
They don’t confuse happiness and joy.
You Need to Avoid the Comparison Trap
I have to tamp down the comparison temptation all the time and social media doesn’t help.
It’s so easy for you and me to compare our every day unexciting to our friends’ perfect pictures and exciting announcements. Facebook and Instagram are flooded with photos that invite us to compare our homes and our stuff, our success or lack of it, our children’s success or lack of it, our _____________ (you fill in the blank).
Simply put, comparison is the thief of contentment; and remember, contentment is one of the definitions for happiness.
Paul wrote to the people in Philippi…
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:12–13
I’m always humbled when I read about all Paul suffered as a servant of the Lord. He was whipped, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and imprisoned. And yet, he wrote that the secret to contentment through all these circumstances was found in Christ, the One who gave him strength.
Paul also wrote to Timothy…
Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.
1 Timothy 6:^–8
Faith in Jesus gave Paul the contentment that comes from having an eternal perspective and that changes everything.
You Need to Have an Eternal Perspective
Jesus answer to not worrying about having enough for life was…
Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:32–33
When you and I seek the Lord above everything else and surrender our lives to Him our perspective changes.
Paul wrote…
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.
2 Corinthians 4:18
I love this quote from C. S. Lewis…
“Our life on Earth is the first page of a never ending story.”
And when you and I live in light of eternity everything changes … every little decision, every relationship, every want, and every need.
You Need to Find Your Joy in Jesus
The dictionary defines joy as the feeling of great pleasure and happiness but for you and me there is a slight difference between the two.
Joy is something that grows in your soul because of your faith.
We have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace[a with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
Romans 5:1–2
And Jesus said this about joy…
I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.
John 15:11, John 16:20,
Look at this list of reasons we can find our joy in Jesus…
We are loved by God, Himself. John 3:16
We are covered by His grace. Ephesians 2:4–5
We are forgiven. Ephesians 1:7
We have the assurance of heaven. John 10:27–28
We have His presence. Matthew 28:20
We know He hears our prayers. 1 John 5:14
We have His help. Hebrews 13:6
We have His protection. 1 Peter 1:5
We have God’s peace that passes understanding. Philippians 4:7
We have strength. Philippians 4:13
And friend, those things never change for a child of God.
You and I can proclaim with David…
The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
Psalm 28:7
Happiness that is based on today’s circumstances is fragile and can’t last.
But happiness that is based on the eternal blessings you and I have in Jesus … is a well-being and contentment you and I can enjoy every single day now and forever.
And most important…
You Need to Seek God First
Jesus said…
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.
Luke 12:31
Remember … happiness is defined as a state of well-being and contentment.
I believe God wants that for us and when we seek Him first, when we trust His will, and follow where He leads … well-being and happiness become part of that everything.
How can I say that?
Because I know when I’ve taken my eyes off the Lord and chased after worldly happiness, I’m neither content or happy. I’m anxious and stressed out. I’m a mess.
I’m praying for you today, and I’m asking God to bless you and give you everything you need to find your happiness in Him.
God bless you!
Thank you so much for joining me today.
It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!
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On the darkest days, when I feel inadequate, unloved and unworthy, I remember whose daughter I am and I straighten my crown.
Author Unknown
That’s what I want not only for myself but for my daughters as well.
Being a teen girl is hard. I remember! I remember it was hard for our girls too. And I’m pretty sure it’s not any easier for the current generation.
Which is why I love that quote.
On days when we forget who we are … when our girls forget who they are, more than anything we need to remember whose we are. We are daughters of the King of kings and Lord of lords.
My friend, Melanie Redd, wrote a devotional book for teen girls and I can’t wait for her to tell you about it! And I love that she’s encouraging us all to start with the most important part … prayer!
So, please welcome Melanie, I know her words are going to bless and encourage you…
5 Verses to Pray for Your Daughter’s Spiritual Sensitivity and Growth
When she first said it, I was rather taken aback.
I’d never really thought of my prayer life in this way.
My friend, Dana, was speaking to a group of moms when she said it.
Her words truly shocked me and stabbed right through my heart.
Here is, in essence, what she said:
“Most of us spend all of our time praying our kids onto the soccer team, into the club, into the school, into the sorority, into the job, and into the friend group.
But, are we really taking time each day to pray our children INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD?’’
I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent a great deal of time praying for both of my kids to get into the club, group, or school.
However, I’ve not spent nearly enough time praying for their spiritual lives.
More and more, that has changed.
More and more, I’m seeing that the most essential ways we need to be praying involve spiritual sensitivity and spiritual growth. These are the things that ultimately matter most.
Thus, I’d like to urge you to pray more for your children and their spiritual well-being.
Here are 5 wonderful verses and prayers specifically for Your Daughter’s Spiritual Sensitivity and Growth:
First, ask God to give your daughter a heart to deeply trust God.
“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
Father, would you encourage ______ to trust in You with all of her heart. Help ______ to not depend upon her own understanding. Instead, encourage her to seek Your will in all she does. Show ______ which path to take in all of her decisions.
Second, invite God to keep your girl’s heart very tender and responsive.
“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”
Ezekiel 36:26
God, would you give ______ a new heart and a new spirit? Would You take out her stony, stubborn heart and give her a tender and responsive heart to You?
Third, pray for your daughter to have a passionate love for God.
“And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”
Mark 12:30
Lord, would You draw ______ to You? Help her to love You with all of her heart, all of her soul, all of her mind, and all of her strength.
Fourth, invite God to show your girl the emptiness of charm and beauty and the value of deeply respecting the Lord.
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.”
Proverbs 31:30
Father, would You open ______ eyes to see how deceptive charm is? Would You also show her that beauty fades? Draw her to You and make her a girl who fears You, respects You, and wants to live for You.
Fifth, pray that your girl will call on God and really want to hear from Him.
“Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.” Jeremiah 33:3
Jeremiah 33:3
God, would You prompt ______ to call on You? Would you lead her to pray about everything? And as she prays, would You show her remarkable secrets about things to come?
Want more to encourage and inspire your daughter spiritually?
You may want to check out this brand new devotional resource for middle school and high school girls.
Live in Light – Light the path to growing up with 5-minute devotionals.
Crushes, girl squad drama, school stress—not to mention figuring out who you are and what you want to be when you grow up—a lot happens in your teens that can make you feel left in the dark. Find the light—open this book and let the Scripture be your guide.
