Pulling On Joy, Again

This morning, it took everything in me to get out of bed. I am so exhausted! (It's not from partying, either.) Yet, I still had responsibilities, and I pressed in to work. Right now I'm willing myself to make it through today. Pray my strength...

But one thing I'm aiming to do is to not complain. I'm trying to become a person that is always a light of joy, so that others can be blessed by the joy of the Lord they see in me. So, I'm casting this burden on the Lord, and letting Him care for me.

I wrote a post a while ago that's appropriate for today. And, to be honest, my brain is so tired, it's taking some effort to string these few sentences together. I hope you enjoy and have a blessed day!

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With all of the chaos that’s going on in the world today, it may be a bit hard to find some joy. It’s so easy to focus on everything that seems to be going wrong: the job you can’t find, the money you don’t have, the inspiration that you’ve lost… How can one find joy in the midst of so much despair?


I love the scripture that where it talks about David encouraging himself in the Lord. (I Samuel 30:6) Often encouragement comes down to us deliberately choosing to look past the problem and see the God that is always there. No matter what we go through, God is always orchestrating things for our good. We just get so caught up in the process that we tend to disregard the positives sometimes.

Don’t let this happen to you. Whenever you feel despair knocking at your door, block it out by remembering the goodness of the Lord. Remember how He helped you overcome obstacles in times past. Remember where He sent unexpected blessings in your time of need. Think of how He sent His mercy when you knew you deserved punishment. Take heart in how he rescued you from destruction.

God is so good! And He is the same God today that He was when He walked you through all of those other valleys of darkness. Don’t lose hope! Reach deep inside and pull up some joy! The joy of the Lord will give you the strength to make it through! (Nehemiah 8:10)

Verse of the Day: Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 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. Isaiah 40:28-31

Go, Ti! It's Your Birthday!

Brownies!
My bday 'cake'...

I am praising God for another year of life!

God is sooo good! I've seen some doors close, but a lot more have opened. God has proven His faithfulness, and kept me in perfect peace. I have no reason to complain.

I've had a year of great health: No hospital visits, no prescriptions, no real trauma in my body. Grateful!

I've moved to new employment: I'm loving what I'm doing, couldn't find a better commute, and I get to have a life!

I have family and friends who love me: No matter how I may act, my family and friends show me so much love. God has truly blessed me with a group of people who have enriched, blessed, and inspired my life.

I am reaching for my dreams: This blog is doing so well. Thank you all for reading, commenting, and supporting! I am thankful for all of you! It's so humbling that you all choose to visit every day to get some spiritual refreshment. Thank you!
I'm also grateful for the fabulously wonderfully gifted, smart, and motivated teenagers that the Lord has placed in my care. Helping them grow in their Christian walk has pushed me to a higher level of accountability, and I'm proud to take on the challenge.

This coming year is going to be just as awesome. I'm expecting great things from God. I'm also expecting to do great things for God. He has blessed me more than I deserve, and I am happy He has called me His own.

I pray you all have a blessed day too! (Afternoon Ti, anyone? We still need to get our devotion on! I'll be back later.)

Verse of the Day: (My favorite!) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11

Go On And Do It!

Good Morning and Happy Monday! I hope your holiday weekend was as pleasant as mine (minus the two days spent at the library). I enjoyed some good food, my family, and friends. Now, let my busy week begin!

When the Lord called Gideon to deliver the Israelites, Gideon was so skeptical that the Lord was with him. Gideon questioned God picking him. He balked at even considering that the Lord would favor him. Gideon's insecurity led him to test God several times with fleece.

Yet God went along with Gideon's tests. He showed Gideon that He was with him and assured Gideon that He was working with him. And once Gideon started acting on God's call, you never saw Gideon wavering again. What you did see was the miraculous working of the Lord through Gideon's hands.

Many of us have heard the call of the Lord ourselves. We've tried to question whether God really wanted to use us. We've tried to offer up our own little "tests" to prove that God is really with us.

But how many of us move past the questioning stage? How many of us actually step out in faith once God proves that He's with us?

Is there anyone still in bondage because we're too afraid to step out in faith? Are you missing out on experiencing miracles because of your fear?

Don't miss out on your destiny because of fear! God may have called you to do something so extraordinary, unheard of, and peculiar... but if God's asking you to do it - you can't expect anything but spectacular results!

