Tag Archives: Verses and Prayers

Verses to Pray When You Need to Be Encouraged

Prayers based on Bible verses for anyone who is worn out and frustrated. Anyone who feels they need to be encouraged and given hope. #Blessings #Prayer #Hope #Faith #NeedEncouragement #InspiringQuotes #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

I don’t know about you, but I’m over this!

I’m tired of social distancing and wearing masks. I miss seeing faces and sharing smiles with random strangers. I’m saddened by civil unrest and riots. The truth is, I can be patient for a long time . . . but I’m ready to be done!

I’m weary of storms and fires and viruses and people arguing over the definitions of “good” and “evil.”

I’m discouraged.

So, I went to the Word . . . to the words of prophets who understood feeling discouraged and disappointed as they lived through God’s “wake-up call” to His people in Jerusalem.

Jeremiah wept over the fall of Jerusalem and Isaiah mourned the nation’s captivity in Babylon. They understood feelings of discouragement—even more than me.

Courage is the root of the words discouraged and encouraged.

Discouraged means to lose courage and encouraged means to build courage.

And that’s what I want. I need to be encouraged. The Lord tells His children to be “strong and courageous” and I want that. I want to remember…

Be strong and courageous!

For the Lord, your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

Be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!

Psalm 31:24

We are not alone. God is with us! He gives us courage when we place our faith and hope in Him. He is sovereign and nothing is outside of His care or control.

So, I’m praying verses I need to repeat today because I need my courage built up. I need to remember that God has this and every situation under control and He has you and me in the palm of His hand.

If you need to be encouraged, I’d love for you to pray with me. I believe God will build our courage as we place our faith and hope in Him.

Prayers based on Bible verses for anyone who is worn out and frustrated. Anyone who feels they need to be encouraged and given hope. #Blessings #Prayer #Hope #Faith #NeedEncouragement #InspiringQuotes #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Verses to Pray When You Need to Be Encouraged

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

Isaiah 41:!0

Father, I’ll admit I’m discouraged. It makes me sad to see so many people at odds with each other. Good is being called evil and evil called good. People accuse one another of lying and “the facts” change so often, it’s hard to know what to believe.

Please surround with a sense of Your presence. Help me remember that You are with me. Through Jesus, You have made it possible for me to have a relationship with You. And You promise to give me the strength I need.

You have already won the victory. This season is temporary. I can trust Your unfailing promises. I can be encouraged!

Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of His understanding.
He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:28–31

Father, I’m weak, tired, and exhausted. I’m guilty of gazing at my problems and failing to focus my heart and mind on You. I need You, the One who never grows weak or weary. I need You to help me understand. I need Your power and strength.

Please forgive me for losing focus. Help me attach my heart and my mind to the truth that You are the great I AM. You spoke and creation appeared. You are always present and always willing to help. Please give me all I need to keep moving forward in faith . . . to keep walking, to run when I can, and sometimes even soar above it all. By Your grace, help me encourage others with the encouragement You give me . . . that the world may know the blessing of Your love.

When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.
For I am the Lord, your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Isaiah 43:2–3a

Father, I can be guilty of trying to live my life relying on my own strength and that always leads to fear and being overwhelmed by my circumstances. But when I cling to You, when I remember that You are the Lord, my God and my Savior . . . I have everything I need.

When You are with me I am able to go “through” life’s troubles. Deep waters will not overcome and oppression will not consume me. Please forgive me. “Lord, I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24) In Jesus name, I pray.

Prayers based on Bible verses for anyone who is worn out and frustrated. Anyone who feels they need to be encouraged and given hope. #Blessings #Prayer #Hope #Faith #NeedEncouragement #InspiringQuotes #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
    His mercies never cease.
Great is His faithfulness;
    His mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
    therefore, I will hope in Him!”

Lamentations 3:22–24

Father, please help me pause and simply rest in Your unending unfailing mercy and love. Your Word says, “God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son.” (John 3:16 NCV) Jesus, the living testimony of Your grace, mercy, and love.

Your mercy is greater than my sin. You allow us to live the consequences of our sin but You promise to forgive and give restoration and healing. We need You! We need Your healing touch that leads to renewal.

You said, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, if they will pray and seek me and stop their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NCV) Please forgive us, help, and heal us as we place our hope in You.

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

2 Corinthians 4:17–18

Yes, Father, our present troubles are temporary. That Apostle Paul knew troubles. He experienced being whipped, stoned, time imprisoned, and so much more, and yet he could focus on the good that You produced in him and You walked through each trouble with him.

By Your grace, help me fix my hopes and dreams on You . . . on who You are and all You have done and continue to do. This will pass. But Your love and the beautiful future “You have prepared for those who love You.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

I love You, Lord. I surrender my life to You. By Your grace, please encourage me and help me live each day with strength and power for Your glory. I thank and praise You. Amen.

If you need to be encouraged, check out the following quote…

 “Snuggle in God’s arms. When you are hurting, when you feel lonely, left out. let Him cradle you, comfort you, reassure you of His all-sufficient power and love.”

~ Kay Arthur

If you feel like this season is draining your of your strength and joy. If you feel like you need to be encouraged . . . snuggle into God’s arms today. Trust that He is with you and that He will faithfully keep His promises to “be with you” (Matthew 28:20) and “give you everything you need.” (Luke 12:31)

May God bless you and give you the courage you need to live for Him today.

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!

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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!

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I’m asking God to bless you today!

Powerful Verses to Pray When You are in a Battle with Addiction

Too many lives are being destroyed by the overwhelming power of addiction. Too many families are suffering in their battle with addiction. Join us in prayer. #addiction #Recovery #codependency #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Too many lives are being destroyed by the overwhelming power of addiction.

Too many families are suffering because of the pain caused by addiction.

Addiction is defined as a persistent, compulsive dependence on a behavior or substance.

Researchers speak of two different types of addictions: 

  • substance addictions (for example, alcoholism, drug abuse, and smoking);
  • process addictions (for example, gambling, spending, shopping eating, and sexual activity).

And an Addiction Diagnosis is based on 5 criteria:

          1. loss of willpower
          2. harmful consequences
          3. unmanageable lifestyle
          4. tolerance or escalation of use
          5. withdrawal symptoms upon quitting (Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine)

Based on that definition, I believe every family is or has been touched by addiction in some way. Everyone knows someone whose life is being controlled by its addiction’s power.

Here are a few quick facts about Addiction in America from June of this year:

  • Almost 21 million Americans have at least one addiction, yet only 10% of them receive treatment.
  • Drug overdose deaths have more than tripled since 1990.
  • From 1999 to 2017, more than 700,000 Americans died from overdosing on a drug.
  • Alcohol and drug addiction cost the U.S. economy over $600 billion every year.
  • In 2017, 34.2 million Americans committed DUI, 21.4 million under the influence of alcohol and 12.8 million under the influence of drugs.
  • About 20% of Americans who have depression or an anxiety disorder also have a substance use disorder.
  • More than 90% of people who have an addiction started to drink alcohol or use drugs before they were 18 years old.
  • Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 are most likely to use addictive drugs.
    Addiction Center (for more statistics, information, and help)

But although the power of addiction is great, there is a greater power … Jesus is the Power who has overcome this world’s evil. And He has invited us to come to Him in prayer with every need. Even those needs that crush our spirits and seem to be overwhelming and impossible.

So… let’s take Him at His word and go to Him on behalf of ourselves and our loved ones—those who are a battle with addiction.

Pray When You are in a Battle with Addiction

Too many lives are being destroyed by the overwhelming power of addiction. Too many families are suffering in their battle with addiction. Join us in prayer. #addiction #Recovery #codependency #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid or terrified because of them,
for the LORD your God goes with you;
He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Deuteronomy 31:6
A Prayer for the Person in a Battle with Addiction

Lord, I am weak and afraid. Temptation taunts and tempts me. Some days the battle feels too great. But Jesus … I believe You are with me. You do not leave me to fight hard battles alone. You promise to to be with me and give me courage and strength when I have none of my own. You are close enough to hear my cries and hold me close. I believe that with Your help, I can be strong and courageous. I need You. Please help me Amen.

A Prayer for a Loved One in a Battle with Addiction

Lord, My loved one is hurting and fighting a terrible battle. I see them feeling helpless and alone. But Jesus … I know You are with __________. Please help them know and feel Your loving presence. Give them courage and strength. Please hold them close when they cry out to You and give them everything they need to fight this dependence. Give them victory and restore them to health. Amen.

But if we confess our sins to Him,
He is faithful and just to forgive our
sins and cleanse us from all wickedness.

1 John 1:9
A Prayer for the Person in a Battle with Addiction

Lord, I struggle with so much guilt and shame. The enemy continuously taunts me with my past failures. But Your Word says You are faithful. Faithful! That means always. Every time. You promise to forgive me every time I come to You in repentance. So once again, I ask You to wash me clean. Heal me by Your grace and mercy. I am so sorry. Forgive me. In Jesus name. Amen.

A Prayer for a Loved One in a Battle with Addiction

Lord God, I see __________ struggling to be free of the past. They continue to carry the guilt of past pain and failures and it hurts me to see them in so much pain. Your Word promises that when we ask You to forgive us . . . You do! Please help __________ come to You for forgiveness. Help him/her trust Your healing mercy and grace. Help them know the joy of being washed clean through Jesus.  Amen.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ,
He is a new creature;
the old things passed away;
behold, new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:17
A Prayer for the Person in a Battle with Addiction

Jesus, You can make all things new … even me. You can restore me. I’ve made a mess of things but You suffered and died to redeem me from my mess and give me a future filled with hope. With Your help, I can have a fresh start. I can rise above the pain and misery of my past, and live with joy. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for a Loved One in a Battle with Addiction

Lord, I know You love _____________ even more than I do. I believe You are able to transform him/her. Please turn them around and place them on a new path. Help me trust that You are at work in my loved one’s life. Keep me from interfering and each time I start to worry, help me to return to You in prayer. Amen.