Live In Lightis every girl’s guide to tackling their teenage years with the wisdom and comfort of the Bible. From navigating the pressure to be “perfect” on social media to dating and dealing with frenemies, these 5-minute devotionals help you to become the woman that both you and God want you to be.
Inside these teen devotionals for girls, you’ll find:
5-minute devotionals—Bring the Bible into your day at any moment with quick and practical readings.
Relatable Scripture—Unpack lessons from the Bible with anecdotes you can apply to your daily life.
A spiritual toolkit—Relate God’s words to challenges and topics like social media, body image, self-worth and more.
In a world filled with change, this book offers unwavering guidance to live under the bright light of faith.
Melanie is a Christian blogger, Motivational Speaker, and Author. She’s written four books and has a brand new book coming out in April – Live in Light: 5-Minute Devotions for Teen Girls.
She’s married to Randy for the past 28 years and serving alongside him in ministry.
Additionally, she’s mom to two awesome young adults.
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.
Thank you so much for partying with us! May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship!
Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…
and pray over the list left by our friends.
I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Have you visited the Faith ‘n Friends Link Party Board on Pinterest? It’s a great place to catch up with past posts you may have missed here at the party and/or save them for a future read! If you’d like to become a contributor to my Pinterest Group Boards – email me at deb@debwolf.com with a link to your Pinterest home page.
And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…
And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an update.
Why do I put myself out there week after week telling you about my struggle with worry and anxiety?
Because I hated it! And if, by God’s grace, one or two of you might be spared the emotional, mental, and physical suffering that accompanies perpetual worry … I will shout my story from the rooftops.
In all honesty, the problem for me was … weak faith.
I had a list of things that terrified me. Things I believed I couldn’t survive even with all of God’s promises to the contrary.
Luke chapter 12 begins with these words spoken by Jesus…
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life.”
And then the promise…
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.”
Luke 12:31
Everything! No qualifiers. No exceptions.
Look at what follows…
“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
Luke 12:32
“Great happiness” … your Father will not withhold a thing from those who seek Him.
The Life Application Notes say…
To “seek the Kingdom of God above all else” means to put God first in your life, to fill your thoughts with His desires, to take His character for your pattern, and to serve and obey Him in everything.
Oh, how I wish I could consistently do that!
I know, when I put God first, when I fill my thoughts with His truth and promises, when I prayerfully want what He wants for me, and when I spend my time living for Him – I’m not worried!
So, today I’m praying God’s promises and asking Him to help me seek Him first, to increase my faith, and trust His promises to give me everything I need when I’m worried. I’d love for you to join me…
5 Prayers that will Increase Your Faith When You are Worried
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
Father, I need You to hold me up. I need You to strengthen me and help me.
I don’t want to worry. I don’t want to be afraid or discouraged. My heart wants to seek You first and trust You completely.
Please help me. By the power of Your Spirit, fill my thoughts with Your truth, Your promises. Help me want what You want for me. Help me know that if You have not allowed something … if it’s not in Your will then it’s not for my good. Even when I don’t understand.
With Your Spirit’s help, I will surrender this day to You trusting that You will give me everything I need. Amen.
“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” 1The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.
Psalm 46:10–11
Father, for this moment … quiet my mind and my spirit as I sit here with You. I know You are sovereign, Lord of lords and King of kings. Whether people realize it today or not, at some point every knee will bow before You. You will be honored everywhere by everyone.
And the overwhelming miracle … You love me. You are with me. You care for me. You call me Your child.
So, like a little child is unafraid curled up in her daddy’s lap … I will rest in You! The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is with me protecting me. I have nothing to worry about! Amen.
So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for He will never fail you.
1 Peter 4:19
Father, suffering is never pleasant and honestly, it’s hard to imagine that any suffering “pleases” You. Yet, Your Word tells us there is evil in this world and You sometimes allow it to touch Your children that they might show others Your ability to give them everything they need as they suffer.
You never fail Your children. I believe that! You have proven it time after time. Thank you! I will trust You! I will stand secure on the promise that Your grace is sufficient to meet every need every day. Amen.
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Matthew 6:33–34
Father, Help me want You more than anything.
Jesus said that Your Kingdom is a priceless treasure, (Matthew 13:44) worth more than anything this world can offer; yet, You give it as a gift. By Your grace, You give Your children … peace, joy, patience, hope, love, and so much more. I have no reason to worry when I know You will give me what I need.
Please help me keep my heart and mind focused on You today, trusting that whatever this day offers You are with me and You are all I need. Amen.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.
Psalm 73:26
Father, thank you for giving me this promise to hold in my heart as I lived through that painful and difficult time. You proved to me that You are able to give me the strength I need each moment. Day after day, You showed me that You will never leave or forsake me. You are mine forever. Whatever happens I can trust in You and that is a truth I can hold close any time I am tempted to worry. Amen.
I’d love to be able to tell you that I’m worry-free but you probably wouldn’t believe me anyway. Understandably!
Although, I’ll admit I still have “what-if” thoughts … I no longer live consumed by those thoughts. With God’s help, I’m able to prayerfully give my worries to God as I ask Him to replace them with “everything I need.”
And He is faithful, which is why…
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things You do.
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I know I don’t typically publish a post on Wednesdays but the Lord gave me a nudge that I just couldn’t ignore.
It all started Monday morning, as I sat down with my Bible and a cup of coffee for my time of prayer and study.
My first reading was Joshua 23, where Joshua begins his final words to the Children of Israel. I wrote verses 14 – 16 in my journal.
Deep in your hearts, you know that every promise of the Lord your God has come true. Not a single one has failed! But as surely as the Lord your God has given you the good things He promised, He will also bring disaster on you if you disobey Him. He will completely destroy you from this good land He has given you. If you break the covenant of the Lord your God by worshiping and serving other gods, His anger will burn against you, and you will quickly vanish from the good land He has given you.
Joshua 23:14–16
The next section in my reading plan took me to Psalm 64, where David prayed for God’s protection from His enemies.
And followed that with John 11, where Jesus raised Lazarus and the following verses grabbed my heart.
Then Jesus wept.
and
Jesus was still angry as He arrived at the tomb.