Your life is supposed to be full of God's glory, but if you aren't doing what God is asking, how can His glory shine through?

Verse of the Day: And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. Judges 6:12-16

I'm Thankful Today

Today is turning out to be one CRAZY day! I have been running around since I landed at work. I'm just now getting to sit down and settle my thoughts.

Today I would like to share some things I am thankful for:
- I am alive! God is good.
- I still have my health and strength.
- My father is still alive and has not gotten any worse. I would love to see improvement, but I am grateful to have my daddy on this side of heaven.
- I have amazing family members and loved ones who would go out of their way to help me and make me happy. - I love you guys!
- I'm blessed to work at a job I enjoy. So grateful.
- Jesus loves me. - Sounds cliche', but it's really the most important thing of all.

What are you thankful for this week?

Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Don't hurt yourself at the table on Thursday or in your wallet on Friday! I'll be back on Monday.

Verse of the Day:

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods.

His faithful love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords.

His faithful love endures forever.

...

He remembered us in our weakness.

His faithful love endures forever.

He saved us from our enemies.

His faithful love endures forever.

He gives food to every living thing.

His faithful love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of heaven.

His faithful love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1-3, 23-26

Woke Up This Morning With My Mind On Jesus!

This morning I woke up at four in the morning. I repeat - FOUR - in the morning!

For a girl who sets her alarm for 6:30, but doesn't get out of bed til 7ish... this might have been an issue.

But as I laid there, a song was ringing through my spirit that tells of love for our Savior. As I lay in my bed, I realized that there was a reason why I was awake. Instead of rolling over and trying to get a couple more hours of sleep, I allowed my heart to sing it's song, and I meditated on the goodness of the Lord. I even took some time to talk with the Father.

It's amazing what love will do. It has a way of overtaking your entire being. I remember times when I was crushing on certain boys - I would stay up late daydreaming about them, think about them during the day, anticipate our next time seeing each other. My every spare moment was spent consumed with how much I was head over heels.

How much more should we be thinking about the love of our Father? Like David, we should long to dwell in God's presence all the time. (Psalm 27:4) We should anticipate spending time with Him. Our heart's should be full of longing for His touch.


It was so good to bask in the presence of the Lord this morning. And you know what? Right now I'm not even sleepy or tired. I'm wide awake and ready for the day. My morning worship has set the tone for my day, and my spirit is already primed and listening for the Lord's voice. My whole demeanor is another place. God is good!

Do you wake up bright and early to worship? Or, do you fellowship with God in the evenings? Although I'm a morning devotion girl, I usually spend that quality time in the evenings. After this morning, though, I might just consider switching up my routine. Either way, there's something about spending time with God.

The next time you wake up at an odd hour, don't just roll back over... It might be the perfect time for you to spend with the Lord.

Verse of the Day: O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.  Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Psalm 63:1-3

Thanksgiving WEEK!

Okay, before we break out our Black Friday schedules, Christmas decorations, and holiday songs, we need to take some time to remember that holiday that comes before Christmas: Thanksgiving.

Showing how appreciative we are of the people around us, the blessings we have, and the love that we share is important. None of us really deserve anything. But the Lord saw fit to bless us with so much. The least we can do is stop and show some gratitude.

When Jesus performed a miracle for the ten lepers only one took the time to come back and thank Him. I'm sure the other nine were grateful to Jesus as well, but it was the one that showed his gratefulness that impressed Jesus. The former leper returned because he realized that Jesus was the Christ, the living God. With this realization, he wasn't only healed, he was made whole.

When you take the time to consider the blessings you have, you can't help but recognize the hand of God on your life. When you think about where you could be and how your life should be going, you can't help but see the greatness of God's work in your life.

And in those moments when you stop to give praise and thanksgiving, you open up yourself to the Spirit's ability to make you whole. When your heart is uplifted towards heaven, the Lord can do a greater work on your inner man to bring you closer to Him and change you more and more into His image.

So, don't just let this week breeze by! Make sure your days this week are sprinkled with moments of thankful praise!

Verse of the Day: And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?  There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. Luke 17:15-19

Thanksgiving Friday!

Happy Friday, Everyone!

This week I am thankful for God's wisdom. I have been juggling so much, and just to be able to know what to do, when to do it, and what to leave alone has been a blessing. Looking at how some people are overwhelmed, stressed, and breaking down... I am grateful that I have peace of mind in the midst of all of the things swirling around me.

