When You Need to Replace What’s Negative with the Truth

The best way to get along with others and replace what's negative with the truth is to focus on who God is and all that He's done for us. #Philippians4 #Positivity #Truth #Faith #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Worry, anxiety, envy, anger, frustration, discouragement, self-pity, etc.

It’s everywhere! And it’s hurting our mental health and our relationships.

At the moment it seems worse than ever. The news is depressing and everywhere you look people are frustrated and discouraged.

But the truth is, it’s always been this way. Negativity is just part of life.

Since the enemy tempted Eve and sin entered the Garden, there has been a consistent stream of negative thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors leading to serious problems.

You’re probably familiar with the following quote:

“Watch your thoughts, they become words;
watch your words, they become actions;
watch your actions, they become habits;
watch your habits, they become character;
watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
~ Author Unknown

The Bible says it this way:

Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.
Proverbs 4:23(GNT)

What you and I think and the attitudes we form from those thoughts are the most critical contributors to our conversations, behaviors, and in general how we live. We need help to replace what’s negative in our lives.

So, I decided to turn to Philippians 4, because I know I need help and I thought you might need help, too.

When You Need to Replace What’s Negative with the Truth

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.
Philippians 4:6–7

Don’t worry about anything – Anything! Whew, that’s hard. But Paul’s next words are the best way to eliminate worry…

Instead, pray about everything – Turning anxious and upset thoughts into prayers turns my focus from the problem to the One who is the Problem Solver.

Tell God what you need – He already knows what you and I need, but talking to Him about our negative thoughts reminds us that we can surrender everything to His all-sufficient grace, mercy, and love. He will help us replace what’s negative.

Thank Him for all He has done – And when I thank God for His faithfulness and blessings and remember all that He has brought me through in the past, it helps me trust Him with my uncertain future.

Then you will experience God’s peace which exceeds anything we can understand – God’s peace is grounded on faith, hope, and trust in His love. You and I can be confident He will always give us what we need each day (even if it’s not what we want). It’s impossible to understand or explain God’s supernatural peace, but when we are blessed to experience it, we know it is a gift that comes from His grace.

His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus – Which sounds like the perfect antidote to negativity.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.

Focus 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.

And that pretty much sums it up, doesn’t it?

There is something else I find noteworthy about this section of Paul’s letter to the people in Philippi.

It starts with…

Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. v. 2

We don’t know what these two women were arguing about, but we do know it was a big enough problem that Paul heard about it 800 miles away in Rome.

Arguing is nothing new. Jealousy, anger, frustration, and fighting are as old as the first brothers, Cain and Abel. But I love that Paul tells them to work it out . . . to settle their disagreement even if they had to agree to disagree. And don’t you love how he tells them to do it…

Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of joy. Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon. Philippians 4:4–5

He goes on to tell them how to do it.

Replace What’s Negative with the Truth By…

Quit worrying. Pray—tell God what you need and thank Him for what He has done. Know His peace—a peace that protects your heart and mind. v. 6–7

Keep your thoughts on things that are:

True – Accurate and trustworthy.

Honorable – Building reputations not tearing down.

Right – Fair and just.

Pure – Clean and uncontaminated.

Lovely – Beautiful and pleasant.

Admirable – Respectable and good.

Excellent and Worthy of Praise – Wonderful and God-pleasing.

Now, I’ll admit in our sin-filled world, it seems impossible to keep our thoughts exclusively positive 24/7.

We tell ourselves we can’t help it. There’s so much flying by. The news, social media, and gossip-filled phone calls. Reports presented as truth later revealed as being less than accurate. Posts complete with photos of luxurious vacations and super-children that make us envious. And “ain’t it awful” whispers that invite us to judge.

Whew! The temptations are continuous…

I took a break in the middle of writing this to eat my lunch and decided to quickly scroll through my Facebook feed. Many posts from friends were encouraging and shared Bible verses and posts from their Faith Blogs but others were “ain’t it awful” news reports and articles intended to sway public opinions one way or another.

And it didn’t take more than a few minutes for me to find myself feeling anxious and discouraged . . . AGAIN!

So, I’m making a list of the things I can do to help me change my focus and replace what’s negative with the truth! You might like to try it too…

Admit that I’m Overwhelmed by the Negativity – because I won’t change something I don’t acknowledge.
Stop and Pray – surrender my negative feelings to God and ask for the Spirit’s help.
Give Thanks – list at least 3 blessings, things for which I’m thankful.
Trash Negative Thoughts – thoughts are just thoughts, I don’t have to believe all the negative ones or allow them to linger. So, I’m going to imagine myself physically taking the negative ones and tossing them in the trash.
Avoid Obvious Triggers – I want to take more intentional breaks from social media, the news, and negative people.
Clean Up My Space – I don’t do well with chaos and sometimes chaos in my environment causes chaos in my head. I don’t like to clean but a neat home always makes me feel better. It might help you, too.
Do Something Positive – it’s helpful to pause and take a break to do something I love – play with the dog, call a friend, read a book, etc.
Remember the Big Picture – pause and ask if this will matter a year from now. Five years. 10. And remember that God will always be on the throne now and forever.
Do What I Can or Let It Go – If I can do something about it, I should . . . but if not, I need to let it go and stop worrying about it.
Do Something Encouraging and Kind for Someone Else – I used to volunteer at our local Children’s Hospital and hold babies in the NICU. Volunteer to do something you love . . . help a friend, send a card or notes, make a call, etc.
Laugh – I love to laugh! And I think we all need to laugh a little more at the moment. Remember it’s healthy . . . it’s good therapy and a great ab workout too!

Take one more look at Paul’s initial words to Euodia and Syntyche:

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon!
Philippians 4:4–5

That kind of sums it all up doesn’t it.

You and I can replace what’s negative with the truth and be full of joy when we remember all that the Lord has done and continues to do for us. And with God’s help, we can be considerate of others’ thoughts and feelings even when life is less than ideal and we don’t agree with those thoughts and feelings.

Because when we look at life with the truth of an eternal perspective, we will remember that the Lord is returning to take us home to heaven and well, everything else wanes in comparison.

I’ll admit, it’s not easy. Sometimes it can even feel satisfying to reflect on all that’s wrong in the world while we feel sorry for ourselves.

But God’s truth challenges us and reminds us to keep what’s important . . . important. And with His help we can…

Think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.
Philippians 4:8 (NCV)

We can think about how very much we are forgiven and loved by the God of the Universe!

Now it’s your turn. What do you do to replace what’s negative with the truth?

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

Pray When You are Confused About an Uncertain Tomorrow

9 / 18 / 209 / 18 / 20

Helping you live with boldness when you are confused by an uncertain tomorrow although things try to get in the way with God's help, you can LIVE today! #LiveToday #TomorrowisANewDay #Prayer #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

When our daughter was a toddler she found the difference between today and tomorrow very confusing.

We’ would say, “We are going to to do (something fun) tomorrow.”

And she would always respond with delight and great enthusiasm.

But the next morning when she got up she would ask, “Is it tomorrow?”

Of course, we would reply, “No, it’s today.”

At which point she would get very sad and say, “But I want it to be tomorrow so we can do __________.”

(It sounds like our personal version of who’s on first, doesn’t it?)

And even when we would tell her, “Honey, we are going to do __________.”

She would look at us confused and say, “But it’s not tomorrow.”

Little children aren’t the only ones who have trouble understanding the difference between today and tomorrow.

You and I can so easily waste today worrying about tomorrow. Waiting for tomorrow. Procrastinating until tomorrow. Starting over tomorrow.

But the truth is, whatever we think about tomorrow we can only live today.

Corrie ten Boom wrote:

“Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”

So, let’s take a closer look at what the Bible says and surrender our worry and uncertainty about tomorrow to the Lord.

Pray When You are Confused About an Uncertain Tomorrow

When You’re Worried and Uncertain about Tomorrow

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Matthew 6:34

Father, I surrender my thoughts to You. Please grant me Your peace and help me live today without worrying about tomorrow. By Your grace, help me know the difference between planning for tomorrow and worrying about tomorrow. Guide me as I set goals and help me put You first in everything I do . . . that I might live each day for Your glory. Amen.

When You’re Tired of Waiting for “Tomorrow”

Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14

Father, Please give me the courage and strength I need today. Sometimes today is hard because You’re asking me to wait. Please give me patience. By Your grace, give me everything I need to trust You today. Whatever is going on in my life . . . You promise to give me everything I need when I seek You first. Please lead me today, make Your will clear to me, and give me all I need to follow You in faith today. Amen.

“Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank. The temptation to quit is huge. Don’t. You are in good company… You will argue with yourself that there is no way forward. But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you can conceive. Wait. Pray without ceasing. Hope.” ~John Piper

When You’re Tempted to Procrastinate Until Tomorrow

“Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week” ~a Spanish Proverb

Fight the good fight of faith, grabbing hold of the life that continues forever. You were called to have that life when you confessed the good confession before many witnesses.
Ephesians 5:15–17

Father, please give me the strength I need today. By Your grace, help me plan my days well without over-planning so I’m not tempted to procrastinate. Give me the energy I need each day and help me remember to pause and rest in Your presence. By Your all-sufficient grace help me stay focused on You that I might do Your will as You reveal it to me. Amen.

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” ~Abraham Lincoln

When You’re Tempted to Carry Guilt and Shame Into Tomorrow

“The voice of sin is loud, but the voice of forgiveness is louder.” ~Dwight L. Moody

If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
1 John 1:9

Father, I am so sorry for failing to trust and obey Your will the way You want. I try so hard but fall short every day. And the enemy taunts and tells me I’m useless, that I’ll never change, that I need to wear my guilt like a label across my heart. But You are faithful to forgive because You want to forgive. You proved Your unfailing love by allowing Jesus to suffer my punishment on the cross.

Thank you! Help me live today with the joy of forgiveness and help me generously extend that same loving forgiveness to the people You place around me. Thank you for washing me clean today and for every new tomorrow You give me to try again. Amen.

“Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?” ~L.M.Montgomery

When You Need to Remember to LIVE Today

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” ~Martin Luther

The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
    He leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to His name.
Psalm 23:1–3

Father, thank you for Your provision, guidance, and rest. You truly do give me everything I need each day. Please help me walk peacefully with You today. Keep me from worrying about tomorrow’s unknown and give me the faith I need to trust You even when I don’t understand. Life can be hard and confusing but when You are with me teaching and leading . . . I have Your all-sufficient grace to flourish in the good things You have prepared for me. I love You, Lord. You are all I need today, tomorrow, and forever. Amen.

I love this quote from Henri Nouwen. It reminds of simple ways you and I can live for God’s glory today . . . without worrying about tomorrow’s uncertainty.

“Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.”

So friends,

Celebrate today.
Live with confidence that God has You covered in His grace, mercy, and love.
Have hope for tomorrow, but don’t wait for it to live . . . get up and boldly experience all God has for you.
Follow where the Lord leads you and trust Him to bless you with the goodness of life that only He can give.

May He bless you today and tomorrow!

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

10 Things You Can Do that will Make You a Great Friend

9 / 7 / 209 / 6 / 20

God made us to live in community, He created us for friendship and with His help, you and I can do what it takes to be a great friend and love well. #Friendship #FriendshipQuotes #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

It’s been a weird season for friendships, hasn’t it?

We’ve spent much less time with each other in person and our online relationships seem to be burdened by the overshadowing of divisive views and opinions being tossed in the air like confetti.

It’s funny! Some friendships seem effortless and last a lifetime and others crash and burn even though we give them everything we’ve got to give.

We learn about ourselves and others through our friendships, don’t we?

I have to admit, that I’ve wondered lately if social media doesn’t give us a distorted view of means to be a great friend.

Online, friendships come and go with a click of a button.

And they’re easy, right? Where else can you and I keep up with hundreds of friendships without ever leaving the house?

But unfortunately, it can seem like online quantity is more highly rated than quality and appearances are more important than authenticity. And I wonder if deep down we don’t long for greater real honest friendships.

God made us to live in community. He created us to share a closeness … and with His help, we can be great friends in person and online.

So I want to take a couple of minutes take a closer look at friendship. Maybe we can be encouraged toward having the great friendships we all need and want.

What exactly is a friend anyway?

A friend is defined as:

A person attached to another by feelings of affection.
A person whom you know, like, and trust.
A person with whom you enjoy spending time.

A great friend is someone who:

Wants what is best for you.
Shows empathy and sympathy, compassion, and understanding.
Allows individuality without fear of judgment.
Understands balance and the importance of give-and-take.

Important characteristics of a great friend:

They take time to develop.
Are based on honesty and trust.
Reflect kindness, compassion, and caring.
Are not selfish.
Protects the privacy of your story.
Encourages your goals and dreams.
_______________ (What would you add?)

Bible Verses that Define Friendship:

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. Proverbs 17:17

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 1 John 4:11

Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.” Proverbs 26:18-19 (honest)

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Colossians 3:13

Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Romans 12:15–16

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:17

Wow, wouldn’t it be amazing if all our friendships looked like that!

The truth is…

A great friend values we over me.

I want to know how well I’m doing, so here are some questions I’m asking myself:

Am I always gently and respectfully honest with my friends? Are they honest with me?
Do I quickly forgive a friend’s flaws? Do they forgive me?
Do I talk about my friend’s problems to others? Do they talk about me?
Am I quick to help and encourage a friend? Are they helpful and encouraging?
Have we invited God into our friendship?
Am I willing to make some necessary changes to enjoy the blessing of great friendship? What will that mean?

To help, I’ve come up with 10 important qualities needed in every friendship.

10 Things You Can Do that will Make You a Great Friend

1. Do Be an Encourager, not a Flatterer

Flattery is just sugar-coated manipulation and no matter how sweetly it’s presented manipulation is selfish and unloving. Encouragement is love in words and action. Go ahead … give compliments generously – but do it for them and be sincere!

So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

2. Do Be Understanding and Helpful

Sometimes all it takes is a listening ear or a caring note. Other times it may be providing a meal or sitting in a hospital waiting room. Whatever it is . . . as much as it is possible, friends help each other.

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Galatians 6:2–3 (MSG)

3. Do Be Honest

Trust is an important and essential part of any close relationship. Lies destroy trust. So tell the truth but do it respectfully and kindly.

An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship. Proverbs 24:26

4. Do Be Compassionate

Show that you care about your friend and their problems without being judgmental. Listen without judgment

You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. Luke 6:36

5. Do Be Respectful of Boundaries

Healthy friendships aren’t clingy. Each person values the other’s personal space and preferences. Boundaries are a healthy and important part of great friendships.

“Good boundaries prevent resentment.” ~ Dr. Henry Cloud

6. Do not Gossip

Friends shouldn’t gossip with you or about you. Because the unfortunate truth is … If they will do it with you, they will do it to you.

A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. Proverbs 16:28

7. Do not Judge

The simple facts are you never have all the information. You haven’t lived their experiences and you probably don’t know the whole story.

Remember…

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.” Luke 6:37

8. Do not Pry

If your friend doesn’t want to talk about it—let it go. They’ll talk when they’re ready.

“True friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable.” ~ David Tyson Gentry

9. Do not Envy

You may wish you could enjoy their blessings, but I promise you don’t want their problems. Every life has a blend of good and bad.

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Proverbs 14:30 (NIV)

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

10. Do not Make Promises You Can’t or Won’t Keep

To the best of your ability be reliable. Being trustworthy is one of the most important parts of all relationships.

“May the Lord make us keep our promises to each other, for He has witnessed them.” 1 Samuel 20:23

And that’s my list of the 10 Most Important Things to Do if You Want to Be a Great Friend.

Now, let me also add that I’m a huge fan of simply having fun and laughing together as often as possible. God made us to live life together. To share our laughter and our tears. And He has given us everything we need to encourage each other with love.

Today, if you have one or more great friends . . . stop for a moment and thank God, then reach out and thank them.

Finally, tell us . . . what’s on your list of “important” important things to do to be a great friend?

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

How to Know and Trust God’s Will for You

8 / 31 / 208 / 31 / 20

Do you worry about the future? Have you ever struggled to trust God's will? These 5 Steps will help you know and trust His plans for your future. #Faith #Trust #God'sWill #Hope #Fearless #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

One of the hardest sentences in my life has been…

“Lord, not my will but Yours be done.”

I’ve had more than a few times when I’ve gone into and through things kicking and screaming that seemed to be God’s will, or at the least, they were things He allowed!

Honestly, the idea of completely surrendering my life to the Lord terrified me.

Jesus said…

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. (John 16:33)
You will be hated because you are my followers. (Matthew 24:9)
I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. (John 15:19)
If you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:28)

I also looked around and witnessed the ways the enemy attacked God’s children.

Because of my weak and immature faith, I didn’t fully believe that I could…

Trust that God is who He says He is.
Believe He is able to do what He says He will do.
Live in peace knowing His love is greater than any circumstances.

I doubted His willingness to give me everything I need.

You’d probably admit that it’s easier to surrender to God’s will when life is easy and He’s working in ways that please you. It’s harder when you can’t understand your current situation or when the road ahead looks hard.

Maybe, like me, you want stronger faith. You want to face each day with obedient surrendered faith without an attitude that says, “MY will be done.”

So, I’ve challenged myself to read and repeat the following until I believe the truth . . . that living completely surrendered to God’s will is by far the best way to live. Until this truth becomes the only way I want to live.

How to Know and Trust God’s Will

1. Know and Trust God’s Love for You

It’s hard to follow someone who doesn’t want what’s best for us and since the Garden of Eden, Satan has used whatever he can to tempt people to doubt God’s love.

Have you ever heard a child say “you don’t love me” to a parent’s “no?” Yet the job of a loving parent isn’t to make their children happy, it’s to do what is best to keep them safe and help them grow and mature.

I’m learning that as our loving Heavenly Father, God is at work in my life and yours guiding us, protecting us, and helping us grow and mature in faith and love.

And if you need a reminder of just how much God loves you…

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

That is HUGE love you and I can trust!

2. Know and Trust God’s Ability to Care for You

If fear and anxiety were Olympic sports, I’d have a trophy case full of medals. The list of things I’ve worried about is too long for this space. Even though I memorized the verse “don’t worry about tomorrow” as a child—applying it seemed beyond my anxiety overwhelm.

But you and I are not doing tomorrow yet. We are living today! It took several major crises before I learned that I just needed to let God help me through this present moment and trust Him to give me what I need in the next. That’s living through faith…

Believing God will meet each need one moment at a time!

Your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.
Luke 12:30b–31

3. Know and Trust God’s Mercy and Healing Grace

Dwelling on the past overwhelmed by guilt is as much of a problem as worrying about the future.

Through Christ Jesus, God completely forgives those who come to Him in repentance. With His help, we can trust Him and rest in His grace and mercy.

Part of surrendering means going to God in prayer asking Him to forgive our past and to help us by giving us everything we need to forgive others. When you and I focus on regret and revenge it’s impossible to surrender to God’s will. Lack of forgiveness will always rob us of God’s perfect peace and joy.

If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
1 John 1:9

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

4. Know and Trust God’s Timing

I’m not good at waiting … lines, doctors offices, etc. I have a schedule to follow. You too?!

But the truth is, there is no peace when I’m tapping my foot and staring at my watch. And there’s no peace when I try to put God on my prayer-answering timetable.

With the Spirit’s help, I’m surrendering my impatience to God, asking Him to help me trust His timing. And while I wait . . . I’m also asking Him to give me His peace and strength.

But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak.
Isaiah 40:31

5. Know, Trust, and Obey God’s Will

I’m a creature of habits and truthfully, not all of them are good. It’s easy to make light of my sins, after all they’re not THAT bad. But all sins are a big deal. They rob me of peace, cause unpleasant consequences, and fail to glorify God.

Lately, I’ve been asking God to reveal to me the things culture and the church excuse that I have come to think of as acceptable to Him. I want to know, trust, and obey His will.

So, I’m asking God to help me know and trust His truth and commands. I’m asking Him to help me believe that His perfect will is best and that He will give me a heart for obedience … not to earn His favor but to glorify Him and testify to His love.

Lord, we show our trust in You by obeying Your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify Your name.
Isaiah 26:8

I’ll admit that I’m still a work in progress. I have so much to learn about completely surrendering to God’s will.