John 11:35 and 38a
And it hit me how very sad and angry the consequences of sin made Him. But just before He spoke the words…
“Lazarus, come out!”
John 11:43
He said…
Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?”
John 11:40
And all of these words were working on my heart as I began to pray.
I wrote these words…
Father, thank you for keeping every promise. I know I can trust You completely because I know every promise is true.
As I read David’s words, I felt they could have been written by our nation’s leaders today. Please give those who lead our country hearts that are completely surrendered to You. Please protect them with the truth and defeat the lies.
Father, please forgive us. Please heal our nation. Transform us by the power of Your Spirit. It saddens me when I see evil being called good and good being labeled evil. We need Your truth. We need You.
And Father, please show Rev and me what we should do or say. Please guide the words I write. Send them where You want them to go and may every word be used for Your glory. Amen.
Immediately, I could hear God whisper … read Ezekiel 22. Now I don’t get lead to read Ezekiel outside of my regular reading schedule … so, I was more than a little curious. These are the words I read…
Now this message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, are you ready to judge Jerusalem? Are you ready to judge this city of murderers? Publicly denounce her detestable sins, and give her this message from the Sovereign Lord: O city of murderers, doomed and damned—city of idols, filthy and foul—you are guilty because of the blood you have shed. You are defiled because of the idols you have made. Your day of destruction has come! You have reached the end of your years. I will make you an object of mockery throughout the world. 5O infamous city, filled with confusion, you will be mocked by people far and near.
Ezekiel 22:1–5
And…
Again a message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: In the day of my indignation, you will be like a polluted land, a land without rain. Your princes plot conspiracies just as lions stalk their prey. They devour innocent people, seizing treasures and extorting wealth. They make many widows in the land. Your priests have violated my instructions and defiled my holy things. They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not. And they do not teach my people the difference between what is ceremonially clean and unclean. They disregard my Sabbath days so that I am dishonored among them.Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people’s lives for money! And your prophets cover up for them by announcing false visions and making lying predictions. They say, ‘My message is from the Sovereign Lord,’ when the Lord hasn’t spoken a single word to them. Even common people oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice.
“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
Ezekiel 22:23–31
And I’ll admit, I squirmed.
You see, I love writing positive encouragement. It’s really hard to write tough messages.
But I asked God, please show me what we should do or say … and I felt His reply was to share this message. You see we spend so much time shouting about what’s right and wrong. It seems like the dividing lines have been established and there are people on both sides of every issue who believe they are RIGHT!
But it really doesn’t matter what we think.
I work very hard to keep my political opinions to myself because what I think really doesn’t matter. If you ask me … I will send you to the Word of God and tell you to prayerfully read it.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8
I believe His Word and…
His word still applies!
But before you go, you NEED TO KNOW THIS…
I don’t believe this word from Ezekiel is a gloom and doom message of hopelessness.
Because…
God is unchanging and He still has the power to tranform lives!
You and I don’t have to wring our hands, cry, “ain’t it awful,” and give up. If that were the case, I don’t believe God would have given me this word when I asked Him what Rev and I should do.
What should we do…
We should point people to the Word of God, we should pray like lives depend on it, and we should tell our stories of personal transformation … not with self-righteousness or religious superiority but with love and compassion! The same love and compassion God has so gracious shown us!
Friends, today is Ash Wednesday.
It is the first day of Lent, the time in the church year when we humbly come before God in repentance … reflecting on the transforming power of forgiveness through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The life-changing resurrection power given by God’s grace through His Spirit when we place our trust in Jesus.
Rather than giving up something for Lent this year, I am adding something…
I am committing to praying for God’s transforming power to work in hearts and minds over the next six weeks. I’m crying out for people to surrender their lives to Christ. I’m praying for a Pentecost revival in our nation. I’m praying for people will know and live by the only Truth that leads to freedom.
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It is absolutely impossible to experience God’s peace when I’m reliving yesterday or pre-living tomorrow. Peace simply cannot be applied to yesterday’s mess nor can it be pre-applied to tomorrow’s worries.
Have you ever gotten to the end of the day and regret the amount of time you wasted on guilt, worry, and anxiety?
Yeah, me too!
But I’m working on changing that. I truly believe that with God’s help I do not have to sacrifice today’s peace and joy to yesterday’s failures and tomorrows unknowns.
But I definitely need His help.
So, I’m working to apply the following disciplines every day … because I know when I do, well, I have the peace I want!
Rev and I celebrate bonus days. In fact, today is our 4,176th bonus day.
What are bonus days?
They are the days we’ve been blessed to enjoy that were unexpected when he entered the operating room on September 20, 2007, for a pericardial stripping.
What’s that? A pericardial stripping is when a cardiac surgeon chips the thickened and hardened lining off a beating heart. It’s extremely dangerous. We were told the mortality rate, morbidity rate, and success rate were all equal. We weren’t offered a lot of hope.
And yet, God gave us His peace that day. And every day since Rev has written the Bonus Day number on the calendar as a reminder to celebrate and LIVE.
This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad today!
Psalm 118:@4
When we are busy treating today like the gift, the bonus, it is … well, it helps us to live intentionally. And intentional living focuses on now, refusing to dwell on the past or on the future.
2. Take every thought captive . . . purposefully reject guilt and worry.
I once read about a great idea that can help me seal today off from yesterday and tomorrow.
It’s called…
Living in an airlock space.
Imagine as you walk into today that the door to yesterday is closing behind you and you can’t open the door in front of you until it’s time to move into tomorrow.
Enter the airlock space with thanksgiving and leave it with repentance. No guilt and no worry.
I’m pretty sure, that’s downright Biblical…
So don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34
3. Do only what you are able to do today.
When is the last time you were able to accomplish everything on your to-do list?
Our lives are loaded with expectations. Some our own … many added by others. We have spouses, children, bosses, and friends we want to please. We’re serving and volunteering and…
It’s impossible to get it all done.
So, remember to manage each day with grace.
It’s okay to say “no.” It’s okay to set priorities. In fact, it’s not only okay, it’s God’s will. You absolutely cannot do everything for everyone. So, spend time with God and your planner. Pray and ask Him to help you manage your time according to His plans and purposes for you.
You may find that it’s time for you to say “no” to some good things so you can fully say “yes” to the most important things.