But seek first the kingdom of God
and His righteousness, and
all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:33
A Prayer for the Person in a Battle with Addiction

Lord God, my addiction is powerful but I believe You are more powerful. So, I ask You to help me seek You first. Please help me turn to You when I need strength. Please help me surrender my all to You, trusting that You are able to make me righteous … to take my sinfulness and make me blameless. You are able to give me everything I need. Thank you for this beautiful promise of hope. I am humbled and so very thankful. Amen.

A Prayer for a Loved One in a Battle with Addiction

Jesus, please help my loved one to seek You. You alone are able to meet their needs. I pray that ___________ will begin to know how much You love him/her. Please surround them with people who will point them to You. Unsettle them, Lord, until they turn to You in humble surrender. Please help them fight and with this battle with addiciont. By Your grace and for Your glory. Amen.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5–6
A Prayer for the Person in a Battle with Addiction

Lord, I surrender my heart, my addiction, my all to You. I trust that You are able to guide me today and every day in the future. You are my Healer and my Redeemer. You are my future hope and happiness. Thank you, for Your grace, mercy, and love. I trust You with all my heart. Help me stay strong as I live each day humbly dependent on You. Amen.

A Prayer for a Loved One in a Battle with Addiction

Lord Jesus, please make __________’s path straight. Help him/her find in You the recovery they so desperately need. I believe You are greater than their circumstances. I believe You are able to do the impossible. You are the God of miracles and we need a miracle. Please help __________. Please help us all. Through Your power to heal, please deliver and transform . . . that we might lift Your name in praise and live for the glory of Your name. Amen.

Too many lives are being destroyed by the overwhelming power of addiction. Too many families are suffering in their battle with addiction. Join us in prayer. #addiction #Recovery #codependency #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Friends the battle with addiction is real and painful for everyone it touches. I am praying for every one of you touched by the feelings of helplessness and fear brought on by its influence.

Remember all of Jesus’ miracles. Remember the times He delivered people who came to Him. Remember His promise that with God “all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

You are not alone in this battle with addiction. The Lord is with you and loves you.

Today, I am asking the Lord bless and comfort you. I am asking Him to hold you close and lift you and your loved ones up with His healing love as you go through this difficult time.

God bless 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

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by 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 Get Out of the Pit

When you find yourself overwhelmed and you need to get out of the pit of despair, it's time to pray, wait, look up, and trust God to give you what you need. #Psalms #Prayer #Depression #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

Have you ever found yourself deep in a pit of despair?

Yeah, me too.

Maybe you’re there now.

And the truth is, it stinks.

One of the worst parts is that when you and I find ourselves in that dank dark place with our feet stuck in the muck, it’s really hard to see our way out.

That’s the reason Psalm 40 is one of my favorites.

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
    and He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
    out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what He has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord. v. 1–3

Okay, maybe, like me, you don’t necessarily wait patiently. Patient is not typically how I feel when I’m in a pit but stop with me for a minute and look at David’s next words…

He turned to me and heard my cry.

And in Psalm 56, David wrote…

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book. v. 8

The Lord does not just gaze down at our pit dwelling. He is not simply an observer of our pain. Like a loving parent, He cares and He lifts.

Our Heavenly Father reaches down into our pits, takes us by the hand, and lifts us up and out. That’s mercy, grace, and love.

David said he did the waiting and God did the lifting.

Out of the mud and mire to solid ground. showing him the way to go and giving him a song to sing. And He does it all for our good and His glory.

We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

Romans 8:28

And…

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

Romans 11:36

So, I’m praying verses from Psalm 40 today. I’m asking God to lift us out of the mud and mire, plant our feet our the solid foundation of faith, and show us the way to go. I’d love for you to join me.

Pray Psalm 40 When You Need to Get Out of the Pit

When you find yourself overwhelmed and you need to get out of the pit of despair, it's time to pray, wait, look up, and trust God to give you what you need. #Psalms #Prayer #Depression #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.

v. 1-2a

Father, waiting patiently is hard . . . it’s especially hard to wait when I’m overwhelmed with despair. Yet, as I pause, I realize that I am never alone. You are always with me. You heard the cries of my heart and reached down in love.

That’s when your love became the thing that overwhelmed me. You, my “Abba, Father” reached down into the pit and lifted me out. That is Your love for your children. Whether it is a pit of our own making, one made by someone else, or one caused by the pain and problems of this world, Your love is greater than our circumstances. Your love is greater than anything the enemy uses to try to defeat us. Your grace and mercy lift us up.

Jesus lifts us up and sets us free. Jesus lifts me up and sets me free.

He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what He has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord.

v. 2b–3

Thank you, Jesus. You are our firm foundation. Thank you for being the same yesterday, today, and forever. Your unchanging truth is solid ground.

Your Word guides and directs our steps and Your Spirit gives us the wisdom and understanding we need to move forward in faith. Please give me everything I need to follow where You lead. Keep me on the path You have prepared for me and help me focus my heart and mind on You that I might know and do Your will as You reveal it to me each day.

Lord, I worship You! I praise You! I lift up the name of Jesus, praying that the world might know and trust Your love.

O Lord my God, You have performed
many wonders for us.
    Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
    You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all Your wonderful deeds,
    I would never come to the end of them.

v. 5

Father, Your miraculous wonders surround us. Your plans for Your children are immeasurable. Please don’t let me miss what You want for me because I am stuck in the muck of my pit . . . focused on my own wants, needs, and circumstances.

Please help me repeat again and again the accounts of all Your wonderful acts of love. May I read and reread Your Word to be reminded of Your faithful goodness to Your children. May I keep a list of all the ways You have cared for me and helped me in the past. May I faithfully thank you for Your grace, mercy, and love shown to me through Your Son, Jesus. May I have everything I need to love and trust You through the gift of Your Holy Spirit. And may I thank and praise You every day for Your promises and the hope and confidence that You will give me everything I need to live this day and every day throughout eternity.

Lord, don’t hold back your tender
mercies from me.
    Let Your unfailing love and
faithfulness always protect me.
For troubles surround me—
    too many to count!
My sins pile up so high
    I can’t see my way out.
They outnumber the hairs on my head.
    I have lost all courage.
Please, Lord, rescue me!
    Come quickly, Lord, and help me.

v. 11–13

Father, I know we will still have troubles. Sometimes my troubles may seem overwhelming and sometimes they may even knock me back into my pit. But whatever my situation, please surround me with Your unfailing love. Forgive me when the muck is of my own making. Help me forgive others when they try to put me in a pit. Help me when my courage and hope waver.

Help me look up! Help me see Your hand reaching down to lift me up. Come quickly, Lord, when I need You. This world can be hard sometimes but You have already won the victory. Through Your grace, I have everything I need.

But may all who search for You
    be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
    repeatedly shout, “The Lord is great!”

v. 16

Father, fill us with joy and gladness. So much so, that everyone we meet will want to know the reason for our peace and contentment. I pray to be so full of joy that people will want what You have given to me.

And then, I will enthusiastically repeat, “The Lord is great!”

You are so good and gracious. Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Because of Your love and Your grace, I am able to live outside of the pit with my feet on the firm foundation of faith trusting that You will guide me and help me as I place my trust in You. Thank you, Father. Amen.

When you find yourself overwhelmed and you need to get out of the pit of despair, it's time to pray, wait, look up, and trust God to give you what you need. #Psalms #Prayer #Depression #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

When You Need to Get Out of the Pit

Friend, the reality is . . . life can be hard and you and I might slip and fall into another pit. If I’m really being open here, I have to admit that I occasionally slip back into a familiar well-known pit of pain and sadness.

But by God’s grace, that’s when I go back David’s words in Psalm 40 . . . to that place of looking up and waiting with anticipation.

A place of trusting that the Lord will lift me out of my pit one more time, planting my feet on the firm foundation of faith in Christ Jesus, guiding my steps along His path for me, and restoring my joy with hope and promise.

And that’s why we tell our stories again and again.

 So…

Many will see what He has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord.

Psalm 40:3

I’m so glad you joined me today. If you’re stuck and ready to get out of a pit, look up . . . the Lord will lift you up and show you the way to go so you can tell the wonderful things He does and encourage other pit dwellers to wait, look up, and put their trust in the One who is worthy of all worship and praise!

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

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by 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 It’s Hard to Be Strong

Some days it's just hard to be strong. Those are the days we need to pray and ask the One who promises that through Christ, we can have the strength we need. #Prayer #BibleVerses #BeStronger #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

Occasionally, I have a day when I wake up and I feel strong enough to handle whatever the day throws at me. But then there are the other days when I open my eyes and I’m not sure I have what it takes just to get out of bed.

I’m guessing I’m not alone…

Sometimes pain and/or illness cause physical limitations that sap my strength. Often . . . it’s some life problem that is emotionally draining that leaves me feeling fragile and inadequate.

And sometimes it’s the thought of dealing with a difficult relationship that leaves me wanting to pull the covers over my head and hide.

What depletes your strength most often?

In more recent years, I’ve realized that the mornings when I can’t muster the strength to face what lies ahead, are the ones when I’ve forgotten important truths from God’s Word…

Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of
His understanding.
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.

Isaiah 40:28–29

And…

I can do everything through Christ, 
who gives me strength. 

Philippians 4:13

So, I’m taking all my “I don’t want to face the day” feelings to the Lord in prayer asking Him to help me be strong and I’d love for you to join me.

Helpful Verses to Pray When It’s Hard to Be Strong

Some days it's just hard to be strong. Those are the days we need to pray and ask the One who promises that through Christ, we can have the strength we need. #Prayer #BibleVerses #BeStronger #CountingMyBlessings

God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.

Psalm 46:1

Father, You are my hiding place, and today, if it were up to me . . . I’d stay hidden here in my room. The pain, the problems, the heaviness—it all feels like too much.

But then I hear You whisper that You are with me. You gently remind me that You love me and care about every detail in my life. Nothing I face is a surprise to You. Thank you for Your Spirit’s gentle nudge that reminds me I can always come to You when I need strength and help. Thank you!

Please forgive me for the times I jump out of bed foolishly believing I can manage the day ahead on my own. I’m sorry. Thank you for always being ready to help. Thank you for giving me another day. I surrender myself to You. Please go with me and help me, Father. Please give me the strength I need to love well and live for Your glory.