I am also thankful for open doors. God is showing His favor for me. I have run across some great people and some great information that is helping me so much in my purpose. I am also finally getting the confidence to walk through some doors that God's been holding open for me for a while now. I may have been apprehensive before, but I am taking on God's boldness! I'm so excited about what God has given me the privilege to do for Him.

Finally, I'm grateful for love. I am reveling in the love of the Father. I may not have a man, boyfriend, or boo, but I am blessed by the Best: I am loved by pure Love itself. There's nothing better.

Enjoy your weekend!

Verse of the Day: And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:16, 18

Big God

This morning I've just been meditating on the goodness of God. We serve such a big God, and yet He still takes interest in our individual lives. It's still so amazing to me!

He doesn't have to pay attention to us, listen to our prayers, or even give us the time of day. We are so far beneath His awesome power, wisdom, and holiness. Yet He still loved us so much He sent His Son to die so that we could spend eternity with Him.

We serve such a Big God. He's big in grace, big in love, big in splendor, big in holiness... And He takes care of us with big mercy. I am just bubbling over with gratefulness this morning!

How can we not show the Father our love and devotion? How can we not dedicate ourselves to serve Him? How can we not tell everyone we know about the benefits of His love and what He has done for us?

Lord, I stand in awe of You because of your greatness. I stand in awe of you because of Your love for me. I stand in awe of You because of Your righteousness. You are awesome! You are mighty! You are miraculous!

And I am honored to call You my Father. I am honored to be able to approach Your throne. I am honored that You want me near You.

Be magnified in my life. Be magnified in the earth. Lord, I give you praise.

Verse of the Day: Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. Psalm 103:1-5

Blessed By the Best!

Every time you ask my grandmother how she's doing, she'll reply with a smile, "I'm blessed by the Best!" She knows who she is and who she belongs to. No matter what comes her way, she knows that her Heavenly Father is taking care of her.

When you think about it, that is a perfect way of looking at life. No matter how people may act up, disappoint, and cause things to be difficult for you, the Lord of Heaven is still blessing you. I'd bet you'd rather Him take care of you than any human being you can find on this planet.

Yet, it's so easy to forget when the cares of the world get in the way. We tend to focus on how so-and-so overlooked us, how our friends mistreated us, and the let downs we experience from people we care about. We focus on the pain, hurt, and frustration we feel from those around us.

However, there's a God within us who shows us perfect love. He loves us the best, He rewards us the best, He never forgets about us, He's always there no matter what. Even when we are the ones who overlook, mistreat, and let Him down, He still shows us unconditional love.

Isn't that the best?

So, put on a smile today no matter how those folks around you act! Keep a positive outlook no matter how it may seem to be cloudy in your sphere. The Best of the Best is in love with you! You are truly blessed.

Verse of the Day: The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love... Jeremiah 31:3a

Strength for Today

So, last night and this morning my phone was ringing - I was being called to do my most dreaded part of my job. This morning when the phone rang, I actually had to pull on my Heavenly Father's strength. "Lord, give me strength to handle today" were my first words of the day.

In that moment the Holy Spirit showed me exactly what to do, and I felt the weight of everything lift off of my shoulders. God is so good.

The Lord will never give us more than we can handle. He wants to take on our heavy burdens and make things more bearable for us.  However, if we're not giving Him our all, if we're not including Him in every facet of our lives, we're holding everything forcing ourselves to deal with the stress and work of it all.

The Lord just wants to be included. He wants to show you how powerful He is. He wants to display His wisdom and knowledge to you. He wants you to experience miracles every day.

However, if you're not opening the door to let Him in and you're choosing to shoulder all of it yourself, you're missing your chance to experience the Lord's sweet rest.

So, no matter what pops up in your path today, make sure you pull on the Father's grace and ability to help you. Allow His wisdom to influence your decisions, let His power take on your challenges. Give Him the opportunity to handle your heavy burdens. He's ready, willing, and able. Don't deny Him the pleasure of assisting you.

Verse of the Day: I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1, 2

New Stuff!

Hey Everyone, I added some info about myself to the blog! I figured it was only right. I've been blogging for about a year now, time to get to know me a bit better. So, click on the "About Me" tab and enjoy!

Great Sacrifice

I've been studying Christ for my Theology class, and it is truly amazing what He did for us.