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
4. Trust God to meet your needs today.
Have you read the Bible account lately of the way God provided food for the Israelites in the Wilderness?
In the morning, as the dew evaporated, manna was left on the ground. And the people were to trust God by gathering just enough to eat that day. If they saved it overnight it smelled bad and was full of worms. (Exodus 16)
One day at a time … just enough. With the exception of Fridays, when they were told to gather enough for the Saturday Sabbath so they could rest as God commanded.
I love that!
God is able to meet today’s needs. And He will even meet them in ways that make it possible for us to take a Sabbath rest if we trust Him.
I often sense Jesus whispering,
“Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!”
Matthew 8:26
And it’s impossible to have peace when my “little faith” doubts His ability to meet my needs.
But He also says…
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
Luke 12:31
And…
Look at the birds in the air. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. And you know that you are worth much more than the birds.
Matthew 6:26
5. Just breathe. Breathe in His peace and breathe out the peace robbers.
I have a dear one who often takes a deep breath and says, “In with the butterflies out with the bees.”
Great visual right?
When the moment is difficult and I’m tempted to make it worse by adding the past and the future, I just have to stop and breathe.
Breathe out frustration, worry, anxiety, guilt, and overwhelm … and breathe in God’s gift of peace by…
remembering His past faithfulness and provision.
clinging His promises.
running to Him in prayer.
When I remember all God has done for me in the past; when I lean on His promises to care for me today and in the future; and when I surrender every anxious thought to Him in prayer … I have everything I need to know He will help me experience His peace through this moment as well.
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:3
I’ll admit it…
It’s hard to live one day at a time.
It’s hard to let go of yesterday and refuse to worry about tomorrow?
Especially for those of us who are naturally anxious.
But the truth is…
Like it or not, life is lived moment by moment. One day at a time.
So, it’s up to you and me whether we will live one day at a time moments with peace or sacrifice them to on the altar of regret and worry.
The choice is ours.
Steve Maraboli said:
“Although time seems to fly, it never travels faster than one day at a time. Each day is a new opportunity to live your life to the fullest. In each waking day, you will find scores of blessings and opportunities for positive change. Do not let your TODAY be stolen by the unchangeable past or the indefinite future! Today is a new day!”
So will you join me?
Let’s…
Celebrate today like it’s a bonus day.
Take every peace-robbing thought captive and surrender it to God.
Do what we are able to do today.
Trust God to meet this day’s needs.
And breathe in His peace.
We can do this! You and I can live one day at a time with God’s help.
And finally, here’s one more question that gives me perspective…
Will this matter a year from now?
It’s surprising how often the answer is, “no!” And if that’s the case, it’s not worth what it’s costing me in peace.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
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I shouldn’t be surprised, this forgiveness thing is hard.
Something the Lord laid on my heart as I was working on this is the thought that many of us forgive from a “Law” perspective … one that believes “you have to forgive or God won’t forgive you.”
And although, the Bible tells us Jesus said that while He walked among us … I wonder if just maybe we’re missing the point He was trying to make. That from a “Gospel” perspective … it’s a blessing to forgive as we’ve been forgiven.
Believe me, I understand how hard it can be to forgive when the hurt is huge and the consequences lasting.
Something I’ve learned about God’s love and His desire for you and me to forgive as we’ve been forgiven is that He is not sitting on His throne holding a big threatening stick over our heads shouting, “You better forgive or else.”
On the contrary, I believe He is a loving Father, who is holding us saying, “Let it go. Let me carry this for you. I love you and I understand your pain but I want you to enjoy all the blessings I have waiting for you when you lay down your burden of anger and resentment.”
I want to pray for us and ask God for His help.
I love that you and I can honestly go to Him with the hard stuff like this.
David wrote…
The Lord hears His people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
Psalm 34:17–18
One of the things I’ve always loved about this “man after God’s own heart” is his honesty before God. David poured it all out there trusting that the Lord would help him.
So let’s get honest. If you’re struggling to forgive someone who has hurt you, I’d like to invite you to honestly pray the following and ask God for His help.
I’ve been where you are. I know how hard it is.
But I also know God wants to help…
5 Verses to Pray that will Help You Forgive Big Hurts
Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Colossians 3:12–13
Father, this is hard! I am so thankful for Your forgiveness. In fact, I can’t imagine my life without Your grace and mercy. I know my sins are many and that You forgive me each time I ask.
I don’t want to have a double standard … an I want forgiveness but I don’t want to give it attitude, but Father, You know how painful this is. You know the consequences are huge and lasting. You know my heart hurts.
But I don’t want to live with this bitterness and anger any longer. It’s eating me up inside. Please help me. I need You! Amen.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
1 Corinthians 13:4–5
Father, thank you! You are patient and kind and by Your grace, You don’t keep a record of my failures … of the times I’ve wronged You or one of Your children.
I want to love like You! I want to love like Jesus!
Let love be my highest goal. (1 Corinthians 14:1)
And when I’m angry and my heart hurts, Father, help me see You as my loving parent. Help me know how You want to hold me close and calm my fears and frustrations. You don’t walk away during my tantrums but whisper through Your Spirit reminding me of Your faithful presence and love.
Thank you for loving me most when I deserve it least. Amen.
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.
Ephesians 4:2
Father, this is hard. Humbleness, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness are not things the world affirms right now. Self-righteous anger seems to be the attitude of the day.
But You have called me to be different … to show the world Your love. And that means speaking Your truth with gentleness and respect. That means loving when it’s hard and serving when it’s inconvenient. That means forgiving even when it’s undeserved and difficult.
Help me, Father! I know I can’t love the way You want me to on my own. I need Your Spirit within me guiding and helping … so I can trust and submit to Your will even when it’s hard.
Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7
Father, Thank you for caring about me. Thank you for caring for me. Thank you for loving and forgiving me.
I don’t want to carry this hurt and anger any longer. The burden weighs me down and robs me of the joy You want for me. I’m ready, Father. And with Your help, I privately offer these words of forgiveness over the person who hurt me.
I have held on to this anger, hurt, and resentment for too long. And because I am completely loved, accepted, and forgiven by God in Christ Jesus, I am able to forgive you, ______________. I choose to forgive you for ______________, and I release you completely. You don’t owe me. I will no longer hold this against you. You are free. I am free.
Thank you, Lord!
The Lord gives His people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.