Isaiah 12:2

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.

Isaiah 12:2 (NIV)

Father, Savior, I want Isaiah’s words to be true in my life. I want to be able to proclaim every single day, “I will trust and not be afraid.” But, I falter. I want to be confident and unafraid every day but I still have days when I’m weak and tired and yes, even a little afraid. Please help me.

Just a few sentences later, Isaiah wrote –   “Thank the Lord! Praise His name!
Tell the nations what He has done. Let them know how mighty He is! Sing to the Lord, for he has done wonderful things. Make known his praise around the world. (v. 4–5)

I will pause to remember all You have done for me. You are my Savior. You are all I need. You have blessed me and lovingly given me the courage I needed in the past. The times You’ve helped me be strong. So, I surrender this day to You, trusting You to go before me and stand beside me to make me strong one moment at a time.

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!

The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

Psalm 121:2, 8

 Father, You are our Creator. You keep watch over all You have made and You watch over me. You are my helper. You lift my head giving me courage and strength when I’m weak and overwhelmed.

I believe there is no problem that is too great for You to intervene and none so small that You do not care. You are loving, compassionate, and kind. I need You, Lord. Please help me. Remind me throughout the day to come to You whenever I feel overwhelmed and apprehensive.

You are the LORD – the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) You call me Your own child. (Romans 8:15) You give me a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)

I believe You will give me the strength I need to live one moment at a time and that is all the strength I need.

In His kindness, God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation. All power to Him forever! Amen.

1 Peter 5:10–11

Father, Jesus said that in this world we will have trouble. (John 16:33) Trouble shouldn’t surprise us. Yet, it still doesn’t make it easy.

Suffering is hard. I’d love to avoid it altogether.

But Father, I believe You are able to and will give me the strength I need to live today whatever You allow. I believe You are with me. I also believe that the troubles I endure here are temporary . . . You are preparing a place for me in Your presence. A place where Your glory shines forever and ever. Thank you for restoring, supporting, and strengthening me to live with courage and without fear. Your strength and power are my firm foundation.

[The Lord, my Shepherd] renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me.

Psalm 23:3–4

Father, You are the One who renews my strength. You are the One who guides me according to Your will . . . may I be willing to trust, follow, and obey You in all things. Even when life is overwhelming, when I’m afraid and it’s hard to find the strength I need, You are with me. And when I focus on You . . . when I center my heart and mind on Your presence, I am not afraid.

Lord, My heart’s desire is to live for Your glory. I want people to see Your love in me but on my own, I’m not strong enough . . . I fail miserably. I need You. Please strengthen me. Lead me. And help me follow Your will that I might glorify and honor You with courage and strength. Amen.

Some days it's just hard to be strong. Those are the days we need to pray and ask the One who promises that through Christ, we can have the strength we need. #Prayer #BibleVerses #BeStronger #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

With God’s Help You Can Be Strong

Friends, It’s time to throw those covers back and get out of bed. I believe that with God’s help you and I can be strong enough to handle whatever this day throws our way.

And tomorrow, well, God will give us enough to do that day as well. We can count on Him for the one after that and next one and the next and so on and so on.

His grace is sufficient! So, stop with me today and memorize Philippians 4:13…

I can do all things through Christ
who gives me strength!

I’m asking God to bless you with all the strength you need today!

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

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

5 More Verses to Pray When You Need God to Do the Impossible

Bible Verses to pray when problems are overwhelming. I’m not only asking God to do the impossible … I’m believing that He CAN DO the IMPOSSIBLE! #Prayer #Faith #WarRoom #BibleQuotes #CountingMyBlessings #BlessingBloggers #WWGGG

The #1 post here at Counting My Blessings by far is – 5 Verses to Pray When You Need God to Do the Impossible.

The truth is people are facing seemingly impossible circumstances every day. Here are just some of the comments I’ve received on that post from the past year…

♥ My dear cousin passed away just 5 days ago due to Covid19. Now, both my nephew and I have the symptoms.

♥ My husband needs healing for his kidney (waiting for a donor), needs healing for his pancreas, and heart( had open heart surgery) our marriage is not in the best shape, we lost our home.

♥ I have been harassed and persecuted on my job.

♥ My family is in the dark pit of poverty.

♥ I need God to heal me emotionally. 

♥ I’m in a horribly abusive situation. 

♥ I had a brain aneurysm and I can’t stop worrying about my health.

♥ I have stage 4 cancer that has no cure. 

♥ My daughter longs for a child. 

♥ My friend has experienced a difficult life with mental health, alcoholism and drug issues.

♥ My child has a Major Depressive Disorder and Generalised Anxiety Disorder. 

You may be someone who is hurting and looking straight at some situation that feels more than impossible. You don’t know what to do or where to turn.

You’ve cried until your tears have dried up and prayed until you’ve run out of words. You need help.

I wrote something in that first “impossible” post a year and a half ago that I still believe as I pray for the “impossible” today…

I’m not only asking God to do the impossible … I’m believing that He CAN DO the IMPOSSIBLE! Even though I’ve asked Him [to do the impossible] a thousand times before, I’m confident He will hear my prayer and respond in love!

So, I’m going to God’s Word and turning to Him in prayer and I’d love for you to join me. Because there is no better place in the world to take our impossible circumstances than the throne room of the God who is victorious, sovereign, and love . . . the One for whom all things are possible.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

Mark 10:27

5 More Verses to Pray When You Need God to Do the Impossible

Bible Verses to pray when problems are overwhelming. I’m not only asking God to do the impossible … I’m believing that He CAN DO the IMPOSSIBLE! #Prayer #Faith #WarRoom #BibleQuotes #CountingMyBlessings #BlessingBloggers #WWGGG

Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to Him for protection.

Proverbs 30:5

Father, when I read these words, I feel like the father who honestly said to Jesus, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) I believe Your promises. I believe You are able to do the impossible. I believe You are overflowing with grace, mercy, and love. I believe You are full of compassion and that You are my the One who is my shield and protection.

I need You. What I am facing today is harder than it feels like I can endure. My heart and my head hurt. My emotions are overloaded and I’m tired. I come to You with all the faith I have, to ask You please help me.

Lord, I place my hope in You.

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8

Father, thank you for Your promise to be with me. Please make me ever aware of Your presence. You said to Joshua, “I will be with you . . . I will not fail you or abandon you.” (Joshua 1:5) And I believe that it is a promise You make to Your children who love and trust You.

Honestly, I am afraid and discouraged. This “impossible” situation feels like too much to endure. I need to remember that You are going before me. I need to know You are always with me in every high and every low. I need to believe that You will not fail me.

You have given me everything I need. Through Jesus, You have already won the victory over sin, death, and the power of the devil. Through Your Spirit, You give me faith, hope, and love. By Your grace, I will proclaim with David, “I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.” (Psalm 31:7)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

Father, You spoke and the universe was formed. You spoke and life began. By Your design, You made substance and beauty with order and perfection. You are God Almighty! You are Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. You made all things and maintain all things.

Nothing is too big for you to accomplish and nothing is too small for you to care. Please be with me through this seemingly impossible situation. I’m frightened about the future . . . be my peace. I’m in pain . . . be my strength. I’m frustrated and angry . . . be my comfort. You know what I need. I will place my hope in You because when You speak, Your will is accomplished.

“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
    I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.
For I am the Lord, your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

Isaiah 43:1b–3a

Father, I know you spoke these words for the Children of Israel; yet, I have experienced their truth in my life as well. You have made me Your own through Jesus’ sacrifice and the power of the Holy Spirit who gives me all I need to love and trust You.

You are always with me, no matter what I am going through. You hold me as I go through deep waters giving me the strength I need to keep going. You protect me, heart and soul, when I am overwhelmed with life’s burdens. You are my Lord and Savior.

Father, I need You! This struggle I’m facing feels impossible. Sometimes it feels like I’m drowning in this painful situation. Please help me! I believe you are able to do the impossible. I believe You always do what is best. I trust Your will and humbly pray . . . “as you wish.”

No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:39

Father, Please help me turn my focus from my current problems to Your perfect unfailing lasting love. Nothing can remove me from Your love . . . not even this thing that feels impossible. I am forever and always secure in Your care. Whatever You allow . . . You promise to give me everything I need (Luke 12:31), to never leave me or forsake me (John 14:16), and to give me the strength I need in all circumstances (Philippians 4:13).

Thank you, Lord! I love You. I trust Your will. Please help me by Your grace, that my life might give You glory. Amen.

Bible Verses to pray when problems are overwhelming. I’m not only asking God to do the impossible … I’m believing that He CAN DO the IMPOSSIBLE! #Prayer #Faith #WarRoom #BibleQuotes #CountingMyBlessings #BlessingBloggers #WWGGG

Friend, I am sorry you are facing the “impossible.”

Please know, I’ve been there. In fact, even now I have prayers that can seem “impossible” because I have prayed them for so very long. But there is something I know for sure . . . part of God doing the “impossible” is the work He has done in my heart and mind, the way He has changed me even though He hasn’t chosen to change my circumstances so I continue to pray the following two verses.

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

And…

“I know that You can do anything,
    and no one can stop you.

I had only heard about You before,
    but now I have seen You with my own eyes.

Job 42:2,5

I’m praying for you today and asking God to give you everything you need that you might know His loving presence and see Him with your own eyes. God bless 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

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

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5 Promises to Pray That Will Help When You are Grieving

It's hard to find the words to pray when you are grieving. We tend to cry "why" through exhausted tears and pain. But God gave His promises to pray. #Grief #VersestoPray #PromisesofGod #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

It seems like everywhere I look, friends and family . . . even complete strangers are overwhelmed by grief.

Covid and chaos have caused us to lose loved ones, jobs, and financial security. Isolation and emotional stress has broken relationships, worsened depression, and increased substance abuse.

The list of reasons people are grieving is growing by the day.

If you are grieving, you may be able to share your loss publicly making it possible for you to receive prayer and encouragement from the people around you.