Jesus was GOD, living in heaven's splendor, enjoying the benefits of being omnipotent and omniscient. He did not know what it meant to want for anything. He had legions of angels singing His praises and ready at His disposal. He had never experienced temptation, hunger, thirst or pain. He was surrounded by riches. He was immortal, and could have rested in glory unfazed by what was going on with that tiny little planet called Earth.

Yet He chose to come down out of His splendor... for you.

Jesus could have chosen to be born to a queen living in some semblance of splendor (what splendor really compares to heaven?). But He chose to come the humblest route, born in a manger because his parents couldn't find room in a hotel. He grew up the son of a lowly carpenter, doing work with His hands, sweating over sawdust and wood.

The Son of God - who spoke and things were made - chose to live a life full of hard work... for you.

Jesus submitted Himself to be tempted by the devil - His nemesis, the very creature that had single-handedly started the destruction of the world Jesus had helped create. Jesus withstood the devil's daggers, doubts, and temptations because He had a bigger goal in mind.

This was all before Jesus got to the cross! Would you have given up heaven, the very things that made you God just for some folks who turned their back on you at their first chance? Would you have gotten off your throne knowing more than half the people you were giving up your glory for would question every facet of your existence?

Thinking on the great sacrifice Jesus gave for us, even before He reached the cross, let's make sure we live our lives showing proper gratitude and love. It's the least we can do.

Verse of the Day: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:1-5

Thanksgiving Friday!

Today I'm thankful for the men and women who have served and gave their lives for our nation. Because of their sacrifice, we can live in freedom! Thank you, Lord for giving us people like them.

I'm also thankful for having the day off! Thus, the abbreviated post...

What are you thankful for today? Give God some praise!

What's Your Witness Saying?

Paul and Silas had been whipped, put in stocks, and thrown in the deepest part of prison. Yet they were not despondent. They did were not angry. They did not lose hope.

In fact they were so full with the joy of the Lord that they burst into praise and worship. As they sang praises to God, He was moved to deliver them from their situation. Their chains were miraculously loosed. The very ones who had beaten them, dressed their wounds and set them free. More importantly, a whole household came into the Kingdom of God.

What is holding you prisoner right now? Who has wrongfully "beaten" you and tried to put you in bondage? How are you responding? What is coming out of your mouth? What actions are you taking?

Often it is our greatest trials that will produce our greatest witness. When we are at our lowest points, our true character shines through. David chose to honor God rather than take revenge on Saul. Daniel chose to face death at the hands of lions rather than abandon his worship of the Lord. Jesus forgave the people while he languished on the cross. Paul and Silas sang praises while they were imprisoned.

Are you so full of God's joy that others can't help but hear your praises and worship to your Father? Is God witnessing your faithful spirit in the midst of your pain? Are your oppressors being moved to repentance because of the way you respond to injustice?

Or is your response like everyone else?

Verse of the Day:
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Acts 16:25-30

Take Refuge in HIS Strength

As soon as Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, they realized they were naked. (Genesis 3:7) Their sin removed them from the covering glory of God, and they saw their vulnerability.

Have you ever thought on it?

Human beings are naturally the most vulnerable creatures on the planet. We don't have thick fur, feathers, scales, quills, or leathery skin to shield us from the elements. We are smooth-bodied creatures who had to create our own coverings to help us navigate through earth.

We were created to exist within the glory of God. As long as Adam and Eve were living in God's glory, they weren't aware to their vulnerabilities. They didn't realize how weak they were. God was strong among them. He covered and shielded them from what they naturally could not combat. He supernaturally provided a world that worked with them to give them fruitful results.

Sin separated them from God and opened them up to the enemy's domain. At that moment, sickness and dis-ease were able to enter in. Adam and Eve would have to experience toil, stress, and pain. Death was now certain.

A Redeemer had to be found to re-establish the balance.

Christ is that Redeemer. Because of Him were are able to be enveloped by the presence of God like Adam and Eve were. We may not have the full benefits that they did in the garden, but the presence of God surrounds us all day. Whatever we come up against, the power of the Lord is there to assist us. No matter what way the enemy tries to attack us, our God is a standard against him.

However, many of us are too worried about how vulnerable we appear to be, and we don't employ our strength in God. We see what we can't do, how we can't win, what we don't have... We're too busy seeing how "naked" we are instead of grabbing hold of the one who can clothe us with His power and strength.

