Category: Encouragement

All Things Beautiful

Can you believe we have made it through the 1st quarter of 2024 and spring is here? I haven’t started any yard work yet mainly because the temperature has not really warmed up enough for me to do so. However, there are plenty of visible weeds to pull and pollen is covering everything it can possibly cover. In the past week I have looked over my yard trying to decide what I want to plant this year and also to see which perennial plants are starting to peek through the ground.

Last spring I planted two rosebushes near where sections of my fence form a corner into my back yard. Although I have some petite roses, this was my first attempt to plant the standard size roses. During the summer one of the two rosebushes adjusted to where it was planted and actually produced some roses. The other rosebush seemed to struggle taking root, and I was not sure if it would survive in the summer heat. I noticed during the winter months both rosebushes were still in place along the fence, and the freezing temperatures didn’t destroy them. I have also noticed both rosebushes appear to have grown considerably in the past couple of months. Now this may be normal for roses, but as I said this has been my first attempt at growing standard size roses.

Today as I was standing at the back door, I noticed blooms on the rose bush that had appeared to struggle the most last year. Hopefully, by now you have noticed the picture above with the beautiful and vibrant red roses!  Yes, there are five roses I cut from that one rosebush!  As I started to cut each rose from the bush and marveling at how pretty they are, I thought about the scripture in Ecclesiastes that says God has made everything beautiful in its time.  

Both of these rosebushes were planted in close proximity to each other. They were planted in the same soil and they were exposed to the same weather conditions. Both of the rosebushes survived the summer’s heat and the cold winter temperatures and they survived the storms that came with each season. They even survived my novice gardening skills for roses. 

When we go through tough times and challenges in our lives, we have to prayerfully wait for changes to occur. As believers, we have to continually pray through our struggles as we wait for an answer from God. As I thought about the condition of this one rosebush, I thought about how we as believers should strive to grow closer to God even during our times of struggle. I thought about how we should gain strength from Him to keep holding on as we go through certain things. I thought about how God is mindful of us even when we appear to be giving up on ourselves or giving up on others.  I am so thankful I didn’t let my frustrations, impatience and gardening inexperience move me to pull up the one rosebush from where it was planted.  I am grateful the rosebush became more rooted in where it was planted and it didn’t stop trying to grow. I am thankful for the five beautiful roses.

The rosebush which appeared to struggle after being planted didn’t seem to adjust to or take root where it was planted. Whereas the other one took no time to adjust to its surroundings after it was planted into the ground.  Have you seen that happen in your life or someone else’s life; perhaps at work or in school? Some may receive what is perceived as better opportunities and/or receive quicker blessings. They got the promotion, but you didn’t. They had better grades and you were struggling to pass the class. I know we should not get hung up on comparisons, but there are times you can’t help but to notice certain things. This is when we have to dig deeper to trust God for His answer and to trust His timing. This is when we have to hold on to our faith and stay rooted in God’s Word. This is when we should see growth in our prayer life. God’s Word tells us:

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”  Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV

“I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.”  John 15:5 NIV

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 NIV

“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.”  Psalm 126:5 NIV

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

In the picture above there are five beautiful red roses that I have in a glass and placed on my dining room table. Today these were the only roses on the one rosebush for me to cut. The number five symbolizes God’s grace toward us; His unmerited favor. I am so thankful that we are saved by God’s grace and He has made everything beautiful in its time.

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Dear Heavenly Father, 

Thank You for being our Creator, our Protector and our Provider. Thank You for seeing us through another day. Thank You for being so good to us and for showing mercy towards us. Forgive us of our sins and help us to live better and more righteously each day.  Father, please give us strength to press on when times are hard. Bless us to grow closer to You and to become more firmly rooted in our faith journey.  We thank You for being our strength when we are weak. We thank you for holding on to us when we feel like letting go. Precious Father, we thank You for making all things beautiful in its time.  In the wonderful name of Jesus, amen! 