But there are others who…

Are carrying around a personal private pain they’re unable to talk about . . . grief they don’t feel they can share.

Maybe you are one of those people. Maybe your heart is breaking and a small part of you is wondering “why” God would allow this horrible pain to touch your life.

Or maybe you know someone in that situation and you’re desperately trying to find a way to help them.

David wrote:

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Psalm 34:18

I have to admit, although I’ve known this verse since I was a child, I didn’t always rely on it as TRUTH. Because doubt and uncertainty caused me to believe there were things that could break my heart and crush me beyond the point of rescue.

But God allowed me to experience a grief that put David’s words to the test in my life. I was crushed and alone . . . I imagine most people who experience grief feel they have to go through it alone. Grief is personal and comes with its own individualized timetable.

But our Heavenly Father is personal and individual too. He meets us in our unique circumstances and He met me in my grief.

How?

Through His Word and prayer.

As I spent time in His Word and turned to Him in surrendered prayer . . . I slowly began to heal and my trust in the Lord’s faithfulness to keep His promises grew as well.

Today, I’m sharing some of the verses and prayers God used to help me heal when I was grieving. Promises that held me through tears and reminded me of His sufficient grace, mercy, and love . . . promises that gave me hope for the future.

I’d love for you to join me. You can pray these prayers for yourself or place the name of someone you love and care for in the blanks as you pray with me.

Promises to Pray That Will Help When You are Grieving

It's hard to find the words to pray when you are grieving. We tend to cry "why" through exhausted tears and pain. But God gave His promises to pray. #Grief #VersestoPray #PromisesofGod #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

He heals the brokenhearted and
bandages their wounds.

How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
His understanding is beyond comprehension!

Psalm 147:3,5

Father, when my heart is broken, I trust You to be my Healer. I believe You will give me (my loved one) everything I need one day at a time.

I really hate this situation and I believe You hate it too. Pain was not Your will for Your children . . . we are sinful people in a sinful world. Thank you for Your love for us and for being great in power and understanding. Thank you for sending Jesus to give us a relationship that supplies us with everything we need to heal. I surrender my grief (__________’s grief) to You. Please help me to focus on You as You provide for us throughout this day.

He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way.
    He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses He carried;
    it was our sorrows that weighed Him down.

Isaiah 53:3–4a

Jesus, You experienced grief. You wept over the death of Your friend and in anticipation of Your own suffering and death . . . even though You knew (You know) that death is not the end for those who place their trust in You.

Thank you for carrying our weaknesses, failures, and sins to the cross. Thank you for experiencing pain and sorrow. You “understand our weaknesses. [You] were tempted in every way that we are, but [You] did not sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus, please walk with me (__________) through this grief and increase my faith as I place my hope in You.

Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.

Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

Psalm 55:17,22
It's hard to find the words to pray when you are grieving. We tend to cry "why" through exhausted tears and pain. But God gave His promises to pray. #Grief #VersestoPray #PromisesofGod #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

Father, thank you for listening to my prayers. You know my voice and even when I can’t put my prayers into words, You hear the cries of my heart. So, I bring You this burden. I lay this grief at Your feet trusting that You will hold me (__________). I believe You will keep me from slipping and falling into doubt and fear. Please fill me (__________) with Your Spirit and grant me (__________) Your peace.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Revelations 21:4

Father, I love this promise of hope for the future. No more death or sorrow or crying or pain. That is the future You promise Your children. No more tears of grief or brokenness.

You are making everything new. (Revelation 21:5) And You promise these words are true and trustworthy. With Your help, I hold Your Word close to my heart. You, Lord, are the One who fills my future with hope and promise. Thanks and praise.

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

Romans 8:38

Oh, Father, how I love this promise. Nothing can separate Your children from Your perfect unfailing love. Not death or pain, problems or failures, fear, worry, or heartbreaking grief. Not even the enemy himself can remove us from Your loving care and compassion.

Thank you! I surrender this grief to You. The life, death, and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus, is the proof of Your unconquerable love. You surround us with a love so great it calms our fear, dries our tears, and assures our future.

Thank you, Father! You promise me a future filled with hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) You are the source of my hope for the future . . . for healing from grief and pain because Your Word promises “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)

I come to You, in Jesus’ name and I ask that You might answer my prayer that I might live each day for Your glory. Amen.

Thank you so much for praying with me. I am asking the Lord to be with you when you are grieving and give you everything you need. I have experienced His healing grace and pray that He will allow you to heal and be blessed with His perfect peace and joy.

God bless 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

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

5 of the Best Verses to Pray for Your Friends

Praise God for the people who walk beside us, pull us along, and even nudge us from behind. Oh, the blessing of finding Scripture to pray for your friends... #Friendship #Prayer #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers #HisGraceGirls

I want to stop and celebrate the blessing of friends today.

Not our list of Facebook friends with whom we share the edited versions of our stories but the close group of people who know our real stories … those stories we keep hidden away from most of the world. I want to celebrate the people who truly know us and love us anyway.

I’ve learned there is a life truth we all need to remember. Everyone has a difficult or painful story. Everyone!

We all have a page or two in our stories that we keep tucked away because they are hard to share…

It’s been several years and yet, I can still picture every face gathered around that table like it happened last week. Seriously, I still remember where each person was sitting.

But more than our location at the table, I remember the question that invited us to share those tucked away pages of our stories…

” I WANT TO KNOW MORE, TELL ME YOUR TESTIMONY.” 

In other words, I want to know YOU – not just the pretty social media version but I want to know the parts of your story that make you … YOU!

And that’s hard, isn’t it?

It’s especially with people we don’t know well. We don’t like allowing ourselves to become vulnerable. We can’t help wondering … can I trust this person, this new friend, with my pain?

I still get emotional whenever I remember … when I think about that night and yes, even now, years later … because those girls are Romans 12 to me.

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

Romans 12:9–10, 15

I BELIEVE WE ALL WANT ROMANS 12 FRIENDSHIPS BUT IT’S HARD, ISN’T IT?

But we’re afraid.

Somehow that night, God gave us the courage to trust each other … to open up and share those pages that we typically kept locked away.

And it quickly became evident that the Lord was there with us…

“If two or three people come together in my name, I am there with them.”

Matthew 18:20

Because He was with us, we saw Jesus’ love in each other’s eyes, and one friend after another we told our stories. We cried. We laughed. We encouraged. We loved.

That’s friendship! That’s what we all want. Friends who love like Jesus!

So, today I want to pray for our friends and our friendships and I’d love for you to join me…

5 of the Best Verses to Pray for Your Friends

Praise God for the people who walk beside us, pull us along, and even nudge us from behind. Oh, the blessing of finding Scripture to pray for your friends... #Friendship #Prayer #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

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

Ephesians 4:32

Father, thank you for creating us to live in community. Thank you for knowing that the love of friends is an important part of our lives. You have instilled in us a need for companionship and You have established in us the ability to be kind to each other. You have made it possible for us to set aside our selfishness so that we might show compassion. You have given us an example of forgiveness and then You give us the ability to forgive one another.

Your grace shines in my friendships. Thank you for blessing me with beautiful souls who love You and love like You. They make every day better! Thank you Lord the gift of my beautiful friends!

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Father, I want to be a better encourager. I try … but I know I could do more. It’s so easy to be selfish or get distracted. Please forgive me.

By Your grace and with Your help, may I love like Jesus. May I be the one who builds up my friends. May I remind them of the ways I see You in them. May I faithfully pray for them. May I take the time to know them and love them as You love them.

Thank you for covering my failures with Your grace and mercy. Help me generously cover my hurts and disappointments with the love You pour into my life. May I always give the same forgiving love to my friends that I want them to give to me … that You give to us.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 

Romans 12:10–11

Father, what a blessing to have friends who are filled with the love of Christ Jesus. Friends who don’t just pretend to love … but who love with genuine kindness and humility.

Please be with my friend as they walk with You. Please hold them close as they journey through the highs and lows of life. Give them courage and strength for the battles they face. Give them peace to replace anxiety, hope to replace worry, and faith when doubts creep in. And more than anything, faithfully remind them that whatever they face today or in the future … nothing can separate them from Your love. (Romans 8:38) You are with them now as You will be forever. (Matthew 28:20)

Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Colossians 3:12–15

Father, I need Your help. I want to consistently wear a wardrobe of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience but I fall so far short every day. I have to admit that I want my friends to be patient and forgiving of my faults when I can be short on patience and forgiveness myself.

You are so patient and merciful to me. You have blessed me with wonderful friends. I realize when I fail to love the way You want me to love … it has more to do with me than it has to do with them.

Please fill me with the love of Christ Jesus. Please make His love be what guides, guards, and rules in my heart. Thank you for each one of the beautiful people who have brought into my life. Love them, Father, through me.

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us.

1 John 4:11–12

Oh, Father, thank you! I see Your love in my friends! You show Yourself in their lives … the way they humbly serve others, the way they listen and encourage, the way they care with compassion, the way they offer help and hope, and the way they forgive, and the way they love.

Each friend is a precious gift! Thank you! Please bless my friends today, Lord. Meet every need. Give them strength and courage for every battle they face. And cover them the power of Your promises and love. By Your grace and for Your glory shine Your light in them and through them. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Praise God for the people who walk beside us, pull us along, and even nudge us from behind. Oh, the blessing of finding Scripture to pray for your friends... #Friendship #Prayer #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers #HisGraceGirls

Finally, pray for your friends by name.

Stop for a moment today and….

Thank God for the people with whom you have been able to share the hard pages of your story. The friends who wanted to know the real YOU and have continued to love you just the way you are.

The friends who walk beside you when life is great, who hold out their hand when you need hope for the future and maybe even give you a little nudge when you need to leave the past in the past.

Thank God for the blessing of friends. Life just wouldn’t be the same without them!

I’m praying you are blessed today with much joy, as you think about and celebrate your friends.

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

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

Promises That Will Give You Hope When You Need It Most

Having the promises of Jesus gives us hope when life is uncertain. His Words offer encouragement for today, tomorrow, and into the unknown future. #PromisesofGod #HopeinJesus #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Terrorism, politics, illness, heartbreak, loss, and pandemics…

Sometimes this broken world feels like it’s too much … too painful. Too hard.