Don't neglect your spiritual covering! Grab hold to the One who created you and release hold of your shame. God made you for a purpose, don't let the enemy snatch that away. No matter what comes, God wants to establish His greatness in you.

Verse of the Day: I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. Psalm 18:1-3

Staying on Track

This morning I woke up asking God to help me serve with patience and love today. I repeated it as I did my hair. I sent up another quick word as I logged on to my computer at work.

I need to keep myself reminded, so I can stay on task when the moments arise. I used to keep little notes posted in my cubicle at my old office. It always helps to randomly look up and see the Word of the Lord staring you in the face. Kinda keeps you on your toes.

I should probably set some reminders up in this office pretty soon... Scratch that, today.

David consistently reminded himself of the things of God when He faced adversity. Whatever came His way, David encouraged himself in the Lord. (1 Samuel 30:6) When he was feeling weak, he reminded himself of the strength of God who was with him. (Psalm 89:8) When David was afraid, he brought to his thoughts the security of the Lord. (Psalm 9:9) As David wrestled with sin, He looked to the heavens for inspiration to stay on the right road. (Psalm 6:2)

It takes an effort to stay on the right path. We so easily slip into sin sometimes when we get overwhelmed. That's why it's important to keep the word of the Lord ever before us. It should be ringing in our ears, marinating in our hearts, and on a constant playback in our minds.

How do you stay reminded of who you are in Christ? How do you keep yourself from slipping into reckless behavior?

Verse of the Day: Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalm 119:11

Nice to be Needed?

Can you guys at least
get in a single file line?

Lately, I've been feeling a bit needed lately. It seems like no matter where I go: home, work, church - even with friends - I'm being asked to do something. Everyone needs me. You do this so well... Yours always is right... I wouldn't even know where to begin... You're so creative...

I mean, it's nice to know that people recognize your strengths, but I haven't had the chance to relax and just be! I can't sit and chill without fulfilling some request first it seems.

As a result, I haven't been my usual self. And I find complaints slipping out of my mouth on a more regular basis. Plus, a lot of what I'm being asked to do is not being done with the right attitude. I realize I need to take a step back and look at the example of Jesus.

Jesus was the man. No matter where he went, crowds showed up. They were ever-present with their questions to be answered, their sick that needed to be healed, their demons that needed to be cast out, their spirits that needed to be enriched. And even when Jesus was able to get away from the crowds, he had to deal with the questions from his disciples.

Yet Jesus knew what was necessary to retain His sanity. He would take time away to Himself to pray with the Father. (Matthew 14:22, John 6:15) He also served from a position of love. Even when he was tired, he was moved with compassion by all who came to Him for help. (Matthew 9:36, Mark 6:34)

If I stay in right relationship with the Father, I can be constantly reminded that my life is not my own. I am not here to serve my own wants, but I am here to serve on God's behalf. If I remind myself of the love that He has for me, I can show that same love to all the people that look to me for help whether it's a small or large request.

It may take me a minute to fully grasp this truth, but I will definitely try. I don't want to turn into a mean old lady. Plus, I want to live a life of love. Jesus is my example, and if He was able to deal with all the demands on His life and still be filled with compassion, I can at least make the effort to do so as well.

Pray my strength...

Verse of the Day: And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. Matthew 14:14

Thanksgiving Friday!

God is an awesome God! I'm so blessed to know Him!

How was your week? Mine was short. These classes are making the days fly by. I'm so busy, it's like the hours are minutes! But I'm grateful that things are getting done.

This week I'm thankful for the privilege of prayer. When you think about it, God loves us a lot. He is so great, powerful, and full of wisdom. He can fathom things far beyond what our teeny brains can ever hope of comprehending. Even Einstein himself had minuscule knowledge compared to our Father.

Yet our Father allows us to have personal conversations with Him. He lets us bring our problems to Him. He accepts our worship and praise. He gives us the freedom to ask Him questions, and He doesn't answer us condescendingly. The very fact that He even responds is even more of a blessing!

I'm thankful that God gives me unlimited access to Him. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, the Creator of All is available to me. That is so mind blowing. Doesn't that make you want to pray even more?

What are you thankful for this week? Do you have anything that you can send up a praise for? Let the Lord know why you're thankful!

Have a great weekend.

Verse of the Day: The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer. Psalm 6:9

Press In!