Leaning The Right Way

Life is. . . 

So many extra words, sentences, paragraphs, pages, or chapters that can be added to the phrase “Life is”. One minute life is good and the next minute life may not be so good. What should we as believers do to help us navigate through these moments? The Bible tells us in Proverbs 3:5-6 ”Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (NKJV)

This scripture has blessed me and comforted me in so many ways and so many times. I will often share this scripture with others when they are seeking answers. There are times in my own life where I just don’t understand the why, but I do know God has a plan for me. I have to remember to trust Him when the times are not so good just as much, if not more, as I trust Him when times are good. I have learned over the years not to try to figure things out on my own. It took me some time to get here in my thinking and in my prayer life, but thankfully, there has been progress. 

When the not so good moments occur, I have to go to God for Him to comfort me and to give me the peace I need. He can do that better than me phoning a friend or posting my circumstances on social media. He can comfort me better than retail therapy or eating too much of a favorite dessert. No one understands me better than God understands me. No one understands you better than God understands you. Remember, He is the One who created you and knit you together in your mother’s womb. He is the One who knows your thoughts even before you think them or speak them (Psalm 139).

Perhaps this is why  Proverbs 3:5 starts off with ” Trust in the LORD with all your heart”. We have to trust Him because He is the One who gave us our hearts. He loves us just as we are and He knows how we are feeling about certain issues in our lives. Then we have to lean not unto your own understanding”. God is saying I may not need you to understand right at this particular moment, but in time you will get some understanding out of your circumstances. God is saying if you trust Him and don’t try to figure things out on your own and also acknowledge Him, then He will set you on the right path. We have to lean in the right direction at all times and in all of our ways. The right way to go is to lean towards God.

There is a hymn we sang in church when I was a young girl titled “Leaning On The Everlasting Arms”. Hopefully, some of you know this song and/or remember it. Back then I had a hymn book in my hands and I would sing along with the rest of the congregation.  Here are a few lines in this song:

“What a blessedness, what a peace is mine.

Leaning on the everlasting arms. 

Leaning, leaning;  Safe and secure from all alarms.”

Safe and secure from all alarms! In other words, acknowledge Him in all our ways, then we will be safe and secure. Life is full of surprises. Life is full of ups and downs. How we manage to get through each day is key. Do we try to figure everything out and keep asking why? Or, do we turn to God and trust Him to lead us the right way. John 10:10 says ”The thief does not come except to steal and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” When we are leaning the right way, we are trusting God and trusting His plans for our lives. Life is better when we come to know we can trust God and don’t have to figure things out on our own. The right way to lean is to trust God and to acknowledge Him.

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Dear Heavenly Father, 

Thank You for the blessing of life you have given us this day. You woke us up this morning. We are grateful that You are protecting us and providing for us right now. We thank You, Father, for being merciful and loving towards us. Please forgive us of our sins. Forgive us for when we try to understand things on our own without trusting You and acknowledging You. Help us, Father, to be more intentional in seeking You for direction and clarity in our circumstances. Thank You, Father, for directing our paths and for Your word being a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths. Thank You for being the Everlasting Arms we can lean into at all times and be safe from all harm and dangers. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen and amen, again.

Red Light, Green Light…

The other day I was reminded of a game we played when we were children called “Red light, Green light”. It was one of those outdoor games we would play in the evening before the street lights came on. (Surely some of you know what the street lights coming on meant!) To start the game off one person would be chosen as the leader to call out “red light, green light, yellow light, stop” to the others who were lined up on the opposite end of a field, playground or even a street with little to no traffic coming through.

Once the leader of the group started to call out “red light, green light” those of us in line were preparing ourselves to either go, stop, or slow down based on which light the leader chose to call out. Sometimes the calls were done very quickly so there was hardly any time to move forward before we had to stop or sometimes the calls would give us enough time to make several steps towards the leader. Now if you got caught moving when the leader yelled stop, you had to go back and start all over. Sometimes you would start over by yourself or there may have been others who had to start over with you. The ultimate goal was to see who would cross the finish line at some point to get to where the leader was waiting.