Then I stop and remember Solomon’s words:

History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.

Ecclesiastes 1:9

Nothing’s new. It’s all happened before.

No, I’m not trying to totally depress you, especially when I promised you hope.

But the truth is … our hope is not in this broken world. Our hope is in Jesus – the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Jesus stepped into a painfully dark and broken time in history. Roman dominance. Temple dissension. Hurting broken people.

Remember … there’s nothing new under the sun.

But Jesus came to give us something new. A NEW that He alone could give.

New life. Changed life. Purposeful life. Redeemed life. Abundant life. Eternal life.

History may repeat itself. But the truths and promises of the newness you and I have in Jesus are only repeated as they become new lives in people who turned to Him in faith.

And that is what gives us hope. Real, renewing, and lasting hope. Promises of hope!

It’s a hope that reminds us we can trust every promise about Jesus that was ever made. So, let’s surround ourselves with Jesus’ hope today.

Let’s lay down our fears, anger, frustration, and hopelessness as we embrace the truth of promises that are forever true. Promises that give us eternal hope no matter what is happening in the world around us.

Having these promises we can count on in this nothing new under the sun world changes everything. Because under the Son, our everything is full of hope through His grace, mercy, and love.

Having the promises of Jesus gives us hope when life is uncertain. His Words offer encouragement for today, tomorrow, and into the unknown future. #PromisesofGod #HopeinJesus #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

20 Promises of Jesus that will Give You Hope

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” Matthew 5:3

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28–30

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

“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12

Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah!” John 4:26

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” John 11:25

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31–32

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:16–17

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

“I am the good shepherd. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” John 10:11, 27–30

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again.” John 14:27–28

“I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.” John 15:26

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.” John 17:20

“There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” John 14:2–3

“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” Revelation 1:8

“Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last.I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. Revelation 1:17–18

“Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelations 22:12–13

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory. 2 Corinthians 1:20

Having the promises of Jesus gives us hope when life is uncertain. His Words offer encouragement for today, tomorrow, and into the unknown future. #PromisesofGod #HopeinJesus #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Praying the Promises of Hope

Father, Thank you so much for loving us so much that the moment we sinned You had a plan to save us. You Word says You love us so much that You gave Your only Son to save us … the highest price You could possibly pay. All because of love!

Thank you for Your Word! You want us to KNOW You. You want us to live each day knowing we are safe and secure in Jesus. He is the WAY of Life, He is the TRUTH we need for Life, and He is LIFE itself. He gives us the promise of eternal life and the blessing of a full and abundant life now.

Today, I come to You for rest. I bring You the junk of my life. Please forgive me for the ways I have failed to follow Your will and change me into the person You want me to be. I believe Your way is best. I want to trust and obey You in everything I do and say. I want my thoughts to be focused on Jesus, the One who is the source of my faith and the One who strengthens me and gives me all I need each day.

So, I’m pausing to thank and praise You! By Your grace, it is well with my soul. Help me live this day for Your glory. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Friend, I’m asking God to bless you today! I’m asking Him to hold you close and surround you with the love of Jesus as He reminds you that in Him … you have everything you need. His promises are true and His mercies are new every morning. He is faithful to keep His promises of hope.

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!

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by 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 for Hope When You are Suffering

Scripture verses to pray that will give you hope when you or someone you care about are suffering. Hope in God's promises to give you strength. #Prayer #Hope #HopeQuotesforHardTimes #BibleStudy #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings #HisGraceGirls

Even if you are not personally suffering at the moment … you can’t turn on the news or scroll through social media without seeing it all around you.

So many of us are feeling the heaviness of suffering … either our own or the empathetic burden we carry for one another.

But God…

Oh, how I love those words.

I love that Scripture is honest about the suffering that all of creation has endured since sin became our human condition and the Garden gate was closed.

Even though our righteous and holy God cannot ignore sin … He loves us. And that’s why I love the words “but God.” They are a blessed reminder of the Lord’s mercy and grace.

Just look at a few examples:

  • But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat. Genesis 8:1
  • But God listened to Abraham’s request. Genesis 19:29
  • You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. Genesis 50:20
  • Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15
  • My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever. Psalm 73:26
  • The law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17
  • You killed the author of life, but God raised Him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact! Acts 3:15
  • But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8
  • But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. Ephesians 2:4–5

No matter what is going on in our lives, the lives of the people around us, or those anywhere in the world … the One you and I turn to in prayer is greater than our circumstances.

He is greater than our feelings. Greater than the news. Greater than our wants and needs. He gives us hope in our suffering.

When we’re suffering, the Spirit whispers …

“But God…”

So today, I’d love for you to join me as I ask the Lord to give us hope in our suffering … as I ask Him to help us remember that He is greater than our circumstances and give us peace that passes understanding.

Pray for Hope When You are Suffering

Scripture verses to pray that will give you hope when you or someone you care about are suffering. Hope in God's promises to give you strength. #Prayer #Hope #HopeQuotesforHardTimes #BibleStudy #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Through Christ, you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because He raised Christ from the dead and gave Him great glory.

1 Peter 1:21

Father, You promised a Savior the moment sin entered the world … You had a plan and a promise! A promise to heal our sickness, to repair our brokenness, to suffer our death … that we might have the hope of LIFE!

By the power of Your Spirit, help me cling to Jesus. May He be my hope when I am suffering.

Lord, when I’m tempted to focus on my problems and pain, help me remember—I can trust Your perfect unfailing love … a love You proved by sacrificing Yourself by suffering my punishment to forgive me and give me life.

Please strengthen me and give me all that I need to lay my suffering on the altar of Your grace. Help me focus on You … trusting that You will give me the hope I need to face today in faith. By Your grace, I am protected by Your hard to understand peace and lifted up by Your mercy and grace.

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:4, 13

Father, thank you for people like Paul. Thank you for his example of what it means to live with hope even when I’m surrounded by suffering. Your Word is the encouragement I need. Each time I read it, I see evidence of promises that have been fulfilled already. You Lord, are faithful, unfailing, and true!

Father, Your Spirit speaks to me through the pages of Your Word. Jesus said, the Spirit will “teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” (John 14:26) Thank you!

Thank you for the gift of Your Spirit. Thank you for Your Word. Thank you for being my encouragement and source of hope. Even when I’m suffering, when the people I love are suffering, when I don’t understand why there is so much suffering … I can trust Your promises of love.

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

Romans 5:3–5

Father, I admit … this verse is really hard. I don’t want to “rejoice” when I’m suffering. I hate dealing with problems and trials. I want a strong character and confident hope … but Lord, I don’t want the pain that is part of this process.

I get asked often … why You allow suffering. And I’ll admit, I’ve asked “why” myself sometimes. But I believe this verse is just a part of Your answer to our questions. You know how easy it is for us to become self-sufficient when things are easy, and You want us to trust You completely. You want us to SEEK You first – over anything this world has to offer. You want us to trust Your love.

You want me to experience the strong confident hope that only You can give.

In His kindness, God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation. All power to Him forever! Amen.

1 Peter 5:10–11

By Your grace, Father … this is temporary. The suffering we experience here is nothing compared to the glorious eternal future You have promised to those who know, love, and trust Jesus.

When we are burdened by suffering, You invite us to SEEK You first and promise that when we do … You will give us everything we need. I believe You are who You say You are. I believe You can and will do what You say, and I believe that means You will give me strength when I have none of my own and that You are the solid foundation on whom I can rely.

Yours is the power and glory forever. Thank you, Lord.

We put our hope in the Lord.
    He is our help and our shield.
In Him, our hearts rejoice,
    for we trust in His holy name.
Let Your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
    for our hope is in You alone.

Psalm 33:20–22

Father, I put my hope in You. Everything else is fragile and fleeting. You, Lord, are my Helper and my Protector. You are the One who gives me strength and peace when life overwhelms me. You are the One I trust with my today, my tomorrow … my forever.

Your unfailing love surrounds me. I am safe in Your care. Your Word says that wherever I go, You are there. (Psalm 139) You are aware of everything that happens in my life. (Luke 12:27–28)

Lord, by Your grace and with Your help, in every experience and circumstance, You are my hope in suffering! I am sheltered by Your love … perfect unfailing love that promises me a forever future by grace, through faith in Jesus. Please help me keep my heart and mind focused on You and not on my suffering. I pray and surrender my all to Your perfect love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture verses to pray that will give you hope when you or someone you care about are suffering. Hope in God's promises to give you strength. #Prayer #Hope #HopeQuotesforHardTimes #BibleStudy #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings #HisGraceGirls

Friend, I’m so sorry you are suffering.

Suffering makes me sad and I believe it makes God sad, too.

I don’t believe suffering is God’s will for us. I believe He allows it because He wants us to realize our need for Him. He wants us to SEEK to KNOW Him. He wants us to live with the hope we can only have when we surrender to His love.

I’m praying that for you today. May you experience His peace today as you rest in the hope we have in Jesus … God’s perfect love. Hope even when we’re suffering.

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

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

A Holy Week Bible Study that will Help You Focus on Jesus

A Holy Week Bible Study for individuals and families - Walk through the Gospels and spend time with Jesus. Questions and prayers to help you experience His love #HolyWeek #Jesus #PassionofChrist #God'sLove #PalmSunday #MaundyThursday #GoodFriday #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Anne Graham Lotz wrote…

Why did Jesus have to die?

If there was any other way to offer us forgiveness of sin, to reconcile us to God, to give us eternal life, and to open Heaven for us when we die, God would have found it. He never would have sent Jesus to die on the cross. There simply is no other way.

I’m taking closer look at Holy Week because I want to make it personal. I want to see myself standing with the cheering crowds, sitting at the table in the upper room, asleep in the garden, and standing at the foot of the cross.

I’d love for you to join me and maybe even spend some time talking about the questions with your family.

I don’t want to rush through the pain to get to the promise. This year, I want to pause and see myself with His disciples … fully experiencing the Jesus’ gift of love that gave me the freedom to LIVE in LOVE!