My sinful self wants to have total control over all that happens in my life. Most of the time, I want what I want and I want it now.

But experience has taught and is teaching me that fighting God’s plan for me will never offer me lasting happiness or peace. It hasn’t happened in the past and I doubt it will in the future.

I believe God wants to help us know and trust His perfect love and surrender to His will because He wants what is best for us today, tomorrow, and always.

Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me.
Isaiah 46:9

So with the Spirit’s help, I will surrender my will to God today.

Not on my own.

But…

I can do all things through Christ because He gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13

And that is everything we need!

Here are a few quotes that inspire me.

♥ “If my life is surrendered to God, all is well. Let me not grab it back, as though it were in peril in His hand but would be safer in mine!”~Elisabeth Elliot

♥ “It is wonderful what miracles God works in wills that are utterly surrendered to Him” ~Hannah Whitall Smith

♥ “Real contentment must come from within. You and I cannot change or control the world around us, but we can change and control the world within us.” ~Warren Wiersbe

♥ “Peace is the deliberate adjustment of my life to the will of God.” ~Author Unknown

Daily Prayers of Surrender to God’s Will

Years ago, a dear friend shared this morning prayer with me.

Father God, I surrender this day to You. I will follow where You lead me and do Your will as You reveal it to me. Please help me live this promise – that my life might glorify You alone. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Hannah Whithall Smith also wrote the following prayer:

Lord, I am Yours, I do yield and leave myself entirely to You and I believe You accept me. Work in me all the good pleasure of Your will and I will only lie still in Your hands and trust You. Amen.

I hope these prayers bless and encourage you as you make it your heart’s desire to know and trust God’s will for you.

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

How to Stop Judging People So You Can Love Like Jesus

8 / 10 / 208 / 10 / 20

Judging people with whom we disagree seems to be a way of life but what if we could love like Jesus and actually influence hearts and minds with compassion? #socialmedia #judgingpeople #don'tjudge #compassion #countingmyblessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

Self-righteousness is an attitude of moral superiority that is derived from the idea that a person’s beliefs, actions, or affiliations are of greater virtue than those held by anyone who doesn’t hold to the same beliefs and attitudes.

Or to say it more succinctly – self-righteousness says I’m right and therefore superior to anyone who disagrees with me.

But I have a question for you…

Have you ever been judged by someone because of your appearance, something you’ve done, a rumor, or a simple misunderstanding? Have you ever had someone assume things about you without ever talking to you?

Have you ever made assumptions and judgments without pausing to care?

Maybe you’ve caught yourself thinking or even saying:

Shame on them . . .
How could he . . .
I can’t believe she . . .
I would never . . .

I wish I could say I’ve always been consistently caring and compassionate with everyone but I can’t.

The thing is . . . nothing destroys our ability to love others the way Jesus commanded than our sin-labeling and finger-pointing.

Sin-labeling decides which sins are the “big ones.” The ones we need to call out and judge. And of course, those sins are the ones we don’t think we do. The ones that make us feel comfortable picking up our judgmental word stones and throwing them at one another with all our might.

But Jesus said:

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”
Matthew 7:1–2

I don’t know about you but . . . I don’t want God to judge me the same way I’ve judged others. I want Him to cover me with His grace, mercy, compassion, and love.

And He does.

I don’t want other people to judge me either. I want them to look past the surface, the rumors, and assumptions. I want them to care enough to get to know me without sizing me up and writing me off.

But the only way I can is with God’s help. Jesus not only tells us to cover one another with grace, mercy, compassion, and love, He gives us what we need to do so through the in-dwelling of His Spirit. He pours so much love into each us that by His grace there is plenty for us to pour over the lives of others if we’ll only let Him.

So, let me ask you a question…

Are you comfortable being judged the way you judge others? Are you comfortable with the comments you make on social media about people and politicians in the news . . . people you’ve never talked with or even met personally.

I’m uncomfortable with labeling and hurtful comments that are being made about those who don’t follow Jesus, but I grieve when believers point fingers and throw word stones at each other.

Why are we happy when others fall? Why do we delight in pointing out their flaws? Why doesn’t it break our hearts and drive us to our knees? Why are we so quick to add labels like hypocrite or Pharisee to our brothers and sisters and refuse to see those same qualities in ourselves?

Somehow because Jesus publicly called out the “Pharisees” and hypocrites . . . many Christians believe it’s okay for them to do the same. But it’s not!

Jesus knew the hearts of men, and He was and is sinless. You and I are sinners who are incapable of knowing someone else’s heart and mind. We can’t know a person’s thoughts, beliefs, background, wounds, or motivations.

We have one job!

To love others for God’s glory!

That’s it!

Love is our job. Love is our calling. Love is God’s command to us.

Self-righteous judging of others comes from pride but if we’re really being honest, you and I have nothing to be proud of when it comes to sin. God does not grade us on a curve. We are all sinners saved by grace alone!

“We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”
Acts 15:11

So, maybe it’s time for us to focus more on loving people like Jesus and stop judging them for Jesus.

Peter said…

God had chosen [us] in advance to be His witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with [Jesus] after He rose from the dead.And He ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.
Acts 10:41–42

Jesus is the only one God has given the authority to judge people. He has commanded the rest of us to show people the blessing of trusting Jesus for forgiveness and freedom forever. I believe there are some things you and I can do…

How to Stop Judging People So You Can Love Like Jesus

1. Stop believing stereotypes – Don’t believe generalizations and groupthink. Refuse to believe that all people of any race, background, or religion all think alike. So you can really…

2. Stop and get to know people – We often judge too quickly. We judge the character of the person based on an individual word or action. If we haven’t shared their experiences it is impossible for us to understand their choices.

I’m not saying we should approve of every behavior but I believe we are called to care about the person behind the behavior.

3. Avoid the social media bandwagon – I know it’s tempting to add your opinions and rants to a post on social media . . . but please don’t do it. Just don’t! When you and I publicly condemn and shame anyone we are not loving like Jesus. He didn’t call out those who were sinners . . . He called out the self-righteous.

So, if we want to love like Jesus we need to…

4. Make kindness and compassion the goal – I have made it my goal to remember that no matter who it is—a political leader, a public figure, a friend, or even a complete stranger . . . I don’t know all the facts and details. And because I can’t know their hearts, minds, and motivations . . . I need do my best to lead with kindness and compassion.

I want to love them with the love of Jesus.

Finally, let’s take a look at what James, Jesus’ half-brother, had to say”

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?
James 4:11–12

And the Life Application Bible Notes add the following:

Jesus summarized the law as love for God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37–40). When we fail to love, we are actually breaking God’s law. When you’re ready to criticize someone, remember God’s law of love…

Can you imagine the difference we could make if we stopped judging people and offered caring compassion to those with whom we disagreed? What if rather than judging them we reached out to them and pointed them to His Word of truth? What if we showed them Jesus?

May we make that our prayer and our heart’s desire.

And just a couple of quotes to consider:

“What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” ~ Augustine

“Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.”

And…

“The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now.” ~ Rick Warren

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

How to Enjoy Perfect Peace When You are Anxious

7 / 27 / 207 / 26 / 20

There is always plenty of things to make us anxious We all want that perfect peace the Bible talks about. Here are 5 helpful ways to make that happen. #BibleStudy #God'sPeace #Faith #CountingMyBlessings #BlessingBloggers #WWGGG

So, I have a question for you…

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you describe your current level of peace if 1 is “I am completely stressed out and overwhelmed with worry and anxiety” and 10 is “I’m so completely peaceful . . . I could be lying on the beach in the middle of nowhere”?

The Apostle Paul wrote

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.”
Philippians 4:6

It sounds simple, doesn’t it?

Pray, thank God, and stop worrying.

That’s it!

Or is it?

I can do the pray and thanking part . . . it’s the “stop worrying” part that I often find challenging.

Maybe you struggle with that part, too. It’s hard not to worry when it feels like there’s so much to worry about.

But pause for a minute and look at Paul’s next words.

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.
Philippians 4:7

Or in another translation:

Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.
Philippians 4:7 (CEV)

On my own, I can’t experience peace in the middle of my worry but the good news is…

It’s not up to me! And it’s not up to you either.

Any peace you and I could manufacture on our own is fragile and fleeting. But God’s gift of peace is a blessing that is as strong and lasting as the One who gives it.

With God’s help, we can reject the pull of worry by surrendering every anxious thought and fretful concern to God in prayer. I think that’s what Paul meant when he wrote “pray about everything.”

I had a friend contact me recently asking if I thought it was okay for him to pray about his feelings of frustration. I told him it’s one of the reasons I love the Psalms so much. David and the other writers took their highs and lows, joys and frustrations to God in prayer . . . and then they always ended up the same place. A surrendered place of gratitude, faith, and worship. And that’s a place of peace.

I want to be more like the Psalmists. I want to consistently and honestly go to God in prayer giving Him everything that tries to take my peace. So, I made an acrostic to help me put the don’t worry, pray, and thank God into practice in my life. Things I believe will help me focus on Him . . . always ready to receive His gift of peace.

How to Enjoy Perfect Peace When You are Anxious

P.E.A.C.E

P – Personalize God’s Promises

Hold God’s promises close to your heart. Carry them with you. Memorize them. Make them personal. Hear God speaking His Word over you.

Here are some of my favorites.

I will never leave you, nor forsake you. Joshua 1:5

I have loved you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. I Peter 5:7

What verses do you have memorized? Which verses are your favorites to carry with you that remind you of His peace and presence?

E – Examine Your Emotions

Have you ever found yourself saying, “Where did that come from?” after some angry outburst or foot-stomping frustration? Me too. They can not only express our emotions but mess with our future peace.

It’s important to examine and identify our emotions before we act out in ways that ruin our personal and relational peace.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Why do I feel this way? Is this a physical problem, unanswered questions and confusion, a spiritual attack, or emotional overload?
Who or what is the source of my frustration? This one’s probably the easiest to answer. 😉
What, if anything, can I do about it? It’s possible this may not even be your problem to solve.
When, if ever, should I deal with this? Don’t hurry through this. I like to take anxiety appointments where I give myself 20 to 30 minutes each day to think through these questions and then force myself to surrender it to God and focus on His gift of peace the rest of the day.