This game I played in my childhood made me think of how life can be. In our journey through life, we may start off with a certain group of people, but lose connection with some of them along the way. For example, there are those you may have started with in kindergarten. Some made it all the way with you, some may have finished a year later, and there may have been a few who skipped ahead of you. And then there were some, who did not go all the way to the 12th grade; mainly because they fell so far back they dropped out. Perhaps the idea of continually starting over again was too much pressure. We may not always get to finish where we started or with those we started the journey with, but we should still continue on the journey.

As we played this game, when we heard “green light”, we could run or walk fast. Hearing “yellow light” was a sign we needed to slow down. When we heard “red light” we were supposed to stop. If you played this game, did you always listen for the command to come from the leader in front of you or did you try to figure out for yourself what the leader was going to say next? Now take some time to think about who or what was leading you at a particular time in your life. In other words, did you go to God in prayer for Him to lead you or did you try to make it on your own? Did you let fear, pride, unforgiveness, shame or failures slow you down?

As I mentioned before, the ultimate goal of the game was to get to the finish line where the leader was waiting on you. The leader would wait and continue to call out instructions and our mission was to move according to what we heard. I believe the point of me recalling this particular game was not only to focus on how we move during certain life circumstances, but more importantly, how we should listen to God’s voice giving instructions to each of us. God gives us instructions in His Word. He allows us to hear His voice. He gives us chance after chance, even when we don’t respond correctly.

“Red light, green light, yellow light, stop”. Listen! That’s God being our Good Shepherd. That’s Him leading us in the paths of righteousness. That’s Him being our Way Maker. Even when we experience darkness in our lives, He is with us. It is His grace and mercy that follows us all the days of our lives.

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Father, thank You for being our Good Shepherd. Thank You for always leading us in the right direction and showering us with Your wonderful love. Thank You for ordering our steps and being with us every step of the way. Bless us to hear You when You speak to us. Give us discernment and give us clarity to know when we should move, pause or stand still. Father, remove all stumbling blocks out of our way and make every crooked path straight. Forgive us for trying to go our own way and lead us to the way everlasting. If we ever feel like giving up, because of the challenges we face, please revive and restore us. We pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen!

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Isaiah 48:17 “This is what the LORD says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. (NIV)

John 14:4 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (NIV)

Matthew 6:13 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (NIV)

Proverbs 20:24 “A person’s steps are ordered by the LORD. How then can anyone understand their own way.” (NIV)

Philippians 3:14 “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct thy paths.” (KJV)

Isaiah 40:31 “but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.” (KJV)

Posted on in Encouragement, Faith, Inspirational

Beyond The Reflection

As I look in the mirror these days, I see the physical changes that have been taking place in my appearance over the years and especially in the past few years.  I see the increasing number of gray hairs on my head and in my eyebrows.  I see the additional weight and the changes to my skin.  For me, aging gives a whole new meaning to moisturizing, making better food choices, resting and exercising.  A few things I took for granted in my younger years have now become necessary priorities. 8AA8921D-05FD-41FF-B537-CA5F5F80F364

As I look beyond the reflection I see in the mirror, I see a woman who has had to press her way through some tough times.  I see a woman who has had to muster up smiles when there was hardly any peace or joy within to make her smiles real.  I see a woman who has fought back tears as she tightly held on to any hope she had left.  I see a woman who has been betrayed and mistreated by some she loved all the while believing they loved her.   I see a woman who was once an innocent little girl who has endured much over the years, but has held on because God gave her the strength to endure.