A Holy Week Bible Study

A Holy Week Bible Study for individuals and families - Walk through the Gospels and spend time with Jesus. Questions and prayers to help you experience His love #HolyWeek #Jesus #PassionofChrist #God'sLove #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Palm Sunday

Let’s start with a prayer…

Help me stop this week and look at my heart. Show me where I’m wrong. Show me my sin. Forgive me and help me change.

Thank you for saving me through Jesus. Thank you for saving the words of those who walked with Him. Thank you for allowing me to look closely and marvel at amazing grace. Teach me. Guide me. Draw me close in Jesus name. Amen.

So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for Him to ride on.

As He rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of Him. When He reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of His followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

“Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”

Luke 19:35–38

Pause with me for a moment and let your heart and mind imagine the scene.

  • What do you see?
  • What do you hear?
  • What do you smell?
  • Who are you?
    • A follower?
    • A Pharisee?
    • A bystander?
    • A fan?

Are you being swept along by the excitement? Are you skeptical of the man they say can raise the dead? Are you angry? Are you confused?

  • Do you believe?

Read each Gospel account – Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–40, John 12:12–19

Later that day, Jesus said…

“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to Your name.”

John 12:27
  • What would you like to say to Him?

Holy Monday

Back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and He stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”

Mark 11:15–18

Pause for moment…

  • What do you see?
  • What do you hear?
  • How does it smell?
  • Who are you?
    • A worshipper?
    • A priest?
    • An observer?
    • A disciple?
    • A buyer? A seller?
  • How do you feel?
  • Do you believe?

My prayer…

Father, forgive me. I’m ashamed. I’m afraid I would likely stand in the courtyard surprised by Jesus’ passion and conviction. It’s probably I would find normal and satisfactory the way things have “always” been done. I wonder if I would even realize that a place of prayer had become a marketplace.

I’m challenged to ask if I’ve allowed subtle changes in culture to distort my perception of holiness and worship.

I want a passion for Your holy presence. I want to cherish what You call holy. I want to give the highest value to truth and honesty. I want to know Your truth. I want my heart to break for those things that break Your heart and I want to hold sacred that which is precious to You.

Please help me, Father. Forgive me. Guide me by the power of Your Spirit. Draw me close. Hear my prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Read each Gospel account – Matthew 12:12–17, Mark 11:15–25, Luke 19:45–48,

Maundy Thursday

A Holy Week Bible Study for individuals and families - Walk through the Gospels and spend time with Jesus. Questions and prayers to help you experience His love #HolyWeek #Jesus #PassionofChrist #God'sLove #PalmSunday #MaundyThursday #GoodFriday #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

In the Upper Room…

He got up from the table, took off His robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then He began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel He had around Him.

After washing their feet, He put on His robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

John 13:4–5, 12–15

Let’s pause…

  • What do you see?
  • How does it smell?
  • What do you hear?
  • How do you feel?
  • Who are you?
    • Matthew?
    • Nathaniel?
    • James or John?
    • Judas?
    • Peter?
    • An observer watching from the corner?
  • Are you humbled? Are you ashamed? Are you confused or embarrassed?
  • Are you willing to serve those with stinky feet?
  • Do you believe?

Father, I picture myself with teachers I’ve respected and admired; and I can’t imagine one of them washing my feet. It seems awkward and embarrassing. It’s easy to relate to Peter’s word, “You will never wash my feet.”

But then I hear Jesus’ words and I see His humble love and I want to follow His example and love like Him.

Please forgive me. I fail repeatedly. I allow “self” to get in the way of love and service. I’m self-protective and self-righteous. Help me. Open my eyes to see those who need me to love them with humble love. Help me to follow Jesus’ example. Help me trust and obey. Amen.

Read each Gospel account – Matthew 26:17–30, Mark 14:12–26, Luke 22:7–30, John 13:1–17

In Gethsemane’s Garden

Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and He said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 

He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

He went on a little farther and bowed with His face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not mine.”

Then He returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

Matthew 26:36,38–41

And again, let’s pause…

  • What do you see?
  • What do you hear?
  • What do you smell?
  • Who are you?
    • Peter?
    • James?
    • John?
    • Thomas? Philip? Matthew?
    • Judas?

Are you embarrassed? Are you trying to stay awake? Are you confused by Jesus’ emotion on this night of celebration? Are you afraid?

  • Do you watch and pray?
  • Do you believe?

Lord, I can’t imagine the anguish of that hour. The pain of knowing what was about to happen. The pain of knowing the beginning to the end. Knowing the pain, the betrayal, denials, lies, rejection…

I am so sorry. Please forgive me. My sin. My shame. My punishment.

Help me to live by the power of Your Spirit. Help me to embrace the freedom you’ve given. Help me to love You with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. Help me to love like Jesus. In His name and for His sake I pray. Amen.

Read each Gospel account – Matthew 26:36–46, Mark 14:32–42, Luke 22:39–45,

Good Friday

Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put a purple robe on Him. “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped Him across the face.

John 19:1-3

Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by Himself, He went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed Him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

John 19:16–19

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. Then at three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

Mark 15:33–34

Jesus knew that His mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.”

When Jesus had tasted it, He said, “It is finished!” Then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

John 19:28,30

And finally, let’s pause to make it personal one more time…

  • What do you see?
  • What do you hear?
  • What do you smell?
  • Who are you?
    • John?
    • Mary Magdalene?
    • A Soldier?
    • Mary, His mother?
    • A Mocker?
    • An Observer?
    • A Thief?
    • A Priest?
  • How do you feel?

Are you afraid? Are you appalled? Are you ashamed? Self-righteous? Devastated? Confused? Satisfied?

  • Who is this man? Who is Jesus to you?
  • Do you believe?

Father, Jesus said, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 

Draw me close, Father. Pull me to the foot of the cross. I don’t want to look away . . . to shrug off hard to face truths. That my sin caused Jesus suffering and death. My hand held the hammer. I stand with the mockers and Pharisees.

I want to see myself as John or one of the Marys. But that’s just my foolish pride. It allows me to judge those who history credits as causing your death. It allows me to separate myself. It makes it possible for me to think—at least I’m not as bad as…

But, I’m wrong. Forgive me. I am a sinner. As hard as I try, I will always fall short of Your perfect will for me. I’m so sorry.

Thank you for never giving up on me. Help me to keep my eyes, my heart, and my mind focused on Jesus—the One who authored and perfected my relationship with You through faith. I come to the cross that brings me to You. Thank you, Father. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

Read each Gospel account – Matthew 32 27:32–56, Mark 15:21–41, Luke 23:26–49, John 19:16–27

A Holy Week Bible Study for individuals and families - Walk through the Gospels and spend time with Jesus. Questions and prayers to help you experience His love #HolyWeek #Jesus #PassionofChrist #God'sLove #PalmSunday #MaundyThursday #GoodFriday #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

I’m praying for you this Holy Week.

I’m asking God to bless you and remind you once again of how very much He loves you…

 God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, “I love you.” ~ Billy Graham

And I’d love for you to join me on Friday when I’m going to God with prayers inspired by the things Jesus said from the cross.

May God encourage you and hold you close as you SEEK Him.

Don’t forget to bookmark this Holy Week Bible Study so you can refer back to it throughout the week and focus your heart and mind on Jesus.

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

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

Psalms to Pray When You Need to Be Hopeful

The Bible says that it's okay to pray with honest emotions as we trust God to give us everything we need. That's a beautiful reason we can be hopeful always. #HopefulinGod #HopeintheBible #Faith #Prayer #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Is it hard for you to be honest with God?

Do you struggle to pour out feelings of impatience or frustration?

Are you able to tell Him when you’re losing hope because your problem persists and you wonder if things will ever change even though you’ve prayed and prayed and prayed?

I love that God loves us so much, He included the honest struggles of those who followed Him throughout Scripture.

One of my favorite examples is David, who openly cried out to God when he was afraid, worried, lonely, angry, disappointed, uncertain, restless, outraged, or heartbroken.

And yet, he never stayed there…

He also praised, adored, worshipped, exalted, and received what he needed to be hopeful.

Maybe like me, you have several things for which you’ve prayed again and again … things that are important to your heart but you’re starting to wonder if God’s is responding with a “no” rather than a “not yet.”

Yes, I too have days when I feel disappointed and discouraged.

And it used to be hard for me to share those feelings with the Lord.

But the more I read and pray Scripture, the more I’m learning that God wants me to honestly tell Him when…

  • I’m discouraged.
  • I’m frustrated.
  • I’m anxious.
  • I’m afraid.
  • I’m worried.
  • I’m impatient.

Why?

Because He already knows anyway and when I’m open and honest before Him, I’m reminded that He loves me just the way I am.

And because of His compassion and love, God wants us … you and me, to trust that He will answer our prayers in His way and His time. He wants us to trust that He will give us everything we need while we wait … including hope.

So today, I’m writing honest prayers based on the words of the Psalmists asking the Lord to help me remain hopeful as I wait … trusting His unfailing love and perfect care. I’m excited to have you join me.

Psalms to Pray When You Need to Be Hopeful

The Bible says that it's okay to pray with honest emotions as we trust God to give us everything we need. That's a beautiful reason we can be hopeful always. #HopefulinGod #HopeintheBible #Faith #Prayer #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

I cried out, “I am slipping!”
    but Your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.
When doubts filled my mind,
    Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

Psalm 94:18–19

Father, at this moment when hope seems like it is fading into the distance. I feel like I’m sliding into despondency. Lord, I so desperately want to keep my focus on You but the longing in my heart beats so loudly it’s hard for me to think about anything else.

I know the enemy is at work, speaking words of hopelessness and doubt. So, I’m running to You. I’m trusting Your unfailing love and asking You to encourage me and hold me. I need You, Lord. Please restore my hope, strengthen me and give me everything I need to live through this trying time.

Why am I discouraged?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise Him again—
    my Savior and my God!

Psalm 43:5

Thank you for this reminder, Lord. Sometimes I can focus on the fact that I’ve prayed and prayed for what seems like forever … and still I wait. And yes, when I do, I feel sad and discouraged.