When the woman with the issue of blood heard that Jesus was in her city, she made sure that she got to where he was. She got there, saw the crowds, and put aside the Jewish restrictions that forbade her to intermingle with society and pressed in to get close to him. She was determined in her heart that she would at least touch the Savior.

That woman got close enough to touch the hem of Jesus' garment. And she instantly got her healing.

Many of us know that Jesus has the answers to the questions that we seek. We know that he holds the miracle that we've been searching for our entire lives.

Like the woman with the issue of blood, we've gone to other places, people, religions, and schools of thought trying to find an answer. We've spent money in hopes of finding our cure. We've gone to seminars and meetings, tried folk remedies, and advice.

All to no avail.

And then we heard of Jesus. We knew he was the answer to everything.

Despite our letting him into our lives, however, some of us have chosen to stay on the outskirts of the crowds. We've allowed what other people would think to hold us back from trying to get closer to the Master. We know of him, but we haven't made the effort to get close enough to touch him.

It does take more of an effort to get close enough to touch the Savior. Yet, if the woman with the issue of blood is any indication, that very act could instantly unlock the miracle that we've been searching for our whole lives.

Don't let your fear hold you back from your answer. Jesus is there. Are you willing to press in to get to him?

Verse of the Day: And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. Luke 8:46-48

What's Your Response?

I do not like surprises. I like for everything to go according to plan the way it should. When things happen off the radar (as they always do -  that is the very definition of life), I am easily upset and knocked off my game. Often when bad issues pop up, I react in anger or out of my confused emotions. I say and do rash things only to regret my behavior later.

I justify myself at times by saying that it's just a part of my nature, but it's no excuse. There's no reason for me to still react in such a negative way to sudden misfortune.

Looking to God's Word, Job is a perfect example of how to respond to bad news. After Job learned that he had lost everything, his first reaction was to worship God.

Don't remember that tidbit?

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped... Job 1:20


He just learned that he lost all his children and all of his wealth. In seconds, he went from being one of the wealthiest men on the planet to the poorest.

Yet Job didn't panic. He didn't spazz out. He didn't start cursing to the heavens.

He worshipped.

I believe we can learn a lot about Job just from that one fact. He was a worshipper. He spent quality face time with God. No wonder God was so confident in the face of the devil that Job would not sin. God had a one-on-one relationship with Job. He knew the man's heart.

And after all was said and done, Job passed his trial with flying colors and received more children and wealth than what he had lost. (Job 42:12-17)

What is your first reaction to trials and tribulation? Do you already have a reserve of worship on the inside of you that can sustain you when troubles come? If the enemy challenged God about your loyalty, could the Lord reply back in confidence that you won't succumb to the enemy?

A worshipful heart is a powerful asset. Time spent in the Lord's presence can benefit us in more ways than we may initially think.

Make sure you take some time out today to worship the Lord. Meditating on His goodness, greatness, and love will make whatever problems that may show up seem trivial and small. Worship can strengthen our spirits to handle those challenges when they come.

Worship reminds us of how big and powerful our God is. We can't let ourselves forget that truth.

Verse of the Day: Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Job 1:20-22

Why Not Include Him?

Studying the life of Jesus, you can't help but see how connected He was with the Father. He was a consistent, constant praying man. Before He began His ministry, He took forty days to pray. He prayed to the Father at times before He performed miracles. He prayed before He went to the cross.

How often do you spend time in prayer? Are you consistently seeking God's will in every situation? Do you make decisions in conjunction with the Holy Spirit?

I know for myself, I can analyze a thing to death only to make a decision I later regret. I often do pray, but many times it's just me saying my piece. I don't wait to hear what the Father has to say in return.

Jesus sought to bring glory to God in every situation. As a result of Him completely turning Himself over to the will of the Father, He was able to accomplish His life's purpose without error. He was able to preach, teach, and model the Kingdom of heaven in a short amount of time and go back to heaven after a job well done.

How long have you been working on living out your purpose in God? How many times have you gone down the wrong paths, made the wrong decisions, or missed golden opportunities?

Yes, God is able to make everything work together for your good. But how much more good could our lives be if we just upped our prayer lives a little?

Today, take a couple of times to converse with the Father throughout your day. Include Him in on your decisions. Get His opinion before you make a choice. This could very well become one of the best days of your life!

Verse of the Day: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John 16:13