I know God has carried me through these years and I know He will continue to do so.  These days I am spending more time growing in my relationship with God.  I have more time to study His Word and more time to pray. I have more time to just be still in His presence.  My time in His presence is what moves me to look beyond the reflection in the mirror. There is more of me to see and more of me to become just as there was more of me to see in other stages of my life. There was more of me to see when I was a teenager becoming a young adult.  There was more of me to see as I became a wife and a mother.  There was more of me to see from when I got my first job after college and then choosing to retire after 30 plus years with one company. There has always been more in my reflection, and now I am looking beyond the reflection wondering what is my “next”.

As I wait for further spiritual guidance, I am enjoying my quiet time with God.  I enjoy having my cup of coffee with Him in the morning.  I enjoy reading and studying His Word daily.  I enjoy listening for His voice.  I am looking beyond my now and peering into my “next”.  I am looking beyond and looking deeper within myself.  As I look deeper within myself,  I am seeking Him more.

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Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for blessing me to see another day. Thank You for always caring for me and protecting me.  Father, I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made by You.  Father, as I look beyond my reflection in the mirror I am blessed because You kept gladness in my heart.  I am glad You have never left me or forsaken me.  I love spending time in Your presence and sitting at the feet of Jesus.  Please continue to bless me as I look deeper within myself and as I draw closer to You.  It is in Jesus’ name, I say “amen”.

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       For You have been my Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth.  From birth I have relied on You; You brought me from my mother’s womb. I will forever praise You.  Psalms 71:6-7 (NIV)

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, “the LORD is my portion, therefore I will wait for Him.” Lamentations 3:22-24 (NIV)

As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.  Proverbs 27:19 NIV

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.   Proverbs 31:30 (NIV)

I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Psalms 16:7-8 (NIV)

I Heard Him Say…

This morning as I was sitting outside on the patio, I felt led to be still and hear from God before starting any activities of the day. I had already said my morning prayers, but I was wanting more time with my Father. It had rained some yesterday and it is expected to rain some more today, so I knew I would not be outside for very long. I have mentioned in a previous post that I enjoy my time on the patio. A portion of the patio is open and another small portion is covered. Due to the dampness from the rain, I had to sit in the covered portion this morning. My view is pretty much the same no matter where I choose to sit.

It was so very quiet and peaceful. Maybe because it was so early. I didn’t hear any birds chirping; I didn’t hear any noise from lawn mowers and, I didn’t hear any cars driving on the streets nearby. I said God, I am listening for You. As I sat there, I heard a noise coming from the left of me and I saw a squirrel. Because of how quiet it was, I could hear the squirrel climbing a pine tree on the property next to my house. I could actually hear the sound its little paws made as they tapped on the bark of the tree for it to climb to the nearest branch. Then a male cardinal landed on my fence and it rested there for a minute or so before flying away. It is not unusual for me to see cardinals in my backyard, but each time, I feel so blessed to see such a beautiful bird. After the cardinal flew away, something caught my attention to the right of my yard. It was a small rabbit and as it hopped closer to the fence, I noticed how much its color blended in with the color of the wooden fence. I must have made a noise or movement, because this little creature appeared to freeze in that spot for the longest time. It was still for so long I was beginning to wonder if I really saw it. As I stood up just to make sure I wasn’t imagining that it was there, the little rabbit dashed off between the fence posts and was no longer in my yard.

As I sat there listening for God, it started to rain. It was a light rain. I noticed the rain drops as they landed on the patio table. I noticed the rain drops as they landed on the potted plants and the plants in my garden area. I could hear the rain drops fall. It was then that I thanked God for talking with me and blessing me to hear Him. I heard Him in the steps of the squirrel climbing the tree. I heard Him in the landing of the cardinal on the fence and I heard Him with the rabbit being still in the grass. And, I heard Him in the rain drops!

I heard Him say I Am your Creator, I Am your Protector and I Am your Provider. I heard Him say I will never leave you or forsake you. I heard Him say be still and know that I AM God!

It is so amazing what we hear from God when we actually take the time to be still and listen.