And read Paul’s words again…

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.
Philippians 4:7

And end your anxiety appointment with prayer!

A – Ask God for Wisdom, Patience, and Perfect Peace

This is when you pray, pray, and pray about everything. The secret to experiencing God’s perfect peace with patience . . . the peace that’s free of worry and anxiety is having a faith-filled prayer life.

You and I have God’s promise that we can take everything to God trusting that nothing is too great or too small to talk with Him about it. Your Father cares. He loves you. He is always with you. And He knows what’s best for you.

So, the other part of A is…

A – Accept God’s will

Now may the God of peace…
may He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen.
Hebrews 13:20a,21

Because the Lord is sovereign . . . absolute, unlimited, reigning, supreme . . . able to help you and me accept this moment and its circumstances willing to consciously surrender whatever it is to His unfailing love. He is able to give us what we need to live with hard to understand peace whatever our circumstances.

And that’s when it’s time to

C – Celebrate – Who He Is And All He Has Done

If you have personalized God’s Promises, Examined your Emotions, Asked God for His help and Accept His will . . . I promise you will have plenty to celebrate. You will be more than prepared to rejoice over every small victory thanking God for giving you strength, courage, comfort, and the blessing of His presence.

In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry.
    May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.
May He grant your heart’s desires
    and make all your plans succeed.
May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory
    and raise a victory banner in the name of our God.
May the Lord answer all your prayers.
Psalm 20:1,4–5

E – Experience God’s Hard to Understand Peace

Through intentionally practicing and applying God’s invitation to stop worrying, to pray about everything and thank God for His sovereign will and Spirit-led wisdom . . . you and I will experience the blessing of the peace that “no one can completely understand.”

The Lord gives His people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace. Psalm 29:11

How do I know practicing P.E.A.CE. makes a difference?

Because I’ve seen it in the lives of others, and when I’m faithful to the practicing and applying His gift of P.E.A.C.E . . . I’ve experienced this blessing myself.

I’m curious, what do you do to pause and remember that you belong to Christ Jesus and that with His help you can replace fear and worry and experience God’s gift of perfect peace?

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

Helpful Verses to Pray When You are Frustrated and Angry

7 / 24 / 207 / 23 / 20

Being frustrated and angry seems to be the theme of the day. How you and I act on our frustrations and anger needs God's help, wisdom, and prayer. #Anger #Frustration #Prayer #BibleStudy #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

Do you ever feel like the world is drowning in frustration and anger?

Just turn on the news or spend a little time on social media and you’d start to believe that frustrated and angry appears to be the mood of the day.

Add to that moms and dads being confined at home with their restless children of all ages and … well, need I say more. The truth is feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, and frustration are flooding over many of us.

Psychologists will tell you that fear and anxiety often express themselves as anger. So, I guess we really shouldn’t be surprised that we’re seeing a more open expression as people vent their frustration and discontent.

And of course…

We all want to justify our anger. Everyone wants to believe their anger is “righteous.” It makes us feel better to use the verses that talk about times Jesus expressed anger to justify our own emotional rants.

But I wonder how often I label my anger as “righteous” when it’s really “self-righteous?” I wonder how often I’m outraged because things aren’t going the way I believe they should or because I believe a worldly lie that has nothing at all to do with “righteousness.”

God created us with emotions and anger is one of them. This side of heaven there will always be times when you and I get frustrated and angry. It’s a given! As we said, even Jesus got angry at moments.

But…

Jesus was able to be angry without sinning. He had perfect discernment to know people’s hearts and minds, motives and attitudes. We don’t! So, we need to take a careful look at what God’s Word says to know how He wants us to react when our negative emotions begin to boil over.

Because . . . it’s okay to be angry but it’s not okay to impulsively act on our anger.

I’m going to God’s Word and prayer today . . . asking for His help to know, trust, and obey His will when it comes to handling my frustration and anger.

Verses to Pray When You Are Frustrated and Angry

You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them.
Nehemiah 9:17

Father, Your Word says “everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23) It says that sin angers You. (Romans 6:23) Yet, it also tells us You are full of love, grace, and mercy. (2 John 1:3) And that because of Your love, grace, and mercy, Jesus suffered our punishment for us.

You faithfully show us Your patience and unfailing love. You are a God of forgiveness. You did not abandon Your people long ago and You will not abandon Your children today. Thank you for showing us the way to be angry without sinning. Thank you for Your overwhelming life-changing love.

Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.
Psalm 4:4

Father, You understand anger. I believe You gave us our emotions and I believe You want me to be angry about evil, injustice, and sin but You don’t want me to sin when I’m angry.

May I follow Your example and let love be the force that guides me. Please forgive me for the times I’ve hurt someone through angry words or actions. And by the power of Your Spirit, grant me the gift of patience that I might come to You in prayer when I’m angry asking for Your guidance that I might know how to address the issue in love without adding to the problem in frustration. Help me, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.
Proverbs 15:1

Father, give me a gentle answer that comes from a tender heart when frustration overwhelms me and my mind fills with the unkind words I’d like to speak. Please help me remember to put relationships ahead of self-righteousness. Help me respond gently and forgive quickly. Help me love like Jesus. Amen.

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
Ephesians 4:26

Father, I’ll admit, it’s hard to remember that I don’t always have to allow my emotions to control me. Feelings are a gift from You and many of them help me enjoy life’s experiences. Things like love, happiness, enthusiasm, and hope. But negative emotions like fear, hate, grief, and anger are also part of this life . . . feelings introduced when sin entered the world.

Satan still tempts us with doubt. Overwhelms us with frustration. And incites us with anger. Please forgive my failures and weakness, and help me stand against the enemy by overcoming anger with love.

On my own, I can’t do this, but with You, I can do everything . . . even let go of anger. (Philippians 4:13)

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
James 1:19–21

Father, I’m sorry. Make me quick to listen and slow to speak. Too often I do exactly the opposite. Please slow me down when anger starts to rise in me. Lord, I surrender my emotions to You, please help me. Fill my heart and mind with Your truth. Defeat the enemy’s efforts to distort Your Word and divide Your children. Teach us, Lord, by the power of Your Spirit. Help me stand on the power of Your Word when he tempts me with lies, pride, and self-righteousness.

Please keep me focused on You, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. You alone are my hope and my salvation. I surrender this day to You. With your help, I believe I can control my anger in ways that shine the light of Your love and give You glory. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Oh, friends, it’s hard, isn’t it?!

I don’t want to stop and think when I’m frustrated. I don’t want to pause for prayer when I’m angry.

I want to vent my “truth” and let everyone know exactly how they’ve upset and offended me.

But then I read…

Patience is better than pride. Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool.
Ecclesiastes 7:8b–9

Ouch!

I don’t want to wear the “fool” label. And I’m guessing you don’t want to wear it either.

And we don’t have to . . . with God’s help, we can be frustrated and angry without sinning.

Because we have the Spirit living with and within us. We have God’s love to guide us. And we have His example to follow…

For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:9,11

Are you ready to build someone up with God’s love for God’s glory even when you’re frustrated and angry? I know it won’t be easy but I believe with God’s help, I believe we can do all things . . . even this.

And just for fun, in the comments answer the following question:

What do you do to avoid foolish temper flares?

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

The Most Important Thing You Need To Quiet Your Inner Bully

7 / 20 / 207 / 19 / 20

Everyone talks to themselves. What does your inner voice say to you? Is it your friend or do you need to quiet your inner bully? Good news - there is help. #SelfTalk #Innerbully #MeanPeople #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

The truth is . . . everyone talks to themselves.

Some of us talk out loud—because well, it can feel like no one else is listening! Am I right?

But even if you don’t actually say the words aloud, everyone has an inner voice that is rarely if ever silent.

So, stop with me for a moment and answer a quick question…

Is your inner voice:

Your friend or foe?
Your cheerleader or opposition?
Your inspiration or frustration?
Your source of encouragement or criticism?

Okay, you get the idea!

I’ve read countless articles, headlines, and quotes all urging people to follow their inner voice, but that is only beneficial when your inner voice gives helpful counsel … advice full of truth and wisdom. Or when it is your best cheerleader full of inspiration and positivity.

But for most of us, our inner voice is not consistently wise or positive and when it’s not . . . there’s a problem.

Because we all tend to believe whatever we tell ourselves most often.

So, if our inner voice is a “bully,” you and I will spend much of our time feeling discouraged and defeated. How do I know? Because I’ve been fighting the negative thoughts of my inner bully for much of my life.

I’m a first-born people-pleaser good girl. My inner critic is loud and persistent. I’m critical of things I think I can and should control and things I can’t. I beat myself up over things I’ve said and done and sometimes I even feel guilty about things that have been done by others.

Rev often says, “if anyone should feel guilty about anything, he can count me to cover that base.

But God doesn’t want that for me and He doesn’t want it for you either. And with His help, I’m working on believing what He says about me not what my inner bully says.

If you’re fighting an inner bully . . . you may want to join me in my faith walk to trust God’s truth and quiet the rest.

The Most Important Thing You Need To Quiet Your Inner Bully

♥ Intentionally fill your heart and mind with God’s truth.

The enemy is a bully and a liar. Satan wants to defeat and discourage you and me, and he will consistently fill our thoughts with messages that oppress us to keep us from functioning in God’s will.

The Holy Spirit is not.

He is called the:

Counselor – John 14:6
Helper – Hebrews 13:6
Comforter – John 14:16
Spirit of Truth – John 15:26
Spirit of Life – Romans 8:2
Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding – Isaiah 11:2

And when you and I surrender to the work of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives we shine with…

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Galatians 5:22b–23a

And those beautiful qualities that change our attitudes and that leads to changing our thoughts, words, and actions.

We have a choice. We can listen to the temptations and taunts of the enemy or we can concentrate what the Holy Spirit says about us…

The Spirit says you and I are:

Dearly Loved

The Father Himself loves you dearly because you love me.
John 16:27

Completely Forgiven

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
Psalm 103:12

Wonderfully Made

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139

Protected

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.
Psalm 18:2

Guided and Watched Over

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”
Psalm 32:8

Fully Known

The very hairs on your head are all numbered
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
Matthew 10:30 and Psalm 139:4

Complete

In Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
Colossians 2:9–10

Have a Living Everlasting Hope

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.
1 Peter 1:3–4

Stop for a moment and read the list again!