Psalm 29:11
Father, now I ask that You will give me the strength to move on from this anger and bitterness. Help me live and enjoy Your peace … fully trusting that I have left this all in Your more capable hands. Help me live each day with restored joy and point people to the amazing blessings You have for them.
Thank you for giving me Your Spirit’s strength to do what I couldn’t do on my own. Thank you for showing me the way to know and experience a peace that only You can give. Thank you for loving me and for never giving up on me. In Jesus name, Amen.
Friends, I’ll admit there have been times I have needed these prayers desperately. Today, by God’s grace, all is forgiven.
But I’m always mindful there is a real possibility that I will know this fight again in the future. So, I’m bookmarking these prayers to be ready and armed the next time I’m hurting and find it hard to forgive.
And just maybe … even if you can say along with me, “by God’s grace, all is forgiven,” you may want to bookmark it too. Because the battle is real!
But…
God is always gracious … willing to hold you close, hear your honest heartfelt prayers, and He will help you forgive just because that’s how much He loves you!
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Almost everyone has a double standard when it comes to forgiveness.
If you and I are being honest, we’d admit we want to be forgiven but often find it hard to forgive.
And that’s especially true, when the offense has been life-changing or the offender continues to do things that cause us pain.
But then there’s this…
Jesus said:
“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14–15
Verses like this one and the “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us,” part of the Lord’s Prayer make us squirm.
You and I want God’s forgiveness. Really, we need His forgiveness.
But the truth is … sometimes the pain cuts so deep and the consequences so lasting that forgiving seems impossible and it feels like we’re excusing the wrong and denying the pain.
But I wonder if we’re looking at forgiveness the wrong way.
Henry Ward Beecher once said…
“I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note – torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one.”
And although I agree that part of forgiveness is no longer holding the person’s offense against them like a debt that must be paid later.
Sometimes an offense is like having your arm cut off and then being told not to think about it again.
The Bible does not tell us to forgive and forget. It tells us to forgive like we’ve been forgiven.
Forgiving someone does not deny the offense nor does it excuse the offender.
Forgiving is choosing to love others like God loves us and to forgive them because God has forgiven us.
Even as I type those words, believe me, I know it’s not easy!
In fact, the truths I want to share with you are the result of a very personal struggle I had with forgiveness. Choices made by others turned our lives upside down, caused overwhelming heartache, and left scars I knew would never disappear.
So yes, I understand that it can seem impossible to forgive at times.
But Jesus’ words about the connection between forgiving and being forgiven challenge my heart and I just can’t imagine willingly blocking God’s forgiveness in my life.
I know how much I need God’s forgiveness. I know how often He has washed me clean and given me a fresh start. And I know that no matter how hard I try, I fall short of His perfect will and need His forgiveness again and again.
I’ve made a list of truths that help me when I need to forgive and I pray they will help you, too.
Powerful Truth to Know When You Need to Forgive
1. Forgiving someone does not erase, excuse, or deny what happened.
Forgiving extends mercy to the person who did the wrong and gives peace to the person who was wronged.
Forgiveness doesn’t change the past. but it does, by God’s grace, give us peace, strength, and the courage to move into the future free of anger, bitterness, and resentment.
Forgiveness makes it possible for you and me to live with joy once agai.
Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Colossians 3:12–13
2. You don’t have to tell the person that you have forgiven them unless they ask.
The person who hurt you may not believe they’ve done anything that needs to be forgiven. They may believe their words or actions were justified. And it’s possible that you could make the problem worse or cause yourself more pain by going to them and telling them you forgive them if they haven’t asked.
If you do believe you need to voice unsolicited forgiveness make sure you’re not motivated by anger or a desire to hurt or manipulate them to get even.
“Forgiveness is me giving up my right to hurt you for hurting me.”
Anonymous
3. Anger, hatred, bitterness, and resentment will only prolong your pain and prevent you from healing.
I hate when a perfectly wonderful day gets interrupted by a heart-piercing memory. It doesn’t take much . . . a familiar smell, a song, a picture, a comment and suddenly I can be reliving an awfu moment.
Although I can’t control my thoughts and memories, I can control what I do with them and how long I allow them to live in my head and influence my emotions.
I’ve learned it’s important for me to change painful thoughts and memories quickly. So, I keep a list of mental distractions … music I love, quotes and verses that inspire me, or just going outside and taking a walk.
And the best way to deal with difficult memories … lay them at the foot of the cross in prayer … every. single. time.
“Victory over our hurts and pain is not found by delving deeper into our wounds, but by clinging to the wounds of Jesus.”
Louie Giglio
4. God will give you the strength you need to forgive if you ask Him.
Honestly talking to God about my feelings and asking Him for strength has been the only way I’ve been able to forgive when I don’t want to.
I imagine you’ve had times, like me, when you’re sure the person who hurt you doesn’t deserve forgiveness. They’re not sorry. They don’t care. They’re lives look good and you’re having trouble getting out of bed in the morning.
Thank God for the many times He has forgiven you, tell Him you want to obey His command to forgive like you’ve been forgiven, and ask Him for the strength you need to forgive the person who hurt you.
Lord, teach me what You want me to do, and I will live by Your truth. Teach me to respect You completely.
Psalm 86:11
And…
The Lord is my strength and my song; He has given me victory.
Psalm 118:14
5. Choose forgiveness – sit in a room by yourself and speak out loud or write words of forgiveness.
You know it’s what God wants you to do.
You know you’re tired of holding on to anger, bitterness, and pain.
Now it’s time to take your anger, hurt, frustration, and all the other junk in your head and let it go.
It’s time to actually … forgive.
If you need help … you can use the following:
I have held on to this anger, hurt, and resentment for too long. And because I am completely loved, accepted, and forgiven by God in Christ Jesus, I am able to forgive you, ______________. I choose to forgive you for ______________, and I release you completely. You don’t owe me. I will no longer hold this against you. You are free. I am free.
If you choose to write your forgiveness, I recommend burning or shredding it after you’re finished as a symbol of the forgiveness you’ve given and freedom you’ve received.
“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” ~Corrie ten Boom
Before you go … I’d love to invite you to watch the following video. Mary Johnson has a lot to teach us all about the power of forgiveness…
And give you one last quote to think about…
The person who has the most power over your life is the person you have not forgiven.