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Father, thank You for waking me up to see this new day. I thank You for allowing me to hear how You care for me in so many ways. Thank You for being mindful of me. If you take care of the squirrel climbing the tree, the cardinal landing on the fence and the rabbit being still in the yard, why would You not take care of me? If you send the rain to water the plants, why would You not take care of me? Thank You for blessing me with food, shelter and clothing. I thank You for Your constant watch and care over me, my family and my friends. I thank You for keeping me safe from dangers seen and unseen. I praise You for being my Creator, my Protector and my Provider. I thank You for being all I need! In Jesus’ name, amen!

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Psalm 111:4-5(GNT): “The LORD does not let us forget his wonderful actions; he is kind and merciful. He provides food for those who honor him; he never forgets his covenant.”

Psalm 8:3-4(GNT): “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”

Psalm 139:14(NIV): “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Psalm 46:10(NIV): “He says be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

John 10:27-28(NIV): “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one shall snatch them out of my hand.”

Posted on in Encouragement

You Are Loved!

Happy Mother’s Day!

This morning as I was finishing up my prayer time, I heard the LORD say be still a minute. As I stayed on my knees, what I heard in my spirit was these 3 words, “You are loved.” This brought tears to my eyes because as Mother’s Day approaches, for some of us, it is not always a day of joyous celebrations. A feeling of heaviness has been tugging on my heart most of this week, because I’ve been through some disappointments or known others dealing with so many different emotions that try to hinder us from celebrating this particular holiday.

As the day approaches and plans are being made for Mother’s Day, some are dealing with the loss of a mother or the loss of a child, whether it is a recent loss or years ago. This past week I’ve seen numerous social media posts of friends wishing their mothers or children were still here with them to celebrate Mother’s Day. There are some women who are dealing with not being able to conceive a child or not being able to carry a child full term. Others are dealing with growing older and not being able to start a family. Some are dealing with children who have distanced themselves from their families. Some are dealing with children who constantly get into trouble. Some mothers are wondering, if they will receive a call or text just to acknowledge it is Mother’s Day! And, some are even dealing with broken relationships with their own mothers.

So many different emotions can be triggered on Mother’s Day, and as with any holiday, this day can be a bittersweet day. So if you are struggling with any sadness or disappointment on this Mother’s Day, be encouraged. Be encouraged, because God wants you to know that “you are loved!” On this day and every day, He blesses us with His love because He is love. He loves us in spite of our circumstances and He loves us in the midst of our sadness and disappointments.

You are loved by your Father in heaven and He celebrates you and comforts you on this Mother’s Day.

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Father, we thank You. We thank You for protecting us through the night and waking us up to see a new day. We thank You for this Mother’s Day and we trust You to guide us through the day. We thank you for mothers who are joyously celebrating this day and we pray for those who are dealing with bittersweet emotions. We thank You for all mothers. Father, we look to You to comfort our hearts and give us peace. Heal our hearts and help us to forgive; wipe away every tear that falls. Father, we look to You to protect our families and to restore relationships. We can’t thank You enough for your precious thoughts towards us. Father, thank You for reminding us that we are loved and most importantly that no matter the circumstances, we are loved by You! In Jesus’ precious name, Amen!

John 4:16 NIV: “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

Psalm 136:26 NIV: “Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.”

Zephaniah 3:17 GNT: “For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

Psalm 139: 17-18 NLT: “How precious are your thoughts about me, God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!”

“You Are Loved”

At The Right Time, The Door Will Open

This morning I got up a bit earlier than I had planned. Imagine wanting to sleep in on a Saturday, but you get up earlier than you normally do on Monday through Friday! As I was trying to decide what playlist of worship music I should listen to this morning, I opened the back door that leads to my patio and I could hear birds already singing for me. I let the screen down on the screen door as a way to “turn the volume up” to hear the birds! It was too early and too dark for me to sit out on the patio and I had not had my 1st cup of coffee.