Your Word tells me to trust You to know and do what is best in my life. It tells me to look at the ways You have protected and helped me in the past as I look to the future in faith with hope.

So, I will praise You in this storm. I will wait in faith today and if I must continue to wait another day, week, or longer … I will count on You to give me whatever I need to put my hope in Your wisdom and love.

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
    and He turned to me and heard my cry.

Psalm 40:1

Father, It feels like I’ve been waiting forever. I confess that I don’t feel very patient right now. I want my faith to be greater than my doubt but right now I feel weak and vulnerable.

I believe You are greater than my feelings. I need You. This season of waiting has gone on for so long. Please help me keep my eyes on You. Help me trust that You are working in my life on this situation even when I cannot see.

Hear my prayer. Restore my hope as I place my trust in Your unfailing love.

The Lord hears His people
when they call to Him for help.
    He rescues them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
    He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Psalm 34:17–18

Father, I am overwhelmed and I need You.

These words of Dave, comfort me and give me hope. Even in this moment, You hear the cries of my heart. You hold me close when I’m crushed and brokenhearted … You forgive me and lift me up.

You are my rescuer and the source of my hope. Thank you! I will trust Your promise to give me everything I need when I SEEK You and follow You with all my heart. (Luke 12:31)

So, I will faithfully ask, seek, and knock. I will continue to run to You with honest emotions and trust Your love to comfort and strengthen me today, tomorrow, and forever.

But I trust in Your unfailing love.
    I will rejoice because You have rescued me.
I will sing to the Lord
    because He is good to me.

Psalm 13:5–6

Thank you, Lord! By Your grace, You have given me everything I need to trust Your perfect love that never fails and never ends. Your Word says that You are LOVE. (1 John 4:8) And LOVE is patient and kind. It forgives, endures, and never gives up.

Thank you for Your patient love. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for Your goodness and grace.

Today, I will praise Your holy name. I will surrender to Your will. I will trust Your love. And I will live with hope … by Your grace and for Your glory. And I will count on Your promise to give me everything I need to live with hope again tomorrow. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

The Bible says that it's okay to pray with honest emotions as we trust God to give us everything we need. That's a beautiful reason we can be hopeful always. #HopefulinGod #HopeintheBible #Faith #Prayer #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Friend, I know what it’s like to pray and pray and wait and wait and feel like I’m losing hope.

Something has changed for me in recent years.

You see, I’ve been asking God to answer a very specific prayer for a very very long time. One day, as I was crying and explaining to Him that the wait and the hurt were just too great … I felt Him gently whisper, “You have no idea how I’ve spared you.”

And it changed everything.

You and I can only see what’s right in front of us. God sees the whole picture … past, present, and future.

I will always hope and pray that one day I will receive a heavenly “YES” to my heart’s desire, but I’m learning that the focus of my hope is not the thing for which I hope but in the One who gives me hope.

God is showing me that I can be hopeful because of who He is and because even if He asks me to wait or if His answer to my prayer is “no” … He will give me everything I need to endure in faith.

You and I can endure whatever He allows because…

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

Psalm 106:1

He will not leave us to endure alone and although He may not always answer our prayers the way we want, we can be hopeful because He will always answer them out of His goodness 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

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by 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 Be Bold with Wisdom – Pray

When you and I want to boldly speak the truth and live with faith we God's help and wisdom. Here are verses to pray, asking God to help you be bold and wise. #Wisdom #BeBold #Faith #Prayer #Hope #PrayforWisdom #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Our grandson loves math.

I get it! I love math, too.

We were talking about his love for math the other night and he told me it’s his favorite because it is logical and consistent.

Then he said, “Words are harder … with language you have to figure out things like there, their, and they’re. It’s confusing.”

I then told him about working on this post about being bold and how I was learning that there are different definitions for the word and that boldness can be both a good thing and a foolish thing.

And then he said, “And in writing, bold is thick. So people could basically think you’re telling them to get thick … or fatter.”

Is it any wonder we struggle to understand each other?

Boldness is defined as having the courage to act or speak fearlessly, despite real or imagined dangers.

And that’s why being bold can be good but it can also be foolish. Without wisdom, you and I can speak or act too quickly and bring about disaster for ourselves and the people around us.

I want to be bold with wisdom!

I want the courage to boldly speak the truth and live my faith but I can’t do either wisely without God’s help.

I need the Holy Spirit…

  1. To help me know the truth.
  2. To give me the wisdom to know what to say and do.
  3. To guide me and help me know when and how to speak or act.

Those things take the faithful study of God’s Word to know His truth and prayer to ask Him to give me wisdom and guidance.

So once again, I’m going to the Word and I’m praying … I’d love for you to join me.

When You Need to Be Bold with Wisdom – Pray

When you and I want to boldly speak the truth and live with faith we God's help and wisdom. Here are verses to pray, asking God to help you be bold and wise. #Wisdom #BeBold #Faith #Prayer #Hope #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. 

Ephesians 3:11

Lord, how can I begin to thank you? You know everything about me … inside and out. You know that I’m a foolish mess who desperately needs Your help and counsel. And lovingly invite me to boldly and confidently come to You in prayer with any concern and every need.

Thank you! Your gracious love overwhelms me. When I am weak; make me bold. When I am confused; give me wisdom. When I lack confidence; remind me of Your unfailing love.

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.

1 Corinthians 16:13–14 (NLT)

Father, I want to be bold for You … but before I can be bold for You and for Your truth, I need to need to know You. I need Your truth imprinted on my heart and in my mind. And I need to be lead by Your love.

Please guard my heart and watch over my thoughts. Help me focus on all that is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Help me think about things that excellent and praiseworthy. (Philippians 4:8) Help me focus on the truth that makes me bold and by Your grace, help me boldly and lovingly share Your truth in all I say and do.

And please pray for me. Pray that truth will be with me before I even open my mouth. Ask the Spirit to guide me while I boldly defend the mystery that is the good news—for which I am an ambassador in chains—so pray that I can bravely pronounce the truth, as I should do.

Ephesians 6:19–20 (VOICE)

Lord, I pray that You will move in me and create an overwhelming desire to SEEK You first in my life … that Your truth may be with and within me. I want to always be ready to boldly act and speak in ways that will inspire and encourage everyone I meet to want what I have. I want them all to know and love You … to know how much You know and love them.

Lord, I ask that You will pour Your love into my life and fill me up to overflowing that I might courageously pour Your love out to others. Open my eyes, my heart, my mind … that I might love like Jesus.

When I called, You answered me. You made me bold by strengthening my soul.

Psalm 138:3 (GW)

Oh, Father, I love that I can come to You at any time from any place. And wherever I am, whatever my need … when I cry out to You, You hear and answer me.

Today, I’m asking You to strengthen me and make me bold. Place a hedge of Your protection around my soul. Be my hope and my encouragement. When the days are long and the journey is hard, please give me all I need to boldly live in faith one moment at a time.

This is why I have never stopped praying for you since I heard about you. I ask God that you may know what He wants you to do. I ask God to fill you with the wisdom and understanding the Holy Spirit gives.

Colossians 1:9

Lord, this is my prayer … that You will help Your children know what You want them to do. Give us all a passion for Your Word and work in us a desire to humbly surrender our stubborn wills to You.

Your Word says, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” (James 1:5) We need Your wisdom. I need Your wisdom.

I need the wisdom to know when to be bold for You and when to be still and let You do what only You can do. I love You, Lord. I surrender this day to You. By Your grace, help me and use me for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

When you and I want to boldly speak the truth and live with faith we God's help and wisdom. Here are verses to pray, asking God to help you be bold and wise. #Wisdom #BeBold #Faith #Prayer #Hope #PrayforWisdom #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

It can be hard to be bold.

It’s even harder to be bold with wisdom.

It’s often easier to either sit on the sidelines or boldly share the popular opinions of the world.

But you and I are called by God to be bold with wisdom.

Paul said it this way…

God has chosen what the world calls foolish to shame the wise. He has chosen what the world calls weak to shame what is strong. God has chosen what is weak and foolish of the world, what is hated and not known, to destroy the things the world trusts in. In that way, no man can be proud as he stands before God. God Himself made the way so you can have new life through Christ Jesus. God gave us Christ to be our wisdom. Christ made us right with God and set us apart for God and made us holy. Christ bought us with His blood and made us free from our sins.

1 Corinthians 1:27–30 (NLV)

And my friend, through Christ Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, you and I can trust God to give us everything we need to be bold with wisdom.

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

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

Prayers that will Help You Live Free of Anxiety and Worry

It's a blessing God has given us that we can take our worries and cares to Him in prayer and live free of anxiety ... He even gives us the words in Scripture. #Prayer #VersestoPray #DoNotFear #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings #GodisLove #Hope

I think we’ve all had times when the notes on tomorrow’s planner page have resulted in a restless night of worry and anxiety.

  • A Doctor’s Appointment – for Yourself or Someone You Love.
  • A Meeting with Difficult Person.
  • A Huge Project Deadline.
  • A Major Grade-deciding Exam.
  • A Shortage of Money for a Major Need.
  • A Job Interview.
  • Too Much to Do in Too Little Time.

Jesus said…

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.

Matthew 6:34a

And we know it’s true. We know He’s right.

But it’s hard, isn’t it?

I love that Jesus doesn’t just give us platitudes that fall outside of His human experiences and emotions.

He understands.

In a conversation with His disciples, shortly after He entered Jerusalem for Holy Week, Jesus predicted His suffering and death.

And then He said…

“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name.”

John 12:27–28a

“My soul is deeply troubled.” I don’t believe He said that lightly.

He’d always known that He would come to earth to give His life for yours and mine. And yet, as the hour approached … the process of this sacrifice made Him anxious.

He wanted to glorify the Father through His self-sacrificing love and obedience … yet, He still cried out and asked the Father for a different way to accomplish His mission.

“My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Matthew 26:39

I don’t believe He ever wavered in His decision because His love was and is so huge but in that moment of emotion, He set an example for us.

Take your emotions, all your emotions, to the Father in prayer.