Dallas Willard
I don’t know about you but I don’t want to give the people who hurt me that much power. I want to be free to live and love … forgiven and forgiving!
What truths do you turn to when you need to forgive someone?
What is the best thing you discovered after forgiving someone when you didn’t want to?
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A fireman who will put out the fires in your life? A genie or fairy godmother who will grant your every wish? A judge who will punish you when you fail? A hard to please parent who always expects more? An administrator who makes decisions from a distance?
Is He intimate or impersonal?
The truth is … how you and I picture God will deeply influence not only our relationship with Him but it will have a huge impact on the way we live our lives.
Let me explain…
For most of my life, I pictured God watching me from afar … blessing good behavior and withholding blessings for bad behavior. When things weren’t going well, I believed I needed to make life adjustments so I could once again please God and earn His favor.
I believed that “God is love” and “Jesus loves me.” I’d learned both things as a young child in Sunday School.
And because of those childhood lessons, I believed God loved me so much He gave Jesus as the sacrifice for my sins. I believed that it was through faith in Jesus, my eternal future was and is secure. All true!
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
The problem … I was focusing on the eternal message and missing out on the things God was offering me every single day.
I didn’t understand the intimate personal relationship He wanted with me.
Yet, this is how intimate and personal God is … He gave my childhood pastor the following verse for me.
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”
Revelation 3:20
He told me as a child, that He wanted a personal friendship with me. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the message!
It took me another 40+ years to finally understand the truth … and in all honesty, I’m still a work in progress.
Recently, Rev asked me, “What’s the most important thing, you want people to know about God from your story?”
I have to admit, my voice cracked and my eyes filled with tears as I started to put my feelings into words. In fact, my greatest concern as I type this is that my message will fall short.
You see, because I had a distorted picture of God, I missed out on many of the blessings He wanted to give me to live each day.
♥ I missed out on experiencing God’s peace because I believed the enemy’s lie that I must obey God perfectly to gain His pleasure.
But the truth…
The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love.
Psalm 147:11
♥ I missed out on God’s courage and strength because I believed the enemy’s lie that I was on my own for day to day living.
But God’s Word says…
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
Psalm 46:1
So, the most important thing I want you to know about God from my story is…
I want you to know how very much Your Father loves you and wants to give you everything you need to live each day.
I want you to know He meant it when He said…
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9
For too many years, I missed the promise part of that verse…
I was not strong and courageous.
I was afraid of:
Rejection
Death (my own or a loved one’s)
Illness
Not being good enough
Not being loved
Not being a good mom
Heights
Getting lost or losing my child in a crowd
Not being in control of my weight, my health … my life
It wasn’t pretty!
On the outside, the picture looked good but on the inside I was a mess. I craved strength, courage, peace, contentment, and a whole host of other things God promises in His Word … but I wasn’t willing to surrender control of my life.
Why?
Because of another verse:
In this world you will have trouble.
John 16:33 (NIV)
I know, I left out the other important parts of the verse, too. The…
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.” and “Take heart! I have overcome the world” parts.
In my defense, all I had to do was look around. Bad things were happening everywhere and I’ll be honest with you, I saw very few people, even Christians, living in victory.
I saw people like me, who were going to church, putting on their Sunday smile … just trying to do it right and avoid “trouble.”
But troubles happen and they happened to us.
Many of greatest fears became reality.
I’d spent a lifetime trying to please God and people to control my circumstances and avoid “trouble” and it all collapsed around me.
But God in His mercy allowed me to hear the Spirit whisper Jesus’ words…
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:28–29
And I did…
I surrendered it all at the foot of the cross, cried out to God for help, and started getting to really know for myself who God says He is in the Bible.
And I’ve spending time at His feet every day since … more than a decade of learning that God is who He says He is and that He keeps His promises.
I’ve learned…
Even when everyone else forgets, God doesn’t; when no one seems to notice, God sees; when not one seems to care, God cares; when you feel all alone, you aren’t.
Life Application Bible Notes pg. 87
I laid my junk at the foot of the cross. I gave Him my fear, my need to control, my need to please, my doubts, my “self.”
I surrendered it all!
And God replaced what I gave Him with those things I’d been craving all along … strength, courage, peace, contentment, and so much more!
What’s the most important thing you need to know about God?
Your Father loves you! You can know Him and have a relationship with Him through Jesus. You can trust His Spirit to teach and guide you. You can believe that He is who He says He is. You can count Him to keep His promises.
When you seek Him first … HE WILL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED!
My story is the reason the tagline here at Counting My Blessings is “at the intersection of faith and life.”
Because…
Once you have experienced the saving power of faith in Jesus, God is able to give you everything you need for your life right now … today!
I want you to believe that when Jesus said…
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.”
Luke 12:31
It is a promise you can count on.
He is not only able to give you everything you need, it also makes Him happy to do so. The next verse says…
“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
Luke 12:32
Your Father loves you!
He gave Jesus for you and to you because that’s how much He loves you.
He won’t withhold the thing you need today. In fact, It makes Him happy to give you His kingdom’s blessings!
So, don’t wait! Don’t suffer with fear, anxiety, discouragement, or anything else for one more day.
Make today the day you surrender everything at the foot of the cross. The day you start seeking God with all you’ve got.
The day you start picturing Him happily giving you everything you need.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!
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And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.
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and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.
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Do you ever have times when your life’s circumstances seem impossible?
Times when … your relationship is broken, or you can’t find a job, or your child is rebellious, or you can’t break a long-held bad habit, or your pain or illness is worsening, and life is just plain hard?
Times when you wonder if the outcome you’re praying for is even possible?
I’ll be honest with you. I do, too!
I’ve had times when my heart was heavy and I felt like I’d prayed the same prayer request a thousand times. Even now, I have a few big prayers that I continue to pray even though nothing seems to change.
And in my sadness, I start to wonder if this prayer of my heart is even possible.
Jesus repeatedly told people that God is able to do the impossible…
“What is impossible for people is possible with God.”
Luke 18:27
And He also told people to…
“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
So, I’m praying today but I’m not only asking God to do the impossible … I’m believing that He CAN DO the IMPOSSIBLE!
And even though I’ve asked Him a thousand times before, I’m confident He will hear my prayer and respond in love!
Maybe you’d like to join me.