A few minutes later, although it was still dark and I had not turned the coffee maker on, I decided to open the screen door and step outside anyway. As I grabbed the door handle to open the door, the handle fell onto the floor! At this point I am trying not to panic, because I realize I can’t open the door to get outside. I am thinking it is too early in the day to start off like this! Panic was about to kick in, because I felt like I was locked inside from getting to my patio.

This is the time of the year I enjoy sitting outside throughout the morning just listening to the birds, watching the clouds and talking to God with my cup of coffee near by. So now my thoughts want to really race with this situation and I start to think what if I was sitting outside when this happened? How would I get back into the house, because there is a fence around my property. The gate is locked and I don’t have my house key to get in through the front! As I said, panic was about to kick in!

Now you may be wondering why didn’t I just pick up the door handle to put it back on the door. Well, I did, but still being in near panic mode, I was not processing what I needed do. I kept thinking I can’t open the door and who will I need to call to fix the door and how much will it cost? I took a deep breath and started to put the door handle back in place to connect with the door. It took me a couple of tries and then I was able to adjust it so the door would open and I was able to tighten the handle in place as well. All of this activity with the door lasted less than a few minutes. Truthfully, it has taken me longer to explain it here than it took for me to put the handle back on the door.

So at this very moment, the sun is out and I am sitting outside on my patio. I am enjoying my morning coffee as I listen to the birds sing and as I watch the trees sway with the wind gently blowing on what is a beautiful Saturday morning. As I think about my situation earlier with the door, I am reminded that when God has an open door for you, no man or no thing can shut you out, lock you out or keep you out. You may think you have missed out on an opportunity or you may feel you have been locked out or excluded from plans others have made, but when God has something for you, it will be yours! You may have to make some adjustments and continue praying, but when it is time, God will make sure the door opens for you! I thought I was in an unwelcome and unexpected situation this morning, but I am also reminded to be anxious for nothing!

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Father, thank You for this new day and the tender mercies You grant us each morning. Thank You for blessing us to see and hear the beauty of nature around us. Father, we thank You for opening doors of opportunities and blessings that no man or no thing can shut. We thank You, Father, for designating the right time and the right circumstances to open doors for us. Father, we also thank You for doors that have been shut, because they were not our doors to open and the time was not designated by You! It is in Jesus’ mighty name, we say amen and amen again!

“…At the right time, I, the LORD, will make it happen.” Isaiah 60:22 NLT

” I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Revelation 3:8 NIV

” Do not be anxious about anything, but in every and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Posted on in Encouragement

Try Again!

A few months ago a young friend of mine asked me when I was going to write another post on this blog. I shared with her I had a few drafts pending, but I had not completed any of them. She encouraged me to get back on task of writing as she enjoys reading this blog. Today, I have tried several times to complete a post and I find myself at a crossroads. I have all these thoughts and ideas as to what I can write about, but even today I find myself struggling to write. I always pray as I write so that I will capture what God wants me to write in these posts. Today, as I prayed, I told God I want to write and I want to finish this post.

As I uttered those words, the Holy Spirit reminded of the story of when Peter told the disciples he was going to fish and they decided to go with him. However, as they fished into the night they did not catch any fish. The scripture in John 21:4-6 in the NIV says: “Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He call out to them “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.” There is no doubt that Peter knew how to fish, but there are times we experience frustrations, disappointments and struggles which might hinder us from accomplishing our goals. Peter had just gone through a time where he had denied Jesus 3 times and saw Him crucified.

Prior to hearing Jesus’ voice Peter was probably ready to call it a day and go back out at a later time. Several times in recent months and even today, I have sat down in front of my computer only to walk away leaving the screen blank or with just a title and no accompanying sentences. I just could not get the words, sentences or paragraphs to flow onto the page. Just like Peter and the disciples, I was coming up with nothing. Today, after quite a few attempts I was led to go sit back down in front of the computer and write. Sometimes, we may feel like giving up or feel the time is not right to finish what we have started. I am thankful for those who want to read what I write and who encourage me along the way. More importantly, I am thankful for Jesus who has a way of saying “try again.” He told Peter to put the nets on the other side of the boat. Today, He told me to “go sit back down at the computer and write”. What is He telling you to start, to continue or to finish? I pray you hear Him say “try again”.