Do you really believe those things are true about you?

If that’s the way God sees His children…

I wonder why we’re so quick to focus on our flaws and failures rather than pausing to praise Him for the progress He’s helping us to realize?

Please tell me I’m not alone here.

I imagine you’ve seen the word THINK as an acrostic for what we should ask ourselves before we speak to others.

What if we started asking the same questions before we “talked” to ourselves.

Is it…

True?
Helpful?
Inspiring?
Necessary?
Kind?

How does your inner voice do with that list?

Mine is TERRIBLE! When I look in the mirror. When I get on the scale. When I think back on my words and actions . . . my failures and shortcomings.

The what about the Galatians 5 list of the Fruit of the Spirit.

What if we asked ourselves…

How well do I love myself?
How patient am I with my shortcomings?
How kind am I when I need care and compassion?
How good am I to my physical, emotional, and spiritual health?
How faithful am I to focusing on things that are pure, lovely, true, and admirable?
How gentle am I when I need help and encouragement?
How self-controlled am I in what I say to myself?

You see, I don’t believe God wants us to beat ourselves up incessantly. I believe He wants us to focus on His truth.

Paul said the following to the Ephesians:

I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.
Acts 20:21

And through faith, forgiveness, and the help of the Holy Spirit; follow Paul’s words to the Philippians:

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.
Philippians 4:8

Wouldn’t our days be better if you and I focused on the truth that we are God’s masterpiece, dearly loved and wonderfully made? That we are fully known and completely forgiven? What if those were the messages our inner voices spoke to us throughout the day?

What if you and I faithfully remembered that in Christ we have a purpose and that God is willing and able to help each of us accomplish it.

That He is able to meet all your needs.

You can do everything through Christ who gives you strength.

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

I believe it’s time for us to quiet our inner bully!

It’s time to refuse to allow discouragement to defeat us one minute longer. It’s time for us to make up our minds that with God’s help the next time we look in the mirror (and every time thereafter), we will see someone who is dearly loved and precious to God.

I love the following quote by Stormie Omartian:

It’s not about finding ways to avoid God’s judgment and feeling like a failure if you don’t do everything perfectly. It’s about fully experiencing God’s love and letting it perfect you. It’s not about being somebody you are not. It’s about becoming who you really are.

The someone He created you to be.

You and I can have a fresh start right now. We can…

Ask God to help us become the person we were created to be.
Ask Him to help us quiet our negative inner voice and replace it with His Spirit’s truth.
Ask Him to assure us and fill us with His love.

I’m inspired to do some serious negative thought tossing. I’m ready to quiet my inner bully by refusing to focus on my failures.

By God’s grace, I am forgiven. I am loved.

And so are you!

Say the following often…

I am loved.

My failures do not define me.

I am forgiven.

I am one of a kind.

I have a purpose.

God has a plan for me.

God will meet my needs.

With God’s help, I can do this!

I will not give up!

I will try again!

I will celebrate every victory God gives me!

I am loved by the God of the universe —
Father/Creator who made me.
Jesus/Redeemer who saved me.
Spirit of Truth who strengthens me.
The Triune God … who calls me “Beloved.”

Now, Say it over and over again until it sinks deep into every part of you. Tape it to your mirror. Add it to your phone. Carry it in your heart and with God’s help make that the message you THINK whenever the enemy uses your inner voice to bully you.

And click here for a printable copy of the things to remember:

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

You Need to Know this Truth About Loving Yourself

6 / 15 / 206 / 15 / 20

There are many opinions about what it means to love yourself and how that looks but I wonder what does loving yourself the ways God wants look like? #Faith #LoveYourself #Self-Love #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

I have always struggled with the idea of loving myself. As someone who was at church every time the doors were open … I was taught a lot about the importance of loving others but not so much about loving myself.

But if you look around today … talk about “self-love” is everywhere.

For example, if you do a Google search of the words “love yourself,” you’ll find a plethora of thoughts on the subject . . . some good, some not.

Everything from a song by Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber to health facts to yoga tips to well, you get the idea.

Then I went to the Bible and searched for “love yourself” and I found…

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

But I wondered what exactly does it mean to “love yourself” based on God’s Word?

Does it mean pampering and taking time for self-interests? Eating well and repeating daily affirmations? Giving in to your flaws and doing what you want?

Or, is it something else?

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

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

Think about it … you don’t have to tell little children to love themselves. They are comfortable in their own skin. They know when they’re hungry, tired, and when they need comfort and nurturing.

But even more important for our discussion today little children are humble, sincere, trusting, and dependent.

That seems counterintuitive though, doesn’t it?

I don’t think most adults would describe self-love as being humble, sincere, trusting, or dependent.

But what if we should?

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

Warren Wiersbe defines true humility as:

Knowing yourself.
Accepting yourself.
Being yourself.

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

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

LOVING YOURSELF GOD’S WAY … ALWAYS BEGINS WITH HUMILITY

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

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

You made my whole being; You formed me in my mother’s body. I praise you because You made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well.
Psalm 139:13–14 (NCV)

I’m not very good at “loving myself” when it comes to giving myself regular “atta girl” pats on the back. I’m not great at self-pampering and I’m definitely not good at getting all warm and fuzzy when I look in the mirror.

But maybe that’s okay because maybe that’s not what it means to love myself.

Maybe I’m loving myself because I’m taking the time to humbly get to know the person God created me to be.

Knowing Myself

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

For the most part, I’ve gotten to know the girl God created. But I’m a work in progress when it comes to the accepting part.

Accepting Myself

I am realizing though that if I stay focused on Jesus and stop comparing myself to others, I will do a better job there.

Because I believe that part of loving yourself the way God wants is to always try to do better while trusting that you and I are loved and accepted just the way we are.

I loved you as the Father loved me. Now remain in my love.

The Father gives me the people who are mine. Every one of them will come to me, and I will always accept them.
John 15:9, John 6:37 (NCV)

Being Yourself

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

So, how does God want you and me to love ourselves?

Here’s what I think.

25 Humble Childlike Ways to Love Yourself

Remember you are valued and precious to God.
Be yourself – known, loved, and accepted by God.
Forgive yourself trusting that God forgives you.
Treat yourself with kindness and compassion.
Take care for your physical needs . . . diet, move, and rest.
Refuse to waste time on stinkin’ thinkin’.
Ask for help when you need it.
Sing, dance, and laugh more.
Refuse to speak an unkind word to yourself.
Say ‘no’ when you need to.
Do something you were created to do every day.
Pursue your hopes and dreams.
Be honest with yourself and others.
Pray – ask God to help you know your strengths.
Pray – ask God to show you your weaknesses.
Pray – ask God to help you change what needs to change.
Pray – ask God to guide and direct you each day.
Stop and give thanks for your life every day.
Spend time with people you love.
Forgive others.
Be bold and try something new.
Believe God has a plan and purpose for you.
Live fully engaged in every moment.
Be patient with yourself.
Be still – know, love, and trust God.

So, what do you think?

Are you ready to humbly love yourself God’s way?

Are you ready to know yourself, accept yourself, and fully be yourself?

To know the beautiful you God created? To accept that He knew exactly what He was doing when He created you? And to fully live each day for His glory … be yourself.

You are so very loved!

Stop and go to the closest mirror … look at yourself and say, “I am so very loved!”

The Kings of kings, the Lord of lords, Alpha and Omega, Creator, Redeemer, Spirit of Truth … loves and accepts you. He made you just the way He wanted you. You are important to the kingdom. You are a Child of God!

And I believe the One who loves you most and best wants you to love yourself humbly like a faith-filled child.

May you be blessed today as you are filled with His love!

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

Gossip Hurts – The Best Ways to Avoid Its Damage

6 / 8 / 205 / 11 / 20

Whatever we call it, why ever we do it, gossip hurts everyone involved. Here are 10 things to remember and avoid the pain caused by gossip. #Gossip #Friendship #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

I found several definitions for gossip:

Casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.
A rumor or report of an intimate nature.
Conversations or reports about other people’s private lives that might be unkind, disapproving, or not true.

And it’s everywhere, isn’t it?

We call it entertainment when it’s about celebrities. We call it news if it’s about our political opponents. We call it social media … when it’s shared on platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

At church we call it … sharing a “need for prayer.”

But whatever is said or wherever it’s shared … gossip hurts.

If you’ve ever been the victim of hearsay or slander, if you’ve experienced it firsthand, you know gossip hurts.

There are lots of reasons people share gossip…

To feel superior.
To get attention.
To gain control or power.
To get revenge or because of jealousy.
To bring attention to themselves.
To get someone’s approval.
Or just because they’re. bored or unhappy.

The bottom line is … gossip hurts and it hurts everyone involved.

Solomon wrote:

A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.
Proverbs 16:28

If you’re looking for happiness – avoid gossip!

10 Things to Remember to Avoid the Hurts of Gossip

1. Remember – gossip is a sin.

Paul listed gossip alongside murder, lies, selfish ambition and haters of God. It seems harsh but if we think about why people gossip and recognize the too-often devastating consequences or if we’ve been the victim of someone else’s gossip … it’s easy to remember that gossip is sin.

Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful.
Romans 1:29–30a

2. Remember – everyone has a right to privacy.

You don’t want everyone to know everything about you! I think avoiding gossip is a great application of the Golden Rule.

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”
Matthew 7:12

3. Remember – You can’t repeat what you don’t know.

“Gossip needn’t be false to be evil — there’s a lot of truth that shouldn’t be passed around.” ~Frank A. Clark

Be the person who asks to not know the gossip that’s being shared. You need to…

4. Remember – Be prepared.

Go into every conversation ready to end gossip with potential subject-changers. Most people love to talk about themselves; so, ask a question to change the focus from the person being talked to the people in the room.

“I resolve to speak ill of no man whatever, not even in a matter of truth; but rather by some means excuse the faults I hear charged upon others, and upon proper occasions speak all the good I know of everybody.” ~Benjamin Franklin

5. Remember – Be loyal and kind.

Invite the gossiper to talk directly to the person they are concerned about. If you’re with a group, wait until you have a minute to talk to the gossiper privately and encourage them to talk directly to the person they’re concerned about.