5 Verses to Pray When You Need God to Do the Impossible
“O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by Your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for You!”
“I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?
Jeremiah 32:17 & 27
Father, I go outside and see the beauty of Your creation. The sun, moon, and stars hung perfectly in place. Seas and land, mountains and valleys, plants and animals with countless variations all sustained in complete order by Your gracious hand.
Father, nothing is too hard for You!
You care for and protect Your children … body and soul.
Nothing is too hard for You!
I believe You are able to do the impossible and Father, and sometimes from my perspective, this problem appears impossible. But You are the God of possibilities! Please, Father, do what only You can do. Please help me by Your Grace. Amen.
He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!
Psalm 147:4–5
Father, You see me. You know me by name. And You love me! I am not just one of many … I am Your child. I am Your own.
There is nothing I can experience that is beyond Your understanding and comprehension. This battle I’m facing is known to You.
I believe You know what I need and that You will provide it. I understand that it may not be what I want … but it will always be what is best for me.
I also believe that if You ask me to wait or endure, You have promised to give me the strength and peace and everything else I need each day.
This is hard, Father, but You are great! Your power is absolute. Your grace is sufficient. Your love unfailing. Thank you! Amen.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20–21
Father, I need Your mighty power to work within me.
“Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!” (based on Mark 9:24)
I believe You are able to accomplish infinitely more than I might ask or think. As I fight this battle, please help me keep my eyes on You … not on the problem. Give me the courage and strength to surrender this situation to You. By Your grace, help me trust Your love for me and live with the confidence that You care about this even more than I do.
Father, You sacrificed everything to save me and show me the greatness of Your love.
I surrender this day to You. Help me in this wait to know with confidence that even though I can’t see it … You are at work doing what only You can do, things that will always be for my good and Your glory. Thank you, Father. Amen.
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
Mark 10:27
Oh, the reassurance of Jesus’ words, Father. Were it not for You … there would be no saving grace. Were it not for You … I would have no faith.
Because of You, Father, the impossible becomes possible. Being born again becomes reality. And love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control become blessings I enjoy because of Your Spirit within me. Thank you!
Your grace is sufficient! (1 Corinthians 12:9) And I have everything I need. (Psalm 23:1)
Father, there is no limit to what You can do. Your miracles touch the lives of Your children each and every day.
Please help me trust Your plan for me today. Help me follow where You lead and obey Your will as You reveal it to me. Help me to see Your miracles. Amen.
This same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
Father, As I face this problem, please help me remember all the ways You have provided for me.
You have met my needs in the past and I believe You will meet my needs today and every day in the future.
You have given me strength and courage when I was afraid. You gave me hope when my circumstances seemed hopeless. You have given me patience when my wait felt like it was too long. Whatever my need … You have a glorious rich supply.
Father, You’ve kept every promise You’ve ever made. I can and will trust You to keep Your promises in the future.
By Your grace, You’ve helped me love when I wanted to turn away. You’ve forgiven my broken past and given me all I need to forgive others. You’ve healed my broken heart and filled me up.
You’ve have given me Jesus! I have everything I need!
You truly are the God of possibilities! Absolutely nothing is impossible to You.
So, today, I will trust You with my needs, wants, and desires. And with Your help, I will surrender my pain and problems to Your perfect wisdom and care.
In Jesus name. Amen.
Whatever is going on in your life today…
God is able.
Rick Warren wrote…
Never let an impossible situation intimidate you. Let it motivate you – to pray more, trust more, expect more.
I want that…
I want to pray more, trust more, and expect more.
Because the truth is…
There are no impossible situations for the child of the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God because for our Father … nothing is impossible!
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I get discouraged sometimes. Like you, I have a few things I’ve prayed about for YEARS and the wait continues.
Most of the time I can just keep praying them with a kind of “it is what it is” attitude … my way to trying to be okay with the situation. But other times, waiting is hard and I wonder if I should just quit bombarding the gates of heaven with this prayer.
It’s not that I don’t believe God is able but there are other people involved and well, people have free will.
I read these words the other day…
“Is anything too hard for the Lord.”
Genesis 18:14
The Lord spoke those words to Abraham.
Why?
Because Abraham had begun to wonder … to quit hoping.
Can you blame him? I sure can’t.
He was almost one hundred years old and Sarah was almost ninety when the Lord visited them and told them they were about to finally have the son they had been promised decades earlier.
Yep, Abraham questioned and Sarah laughed. I probably would have done the same.
And the Lord replied, “Is anything too hard for the Lord.”
Then look at the account of Jeremiah…
God told Jeremiah to buy a field just north of Jerusalem and Jeremiah obeyed but he also questioned…
O Sovereign Lord, you have told me to buy the field—paying good money for it before these witnesses—even though the city will soon be handed over to the Babylonians.
Jeremiah 32:25
God told Jeremiah to buy the field as a promise that He would bring the people home after 70 years.
Imagine God asking you to buy a home in an area that He has also told you is about to be captured and almost all of the people including you are going to be taken captive and hauled away to another country.
You might be wondering … WHY?
Seriously, even if some of the people do come back there’s no guarantee that property deed will even be acknowledged.
You might even be asking … WHY?
And that’s okay. Look at God’s patient loving reply…
“I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?“
Jeremiah 32:27
What Sarah, Abraham, and Jeremiah learned is the answer to that question is always…
No!
Nothing is too hard for God!
Abraham and Sarah had a son and God’s people returned home.
But throughout those decades of waiting, I would imagine there were many times when they wondered if they’d heard God right, times when they began to doubt, and even times when hope began to fade.
Maybe you can relate.
Maybe like me, you have something or several somethings, you’ve prayed about for years … even decades. The wait is long and hard … possibly even painful. You’re discouraged and even starting to question if you should be crying out to God day after day after day.
Today, I’m hear to remind you and me because truthfully, I need to hear it too…
Nothing is too hard for God!
Nothing! Absolutely nothing!
Your broken relationship is not too hard for God. Your illness is not too hard for God. Your loneliness is not too hard for God. Your broken heart is not too hard for God. Your doubts are not too hard for God. Your longings are not too hard for God.
Nothing is too hard for Him!
But in all honesty, waiting is hard. So, I’m grabbing hold of verses to hold close when the wait is hard, when my heart heavy and when doubt creeps in because God’s Word tells us exactly what to do in those moments.