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Father, thank You for today. Thank You for giving us another chance. Thank You for Your encouragement and inspiration that flows to us. Father, it is because of You that even when we fail, even when we come up short, or even when we encounter blank pages in our lives, we can still move forward and try again. Father, it is because of You that we can do all things in Jesus who gives us strength. Father, we pray ears will be open to hear You say, try again. And as you called Peter and the disciples “friends’, we thank You for calling us Your friends. We thank You for being a friend so full of love and encouragement towards us. It is in Jesus’ precious name, we say amen!

Posted on in Encouragement

Go Back and Say Thank You!

In the story of the 10 lepers, we are told that Jesus healed all 10 from leprosy, but only one returned to say thank you.

In the book of Luke, chapter 17, the Message version, it reads as follows: “11-13 It happened that as he made his way toward Jerusalem, he crossed over the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men, all lepers, met him. They kept their distance but raised their voices, calling out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”14-16Taking a good look at them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”They went, and while still on their way, became clean. One of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, glorifying God. He kneeled at Jesus’ feet, so grateful. He couldn’t thank him enough—and he was a Samaritan.17-19Jesus said, “Were not ten healed? Where are the nine? Can none be found to come back and give glory to God except this outsider?” Then he said to him, “Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you.

When you take the time to reflect over situations you’ve been in where do you stand? Are you part of the 9 or did you go back and say “thank You”? As the world continues to see so much sickness, disease, death, chaos, devastation and violence have you thanked God that you are still here? If you are reading this, you have survived all that 2020 threw at you and you have survived a good part of 2021. Have you remembered to say “Thank You”?

“Be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life union with Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (GNT)

I want to encourage you, that if you have not taken the time to tell God “Thank You, that it’s not too late to go back and tell Him.

Heavenly Father, we are coming back to say Thank You. Thank You for waking us up today. Thank You for protecting us and providing for us. Thank You for Your unconditional Love. Thank You for Your Grace and Your Mercy. Thank You for all the things You have done and especially for those things where we failed to show gratitude. Father, please forgive us for not coming back to say “Thank You”. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

He is My Rock!

Have you ever felt like you just wanted to crawl under a rock and hide? I know that is just a figure of speech, but have you ever felt that way? You just feel like you need to be by yourself or you need to take a break from all the noises and distractions going on around you. Do you have some decisions to make and you just want to spend time alone with God in order to seek His guidance? Perhaps you are dealing with some issues that are hard to put into words and/or share with others and you just want to hide under a rock. Do you just need to rest and get closer to the Rock who saves you?

I must admit I have felt like crawling under a rock many times. Even during the pandemic and time of quarantining at home, there were times I just felt like too much was going on and I needed to crawl under a rock! I found myself trying to focus on too much and being distracted all at the same time. Thankfully, when I feel this way, I know where to find my Rock in order to steal away for awhile. God is my Rock. He is the One that I can take all my troubles to and lay them down at the foot of the cross. He is the One I can go to when I am feeling overwhelmed with everything that concerns me. He is the One I ask to take captive of my thoughts and to calm my spirit. He is my Rock!

Here are a few verses out of Psalms that you can pray whenever you may feel overwhelmed or feel like you may want to crawl under a rock:

“In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me; turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel. For you have been my hope. Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth.” Psalm 71:1-5 NIV

“I love you, LORD, you are my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior, my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.” Psalm 18:1-2 NLT

“He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.” Psalm 64:2 NLT

“But the LORD is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide.” Psalm 94:22 NLT

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Father, I thank You for being my Rock. I thank You for being my place of shelter and refuge. I thank You for being the Rock that gives me peace, hope, joy and love. I thank You for the strength I find in You to keep going. You are my Rock. In Jesus’ name, amen!