Rather than doing something that could potentially hurt a relationship … they might actually be able to encourage and help.

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.
Proverbs 3:3

6. Remember – Be positive, encouraging, and loving.

Be known as the person who speaks well of everyone and in that way you can shine the light of God’s love.

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 5:1–2

7. Remember – There is fallout from shared gossip.

You can’t control what others do with the things you tell them. Once gossip is shared, it’s out of your control and often spreads like a wildfire.

“We always feel the brunt of the blow dealt to us, but hardly ever do we feel the impact we have on others. Why is that?” ~Richelle E. Goodrich

8. Remember – To imagine yourself in the other person’s life.

You don’t know the whole story. You never know the whole story. So, before you listen to or share a small true or untrue segment of someone else’s story … stop for a minute and put yourself in their place. When you haven’t lived their life it’s impossible to understand their decisions. Offer them the same grace and mercy you would like them to give you.

All of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.
1 Peter 3:8

9. Remember – Every bit of gossip can end with you.

Sometimes you can’t avoid hearing tidbits of gossip. The information is shared with you before you have time to breathe and walk away. But you are always able to pause and decide what you will do with gossip. So,
resolve that gossip will always end with you. Determine in advance to never speak negatively about anyone ever.

“How would your life be different if … You walked away from gossip and verbal defamation? Let today be the day…You speak only the good you know of other people and encourage others to do the same.” ~Steve Maraboli

10. Remember – Prayers don’t need details.

God knows the need even when the people praying do not. It is possible to pray for each other publicly without revealing secrets or sharing personal problems.

So, pray like crazy. Pray for your friends who are hurting. Pray for the gossipers you know. Pray and ask for forgiveness when you’ve passed along something you should have kept to yourself.

Just pray! Ask God to help and strengthen you and ask Him to help and strengthen your friends.

“Notice, we never pray for folks we gossip about, and we never gossip about the folk for whom we pray! For prayer is a great deterrent.” ~Leonard Ravenhill

I think the following poem says it all.

My Name is Gossip ~Author Unknown

My name is Gossip.
I have no respect for justice.
I maim without killing.
I break hearts and ruin lives.
I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age.

The more I am quoted the more I am believed.
I flourish at every level of society.
My victims are helpless.
They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face.

To track me down is impossible.
The harder you try, the more elusive I become.
I am nobody’s friend.
Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same.
I topple governments and ruin marriages.
I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartache and indigestion.
I spawn suspicion and generate grief.

I make innocent people cry in their pillows.
Even my name hisses.

I AM CALLED GOSSIP.

And one more thing I believe will help…

Remember – Picture Jesus present at every conversation.

He is with you. He loves and cares about you. He loves and cares about the people you are with and He loves and cares about the people you’re discussing.

So, stop and ask yourself … #WWGGG – What would give God glory?

Remember that everyone you meet is someone for whom Christ died! Someone who is dearly loved by Him.

And then ask yourself … Is it True? Is it Kind? Is it Necessary?

Then talk about something else.

Can you imagine if we all decided to do our best to avoid the hurts of gossip?

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

12 of the Best Ways to Make Worship Part of Every Day

6 / 1 / 206 / 1 / 20

I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me.
Jeremiah 32:40

It sounds perfect, doesn’t it?

The Bible says to worship every day by taking our ordinary sleeping, eating, going to work lives, and giving them to God as an offering ... here are 12 ways. #WorshipGod #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings #HisGraceGirls

David Jeremiah wrote the following about worship…

“Since the days of our first parents in the Garden of Eden, worship has walked a tightrope between lifestyle and liturgy. When God walked in the Garden with His first children in the cool of the day, Adam and Eve worshiped Him as we should—without interruption. The Creator and His creatures experienced a continual, ongoing exchange of provision and praise. God provided everything Adam and Eve needed, and they responded with praise—with gratitude, reverence, honor, submission, and holy fear.”

We get the liturgy part of worship but the lifestyle part is harder, isn’t it? So many things get in the way of our making worship part of every day.

Busyness.
Discouragement.
Worry and Anxiety
Distractions.
… All the consequences of sin!

But I want my life to be the kind of worship offering Paul wrote about…

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 12:1–2 (MSG)

I’m making it a goal to add intentional worship to every day and with God’s help … experience that “ongoing exchange of provision and praise” that the Prophet Jeremiah and David Jeremiah wrote about.

Ways to Make Worship a Part of Every Day

1. Start the day with God.

Before my feet hit the floor, I want to spend a few minutes thinking about and thanking God for the blessing of knowing that He is with me every moment of the day.

I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand, and I tell you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I will help you.’
Isaiah 41:13

2. Get down on your knees to pray.

There is something about humbly kneeling to pray that changes my attitude from self to submission. That’s worship. I want to be intentional about kneeling for prayer and surrendering my day to the Lord.

Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for He is our God. We are the people He watches over, the flock under His care.
Psalm 95:6–7

3. Intentionally surrender your day to God.

A dear friend taught me this morning prayer…

Lord, I have surrendered this day to You. With Your help, I will follow where You lead me and do Your will as You reveal it to me. Please help me to fulfill this promise that my life might glorify You alone. Amen.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

4. Read the Bible to start the day.

It doesn’t have to be chapters and you don’t have to spend hours but when you and I take some time to begin the day with a Psalm, the wisdom of Proverbs, the words of Jesus, or the counsel of Peter, John, or Paul … it sets the tone for the day.

Reading and rereading God’s promises gives me strength and courage to face whatever the day brings.

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.
Psalm 19:7–8

5. Write 7 things you’re thankful for every day.

The number 7 represents completion and perfection throughout the Bible. Writing 7 things I’m thankful for just seems like the perfect way to remember God’s completely perfect provision.

Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 106:1

6. Be aware and awe-mazed at who God is and what He does.

I want to watch for miracles … to write down answers to prayer and notice the variety and beauty in creation. I want to pay attention to the ways God is working around me, to celebrate who He is and all He has done…

All that He’s doing today. And helps me have hope remembering tomorrow looks good, too! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim Your greatness.
Psalm 145:6

7. Sing and dance like David.

I love this one … turn up the praise music and dance with joy.

It’s fun! It’s great for your body, mind, and soul. And your kids will love it. What a great way to add joy to our homes and teach our children

And David danced before the Lord with all his might.
2 Samuel 6:14

I trust in your love. My heart is happy because You saved me. I sing to the Lord because He has taken care of me.
Psalm 13:5–6 (NCV)

8. Take a fast from grumbling and complaining.

If you’re like me, you don’t realize how much you grumble and complain.

I’m making it a goal to set aside specific times when I will absolutely refuse to be negative. I will surrender the junk in my life to God, do what I can, and do my best to shine…

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in [the] world…
Philippians 2:14–15 (NLT)

9. Go outside and take a walk—enjoy God’s creation.

It’s so easy to get distracted by entertainment, social media, and life’s demands. I want to remember to take a break and enjoy the beauty of creation that’s right outside my front door.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make Him known.
Psalm 19:1–2

10. Remember blessing anniversaries and celebrate the moments of God’s grace.

This is another favorite … we mark our calendar and celebrate blessing anniversaries like the Children of Israel celebrated the Passover. A few ideas are … Baptism birthdays. The day you met your spouse. The day you got engaged. The day you received good news from the doctor. Etc.

I will remember the things the Lord has done. Yes, I will remember the powerful works of long ago. I will think of all Your work and keep in mind all the great things You have done.
Psalm 77:11–12

11. Worship God by loving the people in Your life.

You and I were born for this time and place. One of the ways we can show God our worship and love is to intentionally love the people in our lives.

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
John 13:34

12. Take care of yourself.

If you’re like me, it’s easy to put self-care on the bottom of your to-do list. (Hmm, I guess I did that here too, didn’t I?) But God made us. He loves, cares, and provides for us. And He expects us to love and care for ourselves as well.

We can honor and worship Him by getting enough rest, eating well and staying fit … then we can be fully equipped to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to the Father as we worship Him every day.

Let me hear of Your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting You. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to You.
Psalm 143:8

Do you ever wonder if we make worship too complicated?

We have plans and formulas, music and liturgies, structures and organizations … and we leave it all at the door when we walk through the church doors.

I just want to worship every day!

But now, many of us are worshipping at home as our churches have been asked to close their doors to keep us safe from this virus. And maybe that makes this the perfect time to make worship part of every day.

Because it’s when we offer our everyday ordinary life and offer it to God as a daily act of worship … we begin to SEEK Him first, LOVE Him best, and LIVE our lives for His glory!

And that sounds like the perfect way to respond to God’s amazing grace, mercy, and love.

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

Simple Prayers That will Help You be a Better Parent

5 / 29 / 205 / 29 / 20

Parenting is an adventure that needs to be covered by prayer. If you want to be a better parent you need to pray a lot. These prayers will get you started. #Parenting #PrayerforFamily #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

I wish I’d read this quote years ago…

“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.”
Anne Frank

She certainly shared a lot of wisdom for her young age … and for someone who never lived long enough to have children of her own.

When I was a young parent and my children were young I believed that good parents had good successful children … that great input always resulted in great outcomes.

I’ve grown up and so have my children.

I’m both older and wiser now than I was then.

And today, as I look around at our peers and their grown children … I can honestly say, “that ain’t necessarily so.”

I’ve known many great parents whose children decided to ignore their parent’s helpful advice and example as they chose to live a more challenging path. Ones that were difficult and sometimes painful for them and for their parents. I now fully believe the truth of Anne’s words.

And I’m sorry. I know that if you are the young parent with young children that’s not very encouraging. But…

I’m not saying you should throw your hands in the air and give up. I still believe parents should give the important job of parenting everything they’ve got.

But I also believe…

That you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself. There is no such thing as a perfect parent and there are no perfect children. But you probably knew that already!

We celebrated Mother’s Day a couple of weeks ago and for many it’s a day full of emotions and one of them that rises up often is guilt.

Mom guilt is something that goes with the job. But they’re not completely alone, I believe dads suffer from feelings of guilt, too.