Never stop praying.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Jesus told a story to teach His disciples this lesson.
Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
Luke 18:1
He went on to tell about a widow who goes to a judge night and day pleading with him to rule in her favor over a dispute with her enemy. And he finally does…
You and I can be persistent in our prayers.
The Life Application Bible Notes describe persistent prayer this way…
Constant prayer means keeping our requests continually before God as we live for Him day by day believing He will answer. Then live by faith and don’t give up. God may delay answering but His delays always have good reasons. And as we persist in prayer, we grow in character, faith, and hope. (LAB notes for Luke 18:1)
Remember, Jesus also said…
All things are possible with God!
Mark 10:27
And…
I tell you, 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.
Luke 11:9
And Paul wrote…
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen
Ephesians 3:20–21
Paul, the one who was persecuted, stoned, beaten, whipped, and imprisoned.
And what does he say about hope?
Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations.
Romans 4:18
Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
Romans 12:12
Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
Romans 15:4
And the writer of Hebrews wrote…
This High Priest [Jesus] of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Hebrews 4:15-16
And…
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.
Hebrews 10:23
Friend, even while you and I wait. Even when we get discouraged and feel like giving up … God is faithful to give us what we need.
And I don’t know about you, but what I need is…
Faith to trust that God is doing what is best even when it doesn’t feel like it. Forgiveness when I fall short of His will for me. Hope to never give up. Peace to calm me when life overwhelms me. Patience to remain persistent in prayer. Strength to keep doing what He calls me to do each day. Wisdom to know His will and make godly decisions. Comfort to get me out of bed when my heart hurts. Guidance to know His will. Courage to face the day when I want to hide in bed. Love to give back to Him and give to others.
Jesus, all I need today and eternally.
David wrote…
You, Lord, are all I have, and You give me all I need; my future is in Your hands.
Psalm 16:5
And Paul wrote…
For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for His glory.
2 Corinthians 1:20
I know waiting with hope is hard. And some days I too, take my eyes off Jesus and stare straight at the circumstances that are unchanged. Yes, I wonder if I should just give up and stop bothering God with the same old plea.
But then … I stop and I reread Jesus’ words about persistent prayer and I remember that He sometimes allows me to wait because He is busy working on my heart.
And as He works on my heart I will continue to pray the words of Jeremiah…
“O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by Your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for You!”
Jeremiah 32:17
Maybe you’d like to join me!
Thank you so much for joining me today.
It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!
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The other night, Rev and I celebrated the 50th anniversary of our first date.
And we spent the evening like we’ve spent so many other evenings…
Sharing memories.
We talked about that first date and the early days of getting to know each other and falling in love. We remembered our early years of marriage. We described apartments, homes, and the love of amazing friends. We looked back at the adventure of raising a family.
And the common thread through every relived decade was God’s amazing grace.
Life is full of highs and low, moments of grief and moments of joy … failures and victories.
And God lovingly made His presence known through it all.
The following morning, all I could think about was the way God had allowed us to build an altar of remembrance. No, not a physical altar … but an altar none-the-less.
Why You Need to Celebrate and Remember God is Good
In the Old Testament, God commanded two kinds of altars.
1. Altar of Sacrifice – Where God’s people brought an offering as a sacrifice to receive God’s forgiveness and peace.
“Come to the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering to purify yourself and the people. Then present the offerings of the people to purify them, making them right with the Lord, just as he has commanded.”
Leviticus 9:7
2. Altar of Remembrance – Where God’s people offered worship and praise for God’s deliverance, protection, provision, and guidance.
Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future, your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord, your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and He kept it dry until you were all across, just as He did at the Red Sea when He dried it up until we had all crossed over. 2He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.”
Joshua 4:21–24
In the New Testament, because Jesus the Lamb of God, the perfect Sacrifice, was offered for our sins, you and I can be forgiven and have peace with God without bringing an animal sacrifice to church.
Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world.
John 1:29
But the New Testament also has something to say about the sacrifice God does want from us…
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Ephesians 5:2
And…
Let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to His name.
Hebrews 13:15
I’ve realized there are two offerings God wants you and me to lay at the altar of remembrance…
1. An Offering of Praise 2. An Offering of Surrender
I want to make my life an offering of praise and thanksgiving. I want to stop and celebrate the specifics of God’s amazing grace in my life.
And I want to rejoice over every undeserved happiness and praise Him for providing all we need through every pain and heartache.
Yesterday morning I read…
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.
Psalm 40:1–3
Yes, that!
I have known the pit of despair … God heard my cry and lifted me up and gave me a new song to sing.
A song of remembrance! A song of praise!
And by His grace, an offering of surrender!
It’s kind of funny … I spent much of my life holding a little of myself back from God because I was afraid.
Afraid there were things that could happen that would destroy me … things I would just not be able to endure.
Yeah, it was plain and simple lack of faith.
Although God patiently gave me countless opportunities to surrender myself completely … I couldn’t get past all the “what ifs” that flooded my mind.
Which is why an important part of remembering for me … is knowing God allowed my pit of despair to show me His love and faithfulness. And to give me a new song to sing or in my case, a post to write.
I love this verse and the way it so clearly reminds me of the offering of surrender God wants…
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him.
Romans 12:1 (MSG)
I’m so thankful Paul wrote, “God helping you,” because I know there is no way I can surrender every part of my life without His help.
But with His help … I can take every moment – sleeping, eating, working, walking around; yes, everything and I can entrust it to God.
An altar of remembrance to celebrate His faithfulness. And an altar of surrender to love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength and love others as I love myself. (Luke 10:27)
With His help, I can be thankful for the past and hopeful for the future!
You and I talk a lot about being thankful in November and December but now it’s January and we’ve started our diets, picked up our fitness routines, and gone back to work.
Remembering to be thankful gets lost in the mundane dailiness of things we don’t really want to do.
So, I’d like to invite you to do two simple things to help you…
Set aside a basket or jar with a notepad nearby (a notebook will work too) and have your family write down daily blessings.
Keep a list of anniversaries and use those days to remember God’s goodness!
And anything else that helps you remember God’s grace.
I’ll be honest, I get lost in the dailiness of life, too. But when I stop and remember the countless ways God has shown me His goodness and grace—I can’t help but celebrate, praise, and with His help … surrender.
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