I love that Jesus willingly experienced worry, anxiety, and fear as part of His human experience to show us what to do when we are worried, anxious, and afraid.

Pray and give it to God!

Which is what we are doing today. We’re taking our worries and anxieties to the Lord … laying them all at His feet.

Whatever is worrying you today … will you join me and together we will take it to the throne of grace…

Prayers that will Help You Live Free of Anxiety and Worry

It's a blessing God has given us that we can take our worries and cares to Him in prayer and live free of anxiety ... He even gives us the words in Scripture. #Prayer #VersestoPray #DoNotFear #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon Him, for you are His personal concern.

1 Peter 5:7 (Phillips)

Father, I humbly come to You admitting that I need Your help. This weight of concern feels heavy. I feel alone. Thank you for reminding me today that You are with me.

Your Word says You know the tiny details of my life. You even know the number of hairs there on my head. (Matthew 10:30) I am Your personal concern and it’s okay that I can’t handle it on my own. Please help me. Give me Your peace. Strengthen me.

I pray to release my worries to You that I might live free of anxiety today.

When my worry is great within me, Your comfort brings joy to my soul.

Psalm 94:19 (NLV)

Father, I love Your Word! Thank you for telling me about people who walked and talked with You and still experienced the worries of life. You understand life and You know and understand me. None of my feelings shock or surprise You. You know when I’m worried. I don’t have to hide my feelings and concerns with You … in fact, You invite me to bring them to You in prayer so that You might bring comfort and joy to me. Thank you!

 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 

John 14:1

Jesus, Thank you for becoming one of us and for showing us how to live through life’s pain and problems in ways that glorify the Father. I want to trust You and live free of anxiety and worry. So, I’m coming to You and asking You to help me carry this burden (Matthew 11:28)

I’m asking You to give me the courage and strength I need each day and the rest I need each night. I believe You will help me again today, Lord. Thank you for the countless times You have helped me in the past.

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

John 14:27

Lord, You give me hard to understand peace. (Philippians 4:7) A peace that covers and protects my heart and mind as I focus on Your promises that never fail. Thank you, for giving me the gift of Your Spirit. He is faithful to remind me of all You have done for me and help me focus on Your eternal promises that will not fail.

Nothing can separate me from Your love. (Romans 8:38) Not one thing on my list of worries. Nothing that makes me anxious. Absolutely nothing can remove me from Your loving care and provision. You said that when I SEEK the Father’s Kingdom above all else … He will give me everything I need.

Lord, I believe. Please help me overcome my unbelief. (Mark 9:24)

So here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Leave all your cares and anxieties at the feet of the Lord, and measureless grace will strengthen you.

Psalm 55:22 (TPT)

Yes Lord, here’s what I’ve learned … well, at least it is what I’m learning. I can bring everything to You. Every care and concern. All of my worries and anxieties. I can lay them at Your throne of grace and receive grace and strength.

Measureless grace! It never runs out. It never ends. It is a continuous undeserved blessing that assures me of Your promises to give me Your strength and peace.

So, I’m bringing this problem to You trusting Your grace, mercy, and love, assured that whatever tomorrow brings You will give me everything I need. Thank you, Lord.

It's a blessing God has given us that we can take our worries and cares to Him in prayer and live free of anxiety ... He even gives us the words in Scripture. #Prayer #VersestoPray #DoNotFear #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings #GodisLove #Hope

Live Free of Anxiety

I think one of the hardest things for me to do … is to pray about my worries and then actually let go of them.

Maybe you can relate.

It seems like it’s always the same pattern…

  1. My mind spin with anxiety.
  2. I get frustrated with myself and want to let it go.
  3. I pause and pray.
  4. And then before I’m even fully aware of it … I start spinning again.

Especially in the middle of the night when I’m overly tired and the day ahead feels overwhelming.

The thing I’m writing to help me remember and wonder if you need to remember, too … is that the Lord welcomes us every single time we come to Him with our prayers. Even our repeated prayers to surrender our anxieties and concerns.

The important truth I believe with all my heart is that God wants us to repeat the following as often as necessary…

God loves you. He wants to help you. And He wants you to live free of anxiety and worry.

So, take whatever is hanging heavy on your heart today, give it to God, and focus your thoughts on His love and all the times He has given you exactly what You needed to get through all those things that caused your anxiety in the past.

He is with you and because He is with you, you never have to carry your worries alone.

Jesus promised…

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

Matthew 28:20

And by His grace, He will give you everything you need to live free of anxiety today.

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!

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When You Need to Pray for Freedom and Happiness

As children, we dream of the freedom we will enjoy as adults but as adults, demands and responsibilities can make freedom and happiness feel very elusive. So, I'm praying and asking God for His help. #WWGGG #Prayer #Freedom #Happiness #CountingMyBlessings #BibleStudy

Do you remember being a child and longing for the freedom you believed you’d finally have once you became an adult?

Then you grew up and discovered that you enjoyed way more freedom as a child than you have now. There are more demands on your time, more expectations, more work … more everything.

Freedom seems like a wishful dream and happiness, well there are days when our exhaustion and lack of freedom make happiness feel elusive as well.

But the Bible says…

If the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free.

John 8:36

So, what is the complete freedom you and I can have through faith in Jesus?

It is:

  1. Freedom from the guilt and shame of sin. Romans 8:23–24
  2. Freedom from slavery to sin. Romans 6:16
  3. Freedom from the lies we tell ourselves.  1 John 1:8–9
  4. Freedom from trying to earn God’s favor and grace. Romans 11:6
  5. Freedom from the power of Satan. James 4:7
  6. Freedom to choose our own path. Galatians 5:13
  7. Freedom to follow Jesus. Colossians 2:6–7
  8. Freedom that lasts forever. 1 John 5:13

The freedom that Jesus gives us is freedom from the penalty and guilt and shame of sin. It’s not freedom from responsibility but…

By God’s grace, it is the freedom to live fully and serve joyfully. It is the freedom we have with God’s help to know what to do in order to enjoy life with love, joy, peace, patience, etc…

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Galatians 5:22–23

And as far as I’m concerned, if I can face my responsibilities with the Spirit’s help because of the freedom I have in Christ Jesus; well, that sounds like happiness to me.

So, I’m praying and asking God to assure me once again that with His help, I have the freedom that gives happiness. I’m asking the Lord to help me stop trying to SEEK stuff and please people but to surrender my all to Him that I might fully embrace the freedom and joy of His promises today and every day.

I’d love for you to join me.

Prayers for Freedom and Happiness

As children, we dream of the freedom we will enjoy as adults but as adults, demands and responsibilities can make freedom and happiness feel very elusive. So, I'm praying and asking God for His help. #WWGGG #Prayer #Freedom #Happiness #CountingMyBlessings #BibleStudy

Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31–32

Lord, please help me know and trust Your truth that leads to freedom. My heart’s desire is to be your faithful and obedient disciple. The world tries to tell me that following Your commands is restrictive … enslaving me to a set of rules. The truth, Your truth, tells me that sin, guilt, and shame are the things that hold my heart and mind in bondage.

Help me remember that I live under Your love and that frees me to love You and others and to live with strength, courage, joy, and peace. Yes, Lord, Your grace is sufficient. By Your grace, help me surrender each day and live faithful to Your teachings for Your glory. Amen.

In my distress I prayed to the Lord,
    and the Lord answered me and set me free.
The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear.
    What can mere people do to me?

Psalm 118:5–6

Father, what an amazing blessing to be able to bring the burden of my failures and brokenness to You in repentance … trusting Your promise to forgive me. Your Word proclaims “through Jesus, there is forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 13:38) Through Jesus, my fear is gone and my hope for the future is secure. Jesus alone is the freedom I need. He is the freedom that gives me happiness. Thank you, Father.

Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

Romans 6:14

Father, by the power of Your Spirit, You give me the strength I need to set safe boundaries and fight temptation. You give me all I need to follow You because I want to not because I have to. You have given me free will, the ability to obey or reject Your Word … because You want me to receive Your grace, mercy, and love with gratitude and joy.

And I do. I love You, Lord! I praise and worship You.

For the blessing of living under Your grace frees me to love You and others … and Father, a life full of love is a life full of happiness. Thank you!

God sent Him [Jesus] to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that He could adopt us as His very own children.

Galatians 4:5

Lord Jesus, how can I begin to thank you for suffering my punishment for me. You accomplished what I cannot … so that I might be forgiven, redeemed, and rescued. You made it possible for me to be called the Father’s very own child.

A child who can approach the Father at any time, who can rest secure in the Father’s love, trust His care and provision, live with the strength and courage He gives, and enjoy the peace that passes understanding and hope that will not disappoint. Thank you, Lord Jesus, in and through You … I have everything I need.

As children, we dream of the freedom we will enjoy as adults but as adults, demands and responsibilities can make freedom and happiness feel very elusive. So, I'm praying and asking God for His help. #WWGGG #Prayer #Freedom #Happiness #CountingMyBlessings #BibleStudy

You thrill me, Lord, with all You have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done.

Psalm 92:4

Yes, Lord, You thrill me! You have set me free. You give me everything I need each day. Because of all that You have done for me, I am called precious, beloved, cherished, holy, and victorious. I am forgiven. I am loved. I am free! And that’s all I need to be happy!

Thank you for the gifts of freedom and happiness. Your love overwhelms me. Please help me, live with gratitude in ways that show the world the blessings of knowing and loving You. By Your grace and for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Friend, freedom and happiness are possible.

The freedom you and I have in Christ makes us free to live our lives the way God intended.

We are free to live under His grace, mercy, and love … knowing we are forgiven and claimed as His very own children. We can trust that we really do have everything we need to live with courage and strength in victory one day at a time.

I don’t know about you, but I believe if all of me could believe all of that 100% of the time … I would enjoy the happiness I want.

So, that is my prayer and I believe that by God’s grace, His truth will become more and more true in my life as I rest in His Word and trust His love.

I’m praying that for you, too!

Finally, a quote from C. S. Lewis says it better than I can…

If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. ~ C. S. Lewis

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

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