Today I want to encourage you and give you a little of what I believe is helpful advice for being a better parent.

The two most important things to remember as you live out the parenting adventure are:

Always remember you are covered by God’s grace.
Pray more than you believe is necessary and then pray again.

And because I believe prayer is the most important part of parenting … I’m sharing a few prayers to help you get started.

Simple Prayers That will Help You be a Better Parent

1. Lord, Thank You for My Children.

Children are a gift from the Lord. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!
Psalm 127:3,5

Father, Thank you so much for my children. Help me to celebrate this awesome blessing every day, even the hard days. Help me celebrate each of my children’s unique personality and abilities.

I believe You made them exactly the way You wanted and that You will use them for Your plans and purposes. Thank you. I am humbled that you would entrust these precious children to me. Give me a grateful heart and help me show them and You how thankful I am for them … even when I’m exhausted and having to repeat myself for the millionth time. Thank you for the grace and mercy You show me. Please help me love as You love me.

2. Lord, I want to be a better parent. Please forgive me.

Remember there are no perfect parents or children. Everyone needs forgiveness parents and children. Praise God…

He does not punish us for all our sins; He does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
Psalm 103:10–11

Father, please forgive me. I want to guide my children according to Your perfect will but I know I fall short every day.

I lose patience, I get angry, and I miss opportunities to show them Your love. Please help me, Father, I want to honor this awesome responsibility You’ve given me. Help me to be the parent You want me to be … the parent my children need. Help me raise them by Your grace and for Your glory.

Help me ask my children for forgiveness when I hurt them and help me quickly forgive them when they misbehave. We all sin. We all need forgiveness. You say you have removed our sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12) Thank you for Your merciful forgiveness. Help me forgive as I have been forgiven.

3. Lord, Give me the courage I need today.

Almost every day comes with at least one difficult parenting decision. Ask God for wisdom and courage to obey His will and to encourage your children to do the same.

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9

Father, yesterday was hard and today’s not starting out well. It would so much easier if I could just pull the covers over my head and ignore this problem. But my children need me to stand strong on Your truth. They need to be strong and courageous. They don’t always see the potential consequences of their choices. It’s hard to let them try new things. It’s hard to think about the possibility of my children having to live out the consequences of their foolish choices. Please give me the courage I need to remain strong when I’m worn out and hard days continue.

4. Lord, Please help me guide my children with wisdom according to your will.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God
James 1:5º6

Father, Please give me the wisdom I need to guide my children according to Your will. I so wish I had an individualized set of parenting instructions. It seems like some things work with one child and they don’t with another. I need Your help. I need to know the wise thing to say and do with each of my children. I want to parent these wonderfully made gifts You’ve given me well, not for me but for their good and Your glory. Amen.

5. Lord, Please help me parent my child with patience.

Parents and children need patience and goodness, it’s easy to run short of it in the moments when we need it most.

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.
Romans 15:5

Father, I need patience and I need it right now!

I’ll admit that I sometimes pause before asking for patience because I really don’t want any more challenging learning opportunities to put it into practice. I just want You to magically give me all that I need today and again tomorrow … the next day would be good too.

Please help me remember that You are always with me and that You are willing to give me all I need. You say You are willing to help me carry my burdens … even impatience. You even say that the Spirit is able to give me the patience I need to love my child well. Please help me. Make me slow to anger and remind me pause and laugh as often as possible.

6. Lord, Fill our home with respect and kindness.

We all want peace-filled homes and need God’s help to make speaking with kindness and respect a priority.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Colossians 3:!2

Father, forgive me for the times I’ve allowed snarkiness in my home. Especially my own. Please help me measure my words and speak with respect to my spouse and my children. Please help us remember how we honor and glorify You when we show kindness, humility, mercy, and patience.

By Your grace, please help me model this for my children and lovingly remind them when they forget. May we faithfully love each other as You have loved us with Your help and for Your glory.

7. Lord, Fill our home with peace, joy, and love.

A happy loving family. Everyone wants one … we need God’s help to fill our homes with His peace, joy, and love.

Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.
2 Corinthians 13:11

Father, Fill our home with joy. Help us remember and celebrate Your many blessings … big and small. You have been so good to us.

We surrender ourselves to You and ask You to give us all we need. Please bless us with the gift of contentment. Please help us to keep our focus on You … to SEEK You and Your Kingdom above everything and anything else. May we faithfully study Your Word, join together in prayer, and worship and praise You for who You are and all You’ve done. Your grace is sufficient for our every need. May Your love be the foundation of our home. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

If you want to be a better parent – PRAY!

Friend – parenting is an adventure. Anyone who has been a parent for more than 30 seconds, knows it can feel like you’re traveling an unknown journey with a surprise around every corner.

And from someone who has traveled the unexpected and emotional highs and lows of parenting, I’d like to tell you the one thing I wish I’d done more along the way…

While I prayed a lot … I wish I had prayed more!

You just can’t possibly pray too much for those precious gifts God has entrusted to your care.

I’m praying for you today and asking God to bless your family … to fill Your home with His love, to cover you with His grace and help you live each day for His glory.

For additional prayers – Check out:

Prayers for Your Spouse, Prayers for Your Son, Prayers for Your Daughter, Pray for Your Family.

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

When You Need to Control Your Thoughts to Bless Your Life

5 / 25 / 205 / 25 / 20

What you think has a huge effect on your life. You're not stuck with whatever pops into your head ... you can control your thoughts and improve your life. #PositiveThoughts #Faith #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings #HisGraceGirls

There’s a saying out there that the average person has about 50,000 thoughts per day. Some say that number is too high.

But many neuroscientists who have investigated the issue believe that most people have about 35 thoughts per minute, or one thought every other second. So assuming you take time for sleep … most people average about 20,000 thoughts in a 24 hour period. Of course, on those sleepless nights when your you can’t quiet your thoughts to rest … that number goes up!

Is it any wonder that our thoughts have a huge influence on the way our days seem to go.

We filter every little thing through the lens of our personal perception. A lens that is shaped by our thoughts.

Let’s face it – you and I are happier on the days we’re thinking positive thoughts and we’re … well, NOT on days that we don’t.

Solomon wrote…

As water reflects your face, so your mind shows what kind of person you are.
Proverbs 27:19 (NCV)

This quote made me stop and think…

“Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it.” ~ Ernest Holmes

And then ask myself … what are you thinking about today?

Maybe you’d like to join me…

Are you focused on what is or what isn’t?
Are you thankful or dissatisfied?
Are you anxious or courageous?
Are you patient or annoyed?
Are you angry or contented?
Are you filled with regret or forgiveness?

If you’re like me, you’ve been guilty of thinking – “Well, I can’t help how I feel.”

But, what if we can?

I like the way The Message states the following words of Paul:

The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
2 Corinthians 10:3–6

Based on this … maybe we do have the God-given tools we need to control our thoughts!

And even if we’re not focused on what the Bible says about controlling our thoughts, take a look at the following quote…

“Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habit.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.”
~ Frank Outlaw, Late President of Bi-Lo Stores

Maybe this whole thing is more important than we think.

You are and I constantly being bombarded by the negative thoughts, comment, and actions of grumpy people. If you watch the news … you don’t know what to believe and what to toss as fake.

All of that “dog-eat-dog unfair fighting and manipulation” leaves a mark on our thought life.

So, what are we supposed to do … especially when those thoughts are popping up every other second.

The truth…

“We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God!”

Because even though our thoughts and feelings can come on quickly and unexpectedly, you and I can choose the length of time we let them hang around. The length of time we think about things, positive or negative, is up to us. Thoughts don’t have to control us, if you decide to, with God’s help, you can control them. He has given us the TOOLS we need to fight the battle.

Let’s take a closer look and check them out.

How to Control Your Thoughts and Bless Your Life

1. Identify the emotion.

It sometimes takes a gentle word from Rev to make me aware that I’ve let negative thoughts take over. Thankfully he really is kind about the way he lets me know. There would probably a few more negative thoughts and words if he didn’t. I know I’m not proud of it. But back to the point…

It’s healthy to do a thought assessment throughout the day. Because the truth is our thoughts affect our attitudes and then they become our words and our actions and it goes on and on from there.

2. Identify what you were thinking about when the feelings began.

Stop for a minute and do your best to identify what started these thoughts and feelings. Was it a memory, a news report, a phone call, an angry comment, a loss, a pain, fatigue, etc.

3. Determine whether your thoughts were truth or lies.

Then question – are these thoughts true or not? Can I really do something about this thing that’s frustrating me or not?

If your negative thoughts begin with the words always or never … they are probably not true.

For example: They’re out to get me. Everyone picks on me. No one ever helps me. I’m a failure. I never…

The truth may be as simple as you need a break from the noise or you need a nap. Maybe you need to ask for help or you need to sit down and have a good cry.

I’ve learned to do something that really helps me and that’s to simply share what I’m feeling out loud. Just expressing the feelings out loud to Rev, a counselor, or a friend helps them to lose some of their power over me.

And now finally we get to the most important ways to control our thoughts!

4. Pray to change your thoughts and perspective.

Because the best person you and I can talk to about our thoughts and feelings is our VERY BEST FRIEND – the One who loves us most and best. He cares and wants us to come to Him with every negative thought that is burdening us.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28

I truly believe the first part of learning to control our thoughts is to KNOW we can honestly and openly take them to Jesus. He cares. He already knows what we’re thinking. You won’t surprise Him or upset Him. He loves you and He wants to help You carry your burdens.

He says, “Let me help you. Let me teach you.”

5. Memorize God’s truth.

And that’s when we turn to God’s Word for truth.

Paul wrote:

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.
Philippians 4:8

So let’s do that for a minute…

God loves you.

God so loved _____________ (your name) that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

You are His child.

But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:12

You are forgiven.

“Everyone who believes in Him will have their sins forgiven through His name.”
Acts 10:43

You can do everything through His strength.

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

I feel so much better! I hope you do, too!

What are you going to do with your 20,000 thoughts today?

Are your thoughts making you sad, anxious, frustrated, or angry? Or are they filling you with gratitude, peace, and joy? Do your thoughts fill you with doubt or increase your faith?

Take some time over the next few days to write down your thoughts and feelings throughout the day; then spend a little time each evening looking over your notes and praying about them.

I’m starting today. I’ll get back with you and let you know what happens. Honestly, I’m a little nervous. I’m afraid I’m going to find a little more “stinkin’ thinkin'” than I’d like to admit. Which may be the very reason why I need this.

Care to join me?

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

Pray When You Need to be Confident of God’s Goodness

5 / 22 / 205 / 22 / 20

The most common question about faith is "How can I believe in God's goodness when He allows suffering?" When doubts arise it's time to turn to Him in prayer. #Prayer #GodisGood #BibleStudy #Faith #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Do you trust God’s goodness?

We say God is good, but do we really believe it?

I recently shared this on social media…

After you have suffered a little while, [God] will restore, support, and strengthen you.
1 Peter 5:10

And an individual responded by saying … “a load of nonsense.”

I don’t think you or I would say it like that but if we’re honest, we have our doubts. We wonder … God will you let me suffer like this indefinitely? Are you really good?

We want to trust those words God’s goodness completely but sometimes when we’ve prayed and prayed and asked God to help and then we have what seems like an endless wait something happens. Occasionally in the wait, worry is followed by a little doubt and before we know it we’re questioning God’s goodness.

And that’s when I need to pause and ask for His help.

Because I need His Holy Spirit to give me confidence that God’s goodness is personal. I need His help to know God sees me, forgives me, provides for me, and that He has a plan and purpose for my life. I need His Spirit’s help to remind me of His perfect love when I grow impatient in the waiting.

I need the Spirit’s help to know with everything in me that . . . God is good!

Jesus said,

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.
John 14:26

That’s what I need … maybe you do too! That reminder of God’s promises of His love and goodness.

So, that’s where I’m going today …. to God’s promises and I’m praying them back to Him because the more turn to Him through His Word and prayer, the more confident I become that He is who He says He is.

I’d love for you to pray with me…

Pray When You Need to be Confident of God’s Goodness

Everything God made is good. That includes you!

God looked over all He had made, and He saw that it was very good!
Genesis 1:31

Lord, Everything You make is good. Your Word says, in the beginning, it was very good. And through Your love, You suffered and died to forgive my sins and give freedom to the goodness You created in me. It also says that because of Your goodness and love, You will give me everything I need. maybe not everything I want … but everything I need. Help me believe that, Lord. Help me trust Your promises and give me patience and peace when worry creeps in and doubts arise.

God loves you. Always and perfectly. You are His child.

The Father has loved us so much that we are called children of God. And we really are His children.
1 John 3:1

Father, You call me your child. I was an orphan, lost and alone and You adopted me. Through Jesus, You made me part of Your family. That defines Your goodness. There is no way to sufficiently thank you.

When I am tempted to focus on my current problems, please help me focus on Your grace, mercy, and love. Help me remember what an awesome blessing it is to be called Your child. You are my Father and You are good. Help me love You with all that I am and by Your grace, help me live each day with the confidence that Your will is always for my good.

God sees and knows everything about you.

“You are ‘God who sees me,’” because she said to herself, “Have I really seen God who sees me?”
Genesis 16:13

Father, You are the God who sees me. Thank you! Nothing is hidden from you.

Like David, I can say, “You 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!” (Psalm 139) And Jesus said, You even know how many hairs there are on my head. (Matthew 10:30)

I can have peace for today and hope for the future when I remember that I am constantly under Your watchful care.

God is good, kind, and merciful to you.

The Lord is kind and shows mercy. He does not become angry quickly but is full of love. The Lord is good to everyone; He is merciful to all He has made.
Psalm 145:8–9

Father, Your Word tells me You are kind and merciful, patient, and loving.

I want to trust and follow wherever You lead … but I have to admit, I fail. I don’t love You and trust You with all I am. I don’t love my neighbors as I love myself. I get angry. I worry. I procrastinate and I find comfort in things. Please forgive me. I need your merciful goodness. By Your grace, please help me do better. Help me trust Your perfect will for me. Help me faithfully live confident of Your goodness, kindness, mercy, and love.

God is ready and willing to forgive and help you. His perfect love never fails.

O Lord, You are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for Your help.
Psalm 86:5

Father, This promise fills me with hope. You are always ready to forgive those who come to You. You don’t want me to live with the guilt that so often creeps in. You don’t want me weighed down by the past. Your plan for me is a life of freedom through Your goodness and grace.

Through Jesus, You endured my punishment. The price for my sins has been paid. Help me quickly bring my sins to You in repentance, trusting Your promise of unfailing love and forgiveness. Help me live free of doubt and worry … trusting You are faithful to do what You say You will do.

God is your provider. Don’t be afraid or worry. He will meet your every need.

“Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to Him than any birds! Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need. So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.”
Luke 12:24, 27, 31–32

Father, You don’t want me to be afraid or worry. You want me to live free of anxiety and doubt. You promise that You will meet every need.

Please forgive me for too often believing my wants are needs. By Your grace help me trust You. Make me satisfied with what You want for me. Help me help others out of the abundance You provide. Be my heart’s desire. With Your help, I will seek Your Kingdom above all else. Help me trust Your goodness without worry or fear.

God meets every spiritual need and gives you everything you need to live for His glory.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.
2 Peter 1:2–3

Father, through Your goodness and love You meet every one of my spiritual needs. You make it possible for me to know You. You show me Your will. You hear my prayers. You comfort and strengthen me. You give me hope for the future and the peace I need today.

Thank you. Forgive me for foolishly and selfishly doing things on my own, for thinking my way is better. I’m sorry, Lord. With Your help, I surrender this day to You. I will follow where You lead and trust Your will as You reveal it to me. You are good, Father. May I live today covered by Your grace for Your glory. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

God is good!

His love for you and me is personal. He provides for every physical and spiritual need. His unfailing forgiveness is always available. He sees, knows, and cares. He is good.

You and I can be confident of God’s goodness!

And just a quick follow-up to tell about the comment to my social media post. I responded by telling him I was sorry that he felt that way but that based on my experience, God is faithful to restore support and strengthen when we need Him.

That began a dialogue where I’ve been able to share my testimony and tell him why I believe in God’s goodness.

I’m so thankful that when I begin to doubt … His Spirit draws me back through the truth of God’s promises.

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!

12 Truths about God that will Make You Humble

5 / 18 / 205 / 8 / 20

The truth is, the measure of how humble we are will always be in direct proportion to what we believe to be the truths about God. Here are 12 things to know. #TruthaboutGod #BibleStudy #Faith #WWGG #CountingMyBlessings #HisGraceGirls

How humble are you?

It sounds like a trick question doesn’t it?

The truth is … the measure of our humility will always be in direct proportion to what we believe to be the truths about God.

Simply put – greater God equals lesser me and that translates into humility.

So, to inspire myself toward greater humility … I thought it might be a blessing to look at the awesomeness of God. The One you and I live for and love.

Who is God? What are the truths about God?

God is…

Creator

He is the maker of the vast universe and the tiniest microorganism. He is the designer of plants and animals … each demonstrating His incomprehensible imagination. And He is a personal enough Father to create one of a kind unique you.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1

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

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

Redeemer

God’s love His creation, for you and me, is so amazing He would rather die for us than live without us. He made a plan from the moment sin entered into the world to save us from the power of sin, death, and satan’s power … and through Jesus, He accomplished every detail.

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

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
Romans 8:1–2

Spirit

He is truth and wisdom given to you to show His immeasurable love. He lives with us and within us pointing to the truth and giving us the blessings of peace, joy, hope, contentment, and so much more.

We know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Romans 5:5

From His glorious, unlimited resources He will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
Ephesians 3:16–17

All-knowing

He is big enough to create it all. Redeem it all. Guide it all. And He understands it all. He is even personal enough to know every detail about you and me … our thoughts, our needs, and the number of hairs on each and every head.

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

All-powerful

He is big enough to care for everything and keep the entire universe working in perfect order through His power and might; and yet, He is personal enough to take care of you and me and provide for each and every need.

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

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7

Ever Present

He is big enough to cover the vast reaches of space, and still, He is personal enough to know the longings of your heart and hear every word you lift to Him in prayer.

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

Everlasting

No one invented Him or made Him. He is Almighty God! He had no beginning and He will have no end. And because He loves us so much, He wants to spend a perfect and unending future with us.

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

Just

He is fair and unbiased. He is perfect everything He does and He shows us the truth about sin … all because His justice is surrounded by His love.

He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.
Deuteronomy 32:4

Merciful

And though He is fair and just … He is quick to forgive. His love is perfect and personal not giving us the punishment our sins deserve because He offered Jesus as the sacrifice to suffer for us.

The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out…

“Yahweh! The Lord!
    The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
    and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.
    I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
Exodus 34:6–7a

Gracious

He gives us everything we need today and always. He meets every need and gives us blessings we could never deserve.

God, in his grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins.
Romans 3:24

The Way, The Truth, The Life

He is our way of salvation, absolute truth, and the promise of life. He not only made a way for us to be saved but He daily provides what we need to receive it.

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

Love

He is perfect unimaginable love … poured out until it overflows in our lives. He is our Savior. Our King. And the One who alone is worthy of our worship, praise, and complete love forever and always.

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

Oh, friend, I’ve only touched the surface. There is no way to completely describe how amazing and awesome God is.

John said:

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

And Jesus said:

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

I pray you’ve been blessed by these truths about God!

When I think about how awesome God is, how amazing His creation, how immeasurable His love . . . I am flattened.

And that’s humility.

When you and I are still before Him, when we worship and praise Him, when we love the One who first loved us. When we realize how much we need Him and surrender to His grace, mercy, and love…

That’s humility.

Pausing to think about who He is makes me humble.

We are loved with perfect immeasurable love by an awesome God.

Stop for a few minutes today to celebrate who God is. Then surrender yourself in humility to Him, the One who is Creator, Redeemer, Spirit, All-knowing, All-powerful, Ever-present, Everlasting, Just, Merciful, Gracious, The Way, Truth, and Life … the One who loves you with immeasurable perfect unending love.

Now that’s humbling.

May God bless you by His grace as You live today for His glory.

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

It would bless me so much if you’d take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings so you never miss an update!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

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

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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

I’m asking God to bless you today!